Big Easy Sketches

I spent part of the longest summer of my life in New Orleans, training screeners at the newly federalized airport. Two weeks without a break, but we caught some off time on the third week, and of course, we'd been sampling the nightlife all along, workday nights be damned.

-A beignet from Cafë du Monde, eaten outside in the tropical October night.

-A rare afternoon off with a buddy who had a degree in history - spent at the D-Day Museum, of course; with lunch at a restaraunt recommended by some cops; I forget the name, but they shout your name out when your order's up and if you don't get your ass up there to get it they'll scream your name.

-Walking along the Mississippi watching the busy river traffic.

-An all-you-can-eat buffet at the Treasure Chest Casino; a buffet that included Alaskan King Crab and cost me about $12.

-The gift of a quart of homemade jambalaya from a screener trainee. He said he had to study with his grandmother for six months before she'd trust him to try it on his own. Ruined me for jambalaya not made in the Big Easy.

-Bourbon Street at night, any night at all. Zydeco music from the open doors of bars and beer sold through Dutch doors. Beads. Every kind of bead imaginable. A suspension of everyday care, if only for a night.

-Evander Holyfield eating at the airport restaurant, which outclassed any other airport eatery I've ever encountered, and Evander posing for pictures with anyone who asked, 'cause he doesn't do autographs.

-A born-again gypsy cab driver who called himself "Buddy Love".

-Relentless vestiges of racism, but people of all races who were warm and friendly and willing to show a Yankee a good time.

-A black male screener, who inadvertently let it slip that, though he'd lived most of his life in the South, he'd been born in New Jersey. Three black female screeners taunting the poor hapless guy with joyful cries of "YankeeYankeeYankee!" and I laughed 'til tears came.

New Orleans shall rise again.

Oops, Another Terrorist Takes Himself Out

The American Forces Press Service reports that a terrorist blew himself up while tinkering with an improvised explosive device (IED). From the bulletin:

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2005 - A terrorist was killed when an improvised explosive device he was removing from his vehicle detonated Aug. 29 in Samarra, Iraq, military coalition officials in Iraq reported today.

Task Force Liberty soldiers detained four other individuals caught removing the body from the vehicle and placing it in their truck. Soldiers took them to a coalition base for questioning.

In other news from Iraq:

In western Iraq, multinational forces reported netting five terrorists in the city of Hit over a two-week period this month. Intelligence gathering and tips from concerned citizens led coalition forces to various locations in and around Hit and Baghdad.

I'm reprinting these stories on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignore them.

17 Terrorists Captured in Iraq

The American Forces Press Service reports that 17 suspected terrorists were captured in Iraq on August 28. From the bulletin:

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, detained six individuals suspected of terrorist activity and seized weapons from a vehicle during separate operations in southern Mosul.

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, detained four individuals suspected of terrorist activity during a cordon-and-search operation in northern Mosul.

Soldiers from the same unit seized another weapons cache in western Mosul consisting of a one 60 mm mortar, several rifles including AK-47s assault rifled, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, RPGs, RPG fuel rods, a box of grenades and ammunition.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, detained two individuals suspected of terrorist activity and seized a cache of homemade bomb-making materials during a raid in northern Mosul.

Troops confiscated the caches for future destruction.

Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, detained five individuals suspected of terrorist activity during separate operations, four of them in Tal Afar.

Suspects were in custody, with no MNF injuries reported.

I'm reprinting these stories on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignore them.

Iraq: Terror Suspects Captured; Weapons Cache Seized

The American Forces Press Service reports that Iraqi and Coalition forces captured five terrorist suspects yesterday in Balad, while Iraqi soldiers near Kirkuk discovered a weapons cache. From the bulletin:

Soldiers with 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, and elements of Task Force 5-7 concluded Operation War Paint Dakota, which led to the capture of five suspected insurgents. All five detainees were transported to a nearby forward operating base for questioning.

Elsewhere, Iraqi army soldiers assigned to the K-1 airfield in Kirkuk discovered a cache three kilometers northwest of Forward Operating Base Warrior Aug. 27.

The soldiers found 19 120 mm artillery rockets, four Katusha rockets and one mortar tube. The munitions were transported to K-1 airfield.

Also:

...multinational forces from Task Force Freedom detained 18 suspected terrorists and seized a weapons cache in Mosul Aug. 27 and today.

Also:

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery detained nine individuals suspected of terrorist activity during operations in Mulhallabiyah Aug. 27. Soldiers from 2-8 FA also discovered a weapons cache consisting of rocket-propelled-grenade-launchers, 20 rocket-propelled grenades, six improvised-explosive-device detonators, mortar systems, an anti-tank mine, 20 hand grenades with 100 fuses, and ammunition.

Also:

Iraqi army soldiers and coalition forces conducted a targeted raid against an insurgent assassination cell suspected of planning attacks on government officials in Khalis Aug. 26.

Soldiers with the 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, and elements of Task Force 2-69 quickly cleared their two objectives. Soldiers detained 11 suspected insurgents and transported them to a secure facility for questioning.

Also:

In Hit Iraqi army soldiers and coalition forces conducting a dismounted patrol responded to the scene of an improvised-explosive-device detonation and searched the area, capturing two wounded insurgents Aug. 26.

Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Iraqi Intervention Force, and U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, searched the immediate area of the explosion and found two injured insurgents suspected of being the triggermen. The suspects were in possession of three AK-47 automatic rifles and one 12-volt battery. Both suspects tested positive for gunpowder residue.

Also:

...multinational forces raided a suspected terrorist hideout in Ramadi Aug. 23 and captured a pair of known terrorists.

Captured were Durayd Jassar Khalifah Hamud, also known as Abu Jabbar, a known terrorist leader and weapons dealer; and Ali Husayn Muhammad Jasim, also known as Khalid Nazal or Abu Umar, a known IED cell leader.

I'm reprinting these stories on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignore them.

Another "Able Danger" Source Comes Forward

A third source for the Able Danger fiasco has come forward to confirm the allegations made earlier by Army Lt. Colonel Anthony Shaffer and Navy Captain Scott Philpott, as publicized by Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA).

