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March 31, 2005
When It Finally Happened
This is how I felt this morning as the news of Terry came across my car radio:
when it happened (finally) there was no fanfare there was no victory march. the winners and the losers, such as they were, left together in a line of quiet, crying people.Thanks, Dave.there was still anger there,
of course,
there was still outrage,
but all the fire, the heat and
light, was dampened by
the wool-blanket heaviness of grief
and the guilty relief that now
(they were ashamed to think it)
things could return to normal.
there was no need to fall on
their swords. one tragedy
did not deserve another.the vigilant packed up their
tents, their broken signs,
their melted candles, and
left. as they made their way
to cars of myriad origin,
the ones who paid
closest attention could
almost swear they heard
the gentle patter of
feathered wings, fluttering.
...and Hugh also puts a fine point on this matter:
Terri Schiavo has endured long enough to force nearly everyone to recognize the barbarity of a court order that forbids a mother from offering her dying daughter an ice-chip. The national shudder will have lasting effects, and those politicians who sought mercy for Terri Schiavo have nothing to fear from those effects.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:41 PM | Comments (0) |
Economy Still Growing
George W. Bush's tax cuts are still working:
The 0.3 percent rise in incomes was attributed to a surge of 262,000 new jobs in February, the biggest increase in four months. Further solid gains in both incomes and consumer spending are expected in the months ahead as the consumer continues to be a driving force in the economy.It really is too bad we didn't elect John Kerry so he could fix the dismal economy.For all of 2004, the economy grew by 4.4 percent, including a 3.8 percent growth rate in the final three months of the year. Analysts believe the economy in the first three months of this year probably grew at a 4 percent rate.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:28 PM | Comments (0) |
The BBC Knew
Glenn points to CounterColumn's observation that the BEEB isn't straight with their reporting.
I thought it might be useful to see what the BEEB itself reported about malnutrition in Iraq before the war began. Here's what I found:
Child death rate doubles in Iraq
They found that in south and central Iraq, infant mortality had risen to 108 per 1,000 between 1994 and 1999, while child mortality - covering those between one and five years - rocketed from 56 to 131 per 1,000.
Iraqi children suffer severe malnutrition, UN
The report found that child mortality rates had more than doubled in the last ten years. Iraq's health ministry said that more than ten thousand Iraqis, mainly young children, died in July because of the international sanctions imposed on the country following its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
Iraq says the sanctions are killing thousands of children and have called for an immediate end to them.According to the UN children's charity, UNICEF, about half a million children under the age of five have died in Iraq since the sanctions were imposed.
UN to investigate Iraqi suffering
Unicef said that more than a million Iraqi children were malnourished and child mortality rates had soared since the imposition of sanctions. It blamed both the sanctions and Iraqi government policies.
So when the BBC falsely reports doubled malnutrition rates in Iraq, they certainly cannot claim ignorance.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:00 PM | Comments (0) |
March 17, 2005
Jesus Freaks in Europe
I was in Germany for two days a few yeears ago and while there we took a tour of the city of Frankfurt. The tour, of course, included some churches that were rebuilt versions of very old buildings that had been completely destroyed in WWII.
Our tour guide made it a point to explain how the protestant reformation began in Germany with Martin Luther. He ended his dissertation proudly stating that, "Much has changed. Germany is no longer a Christian country. We're very secular."
Arguably, the church is breathing its last breathe in Germany, and perhaps in all Europe. Fortunately, Christians worship a God who is all about ressurection. Europe is beginning to see the marks of a new revival, energized not by the organized, state-run churches, but by young men and women who want nothing less than an authentic relationship with the Living God:
They don't take drugs, don't believe in sex before marriage and slam homosexuality as a disease, but for all that, the Jesus Freaks distance themselves from the idea of political conservatism. Rather than running around bashing their bibles, they are more likely to be found banging their heads to the din of trash metal.It all began back in 1991 in a bedroom in the city of Hamburg. Three spiritual souls came clean and admitted their shared wish to make Jesus a part of their lives. United in their belief that their saviour rose from the dead 2,000 years ago and is still alive today, they made it their mission to activate him in their lives. It was the first time they had felt free enough to drop their guard and began to pray.
"In front of God, we were able to be ourselves and we wanted everything he had to give us. Most people who joined our meetings later, came because they believed in Jesus but had struggled to be accepted as they are," the freaks say on their Web site.
Posted by bubba138 at 11:01 AM | Comments (0) |
March 16, 2005
Harvard Then and Now
Then:
Harvard's "Rules and Precepts adopted in 1646 included the following essentials: "Every one shall consider the main end of his life and studies to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life. Seeing the Lord giveth wisdom, every one shall seriously by prayer in secret seek wisdom of Him. Every one shall so exercise himself in reading the Scriptures twice a day that they be ready to give an account of their proficiency therein, both in theoretical observations of languages and logic, and in practical and spiritual truths...."Now:According to reliable calculations, 52 percent of the 17th century Harvard graduates became ministers!
Most of the faculty decided to support the misguided declarations based on a flawed reasoning; the intent to divide the faculty and suppress everyone who has a different opinion; a disrespect to the free inquiry and the academic search for the truth; a chaotic approach to the management; an ordinary human misunderstanding. I am sure that many of those who supported the motion will think that their dogmas have been declared universally true. But they have not. The truth (i.e. VERITAS from Harvard's logo) does not really care about the confused opinions of a few (namely two) hundreds of colleagues of ours, and I hope that the Harvard Corporation cares just an infinitesimal bit more.Harvard went from uplifting Christ to denying Christ to creating their own truth to persecuting one who spoke truth.No doubt, most of the votes supporting the shameful declarations came from humanities and social sciences - especially the people who think that they can determine the scientific truth by a vote (and a couple of politically powerful friends). Those who believe that the objective truth (and objective science) cannot exist and all opinions reflect the political power - and the people who are living their lives trying to prove this point.
Any questions?
Posted by bubba138 at 08:25 AM | Comments (0) |
March 14, 2005
Pimping for the Left
Paul over at Wizbang is aghast at the AP's practice of publishing press releases for special interest groups and passing that off as journalism. Just so we all see how non-biased the blogosphere really is, I'll take the other side and argue that Mr. Fowler really did not print the press release as is. To prove my point, here are the press release and the article side-by-side:
| Press Release | AP Article | |
| Himalayan glaciers are among the fastest retreating glaciers globally due to the effects of global warming, and this will eventually result in water shortages for hundreds of millions of people who rely on glacier-dependent rivers in China, India and Nepal, warns WWF, the global conservation organization. | The shrinking of Himalayan glaciers could fuel an upswing in flooding in China, India and Nepal, before creating water shortages for hundreds of millions of people across the region, a leading environmental group warned Monday. | |
| A new WWF report - An Overview of Glaciers, Glacier Retreat and Subsequent Impacts in Nepal, India and China - reveals the rate of retreat of Himalayan glaciers accelerating as global warming increases. The report states that glaciers in the region are now receding at an average rate of 10-15 metres per year. | In a report, the Switzerland-based World Wide Fund for Nature said the rate of retreat of the Asian mountain range's glaciers is accelerating because of global warming, and has now reached 33-49 feet a year. | |
| "The rapid melting of Himalayan glaciers will first increase the volume of water in rivers, causing widespread flooding," said Jennifer Morgan, Director of WWF's Global Climate Change Programme. "But in a few decades this situation will change and the water level in rivers will decline, meaning massive economic and environmental problems for people in western China, Nepal and northern India." | "The rapid melting of Himalayan glaciers will first increase the volume of water in rivers causing widespread flooding," said Jennifer Morgan, head of WWF's global climate change program. "But in a few decades this situation will change and the water level in rivers will decline, meaning massive economic and environmental problems for people in Western China, Nepal and Northern India." | |
| Himalayan glaciers feed into seven of Asia's greatest rivers (the Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, Salween, Mekong, Yangtze and Huange He), ensuring a year-round water supply to hundreds of millions of people in the Indian subcontinent and China. As glacier water flows dwindle, the energy potential of hydroelectric power will decrease causing problems for industry, while reduced irrigation means lower crop production. | Himalayan glaciers feed into seven of Asia's biggest rivers: the Ganges; Indus; Brahmaputra; Mekong; Thanlwin, formerly known as the Salween; Yangtze and Yellow. WWF noted that this ensures a year-round water supply to hundreds of millions of people in the Indian subcontinent and China. As glacier water flows dwindle, the energy potential of hydroelectric power will decrease, causing problems for industry, while reduced irrigation means lower crop production, it said. | |
| Nepal has an annual average temperature rise of 0.06°C per year. The report shows that three of Nepal's snow-fed rivers have shown declining trends in discharge. In China, the report shows that Qinhai Plateau's wetlands have seen declining lake water levels, lake shrinkage, the absence of water flow in rivers and streams, and the degradation of swamp wetlands. In India, the Gangotri glacier, which supports one of India's largest river basins, is receding at an average rate of 23 metres per year. | Nepal has an annual average temperature rise of .11 degrees Fahrenheit. The report said that flows have decreased in three of Nepal's snow-fed rivers. In China, the report said, the Qinhai Plateau's wetlands have seen declining lake water levels, lake shrinkage, and the degradation of swampland. In India, the Gangotri glacier, which supports one of India's largest river basins, is receding at an average rate of 76 feet per year. |
Hmmm. I guess Paul has a point after all.
