Terrorist Recruiter Nabbed, Weapons Caches Found

The American Forces Press Service reports that Iraqi security forces working with Coalition personnel captured a suspected terrorist insurgent recruiter on September 29.

From the news release:

Troops from the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Intervention Force, conducted a joint cordon-and-search operation with coalition troops and detained the individual at his residence. The suspect is being held for further questioning.

Also:

Task Force Baghdad soldiers on a dismounted patrol in the Radwiniyah area of the capital Sept. 28 received a tip from an Iraqi citizen leading to the discovery of a large weapons cache.

The cache included 175 sticks of dynamite, 109 grenades, 59 82 mm mortars, 53 122 mm artillery rounds, 46 anti-personnel mines, 28 rocket-propelled grenades, 24 122 mm mortar rounds, 23 fragmentation grenades, 20 blasting caps, six 107 mm rockets, two 7-foot rocket launchers, a 57 mm missile, a machine gun and 1,000 rounds, 20 pounds of TNT, a box of assorted fuses, and assorted ammunition.

Also:

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, 48th Brigade Combat Team, have found nine weapons caches of significant size hidden in various locations since a shift in their area of responsibility less than a month ago.

Also:

Early on the morning of Sept. 29, U.S. forces working west of Baghdad found three Italian anti-tank mines primed with a blasting cap set on the side of the road.

Shortly afterward, artillery rounds were found in two different locations. Two 155 mm rounds were found on a major highway south of Baghdad. U.S. forces also found five 125 mm artillery rounds south of Baghdad.

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

44 Terrorists Captured in Iraq

The American Forces Press Service reports that Iraqi security forces and Coalition troops captured 44 terrorist insurgents between September 26 and 30.

From the press release (which goes out upon request to bloggers and private citizens and to all major news organizations, including NBC, CBS, and ABC):

During five operations in Tal Afar between Sept. 26 and 29, soldiers from the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, detained 17 individuals suspected of terrorist activity. Suspects are in custody.

During a cordon-and-search operation in Tal Afar on Sept. 28, soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, confiscated a large sum of money, a rifle, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. In a Sept. 30 raid in Tal Afar, soldiers from the same unit also detained five individuals suspected of being connected to a suicide bombing in Tal Afar on Sept. 28.

Also on Sept. 28, a cordon-and-search operation conducted by soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, in northern Mosul resulted in the detention of six individuals suspected of terrorist activity.

Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, detained two individuals suspected of terrorist activities and confiscated pistols and a large sum of money during operations south of Mosul Sept. 27. The soldiers also detained two individuals suspected of terrorist activities during operations in southern Mosul Sept. 29.

In western Mosul, soldiers from 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, detained one individual suspected of terrorist activity during a cordon-and-search operation Sept. 28. The soldiers also killed two terrorists attempting to detonate a car bomb on a coalition convoy in western Mosul on Sept. 29. The explosives were destroyed. During multiple operations in western and central Mosul on Sept. 30 soldiers from this unit detained eight individuals suspected of terrorist activities and confiscated AK-47s, a machine gun and a pistol.

In southern Mosul, soldiers from 172nd Brigade Support Battalion detained one individual suspected of terrorist activity at Forward Operating Base Marez Sept. 29.

Also during operations Sept. 29, soldiers from the 65th Military Police Company detained two terrorists.

Imagine that you are a soldier serving in Iraq. What effect would it have on your morale to realize that the people who run the major news networks are not interested in reporting your successes, but would jump at the chance to report your death?

Pentagon Going After "Able Danger" Whistleblower

Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer, the man who revealed details about the "Able Danger" project, which allegedly identified several 9/11 terrorists, including Mohamed Atta, a year before the attacks, has had his security clearance revoked and has been charged with several offenses, among them stealing pens.

From the Washington Post:

The alleged infractions by Army Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer, 42, include obtaining a service medal under false pretenses, improperly flashing military identification while drunk and stealing pens, according to military paperwork shown by his attorney to The Associated Press.

Shaffer was one of the first to publicly link Sept. 11 leader Mohamed Atta to the unit code-named Able Danger. Shaffer was one of five witnesses the Pentagon ordered not to appear Sept. 21 before the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss the unit's findings.

The military revoked Shaffer's top security clearance this month, a day before he was supposed to testify to a congressional committee.

Will this be worth a mention on the big three networks' nightly news broadcasts? Not unless they can find a way to hit President Bush over the head with it while preserving the "legacy" of Bill Clinton.

Al-Jazeera Columnist Requests Equal Time From The Dread Pundit Bluto

Some time ago I read this column written for al-Jazeera.net by American Sandy Shanks: Why do they hate us?, which was in the "ignorant American" mold. Taking exception with the premise, I responded with a comparison of literacy rates in the United States and the Arab world: Are Americans as Stupid as This Journalist Says?.

Mr. Shanks disagrees with my post, and has asked for equal time to respond:

Sandy Shanks here. You are doing well, I hope. Me, I'm doing fine. Retired now and loving it. This allows me time to do something I've wanted to do for quite a while. To harass your ass.

You ripped me pretty good a little while back by making some false assumptions concerning my article, "Why do they hate us," beginning with your title, "Are Americans as dumb as this journalist says." You then went on laboriously to show how intelligent we are based on education statistics. All of which missed the point. So, what is the point you may ask? The point is I didn't say Americans were dumb. I said they lacked an understanding of the past, and that is quite different. Some of the most brilliant people with whom I have been associated could not put the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and WWI on a correct timeline, and think Russia was the first and only country to drop the atomic bomb in anger.

Then you wrote, "Shanks goes on to compare Israel to al Qaeda." That is a disgustingly inflammatory remark to make and is totally alien to my point of view. To support this absurd contention, you then quote me, "The greatest ignominy, by far, perpetrated by the West upon the Arab people is the formation of the state of Israel." I then went on to describe that, from an Arab point of view, the formation of Israel was the "mother of all insults." From a purely historical point of view, those are accurate statements. I write to the Arab audience not to the Western audience and my message is contained in the last third of my articles. Please read the last third of this article.

It would be extremely foolish of me to assume Western readers would pay no attention to my articles. So, I try to drop clues as to the purity of my intentions. Those clues are missed by Western reviewers who only wish to crucify me. As an example, in this article I wrote, "Many in the West respect the state of Israel." Now would I write that if I did not respect Israel?

I stand by my post. I maintain that the lower literacy rates of Arab countries compared to the United States are more conducive to the propagation of propagandistic folklore, rather than a true understanding of history.

As for the comparison of Israel to al Qaeda, the metaphor in the al-Jazeera column is explicit and undeniable:

Let us assume that the Arab League had the power to carve a nation out of the US, say in Montana, meaning no disrespect to the inhabitants of that great state, and populate it with our deadliest enemy - members of al-Qaida.

Roberts Confirmed as Chief Justice

From the Associated Press via Yahoo!News:

The Senate voted 78-22 to confirm Roberts — a 50-year-old U.S. Appeals judge from the Washington suburb of Chevy Chase, Md. — as the successor to the late William H. Rehnquist, who died earlier this month. All of the Senate's majority Republicans, and about half of the Democrats, voted for Roberts.

Now the real fight will begin as the Democrat minority seeks to force President Bush and the Republican majority to name a liberal to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

This the main reason that mainstream media criticism of President Bush has been so harsh and unreasonable lately - why the mask of "unbiased journalism" is askew right now. The MSM have been trying to draw down Bush's political capital to make it harder for the President to name a conservative to the Supreme Court.

Cell Phone Message Leads to Terrorist's Capture in Iraq

"Thanks for the use of the rocket-propelled grenades."

Coalition Forces reported the capture of nine terrorists, one of them based on information from his cell phone.

From CENTCOM:

TAJI, Iraq – Soldiers from a 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division patrol detained nine suspected terrorists in three separate incidents while conducting security and stability operations near Taji on Sept. 27.

In the first incident, Soldiers from 70th Engineer Battalion stopped a car during random inspections and searched the vehicles four occupants. The men had $14,000 of U.S. currency in 100 dollar bills, and a large number of fake government identification badges in their possession.

Later in the day, the Soldiers were approached by an Iraqi citizen who said them that a suspicious car was parked in his neighborhood. The Soldiers searched four men near the car identified by the citizen and found bomb-making materials.

