The Growth of Islam in the West

The frightening part of our current world is not suicide bombers and Islamic extremists. The frightening part is that, simply due to population growth, Muslims will take over and become the dominant culture of the world sometime in the next 30-40 years. That’s what the numbers say. Check it out.



Now, admittedly, this comes across as something of a scare tactic. But, the scarier part is that population controls instituted on industrial nations via the UN, Planned Parenthood and so forth will easily make this a reality. Just remember the math. Our apathy and religious lukewarmness makes us a ready target for a growing, dynamic culture. All that has to happen is a lack of population growth. As the video shows in other countries, the lack of growth is always filled from somewhere else, and Muslims already have a plan to make it happen in America. And, unless trends change, it will happen here.

(…better brush up on your Arabic and Islamic law…unless liberals stop taking away the ability to maintain our cultural definition…)

01/25 Morning Report

There are more donation scandal problems facing Democrats. This time, it’s about Obama, the apparent closet Muslim. Along with taking donations from Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who is now under investigation by federal authorites on corruption charges, Obama also bought a piece of real estate from him while Rezko was under grand jury investigation. Obama claims everything was above board. But, even considering he gave all the campaign donations to charity, those are not actions that speak well of anyone running for the presidency.


Indiana’s voter identification law is being reviewed by the Supreme Court. Sure, the rules should not violate the constitution. But, without identification rules, what proof is there that someone really is the voter in question? Or is even a real citizen and entitled to vote at all? The AP does the usual media hack job of citing a couple of special cases, which do need to be addressed. Several solutions are avaialbe like states where

…voters can present other forms of ID - such as a Social Security card, a utility bill or a student ID bearing a photograph- or they can sign an affidavit affirming their identity.

But, in conjunction with “voter’s rights” groups, the writer, and MSM in general, totally ignores the larger issue. And, as usual, the fight breaks down along party lines. It’s pretty obvious this is going to get uglier as time goes on.


And, for those who think the sub-prime mortgage problem has been bad, it could get worse. Officials are now worried about bond insurer failures.

Regulators fear a possible chain of events in which the troubled bond insurers, MBIA and Ambac, might be unable to keep their promise to pay investors if borrowers default on their debt.

That could leave nearly $1 trillion in bonds, and their holders, uncovered in case of corporate default.

(…bet the Feds can’t cover that much with a bailout…time to get over our belief that government can solve all our problems…and regulate morality…)


On the subject of investing, have you ever wondered why the securities industry is the most regulated group behind nuclear power? Well, you could ask French bank Societe Generale. They just uncovered a massive fraud problem, supposedly caused by one man. The damage is approximately $7.1 billion. The suspected individual dealt in futures for the bank. The scariest part of the announcement?

Speaking to the BBC, [Nick] Leeson, [the rogue trader that brought down Barings Bank], said he was not shocked that the latest fraud had taken place - only its scale.

"Rogue trading is probably a daily occurrence within the financial markets," he said.

"What shocked me was the size. I never for one moment believed it would get to this degree of magnitude, this degree of loss."

(…that just fills you with confidence in the financial markets…doesn’t it?…)

11/9 Morning Report

(...be warned...today I just felt like going on a rant...I've been nice for too long...)

It’s really sad that all the MSM can do is recognize how bad some things are. You would think, somewhere along the way, they would recognize successes. Like the report 3 days ago that IED deaths are down. Some estimates say by about 50%! What does the media report? There was this NY Times article that proclaimed 2007 deadliest year for troops. It is a true statement. However, the Times blames the increase on the surge. Ground commanders say the surge has worked, to a degree. Some independent journalists are saying there has been a significant change among Iraqis that is making a difference. Michael Yon has done a good job of pointing fingers in all directions during the conflict. He was among the first to see a civil war brewing. Now, he reports that various local insurgent groups are joining the government, and American forces, to get rid of al-Qaeda. A month ago, he said something profound in his dispatch Hunting al-Qaeda:

Their end goal still includes getting us ushered out the door: something they are clear about. This means we have further common interests; we want to walk out that door just as fervently, but we don’t want to watch the house full of kids burn down behind us when we leave. Neither do they.

