“Today, the Nation remains engaged in an era of persistent conflict against enemies intent on limiting American access and influence throughout the world. This is a fundamental clash of ideologies and cultures, waged across societal abysses separating rich ethnic and religious traditions and profound differences in perspective. The Nation is embarking on a journey into an uncertain future where these precipitous divides threaten to expand as a result of increased global competition for natural resources, teeming urban populations with rising popular expectations, unrestrained technological diffusion, and a global economy struggling to meet the mounting demands from emerging markets and third world countries.”FM 3-07 STABILITY OPERATIONS, U.S. Department of the Army
With remarkably little fanfare (for a nation currently at war), the U. S. Army released its new Stability Operations Field Manual (SOM) (6 October 2008) which outlines what we can expect during the course of the next several decades. That our military will become increasingly involved in stabilizing countries experiencing varying degrees of crisis or instability. Sadly, this effort has been largely ignored by the national media, receiving nowhere near the attention that the Army’s Counterinsurgency (COIN) manual had received just two years ago. I can only attribute this to our present election cycle and the growing anti-war affairs of the press.
Fortunately, unlike the earliest drafts of the COIN manual, the SOM version comes right out and admits, “religious traditions” create “societal abysses”. This is important because the rise of Islamic terrorism since the closing decades of the last century has destabilized nations wholesale. The crisis that represents the Middle East is now spilling over into Africa, Latin America, and Asia and before long what was once considered the “Third World” might soon become known simply as the “Desperate Half” of the planet. This has profound implications, for our terrorist adversaries seek “limiting American access and influence throughout the world”. In a global economy, the implications are our burden to bear.
This should not surprise us, for as the manual states, only eleven of our nation’s wars have been considered conventional in nature. The rest of the hundred or so military operations conducted by the United States can be considered Stability Operations (SO) in context and now we have the SOM to pave our way forward. So just what are SO? Simply put, everything required to stabilize a country on the brink. The SOM characterizes three groups of such nations. Failed, Failing, and Recovering. Failing nations teeter on being either in crisis (Failed) or simply being vulnerable (Recovering). All require much effort to shore their future.
The support, which can be expected from our military, government, businesses, and charitable organizations, runs the gamut and is far too expansive to repeat here. Briefly:
“Stability operations leverage the coercive and constructive capabilities of the military force to establish a safe and secure environment; facilitate reconciliation among local or regional adversaries; establish political, legal, social, and economic institutions; and facilitate the transition of responsibility to a legitimate civil authority. Through stability operations, military forces help to set the conditions that enable the actions of the other instruments of national power to succeed in achieving the broad goals of conflict transformation. Providing security and control stabilizes the area of operations. These efforts then provide a foundation for transitioning to civilian control and, eventually, to the host nation. Stability operations are usually conducted to support a host-nation government. However, stability operations may also support the efforts of a transitional civil or military authority when no legitimate government exists. (Paragraph 2-6, Page 2-2)
Whether stabilizing a nation’s economy through the building of infrastructure, the administration of justice through developing a police force free of prejudices, or educating an indigenous population on the responsibilities of individual voting, SO is paramount to America’s influence around the world. With the success that we have witnessed in Iraq, it is good to know that our military now has a doctrinal manual to adapt that success to our future. Because of the nature of America’s freedoms and economy, a stable world is America’s greatest ally.
By
Dr. Cedrick Edgecombe, Ph. D.
Free-Lance Writer
Veterans Day is upon us, lending itself to reflection upon Life and Death, the sacrifice of he, who in defense of the Nation is willing to pay the ultimate price for Liberty and Freedom, to surrender self, so that others may live. It is, thus, the Soldier, the noblest development of mankind, that Pericles endeavored to enshrine in our collective memory and hearts in his famed Funeral Oration, when he stated: “For heroes have the whole earth for their tomb; and in lands far from their own, where the column with its epitaph declares it, there is enshrined in every breast a record unwritten with no tablet to preserve it, except that of the heart.”
Now, the Soldier is, at last, about to be enshrined in an eternal monument, long overdue: “An International Day of Remembrance of the Soldier.” The “Universality of Remembrance Book,” an e-book, this month released by the “International Consultative Mechanism on Remembrance” (ICMR) and the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, contains important contributions by senior Generals from Armed Forces the world over, veterans, families, leading politicians and important civil society stakeholders, coming together in the spirit of “Universal Remembrance.”
“The concept of the “Universality of Remembrance” allows us as brothers in arms --- and as citizens of the world --- an important opportunity to express the sacrifice of patriots of all nations,” states General Peter W. Chiarelli, USA, Vice Chief of Staff Army. “As we remember our Fallen, in countries the world over, I hope I can give light to a common cause. That we choose to pursue an idea. An idea whose time has come. An idea that transcends the pliability of politics. But instead brings to light the consensus of remembrance on behalf of those who have given the last full measure of devotion.”
A sentiment echoed by Major-General Tom Knutsen, the Royal Norwegian Defense Attaché and Dean of the Defense Attaches Corps, who states: “We have, as military men, a lot in common. We share the same hardships when our countries send us out to do what militaries always have been doing: laying down our lives for the benefit of others; and we share the same professional camaraderie and bonding between men of arms that are universal and which transcend borders.” States Merrilee Carlson, Chair of Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission, whose son, Sergeant Michael Curtis Carlson, USA, rests in peace eternal at Arlington National Cemetery: “Remembrance brings sadness – sadness for all that has been lost and or destroyed. But, in remembering the good, recognizing the cost, in remembering the smiles and the hugs and the new friendships, we look with hope to the future. Hope that one day no mother’s son will ever have to die in defense of their country while we remain secure in the knowledge that if needed, that son will offer his service.”
The ICMR is an informal consultative mechanism between stakeholders, governmental and non-governmental, to explore the feasibility and desirability of advancing the concept of “Universal Remembrance” in furtherance of a new “Culture of Remembrance.” It convenes at the initiative of Mrs. Francis S. Drath, widow of the late Colonel Francis S. Drath, USA, who served as Deputy Director of the United States Selective Service System under General Lewis B. Hershey, and grandmother of 2nd Lieutenant William F. Dwyer III, West Point Class of 2008, who serves with the 3rd Infantry Division. An award-winning journalist, author, acclaimed playwright, noted academic and respected Presidential advisor, Mrs. Drath ranks among the Nation’s leading patriotic citizens, whose selfless work on behalf of the Nation’s troops, veterans and military families has been commended by the President, the Vice President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and which culminated in her appointment to the White House Commission on Remembrance in 2006. General George W. Casey, USA, Chief of Staff Army and a fellow-member of the White House Commission on Remembrance, states: “Mrs. Drath’s unwavering commitment to our troops and families is awe-inspiring and deserves our full support.”
