May 31, 2007

(Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Here's a case which demonstrates the importance of thorough background checks.

From JS Online:

A Milwaukee police officer was arrested Wednesday by federal immigration agents on suspicion of being an illegal immigrant who assumed the identity of his dead cousin a decade ago, officials said.

The officer, who has lived and worked under the name Jose A. Morales since he was a teenager, was arrested by agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz confirmed Wednesday.

It wasn't disclosed how federal authorities came to investigate Morales but it's logical to suspect that a family member or close friend may have been overheard discussing his illegal status or may have simply spilled the beans. After all, somebody surely knew.

Morales was placed on paid suspension pending the outcome of the investigation.

MRC notes that the mainstream networks and CNN ran over 6000 stories on Abu Gharib.

Yet a heinous torture manual captured from a freedom fighter an al-Qaeda safe house in Iraq, complete with requisite disturbing illustrations on how to mutilate prisoners and inflict as much pain on them as humanly possible in direct violation of every international human rights and POW convention ever wailed about by leftards the world over, simply isn't as newsworthy to our media.

Because reporting these facts with the veracity and repetition of Abu Gharib is, apparently, "pro-war propaganda."

ht: LGF

What say you, Democrats? Is this your idea of reform? The "most ethical, most open government in the history of time and space?"

Media Matters! CNN has been infiltrated by Rethuglikkkans! Important Action Alerts all around! Panic time! They're turning into Faux-News!

Question 1: Do these images, taken recently at a California high school, raise your heart rate and/or blood pressure? (BELOW THE FOLD)

Question 2: If you are an "Anglo," do any of the following RacistHateNazi terms mean anything at all to you?

"Reconquista,"
"Alamo,"
"Lopez de Santa Anna,"
"Texian,"
"Guadalupe Hidalgo,"
"bracero,"
"law,"
"border,"
"national sovereignty"

Question 3: Do you think people living in the United States should learn English?

Question 4: Are you angry with George W. Bush?

Question 5: Do you have a problem with the fact that violent criminal aliens are routinely returned to the streets by law enforcement authorities?

Question 6: Does it bother you that the United States Senate is preparing to pass a bill that will, in practice, grant instant legal status to every alien who asks for it, without a background check?

If the answer to any of the above is "YES," El Presidente and his trusty sidekick Linda "Dirty" Chavez have decided you are definitely an overly-emotional rage-filled BigotNaziHomo, and you should immediately:

1. Be VERY ashamed of yourself. Your mother is probably crying right now in shame for your obvious, irrational hatred of EVERYONE who is different from you. Aren't you ashamed? If you're not ashamed, then you should be REALLY ashamed at your obvious lack of capacity for shame. You are probably a sociopath and a danger to yourself and others.

2. Report to your local Multicultural Reeducation Center at once. You are clearly guilty of multiple THOUGHTCRIMES of the types known to cause infections of other weak-minded, ignorant individuals like yourself who do not know what is good for them. If there is not yet a Multicultural Reeducation Center in your area, you should probably do society (and particularly the ruling class) a favor and just UNLIFE yourself in a quiet and non-disruptive way.

Here's a story that somehow slipped through the censors:

BAGHDAD - A battle raged Thursday in west Baghdad after residents rose up against al-Qaida and called for U.S. military help to end random gunfire that forced people to huddle indoors and threats that kept students from final exams, a member of the district council said.

The two groups, teams actually, were later identified; on one side there's al-Qaeda and the Islamic state in Iraq and on the other there's the Islamic army and 'Jaish al-Mujahideen' (The brigades of the 1920 revolution in another account), the latter are know to be largely military and intelligence officers of the former regime as well as members of the Baath Party.

Hmmm, maybe we should help both sides.

Omar still considers AQ in Iraq to be in a bad way:

Either way, al-Qaeda is under pressure on more than one front and it has lost a bunch of its commanders and fighters and this is always good news.

Under President Bush's amnesty plan, folks like Ezequiel Lopez will be able to get their hands on "Probationary Z-Visa status" without a background check:

KENOSHA - The man now charged with killing Kenosha County Sheriff’s Deputy Frank Fabiano is an illegal immigrant with a long criminal record.

Despite a rap sheet going back six years, Ezeiquiel Lopez was never deported. Only after he was charged with killing Fabiano did anyone try to have him kicked out of this country.

Lopez, 44, is accused of murdering the 17-year sheriff’s department veteran while high on cocaine. Lopez’s history with the law dates back to 2001, when he was arrested in Utah for lewd and lascivious conduct.

In 2003, he was arrested in Texas on a gun charge.

In 2003, Lopez was picked up in Missouri for driving drunk.

In 2004, Kenosha police arrested him on charges of domestic battery, disorderly conduct and bail jumping.

And yet, this is the first time immigration enforcement had heard of him. “We can find no record of having had contact with this individual before or having had him referred to us by another law enforcement agency,” said Tim Counts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement....

In court on Friday, Lopez said nothing. But a fellow inmate at the jail said Lopez had plenty to say Thursday night.

“He was saying ‘I’ll kill another one of you guys, give me a chance and I’ll kill another one of you guys,’” said the inmate, who wanted to remain anonymous.

H/t : Patterico

She's still holding back a bit, but Laura Ingraham lets George W. have it right in the kisser.

I like Laura a lot, and I like what she has to say, but just to be truthful, most of us haven't carried much, if any, water for Bush on Medicare, the massive pork, Michael Brown, Harriet Miers, Mel Martinez, Alberto Gonzales or any of his other piss-poor crony appointments, or any of the rest of his failures as a leader. And this is as it should be. A lot of us are Americans first and Republicans second. If the GOP isn't interested in doing what's best for the United States, then I'm not so interested in doing what's best for the GOP. I don't know what the hell is wrong with Bush. Maybe he's figured out that the lefties are much more reliable as mindless followers. Whatever the reason, Bush has been telling us, his core supporters, to screw off for about six years now, and the chickens are coming home to roost. I say it's about damn time this fake conservative imposter face the damn music.

Via Frank J.:

IMMIGRATION BILL FAQ

Q. I'm concerned that the immigration bill focuses more on giving illegal immigrants amnesty than border protection. Does the President share these concerns?

A. The President doesn't hate brown people.

Q. This isn't a racial issue. Many people think this bill will only encourage more illegal immigration and leave our borders open and dangerous. What are the answer to these charges?

A. To answer your underlying question, I'm afraid the the President is against your proposal to commit genocide against Hispanics.

Q. This isn't about Hispanics! This is about our laws being respected and our national security!

A. Unfortunately, America has had a long history of closed-minded bigots like you who hate all immigrants and want to keep the nation white and pure. To answer what we can only assume will be your next question, no, jackboots aren't tax deductible, but have fun in your neo-Nazi march anyway.

There are no words to describe the horror, the visceral evil that permeates every frame of the following video. This wretched abomination will set up shop in your brain, and you will never be free of it.
You have been warned.

HA! Now you will have this damned song stuck in your head for all eternity. There is no escape!
I warned you.

In case you've forgotten the 800 numbers set up by the amnesty lobby to get their supporters connected to the senators, here are the numbers:

1-800-882-2005. (Spanish number)
1-800-417-7666. (English number)

If I got through directly to my senator just now, that lends creedence to the White House position.

Sounds as high-camp as "Snakes on a Plane," doesn't it?

From Agence France Presse:

A gay gang that allegedly raped victims lured on the Internet, drugged them and infected them with the AIDS virus has shocked the Netherlands and raised questions over its liberal sex culture.
Health Minister Ab Klink on Thursday called the case "horrible", as the press splashed the news across its front pages.

The matter came to light Wednesday, when police said they had arrested three seropositive homosexual men two weeks ago after four victims, men aged 25 to 50, accused them of rape and premeditated bodily harm.

The White House Journal, (aka the Wall Street Journal,) is still in a full-court press trying to get the American people to swallow the Amnesty Bill. Today they host an op/ed by Jeb Bush and Ken Mehlman (subsription only):

Both of us have spent much of our professional lives working to help build the Republican Party. We believe this legislation will be good for the GOP. Hispanic Americans are natural Republicans.

Rob Bluey is right on the money:

Does that argument sound familiar? The White House told conservatives the same thing in 2003 when Karl Rove and President Bush strong-armed Republicans in Congress into supporting the largest entitlement program since the days of LBJ’s Great Society. The Medicare prescription drug bill, we were told, would guarantee Republicans the majority for decades. Three years later, the GOP was knocked out of power in Congress.

They’re taking a hammer to that base by smearing it as a bunch of bigots and rubes, and the base is going to fracture and split as a result. It’s a recipe for disaster in Arizona, and it’s a recipe for disaster nationally.

An Iraqi child seeks safety behind an American soldier following a terrorist suicide attack.

Thanks to Gateway Pundit.

Hat tip: larwyn.

I'll be in Daytona Beach, Florida for the next week or so. Drop me a line if you want to hang out or just look for me on the beach.

This is such a needed effort, I'm surprised it wasn't implemented earlier.

From ABC News Online:

Prime Minister John Howard and Philippines President Gloria Arroyo have signed an agreement allowing the two countries to do joint counter-terrorism exercises.

The "status of forces" agreement paves the way for joint military exercises and means Australia will help develop a fleet of high-speed gunboats to combat terrorists in the southern Philippines.

Our loyal friends and allies in Saudi Arabia are still materially supporting Al Zawraa--better known as Muj TV. Think of al Jazeera, but worse. Much worse.

The Saudi government owns a large stake in the satelite beaming Muj TV around the world, but refuses to stop the broadcasts.

L.A. Times:

Outraged by video footage of bloody attacks on American troops, U.S. officials have worked for about half a year to close down a satellite television station that promotes the cause of Iraq's Sunni Arab insurgents to millions of viewers in the region.

Yet Al Zawraa is still beaming calls for violent resistance — thanks to one of America's most important Mideast allies, Saudi Arabia.

U.S. and Iraqi troops chased Al Zawraa television's staff out of Iraq last year, and this year Washington pressured the Egyptians and Europeans to stop bouncing the station's signal from their satellites. But despite pleas from Washington, the Saudi government has declined to use its influence as a major stakeholder in the satellite company Arabsat to stop the transmissions, U.S. officials say.

This story is funny. No, more like ha-ha funny. If a neutral country, Switzerland---one with nary a soldier anywhere in the Middle East--is on al Qaeda's hit list, then that says something about the Islamists 'legitimate demands'.

I guess if you're not with al Qaeda, you're against them....

NZZ Online:

Islamic inspired terrorism is still a threat in Switzerland, according to an internal Swiss security report published on Thursday.

The Federal Police Office's annual report said that the country was in the "danger zone" in western Europe and that it was also used as a logistical and propaganda base.

In the past few years it has become clear that militant group al:Qaeda is still able to carry out attacks in western Europe, often using untrained individuals and at unexpected times, said the Police Office.

It added that Switzerland was known to be a logistics, preparation, propaganda centre, and retreat for extremist groups.

But the report noted that there were other reasons, apart from its geographical location, why Switzerland could become the target for a terror attack.

"Individual supporters of Jihad [Holy War] see Switzerland as part of a plot against Islam," said the Police Office in a statement.

"At the same time, according to our current information, there are active Islamic fundamentalists in Switzerland, among them extremists ready to use violence."

I imagine a lot of people got this report e-mailed to them from Dr. Paul Williams. I usually don't do this kind of thing--reprinted a report e-mailed to me--but Paul is begging people to reprint it.

The report recounts how he and a few others, including Egyptian journalist Jamal Babour, visited the compound of Jamaat Al Fuqra which is located on Mahareen Roadin in what seems to be one of the more rural areas of Prince George's County.

I'm going to go ahead and distance myself from a couple of the claims--such as the notion that Hezbollah leaders one time got together with al Qaeda leaders for a secret meeting. But, other than a few claims like that--which don't seem to have much to do with the point of the story--the encounter Paul and his colleagues have at the Jamaat Al Fuqra compound are downright scary. It's worth the read, just for that.

What's especially scary is that you have a group of radical Muslims, arming themselves to the teeth, and fortifying the compound in such a way as to suggest they believe that an assault on them is imminent. Is it just me, or does any one else get that Waco vibe here? Just replace David Koresh with Sheikh Gilani, and Jesus with Muhammed and I think you'll see my point.

RADICAL ISLAM COMES TO FULL BLOOM IN SOUTHERN VIRGINIA

By
Paul L. Williams, Ph.D.
(author of The Day of Islam)
with the able assistance of
Shawn Michaels
Jamal Babour
and
Dr. Hugh Cort

Entrance to the Jamaat ul-Fuqra Compound at Red House Va.

The Islamic practice of taqiyya, meaning “deception” or “concealment,” has been refined into an art-form at a jihad training compound for African American converts near the small town of Red House in Charlotte County, Virginia.

The fifty-acre compound is easy to find since the main road leading to it has been named Sheikh Gilani Lane in honor of the guru and founder of a terrorist organization with close ties to Osama bin Laden. The Board of Supervisors of Charlotte Country are either oblivious to the threat of radical Islam on American soil or clandestine advocates of the great jihad.

At the end Sheikh Gilani Lane is a sign - - barely visible through the overgrown brush - - that reads, “The Muslims of the Americas.” The sign serves to make the place appear as an innocuous religious settlement, until one realizes that The Muslims of the Americas is, in reality, an outgrowth of Jamaat ul-Fuqra, an alleged sister agency to al-Qaeda.

Several weeks before 9/11, a guard house and a gate had been erected at the entrance to the Red House compound.

But the guard house and the gate are now gone, and no sentries - - armed or otherwise - - are in sight, that is until you get well inside the complex of old trailers and pre-fab shanties. The only person to be seen in the the compound is an African American crone in a full black burqa sans the face cover known as a hijab. The day is hot and humid and the burqa serves to give the wizened old woman the appearance of a wayside witch from a Grimm's fairy tale.

“The men are all gone,” the crone says from a park bench. “No one is here.”

Road and observation tower

The Red House compound certainly appears deserted. A few mobile homes, several rusty old trailers, and a few mounds of debris among waist-high weeds remain along an old dirt road that runs through the Islamic village, but there appears to be little of interest, let alone concern.

As soon as the investigators park their car and trek into compound, the old woman removes a mobile phone from a sachet and dials a number.

In a matter of minutes, a pick-up truck appears at the entranceway. Two young African Americans dressed in skull caps and jalabiyahs emerge from the vehicle. “What are you doing here?” they ask.

Jamal, an Egyptian journalist, says in Arabic, “I’m here to see the Imam. Where does he live?”

One of the young men, whose Arabic name translates as “Slave of God”, indicates that the Imam is not in and he should knock on the door of a ramshackle blue structure where he was told “Ahmed”, one of the Elders may be found.

Jamal proceeds to the structure and rings the bell, but no one answers. Another member of our investigative team knocks at the doors of the trailers and mobile homes but there is no response. Some of the windows to the homes have been holed up with bricks save for openings that are ideal for assault rifles.

The young African Americans, who have shown up on the scene, are becoming agitated. They begin to make calls on their cell phones.

Then something miraculous happens.

At the Imam's residence, Muslim men begin to emerge in droves from a small storage shed attached to the house. It seems like a scene from a Marx Brothers movie in which dozens of people pour out of a closet. The investigators are suddenly surrounded by forty or fifty members of the complex in Islamic gowns and white skullcaps. “What brings you here?” they ask..

Imam’s residence at Red House compound

“We heard about the village,” Jamal says, “and wanted to pay a visit. I thought I could stop by for evening prayers.”

“The evening prayers are over,” says one of the newly materialized men, who could be a professional body builder.

In the blink of an eye, another wondrous thing occurs.

Hundreds of more African Americans in Islamic garb materialize from the dense forests, the high grass of the open meadows, and the rusty trailers that just seconds ago appeared to be deserted.

A covey of late model cars and SUV’s converge on the compound from a network of dirt roads. The Muslims who emerge from the vehicles appear more affluent than the others. The men wear white halabiyahs with matching head coverings. The women are dressed in colorful caftans and flowing abayas. They seem to be models from the Crescent Moon boutique.

“Are you the police?” a female villager asks through the shaded window of the Imam's residence,

“No,” George answers. “We just stopped by to join in prayer.”

“This is not a place for tourists,” screeches the woman in the Imam's house, “and we don’t like you taking pictures of our houses and automobiles.”

By this time, the Red House compound is swarming with hundreds of Muslim men, women, and children - - and several appear to be deeply agitated by the intruders.

Jamal produces a card from a radical imam he had met the day before at the radical Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church. It serves as a ticket out of the place.

“Achmed’s” residence at Red House

What is taking place in the Red House complex? Is the complex amidst the rolling hills of southern Virginia a peaceful Islamic village where devout Muslims have gathered to retreat from the hustle and bustle of contemporary American life in order to pray, meditate, and to live in strict accordance with the traditions of their faith? Or is it something more sinister - - something that should alarm every American who is concerned about the threat of radical Islam?

These factors are clear:

(1). There is an underground bunker at the complex that may be used for paramilitary training and possibly to harbor deadly weapons for use in the great jihad against Christians and Jews. Twenty-four members of this Jamaat ul-Fuqra complex already have been arrested for trafficking in illegal firearms, including the ammunition for AK-47s.

(2). Members of the compound have been sent to Pakistan and Afghanistan for specialized training in guerilla warfare - - a fact confirmed by Thomas P. Gallagher, a Special Agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

(3). The Red House compound regularly receives visits from suspicious guests from Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.

(4). The Red House cell of ul-Fuqra has metastasized so that similar Islamic compounds have popped up in neighboring Prince George and Campbell Counties. The 25 acre facility in Prince George County is situated on Mahareen Road, a name selected by the Muslim newcomers and duly approved by the local ordinance officials. Mahareen is the plural of the Arabic mahar, meaning “clever one.” The facility in Campbell County is considerably larger, occupying more than 100 acres. An additional compound reportedly has materialized in Bedford County near the city of Roanoke.

(5). Several Virginia compounds appear to possess obstacle courses, and firing ranges.

(6). Members of the compounds have been known to refer to themselves as “soldiers of Allah” and “Mohammad’s commandos.”

(7) What happens in the Red House compound stays in the Red House compound. The members of the radical Islamic community rarely appear in the nearby town; conduct little business with local merchants; and stay to themselves.

Mosque and Learning Center

The Muslims of the Americas, the tax-exempt corporation which owns and operates the Red House compound, was formed in 1980 by Pakistani cleric Sheikh Mubarak Ali Gilani. It is, according to an official report, a “front organization” for terrorist activities. A 2005 Homeland Security report predicts that the Muslims of the Americas will sponsor a major terrorist attack on American soil.

The parent organization of The Muslims of the Americas is Jamaat ul-Fuqra or “community of the impoverished” which retains headquarters in Lahore, Pakistan. The purpose of Jamaat ul-Fuqra, as established by Sheikh Gilani, is not to serve some beneficent good for the cause of the impoverished but rather to "purify" Islam through violence.

A quack practitioner of something called “Quranic psychiatry, Sheikh Gilani refers to himself as "the sixth Sultan ul Faqr." The Sheikh claims to have supernatural powers and to receive regular visits from “non-human beings.” In 1979, Gilani came to believe that he could begin the processing of purifying Islam through violence with the aid of socially disgruntled and economically disenfranchised blacks within the inner cities of New York and New Jersey. The basis of this belief was Gilani conviction that a sizeable number of African Americans fostered an innate hatred of the United States and could be easily convinced to further the cause of global jihad. Many may have viewed Gilano’s mission as a cockamamie scheme that smacked of racism, but it worked like a hypnotic charm from Scheherazade.

At the al-Farouq mosque in Brooklyn, a dingy establishment at 554 Atlantic Avenue, Gilani, sporting ammunition belts, spoke of Islam as the cure for all societal ills and called upon the young men in attendance to take up arms in the holy war against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Hundreds answered the call and headed off to a training camp in Abbotabad, Pakistan that had been established by Osama bin Laden and other members of the mujahadeen.

Knowing the need for new recruits, Gilani turned to the penal system and focused his attention on converting incarcerated blacks to his radical Islamic doctrine. Imams and religious instructors were dispatched to local, state, and federal prison facilities to accomplish this objective. The results were mind-boggling. Thousands converted on a weekly basis, drawn to the offers of protection, special meals, and release from work detail for daily prayers and the entire month of Ramadan.

Gilani soon came to the realization that it would be financially advantageous to train new recruits for the holy war on American soil rather than to pay the freight of sending them to Pakistan, and the sites of his other training camps throughout the world. And so, Islamberg in Hancock, New York came into being. Soon other hamaats were established in such places as Hyattsville, Maryland; Falls Church, Virginia; Macon, Georgia; York, South Carolina; Dover, Tennessee; Buena Vista, Colorado; Talihina, Oklahoma; Tulane Country, California; Commerce, California; and Onalaska, Washington. The Red House compound cropped up in 1993. Others are under construction, including an expansive facility in Sherman, Pennsylvania. How many hamaats are now in place throughout the United States is anyone’s guess. A low-ball figure is 38.

Before becoming a citizen of the Red House compound or any of the other Fuqra communities, the recruits - - primarily inner city black men who became converts in prison - - are compelled to sign an oath that reads: “I shall always hear and obey, and whenever given the command, I shall readily fight for Allah’s sake.” They are also obliged to contribute 70% of their welfare checks and other sources of income to Muslims of the Americas, Inc.

Mission accomplished among the African Americans, Sheikh Gilani returned to his native Lahore circa 1990. In December 1993, he was an honored guest at an international gathering of jihadis at the residence of Hassan al-Turabi in Khartoum. At the gathering, attended by members of al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular and Democratic Fronts for the Liberation of Palestine, Sheikh Gilani, Osama bin Laden, and other prominent terrorist leaders were caught on film chanting, “Down, down with the USA!” “Down, down with the CIA,” and “Death to the Jews.”

#

Over the years, numerous members of Jamaat ul-Fuqra have been convicted in US courts of such crimes as conspiracy to commit murder, firebombing, gun smuggling, and workers’ compensation fraud. Others remain leading suspects in criminal cases throughout the country, including ten unsolved assassinations and seventeen fire-bombings between 1979 and 1990. Associates of the group were also instrumental in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.

The criminal charges against the group and the criminal convictions are not things of the past. In 2001, a 19 year-old former resident of the Red House compound a California compound was charged with the first-degree murder in the shooting of a sheriff’s deputy in California. By 2004 federal investigators uncovered evidence that linked both the DC “sniper killer” John Allen Muhammed and “Shoe Bomber” Richard Reid to the group and reports surfaced that Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was captured and beheaded in the process of attempting to obtain an interview with Sheikh Gilani in Pakistan.

Even though Jamaat ul-Fuqra has been involved in bloody bombings and sundry criminal activities, recruited thousands of members from federal and state penal systems, and appears to be operating paramilitary facilities for militant Muslims, the terror organization remains to be placed on the official US Terror Watch List, and The Muslims of the Americas continue to operate, flourish, and expand as a legitimate nonprofit, tax-deductible charity.

Meanwhile, the hills of rural Virginia are alive with the sound of jihad.

But few, it seems, are listening.

The blogfather reports that YouTube has suspended the account of one notoriously evil terror supporter. So, are they going to finally take the online jihad seriously? I doubt it. As Ragnar notes, his video Naughty at the Border has way more hits than most of YouTube's top 100 videos, but somehow it's been excluded from the list.

Since it's possible, then doesn't Achem's razor suggests these photos are not doctored? Because the simplest explanation, that it's doctored, just seems so......tin-foilish. Probabilities be damned!

Thanks to DM and Ugly American

Yemen Times: Aleshteraki.net reported that an Arab satellite channel is investigating allegations that its Sana’a correspondent is receiving money from the Yemeni government in return for presenting the government’s view on the Sa’ada war.

It added, “Information leaked by the Yemeni Armed Forces indicates that Yemeni correspondents for some Arab channels have received money in return for not speaking about the war in Sa’ada or for reflecting the state’s viewpoint.”

The source maintained that three Yemeni correspondents, including one for a Gulf channel, have received YR 50,000 daily from several military units’ financial departments since the war erupted in January.

Yemeni and Arab viewers of satellite channels and media outlets find it strange that the fourth Sa’ada war hasn’t received its due coverage; however, journalists allege that Yemeni authorities have prevented them from making field coverage of the war there.

However when patronage doesn't work, and it doesn't with a few couragous Yemeni journalists, the Yemeni regime resorts to brutality, censorship and/or judicial penalities for bogus charges.

A man said to be one of the worst spammers in the world has been arrested and may face decades in jail:

Robert Alan Soloway is accused of using networks of compromised "zombie" computers to send out millions upon millions of spam e-mails.

"He's one of the top 10 spammers in the world," said Tim Cranton, a Microsoft Corp. lawyer who is senior director of the company's Worldwide Internet Safety Programs. "He's a huge problem for our customers. This is a very good day."

A federal grand jury last week returned a 35-count indictment against Soloway charging him with mail fraud, wire fraud, e-mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.

May 30, 2007

More broken campaign outright lies promises. If this is "reform," I don't want to see what largess and corruption looks like.

Somebody had better send an Important Action Alert to Pelosi.

Steve Emerson rules.
Not only was he one of the first Americans to recognize the true threat posed by radical Islam, and not only was he among the first to publicly bitch-slap radical Islamists into submission, but to this day he continues to totally own the current crop of apologists, propagandists and spin-doctors who are working to distort and sanitize the west's understanding of Islam.

And today has been a real Steve Emerson kind of a day!

First came the announcement that The Islamic Society of Boston had withdrawn it's defamation suit against Emerson during the discovery process. While this may seem like it is only a victory for Emerson and his Investigative Project, in fact it is a great deal more.
With groups like the ISB and CAIR working overtime to intimidate any who would speak against radical Islam, and those who report suspicious behavior exhibited by Muslims, each victory of this nature slows the inexorable creep of political correctness, and mutes the fear of litigious intimidation by these well-financed groups.

But if that weren't enough, Mr. Emerson has gone a bit farther today.
In his latest post at The Counterterrorism Blog, Steven Emerson flays and de-bones one Edina Lekovic, Communications Director and spokesperson for the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) with surgical precision.

Emerson and Lekovic recently appeared on CNBC’s Kudlow & Co., where Ms. Lekovic took issue with Emerson's questions pertaining to her former position as “managing editor” of al-Talib, a newspaper published by the Muslim Students’ Association at UCLA. Lekovic accused Emerson of “sloppy research” and flatly denied ever having worked for the publication.
But it seems that's a fib.

Below is a video clip of Emerson and Lekovic on Kudlow and Co.:

ABC News reports that Jaber Elbaneh is under house arrest in Yemen. Yemen reports US officials will be allowed to view his trial but not extradite him although he is a US citizen. Yemen has what was recently dubbed a "catch and release program", but we knew that.

One of the FBI's most wanted terrorists has been placed under "house arrest" in Yemen, according to U.S. counterterrorism and federal law enforcement officials.

Jaber Elbaneh, an alleged al Qaeda operative with ties to the Buffalo, N.Y., "Lackawanna six" terrorism case, reportedly surrendered to Yemeni security services last week. Elbaneh has been charged in the United States with providing material support to al Qaeda and is currently on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist list.

But officials say it's unclear when  or even if  they will ever get to question Elbaneh.

A spokesman for the Yemeni Embassy released a statement to ABC News, noting that because Elbaneh is a Yemeni citizen, the constitution of that country prohibits his extradition to face a trial abroad....Spokesman Mohammed Albahsa concluded his statement by saying, "Elbaneh is in our custody and make no mistake justice will prevail. He faces multiple convictions for committing terrorist and criminal violent activities and he will be trialed accordingly. U.S. authorities will have access to his trial so will the media."

It reminds me of Abu-bakr al-Reibi who lived at home, according to his father, after being sentenced to a ten year prison term on terrorism charges, .

“As for Abu Bakr, he surrendered himself when his brother Fawaz was arrested here in Abyan and the officials—including the President of the Republic—reassured him that nothing would happen to him,” (his father, Yahya) al-Rabi’e said.

“Abu Bakr’s trial was nominal. It was only meant to please the Americans,” said al-Rabi’e. “He did not spend even one day in the prison. The security would only take him from my house to appear in the court, and then bring him back after the court hearings. Even when the imprisonment sentence was issued, he was not in the courtroom,” he said.

SJTL

Fun Facts #1:

Today's #100 Most Viewed Video of the Day on YouTube has racked up a sum total of 13,931 views. It is a bootleg copy of a scene from the movie "Pirates of the Carribean.'

Today's #50 Most Viewed Video of the Day on YouTube has racked up a sum total of 25,352 views. It features a schoolboy dropping his pants to show his naughy bits to his teacher.

Our video "Naughty at the Border" has racked up over 32,038 views, mostly between yesterday and today. The video is critical of our government's current and proposed immigration policies. Despite the fact that this video has received more views than the #50 Most Viewed and almost three times the number of views of the #100 Most Viewed video, "Naughty on the Border" is not included anywhere in YouTube's list of the Top 100 Most Viewed.

YouTube appears to be making a habit of this for any videos its censors don't like. I wonder how many other videos have received the same treatment.

Yes, YouTube is a private company, and they can generally do as they please with their own company. Even so, they're not free to commit fraud on their own customers. By presenting false rankings to the people that use their site, that's exactly what they're doing. Think about it this way: would anyone object if Nielsen or Arbitron was publishing bogus ratings numbers biased toward specific viewpoints? What if the cable news ratings folks came around next week and announced that Lou Dobbs' ratings had now dropped through the floor? What if it were later determined that Dobbs did, in fact, have the ratings but the numbers had been cooked to cost him his sponsors? Would that be a problem for anyone?

Don't you just love those beef jerky commercials? You know the ones ... the messin' with Sasquatch commercials.

Now is your chance to e-mail the Taliban. Mess with them a little. I'm. Not. Kidding.

Here are a few e-mails I found at a Taliban website. One is for the Taliban webmaster, and two of the others appear to be the e-mail for a couple of dudes named as "the official spokesmen for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan". The last one I'm not sure about.

alemarah1@yahoo.com
zabihullahmujahid@yahoo.com
alfarhad2005@yahoo.com
gran@inbox.com

Please forward any e-mail you get from them to me. Thanks.

PS--Just in case you want to call the Taliban, they were kind enough to leave the phone numbers for their "spokesmen". The 88216 prefix indicates that it's a satelite phone.

(011 from US, then) 8821621515539 --- ask for Ahmadi, which is what Qari Mohammad Yousuf's friends call him. He seems to speak English. Again, I'm not joking.
(011 from US, then) 8821621360585 --- calls himself "mujahid", so I'd just ask for soon-to-be-dead asshole

If someone answers, er, then I'd suggest e-mailing me pronto fast. I'd call myself, but I seem to be out of minutes this close to the end of the month.

I rarely agree with the ACLU, but on this issue, we're on the same page:

US citizens who apply for a job will need prior approval from Department of Homeland Security under the terms [of an] immigration bill passed considered by the Senate this week...

Even current employees will need to obtain eligibility approval from the DHS Within 60 days of the Immigration Reform Act of 2006 becoming law.

"EEVS would be a financial and bureaucratic nightmare for both businesses and workers," said Timothy Sparapani, ACLU Legislative Counsel. "Under this already flawed program no one would be able to work in the U.S. without DHS approval - creating a ‘No Work List’ similar to the government’s ‘No Fly List.’ We need immigration reform, but not at this cost."

I'm not going to deny that my opinion on this provision, along with many others in this bill, is colored by the fact that it'll be George Bush and his incompetence-ridden administration (not) enforcing it. When/if we get a President with a real committment to effectively following the law as written, I'll be willing to give ideas like this a little bit more benefit of the doubt.

Via the Los Angeles Times:

The 41 hostages freed from an al-Qaida in Iraq prison this week said they were chosen because their captors hoped they could fetch a $40,000 ransom, or because they worked for the Iraqi government or merely because they were found smoking on the street.

Many of the prisoners said they had been moved from one detention site to another over the course of their captivity, suggesting that significant numbers of captives may still be held in Diyala province.

These and other details emerged yesterday at a video news conference with U.S. Army Lt. Col. Morris Goins, the commanding officer who oversaw the rescue.

The youngest among the prisoners freed Sunday, a 13-year-old boy, said he had been held captive because al-Qaida operatives had spotted him smoking on the street, seen as an affront to Islam, Goins said.

Almost all the captives said they had been given the choice to carry out militant acts or be killed.