The question for our nation will be did we run away and let the house burn down, or did we make every effort to do right by the Iraqi people? Given the changing political winds in Washington, I suspect that will prove to be THE question that defines the next Administration and the Congress.

(…by the way, if you re not reading Michael Yon, you should be…)


Speaking of things the Liberals should have to answer for: Illegal Immigration. More specifically, they should answer for refusing to control it. 23 were found working at O’Hare Airport. Many in sensitive areas. And, yet, Liberals decry any attempt to control the problem. The claim of discrimination is absurdly placed as an overarching concern, when in fact, it really isn’t the issue in the first place. Certainly, it appears from time to time. And, it should be dealt with accordingly. However, the issue is ILLEGAL immigrants. And, frankly, I don’t see why the one is discriminating against the other.


But, then of course, they would also have to respond to the latest moves of the Liberal darling Hugo Chavez. Portrayed as the benign, loving dictator of Venezuela, his supporters re apparently pretty violent, killing two after the anti-Chavez rally the other day. Funny thing…I didn’t catch much about it in the MSM. Nor do I hear any cries of dictitorialism for his moves to consolidate and perpetuate power. But, here in the US, the Liberals are going after various conservative icons again. With their return to power, they are back after televangelists. Do I believe they live extravagantly? Yeah, they probably do. But, who said they have live in poverty? And where do you draw the line? And…more importantly…why is the line more sharply drawn for Christians and preachers than other groups?

(…now there is a question Liberals should have to answer…think they ever will?...)


And, for those that want to use Yahoo to help our troops, Any Soldier now has a Yahoo toolbar available. When you use it, it helps keep that site alive. They exist because people give to the site, as well as the troops. Do what you can. They are more than worth it.

11/1 Morning Report

Think the U.S. is the only country with immigration problems? Think again. British authorities have said for years that migrant workers benefit the economy. But, yeasterday’s news story on more recent information revealed:

More than half of new jobs created under Labour since 1997 have gone to foreign workers, it has emerged.

Among other things, the statistics revealed it is incredibly hard to keep track of people. The government used wrong population data to make their original conclusions. And, then it revised those conclusions twice.

(…and the Democrats on this side of the pond wonder why we don’t trust their version of immigration impact…)


In, another scary report today U.S. officials are ready to say Russians nuclear missiles ”are secure”. Isn’t it wonderful that it’s done two years ahead of schedule? Meanwhile…

On Monday, the Russian military claimed to have conducted more than 20 long-range flights with its aging fleet of strategic nuclear bombers, and said a similar number of flights were planned for this week.
Russia has also taken to broadcasting state-controlled news reports of tests of cruise missiles and powerful conventional weapons, drawing comparisons to American systems and suggesting that the tests are necessary because of threats from the West.

(…Oh…and radiation detectors will be installed along the borders by 2011…does anyone really that that means only four more years of dirty bomb possibilities…very encouraging…)


Still over in Russia, it seems that corporate America, in this case Ford, has gone another step into hyper-political correctness. RFE reports:

ORTHODOX CLERIC BLASTS FORD MOTOR'S 'POLITICAL CORRECTNESS'
Andrei Kurayev, who is a deacon in the Russian Orthodox Church and a professor at the Moscow Theological Academy, was quoted by Interfax as saying on October 30 that the management of the Ford plant in Vsevolozhsk in Leningrad Oblast refused to allow him to tour its premises in clerical attire, Interfax reported. Kurayev added that he is currently giving lectures in that town and was interested in seeing the factory. He said that he was "told that the plant has a multiethnic work force, and it might insult someone if I came in wearing my cassock." He was accordingly told he "should wear ordinary clothes" on his visit. Kurayev stressed that the ban reflects not bureaucratic arbitrariness but an "ideology, a new totalitarian form of censorship in the name of political correctness." He added that there is "a part of this transnational corporation that does not want to take into account the character of our cultural and political climate.... [This shows] disrespect even for its own workers and for the country in which they work."