Posted by bubba138 at 01:58 PM | Comments (0) |
The People No Longer Count
Jesse Jackson was stirring up angst in a Fort Washington church yesterday claiming the United States no longer practiced democracy:
"We are fighting for democracy in Iraq that we don't have in this country," Jackson told the congregation.Before you knee-jerk into a typical (and quite deservedly) anti-Jesse Jackson rant, consider perhaps he might be right -- just not in a way he would admit.
Case in point, one would think if a state's voters passed a proposition with better than a 60% majority the courts would honor the will of the people. Instead, because Iraq has a democracy and the U.S. (or at least California) does not, the will of the people means nothing:
A Superior Court judge has ruled that California's law limiting marriage to a union between a man and a woman is unconstitutional.Two weeks ago I was talking to the aide of one of California's state senators. I asked him on what issues was his boss was focusing and one of the top two issues was an amendment to the California State Constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman. I countered that was a waste of time because Californians passed Prop. 22 overwhelmingly. He held fast in his belief that an amendment would soon be needed. To my chagrin, he was right.Since Jan. 1, same-sex couples registering as domestic partners in California have been granted virtually all the rights and responsibilities of marriage, so the arguments for striking down the state's gay marriage ban have centered as much on the social meaning of marriage as its legal benefits.
Update: Boi from Troy says "Hoooooray!!! Good news out of San Francisco in California gay and lesbians' struggle for equal rights."
Boi misses two crucial points with his view. First, because of the above cited legislation that took affect the first day of this year, same-sex couples in California already enjoy "all the rights and responsibilities of marriage." The only battle in California left is for the same-sex lobby to force acceptance of the lifestyle down the throats of those who do not condone it.
Second, there is a greater principle under attack by this ruling. Any ruling that so clearly slaps down the clear will of the people must be held under close scrutiny. This is a clear transference of power from the people to the courts. Every ruling of this type further weakens the power of the people and strengthens those who would use power for their own gain. Because of rulings like this -- not rulings on gay marriage, but rulings that oppress the will of the people -- the very fabric of democracy is at risk.
If we want gay marriage in California, put it on the ballot. Let the people decide. Then be done with it.
Posted by bubba138 at 01:12 PM | Comments (0) |
Steps on the Roadmap to Peace
Abbas is expected to make a major consession for peace with Israel this week:
According to a report in the London-based daily A-Sharq al-Awsat, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is expected to introduce a revised approach to impending negotiations with Israel, which includes significant concessions regarding the right of return.This has been one of the major roadblocks to the peace process in the past. Abbas has a huge challenge in front of him if he tries to push this on the likes of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Still, this provides even more evidence that Abbas is committed to peace in Israel/Palestine and he has the wisdom to see that peace only comes through compromise.Abbas, the report said, would inform representatives of the various factions that it would not be possible to permit all of the refugees to return to the Palestinian territories.
Credit also goes to Sharon in this. His insistance that certain Israeli settlements be dismantled has cost him politically, but has shown Abbas he has a partner in peace. As long as each side acts thusly, there is hope.
Posted by bubba138 at 10:46 AM | Comments (0) |
Syrians Give Hizb Allah the Finger
Hizb Allah tried its best to make itself look like the poeple's choice last week. It failed:
Hundreds of thousands of opposition demonstrators chanted "Freedom, sovereignty, independence" and unfurled a huge Lebanese flag in Beirut on Monday, the biggest protest yet in the opposition's duel of street rallies with supporters of the Damascus-backed government.Today's protest was certainly more diverse than Hizb Allah's last week. One can bet they were not bussing participants in from other countries, either. These were true Lebanese.Crowds of men, women and children flooded Martyrs Square, spilling over into nearby streets, while more from across the country packed the roads into Beirut responding to an opposition call to demonstrate for the removal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.
Monday's protest easily topped a pro-government rally of hundreds of thousands of people last week by the Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah.
Reinstating Karami as Prime Minister after he had resigned proved to be a rallying point for the opposition:
Many were also particularly offended by pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud's reinstatement last week of Prime Minister Omar Karami, who was forced to resign on Feb. 28 by a giant opposition protest."They are challenging us, and we are here to show them that we will not accept," said banker Farid Samaha as he joined the demonstration. "We are determined to liberate our country and we will not stop."
Update: Here is more evidence of diversity:
Crowds of Druse, Christians and Sunni Muslims flooded Martyrs’ Square and spilled over into nearby streets – responding to an opposition call to turn out for the removal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.
Update: Morrisey:
They may have miscalculated by putting Karami back in charge. It tipped their hand, showing their loyalty to Damascus over Beirut, and the protestors in the streets tell them that without Damascus, their days in power are numbered.Numbered and counting.
Posted by bubba138 at 10:11 AM | Comments (0) |
Democrats Shooting Selves in Foot
Sebastian Mallaby has a must read article on Social Security in today's Washington Post:
They are so anxious to denounce private accounts that they fail to acknowledge the most basic point: Social Security has a serious deficit. The Post reported Friday that nearly every Democratic senator refuses even to contemplate the Bush proposals. But the Democrats have no proposal of their own. They sound negative and irresponsible.A progressive Democratic Party would introduce its own Social Security reform bill...
But progressive Democrats should also admit the truth about Republican proposals: They're a heck of a lot better than leaving Social Security's deficit to get worse...
After all, well-designed personal accounts benefit poor Americans, not the rich. The rich already own stocks, and having a new way of holding shares should logically lead them to switch other savings out of equities and into bonds, so that their overall risk profile stays constant. It is the bottom half of households that stand to gain from the opportunity (not the obligation) to own equities as part of their retirement savings. Democrats who say that any personal accounts are a first step to dismantling the system should recall their own fury at equivalent Republican claims -- that Hillarycare, for example, promised "socialized medicine."
Posted by bubba138 at 09:39 AM | Comments (0) |
March 11, 2005
Too Stupid to Live
...but still alive anyway.
Posted by bubba138 at 11:15 AM | Comments (0) |
Iranians Stage Unique Airport Protest
Some 60 passengers claiming to be of Iranian origin were detained by Belgian police early Friday after staging a sit-in on a Lufthansa plane at Brussels airport for nearly 16 hours overnight, officials said.So far the press hasn't published much information on what the Azarakhsh organization stands for, or who is behind it.About five of the 57 or 58 passengers refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and had to be carried off the plane, according to another police spokesman, Vincent Olivier.
A young Iranian, who spoke to reporters at Brussels airport on behalf of the passengers, said the action had been under preparation for five months by a London-based Iranian monarchist group, "Azarakhsh."
"We all ask the leaders of the European Union (not to) support the regime in Iran. We don't ask nobody, no country, nor any power in the world to help us to change the regime. We can do it ourselves," said the man who identified himself as Ramin.
Apparently, the group is headed up by one Dr. Fouladvand, who broadcasts a satellite program on U.S.-based Farsi-language Ma-TV.
One Iranian blogger watches Dr. Fouladvand's programs and has this to say:
But Fouladvand is not just another TV presenter. He has started a movement for overthrowing the Islamic regime and this TV station is a way of giving and getting information to and from Iran. I don't much about how they plan to overthrow the regime because obviously they are being secretive and don't want the regime to know their plans. A major problem is that not everyone has a satellite and knows about this show and this movement. But he has become very popular despite all odds. If any country is ready for leaving Islam, it is Iran. I mean lets face it. If this program was broadcasted in any other language this station would be bombarded with angry hatemail and hate phone calls about how you are insulting our religion and our prophet and you should be killed. But people call him left and right and thank him for saying what was in their minds all along but they didn't have the guts to come out and talk about it in public. The only ones who seems to be angry are mullahs such as Shariatmadari and his ilk. Plus people watch him despite the fact that his internet broadcast has very very very low quality and gets cut off every two minutes and there are a lot more interesting TV stations showing the latest fashion and music. Who wants to hear 24 hours of Islamic doom and gloom about beheadings and stonings when you can watch movies and listen to music? But people do.Dr. Fouladvand's program has landed him in hot water with some fairly serious people. His claims that "Islam was invented by a dissident Persian" have propmted Iranian hardliners to called for his death:
Britain on Tuesday strongly condemned a UK-based Iranian exile TV presenter whose inflammatory broadcasts insulting Islam have provoked religious hardliners in Iran to call openly for his murder.That's not all, he's also pissed off Hizb Allah who claimed on January 19th: "After one month, our commandos will carry out suicide attacks in London against the shameless presenter of the channel." They're late.
But in a case with echoes of the Iranian fatwa against British author Salman Rushdie, the British government hinted police were considering special protection for Manouchehr Fouladvand in view of the threats.Clerics in Iran have not issued a religious edict, or fatwa, calling for Fouladvand's murder, as Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini did in Rushdie's case in 1989.
But his broadcasts on the U.S.-based Farsi-language Ma-TV, in which he frequently mocks the Prophet Muhammad and Islam's holy book the Koran, have upset many Iranians and spurred hardline commentators to call for his death.
"The firing of a bullet into his damned and blasphemous head is an incontestable necessity, and how cherished is the emissary of that bullet," Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of the hardline Kayhan daily, said in an editorial.
Not being able to speak Farsi, it is difficult to know what Fouladvand's intentions are beyond bringing down the current Iranian political structure. It does seem as if he is as much a spiritual leader as a political one. At this point I do not think his "movement" is one which pro-democracy forces should align themselves.
