CatHouse Chat

Mike Ramirez: SLAM DUNK!

Click to embiggen, or go over to Mike Ramirez' page and view the political cartoon from 23Jun09:

A devastating - and accurate - critique.

(kittipurrs to Jerry)

Blessings and cursings...

Through many years and countless trials America has stood fast as a friend of Israel, one of her allies and defenders against a world determined to destroy God's chosen nation.

Yes, I did say God's CHOSEN nation. Believe it or not, America, no matter how richly God has blessed and nurtured her, is not His chosen nation. Never has been. All the way back in the book of Genesis, God promised Abraham:

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. (Gen 12:3, ESV)

All the Arab world in particular wants to destroy Israel and they surround that holy land in hostility, envy, and hatred. Unceasing attacks, suicide bombers, slander and libel, and satanic lies. They curse and dishonor Israel every moment of every day, and I have no doubt that they are storing up wrath for the Day of Wrath to come. I am completely assured that God will vindicate His people in His time.

No, my concern is for America if she fails in her friendship to Israel:

An unnamed former highly-placed U.S.intelligence official has broken silence and says that America may soon be abandoning Israel in favor of the Arabs. “This is just the beginning”, he said, "Israel could be about to lose the support of the United States." [...]

In his report, the unnamed intelligence source told Hagmann, “I have every reason to believe, based on what I’ve seen at my level of [security] clearance especially over the last several years, that Israel will soon be completely on their own… or worse.” He explained this would happen “when our administration provides more support to Arab countries [with] financial and military aid, undercutting Israel’s defense efforts all while pushing Israel to succumb to the pressure of unreasonable demands designed to end with their political annihilation as a nation.”

Am I saying that Israel is perfect and can do no wrong? No, of course not! But as one of her closest friends and allies, America has the duty and honor to hold fast to the relationship.We can rebuke Israel in grace and humility when we think she is in the wrong, but we should be utterly loyal to her as she endures and retaliates against the atrocities leveled against her by the Arab world.

There is another aspect to this issue: more and more, America is turning away from and rejecting her Judeo-Christian foundation. More and more, America puts herself in peril by her increasing hostility to Christianity as well:

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Gal. 3:7-9, ESV)

God's chosen nation is Israel. His chosen people are the true children of Abraham: all who have faith in Him through His Son. By honoring and respecting God's chosen nation and His chosen people, a nation will be richly blessed by the God of the universe, who is all-powerful.

But if you curse and dishonor His nation and His people, will you not reap what you have sown?

Be warned, America. You are treading very close to a line you should not cross.

Jane Novak: Yemen's Paladin of Freedom

UPDATE: Jane will be on CNN today at 2:30 (eastern time) for an interview [UPDATE - It got bumped due to news of Sen. Kennedy's brain tumor], and on BBC by phone at 6:30pm - be sure to tune in! [/update]

My Cotillion blog sister, Jane Novak who blogs at Armies of Liberation, is the subject of a major article in the New York Times today:

Ms. Novak does not fit the profile of a dilettante in exotic causes. A former sales manager for a textile company, she speaks with a distinct Brooklyn accent, having grown up in Flatbush. When a Yemeni government minister visited the United States last year and invited the notorious “Jane,” as she is known throughout Yemen, to go to Washington for a meeting, she turned him down. “It was too much, the money, the kids, all for a one-day trip,” she said.

Nor does she have any background in Middle East studies. One of her opponents in Yemen accused her of being a Zionist member of Aipac, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. “I had to Google it,” Ms. Novak said with a chuckle. “I didn’t know what it was.”

It was after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that Ms. Novak, who used to work not far from the World Trade Center, first took an interest in the Arab world. “I thought it would be a good idea to write in the English-language Arabic press on subjects we could all agree on, freedom of the press, equality, stuff like that,” she said.

Through her efforts on behalf of Yemeni democracy and freedom, Jane was contacted by Abdul Karim al-Khaiwani, a Yemeni journalist currently imprisoned and facing a probable death penalty - all because he did his job and reported the truth of what was happening in Saada Province with the Houthi Rebellion.

She says her campaign is a matter of basic principle. “This is a country that lets Al Qaeda people go free, and they’re putting a journalist on trial for doing his job?” she said. “It’s just completely crazy.”

But Ms. Novak does admit to a personal interest in the case. She and Mr. Khaiwani have become close friends, though they have never met, and neither speaks the other’s language. One of the charges against him is receiving a cellphone text message from her, as part of an alleged plot (which he denies) to aid the Houthi rebels in northern Yemen.

“The penalty for this crime is usually death,” Mr. Khaiwani said during an interview at his home in the Yemeni capital, Sana, in January. A lanky 42-year-old with large, piercing eyes and a dark sense of humor, he has already been jailed four times by the authorities in connection with his journalism. Last year he was kidnapped and beaten by men he says were plainclothes police officers.

Mr. Khaiwani added, with a broad smile: “If you add to this my relationship with Jane Novak, it means the death penalty for sure.”

I urge you to add your name to the petition to demand that the Yemeni government free al-Khaiwani, and remove restrictions on journalists. The Yemeni government harbors and helps terrorists, and - as evidenced by their release of the convicted USS Cole bombers - has no real interest in fighting terrorism. Please join with Jane and scores of other people, and hopefully truth and justice will prevail for the people of Yemen - and al-Khaiwani will be freed.

SIGN UP NOW TO FREE AL-KHAIWANI!!!

UPDATE: Here's a pretty complete list of people blogging about this (thank you, Nicki!!)

• The Birthplace of the Process of Illogical Logic
• PoliGazette
• Fausta's Blog
• Conservative Belle
• My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
• International Herald Tribune
• Nice Deb
• The Cotillion
• Yeah, Right, Whatever
• Jihad Watch
• Talk Islam
• Cathouse Chat
• The Jawa Report
• Tigerhawk
• Texas Sparkle
• Crossroads Arabia
• Exit Zero
• Tech Republican
• Villainous Company
• Louisiana Conservative
• Hooah Wife and Friends
• Titus One Nine
• National Review Online (NRO)
• RightWingSparkle
• Alabama Improper
• politburo diktat 2.0 (ACE)
• Bill Doskoch
• Free Republic
• Atlas Shrugs
• The Home of Two of Jonah's Military Guys
• Alarabiya
• Redstate
• The American Mind (Sean Hackbarth)
• Blatherings
• Bill Boushka
• NeoConstant
• Time / CNN
• Little Miss Attila
• A View from England
• E the People (en español)
• Politics after 50
• Steal the Bandwagon
• The Reservoir
• Merri Musings
• Free Mark Steyn (link)
• The Jawa Report Radio Edition (click to listen)

Urgent request for support!

My friend and fellow Cotillion member, Jane Novak, has been blogging regularly and brilliantly about the corruption of the Yemeni government at her blog, the Armies of Liberation (she is also a contributor at the Jawa Report). The government of Yemen has little or no regard for human rights, and actively suppresses journalists who seek to uncover and promote the truth.

One of the most recent examples of this is Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani -

Renowned journalist Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani is one of Yemen's most prominent democracy advocates - for which he has paid a steep price. His paper has been closed, his website blocked, and his children threatened. He is now due to be sentenced on May 21 for "insulting the president" and "demoralizing the military."

During his arrest in June of 2007, Al-Khaiwani was beaten and his six-year-old daughter slapped unconscious. While released on bail in August, Al-Khaiwani was kidnapped and tortured by thugs who threatened his life if he continued to write about Yemen's president.

There is a petition up to protect media freedom in Yemen, and I am asking my readers to please go sign it. Jane has been working hard on this man's behalf, and to try and help bring democracy and journalistic freedom to Yemen. As a matter of fact, she's become a bit of a bête-noir and a thorn in the flesh to the Yemeni government!

So, any and all support would be much appreciated!

UPDATE: Here's Jane's post at Armies of Liberation (scroll down, it's halfway down the page), and her post at Jawa; both have lots of links to additional information.

