Saturday, February 28, 2009

24 Feb 2009 One Year

From Knottie's niche. I have no words.

--------

24 Feb 2009 One Year

At 10:05am Baghdad time 24 Feb 2008 an EFP (explosive formed projectile)was fired up on the second vehicle in the convoy. It hit the driver's door. My son was the driver. The medic attended to him on sight. Once stable enough he was medivac'd out to the 86th CSH ( combat surgical hospital)where a team of surgeons worked on him. He died in surgery at 11:31am Baghdad time. For 1 hour and 26 minutes he fought his final battle. The others in the vehicle received minor injuries.

At approximately 1pm ( US CST ) two men knocked on my front door. I was at the store shopping when my son called to tell me they were in my livingroom. I knew.

In the past year my family has experienced pain so deep that it is impossible to put into words, joy that we feel guilty for having, people who have amazed me, anger with no outlet, and an emptiness there is no way to fill. I chose to dwell on the amazing people.

Joe, who reminded me early on to look to my son for strength and later imparted the wisdom to let the memories of my son inspire me.

Sgt Lee, who brought my son home to me and then became our friend.

Cliff, who IM'd with me from a hospital in Baghdad and made it ok to have a conversation not about my son. And who told me I don't fight fair. ( We mom's don't)

Doc Strong, Who did everything possible to save my son then had the courage to come to us and sit across from us at a table. Opening himself up to any possibility but giving us comfort.

Howie, Tommy and Peg, Who have all given me a chance to use this voice of a Gold Star Mom to make a real difference. And who answer the phone when I call at any given hour and need to just talk.

Jenn, A BTR host who gets fighting mad when she even thinks someone's word may hurt me. And that makes me smile every time.

Ron, who befriended me and encourages me to continue to write my heart.

Bravo Company 1/502nd, All of these men and their families who accepted us as one of their own and who make sure my son's stories are heard by us. Who embrace us and call me Momma Ang.

CPT Ussery, who took the time to invite me to his home and then shared the details he somehow knew I needed to move forward. His and his wife's friendship is one I will cherish. ( I still want to steal his dog though)

Pat Dollard, who helped me understand that those who we fight in Iraq are not like you and I. I now know what Pokey meant by "soulless Muslim Bastards" They were raised on hate and evil has truly taken their souls. And that my son and all those who fought there truly made a difference in this world.

There are so many people that have touched my life in this past year. People I know I would not have met had it not been for losing my son. As much as I love these people and the gifts they give me, the price was so very high.

I miss Pokey.. Nothing and no one will ever change that. I want him running through the door yelling Mooommmyyy! and asking what's for dinner. I want him here to run my finger through his hair and have him tell me to stop. I want him to fight with his sister. Then laugh because she gets mad so funny. I want him to take Tony for icees and pickles. I want him to trade CDs with David then complain David has his CDs. I want to make his damned chili mac for him like he asked me to. Of all the food in the world why chili mac was what he wanted me to make for his homecoming I will never know. There will be no 21st birthday party. No wedding. No late night conversations. No making new memories. What we have are a blessing and we hold them dear.

I want my baby home... But a year ago they came and told me he wasn't going to ever come home again. And since that moment a part of me still screams for them to take it back. He's gone but he still inspires me. He still gives me strength and courage. And every once in a while he still lays his head on my shoulder.

I love you Pokey. I miss you more than words can say.

Hamas Fires Six Rockets Into Southern Israel, School Hit


There have been a few rockets fired in southern Israel the past few days but this morning saw a total of six rockets fired by Hamas that landed in the Ashkelon area, with one hitting and severely damaging a school. There are no reports of injury, thank goodness. But this barrage for a Saturday will probably spark some retaliation from the Israelis...is my bet. Here's some of the details from The Jerusalem Post:


Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired at least six projectiles at southern Israel on Saturday, with a Grad-type rocket hitting and heavily damaging an Asheklon school.

Two Kassam rockets hit open areas in the western Negev on Saturday evening. No one was wounded and no damage was reported, as one of the rockets hit the Eshkol region and the other landed in the Sha'ar Hanegev area.
There were no casualties in the Grad attack on Ashkelon earlier on Saturday, as the school was closed, though a number of residents were treated for shock. Another Grad rocket landed in an open area just outside the city.
Ashkelon residents reported hearing an air raid siren at 8:43 am, before a rocket tore through the school, destroying classrooms and spraying shrapnel in all directions.

As you can see, the rocket that hit the Ashkelon school was a grad type rocket - the larger, longer range type and that has to continue to worry Israeli officials. While the Israelis have done some sporadic IAF bombing of tunnel systems in retaliation, I think by tomorrow we're going to see some more pinpointed attacks on the areas that these rockets were fired from.

I, personally, don't think it will take much to push the Israelis into a much more full blown air attack on Gaza again if this keeps up. Nobody ever said Hamas was very smart.


Kassam rockets continue to hit Negev

"In light of the situation, we can say with certainty that the school struck by a rocket will not be open tomorrow. We will have to find an alternative solution for students. The remainder of the schools will open on Sunday," Deputy Mayor Shlomo Cohen said.
Cohen added that the municipality "shares the concerns of parents in light of the deterioration of the situation, but we must remember that carrying on in a routine manner means bolstering the education system and the whole of the city of Ashkelon."
A tour of the school by Ashkelon Municipality safety officials found that shrapnel damage had reached parts of the building which had been designated as safe zones by the Home Front Command.
The municipality has been waiting for two weeks for the Ministry of Defense to approve rocket reinforcement construction plans drawn up to protect schools in the city, Cohen said, adding that the school struck in Saturday's attack was on the list of schools waiting for protection.
"The Ashkelon Municipality has demanded that the school be equipped with inexpensive basic rocket protection reinforcement. The reinforcement plans have been approved by the municipality and the Home Front Command. They have been sitting on the desks of Defense Ministry officials for two weeks, waiting for approval," Cohen said.
On Saturday evening, the Ashkelon Municipality and the city's parents' council decided that although no classes would be held in the damaged school on Sunday, other schools would hold classes as usual.

Video: New French Remote Controlled Machine Gun For Afghanistan

'Unknown Gunmen' Fire On Pakistani School Bus Wounding Two Children, Kidnapping Six


"Unknown gunmen"....yeah right. THE TALIBAN conducted a cowardly terror attack on a school bus bringing children to school in the NW Pakistani town of Hangu yesterday - the bus driver was killed, two of the children were wounded and apparently six of the children were taken captive. Here's some of the details from Dawn:


The bus was ambushed outside the town of Hangu in the country's troubled North West Frontier Province, which borders Afghanistan and is plagued by sectarian violence as well as Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked militants.
'Unknown gunmen fired at the school van carrying Shia students. The driver was killed, two children were injured, while six appear to have been kidnapped by the attackers,' local police station chief Saeed Khan told AFP.
'Police are searching for the attackers in the nearby mountains,' he added, saying he had no further details about the missing students.
Hangu, which has been a flashpoint for sectarian violence in the past, is located about 175 kilometres west of Islamabad.
This police chief is too chicken shit to call a spade a spade but this is typical Taliban - ambush a vehicle and then kidnap the weakest of the group- whether it be women or children. These are the Taliban that have created a manual on using children as human shields in all of their operations. So now, we have the Taliban holding six children hostage - the same Taliban that the government of Pakistan saw fit to sign peace agreements with in another area of NW Pakistan.

