CRITICAL UPDATE 7/01: Have we been looking at the wrong man in the photos below? New information suggests that this may be the case. See this post here.
----------original post below------------------

President Elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran today.

President Elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran in 1979 with an American hostage.

UPDATE: Let's just put the photoshop argument to rest. Tim of Four Right Wing Whackos drops this link in the comments to a book about the Hostage Crisis.

If you have any more photos, please send them to me or e-mail me a link.

Iran Focus:

The identity of Ahmadinejad in the photograph was revealed to Iran Focus by a source in Tehran, whose identity could not be revealed for fear of persecution.

Who is Ahmadinejad? Iran Focus:

After finishing high school, Ahmadinejad went to Elm-o Sanaat University in 1975 to study engineering. Soon the whirlwind of Islamic revolution led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini swept him from the classroom to the mosque and he joined a generation of firebrand Islamic fundamentalists dedicated to the cause of an Islamic world revolution.

Student activists in Elm-o Sanaat University at the time of the Iranian revolution were dominated by ultra-conservative Islamic fundamentalists. Ahmadinejad soon became one of their leaders and founded the Islamic Students Association in that university after the fall of the ShahÂ’s regime.

In 1979, he became the representative of Elm-o Sanaat students in the Office for Strengthening of Unity Between Universities and Theological Seminaries, which later became known as the OSU. The OSU was set up by Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti, who was at the time KhomeiniÂ’s top confidant and a key figure in the clerical leadership. Beheshti wanted the OSU to organise Islamist students to counter the rapidly rising influence of the opposition Mojahedin-e Khalq (MeK) among university students.

The OSU played a central role in the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran in November 1979. Members of the OSU central council, who included Ahmadinejad as well as Ibrahim Asgharzadeh, Mohsen (Mahmoud) Mirdamadi, Mohsen Kadivar, Mohsen Aghajari, and Abbas Abdi, were regularly received by Khomeini himself.

According to other OSU officials, when the idea of storming the U.S. embassy in Tehran was raised in the OSU central committee by Mirdamadi and Abdi, Ahmadinejad suggested storming the Soviet embassy at the same time. A decade later, most OSU leaders re-grouped around Khatami but Ahmadinejad remained loyal to the ultra-conservatives.

Former OSU officials involved in the takeover of the U.S. embassy said Ahmadinejad was in charge of security during the occupation, a key role that put him in direct contact with the nascent security organizations of the clerical regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, which he later joined....

Defectors from the clerical regime’s security forces have revealed that Ahmadinejad led the firing squads that carried out many of the executions. He personally fired coup de grace shots at the heads of prisoners after their execution and became known as “Tir Khalas Zan” (literally, the Terminator).

Al Jazeera:

As a young student, Ahmadinejad joined an ultraconservative faction of the Office for Strengthening Unity, the radical student group spawned by the 1979 Islamic Revolution and staged the capture of the US Embassy.

According to reports, Ahmadinejad attended planning meetings for the US Embassy takeover and at these meetings lobbied for a simultaneous takeover of the Soviet Embassy.

In 1986, Ahmadinejad became a senior officer in the Special Brigade of the Revolutionary Guards and was stationed in Ramazan Garrison near Kermanshah in western Iran. In Kermanshah, Ahmadinejad became involved in the clerical regimeÂ’s terrorist operations abroad.

As soon as I saw a picture of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's new president, I knew there was something faintly familiar about him.

And it was not because he was mayor of Tehran, because, like many other Western journalists, I have been barred from visiting Iran in recent years.

Then, when I read a profile of him in the English-language Tehran Times, I realised where I must have seen him: in the former American embassy in Tehran.

Ahmadinejad was a founder of the group of young activists who swarmed over the embassy wall and held the diplomats and embassy workers hostage for 444 days.

Somewhere in the BBC archives is the interview I recorded with him and his colleagues, long after the siege was over. They all seemed rather similar - quiet, polite, but with a burning zeal.

A quarter-century after they were taken captive in Iran, five former American hostages say they got an unexpected reminder of their 444-day ordeal in the bearded face of Iran's new president-elect.

Watching coverage of Iran's presidential election on television dredged up 25-year-old memories that prompted four of the former hostages to exchange e-mails. And those four realized they shared the same conclusion -- the firm belief that President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been one of their Iranian captors.

"This is the guy. There's no question about it," said former hostage Chuck Scott, a retired Army colonel who lives in Jonesboro, Ga. "You could make him a blond and shave his whiskers, put him in a zoot suit and I'd still spot him."

Scott and former hostages David Roeder, William J. Daugherty and Don A. Sharer said on Wednesday they have no doubt Ahmadinejad, 49, was one of the hostage-takers. A fifth ex-hostage, Kevin Hermening, said he reached the same conclusion after looking at photos.

Not everyone agrees. Former hostage and retired Air Force Col. Thomas E. Schaefer said he doesn't recognize Ahmadinejad, by face or name, as one of his captors.

