I have posted about the unconscionable persecution of Jean R. Cobbs at Virginia State University back in April, so forgive me for posting a current letter from the President of the Virginia Association of Scholars (a chapter of the National Association of Scholars which is the "conservative" alternative to AAUP) asking for donations to help Jean fight her case in court. No one is obligated to contribute, especially since the plea specifically targets VAS members, but if you can spare something and regard the cause as just, feel free. This is war, folks. Carey Stronach's letter follows: more...

Posted by: Demosophist at 12:08 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 628 words, total size 4 kb.

Our success in the War on Terror has created an ethical and logistical problem. What do we do with the hundreds of terrorists who have been captured? What is the most just way to deal with pure Evil?

Warehousing them at Guantanamo Bay is, at best, a temporary solution. At worst, not only are our soldiers exposed daily to twisted, malevolent subhumans, but traitors and fools within our own society seek to use their captivity for political profit. We can't transfer custody of many of them to their countries of origin because they might be tortured (though that would be justice for many of the brave jihadi babyhunters). And some of their homelands simply allow them their freedom, so that they can go back to plotting and executing the murders of innocents. We can't (horrors) execute them, because that would be a "waste" of "human life".

So what do we do with the sort of creature who enjoys planning assaults on children?

The Dread Pundit Bluto has a solution. A solution that not only tackles the problem of captured terrorists, but applies it to the solution of another serious, but unrelated, problem, and addresses a secondary evil peripherally. Three birds with one stone. more...

Posted by: Bluto at 11:53 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 384 words, total size 3 kb.

American Scott Parkin, a 36 year old history teacher and peace activist, is about to be deported from Australia because he has been deemed a 'security risk'. Isn't the real question, though, why we should take him back? What if Israel had done the right thing and deported Rachel Corrie? A lot fewer headaches, I'm sure. I was just thinking maybe we ought to start a few deportation hearings of our own........

BBC:

A US peace activist branded a threat to national security by Australia will not fight deportation, his lawyer has said. Scott Parkin will take legal action against officials to find out why they decided he was a security risk, his lawyer Julian Burnside added.

Mr Parkin was arrested following a Sydney protest against US military contractor Halliburton, a firm with close ties to the Bush administration...

Australian Attorney General Philip Ruddock told national television that the decision "was based upon a security assessment and security assessments are not matters about which I can comment in any detail".

While they ostensibly are a corporate watchdog group, Halliburton being their main cause, they are actually a radical Leftist organization. Their goals?

1. Halliburton out of Iraq-not the real target. The real target is the war in Iraq. Halliburton's absence, they believe, would force the U.S. out.

2. End the US wars for empire--they include Afghanistan in this definition as well as ALL wars.

3. De-Centralized community-based mobilization: Here's how they explain it. I swear, this could be an episode of South Park

We will help catalyze racially just, non-patriarchal, mass movements to challenge corporate and government power and create socially just, directly democratic, ecological, equitable, and peaceful alternatives

4. Normalize the use of Direct Action and Popular Education-No idea. Maybe they can teach each other the fourth and fifth stanzas of kumbaya. Just watch out. If you let a hippie drum circle get to big, pretty soon you'll have a full-blown music festival, and after that, well, chaos. more...

Posted by: Rusty at 08:29 AM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
Post contains 806 words, total size 6 kb.

One of the greats has hung up his hat. Arthur Chrenkoff, the man who brought us his weekly 'Good News From Iraq' has called it quits. God speed. Good News From the Front will now fill the much needed niche.

Hat tip: California Conservative.

Update: I second Rusty's well-expressed sentiments. Aurthur's contribution has been both an inspiration and an example, and we hope his future is bright. See his Finale on Winds of Change. (Probably duplicates the material on Rusty's link, above.)

Posted by: Rusty at 08:14 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 92 words, total size 1 kb.

An Italian court has upheld the extradition of Hamdi Issac, also known as Osman Hussein, to Britain. Issac is suspected of involvement in the botched July 21st London transportation bombings and was arrested in Rome a week later. No one was hurt in the failed terror plot.

Isaac has admitted to involvement in the 7/21 plot, but has said the bombs were meant to 'scare people' and 'not kill'.

However, evidence suggests that Isaac and his fellow conspirators did mean to kill. The reason no one was injured in the attempt was that all four bombs failed to detonate. The one minor explosion was caused when a detonator failed to ignite one of the bombs. One person suffered symptoms of asthma because of the smoke, but no other injuries were reported.

