October 02, 2006

Tenet Failed to Follow Through

But that's not what the NY Times Headline says:

Records Show Tenet Briefed Rice on Al Qaeda.

That would make you believe that she ignored what he said (confirming Bob Woodward's latest charge).

But after READING the article, we find this wonderful nugget:

Mr. Tenet told members of the Sept. 11 commission about the July 10 meeting when they interviewed him in early 2004, but committee members said the former C.I.A. director never indicated he had left the White House with the impression that he had been ignored.

“Tenet never told us that he was brushed off,” said Richard Ben-Veniste, a Democratic member of the commission. “We certainly would have followed that up.”

Mr. McCormack said the records showed that, far from ignoring Mr. Tenet’s warnings, Ms. Rice acted on the intelligence and requested that Mr. Tenet make the same presentation to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Atttorney General John Ashcroft.

But Mr. Ashcroft said by telephone on Monday evening that he never received a briefing that summer from Mr. Tenet.

“Frankly, I’m disappointed that I didn’t get that kind of briefing,” he said. “I’m surprised he didn’t think it was important enough to come by and tell me.”

The dispute that has played out in recent days gives further evidence of an escalating battle between the White House and Mr. Tenet over who should take the blame for such mistakes as the failure to stop the Sept. 11 attacks and assertions by Bush administration officials that Saddam Hussein was stockpiling chemical and biological weapons and cultivating ties to Al Qaeda.

So all the EVIDENCE and WITNESSES say that Condi acted by instructing Tenet to move forward and brief the Pentagon and the Justice Department, and that the 9/11 Commission heard this testimony and it was not controversial.

But the NY Times thinks the story is about Condi, when it is all about George "Slam Dunk" Tenet. This stinks and the NY Times and Democrats are goign to make fools out of themselves.

If I were Bush, I would start declassifying all sorts of "presidential memos" that Clinton wrote or saw (or Sandy Berger stole and destroyed).

Posted by Aaron at 09:05 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

September 26, 2006

NIE Assessment

Here are the key findings:

Declassified Key Judgments of the National Intelligence Estimate .Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States. dated April 2006 Key Judgments

United States-led counterterrorism efforts have seriously damaged the leadership of al-Qa'ida and disrupted its operations; however, we judge that al-Qa'ida will continue to pose the greatest threat to the Homeland and US interests abroad by a single terrorist organization. We also assess that the global jihadist movement-which includes al- Qa'ida, affiliated and independent terrorist groups, and emerging networks and cells-is spreading and adapting to counterterrorism efforts.

o Although we cannot measure the extent of the spread with precision, a large body of all-source reporting indicates that activists identifying themselves as jihadists, although a small percentage of Muslims, are increasing in both number and geographic dispersion.

o If this trend continues, threats to US interests at home and abroad will become more diverse, leading to increasing attacks worldwide.

o Greater pluralism and more responsive political systems in Muslim majority nations would alleviate some of the grievances jihadists exploit. Over time, such progress, together with sustained, multifaceted programs targeting the vulnerabilities of the jihadist movement and continued pressure on al-Qa'ida, could erode support for the jihadists.

We assess that the global jihadist movement is decentralized, lacks a coherent global strategy, and is becoming more diffuse. New jihadist networks and cells, with anti- American agendas, are increasingly likely to emerge. The confluence of shared purpose and dispersed actors will make it harder to find and undermine jihadist groups.

o We assess that the operational threat from self-radicalized cells will grow in importance to US counterterrorism efforts, particularly abroad but also in the Homeland.

o The jihadists regard Europe as an important venue for attacking Western interests. Extremist networks inside the extensive Muslim diasporas in Europe facilitate recruitment and staging for urban attacks, as illustrated by the 2004 Madrid and 2005 London bombings.

We assess that the Iraq jihad is shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and operatives; perceived jihadist success there would inspire more fighters to continue the struggle elsewhere.

o The Iraq conflict has become the .cause celebre. for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement. Should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight.

We assess that the underlying factors fueling the spread of the movement outweigh its vulnerabilities and are likely to do so for the duration of the timeframe of this Estimate.

o Four underlying factors are fueling the spread of the jihadist movement:

(1) Entrenched grievances, such as corruption, injustice, and fear of Western domination, leading to anger, humiliation, and a sense of powerlessness;

(2) the Iraq .jihad;.

(3) the slow pace of real and sustained economic, social, and political reforms in many Muslim majority nations; and

(4) pervasive anti-US sentiment among most Muslims.all of which jihadists exploit.

Concomitant vulnerabilities in the jihadist movement have emerged that, if fully exposed and exploited, could begin to slow the spread of the movement. They include dependence on the continuation of Muslim-related conflicts, the limited appeal of the jihadists. radical ideology, the emergence of respected voices of moderation, and criticism of the violent tactics employed against mostly Muslim citizens.

o The jihadists. greatest vulnerability is that their ultimate political solution.an ultra-conservative interpretation of shari.a-based governance spanning the Muslim world.is unpopular with the vast majority of Muslims. Exposing the religious and political straitjacket that is implied by the jihadists. propaganda would help to divide them from the audiences they seek to persuade.

o Recent condemnations of violence and extremist religious interpretations by a few notable Muslim clerics signal a trend that could facilitate the growth of a constructive alternative to jihadist ideology: peaceful political activism. This also could lead to the consistent and dynamic participation of broader Muslim communities in rejecting violence, reducing the ability of radicals to capitalize on passive community support. In this way, the Muslim mainstream emerges as the most powerful weapon in the war on terror.

o Countering the spread of the jihadist movement will require coordinated multilateral efforts that go well beyond operations to capture or kill terrorist leaders.

If democratic reform efforts in Muslim majority nations progress over the next five years, political participation probably would drive a wedge between intransigent extremists and groups willing to use the political process to achieve their local objectives. Nonetheless, attendant reforms and potentially destabilizing transitions will create new opportunities for jihadists to exploit.

Al-Qa'ida, now merged with Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi's network, is exploiting the situation in Iraq to attract new recruits and donors and to maintain its leadership role.

o The loss of key leaders, particularly Usama Bin Ladin, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and al-Zarqawi, in rapid succession, probably would cause the group to fracture into smaller groups. Although like-minded individuals would endeavor to carry on the mission, the loss of these key leaders would exacerbate strains and disagreements. We assess that the resulting splinter groups would, at least for a time, pose a less serious threat to US interests than does al-Qa.ida.

o Should al-Zarqawi continue to evade capture and scale back attacks against Muslims, we assess he could broaden his popular appeal and present a global threat.

o The increased role of Iraqis in managing the operations of al-Qa.ida in Iraq might lead veteran foreign jihadists to focus their efforts on external operations. Other affiliated Sunni extremist organizations, such as Jemaah Islamiya, Ansar al- Sunnah, and several North African groups, unless countered, are likely to expand their reach and become more capable of multiple and/or mass-casualty attacks outside their traditional areas of operation.

o We assess that such groups pose less of a danger to the Homeland than does al- Qa.ida but will pose varying degrees of threat to our allies and to US interests abroad. The focus of their attacks is likely to ebb and flow between local regime targets and regional or global ones.

