Remember all that business about Sandy Berger and the "Pants-Full-Of-Secret-Stuff"™?  Remember how there was a great deal of shoulder-shrugging and generalized throwing up of hands?

Consider how long this crack bunch of foreign policy folks managed to keep their Kofi Klatch secret?

Just sayin'...

I don't particularly care whether or not the Kofi thing was an intentional leak or not, but it does provide a bit of insight into how different groups of folks do secret differently.  And that's why it is that I didn't really take the Berger thing in stride.

(Simultaneously launched by Bravo Romeo Delta from Demosophia, The Jawa Revue, & Anticipatory Retaliation)

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- Associated Press

BEIRUT, Lebanon - A videotape found in Baghdad after the ouster of Saddam Hussein shows a former manager for Al-Jazeera television thanking one of Saddam's sons for his support, the newspaper Asharq al-Awsat says.

The London-based Arabic paper, which has ties to an Al-Jazeera rival and has been feuding with the channel, said Sunday that the tape is dated March 13, 2000, and shows former Al-Jazeera manager Mohammed Jassem al-Ali telling Odai Saddam Hussein that "Al-Jazeera is your channel."

Odai reportedly says "some ideas" he proposed in previous meetings led to "some changes" in Al-Jazeera's political coverage, including new program hosts.

Al-Jazeera fired al-Ali shortly after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. No reason was given, but many in the Arab press speculated al-Ali had been receiving support from Saddam's government.

Even though someone who was pressured by the Hussein Regime to change formats and/or stories, it almost seems as if Al Jazeera is still working for Saddam and the Baathist Party. There has yet to be any kind of special on Al Jazeera concerning Democracy in Iraq or the upcoming elections that has not painted either in less than grim terms.

Political "pundits" in the Middle East describe Democracy as a tool used by the West and fail to give Democracy any merit on how it could and should improve the daily lives of Iraqis. The few commentators on Al Jazeera that have mentioned the positives of Democracy have neither re-appeared on Al Jazeera and were silenced out by critics of Democracy.

Have things really changed?

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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UPDATE: This is an archive page. For the latest information on terrorist communiques and videos, please go to the MAIN PAGE here.
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- AFP (via California Yankee by way of The Command Post)

DUBAI (AFP) - The Islamic Army in Iraq, one of the main armed groups fighting US forces in the war-torn country, has threatened to carry out attacks inside the United States, according to a statement posted on a website.

This year "will bring woes on America. The mujahedeen (holy warriors) have prepared big surprises for your sons outside America and a big surprise for you inside America," said the statement whose authenticity could not be confirmed.

The statement appeared to mark a disturbing shift in strategy by the shadowy Sunni Muslim group which has claimed a number of attacks and killings of hostages in Iraq, including an Italian journalist and two Pakistanis.

While the well-known terrorist groups in Iraq (Al Qaida in Iraq and Ansar al-Sunna) get almost daily press coverage, the Islamic Army of Iraq has not recieved the attention it craves. In order for a terrorist group to be effective, they must recieve attention for their demands. After all, terrorist groups operate on a fear-based system and many Americans have never heard of them.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

Posted by: Chad at 01:56 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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A new study by the folks at Pew Internet & American Life Project have just released a study on growth in blog usage over the last year. There were a few interesting subtleties in growth in blog readership.

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- BBC

President George W Bush and two of his predecessors, Bill Clinton and George Bush Senior, have called on Americans to aid the Asian tsunami's victims.

The three men appeared together in the Roosevelt Room at the White House to issue a joint appeal to private citizens and businesses.

The appeals by both Bush 41 and Clinton are geared more towards businesses and wealthy individuals to donate to the Red Cross, which in turn is directly aiding tsunami victims.

I must caution my readers there are fake charities already in place and they have already accepted "donations." The American Red Cross of course is reputable and I would strongly urge my readers to only donate to organizations that have a history of humanitarian aid.

Captain's Quarters is putting together a blogger coallition of sorts to donate money directly to the victims as well. Ed Morrisey has marked January 12 as World Relief Day and asks for donations to be given on and prior to January 12 to World Vision.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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As I like to report good news from smaller nations directly effecting the GWOT, it is a pleasure to post on Pakistan sending out aid packages and military equipment to the tsunami ravages areas of SE Asia.

