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Locked on 06/02/2005 9:39:58 PM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason:
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Posted on 04/14/2005 4:02:23 PM PDT by nwctwx
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Great - NOT! So no passport for entry into Mexico is needed by people from countries that absolutely abhor America and Americans (it's just a sneak across the border after all). Not encouraging.
Congrats on your graduation and thanks for your help moving us from thread to thread. Looking forward to seeing you here more often this summer!
Thanks for that Ping Cindy - I do appreciate it and plan to follow up some more on that, pending what I can find.
Yep.
I wonder if he will bail?
Amazing the violence and hatred these filty bigots spew via their mouths at mosques and their hands via the internet. Obviously they are not aware that "what you do, comes back on you!"
THANKS neosgirl for both the links.
They just need to reveal themselves to the families of the innocents they've killed. Their wishes would be expediently granted I am sure.
Yep.
Evil.
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ON THE NET...
http://haganah.org.il/harchives/004002.html
http://haganah.org.il/harchives/003811.html
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By the way, MamaDearest, have you seen this?
Truly disgusting, in my opinion.
http://www.metacrawler.com/info.metac/search/web/aaronweisburd
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22haganah+cyber+terrorist%22&hl=en&lr=&filter=0
This Imam has some real credibility issues. He does, however, sound like an ideal candidate for ACLU and CAIR membership.
US drone plane kills Al Qaeda leader in Pakistan
Well, on another note...
Just finished the first BBQ of the season.
Salmon steaks.
Greeaaat!
I'm looking at new decorating programs.
Enjoying the music here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1402909/posts
TGIF.
ON THE NET...
http://www.memri.org/iran.html
http://www.memritv.org
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1402789/posts
"Nuclear Ayatollahs"
Yediot Ahranot ^ | 14 April 2005 | Yaron London
Posted on 05/13/2005 3:13:18 PM PDT by anotherview
Yaron London
"Nuclear ayatollahs
Does Israel have an answer for Iranian nuclear aspirations?"
ISLAMABAD - Both Pakistani and US intelligence believe that they are hot on the heels of Osama bin Laden, after his trail went cold months ago.
"Both the US and concerned Pakistani authorities are positive that in the coming days we shall be around Osama bin Laden," a senior Pakistani official told Asia Times Online in an exclusive interview, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The potential breakthrough in the hunt for bin Laden follows the arrest of al-Qaeda operative Abu Faraj al-Libbi in Pakistan last week, and an important lead he divulged during interrogation. Abu Faraj was interrogated by various agencies, including Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, Britain's MI6 and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This is according to the Pakistani official, who was assigned by Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf - the target of two assassination attempts allegedly masterminded by Abu Faraj - to coordinate and oversee investigations involving recent al-Qaeda detainees in Pakistan.
"The arrest of al-Libbi has only one significance for Pakistan, and that is that he was involved in assassination plots on Musharraf. Apparently there is no way that we will get Osama bin Laden through al-Libbi. MI6 also interrogated al-Libbi separately, and they are also of this opinion, that al-Libbi is little more than a foot soldier and no way eligible to be named as an operational chief. However, US interrogators have a different opinion and they call al-Libbi the catch of the year," the official said.
"Nevertheless," said the official, "the arrest cannot be down-played as insignificant. During interrogation, al-Libbi pointed [out] Bajur Agency, a tribal area situated in North West Frontier Province, where we found an al-Qaeda sanctuary and arrested many important operatives, including an Uzbek."
Despite repeated questioning from Asia Times Online, the official refused to say whether the Uzbek was the leader of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Tahir Yaldevish, who has been widely reported to have been seen in Pakistan's tribal areas. "This is a state secret," the official said.
"Neither will I tell you his name nor give you any hint, but it is true that there is big 'head money' on him, and as a result of interrogations so far we are quite sure that through him we will be getting Osama bin Laden, or at least we will be around his sanctuary and be able to track his area of rotation. At present, we are completely in the dark."