In proclaiming that “in remembrance, no matter how horrific the memory lies the seed for hope that the Fallen’s sacrifice not be in vein, nor forgotten,” Mrs. Drath points out that “Remembrance knows no limitations in space, nor time.” In stating that “by sharing remembrance with other nations, across national boundaries, the soldier is shouldering individual grief in advance of collective healing, across the battlefield’s divide,” she expands the very concept of Remembrance, which to many rests at the national level. However, given the moral principles inherent in what she calls the act of “active remembrance,” i.e. “Commemoration of the Fallen” and “Celebration of the Living,” Mrs. Drath points the way towards a bold new move, together, to express the sacrifice of patriots of all nations. General Chiarelli states: “We in the United States are riveted by our own losses – but rarely look beyond our borders to see or feel the toil of our Iraqi brothers. The Iraqi soldiers and police who have given their lives in defense of an idea – who have fought, trained, sweat, and bled with the soldiers of the Coalition – are the noblest of souls. ”
In April, Mrs. Drath led the Nation and her Allies in observances to mark Iraq Liberation Day at Arlington National Cemetery. On Veterans Day, the grande dame of Washington power politics will convene the “Universal Remembrance Convocation” in the Nation’s Capital City, which will include a concert at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral and a conference to build on the momentum being gained by ICMR in support of troops, veterans and military families. All concert tickets are free of charge to U.S. and Allied veterans, troops and families through the Berlin Air Lift Diamond Jubilee Committee. (www.BerlinAirlift-DiamondJubilee.org)
“It may be worth considering that the term ‘Patriot’ - as we look through the lens of the ‘Universality of Remembrance’ – be broadened to those beyond the role as soldier,” General Chiarelli says. “There are patriots outside the ranks who have put their lives at risk for the good of their nation’s future. One who will never be erased from my mind was a good friend of mine, Ali Al-Haidari. Ali Al-Haidari was the Governor of the Baghdad Province – brutally gunned down on the streets of Baghdad in early January of 2005. Ali Al-Haidari knew the risks – but chose to continue to govern because he saw the light of what Iraq could become. Ali Al Haidari missed those first free elections later that month, but his memory and his sacrifice will live on in me, forever.”
The “Universal Remembrance Convocation” will figure prominently a high-level Iraqi General Officer Delegation, led by General Radhi Dahham al-Assal, the Military Advisor to the Minister of Defense of Iraq. Mrs. Drath views the Iraq experience central to exploring the efficacy of Remembrance in advance of post-conflict reconciliation, peace and understanding among the Peoples of the World. States General Dahham: “I thank Mrs. Drath for her important initiative to advance Friendship and Cooperation among all Nations. Iraq helps lend perspective to what "universality of remembrance" can, by design and must, of necessity, entail. Americans and Iraqis are partners for peace and democracy. The partnership in eternal life so nobly enshrined in the joint grave at Arlington National Cemetery of an Iraqi hero, Iraqi Air Force Captain Ali Abass Alrubaeye, interred alongside an American hero, USAF Capt Derek Argel, alongside their comrades, Captain Jeremy Fresques, Major William Downs, and Sergeant Casey Crate. For our tomorrow, they gave their today. Derek, Ali Abass, Jeremy, William and Casey are often on our minds. And in our hearts, always. The Government of Iraq is pleased that Mrs. Drath has placed the joint grave into the center of what universal remembrance can be and I shall be honored, on behalf of the Government of Iraq, to lay a wreath at the joint grave on Veterans Day.”
General Dahham stresses that remembrance is about keeping the memory of the Fallen alive. “I salute Mrs. Drath for forcing us to remember the Fallen by Name, lest he become a faceless statistic. It is important not only that we keep alive the Fallen's memory, but that the sacrifices made by those young men and women to preserve our freedoms are understood by the youth of today. We must turn our eyes to our youth and raise awareness of remembrance through education and information. The Remembrance Conference this fall, bringing together all stakeholders, is an important first step on the joint journey, ahead. The Government of Iraq is pleased to support international initiatives towards that end.”
The ICMR is to be commended for its valiant effort on behalf of Soldiers for, indeed, the Soldier’s profession is unique. His commitment to service transcends self-interest to the point of self-sacrifice. Who better to put the thought to paper than a distinguished Englishman. “Remembrance must be part of the unspoken contract between the people of a country and the men and women who are prepared to put themselves into harm’s way to defend the national interest,” states Dominick Chilcott, the Deputy British Ambassador in Washington, who is widely acclaimed for his speeches of signal-import. “There is no greater sacrifice an individual can make on behalf of his countrymen and women than to lay down his life for them, whether it is to remove an evil dictator who threatens international peace and security, like Saddam Hussein, or to deal with a direct threat or aggression against one’s own country, as the US had to after 9/11 and we did in 1982 in the Falkland Islands. Those brave individuals who join up know the risks and dangers they will face. But they also need to know that if they do lose their lives, their country will not forget them. More than that, their country will honor their memory, their achievements and their sacrifice.”
I am not a political strategist and, quite frankly, I do not want to be. However, I know a few things about Psychological Warfare (PSYOPS) and, basically, this is what politics is all about. Therefore, since I don’t claim to know what my candidate, John McCain, is planning for the next couple of weeks, I thought that it would be fun to announce my strategy for this campaign, then sit back, and see what really happens. So here it goes…
The Situation Report:
John McCain and Barack Obama are in a virtual tie for the presidency with 26 days to go until the election and one debate remaining. The country’s future is at stake. How to win and secure our future?
The Preamble:
Senator McCain, I know that you care deeply about our country. In fact, few shy of those dying in service to her have suffered through what you have done. You’re an honorable man; one who does what he says and this is your foundation. You want to win; we need you to win. Therefore, here are my decisions on what you need to accomplish, how you need to conduct yourself, and what you need to say:
The Recommendations:
1) Screw the damn “I’m a moderate” crap. You’re a Republican. Saying that you will work with both sides of the aisle is like Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden saying that they’re Catholic. They’re not and so too are you not a moderate. People sitting on the fence need to be shoved off or else they’ll end up with perforated hemorrhoids. Force people to make a decision in this election and then coordinate your actions accordingly;
2) Senator Obama’s popularity seems to rest on young, impressionable college students. Attack this foundation head-on. Present the charge that poor Commanders-in-Chief had always resorted to the draft to shore up weak militaries. Explain that Obama’s foreign policy ineptitude will drag us into a conflict with Russia, Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, and China. This ultimate battle would require the draft and, well, college kids will not want to be drafted;
3) Take no prisoners during the next debate on the 15th. Make it your show – not Obama’s, not the moderator’s. For the full ninety minutes, go on the attack. Hammer Obama on his terrorist connections, Reverend Wright, the whole nine yards. Attack his “poise and presidential air” with flanking moves that will get under his skin. He cannot handle stress for long and if you remain outside the debate format he will not be able to respond;
4) Call a spade a spade (no pun intended). Characterize his programs not as merely socialist but as communist in origin. Tell the people that, as much as they are hurting financially now, it’ll be a whole lot worse during an Obama administration. Let them know that there is no money available in which to support his programs;
5) Hammer Obama on his lack of military service. History is ripe with major wars that were started by presidents that possessed no military experience. We’re in a war now and we require a military leader not a charitable organizer;
6) Become passionate over the Islamist threat. Let the people know that there are terrorists living within this country that will attack us with more casualties than 9/11 as soon as we drop our guard. Provide concrete examples of cases in which the past administration – you know, the one everyone says that you are merely part of – prevented strikes against the U.S. Use this counterpunch each and every time that you hear Senator Obama use the word “Bush”;
7) Don’t talk generically about energy independence, talk about lowering gasoline prices. Promote CNG, nuclear, and clean coal among the others but always say “I will lower gasoline prices” instead of just reminding people that Muslims control the world’s oil reserves;
8) Screw the environment. Nobody desires to live within a cesspool, so why remind them? People trying to feed their kids don’t give a monkey’s rat’s ass about whether the Kirtland Warbler has a nest or not. Counter incessant demands about global warming by reminding the viewers how much excess environmentalism will drive up their gasoline prices. Use the example of Ronald Reagan versus Ted Kennedy (Kennedy wanted to raise gas taxes by several dollars to sway people from driving; Reagan managed to lower gasoline to about $.85/gallon).