"Able Danger" was a secret military data mining operation that reportedly identified Mohammed Atta and other 9/11 hijackers a year before the attacks. They were prevented from sharing the information, which could have foiled the attacks, by the infamous "wall" put in place by Clinton appointee Jamie Gorelick, who also served on the 9/11 commission. The "wall" was intended to protect the privacy of American citizens, and restricted the exchange of information between various military organizations and law enforcement. The Able Danger operatives tried numerous times to share their information with the FBI, but were blocked by Pentagon lawyers. Though informed of Able Danger, the 9/11 commission chose not to mention it in its voluminous report.

From Fox News:

WASHINGTON — A third person has now come forward to verify claims made by a military intelligence unit that a year before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, it had information showing that lead hijacker Mohamed Atta (search) and other terrorists were identified as being in the United States.

J.D. Smith, a defense contractor who claims he worked on the technical side of the unit, code-named "Able Danger" (search), told reporters Friday that he helped gather open-source information (search), reported on government spending and helped generate charts associated with the unit's work. Able Danger was set up in the 1990s to track Al Qaeda activity worldwide.

"I am absolutely positive that he [Atta] was on our chart among other pictures and ties that we were doing mainly based upon [terror] cells in New York City," Smith said.

It's unclear what the critical mass of confirmation will be to make the major news networks start reporting this story, which has the potential to be bigger than Watergate.

The 12% Solution

A new Rasmussen poll indicates that mainstream media outlets have been vastly exaggerating the size of the so-called "Peace" movement:

August 26, 2005--Just 12% of Americans believe that withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq will stop terror attacks like the summer bombings in London. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that 71% disagree and say that troop withdrawal will not lead to an end of terrorist attacks.

The survey also found that 54% of Americans believe the situation will get worse in Iraq if U.S. troops are withdrawn. Twenty percent (20%) take the opposite view and believe the situation will get better.

Network news reports, especially NBC, have been presenting people like Cindy Sheehan as part of a large and growing movement. Whether the media distortions are deliberate or simply the result of journalistic incompetence is open to question.

Via The Jawa Report.

Hamas Threatens "Internal Intifada"

From The Daily Star (Lebanon) via Agence France Presse:

JABALIYYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip: With the departure of their common Israeli enemy, inter-Palestinian divisions could flare up into fresh bloodshed, militants in the impoverished Gaza Strip warned. "If the Palestinian Authority cannot meet the people's basic needs, there will be a new intifada not against Israel but among ourselves," said Fathi Hamad, a local Hamas leader in the Jabaliyya refugee camp.

"There will be a huge popular uprising," he predicted. "Hamas is preparing for mass demonstrations." As a Hamas leader in Gaza's largest and most poverty-ridden camp, one of the areas that has suffered most during the five years of Israeli-Palestinian fighting, Hamad said the PA only speaks for some of the people.

These are the fruits of a diseased, fascist culture. A culture that depends upon and glorifies violence. A culture that celebrates and idolizes brutal, twisted murderers and elevates terrorists to positions of authority. A morally bankrupt culture.

With their Jewish scapegoats gone, it appears that the Palestinians are preparing to fall upon each other like frenzied weasels.

Some Updated News From Camp Bucca

On March 22 I posted about a little Iraqi girl who had been severely burned in a fire at her house. Not an act of war; accidents still happen in Iraq. The little girl was refueling a generator and spilled some of the fuel on herself. It ignited, burning her over sixty percent of her body.

My contact at Bucca knew little about her, except that she and her mother had been allowed inside the camp, and that a special tent had been erected for her mother to stay in while doctors at Bucca treated the girl. My friend at Bucca told me because he assumed, correctly to my knowledge, that American news outlets would not carry the story.

I'm happy to report further news. Medical staffers at Camp Bucca greased the skids for the little girl, and she is now recovering at the Shriner's Hospital in Boston with her mother.

Iraqi and US Forces Capture and Kill Terrorist Insurgents

The American Forces Press Service reports that Iraqi and American forces have captured six terrorists in Barwannah, Iraq and discovered two weapons caches. In separate action. Task Force Liberty soldiers captured two terrorists suspected of providing financial and logistical support to terrorist actions in northern Iraq. From the bulletin:

Task Force Liberty soldiers captured two key terrorists in a pair of overnight raids Aug. 25 and today. The terrorists are suspected of financing and enabling terrorist acts in north-central Iraq, according to Multinational Force Iraq news releases.

Soldiers detained the first suspect after receiving information that he was attending a meeting in Dwar, which is located between Tikrit and Bayji. The second terrorist was captured along with two other suspects in Hawija, a rural area of northern Iraq.

Also:

Iraqi security forces and coalition forces from Task Force Freedom Aug. 25 and today detained 16 individuals suspected of terrorist activity in western Mosul.

Also:

In another raid, U.S. soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, detained nine individuals suspected of terrorist activity at a checkpoint in Rawah.

Also:

Responding to reports of a drive-by shooting at the market in Haswah, Iraqi police captured the shooters Aug. 25.

I'm reprinting these stories on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignore them.

Terrorists Killed, Captured By Task Force Freedom Soldiers

From an American Forces Press Service bulletin:

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2005 - Task Force Freedom soldiers killed several terrorists and detained four suspected terrorists in their Iraq areas of operation today and Aug. 24, officials reported today.

The soldiers, from 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment also seized explosives and other materials used to demolish an Iraqi army vehicle in eastern Mosul on Aug. 24. They also confiscated explosives for future destruction and reported no injuries.

Four other individuals suspected of terrorist activity were detained by soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment, during separate operations south of Tall Ath Thawr and in Rawah on Aug. 24.

I'm reprinting this story on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignores it.

War Protestors Target Wounded Soldiers

This is how the Left "supports the troops". From Cybercast News Service:

Washington (CNSNews.com) - The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the current home of hundreds of wounded veterans from the war in Iraq, has been the target of weekly anti-war demonstrations since March. The protesters hold signs that read "Maimed for Lies" and "Enlist here and die for Halliburton."

The anti-war demonstrators, who obtain their protest permits from the Washington, D.C., police department, position themselves directly in front of the main entrance to the Army Medical Center, which is located in northwest D.C., about five miles from the White House.

Among the props used by the protesters are mock caskets, lined up on the sidewalk to represent the death toll in Iraq.

Code Pink Women for Peace, one of the groups backing anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan's vigil outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford Texas, organizes the protests at Walter Reed as well.