Also:

• Nitallica
• MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
• Not Ready for My Burqua
• SixMeat Buffet
• Zoey at Blatherings
• Conservative Belle
• Alabama Improper
• Dread Pirate Bluto
• Villainous Company
• Stop the ACLU
• Nice Deb
• Right Wing Liberal
• Yemen Free Media

Stick a fork in him - he's done...

... either that, or he's a prime candidate for the loony bin:

Former President Jimmy Carter said Monday that Hamas is prepared to accept the right of Israel to "live as a neighbor next door in peace." [link]

Former President D'jimmi al-Qatar needs to align his mind with what has proven to be reality for almost 40 years - Hamas, Palestine, and the whole Islamic mess over there has never been truthful, has never kept its promises, and will never cease trying to destroy Israel.

Carter is wilfully blind to the lies these terrorists live by, and he is disgracing his former office and the country he once led (which is no surprise; he was a disgracefully inept leader). His anti-semitism is disgusting, and his hatred for the truth is obvious.

I join with Rep Myrick's demand to SecState Condoleeza Rice to revoke this stupid idiot's passport... Frankly, I'd love to revoke his citizenship...

Well, what did you expect?!

When you act like dhimmis, you get treated like dhimmis:

The top U.N. rights body on Thursday passed a resolution proposed by Islamic countries saying it is deeply concerned about the defamation of religions and urging governments to prohibit it.

The European Union said the text was one-sided because it primarily focused on Islam.

The U.N. Human Rights Council, which is dominated by Arab and other Muslim countries, adopted the resolution on a 21-10 vote over the opposition of Europe and Canada. [emph. mine] (source)

In other words, "Free speech? What's that?"

Europe, if you don't take a STRONG stand NOW, and insist that the Muslims afford you every respect and courtesy they desire for themselves, you're going to either convert to Islam, start paying the dhimmi tax and learning what the Jews felt like in Nazi Germany... Or you'll be dead.

Does Europe really want to open the door - however slightly - to Sharia law for EVERYONE?

And as for America... To my country I would say "See what is hapening in Europe? That's going to happen here, if we don't stand strong upon the foundation of freedom given to us by God and our Founders."

"Oh, wait, Kat - you just mentioned 'God.' Doesn't that make you the same as those who want to enforce Sharia law?"

No. You note that, although BECAUSE [thanks to my bog-brother Jim Bowden] our Founders and original citizens were mostly Christian, they gave us a framework which today allows us to say pretty much anything we want, without fear of our heads being whacked off by the religious police - just to start.

(FURTHER EDIT; I note that the God of Creation, the God who humbled Himself and lived amng us and Who DIED for us is big enough and strong enough to take slurs, accusations, denigration, and blasphemy... He is SO big, SO powerful, and SO perfect, that He permits us our "free speech" to try to bring Him down...

"allah" however, is so small, so weak, so insignificant [not a problem when "allah" is simply a non-god-demon of false religion], that "allah" must insist that no one may investigate his claims or his commands or his spokesmen.

"allah" is no god - he is a demon and weak, controlling, petty-ante nobody of a demon who just wants to enslave and demean humanity and control them so they live in hate versus compassion, love, justice and holiness. He maintains his power through fear and deception.

So, pffffft! to "allah" - little wannabe that he is!)

For those of my American readers, who think that

they [want] to stop the growing worldwide trend of using religious anti-defamation laws to limit free speech

I would invite them to leave America and go live in an Islamic country - and try to retain the freedoms we take for granted here. Have fun.

Freedom isn't free, folks. It takes vigilance and perseverance, and determination... Which is in decline in Europe, and which is well under way here in America.

Oh, I love the Aussies!!!

UPDATE: AAAAIIIGGGHHH!!!! I don't know how it happened, but I entered the wrong embed code. Thanks to Scott telling me, it's fixed now... I hope!

Brilliant, guys! *NEVER* submit to criminal behavior!

Maybe Cuba will be free soon...

One can only hope and pray!

FOXNews.com - Fidel Castro Resigns Cuban Presidency:

An ailing, 81-year-old Fidel Castro resigned as Cuba's president Tuesday after nearly a half-century in power, saying he will not accept a new term when parliament meets Sunday.

Couldn't happen soon enough... Make sure you go over to Babalu for all the latest and greatest news on Cuba!

*IS* China the upcoming economic giant?

Apparently not. Very intriguing article...

China, it turns out, isn't a $10-trillion economy on the brink of catching up with the United States. It is a $6-trillion economy, less than half our size. For the foreseeable future, China will have far less money to spend on its military and will face much deeper social and economic problems at home than experts previously believed.

What happened to $4 trillion in Chinese gross domestic product? [...]

The political consequences will be felt far and wide. To begin with, the U.S. will remain the world's largest economy well into the future. Given that fact, fears that China will challenge the U.S. for global political leadership seem overblown. Under the old figures, China was predicted to pass the United States as the world's largest economy in 2012. That isn't going to happen.

Also, the difference in U.S. and Chinese living standards is much larger than previously thought. Average income per Chinese is less than one-tenth the U.S. level. With its people this poor, China will have a hard time raising enough revenue for the vast military buildup needed to challenge the United States.

Very interesting! Of course, the article talks about the readjustment made in the statistical formulas, which makes me a bit skeptical (I'm not numbers-minded, remember?), but it's a good read.

"Come Home!"

Michael Yon tells the story as only he can, using simple, clear words and eloquent pictures.

Some excerpts:

It was the local Muslims, according to LTC Michael, who first came to him for help to protect the Christians in his area. That’s right. LTC Michael told me more than once that the Muslims reached out to him to protect the Christians from al Qaeda. Real Muslims here are quick to say that al Qaeda members are not true Muslims. [...]

The Muslims in this neighborhood worry that other people will take the homes of their Christian neighbors, and that the Christians will never come back. And so they came to St John’s today in force, and they showed their faces, and they said, “Come back to Iraq. Come home.” [...]

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen any fighting. I can’t remember my last shootout: it’s been months. The nightmare is ending. Al Qaeda is being crushed. The Sunni tribes are awakening all across Iraq and foreswearing violence for negotiation. Many of the Shia are ready to stop the fighting that undermines their ability to forge and manage a new government. This is a complex and still delicate denouement, and the war may not be over yet. But the Muslims are saying it’s time to come home. And the Christians are saying it’s time to come home.

Read the whole thing!

Columbia University President Lee Bollinger showed moral courage

I am so glad that my blog-brother, Jerry Fuhrman, posted this video:

Mr. Bollinger, I was immensely skeptical of and disgusted with Columbia University's decision to permit Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at your facility. With this speech, however, you have done much to redeem your institution's reputation.

Bravo, sir! Bravo!

UPDATE: Here's a transcript, and a lovely quote which the video, above, does not include:

... Let's then be clear at the beginning. Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator. And so I ask you -- (applause) -- and so I ask you, why have women, members of the Baha'i faith, homosexuals and so many of our academic colleagues become targets of persecution in your country? Why, in a letter last week to the secretary-general of the U.N., did Akbar Ganji, Iran's leading political dissident, and over 300 public intellectuals, writers and Noble Laureates express such grave concern that your inflamed dispute with the West is distracting the world's attention from the intolerable conditions in your regime within Iran, in particular the use of the press law to ban writers for criticizing the ruling system? Why are you so afraid of Iranian citizens expressing their opinions for change?

In our country, you are interviewed by our press and asked to speak here today. And while my colleagues at the law school -- Michael Dorf, one of my colleagues, spoke to Radio Free Europe, viewers in Iran a short while ago on the tenants of freedom of speech in this country -- I propose further that you let me lead a delegation of students and faculty from Columbia to address your universities about free speech with the same freedom we afford you today. (Applause.)

Secondly, the denial of the Holocaust. In a December 2005 state television broadcast, you described the Holocaust as "a fabricated legend." One year later, you held a two-day conference of Holocaust deniers. For the illiterate and ignorant, this is dangerous propaganda.

When you have come to a place like this, this makes you, quite simply, ridiculous. ...

Technorati Tags: Columbia University, Lee Bollinger, Mahmoud Amadinejad

Jimmy Carter (or is it "D'jimmi al-Qa'tar"?) suffering from foot in mouth again

Thanks to the Vodkapundit (Steven Green), I just read this news article which says:

Former President Jimmy Carter said Wednesday that it was almost inconceivable that Iran would "commit suicide" by launching missiles at Israel.

