Thursday, July 31, 2008

Bush: The Worst President Ever?

Read this. Why Iraq Was Inevitable.
"...in light of what was actually known at the time about Saddam Hussein’s actions and intentions, and in light of what was added to our knowledge through his post-capture interrogations by the FBI—the decision to go to war takes on a very different character. The story that emerges is of a choice not only carefully weighed and deliberately arrived at but, in the circumstances, the one moral choice that any American President could make.

Had, moreover, Bush failed to act when he did, the consequences could have been truly disastrous. The next American President would surely have faced the need, in decidedly less favorable circumstances, to pick up the challenge Bush had neglected. And since Bush’s unwillingness to do the necessary thing might rightly have cost him his second term, that next President would probably have been one of the many Democrats who, until March 2003, actually saw the same threat George Bush did."
I might add, that in addition to the signs telling us when the war is actually over (ala Michael Totten's piece I wrote about below) are a proliferation of hindsight type summaries postulated by the media. This one, though long, is particularly good and the section about the Oil-for-Food scam is especially cogent.
"The main feature of the containment regime had become the Oil-for-Food program, set up by the United Nations in 1996 with Clinton-administration approval. Within months, the program had become a spigot of cash for Saddam and his family and cronies. The full extent of the corruption, and the full roster of who paid in and who was paid out, may not be known for decades, if ever. But the overall picture is reasonably clear, thanks again in large part to documents seized in the 2003 invasion.

Saddam had shrewdly realized that vouchers for the sale of his oil might serve as a kind of international currency, distributed by him to favored customers who would be obliged to pay him kickbacks, all out of reach of the scrutiny of the UN. Eventually, UN administrators were brought into the conspiracy as well. Within a year the program had miraculously restored Saddam’s personal wealth and power, even as the Iraqi people continued to suffer. By the time of the U.S. invasion, he had skimmed at least $21 billion from the program, in addition to the billions made through smuggled oil sales to other Middle East countries, including his old enemy Iran.

The list of recipients of Oil-for-Food vouchers grew to more than 270 names, constituting a Who’s Who of slippery international politicians and diplomats—all of whom, needless to say, opposed any talk of military action against Iraq. On the Security Council, Russia, France, and China, key adversaries of U.S. policy toward Iraq going back to Clinton days, were among Saddam’s key beneficiaries. Not only was Oil-for-Food the biggest scandal in UN history, it had turned the UN’s mandate inside out. A program established to punish a rogue tyrant was systematically making him more powerful; nations that were supposed to be his custodians had become his accomplices; and the institution whose purpose was to protect international order was destroying it. (Emphasis mine)

At the time, though, no one in the Bush administration knew this. That was why, in September 2002, President Bush was willing to yield to Colin Powell and British prime minister Tony Blair and ask the UN for one more resolution, this one explicitly threatening Saddam with military force if he did not finally comply with all the preceding resolutions against him.

What Powell found at the UN astonished even him. At a press conference, the French foreign minister, Dominique de Villepin, shrieked that “nothing! nothing!” justified war—making Powell so angry that, as he would later tell the reporter Bob Woodward, he could barely contain himself. “Any leverage with Saddam was linked directly to the threat of war,” Powell recalled, “and the French had just taken the threat off the table.” He could not believe the Europeans’ stupidity. Neither could the President. But it was not stupidity; it was self-interested duplicity."
All in all, good one for our resident useful idiots - those who worship the ground upon which the United Nations building sits and the halls through which all the tyrants' operatives scurry like rats - to read.

Michael Totten: "Defining Victory in Iraq"

Michael Totten was one of the few rational sane voices in the field of journalism that has covered Iraq almost since day one. He has written an excellent piece about how we will know if and when the war is actually won. He posits that there were actually three wars going on more or less simultaneously and that the one against the Ba'athist regime and its "big man" is the only one that can truly be said "won" by a particular date, whether it be the day Baghdad fell or the day he was pulled out of the rat hole or the day he was executed. Read the whole article to find out what he says about the other two wars. Good stuff.

VDH's Most Excellent Report

Victor Davis Hanson has an editorial at townhall.com that is well worth reading. This man is a historian worth his salt. To mangle a old saw a bit, he's not about to forget the past so will not likely make wild and condemnable assertions about the future. Anyway.
"For over four years, war critics insisted that we took our eye off Afghanistan, empowered Iran, allowed other rogue nations to run amuck and soured our allies while we were mired in an unnecessary war. But how true is all that?"
[---]
"Iraq for the last 20 years was the worst place in the Middle East. The irony is that it may now have the most promising future in the entire region."
What if Iraq works? Read the whole thing.

Iraq's Interior Minister Thanks US Troops

"A top Iraqi official visited wounded American troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Tuesday to thank them for their part in ending Saddam Hussein’s rule in his country.

“We have come … to express our gratitude and appreciation for the sacrifices made by these great warriors, soldiers, in freeing the Iraqi people and in helping us in Iraq recover from tyranny and dictatorship,” Jawad Karim al-Bolani, Iraq’s minister of the interior, said through a translator to a handful of journalists in the lobby of the medical center.

“We also want to express our gratitude to the families of all these great men and women and express how important their sacrifices are for our nation,” he added.

Bolani’s visit with troops comes on the heels of Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) recent trip to the Middle East, where the Democratic presidential candidate caused a stir when he canceled a planned visit to wounded American soldiers."
[---]
"The Iraqi government official, who didn’t mention presidential politics, said that he also wanted to visit Walter Reed because it was a “great institution.”

“(We wanted) to witness firsthand the level of technical (and) medical sophistication that is being practiced here so that we may learn from it to help our foreign wounded and the many, many victims of terrorism and violence in Iraq,” Bolani added.

CNSNews.com asked the minister if he supported a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq.

“I would like to talk about all the progress and all the improvements that have taken place throughout Iraq at the security level,” Bolani said, adding that Iraq still faces challenges in the future because of “regional considerations.”"
Rather ironic, isn't it? An officially appointed member of the Iraqi government visits injured US troops in a hospital and thanks them for what they have accomplished for Iraq, yet while in Germany the guy who wants to be president of the USA couldn't be bothered finding time in his schedule to visit these soldiers' injured comrades in a hospital there. After all, in the Demoncrat playbook, the people that liberated Iraq must not be recognized. I wonder if the Iraqi Minister intended to send a message to Obama Messiah and his devotees or was it a wholly genuine gesture?

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Deja Vu?

What's a garden variety dictatorship gonna do when your atheistic totalitarian empire collapses? Why, rally round a theocratic totalitarian country with imperial ambitions, that's what.

Hameed Abid Scores Again!!

Hameed leaves the following comment on Iraq the Model's comments thread.

"Dear O and M

For all those Naysayers. and those hwo criticise the start of Iraqi war of liberation, in the first place, please note.

If you are interested I am very happy to give you the telephone numbers, and locations of my own family, relatives and friends all over Iraq ( as I come from a lrage tribe) who will meet you and have you as an honoured guest, and be filmed independently and will tell you in their own words, the great postive differnces the Liberation of Iraq has brought to their lives and in all fields, as a whole, since 9th April 2003.

You can then do what the hell you wish with this filmed information from regular Iraqi guys and girls.

The American war has been won many times over in Iraq, although I do not know about Afghanistan. And furthermre the investment such as that expended by the coalition forces and civilains over the past five years, is worth every penny or cent/ dime as the case may be.

So to those of you who are doubting Thomases still after all these irrefutable evidences, get lost and piss off.