Of course, these shameful exhibitions are ignored by the mainstream media, which is reluctant to show the true face of the Left: dishonest, traitorous, and anxious to spit on our servicepeople.

Thanks to friend and reader Jan Z, aka, "The Dutchman".

Distinguished Service Cross Awarded

From an Army News Service story by Sergeant Lorie Jewell:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Service, Aug. 24, 2005) – The Distinguished Service Cross – second only to the Medal of Honor in military decorations – has been awarded to U.S. Army Col. James H. Coffman Jr. for his role in leading Iraqi Special Police Commandos through a 5 ½-hour battle against insurgents trying to overrun an Iraqi police station.

[As Colonel Coffman's] Quick Reaction Force approached the station, it was besieged with rocket-propelled grenades, small arms fire and mortar rounds. Coffman and the commandos fought the insurgents for four hours before help arrived. When the initial firefight killed or seriously wounded all but one of the commando officers, Coffman rallied the remaining commandos while trying to radio for assistance, according to his award citation.

“Under heavy fire, he moved from commando to commando, looking each in the eye and using hand and arm signals to demonstrate what he wanted done,” the citation said.

When an enemy round shattered his left shooting hand, damaging his M4 rifle in the process, Coffman bandaged it and continued fighting with AK-47 rifles he collected from commando casualties until each ran out of ammunition. He also passed out ammunition to the uninjured commandos with the help of the remaining commando officer; when all that remained were loose rounds, Coffman held magazines between his legs and loaded the rounds with his good hand.

When a second commando unit arrived four hours after the fight began, Coffman led them to his position and continued to fight, refusing to be evacuated for treatment until the battle was over. Not long after the commando reinforcements arrived, air support and a Stryker Brigade Quick Reaction Force were on hand to assist to assist in the battle.

Coffman supervised the evacuation of injured commandos and led another group of commandos to the police station to make contact with the Iraqi Police inside. Once the additional air and ground support elements began attacking buildings the enemy forces were hiding in, Coffman went back to his initial position to check on the injured commandos and then agreed to be evacuated for treatment. Twenty-five insurgents were killed and dozens injured.

"There are equal acts out there. This one just got written up."

UN to UK: "Terrorists Are People, Too"

A United Nations official has said that Great Britain will be cited for "human rights violations" if the UK goes ahead with plans to deport renegade clerics and terrorist sympathizers. From the Guardian (UK):

A senior UN representative last night threatened to cite the British government for violation of human rights over its planned deportations of alleged terrorist sympathisers.

Manfred Novak, the UN human rights commission's special investigator on torture, told the Guardian he is seeking permission through the Foreign Office to visit Britain to discuss the issue with the home secretary, Charles Clarke.

In a statement on Tuesday night, Prof Novak said that the government's intention to return radical preachers to their countries of origin, even though some of those countries have a track record of human rights abuses, "reflects a tendency in Europe to circumvent the international obligation not to deport anybody if there is a serious risk that he or she might be subjected to torture".

Pardon me while I go barf.

The Dread Pundit Bluto thinks it's time and past time for the US Justice Department to prosecute the UN under the RICO (Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act.

Al Qaeda Member Captured In Iraq

The American Forces Press Service reports that a known al Qaeda member has been captured in Iraq. Information from this individual, whose identity has not been released, lead to the arrests of two other terrorist suspects.

From the press release:

No details were available on the capture of the al Qaeda member. But after coalition forces captured the individual, he told officials about related terrorist activity in the area, which led to the capture of two suspected terrorists. Coalition forces near Asad also captured and destroyed a car bomb and two weapons caches consisting of mortars, rockets and rocket-propelled grenades.

Also:

Iraqi army soldiers captured 15 insurgents in two operations Aug. 23. Iraqi soldiers with the 4th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, captured five insurgents believed to be involved in improvised-explosive-device attacks in Dujayl. In nearby Tikrit and Balad, combined operations led to the capture of 10 insurgents suspected of mounting indirect-fire attacks and other attacks against Iraqi security forces.

Also:

Iraqi army soldiers and coalition forces conducting a joint dismounted search of residences in the Hit area Aug. 23 captured suspected five insurgents and improvised explosive device-making materials and equipment.

Also:

Iraqi security forces and multinational forces from Task Force Freedom detained 27 suspected terrorists in northern Iraq Aug. 23 and today.

I'm reprinting these stories on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignore them.

Activist MSM Now Harassing Soldiers in Their Graves

Not satisfied with mainstream media efforts to undermine the morale of US troops in Iraq, Associated Press writer David Pace is accusing the Pentagon of "sloganeering" the gravestones of fallen soldiers. Pace finds fault with the Department of Defense allowing the families of servicepeople killed in Iraq and Afghanistan to have the operation name etched on their tombstones:

Families of fallen soldiers and Marines are being told they have the option to have the government-furnished headstones engraved with "Operation Enduring Freedom" or "Operation Iraqi Freedom" at no extra charge, whether they are buried in Arlington or elsewhere. A mock-up shown to many families includes the operation names.

Pace also quotes a radical "peace" activist without acknowledging her background:

Nadia and Robert McCaffrey, whose son Patrick was killed in Iraq in June 2004, said "Operation Iraqi Freedom" ended up on his government-supplied headstone in Oceanside, Calif., without family approval.

Nadia McCaffery's background as a Sheehanesque peace activist is well-known, and readily available via Google. Pace makes no mention of it.

Of course, at the very end of Pace's molehill is the real story. Only radicals are trying to make a stink about this. Normal Americans aren't upset.

Mainline veterans groups are taking the change in stride. American Legion spokesman Donald Mooney said the organization hasn't heard any complaints from its members.

"I'm concerned that we do what the families want," said Bob Wallace, executive director of Veterans of Foreign Wars. "I don't think there's any critical motivation behind this."

The question is begged: is David Pace simply an incredibly incompetent reporter who didn't bother to vet his sources, or is he a liar-by-omission?

Insurgents Killed, Weapons Cache Reported by Civilian

The American Forces Press Service reports that two insurgents were killed when they attacked a patrol in the town of Hit, Iraq.

