LINKS OF INTEREST:

DEFENSELINK.mil - News Transcript: "DoD NEWS BRIEFING: SECRETARY RUMSFELD AND GENERAL MYERS" (122302)

***MEMRI.org - MIDDLE EAST MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE - Special Report No.12: "PRELIMINARY OVERVIEW - SAUDI ARABIA'S EDUCATION SYSTEM: CURRICULUM, SPREADING SAUDI EDUCATION TO THE WORLD AND THE OFFICIAL SAUDI POSITION ON EDUCATION POLICY" by Steven Stalinsky (SPECIAL REPORT SNIPPET: "Introduction [I] For the past two decades, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been engaged in an extensive effort "to spread Islam to every corner of the earth." [1] This has meant supporting or creating schools with a curriculum primarily based upon the teachings of Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Abd Al-Wahhab, the 18th century founder of the Islamist Wahhabiyya movement. [2] This report offers a preliminary overview of the Saudi education system focusing on its main principles, aspects of its organizational structure, translations from its textbooks and statements made by high ranking Saudi officials on the Saudi education policy.") (122002)

ISLAM ONLINE.net - SERVICES (FATWA) - ASK THE SCHOLAR: "NON-MUSLIM MILITARY BASES IN MUSLIM LANDS" (The "Mufti" for this question is Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi.) (121802)

FOX NEWS.com (AP): "IRAQ SHOOTS DOWN U.S. UNMANNED DRONE" (122302)

FOX NEWS.com: "MILITARY COALITION BEGINS FORMING AGAINST BAGHDAD" (122002)

***U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE: "ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF OMISSIONS FROM THE IRAQI DECLARATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL" (121902)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE - Fact Sheet: "CHEMICAL - BIOLOGICAL AGENTS UPDATE" (December 2002)

HAARETZ DAILY.com: "REPORT: SADDAM PLANNED TO USE BIOLOGICAL WEAPON AGAINST ISRAEL" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The document says that Iraq sent three MiG-21 planes to bomb Israeli targets with regular bombs to check whether they were able to penetrate the Israeli air defense system. At the second stage, three more MiGs armed with conventional weaponry were to be sent to Israel as a diversion, together with a Sukhoi airplane armed with biological weapons. But the operation failed during the first stage, when the three MiGs were downed over the Persian Gulf a short time after takeoff.") (122302)

SEATTLE PI.com - SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER: "12 LINKED TO IRAQ MONEY-LAUNDERING PLAN" (121902)

***ISLAM-ONLINE.net: "MULLAH OMAR URGES JIHAD AGAINST U.S. WAR ON IRAQ" by Hasbanullah Mutawakel, IOL Correspondent (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Peshawar, December 18 (IslamOnline) - Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar exhorted Muslims on Tuesday, December 17, to prepare for Jihad against the United States if it unleashes a military offensive against Iraq. In a statement published in the Pakistani Mashraq newspaper, Mullah Omar stressed it was time for the Islamic nation to stand in the face of world atheism and to attack American interests worldwide.") (121802)

***Quote.BLOOMBERG.com News: "UN ENLARGES IRAQ TEAM; AZIZ WARNS OF TERROR THREAT (Update 4)" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Any U.S. move against Iraq to rid the country of weapons will mean the "hatred against the United States will reach its peak," Aziz said on the U.S.'s "Fox News Sunday" program. It would prompt attacks against U.S. citizens at home and abroad, he said, without specifying who might carry out the strikes.")(121602)

ISLAM-ONLINE.net - News: Cairo. "AMERICAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PROTESTS U.S. WAR ON IRAQ" (ARTICLE SNIPET: "AUC professors who have formed "Faculty4Pal" helped organize the protest and plan to invite next year a children's theater group from Aida refugee camp near the Palestinian West Bank town of Bethlehem, Mehrez said. Around 5, 000 Egyptian and foreign students attend AUC, which was founded in 1919 by American scholars and is incorporated in the U.S. State of Delaware, where it is licensed to confer degrees. Although an American institution, AUC's students staged several anti-U.S. rallies...") (121802)

TELEGRAPH.co.uk: "SYRIANS 'SMUGGLING ARMS TO BAGHDAD'" by Con Coughlin (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Western intelligence officials have discovered that at least 52 crates containing new air-defence systems and spare parts have been smuggled into Iraq from Syria since the start of December. The Russian-made equipment, which has been purchased through a Belorussian middleman, was taken into Iraq through al-Walid border crossing earlier this month.") (121502)

ALBAWABA.com: "REPORT: SYRIA BOOSTS DEFENSES ALONG BORDER WITH ISRAEL; ASSAD: HAMAS, ISLAMIC JIHAD REPRESENTS MILLIONS OF PALESTINIANS" (121302)

DefenseLINK.mil - AMERICAN FORCES INFORMATION SERVICE: "IRAQ BIO WEAPONS PROGRAM LARGER THREAT THAN IN 1991" by Kathleen T. Rhem, American Forces Press Service (121602)