We judge that most jihadist groups.both well-known and newly formed.will use improvised explosive devices and suicide attacks focused primarily on soft targets to implement their asymmetric warfare strategy, and that they will attempt to conduct sustained terrorist attacks in urban environments. Fighters with experience in Iraq are a potential source of leadership for jihadists pursuing these tactics.

o CBRN capabilities will continue to be sought by jihadist groups. While Iran, and to a lesser extent Syria, remain the most active state sponsors of terrorism, many other states will be unable to prevent territory or resources from being exploited by terrorists.

Anti-US and anti-globalization sentiment is on the rise and fueling other radical ideologies. This could prompt some leftist, nationalist, or separatist groups to adopt terrorist methods to attack US interests. The radicalization process is occurring more quickly, more widely, and more anonymously in the Internet age, raising the likelihood of surprise attacks by unknown groups whose members and supporters may be difficult to pinpoint.

o We judge that groups of all stripes will increasingly use the Internet to communicate, propagandize, recruit, train, and obtain logistical and financial support.

Posted by Aaron at 10:54 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

September 25, 2006

But Iraq Has Nothing to Do with the War on Terrorism

UK soldiers (God bless them) killed an al Qaeda leader that escaped from prison in Afghanistan in 2005...IN IRAQ.

Also, do you think this guy could have escaped from Gitmo?

UPDATE: San Fran Nan responds...

"Five years after 9/11, and Osama bin Laden is still free and not a single terrorist who planned 9/11 has been caught and brought to justice. President Bush should read the intelligence carefully before giving another misleading speech about progress in the war on terrorism," Pelosi said.

This is one of those "technical" truths but really a lie. We have captured THOUSANDS of terrorists and many of them dealing with 9/11.

KSM anyone? He was the MASTERMIND of 9/11.

The technical part is that they haven't been found "guilty" buy a jury.

These people show their utter inability to comprehend the scope of the problem we face.

Thinking of staying home in 2006? How does Speaker Pelosi sound to you?

Posted by Aaron at 12:48 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

September 22, 2006

War Deaths Now More than 9/11 - Media and Democrats Plan Celebrations and News Conferences

This is going to be another snuff fest by leftists in politics and media:

Now the death toll is 9/11 times two.

U.S. military deaths from Iraq and Afghanistan now match those of the most devastating terrorist attack in America’s history, the trigger for what came next. Add casualties from chasing terrorists elsewhere in the world, and the total has passed the Sept. 11 figure.

The latest milestone for a country at war comes without commemoration. It also may well come without the precision of knowing who is the 2,973rd man or woman of arms to die in conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, or just when it happens. The terrorist attacks killed 2,973 victims in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

Commemoration? Of course there won't be because this is no "milestone" and it is utterly insignificant. The last person that died in Iraq or Afghanistan is just as precious as the person that died before. They all are.

And why is it that the Democrats and leftist media are always trying to INVENT fake anniversaries and milestones to celebrate and use to BASH BUSH? Bush discusses the War on Terror/Islamic Naziism on--of all dates--9/11 and they go insane.

But let's look at all the manufactured milestones the Dems use to their political ends:

But all of these milestones are SOPHISTRY, utterly meaningless and historically vacant.

We lost @3,000 deaths at Pearl Harbor and went on to lose almost 0.5 million in the four years after. We've lost 1/2 of one percent of that since 9/11.

Posted by Aaron at 08:15 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Finally, a scholarly article on interrogations and law

My jaw just dropped. I read this very careful and even handed examination by a liberal law professor! Being fair, he will no doubt be called Dershowitz in training...but this is a great piece.

Domestic law is, by its very nature, coercive. Individuals can, by the power of the state, be forced to obey the law at risk of loss of liberty, property, or both. The sacrifice of personal autonomy that allows this is justified by the fidelity of those who make and enforce the rules to principles of limited power, legitimacy in law-creation, predictable and impartial enforcement, and respect for liberty. That is the essence of the rule of law.

This is consent of the governed. Our constitution provides our consent to the government to enforce the law - which necessarily curbs many of our freedoms.

International law isn't intended to have the same consequences and enforcement as national law and cannot be read the same way. For the same reason, accords among nations expected to abide by them cannot be read the same way when applied to relations with regimes - or worse, those operating outside any national office - that can be expected to treat international law with the same disdain they show for human rights and human life.

Of course it's not. International treaties cannot violate our constitutional rights. If the UN wants to ban guns around the world, that doesn't mean that we cannot be members of the UN, it just means that our government can enforce that mandate.

The current debate over treatment of al-Qaeda partisans captured abroad reveals two different visions of the law. The first group (led by President Bush) sees the law as subordinate to a conflict between good and evil. It can set limits to what we'll do to combat evil, but those limits must reflect our own interests. The second group (opposing the President), seeing law in more universal terms, wants to treat the terrorists essentially like citizens charged with crimes - giving them similar protections against government over-reaching, similar presumptions of innocence and fair play.

President Bush's position is easy to state and to understand: We are facing an enemy that has no national government, obeys no rules, and is dedicated to our destruction. They have attacked us repeatedly over more than a decade. We cannot fight al-Qaeda by destroying its homeland. We cannot retaliate against its atrocities by cutting off trade or attacking their cities.

The obvious corollary of this position is that our fight must focus on prevention and disruption. We should do everything we can short of torture to obtain information about how our enemies work and what they are planning. We should reveal as little as possible to them of what we know. We should not tie the hands of those on our front lines with vague instructions backed by potentially severe penalties.

The opposing position is that America should play by the rules of international law, as set forth in the Geneva Conventions. We should behave as if the law is clear and binding, and we should set standards that we want applied to our soldiers by our enemies. This approach has attracted an odd coalition of those concerned about treatment of captured American soldiers, civil libertarians worried about weakening rights for Americans accused of crime, and hug-a-terrorist liberals who think that playing nice brings out the best in everyone.

The difference he describes is striking and important. Every item the left proposes is a remedy for AFTER the attack or attempted attack. What good is radiological detectors in OUR ports? The bomb is sitting in Baltimore Harbor already and can be detonated there. Every item the right proposes is a measure to PREVENT another attack (successful or unsuccessful).