Dealing with the Taliban - well, it's like a skin cancer. When you find it, you don't put a bandage on it and hope for the best...no, you need to cut it out and you need to go deep to get every single cell of it. If you miss even one cell, you stand the risk of its return, of its spreading and its killing you.


Hangu school bus ambushed, children kidnapped

PESHAWAR: Gunmen on Friday ambushed a minibus carrying children to school in northwest Pakistan, killing the driver, wounding two children and apparently kidnapping six others, police said.
The bus was ambushed outside the town of Hangu in the country's troubled North West Frontier Province, which borders Afghanistan and is plagued by sectarian violence as well as Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked militants.
'Unknown gunmen fired at the school van carrying Shia students. The driver was killed, two children were injured, while six appear to have been kidnapped by the attackers,' local police station chief Saeed Khan told AFP.
'Police are searching for the attackers in the nearby mountains,' he added, saying he had no further details about the missing students.
Hangu, which has been a flashpoint for sectarian violence in the past, is located about 175 kilometres west of Islamabad.
Shia and Sunni Muslim groups signed a peace accord in Hangu last month after days of sectarian clashes in which at least nine people were killed.
Shias account for about 20 per cent of Pakistan's 160-million-strong, Sunni-majority population.
The groups usually coexist peacefully but outbreaks of sectarian violence have claimed more than 4,000 lives across Pakistan since the late 1980s.

One of Hamas' Top Leaders From Syria Secretly Visits Gaza


Oh man...where was an Israeli missile attack when you really need one?!! One of the top leaders of Hamas, one of those chicken shits too scared to actually live in Gaza and who lounges around in Syra, Moussa Abu Marzouk, secretly entered Gaza from Egypt late on Thursday...took a peek around and then high-tailed it back out into Egypt. Here's some of the details from the report over at Breitbart:


A top Syria-based Hamas leader secretly crossed into Gaza for his first visit in decades, an Egyptian security official on the border said Saturday.
Moussa Abu Marzouk entered the Gaza Strip late on Thursday with three other Hamas officials before returning to Egypt the following day, the official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
Hamas' leadership is divided between the Gaza Strip, which the group rules, and its top officials living in Damascus. Abu Marzouk is number two in the Hamas hierarchy. He was born in Gaza and grew up in a refugee camp in the southern part of the strip, but hasn't been back in several decades.
Hamas has been holding talks in Cairo seeking reconciliation with its Fatah rival. Both sides are working to form a unity government. The purpose of Abu Marzouk's visit remains unknown. Hamas denies he entered Gaza and Abu Marzouk's Gaza relatives say they had not seen him.
The article states: "The purpose of Abu Marzouk's visit remains unknown." Well, let me venture a guess why this asshat snuck in and snuck out. It's because his Hamas subordinates in Gaza got their asses completely handed to them by the Israelis in Operation Cast Lead and Marzouk had to go in to deal with a fighting force who is on the brink of laying down their weapons. The Hamas top leadership in Syria left Hamas in Gaza hanging out to dry in the recent IDF and IAF operation and it's my guess that the Gaza boys sent a message in the past few weeks that they've fucking had it.

But like I say..it would have been wonderful to have seen this POS crawl his way into Gaza only to see a hellfire rain down on his vehicle sending his parts flying. Man, that would have made my day, my month.


Top Syria-based Hamas leader secretly visits Gaza

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - A top Syria-based Hamas leader secretly crossed into Gaza for his first visit in decades, an Egyptian security official on the border said Saturday.
Moussa Abu Marzouk entered the Gaza Strip late on Thursday with three other Hamas officials before returning to Egypt the following day, the official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
Hamas' leadership is divided between the Gaza Strip, which the group rules, and its top officials living in Damascus. Abu Marzouk is number two in the Hamas hierarchy. He was born in Gaza and grew up in a refugee camp in the southern part of the strip, but hasn't been back in several decades.
Hamas has been holding talks in Cairo seeking reconciliation with its Fatah rival. Both sides are working to form a unity government. The purpose of Abu Marzouk's visit remains unknown. Hamas denies he entered Gaza and Abu Marzouk's Gaza relatives say they had not seen him.
In addition to Palestinian reconciliation talks, international and regional diplomats are also currently involved in efforts to try to cement a truce between Israel and Hamas and pledge funds to help rebuild Gaza after Israel's punishing three-week-long offensive.
On Saturday, two rockets fired from Gaza crashed into southern Israel—one into a school that was closed for the weekend in the coastal city of Ashkelonand another into an open field.
There were no Palestinian claims of responsibility for the rocket fire, which highlighted the fragility of the truce that was called separately by Israel and Hamas on Jan. 18.
The Israeli military says Palestinian militants have fired more than a hundred rockets at Israel since then. Israel has continued to strike against smuggling tunnels on Gaza's border with Egypt it says militants use to import weapons.
Also Saturday, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana met Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
The meeting came after he toured the Gaza Strip on Friday. He was the highest ranking European official to visit the territory since it was overrun by Hamas in June 2007. Solana did not meet with Gaza's militant Hamas rulers, boycotted internationally as a terror group.
On Monday, international donors will meet in Egypt for a conference on Gaza's reconstruction. The Palestinians are seeking $2.8 billion. Solana said Saturday the donor money will be to sent it to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, bypassing Hamas' Gaza leadership.
U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is expected to attend the conference. She will then travel to Israel and the West Bank to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

Video: Saturday Music Vid - "I'm Alive" in Basra

Friday, February 27, 2009

Will The Pakistan Government Actually Sign MORE Peace Agreements With The Taliban?


I'm nearly speechless. Everyone and their brother has been knocking the Pakistani government for the ridiculous peace agreement they agreed to with the Taliban in the Swat Valley last week, and now, from the article here at The Long War Journal, it is being said that the government may also be looking to deal with the islamic nutcase Sufi Mohammed on two more deals in both Bajaur and Waziristan. What the fuck? Am I the only one that sees the Taliban, who have been dodging American hellfires and getting the piss blown out of them by Pakistani artillery, simply negotiate a safe haven in these areas? Here's some of the idiocy from the article:


After negotiating a ceasefire and putting together the framework for the implementation of sharia, or Islamic Law in the district of Swat, Sufi Mohammed has offered to mediate between the government and the Taliban in the tribal agencies of Bajaur and North and South Waziristan.
The announcement was made as Sufi continues to mediate between the Taliban and the political leaders of the Malakand Division and the district Kohistan, the PakTribune reported. The Pakistani military and the Taliban agreed to an indefinite ceasefire as the peace agreement, known as the Malakand Accord, is negotiated.
The peace agreement calls for the military to halt operations and return to barracks in exchange for the implementation of sharia in the districts of Malakand, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Dir, Chitral, and Kohistan. The Taliban have demanded that its prisoners be released and an amnesty granted for its members. Both sides have halted operations and have begun to dismantle checkpoints. But since the ceasefire was put into effect, teh Taliban have kidnapped and released a senior Swat official and prevented a military convoy from entering the town of Mingora.

For all we know, there was a joint directive given to Sufi Mohammed from Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar stating that he was to accomplish a safe haven for both Taliban and al Qaeda jihadists in NW Pakistan - of course, the directive must have said that provisions have to be explicit that jihadists can enter and leave the territory unmolested so they can wage war in Afghanistan.

Well, let 'em make their peace agreements - it's time to push the envelope with the Pakistani government and literally bring in the bombers from Afghanistan and turn these areas into dust. Repeat Tora Bora here - sure, give al Qaeda time to move all of their top management into the area THEN bomb the shit out of it. The Pakistani government has shown no backbone with the Taliban or al Qaeda - I doubt they would put up that much of a fight against us Americans making these areas parking lots.


