P.S. on AQ/SH links

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Political Stupidity--(P.S.)is Killing America!

New York Times


June 25, 2004
Iraqis, Seeking Foes of Saudis, Contacted bin Laden, File Says
By THOM SHANKER

The document states that Iraq agreed to rebroadcast anti-Saudi propaganda, and that a request from Mr. bin Laden to begin joint operations against foreign forces in Saudi Arabia went unanswered. There is no further indication of collaboration.
(…)
The document, which asserts that Mr. bin Laden "was approached by our side," states that Mr. bin Laden previously "had some reservations about being labeled an Iraqi operative," but was now willing to meet in Sudan, and that "presidential approval" was granted to the Iraqi security service to proceed.
At the meeting, Mr. bin Laden requested that sermons of an anti-Saudi cleric be rebroadcast in Iraq. That request, the document states, was approved by Baghdad.

[NOTE: No collaboration; no Iraqi cooperation in attacks against US? Bin Laden and Saddam would not work together?
Joint operations against foreign fighters in Saudi Arabia were, in fact, joint operations against the US. Were those operations carried out? Possibility that Iraq trained the Al Qaeda fighters who bombed a hotel, early in the AQ/SH saga. Did that happen? And, were there broadcasts from Iraq into Saudi Arabia, as requested? The questions must be answered.]
(…)

The Iraqi document states that Mr. bin Laden's organization in Sudan was called "The Advice and Reform Commission." The Iraqis were cued to make their approach to Mr. bin Laden in 1994 after a Sudanese official visited Uday Hussein, the leader's son, as well as the director of Iraqi intelligence, and indicated that Mr. bin Laden was willing to meet in Sudan.

A former director of operations for Iraqi intelligence Directorate 4 met with Mr. bin Laden on Feb. 19, 1995, the document states.

[NOTE: There were connections; there were links. Was there collaboration? If there is proof Bin Laden requested training camp(s) and Saddam had training camp(s), wouldn't you *CONSIDER* the possibilities? (Especially if they had collaborated in a propaganda campaign against the Saudis!)]

16 TERRORISTS

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The names of the 16 terrorists have been removed. The countries of origin still remain.

The 16 do not deserve mention. It's trash removal day.

And. . .it's "Operation ERASE."

US & I on IMMUNITY

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AP (via Yahoo)

U.S., Iraq Agree on Immunity Arrangement

1 hour, 25 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - American troops in Iraq (news - web sites) would remain immune from prosecution in local courts after the occupation officially ends, under an agreement in principle between the United States and the interim government in Baghdad.

BREAKING NEWS

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CNN

EXPLOSIONS

CNN is reporting multiple explosions in Iraq cities in the Sunni Triangle.

IMMUNITY TOO

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Double Gotcha, maybe? (maybe not)

Scotsman


UK seeks troops' continued immunity from Iraqi law

Mon 24 May 2004
JAMES KIRKUP POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

BRITISH and United States troops serving in Iraq after the country is transferred to civilian rule will be immune from prosecution by Iraqi authorities under a deal being hammered out at the United Nations

IMMUNITY #2

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MAYBE GOTCHA

Reuters

US offers UN compromise on immunity for its troops
23 Jun 2004 00:52:44 GMT

(Updates with U.S. comments, paragraphs 4-6)
By Irwin Arieff

UNITED NATIONS, June 22 (Reuters) - The United States, hoping to avert a defeat, floated a compromise proposal on Tuesday to seek just one more renewal of a U.N. resolution exempting American soldiers from international prosecution,
But it was uncertain whether the proposed change in the resolution on the International Criminal Court would be enough to win U.N. Security Council approval due to international fury over prisoner abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib detention center.

IMMUNITY #1

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GOTCHA?

Financial Times

US retreats on bid for war crimes immunity
By Jonathan Birchall at the United Nations
Published: June 23 2004 20:04 | Last Updated: June 23 2004 22:35

International anger over the Abu Ghraib prison scandal on Wednesday forced the US to abandon a controversial bid at the United Nations to renew immunity for its forces from prosecution by the International Criminal Court.

THE 16 WOMEN?

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posted at Sam's (comments section):

The names of the (so called)"mujahdin" (i call them killers)Arab nationalities died in the last American attack on Fallujah on 19-06-2004


5 Saudi
1 Emirate
1 Yemen
1 Morroco
1 Algeria
1 Syria
1 Lybia
2 Somalia
1 Iraq (Kurdistan)
1 China
1 Mauritania

[Note: Looks a lot like 16 terrorists sent to Hell.]

Update: The names of the trash have been removed.
It's called "Operation ERASE."

MOORE is LESS

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We need LESS MOORE!

The world needs LESS MOORE. I need LESS MOORE.

And, certainly, MOORE NEEDS LESS MOORE.

Question:
If MOORE sues a person who steals his ideas; how could it be an *INTELLECTUAL* PROPERTY LAW SUIT?

SK ADD:

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TROOPS!!

South Korea will be sending the troops in August.

They could begin a cure to the beheadings by adding more troops because of the offense against the South Korean People.

ADD 500 troops.

Each time Al Qaeda performs a despicable act, ADD TROOPS.

UPDATE:

ADD 500

The graphic dispatch of Kim Sun-il has caused a sea-change, however, and the same group that staunchly opposed the dispatch hours earlier are now demanding a military response. The home pages of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade went down this morning, overwhelmed by the postings of outraged citizens.

CNN POLL

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(Unscientific)

Poll

Is torture ever justified to get information from terror suspects?

Yes 59% 98944 votes

No 41% 67594 votes

Total: 166538 votes

AQ & IRAQ

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MSNBC

Al-Qaida had “a lot more active contacts” with Iran and Pakistan than it did with Iraq, but “we don’t see serious conflicts” with the White House over the issue, said the commission chairman, former Republican Gov. Thomas Kean of New Jersey.

“There's really very little difference between what our staff found, what the administration is saying today and what the Clinton administration said,” said commissioner John Lehman, speaking Sunday on NBC's “Meet the Press.” “The Clinton administration portrayed the relationship between al-Qaida and Saddam's intelligence services as one of cooperating in weapons development. There's abundant evidence of that.”

“The Bush administration has never said that [Iraq] participated in the 9/11 attack,” Lehman said. “They've said, and our staff has confirmed, there have been numerous contacts between Iraqi intelligence and al-Qaida over a period of 10 years, at least.”

KIM SUN-IL

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Reuters

Al Jazeera is reporting that Kim Sun-Il has been beheaded. CNN reports that Al Jazeera claims to have seen the film.

There are no words to describe the thoughts. No words have been invented (as yet) to name (accurately) these nothings. Erase.

They are an error in the world--a further mutation of hatred. Erase.

MANO A MANO?

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(Ibn wrote:)

"What if I was just a frail, white-haired 79 year old scrawny Arab living in poor circumstances in a New York basement, having only seven good teeth and a wooden leg packed with anthrax? You think you could take me, mano a mano?"

Sounds like a terrorist. That must be why we have plastic and "duck" tape. Toss in the magic ingredient, seal the building, cut the power.

(Mano goes to movies.)

HEADLINES:
Scrawny old guy commits suicide by wooden leg.
"Food insecure" TERMITES SAVE THE NATION.

Another American?

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JOSIAH (AM)

(Josiah) First of all I'd like to point out that it is not the anti-war protesters who believe Moslems to be terrorists. It is not a lack of faith in a Iraq that fuels our desire for an end to this war, it is a lack of faith in our own government who's motives are depraved and corrupt.

But, it is the anti-war protesters who (frequently) accuse others of saying and believing it. Most of the terrorists are Muslims; that does NOT mean all Muslims condone, support, or believe in the terrorists or cheer beheadings. There are many reasons to have faith in your government; but, if you are only looking for the bad, you will find bad and never see any good. Do you have more faith in the terrorists? Are they depraved? Corrupt?

(Josiah) “US policy in Iraq has proved time and again that this is a war for money, power, and in the case of GWB, a personal vendetta.

Money? Where is it? Seems we are giving it away, not getting it.

Power? Power to the Iraqi People? (9 days left)

GWB, personal vendetta? No more than W.J. Clinton when he signed an Executive Order permitting assassinations (meaning Saddam Hussein.and UBL.)

(Josiah) ”I am adamantly against the war, not because I believe the Iraqi's are barbaric or terrorists, but because I believe violence merely begets violence. Abu Ghraib and the gross abuses of human rights there is proof enough for me.”

Well, according to Putin and Russian Intelligence, Saddam Hussein was gearing up to produce some violence against the US (at home and abroad.) “Violence begets violence” applies to Saddam Hussein’s confiscation of Kuwait—people and valuables, some of which he hadn’t returned by “Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003).” If Saddam planned to give your whole family, and all your friends, a dose of Anthrax you might not feel the same way. We know he had Anthrax; we know we were dosed with Anthrax; we just don’t know who did it. Can you guarantee it wasn’t Saddam? Can you guarantee Saddam didn’t combine a common virus with a deadly one? Can you guarantee anything?

(Josiah) ”I have great hopes that the Iraqi people will find peace and be able to govern themselves free of tyrannical rule, but I do not believe my government has come even close to achieving that.”

The Iraqi people are much closer to governing themselves free of tyrannical rule than they have been in the last decades. Millions of people have much more opportunity, millions of people will be able to vote for a better Iraq (if they choose.) Millions of Iraqis, who could not hope or dream, are hoping and dreaming right now.

(Josiah) ”We have used moral rhetoric to cover reprehensible actions and I am ashamed to call myself an American.”

I agree; you should be ashamed.

(Josiah) ” This does not mean I have given up on my country, nor the ideals of freedom and democracy it represents, it merely means that I see a much different path toward freedom.”

Doesn’t it? Your feelings of shame seem complete. You seem to value the ideals represented by your country (freedom and democracy.) Why would you believe others would not value these ideals, too?

SH & AQ, BANKING BUDDIES?

