February 28, 2006

Agenda Politics Or Polls?

Do our troops support withdrawal from Iraq? Duh. Every one wants to get out of Iraq. But there are ways to rig, spin, and manipulate poll numbers. First, set up a straw man argument: Bush wants us to stay indefinitely in Iraq. Second, ask if people agree with the straw man: Do you think we should leave Iraq? Third, make sure that whoever does the polling has your agenda in mind.

UPDATE: Related analysis of the poll.

Dubai Bans Books in PRIVATE Schools

From our ally the UAE's official news agency [emphasis mine]:

The Ministry of Education has decided to withdraw the book "World Cultures" from all private foreign schools as it contained references that defamed Arabs and Muslims .

The publisher of book will be blacklisted.

The ministry has prepared a circular in this regard to educational zones, which will be received on Tuesday so that committees can be sent to the schools to ensure that the book is withdrawn.

Banning books in private schools? Sending committees to ensure they are removed? Hat tip: Freepers, who wonder if the committee members will be wearing brown shirts and clad in jack boots?

Ramsey Clark Marches Against American Troops

Former Democratic Attorney General Ramsey Clark (far left) spotted in Bulgaria marching with Communists and next to former Saddam Hussein advisor. Marching against what? Against U.S. troops, of course! He is a Democrat...

Internet Jihadi #1 Irhabi 007 Captured, Name Revealed (Updated)

The identity of Irhabi 007 (also known as Qaeda 007 & Terrorist 007) has finally been revealed by the SITE institute as Younis Tsouli, a 22 year old from West London. Irhabi [which means 'terrorist' in Arabic] 007 was one of the most prolific internet jihadis of the last several years. The FBI had been actively tracking down Irhabi 007 for at least a year. Aaron at Internet Haganah had been tracking him for even longer.

According to SITE, Younis Tsouli was among four terror suspects arrested by Scotland Yard on Oct. 21, 2005. Tsouli, aka "Irhab 007", may have been involved in a plot to attack the White House. He has also been linked to a string of arrests in Europe--including Scandinavia--over plots to commit acts of terrorism all over the Continent.

Through his contacts with al Qaeda in Iraq and other terror organizations, Irhabi 007 put up scores of posts. Among his many claims to fame, it was Irhabi 007 who first posted the al Qaeda video of Jack Hensley being beheaded at an Islamic forum.

In addition to being a master propagandist, Irhabi 007 was also a prolific computer hacker. Indeed, much of the present internet jihad can be traced back to 007's early and lengthy posts on Islamist forums, instructing the would-be jihadi on how to hack websites. Websites associated with Irhadi also contained a trojan virus which logged keystrokes--a technique used to find passwords which could later be used to hack servers.

Irhadi 007 is probably best known in the U.S. for the time he hacked the Arkansas State Department of Highways and used their server to distribute jihadi material.

SITE report:

In one such instance, Irhabi posted a long message titled "Seminar on Hacking Websites", to the Ekhlas forum.5 This seminar, hosted on June 6, 2005, provided visitors a detailed study comprising over twenty pages in length about the art of hacking, listing dozens of vulnerable websites to which one could upload shared media. Irhabi himself once popularly used this strategy when he uploaded data to a website run by the state of Arkansas, and then to another run by George Washington University. This stunt led many experts to erroneously believe that Irhabi may have been based in the United States. But beyond these two websites, Irhabi knew of countless others that he shared with forum members. These sites were to serve as free hosts for any material that the jihadists needed to upload and share with others. In addition to these sites, Irhabi provided techniques for discovering server vulnerabilities for others, in the event that his suggested sites became secure. In this way, jihadists could use third-party hosts to disseminate propaganda so that they did not have to risk using their own web space, and more importantly,
their own money.....

Charged with “eight offences including: conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause an explosion, conspiracy to cause a public nuisance, conspiracy to obtain money by deception and Terrorism Act offences relating to the possession of articles for terrorist purposes and fundraising,” Irhabi may have hoped to help the mujahideen in ways not provided solely by his Internet skills, such as with direct logistical planning or activities. Regardless, his absence from the Internet may have lesser effects than many may hope, as he has left in his shadow a rubric for jihadists on the Internet seeking a means to serve their nefarious end.

Good riddance.

The Blog Sabbath Caption Contest: Late Monday Early Tuesday Edition

So I f***ed up the regular one. It wasn't supposed to be humorous, but, let bygones be bygones.

Caption this photo of Iraqi military viewing the corpse of a terrorist:

Fatwas will be issued today, Tuesday, February 28th, 2006.

Unless Mr. Venom says no.

***Fatwas Issued***

Capp: "Is today terrorist pickup or is it bottles and cans?"

Steve Sharon: "I thought the terrorists said they wouldnt take this lying down?"

Buckley F. Williams: "Listen Jabbar, I clearly called 'Allah, Allah, oxen-free'. And on top of that, we all agreed beforehand that the dirt patch in front of the falaffel shop was to be home base, not the dirt patch in front of the used car lot. If you are not going to play by the rules then I will take my weapon and go home. Jabbar? Are you hearing me?

Gratuitous Star Wars reference fatwa:

Venom: "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."

Your Picture Can Be Seen Here fatwa:

Anyone sees a picture they think would make a good caption contest photo, send it to me at vinceautmorire@gmail.com. If I don't use it that week, don't fret, I'll at least have it in Vinnie's Increasingly Growing Image Library for possible future use.

A Manifesto Against Islamofascism

Salman Rushdie and Ayaan Hirsi Ali have signed this letter.

Agora:

MANIFESTO:

Together facing the new totalitarianism

After having overcome fascism, Nazism, and Stalinism, the world now faces a new totalitarian global threat: Islamism.

We, writers, journalists, intellectuals, call for resistance to religious totalitarianism and for the promotion of freedom, equal opportunity and secular values for all.

The recent events, which occurred after the publication of drawings of Muhammed in European newspapers, have revealed the necessity of the struggle for these universal values. This struggle will not be won by arms, but in the ideological field. It is not a clash of civilisations nor an antagonism of West and East that we are witnessing, but a global struggle that confronts democrats and theocrats.

Like all totalitarianisms, Islamism is nurtured by fears and frustrations. The hate preachers bet on these feelings in order to form battalions destined to impose a liberticidal and unegalitarian world. But we clearly and firmly state: nothing, not even despair, justifies the choice of obscurantism, totalitarianism and hatred. Islamism is a reactionary ideology which kills equality, freedom and secularism wherever it is present. Its success can only lead to a world of domination: man’s domination of woman, the Islamists’ domination of all the others. To counter this, we must assure universal rights to oppressed or discriminated people.

We reject « cultural relativism », which consists in accepting that men and women of Muslim culture should be deprived of the right to equality, freedom and secular values in the name of respect for cultures and traditions. We refuse to renounce our critical spirit out of fear of being accused of "Islamophobia", an unfortunate concept which confuses criticism of Islam as a religion with stigmatisation of its believers.

We plead for the universality of freedom of expression, so that a critical spirit may be exercised on all continents, against all abuses and all dogmas.

We appeal to democrats and free spirits of all countries that our century should be one of Enlightenment, not of obscurantism.

Add my name. More at Agora.

Supreme Court: Anna Nicole Smith is "Certiorari Worthy"

Anna Nicole Smith showed up to the Supreme Court today to witness oral arguments on her probate case. Fox News via Llama Butchers:

Dressed in all black, Smith fought her way through a throng of photographers and autograph-seekers Tuesday on her way to the courthouse in Washington. Smith didn't say a word and didn't sign any autographs as she and a lawyer tried to slip into a side door of the court.

So, what makes Anna Nicole Smith cert worthy? The fact that she lost all that weight, that's what!

From the vast archives of The Jawa Report an oldie but a goodie: Certiorari worthy vs. Uncertiorari worthy Anna Nicole Smith.

uncertiorari worthy

certiorari worthy

uncertiorari worthy

certiorari worthy

uncertiorari worthy

certiorari worthy

You get the idea. There's good Anna Nicole Smith and there's bad Anna Nicole Smith.

Marine Corps Deserter Wassef Ali Hassoun

(Beirut, Lebanon) From the Khaleej Times comes the report that Lebanese authorities refused to extradite to the United States Hezbollah members suspected of attacking Americans in Beirut during the 1980s.

They also refused to extradite U.S. Marine Corps deserter, Wassef Ali Hassoun (pic).

Authorities have also rejected a US request to hand over Wassef Hassoun, an American of Lebanese origin who deserted the Marines in 2004 and left Iraq for Lebanon and then left the southern port city of Tripoli for the US. It was reported later that Hassoun has left the US and headed back to Lebanon.

The judicial sources said the general amnesty law which was adopted in 1991 after the 1975-1990 civil war ended in Lebanon covered incidents of which the four were accused. As for Hassoun, the sources gave no reason for rejecting his extradition.

The four are Imad Moughaniyeh, Hassan Ezzeddine, Ali Atwe, and Mohammed ali Hamadeh. All but one are accused of helping in the 1983 bombing in Beirut where over 100 U.S. Marines were killed (Clarification from hondo - 241 killed). The other, Mohammed ali Hamadeh, is accused of the 1985 highjacking of a TWA jet during which a U.S. Navy diver was killed.

So, somewhere in Lebanon, fugitive deserter Wassef Ali Hassoun is living his life constantly looking over his shoulder. I hope he suffers from anxiety attacks.

In a later report from Beirut, The Daily Star indicates that Lebanese officials are still considering the U.S. extradition request.

"The issue is still being studied," said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson to The Daily Star in reference to the latest request by a U.S. official to extradite five wanted Lebanese citizens, accused of attacks against Americans, to be tried in the U.S.

"We have no official final comment at this point," said the spokesperson.

To be continued ....

From Interested-Participant.

FBI Updates Most Wanted Terrorist Lists

The FBI has added new names to its Most Wanted Terrorists List. Unfortunately, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi only made the Seeking Information List, where he joins the ranks of the 'American al Qaeda' leader, Californian Adam Yahiye Gadahn. However, the information leading to Zarqawi's arrest will get you a $25 million award.

Interestingly enough, one of the terrorists, Abd Al Aziz Awda, is an imam in the Gaza strip where he preaches and lives in the open. Hmmm, you mean the Palestinian Authority isn't cooperating in the Global War on Terror?

Another, Ramadan Abdullah Shallah, lives in Damascus. Another is in Beirut after our friends the Germans released him.

World Peace Herald:

The list, established a month after the September 11 attacks, is headed by Osama bin Laden, founder of al Qaeda. Added to it were:

• Ramadan Abdullah Shallah, 45, born in the Gaza Strip in the Occupied Territories and now a resident of Damascus, Syria, who is the leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a designated foreign-terrorist organization. A member of the PIJ's Shura Council, he served as executor director of the World Islam and Studies Enterprise in Tampa, Fla., and was an instructor at the University of South Florida.

• Abd Al Aziz Awda, 52, born in Gabaly, Israel, is a resident of the Gaza Strip and imam of the Al Qassam Mosque in the Gaza Strip. Awda was a founder and spiritual leader of the PIJ and also a member of the Shura Council. In January 1995, he was named by the United States as a specially designated terrorist.

• Khadafi Abubakar Janjalani, 30, Isnilon Totoni Hapilon, 38, and Jainal Antel Sali, Jr., 41, are suspected members of the terrorist organization Abu Sayyaf Group, which is responsible for the kidnapping and slaying of foreign nationals in and around the Republic of the Philippines. In June 2001, the group beheaded American national Guillermo Sobero.

• Mohammed Ali Hamadei, 41, a Lebanese citizen indicted in the United States in the hijacking of TWA flight 847 on June 14, 1985, during which U.S. Navy Diver Robert Stethem, 23, of Waldorf, Md., was tortured, dragged to an opened aircraft door, shot point blank in the head and tossed onto the runway. Hamadei was arrested in Germany in January 1987 and convicted in that country in 1989 of murder, hostage taking, assault and hijacking. He was sentenced to life in prison but was released in 2005 and returned to Beirut.

Abu Musab Zarqawi, Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan and Noordin Mohammad Top have been added to the FBI's "Seeking Information -- War on Terrorism list." Zarqawi is sought in connection with terrorist attacks and threats in Iraq. Nabhan is wanted for questioning for attacks in Kenya in 2002. Top is a suspected member of the Jemaah Islamiah group, which was involved in bombings in Indonesia between 2002 and 2004.

Islam Threatening Christians in Africa: Freedom for Thee, but not for Me

Be on the lookout for creeping facscism in Africa. Two questions: How is it that the traditional interpretation of Islamic law is now somehow 'fanatical'? Why is it that so few seem to realize that 'freedom of religion' in Islam means its Orwellian opposite?

Incidentally, if a 'moderate' Islamists wishes only to impose a lesser penalty on apostates--say, a fine--it's still religious fascism.

CBN News:

"It is our duty to spread Islam, and to especially try to convince the Christians to change their faith,” Hamdan said. “A man has the right to choose his religion, but once he is a Muslim, then he has lost that right. If he changes, under the laws of Sharia, he should be put to death.”

While not all Muslims on the island share his radical ideology, a growing number are attracted to the allure of fanatical Islam.

Life for Zanzibar's tiny Christian minority has become increasingly difficult, as a segment of this island's Muslim population pushes for a stricter and more radical interpretation of Islamic law.

The Zanzibari constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but recent converts to Christianity in particular, feel the constitution cannot protect them.

One Christian convert named Juma said, "The Muslims are teaching people to hate Christians, that if you behead a Christian you will go to heaven. After I became a Christian, the Muslims excommunicated me."

She added, “"They call me a Kafir, which means an infidel."

Meanwhile, other Christians say they face constant threats-- for example, just walking to church on Sunday morning.

"When I go to church, Muslim men along the way hurl abuses at me,” said Christian convert Venessa. “They call me an infidel. They call me a prostitute because I do not cover my face like other Muslim women do. Even the Muslim friends I have, told me that this island belongs to them and that Christians are not welcome."

The hostility has gone far beyond insults and threats. In recent years, several churches have been attacked and burned down.

Today is International High-Five a Muslim Day (Video Banned in Australia, Receives Fatwa)

Today is the International High-Five a Muslim Day. The video explaining this is below, but feel free to use the banner on the right to participate. Who am I to not follow the example of my personal Lord and Savior in offering the up-high to my Muslim brothers?

Because there has to be a way to say, "Hey, Muslims, we're totally down with you. It's nothing personal, we really think you're cool. It's just the whole 'behead the infidels' and 'stone the adulterers' thing we're not down with." And a nod just isn't enough and a hug is, well, just too much.

According to Zembla:

Deeming it offensive, Network 10 chose to censor the sketch rather than air it during the regular broacast of The Ronnie Johns Half Hour.

Censor the video? Like Flea, I find nothing sacreligious about it. I guess after the Muhammed cartoon row, some in Australia have decided to show how "fair" they are by censoring this video depicting Jesus. Because we all know those Christians react to offensive material exactly like Muslims, right?

It turns out that Ronnie Johns, who made the video, was issued a fatwa (fatwa via Aussia Miasma). A real live freakin fatwa for his depiction of Jesus. But the fatwa is that the video is good. See how that works? Show Muhammed: death. Show Jesus: thumbs up!

Watch the video below by clicking the little play arrow thingy on the pic below, or go here or here.

Update: Unknown to me, Tian and SondraK were already celebrating!

Check out Tian's photoshop:

The Salt Lake of Kurdistan

Michael Totten has more photos and reports from Kurdish Iraq. Seriously, if it wasn't for Totten, would you have any clue that things in Northern Iraq were this good?

Student Group Raffles AK-47

An independent student newspaper at Clemson University that last week published Danish cartoons of Muhammad is sponsoring a drawing this week for an AK-47 assault rifle, stirring some student and faculty protests. Bwahahahaaa!!

Islam Means Peace (Doesn't it?)

72 White Grapes for all!

"Moderate" Muslim leader speaks: Islam means war.

Senior al Qaeda asshole captured in Iraq. Evan Kohlmann is skeptical. Meanwhile, escaped al Qaeda bad guy vows attacks on U.S. soil.

Former Taliban official in U.S., studying at Yale.

Europe is the new Weimar Republic? Indeed.

Mothers celebrate death of sons, infidels.

Good news from those liberated from tyrants and religious fanatics.

It's soooo depressing being Muslim. I think I'll go on Oprah.

5,000 kids in Pakistan call for death to Muhammed blasphemers. Our allies in the GWOT.

A fresh steaming pile of taqiyya: Michigan student newspaper criticized over Muhammed cartoon publication.

Arab League Chief: Cartoons Are Deadly Threat Against Islam

eBay cancels Muhammed cartoon auction.

Solidarity with brave souls.

Dubai: everything you never wanted to know because its fun to stick our heads in holes and play the religious reletavism game.

Domestic terror leader indicted.

Allah spotting for fun and profit.

The Filthy One on Army Pfc. Daniel P. Unger.

Gulf War I was a disaster. I agree.

Germany denies report that it helped in Iraq war.

Jihad. The good kind.

PA collapse? Soooo sad.

In addition to bending over for Muslim minority, Spain now happy to provide KY.

U.S. bitch slaps Sunnis, Shias in Iraq.

You can't hug an Iranian with nuclear arms.

Fascinating. The demography vs. democracy paradox.

Saddam ends hunger strike, Michael Moore to provide the hot wings.

Mexico's Filthy Sanchez.

What religion is your bra?

Just try to impeach Bush. We dare you.

D.C. blog meet-up info.

India: Our New Natural Ally & A Nuclear Deal in Our Interests

With the Cold War over and a new Cold War between civilizations brewing, India has become our natural ally in Southeast Asia. Pakistan is only a reluctant ally which only supports the war on terror to the extent that it prevents a U.S. invasion. Pakistan cannot even control vast areas of its own territory. There is little doubt in my mind that a coup or pupular uprising will eventually remove the present pro-U.S. military dictatorship and replace it with an even more overtly Islamist regime.

To prepare for that day, we must earnestly cultivate our friendship with India. India and the U.S. have had shaky relations in the past--especially given our Cold War alliance with Pakistan--but the relationship between us and the Subcontinental state have improved drastically in the past 15 years. Not only do we have strategic mutual interests with India, but our cultures and civilizations both emphasize democracy, pluralism, and tolerance. India is fast becoming more than an ally, they are becoming our friend.

It's good to see that Bush is cultivating this relationship and a pity that the NY Times is such a partisan rag. Instead of focusing on the flowering relationship between our two countries, they instead lay into Bush for neglected issues such as "poverty", "the search for renewable energy", and reaching out to India's Muslim minority. What idiots:

Relations between the United States and India have never been more important, thanks to global terror in the post-Sept. 11 world, the search for sustainable energy resources and the United Nations' pledge to halve world poverty by 2015. More than 500 million of the world's poor are Indian villagers. India is also home to one the largest Muslim populations in the world.

So it's a pity that this trip, which should focus American attention on such a rich array of issues, now revolves largely around whether India and America will manage to conclude a nuclear deal that shouldn't have been initiated to begin with.

Wait a minute. India, already has nuclear weapons. So what is the problem with helping them develop nuclear energy?

President Bush's wrongheaded decision last year to make an end run around the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty by agreeing to share civilian nuclear technology with New Delhi took America's contain-China-by-building-up-India strategy a step too far. The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty's basic bargain has been to reward countries that renounced nuclear weapons with the opportunity to import sensitive nuclear technology to help meet their energy needs. For decades, America has imposed nuclear export restrictions on India — and Pakistan, for that matter — in response to those countries' refusal to sign the nonproliferation treaty and their open development of nuclear weapons

Why? Oh, I get it. All states are basically the same. Iran and India, England and North Korea. To quote Bugs Bunny: what a bunch of maroons.

This carrot-and-stick approach has dissuaded many other countries capable of building or buying nuclear arms from doing so, from South Korea to Turkey to Saudi Arabia. Now President Bush wants to carve out an exception for India. That's the worst possible message to send to other countries — Iran comes to mind — that America and its nuclear allies in Europe are trying to keep off the nuclear weapons bandwagon. Already, Pakistani officials are requesting the same deal for their country, although it is a request that is unlikely to be granted.

Except, of course, for the small little fact that India already has nuclear weapons. Except, of course, for the small little fact that Pakistan is the most reluctant of allies, was the main supporter of the Taliban, has a history of selling nuclear secrets to the highest bidder, and is on the brink of becoming our enemy.

Idiots.

John O'Sullivan, of course, gets it right. Chicago Sun Times:

President Bush arrives Wednesday in New Delhi for a state visit that he hopes will fasten down the strategic partnership between America and India that former U.S. Ambassador Robert Blackwill began to forge five years ago. Bush's first order of business will be to sign a civilian nuclear agreement with India to supply it with nuclear materials.

That agreement will both reward India for refraining from nuclear proliferation to third powers and remove what has been until recently a large obstacle to good Indo-U.S. relations -- treating India and Pakistan as equal violators of nuclear proliferation agreements. Bush's change of policy here reflects two facts: First, we know that "rogue" Pakistani scientists have passed nuclear know-how onto other Islamic countries; second, U.S. policy distinguishes between democratic states like India, judged reliable enough to be trusted with nuclear secrets and material, and despotic states like Iran judged dangerous on that score....

India is not a neurotic superpower but it is still an ambivalent one. Almost all the economic and political developments cited above point the country toward adopting an economy strategy of free market globalization and a political one of alliance with the United States. The two countries share a common language, common liberal democratic values, similar legal and political institutions (inherited in both cases from the British), a common strategic rival in China, and a common enemy in al-Qaida. These similarities help to explain the growing Indian diaspora in America, the boom in U.S. companies outsourcing to India's own Silicon Valleys, the ease of military cooperation between Indian and U.S. military forces, and the fact that America is more popular in India than in any other country.

Altogether, India's progress is bottom-up rather than top-down. It is also bipartisan. Both government and opposition have advanced the economic reform agenda in the last 14 years. So a change of government would probably not mean a drastic change of policy. It is likely to last.

UPDATE: Related from Dean.

Terrorists' Early Warning System: The New York Times

Evidently, the New York Times is not satisfied with the damage they have already done to US national security by exposing the NSA's secret intercepts of terrorist phone calls into and out of the US. Now they're suing the government to release the names of those surveilled:

The New York Times sued the US Defense Department demanding that it hand over documents about the National Security Agency's domestic spying program.

The Times wants a list of documents including all internal memos and e-mails about the program of monitoring phone calls without court approval. It also seeks the names of the people or groups identified by it.

Yes, by all means, let's warn every suspected terrorist that they're being watched. It's only fair.

AJ Strata and macsmind point to this story in The American Spectator, which says that the investigation into the original leak is focusing on the staffs of Democratic Senators Jay Rockefeller and Dick Durbin.

The New York Times has been stonewalling the investigation and this lawsuit could be interpreted as a diversion to take the heat off their snitches.

Via Stop the ACLU.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 27, 2006

Life Meet Parody

WaPo interviews our very own Confederate Yankeee. Woodward and Bernstein lower head in shame.

Kissing Osama bin Laden, Hugging Prefered

I swear, you can't make this stuff up. There's nothing gay about a former Australian ballet dancer who changes his name to 'Jihad', describes Osama bin Laden as 'floating across the floor', and has insights into the most wanted terrorist on Earth's preference for hugging over kissing. Nothing gay to see here folks, move along. BBC:

Australia's "Jihad Jack", convicted of receiving funds from al-Qaeda, says Osama Bin Laden does not like being kissed but is happy to be hugged....

Thomas said he once shook hands with Bin Laden at an al-Qaeda camp in Afghanistan.

Bin Laden was "very polite and humble and shy. He didn't like too many kisses... he didn't mind being hugged but kisses he didn't like and he just seemed to float... across the floor," Thomas told ABC. ...

As a child Thomas was rejected as a ballet dancer for being too stocky and joined a punk band, The Lobotomy Scars.

He converted to Islam and changed his name by deed poll to Jihad before heading to Afghanistan in March 2001.

Bad gay? No. Bad, bad, bad gay.

Able Danger Conference Call Audio

Able Danger Blog has posted the first audio segment of the Able Danger conference call between Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA) and bloggers, conducted last Thursday evening. The clip lasts for about twenty minutes and covers most of Congressman Weldon's opening remarks.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Don't Kill Me (Please)

WARNING: The following content is not suitable for Muslims.

Thanks to Oprah's Fat Ass for sending this.

Islamic Militant Executed For Murders Of American Missionaries

Abed Abdul-Razzak Kamil, an Islamic militant, was executed in Yemen today for the murders of three American missionaries:

Yemen Observer—The Ibb Appeal Court executed this morning by a firing squad Abed Abdul-Razzak Kamil, who killed three American missionaries in Jibla, 5 km to the south of a southern province of Ibb in 2002.

The execution took place in the yard of the central prison of Ibb, which was attended by prison, police and judicial officials.

Some staff of American embassy in Sana’a attended the execution, however, no confirmation made from the US embassy in Sana'a. ...

Abed Abdul-Razzak Kamil was convicted of killing American missionaries Martha C. Myers, William Koehn, and Kathleen A. Gariety.

Cross-posted at OpinionBug.com

Wipe Them Out

When Saudi security forces learned the location of the al-Qaeda cell that perpertrated last weeks attempted bombing of oil facilities, the order was given and carried out.

Herald Sun News : Security sources said that according to their information the suspects holed up in the Al-Yarmuk quarter of Riyadh, who battled police for an hour after being surrounded in the early morning, were linked to the Abqaiq attack.
"Five armed wanted men were killed today," a police officer said. "Large quantities of arms and explosives as well as material destined to prepare car bombs have been seized."
The suspects "used grenades in a bid to flee but they were prevented in doing so. The clashes are over. The (suspects') lair was assaulted and we killed those we found there".

I’m feeling in touch with my dark side today. After all it has a 2% advantage!

Al-Zaqueery’s “Buddy” caught too.

Yahoo News : Iraqiya named the man as Abu Farouq and said he was captured with five others in the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Ramadi, west of the capital.
It said Abu Farouq al-Suri, previously unknown to the media, was captured by the Wolf Brigade, one of several counter-insurgency units operating within the Shi'ite-run Interior Ministry but accused by Sunnis of targeting civilians in their community.

I trust you find your accommodations comfortable, Princess?

Peacenicks Plan to "Storm" White House

In the lingo of the left, "genocide" = any civilian killed by U.S. troops, regardless of extraordinary measures taken to avoid civilian casualites. It does not include mass murderers in the Sudan bent on wiping out animists, Christians, and black Muslims.

"Torture" = any time the U.S. deprives a prisoner of sleep. "Torture" does not include enforcement of sharia law, in places like Fallujah under the 'resistance', where beheading, arm and tongue amputation, and stoning to death are institutionalized.

"Occupaton" = any time the U.S. liberates a country. It also includes any Jewish majority anywhere. It does not Turkish, Iraqi, Syrian, and Iranian control over Kurdish territory.

United for Peace plans to "storm" the White House to "Stop Genocide, Torture and Occupation".

It's not so much that we're not against genocide, torture, and occupation. It's just that we fundamentally disagree on what those words mean.

Hat tip: Alicia

RINO's with Rhoids

This week's RINO sightings is up at ex-donkey's.

Jill Carroll Execution Deadline Passes

The deadline set by terrorists in which they claimed they would murder American reporter Jill Carroll if all female prisoners in Iraq were not released has passed. No word on the fate of Jill Carroll.

We pray Jill Carroll is released unharmed.

The good news is that that several similar deadlines have already passed, so hopefully the SOBs holding Jill Carroll are just making idle threats.

Washington Post:

"The Ministry of Interior said that she is alive and that they have information with regard to where she might be held," Khalilzad said in an interview with Fox News.

"The minister announced today that he is optimistic about her release," he said.

The U.S. ambassador did not say how the Interior Ministry knew about Carroll's well-being.

An apparent deadline set by kidnappers holding Carroll in Iraq passed Sunday with no word.

Gay Pudding Eating Cowboys

Top Rejected Titles For Brokeback Mountain

The Ox-Blow Incident
The Gerbil Whisperer

More.

UAE, Drug Smuggling, and al Qaeda

Dubai (one of the member states of the UAE) is known as the 'Switzerland' of the Middle East. Why? It's not because of their long tradition of neutrality and better-than-average cheese making abilities. No, it's Dubai's don't ask, don't tell attitude about people doing business in that country.

American Spectator:

Dawood Ibrahim himself is, by all accounts, living in Pakistan, but his baby brother Anees -- another suspect in the 1993 bombing -- was recently hanging around in Dubai. In 2002, Emirates authorities arrested Anees, and India finally expected to be able to bring him to account. But rather than extradite him to India, the UAE abruptly released him on bail and deported him back to the brier patch -- Pakistan....

Anees Ibrahim wasn't the only narcoterrorist who cashed in a "get out of jail free" card in the Emirates. Another suspect in the Mumbai bombing named Abu Salem was captured in UAE in 2001, and then quickly released before India could even request his extradition. Salem was later picked up in Lisbon, Portugal, after spending some time in Atlanta and attracting the attention of the FBI. Indian journalists and politicians report that Salem, after falling out with D-Company, had taken up with al Qaeda.

I don't doubt that the UAE has provided a great deal of assistance to the United States in the War on Terror, for which we ought to be grateful. And all nations will have organized crime of one variety or another, so the presence of some wiseguys in Dubai doesn't disqualify them from doing business in the USA. My point is that these particular gangsters are also Islamic terrorists with serious links to al Qaeda, and there is precious little evidence that Dubai is serious about stopping them.

Related satire on the UAE ports deal.

Related report from HNN.

Pamela Rogers Released From Jail

(McMinnville, Tennessee) Convicted child sex offender and former teacher, 28-year-old Pamela Rogers, was released from jail yesterday after completing about six months of her nine month sentence. Rogers (aka Pamela Turner) earned an early release through good behavior.

To refresh everyone's memory, Pamela Rogers Turner (photos) was arrested and charged in February 2005 with 15 counts of sexual battery by an authority figure and 13 counts of statutory rape of one of her students, a 13-year-old boy. In August, she pleaded no contest as part of an agreement with the prosecution and was sentenced. The agreement provided for dismissal of most of the 28 counts against her.

I think it's important to remember that Rogers was convicted of having a three-month sexual affair with a 13-year-old boy. Her crime was a clear case of child sexual abuse by a person in a position of authority and many observers believe Rogers received very lenient treatment by the court.

Her sentence includes seven years probation which, if violated, will send her back to jail. Rogers is already entered into the Tennessee sex offender registry with her photo posted on its website. In addition, she must complete 90 hours of community service.

In summary, the former teacher and former homecoming queen opens a new chapter in her life as an ex-convict and registered sex offender on probation. She forfeited her career, her good name and her marriage. In return, she's blanketed her life and her future with a dark cloud.

Poor decision-making skills produce poor results.

From Interested-Participant.

Explosion At Israeli Arms Facility

An explosion has occurred near the entrance to an Israeli arms facility in Haifa, Israel:

INN—Six persons were reportedly hurt in an explosion that occurred at a defense factory in Kiryat Bialik north of Haifa. The factory is run by the Rafael company, a leading producer of high-tech aeronautic equipment for the IDF.

Teams of rescue workers are arriving at the scene, including Magen David Adom ambulances. Rambam hospital in Haifa is preparing to treat the wounded.

The explosion occurred at the factory’s entrance. Police are checking whether the explosion was an accident or a terrorist strike.

Cross-posted at OpinionBug.com

The Freedom to Speak About Restricting the Freedom to Speak

The catch phrase now in the Cartoon War is "clash of civilizations". But in dealing with a "civilization", large numbers of whose members can be driven into frenzies of violence by taboo-violating cartoons, the real situation more closely resembles the Roman Empire under siege by barbarians.

Even Islam's intellectuals are infected with the false logic that springs from trying to reconcile seventh century mysticism with modern democratic freedoms. Dr Abdelwahab El-Affendi is a senior research fellow at University of Westminster in London.

Writing for al Jazeera, Dr. El-Affendi calls for Muslims in European societies to use democracy:

Muslims, especially minorities living in Europe, are likely to be the first victims of new restrictions on freedom. They should, instead, make use of democracy to build coalitions which would isolate the hate mongers and extremists and cause them to be condemned by all.

In calling for more, not less, freedom of expression, they should also try to reach a consensus on using that freedom in a more responsible and constructive manner.

In other words, Dr. El-Affendi would have Muslims use freedom of expression to create a Muslim fundamentalist cousin to Political Correctness, call it Taboo Correctness.

Dr. El-Affendi's column tries to maintain a veneer of balanced, rational thought, but it's betrayed by this passage, which proves that he just doesn't get it:

The very idea of giving Rushdie a literary prize after his book Satanic Verses was like offering Hitler the Nobel Peace Prize after Auschwitz. And the very inability of Western intellectuals and leaders to understand this simple fact lies at the heart of the threatened "clash of civilisations".

In Dr. El-Affendi's mind, writing a book is equivalent to starting a World War and murdering millions of people. That's primitive thinking coming from a man who has had every opportunity to be capable of moving beyond taboos.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 26, 2006

Ow, That'll Leave A Mark

Thanks, Linda, for the smack upside the head.

I'm A Reich Wing RethugliKKKan, So It Must Be True

You Are 82% Evil

You're the most evil person you know. The devil is even a little scared of you!

Well, I'm a tad more Reich Wing than I am RethugliKKKan, but you get the idea.

stein hoist: Teach

Open Thread: Olympic Sports You'd Like to See

In a previous post I rated the GAY, STRAIGHT, or METROSEXUAL aspects of selected Winter Olympic sports. Hilarity ensued, with the bonus that we were able to mortally offend a fullblown moonbat who shall remain nameless so as not to offend her life partner, Boris.

Commenter slug has requested an open thread for the sports we'd like to see introduced.

Please keep your posts at the customary PG-13 level. Unless they're really funny.

ACLU Sponsors Anti-NSA Granny Moonbat Exhibition

From The Oakland Tribune:

The vigil, sponsored by the ACLU, Code Pink, and the Raging Grannies of San Francisco, featured speakers from various organizations, private citizen testimonies, and the activist flock singing classic tunes with supplanted lyrics for their cause and waving flashlights and electric candles to “shed the light on secrecy."

We should encourage the ACLU to sponsor more of these events. Not only does it help get word out to the public that the ACLU has become a radical, subversive organization bent on sabotaging US efforts in the War on Terror, but the pictures show normal Americans how deranged and uncouth the idiots who march in these things are.

Via Stop the ACLU.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Ugh

Bad idea for a caption contest.

Sorry.

British Judge Okays Baby's Death Over Parent's Objections

From the Telegraph:

The parents of Charlotte Wyatt have been told that doctors are to be allowed to let their profoundly ill baby daughter die if they feel it is in her best interests.

A High Court judge yesterday lifted a previous ruling that she should always be resuscitated, on the grounds that the two-year-old was now on a "downward rather than an upward trend".

Mr Justice Hedley heard an emergency application from doctors treating her that she had developed an aggressive chest infection and was unlikely to survive any moves to keep her alive.

This is happening in the UK, but how far down this slope has America slipped?

Via Stop the ACLU and Michelle Malkin.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 25, 2006

RIP: America's Deputy - Don Knotts Dies At 81

From the LA Times:

Don Knotts, the saucer-eyed, scarecrow-thin comic actor best known for his roles as the high-strung small-town deputy Barney Fife on the 1960s CBS series "The Andy Griffith Show" and the leisure-suit-clad landlord Ralph Furley on ABC's '70s sitcom "Three's Company," has died. He was 81.

Knotts, who lived in West Los Angeles, died Friday night of lung cancer at a Los Angeles hospital, according to Sherwin Bash, his longtime manager.

When I was a kid our TV got only two stations. One of them carried The Andy Griffith Show. The world will be a less interesting place without Deputy Barney Fife.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto .

UPDATE: Related from Danny Carleton.

I'll Never Look At Her The Same

Sitting here wondering why my 4 year old daughter stubbornly refuses to pick up in her room when my 8 year old son has done it happily since he was 2.

Then it hit me.

ZIONIST CONSPIRATORS HAVE GOTTEN TO MY DAUGHTER!!!

AUGHHH!

Damn you Tom and Jerry, damn you all to Hell!

Isolated Incident #4332

Start with Michelle Malkin and go from there.

Nuttin' to see here, folks. Move along, please.

ToonTown Riots Over Iranian Remarks

***Breaking News, Must Cite Jawa Report***

Violent demonstrations have erupted in ToonTown over incorrect remarks made about the revered 'toons Tom and Jerry (PBUT) by an Iranian professor.

Luckily, no 'toons have been killed or injured as of yet, due to the remarkable ability of these creatures to regenerate themselves.

Rumors are circulating that half-human, half 'toon The Mask is mobilizing a group of heavily armed 'toons to tunnel their way into Tehran and exact revenge, with close air support provided by Marvin the Martian and Duck Dodgers.

A source close to the action told me "Being called a Zionist plot is a badge of honor, that's not the problem. But when they associate the great Tom and Jerry with the lame ass studio that gave us pap like The Little Mermaid, it's time for war."

We'll keep you updated as events warrant.

Update: Bikini Bottom has joined in the uproar. In a misguided attempt at anti-toon defiance, the Tehran Times published the following caricature of the Prophet Squarepants (PBUH).

Warning: Graphic image below

Trust me, you don't want to go there...
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I'm warning you!
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Seriously!
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Eat at Joe's!
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Homeland Security Objected to UAE Ports Deal

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security raised objections to selling the rights to U.S. ports to a Dubai based company. Well slap my rear and call me Charlie!

AP:

The Homeland Security Department objected at first to a United Arab Emirates company's taking over significant operations at six U.S. ports. It was the lone protest among members of the government committee that eventually approved the deal without dissent.

The department's early objections were settled later in the government's review of the $6.8 billion deal after Dubai-owned DP World agreed to a series of security restrictions.

PS-This is my only post of the day. Too much to do around Mos Eisley today.

Olympic Events: Gay, Straight, or Metrosexual?

Two-Man Bobsled
The brakeman grabs the sled powerfully, finding his rythmn in the rapid pistoning of his heavily muscled thighs. He insinuates himself into the cockpit and buries his head against the clenched buttocks of the driver. GAY

Figure Skating
So gay it makes the stars of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy look like British soccer hooligans. GAY

Snowboarding
The emphasis on styling points moves a moderately dangerous sport into the metrosexual category. METROSEXUAL

Hockey
As straight as a slapshot to the crotch. STRAIGHT

Biathlon
Sort of straight. They could solidify their position by exchanging the pussy little .22s for something with more stopping power - 12 gauge deer slugs would do nicely. METROSEXUAL/STRAIGHT

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto .

The Close Call That Shouldn't Have Been

Today's attempted attack on the Saudi oil processing facility should have been a huge wake-up call for everyone.

ABQAIQ, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Suicide bombers carried out a bold attack on the world's largest oil processing facility Friday but were stopped from breaking in by guards who fired on their cars, exploding both vehicles and killing the attackers.

Al-Qaida purportedly claimed responsibility for the attack, the first on an oil facility in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Qaeda has been threatening to do something like this for quite awhile, which is probably why the attack failed miserably.

However, if we do not get our own oil out of our own ground, or figure out an economcially feasible way to get off foreign oil, we could be seriously screwed if one were to suceed.

Rubbing It In - Jyllands-Posten Wins Prize For Cartoons

From News24.com:

Copenhagen - Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, which angered the Muslim world by publishing cartoons of Prophet Muhammad last year, has won a Danish critical journalism award for its initiative, the jury said.

Denmark's largest daily was honoured with the Victor Prize for "having opened everyone's eyes by showing how easy it is to introduce cracks in freedom of expression and how so-called political correctness is infiltrating what we believe to be inalienable rights," Hans Engell, the editor of tabloid Ekstra Bladet which awards the prize, said during a prize ceremony in Copenhagen late on Thursday.

By rights, editor Carsten Juste should also be receiving the Medal of Freedom from the hand of President George W. Bush. Once again, the Danes have shamed the American mainstream media, whose delicate sensibilities have censored the cartoons in America.

Via Michelle Malkin.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 24, 2006

Journalists Murdered In Iraq

(Baghdad) The bullet-riddled bodies of three Al-Arabiya television journalists were found yesterday in Samarra, the site of Wednesday's Askariya mosque attack.

The three, all Iraqi citizens, included a prominent female television correspondent, 26-year-old Atwar Bahjat (pic), her cameraman and her soundman, Khaled Mahmoud al-Falahi, 39, and Adnan Khairallah, 36.

From E & P:

Bahjat had been reporting live Wednesday from the outskirts of Samarra, which security forces had sealed off after an explosion at a Shiite mosque.

Officials at the Dubai-based satellite news channel said they lost contact with their team after their last broadcast at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

A fourth team member managed to escape from the ambush and told police about the kidnappings. He said two gunmen pulled up in a pickup truck, shooting in the air and shouting: "We want the correspondent," The Associated Press quoted Al-Arabiya as reporting.

"Atwar was in the news van and shouted to the crowd to help her. The crew tried to speak to the gunmen, but they snatched them and took them an unknown location (sic). By this time, night had fallen," Reuters quoted Al-Arabiya's Baghdad correspondent Ahmed al-Saleh as telling viewers.

Their bullet-riddled bodies were found by their vehicle near the town of Dawr. Notably, by all indications, these journalists were specifically targeted. I have to presume that this is one of the finer examples of how followers of the religion of peace do Allah's good work.

Condolences to the families and friends of Atwar Bahjat, Khaled Mahmoud al-Falahi, and Adnan Khairallah.

From Interested-Participant.

How Not To Win Friends And Influence People

Here.

[I didn't cross-post that here because the person referred to in the post has already threated a lawsuit against one blogger and to report another to the FBI. For what I don't know. Rusty's trying to relax and doesn't need that aggravation. Plus, I'm no angel when it comes to insensitivity, but, more often than not, mine is directed at people who want to kill me and those that support them. And if I ever say anything that you think is way over the line like that, I would expect to be beaten over the head as bad as she is getting it. For an excellent roundup of the background of the kerfuffle, Beth has it.]

London Mayor Suspended Over Nazi Crack

From the Guardian:

Ken Livingstone was today suspended from office for four weeks by a disciplinary tribunal for likening a Jewish Evening Standard reporter to a Nazi concentration camp guard.

Here's what Hizzoner said to reporter Oliver Finegold:

While being recorded, the mayor asked him: "Were you a German war criminal?" On being told the reporter was Jewish, he added: "Ah, well, you might be but actually you are just like a concentration camp guard, you are just doing it because you are paid to, aren't you?"

The mayor's lawyer invoked a rather...questionable... defense:

"When John Profumo apparently slept with Christine Keeler and then committed the far more serious offence of lying to the House of Commons about it, he was compelled to resign, but no one could seriously think that that affected the reputation of the office of secretary of state for war. It reflected badly on John Profumo but not on his office.

"When David Blunkett was allegedly inappropriately involved in assisting an application for a work permit and he resigned, that could not be regarded by an informed observer as damaging the reputation and bringing into disrepute the office of home secretary."