Update: Don't miss this article where Dr. Fouladvand suggests Iran's recent earthquakes are actually caused by nuclear bomb tests.
Update: Here is more on the protest in Brussels:
"We want the European Union to remove the Islamic leaders from Iran. We want to remove the mullahs from power," Armin Atshgar, a protester on the flight, told Reuters by mobile phone from the aircraft.Atshgar, who said he held a Belgian passport, added that he and his fellow protesters would not leave the aircraft until they had spoken to a member of the European parliament. He added that there were children and pregnant women on the aircraft but said there were no weapons and the mood was calm and safe.
Posted by bubba138 at 09:56 AM | Comments (0) |
Free Speech or Campaign Finance Reform
The blogosphere is all abuzz with scary visions of government crack-downs on political speech on the internet. Our country was founded on political speech expressed in the form of printed hand-bills -- flyers -- without which ideas of freedom and democracy would have never taken hold. There is no possibility that any law that sought to regulate the electronic version of the same thing would stand for a second in any U.S. court.
Even if it does, how could the government enforce it? The internet is replete with pornography that is clearly illegal in the U.S. Yet legislators and law enforcement is powerless to stop it because it is hosted on servers outside of U.S. juristidction.
Samizdata's Perry de Havilland, a London resident, says if needs be, the same strategy can be used for political blogging:
There are few things more corrosive to the power of the state than for it to decree something and then be seen to be unable to enforce its writ. So let Colleen Kollar-Kotelly do her worst. You want to link to a Democratic or Republican campaign site regardless of what regulations say you can or cannot do? Simple... off-shore hosting. Host your blog outside the USA and post using a pseudonym (like maybe "Tom Paine" or "Ben Franklin") and then link to whoever the hell you want to. Moreover put a banner on your blog saying "This Blog is in wilful [sic] violation of US Campaign Laws and there is not a damn thing you can do about it".That would just about do it.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:14 AM | Comments (0) |
Giuliana Sgrena: Clear Deceit
In a recent BBC interview Sgrena said:
I can't say it was deliberate because we can't say if there was a lack of information. But also a lack of information in this case is [their] responsibility because you are in a war field and you have the responsibility to pass immediately any information.Of course, her argument depends on the assumption the Americans were kept up-to-date on the Italian's goings on -- except they weren't:The information was given to the Italians to tell the Americans that we were on the road. Now, I can't say why they shot at us in this way but it's a very big responsibility and we ask for a response on what happened.
Both newspapers cited a report by Gen. Mario Marioli, an Italian who is the coalition forces' second-in-command. The report has been given to Rome prosecutors investigating the killing.With each day it becomes more and more clear. Sgrena went to Iraq with the intent of supporting terrorists and opposing the coalition. Because of her actions, a good man is dead, but she is not going to let that stand in the way of her mission to discredit the U.S.According to the newspapers, Marioli informed U.S. officials that Calipari and the other Italian officer were there, but not that the mission was aimed at releasing Sgrena.
The papers had conflicting versions over how much Marioli knew: Corriere said he knew the Calipari was working to have the hostage released, La Repubblica said he didn't.
More here from Captain Ed who is all over this story.
Posted by bubba138 at 07:50 AM | Comments (0) |
Heeee's Baaaack
Jeff Doolittle has been MIA for quite some time, but now he's back to blogging.
Go say "Hi!"
Posted by bubba138 at 06:58 AM | Comments (0) |
March 10, 2005
Courting the Black Vote
A couple of weeks ago prominent black leaders held the annual "State of the Black Union Symposium." Many have already commented on it (specifically, Ambra Nykol has a take worth checking out). One thing that stood out for me was Donna Brazille's paranoia that the Republicans were tricking blacks to switch parties.
But she was right about one thing, the Democrats are losing support from what was once a solid base of black voters. African Americans are not fleeing the Democrat party in droves, but there is a a slow but steady stream that are switching sides.
There is also no doubt that the Republican party is actively courting the black vote like they have never done before:
Republican officials will announce today a committee of African American leaders and experts on minority voting to develop a strategy to attract more blacks to the GOP.Where Brazille is far off base is in her assertion that Republicans are using the "bait-and-switch," luring blacks into the party on moral issues and then promoting social/economic issues that are harmful to them.The group includes well-known black conservatives, such as former Rep. J.C. Watts (R-Okla.), and activists drawn to the party in recent years by the Bush administration's outreach to African American ministers and business people.
In recent days, [RNC chairman Ken] Mehlman attended a series of town hall meetings in black communities and appeared on a television show hosted by black commentator Tavis Smiley.
Her assesment could not be further from the truth. The Demcrats have for years told black voters that abortion on demand, a practice that kills black babies in at a significantly higher rate that white, is good for them. In rejecting educational choice (school vouchers) Democrats have favored teacher's unions over the desire of the majority of black parents. Democrats continue to embrace extortionists like Jesse Jackson and even give racists like Al Sharpton a prime-time seat in the run for the Presidential nomination. In doing so they paint a caricature that makes it easy for the country to marginalize blacks.
The truth of the matter is that blacks are not really leaving the Democrats but the Democrats long ago left blacks. Each year more and more figure this out and return to the party of Lincoln, the party of opportunity, the party of (dare I say it?) inclusion.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:16 PM | Comments (0) |
Kahn Gave Axis of Evil a Nuclear Leg-Up
It is not news that part of the reason Iran and North Korea are as far along down the road to nuclear armorment is Pakistan's Abdul Qadeer Khan sold material and information to them. However until today, the Pakistani government has been reluctant to admit Kahn's activities. Now, they say, Kahn did trade nuclear commodities, but no one in the Pakistani government knew anything about it:
"Dr Abdul Qadeer gave some centrifuges to Iran," Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told the Associated Press in a telephone interview. "He helped Iran in his personal capacity, and the Pakistan government had nothing to do with it."I do not think this story is done. I'm willing to bet that as time goes by, we will discover that more and more Pakistani officials not only knew of, but approved, these sales.On Sunday, former Iranian president Hashemi Rafsanjani admitted his country secretly dipped into the black market to buy material, saying it was necessary because of US sanctions and European restrictions that denied Iran access to advanced civilian nuclear technology.
Update: Captain Ed sez:
The Klaus Fuchs of Pakistan will not face any international tribunal; the Pakistanis have far too much gratitude for his development of weapons to match the Indian nuclear arsenal to cough him up. They have even refused to make him available for questioning, however, which creates suspicion that Khan didn't exactly go out on his own to assist the Axis of Evil tyrants.Yep.
AND THE California Yankee notices there is some good news coming out of this.
Posted by bubba138 at 10:42 AM | Comments (0) |
March 09, 2005
Social Security
Don't worry about Social Security. The leading economist at the New York Times says it is not a crisis. Or does he?
Posted by bubba138 at 04:06 PM | Comments (0) |
What Kills a Church?
Liberal ideology, that's what:
Churches are being "silent" and "lukewarm" in the face of moral and social collapse, according to the £20,000, year-long study of 14,000 British churchgoers and those who have left the Church.Researchers found "a widespread sense of anger and frustration" at what was happening to churches in the UK and Ireland. The 42-page report is an indictment of modern preaching and worship, illustrating how excessive liberalism and lack of conviction are driving worshippers from the pews.
Posted by bubba138 at 03:55 PM | Comments (0) |
A Matter of Priorities
Dr. John Mark Reynolds:
The next time someone tells you it does not matter which party is in power show them this story. The next time you hear that the Democrat Party welcomes pro-life points of view show them this story. The Democrat Party so venerates the notion of killing the unborn that it erects higher protections around an abortion clinic than it does around a church.Go read what he's talking about.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:29 PM | Comments (0) |
California for Democracy Against Democracy
The California arm of Howard Dean's Democracy for America organization is mobilizing against Governor Schwarzenegger's reform proposals:
California for Democracy...is planning a high-tech campaign targeting the Republican governor, who wraps up an out-of-state fund- raising tour in Washington today.So what we have here is an organization calling itself California for Democracy putting together a strategy to block a democratic election....volunteers from California for Democracy hope to frustrate [the Governor's] efforts. They plan to use the Web and mobile technology to keep roughly 9,000 supporters abreast of the whereabouts of signature-gatherers for Schwarzenegger ballot initiatives. Organizers say volunteers will then head to those locations to distribute the group's leaflets denouncing the planned special election, which opponents note will cost as much as $70 million.
Is the irony thick enough for you? Let's try and make it thicker.
According to the linked article, these rapid response teams were dreamt up during a conference call with Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles), who opposes the Governor's reforms. The simple fact of the matter is Speaker Núñez could stop the special elections single-handedly by simply putting together his own reform proposal and placing it on the governor's desk.
Gov. Schwarzenegger is not campaigning for a special election because he does not like the Democrat's proposals, but because they refuse to propose anything at all. He is willing to deal, negotiate, do what ever it takes to fix the recurring budget problems in this state but no one, neither Democrat nor Republican, will play ball.
So the reality we see here is Assembly-person Núñez is mobilizing Democracy advocates to prevent a democratic exercise he could stop on his own.
Now it's thick enough.
