"Lawfare" Keeps Israeli Officials Home

Using the usual tactics of fear and intimidation, Palestinians stop Israeli officials from travelling. It matters not that the so-called government of the Palestinians is run by groups who are perpetrating violence against a sovereign nation and innocent civilians. The fact that Palestinians have died makes Israel guilty of "evil."

When will the Palestinians hold their own government and the terrorists of their own lands guilty for the violence they commit? The rest of the world graciously welcomes those visitors. Perhaps they should be arrested when they travel to other nations. Then, they could be charged with war crimes. Undoubtedly, the Palestinian activists would scream about being singled out and discriminated against. They would get all kinds of media sympathy and attention. People would feel sorry for them and give them sepcial treatment. Oh. My mistake. That's already happening.

hmm...Why is it that so few people recognize this two-faced behavior and media manipulation for what it really is?

One Islamic Currency..To Go With Islamic Financing

Did you know that Arab states are trying to create a unified currency? They still have a long way to go, of course, but the discussions have been going on for a while now. Similar economic structures, as well as currencies already pegged to the same standard (usually the dollar) will make that easier. But, as usual, the inter-state bickering is causing negotiations to falter. One important point to consider:

Inflation rates vary dramatically and fiscal deficits, which have been absent since the start of the oil boom in 2003, are about to re-emerge in some countries this year.

It seems the economic downturn that has struck the world is about to overtake even the oil barons of our day. Perhaps it was just a matter of time, though. Islamic based banks have been much more stable than their western counterparts. Many believe this is due to the constraints of Sharia Law on banking. The outcomes of giving Islam more control of money and banking are large. But, one particular concern should raise red flags all over the world:

Many of the scholars and clerics who sit on these Islamic Banking Advisory Boards come from the more
radical elements of Islam, and the educational centers that promote and encourage violence against the West. According to the Brussels Journal, these groups have openly expressed hopes of returning Islam to Europe “as a conqueror” either by preaching and ideological change or “by the sword”.

Those who refuse to believe there is an Islamic agenda to take over and rule should pull their heads out of the sand. The Illinois Business Law Journal says this change to a religious based banking structure would be a good thing. Would you like to know how widespread the influence of Sharia law is on western banking? There are already Sharia compliant hedge funds, partnered with the largest publicly traded hedge fund manager. London and the Netherlands are becoming centers of Islamic banking. And, of course, you can always visit the Islamic Bank USA website.

Immigration, Democrats Duck-and-cover, and The FDA

For those who think the United States is alone in it’s immigration troubles, you should check out Italy’s immigration situation. Kind of reminds me of how the US deals with Cuban refugees. If they are fond at sea they are returned to Cuba, if found on land, they are on arrested. Meanwhile, the Obama administration is in it’s own kettle of hot water over that. Recent reports indicate no change from Bush policies. Isn’t it amazing how many policies and plans from the Bush era that Obama promised to change, but is now claiming to be new and better? Like…when the troops are getting out of Iraq.


Speaking of Iraq, Nancy Pelosi is battling the CIA over interrogation briefings. News reports in 2002 quoted Congressmen as saying they received full briefings on CIA and other agencies actions. But, once the war began to drag on, losing public support, Democrats followed public opinion. They also began claiming they had no knowledge of actions that were going on in various places and organizations. Well, sooner or later, the truth comes out, as Pelosi is finding. Still, the number two Democrat, Stephen Hoyer, twisted the focus of the story away from Pelosi is making up stories to something else:

But Hoyer added that focusing on what had been told to lawmakers on interrogations was a distraction from the question of what techniques were used, and whether they were legal.

The point of the article, and the issue, is that Pelosi and other high ranking Democrats knew all along what was going on. But, the media and Leftists are spinning things to blur that focus.

(…soon, no one will care that Democrats lied…only that Bush did something wrong…just wait, you’ll see…)


Finally, I would like to weigh on the whole Cherios vs. the FDA thing. The media would have you believe that right wing crazies are rabidly claiming all kinds of things on this issue. It doesn’t matter that the same style of attacks are used by the Leftwing to demean right wing actions. Nor does it matter that most of the media claims are taken way out of context. It seems that America, and it’s government, has lost focus on something pretty important. The basic point of the FDA is that only drugs can be advertised as healing things. But, the truth is that drugs do not heal. They only help manage health. People worldwide have used diet to maintain health for millennia. So, at its core, the FDA claim is flawed. We seem to have forgotten that a proper diet, as opposed to the standard US diet, can maintain and help manage your health. Instead we believe the lie that we need all these drugs to keep us healthy. I do not deny there are circumstances where drugs are needed. But, we need to have a better focus on what drugs really do. They help manage health issues, but they do not heal them. The FDA needs to get it’s facts straight on that.

Banking, Education...and Islam

Despite Ben Bernake’s news of increased consumer spending, things are not what they appear. According to The Economist, consumption will remain in a depressed state for years. Why?