Ix-nay on the esign-ray stuff solicitor, right now the mayor's only being suspended.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto .

Iraqi Curfew May Have Worked

From Reuters:

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A daytime curfew in Baghdad and calls for Muslim unity from mosques across the country on Friday damped down sectarian violence that has left 200 dead in the Iraqi capital alone over the past three days.

From the Associated Press:

Iraq's most influential Shiite political leader called Friday for Sunni-Shiite unity and condemned all killings of Iraqis in a bid to pull the nation back from the brink of civil war after the bombing of a Shiite shrine and a wave of deadly reprisal attacks.

And Mohammed at Iraq the Model reports that Shia militias that attacked Sunni mosques may have been rather, well, discriminating:

The sense in the streets and the statements given by some Shia clerics suggest that retaliation attacks are organized and under control and are focusing on mosques frequented by Salafi and Wahabi groups and not those of ordinary Sunnis.

These are the sects that support al Qaeda and supply terrorist insurgents and suicide bombers. If the militias are attacking their mosques, it means that al Qaeda is being blamed for the Samarra bombing.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Another Deadline Looms for Jill Carroll

The bombings burning and general chaos in Iraq this week are hardly conducive to the release of Ms. Carroll. However let’s not let that stop us for praying for her freedom. Monsters and Critics gives us five reasons why Jill should be released, I’ll sample one here.

Monsters and Critics :If Jill Carroll is killed, her captors will be denounced by Muslims worldwide for murdering an innocent woman. In short, they will have handed their enemies a huge propaganda victory.

Has there not been enough suffering and loss in Iraq this week without adding to it the senseless murder of an innocent woman? There is not one ounce of gain for Iraq or Islam by her abduction and threatened murder. If she is killed, Islam and Iraq gets another black eye. Her release however could generate much goodwill. Choose wisely and release Jill without further delay!

Jill Carroll Archive here.

My sis’s birthday is the 26th and I would rather not remember the 26th as the day Jill was murdered by savages.

McBlogging with Howie.

Patriot Guard Riders Still on the Job providing support at the funeral for Cpl. Andrew Kemple, who died in Iraq Feb. 12. Stopping the McAssholes.

New group oppressed in Palestine since the Hamas election victory, Christians!

JPost : "Since Hamas took over, I cover my head in Ramallah," she says. "I don't feel comfortable." In the largely cosmopolitan Ramallah, though they comprise some 10 percent of the population, Christians are becoming less and less visible. The first time that Khoury ran into her local parish priest there with her head covered, he raised his eyebrows and laughed.
"I see more and more women covered up," Khoury says, explaining that for now, it's preferable to play it safe and assimilate on the street, even if she would never choose to cover her head otherwise. "Years ago I even used to go in short sleeves," she says. "You'd have to put a gun to my head to get me to wear short sleeves now."

Hmm must be the threat of a gun to her head or stoning if she didn't that made her say that! Yes tolerant and respectful of other religions Islam is you can tell be all the new this week. They cannot even be tolerant and respectful of each other let alone anyone else.

Nigerian Hostages still Mcheld.

Feb. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Nigerian militants released photographs of nine foreign oil workers they kidnapped on Feb. 18 from a Willbros Group Inc. boat near Royal Dutch Shell Plc's Forcados export platform. The photographs were e-mailed by Jomo Gbomo, a spokesman for the militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND. In a separate e-mailed statement, Gbomo said the hostages won't be released until the government frees a former Bayelsa state governor and a jailed militia leader.

McFilthy and more McFilthy!

Don't miss Vonski's weekly roundup of important victories in the GWOT. Lot's of good news this week had been overshadowed.

Coalition Forces, with the assistance of the Iraqi Police, conducted a raid in northern Baghdad Feb. 24, which resulted in the death of Abu Asma, the Al Qaeda Military Emir of Northern Baghdad. Intelligence reports indicated Abu Asma was in possession of and expected to use suicide vests against the Iraqi people and security forces.

McSmashing!

One of my very best friends is school worked for Ronald. Soon it was all “let’s get some McBeer, get McLoaded and try to get some McNookie”. I swear this will be the McLast time I McBlog.

Update: Dick cheney's got a gun! H/T memphis761.

Inspired by my McLunch I am McEating at my McDesk, sorry. On a personal note we've had several KY and IN Guard units return home of late. This week I've seen a whole bunch of equimpment from mobile generators to military trucks and humvees heading south toward Ft. Campbell. Good news as well.

Also I got this from Judy Barr Topinka's supporters

In an unprecedented action, the Illinois Republican Party has officially rebuked the Gidwitz campaign for this ad because the Party found that the ad violates the Party's "Code of Conduct," which was enacted to police proper conduct among Republican candidates. Again, for the first time in the Party's history, it has asked a candidate for statewide office to edit a political ad or remove it from the airwaves.

Politics isn't bean bag, but as the letter from the Party Officials stated, "A vigorous debate about issues and ideas strengthens our Party; distorted negative attacks weaken our credibility."

As a supporter of Judy Baar Topinka, please understand that since the Gidwitz campaign has already attempted to mislead voters with false attacks, we can expect to see more of these baseless attacks.

Sincerely,

Terry Barnich
Campaign Manager
Citizens for Judy Baar Topinka

The ILL Treasury Dept got my tax return back PDQ seems like Judy has that Dept in line and running smoothly. Polling and primaries coming up very soon and Judy seems to be the only candidate I've heard much about in bumfuct. I'm wondering just what was siad that violated the new rules. Anyone? Also I have a complete copy of the new rules posted here.

Who is Responsible? Zaqueery of Course.

Only one group is so evil to destroy a revered and I must say beautiful mosque this week. Only one little peg legged bastard has any reason to. This mosque I must say was a nice place. If there is one thing that impresses me about Iraq it’s some of the fantastically opulent and beautiful mosques there. It has been a target several times and each time the attacks failed until Wednesday. This heinous act almost resulted in civil war and the danger is not over yet.

Robbins at National Review : The initial retaliatory attacks on Sunni mosques must have pleased Zarqawi; if taking down this site did not start the civil war, nothing would.
So the foreign fighters must have been stunned when Shiite and Sunni leaders rushed out statements saying they knew that the takfiri (i.e., those who accuse other Muslims of being infidels, a code word in this context for the foreign extremists) were behind the attack, and they would not let this act of brutality divide Iraq. In an announcement on his website Shiite leader Ayatollah Ali Sistani blamed “takfiris [who] meant to foment sedition among the Iraqi people, thus fulfilling their malicious goals.”… … Shiite radical Muqtada al-Sadr — remember him? — blamed the attack on the takfiri, Saddam loyalists, and “the occupation.” “We should not attack Sunni mosques,” he said on al Jazeera. “I ordered [his militia the] Al-Mahdi Army to protect the Shiite and Sunni shrines and to show a high sense of responsibility, something they actually did.”

Spoilers indeed

The Australian News : Fearing even that would not compensate for their loss of influence, Sunni extremists, led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's al-Qa'ida in Iraq, have sought to ignite a broader conflict than has been waged in the past 18 months.
Analysts in Jordan believe Iraq is now on the precipice.
"A lot of Sunni Arab politicians have been working hard towards a government of national unity, but there are a number of spoilers in the Sunni community," said the Middle East project director for the International Crisis Group Joost Hiltermann.

Of course it was reported that some of the other Sunni groups have met with Zarqawi just weeks ago seeking common ground. It should now be readily apparent to the rest of the Sunni population that they have been betrayed by Al-Qaeda. This barbaric action designed to create Shia on Sunni Violence has not only cost the Shia a very fine mosque it has cost the Sunni dearly as well. You have to ask yourself was the destruction of this landmark worth the pain it has caused? It’s obvious the little bastard had no thought of the consequences for you should this attack be carried out. Yes it was Shia that burned and destroyed your property. But it is Al-Qaeda and Zarqawi that is to blame for it. Without the actions of Al-Qaeda the Sunni and Shia mosques would still be standing. The WTC would still be standing and the US would not be in Iraq or Afghanistan. Time and time again the Muslim world suffers under the consequences of terrorists. They cannot be trusted or bargained with. Now is the time for all Muslims Shia and especially Sunni to turn against Al-Qaeda and destroy them as a philosophy and an organization. It is obvious Al-Qeada does not serve Islam Al-Qaeda stains Islam with blood. Is not your reputation and your property part of the assets of Islam? They tear down and destroy both and surely both Lucifer and Zarqawi smile at the destruction as Allah weeps for his children.

Light Blogging Alert (plus bleg)

Besides fishing, I did have other business to attend to. Blogging may be very light for awhile. Personal stuff below.

I'm actually in the process of interviewing for jobs at several universities. I'm still here at "Tatooine U", but it's time to move on.

So, if you're on a hiring committee be on the lookout out for me. Er, of course you don't know who "I" am, but still. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Oh, and if you want to offer me a job, I'm only interested in tenure track positions.

Note to Jawa co-bloggers: If you guys don't mind, I'd appreciate any cross-posting to make up for my slack. Thanks!

Jihadi Candid Camera

On February 3, a U.K.-based militant faction formerly know as Al-Muhajiroun Helped organize a raucous demonstration outside the Danish, Norwegian and French embassies in London.

NEFA investigaters attended the protest and caught the event on camera.

After entering the website: look at the top for the link to "Prophet Mohammed Cartoon Protest"

FYI-this was the protest where the "Behead Those Who Insult Islam" posters were seen.

Where's Rusty?

Went fishing. Who would have thought that fishing could be more relaxing than blogging?

February 23, 2006

Able Danger: Still Simmering

I participated in a conference call tonight with Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA) and several other bloggers about the Able Danger program, 9/11, the USS Cole attack, and the ongoing coverup by mid- to senior-level bureaucrats spanning two administrations. Frankly, a lot of information was forthcoming and I need time to process it all.

But I do want to address a charming bit of character assassination by Washington Post writer William M. Arkin, who has a problem with Able Danger whistleblower Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer:

And then there's Shaffer, who offered a rambling, paranoid, messianic story in his testimony claiming again not only the existence of the chart, but also Defense Department efforts at cover-up and retribution against him for revealing the TRUTH.

I read Shaffer's February 15 testimony this afternoon, in preparation for the conference call - all 48 pages of it. It details the vicious steps that have been taken to try to silence Shaffer.

I have a different perspective from Arkin. When I was a Federal employee, I had occasion to blow the whistle myself. Shaffer's testimony rings true. Every word. This is how bureaucrats cover their asses.

The tone of Arkin's piece is set when he pronounces the testimony of Under Secretary of Defense Stephen Cambone as "truth", yet never mentions that Cambone refused to be sworn in, and that the testimony of three sworn witnesses contradicts Cambone.

Of the DoD investigation to which Cambone refers, Curt Weldon had this to say tonight, "No one was put under oath...there were no sworn affidavits." Arkin missed that tidbit.

Others on the call:
Mike Kasper of the Able Danger Blog (the organizer)
AJ Strata of The Strata-Sphere
QT Monster's Place
Pierre of The Pink Flamingo Bar & Grill
Rory O'Connor
Curt from Flopping Aces
Dan Pico from Common Sense Political Thought
Also a blogger from "common sense" -I didn't catch his name or URL, but will update later.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Al-Aqsa Fugitive Not Caught (Killed)

A Few days ago Mohammed Shtawi swore he would never be caught and prosecuted for his terrorist activity against Israel. He was just as right then as he is dead now.

Yahoo News : One of those killed Thursday was identified as Mohammed Shtawi, a top Al Aqsa fugitive. On Wednesday, Shtawi told an AP reporter that earlier in the day soldiers surrounded his hideout for five hours, but he and several friends slipped away. "They will never catch me," he said at the time.

Excuse me but you were caught just right before you were…Oh never mind. [sarcasm]He was brave too, hiding in a crawl space when authorities arrived[/sarcasm]. As Rusty says, "Now is the time at The Jawa Report when we dance!"

RhymeswithRight Gets Reader Love Mail Too

Greg at RhymeswithRight get his very first death threat. Something to do with Bacon I hear.

A new comment has been posted on your blog Rhymes With Right, on entry #158774 (Toronto Cartoon Flap). http://rhymeswithright.mu.nu/archives/158774.php
IP Address: (removed tracks to New Dehli)
Name: aamir malik
Email Address: aamir834@yahoo.com
URL:
Comments:
ASALAM_U_ALIKUM
what the hell have you people made this?
how could you be so much rude ?
what do you think of yourself?
if you vl be here we will jst kill you>?

So did the threat of violence result in more respect or disrespect for Islam? I reckon it was the latter.

Blogburst Announcement - 'Stand Up For Denmark'

The Freedom's Zone international blogging community is encouraging all bloggers to help 'Stand Up For Denmark' by immediately writing a post on Christopher Hitchens' call for a demonstration at the Embassy of Denmark, between noon and 1 p.m. this Friday, Feb. 24.

Please be outside the Embassy of Denmark, 3200 Whitehaven Street (off Massachusetts Avenue) between noon and 1 p.m. this Friday, Feb. 24. Quietness and calm are the necessities, plus cheerful conversation. Danish flags are good, or posters reading "Stand By Denmark" and any variation on this theme (such as "Buy Carlsberg/ Havarti/ Lego") The response has been astonishing and I know that the Danes are appreciative. But they are an embassy and thus do not of course endorse or comment on any demonstration. Let us hope, however, to set a precedent for other cities and countries. Please pass on this message to friends and colleagues.

Please also post that for those who cannot attend the demonstration, they are encouraged to call and email the Danish embassy, and offer their support and appreciation for their standing up to freedom and the right of free speech that is so much a part of our Western culture:

Embassy of Denmark
3200 Whitehaven St., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: +1 (202) 234-4300
Fax: +1 (202) 328-1470

Email: wasamb@um.dk

After the date of the event, bloggers are encouraged to post on at least 3 "free speech" issues a week, and also encourage their readers to continue voicing their concern and support for free speech by emailing their friends to help keep the emails of support (to the Danish embassy) going for the Dane's stand on freedom over sharia.

More information and updates are available at Freedom's Zone.

Freedom's Zone was founded by a coalition of American and Italian bloggers, and is owned by the international blogging community that supports it through posting and sharing the message and it's mission.

A new "Stand Up For Denmark" Freedom's Zone logo will be available at the site tomorow. Just link back to FZ from your blog.

Reap What You Sow

The Muslim riots in Nigeria earlier in the week have now produced a backlash from Christians in the south after Muslims rioted against Christians to protest the publication of satirical cartoons depicting Muhammad. Of course these were not spontaneous riots and never mind that Nigerians had nothing to do with it. They were incited by Muslim clerics in a misguided effort to get respect for Islam by use of fear. Rather than protesting peacefully against those actually responsible they took out their frustrations on those who had nothing to do with the issue. Burning Churches and murdering Christians in the street. In Nigeria where this kind of Muslim/Christian is fairly common the result has been that the Christians there are violently turning against Islam, burning Mosques and killing in revenge. Giving right back to the Muslims what they had been dishing out just a few days before. Now the Muslims are fleeing and finding themselves in the same position they put others in just a few days before. I cannot condone Christian riots and Killing. However the bible does say ye shall reap what ye sow. Looks like the Muslims in Nigeria are harvesting a bumper crop!

Washington Post : ONITSHA, Nigeria -- Muslims fled this southeast Nigerian city and corpses still smoldered in its streets Thursday as two days of sectarian violence that killed more than 50 people subsided.
Saturday in the northern city of Maiduguri, Muslim protests against cartoons caricaturing the Prophet Muhammad turned violent, razing 30 churches and claiming the lives of 18 people, mostly Christians.
Similar violence followed Monday and Tuesday in the northern city of Bauchi, where witnesses and Red Cross officials say 25 people were killed when Muslim mobs attacked Christians there.
The violence came to Onitsha Tuesday, apparently in reaction to the killings in Maiduguri and Bauchi, which like most of northern Nigeria, are dominated by Muslims. Onitsha, like most of the south, is dominated by Christians.

More here from Alertnet :

Christian mobs, seeking revenge for the killings of Christians in the north, attacked Muslims with cutlasses, destroyed their houses and torched mosques in two days of violence in Onitsha, where at least 85 people have died.
"We are very happy that this thing is happening so that the north will learn their lesson," said Anthony Umai, a motorcycle taxi rider, standing close to where Christian youths had piled up the corpses of 10 Muslims and were burning them.

I'm never happy about violence, however if the Muslims seek to gain respect from the rest of the world by fear, intimidation, and murder it ain't working doc. In fact, if anything, the uproar has only spread the disrespect and the cartoons even further than if they had been ignored in the first place. How this could benefit Islam in any way is beyond me.

Michelle Malkin Site Under Cyberattack

Michelle Malkin's website was down for most of the morning, presumably due to a Denial of Service attack from hackers. The site was back up as of around 10:30, when Malkin posted, noting that the FBI had been informed of the attack.

In an update posted at Pajamas Media, where Malkin rode out the attack, she notes that investigators have confirmed a DoS attack, apparently originating in Turkey.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Google Loses Copyright Infringement Case

(Los Angeles) Google will be prevented from displaying certain copyrighted thumbnail images according to a U.S. District Court ruling on Friday.

From Breitbart.com:

Internet giant Google Inc. infringed copyright rules by posting thumbnail-size photos from other websites on its search results pages, a US judge said in a ruling issued.

US District Judge Howard Matz's ruling, handed down in Los Angeles, stems from a lawsuit filed in 2004 by the pornography firm Perfect 10 Inc., which accused Google of breaching on its copyrights.

The type of search with which Perfect 10 took issue is Google's "Image Search" function, which returns a page with tiny images -- known as thumbnails -- that fit the searcher's query.

The image search function also allows searchers to view the image as it appears on the page.

The judge ruled that because Google receives advertising money from offering search functions, it is not entitled to the same level of free use of the images as other entities would be.

Both sides in the case were instructed to craft the wording for a preliminary injunction barring Google from using the thumbnail-size images. Notably, the ruling applies only to images owned by the Perfect 10 company. For now, that is.

As the godfather of search engines, I would speculate that Google will be taken to court on a fairly regular basis.

From Interested-Participant.

Car Crash Leads To FBI Terrorism Task Force Investigation

A multi-vehicle crash on the Stevenson Expressway near Stickney, Illinois has prompted an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation.

The investigation was prompted by the $2 million check authorities found in the car of 45-year-old Lafi Nofal the Chicago Tribune says:

Chicago Tribune— The FBI has joined the investigation into a multi-vehicle crash on the Stevenson Expressway after police found a $2 million check, credit cards and other "financial instruments" in the car of one of two people killed, authorities said today.

The items were discovered in the car of a 45-year-old man involved in the crash, which occurred about 11:20 a.m. Wednesday on the outbound Stevenson (Interstate Highway 55) near Stickney, Illinois State Police said.

The man, identified as Lafi Nofal, was flown by helicopter to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he died from his injuries hours after the accident, the Cook County medical examiner's office said. ...

CBS2 in Chicago is also covering the story: [ click here ]

WBBM has coverage as well, [ click here ]

Cross-posted at OpinionBug.com

Update:

Lafi Nofal's family talked to CBS2 about Lafi and the FBI's investigation of his financial dealings.

His family told CBS2 that Lafi ran a medical clinic in Puerto Rico where he lived. He was also an entrepeneur, and investor they said. Every 3 to 4 months, Lafi would come to the U.S. to conduct business then return to Puerto Rico. His family lives on the West Bank where he was building a house.

CBS2 says the FBI is still involved.

Source: CBS2

The Death Of Islamofascism..

...lies with the likes of Muslihoon.

No particular post to link to. Just read it all.

Besides, how can you not love a Muslim that dares say this:

Now, if a Christian were to enter Mecca and leave a cross/crucifix/Bible - ah, that's an interesting issue. (We'd do it, except We might be killed. Even if We were not, many thousands of innocent Christians and Westerners might be in the raging flames of the Muslims' reaction.)

If I were a Muslim, I'd be Muslihoon.

God is great, indeed.

Second Able Danger Conference Call Tonight

I'll be participating in a second conference call about Able Danger tonight. Representative Curt Weldon will update bloggers on the latest developments and take questions. This is a follow-up to this call with Mark Zaid, who represents Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer and others. The call is scheduled for 6PM ET and will last for about an hour and a half, so I may have something to post about it later in the evening.

Both calls were arranged by Mike Kaspar of the Able Danger Blog.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 22, 2006

Fun With StatCounter

How ironic is THIS?

IP Address (removed by Vinnie, cuz I'm nice)
Country Indonesia
Region Jawa Timur (djawa Timur)
City Surabaya
ISP Pt. Telekomunikasi Indonesia
Returning Visits 1
Visit Length 0 seconds

Those are from my stats, not Rusty's though. Still......I got a laugh from it.

I Am An Old Fart Too

Normally, Derbyshire is a tad glum for me, but I can't disagree with this.

On Blog Sabbatical

I need a break. Seriously. I'm going to take the next few days off.

Islam vs. Islamists and ALLIANCES

Bill from INDC has a great post on strategy in winning the war against terror. He's right. Yes, you heard me, he's 100% right. It doesn't mean that my earlier post on Islam as the root ideology which we are fighting is wrong, but only that as a matter of strategy, it is irrelevant.

Muslims are not children. They are adults. As such, they understand that, as I stated in my previous post:

Alliances are relationsips based on mutual interests.

To think of an ally as a friend is to misunderstand the basis of a relationship. Indeed, much political theory has been devoted to arguing that nations cannot have friends, only allies. This is the core of most modern international relations theory, as I understand it, which is rooted in one branch or another of realism.

Neocons, in my view, are just another branch of realism which see the long term interests of the United States being tied to the state of freedom in other countries. So the term "ally" should be a term familiar to them.

Our alliances with any number of Muslim countries are based on our mutual interests. Where those interests end, so too does the alliance.

Thus, when I proclaimed that Islam is the root cause of oppression in the Muslim world, I did so with the understanding that Muslims are fully capable of forming alliances with those that diametrically oppose many of their notions of how societies ought to be governed.

The Soviets accepted our aid in WWII with the understanding that our two systems of government were incompatable, why not Muslims?

So, when Bill argues that Muslim help will be necessary to win the war on terror, I agree. Wholeheartedly. They will. But how is criticizing Islam a problem to that? Unless we assume that Muslims are children, unable to distinguish between friends and allies?

I have not ever called for a "subjegation strategy", nor would I. We need the help of Muslims to conquer our jihadi enemies. But they help us because they need our help in conquering their jihadi enemies.

Mutual enemies, mutual interests, mutual alliances.

As a strategy, Bill is 100% right. In fact, it seems to be the strategy endorsed by the Bush Pentagon, and I support it. What I can't endorse is the notion that criticizing Islam will cause alliances to fail. If the sticks and stones wielded by terrorists are aimed at both the U.S. and at Muslim governments, then why should words hurt an alliance?

If they do, then the entire realist paradigm--and the neo-com foreign policy-- is wrong. In which case the effort was not worth undertaking in the first place.

I'd also suggest reading this from Jeff Goldstein who also basically agrees with Bill, but has some rather insightful criticisms as well.

Why Port Security Matters, and Why Allies are not Friends

Many are now calling our objections to the UAE port deal "knee jerk", "Islamaphobic", a "red herring" or even "racist". I have friends making the argument, so I won't point them out specifically.

Since the last time I checked "Islam" was still not a "race", I will give no space to that silly argument other than to mention that there are millions of Christian Arabs scattered throughout the Middle East.

As for being "Islamaphobic", I'm not exactly sure how one decides which fears are objectively irrational and which fears are not. For my part, given a fairly large body of evidence, I do not believe it is irrational to scrutinize Muslims more closely than Mennonites and Buddhists. And while I'm sure any religion has its share of its fanatics, to claim that Islam has a disproportionate share of them isn't exactly a problematic in my view.

So, to the last objection: that fears over the announcement that a Dubai (UAE) based company would acquire certain ports in the U.S. were "knee jerk" reactions. This objection is related to the two mentioned above. I can draw no other conclusion than to think that such a statement is predicated on the assumption that the "knee jerk" reaction is based on Islamaphobia or hatred of Arabs. I believe I've addressed those two above, and if the reaction is not based on irrational Islamaphobia or racism against Arabs, then why is it "knee jerk"?

The fundamental problem with the White House arguments that the port sale should go through rest on a misperception of the nature of an ally.

Alliances are relationsips based on mutual interests.

To think of an ally as a friend is to misunderstand the basis of a relationship. Indeed, much political theory has been devoted to arguing that nations cannot have friends, only allies. This is the core of most modern international relations theory, as I understand it, which is rooted in one branch or another of realism.

Neocons, in my view, are just another branch of realism which see the long term interests of the United States being tied to the state of freedom in other countries. So the term "ally" should be a term familiar to them.

When the President and Secretary of Defense argue that the UAE has been one of our strongest supporters in the Global War on Terror, they are telling us a fact. I have no doubt that the UAE is even more that that, they are our greatest Arab ally against al Qaeda.

But the fact that the UAE shares common enemies with the U.S. against Iran, against Salafist insurgents in Iraq, and against the al Qaeda terror network is simply to state a truism: the UAE is our ally because they have mutual interests with us.

Where those interests end, so does the alliance.

It also begs the question as to exactly how many wars we are fighting? According to the Bush White House, we are no longer fighting a "war on terror", but are now fighting a "war on radical Islam".

Since all seven of the UAE emirites--even the most tolerant, Dubai--forbid Muslims converting to any other religion, that strikes me as fairly "radical". In fact, there are large Wahhabi populations in the UAE and an even much larger Salafist following. And since all seven UAE emirites base their law on sharia, they are all Islamist in orientation.

If it is Islamists that we are fighting in the "war on radical Islam", then how can the UAE be said to be a true "ally". Where there are mutual interests, they support us; where those interests diverge, they do not.

France is the poster child of an ally. The French do not generally hold America in high regards, and I believe it is safe to say the feeling is mutual. Yet, despite our mutual disrespect for one another, France remains one of our staunchest allies in the global war on terror. Hard to believe, I know, but it's true.

The reason France did not join us in Iraq has nothing to do with like or dislike of George Bush, has nothing to do with WMD (if you'll remember the French believed Saddam was developing WMD), and has everything to do with French perceptions of their own national interests. In Iraq the national interests of the U.S. and France diverged, hence France is not our ally there.

Perhaps a better example of the difference between an ally and a friend is that of the Soviet Union during WWII. Yes, the Soviets were our allies, but it would be foolish to think of them as friends. When the war ended our mutual interests diverged. We became enemies.

Is the UAE our ally? Yes. Definitely. But solidarity with the U.S. in the past in no evidence of continued solidarity in the future.

When we really begin to fight the war against "radical Islam", as the President already seems to believe we are doing, then that relationship will need to be re-examined.

As the American public is introduced to Islam as it is actually practiced, will we begin to demand that our Muslim allies live up to a universal code of human rights? Rights such as the freedom to enter and leave a religious faith at one's own choosing? Rights such as treating all citizens equally, regardless of religious persuassion? Rights such as freedom of speech? Rights such as the freedom to organize opposition to rulers?

Alliances change.

Last, let me address the notion that the whole port security thing is a "red herring"

Since 9/11, the danger to us being attacked has been severely minimized at airports. Sreeners are, in my estimation, mostly wasted money. Unless the target is blowing up an airplane--unlike 9/11--then terrorists probably won't use planes again.

Why? Because they're not stupid. They know that people on board the plane will not let them use it as a bomb. Thus, the probability that they will hijack planes for the purpose of turning it into a missile, are much lower today than prior to 9/11.

The "status quo effect" is when people use past phenomenon to judge the risk of future events. It is a risk aversion fallacy becaue we tend to overestimate the risk of events that have already occured (another 9/11 plane scenario) and underestimate scenarios that have never happned (nuclear bomb in NY Harbor).

The example of 9/11 clearly illustrates the "status quo effect". Prior to 9/11, airport security focused on screening for a) hijackers who had no intention of dying b) bombs set to blow up the plane. Because those two types of events had happened in the past, we misallocated resources to screen for them in the future.

However, because learning occurs, risks change over time. Risk estimation tends to be "sticky" because it is difficult to estimate the probability of an event occuring in the future which has never happened in the past.

It seems to me that we should be using our scarce resources to protect against terror events that have not yet occured, and therefore seem exploitable weaknesses to intelligent terrorists.

Further, risk is a notion based not only on probability of occurence, but also on the potential damage that can be done. Ports are much more risky now than airplanes because the damage that could be done by a nuclear bomb entering through our ports are much greater than even the awful damage of 9/11. The risk is high, even if the probability of occurence is low.

In sum, it seems highly rational that we would like to keep U.S. ports in the hands of not only our allies, but our friends.

Stand with Denmark, Rally at Danish Embassies

NY Times Putting Troops in Danger?

CBS finally exercising some editorial discretion. NY Times, though, seems to be passing on information that could be exploited by terrorists to kill our troops in Iraq.

Forced Abortions for Black People Proposed in Netherlands

I'm sure this won't ever become public policy, but it's scary to think that any one even considered forcing black people to have abortions in the Netherlands.

Muslim Ambassadors Threaten Denmark Months Ago

If this is diplomatic ship, then where is the Ambassador? Thinly veiled threats are still threats. Clinton Taylor in Townhall:

Nice civilization you got here. It’d be a shame if something happened to it.

That was the sinister subtext of a letter addressed to Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, asking him to “take all those responsible to task under law” for the infamous Mohammed cartoons. The letter is remarkable for when it was sent and for who sent it.

The letter was signed by the eleven ambassadors of Islamic or heavily-Islamic countries. Libya, Algeria, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, Palestine, Indonesia, Morocco, and Bosnia-Herzegovina complained about the Jyllands-Posten cartoons on October 12, long before the current round of protests....

Funny how these countries demanding that Denmark crack down on unpopular expression have so much trouble doing so themselves, even when things turn bloody, and even when they see it coming for three months. Not “funny-ha-ha”. The other kind. [Read the rest]

Virgin Mary South Park Cartoon Sparks Riots (Updated With Offensive Photos)

Updated: I've posted some photos of the Virgin Mary bleeding on the Pope below. I'd suggest not looking if you're Catholic and might be offended. Where are the Catholic riots, anyway? And do Catholics issue death fatwas when they get offended?
----------

Just kidding. No riots, but they did spark protests. You know, a letter writing campaign and a call for a boycott of the specific television station--not the country-- that produced South Park, the U.S.A.

I wonder if the television station showed the controversial Muhammed cartoons, one of the biggest stories of the past few weeks?

Townhall:

While the Mohammed cartoon controversy rages around the world, a television channel in New Zealand was under fire Wednesday for a decision to show an episode of the South Park comedy series featuring a menstruating statue of the Virgin Mary.

The episode, entitled "Bloody Mary," originally was scheduled to air in May, but after a religious row erupted, the network decided to move it up to Wednesday.

Better add Cartman to the cartoon below.

You can watch the entire episode of South Park here.

IO Error has more.

WTW Who’s The Enemy?

I’ve heard some talk lately about the “authoritarian cult”. That’s not referring to the death and destruction of Islam, but to our President and His supporters by our own beloved “Left” right here at home. It’s been said that a requirement of the Right is to blindly follow George W. Bush or for the Left to hate him. The terrorists share your hatred of Bush but lets face it after that they pretty much call America the Great Satan and then cite issues that may be considered traditional Democratic or Leftist issues as not compatible with Islam or outright crimes worthy of the death penalty. They include Women’s rights, civil Rights, Equal treatment based on religion, Humane Punishment and Gay rights. Must I go on! The list is endless when you think about it. We on the Right or moderates among us are not authoritarian at all. In fact we have been fighting for the left’s right to fight for their issues too. For instance see how the religion of peace stopped Gays from marching in Russia.

Here are your White Trash Wednesday bloggers

Russian Gays Blackmailed by Muslim Threats.

Timeblogs : Notice this is not al Qaeda. It is the official mainstream Muslim leadership… … context is vital. Bob cites an example of portraying Jesus with a crown of thorns made up of dynamite sticks, after an abortion clinic bombing. I'd say that's a perfectly legitimate comment after an act of violence performed in the name of a religious figure who preached non-violence. Many Christians would share the sentiments of the cartoonist... …The world has been terrorized for decades now by murderers who specifically cite Muhammad as their inspiration. It is completely legitimate speech to point that out. Not to point it out - to remain silent in the face of it - is an act of denial…As ACT-UP used to say, "Silence = Death.", which is why the Islamists want as much silence as possible.

Denmark I would expect it’s fair to say is a fairly moderate nation a, liberal democracy with a tolerance and respect for human rights. It’s now the test case to try and destroy freedom of the press. Let’s face it those cartoons were not all that offensive. They are satirical, reveal evil and provoke thought. Satirical Cartoons have been very basic method and tool of a free press for hundreds of years. The terrorists are using your own hate of George Bush to defeat you. They hate the JOOO‘s first, Bush Second, and that gets you, but three through 10 all call for a good portion of you to die. You mistakenly project onto us the anxiety from the pure denial that this is a real war. Not just some imaginary little blip that will pass and they are just misunderstood. Liberal free society is not the game that Islamic law plays. This is what they would like to take from our society and apply to the Middle East.

Hamas MP Anwar Zboun via Telegraph UK : For the new Hamas MP Anwar Zboun, 37, the fact that people queued without complaining showed the respect that British people have for the rights of others," he said. "Our society is chaotic and people do not recognize the rights of others (well at least he’s honest about that). If we can instill the respect that queuing requires, we can instill a moral basis here." His penchant for roundabouts is based on the same moral theory. "They only work if you let other people go first,"

Yes but what Hamas also wants Sharia Law. Top Muslim Clerics openly call for Sharia to be imposed everywhere! Well OK maybe not everywhere, just upon the entire face of the Earth. The recent coordinated Riots across most of the globe for cover and distraction from Iran’s defiance. Can it be mere coincidence that all this following shortly after Osama Bin Laden’s recent starting gun speech? Remember Islam allows that you can make nice and deceive the infidel for the purpose of his defeat. I don’t remember Hitler running on a platform of Rule the World, Burn London, Roast the JOOO’s either.

I’m not saying I want a person who believes war is wrong to go to be a soldier. This challenge must be met by all freedom loving nations. By satire, cartoon, opinion, free press, arguing, pleading, fighting, whatever you’ve got, we are at war and we are at war because war has been brought upon us. At some point you have to make a judgement where the real danger lies. I’ve made the judgement that he war has been brought to us and we must fight and fight to win. One by one the nations and good people of the world must come to the same conclusion.

I’ve heard talk of what the Democrats must do to get out of the rut. I’ve heard suggestions that they may have to return to the party of entitlements or new leaders, many suggestions. I say no! Look in your own heritage. Fight against those who hate freedom like you have in the past! Champion your traditional issues like freedom of religion, equality (Islam does not treat infidels equally), fair treatment of Labor, good working conditions, Fight Poverty, Do Infrastructure and civic planning etc, etc.

Many nations have been attacked, Communist, emerging democracies in Eastern Europe, Liberal democracies like Spain, France, Germany and Denmark. I implore you on the left. Look at what a stink you can raise over some number six buckshot and a bit of bad luck. Look at what was done under your leadership with Japan and the Nazi’s. The right is not authoritarian! We are for small government, low taxes, and fighting for freedom. See there we both love and have been willing to fight for freedom. We have that in common always or did. Do you still have it in you for one more fight for freedom? I hope you do, because I’m afraid were not being left with much choice.

What I just don’t get is how on earth Evan Bayh is trailing the rest of the Democratic Party’s list for 2008. Are you really that silly?

Indiana Senator Evan Bayh Via FNS: It's nice to have some bipartisan agreement on your show here this morning, Chris. Look, we need to do what it takes to protect this country, period. There have been some technological changes that have taken place over the last 30 years that means that we need to go about that a little bit different way, and this program is doing that.
But at the same time, I've seen no reason, as Lindsey pointed out, that we can't do what it takes to protect America while also safeguarding our civil liberties. If there are some practical problems, the administration needs to come to us and tell us what they are so we can work with them to address those.
But it is in the administration's best interest to ensure there is some neutral party overseeing this to make sure that it's done right. Otherwise, you're going to have a number of Americans out there who incorrectly think that J. Edgar Hoover has been brought back to life and that there could be abuses taking place. And we don't want people to have to think that,

Why do you push away the heritage of the Democratic Party for the nuts that cannot see that we need to win the war first? Play the role of opposition in a manner that is not counterproductive to the war effort. (Rusty would have said treasonous but I’m trying to be nice here.) Indiana, I’m jealous, you have a good conservative Midwestern common sense Democrat and I’m stuck with DICK. I saw a comment on this blog last night saying Midwesterners just don’t know any better. The commenter was buying into that Midwestern stereotype. Seems to me that you have abandoned common sense for some liberal pie in the sky “appease the enemy” thinking. Why is the heart of the Nation the only part left with any heart? Yes we may be less than cosmopolitan you could not drag me to NYC and I have no business being there. But when NYC is attacked that’s my countrymen and my country I must stand with them. So don’t come crying to the Midwest and other conservative states should we falter. We still have our balls and we are willing to risk them defending you. I’d rather be Midwestern white trash any day than work for the victory of our enemy. Like Evan Byah says, “We have to be smart”. Chris Wallace seems to think that was a shot at the right. Not to me it was a shot at his party and the New York Times. How do I know Evan is right about how Democrats feel in the Midwest? In the mid-west, the nation means a hell of a lot more to us than party. That’s a fact and I know because I talk to sensible Democrats every day.

A word of warning to the enemy, If they live up to their past, they will drag their asses just as long as possible. Then at the very last second, when they finally get really mad and snap out of it. Then we will all kick your ass nine ways to Sunday. You may want to think about just how liberally nasty these liberals can get once they judge that you are trying to take away their right to be a flaming liberal!

Not to disappoint WTW readers here is a poem: H/T Aussie keeper of the Crimson love monkey.

Illegal Immigrants Poem

I cross ocean, poor and broke,
Take bus, see employment folk.

Nice man treat me good in there,
Say I need to see welfare.

Welfare say, "You come no more,
We send cash right to your door."

Welfare checks, they make you wealthy,
Medicaid it keep you healthy!

By and by, I got plenty money,
Thanks to you, American dummy.

Write to friends in motherland,
Tell them 'come fast as you can.'

They come in turbans and Ford trucks,
I buy big house with welfare bucks

They come here, we live together,
More welfare checks, it gets better!

Fourteen families, they moving in,
But neighbor's patience wearing thin.

Finally, white guy moves away,
Now I buy his house, and then I say,

“Find more aliens for house to rent."
And in the yard I put a tent.

Send for family they just trash,
But they, too, draw the welfare cash!

Everything is very good,
And soon we own the neighborhood.

We have hobby it's called breeding,
Welfare pay for baby feeding.

Kids need dentist? Wife need pills?
We get free! We got no bills!

American crazy! He pay all year,
To keep welfare running here.

We think America darn good place!
Too darn good for the white man race.

If they no like us, they can scram,
Got lots of room in Pakistan.

Also I think I found what Greg’s baby pictures would have looked like had he been a girl.Sorry so long I had time for one post and that was it. Hacked out most of this post over the weekend. I'm not sure you can call my ranting writing so "hacked out" is appropriate.

Also this little diddy Hat Tip Memphis761:

Three strangers strike up a conversation in the airport passenger lounge in Bozeman, Montana, awaiting their flights.

One is an American Indian passing through from Lame Deer. Another is a Cowboy on his way to Billings for a livestock show,
and the third is a fundamentalist Arab student, newly arrived at Montana State University from the Middle East.

Their discussion drifts to their diverse cultures. Soon, the two Westerners learn that the Arab is a devout, radical Muslim, and the conversation falls into an uneasy lull.

The cowboy leans back in his chair, crosses his boots on a magazine table, and tips his big sweat-stained hat forward over his face. The wind outside is blowing tumbleweeds around,
and the old windsock is flapping, but still no plane comes.

Finally, the American Indian clears his throat and softly, he speaks, "At one time here, my people were many, but sadly, now we are few."

The Muslim student raises an eyebrow and leans forward, "Once my people were few," he sneers, "and now we are many. Why do you suppose that is?"

The Montana cowboy shifts his toothpick to one side of his mouth, and from the darkness, beneath his Stetson, says in a drawl,

"That's 'cause we ain't played Cowboys and Muslims yet, but I do believe it's a-comin'."

UAE Port Deal Argument A Red Herring

The squabble over whether or not to allow a United Arab Emirates company control over shipping operations at six major US seaports is a red herring. The real issue is the shameful state of port security, part of an overall slackening of security measures.

Following 9/11 a wave of public outrage forced the formation of the Transportation Security Administration to replace private security firms at the nation's airports. The plan then was for the TSA to live up to the ""transportation" part of its title and eventually take over security at seaports, railroad stations, bus stations...everywhere that mass transit operated.

But the TSA hit a funding wall and was forced to lay off thousands of screeners. While the screener forces at the large, high-profile airports increased, the Federal Security Directors (FSDs) at smaller airports lost manpower. The inexperience of many FSDs and their command staffs has led to extremely high turnover rates, further aggravating the manpower shortage. Many Federal screeners are now part-timers.

The fact is that many airports don't have enough screeners to provide adequate security. Some regional airport checkpoints are run with as few as five screeners. That means that the screeners aren't allowed breaks or lunch. If one of them needs to use the can, the checkpoint must be shut down while he or she is gone.

So the plan (and there were colorful brochures and everything) for TSA to take over port security was abandoned, and we currently check perhaps 2 percent of containers entering the US on a good day. Port security reverted to already overstretched outfits; the Coast Guard and Customs Service.

The bottom line is that Islamist terrorists don't really need help from a middle eastern company to penetrate security at our ports.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Terrorists Blow up Shiite Shrine in Iraq

Tragic. Many Sunni terrorists have declared all Shia apostates--the penalty for apostasy under traditional Islam is death--thus justifying their acts of terror.

NY Times:

Insurgents dressed as police commandos detonated powerful explosives on Wednesday morning inside one of Shiite Islam’s most sacred shrines, destroying most of the building, located in the volatile town of Samarra, and prompting thousands of Shiites to flood into streets across the country in protest.

The golden-domed shrine housed the tombs of two revered leaders of Shiite Islam and symbolized the place where the Imam Mahdi, a mythical, messianic figure, disappeared from this earth. Believers in the imam say he will return when the apocalypse is near, to cleanse the world of its evils.

Hitchens Looking for a Few Good Folks to Stand With the Danes (UPDATED)

Christopher Hitchens at Slate is a favorite read of mine, though I often disagree with him. Hitchens is looking for people to join him in standing in solidarity with the Danes:

I feel terrible that I have taken so long to get around to this, but I wonder if anyone might feel like joining me in gathering outside the Danish Embassy in Washington, in a quiet and composed manner, to affirm some elementary friendship. Those who like the idea might contact me at christopher.hitchens@yahoo.com, and those who live in other cities with Danish consulates might wish to initiate a stand for decency on their own account.