Several former students among the hostage-takers also said Ahmadinejad did not participate. And a close aide to Ahmadinejad denied the president-elect took part in the seizure of the embassy or in holding Americans hostage.

"I can absolutely guarantee you he was not only one of the hostage-takers, he was present at my personal interrogation," Roeder said in an interview from his home in Pinehurst, N.C.

Daugherty, who worked for the CIA in Iran and now lives in Savannah, said a man he's convinced was Ahmadinejad was among a group of ringleaders escorting a Vatican representative during a visit in the early days of the hostage crisis.

"It's impossible to forget a guy like that," Daugherty said. "Clearly the way he acted, the fact he gave orders, that he was older, most certainly he was one of the ringleaders."

Another update: MSM now reporting this. I'm listenning to the radio and ABC News is reporting that hostages recognize the man in photo as Iran's President-elect.....

Apparently, the Editor and Publisher piece is really an AP news story. Here is some more of it as reported by The Guardian:

``He kind of stayed in the background most of the time,'' Scott said. ``But he was in on some of the interrogations. And he was in on my interrogation at the time they were working me over.''

Scott also recalled an incident while he was held in the Evin prison in north Tehran in the summer of 1980.

One of the guards, whom Scott called Akbar, would sometimes let Scott and Sharer out to walk the narrow, 20-foot hallway outside their cells, he said. One day, Scott said, the man he believes was Ahmadinejad saw them walking and chastised the guard.

``He was the security chief, supposedly,'' Scott said. ``When he found out Akbar had let us out of our cells at all, he chewed out Akbar. I speak Farsi. He said, `These guys are dogs they're pigs, they're animals. They don't deserve to be let out of their cells.'''

Scott recalled responding to the man's stare by openly cursing his captor in Farsi. ``He looked a little flustered like he didn't know what to do. He just walked out.''

Roeder said he's sure Ahmadinejad was present during one of his interrogations when the hostage-takers threatened to kidnap his son in the U.S. and ``start sending pieces - toes and fingers of my son - to my wife.''

``It was almost like he was checking on the interrogation techniques they were using in a sort of adviser capacity,'' Roeder said.

Hermening, of Mosinee, Wis., the youngest of the hostages, said that after he looked at photos and did research on the Internet, he came to the conclusion that Ahmadinejad was one of his questioners.

Hermening had been Marine guard at the embassy, and he recalled the man he believes was Ahmadinejad asking him for the combination to a safe.

``His English would have been fairly strong. I couldn't say that about all the guards,'' Hermening said. ``I remember that he was certainly direct, threatening, very unfriendly.''

More from Gateway Pundit and Charles Johnson who it looks like found the first pics.

Moon reminds us: "Now, how quickly do you think the Ted Kennedy's and Diane Feinstein's will start complaining about Bush's inability to deal with this guy?"

Thanks to Captain Ed for the link, and check out his spot on analysis:

With all of this already out in the open, having the mullahcracy twist the recent election to put an experienced terror operative as their head of state really doesn't amount to a big surprise. And given Hashemi Rafsanjani's track record, that result was inevitable anyway.

Eh. Not too surprising coming from Iran.

It would be hard to dispute the contention that Iran is a terrorist nation when the "population" just elected a known terrorist as president. By any reasonable measure of justice, Ahmadinejad should be in prison, not the presidential palace.

Others: Hal.co.net, Dr. Zin, All Things Conservative, Jimgoism, Iran News Blog, Watcher Magazine, Solomania, Polipundit, Oxrant, Emergent Chaos

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian, iran, hostages

Posted by: Rusty at 12:22 PM | Comments (44) | Add Comment
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(Sanaa, Yemen) There are 57 countries represented in the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) which meets regularly to discuss solidarity and mutual interests. Yesterday, the organization met, opening with a statement by Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. Salient points include:

Honourable Ministers,

In the face of the intensification of Islamophobia in the West, I have seen it as a duty to launch a campaign against this detestable phenomenon, and We have approached the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva in this connection. We succeeded to have the Committee adopt a resolution prohibiting defamation of religions, in particular Islam, as well as linking it with terrorism. We also took the campaign to the United Nations General Assembly asking it to make efforts in this regard. In the same vein, we went to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and managed to convince it to place the matter in its agenda and admitted that defamation of Islam has become a fundamental challenge in the field of human rights in Europe.

Since the enlargement of the Security Council has become a pressing issue in the agenda of the United Nations, we have made extensive efforts in concert with the Islamic Group at the United Nations in New York to ensure a permanent representation for the Muslim world in the Security Council. For the Muslim world, that is one fifth of the world's population, cannot remain excluded from the activities of the Security Council which assumes a fundamental role in keeping security and peace in the world.

Interestingly, the 'Islamophobia' that the Secretary-General discussed was also addressed recently by Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar at a seminar on Islam and international politics in Kuala Lumpur. It's notable that in neither speech was there a hint that Islamophobia is the direct result of actions by the followers of Islam. All dialogue regarding Islamophobia ignores terrorism, Wahabism, Sharia law, honor killings, and the lack of freedom and democracy while pointing to a perception problem among Western nations that must be prohibited. A campaign to outlaw Islamophobia has been launched. No mention has been made about the possibility that Islamophobia is a perception with a sound basis.