Since the early 1980s, spending by households on goods, services and homes has grown faster than GDP, making it the locomotive of American—and global—expansion. By 2006 it accounted for 76% of nominal GDP, the highest since quarterly data begin in 1947.

It will likely remain depressed for the same reason we got into this mess: an ever increasingly credit driven economy. And that problem, by the way, is not one that governments are addressing. Instead, they are trying to increase the amount of available credit. Granted, there is a need for that in the short term. But, the long term solution for the credit mess is not being addressed at all. And that is going to be very bad.

Ultimately, it’s why the Chinese and other Asian countries own so much of America. And, lest we forget, so do the Arabs. Unfortunately, with their continued investment will likely come more Sharia Law requirements which banks will undoubtedly go for. Don’t think they will? Think again. Profits alone will drive them there. But, the western world is not being threatened by Islamic rules just in banking. Germany is facing this issue in their schools. But, that is nothing new. It’s been an ongoing battle in the U.S. for a few years. It was an unintended consequence of 9-11, to be sure. Of course, educators and teachers unions deny this is some soft form of indoctrination, but…

Is It Islam...or Money?

MSNBC has made another massive gaff. Friday, the “news source” once again demonstrated it lack of understanding of things Islamic by saying that capitalism not religion defines roles for women in that culture.

O'Donnell then turned to Sally Quinn of the Washington Post, who wrote about the theory on the newspaper's On Faith blog: "This is a hot topic, Sally. Do you believe that oil is behind sexism in the Middle East?" Quinn replied: "Well, I do think that it has a lot to do with it...when you have an oil-rich country, there's much less manufacturing, so that there are fewer jobs for women. But also because the country is so rich that women don't need to work and therefore they're comfortable and they stay home."

How anyone can say that is a mystery to me. The role of women has not changed, per se, in traditional Islamic cultures for hundreds of years. The roles were defined before the oil wealth existed there, and they permeate the culture from the bottom to the top. These kinds of determinations are just perfect examples of Liberalism trying to make things what they appear, not what they really are. And, unfortunately, people believe them rather than question them.

On the subject of things Islamic, the US is reportedly planning to send $900 million in aid to Gaza.

The aid would go to nongovernmental and UN organisations, with some going to the Palestinian Authority, the official said.

Given the UN track record of keeping tabs on and controlling Hamas activities—such as those recently missing explosives--I am not holding my breath over any aid not going to the terrorists.

10/28 Morning Report

The Democrats are guilty of dishonest politics again. They are using misinformation to do it in Texas specifically. Let’s take the battle for Texas courts as an example.

In a campaign called “Fair and Balanced Court”, the liberal s are saying the Republicans are out of line, and side with the rich and corporate interests. The TV ad (see the YouTube video on the web site) includes something else. It says that the Supreme Court is supposed to weigh the evidence and rule accordingly. And, that is not true. All the appeals and Supreme Courts are supposed to do is rule on procedure. In other words, they look at what the lower court did and how it reached it’s decision. It does not rule on the evidence.

While the facts they state, that 82% of cases are overturned, are probably true…maybe that’s because of real errors in the lower courts. After all, that’s how these cases are supposed to be treated in the higher courts. Clearly the liberals are trying to bring increased legislation from the bench in courtrooms across America.


For the absolute record, I’m glad the FBI caught those murdering skinheads. They stepped way outside the boundaries of acceptability in political discourse. It is terrorism, nothing more. The role of American politics is to provide an arena to discuss our differences, and eventually unite behind the leadership chosen by the people. The role of people in American politics is to use discussion and debate, not guns, to reach consensus. Racism, therefore, is just another form of terrorism. None the less, Obama has played the race card repeatedly. And, the media lets him—but no one else—get away with it. The media has even gotten into the act of already blaming possible failure on race. The first possible issue raised by the BBC in their analysis was racial. Anyone making the same comments about an African-American gets crucified. There are plenty of quotes from Obama’s books to demonstrate it. He bluntly says, several times, in both books that he is anti-white. Why is this is not considered racist? But, the media has their “darling.” I would write more, but , Judith A. Klinghoffer did the job well enough I don’t have to.


One final comment on the incongruity of the media…How come they have comments and understanding of every voting group in America…except the Arab-American populations (Christian, Muslim, whatever)? Jonathan mark takes a look at that, and the vagaries of candidates on both sides as it relates to the subject. It’s worth reading.

10/09 Morning Report

Does anyone remember that 10 years ago, some experts were already predicting the financial crisis we are in today? A Fox News report shows that indeed they were. So why is everyone so suddenly surprised that it happened?

(…maybe the media ignored it rather than make people worry about their credit levels…that conservatives were saying needed to be paid down rather than built up…which might have caused economic decline due to less money being injected into the system through purchasing…hhhmmm…)


And, at least one journalist is saying the media itself has a share of the blame for the financial meltdown. According to Howard Kurtz’s column at the WashPo:

But while these [financial problems] were conveyed in incremental stories -- and a few whistle-blowing columns -- the business press never conveyed a real sense of alarm until institutions began to collapse.