I'm going to drop him a note to see when he's planning this. Sounds like it's worth a road trip.

UPDATE:
Hitchens has updated his post with the details:

Update, Feb. 22: Thank you all who've written. Please be outside the Embassy of Denmark, 3200 Whitehaven Street (off Massachusetts Avenue) between noon and 1 p.m. this Friday, Feb. 24. Quietness and calm are the necessities, plus cheerful conversation. Danish flags are good, or posters reading "Stand By Denmark" and any variation on this theme (such as "Buy Carlsberg/ Havarti/ Lego") The response has been astonishing and I know that the Danes are appreciative. But they are an embassy and thus do not of course endorse or comment on any demonstration. Let us hope, however, to set a precedent for other cities and countries. Please pass on this message to friends and colleagues.

That's too short a trigger for me to attend, as I had hoped, but if you're in the area...

Via Michelle Malkin.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 21, 2006

Sitemeter Woes

Am I the only one having problems with Sitemeter? It's not showing up on my webpages.

Hot Muslim Singer Gets Death Threats

Why? Because she's hot. She also openly criticizes Islamic countries for thier treatment of women. She's also hot. Did I mention that she was hot?

Now this is the kind of Muslim that I could really get into!

Via Mac Powell at ITB this from Contact Music:

Muslim pop star DEEYAH is facing death threats because her raunchy new music video sees her strip off a burka (burqa) to reveal her bikini-clad body.

Deeyah claims the video for WHAT WILL IT BE? deals with Muslim women’s rights and female empowerment as it also features Muslim women who have fought for freedom of expression.

That's how you fight Islamic fascism--by taking off your clothes!!! Who am I to argue with that?

At first glance it's just another pop video, but take a closer look. There are not so subtle visual references to Ayaan Hirsi Ali's movie Submission.

From her My Space website:

"Because of her bold stance on Muslim women's rights, Deeyah has received more death threats than 50 Cent", says one UK journalist. "Despite the continuous abuse and death threats, Deeyah remains defiant against prejudice and discrimination on all levels--especially towards women.

You can watch the video that caused the death threats here.

And just because we know this will piss some people off, below are a few images of Deeyah. All of them are from the controversial video, except the last one. I just like that one for some reason.

Ghost of a Flea has more.

Great Moments in Black Muslim History

You have got to see this video made by Bryan Preston and Michelle Malkin. The two of them went down to the Danish embassy to film the New Black Panther Party's Malik Zulu Shabazz leading a demonstration over the Muhammed cartoons. Let's just say it's funny, and leave it at that.

Notice, though, his problem with geography? This goes way back. For instance:

They [the J-O-Os] have stolen land from the Palestinians, killing and murdering the Palestinians on that land….In truth, the land belongs to the African, who was pushed out of Palestine, Egypt and Northern Africa."

Incidentally I once had a conversation with a guy in the Nation of Islam who was convinced Israel was in Africa. I happened to have a map on me and broke it out. As far as I know, that guy still believes that Rand-McNally was paid off by the Zionists.

Below: Everything you ever wanted to know about Malik Zulu Shabazz, from the

ADL:

Shabazz, born Paris Lewis in Los Angeles, was Muhammad's obvious successor. He was Muhammad's closest advisor and, as an attorney, had helped Muhammad organize and lead the group. Like Muhammad, his long record of extremist speech could be traced to the NOI, though Shabazz's rise as an activist took place while he attended Howard University. In 1988 he founded Unity Nation, a Howard group of NOI supporters. As leader, Shabazz lashed out at Jews and whites in an ostensible effort to promote black pride and consciousness.

Early in 1994, three months after Muhammad lost his title as National Spokesperson of the NOI, Shabazz, by then a second-year Howard law student, invited him to lecture at Unity Nation. "We want to show love for a man who has been vilified and attacked by the media, Jewish community, Congress and the Congressional Black Caucus," Shabazz said. At the event, he warmed-up for Muhammad by leading the audience in an anti-Semitic call-and-response. He asked, "Who is it that caught and killed Nat Turner?" The audience responded, "Jews!" He then asked, "Who is that controls the Federal Reserve? Again the audience responded with, "Jews!" Shabazz: "Who is it that controls the media and Hollywood?" Audience: "Jews! Jews!"

Afterward, Shabazz refused to apologize for his remarks, and later told an interviewer, "I sympathize with the suffering of all people, but stop pushing your Holocaust down my throat when the Black Holocaust is the worst holocaust black humanity has ever seen."

On October 14-15, 1995, as a prelude to NOI's Million Man March the next day, Unity Nation held the "African Black Holocaust and Nationhood Conference." The event, keynoted by several pro-Farrakhan speakers, was geared toward a young audience and held at two Washington, D.C. high schools. Approximately 600 people attended the first day's session at McKinley Tech High School in Northeast Washington, and between 1,200 and 2,000 were present the next day at Coolidge High School in the Northwest part of the city.

Many of the participants at the event who had expressed support for Farrakhan had a history of anti-Semitic remarks, including Professor Leonard Jeffries of New York's City College and Steve Cokely, a former Chicago mayoral aide who was best known for accusing Jewish doctors of injecting black children with the AIDS virus. Shabazz introduced Khallid Muhammad by saying:

"We want to bring on the former national spokesman for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan…We want to bring on a man who gives the white man nightmares. We want to bring on a man who makes the Jews pee in their pants at night… My big brother, Dr. Khallid Muhammad!"

Although Million Man March co-organizer Benjamin Chavis disavowed any connection between the march and the Black Holocaust Conference, Shabazz insisted that his gathering was "right in line and in tune with the Million Man March leadership." Still, the bigotry of the conference contrasted sharply with the broad-based Million Man March, which was intended to expand Farrakhan's influence beyond his traditional constituency.

Over the next few years, Shabazz continued to work closely with Muhammad, arranging many of his speaking engagements. By 1998, when Muhammad had assumed NBPP leadership, Shabazz's role was to take the group's - and Muhammad's - militant message to the mainstream media. On September 2, 1998, as legal counsel and National Youth Director of the Million Youth March, Shabazz appeared on New York One, a local news station in New York. When asked what he had against Jews, Shabazz answered, "What we have against Jews and others is [sic] simple facts of history: that the Jews have been involved in the African holocaust and that the Zionists are causing problems, you know, for people of color around the world." His evidence? "The State of Israel. The Zionist entity there. It's a problem, it's a problem for our brothers and sisters in that particular area. And it's causing problems all over the earth."
The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews

Shabazz also championed the discredited notion that Jews were "significantly and substantially involved" in the African slave trade. He claimed that Jews owned ships, financed "slave endeavors" and held plantations in South America. As his source he cited the NOI's The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews, which argues that the history of slavery in the New World was dominated by Jewish ship owners and merchants. He also called the Talmud racist, citing alleged passages demeaning to Blacks, and saying, "your own holy book is a racist book."

Prior to the Million Youth March, Shabazz charged that then Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was "doing the bidding of the Jewish community" in refusing to initially grant a permit for the march. During the march, Shabazz acted as the emcee, telling the crowd, "I don't care what the Jews say. You [crowd] are the only people that have been in bondage for over 400 years. You are the true chosen people of God, and it is not the so-called Jew."

In 2000, Shabazz, now both the Panthers' National Spokesman and National Minister of Justice, opened a chapter in Washington, D.C., that would become the group's headquarters. Soon after, he introduced his chapter to the D.C. community by organizing a boycott of a local Korean-American owned store after a dispute between the store owner and a black teenage girl led to a fight, which was caught on video tape. The NBPP organized a week of protests on the sidewalk in front of the store, and protestors, borrowing the language of anti-Semitic slander, chanted "death to the Bloodsucker." On November 30, 2000, a pipe bomb was thrown into the store, causing severe damage. Painted across the outside wall were racial epithets and the words, "Burn them down, Shut them down, Black Power." Shabazz said his group had nothing to do with the attack.

Muhammad died the following year; Shabazz, who could not match his mentor's oratorical intensity, compensated by quickly organizing protests across the country to capitalize on media attention. Like Muhammad, he focused on black communities dealing with high-profile racial issues. In April 2001, after days of rioting in Cincinnati in response to the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager by police, NBPP members traveled to the city to eulogize him. Shabazz, flanked by several associates, urged the crowd to "continue to resist by any divine means necessary." Later in the month, Shabazz led a NBPP rally outside of former President Bill Clinton's Harlem office. "We will not allow some cracker named Bill Clinton to set the stage and the pace to drive black people out of Harlem," shouted Shabazz. "We are here to deal with a serious problem called gentrification. Gentrification to us means genocide."

Shabazz and his followers' brand of activism seemed to consist of nothing more than creating enough tension to generate media attention. Members would show up in a community to protest, leading locals to believe the group had a serious social agenda, only to disappear. Many demonstrations lacked a practical agenda altogether. On September 1, 2001, for instance, approximately twenty members of the NBPP demonstrated in front of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum entrance and handed out leaflets stating, "There will be no peace at the Jewish Holocaust Museum and the Department of the Treasury until blacks in America receive full and complete reparations!"

In addition to planning demonstrations, Shabazz helped develop internal guidelines for organizing the group's internal structure. Shabazz published the "Official National NBPP Black Power Manual," which outlines expectations for chapters and members. The manual includes a 10-point program and platform, which, among other things, advocates for full employment, decent housing, education and tax exemption. According to the manual, the "wicked racist" U.S. government has "robbed" black people and they should be exempt from all taxation "as long as we are deprived of equal justice under the laws of the land."

The platform also calls for all black men and women to be exempt from military service and for an end to police brutality, and it promotes the notion that black people and people of color "should be released from the many jails and prisons because they have not received a fair and impartial trail." It also describes membership requirements like dress codes and encourages members to "purchase a weapon" and learn how to operate it. In addition to calls for better conditions for the nation's black population, the manual states that members should not allow themselves to be "questioned by the police about party business or any 'crime.'"
Targeting Israel

The September 11 terrorist attacks provided Shabazz and the NBPP with an opportunity to exploit the fear and anger that the attacks caused in the United States and to further spread anti-Jewish conspiracy theories. On October 31, 2001, Shabazz co-sponsored a three-hour meeting with "Muslims for Truth and Justice" (an apparent ad hoc coalition of several American Muslim organizations) at the National Press Club. During the meeting, which was broadcast on C-SPAN, Shabazz blamed Jews for the attacks and called the United States and Israel, "The number one and two terrorists right now on the planet." Shabazz then added, "Zionism is racism, Zionism is terrorism, Zionism is colonialism, Zionism is Imperialism, and support for Zionism is the root of why so many were killed on September 11."

"We have to make it plain," Shabazz continued, "that Zionists control America, lock, stock and barrel. The European Jews have America under control, lock, stock, and barrel, the media, foreign policy." Amir Muhammad, an officer with the NBPP, reiterated Shabazz's remarks: "There are reports that as many as 3,000 to 5,000 so-called Jews did not go to work [at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon] that day, and we need to take a serious look at that."

Imam Mohammed al-Asi, a member of "Muslims for Truth and Justice" who claims association with the Islamic Center of Washington, D.C., echoed Shabazz's statements at the meeting: "The twin evils in this world are the decision makers in Washington and the decision makers in Tel Aviv." Al-Asi also accused Israel of carrying out the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center. He said Israeli officials decided to launch the attack after the United States refused their request to put down the Intifada.

The NBPP also launched a Web site that primarily focused on Israel. It included a photo of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and President Bush superimposed on a swastika. The text above the picture read: "Israel and AmeriKKKa = The Fourth Reich." The caption stated: "Down with the illegal, Bastard, Oppressive, Zionist, Racist, Cracker, Nazi state of Israel. FREE PALESTINE - FREE THE LAND - FREEDOM AND SELF DETERMINATION!" Much of the site remained under construction and was eventually abandoned.

In an on-line interview in January 2002, Shabazz was asked if he thought America should stop supporting Israel. "There is no moral reason why America should support the colonial and imperial state of Israel," Shabazz answered. "They have stolen land from the Palestinians, killing and murdering the Palestinians on that land….In truth, the land belongs to the African, who was pushed out of Palestine, Egypt and Northern Africa."
Shabazz led chants of "death to Israel," "the white man is the devil," and "Jihad." He also said, "Kill every goddamn Zionist in Israel! Goddamn little babies, goddamn old ladies! Blow up Zionist supermarkets!"

Shabazz spoke more boldly during an April 20, 2002, NBPP demonstration in front of the B'nai B'rith building in Washington, D.C. Protestors held large posters that read: "The American Israeli White Man is the Devil" and "The State of Israel Has No Right to Exist." Shabazz led chants of "death to Israel," "the white man is the devil," and "Jihad." He also said, "Kill every goddamn Zionist in Israel! Goddamn little babies, goddamn old ladies! Blow up Zionist supermarkets!"

Shabazz's entirely race-driven concept of social justice led him, on July 18, 2002, to the courthouse for the U.S. Eastern District Court of Virginia. Following the pre-trial hearing of Zacarias Moussaoui, a French Moroccan indicted for conspiring with Osama bin Laden in the September 11 attacks, Shabazz convened a press conference to announce his interest in aiding Moussaoui's defense. A message on the NBPP Web site stated:

The New Black Panther Party has determined that Zacarias Moussaoui is a Black Man, an African. Thereby drawing the interest of the New Black Panther Party who's [sic] Ten Point Platform insists on a fair trial for Black defendants. The New Black Panther Party will certainly conduct trial advocacy and monitoring to ensure that Zacarias is not being railroded [sic] for the failings of others to prevent the catastrophic events of September 11,th"

Metrospy T-shirt Maker Threatened With Death.

Not just production manager Johnathan Alexander, his family too. Sample statements below are of the type that Jawa readers, unfortunately, are quite familiar with. Metrospy is offering a T-shirt with cartoon of Muhammad depicted with a bomb as a turban. Personally I like this cartoon the most.

Metrospy Website : Scores of liberals and hundreds of Islamo-fascists have written in to tell me that I should respect ALL religions. Most of the comments are pretty funny to people who know me. Some of the comments further confirm what I've always thought about the so-called "religion of peace"...there is nothing peaceful about it

More samples here at YahooNews.

In one email the person writes, “We kill you and burn your shop. I am Muslim with forces in the U.S.A.”... ...Another email claims to be from the terrorist group Al Qaeda. It reads, “You only have 5 days and your company will disappear. I promise!” The email is signed, Saalem Al Qahtani, Al Qaeda... ...One of the more disturbing messages simply says, “In two days we kill your family."

Kill the family? How nice and peaceful.

Others : Thisblogisfullofcrap.

Show Your Face, You Coward

AP photo of Wassim I. Mazloum, on of the 3 Ohio conspirators.

Yeah, they talk a big game. But when an Islamotard* gets busted, he's too chicken to show his ugly face to the world.

*The true definition of an Islamotard is one who fails in his quest to martyr him or herself, and ends up in jail instead. Think Richard Reid, the shoe bomber guy.

U.S. Troops Terrorizing Iraqi Civilians, Kids, Dogs (images)

More evidence of America's barbarity in Iraq. Clearly the Iraqi people have had enough of Americans abusing and humiliating them as can be seen in thes photos!

We've known for a long time that American soldiers love to abuse Iraqi men, women, and children. We've know for a long time that American female soldiers have nothing better to do with their time than humiliate Iraqi men. But it seems that their depravity has reached new lows when we find them abusing dogs in Iraq--an Iraqi puppy blender if you will.

Here are some images taken in August of 2005 by female G.I. who goes by the nickname of Parabellum. Where is the MSM and why isn't this frontpage news for the New York Times?

Because of the hypocrisy.

Terrorists Using Sheep IED in Iraq (video, images)

Terrorists in Iraq have introduced their latest IED innovation: the sheep bomb. Yes, the terrorists are using unwilling and unsuspecting sheep to try and kill the infidels. Will PETA now condemn the Iraqi insurgency?

Here are a few of images from a video from the Jaish al-Fatiheen, a terrorist group in Iraq, as grabbed by Doubletap. The first two show the IED being placed in the sheep. The third allegedly shows the explosion.

Will provide video link on request.

Bush to Veto UAE Port Legislation

Wow. And all this time I thought it was some Rovian plot just to make Bush look like a dumbass.

Unless there is some secret backroom deal going on here (eg, Dubai insists port deal must go through or kick U.S. bases out of UAE) then it looks like the White House has the ABC Afterschool Special view of Islam: it's wrong to discriminate based on religion, mmmmmkay.

Ohio Men Indicted on Terrorism Charges

(Toledo, Ohio) Three Toledoans have been indicted on charges of planning attacks to try to kill U.S. military personnel and coalition forces in Iraq.

From FoxToledo.com:

Mohammad Zaki Amawi, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, and Wassim I. Mazloum are accused of conspiring to kill or maim persons in and out of the United States, including U.S. Forces personnel. The Federal indictment obtained by Fox Toledo News Tuesday morning says the three were also solicting funding for jihad training, including government grants and private sponsorship.

The accused had travelled to the mid East to establish training facilities for terrorist activities, among other charges.

More ...

[Update 1330 EST]

The three men were apprehended over the weekend.

From Cleveland.com:

The indictment - unsealed today in Toledo - lays out details of a conspiracy that purportedly began in November of 2004 when Amawi and Mazloum met with a third person to discuss violent jihad training.

According to the indictment, the men later trained with weapons at a Toledo firing range, downloaded videos on how to put together suicide bomb vests and talked about shipping chemical explosives for bombs to the Middle East.

In addition, the indictment says some of the men were learning how to make Improvised Explosive Devices - IEDs - out of common household items and at least one hoped to fund their training and attacks by opening a non-profit foundation.

In the end, Amawi and another unidentified person from the Toledo area went to Jordan last year and tried to enter Iraq to join the insurgents in their fight against U.S. and allied forces, but they failed, the indictment said. It's unclear what stopped them.

Amawi has dual citizenship of Jordan and the U.S. Marwan Othman El-Hindi is a U.S. citizen born in Jordan and Wassim I. Mazloum came to the U.S. from Lebanon in 2000.

In a possibly related action, federal agents on Sunday also raided the offices of a non-profit Muslin charity called Kindhearts for allegedly providing support to Hamas. It's presently not clear whether the arrests of Amawi, El-Hindi, and Mazloum are linked to Kindhearts.

From Interested-Participant.

UPDATE: Commentary by Rusty: Dare no one call this what it is, TREASON?

Holocaust Denial Lunacy

I disagree with Sigmund, Carl, and Alfred. Denying the Holocaust is lunacy, but it should not be a crime. If one were to put people in jail for denying the 'truth', our jails would be full of Elvis spotters. Just because the truth that they deny is so disgusting and evil, does not give government the right to outlaw the telling of lies.

Besides, what government do you trust enough to decide the difference between 'opinion' and 'truth'?

Update: More from Wretchard:

But laws establishing "official truth" create categories of the Unmentionable into which subjects like the Jihad, feminism, abortion and Global Warming -- all the assertions, half-truths and humbug of the world -- will presently seek refuge.

Al Qaeda Looking For White "Sleepers"

The trial of an Australian renegade named Joseph Thomas, who is accused of working with Al Qaeda terrorists in Pakistan, may have revealed that Osama bin Laden is trying to recruit Caucasians.

From UPI:

Western intelligence services are increasingly nervous about al-Qaida attempts to recruit white men and women, as they can more easily pass in Western society.

Australia's Herald Sun reported that an ongoing court case in Melbourne uncovered an al-Qaida attempt to recruit Caucasian "sleeper agents."

Australian defendant Joseph Thomas told his police interrogators that Khalid bin Attash, an associate of Osama bin Laden, said that bin Laden was interested in having "an Aussie ... a white boy," according to testimony in Melbourne's Supreme Court.

Prosecutor Nick Robinson alleged that Thomas's conversations with bin Attash occurred in Pakistan, where Thomas was staying at an al-Qaida safe house after training at the group's al-Farooq camp in Afghanistan during 2001.

Presumably, the Caucasians would be mercenaries. Anyone care to bet that there aren't plenty of whites willing to help out AQ for enough green?

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Is Islamic Law Uncivilized?

No. And by no, I mean yes.

Are Danish Lutherans Christian?

وَمَنْ هُوَ الْكَذَّابُ؟ إِنَّهُ الَّذِي يُنْكِرُ أَنَّ
يَسُوعَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ حَقّاً. إِنَّهُ ضِدٌّ لِلْمَسِيحِ يُنْكِرُ الآبَ وَالابْنَ مَعا

Zaman:

A delegation of bishops and religious men from the Danish Lutheran Church made contacts in Egypt following the worldwide uproar against the offending cartoons of Prophet Mohammed published in a Danish newspaper....

Steen Skovsgaard, a bishop in the delegation, told Zaman that the cartoons are entirely for provocation. Skovsgard, stressing Muslims and Christians live together in peace, said Danes separated after the events and the majority disapproved the cartoons. He said the freedom of speech did not include humiliation and insult and Muslims can seek remedy through the courts as Denmark is a state of law. Skovsgard, underlining that the crisis is the beginning of a new dialogue rather than a partition, said their tickets were bought by the Danish Foreign Ministry though it was not an official visit.

Via Charles Johnson.

UPDATE: Sweden too? I mean, you'd expect this from the Saudis, but not the Swedes.

Pssst: the above Arabic is translated as: Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

I'm not exactly a Christian myself (in the traditional sense), but shouldn't Christians be assaulting Muhammed for denying that Jesus was the Messiah?

Skynet and T-1000 Coming Soon

More robots in the war-zone. Hasta la vista, terrorists.

Another Muslim Country Soon to be Jew Free

Muslims love to tell you how tolerant they are. What they don't love to tell you is the story of how the entire Muslim world has become nearly Jew free. In 1948 there were approximately 1,000,000 Jews living in the Arab countries. By 2001 there were less than 19,000. Contrast that the 'little Satan', Israel, which is nearly 20% Arab.

The sad thing about this story of the last Jewish Synagogue in Tajikistan is that there are probably so few Jews left that it really isn't needed. Registan:

The last remaining synagogue in Tajikistan is being torn down. The Jewish center and surrounding neighborhood have been threatened with demolition for years, but interventions by the US and Israeli embassies and Jewish religious authorities in Tashkent brought previous assurances that the synagogue would either be saved or fairly compensated. The demolition is scheduled as part of a huge presidential palace complex being built in the center of town. Without written warning or any legal notification, the water and phones were cut on 7 February, and the bulldozers came in this week. The building is still standing but half of the property, including the mikveh (ritual bath), classroom space, and the kosher butchery, are demolished. The road to the synagogue is gone and people must now walk over mud and demolition waste to get to the entrance, the courtyard has been turned into storage space for the demolition work, all by order (or with the blessing of) city authorities.

Rabbi Abdurakhmonov, the community’s leader, says he has been threatened by government officials for raising his voice.

There are photos here. Hat tip HNN.

No, I'm not a Conservative

No, I'm not a conservative and neither is Glenn Reynolds. I'm a neo-libertarian. It's kind of like being a conservative, only we dig the notion of legal pimps and hoes. And it's kind of like being a libertarian, only we really dig our military. Is that clear?

UPDATE: Neither is Stephen Green. And a response for the poli sci geeks who secretly dwell among us.

UPDATE II: More political science geekiness, but true.

When I teach ideology to my intro class I always first introduce them to the normal left-right graphic. Something like this:

I then tell them how the above is only a model to help us understand people's political beliefs and that the model is too simplistic. I then build a much more elaborate model and use an x-y graph to illustrate (excuse the bad screen cap from a lame slideshow). The x axis is support of economic intervention by government. The y axis is support of social intervention by the government.

Click to zoom.

No model is perfect, but some are better than others.

Give the Ports to the Danish

Forget the Arab companies trying to take over American ports. Give them to the Danes! Heh.

And while we're thinking about Arab companies running U.S. ports, why not take this poll which asks what other government functions should be taken over by Muslims. Preview: Turn over U.S. nuclear plant security to a council of filthy Iranian mullahs.

Did Russia Help Hide Saddam's WMD?

I'm not quite convinced--no, more than that, I'm highly skeptical--but that is one of the allegations made over the weekend at the Intelligence Summit. It looks like ABC News misled the nation when they claimed that the 12 hours of tape aired at the Intelligence Summit revealed no Saddam-WMD connection. However, as we have noted before, the Summit was not organized by the most reputable people in the world.

Renew America via Rocketsbraintrust:

The chief mischief-maker on the Russian side apparently was General Yevgeny Primakov, who headed the Soviet foreign intelligence service in 1990, served as Russia's minister of foreign affairs in 1996, and as prime minister in 1998. You may remember him as the post-Cold War general who was given to outrageous and threatening outbursts.

Despite Iraq's 8 billion dollar debt to Russia, Primakov convinced the Russian government to invest anew in rebuilding Iraqi military forces after Saddam's humiliating defeat in the Gulf War. "Secret agreements, signed between Iraqi intelligence and the Russian GRU, provided for clean-up operations to be conducted by Russian and Iraqi military personnel — to remove WMDs, materials for production, technical documentation, etc., from Iraq, so that the regime could announce that Iraq was 'WMD free.'"

Part of the plan — specifically dealing with chemical weapons — was described by a Romanian intelligence official now living in protective custody after briefing U.S. intelligence for three years. The Russians specified that all chemical/bio weapons were to be burned or buried at sea in the event of potential capture. Just before war against Iraq by the allied coalition, two Russian ships set sail for the Indian Ocean. Shaw says it's not known whether they then headed for Syria or were destroyed. The point is they were out of Iraq and out of the reach of any invasion force.

Karaoke Without Liquor

(Hanoi, Vietnam) Over 10,000 karaoke bars in the country, some catering to drug usage and prostitution, are being blamed for 'social evils' by the Vietnamese government. As a result, the communist hierarchy has decreed that alcohol is prohibited at the bars and they must close at midnight.

The logic eludes me. Banning alcohol doesn't necessarily mean there will be less drug usage and less prostitution. In fact, banning alcohol would more likely lead to increased drug usage, especially if someone, without a couple of bracers, anticipated being handed a microphone and asked to belt out a believable rendition of "Buttons and Bows."

From Interested-Participant.

Early Morning E-Mail

I'm up at 0500 every morning. My routine is simple and involves checking e-mail not too long after waking up. I especially enjoy e-mails that have originated from readers of Conservative Thinking.

However, sometimes I have to shake my head and laugh. One e-mail I received this morning was simple and to the point from an obviously unhinged liberal:

From: EdPeff@aol.com
Sent: Mon 02/20/2006 9:38 PM
Subject: Communique from Conservative Thinking

URGENT
DICK CHENEY IS A TRATIOR

My reply:

What's a TRATIOR?

I love being a Conservative.

Originally Posted at

Ahahahahaha

He thinks the Omaha World Herald is right leaning?

Does he read the bylines?

New York Times

Washington Post

AP

Does he read the editorial page?

Don't think so!

Oh wait, he's a leftist. All those listed above are objective news sources.

Well, so is this blog. We have no biases whatsoever. We link to MSM sources all the time in the interest of "balance."

THIS is hilarious:

With such twisted and dishonest reporting on display, it then comes as little surprise when Andersen stoops to that most familiar of refrains used by Republicans to excuse their representatives' most heinous and indecent crimes - making reference to the sad and unfortunate, almost 40-years-old Chappaquiddick incident and thinking themselves clever for doing so. It's a pathetic fallback position that reveals just how low their sort is willing to drag a debate before ever taking the slightest bit of responsibility for their own failings.

Hahahaha...an accident is now a heinous and indecent crime whereas Chappaquiddick was just an incident

Mr. Whittington is available for comment.

Mary Jo Kopechne isn't.

I really should let this fade into the mists of obscurity, but I just wanted to show that we have this in red states too.

February 20, 2006

Conference Call on the Able Danger Hearings With Attorney Mark Zaid

This evening I participated in a conference call about the Able Danger hearings with Mark Zaid, attorney for Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer and other Able Danger figures, with several other bloggers. The call was organized by Mike Kasper of the Able Danger Blog.

The bloggers were:

Ed Morrissey of Captain's Quarters
AJ Strata of The Strata-Sphere
Mark Coffey of Decision '08
QT Monster's Place
Pierre of The Pink Flamingo Bar & Grill
Rory O'Connor
Moi, representing The Dread Pundit Bluto , The Jawa Report, and Vince Aut Morire.

Each blogger will undoubtedly be posting about the call.

Mr. Zaid was quite forthcoming, but unfortunately, more questions were raised than answered, and I got the impression that the hearings are a pro forma exercise that will probably shed little light on the Able Danger program. He described the conduct of the hearings as "very disconcerting" and said that the Representatives involved displayed "very superficial knowledge" of the Able Danger saga.

Unaswered questions raised by Mr. Zaid:

Who was the Orion subcontractor who supplied the photo of Mohammed Atta?

Why did Zelikow testify before a closed session when he wasn't supposed to be discussing anything classified?

Who ordered armed Federal agents to raid Orion and confiscate non-classified materials related to Able Danger?

Why did Jamie Gorelick say that she had done nothing wrong, when no one had accused of doing anything wrong?

The biggest question I have is this: why isn't the mainstream media all over this story? It stinks to high heaven of coverup. NBC can provide nightly coverage of the Katrina aftermath for five months, but a story that has profound implications for national security doesn't rate thirty seconds?

Mr. Zaid was very diplomatic when I asked him about the lack of media attention, praising Fox News, the New York Times and Chris Matthews of MSNBC, but the fact is that a story isn't real to most of America until they hear it on the network news.

I'll have more on this later. In the meantime, you could do worse than write your Representatives to demand a real investigation, and maybe stop by the Able Danger Blog to make a donation to Colonel Shaffer's legal fund.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Scandinavians Condemn Death Fatwa as "un-Islamic"

Islam means submission, not peace. To the Islamist, to kill someone for breaking Islamic law is not murder, it is carrying out the death penalty. So, it's always great to see that Christians and atheists seem to know Islam better than Muslims who have been practicing the tradition of imposing the death penalty on blasphemers and apostates since Muhammed's time.

Khaleej Times:

Denmark and Norway on Monday condemned as incitement to murder a Pakistani cleric’s offer of a reward to anyone who kills any of the 12 Danish cartoonists who lampooned the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

“It’s murder and murder is also forbidden by the Koran,” Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller told a news conference with his colleague Jonas Gahr Stoere from Norway, which has been dragged into the row after a paper published the cartoons.

“Islam is also a religion of peace, mercy and forgiveness. That is why it is my opinion, but also the opinion of many Muslims, this is un-Islamic,” said the Danish minister.

Yes, they kill you for apostasy. From the hadiths:

Malik's Muwatta Book 36, Number 36.18.15:

Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If someone changes his deen - strike his neck!"

The meaning of the statement of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in our opinion and Allah knows best, is that "if someone changes his deen, strike his neck!" refers to those who leave Islam for other than it - like the heretics and their like, about whom it is known. They are killed without being called to tawba because their tawba is not recognised. They were hiding their kufr and publishing their Islam, so I do not think that one calls such people to tawba, and one does not accept their word. As for the one who goes out of Islam to something else and divulges it, one calls him to tawba. If he does not turn in tawba, he is killed. If there are people in that situation, I think that one should call them to Islam and call them to tawba. If they turn in tawba, that is accepted from them. If they do not turn in tawba, they are killed. That does not refer as we see it, and Allah knows best, to those who come out of Judaism to Christianity or from Christianity to Judaism, nor to someone who changes his deen from the various forms of deen except for Islam. Whoever comes out of Islam to other than it and divulges that, that is the one who is referred to, and Allah knows best!

Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 83, Number 17:

Allah's Apostle said, "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims."

Volume 9, Book 83, Number 37:

"By Allah, Allah's Apostle never killed anyone except in one of the following three situations: (1) A person who killed somebody unjustly, was killed (in Qisas,) (2) a married person who committed illegal sexual intercourse and (3) a man who fought against Allah and His Apostle and deserted Islam and became an apostate."

Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 59, Number 632:

Once Muadh paid a visit to Abu Musa and saw a chained man. Muadh asked, "What is this?" Abu Musa said, "(He was) a Jew who embraced Islam and has now turned apostate." Muadh said, "I will surely chop off his neck!"

Ladies and gentlemen, the Religion of Peace.

British Defense Secretary Chastizes Armchair Critics of War

American media also should take note. UPI:

Defense Secretary John Reid urged the public Monday not to condemn British troops in Iraq, after video footage emerged showing soldiers beating Iraqi protesters.

While insisting he was not excusing abusive actions, Reid called for greater understanding of the severe pressures faced by troops serving in the country. In a speech at King's College, London, he attacked "armchair critics" who passed judgment based on the actions of a few while ignoring the good work of the many.

"We expect our people to uphold the highest standards of behavior and when they fail we will act, quite rightly," he said.

"But they also have the right to expect everyone else, whose safety is dependent upon them, to consider the environment in which they are operating before we pass judgment from the safety of a television studio, from the green benches of parliament or from the comfort of an armchair," he said.

Tiny Minority of Extremists & Misunderstanders of Islam

It's like Instapundit, but all in one post! Heh.

It's the Religion of Peace update:

More riots in Pakistan over cartoons targetting America and Christians.

As I've said before, Kurdistan ought to be its own country. It looks like it will.

Our friends in the GWOT release Cole terrorist.

Terrorists target U.S. forces in Philippines, but miss.

WMD Redux - The "Intelligence Summit" fallout

Jyllands-Posten Denies Apology over Muhammed cartoons.

Nearly 1/3 journalists haven't even seen the cartoons!

$102.6 Judgement Against Canada's Pre-Eminent Al Qaeda Family

Read the whole thing:

I was ten years old when my home exploded around me, burying me under the rubble and leaving me to drink my blood to survive, as the perpetrators shouted "Allah Akbar!" My only crime was that I was a Christian living in a Christian town. At 10 years old, I learned the meaning of the word "infidel."

Military Plotting A 'Long War' On Terror

A new book argues that violence in the name of religion is a natural outgrowth of the viral nature of religion itself. Millions of Buddhists might disagree.

American al Qaeda member in new video.

Friday Prayers in Tehran: The American Way of Life is on the Verge of Serious Collapse

Lessons Learned in Iraq War.

Osama bin Laden: I will never be taken alive.

Yahoo Mail bans use of 'Allah' for mail handles.

NH gives Sharia law a pass

Egyptian Islamic Jihad and Iraq

American Churches Give Propaganda Victory To The Evil Doers.

An interview with Iraqi National Assemblywoman Tanya Gilly-Khailany

Update on earlier story: You can hug a Mullah with nuclear arms.

When hip hop goes bad: 9/11 The Ultimate Conspiracy album

Hugo Chavez may end term limits, become elected dictator for life. Shocking.

Israelis Kill Islamic Jihad Leader

Able Danger updates.

Related: Able Danger: Naming The Names Of Those Derelict Of Duty

Fistful of Fatwa: AN OPEN LETTER TO THE RECIPIENT OF THE $365 MILLION DOLLAR POWERBALL LOTTERY

San Francisco supervisor still defiantly anti-military.

The Pirate's Cove has moved.

Banned in Islamic countries: Brass Monkey (live remix video)

Zeus: Humvees with Laser Cannons

Below: Humvee in Iraq with experimental Zeus laser cannon.

Below: A Humvee in Afghanistan shoots a Zeus laser cannon.

Even better than genetically engineered Sea Bass with lasers attached to their heads!

More Cartoon Censorship

Gribbit put this up at Conservative Thinking and I just figured it'd be a good idea to share it here as well:

This time it's Russia...

Shown are Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, and Moses watching a crowd of clashing people while saying, "We never taught them to do that..."

Visit Pubilus Pundit for the full story why a Russian Mayor ordered the newspaper shut down.

H/T: Michelle Malkin

University of Illinois Editors in Hot Water(update).

The University of Illinois’ editor in chief and one other editor have been suspended over publication of the controversial Muhammed cartoons after the rest of the staff goes soft on them. The Daily Illini has taken down the web posting of the original editorial, but thanks to the wonders of the Google cache, we can see the original.

Updated : 02/20/06 : Peoriapundit has published the University of ILL Daily Illini paper's new blog policy.

Hat Tip : Instapundit.

U of I Daily Illini Newspaper Chief Editor Acton H Gordon via Google Cache: To the right you'll see a series of cartoons about the Islamic prophet Muhammad that have fueled a firestorm of debate all over the world.

These cartoons are bigoted and insensitive to the Islamic faith because they are depictions of the prophet Muhammad. In much of the Muslim faith, there is an absolute ban on drawing or portraying religious figures. I agree they are bigoted and insensitive, as do many others.

However, this serious controversy has not been addressed by the press. By refusing to run the cartoons, Americans have no idea how "offensive" they are. The ensuing death threats, riots, murders and laying siege to embassies, leave most of us confused and appalled.

Recently, the U.S. State Department criticized the editorial cartoons, originally published in the Danish Jyllands-Posten. A student newspaper in Wales had all of their papers confiscated after they published the cartoons. Editors have resigned from the New York Press after the cartoons were pulled from the press at the 11th hour. Only one of the major newspapers in this country has run an example of the cartoons.

All across this nation, editors are gripped in fear of printing ... for fear of the reaction. As a journalist, this flies in the face of everything I hold dear. By refusing to print these editorial cartoons, we are preventing an important issue from being debated openly by the public.

If anything, journalists all over this country should be letting the public decide for themselves what to think of these cartoons.

As an editor of a college newspaper, I cannot claim to be a champion for free speech and at the same time restrict it from running its course. My gut has been turning for days questioning how to address this issue. It is only proper that you, the public, are allowed to think for yourselves.

Within the coming days, I hope to promote a dialogue on the campus and in the community as to how people feel about this issue. I encourage everyone to write a letter to the editor and let us know what you think.

Exercise your First Amendment right and don't be afraid to say something unpopular. As citizens, we have a right to use that freedom.

This sparked the following rebuttal by student staff writers.

Daily Illini : "After hearing that CNN and other major newspapers were respectful to not print it, I was shocked that our own paper at such a higher education institution would print it, said Shaz Kaiseruddin, Muslim Student Association president and graduate student. "The fact that comparable anti-Semitic sentiments and other forms of racist expression are socially unacceptable is an indication that Islamophobia is rampant in our community. This is not an issue of free speech, but rather a failure to recognize hate speech."

Hate Speech? The original editorial seems very objective and informative and even encourages discussion and rebuttal. Fair enough opinions but next they go after the editor himself.

Student Press Law Center ILLINOIS — Two editors at The Daily Illini were suspended Monday night, five days after they decided to publish the controversial Danish cartoons of the Muslim prophet, Muhammad.

Mary Cory, the newspaper’s publisher, suspended Editor in Chief Acton Gorton and opinion editor Chuck Prochaska because the two did not consult with the entire editorial board and other editors before publishing the cartoons, said one of the paper's interim editors in chief, Jason Koch.

A statement released by Koch and co-interim editor in chief Shira Weissman said Cory made the decision to suspend Gorton and Prochaska “only after it was requested by other student members of this newspaper and a newsroom-wide staff meeting about the issue.”

Student members of the newspaper staff are not allowed to suspend an editor in chief, according to the statement. Cory, who is not a student, acts as the newspaper’s publisher and adviser.

Gorton said that as editor in chief, he is not obligated to receive the approval of the editorial board or other editors before he publishes his opinion.

“There are no bylaws in [Illini Media Company] or any policies that say that I have to go to the editorial board before I publish anything,” Gorton said.

Today it’s apparent the heat is still on Mr. Gordon.

Chicago Triubune Ezorn Blog : I will no longer be posting about The Daily Illini, which currently employs me as a reporter and night editor. At most, I may link to outside Web sites that have articles about us, or our own articles, but whether or not I am allowed to do such things is at the moment unclear.
As for the reason why I will no longer be posting about The Daily Illini, a new policy has been instituted about personal Web sites and blogs. Essentially, I can no longer blog about work, blog while at work or give an “insider’s scoop” any longer; and doing so will result in immediate termination.

Gordon is getting some support from fellow writers and is sticking by his guns despite the suspension and imminent threat of firing. Josh Rohrscheib, the president of the Illinois Student Senate and a weekly columnist for the Daily Illini, threatens to quit if Acton is fired

• Today, I am proud to be writing for the Daily Illini because of the bold decision made by editor in chief Acton Gorton last week to run cartoons few other papers in the nation would run. College newspapers have a great obligation to present extreme perspectives so they can be rigorously scrutinized in academic communities.
Some have suggested that Mr. Gorton should lose his job. If he is fired, this will be my last column. This is a matter of principle, and his actions do not warrant his termination. Whether or not you agree with Mr. Gorton's decision, it is hard to deny that his actions took courage.

Express your support by contacting the Daily Illini here.

Also see Rhymeswithright.

Updated: One note that I negleted to get in earlier.

SPLC : Gorton said that he believes the suspension will lead to his being fired and he has retained a lawyer, Junaid Afeef, a founding member of the Muslim Bar Association in Illinois and also one of the original members of the National Association of Muslim Lawyers.

Now that's great that a Muslim can support Mr. Gorton for his objective editorial.

O! My Brothers and Sisters! I Sing the Jellyfish Uncaged!

Would that my powers of parody were such that I could create from my mind the discussion that follows. Alas! It is all true! Praise be to the Goddess Gaea that such sensitive young folk are poised to carry on for us.

From PETA2.com:

Kenseahorse 2/9/06 10:49 PM Today my friends and I got into a huge debate about Jellyfish rights. They don't seem to think Jellyfish care if they are locked up in an aquarium. I didn't see that it was fair, eyes or not, to pluck some amazing creatures from their homes for human's amusement. Okay, maybe I was a little freakish, I just want to know if anyone else knew something about the subject.

sallywithoutajack 2/9/06 11:01 PM I don't know anything about that, but they are animals with thoughts, feelings, and their own personalities. They may not be as smart as us, but they shouldn't be treated like crap. I don't think they would appriciate living in an aquarium for entertainment.

Maffers87 2/9/06 11:13 PM I think that every living creature on this planet has rights. It's as simple as that. We have no right to take advantage of someone.

Rain4Rent 2/9/06 11:44 PM I don't think that the jelly fish mind being locked up. They usually have fairly large tanks. I don't think they realize that they aren't home. They might be like goldfish, who can only remeber for three seconds. But you never know, they might be horrible depressed.

freezingslushie 2/10/06 1:18 AM Every living creature has rights-even jellyfish

perception 2/10/06 7:44 AM I get so tired of hearing peoples prejudice views. If you dont believe in animal rights why the heck are you here>? It does not matter how important we think this creature is, or wether it even feels pain or not (or has a brain)! The fact is it's a living being with as much right to live as us.

King Cobra 2/10/06 7:51 AM Jellyfish most definately have rights... even though they are an invertebrate, they have a main nerve ring and touch receptors that allows them to feel things, including pain.