Report: Sufi Mohammed to negotiate peace in Bajaur and Waziristan

The Pakistani government currently has peace agreements with the Taliban in North and South Waziristan, where the Taliban have held sway for years and run a parallel government.
In Bajaur, where the fighting has been ongoing since August 2008, the Pakistani military took control of a strategic valley that linked the region to Afghanistan. Faqir Mohammed, the leader of the extremists in Bajaur, declared an indefinite ceasefire earlier this week.
Daily Times reported that Bajaur's political agent said the military agreed to a 4-day ceasefire. But Major General Tariq Khan, the Inspector General for the Frontier Corps, said in an email to The Long War Journal that the military has not ceased offensive operations. Bajaur's political agent repeated the claim of a military ceasefire today, Daily Times reported.
Sufi Mohammed is the spiritual leader of the outlawed Movement for the Implementation of Mohammad's Sharia Law. He claimed to have eschewed violence after being released from prison in November 2007 as a condition of a similar failed peace agreement in Swat. Sufi led more than 10,000 Pakistanis into Afghanistan after the US invasion in 2001. Mullah Fazlullah, the radical anti-government cleric behind the insurgency and terror attacks in Swat, is his son-in-law.
Sufi and the Swat Taliban maintained very close links to the radical administration of the Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, the pro-Taliban mosque in the heart of Islamabad whose followers enforced sharia and kidnapped policemen just one mile from the seat of government. The Pakistani military stormed the Lal Masjid in July 2007 after a several-month standoff. More than a hundred followers and more than a dozen soldiers were killed in the battle.In recent interviews, Sufi declared his hatred for democracy and the West, and described Mullah Omar's regime in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 as "ideal."
“From the very beginning, I have viewed democracy as a system imposed on us by the infidels. Islam does not allow democracy or elections,” Sufi told Deutsche Presse-Agentur just days before the Malakand Accord was signed. “I believe the Taliban government formed a complete Islamic state, which was an ideal example for other Muslim countries."

Video: Friday Night Special - 3 JDAM's For The Price Of 1

Video: Former CIA Dude - Gitmo Detainees Should Have Been Executed Long Ago

Pakistan's Government Gave Swat Valley To Taliban Now Say They Won't Let Al Qaeda In (yeah right)


There really isn't an appropriate word to describe the Pakistani government other than ... "clowns." I mean, I thoroughly expect the leaders of the Pakistani government to show up at their next meeting all piled into a tiny little car. After bending over and signing a peace agreement with the Taliban that literally let the Taliban install sharia law in the Swat Valley area of NW Pakistan, now the government is trying act all tough like they are still in control - well, everyone knows that is complete bullshit. Here's some of the details from Gulf Times:


Pakistan’s foreign minister vowed yesterday his government would not tolerate Al Qaeda in its Swat Valley despite accepting a peace deal that includes imposition of Shariah law. The West has voiced fears that the scenic valley, just 100 miles from Pakistan’s capital, will turn into a safe haven for militants much like nearby Afghanistan during the 1996-2001 reign of the Taliban. But Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in Washington for a three-way strategy review with the United States and Afghanistan, said the presence of Al Qaeda in the Swat Valley was “negligible if any.” “The Taliban will not be in charge. The government of Pakistan will be in charge there. We are not compromising with the Taliban,” Qureshi told PBS public television. “We have pushed Al Qaeda out ... of Swat and we are going to drive them out of the tribal belt,” he said.
In another section of this article, the Pakistani government continues to whine about the use of predator drones in the area by the U.S. and even goes so far to suggest this:


“If they are a necessity, then ... we are suggesting that the technology be transferred to Pakistan and that will resolve quite a few issues with the people of Pakistan,” he said, adding he had not received a reply to the request.

Can you believe that? The Pakistanis can't even ensure the safety of a NATO convoy of supplies through the country but we're supposed to hand over a couple of dozen predator drones to them? Can't you just see al Qaeda with half a dozen predators in the air with Achmed at the controls?

The Pakistani government's ability to keep al Qaeda out of Swat is like President Obama's ability to do anything without spending money. The fact of the matter is this - the Taliban negotiated the peace agreement in Swat SO THEY COULD protect al Qaeda. This is absolute madness - I'm starting to wonder if the Iranians have been surpassed by the Pakistanis in the innate ability to lie like a rug.


Qaeda won’t be allowed ‘in Swat’

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s foreign minister vowed yesterday his government would not tolerate Al Qaeda in its Swat Valley despite accepting a peace deal that includes imposition of Shariah law. The West has voiced fears that the scenic valley, just 100 miles from Pakistan’s capital, will turn into a safe haven for militants much like nearby Afghanistan during the 1996-2001 reign of the Taliban. But Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in Washington for a three-way strategy review with the United States and Afghanistan, said the presence of Al Qaeda in the Swat Valley was “negligible if any.” “The Taliban will not be in charge. The government of Pakistan will be in charge there. We are not compromising with the Taliban,” Qureshi told PBS public television. “We have pushed Al Qaeda out ... of Swat and we are going to drive them out of the tribal belt,” he said. The Pakistani government has accepted the ceasefire with militants in the Swat Valley who waged a bloody two-year campaign that included forcibly shutting girls’ schools and curbing entertainment. Qureshi said Pakistan wanted girls’ schools to reopen but stood by his stance that the Shariah deal was a local agreement aimed at better administering justice. “What people have not understood is that we have taken the wind out of the sail of extremists,” Qureshi said. Swat was an independent state before 1969 and until the insurgency was one of Pakistan’s main tourist draws as a ski resort. Pakistan also wants the United States to rethink its use of drones to attack militant targets and has asked Washington to transfer the pilotless aircraft to Islamabad. Qureshi said he told US officials that “they have to review the strategy vis-a-vis drones.” Pakistan’s civilian government, elected a year ago, believes the US missile strikes are counterproductive and have fanned an Islamist insurgency across northwest Pakistan, he said. “They have carried out some successful strikes and taken out some high-value targets,” Qureshi told the PBS network’s “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.” “At the same time, there is a collateral damage that is linked to the drones and that has alienated people there,” he added. Qureshi told PBS he had asked the United States to share drone technology. “If they are a necessity, then ... we are suggesting that the technology be transferred to Pakistan and that will resolve quite a few issues with the people of Pakistan,” he said, adding he had not received a reply to the request. Qureshi and Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta are among delegations visiting Washington this week to take part in the review of US policy on the region. The meetings in Washington follow President Barack Obama’s decision last week to send an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan to battle Taliban insurgents, bringing US forces there to 55,000 by this summer.

Video: What Victory Looks Like

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Obama and Panetta Will Only Hand Terror Prisoners Over To Countries Who Won't Mistreat Them


Good grief... if I had anything in my hand right now, I'd be tossing it against the wall. The spineless nature of the Obama administration is truly coming to light on the whole issue of rendering terror prisoners over to other countries. Dozens of experts cried foul when Leon Panetta was appointed as CIA chief due to his total lack of experience in any form in the intelligence game. Well, Panetta's inexperience is showing here and his pie in the sky rose colored glasses approach to making the CIA some sort of girl scout troop is nauseating. Here's the details of this latest bullshit from Yahoo News:


President Barack Obama may limit the countries to which the U.S. sends alleged terrorists to those with good human-rights records, and will be less inclined to hand prisoners over in general, to help make sure they are not tortured or abused, CIA Director Leon Panetta said Wednesday.