Of course, I doubt the rest of the media will be so candid. It the same as saying Bush lied about the weapons of mass destruction, while forgetting or ignoring all the Democrats and foreign leaders who said the same thing.

(…I wonder if Kurtz gets to keep his job…hhhmmm…)


Speaking of Iraq, the media is pretty quick to only focus on the cost of the war. No one is mentioning the drop in casualties. No one is mentioning that the Bush agenda of waiting until the Iraqis were ready to govern themselves is finally going to be accomplished. No one is recognizing that several different methods attempted trying accomplish this. All the media seems to notice is that everything failed up till now. Yes, there is still violence, as evidenced by the killing of Shiite leader Saleh al-Ogayly. Evidence of the success of American efforts?

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki vowed on Thursday to capture the assassins of an anti-American Shiite MP, the first lawmaker to be killed in 18 months, and ordered a top-level investigation.

(…wonder what kind of spin this gets in the anit-bush, anit-military, liberal American media…)

10/03 Morning Report

It could have been any country that started the financial crisis cascade, as an article at The Economist indicates. Unfortunately for America, it wasn’t another country. The crisis exists in America, and is affecting other countries as the waves of illiquidity spiral out. . The governments of several nations have already stepped in to bail out their banking industry.

Step forward, Peer Steinbrück, Germany’s finance minister, who rashly declared on September 25th that America was “the source…and the focus of the crisis”, before heralding the end of its role as the financial superpower. Within days, the focus shifted and Mr Steinbrück and his officials were obliged to arrange a €35 billion ($51 billion) loan from German banks and the German government to save Hypo Real Estate, the country’s second-biggest property lender.

I talked a couple days ago about how debt obligations are bought, sold, repackaged, and so on. Well, the painful truth is that debt obligations are traded on a global scale. That fact will drive the US government to do a bailout/loan package. It is a foregone reality because of the international realities involved.


Meanwhile, we have the Hot Topics of the elections. Iraq: US combat deaths down 86% from a year ago. Strange we did not hear about that in the Vice-presidential debate, considering how much they talked about Iraq. But, then again, inspite of Tom Brokaw’s statement ON CAMERA that “The Democrats are lucky there is only one Vice-presidential debate,” the NY Times claims the GOP merely survived a test. All things considered equal, I think Sen. Biden did a better job in the closing statements than Gov. Palin. But, over all, the fact that she could go step for step with him is telling of the ability of the McCain/Palin ticket. I suspect that if they can create distance between themselves and the Bush administration, the GOP just might be able to hold the Whitehouse this election.

09/12 Morning Report

It may be late, but it is always time to remember those who have fallen.


You can read my thoughts on that awful day at “Where Were You.” It’s a couple of years old, but the sentiment, the hurt, and the final question still remain. I’m still trying to answer it. How about you?

Meanwhile, politics had a dead day yesterday, as the candidates agreed to shelve everything in honor of 911. That is a rare and awesome thing, to have both parties lay down their bitter disagreements and stand together for anything. It reinforces the adage that we might fight amonst ourselves, but that’s just a family squabble. Don’t you get involved or we will both kick your @$#. Nice to know some things don’t really change much.

In one piece of good news, Saudi police arrested five men who were using the internet to recruit for al Qaeda.”

The five men are accused of encouraging people to take up arms in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Traditional security measures have led to the arrest of hundreds of al-Qaeda suspects over the last seven years.

(…interesting that it makes no claim on what non-traditional security measures have done…other than an implied innuendo…)


Meanwhile, General Petraeus is dinged by the BBC for refusing to declare victory in Iraq.. They did say all the right things, though—there is a long difficult road ahead, the surge was a success, that Iraqi forces were standing up and taking control. But, they mostly said using the word “not”--“He did not say…He did not confirm…he resued to say…, etc. Too bad it’s such a negative article on someone who has done something very successfully that the entire left wing establishment claimed was impossible.


And, here at home, Hurricane Ike is headed for the Texas coast. And, like always, some stubborn folks are refusing to get out of the way. I understand the sentiment. Some have no where to go. Some see no reason to go, in case they have to start all over. But, I think life is a reason to go. It speaks of hope. And that’s the thing that has kept this country alive in some very dark hours and trying times.

(…personally, I’m worried that too many in our country have lost hope and that will make way for other, darker things…)

5/9 Morning Report

Imagine such a thing! Hezbollah getting upset because it doesn’t like government rules? Well, that’s what it amounts to, anyway. Unfortunately, with as much power, if not more so, as the government itself wields, Hezbollah can get away with a lot. And, with their usual rhetoric, they say it is all because the US and Israel are trying to control them.

"The (government) decisions are tantamount to a declaration of war and the start of a war... on behalf of the United States and Israel," he [Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah] charged during a rare press conference.