The question becomes this: who do trust with your rights? Do you trust the government, who governs at our consent, with certain aspects of privacy and intrusion, to protect your fundamental rights? Or do you trust the terrorists? How intrusive is beheading?

The whole article is good. Check it out.

Posted by Aaron at 10:51 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBack

September 19, 2006

What is torture?

Let's have a discussion on what is torture...

What is it? Is it something that can be defined? Or is it in the eye of the beholder?

Is it like porn? You know it when you see it?

If someone screams torture because he is touched by a female doctor or prison guard, should we respect that?

Posted by Aaron at 12:01 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

How is this Canada's fault?

I understand being falsely accused and all, but why is the only condemnation coming down on Canada (and the US) but none on Syria because they are the ones that actually tortured this guy?

It's simply mind boggling.

Where are the soft-glove quartet in the Senate to condemn this? Didn't Syria sign the Geneva convention? Doesn't common article three apply to everyone? Shouldn't Syria be up on charges of war crimes then?

Hmmmm...

Posted by Aaron at 07:50 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack

September 16, 2006

Sick and Tire of Muslim Outrage

The Pope really struck a nerve and I am glad that he did.

Muslim's have a right to be offended if he the Pope said something offensive, but they need to learn to get over it.

Posted by Aaron at 11:37 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

September 12, 2006

Allen Boyle, 30, Wappingers Falls, NY

2,996: A Tribute to the Victims of 9/11

Bloggers honor the innocent victims of that awful day...


As we mark the 5th Anniversary of September 11, 2001, please take a moment to meet one if the victims, Allen Boyle.

Allen Boyle was originally from Wappingers Falls. He was installing a telephone security system at the Pentagon on Sept. 11 when hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building. He leaves behind his wife Rhonda, pregnant with the couple's third child, and his sons Dillon, 3, and Allen Jr., 2. He was 30. Here is his story.


A Caring Man, a Cruel Irony

As Allen Boyle was growing up in Wappinger's Falls, N.Y., not far from Poughkeepsie, he repeatedly made a vow to his friends. His mother had died when he was 11, his dad when he was 14. "I'm going to be there for my children," said the shy, passive young man to his friends. That he, a father of two young children with a third on the way, died in the Pentagon crash was the cruelest of ironies.Especially given how far he'd come. "He was very quiet but always smiling. He had absolutely no enemies," said his cousin, Ruth Pfeiffer, who was close to Boyle and very fond of him. The sister-in-law who raised Boyle, Helene Hohn, says Allen "never stressed. He didn't have a temper. I never even heard him swear."

Hohn worried about the grief he must have been feeling, but she saw that Allen found solace and self-expression in his beloved electric guitar, which he "played constantly," says Pfeiffer. The KISS fan played with his band in the family basement and literally slept with his guitar in his arms. "He held on tight," said Hohn. "It was his security."As far as career went, Allen wanted to be either an electrician, (his father's trade) or a pilot. For a while he was an airplane mechanic, and for a time pumped gas at Circle K. But when he traveled to Tucson, Ariz., to visit his brother, he discovered ITT, the technical school, and decided to enroll. He'd follow in his dad's footsteps.

Eventually he found work at the Pentagon, where he was working as a subcontractor for the Radian Co., maintaining and improving the building's security system. "He was so proud to be working at the Pentagon," said Hohn through tears. "His whole family was very patriotic. We even decorated his truck red, white and blue for his wedding."

Still, Allen and his wife Rhonda, a grade-school teacher, were having trouble making ends meet. He worked 70 hours a week, including nighttime pizza delivery at night, to support his family. "He was an excellent father," said Pfeiffer. "He really took care of the kids all the time." He, Rhonda and their two young children were living in a motel in Fredericksburg, Va., at the time of his death at age 30.

Rhonda Boyle is expecting another child in early December.

--Jonathan Pitts (The Baltimore Sun)


Please leave your thoughts at Allen's guestbook at Legacy

Here is what others had to say:

A friend of my older brother's nad a part of growing up. Alan (sic) God bless you and your family. The old school crew will never forget you growing up in Wappingers Falls, NY. Heather Dereux, West Pal Beach, FL

I will always remember Al. We all grew up together in Wappingers Falls, NY. Al and my brother Chris were best friends. They played guitar together all the time, etc. Al spent a lot of time at our house when we were kids. Our whole family loved him, especially Chris. I pray for all that he left behind, especially his own children. May God keep and protect you. Lisa La Falce

I used to be the teacher to his children in the daycare and i couldn't know a man who loved his kids more. I pray for you everyday and i hope the kids are doing fine. I miss them so much. Always thinking of them~ Ms. Claire from Learn N' Play Daycare. Claire Eades (Fredericksburg, VA)

thank you for all the support for my brothers family.allen was a good man, our parents died when allen was a teenager. allen would have tears in his eyes when he found out how much people pray for him and his family.(our family thanks you). i remmber being in washington a week after the attacks and seeing thousands of cards and banners from all over the world,we spent hours and hours crying and reading all that were at arlington cemmatary [sic]. may the peace of the lord be with you and your familys [sic]. robert hohn (schenectady, NY)

Let us all pray for Rhonda, Dillon and Allen, Jr.

Posted by Aaron at 05:40 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

September 09, 2006

Missed Chances

Newsmax.com has a list of the events that preceeded 9-11 that could have lead to the capture of killing of UBL.

Here are several of the missed opportunities to stop bin Laden prior to the devastating attacks of 9/11:

# June 1995: The CIA concluded that Osama bin Laden authorized the failed assassination attempt on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The CIA also concluded that Hassan al-Turabi, Sudan's leader, knew where bin Laden was living and aided the plot. The United States weighed options for attacking bin Laden and al-Turabi's headquarters in Sudan's capital, but retaliation plans were ultimately rejected - as tantamount to staging war with Sudan.

# February 1996 to October 1998: The United States targeted bin Laden's satellite phone calls. After a U.S. missile strike against bin Laden's camps on Aug. 20, 1998, however, an official leaked that the United States could track his movements through the use of the phone - nixing this key intelligence coup.

# March to May 1996: Varying unverified reports indicated that bin Laden's sanctuary, Sudan, offered to hand over bin Laden directly to the United States, but U.S. officials decided not to take him because there was not enough evidence at the time to charge him with a crime. (The 9/11 Commission later concluded that there was no evidence that Sudan offered bin Laden directly to the United States, but it does find substantiation that Saudi Arabia was discussed as an option.)

# March 1996 to April 1996: Eager to get from beneath sanctions, Sudan advised the United States that it had a vast intelligence database on bin Laden and more than 200 leading members of his al-Qaida terrorist network. Although FBI officials wanted to parley with the Sudanese and get their files, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright pressed to continue to box the country in economically. No deal was made for the files.