At the same time, the Secretary-General demands a "permanent representation for the Islamic world on the UN Security Council." No specific countries, however, were identified as candidates for the permanent seat.

It's encouraging that the people of Islam recognize and are concerned that they are seen negatively by the West. However, my take is that no rules or laws will ever impact the level of Islamophobia as long as the Muslim world views terrorism as an integral aspect of diplomacy. It also seems illogical to award a permanent seat on the Security Council to any country that silently, without condemnation, accepts terrorism as a substitute for statesmanship.

Companion post at Interested-Participant.

Posted by: Mike Pechar at 12:16 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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It has long been known that terrorists raise funds through hostage-taking, drug-trafficking, Islamic charities, state-sponsors, and direct donations from the Salafist networks. However, The Jawa Report and its readers have recently uncovered what may be an important source of jihadi funding: e-mail and internet based scams.

Shortly after The Jawa Report began publishing the e-mails of individuals linked to terrorist supporting websites, we began to notice an upsurge in the number of e-mail scams. Most of these were the typical "African Prince" scam, e-mails allegedly sent by the son, daughter, or widow of a deposed African dictator urging help in retrieving frozen assets by the victim or some variation on this theme. However, a large number of e-mails began to come in shortly after we began doing this with an Islamic variation to the theme. Further, one of the more popular scams that I receive these days deals with Islamic investing, charities, and missionary work.

All of this could be a coincidence. Often times we make the error of ascribing a cause to a variable simply becauses of timing. In this case, for instance, our initial suspicions were aroused because we received a slew of e-mail scams shortly after readers began e-mailing a known al Qaeda supporter yesterday.

However, there is more to this. Many of the IPs trace to Middle Eastern origins. That, in and of itself, may be meaningless as there are many common criminals all around the world. However, given the recent upsurge of these scams, especially ones with Islamic themes, within minutes of us e-mailing known terror supporters, it appears likely that the two are connected.

Further, we are not the only ones to have noticed this phenomenon. Doing a quick Google search I found a number of news articles which raised the same suspicions. For instance, this from NEIN. The author shares our concerns but also worries about the potential for terrorists to use these scams as a way of harvesting information for :

While it seems that as the federal government has clamped down on many of the more obvious terrorism funding methods in this country and abroad, the volume of email schemes and scams (for both funds and data) has actually increased at an incredible rate as terrorists scramble to create new avenues of income and opportunity....

Using e-mail scams as detailed above, the terrorist are becoming more adept at not only generating income, but exploiting other avenues to facilitate terrorism activities. Unknowingly, the personal data you input, perhaps long forgotten absent of any perceptible financial loss, might serve as the basis for identity theft by a terrorist in need of a legitimate identity to enter the country illegally, using your credentials to obtain a passport, assume your banking and a credit history and ultimately, a life in this country as though they were you while avoiding the watchful yet limited eyes of the federal government.

Law enforcement authorities say evidence collected from Samudra’s laptop computer shows he tried to finance the Bali bombing by committing acts of fraud over the Internet. And his new writings suggest that online fraud—which in 2003 cost credit card companies and banks $1.2 billion in the United States alone—might become a key weapon in terrorist arsenals, if it’s not already. “We know that terrorist groups throughout the world have financed themselves through crime,” says Richard Clarke, the former U.S. counterterrorism czar for President Bush and President Clinton. “There is beginning to be a reason to conclude that one of the ways they are financing themselves is through cyber-crime.”

Online fraud would thereby join the other major ways in which terrorist groups exploit the Internet. The September 11 plotters are known to have used the In­ternet for international communications and information gathering. Hundreds of jihadist websites are used for propaganda and fund-raising purposes and are as ­easily accessible as the mainstream websites of major news organizations...

They [the FBI] also believe terrorist sympathizers, possibly operating out of Africa and the Middle East, have also begun using phishing schemes to steal identities and make fast cash after being shut out by counterterrorism measures from their traditional avenues of funding such as bogus charities.

Terrorist organizations have graduated to the Internet to steal because it reaches more potential victims and is harder to trace, says Evan Kohlmann, an international terrorism consultant who runs the Web site Globalterroralert.com.

Previously, militants used more conventional ways for funding, Kohlmann says. The Roubaix gang in France robbed armored cars to help fund terrorist activities in the mid-1990s. And the group behind the abortive millennium attack on the Los Angeles airport robbed supermarkets in Canada and engaged in traditional credit card fraud, he says.

Posted by: Rusty at 10:42 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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It's White Trash Wednesday.