Of course!…it couldn’t possibly have anything to do with maintaining civil order… how silly of the world to think that could be the case. I loved the comment from the US State Department:

"Hezbollah needs to make a choice: Be a terrorist organisation or be a political party, but quit trying to be both," said US national security council spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

Hezbollah has been very successful ,just like Yassir Arafat and the PLO, at making it look like everything is political—while terrorizing any dissenters, and neighboring nations. Of course, the UN is calling for calm, and not getting involved—as usual. I wonder what country will have a bunch of soldiers killed on a peace keeping mission this time. I also wonder if that would change the way the UN handles situations like this.

(…Darfur…Bosnia…Kosovo…Lebanon…has the methodology changed?…or ever really worked?...long term?...)

01/08 Morning Report

Iran is playing games in the Gulf, again. I realize that 5 armed speedboats are no match in open waters for 3 navy warships. But, the significance cannot be overlooked. Attention getting is one thing. Deliberately sparking an international incident is something altogether different.

The commander of the Hopper, a guided-missile destroyer, was “very close to giving the order to fire,” said one of the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak for attribution. “We were perilously close to an incident where we would have taken out at least one of the Iranian small boats.”

The were apparently manned or commanded by Revolutionary Guard troops. And, yet, it seems that media darling Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is still above reproach in the MSM.


Another media darling, CAIR, has issued a “media guide”. Many conservative groups seem to think it is little more than a propaganda leaflet full of disinformation. There is even some question as to whether they are picking and choosing who will receive one.

"Now the interesting thing about that was I asked for a copy of that," the journalist continues. "I sent CAIR an e-mail asking for a copy of it, and they haven't even answered my e-mail. I don't think they want anybody to see it who might actually scrutinize it."

Whether the no-response is deliberate or not is open for discussion. But, it does raise interesting questions.


Meanwhile, on to the environment. Presenting: THE $2500 CAR!

“The downside is a car that would most likely fail emission and safety standards on any Western road, and, perhaps, in India in a few years, when the country imposes tougher environmental standards.”

So why bother? Is the UN/Kyoto group willing to allow this, in the name of economic growth? If economic growth is the goal, then why force industrialized nations to stagnate their growth by meeting standards no one else is accountable to?


Blu-Ray! Blu Ray! that’s right. Warner Brothers announced their support of the formatting system, possibly tipping things to that format.

“The battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray has echoes of the rivalry between Betamax and VHS in the 1980s.

The cheaper format, VHS, prevailed while 20 years on it seems as though Blu-ray, the more expensive system, is winning the race. “

So much for market economy rules of price and supply. Better get ready to have to buy more than new TVs.

1/4 Morning Evening Report

I saw one little political tidbit that really caught my attention. It seems that Islamic organizations are
politically pressuring the Pentagon about how they counter the war on terror. Aside from the special interest argument, do we really want special interest groups deciding how the military does it’s job? Hasn’t that been the argument against several contractors over the years?

(…not mention the separation of church and state argument…oh…I forgot…Muslim organizations are exempt from that restriction…)


Finally! It seems that Domestic issues pushing past Iraq war.

Even though polls show that Iowa Democrats still consider the war in Iraq the top issue facing the country, the war is becoming a less defining issue among Democrats nationally, and it has moved to the back of the stage in the rush of campaign rallies, town hall meetings and speeches that are bringing the caucus competition to an end. Instead, candidates are being asked about, and are increasingly talking about, the mortgage crisis, rising gas costs, health care, immigration, the environment and taxes.

(snip)

Part of the shift appears to stem from the reduction in violence in Iraq after President Bush’s decision to send more troops there last year.

I liked that last part. The MSM is grudgingly giving credit to the administration, and the military, for something that worked.

(…wonders never cease…)


Speaking of wonders, would you believe Global warming is natural?

There's a natural cause that may account for much of the Arctic warming, which has melted sea ice, ice sheets and glaciers, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Nature. New research points a finger at a natural and cyclical increase in the amount of energy in the atmosphere that moves from south to north around the Arctic Circle.

Of course, the blame still falls on pollution. Study authors also say the combined effect is the “killer punch.”

(…I’ve been waiting for someone to explain why the increase in temps the graphs show also appears before industry and pollution showed up…like prior to the last ice age…according to a PBS special I saw a few months ago…)


The
EPA is being sued over a stricter state law dispute. It seems states don’t like the fact that the Federal government set a standard for the whole country. The states want authority to make manufacturers (automotive in this case) possibly subject to 50 different standards.

In an emailed statement, EPA spokesman Jonathan Shradar said the federal Energy Independence and Security Act "is a more beneficial national approach to a national problem, which establishes an aggressive standard for all 50 states - as opposed to a lower standard in California and a patchwork of other states."
California officials contend their 2004 law is tougher than the new national standard. It would have required the auto industry to cut emissions by one-third in new vehicles by 2016 or reach an average of 36.8 mpg.
Twelve other states - Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington - have adopted the California emissions standards.
The governors of Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Utah have said they also plan to adopt them. The rules also are under consideration in Iowa.