(Hat tip: Taranto)
Posted by bubba138 at 01:31 PM | Comments (0) |
Blogs Influence on Politics
Blogpulse comments on a recent study of the influence of blogs in politics. The findings are interesting, but it looks more like an observation of how poli-blogs digest politics than how they actually influenced them. Still, the study is worth a quick read. Here is a snippet:
• Conservative blogs also linked to more numbers of blogs (15.1 average) than did liberal blogs (13.6 average). In the single-day snapshot analysis, the most linked to liberal blog had more links (Daily Kos at 338) than the most linked to conservative blog (Instapundit at 277), although Glance and Adamic found that "the distribution of inlinks is highly uneven, with a few blogs of either persuasion having over a hundred incoming links, while hundreds of blogs have just one or two."
Posted by bubba138 at 11:43 AM | Comments (0) |
Putting Freedom to the Test
Anyone who has been in America for a while has seen the slogan "Freedom is not free" on a bumper-sticker or placard. In Lebanon, that phrase is more than just a slogan, it is stark reality.
For the last two weeks pro-democracy, pro-freedom demonstrators have come out and voiced their message to very little resistance. Yesterday's pro-Syria demonstrations, although very possibly contrived, could take the wind out of the sails of the opposition. It has certainly emboldened the pro-Syria government, as they nominated an interesting choice for Prime Minister:
A total of 69 deputies from the 128-member chamber named Karami in consultations with President Emile Lahoud, the sources said. The pro-Syrian president was now bound to appoint Karami, who resigned last week, as prime minister-designate.This move shows last week's actions by the Lebanese government was not in earnest. Instead, it was a stalling tactic designed to de-escalate the growing conflict with the opposition.
This is a moment of truth for the pro-Lebanon opposition. Are they going to choose freedom, or are they going to sit down and shut up as Bashar Assad would prefer?
Update: Captain Ed is optimistic, but he asks a different question:
I suspect that new pro-democracy rallies will be attempted after this slap in the face. The question will be whether they are tolerated as before by the Lahoud/Karami coalition and the guns of Hezbollah, and what the Lebanese Army decides to do about supporting either.Given the reaction of the masses to the assasination of Hariri, one would guess a show of force against pro-freedom demonstrators would be a bad move. Then again, doing nothing against the demonstrators hasn't gained Syria any ground either, so what could they lose?
Posted by bubba138 at 09:25 AM | Comments (0) |
Giuliana Sgrena: Clear Motivation
Read this translation of a Dutch article then tell me that Sgrena is being honest about her account:
'Be careful not to get kidnapped,' I told the female Italian journalist sitting next to me in the small plane that was headed for Baghdad. 'Oh no,' she said. 'That won't happen. We are siding with the oppressed Iraqi people. No Iraqi would kidnap us.'This is the very same segment of the world's population that accuses President George W. Bush of being an idiot.It doesn't sound very nice to be critical of a fellow reporter. But Sgrena's attitude is a disgrace for journalism. Or didn't she tell me back in the plane that 'common journalists such as yourself' simply do not support the Iraqi people? 'The Americans are the biggest enemies of mankind,' the three women behind me had told me, for Sgrena travelled to Iraq with two Italian colleagues who hated the Americans as well.
(Doornbos goes on to explain how the women demeaned him for travelling as an embedded reporter with the US military, for security reasons. They didn't want to hear about any safety concerns.)
'You don't understand the situation. We are anti-imperialists, anti-capitalists, communists,' they said. The Iraqis only kidnap American sympathizers, the enemies of the Americans have nothing to fear.
But they knew better. When we arrived at Baghdad Airport, I was waiting for a jeep from the American army to come pick me up. I saw one of the Italian women walking around crying. An Iraqi had stolen her computer and television equipment. They were standing outside shivering, waiting for a cab to take them to Baghdad.
With her bias Sgrena did not only jeopardize herself, but due to her behavior a security officer is now dead, and the Italian government (prime minister Berlusconi included) has had to spend millions of euros to save her life.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:45 AM | Comments (0) |
March 08, 2005
Look Ma, No Vocal Cords
ASV:
If Mikalah doesn't get booted off this week I am going to hunt her down and rip her vocal chords out so she has no chance.Amen to that, sister.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:34 PM | Comments (0) |
Kifaya!
ENOUGH! Say the Arabs:
The recent protests in Cairo and Beirut have been organised with the chant of a new Arab movement kifaya, Arabic for enough.This is the beginning of an underground revolution happening not only in the streets of Arabic lands, but more importantly in the hearts and minds of the Arabic peoples. Like a desease it spreads, but the symptoms are liberty, free speech and equality.Could this one word be a harbinger of a muscular popular Arab revolt such as the movement that guided millions of people in Eastern Europe in shedding their tired old despotic regimes after the fall of the Soviet Union?
Could this be early warnings of an Arab political tsunami? If so, which ruler or what Arab policies are next in the line of fire?
Certainly across the region, kifaya is now addressed to concepts of government including dynastic tyrannies handed down from father to son, massive theft of public funds, the prevalent lack of transparency in business and the conduct of the affairs of state and mental retardation spread by imposters posing as religious leaders.
To all of these, Arabs have for some time now said kifaya.
This kifaya tsunami has done damage in Egypt already. Its rumblings were strong enough to persuade Mubarak into a hesitant declaration that he would contest his fifth presidential term against some opponents instead of running alone in a referendum.
Whether he means it or not remains to be seen, but the kifaya folks will not let up.
In truth, these internet Saudi critics were saying kifaya. Either we have free elections or we don't. There is no such thing as being half-pregnant with democracy.
It may be early days for Arab liberation to blossom, but hopefully all Arabs will remain tuned to Lebanese, Egyptian and Iraqi scenes of people's power unfolding before our eyes.
Kifaya will soon spread to non-Arabic countries, as well. The Persians will no doubt be next. The flame has been lit, and it will not be extinguished.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:28 PM | Comments (0) |
Giuliana Sgrena: No Ransom Paid?
If you believe those who kidnapped Sgrena, there was no ransom after all:
The suspected kidnappers of former Italian hostage Giuliana Sgrena said in a video broadcast by Italian media on Tuesday that no ransom was paid to end the journalist's month-long captivity.Wait a minute, didn't Sgrena say the U.S. soldiers tried to kill her because they did not like the idea of paying ransoms to terrorists? If no ransom was paid there is no cause to shoot her, and no cause makes the shooting an accident."The insurgency refuses to be paid," the voice-over of the video shown by public RAI television and news channel Sky24 said.
The suspected abductors also claimed that the United States had sought to kill Sgrena who was wounded when a US patrol opened fire on her vehicle on the road to Baghdad airport on Friday.
I sure wish these anti-US types would get their stories straight.
Further, if no ransom was paid, one would think the Italians would have come right out said so. Instead, they have put the world in a holding pattern while they check:
The parliamentary committee controlling secret services and security services "has not yet received answers" by the government on the possible payment of a ransom for the liberation of Giuliana Sgrena, stated Enzo Bianco, committee president, at the microphones of "Radio anch'io". "The fact that Italy could have paid a ransom is a very delicate topic, talked and written about by media, but we are not sure that this really happened. Certainly in Italy the choice not to pay ransoms was a winning choice against the phenomenon of kidnapping for the purpose of extortion, particularly serious during the 70ies, but Baghdad is a completely different reality, Italy is united in undertaking any possible step to free possible hostages".
Posted by bubba138 at 03:59 PM | Comments (0) |
Important Legislation
California's legislators are not at all happy with the Governor's tour of the state to build support for his reform proposals. Gov. Schwarzenegger sees four issues as the most important to California:
- Change state employee pensions into 401(k) plans similar to those that private employees get
- Keep teachers accountable by making tenure harder to achieve
- Make compensation for teachers merit based
- Draw districts in a non-partisan way so the politicians are selected by the votes instead of the other way around
They have not done so. They have been working on much more important issues, like:
- Banning ear-cropping for dogs
- Regulating where ice-cream trucks park
- Regulating the changing of sports team names (re: Anaheim / Los Angeles Angels)
- Banning sports teams from being named after ethnic groups
- Passing out free condoms to prison inmates
- Mandate unfunded local programs to teach retailers to tell their customers that riding pocket-bikes on highways is illegal
- Prohibit smoking on state beaches
- Require handguns to "microstamp" shells before they are fired.
- Make it legal to own ferrets as pets
Posted by bubba138 at 03:45 PM | Comments (0) |
Giuliana Sgrena: Checking the Facts
Here's one side of the story:
Sgrena's editor at the daily Il Manifesto, Gabriele Polo, said Italian officials told him 300 to 400 rounds were fired at the car. Italian military officials said two other intelligence agents were wounded in the shooting; U.S. officials said only one other agent was hurt.
And here's the other side. Looking at the photos one would have to conclude a few less than 300 rounds were expended.
Captain Ed observes, "This clearly shows that the vehicle did not come under heavy fire but probably got shot by handheld weapon trying to disable the vehicle.
Whatever else happened, this vehicle did not come under heavy-weapons fire or indiscriminate automatic-arms fire."
Exactly.
