July 13, 2005

Baghdad Bomber Kills 24 Children

(Baghdad, Iraq) What sort of God would sanction the mass killing of children? Just like Beslan last year, the terrorists, militants, insurgents, jihadists, or whatever you want to call them have once again proven that they are nothing but child murderers. They are despicable human scum.

From ABC News Online:

Twenty-four Iraqi children and one US soldier have been killed in a suicide car bomb attack in south-eastern Baghdad.

US forces say 18 more children were wounded, along with two US soldiers.

"A driver approached one of the US Humvees and then detonated his car," Sergeant David Abrams said.

"One US soldier was killed and two wounded," he said.

One eyewitness, Mohammed Ali Hamza, says US forces turned up in the Al-Jedidah district to warn residents to stay indoors because of reports of a car bomb in the area.

"Children gathered round the Americans who were handing out sweets. Suddenly a suicide car bomber drove round from a side street and blew himself up," he said.

Bastards!

Overwhelming evidence indicates that the Muslim religion has been hijacked by a cult of thugs who intentionally kill innocent civilians, many of them women and children. This fact alone should be enough to shake the typical believer's faith.

Terrorists are criminals, plain and simple, waging a war against civilization and humanity. They have no loyalties save deathly violence. The grievances espoused by the terrorists are a mix of pick-any-card complaints that are impossible to satisfy because their real objective is the annihilation of all populations who are not subservient and enslaved to their death-mongering. Terrorists cannot be appeased, nor can they be satisfied. They will continue killing indiscriminately until they are exterminated.

True followers of the Muslim faith need to wake up and not take it anymore. They and their children are being murdered by fanatics.

Companion post at Interested-Participant.

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Unilateralism...An Airborne Phenomenon!

From News.com.au

THE federal Opposition offered its support today for the Government's redeployment of special forces troops to Afghanistan.


Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley said that it had been obvious for
some time Australia needed to return to Afghanistan and finish the job
it began in 2001, after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US.

Odd, that seems to be the same rationale for going into Iraq.  To finish the job we began in 1990. Oops! That's MY rationale.

"The Opposition has for a long time argued that Afghanistan is terror
central and there is direct Australian national interest in ensuring
the success of the struggle against the remnants of the former Taliban
regime and al-Qaeda," Mr Beazley said in Perth

I'll give them a pass on this one, Iran is Terror Central.

Mr Beazley said it had been obvious for some time there was a high
likelihood al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and his associates, were
hidden somewhere on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

I think he's in Iran, myself.  Why not Africa?  Find a map.  Figure out how to get from Tora Bora to Africa with half the world hunting your butt.  Do the same vis a vis Iran.  Disclaimer: I used the phrase "I think."


"It is absolutely critical that the work in Afghanistan succeeds. The
opposition has been making that clear for a considerable period of
time, so therefore we welcome and support the government's decision to
deploy the SAS," Mr Beazley said.

Well of course, considering that your electorate voted against you.


He said the SAS had an extraordinarily good record in Afghanistan and
represented precisely what was needed in the violence-riddled region.

My sentiments exactly.  The Australian SAS, much like its British namesake, is extremely capable of quelling Islamofascist inspired violence.

By killing the Islamofascists committing the violence.

Posted by: Vinnie at 02:34 AM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
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I Am A Jedi, Like My Father Before Me

So, what does one do when given the keys to a blog such as this? Well, first off, one must pay homage to the host with the obligatory Star Wars quote (rendered above, as the title).

Then, one must provide the host with a visual reminder of why one was selected:

Officespace2



The next logical step, of course, would be to link to the blog I came from. Well, I already sort of did that on the post below. In the resultant excitement that came with being offered an opportunity to post here, I rushed in with what has been my most popular post to date at the homestead.

What I would rather do, instead of driving up my blog stats, as tempting as that is, is to provide links to the two things on my blog which provide me with the passion to keep blogging. They are two photo albums that yes, I own, but no, don't add to my blog stats, or to any ecosystem ranking.

