Islami Chhatra Shibir activists of Rajshahi University yesterday threatened Prof Hasan Azizul Haque with death for his speech on education and secularism at a seminar on August 21.
Shibir bigots said Prof Hasan would have to die like Prof Humayun Azad or leave the country...
Shibir bigots said Prof Hasan would have to die like Prof Humayun Azad or leave the country like Taslima Nasrin. The Shibir leaders made the threat in a rally where they branded the eminent litterateur 'Nastik and enemy of Islam', declared him unwelcome on the campus and burnt his effigy.
The Shibir activists were infuriated apparently after two local pro-Jamaat newspapers, daily Natun Probhat and Naya Diganta, ran reports on the speech Prof Hasan gave at the August 21 seminar and they distributed copies of the newspapers among the students during the rally. Speaking with The Daily Star, Prof Hasan said his speeches were concocted by the newspapers. "Fabrication of my speeches and consecutive agitation by Shibir are clear indications of a dangerous plot".
The Shibir rally was convened by Zulfikar Nayeem while Mahbubur Rahman, Mokhlesur Rahman, Abul Alim and Nomani spoke at the rally among other Shibir activists. Different teachers, students and cultural organisations including Progressive Teachers Society, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Chhatra Union, RU Drama Association, Sammilito Sangskritik Jote, Anushilon Drama Group, Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote and Udichi strongly condemned the threat by Shibir.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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Ruth Kelly broke with decades of Labour support for multiculturalism as she admitted the Government's failure to impose a single British identity could have led to communities living in 'isolation'.
The Communities Secretary became the first Cabinet minister to question the idea that different faiths and races should not be forced to integrate but should be allowed to maintain their own culture.
In an extraordinary volte face, she appeared to concede that Government policies had contributed to communities drifting into segregation.
Continued on Page 49
#1
Ruth Kelly broke with decades of Labour support for multiculturalism as she admitted the Government's failure to impose a single British identity could have led to communities living in 'isolation'.
Technically, it's the British-identity community that's been forced into isolation and seclusion. Every other culture is honoured and feted whilst old-line Brits are being increasingly marginalised. I wonder if they're starting to seethe yet?
#2
This observation is years late. Ruth's a regular Rip Van Winkle.
Posted by: Captain America ||
08/25/2006 0:34 Comments ||
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#3
...other culture is honoured and feted..
It's the aggressive and fanatical culture of i-slam that is responsible for this nonsense. It certainly is not really 'multiculturalism' that can be upheld by commonsense but dhimmitude to surrender to largely what comes fiercely to demand, subvert and dominate. The Brits are blindly led by appeasenik PC idiotarian "progressives"(not!) and liberals(sapped of commonsense.
No other culture there is a threat approaching that of the islamo one. Not Hindus, Buddhist, Bahais, Animists, Wiccans, Rosicrusian or what not But some leftist atheist dolts still herdishly resent Jooos and Christian East Europeans for inexplicable reasons.
#4
Only one community are struggling to integrate and thats because their 'way of life' is superior to ours as they say!!!!.
I live in London and only one community continue to complain/not integrate and they are the muslim community of Pakistan background!!!!!Indians,Jews etc are fine.
Pakistan and its teaching are the blame for current problems!!!!
#5
Duh!, it's the other way around. Islam is not responsible for multi-cultist behavior. That is entirely self-inflicted deficiency.
It goes without saying that MCD (multi-culti disorder, not mad cow disease...although it of ten seems like there is a corelation, see Shehag) does facilitate Islam's agenda.
#6
Yep, and we in the U.S. also enable our non-english speaking hispanics to a degree by having bi-lingual ATM's and other crap. Little things can become big things. There is a difference between being courteous to a new-comer and catering to them. Why any western country is still letting the muslims in is beyond me.
#7
The US should have accepted only mooselimb apostates and there won't be this persistant terrorist problem. Your policy makers didn't study how 'em fascistic mossies interact with nons in their own countries, eh? That was/is ignornace.
TOKYO, Aug 25, 2006 (AFP) - Japanese police said Friday they had arrested five executives of a major precision instrument maker on suspicion of illegally exporting devices that can be used in the construction of nuclear weapons.
The market for that does seem rather limited right now.
Mitutoyo Corp allegedly exported two measuring devices to Malaysia in 2001 without a license, officials at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said. One of the gauges is believed to have ended up in Libya and was found by inspectors from the UN nuclear agency after the former pariah state in 2003 renounced its program to build weapons of mass destruction.
Ah-ha. Came back to bite them.
The five arrested include Mitutoyo president Kazusaku Tezuka, vice chairman Norio Takatsuji and executive director Hideyo Chikugo. Police suspect that Mitutoyo also illegally exported devices to Iran through an Iranian trading company with offices in Tokyo, the Kyodo news agency quoted unnamed police sources as saying.
Mitutoyo chairman Toshihide Numata apologized at a news conference for causing the trouble. "I believe we have complied with the law," he said. "But I am regretful to see what has happened."
"Now in accordance with our culture, if you'll just step back a little so that you don't get sprayed ..."
The head office and plants of Mitutoyo had already been searched in February over allegations that the company exported one three-dimensional (3D) gauge each to China and Thailand without Japanese government clearance.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/25/2006 12:35 ||
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SOUTH Korea is certain North Korea has a nuclear weapon and Seoul's best estimate is that Pyongyang has produced one or two bombs, Defence Minister Yoon Kwang-ung said today. Mr Yoon also told a parliamentary hearing there was not enough evidence at present to conclude the North was about to conduct its first nuclear weapons test. It is estimated that the North has one or two, he told a parliamentary hearing when asked about the North's nuclear arsenal.
When asked if the South had no doubt about the North's possession of a nuclear weapon, Yoon said: That's correct.
US and Japanese news reports have said the North might be preparing to conduct an underground nuclear test. Mr Yoon said there were activities at a North Korean nuclear site as have been described in news reports, but they did not yet amount to conclusive evidence of an imminent test. More analysis of data is needed to talk about the possibility (of a test), he said
North Korea has been working for years to build a nuclear weapon, but proliferation experts could not say if North Korea had built an atomic bomb.
#1
So does this mean that there's a NKor piece of shit that the "scientists" have told Kim is a nuke, and the SKors are afraid that it will go catastrophically "pfft" in testing and splatter radioactive rubbish all over their northern border?
"No, no, we're sure you've got a nuke, there. Please don't test it. We don't want an irradiated brownfield for a northern neighbor."
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
08/25/2006 9:00 Comments ||
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#2
Stock Market in Seoul take another drop from a Kimmie rant?
"One Ohio class SSBN could defeat North Korea.*
*Model shown with optional accurate targeting data. See Chinese Governement, Belgrade Embassy vs. Central Intelligence Agency. Offer not available in Massachusetts or California, or where voided by law.
Washington has offered to provide Tokyo with up to 80 more advanced Patriot interceptor missiles for deployment in Japan in the wake of North Korea's missile tests last month, a news report said on Thursday.
