Shockingly Dishonest Washington Post Headline

Even for the mainstream media, which, by its own people's admission, long ago sold any pretext of journalistic objectivity down the river, the headline that accompanies this sales pitch for Bob Woodward's new book is a stunning lie: "White House Disputes Book's Report of Anti-Rumsfeld Moves".

While any reasonable reader would expect to find a story about the Bush administration's response to the charges in WaPo reporter Woodward's recent election season political attack book against the Republicans, WaPo staff writer Peter Baker has actually written a thinly veiled sales pitch for Woodward's book.

Baker's "news report" never details any Bush administration response to Woodward's book until the eleventh paragraph where it quotes press secretary Tony Snow; then follows that immediately with quotes from Democrat Nancy Pelosi. I'm still trying to figure out what position Pelosi holds in the White House.

Dog the Bounty Hunter Loses His Ankle Bracelet

Duane "Dog" Chapman has been temporarily released from his ankle bracelet in order to travel to New York.

From KITV (Hawaii):

HONOLULU -- TV reality star Duane "Dog" Chapman had his electronic monitoring ankle bracelet removed on Thursday in Honolulu for a trip to New York.

Chapman's out on bail while international criminal charges are pending.

Defense attorney Brook Hart said a judge agreed to temporarily free the star of the popular A E show "Dog The Bounty Hunter" of the ankle bracelet so he can attend previously scheduled public appearances on the East Coast.

Amazing. Mexico is absolutely rabid to prosecute Dog the Bounty Hunter for capturing a vicious rapist in that country and bringing him to face justice in the US. Evidently, Dog insulted their sense of national sovereignty (or didn't offer a large enough bribe).

Yet Mexico refers to America as a "receptor country" that should just shut the hell up about the millions of illegal aliens Mexico exports to us.

The Definition of Insanity

Benjamin Franklin:

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

Nancy Pelosi:

[What the Republicans call achievements fall] "very far short of what Democrats have proposed over and over and over again."

Book Reportedly Cancelled Over Fears of Muslim Violence

Rioting and threats of violence from Muslim extremists have apparently triumphed once again over the First Amendment.

According to psychoanalyst Dr. Nancy Kobrin and noted feminist Phyllis Chesler, who wrote the introduction, Kobrin's new book, "The Sheikh's New Cloth: The Naked Truth about Islamic Suicide Terrorism", was to be published in November by Looseleaf Law Publications, Inc., but Dr. Kobrin's contract was suddenly cancelled over concerns for their staff's safety.

Ms. Chesler writes:

...in the wake of the Pope's mistreatment, they would not be able to provide security for their staff people were her book to inflame the "Muslim street." Dr. Kobrin's book discusses, in depth, the normalization of cruelty and child abuse, including pederasty and daughter-abuse that is pandemic in the Arab Muslim world and how such shame and honor childrearing practices renders adults vulnerable to death-cult temptations and brainwashing. She focuses on the degradation of women in the Islamic world and how that is a crucial factor in suicide terrorism.

Looseleaflaw is a small publisher and can hardly be blamed for getting cold feet in the wake of calls for the murder of Pope Benedict and Muslim threats and violence against any who insult or even question Islam.

And, of course, who can blame a small publisher when virtually every major American mainstream news source refused to publish any of the Danish cartoons that started a firestorm of Muslim violence worldwide? They claimed it was out of respect for Islam, but that would make Islam unique among major religions in being offered "respect" by the MSM. The real reason for their restraint is almost certainly this:



I've contacted Looseleaf Law Publications, Inc. to confirm what Dr. Kobrin and Ms. Chesler have shared and to get their perspective; I will update this post when they reply.

Teddy Kennedy Promises Democrats Will Gut National Security Measures if Elected

Teddy Kennedy, erupting after passage by the House of a bill to approve NSA surveillance of international calls between Americans and suspected terrorists, and passage in the Senate of the bill to authorize detention, interrogation, and trials of enemy combatants:

"In 40 days, we can put an end to this nonsense."

In forty days, given Democratic majorities in the Senate and House, we can put an end to five years without a terrorist attack on American soil. We can put an end to terrorists being aggressively questioned about upcoming attacks and the whereabouts of their cronies. We can put an end to thousands of terrorists dying in Iraq, instead of Manhattan.

Take the Bloviator from Massachusetts at his word. When he says that using legal means to protect Americans from terrorism is "nonsense", he means what he says.

Majority Leader John Boehner summed it up well:

"To always have reasons why you just can't vote 'yes,' I think speaks volumes when it comes to which party is better able and more willing to take on the terrorists and defeat them."

AQ in Iraq Leader Admits to 4,000 Dead Terrorists

From the Associated Press:

The new leader of al-Qaida in Iraq said in an audio message posted on a Web site Thursday that more than 4,000 foreign insurgent fighters have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. It was believed to be the first major statement from insurgents in Iraq about their losses.
"The blood has been spilled in Iraq of more than 4,000 foreigners who came to fight," said the man, who identified himself as Abu Hamza al- Muhajir _ also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri _ the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq. The voice could not be independently identified.

If this putz admits to 4,000 dead jihadis, count on the real figure being much higher.

In any case, that's a minimum of 4,000 babyhunters who won't be coming to Manhattan to meet Allah.

Here's a picture of one of them, reportedly felled by a fifty caliber sniper rifle. If your stomach is strong, click on the second update below the image for an unblurred view.

How Hypocritical is the ACLU?

They're even worse and more blatant than I thought.

Jay at Stop the ACLU details a long, long legacy of hypocrisy, including this gem:

In August of 2005 the New York ACLU sued against random bag searches on the NY Subway. Ironically the NYCLU HQ has a sign warning visitors that all bags are subject to search.

The motto of arrogant elitists everywhere: "Do as we say, we'll do as we like."

7-Eleven, Fearing Boycott, Drops Citgo

From MSNBC:

DALLAS - 7-Eleven Inc. is dropping Venezuela-backed Citgo as its gasoline supplier after more than 20 years as part of a previously announced plan by the convenience store operator to launch its own brand of fuel.

Citgo is a wholly owned subsidiary of the government of Venezuela, led by the obese buffoon Hugo Chavez, whose antics at the UN recently included calling President Bush "the devil".

Citgo Petroleum Corp. is a Houston-based subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-run oil company and 7-Eleven is worried that anti-American comments made by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez might prompt motorists to fill-up elsewhere.

Probably a valid concern.

Unfortunately, the effects of a boycott will probably be felt most by independently owned gas stations selling the Citgo brand. Nonetheless, not buying gas with the Citgo brand on it is seen as an important symbolic gesture by many Americans.

More on Citgo boycott here.

Taliban Leader Hints at New Osama Tape

An ABC News producer in Pakistan was phoned by Mulla Dadullah Akhund, military commander of the Taliban concerning rumors of Osama bin Laden's death that circulated recently.

ABC News reports:

Mulla Dadullah Akhund, said Osama bin Laden is alive and that there is no truth to the rumors of his death from typhoid.

"Sheikh Osama is all right. He is safe," Dadullah told ABC News' Rahimullah Yusufzai. Dadullah would not disclose the location from where he was calling.

In the past, Dadullah has issued statements to the effect that bin Laden and Taliban leader Mulla Mohammad Omar are alive and leading the resistance against U.S.-led foreign forces in Afghanistan.

By the way, the ABC producer was phoned at home, not the office. I wonder how the Taliban got that number?

Dadullah had more to say:

When pressed for evidence to show that bin Laden is alive, Dadullah hinted that there is a possibility of a tape being sent to media organizations to prove that the al Qaeda head isn't dead. Dadullah, however, declined to say as to when this tape would be made available.

Via Stop the ACLU.