Isaac is expected to return to Britain within the next 10 days. Unfortunately, the U.K. does not have a death penalty. (Sources: AP, Reuters, AFP)

Posted by: Rusty at 08:05 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 166 words, total size 1 kb.

Scott Boone participated in a Protest Warrior rally on Saturday outside of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. You have to read his account of events; I'm stationed in Colorado and it made me feel better about being in the military.

Scott Boone, has also supported whatever I was doing whenever I was doing it no matter where I was in the world. He's a true patriot (and a veteran too). I was going to leave a comment at his site but it grew to such length that I might as well blog it:

Out-fucking-standing, Scott.

Thanks for doing it. I still remember protesters outside of MacDill AFB, FL right before I was about to head out for my first time. They irritated me, but at the time they didnÂ’t distract me from the mission and certainly didnÂ’t make me think twice about saying goodbye to my wife and (at the time) two-year-old daughter. You Protest Warriors are great people and you can consider this a thank you from me.

Luckily, ever since 9/11 Tampa, FL has been blessed by the Bayshore Patriots. They would do numerous things but the one thing you could guarantee on was seeing them out on Bayshore Blvd. every Friday afternoon waving their flags and thanking every troop that drove by.

Not too long ago my daughter asked what the Bayshore Patriots were doing out there while we were stopped at the light. I told her that they were great Americans that loved the work mommy and daddy did and this was their way of thanking us. My daughter said that it was very nice and I rolled down the window for her so she could thank them (she's 4).

Things like this make the troops feel good. They make the troops feel like they're not alone in this fight to rid the world of terrorism. Every little bit helps. I only wish I would see more support for the troops here in Colorado.

P.S. I especially like the "I Support the Troops and Their Mission" sign. I wonder where they got that from? I wonder who made the sign?

Scott has some pretty good pictures up at his site. Scott and his Protest Warrior folks are getting together again this Saturday (17 September 2005) so please, if you're in the Tucson, Arizona area show up.

Thanks, Scott. I appreciate it.

Originally Posted at

Posted by: Chris Short at 02:19 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 413 words, total size 3 kb.

What does it even mean to be 'stingy' with the Constitution? That's what Ted Kennedy is hoping to ask John Roberts at his confirmation hearings. Tom at Scared Monkeys has Kennedy's odd statement on video here.

Is that kind of like, "Hey John Roberts, stop being so 'stingy' with the Constitution and pass it around on the left hand side"?

Man, that Constitution is giving me the munchies. Big time.

Posted by: Rusty at 05:51 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
Post contains 84 words, total size 1 kb.

Dean Esmay has an excellent post on the moral argument for staying the course in Iraq:

With some moral arguments, there really is no middle ground. I'd like to think there is but there isn't. So my suggestion--as "black and white" as it may sound--is simple: take a stand. Do you want to abandon those people in Iraq or do you not? Do we turn them over to the "freedom fighters" who bomb women and children and mosques and cops and elected politicians as well as our soldiers? Or do we protect the victims of those "freedom fighters," recognizing the "freedom fighters" as vicious fascist thugs and theocratic nutjobs, and try to help the real people, the overwhelming majority of the Iraqi people, establish a democratic, human rights respecting, and free nation?

Further, I believe the war must be won for pragmatic and Realist (I mean this in the foreign policy school of thought sense) reasons. If we do not set up a government that will be allied with the U.S. in Iraq then we will be sending a signal to jihadi forces that terrorism works. Remember, Osama bin Laden first began to believe that America was weak and could be defeated after our retreat from Somalia.

The Left's freedom fighters who we are fighting in Iraq are intent on setting up a Taliban-like state. If they succeed, then not only has the cause of freedom been set back, but the cause of America as well.

Posted by: Rusty at 05:44 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
Post contains 295 words, total size 2 kb.

Who is the real Alla Wartenberg, one of the stars of the upcoming season of NBC's Apprentice? A video of her Apprentice audition can be seen here. According to her official website, the 31 year old immigrant from the Soviet Union is a self made multi-millionaire, owns a chain of upscale day spas, and is a real-estate tycoon. However, The Smoking Gun has learned that Ms. Wartenberg was once a Las Vegas stripper who went by the name of 'Ecstasy' at an upscale gentleman's club.