First up, the images that the media refuses to reproduce, yet need to be seen, over and over again.

The Religion Of Peace Picture Page

Second, and inspired by Rusty on this very blog.

They Will Never Win A Pulitzer Picture Page

A prescient note; If the Hare Krishnas start beheading people and flying planes into buildings, I'll do a Flowers In The Airport Picture Page. If U.S. armed forces actually commit the atrocities they're accused of, I'll do a picture page on that too. However, don't belabor me with squeals of protest that I don't have a picture page filled with pictures of civilian casualties from "Bush's War." All wars have unintended consequences.

Plus, in my always ready to wipe out moonbat comments opinion, there's a difference between civilians being deliberately targeted, and those that aren't. We didn't start this war, they did. Back in 1979.

Don't like it? Tough. Here's the Koran verse that provides the text for the link to the ROPPP on my blog:

Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. - The Koran 9:29

Stick that in your hooka and smoke it.

Posted by: Vinnie at 01:10 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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July 12, 2005

You Lose

This was originally posted at Vince Aut Morire in response to the London bombings. It is being reproduced here because, well, Rusty said I could.

Nice try.  Really it was.  Is that all that you have left?  Since 9/11, I seem to have noticed the significance of your efforts falling off drastically, from Bali to Madrid to today.  What's the matter, are we a little busy elsewhere? 

Yes, you are celebrating while watching the misery broadcast worldwide on the cable news networks, and you pronounce your victory over the infidel on the web.

But the book of History was being written long before your pedophile prophet slunk his way out of his hole in the sand to wreak havoc amongst the civilized world.

I'm no expert in the history of Great Britain, but I do know enough to say that your pathetic attempt today represents no more than a pinprick to the proud history of that nation.  The legend of King Arthur was centuries old when Mohammed was but an infant. 

It's time to face reality.

The explosives you used, you didn't invent.  The internet you use to crow, you didn't invent.  The bus and trains you blew up, you didn't invent.  The printing presses you shut down in your home countries, you didn't invent.

You didn't build the AK-47s you fire into the air.  You didn't build the planes you fly in.  You didn't build the cars you ride in.  Those jeans you're wearing?  You didn't make those either.

Show me the three Islamic countries with the highest number of oil reserves, and I'll show you the three Western oil companies you had to hire to even get it out of the ground.  You didn't even invent the tools that brought you your wealth.

You're so pathetic you even kill your own.  A sure sign of desperation, such as when Hitler sent dissenting generals to near certain death on the Eastern Front.

You exploit the laws of the free societies, which you also did not invent, in order to kill. Yet, while you slaughter the unsuspecting on their way to work, the armies you shy away from butcher you on your home turf.  That's right, while you kill the innocent in the name of Allah, your ummah, and the dream of the global Caliphate, shrink further on the map of the world.

So next time, show us what you really got.  Build the planes, tanks, ships, and armies to show us just how badass you really are.  Instead of hiding in the dark corners of the world, raise a military and invade the West, on equal terms.  You've done it before, now try it again.  Take back Andalusia, not by immigrating, do it the old fashioned way.  Sail your mighty navy into the Strait of Gibraltar and take back what was rightfully yours.  Oh, I'm sorry, you can't.  You're incapable.  Hell, you didn't even invent the suicide attack.

Keep showing who you are.  Keep killing the innocent.  You'll still lose.

More:

"It's just getting started."

Still more (reading this blog makes me want to look at the family tree for a missing relative)

Militant islam has given us more than enough evidence to rush to judgment
against them - and if you canÂ’t call the indiscriminate violent
execution of innocent men, women and children evil, then you need to be
put to sleep like a diseased dog - and fast.

Yet more (and yet another look at the Vinnie family tree)

And what's even more fun, Ahmed, is that you just know that
he'll be back, just as quiet and deadly as the night before. Maybe
he'll come for you this time, maybe he won't, but there'll be one less
of your friends around when the sun comes up, night after night after
night.