Yes it's been hotter than a firecracker on the fourth of July. Blackberries are getting ripe and I had best get out and pick some if I want to try out making some blackberry wine. I just pulled 3 fifths from the grape I had going and I must say it's pretty dawgone good. It went a little faster because the tin box I live in gets a little hard to keep cool when the old sunball starts shining on it. Speaking of blackberries I got my first chigger of the season this week. It's right on back of the old knee. Talk about itch. Whew!!. Hey the best over the counter remedy is Benadryl liquid or spray. I guess this weekend I'll have to strip down nekkid and apply deet. Then you put on your socks and underwear and apply more deet. Then you put on your jeans and a long sleeve flannel shirt and apply more deet. You are now ready to pick blackberries. Remember though strip and bathe right afterwards because chiggers love tender places if you know what I mean.

Well I had intended to put up our Friendly Wayne Co Sheriff but while WTVW blared on about the arrest of this fine gentleman they ignored my request to post a link and the story. Just want the Sheriff and his buddies to know we know what he is dealing with. I hope they change their tune and fess up the mistake and set a good example. Yes your right Sheriff every one is looking at you and you probably feel picked on. What a good time to set an example by taking responsibility and I'm sure you will be better for it and if you do I hope you all get to keep your jobs. I'll put a link to WTWV in case they ever decide to put up that story. Be nice guys because the little weather girl. Well she's my sweety I like to get up to the TV and pinch them little cute cheeks. pinch em pinch em pinch em. I bet she had a rough childhood. She says a big cool down for this weekend. I hope so. more...

Posted by: Howie at 10:01 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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I'm really happy for Dan Riehl and Tom and Red of Scared Monkey's. Seriously. And by happy I mean pissed off and jealous. Despite the fact that every bone in my body says, "Blog on Natalee Holloway, because of the hits, man, THINK ABOUT THE HITS!" I just can't bring myself to do it.

Why? I agree with Michelle Malkin, "I just wish there were a way to take this story's magical ingredients and add them to neglected threats that affect far more people."

How about this for a headline:

Would somebody please remind the American people that THERE'S A F*CKING WAR ON!!

Ok. Got that out of my system. Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. Hey Dan, Red, or Tom, how about throwing us a link............

UPDATE: Thanks to Tom for throwing us the link. In case you can't tell, we go way back and I see he can still take a joke. I agree, his stories are not my stories, and my interests not necessarily his. And we are still just effing bloggers and not Dan Rather anchors, so I guess I'll lighten up on you guys. They've found a cause and a niche--most people only find niches and never causes--good on you.

My own cause and niche are American hostages still in Iraq. And Red, Tom, Dan Riehl are right: bloggers like us have made contacts and have sources that the MSM are oblivious to. My posts on these hostages and their posts on whats-her-name in Aruba a case in point.

Anyway, my criticism still applies to the MSM. Yes, the Halloway story is important to some people--those in Aruba, in Alabama, or among those who knew Natalee personally. Very important. But why is it on all three news 24 hr news networks every day? This story is not worthy of being in national headlines for weeks. It is worthy of bloggers and local news outlets, but certainly not the national news.

UPDATE 2:*** MPJ EXCLUSIVE *** MUST CITE MY PET JAWA ***

Dan Riehl uses 'erudite' and 'ardent' in same sentence without belching.....

Posted by: Rusty at 10:00 AM | Comments (13) | Add Comment
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Well I watched the presidents speech last night on my local Fox station who I may mention later. Well pretty good speech I think the President understood the importance of the speech. He seemed just about ready to break down a few times. I think it was genuine by the way he jumped off camera at the end and seems to not quite know where he was going for a minute there. Very emotional he was. I'll take that as an "I really care". So here is a link to the full transcript from CNN. It may take me a bit to get that WTW for you guys I did not get out quite as early as I'd hoped this AM

Full Transcript of President Bush's Speech.

Just saving you a click.

Posted by: Howie at 07:54 AM | Comments (40) | Add Comment
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1 I was listening to a local radio talk show this morning, one that's supposed to be fairly conservative, since this is a fairly conservative town, and they had my local US Rep, John Duncan on. I swear I had to stop and remember if he was a Republican or Democrat, but in the end I decided he is a spineless jellyfish who can only drift with the current. He basically covered all the dhimmi talking point about why we need to get out of Iraq and abandon the Iraqi people to terrorism; he covered the cost, lives lost, Iraqi deaths, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, etc., ad nauseum. Basically he is a gutless chickenshit coward with no will of his own, and only thinks what he is told by the pollsters. I'm completely sick of all the wimpy loser politicians who don't care about anything except whoring themselves for votes. They call themselves moderates, I call them cowards. This particular specimen of wimp not only is willing to allow a US defeat in the war on terror, but didn't have anything to say when Dick "Turban" Durbin called American soldiers Nazis. I am so pissed off and sick of it all, and I bet there are a lot of other people who feel the same. We've let the idiot liberals and traitors and cowards run free for too long, compromising our values and security along the way. America's only losses have occured because of the gutless cowards and traitors; Vietnam, the Iranian Embassy, the Beirut Marine barracks, Somalia, and now they're trying to make us lose Iraq and Afghanistan. It can't be long before people decide to take arms, rise up, and take the country back, because frankly, the country is so screwed up that I believe it will take nothing less than an armed revolt to fix it.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 29, 2005 10:08 AM (0yYS2)

2 >>>"Very emotional he was. I'll take that as an "I really care"." What, he turned into a Liberal? I don't give a shit if he really "cares". I want to hear him communicate the importance of the mission, and why Iraq means something in the war on terror, and why it's vital to our national security, etc. So far he's done a piss poor job at that.