Democrats Reluctant to Give Up Battle for Terrorists' Rights

The Associated Press reports that Republicans are moving ahead with legislation to satisfy Supreme Court requirements for terrorists to be detained, interrogated, and tried:

WASHINGTON - Republicans on Wednesday cleared procedural hurdles in the House and Senate on the way to giving President Bush authority to detain, interrogate and try terrorism detainees before military commissions.

The AP also notes that Democrats, who have been fighting tooth and nail to obstruct the legislation are finally seeing the writing on the wall:

While bowing to the inevitable, Democrats continued to criticize the bill. Michigan Sen. Carl Levin, the senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said defendants still won't be able to confront some classified evidence against them while allowing evidence obtained through torture.

Oh my, so sad, go cry.

Why don't we just use the Durbin rules for terrorist interrogations.

Sunni Sheiks Offer to Fight al Qaeda in Iraq

Lord knows how this one slipped through the al-Reuters Good News From Iraq Embargo :

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Sunni tribal leaders who have vowed to drive al Qaeda out of Iraq's most restive province met the Shi'ite premier on Wednesday, marking what Washington hopes will be a breakthrough alliance against Islamist militants.

Sattar al-Buzayi, a Sunni sheikh from Anbar province who has emerged in recent weeks as a leader of a tribal alliance against Osama bin Laden's followers, said he and about 15 other sheikhs had offered their cooperation to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Expect Democratic party leaders to begin condemning the sheiks as soon as they become aware of the story.

NIE: "Global Threat" Eliminated - MSM Ignores Story

The declassification of parts of the National Intelligence Estimate spells out the ramifications of a major triumph in the War on Terror: the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (the report was finalized in April, before Zarqawi's death).

The NIE states:

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

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

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

This letter, found in the rubble of Zarqawi's safehouse, confirms that al Qaeda was trying to coach Zarqawi to "broaden his popular appeal", as the NIE put it.

This passage also validates the Bush administration's contention that the leaking of parts of the report was a political as well as criminal act, designed to do the maximum amount of political damage. Apparently, the leakers did not expect President Bush to declassify the report.

Mainstream media outlets have ignored the Zarqawi angle and other inaccuracies in the leaked portions, possibly because they emphasize how badly New York Times writer Mark Mazzetti's article was compromised by his partisan sources.

Coming so soon before the midterm elections, the duping of Mazzetti echoes the shameful forged Texas Air National Guard memos, released just prior to the 2004 Presidential election, which led to Dan Rather's downfall.

Letter Captured After Zarqawi Bombing Shows Friction Within Al Qaeda

CENTCOM has released the translation of a letter to Zarqawi found in the rubble of his safehouse after his death.

The letter takes Zarqawi to task for the brutality of his terrorist efforts and laments losing the hearts and minds of many Muslims who, in the words of the letter-writer, "...are ignorant and simple, and upon whom the afflictions of stultification, misguidance and corruption pile...".

The letter also confirms the authenticity of a previously intercepted letter to Zarqawi from Ayman al-Zawahiri:

I saw that their opinion centered on a group of observations and instructions, of which you will find a summary in the Doctor’s message that the Americans published.

The letter-writer, "Atiyah", a so far unidentified al Qaeda leader, promises Zarqawi that he will be brief. Eighteen paragraphs later, he starts to get to the point:

I command you, my brother, and I am your brother and I have nothing except these words that are between the two of us and God as the third party, that you send messengers from your end to Waziristan so that they meet with the brothers of the leadership, and the rational and experienced people and the shaykhs here, because you have a greater chance to send messengers (brothers that you choose) than your brothers have here. God willing, you have the ability to enlist guys and men who have not been exposed, and who can move about and carry messages and convey responses to you and such.

This indicates that the al Qaeda leadership is alarmed at Zarqawi's excesses and wants him on a shorter leash.Then Atiyah tries to cool Zarq's jets vis-a-vis headlopping:

The other matter is to take caution against being zealous about the name “al-Qa’ida”, or any name or organization. Although all mujahidin are our brothers, the Sunni are our brothers and our friends, as long as they are Muslims, even if they are disobedient, or insolent; whether they come into the organization with us or not, for they are our brothers, our friends, and our loved ones. We should cooperate with them, help and support them, and work together. Besides, how do you know you won’t be humbled tomorrow, while they will be strengthened?

Though cloaked in flowery diplomatic speech, the letter indicates dissatisfaction with Zarqawi's methods and a high level of friction between him and the al Qaeda high command. It also reiterates the complaints of Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Bill To Stop ACLU Taxpayer Funding To Be Voted On Today

Crossposted from Stop The ACLU:

S 3696 (PERA), sponsored by Sen. Brownback (R-Kan), a companion bill to H.R. 2679 (PERA), sponsored by Rep. Hostetter (R-Ind.), would amend all relevant federal laws to eliminate the authority of judges to award taxpayer-paid attorney fees to the ACLU, or anyone else, in lawsuits under the Establishment of Religion Clause of the First Amendment against veterans memorials, the Boy Scouts, or the public display of the Ten Commandments of other symbols of America’s history with a religious aspect.

This legislation will stop your taxes from paying the ACLU to attack our Christian heritage and symbols. Act now before it is too late.

It will be voted on today in the House.

NRB has learned that PERA, the Public Expression of Religion Act of 2005 (H.R. 2679) introduced by Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN), is expected to be considered for a floor vote in the House, tomorrow, Tuesday, September 26th. This critical legislation, which has been supported by NRB, would protect our government agencies and their civil servants from having to pay huge attorneys fees awards to groups like the ACLU when they sue over references to God and religion in public settings.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Urge your listeners and viewers to contact their representatives in Congress and urge him/her to “vote for H.R. 2679, Public Expression in Religion Act of 2005, also known as PERA.”

CONSIDER THIS: This legislation would avoid the outrageous funding (through taxpayer dollars) of the ACLU, atheist organizations, and others who want to strip acknowledgements of God from the public square, and for that reason this bill is a major plus. But more than that, it would also force more of these cases to face the bright sunlight of a court of law, rather than the present situation of government officials being intimidated into capitulating through private settlements with these radical secularist law groups for fear of facing mammoth attorneys fee awards if they lose at trial.

WHY THE TIMING IS CRITICAL: PERA will be brought to the House Floor on the very challenging “suspension calendar,” which means that debate is limited, it is possible that amendments may be restricted, and the bill must pass with a 2/3-majority. Therefore it is critical that your audience contact Capitol Hill today

I have already received a letter from my Representative and have been assured of his vote. I contacted him on the day the bill was approved by the House Committee on the Judiciary, so I got an old form letter. Nevertheless it was assuring.

Find your Representative here.

Condi Hits Bubba Upside the Head With a Cluebat

Responding to what many of us see as a cooly calculated meltdown by Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice addressed the "facts" as laid out by the former President.

From the New York Post:

Condoleezza Rice yesterday accused Bill Clinton of making "flatly false" claims that the Bush administration didn't lift a finger to stop terrorism before the 9/11 attacks.
Rice hammered Clinton, who leveled his charges in a contentious weekend interview with Chris Wallace of Fox News Channel, for his claims that the Bush administration "did not try" to kill Osama bin Laden in the eight months they controlled the White House before the Sept. 11 attacks.

"The notion somehow for eight months the Bush administration sat there and didn't do that is just flatly false - and I think the 9/11 commission understood that," Rice said during a wide-ranging meeting with Post editors and reporters.

"What we did in the eight months was at least as aggressive as what the Clinton administration did in the preceding years," Rice added.

Studio 60: Crazy Christians 'Praying for the End of the World'

Aaron Sorkin upped the stakes this week in "Studio 60"'s jihad against non-casual Christians. And sadly, it's probably very realistic in its portrayal of how Hollywood views large segments of the American public.

In the premiere of this show about a show, the head of "Studio 60", played by Judd Hirsch, had an "I'm mad as hell" moment on the air and was canned, because the network standards guy wouldn't let him run a skit that mocked Christians. Even though television is rife with shows that mock Christians, and has been at least since the Church Lady first appeared on "Saturday Night Live".