Posted by: Vinnie at 10:01 PM | Comments (21) | Add Comment
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Hell Freezes Over: Jawas on CNN

karate_kid_crane.gifBoost to ego from mention on CNN--ten points on the John Edward's self-love scale.

Boost to traffic from mention on CNN--Zilcho on the Sitemeter scale.

I hear that The Jawa Report got a full minute of coverage from CNN's Inside Blogs today for this post. If any one taped it I'd sure love to see a copy. Even if you just saw it let me know what was said. I'd really like to know if "The Jawa Report" was said with a straight face. Take that Llamas and Cranky Neocon punks from Reseda!

UPDATE: Found the video over at DEMbloggers. Go check it out. I've also got a few still images below. Jacki Shechner actually utters the words "Jawa Report" on air. Unfortunately she's off camera so we can't tell if she keeps a straight face or not.

Why did we make CNN? Because I took the contrarian view that Karl Rove should be fired. They say my thoughts are more typical of the left-leaning blogospher than the right. Of course, the leftosphere wants Rove to resign cause they think he's a felon (or worse), I want him to resign because I don't think we need a scandal to distract us from the more important job of killing Islamofascist terrorist.

Isn't that just like CNN to find a pro-Bush site and then to run a post critical of the administration? Not that I'm looking a gift-horse in the mouth--forgive me oh great Overlord Ted Turner for my gainsaying! We worship you and your partners at Time-Warner, Inc and pledge obedience to the Fonda goddess!!

Also mentioned by CNN:

Steve Taylor called a 'bigger blogger' by CNN [APSA insiders note to Joyner, Steve and Stotch: no giggling out loud] for an unrelated post and because Toner Mishap complains that Taylor needed more cowbell at his blog. Did I say cowbell? I meant Plame.
Just One Minute defends Rove on legalistic grounds
Fishkite mentioned because he saved Wilson's bio which names Plame
Louise Slaughter, not really a blog.
TPM Cafe has former McCain advisor who says Rove won't go.
Fishbowl was at the press conference today, and the CNN report indicates that the press may have been so hard on McClellen because the leftardosphere had been giving them heat.

UPDATE II: Thanks for all the well wishes. I do read the comments and follow trackback links, even if I do not always leave a comment. Oh, and some guy named "Eric" who I've never heard of and claims some sort of 'blog-son' relationship to me sends me a link to the transcript.

JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN BLOG REPORTER: Well, John, we tried really hard to find some people who weren't talking about Karl Rove, and the only other person they seem to be talking about was Scott McClellan, and that was because he won't talk about Karl Rove.

We found an interesting post today at the The Jawa Report. This is mypetjawa.mu.nu. Now, this is a right-leaning blog, but they're saying something that we're hearing from the left, and that's that President Bush should fire Karl Rove. Why, they say? Because he's creating a political scandal, that he voted for President Bush, not Karl Rove. Get rid of him. This is not what we need in a time of war.

ABBI TATTON, POLITICAL PRODUCER: And that's, yes, not typical from the right, but something we're certainly seeing on the left in the blogs and in the halls of Congress, and congresspeople with their blogs as well joining on this one.

more...

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Do-It-Yourself Festival of the Feisty Fatwas

I'm busy, but I'm sure there are a lot of great posts out there needing a plug. Simply link your post to this post and send a trackback. Insha'allah, a fatwa will automatically appear and a thousand mujahidin will be sent to punish you for your apostasy and blasphemy!

Oh, and be sure to click on the fatwas below before the Zionist-Crusador forces intervene.

Posted by: Rusty at 01:56 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Arrest Made in London Bombings

Hat tip to Blogs of War for this. According to CNN British troops--yes, troops-- raided a home this morning in Leeds. The fact that troops were involved makes me suspect the Brits are finally taking the war against Islamic extremism with the proper attitude. Also note that it looks like the attrocities were carried out by homegrown suicide-mass-murderers.