# May 1996: When Sudan finally expelled bin Laden, the terror chieftain left in the company of many other key al-Qaida members, carrying cash. Flying to Afghanistan in a transport plane with his entourage, he made the trip unscathed - even though the United States reportedly knew of the particulars of the journey.

# June 1996 to October 2001: Al-Qaida took control of Ariana Airlines, which transported illegal drugs and arms and became the main conduit of militants traveling incognito as airline employees. The United States failed to act swiftly against the airline.

# 1997: Although the CIA ramped up its Afghanistan operations and recruited some Taliban military leaders, none gets close to bin Laden.

# February 1998: The United States rejected yet another offer of the Sudanese al-Qaida files. Although the FBI remained eager to accept the offer, the official posture was that Sudan's offers were not credible - owing to Sudanese leader al-Turabi's ideologically bond with bin Laden.

# May 1998: The United States developed a plan to capture bin Laden in Afghanistan, using a CIA-owned aircraft that would swoop in from a nearby country, set down on a remote landing strip, and haul him aboard. Involved in the complex scenario that evolved over time was a team of Afghan informants who would kidnap bin Laden from his Tarnak Farm complex. CIA chief George Tenet, however, nixed the operation on grounds that, in his judgment, the impromptu Afghan allies were unreliable.

# August 1998: After the al-Qaida bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, President Clinton, in writing, authorized the CIA to arrange the capture of bin Laden, using force. Despite a lot of preliminary groundwork by the CIA, the plan never unfolded - reportedly owing to inadequate intelligence.

# August 1998 to 2000: After the embassy bombings, the United States placed two submarines on station - likely in the Indian Ocean. They were poised to launch cruise missiles at al-Qaida targets, including bin Laden. However, by the time the drone Predator spy plane soared over Afghanistan in late 2000 and famously pinpointed bin Laden on the ground, the submarines had been redeployed elsewhere. Bin Laden escaped unscathed - since the Predator model used at that time was not armed with a missile.

# August 1998: The United States fired about 60 missiles at various al-Qaida training camps in Afghanistan, as well as a dozen missiles at a pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum, Sudan. No key al-Qaida cadre was killed.

# December 1998: The United States once again pinpointed bin Laden in Afghanistan. Although missiles were readied, the strike was called off over fears of collateral damage.

# February 1999: Intelligence put bin Laden at a desert hunting camp in Afghanistan. Cruise missiles are prepped, but royals from the United Arab Emirates are present and the strike is called off.

# May 1999: Bin Laden was reportedly pinpointed again. Tenet nixed attack owing to usual concerns about collateral damage.

# October 1999: A reportedly joint Pakistani Interservices Intelligence/U.S. commando strike to kill bin Laden is waylaid when Gen. Pervez Musharraf took over Pakistan in a coup and subsequently decided to abort the operation.

# May 2000 to August 2001: When the CIA and FBI send a joint investigative team to Sudan, that country again offered to hand over its files on al-Qaida. Once again the offer is rejected.

# September to October 2000: Predator flights over Afghanistan revealed movements of what appears to be bin Laden and his aides. However, because of high winds, the recon flights are discontinued until the spring.

# December 2000: The CIA recommended to the incoming Bush administration to arm the Predator drone and send it over Afghanistan. Bush, however, does not give the necessary nod until after 9/11.

# March 2001: The Russian Permanent Mission at the United Nations secretly submits a detailed report to the U.N. Security Council about bin Laden and his network. Reportedly, the U.S. failure to follow up on the particulars of the report is part of what motivates Jane's Intelligence Review to conclude that the attacks of 9/11 were less of an American intelligence failure than the result of a political decision not to act against bin Laden.

Posted by Aaron at 02:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 05, 2006

Nuke Waziristan

That should be the plan.

Posted by Aaron at 06:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 03, 2006

The Afghanistan Economy Seems to be booming...

Don't we use opium in medicine? Why cant we just buy the crop from Afghanistan instead of letting it get into the hands of drug dealers:

The U.N. anti-drug chief announced a "staggering" 60% rise increase in opium cultivation in Afghanistan this year, and demanded that the government arrest scores of major traffickers and remove corrupt officials and police who are profiting from the trade.

Posted by Aaron at 03:00 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

September 02, 2006

Because he has none

This opening paragraph written by the father of a Gitmo detainee demonstrates the childish and uneducated view of the US Constitution:

The United States recently responded to pressure from the German government and released detainee Murat Kurnaz from Guantanamo Bay. Although he spent four years in the U.S. prison there, Kurnaz was never charged with a crime, and there are no indications that he was involved in any terrorist-related activity. Had he been afforded his constitutional right to due process upon detention, it is highly likely that this innocent man would not have wasted four years of his life in prison.

To conservatives, the error is obvious. Emotional leftists might not see it right away, so let me splain it...

HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS BECAUSE HE IS NOT AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.

Good, Lord. The US Constitution is not a global document of peace and good will; it is a legal document that outlines what US citizens allow the federal government to do.

Posted by Aaron at 05:59 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

August 31, 2006

Set your Tivos

Sunday, September 10 @ 8/7c
Monday, September 11 @ 8/7c

Starring Harvey Keitel, Donnie Wahlberg, Michael Benyaer, Shirley Douglas, Patricia Heaton

The miniseries will take viewers behind closed doors at the CIA, the FBI and the White House and into the world of Richard Clarke, Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice, Dick Cheney, Sandy Berger and CIA Director George Tenet, among others. Viewers will follow the international manhunt for elusive bomber Ramzi Yousef (Nabile Elouahabi, Eastenders) and meet several key players in the 9/11 saga, including: John O'Neill, the career FBI agent who spent years zealously chasing bin Laden; then-ABC newsman John Miller (portrayed by Barclay Hope, Stargate SG-1), who interviewed bin Laden; Emad Salem and other key Muslim informants who aided the U.S.; and Ahmed Shah Massoud, commander of the Northern Alliance, a crucial American ally and the person bin Laden feared most.

The 9/11 Commission Report instantly became a national bestseller when it was published in July 2004. Writer Cyrus Nowrasteh (The Day Reagan Was Shot) uses this historic document as the basis for a powerful story with action as gripping and far reaching as the source material itself. Shot in Toronto, Morocco, New York and Washington, DC, actors portray the famous and infamous, along with the formerly anonymous and often heroic people thrust onto history's stage. Beginning with the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center and ending on the morning of 9/11, the miniseries draws on detailed information from the Report and other sources to take viewers on an unforgettable journey through the events that presaged that fateful day -- to understand what went right and wrong, and what can be learned from this crucial eight-year period.

