Threat Matrix: April 2007

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=zimbabwe

Thanks to Clive for the ping to this thread:

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1811075/posts

Zimbabwe — Body bag’ threat for UK diplomat
SAPA-DPA via News24 (SA) ^ | 2007-04-03 | (wire service)

Posted on 04/03/2007 3:37:41 AM PDT by Clive

Harare - A state-controlled newspaper in Zimbabwe on Tuesday warned that the spokesperson for the British embassy could be sent back to Britain in a body bag for allegedly supporting the main opposition party.

An editorial writer claimed in the Herald’s main opinion article that Gillian Dare was a prime target for deportation and warned she could get caught in crossfire by supporting the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

“It will be a pity for her family to welcome her at Heathrow airport in a body bag just like some of her colleagues from Iraq and Afghanistan,” the article written by David Samuriwo said.

Since the March 11 crackdown against the MDC, which saw scores of opposition activists arrested and severely assaulted in police custody, Western diplomats have closely followed the court appearances of those detained, including MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Their show of concern has infuriated President Robert Mugabe’s government. The 83-year-old leader threatened to expel them.

And last month Zimbabwe’s foreign minister said the concern shown by Western diplomats for detained activists amounted to unwarranted political interference in the country’s internal affairs.

The Herald alleged that Dare was the purse-holder and financier of the violence being perpetrated by the MDC and was recruiting journalists both in and outside Zimbabwe to write articles denigrating Mugabe and his government.

Sapa-dpa

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1811077/posts

Pakistani Terror group’s threat raises Dalai Lama alert
The Australian ^ | April 03, 2007 | Bruce Loudon

Posted on 04/03/2007 3:44:15 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki

Terror group’s threat raises Dalai Lama alert

Bruce Loudon, South Asia correspondent April 03, 2007

SECURITY surrounding the Dalai Lama has been tightened after reports of an attempt by the al-Qa’ida-linked terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Toiba to assassinate the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.

A three-tier security ring has been thrown around the 72-year-old Buddhist head, who lives at Dharamsala, in the Himalayan foothills, Indian police spokesman Prem Lal said. All those approaching the exiled Tibetan chief will be closely watched by highly trained Tibetan security guards as well as heavily armed deployments of Indian police.

Visitors are being body-searched before being allowed to approach him.

The Dalai Lama is scheduled to make a widely anticipated 11-day visit to cities and regional centres across Australia in early June, making both free and ticketed appearances at public lectures, blessings and teaching sessions. Before that, he will visit the US.

Superintendent Lal said police had been alerted by central intelligence agencies to the reported plot by Lashkar-e-Toiba to kill the Dalai Lama “on the directions of a foreign organisation”, which he declined to name, but is assumed to be al-Qa’ida.

In a recent document, Osama bin Laden denounced “pagan Buddhism” as part of his general attack on anything not Islamic.

The assassination threat picked up by Indian authorities is thought to be based on bin Laden’s denunciation and the extremist jihadi movement’s hatred for anything and anyone that is not Muslim.

Lashkar-e-Toiba is believed to be al-Qa’ida’s agent in South Asia and has been involved in virtually every major terrorist attack in India.

(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...

NOTE: The following text is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1811090/posts

Receipts & Pledges to-date: $3,558
5%
Thank you all very much!!
ITALY: PROSECUTORS TO PROBE IMAM’S ALLEGED ‘DEATH TO CHRISTIANS’ CALL (Fascist Islam on the march)
adnkronosinternational ^ | 3 April 2007 | AKI

Posted on 04/03/2007 4:24:11 AM PDT by Cornpone

Rome, 3 April (AKI) - Prosecutors in the northern Italian city of Turin were scheduled to start investigating on Tuesday footage of an imam at the local Cottolengo mosque, Mohammed Kohalia, calling on Muslims to hate Christians and Jews and praying for their death. “The Prophet has said that the extremists [Jews and Christians] will be destroyed,” the cleric is heard as saying in footage secretly filmed by a journalist. “Allah should kill the polytheists.” Kohalia has denied making those statements.

The DVD portraying Kohaila’s sermon was filmed with a hidden camera by a faithful attending the prayers on behalf of a news programme on state broadcaster RAI’s second channel, Annozero. Only part of the footage was broadcast last Thursday while the remaining 40 minutes containing the harshest threats against Christians and Jews could reportedly be shown later this week.

The footage also allegedly shows magazines calling for jihad, or holy war.

In the video, Kohaila says that “no compromise can be reached with atheists, they must be killed, full stop.”

He also talks about women saying that “men are superior: a 500 [small FIAT car] cannot compete with a Ferrari” and tells the gathering that men should beat women who disobey.

Kohaila’s predecessor, Bouriqi Boutcha of Morocco, was expelled from Italy in 2004 on suspicion he was linked to Islamic militants.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=turkey

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http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=jihad&ID=SP153107

Special Dispatch Series - No. 1531
April 3, 2007 No.1531

“Turkish Radio and TV Council Issues Warning to Turkish Radio Stations for Broadcasting Islamist Messages and Calling for Jihad”

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1161.html

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
This information is current as of today, Tue Apr 03 2007 05:10:56 GMT-0700.

Worldwide Caution

October 11, 2006

placemark

Yep, Ahmadinejad sure is a trendsetter.
Let’s get out our “apology” pens.
Or should we ask Pelosi what to do?
End of sarcasm.