[...]

"Iran is quite distant from Israel," said Carter, 83. "I think it would be almost inconceivable that Iran would commit suicide by launching one or two missiles of any kind against the nation of Israel."

[...]

Carter did not dismiss the idea that Iran might want to attack Israel, noting Iran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment production despite two United Nations resolutions imposing sanctions on the country. Tehran insists its nuclear program is aimed at producing energy for civilian use but the U.S., its European allies and many others fear the program's real aim is to produce nuclear weapons.

"Obviously, we all hope we can do whatever we can to keep Iran from becoming a nuclear power," Carter said.

Oh, D'jimmi, D'jimmi... Remember this?

Israeli officials are treating Iran's latest claims that it has 600 Shihab-3 missiles aimed at targets throughout the country the same way it treated Teheran's claims last month to have crossed a key nuclear threshold: by listening carefully, but not believing everything they hear.

[...]

Earlier Monday, an Iranian Web site affiliated with the regime reported that 600 Shihab-3 missiles were pointed at targets throughout Israel and would be launched if either Iran or Syria were attacked.

"Iran will shoot 600 missiles at Israel if it is attacked," the Iranian news Web site, Assar Iran, reported, saying such a barrage would "only be the first reaction."

According to the report, dozens of locations throughout Iraq being used by the US Army have also been targeted. The Shihab missile has a range of 1,300 km. and can reach anywhere in Israel.

Yeah, Iran would LOVE to attack Israel. No, Israel is NOT too far away fro Iran. And "...it's inconceivable that Iran would commit suicide by launching... missiles of any kind..."?

Hello? The country has a president who's a nutjob!

D'jimmi, you're 83 years old. You've done a lot (of harm) already. Why don't you just go on home, relax, and enjoy your retirement (in silence)? Believe me, it's probably the greatest thing you'll ever do for your country.

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure goes to Iran

At least, that's what comes to my mind when I see a headline which states that "Ahmadinejad is the 'Socrates of the Third Millennium,' says the president's office."

That's pronounced "So-crates," right?

Man, I bet that - if he weren't already decomposed to dust - Socrates would be spinning in his grave in absolute indignation! You know, Socrates is one of the founders of Western philosophy, used critical reasoning and had an "unwavering commitment to the truth," something one could hardly ascribe to the Holocaust-denier, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

In the Socratic dialogues, his extended conversations with students, statesmen, and friends invariably aim at understanding and achieving virtue {Gk. areth [aretê]} through the careful application of a dialectical method that employs critical inquiry to undermine the plausibility of widely-held doctrines. Destroying the illusion that we already comprehend the world perfectly and honestly accepting the fact of our own ignorance, Socrates believed, are vital steps toward our acquisition of genuine knowledge, by discovering universal definitions of the key concepts governing human life.

In what way can you possibly twist reality to say that Ahmadinejad is even vaguely worthy of taking up this mantle of philosophical honor?

Oh, that's right, it's Iran and its sycophantic and obsequious adoration of the madman they "elected" president...

In the document, various speeches and letters written by the Iranian president are analysed [sic] and it concludes that "Ahmadinejad reasons and discusses exactly as Socrates did in ancient Greece, by disarming other speakers and through his sharp reasoning."

Folks, what we have here is a major disconnect with reality! But, then, that's really what the adventures of Bill and Ted were all about...

(Big CatHouse purrs to Jihad Watch! Robert Spencer RULES!)

Technorati Tags: Mahmoud Amadinejad, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Socrates, Robert Spencer

Iranian leader was denied Ground Zero visit

Well, D'UH!

To have I'madinnerjacket (that's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the dhimmis) escorted with pomp and circumstance and all sorts of diplomatic honors and courtesies to the scene of one of the greatest tragedies and obscenities to ever take place on American soil...

Well, the fact that is was even considered is obscene!

An advance team for the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, asked earlier this month that he be allowed to lay a wreath at the World Trade Center site during the opening of the United Nations General Assembly next week, but the request was denied, New York City police officials said today.

Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly caused considerable confusion earlier today when he suggested that the request was still pending. In fact, police officials said later, the request — made at a meeting that included the Secret Service and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey — was denied for reasons of security and safety. They added that Mr. Ahmadinejad’s aides had asked that he be allowed into the pit, where construction is taking place.

Yeah. Fat freakin' chance any sensible and patriotic American would allow that!

Ahmadinejad: the leader of a country which is a major sponsor of Islamofascist ideology and terrorism, who is a Holocaust-denier, who would *love* to wipe Israel off the map, whose religion would like to subject all the world to its intolerant and cruel "legal" system, a man who represents all that America ought to hate and despise...!

To allow the representative of a country and religion of death, terrorism, despotism, and fear access to Ground Zero would be... almost blaspheming the memory of those men and women who were callously MURDERED by allah-fearing MUSLIMS intent on gaining Paradise by killing infidels.

Well, so sorry to say this, but I confess that I wouldn't shed a single tear if the Righteous Judge of all the earth would choose to allow His judgment fall upon Mahmoud Amadinejad in a very public and... explosive... way.

But the Living God is far more merciful than I... Perhaps He will send His Spirit to convict Amadinejad of the Truth, and we will have a very public and controversial conversion. In which case, I'll understand how the early Christians felt about the Apostle Paul, initially...

(A big CatHouse purr to my beloved blog-sis, Raven, for hunting this out!)

Technorati Tags: Mahmoud Amadinejad, Iran, terrorism, United Nations, New York, Ground Zero

I'm not particularly fond of either of them...

But since Lindsey GrAmnesty (RINO - SC) is (IMHO) supporting the troops and their mission, I'm more inclined to think favorably of him because of this exchange. He says Iran is trying to destabilize the area and kill Americans - um, d'uh!

He's being asked how long the surge should last, and he reminds Tim Russert that the surge has only been going on for TWO WEEKS! Yes, we think it's been longer because of the troop deployments, but the full number of surge troops have only been in place for the past three weeks!

Can we, perhaps, give them three or four months before we start whining that the surge has "failed"? Why don't you go check out the sites Jack Holt mentioned on Saturday, and see first hand, primary source information, and then consider what's really going on.

As Sen. GrAmnesty says, "History will judge us not [for] when we left, but what we left behind. Do we leave a resurgent al-Qaeda that will kill every moderate that helped us? Do we empower Iran? Do they control the southern part of Iraq?"

Besides, Jim Webb: "Lindsey's having a bad day"? "Dog and pony show"?! Snark much, Sen. Webb?

 "The President said that by the end of this year all the provinces in Iraq would be under the control of the Iraqis. That's clearly not going to happen." (Oh, pessimistic, much?)

Anyway, watch for yourself...

Look, folks, I'm not saying that the Bush administration didn't screw things up in Iraq. But the Democrats were crying and whining for more troops, more troops, MORE TROOPS! for eons, and finally Bush conceded the point. Can't we now, as I said, allow these extra troops some time to do their jobs?!

Good grief, folks, Bush never said it would be a quick war. This is a war of worldviews - democracy and freedom vs. religious totalitarianism and intolerance - it isn't going to be solved in the next decade, much less the next year!

Islamic terrorism and totalitarianism is a fact - it won't go away. And I don't know about you, but I don't want my grandchildren to have the sole choices of being forced to bow before the Koran, live in servitude, or die by the sword.

We fight this NOW, away from our cities and homes, or we fight it on our own shores later.

Either way, that fight must be fought.

Technorati Tags: jim webb, lindsey graham, tim russert, meet the press, surge, Iraq, Iran

While we celebrate our freedom

... please remember those who do not have this blessing, especially those who are speaking out in favor of democracy and the rule of law:

In 2004, prominent Yemeni journalist Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani wrote from jail, "I believe in democracy, freedom, equality and rights and am willing to suffer for their sake simply because I do not wish my children to suffer dictatorship and I will strive to provide them a better future."

Cotillion blog-sister, Jane Novak, writes "Leading Yemeni Journalist Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani Arrested" over at WorldPress.

