This kinda news....

...has been popping up all over the place for weeks now.

Iraq throws open door to foreign oil firms

Go Iraq!!

"I Support Peaceful Relations with Israel"

Interesting comments from a Sudanese Muslim, Khalil Ibrahim, leader of the Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement.

I Support Peaceful Relations with Israel

Shoplifter Arrested in Sadr City...

...Surge failed.

A Turning Point in Iraq?

Nope. The MSM just can't quite face the music. The turning point was a year ago, you idiots!! And Iraq's economy is about to soar.

Speaking of which, Iraq Pundit rips the Washington Post a new one!

Iraq Sues UN Over Oil-for-Food Programme Fraud

Could this be the end of the UN as we have known it? Yeah, I know. Wishful thinking.

YES!!!

Free speech lives on!!!

More at Ezra Levant's blog.

The Real Cause...

of all those icebergs from the Arctic.

Speaking of which, this is the best damned website for factual, scientific, non-politicized info on climate and the sky is falling climate change hype out there: Friends of Science

Lots of great videos and articles, like this one featuring the founder of the weather channel speaking in disgust about the hysteria.

Farewell al Qaeda?

Another crackpot movement bites the dust?

"The reason: Al Qaeda has gone too far even for many jihadists to stomach. They are horrified by Al Qaeda's brutal campaign in Iraq, by the reality that most of Al Qaeda's victims around the world are Muslim and by the fact that the terror network has continued to target civilians for slaughter in the West."

...

"Recent polls show that Al Qaeda has hemorrhaged support in places where its terrorist campaign has reached people's doorsteps. By one measure, pro-Al Qaeda sentiment is now down to 10% in Saudi Arabia - and has dropped from 70% to 4% in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan. The number of Al Qaeda sympathizers in Britain fell dramatically after the 2005 London bombings."

Yeah, Sure!

"Syria's vice president said Wednesday night his country allowed UN nuclear inspectors to visit a site in the remote eastern desert destroyed by Israeli jets last year to prove that US allegations of a covert Syrian nuclear program were false.

Farouk al-Sharaa said however that the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors would not be allowed to probe beyond the Al Kibar site, despite a UN request to visit three other suspect locations."

A Ba'athist is a Ba'athist is a Ba'athist.

I Have a New Hero

Nazir-Ali boycott will cause chaos at Lambeth

"The Pakistani-born Nazir-Ali has caught the mood of the nation as no other bishop has; his boycott of Lambeth will remind us all that the C of E has utterly failed to grapple with the challenge of radical Islam."

For those who don't know, Nazir Ali is a British Anglican Bishop of Pakistani origin who is taking a stand against the ridiculous position taken by his boss, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, on the intrusion of Sharia law into British society. Several months ago, Williams achieved international notoriety for advocating the acceptance of sharia in England.

Sharia!! The Islamic traditions that enforce the most barbarous and backward subjugation of woman one can imagine. The ideology that opposes every one of the Western worlds much cherished and hard won rights and freedoms, including the freedom of religion. Sharia!! The body of law that Muslim women in Ontario raised a huge stink about when Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty contemplated allowing it to be used to settle Muslim family disputes in Ontario.

Who would have thought it would take someone from predominantly Muslim Pakistan to save the Church of England from the Bishop of Canterbury. Britain needs to get over its guilt complex about having had an empire. God bless Nazir Ali!!! God save England and let Rowan Williams get his dues!

Well Lookie Here...

Pre-War Al Queda Camp in Iraq Tests Positive For Bio/Chem weapons

Yawn...

Ceasefire declared broken as rockets hit Israel

Again and again and again....

Poor Bloody Soldiers

Anybody remember these scenes from Gulf War I?

Poor bloody Iraqi soldiers who knew full well that surrendering to the Americans was far preferable to laying down their miserable lives for the bloody dictator. The guys looked like they hadn't been fed in days. Crying. Shamed. Relieved. All at the same time. (About 38 seconds in in the third video. Actually the Brits that they are surrendering to in this one and it's Gulf War II.)

China, our last best hope?

The Pope, the President and the Politics of Faith

"The West should be thankful that it has in US President George W Bush a warrior who shoots first and tells the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to ask questions later. Rarely in its long history has the West suffered by going to war too soon. On the contrary: among the wars of Western history, the bloodiest were those that started too late."