BBC has more:

An arrest has been made in Yorkshire after the identity of the suspected London bus bomber led police to make a series of raids.

Security sources said the bus bomb suspect died in the blast but it is unclear if it was a suicide bombing.

They believe the four bombers were British born and all died in Thursday's bombings.

Police have carried out controlled explosions in Leeds and Luton and searched six houses.

BBC home affairs correspondent Margaret Gilmore said all four bombers were believed to have died in the blasts.

Meanwhile police in Leeds are looking for explosives and have already seized some material.

An unoccupied house in the Burley area of Leeds was one of six raided in Leeds after the attacks. Up to 600 people have been evacuated from the area....

Meanwhile in Luton the railway station has been closed and a cordon placed around an area that also covers the bus station and parts of Luton University campus.

Police said a car they believe may be connected to the London bombs has been found in the car park....

An anti-terrorist hotline for anyone who might have information for the police has been set up on 0800 789 321.

Posted by: Rusty at 11:31 AM | Comments (36) | Add Comment
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Tom Cruise Not Welcome in Paris

(Paris) If you're a communist, socialist, anarchist, or jihadist, you'll likely not be hassled in France. Unfortunately, Tom Cruise picked the wrong "ist."

From The Australian:

THE Paris city hall has pledged not to make US actor Tom Cruise an honorary citizen - because of his membership of the Church of Scientology.

In a debate late yesterday, the Socialist-controlled municipal assembly approved a resolution "never to welcome the actor Tom Cruise, spokesman for Scientology and self-declared militant for this organisation."

The French, along with many other European countries, have deemed that Scientology is a dangerous cult and Cruise is considered a "sect-symbol" for the cult.

My take is that one doesn't have to be European to suspect that Scientology is a cult. Just take a close look at Tom Cruise's eyes while he's being interviewed.

Posted by: Mike Pechar at 11:08 AM | Comments (17) | Add Comment
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Mr. Bush, Fire Karl Rove

Is Rove guilty? Dunno. Do I care? Not really. What Rove did was not treason as the lunatics over in the head-up-their-asses community are so fond of pontificating. Criminal? Maybe, in that everything-inside-the-beltway-that-some-pencil-neck-finds-offensive-is-illegal way, but not treason or anything even smacking of treason.

Anyway, it's time for Rove to go. Last time I checked we were in a f*cking shooting war and the last thing the Commander-in-Chief needs is a low-life political opportunist in his inner circle. If for no other reason he should go because his actions are creating a political scandal. And it's not like were talking about the Secretary of Defense here, Rove is a pollster and a political strategist for crying-out-loud. So, Bush finds another low-life political opportunist to replace him--but one that knows to keep his mouth shut. Alright, easier said than done but, really, who really gives a rat's ass about Karl-freaking-Rove? I hear Clinton's low-life pollster and political strategist is looking for work these days.

I dunno about the rest of the world, but I for one did not vote for Karl Rove. I voted for George W. Bush. And I didn't vote for him because I was worried about indexing the alternative-minimum-tax to the inflation rate. I voted for Bush because I want a President who will respond to threats against the United States with force and without hesitation. Rove will only prove to be a distraction to the pussies on the Left looking for any excuse to appease our enemies. So, Mr. Bush, fire Karl Rove and then do what we elected you to do: Kick. Some. Terrorist. Ass.

Posted by: Rusty at 12:37 AM | Comments (115) | Add Comment
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July 11, 2005

Islamist Video of London Bombings

A video has emerged connecting the London bombing to Islamist forces. While this might be old news to some, you may recall that I was on vacation and I hadn't seen this anywhere else. Images from the video are posted below. To download the entire video, go here then scroll down to "London blast" on July 8th. Another Islamist produced video can be found here on July 9th.