9) Remind average America that Obama wants to take away their guns. Even Democrats possess guns. Show that once the anti-Gun monster gets hungry, it won’t stop just as the abortion rights freaks haven’t stopped in their quest to kill babies. Propose national right-to-carry for U.S. citizens on U.S. soil. If it is America, we should be able to carry our guns there. Propose abandoning the archaic anti- machine gun laws. If we can own pre-1986 machine guns legally, why not 2008 guns? The criminals are elevating their technology and so should law-abiding citizens;
10) Make respect for the dignity and integrity of all innocent human life your central issue. America is overwhelmingly a Christian nation. Therefore, show your concerns by explaining that everything that Republicans do is to shore up this fundamental resource. We saved Iraqis from Saddam Hussein, we go after terrorists because they kill our citizens, human life is American life, etc. etc.;
11) Secure our borders, round up the illegal immigrants, and show some resolve in dealing with those who break our laws. Pledge to sign an executive order shutting down all federal services to sanctuary cities and stick to it;
12) Pledge to abandon big government. Tell the people that Uncle Sam needs only to protect its citizens, secure our borders, and keep the states from fighting one another. Everything else should be a state responsibility. You know that you could balance the budget and pay for the Iraq and Afghan wars by simply shutting down government excesses. Push for the closing of the IRS, the ATF, and the EPA, among others. Ditch any federal funding for housing;
13) Do not show any divisiveness. Speak constantly of Americans, not the wealthy, the poor, the Democrats, or the Republicans. Contrast Obama’s segregation of these groups as poor executive leadership;
14) Talk about common, everyday concerns in common language. Talk about shopping in Wal-Mart, or waiting in line to fill up your car with gas. Let John Q. Public know that John S. McCain is one of them, not an elitist as is Barack Obama.
There are other things to consider, Senator McCain, but there isn’t much time left. America has historically been a conservative nation. You just need to endorse this culture yourself. The Obama tacticians are marvels at convincing the media otherwise. Just stick to your guns and keep the faith, sir!
After the attacks of September 11, 2001, like many other Americans I was hungry for news. I began searching the internet for every scrap of information I could find on the current situation, Islam, Islamic terror, our security, ... With each new morsel of information I craved ... more. Not finding much in the news sites, I turned to experts who were using internet sites to share their knowledge.
I soon realized that while many blogs were just silly and a waste of my time, many were very well informed. I know there are those out there who denigrate bloggers as uninformed people who spread rumors and nothing more. That is incorrect in many cases. On certain blogs I found not only commentary, but links to reputable sites where I found the information I was so hungry for.
This article is dedicated to the fine people on the internet who take hours out of their day to search, research, and share important news of the day. I hope you will find something to increase your knowledge about world events today. (Dedicated to Chad at In The Bullpen, who was my inspiration and who no longer has the time in his busy life to share. I do miss his writing.)
Here
before us is a Soviet archival document,* a top secret report by a
communist apparatchik who had received a delegation of US Senators led
by Joseph Biden in 1979. After describing routine arms control
discussions, it quotes Biden as telling the Soviets off-record that he
did not really care about the persecution of Russian dissidents. He and
other Senators might raise human rights issues with their Soviet
counterparts, but only to be seen by the public as defenders of human
rights, not to have those problems really solved. They would happily
take no for an answer.
Vadim V. Zagladin, the then deputy head of the International
Department of the CPSU Central Committee (the organization formerly
known as the Comintern), wrote in the report:
The delegation did not officially raise the issue of human rights
during the negotiations. Biden said they did not want 'to spoil the
atmosphere with problems which are bound to cause distrust in our
relations.' However, during the breaks between the sessions the
senators passed to us several letters concerning these or those
'refuseniks'.
Refuseniks were one of the best known groups of oppressed citizens
in the USSR at that time: thousands of Jews who were refused exit
permissions to emigrate to Israel on various trumped-up pretexts.
Unofficially, Biden and [Senator Richard] Lugar
said that, in the end of the day, they were not so much concerned with
having a problem of this or that citizen solved as with showing to the
American public that they do care for 'human rights'. They must prove
to their voters that they are 'effective in fulfilling their wishes'.
In other words, the collocutors directly admitted that what is
happening is a kind of a show, that they absolutely do not care for the
fate of most so-called dissidents.
In the same
conversation, Biden asked us to ensure that senators' appeals on those
issues are not left unanswered - even if we just reply that the letter
is received but we cannot do anything. (continue reading at FrontPageMagazine)
Iran, Standoff with Iranian Revolutionary Guard and American USS Peleliu :
Amid false allegations from Iranian media that a U.S. plane
was forced down after accidentally entering Iranian airspace, FOX News
learned Tuesday about another tense incident that occurred last month
near the Strait of Hormuz.
On Sept. 6, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard threatened to shoot down
U.S. helicopters flying cover aboard the USS Peliliu patrolling in the
area, according to a classified military transcript of the radio
exchange.
According to the transcript, the Peleliu, while en route to the
Strait from the Gulf of Oman — was engaged in flight operations using
CH-46 helicopters when they encountered an Iranian P3 surveillance
plane overhead. The U.S. Navy, which considered the plane as outdated
and a non-threatening presence, had a friendly exchange with the
Iranians. (More at Fox)
Iran's influence in Iraq:
Bill Roggio, managing editor of The Long War Journal
(which provides in-depth reporting and analysis on the war on terror),
says - despite press reports to the contrary - "Iranian influence [in
Iraq] has declined since the surge." (continue reading)
North Korea: Tests short range missiles and refuses to allow inspectors into nuclear sites.