Perfidy 2/10/06 9:33 AM I don't see why jellyfish are different than any other animals. And I am definately against confining wild animals in small spaces just for human entertainment. Everybody seems to think that animals that live in water aren't as smart as other animals, but they probably are. And even if they aren't, does that give us the right to put them in an aquarium that is completely different than their natural environment just for our own amusement. It doesn't seem right to decide that it's ok to confine them just because they aren't as smart as we are.

michelle25 2/10/06 9:34 AM jellyfish should also have rights; they are animals too!

miss lotus 2/10/06 11:48 AM I agree with what perception wrote. I am against using any animal for any form of 'entertainment.'

beatingheartbaby2 2/10/06 12:14 PM as perception said, if you dont believe that every animal has rights, then why are you here? jellyfish may not be as intelligent (and yes, they may even be like gold fish and only remember for 3 seconds) but they are still animals and should be recognized as more than just a form of amusment for humans

Niru 2/10/06 12:18 PM Even organisms like Clams have feelings!

GherkinLuva 2/10/06 3:38 PM A friend of mine told me that jelly is made from jellyfish. I don't know if it's true or not but I can't bring myself to eat jelly anymore.

Glassonion2006 2/10/06 4:11 PM ^ ^ ^ i don't know if you mean strawberry jam or grape jelly but, no they are NOT made of jelly fish (except in that spongebob cartoon) lol

blkmetlxhxc 2/10/06 4:17 PM jellyfish are animals...they shouldnt be treated terribly for man's enjoyment

xRockxAngel3x 2/10/06 4:53 PM I think that they have rights but don't just let them sting you, it's like bees, if they're hurting you you try to get them away from you.

Many thanks to TDPB reader Jan Z. aka The Dutchman.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Paper Publishes Gay Jesus Kissing Muhammed Cartoon

The University of Toronto's student newspaper, the Strand, has published a cartoon of a gay Jesus kissing Muhammed. The cartoon was published as part of a debate over whether to show images of Muhammed from Danish papers. The image shows the face of Jesus, but does not show the face of Muhammed. Jesus is also seen disrobing Muhammed.

The same newspaper has refused to publish the Muhammed cartoons which have sparked worldwide riots, murders, and calls to impose the death penalty on all who blaspheme by misunderstanderers of the Religion of Peace.

Here is how they hypocritically defend not showing the Muhammed cartoons, but showing big gay Jesus:

But was it really freedom of the press, or a case of media martyrdom? Publishing these cartoons seems to do little more than fan the flames of already-existing controversy. Is it the press's responsibility to decide what people should absorb, or is providing an option more important? Articles are somewhat different; you can decide whether or not to read something based on the headline - which, admittedly, is questionable on the subject of giving audiences agency. A graphic or photograph, however, is much more intense: you don't really have the choice to view it or not.

Right.

More at Exposed Agenda with hat tip to Greg at Rhymes with Right.

Related from Publius Pundit via Michelle Malkin. Incidentally, I lived in Russia for a time and the newspapers often contain nude women. So, it's okay to have a centerfold in your newspaper but it's not okay to offend Muslims?

Georgian Help Sought for Possible Iran Strike

Although there has been no formal request by U.S. officials, it's reported that unofficial overtures have been made to the government of Georgia.

From JPost.com:

American officials have been quietly probing whether Georgia, situated just northwest of Iran, will be willing to allow Washington to use its military bases and airfields in the event of a military conflict with Teheran, The Jerusalem Post has been told.

The Americans have been putting out feelers, a high-ranking Georgian government foreign affairs official told the Post, in advance of a possible military strike to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability.

Georgian officials expressed fear of civil unrest and possible harsh Iranian retaliation but, given their dependence on American aid and support, feel obligated to help the U.S. There's also the already-strained Georgian relationship with Russia to consider.

Considering the negatives, American forces attacking Iran from Georgia seems like a longshot to me but, even so, it's on the table. Also being considered is the use of airfields and bases in Azerbaijan, another close ally of the U.S. Officially, everybody everywhere is denying everything. However, despite the denials, Iran appears to be taking the situation quite seriously.

From Interested-Participant.

That 70's Mohammed

I drew the following horrific caricature of Mohammed back in those hazy days of the 70's. Man.

Do not go below the fold if you are in any way offended by caricatures of Mohammed.

I mean it, don't go any further!
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I'm serious!

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Fine, here it is:

BTW

Anyone interested in learning what "Vince Aut Morire" means go here.

"Vinnie," of course, is a pseudonym that arose from the fact that when I started blogging, everyone thought my name was Vince.

Someday I'll sit down with ya'll over a beer and tell you more about myself. Once I'm positive you're not wearing a Semtex belt.

:-)

Seeking The Truth?

This is from my Vince Aut Morire stats, not the Jawa Report. From this post.

VISITOR ANALYSIS
Referring Link http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.vinceautmorire.mu.nu/holocaust/Picture%2520043.jpg&imgrefurl=http://vinceautmorire.mu.nu/archives/15
Host Name
IP Address (removed by Vinnie)
Country Iran, Islamic Republic Of
Region Tehran
City Tehran
ISP (removed by Vinnie)
Returning Visits 0
Visit Length 29 seconds

The picture they found is below the fold.

Brit Muslims Declare Victory in Cartoon War

From the Telegraph (UK):

For the past two weeks, Patrick Sookhdeo has been canvassing the opinions of Muslim clerics in Britain on the row over the cartoons featuring images of Mohammed that were first published in Denmark and then reprinted in several other European countries.

"They think they have won the debate," he says with a sigh. "They believe that the British Government has capitulated to them, because it feared the consequences if it did not.

"The cartoons, you see, have not been published in this country, and the Government has been very critical of those countries in which they were published. To many of the Islamic clerics, that's a clear victory.

"It's confirmation of what they believe to be a familiar pattern: if spokesmen for British Muslims threaten what they call 'adverse consequences' - violence to the rest of us - then the British Government will cave in. I think it is a very dangerous precedent."

Guess what? They have won, for now. Here, too, unless you can think of a major news outlet in this country that has published a Mohammed cartoon.

The Press is opposed to upsetting Muslim sensibilities, unless, of course, they have some juicy video of British soldiers grabbing young Iraqi rock-throwers or some old photos from Abu Ghraib.

Via Kim Priestap.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 19, 2006

Cartoon Jihadis Attack US Embassy In Indonesia

From MSNBC:

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Hundreds of Muslims protesting caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad tried to storm the U.S. Embassy on Sunday, smashing the windows of a guard post but failing to push through the gates. Several people were injured.

Pakistani security forces, meanwhile, sealed off the capital of Islamabad to block a planned mass demonstration and fired tear gas and gunshots to chase off protesters. In Turkey, tens of thousands gathered in Istanbul chanting slogans against Denmark, Israel and the United States.

Talk about boneheaded ignorance. No, not the cartoon jihadis; I'm talking about the American mainstream media who thought they could appease these savages by refusing to print the Mohammed cartoons.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

The Blog Sabbath

Remember the Blog Sabbath, to keep it Holy. Six days thou shalt blog, but one day a week is a sabbath unto the Lord of the Blogosphere.

Just a reminder to loyal minions that I do not blog on Sunday. I call it the 'Blog Sabbath'. I'd advise other bloggers to take a day off, too. A day spent away from a computer screen. A day to recharge your batteries. A day to reconnect with family and friends. A day to remind yourself that the most important things in life are the relationships you build, and not politics.

Iran Threatens Suicide Bomber Attacks

An Iranian group calling itself "Martyrdom Seekers" is threatening the US and the UK with mass suicide bomb attacks against Coalition forces in Iraq if Iran's nuclear facilities are attacked. Though ostensibly unofficial, no group would be allowed to make such an announcement without the consent of Iran's government:

Mohammad Ali Samadi, spokesman for Esteshadion, or Martyrdom Seekers, boasted of having hundreds of potential bombers in his talk at a seminar on suicide-bombings tactics at Tehran's Khajeh Nasir University.

"With more than 1,000 trained martyrdom-seekers, we are ready to attack the American and British sensitive points if they attack Iran's nuclear facilities," Samadi said.

"If they strike, we have a lot of volunteers. Their (U.S. and British) sensitive places are quiet close to Iranian borders," Samadi said.

Samadi reviewed the history of suicide bombing as a weapon, praising it as the most effective Palestinian tactic in their confrontation with Israel.

They have "trained martyrdom seekers"?

"Here Ahmed, put this on, find a group of children, push this button."

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Too Lazy To Do A Caption Contest

So let's throw some linkage, along with pictures. Below the fold to save space.

Fellow Nebraskan had better not worry about Muslims, he better be watching his back for ME! That fatwa is MINE!!!!!

Got Kim? Not only am I addicted to the show, I'm addicted to this blog.

Where in the world? Indeed, she said she was going to report back this afternoon. Hope she's okay, heading into the fire like that. (no pic with this one)

See who my money is on in the Blogebrity Deathmatch. And yes, I am a jack of all blogs, master of one. :-) (I wonder how many of you put "off" in place of "of.")

February 18, 2006

Signs that Allah is Not on Your Side

You bomb two American Embassies in Africa and kill mostly Africans.

You can't strike the White house with your hijacked jet because you cannot find it

Your Terrorist Paradise of a country manages to hold off the Soviet Military for a decade yet a handful of American soldiers takes over your country in a matter of days.

----Fred Fry has more

Indian-American-Indian Ups Ante On The Filthy One

Indian state minister ups the fatwa money.

Amidst protests in Uttar Pradesh against the caricatures of Prophet Mohammed, a state minister Friday announced a reward of Rs.510 million ($11.5 million) for anyone who beheaded the artists responsible for the cartoons.

Looks like we need to set up a donation system for The Filthy Report.

Stein hoist to Patrick al-Kafir

Muslims Riot Over Cartoons: 15 Dead, 11 Christian Churches Burnt in Nigeria

When Northern Nigeria became an Islamic state-within-a-state, it was supposed to become a peaceful utopia....Kristallnacht in Nigeria against Christians: 15 dead, 11 churches razed. ROPMA.

Taliban Supporters Behind New York Rally Against Muhammed Cartoons

I have already posted about the fact that the Islamic Thinkers Society was behind the New York rally in front of the Danish embassy. This is the same group that burned the American flag, celebrated 9/11, and warned that 'next time, we will get all of NYC.' Here is an admission from the group that they a) organized the rally to condemn the Muhammed cartoon b) share the same goals as al Qaeda and the Taliban--the revival of the Caliphate, institution of sharia (Islamic) law, the building of a utopian Islamic society, and the domination of the world by Muslims

Here is a screenshot of the announcement from their webpage. [click to zoom]

And a statement of their goals:

Our objective is to resume the Islamic way of life to which will fulfill the purpose of the aim. Our objective is to bring back the apparatus that was destroyed in 1924 i.e. Khilafah. Indeed it was the Khilafah that united the Muslim Ummah under one flag, one land, one border, and one leader. It was the Khilafah which served as the appartus to make sure that Tawheed manifested in all ascpect in the Muslim Ummah's affairs. Surely, anyone who accepts any other system than Allah's Shari'ah is worshipping the one who has put his laws in place of the laws of Allah. This is a major form of shirk and anyone who commits a major shirk has left Islam....

Let me remind you that the penalty for leaving Islam, especially under their version of sharia, is death. More:

This is what we, as part of Islamic Thinkers Society strive for. To create the ideal Islamic society, where the furqan(criterion) for the individuals as well as the rulers will be the Qur'an & Sunnah and the Qur'an & Sunnah only. As always, our struggle is intellectual & political. To us, this is a matter of life & death. A matter of jannah & jahannam. It requires seriousness, dedication, & sabr.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have found the American Taliban, and it is operating openly in New York City!

According to their own website, they are 'less than a handful of people'. Here is a photo of the rally by 'less than a handful of people'. I hope the FBI is keeping close tabs on this group of extremists. The MSM certainly isn't.

Do they really support terrorism? YES!

From their forum rules:

ABSOLUTELELY NO RIDICULING OF THE MUJAHIDEEN, THE SCHOLARS OF HAQQ, & THE SINCERE DA'WAH CARRIERS OF ISLAM.

Yup, they're just upset over the Muhammed cartoons.

Oh, and what do we have hear? It appears that The Jawa Report has been brought to the attention of this little band of terror supporters. The referring url takes us back to a discussion forum run by the Islamic Thinkers Society. I wonder what I could have said that would piss them off?

Did I mention they have an e-mail? info@IslamicThinkers.com

Throw Muhammed From the Train

Let's flood Iran with Muhammed cartoons!

Psss--scroll through our entries here.

The Cartoon/Abu Ghraib Hypocrisy Questioned.

Malaysian Investigative journalist, Ganesh Sahathevan, writes an open letter to SBS television demanding to know why they showed the photos of Abu Ghraib but not the cartoons.

I'll Call Your Fatwa, and Raise you $1 Milllion

A Pakistani Muslim cleric, Mohammed Yousef Qureshi, has issued a fatwa and offered up to $1 million to any one of the few misunderstanders of jihad who will kill Danish cartoonists involved in drawing images of Muhammed. Filthy Allah ups the ante and offers $2 million for the first guy to kill Qureshi. I guess two can play at that game? Unfortunately, only one of them is kidding.

American Among Hostages Being Used as 'Human Shield' in Nigeria

More troubles in Nigeria's oil rich Niger delta.

Thanks to George. Reuters :

Nigerian militants launched a string of attacks in the world's eighth largest oil exporter on Saturday, abducting nine foreign workers, bombing a major oil export platform and sabotaging two pipelines.

Royal Dutch Shell suspended exports from the 380,000 barrel-a-day Forcados tanker terminal, a senior industry source said, cutting at least 16 percent of Nigeria's 2.4 million barrels of daily supply to world markets.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said the attacks were a response to military air raids on villages in Delta state earlier this week and would be followed by another wave of violence "on a grander scale".

"These hostages are human shields. Subsequent attacks on other installations will be drastic as we have no intentions of taking hostages," the militants said, calling on all oil workers to leave the delta.

The militants said they wanted more local control over the Niger Delta's vast oil wealth and the release of two ethnic Ijaw leaders, including a militia leader who is on trial for treason.

"Expatriates must realize that they have been caught up in a war and the Nigerian government can do nothing to guarantee the security of anyone," they added.

In military-style pre-dawn attacks, militants in six speed boats stormed an offshore barge operated by U.S. oil services company Willbros and abducted nine workers -- three Americans, one Briton, two Thais, two Egyptians and a Filipino.

Two Macedonians Taken Hostage in Iraq

This is Basra, which is generally terror free. However, it is not crime free. The Macedonian citizens are ethnically Albanian, which means they are Muslims.

Thanks to George. ABC:

Two Macedonian men working for a German cleaning company have been kidnapped near the southern Iraqi city of Basra and are being held for ransom, a Macedonian foreign ministry official said on Saturday.

The British military in Iraq had said earlier that the two men were abducted on Thursday while driving in a vehicle with a German woman who also worked for the Ecolog cleaning company.

The Macedonian government official, who asked not to be named, said the government had known about the incident since Thursday and that a ransom demand had been made.

"There was a ransom demand. There are negotiations under way between the company and the group," he said at a briefing in the capital Skopje on Saturday.

The official said this was the fourth time Ecolog employees had been abducted. A ransom was paid on the three other occasions, he said.

The two men were ethnic Albanians, according to the official.

Macedonia has some 32 soldiers stationed in Iraq as part of the U.S.-led coalition. Between 1,000 and 1,500 Macedonian citizens are working in Iraq, lured by salaries far in excess of what they could realistically expect to earn in Macedonia.

Muslim To Muslim: 'Spreading the word'

Karim El Sahy has a message for Muslims via Egyptian Sandmonkey), and we agree with ESM that it should be spread to the entire Muslim world.

Please go read it, link to it, and help pass it around!

As a courtesy to Karim, in order to help him get his message out, his entire post is reposted below (Please visit Karim's site for updates):

Cleric: $1 Million to Kill Cartoonist

“PESHAWAR, Pakistan - A Pakistani cleric announced Friday a $1 million bounty for killing a cartoonist who drew Prophet Muhammad, as thousands joined street protests and Denmark temporarily closed its embassy and advised its citizens to leave the country.

Police confined the former leader of an Islamic militant group to his home to prevent him from addressing supporters over the cartoons, amid fears he could incite violence, after riots this week killed five people.”

Even in Pakistan that is illegal. That man should be arrested at once and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. His assets should be frozen immediately.

Here is a directorate of almost all Pakistani missions and embassies. Call what’s local to you and demand this mans arrest.

If you are in America write a letter to your rep. Anyone can also call the World Bank and ask them to consider this before increasing aid to $750 million.

Most importantly, Muslims ask your Imams to condemn this in his next sermon.

I’m on my way now to go pray at my mosque in Cambridge and that is exactly what I am going to do.

UPDATE:
I just got back from my mosque. I was late and missed prayers but I talked to the Imam, told him what I wanted him to do, and that, as a journalist, I would be back next Friday to quote and publish him. He will be delivering the sermon at the MIT interfaith prayer hall.

Please try to do the same in your mosque. We can not let this happen.

Visit Karim's site for updates

Cross posted from Hyscience

Alec Baldwin Reaffirms His Status...

...As An Imbecile
I love it when certain Hollywood types fly into snits and babble witlessly in public:

So, I suppose the question is...what kind of civil trial will we see, or not see, between Cheney and Whittington? Whittington is certainly no stranger to a court room and to civil litigation. Will Cheney pay him off, preemptively? Will they go to court? I would imagine if a guy with a few beers in him shoots you in the face on a hunting trip, how could you turn down that opportunity?

Let's say there's a civil lawsuit filed...by the Veep against Alec and Arianna for malicious libel. But let's not interrupt Alec while he's busy showing his ass:

Cheney is a terrorist. He terrorizes our enemies abroad and innocent citizens here at home indiscriminately. Who ever thought Harry Whittington would be the answer to America's prayers. Finally, someone who might get that lying, thieving Cheney into a courtroom to answer some direct questions

Okay. So Alec Baldwin (who, I'm ashamed to say, hails from my neck of the woods, along with gerbil-fancier Richard Gere) thinks that a civil lawsuit would somehow lead to Dick Cheney being forced to reveal the sooper sekrit plots of the Vast, Rightwing Conspiracy? Exactly how would that work, Alec?

Alec will just have to get over his disappointment that Harry Whittington didn't die and has been released from the hospital. And that George W. Bush has been elected President. Twice.

Yes! Yesss!! Oh, let me taste your tears, Alec! Mm, your tears are so yummy and sweet.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

On Top Of Spaghetti...

Man, that old post of mine is becoming a major source of daily entertainment, like this comment here:

when muslim's are in heaven,you all christs burn in hell.devil will do meetballs from your bodies.

Islamic Comedy

(Copenhagen) Check this out. It's from Danish comedian Omar Marzouk who is also a Muslim.

Marzouk says terror humor has receptive audiences in unlikely places. He said he was greeted with hysterical cackles when, in recent shows in Israel and Britain, he suggested that the West recruit Muslims to prevent terrorist attacks by having them sit on buses, strapped with explosives, so when a real suicide bomber gets on, they can say, "Hey, man, it's O.K., I got this one covered."

Talk about tough jobs. Marzouk is trying to make a living telling jokes about Islam which alienates other Muslims while anti-immigrant groups heckle him. Every audience is automatically hostile.

From Interested-Participant.

Violating Dictator Rule #254

Like all good autocracies, Libya doesn't want its citizens slaughtered openly.

Moammar: Nasr, how many times have we told you, put them in prison, then we kill them.

Nasr: My apologies, sir, it won't happen again.

Moammar: You're damned right it won't, you're getting the firing squad....er, you're fired!

pssst, check out how many times the word "peaceful" is used in the news article linked above.

Here Come Da Fun

First, they start with the rock throwing...

If the Gallup Independent gets a fatwa and we don't, I am going down there with a full load of cinderblock in my truck.

And just who do they think it is, the local Rotarians?

However, no evidence has been recovered proving the incident was in retaliation for the publication of the cartoons or was done by a member of the local Arab community.

Whoever did it, we all know it's really George Bush's fault.

Should Congress Investigate the ACLU?

Jay at Stop the ACLU is calling on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to appoint a Special Counsel to investigate the activities of the ACLU. Among other things, Jay cites dissension within the ACLU ranks resulting in multiple resignations and ACLU spying on their own members.

One of the most troubling points is that in 2004 the ACLU refused to accept $1.15 million in grants from the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations because:

“The Ford Foundation now bars recipients of its funds from engaging in any activity that “promotes violence, terrorism, bigotry, or the destruction of any state.”

The Rockefeller Foundation’s provisions state that recipients of its funds may not “directly or indirectly engage in, promote, or support other organizations or individuals who engage in or promote terrorist activity.”

The ACLU was later successful in getting these minor requirements scrapped.

Why?

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 17, 2006

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton Calls For Conviction Of Mohammed Cartoon Publishers

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has called for European countries to convict the publishers of the Prophet Mohammed cartoons:

Daily Times—Former US president Bill Clinton on Friday condemned the publication of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) caricatures by European newspapers and urged countries concerned to convict the publishers.

Talking to reporters after meeting Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Islamabad, Clinton said he disagreed with the caricatures and that the publication was against religious and ethical norms. Clinton said he had no objection to peaceful demonstrations being held worldwide, but this was not the time for violence. He said it was the time to promote inter-faith harmony and stand together on the issue. ...

Who let Bill out?

Cross-posted at OpinionBug.com

Update:

I looked at a video here (realplayer) and I didn't hear Clinton calling for the conviction of the publishers. It wasn't a complete recording of the press conference, but still, he isn't heard calling for the conviction of publishers.

Looks like the Daily Times may have really screwed up the translation after all. If so, my apologies to Jawa Report readers and former President Clinton.

No Comment Needed, Really

TEL AVIV — Israel's military has found the perfect vehicle for special operations forces — the llama.

After extensive tests, the uncomplaining work-horse animals were found to easily out-perform donkeys. What's more, they need refuelling only every other day.

Photographic proof:

American Muslims Protest Mohammed Cartoons, Call for Destruction of America

Irony on parade. Here are photos of the Fifth column operating in New York today. The protest over the Muhammed cartoons today in front of the Danish embassy that was organized by The Islamic Thinkers Society of New York. The retards in the MSM say that this group is simply upset about the blasphemous cartoons.

You may remember this group from past protests in the Big Apple where they shouted "we will kill you", and "next time we will get all of NYC". This is also the same group that burned the American flag and distributed the video. I've posted a few images from that video below. You can view the video here via Bareknuckles Politics.

Isn't it rich that they also carry around signs urging tolerance and calling Islam 'the religion of peace'? At one protest organized by them they could be heard screaming, God hates the US because they have Homosexuals.

Upset over the Muhammed cartoons? More like upset that the U.S. isn't an Islamic state and that the 9/11 terrorists killed so few.

Hat tip to Ace of Spades and Shawn Wasserman.

See our extensive expose on the Islamic Thinkers Society of New York here.

Image from Islamic Thinkers Society Video of American flag desecration.

Religion of Beheadings in Pakistan Caught on Film

Taliban and al Qaeda supporters shown parading beheading victims in Pakistan on video. Disgusting. Via Chad at In the Bullpen this from the Times:

Disturbing video footage of beheaded bodies being paraded through the streets of southern Pakistan, in front of powerless police, has been broadcast today in Afghanistan.

Tolo TV, a private Afghan network, said that the men were killed a month ago in the tribal district of South Waziristan as a punishment for their opposition to the Taleban and al-Qaeda militias.

It would not reveal the source of the footage, whose authenticity has not been verified.

In one segment of the film, three decapitated heads are held up to cheers from a gathered crowd. Later, a number of bodies are seen being dragged behind a pick-up truck.

Crowds are heard chanting "long live Osama bin Laden" and "long live Mullah Omar", respectively the leaders of al-Qaeda and the Taleban.

And it looks like some Hamas members aren't too happy with the new 'moderate' position, opting instead to join al Qaeda.

Muhammed cartoons not offensive, but accurate

Spend a little time talking to jihadis and a common theme emerges: they believe it is their religious duty to fight. In their view, this duty is imposed on them in the Quran and by the example of the Prophet Muhammed who, by most accounts in the most widely accepted hadiths, is a man not averse to killing his enemies and spreading Islam through force and the sword. If you are a Muslim and reject the authenticity of those hadiths and of that interpretation of Quranic verses, then what's the problem?

As the Demosophist has reminded me on several occasions, if Muhammed didn't endorse violent jihad then the caricature of him in Danish newspapers is of a false Muhammed and therefore should be offensive to no one. However, if Muhammed did endorse violent jihad, then he deserves to be blasphemed.

Diana West in the Washington Times via Powerline.:

When the widely influential Sheik Yusef al-Qaradawi can praise Muhammad as "an epitome for religious warriors [mujahideen]," Muhammad, a jihad model, shouldn't be a taboo subject in the West, either in caricature or commentary, and certainly shouldn't be super-sacralized, in effect, by a fearfully polite censorship. The subject should be laid out for all to see.

This Week’s GWOT Progress

See the weekly roundup by Vonski here.

Rick : What with all the focus being spent on the Vice President accidentally shooting someone, it is no wonder the mainstream media chose not to write about all of the good that is happening over in Iraq and Afghanistan. Oh, I nearly forgot, they never write about any positive coming from that region

Rick takes the time to post these, I will take the time to link them. Go Rick who is at least trying to fill this void.

Egyptian Ambassador to Denmark Replaced over Muhammed Cartoons

The Egyptian Ambassador to Denmark, Mona Omar Attia, has been recalled from her duties and assigned elsewhere. Ms. Attia was key in inflaming Muslim anger over the Muhammed cartoons. Good riddance. Egyptian Sandmonkey has more.

Robots Combat Terrorists in Iraq (images)

Below: A remote control robot disarms a dead Iraqi terrorist. The terrorist was killed by an Iraqi civilian defending himself from an assassination attempt. You'll see the hand grenade he was carrying in the last photo.

It's always good when you can combine your love of killing terrorists with your love of robots in a single post.

Warning: Graphic images follow.

Cheney Hunting Affidavits Released (Originals)

Here is a copy of the original affidavits relating to Vice President Dick Cheney's shooting accident. They come via USA Today and the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

They are .pdf copies of the original affidavits filed by the Kenedy County Sheriff's Department. Click here to see them.

You'll notice that all involved agree this was an accident. No quantities of alcohol were consumed. That the Sheriff's department was notified almost immediately, etc. So much for the conspiracy theories and tirades about a 'cover up'.

For his part, Harry Whittington is apologetic about all the fuss that has been caused by being shot and looks forward to hunting with Cheney again in the future.

Pssst: Tragedy + Time = Comedy. This is funny. I give Conservatives permission to laugh at this. It's okay.

Goodbye F-14 Tomcat, RIP

The F-14 Tomcat has been officially retired from the Navy's service. And except for that brief Top Gun fiasco in 1986, the Tomcat has served our country with distinction. What? Are you still suffering under the delusion that Tom Cruise is straight?

Pssst--I hear that the new F-22 Raptor refuses to let any Scientologist--including jet pilot John Travolta--come near it.

Are British Conservatives Weak on Terror?

Wow, I never thought I'd be criticizing the Tories for being weak on terrorism. To their eternal shame they voted against Labour's proposal to outlaw the glorification of terrorism. The opposition claimed that the new law was not needed. But as Robert Spencer rightly points out, "If the existing laws were adequate to the problem, why did Abu Hamza preach unhindered for seven years?" Indeed.

This is not Thatcher's Conservative Party.

Muslim Cleric Offers Million Dollars to Kill Danish Cartoonists

A Pakistani Muslim cleric has issued a fatwa and offered up to $1 million to any one of the few misunderstanders of jihad who will kill Danish cartoonists involved in drawing images of Muhammed. The cleric has visited upstate New York to give inspirational talks to American Muslims and may have some relationship to radicals that use Islamic schools in rural areas as fronts for terrorist training mentioned in this earlier post.

Read the rest of the story here. ROPMA.

Saddam Tapes Fizzle, Right Chases Ghosts (UPDATED)

UPDATE: I am now completely confused. Traderrob points out that ABC deliberately left out parts of the 12 hour tape in which Saddam actually threatens to use a third party to attack the U.S. with WMD! So, take that into consideration as you read the following rant that I wrote before learning of this.

------

Not only are the 12 hours of tapes set to be released to the public by John Loftus tomorrow a fizzling non-event, but the media and many on the Right side of the blogosphere have taken those tapes out of context, twisting them to find hidden meaning where no meaning is to be found.

Without naming names, can I just say that it is totally out of context to read Saddam Hussein's warnings that 'terrorism is coming to America' as a veiled threat. Many on the Right have been so eager to find WMDs in Iraq that they are letting wishful thinking cloud their judgement. The tapes are no 'smoking-gun'

In fact, it appears that the tapes show a Saddam Hussein worried that the U.S. would blame any acts of terrorism on Iraq. After all, the U.S. was in a shooting war with Iraq in 1995 over the no-fly zone and it would be natural for President Clinton to suspect that the man who had ordered President Bush (Senior) assassinated, would also have no qualms about sending a nuclear device to the American shores.

The tapes show a Saddam Husseing trying to warn the U.S. of the danger so as not to be held responsible when the inevetable came. Which is exactly what happened in the hours right after the 9/11 attack when the natural suspicion was that Hussein may have played a part in the attack!

The tapes do show that in the mid 1990s Hussein was actively thwarting U.N. inspections. But we knew that already. The tapes do show that prior to the Iraq invasion that Hussein was given reassurances that after sanctions were lifted that a WMD program could be quickly started once again. But we knew that already.

In fact, the tapes simply seem to confirm what has been known for quite some time. They offer no insight into allegations that WMD were moved to Syria.

Further, it turns out John Loftus is more than a little bit of a nutjob. Don't believe me? Then read this from Debbie Schlussel and this from Right Wing Nut House.

Any speculation that I may have given in the past that the Loftus tapes would be the smoking-gun on the Iraq WMD issue are retracted.

UPDATE: John Henke agrees.

Real Feminists Support Liberating Women from Islamist Oppression

Ayaan Hirsi Ali asks all real feminists to support the Ethica foundation.

The Ethica Foundation (founded in 2005) is an independent organization which has as its central aim to develop and support the emancipation of Muslim women across the globe. We make use of all available legal measures and resources to liberate and empower Muslim women in the broadest sense. Ethica takes a project-based approach and is permanently fundraising in order to finance these projects. Ethica's projects vary in nature and scale, but all work towards the realisation of our long term objective: improving the lives and environment of Muslim women worldwide.

Terrorists Using Islamic Schools in U.S. to Recruit, Train (Updted)

UPDATE: Pakistani cleric with ties to this group has placed a $1,000 bounty on Danish cartoonist's head.

Disturbing report from WND about terror groups using Islamic schools in the U.S. as a front for their recruitment and training activities.

I'm *shocked*. Thanks to Nicholas for sending this link:

The Pakistani terrorist group Jamaat ul Fuqra is using Islamic schools in the United States as training facilities, confirms a joint investigative report by an intelligence think tank and an independent reporter.

A covert visit to an encampment in the Catskill Mountains near Hancock, N.Y., called "Islamberg" found neighboring residents deeply concerned about military-style training taking place there but frustrated by the lack of attention from federal authorities, said the report by the Northeast Intelligence Network, which worked with an Internet blogger, "CP," to publish an interim report.

The neighbors interviewed, who asked not to be identified, said they feared retaliation if they were to make a report to law enforcement officials.

"We see children – small children run around over there when they should be in school," one neighbor said. "We hear bursts of gunfire all of the time, and we know that there is military-like training going on there. Those people are armed and dangerous." ...

Jamaat ul-Fuqra, or "community of the impoverished," was formed by Pakistani cleric Sheikh Mubarak Ali Gilani in New York in 1980. Gilani, who refers to himself as "the sixth Sultan Ul Faqr," has stated his objective is to "purify" Islam through violence.

Gilani also is the founder of a village in South Carolina called "Holy Islamville."

The encampment in Hancock, N.Y., is run by a front for Jamaat ul-Fuqra called Muslims of the Americas Inc., which operates a school known as the International Quranic Open University Inc....

Though primarily based in Lahore, Pakistan, Jamaat ul-Fuqra has operational headquarters in the U.S.

The group seeks to counter "excessive Western influence on Islam" through any means necessary, publicly embracing the ideology that violence is a significant part of its quest to purify Islam. The enemies of Islam, the group says, are all non-Muslims and any Muslim who does not follow the tenets of fundamentalist Islam as detailed in the Quran.

Jamaat ul-Fuqra openly recruits through various social service organizations in the U.S., including the prison system. Members live in compounds where they agree to abide by the laws of Jamaat ul-Fuqra, which are considered to be above local, state and federal authority.

According to the report, there appear to be more than two dozen "Jamaats," or private communities, loosely connected and scattered throughout the U.S. with an estimated 5,000 members.

And for more, check out The Politics of CP's extensive coverage here.

Tanks For The Memories

Remember the Karnival Of The Koran Krapping?

Da wife, bless her soul, participated back on TypePad.

After all this time, she got the most hilarious comment of all:

you are a idiot! We muslims didin`nt make like thiis... I found it very wrong its not normal you are an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and PIG

If any of you object to my marrying this woman, speak now, or forever hold your peace.

I love you honey!! But I'll be in court if you get fatwa'd first!!!

Hamas Admits 'Israeli Propaganda' Was True All Along

From YnetNews, via Internet Haganah:

The Hamas organization officially announced for the first time that it has received funding and assistance in training from the Lebanese Hizbullah terror group.

A report posted on Hamas' website recently, describes the establishment of the organization's first cell in Ramallah, immediately following the outbreak of the intifada.

Hamas has denied all claims that it received funds from Hizbullah. Other Palestinian terror groups have done the same, charging the reports were "Israeli propaganda" aimed at implicating the Lebanese group with responsibility for the intifada, in a bid to generate international – and mainly American – pressure on Syria and Iran.

Hizballah is on the US State Department's Current List of Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations, as is Hamas.

This further complicates the issue of US Foreign Aid to the Palestinian Authority because, as the State Department also notes:

It is unlawful for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide "material support or resources" to a designated FTO.

While it might be possible to coerce the State Department into taking Hamas off the FTO list, it's now clear that Hamas and Hizballah are joined at the hip, and it's highly unlikely that both Hamas and Hizballah would be removed.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 16, 2006

Iran Renames Danish Pastries

(Tehran, Iran) As far as expressing dissatisfaction, the following makes a lot more sense than burning down embassies and killing people.

From Aljazeera.net:

Bakeries across the capital Tehran on Thursday were covering up the name-plates for Danish pastries after the confectioners union ordered the name change in retaliation for cartoons of Islam's revered prophet first published in a Danish newspaper.

"Given the insults by Danish newspapers against the prophet, as of now the name of Danish pastries will give way to Rose of Mohammad pastries," the union said in its order.

So, instead of ordering a Danish with your coffee, you'll now have to ask for a Rose of Mohammad, "gul-e-muhammadi" in Farsi. Of course, I'll not beguile myself into thinking that the protesters will stop burning down buildings. After a sugar fix from a Rose of Mohammad, the followers of the religion of peace will likely still grab their torches.

From Interested-Participant.

The Arabs Parallel Universe - From An Arab/Muslim's Perspective

Rantings Of A Sandmonkey has a couple of interesting posts up that I'd go so far as to say offer important insight to non-Muslims on some prevalent opinions and the world view of many Arab/Muslims - from the advantage point of a moderate Arab/Muslim's perspective. In one of his previous posts a reader (Jeffrey) had left a comment describing a phenomenon that he had noticed over the past 3 years of viewing middle-eastern news, something he referred to as the A.P.U., (Arab Parallel Universe).

Sandmonkey writes that the A.P.U. was created by Arabs to explain to themselves why they are in the rut they have been for so long, while also glorifying their personal victories against a world that is always conspiring against them. In the A.P.U., events that happen in our real universe also occur, except that the fashion of their occurrence and their outcome are very different then what we- in the real universe-know them to be. In referring to the commenter he writes:

It amazed me that he came to that conclusion, since it brilliantly summed up something that I have been trying to describe for years. I immediately told all my family and friends about it and upon their realization that we are all citizens of the A.P.U., they started giving me examples and evidence of that geographic phenomenon. In this post I will try to explain some of the rules of the A.P.U., and list examples of them for the sake of explaining to the rest of the world the rules of our very fun parallel Universe.

You can read all of his commentary at his site, but here is a summary and conclusion; the 7 political rules of the APU are:

1) Arabs never make mistakes, and they rarely lose wars.
2) The Zionists and the Americans are always to blame for everything that is wrong in the APU.
3) If there is any credit at all that can be contributed to Arabs in any way, they will take it.
4) Good leadership is inversely related to how US-friendly a leader is!
5) Any media that is not the official state-owned media is filled with Zionist, Jewish, American, Christian, imperialist, anti-arab influences and they LIE ALL THE TIME!
6) There is really no need for elections in the APU, because Presidents and rulers are presidents and rulers for life.
7) The only viable alternative candidate to the current leader or president is this current leader or president’s son.

In a follow-up, today he posts another comment from a reader, Elengil, who he says he'd so have a crush on for her brain alone if it weren't for the fact that she was already involved. In what he refers to as representing the prevelant opinion amongst those in the APU, he posts Elengil's comments:

(In the) Arab Parallel Universe...

"Collective punishment is wrong. But only against us. If we decide to collectively punish you, then that's ok because you all deserve it. But don't you dare generalize all of us, no matter how much we generalize you. Oh and by the way, an attack on one Arab country is an attack on all Arab countries.. but please don't assume that means an attack BY one Arab country means an attack by all Arab countries cause that would be a logical falacy. Somehow.

So remember:
Generalizations of us by you: Wrong
Generalizations of you by us: Right

And don't you dare criticize our violence, cause then we'll kill you, and that'll just prove how peaceful we really are! Take that you American and Zionist pig-dogs and your Democratically elected leaders that we hate and have caused the world to turn on you. But don't you dare criticise "our" democratically elected terrorist organization, because they were elected, so you have to like them, no matter how much we hate your democratically elected leaders - it's right to assume that the whole of America supported everything Bush stood for since as many as 50% voted for him, but it would be wrong to assume that every Palestinian supports everything Hamas stands for since only around 80% voted for them."

I can't help but wonder just how many Arab/Muslims subscribe to the views of the A.P.U!

Perhaps the real summation here is that of a sobering perspective; in such a mindset so completely set apart from reason and reality, how can those outside the APU possibly communicate and reason with those inside it? Thus, we have a true measure of what the West faces in trying to breach a very great divide.

Originally posted at Hyscience

Exclusive: Prisoner Abuse Photos from Iraq that MSM Won't Show You

**Jawa Report Exclusive**

The Jawa Report has obtained new photos from a new prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq. The photos show Iraqi prisoners being murdered by troops. The photos have not been published by a single mainstream news outlet.

The mainstream media has eagerly published old photos from the old Abu Ghraib scandal. These photos appear to show Iraqi prisoners in U.S. custody being abused, humiliated, and tortured. These old photos from an old scandal are sure to inflame more violence against U.S. troops in Iraq and against the elected government of our Iraqi allies.

The U.S. military has already prosecuted over 25 people over the Abu Ghraib scandal with another 2 soldiers scheduled to go on trial in the next few weeks. The U.S. government treats soldiers involved in such abusive activities as criminals. In fact, the original photos only appeared long after the U.S. military had begun an investigation into the abuses.

There is real abuse still happening in Iraq, though. The mainstream media does not want you to know about this abuse. They have refused to report on it. Even though the images are available to them, they refuse to show them.

These images are quite damning. They clearly show that prisoners in Iraq continue to be abused. More than abused, these images show prisoners in Iraq being murdered by the troops involved. Yet, nothing from the mainstream media.

The images below are not graphic. They show two prisoners in Iraq just before they are murdered by the soldiers holding them. They were both murdered by soldiers in Iraq in the last week. The soldiers holding them openly boast that the prisoners will be killed, even though this is clearly a violation of the Geneva Conventions. It is also clear that those involved are acting on the direct orders of their superiors all the way to the top of their chain of command. Instead of punishment for these acts of torture and murder, they are openly rewarded and praised.

We demand a U.N. investigation into the ongoing murder, rape, torture, humiliation, and abuse that continues to be widespread in Iraq on an almost daily basis. Clearly the mainstream media cannot be trusted to let the world know aobut these ongoing gross violations of international law and morality.

Below: Images taken from a video produced by The Army of Ansar al-Sunnah. The resistance soldiers prepare to murder an Iraqi prisoner. The video may be downloaded here (see Feb. 20th entry). All Iraqis who fall into the hands of the mujahidin are eventually murdered. They are accused of the 'crime' of 'apostasy' and then beheaded or shot. Where is the U.N.? Where is Amnesty International? Where is al Jazeera?

Below: Image taken from a video made by insurgent soldiers of Jaish al-Fatheen [The Conquering Army] of an Iraqi soldier taken prisoner near al-Habbaniya. In violation of the Geneva Conventions, the prisoner has been beaten and forced to confess. His fate is far worse than those of prisoners abused by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib--he is later murdered by those holding him hostage.

SITE report on the al-Habbaniya images above.

Thanks to Doubletap and Tribeca for finding the original video.

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Warning: the following images are of more prisoners in Iraq being tortured, humiliated, abused, and murdered. Many of these prisoners are civilians being held by insurgent soldiers. Some of the photos are quite graphic.

Do not proceed unless prepared for graphic and disgusting images.

Below: Civilian journalist Jill Carroll is held prisoner by insurgent soldiers. She has not been charged with a crime. Clearly her due process rights are being violated.

Below: Two German engineers held prisoner by insurgents in Iraq.

Below: American Jeffrey Ake shown being held by insurgent soldiers. In violation of the Geneva Conventions, the insurgents are not wearing clearly identifiable uniforms. Jeffrey Ake has been missing in Iraq since April 11th, 2005.

Below: Shaker Mahmoud Jassim and Riyadh Najim Abdullah shortly before and after they are beheaded by The Army of Ansar al-Sunna.

Below: American hostage Dean Sadek. Missing in Iraq for over a year.

Below: 12 civilians from Nepal murdered by Ansar al-Sunnah.

Below: The Army of Ansar al-Sunnah killed Japanese hostage Akihiko Saito.

Below: Margaret Hassan murdered by insurgents in Iraq.

Below: Al Qaeda in Iraq murders Iraqi Ministry of Interior official.

Below: Blood on the wall of torture chambers found in Fallujah shortly after it was liberated from insurgents.

Below: The Army of Ansar al-Sunnah murders civilian translator in Iraq.

Below: 3 of 7 Iraqi civilians murdered by insurgents.

Related: Nick Berg--not shown by MSM

Even more graphic pictures here.

I Can't Beleeb

I found this on the Beeb.

Nah, no ties to terrorism there. No WMD, either.

Meanwhile, I have done my duty as a good Jawa correspondent and found more pictures of Iraqi prisoners being abused. Graphic images below the fold.

Warning: Graphic and disgusting images below of what the terrorists we fight in Iraq continue to do.