ISLAMABAD, January 03 (Online): Pakistan stepping up its efforts to provide disaster relief assistance to the countries hit by earthquake and tsunami in South and Southeast Asia would send seven military planes to Indonesia and two naval ships to Sri Lanka today.

Six to seven sorties of two C-130 aircraft are being sent to Indonesia from Monday to deploy one composite engineering task force and one field hospital.

Two Naval ships carrying helicopters together with a Marine Expeditionary force as well as doctors, paramedics, medical supplies, relief goods and foodstuff to Sri Lanka would be dispatched on Monday as well.

The State Bank of Pakistan has also announced that all of its branches as well as the branches of National Bank, Habib Bank, United bank, Muslim Commercial Bank and Allied Bank will receive donations to the President Relief Fund for Tsunami victims. Donations and contributions from foreign countries, will be received at Pakistan Missions.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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- The Scotsman (via Hyscience)

The suicide bomber who killed 22 people when he blew himself up in a US army mess tent the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, was a Saudi medical student, an Arab newspaper reported today.

Saudi-owned Asharq Al-Awsat identified him as 20-year-old Ahmed Said Ahmed al-Ghamdi, citing friends of the manÂ’s father.

The friends said members of an Iraqi resistance group contacted al-GhamdiÂ’s father to tell him his son was the suicide bomber who carried out the December 21 attack, the deadliest on an American installation in Iraq.

US officials have said their investigation indicates the bomber was dressed in an Iraqi military uniform – but was not an Iraqi soldier – when he slipped into a mess tent packed with soldiers eating lunch in northern Iraq.

The father refused to discuss the suicide bombing, but told the newspaper his son had gone to Iraq to fight the Americans and had died there.

For background information on the mess hall suicide bombing, click here for the initial news, here for an update and here for the communique relased by Ansar al-Sunna.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

Posted by: Chad at 10:41 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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I'm a little late on linking to this, however better late than never. Jane at Armies of Liberation has written a great post on how she feels Osama Bin Laden is becomming a catalyst for Democracy, whether that is his intention or not. It is clearly a must-read and I urge all readers to go over and take a gander.

While you're thinking Democracy, Middle East and Iraq, read Arthur Chrenkoff's latest Good News from Iraq for the stories the MSM feels are not as newsworthy as the failures inside of Iraq. Chrenkoff continues to do amazing work in the area of sheding light on stories no one hears about.

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- Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria - Iraqi expatriates in Syria will have the opportunity to vote in this month's Iraqi elections under an agreement signed Sunday between the Syrian government and the Geneva-based International Organization for Migration.

More than 250,000 Iraqis are believed to be living in Syria. Many of them fled here to escape worsening security conditions since the onset of the U.S.-led war that ousted former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein last year.

The agreement says Iraqis wishing to cast their votes in Syria must prove their eligibility and register at a Damascus election center from Jan. 17 to 23. Polling will take place over three days, from Jan. 28 to 30.

Syria is controlled by the Baathist Party, very similar if not identical to the Baathist Party that used to run Iraq under Saddam Hussein. While the Syrian government is not as oppressive as Hussein's government, there are many similarties between the two. Hussein held elections in 1996 where he recieved 99 percent of the popular vote. Will the Baathists in Syria operate the Iraqi polling places in much the same way?

Syria is also housing Saddam loyalists who are working with terrorists entering Iraq. You might have heard of some of the terrorists the loyalists are working with. They include those who strap bombs to their waist and shout out Allah Akhbar before detonating their explosives belt in a crowded group of Iraqis. Why would the international community want these types of people to vote in an election that could help bring freedom to millions accross the region?

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

Posted by: Chad at 10:16 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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I'm sick and freaking tired of pundits, journalists and world leaders lambasting the United States' response to the tsunami in SE Asia. President Bush has pledged $350 million to the cause and set up a coallition of nations (Australia, Japan, India and the U.S.) to spearhead support to the region and its inhabitants.