Meanwhile, another report states that Haloween events are banned in Moscow schools.

(…I guess you can’t have everything…some things are just better than others…)


In other weird news, there was yesterday’s report in the NYT that Iran is hiding art. Billions of dollars worth of art, at that, by artists such as Renoir and van Gogh all the way to Andy Warthol.

(…Sadaam hid lots of cash…maybe the Iranians have a different take on valuables?...)


I think the most concerning thing I’ve read the last few days was this report on Sir Hillary, from yesterday. Supposedly, there are photographs showing she was involved in President Bill’s presidential pardon extravaganza. However, the most frightening thing is not that photos exist which show it may be true. No, it’s the comment threads that follow, demonstrating the politicized apathy of America, that is truly frightening.

(…remember, Halloween never ends…just watch the politicians constantly putting on their new constumes…)

And, in sad news, Any Soldier reports the following:

Spc. Hugo V. Mendoza, 29, of Glendale, AZ, died of wounds sustained when he came in contact with enemy forces using RPG, machine gun, and small arms fire during combat operations on Oct. 25, in Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 530rd infantry Regimentm 173 Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy.

Well, Specialist Mendoza, 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.

8/24 Morning Report

It must be due to the weekend arriving. This was a day for strange news. So, I’ll share what I found. You can go find more for yourself, I’m sure.

I generally don’t get deeply involved in the immigration issue. My stance is, simply, if you are here illegally you have broken the law and should be treated as a criminal. If you haven’t, then, of course, nothing should happen. Normally, I state my case, if the subject comes up, and move on. But, the courts have gone WAY over the top on this one. It seems that an appeals court has ruled that while entering the country illegally is a crime, remaining in the country afterwards is not.

(…yeah, I know…the logic doesn’t make sense to me either….but keep reading…)

All of this stemmed from Nicholas Martinez being sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine and endangering a child. Normally, this would have caused probation. But, since Martinez is an illegal immigrant, he couldn’t go on probation because that would have automatically violated his parole. Sounds logical, even sensible. The case went to appeal (…why did this go to appeal in the first place?... which, of course, generated a ruling

But then an appeals court panel threw out that sentence, saying that while it is illegal to enter the country without permission, it is not necessarily illegal for an illegal alien to remain in the country. In the opinion of that court, Congress has criminalized illegal entry into the U.S., but has not made the "continued presence" of an illegal alien in the country a crime "unless [he or she] has previously been deported."

Because Judge Kitts did not determine whether Martinez had ever been deported, the appeals court ruled she had no legal basis to deny probation.

If I am not mistaken, this court decision may have just rendered the entire current debate over immigration null and void. This court decision, I believe, sets the legal precedent which will allow illegal immigrants to remain in the country without penalty.
(…so much for the need for a fence…saved US taxpayers lots of money…yeah…sure…)

Of course, this is right on par with a $27 million research project over an animal that may not even exist now.

Federal wildlife officials say spending more than $27 million to research the suspected habitat of the ivory-billed woodpecker is worth the cost, despite conflicting views on whether the elusive bird even exists.

"There's enough out there that we've got to keep searching," said Jeff Fleming, a spokesman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "It'd be irresponsible not to."

The agency this week released a 85-page draft plan aimed at preventing the extinction of the bird. The draft plan, which is open for public comment until Oct. 22, recommends spending more than $27 million in federal dollars on recovery efforts for the woodpecker.

The bird was thought to be extinct, until a possible sighting in 2004. So, they created a 185-page report? That’s where most of the cost comes from. More people will probably work on that report than will actually search for the bird, even though it is a four state effort.