------

"Benedict XVI may preach against violence, but in his own fashion he takes a tougher stance than the American president. That surely is not the way it looks at first glance. Bush invaded an Arab country, while Benedict preaches reason to the Muslim world, receiving in the past few months Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah as well as delegations from Iran. He has agreed to a meeting with a group of 138 Muslim scholars at the Vatican in November. Why should Muslims fear Benedict? "

-----

"For the first time, perhaps, since the time of Mohammed, large parts of the Islamic world are vulnerable to Christian efforts to convert them, for tens of millions of Muslims now dwell as minorities in predominantly Christian countries. The Muslim migration to Europe is a double-edged sword. Eventually this migration may lead to a Muslim Europe, but it also puts large numbers of Muslims within reach of Christian missionaries for the first time in history."

-----

"Muslims are in dialogue with a pope who evidently does not merely want to exchange pleasantries about coexistence, but to convert them. This no doubt will offend Muslim sensibilities, but Muslim leaders are well-advised to remain on good terms with Benedict XVI. Worse things await them. There are 100 million new Chinese Christians, and some of them speak of marching to Jerusalem - from the East. A website entitled Back to Jerusalem proclaims, "From the Great Wall of China through Central Asia along the silk roads, the Chinese house churches are called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ all the way back to Jerusalem."

Islam is in danger for the first time since its founding. The evangelical Christianity to which George W Bush adheres and the emerging Asian church are competitors with whom it never had to reckon in the past. The European Church may be weak, but no weaker, perhaps, than in the 8th century after the depopulation of Europe and the fall of Rome. An evangelizing European Church might yet repopulate Europe with new Christians as it did more than a millennium ago. "

h/t Jay Currie

Where ever he is....

...they'll be laughing. George Carlin is dead.

Iranian Youth and the Future of Islam

Posted in the comments at Gateway Pundit's blog entry about honour killings, by an anonymous poster:

All Iranian young people say: " Islam is a satanic and an anti humanism religion. "

تمام جوانان ایران می گویند : " اسلام یک دین اهریمنی و یک دین ضد بشر است."

Alle iranske unge si: "Islam er en satanic og en anti humanisme religion."

Todos los jóvenes iraníes dicen: "El Islam es un satánico y un humanismo de lucha contra la religión."

جميع الشباب الايراني يقول : "الاسلام هو شيطانيه ومناهضه للدين الانسانيه".

Tous les jeunes iraniens dire: "L'islam est une satanique et un humanisme de lutte contre la religion".

Alle iranske unge sige: "Islam er en sataniske og en anti humanisme religion."

Alle Iraanse jongeren zeggen: "De islam is een satanische en een anti humanisme religie."

Все иранские молодые люди говорят: "Ислам является сатанинские и анти религия гуманизма".

ایا - حزب سبز لبه تاریکی ایران

What will we see when this thirty year war is over and the Mad Mullah terrorism supporting, oppressive theocracy of Iran is overthrown? I hope it happens soon.

h/t bg @ Iraq the Model commenters

I'm sure Winston agrees.

Cool YouTube Vid

h/t and more at The Anchoress

Further Adventures in Mind Expansion for the Useful Idiot: Shedding Some Light on the WDM Meme

Saskatchewan's useful idiot repeats the meme for which the left thinks it gets the most mileage: "...oh wait it was because of WMDs, nope that's not it.."

So lets take a closer look.

First of all, let's listen to President Clinton in February, 1998:



Clinton does an excellent job of summarizing the cat and mouse game for which Saddam Hussein was famous (infamous, actually). Who in their right mind would trust the Butcher of Baghdad to be forthcoming and honest in his disclosures and cooperation with UN weapons inspections? Who, that is, other than Useful Idiots goose stepping in tune to Taliban Jack and crew?

Secondly, read this:

Iraq - It's Infrastructure of concealment, deception and intimidation

Read all of it. But I'll give you just the opening thesis statement as a teaser:

"The role of the Inspectors is to monitor and verify the disarmament of Iraq as demanded by the international community at the end of the Gulf War, 12 years ago. Inspectors are not a detective agency: They can only work effectively if the Iraqi Regime co-operates pro-actively with the Inspectors. We know this can be done successfully: South Africa did it.