***

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=venezuela
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hugochavez
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=chavez
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1811303/posts

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http://www.diarioelprogreso.com/edi-020407/html/pag01-c.htm

Ciudad Bolívar, Lunes 02 de Abril del 2.007

“En Santa Elena de Uairén
Detenidos 31 ciudadanos norteamericanos acusados de ejercicio ilegal de la medicina”

(Santa Elena-Especial).

ARTICLE SNIIPPET: “Dice la fuente informativa que la detención de estos ciudadanos norteamericanos es violatoria a los derechos humanos, ya que se encuentran incomunicados y a la orden presidencial, por lo que se teme que sean acusados de ser “infiltrados” por la CIA.

Para finalizar la fuente fue clara al decir que los 31 ciudadanos norteamericanos son médicos, enfermeros y religiosos que están trabjando en nuestro país, pero que no merecen ser acusados de violar las leyes venezolanas.”

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http://vcrisis.com/index.php?content=letters/200704031210

“31 US citizens arrested in Venezuela”
By Aleksander Boyd

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “London 03.04.07 |

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The 31 American citizens are kept incommunicado awaiting presidential orders, reported the source. It is believed that charges of spying or to be part of the CIA will be levied against them.

The group is composed by medical doctors, nurses and religious individuals.

Update: sources in Venezuela have just confirmed to me that the 31 US citizens are not in jail but have been ‘asked’ by the military to not leave the compound where they were.”

Note: The following article brief is a quote:

http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?selected=Situation%20Reports&sitrep=1&id=286729

Venezuela: 59 Detained In Official’s Prison Escape
April 03, 2007 15 06 GMT

Oscar Baquero, secretary of civilian security for Venezuela’s Yaracuy state, said April 3 that 59 people have been detained in connection with the investigation into former Gov. Eduardo Lapi’s escape from prison April 1. Baquero said officials from the Popular Ministry for Interior Relations and Justice as well as the National Guard are among those detained. Baquero also said his government is investigating the possibility that the military participated in Lapi’s escape.

Checking Iranian news...

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=4762&sectionid=3510207

“Venezuela may nationalize hospitals”
Tue, 03 Apr 2007 06:44:18

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Monday that he would take over private hospitals if they keep on increasing prices for health care.

“Any private hospital that doesn’t comply with the regulations that are made, if necessary, will have to be nationalized,” Chavez said during a speech at the presidential palace. “We cannot allow there to be a shameless looting using such important services as health.”

A state takeover of some private hospitals would enlarge Chavez’s nationalization effort, which already includes electrical companies, Venezuela’s largest telecom and lucrative oil projects in the Orinoco River basin.

Chavez called on Cabinet ministers to study possible price controls for medical services, the same way his government set price controls on beef, AP reported. “

http://www.eluniversal.com/2007/04/03/eng_announcements.shtml

2007-04-02
“President Hugo Chávez’ event with his economic cabinet”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Chávez, speaking from the presidential palace of Miraflores, also advocated creation of a South American military organization “to defend the interests and sovereignty of this, our great homeland, including, of course, the Caribbean.” He insisted that “rather than a geographical concept, the South is an ideological concept for us, at this current time.”

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Falkland Islands War, Chávez commented that Venezuela had joined the countries requesting the United Kingdom to start discussions with Argentina on the islands sovereignty.”

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/04/03/ap3579487.html

Associated Press
“PDVSA Raises Record $7.5B in Bond Sale”
Associated Press 04.03.07, 3:37 PM ET

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Venezuela’s state oil company has raised a record US$7.5 billion (euro5.6 billion) from its latest bond sale, far above what it initially expected, and the largest ever bond sale by the South American country.”

http://english.eluniversal.com/2007/04/03/en_eco_art_exxon-renames-projec_03A851623.shtml

“Exxon renames project in Orinoco oil belt”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Exxon Mobil is to change the name of its Venezuelan operator running a project of heavy crude oil, as a previous step to the government takeover of the upgrading facilities, said the US company in a press release published Tuesday.

Exxon created in March a transition taskforce to hand over state-run oil holding Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa) its operations in the Cerro Negro project by May 1st, in accordance with President Hugo Chávez’ nationalization order for the four upgrading sites in Orinoco oil belt, Reuters reported.

Exxon posted a notice on the Venezuelan media to advise customers that as from April 13th the invoices should be addressed to the new “Transition company for the delivery of operations in Cerro Negro project.””

UPDATING POST NO. 111 - More Details:

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/04/03/ap3579487.html

Associated Press
“PDVSA Raises Record $7.5B in Bond Sale”
Associated Press 04.03.07, 3:37 PM ET

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Such dollar-denominated bonds are sought by Venezuelan businesses and individuals because they allow a way to acquire the U.S. currency amid strict currency controls. The bonds can be bought in Venezuelan bolivars and resold overseas for dollars.”

Let’s go visiting... en espanol...

http://www.elimpulso.com/

http://www.elimpulso.com/Pages/Vernoticia.asp?id=38878

“Ante la fuga de Eduardo Lapi
No descartan cooperación y complicidad interna”

Fecha de publicación: 03/04/2007

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SYRIA:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=syria
http://www.memri.org/syria.html

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http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/015915.php

April 03, 2007

“Pelosi stresses dialogue with Syria as medicine for what ails Lebanon

Here’s a new idea to bring about peace — appeasement! Yeah, that’ll do the trick! Why didn’t anyone think of that before?”

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1811428/posts

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/03/pelosi.syria/index.html

“Pelosi receives warm welcome in Syria”
POSTED: 2:20 p.m. EDT, April 3, 2007

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1811381/posts

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6522743.stm

Last Updated: Tuesday, 3 April 2007, 15:26 GMT 16:26 UK

“Bush rival breaks Syria boycott”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “US House speaker Nancy Pelosi has arrived in the Syrian capital for a visit which the White House has criticised as undermining US policy.