And, in one final piece of odd news, it seems a wealthy Russian tried to buy a B-52 at a recent air show.

An astounded member of the U.S. delegation said the bomber was not for sale but that it would cost at least $500 million if it were to be sold on the spot.

"That is no problem. It is such a cool machine," the Russian was quoted as saying…

Wouldn’t you just love to have that kind of cash lying around?

8/9 Morning Report

Well, it’s been a busy week, so I’ll just highlight a couple of things from my RSS feeds and email box from the last couple of days…

Yesterday, the BBC reported that Musharraf and Pakistani tribal elders will not attend a 3-day tribal council for peace taking place in Kabul.

Up to 700 tribal elders, Islamic clerics and leaders of both countries are invited to the council, starting on Thursday, which will discuss terrorism.

The Taleban have not been included, and are calling for a boycott of the event.

This does not indicate good news for stability in the region. Another report, this via Reuters, said President Pervez Musharraf may declare a state of emergency. Musharraf is trying to stay in power after the elections occur next year. And, he does have a lot of obstacles to doing so. Still, the rumor was announced by private Pakistani television channels, which would be the equivalent of our major networks.
(…not denying it could be a true story…but there is an obvious ax being ground here…)

Meanwhile, also yesterday, the UN can’t seem to make up it’s mind…again.

The union believes UN personnel will not be properly protected by US-led forces in the country.

The call comes as UN officials prepare to pass a draft resolution giving the organisation an expanded role in Iraq.

The UN has had a much reduced role in Iraqq since December 2003. Terrorists drove them out. And now, they clamor for the US to do this and that. The US admits it can’t and needs help in some areas. But, the UN talks out of both sides of their moths…again. Of course, with the Shia of Iraq and Iran getting cozier by the day that may all be a dead issue.
(…and, remember…even CNN said it would be a bad thing for the US to just leave Iraq…)

Not to be outdone, Clinton and Obama continue to exchange gaffs. Last week, Obama got zinged for his stance on nuclear weapons and terrorism. Sir Hillary Clinton has made a lot of hay on that, despite the fact that she said the same thing about nukes and Iran last year.
(…it’s so refreshing to see the MSM show the true colors of liberals…)

On the other side of the political aisle, Bush has unveiled a new slate of immigration proposals. I do applaud the ideas. Tougher fines for employers…better record keeping of departing foreign nationals…more gangs automatically denied entry…reduced processing times… These are all wonderful ideas. But, honestly, I don’t see this going farther than the last attempted “reform.”
(…just ask Farmers Branch, Texas…their great work is quickly turning into not worth the effort…)

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.

05/01 Morning Report

One bright spot in the legal arena came from SCOTUS yesterday. Police officers can end dangerous chases, while protecting human life, without fear of lawsuits. It would be nice if this would cut down on the number of frivolous lawsuits in America. I’m not holding my breath mind you. We live in a culture that says if I don’t get my way I can sue, cost everyone lots of money, time, and effort, win and probably never collect because no one can pay those kinds of fees. (…yeah I know…except corporations…) And, I do understand the rights of those who have legitimate grievances need to be upheld—which is the liberal lefties cry every time someone tries to place limits on these kinds of suits. What will it take for liberals to figure out this type of behavior is only bankrupting society financially, not to mention bankrupting our moral character.
(…there really is a time when personal responsibility has to count…)

On the subject of "personal responsibility", the Dumb Ox News had this report TFrench elections. Quoting the Ox, as he quotes the media...

" As a tough Interior Minister until last month, the ambitious Mr Sarkozy earned the dislike of many young people — especially those from the immigrant ghettos. His doctrines of radical economic reform and individual responsibility — never before aired by a senior French politician — have been welcomed by many as a revolution, but cast by opponents as divisive, cruel and unFrench."

French officals with doctrines of personal responsibility? And real economic reform?
(...no wonder the Leftists there have turned to viscious personal attacks...)