Former ABC News anchor John Miller, now the FBI's Assistant Director of Public Affairs, was also a consultant on the project. His book, The Cell, co-authored with Michael Stone, was optioned by ABC for use in the teleplay. In addition, The Relentless Pursuit by Samuel Katz was also optioned.

The Path to 9/11 is executive-produced by Marc Platt (Empire Falls). The producers are Hans Proppe (Anne Frank) and Cyrus Nowrasteh (also the writer); and Governor Thomas H. Kean (Chair, The 9/11 Commission) is senior consultant. The director is David L. Cunningham. The miniseries is a production of UHP Productions, Ltd., and will be distributed by Touchstone Television.

TV Rating: TV-14 -- For more info visit www.tvguidelines.org

Simulcast in HDTV where available

Posted by Aaron at 11:32 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 30, 2006

This isn't a terrorist attack

That's what we will soon hear...just a guy with a Muslim-sounding name decides to start mowing down people in front of a Jewish Community center in SF (and others, including people on "Bush" street) with his SUV:

-- Two people, one of them a child, were seriously injured on the 3500 block of California Street in Laurel Heights.

-- Three people were hit at California and Fillmore streets. Witnesses said they included a man with a broken hip and a woman with a gashed head.

-- Two people were seriously hurt at Bush and Pierce streets.

-- One person was seriously injured at Bush and Buchanan streets.

-- One person suffered minor injuries in an incident at 1850 Fillmore St.

-- Two other people suffered minor injuries when they were hit at Pine at Divisadero streets.

-- Two people were hit and suffered minor injuries at Divisadero and Bush streets.

To understand the lefts' mindset, all we need to do is go right to the criminal mayor, Gavin Newsom*:

"This was so senseless and inexplicable,'' the mayor said afterward.

A man who is possibly a Muslim starts running down people. Utterly inexplicable...it's not like it happened before...oh, wait; it did:

Authorities say 23-year-old Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, who drove a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee into The Pit at the UNC-Chapel Hill campus around noon Friday, may have acted to avenge American treatment of Muslims.

Police intend to charge Taheri-azar, who graduated from UNC in December with a dual degree in psychology and philosophy, with nine counts of attempted murder and nine counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, said Capt. George Hare of the UNC Department of Public Safety.

The FBI joined the case because Taheri-azar, a native of Iran, "allegedly made statements that he acted to avenge the American treatment of Muslims. The ongoing investigation will work to confirm this," said Special Agent Richard Kolko, an FBI spokesman in Washington.

*It's funny, he actually BROKE THE LAW by marrying homosexual couples and yet I don't see any Democratic protests or demands for him to be "frog marched" anywhere.

Posted by Aaron at 08:08 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 25, 2006

Time to Bomb

I think America needs to remind Russia and China that we are simply pussyfooting around in Iraq with a democracy project - but that we can still reign fire from the skies and devestate the Iranian army.

"I know of no instances in world practice and previous experience in which sanctions have achieved their aim and proved effective," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told reporters during a trip to Russia's far east.

"Moreover, I believe that the question is not so serious at the moment for the U.N. Security Council or the group of six to consider any introduction of sanctions. Russia stands for further political and diplomatic efforts to settle the issue."

Ivanov is regarded as close to President Vladimir Putin.

The Security Council passed a legally binding resolution on July 31 telling Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment program within 30 days or risk sanctions.

Iran says it is enriching uranium solely to generate electricity. The West suspects the Iranian nuclear program is a front for building atom bombs.

U.S., French and German leaders said that Iran's 21-page response to the incentives offer was unsatisfactory because it did not specifically agree to stop purifying uranium.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Friday that Tehran's reply had touched on "many different elements, different from the ones that we had proposed."

"For that reason we will have to hold a dialogue session ... or a conversation with the ... Iranians to improve upon some of the expressions and meanings of the subject matter treated in its document," he told Spain's RNE state radio.

But while Washington, backed by closest ally Britain, has said the six powers will move quickly to adopt sanctions if Iran disregards the deadline, Germany and France have been less conclusive in public and Russia and China have been unwilling.

"For the moment, it (the Iranian response) is not satisfactory," French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said on RTL radio, but added it was important to avoid escalating conflict with Iran and the Muslim world.

"The worst thing would be to escalate into a confrontation (between the West and) Iran on the one hand, and the Muslim world with Iran...," he said.

"I'm starting from the principle we should have a dialogue with the Iranians, that we must hold out our hands to them."

This is absolutely silly. France is a joke and is currently showing how spineless it is with Lebanon.

And for some reason, I think that the US and Israel should strong arm Germany to pay back their debt for WWII and smite the anti-Semites in Iran.

Posted by Aaron at 01:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 15, 2006

Burqas: Not Just for Modesty Anymore!

If you thought burqas were simply a means to keep Muslim men from lusting after Muslim women, think again:

burqa.bmp

Al Qaeda's newest tactic to elude American forces appears to be dressing in drag.

A key al Qaeda operative who was dressed as a woman was killed in eastern Afghanistan, according to the U.S. military.

It was the third time in just three weeks that al Qaeda operatives wearing women's clothing have been captured or killed by coalition forces, Coalition spokesman Colonel Tom Collins told ABC News.

"We are seeing this tactic more frequently," he said.

Next they'll be sending children to do their dirty work for them. Oh wait, they already do.

h/t: Jeanette

Crossposted to Blogmeister USA

Posted by Pam at 11:59 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 14, 2006

Cease-fire Photo

To remind us who the UN just saved with its cease-fire:

soldierbabies.jpg

Posted by Aaron at 06:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

At Least Democrats Demonstrate and Vote

All this belly-aching by Muslims in England saying that terrorism there is because of British foreign policy is making me appreciate, however annoying, the ankle biting by the Democrats.

Yes, many of their ideas foreign policies are disasterous and dangerous - but at least they organize and vote for people that advocate changing our foreign policy.

Their hatred of Bush has not lead them to blowing up subways or trying to take down aircraft.

Yet.

UPDATE: Paul seems to forget history...

The state's Bush-Cheney campaign headquarters in Bellevue were burglarized and three laptop computers containing campaign plans were stolen, Republican Party officials said Friday.

The battle over political yard signs continued in Rapid City on Friday night, and the Republicans seemed to get the worst of it.

Signs supporting Republican candidates John Thune and Larry Diedrich were spray painted, stolen or destroyed up and down West Boulevard, as well as on several streets nearby. West Boulevard resident Ellen Drabek said Saturday that she lost two signs from her yard during the night.