From the bulletin:

The joint patrol of Iraqi soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Iraqi Intervention Force, and U.S. Marines from 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment were on a dismounted security patrol when they were attacked. The troops fired two warning shots into the grill and the deck on the driver's side of a truck that was speeding toward them. The truck driver crouched down while the passenger fired a weapon at the patrol.

At that point the joint patrol fired small arms at the vehicle, causing the vehicle to stop about 100 feet past the patrol.

Upon searching the vehicle, soldiers found two dead men and recovered one AK-47 automatic rifle and several spent 7.62 mm casings. The passenger tested positive for gunpowder residue.

An Iraqi citizen lead coalition forces to a weapons cache yesterday in Baghdad. Again, from the bulletin:

...a citizen informant led Iraqi police to a large weapons cache in the Zohour district of Baghdad Aug. 22, officials said.

When police arrived at the location pointed out by the informant, they uncovered 68 mortar rounds buried in a field and delivered them to a local police station.

Officials said this marks the second time in two days that a significant cache was found in the same area. Thirty-two mortar rounds were discovered there on Aug. 21.

Military Maitre D's

The sign reads:

MS. FONDA
WE'RE HOLDING
YOUR REGULAR
SEAT IN TIKRIT

Is Bob Herbert Mentally Retarded?

And if he is, why is he writing for The New York Times and why can't the Gray Lady spare an editor to make sure that columns that feature this abysmal level of stupidity never see print? Bob Herbert has actually written a column complaining that military recruiters don't spend enough time telling potential recruits about the dangers of serving in the military.

Herbert writes:

So here's a question: Should people who are being recruited into the armed forces be told the truth about the risks they are likely to face if they agree to sign up and put on a uniform?

So here's the answer, Bob: anyone that stupid wouldn't qualify for military service, though utter, boneheaded stupidity doesn't seem to be a bar to writing for The New York Times.

Via The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler.

Second Able Danger Officer Goes Public

An active duty Navy captain has come forward to corroborate the story of Lt. Colonel Anthony Shaffer regarding the Able Danger fiasco. From The New York Times:

The officer, Scott J. Phillpott, said in a statement today that he could not discuss details of the military program, which was called Able Danger, but confirmed that its analysts had identified the Sept. 11 ringleader, Mohamed Atta, by name by early 2000. "My story is consistent," said Captain Phillpott, who managed the program for the Pentagon's Special Operations Command. "Atta was identified by Able Danger by January-February of 2000."

Able Danger identified Atta and several of his accomplices at least a year before the 9/11 attacks. They were prevented from sharing their information with the FBI, however, by rules put in place by Clinton Administration official Jamie Gorelick forbidding the military from sharing information with civilian criminal investigation agencies. Gorelick later served on the 9/11 Commission, which was advised of the Able Danger story, but refused to include it in its voluminous report.

Via Captain's Quarters.

Iraqi Constitutional Vote Delayed 3 More Days

In a bid to gain support from the Sunni minority, the Iraqi National Assembly accepted a draft constitution but will take three more days to try to hammer out differences regarding federalism and distribution of oil revenues. From an American Forces Press Service release by Donna Miles:

Negotiators worked through the day to come up with a compromise, but as the clock ticked toward midnight, they opted to deliver the draft constitution to the National Assembly.

The Sunni minority, Saddam Hussein's constituency, has threatened civil war if they feel excluded from the constitutional drafting process. The Iraqi terrorist insurgency is Sunni-backed.

From the Associated Press:

The Shiite-Kurdish bloc that submitted the draft constitution expressed optimism that a deal was still possible within a few days. But top Sunni Arab leaders said flatly that compromise was far off.

More than 20 issues still divide the sides, said Saleh al-Mutlaq, one of four top Sunni Arab negotiators. Those issues include federalism, power-sharing and even how the constitution should speak about Islam.

Sunni obstinacy begs the question of whether or not Sunni delegates are serious about wanting a constitution or are angling for a return to Baathist rule, under which they enjoyed hegemony over the Shiites and Kurds. Sunnis may be delaying the new constitution in the hope that cowards and traitors within the United States can convince Americans to pull out of Iraq prematurely.

Iraqi Constitutional Agreement Imminent

According to the Iraqi blog, Iraq the Model al Iraqiya television is reporting that agreement has been reached on a final draft of the Iraqi Constitution, with lingering reservations by the Sunni minority.

Regarding Islam and the constitution: it was agreed upon that no laws that are against the widely agreed upon values of Islam can be issued and no laws that are against the values of democracy and human rights can be issued.
Natural resources according to the draft will be managed in cooperation between the central government and the local administrations of the federal states/provinces.

Via The Jawa Report.

Your Assignment: "I'm With Stupid"

Bush to Face Retards For Surrender Peace Protestors

Those of us who lived through the Vietnam era have seen this before. Small groups of intellectually deficient, yet vocal protestors are pumped up by the mainstream media into "peace" movements in order to hype a story and in hopes of influencing politics. From the Associated Press :

CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President Bush, trying to counter the message of anti-war vigils outside his ranch and growing public discontent with Iraq, leaves Texas on Monday for the first of two speeches on the war and the September 11 attacks, but more protesters await him.

Unfortunately, the stakes are higher now. Surrender is not an option, as we learned on 9/11. The North Vietnamese communists wished only to murder and oppress their own cousins in the south and never attacked American territory. We got away with allowing the cowards and lunatics to dictate policy in Vietnam. Allowing them to do so this time is suicidal.

Therefore, it makes sense to engage them at their protests, and on their own intellectual level. If there is a peace (surrender) protest planned for your area and you want to do something about it, I'm here to help. Have a friend photograph you holding an "I'm With Stupid" sign pointing toward the protestors. Email me the photos at dreadpundit@hotmail.com and they'll be posted here.

Brits Foil Sarin Gas Attack on Parliament

From the Sydney Morning Herald (Australia):

London police believe they foiled a potential al-Qaeda gas attack on British parliament, a newspaper reported.

The Sunday Times claimed the plot - to unleash deadly nerve gas sarin on Britain's House of Commons - was uncovered through coded emails on computers seized from terrorist suspects in Britain and Pakistan.

The paper claimed that an operation to deter the attack was referred to in an internal police document they had obtained.

Metropolitan Police refused to comment on the report. "We are not able to discuss this at this time," a police spokesman said.