The first video features images from the blast results and what appears to be footage on a moving bus with audio of jihadi sermons. The second video features images from the blasts results juxtaposed with casualties of the Afghanistan and Iraq war suggesting that the bombings were just retribution--a song popular in al Qaeda movies is playing in the background. Osam bin Laden is also shown preaching in the second video.

Images below. more...

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"Dirty Bombs for a Dirty Nation" (Apologies for the radioctive fallout)

Evan Kohlmann of the Counterterrorism blog e-mailed telling me he had done some interesting research on a suspect in the London bombings, Abu Musab al-Suri (a.ka. Mustafa Setmarian Nasari). It seems that al Suri has that whole "I wasn't involved in that act of terrorism, but I wish I had" thing act down to an art.

-He denies involvement in 9/11--but praises it and laments the fact.
-He denies involvement in the Madrid train bombings--but praises it and calls it a legitimate act of resistance.
-He denies working with serial infidel beheader Abu Musab al-Zarzawi--but prays for his safety.

But here's the money quote:

...It is not a far cry from justice to adopt the slogan, 'Dirty Bombs for a Dirty Nation [the U.S.]....Let the American people--those who voted for killing, destruction, the looting of other nation's wealth, megalomania, and the desire to control others--be contaminated with radiation! We apologize for the radioactive fallout."
Actually, it all makes perfect sense if you see the world through the Islamist paradigm bolstered by the lies told by the lies of the Leftist press. Read the rest to see what is on the mind of an Islamist extremist.

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Where is bin Laden?

Where do I think bin Laden is? more...

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Backlash Against Muslims

Backlash? Terrible if true.

I hate to use the word but when speaking of something as horrible as a mosque firebombing. It seems like so much moral equivocation.

[Insert one act of injustice here] but [insert even greater act of injustice here].

In fact, I heard a British imam on NPR's Talk of the Nation using this tactic today. Condemning the London transportation bombings but noting that the Bush-Blair policies in Iraq and Afghanistan were so much worse and really the catalyst for the bombings. You know, the bombings were backlash against the war in Iraq. Daniel Benjamin makes much the same argument.

So be careful when using the word but and comparing two unequal wrongs.

Having made that disclaimer let me note that irrational backlash is wrong, but:

Incidentally, so long as we're so concerned about "backlash" -- the anti-Christian anti-Jew anti-Hindu anti-"apostate Muslim" "backlash" seems to have a much greater bodycount than the alleged anti-Muslim "backlash."

It sure would be nice to see Muslims have 1% of the concern for the "backlash" against the non-Muslim world -- the world that is actually experiencing mass-butchery at the hands of Muslims -- as they do for the hypothetical, always-on-the-horizon-but-never-quite-arriving "backlash" against themselves.

READ. THE. REST.

I'm far more worried about Islamic backlash than about any other type of backlash. Backlashes there be a plenty in a world of action-reaction.

Pop quiz. Which is worse?

a) Theo Van Gogh's backlash against mysogeny in the Islamic world in the form of his controversial film Submission.

b) Mohammed Bouyeri's backlash against Theo Van Gogh's controversial film Submission.

Posted by: Rusty at 04:36 PM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
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Al Qaeda Has Nukes in U.S.

Ok, the source for the story seems pretty iffy to me and the alarmist nature of the report seems way over the top, but I was a Boy Scout and was always taught to be prepared for the worst case scenario. If true, this would definitely qualify as worst case. Anyway, interesting reading when taken with the proper skepticism. WND:

According to captured al-Qaida leaders and documents, the plan is called the "American Hiroshima" and involves the multiple detonation of nuclear weapons already smuggled into the U.S. over the Mexican border with the help of the MS-13 street gang and other organized crime groups.

Al-Qaida has obtained at least 40 nuclear weapons from the former Soviet Union – including suitcase nukes, nuclear mines, artillery shells and even some missile warheads. In addition, documents captured in Afghanistan show al-Qaida had plans to assemble its own nuclear weapons with fissile material it purchased on the black market....