North Korea fired short-range missiles off the country’s western
coast this week amid tensions raised by its moves to reassemble its
nuclear weapons program, South Korean media reported on Wednesday.
North Korea, launched two missiles on Tuesday toward international
waters between the North and China, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency
reported, quoting an unnamed government source. (More at Herald Tribune)
China: Savior in world's financial crisis?
China, the world’s biggest holder of currency reserves, ... has cut interest rates twice in three weeks, including a move on
Wednesday. Yet speculation is swirling that Beijing could also chip in
with a vote of confidence by pledging to hold onto its vast dollar
assets and even buy more to help fund the massive bailout of the U.S.
financial system now under way.
“For the sake of long-term U.S.-China relations, for the sake of
China presenting a better image, I think China should stand up and say
that it supports the U.S. dollar and is buying Treasuries,” said Tao
Xie, an expert on U.S.-China relations at the Beijing Foreign
Studies University. (More at Herald Tribune)
China's ambition to eclipse America's space program:
China became the third country to send a person into space in 2003. In
2005, the country sent two more astronauts on a five-day flight on
Shenzhou VI. The nation's first lunar probe, Chang'e-1, blasted off on
a Long March 3A carrier rocket last October from the Xichang Satellite
Launch Center in Sichuan Province. Beijing plans to build a space
station by 2017 and perform a manned moon landing by 2020. The last
American moon landing was in 1972. (continue reading)
Lebanon's military gets guns from America -- (just waiting for Hezbollah to step in and take them)
Both nations have reportedly "signed three new military contracts
worth $63 million" in U.S. grants to the Lebanese Army for "secure
communications, ammunition and infantry weapons:" Military aid which
will ultimately end up in the hands of Hezbollah, according to Middle
East terrorism expert Dr. Walid Phares.
"It is ironic to say
it, but Hezbollah ‘authorized' the creation of a U.S. Lebanese military
commission so that eventually the organization would seize the U.S.
made ‘secure communications, ammunition and infantry weapons,'" said
Phares in a conversation this week. (continue reading)
Hamas leaders used U.S. based Muslim charity for fund-raising:
Senior members of Hamas appeared at fundraising events sponsored by the
Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development and a related charity
called the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), an FBI agent
testified Tuesday. (continue reading)
I don't care about the Newsweek magazine's front page of Gov. Sarah Palin that was not airbrushed, and I doubt Palin has lost one minute of sleep over it either. We've spent too much time on trivia and not enough time on the real issues that are near and dear to our hearts. I suggest the candidates stop whining and repeating the same old tiresome talking points and get down to the important issues. Tell the media to shut up, don't count on them for anything, and realize it's up to YOU Senator John McCain, to either win or lose this election.
The media keep interviewing each other about the candidates as if they
and they alone are the real experts and not merely well paid actors. [snip]
By definition, most politicians are thieves and liars whose Number
One priority is themselves, then their family and friends, then those
of their constituents who can reward them handsomely for passing or for
refusing to pass a bill. Then, there are the rest of us, at the bottom
of the pile-on. We are lucky to get the scraps.
Politicians do not necessarily deserve our adulation or even respect
until or unless they can prove and keep proving to us that they are not
cut of this common political cloth but of finer, more stately stuff.
Barack Obama's sex education in kindergarten .. It gives us an insight into the huge gulf between Senator Obama's
election year image and what he has actually been for and against over
the preceding decades. It also shows the huge gulf between his values
and those of most other Americans.. -- Thomas Sowell
... is not education about biology but indoctrination in values that go
against the traditional values that children learn in their families
and in their communities.
Obviously, the earlier this indoctrination begins, the better its chances of overriding traditional values. [snip]
The old phrase, "a man of high ideals but no principles," is one that
applies all too painfully to Barack Obama today. His words expressing
lofty ideals may appeal to the gullible but his long history of having
no principles makes him a danger of the first magnitude in the White
House.
(more)
Another piece in the puzzle of Barack Obama has been revealed, greatly strengthening the picture of a man groomed by an older generation of radical leftists for insertion into the American political process, trading on good looks, brains, educational pedigree, and the desire of the vast majority of the voting public to right the historical racial wrongs of the land.
“We oppose laws that require identification in order to vote or register
to vote.” 2008 Democratic Party Platform, page 56, read it here.
This above
link is to the official Democratic Web site. Check it out! I am not making this
up. I am not taking this out of context. This is unbelievable!
What are Decorates thinking? How could this
plank make it into the party’s platform? This may be the most radical plank ever in any
major party’s platform. What would happen it there were no laws
requiring identification to register to vote or to cast a vote? Dead people
would vote. Illegal aliens would vote. Underage people would vote. Some people
would go from polling place to polling place and vote again and again and again.
With early voting, the same individual could vote literally dozens, if not
hundreds, of times. Caravan of voter would travel from “safe” states to go to
battleground states to vote. Massive numbers of people would be bussed from
states with few electoral votes to states with large numbers of electoral votes
to cast their vote. This would spell the end of our democracy. Do Democrats want
to destroy our democracy?
Dear Disgruntled Republican: No they are not crazy, this is what they believe, this is what ACORN does, illegals already vote. Obama worked with ACORN. Any more questions?
It comes down to very simple questions. Do the American people want bigger government, more taxes, a bigger nanny state, socialist-Marxist-communist leadership, a leader who is serious about the war on terror and America's security --- or do they want a chance at lower taxes, smaller government, more emphasis on personal responsibility, truly democratic leaders, and leaders that take the war on terror seriously? It's as simple as that. Make a choice. Obama - Biden, or McCain Palin?
Just finished watching the VP debate between Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin. There is no question in my mind that Sarah Palin won this debate. She looked a little nervous at the very beginning, but it only took her a few minutes to get comfortable.
Mort Kondracke said Palin was feisty, informal, that she said nothing embarrassing, and that made the better of the debate over Biden. Bil Kristol said that she did very well and the emails he had received from conservatives reflect they are very happy with Palin's performance. Kirsten Powers said of Biden that he did no harm and did not take the bait from Palin.
Fred Barns said Palin revived the enthusiasm for McCain - Palin saying, "This is exactly the way I expected her to perform!" Fred Barns continued, "She knew exactly when she won this debate. At 9:55 pm, when she said to Gwen Ifill, "Can we go back to Afghanistan?""
Kirsten Powers thought Palin gave too many 'mini stump speeches'. Brit Hume asked about the "contrast between her words, the way she speaks, mid-West 'speak', strikingly different than Joe biden's 'Senate speak' ... wondering if that did Palin any good or damage. Greta Van Susteren liked the plain talk, the mid-Western talk, of Sarah Palin and thought she made a connection to the average person listening.
Karl Rove said Palin did great. He does not think Biden did good at all. Rove says that Biden made ten statements that were WRONG.