Meanwhile, fools in this country try to pander to the electorate by saying that we should withdraw from the Middle East. Good idea, isolationism, but we need a catchy phrase for the media. Let's call it, oh, I don't know..."Fortress America". Oh wait, that didn't work out the first time, did it?

"Able Danger" Story Entering Mainstream Media

Now that Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Shaffer is no longer just one of Representative Curt Weldon's anonymous sources, the mainstream media are starting to go with the story. Shaffer has given interviews to the Michael Savage radio show, Fox News, and CBS. Coming out openly seems to have given the story new legs with the press. From the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON - An Army intelligence officer said Wednesday he does not believe the 9/11 commission pressed hard enough for documentation of claims that military intelligence found a U.S.-based terrorist cell that included Mohamed Atta, who turned out to be the leader of the Sept. 11 attacks, prior to the terrorist strikes.

"I don't believe they ever got all the documents, but then again I don't think that they pressed properly to get all of the documents," Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer said on CBS' "The Early Show."

He says he was associated with a small intelligence unit, called "Able Danger," that had identified Atta and three of the other future Sept. 11 hijackers as al-Qaida members by mid-2000.

He said military lawyers stopped the unit from sharing the information with the FBI out of concerns about gathering and sharing information on people in the United States legally.

Most of the Able Danger information has been publicly available at least since June 28 when Representative Weldon's June 27 speech was printed in the Congressional Record. No one noticed. Weldon then passed the information to Government Security News which printed the story in its August edition.

The New York Times has been writing about Able Danger, but for many people a story doesn't really exist until they see it on the network news evening broadcast. Network news attention seems inevitable now.

Iran to Manufacture and Export Computers

According to a story published today by Mehrnews (Iran), Iran is on the verge of producing and exporting their own computers:

TEHRAN, Aug. 16 (MNA) – Reza Viseh, the chairman of Industrial Development and Renovation Organization (IDRO) of Iran announced on Tuesday that the first series of domestically manufactured computers would be supplied to the market this September.

Some 20,000 computers are presently being produced in Shiraz, capital city of Fars Province, and will be supplied to the markets in the next month, Viseh said.

He added that the silicon molds have been used to manufacture these computers and essential tests have been carried out on them.

The chairman also said that Malaysia is the first country that the Iranian made computers would be exported to.

As a computer user in the Great Satan and member of the Vast, Right Wing Conspiracy, I am naturally concerned that our scheme for worldwide hegemony could be compromised by high technology development in a fundamentalist Islamic country like Iran. To assess the threat the Dread Pundit Bluto has obtained this exclusive photograph of one of the new Iranian machines:

Cindy Sheehan on Hardball

This is part of the transcript of an interview last night on Hardball With Chris Matthews. Any who think that Cindy Sheehan, the mother who has launched a new career based on the death of her son Casey in Iraq a year ago, represents any aspect of mainstream American thought need to read her words here carefully:

MATTHEWS: Can I ask you a tough question? A very tough question.

SHEEHAN: Yes.

MATTHEWS: All right. If your son had been killed in Afghanistan, would you have a different feeling?

SHEEHAN: I don't think so, Chris, because I believe that Afghanistan is almost the same thing. We're fighting terrorism. Or terrorists, we're saying. But they're not contained in a country. This is an ideology and not an enemy. And we know that Iraq, Iraq had no terrorism. They were no threat to the United States of America.

MATTHEWS: But Afghanistan was harboring, the Taliban was harboring al-Qaida which is the group that attacked us on 9/11.

SHEEHAN: Well then we should have gone after al-Qaida and maybe not after the country of Afghanistan.

MATTHEWS: But that's where they were being harbored. That's where they were headquartered. Shouldn't we go after their headquarters? Doesn't that make sense?

SHEEHAN: Well, but there were a lot of innocent people killed in that invasion, too. ... But I'm seeing that we're sending our ground troops in to invade countries where the entire country wasn't the problem. Especially Iraq. Iraq was no problem. And why do we send in invading armies to march into Afghanistan when we're looking for a select group of people in that country?

So I believe that our troops should be brought home out of both places where we're obviously not having any success in Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden is still on the loose and that's who they told us was responsible for 9/11.

If this were just a typical far leftist I would be fisking and mocking the responses. Out of respect for her son I'll simply let them stand on their own.

Via Michelle Malkin.

VJ Day

Nearly four years, 405,399 brave souls killed in action, 78,976 missing, many more thousands forever changed. And then, on 15 August, 1945 the Second World War came to an end with the unconditional surrender of Imperial Japan. Life photographer Alfred Eisenstadt was in Times Square to capture the spirit of the moment.

To all the men and women who sacrificed so much to bring about this victory, thank you. I will never forget.

Able Danger Spook Speaks to Columnist

In an article for the Bergen Record published Sunday, Mike Kelly lays out the details of the Able Danger investigation as told to him by an Able Danger team member. Kelly's phone interview was given on the promise of anonymity and arranged by Representative Curt Weldon's (R-PA) staff.

Oddly, Kelly's report doesn't mesh with the 9/11 Commission's official response to Representative Weldon's allegations.

"Able Danger" Speech Given on June 27

The "Able Danger" story took the blogosphere by storm this week and is hitting the mainstream media now. But why did it languish for over a month? All the pertinent elements of the story were contained in a speech delivered on June 27, 2005 by Representative Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania. The speech was entered into the Congressional Record on June 28. Nobody noticed it. Nobody covered it.

Representative Weldon finally told the story to Jacob Goodwin of Government Security News who published an article in their August edition.

Here's part of what Mr. Weldon had to say on the floor of the House over a month ago (for the full text of Mr. Weldon's speech go here, and type "able danger" into the search box):

Mr. Speaker, September 11 touched all of us; 3,700 of us were wiped out. Two weeks after 9/11, my friends from the Army's Information Dominance Center in cooperation with special ops brought me a chart. This chart, Mr. Speaker, this chart. Two weeks after 9/11, I took the basic information in this chart down to the White House. I had asked for a meeting with Steve Hadley, who at that time was Deputy National Security Advisor. The chart was smaller. It was 2 feet by 3 feet, but the same information was in the center.

Steve Hadley looked at the chart and said, Congressman, where did you get that chart from? I said, I got it from the military. I said, This is the process; this is the result of the process that I was pitching since 1999 to our government to implement, but the CIA kept saying we
do not need it.