Posted by: Carlos at June 29, 2005 10:20 AM (8e/V4)

3 Point taken Carlos and a good one too. There could have been more meat I agree. But I doubt we should share too much of our plans publicly. I wondered if it was just an act until he wandered around like a lost dog afterward. Well at least I listened. One of his better speeches. Good start, slow (yawn) middle, and a wierd end. Some will see weakness, especially abroad by him craking at the end.

Posted by: Howie at June 29, 2005 10:44 AM (D3+20)

4 Bush's greatest failing is that he assumes everyone will see the wisdom of his position. He has to beat the pulpit to get people in line, because frankly, I think the average American today has the attention span of a hummingbird or the spine of a jellyfish. People just need to be told what to think anymore.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 29, 2005 11:03 AM (0yYS2)

5 Man, he didn't say anything new because he doesn't have a plan. It's "hard work" to lie so much. The only reason he spoke was because his ratings are so fucking low. We need a real leader to solve real world issues...not a bunch of moralistically hypocritical idiot crooks.

Posted by: osamabeenvotin' at June 29, 2005 11:57 AM (huFN9)

6 He could have beat the pulpit until the cows came home and those who have already made up their minds would still not be swayed. That speech was for those who always felt we were doing the right thing but have been disillusioned of late because of the constant brow beating by the left in our society and the pessimistic attitude of the press. They need to hear, from the man they voted into the highest office in this country, that he has not lost his focus and determination. That all is not lost.

Posted by: Oyster at June 29, 2005 11:57 AM (fl6E1)

7 Also: don't think for a second I'm endorsing a dem candidate either...they are like Republican lite, with no balls to stand up for what they say. Someone please form a 3rd party with legitimacy!

Posted by: osamabeenvotin' at June 29, 2005 11:59 AM (huFN9)

8 There's the Libertarian Party, but no one votes for because they know they won't win. That's always a problem. Therefore a lot of conservatives who may disagree with some GOP "center" policies go with the lesser of two evils. The Left has the Green Party.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 29, 2005 12:14 PM (x+5JB)

9 has anyone ever read Jessie Ventura's take on politics? I was very surprised to read some of his points of view, he is very even headed with the spine to back it up.

Posted by: dave at June 29, 2005 12:29 PM (fsJ2z)

10 What we need is a Middle Class American Party. One who will screw the rich. I mean the rich has been screwing us for the longest time, it is time to screw back.

Posted by: Butch at June 29, 2005 12:50 PM (Gqhi9)

11 Yeah Butch, I agree. What we need is some good, old-fashioned Marxist class warfare. The problem isn't the parasites like chronic criminals and lawyers and lobbyists and do-gooding meddlers, but people who are successful. Now pardon me while I go try to dislodge my tongue from where it has become embedded in my cheek.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 29, 2005 02:15 PM (0yYS2)

12 Wow, you guys are seem more sane today- except maybe IM- but he is always a bit of a fringe-er, but all the more reason to read carefully I guess. I turned on durring the Army commercial part of the speach- wonder if anyone will enlist? No mention of WMDs. I wish people would stop being Clintonesgque with tehir language and linkage of Iraq and 9/11. There is no link. If there was do you think they would go through these linguistic arrabeques? Of course not. Cann't have your cake and eat it too.

Posted by: Max at June 29, 2005 02:20 PM (HFKAk)

13 Bush referred to the attacks of Sept. 11th six times in his speech on Iraq last night. The war that "reached our shores" on 9/11, the speech that he gave after 9/11, the Americans who died on 9/11, the "lessons" that we learned from 9/11, the way that the terrorists tried to "shake our will" on 9/11 and, once again, the speech that he gave after 9/11. Bushie was just reminding his own supporters of what they already believe: Saddam Hussein's fingerprints were all over 9/11, and Iraq was the central front in the war on terror long before the president's failed policies turned that country into the terrorist training ground that it is today. He needs those supporters now, and he needs to get them back to the place where they think that anyone who disagrees with them is both out-of-touch and un-American. Oyster: Being stubborn, unable admit mistakes and/or unwilling to adapt is a far cry from being focused or determined. That's what Rove wants you to think. Your Republicans that are "disillusioned of late" are in reality waking up and smelling the shit. I'm not making a character call on you, your intelligence or values when I say this, but I honestly believe you have been duped into thinking Bush has your best interests or is a good president. YBP: Yeah, I know all the parties...but when I said "legitimate" I meant that they would have enough power to win!

Posted by: osamabeenhiding at June 29, 2005 02:48 PM (huFN9)

14 Osama calls others stubborn????

Posted by: Howie at June 29, 2005 03:13 PM (D3+20)

15 Howie...do I come off as stubborn to you? If so, I'd like to know why. I actually think I'm pretty open to other's ideas!