The group of potential voters interviewed by Frank Luntz almost 100% thought Sarah Palin won the debate over Biden. The potential voters did not like the edited interviews by Gibson, Couric and the MSM's biased representation of Palin. Also the Democrats, Independents, and Republicans in the Luntz group all were exceptionally pleased with Palin's comments on personal responsibility on things like the financial situation.
As all readers of Right Truth know, we are very big on personal responsibility here and are very pleased that Sarah Palin brought out this very important point.
A few odd comments from the debate, in my opinion:
(1) Joe Biden said that Bankruptcy Courts should be able to reduce interest and principle for home owners so they don't lose their houses. I think this is a very dangerous statement. People need to take personal responsibility for the contracts they sign. They owe a certain amount of money and should be required to pay that. If the government wants to decrease interest rates, extend the years to pay the loan off, ... fine ... but reduce the principle, no way.
(2) Joe Biden said that "climate change is clearly man made. We know what the cause is, man made." We do not know any such thing. In fact the majority of expert scientists recently say the opposite.
(3) Joe Biden mentioned that a large number of madrassas had recently been build along the Afghanistan - Pakistan border, and that the U.S. should be building schools there. This is just crazy for many reasons. More madrasses may have been built in that region, but suggesting that we build secular schools along side them is not the answer. The area needs to be cleared of terrorists first to make it safe for not only men and women, but children. If the Petraeus plan is implemented in Afghanistan, making nice with the locals would come in time.
(4) Sarah Palin stated that she and John McCain believed in the two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians and a U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. I expected Joe Biden to have some response to that statement, but did not say anything.
(5) Joe Biden said, "My house is my total investment." What, does he expect the voters to believe he has no other investments? No retirement, no stocks, no savings???
The claim: Palin said Sen. Barack Obama voted 94 times to increase taxes.
The facts: Non-partisan FactCheck.org
called that count, which has been cited before by Republicans,
"inflated and misleading." Examining the 94 votes at issue,
FactCheck.org found that 23 were for measures that would have produced
no tax increase at all; they were against proposed tax cuts.
Seven were in favor of measures that would have
lowered taxes for many, while raising them on a relative few, either
corporations or affluent individuals, according to FactCheck.org, which
is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of
Pennsylvania.
The 94 tally includes two, three and even four votes on the same measure.
Tax rate changes
The claim: Palin said Obama's plan to
raise the top income tax rate would affect "millions of small
businesses." Biden responded that the vast majority of small businesses
do not report more than $250,000 in income.
The facts: The liberal Center on Budget
and Policy Priorities, citing 2003 data from the non-partisan Tax
Policy Center, said in a report that 436,000 tax filers with
small-business income — 1.3% of the 32.8 million filers with
small-business income — were subject to the top income tax rate.
Another Tax Policy Center analysis concluded that "roughly 97% of small
businesses would not be affected at all by increases in the top two tax
rates."
Health care
The claim: Palin said Obama wants a "universal, government-run program" and "health care being taken over by the feds."
The facts: Obama's health-care plan does
not call for a government takeover. In fact, it isn't even universal.
It would only cover all children. Obama's plan would give Americans the
opportunity to have government health insurance, but they also could
pick a private plan.
Energy
The claim: Biden said he has "always"
supported clean coal. He said "a comment made at a rope line was taken
out of context" by John McCain's campaign.
The facts: In the video, recorded at the
beginning of Biden's bus trip across Ohio last week, he is seen
responding to a question about why the campaign is supporting clean
coal. "We're not supporting clean coal," he says. "Guess what? China is
building two every week, two dirty coal plants. And it's polluting the
United States, it's causing people to die."
As the exchange continues, Biden says: "China's
gonna burn 300 years of bad coal unless we figure out how to clean
their coal up, because it's gonna ruin your lungs, and there's nothing
we can do about it. No coal plants here in America. Build 'em, if
they're gonna build 'em, over there and make 'em clean because they're
killing you."
Mortgage crisis
The claim: Biden said McCain said he was "surprised" by the subprime mortgage crisis.
The facts: McCain's use of the word
"surprised" came in response to a leading question in New Hampshire
last December. At the time, he compared it to the dot-com collapse of
the late 1990s, adding: "I was surprised at other times in our history.
I don't know if surprised is the word." Later in the same interview, he
said, "When I say 'surprised,' I'm not surprised when in capitalist
systems that there's greed and excess."
Troop funding
The claim: Each vice presidential candidate said the opposing presidential candidate voted against funding U.S. troops in Iraq.
The facts: Palin's charge that Obama
voted against funding the troops is true. But Obama said at the time
that he wanted to fund the troops, but the bill in question didn't
include a requirement that President Bush begin bringing troops home.
Similarly, Biden's charge that McCain also voted against funding is
true — because the bill in question included a timeline for withdrawing
troops, and McCain opposes timelines.
Diplomacy
The claim: Biden said Obama did not say
he would meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "This is
simply not true about Barack Obama," he said. "He did not say sit down
with Ahmadinejad."
The facts: At a news conference in New
York City in September 2007, Obama was asked, "Senator, you've said
before that you'd meet with President Ahmadinejad … would you still
meet with him today?" He replied: "Yeah, nothing's changed with respect
to my belief that strong countries and strong presidents talk to their
enemies and talk to their adversaries."
Invitation To mark the Diamond Jubilee of the Berlin Air Lift and The Universality of Remembrance
AN INVITATION Mrs. Francis S. Drath Dr. Earl Moore William (Bill) Campbell and the Berlin Air Lift Diamond Jubilee Committee
Cordially request the honor of your company for the BERLIN AIR LIFT REMEMBRANCE CONCERT
A concert for veterans by veterans.
Keynote Speaker: The Honorable Karsten D. Voigt, Coordinator of German-American Cooperation, German Federal Foreign Office Special Guest: General Dahham Radhi Al Assal, Military Advisor to the Minister of Defense, Republic of Iraq
Saint Matthew’s Cathedral 1725 Rhode Island Avenue, NW Washington DC Veterans Day, 11 November 2008 6PM Cathedral doors shall open at 5PM. The concert is underwritten by a generous grant from DAIMLER. All tickets issue, free of charge, first come, first served, to U.S., U.K., Commonwealth and Allied veterans, troops and families. RSVP by 7 November Email: BerlinAirLiftRemembranceConcert@hotmail.com. Please provide Name(s), Affiliation(s), Mailing Address. Dress Code: Business Suit, Class-A Uniform The Committee’s webpage can be found at: www.BerlinAirlift-DiamondJubilee.org
Somali pirates seized a Ukrainian ship carrying 33 Russian battle tanks destined for Kenya's government. The pirates demanded a ransom for the ship and its 21 crew of $35m, but that has since been decreased to $20m (£10.9m). The USS Howard has the ship in it's sites off the coast of Somalia, 'near the town of Hobyo, along with, actually, a couple of other pirated vessels that are also anchored in that location."