This story, despite the suffering of the captives, is good news: first, the insurgents are significantly overplaying their hand, resorting to kidnapping children for smoking, this would suggest that they having a harder time winning the "hearts and minds" of the Iraqi people than we are; and second, given the choice between comitting acts of terrorism (militant acts) or being killed, the captives took an honorable stand and were willing to die rather than become murderers themselves. These are the Iraqi people who would be slaughtered if we pulled out of Iraq now. We owe it to them to stand by them until the "insuregents" (murderous scum) are eliminated.

Crossposted at Not Ready for my Burqua

Not for anything substantive, of course, but we peasants must be grateful for the crumbs we receive.

Today Show Face Matt Lauer graciously provides this absolutely classic example of "do what I say and never mind what I do":

(AP) BOSTON After challenging New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine for not wearing a seat belt, "Today" show co-host Matt Lauer apologized Wednesday for an interview with Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney in which neither man wore a seat belt while driving through New Hampshire.

Via The Telegraph: Iraq's most prominent Shia militia has emerged as the chief suspect in the kidnappings of five British nationals in Iraq.

Police security check motorists in Baghdad: SAS on alert to rescue Baghdad Britons
Iraqi police security check motorists close to the finance ministry's information section in Baghdad

Negotiations with the Mahdi Army are already under way after one of several spokesmen for the armed force under the command of the Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr claimed responsibility for the kidnappings at the finance ministry in Baghdad.

Hundreds of Iraqi and American troops raided Sadr City, Baghdad’s largest Shia neighbourhood, in an operation that ended early today. Residents said areas of Sadr City were sealed off and several arrests were made.

Iraqi forces have established a special battalion of soldiers and police officers to search for the kidnapped men. “We are conducting search operations near the site where the abduction took place,” said Brig Gen Qassim al Musawi, an Iraqi army spokesman.

“Maybe today or in the coming few days, we will find them with the help of secret intelligence.”

Via CNN: BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S.-led coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood Wednesday, including their cell leader, a U.S. military statement said.

All are believed to be members of a cell involved in weapons trafficking.

"Intelligence reports indicate the cell leader that was targeted and detained during the morning's operation is suspected of being a key weapons trafficker ... of small arms, mortars and other munitions," the military said, including "explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training."

The U.S. military has been saying for months that militants are getting the EFPs from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force and that Iraqi militants are being trained in Iran.

Damn productive for the Iranians that is.

Hat Tip: Captain Ed.

I often wonder why my Christian friend from Malaysia says he'll never go back. Today Michelle helps me understand.

Via Michelle Malkin: Last August, I wrote about the plight of an ex-Muslim woman in Malaysia named Lina Joy. She had converted to Christianity and wanted to marry a Christian man. As the Abdul Rahman case made chillingly clear to the world, there are dire consequences for leaving Islam. Joy bravely went to court to stop being identified as a Muslim--and earned death threats and family disavowal for her apostasy. Now, the verdict is in. Sharia wins, Lina Joy loses:

"You can't at whim and fancy convert from one religion to another," Federal Court Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim said in delivering judgment in the case, which has stirred religious tensions in the mainly Muslim nation.

Muslims cheered:

Talk about your luck. It's lucky enough that you get a high-resolution photo of one Zionist "missile" milliseconds before it hits some poor innocent Palestinians standing around, minding their own business. It's like winning the lottery or getting struck by lightning---rare, but it happens. But what kind of four leaf clover do you have in your pocket to get two photos of Zionist-Crusader missiles raining down on the heads of innocent women, children, and (presumably) cuddly panda bears? [click for larger]

Nusseirat Refugee Camp, -: An Israeli rocket (slighty right of C) is visable as it falls toward great plumes of smoke that rise from a Hamas Executive Force building during an Israeli air strike in Nusseirat refugee camp in the centre of the Gaza strip, 25 May 2007. Warplanes pounded the Gaza Strip for a ninth day today as Palestinians continued to fire rockets into Israel despite a call from Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas for a truce. AFP PHOTO/MAHMUD HAMS (Photo credit should read MAHMUD HAMS/AFP/Getty Images)

Thanks to Curt.

Brian from Snapped Shot remains skeptical of my skepticism, but shares my disdain for the usual Pali media swarm and staging of the "wounded".

Meanwhile, David of Lunde Designs believes he has found the original photo, which implicates the imperialist Americans in the plot to kill innocent Palestinian women, children, and kittens:

That picture Dave sent in was much bigger in the original, but I cut it down for publication. Look closely at it. Which one is the "real" "missile"? [image zoomed 2x]

Can you hear me now? See how "tough" it is to Pshop a "missile" into a photo?

And a second photo, this one of a cruise missile, quite probably the "original" that somehow Haliburton paid the poor Pali stringer to Pshop out. I have it on good information that Haliburton records documenting the various crimes of the Vice President were stored in the Hamas headquarters...

UPDATE: Tarzan, with what could possibly be the missing photo:

These are not the "missiles" you are looking for. Move along.

...And the University and College Union has voted unanimously to oppose the UK government's request that professors actually do their civic duty by reporting violent Islamist extremists among the student body. Instead, they choose to mischaracterize it as a "witch hunt," and plan to boycott the effort.

From Breitbart:

UCU joint general secretary Sally Hunt said academics did not want to be transformed into "some quasi secret service".

"UCU delegates have made it clear that they will oppose Government attempts to restrict academic freedom or free speech on campus," she said.

"Lecturers want to teach students, if they wanted to police them they would have joined the force. Universities must remain safe spaces for lecturers and students to discuss and debate all sorts of ideas, including those that some people may consider challenging, offensive and even extreme."

Somebody had to do it.

Dean Barnett has already staked out August 31.

I've been predicting McCain in the single-digits within "weeks"--which is, like most of our good senators' recent statements on the immigration bill, sufficiently vague to give me a whole bunch of wiggle room. As it's going, the real risk may be that McCain's numbers will crash into the single-digits within ONE week, thereby still making a liar out of me.

Here's Linda Chavez working overtime to "win friends and influence people":

What is said today of the Mexicans, Guatemalans, Salvadorans and others was once said of Germans, Swedes, the Irish, Italians, Poles, Jews and others. The only difference is that in the past, the xenophobes could speak freely, unconstrained by a veneer of political correctness. Today, they speak more cautiously, so they talk about the rule of law, national security, amnesty, whatever else they think might make their arguments less racially charged.

Where once the xenophobes could advocate forced sterilization and eugenics coupled with virtually shutting off legal immigration from "undesirable" countries, now they must be content with building walls, putting troops on the border, rounding up illegal aliens on the job and deporting them, passing local ordinances to signal their distaste for immigrants' multi-family living arrangements, and doing whatever else they can to drive these people back where they came from...

[W]e need to quit pretending that the "No Amnesty" crowd is anything other than what it is: a tiny group of angry, frightened and prejudiced loudmouths backed by political opportunists who exploit them.

Linda Chavez is a piece of shit, and I don't choose those words lightly. In a time when our emotions are raw, and our social fabric is wearing thin, you've just told people across this country that people with whom they thought they simply had honest disagreements over policy secretly hate them. You've told them, unequivocally, that those immigration discussions they've had with their Anglo friends haven't really been about a concern for America. They've really been about a secret racist hatred harbored not that far below the surface.

I have a very good friend who is an immigrant from Central America. A conversation last year over immigration got to the point where she accused me of being a "racist, just like the rest of those people" at which point I told her she was welcome to call me when she realized she owed me an apology, and I hung up.

We didn't talk again for almost a year--and may have never talked again except for a chance occurence.

Because of the caustic, careless rhetoric of people like George W. Bush and Linda Chavez, my friend had become thoroughly convinced that anyone who opposed Bush's immigration bill could only be motivated by racism and hatred. There was, after all, no other possible explanation for it. The President himself said so! (He is, you remember "a uniter, not a divider.") The careless words of demagogues like Bush and Chavez served to nearly destroy a decade-long friendship--all this so big agriculture can keep down the cost of tomatoes.

Thanks, George. Thanks, Linda.

May 29, 2007

UPDATE 05/30/07 a.m: The incredibly lucky photog got a second photo of a "missile" on the same day.
-----------

The Seattle Times ran this as their "photo of the day". What's wrong with this picture? (Click for bigger pic)

Here is the caption from the Seattle Times:

Palestinians run as a rocket falls at them during an Israeli air strike on the Hamas Executive Force building in Nusseirat refugee camp in the centre of the Gaza strip, Friday. Warplanes pounded the Gaza Strip for a ninth day as Palestinians continued to fire rockets into Israel despite a call from Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas for a truce.

I'm also guessing that the guy in the green soccer shirt wouldn't be able to follow said "missile" with his eyes. Notice how he appears to be looking right at the incoming "missile".

So, is this a case of a "doctored photo"?

Here's a close up of the "missile" from the largest version of the photo I could find, and which I've only blown up to about triple the original size.

If it's a photoshop, it's a good one. Notice the squarish pixelization around the "missile". Maybe some one who is better at digital photography or at Pshopping than me can explain that. Just an artifact of blowing it up? But the bluring around the "missile" can also be seen in the original, just sharper edges when you blow it up.

The photo is attributed to "MAHMUD HAMS / AFP/GETTY IMAGES". How fast was Mahbud Hams camera? So fast that he not only caught the missile just before it struck, but just after it struck too. A Peter Parker moment? (click for bigger)

Doing a quick search of Yahoo News Photos, here are a few related pics. Yahoo News Photos did not pick up on the photo showing the "missile", but it did carry the followup photos by Mahmud Hams of the "missile strike" at Nusseirat. Only they're not all attributed to Mahmud Hams.....

And, wouldn't you know it, another hallmark of fauxtography: the swarm carrying the "injured child".

More below.....

Caption reads:

A Palestinian man runs with an injured boy after an Israeli missile strike on a Hamas base after they gathered at the scene of an earlier airstrike on area in Nusseirat, central Gaza Strip, Friday , May 25, 2007. An Israeli airstrike hit a Hamas training center south of Gaza City on Friday, destroying the compound and lightly injuring at least three, witnesses said. (AP Photo/Majed Hamdan)

But this photo from Getty images is attributed to "Mahmed Hams", the same reporter that was lucky enough and had a fast enough shutter speed to actually capture an Israeli missile as it impacts.

That seems rather singular, doesn't it? That two reporters would be on the scene when an Israeli missile hits?

Did I say two reporters? Make that three. Notice green shirt guy in this photo, the same as the first one.

Caption:

Palestinians run as smoke rises from a missile fired by an Israeli aircraft after they gathered at the scene of an earlier airstrike on a Hamas base in Nusseirat, central Gaza Strip, Friday May 25, 2007. An Israeli airstrike hit a Hamas training center south of Gaza City on Friday, destroying the compound and lightly injuring at least three, witnesses said. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

So far we have what could be a doctored photo of a missile (by Mahmud Hams--AFP stringer), and the aftermath of a real incident but which may have had some staging to dramatize it for three photographers on the scene (Hams plus AP stringers Hana and Hamden).

But there's more. Look at these photos together. The top one is by Hams and the second one by Hana. (click for sources)

Doesn't it seem odd that the two photogs would be standing side by side at the exact moment that an Israeli missile hits....er...something?

So, what exactly do we have here? A real incident with a fake missile photoshopped in for dramatic effect? (See this for similar)

A real incident, with incredibly lucky photogs in a media swarm on the scene, but with staged aftereffects? (See this for similar)

Something fishy going on here. Could use some help with this one. I'd love to hear some theories about the plausibility of this one.

Again, don't want to overstate the case here, but it just seems so unlikely that at least two photographers are on the scene (possibly a third with them, or nearby) at the very moment a missile strikes....and one of them has the wits about them to actually snap a photo of an incoming missile a dozen feet in the air.
Before it lands.

UPDATE: Some of Charles' keen eyed people saw this Saturday, when I was busy painting the Shackleford mansion, and he is pretty convinced that it's not fauxtography. How come none of you peeps is keeping me up to date on this?

Anyway, Charles thinks the pixelization is due to JPEG compression and the error here is labelling a "bomb" a "missile". A bomb would make more sense since it would reach a much slower terminal velocity than a missile.

But still, the timing would have to be incredible for the photog to get this shot.

Chris Byrne writes in and says it, "is an American GBU (a laser guided bomb). In the picture it has been shrunk, and rotated (look at the lighting)."

I dunno. My asking for help is not a rhetorical question.

But the aftermath scenes certainly seem staged.

UPDATE II: Soccer Dad sends me this link to Elder of Ziyon, who also picked up on this. He finds a fourth photog, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa. Clearly staged.

UPDATE III: Ace has the same questions as me. If this is a laser guided bomb, as many are suggesting, I know it would be slower than a missile, but it's still got to have a fairly high terminal velocity depending on the altitude of the plane dropping it. Do the Israelis drop these kind of bombs from low-level runs or from altitude?

Man, if this is real, I want this Hams guy to help me buy my next lottery ticket.

I know that "staged photos" aren't as sexy as "doctored ones", but the other photos are clearly staged. And it would still be an important story if only to add context about all the news about Israel bombing "Palestinians" lately.

UPDATE IV: John Donovan also thinks this is consistent with a GBU, which apparently stands for Glide Bomb Unit.

UPDATE V: Chris Byrne adds this:

The pixellation errors here are from a cut and paste. There are no similar JPG artifacts in other areas of the photo, including similar color contrast areas on the skyline.

This picture would have been submited to AFP in raw format, or another uncompressed or barely compressed format for their post processing; that pixellation is not jpg artifact.

If the people were in sharp focus and at the correct depth of field setting (and they were), the bomb wouldn't have been that clear; it would have been one big blur.

The shutter speed needed to capture this image, in realtime speeds, would have been ridiculously high; higher than a Nikon D1 or similar pro digital camera is capable of capturing without far more motion blur. I know, I have one.

The angle of the light on the tail of the bomb is from a significantly different angle that that of the light on the people.

The scale of the bomb is incorrect for the picture; this again is a source of the pixellation.

I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly which model of GBU it is without a scale reference; but believe me it IS a GBU...

I'm a pretty decent wannabe sports photographer, and based upon my limited experience (I've captured baseballs coming off bats from deep in the outfield and golf balls arching through the air) that from a technical standpoint it would be possible to capture such image with prosumer quality gear (I use a Canon 10D with L series lenses).

What strikes me as odd about the picture is the relative sizes involved. Without knowing the exact distances or the lens used to capture the picture it will be impossible to provide a definitive answer but it is possible to make educated guesses about the picture.

The ratio's in the pictures appear to be off. Assuming the multicolored shirt wearing guy is six feet tall, he appears to be 3/4 of an inch tall in the provided photograph. This gives us a ratio of 72:3/4 or about 96:1

The GUB-10 is 172 inches long and in the photo is .1875 inches tall. This gives us a ratio of 917:1.

This means the missile/bomb would be roughly 10 times the height of the guy in the picture away, or about 60 feet away.

60 feet away from a 2000 pound bomb going off...

It just doesn't strike me as correct.

Of course I'm doing this on the fly and my math could be way off.

Heck, the entire theory could be off.

UPDATE VII: Chris D Weighs in with a lengty e-mail to me. Let me just throw up some of what he says.

I'm a CG artist and work with Photoshop on a daily basis, and like to think I know my way around a digital image.

The "noise" around the bomb has nothing to do with compositing. It is a by-product of jpeg compression algorithms. It does nothing to argue either for or against the authenticity of the image, as compression occurs when the file is saved in the .jpg format. Whether the photo is real or if the bomb was pasted into a high-res, uncompressed image, the compression artifacts would look exactly the same....

Two or three of the people seem to be looking up and to their right (stage left), vaguely but not precisely towards the bomb. Considering it's indeed unlikely they'd be able to focus on the transonic-ish bomb, it's worth noting that the weapon is indisputably a Paveway LGB, which means the plane that dropped it would still be flying somewhere overhead lasing its intended target. My bet would be that plane is what they're looking at (if not something completely unrelated, like a helicopter, or a vehicle moving on a nearby hill, or what have you).

I like a good case of fauxtography as much as the next guy, and I hate to think these photos could be used a propaganda by the enemy. But I also hate it when we (the supposedly sane ones) jump to hasty conclusions in our zeal to unmask yet another media conspiracy, replete with arguments from dubiously-informed individuals like Mr. Byrne, and fueled by moral outrage. It all feels a little too Truthery for my tastes, and I think it behooves everybody to avoid the siren's call of such excesses.

Unlike most photographs, it seems to me that the extraordinary nature of the photo makes the default position "fake" until proven not-a-hoax. Just like the Hogzilla II photos of recent days. I really didn't believe it at first.

I'm not from Missouri, but fellow Jawa Howie is, so let me just say I remain skeptical of the photo until some one "shows me".

Last update (I hope): I guess since I control the blog, I control the parting shots. EODDan in the comments (for those of you too lazy to scroll through them, which is pretty much every one, including myslef normally):

I'm a military Explosive Ordnace Disposal technician. I've seen lots of bomb and lots of bombs being dropped (both in person and in testing videos). I concur with the previous poster about this photo being of a GBU (Guided Bomb Unit). Further, it appears to be a package installed on a 500lb Mk82 bomb. Once the GBU is installed on a particular bomb it gains the appropriate digits 10, 12 etc. I'd have to look at tech data to tell you precisely what the nomenclature of the pictured bomb is, but I can tell you that this picture is bogus. For the fins to still be folded the bomb would have to have just been dropped. You'd still be able to see the plane that dropped it. This would however account for the clarity of the image. A bomb dropped on a combat target, even one dropped at very low altitude, would still be blurred. We're talking about jet fighters here, not biplanes. I've watched test video taken by scientists with high speed cameras designed for the purpose of studying bomb impacts. Even their film comes out blurred sometimes. Also, the scale is definitely off as yet another commenter mentioned. The blast in other fauxtoes is yet another fakery. The apparent blast seat is not in line with impact point you would expect from the previous picture. The blast itself does not look right for a heavy cased bomb either. It looks very much like the result you would get from a bare charge placed on the surface. Finally, as another astute commenter pointed out, neither the fauxtographer or his subjects would have been likely to survive the blast in the image. The blast wave would have knocked them all off their feet and caused serious injuries, but not before they had all been ripped to shreds by primary and secondary fragmentation. In spite of what Hollywood (and Paliwood) would have you believe, it is not possible to outrun a high order explosion.

It is a fake pic. Look at the feet. the man in the green shirt and the person in the grey sweats does not have feet

Here is a video of American al Qaeda member Adam "Azzam al-Amreki" Yahiye Gadahn promised earlier. Why won't this guy die? Every time I see him I want to vomit.

Laura Mansfield has the complete transcript.

Adam makes six demands on behalf of al Qaeda:

1) Pull all U.S. troops out of Muslim lands. But I thought pulling out of Iraq would make al Qaeda stop? Oh:

And let us be clear. A pull-out from Iraq alone in the absence of compliance with the remainder of our legitimate demands will get you nowhere and will not save you from our strikes.

SO stop wasting your time, and trying to save face with these futile, farsical maneuvers on Capitol Hill and start making some serious moves.

3) End aid to Israel. They hate the J-O-Os.

4) Allow Muslims to establish sharia law. This means that we should not interfere when they start killing apostates and stoning adultresses.

5) Stop all broadcasts to the Middle East. Apparently, they don't like CBN as much as they despise Spice. Especially broadcasts which try to alterfaith, minds, morals, and valuesSuch liberty loving people!

6) Free all Muslims from our jails.

A final parting shot:

This is not a call for negotiations. We don’t negotiate with baby killers and war criminals like you.

v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v

Al Qaeda family values in action.

12 year old Taliban boy holds up head of hostage he has just slowly sawed off with a knife.

A rabid Bush supporter Sheehan-like 9-11 nutter ambushed Rudy Guliani outside of a fundraiser, calling him a "criminal of 9-11" and demanding to know why he told Peter Jennings "why the towers would fall."

Howard Stern and crew said the same things on their live broadcast while watching the towers burn (download the show from a P2P network and listen to it yourself.) Its called "the striking powers of observing something with one's eyes."

For the Twoofers - if you get hold of one of these audio files, the exchange occurs at approximately 1:20:57. I recommend it to anyone as a perfect example of the drama, imperfect news reporting (yes - the MSM reports incorrect facts and information on a daily basis, ie. secondary 'explosions' during the collapse which were no more than the debris clouds caused by the collapses, etc.), false information and pure confusion that we all experienced on that day.

The Twoofer response, of course, is that Stern and Co. were obviously 'in on it' too. He is Jooooooish, after all. Much more here and here. Mucho debunking here.

Twoofout!

As she often does, Peggy Noonan put it in the best words:

This is what I fear about our elites in government and media, who will decide our immigration policy. It is that they will ignore the human questions and focus instead, as they have in the past, only on economic questions (we need the workers) and political ones (we need the Latino vote). They think that's the big picture. It's not. What goes on in the human heart is the big picture.

Again: What does it mean when your first act is to break the laws of your new country? What does it mean when you know you are implicitly supported in lawbreaking by that nation's ruling elite? What does it mean when you know your new country doesn't even enforce its own laws? What does it mean when you don't even have to become an American once you join America?

Less than 12 hours after announcing a new offshoot of the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, its leader has been killed. That's what we call fast work.

Dan just asks the tough questions.

Background here.

Or maybe it was some John Edwards supporters? Whoever it was, I think the word "asshole" is apt somewhere in the discussion.

But as long as we are on the subject, Muahahahahahahahaha! Yes, you may add your own maniacal laughter in comments.

Via Atlas Shruggs.

X_______ Dhimmi has produced her first video themed Antisemitism. It's clear over the past several years we've seen more and more attacks on Jews and so she wanted to make some kind of statement about the escalating murderous rage against our Jewish brethern. She used Atlas archives to help illustrate her point and I think it an extraordinary first effort.

Hat Tip: Rocket's Brain Trust.

My apologies to Rocket Brain. He has emailed several times following up on The Iranian Divestment Project, a project to put pressure on Iran by helping to dry up investment capital flowing into Iran. For all the info regarding The Iranian Divestment Project, read Rocket's Brain Trust Daily.

A couple of weeks ago I posted this chart, from the active-duty service members' petition, the Appeal For Courage. It contrasts monthly deaths in Iraq with those during Vietnam.

My son, an engineering student at RIT and always interested in hard data, suggested adding the monthly deaths from World War II to the chart. Unfortunately, while I was able to locate total casualty figures, no one seems to have broken them out by month. Perhaps the journalists of the time were less interested in destroying the American public's morale than they are now.

Thus, I've been forced to add a monthly average. 405,399 total American deaths average to 9009 per month for the 45 months that the US was involved in WWII combat operations.

This is how it compares to the wars in Vietnam and Iraq.

* STICKY * : Latest content below this post.

A New Jersey man has finally returned home after his active participation in violent jihad to help the African Taliban set up an Islamic state in Somalia. But don't worry, the New York Times is all over the Amir Mohamed Meshal case. Not to expose him as the threat he poses to his neighbors, but to expose the wrongdoings he received at the hands of three foreign nations that had detained him for questioning.

A violent jihadi.....trying to set up a Taliban-like state in Africa....and the New York Times is worried about Meshal's "ordeal". Nuance. I've highlighted what I think are the important nuance words.

A 24-year-old New Jersey man who traveled to Somalia to help establish an Islamic state there but was instead imprisoned by three different nations, was released Friday and returned home yesterday, his father said.

“Everything is fine,” said Mohamed Meshal, the father of Amir Mohamed Meshal....

During his four-month odyssey, Mr. Meshal was imprisoned in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.

“It’s been quite an ordeal,” Jonathan Hafetz, Mr. Meshal’s attorney, said yesterday.

Mr. Hafetz, a lawyer at the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, said he did not know why Mr. Meshal had been released.

“The Meshal family is thrilled that their son Amir is free after four months of detention without due process,” the family said in a statement. “They look forward to spending time with their son, who they love very much.”

Meshal is not being currently detained because the FBI has determinned that he violated no law when he went to Somalia to help the African Taliban. Gee, I feel much better now........

We have a name for people who support the enemies of the United States: traitor.

Hat tip: Marked Manner

And not just a little bit. It goes on... and on... and on... You can barely hear the question or her answer over the roar:

This crowd is, of course, angry at Miss USA because she represents a country that is preparing to (theoretically) allocate money for more border patrol guards and (theoretically) allocate more money for a fence in connection with its (not theoretical) massive national amnesty giveaway.

h/t : Allah.

Al Qaeda's media wing, as Sahab, has announced an upcoming video featuring Orange County born Adam "Azzaz" Yahiye Gadahn.

Well, that just sucks. The last thing I need is to see that loser's face on a new propaganda video. Do you think The-Big-Guy-Upstairs would mind if we all unified in prayer for Adam's death?

Hat tip: Laura Mansfield

Cindy Sheehan, noted psycho-hosebeast and defiler of her son's memory, is fed up with Americans' refusal to embrace isolationism and become a large, repressive, socialist paradise like her best bud Hugo is creating in Venezuela.

From Breitbart:

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Cindy Sheehan, the soldier's mother who galvanized an anti-war movement with her monthlong protest outside President Bush's ranch, said Tuesday she's done being the public face of the movement.
"I've been wondering why I'm killing myself and wondering why the Democrats caved in to George Bush," Sheehan told The Associated Press while driving from her property in Crawford to the airport, where she planned to return to her native California.

"I'm going home for awhile to try and be normal," she said.

A powerful editorial detailing the fear society that exists under Yemen's totalitarian regime and the mounting fustration of everyday citizens:

Republic of Yemen is not a free country. It is ruled by a cruel system that controls our every day life. Our phones are tapped. Our talk is recorded. Every move is monitored, and every action is registered.

One would think that with such severe security measures, peace and stability would prevail. One would think that order and rule of law would dominate and the judiciary system is above all. Unfortunately this is not true, not even remotely.

Not only are we ruled by the fierce fist of security, we also have no legal rights or justice. Civilians are kidnapped and killed everyday. press is paranoid with self-censorship to the extent that the majority of Yemeni media have become “more royal than the king”, and last but not least, we are living in a state of fear.

Yemenis fear for their lives because of the spread of arms and the absence of law. Yemenis fear for their living because of the deteriorating living standards and soaring prices of basic commodities. They fear for their health because of the enormous risk of catching diseases and the pathetic health care services. They fear for their intelligence because of the ridiculous education and spread of ignorance, not to mention being stoned half the time with Qat.

But most of all, Yemenis fear for their freedom because they are driven into the verge of insanity, always looking behind their shoulder....

Read the rest.

Via The Scotsman:

SEVERAL Britons were feared kidnapped in Baghdad today on another bloody day for Iraq.

They were among a group of Westerners snatched when a group of armed Iraqis in uniform arrived at the finance ministry in the Iraqi capital, according to reports.

The Foreign Office in London said officials were “urgently” looking into reports that four British security guards were among seven people taken by the kidnappers.

The BBC reported that a fifth Briton, a computer expert, was also kidnapped in the raid.

Other reports said three computer programmers thought to be German were taken along with their guards.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman could not confirm the reports but said: “We are urgently looking into reports that a group of Westerners has been kidnapped.”

From the Associated Press:

ORCAS ISLAND, Wash. (AP) - Vandals burned dozens of small American flags that decorated veterans' graves for Memorial Day and replaced many of them with hand-drawn swastikas, authorities said Monday.
Forty-six flag standards were found empty and another 33 flags were in charred tatters Sunday in the cemetery, authorities said. Swastikas drawn on paper appeared where 14 of the flags had been.

Members of the American Legion on this island off Washington's northwest coast replaced the burned flags with new ones Sunday afternoon.

The vandals struck again on Memorial Day after a guard left at dawn, the San Juan County sheriff's office said. This time, the vandals left 33 of the hand-drawn swastikas

Ouch. Charles Johnson speaks:

The Bush administration is perilously close to jumping the tracks. I’ve supported the President through the long course of the war that began on September 11, but it’s starting to look like he’s simply getting tired; he won’t defend his administration against attacks, he won’t defend the country against illegal immigration, he won’t do anything to stop the media leaks that cripple our national security ... and now this: U.S., Iran end 27-year diplomatic freeze.

May 28, 2007

I was curious whether the Kossacks had anything to say on Chavez' media crackdown in Venezuela. This is what I found:

It is therefore, as I say, extraordinary to see the mainstream media in the U.S. and Britain insinuating that this move by Chavez somehow represents an attack on democracy and freedom. In fact, the move - totally constitutional - may well result in a media that is more pluralistic, not less...

[Fear of a successful socialist Venezuela] is the true explanation for the hysterical anti-Chavez propaganda. It has nothing to do with concern for human rights in Venezuela, or a fear that Venezuelan freedom of speech is under threat. That is totally irrelevant to the corporate media, as evidenced on countless other occasions. The problem for the U.S. establishment (and hence the establishment media) is that Chavez represents an alternative to U.S.-imposed neo-liberalism and a direct challenge to U.S. domination. He, like Castro’s Cuba, represents the "threat of a good example". The deepest fear of U.S. planners is that if states like Cuba are permitted to follow a path of independence unchallenged, other states might start getting similar ideas. Hence the decades long American campaign of economic warfare and terrorism against Cuba.

Reposted from last Memorial Day, but every bit true today.

I just received an e-mail from my mother inviting our family to take a moment of time to reflect on her father who was a Marine killed in the Pacific during WWII. My mother never knew her biological father because she was so young when he went off to war.

I never knew my maternal grandfather, but I am proud of his voluntary service and of his supreme sacrifice to our country. RIP.

To my paternal grandfather, who was a pilot in WWII, and a career Air Force officer, thank you for your service. RIP.

To my father who was a Marine--once a Marine, always a Marine--thank you for your service. To my niece, currently a Marine, may God's protection and blessings be upon you in the service of your country.

The image above is from the Punchbowl National Cemetery, where my maternal grandfather is buried. The image below is from the National Archives of my grandfather's service record. If one of your relatives was KIA during WWII, you can visit the National WWII Memorial website and look up their information. There, you can also find where your loved one is buried. Perhaps, like me, you will be able to visit their grave someday.

Click the photo for the larger version and background story:

The San Francisco Gate recounts an interesting story from the 1960s debate over the controversial "Bracero" migrant program:

Growers warned that California's canned tomato industry would die and food prices would rise if the Bracero program ended [sound familiar? - ed.]. At its height in 1960, 45,000 farm workers harvested 2.2 million tons of processing tomatoes, said Martin of UC Davis. Six years after the program ended, a new oblong tomato was developed that could be machine harvested. By 1999, just 5,000 farm workers harvested 12 million tons of tomatoes and costs fell 54 percent, Martin found. The United Farm Workers union soon won a wage increase.

"I think they honestly didn't think change could happen near as quickly as it actually happened," Martin said.

Cindy Sheehan's favorite dictator is crushing democratic protests and dissent with tanks and his Gestapo. Why? Der Furher Chavez doesn't like criticism from a TV station.

Maybe they should institute the Fairness Doctrine!

Anyone at Kos or in the Nutosphere want to defend the violent oppression of speech by a left-wing socialist dictator?

Anyone want to question Cindy Sheehan's shameful elbow-rubbing and smooching with Chavez?

Didn't think so.

If you share my appreciation for Latin women, you might enjoy the the latest protest babe gallery at Publius Pundit. They're aren't any stunners in the gallery, but any girl who stands up to a thug dictator gets an automatic 2 points on my own hotness scale. Whatever your taste in women--or men, for that matter--it warms the heart to see tens of thousands of young people flipping a collective middle finger to Hugo Chavez' attempts to silence the last vestiges of a free Venezuelan media.

(BUMPED ONCE - MUST READ)

Here's some red meat for your Memorial Day.

A blogger is being ordered by a Cease and Desist notice to take down a posting on his website that an offended Muslim. Pam at Atlas Shrugs has the lowdown, including a reproduction of the post from the offending website. For the original post, scroll down here to the story entitled "Tampa Used Car Dealer Tied to Islamic Jihad / US Federal Court Order."

The story is this (as reported by the blogger, who is a private investigator named Bill Warner):

The owner of a Tampa car dealership, Mr. Abdul Dabus, has allegedly been laundering money through the international sale of automobiles from his dealership (shipped to and sold in the Middle East) to support Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). Mr. Dabus was for years an instructor at the Islamic Academy of Florida (IAF), which was barred from receiving taxpayer funded vouchers in 2003 after being named in a 50-count indictment as an American base of support for terrorist activities in the Middle East (particularly by PIJ). According to a 2005 court document, Mr. Dabus (who has a strangely suspicious working knowledge of terrorist leadership in the Palestinian territories) was called to testify in a trial against convicted terror supporter and IAF leader Sami Al-Arian. Al-Arian pled guilty in March 2006 to a count of supporting terrorism. He is currently serving a 57-month sentence and will be deported from the United States.