This week Christians are represented by a reporter from "Rapture" magazine, that purportedly has "four times the circulation of Vanity Fair", who are all busy praying ror the end of the world, when they aren't viciously suppressing the rights of television writers.

The twenty-something "NBS" president, played by Amanda Peete, angrily declares that these nutjobs aren't going to tell her what to put on "my air". Now here's a place where a clue might be in order for any "real" network execs. It's not "your air". It's the public's air, and you have been granted the privilege of using it. If you're airing things that cause large numbers of people to boycott your network...you might not be operating in the public interest.

Fortunately for the heroes of "Studio 60" the crazy Christians' influence is limited to uncool markets like Terre Haute, Indiana and Missoula, Montana. Unfortunately for the researchers of "Studio 60", Missoula is not exactly a conservative town. There were a few other embarrassing lapses in verisimilitude.

Sorkin's idea of making things up with any Christians who might take offense at being characterized as totally insane and terminally uncool was to have some of the show's characters participate in a prayer circle just before the live show airs. Well isn't that special. I'm sure that happens all the time in Hollywood studios.

Here's a proposal for Aaron: grow a pair and feature a skit about those "Mad, Mad Mullahs". Boycotts are one thing. Beheadings are another.

NBC Whitewashes Clinton Tantrum

On tonight's Nightly News, NBC anchor Brian Williams played excerpts from former President Bill Clinton's meltdown on Fox News, then turned to an "expert" for "perspective" - former Clinton staffer David Gergen. Gergen and Williams downplayed Clinton's display of anger, calling it a "four or five on a scale of ten" compared to previous private Clinton hissy fits.

Then Gergen said that Clinton's office had been flooded with calls congratulating him on his victory, and that the incident would serve as a rallying cry signifying that "they" would not just run over Democratic candidates (some of us suspected all along that the blowup was calculated).

No mention was made of the numerous factual inaccuracies in Clinton's response.

German Opera House Cowed by Fears of Muslim Violence

Score another small victory for Islam's assault on freedom of speech and expression, from Agence France Presse:

Berlin's Deutsche Oper has removed the provocative staging of a Mozart opera from its schedule for fear of enraging Muslims, the opera house said in a statement.
One of three opera houses in the German capital, it cancelled director Hans Neuenfels's production of "Idomeneo", a 1781 drama set in ancient Crete, because authorities warned it could present an "incalculable security risk".

In the staging, which sparked audience protests during its premiere in December 2003, King Idomeneo presents the lopped-off heads of Poseidon, Jesus, Buddha and the Prophet Mohammed and displays them on four chairs.

German critics saw the show at the time as a radical attack on religion and religious wars.

Did the opera house cancel the performance because they feared attack from violent radical Christian fundamentalists, violent radical Greek pagans, or violent radical Buddhists?

No, these groups weren't a threat, even in 1781. But this group is:

Retired WaPo Reporter: 'MSM...overwhelmingly to the Left'

This isn't exactly news to anyone with more than a handful of brain cells to rub together, but it's nice to hear one of the culprits admit it. From Howard Kurtz's column in the Washington Post (give them a little credit for publishing this):

The "mainstream media presents itself as unbiased, when in fact there are built into it many biases, and they are overwhelmingly to the left."

The man who made that comment is not some rabid right-wing critic but Thomas Edsall, a Washington Post political reporter for a quarter-century who recently accepted an early retirement offer.

In an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Edsall said he is pro-choice on abortion and does not think he has ever voted for a Republican presidential candidate. He said he believes that reporters vote Democratic by somewhere between 15 to 1 and 25 to 1.

Via NewsBusters.

Boston Herald Columnist: AP Hopelessly Biased

Jules Crittenden, writing in the Boston Herald, examines the Associated Press' actions in light of the detention of AP photographer Bilal Hussein, captured by Coalition forces with al Qaeda terrorists and a weapons cache earlier this year:

The Associated Press, the reliable just-the-facts news agency you and I once knew, no longer exists. Amoral propagandists have taken over.

It is not only in the disturbing matter of Bilal Hussein, AP photograher and al-Qaeda associate, being held without charge in U.S. custody in Iraq that this is evident. But also in the departure from balanced, nonpartisan coverage that has always been the AP’s promise to us, its customers...

I look at Hussein’s photos. Terrorists trying to kill Americans. Terrorists posing with dead civilians. Bilal Hussein knows things about these men, who they are, how they operate. I’m thinking, Bilal Hussein looks like an accessory to murder. I’m thinking, I hope the U.S. intelligence agents who have him are getting good information out of him. And I’m wondering, who does The Associated Press want to win this war?

"Accessory to murder" pretty much sums it up.

Shocker: Another Prominent Anti-Semite is Anti-War

From Reuters:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Mel Gibson has returned to the spotlight to promote his upcoming movie "Apocalypto," and to criticize the war in Iraq, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Almost two months after he railed against Jews when he was arrested for driving drunk in Malibu, the actor made a surprise appearance Friday at Fantastic Fest, an event in Austin, Texas, devoted to new science fiction, horror and fantasy films, the trade paper said in its Monday edition.

In describing its portrait of a civilization in decline, Gibson said, "The precursors to a civilization that's going under are the same, time and time again," drawing parallels between the Mayan civilization on the brink of collapse and America's present situation. "What's human sacrifice," he asked, "if not sending guys off to Iraq for no reason?"

So there you have it. Anti-semitism equals anti-War on Terror. It's all the Jews' fault. Just ask Cindy Sheehan:

"Am I emotional? Yes, my firstborn was murdered. Am I angry? Yes, he was killed for lies and for a Neo-Con agenda to benefit Israel. My son joined the Army to protect America, not Israel."

Roots of Islamo-Fascism Predate Israeli State: a Pact With Hitler

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem makes common cause with Adolf Hitler; the tradition continues in today's Islamo-Fascist movement:

Another Venezuelan Dipomat Plays the Ass

Is there something in the Venezuelan water that makes their officials stupid and obnoxious? From the Associated Press via Drudge:

NEW YORK (AP) - Venezuela's foreign minister said he was illegally detained for 90 minutes by officials at a New York airport and accused them of treating him abusively by trying to frisk and handcuff him.

U.S. officials called Saturday's incident regrettable and said they had apologized to Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro. Maduro called that insufficient and said Venezuela would seek a legal challenge through the U.N. to what he called a "flagrant violation of international law" and his diplomatic immunity.

"We were detained for an hour and a half, threatened by police with being beaten," Maduro told reporters at Venezuela's mission to the U.N. "We hold the U.S. government responsible."

Random harassment in retaliation for Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez's childish antics at the UN?

Not quite:

A U.N. diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said Maduro's trip was delayed because he had showed up late without a ticket, prompting extra screening.

Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke denied that Maduro was mistreated at John F. Kennedy International Airport when he was selected for an added security check.

"He began to articulate his frustration with secondary screening right after he went through," a metal detector, Knocke said. "Port Authority officials confronted him when the situation became a ruckus."

If Maduro hadn't been too stupid and self-important to follow standard procedures he would have been escorted through security by the Secret Service.

Having trained TSA screeners and worked with LEOs (Law Enforcement Officers) interfacing with the TSA, I'll say unequivocally, that Maduro's accusations brand him as a liar, and not a very bright one at that.

The only "regrettable" part about this incident is that some milquetoast US official apologized to this horse's ass.

Was Clinton's "Meltdown" as Counterfeit as the Man?

On review, I question whether or not Clinton's "rage" at Chris Wallace wasn't coldly calculated, and part of the Democratic midterm election playbook.

Fox News reports closer to the middle than any other major news organization. It is necessary for Democrats to try to cast Fox as far right wing in order to minimize their influence on the electorate. They also need to keep their radical left base happy.

Thus, a manufactured Clinton tantrum serves two purposes. He can try to portray Wallace as a biased journalist, while throwing red meat to the far left loons without explicitly acknowledging them.