But Iraq has singularly failed to do this."(Emphasis mine)

Perhaps Sean, you were too busy with your studies, working your way through what must have been six, maybe seven or eight years of university, chasing the girl who would become your wife and what not, to be paying attention. You're a young guy with your life ahead of you, so who can blame you for having other priorities. But, Sean, the concealment, deception and intimidation (otherwise known as the cat and mouse game) had gone on for over a decade and continued right up until Baghdad fell. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you were not be aware of this. But if you were, then you really are in bed with the devil.

Now, here's a few more about who armed Saddam Hussein and how the sanctions were falling apart.

But Iraq did go Uranium Shopping in Niger

Did you know that Vatican City was one of only a handful of places where Iraq had full diplomatic relations and that the Iraqi Ambassador to the Vatican was the former head of Iraq's nuclear program? No, I didn't think you did. I didn't either, for that matter. But why the heck does an ambassador to the Vatican, probably the most obscure assignment and uninvolved with world politics of all possible diplomatic postings, in other words, easily ignorable, need to have expertise in nuclear weapons and why would he visit Niger, a country known for absolutely nothing except its vast deposits of uranium ore? A deal on yellowcake, perhaps? Interesting question, no? Hitch, the author of the above piece, has an interesting explanation for the whole Valerie Plame affair, too.

You want to know a bit more about which country assisted Iraq in building up its WDM program and why it took a pass on joining the Coalition of the Willing? Read this:

Germany's leading role in arming Iraq

As a matter of fact, Germany was not alone. Read these:

Syria undermined Iraq sanctions, armed Saddam

Facts about who benefits from keeping Saddam Hussein in Power

Setting the record straight on who armed Saddam

Even the Iraq Survey Group's findings, Iraq had no WMD: the final verdict, suggest he had the intent to rebuild his capacity, once the sanctions were lifted:

"Instead, the ISG report says in its conclusion that there was evidence to suggest the Iraqi regime planned to restart its illegal weapons programmes if UN sanctions were lifted."

and as we all know, the sanctions regime was rapidly breaking down, and it was not Saddam Hussein who suffered as a result of those sanctions in any case, but rather, due largely to his ability to circumvent them and exploit Western dupes through the display of sick and dead children, it was the Iraqi people who suffered.

And you know what, Sean. Even the exhaulted United Nations believed he had them:

"In a report which might alternately be termed “stunning” or “terrifying”, United Nations weapons inspectors confirmed last week not merely that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, but that he smuggled them out of his country, before, during and after the war."

including Canada:

"Addressing a group of 700 university researchers and business leaders in Montreal last month, (Canada's Prime Minister, Paul) Martin stated bluntly that terrorists have acquired WMDs from Saddam. “The fact is that there is now, we know well, a proliferation of nuclear weapons, and that many weapons that Saddam Huseein (sic) had, we don't know where they are…. [T]errorists have access to all of them,” the Canadian premier warned."

and:

"Every intelligence agency in the world -- French, British, German, Russian, Czech, you name it -- agreed before the war; Jordanian intelligence can certainly confirm their opinion today."

Then there's the Congressional Resolution on Iraq, also known as the Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq'. You do know, do you not, Sean, that it is Congress, by a joint resolution of both houses, that must authorize any war that America initiates. It is not "Bush's" war.

Now, I'll turn to statements by prominent Democrats, who evidently have very short memories and very little understanding of the power of new media. It looks like all the Democrats lied, too, but not about their belief in Saddam Hussein's capacity to develop WDM and deceive the world about it. They lied about their stand on (ie. their support) for the war. Flip-floppers, all.

No Sean. The Americans and their allies went to war because George Bush and Bill Clinton told the truth.

From the New York Times, yet!!

Big gains for Iraq security...

"Violence in all of Iraq is the lowest since March 2004. The two largest cities, Baghdad and Basra, are calmer than they have been for years. The third largest, Mosul, is in the midst of a major security operation. On Thursday, Iraqi forces swept unopposed through the southern city of Amara, which has been controlled by Shiite militias. There is a sense that Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki’s government has more political traction than any of its predecessors."