While I see the need for tougher standards (i.e. oil at $100), I fail to see why a tougher standard makes it more acceptable for a state to make the rule for all states. The argument is over who sets the standards for the nation—the Feds or the states.

(…not that that has ever stopped California before…)


Finally, Any Soldier reports the following:

Sgt. Reno S. Lacerna, 44, of Waipahu, Hawaii, died Dec. 31, 2007 in Al Qayyarah, Iraq, of a non-combat related illness. He was assigned to the 87th Corps Support Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

Well, Sgt. Lacerna, at our house we remember your cry—the cry of all warriors:

"Tell them of us and say,
For their tomorrow, we gave our today."
--The Kohima Epitaph--

We remember what you have given. And we say thank you for the tomorrows you have given others. May God give back to your family more than they have sacrificed and lost.

And, now, we dance In Memoriam.

12/11 Morning Report

Hugo Chavez is making a lot of moves these days, despite having lost his referendum push at home. The Banco del Sur is slated to take the place of the IMF, which Chavez describes as a “tool of Washington.”

Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela have all joined the initiative.

Chile and Peru decided to remain on the sidelines, while Colombia, which had expressed interest, has put its decision on hold following recent disagreements between Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and Mr Chavez.

Believing the IMF plays favorites with developed nations over emerging and developing ones, Chavez has been pushing this since December 2006. Some of the difficulty getting funds is due to a wave of industry nationalization in the region. Of course, withdrawing from the World Bank and IMF would mean Venezuela would default on its bonds.

(…can’t imagine why a dictator would want to get out of his debts…can you?...)


In other South American news, Christina Frenandez has been sworm in as President of Argentina. She ran a very unorthodox campaign.

Refusing to debate any of her rivals and granting few interviews, Fernandez preferred to be photographed overseas meeting world leaders - projecting a flair for diplomacy while masking a lack of executive branch experience.

She faces a lot of tough challenges. High on the list are strengthening the courts, continuing economic improvement. She expected to govern from the center-left political position. She also expected to continue the relationship with Chavez.

(…unfortunately she is being compared to Hillary Clinton, too…)


Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, NATO and Afghan troops took back a Taliban stronghold. Breaking a deal with the British back in February, the Taliban took over the town and began terrorizing the area, bringing a death toll of some 6000. French media reports the Taliban simply walked out of town, supposedly to protect civilians from bombings. But, according to the BBC report, reminiscent of al-Qaeda tactics in Iraq, people seem to be turning against the Taliban once again.

President Hamid Karzai said the decision to enter Musa Qala came after local Taliban commanders agreed to side with the Afghan government because of brutality committed against townspeople by the Taliban, al-Qaeda and foreign fighters.

(snip)

He told of a 15-year-old boy accused of spying by the Taliban who was hung from a ceiling and roasted to death by a gas-fed fire started beneath him. The next morning the militants told the boy's mother she could pick up her son, the president said.

(…fear will keep people cowed for a while…but hope of something better will bring a change…amazing how with all it’s problems, people keep turning to coalition forces for that help…)

11/24 Morning Report

Liberal rumblings are being heard in several countries. Australia’s Labor Party is claiming victory in the elections there. Conservatives are split. Prime Minister John Howard says Labor, dominated by trade unionists, would end the economic growth in Australia. That would be bad for Australians, as well as the global economy. But, what would a Labor victory mean for Americans?

[Kevin] Rudd has pledged to withdraw combat troops from Iraq and sign the Kyoto Protocol, further isolating Washington on both. The Mandarin-speaking former diplomat would also be expected to forge closer ties with China and other Asian nations.

Not good news.


The NY Times, meanwhile, feeding a Liberal bias, notes that market bombs spell the end of the lull. Showing that security can be undermined in “safe areas,” terrorists killed 8-13 people in the Ghazil animal market. It’s interesting that the Times puts all blame on the Bush administration. It makes no attempt to place blame on terrorists—those who wantonly kill innocent people for the sake of their desires. US military officials blamed Iran-backed militants. The bomb was packed with ball bearings, according to Rear Adm. Smith.

"In raids overnight, Iraqi and coalition forces were able to identify and detain four members of a militia extremist group we assess as responsible for this horrific act of indiscriminate violence," he said at a news conference. "Based on subsequent confessions, forensics and other intelligence, the bombing was the work of an Iranian-backed special groups cell operating here in Baghdad."

(…so, if Bush is a criminal…what does that make the bombers…or Iran? interestingly, the NYT does not say…)


Unfortunately, in Lebanon, things have become even more precarious. Unable to hold elections, due to actions by Hezbollah and other pro-Syrian opponents, President Emile Lahoud stepped down, appearing to declare a state of emergency. And, he handed power over to the army. His departure has been a long standing goal of anti-Syrian groups, who are trying to gain control of the presidency. In some ways, the hand over is sensible. The army has tried to stay neutral. But, the constitution requires the cabinet to declare any state of emergency. With the boycott of cabinet activities by Shiite/Hezbollah members, the legitimacy of government is on questionable ground. And, that leaves many afraid of violence breaking out on a greater scale.