She was received in Damascus by Foreign Minister Walid Muallim and is expected to meet President Bashar al-Assad.

The top Democrat brushed off criticism, saying dialogue with Syria was key to solving the Iraq and Lebanon crises.

The Republican Bush administration has boycotted Syria since the 2005 murder of Lebanon’s former PM Rafik Hariri.

President Bush said Ms Pelosi’s trip to Syria sent “mixed signals” that undermine US-led efforts to isolate the Syrian president.

“Photo opportunities and/or meetings with President Assad lead the Assad government to believe they’re part of the mainstream of the international community, when, in fact, they’re a state sponsor of terror,” Mr Bush said.

‘Brave lady’

Ms Pelosi is reported to be the highest-ranking US politician to visit Syria since bilateral relations deteriorated in 2003, when the US invaded neighbouring Iraq.

Syrian state media have hailed the visit as “positive”, with the Syria Times describing Ms Pelosi as a “brave lady”.”

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RECAP:

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://osint.internet-haganah.com/archives/000941.html

March 27, 2007

Venezuela, Belarus evaluate military cooperation

eluniversal.com 2007-03-23

A delegation of the Belarusian Government met Thursday in Caracas-based military base Fuerte Tiuna, with the Venezuelan Minister of Defense General in Chief Raúl Isaías Baduel and the President of the Venezuelan Military Industry Company (Cavim), Major General Gustavo Ochoa, in order to assess the scope of the bilateral military cooperation agreement both countries initialed in July 2006.
Military sources said Venezuela is interested in purchasing an anti-aircraft defense system manufactured by the European country. However, the operation would be dependent both on the equipment artillery features compared to others and on the terms of the negotiation. Further, the Ministry of Defense’s interest in “overhauling” the Belgium-made portable missile system Mistral the Venezuelan Armed Force already owns is prevailing.

Earlier this year, according to Efe, Russian military industry sources said the Venezuelan Government “showed great interest in anti-aircraft Russian defense systems,” and was pondering the possibility to purchase the same equipment Iran bought from Russia, Tor-M1.

The Venezuela-Belarus accord was endorsed March 21st by the National Assembly. The agreement provides for “production, updating, servicing, repair, purchase and sale of supplies and techniques for aviation, anti-aircraft equipment and land troops,” as well as joint design of new military techniques and weaponry, radio and electronic devices.

Posted on 27 March 2007 @ 14:59 GMT

#

...and now back in the USA:

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/04/20070403.html

President Bush Makes Remarks on the Emergency Supplemental
The Rose Garden

Video (Windows)
Presidential Remarks
Audio
In Focus: Renewal in Iraq
In Focus: Defense

10:09 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I’ve just had a good meeting with Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, and General Pete Pace, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Secretary Gates and General Pace updated me on the deployment of American reinforcements to Iraq.

At this moment, two of the five additional U.S. Army brigades we are sending for this mission are operating in Baghdad. A third brigade is now moving from Kuwait, and will be fully operational in Baghdad in the coming weeks. And the remaining two brigades will deploy in April and May. It will be early June before all U.S. forces dedicated to the operation are in place. So this operation is still in its beginning stages.

The reinforcements we’ve sent to Baghdad are having a impact. They’re making a difference. And as more of those reinforcements arrive in the months ahead, their impact will continue to grow. But to succeed in their mission, our troops need Congress to provide the resources, funds, and equipment they need to fight our enemies.

It has now been 57 days since I requested that Congress pass emergency funds for our troops. Instead of passing clean bills that fund our troops on the front lines, the House and Senate have spent this time debating bills that undercut the troops, by substituting the judgment of politicians in Washington for the judgment of our commanders on the ground, setting an arbitrary deadline for withdrawal from Iraq, and spending billions of dollars on pork barrel projects completely unrelated to the war.

I made it clear for weeks that if either the House or Senate version of this bill comes to my desk, I will veto it. And it is also clear from the strong support for this position in both Houses that the veto would be sustained. The only way the Democrats were able to pass their bill in the first place was to load the bill with pork and other spending that has nothing to do with the war.

There was — one leading Democrat in the House said, “A lot of things had to go into that bill that certainly those of us who respect great legislation did not want there.” That’s an honest appraisal of the process that we just witnessed. Still, the Democrats in Congress continue to pursue their bills, and now they have left Washington for spring recess without finishing the work.

Democrat leaders in Congress seem more interested in fighting political battles in Washington than in providing our troops what they need to fight the battles in Iraq. If Democrat leaders in Congress are bent on making a political statement, then they need to send me this unacceptable bill as quickly as possible when they come back. I’ll veto it, and then Congress can get down to the business of funding our troops without strings and without delay.

If Congress fails to act in the next few weeks, it will have significant consequences for our men and women in the Armed Forces. As the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pace, recently stated during his testimony before a House subcommittee, if Congress fails to pass a bill I can sign by mid-April, the Army will be forced to consider cutting back on equipment, equipment repair, and quality of life initiatives for our Guard and reserve forces. These cuts would be necessary because the money will have to be shifted to support the troops on the front lines.

The Army also would be forced to consider curtailing some training for Guard and reserve units here at home. This would reduce their readiness and could delay their availability to mobilize for missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. If Congress fails to pass a bill I can sign by mid-May, the problems grow even more acute. The Army would be forced to consider slowing or even freezing funding for its depots, where the equipment our troops depend on is repaired. They will also have to consider delaying or curtailing the training of some active duty forces, reducing the availability of these forces to deploy overseas. If this happens, some of the forces now deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq may need to be extended because other units are not ready to take their places.