UPDATE: More here.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:21 PM | Comments (0) |
Blogger Infiltrates White House Press Corp
Garret of Fishbowl DC became the first blogger to be given White House press creds this week. Here are some interesting observations:
Our first impression this morning? As glamorous as the beat itself may be, there's little glamour to be found in the briefing room. The conditions of the briefing room, famously built over the old White House swimming pool, um, leave something to be desired. We'd been warned by a regular White House correspondent over the weekend that the "zoo" of the briefing would likely leave us knowing less and being more confused than when went in. Having sat through it now, we have to agree. Watching it on television doesn't quite do justice to the uselessness of many of the exchanges back and forth, nor the intensity of Scott McClellan's withering gaze nor the frustration boiling up in the reporters' voices as they butt their heads up against a rhetoric wall. As McClellan walked out, one reporter turned to his colleague at the end of the briefing: "Why do they have to send terror suspects to Uzbekistan to be tortured? Just make them sit here and after a few hours of a briefing, they'll be begging to talk." After sitting through one, we tend to agree.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:06 PM | Comments (0) |
Hope for Democrats?
I have been saying for years that the reason the Democrats keep losing ground is because they do not stand for anything, but instead their entire platform is about being against things, and specifically against Goerge W. Bush. It has taken a while, but the idea is starting to sink into certain influential Democrats:
Stan Greenberg and James Carville. In a memo issued last week, the two wrote: "We ask progressives to consider, why have the Republicans not crashed and burned?"The Demcorats have dug themselves a hole on the issue of Social Security. They cannot legitimately fix the problem because they have repeatedly, loudly and with great conviction told the American people there is no problem with Social Security."Why has the public not taken out their anger on the congressional Republicans and the president?" they added. "We think the answer lies with voters' deeper feelings about the Democrats who appear to lack direction, conviction, values, advocacy or a larger public purpose."
[Harold Ickes said] "But if the Democratic position is we can't have private accounts but also can't have an increase in the cap [on earnings subject to the payroll tax] or the retirement age, that may be a difficult position to sustain." He added: "I couldn't predict what form it [a compromise] might take, but I think the administration has a lot at stake on the Social Security issue. . . . They are a wily group and I think they are going to come up with something to claim victory."
If the Democrats want to again gain ground with the American voters, they need to begin to present solutions, not complain about the problems we face. Debate in American politics has been stifled. Not because Republicans are preventing Democrat dissent, but because "your plan is stupid and so are you" is invective, not debate.
Posted by bubba138 at 10:08 AM | Comments (0) |
Hezbollah Protest Turns Out Hundreds of Thousands
CNN says, "Some news reports estimated Tuesday's crowd at 200,000 protesters but CNN's Beirut Bureau Chief Brent Sadler said it was difficult to give a figure -- save that the attendance was 'impressive.' "
The Guardian also says 200k is a good estimate.
Both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times have "Hundreds of thousands."
Not to be outdone, Associated Press implies all these report's estimates are severly deflated. They assert the number is closer to five hundred thousand.
Perhaps someone should calibrate his or her calculator?
Update: Even al Jazeera is reluctant to buy into AP's numbers:
Hundreds of thousands of pro-Syrian demonstrators have gathered in Beirut to denounce what they see as Western interference in Lebanon.Still, AP's estimate pales in comparison to that of Syrian backed TV:
Journalists at the scene estimated the crowd numbers at hundreds of thousands, while an official source and the television station of the Syrian-backed group Amal gave a figure of 1.5 million.One and a half-million from a country whose population is 3.8 million is quite the stretch. One thing is for sure, Hezbollah is quite organized:
Buses and cars were ferrying supporters of Hizb Allah and its allies from across Lebanon. At the Riad al-Sulh Square, Hizb Allah members were setting up loud speakers and putting up Lebanese flags and banners.I could be wrong, but I'm not sure there were cars and busses ferrying the pro-Lebanon protestors. Given that there are "1.4 million Syrian workers in Lebanon," one also wonders how many of today's particapants are truly Lebonese.
ANOTHER THOUGHT that comes to mind is when 1.4 million people stand to lose their jobs, today's event is more of a labor rally than a political statement.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:31 AM | Comments (0) |
March 07, 2005
The Pope Still Teaches
There is yet more to learn from John Paul II, and Mr. Vanderleun is attentive to the lesson:
We live more and more, but more and more we do not know how to die.To teach us this thing the Pope will now enact the lesson, if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. His is the ancient church that, teaching First Things in ways many now no longer care to hear, teaches us now about Last Things in ways that many fear to learn. And it is the leader of that Church who, as he has in all things for decades, again leads in this teaching. If you are, as am I, late to the study of this man and his life, it would be best to pay attention now. This lesson of the Stoic will not be repeated...
The different, more difficult answer from the Pope is that his Church does not side with death but always with life; even life made intolerable. It does not side with elected death at the beginning nor at the end, and that the Shepherd of the Church promises this as he assumes the Papacy. He cannot and, it seems to me clear, does not wish it otherwise. When Karol Wojtyla the man became Pope John Paul II it did not mean that he could or would become Karol Wojtyla the man again when life became difficult. It meant a promise kept beyond death. A promise that would, in word and deed, and in long measure, enact a life in imitation of Christ. One need not be a Catholic or even a Christian to learn from this lesson.
The Passion of the Pope is a living lesson that will teach many things to many millions of the faithful and the atheist alike in the days to come, not the least of which will be that the value of life in all conditions and all stages is not something that can be casually discarded or medicated or made easy simply because we can elect to end it.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:34 PM | Comments (0) |
Tired of Karaoke?
Created in New York, 'movieoke' is karaoke for the movies. Every Wednesday night, wannabe screen legends flock to a small club in Manhattan's East Village with one aim: to stand up in front of a crowd of strangers and deliver their idol's words in their own unique style...Sounds like fun to me...and you don't have to worry about getting, as Puala Abdul would say, "a little bit pitchy" on the high notes.Next up are Matt and Matt, the geeky-looking academics in the corner. They're both skinny, bespectacled boys and look more like computer nerds than young wannabe starlets. But, lo and behold, the second they get on stage and take on Adam Sandler and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Punch Drunk Love, the audience erupts.
How did they get hooked, I ask, as they tumble off stage buzzing from their victory? "We'd do karaoke every once in a while for a laugh, but it gets a bit tired. And we were always doing scenes from Seinfeld. You know, just walking down the street bantering lines back and forth. And then we heard about this, came to check it out and it was a slam dunk."
Posted by bubba138 at 03:45 PM | Comments (0) |
DUH! Alert
From a BBC article about freed hostage, communist, and Italian journalist, Giuliana Sgrena we get this nugget of wisdom:
Pressure will grow on Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a staunch ally of US President George W Bush, to reconsider the wisdom of keeping on Italian peacekeepers in Iraq, our correspondent says.One hopes the Italian foreign ministry issued the travel warning sometime previous to Sgrena's release -- like sometime in say, early 2003?Already, the Italian foreign ministry has warned all Italian nationals to avoid travel to Iraq.
Posted by bubba138 at 03:16 PM | Comments (0) |
Irony Alert
One person died Sunday when an avalanche swept through a group of people taking an avalanche awareness class.(Hat tip: Claybourn)
Posted by bubba138 at 02:25 PM | Comments (0) |
Right On, Brother
C. H. SPURGEON
The areas on which the two traditions disagree focus primarily on mysteries--truths that we can never fully understand this side of heaven--such as what role the Holy Spirit plays in drawing people to salvation...There are people in our world who are literally dying for lack of proper exposure to the Gospel of Christ. As that is happening a section of Christianity has deemed its primary purpose is to bash other Christians about the head. I have yet to find one who could adequately explain how this helps advance the cause of Christ.Here's the bottom line for me--the conclusion to which I've come: Of all the things about which the church can and should be talking, Calvin v. Arminius is way down the list, if it's on the list at all.
(Hat tip Thinklings)
Posted by bubba138 at 02:14 PM | Comments (0) |
Serious Occupation
Caroline Glick assertss Syria's occupation of Lebanon amounts to much more than just military strategic positioning:
Today, after 29 years of Syrian interference in Lebanon and 15 years of Syrian control of the country, Lebanon is at an advanced stage of Syrian colonization. According to New York based Lebanon expert Gary Gambill, today the Syrian economy and hence the Ba'athist regime is dependent on its control of Lebanon. "The remittances that Syria receives from the 1.4 million Syrian workers in Lebanon; the profits from Syrian agricultural exports to Lebanon; and the money that Syrian intelligence officials extort from Lebanese are more important to the Syrian economy than oil sales," he says.If this is truly the case, Syria could very well stand on the brink of destruction. If Syria's economy is inextricably linked with Lebanon, it is only a matter of time before Bashar's country joins the growing number of Arab states liberated in the dawning days of this millennia.
Syria is not going to let go of Lebanon without resistance:
...the Syrians and their Lebanese allies have orchestrated increasingly violent attacks against anti-Syrian activists throughout the country. On Saturday night, pro-Syrian militiamen backed by Syrian intelligence operatives attacked residential buildings in an anti-Syrian neighborhood in Tripoli. Late Saturday night, in the Ashrafiyah neighborhood in Beirut, pro-Syrian gunmen shot and wounded people sitting on their balconies. In the southern suburbs of Beirut and in Nabatiyeh in south Lebanon, Hizbullah members held pro-Syrian demonstrations accompanied by automatic rifle fire.There is a marked difference in the content of the pro-freedom demonstrations of the anti-Syrian contingent and that of the pro-Syrians.