Speaking of legal swamps, immigration activists are at it again. A slate of demonstrations are in the works demanding more rights for ILLEGAL immigrants. I know all about what they bring in terms economics—the cost is higher than the benefit. I also really don’t see the legal ground for this. What it amounts to is public pressure. If there is enough public noise, they get what they want. Who cares about the rule of law? You might also check out yesterday's read by El Capitan as to what is really going on behind the scens of these rallies.
(…the left can scream all they want to about Bush doing this and that illegally…but the left still has to answer for stupidity like this…)

In economic news, to no one’s surprise I’m sure, Hugo Chavez is renationalizing the oil fields. The rules of accounting are going to cause some problems, though.

Negotiations are continuing about ongoing shareholdings and the possibility of compensation for the refineries.

Venezuela has only considered agreements based on the book value of the projects rather than their much larger current net worth.

Oil minister Rafael Ramirez has said that there may not be compensation at all in some cases.

Now, isn’t that special? But, what else would you expect from a dictator? A Left wing, communist dictator at that! He has also ordered his finance minister to withdraw Venezuela from the World Bank and the IMF.

Meanwhile, the Brits have released a report that says al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, was killed Tuesday in an internal squabble. However,

the authorities do not actually have al-Masri's corpse in their possession.

The US military says it has been unable to verify the claim.

It would be nice if this were true. Given the reported tensions between al-Qaeda and other Sunni groups, it would indicate deeper fractures—and maybe portend good news for the near future. The real problem is that eliminating the leadership will not be enough to stop the insurgency. That will take stable government and a working economy, among other things. But, developing those will take a weakening of the insurgency.
(…talk about a viscious catch-22…)

02/22 Morning Report

In a surprise move, Wednesday, the NY Times reported that Tougher Tactics Deter Migrants at U.S. Border. Among other stunning items in the article, they note that Border Patrol commanders can only attribute the drop off in illegal immigrants to stricter enforcement! On the other hand, maybe it’s not such a change of heart. After all, in a Sunday editorial the Times also called the stepped up enforcement “mean and iffectual.” Among other things, it claimed that Congress and the Bush administration were enacting policies as window dressing to appease hard line conservatives. It also claimed the only real accomplishment was the militarization of the border.
(…I wish they would make up their minds…either it’s one thing…or it’s the other…personally, I’m pretty happy to see something positive being done to combat ILLEGAL immigration…)

This must have really chapped some hides. A Federal Appeals Court ruled 2-1 detainees do not have habeus corpus rights in US courts. This paragraph has one major disturbing portions.

In a 2-1 decision, the judges said the Constitution does not extend the right of habeas corpus to noncitizens held outside the sovereign territory of this country. "Cuba -- not the United States -- has sovereignty over Guantanamo Bay," Judge Raymond Randolph wrote.

First, if Cuba has sovereignty, they can demand the US not hold prisoners—which could also be applied, I think, to any military installation. Therefore, could force them to be moved to US soil, and that would give them said rights to a judge and the courts.
(…I would call this one a temporary victory…watch for the left to try to move on this one…)

In other Iraq news, following the Tony Blair’s announcement of British troop withdrawals, Iraqi officials announced they are ready to take over security in Basra. Of course, how much of that is PR damage control by the Iraqis is debatable.

