#2
This guy's speaking tour is set for the next 50 years. He'll be like the Ramsey Clark of the Little Green Men curcuit. Wanna prove it's all true? Send in the MOD guy...
Ur dumped, Kevin Federline -- and you are now part of a growing club of spurned lovers who have been ditched by text message.
Oh, tacky.
That would fit the overall theme here, wouldn't it?
A video of Britney Spears' soon-to-be ex-husband apparently getting a text message informing him that the pop princess had filed for divorce became the most viewed item on the YouTube Internet site on Thursday, with more than 1 million hits. The Web video shows Federline taping a reality television show and talking about Spears being his biggest fan -- until he gets a text message. Then he puts his head in his hands, rips off his microphone and disappears, returning 30 minutes later visibly upset.
"Spit. The gravy train's derailed. What'm I gonna do for a meal ticket now?... Is Liz Taylor married at the moment, I wonder?"
Spears, 24, abruptly filed for divorce from fledgling rapper Federline this week after two years of marriage -- and two children -- while he was filming in Canada.
Experts on cell phone and text message use and etiquette said Federline was not the first to be dumped by text -- and certainly would not be the last with rising numbers of teen-ager and 20-somethings using text to avoid confrontation. "People in their teens and 20s feel more comfortable using a text message to communicate something serious than having to confront someone," said Delly Tamer, chief executive of online wireless retailer LetsTalk.com, which researches phone use. "It is instant gratification -- and delayed mortification. At some point they will have to yell at each other."
Posted by: Fred ||
11/10/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Hey, man, like, I got a text message.
"dfghdfbmcvbnnbcjkfgdkhdfg"
Oh my God! Brittany wants a divorce!!
Posted by: K. Federline ||
11/10/2006 10:52 Comments ||
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#2
He also joins Larry Fortensky, Peter Holm and all of Liza's ex husbands among others in the Celebrity Loser Ex Husband Hall of Fame...
Dozens of riot police stood guard on Thursday as a Kenyan court acquitted four Christian missionaries, including two from the United States, of incitement for distributing anti-Islamic pamphlets. Inside the heavily secured courthouse, magistrate Hellen Wasilwa found the four innocent of the charges for lack of evidence, and rebuked Muslims who rioted outside the facility at a previous hearing.
"The evidence on record cannot sustain the charges brought by the prosecution," she said in her ruling. "In view of that, this court has no option, but to dismiss the charges against the accused and hereby acquit them."
Wasilwa then ordered the immediate release of the defendants, US nationals Andrew Saucier and Paul Garcia and Kenyans Michael Mullei and Patrick Mutinda. They had faced three-year jail terms and fines if convicted.
The four had been charged with incitement for allegedly distributing pamphlets reading "Prophet Mohammed is not a true prophet" and "Allah had no son" near their church south of Nairobi that infuriated Muslims. But Wasilwa said she was unconvinced that the distribution of the leaflets amounted to incitement, noting that Kenya enshrines freedom of speech and religion in its constitution.
"Kenya is a democratic country which guarantees freedom of worship and displaying of the pamphlets, in my view, does not amount to incitement to violence," said Wasilwa. She also took a swipe at militant Muslims who threw stones at court guards and the defendants during the trial last month, prompting police to fire live rounds and teargas into the air and forcing a delay in the case.
Wasilwa said there were numerous Islamic books sold in Kenyan bookshops that repudiate Christianity, but she was not aware of any cases of Christians attacking Muslims because of them. "I have never heard where a Christian has ever attacked a Muslim, yet there are many Islamic books that (contain) remarks such as 'Jesus is not a son of God, but a prophet'," she said. There was no immediate reaction from the Muslim community.
The pastors were arrested in mid October after the leaflets prompted infuriated Muslims to demonstrate in October outside the Calvary Baptist Church where the four work in Ngong, about 32km from Nairobi. Kenya has a vocal Muslim minority, which in February rallied against the publication in western media of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed and demonstrated more recently against alleged police harassment.
(AKI) - Moroccan transport minister Karim Ghellab denied on Thursday media reports that the government has banned prayer time for employees with national air carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) owned by the royal family. "Employees for the airline RAM have only been asked not to pray in their offices, though if they want to pray they can go to a mosque, which is not forbidden. That's the only point, there is no ban on prayers," he told Arabic satellite television Al Jazeera.
The Arabic service of the BBC reported this week that as of this week RAM employees would not be allowed to take a break from work for the five Muslim daily prayers nor would they be allowed to pray in the workplace. An internal document for RAM workers reportedly warned that "errors of the past whereby prayer time is used to spend hours out of the office must not be repeated."
The decision would have been unprecedented given that the company is owned by the royal family and that King Mohammed VI is the country's religious leader. The minister however denied this claim in the interview to Al Jazeera stressing that employees can go to a mosque near their workplace and pray.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
11/10/2006 00:00 ||
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Who would have guessed mooslims worship 1974 Pintos?
Posted by: ed ||
11/10/2006 8:39 Comments ||
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CAIRO - Scores of Egyptian women demonstrated in Cairo against sexual harassment on Thursday in response to reports that gangs of young men attacked women in the street at random and groped them last month.
Wouldn't it be easier for the authorities to release goats into the streets?
Eyewitnesses, cited by newspapers and Web sites, said the attacks on women took place on Oct. 23 and 24, the first and second days of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The reports said police stood aside as mobs surrounded some women and pulled off some of their clothes, and that other women ran away and took shelter in shops and peoples homes.
The Interior Ministry, which runs the police force, said in a statement that it received no reports of harassment and that media reports of the incidents were baseless.
"No, no, certainly not!"
Protesters revived the opposition slogan The Street is Ours and called for President Hosni Mubarak and Interior Minister Habib el-Adli to be removed from office. They taunted the hundreds of riot police who surrounded them, saying they protected the government, but turned a blind eye to attacks on ordinary women.
The Egyptian Centre for the Rights of Women, which helped organise the demonstration, said it had received numerous complaints of harassment from women.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/10/2006 00:00 ||
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sexual harassment
Is that what they are calling it? I thought plenty of women were outright raped during this bit of "adventurism".
Chávez attacks Bush as a 'genocidal' leader
Venezuela's president continued his criticism of President Bush after the pro-Chávez legislature declared that the 9/11 attacks were `self-inflicted.'
BY PHIL GUNSON
Special to The Miami Herald
Anti-American Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez greeted the resignation of US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Wednesday with a suggestion that President George W Bush should follow him. Heads have started to roll. The president should resign on moral grounds, he told a news conference after an aide passed him a note with word of the resignation. Rumsfeld should go to jail. Chavez has a running feud with Bush, whom he calls the devil. He said the Democrats victory in mid-term elections on Tuesday was a vote against Bushs Iraq war policy, which he hoped meant the United States would rein in its imperialism. Senior US officials say the leftist Venezuelan president is a threat to regional stability.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/10/2006 00:00 ||
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For those of us who think that GWB made a mistake when he 'looked into Putin's soul', this isn't alltogether bad news.