Update: Hizbullah General Secretary Hassan Nasrullah says that Syria should reject the U.N. Security Council resolution 1559 because Syria and Lebanon are still at war -- not with each other, mind you:
In this regard, the secretary general of the Hizbullah party was careful to recall that Lebanon and Syria are still in a state of war with Israel, noting that the question of withdrawal from the Bekaa might last for five years or ten years, according to the agreement between the two states.It is my bet that five to ten years is a sight shorter than what Bush, or even Chriac, have in mind.
Nasrullah called for a massive people's demonstration in Riyadh al-Solh square in Beirut on Tuesday ( tomorrow) against the foreign intervention and resolution 1559 and to demand the implementation of Taif accord.It will be interesting to see how many pro-Syrian demonstrators turn out for tomorrow's event. One wonders if it will be anywhere near the 150 thousand that showed up today to protest Assad's refusal to "announce a timetable for a complete pullout as demanded by the Lebanese opposition and the international community."
Posted by bubba138 at 12:40 PM | Comments (0) |
New Sheriff in Town
Not your father's Senate leader:
Kerry was unhappy with the posture of the Democrats and told Reid that they needed to be far more aggressive in fighting President Bush, needed to set up what amounted to a perpetual campaign and needed a plan to prevent Bush from seizing the middle ground in the Social Security fight.No one can ever fault Daschle for not showing enough backbone to Republicans. After all, few were more stiff-necked than he when it came to opposing any (every?) remotely Republican viewpoint on the Hill. Reid is showing the same resolve and tenacity, even with his Democrat allies.Reid responded that he had set up a campaign-style war room and taken other steps to put the Democrats in fighting mode and made it clear he wasn't going to change course just because Kerry thought something different was needed.
But several of those in the room described it as an awkward and tough exchange that left no one in doubt as to who was in charge of Senate Democrats. "Reid kind of shot him down," said one person privy to the exchange, adding, "You would never have seen [former Senate Democratic Leader] Tom Daschle do that."
Posted by bubba138 at 08:13 AM | Comments (0) |
March 04, 2005
Dead Men Tell No Tales
The Ukraine may have had a revolution, but intrigue is far from over:
Ukraine's former interior minister was found dead Friday, just before he was due to meet with prosecutors for questioning about the 2000 slaying of an investigative journalist, officials said.Yuri Kravchenko had been accused by opposition political forces of being involved in the killing of Heorhiy Gongadze, who investigated corruption at the highest levels of the Ukrainian government.
Inna Kisel, a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry, said Kravchenko appeared to have committed suicide. She referred all other questions to officials at the General Prosecutor's Office. A spokesman there said he had no immediate information.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:16 PM | Comments (0) |
The Hidden Stories of North Korea
Barbara Demick, author of yesterday's puff-piece on North Korea wrote an article last fall for Harvard University's Nieman Reports. The report is fairly balanced, but this did stand out:
There’s not much that is positive to say about North Korea, and the country gets absolutely awful press...That first line sounds remarkably similar to Mr. Anonymous' statement in yesterday's article, "There's never been a positive article about North Korea, not one." The second is illustrated by his assertion that "We Asians are traditional people. We prefer to have a benevolent father leader."North Koreans invariably appear in the media as automatons, conspicuously displaying adulation of their leaders in the mass gymnastic spectacles of which the North Korea regime is so proud...
In many other ways, North Korea does itself a disservice. Extreme secrecy breeds rumor. The very lack of consistent press coverage fuels all sorts of speculation and urban legend about what happens inside North Korea—cannibalism, infanticide, human biological experimentation. Nothing is too horrific to be ascribed to North Korea, much of it probably true, but exaggerated.
What might be written from inside North Korea could hardly be worse than what’s now written from the outside. In some cases, journalists might actually be helpful. Iraq, which I covered in the late 1990’s as Middle East correspondent for The Philadelphia Inquirer, used to selectively admit journalists with the hope that they would publicize the impact of U.S.-imposed economic sanctions. Indeed, the sanctions had contributed to rising deaths of young children, and journalists dutifully reported this, which led to the easing of sanctions. Similarily, the dire lack of electricity in North Korea could make for a moving feature story that might lend credence to Pyongyang’s pleas for foreign energy assistance. But North Korea seems to have little interest in generating such coverage and, for now, we and the rest of the world—like the North Koreans themselves—are left in the dark.
Most remarkable however, is Demick's suggestion that reporters could be "helpful" to the corrupt regime in the same way that they were to Saddam Hussein's Iraq. The observation is interesting especially in the light of Eason Jordan's admission that he traded favorable coverage for access. Here we have Demick suggesting in late November that access could help the North Korean regime and then in March she publishes a touchy-feely account seeking to "clear up misunderstandings". That's not to say a deal of the Eason Jordan style has been struck, but it sure has that appearance.
Posted by bubba138 at 03:53 PM | Comments (0) |
Two Sides of Robert Byrd
To be fair, Wonkette points out Senator Byrd isn't the only legislator to invoke the Nazis to push his agenda.
On the other hand, Hugh Hewitt says Byrd's tactics are evidence the Democrats have already lost the filibuster fight.
Posted by bubba138 at 03:09 PM | Comments (0) |
Watch Out Bill Clinton
Looks like Britain's Tony Blair has some licks of his own. Unlike the Queen, I bet he knows who Eric Clapton is.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:42 PM | Comments (0) |
Mr. Byrd Goes to Washington
Don Surber sums up the absurdity of Byrd's rant against the Republicans earlier this week. In doing so he points out an oft forgotten factoid:
As Byrd droned on, Republicans worked with Democrats. Civil rights had split the Democratic Party. Republican support in the House -- only 34 of the 172 Republican congressmen had opposed it -- had brought the measure to the Senate that February.It was the Democrat party that was dramtically split by civil rights. Most Republicans were pro-civil rights. Without the Republican's pushing for it, the civil rights act would not have ever come about.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:14 PM | Comments (0) |
Let Freedom Ring More
Ali makes a slient point:
But Al Jazeera and Al Arabyia served another role whether they wanted or not. Of course Al Arabyia has changed its attitude and now it's considered a pro-west channel by some Arab regimes and lately their crew in Lebanon even received threats from the Syrian intelligence as the channel officials stated. However, even before that both channels offered a great service to democracy and freedom in the ME even when they wanted exactly the opposite! For example, Al Jazzera focused, as part of its coverage for the "deteriorated situations in Iraq" on every single demonstration against the interim government or the American presence in Iraq even if it was 10 people that are demonstrating! But this coverage, that was missed in the official Arab media most of the times, showed the Arab street an unusual scene. 'Arab' citizens demonstrating freely against their government and the supposed brutal occupiers under the eyes of police!Biased coverage is its own worst enemy because one way or another the truth comes out -- and as we know, "the truth will set you free."These days we hear every now and then about demonstrations almost everywhere in the Arab world. Excuse me, but this is far from usual! I haven't seen *any* demonstration against Saddam all my life and similarly I haven't heard of any in Syria or Saudi Arabia prior to the 9th of April. Most of us think it's what happened in Iraq that encouraged Arabs to demand more rights, but how could Arab citizens know the details of what's happening in Iraq if it wasn't for Al Jazeera and Al Arabyia?
Al Jazeera's and al Arabyia's desire was to show the discontent of Arabs under the occupation. What those news channels viewers saw instead was that even those under "Western oppression" had more rights they did themselves.
(Hat tip)
Posted by bubba138 at 01:07 PM | Comments (0) |
Schwarzenegger's Reform Agenda
The San Diego Tribune has a fair article on Governor Schwarzenegger's campaign to promote his reform agenda for the year. Needless to say, the he's got the Democrats on their heels, which means they have to make stuff up to make the Governor look bad:
After the event, the California Democratic Party objected to the large San Diego police presence on hand to direct traffic around the Serra Mesa radio station.I was there and I can tell you for sure there was no where near 100 police officers directing traffic. That Bob Mulholland felt the need to fabricate this is evidence of how nervous the Governor makes Democrats."Schwarzenegger somehow got San Diego to provide more than 100 police officers to direct traffic, some of which were for a drive-through to sign the campaign initiatives, including the one gutting public employee pensions," said Bob Mulholland, campaign adviser to state Democrats.
San Diego Police Department spokesman Dave Cohen said the event was handled through normal "dignitary protection" channels in response to a request from the California Highway Patrol, which protects the governor.
"I have to think that (the claim of) 100 San Diego police officers is ludicrous at best," Cohen said. "I don't know that we'd have that many to put on a presidential event, let alone a gubernatorial event."
Posted by bubba138 at 12:33 PM | Comments (0) |
Our Best and Bravest
NRO's John Hillen has a must-read piece today that relates the experiences of a Marine infantry lieutenant who was deeply involved in the battle against the insurgents in Fallujah.
Here are a couple of interesting observations:
Some 20-odd insurgents were captured by his company during the battle, but there was not a single Iraqi amongst them. Muslims from all over the world, they were aspiring jihadists who had found easy recruiting networks through their local Mosques in their home countries, which plugged them right into the insurgency.
This really puts the lie to the left's assertion that the U.S. is unwelcome in Iraq. These were not Iraqi minutemen as Michael Moore so dramatically (lovingly?) described them. These were (and are) Islamic Jihadist bent on destroying the Great Satan. The majority of manpower, assets (financial and military), and inspiration for the insurgency has come from outside the borders of the country.
Secondly, that these fighters are mostly foriegn to Iraq proves this action has acted as terrorist flypaper. It has brought many who very well may have been a dangerous element in dozens of places around the world to a place where they are targeted and eliminated.
