Posted on 01/19/2003 6:56:52 AM PST by Publius Maximus
Edited on 01/19/2003 7:26:46 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 - As the Bush administration heads toward a crucial United Nations Security Council meeting at the end of this month, a strong council majority appears less willing than ever to agree that early military action against Iraq is justified.
Snip
There is widespread international appreciation of the fact that inspectors would not be in Iraq today if the United States had not used its overwhelming military and diplomatic power, the official said. Bush could easily declare victory now and save himself a potential debacle. He's shown seriousness, and Saddam caved, the official said. If you ask whether the world is in a better position vis-a-vis Saddam Hussein than it was a year ago, the answer is Absolutely. Is that victory Yes, if you want it to be.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.com ...
I know they're irrelevant, you know they're irrelevant, now Bush is proving to the rest of the world that they're irrelevant.
The air war is more than likely underway.
IMO, the air war has been underway for some time now. How many of these "command & control centers" have we blown up anyway? Doesn't it appear they'd all be long gone by now?
Now, would you rather be snippy and say, "We'll go it alone and to hell with the UN," then have Kuwait, UAR, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey all DENY bases to us because they couldn't justify it to their people? Or would you rather go through the (meaningless) hoops of submitting it to the UN FIRST, and THEN doing what we are going to do with the BASES we need? I prefer the latter.
There are already 90 counties currently "on our side". The largest EVER assembled for a so-called coalition.I hardly consider that "going it alone". How many more do you desire? Iraq has broken more resolutions, etc. than most people can count....Is that NOT enough for you? Take out the madman now, enough appeasing.
Have patience. I think it will happen very soon now.
***ISLAM-ONLINE.net - News: "...TALIBAN REGROUPS" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "In a related development, Afghan government took steps Friday to tackle a reported regrouping of Taliban and al-Qaeda factions in the south of the country. Around 5,000 police have been sent to the southern town of Spin Boldak, near the border with Pakistan. Sources have told the BBC news online that some former Taliban activists are trying to re-group in the region. On Thursday, January 16, a humanitarian official said Taliban fighters are returning from Pakistan and regrouping around Spin Boldak. A growing number of Taliban fighters or former Taliban are gathering in the small frontier city, 600 kilometers southwest of the capital Kabul in the province of Kandahar, said the source, requesting anonymity. They were taking advantage of the porous border there.") (January 17, 2003)
***BBC NEWS: "NEW IRAQ DOCUMENT FIND ALARMS UN" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The head of the United Nations atomic agency has voiced concern about documents apparently relating to nuclear technology which were found in an Iraqi scientist's home. The documents, numbering 3,000 pages, appear to focus on laser enrichment - a way to modify uranium for use in nuclear weapons - and were taken from the home of physicist Faleh Hassan on Thursday.") (011803)
***AFTENPOSTEN.no: "USA WANTS NORWAY TO WATCH KREKAR" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Mullah Krekar has been, and likely remains, the leader of Ansar al-Islam, a fringe Islamic group in Iranian Kurdistan accused of having connections to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network. The New York Times reported the connection last week after interviews with Ansa al-Islam members, and after finding documents in Afghanistan mentioning direct links to al-Qaeda.") (January 17, 2003)
***ALBAWABA.com: "HAMAS GETS RPG LAUNCHERS, DEVELOPS ADVANCED VERSION OF QASSAM ROCKETS" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The Palestinian resistance group Hamas said Tuesday it has received a large number of rocket-propelled grenade launchers and has produced a new batch of an advanced version of its Qassam rockets.") (January 14, 2003)
stepping back in time...FOX NEWS.com (AP): "ISLAMIC CHARITY HEAD CHARGED WITH FUNNELING FUNDS TO BIN LADEN" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "CHICAGO - The leader of a Chicago-area Islamic charity was indicted Wednesday on charges of funneling donations to Usama bin Laden's terrorist network, with Attorney General John Ashcroft vowing, "We will find the sources of terrorist blood money." Enaam M. Arnaout, 40, head of the Benevolence International Foundation, has been in federal custody since April.") (100902)