MOSCOW - Russia is bracing for a tougher stance from Washington following the Democratic partys victory in US Congressional elections, analysts and media here said on Thursday. Its certainly not going to help, Kremlin-connected analyst Vyacheslav Nikonov told AFP, speaking of Tuesdays mid-term elections in which Democrats won control of the House of Representatives and appeared to squeak ahead in the Senate.
Historically, Democrats have always been more complicated for us than Republicans, Nikonov said, invoking Soviet-era conventional wisdom about American presidents.
And while President George W. Bush has two more years in office, the new Democratic Congress is likely to fight him every step of the way, Nikonov said -- including on key Russian priorities such as membership in the World Trade Organization.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/10/2006 00:00 ||
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In other words, Russias got even more of the same $hit on-deck. Enough to even upset the liberals to a greater degree than the conservatives. Fasten your seat belts!
Hugo and Nebula award-winning sci-fi and fantasy author Orson Scott Card has made a name for himself with best sellers like Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead. Now he's taking his storytelling abilities to the world of video games with independent game developer Chair Entertainment.
While Card's writing fueled classic LucasArts games The Dig and The Secret of Monkey Island, his latest book, Empire, is part of a multiformat franchise that was conceived from the ground up for video games, comic books, novels and films.
Empire, which hits bookstores Nov. 28 from Tor Publishing, is set in a near-future America in which a civil war has erupted between the political left and the right. Card was involved from day one in building the franchise across entertainment mediums. He took some time to talk about his latest venture and to explain why he doesn't enjoy playing video games any more.
#2
Right, OS. The military would not go along with an extraordinary powergrab by the Dems/LLL. They would be grease spots on the L&N tracks.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/10/2006 22:11 Comments ||
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On the other hand if the right were the ones trying to grab power I think the military would side with the lawful government. That is the only way to have a meaninful 'civil war' otherwise it would be a short blood-bath.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Student leaders at a California college have touched off a furor by banning the Pledge of Allegiance at their meetings, saying they see no reason to publicly swear loyalty to God and the U.S. government. Wonder if any of these folks have federal college loans outstanding?
The move by Orange Coast College student trustees, the latest clash over patriotism and religion in American schools, has infuriated some of their classmates -- prompting one young woman to loudly recite the pledge in front of the board on Wednesday night in defiance of the rule.
"America is the one thing I'm passionate about and I can't let them take that away from me," 18-year-old political science major Christine Zoldos told Reuters. "The fact that they have enough power to ban one of the most valued traditions in America is just horrible," Zoldos said, adding she would attend every board meeting to salute the flag. Cool! Let's see 'em try to deny her her civil and Constitutional rights (ACLU, hello? Hello?)
The move was lead by three recently elected student trustees, who ran for office wearing revolutionary-style berets and said they do not believe in publicly swearing an oath to the American flag and government at their school. One student trustee voted against the measure, which does not apply to other student groups or campus meetings. Viva La Revolutcione, eh, guys? Now, let's talk about those student loans...
The ban follows a 2002 ruling by a federal appeals court ... That'd be the 9th Circus Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco; also known as the most overturned appeals court in the federal system
... in San Francisco that said forcing school children to recite the pledge was unconstitutional because of the phrase "under God." The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the ruling on procedural grounds but left the door open for another challenge.
"That ('under God') part is sort of offensive to me," student trustee Jason Bell, who proposed the ban, told Reuters. "I am an atheist and a socialist, and if you know your history, you know that 'under God' was inserted during the McCarthy era and was directly designed to destroy my ideology." Talk about revisionist history! Hey, kid! Your ideology and atheism is offensive to me and about 50% of the people in this country. Now, let's talk about those student loans.
Bell said the ban largely came about because the trustees didn't want to publicly vow loyalty to the American government before their meetings. "Loyalty ought to be something the government earns through performance, not through reciting a pledge," he said. Okay, how about that whole freedom thing that you idiots had handed to you on a silver platter? Have you done anything, anything at all to earn that? Nope, didn;t think so. Now, let's talk about those student loans...
#1
three recently elected student trustees, who ran for office wearing revolutionary-style berets and said they do not believe in publicly swearing an oath to the American flag and government at their school.
so it's 3 Che wanna-be's...not the entire school
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/10/2006 6:51 Comments ||
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was directly designed to destroy my ideology
Said ideology killed well over 100 000 000 men, women and children all over the world, including several genocides/democides, one of whom killed twice as many people as the nazi genocide of jews... and re-introduced mass slavery and forced labor into the Western world... and held literally billions in political oppression... and was an expert user and sponsor of terror, subversion, having the mandate to cheat, lie, obsfucate, invert values, pretend and manipulate, in the name of Progress... so much that it is still slowing killing off western civilization as we speak.
#3
I see the Future Journalists of America, Orange Coast College Chapter have already begun practicing their craft.
Posted by: ed ||
11/10/2006 7:48 Comments ||
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#4
It's three Che wannabes who got themselves elected on this platform. I'm glad that some of their classmates are willing to stand openly against such childish posturing. After all, it's easy enough for atheists just not to say the "under God" phrase, and there is a long history of religious socialists. In fact, religious communism has a long history in Christianity -- both amongst the heretical sects and mainstream communities of monks and nuns. It's a good thing these student leaders are still in school; there remains the possibility they'll be exposed to the information they need to think clearly.
#5
"That ('under God') part is sort of offensive to me," student trustee Jason Bell, who proposed the ban, told Reuters. "I am an atheist and a socialist, and if you know your history, you know that 'under God' was inserted during the McCarthy era and was directly designed to destroy my ideology."
Let's talk about the millions dead at the hands of your ideology, hmmm?
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
11/10/2006 8:09 Comments ||
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#6
Poseurs. Colleges and universities are the factories that produce the cogs of the vast capitalist conspiracy. If these punks really wanted to stick it to The Man, they would volunteer to impart the vast knowledge and wisdom of their 19 years to the oppressed peoples of the Congo or become harem eunuchs in Saudi.
Posted by: ed ||
11/10/2006 8:17 Comments ||
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#7
The move was lead by three recently elected student trustees, who ran for office wearing revolutionary-style berets and said they do not believe in publicly swearing an oath to the American flag and government at their school.
I bet they will, however, be quite willing to accept federal student loans to matriculate at this world renowned institute of higher learning.
If I could find the matchbook their entrance application is printed on, I might try drawing the pirate to see if I could get in.
#8
"That ('under God') part is sort of offensive to me," student trustee Jason Bell, who proposed the ban, told Reuters. "I am an atheist and a socialist, and if you know your history, you know that 'under God' was inserted during the McCarthy era and was directly designed to destroy my ideology."