The Tampa Tribune published an article in October of 2005 with this interesting passage:

Dabus said he and Al-Arian had been friends for years but grew closer after he moved to Tampa in 1999 and took a job at a private school run by Al-Arian. He spoke succinctly and said he did not want to be in court. He said he was not a member of the Islamic Jihad but, as a Palestinian, supported those who fought Israeli occupation.

"This trial should be in Tel Aviv," he said, "not here."

Still, Dabus verified a number of code words prosecutors have said the defendants used in their conversations. Among them, "the guys" is a reference to Islamic Jihad members, "the interior" means the occupied territories and "Moussa's group" refers to rival terrorist group Hamas.

In order for defamation to stick, the allegations must be untrue and must be intentionally published with knowledge of their falsity. Should the 'defamatory statement' (not specified by Mr. Dabus, presenting a weakness in his case) be false, he in his capacity as a private individual would only have to prove negligence of the blogger to collect compensatory damages (punitive damages don't apply here, being that the information is not malicious or recklessly published with knowledge of falsity). There are also many defenses against a charge of defamation: truth, fair comment, opinion, privilege, good faith statements (made with reasonable expectation of their truth by the defendant, etc.)

In America, the burden of proof generally lies with the plaintiff, since that pesky little thing called the First Amendment has to be protected and outweighs a alleged terror supporter's right not to be offended by citing public documents showing his support for Islamic terrorism.

While Pam is correct to point out that this is an important case to watch for anti-Jihad bloggers, I think that Dabus is fighting an uphill battle here. Not only is he trying to silence a blogger via legal intimidation (which more often than not goes spectacularly bad for the censor), but the facts and history that are readily available to those who are willing to look for it are simply not on his side. Fweh. We'll see.

Keep your ears and eyes open for more stories like this, as this is likely going to be another test case for legal jihad against critics of terrorism.

If we're really lucky, we'll get a Cease and Desist order at the Jawa Report. We're not usually that lucky, but you never know.

Cross-posted at Mein BlogoVault.

My salute to the troops. The photos are from the Gathering of Eagles Rally March 17, 2007 in Washington DC:

On the heels of the rollout of the new amnesty plan, the WaPo delivers a nasty blow to Chertoff's claims that processing the amnesty paperwork will be a cinch:

[Immigration officials] acknowledge financial problems and say that modernization efforts have been delayed since 1999 by money shortages, inertia, increased security demands after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the disruptive launch of the Homeland Security Department.

As the nation debates whether, and how, to legalize as many as 12 million illegal immigrants living here, the agency that would spearhead the effort is confronting its reputation as a broken bureaucracy whose inefficiency encourages more illegal immigration and paradoxical disincentives to change.

Under the Senate's proposed immigration legislation, Citizenship and Immigration Services would vet applications and perform security checks for those illegal immigrants -- a surge that would be almost triple the agency's annual caseload of 5 million applications.

Simple.

They're not high enough for the AP to care, and therefore (in MSM logic) are not newsworthy enough to fit the ubernarrative of "XXXX Troops are dead in this unpopular war."

Report the US deaths. Ignore the terrorist deaths. Report the terrorist's progress and victory. Ignore the US's progress and victory.

That's like reporting the number of penalty yards accrued by the winning team in the Superbowl while ignoring the final score. In the last Superbowl, the Colts actually had more penalty yards that the Bears, yet won handily.

Header using AP logic?

PENALTIES BESET COLTS, LOSE 40 YARDS TOTAL TO BEARS 35

May 27, 2007

More good news from our well-meaning friends in the Fatah militant movement:

TRIPOLI, Lebanon (AP) -- Palestinian mediators pressed for a negotiated solution to a week-long siege of a Palestinian refugee camp Sunday, with the Lebanese government demanding the surrender of Islamic militants inside but reluctant to rush into an all-out assault.

'Land for Peace' is working quite well, isn't it? And if you're wondering about the motivations here, prepare to wipe the expressions of surprise from your no doubt stunned-looking mugs:

The leader of the Fatah Islam militants said his fighters would not surrender.

"We wish to die for the sake of God," Shaker Youssef al-Absi said in a video shown on Al-Jazeera television on Saturday. "Sunni people are the spearhead against the Zionist Americans."

"We wish to die for the sake of God," Shaker Youssef al-Absi said in a video shown on Al-Jazeera television on Saturday. "Sunni people are the spearhead against the Zionist Americans."

On an interesting side note, the AP article is by none other than our old buddy Bassem Mroue; an AP stringer extrodinaire who was caught scrubbing his personal blog entries last summer of virulent anti-Israel propaganda after I exposed him here at the Jawa Report.

The fact that he's still employed by the AP shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone either. Media Matters, inexplicably, missed that whole little incident.

Via Little Green Footballs.

(click image for video)

More here at Hot Air and Newsbusters.

Travel forward in time to Tuesday morning and caption this photo of former The Spew moderator Rosie O'Donnell when she wakes up, realizes she's unemployed and the both the hundred dollar an hour armed bodyguards are gone, took the last last 12 pack and ate every last effing Fruit Loop in the house.

Also Charlie Sheen has decided not to narrate the Loose Change sequel. Since the 911 Truth Movement has become less fashionable, he made a choice not believe it anymore. Kind of like the choice he made to believe in it when he thought it could get him some attention, but the opposite.

Alternate caption image: What does Rosie the Hut say to Princess Sheen when he tells her he doesn't want to do the 911 nutjob gig?

Image Credit Holland Studios

We really can't issue fatwas on this till Rosie rolls her big behind out of bed, has a couple beers and lays out the depths of her sadness in the ask ro section of her blog. Hopefully by noon on Tuesday

Imaged Credit: Crotchety Old Bastard, Hat Tip: 1sttofight.

Update Fatwas Issued!

The "i will cut ur neck" fatwa issued against Billy for:

Kahlid Sheik O'Donnell expressed her relief to reporters after her expedited exit from "The View". "I think I just need to take some time off", she said. "You have no idea how hard it has been for me to keep my body hair shaved for the show. Besides, now I'll be able to spend more quality time at home smacking my beyotch around."

The "devil will do meetballs from your bodies fatwa issued against Dr. Akim Ullshitbay for:

Okay professor, the machine works. Now change us back.

The "Matt Damon" fatwa issued against Rslutty for:

Matt Damon

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt:

May 25 (Bloomberg) -- Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said the controversial immigration bill in Congress won't cost ``a single member of either party'' at the polls next year and predicted the bipartisan compromise will win Senate approval next month.

Most Americans want Congress to fix a system they regard as broken even though they have reservations about the proposed legislation, McConnell said in an interview on Bloomberg Television's ``Political Capital with Al Hunt.'' Public opinion, he predicted, will trump such specific concerns as whether it amounts to amnesty to grant eventual legal status to the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S.

``This is a divisive issue'' for both parties, said McConnell, a Kentucky Republican. But, he said, ``I don't think there's a single member of either party next year who is going to fail to be re-elected over this issue.''

All 42 hostages were held in one place by al-Qaeda in Iraq.

AP via Yahoo News: BAGHDAD - U.S. forces raided an al-Qaida hide-out northeast of Baghdad on Sunday and freed 42 Iraqis imprisoned inside, including some who had been tortured and suffered broken bones, a senior U.S. military official said Sunday.

The raid was part of a 3-month-old security crackdown that included the deployment of 3,000 more U.S. troops to Diyala, a violent province north of the capital that has seen heavy fighting in recent weeks, said Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the top U.S. military spokesman in
Iraq.

Caldwell said Iraqis told U.S. forces about the hide-out: "The people in Diyala are speaking up against al-Qaida."

He said the 42 freed Iraqis marked the largest number of captives ever found in a single al-Qaida prison. Some of those freed were held for as long as four months and some had injuries from torture and were taken to medical facilities for treatment.

This is great news if confirmed:

Via AFP:

KABUL - Taleban militants have freed three Afghan hostages who were abducted with their two French colleagues on April 3 in southern Afghanistan, a spokesman for the extremist movement said on Sunday.

“Our court and leadership council decided to free them. They were freed yesterday (Saturday),” spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP in a telephone call from an unknown location.

Mujahid said the trio were found “not guilty”, and that there had been numerous demands for their release.

The Taleban’s web page said: “Two French workers were released a month ago. Last night three Afghans — Hazrat, M. Hashem and Ghulam Rosl — have been released in Nimroz province without any compensation.”

The French embassy in Kabul declined to comment.

UPDATE: French minister confirms three Afghan hostages freed

Previous:
Kidnapped Humanitarian Returns Home
Eric Damfreville Freed in Afghanistan!
Deadline Draws Near for French Hostage
French Woman Hostage Freed
UPDATE: Taliban Set Saturday Deadline for French Hostages
Taliban Claims French Hostages Are Alive and Well
Taliban Demands Prisoner Swap for French Hostages
French Send Envoy to Kabul in Effort to Free Hostages
Taliban Said to Release Video of French Hostages(bumped)
French Hostage in Afghanistan: Eric Damfreville
Taliban Take Two French Aid Workers Hostages (UPDATE: One Hostage a Blogger)

May 26, 2007

Yet another in the long saga of what they say in public vs. what they say in private. At a password protected forum run by Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah, the followers of Omar Bakri Mohammed in Britain.

The files they swap:

"Knights under the Prophet's Banner by Dr. Ayman al Zawahiri"

Who they pray for:

"Oh Allah, give help and a sweeping victory for the Mujahidin in [Lebanon]"--from a post about the al Qaeda linked Fatah al Islam.

The photos they share:

Tender moments in the lives of Fatah al Islam fighters in Lebanon.

Wayne Chiang, the Virginia Tech student falsely accused of being the Virginia Tech gunman, has had his Facebook account suspended for "posing with guns ... in a non-sporting context."

Wayne's letter to Facebook management is here:

In the wake of the Virginia Tech shooting, it is an easy reaction to remove all firearm related photos from your site in an effort to minimize those that may do things as tragic and senseless as the aforementioned school shooting. However, this is an overreaction and in doing so, you limit the freedoms of the vast majority of those who are law abiding and whom deplore the type of violence that occurred at Virginia Tech. I ask this of you in the utmost respect, to take into consideration the large communities of individuals whose actions are currently being considered “offensive” on Facebook.

British authorities have released the names of four terror suspects who have "escaped" the British equvalent of something like probation. Iraqi born Bestun Salim, Algerian born Lamine Adam, Ibrahim Adam, and a British convert to Islam Cerie Bullivant were named yesterday as individuals wanted by authorities for violating their "Home Office control orders"---which are orders to check in daily with a monitoring service and to not leave the country, kind of like probation.

You read it right.....probation. But, don't worry, the four are not thought to be an immediate danger because they were plotting to kill American and Britons abroad. So not-an-immediate-danger are the four that authorities in the U.K. have put out the equivalent of an APB and have released photos and updates on possible appearance changes by the escaped terror suspects.

Don't. Panic.

Oh, and one of the not-really-immediately dangerous escapees is a known associate of former al Qaeda in Iraq leader---and current holder of the Guiness Book of World Record's most infidel beheadings in a single year--Abu Musab al Zarqawi.

Don't. Panic.

Spero News:

Lamine Adam, Cerie Bullivant and Ibrahim Adam were subjected to Britain's controversial "control orders" but it has been announced that all three have now escaped. Brothers Lamine Adam (26) and Ibrahim Adam (20) are related to one recently convicted terrorist. Cerie Bullivant (24) is an associate of the two brothers.

Lamine Adam was mentioned in the Operation Crevice trial, which concluded on April 30. Five people, members of the Al Muhajiroun group, were given life sentences on this date for plotting to blow up planes, trains, pubs, nightclubs and a shopping mall in Kent. The convicted men had been arrested in March 2004 after 600 kilograms of explosive fertilizer, ammonium phosphate, was deposited at a storage depot in Hanwell, west London.

One of those sentenced to life imprisonment on April 30 was 24-year old Anthony Garcia (born Rahman Adam) who is a brother to two of the fugitive suspects.

Don't. Panic.

While the Crevice group was making its plans, Lamine Adam had been working as a train driver for the London Underground.

Don't panic, he was banned by his "control order" (probation) from driving the Tube (subway) withouth written permission from the government.

Don't. Panic.

They may already have left the country.

My source also indicates that the three may pose, contrary to the mixed messages being sent by the Labour government, an immediate danger to the public. I stress the word immediate. The Home Secretary has warned the public not to approach them, but to contact the authorities immediately.

Algerian-born Lamine and Ibrahim Adam should have reported to a "monitoring company" (not the police) on Monday evening, but did not appear. Cerie Bullivant failed to appear before police on Tuesday. He has since cut his hair short.

As for the fourth suspect:

Iraqi Bestun Salim, an associate of terror chief Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi who was killed by US troops last year, went missing from Manchester last August.

Salim had breached his control order seven times before going missing and is now believed to be abroad.

John Reid said the following about the missing men:

They are dangerous. We can take nothing for granted, even though the security services assessment is they do not pose a direct threat to the public in the UK. I've never hidden from the house there are limitations in the legislative framework in which we operate. I have consistently made clear control orders are not the best option. They are not in my view even the second best system for tackling terrorist suspects.

With Sadr back in Iraq, only bad things can happen. I'm not sure why we didn't kill him long ago. I almost hesitated and said that it was probably too late to kill him, that he's too entrenched and that his death would almost certainly lead to civil war, but then I have this funny feeling that in a year from now I'll look back and say, how come we didn't kill him last year?

Al Jazeera's original headline said U.S. and British Battle Mahdi Army, but they've since changed it to Sadr's Mahdi army in Iraq clashes:

British and US forces in Iraq have clashed with armed supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, a major Shia religious leader.

At least five people were killed in a pre-dawn raid in the Sadr City neighbourhood of Baghdad on Saturday, while in the southern city of Basra "a number" of al-Mahdi Army fighters died in an air strike.

The U.S. military in Iraq says Iraqi and coalition forces have detained a suspected terrorist cell leader and killed at least five insurgents during raids in Baghdad's Shi'ite district of Sadr City.

A military statement said the person detained Saturday is believed to be the suspected leader of a cell known for facilitating the transport of weapons and explosives from Iran as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for training....

In the southern city of Basra, military officials said British forces came under attack for more than two hours from insurgents in retaliation for the killing of their leader, Mahdi Army commander Wissam Abu Qader, on Friday.

Separately, U.S-led forces said they killed two terrorists, detained 23 suspected insurgents and destroyed a cache of explosives during operations Saturday against al-Qaida in Iraq, southwest of Taji.

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up. MEMRI:

“Being together in private means being in a room with the door closed, so that nobody can see them… A man and a woman who are not family members are not permitted [to do this], because it raises suspicions and doubts. A man and a woman who are alone together are not [necessarily] having sex, but this possibility exists, and breastfeeding provides a solution to this problem… I also insist that the breastfeeding relationship be officially documented in writing… The contract will state that this woman has suckled this man… After this, the woman may remove her hijab and expose her hair in the man’s [presence]…

May 25, 2007

This relates to the prior round of amnesty proposals, but the same criticisms apply to the new plan as well:

On May 13, the Yemeni newspaper Ray News reported that fugitive terrorist Jaber Elbaneh (Jabr Al-Banna) surrendered to Yemeni authorities. That's the good news; the bad news is that its almost two weeks later and the FBI hasn't been able to confirm he's in custody.

Elbaneh is among the FBI's most wanted terrorists. He was charged with providing material support to a terrorist organization and conspiring to provide material support to Al-Qaeda in a 2003 federal criminal complaint unsealed in Buffalo, New York. Elbaneh reportedly trained at the al-Farook training camp in Afghanistan along with six other Yemeni men from Lackawanna, New York. The six pleaded guilty on terror related charges in 2003, and received sentences ranging from seven to ten years.

Elbaneh never returned to the US and in 2002, was reported to be in Yemen along with another American from Lackawanna Kamal Derwish. An Al-Qaeda operative, Derwish at the time was the only American known to have attained a position of authority in al-Qaeda. Derwish was killed by a CIA-fired Hellfire missile in Yemen in November 2002 along with Yemeni al-Qaeda chief and Cole bombing suspect, Qaed Salim Sinan al-Harethi, .

In 2006, Jaber Elbaneh's uncle Mohammed, also from Lackawanna, was convicted of illegally transmitting millions of dollars to Yemen. In a plea deal, Mohamed Albanna was sentenced to five years imprisonment and three years supervised release. Another of Jaber's uncles, Mohammed's brother, Ali A. Albanna received a sentence of 56 months imprisonment and two years supervised release.

At the time, US Attorney Terrance P. Flynn noted that Ali A. Albanna admitted in his plea agreement that in March of 2002, he handled a money transfer from Yahya Goba (one of the Lackawanna six) in New York to Kamal Derwish in Yemen. ( Goba recently testified in the trial of Jose Padilla, describing for the prosecution the al-Farook al-Qaeda training camp that the US charges Padilla attended.)

Jaber Elbaneh was reported in custody of the Yemeni authorities in 2004. Yemen never officially responded to US requests to hand Elbaneh, an American citizen, to US custody.

In 2006, Elbaneh escaped from a maximum security prison in Yemen's capital along with 22 other high level al-Qaeda operatives. Eight who turned themselves after negotiations in were later released. The US offered forensic assistance to the Yemeni government after four of the escapees were killed in a "thwarted terror attack" and their remains "strewn all over the place" according to an official statement by the Interior Ministry. The offer was not accepted US officials reported at the time. One of the escapees, Yaser Al-Humaikani, was killed in Abian in January 2007 after a random identity check sparked a shoot-out.

Considering Elbaneh is an American citizen, its surprising the Yemeni regime hasn't let someone go take his fingerprints. Meanwhile hope springs eternal: "We certainly do hope he is caught," FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said Monday.

This one from Episode II:

COUNT DOOKU: As I explained to you earlier, I'm quite convinced that ten thousand more systems will rally to our cause with your support, gentlemen. And let me remind you of our absolute commitment to capitalism... of the lower taxes, the reduced tariffs, and the eventual abolition of all trade barriers. Signing this treaty will bring you profits beyond your wildest imagination. What we are proposing is completely free trade.

Darth Vader is a pimp. Just watch the whole thing. As always, I'm just amazed by Divx. Best viewed in the pop-up mode.

And, just FYI...things are happening behind the Sandcrawler curtain.

Update: Related from Slu. I think you know my stance on who the good guys really were.

Rosie has left the building....for good this time. More here and also at Hot Air.

Filed not under Genital Puppets, but under Imperial Good News.

Seriously her job was moderator? Yes conspiracy theory nutjobs always make a good moderator, not.

How does a kid named Trevor from Jamaica become a man named Abdullah who encourages the murder of Americans, Christians, Hindus, and Jews? He embraces Islam, that's how. Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal just completed his sentence and will now be deported to his native Jamaica. Let's hope the Rastas come out of their ganja induced lethargy long enough to to welcome Abdullah home in the same way their 'brothers' from Ethiopia welcomed the Islamists in Somalia. I seem to recall that at the core of Rasta theology was the notion that they were the real Jews. So, we'll just see how they take to a man who called for the death to Jews..........

A new videotape from al Qaeda in Afghanistan, aired on al Jazeera TV, explains how the mujahideen are winning. In fact, they are winning so decisively that a new spokesman and "leader" was just introduced: Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid, to replace the other top al Qaeda leaders whos decisive victories have recently led to their deaths or capture.

In related news, some in the online jihadi community are complaining that al Qaeda has dropped its higher tech movie editing software and have now gone to Windows Movie Maker. Which is funny, I think, because it seems to indicate that the folks over at as Sahab (al Qaeda's video production company) may be having some problems. You know, just the usual problems experienced when defeating the Zionist-Crusaders time after time. We certainly hope that this doesn't mean that as Sahab's American producer, Yahiye Adam Gadahn (aka, Azzaz al Amreki) hasn't fallen into ill health.

Our friends over at CENTCOM's Exposing the Enemy have the following transcript from the al Jazeera broadcast. The al Qaeda video is in bold, the rest is al Jazeera commentary. What's so interesting is the a) level of support that al Jazeera gives to al Qaeda in this "news" broadcast b) the fact that al Qaeda confirms that Iraq is a "front" in its war against America:

Al-Jazirah Satellite Channel Television in Arabic at 1201 GMT on 24 May carries the following announcer-read report over video: Al-Jazirah has obtained video footage of a person called Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid, who presents himself as the general official [Al-Mas'ul al-Amm] of the Al-Qa'ida Organization in Afghanistan. In this videotape, Abu-al-Yazid affirms that Al-Qa'ida fighters received training during the winter to launch major attacks during this season. He adds that Arab fighters from Al-Qai'da are working side by side in these attacks with non-Arab fighters, and that they are enjoying the support of the Afghans in what he described as the Islamic emirate in Afghanistan.

[Recording begins] The situation of jihad in Afghanistan is going from good to better by the grace of God Almighty. The mujahidin's strikes against the Americans, NATO, and the agent governor are continuously increasing. God enabled the mujahidin in winter to train their soldiers and unify their ranks in preparation for swooping down on the tyrant enemy during this present season, which, God willing, will be a season of conquer and victory for the mujahidin and a season of vanquishing, defeat, and disappointment for the crusaders and their apostate helpers, as noted by Commander of the Faithful Mullah Muhammad Umar, may God save his soul.

Thanks to God, the mujahidin of the Islamic emirate are continuously increasing in number and their support by Muslims inside Afghanistan is almost full, particularly in the southern and eastern provinces. This support was manifested when Muslims realized the big difference between the agent government and that of the Islamic emirate, especially following the spread of injustice, bribery, corruption, insolence, lack of security and safety, killing, destruction, and prisons. This is in addition to the plantation of drugs and the increasing poverty and deprivation, all of which have come through the blessings of Mr Bush -- sorry -- Bush the liar and his servant Karzai, the puppet. I would like to bring good tidings to the Islamic nation, which is that there are hundreds of volunteers for martyrdom operations in Afghanistan, particularly Afghan citizens. [Recording ends]

Al-Shayib introduces Muntasir al-Zayyat, an Egyptian researcher and expert in Islamic groups' affairs, via satellite from Cairo, to comment on the video excerpt that was carried.

[Al-Shayib] Mr Al-Zayyat. First, what do you know about Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid?

[Al-Zayyat] There is nothing that is worth mentioning about Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid and we cannot classify him as being one of the well-known leaders that rotated within Al-Qa'ida during at least the past ten years; that is, since the date the Taliban Movement took power in Afghanistan in 1996 and until today. He is not one of the well-known leaders.

[Al-Shayib] This could urge asking another question related to the standards used in selecting what they are called commanders of the Al-Qa'ida Organization in different countries, such as Afghanistan for instance?

[Al-Zayyat] He must certainly be known at the Al-Qa'ida and the jihadist organizational level, because nobody can assume such responsibility or acquire this rank unless he is qualified for it, at least at the organizational level. Also, there could be ambiguity with the name. However, there are some question marks in this regard. It is obvious that Al-Qa'ida operates within the Taliban Movement, and he is still considering Mullah Muhammad Umar as commander of the faithful. Accordingly, we view Al-Qa'ida as a brigade of the Taliban or part of the army that is carrying out resistance operations against occupation. Second, concerning Al-Qa'ida in Afghanistan, which is the main base there, it looks strange that Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin does not appear in this scene, although he has been absent for some time. What is more strange is the absence of Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri, who is the spokesperson for Al-Qa'ida and its brain. They usually appear whenever there is something involving Al-Qa'ida in Afghanistan, which is the main capital of Al-Qa'ida. What we have observed now seems strange. What is obviously important is that the jihad project during the past stage and until now has been progressing and achieving successes at the expense of the Karazi government.

[Al-Shayib] What is the objective behind showing Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid in this video?

[Al-Zayyat] It is obvious that Al-Qa'ida has had a mainstay and that there are Afghans who are providing it with security or military cover. Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid could not appear in this video had he not been confident that he is protected with this Afghan cover. It is a message noting clearly that the Afghan brothers or the mujahidin are exchanging duties with them and that the Arabs are working in harmony with the Afghans. Thus, it is a message indicating that Al-Qa'ida has returned to the theater in Afghanistan.

[Al-Shayib] Mr. Al-Zayyat, please remain with us and let us view together another part of the video recording that shows Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid as saying that the Al-Qa'ida member Abd-al-Hadi al-Iraqi, who was sent by the Al-Qa'ida Organization a short while ago to lead the organization in Iraq, was arrested in Turkey and that the Turkish Government handed him over to the United States.

[Recording begins] Concerning the arrest of brother hero Abd-al-Hadi al-Iraqi, may God release him from prison, strengthen and support him; we would like to clarify some of the matters that are related to his arrest. While on his way to Iraq, longing to fight the Americans in his birthplace and the country that witnessed his youth, he asked the command early enough to go to Iraq, but he remained patient until he was permitted to travel approximately one and a half years ago. He was arrested in Turkey and the agent Turkish Government handed him over to the Americans with the hope that the extradition would urge the master to mediate with the Europeans to enable Turkey to join the infidel alliance that is called the European Union. He was handed over to the Americans despite his request for political asylum, which a Turkish court decided to grant to him. The agent Turkish Government arrested the lawyer that filed brother Abd-al-Hadi's case. What freedom or justice they are claiming and to what type of Islam they belong? Their penalty will come from God and then from the mujahidin and it is imminent, with God's help. We ask God to strengthen brother Abd-al-Hadi and all Muslim prisoners and to expedite their release, because he is the one who can do so. [Recording ends]

[Al-Shayib] Mr Muntasir al-Zayyat, in our attempt to become more acquainted with Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid, do you think that Al-Qa'ida, through this video recording and Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid speech, is seeking to bring into view a new face in order to prove that there is always a second row of leaders that are ready to assume responsibility?

[Al-Zayyat] It is obvious that this matter is part of the message and that you can tell from his accent that Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid is an Egyptian citizen, which emphasizes the Egyptian role in Al-Qa'ida's leadership. His talk about Turkey implies a puzzle since there are European countries that refused to meet US demands to extradite prominent Islamic figures from their countries. The question mark or the strangeness in this case is that the Turkish Government rushes to extradite Abd-al-Hadi al-Iraq to the United States; an act which had deepened differences between the school that stands behind the Turkish Government and the Al-Qa'ida Organization.

[Al-Shayib] We will resume our talk with you, Mr. Muntasir al-Zayyat, and let us view more of the video recording, in which Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid denies that the arrest or killing of some Al-Qa'ida members have affected the Organization.

[Begin recording] Those plotters pretend to be ignorant that our plan was to lure the Americans to a war of attrition outside their borders in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. Live fronts have been opened for us in Iraq, Afghanistan, Algeria, Somalia, and elsewhere, some of which were for training purposes, proportionate to the capacity of those countries. Thanks be to God, who granted success to our emir Shaykh Usama, may God keep his soul, and his mujahidin brothers in what they were seeking to achieve; namely, the globalization of the jihad ideology. It is more than enough that Shaykh Usama and Shaykh Ayman [Al-Zawahiri] constitute a lump in Bush's throat to taste its bitterness day and night.

Second, jihad will continue until judgment day and will not be stopped by the martyrdom or arrest of some cadres or commanders. On the contrary, the blood of martyrs and steadfastness of the prisoners will breathe life into the hearts of thousands of the nation's cadres and drive them to join the ranks of the mujahidin. We receive new Islamic nation's cadres everyday who are brave and anxious to fight infidels. [End recording]

[Al-Shayib] Mr Muntasir al-Zayyat, do you think that there is a relation between appointing Abu-al-Yazid in charge of Afghanistan and intensifying the coordination with Taliban in the future?

[Al-Zayyat] Certainly, his presence inside Afghanistan and his open appearance emphasizes that the Mullah Muhammad Umar emirate of the faithful confirm that Al-Qa'ida is operating within the Taliban inside Afghanistan. Shaykh Mustafa also wanted to confirm that Al-Qa'ida is existing, contradicting the belief of many researchers during the past phase, as an organizational structure that has preserved its entity, not only its ideology, by saying that there are camps for training here and there. He also firmly referred to what we have been analyzing that the movement is full with cadres in an attempt to deviate attention from the Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin's absence or the absence of Shaykh Sulayman Abu-Ghayth al-Kuwaiti. In fact, this video recording has many indications that reveal the deep existence of Al-Qa'ida and its regional, local, and international expansion as well as its close ties with the Taliban Movement, which were, and are, still close.

[Al-Shayib] Finally Mr. Muntasir al-Zayyat, how do you expect the reaction of certain parties or countries, which are declaring war against terrorism to this video recording and its content?

[Al-Zayyat] We said before that Al-Qa'ida made actual successes and was able to efficiently mange the battle on the media level in a way that surpassed US media capabilities and those of its world allies. Now, we discover that Al-Qa'ida is making military successes inside Afghanistan, where the Bush Administration launched what it called a war against terrorism. This video recording opens the door anew at the Bush Administration's failure in achieving any of the targets that it sought. In the recording, Mustafa says that what is important is keeping Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin and Shaykh Ayman al-Zawahiri alive, free, and far away from US handcuffs or claws.

[Al-Shayib] Mr Muntasir al-Zayyat, researcher and expert in Islamists groups' affairs, from Cairo. Thank you very much.

At 1300 GMT Al-Jazirah carries a repeat of the video footage of a person called Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid, including new recorded part of his speech as follows:

The Al-Qa'ida official in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu-al-Yazid, gave what he called some 'advice' to HAMAS, asking the movement not to accept the international or the Arab resolutions.

Abu-al-Yazid is then heard saying: "We advise our brothers in HAMAS -- we strongly urge them, for the sake of the brotherhood based on faith between us and for the sake of the martyrs who sacrificed themselves cheaply to please God, and for the sake of the entire Muslim nation and our nation in Palestine in particular -- we advise them to recant their participation in apostate councils and rescind their commitment to respect the international and Arab resolutions, which impose on them the relinquishment of most of Palestine to the Jews. We also advise them not to put their hands in the hands of the traitorous, hirelings, and apostates in the Palestinian Authority. They have to correct their understanding of the doctrine of loyalty [to God] and renunciation [of the apostates] and they should not abandon the application of the Islamic sharia in return of alleged interests."

Partial transcript of their recent interview. "HH" is Hugh Hewitt. "MC" is Homeland Security Head Michael Chertoff:

HH: ...[Y]ou mentioned the background scrub [for the Z visa]. Who’s going to do that, the millions of background checks and the millions of interviews?

MC: ...[W]e’ll be able to run fingerprints for anybody who applies for a visa against latent fingerprints that we pick up in battlefields and safe houses all around the world. So that’s going to give us, and that’s just the fingerprint check. That’s an automated process. ...What we’re going to be doing is running fingerprints and names against various databases, which is a process we currently use, for example, in screening people who get visas to come into the country for all kinds of purposes...

HH: Now the law does not make a distinction, does it, Mr. Secretary, between Mexican and Central American immigrants on the one hand, and immigrants of interest from countries with jihadist networks, does it?

MC: That’s correct. I mean, the law will apply to people who are here in the country, whatever their ethnic background or origin.

HH: And so, if there are, I’m going back to my original set of questions, if there are good cover jihadis, terrorists, sympathizers in the country illegally that you don’t pick up through your watch lists or your fingerprints, because they’re good, they’re going to be legitimized under this process, correct?

MC: Well, I think, Hugh, I guess I have to come back to this point. If there’s somebody who’s got a good enough cover to beat the system with respect to Z visas, they’re also going to have had a good enough cover to come in through our visa waiver program with Western Europe, or to beat the visa system with respect to Asia. I mean, in some ways what you’re asking me is, is there a foolproof method to keep a terrorist out? And the answer to that is quite obviously no.

Chertoff's argument is complete and utter bullshit. If you didn't see through Chertoff's doublespeak, his argument boils down to this:

There are already other known weaknesses and vulnerabilities in our customs system. Could adding one more vulnerability really do that much harm?

Yesterday, Sen. Norm Coleman sponsored an amendment to the Amnesty Bill that would've prohibited cities from banning the obtaining of information on immigration status by their own law enforcement agencies. In other words, this bill would have required that the information be made available to law enforcement. John at Powerline has more here.