The mother of three was also doing $40 lap dances at precisely the time her biography claims she was starting her day spa business. Can you say happy ending?

Additionally, Alla Kosova, as she was then known, was the kind of dancer who you could pay to spend the entire evening with you--you know, an 'escort'. Eventually, one of her clients--or 'Johns'--became so infatuated with Alla Wartenberg-Kosova-Ectasy that it led to the murder of two Oregon women and a California man. The two women were lesbian lovers.

Kosova's usual MO was to tell her 'dates' that she wanted to marry them. Her 'regular' took her literally and in two robberies gone bad trying to get more money to spend on 'dates', Robert Acremant ended up killing three people. Acrement is now on death row in Oregon.

Wartenberg-Kosova admitted in court documents, though, that she was just using Acrement for the money but that there were never any 'intimacies' between them. Right. We believe you Alla, honey!

Seems to me that she'll fit right in at Donald Trump's house. Alla Wartenberg gallery below. Hat tip: Dummocrats more...

Posted by: Rusty at 04:15 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
Post contains 278 words, total size 3 kb.

I kept wonderng why Zaqueery keeps accusing us of using chemicals. Well now we see why. He is trying to justify this.

An Internet notice from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi from the Iraqi division of al-Qaeda and other organizations like Ansar al-Sunnah said, “If the Tel Afer operation does not end in 24 hours, Ceyh al-Taif al-Mansura military office has decided to organize attacks towards important and strategic targets of the occupation and Iraqi forces using chemical weapons developed by the Mujaheeden.”

Yeah right, he is so desperate he is willing to turn to WMD. Hmm..wonder where he got em?

Hat tip: IOERROR

UPDATE FROM RUSTY: The threat, it seems, was not from Zarqawi, but from another terror organization. Not sure why media reports have this wrong. There has been a definite upswing in terrorist communiques and threats in the past 24 hours, all as a response to the Tel Afar offensive. more...

Posted by: Howie at 03:25 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
Post contains 262 words, total size 2 kb.

The U.S. government has revealed for the first time that a pre-emptive nuclear strike could be used against terrorists who threatened America with weapons of mass destruction. The discussion paper was accidentally posted at a Pentagon Website over the weekend, but has since been removed. The complete .pdf file can be downloaded here.

Washington Times:

A Pentagon planning document being updated to reflect the doctrine of pre-emption declared by President Bush in 2002 envisions the use of nuclear weapons to deter terrorists from using weapons of mass destruction against the United States or its allies.

International reaction toward the country or nonstate entity that first employs weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is an important political consideration....Nevertheless, while the belligerent that initiates nuclear warfare may find itself the target of world condemnation, no customary or conventional international law prohibits nations from employing nuclear weapons in armed conflict.

The document uses this figure to show the mix of nuclear and non-nuclear weapons that could be used in a premptive strike. more...

Posted by: Rusty at 12:58 PM | Comments (27) | Add Comment
Post contains 838 words, total size 7 kb.

1 "Oh Sayeed! Look! The sky is so bright tonight. Ohhh shabash what a sight!....oh....my skin is itchy....and burning.... Sayeed what is that smell....why are your robes on fire?"

Posted by: Filthy Allah at September 12, 2005 01:27 PM (5ceWd)

2 Let's see, we should start with Damascus, Riyad, Teheran, Baghdad, and Islamabad, just to get their attention, then move on to second-tier cities and work our way down. Oh, and Detroit, can't forget that one!

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at September 12, 2005 02:13 PM (0yYS2)

3 The document decribes Iran and North Korea to the letter if read correctly. They left quite a bit open for individual interpretation. Plus, it's always been the US's prerogative to bust a cap in their enemy's ass without a vote or even the general consensus of the American public. I personally think it's beautiful. Kind of brings a tear to my eye. Been nice knowing ya fellas!

Posted by: elliott at September 12, 2005 02:15 PM (XlQVK)

4 I am assuming the mullahs in Iran got their copy by FedEx.

Posted by: From the Swamp at September 12, 2005 02:20 PM (7evkT)

5 HA! About time - like we hadn't thought that already. Cindy

Posted by: firstbrokenangel at September 12, 2005 02:52 PM (jHRvj)

6 Actually I got a hold of this document two days ago, and I would have blogged it, but I fell asleep reading it! I don't know how you all stayed awake to read the whole thing. Maybe you didn't. Anyway, the response from al-Qaeda seems to be to threaten a chemical attack. They're definitely testing U.S. resolve now.