Japan's Defence Agency will take up the offer in fiscal 2007 to accelerate the already-planned deployment of the advanced missiles on American bases in Japan for the first time, Kyodo News agency reported, citing unidentified individuals familiar with US-Japan relations. The agency had planned to domestically build the missiles under license in fiscal 2008 and fiscal 2009, but is now set to request $99.7 million in the fiscal 2007 budget for procuring them from the US, it said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
China's got to be getting nervous about the Japanese reaction to North Korea. I can't imagine it would take Japan more than a few months to go nuclear (or thermonuclear).
Maybe there will be another train 'accident' on Kim's return from Beijing.
#2
This is well and good we are doing this. However we need to remember China and others still have a huge score to settle with Japan. They see what we do in a different light. It's not something we can relate to at all. People all over Asia have not and will not forget Japans actions in WW2. Japans apologies are always mushy mouthed and seen as insincere. These Shinto Shrine visits are not a good sign either.
At some point China plans to visit on Japan what Japan visited on China even if it takes 100 years more. China's people will be 100% Behind that. I want no part of that trouble when it happens.
True, but that is one of the huge misunderstandings outside of Asia.
It is not just WWII, but long before, even thousand years back the Japanese were raging on Korea and others. This goes further back than just WWII.
That is why China and others must take a serious look at this. The US and Japan itself were able to shift this mindset in the Japanese post WWII / During the occupation.
It is why I say the world and Jihadis need to seriously consider if they want to re-awaken Japan in this mode. The good news is, they are on our side this time. The bad news is, that history is always there.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il may visit key ally China next week amid heightened concern over a possible nuclear weapons test by the reclusive state and its defiant missile launch in July, a news report said on Thursday. Kim's visit will be primarily to discuss the North's possible nuclear test with Chinese President Hu Jintao, the daily Chosun Ilbo reported a diplomatic source in Seoul as saying. "Authorities in Seoul and Washington were briefed that Kim Jong-il is to take a three-day trip to China around August 30," the source told the newspaper. Officials at South Korea's foreign ministry could not immediately be reached for comment.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Wonder how you say 'Are you out of your f***ing mind?!' in Chinese.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il may visit key ally China next week amid heightened concern over a possible nuclear weapons test by the reclusive state and its defiant missile launch in July, a news report said on Thursday.
When the Norks finally do-do the dirty deed while their special guests the Iranian A$$otollahs watch from the courtesy bleachers, Picture Kimski strutting 'tall' while the whole f*cking Ummah shits a Jihad.
#7
I'm going to try and submit a superb political cartoon that Gary McCoy published yesterday. If the image doesn't post (maybe someone could show me the coding tags?), please cut and paste the URL below.
A RADICAL group with alleged links to the London bombings is reportedly distributing pamphlets through suburban Sydney calling for a holy war. The leaflets, from the extremist group Hizb ut-Tahir, call for a jihad to destroy Israel and use key dates in the Muslim calendar to signal the coming destruction of the Jewish state, The Daily Telegraph reported today.
The group is banned in Germany and British Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for Hizb ut-Tahir, which has alleged links to last year's London terrorist attacks, to be outlawed there. It remains legal in Australia despite calls for it to be banned.
A spokesman for Attorney-General Philip Ruddock's office said security agencies were "very aware" of the pamphlets. "In order for a group to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation it must be directly or indirectly engaged in, preparing, planning, assisting in or fostering a terrorist act," he was quoted as saying.
Hizb ut-Tahir spokesman Mohammed Abdalwahab said the group called for the non-violent overthrow of governments and the rise of Islamic governments and Sharia law.
Screw victory gardens. I want victory graveyards. Full of dead jihadis. And for f&ck's sake, outlaw Hizb ut-Tahir in Australia. If only so I don't have to learn how to spell the moronic name of yet another psycho Islamist group.
#1
If the Islamists decided to live in a country not ruled by the Islamic laws, they have a very simple choice, to obey the laws of the land or to leave. Any thing else is the contempt of law on their behalf. I can not understand why the host countries tolerate the excesses of Islamic stupidity.
#3
"A book published by the Islamic Council of Europe in 1980, "Muslim Communities in Non-Muslim States," instructed Muslim minorities how to work towards achieving domination of European countries through a policy of concentration in geographical areas.
Muslims were told to avoid assimilation by the majority, get together and build mosques, Islamic schools and community centers, and establish communities based on Islamic principles."
And there you have it right there, the whole meat of the issue. Those two paragraphs represent the camels nose, no, the camels head sticking through the tent flap.
Those two paragraphs illustrate perfectly why Muslims should not be allowed to immigrate to non muslim countries, and, why the ones that are here need to be sent packing.
Can anyone say Dearborn, MI? Or any other number of places this pestilence has settled.
#4
M, the only good part about Dearborn (I grew up about 10 min's down the road) was the christian arabs (chaldeans aka catholic iraqis) who did want assimilate to some degree and hate hussein. The muzzies owned most of the gas stations and the chaldeans had the mom/pop corner store ("party store") racket. I agree w/sentiments in totality though. Time to freeze all muslim immigration methinks.
#6
Try immigrating to Iran and setting up a Christian school. See how far you get. Phuech these people, send them all back to sandland. They long to set up a worldwide muzzie califphate with death to all infidels.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
08/25/2006 10:26 Comments ||
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One of the Muslim leaders arguing at the time for a shari'a court, Abdul Jalil Ahmad of the Islamic Council of Western Australia, stressed that Islamic law would not replace Australian law, because Muslims were in a minority.
"Only in areas where we are legally allowed to implement our Islamic teaching we do," he said.
First off, there's that taqiya thingie. It renders moot all statements of policy and all predictions by Muslims.
Secondly, when they say; "Islamic law would not replace Australian law, because Muslims were in a minority", what it really means is only their lack of numbers holds them back from imposing sharia law. This has nothing to do with recognizing the ascendancy of local dictates and even less to do with actually integrating into their host country's culture (perish the thought!).
Muslims were told to avoid assimilation by the majority, get together and build mosques, Islamic schools and community centers, and establish communities based on Islamic principles.
Which sort of puts the lie to all that; "Islamic law would not replace Australian law, because Muslims were in a minority" blather. Even moreso when you consider the following;
"The Muslim community in France is well on the way to becoming...a state within a state," he wrote in a recent article. "The only substantive goal still outstanding is the implementation of Islamic law instead of French law.
"Muslims in France have by and large rejected the concept of the integration of individuals and are working instead for the integration of communities," Sookhdeo said. "The same is happening in the U.K."
What makes anyone think that a similar outcome is not being sought in Australia, or even, for that matter, in the United States? All predictive models not based upon statements by Muslims (that old taqiya thingie again) indicate a single end result. Subverting or overwhelming local customs and law through violent means or by sheer force of numbers. The pattern is absolutely clear and any blindness to it must be entirely willful.
The only solution is to strip away all religious status that Islam enjoys. They must be taxed out of existence and legally proscribed where they have already established beachheads. There must be no provision of "sharia compliant" loans or anything of the sort. We must ensure that their own self-imposed limitations remain in force in the same way that it has throughout the Middle East. This iswhat has restrained the technological development of their culture and we must not permit them access to thefruits of our libert base achievements without full assimilation being a requirement. Any lack of it represents a direct threat and the intentional subversion of our governmental systems.
#9
Try immigrating to Iran and setting up a Christian school. See how far you get.
Which is a perfect mirror image of Muslim priorities. Within Islam reciprocity is as foreign a concept as coexistence. The lack of both is what makes Islam a political ideology and we must ban it now.