'
Pirates in small boats sail close to the MV Faina (Photo: US Navy)
A man on the ship also told the BBC that one of the crew members had died.
The man, who the pirates said was the captain of
the MV Faina, was speaking via a satellite phone handed to him by one
of the pirates.
He said the dead sailor was Russian and had died as the result
of an illness. The report could not be confirmed by independent
sources.
He also said the other crew members were fine and that he could
see three ships about a mile away, including one carrying an US flag.
International concern
In an earlier interview with the BBC, a spokesman for the US
Navy's 5th Fleet, Lt Nathan Christensen, said the USS Howard was within
8km (5 miles) from the Ukrainian vessel, but refused to say whether an
intervention was likely. (more at BBC)
Many are gone, but they are not forgotten. The veterans of the heroic Berlin Airlift, a massive operation to bring humanitarian supplies to postwar Berlin during a Soviet blockade, will be honored 60 years after the fact with a free Veterans Day concert in Washington.
Many of the aging U.S. and European veterans of the airlift are to be brought to Berlin next May to mark the successful conclusion of the historic operation. This November 11, at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington, veterans, their families, and others will also be feted at a concert of the Washington National Opera Orchestra.
A group called the Berlin Airlift Diamond Jubilee Committee is organizing the concert and raising money to send vets to Berlin next year. The entertainment list for the event includes the Choral Arts Society of Washington and the new Universal Remembrance Orchestra under the baton of Norm Scribner, artistic director of the Choral Arts Society. The orchestra is composed of players from military bands and nationally known orchestras. (USNEWS)
Al-Qaeda has threatened British and Saudi embassies after claiming credit for the attack on the American embassy in Yemen. The Islamic Jihad, part of Al-Qaeda Organization in Yemen, called
for the shutting the U.S. and British Embassies in Yemen, pledged to
launch more attacks against foreign interests, foreigners, Yemeni
high-ranking officials, demanded U.S. and British diplomats leave the country, AND that Al-Jihad followers incarcerated be released. (Yemen Post)
In Pakistan, the Taliban leaders say they had nothing to do with the bombing of the Marriott Hotel and killed around 70(two Americans, and injured 257. However, evidence now leads to Al-Qaeda or an Al-Qaeda-linked group. (video here) In fact, Pakistani spies heard Al-Qaeda celebrating their success at the Marriott bombing.
Bill Roggio of the Long War Journal reports that the complex attack is the latest in a series of al Qaeda attacks that
have occurred in the Middle East and South Asia over the last five
years.
The death toll is expected to rise as more people are believed to
have been trapped in the hotel. Dozens of Westerners have been wounded
in the attack, and there are unconfirmed reports one or more Westerners
have been killed.
The massive blast left a crater 25 foot deepby 20 feet wide. The
blast detonated a natural gas line in the hotel, which then set several
floors of the hotel ablaze.
Osama bin Laden has always wanted to have influence on American politics, and counterterrorism experts believe they have evidence of an October surprise from Al-Qaeda:
Call it Osama bin Laden’s “October surprise.” In late August, during
the weekend between the Democratic and Republican conventions,
America’s military and intelligence agencies intercepted a series of
messages from Al Qaeda’s leadership to intermediate members of the
organization asking local cells to be prepared for imminent
instructions.
An official familiar with the new intelligence said the message was
picked up in multiple settings, from couriers to encrypted electronic
communications to other means. “These are generic orders,” the source
said — a distinction from the more specific intelligence about the
location, time, and method of an attack. “It was, ‘Be on notice. We may
call upon you soon.’ It was sent out on many channels.” (The New York Sun)
There are still reports that Pakistani troops and tribesmen opened fire on two United States
helicopters that crossed from Afghanistan into a north-western tribal
region. Some U.S. and Pakistani representatives deny these reports, while others confirm them.
Al-Qaeda by any other name ...
There are many different militant groups operating in Pakistan.
All of them are anti-American, some more focused against India,
while some are militant Sunni Muslim groups that are driven by hatred
of Pakistan’s Shi’ite Muslim minority.
Some also run with the Taliban in Afghanistan, and some are Pashtun
tribesmen in the Pakistani Taliban, who see their own country’s
government as the enemy.
U.S. President George W. Bush and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari spoke today:
President Asif Ali Zardari and President George W Bush discussed
strengthening bilateral relationship here Tuesday; with the U.S.
President acknowledging Pakistan’s sovereignty and pledging continued
support for the country in economic and security fields. Bush welcomed
the newly elected Pakistani leader at Waldorf Asotria Hotel as they met
on the sidelines of the 63rd UN General Assembly session.
"The purpose was to destabilize democracy -- "They want to destroy us economically." That's what Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said yesterday after the attacks on the Marriott hotel. However, that statement is accurate for any of the attacks on the United States and other Western countries. They want to destabilize our democracy and destroy our economy. We need a leader who understands this, who is against this, and who will not facilitate this evil intent toward our wonderful America.
I know it's been said before about previous elections in the United States, but ... I do believe the 2008 Presidential elections are extremely important, maybe the most important election we have ever experienced. Why? Because this election not only affects Americans, it can and will affect the entire world.
The U.N. headquarters building in Manhattan has become the venue of
choice for “diplomats” and foreign leaders to condemn America, our
values and virtues. Since the 1960s, star billing has been promised to
any dictator or despot who will take to this “world stage” for the
purpose of denigrating the Unied States and our bounty, wealth and power. When they show up for the annual meeting of theU.N. General Assembly, it is guaranteed that their horrible harangues will be broadcast all around the planet. [snip]
Just to make sure no one has any doubts as to how things will go in
the days ahead, the members of the General Assembly selected Miguel
d’Escoto - a prominent America-hater - as their president. When the
63rd UNGA convenes on Tuesday, Mr. d’Escoto will “moderate” this year’s
assaults on the United States.
For those too young to remember the portly Mr. d’Escoto, he was one
of the original founders of the communist-inspired Sandinista movement
that seized control of Nicaragua in 1979. His U.N.-published biography
proudly proclaims that he “spearheaded the Nicaraguan Government’s
decision, in 1984, to bring to the International Court of Justice a
claim against the United States for supporting military and
paramilitary actions against the country, with the court subsequently
ruling in favor of Nicaragua.”
Notably, the bio makes no mention of Mr. d’Escoto, a Maryknoll
priest, being publicly reprimanded by Pope John Paul II during his 1983
visit to Managua. Nor does Mr. d’Escoto’s resume reflect his tenure as
a paid asset of the Central Intelligence Agency in Chile. Apparently,
the U.S.-haters at the U.N. just missed these facts.
None of this has deterred the utopian Mr. d’Escoto from serving as
the “warm-up-act” for this year’s Bash America Fest in the Big Apple.