While the U.S. troops questioned the car owners, they stopped and searched a fifth man who was acting suspiciously. The man's cell-phone history contained a message from another terrorist that roughly translated into "Thanks for the use of the rocket-propelled grenades."

Pinhead.

Time Magazine Writer Earns Award From TDPB

Not content with misreporting events in the War on Terror, Time magazine this week turns its attention to the brutal Europeans, who are apparently participating in a worldwide Crusade against poor, innocent Muslim terrorists.

As far as I can tell from Time's story, there would be no terrorism if Europeans would simply stop supporting US policies in the Middle East. Oh, and give three-quarters of their salaries to support the young Muslims who say they can't find work. Plus, stop whining about the London subway bombings, Brits, you "had it coming" according to one young rascal. Oh, and convert Western civilization to Islamic Sharia law immediately, please.

"The majority of Muslims in the U.K. are frustrated, but they cannot speak. They will not condone the London bombings, but inside they believe that Britain had it coming." - Sajid Sharif

Time's reporter, typically, offers no solutions, content to bask in the sort of feckless self-loathing angst that has become fashionable amongst the literati.

The Dread Pundit Bluto hereby awards the First Annual Neville Chamberlain Kissing the Arse of the Enemy Award to Time magazine writer Bill Powell.

Defying the MSM, Ex-FEMA Head Brown Fights Back

Michael Brown, the former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is harshly criticizing Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin.

From the Associated Press via Yahoo! News:

"My biggest mistake was not recognizing by Saturday that Louisiana was dysfunctional," two days before the storm hit, Brown told a special congressional panel set up by House Republican leaders to investigate the catastrophe.

"I've overseen over 150 presidentially declared disasters. I know what I'm doing, and I think I do a pretty darn good job of it,"

"I very strongly personally regret that I was unable to persuade Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin to sit down, get over their differences, and work together. I just couldn't pull that off."

Brown's words drew criticism from Louisiana Representative William Jefferson, who is himself under investigation for political corruption, and misappropriation of resources during the disaster.

Brown admitted to specific mistakes during Hurricane Katrina. The most grievous was not having enough press briefings. This left the major television networks free to characterize the disaster as a Bush administration failure. NBC, in particular, grossly distorted events as part of their ongoing campaign against the Bush administration.

NBC's technique was basic, yet effective. Whenever forced to report on local or state incompetence, the correspondent always ended the report with a mention of FEMA in order to associate any failures with the federal government. When Brown resigned, NBC and the rest of the mainstream media moved quickly to cement the "FEMA failed" meme in the public consciousness.

It's heartening to see Michael Brown refusing to go quietly. It would be more heartening still to hear him call out the MSM for their blatant propagandizing.

Special Delivery

The Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) was recently deployed in Iraq and used at Tal Afar and in Al Anbar province against terrorist insurgent strongholds.

Photo by SPC Alisan Gul

From an Army News Service story by Sgt. Michael J. Carden and Pfc. Matthew Clifton:

The Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System destroyed two insurgent strongholds from a distance of more than 50 kilometers away. Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 13th Field Artillery Regiment fired eight guided rockets in Tal Afar Sept. 9 and 10, killing 48 insurgents, said Maj. Jeremy McGuire, deputy of operations, Force Field Artillery, Multi-National Corps – Iraq.

Battery A, 3-13 FAR fired another six rockets Sept. 11, destroying the Mish’al Bridge and preventing its use for insurgent forces in the Al Anbar province in Western Iraq, McGuire added.

The pinpoint accuracy of the GMLRS sets it apart from other artillery systems:

When the GMLRS was used in Tal Afar Sept. 9 and 10, damage to surrounding buildings was almost non-existent and the target’s destruction was absolute, said Capt. Robert J. Hannah, 3-13th FAR.

The physical and psychological effect the system had on the enemy in Tal Afar – who was trying either to successfully defend against an attack or goad the Coalition into destroying large portions of the city – was extremely valuable, [Col. H. R.] McMaster said.

Al-Jazeera Reporter Convicted in Spanish Terrorism Trial

Buried far down in a report about the conviction of a Spanish al Qaeda cell leader is this nugget, which confirms what most reasonable people have suspected about the pan-Arab propaganda outlet al-Jazeera all along.

From the Associated Press via Yahoo! News:

Twenty-one others also stood trial, but on charges not directly related to Sept. 11. Of those, 16 were convicted of belonging to or collaborating with a terrorist organization and five were acquitted.

One of the 16 was Tayssir Alouny, a correspondent for the pan-Arab TV network Al-Jazeera. He was convicted of collaboration and sentenced to seven years in jail.

Al-Jazeera condemned Alouny's verdict.

"It was a black day in the history of the Spanish justice," Al-Jazeera news editor Ahmed al-Sheik told the broadcaster from Madrid. "We were all shocked because everyone expected Alouny to be freed. It is a regrettable event in the history of international journalism when a journalist who sought the truth becomes the accused."

Alouny is one of the "journalists" who interviewed Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks and subsequently, al-Jazeera has become virtually the only "news organization" on the al Qaeda press release list. This is a good start, but now the civilized world needs to get serious with the rest of the terrorist sympathizers and collaborators at al-Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Back in Iraq

While American media (in a blatant bid to weaken President Bush politically and affect his next Supreme Court nomination) were obsessing about Hurricanes Rita and Katrina and avoiding footage of dirty, ignorant hippies swarming the capital, Coalition and Iraqi forces were busy rooting out terrorist insurgents.

From an American Forces Press Service news release:

Iraqi army soldiers of 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 9th Mechanized Division, and U.S. soldiers 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, conducted a joint raid on a suspected terrorist's home in the early-morning hours of Sept. 23.

The combined force moved in and surrounded the house, catching a high-ranking insurgent and his brother off guard. The brothers were wanted for previous insurgent attacks in the Taji area. They are also believed to be responsible for capturing and torturing an Iraqi Police officer who later escaped.

Also:

Iraqi security forces and multinational forces from Task Force Freedom seized four weapons caches, detained 13 suspected terrorists, killed one and injured two terrorists during operations Sept. 23 and 24.

Also:

Iraqi police engaged and wounded two terrorists after receiving small-arms fire in Mosul Sept. 23. One individual fled, and the other was transported to a local hospital.

Also:

U.S. soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, killed one terrorist after being attacked with small-arms fire while patrolling in Tal Afar Sept. 24. The 2/3 ACR also detained eight individuals suspected of terrorist activity during two operations in Tal Afar Sept. 23. Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, detained an individual suspected of terrorist activity during a cordon and search in Tal Afar.

Also:

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, seized four weapons caches during a cordon-and-search operation in Tal Afar Sept. 24.

Also:

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, detained four individuals suspected of terrorist activity and seized explosives and small arms with magazines in Mosul Sept. 23.

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

Hurricane Rita Comes Ashore as a Category Three, to the Dismay of the Mainstream Media

Bitterly disappointing network television news crews, who had been counting on Rita to provide many deaths and much damage for their broadcasts, Hurricane Rita made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane, missing Houston and New Orleans. News organizations, already reeling from the realization that the promised 10,000 Big Easy deaths were not in the offing, had been expecting Rita to strike Galveston and Houston as a Category 5, or at least a strong Category 4.

Newscasters had been optimistic about Rita's chances, especially after fire and explosions on a bus killed 24 elderly people being evacuated. While the newsfolks appreciated the schadenfreude provided by the bus fire, the only video available was of the burned out bus. They were hoping for some better footage of human suffering when Rita came ashore.

From MSNBC:

BEAUMONT, Texas - Hurricane Rita slammed into Texas and Louisiana early Saturday, smashing windows, sparking fires and knocking power out to more than 1 million customers, but largely sparing vulnerable Houston and already reeling New Orleans.

The mainstream media networks are now pinning their hopes on further levee breaches in New Orleans, or possibly some juicy flash flood deaths in Texas as Rita, stalled by weather systems to the north, rains herself out.

Weatherman: Yakuza Caused Katrina

"You don't need a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows." - Sixties Maxim

Idaho weatherman Scott Stevens knows which way it blows.