If Congress does not act, the Army may also have to delay the formation of new brigade combat teams, preventing us from getting those troops into the pool of forces that are available to deploy. If these new teams are unavailable, we would have to ask other units to extend into the theater.

In a letter to Congress, Army Chief of Staff General Pete Schoomaker put it this way: “Without approval of the supplemental funds in April, we will be forced to take increasingly draconian measures, which will impact Army readiness and impose hardships on our soldiers and their families.”

In a time of war, it’s irresponsible for the Democrat leadership — Democratic leadership in Congress to delay for months on end while our troops in combat are waiting for the funds. The bottom line is this: Congress’s failure to fund our troops on the front lines will mean that some of our military families could wait longer for their loved ones to return from the front lines. And others could see their loved ones headed back to the war sooner than they need to. That is unacceptable to me, and I believe it is unacceptable to the American people.

Members of Congress say they support the troops. Now they need to show that support in deed, as well as in word. Members of Congress are entitled to their views and should express them. Yet debating these differences should not come at the expense of funding our troops.

Congress’s most basic responsibility is to give our troops the equipment and training they need to fight our enemies and protect our nation. They’re now failing in that responsibility, and if they do not change course in the coming weeks, the price of that failure will be paid by our troops and their loved ones.

I’ll now answer some questions, starting with Jennifer Loven.

Q Thank you, sir. You agreed to talk to Syria in the context of —

THE PRESIDENT: Excuse me?

Q You’ve agreed to talk to Syria in the context of the international conferences on Iraq. What’s so different or wrong about Speaker Pelosi having her own meetings there? And are you worried that she might be preempting your own efforts?

THE PRESIDENT: We have made it clear to high-ranking officials, whether they be Republicans or Democrats, that going to Syria sends mixed signals — signals in the region and, of course, mixed signals to President Assad. And by that, I mean, photo opportunities and/or meetings with President Assad lead the Assad government to believe they’re part of the mainstream of the international community, when, in fact, they’re a state sponsor of terror; when, in fact, they’re helping expedite — or at least not stopping the movement of foreign fighters from Syria into Iraq; when, in fact, they have done little to nothing to rein in militant Hamas and Hezbollah; and when, in fact, they destabilize the Lebanese democracy.

There have been a lot of people who have gone to see President Assad — some Americans, but a lot of European leaders and high-ranking officials. And yet we haven’t seen action. In other words, he hasn’t responded. It’s one thing to send a message; it’s another thing to have the person receiving the message actually do something. So the position of this administration is that the best way to meet with a leader like Assad or people from Syria is in the larger context of trying to get the global community to help change his behavior. But sending delegations hasn’t worked. It’s just simply been counterproductive.

Steve.

Q Thank you, sir. Would the U.S. be willing to give up five Iranians held in Iraq if it would help persuade Iran to give up the 15 British sailors?

THE PRESIDENT: Steven, I said the other day that — first of all, the seizure of the sailors is indefensible by the Iranians, and that I support the Blair government’s attempts to solve this issue peacefully. So we’re in close consultation with the British government. I also strongly support the Prime Minister’s declaration that there should be no quid pro quo’s when it comes to the hostages.

Let’s see here — Baker, Baker. Are you here? Yes, there you are.

Q Sir, your administration evaluated all 93 U.S. attorneys, in part on the basis of loyalty. That was one of the criteria that was used. What role should loyalty to you play in the evaluation of those charged with administering justice and enforcing the law?

THE PRESIDENT: Peter, obviously, when you name a U.S. attorney you want somebody who can do the job. That’s the most important criterion, somebody who is qualified, somebody who can get a job done. The President names the U.S. attorneys, and the President has the right to remove U.S. attorneys. And on this particular issue, the one you’re referring to, I believe it’s the current issue of the eight U.S. attorneys, they serve at my pleasure, they have served four-year terms, and we have every right to replace them. And —

Q And what —

THE PRESIDENT: Let me finish, please. I am genuinely concerned about their reputations, now that this has become a Washington, D.C. focus. I’m sorry it’s come to this. On the other hand, there had been no credible evidence of any wrongdoing. And that’s what the American people have got to understand. We had a right to remove them; we did remove them. And there will be more hearings to determine what I’ve just said, no credible evidence of wrongdoing.

Bill.

Q Mr. President, a lot of the disagreement over —

THE PRESIDENT: Wrong Bill.

Q Which one, him?

THE PRESIDENT: No, you. The cute-looking one. (Laughter.)

Q Thanks so much. A lot of the disagreement, sir, over the way you’re handling Iraq, disagreements from the public and Congress, stems from the belief that things are not working, despite the surge. The Iraqis have met few, if any, of the benchmarks that were laid down for them so far. Senator McCain walked in the Baghdad marketplace with air cover and a company of troops. But people don’t believe that this can work, and they question the continued sacrifice of U.S. troops to help make it work.

THE PRESIDENT: Bill, I’m very aware that there are a group of people that don’t think we should be there in the first place. There are some who don’t believe that this strategy will work. I’ve listened carefully to their complaints. Obviously, I listened to these concerns prior to deciding to reinforce. This is precisely the debate we had inside the White House: Can we succeed? I know there are some who have basically said it is impossible to succeed. I strongly disagree with those people. I believe not only can we succeed, I know we must succeed.