The scuffle started when union members, specifically the steelworkers, jumped down from the ledge they were standing on and attacked members of the pro-Bush crowd. Those members of the pro-Bush crowd that got the brunt of the attack were Aaron, Matt, and FReeper James; but everyone in the immediate area got a bit of it. The tentative list of injuries includes a bruised knee, sprained (or at least hurt) wrist, scrapes to the face, broken glasses, and a scraped hand (ok, that last one isn’t as impressive) – we’ll have to see what shows up in the morning.

Madison homeowners are livid after vandals defaced their homes.

Someone burned an 8-foot-by-8-foot Nazi swastika on a home's lawn near where Bush-Cheney signs were posted. The vandals used grass killer to spray the symbol.

Several nearby homes were vandalized -- all were within a two-block radius on the West Side, near Ice Age Trail, News 3 reported.

Gunshots shattered the plate-glass front doors of a local Bush-Cheney campaign headquarters Tuesday morning before volunteers reported to work.

"For someone to use that level of violence to try to make a political point, it is just a shock," said Chad Tindell, Knox County Republican chairman.

A group of protestors stormed and then ransacked a Bush-Cheney headquarters building in Orlando, Fla., Tuesday, according to Local 6 News.

Local 6 News reported that several people from the group of 100 Orlando protestors face possible assault charges after the group forced their way inside the Republican headquarters office.

More than 50 demonstrators supporting Democrat presidential candidate John Kerry stormed a Republican campaign office in West Allis at mid-day today, trespassing, creating a disturbance through the use of a bullhorn in the office and then refusing to leave when asked.

The political season has turned ugly in Howard County, with an Ellicott City homeowner reporting a late-night fire that burned two Republican campaign signs in his back yard.

In addition, local Republicans say scores of other campaign signs have been destroyed or vandalized in the past couple of weeks, most of them along major highways.

Two more men turned themselves in to Milwaukee police Saturday in connection with the slashing of tires on 20 vans and cars rented by the Republican Party on election day, according to department records.

Police in Sarasota, Florida, arrested a man accused of trying to run down Rep. Katherine Harris and her supporters with a car Tuesday, a police spokesman said.

A silver Cadillac "swerved off the road and drove up the sidewalk" heading "straight towards Ms. Harris," according to the police arrest report.

Blah, blah, blah.

Posted by Aaron at 05:43 PM | Comments (22) | TrackBack

August 11, 2006

Money Quote

Ed Koch, liberal, former Mayor of New York City says:

In my judgment, when history evaluates George W. Bush's position in the pantheon of presidents, he will be compared with Harry S. Truman. Bush's fortitude in recognizing the danger of Islamic fundamentalism to the U.S. and, indeed, the Western world, and his awareness of the need to win this war of civilizations is remarkable. He deserves the applause of all Americans and in time he will receive it.

Posted by Aaron at 11:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Maybe India Should "Redeploy" Its troops from Iraq

Oh, wait. India isn't in Iraq.

Then maybe India should stop supplying weapons to Israel and taking sides against Hezbollah.

Oh, wait. India isn't involved in this matter.

Well, then maybe India should stop...stop talking to BUSH! Yeah, that's it! It's Bush's fault.

The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi warned Friday that foreign militants, possibly al-Qaida members, may be planning to carry out bombings in India's two major cities in the coming days.

In an e-mail sent to American citizens living in India, the embassy said New Delhi, the capital, and Bombay, the country's financial and entertainment hub, were the likely targets, and the attacks were believed to be planned for either before or on India's Independence Day, August 15.

Posted by Aaron at 04:59 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 10, 2006

But I Thought There Was No Terrorist Threat

Michael Moore told us so!

British police thwarted [FOX News Brian Kilmeade said that the plot was disrupted, not thwarted] on Thursday what they said was a plot to blow up aircraft in mid-flight between Britain and the United States and arrested more than 15 people.

Both countries stepped up security, causing severe delays at airports following the revelation of the plot, which a police source said was believed to involve a “liquid chemical” device.

“The police acting with the security service MI5 are investigating an alleged plot to bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions, causing a considerable loss of life,” Interior Minister John Reid said.

Thank God for the British MI5 (DOMESTIC SPYING!!!! IMPEACH BUSH - BLAIR!) and Tony Blair.

Supposedly, this was a very technologically advanced plot with liquid/chemical bombs smuggled on board in component parts. 21 arrested, possibly 50 still at large.

The fact that we are within a month of 9-11's fifth anniversary is not a coincidence.

Anyway, as Lucianne said, Lorie Byrd is all over this.

Instead, Michael Moore is issuing threats to anyone who supports Bush's Wars...

Nearly every Democrat set to run for president in 2008 is responsible for this war. They voted for it or they supported it. That single, stupid decision has cost us 2,592 American lives and tens of thousands of Iraqi lives. Lieberman and Company made a colossal mistake -- and we are going to make sure they pay for that mistake. Payback time started last night.

I realize that there are those like Kerry and Edwards who have now changed their position and are strongly anti-war. Perhaps that switch will be enough for some to support them. For others, like me -- while I'm glad they've seen the light -- their massive error in judgment is, sadly, proof that they are not fit for the job. They sided with Bush, and for that, they may never enter the promised land.

To Hillary, our first best hope for a woman to become president, I cannot for the life of me figure out why you continue to support Bush and his war. I'm sure someone has advised you that a woman can't be elected unless she proves she can kick ass just as crazy as any man. I'm here to tell you that you will never make it through the Democratic primaries unless you start now by strongly opposing the war. It is your only hope. You and Joe have been Bush's biggest Democratic supporters of the war. Last night's voter revolt took place just a few miles from your home in Chappaqua. Did you hear the noise? Can you read the writing on the wall?

To every Democratic Senator and Congressman who continues to back Bush's War, allow me to inform you that your days in elective office are now numbered. Myself and tens of millions of citizens are going to work hard to actively remove you from any position of power.

Posted by Aaron at 05:08 AM | Comments (11) | TrackBack

August 08, 2006

And I Hope He was Waterboarded and Roughed Up

The Israelis know how to extract information:

The IDF released videotaped footage of an interview with a captured Hizbullah member who was involved in the July 12th attack in which eight IDF soldiers were killed and two others kidnapped.

Chief of military intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin, told cabinet ministers on Sunday that the Hizbullah terrorist had been taken prisoner during an operation in Lebanon. Soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev are still being held hostage by the Iranian-backed Hizbullah.

Among other revelations of Hizbullah recruitment and training methods, the captured terrorist, Hussein Ali Sliman, said that he and a group of 40 or 50 others travelled from Beirut to Iran by way of an unofficial Syrian air strip in 2003. He also noted that the caravan of Hizbullah vehicles crossing into Syria travelled by way of an official military lane. The trip was undertaken for one of two practical field exercises of Hizbullah terrorists under Iranian tutelage.