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Washington Times (Jun 2)

Saddam's secret money-laundering trail


By Lucy Komisar
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

New York, NY, Jun. 2 (UPI) -- A detailed analysis of Saddam Hussein's secret money-laundering techniques shows here for the first time how he used the same offshore money launderers as Osama bin Laden. That covert money network, based in the tax havens of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Panama and Nassau, helped bankroll the war machines of both Iraq and al-Qaida.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER?

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Iraqi Officer Tied to Al Qaeda

REUTERS

Lehman said the information, contained in "captured documents," was obtained after the commission report was written that stated there was no evidence of a "collaborative relationship" between Iraq and al Qaeda.

"Some of these documents indicate that (there was) at least one officer of Saddam's Fedayeen, a lieutenant colonel, who was a very prominent member of al Qaeda," Lehman said.

BREMER CARTOON

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The cartoon at Kurdo’s World depicted a statue of Bremer being pulled down in the same manner as the statue of Saddam. Okay, it was creative, and funny; and, shows freedom of speech in cartooning. It may have been intended as an insult; but, I consider it a cause for some celebration. The Occupation is officially over in 10 days; the Caretaker Government of Iraq will take over. The next step has arrived! BUT, they should have put a SMILE on Bremer’s face! He gets to go home!

Whatever you want to call Paul Bremer; he is the HERO DOCTOR OF IRAQ! He is the physician of the Iraqi Body. . .and that body was very sick. He worked for a year to save Iraq. He patched, he gave First Aid, he operated to remove the cancer; he kept the patient as healthy as possible and kept the hope alive in the Iraqi Body for a more healthy, prosperous future. He and the CPA worked more hours of the day than most of us have worked in our jobs. He and the CPA worked through all manner of disaster and disease, under emergency conditions.

Paul Bremer answered the call; he did the job; he worked through the darkness, the personal danger, and kept it together. When Bremer and the CPA members come home, I hope (as they step onto the plane) they can hear me cheering! “We, the People. . .” THANK YOU, PAUL BREMER and the CPA!

KURDO!. . .PUT A SMILE ON THAT STATUE!!!

[10 days and counting]

OUTSOURCING!

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Laugh of the Week

Our jobs are outsourced. Some of our State Governments are outsourcing work to other countries. Defense parts are outsourced! Someone had the bright idea that we could (outsource) lease planes rather than build them right here. The strangest part of that was the cost was comparable.

One viewer zapped an email to a major news network: if we continue to outsource, we should consider outsourcing the government. The governments (State and Federal) are expensive and sometimes wasteful. Think of the money we could save if we outsourced Congress. (paraphrased)

We wouldn’t do it; but, it is funny.

MEDIA WARP

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Is the Media Warped? . . .Yes!

An earlier explanation for the Media Warp was fairness. The Media were concerned that by telling the good things happening in Iraq, they would be boosting Bush. Good things in Iraq would sway the election in favor of Bush; therefore, not wanting to sway an election, the good things were seldom mentioned.

So, we were told all of the bloody and bad because the media were politically benign and non-interfering. (Not to mention that BLOOD SELLS NEWS.) And, in not participating in swaying the election, they participated in swaying the election (. . .and in damaging America.) They told the side which helped Democrats, the anti-war, the left; they drummed into our heads the events gone wrong. Events gone right were a flicker on the TV screen, disappearing quickly (replaced by the next bloody scene.)

The excuse was the election; the result was damage to US. Front Page news was Front Page opinion. Why?

Within the last few weeks, there was a Time spokesperson on C-SPAN. She explained what was happening in the Media. Apparently the InterNet is changing the Media.

The explanation was that News is springing up all across the Net. Other news outlets are turning to explanations of the news. The Media no longer need to give us the news; it’s all over the Net. So, the Media believe they should tell us just what we need to believe. They are going to help us.

We need the facts; help us with the FACTS--just the facts. Put them in a sentence, if you must; but, give us those facts. Give them without opinions and make them as TRUTHFUL and UNBIASED as possible. FACTS, nothing but the FACTS, WE’LL DO THE ANALYZING!

KHOBAR STORY

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MEMRI


Commander of the Khobar Terrorist Squad Tells the Story of the Operation

SORRY KOFI

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Arieff

UN Defers Vote to Shield U.S. from Global Court (by Arieff)
Arieff

Leopold

US wants UN exemption from criminal court (by Leopold)


Yesterday, U.N. Sec. Gen., Kofi Annan spoke on not pushing the request for continuation of the Shield for U.S. troops. It looks as though we need at least one more vote in the UNSC to continue the Shield.

Sorry, Kofi.

We need the Shield. Our policy is to govern ourselves and to punish ourselves. We do not wish to have the U.N. in a position of sending our Generals off to testify in an International Criminal Court; Generals and Officials are continuously busy testifying in Committee Sessions. We are “ham-strung” by rules and laws to the point that we are doing the best we can, while the enemy does whatever, whenever, to whomever.

You are too late condemning suicide bombing; and you are too early condemning US. You seem to be very biased. Approximately, 24% of your support usually comes from US. [Of course, that percentage could be reduced by the amount which may have been scammed and skimmed to various people during the “Oil For Fraud (and Profit)” program.]

You seem to wish to do your job starting with US. Where was the U.N. on Bosnia (at the start?) We know where you were at the time of the Rwanda massacre. And, after 12 years, you were prepared to wait 20 years, or 30 years--on Iraq?

Could we lease that building to a new organization?

BTW, you might release the tape of the Black Box so that we could all verify exactly which plane it involved.

shameran (Kurdo's World Comments)

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(shameran) “Please Americans answer this question..Why you attack and insult us when we criticize Americans ?”

But, shameran. . .we were only criticizing you when you were attacking and insulting us.:)

(shameran) “WE GOT HIM; and YOU TOOK THE CREDIT!”

You could prove that you got him; or, we could conclude:

SADDAM WAS CAPTURED; WE ALL GOT HIM and BENEFIT FROM IT.
Or, YOU GOT HIM; YOU TAKE THE CREDIT. The important thing is he is not free and we are.

(shameran) “REAGAN’S CREATION OF SADDAM….HELLO?”

Was Reagan beside Saddam when he tried the failed assassination and got shot in the leg because he was stupid? Was Reagan looking over Saddam’s shoulder at the “Conference of Death” when Saddam smugly played with his cigar while Iraqis were named and taken out to be killed? Did Reagan dance around the bodies of the previous Iraqi regime when Saddam killed them, showed their bodies and dragged them through the street.

The answer is NO. Saddam “created” himself; and then, he reinvented himself.

SADDAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING SADDAM.

HERMES (AM)

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[Note: Hermes responded to Ali’s Blog (reprinted at almuajaha.com) and I responded to Hermes here and at AM (AM did not work, yet)]


(Hermes wrote:)

No, we don't want the West to hide behind a wall and say 'al muslims are terrorists'. That is precisely the attitude encouraged by George Bush and this 'War on Terror'. I want the West to live in peace with all the nations on the world, by dealing with them as equals, in a respectful way, trhough diplomacy and international law. Not through patronising them, taking unilateral action without the support of other countries, disrespecting the rest of the world, and ultimately exploiting the rest of the world.

That is not the attitude encouraged by anyone I’ve heard. Your words read more like an accusation generalizing “all Muslims.” This is not what Bush said; in fact, he discouraged the very attitude you attribute to him. Not everyone in the West agrees with much of anything, or anybody.

. I want the West to live in peace with all the nations on the world, by dealing with them as equals, in a respectful way, trhough diplomacy and international law. (Hermes)

Under any and all circumstances? Does the West live in peace while the Iraqis are tortured, beheaded, murdered and stuffed into mass graves? Could we ignore the pain of others? Obviously, you could.

Did you call it “peace” when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait? I assure you, the Kuwaitis did not. Did the Shi’ites and the Kurds call it “peace?” No, they felt the soul-sucking oppression, and many tried to escape. Most people do not try to escape “peace.” It must mean they did not have “peace.” But, apparently, you were content—you must have been at “peace.”

It’s all about you; peace at any price; accept Stalin as long as you are not the one killed. North Korea is equal in respect to South Korea; Iran is equal to France and Sweden; Sudan is equal to Canada. If so, it is all about your “peace.”

Diplomacy and International Law: (Hermes)

We tried that with Iraq. We went to the U.N.S.C.; and they said, “not yet!” Twelve years, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis gone forever, and they said, “Not Yet!” Just a little more time, more vigorous inspections, a few more thousand Iraqis dead, and maybe. ....just maybe…. the International Community would be willing.

“An American is not superior to an Arab.”(Hermes)

Did Ali say an American was superior to an Arab? Are you saying that an Arab is superior to an American? Or, are you setting up a false argument. I do consider all individuals to be created equal; but, I do not consider Ted Bundy to be equal to normal Americans; and I consider almost any Iraqi superior to Uday Hussein. Not all human beings are equal in deeds.

“I demand that all human beings have equal rights, and have a say in the way the world is run..”(Hermes)

Demand away! Tell it to the Iranians, the Chinese, the North Koreans! Those who can hear you won’t listen.

By the way, you can tell it to the Iraqis, now. They weren’t listening before, because they couldn’t. Now, they can hear you; NOW, they “have a say in the way the world is run!”

HOSTAGE KILLED

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American hostage Paul Johnson has been killed by his captors. Early reports say that he has been beheaded, that it was filmed; and the film has been shown.

My condolences go out to the family of Paul Johnson, and to his friends and acquientences.

The terrorists hope to inspire fear; and, they may accomplish fear. . .BUT, they promote COLD FURY and that overcomes fear! They encourage CALCULATED JUSTICE!

They prove (again and again) why we must use every effort, every good human, to fight this.

AL QAEDA CAN RIDE THE FLAMES TO HELL and when they look around, they will not find Paul M. Johnson, Jr. He is in the Paradise you seek; he is free of pain; and, he can not see a single Al Qaeda member there.

FALLUJAH?

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Fallujah has always been a huge question mark.

Like Pandora’s Box, don’t you wonder what is really in Fallujah?

Zarqawi? And, what else?