But the most disturbing news is that high level U.S. officials now believe at least some of those weapons have been smuggled into the U.S. for use in the near future in major cities as part of this "American Hiroshima" plan, according to an upcoming book, "The al-Qaida Connection: International Terrorism, Organized Crime and the Coming Apocalypse," by Paul L. Williams, a former FBI consultant.

According to Williams, former CIA Director George Tenet informed President Bush one month after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that at least two suitcase nukes had reached al-Qaida operatives in the U.S.

"Each suitcase weighed between 50 and 80 kilograms (approximately 110 to 176 pounds) and contained enough fissionable plutonium and uranium to produce an explosive yield in excess of two kilotons," wrote Williams. "One suitcase bore the serial number 9999 and the Russian manufacturing date of 1988. The design of the weapons, Tenet told the president, is simple. The plutonium and uranium are kept in separate compartments that are linked to a triggering mechanism that can be activated by a clock or a call from the cell phone."

According to the author, the news sent Bush "through the roof," prompting him to order his national security team to give nuclear terrorism priority over every other threat to America....

According to Williams' sources, thousands of al-Qaida sleeper agents have now been forward deployed into the U.S. to carry out their individual roles in the coming "American Hiroshima" plan.

Bin Laden's goal, according to the book, is to kill at least 4 million Americans, 2 million of whom must be children. Only then, bin Laden has said, would the crimes committed by America on the Arab and Muslim world be avenged.

There is virtually no doubt among intelligence analysts al-Qaida has obtained fully assembled nuclear weapons, according to Williams. The only question is how many. Estimates range between a dozen and 70. The breathtaking news is that an undetermined number of these weapons, including suitcase bombs, mines and crude tactical nuclear weapons, have already been smuggled into the U.S. – at least some across the U.S.-Mexico border.

The future plan, according to captured al-Qaida agents and documents, suggests the attacks will take place simultaneously in major cities throughout the country – including New York, Boston, Washington, Las Vegas, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Posted by: Rusty at 12:48 PM | Comments (68) | Add Comment
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The Dead and Missing in London

Via Andrew Cochran, this Times of London article lists the names of those killed and missing in the London bombing attrocities. Apologies for copyright infringement, but I have reprinted the entire list because many online newspapers take down archived articles after a few weeks. The list is in the extended entry.

Remember, what happened was an attrocity not a tragedy. Never use the word tragedy to describe the deliberate acts of evil men. Attrocities are committed, tragedies happen. more...

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Show Trials in Saudi Arabia (Religion of Peace Update)

John at Crossroads of Arabia notices that Saudi Arabia will soon prosecute several extremist clerics for issuing fatwas, or religious edicts, which justify terrorist acts. A good start. Now if they'd only prosecute those that preach in favor of the fascism of Sharia law. Oh, wait......

Bill Dauterieve passes along the news that AL-QAEDA is secretly recruiting affluent, middle-class Muslims in British universities and colleges to carry out terrorist attacks in this country, leaked Whitehall documents reveal.

Mohammad al-Garbuzi sought by investigators in the London and Madrid bombings. No confirmation on rumors that he is part of a radical Mennonite faction.........So, who was responsible? Bin Laden? Nope. It was the J-O-Os. Don't you know it's always the J-O-Os??

Knock-knock.
Who's there?
My Vagina.
My Vagina who?
My Vagina says the war in Iraq was illegal and Bush-Hitler is a war criminal.

Downsizing troop levels in Iraq? A new leaked memo seems to indicate that by this time next year we'll have half as many troops on the ground. [UPDATE: Rob, guest blogging over at Wizbang, backpeddles on the leaked memo]Oh, and attacks are down in Iraq--you won't see that on the news tonight.

The CBC doesn't realize the song is 'Blame Canada' not 'Blame America'.

Anti-war movement resorts to spam attacks.