The official believes that a breakthrough will come soon, but this carries problems. "After that [bin Laden's apprehension] a new debate will start on whether Osama should be arrested in Pakistan's tribal areas or not," said the official.
"I am not part of any strategic community, but my political acumen suggests that in the present drive we will find Osama bin Laden in our tribal areas, and I am sure we will soon ... we should try to push him to the other side of the border and then let US troops arrest him. He should not be arrested by or in Pakistan. Because if that happens, I tell you that the Pakistan army will lose its honor among the masses forever, and at the same time there would be retaliation against the government beyond our comprehension, and in that process anything is possible, real terrorism, bloodshed and even revolution," he continued.
Recalling his experience in dealing with the interrogation of the Uzbek, the official maintained that it had been "truly incredible".
"You can differ in ideologies, but it is difficult not to be impressed by conviction. We are politicians - compromise, retreat and lies are part of our business, but believe me, I passed one hour with that Uzbek and I admitted to myself some guilt - his unbreakable conviction for his cause was the reason.
"He was blindfolded, and when an interrogator served him a glass of water, he said, 'Make sure that it is [served] with the right hand, and not the left hand.' [as per Muslim custom] He gave a full lecture on their cause, and said that he had no regrets that he had joined al-Qaeda. He even recognized me from my voice, as he said that he had often heard me on television, and advised that I should take care as soon everybody 'would be accountable before Allah'.
"I am the person who is monitoring things very closely, and I see the arrest of bin Laden not very far away, this is the same opinion of the US authorities following al-Libbi's arrest. But whether it will bury extremism once and for all, or spark it, is a different debate," the Pakistani functionary commented.
"This is the biggest protest campaign in Afghanistan since the ouster of the Taliban regime [in 2001]. This is bloody, widespread and countrywide.This also shows that they are fed up with the United States and they just needed a spark to vent their feelings."
- Rahimullah Yusufzai, a Pakistani journalist who is considered an authority on the tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, on May 12.
Yusufzai was talking about the violent anti-US and anti-Hamid Karzai demonstrations sweeping across Afghanistan since May 10, in protest against the alleged desecration of the Holy Koran by US guards at the Guantanamo Bay camp in Cuba, where about 500 Afghans, Pakistanis and other Muslims have been detained by the US authorities without trial and without giving them any right of access to human-rights organizations.
The demonstrations, often culminating in violence, which started at Jalalabad near the Pakistan border, have since spread to the northern provinces of Parwan, Kapisa and Takhar, Laghman in the east, Logar and Khost in the southeast and the southern province of Kandahar. It also spread to Kabul itself on May 12. According to the latest reports, 10 out of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan have been affected by the demonstrations and the resulting violence. The anger of the demonstrators has been directed not only against the US and President Karzai of Afghanistan, but also against Pakistan and the United Nations and Western non-governmental organizations functioning from Afghanistan. Their offices have been attacked, causing considerable property damage everywhere.
Though no fatalities have been inflicted on the security forces by the demonstrators, seven civilians have so far been killed and over 80 injured as a result of firing by Afghan and American security forces to disperse the demonstrators. Reports of the demonstrations received from several towns indicate the following common features:
The students spearheaded the demonstrations, in which a large number of educated people participated. The demonstrations were not spontaneous. They had been well-prepared, and were well organized and well orchestrated. Groups of students went from town to town instigating the local students to take to the streets. The demonstrators were not armed and confined their protests to shouting anti-US and anti-Karzai slogans, burning American and Pakistani flags and effigies of President George W Bush, Karzai and Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf and attacking properties like buildings and vehicles.
The demonstrations were not instigated by the Taliban or the Hizb-e-Islami of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar or al-Qaeda. However, elements from the Taliban and the Hizb, who were taken by pleasant surprise by the students taking to the streets, subsequently joined them.