Posted by: osamabeenhiding at June 29, 2005 03:17 PM (huFN9)

16 No offense I like stubborn, somtimes stubborn can be a good thing. But you know stubborn/determined and arrogant are two different things. You know how I feel about the old Casey Jones. Especially in the House.

Posted by: Howie at June 29, 2005 03:19 PM (D3+20)

17 Osama: Right or wrong, I honestly think that Bush is sincere in his motivations. I don't think I've been duped. Other than the fact that he's our president and obviously more conservative than Kerry, I don't have any personal reasons for being "on his side." I'm willing to admit that conservatism is not automatically tied to honesty. RE: Lib and Green Party--All is takes for them to win are enough votes. Why do you think people don't vote for them?

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 29, 2005 03:20 PM (x+5JB)

18 Osama: Yes stubborn in a good way. Determined, Intelligent and always worth the read.

Posted by: Howie at June 29, 2005 03:23 PM (D3+20)

19 "Determined, Intelligent and always worth the read." Let's not go too far, Howie. (Kidding.)

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 29, 2005 03:24 PM (x+5JB)

20 YBP: yeah I laid it on a little thick there huh. Really though I totally loved the "I was there" on 9/11. But really I've not noticed Osama changing postitions too much. That's cool though. He is open to others comments, I would hate to piss him off too bad over a little misunderstood comment.

Posted by: Howie at June 29, 2005 03:37 PM (D3+20)

21 Howie: I don't think the point is to piss anyone off. I haven't noticed him changing any positions. I admit he doesn't fit any political "mold," although--shhhhhhh, he's listening, I'd wager that he's certainly left of center. Right Osama?

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 29, 2005 03:45 PM (x+5JB)

22 yeah I think that (kidding) is a good idea. He's probably coiling up as we speak. left right center hell I don't care. I'm probably all three at the same time.

Posted by: Howie at June 29, 2005 03:52 PM (D3+20)

23 Howie: "I'm probably all three at the same time." Should we be addressing you as "Sybil" henceforth?

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 29, 2005 04:10 PM (x+5JB)

24 snicker. Please no no. That's the old lady.

Posted by: Howie at June 29, 2005 04:17 PM (D3+20)

25 Osama: I have not wavered and "duped" is a term for those who continue to ignore facts. Someone, well ... like you. And no - I'm not getting into that again. You've categorically ignored everything that doesn't fit with your idea and all consuming, irrational hate and exaggerated all that does. You've made your point about your hatred of Bush I don't know how many times. Fine. I got the message. My statement about that speech being ignored by people like you remains true. There's no changing your mind. I never expected it nor do I even try. I have even carefully reserved my real scorn for Greg and responded to you when we are in agreement and left anything else you say to rest. I've done this out of a courtesy, but for you to think, or even say, that I'm duped because I agree with one aspect of this administration is ridiculous. You, on the other hand, have shown a complete disdain for everything which is unreasonable and not reality-based. So as long as you can reciprocate with the same courtesy I've extended, I will not load the other barrel. You DID make a call on my intelligence. And I AM offended.

Posted by: Oyster at June 29, 2005 04:17 PM (fl6E1)

26 Oh god, not that old "there were no terrorists in Iraq before we invaded" chestnut again. Yawn.

Posted by: dave at June 29, 2005 04:36 PM (fsJ2z)

27 since this seems to be the thread everyone is anticipating Osama to come back on Oyster. Anyone else notice a definate lack of phish in the mailbox today.

Posted by: Howie at June 29, 2005 04:41 PM (D3+20)

28 Howie, I don't quite get you on that.

Posted by: Oyster at June 29, 2005 05:21 PM (YudAC)

29 "And I AM offended." Get over your huff, Oyster. Right will prevail.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 29, 2005 07:16 PM (WjUfn)

30 Howie: "That's the old lady." Now now--be nice.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 29, 2005 07:19 PM (WjUfn)

31 "All is not lost" ?? Isn't that like saying, "There's still some hope the sun will rise tomorrow" ?? The only place "all" is "lost" is in the courage- and fact-sticking place in leftist heads.

Posted by: Brian H at June 30, 2005 12:17 AM (8AabM)

32 Okay, YBP. I'll take your advice.

Posted by: Oyster at June 30, 2005 06:50 AM (YudAC)

33 Osyster--hope you know I was kidding (about the first part, not the second)!!!

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 30, 2005 07:26 AM (x+5JB)

34 No, you're right. Letting these people get under my skin is really beneath me.

Posted by: Oyster at June 30, 2005 08:59 AM (fl6E1)

35 Well, the tone of my comment was meant to be exaggerated in its "bossiness," if you know what I mean. "Letting these people get under my skin is really beneath me." Happens to everyone, I'm sure--even Osama! It's tough, because it's a perfectly normal human reaction to take things personally.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 30, 2005 09:08 AM (x+5JB)