From the Idaho State Journal:

Since Katrina, Stevens has been in newspapers across the country where he was quoted in an Associated Press story as saying the Yakuza Mafia used a Russian-made electromagnetic generator to cause Hurricane Katrina in a bid to avenge the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima. He was a guest on Coast to Coast, a late night radio show that conducts call-in discussions on everything from bizarre weather patterns to alien abductions. On Wednesday, Stevens was interviewed by Fox News firebrand Bill O'Reilly.

Those bastards.

Thanks to reader Jan Z, who is always looking to the skies.

Iran Threatens, EU Powers Shriek Like Frightened Schoolgirls

Presidential hopeful John Kerry sharply criticized George W. Bush during the 2004 campaign for his so-called "go-it-alone" attitude toward the War on Terror, specifically for eschewing the help of potential European allies France and Germany. Today we learned the mettle of those valiant allies.

From the News.Telegraph (United Kingdom):

Britain, France and Germany yesterday retreated from their bid to report Iran's nuclear violations to the UN Security Council in face of opposition from Russia and fierce threats from Iran.

As Iran paraded ballistic missiles draped with defiant slogans such as "We will crush America under our feet" and "Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth", the so-called EU-3 submitted a new resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency which delays action to an unspecified date.

Not only are the French and Germans too petrified to stand up to dangerous extremists, they don't even dare to tell teacher.

The missiles being paraded are Shahab-3s. They have a range of from 1300-1600 kilometers carrying a 500-600 kilogram warhead, which can carry high explosives - or chemical weapons. the Israelis say the Shahab-3 can carry a nuclear warhead, though this hasn't been confirmed.

The Shahab-3 was developed from the North Korean No-dong missile. So much for the effete leftist dilettantes who have found it oh-so-fashionable to pooh-pooh President Bush's "Axis of Evil" speech.

Dry Bones

Yaakov Kirschen has been drawing Dry Bones, which appears in the Jerusalem Post, since 1973. Mr. Kirschen agreed to let me reproduce one of his strips here to introduce a link to his blog devoted to current and classic Dry Bones strips. Be sure to go to the Dry Bones Blog to see the rest.

Useful Idiots on the March in DC This Weekend

According to the Washington Times, the groups preparing to descend on Washington D.C. this weekend in support of the terrorist insurgents in Iraq are being funded by a shadowy coalition of radical leftist and communist organizations. From the article:

The leaders of ANSWER, founded three days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, are connected to the Workers World Party, a Marxist group that has expressed support for such dictators as North Korea's Kim Jong-il, Yugoslavia's Slobodan Milosevic and Iraq's Saddam Hussein. The latter two have been ousted from power and jailed.

Other groups associated with ANSWER are the Free Palestine Alliance, U.S.-Mexico Solidarity Foundation and the Muslim Student Association of the U.S. and Canada.

This comes as no surprise to those of us who have traced the internet connections between South American communist organizations and Muslim terrorist movements in Iraq (notably, albasrah.net and campoantiimperialista.com, which support each other with links and share propaganda storage devices). The servers for these groups have apparently recently been relocated from the Netherlands to Gaza.

More from the Washington Times story:

John J. Tierney, a scholar at the Institute of World Politics and author of "The Politics of Peace: What's Behind the Anti-War Movement?" said the core of the protesters are "ideologically very hard-core left" and that their agenda goes far beyond merely protesting the Iraq war.

"They're not anti-war. They are anti-West, anti-capitalism and anti-American political culture," Mr. Tierney said. "You see the speeches, the flags, the posters, the speakers and the pamphlets cover a whole host of revolutionary causes, literally everywhere."

Tierney is correct. The heart of the American "anti-war" movement is made up of the dregs of the failed communist movement.

Via Captain's Quarters.

16 Terrorists Captured in Baghdad; Carbomb Attacks Thwarted

From a CENTCOM press release:

Iraqi Army and Coalition Forces captured 16 terror suspects during a series of raids carried out against suspected terrorist safe houses throughout the capital city. In addition to detaining the suspects, the Soldiers seized two missiles, bomb-making materials, six AK-47 assault rifles, one machine gun and ammunition.

Also:

Iraqi Army and Task Force Baghdad Soldiers discovered five large weapons caches hidden in and around Baghdad over during combined and independent operations Sept. 19-21.

Also:

Coalition Forces working in northwest Baghdad foiled a car bomb attack at 4 p.m. Sept. 21. As the unit was traveling on a major highway, a car tried to enter the convoy and ram one of the U.S. vehicles. The vehicle swerved to avoid being struck and the Soldiers fired at the car, setting off the bombs inside.

The driver of the car managed to jump out and tried to run away, but the Soldiers captured him and brought him into custody for questioning.

Also:

In another incident on Sept. 19, an Iraqi citizen told a combined patrol of Iraqi Police and Task Force Baghdad Soldiers about a car bomb he had seen being prepared in the Rusafa district of east Baghdad. When the patrol investigated, they found a car rigged with eight mortar rounds wired to a radio-controlled detonator. An Iraqi explosives team safely disarmed the explosives.

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

European Commission Proposes Guidelines to Prevent Media Aiding Terrorists

Somebody pinch me. This is coming from Europe?

From the Guardian (United Kingdom):

Europe's media should draw up a code of conduct to ensure that newspapers, television stations and the internet do not act as propagandists for terrorists, the European commission will say today.
In a move which is likely to provoke a debate on state controls of the media, the commission warns that journalists pose "specific risks" in the fight against "violent radicalisation". The paper - Violent Radicalisation and Terrorism Recruitment - warns that the media are taking an over-simplified view of the world, which plays into terrorist hands.

This will no doubt provoke apocalyptic whining from newsweasels everywhere. The commission goes on to state what everyone in the world knows (but those whose rice bowl is based on "journalism" deny) - the media are played like kazoos by terrorists:

The commission also accuses the media of playing a role in helping terrorists recruit by allowing contacts between "radicalised individuals" on the internet and acting inadvertently as messengers for terrorists. "The media are the main vehicle through which [terrorism] attempts to affect citizens and leaders alike," the commission says. "Journalists face the difficult responsibility of reconciling their duty to inform the public with the need not to facilitate the aims of terrorists."

Well, duh.

The commission also targets internet service providers:

Mr Frattini takes a tougher approach with internet service providers who must do more to end incitement, which he says happens "on a daily basis" on websites. "The growth in use of the internet enables people ... to create networks through which it becomes easy to incite racial and religious hatred and also coordinate terrorist actions," the document says.

Why isn't anyone in authority in the US castigating our own merry band of seditionists and terrorist sympathizers dedicated journalists? The current issue of Time magazine could be used without redaction as a recruiting tool for Islamofascists everywhere. And oddly, Time doesn't name the reporters for their cover story, as is their usual practice.

Lest anyone think that the commission represents a renaissance among Europeans in their thinking about terrorism, however, there is also this:

One striking proposal is a call for people to refrain from talking about Islamic terrorism. In an attempt to ensure that the vast majority of peaceful Muslims are not portrayed as terrorist sympathisers, the paper says: "The commission believes there is no such thing as 'Islamic terrorism', nor 'Catholic', nor 'red' terrorism ...

Didn't we Yanks try to pretend that the Mafia didn't exist either, once upon a time?

Via Greg Sheffield writing for News Busters.

Specter Weighs in on Able Danger

From Fox News:

WASHINGTON — Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter said Wednesday he wants answers from the Defense Department about Able Danger, a secret military unit that is said to have identified four of the Sept. 11 hijackers more than a year before the terrorist attacks.

Specter's interest is all the more remarkable considering the virtual mainstream media embargo on the Able Danger story. More on Able Danger (links in ascending chronological order):

The "Able Danger" Fiasco - Libertarianism Run Rampant

9/11 Commission Knew About "Able Danger"

How "Able Danger" Will Be Played

"Able Danger" Speech Given on June 27

Able Danger Spook Speaks to Columnist

"Able Danger" Story Entering Mainstream Media

Second Able Danger Officer Goes Public

Another "Able Danger" Source Comes Forward

Pentagon Employee: Able Danger Documents Were Destroyed Under Orders

Able Danger Team Warned of Attack on USS Cole

Typically, blogs are about one week ahead of the mainstream media on major investigative stories (this excludes dramatic breaking stories like Hurricane Katrina). In this case, however, the MSM is over a month behind. Furthermore, the essential elements of the Able Danger story were entered into the Congressional Record following a speech by Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA) on June 27.