Why Pope Benedict is not using his bully pulpit to make a greater commotion about this restraint of religious freedom throughout the Middle East is beyond me entirely. The Pope has already fired opening salvos on this issue and would do well to avoid any lull in his assault upon this threat to all humanity.
#10
Curious, I googled "what Is 'Shari'a law" and found a pretty good summary in Wikipedia One item under "Sharia, democracy and human rights" caught my eye. It seems the EU got one thing right.
In 1998 the Turkish Constitutional Court banned and dissolved Turkey's Refah Party on the grounds that the "rules of sharia", which Refah sought to introduce, "were incompatible with the democratic regime," pointing up that "Democracy is the antithesis of sharia." On appeal by Refah the European Court of Human Rights determined that "sharia is incompatible with the fundamental principles of democracy". Refah's sharia based notion of a "plurality of legal systems, grounded on religion" was ruled to contravene the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. It was determined that it would "do away with the State's role as the guarantor of individual rights and freedoms" and "infringe the principle of non-discrimination between individuals as regards their enjoyment of public freedoms, which is one of the fundamental principles of democracy". It was further ruled:
[T]he Court considers that sharia, which faithfully reflects the dogmas and divine rules laid down by religion, is stable and invariable. Principles such as pluralism in the political sphere or the constant evolution of public freedoms have no place in it. It is difficult to declare ones respect for democracy and human rights while at the same time supporting a regime based on sharia, which clearly diverges from Convention values, particularly with regard to its criminal law and criminal procedure, its rules on the legal status of women and the way it intervenes in all spheres of private and public life in accordance with religious precepts.
I agree with Pan 'Shari'a law has no place anywhere because Shari'a is the antithesis of Democracy.
#11
I agree with Pan 'Shari'a law has no place anywhere because Shari'a is the antithesis of Democracy.
Exactly so. And perhaps a point will be reached soon when the present mossies in the US will either have to leave i-slam or leave the US because it's a dangerously subversive political ideology legitimising terror, not a religion. A couple of dirty nukes later perhaps....
The Cuculidae or cuckoos are a family of near passerine birds. Many of the Old World species and some New World species are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds. The best-known example is the European Common Cuckoo. The cuckoo egg hatches earlier and the chick grows faster and in most cases the chick evicts the eggs or young of the host species.
Prime Minister John Howard says he sees no value for Australia in sending troops to join a peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
"We got more important things to do."
The United Nations is moving to put together a multi-national force in southern Lebanon to support a ceasefire between Israel and Hizbollah after their brief but destructive war there.
... we're not very keen on the idea of being part of something that is so unsoundly based...
Mr Howard on Friday said he was unimpressed with the efforts so far and saw little value in Australia taking part. "I am very disinterested in sending Australian personnel to a theatre where there's no clear mandate," he told Southern Cross radio. "We would be something of a target and we're not very keen on the idea of being part of something that is so unsoundly based. We do, of course, have a lot of commitments elsewhere. Unless it has a very strong mandate, I think a lot of Western countries would be (a target)."
I give it a year, outside, before "unknown parties" boom a barracks.
I think the French, having made a lot of noise in the first place, looked as though they were falling a long way short of their rhetoric...
Mr Howard said France, which overnight agreed to send an extra 1,600 troops to bolster the revamped UN force in Lebanon, had failed to live up to its earlier promises. "I think the French, having made a lot of noise in the first place, looked as though they were falling a long way short of their rhetoric," he said.
"Like most people, I'm not in the least surprised..."
"It's still a long way short. The stabilisation force in Lebanon was meant to be about 15,000. To have any hope of tranquillising Hizbollah, it will need to be of that size."
#5
Siniora's actually human and I feel sorry for him. Prior to the war Siniora's side was locked in a power struggle with Lahoud/Berri's pro-Syria, pro-Hezbollah, pro-Iran side. You had the timid democrats on one side and the fascist bully boyz on the other. Hezbollah's initiation of hostilities was a move in that political context, and now Siniora and Jumblatt appear to be on the losing side.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 8:55 Comments ||
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#6
"I think the French, having made a lot of noise in the first place, looked as though they were falling a long way short of their rhetoric,"
Criminy! This man is an exemplar of clear thinking and straight-forward communication. Amazing how in a few sentences he thoroughly analyzes and guts the Lebanese peacekeeping idea. Even if you disagreed with him, you could never accuse of him of waffling.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
08/25/2006 10:39 Comments ||
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#9
Can't say I blame them. Howard's just being realistic. Canberra's nearly 9000 miles from Beirut, there's no clear mission, and no significant ties between Australia and the middle east.
A SYDNEY father who paid a hitman to kill a young woman raped by his son has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for what a judge described as a "cruel and callous" crime. Chaouki Bou-Antoun, now 51, pleaded guilty to one count of solicit to murder after police uncovered the vicious and brazen plot in which a hitman would be paid to kill a young woman so she could not testify against his son, Khater or Kevin.
When the balance of the $23,000 fee was paid, the woman known to the court as Rebecca would be raped again then popped in the stomach, eye and forehead...
But what he didnt know was that as he paid a $3000 deposit was that the apparent hitman was in fact an undercover police officer. When the balance of the $23,000 fee was paid, the woman known to the court as Rebecca would be raped again then popped in the stomach, eye and forehead, the NSW District Court was told.
In sentencing Bou Antoun senior today, Judge Robert Sorby said the crime strikes at the very heart of our system of justice. The Lebanese-born father-of-five had told his sentencing hearing he was sorry for his role in the plan and claimed he had never intended to pay the remaining money which would ensure the murder was carried out. Judge Sorby sentenced him to 10 years' jail with an additional four years to be spent on parole. He will be elligible for release from jail in December 2013.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#3
Yea right I believe it... Let me get this straight sir! You paid $3000 dollars down and you say you had no intent of paying the rest... why didn't you just keep the $3000.
§ 19.03. CAPITAL MURDER. (a) A person commits an offense
if the person commits murder as defined under Section 19.02(b)(1)
and:
(1) the person murders a peace officer or fireman who
is acting in the lawful discharge of an official duty and who the
person knows is a peace officer or fireman;
(2) the person intentionally commits the murder in the
course of committing or attempting to commit kidnapping, burglary,
robbery, aggravated sexual assault, arson, obstruction or
retaliation, or terroristic threat under Section 22.07(a)(1), (3),
(4), (5), or (6);
(3) the person commits the murder for remuneration or
the promise of remuneration or employs another to commit the murder
for remuneration or the promise of remuneration;
§ 12.31. CAPITAL FELONY. (a) An individual adjudged
guilty of a capital felony in a case in which the state seeks the
death penalty shall be punished by imprisonment in the
institutional division for life without parole or by death.
God bless Texas. Aussie law leaves something to be desired.
#9
He thought he was still living in lebanon. Middle East is the Craddle of civilization, ya know, and there live Ancient People, Deeply Rooted, much more wise and cultured than the vulgar new countries like Australia, or even worse, the US of A...
Its hard to believe that a group of German Reds supports the foreign policy of President Bush. Then again it was surprising when the British National Party abandoned and denounced anti-Semitism. Both recognize Islamofascism as the enemy. But both can't be trusted, because of their own totalitarian agenda. Could we trick them into wearing suicide bomb packs, for our side?