The visibly well-fed Mr. d’Escoto has already announced that this UNGA
session should “go down in history as the ‘Assembly of Frankness’ for
the sake of world peace and the eradication of poverty and hunger from
the Earth.”
Mr. d’Escoto has previously referred to President Ronald Reagan as a
“butcher,” called President George W. Bush a “liar” and now promises
that under his leadership the UNGA will redress the “sad but undeniable
fact that serious breaches of the peace and threats to international
peace and security are being perpetrated by some members of the
Security Council that seem unable to break what appears like an
addiction to war.”
All this is but preamble to what we can expect to hear from the
likes of Iran’s Mr. Ahmadinejad and Venezuela’s Mr. Chavez. Both
“leaders” will be there representing states that have been accused of
supporting terrorism, drug-running, human-rights abuses and in the case
of Tehran - pursuing a clandestine nuclear weapons program. Yet, Mr.
d’Escoto claims, “No State should appropriate the right to decide on
its own which States are terrorists, or sponsors of terrorism, and
which are not. Less still should States that are guilty of wars of
aggression, the worst form of terrorism imaginable, presume to arrogate
that right unto themselves, and further, to unilaterally take action
against those it has stigmatized.”
When he goes before this august body next week, President Bush needs
to encourage Mr. d’Escoto - and the entire Blame America First crowd
gathered in the General Assembly - to read Article 51 of the U.N.
Charter: “Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent
right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack
occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security
Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace
and security.” (read it all)
This is the type people Obama wants to make decisions for the Unites States of America. The United Nations is where Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez are invited to come and bash everything we hold dear as Americans.
If Sen. Barack Obama is elected President of the United States, people should be ready for arm-twisting tactics on every level of his presidency, as witnessed in how he handled the Jewish groups and their dis-invite of Gov. Sarah Palin from the protests against a nuclear Iran. From YID With LID:
[snip] The Jewish
groups that are running the rally WERE THREATENED WITH A LOSS OF THEIR
TAX EXEMPT STATUS IF THE KEPT PALIN ON THE ROSTER:
The
groups sponsoring the rally against Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad speaking at the UN were reportedly told, "it could
jeopardize their tax exempt status" if they had Palin and not Clinton
or Democratic VP candidate Joe Biden on hand.
"It's an absolute
shame that this has happened," Hikind said. "To threaten organizations
… to threaten the Conference of Presidents that if you don't withdraw
the invitation to Gov. Palin we're going to look into your tax exempt
status … that's McCarthyism (CBS News)
Why
is this so serious? On one hand, it shows a total apathy to the cause
that we were to be protesting. IF Senator Obama truly cared about a
nuclear Iran, Hillary Clinton would not have withdrawn. But even more
serious is that the pressure that Obama put on the Jewish organizers is
just a dry run of what he want to do to Israel. (continue reading at YID With LID)
.... it has become increasingly apparent to me that some of the most
virulent Bush-haters and far-left-wing Americans supporting Barack
Obama, are Jews! Good heavens! Do they have any idea what the
real and psychological pressure will be like on Israel if the US
administration is put in the hands of Barack Obama, who would embolden
Israel’s mortal enemies by making inappropriate moral equivalencies, as
he has already done, and recognizing Israel’s enemies as “legitimate”
seekers of peace by meeting with them without any pre-conditions?
What compromise position do you imagine Obama is going to propose in
such a meeting when Ahmadinejad, or Assad or - take your pick -
re-iterate their ultimate goal regarding Israel, now further emboldened
by Obama’s obsequious presence at the table??
We face many trials in our near future, the first is Islamic terrorism. I don't recall Obama mentioning the specific threat, but I do know that Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin have named the enemy, and I know that they will not hesitate to defend the United States against that enemy.
In a video marking the seventh anniversary of the September 11
terrorist attacks, al Qaeda’s top leader in Afghanistan vows more
“large-scale” attacks against the United States and its allies.
In another segment, the personal adviser to Taliban leader Mullah
Omar says al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is alive and well. Al Qaeda
leaders featured on the video promise more violence against their
enemies. (CNN)
This is a Clash of Civilizations, it is 'us vs them'. It is the Muslim world against the Western world. The United States is the leading country in the world, not because we wanted that, not because we strived for that, but because our form of government has produced that position. What happens in the USA has an affect on the rest of othe world. We are not alone in the fight for freedom. The following is from
Managing Muslim Violence, How to Manage Savagery
by Bret Stephens, Commentary Magazine
Nor is the phenomenon of “Muslim rage” directed against America alone.
In Spain, the Netherlands, Great Britain, France and Germany—countries
with widely varying foreign policies toward, and colonial histories in,
the Muslim world—terrorist plots, terrorist attacks, spectacular
murders, and mass rioting have made vivid the gulf that separates
embittered and often radicalized Muslim minorities from the societies
around them. Even in tiny, inoffensive Belgium, whose government was
among the most vocal in opposing the war in Iraq and has bent over
backward to respect the sensitivities of the Muslim community, the
entire Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek, according to the Flemish
newspaper Het Volk, has been turned into a “breeding ground for thousands of jihad candidates.” [snip]
... the wars that chiefly roil the Islamic world today are no longer at
its periphery. They are at the center, and they pit Muslims against
other Muslims. The genocide in Darfur is being perpetrated by a regime
that is every bit as Muslim—and black—as its victims. The Palestinians
went from intifada to civil war: in 2006 and 2007, nearly as
many Palestinians died violently at the hands of other Palestinians as
at the hands of Israelis. In Lebanon, there have been bloody clashes
this year among Shiites, Sunnis, and Druze. Last year, the Lebanese
government had to send troops into Palestinian refugee camps to
suppress an insurrectionary attempt by a Syrian-sponsored terrorist
group.
It does not end there. Saudi Arabia has been under attack by al
Qaeda since 2003. In November 2005, Jordan suffered devastating suicide
bombings at three Amman hotels in which nearly all the victims were,
like their murderers, Sunni Muslims. In Afghanistan, a Muslim
government led by Hamid Karzai—a Pashtun—fights an Islamist rebellion
by Taliban remnants and their allies, also mostly Pashtun. In Pakistan,
the axis of conflict has shifted from the east to the west, where
sizable areas are under the control of Islamist militants; in 2007
alone, some 1,500 Pakistanis were killed in terrorist attacks, former
Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto notably among them.
Then there is Iraq. Though Americans naturally focus on the more
than 4,000 U.S. servicemen killed so far since the country was
liberated in April 2003, that figure pales in comparison with the
number of Iraqis killed in inter- and intra-sectarian violence: Sunnis
against Shiites and Kurds, Sunnis against Sunnis, Shiites against
Sunnis, Shiites against Shiites. Cumulatively, the number of civilian
deaths since early 2006, when sectarian fighting got under way in
earnest, now stands at just over 100,000 (according to the Brookings
Institution). (continue reading)
The truck bombing in Islamabad Pakistan yesterday killed over 60 people, injured over 250. Americans were in the hotel. Several American State Department officials were in the hotel, we do not know if any of them were injured or killed.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the bomber had attacked the
hotel only after tight security prevented him from reaching Parliament
or the prime minister's office, where the president and many
dignitaries were gathered for dinner. The Czech ambassador was killed in the attack.