(…it pointedly states things against Bush…yet against those who thwart the will of the Lebanese people—like Hezbollah--it says nothing…but, of course, there is no media bias…)

11/4 Morning Report

Sounding like most “benevolent dictators” of the past, Gen. Pervez Musharraf suspended Pakistan’s constitution. With troops surrendering to militants in some areas, police raising the jihadist flag, and suicide attacks in major cities, Pakistan is a growing trouble spot. I think former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, recently returned from exile, made the most telling statement:

"I agree with him that we are facing a political crisis, but I believe the problem is dictatorship, I don't believe the solution is dictatorship…The extremists need a dictatorship, and dictatorship needs extremists.”

In this BBC article, another political rival, Imran Khan, is quoted as saying:

"When you stop all legal and constitutional ways of people challenging [the president], then the only ones who challenge him are people with a gun".

(…so…having gained power by military coup…are we surprised that he decides to keep power with the same methods?...I wonder what this will do for the GWOT…)


Meanwhile, in Libya, Islamists joined al-Qaeda. According to an internet audio message, the Fighting Islamic Group has joined bin Laden’s network. Interestingly, the message called for opposition to and the toppling of North African and Palestinian leaders, calling on Fatah to depose President Abbas and branding Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi “an enemy of Islam.” Islamic influence is growing all across the Middle East. Even Azerbaijan is having a resurgence of Islamic influence. Mostly beginning from the vacuum created by the break up of the Soviet Union, Islamic teaching of both Sunni and Shia ideas has been spreading, although under state control. Given the changes in Pakistan, iraq, Libya and other places, it does open the question of how long it will remain such an open society.


Closer to home, a pipe bomb was found at the Palo Verde nuclear plant. It was in the bed of a contractor’s truck, who claimed no knowledge of the device.

The pipe bomb was probably powerful enough to damage the vehicle but not the power plant, Sheriff Joe Arpaio said…."The mystery is how did it get in the truck and how he knew nothing about it. It's all very puzzling,"

In our open society, it would be quite simple to put something in a truck unnoticed. So, the question, on the surface, sounds kind of stupid. But, it does open the subject of social restrictions and searches that will further erode constitutional freedoms and protections—in the name of maintaining social order.

(…maybe one day we can say we are Pakistan!...)


And, in political news, reports from Arizona show that Democrats are out-fundraising republicans again. Through more efficient use of the internet, Democrats raised more cash than Republicans in the last Presidential election. You can visit Act Blue to see just how they are doing this year. Ignoring the political bias of the source, there was a lot of interesting information in today’s NY Times. And, let’s not forget the reported plan to manipulate Google data to bias the elections. Republicans need a focused vision for the future, and a united voice. Republicans and conservatives once took over Congress by successfully using the airwaves of talk radio. Now, the Democrats are showing you have to learn to use the internet to be really successful.

(…I hope conservatives learn this lesson quick…)

9/14 Morning Report

Why is everyone so surprised that Bush stated the war in Iraq will stretch beyond his administration? When it all started, he said it would be years before this was completed. Admittedly, he thought it would be around the end of his administration at the time. I seem to recall hearing others who thought it would be longer. Nevertheless, he was up front about it. Our problem, as Americans, is we are so short sighted on the future. We tend to think everything can be solved quickly and efficiently, when in fact the problem really requires a long term fix. I really snorted over the MSM’s idea that Bush is “finally agreeing to troop cuts”. The truth is he is following the directives of the man he put in charge, General Petraeus, just like he promised. You might want to check out Frederick Kagan’s view of how the surge has gone. He is believed to be it’s chief architect.

The assassination of Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha is a blow to Coalition efforts.

On Thursday, Bush spokeswoman Dana Perino said Abu Risha "was one of the first to come forward to want to work with the United States to repel al-Qaeda."

"Remember, al-Qaeda was killing some of the sheiks' children and, in one instance, severed several heads from young children and put them in a cooler to deliver to the sheiks," Perino said. "This is the type of enemy that we're dealing with."

She said that while the death was not a setback to the U.S. efforts in Anbar, U.S. officials would "have to redouble our efforts to work with the local populations to get the support they need to prevent other such murders."

At the same time, it is also a blow to al-Qaeda forces in Iraq. It has seriously damaged al-Qaeda’s efforts to separate Iraqis and Coalition forces. Of course, they haven’t been doing themselves any favors through their murderous deeds among the people. Michael Yon did a great job of documenting some of it—though the rest of the media has not paid nearly enough attention. It has left the American people thinking al-Qaeda is not a major presence in Iraq.
(…but we trust the MSM to tell us everything that matters…right?...yeah, sure whatever…)

The good news of the day is someone is hitting back at MoveOn.org. After their “Betray Us” ad denouncing Petraeus’s as yet unmade Congressional testimony, Freedom's Watch is mounting a multimillion dollar ad campaign against the liberal foul-mouth piece. Democrats as yet have not denounced the campaing, although Sen. John Kerry (?) did cal it “over the top.” And, how is the liberal media reacting?