Posted by: IO ERROR at September 12, 2005 02:54 PM (48Hov)

7 This is not anything new. While this may be the first time the actual discussion paper has been seen, it has always been the discreet policy of the US that any means necessary will be used to stop a WMD attack, or to respond to such an attack. Of course, the shitheads on the left will try to spin this as some new dangerous policy that has the World on the brink of nuclear war. Their allies in the MSM will aid the lefties by giving them publicity. THIS IS WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW! The greatest danger to world peace and civiliztion as we know it is Islam. If you are a moderate Muslim now is the time for you to speak up, as it soon will be too late. Islam has to be remade, or it will surely take all of us back into the dark ages. The amount of suffering and death and disease is too staggering to comtemplate. The fate of mankind hangs in the balance. I mean no hate or disrespect, but you Muslims need to look inward and see if this is what you want. A world without any modern conveniences, medicines, air travel, electricity, automobiles, computers, and just about everything else you can think of. The city of Rome was not destroyed by barbarians until the aquaducts that brought water into Rome was destroyed. No one knew how to rebuild them, and the population melted away from 1.5 million to about 10 thousand.

Posted by: jesusland joe at September 12, 2005 02:56 PM (q9AWQ)

8 IO, Rusty thinks this kind of stuff is sexy. Thankfully. Nukes should be on the table, given the fact that these folks - Islamofascists - haven't backed off in rhetoric one iota since we returned the favor of declaring war. I'm glad the powers-that-be have let their "slip" show. Having nukes on the table should and hopefully will make the necessity to use them a bit more remote, which is a good thing. Since people on the left want to "retro"-fit this war, maybe it's time we agree. Let's just aim for WWII rather than Vietnam.

Posted by: tee bee at September 12, 2005 03:51 PM (q1JHF)

9 Mark my words: This will be the decision that eventually starts WWIII. The first ever serious attempt to justify using weapons of mass destruction as an instant retaliation, can't be a good thing for anyone, except a trivial joy for bitter people suffering from a deadly illness. If a WMD is used, it is suddenly ok for everyone to use two or three. You saw what happened with nuclear testing. Everyone figured 'Hell, if they got one we need to get one too and let 'em know we got it.' and now even countries with people who seriously believe in reincarnation got them. Domino-effect... Don't you go knocking down the first block.

Posted by: A Finn at September 12, 2005 04:01 PM (eFE81)

10 Hey Finn, This might be a surprise, but we've always had a 1st strike policy with the Soviets, even though their official policy was that they would never conduct a 1st strike on us. Even though we maintained a 1st strike policy thoughout the cold war, we never did. The point is that this really isn't anything new. Pre-emptive is just another catch phrase for 1st strike. The only real difference is that in the past, we have targeted nations, now we are willing to target groups. However I severely question any politicians willingness to ok the use of Nukes. I don't think that even GW has balls that are bigger than Harry Trumans.

Posted by: Sgt Beavis at September 12, 2005 04:10 PM (XCqS+)

11 Sgt Beavis is dead on. The idea behind having a pre-emptive first strike policy is that this will deter the actual use of those weapons.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at September 12, 2005 04:29 PM (JQjhA)

12 Mr. A Finn, Can't you read? This is not anything new. You are sounding like one of the dumn asses from the Left. This has always been the policy of the US.

Posted by: jesusland joe at September 12, 2005 04:29 PM (q9AWQ)

13 And by the way, Mr. A Finn, World War III was started on September 11, 2001. By the very people you seem to want to protect.

Posted by: jesusland joe at September 12, 2005 04:33 PM (q9AWQ)

14 I think Finn's argument is wrong, but within the bounds of discourse. His is a strategic argument, that the strategy is ill suited to the ends of winning. He might be wrong, but he's not trying to protect our enemies.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at September 12, 2005 05:55 PM (JQjhA)

15 A nazi ally in the Second World War, a Soviet patsy ever since... and a Finn thinks he has the right to criticize.

Posted by: DaveP. at September 12, 2005 06:21 PM (6iy97)

16 The First Strike policy is nothing new. The fact is, if we had to use nukes (first strike or not) we would use them. I would say this was slipped out as a warning to states like Iran and North Korea of the consequinces of giving Nuclear, Biological, Chemical or Radiological weapons to groups like Al Queda. Personally I am glad this was slipped out. With North Korea and Iran resuming their nuclear activities and the obvious fact that AL Queda would love to get its hands on WMDs. Overwhelming force is the only thing that the Koranimals understand.