Panetta said Wednesday that the Obama administration would "make very sure" that prisoners are not mistreated after they are rendered. Asked exactly how that would be done, Panetta was cryptic.
"Well, I guess, you know, A, make sure, first of all, the kind of countries that we render will tell us an awful lot about that," he said. "Number 2, I think diplomatically we just have to make sure that we have a presence to ensure that that does not happen."
Well, that explanation by Panetta shows he doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. The other issue that Panetta needs to get a handle on is this: he's head of the CIA now, not some slick politician roaming the halls of the Capitol - in other words, shut yer fuckin' mouth dude! The CIA is a covert organization and now we have this blabber mouth ex White House politician at the head - what's he gonna do...hold weekly press conferences as to where they are conducting operations?

Nice pick, Barack. Another example of you being below the paygrade.


Panetta: CIA to limit countries getting detainees

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama may limit the countries to which the U.S. sends alleged terrorists to those with good human-rights records, and will be less inclined to hand prisoners over in general, to help make sure they are not tortured or abused, CIA Director Leon Panetta said Wednesday.
"If it's someone we are interested in, there is no purpose to rendering anyone, particularly if it's a high-value target," Panetta said in his first on-the-record meeting with reporters since his confirmation this month.
Panetta said he believes prisoners should only be handed over to countries that would have a legal interest in them — their home country or one where a prisoner has charges pending, for example.
Panetta made headlines during a congressional hearing earlier this month when he confirmed that Obama intended to continue rendering prisoners captured in the war on terrorism. He said the administration would get assurances first from the country that the prisoner would not be tortured or have his human rights violated.
That has long been U.S. policy. The Bush White House also said it required assurances of humane treatment from other governments. But some former prisoners subjected to the process during the Bush administration's anti-terror war contend they were tortured. Proving that in court is difficult because evidence they are trying to use has been protected by the president's state secret privilege.
Panetta said Wednesday that the Obama administration would "make very sure" that prisoners are not mistreated after they are rendered. Asked exactly how that would be done, Panetta was cryptic.
"Well, I guess, you know, A, make sure, first of all, the kind of countries that we render will tell us an awful lot about that," he said. "Number 2, I think diplomatically we just have to make sure that we have a presence to ensure that that does not happen."
The so-called extraordinary rendition policy and program is currently under review at the White House.
Panetta also said he believes no additional prisoners will be sent to the jail at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base this year. Obama ordered the prison closed next year, but no decision has been made on what to do with the roughly 250 inmates now there. Only a handful have been charged with a crime. Those trials are on hold while the Obama administration reviews the detention program.
Panetta said the CIA has stepped up its collection and analysis of information related to the worldwide economic meltdown. It began Wednesday producing what will be a daily economic intelligence briefing for the administration.

Video: Insurgent 101: When A Hellfire Hits, Your Dead Body Might Just Fly 20 Feet

Don't miss this one folks....5 stars!

Video: U.S. Troops Take Out Another Al Qaeda VBIED

Video: IDF Fires On Palestinian 'Farmers' ?

This video is up at LiveLeak with this title: Israeli Soldiers Open Fire On Palestinian Farmers
Now, watch this video and tell me if those look like "farmers" to you. Notice the safety vests, notice the woman with a camera hanging over her shoulder, notice the odd apparel by the one male that appears to be the target. Farmers.....yeah, right.


Golda Meir and Keith Ellison

by Findalis

From the Sderot Media Center.

A strange mixture of a headline. A former Prime Minister of Israel and an avowed Muslim Congressman .

First the Congressman:

US Congressmen Brian Baird and Keith Ellison Visit Gaza and Sderot
by Anav Silverman

Following a day tour in Gaza, members of Congress, Brian Baird (D-Washington) and Keith Ellison (D-Minnesota) spent an hour in Sderot touring the city with Sderot Media Center director, Noam Bedein and staff on Friday, February 20.

In Sderot, the Congressmen met with the Amar family whose home was destroyed in a Palestinian rocket attack in December 2007. Both US President Obama and Senator John McCain had visited the Amars during their tour of Sderot last year.

Congressman Ellison in Sderot

The Congressmen asked many questions during the visit and showed interest in understanding the full impact of rocket fire on Israeli civilians-- including children-- living in Sderot.

Dr. Adrianna Katz of the Sderot Mental Health Center spoke with the Congressmen at the Sderot Police Station, where hundreds of exploded rockets have been stored away. Representative Baird, a licensed clinical psychologist, was particularly interested in the psychological impact of the rocket fire. Dr. Katz explained that there is a ‘Qassam generation’ of Sderot children who have been born into the rocket fire.

“These kids, who experienced rocket attacks since 2001, know no other reality other than exploding rockets and ‘Tzeva Adom’ (Color Red) alert sirens. Their sense of peace and security has been shattered,” said Dr. Katz.

View the video of Ellison's visit here.

“The rocket fire has impacted the economic situation, family relationships-- all aspects of life here in Sderot. People live in constant fear and terror that a rocket may strike at any moment. Over 5,000 residents have been forced to leave and relocate elsewhere.”

“Israelis living in Ashkelon, Be’er Sheva and Ashdod are now experiencing that same terror for the first time, ” added Dr. Katz.

Accompanying the Congressmen on their visit, were Dr. Nick Palarino and Dr. Catherine Salsman.

Holding a Hamas-fired rocket at the Sderot Police Station, US Representative Ellison, the first Muslim elected to US Congress, commented on its heaviness. “A rocket explosion can impact up to 300 feet,” explained SMC director, Noam Bedein. “The models become more sophisticated and pack more explosives with each passing year."

Bedein also pointed out that the Grad-model Katyusha rockets come directly from Iran. "Iran supplies Hamas with the rockets that target major Israeli cities. The rockets were smuggled through the tunnels dug between the Egyptian-Gaza border or by ship, during the last ceasefire." During the war, the Grad rockets were able to target one million Israelis who still remain under Palestinian missile threat.

Both US representatives asked Dr. Katz her view on potential peace with the Palestinians. "Is the hatred towards the Palestinians deep-seeded on the Israeli side? asked Congressman Baird. "There is no hatred for the Palestinian people," replied Dr. Katz. "Israelis here know that there is an underlying difference between the Hamas government and the average Palestinian citizen."

The two US representatives filmed the tour on their camera phones to share with relevant persons back in the US.

Congressman Ellison, who represents Minnesota, and Congressman Baird, who represents Washington state, had visited Gaza the day previously. It was the first time that anyone from the US government had entered the Gaza Strip since Hamas took power. Their visit to Gaza, according to Representative Brian Baird’s website, was not officially sanctioned by Obama Administration. However, US President Obama has stated in the past that he intends to improve ties with the Muslim world.

Indeed in a joint press release available on Congressman Baird's official government website, Congressmen Ellison and Baird spoke primarily of their visit to Gaza and their impressions of the situation there.


And now the Prime Minister:

by Jacob Shrybman

Moments after another “Tzeva Adom” warning siren rang out in Sderot I walked around the Sderot Media Center office wondering why it is that the Jewish nation must continually justify their actions for survival. No matter the measure taken to protect its people from rockets, missiles, bombs, guns, or heavier attack Israel comes under a barrage of condemnations and negative political pressure. It is nearing the 61st year since its establishment, so when will the Jewish state no longer have to defend its existence?