Why the footdragging? Would it take this long if the worst allegations seemed to reflect badly on the Bush administration, rather than the Clinton one?

FBI Looking For a Few Standup Guys

To serve on the Porn Squad. From the Washington Post:

Early last month, the bureau's Washington Field Office began recruiting for a new anti-obscenity squad. Attached to the job posting was a July 29 Electronic Communication from FBI headquarters to all 56 field offices, describing the initiative as "one of the top priorities" of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and, by extension, of "the Director." That would be FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III.

Okay, but can we do this after the FBI investigates domestic terrorists and terrorist sympathizers?

Al Qaeda in Iraq "Emir" Put Down

CENTCOM reports that another al Qaeda leader has been killed:

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces raided a terrorist safe house in the city of Haditha Sept. 18, resulting in the death of Shehab Hamed (aka Abu Ali), a known al Qaida in Iraq senior military Emir, and the capture of another terrorist.

Abu Ali has been identified as the senior al Qaida in Iraq military Emir of al Qaim and was responsible for all terrorist operations in the al Qaim area, to include directing, planning and executing VBIED, IED and mortar attacks against Iraqi security and Coalition forces.

Coalition forces believe that Abu Ali recently assumed the role of regional al Qaida in Iraq military Emir responsible for all regional terrorist operations for the group in the al Qaim and Haditha areas along the Euphrates River Valley. Abu Ali recently moved from al Qaim to Haditha where he was killed.

I realize that the phrase "put down" is usually used to describe the euthanization of pets. I apologize to any pet owners who might be offended by its use here.

Google Ads Booted

I've removed the Google ads from the website. Whether through Google's increasing politicization or simple incompetence, Google has been continuously posting ads for insane radical leftist and terrorist sympathizer websites and products on my site. Using Google's ad filter to get rid of the offending ads requires entering each leftard URL separately. A bit like trying to empty New Orleans with a teaspoon. Even then, Google is just as likely to replace it with an ad for another lunatic organization.

When and if Google learns basic marketing, perhaps I'll give them another chance. I just don't need the ad money bad enough to take it from moonbats.

"Terror Doctors" Captured in Iraq

The Multi-National Force - Iraq announced today that two terrorists captured on August 29 and 30 were medical doctors trying to set up a clinic for wounded terrorists. From an MNF-I press release:

On August 29 and 30, Coalition forces, acting on multiple intelligence sources and tips from concerned citizens, raided two suspected terrorist locations in the Baghdad and Baqubah regions to capture known terrorists operating in the areas. Captured during those raids was Anis ‘Abd-al-Razaq ‘Ali Muhammad, also known as Dr. Anis or Dr. Sa’ad. Dr. Sa’ad is an admitted terrorist and senior member of al Qaeda in Iraq in Baghdad.

Coalition forces also captured Mazen Mahdi Salih Mahdi Khudayr, also known as Abu Abdullah, Dr. Mazen or Dr. Layth. He is an admitted senior terrorist, weapons dealer and medical doctor who worked for Wamid, the military Emir of al Qaeda in Iraq in Baghdad.

But these aren't your average general practitioners. Their interests extend beyond rendering treatment to brave jihadi babyhunters:

In addition to treating wounded terrorists, Dr. Layth sold weapons and explosives to Wamid and his subordinates to kill Iraqi Security and Coalition forces. He has admitted to visiting neighboring countries to buy weapons and explosives and then smuggling them back into Iraq, where he would sell them to his terrorist connections in Baghdad. One such purchase was to provide arms to a terrorist assassination platoon, according to documents recovered by Coalition forces.

Nagin and the MSM Were Only Off by an Order of Magnitude

Some time soon after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the media began using the "10,000 dead" figure in their assault on the Bush Presidency. It was bolstered by reports of "25,000 body bags" being readied to carry out the dead in a calamity that would exceed the Johnstown Flood's death toll five times over. And all because a Republican was in the White House.

But who came up with this figure and what method was used to reach it?

According to an Associated Press story posted on September 5 by WRAL.com, it was New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. This is the earliest citation for the figure that I could reach (two earlier stories have been removed).

In New Orleans, Nagin upticked his estimate of the probable death toll in his city from merely thousands, telling NBC's "Today" show, "It wouldn't be unreasonable to have 10,000."

The story, however, provides no basis for Nagin's figure.

The Guardian notes (also on September 5) that Mayor Nagin told a radio station that "About 40,000 are unaccounted for." In the original AP story though, Deputy Police Superintendent W.J. Riley, who was actually on the ground in New Orleans and not making the media circuit, estimated that fewer than 10,000 people remained in the city. The Associated Press chose to bury Riley's comments in the thirteenth paragraph and concentrate on the sensationalistic claim apparently pulled from the ass of C. Ray Nagin.

The AP story featuring the "10,000 dead" figure ran in at least three hundred outlets on September 5. Then another hundred or so the next day. Equally clueless, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco predicted a death toll of "several thousand," perhaps basing this on Nagin's Today Show brainfart.

The 10,000 figure played for 4 days without being contradicted. Finally, sanity began to dawn on September 9. God help us, the first publication that questioned Nagin's grotesquely inflated prediction is from France.

The latest death toll figure for the entire region affected by the storm stands at 970. Will the media now pounce on New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin for irresponsible scare-mongering? Don't bet on it.

If this weren't such a deadly serious business one could almost enjoy the spectacle of all these Huey Long politicians and gullible journalists running around like so many chickens with their heads cut off.

North Korea to Abandon Nuclear Weapons Program

Color me skeptical. From MSNBC:

BEIJING - North Korea pledged to drop its nuclear weapons development and rejoin international arms treaties in a unanimous agreement Monday at six-party arms talks, the first ever after more than two years of negotiations.

If true, this is great news, but what could have caused such an abrupt change of heart? Did China decide that a North Korea armed with nukes would be bad for business?

Of course, North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2002 after violating a previous agreement not to pursue nuclear weapons.

Afghans Defy Terrorists to Vote

Afghans voted for their legislature today despite threats of Taliban terrorist attacks.

"I am not afraid to go and vote. I want to vote. It is how we can fight this terrorism."

- Saifullah Haqmal

From CENTCOM:

SALERNO , Afghanistan – For the third day in a row, Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police and Coalition forces stymied enemy efforts to disrupt elections as Afghan voters filled polling stations in every province today.

Afghan National Police, ANA and Coalition forces detained three suspected enemy fighters in Wardak and Ghanzi provinces; discovered and destroyed more than six improvised explosive devices in Khost, Kunar and Paktika provinces; fought off direct enemy attacks in Khost, Nangarhar and Paktika provinces; and discovered a weapons cache near the forward operating base at Salerno . ANP, ANA and Coalition forces have continued to work diligently to provide security to more than 6,100 polling sites across the nation.

“I am not afraid to go and vote. I want to vote. It is how we can fight this terrorism. I want to be able to choose who represents me in our government,” said Saifullah Haqmal, an Afghan student from Khost province. “I think it is important for everyone to participate in the vote for national and local Parliament. This election will bring a bright future for us.”

From the Associated Press:

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghans chose a legislature for the first time in decades Sunday, embracing their newly recovered democratic rights and braving threats of Taliban attacks to cast votes in schools, tents and mosques.

From Reuters:

KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban fighters failed to sabotage Afghanistan's first legislative elections in decades, with millions of voters turning out on Sunday for a ballot President Hamid Karzai called a defining moment for the nation.

Live ABC Katrina Interview Deviates From MSM "Script"

ABC News producers got a nasty surprise when they sent Dean Reynolds to the Astrodome to get (negative) reaction to President Bush's speech. Instead of reinforcing the mainstream media-created conception that the Federal response to Hurricane Katrina caused their suffering, interviewees praised Bush and blamed the state of Louisiana, and New Orleans mayor C. Ray Nagin. From NewsBusters, who provide a full transcript of the interviews:

Reynolds: Did you harbor any anger toward the President because of the slow federal response?