A SIGN

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There are times when you can’t get the full story (the full picture.) This time it was a recent incident concerning a university in Kirkuk, which had an Arab sign then a Kurd sign, now an Arab sign. It seems to be a sign of trouble, more than trouble with a sign.

The Kurds have had 10 years of moderate peace and development. They still have that. Part of the trouble is fear, and another part is power. Groups are vying to be ALL POWERFUL when they should be vying for a compromise of SHARED POWER.

The caretaker government is just that--caretaker. Although it may give individuals a jump-start political career, it is just as likely to end the political careers of the careless. If the Kurds are grumbling (as Kurdo is) and not working on candidates (political processes) they aren’t gearing up for the elections. They are “missing the boat” and it may sail without them.

We worked hard to bring Democracy; we are holding it out with extended arms; the weight is heavy. Don’t hop on top of it and jump up and down, that makes the weight heavier. The more people who labor to lift the lighter the load will be. Grab hold, and help to share the load so that you are able to lift it up and carry it the distance.

Share the load; share the power; share the freedom.

AGAIN and AGAIN

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Each day that goes by, our soldiers (around in the world) should know that we appreciate them.

From those “holding down the fort”, to those leaving US, and to those coming home, you need to know that you are important. You need to know that we think about you and we APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

And Sincerely. . .(to you, at home or abroad) Thank You!

PRISONER XXX

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Al Jazeera

FOX

At a news conference today, Rumsfeld said that the request to take custody of the prisoner came first by phone call and was followed-up by a letter. The prisoner was not given the usual tracking number; but, Rumsfeld stated that the prisoner was not lost in the system. He was not identified to ICRC personnel.

This will happen from time to time. Some high-value targets, with important information, will not appear on the roster because it gives us an advantage.

GIVE SAADI A RIDE

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Washington Post

Top Iraqi Official Objects To Treatment as POW
(That's former Iraqi Official!)


General Amir Saadi was a former liaison between Saddam and the UN Weapons Inspectors. The complaints are that Saadi has been in solitary confinement since April, 2003, and Saadi complains:

"My daily high is the exercise in fresh air, one hour in the morning, another in the afternoon," he wrote in another message that month. "These two hours are frequently curtailed" and "the twice weekly showers are sometimes missed."

Obviously, he has some fresh air, and some showers. Saadi must be getting enough to eat; he’s still alive and he’s not complaining about torture. He is in communications with someone; and, has the FREEDOM to complain. (his complaints are not censored) Possibly if he gets his mashed potatoes and a hug he will tell US all he knows.

Saadi was classified as a prisoner of war by U.S. authorities a month after his surrender. The Geneva Conventions say prisoners of war "may not be held in close confinement except where necessary to safeguard their health." They also may not be "threatened, insulted, or exposed to any unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of any kind," if they refuse to answer questions, according to the conventions.

There’s that word “UNPLEASANT” again. And, is “close confinement” the same as “solitary confinement?” Or, is “close confinement a 2ft. by 3ft. cell where you can’t stand. Also, does it mean if we do not ask him questions, we can torture him?Should we permit Saadi to mingle? Is he missing his annual birthday party?

I think he should have “fresh air” for more than 2 hours a day. I think he should take pleasant rides to improve his frame of mind. Why not take Saadi on some convoy trips?

Saadi, who studied chemistry in England, rose in the Iraqi army to participate in the weapons programs that created shells, rockets and bombs that delivered VX and mustard gas to Kurds in northern Iraq and to Iranians in the 1980s. In 2000, he became adviser to Hussein for scientific affairs, setting him up to be liaison to U.N. inspectors.

It's cooler in northern Iraq, in the mountains.

WORLD SCREAM

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HYPOTHETICALLY

EQUALITY is good; but, the US is not receiving equal press, equal condemnation, and not receiving equal treatment in the world. We need to change our tactics.

We are to protect the prisoners from any UNPLEASANTNESS? Treat AQ equal to the shoplifters and car thieves? (Sometimes, unpleasantness is not getting mashed potatoes for dinner. Certainly, it is running out of bathroom tissue.)

Barking dogs; naked prisoners; underwear on heads; too much light; not enough sleep; we need different tactics. Should we treat prisoners equally to achieve the admiration of the world? If not the achievement of admiration, could we settle for the world pretending ignorance (of our new “equal footing.”) This may be a banquet for thought.

Could we institute a new tactic of kidnapping; slow beheading; maiming and burning bodies--hanging them for all to see; we bury (you try to find) and take video before we execute? Why bother to have a trial? What if we assume the tactics of the enemy and take off all the uniforms?

Well, there would be a collective WORLD SCREAM! Ah…BUT, would we notice the difference?

REVAMP U.N.

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Promises and Illusions

Are the only changes in the United Nations to be superficial? Will the U.N. have a face-lift to give a different look? Will it be more attractive and wear more jewelry—-have a more luxurious appearance?

I’m more interested in the underpinnings, the underwear of the United Nations. It appeared to be the promise of a cleaning, a sanitation, a thorough washing. It may be another perception of cleanliness.

It may be the old joke about the line of soldiers, doing something similar. They were changing their underwear: “Harry, you change with Joe; Mike, you change with John . . .!”

The promise of change meets the illusion of action culminating in the reality of the same underwear.

PERCEPTION OF TRUST?

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UPDATE:
ROSETT OFFs the UN (Jun 16)


United Nations STAFF responses have just told the world about the “old boys’ network” and the “troubles” at the U.N. During an interview (this morning) the words “PERCEPTION OF TRUST” were mentioned as a necessary requirement for the U.N.

The U.N. staffers are a gauge of the honesty of the U.N. If the staffers do not trust, how can “we the people” of the world trust in the U.N.? They are the insiders; they are the pulse. Staffers, around the world, know more of the "inner workings" of organizations than most individuals involved in these very organizations. (These people can see reality, where we can see the illusion of reality.)

DO NOT GIVE US PERCEPTION, WE NEED REALITY! Perception is the problem, not the goal. TRUST IS THE GOAL; VERIFICATION IS THE GOAL; TRUTH IS THE GOAL! Perception is an opinion; reality is a fact.

“Trust. . . .but, VERIFY! We verified. The reality is that we no longer trust. The staffers are in agreement that verification will indicate a network (a web) through which you must bend (twist crookedly) to become included. We are beyond the “PERCEPTION OF TRUST” and to the reality of lifting “the lantern” looking for the “honest man.” (We may not find him at the U.N.)

". . .GIVE ME LIBERTY, OR GIVE ME DEATH!"
"GIVE ME HONESTY (IN THE U.N), or GIVE ME W.O.T.H.F.U.!

[W.O.T.H.F.U. = WORLD ORGANIZATION TREATY HEROES' FREEDOM UNITIES]

A LITTLE LATE

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The previous post was written earlier in the day; but, not entered until after the day's activities of graduation.

The ceremonies were this morning. A dinner was this evening. By the time we finished eating, I was convinced even my fingers gained weight.

THE INJUSTICE SYSTEM

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Today is the 10th anniversary of the murders of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman. For 10 years, a killer has roamed free; while the victims do not move from their final place. The killer was given a reprieve; there is no reprieve from death for Ron and Nicole. Two children have no mother; parents have no child.

Was there justice? No, there was bias; there were games; there was smoke and mirror magic with slight-of-hand (in glove.) The scales of justice were tilted by prejudice and by money.

It was an example of THE INJUSTICE SYTEM.

IN FULL

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.
During these past few days: civilian feet walked, military feet marched, people stood silently, and veterans saluted; some cried, others smiled, and many smiled through their tears, . . .this was celebration of a life.

It was not the sorrow of death which cuts life short and was not life unfulfilled. This was life in full.

Goodbye, Mr. Reagan. Well done.

FLAT-LINE HUMOR

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and Death.

Much of the United States is observing the life and death of President Ronald Reagan. Of all things, the man had a sense of humor.

While watching the events surrounding the memorial activities, watching Reagan’s casket transported into the Reagan Library, I experienced “Flat-Line.” Sometimes, this is the moment of death, when the hospital machines buzz and the life-screen (monitor) shows a flat line. The FLAT-LINE was my TV screen and signaled the death of that TV, as I knew it (for many years.) It wasn’t monumental—just a minor event in daily life.

While I was TV-less, I composed a short blog about the painful event. It hurts the pocketbook to buy another TV, and hurts the back trying to remove the old and replace with the new. Not an important blogging moment. . .just life. So, I entered it into the posts and clicked.

Up came a sign indicating it wouldn’t work, wasn’t going to work, it was broken, too! (Blogspot was Busted--although temporarily)

One TV goes; another TV appears to continue the job; and, life goes on because of the transitional efforts. Is this the simplicity of Chauncey “Chance” Gardiner (of the film “Being There?”)

[Note: the film "Being There" (1979) with Peter Sellers was under discussion in the thread "Planet Reagan" at almuajaha.com]

Roan--RESPONSES

.
(posted here, at Road of a Nation and the forum site)

1. Everyone, who expected to be at the top, is disappointed; but, almost everyone is at the top in representation. The “top” is no longer a peak where one man sits looking down; the “top” is a plateau overlooking the scene and the events from a more comprehensive view (a wider perspective.)

2. No single group got everything. The Kurdish achieved (at least) two important positions: Foreign Minister and Vice-President. The world is a busy place; but, most look up (pay attention) when an IRAQI SPEAKS. While the GC seemed to work within itself, the transitional government is speaking to the world, telling the world what Iraqis want, and need, and what Iraqis are requesting.

3. (IMHO) It is likely that Dr. Kay expected to find WMD within a reasonable period of time, discovered that there were no “stockpiles”, that finding WMD was less a process of searching and more a process of putting puzzle pieces together to find out what happened. Kay stated that he believed WMD would be uncovered bit by bit over decades; and that, he saw some evidence that WMD were taken to Syria. Therefore, after spending months searching, he (personally) felt he could be doing other things.

4. Our relationship with France appears to be improving. We will not know until we understand the (final) UNSCR draft which becomes the actual Resolution. Whether or not France sends troops (under the UN umbrella) is less important than that the Resolution is a good one; and, that “peacekeeping troops” are sent to Iraq and able to contain the violence.