The vote was 49-48 to defeat the amendment, so every vote counted. These three senators couldn't be bothered to express an opinion on the subject:

Brownback (R-KS)
Johnson (D-SD)
Thomas (R-WY)

Graham (R-SC)
Hagel (R-NE)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Voinovich (R-OH)

Click the image to go to the petition:

h/t: Rob Bluey

Further to Rusty's message, any Star Wars geek knows that, the Star Wars movies paint a picture of an Empire that generally tolerates capitalism. Though the Emperor rules the political sphere with an iron fist, the details of day-to-day commerce seem to generally be left to the free market. The cantina at Mos Eisely (which may or may not have had another name, depending on who you ask) is a good example. The Imperials know generally what's going on there, but elect, for whatever reason, to look elsewhere. Same with the Jawas. Only the Maker knows what sort of illicit "free enterprise" those little bastards were up to. In Empire Strikes Back, when Lando's arguing with Vader in the Cloud City, Vader threatens him with a permanent garrison--implying that the Empire hadn't taken much of an interest in what was going on Bespin at that time, although it certainly could, if Calrissian wanted to push it. At any rate, geeks like me who pay attention to the underlying economic messages running through popular culture get the idea that the Empire is a fascist system--that is, "fascist" in the economic sense.

The missing Anchorhead conversation is an unfortunate omission. Star Wars as a movie about a fight over autoritarian central planning is even cooler than Star Wars as a movie about a fight against a bunch of white British guys and their planet-killing spaceship. Some war films, but definitely a minority, set forth an actual reason for the conflict between the two sides. Braveheart's a good example. The English were worth fighting against because otherwise they'd take your stuff and rape your wife. Continuing the general "anti-English" theme, Star Wars sets forth a titanic struggle between some hard-ass white British guys and everybody else, but it never goes much further than that. Taken at face value, the message of Star Wars might be "watch out for white British guys--and if you get the chance, you should definitely blow up their planet-killing spaceship." For better or worse, this message just doesn't have much general applicability at this point in history. Personally, I'd much more enjoy a movie about a struggle against authoritarian central planning.

It's hard to believe that the evil George Lucas ever had a Libertarian bone in his body, but there may seem to be some evidence of that very thing in a deleted scene from Star Wars.

American Spectator has this from Luke's best friend, Biggs:

What good's all your uncle's work if the Empire takes it over? You know they've already started to nationalize commerce in the central systems? It won't be long before your uncle is just a tenant, slaving for the greater glory of the Empire.

Who?

Top men.

I think Ace pretty much sums up Lucas' 180:

Of course as one moves far enough away from ever having to really earn money again the attitudes of the bourgeoisie often fade. The extraordinarily rich, like the 2007 George Lucas, has essentially forgotten the basic rules of wealth creation that the 1977 knew so well.

Over at HotAir, Michelle has put together a nice presentation on the amnesty bill.

Also, Bryan posts this new video from ireagan.com:

This is what oppressing your population while blaming external forces to bolster support for a collapsing and failed regime really looks like. Right and Left wing conspiracists, Truthers, and Democratic partisans take note.

Since I was in Ireland, I pretty much missed all the news this week. No problem, this week's Ham Nation brought me up to date.

1) Administrations do not go to war, nations do. We did not fight the Nazis, we fought the Germans. The Nazis had no armies, the Germans did. America is at war. This is not Bush's war, it is ours. If you do not consider this your war, then you missed the patriotism boat, because it is. To think of this as someone else's war is to think of yourself as no longer part of American society.

2) Once committed to war, the only option is to win. We already won the original war in Iraq--against Saddam Hussein. But this is a different war. The war today is against violent Islamists, all related in one way or another to al Qaeda or Khommeinists in Iran.

Oddly, the Democrats supported the war against Saddam Hussein, but seem intent on losing to al Qaeda and Iran in Iraq. If anything, the meritis of this second war in Iraq are far greater than the merits of the war with Saddam Hussein.

If the Democrats point is that the first war, against Hussein, caused the second war, against al Qaeda and Iranian proxies, then I am happy to admit that we are at fault. Yes, removing Hussein from power led to a power vacuum in which Khommeinists and al Qaeda jihadists emerged. Our postwar military actions certainly didn't help.

So, because our actions against one enemy led to the emergence of a far more dangerous second enemy, then the answer is to ...... not fight the greater second enemy?

That logic baffles the mind! We defeated the Nazis, but that victory led to the emergence of a far more powerful and deadly enemy---the Soviet Union. The Nazis only wanted to control Europe, but the Soviet Unions had in mind the worldwide people's state. And, even worse, they had the weapons and capability of killing every single soul on the entire world.

By the logic of Democrats today, fighting the Soviet Union for 50 years in the Cold War was a mistake because it was "hard", "costly", a "mire", seemingly "endless", and because our own actions led to that war.

3) Root for the home team, or get the hell out of the stadium.

Jules Crittenden has related.

Un-f*cking-believable.

It really isn't hard to deflate these morons - it requires some reading. Don't worry - as I've said before, Twoofers don't read anything that contradicts their stupid theories, so you can rest assured that citing two or three contradictory facts and demanding they produce evidence of their claims will be enough to send them off sputtering nonsense to themselves in a dark corner.

Once you immerse yourself in debunking, you will quickly see that the Twoofers do little more than repeat debunked lies over and over, cherry pick old news quotes from 9-11 as "evidence," ignore 10,000 page engineering reports on the incident, ignore scientists and engineers, and make wild and baseless accusations against anyone who disagrees with them. Its pathetic, but this is lowest common denominator stuff created by the lowest common denominator of the the public.

Loose Change, made by a film school dropout and a pizza delivery boy (no offense to delivery boys), has been flayed and decimated as a steaming piece of inaccuracy-riddled crap over and over again, and there are still legions of sub-miscreants who see it as a clarion call to bark at the moon with like-minded dolts. To date, they've had to release four different "editions" to "correct" inaccuracies, lies, mistakes and misrepresentations, and they still keep chugging right along. They are fiercely determined to keep the lie going and ignore facts, and now they want to cash in on the lives of the 9-11 victims.

They're "just asking questions" that they won't themselves answer, and they ignore the real experts who answer their ridiculous questions with hard facts.

Here are some links to the not-so-pleasant-for-the-Twoof facts, since the Twoofers children are consistently wont to produce them:

Frequently Stupid Theories (PDF), by Mark Iradian
WTC 7 and the Lies of the 9-11 Truth Movement (Word doc), by Mark Roberts
Loose Change Viewer's Guide, by Mark Roberts
Debunking 9-11 Conspiracy Theories (excellent, one-stop shop for all your debunking needs)
Loose Change Internet Detectives (excellent)
9-11 Research (Sifting Through ' Loose Change')
Popular Mechanics Debunking Guide
9-11 Mysteries Viewers Guide
9-11 Conspiracy Smasher
Screw Loose Change (blog)
Journal of Debunking 9-11 Conspiracy Theories

Video:
Various Hardfire TV debates schooling the Twoofers (scroll down sidebar)
Screw Loose Change (vid site)

You now have no excuses - educate yourselves about this mental disorder, and fight it with the facts wherever you find it.

WARNING: CONSPIRACY-DESTROYING VIDEOS BELOW THE FOLD -->

Here's the frame-by-frame rebuttal video of Loose Change, done by Mark Iradian. It seems safe to assume that the British moonbats who allowed this filth to go mainstream have taken the time to see it:

Here is another frame-by-frame takedown of another more slickly produced crockumentary called "9-11 Mysteries:"

800-882-2005.

That's the number. I encourage you to call and listen so you'll know I'm not completely stark raving loony (not completely, anyway).

I just got this info tonight. I just called it. It's for real.

Somebody has set up dedicated phone lines to the capitol office buildings for a singular purpose: to patch non-English-speaking residents in to speak to their senators and express support for the amnesty.

So, one more interest group sets up a phone bank to send calls to the Senate. So what? Well, there may be more to it than that. I haven't had a chance to try it during business hours. I know for a fact that getting through to your senators during business hours right now is well-nigh impossible.

So, here's the thing: I've read that this phone line will get you right through to your senator right smack dab in the middle of the day.

From a technical standpoint, any group can connect a phone call to a capitol phone line. No big deal, there, but direct, instant access to senators' offices, bypassing regular phone traffic, is the type of thing that simply could not be effectuated without the cooperation of the federal government. If that doesn't bother you, it should.

Michelle and Bryan are on it, too.

Sorry for all of the Twoofer posts, but I take this very seriously. I know several former Twoofers and have steered some of them away from this disease with these vids (and others). These are old videos, but great primers for debunking the Twoofers.

There is much more at the links on the sidebars of the Google vids - all sorts of debates between the Debunkers (sane people) and the "leaders" of the 9-11 Twoofer cult. You will seldom find a more thorough expose of these frauds than on these videos. Watch as many of them as you can, and beat back the mass mental disorder known as 9-11 Twooferism.

Part I:

Part II:

May 24, 2007

Bluto, our dear departed Bluto, informed us today he was leaving to attend a sailing regatta.

Fortunately, a quick thinking Jawa operative caught this and sent it to us so that we could remember him in all of his sailing glory:

Yep, even Fred!

I'm a little late to this, but its low-hanging fruit.

We all know John Edwards is an insufferable hypocrite and profound jackass. His most recent attempted "nuance" was referring to the global war on Islamic terrorism as "a bumper sticker" and "a slogan," while pointing out that calling it a war on terror is "not a plan."

Contradictory lies and previous heroic stances aside, I should probably point Edwards and his moronic legions to another bumper sticker and a slogan that wasn't a plan:

As y'all know, I've been watching this immigration bill very closely over the last few days. In particular, I've been watching how the senators have been voting.

There are only SIX senators who have voted 100% with Ted Kennedy on this bill, and FOUR of them are Republicans (in name). These are the seven members of what I call the "Kennedy/Specter Group:"

Kennedy (D-MA)
Salazar (D-CO)

Lieberman (ID-CT)

Specter (R-PA)
Lugar (R-IN)
Graham (R-SC)
Martinez (R-FL)

Four senators have consistently opposed the Kennedy/Specter Group:

Baucus (D-MT)
Coburn (R-OK)
Johnson (D-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)

Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Byrd (D-WV)
Dole (R-NC)
Obama (D-IL)
Clinton (D-NY)
Thune (R-SD)
DeMint (R-SC)
McConnell (R-KY)

Feinstein (D-CA)
Hagel (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Snowe (R-ME)
Kerry (D-MA)
Boxer (D-CA)
Collins (R-ME)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)

Graham (R-SC) 100%
Kennedy (D-MA) 100%
Lieberman (ID-CT) 100%
Lugar (R-IN) 100%
Martinez (R-FL) 100%
Salazar (D-CO) 100%
Specter (R-PA) 100%
Akaka (D-HI) 86%
Cantwell (D-WA) 86%
Carper (D-DE) 86%
Domenici (R-NM) 86%
Feinstein (D-CA) 86%
Hagel (R-NE) 86%
Kyl (R-AZ) 86%
Lincoln (D-AR) 86%
Menendez (D-NJ) 86%
Snowe (R-ME) 86%
Bennett (R-UT) 71%
Bingaman (D-NM) 71%
Cardin (D-MD) 71%
Coleman (R-MN) 71%
Craig (R-ID) 71%
Gregg (R-NH) 71%
Kerry (D-MA) 71%
Klobuchar (D-MN) 71%
Kohl (D-WI) 71%
Lott (R-MS) 71%
Mikulski (D-MD) 71%
Murkowski (R-AK) 71%
Smith (R-OR) 71%
Stevens (R-AK) 71%
Voinovich (R-OH) 71%
Warner (R-VA) 71%
Wyden (D-OR) 71%
Alexander (R-TN) 57%
Bond (R-MO) 57%
Boxer (D-CA) 57%
Brown (D-OH) 57%
Burr (R-NC) 57%
Casey (D-PA) 57%
Chambliss (R-GA) 57%
Cochran (R-MS) 57%
Collins (R-ME) 57%
Conrad (D-ND) 57%
Cornyn (R-TX) 57%
Durbin (D-IL) 57%
Ensign (R-NV) 57%
Feingold (D-WI) 57%
Harkin (D-IA) 57%
Hatch (R-UT) 57%
Hutchison (R-TX) 57%
Inouye (D-HI) 57%
Isakson (R-GA) 57%
Lautenberg (D-NJ) 57%
Leahy (D-VT) 57%
Levin (D-MI) 57%
Murray (D-WA) 57%
Nelson (D-FL) 57%
Pryor (D-AR) 57%
Reed (D-RI) 57%
Reid (D-NV) 57%
Stabenow (D-MI) 57%
Webb (D-VA) 57%
Whitehouse (D-RI) 57%
Biden (D-DE) 43%
Brownback (R-KS) 43%
Clinton (D-NY) 43%
Crapo (R-ID) 43%
DeMint (R-SC) 43%
Dodd (D-CT) 43%
Grassley (R-IA) 43%
McConnell (R-KY) 43%
Obama (D-IL) 43%
Rockefeller (D-WV) 43%
Sanders (I-VT) 43%
Allard (R-CO) 29%
Bayh (D-IN) 29%
Bunning (R-KY) 29%
Dole (R-NC) 29%
Enzi (R-WY) 29%
Landrieu (D-LA) 29%
McCain (R-AZ) 29%
McCaskill (D-MO) 29%
Roberts (R-KS) 29%
Schumer (D-NY) 29%
Sessions (R-AL) 29%
Shelby (R-AL) 29%
Byrd (D-WV) 14%
Corker (R-TN) 14%
Dorgan (D-ND) 14%
Inhofe (R-OK) 14%
Nelson (D-NE) 14%
Sununu (R-NH) 14%
Tester (D-MT) 14%
Thomas (R-WY) 14%
Thune (R-SD) 14%
Baucus (D-MT) 0%
Coburn (R-OK) 0%
Johnson (D-SD) 0%
Vitter (R-LA) 0%

To nobody's surprise, Amnesty International criticized the United States and Israel far more often and viciously that Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, etc.

As Amnesty releases its annual report on human rights for 2006, amid highly choreographed public relations events, and repeating the familiar condemnations of Israel and America, NGO Monitor has also published a report on Amnesty's activities in the Middle East. The result is not a pretty picture for those clinging to the "halo effect."

Using a detailed and sophisticated qualitative model for comparing relative resources devoted to the different countries, this report clearly shows that in 2006, Amnesty singled out Israel for condemnation of human rights to a far greater extent than Iran, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Syria, Egypt, and other chronic abusers of human rights.

During the year, Amnesty issued 48 publications critical of Israel, compared to 35 for Iran, 2 for Saudi Arabia, and only 7 for Syria. Many of the attacks directed at Israel took place during the war with Hezbollah, but this terror group and state-within-a-state also got relatively little attention from Amnesty.

Furthermore, as Amnesty has almost no professional researchers, many of the "factual" claims in these reports were provided by "eyewitnesses," whose political affiliations and credibility can be only guessed. And the language used in these reports also reflects an obsessive and unjustified singling out of Israel, with frequent use of terms such "disproportionate attacks," "war crimes," and "violations of international humanitarian law."

Truthout!

ht: LGF

"Shrinkified" for Jawa compatibility:

Yes, I know this is just an internet straw poll, which makes it suspect, and Iknow I've been predicting a crater in support for John McCain, but still, I found the fact that repondents consider John McCain and Ron Paul equally unacceptable a bit surprising.

This might reflect an increasing understanding that a "President John McCain" would be an awful lot like "President George Bush," an option a whole lot of consiervatives consider unacceptable.

After going through all the excellent opinions I received on the proper optics for my new Ramington 700 SPS Varmint, I settled on a Leupold VX-III Boone and Crockett 3.5-10X 40mm in matte black, with Leupold STD rings and two-piece mount.

It's now installed on the 700. Photos here.

You may recall the recent video of the Taliban beheading a "spy for the crusaders" on video. What made the video even sicker than the usual sick barbaric Jihadi propaganda is that the beheading was carried out by a twelve year old boy under the direction of Taliban leaders.

One of the leaders was rumored to be, the now very dead, Mullah Dadullah --a top Taliban leader-- or his younger brother. In these frames Mullah Dadullah, or a person with a close family resemblance, can be seen coaching the young man on how to proceed.

All the copies that we have in the West are censored. The actual murder was cut from copies on liveleak and other places where it was uploaded. The Jawa Report has obtained a series of frames taken from the original video. These frames show the previously censored section of the video.

Warning: These are sick images made by sick minds. Unless you want to see the utter barbarity of our enemy murdering in the name of Allah, please do not continue.

Our original post on this murder is here.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
The original source contains 40 frames. I will only include the frames from the cut portions of the video. These are terrible disgusting frames so if you are under 18 or have any doubts please do not continue.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
The frames were taken by a program that reads through videos and saves frames into a single large image. The source image I have taken these frames from is here.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

George Will : The Amnesty Bill is "A Bill That Earned Its Doubters":

In 1986, when there probably were 3 million to 5 million illegal immigrants, Americans accepted an amnesty because they were promised that border control would promptly follow. Today the 12 million illegal immigrants, 60 percent of whom have been here five or more years, are as numerous as Pennsylvanians; 44 states have populations smaller than 12 million.

Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia were booed at their respective state party conventions Sunday for supporting a compromise immigration bill. Their specific sin was collaborating with the liberal lion of the Senate, Edward M. Kennedy. But behind the catcalls was Republican rage over undocumented foreigners, a sentiment GOP lawmakers must appease if they want to avoid dire consequences...

But immigrant-bashing divides rather than unites Republicans, as the South Carolina and Georgia conventions showed. In a recent closed-door meeting of the House's conservative Republican Study Committee, Rep. Bob Inglis (S.C.) raised the danger of resembling South Africa's National Party advocating apartheid.

Hey, call me whatever you like, folks, but if you're wrong, you're wrong, and I'm going to make sure you hear about it.

For the ten people interested in this sort of thing, here are some photos I took while in Ireland. Seriously, the Irish board of tourism should be paying me for this.

Fast and useful "facts" about Ireland:

F*ck is the most commonly used adjective in Ireland. Shite is the second.

There are more Poles in Dublin than Irish.

Gallic football is a lot like soccer, only not so ghey.

Fully 75% of the population is addicted to craic.

Of all the legacies of British Imperialism, driving on the wrong side of the road is by far the worst.

Don't bother with a road map in Ireland. None of the roads are marked so knowing the name of the road your lost on doesn't really help.

In Ireland the police are called the "garda". That's Gallic for honest graft.

There are no hot young chicks in Poland, they've all emmigrated to Ireland.

Photos below.

Roundtower of monastic settlement built about 6th century C.E.

More photos below

Kilmainham Jail where many nationist figures were held, and sometimes executed, during various uprisings against the British. You may recognize from such movies as "In the Name of the Father".

Stone building at Newgrange. The mounds at Newgrange are older than the Egyptian pyramids.

Actual rainbow in Ireland, over Malahide harbor. I guess I was just lucky.

At St. Patrick's Cathedral.

A rare site: a boat on the Liffy.

Rusty drives in Ireland, motorists beware!

A country church.

Irish folk singers at small country pub. Usually you find this kind of thing at places where tourists congregate, but this was the real deal. These guys were surprised that we walked in. In between songs, one of the guys would pass out Sinn Fein literature. Sinn Fein is one of the smallest parties in the Republic, but enjoys quite a following in County Kerry. Elections are today in Ireland.

Ancient stone wall on Dingle peninsula. This same wall was used to fend off the Celtic, Viking, and Norman invasions and was still in use up until the potato famine of the 19th century.

A "two lane" road on the Dingle peninsula.

Dingle peninsula. Beautiful and rewarding if you're up for about 20 near death experiences driving this incredibly dangerous road.

Old church built by early Christians. No mortar, yet still water tight.

After awhile you see so many ruined little castle, you just kind of tune them out. This particular castle was built right next to a farm house. At other places, you'd see kids playing soccer in their shadows or sheep grazing around them. Another mile, another castle....

The abbey at the Rock of Cashel.

Sunset over Dingle peninsula.

Recovered from a safe-house in Iraq, and posted at the Smoking Gun.

Someone page the following sub-morons: Rosie O'Donnell, Dick Durbin, Jack Murtha, Nancy Pelosi, The Leftwing Nutosphere, Amnesty International, the Democrat Party, etc.

They have some bed-time reading to do, as well as some apologies to issue to our Troops.

Exit thought: Al-Qaeda is in Iraq? Rosie told me this couldn't be so! Therefore, it must not be so!

UPDATE: My expanded analysis is here.

I've run through the three senate votes (#173, #174 and #175) taken so far on the Amnesty Bill, and I've determined that the following senators have a perfect, 100% pro-amnesty voting record so far based on these votes.

How do I pick the "pro-amnesty" side of a vote, you might ask? So far, it's been easy. A vote with Ted Kennedy and Arlen Specter is a "pro-amnesty" vote, while a vote against them is an "anti-amnesty" vote. Simplistic? Maybe so, but it works for me. The list is below the fold.

Bennett (R-UT), Bond (R-MO), Brownback (R-KS), Coleman (R-MN), Craig (R-ID), Domenici (R-NM), Graham (R-SC), Gregg (R-NH), Hagel (R-NE), Hatch (R-UT), Kennedy (D-MA), Kyl (R-AZ), Lieberman (ID-CT), Lott (R-MS), Lugar (R-IN), Martinez (R-FL), Salazar (D-CO), Smith (R-OR), Specter (R-PA)

Baucus (D-MT), Byrd (D-WV), Coburn (R-OK), Dorgan (D-ND), Sanders (I-VT), Tester (D-MT), Vitter (R-LA)

Cool beans.

This is what supporting the troops really looks like.

BAGHDAD ----Country music star, Toby Keith, visited troops stationed in Baghdad Tuesday.

Singing songs and playing guitar are a few things Keith, an Oklahoma native, does quite well. Visiting troops in combat is another activity he takes pride in.

Keith’s visit to Baghdad is part of his fifth United Service Organizations (USO) tour.

If you are going to talk the talk, then you’ve got to walk the walk and that is why he is back in Iraq and performing for the Soldiers, he said.

USO celebrity entertainment tours bring volunteer celebrities to entertain, lift morale and express the gratitude and support of the American people, according to the USO website. (www.uso.org)

A strong supporter of the military, Keith has always respected the sacrifice and dedication to duty that Soldiers display when they are far from home and their families.

Keith says that it is easy for him to come over to Iraq for a few weeks every year because he does not have to stay the entire year. The Soldiers are the ones making a huge sacrifice with their long deployments.

Keith has seen some of the same Soldiers several times, sometimes two or three years in a row, he said.

“It’s a huge sacrifice for the families too,” he said.

The high opinion he has for the troops started early in life and serves him well today.

“My father was a Soldier, and I was raised in a family where if your dad was a Soldier, you’ve got to respect your veterans,” he said.

Having sold more than 30 million records, success is something that Keith knows a little something about, but performing for the military and shaking hands with Soldiers is what motivates him.

Keith will continue his USO tour throughout the Persian Gulf and later into Germany.

“It doesn’t matter where in the world our Soldiers are, I’ll be there,” said Keith.

By Sgt. Sky M. Laron
Combined Press Information Center

(Source: MNF Press Release)

Longtime friend Danny Carlton and his family are in crisis. Please remember them in your prayers.

Via the Houston Chronicle:

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Wednesday to slash the number of foreign workers who could come to the U.S. on temporary visas as part of a broad bipartisan immigration bill.

A new guest worker program would be capped at 200,000 a year under the proposal, which passed 74-24 over strong opposition by the Bush administration.

Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said the change, proposed by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., would interfere with a "central component" of the White House-backed immigration measure. That plan provided for 400,000 worker visas annually, plus an option to increase that number to 600,000 if market conditions demand it.

"The Bingaman amendment would eliminate this critical flexibility and cut the size of the temporary worker program in half," Gutierrez said in a statement.

UPDATE : The list of "nay" votes is below the fold. These are the senators who voted to keep the guest worker program large. Not surprisingly, the list includes the "usual suspects" (Ted Kennedy, Lindsay Graham, Arlen Specter, Mel Martinez). Disappointingly, it includes at least two border state senators (Cornyn and Hutchison) who claim to be leaning against this bill.

Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Coleman (R-MN) Cornyn (R-TX) Craig (R-ID) Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC) Domenici (R-NM) Graham (R-SC) Gregg (R-NH) Hagel (R-NE) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Kennedy (D-MA) Kyl (R-AZ) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lott (R-MS) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL) Salazar (D-CO) Smith (R-OR) Specter (R-PA) Warner (R-VA)

By Ragnar Danneskjold, Typical Bitter Gun-Clinger at 01:16 PM | |

Posted at Townhall.com:

[T]hat many terrorist sand terrorist sympathizers have certainly entered the country illegally across our borders-- is an issue ignored by the bill's proponents, and when confronted with it, they attempt to argue that it would be better to get their fingerprints and legalize their work and travel around the country --and back and forth from abroad to the U.S.-- than to keep them in the position of a lawbreaker. This is not credible, and thus the bill is not credible.

(I think, btw, that "sand terrorist sympathizers" is a typo--or at least a euphemism.)

Trust me, folks. We need to kill this bill. Call your Senators. Hell, call all the Senators. Call the White House. Call your Congressman.

I'm back. What did I miss?

Oh no! What's that song?

(Berlin, Germany) In preparation for the Group of Eight (G8) Summit Meeting next month, German police are compiling a database of human scents to track down possible violent protesters. A spokesman confirmed that the scents of anti-globalization activists have been collected for use by police sniffer dogs to identify troublemakers in the crowd.

Opponents voiced concerns that the stink method of identifying suspects was a trick used by the notorious Stasi secret police of the former East Germany.

The East German security police -- the omnipresent Stasi -- routinely collected scents from dissidents, often from bits of clothing sealed in airtight containers for storage, in order to track defectors or suspects later with the help of sniffer dogs.

"This leaves a very bad taste in my mouth," Social Democrat minister Zypries told HR3 radio.

Logically, one could conclude that the perpetrator of the elusive "perfect crime" will always smell guilty, despite the lack of any other evidence.

If the current immigration bill is as “realistic” as its advocates claim, why is it being rushed through the Senate faster than a local zoning ordinance could be passed?

We are, after all, talking about a major and irreversible change in the American population, the American culture, and the American political balance. Why is there no time to talk about it?

Are its advocates afraid that the voting public might discover what a fraud it is? The biggest fraud is denying that this is an amnesty bill.

This is what Teddy Kennedy had to say about the amnesty bill:

"Now it is time for action... we must fix our broken system..."

"The bill will not flood our cities with immigrants. It will not upset the ethnic mix of our society. It will not relax the standards of admission. It will not cause American workers to lose their jobs..."

"We will secure the borders henceforth. We will never again bring forward another amnesty bill like this."

These statements were made...

a. ...in 1965.

b. ...in 1986.

c. ...in 2007.

May 23, 2007

This seems somehow appropriate:

Dirty kuffar pig-dogs disrespecting the umma...

h/t: Allah.

Jim Angle positively PW3NS Algore's new lie book.

History and the Democrats' own words paint a different picture than the one Algore attempts to paint. Hmm. Imagine that.

PS: Want proof that Ron Paul nutbars are infecting LiveLeak like a cancer? Check what I got when I searched for "GOP."

“The question I put to my colleagues is this: Should Congress permanently bar from the U.S. and from receiving any immigration benefit: suspected terrorists, gang members, sex offenders, felony drunk drivers, and other individuals who are a danger to society?,” Sen. Cornyn said. “I hope that every Senator would answer this question with a positive response.”

I very much appreciate Cornyn's comments, but I'm still annoyed at his vote against pulling the guest worker provisions.

h/t : Michelle, who has more.

Via Iowa Hawk:

Chicago - By an almost two-to-one margin, Midwest Lutherans voiced solid opposition to decapitation, suicide bombing, and chemical warfare in a new comprehensive survey of their social attitudes.

The Pew Research survey, conducted May 13-19, queried nearly 2,500 randomly selected Lutherans at flea markets and convenience stores across the Midwest. Interviews were conducted in High Plains Twang, Great Lakes Nasal and Flat Ohio Valley Bland.

"If there is one headline here, it's how remarkably moderate the Lutheran community is," said Pew director Andrew Kohut of the survey, which was co-sponsored by the Council on American-Yooper Relations. "It really paints a picture of a dynamic culture in or somewhere near the American mainstream."

Kohut pointed to one of the study's key findings that only 29% of all respondents agreed that "bloody, random violence against infidels" was "always" or "frequently" justified, versus 56% who said such violence was "seldom" or "never" justified. The approval of violence rose slightly among younger Lutherans and when the hypothetical violence was targeted against Presbyterians, but still fell well short of a majority.

Via AP:

TORRANCE, Calif. — The body of a U.S. soldier found in the Euphrates River in Iraq was identified Wednesday as a California man who was abducted with two comrades a week and a half ago, a relative said.

Military officials told the family of Pfc. Joseph Anzack Jr. of Torrance that a commanding officer identified the body, but that DNA tests were still pending.

"They told us, 'We're sorry to inform you the body we found has been identified as Joe,'" said the soldier's aunt, Debbie Anzack. "I'm in disbelief."

Anzack, 20, was one of three soldiers who vanished after their combat team was ambushed May 12 about 20 miles outside of Baghdad. Five others, including an Iraqi, were killed in the ambush, subsequently claimed by al-Qaida.

Previous:

Body of 1 Missing Soldier Found (UPDATED and BUMPED)

Think again. If you've ever wondered what might happen if a herd of prey refused to go along with the script...

It took me a while to find this page, but if you want to track the Amnesty Bill in the Senate, here's the link to the relevant page on Thomas.

Most importantly, you can find out how each Senator voted on each amendment. The vote on scrapping the guest worker provision, for example, is here. Note: a "Nay" vote is a vote against removing the guest worker provision, while a "yea" vote here is actually a vote against the guest worker provision. This amendment was essentially a "poison pill." The insiders seem to agree that coalition behind this bill would fall apart if guest workers were removed from it. If this amendment had passed, the game would pretty much be up.

The vote was 64 votes in favor of keeping guest workers in the bill--i.e., against the "poison pill," and therefore in favor of keeping this "piece of shit" bill alive. All the Republicans except for two (Coburn and Vitter) voted to keep guest workers in the bill--and therefore to keep the bill alive.

These GOP SOBs need to keep hearing from us, folks. They were getting some pressure on Monday, but they may be perceiving that the public is losing interest. I encourage you to keep up the pressure.

In order to bump my last post back up on the site, I was first required to promise Howie certain sexual favors, as well promising to post about the fact that the Islamic Army in Iraq's jubaonline.org and http://www.iaisite.info are down.

As Howie surmised, it appears they forgot to pay their bill.
Neener Neener!

Here's a little background.

Via the NYT:

The Senate Democratic whip, Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, said: “This bill is drawing opposition from business, labor, Democrats, Republicans, theists and nontheists, American League and National League baseball fans. What I’m trying to say to you is there’s more opposition to this bill than support.”

But Mr. Durbin added, “The force behind this compromise is the understanding that if we fail, the process ends probably for the next two years.”

In other news, Minority Leader Boehner describes the bill as a "piece of shit."

h/t: Allah, who has a lot more to say.

The ever-truthy Rosie O'Donnell, resident 800-pound gorilla of The View, finally faces an Elizabeth Hasselbeck who's finally had enough of Rosie's bullying tactics and gives as good as she gets. When bullying and made-up facts stop working for her, Rosie, predictably, plays the "victim" card:

h/t : Allah, who adds:

Here she is at her disingenuous worst, playing the “big, fat, lesbian” victim while deliberately twisting Hasselbeck’s point about the enemy in Iraq — namely, Al Qaeda — to accuse her of treating Iraqi civilians as the enemy. Or is it deliberate? The more I watch, the more I think she simply doesn’t know that Al Qaeda has a presence there. Hasselbeck should ask her at some point to describe the conflict right now as she understands it. Does she think we’re still fighting the Iraqi army, or just randomly attacking bands of civilians?

Another spectacular video (52 minutes) exposing the legions of braindead 9-11 Twoofers for what they are - paranoid lunatics, demagogues, vapid sheep, cranks, lonely little boys, aging hippies, conspiracy theorists, Democrats, and various other uneducated freaks.

BTW, the sub-retarded creators of Loose Change are scheduled to appear on The View tomorrow to bark at the moon with Rosie O'Donut. Heh.

ht: Screw Loose Change, Mark Roberts

As we noted last week, an al-Qaeda affiliated website named Voice of Jihad has been resurrected. The site was moved to Dreamhost after its previous host (mohajroon) ran into some...errr...difficulties.

The site moved to a new provider named Dreamhost which is a US-based company. It is unlawful for a US company to knowingly provide services to a designated terrorist organization. We don't know who or where the site owner is to go after him but we do know who his service provider is.