London: No, none whatsoever, because I feel like our city and our state government should have been there before the federal government was called in. They should have been on their jobs.

Reynolds: And they weren't?

London: No, no, no, no. Lord, they wasn't. I mean, they had RTA buses, Greyhound buses, school buses, that was just sitting there going under water when they could have been evacuating people.

[later in the interview]

Reynolds: Do you blame anybody for this?

London: Yes. I mean, they've been allocated federal funds to fix the levee system. and it never got done. I fault the mayor of our city personally. I really do.

From Knickerbocker News via an email from reader Neil, a 70 year old AIRBORNE Vet.

Al Qaeda Leaders Captured in Mosul

CENTCOM reports that the top al Qaeda leaders in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul were captured on September 5:

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Multi-National forces, acting on multiple intelligence sources and tips from local citizens, raided a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist location in southwest Mosul, Sept. 5, capturing the top al-Qaida leaders in the city.

Captured during the raid was Taha Ibrahim Yasin Becher, (aka Abu Fatima), the al-Qaida in Iraq’s Emir of Mosul, and Hamed Sa’eed Ismael Mustafa, (aka Abu Shahed), the organization’s West Mosul Emir.

Abu Fatima and Abu Shahed were in a meeting at the time of their capture.

Abu Fatima supervised and directed the day-to-day operations of the organization and was responsible for numerous attacks against Iraqi security and Coalition forces.

Abu Shahed was responsible for organizing al-Qaeda activities in western Mosul. He was responsible for attacks conducted in the area and also participated in attacks involving small arms and other weapons directed against Iraqi security and Coalition forces. As the leader of one of Mosul’s territories he was in line to succeed Abu Fatima in the event of his death or capture.

Abu Fatima was probably still undergoing on-the-job training:

Abu Fatima had recently taken over the role of Emir after Abu Talha was captured in June and Abu Zubayr, who replaced Talha, was killed in mid-August. Abu Fatima had only held the position for 12 days when he was captured.

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

Man Shot by Dog

From News.com.au (Australia):

The man lost his temper and began beating his Deutsch-Drahthaar hunting dog with a rifle when the animal refused to release a killed bird it had brought back.

But the dog's paw caught the trigger and the hunter was blasted with buckshot. The extent of his injuries was not reported - but local media said the dog injured a paw.

He do it again an' I be bustin' 'nother cap in his ass.

Able Danger Team Warned of Attack on USS Cole

Members of a now-defunct clandestine Pentagon intelligence operation called "Able Danger" came forward this summer to corroborate the claims of Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA) that 9/11 hijacker Mohamed Atta and others had been identified as threats as early as 1999.

Now the Able Danger whistleblowers are claiming to have warned the Pentagon about the danger in Yemen weeks before the USS Cole was attacked by al Qaeda terrorists.

From the New York Post (free subscription):

In the latest explosive revelation in the Able Danger saga, two former members of the data-mining team are expected to testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee next week that they uncovered alarming terrorist activity and associations in Aden weeks before the Oct. 12, 2000, suicide bombing of the U.S. warship that killed 17 sailors.

It sounds like the information about Yemen was less specific than the information the team developed about Mohamed Atta, but it should have been enough to either preclude Yemen as a port of call, or at least put sailors on high alert.

Pentagon Employee: Able Danger Documents Were Destroyed Under Orders

A Pentagon employee will testify next week that the documents, which named Mohamed Atta as a potential terrorist in 1999, were ordered destroyed, all 2.5 terabytes of them.

From MSNBC:

WASHINGTON - A Pentagon employee was ordered to destroy documents that identified Mohamed Atta as a terrorist two years before the 2001 attacks, a congressman said Thursday.

The employee is prepared to testify next week before the Senate Judiciary Committee and was expected to identify the person who ordered him to destroy the large volume of documents, said Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa.

It's difficult to imagine an innocent reason for the destruction. The story doesn't mention when the documents were destroyed.

Another Betrayal

A few days ago I reported about the capture of an al Qaeda brigade leader by Coalition forces. I didn't realize the full, terrible significance of what I had posted:

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Multi-National Forces captured Ammar ‘Abd-Al-Hafiz ‘Abd Muhummad (aka Ammar Amam Wakhtif or Sheik Ammar), an admitted terrorist and leader of the Nu’man Brigade, in a raid earlier in September in the Ramadi area.

That's right, the Nu'man Brigade. Jerry always knew that this fat weasel was evil. He warned us about him, but did we listen? No.

Newman

Thanks to Mack of Bruised Orange who spotted the evidence of Newman's perfidy.

Update: The Dread Pundit Bluto has obtained this previously unpublished photo showing members of the Nu'man Brigade during their training.

Thugs of the Nu'man Brigade

Terrorist Insurgents Murder 150 Iraqis, "Declare War" on Shiites

This is the MSNBC account:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - After a dozen explosions ripped through the Iraqi capital Wednesday, al-Qaida's leader in Iraq purportedly declared all out war on Shiite Muslims, Iraqi troops and the country's government in an audio tape released on Internet.

Al-Qaida claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attacks, which killed at least 152 people and wounded 542, targeted at laborers assembled to find work for the day.

The American Forces Press Service provides a calmer, more detailed assessment:

Terrorists targeted an Iraqi police patrol in north Baghdad around 12:20 p.m., causing multiple casualties. Ten minutes later, a U.S. patrol was hit in central Baghdad. Two U.S. soldiers were injured in the attack.

Another U.S. patrol was attacked in south Baghdad at 1:10 p.m. One soldier was wounded in the incident. A U.S. explosive ordnance disposal team later discovered four 130 mm projectiles in the vehicle.

At 1:25 p.m., another vehicle-borne bomb targeted an Iraqi police checkpoint in central Baghdad, causing multiple civilian casualties.

While en route to the scene of that explosion, a U.S. EOD team was attacked by another vehicle bomb at 2:10 p.m. Five U.S. soldiers were wounded in the blast. Another U.S. unit was called to help secure the site at the police station and came under attack from small-arms fire, grenades and mortars.

Earlier in the day, Iraqi and U.S. forces responded to six different vehicle bomb attacks that killed scores of Iraqi civilians and wounded two U.S. soldiers and dozens of Iraqi civilians.

American Forces Press Service writer Gerry J. Gilmore also provides a motivation for the attacks in another dispatch:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2005 - Eighty percent of al Qaeda's network in northern Iraq "has been devastated" since January due to the capture or killing of key leaders and the outrage of Iraqi citizens, a U.S. troop commander told Pentagon reporters today.

Indeed, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi himself cites the hugely successful Tal Afar operation in his "Declaration of War" against Shiite Muslims:

The speaker on the tape, introduced as Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, also said his militant forces would attack any Iraqi it believes has cooperated with an ongoing U.S.-led offensive in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar.

Brits Try to Arrest Retired Israeli General For "War Crimes" in Gaza

This is just one of the rather important events that has occurred in the outside world while the American mainstream media have been fixated on trying to blame Hurricane Katrina on President Bush. From the Boston Globe:

JERUSALEM -- The former head of Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip said yesterday he was warned not to leave an aircraft that landed in London after a tip-off that British police were waiting to arrest him on war crimes charges.

Reserve Major General Doron Almog said he arrived Sunday in London on an El Al flight for a three-day visit with Jewish communities to raise funds for a center in Israel for brain-damaged children.

''We were about to get off the plane, then one of the stewards came up to me and said the pilot asked that I disembark last," he told Israeli Army Radio.

''After some time, the chief steward said that the Israeli military attache was on his way and wanted to speak to me. I phoned him and he told me not to get off the plane," he said.

Almog said he was told a British Muslim group had filed an allegation of war crimes arising from his command of the military in Gaza from the start of the Palestinian uprising in 2000 until July 2003.

The attorney who filed the charges, Daniel Machover, is an Israeli-born British man whose parents immigrated to Britain in 1967. In a telephone interview with Channel 2 TV, he said his firm is always gathering evidence and would not hesitate to file charges against other Israeli officers.

''Doron Almog is only one of these individuals," Machover said. ''This is not an issue about Israel or Palestine. This is an issue about justice and about the proper application of criminal law."

More on Machover later. He appears to have made a career out of suing police and government agencies.