The Carnival of the Liberty is up.

Jay at Stop the ACLU interviews a former member of the fifth column.

Forget Downing Street, check out "The Pinelawn Road Memo". It may be fake, but at least it's accurate.

Confederate Yankee has all the hot, wet, blowing action. (Hurricane humor, dumbass!)

Posted by: Rusty at 10:01 AM | Comments (21) | Add Comment
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Body of Last Missing Seal Found in Afghanistan

The Taliban had announced that the missing Seal had been captured and then beheaded. This just goes to show how full of shit the Taliban are. The Seal was killed in action and was not captured. Rest in Peace. WaPo:

The body of a missing U.S. commando has been located in eastern Afghanistan, the military said Monday, bringing an end to the desperate search for the last member of an ill-fated, four-man special forces unit that disappeared last month.

One of the four men was rescued on July 3; the other two were found dead the next day.

The body of the fourth U.S. Navy SEAL was found Sunday in Kunar province by a search and rescue team, the military said in a statement. It said all indications are that he died in fighting, despite a claim by Mullah Latif Hakimi, a purported Taliban spokesman, that he was captured alive and beheaded.

"The location and disposition of the service member's remains indicate he died while fighting off enemy terrorists on or about June 28," the statement said.

U.S. military spokesman Col. James Yonts repeatedly denied Hakimi's claims.

"There have been claims of being dropped on a mountain wearing red clothes, there have been claims of being beheaded," he said. But "there was no indication supporting the claims. ... This individual was never in custody, he was never defamed or disgraced."

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I'm Back!

Five hundred mosquito bites later and I'm still alive. Did I miss anything? Oh, yeah, THAT.

I was up getting ready for my camping trip at about 5 a.m., just as the news was breaking. Let me thank the whole Jawa crew for doing a fantastic job covering the London bombings and especially Mike Pechar and Chad Evans for their live updates. I had to travel 11 hours to get to where I was going and listened to breaking news most of the day and Mike's post was just outstanding. Thanks!

P.S-I have like 500 unread e-mails. If you sent me something in the last few days or so I might not be able to get back to you. Sorry.

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Afghan Rebels Make Peace

(Gardez, Afghanistan) Here's some good news if you are interested in seeing Afghanistan become united on the path toward freedom and democracy. Sadly, the elite media seems to be ignoring the story.

From the Army News Service:

Eighteen of Gulbiddin Hekmatyar’s Hezb-e Islami commanders turned themselves over to government officials in the Paktia Province June 12.

Under the terms of the Afghan government’s reconciliation program, Pakhm-e Sohl, the former commanders returned home after years of living in Pakistan.

Upon meeting with Governor Abdel Hakim Taniwal, Provincial Reconstruction Team or PRT Soldiers, and government representatives, who explained the provisions of the program to them, the commanders pledged their loyalty to the Karzai government by signing statements.

The loyalty statement to the Afghan government includes an agreement not to possess heavy weapons or take up arms against the Afghan government or Coalition forces. The commanders received new reconciliation identification cards and were embraced by Taniwal who welcomed them back to Afghan society.

For background, Gulbiddin Hekmatyar founded the Hezbi Islami in the 1970s largely consisting of Pashtun tribesmen from eastern Afghanistan. Since that time, Hezbi Islami has been a major player in the many armed conflicts in Afghanistan, fighting the Russians, the Mujaheedin, and the current government. Back in the 1990s, Hekmatyar's forces turned Kabul into a ghost city through a devastating series of rocket volleys. An estimated 2,000 people were killed while 500,000 fled.

So, by any measure, the Hezbi Islami is a major military element in the country. However, it has also been a prime political and ethnic leader for the large Pashtun segment of the Afghan population (42 percent). Consequently, by laying down arms and ending hostilities, Hekmatyar's commanders have given heightened authenticity and authority to the democratic Afghan government.