The Diplomad is inside of the effected area and reports the combined efforts of the U.S. and Australia have been the only deliverers of food aid to the region while the UN is setting up camp. While I care not what the UN does because I believe it is nothing more than a paper government that has done virtually nothing in the past 20 years, this is the area where the UN is supposed to excel. However they are not excelling and are dragging their feet slower than a young boy going to church.

While there are those even inside the UN talking down about President Bush's late response, the UN itself hasn't even done anything but start to set up shop. So I ask you, good readers, if you were there when the tsunami hit, starving, lost members of your family and several friends, are you going to give a rat's ass whether or not the UN headquarters that is supposed to be giving aid to you has a roof over it's head or pictures on their walls?

Why on earth are we even debating whether or not President Bush acted quickly enough? Why can't we focus our attention on what matters, the people directly effected or the people who have lost their homes, instead of this partisan bullsh*%?

There are even shows on television where members of the Bush Administration have to defend their reasoning, not because they are giving too little or too much money, but because President Bush didn't "officially" end his vaction fast enough according to these pundits.

A memo to the UN, pundits, journalists and others of your ilk: Grow up, grow a pair and put your own money where your mouth is. Donate money, food, supplies, etc. to the millions of people who are starving to death while people try to turn a disaster into a political weapon.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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- NewsMax (via Young Pundit)

"It was a unique scheme," Annan told ABC's "This Week." "Yes, there may have been some corruption. There may have been some mismanagement. But the program achieved its results."

For more memorable Quotes of the Day, go here.

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- Washington Post (via Hyscience)

Smith is part of an effort to track down 370,000 "absconders" -- illegal immigrants who have disobeyed orders to leave the country. As part of a get-tough approach after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Homeland Security Department has deployed 18 fugitive squads to catch these immigrants, including a team in Maryland.

[snip]

At the top of the list were 6,000 absconders from Muslim and Middle Eastern countries, officials announced.

But by early 2003, authorities had resolved only 38 percent of those cases, either by detaining the immigrants or by confirming that they had left the country or gotten legal status, according to the 9/11 Commission. In a report on terrorist travel, the commission concluded: "It is very difficult to find alien absconders without extraordinary effort or pure luck."

Our lax border policy, which is borderline attrocious under President Bush, is a primary concern of mine since numerous reports of people of Middle Eastern descent have crossed our pourus border with Mexico. Our Border Patrol is both undermanned and tied up with full jails and restrictions upon apprehending illegals crossing for them to do anything.

When the Intelligence Bill passed in December, the crisis of immigration was put off until 2005 with a promise to re-visit the topic to put the best policy in place. While the passing of the Intelligence Bill by Congress was neeeded, there is a further need to actively enforce our immigration policy and patrol our borders with more than unmanned drones and stationary Border Patrol Agents.

Digger's Realm has led the blogger front in combating immigration issues with more ferver than anyone else concerning this topic. While he has written too many posts to link to, check out his archives and you will see illegal immigration is a threat to our national security.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

Posted by: Chad at 10:03 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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So, what's with this whole UN thing anyways?

The newly found heft given to the UN's opinions has a number of Americans well and truly puzzled, and for good reason, too.

The UN has no army, save what it can rent from the stellar powers like Bangladesh and Argentina.  It has no power, therefore, to actually enforce any of its dictates, save asking pretty-please-with-sugar-on-top.  No revenue collecting authority, except the charity of nation states.  And at this point, transparency at the UN would involve actually codifying a price list and giving better invoicing documentation when vetoes are bought and sold.

How can an organization that has "approved" only two wars - the Korean and Gulf Wars - decide that their imprimatur is the definition of just war?  How can the organization that provided the audience for genocides in the Balkans, decide that the United States lacks the moral authority to give aid to tsunami victims?

Posted by: Bravo Romeo Delta at 10:01 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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For some men, committment scares them. For others . . . well, I'll just leave it at this (via The Roth Report).

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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(Bethesda, Maryland) A blood disorder is being blamed for causing the death of California Democratic Congressman Robert Matsui. He died last night surrounded by his family at Bethesda Naval Hospital. Matsui was 63. (via Interested-Participant)

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Saddam Hussein has met with his lawyers. DEBKA has learned some of the topics of the dicsussion between Hussein and one of his lawyers. It is interesting to say the least.