Scroll down for graphic images.

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Defeating al Qaeda Online

Al Qaeda and the global salafist jihad network can be beaten, but not through traditional military force. The terrorists can only be beaten when we take away their major tool for recruitment and training--the internet.

Aaron at Internet Haganah is correct:

What the internet *does* do is facilitate the building of a global community of jihadists and the propagation of Islamism, Islam as a political ideology which - the in the aftermath of the Cold War - is the only viable form of Arab nationalism left. And this role that the internet plays in the global jihad is absolutely critical to growing the jihad world-wide, especially in Europe and Asia. Because to transform a Muslim into a jihadist it is first necessary to Arabize that Muslim, to overcome those elements of non-Arab culture and non-Arab Muslim religious practice that help to moderate Islam in the outlying regions of the Muslim world.

If we're going to defeat the global jihad we need to recognize that there is no line separating online jihadist activity from offline terrorism, and we need to take advantage of jihadist use of the internet and use their dependance on the web to systematically acquire and take down targets: the humans who run and are most active on the websites of the global jihad.

Nothing kills a jihadist website more effectively than tossing the admin in a cell and leaving him there for a good long time.

And from the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, a strategy offered to beat al Qaeda online:

Force jihadi propagandists back on their heels.

Ultimate success for al-Qa’ida lies in reshaping mass perceptions about good and evil. As was the case since Hasan al-Banna founded the Muslim Brotherhood, it is essential to grasp the fact that the long-term goal of this jihadi salafi movement is to change the face of society. Al-Qa’ida has been relatively successful in packaging and marketing their message in a social movement. Through the persuasive figurehead of Osama Bin Laden, the persistent continuation of global terrorism and the work by an army of propagandists to spin the tale of jihad, al-Qa’ida as an idea is actually much more difficult for governments to counter than when it was more or less an organization or confederation with its associated organizational vulnerabilities described earlier in our analysis.

The jihadi movement’s strategic coherency to this point is attributable, in large part, to how skillfully its members used propaganda instruments, particularly since 9/11, for weaving a historical record, as one senior al-Qa’ida ideologue called it. As a repository of images, videos and stories, the Internet has come to codify a particular jihadi foundational myth, accessible to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Publishing their ideas in short forum postings, longer articles floated online or in voluminous books, jihadi strategists not only recruit new members into this worldview, but they spoon-feed recruits with their virulent (and tedious) vocabulary for expressing their anger, and provide direction to operators on the ground, both in Iraq and abroad.

In a Harmony document written in 1994, the author (Hassan) contends that “more effective radio broadcasts are needed to launch a propaganda campaign in Yemen and Somalia.” Much like the prolific jihadi propagandists at work today, Hassan believed that “radio stations are more powerful than atomic bombs.” Again, the target of propaganda campaigns, he argues, must be the youth, who in small numbers can bring “correct teaching” to a large area.[31] Bin Laden himself, in a captured letter he wrote to Mullah Muhammad ‘Omar, wrote “It is obvious that the media war in this century is one of the strongest methods; in fact, its ratio may reach 90% of the total preparation for the battles.”[32] In “A Memo to the Honorable Sheikh Abu Abdullah,” the author, Abu Huthayfa, suggests that Muslims should seek to integrate jihad into all aspects of their lives. For example, he argues, marriage ceremonies “should include speeches, songs, and poetry promoting jihad.”[33]

It seems imperative that combating terrorism efforts do everything possible to contain the spread of the jihadi body of ideas. The insight gained from the application of our theoretically informed model to this limited number of documents suggests that governments would find success implementing policies that focus on denying jihadis the operational space they seek; pitting groups, ideologues and even propagandists against one another; encouraging parochial squabbles within organizational leadership; and demoralizing new recruits while providing viable alternatives and exit strategies to them.

Al Qaeda is no longer a single organization, but only one organization in the larger jihad movement. I'm glad that this study recognizes that, but it fails to grasp that this war we are in is not against al Qaeda, it is against something much larger. Disrupting al Qaeda will only disrupt al Qaeda. It will make us safer inasmuch as lowering the operational capacity of that group helps, but even if al Qaeda was destroyed as an organization, it would live as an idea. The only way to win is to win the war of ideas. Pitting one jihadi group against another is a good short term strategy, but is a terrible long term strategy.

Denying the terrorist networks 'operational space' must include going after any and all websites that distribute terrorist propaganda for the purposes of building support for jihad. The task may be big, but contrary to the naysayers, it is not impossible.

Happy Fatwa to You

Fatwa issued against Traderrob on his one year blogiversary!

Monty Python's The Life of Muhammed

Just kidding. Praise Allah. I would never blaspheme Muhammed. Never. (Please don't kill me!)

Via Ayaan Hirsi Ali, this little reminder from Monty Python's Life of Brian that there is an upside to being murdered for blasphemy: comedy.

And the next time you're being chased by an angry mob of radical Islamist trying to stone you to death, remember to always look on the bright side of life........

He who is without sin....

.....cast the first stone.

Female journalist stoned in Turkey for not wearing head scarf. (via Michelle)

Helen Thomas Reveals Media Bias, Calls Hugh Hewitt Chickenhawk

Helen Thomas is the perfect Leftist journalist. She believes she has no bias, no agenda, no partisan attachment. She actually believes her perceptions of the world is unbiased--unmediated by personal feelings and beliefs. She sees the world as it really is. She is a member of the reality based community.

No, she is not bias. It's just that the rest of the world is suffering under false consciousness. And what could be Leftist about thinking that?

Hugh Hewitt (HH) interviews Helent Thomas (HT). Helen Thomas hangs up on Hewitt:

HH: But that's not what I'm...I'm asking if you like him?

HT: I don't think that has anything to do with it.

HH: But why not tell me if you don't?

HT: What does it matter?

HH: Well, it might affect your reporting.

HT: Why isn't...that...because that isn't the way reporters operate. We operate on the news and on the facts.

HH: And you have no bias?

HT: No.

HH: No anti-Bush bias at all?

HT: Look. I take everything that he does with a grain of salt, because I've already seen...I think he was wrong to take us into the war...

See how that works? It's not bias when you think Bush is part of an evil neo-con conspiracy. It's only bias when you think he isn't.

And check out this part:

HT: Who are you?

HH: I...

HT: Who am I talking to?

HH: Hugh Hewitt.

HT: Am I talking to a journalist?

HH: Yes. Yes, for a long time. I'm just curious about what's gone wrong...

HT: Tell me about your career. What have you really done?

HH: Well, it's not nearly as impressive as you.

HT: Where did...yes, it's...it's very important to me. Where did you work?

HH: PBS for ten years.

HT: PBS?

HH: Yes.

HT: Well, that's a good credential.

HH: There you have it. See? I'm...

HT: But then you decided to switch over?

HH: To switch over to what?

HT: God knows what you are.

Luke, switch over to the dark side! You do not understand the power of the dark side of the Force!

And more objective reality as it really is, because reporters have no bias:

HH: Why don't you like George Bush?

HT: I don't like people who want a war.

HH: And you just think he really just decided to go to war...and is Iraq better off today than it was four years ago?

HT: No. Watch...I want you to read...I want you to look at these pictures of these detainees and prisoners of war. And you will really be so disturbed. Why don't you...

HH: What did we do?

HT: Why don't you look at the pictures and call me back, okay?

What comes next is straight out of Kos. Seriously:

HT: Should they be the grateful dead? A hundred thousand dead? Wounded? Should all of the people we have killed, Americans, dead? Should they be happy? I mean, what are you talking about? Did you enlist?

Chickenhawk!! Hugh Hewitt you Chickenhawk!!

Read the rest. Hilarity sure to ensue!!

Via INDCent Bill.

ACLU Vs ACLU: Press Release Urges Presumption of Guilt

From a February 15, 2006 American Civil Liberties Union press release [emphasis added]:

WASHINGTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union today urged the House Judiciary Committee to adopt several resolutions that would formally request any and all documents relating to the illegal National Security Agency domestic spying program authorized by President Bush.

Why is the ACLU trying to subvert the Constitution and centuries of American jurisprudence with a presumption of guilt, rather than innocence? Because this is the opening salvo in a bid to strip US counter-terrorism agencies of the power and ability to protect us. When you're busy betraying your country, betraying your own stated principles is a small sacrifice.

Stop the ACLU has the details of ACLU Policy #117, which calls for the emasculation of Federal counter-terror agencies.

The real reason that the ACLU is abandoning its principles in this fight is that they don't want their own conversations with terrorists and terrorist-sympathizers to be monitored. The ACLU's stated goal of protecting civil liberties would appear to be a cover, much like the bogus "peace" organizations during Vietnam and the Cold War, for activities that are clearly hostile to the best interests of the United States.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

The al Qaeda Syria Connection

Very scary. Read the whole thing. TCS:

Regarding the December rocket attacks against Israel from the south of the country that Zarqawi (Al Qaeda's leader in Iraq) claimed responsibility for, Fatfat [Lebanese Interior Minister] confirmed it was indeed the work of Al Qaeda. He added that it was an attack carried out by the Palestinian terror group FPLP-GC based out of Damascus, but financed directly by Al Qaeda. Finally Fatfat affirmed that FPLP-GC answers directly to Damascus and that a branch of Al Qaeda could be manipulated by Syrian security services....

"It seems that the Iraqi Al-Qaïda branch has been thinking for a long time to transform Lebanon into a strengthened base, and to make in particular the area of Tripoli (in the north of Lebanon) a new Afghanistan since several of its bases are in this city", specified the source. He added that the interrogations carried out by the Lebanese police force of 13 Al-Qaïda members brought precise details on the infiltration operation, carried out under the direct supervision of Zarkawi [Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]. "Some 700 experienced militants of the terrorist network would have left Iraq for Lebanon", adds this anonymous witness....

Lastly, when questioned by Al Hayat about Al Qaeda's presence in Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Lebanese Shia terror group Hezbollah which controls much of the south of the country, did not deny it. He pointed to the possible implication in the December attack of elements in the Ain Al Hilweh Palestinian camp "who have pledged their loyalty to al-Zarqawi". He acknowledged that it was a "dangerous and unacceptable" situation but thought it was "unlikely" that Hezbollah would clash with Al Qaeda in the future.

Only 325,000 Names on U.S. Suspected Terror List

The MSM is spinning the fact that the U.S. has placed over 325,000 names on the suspected terrorist list as an affront to civil liberties. However, because many of the names are simple variations of spelling, the actual list is closer to 200,000. And U.S. Citizens comprise "only a very, very small fraction" of that number.

So, you're going to tell me that there are only 200,000 potential terrorists in the world identified by the NSA's National Counterterrorism Center? In Britain alone 37% of Muslims agreed that Jews in the U.K. are "legitimate targets as part of the struggle for justice in the Middle East."

50,000 people in Pakistan rallied to suppress free speech in the world today. 3,000 Muslims in the Philippines were at a rally in which cartoon blasphemers were beheaded in effigy today. And you're telling me that 200,000 is a large number? Are you people out of your effing minds!?!?

It's simply amazing the depths of the denial going on in the world about the nature of Islam and the gravity of the threat it poses to Western liberalism. Alleged 'civil liberty' groups express outrage at this number as if there is no relationship between between Islam and terrorism.

For instance:

Timothy Sparapani, an expert on privacy rights at the American Civil Liberties Union, said the ACLU's response was one of incredulity, and alarm that many people are likely to be on the list by mistake, with serious impact on their lives and few, if any, means of getting themselves off it.

Okay, so the ACLU is 'incredulous' and 'alarmed' that some Muslims might be inconvenienced by the fact that they are being watched. Personally, I'd like to express my incredulity and alarm that so many Muslims support terrorism, the murdering of Jews, and the fascism that is Islamic law!

It's true, as Mr. Sparapani notes, that there probably needs to be a better vetting process so that innocent Muslims can be taken off the list quicker, but the solution to that problem is in increasing the NSA budget by leaps and bounds. I wonder how the ACLU would react should some one propose to double the NSA budget? Let me predict that they would be 'incredulous' and 'alarmed' at the potential impact on civil liberties.

While the list is problematic and should cause us some concern, 'Outrage', another word used by the ACLU, should be saved for those who support jihad and terrorism, not directed at those trying to prevent another 9/11.

More over-reaction:

LA Times: Names on U.S. Terror List Quadruple

San Francisco Chronicle: Roster of alleged terrorists swells to 325,000 names

The Standard: Fears over US terrorism list

Al Jazeera.com: 325,000 names on US “terror” list - Report (quote marks in original)

Fatwa This: Insulting Muhammed Videos, Cartoons, Riots, Murders and Other Links of the Day

It's the religion of peace roundup, featuring this Zipperfish video. "Saying Muslims aren't extremists is kind of like saying Christians aren't annoying."--I'll take annoying.The best part? The Muhammed totally gay review. (thanks to Dan Riehl for sending link)

Google baiting for Muhammed cartoon fatwa is fun. Will somebody please fatwa this guy already!!

Why Google deserves to be baited: Google, afraid of getting killed by misunderstanderers of ROP, removes It's in the Koran song from cache.

Tiny minority of extremists: 50,000 rally in Pakistan wishing to impose Islamic prohibitions on the West.

Cartoon protesters in Philippines behead effigies over Muhammed cartoons.

Hamburglar, Big Boy, Mr. Burns all go into hiding after Muslim protests turn against Ronald McDonald fictional characters.

Anne Coulter: the anti-Tokyo Rose.

BBC: It's not that we want to exempt Islam from our normal anti-religious propaganda, it's just that we're afraid of Muslims, you know, cutting our heads off.

Another step toward fascism in Europe: Norway criminalizes blasphemy.

Obvious: Iraqis say Saddam could exploit Abu Ghraib images

Even more obvious: Report says al Qaeda wants to kill us, will use any means necessary.

Good news from Iraq: Iraqi troops stepping up to the plate faster than expected.

ABC's Lost loses it.

Propaganda: the good kind.

Racism in our Universities.

It's official: Warner Bros' Looney Tunes takes over MSM

Left's greatest fears realized: Bush death squads/black helicopters abducting dissidents in their sleep!

Bee in his bonnet?

See-Dubya here, breaking radio silence to post this.

Whee!

I've watched that about ten times now and it's still funny.

Hat tip to Rightwingsparkle.

UPDATE: Rusty says he posted this a week ago. Well, tough noogies. I'm going to keep posting this until every last one of you has clicked over and watched the Ayatollah of Rock and Roll-ah!

Being Evil

Google Code of Conduct:

Our informal corporate motto is "Don't be evil." We Googlers generally relate those words to the way we serve our users – as well we should. But being "a different kind of company" means more than the products we make and the business we're building; it means making sure that our core values inform our conduct in all aspects of our lives as Google employees.

Congress grills Internet execs on China policies:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers lashed out at Google Inc. and other prominent Internet companies on Wednesday, with one Democrat questioning "how your corporate leadership sleeps at night" because of the companies' alleged complicity in human rights abuses by the Chinese government.

"Your abhorrent activities in China are a disgrace. I simply do not understand how your corporate leadership sleeps at night," said Rep. Tom Lantos, the ranking Democrat on a House International Relations subcommittee on human rights.

A bill to be introduced by Republican Chris Smith would make it illegal for Google or other US companies to continue to abet repressive regimes like Communist China.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 15, 2006

On Heroism True

Sometimes, maybe once in a generation, a true hero stands up. An epic figure who does not care what others say or what others may think. These giants of humanity are not afraid to be alone and hold their ground in the face of overwhelming odds. We see these people and think they are John the Baptist reborn, a lone voice in the wilderness.

Today, ladies and gentlemen, we have seen one of these heroes. I present to you, the Honorable Representative of the 1st District in Hawai'i, Neil Abercrombie.

When presented the chance today to vote on the bill "expressing the sense of Congress that no United States assistance should be provided directly to the Palestinian Authority if any representative political party holding a majority of parliamentary seats within the Palestinian Authority maintains a position calling for the destruction of Israel," Representative Abercrombie had the courage to oppose the votes of Reps. Jackson (D-IL), Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Conyers (D-MI), and Minority Leader Pelosi (D-CA). He also managed to oppose the vote of Majority Leader Boehner (R-OH) at the same time.

Represenative Abercrombie was the lone 'Nay' vote.

For some reason, I am reminded of an old Monty Python sketch on the value of not being seen. Really, if you feel this way, maybe it would have been best for you to not stand up. Though it helps me weed out the mega-loons from the regular nuts.

Take some time to let Rep. Abercrombie know how you feel here.

Muslim Porn: Sheep Magazine

This all started with exchanges of yo momma insults in the comments section here. Do a Google image search of: Muslim porn (Warning: NSFW). Actual hits on first page. Google = hate site.

Sheep magazine: Hide your sheep, Muhammed is coming!

Star Trek Muslim porn, Image from Broadsword.

Google image search imitates South Park. Punchline-->>

Ever see Ron Jeremy and Khalid Shiekh Mohammed in the same room?

Not so funny image from the Religion of We Believe Jesus was a Prophet: Palestinian mob attacks Muslim porno actress, demands Koranic punishment of stoning. (Let him who is without sin cast the first stone)

Iraqi Mayor Issues Fatwa Against U.S. Soldiers

It's not what you think. Thanks to Traderrob from OpiniPundit: Letter From Iraq Completely Ignored by the EM.

From: Mayor of Tall ‘Afar, Nine[vah], Iraq

In the Name of God the Compassionate and Merciful

To the Courageous Men and Women of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who have changed the city of Tall’ Afar from a ghost town, in which terrorists spread death and destruction, to a secure city flourishing with life.

To the lion-hearts who liberated our city from the grasp of terrorists who were beheading men, women and children in the streets for many months.

To those who spread smiles on the faces of our children, and gave us restored hope, through their personal sacrifice and brave fighting, and gave new life to the city after hopelessness darkened our days, and stole our confidence in our ability to reestablish our city.

Our city was the main base of operations for Abu Mousab Al Zarqawi. The city was completely held hostage in the hands of his henchmen. Our schools, governmental services, businesses and offices were closed. Our streets were silent, and no one dared to walk them. Our people were barricaded in their homes out of fear; death awaited them around every corner. Terrorists occupied and controlled the only hospital in the city. Their savagery reached such a level that they stuffed the corpsesof children with explosives and tossed them into the streets in order to kill grieving parents attempting to retrieve the bodies of their young. This was the situation of our city until God prepared and delivered unto them the courageous soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who liberated this city, ridding it of Zarqawi’s followers after harsh fighting, killing many terrorists, and forcing the remaining butchers to flee the city like rats to the surrounding areas, where the bravery of other 3d ACR soldiers in Sinjar, Rabiah, Zuma and Avgani finally destroyed them.

I have met many soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment; they are not only courageous men and women, but avenging angels sent by The God Himself to fight the evil of terrorism.

The leaders of this Regiment; COL McMaster, COL Armstrong, LTC Hickey, LTC Gibson, and LTC Reilly embody courage, strength, vision and wisdom.

Officers and soldiers alike bristle with the confidence and character of knights in a bygone era. The mission they have accomplished, by means of a unique military operation, stands among the finest military feats to date in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and truly deserves to be studied in military science. This military operation was clean, with little collateral damage, despite the ferocity of the enemy. With the skill and precision of surgeons they dealt with the terrorist cancers in the city without causing unnecessary damage.

God bless this brave Regiment; God bless the families who dedicated these brave men and women. From the bottom of our hearts we thank the families. They have given us something we will never forget. To the families of those who have given their holy blood for our land, we all bow to you in reverence and to the souls of your loved ones. Their sacrifice was not in vain. They are not dead, but alive, and their souls hovering around us every second of every minute. They will never be forgotten for giving their precious lives. They have sacrificed that which is most valuable. We see them in the smile of every child, and inevery flower growing in this land. Let America, their families, and the world be proud of their sacrifice for humanity and life.

Finally, no matter how much I write or speak about this brave Regiment, I haven’t the words to describe the courage of its officers and soldiers. I pray to God to grant happiness and health to these legendary heroes and their brave families.

NAJIM ABDULLAH ABID
AL-JIBOURI
Mayor of Tall ‘Afar,
Ninewa, Iraq

Related: Freedom Fighters Murder Child, Booby Trap Body in Tel Afar
Terrorists Murder Over 100 Civilians in Iraq
Chemical Attack in Iraq?
Part of Tall Afar now Short Afar
Hundreds of Terrorists Captured in Iraq, al Qaeda Leader Killed
Zarqawi on the Run, Accuses US of Using Chemical Weapons
Zarqawi says will use chemical weapons
US & Iraqi units enter Tal Afar, Ass wadds in Aswad next.

Gay Muslims Eating Pudding

In the Name of Allah: New independent film about gay Muslims may spark violence. Life imitating Hollywood imitating South Park imitating The Jawa Report. Hopefully the film will have little in common with the bad gay of Brokeback Mountain. Perhaps they can get Dannii Minogue and her lesbian stripper friend to star in the sequel In the Name of Allah II: Good Gay Muslims in Love?

NewsMax:

A new documentary exploring the lives of gay Muslims could soon set off another round of violent protests in the Middle East.

The film’s producer, Sandi Dubowski, has promised to submit his movie to all the major film festivals of the Muslim and Western worlds. And even if it is rejected, he told Variety magazine, "We’ll find ways of screening it in every Muslim nation, even if it’s underground.”

The film, titled "In the Name of Allah,” will give viewers a glimpse of the Muslim world from a gay, lesbian, and transgender perspective.

Via SondraK.

Taqiya: British Imam Condemns Terrorism to Infidels, Praises Terror to Muslims

Taqiya is an idea which justifies deceiving the enemy for the sake of Islam. Hamid Ali, an imam from West Yorkshire, is clearly practicing it.

Via Tel-Chai Nation this from the Times:

A week after the attack [London transit bombings] he had told newspapers that the perpetrators ought to be punished. But in a secretly taped conversation, he said: “What they [the bombers] did was good. They have warned that we are here, we Muslims. People have taken notice that we are here. They died so that people would take notice . . . big meetings and conferences make no change at all. With this, at least people’s ears have pricked up.”...

He also praised the bombers as the “children” of Abdullah al-Faisal, a firebrand Muslim cleric, who was convicted of inciting murder and racial hatred in 2003.

Ali revealed that the leader of the London suicide bombers had attended sermons in Yorkshire by al-Faisal and tapes of al-Faisal’s teachings were still circulating within his mosque.

Al-Faisal, who has branded non-Muslims as “cockroaches” ripe for extermination, is serving a seven-year prison sentence but is eligible for early release next week.

Which Sci-Fi Crew Would You be Part of?

I was hoping that 'Darth Vadar's Imperial Star Cruiser' was an option, but it wasn't.

You scored as Millennium Falcon (Star Wars). The world around you is at war. Fortunately you know how to handle that with the greatest of ease. You are one of the best at what you do and no one needs to tell you that. Now if only the droids could be quiet for five seconds. Millennium Falcon (Star Wars) 100% Deep Space Nine (Star Trek) 88% Babylon 5 (Babylon 5) 75% Serenity (Firefly) 75% SG-1 (Stargate) 75% Galactica (Battlestar: Galactica) 69% Moya (Farscape) 69% Nebuchadnezzar (The Matrix) 63% Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda) 50% Enterprise D (Star Trek) 38% Bebop (Cowboy Bebop) 31% FBI's X-Files Division (The X-Files) 25% Your Ultimate Sci-Fi Profile II: which sci-fi crew would you best fit in? (pics) created with QuizFarm.com

No Muhammed Cartoons Here (So Please Don't Kill Me)

Click to zoom.

Buy it here. Via No-Pasaran.

Fair is Fair

My impulsive insight for the day is that if we in the West can put up with our inboxes polluted with 75% offensive spam, driving out loving or urgent messages from friends and family, the Ummah ought to be able to put up with a few off-color cartoons that no one was paying attention to anyway. The reaction reminds me of the old lady in our neighborhood who lodged a complaint with the police about the firemen in the firehouse next door "displaying" themselves in the nude, while in the shower. So the cop came over, looked out the window, and said: "Ma'am, I can't see any nude men over there." To which she replied: "Well of course not. You have to stand on the chair!."

On the other hand, a fatwa against spammers might actually win Islam some converts, not that they're savvy enough to figure that out...

More Graphic Abu Ghraib Images: Moral Idiots who Equivocate and Hypocrites in the Media

Be prepared for new Abu Ghraib images. I've seen them all. They are much worse than the ones you've already seen. I can also tell you that some of the images being shown by Australian media and then re-broadcast by Arab media of dead Iraqis who have been shot in the head and which are being reported as 'Abu Ghraib photos' are hoaxes. UPDATE: If you must see the most recent photos from Abu Ghraib, here they are.

For any one who equivocates between American troops and Saddam Hussein, I'd suggest that you are uniquivocally an idiot. Yes, Abu Ghraib was very bad indeed. However, the Abu Ghraib abuses were discovered by U.S. troops and were being investigated before any photos were ever leaked to the press.

For instance, from al Reuters:

"This is truly American ugliness that no other country in the world can compete with," journalist Saleh al-Humaidi told Reuters in Yemen.

"The Americans ought to apologise to mankind for their government's lie to the world that it is fighting for freedom and that it came to Iraq to save it from Saddam Hussein's oppression," he said.

Truly amazing how stupid people are. But I guess if you already believe the U.S. is evil than any evidence will be taken as proof of our ill intentions.

Further, the abuses that occured have led to a series of convictions against those who participated. More than 25 at last count. Abu Ghraib is not, as is asserted by Andrew Sullivan, a reflection on President Bush and only fools would equivocate between the unauthorized crimal act and the officially sanctioned act. Andrew Sullivan is one such fool.

As bad as these images are, they pale next to the genuine torture and murder committed by the Saddam Hussein regime. Don't believe me? Check out these images captured from the Hussein regimes' decades of institutionalized mass murder and torture. They include images of prisoners being thrown off roofs, their hands and tongues being cut out, their arms being broken, and of them being blown up as a method of execution.

Even the most enlightened and peaceful nations on earth have their share of sadists. Both Iran and the Netherlands have had citizens murdered because they appeared to utter or publish blasphemous things. What differentiates the two is that in Iran it is official state policy to execute blasphemers while in the Netherlands the man who killed Theo Van Gogh is treated as a criminal.

The U.S. condemns acts of torture and prosecutes those who engage in these barbaric acts, while the Baathist state of Saddam Hussein had an official policy of torture and rewarded those who engaged in cruelty. To not understand the distinction is to be utterly moronic and morally confused. Unfortunately, the world has its fair share of morally confused idiots.

Sistah Todjah finds that WaPo is ready and willing to publish photos which they know will bolster the terrorist insurgency in Iraq, yet were unwilling to publish the Muhammed cartoons for fear of offending. The insurgents fight us because they believe we are evil and many Muslims are convinced that America is essentially the same as their own dicatatorial regimes...thank you WaPo for confirming their deepest suspicions.

Inserted update: Why the Abu Ghraib photos, but not the Mohammed Cartoons? Excellent question. ANSWER.

More from Dread Pudit Bluto, LGF, Caerdroia, Tim Blair, Fraters Libertas , In the Bullpen, Ace of Spades HQ, and Stop the ACLU who notice that it's not just WaPo who refused to print the Muhammed cartoons 'because they are offensive', but are showing these disgusting photos. I'm more than an little offended that they are publishing these photos. Perhaps if we rioted it would affect some change?

Reuters:

An Australian television station broadcast on Wednesday what it said were previously unpublished images of abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison, fuelling more Arab anger against the United States.

The Special Broadcasting Service's "Dateline" current affairs programme said the images were recorded at the same time as the now-infamous pictures of U.S. soldiers abusing Abu Ghraib detainees which sparked international outrage in 2004.

Some of the newly broadcast pictures suggest further abuse such as killing, torture and sexual humiliation, Dateline said.

I saw this from Church and State. I'll disagree. While the last Abu Ghraib photos that came out were abusive, they weren't torture. These are.

Others: Uncommon Sense, Villains Vanquished, Drumwaster, Cake or Death

More Things That Make Me Grab The Duct Tape

Uh... I forgot about the caption contest. Um... everyone gets a fatwa!!! And people think I'm not a compassionate conservative.

An Arrogance of Power

I'll let David Ignatius of the Washington Post write the opening paragraph for me, with just a couple of minor changes:

There is a temptation that seeps into the souls of even the most righteous politicians journalists and leads them to bend the rules, and eventually the truth, to suit the political needs of the moment. That arrogance of power is on display with the Bush administration American mainstream media.

Ignatius is writing, of course, about the MSM's hysterical behavior in the aftermath of Vice President Dick Cheney's hunting accident, though he thinks he's writing about the incident itself.

This is a press corps suffering a collective psychotic break, completely out of control; willing to do anything to reach its frustrated political goals.

Hugh Hewitt sums it up nicely:

The MSM is unhinged, a victim of its Bush hatred, which includes of course hatred of Cheney. The idea that failure to tell the White House press corps of a hunting accident for 14 hours is in anyway similar to leaving a woman to die in a submerged car while fleeing the scene or the cover-up of Watergate is just nuts.

This is part of the reason:

Congress appeared ready to launch an investigation into the Bush administration's warrantless domestic surveillance program last week, but an all-out White House lobbying campaign has dramatically slowed the effort and may kill it, key Republican and Democratic sources said yesterday.

The latest effort to bring down a Republican administration is stalling (and don't believe this "White House lobbying" bilge; it's stalling because Democrats can read public opinion polls). The mainstream press has been trying to make George Bush go away since 2000, when they failed to corrupt the vote quite enough to get Gore elected. And the election of 2004 was like putting a cattle prod to a bull's nutsack as far as American journalism was concerned.

The people, in their arrogance, have spoken. And old media hacks like David Ignatius don't like what they've said.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

More Killed in Riots by Tiny Minority of Extremists Over Muhammed Cartoon

More than 70,000 people came out today in Pakistan to protest cartoons lampooning the man regarded as a Prophet by Muslims around the world. Meanwhile, the online jihad continues and Michelle Malkin falls victim. And, a new jihadi propaganda film threatens the lives of the cartoonists-- forcing them to go into hiding.

Remember, this is a tiny minority of extremists. CBS News:

Gunfire and rioting erupted Wednesday as more than 70,000 people joined Pakistan's biggest protest yet against Prophet Muhammad cartoons, burning movie theaters, a KFC restaurant and a South Korean-run bus station....

The massive crowd went on a rampage in the northwestern city of Peshawar, torching businesses and fighting police, who struck back with tear gas and batons. It was the third straight day of violent demonstrations in the Islamic nation.

The rioters ransacked the offices of the Norwegian mobile phone company Telenor, three cinemas and offices of Mobilink _ the main mobile phone operator in the country, witnesses said. They also burned a bus terminal operated by South Korea's Sammi Corp. Flames were shooting out of some of the buses, private TV station Geo reported.

More...Reuters:

Three people died, including a young boy, during violent protests in Pakistan on Wednesday against cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad published in European newspapers, security officials said.

The boy was killed when a bullet fired during a protest hit him in the head in the northwestern city of Peshawar, but it was not clear if the shot was fired by police or protesters, a security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A man was killed when an electricity pole fell down during a protest in the same city, the official said.

Another man died in crossfire between police and students at the Punjab University campus in the eastern city of Lahore, where a police went to rescue an officer who had been abducted by protesters, Police Superintendent Hussain Habib Gill said.

Infidel Chinese kiiled:

Unknown attackers gunned down three Chinese engineers and a Pakistani driver in southwestern Pakistan Wednesday evening, police sources told CNN.

The attack happened in Hub in Balochistan province, a tribal area where recent violence has prompted Pakistan's army to conduct operations.

The engineers were helping construct the multimillion dollar Gwadar seaport in Balochistan, a joint venture by Pakistan and its key ally, China.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi Sentenced to Death in Abstentia

It's a start. You may remember Abu Musab al-Zarqawi from such classic films as 'Nick Berg beheading' (in which he had the starring role as murderer) and 'blowing up shit' (which is now a weekly serial). Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq.

Al Jazeera:

A military court in Jordan has condemned nine men, including al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, to death for a plot to carry out a chemical attack on the kingdom.

On Wednesday al-Zarqawi and three others received the death penalty in absentia. But the plot's alleged mastermind, Azmi al-Jayousi, and four co-defendants were in the dock when the judge condemned them to death for the 2004 plot.

The court sentenced two of the 13 defendants to prison terms of between one and three years, and acquitted another two defendants.

The 13 were charged with conspiring to attack various sites in Jordan by setting off a cloud of toxic chemicals that would have killed thousands of people, according to the authorities.

Question to "living document" advocates

If the Constitution is a "living document" which can be changed without amendment based on current social needs, then why did the Founders write it down? The British had (and still have) a 'living Constitution' that wasn't written. Surely if they believed the Constitution was 'flexible' then they would have adopted the British model, wouldn't they?

Danny has more on living document Constitutionalism.

UPDATE: Related from McQ.

Children Murdered Walking to School

(Baghdad) Highlights in today's religion of peace news include:

From USAToday.com:

A bomb exploded Wednesday on a central Baghdad street, killing three girls and a boy walking to school, police and relatives said. The dead included two sisters and their brother.

[ ... ]

Police said the children were between the ages of 10 and 14 and included two sons and a daughter of Jamil Mohammed, a poor vendor who works in a nearby public market.

"We are poor people who has nothing to do with politics," the father sobbed at the local police station. "We only wanted to live a decent life. What is the guilt of my dead children? They were only heading to school. Now I am left with only two children. This is a disaster for my family."

First of all, does anyone at USAToday proofread? The first paragraph says "two sisters and their brother" were murdered. A couple paragraphs down, it says "two sons and a daughter" were murdered. Hello, USAToday, anybody home? In a WaPo story, three boys are reported to have been murdered.

If one reads several reports, a conclusion can be drawn that four children were murdered, three boys and a girl. Why can't the mainstream media get the numbers right? You tell me. I do know that the MSM are fairly much in unison at providing justification for the killings. Without exception, it's reported that a store which sold black-market liquor was bombed, among other stores, by the way. So, the MSM can't get the number of kids murdered right, but they sure can reach into the minds of the thug criminals and extract a motive to justify the bombing. You see a slant? I do.

Moving on, it has to be assumed that there's no room on the moderate Muslim protest schedule to express outrage at the murder of innocent children. On the other hand, it might be that murdering children doesn't meet the threshold criteria for outrage. Planned protests, I believe, are reserved for more significant criminal acts than the murder of children. Like cartoons.

From Interested-Participant.

More Good News from Kurdistan, the OTHER Iraq

Michael J. Totten is still in Kurdistan and has an amazing photo essay.

WTW Get Your Mohammad T-Paper Here!

It's soft, it's more absorbant, It's lint free! More offensive than your ordinary T-Paper. Make your rectum happy! Buy a roll today.

Jeremy : wanted to let you know that I am going to be making some Mohammad toilet paper, so if you want to feature it on your site, or mention that would be sooper..

Also coming soon Mohammad Maxi Pads! For the ultimate in intimate protection.

Here are your White Trash Wednesday bloggers

In other WTW news I make my last house payment tomorrow. Hell yeah! Screw you Mr. Banker man. Er uh, maybe that was a bit strong. Screw you Mr. Banker man, but not really, cause I may need you some day.

The devil made me do it. What a pile of bullshit sob story that is. OK you are a F*cking Junkie. If you ever wanted to kill anyone you should have killed the bastard that taught you that. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea from yesterday's post. While I may disagree with some policy matters on the WOD I hate F*cking Junkies. Any retard who touches himself in that manner should just go ahead and blow his brains out first time. Because it's all over baby. These people are foprever changed and go to rehab to avoid trouble. Five minutes after they are released they are right back doing the same thing. I hope the judge shows all the mercy he showed that poor girl. The only advantage to you not getting the death sentence is that a life sentence would put your slimy ass in general population where may find your ass being kicked daily. Personaly I would like to see you made a bitch and raped over and over until dead. Plain old death is too easy. Maybe you can get the Jeffery Dalmer death sentence.

Lawrence O'Donell is an Idiot

To the tinfoil crowd, lack of evidence is always proof of a coverup. And, FYI: there is a major difference between reporting a crime to the police (eg, CHAPPAQUIDDICK) and notifying the media of an accident. The media, despite what many on the Left believe, are not the nation's police force.

Decision '08: Smearing Dick Cheney

Dan Riehl: Lawrence O'Donnell Is Scum

Radio Equalizer: Fact free zone.

Let Them Eat Yellowcake

Interesting post at the A.M. blog on the future relationship between Islam and the West. Personally the notion that a culture must be utterly destroyed before they can be drastically reformed seems like an unpleasant truth and none of the alternatives seem that good. Sometimes, though, we must pick the least worst option. What that option is remains to be seen.

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Sooper Sekrit To My Sweetie

Valentine's Day is over, so that make this surprise that much more delightful. Darling, I give you this message...

Hello to my darling wife. Happy Valentines Day. I want to apologize. I have not linked you in ages. Although I email you 10 times a day, I have sent daily links to this blog lately, and I want you to know this will stop. I will only link you with information of utmost importance such as breaking news, blogbursts, and Very important issues. Again, I apologize, Your loving husband, Vinnie.

The Real Deal

Ask yourselves, really.

Are the cartoons the Iranians going to publish really going to offend you?

Be honest.

Are any cartoons they publish more offensive than what really happened?

I hate to say this, but, I have to wonder about those who would take offense at holocaust denial cartoons. It makes me think that they might think that there's a grain of truth to the denial.

All the proof you need is right there in the reaction to the Mohammed cartoons.

"We are a blood-drinking people"

Palestine Media Watch reports on a video added to a Hamas website this week, that features the parting messages of two suicide bombers:

Each terrorist had a separate message for Jews. This first said,

"My message to the loathed Jews is that there is no god but Allah, we will chase you everywhere! We are a nation that drinks blood, and we know that there is no blood better than the blood of Jews. We will not leave you alone until we have quenched our thirst with your blood, and our children's thirst with your blood. We will not leave until you leave the Muslim countries."

The second terrorist said the following:

"In the name of Allah, we will destroy you, blow you up, take revenge against you, [and] purify the land of you, pigs that have defiled our country... This operation is revenge against the sons of monkeys and pigs."

These are the folks with whom Israel is being urged to seek accommodation.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 14, 2006

Another Sign of the Apocalypse

Sen. Charles Schumer opens mouth, voice of reason heard.

Terror Trial Begins for U.S. Citizens in Lodi, FBI Investigating Newspaper Leak

The trial for two Lodi, California, men who have extensive ties to terror supporters in Pakistan begins today. The Sacramento Bee, which has been following the case closely, is now the target of a FBI investigation over information it published from a sealed federal indictment.

Two Muslim religious leaders who attended the same California mosque as Hamid & Umer Hayat have already been deported. The son, Hamid, is charged with giving material support to terrorists and three minor counts of lying to investigators. The father, Umar, is charged with two counts of lying to the FBI.

Don't let this relatively minor charges fool you. They told federal investigators that they had no ties to terrorism when in fact the younger of the two, Hamid Hayat, had attended terrorist training camps in Pakistan. All this after they had become naturalized U.S. citizens and were widely seen as pillars of the community.

I believe we have a name for citizens of our country who give material support to our enemies and swear to wage war against us: treason.

Incidentally, the Lodi Muslim community was outraged at the allegations that any one of them could possibly have ties to terrorists. Because, as we all know, to suggest that the percentage of terror supporters in the Muslim community is probably much higher than the number of terror supporters among the Mennonites is not allowed. Who represented this group of victims? The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the ACLU.

Behold the face of treason.

Sac Bee:

They say that Hamid Hayat, then 20, told the informant he believed in jihad and swore he would fight jihad. He went on to say that, during an upcoming trip to Pakistan, he was going to a training camp, the papers allege.

During one of the conversations, Hamid Hayat said the United States "is just a name, and that his heart belongs to Pakistan," the papers further allege....

According to the prosecution's court papers, Hamid Hayat was given his Miranda rights and later failed the polygraph examination. After being questioned for several hours, the court papers allege, he "confessed to attending a jihadist training camp, indicating that it was near the town of Balakot" in Pakistan.

"Hamid also made several statements regarding individuals and groups who supported the camp he attended," including al-Qaida, the papers allege.

The court papers quote Hamid Hayat as saying the purpose of the camp "was to train for jihad and to teach people to kill those who work against Muslims."

He admitted that he "was being trained to and intended to commit jihad in the U.S.," the papers say. "He did not have any orders to fight at present; however, he was awaiting such orders."

"Violent jihad" is defined by the counterterrorism team prosecuting the Hayats as "the use of violence, including paramilitary action, against persons, property or governments deemed to be enemies of a fundamentalist version of Islam."

Meanwhile, according to the papers, Umer Hayat told agents his son had not attended a training camp and that he, Umer, had no connections to terrorism and was unaware that there were training camps in Pakistan.

Umer Hayat was shown a small portion of his son's videotaped confession, and then admitted that he knew his son had been to a training camp in Pakistan for up to six months in late 2003 and into 2004, the prosecution's papers state. Umer Hayat added that he had been to at least four camps as an observer, the papers say.

The papers say Umer Hayat told the agents his son went to a camp outside Rawalpindi, which he said was underground. Umer said he was there and observed firearms, explosives, classroom and physical fitness training, the papers say.

And the FBI is none too happy to know that someone is leaking information to the Sacramento Bee:

The FBI is investigating the source of sealed court documents used by The Bee in stories about a federal probe into possible terrorist activity involving five Lodi Muslims....

An FBI spokeswoman said the investigation is not targeting employees at the federal courthouse in Sacramento, where the court documents were filed.

"The investigation is looking at how a sealed court document ended up with the newspaper," said Karen Ernst, the FBI's Sacramento office spokeswoman.

Hat tip to KG of California Mafia who is on a blog vacation.

People We Wish would go Hunting with Dick Cheney

My first thought after hearing the Vice President Dick Cheney had shot some one was: OMG, I can finally stop blogging. Nothing in the world I write can ever be as funny as that.

My second thought after hearing that Vice President Dick Cheny had shot some one was: If only the VP would invite some huge pain in the asses for 'diplomatic talks' while hunting, that sure would solve a lot of problems.

Presenting the Jawa Report's guide to people we'd love to see go hunting with Vice President Dick Cheney. Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments or by sending us a link.

Saddam goes hunting with Cheney, saves America billions and countless lives. Sorry Saddam, I mistook you for an eight point buck!

Nuclear holocaust prevented for the cost of a 16 gauge shell. It is pheasant season.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi neck shot. That's gonna leave a mark.

Fascist-Peronist dictator Hugo Chavez. Squirrel season.

Michael Moore. Wait, I thought Spam was an animal?

Ayman al-Zawahiri. Oh, I thought that was a target on your head.

Ms. "we are waging a nuclear war in Iraq" Cindy "this country is not worth dying for" Sheehan. My bad, I thought you were Sasquatch.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) invited Cindy "the Secret Service is out to kill me" Sheehan to the State of the Union. Ooops, I thought you were a wild pig!