...Among the German far-left, one subgroup called the anti-Germans holds some contradictory views. Most call themselves communists, yet loudly proclaim their support for Israel and George W. Bush. When it comes to the anti-Germans, the political Big Tent theory appears to have become fact: groups that generally can't bear to be in the same room sometimes unite for a common cause.
That was on show recently in western Berlin, where thousands had gathered to show their support for Israel during the recent conflict with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Many of the demonstrators were members of Berlin's Jewish community or the conservative Christian Democrats. However, there were some there who belonged to the far-left and sported all the accoutrements of those who are known as Autonomen in Germany -- black clothing, buttons or patches with political slogans or insignia, and often scarves, sunglasses or baseball caps to make them harder to identify.
But this time they hadn't come to disrupt the demonstration, shout out anti-Zionist slogans or get into tussles with police, as they often do. The group of anti-Germans had actually organized the demonstration under the slogan "unconditional solidarity with Israel," one of the core positions of their movement. Such a stance puts the group firmly at odds with the majority viewpoint of Germany's far-left movement, which since the 1970s has been overwhelmingly pro-Palestinian and very critical of Israeli policy. Completing the philosophical break is the support of many anti-Germans for US President George W. Bush, who for the traditional far left is anathema.
"It has to do with George W. Bush's conception for a new Middle East, which is essentially supported," said Rüdiger Göbel, deputy editor-in-chief of Junge Welt, a left-wing daily based in Berlin. "The anti-Germans are actually closer to the neo-conservatives in the United States."
#3
IIRC, the Iraqis ran an slate representing the Communists in the recent elections. Didn't get the votes, but it was running open and legal. And Israel is more aligned with the European form of socialist government than anything in the Arab world. It appears someone is noticing.
#4
Seems like pragmatic classical liberals of sorts, apparently anti-fascist, "mugged" by proxy by Islamonazis. Most of them seem to be originally Eastern Germans, thus they did not go through the mush of LLL indoctrination (multi-culti kumbaya) that the Western Left was subjected to.
#5
To correct, the Iraqi Communist Party in the last election joined the slate led by former PM Allawi.
I rather doubt that this is about the ICP, though - or Israeli social democracy - historically Israeli Social Democracy won the sympathy of European Social Democrats, NOT European Communists, since, er, Communists historically dont much like Social Democrats (though occassionally willing to use them in a "popular front").
I suspect this may have more to do with a genuine hostility to the most hardline arab regimes, and probably alot of internal leftie feuding. Maybe elements of Trotskyism, though usually those guys were pretty stronly antiZionist.
#8
Perhaps, wxjames, perhaps. One needs mental faculties somewhat in order to accept reality. Multi-culti appeaseniks are so enmeshed in their own web of projections that for them there is a little hope thay may see the light until the moment a knife is slicing their carotides.
#11
Originally, communism was an idealistic philosophy. Jews are taught by their religion to be idealists. You'll find a hefty helping of Jews in any idealistic endeavor except, one hopes, Christian missionary efforts. ;-)
The much-publicized Plame civil suit is off to a bad start. The plaintiffs moved for permission to leave their residential address off the complaint. Judge Bates of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia gave the motion short shrift:
Plaintiffs ask that, [o]ut of respect for [their] privacy in light of their public visibility,
Pls. Mot. at 1, they be excused from complying with rules requiring that each party to a civil action include his or her full residential address in the caption of the first filing by or on behalf of the party. See L. Civ. R. 5.1(e)(1), 11.1. This Court does not readily grant relief from the ordinary application of such rules, nor does the Court believe that a plaintiffs mere invocation of Case 1:06-cv-01258-JDB Document 5 Filed 08/24/2006 Page 1 of 3 privacy interests and public prominence, without more, warrants an exception to rules that apply to all other litigants. Moreover, the implicit premise of plaintiffs motionthat their residential address is confidentialis questionable. In less than thirty minutes, the Court was able to ascertain plaintiffs residential address from multiple publicly available sources, including a database of federal government records. Indeed, an attorney who filed this motion on plaintiffs behalf has stated in a nationally circulated newspaper that he is plaintiffs next-door neighbor, and the residential address of that attorney also is readily ascertainable. Based on the current record, then, the relief plaintiffs seek is not warranted. [emphasis added]
Case 1:06-cv-01258-JDB Document 5 Filed 08/24/2006 Page 2 of 3 Clarice Feldman 8 25 06
Illinois congressman Danny Davis and an aide took a trip to Sri Lanka last year that was paid for by the Tamil Tigers, a group that the U.S. government has designated as a terrorist organization for its use of suicide bombers and child soldiers, law enforcement sources said. Davis' seven-day trip came under new scrutiny this week following the arrests of 11 supporters of the organization on charges of participating in a broad conspiracy to support the terrorist group through money laundering, arms procurement and bribery of U.S. officials.
The five-term Democratic congressman said he was unaware that the Tigers paid for the trip and on his required congressional disclosure form he reported that the trip was paid for by a Hickory Hills, Ill.-based Tamil cultural organization, the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America. During the visit, Davis spent most of his time in a region controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, as the group is formally known, and visited the organization's political headquarters. He also met with a police chief for the region appointed by the Tigers.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 10:29 ||
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#1
Nah...a democrat would not take funds from a terrorist group.
Opposition members in the National Assembly protested on Thursday against the detention of Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and relatives of Baloch nationalists, and asked why they had been detained without cause. On a point of order, the MMA's Liaquat Baloch said Hafiz Saeed is a known personality and the government should explain the reason for his arrest.
Maybe because he's a known personality?
The BNP's Abdul Rauf Mengal said that brothers of senators Sanaullah Baloch and Shahid Bugti were in detention. He also protested the alleged arrests of his party members by intelligence agencies and termed it a violation of human rights. NA Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain rejected Mengal's adjournment motion about the arrest of Senator Sanaullah Baloch's brothers and said that the Senate had already discussed the issue.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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A new poll released by the International Republican Institute (IRI) found Iraqis strongly oppose the idea of segregating the country. Seventy-eight percent strongly disagree or disagree with the idea of segregating Iraqis according to religious or ethnic sects. An overwhelming majority, 89 percent, believe that a unity government is extremely important to Iraq's future.
Iraqis also indicated support for Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki and the new government. Fifty-five percent approve of the way Prime Minister Al-Maliki is handling his job and 58 percent of Iraqis indicated they are very confident or somewhat confident in the new government compared to 27 percent who are somewhat unconfident or not confident. With this new government in place, 41 percent of Iraqis now feel the country is on the right track, compared to 30 percent in the last IRI poll (Survey of Iraqi Public Opinion, March 23 - 31, 2006). Maliki's got better numbers than Bush!
Security, infrastructure and economic development are the most pressing issues facing the country according to respondents. As the new government begins its work, 51 percent of Iraqis feel security should be the highest priority for the new government, 33 percent listed it as the second and third priority. Twenty-three percent responded that improving Iraq's infrastructure should be the highest priority, with 48 percent listing it second and third. Only seven percent of Iraqis listed economic development as the highest priority, however, 47 percent listed it as the second and third priority.