Anyone who doubts that Clinton is capable of such a deception should remember his finger-wagging performance when he lied to America about his relationship with Monica Lewinski. Anyone who doubts his ability to simulate emotion on demand should remember the notorious videotape of Clinton, returning from a friend's funeral, when he went from laughter to abject grief in midstride, after spotting the camera.

Clinton's snit with Chris Wallace was probably as "spontaneous" as a linebacker blitzing a quarterback.

Clinton may, indeed, experience genuine emotions, but they are not for public display.

Update: Jay at Stop the ACLU has a good roundup of reaction to Cintons' performance.

"Voting to Kill" - Republican Post-9/11 Success Explained

In "Voting to Kill, How 9/11 Launched the Era of Republican Leadership" (Simon & Schuster, $15.95) Jim Geraghty has created a handbook for how Democrats can regain power (not that many will read it, or take the lessons to heart if they do), or how Republicans can maintain their current advantage. Geraghty, a former mainstream journalist, describes in precise detail both the reasons for Republican success since that awful day in September, and the self-defeating actions of the Democratic party since.

"Page-turner" may be an unusual way to describe what at first glance appears to be a wonky trade paperback about politics, but it applies to "Voting to Kill". Geraghty's relaxed and readable style as he brings to life the history that led up to and followed 9/11 will have readers who thought they knew recent history poring through the book to find out what happens (more accurately, "what happened") next. The author's remarkable access to GOP operatives working behind the scenes during the 2004 election gives his book an undeniable air of authority.

Geraghty's central premise, that Democrats as a party have grossly underestimated the transformative effects of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, was borne out in 2004, when Geraghty went against conventional wisdom to predict a Bush victory on his blog, TKS, and again, with the recent purge of Joe Lieberman. He explains the rise of the left-wing fringe, its struggle with Democratic moderates, and its potential to devastate the Democratic party, making it an electoral loser for years to come.

If there's a weakness in "Voting to Kill", it's that Geraghty is too quick to ring down the era of mainstream media influence, and usher in the Day of the Blog. And Geraghty underestimates both the extent of leftward slant within the mainstream media, and the pervasiveness of its influence in selecting stories and how they are framed. For example, Geraghty leaves unchallenged this quote in his book from Mickey Kaus: "...And [ABC's Mark] Halperin is known as a relatively non-partisan straight shooter." This is the same Mark Halperin who wrote in an ABC memo:

It goes without saying that the stakes are getting very high for the country and the campaigns - and our responsibilities become quite grave...

We have a responsibility to hold both sides accountable to the public interest, but that doesn't mean we reflexively and artificially hold both sides "equally" accountable when the facts don't warrant that.
...

It's up to Kerry to defend himself, of course. But as one of the few news organizations with the skill and strength to help voters evaluate what the candidates are saying to serve the public interest. Now is the time for all of us to step up and do that right.

Some "non-partisan straight shooter".

Geraghty's meticulous dissection of recent history points to tough times still ahead for the Democratic party. Is he right? Is national security still THE issue? We'll find out in the midterms, but the President's recent surge in approval would indicate that Geraghty has hit the nail on the head again.

Geraghty got it right when almost no one else did. "Voting to Kill, How 9/11 Launched the Era of Republican Leadership" explains how he did it.

Recommendation: buy this book, but don't tell your liberal friends about it; it would be too useful for them.

Sunday Funnies

From the Dry Bones Blog.










YMCA the Muslim Way

How Did Arizona "9/11 Memorial" Become Moonbat Hate-America Shrine?

First post, with photos of inscriptions.

Arizona has erected a supposed memorial to the victims of 9/11 that not only looks like an Islamic crescent from the air (reminiscent of the "crescent of embrace" proposed for the Flight 93 memorial), but features America-bashing inscriptions.


From the East Valley Tribune via Drudge:

One inscription states, “You don’t win battles of terrorism with more battles.” Another: “Congress questions why CIA and FBI didn’t prevent attacks.” And another reads, “Erroneous US air strike kills 46 Uruzgan civilians,” referring to a wedding reportedly hit by mistake in Afghanistan.

“It’s a worldview that is critical of America, and in many cases cheapens 9/11,” said Greg Patterson, a lobbyist and consultant who operates the EspressoPundit blog, where he and his readers have been critical of the memorial. “It is bent on attacking the Bush administration’s take on the war, at the expense of the memory of 9/11.”

Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, said he was stunned to learn of the inscriptions. “To politicize it to me is absolutely outrageous, instead of a memorial to remember those who have sacrificed their lives,” he said.

Arizona resident Espresso Pundit first exposed the false memorial and is encouraging citizens to contact Arizona governor Janet Napolitano to express their concerns.

How Many Intrepid Embedded Reporters Are Swarming Iraq?

According to Pajamas Media, nine. And four of them work for the US armed forces:

Here’s the chart (CLICK HERE TO VIEW) showing who the nine embedded reporters were covering all of Iraq on 9/19/2006. You’ll see that of those 9 reporters, 3 were from the Armed Forces’ Stars & Stripes, 1 from AFN (Armed Force Network), 1 from the Charlotte Observer, 1 from the BBC, 1 from the AP, 1 from RAI, and 1 from Polish Radio. All the rest of the “coverage” of the Iraq war on that day came from reporters hunkered down in the hotels and other locations under the rubric “Baghdad News Bureaus.”

So the next time you hear the phrase “reported first hand,” you might well ask, “Whose hand and where was it?”

Most likely the hand was wrapped firmly around a beverage in the hotel bar.

Leader of Ansar al-Sunnah Captured

From al-Jazeera:

In other developments, Iraqi state television reported that the leader of Ansar al-Sunna, a group with links to al-Qaeda in Iraq, had been captured along with two of his aides.

Muntasir al-Jibouri was arrested in the town of Muqdadiya, about 80km northeast of Baghdad, in the troubled province of Diyala, the report said.

Ansar al-Sunna says it has carried out numerous attacks including car bombings as well as the beheadings of Shia and Kurdish hostages.

Documents and assault rifles were seized with the three men.

Oh, how reporting this news must have irked the closet-jihadis at al-Jazeera. That's why the story of the capture is buried near the bottom of a story about a bomb attack.

Ansar al-Sunnah is most noted
for the cowardly beheadings of hostages

From Interested-Participant via The Jawa Report.

French Paper Reports Osama Bin Laden Dead

Regional French newspaper L'Est Republicain, quoting a confidential source in French intelligence reports that Osama bin Laden has died of typhoid. The source notes an email circulated among French officials based on information from the Saudis.

CBS reports that the account in the French newspaper stems from an actual secret document and that the French are investigating the leak.

The information comes from a brief to French president Jacques Chirac based on Saudi intelligence sources. The Saudis seem to have confidence in the report but will not confirm without further corroboration, like locating bin Laden's burial site.

Bill Clinton Flies Into a Snit

Don't have a cow, man, sure they had eight months...but you had eight years.

Too Many Falafels

Citgo Boycott Gaining Strength

This has been brewing for some time, but Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez's oafish remarks at the UN, and buffoonery the next day in a Harlem church have, well, poured gasoline on the fire.

Citgo is owned by the Venezuelan government, and all of its profits end up in Hugo's pocket. In other words, when you buy gas at a Citgo station, you're helping one of America's most vocal enemies.


The picture above is from GOP and the city, which has a long list of blogs promoting the boycott (and a link to snopes.com showing a Lefty email encouraging moonbats to BUY from Citgo).

That knee-jerk reaction from the Left exposes the true face of progressivism and simply reinforces their reputation for instinctively supporting America's enemies.

Via Stop the ACLU.

Armored Press Vehicles Being Used by Terrorists

From ynetnews:

On August 27 an Israel Defense Forces helicopter hit an armored vehicle that belonged to the Reuters news agency in Gaza. According to Seaman, the incident illustrated the failures in overseeing the use of armored vehicles granted to the foreign media agencies with the permission of the State.