THE HIDDEN MONEY

.
UNSCAM ALERT:

NYTimes

TIMES ARTICLE: “Lockboxes, Iraqi Loot and a Trail to the Fed”

This is a lengthy article on the trail of the money found during the early days of the War in Iraq.

It puts the lie to “TRUST. . .BUT, VERIFY and changes it to: VERIFY, VERIFY, VERIFY!

Watching SMARTY

With only minutes to go until the start of the Belmont Stakes, SMARTY JONES has become a favorite.

There are many pasttimes for Americans; and, some years it's the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. This year, more than others, it is more than interesting.

SMARTY JONES has won 2 legs of the Triple Crown. We haven't had a Triple Crown Winner for about 26 years. This may be the year.

Anyone who watched the Preakness was undoubtedly fascinated with the speed, and the ease with which this special horse crossed the finish line. Good Luck to Smarty Jones.

[Note of disappointment: SMARTY didn't win. What a time to lose the first race! (Well, Kentucky stables have already offered approximately 30 million in fees.) We have to wait more years for a Triple Crown Winner.]

PRESIDENT REAGAN (40) 1911 - 2004

Ronald Reagan died today, at age 93. (AM)

1981 Reagan Inauguration Speech: (referring to Arlington Memorial Cemetery)

Under one such marker lies a young man--Martin Treptow--who left his job in a small town barber shop in 1917 to go to France with the famed Rainbow Division. There, on the western front, he was killed trying to carry a message between battalions under heavy artillery fire.

We are told that on his body was found a diary. On the flyleaf under the heading, "My Pledge," he had written these words: "America must win this war. Therefore, I will work, I will save, I will sacrifice, I will endure, I will fight cheerfully and do my utmost, as if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me alone."

ANOTHER LINK--UNSCAM

.

UNSCAM

and

THE FRENCH BETRAYAL OF AMERICA

(excerpt)

by Kenneth R. Timmerman
Publisher: Crown Forum (New York).
Expected on sale date: March 16, 2004
Copyright © Kenneth R. Timmerman, 2004.

[Note: the following is only part of the excerpt. UNSCAM has more, plus links (if you care to purchase.)]

From the very start, Saddam violated even these generous UNrestrictions. He began with the money: Saddam insisted the UN use the Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) as the sole repository of Iraqi funds, perhaps hoping that his friends in France would look the other way so he could dip into the account for other purposes. When that didn’t happen, the deposits built up – until more than $13 billion in unspent cash had accumulated in the BNP account in New York. “The BNP sent the UN an embarrassed letter,” says former World Bank economist and Middle East specialist Patrick Clawson, “asking them to reduce the Iraq escrow account by spreading it across several different banks.” The Iraq account had become the single-largest cash accounts on the BNP books, and “had become a problem with their regulators,” Clawson told me.[xvii]

Next, Saddam turned to fooling export licensing authorities, using techniques that had been tested and proven by Hussein Kamil, Amir Rashid, Amir Hamoody al-Saadi, Safa Habobi and others during the 1980s. Under the guise of “civilian” projects, he imported dual-use equipment which was intended for biological weapons labs, chemical weapons plants, ballistic missile production, or his clandestine nuclear weapons development program. Throughout the seven years of the Oil-for-Food program, oil sales worth more than $50 billion was approved by the UN’s Office of the Iraq Program. [xviii] “The holes in the sanctions were big enough to drive a missile launcher through,” a former Congressional staffer who tracked the trade told me.

[. . .] The French simply didn’t consider Iraqi weapons of mass destruction a threat. It was an attitude that I would hear repeated again and again by French officials and politicians from all sides of the political debate. “Even if Saddam has these weapons, so what?” was the refrain. “He has never threatened France.” [...]

LINK ADDITIONS

.
New Links: (right side)

COMMAND POST

CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (1993)

syzygyjob.net WAR ISSUES DISCUSSIONS

CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION

.
1993

CW Convention


The Chemical Weapons Convention is opened for signature at a January signing ceremony in Paris; 130 countries show support for the CWC and for international disarmament by signing the Convention. In February 1993, a Preparatory Commission is set up in The Hague to prepare for the entry into force of the Convention.

CWC Article 6

Many of the chemicals that can be used to produce chemical weapons may also be used for peaceful purposes. For instance, thiodiglycol, a Schedule 2 chemical, is an ingredient in both felt pen ink and textile dyes, as well as a precursor of mustard gas. Furthermore, it may be possible to convert or reconfigure equipment in some chemical production facilities to produce chemical weapons agents or their precursors. To ensure that abuses do not occur, the Convention places reporting and routine inspection requirements on industrial facilities that produce, process, transfer or consume the following Scheduled chemicals in quantities above particular thresholds.

CHALABI (New Yorker)

.
(Jane Mayer “The Manipulator”, New Yorker 6/7/04)

"I clarified the picture," Chalabi says

Chalabi tells Mayer, "There is a smear campaign that says that I am responsible for the liberation of Iraq. But how bad is that?"

New Yorker

(Ritter on Chalabi)

Scott Ritter, who knew Chalabi from his work on the U.N.'s weapons-inspection team in Iraq, tells Mayer that in the late nineties Chalabi confided to him his plans to run Iraq once America had liberated it. Ritter, who strongly opposed the war, also says that "Chalabi spoke of benefitting financially from Iraq's oil reserves," Mayer reports. Chalabi's office denies this. In January, 1998, at his apartment in London, Chalabi met with Ritter about weapons inspection. "I should have asked him what he could give me," Ritter says. "Instead, I let him ask me, 'What do you need?' " The result? "We made the biggest mistake in the intelligence business: we identified all of our gaps." During the course of their meeting, Ritter says, he told Chalabi of his suspicion that Saddam may have had mobile chemical- or biological-weapons laboratories. "We made that up!" Ritter says. "We told Chalabi, and, lo and behold, he's fabricated a source for the mobile labs." According to Ritter, Chalabi later described a clear vision of Iraq's future—with himself in charge. Ritter says, "He told me that, if I played ball, when he became President he'd control all of the oil concessions, and he'd make sure I was well taken care of." Chalabi's office denied Ritter's account, calling him a liar. Ritter says he left the meeting without agreeing to work for Chalabi.

Francis Brooke tells Mayer that Chalabi's sophisticated marketing operation at the I.N.C. was "an amazing success." Brooke met Chalabi when they both worked at the Rendon Group's Iraq project, a London-based C.I.A.-funded program to influence global opinion on Saddam Hussein. According to Brooke, the Rendon Group signed a secret contract with the C.I.A. that guaranteed the company a ten-per-cent management fee on top of whatever money it spent on the campaign. "We tried to burn through forty million dollars a a year," Brooke says. "It was a very nice job." By 1993, Chalabi had gained control of the I.N.C. The U.S. government had given more than $120 million to the group, which was cut off from government funding shortly before the recent raid on Chalabi's Baghdad home and office. Tensions between Chalabi and the C.I.A. began over financial questions. "The agency didn't know how he spent his money," one former I.N.C. associate says. "All transactions were cash." Brooke also says that he got a phone call from Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz in February, 2001, promising that Saddam would be toppled this time and that he would resign if he couldn't accomplish it, an account that Wolfowitz calls "nonsense."

" For his part, Chalabi says, "I think I have more of a future than the C.P.A."

PEOPLE OF INTEREST

.
THE WATCH LIST (revised) ----- the persons of notice

Ahmed Chalabi—added (Iranian Code)
Mohamed El Baradei
Hans Blix
Scott Ritter
Jacques Chirac
David Albright

Robin Cook? (resigned, re-elected?)
Claire Short (resigned)
Dr. David Kelly (suicide, Hutton Inquiry)
George Galloway (faded from scene)

Cure: Watch the activities around them, read about them, try to figure them out.

THE IGNORE LIST----persons of note
(promote discord in the world, as authority figures; they have undermined America)
Former President, Jimmy Carter
Former General, Ramsey Clark
Cure: revoke the passports while they are out of the country.

DELETE BUTTON LIST—automatically deletes any statements (past, present, future)
Rush Limbaugh
Michael Moore
Cure: Instantly deaf, can’t hear you.

TENET RESIGNS

.
JULY 2004

CIA Director George Tenet has resigned effective July, 2004.

Will this soothe Democrats?

Nothing soothes the opposition party in times of election fury.

EXAMS--S/R/NR and FUN

.
EXAMS--Sympathy, Resentment, and NO REGRETS

Khalid and many other Iraqis are undergoing EXAMS. They have my sympathy. It's one of those experiences you (usually) remember for decades.

There is RESENTMENT toward those who are natural test takers. They could take an exam after no sleep, blindfolded, and still come out of it in excellent shape--with terrific scores. Well, I know some of these people. I'm not one of them--so, of course, there is resentment! One person could easily belong to MENSA (after all, it's taking a test.) This person could take an exam on a subject he knows nothing about and figure out the answers (provided it was a multiple choice exam.) In addition to this, he can spout logical BS until the cows come home--to help him deposit more manure. He's not only a challenge, he's a friend. Worst of all, he's a friend with WIT and HUMOR genes; and, you just can't hate a guy for that. Well, I resent it; I stood in the wrong gene lines, when I should have spotted him and stood behind him.

But, about EXAMS: It was similar to 5-7 times in front of an intellectual firing squad (for each experience.) You march to the location and hope you aren't shot (down.) No matter how well you studied, there was always the question you didn't know as well, and the moment of wondering if there was anything left in your brain. And then . . .the realization that the only thing in your brain was the thought that there was nothing in your brain.

No Regrets: It was an experience. I have no regrets; I just wouldn't want to do it again. Getting older enables you to study what you wish, when you wish, and (sometimes) the exams are quick exchanges of wit and humor. Yup, it's more fun to be older.