Mr. al-Khaiwani has been working diligently to promote democracy and openness in Yemen, decrying government abuses and nepotism. He is a clarion voice calling for democratic reform. He's also paid his dues:

Al-Khaiwani was released after seven months in jail. He continued to write about topics important to Yemen including corruption, nepotism and civil rights. He faced down a series of governmental harassments, censorship, threats and defamation only to be arrested last week on fabricated terrorism charges...

The arrest of the internationally renowned reformist sent shock waves through Yemen and the international community. On the day of his arrest, the Committee to Protect Journalists expressed concern that "al-Khaiwani is being punished for his outspokenness." Reporters Without Borders urged the Yemeni government to release the journalist.

Both the fact and manner of the arrest are shocking. Al-Khaiwani was taken into custody by counter-terrorism forces who posed as electrical workers to gain entry to his home. They were authorized to use deadly force if he resisted arrest. Once inside his home, they struck al-Khaiwani's seven-year-old daughter so hard that she fell into unconsciousness. The officers beat the journalist bloody with the butts of their guns. He was transported to jail bleeding and less than fully clothed, a humiliation considering the very conservative nature of Yemeni society. [emphasis mine]

Make sure you read Jane's whole article for the full scope of this barbaric and oppressive action by the Yemeni government.

Freedom isn't free, and I hope and pray that America will regain her backbone and stand firmly and proudly on the side of those who fight for democracy and freedom!

Technorati Tags: Yemen, al-Khaiwani, barbarian, oppressive, democracy, freedom

The trouble with Islam

This Brit gets it right:

(Tip of my tiara to Ith)

You weren't REALLY surprised... were you?

NATO officials say they have caught Iran red-handed, shipping heavy arms, C4 explosives and advanced roadside bombs to the Taliban for use against NATO forces, in what the officials say is a dramatic escalation of Iran's proxy war against the United States and Great Britain. [The Blotter ]

Oh, please.

If you were, I bet your picture is in the dictionary right next to naïve, right?

A disgrace to his father...

I am so glad that Mr. Reagan didn't live to hear his son say these shameful things:

MATTHEWS: Ron, do you think we're randomly killing people in those countries?

REAGAN: Not as a matter of policy, but on the ground you have panicky soldiers who, when they come under fire, have been known, as you know, to drive down a street opening fire on any vehicle they see.

MATTHEWS: -- they are legal cases, because these soldiers have been charged, obviously. But you are saying beyond the ones charged, this is a practice over there?

REAGAN: I am saying it happens in any war, and you have to figure out a way to justly compensate the people whose lives you have destroyed.

O'BEIRNE: Ron, it has happened less in this war than any war I can think of. And our own American troops put their own lives at risk in order to bend over backwards in order to protect innocent civilian lives.

REAGAN: Well, some do and some don't, Kate.

O'BEIRNE: It's a very unfair charge against our military. And Rosie O'Donnell, not withstanding, terrorists and insurgents in Iraq are wholesale targeting innocent civilians.

REAGAN: I agree. I am not sticking up for terrorists. And I'm not saying that our military are terrorists. That doesn't make any sense. But we do have a problem with killing civilians in these countries?

O'BEIRNE: But we bend over backwards to keep it to a complete minimum.

REAGAN: Let's hope so.

O'BEIRNE: -- as humanely as possible.

REAGAN: Let's hope so. We certainly should. [link]

"We certainly should." And we're not bending over backward to protect civilians whenever we can?!

Ron-o, you just ignored the deliberate targeting of civilians by terrorists in favor of implying that our men and women in uniform are a bunch of ill-trained, panicky, trigger-happy murderers.

You are a disgrace.

(HT to Lady Cassandra)

Finally, a great idea out of Iran...

Thanks to my darling blog-sister, Wild Thing, I read that a "prominent Iranian lawmaker" says -

...that the Untied States is not a proper host for the United Nations Organization and called on all member states to demand a transfer of the UN headquarters from New York.

Works for me. How about transferring it to Rihyad or Tehran? No drinking, women can't drive, thieves hands are cut off... And all nicely and conveniently co-located just in case the US needed to, um, make a point about terrorist activities...

Wow, who woulda thunk I'd ever agree with a "prominent Iranian lawmaker?!

Get the U.N. out of the U.S.!!!

Jonah Goldberg went to Britain - and all we get is this wonderful article!

I want the audio. I REALLY want the audio!

National Review's Jonah Goldberg went to the Oxford Union to debate a communist and some "moderate" muslims. You simply must go over and read his account of the evening! When you get to the written version of how he intended to begin, make sure you read it aloud, because the scorn and derision he heaps upon the proposal ( "This House regrets the founding of The United States of America." ) simply cannot be properly enjoyed without participating.

A sample - [link changed; here's the permalink]

And whatever regrettable commentary it may be on the child, the mere posing of the question is even more pitiable comment upon the mother.

Unless. Unless, of course this is all a grand joke in the great satirical tradition of Monty Python, Simon Pegg and the farcical oxymoron that is David Cameron's "conservatism."

There is hopeful evidence on this front.

When I learned that tonight's proposition would have as its champions two passionate defenders of sharia law and the hijab plus one spokesman for the Communist party, it dawned on me: "Aha, this is all a joke."

This house regrets the birth of America as much as Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail had naught but a "flesh wound."

Oh, delicious! I would love to have Mr. Goldberg's wit and snark at my dinner table. The conversation would be brilliant!

I must add one snippet more:

I don't know how it is in Britain, but in America, Communists are nearly extinct. A few aging relics do linger on -- like Japanese soldiers refusing to surrender long after the war. They live in an archipelago of academic backwaters, their bunkers brimming with yellowing copies of The Daily Worker and the Guardian, saturated with the strong stink of despair mixed with the suggestion of old urine.

Communists are more commonly seen as comic-book villains or mythical creatures rumored to have once existed in fairy tales or, perhaps, James Bond movies.

A Communist!? My goodness, were Dr. Doom, Lex Luthor, and Ernst Blowfeld unavailable?

Did the most sagacious pundits of the Klingon Empire not return the Oxford Union's phone calls?

Do the Oompah Loompahs refuse to fly coach?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

His team won the debate, of course....

UPDATE: Ah, I forgot (mea culpa!) to link and quote from Matt Frei's article in the BBC. Mr. Frei was also on the team debating against the proposition, and he acquitted himself admirably:

America did not come from nowhere. It was an offspring of Europe, the step-child of a corrupt, moribund post-feudal system. America encapsulated the principles of the Enlightenment - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity - wrapped them in the pursuit of happiness, underpinned them with an inalienable right and turned an IDEA into a country.

It took the missteps of the French and the English revolutions and it made them work.

Yes, there were terrible mistakes - the gross hypocrisy of slavery, segregation and McCarthyism, to name a few. But America found and keeps finding the solutions to its mistakes. It is a giant, rolling social experiment in constant pursuit of self-correction. As Bill Clinton once said: "There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America."

In America the idea was ragged, rough and imperfect but it kept growing, it kept evolving and, if this isn't a vote of confidence, it kept attracting people, millions of them - Dutch pilgrims, Russian Jews, persecuted Egyptians, hungry Mexicans, uprooted Kurds, homeless Armenians, unloved and underpaid British film stars, now luxuriating in Hollywood. Ask them if they regret the founding of America!

I wonder if Peter Rodman, who was the third (non-student) member of the team, will also publish his remarks?

It's simple, folks: We win, they lose.

Join the cause!

You know I’m not a big fan of NPR...

... but when I was returning from the quilt show the other week, I happened (during some channel surfing) to stumble upon their program, The Thistle and Shamrock, hosted by Fiona Ritchie.

Now, y'all may not know, but my family is descended from Scots immigrants, and I love my Scottish heritage - I even adore bagpipes! So, when I heard Fiona's Scots accent (mmmm!), I paid attention. I'm very glad I did, because I've been introduced to some lovely music richly infused with Celtic influences (and, gee, didn't it take me a while to phrase that!).

I strongly urge you to go on over and subscribe to the podcast, or peruse the playlist. I'm sure you'll find something you'll enjoy... And perhaps you'll send me something which will help me figure out how to pronounce all those Scots words?