If the reason for these condemnations is because of numbers of casualties from Israel’s vital operations then where was the uproar when Arafat claimed that 10,000-20,000 were massacred in eleven days by the Jordanian army in September of 1970? These numbers, as well as other world conflict casualty statistics, overshadow the inflated number of 1,300 people that Hamas claims were killed by Israel during the three-week Operation Cast Lead.

A playground tube in Sderot.

Nonetheless, I resent the fact that the Jewish people and Israel need to constantly prove to the world that we have a right to defend ourselves and that we are not blood-thirsty monsters like often portrayed. More so I resent the fact that in order to bolster my case for Israel’s legitimacy I have to research and compare numbers of people killed by other nations versus numbers killed by the Jewish nation. Could the world truly think that Israel likes having to send its country’s youth into an extremely hostile urban combat setting where around every corner could be a booby-trapped explosive or kidnapping trap? Could the world truly think Israel’s self-centered politicians like suspending their election campaigns to handle the emergencies that come along with a military operation?

The world must understand that Israel cannot have 1 million of its citizens under the daily immediate threat of rockets.

Last week while guiding an afternoon tour of Sderot for American students Sderot resident and mother Shula Sasson showed the group of 18 year-olds how her family’s mattresses were leaning against the wall behind their couch in the first floor living room because her family hasn’t slept or lived on the second floor of their house for years because it is simply too far from their sheltered room.

When one of the students asked Shula if she was optimistic about the since there is currently a ceasefire with Hamas, she calmly but sternly replied, “Do not believe it (ceasefire).” She then emphasized to the students that their visit to Sderot was more important than a meaningless ceasefire so they can convey the situation to their schools and communities. Shula wished the students goodbye saying, “You will be the ones to save us. Not a ceasefire.

Over the past eight years, since the rocket fire began in January 2001, Israel has attempted various methods to bring an end to these terrorist attacks in order to put off a major military operation. Even when Israel is forced to carry out the difficult task of thwarting terrorists embedded in one of the most densely populated areas in the world, it goes to unprecedented lengths to prevent loss of civilian life. It is unheard of other militaries around the world to call and text message civilians warning them of the imminent military attack.

But yet the Tzeva Adoms continue and I am sitting in Sderot agitated and on edge; in the only region in the world where civilians are consistently targeted by rockets, less than a mile a way to a territory controlled by a terrorist organization committed to the destruction of the Jewish State. So, I resent the fact that I have to defend Israel’s legitimacy for existence when it is forced to target terrorists that the world knows are using families’ home and hiding behind human shields.

As former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir said after the Six Day War, “When peace comes we can forgive the Arabs for killing our children but we cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill theirs.
Two different stories, one dealing with the anger that Israelis feel in having to justify their existence. The other about a couple of US Congressmen. They looked and listened to the stories of Sderot, but the words fell upon deaf ears.

Normally at this point I would ask you my reader to donate to the Sderot Media Center, sign up for the Code Red Alerts, and of course pray for the people of Sderot. This time I don't urge you to do that. Instead, send the people of Sderot a message of support. It is free, takes only a few minutes of your time and is easy to do:

by Sderot Media Center

In light of the war on southern Israel, Sderot Media Center has now opened a special page for Sderot supporters. Please share your thoughts, comments, and words of support for Sderot residents. Thereafter, your comments will be published in local Sderot newspapers and will be shared with the Sderot community.

Please mention your name and location!

Thank you.
To send a message click here.




A British Civil War In Afghanistan?


It really is like something out of a movie - the fact that British troops in Afghanistan find themselves engaged in battles against British born jihadists. This report from the Evening Standard details this clash, with this first statement being very telling:


THE British Army is facing increasing numbers of British Muslims fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Senior officers claim they are engaged in a "surreal mini civil war", having to face fighters from the West Midlands and Yorkshire.

More from the article:


Dozens of British-born Muslims, mainly of Pakistani and Somali origin, are believed to have travelled to the country to wage holy war against British troops in Helmand province and other parts of southern Afghanistan, according to intelligence reports.
Interceptions of Taliban communications have revealed "seemingly committed jihadists" speaking with "West Midlands accents".
MI5 has estimated that up to 4,000 British Muslims travelled to Pakistan and, before the fall of the Taliban, to Afghanistan for military training.
Recent ground and air surveillance has shown increasing numbers of "British voices" in the front line.
A senior military source said: "We have been hearing a lot more Punjabi Urdu and Kashmiri Urdu rather than just Pushtu, so there appears to be more men from other parts of Pakistan fighting with the Taliban than just the Pashtuns.
"It is this second group, the Urdu and Punjabi speakers, who fall back into English, for example Brummie accents."

What this all shows to me is why the British experiment of allowing a free flow of muslim immigrants years ago has back-fired completely. We've all seen some of the world's most violent protests in London by muslims who have come to Britain over the years and we've seen the hate-filled, defiant speeches of islamic clerics in Britain...but now, we are seeing just how defiant these muslims who traveled to Britain have become - they have literally decided to fight against their own "countrymen."

This goes back to the very core issue of islam and why it is such a cancer upon the Earth. Islamists began flowing freely into Britain many years ago and while some just complained that the muslims were slow to assimilate to British society, others were more on the ball in noting that these immigrants were doing more than resisting assimilation. The fact of the matter is that it is the muslims' duty to dominate lands across the world. British muslims don't consider themselves transplants into Britain...they consider Britain to be rightfully their land, their nation...because they are muslim, because of the foretelling of the world caliphate.

And let's not let it all come down on the Brits - we have already seen the same thing happen in America where Somali immigrants to Minnesota have left to go back to Somali to fight alongside the islamist terrorists there (with one Somali Minnesotan even becoming a suicide bomber). Imagine President Obama calling for a military action by the U.S. in Somalia ...we would see U.S. troops fighting against Somali Americans on that front.


UK troops fighting British Muslims in Afghanistan

THE British Army is facing increasing numbers of British Muslims fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Senior officers claim they are engaged in a "surreal mini civil war", having to face fighters from the West Midlands and Yorkshire.
Dozens of British-born Muslims, mainly of Pakistani and Somali origin, are believed to have travelled to the country to wage holy war against British troops in Helmand province and other parts of southern Afghanistan, according to intelligence reports.
Interceptions of Taliban communications have revealed "seemingly committed jihadists" speaking with "West Midlands accents".
MI5 has estimated that up to 4,000 British Muslims travelled to Pakistan and, before the fall of the Taliban, to Afghanistan for military training.
Recent ground and air surveillance has shown increasing numbers of "British voices" in the front line.
A senior military source said: "We have been hearing a lot more Punjabi Urdu and Kashmiri Urdu rather than just Pushtu, so there appears to be more men from other parts of Pakistan fighting with the Taliban than just the Pashtuns.
"It is this second group, the Urdu and Punjabi speakers, who fall back into English, for example Brummie accents."
The American military has also presented evidence of British Muslims training in Pakistan and fighting in Afghanistan.
MI5 director-general Jonathan Evans said the number of extremists heading to Iraq had "tailed off", but has warned of Somalia becoming a new front.
Brigadier Ed Butler, the former commander of the British forces in Afghanistan, said: "There are British passport holders who live in the UK who are being found in places such as Kandahar."