The "gloves off" rules of engagement in Fallujah had a profound effect in other trouble areas, where the populace became remarkably more cooperative and engaged with the Marines after word leaked of the Americans' tough approach with the jihadists in Fallujah.
People like a winner. When the future of one's own security depends upon one's relationship with the winner, picking the right side becomes crucially important. Throughout this conflict the left-leaning western press, as well as many very outspoken U.S. Senators and Congressmen, have done their level best to convince the world that the insurgents were winning this war. As long as common Iraqis believed the insurgency had a chance of success, they were not going to offer help to the coalition forces. Doing so would have endangered themselves and their loved ones. Once the coalition made it clear that success was not an option, that the U.S. was willing to do what it took to win this war, cooperation increased.
The war is not over. Far from it. But because of the dedication, professionalism, and sheer grit of those like this lieutenant we are winning, and the horizon is full of hope.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:28 AM | Comments (0) |
March 03, 2005
Gov. Schwarzenegger: "Give the Power Back to the People"
Governor Schwarzenegger brought his special election campaign to San Diego today continuing a push to pressure state legislators into reforming key parts of the state's government.
Several hundred supporters turned out to listen to Arnold speak as KOGO radio's Roger Hedgecock interviewed him about his proposals for reforming the state.
Not everyone was happy to see the Governor. A very vocal group, obviously teachers and union members, made their presence known with chants and jeers. Arnold briefly acknowledged them saying, "Those are the special interests who want to keep the status-quo." He made clear that keeping the status-quo is not what the voters sent him for, but instead to fix a system that is broken.
Some in education did come to support the Governor and his agenda. Escondido Charter High School's executive director "Coach" Dennis Snyder brought down some of the school's students.
At issue here were four specific proposals that the Governor wants the state's legislature to address: (1) put limits on state spending, (2) change the tenure system and make teacher pay raises based upon merit, (3) change the pension system for the state's workers into a standard 401(k) plan, and (4) to change the way the state's legislative districts are drawn.
The governor is collecting signatures to place these items on the ballot for a special election because the state legislators refuse to take any action on them. Speaking of the legislators, Arnold quipped, "If they all would have been on the ballot they all would have been recalled. The legislature's approval rating was worse than Gray Davis'"
Since state lawmakers will not attack these issues the Governor said he'd take them to the voters. "I'm bringing the power back to the people," he stated. His goal is to get 600,000 signatures on each of the petitions as leverage to bring lawmakers to the negotiaing table. If that does not get them to sit down and start talking about the issues, he said he's go ahead with the special election.
Asked if he was yet eyeing a second term in 2006, Schwarzenegger contended he wanted to do one thing at a time. "Right now we need to get this reform done. The people elected me to fix a broken system and that is what I am going to do."
Arnold's stance did not deter the mood of his supporters, however, who were already doning "Arnold '06" campaign stickers. Arnold may not be talking about a run in the next election yet, but his supporters are already thinking nineteen months down the road.
If we're lucky, these guys will be old enough to cast their votes by then.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:45 PM | Comments (0) |
Around the World in 80 Hours (or less)
After a little drama in the beginning, it is looking more as if Steve Fossett is going to complete his around-the-world flight after all:
A safe landing would complete the first solo, around-the-world flight without refueling.Earlier Thursday Fossett said he was "really starting to perk up" as he neaed completion of the trip.
The adventurer was back over the United States early in the morning and due to complete his mission of becoming the first person to fly solo, nonstop around the world without refueling.
The Web site said that GlobalFlyer was expected to land in at 1:17 Central time, though there could be some variation in that time.
By 11:30 a.m. Central time, the GlobalFlyer had been in the air for more than 64 hours and covered 98 percent of its intended journey. The total flight was expected to take about 70 hours.
Wednesday, the team nearly scrubbed the flight in Hawaii after discovering the fuel problems. Mission leaders said that it appeared for a while as if there was 15 percent less fuel on board than had been expected.
Update: He made it:
Mission Status: 19:50UTC - 13:50 local time - Steve has just touched down at Salina after successfully completing the fastest, non-stop, non-refuelled flight around the world.The whole team, including the web team are off to meet Steve to congratulate him right now. We'll get back to you with all the news, pictures and reactions later this evening.
Well done Steve! And thanks to you all for being such avid watchers on this site!
Posted by bubba138 at 11:31 AM | Comments (0) |
LA Times: Loving the Tyrant
In 1931 New York Times reporter Walter Duranty was awarded the coveted Pulitzer prize for a series of reports he had filed on Stalin's Russia. His was a discourse of fawning praise, completely rejecting any hint that some of the worst of history's brutality was occurring under his nose. The facts according to Duranty asserted that:
- "There is no famine or actual starvation nor is there likely to be."
- "Any report of a famine in Russia is today an exaggeration or malignant propaganda."
- "Enemies and foreign critics can say what they please. Weaklings and despondents at home may groan under the burden, but the youth and strength of the Russian people is essentially at one with the Kremlin's program, believes it worthwhile and supports it, however hard be the sledding."
- "There is no actual starvation or deaths from starvation but there is widespread mortality from diseases due to malnutrition."
We now know the base falsehood of his reporting, and one would think that any responsible newspaper would use Duranty as the premier example of how journalism should never be done.
Alas (as Hugh Hewitt points out) that is not the case.
It seems Los Angeles Times reporter Barbara Demick is determined to add her name to the growing list of infamous journalists (Duranty, Peter Arnette, Jayson Blair, Mary Mapes) with her glowing missive of touchy-feely understanding "North Korea, Without the Rancor."
Demick's creation is based upon the views of a North Korean "businessman" who insists upon being called "Mr. Anonymous." But this is something quite less than an interview, it is more like the reflections of a casual conversation in some Asian dive:
So, in an effort to clear up misunderstandings, he expounded on the North Korean view of the world in an informal conversation that began one night this week over beer as North Korean waitresses sang Celine Dion in the karaoke restaurant, and resumed the next day over coffee.Completely missing from Demick's puff-piece is any sense of skeptcism. Her object's remarks are taken at face value, without question or comment. Mr. Anonymous asserts:
He believes that Americans have the wrongheaded notion that North Koreas are unhappy with the system of government under Kim Jong Il. "We Asians are traditional people," he said. "We prefer to have a benevolent father leader.""Benevolent to whom?" might be an appropriate follow-up question. The South Koreans and the Japanese seem to have taken to living without a "benevolent father leader" quite well. Does this make them less Asian?
"Is there any country where there is a 100% guarantee of human rights? Certainly not the United States," the businessman said. "There is a question of what is a political prisoner. Maybe these people are not political prisoners but social agitators."Just what is the difference between a political prisoner and a social agitator?
One may forgive Ms. Demick for not challenging her counterpart's statements. After all, perhaps her purpose was to "present the other side" of the issue. But one cannot help but question the wisdom of the Los Angeles Times to choose this piece as one of those to make it to print. That the views of businessman "Mr. Anonymous" are propaganda is blatantly obvious. In printing this tripe, the Times have made themselves an arm in North Korea's propaganda machine.
"There's never been a positive article about North Korea, not one," [Mr. Anonymous] said.
"No problem," says the Los Angeles Times, "We would be only too happy to print one."
Posted by bubba138 at 11:21 AM | Comments (0) |
Distinguished Guests
My fair city is being graced by VIPs this week. Today, our governor is visiting to promote government reform, including non-partisan redistricting. He'll be just down the road from my office, so I am hoping to get away for a couplel of minutes this afternoon to say "Hi."
Also (more importantly?), the esteemed Meryl Yourish has also flown into town. A San Diego blogger bash is being planned for tomorrow -- organized, of course, by the ever competent Citizen Smash. I have a previous engagement (Father-Daughter dance -- can't miss that) so I'm not sure I'll be able to join up. We'll see what I can pull off.
Pics should follow.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:28 AM | Comments (0) |
March 02, 2005
The Democrats’ Insurgency
I wanted to point to this Rolling Stone article on MoveOn.org but did not have the time to analyze it. Blogosphere to the rescue, Jay Redding has already done the work:
I think MoveOn.org is an absolutely wonderful gift to the party - the Republican Party that is. MoveOn.org is led by the most radical fringe of the Democratic Party. It constantly agitates for a far-left agenda that forces candidates to bow towards ideologies that are politically suicidal in Middle America.One is almost convinced Karl Rove himself is funding the effort.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:05 PM | Comments (0) |
Smells Like Teen Spirit II
Iran is having problems with their youth:
The main focus of arab-parasts [was] a gathering of several hundred youngsters at Mohseni square in affluent northern Tehran earlier this month on the night of Ashura when Hussien got killedHeaven knows laughing one's heart out is detremental to society at large. As for wearing "tight clothes," check out the photos. It looks like Tehran is fairly cold this time of year, it's hard to see how tight the clothes are underneath those jackets."In the sunset of Ashura, Iranian women and girls in tight clothes and transparent scarves and guys dressed in Western fashion lit candles while laughing their hearts out," said the Ya Lesarat weekly, mouthpiece of the feared Ansar-e Hezbollah chomaaqdaaraan group, members of whom later dispersed the crowds.
Religious figures in Iran, including mullah president Mohammad Khatami, a reformist cleric, have noted with dismay that Iran's disproportionately youthful population, around two-thirds of whom were born after the 1979 Islamic revolution, are increasingly turning away from religion, specially arab made religion of Islam.Iranian clerical leadership should be worried, lest their youth go the way of Lebanon.