[---]

"While the increase in American troops and their support behind the scenes in the recent operations has helped tamp down the violence, there are signs that both the Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi government are making strides. There are simply more Iraqi troops for the government to deploy, partly because fewer are needed to fight the Sunni insurgents, who have defected to the Sunni Awakening movement. They are paid to keep the peace."

Of course, there's the usual generous sprinkling of "Yes, but...", but at least we're finally getting a full picture rather than just the downside.

Hmmmmm!

Iraqi police save kidnapped child.

Makes you wonder. Was he going to be used as the next carrier of a suicide bomb? They've used women. They've used the handicapped. They've used children before. They've used persons with combinations of the above, namely, mentally handicapped women and children. Are they running out of mentally sound adult males to strap their bombs to? It certainly wouldn't be the first time they've used an unwilling, kidnapped poor sot to deliver the bomb. These folks are really, really losing and really, really destroying support for their cause. Pretty dumb.

"Gallup"ing to the Bottom

Confidence in Congress: Lowest ever for any US institution

"Gallup's annual update on confidence in institutions finds just 12% of Americans expressing confidence in Congress, the lowest of the 16 institutions tested this year, and the worst rating Gallup has measured for any institution in the 35-year history of this question."

But of course we all know that if the American voters fail to put the Democrat into the Oval Office this November it will be because of - oooooooh - RACISM!!!!

Nice to see the strong support for the armed forces who stand in harms way so the citizen can retain the right to vote, though. There is hope yet for that country.

h/t Valerie, commenter at ITM

Good!!

Murder charge upgraded in teen's slaying

"Muhammad Parvez, 57, is now facing first-degree murder, Peel Regional Police said on Tuesday.

Parvez was originally charged second-degree murder in the death of his daughter, Aqsa."

Death penalty or deportation. Take your pick.

Signs and Understatements

Signs of further progress in Iraq

“The Iraqis themselves, with their army, their administration, are taking charge of their own problems.”
--Dr. Bernard Kouchner, Foreign Minister of France, June 2, 2008

With the U.S. presidential primaries dominating the headlines in the mainstream media, the continued improvements in Iraq have largely gone unreported. Since General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker last testified before Congress, the Iraqi government and its citizens have continued to take an increasing role in their struggle against extremist groups, and their effort to build a stable and secure state. As many have noted over the past month, the progress form the surge has not regressed and is now stimulating development in the political realm. While much work remains, Iraq is clearly heading in the right direction.

RTWT

Moderate Muslims

Here's a website I bookmarked a long time ago and have ignored it ever since, Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD). There are a lot of articles and interviews linked from the "media" section at this site.

Among the "media" links are several from the organization, The Muslim Canadian Conference. The MCC is the real deal, ladies and gentlemen. Listen to the interview of Sahail Raza on Ron Breakenridge's radio program at 2008/05/23.

There's tons of other good stuff about the Muslim world, too, at this site. Anyone interested in the promotion of democracy in general would do well to bookmark this page and refer to it from time to time.

At 2007/12/17 there's a link to an press release from the Canadian Coalition for Democracies in which spokespersons from CCD have this to say about aid to the Palestinians:

"Further, Canadians have poured close to half a billion tax dollars into the Palestinian regime, only to see it spent on ever-increasing incitement and hatred, and disappear in corruption, theft and a bloated bureaucracy"

"The governing charter of the Palestinian Authority clearly states that "Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine" (article 9) and "Nor do Jews constitute a single nation with an identity of its own" (article 20).

The Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade -- an affiliate of Fatah, the party of the Palestinian Authority -- is an illegal terror organization under Canadian law, and has proudly claimed credit for the murder of Israelis, Americans and fellow Palestinians, all in keeping with Fatah's charter. The Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade was among the first to take credit for a suicide bombing by a female. A Canadian who directly or indirectly funds such an illegal organization can be prosecuted and jailed, and the same prohibition must apply to our foreign aid.

"Without tough and transparent conditions, Canadian aid will continue to move the Middle East further from peace," said Naresh Raghubeer, CCD's executive director. "Until the PA changes its governing charter to recognize Israel, until violence against Israel stops for at least two years, and until the PA ends genocidal incitement in its schools and media, Canada must withhold its funding."