Able Danger Hearings Begin

Vi is liveblogging the Able Danger hearings.

Weldon Press Conference on Able Danger.

Danish Muslims to Accept Partial Responsibilty for Conflict

Danish Muslims want to say they're sorry. Sort of. Kinda like the abusive husband who says, I'm sorry for hitting you but you've got to admit you were being a bitch and provoked me. Yeah, exactly like that.

Agora:

he spokesman for the Danish Moslem group, 28-year-old Ahmed Akkari who claims to represent 27 Moslem organizations tells Jyllands-Posten that he is ready to accept "a third of the blame" for the escalating conflict if Jyllands-Posten and the Danish Government accepts that the rest is theirs. Ahmed Akkari explains that this is an attempt to get into a dialogue.

"With this concrete action we are attempting to show that we bear part of the blame in order to achieve resolution to this crisis. We want to show that we aren’t running. In fact, we have been trying to do that for the last two weeks," says Ahmed Akkari.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Could it possibly be true that somehow an idea rooted in moral and religious correctness does not always make good public policy? Hmm,could be. Who knows, it may even result in this!

Pappy Boyington

The University of Washington, in response to a proposal to erect a monument for decorated WWII Marine pilot Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, decided that they didn't need "any more monuments to rich white men" and that they weren't too keen on the idea of putting up a monument that, you know, dealt with like, war and killing and stuff. Minutes of the meeting here: (http://senate.asuw.org/secretary/minutes/senate/12/02-07-2006.pdf))

(h/t Ace O' Spades).

Well, as it turns out the student senate (contact information here: http://www.asuw.org/directory.php) is having another senate meeting tonight, 2/14 at 5pm.

If you feel moved, drop them a line.

If you're alumni, feel free to tell them to go to hell.

Double that if you're a vet.

Just for reference, they wanted to have work started (not necessarily completed) by Jan 11, 2008 - the 20th anniversary of his death. Read through the minutes, fascinating stuff.

UPDATE:

This is the current response from the student council president, who I am sure, is getting deluged right now. I have to give the guy credit - it's a mature response in what must be a trying situation. He doesn't dodge or spin, he's taking responsibility - I think there are a number of DC denizens who would do well to heed his example.

The blog news and the draft minutes that were posted are inaccurate. First, Ashley Miller's statements were highlighting, as a point of information, that the majority of our statues are white males, which was an issue previously addressed last year, this is not in any way meant to go against Colonel Boyington. It was noted by the sponsor, Andrew Everett, about Boyington's heritage later. Jill Edwards made here statements as an individual, and it should not be assumed she speaks for all students. Karl Smith wanted to honor his service as a whole (he risked his life, endured 20 months in a POW Camp) in an effort to bring more support from a number of students who do not morally agree with war. These statements are in public discourse that has been and will always be at the University of Washington to educate on the questions and issues of our society.

I would also like to remind you that as ASUW President I cosponsored this bill to create a memorial, it failed by one vote, and a good majority of those who voted against it wanted more inclusion of other alumni who were combat veterans who earned the Medal of Honor. This week a new resolution to that effect is being drafted and introduced. In the meantime the ASUW supports veterans in other ways, currently we are supporting state legislation that will hopefully pass and guarantee veterans tuition waivers. In the end, the buck stops here, I would appreciate further comments to be made to me. Please do not participate or condone the hate-filled comments and phone calls made toward individuals in our student government. It has been appalling to see what is being said to people. I too am nauseated.

Thank you for you statements.
Sincerely,
Lee Dunbar

Press Goes All Islamic On White House Over Veep's Accident

While the world marvels at the grotesquely disproportionate spoiled-child reaction of Muslims to the Danish Mohammed cartoons, American journalists are staging their own tantrum.

The Washington Post angrily sulks in an editorial today about the delay in getting out information about Dick Cheney's shooting accident:

The shooting wasn't disclosed until Sunday morning, when Katharine Armstrong, a member of the family that owns the ranch, called the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and the paper posted the story on its Web site in the afternoon after confirming the account with Mr. Cheney's office. Until then, the White House and the vice president's office were mum. By every standard and by all accounts, the failure to promptly disclose the accident was wrong.

But wait:

And the Secret Service reportedly notified the local sheriff's office of the incident on Saturday, according to the New York Times.

They did? and nobody in the vaunted mainstream media was bothering to monitor local police reports in the area where the Veep was known to be taking R&R? Really? And now they're all steamed that a minor story slipped past them because, they weren't doing their jobs.

The LA Times somberly notes that Cheney didn't have a valid bird-hunting stamp and received a warning for this diabolical transgression.

The Drudge Report even has a transcript of NBC chief White House correspondent David Gregory's snotty hissy fit with White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan:

'David, hold on, the cameras aren't on right now,' McClellan replied. 'You can do this later.'

'Don't accuse me of trying to pose to the cameras,' Gregory said, voice rising. 'Don't be a jerk to me personally when I'm asking you a serious question.'

'You don't have to yell,' McClellan said.

I would advise McClellan to puff this self-important milquetoast's balls more often, simply because he flies into such entertaining snits. Maybe next time Gregory will hold his breath until he turns blue.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Iran Holocaust Cartoons

Above: Cartoon comparing the existence of Israel to the Holocaust in Iranian newspaper.

Iran Holocaust Cartoons. The Israeli News agency is asking for your help in directing Google traffic away from the hate filled Islamic sites by linking them with the words Iran Holocaust Cartoons.

More at Politburo Diktat.

Indonesian Justice: 3.8 Days for Mass Murdering Terrorists, Death Sentence for Drug Smugglers

The two ringleaders of the Bali 9 drug smuggling ring have been sentenced to death by an Indonesian court. Get that? In Indonesia they kill you for smuggling drugs.

Compare that sentence to this one. Abu Bakar Bashir is the head of Southeast Asia's al Qaeda affiliate, Jemaah Islamiyaah. He is the Osama bin Laden of Southeast Asia. It was Bashir's terrorist group that murdered 202 people at a night club in Bali. For that, Bashir was senteneced to 25.5 months in prison.

That's about 765 days.

That's 3.8 days per victim.

Drug dealers, though, are put in front of a firing squad. Our friends in the war on terror in a moderate Muslim country. Indeed.

More Dead, KFC Torched in Muhammed Cartoon Protests

More followers of the most peaceful and tolerant religion on earth killed in protests over blasphemous cartoons. Apparently they thought the rhyme went:

With sticks and stones we'll break your bones,
whenever your words do hurt me.

As for destroying a KFC and burning Colonel Sanders in effigy, one member of the mob claims they did it as a protest against a secret additive, put in Original Recipe by Jews, which makes you crave it fortnightly.

Pakistan:

Two people were killed Tuesday in anti-cartoons rallies in Pakistan's eastern Lahore city after which protestors turned violent and set fire to an American food outlet, commercial buildings and parts of regional legislature building, officials and witnesses said.

Several thousand demonstrators went on a rampage when a security guard stationed outside a metropolitan bank allegedly fired and killed two people when they charged towards the building.

Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao confirmed the fatalities but said no one has so far been arrested.

After the shooting incident, enraged protesters set fire to the American food outlet KFC and three commercial buildings and also burned a few rooms of the Punjab Assembly building.

If you don't eat at KFC today, the terrorists have already won.

Dar al Ummah Update

The 'Ummah' in Islam is 'the nation' composed of believers. Pictured right: the only Uma I'd like to get in.

Al Gore, Jedi Knight? Oh, better make that 'Jeddah' knight. (sith high fives to Jim)

Isn't calling the Muhammed cartoons 'intellectual terrorism' kind of like women who say they are 'emotionally abused' as if to say 'sure my husband didn't hit me, cheat on me, didn't drink, and had a job-- but I'm a victim just like you Nicole Brown Simpson'.

Muhammed spotted in tortilla (or something like that).

If Iran was a fully owned subsidiary of NBC's Must See TV Thursday Night.

Why porn will help us win the war on terror. I'm seriously.

U.N. wants Gitmo, shut down and Palestine Jew free.

Oliver Stone's new film won't blame Jews for 9/11. Amazing.

Liberty in Montreal.

Ted Kennedy spotting.

Cindy Sheehan is soooooo funny.

Where do the Belgians keep their armies? Certainly not in their tanks.

Geena Davis to join editorial board for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, promises less Muhammed cartoons, more Aisha the nine year old bride/child-molestation victim of Muhammed cartoons.

UPDATE: Debbie Schlussel, you ignorant slut (must be said in Chevy Chase voice for full effect)

I got the same letter as Captain Ed. Since he published it first, I'll direct your attention to it here. It's a translation of a Danish article about how the Muhammed cartoon controversy was orchestrated by a few travelling imams.

February 13, 2006

Theocracy Is Bad, Mm-kay?

From a Memri transcript of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaking on February 11:

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: The affront to the honor of the Prophet of Islam it is in fact an affront to the worship of God, and to the seeking of truth and justice, and an affront to all the prophets of God. Obviously, all those who harm the honor of the prophet of Islam...

Crowd: Death to Denmark.

Death to Denmark.

Death to Denmark.

Death to Denmark.

[...]

Ahmadinejad: As the representative of the great Iranian people, I call upon all free people of the world – Christians and Jews – to rise together with the Muslims and not to let a handful of shameless Zionists, who have been defeated in Palestine, to harm the sanctity of the prophets.

Uh, good luck with that, Mahmoud. I'm sure there are millions...thousands...hundreds...scores...a handful of brain-damaged Christians and Jews ready to march with Islam Nation.

This speech fits the pattern of Ahmanidejad's hallucinatory episode at the UN a few weeks ago.

Via Stop the ACLU.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

We Got One!!!!

Remember that scene in Ghostbusters, where the sexcretary hits the alarm, stands up, and yells "We got one!!!"

Rusty, I think I have just found something even more elusive than a ghost. More elusive than our shared dream of a fatwa...

...A true moderate Muslim.

That is why my first allegiance is to this country. Without its freedoms and protections, my faith would be something much smaller. That is also why my dream has always been one of a pluralistic, democratic society where all religions and people can feel welcome. Islamists, from the radical to the moderate, would argue that in their dream the will of the majority and the Islamic state become one. What instilled my intense love for the United States from a young age was that our democracy has a Bill of Rights that upholds minorities, prevents oppression by the majority, and keeps religious scripture out of government — the antithesis of Islamism.

I Would Rather Go Hunting With Dick Cheney Than...

Along the same lines as this (which you should participate in too).

Finish the phrase "I'd rather go hunting with Dick Cheney than..."

"Go riding with Ted Kennedy" is already taken, sorry.

German Civilian Hostages in Iraq Threatened on Video

The name of this terror organization is eerily similar to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's Tawhid i jihad and the Kurdish al Qaeda offshoot of Ansar al-Sunna.

AP:

Al-Arabiya TV aired footage of two German hostages surrounded by their kidnappers Monday who threatened to kill them unless the German government doesn't meet their demands.

The station's broadcaster said the kidnappers, identified as Tawhid and Sunnah Brigade [Unity and the way of the Prophet followers], warned the German government that it was the "last chance" to comply with their demands or they will kill hostages Thomas Nitschke and Rene Braeunlich, who were abducted Jan. 24 in Beiji, north of Baghdad.

Tawhid and Sunnah had previously threatened to murder Thomas Nitschke and Rene Braeunlich within 72 hours on another video if the German government did not cut off all diplomatic and trading ties with Iraq. That deadline came and went several weeks ago.

An earlier video was released on January 27th. The two were reported missing a few days before that.

Thanks to Carlos for his unending support of hostages in Iraq.

Kurdistan: The OTHER Iraq

So much bad news about Iraq, it's good to see a reporter actually taking the time to visit Kurdistan. Incidentally, I support Kurdish independence. Of all our allies in the region, the Kurds have proved the most dependable. Far more than the Turks whose alliance is less necessary now than it has ever been.

Why don't you drop Michael J. Totten a line and give him the thumbs up for going to Kurdistan:

I believed him, partly because I wanted to believe him, but also because it lined up with everything I had heard and read about Kurdistan before I got there. Yes, it’s Iraq. But the war is in a different part of the country. There are no Kurdish insurgents. The Peshmerga guard Kurdistan’s de-facto border with ruthless effectiveness. Those who attempt to cross away from the checkpoints and the roads are ambushed by border patrols. Anyone who doesn’t speak Kurdish as their native language stands out among the general population. Iraqi Kurds, out of desperate necessity, have forged one of the most watchful and vigilant anti-terrorist communities in the world. Terrorists from elsewhere just can’t operate in that kind of environment. Al Qaeda members who do manage to infiltrate are hunted down like rats. This conservative Muslim society did a better job protecting me from Islamist killers than the U.S. military could do in the Green Zone in Baghdad.

FYI--the main insurgent group in the region is The Army of Ansar al-Sunna. But Kurdistan is so well guarded that the group generally (with the occasional exception) operates outside of Kurdistan proper.

Mohammed Cartoons: La BAF Severed-hand Protest

Muslims in Paris protesting cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed had two unwelcome guests join them Saturday.

Two men from La BAF, protesting in favor of Denmark and the cartoonists, and in favor of free speech, joined the Muslim protest. One man displayed a Danish cartoonist's fake severed-hand complete with drawing pencil:

La BAF—But very quickly, the crowd began to surround and threaten us. Some started a passionating debate: on one side, those supporting an immediate stoning, on the other side, those who wanted to avoid a public massacre. Meanwhile, the police forced us to leave and took us away in a police van to let us go far away from the demonstration. (Thanks to them)

Many demosntrators had started to move the demosntration behind us, to follow us in the street where the police had brought us. Some where yelling "Allah'u Akbar" and had visibly decided to catch us. ...

Watch the video, [ click here ]

Hat tip: Michelle Malkin

Cross-posted at OpinionBug.com

Peas Be Upon You

I'll be busy most of today. If you have an interesting link, feel free to drop it here or send a trackback so we can issue a fatwa. While I'm away, imagine Islamic whirled peas. (dar al Islam--the house of peas)

Religion of peas throws rocks at British soldiers, soldiers respond by beating the hell out of them.

Green: sacred color of Islam, Notre Dame, and peas.

Daily Tarhreel runs Muhammed pics (peas be upon him).

Iran uses nukes for peasful purposes. U.S. planning strike on peas factory.

Peas in our time.

Peas out RINOS.

Happy 1 year anniversary to The Nose on Your Face.

Pat Yourself On The Back

Local guy just called me back to tell me that D.C. knew about it and was working on it already.

Which means someone saw my post and reported it even before I did.

What can I say, but thank you, and we get results!

If you don't know what I'm talking about, scroll down, I have to go back to work.

Weekly Standard Prints Mohammed Cartoons

The Weekly Standard has reproduced Jylland-Posten's Mohammed cartoons, accompanied by this Editor's Note from William Kristol:

TO ACCOMPANY the editorial in the new issue of THE WEEKLY STANDARD, we have reproduced the page with the Mohammed cartoons from the September 30 Jyllands-Posten. Readers should be able to see what this controversy is about. More important, in light of recent instances of capitulation to the threats of radical Islamists, and in response to eloquent pleas by individuals like Walid-al-Kubaisi in Norway to publish the cartoons in order to protect freedom of expression, we wanted to do our small part to stand against intimidation by extremists.

--William Kristol

Will this be enough to shame the quivering quislings in America's mainstream media into doing their jobs? That remains to be seen.

Via the Neocon Express.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 12, 2006

Vice President Cheney's Hunting Accident: What the Liberals are Saying

Let's keep in mind that liberals pride themselves in being the kinder, gentler bunch of people. Don't be surprised about the language that's about to be brought forth on this web site. It's happened before and I'm sure it will happen again but the liberals are showing their true colors with their reaction to the news that VP Cheney was involved in a non-lethal hunting accident in which Harry Whittington took a load of buckshot.

Just what is the kindler, gentler party saying about this?

"Guns don't kill people...
...maniacal, ignorant, national-security-breaching, draft deferring cowards do."

Posted by: ErikG

I find it interesting that in the "read more" links at HuffPo the term Dick Cheney is immediately followed by Halliburton. Let's find another jewel from the left:

Incompetency at every level in this Administration!

Posted by: JudyDownMaine

She's welcome to her opinion but this might be taking it too far:

Leave it to Dickless Cheney to fuck up a hunting trip.

Just add it to the long, long list of things Bushpigs aren't competent to handle.

Posted by: MoeLarryAndJesus

MoeLarryAndJesus? That alone should let you know what the left things about Christians. But here's one from someone who apparently has some sanity left:

This is a very unfortunate accident for the man who was shot as well as Vice President Cheney. It will be even more unfortunate if Democrats latch onto this issue to attack the Vice President when there are many more legitimate issues to hold against him right now.

Posted by: SkepticalDemocrat

Speaking of true colors:

Dick Cheney is an evil fucking scumbag who desrves to be.....................something.

Posted by: blather

The list goes on and on. At the time of this writing there were 590 comments and I saved them all in a folder on my desktop aptly named "Ammo". Why "Ammo"? Well... This certainly isn't the first time I've witnessed the loony-bin of the left spit venom and I wouldn't want the left to attempt to re-write history.

I agree with Michelle Malkin that this will generate some fodder for the late night talk show hosts. But, the comments quoted here are just flat out over the line.

The last time I reported about abusive comments on HuffPo the comments were pulled and Arianna Huffington sent her minions packing. We'll see if she has the moral fortitude to do the same thing twice. But, chances are she'll flip flop on this issue.

Originally Posted at

Technorati Tags: Dick Cheney, Harry Whittington, liberal, Arianna Huffington, Huffington Post, Unhinged

I Am Such A Cowboy

Talked to a Secret (sooper sekrit?) Service agent at the local field office regarding that comment.

They're going to get their computer guys on it and talk to me tomorrow.

It could be nothing, it could be something, either way, someone overseas is going to be hauled in for interrogation.

I hope so, anyway.

VP Cheney Shoots Lawyer

On a hunting trip in Texas, Vice President Cheney accidentally blasted fellow hunter Harry Whittington, a lawyer. Whittington is in the hospital and reported to be "alert and doing fine."

There's no confirmation of the rumor that Whittington is a Democrat.

Saddam Starting Hunger Strike

(Baghdad) Apparently, Saddam Hussein believes that he's not getting enough sympathy and media exposure.

From Reuters.com:

Saddam Hussein and the seven co-defendants in his trial are to start a hunger strike on Monday, the former Iraqi president's defense team said on Sunday, citing sources inside the detention center where they are being held.

"Saddam and his followers will start a hunger strike from tomorrow, protesting the illegitimate procedures and bad treatment by the court," Khamis al-Aubeidi, a leading member of Saddam's defense team, told Reuters.

Frankly, the idea of strapping the murdering thug to a gurney and shoving a feeding tube through his nose and down his esophagus doesn't elicit my sympathy. In fact, I'd recommend that the authorities be innovative in force-feeding Saddam and try a new technique. A gnarly tube through the brokeback might work.

Nevertheless, the hunger strike is nicely timed to coincide with continuation of the trial which was interrupted two weeks ago when the defense team walked out of the courtroom and protested the new judge. Since then, Saddam has whined about being abused by prison guards. It appears that Saddam and his co-defendents are trying to do everything possible to disrupt the trial "to fuel concerns about the legitimacy of the tribunal and its eventual verdict."

From Interested-Participant.

Anti-Boycott The Weekly Standard

Buy it, Subscribe, Email support to editor@weeklystandard.com.

Weekly Standard : Robert Frost said of liberals that they're incapable of taking their own side in a fight. We will see how deeply a degenerate form of liberalism has penetrated our souls. Will we anguish? Or will we fight?

You could even Email FNS@foxnews.com for the across the board support from even the liberal NPR panelists. I now return me to my irregularly scheduled absence.

Time Mag's Pathetic Shot At Bush (UPDATED)

Time has been salivating for months over the possibility of "getting" President Bush with juicy photos of the President with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Time writers Adam Zagorin AND Matthew Cooper set the stage:

Just how close was the relationship between the White House and disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff?

Feel the tension? This is gonna be good. Maybe they caught Abramoff and the Prez in one of those unseemly man-hugs. Zagorin and Cooper continue to build the tension for their dramatic revelation:

Now, finally, the first such photo has come to light.

Wow! This should be juicy. I can hardly wait. And here...it...is...TA-DA.

What do you mean you don't see him. Right there! No...there...on the left, damnit, he's RIGHT THERE!...in the back...wait, we'll put a red circle around his head...

UPDATE: EXCLUSIVE, THE DREAD PUNDIT BLUTO HAS DISCOVERED ANOTHER INCRIMINATING PHOTO

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Attention Secret Service

This comment was left on this post:

we are looking to atack on washington usa are u ready for this and bush we are looking to ur wife

Here is the IP address:

193.251.135.125

Email vinceautmorire@gmail.com for more info.

This is a direct threat upon the President of the United States. It had not better be taken lightly.

***Sticky, scroll down for new content***

Update: No longer a sticky post.

Thanks, kids, for running down that IP address. He left a couple more:

ready usa now the times come to destroy u

ugikufajfslkfjapirfjalsdkmcv sadc nvaijosfd naafihosidhvlkdnv lxkc noiazshdvoisfd vvihdzfv njzkx boizudfhv \azibvhoia\dz bjhpidzvjapoi\uvoafhd bdozlxighaofidbvh zdjfnvzuodshgvaodihv

My guess is that he's just some dork with internet access, but I'll take the advice of Thomas Paladino in the comments and submit this to the Effa Bee Eye.

I went ahead and contacted the local Secret Service office.

Sunday Funny

From the Dry Bones Blog.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 11, 2006

The Blog Sabbath Caption Contest: Double Vision Edition

Caption this photo of Muslim protestors in Kenya:

That photo is for the caption contest, but the below photo is for extra credit. After your caption, tell us what is uglier, the dead bird, or the pasty-ass fish-belly lardo looking at it. Heh, guess you know my answer.

Hi Ya

Hello.

Rusty has finally, after centuries of begging, allowed me to post here.

He saw how popular the post below was and finally relented.

Feel free to caricature me all you wish, I'll just sent my faithful (PBUT) to behead you. After they torch your embassies first!

We Are All Mohammed Now

Aaron, in a comment on this post, gave me an idea.

Instead of all of us being Danish, let's just all be Mohammed.

There are many advantages to living this way.

The Danes and everyone else are on the defensive concerning this issue. By being Mohammed yourself, you get to go on the offensive. And the best defense is a quick offense.

If you are Mohammed, and someone takes your picture, you may behead them. Especially if it's that obnoxious relative you prayed wouldn't show up at the family reunion.

You get to breeze through security at most major airports.

You get to rape, pillage, and burn at the most minimal slight of your name.

Everyone will add PBUH after they refer to you.

So, from this point on, anyone who comments on my posts without the name Mohammed, or one of its derivates, will be summarily deleted.*

Of course I, don't have to change my blog name to Mohammed. I am granted free license to be a hypocrite.

Because we are all Mohammed now.

Note: leave your proper email and URL in your comment. You just have to change your name to Mohammed. Mustafa and PBUH are also accepted. So are Pedophile Prophet, Pedophile Pimp Prophet, and actus.

*Nah, not really.

ACLU Attacks Boy Scouts Again

Stop the ACLU reports that the ACLU is leading another assault on the Boy Scouts, sponsoring a lawsuit by a lesbian couple to have the Scouts thrown out of a San Diego park:

One can readily assume how this will be ruled; we are talking about the 9th Circuit here. The ACLU want to force the BSA to welcome professing homosexuals and even to recruit gay Scout leaders. They’d also like to erase the mention of “duty to God”. The ACLU is waging more than just a battle; it is waging a campaign. Since 1981, it has participated in at least 14 cases against the Boy Scouts.

Indeed, the Ninth Circus Court of Fools is notorious for softheaded rulings that bear little resemblance to mainstream jurisprudence. This is the court that wanted to strike the words, "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance.

The ACLU's past championing of the child molestation advocacy group, the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), makes their continued fascination with the BSA, and inserting homosexuals into its leadership, appear all the more sinister.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Iraq and Bad Intelligence

Many people are arrogent engough to believe that they 'know' 'objective reality' as it 'really is'. Conversely, many people are paralyzed into inaction because they never have enough information to make an educated guess about the right decision. These people act as if they 'do not know' even an approximation of 'reality'.

In reality, major decisions are often made based upon incomplete information. When such a situation arises, one must think of the consequences of being wrong and the probabilities involved in worst case scenarios.

For instance, pick a single car about to enter the U.S. from Canada. The probability that this particular car is carrying a suitcase nuclear bomb is very, very low. Further, one cannot know what is in the trunk of this particular car.

You have two options: wave the car through without checking the trunk or stop the car and check to see what is inside. What is the proper course of action?

The proper course of action depends entirely on the consequences of being wrong. If you stop the car, and find that there is nothing in the trunk, you have inconvenienced the driver. Further, since you must repeat this action several thousand times a day, there is also the cost of hiring additional border agents. If you never find a bomb then you have wasted precious resources that could have been used in other places.

Imagine, though, that you don't stop the car and it does have a nuclear bomb in it. Oops.

The nature of estimating threats is that it is always based on incomplete information. We didn't know just how poor the Soviet military arsenal was during the Cold War. We didn't know that nuclear weapons were already on the island of Cuba during the missile crisis. Today, we don't know if Iran really intends to build a nuclear weapon. We don't know the extent to which al Qaeda has been destroyed. Yet, we did, and must continue to base policy decisions on incomplete information anyway.

Professor Chaos (also posted at OTB) has an excellent post that is a must read on ex-CIA official Paul R. Pillar's argument that the Adminstration was aware of uncertainties in the pre-Iraq war intelligence. First, he notes that the CIA is a bureaucracy, so that the President only sees what is presented to him by the top eschelon--namely the Clinton appointee George Tenet. Then:

Pillar suggests, as have countless others, is that there was ample evidence refuting the WMD intel but the Bush administration "cherry picked" that which pointed in the direction to war. There seems to be some truth to the notion that the administration listened more closely to intel that suggested a threat, but we can't ignore that this occurred in the aftermath of September 11 -- when the intelligence community (Pillar included) had ample information but failed to "connect the dots."

In this light, the "rush" to go to war in Iraq was less a case of selectively using unreliable intel as it was the result of erring on the side of national security. Pillar may see that differently because he was a CIA insider, but his analysis here fails to recognize this broader national security lens through which the administration would have based its decisions.

Also, it begs the question of action. Even if the Administration knew the intelligence was incomplete, so what? A decision, one way or another, had to be made. One cannot wait until a perfectly clear picture becomes available--because one never does. Waiting for perfect intelligence is a recipe for disaster because perfect intelligence is never available. To believe that it can be is naive.

Hafez al-Bukari and Rahma Hujira

The Yemeni regime has a new label to target its reformers, opposition and civil leaders: “pro-Dutch.” (The regime employs a variety of stereotypes to label its opponents in an effort to turn public opinion against them: Zionist, Separatist, Houthi, Terrorist, Mason, American-leaning and Treasonous, to name a few.)

This is the story of Hafez al-Bokari and Rahma Hujira, two leaders of Yemeni civil society who have struggled for years for journalists rights. In May of 2005, one of the regime stooge attack papers, Al-Belad, published a horrible article about them, which the Yemen Times at the time described as insulting to Rehma’s honor. From all reports it was a very derogatory and crude article, but the Yemeni regime specializes in sleeze as well as brutality. Of course, the public prosecutor to date has not responded to their law suit against al-Belad filed in May.

In December, the following appeared on the internet site of al-Shawa newspaper: The manager of the office of the Saudi Okaz newspaper in Sana'a Hafez al-Bukari was dismissed from his job, reasons are vague. While al-Bukari refused to comment on the dismiss, some media reports though it based upon pressures on and calls to the Okaz headquarters in Saudi by Yemeni informants who do not agree with al-Bukari activities and defending stances for the sake of press freedom after he had been elected a secretary-general of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate in 2004.

Now the paper of the Yemeni military, the 26 September, at the height of public emotion over the cartoons, published a front page article that Hafez and Rahma are agents of the Dutch government. (Hafez as the head of the syndicate was coordinating some journalists’ training program that set up by the Dutch and Yemeni governments. )

Yemen Times The board also condemned the accusation that was brought on the 26 September newspaper website. Here, Al-Bokari and his wife, journalist Rahma Hujaira, are said to have connections with Denmark. The syndicate considered this as a way to blackmail the two journalists, especially after the recent crises regarding the illustrations of the prophet Mohammad in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

They attempted to bring a legal suit against the military’s newspaper for publishing false and inflammatory information. From their letter to the Public Prosecutor in Yemen:

This article was published on the first news page on February 1st 2006. It included direct and clear instigation and offense against me Hafez Al-Bukari , President of Yemen Polling Center and General Secretary of Yemen Journalists Syndicate, and against my wife Rahma Hujira, Chairwoman of the Yemen Female Media Forum. You will also notice that this article includes false information that was made up intentionally for the purpose of being used unfairly against us….

Therefore, we would like to bring a legal suit against those responsible for the website and to draw you attention to the risks that may endanger not only our lives but also our children, families, the institutions we work for and the employees working in them. The reason for this is that this instigation published by this official military institution which is supposed to protect us as citizens of this country.

Such fake information proves that this article is an attempt to use the anger spread in the Muslim world to attack us individually and to attack our institutions; Yemen Polling Center and Yemen Female Media Forum for that these institutions are concerned with democratic, social, and media reformation and development and they tackle general issues related to the society.

No response from the Prosecutor yet. This incident is a clear example of the Yemeni government is using the cartoon controversy to target reformers. And it shows the true anti-democratic, anti-reform face of the Yemeni government.

More importantly, I hope it shows what I’ve been saying for the last year(s): there are some real heroes in Yemen, fighting against enormous challenges, to bring about a more just society. Its not just al-Khaiwani, not just Rahma and Hafez, there’s many. The government targets them over and over in a variety of ways. They don’t give up. There’s some corrupt people, hungry people, and frightened people who bend to the will of the regime. The ones who put their country before themselves deserve our full support.

Dancing Mohammed and Rave Mullahs

You are so fatwa'd for this! What's great is that they have a link to the 'Jesus Dance' page, too. I wonder if 'the American Taliban' we keep hearing about from the Left will show out in mass protest and call for state censorship against Christian blasphemy? Hat tip: Stephen Green

And via Headmistress SondraK this link to what seems to be the Islamic equivalent of Pentacostalism--only set to techno music so it's funny.

Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz Lesbian Love Affair and 'Good' Gay Cowgirls Eating Pudding

Are Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz having a lesbian affair? That's what rumors in Mexican tabloids say. Of course, it doesn't hurt the spread of such rumors when 99% of men polled by the Jawa Report say they secretly hope the rumors are true.

Apparently, the rumors started during the filming of the movie Bandidas. Unlike Brokeback Mountain, the film is the kind of gay cowboy film men will be flocking to see. No word on the amount of pudding consumed in the film.

National Ledger:

Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek are reportedly more than happy to allow rumors that the sexy pair are involved romantically to keep fans guessing. The two stars have been rumored as lesbian partners in Mexico, a published report claims.

It all began when the two were promoting there upcoming film Bandidas.

During a press conference to promote the film, Penelope reached over and grabbed Salma's butt in front of reporters. Lesbian rumors quickly hit Mexico.

"I grabbed Slama's ass just to keep things moving," Cruz told the National Enquirer. "And the energy changed when I did that."

I can imagine lots of things changed.

"Magazines in Mexico are describing us as lesbians," Cruz said. "people are saying we are lovers."

I'm Sure It Happened Exactly That Way, George

George Clooney expounds on his simple-minded political views in a softball interview for the Guardian, and really gets into the role:

"I was at a party the other night and it was all these hardcore Republicans and these guys are like, 'Why do you hate your country?' I said, 'I love my country.' They said, 'Why, at a time of war, would you criticise it then?' And I said, 'My country right or wrong means women don't vote, black people sit in the back of buses and we're still in Vietnam. My country right or wrong means we don't have the New Deal.' I mean, what, are you crazy? My country, right or wrong? It's not your right, it's your duty. And then I said, 'Where was I wrong, schmuck?' In 2003 I was saying, where are the ties [between Iraq] and al-Qaida? Where are the ties to 9/11? I knew it; where the fuck were these Democrats who said, 'We were misled'? That's the kind of thing that drives me crazy: 'We were misled.' Fuck you, you weren't misled. You were afraid of being called unpatriotic."

Like, really? Like, you didn't kind of imagine this conversation in your head, did you, George? Like maybe you could name the "hardcore Republicans" so we could hear their side of the story?

But, like anyway, George, it reminds of something that happened to me the other day. Like, this hardcore liberal was, like, talking shit about America, you know, and he said, "George Bush is the biggest terrorist in the world!" And I was like, "Sir, your hypothesis is absurd. The basis of modern terrorism is the use of vicious, wanton attacks on innocent people in order to elicit fear on the populace for the purpose of coercing them into putting pressure on their leaders to make concessions that the terrorist deems desirable." And, shit, man, the hardore liberal is like, "Uh...", and then I'm like, "And obvously, George Bush, as the twice-elected President of the United States of America has not only the right, but the Constitutional duty, sir, to take whatever action he deems necessary to effect the safety and well-being of the country and her citizens, including appropriate military actions." And the lib dude is like, "But, but...", and then he had a stroke and died right on the spot! It was like karma, man, karma.

Now, none of this is to say that George Clooney is a lying sack of shit, and don't you ever question his patriotism.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 10, 2006

A Moderate In America Responds

To the moderate Muslims in Rusty's post:

Murder Deadline for Jill Carroll Set for Feb. 26

Jill Carroll's terrorist captors are warning that they will murder the American hostage if their demand that all female Iraqi prisoners be released. The terrorists gave the Iraqi governmet until Feb. 26th. Also, an informer told a private Kuwaiti TV station that he knew where Jill Carroll is. I pray that this Arab TV station cooperates with the Iraqi and American forces so that Jill Carroll can be liberated from her barbaric captors before it is too late.

A note accompanied the video released of Jill Carroll yesterday. I guess we now know what was on the note. Apparently, there is also a ransom demand.

AP:

The Iraqi kidnappers of American journalist Jill Carroll have set a Feb. 26 deadline for their demands to be met or they will kill her, the owner of Kuwait's Al-Rai television said Friday.

People close to the kidnappers told the private TV channel earlier Friday that Carroll is "in a safe house owned by one of the kidnappers in downtown Baghdad with a group of women," Jassem Boudai told The Associated Press....

Boudai said Al-Rai had received a message from "sources close to the kidnappers." He said the message was not conveyed in a videotape, but "another method." He declined to how it was received and whether the message was delivered to Al-Rai's head office in Kuwait or its bureau in Baghdad — where Thursday's video of Carroll was received.

He said the sources told Al-Rai that Carroll was in good psychological condition and was doing housework with the other women in the place where she was being held.

According to the sources, the kidnappers denied they killed Carroll's translator when the abducted her at gunpoint, as has previously been reported.

hat tip: George

More in out pages devoted exclusively to Jill Carroll

Moderate Muslim Speak Out Against Intolerance Across Globe

The following is a gallery of news photos taken at hundreds of protests, all of them held TODAY, in dozens of countries around the world. Trust me, you'll want to scroll through the whole thing. Might take a bit to load.

Moderates in Africa are disgusted over the intolerance of extremists Muslims calling for press censorship.

South African Muslims protest bin Ladenism in all its forms.

Muslims in Jordan stand up for Democracy and the underlying preconditions for it of freedom of expression, speech, and religion. Jordan is often cited as an example of a 'moderate' country.

There's more.

Muslims in Venezuela stand up for America's First Amendment freedoms.

Muslim tolerance crusadors in the moderate Muslim country of Malaysia where all religions are equally respected. These moderates are protesting the notion held by extremists that Denmark should be boycotted for the government's failure to suppress speech.

Iranian moderates hold a candle-light vigil in front of French embassy on news that French publications are also showing blasphemous Muhammed cartoons.

Pakistanis demonstrate their solidarity with Denmark's long history of free-expression by warmly displaying the Danish flag.

Large crowds in Bangledesh, a model of moderate Islam, come out against tiny minority of extremists.

Moderate Muslims in Austria stand up for press freedom in Europe. (Sign reads 'No to the degradation of our Quran')

Indonesia is often cited as a model of Muslim 'moderation'. These Indondesians clearly 'get it'.

Incidentally, it is only a couple of people--kind of like Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols--who are extremist lunatics in Indonesia.

Muslim women in Belgium show the completeness of their integration into European society at rallies for free speech today.

Dutch Muslims vigilantly guard press freedoms in a protest in Maastricht, Netherlands.

Long a bastion of moderation, Muslims in Turkey mistakingly display the Swiss flag, which is similar to that of Denmark.

Sri Lanka, the adopted home of Arthur C. Clarke, has a large and moderate Muslim population.

Members of the large Muslim minority in Macedonia display their solidarity with U.S. and Danish norms of the ability to criticize religous ideas in all their forms.

Egyptian Muslims outside of Al-Azhar Mosque, the most prestigious Sunni seat of learning in the world, are angered that a tiny minority of extremists are heard shouting 'Osama bin Laden, explode Copenhagen'. Apparently this is some sort of exotic shoe ritual.

One of the few demonstrations by a tiny minority of extremists against the Muhammed cartoons. As you can clearly see, the fact that so few showed up at this protest in Bhopal, India speaks volumes for Islam's tolerance of those wishing to express theological differences.

More Indian Muslim followers of Muhatma Gandhi's tolerance message.

Even the few protesters who did show up to protest in India clearly understands that it would be immoral to boycott an entire nation for what a single newspaper did. More evidence that moderate Muslims are ready to act maturely and take their proper place among the community of nations.

Muslims in Israel show that they clearly understand the concept that vulgar speech--such as blaspheming the Prophet Muhammed (swt)--may be bad, but is no crime.

Muslims in Russia clearly understand freedom of expression.

More moderates in Kenya promoting ecumenical understanding between all faiths.

More from Bangledesh.

Kenyan Muslims huddle-up before the big pro-free-speech rally. Gooooo freedom!!

Another protest against extremism in Pakistan. [sign in foreground reads: 'Western extremists exposed']

Photo attributions: Reuters, AP, AFP via Yahoo News.

Send Cindy Sheehan to Iraq

Finally, a cause I can get behind.

Mohammed Cartoon T-Shirt

A new t-shirt featuring the image below, which seems to be regarded as the most inflammatory of the notorious Danish cartoons, is available for sale.

From PRWeb:

(PRWEB) February 8, 2006 -- To see the latest creation from conservative t-shirt maker MetroSpy some would think the Muslim world had every right to be upset. MetroSpy's new t-shirts depict an unflattering caricature of the prophet Mohammed with a bomb on his head.

“We can't let the terrorists win. We can not encourage this uncivilized behavior by caving in to their wishes,” said Nate Thomas, product manager for MetroSpy.

Good luck trying to get Metrospy's webpage to load. The apparent popularity of this product suggests some spin-offs might generate income.

Muslims are, of course, outraged.

They should be happy no one has come with truly offensive products, like these:

NEW! Mohammed Bomber Bong!
Find Paradise One PUff At A Time!

Mohammed Meatmaster Condoms - Have A Porking Good Time.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Bush Declares Fatwa on Blasphemous Art

It's all rather blasphemous. Why aren't the Christian Right and Bushitlerites out en masse? I thought they were the equivalent of the Taliban?

Charles Krauthammer Endorses Jawa View of 'Moderate' Muslims

It's great to receive the endorsement of Charles Krauthammer on the Jawa view that the only distinction between the 'moderate' Muslim and the 'radical' Muslim is one of means and severity and not of ends themselves. Especially given that Dean decides to wuss out and not respond to any more of criticisms of his conflation of 'liberal' and 'moderate' Muslims (which, by the way, also conflates the endorsement of 'democracy' by many moderate Muslims, but who simultaneously reject the underlying elements of democracy such as freedom of press, speech, and religion--eg, Grand Ayatollah Sistani who universally regarded as a 'moderate' who supports 'democracy' and 'secularism', but who wishes for the secular government to impose the death penalty on those who blaspheme the prophet). Most people wish to believe that they are 'moderate', even when they are the extremes of the Right and Left. Thus, many Muslims who are in fact 'liberal' in comparison to the mainstream, believe they are moderates.

WAPO via Jihad Watch:

What passes for moderation in the Islamic community -- "I share your rage but don't torch that embassy" -- is nothing of the sort. It is simply a cynical way to endorse the goals of the mob without endorsing its means. It is fraudulent because, while pretending to uphold the principle of religious sensitivity, it is interested only in this instance of religious insensitivity....

A true Muslim moderate is one who protests desecrations of all faiths. Those who don't are not moderates but hypocrites, opportunists and agents for the rioters, merely using different means to advance the same goal: to impose upon the West, with its traditions of freedom of speech, a set of taboos that is exclusive to the Islamic faith. These are not defenders of religion but Muslim supremacists trying to force their dictates upon the liberal West....

The worldwide riots and burnings are instruments of intimidation, reminders of van Gogh's fate. The Islamic "moderates" are the mob's agents and interpreters, warning us not to do this again. And the Western "moderates" are their terrified collaborators who say: Don't worry, we won't. It's those Danes. We're clean. Spare us. Please.

Indeed. But what is scary is that this sentiment is moderation in the Muslim world. The extremist only wishes to force their dictates upon the liberal West through violence. Ends the same, means different. But either way, aren't the ends themselves evil? More at Hyscience.

Sweden Caves to Islamic Threats, Forces Cartoon Publisher Offline (UPDATE)

Wow, this is the first time that a Western government has forced an online publisher of blasphemy offline. What's really interesting is that the Swedish government cites national security as the cause.

There is a general call for solidarity for all Swedish internet sites by the Stockholm Specatator to republish the cartoon in defiance of the government's capitulation.

And if you think Sweden doesn't have its share of Islamic terrorists, then you haven't been reading The Jawa Report long enough. See Army of Ansar al-Sunnah--In SWEDEN!?!?!; Ansar al-Sunna finds 'Safe Haven' in Sweden, Issues Death Fatwa Against Christian Minister; Sweden Reduces Terrorism Sentences; Muslim Ruled Sweden?

Via Emperor Darth Misha this from the Stockholm Spectator:

According to Dagens Nyheter, the Swedish security services (Säpo), in collusion with Foreign Minister Leila Freivalds, have forced the website SD-Kuriren offline for publishing the Jyllands-Posten cartoons (SD-Kuriren is the house organ of the hard-right Swedish Democrats).

“We think that this was the best decision after we were contacted by the Foreign Ministry and Säpo,” Anna Larsson, vice president of hosting compant Levonline, told DN. Freivalds told DN that “it is terrible that a small group of extremists are exposing Swedes to danger [by reprinting the cartoons].”

This is what happens when your country lets any one claiming to be a 'political refugee' in. Do you really think its safe to let those who are persecuted in their home countries for being too radically Islamist?

UPDATE: Via Michelle Malkin, here is an English translation of some the original article mentioned.