He had two main gripes. One was that the Americans will not let him shave his beard despite his repeated requests. He even offered to let a US military barber shave him, but they refused. His theory is that the Americans want to make sure that whenever he appears in public, as he did on June 30, 2004 before an Iraqi investigating judge, he will look confused, unkempt and too low in spirits to bother to shave.

His second complaint was against the Red Cross workers. He wanted their visits stopped because he said they are neither polite nor respectful.

- DEBKA

The nature of the strategic military role of Iraqi forces has been revealed. While the Coallition is facing insurgency coupled with terrorism, it was Saddam who ordered a switch to guerilla tactics.

Two days later, he called together the military commanders serving in the capital and its environs. They informed him they had run out of troops for conducting the war. It was then, Saddam said, “I ordered the transition to guerrilla warfare. I told the commanders: the Americans will stretch out full length across Iraq like a viper. That will be the moment to attack and lop off each section one by one.” The deposed president bragged: “All the insurgency and guerrilla operations in progress are the fruit of my decision and my pre-planning.”

In Fallujah there were hundreds of Saddam loyalists fighting the United States as the U.S. cleared out the city. Many of the terrorists left the city prior to the invasion, but what was left was many of the old Iraqi army.

Saddam has never recognized Israel's right to exist, which is not entirely new in the Middle Eastern world. According to DEBKA's sources however, a deal from the Israelis and some Western sources would have centered upon Saddam recognizing Israel. This type of deal would not have detered the U.S. and allies who believed Saddam had WMDs, however this act would have sent shockwaves throughout the Middle East.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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- Washington Post

BAGHDAD, Jan. 1 -- The number of Iraqis making sure they are properly registered to vote has surged dramatically, officials said Saturday, calling the rise evidence of enthusiasm for the Jan. 30 elections despite continuing security concerns that have blocked the process in two provinces.

After a slow start to the six-week registration process that began Nov. 1, the number of voters making corrections to official voter lists more than doubled in the final week, according to a final tally quoted by election officials Saturday.

Officials said that more than 2.1 million people went to local election offices to assure that eligible members of their households could vote. About 1.2 million forms were submitted to add names to the voter lists, an involved process that requires providing proof of identification and residence.

Signs of Democracy inside of Iraq are slow showing, however they are there. While terrorists and countries surrounding Iraq are actively fighting against the idea of Democracy in the Middle East, they are being aided by many of the media organizations based in the Middle East as well. Al Hura is perhaps the only exception, though they are funded by the U.S. government.

Al Jazeera has yet to run a piece on any of the candidates in Iraq and has only mentioned Democracy in passing. Iraqi newspapers have reported on the elections, however with over 200 daily newspapers in Iraq there are a few papers who are anti-Democracy. Of course a free press is crucial in a Democracy therefore any view is welcomed in a Democratic society.

News of increased interest in the elections as well as increased awareness is crucial in trying to quell the views expressed by both the world-wide media and several world leaders' opinions regarding what percentage of people voting would constitute a legitimate Democracy. While these views may not be accurate considering some of the comments have come from leaders in tyrannies and dictatorial regimes, there are others who need to recognize the election as legitimate in order for Democracy to succeed in Iraq.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

Posted by: Chad at 11:47 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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1 I hope they have a good turnout. I do believe the attacks on voting places, personnel, etc: will slow down to nothing come voting day. Once the Islamofacists see its going to happen anyway there's not much they can do. If election goes well and Iraqis show some courage it may well be the beginning of the end for terrorism in Iraq. Where will they go next? Perhaps a very rich kingdom next door. One with 98% of the wealth controlled by a few thousand members of an extended family? Seems ripe for the picking.