In my opinion, the fact that Gulbiddin Hekmatyar’s Hezbi Islami has chosen to become part of the new Afghanistan should be heralded by the international media as a major step toward pulling the country into the 21st Century. It should also be heralded as a win in the battle against backwardness, and a victory for freedom and democracy. So far, the elite media hasn't mentioned it. Maybe I'm making too big a deal about it.

Tipped by Captain's Quarters.

Posted by: Mike Pechar at 08:17 AM | Comments (13) | Add Comment
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July 10, 2005

A few words on comments.

Well I have been arguing with myself for a couple days about this. As many of you are aware Mike Pechar hit a home run on the London bombings the other day. He had more trackbacks than a dog has fleas. Also he was drawing comments from the world over at an astonishing rate. Well that was until a couple comments seemed to slow many others down or drive them away all together. IÂ’m really trying hard to say this in fair and unbiased manner. So if I piss anyone off I just want to say up front that is not my intention. I hope that we can all enjoy the web site and have our comments read by the widest possible audience.

I noted that the thread was accumulating comments left and right. We were picking up new readers. All our statements and comments were being read not only by regulars here but also potential new readers as well. People from all over the world. Then came the insults to the queen and the profanity. Personally I thought that the insults the queen were particularly in bad taste considering the events of the day. After that it became the Greg and Carlos show. Other comments especially from new readers seemed to vanish. I think MikeÂ’s thread could have easily went over two hundred comments had we just thought about it for a few more seconds before we hit that post button. See not only did Mike loose readers so did you. I know several of you like to go around and piss on every post like a dog on patrol. That is fine and dandy with me. For the most part I enjoy most of it. If you would just take a couple minutes to consider what thread you are on and also that you are shitting in your own nest. You not only drive off MikeÂ’s readers, which was totally unfair to him. You also drive off readers of your own comments and ideas.

IÂ’m not really into banning and if you think that deleting comments is that hard IÂ’m sure I can figure it out should I choose to. I have pretty much free rein as far as permissions go. And itÂ’s mostly a matter of point and click and taking the time to do so. All I ask is that you consider the thread and if you want to piss all over one choose an appropriate thread. Any thread is OK with me after the other comments have died out a bit but this one was still pretty active. Like I say you not only drove off MikeÂ’s readers but yours as well. I see you guys out here every day and I know and understand what is jest and what is not(well at least some days). But other readers especially on a day when we have the potential to grow our audience are not used to that and may be quickly put off.

So this is just some friendly advice. Carlos and Greg are just the examples of the day and are by no means the only ones. In fact they come up with some really good stuff some days. I think a lot of people come here just to read the arguments and your comments are welcome on my threads and appreciated. Characters like Greg that people love to hate draw an audience to a certain extent. IÂ’m not sure where the line should be but I think we may have crossed over it the other day. So IÂ’m not trying to pick on you guys itÂ’s just that on that day you happened to be the ones I noticed. Also YBP seems to have a pretty good sense of what is a little too much and I appreciate his attempt to bring order to the thread.

For any new readers itÂ’s just that way and you may have to overlook a few things but donÂ’t let it discourage you from posting a comment. Just ignore it if you can. Should you confront them, that is just more encouragement for them. They are pretty good at arguing so you may loose that fight. Well thatÂ’s all the preaching I have in me for today. IÂ’m sure Rusty will have his own opinion about this. I really donÂ’t know what that will be he is pretty tolerant as I am. Just a few more seconds of thought and all of us could have picked up more readers for all the authors and also the commentators. Radical statements do get attention both good and bad and I see that some of you make them just to get notice. Be careful that you attract readers and donÂ’t drive them off. ItÂ’s a thin line for sure and walking it is difficult, try not to get too carried away. I thought about addressing each of you on a personal level by email. So please by all means feel free to email me or post your dissent or agreement below.


And YÂ’all have a good one.

Posted by: Howie at 12:47 PM | Comments (34) | Add Comment
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