Bell said the ban largely came about because the trustees didn't want to publicly vow loyalty to the American government before their meetings. "Loyalty ought to be something the government earns through performance, not through reciting a pledge," he said.
Martha Parham, a spokeswoman for the Coast Community College District, said her office had no standing on the student board and took no position on the flag salute ban.
"If their personal belief is that they don't want to say the Pledge of Allegiance, the district certainly isn't going to dictate what they do," she said.
Bob Dees
Executive - President
(714) 432-5712
http://occonline.occ.cccd.edu/online/bdees
bdees@occ.cccd.edu
Dr Farhat Hashmi, who now runs a thriving Islamic and Quranic education school in Toronto, has said that the devastating October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir was Gods punishment for sinners.
I agree. I think they were punished because they're Muslims.
She told the newspaper Globe and Mail in an interview, The people in the area where the earthquake hit were involved in immoral activities and God has said that he will punish those who do not follow his path.
The "immoral activity" consists of bonking their heads toward Mecca five times a day, then beating their wives and conducting jihad against their neighbors. They do that sort of thing in Muzafarrabad and you see what happens. When was the last time an earthquake hit Columbus, Ohio? Or Saskatoon? Or Kierkenes? Or Blagoveshchensk?
The newspaper noted, while reporting Dr Hashmis obiter dicta that thousands of children were buried alive in their schools in the earthquake.
Immoral children, apparently.
She told her class in the presence of the Globe and Mail reporter, in Urdu, that it was Gods punishment for transgressors. While she spoke, her class of women, overwhelmingly Pakistani-Canadians, mostly young, nodded and murmured in agreement. We must understand why such calamities take place, Dr Hashmi said.
Just a hint: That sort of thing doesn't happen in Lutheran countries.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/10/2006 00:00 ||
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Hey, he's saying these things because they'll believe it . . . .
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday called U.S. President George W. Bush's defeat in congressional elections a victory for Iran. The donks should be proud. They have pleased the regime that poses the most danger to the Middle East, and the US.
Bush has accused Iran of trying to make a nuclear bomb, being a state sponsor of terrorism and stoking sectarian conflict in Iraq, all charges Tehran denies. We only want to make nice nuclear weapons to kill all of the infidel dogs.
"This issue (the elections) is not a purely domestic issue for America, but it is the defeat of Bush's hawkish policies in the world," Khamenei said in remarks reported by Iran's student news agency ISNA on Friday. It is true. AQ, Iran, Taliban, and all of the enemies of western civilization won and will be emboldened.
"Since Washington's hostile and hawkish policies have always been against the Iranian nation, this defeat is actually an obvious victory for the Iranian nation." There is this little thing about capturing a country's embassy and holding embassy employees hostage, fostering terrorism that has killed 1000s of US soldiers and marines over the past 30 years. Little things like that. Sorry to be so thin skinned.
The Democrats wrested control of both houses of Congress from the Republicans in this week's mid-term elections, partly because of voter concern over the war in Iraq. And partly because the average voter couldn't point out on a map where Iran is let alone understand that radical islam is the biggest threat to world peace since Hitler and Tojo (at least the Ruskies were pragmatic).
Khamenei, a senior cleric in power since 1989, has the last word on matters of state in Iran's complex system of Islamic rule, while the government, under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in charge of day-to-day decision making. can you say sock puppet?
"The result of this election indicates that the majority of American people are dissatisfied and are fed up with the policies of the American administration," the IRNA state news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. No, the Republican leadership became too fat, arrogant, and corrupt and they lost focus. The donks stepped up and cooked up the agenda centered on: "I hate Bush", and the MSM was more than happy to feed it to them. Terrific strategy when you have the media whores in your pocket.
Khamenei said military maneuvers in the Gulf this week in which Iranian forces tested new missile systems showed Iran was ready to face any threat. But, he said: "With the scandalous defeat of America's policies in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon and Afghanistan, America's threats are empty threats on an international scale." That scandelous defeat where 1000s of young islamic men died as a wasted sacrifice to the demon allan.
Khamenei condemned Israel for its artillery attack on Wednesday in Gaza which killed 18 civilians, and also the "silence" of Western nations over "this great oppression".
"The daily crimes by the savage Zionists in Gaza once more prove that holding talks with this occupying regime is of no use." Heaven help us.
#2
Khamenei and Pelosi agree together in perfect harmony
Side by side on the prayer rug, so why don't we?
We all know that people are the same where ever we go
There is islamofascist, and communist, in ever-y-one,
In dhimmi we live, jizya we give
To allah so we might survive together a-live
Khamenei and Pelosi agree together in perfect harmony
Khamenei, Pelosi, ooh, Kennedy, ooh
Posted by: ed ||
11/10/2006 18:05 Comments ||
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#3
Anybody remember these words?
"We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail."
I do. Bitterly. Tuesday the the American people showed weakness, and now our enemies are emboldened.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
11/10/2006 18:09 Comments ||
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#4
Yes, Dave. And your bitterness is shared, as is your clear sight about what will come of this election.
"When all is said and done in connection with the Pentagon management shakeup, the Baker commission report and the Dems actively taking control of the legislative branch, I for one will be watching the reenlistment rate among the troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. I suspect many troops will opt to return to civilian life if they feel that they no longer have support from the policymakers, rather than be jerked around by people who think like John Kerry. And if the re-up rate goes down, original enlistments will probably decrease, too. Nobody wants to fight in a war that the movers and shakers don't want to win. That was true in Korea and Vietnam, and it's true now.
Any new trends should be apparent by March or so, if they are to happen. I guarantee you that any such change will be spun by the lamestream media as Bush's fault, probably accompanied by NYT and WaPo opinion pieces bemoaning what a dumb thing it was to get rid of Rumsfeld.
It sure would be interesting if Charlie Rangel's (D-NY) idea of reinstating the draft had to be implemented by a Democratic congress in order to maintain military force levels. I wonder what the political fallout from that would be in '08.
As an aside, I also think that diminished capacity of our conventional forces, especially the Army and Marines, tends to make nuclear war more likely, because weakness encourages the enemy to attack, and when you must fight, you fight with what you have. The alternative is capitulation."
I'll be watching, too.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
11/10/2006 18:44 Comments ||
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#6
I believe enlistments will also crash. It's not like Pelosi supporters will get patriotic all of a sudden.
Posted by: ed ||
11/10/2006 18:48 Comments ||
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#7
And re-enlistments and resignations. Company-grade officers and enlisted soldiers from the Clinton years are now combat-experienced field-grade officers and senior NCOs who remember what it was like, and may well pre-emptively bug out in substantial numbers.