US forces found chemical at a car bomb factory. Unfortunately, in the last couple of days, the specter of chemical weapons in Iraq has raised its ugly head again, although not WMD suspicions that started the War. Chlorine bombs, a device and tactic from WWI, are now being used by insurgents against the population. The belief in the media seems to be that the recent rape charges against Iraqi police forces have fueled this new development.
(…possible…I’m withholding judgment for further evidence…personally, I think they are just taking advantage of the opportunity…)

Meanwhile, Iran is scoffing at a UN threat of force over it’s nuclear stonewalling. I would scoff, too. The only time the UN has really done anything that really involved force was in Korea over 50 years ago. Since then, it has been a pretty ineffective body at enforcing anything it demands. However, Iran claims that diplomacy and dialogue are the way to solve the issue are pretty lame as well. Iran scoffs at dialogue—until it gets its way.
(…maybe he took lessons from Sadaam Hussein…it’s what he did for over 10 years…until Bush got fed up with him…I hope the US does not go after Iran any time soon…we are not ready or capable for that, yet…)

01/29 Morning Report

The Iranians are planning to expand their role in Iraq. Well, I guess it was inevitable. They have long been supplying weapons to the insurgents and Shiites. No one should be surprised they want some economic and military ties within Iraq. The frightening comment was when the ambassador said:

“We have experience of reconstruction after war,” Mr. Qumi said, referring to the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. “We are ready to transfer this experience in terms of reconstruction to the Iraqis.”

(…does any one else hear the undertones of someone trying to put spin on this?...)

Meanwhile, an Iraqi cult leader is dead along with many followers—including women and children. For the record, I’m not happy about that. But, I am also realistic enough to know that if you stand around someone proposing violence, you can get hurt pretty bad if not killed.
(…watch how the media turns the blame on the Iraqi government and US forces, instead of those who were advocating the violence…even now, you can read it between the lines of this article…)

With a death toll of nearly 30 people, even the local Palestinians are calling it civil war. And, it all got wound up because of the call for new elections.
So, what kind of solution did the Palestinians come up with? Sending more suicide bombers against Israel. The first suicide bombing in 9 months killed three Israelis. The one thing the terrorist groups in Lebanon and Gaza have been consistent about is killing Israelis. We can’t trust them to govern their affairs. But, we can trust them to kill others.
(…and the Israelis are to blame, of course…)

Democrats from Congress, lead by Pelosi, are touring Afghanistan. (…should they be there?...that’s up for real debate…members of Congress have gone on “fact finding missions” for years...will it become political mud?...well…why are we bothering to even ask the question?...) To be honest, the visit itself does not bother me. However, the fact that Democrats and Republicans are spending so much time worrying about who crosses the Pakistani and Iranian borders while refusing to defend our own really upsets me.

Here at home, the immigration political fight is heating up again. Hearings are about to start over National Guardsmen withdrawing while Mexican gunmen approached.

The encounter has broader border security implications because armed people will know the National Guard will retreat, said state Rep. Warde Nichols, the committee's chairman.

Democrats rightly expect the anti-ILLEGAL immigration crowd to make a big deal out of this. They also seem to expect the effort to fail. Well, Democrats should have to answer to why American citizens—even the military—have to allow these kinds of incursions and activities.
(…they probably won’t…the media probably won’t say a word about it, either…other than to blame the right for being so intolerant…)

01/27 Morning Report

I’m catching up with my reading these days. I spent the morning over at Blackfive. I enjoyed the depth…and the links…to this analysis of where things are going in Iraq.
(…go read this while you’re there…who says milbloggers don’t have a clear view of what’s going on?...)

In other Middle East news, apparently, the Iranians don’t like the US goal of taking out Iranian agent provocateurs in Iraq. What a shock! Iran doesn’t like not getting it’s way? I’m still waiting for Iran to be held responsible for them being there in the first place.
(…like the MSM will really get to that point…they still haven’t figured out their liberal rhetoric emboldens US opponents…pit that’s not treasons anymore…)

Even the Saudis are speaking out against Iran. Of course, that’s all about who gets to proselytize their religion.
(…makes you wonder just how widespread the sectarian violence might become…doesn’t it?...)