Steve Hadley said, Congressman, I am going to take this chart, and I am going to show it to the man. The man that he meant, Mr. Speaker, was the President of the United States. I said, Mr. Hadley, you mean you have not seen something like this before from the CIA, this chart of al Qaeda worldwide and in the U.S.? And he said, No, Congressman. So I gave him the chart.

Now, Mr. Speaker, what is interesting in this chart of al Qaeda, and you cannot see this from a distance, but right here in the center is the name of the leader of the New York cell. And that name is very familiar to the people of America. That name is Mohammed Atta, the leader of the 9/11 attack against us. So prior to 9/11, this military system that the CIA said we did not need and could not do actually gave us the information that identified Mohammed Atta's cell in New York. And with Mohammed Atta they identified two of the other terrorists with
them.

But I learned something new, Mr. Speaker, over the past several weeks and months. I have talked to some of the military intelligence officers who produced this document, who worked on this effort. And I found something out very startling, Mr. Speaker. Not only did our military identify the Mohammed Atta cell; our military made a recommendation in September of 2000 to bring the FBI in to take out that cell, the cell of Mohammed Atta. So now, Mr. Speaker, for the first time I can tell our colleagues that one of our agencies not only identified the New York cell of Mohammed Atta and two of the terrorists, but actually made a recommendation to bring the FBI in to take out that cell. And they made that recommendation because Madeleine Albright had declared that al Qaeda, an international terrorist organization, and the military units involved here felt they had jurisdiction to go to the FBI.

Why, then, did they not proceed? That is a question that needs to be answered, Mr. Speaker. I have to ask, Mr. Speaker, with all the good work that the 9/11 Commission did, why is there nothing in their report about able danger? Why is there no mention of the work that able danger did against al Qaeda? Why is there no mention, Mr. Speaker, of a recommendation in September of 2000 to take out Mohammed Atta's cell which would have detained three of the terrorists who struck us?

The full speech was 45 minutes long. Evidently, no one felt like sifting through the Congressional Record looking for news. What else is buried in there?

How "Able Danger" Will Be Played

This is the money quote from the New York Times Thursday article about the 9/11 Commission/"Able Danger" scandal [emphasis added]:

Mr. Felzenberg said the commission's staff remained convinced that the information provided by the military officer in the July 2004 briefing was inaccurate in a significant way.

"He wasn't brushed off," Mr. Felzenberg said of the officer. "I'm not aware of anybody being brushed off. The information that he provided us did not mesh with other conclusions that we were drawing" from the commission's investigation.

Felzenberg has, in effect, called the unidentified officer a liar or the dupe of a liar. In order for the information to be "inaccurate" it would have to have been faked in some way. The possibility of faked information being fed to the Commission should have, in and of itself, immediately raised alarm bells that a coverup or setup was taking place. Why would the commissioners simply dismiss, without investigation, an attempt to give them false information?

The "Able Danger" revelations open up several cans of worms that partisan Democrats and their allies in the mainstream media do not want examined.

"Able Danger" puts Mohammed Atta in Prague, meeting with Saddam Hussein's security agents. This contradicts the liberal article of faith that the Bush administration had no reason to fear Saddam's regime. "Able Danger" also brings up questions about the Clinton administration's handling of terrorism and lack of wisdom in compartmentalizing national security information in the name of libertarianism. Most immediately, "Able Danger" could lead to an independent investigation of the actions of some of the more highly partisan members of the 9/11 Commission. The name Jamie Gorelick comes quickly to mind.

That's why it's likely that an effort will be made to convince the public that the "Able Danger" documents are fakes, created by a conspiracy probably masterminded by Karl Rove (who else?). The mainstream media trumpeted the 9/11 Commission's findings as if they were delivered from Mount Olympus, propelling the report into best-seller status. Remember the stampede to implement each and every one of the Commission's recommendations without bothering to debate them? If the MSM can't bury this one they'll try to play it as a conspiracy. Weldon had better have his ducks in a row.

9/11 Commission Knew About "Able Danger"

Earlier this week, 9/11 Commission spokesman Al Felzenberg claimed that the Commissioners were unaware that 9/11 hijacker Mohammed Atta and three of his accomplices were identified by the military intelligence group Able Danger in 1999 as potential terrorist threats. Information that was never shared with the FBI due to regulations in place restricting agencies from cooperation.

From the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON - The Sept. 11 commission knew military intelligence officials had identified lead hijacker Mohamed Atta as a member of al-Qaida who might be part of U.S.-based terror cell more than a year before the terror attacks but decided not to include that in its final report, a spokesman acknowledged Thursday.

What did Sandy Berger stuff down his pants?

The Sandy Berger pants incident of October, 2003, in which Berger removed classified documents from the National Archives by stuffing them down his pants, may have new significance with the Able Danger revelations.

Staff members now are searching documents in the National Archives to look for notes from the meeting in Afghanistan and any other possible references to Atta and Able Danger, Felzenberg said.

Berger admitted to destroying the documents he took.

Check Captain's Quarters for more information and links.

Taliban Leader Killed in Afghanistan

The former Taliban regime's intelligence chief, Qari Amadullah, has been killed in a firefight with Afghan soldiers and US paratroopers according to a Defense Department press release.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Aug. 11, 2005 – Taliban leader Qari Amadullah was killed during heavy fighting near the city of Wazikwa in eastern Afghanistan Aug. 9, U.S. forces confirmed today.
Amadullah was believed to have commanded up to 50 Taliban fighters in the region and was thought to be in possession of a number of weapon systems to include rockets and rocket propelled grenades.

While the Taliban was still in power, Amadullah ran the intelligence minstry which employed a vast number of child spies who dutifully reported the transgressions of their parents.

"The Taliban are using these children to inform on their parents, to tell them who their parents are supporting, and to tell them if there are weapons hidden in houses," said Fataneh Gilani, head of the Afghan Women's Society, a Peshawar-based aid agency. "But because they are children they often get things wrong. A lot of innocent people have been betrayed by children."