More than 2,800 face-to-face interviews were conducted from June 14-24, 2006. Interviews were conducted in all of Iraq's 18 governorates. The margin of error is plus or minus three percent. The new poll is attached and can be found at www.iri.org.
#1
That poll needs some breakdowns, ironically by the groupings that would exist if Iraqis *didn't* favor unity. For example, what do Kurds and Sunnis think about segregation in their areas?
#2
I believe that sticking together is the best shot they've got. Because they are all Muslims, but they have different beliefs, they will be forced to produce a semi-secular government that allows for differing and competing beliefs. That really IS the basis of a republic. No one group gets absolute control but rather it is shared among competing desires.
What makes our government work is competing power structures - executive, judicial and representative. Absolute power corrupts absolutely - but if you have the strongest of the strong, the best of the best, and the most ruthless of the most ruthless competing against each other for power within the same government - no one group can gain absolute control and they will keep each other "honest".
That's the brilliance of our system. And it will work for the Iraqis too. I don't like our current crop of Dems - but the republicans aren't much better. Their fighting against each other is about the only thing that keeps those with power concerned with The People(TM).
#3
I don't trust any poll coming out of Iraq. How do they do the poll? Do you trust that random Iraqis will feel comfortable honestly sharing their opinions with random guys who knock on the door, or some stranger who calls on the phone and asks what they think about the government? This information seems basically useless to me.
#4
Seventy-eight percent strongly disagree or disagree with the idea of segregating Iraqis according to religious or ethnic sects.
... as this would put a severe crimp in any further expansion of their one growth industry, the manufacture of IEDs.
That's the brilliance of our system. And it will work for the Iraqis too.
2b, while I have my doubts that democracy will ever take root in Iraq, it still remains the best alternative. Partitioning would most likely result in the absolute worst possible outcome, namely, three more theocratic autocracies in the Middle East. This must be avoided at all costs.
#5
Zenster - I agree. But I think that they have a good shot of making it - though it is too soon to predict and it may just be wishful thinking on my part. Ironically - I think Iran and Turkey and the others will push the competing Iraqi factions into each others arms rather than split them apart.
They really do need each other. And just like our own states with very different beliefs, needs and power structures - together they make each other stronger than if they stood alone and it is much harder for one group to rise to power and corrupt the whole system.
While I generally concur with you, 2b, the above represents a significant degree of overly-optimistic cultural projection upon your own part. However correct your conjecture usually is or should be, I do not feel it applies to the Arab model.
Cynical though it may be, most Islamic cultures exhibit such a crippling degree of xenophobia that the typically valid (Western) concept of "strength through diversity" simply does not and cannot apply. As proof of this I submit how even a shared religion is insufficient to keep Sunnis and Shiites from each others' throats and, instead, is the direct cause of their III (Interminable Internecine Infighting).
It is why I consider such divisive behavior to be a critical hallmark of Muslim rapacity and maintain such extremely low expectations for any eventual rehabilitation of their culture. By this exact same reasoning I daily become increasingly convinced that the only permanent resolution of Islamist terrorism will require a nuclear Muslim Holocaust.
Iraq's Rising Power Shouldn't that be Iran's Rising Power? The darker side of Tater and his Tots, who was profiled on WaPo's page 1 yesterday. But there's still time to make all the military guys look powerless and unfeeling.
BAGHDAD -- In a grungy restaurant with plastic tables in central Baghdad, the young Mahdi Army commander was staring earnestly. His beard was closely cropped around his jaw, his face otherwise cleanshaven. The sleeves of his yellow shirt were rolled down to the wrists despite the intense late-afternoon heat. He spoke matter-of-factly: Sunni Arab fighters suspected of attacking Shiite Muslims had no claim to mercy, no need of a trial. "These cases do not need to go back to the religious courts," said the commander, who sat elbow to elbow with a fellow fighter in a short-sleeved, striped shirt. Neither displayed weapons. "Our constitution, the Koran, dictates killing for those who kill."
His comments offered a rare rare? acknowledgment of the role of the Mahdi Army in the sectarian bloodletting that has killed more than 10,400 Iraqis in recent months. The Mahdi Army is the militia of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, now one of the most powerful figures in the country.
The death squads that carry out the extrajudicial killings are widely feared but mysterious. Often, the only evidence is the bodies discovered in the streets. That, and the public executions, described later.
Several commanders in the Mahdi Army said in interviews that they act independently of the Shiite religious courts that have taken root here, meting out street justice on their own with what they believe to be the authorization of Sadr's organization and under the mantle of Islam. "You can find in any religion the right of self-defense," said another commander, senior enough to be referred to as the Sheik, who was interviewed separately by telephone. Like the others, he lives and works in Sadr City, a trash-strewn, eight-square-mile district of east Baghdad that is home to more than 2 million Shiites. They spoke on condition that their names not be revealed and that specific areas of Sadr City under their control not be identified.
#2
Besoeker, many of us advocated an "early retirement" when this POS popped up on the scene. But a late retirement would be okay too. Probably harder to do now. Yes, damn idiocy, if you ask me.
#3
In a grungy restaurant with plastic tables in central Baghdad, the young Mahdi Army commander was staring earnestly.
It was a dark and stormy night. You always know it's going to be "green-helmet" quality propaganda when they start like this. I think these guys all went to the same school of NPR, BBC writing propaganda. Or maybe it's all written by the same guy. It's all exactly the same boilerplate writing. It's only missing the sound effects of babies crying and women wailing in the background.
#6
Grrrrr. Go get em ! I think youz boyz should kill as many Sunni vermin as possible. And, surely this is humiliating above all else for the noble Sunni sect who has ruled so diplomaticaly for all these past years. Surely Sunnis will not lay down to die like dogs in the street. You must regoup and exterminate these uppity Shee-its. Lets have at it !
The wife of one of the Fox News journalists kidnapped in Gaza City last week issued an emotional plea to the kidnappers Thursday, saying her husband, Olaf Wiig, and Steve Centanni merely wanted to tell the Palestinians' story.
The full text of Anita McNaught's statement, which came the day after a video of the pair aired on Palestinian television, is as follows:
"It was a source of great relief and comfort to me, and to Olaf and Steve's family and friends to see that our men are being well looked after by you, and we trust that you will continue to care for them until their release. (Watch the captive journalists ask for help -- 1:33)
"Over 10 days, you have come to know these men. So you must know that they are merely innocent journalists who have no ability to bring about the kind of changes you ask for.
"Olaf, my husband, and Steve, his colleague, are not powerful men. They have only one strength here in Gaza and that is to take the voices of the Palestinian people to the outside world. They can only do this if they are free.
"Olaf and Steve have always worked for the interests of the Palestinian people. They came here to support you by telling your stories. I do not question that you who are holding them have suffered greatly -- as everyone in Gaza, in the Palestinian territories is suffering -- but these two men are not responsible for the injustices you speak of, and should not be punished for them.
"I would like to send a message to my husband Olaf and to Steve. Olaf -- you are right: We are doing everything we can -- I am doing everything I can here in Gaza -- to secure your release. Stay strong, and know that the Palestinian people around me have been very kind. You both know how much you are loved.
"To the kidnappers, I say: You also have families and wives. People should not be kept from their families. In the name of the Muslim values and traditions you so strongly uphold, these two men are your guests. We all desire a peaceful resolution of this matter -- for us and for you. We want our men to come home safe."