#8
The pro-CHICOM/NORKOR bloggers are also going ballistic > iff America withdraws from the ME, for them gener then it can also withdraw from ASIA-PACIFIC. A few are actually demanding that Kimmie make the first military/milpol move agz US-Allied interests since it is believed that the USA does NOT have the resources to fight a two or more front war, i.e. against both IRAN + NORTH KOREA/NK-TAIWAN and elsewhere.
Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, whose party just lost both chambers of Congress, will leave his position in January, and the post as party chief has been offered to Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele. "It is true," Mr. Mehlman told The Washington Times when asked about reports last night that he would resign. "It's something I decided over the summer. No one told me I needed to. In fact, folks wanted me to stay."
Other Republican Party officials said some Republican National Committee (RNC) members, including state party chairmen, have mounted a move to have Mr. Steele succeed Mr. Mehlman.
But they said that President Bush's political adviser Karl Rove, who is Mr. Mehlman's mentor, would rather see Mr. Steele serve in the president's Cabinet, perhaps as secretary of Housing and Urban Development. These officials said no one has actually offered Mr. Steele either the RNC post or a Cabinet post.
Steele spokesman Doug Heye said last night that "I don't know of any conversations that Lt. Gov. Steele has had on this topic, but I can tell you that there are many people who have said he would be an ideal candidate, based on the race he ran this year."
"I talked to him very briefly about it today. He has not made any decisions yet about what he will do next. He is still focused on his role as lieutenant governor," Mr. Heye said. . . .
Posted by: Mike ||
11/10/2006 09:36 ||
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I also heard he could be considered for a Cabinet post.
The new majority is expected to hold hearings on military spending and the Iraq war -- just for starters.
Rep. Ike Skelton knows what he will do in one of his first acts as chairman of the Armed Services Committee in the Democratic-led House: resurrect the subcommittee on oversight and investigations.
The panel was disbanded by the Republicans after they won control of Congress in 1994. Now, Skelton (D-Mo.) intends to use it as a forum to probe Pentagon spending and the Bush administration's conduct of the Iraq war.
#1
it's easier to be the out-of-power party, bitching and carping about every detail, than it is to actually have to, like, deliver. Ask Hamas
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/10/2006 7:00 Comments ||
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#2
All I gotta say is GO FOR IT!!!
Run a circus up on the Hill. Make all the dire faces you want.
Just gonna make it that much easier to take control back in 2008.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
11/10/2006 8:10 Comments ||
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#3
The Repubs should play the bribery videotape of Alcee Hastings at every committee meeting and hearing.
Posted by: ed ||
11/10/2006 8:36 Comments ||
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#4
Oh, and the more of this crap they do, the less time they can spend on legislation.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
11/10/2006 9:03 Comments ||
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#5
I wonder if the trend will continue of private individuals blowing off congressional subpoenas?
That is, congress has long refused to cite anyone for contempt who tells them they don't want to testify. So when Henry Waxman decides to have some political theater, Halliburton and whoever just sends a "no thank you" on their RSVP.
And there's not a damn thing Waxman can do about it, unless the entire House votes for contempt, and that can take prohibitive amounts of time. It's not a simple resolution. And even with such a vote, it just sends the matter to a federal prosecutor, who quite likely will decide not to prosecute.
#2
The high votes Newt is getting in these polls leave me wondering what internet GOP folks are smoking: nominating him would be pretty much the only way to lose the next general election against the weakest Democratic field in eons.
#3
Most folks who hear me say it tell me I'm nuts, but Giuliani is the only candidate who can INSURE a Republican victory in 2008. I love Newt. I thought he was the most unfairly attacked and smeared political figure in decades. He's articulate, intelligent, and a true fiscal conservative as well as a social one. Having said that, he's far too polarizing a figure to prosper in a national race. I hate much of Rudy's politics, including his pro-choice stance and other issues, but the man is electable. If he wound up going against Hillary, she'd get her liberal ass handed to her in a hat.
#4
Polarizing means Newt gave better than he got. His problem was he couldn't keep his wiener out of his congressional aide's pants. Should have been a Dem and been lionized for his "bravery".
Posted by: ed ||
11/10/2006 10:18 Comments ||
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#5
Have Rudy get elected an put Newt in as Treasury Secretary...
#6
Maybe I'm nuts, but Rudy and Condi still seem the top choice to me; earlier posts about Newt's polarization seem to carry some weight; there is a lot of long term memory out thee surrounding him that is probably more of a liability than an asset. I think Condi has only been following orders as Sec State; Give her the VP seat and stand by.
Romney is interesting but the Dems will be happy to use his religion to smear him. They're Dems, they can't be bigots.
Hagel, Huckabee, Pataki -- who?
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/10/2006 21:28 Comments ||
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#8
I note that, in every view of the result data, Romney is the sleeper, waiting just out of direct fire range, given the numbers. I have no doubt his "baggage" will focus on his being a Mormon.
For perspective, I am a bona-fide atheist - not a squishy one, either, but also someone who believes that I should let people's behavior be my guide, nothing else. What should I care what people believe if it helps them find peace, sleep at night, and they keep it to themselves? I don't - good for them. Where a belief's resulting behavior is tolerance of others and yields positive results, I'm the best friend of religion. Where it is destructive, divisive, intolerant, or barbaric - I am a sworn "reform or perish" enemy.
I know the Mormons rather well - having been drafted (dragged) into their world as a kid, before I escaped and left home - and have no serious issues with them in how they conduct their lives. Even in Utah, they kept their peculiarities to themselves when dealing with non-Mormons, which is both smart and something to be emulated by other religions. Only the ubiquitous polite and earnest young men in white shirts, black slacks, riding bicycles to "spread the word" to anyone willing to listen puts them on the "uh oh" radar. As far as I know, they are not harassers - except to extra-ex-Mormons like me, lol. I can assure doubters that there is no more patriotic "group" in the US outside of the service academies. Period.
It will be interesting to see if other Christian religious sects give them the same tolerance that was finally given to the Followers of Cathol when Kennedy ran. The focus, to me, should be on the positives, the similarities, the results, not the belief differences, large or small... but then history has shown us that the smaller the difference between two ideologies (yeah, yeah, I know - it's "religion" not ideology! - bullshit, lol -- here, pull my finger...), the greater the neurosis...
So I see fun times ahead and will find it interesting to see the reactions and how much paranoia Romney's private beliefs invoke. His intelligence, clear-eyed patriotism, and executive competence seem to be obvious, enough. I look forward to hearing what the Massaholics say, but with a grain of salt (think: cowlick, lol) since they live in The Cynical People's Republik of Beacon Hill, lol. That can't be good for the mental health, heh. Wiki offers this...
#9
It's McCain's "turn." The GOP always seems to nominate whoever came in second the previous time.