So, when I realized it was a US company, I was hopeful that we could get the site removed. Often when US companies become aware they are hosting a terror website, they are more than cooperative and take it down soon after they are notified by email or phone. So we ran a post asking that you email Dreamhost's abuse department. Many of you did, but the response by Dreamhost was very weak. While Dreamhost acknowledged our emails nothing has been done and al-Qaeda's website remains active.

This confused me at first, surely the owner of Dreamhost, Josh Jones, is not one of those lefty America hating terrorist supporting bastards? Then I went to Mr. Jones' blog, (see below) and yes, he is an America hating terrorist supporting leftist bastard.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B (posted the day after we informed dreamhost of the site, coincidence?)

My first email resulted in this response.

We empathize with your concerns regarding this site, but are unable to comment on any pending Abuse investigations. If you believe that a customer is engaging in unlawful activity, we encourage you to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigations regarding this matter. You can do this via the web using the Internet Crime Complaint Center, here:

http://www.ic3.gov/

As per our usual policy, we will cooperate in full with law enforcement to ensure that our services are not being used for illegal activity. I'm sorry I could not be of more assistance.

Josh, doesn't touch abuse, but thank you for writing and your kind words about the newsletter.

The email continues with the same canned response above. Still no action.

So apparently Josh is hoping to claim plausible deniability, he will say he doesn't know that his company is hosting terrorist websites as he goes around spending dirty terrorist money.

But wait! He cannot claim he is unaware of this problem because he has a blog and I notified him via his blog. And you know a little vain liberal pipsqueak like Josh reads his own blog!

So Dreamhost and its owner Mr. Josh Jones have been notified they are breaking the law by hosting this site. We have tried to be civil and polite but now they have no excuse for leaving the site up and you can report them to OFAC and the FBI here.

Josh, You'd better hang on to Awesome DreamHost Lawyer Guy, cause you might have a really bad need for him very soon.

Update: Josh deleted my comments notifying him from his blog, but I have a copy below the fold. (heh, my comments are restored, neat function)

Our previous post on this issue.

From Mr. Jones blog before he deleted me:

# Howie Says:
May 23rd, 2007 at 6:40 am

Maybe you should run a post on how to be a terror supporing webhost.

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/187895.php

Your initial response was quick but empty, no results.
# Howie Says:
May 23rd, 2007 at 7:21 am

AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN IRAQ (a.k.a. AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN
THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-
QAIDA IN MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN THE LAND OF THE TWO
RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD
ORGANIZATION IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF THE
JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-TAWHID; a.k.a. AL-
ZARQAWI NETWORK; a.k.a. JAM’AT AL TAWHID WA’AL-JIHAD; a.k.a.
TANZEEM QA’IDAT AL JIHAD/BILAD AL RAAFIDAINI; a.k.a. TANZIM QA’IDAT
AL-JIHAD FI BILAD AL-RAFIDAYN; a.k.a. THE MONOTHEISM AND JIHAD
GROUP; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/COUNTRY OF THE TWO
RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a.
THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN IRAQ; a.k.a. THE
ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN IRAQ;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN THE
LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF JIHAD’S BASE IN
THE COUNTRY OF THE TWO RIVERS) [FTO] [SDGT]

AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS (a.k.a. AL-
QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-
QAIDA IN MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN THE LAND OF THE TWO
RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD
ORGANIZATION IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF THE
JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-TAWHID; a.k.a. AL-
ZARQAWI NETWORK; a.k.a. JAM’AT AL TAWHID WA’AL-JIHAD; a.k.a.
TANZEEM QA’IDAT AL JIHAD/BILAD AL RAAFIDAINI; a.k.a. TANZIM QA’IDAT
AL-JIHAD FI BILAD AL-RAFIDAYN; a.k.a. THE MONOTHEISM AND JIHAD
GROUP; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/COUNTRY OF THE TWO
RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a.
THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN IRAQ; a.k.a. THE
ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN IRAQ;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN THE
LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF JIHAD’S BASE IN
THE COUNTRY OF THE TWO RIVERS) [FTO] [SDGT]

AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ (a.k.a. AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a.
AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-
QAIDA IN MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN THE LAND OF THE TWO
RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD
ORGANIZATION IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF THE
JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-TAWHID; a.k.a. AL-
ZARQAWI NETWORK; a.k.a. JAM’AT AL TAWHID WA’AL-JIHAD; a.k.a.
TANZEEM QA’IDAT AL JIHAD/BILAD AL RAAFIDAINI; a.k.a. TANZIM QA’IDAT
AL-JIHAD FI BILAD AL-RAFIDAYN; a.k.a. THE MONOTHEISM AND JIHAD
GROUP; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/COUNTRY OF THE TWO
RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a.
THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN IRAQ; a.k.a. THE
ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN IRAQ;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN THE
LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF JIHAD’S BASE IN
THE COUNTRY OF THE TWO RIVERS) [FTO] [SDGT]

AL-QAIDA IN MESOPOTAMIA (a.k.a. AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN IRAQ;
a.k.a. AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS;
a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN THE LAND OF THE TWO
RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD
ORGANIZATION IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF THE
JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-TAWHID; a.k.a. AL-
ZARQAWI NETWORK; a.k.a. JAM’AT AL TAWHID WA’AL-JIHAD; a.k.a.
TANZEEM QA’IDAT AL JIHAD/BILAD AL RAAFIDAINI; a.k.a. TANZIM QA’IDAT
AL-JIHAD FI BILAD AL-RAFIDAYN; a.k.a. THE MONOTHEISM AND JIHAD
GROUP; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/COUNTRY OF THE TWO
RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a.
THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN IRAQ; a.k.a. THE
ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN IRAQ;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN THE
LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF JIHAD’S BASE IN
THE COUNTRY OF THE TWO RIVERS) [FTO] [SDGT]

AL-QAIDA IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS (a.k.a. AL-QAIDA GROUP OF
JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE
TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN
MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF
JIHAD ORGANIZATION IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA
OF THE JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-TAWHID;
a.k.a. AL-ZARQAWI NETWORK; a.k.a. JAM’AT AL TAWHID WA’AL-JIHAD;
a.k.a. TANZEEM QA’IDAT AL JIHAD/BILAD AL RAAFIDAINI; a.k.a. TANZIM
QA’IDAT AL-JIHAD FI BILAD AL-RAFIDAYN; a.k.a. THE MONOTHEISM AND
JIHAD GROUP; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/COUNTRY OF THE
TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/MESOPOTAMIA;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN IRAQ; a.k.a. THE
ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN IRAQ;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN THE
LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF JIHAD’S BASE IN
THE COUNTRY OF THE TWO RIVERS) [FTO] [SDGT]

AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD IN IRAQ (a.k.a. AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN IRAQ;
a.k.a. AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS;
a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a. AL-
QAIDA IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD
ORGANIZATION IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF THE
JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-TAWHID; a.k.a. AL-
ZARQAWI NETWORK; a.k.a. JAM’AT AL TAWHID WA’AL-JIHAD; a.k.a.
TANZEEM QA’IDAT AL JIHAD/BILAD AL RAAFIDAINI; a.k.a. TANZIM QA’IDAT
AL-JIHAD FI BILAD AL-RAFIDAYN; a.k.a. THE MONOTHEISM AND JIHAD
GROUP; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/COUNTRY OF THE TWO
RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a.
THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN IRAQ; a.k.a. THE
ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN IRAQ;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN THE
LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF JIHAD’S BASE IN
THE COUNTRY OF THE TWO RIVERS) [FTO] [SDGT]

AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD ORGANIZATION IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS
(a.k.a. AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA GROUP OF
JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ;
a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN THE LAND OF THE
TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF
THE JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-TAWHID; a.k.a.
AL-ZARQAWI NETWORK; a.k.a. JAM’AT AL TAWHID WA’AL-JIHAD; a.k.a.
TANZEEM QA’IDAT AL JIHAD/BILAD AL RAAFIDAINI; a.k.a. TANZIM QA’IDAT
AL-JIHAD FI BILAD AL-RAFIDAYN; a.k.a. THE MONOTHEISM AND JIHAD
GROUP; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/COUNTRY OF THE TWO
RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a.
THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN IRAQ; a.k.a. THE
ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN IRAQ;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN THE
LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF JIHAD’S BASE IN
THE COUNTRY OF THE TWO RIVERS) [FTO] [SDGT]

AL-QAIDA OF THE JIHAD IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS (a.k.a. AL-
QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA GROUP OF JIHAD IN THE
LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN
MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a.
AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD IN IRAQ; a.k.a. AL-QAIDA OF JIHAD ORGANIZATION IN
THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. AL-TAWHID; a.k.a. AL-ZARQAWI
NETWORK; a.k.a. JAM’AT AL TAWHID WA’AL-JIHAD; a.k.a. TANZEEM
QA’IDAT AL JIHAD/BILAD AL RAAFIDAINI; a.k.a. TANZIM QA’IDAT AL-
JIHAD FI BILAD AL-RAFIDAYN; a.k.a. THE MONOTHEISM AND JIHAD GROUP;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/COUNTRY OF THE TWO RIVERS;
a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION BASE OF JIHAD/MESOPOTAMIA; a.k.a. THE
ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN IRAQ; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF
AL-JIHAD’S BASE IN THE LAND OF THE TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. THE
ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN IRAQ; a.k.a. THE
ORGANIZATION OF AL-JIHAD’S BASE OF OPERATIONS IN THE LAND OF THE
TWO RIVERS; a.k.a. THE ORGANIZATION OF JIHAD’S BASE IN THE COUNTRY
OF THE TWO RIVERS) [FTO] [SDGT]

http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/sdn/sdnlist.txt

Hope you enjoy your stay in federal pound you in the ass prison.
# Mike Says:
May 23rd, 2007 at 8:12 am

That’s called freedom of speech, shit-head.

If you don’t like it, the US is not the place for you.
# Howie Says:
May 23rd, 2007 at 8:52 am

Freedom of speech is not freedom to break the law, shit head.

Via Reuters:

HILLA, Iraq, May 23 (Reuters) - The half-naked body of one of three missing U.S. soldiers was found on Wednesday in the Euphrates River in the town of Mussayab south of Baghdad, police said.

The U.S. military said it was investigating reports that a body had been found in a canal in the area.

Hilla police spokesman Captain Muthanna al-Maamouri said there were bullet wounds to the torso and head of the body, which was wearing U.S. Army-issue pants and boots and had a tattoo on the left arm.

Maamouri said the body had been turned over to U.S. forces.

UPDATE: VOI: Bodies of Three Kidnapped Soldiers Found

Babel, May 23, (VOI) - Iraqi police forces in Babel province found on Wednesday two bodies believed to belong to two of the kidnapped U.S. soldiers near al-Furat river in al-Musayab region, 50 km northwest of Hilla, a police source said.

"Two bodies in U.S. uniform were found by Babel police forces near al-Furat river. They bore signs of torture," the source, who asked not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI). "The police handed the bodies to the U.S. army and cordoned off the area," he also said. No comment was available from the U.S. army on the incident.

H/t crosspatch in the comments.

I am heartbroken but not surprised by this development. May God comfort the famlies of these brave men, as well as all of the troops who have searching unrelentingly to find their missing comrades. RIP Spc. Alex Jimenez, Pfc. Joseph Anzack Jr., and Pvt. Byron Fouty.

Al-Qaeda spokesman Ayman al-Zawahiri eulogizes Dadullah as a "hero of jihad in this era and a knight among its knights." He asks Allah to "bestow his all-encompassing mercy on him and house him in His spacious gardens." Somehow I doubt that the vicious head chopper and torturer is enjoying such pleasant accomodations right now.

I will post a transcript when it becomes available.

UPDATE: Full text of transcript below the fold. Thanks to Howie for this transcript.

Elegizing the Commander of the Martyrdom-Seekers
Mulla Dadullah (May Allah Have Mercy on Him)
Shaykh Ayman al-Zawahiri

As-Sahab Media
Rabi? al-Aakhar 1428

In the name of Allah, and all praise is due to Allah, and may peace and prayers be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family, companions, and allies.

Muslim brothers everywhere: peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

I announce to you today the passing of a hero among the heroes of Jihad in this era and a knight among its knights, Haji Mulla Dadullah Akhund, may Allah bestow His all-encompassing mercy on him and house him in His spacious Gardens with the Prophets, truthful ones, martyrs and righteous ones, and what fine companions those are.

The Crusader forces and their agents, the Afghan intelligence and armed forces, came together against him in Helmand province and besieged his position with a large force. He engaged them, then broke out of the siege. They besieged his second position, but he engaged them and broke out of the siege. Then they besieged his third position, and resorted to heavy bombing, and he, his blood brother and some of his brothers were martyred ? may Allah bestow His all-encompassing mercy on them and reward them on behalf of Islam and Muslims with the best reward.

Father of a courageous one, father of all courageous
The terrors of battles have made him a terror
It is as if your soul is not happy with you as its companion
Unless you are more generous than the generous
And does not consider you protective of it
Until you sacrifice for it in fright
Were it not for the difficulty, all people would have been chiefs
But generosity impoverishes and bravery kills

The commander of the martyrdom-seekers has passed on to his Lord a martyr, as we consider him, having prepared, equipped and left behind him hundreds of martyrdom-seekers who impatiently await the order to swoop down on the Crusaders and their helpers in desire of what Allah has. The commander of the martyrdom-seekers has passed on to his Lord a martyr, as we consider him, having threatened the Americans and saying to them, ?If you have atomic bombs, we have the martyrdom-seekers.?

Those who sacrifice their souls for their Prophet
On the day of turmoil and domination of the strong
And those who look with reddened eyes
Like coals, but whose sight is not tired
As if they are offering a sacrifice, they purify themselves
With the blood of those infidels who attack them

So no peace until horses trip over spears
And skulls are struck by white swords
And no security until the war oppressors publicly
Ubaydah one day, and wars are oppressors

Therefore, I say to our Amir, the Amir of the Believers Mulla Muhammad Umar (may Allah protect him): be patient and seek your reward, for the martyrdom of your brother Dadullah, even if severe for the Muslims, is a good omen of victory, Allah willing.

Ikrimah bin Abu Jahl (with whom Allah was pleased) fought along with 400 Muslim notables ? after they agreed with each other to die ? in front of the tent of Khalid bin al-Walid (with whom Allah was pleased) when war broke out between the Muslims and Romans at al-Yarmuk. And when the battle intensified, Ikrimah bin Abu Jahl (with whom Allah was pleased) alighted from his steed, to fight to the death. Khalid bin al-Walid (with whom Allah was pleased) told him, ?Don?t do this, for your killing would be severe for the Muslims.? He replied, ?Let me be, Khalid, for you had a precedent with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), whereas I and my father were among the severest of people against the Messenger of Allah.? So he (with whom Allah was pleased) went forth until he was killed, and then came the conquest and victory by the grace of Allah and His mercy.

And know, oh Amir of the Believers, that your troops, the Emigrants and Helpers, have made a covenant with Allah to fight to the death until Allah grants them victory or takes them as martyrs. We ask Allah to make us and them steadfast in that.

I stayed behind, seeking to stay alive, but I didn?t find
For myself a life like the attack
And it is not on our heels that our wounds bleed
But it is on our feet that blood drips

So oh Ummah of Islam, and oh seekers of knowledge, and oh groups of Jihad, and oh battalions of martyrdom-seeking: here is the commander of the martyrdom-seekers Mulla Dadullah, leaving the circles of knowledge and immersing himself in the battles of Jihad, and losing his leg and his body becoming full of shrapnel and wounds, but continuing to move from one battle to another, fighting the Russians, apostates and Americans, until Allah honored him with martyrdom while he was patiently seeking his reward. So don?t depart from his path, and continue his march, and be among the patient reward-seekers, for victory is in an hour of patience. The Truth, Blessed and Exalted is He, says, ?O you who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie [with one another] in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah, that you may prosper.? (3:200)

And our final prayer is that all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and prayers be on our master Muhammad and upon his family and companions.

(Cannes, France) About two years ago, a man died from engaging in sex with a horse at a farm in the state of Washington. The farm was found to be a gathering place for livestock lovers and the story garnered significant interest. In fact, there was enough interest that independent filmmaker Robinson Devor made a movie which has now been previewed at the Cannes Film Festival.

Called Zoo, the film envelops the story of bestiality in "rich photography that gives it a dreamlike beauty."

Many reviews have been favourable to the approach taken by Devor and his team.

"They've crafted a subdued, mysterious and intensely beautiful film that presents bestiality not for the purpose of titillation?but as a way of investigating the subjective nature of morality," the movie trade magazine Variety wrote.

At least, it is according to CapnOAwesome,

May 22, 2007

"Draining the swamp." "Cleaning up the 'Culture of Corruption.'" "The most ethical, most open Congress in history."

What a load. Lying, hypocritical sacks of useless, money-grubbing whores. They go on ridiculous junkets while the Troops are fighting in Iraq? They won't fund the Troops without strings, but they have no problems flying First Class on Joe Taxpayer to exotic locations that the rest of us aren't able to dock their paychecks for. Aren't they the ones complaining that the Iraqi Congress is trying to go on vacation in the midst of a war?

PATHETIC.

ht: AllahP

Sorry, Chris. Some of us out here can still read and won't be bowled over by your breathless Democrat hot air.

ht: Hot Air

Thou shalt be scourged with Fire and Water, Wind and Ice! Feckless nomads shalt thou become, doomed to roam the dying Earth with nowhere to rest thy weary and unworthy heads...

Patrick Ishmael from The NewsBuckit shares the remarkably alarmist pre-commencement address inflicted upon him and his classmates at St. Louis University:

As global temperatures rise, many things will happen that will in your lifetime change the world that we live in. Climate belts will shift northward, so that crops you see growing here may be better grown in Canada. Will the degrees you have earned in Arts and Sciences help you deal with the degrees of global warming that are predicted for the planet, and prepare you to help our nation deal with shifting agricultural and economic trends? How will populations, cities and towns react, when the core of their existence, agriculture, moves north? How will you use your SLU education to help the nation deal with these changes?

Read the rest here.

I hate to break the news, but Rusty was apprehended today at the airport for trying to smuggle in Irish Whiskey to sell at a grossly inflated price to his good friend Professor Chaos.

This picture was sent to us by one of Bluto's TSA informants:

We pray for the safe release of Rusty, just as soon as he's paid his debt to society, or Butters makes bail for him.

click to embiggen

More news from jolly old England. Evidence was presented in the extradition trial of noted Finsbury Park goat-humper Abu Hamza that shows he forked over the cash to send this sad sack to an Al Qaeda training camp:

Abu Hamza helped pay for former student Feroz Abbasi to attend an al-Qa'eda training camp a court has heard.

An extradition hearing against Hamza at Woolwich Crown Court heard how the 48-year-old preacher financed the 24-year-old's trip to Afghanistan.

Mr Abbasi, from Croydon, spent four years in Guantanamo Bay after being captured allegedly [gotta love that allegedly - V] fighting with the Taliban.

Abu Hamza, travel agent to the Jihad. Only, you might not quite end up where you expected when you booked the trip.

stein hoist: Glen Jenvey

Liberal progressives often refer to conservatives as 'closed-minded neocons' or worse.
But that's a double-edged sword...

Citizens Against Government Waste has named prominent Defeatocrat John Murtha (D-PA) Porker of the Month:

Washington, D.C. - Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today named Representative John Murtha (D-Pa.) the May Porker of the Month for throwing a temper tantrum and threatening his colleagues over a challenge to a $23 million pet project in the Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2008.

Rep. Murtha became infuriated by Rep. Mike Rogers’ (R-Mich.) motion to challenge his earmark for the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) in Johnstown, Pa. According to The Politico, Rep. Murtha, who is not on the Intelligence Committee but does chair the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, confronted Rep. Rogers on the floor of the House and threatened to remove both any of his earmark requests in the defense appropriations bill and any other earmark “now and forever.” Rep. Rogers responded, “This is not the way we do things here and is that supposed to make me afraid of you?” To which Rep. Murtha arrogantly replied, “That’s the way I do it!”

Previous, "Mad Cow Murtha?" (photo).

In case you haven't noticed, the name "Galilea Montijo" has been burning up the internet tubes for weeks now--and not without good reason. The girl is gorgeous (more pics here).

We've been talking about immigration a lot lately, and y'all know where I stand on illegal immigration. Amidst all the heated debate, we should not forget that immigration--legal immigration--has generally been, and continues to be, a very good thing for our nation. This is even more true when the immigrants in question bear any resemblance to Galilea Montijo.

If you're wondering why Galilea's name had such a "buzz" going on, it turns out a video surfaced a few weeks back featuring a woman purported to be Galilea. It turns out that it wasn't her, as you can tell pretty clearly when the two are side-by-side (there's a video linked here that makes the comparison-NSFW). The woman in the video is believed to be Colombian adult film star Monique Fuentes (likely NSFW), who is also more than welcome to (legally) emigrate, as far as this gringo is concerned.

We need some real help for a hero from Orlando, but is currently at Ft. Hood. He was shot in the hip during his tour in Iraq in Sept. 2006 and as a result, has nerve damage to that leg. Upon his return to Ft. Hood, he found out that his wife had spent all their savings, racked up $30,000 in credit card debts and bought a car in his name for somebody else! He's had to get a restraining order against her and he's been told by the Army that he not only has to continue to support her until they are divorced but is responsible for the debts! Needless to say he's in a bad way emotionally and financially. Aaron is feeling very hopeless over this financial situation. The case worker and social worker assigned to him are very concerned about his depression. I'd like to think that Soldiers' Angels can give him the proper welcome home and thanks he should have gotten last September. Any amount will help him. If you can dig deep and send a donation to Aaron, please contact me.

As always, thank you from the heart of this military mom and fellow Soldiers' Angel.

One quarter of American Muslims under age 30 see little wrong with becoming smithereen commandos.

From MSNBC:

WASHINGTON - One in four younger U.S. Muslims say suicide bombings to defend their religion are acceptable at least in some circumstances, though most Muslim Americans overwhelmingly reject the tactic and are critical of Islamic extremism and al-Qaida, a poll says.

No doubt, CAIR and co-conspirators will shriek that this is a result of the isolation felt by Muslims in American society. They're wrong. This is a failure of Muslim American culture, reflective of the greater failure of worldwide Muslim culture that nurtures terrorism and led directly to 9/11.

This should be a wake-up call for Muslim moderates. It should not, though it will, be used as an opportunity to whine about how Muslims are perceived.

Posted at Fred2008.org:

GOP gun owners are much more likely to support Fred than non-gun owners.

The Washington Post has named Fred's campaign manager.

Fred dominated last week's Pajamas Media Poll.

Fred predicts failure for the amnesty bill, and warns the U.S. on the emergence of China.

Fred smacks down the U.N.

As hard as it may be to believe today, it wasn't that long ago that Kerrey's opinion wasn't that rare in the Democrat Party:

No matter how incompetent the Bush administration and no matter how poorly they chose their words to describe themselves and their political opponents, Iraq was a larger national security risk after Sept. 11 than it was before. And no matter how much we might want to turn the clock back and either avoid the invasion itself or the blunders that followed, we cannot. The war to overthrow Saddam Hussein is over. What remains is a war to overthrow the government of Iraq....

Suppose we had not invaded Iraq and Hussein had been overthrown by Shiite and Kurdish insurgents. Suppose al Qaeda then undermined their new democracy and inflamed sectarian tensions to the same level of violence we are seeing today. Wouldn't you expect the same people who are urging a unilateral and immediate withdrawal to be urging military intervention to end this carnage? I would....

The key question for Congress is whether or not Iraq has become the primary battleground against the same radical Islamists who declared war on the U.S. in the 1990s and who have carried out a series of terrorist operations including 9/11. The answer is emphatically "yes."

This does not mean that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11; he was not. Nor does it mean that the war to overthrow him was justified--though I believe it was. It only means that a unilateral withdrawal from Iraq would hand Osama bin Laden a substantial psychological victory.

(New York City) A 52-year-old Florida-based doctor, Rafiq Abdus Sabir, was convicted yesterday in federal court in Manhattan of conspiracy to provide material support and providing or attempting to provide material support or resources to al Qaeda.

From Reuters:

The case did not involve any attack plot, but centered on an oath that Sabir and his close friend Tarik Shah made in Arabic in May 2005 to an undercover FBI agent posing as an al Qaeda recruiter. He taped both men pledging support to the militant Islamic group and "Sheikh Osama."

Sabir, a strict Muslim born and raised in New York, testified during the trial that he did not realize during the meeting that "Osama" referred to Osama bin Laden and had misunderstood the pronunciation of "al Qaeda" due to his limited Arabic.

His close friend, Tarik Shah, caught in the same sting operation, pleaded guilty and agreed to a 15-year prison term. He has yet to be sentenced.

As you probably know by now, the Senate voted 69-23 today to invoke cloture, thereby moving the Amnesty Bill of 2007 (aka the "Immigration Shipwreck") forward to the next phase and one step closer to passage. If your senators are listed below, you should probably call them and express your thanks. If either senator is not included ln the list below, you should definitely call him or her and express a different sentiment.

Voting "Nay" on Cloture Today:

Allard (R-CO)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bunning (R-KY)
Byrd (D-WV)
Coburn (R-OK)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Enzi (R-WY)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sanders (I-VT)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Sununu (R-NH)
Tester (D-MT)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)

Pr. Bruce Moon has a dynamite piece on the self-inflicted, anti-survivalist weakness and stupidity that liberalism has inflicted on our country:

Some viral idea has crept into our collective national consciousness, offering us a false wisdom and a feigned hope, while it meanwhile shuts down vital parts of our mental operational systems designed to initiate self-survival programs. We are fast approaching the point where either we must reject the pterodactyl-like hallucinations of irrational humanistic constructs that only produce mind-boggling complacent stupor, political correctness contrivances, and cowardice, or we will become a pitiful specter of our former selves through our utter stupidity.

May 21, 2007

In the latest LGF poll of reader opinion on the immigration bill, 66% of respondents have selected "Highly Disapprove."

At 22%, the option "Ron Paul" is running a decent second place.

It's as if this Republican president and these Republican senators have said, "Hmm. Can we invent an issue that will teach Cuban-American doctors, Honduran day laborers, and Mexican-American army officers to think of themselves as a unified ethnic group? Can we then provoke a fight that all of them (whatever their diverging practical interests) will treat as a symbol of acceptance in American society? And can we then stage-manage this fight to ensure that two-thirds of our party will have no choice but to fall on the wrong side of it?"

Nice work, guys.

Iran is slipping back into yet another dark age of Islamic totalitarianism. Women are being beaten for wearing offensive clothing.

Our woefully inept Congress wants nothing more than to 'have dialog' to these mysoginist throw-backs. It appears that the self-styled 'civil rights advocates' of our domestic left-wing have to keep quiet. Criticizing other countries and their regular human rights violations isn't popular among Democrats, and rocking the boat isn't wise.

You may not like Ann Coulter, but she was dead on when she noted that we finally gave the liberals a war against fundamentalism, and they don't want to fight it.

ht: LGF

The little ankle-biting Brownshirts at Kos are "watching" the GOP.

Ooooooo. Scary.

Meanwhile, Charles Johnson illustrates Daily Kos's strange (and all too regular) anti-Semitic, anti-Israel rantings that echo those of David Duke and the KKK.

With screen shots for side-by-side comparison.

The Australian Immigration Ministry has outraged the Muslim community with a proposed citizenship test question that states the Australian values system is based on Judeo-Christian tradition. Federation of Islamic Councils President Dr. Ameer Ali said, "That question must be rephrased."

Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews responded by stating that Australia's Judeo-Christian heritage was indisputable historical fact.

Nonetheless, Dr. Ali said he wants a meeting with Mr. Andrews since, "It is the wrong message we are sending."

Therefore, one must conclude that from a Muslim perspective, indisputable historical facts send the wrong message.

Courtesy of an Apache and its bad attitude.

The Guardian reports that the Iranian mullahcracy is allying with al Qaeda to spring a secret offensive in Iraq this summer:

Iran is secretly forging ties with al-Qaida elements and Sunni Arab militias in Iraq in preparation for a summer showdown with coalition forces intended to tip a wavering US Congress into voting for full military withdrawal, US officials say.

"Iran is fighting a proxy war in Iraq and it's a very dangerous course for them to be following. They are already committing daily acts of war against US and British forces," a senior US official in Baghdad warned. "They [Iran] are behind a lot of high-profile attacks meant to undermine US will and British will, such as the rocket attacks on Basra palace and the Green Zone [in Baghdad]. The attacks are directed by the Revolutionary Guard who are connected right to the top [of the Iranian government]."

The official said US commanders were bracing for a nationwide, Iranian-orchestrated summer offensive, linking al-Qaida and Sunni insurgents to Tehran's Shia militia allies, that Iran hoped would trigger a political mutiny in Washington and a US retreat. "We expect that al-Qaida and Iran will both attempt to increase the propaganda and increase the violence prior to Petraeus's report in September [when the US commander General David Petraeus will report to Congress on President George Bush's controversial, six-month security "surge" of 30,000 troop reinforcements]," the official said.

I understand that Teheran has a parking shortage. Perhaps it's time we helped them out with that.

The announcement last week that the White House and a group of senators have reached an agreement on "comprehensive immigration reform" should have the same effect that the word "iceberg" had on the passengers and crew of the Titanic.

This proposed agreement is a disaster of the first order, and it would severely cripple America for the foreseeable future.

You can tell how bad this bill is by the Senate Democratic leadership's announced goal of trying to pass it before the Memorial Day weekend.

Remember, this bill has not yet been finished. Senators and their staffs were still negotiating over the weekend and many key items were still in confusion. So here's what we have to do:

TODAY'S ACTION ITEM:

CALL YOUR SENATORS AND LET THEM KNOW HOW ANGRY YOU WILL BE IF THEY PASS A BILL BEFORE IT HAS BEEN PRINTED AND PUT ON THE INTERNET AND EXPOSED FOR THE COUNTRY TO READ AND UNDERSTAND.

Update, by Vinnie: Shot down in a blaze of glory?

Disney executives didn't react to the first postings of Farfur, the Hamas terrorist mouse, a clear ripoff of Mickey, because it wouldn't have made any difference:

"We didn't mobilize our forces and seek to either have the clip taken down or to make any broad public statement about it," Iger told a gathering of the Society of Business Editors and Writers at the Disneyland Hotel.

"We were appalled by the use of our character to disseminate that kind of message," he said "I think anytime any group seeks to exploit children in that manner, it's despicable."

Still, Iger said it didn't seem to make any sense for Disney to make any loud public statement at the time.

"I just didn't think it would have any effect," he said. 'I think it should have been obvious how the company felt about the subject."

FIVE IRAQI HOSTAGES FREED

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Five Iraqis who were held captive and tortured by terrorists were freed Monday morning during a Coalition Forces raid on the site where they were imprisoned.

Coalition Forces targeted the building northeast of Karmah during continued operations to disrupt the al-Qaeda network operating in the area. After a thorough search of the building, ground forces found a padlocked room. Inside were four men and a boy who had been kidnapped and severely beaten with chains, cables and hoses. The four captives also showed signs of torture, and the boy stated the terrorists had hooked electrical wires to his tongue and shocked him.

Coalition Forces evacuated the five individuals and provided treatment for their injuries. The hostages indicated their captors were foreign fighters who spoke with different accents. The hostages, who are from different tribes, will be turned over to their respective tribal leaders for repatriation.

“The brutality and viciousness of these acts demonstrate the complete disregard terrorists have for human life,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. “We will continue to hunt foreign fighters who bring this violence into Iraq.”

Source MNF-Iraq.

WTFyareckontheyaretalkingboutmain?

Via David Thompson :“Dr Caprice Hollins, the Director of Equity, Race & Learning Support for Seattle’s public schools, has previously criticised individualism, long-term planning (or ‘future time orientation’) and the speaking of grammatical English as ‘white values.’ The expectation among teachers that all students should be responsible individuals and meet certain linguistic and organisational standards is, according to Ms Hollins, a form of ‘cultural racism’…”

Reuters, the "news" service that can't even bring itself to call a "freedom fighter" a terrorist when he's sawing off some hapless victim's head, is now disseminating tactical advice to Palestinian terrorists to help protect them from Israeli air raids.

From a Reuters AlertNet dispatch:

GAZA, May 21 (Reuters) - Hamas's armed wing cautioned its members on Monday to stop using cellular telephones and vehicles to avoid being tracked and targeted in Israel's escalating aerial attacks.

"Do not use the Jawwal phones at all," a Hamas spokesman, referring to a Palestinian cellular network, said in a radio message on an open channel used by Hamas gunmen in the Gaza Strip.