The vehicle's presence in Gaza in itself constituted a violation of its license terms, and moreover, the jeep was carrying only Palestinians – one with links to Hamas who was not a Reuters employee.

"To the best of our knowledge, all of the vehicles' owners have been violating the conditions for a long time now, despite our requests. This is not the first time we are warning that these vehicles will be used by hostile agents to carry out a terror attack against Israel. The recent incident in Gaza only illustrates the danger," Seaman wrote the Shin Bet chief.

Staging and faking photos in Lebanon, now supplying armored vehicles to terrorists. Gee, those Reuters folks really go all out for a story, don't they?

Via The Jawa Report.

Last US Troops Being Withdrawn From Bosnia

Why do so many conservatives find it hard to take Leftist "anti-war" activists at their word?

From Reuters:

SARAJEVO (Reuters) - The United States will pull its last 150 soldiers out of Bosnia by December, a U.S. general said on Friday.

The troops of Eagle Base near Tuzla are all that remains of the 38,000-strong force that deployed as part of a NATO-led peace mission in late 1995 after the Dayton Accords to end Bosnia's 1992-95 war.

After 11 years, a Clinton-ordered high-level bombing campaign that resulted in massive collateral damage - both in destroyed infrastructure and human casualties; faulty intelligence that led to the bombing of the Chinese embassy - and nobody shrieked "Quagmire!"?

Not that anyone's saying that the increasingly shrill Lefty "peace" movement is politically motivated or anything, but exactly what national security threat was addressed by intervening in the Balkans...and staying for eleven years?

Ludicrous Lunacy From Across the Pond

The things I do for my readers.

Like sitting through the tedious 27 minutes and 53 seconds of "Ludicrous Diversion", which offers conclusive proof that paranoid conspiracy fantasies about terrorist attacks are not limited to imbeciles in the United States.

This video mysteriously appeared a few days ago on Google video, and a Brit who calls himself, appropriately enough, "The Fruitceller" has posted the video to YouTube in three parts. If you're feeling particularly masochistic, do go and view it.

Unbelievably, the 7/7 London Bombings conspiracy case laid out in this video is even weaker than the uneducated guesswork of the US "Truth Movement", which believes that 9/11 was a massive plot by the government (utterly demolished by Popular Mechanics here).

Here's the short version, which they could have laid out in a three minute video, instead of wasting 27 minutes and 53 seconds of my life: there is a massive conspiracy between the British government, the British mainstream press, the American government, the American mainstream press, and the Spanish government (cell phones were used to detonate the Spanish bombs, too - booga-booga-booga). In other words, only a few conspiracy bloggers are not in on the deal. The conspiracy' ultimate goal: total world domination! [cue menacing organ music]

This is typical of the statements made:

"Even if these videos [jihadi suicide videos from two of the bombers] are genuine, they are not evidence that the men were responsible for the London bombings"

Um, excuse me, but, yes they are. They show intent, and the presence of a conspiracy.

If this video were simply the product of a couple of teenagers who took "V For Vendetta" a little bit too seriously it wouldn't be so bad. But the fact is, "Ludicrous Diversion" is very slickly produced and professional in appearance. Let me indulge in my own conspiracy theory here: it was made by UK-based jihadis hoping to muddy the waters as much as possible, as the American "truthers" have attempted to do here.

Deal Reached on CIA Interrogation of Terrorists

Pay particular attention to the lead sentence in this story from Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush and Senate Republicans hammered out a deal on Thursday for interrogating and trying foreign terrorism suspects, and Bush hailed it for preserving his program for CIA questioning of detainees.

"I'm pleased to say that this agreement preserves the most single -- the most potent tool we have in protecting America and foiling terrorist attacks, and that is the CIA program to question the world's most dangerous terrorists and to get their secrets," Bush said of the deal.

"The measure also creates military commissions that will bring these ruthless killers to justice," Bush said on a trip to Orlando, Florida, adding he hoped Congress would send him the legislation before it wraps up its business next week."

This is excellent news, especially in light of ABC's Brian Ross' recent blockbuster revelations about the stunning success CIA interrogations have enjoyed.

But what about the dog that didn't bark? The Reuters story says, "...Republicans hammered out a deal..."

This is a tremendously important deal with huge implications for America's national security...and the entire thing is being handled by one political party, which begs the question: why aren't Democrats involved in protecting the United States from terrorist attack?

Now These Are the Dems We've Come to Know and Loathe

A jarring counterpoint to the words of Charlie Rangel and Nancy Pelosi, who correctly chided Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez for his buffoonery at the UN yesterday, comes from Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin, who suffered a rather severe foot-in-mouth attack:

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, a democrat, today defended Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's United Nations speech in which Chavez called President George Bush the devil. Harkin said the comments were "incendiary", then went on to say, "Let me put it this way, I can understand the frustration, ah, and the anger of certain people around the world because of George Bush's policies." Harkin continued what has been frequent criticism of the president's foreign policy.

"We tend to forget that a few days after 9-1-1 thousands, thousands of Iranians marched in a candlelight procession in Teheran in support of the United States. Every Muslim country was basically on our side. Just think, in five years, President Bush has squandered all that."

"Every Muslim country was basically on our side"? WTF is this pinhead smoking?

Rangel to Chavez: Shut Up (UPDATED)

Even as Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez was receiving applause at a Harlem church, Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY), as partisan a Democrat and vociferous a critic of the Bush administration as you will find, was condemning Chavez' "devil" remarks at the United Nations yesterday.

From Rangel's official website:

WASHINGTON - I want to express my extreme displeasure with statements by the President of Venezuela attacking U.S. President George Bush in such a personal and disparaging way during his remarks at the United Nations General Assembly.

It should be clear to all heads of government that criticism of Bush Administration policies, either domestic or foreign, does not entitle them to attack the President personally.

George Bush is the President of the United States and represents the entire country. Any demeaning public attack against him is viewed by Republicans and Democrats, and all Americans, as an attack on all of us.

I feel that I must speak out now since the Venezuelan government has been instrumental in providing oil at discounted prices to people in low income communities who have suffered increases in rent as heating oil prices have risen sharply. By offering this benefit to people in need, Venezuela has won many friends in poor communities of New York and other states. I am surprised that American oil companies have not stepped up to provide that kind of assistance to the poor.

Venezuela's generosity to the poor, however, should not be interpreted as license to attack President Bush. Those who take issue with Bush Administration policies have no right to attack him personally. It was not helpful when President Bush referred to certain nations as an "axis of evil." Neither is it helpful for a head of state to use the sacred halls of the United Nations to insult President Bush.

Though this posting carries a slight hint of equivocation in the "Axis of Evil" comment, Rangel's live remarks at his press conference did not, and were delivered forcefully enough to seemingly stun the reporters present.

"No questions? Guess I said it all, huh?" Rangel said, as it took several moments for reporters to react to his statement and begin asking questions.

And now, some words I never thought I'd write: Bravo, Mr. Rangel, well done.

Update:Pelosi calls Chavez a thug:

"Hugo Chavez fancies himself a modern day Simon Bolivar but all he is an everyday thug," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference, referring to Chavez' comments in a U.N. General Assembly speech on Wednesday.

"Hugo Chavez abused the privilege that he had, speaking at the United Nations," said Pelosi, a frequent Bush critic. "He demeaned himself and he demeaned Venezuela."

YouTube Overrun With Jihadis

The video posting service YouTube allows virtually anyone to post their own movies on the Web. Unfortunately, that includes Islamist jihad sympathizers mourning the death of the monster Abu Musab al-Zarqawi:



The comments to this video at the YouTube site are "pious" wishes that Allah will take this degenerate murderer to His bosom.