Kind regards

PS. You can find my telephone number on the internet if you care to Google me. hameed abid. and I will be glad to speak with you. You can bring your Cameraman if you so wish. in London UK.rgds. ha
hameed Abid | 07.28.08 - 6:00 pm"
Any journalists worthy of the name out there up to the challenge?

Learn more about Hameed Abid here.

Message to Obama and other fools. Why do you keep saying you promise to "end" the war? Why is it not obvious to you that it has already ended?

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Liberal Dipshitism

Check out this discussion thread for what a mixture of Canadians think about allowing Omar Khadr back into Canada. Pay attention to the bleeding-heart, ideologically-blinded, stunted-politically conscious liberals' comments. We even have the UN worshipers berating us for our political incorrectness. It's enough to make a knowledgeable Canadian cry.

New UN Human Rights Commissioner Assigned

Good luck with that, darling.

I see she's from Durban. I'd be interested in knowing what she thought about the human rights meeting held in that city seven years ago. Nothing but a Israel bashing fest by a bunch of oppressive goons, including Canada's own barking fool, Matthew Coon Come.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Iraqi Judge Recalls Hussein's Trial...

..as a turning point.

The man is in Washington on a fellowship and was interviewed for the Washington Post.
"For Juhi, the trial of Hussein marked a turning point in Iraqis' perception of their country's justice system. For decades, they had been terrorized by obscure, secretive courts directly linked to an absolute ruler."
[---]
"This trial," Juhi said, "laid the groundwork for a new philosophy for Iraqis -- respect of human rights, rights of suspects to a fair trial, whoever they are and regardless of the cruelty or viciousness of their crimes," he said. At the same time, he added, "no matter how high someone's position is and how much power he has at his command, one of these days he will be held accountable."
[---]
"In March 2003, U.S.-led troops invaded Iraq. "A scary time," Juhi recalled. "We were stuck in the middle." He had to leave Najaf to protect his family, he said, and returned to Baghdad to find out whether he still had a job. To his surprise, he did: "According to the Geneva Conventions and the laws of war, U.S. troops did not have the right to make us resign."
[---]
"We need the opportunity to change. Iraq is a strong country. I ask that you stay with the good people of Iraq to give us that chance."

Pastor Manning Delivers an Invective

Wow!! How much sway does this fellow have? Is Black America turning away from the cult of victimology? If so, that's a good thing for Canada, too. Enough of this throwing up the past in our faces. The past is past. Only sleazebuckets, opportunists and leftards are still making hay out of it.



And across the pond, another report about the consequences of political correctness.

Iranian Public Opinion Survey

A bit old, but interesting.

India in Lockdown ..

...as terror spreads.
"Units of the Rapid Action Force were deployed in the city of Ahmedabad, capital of the western state of Gujarat, where more than 40 people were killed and 150 injured in a series of bomb blasts claimed by a fundamentalist Muslim group known as the Indian Mujahideen."

[---]"Two people died and scores were injured in the Bangalore attacks, which intelligence services believe are linked to the recruitment of as many as 25,000 supporters by al-Qa'ida.

Reports yesterday suggested that the al-Qa'ida-linked groups accused of involvement in the bombings - notably the Students Islamic Movement of India - are targeting software "techies" working in the IT industry, seeking support. It is claimed they have established a potent network of backers in the key city, which is home to more than 1600 IT companies."
And the West wants immigrants with high tech skills. Scary stuff.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Little Brother of War

Apparently, one or some or all of the Indian tribes forming the Iroquois League way back when used to call lacrosse, a game they invented, "the little brother of war". Seems they were not the only ones who viewed competitive sport as something not quite war but close to it. It seems a number of countries are refusing to play soccer with Iran. It's not just the big flashy events where all the cameras go, such as the Olympics, that are used to make political statements.

Oh - My - God

Is this coming to a neighbourhood near you? This is state interference gone mad.

Sarko Delivers a Zinger

Friday, July 25, 2008

Maliki Reafirms Earlier Statement...

...about troop withdrawal.

"Maliki, who earlier this month suggested that a timetable may be set for the departure of U.S. troops, would not be drawn on any specific dates when asked by reporters after meeting Pope Benedict at the Pontiff’s summer residence.

“There is a dialogue between us and the multinational forces, and we hope that we can reach results that satisfy both parties and protect the achievements made in Iraq and protect the sovereignty of Iraq,” Maliki said."

Once again, how I wish I had been a fly on the wall during the meeting with Pope Benedict.

Oh Blunder

Another Job Offer....

...for the rent-a-riot. A whopping big crowd of 60 people showed up in the wee village of Montreal. I'll bet you a goodly number of the same rioters will show up at the other venues planned across the country. This should be fun.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

The Race Card...

"..the ultimate ruse in dirty politics". So says Tarek Fatah on Mohamed Elmasry's lunatic rantings.
"Instead of generating sympathy for Omar Khadr, the tactics of his advocates will result in an even more hostile attitude."
Close, but not quite, Tarek. Elmasry and Khadr are cut from the same cloth. Khadr's family didn't need any support from Elmasry to create a "more hostile attitude", dude. I must say, I am mighty pleased to see you rising to the task of speaking out against Islamofascism in our midst, but please. Why in hells bells would you want this kid back in Canada? I know you've abandoned your affiliation with Taliban Jack and are now with the Dion Dolts, which is a step in the right direction, but do you really think, given the values instilled by his parents, that this "young man" will be believed if his lawyers and Elmasry council him to repent and speak out against al-Qaeda? The race card is hardly the only ruse in dirty politics. You've heard of hudna and taqqiyah, right? What kind of fools do you think Canadians are? Oh yeah. You're with the Dion Dolts. That explains it.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Funny

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Peer Review, Schmeer Review

Over at Celestial Junk a "debate" was going on about the nature of peer review. Yes, the Warmists were at it again. Paul was doing a pretty good job against some dude calling himself ScruffyDan. I posted the following comment on the discussion thread. So far there's no response. I don't expect one, since Paul has put several other posts up since then and the ScruffyDan types don't want to have their sacred cows slaughtered. THEN....(continued below the quote)...
"I've personally witnessed the sham that is peer review, or at least the decline of it. During the 1970s and early 80s all sorts of new departments sprang up in universities across North America in areas that were then voguish radical chic issues - Native Studies and Women's Studies and the like. I presume environmental studies was probably similar, since environmentalism was a political cause celebre as fashionable as any other at the time.

No only that, but all kinds of new universities, as well, sprang up, the U of R being one (used to be just the Regina Campus of the U of S). And in the cut-throat rush propelled by the publish or perish paradigm, many of them began publishing their own academic journals. Guess who was peer reviewing who's journal articles?

Basically, it was an incestuous gang of you pat my back and I'll pat yours cause we all believe in the same leftist ideology and it's our duty to indoctrinate whenever and however we can. That's when principle of peer review went down the toilet, as far as I'm concerned. It was the equivalent of different bureaus of Pravda "fact checking" each other."
Expat Texan came out with this ZINGER!!!! This is a guy who does peer reviews and is peer reviewed and he works in a science area, not a social science.

BINGO!!!

Fear Not, the Angel Said

The MSM in America abandons it's role. Rather than asking it's potential next president tough questions they have now decided to worship him.

To wit:



No bias here.

h/t gateway pundit

Well, most of the media, anyway. It seems the infamous and nefarious Faux News is the only network still dedicated to hard hitting journalistic principles, and maybe (surprise, surprise) MSNBC.

h/t Pat Dollard

Sunday, July 20, 2008

American Withdrawal from Iraq

Just in case any of you lefties out there are salivating too much. Save it. You'll need it to digest your next meal of humble pie.