36 Oyster: Yeah well I guess I poked my nose just about the time that y'all were pissed and then wow. Osama goes away and you seemed upset. I wasn't trying to upset either you or osama that's why the ???? Osama is/has been right in the line of fire on this deal. He also gets a little upset. I dont' want to discourage anyone to post. So y'all post and remember that like YPB says people get upset. It may feel personal but it may not be. Also I thought maybe you had bitten off a bit more than you can chew with all due respect sir. I thought about this quite a bit last night as I hoped osama didn't take it the wrong way. Let's all try to go home with our BP less than 220/120. You posters make the site for me and I enjoy every mintute of the reading. Really I had no idea everyone was so upset when I came stumbling in. so I like both of your posts. NOW KISS AND MAKE UP YOU GUYS. eeeeewwwwww

Posted by: Howie at June 30, 2005 09:34 AM (D3+20)

37 Howie: What do you think this is, Canada (or Spain)?

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 30, 2005 11:05 AM (x+5JB)

38 A good speech? I wonder if a single sentence can be extracted that wasn't deceptive. Can any of you neo-fascists name one? What would be astonishing would be if a single brown shirt actually acknowledged that terrorism is a technique of combat, ironically one that Bush, his daddy and Ronny Reagan used freely. p.s. Durbin never called the soldiers Nazis. That is a blatant lie and a good indicator that the poster who made the remark is not a Christian.

Posted by: justpete at June 30, 2005 11:11 AM (5RQyu)

39 Hey guys! Ok, just so you know I've been busy as hell so I haven't checked in till just now. I wasn't offended or anything... So, let me say that I didn't intend to offend. If I did, sorry. I think "duped" was the wrong word. Maybe "lied to" might have been better? I really do think that Bush has lied to Americans many times about really important issues. The outrageous thing is this: You SHOULD be able to trust what he is saying! It is his responsibility to level with us and be honest, not reinvent things to save his ass, or tread water till we're all exhausted. YBP: who knows what "mold" I'm more likely to fit, if ever. I have very conservative and liberal views, so it's a toss-up. I'm sure Bush has good intentions, but many people do and that doesn't take away from the mess we're in now. Howie...changing' positions? I'm not saying I never have...but I prefer to call it "evolving". For instance, I've learned a shit-load through reading this blog since I started checking it out. Also, not sure what you meant by the "I was there" on 9/11? I hope you don't think I was being dishonest about that stuff. That's actually the only time I've ever been offended by anyone on here. For the most part, if I don't know someone closely they can't really offend me...but when it comes to someone making a parody of my dead friends, that's another story. Oyster...wrong words man. I know you're intelligent, so don't worry about it. I don't think you ignore the facts. I do think that we are all victims of being fed false "facts" and all assortments of crap from our "gubbamint" and media, so it's hard to sort through the crap and get the real nuggets. You wrote, "There's no changing your mind. I never expected it nor do I even try." Well, YBP has changed my mind on a few things and I encourage anyone to try and influence me in a positive way. So try! You also wrote, "You, on the other hand, have shown a complete disdain for everything which is unreasonable and not reality-based." Shouldn't I? Anyway, you guys...I didn't take anything the wrong way. Oyster can load the other barrel and you can all tell me I'm full of shit and I won't bug out. You can even throw a few death threats a-la-IM in there and I'll still be fine. I'm outta here. See ya Tues.

Posted by: osamabeenhiding at June 30, 2005 02:15 PM (huFN9)

40 Osama: definately not making any fun of your friends. I am sure you are in the line of fire. That's why I tried to backpedal so hard. I read the I was there and I mean I loved it because I loved it no pun intended I thought it was great really. I too learn truckloads of stuff here. Really only have time for one blog. Can't spend all day looking around you know. I think we all contribute. I hope you understand my fellow American and fine net neighbor. I was afraid you might take it the wrong way. I just seemed to be digging myself a hole. I find it hard some days to translate what I think into written speech. I'm sure you were quite truthful hard to argue with that much passion for a lie. Well at least for most people it is. I never doubted your sincerity on that issue and I can't thing of a single one that I would have.

Posted by: Howie at June 30, 2005 04:46 PM (D3+20)

Hide Comments | Add Comment

Round the Reader for today is up. Need something to blog about? Go and see the myriad of topics you can discuss either there or on your blog.

UPDATE: Can I dump a few links here Chris? Because my e-mail is pretty much full up with requests for links today......Be sure to check out Chris's Blast Around the Blogosphere, then check out the links below.

Dave at Garfield Ridge must have his own Awesom-o unit. Check out the funny.

Awesom-o warns you not to go here unless you are into sick humor at the expense of the Religion of Peas. Warning: NC-17 Rated--NSFW.

Ever wondered what happens to jihadis when they get out of their yards? They go feral, that's what happens. Please have your jihadis spayed or neutered. The Ebb and Flow Institute take us through feral jihadi control methods.

John Hawkins as Right Wing News interviews Mark Steyn. Steyn, perhaps the best anti-idiotarian columnist out there, names his favorite bloggers and includes the lovely and talented Kate McMillan of Small Dead Animals. Awesom-o!