***BUSH COUNTRY.org - Opinion Corner by Jeremy Reynalds: "TERRORIST GROUP'S TV STATION APPEALS FOR FUNDS FOR 'OPPRESSED PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.'" (COMMENTARY SNIPPET: "The radical terrorist group Hizballah, on the U.S. State Department's list of terrorist organizations, is raising funds for its activities on an associated web site apparently hosted by an American internet service provider. The web site is www.manartv.com, a Lebanese television station broadcasting by satellite, that is commonly considered to be a propaganda arm of the Hizballah.") (January 14, 2003)
***FBI.gov: MOST WANTED - TERRORISTS: "ALI ATWA aliases: Ammar Mansour Bouslim, Hassan Rostom Salim" (WANTED POSTER SNIPPETS: "CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT AIRCRAFT PIRACY, TO COMMIT HOSTAGE TAKING, TO COMMIT AIR PIRACY RESULTING IN MURDER, TO INTERFERE WITH A FLIGHT CREW, TO PLACE A DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE ABOARD AN AIRCRAFT, TO HAVE EXPLOSIVE DEVICES ABOUT THE PERSON ON AN AIRCRAFT, AND TO ASSAULT PASSENGERS AND CREW; AIR PIRACY RESULTING IN MURDER; IR PIRACY; HOSTAGE TAKING; INTERFERENCE WITH FLIGHT CREW; AND PLACING EXPLOSIVES ABOARD AIRCRAFT; PLACING DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES ABOARD AIRCRAFT; ASSAULT ABOARD AIRCRAFT WITH INTENT TO HIJACK WITH A DANGEROUS WEAPON AND RESULTING IN SERIOUS BODILY INJURY; AIDING AND ABETTING"..."CAUTION Ali Atwa was indicted for his role and participation in the June 14, 1985, hijacking of a commercial airliner which resulted in the assault on various passengers and crew members, and the murder of one U.S. citizen. REWARD The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension and/or conviction of Ali Atwa. SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS")
***FBI.gov: MOST WANTED: TERRORISTS: "HASSAM IZZ AL-DIN aliases Ahmed Garbaya, Samir Salwwan, Sa-id" (MOST WANTED POSTER SNIPPETS: "Remarks: Izz-Al-Din is an alleged member of the terrorist organization, Lebanese Hizballah. He is thought to be in Lebanon. CAUTION Hasan Izz-Al-Din was indicted for his role in planning and participation in the June 14, 1985, hijacking of a commercial airliner which resulted in the assault on various passengers and crew members, and the murder of one U.S. citizen. REWARD The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension and/or conviction of Hasan Izz-Al-Din. SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS")
NATIONAL POST.com: "HAMILTON MAN ADMITS HE KNEW TERRORISTS" by Tom Blackwell (ARTICLE NOTE: The suspect is identified as Abdellah Ouzghar, age 38, a Moroccan-Canadian.) (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "An Ontario man convicted in France of belonging to an Islamic terror group said yesterday he made repeated social visits to the Montreal apartment where Ahmed Ressam and other Muslim extremists lived. Abdellah Ouzghar said he knew several Montreal residents who have since been found guilty of terrorist-related acts, including reputed ringleader Fateh Kamel. Ressam was found guilty of plotting to set off a huge bomb at the Los Angeles airport during millennium celebrations, and was arrested trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border in a car packed with explosives. "(011603)
***NATIONAL POST.com: "LEBANESE ENVOY OFFERS NO APOLOGIES" (ARTICLE NOTE: Raymond Baaklini is Lebanon's ambassador to to Canada.) (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The diplomatic dispute erupted after publication of an interview Mr. Baaklini gave to the Montreal-based Arabic-language newspaper Sada al Machric, in which he said the "Zionist movement" in Canada had the "number one role" in forcing Ottawa to outlaw Hezbollah. The Dec. 31 edition of the newspaper asked the ambassador for his response to the "unfair" policy on Hezbollah. "The most stubborn party benefiting from this subject is the Zionist party that exists in Canada," he was quoted as saying. "As you know this party controls 90% of the Canadian media. It takes instructions and help from many Zionist organizations either in Canada or abroad. Therefore, if we don't say the Zionist movement had the number two role, it had the number one role and America comes second." Mr. Graham indicated he may also personally speak with Mr. Baaklini to "set him straight" about the behaviour expected of foreign diplomats posted to Canada.")(011103)
NATIONAL POST.com ("A Part of Canada.com): "THE GOOD SON" by Isabel Vincent (ARTICLE SNIPPETS: "Omar Khadr: from Toronto's suburbs to bin Laden's army: 'Omar was always there for us,' says sister of teenager accused of killing U.S. soldier"..."Omar's father, Ahmed Khadr, is suspected of being one of Osama bin Laden's key lieutenants and a high-ranking member of the terrorist group Egyptian Islamic Jihad. He is hiding in rural Pakistan.") (122802)