Iraq PM did not back Obama troop exit plan

This is the second time in about a week. The MSM needs to fire it's translators.

And here's an interesting take on all the time table gossip.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Diplomacy or a Disinformation Campaign?

“Diplomacy is not a synonym for talking. True diplomacy means structuring a set of incentives and disincentives to produce change in behavior” (Condi Rice, June 3, 2008)
Earlier this week we learned that the US is sending an envoy to be present at the European arranged negotiations with Iran in Geneva, Switzerland, the country which represents American interests in Iran. Present at the negotiating table were representatives from Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, in addition to the EU's Javier Solana.

This is a sharp departure from what has heretofore been the American position. There have been no diplomatic relations between the US and Iran since the 1979 hostage crisis, when a group of radical Islamist students stormed the American embassy in Tehran and held several Americans hostage for more than a year. One of those students is now Iran's president. But there have also been some other unusual, even bizarre, events related to Iran in the past week or so. What are we to make of this?

Pajamas Media has had several reports on it, including this one by Meir Javedanfar. A key point in Javedanfar's article is found in a quote from a White House spokeswoman:
"What this does show is how serious we are when we say that we want to try to solve this diplomatically."
But is that really what they are after? Diplomacy, as defined in Condoleeza Rice's statement above, has in fact been happening for a very long time already. And a flurry of other Pajamas Media reports only add to the intrigue. Events are moving very fast.

Another of my favourite bloggers, Pat Dollard, who meticulously follows the news from the Middle East and elsewhere, has been tracking, even as far back as last fall, the diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iran crisis. The crescendo began to build in his reports in the last two or three months. Witness May 1, May 22, June 3, July 7, here and here, July 8, July 9, here and here, July 10 here, here, here, and here, July 11, here, and here, July 12, here and here , July 13, here and here, July 14, here, July 15 here and here, July 16, July 17, here and here.

Although some on the right are dismayed and some on the left overjoyed at what could be interpreted as a sign of weakness and capitulation on the part of the US, perhaps there is more to this than meets the eye. In the game of international politics, what happens behind the scenes is always critical and rarely surfaces in any way other than via a leak to the media, and even those may be deliberate strategies from inside the government concerned.

So, one must ask, what else will a US presence at the negotiations do for the increasingly tense showdown with Iran? There have been signs of disunity in Iran's ruling council for a while now. Israel has been playing war games with the intention of sending Iran a message. Various European countries have been actively engaged in diplomatic efforts with a number of Middle Eastern countries. The US itself was reportedly considering opening an "interest section" in Tehran, a less than full status ambassadorial appointment. After months of sanctions and isolation and increasing tensions, something is about to give.

But is America changing it's policy? I don't think so. I rather favour the interpretation of the author of this editorial in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz:

Iran and US: Conflicting Signs
"It is also hard to believe that as his tenure is reaching its end, President George Bush and his administration have seriously adopted a conciliatory stance on Iran.

It may indeed be, as some analysts have argued, that the camp headed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has won out over the neoconservatives led by Vice President Dick Cheney.

But it is also possible that Bush has adopted the tactic of hiding another intention. He may be willing to give the impression that he is trying to compromise, in order to prepare public opinion, at home and abroad, prior to toughening the measures against Tehran.

Bush might be aiming to signal that he does not reject diplomacy as a way of resolving the crisis, even though he does not believe in its efficacy. In the end, he will be able to argue that even the most conciliatory offer was not sufficient to assuage Iran. Perhaps this way he will be able to convince the international community to impose tougher sanctions on Iran, banning exports of fuel to it and possibly imposing a naval blockade. Such a blockade, already proposed in a petition signed by most members of Congress, will constitute a casus belli for Iran."
Indeed, only hours after negotiations began, Iran has already shown it is only interested in playing games.
"After a day of inconclusive talks in Geneva, a six-nation negotiating team warned the Iranian delegation that it had run out of patience and demanded a 'yes or no' answer to a proposal it put forward five weeks ago."

"The failure to reach agreement appeared likely to trigger new European and UN sanctions and to raise tensions in the Gulf. An Iranian rejection would also represent a rebuff to conciliatory moves from Washington, including the dispatch of a senior diplomat to Geneva to attend high-level talks with the Iranians for the first time in nearly three decades. The diplomat, William Burns, left Geneva without making any public comments."
and delaying tactics:
"A lot of excitement and hope preceded this current round of talks because, for the first time, a senior US [US Undersecretary of State, William Burns] official sat at the negotiating table."
---
"Although nothing concrete emerged from the talks, Solana said Burns presence alone was an important contribution to the negotiations. "It was very important that everybody notes in Iran the important meeting of today from the point of view of the composition of the table. You remember that we presented in Teheran three documents--a letter, a package and a way forward and it was signed by all the leaders of the countries represented. Today, physically, all the countries had been represented. So, it is very, very important and everybody has to be aware of that," he said."
---

"At the meeting, Iran presented a long paper of, what Solana called modalities. He said it offered no reply to the Western proposal."
Iran has basically told a group of the most powerful countries in the world to piss off. But should anyone be surprised. Still, they've given Iran two weeks.

I'm also inclined to agree with Pat Dollard's take on the whole thing. This is an exercise in "covering yer ass". It won't be long before Israel, and very probably the US, will bring this long, drawn out war to an end. Seems a couple of long time commenters at Iraq the Model also agree.
"Bush is doing this to show the world that what Obama proposes (direct talks with Iran) will accomplish NOTHING. This will be another example of Obama being a fool on the world stage." Kafir

"The negotiations should be on C-span. After a week of watching them, America will be ready for war.

Or better yet, negotiate for a day then bomb for a day. Repeat until finished." typos_R_us
(I love the way those two talk. They can speak that way because the US doesn't have Human Rights Commissions.)

But, no. I don't think this is an about-face in American policy. Indeed, I think it's an indication that American strategy with Iran over the past few years has paid off. Iran has been weakened by sanctions. It has, due to its own stupidity, decided to divert most of its efforts and resources to supporting terror in Iraq and Lebanon, among other locations, repressing its own population and, being governed by messianic cultists trying to bring on the end of the world and the appearance of the hidden Imam, it is utterly incapable of acting rationally, let alone in its own people's best interests. (Shades of Saddam Hussein.) The Americans know that Iran is in dire straits and that the time is now. They are taking one more kick at the diplomatic can for the world to see and for all I know, the Europeans may well be the ones signaling their readiness to change their policy. The signs are there.

It - is - time - to - end - this - nonsense.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Ain't No Problem Here...

..move along.

Device could trigger bomb, court told

We're known as the land of peacekeepers, after all. Lester Pearson said so, fifty some years ago, and nothing ever changes, you know.

In related news, UN Peacekeepers salute terrorist's remains.

No. Nothing ever changes.

You hear that rumbling in the ground? Lester is rolling in his grave.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Zingers!!!

Muslim outrage.



And Brigitte Gabriel.




Parts 2 to 7 are here.

I was in Lebanon in 1973. Beruit was still considered the "Paris of the Middle East" and well and truly deserved it. It was a beautiful city. Not long after that the Lebanese civil war broke out. Ugliness ensued and has not stopped to this day. The sooner the regime in Iran is overthrown, the better. More on that in the next post.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Grim Analysis

UPDATE: Something is definitely afoot. Is this a campaign of disinformation and confusion, or is it the real thing?
"The UK's Guardian newspaper reports the US plans to open an interests section in Tehran, its first diplomatic presence in the country for 30 years."
Maybe the plan is to surround Iran with armies at the ready. The Iraqi forces, coalition forces in Afghanistan, etc. Yup. Things are definitely being rearranged.