The Taliban have built up one of the world's most efficient spy networks, comparable to those of China or Burma. Istakh Barat, the Taliban's opaque intelligence ministry, which is run by Qari Amadullah, a cleric, is believed to employ about 20,000 spies and up to 100,000 informers, originally trained by the KHAD, Afghanistan's notorious Soviet-era spy agency.

Amadullah makes an excellent subtraction from the gene pool.

You are not on the road to Hell,
You tell me with fanatic glee;
Vain boaster, what shall that avail,
If Hell is on the road to thee?
-Saki

UN Vows To Slap and Pull Hair if Iran Reactivates Nukes

The United Nations, the dishonest crooks dedicated world servants who brought us a decade of useless-but-profitable (for UN officials) sanctions against the evil regime of Saddam Hussein threaten to do the same to Iran.

As a public service, the Dread Pundit Bluto has translated the story below from the esoteric and arcane argot of the professional diplomat into plain English.

From the Associated Press:

VIENNA, Austria - The U.N. nuclear watchdog expressed "serious concern" Thursday over Iran's resumption of nuclear activities that could lead to an atomic bomb and diplomats said Tehran faced a September deadline to stop uranium conversion at a plant in central Iran.

Translation: "Stop it, you're scaring us. We asked really, really nice. Pretty please?"

Diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be quoted, made clear that insufficient progress by Sept. 3 could lead the board to consider reporting Iran to the U.N. Security Council, which has the power to slap the regime with crippling sanctions.

Translation: "We'll scratch your eyes out you bitches! We...we mean it...we'll slap you!"

The International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation board of directors adopted a resolution that said "outstanding issues relating to Iran's nuclear program have yet to be resolved."

But it did not mention reporting the regime to the Security Council amid concerns such a move could backfire by hardening Iran's position. Iran already had said it would rather endure sanctions than back down on a program it says is a matter of national pride.

Translation: "Don't make us tell them! We'll do it, though, if you don't behave! Just you wait and see if we don't!"

European countries that have led negotiations with Iran said the resolution sent a clear message.

Translation: "The resolution shows how weak and impotent we are. If our little hissy fit doesn't work we don't know what to do."

"We still believe there is a nonconfrontational way forward if Iran wants to take it," Britain's Foreign Office said in a statement.

Translation: "We've got nothing."

Iran, which insists its nuclear program is peaceful and geared only toward producing electricity, was defiant.

"It is evident that the motive is to apply pressure," said Iran's chief IAEA delegate, Sirus Nasseri. "Fortunately, Iran will not bend. Iran will be a nuclear fuel producer and supplier within a decade."

Translation: "You filthy pig-eating infidels will burn in Allah's just and cleansing nuclear fire."

The United States and others contend it is covertly trying to build atomic weapons.

Gregory Schulte, the U.S. envoy to the IAEA, said the adoption of the resolution "shows that the international community is united in its determination that Iran move off the dangerous course that it is on."

Translation: "The international community is too stupid, corrupt, and cowardly to do anything. If push comes to shove it will be up to the US to clean up the mess while Eurotrash intellectuals and their fellow-travellers in America bitch and moan about it all."

The "Able Danger" Fiasco - Libertarianism Run Rampant

The mainstream media is buzzing with reports that Defense Intelligence Agency operatives had identified 9/11 leader Mohammed Atta and several of the other hijackers as early as 1999, but didn't share the information with the FBI due to rules in place at the time.

From the Associated Press

Rep. Curt Weldon, a Pennsylvania Republican who serves as vice chairman of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security committees, said a classified military intelligence unit known as "Able Danger" identified the men in 1999.

According to Weldon, Able Danger identified Atta, Marwan al-Shehhi, Khalid al-Mihdar and Nawaf al-Hazmi as members of a cell the unit code-named "Brooklyn" because of some loose connections to New York City.

Weldon said that in September 2000 Able Danger recommended that its information on the hijackers be given to the FBI "so they could bring that cell in and take out the terrorists." However, Weldon said Pentagon lawyers rejected the recommendation because they said Atta and the others were in the country legally, so information on them could not be shared with law enforcement.

Weldon's story is supported by the Associated Press:

Defense Department documents shown to an Associated Press reporter Tuesday said the Able Danger team was set up in 1999 to identify potential al-Qaida operatives for U.S. Special Operations Command. At some point, information provided to the team by the Army's Information Dominance Center pointed to a possible al-Qaida cell in Brooklyn, the documents said.

However, because of concerns about pursuing information on "U.S. persons" — a legal term that includes U.S. citizens as well as foreigners admitted to the country for permanent residence — Special Operations Command did not provide the Army information to the FBI. It is unclear whether the Army provided the information to anyone else.

There is a question as to whether the designation "U.S. persons" should have been applied to Atta and his co-conspirators, as they were not permanent resident aliens.

The main reason for the ban on sharing information seems to be concern that data obtained during investigations would be used for criminal prosecution. The ACLU has railed against the Patriot Act for just this reason:

The final version of the anti-terrorism legislation, the Uniting and Strengthening America By Providing Appropriate Tools Required To Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (H.R. 3162, the "USA PATRIOT Act,") puts the Central Intelligence Agency back in the business of spying on Americans.

Well, duh. Most of the people arrested in Lackawanna, New York and Lodi, California are American citizens.

It's time somebody told the ACLU that there's a war on.

Update: Dr. Rusty Shackelford of The Jawa Report raises the question: just what was Sandy Berger stuffing down his pants, and could it have incriminated Berger and Clinton regarding this fiasco?

The Propaganda War

In what I sincerely hope is a seminal essay, Dr. Rusty Shackelford of The Jawa Report lays out in detail why we are losing the propaganda war against global jihad. In a word, Internet; and our reluctance to "censor" our enemies by shutting down terrorist websites.

But Dr. Shackelford has a new twist on an old concept to win the fight: privateers.

If hackers are our modern pirates, why not turn their mischief to the common good? A hacker is bad when they shut down my site. A hacker is good when they shut down the site of the enemies of the United States. Given the proper reward structure and immunity from prosecution, hackers could turn their skills toward winning this war.

I'll go Rusty one better. Don't shut the sites down. Turn them. Take them over and post our own propaganda on them, while allowing potential jihadis to think that the original site owners are still speaking.