Posted by: Alex at September 12, 2005 06:54 PM (7wMwj)

17 I wonder if it really "slipped out"? It seems to me kinda like a gunfighter casually pulling his coat back to show his Colt Peacemaker.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at September 12, 2005 07:13 PM (0yYS2)

18 Jesusland, you are wrong World War III was declared the day those crazy Iranians stormed the embassy and the hostage crisis began...

Posted by: Henry at September 12, 2005 07:47 PM (NdKxH)

19 If they decide to huke the terrorists could we get SEAN PENN to do the DR STRANGELOVE rotine? just like what SLIM PICKEN DID ride it al the way down you greenhorn BLA-WHOOM

Posted by: sandpiper at September 12, 2005 08:15 PM (AFJdY)

20 Last words of the Arab Man On The Street: "ABDUL WHAT'S THAT FLA -- ............"

Posted by: Macker at September 12, 2005 09:33 PM (2GH66)

21 The first ever serious attempt to actually justify using WMDs... No-one justified anything during the Cold War, that was an inevitable 'shit happens' situation of 'if they might, we will, screw the consequences'. A justification makes it ok to use 'em, so there's nothing but the (0,1*lightspeed/lenght of electric wire between launch codes and missiles) slowing down using it. In the Cold War it was at least a moral issue, with the hippies and uncertainty and everything.

Posted by: A Finn at September 13, 2005 04:21 AM (cWMi4)

22 Oh yeah, and DaveP., make two picks: 1. a) An ally all the way from pre-Christian times all the way to this day, with only a few minor clashes which can be blamed on another country b) An enemy all the way from pre-Christian times, 2-10 wars with it every century, one of those just a year ago, in absolute chaos and with a piece of paper that justifies taking you over 2. a) A previously isolated country that has suddenly taken interrest in world politics after destroying the ally from pre-Christian times twice. Keeps shoving itself in your face, practically begging for recognition and attention, makes demands, tries to brainwash your people with a media overflow, gets in a coalition to stop you from getting into international organisations, openly states that your continent will be a nuke landing site once a war starts. b) A previously hostile country now clearly learnt it's lesson, not making any demands after the big war is over, offers shelter from the other one in exchange for immunity in world politics. Doesn't try to make you do anything, doesn't meddle in internal affairs, doesn't even mind the fact that their leader party is illegal in your country and that your country makes twice more money from the trade between countries, as long you just act as a negotiator between your continent and them.

Posted by: A Finn at September 13, 2005 04:40 AM (cWMi4)

23 The mind boggles! Rusty, are you really a professor or just a propaganda merchant for the more hawkish members of the Republican Party. We need to be told!

Posted by: conor at September 13, 2005 06:55 AM (4PPsx)

24 Screw nucular bushipig plans

Posted by: Downing Street Memo at September 13, 2005 08:29 AM (VhNDM)

25 DSM, don't think you should be the one to say that, since those things might be dropping right next door to your house, if you're in Korea like someone said you are.

Posted by: A Finn at September 13, 2005 01:35 PM (lGolT)

26 Seriously, who thinks the US would ever nuke anyone ever again? Nuking isn't exactly a precise thing.... you can't take out a warehouse without taking out the city that contains it along with all the innocent people living in that city. No one here is crazy enough to do that, except maybe me, which is why I don't run for president. Hell, to be honest, I miss the days when we used to level cities. It's a hell of a lot easier to fight house to house when the highest rooftop is six inches off the ground. I just don't think we'd do that again.

Posted by: Slice at September 13, 2005 03:00 PM (ZSDaZ)

27 If the majority of the people gets absolutely furious about something, then using nukes becomes a likely option, but that would take a foreign invasion or a series of smaller things like extreme weather combined with terrorist attack and death of government members, with others gloating about all of 'em. So it will take a while unless someone of Arab lineage shoots Bush in New Orleans.