Many members of the police and the newly-raised Afghan army showed sympathy for the demonstrators and were reluctant to use force against them when ordered to do so by their senior officers.
Reports from Afghan sources indicate that the demonstrations have been organized by the Hizbut Tehrir (HT) and not by the Taliban, the Hizb or al-Qaeda. While one was aware of some HT activities in the student community in Afghanistan, the extent of its penetration not only in the student community, but also in the Afghan security forces, has come as a surprise.
In their preoccupation with fighting their so-called "war against al-Qaeda", the Taliban and the Hizb, American intelligence agencies and security forces seem to have remained oblivious of the subterranean activities of the HT, and have consequently been taken totally by surprise.
This weekend, the Central Performing Arts Center in Hollywood, Florida, will play host to one of the most radical Islamist leaders in America—but few will know it.
The occasion is a conference, titled “America & The Rights of Those Who Believe in God,” which will feature Maulana Shafayat Mohamed, the supposedly moderate religious leader of the Darul Uloom Islamic Institute. In fact, Darul Uloom, a madrasa (religious school) located in Pembroke Pines, Florida, is notorious for the number of terrorists that have worshiped and taken classes there, including the so-called "Dirty Bomber" Jose Padilla and Adnan Shukrijumah, who is on the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list.
Excerpted
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=18053
Interesting video (compilation of videos). They have been doing a lot of damage over there recently, very sad. I can't help but fear that elite urban warfare units are being created by Zarqawi and his men for 'outsourcing' to the West.. hope I'm wrong.
Looking forward to spending more time here. :) Still a tad busy, but things are about to wind down (relatively speaking) for a bit.
I'll have to wait to see it before commenting further... good read though. I hope the optimism is rewarded this time around.
U.S. prods Iraqi leader to act against insurgents
http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=54726
BAGHDAD, Iraq - After nearly three weeks of unrelenting attacks by insurgents, U.S. military officials are urging Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari to respond with strong and decisive action or risk erosion of confidence and a widening sense of insecurity among Iraqis.
Army Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. officer in Iraq, conferred with al-Jaafari on Thursday and Friday in meetings that other U.S. officials said focused on reviewing options and encouraging a firm government response to the violence. More significant than what the government might do, one senior military officer said, is the fact that the government be seen as doing something.
"The perception of governance is important," he said.
The prodding comes during a wave of violence that has taken more than 400 lives since a new government was chosen two weeks ago from among legislators elected in January.
"These are the standard meetings to share ideas about the security situation," said al-Jaafari's spokesman, Laith Kubba. "We have them regularly."
A U.S. officer familiar with the discussions said U.S. authorities were making the new leaders aware of the Iraqi security forces' current capabilities and how those forces might be deployed. Iraqi officials also were encouraged to engage in a more aggressive public information campaign about measures being taken to combat the insurgency.
Al-Jaafari extended for another 30 days the country's six-month-old state of emergency, which was declared last November in the hours before the invasion of Fallujah, an insurgent stronghold. Officials said other actions under consideration include an extension of curfews in Baghdad and Mosul to limit the mobility of insurgents, and the cancellation of leaves for security personnel to bolster Iraq's forces.
Friday night, Interior Ministry officials announced the capture of Palestinian men said to be responsible for a Thursday car bombing that killed at least 14 people in Baghdad. They were shown on television looking haggard, and one had a black eye.
Iraqi officials say they believe the insurgents' onslaught is timed to undermine the delicate governing balance among Iraq's religious and ethnic factions. It took three months to form a cabinet that incorporated Sunni Arabs, who largely boycotted the elections and are therefore underrepresented in the assembly. Though Sunnis are a minority group in Iraq, they dominated the Iraqi government and military under Saddam Hussein and are believed to comprise the bulk of the insurgency.
All but one cabinet post set aside for Sunni Arabs have been filled.