==============Original post starts here======

There's talk all over the place about the sabre rattling between Iran and various other parties (Israel, the US, France, etc.) Then there is this analysis.
"If forced into a nuclear war (God forbid), Israel would probably aim for Tehran, a city of 15 million situated Cordesman says “in a topographical basin with mountain reflector. Nearly ideal nuclear killing ground.”

The great unknown is this: How crazy is the Iranian regime?"
All the more disturbing is the latest posting by The Spirit of Man.
"Unfortunately, it seems the Iranian regime's effort to brainwash the masses has been really successful since almost every body has told my friend that US or Israelis are too weak to attack Iran or the Islamic regime is too strong for the weakened Americans to handle. This could stem from what AEI's Michael Rubin has constantly warned us about: Iran's over confidence. The regime has basically taken advantage of people's naivety and has made them believe that Iran, a country of corruption and repression, is superior and no one can touch it."
This has been quite a week for news regarding that country. Phony photoshopped missile launches. The successful escape to the US of one of the more well known dissidents. Now this news from Winston. It's hard to imagine that a bomb will be loosed on Tehran. Hiroshima and Nagasaki took place only after three years of all out war and hundreds of thousands had already died. Yet the sabre rattling is hard to deny.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

More than just your average tourist

Ahmad Batebi stands in front of the White House. Eat shit, Mullahs!!

He doesn't look so bad, either. He appears to be in very good health.

Oh yeah. And he has his own blog!!

Blogs rule!! So does freedom of speech. Let's hear Ahmad Batebi roar!!!

Oh yeah. And all you leftards out there who suffer from Bush Derangement Syndome, take note. Where do people who suffer terrible oppression and personal violence at the hands of the state flee to, when they have the chance??? HMMMMMM!!! ...... I'm waiting.

h/t Gateway Pundit

Stand Up for Comedy

Wanna read something great about the ongoing fight to reform our Human Rights Commissions?

Start here, at Deborah Gyapong's blog, and follow the links to Denyse O'Leary's blog. Gyapong and the blogs she links to are describing a fundraising event in Toronto for standup comedian Guy Earle who is being taken before one of our lovely Human Rights Commissions for offending a lesbian heckler in a club where she was making his "night" (ie. being a class A jerk). I mean, good grief!! If we can't enjoy a night out at a comedy club because our comedians have been silenced what is this country coming to!!!

Go here to donate to Earle's defense fund. If you live in the Toronto area, see if you can show up for this event. THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!!

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

Just when I finally get my blogroll set up in the sidebar, one of my favourite bloggers, Soldier's Dad, decides to pack it in. This guy's comments have been so helpful in understanding what was happening in Iraq. I especially liked how he could "correct" the MSM's erroneous interpretations of things military.

Often times the discussion threads were almost incomprehensible to this old civie (moi) who didn't know the first thing about how wars are fought or armies organized and deployed. He and his fellow ex-military men who commented there certainly knew their stuff.

In the comments now there are many folks thanking him and wishing him well for the next phase of his life. He has weighed in, too. Turns out he's a descendant of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. That document and the American Constitution have proven to be pivotal instruments in the development of so much that is good in the world today. The separation of church and state. The inalienable rights of man. All that stuff was completely new at the time. He has reason to be proud of his connection to it.

So, hat's off to you, Soldier's Dad, and thank you and your countrymen, and especially your daughter, for liberating Iraq. I hope the Iraqis use the gift of liberty wisely in the years ahead.

PS. I'll leave your link in the sidebar. Anyone who wants to have their head straightened out can dig around in it. I am sure they will be enlightened.

A Dictators-R-Us Club Subsidiary Jerks Knee

And the response is immediate.

Sudanese President seeks Arab League talks about the International Criminal Court after the Court declares its intention to indict him.
"Sudanese officials said they were also seeking broader international support to stymie any arrest warrant.

"Contacts are already established with China and Russia ... and they have shown their support ..."
We already know that China and Russian obliged their friend in Zimbabwe at the UN Security Council this week. As far as bringing criminals like Sudanese President before the Criminal Court, ...well I guess there is an institution more useless than the UN. In fact, even the Arab League has more clout.
"Arab League chief Amr Moussa, who is currently in Paris, is making phone calls to Arab foreign ministers set up a meeting to discuss the issue."
The Dictators-R-Us Club is still alive and kicking and ready to rally round its various subsidiaries.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Hurry Up Harry Being Sued

A British blogger, Harry's Place, is being sued by radical Muslims over a silly, inconsequential statement he made on his blog. And here we thought only Canadians get sued for what they write on their blogs. Shades of our Ezra Levant/Mark Steyn/Maclean's Human Rights Kangaroo Commissions, complete with their sockpuppet legal team.

Got a blog? Want to support him. Sign up for the blog roll here.

Le plus ca change...

UPDATED AGAIN

Iran Missile Test Bluff: Old Rockets, Bogus Video

Not just photoshopped.

UPDATED AND RENAMED


Attack of the photoshopped missiles.

Meanwhile, Sarkozy is doing his bit.

I just love watching international politics. Everybody, and I mean - E-V-E-R-Y-B-O-D-Y - plays the game.

Indeed, here's some interesting articles about Ethiopia, that unfortunate country located at one of the most strategic locales on the planet, one of the world's favourite spots for rape, pillage and plunder, proving once again that history is just one damned thing after another and it never ends.

West Ignoring Ethiopian War Crimes
"London, Brussels and Washington provide billions of dollars in aid and military assistance to Ethiopia every year but are overlooking the issue, Gagnon said.

The report says that following an April 2007 attack on a Chinese oil installation by the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) that killed more than 70 Chinese and Ethiopian civilians, the army responded with "brutal force" against ethnic Somali civilians in the Ogaden Area of the Somali Region.

According to HRW, the army has executed at least 150 people -- many of them in demonstration killings -- forcibly displaced tens of thousands of people, burned dozens of villages and conscripted civilians into militias to the fight the ONLF."
Ethiopia on the Path to Self Destruction
"Ethiopia is one of the oldest most suffering nations in this planet. It went through hell in the Second World War under Mussolini’s fascist aggression.

It emerged from the war to confront a number of civil wars where external and internal actors coalesced to make the people, country and nation suffer.

Its elite imported undigested ideas that simply became a reason to impose terror. It fell for a virulent form of ethnic and vernacular decomposition that has undermined Ethiopian citizenship rather than build it, despite the claim to the contrary by those who imposed this particular form of ethnocentrism."
And well, surprise, surprise... Ethiopia Dismisses HRW on War Crimes
"According to the report, unveiled here Thursday and titled "Collective Punishment, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity in the Ogaden Area of Ethiopia's Somali Regional State," the government is responsible for an "economic blockade against its people".

The rights watchdog documented what it considered as dramatic unchecked violence against civilians since June 2007, when the Ethiopian army launched a counter-insurgency campaign against rebels..."
Russian Ships at the Mercy of Pirates

Way too much to quote at length here, so I offer just a few snippets. Suffice to say, Russia is still in the game, despite having lost most of its mighty empire. I'm posting these primarily to show the midget minds on the left that it has never been only about the US, or even only about oil. However, oil and whatever else is needed to maintain an economy is what drives every country on the planet, so why should the US be any different?
"In Soviet times, the navy maintained an almost global posture, reacting promptly when Soviet commercials ships were seized. In the late 1960s, a group of Soviet warships sailed to the coast of West Africa to free two tugboats seized off the coast of Ghana."