Video: Iran Begins Test of New Nuclear Facility

Video: Former Commander of the USS Cole Rips Obama A New One On Terror Stance

Hillary's State Department Off To A Rocky Start - China Lashes Out At U.S. Human Rights Report




The State Department is off to a rocky start under new head, Hillary Clinton, as the Chinese government is harshly complaining about "interference" in China's affairs by issuance of a human rights report that has been published. I know, it's hard to believe that the Chinese would have much to complain about when it comes to a Clinton but this isn't a good start for the former Senator - pissing off the second most powerful country in the world . Here's some of the details from the report at Breitbart:



China lashed out Thursday against the United States for its criticism of Beijing in a human rights report, accusing Washington of using the issue to interfere in the country's internal affairs.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu made the comments at a regular press conference, reacting to an annual U.S. State Department report which said China's human rights record remained poor and worsened in some areas.
China "firmly opposes any country using human rights as an excuse to interfere in China's internal affairs," Ma said.

Now, I want to take a look at something I find very interesting and disturbing about this State Department report...from the article:



The U.S. report said China strengthened repression of ethnic minorities in Tibet and the northwestern Xinjiang region, and also increased detention and harassment of dissidents and petitioners.


You see that? The report specifically calls out China's repression of those in Xinjiang region - hmm...let me see....who exactly is China dealing with in Xinjiang region? Well, the Chinese have huge problems in Xinjiang with ISLAMISTS! I did this post a number of months ago about the terrorism and unrest in Xinjiang - so, I ask you...is the State Department now coming to the aid of the human rights of islamists inside of a communist country? Oh wait...it was Hillary Clinton's husband who came down on the side of the islamists in the Bosnia/Serbian conflict, wasn't it?

Hillary, you better dust yourself off ...you aren't in the cushy Senate, any more.



China accuses U.S. of interference with rights report

BEIJING, Feb. 26 (AP) - (Kyodo)—China lashed out Thursday against the United States for its criticism of Beijing in a human rights report, accusing Washington of using the issue to interfere in the country's internal affairs.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu made the comments at a regular press conference, reacting to an annual U.S. State Department report which said China's human rights record remained poor and worsened in some areas.
China "firmly opposes any country using human rights as an excuse to interfere in China's internal affairs," Ma said.
"We respectfully urge the United States to...stop using the issuance of the human rights report to interfere in other countries' internal affairs," he said.
The U.S. report said China strengthened repression of ethnic minorities in Tibet and the northwestern Xinjiang region, and also increased detention and harassment of dissidents and petitioners.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Taliban Attempt To Stop Poppy Destruction In Helmand Backfires, 18 Dead Taliban


Some good news for a generally crap day - some 18 Taliban were killed by Afghan anti-narcotic security forces and Afghan army troops when the Taliban tried to stop some poppy destroying maneuvers. Here's the details from the report over at Xinhua:


Taliban militants fighting Afghan government raided Counter-Narcotic Police in the poppy growing Helmand province in south Afghanistan and police encountered, leaving 20 people including 18 insurgents killed, spokesman for provincial administration Daud Ahmadi said Wednesday.
"Personnel of Counter-Narcotic Police with the support of soldiers from national army were busy in destroying poppy fields in Nadalid district Tuesday when a group of militants opened fire and the troops responded during which 18 rebels and two Afghan soldiers were killed," Ahmadi told Xinhua.

Now, I'm not trying to tell the Afghans how to run things there but man, to try and start destroying poppy fields in Helmand province...well, that almost like going to an Obama rally and yelling out a racial slur. I mean, Helmand is one of the most dangerous spots on Earth just to try and walk or drive through, let alone try to do something that is REALLY gonna piss the Taliban off. But hey, if they've got the troops and police to give it a whirl, go for it.

At the same time, this is one of those situations that is typical of the Taliban...they try to snipe a few shots into an operation like this and then turn tail and run but they almost almost get boxed in and destroyed. If you look at most of the conflicts in Afghanistan, the Taliban nearly always suffer huge casualties compared to the Afghan troops or NATO troops. Unfortunately, the Taliban have what seems to be an endless supply of jihadists.


Clash between Taliban and Afghan Counter-Narcotic Police leaves 20 dead

KABUL, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants fighting Afghan government raided Counter-Narcotic Police in the poppy growing Helmand province in south Afghanistan and police encountered, leaving 20 people including 18 insurgents killed, spokesman for provincial administration Daud Ahmadi said Wednesday.
"Personnel of Counter-Narcotic Police with the support of soldiers from national army were busy in destroying poppy fields in Nadalid district Tuesday when a group of militants opened fire and the troops responded during which 18 rebels and two Afghan soldiers were killed," Ahmadi told Xinhua.
He also added that two foreign nationals who served as advisors were injured in the firefight, but their nationalities could not be identified.
Afghan government launched anti-narcotic campaign in Helmand province early weekend and so far hundreds of hectares of poppy-fields, according to officials, have been destroyed.

Video: Egyptian Cleric: 'The Jews infect food with cancer and send it to Muslim countries'

The Lesson At The Dome

By Findalis


He ascended to the Dome of the Capital, dressed in the holy suit and tie.
Upon arrival the assembled chapter of the Congress, the Holy Justices of the land, the members of the anointed Cabinet and guests from near and far, the Anointed One, Wearer of the Mantle of Power, spoke:
I speak not to the assemblage here, but to the nation as a whole,
I know of your pain, I have heard your cries of anguish,
The child whose college dreams are shattered,
The business that is going under,
The job that is gone.
I will fix that all.

This Recession is not My fault, it was the doing of others,
It was others that destroyed our Health Care, Schools and Jobs.
But I have heard your cries, and I will repair the damage.
We will have less, work more, and struggle harder,
But we will prevail.

I have foreseen all this.
The law that I just created was a start, there will be many more like it.
There will be jobs, I promise you that.
There will be more money in your hand,
This 1st of April, on that.

I will bring to all the blessings of Health with no cost to you,
I will bring to all the blessings of college, that wonderful place, to your children, with no cost to you,
I will bring to you the blessings of Wealth, with no cost to you,

Through Me we will cure all the problems that we face.
I know where the answers lie,
Not in the former wizards of the past,
but in the new wizards of technology that will be green and good.
New wizards that will banish the foreign oil demon back to the gates of Hell,
New wizards who when given the right amount of funds, will solve all of our energy needs and clean the environment too.

But we cannot wait, we must forge ahead,
We must spread the wealth around to all young and old.
I will even balance the budget, by 2015, so it is told.

I will sit with our enemies and listen to them,
Will make the radicals of Islam kneel before all,
I will bring peace to the Israelis, Palestinians too,
Have sent My envoy Mitchell to bring them the truth too.

I have signed the order,
We torture no more,
And the prison of Gitmo will be gone for ever more.
We will deal with the prisoners like the criminals they are,
In Our courts and with juries, and I know they will walk.

For through Me, All things are possible.
For through Me, All things will be made whole.
For through Me, Our economy will recover.
For I am the Hope and the Change.
I will bring us all to the Land of Plenty.
All through the speech, Pelosi the Loud, kept rising in joy like a yo-yo. She guided the assembled in their cheers.

After the speech the media hacks, gushed glowing terms over each word the Anointed One spoke.
They called it brilliant, enlightened and bold.
They clamored over each other, trying to be the first to praise Him.
That is until a small voice said:
Wait just a minute!
He tells you that He will do all these things.
Balancing the budget, Health Care, Education, Jobs and Wealth.
And without tax increases, just spend more He said.
And if that doesn't work, we will just spend more again.

You cannot keep spending like there is no tomorrow.
Sooner or later the money will run out.
You have to raise taxes, to cover your expenses.