(UPDATE) Oh, and in case you're interested: 1) the podcasts are not the same as the broadcasts [pout], and 2) the show which caught my interest was a repeat of show #1238, which featured Karine Polwart when she was here for the "Scotland at the Smithsonian" event at the National Mall in 2003.

What the HELL???

Thanks to Flora, I've been alerted to this:

A U.S. Border Patrol entry Identification Team site was overrun Wednesday night along Arizona's border with Mexico.

According to the Border Patrol, an unknown number of gunmen attacked the site in the state's West Desert Region around 11 p.m. The site is manned by National Guardsmen. Those guardsmen were forced to retreat.

Google News has these links at the moment: Free Market News, Click2Houston, Lone Star Times, and KXMB (Bismark, ND), which appears to be a blog-source and asks "Is This An Act of War?"

Well. *I* would say so, at least at first glance...

At least a couple of these links have video, so go check it out....

Good riddance to bad rubbish

Saddam Hussein (or, as I prefer, "SoDamn Insane" - thanks, Misha) is scheduled to meet his Maker tonight.

The Iraqis tried and convicted him, his appeal was denied, and his sentence will be, er... executed.

I'm gritting my teeth, but I'm going to be obedient to my Lord and Savior and pray that Saddam turns to Christ in true faith and trust for salvation before his punishment is meted out. I know that the love and grace and forgiveness offered by the God of all Creation, the One True God, is more than enough to cover the sins of this wicked man. I pray that His offer is accepted, before it's too late.

And may God have mercy upon his soul.

UPDATE: Via my friend, Raven, who got it here, and they got it from here (obviously, I have some holes in my RSS feed subscriptions....)

Technorati Tags: Saddam Hussein, execution, Iraq

I love the NY Post!

Oh, hooray for the New York Post! They've got this fantastic front page up, and you simply MUST go read the article, as well!

The Iraq Study Group report delivered to President Bush yesterday contains 79 separate recommendations - but not one that explains how American forces can defeat the terrorist insurgents, only ways to bring the troops home.

Declaring the situation "grave and deteriorating," the high-powered commission proposed the United States talk directly to terror abettors Iran and Syria to get their cooperation, and commit to removing U.S. combat troops in early 2008.

"Surrender Monkeys," indeed!

Technorati : Iraq Study Group, New York Post, appeasment, surrender monkeys

Which "plan" are the Dems going to use?

This morning, I got two verrrry interesting articles brought to my attention.

First, Big Dog notices this article in the Boston Herald, which says:

President Jalal Talabani said Thursday that he had been assured by Democrat congressional leaders during a recent visit to Washington that they had no plans for a quick withdrawal of U.S. forces.

Talabani, a Kurd whose post is ceremonial, said Democrats also backed the idea of placing U.S. troops in bases while putting Iraqis in charge of security in and around cities.

"They all told me that they want the success of Iraq's democratically elected government and continued support for the Iraqi people to defeat terrorism," Talabani said about his trip to the United States in late September as many were predicting the Democratic congressional triumph in Tuesday's midterm elections.

"One of them (a Democrat leader) told me that any early withdrawal will be a catastrophe for the United States and the world," Talabani, speaking from his northern hometown of Sulaimaniyah, told the Dubai-based Al-Jazeera satellite broadcaster.

Big Dog's pithy comment is this -

Now America, do those of you who stayed home or gave a protest vote feel foolish yet? The damned Democrats were telling the Iraqis the same thing Republicans were telling you. They were told that America would not leave Iraq any time soon (what Bush has said all along) and that leaving Iraq too soon would be a disaster which is the same thing that Republicans have been saying all along. The Democrats lied to you about the war in order to be reelected. Very soon now they will be saying that we can't come home as soon as they thought because Bush screwed everything up. You will know the truth. They had no intentions of leaving early. They only said it to get your votes. You elected them to office and they will do the very thing you rejected Republicans for.

But wait! Maybe the Dems didn't lie... Well, not to the votors, anyway. Cold Fury has this:

I know that I said that it has to get worse before it gets better… but sweet sufferin' Jesus, does it have to get this bad, this fast, before it gets better?

The Dems are bringing in George McGovern as an advisor on designing an unnecessary pants pissing shrieking retreat phased withdrawal from Iraq.

The Breitbart article to which CF refers says

George McGovern, the former senator and Democratic presidential candidate, said Thursday that he will meet with more than 60 members of Congress next week to recommend a strategy to remove U.S. troops from Iraq by June.

If Democrats don't take steps to end the war in Iraq soon, they won't be in power very long, McGovern told reporters before a speech at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

"I think the Democratic leadership is wise enough to know that if they're going to follow the message that election sent, they're going to have to take steps to bring the war to a conclusion," he said.

So, dearlings, which is it going to be? Are you going to screw Talibani and Iraq, or are you going to screw the votors?

BOHICA.

Since YouTube still has it up...

I thought I'd post it here, too... Absolutely, hilariously, scarily true....

REALLY hilarious....

UPDATE: Well, so long as I'm enjoying the genius of Mr. Zucker, here's a blast from the past:

Technorati Tags: Madeline Albright, North Korea, terrorism, Democrats, Kim Jong Il, David Zuker, campaign ad,

And detonating a nuclear weapon *isn't*?!

On FoxNews this morning: Increased US Pressure Would Be "Act of War"

"If the U.S. keeps pestering us and increases pressure, we will regard it as a declaration of war and will take a series of physical corresponding measures," the North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. The statement, the first formal announcement from the North Korean government since KCNA reported the Monday test, didn't specify what those measures could be.

Yep. Madman in the firehouse, that's for sure!

And yet, people insist, "Oh, we need to talk! If we're still talking, we're not shooting! Let's all just play nice now, and get along!" It makes me gag... This odious little man (and his father before him) has held his country hostage for how many years? His people are starving, and yet he wants to play chihuahua challenging a rottweiler.

Does he have a death wish, or what?

On a lighter note, I really like the Manolo's little comment about Kim Jong Il - go read!

Madmen playing in the firehouse again

It's been confirmed that N. Korea has tested a nuclear weapon:

The U.S. Geological Survey, however, said it detected a 4.2-magnitude tremor at 10:35 p.m. EDT, which could mean the device was potentially deadlier than initially believed. Australia also said there was seismic confirmation that North Korea conducted a nuclear test.

"It was a success from their perspective in that they achieved a nuclear yield, though that is not very difficult," the official said. "It's within their technical capabilities."

And so, we go back on the merry-go-round. *sigh* I was really hoping that my child wouldn't have to grow up under the treat of a nuclear war...

Bush has a new speechwriter

Saudi Arabia has demanded an apology from President Bush. Here's what the new speechwriter came up with... and he's not holding anything back.

If wishes were horses...

How to deal with terrorists

With a huge hug to Emperor Misha for pointing me to this post. It begins:

A peacemaker walks up to the left side of a line. A terrorist walks up to the right side of the line. The peacemaker introduces himself. The terrorist kills him.

A peacemaker walks up to the left side of the line. A terrorist walks up to the right side of the line. The peacemaker asks, "why did you kill my friend?" The terrorist kills him and rapes his wife.

A peacemaker walks up to the left side of the line. A terrorist walks up to the right side of the line. The peacemaker says, "Stop that!" The terrorist kills him, rapes his daughter and kills his wife.

Go read. NOW!!!

Praise God! (UPDATED)

From today's Arutz Sheva:

The two IDF reservists, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser have been held hostage by Hizbullah since their kidnap on July 12th, an incident that sparked a full-fledged war between Israel and Hizbullah in southern Lebanon.

"It appears that they are in good condition, but not great," said de Gregorio. "They are alive." He did not give further details, other than to say that Larijani told him that "he will ask Hizbullah to negotiate only with the Italians."

However, there is still one dark note:

A third soldier, IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit was abducted three weeks earlier by Hamas terrorists who attacked an IDF base at the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Gaza and Egypt. His whereabouts remain unknown.

My prayers go out to the two rescued soldiers, for quick healing and peace of mind.