"With the fall of the Soviet empire, the Russian navy has also had to withdraw from its bases in Cuba, Poland, Finland, East Germany, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Somali and Ethiopia."

"Among others, the key military base in Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay was closed. The base had a landing strip as well as naval repair and maintenance facilities, which were frequently used by Russian navy groupings operating in the Pacific and Indian Oceans during the Cold War.

The Russian navy's current list of overseas facilities includes only a repair shop in Tartus on Syria's Mediterranean Sea coast and telecommunications facilities in Vileiki, Belarus; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan; and Havana, Cuba; as well as a naval equipment testing facility in Kyrgyzstan."

"The number of ocean-going warships has also dwindled. The Russian navy's assessment of the global piracy threat designates the following areas of the world as being prone:

  • East Africa (Somali, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Tanzania) West Africa (Nigeria, Senegal, Angola, Ghana), Indian Ocean

  • South East Asia and South China Sea (Malacca Strait, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand)

  • South America and the Caribbean (Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guyana)
Such a widespread occurrence of piracy makes it "rather difficult" to keep combat ships deployed in areas where the threat exists even though the navy remains the most efficient tool for dealing with piracy..."

"In reality, however, most of incidents occur off the coast of Somalia.."

"Still, the Russian navy maintains no presence near this hot spot, leaving it to .... US, French and German warships, to come to rescue of vessels hijacked by pirates.."

"The [Russian] navy believes participation in international war games is very useful... "

"But for now, Russian ships and their unarmed crews remain at the mercy of pirates in the high seas until someone comes to their rescue."
The Cold War continues. Strategies are drawn. Tactics ensue. Le plus ca change le plus ca le meme chose.

h/t to John Murney for that last link.

Further News on the North West Passage

The Arctic, getting warmer:
“The Arctic ocean is warming up, icebergs are growing scarcer and in some places the seals are finding the water too hot,” according to a report to the Commerce Department yesterday from US Consul Ifft, at Bergen, Norway. Reports from fishermen, seal hunters and explorers, he declared, all point to a radical change in climate conditions and hitherto unheard-of temperatures in the Arctic zone.

“Exploration expeditions report that scarcely any ice has been met with as far north as 81 degrees 29 minutes. Soundings to a depth of 3,100 meters showed the gulf stream still very warm. Great masses of ice have been replaced by moraines of earth and stones, the report continued, while at many points well-known glaciers have entirely disappeared. Very few seals and no white fish are found in the eastern Arctic, while vast shoals of herring and smelts, which have never before ventured so far north, are being encountered in the old seal fishing grounds.”

This morning's New York Times? No, the U.S. Weather Bureau, 1922.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Be Careful What You Ask For

By now you've probably all heard about Jesse Jackson lusting to cut Obama's nuts off. Spike Lee has weighed in:
"Spike Lee says the Rev. Jesse Jackson's crudely phrased criticism of Barack Obama won't affect the Democrat's campaign, which the filmmaker expects to succeed at bringing "seismic" change to the world."
What sort of seismic activity are you anticipating, Spike? Earthquakes usually produce a lot of wreckage, you know. And "to the world"???? My God. I really feel sorry for Mr. Obama. How in hells bells is he going to deliver the utopia so many are expecting?

The War is Won

Of course, we can't trust the armed forces to be telling the truth, but since the MSM has not bothered to report it, I guess it's up to bloggers.
"Iraq experienced the lowest number of acts of violence in more than four years last week, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq said July 9."
"Attack levels are down more than 90 percent during the past year."
"The last of the five surge brigades – the 3rd Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team – goes home at the end of this month, and more than 300 troops scheduled to deploy less than a month ago were turned around. Their deployment was canceled due to the recent improvements here, ..."
Oh dear. Whatever is a Democrat to do with this revelation?

Irshad Manji on Honour Killing

It's been a long time since I visited The Sudanese Thinker. Good thing I did today.

Following the links, I found this video.

Bush Deranged Syndrome

...meets its match.

A new mental disorder has emerged in Australia - Climate Change Delusion!

I wonder if it favours lefties? I'm sure you'd have to be a true believer to suffer such an affliction.

History for Useful Idiots

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Nice

Murder 329 people, go to jail for 20 years, get out and go free. Something is wrong with this picture.

I'm a bit squeamish about the death penalty, but it seems to me that people who commit mass murder on this kind of scale, should not ever be allowed out of jail. Same goes for the creepy sicko kind like Paul Bernardo and Clifford Olson or the pig farmer, Robert Picton. Now, I know there will frequently be some small element of doubt, especially if there is no solid DNA evidence, but with DNA and other forensic science tools available now, perhaps some of these creeps should be put out of their misery. I don't want to foot the bill for a real "life" sentence any more than I want the these creeps to be let out after only 20 years.

When Air India happened, I remember one of the passengers on that flight was a young girl who worked as a cashier in Zellers in the Lawson Heights Mall in Saskatoon. At least I think it was a Zellers outlet. It was some lower scale department store, anyway, and that was a long time ago. I remember shopping there just a week or two before that fateful flight and having been served by her. I remember thinking what a pleasant, customer friendly service ethic she had, the kind that makes you happy to return to the store again. I was shocked when I learned that she was on that flight. I often think about her family and how they must have suffered. What a senseless loss of such a promising young woman. It still makes me sick all these years later that those families have to be hit again and again and again.

There are people in Japan, too, who will not be comforted by today's news. Two baggage handlers in the Tokyo airport were killed with bombs in luggage that was meant to be on board the Air India flight. Twenty years seems like such a long time, but I wonder if survivors of these kinds of senseless acts can ever really get over it. I mean, really. What did Japanese baggage handlers have to do with a political fight going on in India? Why did they have to die? And what crime did a sweet young cashier in a department store in Saskatoon commit that she had to end up dead in the sea just off the coast of Ireland while on her way for a holiday in India?

I have tears in my eyes, even now. This is not a day in which I can repeat my usual "the world is unfolding as it should" refrain. It is just not right that Inderjit Singh Reyat is a free man and I think the Indo-Canadian community is right to feel a sense of betrayal over the way this case has unfolded.

Monday, July 07, 2008

The Artistry of Spin: It's All in the Headline

UPDATE: Yup and yup.
===============
Okay. Which is it? One of these groups is not like the other:

Iraq demands pullout timetable in US defence pact talks

Iraq Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki demands US withdrawal

or

Iraq's Maliki suggests setting timetable for U.S. withdrawal

Iraqi Prime Minister advocates withdrawal timetable

Iraq raises idea of timetable for US withdrawal

Iraqis want US troop withdrawals tied to security agreement

Iraq floats pullout timetable

"Demands" verses "suggests", "advocates", "raises", "wants" or "floats"? Nah. There's no spin here.

One has to dig deeply into the articles in order to get at the context of al-Nouri's remarks, too.

For example, who was his audience?
"The direction we are taking is to have a memorandum of understanding either for the departure of the forces or to have a timetable for their withdrawal," a statement from Maliki's office quoted him as telling Arab ambassadors to the United Arab Emirates.
Or, is this an indication of serious disagreement between Iraq and the US?
"'As Ambassador Crocker has said, we are looking at conditions, and not calendars -- and both sides are in agreement on this point,' he added."
And what else might be at stake here?
"A possible withdrawal from Iraq has become a major issue in the US presidential election campaign and could also figure prominently in local elections in Iraq in October."
Of course looming elections have never influenced what a politician says to the home audience, have they.

The media is very accustomed to attempting to influence American voters, but remains quite oblivious to the impact of their spin on Iraq. But then what else is new?