RR: Lost to Ford in '76, won in '80
GHWB: Lost to Reagan in '80, won in '88
Dole: Lost to Bush in '88, won in '96
GWB: I'll admit this one doesn't fit
McCain: Lost to GWB in '00, wins in ....?
#10
Heh, Jackal - it will take some doing, like a LOT of centrist-sounding speeches or similar Hillary-like BS. He's got the same massive negatives - as the poll shows.
That's one of the reasons I found this straw poll interesting - it's from the conservative bubble of the blogosphere, not from some asshole MSM "reporter's" spin machine, lol.
#11
I know that this is a long shot, but a straight shootin' straight talking someone would be an unusual choice, given the preference of the parties for picking weak leaders. How about Duncan Hunter of San Diego. Commodore Frank G likes him.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/10/2006 22:09 Comments ||
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#12
Well, Hunter's got two years to get on the radar... and now he'll have to do it from a minority position. I'll wager his invitations to be on the Talking Heads shows, never very high, will fall to almost nothing. So he'll need a very effective PR machine...
Can Frank identify how he'll raise himself above the swamp and generate the buzz?
#13
Duncan Hunter is a definite power, but I see him as a VP for Giuliani or Romney to convince the base. He's a straight dude, but not high-profile enough to gain the big seat IMHO. I've met him in person several times, and he's a good man. Total pro-military, anti-illegals, and AFAIK no scandals...and they've tried hard after the Duke Cunningham scandal to paint him too....he was a Ranger in VN too... no lucky hats for him
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/10/2006 22:36 Comments ||
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#14
Josesph M in '08
Romney or Rudi or Newt + Condi!
Santorum? Too far right?
McCain, Blah! To lib for me, but can get votes from both sides. I don't want votes for face value, middle of the road politics. I want straight shootin' as AP says. And no rolling over for a belly rub as GWB seems to be doing. No more "let's all feel good". Small Gov., Low taxes, security,take no prisonors attitude. Who will be the next Gipper. Stand up and be counted. I want a LEADER, not a polished up talking head.
Fred, Frank, Joe, .Com, Zen, Oldspook, TW, Steve, others. What are you folks doing between '08 and '12
#17
From the main page at the GOP Bloggers site, a quote from Dick Armey:
"I've always wondered why Republicans insist on acting like Democrats in hopes of retaining political power, while Democrats act like us in order to win..."
#18
Silly Kilowattkid! Politics is a sandpaper world made of diamond dust these days (and probably always, although they used to dress better, I think); I'd fare poorly indeed. I did try inhaling once, but it made me cough. It would be interesting, though, to bring over a5089 as assistent secretary of knife (and other) pron -- perhaps under Homeland Security or Health & Human Services. ;-)
Donald Rumsfeld's abrupt resignation from the Pentagon the day after Republicans lost both chambers of Congress has infuriated some GOP officials on and off Capitol Hill.
Members and staff still reeling from Tuesday's rout are furious about the administration's decision to dump the controversial defense secretary one day after their historic loss, they said in a series of interviews about the election results.
President Bush announced Rumsfeld's resignation on Wednesday and named Bob Gates, a former CIA chief and president of Texas A&M University, as his replacement.
"The White House said keeping the majority was a priority, but they failed to do the one thing that could have made a difference," one House GOP leadership aide said Thursday. "For them to toss Rumsfeld one day after the election was a slap in the face to everyone who worked hard to protect the majority."
Exit polling suggested that an overwhelming majority of voters disapproved of the administration's handling of the war in Iraq, and members and aides were frustrated with the timing of the announcement because an earlier resignation could have given them a boost on the campaign trail, they believe. "They did this to protect themselves, but they couldn't protect us?" another Republican aide said yesterday.
White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten called outgoing House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) on Wednesday morning to notify him of the move, Hastert spokesman Ron Bonjean said Thursday. A spokesman for House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said the White House also notified the House leader before the news was announced.
Citing the various scandals that have roiled the Republican Congress, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow Thursday downplayed the impact of the war in Iraq on Tuesday's election. "The voters said, 'You know what, we expect you to come to Washington and do the people's business,'" Snow said during his regular press briefing Thursday. "And when people lose sight of that, voters tend to remind them of the priorities. That's 10 seats right there."
The working relationship between Bush and congressional Republicans will be an interesting subplot for the next Congress as the GOP adjusts to its new role in the minority. Relations between the president and Republicans on the Hill have frayed dramatically since he began his second term, with GOP lawmakers placing increased blame on the administration for its perceived inability to reach to members and staff on legislation, personnel moves and its interpretation of the legal code in the detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists.
Republicans cite the fumbled rollout of Social Security reform, the administration's continued support of comprehensive immigration reform and the president's insistence to defend American involvement in Iraq on the campaign trail.
There were also very public spats between Hastert and the administration over an FBI raid on Rep. William Jefferson's (D-La.) congressional office and a major split over the near acquisition of port operations in six major cities by a firm based in Dubai.
#1
sure, Rumsfeld is why we Reps lost...idiots. Look in the mirror, congressional and "leadership" assholes.
Your bloated budgets, packed with pork, your corruption (thanks Duke!), your lack of coherent message (thanks Lincoln and Arlen!) etc etc. are to blame.
It will take better introspection than this to turn this ship around
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/10/2006 6:47 Comments ||
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#2
Frank, despite all that which I agree with; tactically speaking, removing Rummy about 8 weeks ago prolly would have decided a few close races to the GOP's favor. Some people don't like Dick Morris but the guys usually calls the races pretty acurately. He even scratched his head at removing Rummy on 8 November vice 8 September.
#5
Here is the issue as far as I can tell. The public was upset with the Battle of Iraq because they were fed a constant stream of disinformation:
a) It was portrayed by the media as a stalemate or worse.
b) It was never portrayed as the victory against dictatorship, nuclear proliferation or WMD production that it was.
c) The ancillary victories such as Libya's surrender of its nuclear program were played down.
d) The agents (Iran and Syria) behind the continued violence in Iraq were never acted against.
e) The administration and its agencies never took active action against the leakers and disseminators of critical national security intelligence. They were entirely reactive and not proactive.
The public would have supported the troops and the mission if they were seeing progress in these areas. Instead they saw (rightly or wrongly) our troops being shuffled around in Iraq to put out fires with a low but constantly hyped attrition.
I think we needed a Patton who would have pressed on against the enemy rather than getting fixated on consolidating what we had already secured. Instead we got a Montgomery (my apologies to our English cousins) whose overcaution led to delay and increased casualties. You win wars by killing the enemy and destroying his means of support. While we have been successful in killing jihadis by the thousands in Iraq there are millions out there and we have done precious little to stem the supply of newly propagandized recruits.
In the end this electoral defeat occured because we have not aggressively fought the war. Our side lost sight of the forest for the trees.