The Hill reports that presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, who criticized the ad as "abominable," is asking The Times for the “same heavily discounted rate they gave MoveOn.org” for an ad.

The New York Post has reported that The Times charged MoveOn $65,000 instead of its standard $181,000 for the ad. The Times, according to Reuters, responded that there are many different categories of ads, with varying rates depending on variables such as multiple buys.

(…I’m glad there is no bias in the media…aren’t you?...)

09/03 Morning Report

What really stinks is that, due to media bias, an announcement had to be made that the British withdrawal is not a defeat. Even stronger language was used at Reuters. Their headline reads ”British Forces Quit Basra”, and is equally off the mark with other media entries. Is the move symbolic? Absolutely. It says much about Iraqi forces becoming ready. Preplanned? Probably. Even the US admits it has plans for troop withdrawals. The end? Not likely. There are still many things that need to come together. The Iraqi government and people have a long road ahead of them.

So do the Lebanese. Despite this weekend’s victory, there is still a lot to do. Militants may have lost the camp, but they are still entrenched, deeply so, in many parts of Lebanon—especially along the Israeli border. Still, you’ve got to love the picture the New York times put with the article.


(…if that doesn’t say what people think of the militants…I mean terrorists…what does?...)

Meanwhile, there’s been a new propaganda ploy by the North Koreans. They claim the US has agreed to take North Korea off the terror list. In fact, most of this article is about what the North Koreans are saying along those lines. Towards the end, it says only two things that matter.

(1) that Pyongyang had agreed to declare and disable all its nuclear facilities by the end of this year.

(2) Mr Hill (chief Washington negotiator) has so far made no mention of Washington considering taking North Korea off its list of countries it believes support terrorism.

I would say those are significantly different from what the Communists are claiming.

In other Washington news, the blame game and one-up-manship continues in the Sen. Larry Craig situation. Democrats (…duh…) are making political hay saying the Republicans are using a double standard. It’s an attempt to compare the Craig and Vittell stories. They even go so far as to say Republicans only act when they know they won’t lose a seat in Congress. The truth is Vittell’s guilt has not been proven, while Craig admitted his. And, while I admit I am taking this remark out of context, it applies becaue it is true. Democratic Senate campaign chief Charles Schumer, speaking on the lack of Republican ethics reform, said:

"What the American people are looking for is not a blame game, but who is trying to clean it up. For six years, there was no ethics reform."

he is, of course, absolutely correct. But, we want it from both parties.
(…and all other politicians for that matter…)

Finally, in an odd news report, a recent study showed psychiatrists are the least religious people in the US. I’m bothered by the fact that someone thought a study needed doing in order to prove that.
(…well, we waste money on far crazier studies than that I guess…)

7/25 Morning Report

Well, my goal was to leave today just for the Wednesday Hero post. And, then I found this article:

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Dozens of people lined up at City Hall on Tuesday for municipal identification cards, the first city-issued ID cards specifically designed to bring illegal immigrants out of the shadows and give them access to community services.
(…snip…)
An estimated 10,000 to 12,000 of New Haven's 125,000 residents are believed to be in the country illegally.

We are fooling ourselves into thinking being so gracious as rewarding those who break the law is a good thing. It is not good for our society, or culture. This is not, despite media cries otherwise, about being anti-immigrant. It is about being anti-criminal. American has become a nation that does little more than reward criminals for their behavior. The old saying that “crime does not pay” is a lie. Criminals get free room and board, an education if they want it, and once released they can go right back to it if they so desire. Gang networks are run from prisons. No, in America there is no real deterrent to crime. We are, once again, rewarding without penalty those who willfully and knowing break the law. And, as the TV commercial said, “That can’t be good.”
(...check out this story provided by Conservative Beach Girl for another eye opener along these lines...)

That news led me to the latest news out of Libya (…as predicted Monday…). The medics, jailed on trumped up charges, arrived home yesterday. As I expected, the EU caved to Libya:

They were freed after the EU, which Bulgaria joined this year, agreed a last-minute deal that Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdel-Rahman Shalgam said would allow "full cooperation and partnership between Libya and the European Union."

I understand the need for compassion on the families of those six. I feel for the families, 8 years is a long time. Truly my heart goes out to them. However, terrorism by a government bent on getting what it wants by whatever means was just endorsed. And, the payback for Libya is far greater than what those families will receive. And, I expect it will cause greater problems down the road.
(…and I put it on record here…my family is NEVER to pay for my release from terrorists…organizations or governments…I would rather die than reward them…)

That, in turn, led me to announcements about Iran. New sanctions by the Treasury Department were announced.