"We won the political battle of getting the Sunnis in. We now have to win the military and intelligence battles," Kubba said. "The insurgents want to create the appearance of confusion so they have a new cover to hide behind. They are determined to make people feel the government is not going to show them protection."
In interviews this week, a number of U.S. officers have stressed that the insurgency will likely take years to defeat and that surges in violence like the current one are to be expected. They have emphasized that ultimately, success will come not through military measures, but through a lasting political accommodation among Iraq's Shiite and Sunni Arabs and Sunni Kurds.
To this end, top U.S. authorities in Baghdad have urged the new Shiite-led government in private, high-level meetings this week to move quickly to further involve Sunnis in the governing process, according to U.S. officials familiar with the talks.
Supporters of al-Jaafari's government insist there is progress in the fight against insurgents. Iraqi security forces release an almost daily accounting of weapons caches seized and alleged terrorists arrested, including several described as high-ranking aides to Abu Musab Zarqawi, a Jordanian who leads the militant group al-Qaida in Iraq.
"It is true the Iraqi security forces are not qualified enough to face these waves of terrorism, but with the cooperation of the multinational forces, the security situation will be improved," said Ali Dabbagh, a National Assembly member from a leading Shiite party. "And we can see it improving now."
The surge in suicide attacks continues to be characterized by U.S. military intelligence specialists as largely the work of foreign fighters, often in partnership with Iraqi former Baathists loyal to Saddam. But several senior officers with access to intelligence reports acknowledged considerable uncertainty about which groups are behind the attacks.
In an effort to choke off the infiltration of foreign fighters along the border with Syria, U.S. Marines have been engaged in an extensive operation this week in northwestern Iraq. Casey visited the border region Thursday and highlighted plans to move much of the U.S. Army's 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment there from the Baghdad area.
In recent weeks, the bloodiest attacks have affected ordinary Iraqis, perhaps because they are most vulnerable, U.S. military officials say.
"It's really now a war against the Iraqi people conducted by foreigners," said Lt. Col. Steven Boylan, a spokesman for coalition forces in Iraq. "The only thing that is left for them is to try to drive a wedge between the Iraqi government and Iraqi people by targeting Iraqi people."
Insurgents' tactics have recently reflected greater coordination and sophistication, Boylan said. They have begun detonating car bombs with drivers inside who did not plan to be suicide bombers but allegedly were expecting to hand off the vehicles to someone else.
"We have reorganized ourselves since the Fallujah battle," said a man who identified himself as Abu Nasir, 46. He said he had been a colonel in Saddam's army and is now a leader of the Salahuddin Platoon, a guerrilla group linked to Zarqawi. "We've decided not to give them a chance to live in peace as long as we are here."
Here in Baghdad, where the frequency of attacks has been the highest in recent weeks, people have been forced to adjust to violence that has become as disruptive as it is unavoidable.
"It is getting to be too much. I have to change the route I use to go to work every day," said Jowad Abdul Rahman, 48, after Friday prayers at one of the city's largest Sunni mosques. "The insurgents do not care if there will be innocent people in their way."
In the neighborhood of Jaderia, which seems a world away from the violence splashed across his television screen, Mahmoud Ahmed Uthman described the most recent meeting of what he calls his "Thursday group."
Over breakfast almost every week for 15 years, he and a handful of friends have met in each other's homes to debate the issues of the day. Under Saddam's rule, he said, the gatherings were a sanctuary from the persistent horrors of daily life.
They have become so again.
"We talk about literature, commerce, many topics. But on all of our minds now is the insurgency," said Uthman, 73, as what sounded like a mortar round momentarily drowned out the Vivaldi concertos on his stereo. "We ask, why is this happening? How can this be stopped to save Iraq?"
Yummmmmmm! Salmon steaks! Also loving smoked salmon. In fact, addiction to same. Salmon patties will be on our menu this weekend. Thanks for the idea.
What kind of decorating programs are you looking at?
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