The North West Passage

Being a history buff and having an interest in amusing instances of public hysteria, I want to post this comment from the website Climate Skeptic (typos from the original included, but emphasis added):
"The St Roch, a wooden sailing schooner (with auxillary engine) navigated NWP in 1942 from west to east (Vancouver BC to Halifax NS) and returned in 1944. Amundsen did it 38 years earlier. St Roch is a little ship, just over 100ft long. Too big to portage and certainly not an ice-breaker. So the passage must have been ice-free enough to permit her to pass. See wikipedia at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Roch.

I believe Shell oil navigated a tanker through there around 1965 as an experiment.

btw. Cumberland Sound is at only at 65N. It is completely unremarkable that it was ice free even early in the summer. Davis straight is right next door and over 600,000 tons of wheat pass that way annually from Churchill going to ports all over the world. The port is navigable from late May through early September with open water all the way through Davis Strait into Hudsons Bay. There is persistent pan ice and growlers that create navigation hazards but the seaway is navigable (with due care) by ordinary ships operating at their normal speeds.

What is the big surprise that the ice moves around and isn't where the observers say it should be?"
I was also a big fan of the late, great Canadian folk singer, Stan Rogers, whose song "North West Passage" was such a quintessential expression of Canadian culture. Anyone who remembers that song or is familiar with that part of Canadian history will know that ships and boats of various kinds have been navigating those waters for a very long time, not always successfully, mind you, but it's the disasters, not the successes, that usually make it into cultural lore status.

I think it's also interesting how Aboriginal people who live in Canada's northern region are touted out by the media to talk about how the "warming" we are experiencing in Canada's north has never happened before. There are people who believe anything that comes out of a First Nations person's mouth as irrefutable truth and that their cultural knowledge is preserved in pristine condition through generation upon generation upon generation. Balderdash, I say!!!

I remember listening a few years ago to (or reading, I don't really remember) a comment from some guy who I think might have been of Aboriginal ancestry, talking about how the discovery of some ancient fossil remains of a now extinct giant ancestor of the beaver confirms that his people had been in the area for many thousands of years. Essentially he was saying that because there was a legend about giant beavers that his people still told, that was proof they had been living in the area since that giant beaver was around. No. Sorry. It's not proof. I'm not saying his ancestors were not there that long, but it's just another example of amusing public hysteria. All that has to happen for such a legend to arise is for people to observe the fossil remains poking out of the ground, which could easily happen in warm summers in the Arctic.

Anyone ever heard of the Grandfather of the Buffalo legend? Do you think the Peigans were living in what is now southwest Alberta at the same time as the dinosaur? I rest my case, but I'll save for another day my "lecture" on what environmental conditions have to be present for homosapiens to survive at the height of an ice age.

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Hameed Abid Updates Us

One more post and I'll call it a day. Over at Iraq the Model, an old ITM fan from Britain, Hameed Abid, speaks about progress in his native land. Two of his comments are very interesting.

First, he says this about the relationship between Israel and Iraq and other Arab countries (typos in the original):
"Our Current Iraqi President Talabani has shaken hands with the Israeli Leader Ehud Barak in Athens after Mahmoud Abbas introduced him to him.

He went there not as the Iraqi President but as representative of his own Kurdish party.

All hell was let loose and the Iraqi President was told he should give evidence in Parliament for his apparent misdeed by jounalists from Arab countries some whith diplomatic relations with Israel.

What a load of Rubbish this is?

Iraq should ignore these calls and go ahead and sign a peace treaty with Israel as soon as possible.

We have had enough of this hypocratic behaviours by our politicians.

Iran received arms from Israel/USA- 'do you remember 'Iran Gate' to kill Iraqis with. Egypt has an Ambassador in Israel, Jordan has one too, Mauretania has another. Arab Tourists go there. trade is boomiong between all these three countries and Israel. The ruler of Qatar received Peres in his Palace, Syria is negtiating- open secret - with Israel via Turkey for now, the Palestinians for whom Iraq and the rest of the Arab world, lost a lot are trading with Israel daily, billions of dollars worth.

The King of Saudi Arabia instituted a move for peaceful negotiations with Israel not long ago.

What is all this noise and empty and stupid cries for? I do not really understand?

Please leave Talabani alone. he is probably the most sincere Iraqi patriot amongst the Iraqis so far.

Isn't it better for the Iraqi parliament to concentrate on more pressing issues required by the Iraqi people like security and water and electricity and employement and health care, rather than busy itself with such cases that could mean it is dealing with Hypocracy rather than with higher people's needs.

Isn't it time that some of the currrent useless memebers of Parlaiment shown the door?

I pray and hope that the Iraqi people will give them a bloody nose in the next election and clean out the dead wood."
In the second comment, he tells us a bit about the United Arab Emirates, which really is one of the more liberal and open societies in the Arab world. Still a kingdom, of course, but very attentive to the needs of its citizens. This is what Hameed reports about that country:
"Today the UAE cancelled approx. $7b. of debts on Iraq.

Thank you respected Shaikhs. May God protect you all for the benefit of your great people and country.

We look to the honour and pleasure to receive your Ambassador in Baghdad as soon as possible.

As Iraqis we are blessed to take part in building the Emirates with our skills and professionalism. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work in your generous UAE from time to time.

Now it will be our turn to receive you amongst us in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq as honoured guests and great and dear brothers."
Thanks, Hameed, for providing that very encouraging take on Middle Eastern politics. The future looks like it could be very much better than the past.

Hameed also gives a link to this story and shows a picture of the reopened swimming pool. Yes. Life is returning to normal.

Good Bye Al-Qaeda in Iraq?

Iraqis lead final purge of Al-Qaeda

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki announced today that the terrorists in Iraq have been defeated!
"American and Iraqi forces are driving Al-Qaeda in Iraq out of its last redoubt in the north of the country in the culmination of one of the most spectacular victories of the war on terror.

After being forced from its strongholds in the west and centre of Iraq in the past two years, Al-Qaeda’s dwindling band of fighters has made a defiant “last stand” in the northern city of Mosul.

A huge operation to crush the 1,200 fighters who remained from a terrorist force once estimated at more than 12,000 began on May 10.

Operation Lion’s Roar, in which the Iraqi army combined forces with the Americans’ 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment, has already resulted in the death of Abu Khalaf, the Al-Qaeda leader, and the capture of more than 1,000 suspects.

American and Iraqi leaders believe that while it would be premature to write off Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the Sunni group has lost control of its last urban base in Mosul and its remnants have been largely driven into the countryside to the south.

Major-General Mark Hertling, American commander in the north, said: “I think we’re at the irreversible point.”"
No wonder the MSM is ignoring Iraq. If Obama is the next president, let me just put it out here now that American troops will be coming home not because of Obama's promise, but because of George Bush's decision to stick it out to the end. He was a Churchill without the brilliant oratory. Too bad, that, but he really did stick to his guns and saw this through. It's just too bad he lacked the gift of the silver tongue, which can make all the difference in political life, and which, in this case, may have saved many Iraqi lives.

Hey. And after five years they're singing, too.

So What If "There's Oil in Them Hills"?

Considering yesterday's breaking news about stockpiles of yellowcake being removed from Iraq and ending up in Canada, this is as good a time as any to finish my series in response to our Useful Idiot, Sean S.. For previous installments, go here and Middle Eastern oil is the dominant source for oil hungry nations. In other words, the Middle East has the world over a barrel (pardon the pun). Not just the USA, but pretty much the entire world. Read just the first three paragraphs of this document and you'll get the drift. Consider also that Iraq has vast pools of oil reserves under her soil and is within easy reach of further vast pools in Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Moreover, there are "Big Oil" interests whose head offices, CEOs and major shareholders are in many countries other than the United States. So not only is continued access to that oil vital to US interests, but it is also vital to the interests of a vast swath of humanity.