BUSH SPEECH

Better than Usual

[About the Bush Speech at the US Air Force Academy (CO)]

Typically, the speech writers include all the “pat” phrases—the OMG, not again words that we’ve heard until we could lose lunch. The speech was better than usual, better than average. I hesitate to say that it was really great because I missed parts of it and am looking for a full transcript (which haven’t appeared, yet.)

The speech today appears to be the BIG PICTURE speech; it seemed part of a good effort to bring it all together and (finally) tell us (all) exactly the views--in short, putting the jigsaw pieces together in public. During the parts I heard, there were fewer of the worn out phrases and more of the connectivity necessary in Democracy.

Not a brilliant speaker, this speech went well for Bush. . .better than usual.

LIST OF OFFICIALS:

.
PM Dr. ALAWI announced:

Deputy Prime Minister (security affairs): Mr. Barham Saleh.

Minister of Agriculture:Dr. Sawsan al-Sharifi.

Minister of Communication: Dr. Mohammed al-Hakim.

Minister of Construction & Housing Dr. Umar Farouk Salim al-Damluji.

Minister of Culture Mr. Mufid al-Jazairi.

Minister of Defense Mr. Hazem al-Shalan.

Minister of Education Dr. Sami al-Mudahffar.

Minister of Electricity Dr. Ayham al-Samarra’i.

Minister of Environment Dr. Mushkat Mumin.

Minister of Placement and Immigration, Ms. Pascal Ishu Wardah.

Minister of Finance Dr. Adil Abd-al-Mahdi.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Hoshyar Zebari.

Minister of Health Dr. Ala-al-Din-Al-Awan.

Minister of Higher Education Dr. Tahir al-Bakka.

Minister of Human Rights Dr. Bakhtiyar Amin.

Minister of Industry and Minerals Dr. Hakim al- Hasni.

Minister of Interior Mr. Falah al-Naqib.

Minister of Water Resources Dr. Abd-al-Latif Rashid.

Minister of Justice Dr. Malik Duhan al- Hasan.

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Ms. Layla Abd-al-Latif.

Minister of Oil Mr. Thamir al-Ghadbhan.

Minister of Planning Dr. Mahdi al-Hafiz.

Minister of Public Works Dr. Nisrin Barwari.

Minister of Science and Technology Mr. Rashad Umar Mindan.

Minister of Trade Mr. Mohammed al-Juburi.

Minister of Transportation Mr. Luay Hatim Sultan al-Urs.

Minister of Youth and Sport Ali Faiq Al-Ghadban.

Minister of State for Provinces Judge Waeil Abd-al-Latif.

Minister of State for Women Ms. Nirmin Uthman.

Minister of State Dr. Qassim Dawud..

Minister of State Dr. Mahmoud Othman.

Minister of State Dr. -- Mr. Adnan al-Janabi.





Two Vice Presidents:

Mr. Ibrahim Jaafari al-Eshaiker

Dr. Rowsch Shaways.

(from 6/1 transcripts DoD link at the right)

DRUNK OFFICIAL/IRANIAN CODE

CHALABI RATS US OUT?

We’ve got rumors, and we’ve got some information. Apparently, some drunk official let it slip to Chalabi that the US had cracked the Iranian codes. It looks like Chalabi told the Iranians, they transmitted the information under the old codes (after Chalabi told them) and news-watchers wonder what is truth and what is rumor.

Now, the intelligence community seems to have released the information that we had broken the codes and that the Iranians transmitted the message under the old codes, which says we did break the codes, and that we did find out Chalabi “ratted US out.” And, the Iranians continued to send messages under the old code—which indicates that they may not have believed Chalabi (if he did tell them.)

Espionage: agents and double-agents, the spy stuff is intrigue….and intriguing.

RoaN--RESPONSES

To Road of a Nation:

1. It looks like a political shuffle during which there was a shift toward accommodating an Iraqi attitude, rather than Brahimi, the CPA, and some of the groups active in Iraq. Possibly, it was a more favorable solution—a compromise, which gives something for all, but not all to someone. Disbanding the IGC shows a general agreement with the solution.

The U.S. would support those who wish Democracy in Iraq. Some groups might favor one person; other groups might favor another person; but, it matters who the Iraqis favor.

2. The map won’t change. We hope there is an attitude change throughout the Middle East. We can hope that many in the Middle East will decide to turn away from the bitter hatred.

3. At first, I wasn’t in favor of establishing a military base in Iraq; but, it may be the best way to protect you. If Iraqis refuse, we would go somewhere else; but, it seems in the INTEREST OF ALL to establish a base. The decision is yours.

4. Iraq should be a strong country, armed for defense but not for threat. Democracies don’t usually attack each other and we defend Democracies. It is highly unlikely Israel would attack you. If you attacked Israel, we would have some severe difficulties ahead.

Refusing to sell oil to USA is somewhat unlikely. We didn’t come to steal your oil. We would like to buy some oil. If you are selling and we are buying, it seems likely we would come to an agreement. There are bigger worries.

QUICK CHANGE

Do the Iraqi Shuffle?

I think someone shuffled the deck and different cards were chosen for the new government. This is so new that I haven’t heard much about how it happened. Pachachi dropped out and the IGC resigned? There are 29 days left, during which the CPA is caretaker and then the new government takes charge.

Things are moving too fast to follow it from the outside.

IMAGINE IT

Can you picture this?

The dedication of the WWII Memorial was yesterday. Today is the traditional Memorial Day (tomorrow the official holiday) and while reading a soldier’s site I had an imaginary picture.

The picture: Thousands upon Thousands of soldiers are standing in row after row. Their various historical uniforms glow and their medals sparkle, as they raise their arms. . .IN SALUTE TO YOU, the soldiers of today who are fighting for freedom.

They are saluting YOU—-for carrying on their work courageously.

They would thank you; and, I do THANK YOU.

Title Field Enabled

I just discovered the title field and am testing it to see how it turns out. The objective is to title all the posts for easy access to a topic, rather than by date.

Note: It lists the most recent, and has a limit. I increased the number of posts per page, which makes the right column longer; but, that didn't seem to help. The number of titles doesn't increase. I removed one and added one, but no change. Probably have to republish full site to get the change.

TWO SITES ADDED TO LINKS:

--
--

Yahoo News Search


Raed and Niki

JAN vs JAN

JAN WAS ARGUING WITH JAN? (AM)


(Jan wrote:)
2. How does Max account for the fact that Indonesian 210 million people became Islamic without any military conquest?

**There are many reasons why humans are of one religion or another: personal beliefs, environment, social pressures, and steady work to bring a particular belief to a group of people.

Max do you really beleive either that Islamics beleive what you say they believe in???
Or that OBL is advocating that all non Muslims should be put to the sword???

**Other people believe what they want to believe. OBL advocated killing Americans; not all Americans are non-Muslims; therefore, OBL doesn’t seem to care about either, just about killing Americans. His mission seems to be telling the world to do as he says. Therefore, I would say, he prefers to kill or convert (to follow his orders). . .and to conquer.

If you believe that, then either YOU and YOUR ilk are SIMPLETONS, or you are viscious slanderers of a whole religion and so are much NASTIER than I ever thought you were.

**By choosing the words you have chosen, are you attempting to have your own religious war, Jan? Are you suggesting that those who oppose YOU are doing so because of religion? NO, Jan. It’s because of the lies, distortions, trickery, omissions, and propaganda that I oppose you. Your Muslim faith would not change anything one way or another.

**I am an opponent of OBL, oh YES. Your opponent, yes I am.


Max blames it all on Saddam when he put down a rebellion by shiites yet Max also really hates the Shiites because they are dangerous like OBL is. So then Max must agree with his government allowing Saddam to put down the post 1991 rebellion as it was an evil Shiite threat. So that trial of Saddam should bring in Max as his advocate. Afterall Saddam was more secular.

**You are wrong so often it isn’t surprising, anymore. I felt GREAT SYMPATHY for the Shiites in 1991, and great disgust with Saddam’s regime and with Bush (41). Therefore, I didn’t vote for a Bush then, either. Although I felt that we did what we could, it wasn’t enough. Saddam executed many of the Shiites after capture—hands tied behind backs, victims shot in the head, and tossed into mass graves.

**In your usual style, you are stating hatred against Shiites and promoting that they are dangerous like OBL is and that it was an evil Shiite threat. with a conclusion that it should bring in Max as his advocate because Saddam was more secular. Apparently, you were having an argument with yourself and attributed things to me that I never said and didn’t think, and don’t believe. Then you drew a conclusion from your own DUMB FACTS; so you could write: either YOU and YOUR ilk are SIMPLETONS, or you are viscious slanderers of a whole religion and so are much NASTIER. . .

I really wonder why they let the asylum inmates have computers?

WHERE'S SADR?

WHERE ARE YOU, SADR??

(From Friday's entry:)

Now, it seems Muqtada is at the last option. He wants to be a martyr.

He does have one last option--the glorious state of DISAPPEARANCE. If he fades from the scene, leaves the country, he could live quietly. A difficult option for him, Muck would have to keep his head down for the rest of his life. And, no one would believe he would do that, so he might be chased.

Muqtada's BIG DREAM is a figment of his imagination.

One of the reasons for the blog is to list various speculations, to find out which happen and which don't happen. Well, no one seems to know the whereabouts of Muqtada al-Sadr.

An agreement was negotiated for Sadr to disband his militia. The CPA is waiting to see just what Sadr will do. Is he GONE, GONE, GONE? Or, is he waiting for a better day?

CHALABI PICTURE

Haven't been able to find the smashed Chalabi picture. Still looking with no luck, yet.

FIRE. . .WILD JO

Monday, May 17, 2004

After the west coast tour I’d like to go to Arizona
then across to Louisiana and perhaps Florida if
there’s time, those being swing states. If anyone’s
able to organise talks there, please get in touch. If
you’re able to raise some travel expenses I can also
bring David to show his film footage from Iraq and
Falluja.

I believe this is the leftist "fly in the ointment" influencing too much. Floating around Iraq, this person may have done some good, or harm.