The Muslims are supposed to be SO religious and devoted followers, yet:
The timing of the attack - during the last 10 nights of Ramadan - could
not have been more sacrilegious. Even pre-Islamic Arabs regarded the
month of Ramadan as sacred, a time when tribal wars would cease. Yet
for Islamist terrorists, no time is too sacred to pursue their ends
through bloodshed. (more)
The United States is also frustrated the army of the unstable but
nuclear-armed Pakistan has not been able to stop extremists in these
areas from launching cross-border attacks into Afghanistan against U.S.
and NATO troops, the Financial Times reported Friday.
A nuclear Iran is hell-bent on destroying Israel and the West while Obama says that is unacceptable. Talk is cheap and words from him don't seem to have any meaning. He cannot make a decision, he's a FENCE SITTER. He votes 'present', he waits for his 'brain trust' to make decisions and tell him what to say. We need a president and vice president who can make good decisions and who will act on those decisions the the safety of this country.
A Nuclear North Korea is not a possibility, it is a fact. With Kim Jon Il incapacitated from a severe stroke and brain surgery, the West has no idea who is running that country. But whoever it is, they have decided to restart their reactors.
(CNN) -- North Korea is restoring a reactor at the key
Yongbyon nuclear complex and no longer wants to be removed from a U.S.
list of countries that sponsor terrorism, the South Korean news agency
reported Thursday.
A South Korean looks at the demolition of a cooling tower at the North's Yongbyon nuclear complex, June 27, 2008.
Hyun Hak-Bong, a chief North Korean negotiator at six-nation talks,
told reporters his country is "thoroughly preparing to restart" the
reactor and that reporters would "know soon" when his country would do
that, the Yonhap news agency said. (CNN, hat tip Rosemary)
Russia is emerging as a growing threat to small democracies, to the U.S., and to Israel:
Moscow — Russia made clear Saturday that it opposes a Western push for new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
Russia spoke out against a fourth round of U.N.
sanctions against Tehran at a meeting of the five permanent U.N.
Security Council members and Germany in Washington on Friday, the
Foreign Ministry said. (more)
... It appears to me that now there are indications of a disturbing
possible collaboration between Islamic forces and other ideologies. ...
The Islamic strategy appears to be heading now towards utilizing the
existing divisions between the various ethnicities and non-muslim
religions or ideologies. There is a strong possibility that various
so-called Maoist outfits, ethnic separatists, as well as some
proselytizing religious groups could be playing into the hands of the
Islamic Jihadi leadership. The Quran, and the Hadiths repeatedly
stress, as well as provide examples of how Islam utilizes the conflicts
and misunderstandings between various groups of “unbelievers”, to
weaken all unbelievers until they are no longer militarily strong to
resist Islam when it suddenly reveals its actual Jihadi militant agenda. (continue reading)
Sen. Barack Obama keeps blaming President Bush for the financial crisis. His blame game is pointing the wrong way.
Congress
creates the laws, and the Democrats have controlled both houses of
Congress since January 2007. The Democratic Congress – which includes
Mr. Obama – has not created any legislation that would fix the
problems. Nor, it seems, has the Democratic Congress even tried to fix
the problems.
Real change would be to elect McCain-Palin and
more Republicans to Congress so the problems will get addressed,
instead of ignored.
Professor Cass Sunstein’s defense of Obama’s
controversial views on domestic and international policy utilized the
technique of moderating his policies by placing Obama to the right of
his growing legion of leftist critics in the fringe blogosphere who are
angry at his recent surge to the center to counter Sarah Palin’s
popularity as McCain’s V.P. candidate. I am not convinced.
Sunstein’s arguments would be plausible if this were 1988 – before
the advent of conservative intellectuals like Joseph Farah, Dr. Michael
Savage, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham,
Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Antonin Scalia, FoxNews, the Internet
and many others in the so-called “alternative media.”
But it isn’t 1988; it is 2008, and now any rationally minded person
can look at Professor Sunstein’s apologetic for Obama and determine
almost immediately if it is truth or propaganda. (continue reading at Western Front America)
Violent protests by leftists forced the cancellation of a
far-right rally against the influence of Islam in Europe and prompted
the detention of 500 people, German authorities said Sunday.
Who is responsible for the truck bomb at the Marriott in Islamabad Pakistan -- a symbol like the Twin Towers were to Americans? There has been no claim so far from any particular group for this tragedy. The Marriott supposedly had very strong security, obviously not strong enough. Pakistan is a nuclear country and we hear now that they are building new reactors. One must ask what the security is like at those facilities.
Pakistan building new reactors?
Pakistan: just the kind of stable, responsible country we'd like to see expanding its ability to produce nuclear weapons. The Institute for Science and International Security reports:
ISIS
has obtained commercial satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe taken on
September 3, 2008, May 18, 2008 and February 9, 2008 of the Khushab
plutonium production reactor site in Pakistan. The imagery shows
further construction of the second and third plutonium production
reactors at Khushab (Figure 1), and that construction of the second
reactor may be nearing completion. The images show a clearly visible
row of cooling towers, typically built in the later phase of reactor
construction (Figure 3). Given this state of construction, the second
reactor could start in a year.
Once completed, these reactors
will increase several-fold Pakistan’s ability to make weapon-grade
plutonium for nuclear weapons. The wider implication of Pakistan
increasing its plutonium production capacity must not be
overlooked—there is a real risk that it will exacerbate an
India-Pakistan nuclear arms race and increase tensions more broadly
between the two. (Foreign Policy, hat tip Michael)
You can read the entire article (pdf) at ISIS here. This morning news reports are still coming in on a huge truck bombthat exploded at the entrance to the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan that has killed at least 40 so far.
At Least 40 Are Killed in Blast at Pakistan Hotel
Farooq Naeem/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Flames poured from the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday after a massive truck bombing.
The blast, one of the worst terrorist attacks in Pakistan’s history,
killed at least 40 people and wounded more than 100, including
foreigners. The toll was expected to grow because of reports that many
people had been trapped inside the six-story hotel, which has been a
favorite meeting spot of both foreigners and well-connected Pakistanis
in the heart of the capital. The building was quickly engulfed in
flames and continued to burn for hours Saturday night.
Although
recent terrorist bombings have claimed more lives, a bombing at the
Marriott, which has been attacked twice before but never on this scale,
has shaken Pakistanis to their core.
“The Marriott is an icon,”
said Abdullah Riar, a former aide to Benazir Bhutto. “It’s like the
twin towers of Pakistan. It’s a symbolic place in the capital of the
country, and now it has melted down.” (NYT)