In Death, Peter Jennings Becomes Anti-Smoking Poster Boy

Peter Jennings' death from lung cancer at age 67 is being used in a rather opportunistic fashion by some anti-smoking organizations bent on banning the use of tobacco. Examples can be found here, here, and Jennings' network, ABC News asks viewers to email them with the answer to this question: Are You Quitting Smoking to Honor Peter Jennings?

There's a problem, though. Jennings said that he had quit smoking twenty years before picking the habit back up following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Is it really possible to develop lung cancer in less than three years? Many doctors cite lung cancer as a consequence of long term smoking, thirty years or more.

Then there's the issue of New York City air. In the seventies, environmental groups (admittedly not the most reliable source of information) declared that living and working in the NYC metro area exposed residents to air pollution that was the equivalent of smoking 1 to 2 packs of cigarettes a day. Could 40+ years of exposure to this environment have caused Jennings' illness?

When I was in junior high school we were treated one day to an "educational" film about the dangers of popping pimples. The "Triangle of Death" was shown, running from a point on the chin to the top of the forehead. We were solemnly warned that popping a zit in this area could cause the pus to travel directly to the brain, causing immediate death.

There are legitimate and compelling reasons to quit smoking. But, as Dr. Dean Edell recently commented on his radio show (mentioning that 8-9 out of 10 smokers will never suffer from lung cancer), scaring people with bogus information damages the credibility of health organizations.

Iran Thumbs Nose at EU, Restarts Nuclear Program

Iran gave Germany, France, and the UK the finger today by resuming work on its nuclear program. The mullahs insist that their intentions are peaceful, and they would never, ever dream of making nuclear weapons.

From the Associated Press:

ISFAHAN, Iran - Iran stepped up its confrontation with the West over its nuclear program, restarting work at a uranium conversion facility Monday in a move the United States and Europe have warned will prompt them to seek U.N. sanctions.

Sanctions, that'll show 'em. Look at how effective a decade of UN sanctions was against Saddam.

The upside for the UN is that a new program of sanctions will provide many more opportunities for UN officials to enrich themselves with bribes and kickbacks.

Japan's Manhattan Project

It's not known by many, and never mentioned by Hiroshima/Nagasaki "peace activists", but Imperial Japan had its own version of the American Manhattan Project. In fact, the History Channel will air a documentary on August 16 making the case that a nuclear device was tested on an island off Korea on August 12, 1945 - six days after "Little Boy" devastated Hiroshima. Professor Robert Wilcox of Bowling Green State University will present evidence of a Japanese atomic test, while his colleague, Dr. Walter Grunden, will argue the opposing view.

BOWLING GREEN, O.—In his 1985 book, “Japan’s Secret War,” Robert Wilcox contends Japan successfully tested a nuclear device on Aug. 12, 1945—six days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and three days after the attack on Nagasaki.

What if President Harry S. Truman had been more like Bill Clinton and less like Ronald Reagan?

Suppose Truman had decided to drop Little Boy on Tokyo Bay in an attempt to cow the Imperial Japanese into surrender. Suppose further that the attempt failed, leaving the US with only one atomic device (Fat Man), which was dropped on Hiroshima when the Tokyo Bay demonstration didn't have the desired effect.

Historically, the Japanese did not surrender until after the Nagasaki bombing. One devastating atomic attack was not enough to make them throw in the towel. That means that an unsuccessful Tokyo Bay demonstration followed by the Hiroshima bombing probably would have made an invasion necessary.

In the event that the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not induce surrender, the US invasion of Japan was planned for the Fall of 1945, giving the Japanese scientists several more months to build atomic devices. Likewise, the United States could have stockpiled more atomic bombs.

What would the world look like today if an invasion of Japan resulted in multiple atomic explosions directed at the Japanese homeland by us, and against our troops by the Japanese?

All Seven Russian Submariners Saved

From the Associated Press

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, Russia - All seven people aboard the Russian mini-submarine pulled to the surface Sunday are alive, Russian naval officials said.

Naval spokesman Capt. Igor Dygalo said the crew appeared to be in satisfactory condition and were being examined by ship medics. The sub was raised after becoming stranded in 600 feet of water off the Pacific Coast on Thursday.

Sometimes things work out.

August 6: A Day to Celebrate

Sixty years ago today the Enola Gay delivered a message to Imperial Japan that could not be ignored. This is a day I commemorate for the courageous decision made by President Harry S. Truman: to break the will of a militaristic society whose war of aggression had already cost us too much blood and treasure.

On 6 August, 1945, my father stood on Okinawa, a nineteen year-old sergeant of Marines decorated with Bronze Star and Purple Heart, having lost too many friends and seen too many horrible things. He looked forward only to death in the invasion of mainland Japan and the subjugation of its fanatical population. Victory was inevitable; only the cost remained to be determined.

Enter the little haberdasher from Missouri whose bolt from the blue ended the titanic conflict.

Ted Rall is Morally Retarded

And, apparently, mentally retarded as well. Certainly, he is ethically challenged and devoid of even a basic concept of logic.

How else to explain the intellectually bankrupt editorial that appeared on Tuesday with Rall's name attached?

The actual piece is long and tedious (visit the link if you're an insomniac), highlighting Ted's failings as a writer, with a clichéd and sophomoric message telegraphed by the subtitle, Americans Cheer Fictional Insurgents, Real-Life Invaders.

Ted hypothesizes an invasion of the United States by Iceland. Here's an excerpt that tells you everything you need to know:

The humiliation is total. Icelandic forces pass out decks of cards depicting the faces of former senators, governors and generals. They shoot deposed leader George W. Bush's twin daughters and air images of their bloody, mutilated faces on state television. They print photos of Bush, haggard and obviously abused in his secret prison, wearing nothing but underwear.

Yes, Ted is still trying to paint up that tired old tart, Moral Equivalence.

Ted sees no difference between the Bush twins and Uday and Qusay Hussein. No difference between President Bush and Saddam Hussein. No difference between Tariq Aziz and Scott McClellan. No difference between Chemical Ali and Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NYC).

Well Ted, there is a difference - a profound one. One large part of that difference is that you're allowed to think and write the things that you do without fear of arrest, or imprisonment, or death.

The only thing you really have to fear is that your primary audience won't be stuck at an average mental age of fifteen forever.

Vacation Time

I'll be on vacation this week. Hope to be posting again by Saturday. Talk amongst yourselves.