But for Cpl. Shalit, I lift my hands up to the Lord and earnestly plead for his safe return!

UPDATE: Ooops. In my enthusiasm about the soldiers being confirmed alive, I didn't read closely enough... Apparently, Italy will be negotiating for their release... But they HAVE been confirmed alive; perhaps this will give these hostages the protection of publicity in some small way.

Technorati Tags: Eldad Regev, Ehud Goldwasser, Gilad Shalit, hostages, Israel, terrorists, Hamas, Hizbullah

Just a LITTLE over-exaggerated, hmmm?

Wow. When they get it wrong, they really get it wrong!

Jon Henke pointed out this little gem this morning, from People's Daily Online (an English version of Chinese news)

American voters have shown little interest in picking candidates for the Nov. 7 elections that will determine control of Congress and elect more than one-third of the nation's governors, USA Today newspaper reported on Monday.

Of the 50 states, 26 held primaries in June. Sixteen of the 22 states that have certified figures or provided estimates to the newspaper recorded a lower turnout than in 2002, the last national election not in a presidential year.

Turnout has not cracked 40 percent in any state, and in most, primary participation was in the 20-30 percent range.

So far, the year's rock-bottom was witnessed in Virginia. In the June 13 Democratic Senate primary that was open to all Virginians, regardless of their party, only 3.5 percent of 4.5 billion eligible voters showed up to nominate former Navy secretary Jim Webb to face Republican Senator George Allen in November. (emphasis mine)

I hope they realize that Virginia's actual population is about 7 million, and that of the United States as a whole is about 295 million.

Hm. Perhaps they're counting the graveyard vote, the felons' vote, the dually registered vote, the illegal aliens' vote... Heck, I bet they're just assuming that anyone in the world has a right to vote in Virginia's elections!

Yay, Dub-YA!

Now THIS is the "W" I know and love....

"What they need to do it to get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit."

Damn straight!

Them and the Paleoswinian Hamas...

Excellent essay

by Doug Kern over at TCS: "When Superman Shrugs" -

I gather from the movie trailer that love draws Superman back to earth. Love is the only worthwhile reason to wield power, really; power is useful only to the extent that it protects good things and allows them to flourish. But make no mistake: a less powerful America would enjoy some wonderful advantages. We would have more money to spend on a better way of life. Our heroic soldiers would return safely to their homes and families. The inevitable compromises between morality and brutal realism would no longer corrupt us, as irrelevance would give us the luxury of unsullied spiritual purity. We would be happier in every way -- until the villains arrive.

[...]

So, like Superman, we must claim our power and all the sorrows that come with it: the derision of the less powerful; the demands of the unfortunate; the burdens of expensive wars fought for untested political theories; and the dangers of irritating the world's well-armed malcontents. Like Superman, we bear the weight of the world on our shoulders by dint of the responsibility of power. How unsurprising that at least one political party should succumb to the temptation to shrug.

With great power comes great responsibility. If we attempt to abdicate either our power or our responsibility, the world will be less safe - our country will be less safe.

No, I'm not happy about America being the world's cop on patrol, but if we don't take up this duty, who will? France, which collaborated in the oil-for-food scandal? The UN, which stood by and allowed wholesale slaughter in Serbia, and whose soldiers rape and steal from people they're supposed to protect? Iran, which would impose a world-wide theocracy and sharia law? Russia, which appears to be returning to totalitarianism? China, with its draconian childbirth restrictions and communism?

Who else will step up to the plate - and then go home when the game is over?

America is the only country with the power, the willingness to use it, and the moral authority to use it well. We are not perfect - we never will be - but if the world waits for the perfect country to make the perfect moves at the perfect time and in the perfect way, civilization, liberty and justice will disappear from the face of this earth.

America must shoulder her responsibility, face her duty, and perform it resolutely. We weep for the fallen, and those we cannot help - but we are determined to help those we can, because no one else will.

And because the consequences are too terrible if we don't.

I HEART Pres. Bush!

Yeah, I do... I don't always agree with him, but he's a Good Man, and his surprise visit to Baghdad is so... HIM!

I know everyone in the blogosphere is talking about it, but I just saw on FoxNews that it was a surprise even for Iraqi President al-Maliki.

Cool.

UPDATE: Holy COW! How the heck did I get linked by Real Clear Politics??? Anyway, for something a bit more substantial, may I direct my visitors here or here? Just so y'all know who I really am, LOL

But thank you very much for stopping by, even though what you clicked on wasn't as interesting as you might have been hoping!

Craven cowardice!

Via my blog-brother, Ogre, I hear that England is banning displays of its own flag:

Following warnings by extremist Islamic group al-Muhajiroun, in which the group said that the red cross in the England flag symbolizes the 'blood thirsty crusaders' and the occupation of Muslims, some of the largest companies in England have ordered their workers not to wave the flags.

The flag has recently appeared in England on everything from bikinis to cars, and sold in endless versions in stores.

But the Islamic protest forced some corporations, such as cable companies NTL, and even the Drivers and Vehicles Licensing Agency to ban the flag in every form due to fears from reactions of Muslims.

The Sun tabloid newspaper has in recent days launched a campaign to bring back the flag, and has published a blacklist of companies preventing their workers from expressing their patriotism at work.

The Sun said that a large pub network has banned drinkers from entering with symbols of the national team.

The hero of the day is a two year-old toddler, who was thrown out with his parents from Leicester, because he wore the England team's uniform.

Where the heck is the British backbone?! Frankly, if the jihadis want to try that here in America, I would hope that the American people would respond by saying, "You can take down this flag over my dead body" as they reach for their shotguns.

Or, as Ogre put it: "BITE ME!"

Tragedy strikes Iraq the Model

Iraq the Model has been fairly quiet recently, and now we know why:

Last week our little and peaceful family was struck by the tragic loss of one of its members in a savage criminal act of assassination. The member we lost was my sister's husband who lived with their two little children in our house.

He was a brilliant young doctor with a whole future awaiting him, the couple were the top graduates in their branch of specialty. They had to travel abroad to get their degrees and the war started while they were there but months after Saddam fallen they decided to come back to help rebuild the country and serve their people.

We welcomed them with all love and care, we would sit and talk everyday about our hopes and dreams for a better future for the new generation and for their two little children. We realized that time is needed before they could have a secure and prosperous life and we were satisfied with the little we could make because we believed in the future.

He was not affiliated with any political party or movement and spent all his time working at the hospital or studying at home and he was dreaming of building a medical center for his specialty to serve the poor who cannot afford going to expensive private clinics.

We didn't know or anticipate that cruel times were waiting for a chance to assassinate the dream and kill the future.

It was the day he was celebrating the opening of a foundation that was going to offer essential services to the poor but the criminals were waiting for him to end his life with their evil bullets and to stab our family deep in the heart.

My heart and my prayers go out to this brave family. To have such a compassionate and promising young man - a husband, father, brother, and doctor - killed in such a callous and destructive manner is a true tragedy.

Nevertheless, Mohammed (certainly an honorable bearer of that name) and his family demonstrate the true spirit of freedom and liberty:

The terrorists and criminals are targeting all elements of life and they target anyone who wants to do something good for this country…They think by assassinating one of us they could deter us from going forward but will never succeed, they can delay us for years but we will never go back and abandon our dream.

We have vowed to follow the steps of our true martyrs and we will raise the new generation to continue the march, these children of today are the hope and the future.

What a difference between those who work to preserve life and those who work to end it…it's terrorism and crime and there are no other words to describe these acts.

They will keep trying to steal life from us and we will keep fighting back and we will keep exposing them but not with bullets and swords, we never carried arms and we will never do because we are not afraid and because we are not weak unlike those cowards who know no language but that of treason.

Please join with me and lift up this family in prayer. Follow their example and stand firm against terrorism and real intolerance wherever you find it - because you never know when it may target you and yours.

Stand for truth, justice, and freedom now, lest it be taken away from your children and grandchildren.

Crossposted at the Cotillion

Oh, yes!

The Delftsman posted this last week, and I just saw it today - perfect, perfect!!!

Please also swing by his blog to wish him well: he's in the hospital with some serious issues, and he needs prayer, too!