"Do not get in groups. Do not use any kind of transportation at all because the planes of the Zionist enemy are in skies all the time," he said.

Thanks to James Taranto's Best of the Web.

But now how how do we amuse ourselves? Patrick at Clarity and Resolve is hanging up his blogging gloves. We're not sure how he will make it wothout all that crazy blog money that the Zionist/Neocon Cabal Payroll Program is dishing out, but we wish him well and hope he writes a thing or two now and then.

Hat Tip: Vinnie.

The University of California at Riverside implemented rules that stopped the organizers of the Fifth Annual International Al Awda Conference from being held on campus. Specifically the University refused to allow the Al Awda organizers to discriminate against those who might attend and report what happens there. Specifically they didn’t want any Jooos or reporters present.

But wait, don’t celebrate yet. The organizers moved the conference to Embassy Suites in Garden Grove, California. Ironically Hilton Hotels is one of the companies that Al Awda organizers list a company that should be boycotted for being jooos or serving jooos or who knows.

Lee Kaplan has more here at Frontpagemag: Write Vice chancellor James Sandoval (james.sandoval@ucr.edu) and Chancellor France Cordova (france.cordova@ucr.edu) and praise UC Riverside for doing the right thing once the truth emerged. Perhaps other universities will now finally catch on to the ISM and its affiliates like Al Awda. At the same time, get on the phone and send emails to the corporate offices of Hilton Hotel Corporation and the Mayor of Garden Grove and advise them the same type of boycott as this one against Jews planned to be hosted at Embassy Suites can also be done to the Hilton Hotel chain for encouraging such a Jewish hate-fest.

This Al Awda conference should be canceled--period. If UC Riverside can do it, so can Hilton Hotels.

Write: Hilton corporate President Matthew Hart at matt_hart@hilton.com

More contact info below the fold.

Phone number 310 205 4340, same address as for the CEO.

Thomas Keltner,
Executive Vice President,
Hilton Hotel Corporation,
9336 Civic Center Drive
Beverly Hills, California 90210
email: thomas_keltner@hilton.com

Stephen F. Bollenbach, CEO
Hilton Hotels Corporation World Headquarters
9336 Civic Center Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310-278-4321 phone
kathy_shepard@hilton.com, VP Communications
dominic_acolino@hilton.com, Manager, Embassy Suites in Garden Grove

Mayor of Garden Grove
William Dalton
11222 Acacia Pkwy
Garden Grove, CA 92840
(714) 741-5100
pamha@garden_grove.org

Apparently some wise Muslime was guarding against some Muslim male losing control and attempting to mount this uncovered meat ,er uh excuse me uncovered copper

AP via Yahoo News: COPENHAGEN, Denmark - The Little Mermaid statue in Denmark's capital was found draped in a Muslim dress and head scarf Sunday morning. Police removed the clothing after a telephone caller reported it, spokesman Jorgen Thomsen said.

The statue sculpted in tribute to author Hans Christian Andersen draws about 1 million visitors a year and is targeted occasionally by vandals. On Tuesday, the statue's face, left arm and lap were found doused with red paint.

In 2004, someone put a burqa, the head-to-toe Islamic robe, on the statue, along with a sign questioning Turkey's bid to join the European Union.

Uncovered Copper.

Copper in a Burqa

It’s a good thing this was done. Everyone knows that Muslim males have no self control. If a Muslim had injured his er uh self trying to penetrate this mermaid? It would of course be the copper mermaid's fault for leaving those perky copper nipples out in the open like that.

Remember the recent stories about an Islamic compound in up-state NY? Well Scott of Scott's Blog over at borgnet has been following the story and It looks like he earned a Fatwa! The death threats started last week and they seem quite credible. In fact it appears they are already stalking him.

Scott of Scott's Blog: The first call I missed so I listened to my voice mail and a person with perfect English told me to answer the phone on the next ring and that it was very important. The phone rang and I heard chanting of some sort in the back ground and a middle eastern thick accent person started his hate rant to me.

The caller said “I had better stop making any further postings about Islamic compounds in the US and to remove the post I had made or I will be killed like the dogs in Iraq are.”

What makes this so creditable is the fact that this person described the vehicle I was in on Saturday going to the mall and the Auto shop that is across from me including that I have solar reflection film on my apartment windows with 3 a/c’s in all of them. That I wear glasses and was in blue knee high shorts.

Scott reported these threats to law enforcement with little action taken (they took a report of the threats) but the threats continued this weekend.

This time it was an exchange of insults because I didn’t give him enough time to spew out his Islamic chanting at me. This time they lasted longer and were more fun. By the time the second call ended he was all pissed off at me and telling me I was in “really big trouble this time” all because of my post about Muslim Mosques and the Islamic compounds being flags of conquer. OH !! and get this — he said they are peaceful LOLOLOLOL so I said “so you threaten to kill me and that’s peaceful ?” which caused more insults to be lashed out at me.

Scott has some done some great work digging up terror supporting Islamists links to this compound. It is no wonder they want to silence him. So surf around a bit while you are there.

These threats and intimidation will only result in more exposure not the silence the threats are meant to create.

ROPMA

Hat Tip: RBT.

More here from Canada Free Press.

Scott's Post Springtime in Islamberg.

Jihad in Scenic Upstate NY

(Video moved below the fold.)

From Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson:

"I can tell you that Thompson will be making an announcement NLT the first of July. I have had one phone conversation with Thompson and I'm convinced he is getting in the race. Others who have talked to him are also convinced."

Steyn is on his game:

...as John McCain declared, "This is what the legislative process is all about" -- and in the sense that it's a sloppily drafted bottomless pit of unintended consequences on a potentially cosmic scale whose sweeping "reforms" will inevitably require even more sweeping reforms of the reforms in a year or two's time, he's quite right. Also, as Senator McCain says, "This is what bipartisanship is all about."

Posted here:

The immigration deal announced in the Senate last week poses an excruciating choice. It is a good plan wedded to a repugnant one. Its architects seized a once-in-a-generation opportunity to overhaul a broken system and emerged with a deeply flawed compromise. They tried to bridge the chasm between brittle hard-liners who want the country to stop absorbing so many outsiders, and those who want to give immigrants — illegal ones, too — a fair and realistic shot at the American dream.

The New York Daily News sums up the reaction thus:

The Senate's immigration bill has the right wing hopping mad - and could seriously harm Sen. John McCain's shot at the GOP nomination.

As compromise bills will do, the proposed immigration reform measure had something in it for everyone to hate. But while the left wasn't happy with it, the right wing erupted in blazing fury.

Much of their anger was directed at McCain, who helped broker the deal.

Conservative columnist Hugh Hewitt called it "public political suicide" and declared the end of McCain's candidacy.

May 20, 2007

Watch the Marines do what they do to the sounds of a bitchin' remake of "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting:"

ht: Derek in the comments

(Norfolk, Virginia) U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Matthew M. Diaz, 41, a former staff judge advocate at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was convicted at court-martial Thursday of communicating secret information that could be used to injure the United States. It's no surprise that leftists are calling Diaz a hero.

Diaz leaked detainees' names, nationalities, the interrogators assigned to them and intelligence sources and methods to a human rights lawyer. The information was sent in an unsigned Valentine's Day card to Barbara Olshansky of the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR).

Navy Times:

After deliberating for three and a half hours, the jury sentenced Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Diaz to six months' confinement and dismissal from the Navy.

Jurors asked in their recommendation to the convening authority, Rear Adm. Fredric Ruehe, that Diaz's pay not be forfeited during his six-month confinement. Diaz has several dependents, including an ex-wife, a wife, a daughter, his mother and his father, who is on death row in California.

As Diaz was being shuffled off to the brig, he said he was happy with the outcome of the court-martial and, "I should have done better. It was extremely irrational for me to do what I did." Not only irrational, counselor, but criminal. Also, for the future, Mr. Diaz, expect people to be quite reluctant to entrust you with sensitive information.

From the Times-Herald (Vallejo, CA):

Vallejo woman reportedly suffered minor injuries Friday when her car was rear-ended by an SUV driven by a state senator talking on a cell phone while driving through Solano County.
State Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, was driving her new state-issued 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV at 10:40 a.m. on eastbound Highway 12 at Beck Avenue when she rear-ended Ellen Butawan, 31, of Vallejo, California Highway Patrol Officer Marvin Williford said.

Migden last year voted for a new law that takes effect in July 2008 that will impose a minimum fine of $20 for anyone caught using a cell phone while driving without a headset, ear bud or other technology that frees both hands.

Picture of Migden.

The Army Times reports that Azhar al-Dulaimi has been killed:

BAGHDAD — U.S. forces on a raid in northern Baghdad killed a Shiite militant believed to have been the mastermind of a brazen January attack in Karbala that led to the capture and subsequent killing of four U.S. soldiers, the military said Sunday.

Speaking on CNN’s “Late Edition,” Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the spokesman for the U.S.-led forces in Iraq, said U.S. troops had been pursuing Azhar al-Dulaimi “relentlessly,” since the Jan. 20 attack.

MEMRI reports that Islamist websites are posting a rumor that two of the missing US Soldiers have been found decapitated:

According to a rumor posted on Islamist websites, the American forces have discovered the headless bodies of two of the kidnapped American soldiers.

Via Curt at Flopping Aces.

This is how many conservatives (including some of the Jawas) are reacting to the (awful) immigration "reform" bill in the Senate:

Unfortunately, too many of them think that actually pulling the trigger won't cause any lasting harm. Ironically, they pulled the trigger last November and produced a Congress more likely to grant amnesty to illegals. And more likely to betray our troops in Iraq, of course.

That's the problem with cutting off your nose to spite your face: you get marginalized.

Details still coming in, but there has been a shooting in Moscow, Idaho.

Ron Wright emails:

Reports indicated 70 or more rounds were fired over a period of time.

Incident began late last night when three people were shot in the parking lot of the county courthouse. Two of the victims were law enforcement officers. Don't know if related but police dispatch center is in courthouse bldg.

Either shooter was shooting from tower of church across street or later retreated to church. Police have now swept the church and found two dead. One of whom is believed to be the shooter with a semi-automatic rifle.

Cockroaches vs. Hellfire missiles.

From Rasmussen:

The President’s Job Approval has fallen to the lowest level ever recorded by Rasmussen Reports. Just 34% of American adults now Approve of the way that George W. Bush is performing his duties as President (see comments on comparing Approval Ratings from different polling firms). Just 71% of Republicans now offer their approval. His support among men has fallen to 35%.

The President’s ratings have tumbled each time immigration reform dominates the news. While the President advocates a “comprehensive” reform focused primarily on legalizing the status of illegal aliens, our most recent survey shows that most voters favor an enforcement first policy. Last year, following a nationally televised Presidential Address on immigration, just 39% of Americans agreed with the President’s position.

Have a look at the batsh*t wingnuttery driving this mass mental illness afflicting the Democrat party and elements of the Birchean right. These people have convinced such academic heavyweights as Rosie O'Donut (thanks, Misha) and Charlie Sheen of their veracity. For the sane, try not to laugh:

A great job on this video by Twoofer-Hunter General Mark Iradian.

May 19, 2007

Hmmm. What's with the keffyehs on these hippies who were throwing bottles and rocks at police for knocking down an abandoned tenement?

LOOK AT THE PHOTOS BELOW THE FOLD -->

Protesters in Denmark during the Cartoon Riots:

Nothing to see here. Liberals and terrorists/terrorist supporters don't have ANYTHING in common. Move along, folks.

Below the fold. (h/t : Michelle)

Noted climatologist/scientific researcher Leonardo DiCaprio has taken time from his important life of burning fossil fuels, partying endlessly and pretending he is other people to screech the latest chicken-little hysteria that the enviro-Nazi left is pushing. Namely, the sky is falling and we're all going to die.

BE AFRAID! BE VERY AFRAID! THE END IS NIGH! Sounds more like a doomsday cult that the left typically mocks than credible environmentalism, but who are we to notice things like this.

Just for this, I'm going to burn more fossil fuels and take more road trips on the weekend.

Keep it up, Hollywood leftards.

Sorry, folks. I've hung in there as long as possible with this President. I've fought and re-fought stupid battles with many friends and family backing him and standing behind the military. I still do (although I am becoming convinced more each day that Bush has very little control or influence over the Iraq war anymore.) I can't for the life of me understand why we haven't been bombing the border regions between Iran and Iraq since 2003, but maybe Bush thinks Iran flooding the country with weapons, terrorists and funding for the insurgency just isn't something that needs to be stopped.

Stripping the financial penalty for back taxes from ILLEGAL ALIENS, however, is too much to stomach. If I had some outstanding back taxes, I would likely be designated a criminal by our wonderful system, and would have my LEGAL, LAW ABIDING life destroyed in the blink of an eye (on the flip-side, maybe being a criminal and breaking laws would get me free health care, education and tax relief under this Congress!)

Giving a group of criminals benefits like free education, free health care and no tax evasion penalties is the most offensive and self-destructive gesture I've seen come out of Washington in a long time. Again, this kind of outrage and stupidity is expected from the Democrats. The GOP, for some odd reason, seems to think running to the left is going to win us over in the base.

Peace out, Bush. I empathize and understand you're job is a difficult one, but this absurdity heaped upon absurdities is simply too much for me to stomach.

Farewell, GOP; hello Independents. Pains me to say that, but they need to learn. Maybe we'll meet again some day. In the meantime, enjoy the stomping you're setting yourselves up for next year.

Featured by many leftist anti-war blogs, he claimed to have murdered and burned hundreds of innocent Iraqis in a mosque. One problem: he only spent six weeks in the army before being kicked out. Now he faces federal charges for trying to fraudulently collect veterans' benefits.

From the Associated Press:

Jesse Adam Macbeth, 23, formerly of Phoenix, garnered attention on blogs and in some alternative media after he began claiming in 2005 to have been awarded a Purple Heart for his service, which he said included slaughtering innocents in a Fallujah mosque. His story was contradicted by his discharge form, showing that he was kicked out of the Army after six weeks at Fort Benning, Ga., in 2003 because of his "entry level performance and conduct."

A complaint unsealed Friday in U.S. District Court in Seattle charged him with one count of using or possessing a forged or altered military discharge certificate, and one count of making false statements in seeking benefits from the Veterans Administration.

Organizations that opposed the war, including Iraq Veterans Against the War, posted videos or statements containing Macbeth's claims on their Web sites. In one videotaped interview, a skinny, stuttering Macbeth, dressed in a camouflage jacket, described slaughtering hundreds of people in a mosque: "We would burn their bodies ... hang their bodies from the rafters in the mosque," he said.

Authority always wins. Even if the authority is an A$$hole.

I’ve had plenty coffee and sugar to help me move my blips this morning. Speaking of coffee and sugar…

Via UPI: SALEM, Ore., May 16 (UPI) -- Sales are up at a drive-through coffee shop in Oregon where the lattes are served up by female baristas wearing bikini tops.

Coffee Nation owners Adam Marshall and Steven Rotan say they decided they needed an edge when the state required they install a median that would block left-turn access into their Salem, Ore., business, the Statesman Journal reported. So to attract customers, they decided to have their six female employees wear swimsuit tops.

"It's really worked," said Marshall, 28. "Our profits are going up every day."

Update: I've heard of a pandering politcian before, but......

I can’t play the CNN vid on this PC but thank the Good Lord someone youtubed it.

I always like a cookie to go with my coffee, Caffeine and sugar are good non-fossil fuels.

Like this one of Miss Mexico.

Via AP:

BAGHDAD (AP) - US troops widened the search for three missing American soldiers, detaining nine people in a raid today about 25 miles from where the service members were taken captive.

The military says the raid occurred in Amiriyah, west of Baghdad.

The missing soldiers are from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in northern New York.

Tribes in the Amiriyah area are related to those who live close to where the soldiers were seized May 12.

Meanwhile, the fourth soldier killed in the raid was identified:

According to officials, the fourth American soldier killed in the Mahmoudiya ambush has been identified as Sgt. Anthony Schober, and the family of the victim has been notified.

The group that reportedly kidnapped the three American soldiers may have stolen the now-identified 4th G.I.'s dog-tag, causing added difficulty in efforts to identify him.

The three missing men are Specialist Alex Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.; Pfc. Joseph Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, Calif.; and Pvt. Byron Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Mich. We continue to pray for their safe and swift rescue.

UPDATE: Report: At least 2 abducted GIs believed alive:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The top U.S. commander in Iraq thinks he knows who kidnapped three U.S. soldiers last weekend and believes that at least two of them are alive, the Army Times newspaper reported.

“We know who that guy is,” Gen. David Petraeus said in an interview posted Saturday on the Army Times Web site.

Petraeus did not give the man’s name but described him as “sort of an affiliate of al-Qaida. He’s the big player down in that area. We’ve tangled with him before.”

Snake oil or salvation? Via MSNBC:

A Purdue University engineer and National Medal of Technology winner says he's ready and able to start a revolution in clean energy.

Professor Jerry Woodall and students have invented a way to use an aluminum alloy to extract hydrogen from water — a process that he thinks could replace gasoline as well as its pollutants and emissions tied to global warming.

But Woodall says there's one big hitch: "Egos" at the U.S. Department of Energy, a key funding source for energy research, "are holding up the revolution."

...or maybe not. Find out why below the fold.

It seems like we're seeing stories like this on a fairly regular basis, usually written by enthusiastic, but often technologically-challenged, journalists who are willing to believe almost anything a researcher tells them. I have no reason to doubt that the process described in the article works to generate hydrogen from water. It probably does, but this process isn't a revolution, or even an "invention."

Elemental metals like oxygen, and aluminum likes oxygen a lot. Aluminum's not unique in this respect. Drop some metallic sodium in water sometime and see what happens. (I strongly recommend you watch from a safe distance.) You can mix other things with water to make fuel. You can generate acetylene, for example, by mixing water and calcium carbide. In other words, the idea of generating hydrogen by reacting water with a metal or other chemical is far from revolutionary, controversial or even new. This would've been ground-breaking stuff in 1750. In 2007? Not so much.

The article doesn't mention it, but Prof. Woodall filed for his patent on this almost 27 years ago and the patent has long-since expired. (It's patent number 4,358,291 if you want to check it out.) Even though the chemistry here is likely sound, it's far from novel, and there are some troublesome facts that didn't make it into this article.

Generating hydrogen fuel from water and metal sounds like a really good idea until you realize some troublesome facts, starting with...

TROUBLESOME FACT # 1 : By mass, water is mostly oxygen. There's not much hydrogen in water.

The other troublesome facts are, however, more "troublesome."

The article touches on the fact that this process consumes aluminum, but it fails to go into any detail as to how much. The article refers to the aluminum almost as if it were just some type of catalyst or something, but in fact this process consumes very large quantities of aluminum. I noted above that it takes 9 pounds of water to get 1 pound of hydrogen. This brings us to...

TROUBLESOME FACT # 2 : The process of reacting aluminum with water consumes roughly NINE pounds of water and EIGHT pounds of aluminum for every ONE pound of hydrogen it generates.

TROUBLESOME FACT # 3 : The process of reacting aluminum with water generates roughly SIXTEEN pounds of aluminum oxide waste for every ONE pound of hydrogen it generates.

TROUBLESOME FACT # 4: At an average level of automotive efficiency, the 350-lb. chunk of aluminum will be consumed every few hundred miles.

TROUBLESOME FACT # 5: Given the same assumption on efficiency, the 350-lb. chunk of aluminum will be converted into a 700-pound chunk of aluminum oxide which will, again, have to be disposed of every few hundred miles.

Bottom line : it's not that water can't be reacted with metals to generate hydrogen. It certainly can, and scientists have known of this phenomenon for centuries. The problem is that "filling up" your car for this would morph from a simple matter of adding a liquid fluid (gasoline) to a tank into a process much closer to removing the old fuel tank and putting in a new one. And this would have to be done every time you "fill up." This just doesn't seem to me like something most drivers would be willing put up with unless the product was virtually free.

A revolution? Not quite.

May 18, 2007

Worst case scenario, it's an hour and a half of massive fireballs and a sweaty Megan Fox. I dunno about y'all, but I think I can spare ten bucks for that.

h/t : Allah

We all knew it was just a matter of time before she went irrevocably off the deep end.

In a sharply barbed May 18 press release, the National Center for Policy Research has challenged Greenpeace to reveal the identities of its donors of $50,000 or more for 2006. The conservative think tank is reacting to insinuations made by Greenpeace that oil company funding may be influencing the Center's positions on climate change and global warming.

Greenpeace - perhaps based on its own behavior - assumes that donations influence the stands groups such as ours take. They do not. So that the public can judge for themselves, we're challenging Greenpeace to complete transparency through disclosure of major gifts.

Funding from energy companies is not what is fueling the vigorous climate debate. What is fueling the debate is genuine, sincere belief that great uncertainties remain - both on the science and on the appropriate public policy response.

The think tank also pointedly emphasizes that being a Greenpeace executive is not a selfless sacrifice:

Further, Greenpeace Executive Director John Passacantando's compensation is three times - perhaps more - the total amount of corporate contributions The National Center for Public Policy Research received in 2006.

Nancy Pelosi is on Yahoo Answers asking it.

If you have a Yahoo ID, feel free to give her an answer yourself. I'd say be civil, because they'll probably delete it anyway if you aren't.

stein hoist: Elliot.

Well, Ragnar said to to do something, so I did. I changed my voter registration affiliation from "Republican" to "Independent."

Not exactly an earth-shattering event, I know. Really it's just a casual flip of the middle finger to the open borders amnesty loving RINOs. Not to mention the terrorist enablers, like Chuckie Hagel.

I can always change it back, which I'll do when they realize that my ass is here waiting for a big, wet, smooch, and act on it.

Until then, ¡adios amigos!

"No matter how much lipstick Washington tries to slap onto this legislative pig, it's not going to win any beauty contests."

Here's my message to anyone who might be feeling like curling up in despair over the Republican Party's abandonment of of the principles we hold near and dear:

I received this from some folks with Soldier's Angels:

It is time to get out the hammer and nails to help one of our Heros. CPL Jeremy is currently being treated for moderate TBI. He may get to come home soon to his Panama City, FL home but not until their home is repaired. Therein lies the problem! While Jeremy was serving our country his wife was unable to repair the roof of their home. Now the roof needs to be replaced and with the roof in such disrepair there is now water damage inside the house. The lowest estimate on the repairs is almost $13,000. The family simply does not have the money for such a huge expense. If you can help with the repairs, construction, monetarily or know someone what might be able to, please email me.

House dotard and unindicted Abscam co-conspirator Jack Murtha is making the news for shouting threats at political opponents on the House floor:

According to the draft resolution, Murtha shouted at and chastised Rogers [Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.)] on the House floor Thursday for offering a motion last week to challenge $23 million Murtha requested in an intelligence bill...

“I hope you don’t have any earmarks in the defense appropriations bills because they are gone, and you will not get any earmarks now and forever,” Murtha told Rogers, according to the draft transcript given to The Politico.

“This is not the way we do things here – and is that supposed to make me afraid of you?” Rogers replied.

“That’s the way I do it,” Murtha said...

This shouting match follows a similar outburst Murtha directed at Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) last week.

Posted at PJM Hollywood;

To PJM and Friends
By Fred Thompson

So, I hear you all have been talking about me.

It seems that I ought to respond, at least briefly, to all those who have expressed confidence in me — both here and in other forums. I do not take that confidence lightly.

The Pajamas Media poll is certainly good news, especially when, for a lot of politicians, encouragement to run from three relatives and an unemployed campaign consultant is considered an unstoppable groundswell. When people are saying nice things about me, I try to remember the proverb that compares flattery to a net at your feet. To be sure, the Pajamas poll results are very flattering, so let me return the favor and throw a net at your feet...

Sowell asks us, “In this day and time, can’t we have a responsible adult discussion of issues while the nation’s fate hangs in the balance in its most dangerous hour?”

That’s the question. If the answer is going to be “yes,” it will be due in large part to sites like this one. So thank you for all you’ve done here and for all the encouragement you’ve given me. Hopefully, we’ll continue this conversation.

For my fellow Fredheads, there's a good column on Fred over here.

"People who argue that we lost because we weren't true to our base, that's just wrong."

Just so you understand, this is the guy at the GOP whose job it is to win House seats.

We are so fucked.

Presenting Emperor Darth Misha I (language warning):

Thanks for the slap in the face, you nutless nincompoops. After all the hoops that yours truly jumped through gladly to become a citizen, it’s really heartwarming to see you fuckheads handing out the status for free to a bunch of law-breaking fucknozzles whose only qualification for being here is that they managed to swim across the Rio Grande.

That option, sadly, wasn’t open to us since swimming the Atlantic is a bit more than even we can handle. Not that we’d have done so anyway. It’s called “respect for the law”, and you empty, corrupt suits in DC might want to look into it one day.

And please, don’t give us any spin about “border security measures needing to be in place before amnesty” either. We heard it all before. 1986, anyone? You’re going to run from that requirement faster than Whorealdo Rivera can run to a camera. Not that it matters anyway. You’ve just handed out amnesty to 12-20 million lawbreakers, parasites that have been sucking the blood out of our system for years without paying a red dime into it.

Stop being anti-Hispanic!11!!

Posted at Captain's Journal:

[W]hile the various conservative commentaries and blogs seem to get [immigration] about right, no one seems to be focusing on what the immigration phenomenon will do to the political scene in the coming decade.

If [Robert] Rector is right concerning the numbers, we will be adding tens of millions of voters to the rolls in the coming decade. These voters are by and large socialistic. The Mexican political landscape is possibly the most Marxist in the world along with a few other South American countries, and the common man in Mexico has been steeped in the politics of "oppression" for at least 70 years. Further, his religion, while ostensibly Roman Catholic, is really a form of liberation theology with the trappings of Catholicism. The typical Mexican has heard the politics of oppression not just from their politicians, but from their clergy as well. . . .

The coming years will see a cataclysmic shift in the political scene in America with the addition of millions of voters who have been trained to believe that they are “oppressed” by the bourgeois elite and who, by the gift of a vote, will then be empowered to take from the middle class the things that they see as rightfully theirs.

Why … why … why … is no one talking about this coming political earthquake?

Now, I can certainly understand why the Democrats want to give voting rights to tens of millions of brand new, poor, uneducated voters prepared to vote for the politician who'll promise the largest level of redistribution of wealth. Bringing in millions more of these voters makes perfect sense for the Democrats. But why the hell are the Republicans on board for this?

h/t : Larwyn.

I've said this before, and I continue to believe it: the root of what currently ails the Republican Party is found in the White House. George W. Bush has been an almost complete disaster for the Party. This amnesty disaster is just the latest example of George W. Bush's lack of fidelity to any principles that can reasonably be called "conservative."

I say this as someone who spent my vacations campaigning for Bush in Florida both in 2000 and in 2004. I gave time and money to Bush in 2000 even though I knew he hadn't been a conservative as governor of Texas and likely wouldn't be as President. I supported Bush for one reason: because I didn't want the ACLU and People for the American Way selecting our nation's federal judges. I gave time and money to Bush again in 2004 even though he'd continued to build a lackluster track record in his four years as President. I did this for the same reason--the judges.

On the one hand, the calculus paid off. We now have Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito in place, rounding out 4 solid conservative jurists on the Court. Yes, we had to threaten mass riots in the streets to get Alito, but we got him. We would not have gotten Justice Alito from President John F'n Kerry. With any luck, those Justices will be there long after George W. Bush is gone from office, and there's nothing much the leftists can do about it. Those are gains "locked in."

Other than the judges, however, George W. Bush and his team have nearly destroyed the "Republican" brand and have at least tarnished the "conservative" brand. There's no need to recount a list of examples here, but it is long and detailed. I'm convinced that reform of this Party will be dead in the water until at least the day that George W. Bush is out of the White House. After that point, we can make progress in unfoundering the U.S.S. G.O.P. from the shoals of "compassionate conservatism." If we've managed to place another RINO in the White House at that point, our task will be pretty difficult. If we've managed to place a conservative Republican in the White House, the task will be easier. Of course, we may very well be stuck with a Democrat in the White House, which cuts both ways.

Whatever happens, it is imperative that conservatives be prepared for the situation in advance. We need to be prepared to "hit the ground running" when our opportunity comes. If you're a conservative, and you're disgusted with the current state of the Republican Party, I encourage you to start working right now to lay the groundwork for a reform effort. We talk a lot on this blog, and that's a good thing, but all our talk means nothing if it's not matched to action. If your local GOP is functional, go get involved. Seek out conservative candidates. If there aren't any conservatives to support, recruit somebody, or run for office yourself. Join a local grassroots conservative group--or start one. Show up.

As much as we complain about the GOP, it's presently the only viable vehicle for advancing conservatism. Unfortunately, it's been hijacked. Let's get it back

DISCLAIMER: Bluto notes: "Please note that Ragnar speaks for himself and other Jawas may disagree with his opinions."

Survey sez.....

More from Michelle here.

Hugh Hewitt predicts that this bill "will effectively end the McCain campaign." Dean Barnett agrees that this is "the End" for McCain. I think they're probably right.

Of course, it wasn't hard to predict where Fred Thompson stands on this:

With this bill, the American people are going to think they are being sold the same bill of goods as before on border security. We should scrap this bill and the whole debate until we can convince the American people that we have secured the borders or at least have made great headway.

This train is rolling, folks. Our "representatives" in D.C. think we're all gonna forget about this by the time next November rolls around. Ain't gonna happen. I, for one, have a very long memory, and I know I'm not alone.

Have you called your senators yet?

(Drammen, Norway) This is sickening. A 35-year-old Kurdish man, Mamand Mamandy, was visiting his mother in Baneh, Iran, when he was caught drinking beer by the police.

"We were on an outing with family and friends, six or seven in the evening, and were having a barbecue and enjoying ourselves. Altogether I drank two beers. The police happened to drive by," Mamandy said.

He said that he was immediately arrested and taken to the police station where he was sentenced to 130 lashes. This sentence, for beer drinking, was carried out publicly according to news agency Iran Focus.

Mamand Mamandy - After 130 lashes for drinking beer

"I received 130 lashes on the back of my body. Police whipped me," Mamandy said. He came to Norway as an asylum seeker in 1999. He lives in Drammen with his wife and they are awaiting Norwegian citizenship.

The extradition trial of noted goat-humping Finsbury Mosque terrorist Abu Hamza Saleem Shaheed Sallaam Rashid Mohammed Mustafa Fashizzle Masri has fired up.

As expected, teh cryes of TORCHURE!!! have been shouted from the thatch rooftops, which are the only rooftops allowed in the environmentally friendly, gee we love the 7th Century Islamist view but for different reasons rationale elucidated by today's Leftists:

Radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri was part of a global terror network which plotted Jihad against the west, a hearing has been told.

On the first day of extradition proceedings against him in London, Abu Hamza, 48, was accused of involvement in the kidnap of westerners in Yemen.

The claims were made on behalf of the US government, which wants to try him.

But Abu Hamza's barrister said some of its evidence was obtained by torture and the application should fail.

stein hoist: Some guy whose name rhymes with "men envy."

May 17, 2007

When Rosie said she'd get the experts to pull back the eeevil curtain of the 9-11 cover-up, she really brought out the big guns! Twoofer high-priests Dylan Avery, Matt Bermas and Willie Rodriguez will appear on The View on May 24.

Yes, you read that correctly. "Experts." And what constitutes an expert in Rosie's view?

Some nobody who dropped out of film school, another nobody whose scientific expertise extends to the point of remembering which Double Sausage With Cheese to deliver to which address, and some other nobody whose scientific expertise involves Drano and how to properly mix Pine-Sol and water.

To Rosie and the mentally handicapped minions that make up the Twoofer religion, these clowns are considered "experts."

Hey, Rosie - One word. "Denial." Google it. Or try this:

Denial of fact: This form of denial is where someone avoids a fact by lying. This lying can take the form of an outright falsehood (commission), leaving out certain details in order to tailor a story (omission), or by falsely agreeing to something (assent, also referred to as "yesing" behavior). Someone who is in denial of fact is typically using lies in order to avoid facts that they think may be potentially painful to themselves or others.

With the insane illegal immigrant amnesty bill practically in the bag, release that pent-up animosity by helping Hillary! choose her campaign theme song.

I'm going no comments here because you should leave your choices there.

Update: If that doesn't help you find a happy place, maybe you should talk to God.