Posted by: A Finn at September 14, 2005 02:35 AM (cWMi4)

Hide Comments | Add Comment

It seems that a loophole allows brothels to operate legally in Rhode Island. AP:

Sex is for sale in the state capital, and police here say there's little they can do about it. Although soliciting sexual favors on the street is illegal in Rhode Island, authorities say a loophole in state law allows prostitution behind closed doors — including in storefronts that advertise as massage parlors and spas just blocks from City Hall. "We don't have a law criminalizing prostitution indoors," said Providence Police Lt. Thomas Verdi, who leads the department's anti-prostitution efforts.

Hat tip to James Joyner.

Posted by: Rusty at 12:14 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 127 words, total size 1 kb.

If I had just lost my house in the hurricane, I'd go straight to Prada. You know, shopping just makes you feel better. I guess a lot of the victims prefer Louis Vuitton, though. No accounting for taste I guess.

Posted by: Rusty at 12:05 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
Post contains 64 words, total size 1 kb.

1 Just what we need more pork on the FEMA budget who did this ROBERT BYRD BRAIN?

Posted by: sandpiper at September 12, 2005 01:37 PM (U+eLg)

2 It'll be interesting to see where these cards are used as time goes by. This is just the first specialty store that spoke up. I wonder if they're able to use it as a debit card for cash at an ATM? And if it gets used to buy crack.

Posted by: Oyster at September 12, 2005 02:04 PM (fl6E1)

3 Any comment I cared to make would just be redundant, since pretty much everyone is thinking the same things right now, but I will say that I wish I was shocked by this news.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at September 12, 2005 02:20 PM (0yYS2)

4 IM, I know exactly what you're thinking. And the thought was in my head too.

Posted by: Oyster at September 12, 2005 05:39 PM (YudAC)

5 It's amazing how we all have to speak in code now, lest certain people accuse us of certain crimes. Wait, is it wrong to say "we", and "us", and "certain people"? Oh crap, I'm going to get taken to a reeducation camp.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at September 12, 2005 07:18 PM (0yYS2)

6 Godamnit I knew it. I blogged about it the first day I heard about the cards. What a crock of crapnuts.

Posted by: Henry at September 12, 2005 07:50 PM (NdKxH)

7 damn can you edit trackbacks? Stupid thing didn't work right. I want you to delete my first two trackbacks please

Posted by: Henry at September 12, 2005 07:57 PM (NdKxH)

8 We had money deposited into our account and damn if my crack dealer didn't all his crack in the flood. But seriously, there will always be people who exploit the system, the reality is that the majority of us REALLY needed the help. Do you know how much a hotel room costs for a month....$54 for a 30 day stay!

Posted by: nina at September 28, 2005 07:16 PM (JTnis)

Hide Comments | Add Comment

Is it me, or are ALL tennis players hot? A fatwa has been issued against Sania Mirza, who became the first Indian woman to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam at the US Open last week.

Mirza's crime? I guess she just looked way too hot in that tennis outfit. I've posted a Sania Mirza image gallery below. For a tennis player, her outfits aren't all that revealing at all.

Telegraph:

The fatwa - in effect, a demand that she cover up - was issued by a senior cleric of the Sunni Ulema Board, a little-known group. Similar fatwas have been issued against Mirza, who comes from a devout Muslim family, but none has ever gained popular support among India's 130 million Muslims.

"The dress she wears on the tennis courtsÂ…leaves nothing to the imagination," Haseeb-ul-hasan Siddiqui told The Hindustan Times. "She will undoubtedly be a corrupting influence."

He said she should follow the example of Iranian women who wore long tunics and headscarves to play in the Asian Badminton Championships.

Posted by: Rusty at 11:19 AM | Comments (31) | Add Comment
Post contains 203 words, total size 2 kb.

In a new audio tape from al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al Zarqawi accuses US forces of using 'poison gas' in its offensive on Tel Afar. The audio of the tape is available here (scroll to Sept. 12th, second link).

Some Arab and hardcore Leftist presses have often repeated the claim that the U.S. is using chemical, biological, and even nuclear weapons in Iraq. [related story here]

Zaraqawi's audio speeches have often come at times when it appeared that al Qaeda was on the run. This tape comes as US forces have launched an all out offensive against al Qaeda in Iraq, with a large measure of success. A similar audio tape emerged after reports that Zarqawi had been shot and after the fall of Fallujah to U.S. forces. Both tapes promised the immenent defeat of the U.S. at a time when al Qaeda was on the run.