This Emperor we have, is telling us lies.
We cannot do all this, yet He will try.
He will spend so much money, that there will be none left,
For the daily running of this nations defense.
The hacks looked around to see who had spoke, in tones that weren't glowing of their Anointed One.
They saw to their horror a brave man in the corner.
It was none other than the Governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal the Prophet.

Jindal the prophet, spoke to them of responsibility,
Of how this nation needs to start producing its own goods again.
Of how this nation needs to spend less and save more.
Of how this nation didn't negotiate with our foes.

The hacks just smiled and shooed The Prophet away.
Then they returned to the glow of the Anointed One.

But many in the nation heard the words of Jindal the Prophet.
They looked to each other and nodded in agreement.
Just wait Anointed One, in just 4 years.
This prophet will be singing our praises.

For the Anointed One's star is starting to descend.
From ratings of 80% now to just 59%.
He may not last at this high rate. Especially if the economy tanks.

Hope may come to the land,
Not without hardship.
Change will come, just let it be soon.

Three U.S. Senators Ask If All Federal Agencies Have Cut Ties With C.A.I.R.


This is terrific news and quite frankly, represents the first time in my entire life that I have ever congratulated Senator Chuck Schumer of New York for ANYTHING! Schumer, along with Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona and Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma have all sent an inquiry to the FBI Director asking if the FBI has severed all ties with C.A.I.R. and also asked what other federal agencies still have ties to the suspect organization. Awesome, eh? Here's the small piece from Counterterrorism Blog:


Members of Congress Agree: Federal Agencies Should Cut All CAIR Ties

Three U.S. Senators have today joined a U.S. House Member in requesting additional information from the FBI on the recent cessation of its relationship with the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which was reported by the IPT on January 30. Moreover, the Senators specifically demand that all federal agencies cut any relationship with CAIR, a policy which I first enunciated on November 24, immediately after the guilty verdicts in the Holy Land Foundation criminal trial. Senators Jon Kyl, Charles Schumer, and Tom Coburn sent this letter today to FBI Director Mueller, asking whether all FBI field offices have cut off ties with CAIR and whether the Bureau knows of any other federal agencies with ties to CAIR.
In my post on November 24, I proposed the issuance of "a statement of policy which mandates that no component of the U.S. government will enter into any contract, grant, or agreement with any person or entity which is an unindicted co-coinspirator in a federal criminal case brought by the Department of Justice." The Obama Administration has plenty of incentive, in the form of this bipartisan letter, to do that now through a management memorandum issued by the Office of Management and Budget.
But Congress can also take direct action now by adding that policy to the FY 2009 omnibus appropriations bill now winding its way through Congress. Why wait?

It is refreshing to see this kind of attack mode by members of Congress - we had heard the announcement by the FBI that they were cutting ties with CAIR but it is commendable that these Senators have taken it further to ask about ALL FBI field offices and then going the extra mile to try and uncover other federal agencies that have ties to the ragtag group of terrorist sympathizers. Make sure you click the link in the text above of the article that shows you the actual letter from the Senators - it's short, it's direct and it asks for answers.

Who knows what we will find once it is uncovered just who all in the federal government has let CAIR into their hen house.

Video: Taliban 101: Our Apache Is Faster Than Your Truck

Video: Our Troops and The Heat of Iraq

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Video: Muslim Brotherhood Linked Leader Running For State Legislature in Virginia Caught on Tape

A faithful Holger Awakens reader, "sofa", asked earlier today in comments in the story I put up about Esam Omeish (who is running for a vacant Legislature seat in Virginia) if I could find the videos that sent Omeish packing in his first bid for public office a few years ago. See below:

This first video shows Omeish applauding the Palestinian terrorists and enouraging their "jihad"



This second video is a Fox News casts from when Omeish resigned after his videos were found out. There are clips in this video of the original vids that nailed this terrorist sympathizer to the wall.

Audio Tapes of Pakistani Handlers and Mumbai Attackers Reveal The Evil


Man, this article here from The Telegraph details some bits and pieces of conversations heard on audio tape now from dialogue between the Mumbai attackers and their "handlers" back in Pakistan. Look at this first scenario when the evil of the Pakistani terrorists is revealed...read it closely:


The tapes, which were broadcast on an Indian television news channel, relay a conversation between one of the controllers in Pakistan and a female Jewish hostage in which he reassured her despite having already decided to have her killed.
A caller from Pakistan called Wasi spoke to Nurma Shvarzblat Rabinovich, 50, and asked her to call the Israeli consulate in Mumbai to set up negotiations with a senior diplomat.
After she told him she had made the call, and the Israelis were getting in contact with the Indian authorities, Wasi said: "Then don't worry. Breathe easy. Wait for our next call. Don't worry, save your energy, save it for a better day. Maybe they'll speak to us soon and maybe you'll celebrate Sabbath with your family."
But in another conversation with one of the gunman, the Pakistani controller gave detailed instructions on how apparently Nurma and another woman should be killed: "Stand her up on this side of the door. Shoot her in such a way that the bullet goes right through her head and out the other side. The bullet should not get stuck in her body Do it, I'm listening," he hectored his gunman in Nariman House, where six, including the Rabbi of a Jewish charity and his wife were killed. "One is done?" he demanded, and his gunman replied: "Both are finished." Mrs Rabinovich had been staying at Mumbai's Chabad Lubavitch charity where she was planning to complete her emigration to Israel the following week.
This Pakistani pig on the one end of the phone assures the Jewish hostage that she will live to see the Sabbath while immediately afterwards he tells his attacker in Mumbai just how to kill her. Pure evil folks. Straight from Hell evil.

The article has a few other blurbs of conversation but I cannot get past that first exchange - I shudder to think what it is like inside of the terrorist mind. And folks question me at times for my hard line approach to the terrorists and islamists - well go back and read this exchange again and try to explain to me why, just why these minions should be left on Earth even one more day.


Chilling Mumbai terror attack tapes released

The tapes, which were broadcast on an Indian television news channel, relay a conversation between one of the controllers in Pakistan and a female Jewish hostage in which he reassured her despite having already decided to have her killed.
A caller from Pakistan called Wasi spoke to Nurma Shvarzblat Rabinovich, 50, and asked her to call the Israeli consulate in Mumbai to set up negotiations with a senior diplomat.
After she told him she had made the call, and the Israelis were getting in contact with the Indian authorities, Wasi said: "Then don't worry. Breathe easy. Wait for our next call. Don't worry, save your energy, save it for a better day. Maybe they'll speak to us soon and maybe you'll celebrate Sabbath with your family."
But in another conversation with one of the gunman, the Pakistani controller gave detailed instructions on how apparently Nurma and another woman should be killed: "Stand her up on this side of the door. Shoot her in such a way that the bullet goes right through her head and out the other side. The bullet should not get stuck in her body Do it, I'm listening," he hectored his gunman in Nariman House, where six, including the Rabbi of a Jewish charity and his wife were killed. "One is done?" he demanded, and his gunman replied: "Both are finished." Mrs Rabinovich had been staying at Mumbai's Chabad Lubavitch charity where she was planning to complete her emigration to Israel the following week.
At other points in the tapes, the Pakistan-based commanders asked detailed questions about the positions of Indian special commandos, what the terrorists had eaten for energy, how much ammunition they had remaining, and gave equally detailed instructions on when to throw grenades and where to position themselves in the building to stay out of Indian commando range.
When one of the Nariman House gunmen asked his controller if he could drink a bottle of Coke he had found, his handler replied:"Drink the mineral water. Drink the Coke. Coke has sugar. That will give you energy. If you find biscuits, eat them."
As the Indian special commandos closed in on them, the terrorists in Nariman House appeared to panic, and are heard saying to their handlers:"There's a helicopter above us, looks like an advance the curtains are shot away, please pray we get out of this room alive, please pray for us."
The Indian government had earlier detailed in their official dossier other conversations between the Pakistani handlers, who they suspect have special forces or intelligence training, and their terrorist gunmen in Mumbai, but these latest tapes appear to be a previously withheld section from the same set.