Awesom-o just went down to Gitmo with a bunch of Democrats---it turns out that most of them had pretty good things to say about the 'gulag of our times'.

Simon has an awesom-o column on the prospects of post-Communist China.

Confederate Yankee has moved to the mu.nu conspiracy. Welcome aboard!

Posted by: Chris Short at 07:01 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Yesterday's do-it-yourself fatwa festival was a big hit, so why not go two days in a row? Plus, I'm sort of on vacation with no time to do my usual blogosphere surfing in search of the most fatwa worthy posts! Have an interesting link? Want me to issue a fatwa against you? Just make sure you link this post and then send a trackback here.

Ok, so it's not an Instalanche, but it might get you a little notice. Plus, remember that part of the secret of Goolge hits is to have incoming links. A trackback sent here shows up as a link to you, hence, helps you out with the long-term hits. Win-win.

Check out the fatwas issued below.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:55 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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By Demosophist

Good opening. Thanking the right people (our military services). GWOT reached our shores on 9/11. "Murder in the name of a totalitarian ideology... they have continued to kill." Yup.

"They believe we're corrupt. They are mistaken." (Well, not totally.)

"ONLY ONE COURSE OF ACTION: To defeat them abroad before they attack us at home!"

Yeah, baby!

"We are removing a source of violence and instability and establishing a foundation for peace... is the sacrifice worth it."

Well, what will you ask of us?

The bad guys in Iraq are making common cause with similar ne'er-do-wells in Libya, etc. They see the abyss.

"Among the terrorists there is no debate that Iraq is central to the War. The outcome will leave them either emboldened or defeated."

Clearer one could not be.

"They failed to stop the transfer of sovereignty."

They failed to stop the formation of OUR VANGUARD. They cannot stop the advance of freedom. "This will not happen on my watch."

"Defeat an enemy and give strength to a friend."

The VANGUARD!

Iraqi responsibility. We have made siginificant progress. THE ELECTION. They rebuild. Progress is uneven, but real.

30 nations have troops in Iraq. The UN is there. 40 countries have pledged $34 Billion for reconstruction. The Donar Countries.

Iraq is critical. Iraq is critical. Iraq is critical.

Numeber and quality of Iraqi security forces has improved. Operation Lightning. Iraqis want to be defended by their own countryment.

OUR VANGUARD. (Who are we?)

"Our strategy has both a military and a political track... As [they] stand up, we will stand down!"

Good enough. Not complicated. Nancy Pelosi take note.

"NATO is establishing a military academy near Baghdad." Yikes! THE VANGUARD!

Three new steps:

Partnering with Iraqi units.

Embedding coalition teams in Iraqi units.

Working with Iraqi ministries to manage their forces.

(See Mont Ventoux)

Deadlines serious mistake. Wrong signal to allies, our troops, and to the enemy. We need to complete the mission. More troops? If needed.

[But it's not more troops that we need.]

Emerging from tyranny into a democracy. Our VANGUARD. ("We" includes the Arab Middle East.)

Transitional National Assembly must draft a robust and fair constitution, to be ratified by the people, and will then "bind their multi-ethnic society into a democracy."

Wouldn't that be a hoot?

Libya knuckles under. Our strategy to defend ourselves and expand freedom IS WORKING. There will be tough moments that test our resolve. They don't respect sanctuary. They create chaos. They will fail to shark our will. (Probably, most of us.) We're in a confliect that demands much of us. Demands the perseverence of our citizens.

"The rise of democracy will be the ultimate ... victory. We will stay in the fight until... the fight is won."

APPLAUSE APPLAUSE

Our troops can know our people are behind them. At every outpost across the world. FLY THE FLAG.

[OK, he's finially asking something of us. Propagate it. Ring the bell. Let's get it done.]

Loss. "The best way to honor the lives that have been given in the struggle is to complete the mission." Service.

"They" are no match for the United States of America.

Well, keep banging the drum. Good start. Finally asked us for something!

(Cross-posted by Demosophist to Demosophia and Anticipatory Retaliation)

Posted by: Demosophist at 07:35 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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Click here to read what I've been waiting to here for 8 months.

Oh, never mind. I can't wait for that, half of you never click the links anyway. I'll post it here:

TORONTO - The United States, Canada and Mexico pledged Monday to shore up security by integrating their terrorist watchlists and beefing up joint protection of borders and bridges.

At the same time, they promised to expand what is already the world's largest trading partnership by developing a single program to facilitate the free flow of people and goods across their shared borders.

"We are three countries, three friends living in the same neighborhood, so we have a common interest in our mutual security and our mutual prosperity," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a news conference in Ottawa after he and his Canadian and Mexican counterparts unveiled their list of targets and initiatives.

"We want to confront external threats; we want to prevent and respond to threats to North America and we want to facilitate the flow of traffic across our borders," Chertoff said. "The more secure our region is, the more our prosperity will flourish."

Like music to my ears. It's about time.

Cross-posted to Suzanne's blog

Posted by: Suzanne at 04:00 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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