On the audiotape, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is heard to say:

The Crusaders mobilised their big armies and used the most destructive and lethal weapons and the most deadly and hurtful poison gas together with their stooges. But God made them drink at the hands of the mujahedeen the different kinds of death and made them face horrible things that they will never forget. [source]

Tel Afar is now controlled by the Coalition troops and al Qaeda forces are reported to have fled the city. Who was it that ran away Zarqawi?

SITE has a partial translation here, in which Zarqawi claims that hurricane Katrina was an act of Allah brought about by the prayers of the faithful:

I believe that the destructive hurricane which hit America, within its own house, was nothing but the result of a prayer of a father or a mother whose son was killed, or of boy who became an orphan, or of a woman whose honor was violated on the lands of Afghanistan, Iraq or others”.

This morning, another operation was launched to root out al Qaeda linked terrorists in Iraq's al Anbar province. The new offensive, Operation 'Cyclone', targetted the terrorist safe haven of Rutbah.

For the past several months, terrorists within Rutbah have escalated their intimidation and murder campaign against the local populace and city government officials. The resulting effect was an increased ability to move freely within the area and a base for them to launch attacks against innocent civilians, Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces.

In recent days, Coalition Forces have also captured Ammar ‘Abd-Al-Hafiz ‘Abd Muhummad (aka Ammar Amam Wakhtif or Sheik Ammar), an admitted terrorist and leader of the lnu’man Brigade, in a raid earlier in September in the Ramadi area. Sayf-al-Din Yahya 'Anad (aka Sheik Sayf or Abu Hamza), a Nu’man Brigade cell leader, was also captured during the raid. He was responsible for organizing and directing attacks against Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces.

Abu Zayd, (above right) identified as the current Al Qaeda in Iraq military emir of Mosul, was also killed in a raid.

Others: In the Bullpen

Posted by: Rusty at 08:43 AM | Comments (15) | Add Comment
Post contains 620 words, total size 4 kb.

This week's RINO sightings is up. Check it out.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:41 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 11 words, total size 1 kb.

According to CNN, Bush took Sunday to perform his first tour of New Orleans. When asked if he thought that it would be disrespectful to the 9/11 victims to visit New Orleans on this day, Bush was quoted as saying "What 9/11 victims? Is that how many I managed to kill down here?"

Of course a stunned press asked him to elaborate on his remarks, he simply stated "We thought it was time to take out the trash. Maybe that'll teach them no-good negros about not voting Republican."

Later, CNN's Wolf Blitzer was able to get an exclusive interview with the President and received some elaboration on his remarks.

Blitzer: So, Mr. President, are you stating, for the record, that you are responsible for all of the deaths in New Orleans?
Bush: No, not all the deaths, but if we'd known that police were going to have to start shooting looters, we'd have sure gotten the Army in there quicker so we could have been responsible for a lot more.

Blitzer: Mr. President! That's horrible! But you do finally admit that your criminally negligent environmental policies are the root cause for this hurricane?
Bush: Environmental policies? No. Heck, we sent a space shuttle mission up just a few weeks ago with 100,000 cans of hair spray. We figured dumping that much aerosol directly into the ozone would surely have some sort of adverse effect. But we never dreamed it would start at Category 5 hurricane. This worked out much better than expected!

Blitzer: I see. So were you attempting to do anything specific with your plan of destruction, or just see where it led you.
Bush: Listen when I'm talkin, you dummy. Our whole goal was to wipe out all the poor negros down there. They're voting Democrat in droves and really putting a hurt on us at election time. The only part that really failed was that it came up short and didn't get the Hispanics in Florida at the same time.

Blitzer: So this is all just about getting Republicans elected.
Bush: Of course it is. Why else would we do anything. Do you think we really care about the people we're ruling, er, ah, here to serve?

Blitzer: Well I find all this to be absolutly horrible! I can't believe our government would do such a thing!
Bush: Why not? You people are ready to believe that we started the war in Iraq just because Saddam tried to kill my daddy (which is true, by the way). If you're going to believe the worst about us anyway, we might as well take advantage and just do it.

Blitzer: Well I never...
Bush: You better get used to it. Oh, and I'd stay out of California for about a month. Our earthquake machine is just about finished.

Blitzer: Well, there you have it people. All your worst fears confirmed. The Republicans are evil and are killing people just because they're poor minorities.
Bush: No, because they won't vote for us. Get it right or you'll be next.

Blitzer: This is Wolf Blitzer, signing off.