Okay, That Would Make Me Nervous, Too

One of my friends just returned to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait and was shocked to see tracer fire outside the northeastern area of the camp. Running up to the First Sergeant he anxiously demanded, "What the Hell is going on?".

"What do you mean?"

"I can hear small arms fire and see tracers! What's going on?"

"Oh...it's hunting season."

Camp Arifjan was not under attack. The Kuwaitis were hunting migratory birds. With AK-47s on full auto. The tracers were ricocheting off rocks.

Reconstructing Terrorists

Our success in the War on Terror has created an ethical and logistical problem. What do we do with the hundreds of terrorists who have been captured? What is the most just way to deal with pure Evil?

Warehousing them at Guantanamo Bay is, at best, a temporary solution. At worst, not only are our soldiers daily exposed to twisted, malevolent subhumans, but traitors and fools within our own society seek to use their captivity for political profit. We can't transfer custody of many of them to their countries of origin because they might be tortured (though that would be justice for many of the brave jihadi babyhunters). And some of their homelands simply allow them their freedom, so that they can go back to plotting and executing the murders of innocents. We can't (horrors) execute them, because that would be a "waste" of "human life".

So what do we do with the sort of creature who enjoys planning assaults on children?

The Dread Pundit Bluto has a solution. A solution that not only tackles the problem of captured terrorists, but applies it to the solution of another serious, but unrelated, problem, and addresses a secondary evil peripherally. Three birds with one stone.

We have a surfeit of captured terrorists. We have a shortage of healthy organs available for donation. The organ shortage has created a blackmarket in human parts. I see a connection.

I see a vast supply of healthy organs of all types, just waiting to be harvested to save the lives of innocent and deserving people. I see terrorists at last being given an opportunity to redeem a small part of their evil by giving back to the world community. I see the market for illegal organs destroyed.

What better way for a terrorist to (partially) redeem himself than by having his organs used to give worthwhile humans a chance at life?

One final note. You may think this is a tongue-in-cheek essay. If I had the power to enact organ donation as the legal form of execution for those convicted of terrorism, it would begin today.

Hat tip to one of the world's finest science fiction authors, Larry Niven, who first used the idea of organ donation as a form of capital punishment decades ago as a story element.

Syria Given Stern Warning By US Ambassador to Iraq

The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, noting that Syria has become a staging ground for foreign terrorists entering Iraq, has given the Syrian government a clear warning: "...all options are on the table."

From The Daily Star (Lebanon):

The U.S. warning comes as thousands of U.S. and Iraqi forces continued a major assault in the town of TalAfar near the Syrian border, that has left up to 200 insurgents dead.

Speaking to reporters at the State Department, U.S. ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad said: "Our patience is running out, the patience of Iraqis are running out. The time for decision ... has arrived for Damascus."

Khalilzad refused to rule out either a military strike on Syria or an attempt to further punish Syria through the United Nations Security Council.

"All options are on the table," he warned.

"I would not like to elaborate more, they should understand what I mean," he added.

These are particularly strong words, coming as they do, from a diplomat. Since Syria's complicity in the terrorism compromises the security of Iraqi citizens, I propose a Khadaffi-style bombing mission targeting Syrian president Bashar Al Asad's boudoir.

Separated at birth?

This is only one of the stories you would have heard on your nightly news broadcast if the major networks weren't busy misreporting the Hurricane Katrina story.

Al Qaeda Brigade Leader Captured in Iraq

From CENTCOM:

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Multi-National Forces captured Ammar ‘Abd-Al-Hafiz ‘Abd Muhummad (aka Ammar Amam Wakhtif or Sheik Ammar), an admitted terrorist and leader of the Nu’man Brigade, in a raid earlier in September in the Ramadi area.

Sheik Ammar oversaw and directed the day-to-day operations of the organization. He ordered numerous vehicle borne improvised explosive device and improvised explosive device bombings and other direct attacks against Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces.

Sheik Ammar took over as leader the brigade when Muhammad Daham was captured in May.

Sayf-al-Din Yahya 'Anad (aka Sheik Sayf or Abu Hamza), a Nu’man Brigade cell leader, was also captured during the raid. He was responsible for organizing and directing attacks against Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces.

“The capture of these two terrorists coupled with the more than 200 others captured or killed throughout Iraq recently demonstrates the coalition’s continued progress in removing these key terrorist leaders,” said Col. Billy J. Buckner, Multi-National Corps spokesman. “We are degrading the overall effectiveness of the Al-Qaida in Iraq terror network and its ability to conduct operations in Iraq,”

Wait a minute. I thought that the "Resistance" was made up of patriotic Iraqi "Freedom Fighters" who had no direct connection to al Qaeda? You mean Michael Moore and Cindy Sheehan lied to us? I am shocked, shocked I tell you.

Syracuse University Profs Compare US to Axis Powers

How does the Syracuse Post-Standard commemorate the anniversary of 9/11? They publish an editorial by two Syracuse University law professors who find America to be, at best, equivalent to Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany. At worst, we're worse because we weren't punished for our "war crimes" - up to and including Guantanamo Bay.

The Syracuse Post-Standard shields most of its content from the internet, ostensibly to protect its ever-shrinking circulation. I suspect, however, that the real reason is that they specialize in poorly thought out liberal op-ed pieces that they don't want to see torn apart by bloggers. It's part of the intellectual repression that comes with one-newspaper towns.

SU law professors Donna Arzt and Lucille Rignanese base their argument on the false juxtaposition of three historical facts, bulleted after the lead paragraph:

"*Sixty years ago, American, British and Soviet troops 'discovered' and liberated Nazi concentration camps.

*Sixty years ago, American citizens were released from internment camps here in the United States.

*Sixty years ago, the United States bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan."

Arzt and Rignanese then assume the false equivalence as a fact in evidence in their indictment of America and the West. Let's examine these premises though.

It is true that Japanese Americans were interned in the US during World War II, and that this was a great injustice based on easily identifiable racial characteristics; German and Italian Americans were not interned.

However, Japanese Americans were not used as slave laborers. They were not used for medical experiments. Their women were not systematically raped. They were not forced to dig trenches and line up next to them to be shot. They were not put into the backs of trucks, which then had carbon monoxide exhaust fed in until all were dead. They were not sent into "showers" that pumped out Zyklon B. They were not then stripped of hair and gold teeth and shoved into ovens. Their skin was not made into lampshades.

It is also true that atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They saved millions of lives, Japanese and American. That fact is simply indisputable.

The "thinking" of Donna Arzt and Lucille Rignanese is lacking in logic and clarity. They have drawn false conclusions from false comparisons.

But, the most reprehensible actions are those of Stephen A. Rogers, Editor and Publisher and Michael J. Connor, Executive Editor of the Syracuse Post-Standard. To publish this slanderous tripe on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is simply inexcusable. Rogers and Connor demonstrate exactly why the Syracuse Post-Standard is a dying newspaper.

Never Forget

U. S. Navy photo by J01 Preston Keres

Never Forgive

Senior al Qaeda Member May Be A Good Terrorist Now

The American Forces Press Service reports that Coalition officials believe that a notorious al Qaeda terrorist known only as "Sheik" may have been killed in an airstike in Ubaydi in western Iraq today.

Being deceased would make "Sheik" a "good" terrorist. The only way he could get better is to have his corpse consumed by hogs and converted into useful fertilizer.

The senior al-Qaeda terror consultant and foreign fighter facilitator known as "Sheik" is believed to have been in the house at the time of the attack. Sheik has been linked to other senior al-Qaeda in Iraq and foreign fighter facilitators operating throughout the Euphrates Valley, officials said.

Intelligence sources confirmed that Sheik was specifically brought in to the Husaybah area to consult with Abu Islam, thought to have been killed in a recent coalition air strike, and Abu Ibrahim, Islam's brother and successor to manage terror operations in the area, officials noted.

Also:

Task Force Freedom detained 13 suspected terrorists in operations in northern Iraq Sept. 8 and 9.

During a raid Sept. 9, soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, detained a terror suspect in western Mosul.

Multinational forces and Iraqi army soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, detained seven terror suspects after receiving small-arms fire in Ganus Sept. 8.

