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Today's election day...
Today's Headlines
Headline Comments [Views]
Page 1: WoT Operations
2 00:00 Maarten Schenk [1] 
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3 00:00 Chamberlain the Second [] 
1 00:00 Steve White [1] 
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Today's election day...
I hope everyone will vote for the party of his/her/its choice.
If you happen to see my grandaddy at your polling place, tell him to stop voting Democrat. He never liked them when he was alive, so now's a heck of a time to start...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 05:26 pm || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under:


The elections...
8.34 p.m. Jeb Bush has been called as the winner in Florida. McAuliff said that was "the most important race in the country." 59 percent, with 25 percent of precincts in, settles that argument. Katherine Harris is leading in her race, too...

Lautenberg's been called the winner in the New Joisey race...

John Warner, running unopposed, is the winner in the Virginny race, with 84 percent. Saddam would sneer...

Inhof's in, in Oklahoma, in a Republican safe seat... I wanted to see how many "in's" I could fit in that sentence...

8.37 In Arkansas, a Pulaski county judge has ordered the polls held open past closing time in response to a Dem lawsuit...

8.54 Drudge is calling Dole the winner in North Carolina...

Alexander projected to win in Tennessee, but it's a real early call...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 08:01 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


More elections...
9.00 p.m. Chuck Hagel (R) retains his seat in Nebraska... He wasn't expected to have a problem...

Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed (D) retained his seat... No surprise...

SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt resigned from the SEC... G'bye, Harvey...

Jennifer Granholm (D) projected as winner in Michigan governor's race...

Ed Rendell (D) projected winner in Pennsylvania governor's race...

9.25 Jim Talent is actually ahead in St. Louis... Are the dead people staying home?

John Sununu doing better than expected in New Hampshire...

Taft (R) projected as winner in Ohio governor's race. Has that ever happened before?

Pete Domenici (R) safe in New Mexico... Publicans retain Colorado governor's seat...

Bill Richardson (D) projected as winner in New Mexico governor's race...

Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi (R) projected as winner...

Max Baucus (D) is projected in Montana...

Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn (R) retains his office...

Saxby Chambliss is up significantly on Max Cleland in Georgia... an upset?

Lindsey Graham winner over Dem Alex Sanders in South Carolina, replacing Strom Thurmond...

10.10 p.m. Elizabeth Dole declares victory in NC Senate race... Bowles conceded... Clinton's chief of staff is toast...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 09:23 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Still more elections...
10.10 Sununu projected winner in New Hampshire... Up by six points, with 70 percent of votes counted... Bob Smith wasn't able to kill his campaign...

10.25 McBride conceded to Bush in Florida...

John Baldacci (D) wins Maine governorship...

George Pataki whups McCall 50-38 percent in New York governor's race...

Chambliss projected winner over Max Cleland... Publicans are up one...

Romney (R) beats O'Brien in Massachussetts governor's race...

Drudge sez Arkansas supremes overturn lower court judge's ruling keeping polls open...

Joe Biden (D) retains his seat from Delaware. No surprise...

Tom Harkin (B) beat Ganske in Iowa...

Rick Perry (R) wins Texas governor's race...

Mark Pryor (D) projected to beat Tim Hutchinson in Arkansas — Publicans and Sinners back to even-Steven in the Senate...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 10:32 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Last of the elections for tonite...
11 p.m. Looking good for Bob Ehrlich (R) in Maryland, with 93 percent of the vote in — he's leading 52-47 over The Fair Kathleen... Fox calls it for Bob! Hurrah! (I have to live here, y'know...)

Dick Gephardt is putting the best face on the loss of incumbent-vs-incumbent house seats... Even as he spoke, Publicanette Nancy Johnson was projected the winner in Connecticut... Liberal Publican Connie Morella loses to Chris van Holland to balance things. Beat her by four points in liberal Montgomery County, after the district was packed with Dems in redistricting...

Talent up by four points in Missouri with half the precincts in...

Carcieri (R) takes Rhode Island governorship... That one was a surprise...

Damn! Ruppersberger (D) won in Ehrlich's old district...

Gordon Smith (R) keeps his seat in Oregon...

Wayne Allard's up 8 points over his Democrat challenger in Colorado. It's not called yet, but it looks good...