A Swedish Internet provider has shut down the website of an extreme right fringe party after authorities voiced concerns over a Prophet Mohammed drawing contest posted on the site.

Internet provider Levonline shut down the Sweden Democrats’ website late Thursday following discussions with both the foreign ministry and the National security police.

The foreign minister, Laila Freivalds however denies that the ministry ordered the internet provider to shut down the website. Speaking to reporters she said the foreign ministry and the security police simply informed the company of possible ramifications for Swedes abroad....

In a press release on the party’s website the party says it pulled the drawings after considering the consequences for Swedes living in the the muslim world.

And don't miss Michelle's piece on the dhimmitude of the world here.

Danish Editor Put on Leave for Iranian Holocaust Cartoon Controversy

This is certainly interesting. Notice that he was 'sent' on leave.

BBC:

The Danish editor who commissioned the Prophet Muhammad cartoons at the centre of a global row has been sent on leave.

Flemming Rose, culture editor of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper, got the order after saying he might print Iranian cartoons of the Holocaust.

The Danish cartoons, seen by many Muslims as insulting to their faith, have sparked worldwide protests.

Earlier this week, an Iranian newspaper said it was holding a contest inviting cartoonists to depict the Holocaust.

Hamshahri said it wanted to test the boundaries of free speech, echoing the reasons Jyllands-Posten and other European papers have given for publishing the caricatures.

The Olympic Good Old Days

Can't say I miss the Cold War, but it certainly did make for better Olympic Games. Decision '08:

No, the real problem is that the BIG storyline is missing. We have no good Olympic enemies anymore. The one totally tangible memory that most people have (even people who didn't watch it, in the curious way these things work) of a real athletic moment of glory is Al Michaels asking "Do you believe in miracles?' as the United States defeated the Soviet Union at long last on the hockey rink at Lake Placid. That's the Soviet Union, not Russia, and we're talking Cold War here.

Jesus Pancake Could Be Mohammed

(Beachwood, Ohio) While preparing breakfast, Mike Thompson found that one of his pancakes displayed a facial image. Thompson and his wife concluded that the face looked like Jesus Christ. As a result, the Thompsons decided to sell the pancake on eBay.

There has been controversy concerning whether the likeness is of Jesus Christ or another individual. One observer believes it somewhat resembles the prophet Mohammed or, maybe, that hairy guy at the cycle shop. Obviously, a pancake image authentication expert (Mrs. Butterworth?) needs to weigh in on the issue.

In the meantime, it's reported that bidding on the pancake has been light.

From Interested-Participant.

Lighten Up, Will Ya?

Michelle Malkin says that the Cartoon Jihadists are winning the battle of the Free Press.

The first two examples come from Malaysia and Yemen, hardly bastions of press freedom to begin with.

The rest are either socialist countries, or former Communist countries. And the U.N. And the E.U.

I am to going finally place the last brick into the wall that keeps me in the bowels of the blogosphere dungeon by disagreeing with Michelle Malkin.

I will believe that the Cartoon Jihadists are winning when they finally prevent me from posting offending images of Mohammed.

Why we are choosing to die upon the hill of whether or not what MSM outlets publish these pictures makes me want to pull out the duct tape for head wrappage again.

If the blogosphere truly wants to be the new media, then we have got to stop worrying about what the MSM does or doesn't do.

Who gives a flying blank at a rolling donut if the L.A. Times didn't publish the photos? I've posted them numerous times, and so have others. So many that the google searches for these caricatures far outstrip the daily readership of any newspaper in the world.

That is what free press is. And that's why I disagree that the Cartoon Jihadists are winning.

And this is why I should resign myself to being a bottom-feeding blogger. Forever and ever.

Caricatures Of The Prophet Mohammed

Just because I'm going through personal issues doesn't mean I haven't given up my quest for a fatwa.

Below the fold you will find several caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed.

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW!!!!!

All of them are Mohammed. Every last one.

If THIS doesn't get me a fatwa, I don't know what will.

ACLU Attacks Boy Scouts, Again

Having never forgiven the Boy Scouts of America for successfully resisting ACLU attempts to foist overtly homosexual Scout leaders on them (the Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that the Scouts could select their own leaders), the ACLU is now threatening Boy Scout charters with local governments. The ACLU feels that there is excessive mention of "God" and "reverence" among the Scouts, and that this violates the doctrine of separation of church and state.

From The Macomb Daily:

Troops of Boy Scouts in Macomb County and around the country are scuttling their organizational charter agreements with local governments, fearing legal action from the American Civil Liberties Union for requiring allegiance to God.

An official at the Boy Scouts of America's regional Clinton Valley Council, which oversees most Scout troops in Macomb and Oakland counties, confirmed this week the group is directing dozens of local packs and troops to seek out new charter agreements in the private sector rather than with government bodies because of fears of possible litigation.

"There wasn't really litigation threatened. We sent them (the Scouts) a letter saying that we'd noticed the number of these arrangements with government agencies and we were concerned," said Ed Yohnka, a spokesman for the ACLU of Illinois where the controversy first originated. "And they've responded by informing us they will go ahead and alter those arrangements on their own."

Technically, Yohnka isn't lying. But only technically:

The dispute about charter organizations stems from a lawsuit the ACLU of Illinois brought against the U.S. Department of Defense and Chicago Public Schools. That case spawned a federal judge's injunction last summer against some federal funding to the Scouts, but Yohnka explained that during the discovery or information-sharing phase of the case that the ACLU became aware of other public charter organizations elsewhere.

It would seem that the Support Our Scouts Act of 2005 is no longer enough to keep this utterly despicable organization from molesting our young people.

Jay at Stop the ACLU has more, including an interview with a former ACLU lawyer who now refers to the organization as a "fanatical anti-faith Taliban of American religious secularism".

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 09, 2006

A Sense Of Humor Helps

Things that make me go DUH!

From WebMD:

Getting older is the main risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

I've also heard it's a risk factor for wrinkles, gray hair, and saggy things. But that hasn't been proven yet.

From Yahoo! News:

Health Tip: There's No Cure for Alzheimer's

Please, change your name to Yahoo! Olds, if you're not going to, ya know, post actual news.

Oh, and then there was this comment left on my home blog:

"LOL at your mom and her shitty brain"

I didn't have the heart to tell the poor sob that even now, my mother could kick his ass and make him like it.

Muslims Demand Prophet Muhammed Sex Doll Ban

Image right from the Ann Summers adult store of the 'Mustafa' inflatable 'shag' doll. Muslims are upset because the Prophet Muhammed (swt) is often given the title al-Mustafa--or, the chosen one.

Apparently there is a large demand for Arabic looking sex dolls with seven inches of love in London at so-called 'hen parties'--the female equivalent of 'stag parties' or bachelor parties. For her part, the proprieter says she was unaware that Mustafa was a name given to the Prophet Muhammed (swt), and only seems to have used the name to make here mustached sex doll seem more Arabic. She claims she will happily change the name.

The Sun:

But the Muslim Association — based at Manchester’s Central Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre — branded him “obnoxious”.

Yesterday a spokesman said: “This is the name of our Prophet and it’s very upsetting. This thing should be banned.”

In a letter to the store, the Association said: “You have no idea how much hurt, anguish and disgust this obnoxious phrase has caused to Muslims. We are asking you to have our Most Revered Prophet’s name ‘Mustafa’ and the afflicted word ‘shag’ removed.”

First they came for your Muhammed cartoons, and you did nothing. Next they came for your Muhammed sex dolls.....

Mac at In the Bullpen has more.

UPDATE: If Muhammed was al-Mustafa--the chosen one--then what the hell what Eddie Murphy?

Third Jill Carroll Hostage Video

A new video has appeared on a private Kuwaiti television station of American hostage Jill Carroll. This is the third video released of Jill Carroll. The Kuwaiti TV station did not play the full video and did not release copies of a note which is said to have accompanied the video.

The segment of the video aired can bee seen here (right side). In the video, Jill Carroll does not appear to be in distress. In fact, of the dozens of hostage videos I've seen, this is the first time where the hostage actually seems completely fine. However, only a portion of the tape has been released to the public so we don't know what else is on it. (Hat tip to Tim at OpinionBug for link)

Oddly, this is the first time a hostage video has been delivered to any one other than al Jazeera. Also, several deadlines have past since Jill Carroll's hostage takers threatened to murder her. Perhaps these are good signs that her captors are only after money and not like the hardcore jihadis who have murdered hostages in the past? We pray for Jill Carroll's immediate release.

For more information about Jill Carroll and the previous hostage videos click here.

Reuters:

An American journalist being held hostage in Iraq appeared in a new video tape aired on a private Kuwaiti TV station on Thursday appealing for help in securing her release.

Jill Carroll, 28, was wearing a headscarf and appeared in good health in the brief video aired by Al Rai TV.

"I'm here with the mujahideen. I sent you a letter written by hand. I'm here, I'm fine. Please just do whatever they want," she said. "Give them whatever they want as quickly as possible. There is very short time. Please move fast."

She said the video had been recorded on February 2, but did not say what was in the letter that the TV station received along with the tape.

Jassem Boodai, the chairman of Al Rai TV, told Reuters that the station did not plan to broadcast the contents of the letter. "Because of the sensitive matters mentioned in it, we handed it over to Kuwaiti authorities," he said.

Abu Ghraib and Cartoon Jihad

Ladies and gentleman, I am proud to call Dr. Leopold Stotch a good friend:

there are many people in America and elsewhere in the West are making statements about how the media should self-censor and not publish the Danish cartoons that have sparked several days of Muslim rioting. That’s fine, and their argument isn’t completely without merit.

However, it seems to me that these same people are precisely those who said that censoring the Abu Ghraib prison photos would be an unacceptable restriction on freedom of speech and a betrayal of the media’s allegiance to the truth.

Pot Meet Kettle

The Canadian Islamic Congress, which supports sharia law in Canada and elsewhere, is claiming that the new Conservative government is about to usher in a police state. Ironical.

Apologies For Cartoon Jihad and the 'Moderate' Muslim

Via Dean and INDC, he're is a website in which Muslims say they're sorry for the cartoon jihad. The problem with the website is that a) it assumes collective guilt b) it is registered anonymously through Domains by Proxy.

a) All of us should reject the primitive notion of collective guilt. The cartoon jihadis are holding an entire country, Denmark, responsible for the act of a single newspaper. This is collectivism at its worst. Similarly, we should not not hold all Muslims responsible for the acts of the religious fascists wishing to impose their system on the West. Muslims who believe in freedom of expression have nothing to apologize for.

b) If it is so important for a group of moderate Muslims to apologize for what other extremists are doing, why cover the domain's registration information? One only pays a third party to cover your registration information when one has something to hide. Could it be that they are afraid of revealing who they are? I think that it is very likely.

But, besides this website, there is also a serious problem in the way other Muslims are reacting. The main problem is in differentiating between moderate Muslims and radical, extremist, or conservative Muslims. What is the definition of a moderate vs. a radical? And in Islam, is there no such thing as a liberal Muslim?

Dorkafork and Dean Esmay have been trying to argue that there is nothing inherently antiliberal in Islam. I address that here. Their other point, that Muslim countries are becoming more liberal is well taken and spot on--especially given that this liberalization comes after the Bush Presdency, negating criticisms that the Islamic world would be better if America retreated from the war on terror.

However, if there is no connection between Islam and repressivenes, then how do they explain the statistic that

for each increase of 1% in the percentage of Muslims in the population the level of freedom goes down by 0.031 points on a scale of 7. (Roughly 1 in 200.) The relationship is also highly significant

But really the debate is over how one distinguishes between the liberal, moderate, and extremist Muslim.

For instance, much of what Dorkafork links to here, is a rejection of violence as a reaction to the Danish cartoons. Should I consider a Muslim who rejects violence, yet who still believes that such cartoons should be banned based on Islamic law a moderate?

And if a moderate Muslim can believes that the press ought to be censored so as not to violate Quranic injunctions, then what do we call a Muslim who disagrees and is fully secular in legal orientation? If the former is the mainstream view, wouldn't this make that the moderate view? And if the latter is the minority view, would not this mean that the secularist is a liberal among the greater Muslim community?

For instance, take Dorkafork's first link which is to CAIR, which rejects violence as a method of acheiving the ends of imposing Islamofascism, but not those ends themselves. CAIR wishes to:

reiterate the Muslim community’s strong belief that the controversy is not an issue of free speech, but is instead based on concerns over hate speech and incitement .

The very founder of CAIR has said the long term goal is the imposition of sharia in the U.S. The difference between CAIR and al Qaeda is that CAIR wants to peacefully impose Islamic law and are willing to wait until they are a majority to do it, while al Qaeda is willing to use violence to those same ends. So, I guess as long as we reject violent protest then we are a moderate? Even when such moderation includes replacing the U.S. Constitution as the highest law of the land with Sharia?

Walid Phares has an excellent discussion today on how Muslim immigrants in Western countries continue to struggle with Islam's rejection of the separation of church and state--in the most literal meaning--and being a minority community unable to affect the larger legal structure. CAIR and MAS (the Muslim American Society) are much like their European counterparts in that they support a dual system of law: one secular in the West and one religious in Muslim countries. Such dualism, however, is conditioned on Muslims being unable to affect the larger political system. Once Muslim populations are large enough, they envision a peaceful transition to sharia through legal means.

Moderation is usually ascribed to those Muslims that subscribe to this dualism of secular law in the West and religious law elsewhere. Rarely does it enter into the mind the inherent contradiction that a 'moderate' might believe that it is okay for the 'moderate' country of Malaysia to jail people for the crime of giving a Bible to a Muslim.

And what about that 'moderate' Shia leader the Grand Ayatollah Sistani, cited by Dorkafork, who has condemned the specific violence around the cartoon jihad, but also believes blasphemy laws should be enacted wherever Muslims have power:

Sistani is strongly in favor of the blasphemy laws that have been so useful to Middle Eastern despots in squelching political reform. He declares that the ruling on those who "slander Allah, the Prophet, the Imams, religion or schools of law (madhhab)... is death." This penalty could be imposed on any Muslim who "slanders," that, is criticizes, an Imam's interpretation of the law, as has occurred in Iran and Afghanistan.

Then there's Dorkafork's link to MPAC's condemnation of the violence? MPAC is a much more moderate organization than CAIR, but still what does 'moderate' mean when there's all of this:

* Compared America To Saddam: MPAC director Salam al-Marayati wrote (MSA News, Sept. 5, 1996): "Saddam Hussein's behavior in and around Iraq has been reckless. The same can be said about U.S. policy as a result of its reactionary mode."

* Condemned America's Strikes On Bin Laden: The MPAC condemned America's strikes against Bin Laden terror bases in Afghanistan and Sudan in August 1998, on the grounds that "violence emanating from a superpower, bypassing due process and legitimate international channels, against poor countries is illegal, immoral and illogical..." (MPAC press release, August 24, 1998)

* Claimed Israel May Have Carried Out The 9/11 Attacks: Speaking on the Los Angeles radio station KCRW a few hours after the 9/11 attacks, MPAC director Salam al-Marayati said: "If we're going to look at suspects we should look to the groups that benefit the most from these kinds of incidents, and I think we should put the state of Israel on the suspect list because I think this diverts attention from what's happening in the Palestinian territories so that they can go on with their aggression and occupation and apartheid policies." (New York Times, Oct. 22, 2001) The Anti-Defamation League's Los Angeles director responded by announcing that he is severing his contacts with Marayati. (L.A. Jewish Journal, Sept.28, 2001)

* Compared Muslim Terrorists To America's Founding Fathers: MPAC director Salam al-Marayati wrote (The Minaret, June 1996): "Most Islamic movements have been branded as terrorists as a result of the rising extremism from a handful of militants. American freedom fighters hundreds of years ago were also regarded as terrorists by the British."

* Praised Hezbollah: At the National Press Club on June 18, 1998, MPAC Senior Adviser Maher Hathout said: "Hezbollah is fighting for freedom...This is legitimate." Hezbollah murdered 241 U.S. marines in a 1983 car-bomb attack near Beirut.

* Justified Suicide Bombings Against Israelis: In a panel discussion on Capitol Hill on June 18, 1998, MPAC Senior Adviser Maher Hathout said: "The only thing [that Arab terrorists in Israel] can do is throw a bomb in a market or send somebody to suicide, we don't have enough ability to target real targets in Israel."

* Called For The Destruction Of Israel: The MPAC co-signed a public statement on September 17, 1993, which called for Israel's dissolution by stating that "The establishment by force, violence, and terrorism of a Jewish state in Palestine in 1948" was "unjust" and "a crime," and vowed to "work to overturn the injustice."

Next Dorkafork quotes an article from the American Muslim Association of North America that quotes The head of the European Council for Fatwa and Research and president of the International Association of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Yusif al-Qaradhawi. AMANA wants you to think of them as moderate, which of course, they are. But what AMANA doesn't tell you is what else this 'moderate' scholar said, because we would hate for you to know what 'moderates' really think:

The governments must be pressured to demand that the U.N. adopt a clear resolution or law that categorically prohibits affronts to prophets - to the prophets of the Lord and His messengers, to His holy books, and to the religious holy places....

"The second warning I direct at the Westerners, the Americans, and the Europeans who follow them, who claim to be fighting terrorism, and struggling against violence throughout the world.

"I say to them: Your silence over such crimes, which offend the Prophet of Islam and insult his great nation, is what begets violence, generates terrorism, and makes the terrorists say: Our governments are doing nothing, and we must avenge our Prophet ourselves. This is what creates terrorism and begets violence."

Some moderate, eh?

Other links provided by Dorkafork aren't to moderates at all. In fact, they are to liberal Muslim groups such as to The Free Muslims. It is groups like The Free Muslims that we all ought to be supporting. They reject both the means and the ends of Islamic law. They are true secularists in the Western sense of the word.

But just becaue I support them does not mean that they represent anything like the moderate wing of Islam. They understand this and readily admit that their positions are controversial within the Islamic community at large.

We need to distinguish them and other Muslim secularists as what they really are: liberal reformers.

Many have fallen into the trap of assuming that moderates are basically the same across the world. However, liberal, moderate, and conservative are all relative terms by definition. When applied to the Muslim world they mean something entirely different then when they are applied to Westerners.

Regardles of whether or not a Muslim cleric is deemed a moderate and condemns terrorism or acts of violence, that does not make him a friend to liberal democracy. As long as 'moderate' Muslims wish to impose sharia law--or base secular law on sharia principles-- in any country, they remain my ideological enemy.

Creeping Fascism in Europe: Press Regulation Coming

What is the lesson to be learned here?

1) Muslims threaten Europe with boycotts and violence and demand press regulations.
2) Europe begins the process of outlawing images deemed offensive to Muslims.

Lesson: If you want Europe to adopt sharia (Islamic) law, simply threaten then.

My guess is that next Muslims will demand an end to public displays of pornographic material, something common in Europe. Also expect a demand for the prohibition of Christian missionaries trying to convert Muslims in the near future, sex-segregates schools, and tax supported mosques.

In fact, European Muslims are already demanding all of the above. Given that native Europeans have a very low birthrate, Europe has high numbers of Muslim immigrants (legal and illegal), and that Muslim immigrants have a very high birth rate, it is only a matter of time before Europe once again becomes part of Dar al-Islam. But I had always supposed this would be a hundred years or more in the future. But if Europeans are willing to cave to the fascistic demands of a minority that is still rather small, it seems inevetable that as that minority becomes larger they will cave even faster.

Could Europe adopt Islamofascist sharia law long before Muslims become a majority on the Continent? It seems more likely every day.

LGF:

The European Union may try to draw up a media code of conduct to avoid a repeat of the furor caused by the publication across Europe of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, an EU commissioner said on Thursday.

Sure, the code will be 'voluntary'. We believe you.

And if the EU doesn't adopt 'the code', Muslims in the U.K. are pressing for one. Clarity and Resolve:

Muslim scholars holding emergency talks called for a change in the law to stop insulting pictures of the Prophet Muhammad being published.

Officials from the Muslim Action Committee (MAC) meeting in Birmingham also called for the Press Complaints Commission code to be tightened to restrict British newspapers from following European media in printing the caricatures.

A protest march from Trafalgar Square to Hyde Park on February 18 involving around 50,000 Muslims would be staged, Shaikh Faiz Saddiqi, spokesman for the MAC, said.

Birmingham, I would note, is home to a notoriously radical group of followers of Omar Bakri Mohammed. Bakri has said that the cartoon blasphemers should be executed. It was Bakri's followers who staged the London demonstration where signs such as 'behead those who insult Islam' were seen.

Yemen Exploits Cartoon Controversy to Close the Yemen Observer

The Prime Minister of Yemen has revoked the license of the English language online and print newspaper, The Yemen Observer. Technically he doesnt have the authority to do that, but its Yemen.

The despotic, corrupt, anti-democratic, terrorist supporting Yemeni regime finds it in its interests to discourage moderation. And further, it may be looking to shut down this English language source of information about Yemen.

YO "I am very surprised by this development," Mohammed Al-Asadi, editor-in-chief of the Yemen Observer said. "They want to close the newspaper in response to our efforts and continuous calls for understanding, tolerance and accepting the apologies of the Danish people, officials, and editors. We have received dozens of apologies from Denmark.

"We are totally against the publication of cartoons and at the same time we should accept apologies that have been several times made by the Danish editors. We should.

We, at the Yemen Observer, believe in dialogue if misunderstanding takes place anywhere on any issue and believe in co-existence," Al-Asadi added.

Here's their current editorial, "The Art of Losing Opportunities."

This is an outragous abuse of power and manipulation of popular sentiment to target those advocating dialog.

Update: Khalid Solman, the editor of the opposition paper al-Thoury, and several writers were found guilty of the offense of insulting President Saleh. The editor received a two year suspended jail sentence. Two writers got a one year suspended jail term, and all of them are not allowed to write for 6 months.

So now if the Yemen Observer (whose license was revoked for publishing the insulting cartoons) is allowed to republish while al-Thoury’s staff's sentence remains in force, it will mean that in Yemen, its a bigger crime to insult Saleh than to insult Mohammed.

Meanwhile, Somewhere in Dar al Islam....

Another Jawa Report editorial cartoon. Click for larger image and feel free to reproduce and distribute.

Related from the Islamic Republic: Rape Victim Receives Death Penalty. More here and here.

Related: French newspaper with another blasphemous cartoon and I guess we have to boycott Egypt since the cartoons were published there as well.

American Among al-Qaeda Escapees in Yemen

Jaber (Gaber) Al-banna (Elbaneh), one of the Lackawanna, New York al-Qaeda cell is in the wind with the (now twice escaped) Cole bombers and the Lindburgh tanker bombers. Elbaneh had a 5 million dollar pricetag on his head before he turned himself in in Yemen in January 2003.

Other interesting facts about the escape:
The mosque they tunneled to is one where Judge Hamoud al-Hittar regularly preaches. al-Hittar is the judge in charge of Yemen's Dialog program which aims to rehabilitate AQ through dialog, and over 200 have been released from jail under this program. Only a few have shown up in Iraq with Zarchawi after that.

The prisoners were in the custody of the Political Security Organization (which answers directly to President Saleh) at a high security prison in the middle of the capital city, Sanaa.

News Yemen "there were previous reports received by the prison’s outside guards pointing out to hearing sounds of digging at unknown places and intermittent times."

The tunnel was one and a half times the size of a football field, took two months to build and required nearly two tons of earth to be removed.

The Yemen Times reports today that some of the terrorists may have been recaptured in Yemen.

Why I'm not surprised: lots of preliminary indications of al-Qaeda support at the upper levels of the Yemeni government, either from sympathy or corruption.

Image of The Prophet Muhammed (sawt) Found on Tortilla

Did I say tortilla? I meant in cow dung.

UPDATE: Better make that a pancake.

E-Bay Auctions Cindy Sheehan's Brain

I'll start the bidding at two-bits. But if this is Cindy Sheehan's brain, how come the jar says it belongs to someone named Abbey Normal?

UPDATE: Cindy Sheehan not running for Senate, cites lack of funds to buy own brain on eBay.

Google's Blog Censorship Hypocrisy

I've contacted Google (which owns Blogger and .blogspot) about dozens of terrorist websites run from .blogspot accounts. They have NEVER taken down those largely Arabic websites advocating the murder of Jews and Christians, yet, if you go to The Study of Revenge website which lampoons Islam they feel it necessary to warn you of offensive material. So, first Google caves to the Chinese and then they cave to thin-skinned Muslims.

Hat tip: Tim at OpinionBug.

Atheists to the Left of Me, Religious Fanatics to the Right

I actually disagree with Danny on this one. Intentionally offending people is often (but not always) legitimate discourse. Especially during times of war. I would suggest readers recall all of those wonderful Bugs Bunny cartoons vilifying the Japs and Germans during WWII. For some odd reason we hold the conflicting idea that these intentionally offensive cartoons were somehow wrong, yet killing those who were lampooned was ok.

And speaking of Bugs Bunny: What do you think the wascally wabbit said in order to get his fatwa, depicted below?

The Vast Gynocratic Conspiracy

An interview with Kate O'Beirne on the conspiracy to turn the world into a gynocracy. Pssst-A little Rusty Shackleford inspired humor.

Iranian Holocaust Cartoon Competition: An Essay Concerning Common Sense, And Those Who Fail To Adhere To It

Let's look at this from the point of view of an abbreviation:

B.F.D.

The full sentece rhymes with Dig Trucking Real.

Okay, now for some hard headed realism.

The Iranians are calling for a cartoon contest depicting the Holocaust in response to the current Mohammed Is A Pedophile, Pimp, Goat Humping, Wife Beating, Masturbating To Wilbur (he did have visions you know) cartoons printed in, well, everywhere.

Fact: Studies have shown that 100% of the people that died in the Holocaust are still dead. Studies have also shown that 100% of them are incapable of being offended by Iranian Holocaust cartoon contests.

Fact: There are still many people in the world who survived the Nazi death camps (referred to in the above as The Holocaust). All of whom, I would surmise, after surviving said camps, would hardly be offended by said cartoons.

Fact: I actually quantified this using a complicated algorithm. Using verified sources, I completed an exhaustive study of the noted above death camp survivors, factored in the expected responses from same to the threatened Holocaust Cartoon Contest, and came up with a solid percentage. 74%, had they actually known about the referred to contest, would, given the parameters of the algorithm, would have said: BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

10% would have said "Cartoons? You're worried about cartoons? Your mother has had her boils lanced and you're worried about cartoons?"

5% would have said "Mohammed is MY bitch!"

The remaining 19% would have said, "I did my time, fatwa Vinnie!"

Conclusion: While the Ummah continues to rage about the Mohammed cartoons, no one will give a spit in the wind about the Iranian ones. That is not a bad thing. The civilized world has gone far to heal the wound that is the Holocaust, while the uncivilized are still unable to heal the wounds inflicted upon them by the birth of Mohammed.

Addendum: I would love it if the Iranian press would submit images of Christ as a trannie midget porn star, Buddha as a elephant humping bestialitist, and any other various and sundry defilements of world religions that they can muster. Because if they stay on the road they're on right now, soon they'll be printing their effluvium using one sharp stone against another, heiroglyphics style.

Addendum II: If you think I'm mocking the Holocaust, and those who endured it, I'm not. I'm mocking those who think that mocking the Holocaust would actually offend. Let's face it, peeps. If YOU had survived the death camps, would some lame cartoons in a Muslm newspaper offend you? As for those of you who think that the Iranian deal is offensive, treat yourself like a Jew in the death camps for a week. Starve yourself, beat yourself, and give your address to a known serial murderer. After that, nothing printed in any newspaper would offend you.

Nice try, Iran.

Wow

Thank you all so very much for your support.

I'm not alone in this, so if you can spare a moment, say a nice thing or two for her.

And, if you're an imam, throw her a fatwa. After all, since we're married, and you're an imam, all of her property is mine, right?

I now return you to your regularly scheduled intifada.

Details of NSA Surveillance Coming Soon to a Newspaper Near You

The White House has released highly classified details of the NSA program to intercept communications between terrorists and people within the US.

From the Associated Press via Breitbart.com:

After weeks of insisting it would not reveal details of its eavesdropping without warrants, the White House reversed course Wednesday and provided a House committee with highly classified information about the operation.

When asked what prompted the move to give lawmakers more details, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the administration has stated "from the beginning that we will work with members of Congress, and we will continue to do so regarding this vital national security program."

But the AP says that pressure from RINOs was the reason:

It also came after Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., chairwoman of a House intelligence subcommittee that oversees the NSA, broke with the Bush administration and called for a full review of the NSA's program, along with legislative action to update the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Given the track record of Congress for keeping secrets, today's release of information virtually guarantees that we, and our enemies, will be reading all about the NSA program very soon in the New York Times or Washington Post.

If a Federal employee reveals "confidential" (the lowest security classification) material, he or she faces time in Leavenworth Federal prison. When Senator Leahy disclosed a series of top secret documents in the mid 80s, he was punished by being taken off the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 08, 2006

Unpaid Taxes

(Boston) Here's today's tip. If you plan on running for public office, try to pay your taxes.

From Myway.com:

Marie St. Fleur was a candidate for lieutenant governor for less than 24 hours before she had to drop out over unpaid taxes and student loans, leaving voters to ask how a key player in crafting the state budget could make such a mess of her own checkbook.

It is a question Massachusetts voters have asked themselves before.

Massachusetts, dubbed "Taxachusetts" years ago for its tax-happy ways, seems to churn out scofflaw lawmakers unable or unwilling to pay their own taxes on time.

St. Fleur, a state lawmaker who is the vice chairwoman of the budget-writing House Ways and Means Committee, was late in repaying $40,000 in federally backed student loans, failed to pay automobile excise taxes in 2005, and had a $12,711 tax lien placed against her by the IRS.

In fairness to Rep. St. Fleur, not paying taxes seems to be common among Massachusetts lawmakers so she's not unique in that regard. In fact, voters complain that lawmakers in Massachusetts only know how to raise taxes, not pay them.

However, Rep.St. Fleur had a novel explanation for why she didn't pay her taxes. She indicated that "she did not file because she had received a death threat and had to hire bodyguards, leaving her with no money to pay her taxes."

Evidently, if one lives in the Bay State and receives a fatwa, prevailing logic is that a person can avoid paying taxes. Strangely, I fail to see anything odd about death threats and unpaid taxes being related. Death and taxes -- just like peas and carrots.

From Interested-Participant.

Academic Freedom (Except to Criticize Islam)

Guest commentary by Inigo Montoya: Freedom. You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means. American professor fired for showing cartoons to students in UAE. Here is the money quote:

Shaikh Nahyan emphasised that there is freedom of opinion and expression in the UAE, as well as academic freedom enjoyed by all educational institutions, but what happened in Zayed University does not relate, in any sense, to any relevant concept of freedom.

In all honestly, it's not like American universities are much more free.

Imam: Europe Must Outlaw Blasphemy or Face Consequences

Before you take away my right to blaspheme, I suggest that you had better take away my right to own a gun first. Because if you come to confiscate my computer to stop me from mocking your Prophet, you had better be armed. Heavily.

The head of the European Council for Fatwa and Research and president of the International Association of Muslim Scholars Sheikh al-Qaradhawi responds to allegedly blasphemous cartoons printed in Danish newspapers. MEMRI:

The governments must be pressured to demand that the U.N. adopt a clear resolution or law that categorically prohibits affronts to prophets - to the prophets of the Lord and His messengers, to His holy books, and to the religious holy places. This is so that nobody can cause them harm.

Al-Qaradhawi then rationalizes this by saying European countries already outlaw such things as Holocaust denial. Again, I hate to let a fascist jackass make a good point, but he has one. But the answer to that wrong is to repeal such odious laws. I'll allow Right-wing Neo-Nazis in Germany freedom to idiotically deny the Holocaust all they want in exchange for me retaining the freedom to call your Prophet Muhammed a mass-murdering pedophile.

As I have been trying to argue for some time, the problem is that Islam offers a competing vision of society which is distinct from the Western Liberal tradition. As such, it is an ideology which we are fighting. Al-Qaradhawi is not necessarily advocating that individual Muslims engage in violence against those who blaspheme the Prophet, rather, he is advocating that governments ought to punish those that blaspheme the Prophet. He is also advocating that Muslim governments ought to punish those governments which insist that freedom of speech includes the right to call Muhammed a butcher on par with Ivan the Terrible and Genghis Khan.

To those feeble governments we say: Take a courageous stand. Stand up and prove that you are Muslim, and that you protect this religion with zeal. We want our governments not to split from their peoples. The masses throughout the Islamic world have made their position clear. They have displayed their rage. The governments must not split away from these masses."

Last, threaten us with terrorism. If the West doesn't censor insults on the pedophilic Prophet Muhammed (sawt), which is a crime in even the most moderate forms of mainstream Islamic sharia, they should expect more terrorism:

"The second warning I direct at the Westerners, the Americans, and the Europeans who follow them, who claim to be fighting terrorism, and struggling against violence throughout the world.

"I say to them: Your silence over such crimes, which offend the Prophet of Islam and insult his great nation, is what begets violence, generates terrorism, and makes the terrorists say: Our governments are doing nothing, and we must avenge our Prophet ourselves. This is what creates terrorism and begets violence."

Then he warns us that if we don't punish the blasphemers, that the entire West should be boycotted.

Loving the Muslim, Hating Islam

I was always taught to hate the sin but love the sinner. It's often tough to do, but I definitely have always tried. In fact, even though I'm a regular church attendee, I prefer to hang out with sinners. Let's face it, they're just more fun.

So, just because I am extremely critical of Islam as a political ideology, I don't hate Muslims. Never have, never will. I don't care if you don't believe me. It's true.

Many Muslims act as if they get to choose which criticisms of their religion are valid and which criticisms are simply inspired by hate. As Jeff Goldstein argues here, such is the politics of identity and why many on the Left choose to side with Islamofascists over tolerant liberalism. Because a persons's identity is often intertwined with their religious ideology, the see an attack on their religion as an attack on themselves.

But just because people often really care about their religion and are offended when people criticize their religion, it does not give them the God-like ability to read the hearts of those that criticize and discern that what motivates the criticisms is inspired by bigotry and hate. Such is the childish behavior of those wishing to end all debate when their beliefs are challenged.

Growing up, my faith was often challenged by those I deemed bigots, so I have a bit of experience being the victim of what I thought of as persecution. But that is kind of the point: those were reactions I had when I was childish, but now that I'm grown up I have a different reaction to those that challenge a part of me that I see as essential to my identity.

Not that all of these challenges to my faith are always fair, they're not. Nor are all these challenges always that well informed, most of them aren't. But I no longer ascribe evil motives to those issuing the challenges. They may be made out of ignorance, but they are rarely made out of hatred.

A Toronto Star editorial makes the childish argument, that bloggers are simply haters of Muslims:

Follow their politics and you’ll understand why they’re on this particular blogwagon: they hate Muslims.

WunderKraut responds to the question of whether or not right-wing bloggers hate Muslims:

Short answer: No. Not in the least. If you think I do, I ask you to produce proof....

Long answer...

Frankly, I have grown tired of the militant Islamic movement screaming EVERY TIME they see or hear something they don’t want to see or hear. Especially since when they scream, violence usually follows. Did I say that because I hate Muslims? No. I said it because it is true. Don’t believe me? The Koran is rumored to have been desecrated, riots and deaths follow. A movie is made that challenges Islam’s treatment of women, a Dutch filmmaker is killed. The presence of Ariel Sharon at a Jewish shrine near the Temple Mount sets off the Second Intifada.

Read the rest.

Hamas Refuses To Recognize Israel

From Reuters:

CAIRO (Reuters) - Hamas said on Wednesday it would not bow to pressure to recognize Israel despite international threats to cut aid to any government run by the Palestinian militant group.

"Hamas does not recognize Israel and we won't accept anybody in the world forcing us into a corner," Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal told journalists in Cairo.

I suppose the de rigeur response is to wail about the suffering this will cause the poor, common Palestinians. Not feeling terribly de rigeur today (besides, it's a Fwench phrase), I say the Palestinians have earned their suffering by voting Hamas into power.

I also point out that I have previously pointed out that it is now illegal for the US to send foreign aid to the Palestinians.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Fatwa Me, Baby

Fatwas should be issued c/o Rusty Shackleford. Fatwa Me--we hereby:

Request, invite, and laugh at the issue of a FATWA, CURSE, SPELL, or any other fancied ignominy that any enemy of human liberty may choose to place upon us.

American Traitor May Be Handed Over to Iraqis

I don't understand why an American citizen found aiding terrorists in Iraq isn't brought back to the U.S., tried as a traitor, and then shot? For once I agree with liberal attornies who don't want to turn over an 'enemy combatant' found in a war zone to a foreign country. I don't agree with the notion that civilian courts have any legal jurisdiction over prisoners of war, but I also don't understand our reluctance to try and execute those traitors found to be materially aiding and abeding the enemies of the United States under war-time conditions.

Hat tip Alicia for this AP story:

The U.S. government wants an Iraqi court to handle criminal charges against a naturalized American citizen who is being held in Iraq on suspicion that he is a senior operative of insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The man's lawyers said he is innocent and likely to be tortured if he is handed over to the Iraqis.

The case is the first known instance in which the government has decided to allow an American to be tried in the new Iraqi legal system. At least four other U.S. citizens suspected of aiding the insurgency had been held in Iraq, the Pentagon has said.

Shawqi Omar, 44, who once served in the Minnesota National Guard, has been held since late 2004 in U.S.-run military prisons as an enemy combatant. He has not been charged with a crime or been given access to a lawyer, said Jonathan Hafetz, a lawyer representing Omar's family in the United States.

The government said Omar, who also holds Jordanian citizenship, was harboring an Iraqi insurgent and four Jordanian fighters at the time of his arrest and also had bomb-making materials. He is described in court papers as a relative of Zarqawi who was plotting to kidnap foreigners from Baghdad hotels.

Separately, Omar, Zarqawi and 11 others have been indicted by a Jordanian court on charges they plotted a chemical attack against Jordan's intelligence agency.

Four More Churches Burn in Alabama: Domestic Terrorism Watch and MSM Hypocrisy

When I first heard that four Baptist churches had been burned in rural Alabama in a single night, I had my suspicions. I e-mailed a few other online publishers about this to ask them if I was crazy or paranoid, and each of them said that their initial response was the same. Nevertheless, we bit our collective tongues.

Now, I learn that four more churches were burned in Alabama two nights ago. That's eight Baptist churches gone in rural areas of a single state within a week.

Dare we call this what it really is? Domestic terrorism.

Dare we speculate who might wish to burn down the churches belonging to Bush-Hitler-Neocon-Zionist-Crusader-Pigs? No, we dare not.

Although no evidence existed, the media were free to speculate about the Klan members and various Nazi thugs who were accused of plotting a spate of church's with black congregations being burnned in the South in the 1990s.

We, however, are not free to speculate that there might be a connection between global unrest over a series of cartoons depicting Muhammed and a series of arson attacks against churches attended by people that might be seen as sympathetic to those who blaspheme the Prophet (sawt), on the heels of that unrest. Nor to connect the dots between the actual murder of Christians, the bombing of Christian churches, and death fatwas against blasphemers over a cartoon and the torching of Christian churches here.

No, we will not say what is on our minds. The Left and their allies in the MSM are free to speculate as to who the likely suspects are whenever an alleged hate crime is committed. We, on the other hand, are not for fear of being called an Islamaphobe. Even when incidents of Islam inspired terror are hundreds of times greater than any other ideology or phobia.

Like I say, it is only a suspicion of who the suspect might be. The deranged person might have been motivated by any number of hatreds--our speculation over Joel Henry Hinrichs III seemed to come to mind as an example of an initial speculation based on some very good circumstantial evidence, but where we turned out to be wrong. But our initial objection to that incident was that Islamic domestic terror was ruled out by so many before the investigation even really began.

Are we making the same mistake again by ruling out that which we fear the most? Only time will tell.

CNN via Stephen Taylor:

Four churches caught fire and two were destroyed in the southern state of Alabama, just days after another five burned in what authorities suspect was arson, local officials said.

State and federal officials were investigating the four rural west Alabama fires as intentional, the state fire marshal's office said in a statement.

All four churches torched were Baptist, like the five churches burned in the central part of the state late Thursday, three of which were completely destroyed.

"The fires are being investigated as suspected arson," Ray Zicarelli, spokesman for the Birmingham, Alabama office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, told CNN television.

Danish Cartoon Protester Sent to Prison in UK

Does it surprise anybody that one of the protesters in London that showed up in front of the Danish embassy turned out to be a convicted drug dealer? Omar Khayam is pictured here dressed as a suicide bomber at the now infamous protest in which signs were painted with slogans such as "behead those that insult islam" and "slay those that insult Islam".

British prisons, like their American counterparts, are rife with Islamic extremism. Prisons serve as an ideal recruiting ground for Islamists and jihadis who help 'turn around' the lives of criminals only to direct the convert's energies towards helping build the ummah and creating the ideal Islamic state where future criminals, convicted of the same crimes, can look forward to such punishments as beheading, stoning, and lashings.

Via Jihad Watch this BBC article:

A demonstrator who imitated a suicide bomber in a Muslim protest over cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad has been recalled to prison.

Omar Khayam, 22, of Bedford, is a convicted drug dealer who was jailed in 2002 and released on licence last year after serving half his sentence.

He was arrested and recalled to prison for breaching the terms of his licence.

Khayam apologised for his "insensitive" protest on Monday but said he had been offended by the cartoons.

Usually I react to being offended by binging on fast food and ice cream. But, maybe its just a cultural difference.

When Good Gay Goes Wrong: Sara Singley

A 28 year old subsitute teacher, Sara Singley, plead guilty yesterday to having sex with one of her 16 year old female students. Interested Participant has more.

NJ.com:

Singley met the 16-year-old girl while working as a substitute teacher at her school in October 2003, records say. The school where Singley met was not specified, but the charges were filed by Bethlehem Township police.

In January 2004, Singley and the girl began a romantic relationship and had sex several times at parks in Bethlehem Township and at motels around the area, records say.

Interesting enough, Singley was initially charged with corruption of a minor, but plead to the lesser charge of reckless endangerment. I suspect that had Sarah Singley been a man that he would have been charged with statutory rape. Which just goes to show that even the law knows good gay when it sees it.

It's The West's Fault That We're Terrified of Offending Muslims

I, for one, welcome our new Muslim overlords.

Talk Show Host Threatened Over Muhammed Cartoons

Pretty much every one who posts at The Jawa Report has gotten a death threat. Or, at least, that's the impression that I get. I've personally received tons of them--most of them before the Muhammed-Denmark-cartoon-gate. Several since we first commented on the childish and totalitarian attitudes of Muslims over the allegedly blasphemous drawings.