Also:

In another raid, soldiers from 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, detained five terror suspects during separate operations in eastern Mosul.

In Tal Afar Sept. 8, Task Force Freedom soldiers killed nearly a dozen terrorists engaged in movement of arms and other operations.

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

Zarqawi Group Claims Credit For Katrina

Centcom reports that a terrorist group linked to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is congratulating Islam for what "befell worshippers of the cross."

God Almighty says: "But the Unbelievers,- never will disaster cease to seize them for their (ill) deeds, or to settle close to their homes, until the promise of God come to pass, for, verily, God will not fail in His promise." [Koranic verses]

We congratulate the nation of Islam and its Shaykh mujahid Usama [Bin Ladin], Abu-Abdallah, our leader Mulla Mohammed Omar, and Shaykh Ayman al-Zawahiri. We also congratulate the people of Al-Fallujah, Al-Qa'im, Hadithah, Al-Karabilah, and our people in Palestine . We congratulate the nation of Islam and bring it the glad tidings of the destruction of the head of infidelity, America . The initial signs of collapse have become evident in America . Everyday, disasters befall the United States or take place near it. "Now such were their houses, - in utter ruin, - because they practiced wrong-doing. Verily in this is a sign for people of knowledge;" [Koranic verses] "We did them no wrong, but they were used to doing wrong to themselves." [Koranic verses]

The God of Zarqawi must be weak and myopic indeed. Compare this despicable reaction with the outpouring of aid from khafirs to the mostly Muslim victims of the December tsunami.

Bad News For MSM: Katrina Death Toll Lower Than Predicted

Early reports from New Orleans are indicating that Mayor Ray Nagin's much-repeated prediction of 10,000 dead was wildly pessimistic. It's unclear what factual basis Nagin had for the prediction, but it has been repeated endlessly by breathless network anchors anxious to start filming the corpses.

From Fox News:

They said Friday that their first systematic sweep of the city found far fewer bodies than expected, suggesting that Hurricane Katrina's death toll may not be the catastrophic 10,000 feared.

On the NBC Nightly News Brian Williams made a partial concession, but left out the "far" and simply said, "fewer bodies".

From KBTV4 News:

(Baton Rouge) -- Estimates of the final death toll from Hurricane Katrina have been as high as ten-thousand, but the official body count to this point is much lower. Officials who feared the worst now are hoping their predictions were wrong. As of Thursday, Mississippi had recorded 201 deaths and Louisiana totaled up 118.

Other affected states had much lower numbers.

These predictions have a familiar ring to them. Television pundits predicting 10,000 casualties during the Gulf War were off by more than an order of magnitude. Likewise, those who warned of "tens of thousands" of casualties when American troops faced the Iraqi Republican Guard were proved wrong (oddly, the same pundits were silent when President Clinton sent troops to Bosnia and Somalia). One would almost get the impression that there is a partisan bias at work in the news departments of NBC, ABC, and CBS. Of course, we know there's no bias there because they have told us there isn't.

Why all the Chicken Littles? It makes good copy, for one thing. For another, 10,000 deaths in New Orleans would justify the wall-to-wall negative coverage of relief efforts with concomitant bashing of the administration. Remember, for those who depend on the networks, no news has happened anywhere else in the world since Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.

If they are off by an order of magnitude again they'll be exposed as having hyped the crisis. The networks need those bodies.

Freed Hostage Roy Hallums Heading Home, Expresses Gratitude

The American Forces Press Service reports that Roy Hallums, who was abducted last November and rescued by Coalition forces on September 7, is on his way home via military transport. Hallums released a written statement:

"I would like to thank all of those dedicated personnel who have worked on my case that eventually led to my release on Sept. 7, 2005. Their continuous efforts were invaluable to the entire process. I would also like to give credit to my family who never gave up hope that I would be eventually released and return home to them. Their contact with various government agencies and the press helped keep the efforts to rescue me moving forward. I also appreciate those of you in the press who covered my story. Since I just returned I request that I be allowed a period of time to adjust to my new environment before dealing directly with the press. Again, I would like to thank everyone involved in my rescue and I look forward to enjoying my freedom again."

Producer May Be Seeking to Politicize Hurricane Relief Telethon

With the complicity of six major television networks, producer Joel Gallen is setting up what has the potential to be a Bush-bashing party Friday night. Though Gallen claims he doesn't want to politicize the event, the inclusion of retardate rapper (sorry for the redundancy) Kanye West and the politically naive Dixie Chicks tells a different story. From the Associated Press:

NEW YORK - The producer of Friday's one-hour telethon to benefit Hurricane Katrina victims said no special precautions will be taken to edit out political statements — even though rapper Kanye West is on the bill.

Why would a producer would want an ignorant and unstable celebrity appearing on a benefit show if not to "accidentally" blurt out something controversial?

But Joel Gallen, executive producer of "Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast," also doesn't expect any problems.

Neither did NBC, Joel, yet Kanye felt compelled to create one anyway.

West, on last week's hurricane relief concert shown on NBC, departed from a prepared script to say that " George Bush doesn't care about black people." He's one of a dozen musicians scheduled to perform Friday.

Based on his actions, I'd have to say that Kanye West doesn't care about black people, unless they're buying his music, of course. If he did care, he'd have stuck to the script to maximize donations rather than offending a large portion of the audience to indulge his paranoid stupidity.

Only a standard five- or seven-second delay will be employed to guard against any obscenities, Gallen said. He said he's spoken to all of the musicians and actors who will be appearing on the show about not detracting from the mission.

Yes, I'm sure the gigantic, self-absorbed egos involved are going to play nice.

"I think people understand that politicizing this will certainly not be a smart thing to do as far as inspiring people to call in and rally around this cause," he said.

A reasonable statement, if applied to normal humans rather than emotional and intellectual cripples like West and the Dixie Chicks. Which raises the question: Joel, if you didn't want it to get political, why did you invite folks like these to participate?

200 Terrorists Captured in Iraq

Two hundred mostly foreign terrorists were captured yesterday in the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar after US and Iraqi forces surrounded the area. From the Associated Press:

The Iraqi military said 150 of those arrested Wednesday in this town near the Syrian border were Arabs from Syria, Sudan, Yemen and Jordan.

The joint forces have reported heavy battles on the outskirts of the city and several bombings that have mainly killed civilians. Iraqi authorities reported most of the civilian population had fled the city, which is 260 miles north of Baghdad and about 35 miles from the Syrian border.

"Our forces arrested 150 non-Iraqi Arabs yesterday in addition to 50 Iraqi terrorists with fake documents as they were trying to flee the city with the (civilian) families," Iraqi army Capt. Mohammed Ahmed said.

What, none of them were anxious to meet Allah following a brave struggle against US and Iraqi forces? They were trying to skulk off and hide amongst women and children rather than bravely take the jihad to the occupiers?

Update: Jim Lehrer on PBS reported tonight that the town of Tal Afar has been surrounded and that there is "heavy fighting", but somehow failed to note that two hundred terrorists were captured.

Shh...Don't Tell Kanye West: Combat Engineers Blew Levees to Save Wealthy Honky Businesses

The latest example of abject moonbattery coming out of New Orleans is absolutely breathtaking.

From boingboing:

10:57 Raw transcript of comments by NOLA evacuee Clara Barthelemy: "The 17th street levee was bombed by the Army Corps of Engineers to save the more valuable real estate in the city… to keep the French Quarter protected, the ninth ward was sacrificed… people are afraid to speak out… everyone who was near there heard the bombings… they bombed seven times. That's why they didn't fix the levees… 20 feet of water. Gators. People dying in water. They let the parishes go, not the city center. Tourist trap was saved over human life..."

Umm, actually, the Latin Quarter was spared because it's on higher ground you lunatic.

Via Gaijin Biker at Riding Sun who has more.

Hostage Roy Hallums Rescued by US Troops

An American employee of a Saudi company, taken hostage by terrorists last November, has been rescued by US forces acting on a tip from a captured Iraqi. From the Associated Press:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition forces acting on a tip from an Iraqi detainee Wednesday rescued American hostage Roy Hallums from an isolated farm house south of Baghdad, a military statement said. An Iraqi also was rescued.