Minnesota's still too close to call... White House sez they're convinced Coleman will win, based on calls from the field.

From Drudge... NYT: 'A CAMPAIGN WITH NO LACK OF BIG ISSUES FAILS TO INVIGORATE VOTERS'... That means the Publicans are holding their own...

Texas Senate called for John Cornyn (R)...

Mary Landrieu (D) claims victory, kinda, in Louisianna. She's got to have a runoff with her closest challenger, who's one of several Publicans opposing her...

Georgia governor's race: Gov. Roy Barnes reported to have conceded. That's an upset...

Minnesota still too close to call, though Coleman's well up on Mondale... Not enough precincts in yet...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 11:24 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Congratulations! I don't live there, but I think you're MUCH better off (especially with a Gov. who knows the difference between a "Football" and a "Touchdown" - whatever happened to those Kennedy touch football games?) the Glendenning/Kennedy-Townsend machine finally hits the wall..
Posted by: Frank G || 11/05/2002 22:20 Comments || Top||


What the hell, another half hour won't hurt...
12.20 a.m. Allard's up seven points in Colorado. AP's called it for him.

Talent's still up on Carnahan, by six points, with 65 percent of precincts in...

Speaker Denny Hastert expects a net gain of two or three seats in the House... Dems must be taking the gas pipe by now...

Sonny Perdue (R) defeats Georgia governor Roy Barnes. He's the first Publican governor of Georgia in a hundred years...

Tim Johnson (D) still up on Thune (R) in South Dakota but only by a point, with heavily Publican precinct results from the western part of the state still to come in.

Davis and Simon tied in California, with a quarter of the vote in. Where there's life, there's hope...

1 a.m. Still waiting for Missouri, South Dakota, and Minnesota. I'm going to bed...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 11:59 pm || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Well over here in England we get the full results before you wake up and already the uninformed, left-wing, anit-bush/anti-USA apologists are at it. I mean the only difference between BBC and NPR is the license fee. Both are idiotrarians without the basic knowledge of American political history. If my history is correct this is the first time since Teddy Roosevelt that a republican president has increased his parties membership in the house! But lets be realistic here - its the lack of a democratic strategy and stupid funeral services that really turned the tide!!
Posted by: Jack || 11/06/2002 5:54 Comments || Top||

#2  Same here in Belgium, only the media are much less interested. The Wellstone crash wasn't even covered!
Posted by: Maarten Schenk || 11/06/2002 7:05 Comments || Top||


Afghanistan
Coup against Fahim?
Source: Balochistan Post — take with a large grain of salt...
In a covert coup within Karazi’s puppet establishment in Kabul, the US troops have forced Field Marshal Fahim to relinquish the responsibilities as the Vice President, Defence Minister and Commander-in-Chief of Afghan Army and live in exile, an Islamabad based newspaper reports quoting informed sources in Kabul. According to a report published by Urdu daily Ausaf, the covert internal reshuffle was planned a few months earlier when the US forces in Afghanistan who appointed and control Karzai’s establishment found that General Fahim was getting too powerful and could become a threat to Karazai’s survival. US troops in Afghanistan were having suspicions that General Fahim, who was reported promoted to the rank of Field Marshal by US Secretary Defense Donald Rumsfeld during a visit to Kabul, was engaged in anti-US activities along with his other collaborators including Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah and Younis Qanooni. US authorities believe that some of the attacks on the US troops were actually masterminded by Fahim and his officers as they have strongholds in and around Kabul city and have access to the military information of US troops.
That scenario wouldn't appear to make too much sense. For one thing, the attacks have been poorly executed, which would indicate they weren't arranged by military men, not even by a U.S.-appointed field marshal. A coup against Karzai would be more their style. I'd be surprised to see Abdullah and Qanooni involved — both are pretty intelligent, so they can see that would provide the kind of opening Hekmatyar would just love to death, and which would result in their demise. I'd say this is more wishful thinking on the part of Aushaf and Balochistan Post.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 05:26 pm || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Rumsfeld promoted the guy to Field Marshall? Damn, he's more powerful than I thought. Wonder what my prospects are? I don't have any military experience but I'm sure I'm more honest than F.M. Fahim.