Modern Democracies seem unable to fight wars for generations. Ergo we must find a way, however brutal, to bring this war to a successful conclusion within our lifetime. I would have thought six years would have been sufficient to make a major impact on the problem. Instead we have been nibbling away at the periphery and not striving for victory.
People will argue that we need to stay and foment democracy in Iraq. I say we need to destroy those who are striving to destroy the Iraqi's hope for democracy. Remove the outside agitation and the Iraqis will find their democracy. Continue to allow insurgent forces safe haven, training and resupply from over the borders and you will have chaos and bloodshed.
The time wasted fighting fires instead of war allow the enemy the time to upgrade their weapons and tactics to blunt your future actions.
You cannot fight and win a war with your arms tied behind your back. I would have thought we learned that lesson in Vietnam.
If the administration is serious about winning this war then they'd best step up the action and make progress instead of twiddling thumbs and allowing the enemy to dictate the tempo.
You are going to see the enemy slack off their attacks now that the election is over and the Dhimmies will take credit as if their election caused it. In fact the attacks were stepped up to secure their election. The focus of the administration will be turned inward as the newly elected majority strive to prove their spurious claims about lies and deception. The war will continue to stagnate and, lacking a major push by the Iraqis to take actions against their internal and external enemies, will lead to our withdrawal (redeployment for the dhimmitude) and a searing loss in the war. We may never again be able to launch a successful ground campaign.
The saying "Fortune favors the Bold" is not one that is likely to be applied to this administration. Letting your military commanders tell you what can be done is fine. But there is also a time when you must tell your commanders what needs to be done and making them find the ways and means to do it. I think we have seen plenty of deference to the military commanders in terms of what they can do in specific areas. I think we have seen very little of finding the right commander(s) to carry this war through to completion in the minimum period of time. We have our McClellans but where is our Grant or Sherman or Patton?
Posted by: DanNY ||
11/10/2006 8:56 Comments ||
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#6
Who in the Republican party has the guts to stand up and stop this unnecessary rout?
#7
If Rumsfeld had resigned earlier, it would have played up by the Democrats as an admission that the policy was wrong. Without a clear change in direction -- all the alternatives are unpalatable -- the GOP would have had it worse, not better. Oh, one more thing. Macacca.
#8
I absoultely do not understand why Rusfeld resigned when and how he did. I don't know if he was fired or if he resigned - but either way it doesn't matter. At the very least they should have waited no less than 3 weeks and had Rumsfeld say he didn't want the hassles of the job. If Bush did fire him, it just reflects poorly on Bush's judgement regarding the politics surrounding it.
#10
"a) It was portrayed by the media as a stalemate or worse.
b) It was never portrayed as the victory against dictatorship, nuclear proliferation or WMD production that it was."
-damn straight. The GOP leadership did not (imho) do enough to call the media on their B.S. (Minus Fox News). However, even O'Reilley irritated me when he kept saying what a disaster we were in - he's dead wrong of course. We are making progress but I agree we need to change some tactics. Just not the same way dems would like.
BTW - if the media spent 1/10th of the time on the positive things going on as they do the negative I'm positive there would be a few more repubs in office today.
#11
BTW - if the media spent 1/10th of the time on the positive things going on as they do the negative I'm positive there would be a few more repubs in office today.
That was the whole point of the media's coverage.
Posted by: ed ||
11/10/2006 10:50 Comments ||
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#12
DanNY nails it.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
11/10/2006 11:05 Comments ||
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#14
I shared my doubts a long time ago that the American military slanting PC ever since Patton slapped a coward, could produce real ass kicking leaders. And neither the left or Bush wanted to use a tactic of door to door ham-handed control, but that's what would work.
Let's face it, Bush continued to support the war while campaigning, but dumped Rummy immediately after the loss. That proves that Bush is and was waving in the wind. If he had doubts, he should have dumped Rummy in September.
Let's also remember that the real enemy has never been named in this war. The enemy has declared war against western civilization. They know who they are. They are Islam. There are some among them who condemn this jihad against western civilization. These few are moderates, and they are wanted, dead or alive. Let them find a secure place and denounce Islam, then they can live.
For the rest, for the bulk of Islam, let us prepare to annihilate them before they annihilate us.
Nothing has changed in this conflict except we will allow Iraq to collapse. The fight will go on, and I expect that at home we MUST destroy the Macaca (MSM) that poisons our waters.
Finally, a warning; The leftist assholes in Congress will attempt to silence talk radio, tax the internet, reduce the military, and take away our guns. Stay tuned.
#15
I'm sorry; long-time Rantburger, but DanNY has nothing ....
>#5 Here is the issue as far as I can tell. The public was upset with the Battle of Iraq because they were fed a constant stream of disinformation:
>a) It was portrayed by the media as a stalemate or worse.
And it's not? We've been there 3+ years, can't even control the capitol, and you want to call it better than a stalemate?
>b) It was never portrayed as the victory against dictatorship, nuclear proliferation or WMD production that it was.
So, what did we go to war for, exactly?
>c) The ancillary victories such as Libya's surrender of its nuclear program were played down.
Well played, but there is plenty of evidence that Kadaffi wanted to turtle on his WMD before we bombed the shiat out of Baghdad.
>d) The agents (Iran and Syria) behind the continued violence in Iraq were never acted against.
True. And what's going to change with a new SecDef?
>e) The administration and its agencies never took active action against the leakers and disseminators of critical national security intelligence. They were entirely reactive and not proactive.
True again, but what the hell would it really matter? Would it change the status quo ante as we stand right now? No.
My take, yea, Rumsfeld is getting a bad rap. The problem here isn't in conception of the war; it's in implementation. And if I remember, there's a Harvard MBA somewhere in the administration. Perhaps some of the blame should fall on those supposed vaunted managerial skills.
We should never have settled into a static position to begin with.
I don't know whether geting rid of Rumsfeld is a good or bad decision. In my gut I think it is bad, but that was not specifically what my rant was about.
We went to war to destroy Islamofascism once and for all.
All of those items need to be changed if we are serious about winning.
Posted by: DanNY ||
11/10/2006 12:53 Comments ||
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#17
I'm still not resolved on Rummy's resignation either, although I am prone to view W as the first "President as CEO" in his management style.
If W is a CEO, then what happened to Rummy was simply switching to a very unpalatable "Plan B" that was probably drawn up as a contingency plan months ago. Certainly the President knew that this was the "poison pill" in the unlikely event the Dems grabbed ahold of both sides of the house. George was wishing upon a star that the Senate was safe, and the house would be close, and he said so many, many times during the past 6 weeks.
However, he wasting no time in rolling out Plan B...and I think it may be tied into the Baker initative, utilizing some diplomatic back channels to find some common ground on a course forward in Iraq, and playing nice with the Dems for as long as he can to salvage what he can.
I'm sure he is finding this past tuesdays beef jerky hard to chew, but I think this contingency plan is already green lighted and it is rolling out.