The 57-year-old contractor, formerly of Newport Beach, Calif., had been held since being kidnapped at gunpoint from his office in Baghdad's Mansour district on Nov. 1.

"Hallums is in good condition and is receiving medical care," the military said.

He was held in a farmhouse 15 miles south of Baghdad, the statement said, adding that rescuers were tipped to his whereabouts by an unidentified Iraqi detainee.

"I want to thank all of those who were involved in my rescue — to those who continuously tracked my captors and location, and to those who physically brought me freedom today," Hallums said in the military statement.

"To all of you, I will be forever grateful. Both of us are in good health and look forward to returning to our respective families. Thank you to all who kept me and my family in their thoughts and prayers."

Via an email from Dr. Rusty Shackelford at The Jawa Report, who has followed this story closely for months.

ABC and NFL Keep Kanye West For Pre-Game Show

Hip hop idiot (I know, it's redundant) Kanye West won't lose his big gig at the NFL's opening game Thursday night on ABC. From the Los Angeles Times:

The NFL, which has vigorously protected its image since dust-ups involving Janet Jackson, "Desperate Housewives" and the cable series "Playmakers," is standing by a popular hip-hop artist who made a derisive remark about President Bush during a nationally televised Hurricane Katrina relief benefit.

Rapper Kanye West, who said Friday, "George Bush doesn't care about black people," will perform as scheduled Thursday outside the Coliseum as part of the league's season-opening celebration show, which will be broadcast by ABC.

Football just isn't important enough to put up with the NFL's demonstrated contempt for their audience.

And someone needs to ask Kanye West (and his pathetic little bitch, Matt Damon) why, as a gangstah rapper, he doesn't consider himself responsible for helping to create a culture that produces looters and the sort of people who fire on rescue helicopters.

Another Good Reason to Buy American Automobiles

The Associated Press reports that Toyota has developed a computer to keep drivers in line:

An image-processing computer system developed by Toyota Motor Corp. and a Toyota affiliate uses a camera near the steering wheel to detect when the driver stops looking straight ahead.

The system flashes a light on the dashboard display and emits a beeping noise when the eyes start to wander. If the driver still doesn't respond, brakes kick in, Toyota said Tuesday.

Those of us who use our mirrors might be in trouble here, since we can't do that while "looking straight ahead". I suppose we should be thankful that this isn't being developed by a German company using a catheter and electric shocks.

While I agree that driver inattention is a serious problem, I believe that the proper way to address it is by modifying the behavior of drivers, not cars.

Nine Terrorists Captured in Afghanistan

The American Forces Press Service reports that nine suspected terrorists have been captured in Afghanistan over the past two weeks:

Multiple offensive operations over the past two weeks in Afghanistan's northern Paktika province netted nine suspected terrorists, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan officials reported today.

Four suspected leaders and advisors of a criminal cell were detained in Spina Village, Omna district, along with Taliban propaganda on audio tapes and ammunition.

Three others were detained in the Sharan district with improvised explosive device materials in their possession, including explosives, wires and cell phones, officials said. Those detained have been linked to a bomb-making cell working in the region.

Two more suspects were detained in association with the Sharan cell, as well as a plot to kidnap and kill an Afghan National Police officer or coalition troop.

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

Seven Terrorist Insurgents Killed

The American Forces Press Service reports that seven terrorists who were firing at US troops from a mosque have been killed by a helicopter gunship attack. From the bulletin:

Unable to suppress a barrage of machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire from insurgents holed up in a mosque in the Sarai district of Tal Afar, Iraq, coalition forces called in helicopter gunships to stop the enemy salvo, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported today.

Seven terrorists were killed in the Sept. 4 helicopter counterattack at a mosque in eastern Tal Afar described as a Takfirist meeting place.

No injuries to U.S. personnel were reported, officials noted.

Also:

When Iraqi police recently moved in to search a black car with two men inside that they'd stopped at a checkpoint, they found a wounded insurgent and another terrorist trying to eat a note that described an attack on a coalition forces' forward operating base, officials said.

The car was also loaded with bomb-making materials, including five telephone receivers, six radios, two cell phones, one wired to a radio, six washing machine timers, five extended-range antennae and batteries. The men also had $1,400 in $100 U.S. bills, according to officials.

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

Terrorists Arrested With a Whimper After Civilian Tips

The American Forces Press Service reports that 12 terrorists were arrested Friday east of al-Amiriyah, Iraq, following tips from "concerned citizens" and "multiple intelligence sources". Apparently, the brave jihadi baby-hunters surrendered without a fight when confronted by multinational forces.

From the bulletin:

Twelve suspected terrorists were arrested during the raid. U.S. military officials in Baghdad said the terrorists are suspected of transporting and emplacing improvised explosive devices and coordinating ambushes with small arms and crew-served weapons against Iraqi security and coalition forces.

Three vehicles loaded with weapons were also discovered and destroyed by coalition forces, officials said.

No civilians were reported injured during the raid, officials noted.

Also:

Another tip from a civilian helped soldiers from Task Force Liberty's 1st Brigade Combat Team find and defuse a 155mm artillery round buried beside a road near Balad Sept. 2, officials reported. The device was rigged to detonate on command as an improvised explosive device.

The soldiers also captured six suspected terrorists fleeing the scene in Tikrit area. The suspects were in a house washing their hands and attempting to change clothes when they were captured, official said.

Also:

In northern Mosul, multinational forces from Task Force Freedom captured 32 suspected terrorists Sept. 1 and 2, officials noted.

Two insurgents were detained by soldiers from 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment during a cordon-and-search operation. Two more terrorists were captured in eastern Mosul Sept. 1 after they fired small-arms weapons at coalition soldiers searching a home in eastern Mosul, officials said.

Local civilians pointed out a vehicle that had been used in mortar attacks, and further investigation led to the confiscation of drums of AK-47 rounds, officials reported.

Another 21 insurgents suspected of terrorist activities in northwest Tal Afar were captured Sept. 2. Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment also detained seven individuals suspected of terrorist activity during a cordon- and-search operation in Tal Afar Sept. 1, officials said.

Also:

Task Force Liberty soldiers thwarted an imminent ambush in Ad Duluiyah Sept. 2 and detained the four would-be attackers, officials in Tikrit reported today.

More terrorists were stopped when coalition soldiers identified an ambush setup and called in attack helicopters to provide support, which caused the attackers to surrender, officials said.

During questioning, the detainees provided the location of four more insurgents, who officials said were also subsequently detained in Ad Duluiyah.

Also:

On Sept. 1, a terrorist was killed and another was wounded when the improvised explosive device they were assembling exploded in an Ad Duluiyah home, officials said.

Task Force Liberty soldiers responded to the explosion, searched the house, treated the wounded terrorist and detained him for questioning.

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

Quick, Somebody Send Ray Nagin to the Astrodome and Get the Idiot Out of the Way

According to a story from the Associated Press, New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin has bad words for everybody involved with the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe response...except himself.

NEW ORLEANS - A day before President Bush headed to the hurricane-ravaged South, Mayor Ray Nagin lashed out at federal officials, telling a local radio station "they don't have a clue what's going on down here."

That would put them in the same boat with you, Mr. Mayor, except that you've been on the scene for years without obtaining a clue.

"They flew down here one time two days after the doggone event was over with TV cameras, AP reporters, all kind of goddamn — excuse my French everybody in America, but I am pissed," Nagin said.

Well, excuse my French, Mr. Mayor, but I'm pissed at you...for being a monumentally incompetent political hack. Evidently you don't subscribe to National Geographic, because they told you exactly what to expect last October.

Nagin said he told Bush in a recent conversation that "we had an incredible crisis here and that his flying over in Air Force One does not do it justice ... I have been all around this city and that I am very frustrated because we are not able to marshal resources and we are outmanned in just about every respect."

Yeah, that's the ticket. First we have Mayor Nagin running around like a chicken with its head cut off inspecting the damage. Let's have a Presidential convoy roaming around to get in the way of the feeble efforts Nagin has managed to "marshal". That'll help. Not New Orleans, but focusing at the Federal level allows Ray Nagin to pretend that he's not a criminally incompetent jackass. We wouldn't want him to suffer self-esteem issues in the midst of a crisis.