Michelle has a great round-up on the Bush-Kennedy Amnesty Bill. Highlights:

"I don't care how you try to spin it, this is amnesty."- Sen Jim DeMint

"Any plan that rewards illegal behavior is amnesty. You would think that the Senate would have learned their lesson after the 1986 amnesty debacle, but it looks like their idea of a ‘compromise’ is to repeat the failed policies of the past." - Rep. Brian Bilbray

"Each one of these Senators should wear a scarlet letter 'A' for amnesty." - Rep. Steve King

You can call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

A switchboard operator will connect you directly with the Senate office you request.

Unfortunately, they don't define "the worst form of terrorism" as hijacking planes and using them to murder innocents. They define "the worst form of terrorism" as...Islamophobia.

From Arab News:

Speaking at a special brainstorming session on the sidelines of the 34th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM), the foreign ministers termed Islamophobia the worst form of terrorism and called for practical steps to counter it.

These idiots actually had the gall to lament the murder of Theo Van Gogh by a Muslim lunatic because it, "... was used in a wicked manner by certain quarters to stir up a frenzy against Muslims." Some frenzy; the only Muslims who have had their heads chopped off have had it done by fellow Muslims.

Hat tip to James Taranto.

After a short absence, The al-Qaeda website the Voice of Jihad came back online April 27th. The website is in English and is located at http://www.sawtaljihad.org/. After a little research I dug up this email address.

ourpalestine48@yahoo.com

Try it out, make some friends, and as always if you get a reply forward (not cut and paste) the message to Rusty or one of our co-bloggers immediately. I suggest you pick Vinnie, because it annoys him and he needs the excitement while Rusty is away.

But most of these whois records are works of fiction anyway. So the odds of getting a reply are somewhat low. But The website is currently hosted on, you guessed it, a US server.

The IP address is 208.113.169.63 which resolves to New Dream Network LLC in Brea California. To complain abut the website email abuse@dreamhost.com or call 1-714-706-4182.

The site was previously hosted on mohajroon.com but moved after the webmaster there.. er..uh...ran into some difficulties.

Hat Tip : Sr. Zionist Internet Spys #'s 3, 5 and 7.

Update: Results, New Dream has replied and I'd like to thank them for their quick response. They are looking into it. It could be some time before the site goes away. Be patient, no need for further calls or emails at the moment.

Don't miss Jonathan Foreman's article in National Review from yesterday. Jonathan explains how the MSM's distaste for working with coalition forces, rooted in a liberal distrust of government, actually hands the information battlespace to the enemy.

Via National Review: A knowledgeable, thoughtful, and clear-eyed reporter might also consider that local civilians in areas dominated by the Taliban almost always claim that there are no Taliban, and have never been any Taliban, in their area. They make this claim out of either fear or loyalty. During fierce fighting in September in the same Panjwayi area, the local elders also claimed, absurdly, that there were no Taliban around, even though more than 500 of them were killed in pitched battles there and the area is at the center of the movement’s heartland.

More important, it is standard operating procedure of the Islamists in Afghanistan — as it is in Lebanon and Gaza and Iraq — to claim that all casualties on their side are civilians. Indeed, the Taliban would be grossly incompetant at asymmetric and information warfare if they didn’t make that claim. (Just as al Qaeda operatives and sympathizers would be foolish if they did not cry “torture” when detained at Gitmo or elsewhere.)...

...You might expect journalists to take some note of these practices and of the propaganda element of the war, and accordingly to exercise a little caution, if not skepticism, before they unquestioningly parrot an allegation of mass civilian deaths. (Surely they must be aware that reports of an atrocity can have enormous real world effects? Surely they have some sense that various Afghan players might lie in order to advance their cause?) Generally, however, they do not. For the most part, Taliban claims are assumed to be true. Statements by Coalition spokesmen, on the other hand, are a different matter. Such officials are said to make “claims,” and they are essentially assumed to be propagandists, if not flat out liars, by many correspondents (who won’t say as much in print, of course, but ask them about it over a drink).

This is the real story from the latest Gallup poll measuring Americans' approval of the Democrat-controlled Congress: independents rate Congress equally as low as do Republicans (the 1% difference is statistically insignificant)

Even though Democrats now control both houses of Congress, the poll shows that only 37% of Democrats approve of the job Congress is doing right now. These marks are, however, significantly better than those given to Congress by independents (24%) and Republicans (25%).

Previous post by Good Lt..

What say the koolaid drinkers now? Most "open, most ethical government ever?" Hah!

The Democrats have demonstrated that they're far worse than the Republicans they were railing against for the same "crimes," and that they have no intention of cleaning up the corruption in Congress.

By Democrat logic, the Democrats are all the arbiters of the Culture of Corruption and are by extension all criminals now. With power comes responsibility.

Go ahead. Try to spin the bald-faced lies the Democrats told the voters during the 2006 election cycle. The American people are noticing.

Hence, 29%. See y'all in 2008. You too, pro-amnesty Republicrats.

Video at HotAir.

Ron Paul, nutty candidate, nutty supporters.

Hat Tip: Ragnar.

A reporter from a local Station in Evansville is running a three part series on his experiences in Afghanistan helping the build and run schools in Kabul. Today he interviews an Afghan general who just happens to have a key to the southern Indiana city.

Via Tristatehomepage.com: FOX 7's Jason Claspell got the unique opportunity to go to Afghanistan with an Evansville humanitarian organization called Uncharted International.

The first part of his three-part series introduces us to an Afghan general who tells us about life under the Taliban and the importance of U.S. troops in his country.

(click image for video)

Part 1 of Afghanistan in Pieces

Click here for Jason’s story on how he was picked up by Afghan police and how his friends used a little “diplomacy” to get him freed.

Tom Macguire thinks so, and he raises some interesting points:

And since torture works, sometimes, this is a real issue - I would love to see the Dem candidates tackle this at one of their debates (as if!). Would they ever contemplate torturing a terrorist, presumably after first reading him his rights and apologizing for the many indignities the United States has heaped upon his country and the world? Imagine my suspense.

I can see the ad now... The GOP nominee (who will, of course, be Fred Thompson) explains the interrogation of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in substantial detail. He elaborates on the intel gathered and the lives saved by that intel. Then looks straight into the camera and says something along the lines of: "Friends, a free nation doesn't torture people--but what we did to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed wasn't "torture" to anyone but hyperactive left-wing ACLU lawyers. I'm gonna tell you right now that none of the techniques we used on this thug should ever be off the table when American lives are at stake. And under my administration, they won't be."

Don't try to tell me that won't sell like hotcakes in Ohio.

h/t : Glenn

Hugh Hewitt rejects the GOP's attempt to put lipstick on this pig:

A Disaster: The GOP Caves On Border Security...

This is McCain's continuing gift to the GOP, and the immigration absolutists' legacy: Lots and lots of promises and no fence worth calling a fence.

Aren't there 41 GOP senators willing to fight for border security? Apparently not. And they will see the result in their depleted coffers and diminished numbers come November '08. All they have to do is fight for border security, but they won't even do that.

Any Republican candidate who is on board with the projected deal should receive no consideration from conservatives as a presidential nominee.

As she's known to do, Kate O'Bierne takes 'em out with a head shot:

My previous optimism about the Senate's inability to come up with a consensus plan that could win broad bipartisan approval obviously underestimated Republican senators' capacity for self-delusion.

May 16, 2007

The Army has released the names of all 7 soldiers involved in Saturday's attack south of Baghdad that left four of them dead and three missing.

Via the NY Times:

Late Tuesday, the Pentagon identified three of the dead soldiers as Sgt. First Class James Connell Jr., 40, of Lake City, Tenn.; Pfc. Daniel Courneya, 19, of Nashville, Mich.; and Pfc. Christopher Murphy, 21, of Lynchburg, Va.

Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick, a Fort Drum spokesman, said the Army had not yet positively identified the fourth soldier, which was why four soldiers were listed as missing — Sgt. Anthony Schober, 23, of Reno, Nev.; Specialist Alex Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.; Pfc. Joseph Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, Calif.; and Pvt. Byron Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Mich.

Private Anzack’s family was told Sunday that he was missing. “We’re praying that he’s alive,” said an aunt, Debbie Anzack. The military told the family that DNA test results were expected as early as Wednesday.

We pray for the comfort of the families who lost their loved ones, and for those families who must endure the pain of waiting and uncertainty. God bless those missing men and give them the strength to hang on while they await rescue.

Russia has been accused of conducting cyber-warfare against Estonia:

A three-week wave of massive cyber-attacks on the small Baltic country of Estonia, the first known incidence of such an assault on a state, is causing alarm across the western alliance, with Nato urgently examining the offensive and its implications. While Russia and Estonia are embroiled in their worst dispute since the collapse of the Soviet Union, a row that erupted at the end of last month over the Estonians' removal of the Bronze Soldier Soviet war memorial in central Tallinn, the country has been subjected to a barrage of cyber warfare, disabling the websites of government ministries, political parties, newspapers, banks, and companies.

Oddly enough, liberal websites aren't attacked by America's enemies. It's almost as if the Islamists consider Leftists to be allies or something.

Do Jehova's Witnesses bug you?

Man, they sure bug me. Knocking on the door, shoving tracts in your hand, trying to talk you into converting.

Then again, there is a vast chasm of difference between annoyed and dead. In America, it's the former, in Pakistan, it's the latter:

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Christians in a Pakistani town beset by pro-Taliban militants sought government protection Wednesday, the eve of a deadline for them to convert to Islam or face violence.

Dear Musharraf, the world is watching, especially since this story (shockingly) made into the Associatedantiamerican Press. After gladly accepting billions in dollars of earthquake aid from generous Christians, you may want to improve this situation:

"Police say someone is joking with us by writing these letters," Chaudhry Salim, a Charsadda Christian leader, said during a news conference in Islamabad. "They have deployed only two policemen at our churches ... this is the kind of security we are getting now."

Cue the B.S:

Asif Daudzai, a spokesman for the provincial government, asked Christians not to panic, saying authorities were doing all they could to ensure their protection.

"Christians are our brothers and sisters, and we will not allow any one to harm them," he told The Associated Press.

Sure, Asif, we believe you. That's why the Taliban controls a nice portion of your country after being kicked out of Afghanistan, and Al Qaeda still has a roof over its head and three squares a day.

Stein hoist: Hairy Chronic, Jr. via email.

Bernard Lewis has an excellent column in today's Opinion Journal. I encourage you to read it all.

Here's a taste:

We in the Western world see the defeat and collapse of the Soviet Union as a Western, more specifically an American, victory in the Cold War. For Osama bin Laden and his followers, it was a Muslim victory in a jihad, and, given the circumstances, this perception does not lack plausibility.

They're afraid.

Afraid that they may not control the narrative or that there might not be enough pro-Democrat media support blasting across prime time. Of course, the GOP doesn't hide from obviously partisan networks or former Tip O'Neill (D) staffers / Carter speechwriters like Matthews and anti-Bush hatchetmen like Olbyloon.

I have never seen such a craven bunch of sniveling, spoiled little pansies in my entire life.

If they can't handle FOX, how will they handle al-Qaeda? They won't. They're cowards and pathetic miscreants.

29%. Keep it up, leftards.

UPDATE: A 29%er stops by in the comments to bloviate!

This is funny..

No Comment....

Three of the five Taliban commanders freed last month in exchange for kidnapped Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo were killed in the raid that took out the notorious Mullah Dadullah last weekend:

Via AP:

Mullah Dadullah, a one-legged militant who orchestrated a rash of Taliban suicide attacks and beheadings, died of gunshot wounds in a U.S.-led operation over the weekend in the southern province of Helmand.

An official with Afghanistan's intelligence service identified the three others as Mullah Shah Mansoor — Dadullah's brother — Mullah Hamdullah and Commander Ghafar. They had been freed in March in a prisoner swap for the release of Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo.

The prisoner swap was widely criticized in Afghanistan in part because two Afghans kidnapped with Mastrogiacomo were not freed as part of that deal and were executed by the Taliban.

The article goes on to say that Coalition forces used "modern technology" to track Dadullah down to the village where he was killed. I wonder if that included putting tracking devices on the freed terrorists? At any rate, this is good news, and shows a possibly acceptable solution to dealing with the agonizing decisions that must be made in hostage situations: do what is necessary to save the lives of the innocent victims, but ensure that the guilty parties are unable to do any more harm.

With Republicans forcing Democrats to go on record voting for tax increases through Motions to Recommit, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is threatening to change the House rules to deny Republicans the floor. From Representative Eric Cantor's website:

House Republicans are shutting down the floor, because the Democrats are threatening to change a rule and deny Republicans any opportunity to offer a motion to recommit on the "paygo" provisions of their legislation. That’s a lot of wonky talk; bottom line - the Democrats are preventing their Members from having to vote on the tax increases that they are trying to impose on the American People.

It is simply stunning that House Democrats want to change the germanenss rule on motions to recommit; this would be the first change to the germaneness rule since 1822.

Check back for updates. We will be updating on this showdown as it unfolds.

UPDATE: Rep. Westmoreland just moved for a recorded quorum call, then a motion that the committee will rise. Expect to see more of these…

3996 dead terrorists plus four more dead terrorists equals 4000 known dead terrorists.

Hooray!!!!!!

There are a few ways to take down a terrorist website. There are the emails to this that and the other providers, law enforcement and our email a terrorist posts. After all that, if you are lucky, another terrorist outlet is offline and hopefully the operators and users are “neutralized”.

But there is another way, a much more efficient way. Kill or capture the operator.

In the case of one of the al-Qaeda's english version websites that seems to be what has occurred. It is now approaching 30 days since the site has been updated. That is highly unusual and I’d just like to say this very loudly one time.

F*ck Yeah!

Add to that a just a little spittle into the face of the terrorists.

The Arabic version of the website is still being updated and they have other outlets that run english translations and that depresses me. But this particular site has not been updated since just before the death of Abdul Latif al-Jubouri, The Islamic State of Iraq’s information minister. It stands to reason that he or a key translator was killed or captured in the same operation.

This happened once before. The site was dormant for several days last month and I made a comment that al-Qaeda appeared to be under pressure due to the fact that posting on the site was sparse. As if to rebuke me, the blogger/terrorist propagandist posted several new items. So I’ve been a bit gun-shy about a celebratory post.

There have been releases of information that were translated to english from the ISI since then (specifically on the captured US soldiers) which originated from the Arabic version of this site. There are various Jihadi supporters who translate items on various Jihadi forums and other websites, but these items have been less detailed and sophisticated than in the past. They repeat themes and propaganda set forth from the lead given by their so called “information ministry”.

None the less, I feel that we have achieved a victory here. The negative impact on the morale of the enemy should not be underestimated. Remember how you as Jawa readers and I as a contributor feel when a sustained DDOS occurs here. Now just imagine how the Jihadis feel when they check the site and it remains dormant.

Taking down the english version of the website does not stop the Arabic readers from getting their Jihadi fix, but I'll take what I can get. Remember, a lot of Jihadi propaganda is directed towards us to, "Strike fear into the hearts of the cross worshippers."

There many indications that al-Qaeda in Iraq is under steadily increasing pressure. Some, like this one, are quite subtle others are more obvious. I wanted to share this little crack in al-Qaeda facade with you.

This guy 'gets it':

In the old days, Yasser Arafat could condemn terrorism in English and promise more attacks in Arabic -- and almost no one would hear about it. In this new age, one subtitled video posted to the Web can get the world's attention and trigger international repercussions.

That's a good thing but, of course, the same technology can also be used for evil. According to press reports, the six New Jersey terror plotters were immersed in extremist videos and propaganda from pro-jihad Websites. Their message of hatred is so powerful and widespread that it persuaded grown men, living in the United States, to give up their own lives to murder Americans.

Think how much more effective this type of propaganda must be when it is aimed at children. Now think about an entire generation of Palestinians, Pakistanis, Iranians and others -- saturated with this message their whole lives. That's the real message we should take from that Mickey Mouse video.

More Fred at Fred2008.org

You don't say? Someone page Lorrie David for her no-doubt ultra-informed reaction to this.

When you cut through the hysteria and media hype, anthropogenic global warming is little more than another phony issue in the Democrat platform used to attack private industry, consumer choice and to advance Democrat politicians and causes.

We never would have guessed that.

Simple explanation? Here are the suspects; take three guesses as to why the NYT, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, etc. didn't latch onto and pound this story into your brain:

Five savages (after hearing about what they are charged with in the 47 count indictment, they don't qualify as human beings - we're talking Islamist-level brutality here) kidnap, murder, rape, torture and mutilate a white couple, and there isn't even a blip on the national media radar.

A psychotic stripper from Durham with a history of making false accusations says three white boys raped her, and the MSM goes into Pavlovian Dog mode, salivating over every detail for months on end until they were forced to cover the end result they didn't want.

Left-wing agenda? What left-wing agenda?

ht: Michelle Malkin / Hot Air

Ron Paul has got some ideas about the Constitution that might surprise some of our Founding Fathers, but that's fine. We could use more politicians with a restrictive view of the legitimate scope of Federal power.

He wants to pull American power back to American borders and essentially let the world fend for itself. He's convinced that Americans brought the 9/11 attacks on themselves, and suspects that the U.S. government itself may have orchestrated the attacks. Everyone's entitled to his opinion.

Well now he's decided to run for President again, and that's his right.

He's been garnering a significant level of support amongst certain grassroots Republicans--especially on the internet. Like Dennis Kucinich, Ron Paul seems to attract some of the most hardcore, no-compromise activists in politics.

Now, Paul's candidacy is something of a double-edged sword for the GOP. On the one hand, Paul's campaign may draw self-described "constitutionalist" voters back into the GOP fold who would otherwise stay home. On the other hand, these types of supporters tend to react quite negatively when they don't get the candidate they've got their heart set on.

So, as much as some of us might feel our head getting ready to explode when Rep. Paul tells us everything would be hunky-dorey if we'd just leave the Islamists alone, it may be a good idea to at least try to be civil to Ron Paul and his supporters.

That said, I can't deny that I got a charge out of Rudy's smackdown of Rep. Paul at the debate. Rudy said it came from the heart, and I believe him.

May 15, 2007

...and he wasn't even there!

Will you please run, Fred? For the love of G-d, country and all things most exquisitely brutal, do it! We're with you!

** This Insta-poll is subject to change. The screencap here is from 11:36pm EST.

File this one under "WTF?"

The poor widdle Palestinians are at it again.

When they're not drowning in their own feces, they're firing rockets into Israel in the hopes of murdering Jews. This time, they hit a school.

"Land for Peace," huh?

Note to leftist cluckheads - IT DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE THE PALESTINIAN ANIMALS DON'T WANT IT TO.

ht: LGF

Funny how when this happens, it always seems to cut in the anti-Republican direction.

Just another devastating blow to MSNBC's already non-existent credibility and laughable assertions that they're actually "journalists."

Appeasement comes in many forms, some obvious, some not so much:

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Muslim hijab, banned at a taekwondo tournament in Quebec last month, will be allowed at the 2007 World Championship in Quebec City later this month, the International Taekwon-Do Federation announced on Friday.

The decision by a Quebec federation last month to bar a team of Muslim girls from taking part with their hijabs at the regional tournament had prompted protests of discrimination, but Quebec federation officials said it was a matter of safety.

That group was affiliated with the World Taekwondo Federation, a rival group to the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), which said on Friday it would temporarily allow the head scarves at its May 31-June 3 championship.

Maybe I shouldn't criticize, maybe I should emphasize. Since we're rapidly reducing the radical Muslim male poplulation, it only makes sense to teach the radical Muslim female population to fight at a disadvantage.

Three soldiers killed in attack identified (via CNN):

The slain and missing U.S. soldiers were from Fort Drum in New York, and all have been identified as members of the 10th Mountain Division's Second Brigade.

So far, three families have been notified that their relatives were killed in action.

Two of the slain have been identified by family members.

They are Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya, 19, of Vermontville, Michigan, and Sgt. 1st Class James D. Connell Jr., 40, of Lake City, Tennessee.

"I'm proud of my dad," said Connell's daughter Courtney. "He didn't really fight for himself, he fought for the country."

The Army is unable to positively identify the missing solders, because one of the dead was burned beyond recognition and they are awaiting the results of DNA tests, expected to be complete by Wednesday.

Military spokesmen said the attack was a "planned snatch" and involved at least 10 insurgents.

Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said 11 people have been detained, and four of them are considered high-value targets.

As of Monday, 460 people have been questioned since the search was launched, Garver said, and the military has received more than 50 tips from people.

Previous:

US-Iraqi Forces Search for Missing Soldiers
5 American Soldiers Killed, 3 Missing in Attack

Shatner doing what Shatner does best. Being himself.

(Brooklyn, New York) The focus will be on Arab language and culture at the Khalil Gibran International Academy, a New York City Public School on Dean Street in Brooklyn. In September, 60 students will start sixth-grade. The goal is to teach half of the classes in Arabic.

School official Debbie Almontaser said the school was planned with a multicultural group and the intent is to promote tolerance and bridge-building. So, American taxpayer dollars will fund the teaching of Arab culture in the Arabic language in New York City.

What am I missing here? Are diplomas going to be written in Arabic?

American taxpayer dollars should be used to teach public school students American culture in the English language in New York City, not Arab culture in Arabic. For that matter, we shouldn't be teaching Dutch culture in Flemish nor Philippine culture in Tagalog nor Persian culture in Farsi nor Brazilian culture in Portuguese.

And there's a multitude of other cultures and languages that shouldn't be draining public funds when U.S. public schools, in many cases, and New York City public schools, in particular, are doing an odious job of teaching students even the basics in reading, writing and arithmetic. In some school systems, only half of entering students complete the requirements for graduation and, of the ones who graduate, it's dicey as to whether they will be able to read their diplomas.

In my estimation, the public funding of an Arabic school is a dangerous precedent. What's the Department of Education's argument when a different immigrant community wants a public school teaching students in the Albanian language? Or the Somali language? Or Lao? Or Hmong? Or Hindi?

In the latest development from last night, parents of students at the New York City Public School on Dean Street in Brooklyn gathered at an "emergency" meeting to voice their objection to using their facility for an Arabic language school.

For 90 minutes, NYC Education Department officials and Khalil Gibran Principal Debbie Almontaser (pic) said it was a done deal and made the parents feel they were being railroaded by the system.

Said parent Cherry Carter, "[T]hey're throwing it down our throats."

Now we know the practical definition of multiculturalism. It's the process of someone entering your neighborhood and shoving something unwanted and unpleasant down your throat.

GM Roper writes eloquently about the true meaning of Memorial Day, leading up to the revelation that Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards is encouraging liberals to crap all over the holiday.

From the $400 haircut assweasel's Memorial Day hate site:

Get vocal. Buy a bunch of poster-board and markers. At a picnic or with family and friends, make signs that say “SUPPORT THE TROOPS - END THE WAR.” Bring them to your local Memorial Day parade. Then take a digital photo of yourself and your family or friends holding up the poster and tell us about it. We’ll include it in a “Democracy Photo Album” on our site.

ADDENDUM (Good Lt)- Additional Jawa Report coverage of John Edwards the Genital Puppet's plan to disgrace Memorial Day here.

Cross-posted at Fred2008.org and Texans for Thompson.

Watch leftists attack a handicapped-marked vehicle and an elderly couple, pounding on their windows, blocking their passage and trying to cause an incident. A few of them get their bikes crushed. Screaming, whining hippies reaping what they sow. Music to the ears.

You're watching the country's newest incarnation of the Nazi Party: the America illiberal left. They vote Democrat, too. Funny, that.

A couple weeks ago, I sent an email to Charles "The Big" Johnson asking him a question. I never got an email back, but then last night I came across this guy in my back room. Coincidence? Omen? Lizard?

They say the Johnson moves in mysterious ways. I can tell you this lizard also moves in mysterious ways. Right after I took this pic, he was gone.

In other news, it's amazing what you can do with Photoshop (NSFW).

Via MSNBC:

LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Rev. Jerry Falwell — founder of the Moral Majority and the face of the religious right in the 1980s — died Tuesday after being found unconscious in his office, a Liberty University executive said.

Ron Godwin, Liberty's executive vice president, said Falwell, 73, had been found unresponsive around 10:45 a.m. and was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital.

Godwin said he was not sure what caused the collapse, but noted that Falwell had “a history of heart challenges.”

Over at Fred2008, we've posted an analysis of the Iowa numbers (complete with pretty graphs & everything):

Enthusiasm for Rudy's been dropping as of late, while McCain saw early losses, but may be starting a recovery. At this point, the race in Iowa appears fairly even between those two, but if Giuliani continues his slide, that won't be the case for much longer. Both Thompson and Romney are trending up, but support for Thompson has risen more quickly, such that Thompson has caught up with Romney despite coming "on the scene" later in time.

We've also got Fred Thompson on first principles, on why strength is necessary and on Competence--what our government's missing.

(Avondale, Louisiana) About 11 PM on Sunday night, a 61-year-old homeowner, Cornelius Sims, grabbed his gun after being awakened by an intruder. Sims then pumped several shots into the trespasser.

Deputies found the lifeless carcass of Ronnie Wells, 34, in a side yard near the home.

According to Col. John Fortunato, a spokesman for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, the shooting has been ruled a justifiable homicide.

The boo-hoo crowd might say that the intruder picked the wrong house. I'd disagree. He picked quite well, I think.

...so are the Sands of Passion!

Fatwa?

Hat Tip: Allahpundit.

Iran's Nukes Express is Rolling Along

Enjoy a nice glass of White Infidel.

Rosie is still a nutjob. Michelle endorses a kool-aid campaign.

Volokh writes on some real diversity in University hiring.

Rush based lyrics on Ayn Rand. Five for Fighting bases lyrics on Victor Davis Hanson.

A sign of voter remorse?

The Palestinians have a hearing problem.

A low-casualty model vs. a high-casualty model in the GWOT.

I guess the lockstep Pelosi-Reid foot soldiers who routinely bloviate in the comments here can rest assured that not even one out of three people in this country approve of the Democrat congress.

I can only hope the Democrats keep doing what they're doing - ensuring a lost war, raising taxes by the largest amount in world history, trying to shut down talk radio because they can't effectively compete, holding our Troops hostage while their approval whittles down to nothing, etc.

Don't blame us. Blame those rightwing neeeeeocons at Gallup.

Even Bush has a higher aggregate approval rating.

Too sweet.

This is how the Washington Post handles the sharp increase in terrorist-insurgent captures since the start of the surge:

New Detainees Strain Iraq's Jails
Sharp Rise Follows Start of Security Plan; Suspects Housed With Convicts

By Joshua Partlow
Washington Post Foreign Service
Tuesday, May 15, 2007; Page A01

BAGHDAD -- The capture of thousands of new suspects under the three-month-old Baghdad security plan has overwhelmed the Iraqi government's detention system, forcing hundreds of people into overcrowded facilities, according to Iraqi and Western officials.

This is pretty damn funny. And is it just me, or is Laura Ingraham looking...hot?

May 14, 2007

Ever wonder what constant hyperbole, years of willful distortion, a chronic lack of proportion, and ongoing inflated one-sided outrage in the mainstream media/Democrat Party looks like? Wonder no more.

Look at the graph below, and then look at any major daily newspaper or newscast.

ht: Insty

The bill was defeated by loud opposition from varying groups. But the Democrat congress was not deterred. They are offering the same gag on free speech as the Meehan Amendment to H.R. 2093.

AFA: I wrote to you in January about legislation in the U.S. Senate that could have silenced grassroots communication from groups like American Family Association. Thankfully, that part of the legislation was defeated after you and other concerned citizens let your voices be heard.

Unfortunately, the House Judiciary Committee is expected to reconsider the “grassroots gag order” when the Meehan Amendment (H.R. 2093) will be offered on Tuesday, May 15, during debate on a broader "lobbying reform" bill. This amendment, sponsored by Rep. Martin Meehan (D-Mass.), would establish, for the first time, federal regulatory authority over efforts aimed at motivating citizens to communicate with their representatives about bills moving in Congress.

This threat is so serious that American Family Association has joined with other pro-family groups, as well as organizations from the left of the political spectrum, including the ACLU, to oppose the bill.

Don't let up, the Dhimmicraps will probably try and sneak another fast one by us if this amendment is defeated yet again. Probably hold war funding hostage over it or something.

Of course anyone who says anything about Islam that is derogatory is labeled a bigot or Islamaphobe. But those who speak against da Jooos and cross worshippers are just being objective. /sarcasm

Via USA all the way, Michael Weaver’s blog Valhalla:

On YouTube, those who seek Jihad openly, or by stealth, against the west, make the rules. Perhaps I'm exaggerating? OH, I don't think so ... it seems that Free Speech is OK if your one of THEM ... They like to hear themselves just fine ...

But they don't want anyone to hear you! They censor the truth when it hurts their narrative.

The Hot Air video report on Akon that Universal Music Group didn't want you to see is now back up on YouTube. That's right. The music giant and the video-sharing site (who happen to be "strategic partners") have backed down:

But for some reason terror supporting Jihadi videos and even videos by banned terrorist organizations stick like glue on youtube.

We recently tried to have some terror supporter’s vids taken down. The users had both terror supporting vids and also copyright violations of Memri’s translations. Youtube replied that his material was, “acceptable”. Bottom line was youtube wanted me to contact the Jihadi and ask him if he might take it down out of the kindness of his heart.

We've been unable to identify a Terms of Use violation with the video inquestion. You may want to contact the video's uploader regarding its
removal.

We appreciate your inquiry, which will help inform our future policy
discussions. Thank you for taking the time to write us.

Regards,

Wynston
The YouTube Team

Your tax dollars at work:

During the last night of the trip, staff members convinced the 69 students that there was a gunman on the loose. They were told to lie on the floor or hide underneath tables and stay quiet. A teacher, disguised in a hooded sweat shirt, even pulled on locked door.

h/t : Michelle.

In today's news, John Stossel blows away the gun control ninnies, and I get a new toy, but need help aiming it:

I tell ya, if the sight of a beautiful weapon like this doesn't stir your heart, there is just something VERY wrong with you. You're probably a hippie commie with serious "daddy" issues. Seek help.

The Appeal for Courage, organized by a Navy vet who served in Baghdad has collected over 3,000 signatures of active duty personnel since February, 2007:

As an American currently serving my nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to fully support our mission in Iraq and halt any calls for retreat. I also respectfully urge my political leaders to actively oppose media efforts which embolden my enemy while demoralizing American support at home. The War in Iraq is a necessary and just effort to bring freedom to the Middle East and protect America from further attack.

There are 23 entries in the Google "news" search category, most of them from conservative blogs questioning the lack of MSM coverage.

The Appeal for Redress, organized by a Navy vet who served aboard a ship off the coast of Iraq, has collected fewer than 2,000 signatures of active duty personnel, though it has been trying to gather them for much longer than the Appeal for Courage - since October, 2006. They do however, boast 98 entries in Google's "news" category, including gushes from the New York Times and Sixty Minutes.

Yet, despite the media blackout, Appeal for Courage's word-of-mouth campaign has out-performed the media's chosen petition.

Previous post.

Don't prominent Democrat politicians like Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, and Harry Reid post at this site to disseminate their talking points down the unbreakable chain of robotic zombies?

Apparently, one of their constituents at Kos was hanging around with members of the Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade in Nablus. She brought back a steaming mountain of Islamic terrorist propaganda to increase our "understanding" of these suicidal-homicidal-throat-slitting-child-killing psychos.

Any Democrat politician who posts on this site should resign. Daily Kos, once simply a singularity of leftwingnut painthuffing, has diarists who are actively propagandizing and shilling for self-identifying Islamic terrorists.

ht: LGF

Via Candian Free Press:

Venturing into the complex last summer, Douglas Hagmann, an intrepid investigator and director of the Northeast Intelligence Service, came upon a military training area at the eastern perimeter of the property. The area was equipped with ropes hanging from tall trees, wooden fences for scaling, a make-shift obstacle course, and a firing range. Hagmann said that the range appeared to have been in regular use.

Islamberg is not as benign as a Buddhist monastery or a Carmelite convent. Nearly every weekend, neighbors hear sounds of gunfire. Some, including a combat veteran of the Vietnam War, have heard the bang of small explosives. None of the neighbors wished to be identified for fear of "retaliation." "We don't even dare to slow down when we drive by," one resident said. "They own the mountain and they know it and there is nothing we can do about it but move, and we can't even do that. Who wants to buy a property near that?"

In a story about the (in my opinion) misguided new Pentagon policy preventing servicepeople from accessing certain internet sites, the Associated Press finally comes out and admits that terrorists (the AP calls them "insurgents") are posting video to YouTube:

Iraqi insurgents or their supporters have been posting videos on YouTube at least since last fall. The Army recently began posting videos on YouTube showing soldiers defeating insurgents and befriending Iraqis.