"The argument is made that the government of Israel supports our funding of the PA," added Gordon. "Canada's foreign policy must be determined by elected representatives in Ottawa, not in Jerusalem.

"Billions in foreign aid to the Palestinians have succeeded only in creating more violence, hatred and dependency. We hope that the tough conditions set by Minister Bernier will mark the end of an aid strategy that has for decades denied the Palestinians their right to modernity, self-sufficiency, dignity, and peace."

Me too!!

What does it say...

...about al Qaeda when they send women and children to do their dirty deeds.

It says they are like the Palestinians.

An Iraqi watches American Presidential Campaign

...and tells Obama to shove it.

More here.

And Basrah Port open for business.

Crap!

I guess I'll have to use more cuss words in my blog.

Wow and Double Wow!!

Black men Part I and Part II.

This man is taking up where Dr. Martin Luther King left off, with a vengeance!!

h/t Pat Dollard

Election fever....

...hits Iraq. Talisman Gate describes the feverish flurry of parties and positioning taking place in Iraq as multitudes of political hopefuls begin organizing for the fall provincial elections. One small point being ignored is the fact that legislation governing the process for provincial elections hasn't even been passed yet, but don't let that stop anyone.

In Nibras's own words:

"..the key dynamic to watch is Islamist vs. Secular, with the seculars making some inroads.

With all that I know about Iraq, I still find this stuff confusing. However, there’s an exhilaration over the ‘newness’ of if all. These are real elections, with unknown answers that only the ballot boxes will reveal."

Nibras, by the way, has a pretty good track record for predicting outcomes in Iraq. So file this away for reference come October.

I note that former Canadian resident, Hussein Shahristani, (Minister of Oil) is running. Best of luck to him.

And now,....

..for some comic relief. Go read the From the Desk of the Mayor of Mitchieville.

Warning. Somewhat off colour, but hilarious, as always.

Apology Resonating....

Headlines and editorials all over Canada are weighing in on the federal government's residential school apology to First Nations people. International coverage was given to the event even as far away as China. Reaction from First Nations people themselves is mixed, but in most of the articles I read, it seems the apology was taken as sincere, although many point to the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions and other necessary work that will also have to be delivered with the same sincerity of commitment if healing is ever going to be genuine.

Here are some of those articles:

Canada's residential schools, native population

Finally, I thought, they understand

On the Hill, applause and tears

So good to hear those words

Artist heralds apology

Canada's act of contrition

I accept the Prime Minister's apology

Apology disappoints: Whitefish

Aboriginals thankful, but apprehensive of implications

Natives watching in London fell quiet as PM apologized

Apology can't undo lost moments

School children learn significance of apology

Survivors of abuse at B.C. school fight back tears

Many tears in Manitoba

I choose to forgive

Love means having to say sorry

Two sides to the story

Majority of speech written by Harper

But far and away my favourite response comes from Deborah Gyapong's blog:

Someday a Prime Minister will apologize for Human Rights Commissions

Indeed. When will we learn?

Islamofacism in Defeat?

UPDATE: Go read the National Post article by one of the law students in MacLean's human rights violation case. And in particular, read Tarek Fatah's response to it at 7:11 am. Zinger!!!
===================
Read this, in Iraq, at least, and maybe elsewhere. Don't crap your pants, Sean. Just accept that Taliban Jack lies to you.

Residential School Apology

UPDATE: A good article about the apology in the Star Phoenix.
========================================

I was able to hear a portion of the apology issued in the House of Commons today. I caught all of Stephen Harper's message and all of Stephane Dion's. I felt both were sincere and deeply moving. I only hope that the apologies do bring more healing to the Aboriginal people in this country. The Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians, Lawrence Joseph, is said to have told a group of First Nations people assembled in Fort Qu'Appelle (site of the negotiation and signing of Treaty 4, as well as the location of one of the infamous schools), that they may wish to consider accepting the apology. The way that bit of news was read on the radio led me to believe that he really didn't want this apology because it would be a major blow to the Indian Industry, of which he is a captain. I hope my impression is wrong.

Secret Police? In Canada?

Reading Ezra Levant's blog post this morning, I am appalled. Has it really come to this? What's next from these Human Rights thought police? Mass graves?