Well alrighty then; here's one way to respond:

ABC's Brian Ross on O'Reilly: CIA Interrogation Techniques Worked

Hot Air has the video. ABC's Brian Ross confirms to Bill O'Reilly that tough CIA interrogation techniques, particularly "waterboarding", worked with 14 captured senior Al Qaeda terrorists.

These CIA interrogations were directly reponsible for foiling a plot to bring down the largest building in Los Angeles.

This absolutely destroys the current Lefty/Democrat meme that harsh techniques produce bad intelligence. The toughest nut was Khaled Sheikh Mohammed, who held out for..."two and a half minutes", before breaking down and spilling the beans on all the fellow terrorists he could think of.

Bonus: AQ terrorist Ramzi Binalshibh cried like a little girl during his interrogation.

Go to Hot Air and listen to the whole thing.

ACLU For Voter Fraud

Crossposted from: Stop The ACLU Via The ACLU Website:

The American Civil Liberties Union today expressed its disappointment with the House passage of a bill placing undue and unnecessary burdens on Americans' fundamental right to vote. H.R. 4844, the "Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006," requires voters to present a government-issued photo ID in order to vote in federal elections. In addition, beginning in 2010 voters would be required to present a photo ID that was issued based on proof of citizenship in order to vote. The measure passed by a vote of 228-196. The following can be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office: "Less than two months after the renewal of the Voting Rights Act, the House of Representatives has chosen to pass legislation disenfranchising the very citizens the VRA was designed to protect. No eligible citizen should have to pay to vote. There are voters who simply don't have photo ID and requiring them to purchase one in order to vote would be tantamount to a poll tax. This measure will disproportionately impact racial and ethnic minority voters, senior citizens, voters with disabilities, and others who do not have photo identification nor the financial means to acquire it."

What a load of crap! This ridiculous "poll tax" meme is quickly making its rounds. Nancy Pelosi has taken the ball with this one and ran with it headlining with the alarmist title, "Voter ID Bill Is an Attempt to Suppress the Votes of Millions of American Citizens!" Give me a break! You have got to be kidding! Perhaps they are worried this act will supress "millions" of illegals and dead people from voting! An I.D. is required in many of the most basic things in America such as driving a car or even cashing a check. Please, tell me how all of these poor people that can not afford to get an I.D. cash their welfare checks? Rep. Henry Hyde makes the same point.

But Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), who sponsored the Federal Election Integrity Act, says requiring voters to show photo ID at the polls "presents no greater hardship than people face performing everyday activities." For example, Hyde noted that government-issued photo IDs are required for driving vehicles, applying for Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid, food stamps, boarding airplanes, entering government buildings, registering at school, getting student loans, renting movies, and cashing checks. Given all the cases in which U.S. citizens are asked to produce photo IDs, it should not be difficult to produce IDs to guard against fraud in the electoral system, Hyde said.

It really isn't surprising that the ACLU would be against making our democratic process have more integrity. After all, they know which side butters their bread. They even keep a scorecard on Congress. The ACLU are involved across the country fighting voter I.D. laws. In Missouri at least 16 St. Louis area Democrats have been found guilty of election crimes in the last year and a half! When Republican Gov. Matt Blunt signed a law requiring voters to provide I.D. the ACLU had to come up with a different argument than the poll tax crap. Even though Missouri the Missouri law provided for free photo IDs that voters could obtain before election day the ACLU represented a group of Democrats to challenge the law by arguing for a loophole they found stating the law violated a state constitutional provision against imposing costs on local governments without providing state funding. So much for the poll tax argument or putting an undue burden on the poor. As a matter of fact as Digger's Realm points out:

Those against it are claiming it's a poll tax on the poor, minorities and elderly and that they can't afford to get a drivers license or passport. They fail to mention that the bill includes a portion to pay for free for the poor who can't afford a photo ID.

People can see for themselves. The full text of the bill is here. The ACLU were also involved in the recent case against a similar bill in Georgia that was struck down. It also provided free I.D.s. They also fought voter ID laws in New Mexico, Michigan, and Indiana. The ACLU has clearly shown its true colors in support of voter fraud. The only possible reason I can realistically see why someone would be against this bill is if they actually desire for voter fraud to continue. Once again the ACLU has shown just how transparent their lie of non-partisanship is. It is clear what the ACLU and democrats want. They want rights for illegal aliens, dead people, and felons to vote early and often. This was a production of Stop The ACLU Blogburst. If you would like to join us, please email Jay at Jay@stoptheaclu.com or Gribbit at GribbitR@gmail.com. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll. Over 200 blogs already on-board.

Outrage: Arizona's 9/11 Memorial Gross Insult to Americans

The state of Arizona has dropped its pants and taken a huge dump on the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Curt from Flopping Aces, tipped off by Arizaon blogger Espresso Pundit, writes with outrageous news about Arizona's "9/11 memorial". It has been turned into some sort of liberal fantasy apologia for American crimes.

What does the "memorial" actually memorialize? This:




The taxpayers of Arizona should demand the impeachment of their governor, who authorized this travesty. The treasonous assholes who designed it should be investigated for links to terrorists.

Venezuelan President Uses Schoolyard Taunts in UN Speech

It must be embarrassing for anyone over the age of ten to be a Venezuelan today after Hugo Chavez's incredibly immature meltdown addressing the UN yesterday.

From the Associated Press:

UNITED NATIONS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez took his verbal battle with the United States to the floor of the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, calling President Bush "the devil."

"The devil came here yesterday," Chavez said. "He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world."

Via Stop the ACLU.

Texas Students Rise For Pledge to Mexican Flag

Students at a Texas elementary school assembly rose while "parent volunteers" recited a pledge of allegiance to the flag of...Mexico:

During a short school assembly Friday, several parent volunteers read a pledge of allegiance to the Mexican flag. Since a parent complained on the Chris Baker show on NewsRadio 740 KTRH that afternoon, the issue has become a focal point of some Houston talk radio shows.

At about 10 a.m. Friday, students and parents gathered in the gym for an assembly commemorating Diez y Seis de Septiembre, Sept. 16, when Mexico celebrates its independence from Spain. The school’s bilingual classes from different grade levels performed songs, Williams said.Everyone was given a small Mexican flag and a group of six or seven parents recited the pledge from a script, Williams said. The students did not recite it, he said.

The principal of the school is backtracking, characterizing the incident as some sort of historical teaching method.

In the Name of the Prophet, No! Not Another Purple Nurple!

The Guardian reveals the horrors of the secret CIA torture chambers:

Details emerged yesterday about the seven interrogation techniques the CIA is seeking to be allowed to apply to terror suspects...

The techniques sought by the CIA are: induced hypothermia; forcing suspects to stand for prolonged periods; sleep deprivation; a technique called "the attention grab" where a suspect's shirt is forcefully seized; the "attention slap" or open hand slapping that hurts but does not lead to physical damage; the "belly slap"; and sound and light manipulation.

Lack of sleep, upbraiding, and pink bellies.

Those diabolical bastards, have they been recruiting fraternity rush chairmen?

Via Stop the ACLU.

Studio 60: Shooting at Soft Targets

"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" premiered on NBC tonight, and it looks like more of the same old, same old. Judd Hirsch's character, in charge of the Saturday Night Live-like show flew into a snit when the network standards and practices exec forced him to pull a skit called "Crazy Christians".

He marched onto the set and raged to the cameras raged against the "candy-assed" network execs who quiver at "...every psycho religious cult that gets positively horny at the thought of a boycott."

The delicious irony, of course, is that Studio 60 is doing in reality exactly what Hirsch's fictional character claims the networks are too afraid to do: mock and debase Christians.

Of course, courage in the face of boycotts is small potatoes compared to courage in the face of beheadings.

Studio 60 could have really impressed, if Hirsch's character had been irate about a pulled skit mocking say, Muslim extremists protesting the Pope's implication that their religion is violent - by being violent.