Posted by Aaron at 05:36 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 01, 2006

Our condolences to Senator Baucus

We all should say a prayer for the Senator's family; his nephew was another hero in the war against Islamic Naziism:

A nephew of Sen. Max Baucus serving in the Marines was killed in Iraq during the weekend, the senator's office said Tuesday.

Cpl. Phillip E. Baucus, 28, died Saturday during combat operations in Anbar province, the Department of Defense said. It did not immediately release further information.

In a statement, Baucus, D-Mont., said the family was "devastated by the loss."

"Phillip was an incredible person, a dedicated Marine, a loving son and husband, and a proud Montanan and American," the senator said. "He heroically served the country he loved and he gave it his all."

Phillip Baucus, of Wolf Creek, was part of a Marine Corps battalion based at Twentynine Palms, Calif. He was married last August at the ranch his parents operate between Helena and Great Falls.

Max Baucus voted to authorize war in Iraq in 2002. Earlier this summer, he joined other Democrats in voting to begin a phased redeployment of troops from the war-torn country by year's end.

Baucus is in his fifth term in the Senate.

Posted by Aaron at 06:55 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Never Forget

Photograph of a body found inside the Pentagon after Flight 77 crashed into the building

More unreleashed photos, recordings and video here.

Posted by Aaron at 12:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 25, 2006

Kicking Terrorist Ass

The Dem Chairman Howard Dean characterized our soldiers' actions as allowing UBL to lollygag around the mountains of Afghanistan:

"I'll tell you one thing, if we get back in power we're going to make a real effort to get OBL. We're not going to let him lolly-day [sic] around for four years."

I hope Howie doesn't read this:

KABUL, Afghanistan — More than 600 suspected Taliban militants have been killed since a U.S.-led offensive began last month in southern Afghanistan, a coalition spokesman said Tuesday.

Col. Tom Collins said the 600 militants have died in combat since Operation Mountain Thrust started June 10. The offensive is aimed at crushing the deadliest spate of Taliban violence since the hard-line regime's 2001 ouster.

I suspect they were just lollygagging around the bazaars of Kabul...

Posted by Aaron at 09:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 14, 2006

Stop. Think.

No, this isn't a Tylenol commercial. I am asking our visitors with which we most disagree to pause and absorb the situation in Israel/Lebanon/Gaza.

Take a look at what Israel has done in the last five years in moving out of Gaza and Lebanon (Golan Heights).

Now think of it another way: Israel "redeployed" their troops out of danger to let the Palestinians and Islamists sort things out. We are seeing the aftermath of the Murtha plan for Iraq in Israel.

Hate Bush and hate the Iraq war but the chaos that would ensue if we left would be greater than this by several orders of magnitude.

Posted by Aaron at 05:56 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Hezbollah ready for 'open war' with Israel

Here we go...

"We are ready for it -- war, war on every level," said Nasrallah, soon after Israel's military reportedly hit his home and destroyed Hezbollah's headquarters in southern Beirut.

As a warmongering republiscum, you know what I'd say?

Bring it!

BOOM

SHAKE

SHAKE

SHAKE

THE

ROOM

This blog unconditionally supports Israel in their War on Terror. I pray innocent casualties are minimal.

Posted by Aaron at 04:13 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

In His Own Words

This was pointed to by WND. I am printing it in its entirety since USC's muslim association removed it from their website and only a cache page remains...

In the Name of Allah, most Compassionate, most Merciful

Becoming Muslim
Yahiye Adam Gadahn
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My first seventeen years have been a bit different than the youth experienced by most Americans. I grew up on an extremely rural goat ranch in Western Riverside County, California, where my family raises on average 150 to 200 animals for milk, cheese, and meat. My father is a halal butcher [a butcher who slaughters in an Islamic manner -ed.] and supplies to an Islamic Food Mart a few blocks from the Islamic Center in downtown Los Angeles.

My father was raised agnostic or atheist, but he became a believer in One God when he picked up a Bible left on the beach. He once had a number of Muslim friends, but they've all moved out of California now. My mother was raised Catholic, so she leans towards Christianity (although she, like my father, disregards the Trinity). I and my siblings were/are home-schooled, and as you may know, most home-school families are Christian. In the last 8 or so years, we have been involved with some home-schooling support groups, thus acquainting me with fundamentalist Christianity. It was an eye-opening experience. Setting aside the blind dogmatism and charismatic wackiness, it was quite a shock to me when I realized that these people, in their prayers, were actually praying TO JESUS. You see, I had always believed that Jesus (pbuh) was, at the very most, the Son of God (since that is what the Bible mistranslates "Servant of God" as). As I learned that belief in the Trinity, something I find absolutely ridiculous, is considered by most Christians to be a prerequisite for salvation, I gradually realized I could not be a Christian.

In the meantime, I had become obsessed with demonic Heavy Metal music, something the rest of my family (as I now realize, rightfully so) was not happy with. My entire life was focused on expanding my music collection. I eschewed personal cleanliness and let my room reach an unbelievable state of disarray. My relationship with my parents became strained, although only intermittently so. I am sorry even as I write this.

Earlier this year, I began to listen to the apocalyptic ramblings of Christian radio's "prophecy experts." Their paranoid espousal of various conspiracy theories, rabid support of Israel and religious Zionism, and fiery preaching about the "Islamic Threat" held for me a strange fascination. Why? Well, I suppose it was simply the need I was feeling to fill that void I had created for myself. In any case, I soon found that the beliefs these evangelists held, such as Original Sin and the Infallibility of "God's Word", were not in agreement with my theological ideas (not to mention the Bible) and I began to look for something else to hold onto.

The turning point, perhaps, was when I moved in with my grandparents here in Santa Ana, the county seat of Orange, California. My grandmother, a computer whiz, is hooked up to America Online and I have been scooting the information superhighway since January. But when I moved in, with the intent of finding a job (easier said than done), I begin to visit the religion folders on AOL and the Usenet newsgroups, where I found discussions on Islam to be the most intriguing. You see, I discovered that the beliefs and practices of this religion fit my personal theology and intellect as well as basic human logic. Islam presents God not as an anthropomorphic being but as an entity beyond human comprehension, transcendent of man, independant and undivided. Islam has a holy book that is comprehensible to a layman, and there is no papacy or priesthood that is considered infallible in matters of interpretation: all Muslims are free to reflect and interpret the book given a sufficient education. Islam does not believe that all men are doomed to Hell unless they simply accept that God (apparently unable to forgive otherwise) magnanimously allowed Himself to be tortured on a cross to enable Him to forgive all human beings who just believe that He allowed Himself to be tortured on a cross... Islam does not believe in a Chosen Race. And on and on...