2) Consider next that during Saddam Hussein's blitzkreig strike into Kuwait in 1991 (the conflict that became known as Gulf War I) he also made it into the north east corner of Saudi Arabia and could have kept going if he hadn't been stopped by the Americans. Saudi Arabia, as you probably know, is home to the largest supply of as yet untapped oil into the world, or at least what was known to be at that time. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what was on Saddam Hussein's agenda.

3) Consider also that Saddam Hussein went to war with his eastern neighbour, Iran, in 1980. The war with Iran, locus of another large pool of oil reserves, lasted eight years and if it hadn't been for the American's crafty game of giving each side just enough support to ensure neither side would win, it is quite possible Iraq would have won. Iraq had the fourth largest army in the world at that time. Only the US, the Soviet Union and China had bigger armed forces. Saddam Hussein was a megalomaniac who wanted to control the Middle East. He imagined himself a modern day Hammurabi or Nebuchadnezzar. You were still wet behind the ears at the time, so I don't expect you to know that Saddam Hussein, as with many Third World tyrants during the Cold War, was a master at playing the Soviets off against the West. If he had defeated Iran and had, as a consequence, been in control of the Strait of Hormuz, what would have stopped him from quickly shuffling that deck?

4) Contemplate the modern day implications of Saddam Hussein being in control of all of that oil by considering this piece of war game modeling done in the 1970s, as told by blogger Soldier's Dad (link in my sidebar), a man who was in a position at that time, to know whereof he speaks:
"The modeling in the 1970's as to what would happen if Middle East oil stopped flowing was 30,000 people a month would freeze to death in the first winter in Europe. Unemployment in Europe would reach 50% withing 90 days and unemployment in the US would reach 50% in 180 days. Every energy dependent country in the world would face massive civil unrest. Then the real war would start.

Neither China nor India were particularly large energy consumers then. They are now."
We already know that Saddam Hussein spent mega oil bucks on his own ego boosting self-aggrandizement, don't we? All those palaces serve as testimony to that.

5) Finally, consider what we all know and acknowledge about his record as a brutal tyrant. The list of his crimes against his own people is way too long to go into in any depth here, but if you don't know, read just this one for a general flavour of life under the Butcher of Baghdad. His atrocities are well documented and almost every retard leftist customarily acknowledges that record, even as they cavalierly wave it aside. His people were suffering and dying under a heavy handed sanctions regime, which he, of course, with his usual deft prowess, was sidestepping with the help of his buds at the United Nations. He also had two sons, one of whom was a psychotic, drug addicted monster, waiting to take over and extend the brutality well into the next generation.

We also know, although the left is more inclined to be in denial on this one, that he had a long record of supplying support to Middle Eastern terrorists, support in the form of training, financing and providing a safe haven inside of Iraq. The man was beefing up his ties with terrorist organizations, including Al Qaeda. He had the technical know-how and the raw materials to supply them with WMD and the connections to see it accomplished. There would have been a far greater swath of humanity than just Europeans plunged into the dark ages had he been able to achieve his goals, and it wouldn't have been solely because he could have denied access by the energy hungry world to the crude. It would also have been because of what he could arrange to have done via his terrorist proxies.

Honestly, Sean, should the farce of the sanctions regime not have been lifted and, if so, do you really think it would have been a good idea to restore him to his previous status, leaving him in a position where it was possible he could be in control of all of the oil in the Middle East? Can you imagine what he or his sons could have done with all that wealth? I can tell you, sweetheart, it would not just rival the stunt we've come to know as 9/11. It would monumentally dwarf it.

Are you telling me that the left really prefers that this dynasty be left intact, just because you want to believe and promote the idea the American's only interest was getting its hands on Iraq's oil? Hell. All the Americans had to do was act like leftards, ignore the threats, make like Saddam Hussein was president of the Rotary Club, cozy up to him and buy his oil! It would have been far cheaper and a lot less costly in American lives. But don't for a minute believe it would have stopped the Husseins from carrying on with their mega-maniacal ambitions. Six years after Neville Chamberlain proclaimed "peace in our times", as he waved his document of appeasement before the British press, 48 million people in more than 30 countries were dead. Would that have been okay with you, just as long as you get to bash George Bush?

Creaking Towards Extinction

Holy Crapolla!! If this happens, I want to see that organization dismantled and its diplomats booted out of North America. Enough.

Iran Announces Bid for UN Security Council Seat; U.S. to Oppose

If you can stomach it, check back often to keep an Eye on the UN.

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Man on the T-Shirt Update

The story I reported on here has a happy ending. He made it to the USA!!! Yah!!

Well, well, well.....

UPDATE: CBC actually reports it!!. Scaled down, mind you. Read the comments. Typical CBC brainwashed loons.

------------
Original post starts here:

Look what the blogosphere just broke:

US removes uranium from Iraq

"The removal of 550 metric tons of “yellowcake” — the seed material for higher-grade nuclear enrichment — was a significant step toward closing the books on Saddam’s nuclear legacy. It also brought relief to U.S. and Iraqi authorities who had worried the cache would reach insurgents or smugglers crossing to Iran to aid its nuclear ambitions."
[snip]
"The Iraqi government sold the yellowcake to a Canadian uranium producer, Cameco Corp., in a transaction the official described as worth “tens of millions of dollars.” A Cameco spokesman, Lyle Krahn, declined to discuss the price, but said the yellowcake will be processed at facilities in Ontario for use in energy-producing reactors.

“We are pleased … that we have taken (the yellowcake) from a volatile region into a stable area to produce clean electricity,” he said."
[snip]
"The deal culminated more than a year of intense diplomatic and military initiatives — kept hushed in fear of ambushes or attacks once the convoys were under way: first carrying 3,500 barrels by road to Baghdad, then on 37 military flights to the Indian Ocean atoll of Diego Garcia and finally aboard a U.S.-flagged ship for a 8,500-mile trip to Montreal."
I first read about it a few minutes ago here and here.

Anyone heard or read this on CBC yet? Let me count the ways this will be spun.

============================
And I missed this one. Posted about five weeks ago: Mass grave, tons of chemicals, 44 rockets and a partridge in a pear tree

Hitch Again

Back Here on the Home Front...

...via Blazing Cat Fur:

Longing for the Old Canada by David Warren

"In the course of this last grim week, the Ontario government of Dalton McGuinty quietly announced a huge expansion of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, giving its apparatchiks enhanced powers of intrusion, removing the cap on fines, providing a new class of lawyers to assist in prosecutions, and opening 22 new "hearing and mediation rooms" around the province where these star chambers will conduct their proceedings."


[snip]

"I was born a free citizen of the Old Canada and before her God I declare, that I will go to jail rather than acknowledge the legitimacy of any "human rights" commission. I invite other journalists and indeed, every other Canadian, to declare likewise."


Absolutely and without hesitation:

I AM A FREEBORN CITIZEN OF THE OLD CANADA AND BEFORE GOD I DECLARE, THAT I WILL GO TO JAIL RATHER THAN ACKNOWLEDGE THE LEGITIMACY OF ANY "HUMAN RIGHTS" COMMISSION.

IN FACT, I HAVE ALREADY DETERMINED THAT IN THE NEXT ELECTION I WILL TELL THE CANDIDATES IN MY RIDING THAT THE PARTY WHICH PROMISES TO REIN IN THE EXISTING COMMISSIONS WILL GET MY VOTE AND IF THAT PARTY FAILS TO DO SO, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR THEM AGAIN. IN FACT, I WILL VOTE, BUT EACH AND EVERY TIME, UNTIL THE JOB IS DONE, I WILL SPOIL MY BALLOT!!!!