And so I decided to, at the recommendation of military commanders, decided to send reinforcements. As opposed to leaving Baghdad and watching the country go up in flames, I chose a different route, which was to send more troops into Baghdad. And General Petraeus, who is a reasoned, sober man, says there is some progress being made. And he cites murders and — in other words, there’s some calm coming to the capital. But he also fully recognizes, as do I, it’s still dangerous. In other words, suiciders are willing to kill innocent life in order to send the projection that this is an impossible mission.

The whole strategy is to give the Iraqi government time to reconcile, time to unify the country, time to respond to the demands of the 12 million people that voted.

You’ve said the Iraqis haven’t met any obligations; I would disagree with your characterization. They have said that they will send Iraqi forces into Baghdad to take the lead, along with U.S. troops, to bring security to Baghdad, and they’ve done that. They said they’d name a commander for Baghdad; they have done that. They said they’d send up — they’d send troops out into the neighborhoods to clear and hold and then build; they’re doing that. They send they would send a budget up that would spend a considerable amount of their money on reconstruction; they have done that. They’re working on an oil law that is in progress.

As a matter of fact, I spoke to the Prime Minister yesterday about progress on the oil law. He reminded me that sometimes the legislature doesn’t do what the executive branch wants them to do. I reminded him, I understand what he’s talking about. But, nevertheless, I strongly agree that we’ve got to continue to make it clear to the Iraqi government that this is — the solution to Iraq, an Iraq that can govern itself, sustain itself and defend itself, is more than a military mission — precisely the reason why I sent more troops into Baghdad, to be able to provide some breathing space for this democratically-elected government to succeed. And it’s hard work, and I understand it’s hard work.

Secondly, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, Bill, there’s only 40 percent of our troops that are there on the ground. And so I find it somewhat astounding that people in Congress would start calling for withdrawal even before all the troops have made it to Baghdad.

Let’s see here — Rutenberg. Jim Rutenberg.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. Matthew Dowd, your chief campaign strategist in 2004, kind of issued a strong critique of you and your administration this weekend. I’m wondering if you were personally stunned, and if you worry about losing support of people — of him and people like him?

THE PRESIDENT: First of all, I respect Matthew. I’ve known him for a while; as you mentioned, he was an integral part of my 2004 campaign. I have not talked to Matthew about his concerns. Nevertheless, I understand his anguish over war. I understand that this is an emotional issue for Matthew, as it is a lot of other people in our country. Matthew’s case, as I understand it, is obviously intensified because his son is deployable. In other words, he’s got a son in the U.S. Armed Forces, and I can understand Matthew’s concerns.

I would hope that people who share Matthew’s point of view would understand my concern about what failure would mean to the security of the United States. What I’m worried about is that we leave before the mission is done

— and that is a country that is able to govern, sustain and defend itself — and that Iraq becomes a cauldron of chaos which will embolden extremists, whether they be Shia or Sunni extremists; which would enable extremists to have safe haven from which to plot attacks on America; which could provide new resources for an enemy that wants to harm us.

And so, on the one hand, I do fully understand the anguish people go through about this war. And it’s not just Matthew, there’s a lot of our citizens who are concerned about this war. But I also hope that people will take a sober look at the consequences of failure in Iraq. My main job is to protect the people, and I firmly believe that if we were to leave before the job is done, the enemy would follow us here. And what makes Iraq different from previous struggles is that September the 11th showed that chaos in another part of the world, and/or safe haven for killers, for radicals, affects the security of the United States.

Martha.

Q Back to Iran, sir. ABC has been reporting that Iran will be capable of building a nuclear bomb within two years. Have you seen evidence that Iran is accelerating its nuclear program?

THE PRESIDENT: I haven’t seen the report that you just referred to. I do share concerns about Iranian intention to have a nuclear weapon. I firmly believe that if Iran were to have a nuclear weapon, it would be a seriously destablizing influence in the Middle East. And therefore, we have worked to build a international coalition to try to convince the Iranians to give up their weapon, to make it clear that they have choices to make — whether the choice be isolation, or missed opportunity to grow their economies. And so we take your — we take the

— we take seriously the attempts of the Iranians to gain a nuclear weapon.

Q Have you seen an acceleration, though?

THE PRESIDENT: I’m not going to talk about any intelligence that I’ve seen one way or the other. But I do want you to know how seriously we take the Iranian nuclear issue. As a matter of fact, it is the cornerstone of our Iranian policy. It is — and that’s why we spend a lot of time in working with friends, allies, concerned people to rally international support, to make it clear to the Iranian people that there is a better option for them.

Now, we have no problem, no beef with the Iranian people. We value their history; we value their traditions. But their government is making some choices that will continue to isolate them and deprive them of a better economic future. So we take the issue very seriously.

Ken Herman.

Q Thank you, sir. Mr. President, are you aware of the current price of a gallon of gas? Can you explain why it’s gone up so sharply in recent weeks? And is there anything in the near future indicating that prices might start coming down again before the heavy summer driving season?

THE PRESIDENT: About $2.60 plus.

Q Where are you shopping, sir? (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Nationwide average. The price of gasoline, obviously, varies from region to region for a variety of reasons. Some has to do with the amount of taxation at the pump; some of it has to do with the boutique fuels that have been mandated on a state-by-state basis. But a lot of the price of gasoline depends on the price of crude oil.