Posted by bubba138 at 03:59 PM | Comments (0) |
Democrats Playing Games Again
Indiana's Democrat legislators are so against voters actually proving they are U.S. citizens they refuse to show up for their jobs:
House Democrats were so opposed to bills creating an inspector general for the governor and requiring voters to show ID at the polls that they sacrificed 130 other bills during the 15-hour standoff. They sacrificed, for example, a plan to help fellow Democrat and Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson build a new Colts football stadium with state money.Just like their counterparts in the United States Senate, these Democrats refuse to let the legislators give issues an up or down vote. Instead, they are using strong-arm tactics to prevent democracy from happening.Democrats also don't like House and Senate bills that would require voters to show photo identification before casting their ballots. The House version would require either a driver's license or another government-issued photo ID -- and that, Democrats say, amounts to a "poll tax."
The article notes the Republicans aren't pure in this regard either, "Bauer, D-South Bend, also noted that when House Republicans boycotted the chamber last year near the end of the session to protest the refusal of Democrats (who then controlled the chamber) to debate a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, at least 80 bills were sacrificed."
Lost on Mr. Bauer is the fact that just because Republicans did it does not make it right. The practice was wrong last year and it remains wrong today.
One must also question why Democrats are so fearful of such legislation that they are willing to sacrifice so many other bills they whole-heartedly support. What is it about voters proving citizenship that scares Democrats so? Is it possible elections (specifically presidential) would not be so closely contested if only American citizens were allowed to vote?
(Hat tip)
Posted by bubba138 at 10:53 AM | Comments (0) |
Blair: "We Have Given Syria a Chance"
Britain's Gaurdian interviewed Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday, and it is worth a full read.
First off PM Blair says we are all but back on the "Road Map to Peace" in Israel/Palestine:
Strictly speaking you can go back into the road map at any point in time, but I think the reality will be that it is important, particularly on the security front, that the coordinating group is going to be led by the US now and actually based out in the region, that I think will be a determining factor as to when.As to whether there will be a huge Arab summit in Washington this year:
But President Bush made it very clear when he was in Europe last week that he wants to get this moving as fast as possible now, there are no conferences being fixed under the road map as yet, but people are anxious to get on with this. They know that it is fragile, they know that if it doesn't move forward it slips backwards, the terrible suicide attack in Tel Aviv last Friday reminds us of what terrorists will try to do to wreck the process, and so I think everybody is gripped with a sense of urgency about this. Now there has been no decision to hold a conference in September, but on the other hand I think everybody wants to see this move as quickly as possible.He also said that it is a must that Palestine be a viable state, not only in terms of territory, but also (and I'd argue more importantly), it "has to have a sustainable democracy, the political institutions to go along with it, proper security structures and proper economic institutions. "
Tony also comes out strong against Syria. Asked about his attempts to constructively engage Bashar's government, he replied:
Tony Blair: I think what you have always got to do is to give people a chance, but they have got to take the chance, and we have given Syria a chance...Tony Blair also did well to mention the changes in the Middle East are sweeping:But what we can say is that for Syria it is important to realise that the international community expects certain obligations to be undertaken and adhered to.
...the concerns over Syria are well known. I am not saying that it won't change, but I think they have to realise that the international community is looking at Syria very closely at the moment.
And in the wider Middle East what is happening now, I think people have missed the announcement of President Mubarak of Egypt, this is of huge significance, and what is happening in Kuwait, and Bahrain and many other Gulf states is of huge significance. There is a genuine, it may only be a ripple of change at the moment but it is happening throughout the Middle East and it is important that we encourage it because it is out of there that so many of the issues that we grapple with in the international community arise, and that is why in the end whatever positions people take on Afghanistan or Iraq, if you can establish democracy there it is of huge importance to again providing an example of how countries can develop....I mean the very fact that you have got Libya coming back into the international community is another interesting change that is happening. And my advice to any countries who are holding out against this emerging consensus is you know stop holding out and get alongside it. (emphasis mine)
Posted by bubba138 at 09:42 AM | Comments (0) |
Senator Byrd: Republicans are Nazis
In the most egregious display of Goodwin's Law, Senator Byrd took the floor of the Senate and accused Republicans of Nazi ambition for wanting to change Senate rules yesterday:
Many times in our history we have taken up arms to protect a minority against the tyrannical majority in other lands. We, unlike Nazi Germany or Mussolini's Italy, have never stopped being a nation of laws, not of men.These remarks Senator Byrd gave in defense of the "cloture" rules, a filibuster technique by which debat of an issue cannot be closed without a sixty vote majority. It is glaringly ironic that the Senator accusing the Republicans of being Nazis is the same man who invoked a traditional filibuster, holding the Senate floor for more than fourteen hours, in order to defeat the Civil Rights Act of 1964.But witness how men with motives and a majority can manipulate law to cruel and unjust ends. Historian Alan Bullock writes that Hitler's dictatorship rested on the constitutional foundation of a single law, the Enabling Law. Hitler needed a two-thirds vote to pass that law, and he cajoled his opposition in the Reichstag to support it. Bullock writes that "Hitler was prepared to promise anything to get his bill through, with the appearances of legality preserved intact." And he succeeded.
Hitler's originality lay in his realization that effective revolutions, in modern conditions, are carried out with, and not against, the power of the State: the correct order of events was first to secure access to that power and then begin his revolution. Hitler never abandoned the cloak of legality; he recognized the enormous psychological value of having the law on his side. Instead, he turned the law inside out and made illegality legal.
And that is what the nuclear option seeks to do to Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate.
Whether or not the Senate should change its rules is not the issue here. Personally, I lean towards keeping the cloture rule as is. But it goes without saying that the words "Nazi" and "Hitler" jump too quickly to Democrat's lips of late. Byrd's paranioa mixes well with Howard Dean who recently characterised the battle against Republicans as, "...a struggle of good and evil. And we're the good."
For the last four years (since election 2000), the Democrat's focus has been on Republicans with the goal of knocking them out of power. Conversely, the Republican's focus has been on the American voters, with the goal of empowering them. The Democrats will not be again trusted with power until they change their focus. With leadership such as Howard Dean and Senator Byrd, that day will be a long time in coming.
Update: Dwayne at Radioblogger is all over this.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:43 AM | Comments (0) |
March 01, 2005
U.N. to Take Role in Lebanon
Condi Rice has suggested the U.N. should take a roll in Lebanon's "Independence Intifada:"
Rice said consultations were under way with the United Nations and other "parties" on what she called the "rapidly developing situation" in Lebanon.These are striking words from an administration that is supposedly at odds with the international body. Perhaps the falling out hasn't fallen as much as some (both on the left and right) had hoped.Rice said: "We will focus very much on what we can help the Lebanese do. That means election observers if necessary, monitoring if necessary."
She added: "Lebanese people must have the opportunity to chart their own course through free and fair parliamentary elections this spring, and that the process must take place without threats of violence and intimidation."
Praising the courage of the Lebanese people, Rice and Barnier said: "It is very clear that foreign interference in Lebanon must end." The pair added: "The Syrians are out of step with where the region is going."
The U.N. will also be a part of the investigation into Hariri's murder:
Explosives and forensic experts dispatched by the United Nations will arrive in Lebanon within a week, after the judiciary decided to call for international help to unveil the truth behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Sources close to the investigations revealed that Chief Investigating Magistrate Judge Michel Abu Arraj had requested the Lebanese Forensic Bureau to ask the international body for assistance.The question remains wether the U.N. will find the same "firm evidence" that has been found linking Syria to the latest suicide bombing in Israel.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:56 PM | Comments (0) |
The Changing Face of Palestine
In days (not long) past, Palestinian suicide bombers were held up as great martyrs of the faith, and their families were greatly revered. No longer:
For seven days after a burial a Palestinian family receives mourners, normally a big social event involving colourful banners and patriotic music.This is a very good sign that Palestine may have turned a corner. When more families like Ibrahim's begin to reject the violence and withdraw their support from organizations such as Islamic Jihad and Hizbullah, then true peace may be achieved.But yesterday seven members of the family occupied the otherwise empty chairs and when asked if Abdullah's death had achieved anything they all shook their heads, and one said no in English.
Abdullah's brother Ibrahim said they were mystified and angered by his death.
Islamic Jihad, which has claimed responsibility for the bombing, was keeping a low profile.
Sami Qadan said the whole town was shocked and angered by the bombing and in protest no one was paying respects to the family.
"Things were getting better and then no sooner do we have money coming in again then it is stopped by this suicide bombing. This intifada has killed us and the wall has destroyed us. We cannot even leave our homes and we want it to stop," he said.
Ibrahim said that the family was extremely angry with the people who had chosen and prepared Abdullah for his suicide mission.
"I don't know who they are but we want them to stop this and reach out their hands for peace. That is the only way the situation will improve."
Update: What may be good news for Palestine may be terrible news for Syria:
In Washington, the Bush administration official, reading from an internal administration communication, said the United States obtained "firm evidence that the bombing on the 25th of February was not only authorized by Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders in Damascus but that PIJ leaders also were actively involved in planning."Bashar must be thinking that being an ophthalmologist wasn't such a bad gig after all.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:17 PM | Comments (0) |