#1
Unfortunately, the boys are with al Qaeda, and they don't give a damn about humanity.
Posted by: Captain America ||
08/25/2006 0:39 Comments ||
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Dunno. "Olaf and Steve have always worked for the interests of the Palestinian people."
There was a joke going on when I was a teenager. People assumed that China would go on conquest at some point and we would write, after it's all done, in our CVs: "I loved rice since I was a toddler".
I have a sort of an agreement with my wife that in the case either of us would end up being held as a hostage by jihadis, we would ask for bombing the place if its location would be known (embedded chip may be usefull in that regard). Of course, chances of us being held hostages are pretty slim, but one never knows, them jihadis are infesting all over, bare Antarctica and Greenland.
#7
*My* family would be under strict orders to go on every talk show in an attitude of defiance, to heap curses upon my captors and under no condition may they beg, grovel, plead, or cry.
#8
"#7 *My* family would be under strict orders to go on every talk show in an attitude of defiance, to heap curses upon my captors and under no condition may they beg, grovel, plead, or cry."
I generally agree though in this case, Steve and Olaf would be returned to their respective families ... one piece at a time.
Her husband is being held hostage by a bunch of homicidal, sexually infantile shitwits with guns. If someone I loved was being held in similar circumstances, yeah, I'd probably say whatever they wanted to keep my loved ones alive. That doesn't mean I would believe a word of it.
And yes, saw it happen with domestic barricade situations. One parent holds the kid at gunpoint...the other might make a taped statement saying "It's ok, we still all love you, we want to help you, blah blah blah...". Once the kid is released and the suspect is in custody, they turn tiger. She may be doing the same thing for all we know.
It's easy to make tough statements about the situation if you aren't personally involved with it. She is. If they kill her husband and Mr Centanni, we'll all pretty much forget about it next month. She never will.
My heart goes out to her, and I hope Mr Centanni and Mr Wiig are released soon, and safely, to their loved ones.
Defense Minister Amir Peretz insisted on Thursday that the renewal of talks with the Palestinian Authority was dependent upon the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit and the cessation of rocket launching at Israel. Speaking with Greece's foreign minister, he stated that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was facing a great opportunity, but also a difficult test, Israel Radio reported.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
It's frustrating that the three kidnapped soldiers have basically disappeared from the news, like they have nothing to do with the subsequent crisis.
Israelis have shifted rightward after the war in Lebanon and right-wing parties would dramatically increase their power at the expense of Kadima and Labor if elections were held now, according to public opinion polls taken this week. A Ma'agar Mohot poll, broadcast on Channel 2 on Thursday evening found that if the election was held today, the Likud and Israel Beiteinu would each win 24 seats, Kadima would fall from 29 to 14, and Labor would fall from 19 to only 9.
According to a different Ma'agar Mohot poll taken few days ago for the newspaper Israeli, Labor would become the sixth largest party after the next election. Kadima would win 23 seats, Likud 20, Israel Beiteinu 15, Shas 13, the National Union-National Religious Party 12 and Labor only 12.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Yep, war will do that to ya
Posted by: Captain America ||
08/25/2006 0:40 Comments ||
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#2
Something the Donks could learn, but then again, that implies they have the ability to learn. As they desperately seek to get control of the House or Senate or the White House, one good bout of their 'cut and run' and surrender monkey behavior in any of those positions and they'll drive even more people to right in this country. They keep reading the rigged polls and think that while many people are tiring of the war, its not because they want Peace at Any Price[c]. Its because many of them dont like the touchy feelly conduct of it. They want to win. They, being traditional Americans, dont want to waste resources on long term programs when they know the direct approach will resolve the problems on the table - i.e. Iran and Syria. In other words, quit screwing around, get in there and killem.
#4
Americans, traditionally, love to fight. All real Americans love the sting of battle. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. The very thought of losing is hateful, to Americans. (from the George C. Scott speech in Patton)
Posted by: Bobby ||
08/25/2006 12:35 Comments ||
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#5
#1 Yep, war will do that to ya
Posted by Captain America 2006-08-25 00:40
A mismanaged - to some extent - war effort will do that as well.
#7
Americans, historically, have had to be dragged kicking and screaming to go to war, because we prefer homelier activities like making a living and going fishing. However, once convinced, we tend to get stuck in "to the knife" -- if we absolutely must fight, we fight to win. Was Patton giving an inspirational speech to the troops before the battles, perhaps?
#8
TW, that was from the Patton movie (the first scene there of). The actual speech for the movie was put together from several speeches Patton gave throughout the war.
Israel has essentially given up hope of Hizbullah being disarmed,
We can consider Olmert and Peretz officially toast...
and instead is now concentrating on ensuring that an arms embargo called for in UN Security Council resolution 1701 be implemented, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
That'll happen, too, we're sure...
Real Soon Now, just you wait and see!
... senior Israeli officials have made it clear in recent days during talks with foreign governments that Israel realizes a Hizbullah presence south of the Litani River is unavoidable...
Furthermore, senior Israeli officials have made it clear in recent days during talks with foreign governments that Israel realizes a Hizbullah presence south of the Litani River is unavoidable, if for no other reason than because the organization is so well rooted there that the only way to get rid of Hizbullah would be to evacuate the entire region.
Eventually you'll have to, but for now you don't want to spend the corpses. You'll have to spend more of them when you eventually do it, but Olmert will be long gone...
What Israel does expect, however, is that the Lebanese Army and the international force that will deploy there ensure that Hizbullah doesn't have offensive weaponry to attack Israel, and that if they do try to attack, there will be someone there to stop them.
What Israel does expect, however, is that the Lebanese Army and the international force that will deploy there ensure that Hizbullah doesn't have offensive weaponry...
Ummm... Why don'tcha go back to the idea of destroying Hezbollah? There's a lot more chance of that happening, especially without Olmert and Peretz, than there is of Eurotroops preventing a Hezbollah attack on Israel. The sporadic Katyushas should be starting up again in a month or so, and the Euros are going to give you a blank stare when you ask them why.
The impression Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has left in recent days on her European counterparts during meetings both in Israel and in Europe is that Israel recognizes it is unrealistic for anyone to take away Hizbullah's weapons, and that what is most important at this time is to ensure that there is an effective embargo on any new weapons to Hizbullah.
Where do they get these people?
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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What? You think 3 UN resolutions is gonna mean anything?
Posted by: Captain America ||
08/25/2006 0:41 Comments ||
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Hizb'allah must be disarmed, must be out of Southern Leabanon and arms flowing to Hizb'allah must be stopped fron enetering Leabanon. This is what Israel must insist on.
(KUNA) -- France on Thursday expressed continued concern with the on-going violence in the Gaza strip which is being provoked by Israeli incursions, assassinations and covert operations against militants and also against elected officials of Hamas. France has several times condemned the kidnappings, which have led to the seizure of dozens of ministers, deputies and other senior officials of the Palestinian Authority.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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I read the headline and thought France was concerned about the initial kidnappings of Israeli soldiers by Hamas and Hezbollah. Silly me.
BBC journalists took photographs of a young Lebanese boy made to pose near an exploded bomb, despite the broadcaster's own policy prioritizing the protection of children.