And the price of crude oil is on the rise, and the price of crude oil is on the rise because people get spooked, for example, when it looks like there may be a crisis with a crude oil-producing nation, like Iran. But the whole point about rising crude oil prices and rising gasoline prices is that this country ought to work hard to get off our addiction to oil — all the more reason why Congress ought to pass the mandatory fuel standards that I set forth, which will reduce our use of gasoline by 20 percent over the next 10 years. And there’s two reasons why. One is for national security reasons, and two is for environmental concerns. And I hope that we can get this done with the Congress, get it out of the Congress to my desk as quickly as possible.

Dancer. Dancing man. That would be David Gregory. For those of you not aware, Gregory put on a show the —

Q Everybody’s aware, Mr. President, thank you. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Well, maybe the listeners aren’t.

Q Yes, that’s all right.

THE PRESIDENT: That was a beautiful performance, seriously.

Q Thank you. Thank you very much. (Laughter.) Mr. President, you say the Democrats are undercutting troops, they way they have voted. They’re obviously trying to assert more control over foreign policy. Isn’t that what the voters elected them to do in November?

THE PRESIDENT: I think the voters in America want Congress to support our troops who are in harm’s way. They want money to the troops. And they don’t want politicians in Washington telling our generals how to fight a war. It’s one thing to object to the policy, but it’s another thing when you have troops in harm’s way not to give them the funds they need.

And no question there’s been a political dance going on here in Washington. You’ve followed this closely, you know what I’m talking about. Not only was there a political dance going on — in other words, people were trying to appeal to one side of their party or another — but they then had to bring out new funding streams in order to attract votes to a emergency war supplemental.

And my concern, David, is several. One, Congress shouldn’t tell generals how to run the war; Congress should not short-change our military; Congress should not use a emergency war spending measure as a vehicle to put pet spending projects on that have nothing to do with the war.

Secondly, as I mentioned in these remarks, delays beyond mid-April and then into May will affect the readiness of the U.S. military. So my attitude is, enough politics. They need to come back, pass a bill — if they want to play politics, fine; they continue to do that, I will veto it. But they ought to do it quickly. They ought to get the bill to my desk as quickly as possible, and I’ll veto it. And then we can get down to the business of funding our troops without strings and without withdrawal dates.

It is amazing to me that, one, the United States Senate passed a — confirmed General Petraeus overwhelmingly, after he testified as to what he thinks is necessary to succeed in Iraq, and then won’t fund him. Secondly, we have put 40 percent of the reinforcements in place, and yet people already want to start withdrawing before the mission has had a chance to succeed.

They need to come off their vacation, get a bill to my desk, and if it’s got strings and mandates and withdrawals and pork I’ll veto it. And then we can get down to the business of getting this thing done. And we can do it quickly. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time. And we can get the bill — get the troops funded, and we go about our business of winning this war.

McKinnon.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. On climate change and the decision that was issued yesterday by the U.S. Supreme Court, what’s your reaction to that decision? And don’t you think that this makes some kind of broad caps on greenhouse gas emissions more or less inevitable?

THE PRESIDENT: First of all, the decision of the Supreme Court we take very seriously. It’s the new law of the land. And secondly, we’re taking some time to fully understand the details of the decision. As you know, this decision was focused on emissions that come from automobiles. My attitude is, is that we have laid out a plan that will affect greenhouse gases that come from automobiles by having a mandatory fuel standard that insists upon using 35 billion gallons of alternative fuels by 2017, which will reduce our gasoline usage by 20 percent and halt the growth in greenhouse gases that emanate from automobiles. In other words, there is a remedy available for Congress. And I strongly hope that they pass this remedy quickly.

In terms of the broader issue, first of all, I’ve taken this issue very seriously. I have said that it is a serious problem. I recognize that man is contributing greenhouse gases, that — but here are the principles by which I think we can get a good deal. One, anything that happens cannot hurt economic growth. And I say that because, one, I care about the working people of the country, but also because, in order to solve the greenhouse gas issue over a longer period of time, it’s going to require new technologies, which tend to be expensive. And it’s easier to afford expensive technologies if you’re prosperous.

Secondly, whatever we do must be in concert with what happens internationally, because we could pass any number of measures that are now being discussed in the Congress, but unless there is an accord with China, China will produce greenhouse gases that will offset anything we do in a brief period of time.

And so those are the principles that will guide our decision-making: How do you encourage new technology? How do you grow the economy? And how do you make sure that China is — and India are a part of a rational solution?

Let’s see here — how about Bret Bair?

Q Mr. President, thank you. Since General Pace made his comments that got a lot of attention about homosexuality, we haven’t heard from you on that issue. Do you, sir, believe that homosexuality is immoral?

THE PRESIDENT: I will not be rendering judgment about individual orientation. I do believe the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is good policy.

Sammon, yes.

Q Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: You’re standing out there, I can see you.

Q When Congress has linked war funding with a timetable you have argued micromanagement. When they’ve linked it to unrelated spending, you’ve argued pork barrel. But now there’s talk from Harry Reid and others that if you veto this bill, they may come back and just simply cut off funding. Wouldn’t that be a legitimate exercise of a congressional authority, which is the power of the purse?

THE PRESIDENT: The Congress is exercising its legitimate authority as it sees fit right now. I just disagree with their decisions. I think setting an artificial timetable for withdrawal is a significant mistake. It is a — it sends mixed signals and bad signals to the region, and to the Iraqi citizens.

Listen, the Iraqis are wondering whether or not we’re going to stay to help. People in America wonder whether or not they’ve got the political will to do the hard work — that’s what Plante was asking about. My conversations with President [sic] Maliki, he seems dedicated to doing that. And we will continue to work with him to achieve those objectives. But they’re wondering whether or not America is going to keep commitments. And so when they hear withdrawal, and timetables, it, rightly so, sends different kinds of signals.