#18
Oh, and Dan NY- I whole heartedly agree that "The Battle for Iraq" is historically the title that should have been given to to conflict, and not allowed to be rolled up to war status. It is simply a battle in a much larger war, no different than say the Italian campaign during WWII.
Suddenly everybody is Joe Lieberman's best friend. Thrown out of his party just three months ago, the Connecticut Senator and one-time Democratic vice-presidential candidate has emerged from Tuesday's mid-term elections as one of the most powerful lawmakers in Washington. Elected as an independent to a fourth term in office, Mr. Lieberman, 64, finds himself being courted by Republicans, suddenly lacking a Senate majority. He has also received conciliatory phone calls from Democrats, who had cast him as a turncoat for supporting the President on the war in Iraq.
The reason is simple: Both parties need him. With the Senate race in Virginia still disputed, Democrats remain at least one seat short of winning an outright majority and taking control of Congress. Even if Democrat James Webb ultimately defeats incumbent Republican Senator George Allen, Mr. Lieberman's vote will be crucial to Democrats seeking to impose their legislative agenda on Washington in the next two years. For Republicans, who now have just 49 Senate seats, Mr. Lieberman could be an important ally on thorny security issues like counterterrorism policy and border security.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/10/2006 00:00 ||
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#3
Lieberman is the Republics safety net. No anti-war BS will get by the Senate, because Joe isnt bound to the Dems who backstabbed him.
Hell, he will be a hero in his home state.
I wonder if the press will brand him "Maverick" for blocking the Dems like they do with McCain blocking the Repubs.
At lesat he has his integrity. Unliek that buttplug Chaffee. 7 figures the naitonal party spent on that disloyal asshole countryclub repub. We could a used that money a lot better elsewhere. No more money for RINOs.
#9
OS - you do a disservice to good buttplugs everywhere, LOL
I'm still giggling too....
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/10/2006 6:54 Comments ||
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#10
Lieberman is a Democrat. He may part with Pelosi on the war, but he is in sync on domestic programs. He will support the Dem agenda, leadership appointments, budget priorities and judicial appointments.
Posted by: ed ||
11/10/2006 9:14 Comments ||
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#11
But....if there are 49 elected Republicans, and 49 elected Democrats, and 2 elected Independants.. how do you get to a 51-49 Democrat majority? Looks like a majority tie to me, and the Daschle '02 shared majority rule should kick in...
mathematicly speaking, of course.
#1
Will the image of the Twin Towers on fire, cause Dems to reason that the extraordinary legal measures taken against the enemy, were sound?
"Enemy combatants" captured in a "failed state" (Afghanistan) should be handled by military justice. I would extend that status to anyone trained in the Taliban junk entity. At least hundreds of Americans - mostly of Pakistan descent - were among over one hundred thousand trained in terror by Taliban/al-Qaeda.
..The Honorable Mr Gates - and I mean no sarcasm YET, for we here at the 'Burg will give a man a chance - wrote this in a book about his time at the CIA. H/T to www.powerline.com - Mike
"...The book's major surprise was its assessment of President Carter. "Carter's record in dealing with the Soviet Union," the book says, "was far more complex and successful than commonly believed at the time or since. Indeed, he was the most consistently if often unintentionally truculent President in relations with the Soviets since Harry Truman...If people had known what he was doing secretly to take on the Soviets, perceptions likely would have been different."...." This can NOT be good...
Well, he said it was a secret ...
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
11/10/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Truculent. Bah. Eagerness to argue is not what the US needed to end the Soviet Empire. Reagan was pro-freedom; he communicated and acted accordingly. By contrast Carter has supported and encouraged tyrants all over the planet.
Carter was and remains an anti-American malaise to the core. If Robert Gates praises him one should question his motives.
NEW DELHI - Indias longest-range ballistic missile, which proved to be a dud after a test-flight in July, will be re-tested next year, the countrys chief military scientist announced on Thursday. M. Natarajan, head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said the 3,500-kilometre range (2,710-mile) Agni-III (Fire) missile would not be scrapped because of the flop.
Has the range to reach deep into China. For example.
We are going ahead. We will conduct the re-trial of Agni-III next year, Natarajan told reporters in the southern Indian city of Chennai. There is no question of dropping the project, he said of the missile which can be tipped with a one-tonne nuclear warhead and aims to become the most lethal guided weapon system in Indias arsenal.
An Agni-III prototype blasted off July 9 and after travelling vertically 12 kilometres (7.4 miles), veered off course and crashed into the sea without hitting its designated target. The failure was attributed to a snag in a strapped-on solid fuel booster rocket. Natarajan said DRDO scientists were working to remove the glitches.
We will transfer technology to units which are manufacturing components of the missile, he said, adding a new alloy being used in its casing would increase the missiles range further.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/10/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
The failure was attributed to a snag in a strapped-on solid fuel booster rocket.
Typical media screw up.
The GSLV satellite launcher failed due to one of its liquid strap on boosters.
The Agni-3 doesn't have strap-on. The failure was in the second stage.
Posted by: john ||
11/10/2006 11:42 Comments ||
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(AKI) - Heba Kotb receives visitors in a small study on the second floor of a building in Sharia Sudani, in Cairo's residential neighbourhood of Mohandeseen. Hanging on the wall of the study is her medical degree and sexology specialization. The phone in the entrance rings constantly and the waiting list for patients is two-months-long. Kotb, 39, is a practicing Muslim, married to a fellow doctor and a mother of three. But she is also a pioneer in her subject matter, still considered a taboo in many Middle Eastern countries, and every Saturday morning, she tests boundaries in a show on Egyptian state television.
Kotb invites experts as well as Muslim clerics to discuss sex according to the Koran on her show and then answers phone calls from viewers who ask her for religious as well as medical advice on sexual matters. "Few people want to enter my line of work in the Arab world," she says in an interview to Adnkronos International (AKI). "I follow tradition and have a strong personality but, most importantly, have a supporting family," she adds, explaining how she deals with a job she defines as "different rather than difficult."
"At first, only well-off people came to me and I had about two or three patients a week. But after I started appearing on television people started to get to know me and call for an appointment, often provided they remained anonymous. Slowly, more people arrived here at the practice."
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
11/10/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Well, this is a first. If a few anatomy lessons are included in therapy, then at least some Muslim women are finally getting their rocks off.
"Kotb, who wears the headscarf and is a practicing Muslim, says sexual pleasure is God's gift. "
Great. Now if they could only broaden that notion to realize that the victims of suicide bombers and beheaders are gifts from God, too-gifts which the jihadis utterly desecrate.
#8
The Milyuhn- and Zilyuhn-Earth sized SUN refuses to obey Earth-sized Earth, now its 00's = 000's of Earth-sized SATURN's turn. The NUREMBURG enviro war crimes trials sent out the OWG Global Army MP's arrest the space traitors but the SUN + now SATURN refuses to surrender.