Video: Leftist Krystia Freeland Explains Why Terrorists Should Be Coddled

Video: Netanyahu Reminds Americans Why They Should Be Proud

Al Qaeda In Islamic Maghreb Storm Algerian Base, Kill 9 Security Forces


The al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb have struck again at a secured base in Algeria, storming the location and killing nine government security forces and wounding two. This is just another reminder of the fight that the Algerians have on their hands. Here's some of the details from the report from the BBC:


Suspected Islamist militants in Algeria have killed nine security guards and wounded two at a camp east of the capital, Algiers.
The attackers bombed the compound near Jijel being used by the guards, who were working for the state-owned gas and electricity distributor Sonelgaz.
The area around Jijel, 350km (220 miles) from Algiers, is a stronghold of al-Qaeda's north African branch.
Attacks by militants in Algeria have increased in recent months.
Security sources as well as residents and local journalists confirmed the casualties in the attack on the security guards' Ziama Mansouriah compound on Sunday evening.
A mortar bomb was fired at the guards' quarters before the camp was attacked by a "horde" of militants, the Algerian newspaper El Watan reports.
This attack fits with the al Qaeda strategy of continually attacking security forces and police in a nation - one of their first emphasis is to try and dry up the peace keeping forces by eliminating any new recruits to police and security forces by the example of dead from these attacks. At the same time, the chaos created by these attack and the seemingly random nature of them adds fuel to the terror message.

I've said it before that Algeria is making the mistake that they can handle this uprising by al Qaeda by itself - and if they don't ask for some help soon, they will see a similar situation that is gripping Somalia. At the same time, Algeria has its own issues with complicity in its own ranks with the radical islamists - much of the same coercion that we have seen by Pakistani security forces in Pakistan's volatile regions.


Deadly raid on east Algerian base

Suspected Islamist militants in Algeria have killed nine security guards and wounded two at a camp east of the capital, Algiers.
The attackers bombed the compound near Jijel being used by the guards, who were working for the state-owned gas and electricity distributor Sonelgaz.
The area around Jijel, 350km (220 miles) from Algiers, is a stronghold of al-Qaeda's north African branch.
Attacks by militants in Algeria have increased in recent months.
Security sources as well as residents and local journalists confirmed the casualties in the attack on the security guards' Ziama Mansouriah compound on Sunday evening.
A mortar bomb was fired at the guards' quarters before the camp was attacked by a "horde" of militants, the Algerian newspaper El Watan reports.
The two wounded guards are being treated in hospital for serious injuries.
The guards, who worked for the private security company Spas, had been protecting Sonelgaz facilities, the newspaper adds.
Militants killed three security guards from the same firm in the same area almost a year ago, it notes.
Spas employs about 12,500 personnel, protecting 800 Sonelgaz sites across Algeria, according to the energy distributor.

Video: The IDF's New 'Seer Shoots' Defense System

Video: 2/7 Marines In Helmand Province

Monday, February 23, 2009

Muslim Brotherhood Leader Running For Vacant Virginia House Rep. Seat


Does this clown actually think that all of the facts about his organization, the Muslim American Society, won't come to light as he runs for a state legislature seat in Virginia? Well, Esam Omeish is the President of the the Muslim American Society and that organization based here in the U.S. has some very nasty ties to the Muslim Brotherhood which is in Egypt and of course, the pukes at the Muslim Brotherhood have brought to the world all sorts of wonderful things like the Hamas terrorist group and plenty of death and destruction over the years. Anyway, Omeish tried once before for public office in Virginia due to a rather significant oversight at the time from the Democratic Governor of the state and Omeish ended up bowing out. Let's take a look at the article here at Family Security Matters on just how Omeish got nailed the first time and BETTER get nailed this time:


Omeish, the president of the Muslim American Society at the time, came into the political limelight nearly two years ago after he was appointed to the Commission on Immigration by Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine. The appointment didn't sit well with Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock, a fellow member of the commission. The society was too closely connected the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian group that gave rise to Hamas, for his taste. Gilbert wrote to Kaine and asked him to reconsider the appointment. A spokesman for the governor at the time dismissed Gilbert's concerns as "innuendo, moving dangerously close to slander," and challenged Gilbert to offer proof. Omeish resigned less than a day later, after online videos came to light in which Omeish accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians and exhorted Muslims to "the jihad way." Omeish later defended both the Muslim American Society and his comments after his resignation, saying in a press release that MAS "is an American organization, completely transparent and above-board, and committed to the civic engagement of Muslims for the betterment of all of American society." His call to jihad "was in the context of his public criticism of the Lebanon invasion and the oppression of Palestinians"

So, here we have a leader of a volatile front group for the Muslim Brotherhood wanting to sit in the halls of government in one of the traditionally red states in the country, Virginia. If you are reading this and live in Virginia or know some one living in Virginia, please take action against this twerp. We have seen how muslims are trying to enter the political scheme of things here in America and I have yet to see one that didn't have suspicious ties to groups linked to terror and subversion.

Hopefully, television ads will run in Virginia showing the videos of this clown calling muslims to jihad - and hopefully, either this asshat will withdraw once more or get defeated soundly in this bid for office.


U.S. Muslim Brotherhood Leader Seeks Virginia House Seat

Local media is reporting that Esam Omeish, the President of the Muslim American Society (MAS), has joined the race for a vacant seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. According to the report:

Elections for vacant seats in the House of Delegates are always interesting, but the Democratic nomination fight in the 35th District looks like it'll be interesting indeed. Esam Omeish, a pediatric surgeon from Northern Virginia, has joined the race to succeed Del. Steve Shannon, D-Vienna. The 35th District includes the areas of Fairfax County just north and west of the city of Fairfax. Shannon is running for Attorney General. Omeish, the president of the Muslim American Society at the time, came into the political limelight nearly two years ago after he was appointed to the Commission on Immigration by Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine. The appointment didn't sit well with Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock, a fellow member of the commission. The society was too closely connected the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian group that gave rise to Hamas, for his taste. Gilbert wrote to Kaine and asked him to reconsider the appointment. A spokesman for the governor at the time dismissed Gilbert's concerns as "innuendo, moving dangerously close to slander," and challenged Gilbert to offer proof. Omeish resigned less than a day later, after online videos came to light in which Omeish accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians and exhorted Muslims to "the jihad way." Omeish later defended both the Muslim American Society and his comments after his resignation, saying in a press release that MAS "is an American organization, completely transparent and above-board, and committed to the civic engagement of Muslims for the betterment of all of American society." His call to jihad "was in the context of his public criticism of the Lebanon invasion and the oppression of Palestinians" and was not a call for violence. Omeish has three opponents for the Democratic nomination.

The MAS was established in 1993 by leaders of the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood and a Chicago Tribune investigation has revealed its close ties to the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. In recent years, the MAS has been highly active in electoral politics as well as frequently joining in coalitions with far-left groups, particularly with International ANSWER founded by former Attorney General Ramsey Clark. The MAS has local chapters across the United States.