CANADA.com - THE OTTAWA CITIZEN (THE MONTREAL GAZETTE): "CANADIAN ACTIVIST WON'T LEAVE WEST BANK" (ARTICLE NOTE: The "Canadian activist" is Jaggi Singh, age 29.) (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Mr. Singh said he also intends to visit the Jenin refugee camp or other areas of "Palestinian resistance."") (122702)
NATIONAL POST.com - Series: "In Case of Emergency": "A NUCLEAR BOMB ENTERS THE PORT" by Richard Foot (ARTICLE SNPPET: "The threat of terrorist acts against North America has not diminished since it was made real on Sept. 11, 2001. U.S. authorities have warned al-Qaeda may be planning "spectacular attacks," and Osama bin Laden has threatened that Canada will pay for supporting the United States. How ready are we to respond to an act of terrorism on our soil? Today, in the conclusion of a series exploring the state of Canada's preparedness, the National Post examines the potential for mayhem should a nuclear bomb be smuggled into the Port of Halifax.") (010603)
***THE STAR.com - THE TORONTO STAR (CANADIAN PRESS): Ottawa. "CANADA ALLOWS IMPORT OF BOMB BOOK" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The federal government has approved the importation of a book that gives detailed instructions for making bombs and blowing up bridges, the Ottawa Citizen reported yesterday. Even the author of The Anarchist Cookbook has renounced it as "misguided and potentially dangerous." But the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency says there is nothing to prevent its sale in Canada because it violates neither the hate law nor obscenity law, the newspaper reported.") (121502)
***FBI.gov: SEEKING INFORMATION: "AMER EL-MAATI" akas "Amro Badr Eldin Abou El-Maati, Amro Badr Abouelmaati" (SEEKING INFORMATION POSTER SNIPPET: "Amer El-Maati is being sought in connection with possible terrorist threats in the United States."..."SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS")
***FBI.gov: MOST WANTED TERRORISTS: "IMAD FAYEZ MUGNIYAH" aka "Hajj" (WANTED POSTER SNIPPETS: "Mugniyah is the alleged head of the security apparatus for the terrorist organization, Lebanese Hizballah."..."The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension and/or conviction of Imad Fayez Mugniyah."..."SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS")
PAK TODAY.com - PAKISTAN TODAY: "THE FRANCHISING OF HEZBOLLAH" by Avi Davis (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Western intelligence has now revealed a high level of cooperation between Bin Laden and Imad Muganiyeh, the Hezbullah terrorist who masterminded some of Hezbollah's most spectacular atrocities and kidnappings in Lebanon. Reports have Muganiyeh first meeting with Bin Laden as early as 1995 and those meetings have continued. More than this, since al-Qaida fled Afghanistan at the end of last year, the Sunday Telegraph reports, between 80 and 100 al- Qaida fighters were provided with false passports by Hezbollah before being relocated to southern Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The same report acknowledges that Hezbollah, working hand in hand with al-Qaida, has set up cells in the Far East - including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. It is well known that Hezbollah has operated in Gaza and the West Bank for years, but the recent revelation by the Shin Bet in Israel that al- Qaida has now also joined them there, is chilling evidence of a level of cooperation previously unsuspected. Such news comes as a dire warning to American, Israeli and Jewish communities throughout the world.") (122702)
ALBAWABA.com: "IS HIZBULLAH INVISIBLE LEADER INVOLVED IN ACTIVITIES IN CANADA?" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "In the United States, authorities believe that perhaps one of the world's most wanted men is behind the Canadian organization, which has raised funds, falsified documents and purchased military equipment for Hizbullah. In Washington, officials currently suspect that the agents sent to Canada to gather support for the Hizbullah work for Mugniyah, a top-level Hizbullah leader and the suspected mastermind of numerous attacks worldwide.") (120102)
Not an option, unfortunately. He's got WMD, remember? You don't just "take out" an enemy armed with WMD. Not unless you want to die, that is.
You do not mount invasions of other countries (large ones, which have real militaries---not Haiti) from the sea. This isn't Teddy Roosevelt's day. Thank God Bush knows that.
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