Condi Rice Writes an Interesting Article

Rethinking the National Interest

Is she positioning herself for the VP post?

Some intriguing passages -

"Our relationships with Russia and China are complex and characterized simultaneously by competition and cooperation. But in the absence of workable relations with both of these states, diplomatic solutions to many international problems would be elusive. Transnational terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, climate change and instability stemming from poverty and disease -- these are dangers to all successful states, including those that might in another time have been violent rivals. It is incumbent on the United States to find areas of cooperation and strategic agreement with Russia and China, even when there are significant differences."

[---]

"This is why President Bush has made clear his support for a reasonable expansion of the UN Security Council."

[---]

"As important as relations are with Russia and China, it is our work with our allies, those with whom we share values, that is transforming international politics -- for this work presents an opportunity to expand the ranks of well-governed, law-abiding democratic states in our world and to defeat challenges to this vision of international order. Cooperation with our democratic allies, therefore, should not be judged simply by how we relate to one another. It should be judged by the work we do together to defeat terrorism and extremism, meet global challenges, defend human rights and dignity, and support new democracies.

In the Americas, this has meant strengthening our ties with strategic democracies such as Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Chile in order to further the democratic development of our hemisphere. Together, we have supported struggling states, such as Haiti, in locking in their transitions to democracy and security. Together, we are defending ourselves against drug traffickers, criminal gangs, and the few autocratic outliers in our democratic hemisphere."

[...]

"Is it really possible in the long run for governments to respect their citizen's talents but not their rights? I, for one, doubt it."

Indeed. She has interesting things to say about just about every region in the world. I am, of course, interested in her thoughts on the Middle East.

"One response would have been to fight the terrorists without addressing this underlying cause. Perhaps it would have been possible to manage these suppressed tensions for a while. Indeed, the quest for justice and a new equilibrium on which the nations of the broader Middle East are now embarked is very turbulent. But is it really worse than the situation before? Worse than when Lebanon suffered under the boot of Syrian military occupation? Worse than when the self-appointed rulers of the Palestinians personally pocketed the world's generosity and squandered their best chance for a two-state peace? Worse than when the international community imposed sanctions on innocent Iraqis in order to punish the man who tyrannized them, threatened Iraq's neighbors, and bulldozed 300,000 human beings into unmarked mass graves? Or worse than the decades of oppression and denied opportunity that spawned hopelessness, fed hatreds, and led to the sort of radicalization that brought about the ideology behind the September 11 attacks? Far from being the model of stability that some seem to remember, the Middle East from 1945 on was wracked repeatedly by civil conflicts and cross-border wars. Our current course is certainly difficult, but let us not romanticize the old bargains of the Middle East -- for they yielded neither justice nor stability."

And, in particular, her analysis of Iraq, which includes, among others, this passage:

"After we fought one war against Saddam and then remained in a formal state of hostilities with him for over a decade, our containment policy began to erode. The community of nations was losing its will to enforce containment, and Iraq's ruler was getting increasingly good at exploiting it through programs such as oil-for-food -- indeed, more than we knew at the time. The failure of containment was increasingly evident in the UN Security Council resolutions that were passed and then violated, in our regular clashes in the no-fly zones, and in President Bill Clinton's decision to launch air strikes in 1998 and then join with Congress to make "regime change" our government's official policy in Iraq. If Saddam was not a threat, why did the community of nations keep the Iraqi people under the most brutal sanctions in modern history? In fact, as the Iraq Survey Group showed, Saddam was ready and willing to reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction programs as soon as international pressure had dissipated."

BINGO!!!

Read the whole thing. And note the emphasis on the support for democracy and economic freedom.

Go, Ezra!!!

h/t Gay and Right

Counterpunch, Official Organ of the Reactionary Left...

Go Terry Glavin!!

..to which I would add Truth Out, Daily Kos, Alternet, antiwar.com, Moveon.org, Common Dreams, World Socialist Website, etc., etc., etc..

It's all about hating Bush and America. The world's oppressed people be damned.