Or the skit might have been about the real-life comedy of network news anchors discussing the Cartoon Wars over Jyllands-Posten's printing of cartoons depicting Allah...without ever showing any of the cartoons. If you wanted to see the cartoons, well, you had to find them on blogs, the professional journalists were being "respectful of Islam."

Networks may not really quail over threats of boycotts by Christian groups, but let some jihadis talk about slitting their throats and they become the very souls of discretion.

AP 'Journalist' Deemed Security Risk, Held by US for Five Months

Remember Bilal Hussein, the AP "journalist" who was captured by U.S. forces, along with a cache of weapons?

From Reuters:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Monday that an Iraqi photographer working for The Associated Press and held by the U.S. military since April was considered a security threat with "strong ties to known insurgents."

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said there was sufficient evidence to justify the continued detention of Bilal Hussein, 35, who AP said was taken into U.S. military custody on April 12 in the Iraqi city of Ramadi and held since without charge.

He declined to elaborate on what that evidence was.

"All indications that I have received are that Hussein's detainment indicates that he has strong ties to known insurgents, and that he was doing things, involved in activities that were well outside the scope of what you would expect a journalist to be doing in that country," he said.

The Associated Press is worrying about Hussein's (who is an Iraqi national) due process rights. They should be worrying about how many people their local "reporter" may have helped murder.

Via Michelle Malkin by way of The Jawa Report.

Stop Calling Us Violent or We'll Kill You

UK Muslim Extremist Calls For Pope's Murder

From the website this is london:

A notorious Muslim extremist told a demonstration in London yesterday that the Pope should face execution.

Anjem Choudary said those who insulted Islam would be "subject to capital punishment".

His remarks came during a protest outside Westminster Cathedral on a day that worldwide anger among Muslim hardliners towards Pope Benedict XVI appeared to deepen.

The pontiff yesterday apologised for causing offence during a lecture last week. Quoting a medieval emperor, his words were taken to mean that he called the prophet Mohammed "evil and inhuman".

A Little Love From Above

My first YouTube movie:

George Soros Gains a Recruit in the Global War on Bush

Becoming the most notable Democratic Party financial supporter: $$billions$$

Unsuccessfully trying to influence American elections: $$billions$$

Comparing the Bush administration to Nazis on CNN: Your immortal soul.

Having a filthy, stoned out hippy be the first to publicly embrace your cause: Priceless.

Sunday Funnies

From the Dry Bones Blog.

School for Scoundrels

NYT Teaches Reporters How to Flout Law

The Fitzpatrick Plame investigation has spurred the New York Times into examining how their reporters conduct themselves. Apparently, the Gray Lady wants her staff to act more like terrorists and drug dealers. Reporters are being told to delete emails, destroy notes, and use disposable cell phones in order to stymie future investigations.

From the New York Observer:

Mr. Barstow [NYT investigative reporter] said he suggests disposing of story drafts and cutting back on telephone and e-mail contact with sources—or using disposable cell phones for important calls. Reporters should be wary of meeting sources at their offices, Mr. Barstow said, so as to avoid sign-in sheets and security cameras.

In another point of conflict between bureaucracy and confidentiality, Mr. Barstow said he has recommended altering Times expense-sheet forms so that a reporter does not have to list the names of sources who have been taken out for lunch or dinner.

And what about the original paper trail that reporters create for themselves? The very first discussion question on Mr. Keller’s memo promoting the seminar was “Should a reporter keep his notes?”

This shouldn't surprise anyone. The New York Times has put profit ahead of ethics for quite a while.

From The Conservative Voice via Ace of Spades.

Meet the Oppressed

“Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.” - Emperor Manuel II Paleologus



They can get their hair styled and wear business suits. They can sit in a modern TV studio and mimic the back-and-forth of American Sunday morning news shows. They can even bamboozle the Western media into spreading their propaganda for them.

But they can't hide the bloodlust of their barbaric nature.

Did This Al Qaeda Terrorist Try to Rent a House in Texas?

A regular reader of The Jawa Report, for which I also write, sent an email indicating that she may have come in contact with Adnan G. El Shukrijumah. Shukrijumah is suspected of wanting to set off a "dirty bomb" in the United States.

From the email:

He came to my community looking for a house to rent earlier this year!
He was very nervous and when I asked for an ID, he showed me a Mexican Consular ID! He refused to fill out a visitor's card. I went to make a copy of it and he took it back from me. Took it from my hand. Most apartment complexes require a copy of ID to show an apartment. I deal with quite a few Hispanics and this guy was NOT hispanic. The skin coloring was wrong, the nose was too big (hispanics have a tendency to have flatter noses and facial structures) and the main thing: this guy spoke PERFECT english! Almost everyone that I have dealt with that comes in with consular IDs require an interpreter! He followed me to a house (Don't recall what he was driving), I showed him inside the home, but he did not seem interested in the house. Instead, he walked the perimiter to see how close the neighboring homes were, checked to see if you could hear anything from inside the home from outside in the yard. He refused to come back to the office to get an application, got in his vehicle and left. Just very odd! It stuck in my mind because it was such a strange encounter. My assistant AND my daughter were in the office when he came in initially. They both recognized the picture, without my prompting (I had them look at it to be certain).( I sent the photo to my assistant late last night, with no other information. She had no idea what it was. First thing she said this morning was: That picture, wasn't that the weird guy that came in early this year?) I called the FBI today and reported it. They kept going returning to question as to whether I was sure it was a consular ID. I am familiar with them because my company requires a valid STATE ID, the consular ID is not considered valid identification. They concurred that is was most likely the guy they were looking for.

The incident has been reported to the FBI, who are investigating. The reader also passed this information on to Ace of Spades.

El Shukrijumah had previously been spotted in Honduras.

A Soldier's Open Letter to Congress and the President

One of the contributors at Stop the ACLU is a lieutenant colonel in the military. Today he posted an open letter to Congress and the President, asking for action on the President's plan to hold military tribunals, and for our government to seek the advice of serving military officers.

Excerpts:

It is incumbent on both the House and the Administration to move the “tribunal battle” from Washington to the many military posts around the United States and the globe. The Administration plan will be enthusiastically welcomed by troops in the field and the Senate will be embarrassed by what a minority of the majority has just approved to send to the Senate Floor.

In the manner that immigration field hearings were conducted, I urge the House to conduct field hearings at places like Ft. Benning, Ft. Bragg, Ft. Stewart, and the Navy War College.

I urge the President to go on a speaking tour touting the Administration plan at Ft. Drum, the US Army Command and General Staff College and in SW Asia...

The American People have a right, through the Congress, to “ask” those in Uniform which plan best guarantees the safety of their family and the Nation. Let us speak, I already know the answer that you will receive, it will shame the Senate and it will enlighten the Public.

Read the rest.

President to Congress: Stop Being Candyass Lawyers

In a just concluded and sometimes animated news conference President Bush in essence handed Congress in general, and RINOs McCain, Graham, Collins, and Warner in particular, an ultimatum: either spell out clearly how CIA and military interrogators are to proceed in questioning terrorists, or the program will end.

From CNSNews.com:

"I'm asking Congress to pass a clear law with clear guidelines" for questioning captured terrorists, Bush told a news conference on Friday. Information derived from past questioning has disrupted terrorist strikes against the United States, he said.

Bush said he has one test for the legislation. "The intelligence community must be able to tell me that the bill Congress sends to my desk will allow this vital program (detainee interrogations) to continue. That's what I'm going to ask."

Huffington Thought Kurds Were 'Free' Under Saddam

Displaying blinding ignorance (perhaps the same ignorance what led her to fake George Clooney's blog entry at the Huffington Post) Arianna Huffington apparently thought that Iraqi Kurds were "free" under Saddam Hussein.

Huffington's remarks came last night on The O'Reilly Factor, after host Bill O'Reilly played a television spot from Iraqi Kurds thanking Americans for their liberation.

Transcript [emphasis added]:

O'REILLY: How do you react to that?