Three US citizens and four Vietnamese have gone on trial in Vietnam charged with terrorism. They are accused of attempting to set up illegal transmitters to make anti-communist radio broadcasts inside the country.
Correspondents says the case may complicate ties with the US ahead of President George W Bush's visit next week and a Congressional vote on trade. The trial in Ho Chi Minh City is expected to last no more than a day.
All of the seven defendants are of Vietnamese origin, but three - Nguyen Thuong Cuc, also known as Cuc Foshee, Huynh Bich Lien and Le Van Binh - also have US citizenship. Local press reports have linked them to a California-based anti-communist organisation called the Government of Free Vietnam.
They are alleged to have brought transmitters and other equipment into Vietnam from neighbouring Cambodia. They were hoping to take over local radio stations and broadcast anti-government radio messages, according to the BBC correspondent in Hanoi, Bill Hayton.
The case is being heard exactly a week before President Bush arrives in Vietnam to attend the annual Asia-Pacific summit. It may also complicate scheduled votes in the US Congress intended to permanently normalise trade relations between America and Vietnam, our correspondent says.
Senator Mel Martinez from Florida, the home state of one of the accused, has threatened to block the bill because of the case. That would be an embarrassment to both governments, which have heralded the bill as symbolising their new partnership.
If found guilty of terrorism, the accused could face sentences ranging from 12 years in jail to the death penalty.
The Vietnamese government is currently trying to extradite a man it calls the leader of the plot, Nguyen Huu Chanh, from South Korea. An earlier attempt failed. Mr Chanh was one of the founders of the Government of Free Vietnam.
At least nine vessels were destroyed in a naval clash Thursday between Tamil rebels and Sri Lanka's navy off the northern coast, officials said. Rebel military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan told The Associated Press that fighting broke out when navy vessels disturbed the rebels' "routine naval exercises."
A Defense Ministry official, however, said about 16 rebel boats, including explosive-laden suicide boats, attacked a navy patrol and sank one boat. The navy, assisted by the air force, retaliated, destroying eight rebel boats, the official said on condition of anonymity due to policy. One naval craft was destroyed in the battle and another was damaged. There was no independent account of the incident, and no details of casualties were immediately available.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/10/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Great pic of the carriers at Ulithi anchorage in WW2, Fred! I think that they used to call it "Murderer's Row" or something like that. That kind of fleet will never be seen again. Glad somebody took the pic.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/10/2006 16:04 Comments ||
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COLOMBO - Tamil Tiger rebels staged a suicide attack against a naval patrol in northern Sri Lanka on Thursday, destroying two gunboats and sparking a major sea and air battle, a military spokesman said. One of the gunboats was rammed by a a rebel craft packed with explosives while another was destroyed under heavy fire, spokesman Prasad Samarasing said.
The boats were escorting a larger vessel carrying some 300 troopers to the northern peninsula of Jaffna. We believe that the Tigers were targeting the Green Ocean vessel which was carrying 300 troops, Samarasinghe told AFP. The navy confronted the terrorist boats. A big terrorist boat packed with explosives rammed a Dvora gunboat.
There were some survivors, but we dont know exactly how many sailors were in the first Dvora which was sunk, Samarasinghe said. The navy has also destroyed about eight Tiger boats.
He said helicopter gunships and supersonic aircraft were sent to the area to bomb another flotilla of boats and the military esti
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/10/2006 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.
Ur dumped, Kevin Federline -- and you are now part of a growing club of spurned lovers who have been ditched by text message.
(AKI) - Moroccan transport minister Karim Ghellab denied on Thursday media reports that the government has banned prayer time for employees with national air carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) owned by the royal family. "Employees for the airline RAM have only been asked not to pray in their offices, though if they want to pray they can go to a mosque, which is not forbidden. That's the only point, there is no ban on prayers," he told Arabic satellite television Al Jazeera.
CAIRO - Scores of Egyptian women demonstrated in Cairo against sexual harassment on Thursday in response to reports that gangs of young men attacked women in the street at random and groped them last month.
Anti-American Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez greeted the resignation of US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Wednesday with a suggestion that President George W Bush should follow him. Heads have started to roll. The president should resign on moral grounds, he told a news conference after an aide passed him a note with word of the resignation. Rumsfeld should go to jail. Chavez has a running feud with Bush, whom he calls the devil. He said the Democrats victory in mid-term elections on Tuesday was a vote against Bushs Iraq war policy, which he hoped meant the United States would rein in its imperialism. Senior US officials say the leftist Venezuelan president is a threat to regional stability.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Student leaders at a California college have touched off a furor by banning the Pledge of Allegiance at their meetings, saying they see no reason to publicly swear loyalty to God and the U.S. government.
Dr Farhat Hashmi, who now runs a thriving Islamic and Quranic education school in Toronto, has said that the devastating October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir was Gods punishment for sinners. 
The new majority is expected to hold hearings on military spending and the Iraq war -- just for starters.
Donald Rumsfeld's abrupt resignation from the Pentagon the day after Republicans lost both chambers of Congress has infuriated some GOP officials on and off Capitol Hill.
Suddenly everybody is Joe Lieberman's best friend. Thrown out of his party just three months ago, the Connecticut Senator and one-time Democratic vice-presidential candidate has emerged from Tuesday's mid-term elections as one of the most powerful lawmakers in Washington. Elected as an independent to a fourth term in office, Mr. Lieberman, 64, finds himself being courted by Republicans, suddenly lacking a Senate majority. He has also received conciliatory phone calls from Democrats, who had cast him as a turncoat for supporting the President on the war in Iraq.
NEW DELHI - Indias longest-range ballistic missile, which proved to be a dud after a test-flight in July, will be re-tested next year, the countrys chief military scientist announced on Thursday. M. Natarajan, head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said the 3,500-kilometre range (2,710-mile) Agni-III (Fire) missile would not be scrapped because of the flop. 
(AKI) - Heba Kotb receives visitors in a small study on the second floor of a building in Sharia Sudani, in Cairo's residential neighbourhood of Mohandeseen. Hanging on the wall of the study is her medical degree and sexology specialization. The phone in the entrance rings constantly and the waiting list for patients is two-months-long. Kotb, 39, is a practicing Muslim, married to a fellow doctor and a mother of three. But she is also a pioneer in her subject matter, still considered a taboo in many Middle Eastern countries, and every Saturday morning, she tests boundaries in a show on Egyptian state television.
At least nine vessels were destroyed in a naval clash Thursday between Tamil rebels and Sri Lanka's navy off the northern coast, officials said. Rebel military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan told The Associated Press that fighting broke out when navy vessels disturbed the rebels' "routine naval exercises."