On the subject of nations causing other nations trouble, here was a surprising news item. It seems the EU has serious problems with ILLEGAL immigration problems. Frontex, the EU version of a border patrol, can’t even get enough applicants to fill vacancies. There was an earlier article on thisSeptember 10.
(…doesn’t seem like they are making any forward progress…are they taking lessons from Mexico and American Liberals?…)

Here at home, it seems immigration enforcement is, once again, just a tactic to inhibit union activity. Even the NY Time says those arrested were in the country illegally. But, the focus of the articlke revolves around statements by union organizers:

Gene Bruskin, an organizer for the union, said the company had started to cooperate closely with immigration authorities after a walkout by immigrant workers last summer. “My concern is the company is using the immigration issue to manipulate this long fight over workers’ rights,” Mr. Bruskin said.

I did like this closing statement by the Times:

Stepping up enforcement actions nationwide, the immigration agency also deported more than 750 immigrants this week who were arrested in roundups in Los Angeles. More than 150 of the immigrants were fugitives from deportation proceedings, officials said.

Imagine! Illegal immigrants, running from law enforcement…and still getting caught!
(…frankly, I don’t see anything wrong with this picture…)

On a personal note, and before I forget any longer, I want to say “THANKS!” to JR over at A Keyboard And A .45. He was gracious enough to give my boys some range time so they could learn the realities of what weapons can do. We live near each other, and I asked if he knew somewhere I could take my guys for some gun safety lessons and experience. He graciously offered to let us spend a day with him, and even provided the ammunition. He posted his take on the day. I’m still trying to get my boys to write up theirs. I’ll post it when they do. Meanwhile, JR always has a good read or two. I recommend you keep him on your list of regular visits.

01/25 Morning Report

I thought this piece of media analysis was interesting. It goes through the media economic reporting trend for 2006. What I find most interesting is the focus has been basically the same since Clinton left office. Why is they never said these things during Clinton’s last few years in office? The economy was on a slide through that time frame leading up to Bush first inauguration. Meanwhile, the CBO predicts another drop in the deficit for 2007.
(…oh…but I forgot…there is no media bias…)

On the subject of partisan politics, the Democrats are now looking
For Republican support for their Iraq Resolution. The great victory—kind of like the deficit—over Bush plans seems to be a little short on backing. Whether it stays that way as everyone postures and positions themselves politically for the coming election season, and the aftermath, remains to be seen.

The border fence is going up--finally. Given the politics of the whole thing, thought the emphasis of this article started properly:

Construction began Wednesday on vehicle barriers that will be part of a mix of fencing along the Arizona-Mexico border to discourage illegal border crossings.

As with all things Washington, the goal is not to really accomplish something. It is merely to discourage something Americans find offensive. This is the source of the legal climate that stymies efforts to uphold existing laws. There were two quotes in that article that really had meaning. City Councilman O’Hare said:

“People are upset that the law is not being upheld,” Mr. O’Hare said.

“They’re trying to send a message that minorities aren’t welcome,” said Ms. Villafranca, adding that she had been told to “go back to Mexico,” even though she was born in the United States.

The problem is both positions are right. But, the media only looks at the one. We cannot assume that someone is an ILLEGAL immigrant because of their skin tone. However, we also cannot ignore the ILLEGAL immigration problem.

In a tangent article, though sort of related to ILLEGAL immigration, one of the 2002 Bali bombers has been wounded was traced to the Philippines. That alone says a lot about how well terrorists are tracked—alternatively how good security measures are. And, that’s not to mention the arrest of a Russian uranium smuggler.
(…I wonder what kind of legislation on privacy rights will come out of all this…)

In other disturbing foreign news, it seems the North Koreans are helping the Iranians with nuclear testing.
(I missed this. So, go read Op-For’s breakdown on it.)

On the subject of military technology, El Capitan has a good write up on the new “Trojan Suit.” Should work really well with the new heat ray gun.
(…does this article seem to put the focus on crowd control or what…)

***UPDATE***
On the subject of media effectiveness, there is a continuing series on 5th Generation Warfare over at Fix4RSO. His latest post is on the subject o military planning, development and the need for media involvement. GO READ THIS!!!