Via AP:

BAGHDAD - U.S. and Iraqi forces exchanged fire with suspected Sunni insurgents on Monday, killing two and wounding four of them during a massive search for three missing American soldiers in a volatile area south of Baghdad, the Iraqi army said.

An al-Qaida front group, the Islamic State in Iraq, claimed Sunday that it had captured U.S soldiers in a deadly attack on a U.S. convoy the day before in Sunni area south of Baghdad that is known as the "triangle of death" _ a longtime al-Qaida stronghold.

Meanwhile, 4,000 U.S. troops backed by aircraft, intelligence units and Iraqi forces were scouring the farming area around Mahmoudiya and the nearby town of Youssifiyah for the third day, as the military promised to make every effort available to find the missing soldiers.

The Islamic State in Iraq (ISI) is responsible for the recent kidnappings and videotaped murders of Iraqi soldiers and police officers. It also claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and murder of two American soldiers last summer. It is an umbrella group of Sunni militias including the Mujahideen Shura Council in Iraq, Conquering Army (Jeish al-Fatiheen), Soldiers of the Prophet Muhammad (Jund al-Sahaba), and Brigades of Al-Tawhid Wal Sunnah. It aims to overthrow the current Iraqi government and replace it with an Islamic caliphate.

UPDATE: Al-Qaida to U.S.: Stop searching for missing soldiers

BAGHDAD — An al-Qaida front group that claims it has captured American soldiers warned the United States on Monday to stop searching for them and suggested it attacked the U.S. convoy as revenge for the rape and murder of a local teenager last year.

The U.S. military also said for the first time it believes the three missing soldiers were abducted by al-Qaida-linked militants after an attack that included three roadside bombs.

"What you are doing in searching for your soldiers will lead to nothing but exhaustion and headaches. Your soldiers are in our hands. If you want their safety, do not look for them," the Islamic State of Iraq said on a militant Web site.

....for a new direction.

Add your caption this pic in coments and you might get a Fatwa! It's not the Blog Sabbath but with Rusty gone we can make our own rules.

Hat Tip: J.

If you are rioting in Pakistan today and you happen to run across anything that glows a lot. Please report it immediately.

Via Nature.com:

"A Pakistani public information campaign about what to do if you stumble across stray radioactive material is raising hairs on the necks of Western arms control experts. The ads, which appeared last week in several Urdu-language newspapers, featured the large, yellow radiation symbol and a warning to report any lost or misplaced isotopes."

Hat Tip: Nick.

We've been saying this for years, much to the dismay of our political opponents.

If you're not actively against radical Islamists, terrorism or indiscriminate murder in the name of Allah, then you're objectively pro-terrorist. Al-Qaeda obviously sees it this way, and the Democrats are the useful idiots who enable them by doing their propaganda work- dutifully demoralizing the enemies of radical Islam. Buried in the aforelinked WaPo article, we find this:

Mohamad al-Janabi, a reputed al-Qaeda member in the nearby city of Salman Pak, said in a telephone interview that he was unable to contact his comrades in Mahmudiyah to determine whether they were responsible for the attack.

But he added: "I can assure you that we will start pressuring Bush in a new way at the same time he is facing pressures from the Democrats and the American people. And there will be no problem to sacrifice 10 soldiers in order to abduct a single American soldier and get him on television screens begging for us to release him."

And Orwell was a smart guy - had the left pegged years before we had them pegged.

Where are the Democrats supporting the Troops who are currently ALIVE AND FIGHTING? Oh, wait. They're only useful to the Democrats if they're dead. I forgot.

Memorial Day is about honoring the fallen, not about holding antiwar rallies over the graves and memorials of America's war dead.

There are 364 other days on which you should (and will) have your pathetic protests. Memorial Day belongs to the war dead, their families and the country who loves and supported them. We honor their memory not be decrying the wars in which they fought, but by remembering why they fought and died in them.

And if the Democrats can't figure out the "why" of the current war (it certainly ain't oil, lefties), then there is no use explaining it to them. They don't care. Hence, they're not honoring the war dead. They're spitting on heroe's graves as part of a cheap publicity stunt. Sponsored by the Democrats.

These are the folks who refer to America's struggle as a "mistake," a "blunder," a "lie," a "crime," etc. By extension, they're indicting the soldiers who executed that policy as foot soldiers in these "crimes" and "lies." They don't support the Troops, because they don't support the mission for which the Troops fight.

Of course, we shouldn't expect much from a candidate who hired two of the most vile and hate-filled liberal bloggers on the web and didn't even know it until it blew up in his face.

ht: Bryan at Hot Air

May 13, 2007

(Kandahar, Afghanistan) The one-legged operations commander of the Taliban, Mullah Dadullah, is reported dead. He was killed last night in a U.S.-led coalition operation supported by NATO and Afghan Security Forces in the Girishk District of the Helmand Province.

NATO has confirmed the death and a reporter familiar with Dadullah has seen and recognized his body.

The bearded face was pale and splattered with blood, and he appeared to have suffered a head wound.

Placed on a stretcher, the corpse was partially covered with a purple cloth. The left leg was missing.

"He was killed last night and right now I have his body before me."

Dadullah's death is considered a serious blow to the Taliban. A Pakistani newspaper editor said, "I think this is the biggest loss for the Taliban in the last six years. I don't think they can find someone as daring and as important as Dadullah."

Update by Howie: Live Leak Video of Deadullah's corpse here(warning graphic). Images below the fold.

Update II: Taliban claims Deadullah still alive?

Let's hope not...I've added a few common pics of live Mullah Deadullah for comparison below.

Update III: Hooray! He really is dead, Really, you don't have to replace live people.

Deadullah living pics below.

To all the under-recognized child-bearers and rearers of America and the globe, Happy Mother's Day! May you all experience a pleasurable celebration.

To all the mothers who have lost a child defending freedom and the rule of law, whether Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere, hopefully the following is appropriate.

Executive Mansion
Washington
Nov. 21, 1864

To Mrs. Bixby
Boston, Mass.

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
A. Lincoln

It has to be true, they like, printed flyers and stuff, and are gonna like, protest, and march, and hold signs and things so that they can prove how oppressed they are, becuz, hey, in their own country, they'd like, be flying kites and eating sweets if it weren't for their Imperial British Overlords, who, like don't really Overlord them, but, becauze they moved to Britain, now they like, have British overlords. English ones, too.

Proof under the fold, thanks to Jen Glenvey.

May 12, 2007

Via AP:

BAGHDAD - U.S. and Iraqi troops searched house-to-house and combed fields with their bare hands Saturday after American troops and their Iraqi interpreter came under attack in the notorious "triangle of death" south of Baghdad, leaving five dead and three missing.

The military said the patrol was struck in a pre-dawn explosion near Mahmoudiya, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of Baghdad _ an al-Qaida area where two U.S. soldiers were found massacred after disappearing at a checkpoint nearly a year ago.

A nearby unit heard the blast and the search was launched after communication could not be established with the patrol, the military said, adding that a drone plane later observed two burning vehicles after about15 minutes.

An emergency response unit arrived at the scene about an hour later and found five members of the team killed and three others listed as duty status and whereabouts unknown.

The attack came in the same area where last summer two American soldiers were kidnapped and murdered. The bodies of Pfc. Kristian Menchaca and Pfc. Thomas Tucker were found mutilated and booby-trapped in June 2006.

Two other American soldiers remain missing in Iraq: Sgt. Matt Maupin, who was captured in April 2004, and Spc. Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie, an interpreter who was kidnapped in Baghdad in October 2006.

We mourn the loss of the five soldiers who were killed and we pray for the safety of the three missing, as well as for those troops involved in the search and rescue efforts going on now.

Video of the Army news conference describing the attack below the fold.

H/t George.

(Ottawa, Canada) Nearly six years after 9/11, Canadian authorities have decided to implement a "no-fly list" of people reasonably suspected as immediate threats to the safety of aircraft, passengers and crew. The list takes effect on June 18th. At passenger check-in, names will be automatically screened against the government list.

The no-fly list will be compiled by Transport Canada with input from the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

The new rules will apply to all passengers "who appear to be 12 years of age or older." The government says that is consistent with the definition of a child under Canadian law (Criminal Code and the Youth Criminal Justice Act).

Overseas travel already requires a passport. For domestic travel, passengers will require one piece of valid government-issued photo ID that shows name, date of birth and gender, such as a driver's licence or a passport; or two pieces of valid government-issued non-photo ID, at least one of which shows name, date of birth and gender, such as a birth certificate.

In a time of global holy war, failure to screen air passengers is risky. Nevertheless, it's understandable that people are apprehensive about having their names and personal information on a government list.

Meanwhile, there's news that the CSIS is being flooded with applications. More and more Canadians want to become spies. Last year, over 14,000 people applied with only 100 hired as intelligence officers. Let's all hope that the Canadians don't unwittingly recruit Muslim jihadists for intelligence officers as reportedly the Brits did.

PARIS (AP) Looking thin and frail, a French aid worker returned to France on Saturday after five weeks in Taliban captivity in Afghanistan and made a plea for his captors to free three Afghans seized with him.

Eric Damfreville wore a bandage over one eye as he stepped off a French plane at the Villacoublay military airport, west of Paris. He was met by the French foreign minister.

"I feel a great joy to be here this morning," Damfreville said. "But my joy will be even greater once Azrat, Rasul, Hashim, three Afghans, are also freed."

The aid group he worked for, Terre d'Enfance, said Damfreville had spent most of his captivity bound and gagged and described his health as "quite deteriorated."

Damfreville said he was treated well by his captors and that his weakened health was a result of the length of his detention and the sparse conditions of the area where he was held.

I guess he's trying to put a good face on it while his 3 friends are still being held by the same thugs who treated him so well. If this is the premium Western-hostage care, I hate to think of how those poor Afghan guys are being treated. This is the thanks they get for trying to make a wretched hellhole a little less hellish. Obviously that isn't going to happen while the Taliban continue to exist.

No lobbying reform. No earmark reform. No victory in Iraq. Highest tax burden in history. Conflicts of interest, corrupt politicians and self-righteous do-nothing morons everywhere one looks. Just another day in the Do-Nothing Democrat Congress.

House Democrats are suddenly balking at the tough lobbying reforms they touted to voters last fall as a reason for putting them in charge of Congress.

Now that they are running things, many Democrats want to keep the big campaign donations and lavish parties that lobbyists put together for them. They're also having second thoughts about having to wait an extra year before they can become high-paid lobbyists themselves should they retire or be defeated at the polls.

Not to say we told you so, but we told you so.

Now to sit back and watch "the most ethical, most open, least corrupt" Congress in the history of the Universe continue to implode.

CNN ran this super last night:

It was supposed to read "Blair Resigns."

In March, Reuters ran this:

CNN also ran the headline.

And, in November of 2005, CNN made this mistake:

Odd how the "mistakes" seem to run in one direction.

Latest CNN gaffe via TV Newser.

May 11, 2007

Personally, I think the count is low.

But, that's just me.

For one thing, it doesn't include jihadist casualties from botched bomb-making, inter-terrorist cell squabbles, and diseases from goat humping.

Pam at Iraq War Today may not yet attain warmongering bigot status soon, but she's getting there with this nice rant.

Really, though, sweetie, you should strive for the lofty heights of Zionist Whore instead.

Omar The Goat Humping Bakri Mohammed was questioned by Lebanese authorities yesterday.

To listen to him whine, go here.

stein hoist: Glen Jenvey

UPDATE: Here is a video report by the BBC on Eric's release::

Wonderful news out of Afghanistan:

The Taliban freed a French aid worker kidnapped last month in Afghanistan, a spokesman for the group said Friday.

Qari Mohammad Yousuf said the Taliban handed over Eric Damfreville to tribal elders in the province of Kandahar. The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed Damfreville was transferred to its representatives.

There were unconfirmed reports he may be taken to Kandahar airfield, then possibly Kabul, before he heads to France.

This is a wonderful answer to prayers; let's continue to pray for the safe release of Eric's three Afghan co-workers.

Anyone want to bet that newly-elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy made the Taliban an offer they couldn't refuse?

"I made him an offer he couldn't refuse."

This animated sequence is really well done:

h/t : PJM Seattle

Why would Camp Obama be embarrassed by vulgar and provocative paintings?

This garbage (termed "art" by hoity-toit morons) is the kind of "free thinking" and "expression" that the Democrats have spent the better part of the last five decades fighting with every cell in their pathetic bodies to be displayed on taxpayer dime.

Now that their legacy bears fruit during the YouTube generation at their campaign functions, there's suddenly a problem? What are they afraid of? Are they suddenly making moral judgments about the art?

Are they afraid to let the country see the "true colors" of the Democrat Party? Those colors being a painting of Brittney Spears's genitals and one of a shirt that says "Kill Lincoln?"

I mean, we all know that only a white conservative Bible-belt Christian male would ever paint paint such paintings.

Deep. Nuanced.

The full story is posted at RedState.

Northeast Intelligence Network - Visitors to this site may recall our reports of suspicious bulk cellular telephone purchases and the subsequent controversy about this issue. The essence of the argument involves the intended use of the cellular telephones purchased in bulk – in the majority of cases by young men of Middle Eastern appearance or origin.

Those on the side of the purchasers have consistently asserted that such purchases are made for entrepreneurial reasons – the phones are purchased in bulk and sold at a higher markup elsewhere. The purchasers have been described by their families as "good boys" with no connections to terrorism and no malevolent intent, a template ripped from the pages of certain Islamic civil rights organizations to portray these young men as victims of a system too quick to profile. The Northeast Intelligence Network has consistently maintained that the cell phones are being used for terrorist purposes, although this possibility has been consistently downplayed by federal authorities and the media.

On Wednesday, however, authorities in Muleshoe, Texas questioned a man who confessed to buying sixty disposable cell phones in a variety of Muleshoe stores. According to local news reports, he admitted that the phones would eventually be used as bomb detonators in Iraq – bombs that will undoubtedly claim the lives of our young men and women fighting in the dusty battlefields against Islamic terrorism – bombs built with components of cell phones purchased in the U.S.

According to this local news report, the man has since been released, and no charges were filed.

Sadly ironic, isn’t it?

Posted at Ace of Spades HQ:

Dorkafork suggests that the Politico or whatever leftwing outfit or reporter handling the next Democratic debate ask for a "show of hands" as to which candidates have an "open mind" about 9/11 being an American government conspiracy.

Rob Port wants to see that, too.

Wedge issues are difficult things to negotiate -- one one hand, if you please the base, you'll alienate the center; if you please the center, you alienate the base. And you need both to win; alienating either too much results in defeat...

So here we have a very serious wedge issue for Democrats -- a majority of Democrats believe that Bush either knew about 9/11 beforehand, or may have known beforehand; but to the majority of Americans -- including the vital center -- such conspiratorial paranoia is insane, and a Democrat offering support for such a view would be all but unelectable.

Curious as to what life might be like under an Obama administration? Well, if you're a gun owner, you might like to know that Obama has endorsed a ban on the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic firearms. From Project Vote Smart:

Gun Issues

(Back to top) Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

X a)

Ban the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons.

X b)

Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.

Some strategists consider Obama dangerous in the general election. Yes, he's smooth and charismatic. On the other hand, he's a left-winger, and his positions just aren't going to play well in the general. Mark my words, folks : nominee B. Hussein Obama would be a godsend to the Republicans--and I'm pretty sure the grown-ups in the Democrat Party know this. He may not be quite as magical, but Bill Richardson (who holds an "A" rating from the NRA) would be a whole lot easier sell on Main Street. Hillary, for all her high negatives, can at least SEE the middle of the road from where she's standing. Obama? Not so much. Whether the game's ultimately decided by the grown-ups or the nutroots remains to be seen.

Word has it that the very lovely Ashley Judd (images) has matriculated from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor's degree in French.

Being a degree holder, Ms. Judd is now more qualified than Rosie O'Donnell and Barbra Streisand to lecture world leaders on foreign policy and scientific investigators on the laws of physics. Only time will tell if she chooses to use her newly-acquired powers for good or for evil...

May 10, 2007

In his latest podcasts, Fred opines on the correct interpretation of the Second Amendment and presents A Tribute to Monsieur Sarkozy.

Over at Fred2008.org, we've opined on Thompson's name recognition and noted Fred's dominance of April's Online GOP Straw Poll.

Last but not least, we have new Fred 2008 goodies available.

Enjoy!

The Circuit City clerk who reported a jihadi video that the accused Fort Dix terrorists wanted transferred to DVD may need Congressional action to protect him from being sued:

"The events in Fort Dix are just another reminder of the need for this legislation," said Rep. Steve Pearce, New Mexico Republican and author of legislation to protect "John Doe" passengers being sued by a group of Muslim imams for reporting their suspicious behavior.

"We owe a debt of gratitude to this individual for alerting authorities to this potential terrorist attack and thwarting what could have been a terrible disaster. I can only imagine how grateful the men and women at Fort Dix and their families are for the courage of this person to take action when he saw something suspicious," Mr. Pearce said.

Next time a Fort Dix-type conspiracy is discovered, authorities should wait until the terrorists begin their attack, then blow them away.

So 2,700 active-duty troops petitioning Congress to support the war isn't news.

Retired generals who have been against the effort for years are suddenly news. Three of them.

What the hell is up with this? Why is the news media ignoring the Troops? Why are they trying to suppress one half of the "story" - the half that doesn't go along with the Democrats?

Update: #644 below the fold

Neo-Neocon questions reports that al-Qaeda is growing.

Al Qaeda is a secret organization. It doesn’t publish statistics on how many members it has, and if it did we wouldn’t believe them anyway, because for al Qaeda propaganda trumps veracity every time.

And yet lack of specific knowledge doesn’t stop commentators from tossing out pronouncements, not only about al Qaeda’s size and its recent growth or lack thereof, but also about the reasons behind said expansion...

...in fact, a good case could be made that the Iraq War has caused a decline in al Qaeda sympathy, at least in Iraq itself, where most of the victims of al Qaeda seem to have been innocent Iraqis. But the truth is, no one knows, and yet that doesn’t stop many people from acting as though they do.

It seems to me that we are both more aware of terrorism. Iraq and the GWOT force many off the fence so to speak. The increased awareness and the forcing of people to choose a side probably does create a perception of increased support.

I'm just not sure how much of that is true growth or just a blooming of support of those who would support al-Qaeda anyway. The truth is no one really knows for sure, except maybe in al-Anbar where it is clear al-Qaeda is losing support.

After Ragnars post here, I felt it would be appropriate to post an opposing view. Plus I own Neo-Neocon a link.

Unfortunately Farfur is only the tip of the iceberg. Laura Mansfield has written an article today on Hamas's childrens website al-Fateh.net.

I've written about the HAMAS website for children, al-fateh.net, on several occasions. So when I saw the articles about HAMAS adopting a Mickey Mouse "clone" to incite hatred against Israel, I thought it might be a good time to check back in on al-fateh.net and see what they were publishing these days.

I was surprised to see that they have carried the promotion of violence to new levels.

Al-fateh.net is a popular website in the Arab world. It has a 3-month worldwide ranking of 60,139 on Alexa.com, a popular site for tracking popularity of websites. In the Palestinian territories it ranks around 2,000, and ranks in the 3,000 - 8,000 range in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.

The website features colorful cartoons along with articles aimed at elementary school aged children, and encourages kids to send in photographs and letters. The site uses a magazine format, updating on a regular basis.

Mohammed Fadhil of Iraq the model asks that we stay to help Iraq.

Via NY Daily News: I wasn't surprised when I saw Al Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, appear on Al Jazeera to announce America's defeat last week, not long after U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid did. Zawahiri claims Al Qaeda has won, and Reid claims America has lost.

But from here in Baghdad, I see only a war that's still raging - with no victory in sight for Al Qaeda or any other entity. In fact, I see Al Qaeda on the ropes, losing support among my fellow Iraqis.

In the midst of such a fierce war, sending more wrong messages could only further complicate an already complicated situation. It would only create more of a mess inside Iraq - a mess that would then be exploited by Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia for their own purposes: more iron-fisted control of the peoples and treasures of the region, more pushing the Middle East to crises and confrontations, and more spreading of their dark, backward ideologies.

And so, as an Iraqi, I say without hesitation: the American forces should stay here, and further reinforcements should be sent if the situation requires them. Not only that, these forces should be prepared to expand their operations whenever and wherever necessary to strike hard at the nests of evil that not only threaten Iraq and the Middle East, but seek to blackmail the whole world in the ugliest way through pursuing nuclear weapons.

So I began to think about that. I began to think about just how many decent Iraqis it would take for it to be worth staying. What is the right thing? I asked myself. I found my answer.

The Lord said, "If I find 50 godly people in the city of Sodom, I will save it. I will spare the whole place because of them."

Then Abraham spoke up again. He said, "I have been very bold to speak to the Lord. After all, I'm only dust and ashes. What if the number of godly people is five less than 50? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?"

"If I find 45 there," he said, "I will not destroy it."

Once again Abraham spoke to him. He asked, "What if only 40 are found there?"

He said, "If there are 40, I will not do it."

Then Abraham said, "Lord, don't let your anger burn against me. Let me speak. What if only 30 can be found there?"

He answered, "If there are 30, I will not do it."

Abraham said, "I have been very bold to speak to the Lord. What if only 20 are found there?"

He said, "If there are 20, I will not destroy it."

Then he said, "Lord, don't let your anger burn against me. Let me speak just one more time. What if only ten are found there?"

He answered, "If there are ten, I will not destroy it."

Well not really. Today Assad again vowed not to cooperate in the investigation into the death of Rafiq al-Hariri.

Via The Guardian: Syria will not cooperate with a UN tribunal set up to try suspects in the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri, a defiant President Bashar al-Assad pledged in Damascus today.

Mr Assad's message came as pressure mounted for movement in the case, which triggered mass protests and the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon. A UN investigation has implicated Lebanese and Syrian security officials in the 2005 killing in Beirut. Mr Assad denies involvement but has said that any Syrian found to be involved will be tried by a Syrian court.

Image credit :The Scottsman.

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- A Hamas-run television channel has defied a Palestinian government request to axe a controversial children's cartoon in which a Mickey Mouse look-alike urges resistance against Israel.

The international media are absolutely disgusting and reprehensible with this story; they’re doing their level best to whitewash and minimize the impact, and it’s shameful beyond belief.

Via SITE:

The Islamic State of Iraq, through its al-Furqan Foundation for Media Production, issued to jihadist forums today, Thursday, May 10, 2007, a one-minute video depicting the gunshot execution of the nine captured employees of the Iraqi Ministries of Interior and Defense. A prior video released by the group on Monday showed these individuals bound and standing in front of the Islamic State’s flag, as demands for their release within a 72-hour period were made of the Iraqi government. These demands, including the release of female Sunni Muslim prisoners and the turnover of Shi’ite police officers allegedly guilty of the rape of Sabrin al-Janabi and women in Tal Afar, mirror the demands made by the Islamic State in similar incidents for the past two months, which went unheeded. After a message declaring that the deadline had passed and the Shari’a Court had decided to implement the “Rule of Allah” upon the captured, the scene cuts to outdoor footage of each prison bound and blindfolded, and shot in the back of the head one-by-one by the executioner.

The ISI has apparently decided to milk this alleged rape for all it's worth: this is the third incident in which Iraqi National Guardsmen have been kidnapped and murdered. In April, 20 Iraqi soldiers and policemen were abducted and murdered; in March, 18 were killed

H/t George

Video below the fold

Update: The video has been removed by Google. Email Howie if you need a copy. I'll add a few frames below.

But they were just follwoing the fine example that Muhammad Left for them. Muhammad Married Aisha at nine. Some claim he consumated his marriage then, other Islamic scholars say he waited until she was 12 and and he was 56. Still that's sick sick sick.

Via Jpost: Numerous people have said that Mohammed had sex with his youngest wife, ‘Aisha, daughter of Abu Bakr, when he was about 53

A local husband and his wife have been arrested by the Palestinian Authority police on charges of selling their two daughters to young men.

The two girls, aged 12 and 13, were sold for 2,700 Jordanian dinars [approximately NIS 15,000] and NIS 7,000, said Col. Issa Hijo, commander of the Ramallah District Police Force.

He said the two men who bought the girls were brothers aged 23 and 25 and that they had been arrested on charges of raping minors.

"What is astonishing about this case is the fact that the two girls were sold with the approval of their mother and the parents of the two men," Hijo said. "This incident takes us back to the period of slavery. What is even more shocking is the fact that the two men's mother argued that this was an accepted custom."

Under Sharia women have fewer rights than men and are treated as the property of her parents or husband. The next logic thing, since they are property, is people willing to profit from the sale of their own flesh and blood.

More here at Israel Matzav.

Then again, Palestinian mothers aren't exactly known for loving their children. This Philistine mother stomps the throat of her dead son after "militants" accused him of being a spy for the PA security forces and of course the Joooooos.

Yeah, I've been pretty despondent for a while over the whole thing. I really believe what we're doing over there is good for those people, the region and for the world in general.

READ THE REST OF MY RESPONSE BELOW THE FOLD -->

The problem has been cowardice and political infighting all along. The solidarity mythologized after 9-11-01 was all too temporary; within days, the same voices that are currently driving the Democrat party over a cliff were the first ones calling for our defeat back then.

Its just sad. Many of us have heard that Army Ranger caller on the Neal Boortz show, who summed it up perfectly. Once the first body bag came home, we were obligated to finish the job. And I'm still all for finishing the job and then continuing into other terrorist havens to do the same thing.

The political and 'real-world' reality, however, is that politicians will never stand up and give this kind of war the proper vigorous execution we all know it really requires. And that is a damn shame - for the precious US Troops, the Iraqi people, and (for real) basic human rights and dignity for the world.

The West, and our country in particular, has had one massive, collective taking-of-the-eye-off-the-ball. I've been following the ups and downs all along, but I can't sat the same for most people I know. They only know what they see on CNN. It's that pathetic.

So I'm all for vigorous prosecution of the war. I'm dying for a military victory. I'm not tired of defending and point out the goods of what we're doing. But many others are wearing down, while many others still are cowards of the lowest order. And it is those cowards appealing to people's most base and pathetic emotions of helplessness and despair that are having the greatest emotional resonance among the general population (for now). Its pathetic, I know, but that's what it appears we've got. Splitters. They'll have and continue to have the blood of many a good and decent person on their hands.

I'm holding out, praying, and hoping for victory. It just seems some days that there are too many parties that don't want it to happen. And that is the most bizzare aspect of everything we've seen in Iraq since 2003.

So here's hoping.

You don’t have to wait for the UN (Ha!) or the State Department to implement financial pressure on the Iranian regime. You can start today by pushing for terror free retirement and pension funds.

Via Rocket’s Brain: RBT could use some help in getting the word out to all CA law enforcement officers serving or have served in the GWOT. RBT needs letters of support from these officers and other officers either active or retired expressing their dismay that their pension fund is invested in companies still doing business with Iran. RBT believes we can finesse Cal-PERS and STRS to bring strategic pressure on these companies to cease doing business with this terrorist regime. Because Cal-PERS and STRS are such huge institutional investors, the mere inquiry by their investment committes may be all that is necessary to bring about the desired action without throwing the baby out with the wash.

RBT is willing to collect these letters and see that they reach the right people. Please send them to the following address and include "AB221" in the subject line:

nar9350@gmail.com

In fact this is worst in Britain which is often held up as the “Gold Standard” for nationalized healthcare.

Via Blue Crab Boulevard: British cancer patients are substantially more likely to die of the disease than those in other western European countries because of poor access to the latest drugs, according to an authoritative report to be published today.

While more than half of patients in France, Spain, Germany and Italy have access to new treatments provided since 1985, the proportion in the UK is four out of 10.

French women with cancer are 34 per cent more likely than those in the UK to still be alive five years after being diagnosed, while French male patients have a 23 per cent higher survival rate after the same period.

The report into cancer treatment in 25 countries found the uptake of newer cancer drugs was "low and slow" in the UK as well as New Zealand, Poland, Czech Republic and South Africa.

An excellent review of the suppressed documentary posted at Pajamas Media:

[Islam vs. Islamism] is a riveting and creatively made film about the most important subject of our time: what to do about radical Islam? It confronts this dilemma in a sly, novelistic manner, inter-weaving the stories of good, moderate Muslims with the Imams and supposedly “true Muslims” who, not surprisingly, accuse the moderate Muslims of not being Muslims at all. Soon enough we learn these Imams are apologists for terrorism and for the worst kind of medieval religious sadism. (One of them enthusiastically endorses the stoning to death of adulterers by holding up a Koran. “I didn’t make this up,” he says proudly. “It is written here.”) The mostly mild-mannered moderate Muslims are shown to be at risk for the lives, some of them accompanied everywhere by bodyguards.

All this is done with the people talking about themselves and revealing themselves (including the Imam responsible for the bloody Danish Cartoons riots). There are no so-called “terrorism experts” or other talking heads interpreting reality for us.

Leo Eaton
Eaton Creative, Inc.
1646 Stone Chapel Road
New Windsor, MD 21776

eatoncreative@eatoncreative.com

(410) 876-9843
(410) 876-3931 (fax)

Jeff Bieber
WETA
2775 South Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22206
USA

jbieber@weta.org

(703) 998-2600
(703) 998-3401 (fax)

New Jawa Report category: 9-11 Trutherism

Screw Loose Change examines the Democrats' Twoofer infection.

Ace makes a strong case:

Let's see:

1. He supports Dennis Kucinich's desire for a fresh, Truther-friendly investigation into the "cover up" of 9/11.

2. He goes on Truther radio shows.

3. He suggests, Trutherifically, that the US will phony up a fake attack by Iran on our troops (probably killing Americans, as we may have done on 9/11) in order to have a pretext to bomb the mullahs. So, you know, if Iran actually does fire on American warships, his supporters will know it's actually all a contrivance by the US government. (As was Iran's taking of British hostages, presumably. As was the Khobar Towers bombing, presumably.)

But he's not a Truther, oh no, and he's definitely not a conspiracy nutter or John Bircher crank. Nor is he some kind of Dogmatically Dopey Barroom Ideologue.

No, he's a Serious American Candidate with all sorts of Important Principles about Limited Constitutional Government and the Gold Standard and Suchlike Things.

Whatever. If I wanted a fruitcake candidate, I'd've supported Alan Freakin' Keyes in 2000 (or 1996, or 2002, or 2004, or any of the six thousand other times he's run haplessly for public office).

I'm inclined to agree with AllahP's take, as much as it pains me personally.

Sad, tragic, and disgraceful. Predictable, though, and plainly indicative of the mass impotence society has imposed upon itself in the face of a pathetic and truly vile enemy.

While the war won't be ending rapidly or fairly for our Troops (thank the Democrats in Congress and the useful idiots in the press for seeking to erode support for the effort since the beginning), the confluence of world events seems to be quickening apace. A lot has happened in the past week to further deflate the war effort.

Out by this fall? Well, not everyone, that's for sure. At that point, the Democrats are going to have to explain (absent of any coherent plan) why they want to leave some troops there to be attacked but have their reinforcements sent home.

Its good to see our Congress supports and trusts our military enough to let them finish what they're doing.

The real heroes are in Washington.

ht: AllahP

Roy Hallums lectured about his captivity and rescue in Iraq to students at his local high school on Wednesday. Suddenly I find myself in envy of some eleventh graders.

Via Pamela Perkins at Commercialappeal.com: Roy Hallums left students and teachers at St. Benedict at Auburndale High School in Cordova dumbfounded Wednesday. If for no other reason than that he was actually there.

The Cordova resident was held hostage in Iraq for 311 days -- from November 2004 until U.S. soldiers rescued him in September 2005.

He was at St. Benedict to talk about the ordeal in his first speech to a school group. Hallums usually speaks at law enforcement training workshops around the country…

...St. Benedict teacher Eric Wells had invited Hallums to speak to his modern history class. After word spread around the school, the speech was moved to the auditorium.

"I think it's really important for them to see the realities of what's going on a half a world away," Wells said. "That there's more than just numbers and news stories."

For many students, Hallums' presentation was surreal.

"I couldn't believe it," said 11th-grader Olivia Broyles. "He made you seem like you were there like him."

Leslie Posey, also in the 11th grade, found it hard to imagine what Hallums went through. "I can't get that in my head," she said.

Jawa Report Roy Hallums Archive.

Way to go, fatty.

The trade embargo isn't just there for show, you know. Its law.

May 09, 2007

Oh, funny.