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need.I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Amen.

When you read this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops around the world. Pass this request to all who might pray. Do not let it stop with you, please - of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best!!!

Thank you.

"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge;
My Savior, You save me from violence" (2 Samuel 22: 2, 3, NKJV)

"Amen," indeed! Pass it on!

How obscene and disgusting can you get?!

The RedHeaded Infidel over at Euphoric Reality points me to Dead Soldier’s Home Vandalized.

For the family who lives in   a modest home in Kokomo, the fatal Iraq attack came last week.

Then the attack at home followed.

Vandals defaced the home of Sgt. Rickey Jones' family. Eggs were thrown and flags were stolen. Sgt. Jones, a Kokomo High School graduate, was one four soldier's with the 101st killed west of Baghdad last week.

So who, one week before his burial in his hometown, would vandalize a fallen hero's house?

Neighbor Robyn Ousley is at a loss to explain. "I have no idea, somebody pretty, pretty awful."

Another friend, Bill Swaggerty, says there is more than vandalism for the family to deal with. They're calling here and saying, 'I'm glad your son is dead' and it's wrong."

Indeed it is wrong. It's sick, twisted, and absolutely evil. People who do such callous,  destructive, and dishonorable things ought to be publically horsewhipped!

Frankly, folks, our Founding Fathers would be horrified at this abuse of our First Amendment rights! They were very civilized men, and this sort of barbarity would have shocked them deeply.

God help us, that we have fallen so far from our founding principles.

Saddam never supported or encouraged terrorists!

Oh, yes, he damn well did.

Three cheers for Iraq!

All my prayers go out to the Iraqi people, as they elect their perminant government.

You have come so far in the past three years - keep up the excellent work!

So-Damn Insane shows his nuttiness

Gee, like we're surprised? The man is a meglomaniac and has delusions of omnipotence. Nevertheless, telling the judge 'Go to Hell', really doesn't seem to get him anywhere.

Want an example of his insanity? Here you go:

He complained that he had no fresh clothes, and that he had been deprived of shower and exercise facilities.

"This is terrorism," he said.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Ohmigosh, that's rich! This from a guy who gassed the Kurds, imprisoned countless innocents, killed indesciminately, forced his troops to go up against far superior forces and be wiped out, invaded a peaceful neighbor without provocation, offered support to Al-Quaeda, and sired two sociopathic murderers who have already gone to meet their Maker (just a quick list, right off the top of my head).

"Terrorism." Ooooooo, aren't we all holier-than-thou now?

Chief Judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin cut him off, saying proceedings will resume on Wednesday.

Saddam then told the judge and "all the agents of America" to "go to hell" and said he would not return to court.

Awwwww, did we throw a widdle tantrum? I think Soddy needs to take a "time out" so he can think about his attitude. Perhaps a nap would help?

One of the witnesses described the torture he endured, as well as the conditions in the prison, which

...prompted an outburst from Saddam, who complained of his own conditions in detention. He said the court had time to listen to the witnesses' complaints "but does anyone ask Saddam Hussein whether he was tortured? Whether he was hit?"

He urged the judge to investigate his conditions because "it is your duty as judges to investigate the crime at its scene."

"I live in an iron cage covered by a tent under American democratic rule. You are supposed to come see my cage," he told Amin. "Please, Mr. Judge, do not accept any insult to Iraq. It doesn't matter if he insults Saddam Hussein, because the Americans and the Zionists want to execute Saddam Hussein. What does the execution of Saddam Hussein matter? He has given himself to Iraq from the day he was at school and has been sentenced to death three times already. Saddam Hussein and his comrades are not afraid of execution." (emphasis all mine)

*gasp!* Soddy was tortured? Hit? He lives in an iron cage?! Gee, sounds too good for him, if you know what I mean.

Oh, and isn't it just precious, how Soddy uses the third person when referring to himself? It just shows how special he is, doesn't it?

Here's another little scuffle:

Earlier, Mohammed said he was told that Saddam asked a 15-year-old boy if he knew who he was. "He said 'Saddam'. Then Saddam hit him in the head with an ash tray."

The testimony drew an angry response from Saddam, who suggested that Mohammed needed psychiatric treatment and accused the court of bowing to American pressure.

"When the revolution of the heroic Iraq arrives, you will be held accountable," Saddam warned the chief judge.

"This is an insult to the court," Amin responded. "We are searching for the truth."

Saddam told Amin he hoped "that you will endure my frankness."

"How can a judge like yourself accept a situation like this?" Saddam asked. "This game must not continue. If you want Saddam Hussein's neck, you can have it. I have exercised my constitutional prerogatives after I had been the target of an armed attack.

When Mohammed objected to some of Saddam's remarks, the former president snapped: "Do not interrupt me, son."

"Son." SON! Somebody hit this nutcase on the head with an ashtray!

Oh, this has all the elements of serious comedy, if the circumstances weren't so tragic. It is wonderful to see this monster tried for his crimes, and delicious to see his pathetic attempts to wield power that is no longer his. God willing, this trial will be over soon, and Soddy will be swinging from the hangman's noose.

(UPDATE - So, of course, today he's pouting. Poor Soddy! So alone, so misunderstood! [puke, gag])

Yep, I love Big Lizards, too!

As Dafydd ab Hugh would say "slither hither, o wise," and see what he had up on Big Lizards yesterday: “The Anbar Effect”. He talks about the difference between the "beggar" politicians in Iraq and our "protégés," the Iraqi Army.

Far from being beggars, the Iraqi Army were trained by Americans, fight alongside the Americans, and have increasingly been in charge of battles, campaigns, and holding cities recaptured from the terrorists. Everything they now know about modern combat they learned from us. And they have learned extremely well: Bill Roggio, once and future proprietor of the Fourth Rail and now blogging from Iraq over at ThreatsWatch, who is currently in Husaybah -- say, wasn't that a combat zone just a couple weeks ago?  How (son of) flime ties -- described the performance of the Iraqi Army troops occupying Husaybah thus:  "Other than their uniforms, they were virtually indistinguishable from their Marine counterparts.  [Emphasis added {by Dafydd}]"

They take casualties -- and take cities.  They've earned their tremendous respect, not just in blood but in victories. The new Iraqi Army are not the recipients of American charity. Rather, they are our protégés.

He does, as always, an excellent job of describing and explaining the situation - Dafydd is a superb writer and a great teacher. So, I'd suggest you go on over and read it, if you haven't already, because there's lots of good information and interesting reading.

Michael Yon on the Congressional floor!

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R- TX) quoted at length from Michael Yon's blog, and also displayed his famous picture of a US soldier carrying a mortally wounded little girl away for medical attention after a cowardly act of terrorism.

Michael is in the States briefly, and will be interviewed extensively over the next few days, I think.

Congratulations, Michael! Keep up the superior work of getting the real picture of our honorable troops out to the world.

God bless each and every one of them

Yesterday, the Pentagon released information about the 2,000th soldier to die in Iraq, SSG George Alexander. As Faces from the Front points out, the "number" of the soldier isn't important: what IS important is that they died for something they believed in: freedom and democracy.

Numbers 2,000, 1,999 and 1,997 also strapped up every day to stand on a wall many in America are willing let crumble. And to those who would let that wall crumble, they are just numbers.

They are not men of action and conviction, to the anti-war faction, they are merely numbers of sufficient quotient to send a press releases and hold press events.

I asked Marines all across Al Anbar province two questions:
1.  If something goes bad and you die here.  What would you think of people who used your death to protest the war.
2.  After being here, and knowing what you know, would you still join the Marines/volunteer for this deployment?

The answers were invariably the same.

They did not want their death to be used as a prop and they would make the same decision all over again.  These young Lance Corporals and Non-Commissioned Officers volunteered to join the Marines, many with the intent of coming to Iraq.  And while few would say they like war, they all recognize the necessity of it.

bRight and Early also says it very well:

Two thousand soldiers have not died in Iraq. It is one soldier with family, friends and loved ones who has paid the ultimate price. An individual who had likes and dislikes and a personality all their own. An individual who's life is worthy of our honor and respect. A real person with a name. One soldier who volunteered. One soldier who gave the people of Iraq the freedom to vote, the freedom to choose, the freedom to hope. One hero. Repeated two thousand times.