Apparently, we're not the only ones getting death threats. Jeff Quinton brings this news:

Russ Cassell, co-host of "The Russ & Lisa Show" airing on 1330/950AM in Greenville/Spartanburg, SC, announced during the second hour of his show today that there had been three death threats called in to the station since he appeared on nationally-syndicated "Mike Gallagher Show" on Tuesday talking about the Muhammad cartoon controversy.

During that appearance, Cassell announced that the cartoon would be displayed on the WORD Web site so people could see for themselves what all the "hubbub" is about.

Within a few hours of being on the Gallagher show, Cassell recounted this morning that a telephone call was made to the radio station from a man who said he was going to kill him.

Not long afterwards, Cassell received another call from the unidentified man that his family was also in danger and that Cassell would be followed to work.

Finally, a third call was made to the station threatening the life of Cassell's co-host, Lisa Rollins, and an ominous message for the radio hosts and those around them. Cassell said they told him "don't worry, we're not going to bomb anybody."

To be honest, I don't take most death threats that seriously. I do take them serious enough that I blog anonymously, though.

4 Cartoon Protesters Killed, Tarnish Image of 'Peaceful Islam'

Islam means peace, right? So when followers of the authentic religion of peace riot and murder over cartoons, it really tarnishes the image of Islam. [*cough*]

Isn't it always great to hear Muslim leaders speak out against violence because it makes Muslims look bad? As contrasted to, I dunno, Muslim leaders speaking out because violence is bad.

CBS News:

Police shot four protesters to death Wednesday to stop hundreds from marching on a southern U.S. military base, as Islamic organizations called for an end to deadly rioting across the Muslim world over drawings of the Prophet Muhammad.

"Aggression against life and property can only damage the image of a peaceful Islam," said the statement released by Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the EU chief Javier Solana.

To be fair, some Muslims, including one in the article, did condemn the rioting in Afghanistan as intrinsically wrong.

Of course, it begs the question of whether or not such blasphemy would be legal in a 'moderate' Muslim state. Which, of course, it isn't.

Kofi Annan Criticizes Israel

Killing terrorists is great, unless, of course, that terrorist happens only to want to kill Jews. At least, that is the general theory at the U.N.

Sun:

Secretary-General Annan yesterday criticized one of the most potent weapons in the war against terrorism, saying he "has noted with concern" a spate of targeted killings by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank. Mr. Annan's statement came after acting Prime Minister Olmert reportedly instructed the army to escalate its anti-terror campaign amidst renewed Palestinian Arab attacks.

The criticism of Israel's targeted killings, which are considered instrumental to its success in reducing terrorist attacks in recent years, highlighted an ongoing debate about the application of international treaties to the war against terrorism. While Mr. Annan calls for countries to apply civil law to terrorists, Israel, as well as the Bush administration, sees them as dangerous combatants.

Family Emergency

I just got back from admitting my mother into a special care facility.

In the good old days, it would have been a "psych ward" but those days are long gone.

Tentatively, she's been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but I've been told that Alzheimer's can only be confirmed as a diagnosis after an autopsy.

But, in the hospital, the term Alzheimer's was bandied about quite readily.

That's neither here nor there though. My mother is ill, is in the hospital, and I am the only one allowed to make decisions regarding her care.

Normally, this paragraph would be the "light posting" paragraph, but I don't know, blogging is a nice distraction.

I may post more, I may post less, I may even quit altogether.

We'll see, I guess.

One last thing. I still want my damned fatwa.

Newspaper Staff Walks When Mohammed Cartoons Are Pulled

From The Politicker:

The editorial staff of the alternative weekly New York Press walked out today, en masse, after the paper's publishers backed down from printing the Danish cartoons that have become the center of a global free-speech fight.

Editor-in-Chief Harry Siegel emails, on behalf of the editorial staff:

New York Press, like so many other publications, has suborned its own professed principles. For all the talk of freedom of speech, only the New York Sun locally and two other papers nationally have mustered the minimal courage needed to print simple and not especially offensive editorial cartoons that have been used as a pretext for great and greatly menacing violence directed against journalists, cartoonists, humanitarian aid workers, diplomats and others who represent the basic values and obligations of Western civilization. Having been ordered at the 11th hour to pull the now-infamous Danish cartoons from an issue dedicated to them, the editorial group—consisting of myself, managing editor Tim Marchman, arts editorJonathan Leaf and one-man city hall bureau Azi Paybarah, chose instead to resign our positions.

Unfortunately, these guys are the exception to the rule. Damn shame about the testicle shortage in the mainstream media these days.

Via The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

February 07, 2006

Germans Release Convicted 9/11 Terrorist

In a move that likely supports the contention that Europeans do not take terrorism seriously, a convicted 9/11 terrorist has been released from custody while his case is being appealed.

From Aljazeera.net:

Mounir el Motassadeq was sentenced to seven years in prison last August by a court in Hamburg.

City judicial spokesman Carsten Grote on Tuesday said Germany's Federal Constitutional Court has now ordered him released. Grote did not give a reason for the higher court's decision.

It was not clear when el Motassadeq, 31, would be released.

In 2003, the Moroccan became the first person anywhere to be convicted with the 9/11 hijackings when he was found guilty of membership of a terrorist organisation.

No reason was given for the court's decision to apparently not consider him a flight risk. I'm astonished! If ever there was a candidate for being a flight risk, it seems a convicted terrorist should qualify. The German court obviously disagreed.

From Interested-Participant.

Yankee Doodle Danish

Denmark is the only nation other than the United States that celebrates US Independence Day on July 4th as a national holiday. I found out about this when I was a stamp collector and came across a series of Danish stamps celebrating US Independence, issued on July 4th. Kinda cool.

We Are Not All Danes Now

I've seen quite a bit of linking to Jeff Jacoby's latest column where he proclaims "we are all Danes now."

I'm not a Dane now. Never have been, never will be. No offense to our Danish friends, it's just a simple fact. I'm an American. Doesn't mean I don't support them, and their right to free speech. And I surely enjoyed the Carlsberg I bought, and will buy more (haven't tried the Fris yet, that's for the wife).

Besides, I was bashing Mohammed long before Jyllends-Posten ever dreamed of it.

So where's my damned fatwa already?

Goodbye Hello Computer!

Update: New computer is here! Oh new computer, how did I ever live without thee and thy 120 gigs of memory!!

Now where did all my software, bookmarks, and critical data go???

Me and this computer have had some pretty good times. That's why it has to be me to personally pull the trigger tomorrow morning. It's my computer so it's my responsibility.

New computer arrives at my desk tomorrow morning. Blogging may be light as I get it configured.Update: Actual photo.

French Supermarket Chain Pulls Danish Products

A French Supermarket chain in Egypt, Carrefouris, is removing all products made by Danish companies in response to reaction to a cartoon printed in a Danish newspaper said to be offensive to Muslims. Ironically, the French owned Supermarket fails to mention that a French newspaper also ran the same cartoons. Further, France's most prominent publication, Le Monde, ran an editorial cartoon of the Prophet Muhammed on their front page in a sign of solidarity for free speech.

Photo from Big Pharaoh: Sign reading 'This product is Danish' at French owned Supermarket in Egypt.

Incidentally, the British retailer Sainsbury's was forced to close its stores in Egypt based on rumors that the owner was a Jew. Gotta love the religion of tolerance!

Big Pharaoh has the entire story and more photos. Hat tip: Flea

Sunni Insurgents Break From Al-Qaeda

(Baghdad) Sunni terrorists have decided that al Qaeda terrorists are not their friends anymore. In recent months, al Qaeda bombs have killed Sunnis. Consequently, a new anti-U.S. and, presumably, anti-al Qaeda insurgency group has been formed.

From Alertnet.org:

Sunni Arabs have formed their own militia to counter Shi'ite and Kurdish forces as part of an attempt to regain influence they lost after Saddam Hussein was toppled.

The so-called "Anbar Revolutionaries" have emerged from a split in the anti-U.S. insurgency, which included al Qaeda.

They are a new addition to a network of militias that have thrived in Iraq's bloody chaos and are tied to the country's leading ethnic and political parties, now negotiating the formation of a coalition government after the Dec. 15 election, the second such polls since the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

The newly-organised militia is made up mostly of Saddam loyalists, Iraqi Islamists and other nationalists leading an insurgency against U.S. and Iraqi government forces.

Another reason for the offshoot Anbar Revolutionaries is to confront the Shi'ite Badr Brigades and the Kurdish peshmerga (militia). Officials believe the Anbar Revolutionaries number in "the hundreds."

From Interested-Participant.

ACLU Wants National Security 'Transparent'

This press release is further proof that the American Civil Liberties Union's leaders are either spectacularly clueless or actually in league with America's enemies [emphasis added]:

WASHINGTON -- Appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee today, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales failed to answer direct, yet simple questions from senators surrounding the warrantless surveillance of Americans by the National Security Agency. The American Civil Liberties Union condemned that lack of transparency, noting that part of the role of the executive is to provide the legislative branch with ample information for proper oversight.

The Attorney General actually refused to describe details of a secret program vital to our national security in an open, televised meeting?

I'll go with the "spectacularly clueless" hypothesis, but only because I believe that the ACLU is such an intellectually challenged group of pathetic morons that no enemy of the US would want their assistance.

Via Stop the ACLU.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Claim: Secret Tapes Reveal Saddam Had WMD

John Loftus of The Intelligence Summit claims that audio tapes of Saddam Hussein speaking to top aides prove conclusively that the Iraqi regime had WMD. The group says it will release the tapes to the public on February 17th.

Stop the presses!! This is BIG news. Long time Jawa Report readers know that I have been skeptical of the claim that Saddam Hussein moved whatever WMD capability Iraq had sometime in the weeks leading to the invasion.

If these tapes are authentic, and they actually are of Saddam Hussein talking about WMD which he had, then we should hear some major apologies from the Left real soon.

Intelligence Summit:

A former military intelligence analyst, who currently works as a civilian contractor, believes he has found a cache of extremely confidential--and very shocking--audio recordings of Saddam Hussein's office meetings. The audiotapes, which had apparently been overlooked, were found in a warehouse along with many other untranslated Iraqi intelligence files. These tapes are extremely significant, since they may be the best evidence yet of Saddam's secret intentions concerning weapons of mass destruction.

Before 9/11, many intelligence experts were convinced that a very strong and important Iraqi WMD connection existed, only to change their minds when no concrete evidence of that connection could be uncovered in the three years following the beginning of Iraqi war.

Because of the considerable historical importance of this stunning recent development, the contractor who obtained and reviewed these tapes plans to release them to the public on February 17, 2006 at the Intelligence Summitsm, a non-partisan, non-profit conference open to the public, scheduled to be held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Virginia that weekend.

After his presentation, a panel of intelligence experts will discuss the ways in which experts may verify the fact that Hussein in fact recorded these audiotapes. These procedures include utilization of voiceprint analysis and other technical means of voice verification. ...

In regard to these highly confidential audiotapes, Attorney John Loftus, President of the Intelligence Summitsm, recently stated that, "Saddam's secret office recordings continued well into the year 2000. In all, they contain at least 12 hours of totally candid discussions with his senior aides. Clearly, after these tapes have been verified and corroborated, they will be able to provide a few definitive answers to some very important-and controversial-weapons of mass destruction questions." Loftus went on to say that the contractor who found and recovered the tapes has requested that his identity remain anonymous until he makes his presentation.

Jay at Stop the ACLU points to this NY Sun article which says that The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has the tapes and is currently reviewing them:

The committee has already confirmed through the intelligence community that the recordings of Saddam's voice are authentic, according to its chairman, Rep. Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, who would not go into detail about the nature of the conversations or their context....

Mr. Hoekstra has already met with a former Iraqi air force general, Georges Sada, who claims that Saddam used civilian airplanes to ferry chemical weapons to Syria in 2002. Mr. Hoekstra is now talking to Iraqis who Mr. Sada claims took part in the mission, and the congressman said the former air force general "should not just be discounted." Mr. Hoekstra also said he is in touch with other people who have come forward to the committee - Iraqis and Americans - who claim that the weapons inspectors may have overlooked other key sites and evidence. He has also asked the director of national intelligence, John Negroponte, to declassify some 35,000 boxes of Iraqi documents obtained in the war that have yet to be translated.

One word of caution: I have speculated in the past, though, that Saddam may have believed he had WMD capability. Iraq was a state modeled after Stalinist Russia, so, it is not a stretch to believe that people lied to Saddam in order to save their own skins. Certainly, a lot of Iraqi generals believed that there were WMD. But more often than not these Generals say they didn't have the WMD, but they knew of some other General with them. So, it is possible that the tapes are less revelatory than the claim.

However, occam's razor dictates that the simplist explanation is probably the correct one. If Saddam believed he had WMD then there is a high probability that he actually did.

UPDATE: I've included a link to the Intelligence Summit website now. It was not there earlier simply by accident and thanks to Dean for pointing that out.

A lot of commenters point out that John Loftus is not the most reliable source. I have no idea if they are correct or not. But, as I said, I remain a bit skeptical, especially given that most intelligence about WMD in Iraq turned out to be based on rumors. The kind of rumors I cited above where every general assumes other generals have the WMD.

However, the NY Sun article makes the claim The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has verified that the voice on the tapes is Saddam Hussein. So, it sounds like the tapes are genuine. What is on the tapes remains the key question. We'll see I guess.

Top Al Qaeda Arrest, Zarqawi in Iran?

News that a top al Qaeda lieutenant was captured in Iraq, with the related news that Abu Musam al Zarqawi may be in Iran.

Hat tip to Reliapundit for sending this link:

The brief report on Iraqiya television yesterday identified the suspect as Mohammed Rabei, also known as Abu Dhar, and said he was No 4 in the al-Qaida. It gave no further details. Meanwhile, a senior Iraqi security officer said the Iraqi government has been receiving information that al-Zarqawi may have moved to neighboring Iran after hot pursuit by US and Iraqi forces in western Iraq.

The officer said Iraq's intelligence services have received information that the Jordanian-born terrorist was spotted a few weeks ago in areas close to the Himreen Mountains, 120 kilometres south of Kirkuk and near the border with Iran. "We are dealing with this information carefully but intelligence services are working on the assumption that he has been planning to move to Iran after being besieged in the areas where he was operating inside Iraq," said the officer, who declined to be identified further because of the sensitivity of the investigation.

Since Zarqawi has declared jihad on Shias in Iraq, it would be a little difficult to believe the Mullahs of Iran had welcomed him into that country. If he is there, it is probably without the consent of the Iranian regime. Then again, common enemies often lead to strange alliances.

Bad News: Statistics Show Strong Correlation Between Islam and Authoritarianism; Good News: Muslim Nations Becoming More Liberal After Bush

[Ed note: this post is a response to Dean Esmay's post which shows that at least two Muslim countries are considered 'liberal democracies', the conclusion being that Islam is not antithetical to liberalism, and Rusty's response which argues that a more meaningful measure would be to correlate the number of Muslims in a country with that country's freedom index. Demosophist and Rusty hash out the methodological problems associated with this statistical analysis here.]

OK, I did some coding last night and obtained the latest Freedom House Indices for 2006 as well as some numbers for the percent of the population that's Muslim for 164 countries. Although I have some fairly consequencial objections to Rusty's methodology regarding this data, I thought I'd go ahead and run some correlations and a quick regression using both of the composite Freedom House indices that I calculated. (Basically it's just the mean of civil liberty and political freedom, so doesn't include press freedom.) I'm not sure how to present the regressions, but since they show essentially the same picture as the Pearson correlation coefficients I'll just post those first.

Correlation between % Muslims and the 2001 Freedom House Index = 0.6044
Correlation between % Muslims and the 2006 Freedom House Index = 0.5650

For those not familiar with correlation, anything over 0.5 is considered large. But things at least seem to be moving in the right direction. As one might expect since the regression is on only one variable it shows pretty much the same pattern as the correlations. The raw coefficient for the percent Muslim for 2001 is 0.031. That means that for each increase of 1% in the percentage of Muslims in the population the level of freedom goes down by 0.031 points on a scale of 7. (Roughly 1 in 200.) The relationship is also highly significant.

In other words, the relationship has positive slope. (Remember that the dependent variable isn't freedom, but repression, because the higher the score the less free the society.)

Now, using the 2006 index the coefficient for the percentage of Muslims goes down a bit, to 0.029. However both numbers are within a 95% confidence interval. For those used to thinking in terms of beta coefficients, the betas are mathematically identical to the Pearson coefficients above, for a simple regression like this. Unlike the raw coefficients these are scaled to variation, which is why they're called "standard coefficients." They provide a little better sense of what's going on: about 0.04 for 5 years, or about 0.01 per year. (I guess it depends on when you start counting.) That's not very much in absolute terms, but it'd be interesting to know whether it's greater or less than the previous 5 year period. Is the trend toward freedom in the Ummah accelerating or decelerating?

I used only one set of numbers for the percent Muslim, because it was all I could find. For anyone who'd like to duplicate this effort, and possibly retain a few more cases, the data are here. They're for 2005 so the change in percent Muslim from 2001 to 2006 probably doesn't explain why the coefficient has dropped, since the percentage of Muslims has been growing. For the 2001 regression the percentage of Muslims is overestimated, so the actual coefficient would he greater relative to the 2006 number that this analysis shows. In other words the resistance to freedom in the Muslim world may be dropping faster than this suggests. It's hard to say how much greater unless one finds the percent Muslim data for 2001, which I don't have. But assuming the drop is real and significant (the coefficient for a "dummy variable" for 2006 is negative and almost significant at the 90% confidence level with a coefficient for the percent Muslim of 0.30) it's reasonable to suppose that the change is either part of a long term trend toward freedom, or it's a result of policies followed by the US. At any rate this analysis certainly doesn't support the Left's notion that Bush is making things worse. (We sort of knew that though, right?)

The bottom line is that Islam puts up considerable resistance to civil and political freedom, but that resistance is at least not increasing over time, and it is probably decreasing.

Well, make of it what you will.

(Cross-posted to Demosophia)

When Islamofacists Go On Trial...

By now everyone on the planet knows that the trial in Iraq of Saddam Hussein and his cohorts is a complete and total circus. With judges quiting, defendants boycotting, and the daily antics by deranged people who worship Allah you have to wonder what the hell is going on.

Apparently, there's something these people are clinging on to; just like their archaic religion which calls for those expressing their God given right of free speech to be beheaded. Islam, in my opinion, has distinctly become the religion of barbarians; if not by the vast majority but definitely by the increasingly stronger minority. You honestly can't say that Islam is the religion of peace (let's not forget Nick Burg, Paul Johnson, Kim Sun-il, and countless other beheadings of innocent people that have been arranged by cowards). These beheadings are in essence summary trials of "infidels" and I'm still trying to figure out why I should be tolerant of a religion that has a long, long history of not being tolerant of any one who isn't Muslim.

This morning yet another AP report details the clown-like activities and suspiciously non-drug induced antics of yet another follower of the child rapist and mass murderer (by today's standards), Mohammed.

Judge Removes Moussaoui From Courtroom (AP):

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) -- A federal judge is trying to turn the courtroom misbehavior of confessed al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui into a useful tool for picking the jury that will decide whether he is put to death or imprisoned for life.

Five hundred potential jurors from northern Virginia got a taste Monday of what his sentencing trial might entail: Moussaoui was kicked out of court four times as a month of jury selection got underway.

[...]

Potential jurors came to court in four separate groups. Moussaoui, a short, bearded Frenchman in a green prison jump suit, interrupted the first session just as it began - to announce "I'm al-Qaida" and disavow the lawyers appointed by the court to represent him.

U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema warned Moussaoui that it wasn't his time to speak and, when he kept going, had marshals escort him from the room. He left without resistance, but declared, "This trial is a circus."

Court observers wondered if Brinkema would allow Moussaoui, who disrupted many pretrial proceedings, back in the courtroom. She decided to bring him back for the remaining three sessions, each of which played out in nearly identical fashion. In later sessions, he also vowed to "take the stand to tell the whole truth about my involvement."

Brinkema told the first panel of jurors: "If any of you feel that that outburst or the way he conducted himself might affect the way in which you would go about judging this case, you need to clearly put that statement on the jury questionnaire." She repeated that admonition to the other three panels.

"She turned that to some constructive use," said Carl Tobias, law professor at the University of Richmond. "Once it happened, it probably made sense to make sure every group saw the same behavior - and he cooperated."

Tobias said Brinkema may have helped keep any future Moussaoui outbursts from tainting the trial by "using their reaction as one test of whether they are fit to sit on the jury."

You have to wonder what these terrorists and despots have going through their underdeveloped brains.

I honestly think the sooner we start giving these people the needle the sooner they'll start taking the coalition's justice systems more seriously. Sure, it might make the dead a martyr but I bet money once terrorists realize that we're going to put them to death and we're not backing down from that then they'll start changing their tune in the courtroom and stop thinking about seventy-two virgins.

Besides, cranking out martyrs is somewhat impossible to stop with these people; common sense doesn't apply to Muslim extremists.

Originally Posted at

Technorati Tags: Islam, Muslim, Mohammed, Islamofacist, Zacarias Moussaoui, Saddam Hussein, trial

February 06, 2006

Iran: Holocaust Cartoon Contest

According to South Park, it takes precisely 7.5 years for something to go from tragedy to comedy. Hence, AIDS is funny. However, I think leaving aside Eric Cartman, we can all agree that the Holocaust will never be funny. Wait. Maybe Cartman is actually Iranian?

Via Blogs of War this from The Times Online:

Iran’s biggest-selling newspaper has waded into the Muhammad controversy by launching a competition to find the 12 "best" cartoons about the Holocaust.

Farid Mortazavi, graphics editor for Tehran's Hamshahri newspaper, said that the deliberately inflammatory contest would test out how committed Europeans were to the concept freedom of expression.

"The Western papers printed these sacrilegious cartoons on the pretext of freedom of expression, so let’s see if they mean what they say and also print these Holocaust cartoons," he said....

Mr Mortazavi said that tomorrow's edition of the paper would invite cartoonists to enter the competition, with gold coins as prizes for the 12 winning artists -- the same number of cartoons that appeared in the conservative Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten lighting the touchpaper for fury which has swept around the Islamic world.

What's so odd about this is that the Iranian dude actually makes a bit of a good point. In many European countries, Holocaust denial is a crime, something antithetical to the very principle we are trying to uphold here. How sad that such a pig would have to make that point....

Lies, And The Lying Liar Muslims Who Tell Them

My very dear friend Beth sent the remaining two brain cells in my head to furiously rubbing against each other in order to create a spark by reminding me of the Islamic practice of taqqiya.

And the comments she refers to, I've seen them as well, I have no choice, they show up in my inbox now on a daily basis.

I first learned of taqqiya from Patrick al-Kafir. Here's his definition from his C&R lexicon:

taqiyya: Dissimulation; lying for the sake of ones religion; concealing ones true religious beliefs for strategic reasons. Taqiyya is a lie by commission, rather than by omission, as in kitman. The concept of al-taqiyya is one historically associated with Shia Islam. This is because Sunni Muslims, who believe that Shiites are heretics, would impel them to denounce their faith, thinking this would expose them as mushrikeen when they refused to. In response, the Shia would do so, but hold true to their faith in their hearts, thus preserving their faith and their lives. Taqiyya is now used by all Muslims as a means of deceiving infidels about Islam's aims, practices, and aspirations.

Let's revisit Beth, she's on to something here...

I’m tired of reading the same line in damn near every thread related to the cartoons, where the liars say Islam “respects all religions.” Exactly who do these people think they’re kidding? Maybe they can peddle that bunch of hogwash to the blind dhimmis on the Left, but that’s not flying here. As far as I’m concerned, ANYONE who claims that Islam “respects all religions” has showed their true colors–that they are exactly the kind of Islamofascist with whom the civilized world is at war.

...because, like I said, I've been on the receiving end of these comments.

So the question begs, is Islam tolerant of other religions? Another meme I've noticed is one that basically goes "Muslims don't defame the other prophets, like Jesus, and Moses, how dare you!"

The answer, of course, is no. Islam is not tolerant of other religions. Not only is Islam intolerant, it spits in the face of the very religion it claims to be the one true extension of. Jew hating aside, if Islam respects and doesn't defame the prophets that came before Mohammed, then how then do they rationalize the concept of taqqiya? Or the practice I noted in the post below, the muta'a?

Their hypocrisy is exposed by what was written in stone, thousands of years ago, and brought to the world by a prophet supposedly revered in Islam, Moses:

14 “You shall not commit adultery. (muta'a)

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (al-taqqiya)

Then we proceed with the obvious:

13 “You shall not murder. (duh, applies to every other major, or minor for that matter, religion on Earth)

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.” (just who invaded Spain, anyway?)

For a group that proclaims religious superiority over the rest of us, you would think this would present a problem.

Nah.

F.E.T.E

Jewish Extremists Protest Moses Cartoon Blasphemy

Via Caribpundit.

Pimp My Fatwa

This is a post I did on my home blog back on May 10th of last year. If Mohammed being a child molestor isn't enough for some of you to see the rationale of our ridicule, and our right to portray images of him in an unflattering light, then maybe the notion of muta'a will. Mohammed is NOT a divine figure, he was a simple thug, a child molestor, and a pimp. If you can't handle the truth, that's your problem. Also, this is an old post, so some links may be expired. If you have a problem with that, I'll email you my home address and you can come burn down my embassy. Would you like to know something else? I could care less what 1 billion Muslims think. The truth hurts, don't it?

SC&A, ever concerned for my safety and well-being, may get me on the fatwa list even before Rusty and Jane.  He sent me a link to a link to a USA Today article concerning the Muslim practice of "pleasure marriages."   

BAGHDAD — In the days when it could land him in jail, Rahim Al-Zaidi would whisper details of his muta'a only to his closest confidants and the occasional cousin. Never his wife...

...The 1,400-year-old practice of muta'a— "ecstasy" in Arabic — is as old as Islam itself. It was permitted by the prophet Mohammed as a way to ensure a respectable means of income for widowed women...

Pleasure marriages were outlawed under Saddam Hussein but have begun to flourish again. The contracts, lasting anywhere from one hour to 10 years, generally stipulate that the man will pay the woman in exchange for sexual intimacy...

...A woman agreeing to a pleasure marriage that involves a one-time encounter might be able to count on about $100. For a muta'a that runs longer, she might be paid $200 a month, though the amounts vary widely and can depend on whether she has children.

So, in addition to being a child molester (I've read different accounts, one site said he married a 9 year old, another said six), Mohammed was a pimp.  A benevolent pimp to be sure, after all, who doesn't feel sorry for lonely, broke widows.  Of course, nowadays, the Koran is open to interpretation:

A turbaned Shiite cleric who issues wedding permits from a street-side counter in Sadr City says he encourages permanent marriages but gives the OK for pleasure marriages when there are "special reasons." The cleric, Sayid Kareem As-Sayid Abdullah Al-Mousawi, says he grants licenses for muta'a in cases where the woman is widowed or divorced, or for single women who have approval from their fathers.

That's right, you dads out there, convert to Islam and you too can be a pimp.  Pimp-daddy, if you will.  What the f**k, change your name to P. Diddy.

Is there an alternative?  Well, yes.  The treatment of Muslim women is well documented.  They can avoid the whole "pleasure marriage" route, do what they want, be irresponsible, get naked and throw down with whoever they want.

And be the victim of an honor killing.

Prostitution or death.  What a choice the Religion of Peace gives to its adherents.

Now I'll have to change the name.  The Religion of Peace and Big Pimpin' Page.  Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Where's N.O.W. when you need them?  Does Code Pink have an opinion on this issue?

(At this time, Blogger appears to be down, I'll link to the blog SC&A pointed me too when it's back)

I was going to end there, but I went back to the article and decided to post this:

Most Shiite scholars today consider it halal, or religiously legal. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the highest religious authority in Shiite Islam, sets conditions and obligations for muta'a on his Web site. ("A woman with whom temporary marriage is contracted is not entitled to share the conjugal bed of her husband and does not inherit from him ...")

First off, I thought Sistani was the highest authority in Iraq, not all Shiite Islam.  But, that's beside the point.  This is the guy we're always reading about who is apparently eager to see a free, secular Iraq borne from the ashes of tyranny.

And he's just a pimp.

The Blog Sabbath Caption Contest: Stupid Criminals Part One

Fatwas Issued

Caption this photo of stupid alleged criminal Lonnie "Vent Man" Shields allegedly caught in the act.

Fatwas issued Monday.

Fatwas issued!

Steve Sharon: "SHAFT!.....Can you dig it?"

Marcus Aurelius: "Excellent! I can now sue the building owner and become a millionaire!"

Rodney Dill (by popular demand): "The India Space program took off with an early success today, as Hindunaut, Ravi "Beans" Bindharvi, (pictured in launch device), consumed enough legume derivative to produce sufficient volatile gases needed to achieve escape velocity."

Double fatwa with Danish cheese, super-sized with a bottle of Carlsberg:

Buckley F. Williams: "Chloe? This is Black Bauer. There's no time to explain so listen carefully. I've become lodged in a model Q-237 air conditioning duct. I'm connecting you to the duct's peripheral communications center by remote armpit access, you'll have to help me find some way to get free."

Because, after all, tonight IS Jack Bauer night.

The Clash Of Civilizations In a Cartoon

Let the diplomats act diplomatic, but for us, let us cry havoc and let slip the cartoons of war. What he said. And more. Stephen Green:

I never wanted this Terror War to escalate into Samuel Huntington's "clash of civilizations." ....

They want a culture war? Fine. Let's give them one....

It seems we're in one. And as in any war, we can't afford to remain passive. Sun Tzu wrote that when your enemy is angry, annoy him. Is there any doubt the Arab Street is at long last really angry? Then it's time for us to wage an Offensive Offensive. If they're angry, let's really piss them off. Let's show the Arab Street that in a war between our attitude and theirs, we're the Fonz and they're Ralph.

"Piss Christ?" That's nothing – we can crap Mohammed if we want to. With a little CGI help, our porn industry could churn out some man-on-man action in Mecca.

NBC could turn the writing staff of "Will & Grace" loose on the Hamas homophobes. Maybe Broadway could give them "The Clitorectomy Monologues."

Is Islam Compatible With Democracy? (Updated: Warning--geeky references to methodology)

UPDATE: Rusty responds. Scroll down for my responses.
UPDATE 2: Demosophist responds to a few things, in that Italian font.
UPDATE 3: Rusty back at ya!

I started out tapping out a comment to Rusty's post on this topic, but it grew to the point that I decided to publish it as a separate essayette. Rusty graciously establishes the empirical parameters of this thesis, but I don't think they necessarily address the issue:

If one were really interested in seeing whether or not there is a relationship between Islam and liberalism, I would suggest the following. In fact, I dare any one to run the following analysis.

Hypothesis: there is a strong correlation between the percent of a nation's population that is Muslim and the extent to which that country's population is free in the liberal sense of the word.

Null Hypothesis: there is no relationship between the percent of a nation's population that is Muslim and the extent to which that country's population is free in the liberal sense of the word.

Plot a simple OLS regression model with the two variables. The first variable would simply be % Muslim. The second variable would be the Freedom House numbers. Since the Freedom House Numbers are coded negatively the following results should be found.....

If we are agreed that the above is a moderately fair way of empircally testing the relationship between Islam and tyranny, then the gauntlet has been thrown. I personally do not have the time to run the numbers, but perhaps some enterprising blogger with moderate experience using SPSS would like to give it a go?

The problem with this method is that, while it's a reasonable way of testing the relationship between Islam and political freedom, that's not the research question that's being considered.

Dean's question is whether Islam is compatible with democracy, so unless Rusty is willing to propose and support the notion that all of these democratic nations are free only because of their non-Muslim population he isn't actually posing an alternative hypothesis. It's a useful analysis, but not one that's necessarily in opposition to Dean's.
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Rusty Says: True, but Dean's post is actually one in a long series of posts. But the question of whether of not Islam is compatible with democracy is really not fair either. Why? Because stated that way then a single example is evidence since if just one Muslim country can be shown to be domocratic then Islam must be compatible with democracy. So, stated that way, it tells us nothing about Islam's impact on democracy.
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Demosophist Says: That seems like a more useful thing to suss out, yes. Not that I know how to do it. Islam still seems like a six-fingered hand to me.
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That is, even if the correlation or slope turns out to be negative with respect to the % muslim that only suggests that there's muslim resistance to democracy, not that such resistance will ultimately dominate.
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Rusty says: Good point, but it's not fair to say that it 'only' suggests, since these same data could be interpreted otherwise.
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In fact, such a finding of resistance would be trivial... since we can almost predict it will exist without doing the analysis. To illustrate what I'm saying, a similar empirical analysis would have supported the notion that Democracy in America was impossible in the late 1700s, since there were no other extant examples on earth where even a Schumpeterian democracy (competition between elites for public opinion supporting their "right to rule") had a foothold. The universe at the time was completely selected against democracy. The incidence was 0. However, one might have looked at some of the precursors, such as the rule of law, parliamentary forms of government, written constitutions with specifically described "negative individual rights," etc., and having seen a positive trend have decided that a breakthrough was more or less inevitable. But there were no correlates of democracy at the time, because there were no democracies. Conceptually it was Everest. Seen in this light the Founders' vision is nothing less than miraculous. That's right, miraculous.
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Rusty says: no argument here.
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Plus, as a rule data suffering from selection bias tends to underestimate the effect of treatment variables, rather than overestimate those coefficients. That's because the baseline is higher so it's more difficult to get a large positive relationship for the treatment. This isn't always the case, but it's more often true than not. (For those interested in issues of arcane method see Designing Social Inquiry King, Keohane and Verba, 1994.) In this case, though, the treatment variable would not be the percentage of Muslims, but various kinds of interventions or adjustments that neutralize muslim resistance, or even turn it to an advantage. What I'm saying is that precisely because the selected sample is biased with respect to the dependent variable the effect of those independent and instrumental variables will probably be underestimated, if we limit analysis to "less than or equal to 4" on the FH scale.
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Rusty says: No, it wouldn't. Because what you are proposing is an alternative to what I am proposing to test. You wish to operationaize "resistance" by coming up with proxies for it. I don't. In fact, the theoretical underpinnings of what I wish to test are simply about Islam, not about OTHER factors that lead to "resistance". If we can come up with an N=135 (whatever the # of nation states are nowadays) and we have two relatively cardinal number sets, than I don't see a problem (at least, no problems greater than the average study)
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Demosophist Says: The only way to determine the independent impact of Islam (whether it's labelled resistance or something else) is to use some kind of counterfactual method, such as multivariate regression or case studies that "hold all else equal." In other words a regression that includes only the %muslim parameter wouldn't isolate the impact of Islam, but the opposite. It would conflate that influence with just about everthing else in the set of instrumental variables. If you omit other important variables, in other words, their influence will show up as an influence of Islam, whether it is or not. Think of it this way, if the only variable you use to analyze student test scorse is race then the influence of race will look huge because the black student population scores way below everyone else. If, however, you use a socio-economic variable then the actual contribution of race to student achievement turns out to be nil.
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Rusty 2: Okay, now I see what you are getting at! Okay, so we enter a third variable, say, poverty. Feel free to enter more the usual variables (since I'm not a comparative guy I'm not 100% sure what all the 'usual suspects' are).
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Having said that, I don't have a clear idea how you'd operationalize such a question. One way to start would be to use a case study method, comparing countries that were similar in every respect except the proportion of Muslims. Then also look at countries with identical proportions of Muslims, but very divergent outcomes. You might not be able to prove the impact of Islam, but you'd at least get an idea of how to specify a regression that stood some chance of proving it.
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Rusty 2: Come on, this seems straightforward enough! If the data were available, like it is in the U.S., we could use some kind of devotional index. Like, mosque attendance or something like that. But, alas, you work with what you have.
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And finally, Ernest Gellner's analysis in Conditions of Liberty (which, after all, is what we're talking about) basically argues that there's a threshold effect that depends on the process of reformation within the Ummah, or actually on the proximate end of that process and the exponential growth of rationalization (in the Weberian sense). I'd say that what Rusty has identified as "Marxist tendancies" in Islam are actually what Weber would have called (with good reason) "traditionalist." They resist rationalization, but there's no reason to presume that such resistance will ultimately succeed any more than we could have concluded that predominantly Catholic countries in Europe would remain immune to democratic reform indefinitely. In fact, if there's a positive trend toward economic rationalization one can almost predict an eventual democratic outcome, unless everything blows up...
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Rusty says: no, in fact I don't believe I have identified Marxist tendencies at all nor Weberian traditionalism. The Marx references were only analogies. That is, we were able to take on Marx head first without worrying about offending the Left, yet we won't take on Muhammed or Islam because somehow religious ideologies are 'off limits'.

In fact, I believe that my theory is fairly straightforward and has NOTHING to do with economic theories. I think what you are trying to argue is covered in Timur Kuran's Islam and Mammon : The Economic Predicaments of Islamism, if I am reading between the lines. Kuran, like you, seem to be making the argument that what Islam really needs is to first reconcile itself to the basic realities of the marketplace in order to modernize. It's classic Fukuyama End of History nonsense in my mind. Islam adopts modern property rights and allows for interest and voila--Muslim countries modernize and liberalize.

I just don't buy it. There is more going on in Muslim countries than a simple lack of the basic social tools needed for economic modernization. Perhaps my proposed test is simplistic, but so what? Let's start with the simple test of whether or not there is a positive correlation between Islam and authoritarianism and then move on from there.

I may be wrong. I hope I'm wrong. But I fear I'm not. Let me make myself clear: even though I do not think the probability for turning Iraq or Afghanistan into a liberal democracy with true freedom of religion, this does not mean that we should not be there. Why? Because freedom is a relative term. It is in our national interest that we help the Islamic world become more free, even if it may never be completely free.
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Demosophist Says: If you aren't saying that Islam is similar to Marxism in a substantive way then I probably misunderstood you. Having said that, I think your proposed test is entirely inadequate to the task you set for it. Moreover, I just don't understand Islam well enough to suggest anything yet. You claim it's an ideology, while Pace claims that terrorists aren't religious in any conventional sense. The way I see it Qutbism is largely ideological, but it's mostly borrowed from the western counter-enlightenment traditions. (Which, ironically, makes it more "end of history" kind of crap.) How much of it is pure Islam I just can't tell, because I don't know very much about it.

I take your point about religious ideologies being "off limits" and suggest that the only way we get to the bottom of that is to learn a thing or two about Islam. But if Sufism is Islam, then I don't see much of a problem. It'd be no more problematic than Zen Buddhism would it? And probably no more help, either.
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Rusty 2: Me either, if Sufism was Islam, but it's not. It is a branch of Islam. It would be much easier if Muslims stopped calling themselves "Muslim" and adopted sectarianism.
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And finally, I still think Gellner is correct that Islam is in dynamic flux... therefore most Muslims may not even know what it is with any degree of certainty. There's this whole business about "low" vs. "high" Islam, for instance... with "low Islam" being mainly a set of village rituals and superstitions that have little to do with the Koran. Apparently the whole business about iconoclasm (making images of Muhammed) doesn't come from the Koran at all, but from later writings.
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Rusty 2: what the average Muslim, though, thinks about Islam is no more important to understanding Islam as an ideology as what the average Marxist thought about Communism. Most Communists I know continue to think of Communism as simply a big welfare state--a way to help the poor. They fail to grasp the essential and radical nature of it. It seems to me the same is true with Islam. Most Muslims just want to follow the good parts in Islam and ignore the bad. Unfortunately, though, the bad comes with the good and the tendency in all ideologies is that once power is siezed that the more radical elements sieze power since they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.
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As a practical matter though, it'd be a lot more difficult to eliminate Islam than it was to marginalize Marxism. At least Marxism had some degree of an empirical claim, so once that was proved to be bunk most of the believers abandoned it. I can't see that happening with Islam, frankly. But we might force a retreat into something that looks more like Sufism, or at least a lot less like Salafism.
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Rusty 2 (electric bugaloo): Agreed. It is much more easy to falsify an empirical claim than it is to falsify a religious one. However, look at Judaism for a moment. Excuse the blasphemy, but a whole lot of the Old Testament stuff seems just as barbaric as anything I read in the Koran. So, such reform is possible, but it could take a long, long time. It also took the destruction of Jerusalem on at least two occasions, a two meilennia long diaspora, and being a minority population virtually everywhere unable to exercise power for centuries. Personally, I dread the thought that Muslims would have to go through any of that to reach the conclusion that all that stuff in the Koran about Muslims dominating the world was just figurative, and the stuff where it says to kill the blasphemer, well, that doesn't apply any longer.
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(Cross-posted to Demosophia)

Omar Bakri Mohammed: "Cartoonists Should Be Executed"

It is no surprise that these words should come from radical exiled cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed. Why no surprise? Because the now infamous rally outside of Denmark's embassy in London--where signs calling for cartoon blasphemers to be beheaded were seen--was staged by al Ghurabaa. This is the group that had previously posted on their website that all those who blaspheme Muhammed should be executed. As we reported here, al Ghurabaa is composed of followers of Omar Bakri Mohammed.

Telegraph:

“The insult has been established now by everybody, Muslim and non-Muslim, and everybody condemns the cartoonist and condemns the cartoon,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “However, in Islam, God said, and the messenger Mohammed said, whoever insults a prophet, he must be punished and executed. This man should be put on trial and if it is proven to be executed.”

The cleric said Muslims in Britain were not allowed to kill people who insulted Islam because it was against the law of the country.

“We are not saying ourselves to go there and start to look to him and kill him, we are not talking about that. We are talking about Islamic rules. If anybody insults the prophet, he will have to take a punishment.”

He said if countries refused to put people on trial for insulting Mohammed they must “face the consequences”.

So, Omar Bakri Mohammed is making the same arguement I have been making. That the individual Muslim is not necessarily a threat--he is not calling for individual Muslims to kill blasphemers--but rather that when Muslims take over a country and institute sharia law, after you have been convicted of blasphemy in a court of law, off with your head. Thus, the ideology of Islam is what is the larger threat.

Of course, this is a radical version of sharia. But are you comfortable with a moderate version of sharia which might fine you for blasphemy?

Hat tip: Charles Johnson

Us vs. Them: the video

Dan Riehl has produced an excellent and moving video about why we fight and how the the reaction to the Muhammed cartoons relates to the greater war against radical Islam. Go check it out here.

CNN: Yes to Dung Covered Mary, No to Cartoon Muhammed

It's not so much that I blame CNN for not running the controversial Muhammed cartoon, as much as I wish they'd be just a tad bit more honest about it. They claim they won't run the picturs out of religious sensitivities, yet the same organization had no problems running images of the dung covered Mary. No, it's not hypocrisy. It's called fear.

Pat Leahy Questions My Baby's Intelligence

It's just like those Quakers, babies, and nuns to make international phone calls to suspected al Qaeda terrorists. And all this time I've been dialing Osama bin Laden for my two year old! Do you think Julie Aigner-Clark will come out with a Baby Einstein video to help my apparently retarded kid learn to first dial 0-1-1?

Hat tip: Confederate Yankee.

UPDATE: Related ACLU propaganda and a guide to this week's NSA hearings.