HUFFINGTON: I think it's sad. I want to know who's paying for it. I want to know who...

O'REILLY: The Kurdistan government is. You think it's propaganda?

HUFFINGTON: Of course it's propaganda.

O'REILLY: You don't think the Kurds are free because of us?

HUFFINGTON: I think the Kurds were free before we invaded Iraq. But how have the conditions of the Kurds changed since we invaded Iraq?

O'REILLY: All right. So you think that's a total -- that's a total lie?

HUFFINGTON: I think that spot is sad. It is sad to use people in the interests of promoting an agenda.

O'REILLY: Yes, but the Kurdistan -- the Kurdistan government...

HUFFINGTON: The Kurdistan -- the position -- the position of the Kurds has not changed one iota since we invaded Iraq. What has changed is the position of Americans, who are less safe because we invaded Iraq.

O'REILLY: All right. I don't -- I disagree with you. I think Saddam persecuted the Kurds. I think they have a free -- and -- so what?

HUFFINGTON: So what? Our job is not to go there and save the Kurds. Our job to keep Americans safe.

O'REILLY: All right. OK. So what, the Kurds are free.

This is reminiscent of then President Gerald Fords' incredible gaffe during a debate with Jimmy Carter, when he made the assertion that Poland, then suffering under Soviet domination, was "free".

This is how Kurds were "free" under Saddam:

Why Did They Hold Their Fire?

From MSNBC:

U.S. military officials tell NBC News they had “high-level” Taliban fighters in their gunsights during a July reconnaissance flight but decided not to fire. The decision to pass on the target angered some in the military, but commanders say they have “no regrets.”

So why did they hold their fire and why "no regrets"?

Because they knew that their most powerful enemy, the American mainstream media working in the best interests of the Democratic party, would seize on the opportunity to attack them.

Here's what the headlines would have been like had the Army wiped out what they suspected were Taliban troops and leaders:

Drone Attacks Mourners at Funeral
Muslims Protest Desecration of Funeral Service
Senators Murtha and Durbin Demand Investigation Into Authorization of Funeral Attack

You don't believe it? Here's a story that followed a successful missile strike in Pakistan, again from MSNBC:

Pakistan Islamic groups decry U.S. after strike

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Islamic groups vowed Monday to keep up their anti-American protests over a purported CIA airstrike that Pakistan says killed innocent civilians instead of the apparent target — al-Qaida’s No. 2 leader.

Slate headline: Were the Missile Strikes in Pakistan Illegal?

Of course the locals sheltering the militants claimed that everyone was innocent; other reports even included this photo of an inert shell, describing it as part of the missile:


Not only does our military have to face a determined enemy on the battlefield, they have to watch their backs against the enemy within.

Montreal Shooter Identified

The Toronto Star identifies the Montreal shooter as 25 year-old Kimveer Gill:

The last online posting by Kimveer Gill on a website that is a popular gathering place for Goths is eerily time-stamped 10:41 a.m. yesterday — about two hours before Gill was shot dead by Montreal police officers at Dawson College.

In it, Gill describes little of how the events of the day are going to unfold — instead focusing on how whiskey tastes so good in the morning. There's a throwaway footnote that when he calls people "niggahs" in my journals ... it doesn't have to do anything with their skin colour.

"I call white people niggahs too, it's just fun," he writes.

But in a detailed user profile, asked how he wants to die, he wrote in prescient foreshadowing of yesterday's bloody events in Montreal: "Like Romeo and Juliet — or in a hail of gunfire."

Below, Gill's profile page at vampirefreaks.com:


News accounts seem to agree now that Gill acted alone, that he killed one person; and that he was killed by police...in a hail of gunfire.

ACLU Will Make No Promises They Can't Keep

Via ACLU

Today, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that attorneys seeking to represent indigent clients are no longer required to sign documents swearing that they are not terrorists and have no involvement with terrorist groups. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio had challenged the provision, which is part of the Ohio Patriot Act, calling the requirement unnecessary red tape that will do nothing to prevent terrorism.

"We are pleased the court recognized that attorneys should not be forced to sign these ineffective and offensive pledges," said ACLU of Ohio Executive Director Christine Link. "The Ohio Patriot Act is an assault on the fundamental liberties of all Ohioans. Hopefully, this decision is a stepping stone to reining in this overreaching and flawed law."

I have only one question here. Why does the ACLU of Ohio have a problem giving an oath that they are not terrorists and are not involved with terrorist groups? What the law is attempting to do is ensure people have not supported terrorist organizations.

The law requires applicants under final consideration for a government job, contract or license to complete and sign questionnaires to determine if they have supported organizations on a federal list of terrorists.

Actually this isn't suprising.

In October of 2004, the ACLU turned down $1.15 million in funding from the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations because they objected to promising that none of the funds would be used to engage in any activity that promotes violence, terrorism, bigotry, or the destruction of any state. They got the provision scrapped after a long and vigorous fight, then accepted the funds.

The American Civil Liberties Union and 12 other national non-profit organizations today said they have successfully challenged Office of Personnel Management's Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) requirements that all participating charities check their employees and expenditures against several government watch lists for "terrorist activities" and that organizations certify that they do not contribute funds to organizations on those lists.

So what was it in this that the ACLU objected to? Here's what the CFC letter said.

"I certify that as of (date), the organization in this application does not knowingly employ individuals or contribute funds to organizations found on the following terrorist related lists promulgated by the U.S. Government, the United Nations, or the European Union. Presently these lists include the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control Specially Designated Nationals List, the Department of Justice's Terrorist Exclusion List, and the list annexed to Executive Order 13224. Should any change of circumstances occur during the year OPM will be notified within 15 days of such change."

Obviously the ACLU had a problem ensuring the exlusion of terrorists from its funds and employment. What a shame.

It isn't difficult to understand why the ACLU would object to such terms, after all they have defended numerous terrorists, including an individual that participated in a 15-year conspiracy to finance the group Hamas, laundering millions of dollars, some of which went to buy weapons. With the help of CAIR, they also defended an admitted agent of Al Qaeda that has confessed to attending jihad camps in Afghanistan, and is being charged with lying to the FBI about his terror ties and activities. Palestinian terrorists have also found a friend in the ACLU.

I don't see what the problem is. The State doesn't want its money going to individuals that might support terror. What problem does the ACLU have with not supporting terror? Why don't they just come out and say that they do support it? What is absurd is that no one is investigating the ACLU for terror ties. Start out with one or two of its employees, and go from there.

Gunmen in Black Kill Four at Montreal Campus (UPDATED)

From the Toronto Star:

MONTREAL — Up to three gunman dressed in black army fatigues opened fire in a downtown Montreal college Wednesday, and early, unconfirmed reports said four people had been killed.
RDI Television quoted unofficial sources as saying that 16 people may also been injured in the shootout. The network said one gunman had turned his weapon on himself and committed suicide, while a second had been shot and killed by police. This could not yet be confirmed.

Update: Forbes now reports that there was a single gunman, not two or three as initial reports said:

Police spokesman Ean Lafreniere said there was just one gunman at the school and the search for any others was over.

Martine Millette of the Montreal police said the gunman later shot himself. Constable Philippe Gouin said "in all probability, the suspect has committed suicide."

Wormtongues

Harry Reid:

"The president spoke for his administration, not for the nation. This was a political move, designed to tap the overwhelming public sentiment to destroy al-Qaeda as a way to bolster sagging public support for the war in Iraq."

Grima: Why do you lay these troubles on an already troubled mind? Can you not see? Your uncle is weary of your malcontent, your warmongering.

Nancy Pelosi:

"Rather than try to defend their own failed record, Republicans have resorted to the desperation politics of fear. It is long past time for Republicans to be honest with American people and stop questioning the patriotism of those who recognize that the president's Iraq policy has not worked, is making us less safe and must be changed."

Grima: Ah! I've only ever served you my lord.