Originally posted at Conservative Friends.

Update: One of my diligent CF readers has found unreleased photos of Bush visiting New Orleans. These photos only serve to prove exactly how atrocious our President is. We must call for impeachment now!

Posted by: Drew at 06:49 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
Post contains 565 words, total size 4 kb.

Apparently, even though they have this policy of never refunding money once it's been extracted from their customers' bank accounts ClassmatesDotCom is going to make an exception in my case, and issue me a full refund. Since it's rather unlikely that anyone with policy authority was contacted on Sunday, during the fourth anniversary of 9/11, just to fashion a special policy for lil' ol' me, I'm speculating that they refund to anyone who manages to keep up a barrage of five irate emails. (One original and four responses.) You probably don't even need to use proper diction or spelling.

But I'm not just an irate customer who had his pocket picked. I'm also a public policy researcher who would just love to find out how many people Classmates has nipped over the past three years, and since I now have a "free" membership, perhaps (as a commenter suggested) I' could put together a brief survey for people in the institutions where I went to school as a young turk. I know no one will pay me to do it, but it's a logical next step.

In the mean time if you or someone you know has had their account raided in this way you now know the policy prescription: One email followed by four irate responses gets a refund. Pass it on.

Posted by: Demosophist at 01:38 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 238 words, total size 1 kb.

Michelle has the story as well as another good 9/11 post to go along with todayÂ’s caption contest.

ABCNEWS link.

Yesterday, London and Madrid. Tomorrow, Los Angeles and Melbourne, God willing. At this time, don't count on us demonstrating restraint or compassion," the tape warns. "We are Muslims. We love peace, but peace on our terms, peace as laid down by Islam, not the so-called peace of occupiers and dictators." American intelligence officials believe the man who appears on the tape to be Adam Gadahn of Orange County, Calif. Last year, Gadahn delivered a similar taped communiqué for al Qaeda. That tape was later deemed authentic.

Michelle has the scoop on him.

As does Rusty here and here.

Also see MTP today. Tim takes NO mayor to task. Oh I canÂ’t wait for a transcript. At least Nagin admits he could have done a better job and gives Mr. Bush a fair shake. Kind of adds to the talk this week what while Mr. Bush was talking up the FEMA director privately he was hot. Intresting Nagan did't do the same for the LA Governor.

Also It's cooling off so Howie is starting a new batch of wine. Yes hard times call for tough measures. And I am going to say again. Don't miss the caption contest it's a hit.

Updated: below the break as promised are those MTP quotes. full transcript here.

Also It apprears John Cole also enjoyed Mr. Russert's work. Since one of his commenters points out that Nagin was a Republican before switching parties to run for Mayor, It's fair to point out that Russert is or was a Democrat.

Update II : Mike Brown has resigned. If anyone has not noticed Bush likes to mangle the names of those he is miffed at. He called him brownie.

Update III. R. David Paulison chosen to replace Mik Brown and FEMA.

more...

Posted by: Howie at 11:57 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
Post contains 835 words, total size 6 kb.

I realize this dispute with Classmates is kind of a distraction from the theme of the day, but there are probably more than a few dollars nipped from my pocket at stake. Plus, in the spirit of sovereignty of Flight 93, I find it depressinng to just keep my seat while this sort of thing goes on. Bear with me. Jeff Jarvis just linked to a guest post on GigaOm by Robert Young about the way Internet 2 is impacting the firm-customer relationship. This situation fits right in. It's about preventing exit.

To get back to the fracas, if I understand Classmates correctly, they're now willing to refund half the money that they extracted from my account without permission. That's a little like offering to return half the toe they've just chopped off, but it's a step in the right direction. It's not a step that suggests they've quite grasped the concept of integrity yet; nor is it very competent from a business standpoint, but it does kind of shred their claim to having an unbreakable policy about refunds.

And there's something else of note. Either "Suzie" is in communication with someone who can make on-the-fly changes in policy (unlikely on a Saturday afternoon), or she's reading from a script that tells her, for instance: "After three irate email responses offer to cut the membership fee in half." But that's not important. What's important is what the exchange reveals about the company's ethical standards, which just aren't very high, and about its business savvy, which also isn't very high. At least, it's not high enough to cope with the very medium that gave them a market opportunity in the first place.

more...

Posted by: Demosophist at 10:53 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 1071 words, total size 7 kb.