Taliban Jack Shows His True Colours

Interested in the upcoming "Durban II" anti-racism conference, which is being held in Geneva, of all places, this year. Although several countries are contemplating the same thing, Canada, so far, is the only country that has declared its intention to boycott it, and good on them. But of course, Taliban Jack wants to go:

NDP's flip-flop on Durban 2 smells like politics

For more information, listen to Shire News Network's podcast 131 and for the farce that the UN has become, check out this site.

Take a look at some of these YouTube videos, as well.

Message to the "Other Way" Crowd

Louise Arbour and the "there is another way" crowd should study this phenomena:

Sudan won't hand over men wanted by world court.

"The court, established in 2002 as the first permanent war crimes tribunal, has no police to enforce its warrants. Sudan does not recognize the Court and has repeatedly refused to turn over Harun and Kushayb."

The ICC is as effective as the United Nations. In other words, it's a toothless farce.

holding tank

US has enough reserves to be number one oil producer, but..

US isn't seeking permanent bases in Iraq, ambassador says

Status of Forces Agreement

US says not seeking permanent bases in Iraq

Bush says US pullout would let Iraq radicals use oil as a weapon

Mudville Gazette: Sunnis turn on al Qaeda series

Saddam and al Qaeda

Leader of Sunni awakening offers to send forces to Afghanistan

Jaques Chirac

The real Abu Ghraib scandal.


SH and Saudi Arabia takeover

Clinton on SH intentions

Canadian troops in Iraq

"Why We Went to Iraq"

Prompted by the scandal de jour surrounding Scott McLellan, one of my favourite Arabs, Fouad Ajami, has written an excellent piece in the Wall Street Journal about the Iraq war. Would that other journalists/scholars could be so astute. Here are some highlights:

"It is odd...that critics have launched a new attack on the origins of the war at precisely the time a new order in Iraq is taking hold. But American liberal opinion is obsessive today."

[snip]

"The nation was gripped by legitimate concern over gathering dangers in the aftermath of 9/11. Kabul and the war against the Taliban had not sufficed, for those were Arabs who struck America on 9/11. A war of deterrence had to be waged against Arab radicalism, and Saddam Hussein had drawn the short straw. He had not ducked, he had not scurried for cover. He openly mocked America's grief, taunted its power."

[snip]

"Before America struck into Iraq, a mere 18 months after 9/11, there had been glee in the Arab world, a sense that America had gotten its comeuppance. There were regimes hunkering down, feigning friendship with America while aiding and abetting the forces of terror."

[snip]

"If Islamism is on the ropes, if the regimes in the saddle in key Arab states now show greater resolve in taking on the forces of radicalism, no small credit ought to be given to this American project in Iraq."

[snip]

"In the narrow sense of command and power, this war in Iraq is Mr. Bush's war. But it is an evasion of responsibility to leave this war at his doorstep. This was a war fought with congressional authorization, with the warrant of popular acceptance, and the sanction of United Nations resolutions which called for Iraq's disarmament."

[snip]

"With the luxury of hindsight, the critics of the war now depict the arguments made for it as a case of manipulation and deceit. This is odd and misplaced: The claims about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction were to prove incorrect, but they were made in good faith."

[snip]

"America had not been prepared for nation-building in Iraq; we had not known Iraq and Iraqis or understood the depth of Iraq's breakdown. But there was nothing so startling or unusual about the connection George W. Bush made between American security and the "reform" of the Arab condition. As America's pact with the Arab autocrats had hatched a monster, it was logical and prudent to look for a new way."

[snip]

"The war put on notice regimes and conspirators who had harbored dark thoughts about America and who, in the course of the 1990s, were led to believe that terrible deeds against America would go unpunished. A different lesson was taught in Iraq. Nowadays, the burden of the war, in blood and treasure, is easy to see, while the gains, subtle and real, are harder to demonstrate. Last month, American casualties in Iraq were at their lowest since 2003. The Sunnis also have broken with al Qaeda, and the Shiite-led government has taken the war to the Mahdi Army: Is it any wonder that the critics have returned to the origins of the war?"

Oh, Yes!

This has a familiar ring to it.

"In 1968 the Democrats were spooked by Richard Nixon. In 2008 they remain obsessed with George W. Bush, while turning their backs on Iraq, as uncaring and oblivious of the consequences as they were in abandoning Vietnam."