If it's accurate that she is touring the US, how and with whose money? I'd like to take up a collection to send her to North Korea. If you belong to GB, just stay in GB. We don't need any more vipers slithing around our country. Use your free speech in Africa, or try China. If all else fails, walk to North Korea.

As usual, some of these people have no solutions, they are just young and rebellious. She may have made it possible for Iraqis to struggle harder than they had to. Especially, the connection with the Jarrars. She may have influenced them to their present position of listening to no one and nothing....but the LEFT which would have cheerfully "left" the Iraqis in fear, poverty, and contained the Saddam's box (when Saddam wasn't even contained.)

Any help she has given has been reversed by what she has done. She "helped" Iraqis? Now, she's coming to "help" US?

NO, Thank you; go help someone else!

DU INFO by Tammy

JUAR 5/24/04 Comments Section

Depleted Uranium is what is left after radioactive isotopes are extracted from natural uranium found in soils. Those radioactive isotopes may be used to enrich natural uranium for energy use. The resulting depleted uranium is 60% as radioactive as you may find in the soil in your backyard. The Royal Society did a full study of health effects of depleted uranium on the battlefield here is the link:

Royal Society DU


”Royal Society Summary:

The Part I report draws the following conclusions:

Except in extreme circumstances any extra risks of developing fatal cancers as a result of radiation from internal exposure to DU arising from battlefield conditions are likely to be so small that they would not be detectable above the general risk of dying from cancer over a normal lifetime.

The greatest exposures will apply only to a very small fraction of the soldiers in a theatre of war, for example those who survive in a vehicle struck by a DU penetrator. In such circumstances, and assuming the most unfavourable conditions, the lifetime risk of death from lung cancer is unlikely to exceed twice that in the general population. . .


“Depleted uranium is used in munition shells and for tank protection from penetration by enemy fire. It's used because it's density and hardness are greater than lead.”

“That's why depleted uranium is used instead of lead. Lead can be alloyed with other metals to create a dense AND hard surface, but that usually sacrifices some of it's density properties, and definitely it's melting point properties. But depleted uranium is used instead of lead in MANY applications where lead or lead alloy used to be used. One of the primary substitutions for lead now, is in the PROTECTION of individuals from exposure to radiation. Due to the density of uranium, it's radiation protection properties are superior to that of lead.”

“Here are some more links with reliable third-party scientific data on the health effects of DU.”

arps.org:

"The risk from external exposure is essentially zero, even when pure metal is handled. No detectable increases of cancer, leukaemia, birth defects or other negative health effects have ever been observed from radiation exposure to inhaled or ingested natural uranium concentrates, at levels far exceeding those likely in areas where DU munitions have been used. This is mainly because the low radioactivity per unit mass of uranium means that the mass needed for significant internal exposure would be virtually impossible to accumulate in the body – and DU is less than half as radioactive as natural uranium."

“The conclusions of three authoritative overseas studies can be summarised as follows:”

RAND Corporation – There is no evidence of radiological health effects, or of increased kidney disease in troops with embedded fragments.

US Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry – No radiological health hazard is expected from inhalation, dermal or oral exposure to depleted or natural uranium.

National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine – Studies of effects "are suggestive of no association" with DU.


“Another link to the Health Physics Society:”

Public Information

”Health physicists are deeply concerned with the public health and welfare and, as experts in radiation and its effects on people and the environment, are quite aware that something other than exposure to uranium is the cause of the illnesses suffered by those who have had contact with depleted uranium from munitions. If we are to offer any measure of relief or solace to suffering people, and to gain some important additional knowledge in the process, we should not squander our valuable and limited energies, resources and time, traveling down a road that has already been well traveled and which has already shown us that uranium, either by itself or in combination with other materials, is almost certainly not the culprit.”

“Just one more from the Australian Radiation Protection Agency:”

”Some military personnel involved in the 1991 Gulf War have complained of continuing stress-like symptoms for which no obvious cause has been found. These symptoms have at times been attributed to the use of depleted uranium in shells and other missiles, which are said to have caused toxic effects. Similar complaints have arisen from the more recent fighting in the Balkans, particularly the Kosovo conflict about a year ago.”


“Depleted uranium (DU) is natural uranium which is depleted in the rarer U-235 isotope (see below). It is a heavy metal and, in common with other heavy metals, it is chemically toxic. It is also slightly radioactive and there is therefore said to be a hypothetical possibility that it could give rise to a radiological hazard under some circumstances, e.g. if dispersed in finely divided form so that it is inhaled.”


“However, because of the latency period for the induction of cancer by radiation, it is not credible that any cases of radiation-induced cancer could yet be attributed to the Kosovo conflict. Furthermore, extensive studies have concluded that no radiological health hazard should be expected from exposure to depleted uranium.”


“You can see effects alright, but until you test for the causes, you have NO idea what the source for them may be. That takes detailed scientific research which has already been done and some of which I posted here. You have to run studies with exposures to DU on significant groups of animals, and again have a control group which are not exposed to DU”

“Then you limit exposure to all other possible toxicities. At the end of the study, you can make the link or not depending on your results. You don't just look at pathological health effects and DECIDE what YOU THINK causes it! Which is what you're trying to get us on this blog to buy off on. Surely you can't believe any of us are stupid enough to accept what you're saying as evidence?”

An additional comment:

“On the use of depleted uranium:
It's used because there is nothing else that is as good as DU for making tough armor on vehicles, and for making armor-piercing penetrator rounds to destroy enemy tanks and armored vehicles. It's NOT very radioactive... however, if you wind up breathing dust left over from a vehicle that got hit by a DU penetrator, it is very poisonous.

During the 1991 Gulf War, we blew up several Iraqi Army chemical weapons depots (several destroyed by airstrikes, one or more blown up by Combat Engineers who thought they were destroying conventional munitions). From the sources I've seen-- there was widespread very low-level exposure to nerve agents (Sarin *and* other types) and possibly to other agents as well (we know the Iraqi Army had a lot of blister agents, which are carcinogenic among other things)...

I'm not an expert but I can read, and every reliable medical source I've looked at (other than some DoD ones with a vested interested in shafting veterans) has commented that everything about Gulf War Syndrome is compatible with the expected effects of low-level exposure to chemical warfare agents.
Whisper”

[Note: There is (also) a link on DU, at right side this site.]

RESPONSE TO SARMAD

RESPONSES TO SARMAD'S QUESTIONS:

IMHO: (In My Humble Opinion)
1. You will have full control of everything (except security—U.S. control in that, probably turned over gradually and probably including Iraqi veto power) with appropriate transparency and accountability to prevent fraud. In security, as your trained forces increase in numbers and capability, Iraqi control will be increased in that area; and, as this happens, the number of U.S. troops will decrease.

2. If the UNSC has passed the Resolution with the “veto”, Iraq would be able to veto an unapproved military operation. There will be no coalition; this will be disbanded effective at the time of the transfer. There will be an Embassy and Advisors.

3. We haven’t heard the steps, yet.

4. I understand the Abu Ghraib removal as an offer to demolish it. (Personal opinion) It would be up to you if you wanted to take advantage of the offer, or not.

5. If other countries refuse to send troops, the reaction will be the usual, continue on--one foot in front of the other.

CHALABI PICTURE

WHAT, SOMEBODY SMASHED AND SHOT CHALABI'S PICTURE?

Did you happen to notice Chalabi's picture (smashed and shot) in the news clips of the raid on his compound/residence?

I thought I saw the framed photograph with the glass broken at the impact point and radiating out from it. IIRC, The impact point was a third of the way up from the bottom. Then there was a hole in the photograph. I don't recall seeing a corresponding hole in the glass. The hole could have been a bullet hole.

The last clip I saw of it, the photograph was turned over and particles of glass were on the reverse side of the photo. It looked to be the same type of frame and the same size as the one in the other news clip. I began looking for the original clip because I remembered something and wanted to check it.

I wish someone could point me to the original. It seemed there was no hole in the glass; it seemed the impact of the hole on the photo was back to front. As usual, lots of questions. Hope I can find some answers.

FIRST ONE, THEN TWO

FOR FREEDOM!

"Win one for the Gipper." No, this is WIN ONE FOR FREEDOM!

When you say "FASCINATING", it's exactly what I believe this is. We watch democracy in action; but, this is freedom...defended (and it's FASCINATING!)

Death threats against one person, and one site. . .NOW WE HAVE:

TWO SITES and if they do it again, we may have 4 sites. I hope to participate in both sites.

The Jarrars (and Riverbend) hang up the phone before we can speak, and someone threatens to kill the talkers.

ONE down; TWO RISE. It's a WIN FOR FREEDOM! INTRODUCING:

CRY ME A RIVERBEND 2

IN COMMON with KHALID

SOMETHING IN COMMON? (Khalid)

It looks like we have something in common. Khalid drinks Coke and asks if we have Coke, or did Pepsi get the whole contract?

Coke has a good share. I drink it, not Pepsi—because I can tell the difference. Khalid comments that he thinks Pepsi tastes like old socks—I think it tastes moldy.

One time, years ago, I complained that the Coke tasted OLD. You should have heard the laughter and the comments. How could an “old guy” tell the difference? Eat fast, drink fast. . .and nothing tastes. Well. . . .HA!

We’ve always had contests: smart-mouth of the month, who has the best comment, who could refute the great argument with facts. . .and, who was full of it. Of course, they thought I was full of it. We had to have another contest.

Blindfolded, I had to choose which was which (between new Coke, old Classic Coke, fresh Classic Coke, 7-up, water.) It wasn’t difficult; I sipped some of the rest and drank all the fresh Coke to get the taste out of my mouth. If there is a Coke-gene. . .I’ve got it; and, I passed it on.

ONE-WAY RADIO

JARRARS & THE ONE-WAY RADIO/CONVERSATION

JARRARS UP A RIVER

The net was designed for speedy two-way communication. At first, I was sending little black emails with white print. No color, no pictures, just words. . .but, two-way words (words came back) as responses to information or thoughts and opinions.

The opinions of the Jarrars and Riverbend are similar to a two-way radio intended for conversation. The other side doesn't let up on the key; they just talk all the time. When they are finished, they click off.