Posted by: greyrooster at January 02, 2005 07:21 AM (eLjJa)

2 They will continue, probably to a lesser extent. The "Insurgents" are for a good part, Sunnis who wish to remain in power, and will forment civil war until the Iraqi Sunni Minority sucks it up and refuses to allow these people into their neighborhoods. It's a "native" thing, something all the Marines we send can't change! Currently, WE are fighting their Civil War for them. (the Kurds and the Shiites)

Posted by: large at January 02, 2005 11:17 AM (VRK2g)

3 Could be: Just seems to me that once they realize they will not be in power they will not wish to give the Shias a reason to retaliate. I hope they do. Payback.

Posted by: greyrooster at January 03, 2005 08:28 PM (XioYD)

4 I don't think the Shias have the means to retaliate. It's pretty much, as large mentioned, the US that's doing the fighting for them. As was mentioned at the start of the invasion, until Iraq can support its own effective army, coalition troops will have to stay. And, I think, the only way Iraq can get its own army in decent shape will be when the insurgency is gone. Training them now might produce a few good soldiers, but their lack of experience pretty much makes them sitting ducks.

Posted by: Venom at January 05, 2005 03:47 PM (dbxVM)

5 chupence un culo forros

Posted by: facundo at January 09, 2005 12:33 PM (DFOHf)

6 por que no se van un po a la mierda y en vez de matar irakires matan los bolitas de argentina que estan akl pedo...

Posted by: nicolas at January 09, 2005 12:35 PM (DFOHf)

7 groxas mutilasiones eh!!

Posted by: krillin at January 09, 2005 12:38 PM (DFOHf)

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Ok, in a bid to try to retackle the long-ago post on Murder and Warfare, let me, um... tackle it again.  Or something...

"There are no dangerous weapons; there are only dangerous men.  We're trying to teach you to be dangerous - to the enemy.  Dangerous even without a knife.  Deadly as long as you still have one hand or one foot and are still alive." -- Starship Troopers

There are three classes of people, as far as warfare is concerned: non-combatants, combatants, and prisoners.

Non-combatants have tacitly agreed to follow the dictates of whoever has the guns and is in control.  Essentially, non-combatants have agreed not to be "dangerous", at least as far as combatants are concerned.

Combatants are the folks with the guns.  They have two roles.  The first role is to impose their will (or more accurately, the political will of their leadership) on the non-combatants in a war zone.  Or, to put it another way, they are they guys with the guns to whom the non-combatants listen.  The second role of a combatant is to resist the guys on the other side with guns and prevent them from imposing their will on the non-combatants.  The primary distinguishing feature of combatants is that they are "dangerous" men.

Prisoners are people who have made the transition from combatant to non-combatant.  The important thing to note about being a prisoner is that it is nothing other than a state of mind.  Prisoners are disarmed, but not all who are disarmed are necessarily prisoners.  To return to the terminology of Starship Troopers, prisoners are those who were formerly "dangerous" into non-dangerous people.

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- News.com.au

IRAQI police found beheaded two bodies in western Baghdad today along with a note that said they were truck drivers killed because they were working with the US military.

It was not yet known whether the two men were Iraqis or foreigners, police said.

"This is the punishment for all those working with the Americans," read the note left with the bodies, which were both inside bags and dumped on the street.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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- Reuters

DUBAI (Reuters) - Militants from a group led by al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said they had killed five men and warned those who work with the U.S.-backed government they faced the same fate.

Video footage showed five men in civilian clothes lined up and shot repeatedly in the back. It was posted on the Internet Saturday from the Al Qaeda Organization of Holy War in Iraq.

Five men in civilian clothes were found shot dead in Ramadi, capital of Anbar province, Monday. A note said they were policemen killed by guerrilla fighters.

A masked militant on the video Saturday said: "These apostates are ... allies with (Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad) Allawi's apostate government and support the American enemy. They are attacking Muslim homes in Ramadi under the pretext of preventing terrorists from entering Iraq. Anyone who follows them will face the same fate."

"To the families of civil defense forces, the National Guard and the police we tell you to say your final goodbyes to your sons before you send them to us. Our reward to your sons is slaughter," he added.

Three roadside bombs were detonated near Iraqi National Guardsmen killing one and injuring six.

Update:
The video of the execution of five Iraqi National Guardsmen can be downloaded here (courtesy of Ogrish).

Hat tip to Hyscience who found the video link and also has some great commentary.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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