It’s interesting that Harry Reid, Leader Reid spoke out with a different option. Whatever option they choose, I would hope they get home, get a bill, and get it to my desk. And if it has artificial timetables of withdrawal, or if it cuts off funding for troops, or if it tells our generals how to run a war, I’ll veto it. And then we can get about the business of giving our troops what they need — what our generals want them to have, and give our generals the flexibility necessary to achieve the objectives that we set out by reinforcing troops in Iraq.

You know, what’s interesting is you don’t hear a lot of debate about Washington as to what will happen if there is failure. Again, Plante mentioned that people don’t think we can succeed — in other words, there’s no chance of succeeding. That’s a part of the debate. But what people also have got to understand, what will happen if we fail. And the way you fail is to leave before the job is done; in other words, just abandon this young democracy — say we’re tired; we’ll withdraw from Baghdad and hope there’s not chaos.

I believe that if this capital city were to fall into chaos, which is where it was headed prior to reinforcing, that there would be no chance for this young democracy to survive. That’s why I made the decision I made. And the reason why I believe it’s important to help this young democracy survive is so that the country has a chance to become a stabilizing influence in a dangerous part of the world.

I also understand that if the country — if the experience were to fail, radicals would be emboldened. People that had been — that can’t stand America would find new ways to recruit. There would be potentially additional resources for them to use at their disposal.

The failure in Iraq would endanger American security. I have told the American people often it is best to defeat them there so we don’t have to face them here, fully recognizing that what happens over there can affect the security here. That’s one of the major lessons of September the 11th. In that case, there was safe haven found in a failed state, where killers plotted and planned and trained, and came and killed 3,000 of our citizens. And I vowed we weren’t going to let that happen again.

Secondly, the way to defeat the ideology that these people believe is through a competing ideology, one based upon liberty and human rights and human dignity. And there are some who, I guess, say that’s impossible to happen in the Middle East. I strongly disagree. I know it is hard work. I believe it is necessary work to secure this country in the long run.

Ed.

Q Mr. President, the conservative newspaper columnist, Robert Novak, recently wrote that in 50 years of covering Washington, he’s never seen a President more isolated than you are right now. What do you say to critics like Novak who say that you are more isolated now than Richard Nixon was during Watergate?

THE PRESIDENT: How did he define “isolated”?

Q He said you’re isolated primarily from your own party, that Republican leaders on the Hill were privately telling him that, on the Gonzales matter in particular, you’re very isolated.

THE PRESIDENT: I think you’re going to find that the White House and the Hill are going to work in close collaboration, starting with this supplemental. When I announced that I will veto a bill with — that withdrew our troops, that set artificial timetables for withdrawal, or micro-managed the war, the Republicans strongly supported that message. I think you’ll find us working together on energy. They know what I know, that dependence on oil will affect the long-term national security of the country. We’ll work together on No Child Left Behind. We’ll work together on immigration reform. We’ll work together, most importantly, on budget, to make sure this budget gets balanced without raising taxes.

The other day, the Democrats submitted budgets that raised taxes on the working people, in order to increase the amount of money they have available for spending. That is a place where the Republicans and this President are going to work very closely together. I adamantly oppose tax increases, and so do the majority of members in the United States Congress.

Ed.

Q Mr. President, good morning. You’ve talked —

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Good morning, that’s a good way to start.

Q You’ve talked about the consequences of failure in Iraq, and you’ve said that enemies would follow us home. I wonder, given that, it seems like that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of people who are charged with the responsibility of keeping America safe. So what —

THE PRESIDENT: What was that again, Ed?

Q Well, you say that the enemies would follow us home —

THE PRESIDENT: I will — that’s what they’ll do, just like September the 11th. They plotted, planned, and attacked.

Q So I wonder, in your own mind, how does that vision play out? How do they follow us home? Because we’ve spent so much money and put so much resources into making this country safer.

THE PRESIDENT: Ed, I’m not going to predict to you the methodology they’ll use. Just you need to know they want to hit us again. We do everything we can here at the homeland to protect us. That’s why I’ve got a Homeland Security Department. That’s why we are inconveniencing air traffickers, to make sure nobody is carrying weapons on airplanes. That’s why we need border enforcement, with a comprehensive immigration bill, by the way, to make sure it’s easier to enforce the border. I mean, we’re doing a lot. That’s why we need to make sure our intelligence services coordinate information better.

So we spend a lot of time trying to protect this country. But if they were ever to have safe haven, it would make the efforts much harder. That’s my point. We cannot let them have safe haven again. The lesson of September the 11th is, if these killers are able to find safe haven from which to plot, plan and attack, they will do so.

So, Ed, I don’t know what methodology they’ll use. We’re planning for the worst. We cover all fronts. And it’s hard to protect a big country like this, and I applaud those who have done a fantastic job of protecting us since September the 11th. But make no mistake about it, there’s still an enemy that would like to do us harm. And I believe, whether it be in Afghanistan, or in Iraq, or anywhere else, if these enemy are able to find safe haven, it will endanger the lives of our fellow citizens.

I also understand that the best way to defeat them in the long run is to show people in the Middle East, for example, that there is a better alternative to tyrannical societies, to societies that don’t meet the hopes and aspirations of the average people; and that is through a society that is based upon the universal concept of liberty.

Iraq is a very important part of securing the homeland, and it’s a very important part of helping change the Middle East into a part of the world that will not serve as a threat to the civilized world, to people like — or to the developed world, to people like — in the United States.