As I began reading English translations of the Qur'an, I became more and more convinced of the truth and authenticity of Allah's teachings contained in those 114 chapters. Having been around Muslims in my formative years, I knew well that they were not the bloodthirsty, barbaric terrorists that the news media and the televangelists paint them to be. Perhaps this knowledge led me to continue my personal research further than another person would have. I can't say when I actually decided that Islam was for me. It was really a natural progression. In any case, last week [November 1995 -ed.]I went to the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove and told the brother in charge of the library I wanted to be a Muslim. He gave me some excellent reading material, and last Friday I took Shahada [accepted the creed of Islam -ed.]in front of a packed masjid. I have spent this week learning to perform Salat and reflecting on the greatness of Allah. It feels great to be a Muslim! Subhaana rabbiyal 'azeem!

Posted by Aaron at 07:32 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

July 13, 2006

Its the SAME War

It's funny how this eruption of violence against Hamas and Hezbollah seems to catch many off guard in the media...the reason is that they were trying to create a civil war in Iraq where only sectarian strife exists and ignoring the one erupting within Palestine.

I hope the Israelis take all these suckers out and we should offer them any support they need.

Posted by Aaron at 07:24 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

July 11, 2006

Photos and Link to Video of Tortured and Mutilated Soldiers

I wish I could make these pictures Andrew Sullivan's desktop photo, so every time he decides to label Americans as torturers, he can see what real torture looks like.

It ain't panties on the head, barking dogs or being forced to dance with another man naked.

Here are the faces of two American heroes in the fight against Islamic Facism:

If you want to see the horror we face in this epic struggle, please click below. This is NOT for the faint of heart or children.



More at the Jawa Report (VIDEO)

Posted by Aaron at 11:58 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

July 08, 2006

Obvious to Anyone with more than Two Brain Cells

Besides the fact that they are not American citizens; this particularly demonstrates why terrorists should not receive rights of American citizens:

Three suicides at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, may have been part of a broader plot by detainees who were using confidential lawyer-client papers and envelopes to pass handwritten notes their guards could not intercept, according to documents that government lawyers filed yesterday in federal court.

Detainees could apparently hide documents in their cells -- including instructions on how to tie knots and a classified U.S. military memo regarding cell locations of detainees and camp operational matters at Guantanamo -- by keeping the materials in envelopes labeled as lawyer-client communications. Notes that investigators found after the suicides on June 10 were apparently written on the back of notepaper stamped "Attorney Client Privilege," which allowed detainees to communicate secretly without interference, according to government officials.

Posted by Aaron at 10:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 29, 2006

Terrorist Membership should be punishable by death

That's where I am leaning this morning. I am just enraged this morning finding out that the Israeli kidnap victim was found dead.

As far as I am concerned, Israel has been playing with kid gloves and just need to raze the Gaza strip and ask Egypt to take the Palestinians. If the Palestinians in the West Bank want to play the same game, send them to Lebanon and Jordan.

Posted by Aaron at 04:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 12, 2006

The Big Pushback

Let's just hope this is the beginning of the pushback for all those Bush haters that told us that Saddam had no ties to terrorism and that George W. Bush created all the terrorists by invading Iraq (despite reality).

Posted by Aaron at 07:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 08, 2006

Many, Many Thanks

With the death of one of al-Qaeda's leaders, we should be both joyous and grateful.

Zarqawi fought our soldiers in Afghanistan. After being injured, he fled to Baghdad where he received medical treatment at a state run hospital (run by Saddam Hussein). Zarqawi was reason for the following in the Resolution to Authorize Force Against Iraq:

Whereas Congress has taken steps to pursue vigorously the war on terrorism through the provision of authorities and funding requested by the President to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations or persons who planned, authorized, committed or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001 or harbored such persons or organizations;

Whereas the President and Congress are determined to continue to take all appropriate actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations or persons who planned, authorized, committed or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such persons or organizations;

Colin Powell mentioned Zarqawi by name during his presentation to the United Nations:

But what I want to bring to your attention today is the potentially much more sinister nexus between Iraq and the Al Qaida terrorist network, a nexus that combines classic terrorist organizations and modern methods of murder. Iraq today harbors a deadly terrorist network headed by Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, an associated in collaborator of Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaida lieutenants.

Zarqawi, a Palestinian born in Jordan, fought in the Afghan war more than a decade ago. Returning to Afghanistan in 2000, he oversaw a terrorist training camp. One of his specialities and one of the specialties of this camp is poisons. When our coalition ousted the Taliban, the Zarqaqi network helped establish another poison and explosive training center camp. And this camp is located in northeastern Iraq.

You see a picture of this camp.

The network is teaching its operatives how to produce ricin and other poisons. Let me remind you how ricin works. Less than a pinch--image a pinch of salt--less than a pinch of ricin, eating just this amount in your food, would cause shock followed by circulatory failure. Death comes within 72 hours and there is no antidote, there is no cure. It is fatal.
Colin Powell slide 40

Those helping to run this camp are Zarqawi lieutenants operating in northern Kurdish areas outside Saddam Hussein's controlled Iraq. But Baghdad has an agent in the most senior levels of the radical organization, Ansar al-Islam, that controls this corner of Iraq. In 2000 this agent offered Al Qaida safe haven in the region. After we swept Al Qaida from Afghanistan, some of its members accepted this safe haven. They remain their today.

Zarqawi's activities are not confined to this small corner of north east Iraq. He traveled to Baghdad in May 2002 for medical treatment, staying in the capital of Iraq for two months while he recuperated to fight another day.

During this stay, nearly two dozen extremists converged on Baghdad and established a base of operations there. These Al Qaida affiliates, based in Baghdad, now coordinate the movement of people, money and supplies into and throughout Iraq for his network, and they've now been operating freely in the capital for more than eight months.

Iraqi officials deny accusations of ties with Al Qaida. These denials are simply not credible. Last year an Al Qaida associate bragged that the situation in Iraq was, quote, ``good,'' that Baghdad could be transited quickly.

This terrorist mastermind and prince of al-Qaeda was one of the primary reasons for going into Iraq (along with WMD which turned out to be untrue).

We should thank many people today:

OUR TROOPS

OUR FALLEN

THE IRAQIS

THEIR FALLEN

OUR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND SECRETARY OF STATE

OUR FRIENDS

and OUR PRESIDENT

And then there are people we have no reason to thank in this endeavor:

Posted by Aaron at 06:12 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Dead or Alive?

DEAD!

   

I could hardly contain my glee this morning! I am wide awake with only a sip of coffee!

Oh Happy Day!

But wait. This all must be the work of Karl Rove to boost Bush's approval rating!