Did you ever have a relative like this?

I did. The relative talked non-stop from the moment the phone was picked up. That's how we got the saying, "I couldn't get a word in edge-wise."

Now, we have some fast journalism, speedy opinions, lots of conversation. The beauty of the net is two-way, speedy, ideas and thoughts. . .communication. The Jarrars use it like my relative, and then they hang up.

THE . . .GATHERING?

How about that “Wedding Party”?? They said they fired in the air. One person said we had “leveled” the village. Two houses (with bedding for 300+, in the middle of nowhere) were attacked; close to the Syrian border; people with foreign passports, suspected forged Iraqi documents, also Syrian and Iraqi money? There was no evidence of a wedding celebration, and there were no musical instruments. Looks like they had a medical room; that was probably in case someone was hurt dancing.

Firing in the air in celebration in the middle of the night hours after the wedding couples had gone to their tents (about 10:30) and after the children were asleep? It was close to 3 in the morning—-agreed by most. We fired, too. Then we called in air support.

Do wedding parties always have a sniper rifle, and a machine gun—for faster, more accurate celebration? We heard that weddings were celebrated on Thursday This was Monday into Tuesday morning. It had been a suspected “safe house” along a known “rat line.”

If you still thought it was a wedding party. . .the terrorist manuals might convince you otherwise.

BI-PARTISAN COMMITTEES???

I'm watching C-SPAN. It looks like the Armed Service Committee Members are talking to General Myers. (confirmed)

From the other room, I can tell which party is speaking. There is truth in advertising. There should be some truth in these hearings and some cooperation. It's too much to expect. Too many are interested in election and too few put the country above the politics.

Why do the Democrats insist on knowing who the Caretaker government members are when it is very likely an attempt will be made on that person's life. It isn't an election; it's an appointment with consultations. If we hear the good in Iraqis, we give notice of the next thing to hit, explode, disrupt, and reverse. If I'm not the sharpest bulb in the package, why don't these people recognize that a name revealed, could be a person dead?

Looks like more politics to me. Seems like the Democrats know the score, and know the names can't be revealed until closer to the transfer. And, it appears that the Democrats will push the box of "envelopes" to the edge, over the edge. It makes the Administration look inept; it hypes their case; and it hurts the rest of US.

Feel free to do this about education, medicare, transportation, gas prices. . .whatever. I'm not voting for Democrats in this election when you choose to split, push, pull, and heap on any garbage for politics which errodes the US during a war. Kerry did it; I remember it; I remember how disgusting it was, and how incredible the effort to undermine US. I didn't like it then; and, I don't like it now.

I didn't agree with all concerning the Viet Nam War, either. Millions died because we left. Okay, that's the past; this is the HERE AND NOW. I believe this is the right thing to do; and, again you seem disgusting. I voted for Gore, I will vote for Bush. I used to be somewhere in the middle. Now that the Democrats have moved so far to the left it looks like I'm far to the right. Keep it up, I'll end up a total neo-con without moving.

Kerry has never put AMERICA FIRST. Kerry worked to put AMERICA DOWN; and, he is still doing it. OBL wants to put America Down; France wants to put America Down; (apparently) the UN wanted to put America Down--certainly Blix was/is working on it; Iran and Syria would love to put US Down; Saddam Hussein wanted to put US Down.

The Democrats want US to use diplomacy. Have they noticed it didn't work? Do they believe it will work? Sure, we give up more to persuade our "friends" and offer more appeasement to our enemies, and the Democrats believe we will be better off. All we have to do is apologize, grovel, bribe, push (on and on) again. That'll do it. Will we live long enough to hear France, Germany, Russia, China, North Korea apologize to the world and to the UN? Will we hear the UN apologize? ("snowballs in Hell", come to mind)

Howard Dean was a wacko who couldn't sustain the Democrats' support through the primaries; Kerry is worse. I don't like politicians. Enough of this. (end of rant)

AH, CHALABI!!!

Such an interesting person! Likeable? He was not my favorite. But, if Iraqis choose him, what could I say. There were some benefits: some actionable intelligence, some cooperation; some leadership qualities, a knowledge of democracy combined with a knowledge of Iraq. It might have been a workable combination for the Iraqi people.

Ah, Chalabi, looks like you blew it and may have self-destructed. My first (real) awareness of you was information that you weren't really political--seeking office. Were you the man who was interested in pulling your country up out of the MUCK?And then, you stepped onto the homeland and yelled what are you doing, why don't you have the electricity on? It's paraphrased; but, I heard your voice and felt your tone. It was not King to loyal subjects; but, sounded more King to Peons/Slaves. You helped me to form an opinion about you. But, I'm not Iraqi and I waited to see what would happen.

Ah, Chalabi, when you claimed no interest in running the country, and were not a favorite to many; there was a struggle and you appeared on IGC. Amazing for a man who was not interested. When the curtains parted, and you appeared, was that a smug smirk? Was it an "in your face?" Seemed so; but, I'm not an Iraqi.

Ah, Chalabi, when you say, "Let my people go!"; are you including your accused kidnappers, your accused looters; your accused car thieves? When you took our money, did you also take money from others--like Iran? And, if you have no interest in running the country, you seem angry that you might not be on the Caretaker Team. But, I wasn't born an Iraqi; there is more to learn about Iraqis.

(Ah, Chalabi)Apparently, there are 15 warrants. Evidence was taken and is in the hands of the Iraqi Court. Senor/Bremer opinion is that it is an Iraqi driven, Iraqi operated raid with support from US. I don't care who started it, the Iraqi courts will decide how it is finished. But, if you endangered our troops for your greed, I hope the jaildoor clangs shut behind you. It doesn't look like you are helping Iraqis; it does look like you furnished phoney information about WMD and then shrugged claiming "heroes in error." I'm not in Iraq; but, can see from here that you are not what many thought you were--you were not what you said you were.

OH HO, Chalabi. It looks like you tried to apply screws; but, they were facing the wrong way. Someone else turned the screws you were ready to apply; and, screwed them into you. You may be screwed. You (well) may have screwed yourself. . .to the hilt. But, that's not an Iraqi view; it may be a world view, eventually.

FAKED OUT IN FALLUJAH?

Saddam claimed a great victory after Gulf War I. Approximately 14 years of sanctions and UNSC Resolutions against Iraq and billions in debt to other countries for war materials and repairations; years of inspections and destruction of WMD; no-fly zones in the north and south to constrict Saddam. Seems like a hollow victory if you sought a cease-fire. Obviously, Saddam values words more than truth. The word is not "victory", the word is "survival". . .Saddam survived. He did not survive on his own terms. And now, Saddam has won another "victory", he has free room and board. Saddam is a "winner."

Is Fallujah a "winner", too? I heard the words "nuke Fallujah!"
I heard the words "flatten Fallujah." Personally, I was in favor of "occupation" for Fallujah. There were choices: Fallujah could have been evacuated and gradually razed. Fallujah has been an example of the worst Iraq has to offer. Ramadi and Sammara do not seem to attain the height of disgust that has been attached to Fallujah.

For a short time, while Fallujah was cordoned, there were few suicide bombings, IED--roadside bombs; this could lead you to believe that there was trouble growing in Fallujah, filtering into Fallujah. Fallujah was most foul.

In the tradition of Saddam Hussein, Fallujah came out the "winner". . .unless they refuse to see that there is something in Iraq for them. And, it may turn out that they are winners. But. . .at any moment if they decide to continue in the direction they were headed, they will find out they are losers. They are survivors (like Saddam) and will choose their paths. A wrong turn and they may find out what we can do; and, it might be with the full cooperation of most Iraqis.

FAKED OUT IN FALLUJAH might not be the US; you might be "faked out in Fallujah"; you might be forever known as the "faked out Fallujians." Pay attention, you are one word away from serious problems. . .the word is "GO!"

WMD (Sarin/Mustard)

Old Sarin and old Mustard Gas! It is WMD; but, seems to be the old stuff from a previous decade. Is it an accident the shells were found and used? I don't believe it is.

More than a thousand experts have been looking for approximately a year; and, the UN had been inspecting for more than a decade. The terrorists/rebels have found 2 types in the few months after the war. Maybe they did stumble on a few old WMD accidentally, just before the extreme heat would force the troops to swelter in Chem Suits if WMD were used.

The timing doesn't seem to be coincidental.

SADR SAYS continue

This morning's news (MSNBC) mentions that Sadr is calling for the fighters to continue after his death. His promotion of his own death may be premature.

Muqtada has little left: he could die fighting, he could run to Iran, he could give up and go directly to jail ("do not pass go.")

He is a failure. Iran doesn't seem to want him. Running to Iran may not be one of his options. Poor Muck has a problem.

Sistani may not be interested in his capture. One explanation was the arrest of a cleric (even with Sadr's absence of stature) would signal that clerics are subject to the law--not above the law. Poor Muck has another problem.

Now, it seems Muqtada is at the last option. He wants to be a martyr.

He does have one last option--the glorious state of DISAPPEARANCE. If he fades from the scene, leaves the country, he could live quietly. A difficult option for him, Muck would have to keep his head down for the rest of his life. And, no one would believe he would do that, so he might be chased.

Muqtada's BIG DREAM is a figment of his imagination.

IT'S SARIN

Looks like the testing is complete and it is SARIN. Now, there will be tests to determine how recently the Sarin was manufactured.

I'm not in favor of finding WMD after it has been used. And, this was used. . .on US.

It isn't accidental that we are coming into the summer/hot months. We will have to use the chem suits. I don't believe this shell was an accident; or the mustard gas two weeks ago; or the supposed chemical attack planned in Jordan.

I do wonder about the Anthrax in Mosul; and, the accuracy of the information about Syrians on the NK train with chemical materials. It looks like some intel was more accurate. Combine the mustard data, and the sarin data, with the planned chem attack reportedly involving chemicals from Syria, and add the possibility that some chemicals were being transferred to NK (on the destroyed train) and you have worry. . .in huge letters.