Yeah, yeah, I know, best I'd get is K.P.
Posted by: Steve White || 11/05/2002 21:46 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Saudi minister rebukes religious police
Saudi Arabia's religious police should show "leniency" and respect the people's privacy and freedoms, the Saudi interior minister has said. Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz gave his unprecedented public rebuke during a visit to the force's headquarters, according to the official news agency SPA. The religious police, whose official title is the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, comprises more than 3,500 officers plus thousands of volunteers. One Saudi told our correspondent in Riyadh he knew of several cases in which the religious police have broken into homes, on suspicion that alcohol was being consumed or inappropriate contact between the sexes taking place. Prince Nayef called for a halt to this kind of conduct when he met the force's chairman Ibrahim bin Ghaith, the kingdom's Grand Mufti Shaikh Abdul Aziz al-Shaikh and senior religious officials on Saturday. He said such raids must be approved by the provincial governor, spying should stop, and that law-abiding people's privacy should be respected.
That's unusual. But Nayef isn't one of the hardliners. Crossing the Grand Mufti and the chief of the religious cops probably carries a certain amount of danger, even for a prince.
Thanks to Steve for the link...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 09:22 pm || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  He could always have a traffic accident out in the middle of the desert.
Posted by: Steve White || 11/05/2002 22:12 Comments || Top||

#2  I think I'd definitely check my brakelines regularly if I was him, and keep a close eye out for bandidos.
Posted by: Fred || 11/06/2002 7:24 Comments || Top||


Axis of Evil
Saddam To "Accept" UN Order
Saddam Hussein said yesterday that he was ready to accept a new United Nations resolution strengthening weapons inspections in Iraq, a move likely to postpone any attack on the country.
Until he screws with the inspectors, anyway...
The Iraqi President told Jörg Haider, the visiting Austrian far-right politician, that he would consider co-operating with the new resolution, which is expected to be passed by the UN Security Council this week. "If a resolution is issued which respects the UN Charter, international law and Iraq's sovereignty, security and independence, and does not provide a cover for America's ill intentions, we will view it in a way that makes us deal with it," Saddam said.
"But since it will, forget about it."
Iraq agreed in September to allow UN weapons inspectors to return, but it had insisted that there was no need for a resolution giving them broader powers. Britain and the US, however, are expected to win strong support in the Security Council this week for a tough new resolution warning Baghdad of the serious consequences of continued defiance.
Unless the Frenchies manage to block it...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 05:26 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The french wouldn't dare oppose us now...in a dramatic UN reversal we now have Mexico in our corner
...woo hoo
Posted by: Frank G || 11/05/2002 18:36 Comments || Top||

#2  "You mess with our resolution...and you mess with El Lucheron!"
Posted by: Tripartite || 11/05/2002 18:44 Comments || Top||

#3  WE HAVE PEACE IN OUR TIME!!!
Posted by: Chamberlain the Second || 11/06/2002 3:15 Comments || Top||


Iran revalues price of non-Muslim lives
Iran's reformist parliament has approved a draft law which puts the same "blood money" value on the lives of Muslim and non-Muslim men. In Iran, a killer can pay "blood money" to his victim's family to avoid execution. Under Islamic law, the compensation for a non-Muslim man is one-twelfth that paid for a Muslim. The rate for Muslim women is half that of men. The new measure - which also must be approved by the conservative Guardian Council - is reportedly supported by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters. The new law will apply to men from Iran's recognised religious minorities: Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians.
Agnostics, atheists, Hindus, and Buddhists are out of luck...
The value of a woman will not change, however some female lawmakers are pressing for the similar "blood money" rights. "Paying half blood money to... women citizens does harm Iran's international image," said Elaheh Koulaee, MP.
It's my opinion that retaining the practice of blood money does harm to Iran's international image.
Thanks to Steve for the link...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 10:03 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Caucasus
Chechen Mujahideen Attack Russian Invaders
Source: Kavkaz Centre
Press Service of the Military Council of State Defense Council "Majlis al-Shura" reported about the combats that took place in Vedeno District of the country. According to the Chechen sources, units of the Mujahideen attacked the enemy in the district capital of Vedeno, as well as on its outskirts. At least five invaders were killed and one BTR armored vehicle burned as a result of this attack. No losses were incurred by the Chechen side. It was also reported that last night the combats were going on in the district capital all night long. By the morning the unit of Chechen fighters withdrew from the village. In response to the actions of the Mujahideen, Russian invaders took six locals hostage, charging them with «being accomplices of the militants».
"By morning the Chechen fighters withdrew..." That means they were forced to retreat, I'd guess. If they try to stand and fight the Russers will kill them. They can run away to fight another day, but I don't think the Russians will let them go far this time. I wonder if they realize how badly they've screwed things up?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 05:26 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I don't think they do realize yet....they will when they try to use the Pankisi as retreat/safe zone...I think that's over
Posted by: Frank G || 11/05/2002 19:02 Comments || Top||