The radical chic are back.

Jesus, Gormley!!!!???

Okay. I've been super busy as well as out of town for the past few days, so I'm sitting here this morning doing my ironing and listening to radio broadcasts that I missed while I was away. I'm listening to John Gormley's phone-in program about the Hockey Night in Canada theme music and the fact that CBC's contract with the composer having expired, Mother Corp is proposing to dump the theme and find something cheaper. It had been costing us $500 every time the show aired. Bear in mind that hockey season doesn't end now until June!!!!!!!

His listeners are phoning in ten to one (or even greater) to say they don't want the theme to change, and Gormley is advising them to phone, write, email etc., etc., etc, their MP and/or the CBC's CEO. DUH!!! Gormley, don't ya think that a big hue and cry will just put the CBC in a weaker position when it come to negotiating a new contract with the music's copyright holder?? The copyright holder will point to the groundswell of Canadian support they have for their music and will have CBC over a barrel. CBC will either have to capitulate in order to maintain their audience, and thereby pay the big bucks, meaning even bigger, since the copyright holder now knows the theme has incredible sentimental value for a large segment of the Canadian population - or - they can walk away from the much loved theme and risk further alienating more of their already shrinking audience. Either way, the Canadian taxpayer isn't getting any break. Not too smart, Gormley.

hehehehehe

"a handful of Muslim goofballs who can't quite grasp that trying to censor an author who claims Muslims in western countries aren't embracing western traditions of individual liberty is perhaps not the most effective rebuttal of the author's thesis."

h/t The Broom

The War is Won

More and more bloggers and others are declaring the Iraq war over and won. Hallelujah!! Now, lets get on with reconstruction and reconciliation.

And as a nice side note, I sure hope the American voter remembers which party declared the war lost.

And speaking of winning and losing, Mohammed Fadhil, of ITM fame, has scored a big piece in the Wall Street Journal. What a great piece of writing about the Middle East and the world that looks on. You've come a long way, baby! I remember when your blog was new and you and your brothers were just testing your wings at this free speech thing. You've made it, my friend!! May the prize of freedom of expression never leave your grasp.

Best line from Mohammed's article, The Mideast Won't Change from Within:

"It is obvious that in the Middle East there's a real war raging between the supporters of extremism and totalitarianism and those of democracy and tolerance. The choice before the world is whether it will support one side by doing something, or the other by doing nothing."

Funny, that just a few days ago, a Canadian left of centre journalist/blogger got a piece in the National Post that describes the fight against Islamism in Afghanistan as Our Generation's Spanish Civil War. I believe that is exactly Mohammed's point, too. Glad to see some people on the left actually get it.

Whining and Complaining Our Human Rights Away

Sorry, but I'm way too busy reading the blow-by-blow accounts of the show trial out in BC. Tomorrow I'll be on the road again. Regular blogging should resume next week, hopefully.

Anyway, enjoy the freak show now going on at the BC Human Rights Tribunal against MacLean's Magazine here, here, here and here.

Preeeeeecisely

Precisely!

I'd been thinking all morning about just who is exposing Muslims to hatred. I was thinking that it's El Masry and his breed of fascists and their minions, that's who!! Or creeps who strap suicide vests onto mongoloid children and send them to be blown up in the name of Allah. Or people who fly airplanes into tall buildings and kill 3000 men and women, some of whom are Muslim. Or - most importantly - the legions of Muslims who lack the courage or the intellectual skill to understand that it is not those who point out these incorrigible behaviours who are creating a bad image. No, it is they who cannot or will not stand and be counted. It is they who close ranks and, by implication, support the rabid killers among their own co-religionists who expose Muslims to hatred.

No. When we see something akin to a million man march (a smaller scale would be fine) against this lunacy carried out in their name, then we may have presented to us a picture that convinces us that there are, after all, Muslims who will not take this sham any more.

I was thinking all morning that someone should take El Masry before one of the Human Rights Commissions (or several of them), but no. That would not be a wise move. It would only legitimize them and until they are reformed or disbanded, THAT MUST NOT HAPPEN!

Until then, Mr. Khurrum Awan must understand that he is attacking a principle that Canadians hold sacred and, by doing so, HE TOO is exposing Muslims to hatred.