HORRIFYING HOAX

According to Majid (in his blog) his friend died. In Khalid's blog (link from Majid's) a cruel hoax was played on them.

I can't trust most of the information on the family's blogs; so, I'm not sure what to think about the truth of the whole thing. Someone wrote to Majid to tell him C was dead. Khalid's blog tells of C's friends who entered the apartment, used the computer, and told of C's death. They did it because C was friendly with Jarrars. If true, they wanted to hurt people.

It wouldn't be a surprise that we would have people like that in the US. It's no surprise that there are people like the Jarrars, in Iraq. People are biased, opinionated, stubborn and vocal complainers; people are also nasty, cruel, hurtful. Lots of scores for hatred.

MUSTARD GAS

The White House released information concerning a Mustard Gas Shell which had been found approximately two weeks ago.

FOX early reports do not indicate where the shell was found, or on which date. The information describes the shell as "inert" and fox reports that it was ineffective because it had not been stored properly.

ADDITIONAL ON SARIN SHELL:
The Sarin Shell was unmarked. One Chemical Engineer suspects that they did not know what they had. This was a binary shell, which would mix the agents, but the agents were not well mixed; therefore, it was not as deadly as it could have been.

There will be efforts to determine whether or not the shell was manufactured more recently. Zarqawi seems to be the prime suspect.

WMD Indication?

Samir Sumaida'ie (Interior Minister)says that we have the first indication that Saddam had WMD.

More than half the world thought Saddam had WMD; an overwhelming number of UN members thought Saddam had WMD; we thought Saddam had WMD; I thought Saddam had WMD.

We didn't find any. . .have we finally found some of the WMD? This is not the way I had hoped to find them. This event may terrify the already frightening Iraqis. It certainly isn't comfortable for the troops or the US; but, it should not change the efforts or the war. This should point out to all of US that we need to try harder, be more effective, and keep moving.

I have to wonder if this is one of the reasons we limited the number of soldiers in Iraq. It is difficult to support huge numbers of troops with everything they need. Therefore, it has seemed reasonable to keep troop strength at a reasonable level.

With the double flare-up, it was nasty for the troops expecting to go home to be retained in country. However, it may have been the most reasonable why to increase strength during the rotation. Continuity would be the expected result of the delayed rotation out.

AL JAZZ on SARIN?

Al Jazeera is covering the murder of Salim, the Iraqi Governing Council Member, but is not mentioning the finding of the shell with Sarin in it.

GEE JAZZ!! Wonder why you didn't mention the Sarin, yet. No, it's not a question because I don't care about the answer. You didn't and are busy trying to figure out how to spin it or ignore it.

GAZI GEORGE

On FOX, Gazi George (former scientist under Saddam) expressed his thoughts that he always knew weapons would be revealed (my words not his.)

George suggested that finding the shell on the western side of Baghdad near the airport means (to him) that the shell/shells would have come from Syria.

I wonder if they were in Fallujah all this time. Fallujah is an unsearched area. During the siege of Fallujah, Iraqis were able to get supplies into and out of Fallujah on the back roads (verified by Jo Wilding's trip.)

Is there more to Fallujah then a mere rebel stronghold? We don't know that Fallujah is not a weapons staging area and we may not know for a while. It's possible that Gazi George is correct that weapons were coming into Iraq from Syria. It's (also) possible that the weapons came from a stash hidden in Iran and brought back; Ijaz's belief; and, Fallujah could be involved--we don't know.

George is hoping that the bombers did not know what they had. One thing is true: they know now. So, it makes no difference--if they found one, they can find more.

WMD REMINDER (Fox)

FOX was reminding viewers about the previous report of weapons being transported from Iran into northern Iraq. Six to twelve reported chem warhead weapons. (this reduces it to 5-11)

Mansor Ijaz's reports are not always verified. He, along with many others, (make predictions) give information, that is unable to be proven. If he is correct this time, it would mean that Ansar Al-Islam could have pulled the weapons out of Iraq, into Iran, and brought them back.

The SARIN was (apparently) found on Saturday, according to Kimmit.(5/15)

SARIN IN SHELL

US Military finds Artillery Round with Sarin Nerve Agent in Iraq. The shell was rigged as an IED.

The former regime declared all of it destroyed. Apparently, all was not destroyed. Is anyone surprised?

It is reported to be a binary shell, which when they were in the attempt/approach to dismantle the shell exploded. A binary shell uses more than one agent and (apparently) mixes precusors into the agents for deadly chemical combination.

Early reports suggest that the bombers may not have known that the shell was chemical and used it from a found weapons cache. Well, they know now.

PRO-AMERICAN!!

GM’s Blog from Egypt

The attitudes of the Kurds lead us to ponder about who are the most pro-America people in the world. After listening to the news for several years, I can come up with this list:

1) Kurds

2) Eastern Europeans (USA helped them in defeating communism and establishing freedom; 100,000 Romanians stood in the pouring rain to listen to a speech by Bush)

3) Israelis

4) Older generation of South Koreans (those fought along with US soldiers so that they won’t end up starving under the yoke of the North Korean leader)

5) A large number of Iranians (the only Muslims who automatically held street vigils after 911 all by themselves)

6) French who live around Normandy!

7) A good number of Kuwaitis.

8) Secular Iraqis and moderate religious Iraqis.

One smart poster remarked that Americans would be at about 4.5.
That's sad. . .and possibly true.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

In the wake of the defeat of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and the renunciation by Libya of its weapon of mass destruction (WMD) programs, the United States has begun to expand the scope of its nonproliferation activities to prevent the migration of former WMD scientists and workers from these countries to other dangerous nations or organizations.

Interesting, isn't it. We couldn't find any WMD in Iraq; and yet, we are trying to prevent "the migration of former WMD scientists and workers from these countries to other dangerous nations and organizations." Dead intellectuals all over Iraq (including scientists) and who could be left to proliferate?

The US did believe Iraq had WMD. Personally, I can't believe that Saddam would give them up. . .just that he would change the game. Saddam changed the game in other ways. I haven't heard a really good explanation of what happened, yet.

RUSSIAN HOSTAGES IN IRAQ?

Well, Al Jazeera is showing clips of (2) supposed Russian hostages. Remember the time a Russian was taken hostage and the Russians returned the body parts of the capture's family member? It took a long time for anyone to think of taking a Russian hostage.

We could hope that the Russians would announce that they were sending in thousands of troops. It would be a cure! It would help the Iraqis. It would help US. It would help the UN; it would help the AID workers.

Ah well, that would be too easy.

NORTH KOREA

I try to stay with Iraq. . .sometimes, it's difficult. There is a connection here (if only very vague.) I continue to offer Jan a bus ticket to N. Korea because he favors the despots. 8)

There is hints of much more mystery in the N. Korean train crash. The news is stating that there were Syrians aboard the train and that the Syrian section was the most damaged. It was mentioned that it was a chemical explosion, and there were workers dressed in chem suits around the train.

All this led to speculation that there was a chemical warhead on board that train, accompanied by Syrians. That whatever was carried on the train was part of Saddam's chemical weaponry, transferred to Syria and now hauled into N. Korea.

Truth? I don't know what the facts are, but someone suspects an International Shell Game of hide the weapons. Iran is watched; Libya gave up some of their WMD; Syria is under US Sanctions; and, it could be a logical transfer. . .or, a figment of the imagination.

Whatever it could be. . .it's very interesting!

AND THEY ALL WANT SOMETHING:

The anti-War movement wants. . . . . . .peace at any price.

The Democrats want . . . . . . . . . . . . to WIN the election.

The Leftists want . . . . . . . . . . . . .to tell everyone what to do.

The UN wants . . . . . . peace at any price; and, Oil for Fraud.

Saddam’s regime wanted. . . . .power, money, and control.

The Carnegie Endowment for INTERNATIONAL PEACE. . .peace at any price.

_______________________________________________

JAN questions:

Why did you neglect to put the "INTERNATIONAL PEACE" words in the Cargnegie Endowment's name? It distorts the view.

Why do you continuously attempt to prevent the Iraqis from an outcome which would permit their freedom of speech, while you enjoy freedom of speech so well?

You don't seem to want it for others; but you sure do appear to want it for yourself. The proof is your current screech accusing others of controlling your FREEDOM OF SPEECH. (now listed at the top of the posts in the side column)

[Jan thought there was a server foulup which prevented access to all the free speech sites he posted on a new thread.]

The hypocrisy is enough to make people laugh. (okay, I can't speak for everyone. . .but, it almost doubles me over.)

For entertaining reading and challenges, see Jan's post at almuajaha.com He's persistent, consistently anti-American, and it must take him hours to type the propaganda.

THE JAN BATTLE, again
(al muajaha)

(Jan was from Holland; is now in Australia.)

The latest comments on the Anti-American thread at AM show Jan (in typical anti- posture) telling readers that the US was late to the war, took the credit. He seems to promote the idea that the Russians suffered more, therefore, they get credit. It's not necessarily so. My response was:

Many suffered, in many different countries. Frequently, you attempt to share your contempt for the US by disregarding some of the facts. The contribution of the Russians was **detrimental (1939-41)** because they were on the other side acquiring countries (having signed a non-aggression pact with Germany); and then, they were fighting for their own lands from 1941-early 44. They were fighting to beat back the tyranny (in other parts of Europe for a little more than 18 months. You say we got their late, when we were supporting the British in their efforts, then in Dec. 1941 we took on the war in Japan and the war in Europe. Much of the territory invaded by Russia remained in the Communist Bloc until the USSR fell.

We acknowledged that we were fully engaged in the European Front just two months later than Russia. You accuse US of “late” to the war and taking all the credit. Well Jan, the “West” takes credit for saving you in Holland. The US was part of it; and yes, we take credit, too. If we had waited until VJ Day; you would have spoken German for a long time. And, we were not on the other side first.

We helped to free you; and you choose a path against the West—actively, sometimes feverously. You seem to favor the communist leaders, the socialist leaders, and the tyrants and despots. If you like all these things so well; why are you still living in the West? You breathe in the freedom, and spit out the noxious gas. Hypocritical!