Five Bad Guys "eliminated"...
The federal forces eliminated five terrorists, involved in the Mi-8 helicopter crash, in Chechnya, the regional staff of the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus said on Tuesday. In addition, some people, suspected of complicity in the terrorist attack, were detained. A special operation was launched in the Oktyabrsky district of Grozny to detect terrorists, who shot down the helicopter from a portable anti-aircraft missile complex on Sunday, the staff said. Nine people were killed in the helicopter crash.
The way to control the Bad Guys is to make sure that each and every time there's an attack like that the people directly responsbile are "eliminated." If you know you'll be "eliminated" for sure, you'll end up having to wash your hair that night, instead of launching an attack.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 05:48 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  In London, our very, very left-wing ITV Channel 4 news with John Snow, is now on the sovereignty bandwagon. Does the Yemeni incident now mean that the US is untethered and can come and go into any country at any time and assassinate people at whim and will? Boy, its a good thing W dropped that ICC when he did - talk about being prescient!
Posted by: Jack || 11/06/2002 5:59 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Cop kills man for desecration
A group of angry villagers tortured a man who allegedly set some pages of Holy Quran on fire while an emotional police constable killed him with official rifle on the spot in village Keryal Kalan Naushera Vikran on Monday. Mohammad Asghar, 45, allegedly tore some pages of the Quran when his daughter, Rizawana, was reciting the holy book while sitting on a mat and set the pages and the mat on fire. The family members of the deceased beat Asghar with clubs and kicks and threw him in the street. When villagers came to know about the incident, they started beating him. In the meantime someone informed the police from where a sub-inspector Ijaz Hussain Shah and police constable Mudazer Iqbal Cheema reached the village. The police constable, after listening to the details, became angry and opened fire on him with official rifle, killing Asghar on the spot. While sub-inspector arrested police constable and locked him at the police station.
I like having my quiet family time, too. And Officer Friendly can always be counted on to lend a helping hand. That's what's living in a civilized country's all about, isn't it?
Thanks to Paul for this addition to our collection of reasons to respect Pakistan and its friendly, cultured inhabitants...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 05:26 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I think I saw Bashir burning some pages of the Quran.
Posted by: PJ || 11/05/2002 19:00 Comments || Top||


Southeast Asia
MILF prepared for peace, development, and war
Luwaran/Ummahnews
An official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is fighting for self-determination in the southern Muslim heartlands of the Philippines, said yesterday that the MILF was preparing for war as much as for peace and development in Mindanao.
Maybe more, you betcha!
Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, vice chairman of the organisation, said if the government troops continue to launch aggressive military campaign in many parts of Mindanao, an escalation of the armed hostilities to a full-blown war is not a remote possibility. "If that situation happened the MILF should not be blamed. Our forces are religiously observing the General Cessation of Hostilities of 1997 and the Kuala Lumpur Security Accord of 2001 entered into between the MILF and the GRP."
They're maintaining an armed gang in opposition to the country's government, and they can't be held responsible for their own actions...
He accused the AFP [Philippine Armed Forces - Ed] of conducting military operations in the guise of pursuing criminals. However, under the current ceasefire agreement, he stressed, police and military actions against criminals shall continue throughout Mindanao, provided prior coordination with MILF officers and commanders in the area should be undertaken in order to avoid confrontations. "But this has never been done and is being continuously violated," he added.
Often when the crooks are MILF members, we might add...
Since the signing of the Tripoli Agreement last year, which provided, among others the strengthening of the ceasefire, the MILF has been observing this truce religiously.
Cutting people's heads off is part of their religion...
The Philippine army has however intensified its military offensive against the MILF since last month in various parts of Mindanao. "Despite this war situation, the MILF is busying itself to invite donors for the development of the region as the alternative to war and bloodshed," said Murad.
Those donors... Would they happen to be Arabians?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 05:26 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Men Resembling Suspects Arrested
Police have arrested two men matching composite sketches of suspects in the Bali nightclub bombings that killed about 190 people, officials said Tuesday. National Police chief Dai Bachtiar said the two were arrested on Monday, one in Jakarta and the other in the North Sumatra capital of Medan.
"Got a description of the suspect?"
"Yeah. He was short, oriental, with black hair and kinda brownish skin."
"Yusuf, go out and round up everybody who fits that description!"
"Hokay, chief!"