So thank you all very much for your interest. I hope you have a nice holiday. Appreciate it.

END 10:44 A.M. EDT

IN THE USA...

(Note: Includes Video.)

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=25002_A_Hatefest_at_Wayne_State&only

Tuesday, April 03, 2007
“A Hatefest at Wayne State”

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/pictures/20070402WayneStateSwastika.jpg

SYRIA - UPDATE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1811441/posts

http://www.aina.org/news/20070403141727.htm

Will Pelosi Take the Blame If Lebanon Falls?

Posted GMT 4-3-2007 19:17:27
0 diggs

Washington — Reckless is the best way to describe Nancy Pelosi’s latest in-your-face attempt at upstaging George W. Bush foreign policy. Assad is viewing her trip as a green light to take over Lebanon the way Saddam viewed Glapsie’s lack of interference as a green light to invade Kuwait. Will she take the blame if Lebanon falls to Assad and his cabal of murderers and thugs? Probably not. But the American people and the Lebanese must hold her feet to the fire.

Nancy Pelosi is on a power trip. Those who have worked closely with her in Congress speak of a driven, almost maniacal, woman capable of going the distance on issues most Democrats feel are too risqué not only for their Party but also for the American people to accept. Her take-no-prisoners attitude has earned her the coveted Speaker of the House nomination but many believe that her lack of experience will bring about her downfall.

Her first faux-pas was to go against the tide in Congress by nominating Congressman John Murtha, who came with some baggage, for the powerful Majority Leader in the new Congress when most Democrats wanted to see Steny Hoyer become the Majority Leader. The backlash was quick and it resulted in her backing down before the majority of Democrats.

Today Pelosi is making the second biggest mistake by delivering Lebanon on a silver platter to Assad. The President of the United States is surrounded with thousands of people in the US Government who work diligently to set the parameters of the foreign policy of this country armed with knowledge that a Speaker of the House is not equipped either to have or to analyze properly. People in the National Security Council, the US State Department, and many in the intelligence community.

Pelosi is setting the foreign policy of the US surrounded by 3 people and a total inexperience in that field.

We know that the US Congress watches over the executive powers of the Office of the President but who will hold Pelosi accountable when the US discovers that it may lose Lebanon again because of Pelosi’s trip of appeasement?

By Farid Ghadry
Reform Party of Syria

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,263644,00.html
(AP)

“Hillary Clinton Challenges Bush Plan to Veto Iraq War Spending Bill”
Tuesday, April 03, 2007

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa — New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday criticized President Bush for his plan to veto a measure setting a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

“This is vetoing the will of the American people,” Clinton said. “It is time for us to get them out of the middle of this sectarian civil war.””

Ok, leaving the clueless females behind and now for the news...

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32679

13 Terrorists Killed In Iraq, 14 Detained; Weapons Found

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 3, 2007 – Coalition forces in Iraq this week killed 13 suspected terrorists, captured 14 others and netted weapons and bomb-making materials in various operations, military officials reported.

South of Fallujah this morning, coalition forces killed six terrorists and detained seven suspects with alleged ties to a foreign fighter facilitation network.

As coalition forces began clearing the targeted building, several armed men fled and took up defensive positions along a river. Coalition forces called in close-air support to eliminate the threat. A fixed-wing aircraft responded and engaged with precision fire, killing seven terrorists.

After securing the area, several families told coalition forces that the armed terrorists showed up in masks and forcably took over their houses earlier that evening.

A separate raid in Qaim today, near the Syrian border, resulted in the capture of six suspected foreign fighter facilitators.

“Coalition forces continue to dismantle al Qaeda in Iraq and foreign fighter networks,” said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. “These and other foreign terrorist facilitators are continuously putting innocent Iraqis in harm’s way.”

A coalition force air strike yesterday afternoon destroyed two buildings that were housing large caches of explosives materials in Arab Jabour. While searching the targeted building, ground forces had discovered large amounts of chemicals and bomb-making materials.

Coalition forces called in for air support to destroy the buildings to prevent the materials from being used against Iraqi citizens, Iraqi military and coalition forces in the future.

“No civilians were hurt during the demolition of these buildings,” Garver said. “A careful analysis was conducted prior to the strike, and every possible precaution to avoid unnecessary collateral damage was taken.”

During a routine patrol yesterday in Sab Al Bor, Iraqi police officers discovered the body of an 11-year-old Iraqi boy on Sudani Street. The child’s throat had been slit in an apparent murder, military officials reported.

Troop B, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment soldiers received the initial report from the Iraqi police and assisted in gathering information. A police report of the incident indicated that a local al Qaeda cell is suspected in the murder which was “perpetrated to instill fear in the villagers of Sab Al Bor.”

Iraqi security forces have launched an investigation.

During an evening operation in southeast Rashid on April 1, Iraqi national police and Multinational Division Baghdad forces engaged combatants in and around the Sahaby mosque after receiving small-arms fire from the building.

The Iraqi national police entered the mosque, while MND-B forces provided the outer cordon. One person was detained and taken to the nearest police headquarters for questioning. An alarm clock timer and several spent shell casings were also found inside. No MND-B troops entered the mosque or immediate premises at any time, officials said.

Iraqi police patrolling south of Baghdad on April 1 discovered a weapons cache containing mortars and munitions.

Military Transition Team members from 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, received a report from the Babil Provincial Joint Coordination Center that Iraqi police found two 60 mm mortars, 10 60 mm mortar rounds and a set of night vision goggles in Hillah, Iraq.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)