Those who have died are not just numbers for the news and their sacrifice is not a reason to run, but to stay.

Indeed.

Each and every man and woman who has died in the service of our country to further the cause of freedom and democracy ought to be given the full honor and deep respect that they deserve - the same honor and respect that the liberal media and the loony lefty moonbats deny them.

I understand that we don't want our men and women to die. I understand that there are familes and friends left behind in grief.

But I also understand that each and every man and woman had the choice - and they chose to serve their country.

UPDATE - Partisan Pundit also has a post up, well worth the read:

The sad truth is that sometimes war is necessary. Sometimes the evil of war is outweighed by the evil it seeks to expunge.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the space of a few hours on September 11th, 2001. Innocents, unarmed civilians. ON. OUR. SOIL.

In the battle for Okinawa, 12,000 soldiers, sailors and marines were killed in just three months of fighting. During the Battle of the Bulge in Germany during WWII, 19,000 US fighting men were killed in a month and half of fighting. All told, in 5 years of conflict, WWII cost the United States 413,000 dead. In nearly two and a half years of fighting in Iraq, we have lost…2,000.

Even during WWII, there were those pacifists and apologists who counseled capitulation, compromise, said that the conflicts “weren’t our problem.” Even after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, in which 2,472 people died, there were those who said that we had brought it on ourselves. Sound familiar? Maybe we did, maybe we didn’t, but did our actions warrant that level of response? Did we really have THAT coming?

And what if we had bowed our head to the attackers? What if we had let them have their way in the Pacific? Today there would be no Australia, no New Zealand. No Alaska. No Hawaii. Who knows what our country might look like today?

Can a country of 250,000,000 people absorb the loss of 2,000 of its military men and women? I propose that this is the wrong question.

In a fight against a zealous, global enemy, one that has declared unrestricted war on us, an enemy that knows no restraint, sees no value in the Geneva Convention, one who sees our very culture and way a life as a threat to their own, can we afford NOT to risk the loss of 2,000 to save 250 million?

Congratulations to Iraq!

Iraq has taken yet another step on the road to democracy: Draft Constitution Adopted by Iraq Voters.

As the Puppy Blender himself says, "Obviously it's 'another setback for Bush."

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Oh, that's right, Iraq is supposed to be a "quagmire." Ooops, my mistake. [/sarc]

Congratulations to Iraq!

How wonderful it is to see Iraqis participate in the delightful brawl of compromise and give and take that is the heart of democracy!

FoxNews says participation is estimated to be around 61% or so, which is a fantastic turnout for that troubled country, and that ratification is very likely. In some areas, turnout was almost universal, while admittedly some regions' was only around 10%. Nevertheless, the average was excellent, and support for the new constitution seems strong, and should certainly be celebrated.

I am also very happy that, in spite of threats, the murdering-scum-terrorist-pig-bastards are failing - and failing miserably (well, "miserably" for them - I love their failures!)

All of this is another major defeat for the al Qaeda and anti-government forces. These two groups have not been able to stop any elections, and their efforts are weaker with each round of voting. Al Qaeda's efforts to goad the Shia Arabs into a civil war with Sunni Arabs has not worked either, although it has caused a lot of ill-will and violence in areas where Shia and Sunni live close together.

The AP points out, however - with typical cynicism and pessimism - that

If the constitution is approved, Iraqis will choose a new parliament in Dec. 15 elections. Parliament then will select a new government, which must take office by Dec. 31. The constitution's apparent victory was muted, though, by the prospect that the result might divide the country further. (emphasis mine)

Now, why can't they just give this courageous people their due? Yes, of course there will be other hurdles to get over, but - good lord! - our great experiment in democracy is over two hundred years old, and we're still working on it! It would be courteous at least to allow the Iraqis ten or so years to figure things out, right? I mean, especially since media had the utter bad taste to give So-Damn Insane a pass for the mistreatment and torture of his people that he aided, abetted, and in which he participated for so long.

Fortunately, the Lame Stream Media no longer has a choke-hold on information. The day before the election, Mohammed at Iraq the Model wrote a bit about what this vote means to Iraq.

Approving this draft is not the end goal, it’s a step among others in this process of evolution in Iraq and it’s going to be the gate to more steps until we reach the day when we have a constitution that satisfies and serves the greatest majority of the people.

He discusses quite a bit more about the concerns and debates and considerations of the "man-on-the-street" Iraqi, and it's an enlightening article, well worth the read. You should also check out his post from Saturday about the voting.

One Marine's View has a look at Saturday

Now as the country has made a milestone achievement they have democracy in motion. As Americans we want things done yesterday and have little patience for things not produced now. Patience is what is needed here and the coward left wing bed wetters won’t understand that. Iraq is where the US was 200 yrs ago. Will their constitution change? Yes of course as ours still changes to this day. Will there be continued fighting? Yes, there are plenty of scumbags here that need to be delt with as they recognize that their days are numbered now since they couldnt alter the elections...

Murdoc Online outlines how Saturday is certainly not a worst case scenario by any means!

Or Does It Explode? has a beautiful statement:

Three years later, October 15 sees another election. This time, thanks to a relative lack of terror attacks, we get to see civil society in action on a national scale. The results of the constitutional referendum are not guaranteed - and so individual Iraqis seem to understand that their vote makes a difference in determining the outcome. And even if the constitution indeed passes, various interests groups will be able to continue to shape its form through parliamentary debate and negotiation. (italics mine, bold in the original)

Gee, that sounds a lot like... democracy in action!

My heart and my prayers go out to the Iraqis. I rejoice with them in this step, and I wish them well in their on-going quest for a democratic society. I am glad that our President is willing to stand by their side and help them until they can stand on their own.

To those who are shouting, "Quagmire! Quagmire!"

STFU. *ahem*

(UPDATE - 11Oct05, Submitted, with gratitude, as one of my two debut posts at the Cotillion Ball! Oh, this is gonna be FUN!) (Oops, Also hosted by WonderWoman at her site)

Straight from the horse's mouth, a Multi-National Force-Iraq briefing shows how far that is from the truth (all emphasis mine):

One of the great pieces of information we got recently is 80 percent of the al Qaeda network in the north has been devastated. And those are not our figures, those came from the last six leaders in Mosul , al Qaeda leaders that we captured; they informed us of that. We also had a letter that was captured from Abu Zaid (sp) going to Zarqawi .  We recently killed Zaid (sp) and we had that letter, and it also talked about the desperate situation for the al Qaeda and the insurgents in Mosul and in the north.  And then also, sources we have inside the al Qaeda network up here have also informed us of that.   

...

And then we have the population, I think is the most significant change I've seen over the last 11 months, from a population clearly on the fence, not sure -- they want freedom, but they weren't really sure what freedom was, and they were clearly intimidated, to a population that clearly understands they want freedom; they are absolutely sick and tired of the terrorists, the brutal acts against innocent civilians, and they want a brighter future for their children.  And we've got a lot of statistics to back that up.  Like when we first got here in October, there was -- no hotline existed.  We opened a hotline; we got about 40 calls a month prior to January.  The last six months, we're up to 400 calls a month. Every day the citizens are stopping us on the street telling us where a potential suspicious individual is who may be a terrorist, and telling us where they tried to plant IEDs and those type of devices.  So the population is clearly very confident.

...

Finally, the government has really improved their legitimacy. They've had significant economic recovery up here, excellent political participation in Nineveh province from a security council where no one would meet before the last elections to now we recently had a regional security conference with some-300 participants and 400 in the southern part of Nineveh province, so a lot of folks participating, very excited about the future. 

Yup. We're killing or incapacitating the terrorists, the enemy is in severe disarray, citizens are stepping forward to help make their country safe and free, the Iraqi government is getting closer and closer to a proper constitution...

Uh-huh. Sure sounds like a "quagmire" to me - NOT! Go read the whole thing - because, as my Dread Lord Emperor Misha I says,

“I Bet You They Won’t Tell This Stuff in the Media”

(Crossposted to And Rightly So!)