Done!!

Illuminating Conversations....

..over at ITM's comments, as usual. This blog has single handedly done more to explain to the English speaking world what's going on in the Middle East than any other I can think of, including even the great Sandmonkey, who apparently is campaigning in the upcoming US elections. LOL!!!

At ITM, Omar is speculating on the prospect of war between Israel and Iran. In the comments is this great analysis of what could happen, should a full scale war break out. Sounds plausible to me.

From thewiz:
"It does seem likely that an attack on Iran is coming. One of Bush's favorite sayings is "We're not here to just kick the can down the road." Translation; former administrations did just enough to avoid the tough decisions, thus "kicking" those tough decisions to the next admin.

And there have been some indications that preperations are under way. First was the crackdown on the Shia militias in Iraq. One of Iran's biggest sticks was said militias doing major damage to US forces in Iraq as a retaliation. Now that option is pretty much gone.

Another indication is our supplying Israel with more and better anti-missles systems, advanced radars, bunker-busting bombs, and weaponry.

The attack last year on the Syrian nuke site was a good test of the latest and bestest Russian system that had just been installed in Syria. Seems the Russian system failed the test royally as the bombs went off before anyone on the ground had a clue that Isreali jets had even crossed into Syrian airspace.

Now Iran thinks its best defense is to widen the war. Since the Shia forces in Iraq have been pretty much neutralized, the obvious counterattack would be a full assault on Israel by Hezbullah and Hammas forces within Lebanon and Gaza. Perhaps they should rethink that one. Both sides can widen the war if it plays to their advantage.

The supply lines for both terror groups runs straight through Syria. All the leadership is in Damascuss. As soon as major hostilaty breaks out, Israel should feign a full out assault into Lebanon then quickly make a hard right turn into Syria and make a beeline to Damascuss. This would cut off 90% of their supplies, leadership, training bases, financing, weaponry, and amunition. Perhaps most importantly, it would be another major embarassment to the extremists.

This would leave Iran surrounded by three sides, Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. It would deal a tremendous blow to the Hez and Hammas. By removing a safe haven and transit point for the insurgent forces into Iraq, it would help pacify Iraq.

And who knows what intel would be gathered when we capture the many terror headquarters in Damascuss? We would find out all the ties to groups in Europe and the US, in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, the Philipines, and more. Not to mention N Korea, and the Russians. Maybe even within the UN itself. This would seriously damage the funding raising, recruiting, organizatioal abilities, propaganda and moral.



Widen the War ??? I say to Iran, be careful what you ask for . . . . .




.
thewiz | 07.03.08 - 10:20 pm |"


I've been wondering lately why France's Sarkozy has been making so much noise about Iran's nuclear ambitions and saying that Iran must not be allowed to build a nuclear bomb. Sarkozy has been making some important diplomatic excursions of late, as well, including one to Israel. France has historical ties to Lebanon and Syria. Lots of French speakers in those two countries. At least there used to be, many years ago when I was in Lebanon. Yup. France is back and engaged, except this time they are not propping up despots with whom they have lucrative oil contracts.

Friday, July 04, 2008

Good Looking Young Men On T-Shirts

I'd rather see his mug shot on a T-shirt than Che's. Che is so yesterday, and his body must be really cold and moldy by now. This young man, on the other hand, is really hot, don't ya think? And he's a real freedom fighter, to boot. Yup. Struggling to overthrow one of the most oppressive regimes on the earth today, he is. It helps to have a really pretty face, too. All the girls on campus will want one.

Don't know who he is? His name is Ahmad Batebi. He's Iranian and rumour has it that he has found his way to the United States. The great Satan still manages to attract genuinely oppressed people to its shores. Funny, that. Shucks, though. I wonder if that might put a damper on the potential volume of T-shirt sales.

In all seriousness, if the rumours are true, Godspeed to him. He is very likely not in good health and could be a broken, beaten, disfigured man much older than his actual years.

h/t Winston @ The Spirit of Man

Read Winston's account. He has something interesting to say about the Iraq connection.

The Soldier

On this 4th of July, a special day for our neighbours, we would do well to remember the soldier.

It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.

By Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC



Thank the Iraqi soldier and the American soldier that democratic institutions continue to develop in Iraq. And thank God and the soldier that we can blog. Otherwise, how the hell would we ever know. The MSM sure won't tell us.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Terminal Idiocy

Ever heard of Cory Glass? Jeremy Heinzman?

Well, these are latter day heroes from the "draft dodger" era who are trying to reclaim the glory days of when there really was a draft. These men, among others, fled to Canada to avoid going to war in Iraq.

Well, okay. I happen to disagree with your stand on the Iraq war, but I acknowledge that you, as American citizens, have every right to take a stand against a war your country has chosen to fight. But why bother coming to Canada?

Helloooooo!!!!

There is no draft to dodge.

You were not being forced to join the army.

Why in hells bells would any fool VOLUNTARILY join the armed forces if he or she does not want to go to war????? That's what armed forces are for - fer chris sake!!! Maybe you were in the wrong lineup. You must have wanted the one where they were handing out brains.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Global Warming. Oops!!!

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Take the global warming test. I got one wrong. Let's see how you do.

The Order of Canada!!

Cool!! Somebody I grew up with is getting the Order of Canada. Look way down toward the bottom of the list. Lorne Scott, Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Environment

Way to go, Lorne!!!

Lorne's mother was a good friend of my mother and his aunt was my mother's bridesmaid. His family and mine spent many a Sunday together either at our place or theirs eating the traditional Sunday roast "whatever" dinner. Lorne was involved in preserving nature since he was a kid. He was a shy, awkward farm boy who surprised us all by actually becoming a member of the provincial legislature and serving as a cabinet minister. We were honoured that he agreed to deliver the eulogy at our mother's funeral.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Free Speech?

Tomorrow, if they were still alive, my father and his twin brother would have been 102 years old. There is a letter my father sent home from Holland dated October 13th, 1944 in which he says:
"We are right in there pitching to beat hell and having quite an exciting time. We always manage to find a house or barn to sleep in, if we can get one with a basement, so much the better. As I write there are jerry shells whizzing around and landing quite close. About five minutes ago, just as I was finishing writing to Punch [his brother] one of the few remaining doors was knocked off our house by shrapnel. Before we came in the old man and old lady (between 70 and 80 years old) were both killed in the house, they chose not to evacuate and that was the result. All of the houses are smashed up and most of the civies have evacuated, quite a few dead jerries lying around.

We are on high ground overlooking the front and have a grandstand view of the battle up ahead. We have a wonderful artillery barrage and swell support from the Typhoons and Spits of the R.A.F. and R.C.A.F. They sure make a grand sight with their rockets, bombs and cannon. No air opposition and very little flak."
Of course, my dad was putting on a brave face. He sustained shrapnel in his leg during one of those battles and, according to my mother, after the war for a long time, he would have nightmares in his sleep. For many years afterward he and my mother exchanged letters with a Dutch couple with whom he had stayed during the war. To this day, the Dutch have a special place in their history for the brave Canucks who slugged it out beating back Hitler in those terrible times.

God bless him and my mother for the sacrifices of their generation, but didn't he slog his way through the Netherlands in 1944 to preserve freedom of expression for the Dutch? I hope they haven't forgotten.

Happy birthday, Dad. I honour you and the sacrifices made by your generation.