The move targets the Iran-based Martyrs Foundation, an organization the Treasury said channels financial support from Iran to Hizballah and Hamas, as well as to its U.S. branch, called the Goodwill Charitable Organization, and two individuals who worked for it.

This announcements follow on the heels of other recent news reports. Iran appears to be sending weapons into Afghanistan. There is also evidence that Iran is using Hezbollah and Hamas as proxies against coalition forces in Iraq. But, since no one has done anything about Iranian weapons being given to insurgents in Iraq (…except soldiers on the ground…), it leaves me wondering what will be done in response to this.

07/23 Morning Report

”Militants die”. Kind of strange way to say that. It implies that maybe the dead aren’t militants after all. Of course, the focus is all about how the terrorists (…and you now the BBC doesn’t call them terrorists…) action is because the government assaulted the Red Mosque in Islamabad on July 3. The underlying tone of the article is if the military would leave them alone, there wouldn’t be all these dead bodies.
(…I suppose they also believe that leaving bin Laden alone didn’t have any relation to 9/11, too…)

And,, Libya wants money, or at least restored access to the EU markets and businesses. In their charitable mood, they are offering to free the jailed medics. Fortunately,

the EU is reported to be unwilling to agree any compensation deal that appears to gives the impression that it accepts the six medics are guilty.

But, given the action of EU nations and friends in negotiating with terrorist organizations in the Middle East, I for one will be less than surprised to see this stance change in the wrong direction.

Speaking of the Middle East, it seem that people are mad at Congress over the way it has handled Iraq. And, more and more people are in favor of getting out.
(…and, so we continue to slide into government by public opinion instead of sound policy…but at least the Dhimmcrats are suffering now, too…)

And, in closing, there was this announcement from Any Soldier:

Sgt. Ronald L. Coffelt, 36, of Fair oaks, CA, died July 19 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 503rd Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne), XVIII Airborne Corps, FT. Bragg, NC.

Sgt. Coffelt, at our house we remember your cry—the cry of all warriors:

"Tell them of us and say,
For their tomorrow, we gave our today."
--The Kohima Epitaph--

We remember what you have given. And we say thank you for the tomorrows you have given others. May God give back to your family more than they have sacrificed and lost.

And, now, we dance In Memoriam.

05/11 Morning Report

Well, the Democrats and Republicans seem to have finally agreed to approve overseas unions. Don’t get me wrong, there are rights that workers should have protected and upheld. However, the effectiveness of unions for other than raising prices and controlling the workplace have been declining for years. And, despite the media uproar on the issue, it was the Democrats holding up all the trade agreements. As stated in the New York Times, April 21, 2007:

At issue is the Democratic demand that pending trade deals with Colombia, Panama, Peru and South Korea include a provision guaranteeing certain rights for labor in the trading partner countries, including a ban on child and slave labor and the right to organize.

(…I’ll ask an honest question here…would someone refresh my memory…when was the last time unions brought about an industry change besides raising of wages through a strike?...I honestly don’t remember hearing of one…)

Good news from the abortion front. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled parents should be informed and be able to make decisions regarding their daughters medical care. It really is a puzzle to me how abortion gives the state, specifically schools, rights that in all other medical situations belong to parents or legal guardians.
(…it’s good to see state’s taking their authority in this arena…too bad it won’t hold…this will move up the chain to federal court…)

Meanwhile, in Iraq, al-Sadr and, presumably, the Mahdi Army, trying to make new alliances. His latest moves bring him more in line with Sunni goals than Shiite. But, among other things, it seems he is trying to distance himself from failures in the current government:

Moreover, by distancing himself from the ruling Shi'ite coalition, he absolves himself of any failures associated with the current government, including the absence of an oil-revenue law, the lack of progress on constitutional amendments, and the inability to pass legislation to allow Ba'athists to resume their positions. Most importantly, if the current government is not able to deliver on security with the Baghdad security plan, it may create the opening for a figure like al-Sadr to step in.

It’s important to remember that all al-Sadr seems interested in is power. His most recent activities to stop coalition forces from enforcing the rules on his own group, followed by his demands for US withdrawal, are good indicators of this.
(…leaves you wondering where he’s going with playing on the Sunni side now…)

Speaking of Iraq, the MSM always has an outcry over despicable actions by coalition troops. Just once, I would like to see something like last as long over something like the video of prisoner executions. I know this isn’t the first. And it won’t be the last, either. But, where is the outcry?
(…I suppose the outcry will probably be “It’s Bush’s fault”…maybe we could all say it was the gun’s fault, not the trigger puller…)

Finally, I have been remiss in not posting the report of a soldier in need. There are a lot of important details here. But, the short version is Chris Cooper, Jr’s father passed away from cancer. The family has been financially wiped out. And, this soldier has taken out loans against his future military pay to pay for his father’s funeral and medical bills. Please help this servant of our country. A Paypal account has been set up, and there is a website set up with more information. Thank you for any help you can provide.