In an article posted on the BBC News website earlier this week, Martin Asser reported on a Lebanese woman who returned to the war-ravaged south of the country to find an unexploded 1000-pound Israeli bomb lying inside her home.
"The shell is huge," Asser wrote, "bigger than the young boy pushed forward to stand reluctantly next to it while we get our cameras out and record the scene for posterity."
The report is accompanied by a photograph showing the bomb lying in a rubble-strewn living room, several feet away from a boy who appears to be around 10.
"This is just one of thousands of nasty surprises greeting those coming back to southern Lebanon after Israel's five-week war with the Hizballah militant group," the report says.
It quotes the woman as saying she is waiting for Hizballah to come and take the bomb away. The house is in Bint Jbeil, a terrorist stronghold and the location of some of the fiercest fighting during the recent conflict.
The BBC report gives no indication that journalists were responsible for the decision to pose a child near an unexploded bomb, but neither does it suggest that they said or did anything to stop it from happening. They also went ahead and took pictures.
Cybercast News Service asked the BBC whether it approved of a decision to take and use photographs that were not only posed, but also may also have endangered the life of a child. The broadcaster also was asked whether its staffers had attempted in any way to prevent the child from being made to stand near the bomb.
"We make every effort not to put people in danger in the course of our reporting," a spokeswoman said in a written response.
"Our staff did express concern at the situation, and it emerged that the family reported in this story were living in the building with the unexploded bomb," she said.
"The photograph and the story records the reality of how people are living and reacting to the aftermath of combat in South Lebanon."
The BBC's detailed set of editorial and other guidelines, available on one of the corporation's websites, includes a child protection policy.
One of its two key principles is "the welfare of the child or young person is the paramount consideration."
The policy continues: "It is everyone at the BBC's responsibility to promote the protection of children and young people. In following the policy staff are always expected to maintain a sense of proportion, apply common sense to situations and protect the child's welfare as priority."
Criticism of the BBC action has appeared on a number of popular weblogs.
"The BBC is engaging in child endangerment to aid Hizballah terrorists in their media propaganda," wrote Marc Landers on his USS Neverdock blog.
Another site, BBC Eye, said one obvious question needed asking: "Why didn't the BBC refuse to take the photos? Cowardice? Or wanting to spread the anti-Israel line? Or both?"
Media Backspin opined: "It's bad enough when photojournalists stage photo opportunities, but now the BBC has taken matters to a new twisted level -- endangering kids for the sake of a photo."
Three years ago, an Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reporter lost her job after an incident in which Iraqi children were asked to pose on an unexploded missile in Baghdad.
Gina Wilkinson's report was aimed at highlighting dangers facing children in Iraq because of the presence of unexploded ordnance, but the ABC's own Media Watch program uncovered footage - not originally shown to viewers - in which she asked a young boy and girl to play near a Soviet-era SA-2 missile and launcher, while the camera rolled.
Australian journalism professor Mark Pearson said at the time that while many television stories involved some staging, "I can think of no circumstances where a journalist should encourage someone to place themselves in danger for a news report, particularly when the report is meant to be exposing that very danger."
A number of media organizations have been under fire in recent weeks for journalistic decisions taken during coverage of the Israeli-Hizballah conflict.
Reuters fired a stringer for digitally doctoring pictures, and a number of organizations were criticized for playing along as Lebanese "civil defense workers" set up scenes involving the corpses of children killed in Israeli air raids.
Some websites also raised concerns about what they saw as gullible media coverage of claims that two Lebanese ambulances had been struck by Israeli missiles - allegations which on closer examination appeared suspect.
We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children. We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children. We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 25, 2006 (AFP) - Britain's UN Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry on Friday dismissed as "inadequate" Iran's response to an international offer of energy and security incentives in exchange for a freeze of its uranium enrichment activities.
"Our capitals are working on our response to the inadequate response we've received from Iran," he told reporters. "We need to give a measured consideration to what has been sent to us by Iran, but quite clearly something which is short of what the Council is looking for," he added.
Yes, quite.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/25/2006 12:34 ||
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#1
When has theocratic Iran's diplomatic response to anything ever been "adequate"?
Russia on Friday rejected any talk for now of sanctions against Iran and France warned against conflict with Tehran, raising doubt whether it will face swift penalties for not halting nuclear work by an August 31 deadline. The odd couple at work again. If W retains the House and Senate, it could be a bad couple of years for the UN.
Responding to an offer of economic incentives to stop enriching uranium, Iran hinted to six world powers on Tuesday it could curb its program as a result of talks to implement the package -- but not as a precondition as they demand.
The reply seemed designed to crack the ramshackle united front of four Western powers and Russia and China behind the U.N. Security Council deadline. The West sees Iran's nuclear work as a looming threat to peace. Russia and China do not.
"I know of no instances in world practice and previous experience in which sanctions have achieved their aim and proved effective," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told reporters during a trip to Russia's far east. I have to agree there. But somehow, I suspect he is not in favor of moving directly to glass paving.
"Moreover, I believe that the question is not so serious at the moment for the U.N. Security Council or the group of six to consider any introduction of sanctions. Russia stands for further political and diplomatic efforts to settle the issue." We should offer the mullahs assistance with targeting IRBMs to Moscow and Paris.
Ivanov is regarded as close to President Vladimir Putin. And John F'n Kerry from the sound of it.
#5
Iran hinted to six world powers on Tuesday it could curb its program as a result of talks to implement the package -- but not as a precondition as they demand.
Translation: Hand over all of the goodies without us making a single substantive move so we can continue our interminable game of blindman's bluff stalling, only with more goodies.
And will continue to, right up the time Iran gives the Chechnya terrorists a couple of bombs to use against Russia.
Then both Chechnya and Iran will glow.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
08/25/2006 13:58 Comments ||
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#8
21st Century Myths:
Russia is a friend of the US.
Russia is a free democratic state.
Russia is not a nuclear threat to the west.
Russia opposes terrorism.
The cold war is over.
Russia is an ally.
The European Union would "signal weakness" if it fails to come up with a sizable contribution to the UN force in Lebanon, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned Thursday. Troop pledges have been meager so far as EU foreign ministers prepare to meet Friday in Brussels to discuss the peacekeeping mission. "It may signal weakness of the foreign and security policy of the European Union if we are not able to contribute on a larger scale to an international military force," Rasmussen said. Denmark has offered to send three navy ships to help patrol Lebanon's coastline, but is not prepared to send troops to the mission.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Danish troops would likely be targeted because of the cartoon-jihad incident.
#6
They understand it. They also understand isolation. I suspect they're trying to get the rest of EUrope to demonstrate the kind of backbone thee Danes have repeatedly shown.
#7
#1: The European Union has been weak for 25 years. These "signals" are simply a reflection of reality.
#2: European troops are too weak to stop either Hezbollah or Israel in the event of new fighting, and their governments would be powerless to either help them or remove them. Putting them in harms way is gambling with their lives.
#8
The next time someone pontificates on the need to bring our European allies along in order to validate an operation, I hope we remember this fiasco.
#9
Yup, charger, I certainly hope this is our last time of "jumping through all the hoops" for the international community. From now on "unilateral" is the word. Fat lot of good all of our supposed allies (save, perhaps, Denmark, Britain and Australia) are doing.