Jakarta Police chief Makbul Padmanegara was unwilling to name the man nabbed in the national capital, saying it was too early to link him to the bombings. “There’s a resemblance, but it’s not yet clear if he’s the suspect. He was arrested yesterday afternoon in the Jakarta area,” Padmanegara was quoted as saying by detikcom online news service.
Doesn't sound like a real solid nab, does it?
The man arrested in Medan was identified as Zulfan (28). He was reportedly caught while trying to leave the country on a false passport. Police said the short-haired man, who had a round-trip ticket for Medan to Penang in Malaysia, was also carrying a false identity card.
That sounds more typically Islamist...
Zulfan told police he often moves from place to place, and had previously lived in Malaysia as a construction worker.
I dunno... Islamists aren't real big on that manual labor thing. It's not very Islamic. That's why, back in Arabia, they hire people from... ummm... Indonesia to do that sort of thing...
The arrests came after police said they had ascertained the names and hideouts of three Indonesian men suspected of responsibility for the October 12 bombings. The three have been described as “low-level operatives” who apparently planted the bombs.
The controllers and their runners usually aren't involved in the actual boom itself. They hire cannon fodder for that, if they can't sweet-talk 'em into doing it for free...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 05:41 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Terror Networks
Hong Kong arrests 3 in alleged terror plot
A Hong Kong court document said Tuesday that two Pakistanis and one U.S. citizen were being held for allegedly planning to distribute drugs and provide anti-aircraft missiles to Osama bin Laden's al Qaida network. "All three are wanted for trial in U.S. court in the Southern District of California," the document said. The men were identified as Syed Mustajab Shah, Muhammad Abid Afridi and Ityaf Ali. They were listed as two Pakistanis and one U.S. citizen, but the document didn't specify each one's nationality.
Two Paks and a nationalized probable Pak. I guess somebody wants to talk to them, because China certainly has a more efficient terrorist disposal system than we do...
The three were arrested on charges of "conspiring to distribute heroin and hashish, to import heroin and hashish and provide material support and resources to designated terrorist organizations."
Explain to me again the difference between a jihadi and a crook. I keep forgetting...
They were arrested Sept. 20 in Hong Kong after an undercover FBI investigation in the United States and abroad. The suspects were allegedly attempting to negotiate a sale of more than 1,000 pounds of heroin and 5 metric tons of hashish in exchange for the missiles, the court document said.
Five tons of hash would be good for a very short, very intense headache in China...
Local media said the men were all in their 40's and did not want to be extradited to the United States.
Thanks to Steve for the link. I almost missed this one...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 11/05/2002 09:33 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:



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Two weeks of WOT
Tue 2002-11-05
  Today's election day...
Mon 2002-11-04
  Six Qaeda boomed in Yemen...
Sun 2002-11-03
  Binny's kid detained in Iran?
Sat 2002-11-02
  Basayev Claims Responsibility For Moscow Theatre Seige
Fri 2002-11-01
  Qazi to lead MMA parliamentary party...
Thu 2002-10-31
  North Korea Claims Right to Nuclear Weapons
Wed 2002-10-30
  Indon coppers release drawings of Bali suspects...
Tue 2002-10-29
  Yasser has a new cabinet...
Mon 2002-10-28
  American diplo assassinated in Jordan...
Sun 2002-10-27
  Muammar rejects Arab League advances...
Sat 2002-10-26
  Algeria snuffies kill 21 family members
Fri 2002-10-25
  Moscow hostages freed
Thu 2002-10-24
  Two women escape from theater...
Wed 2002-10-23
  Men Take Moscow Audience Hostage
Tue 2002-10-22
  Shooter Boy sez he'll kill kiddies...


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