#10
"When all you've got is a hammer, all your problems look like nails".
The EU (*not* Europe) is a tranzi post-national construct built on "soft-power". Even if the EUcrats have wishes of "european defense", they don't have neither the mean nor the will to project military power, and I suspect most european national armies are not even suited to defending their territory anymore.
But, of course, as their delusions include the idea that the use of force is "obselete", they stick to the tranzi bag of tricks : ngo, "international law", public opionon makers,...
I really, really can picture the algerian army invading France when/if the SHTF between french and migrants (to "restore order" and prevent atrocities against muslim, of course)... also, compare EU militaries with the turkish army.
There is growing consensus within the defense establishment that the United States will not attack Iran, and that Israel might be forced to act independently to stop the Islamic republic from obtaining nuclear weapons, a high-ranking defense official told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.
According to sources within the defense establishment, the Bush administration does not have political support for launching a strike against Iran's nuclear sites. "America is stuck in Iraq and cannot go after Iran militarily right now," the official said.
The defense official blasted the US for "not doing enough" to stop Teheran's race to the bomb. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, he said, was leading the State Department in the direction of "appeasement."
Should this grisly scenario come to pass, any potential debacle concerning the Iraq war will be as nothing compared to the deserving condemnation Bush would receive for inaction vis Iran.
#8
To set the record straight, I'm going to restate something here for clarification.
I believe that crippling Iran's nuclear program (if not its entire military) is of such high priority that, despite my own dislike for Bush, should he find the courage to bomb Iran and subsequently be brought up on charges for it, I vow to publically demonstrate on Bush's behalf and will vigorously work to persuade all the people I know to do likewise.
This is how strongly I feel about the importance of this issue.
The U.S. warned Syria on Thursday to abide by a United Nations arms embargo meant to stop Hezbollah from resupplying after its monthlong war with Israel. It dismissed Syrian objections to international peacekeepers as preposterous. "All countries must obey the arms embargo" under the U.N. Security Council resolution that set a cease-fire this month, said State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos. "It is a singular duty for Syria, as the one country apart from Israel that borders Lebanon, to do so."
On Wednesday, Syrian President Bashar Assad called any deployment of multinational troops along his border a "hostile" affront to Syria. "First, this means creating hostile conditions between Syria and Lebanon," Assad told Dubai Television in an interview aired Wednesday. "Second, it is a hostile move toward Syria and naturally it will create problems."
We hope so. Especially of the logistical kind.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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We'll get right on that. As soon as we're done resupplying Hezb'Allah.
President Jacques Chirac says France will send 2,000 soldiers for the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, and a European Union official said it wants the troops in place within a week. In a nationally televised address that was closely followed throughout Europe, Chirac said Thursday that
France will increase its deployment from an already announced 400 troops, and hopes to retain command of the force...
France will increase its deployment from an already announced 400 troops, and hopes to retain command of the force.
Yes, I rather imagine you do.
He said the United Nations had provided guarantees France sought involving the mandate of the force. "Two extra battalions will go on to the ground to extend our numbers within UNIFIL," Chirac said. "Two thousand French soldiers are thus placed under blue helmets in Lebanon," he added.
This really did cause my surprise meter to twitch; I had assumed Chirac and deVillepin (who is a man) were completely immune to embarrassment.
The White House cheered Chirac's announcement. "The president welcomes the decision by the French," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. "As he has said, an international force needs to be deployed urgently."
Posted by: Fred ||
08/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
If they had done this to begin with, they might have managed to maintain a shred of credibility.
#3
Well, no - they wanted to, but then they realized someone might actually shoot at them, so they deferred. But being French, they had to command, of course. And it only took - what? ten days? - for them to discover how (fill in your own blank, I'm at a loss for the right word) they looked.
Posted by: Bobby ||
08/25/2006 7:05 Comments ||
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And a demonstration in leadership by the Italians.
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.
SOUTH Korea is certain North Korea has a nuclear weapon and Seoul's best estimate is that Pyongyang has produced one or two bombs, Defence Minister 
Washington has offered to provide Tokyo with up to 80 more advanced Patriot interceptor missiles for deployment in Japan in the wake of North Korea's missile tests last month, a news report said on Thursday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il may visit key ally China next week amid heightened concern over a possible nuclear weapons test by the reclusive state and its defiant missile launch in July, a news report said on Thursday. Kim's visit will be primarily to discuss the North's possible nuclear test with Chinese President Hu Jintao, the daily Chosun Ilbo reported a diplomatic source in Seoul as saying. "Authorities in Seoul and Washington were briefed that Kim Jong-il is to take a three-day trip to China around August 30," the source told the newspaper. Officials at South Korea's foreign ministry could not immediately be reached for comment.
Prime Minister 
A SYDNEY father who paid a hitman to kill a young woman raped by his son has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for what a judge described as a "cruel and callous" crime. Chaouki Bou-Antoun, now 51, pleaded guilty to one count of solicit to murder after police uncovered the vicious and brazen plot in which a hitman would be paid to kill a young woman so she could not testify against his son, Khater or Kevin. 
The much-publicized Plame civil suit is off to a bad start. The plaintiffs moved for permission to leave their residential address off the complaint. Judge Bates of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia gave the motion short shrift:
Opposition members in the National Assembly protested on Thursday against the detention of Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and relatives of Baloch nationalists, and asked why they had been detained without cause. On a point of order, the MMA's Liaquat Baloch said Hafiz Saeed is a known personality and the government should explain the reason for his arrest. 
Iraq's Rising Power
Israelis have shifted rightward after the war in Lebanon and right-wing parties would dramatically increase their power at the expense of Kadima and Labor if elections were held now, according to public opinion polls taken this week. A Ma'agar Mohot poll, broadcast on Channel 2 on Thursday evening found that if the election was held today, the Likud and Israel Beiteinu would each win 24 seats, Kadima would fall from 29 to 14, and Labor would fall from 19 to only 9. 
Israel has essentially given up hope of Hizbullah being disarmed, 
Russia on Friday rejected any talk for now of sanctions against Iran and France warned against conflict with Tehran, raising doubt whether it will face swift penalties for not halting nuclear work by an August 31 deadline.
The European Union would "signal weakness" if it fails to come up with a sizable contribution to the UN force in Lebanon, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned Thursday. Troop pledges have been meager so far as EU foreign ministers prepare to meet Friday in Brussels to discuss the peacekeeping mission. "It may signal weakness of the foreign and security policy of the European Union if we are not able to contribute on a larger scale to an international military force," Rasmussen said. Denmark has offered to send three navy ships to help patrol Lebanon's coastline, but is not prepared to send troops to the mission.
The U.S. warned Syria on Thursday to abide by a United Nations arms embargo meant to stop Hezbollah from resupplying after its monthlong war with Israel. It dismissed Syrian objections to international peacekeepers as preposterous. "All countries must obey the arms embargo" under the U.N. Security Council resolution that set a cease-fire this month, said State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos. "It is a singular duty for Syria, as the one country apart from Israel that borders Lebanon, to do so."
President Jacques Chirac says France will send 2,000 soldiers for the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, and a European Union official said it wants the troops in place within a week. In a nationally televised address that was closely followed throughout Europe, Chirac said Thursday that 