WHITE HOUSE.gov: "SADDAM HUSSEIN'S IRAQ: A DECADE OF DEFIANCE AND DECEPTION"

IRAQ WATCH.org

GLOBAL SECURITY.org: "PUBLIC EYE PICTURE OF THE WEEK - 2002"

FREE CONGRESS.org - THE FREE CONGRESS FOUNDATION - Notable News: "ONE WHO DARES CALL IT 'TREASON'" -Commentary by Paul M. Weyrich (COMMENTARY SNIPPET: "So how does Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY) justify holding a reception for the Mujahedin-e Kalq? The U.S. State Department, since 1994, has listed this group as one of the most dangerous terrorist groups in the world. The State Department says that this Marxist-Muslim group has killed many Americans and had blown up a number of U.S. facilities in Iran. This group participated in the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979. This group had a falling out with the Ayatollah Khomeni, according to The Washington Times, so the group fled to Iraq and now is funded by Saddam Hussein. The group helped Hussein fight the Kurds in the North of Iraq when chemical weapons were used.") (112502)

GOOGLE Search Term: "MUJAHEDIN-E KHALQ"

GOOGLE Search Term: "MUJAHEDIN-E KHALIQ"

GOOGLE Search Term: "MUJAHEDIN-E KALQ"

FREEREPUBLIC.com - Discussion Threads - Search Term: "IRAN AND IRAQ"

***NATIONAL POST.com: "AL QAEDA PLANNING URANIUM BOMB: UN" by Steven Edwards (121102)

***MSNBC.com: "REPORT: AL QAEDA DEAL FOR NERVE GAS U.S. Suspects Nerve Agent VX Was Smuggled Through Turkey" (121202)

On dealing with Iraq..... See U.N. Resolutions from the first one signed when Saddam agrred to the cease fire agreements up until the latest Resolution# 1441

Reason for action against Iraq..... See previous violations of EVRY Resolutioon

Cost of war with Iraq....... Estimates have been from 80 billion to 200 billion

The rest of your questions require a fortune teller

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! MJY.

Where for that matter is the major public debate?

Debated by members of Congress, you know, the people we elect to do those things. I don't think that a letter by the 100 Hollywood Woblies qualifies as a representitive debate.

Ok, I accept that and probably did over react.

Damage repair costs to Iraqi oilfields, will be offset against revenues from oil sales. Just a logical guess

A good guess but is it reality? And that's the problem, it isn't being discussed and it should be, since this is a very real reality. Besides, even if paid back, who will provide the initial funding to rebuild the fields?

See, this is discussion and debate, something a lot of people here don't want to do, just go with the flow.

As for Islam, it is best, in my opinion to buy off/ support the socialists, like Iraq, Libya and Egypt for now, while dealing with the Islamics such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, etc. They are the supporters of the Islamic terrorists. Deal with the socialists later. Socialism is much easier to topple when you have destroyed the Islamic fundies and replaced them with something better.

As in dealing with Islam (not arab socialism), use a heavy handed approach, and my favorite, force conversion...ooops, I know not PC, unpopular, etc. Or just destroy their symbols.

Conquer would be a wrong way of doing it. Topple and replace with something better. If you annex, you'll be dealing with all the head aches of constant attacks by numerous nut jobs and actually having to take the Saudi arabs by the hand and baby sit them, since they don't do a good job of running their country themselves. Then if you do conquer them, what happens when 30 million arabs apply for US citizenship?

The Japanese would have resisted but their god-emperor ordered surrender, which is also why he was left in power to avoid the terrorism. The Germans were much more practicle and the Soviets did pose a bigger threat.

Really? If the question of where that money is coming from requires a fortune teller, then the US has serious issues. Now go past the Iraqi questions and read the rest....please at least try.

Yeah, I had better get my heat proof undies on. I've shown myself up as one of them isolationists. I do not even believe in foreign aid. I think it is useless, and all charity should be up to the individual.

Ironically, on another thread, people are discussing what a pity it was that the US rushed into the conflict in the Balkans, and it looks very different in retrospect....

What should be the cut-off on the cost of freedom?

Do we need to consult Hollywood and/or the rest of the Liberal world before confronting evil?

Whatever the cost

How about this little novel idea, the government, before deciding on spending blood and treasure, consults the people in either open debate or referendum or a Congressional vote (as per Constitution by the way) on going to war...what a crazy notion. Or do you just believe in giving people blank checks. And for that matter all pertenant questions, such as cost to benefit ratios, should be addressed.

Are you trying to say that Congress has not debated this issue of War against Iraq?

We elect our represenatives in Congress to make informed decisions on National Security issues. Some of the info they have can not be shared with the public.

Try this "novel" idea....... On issues of War and Peace. These decisions are made by Congress and not by reforendum or town hall meeting. Congress has authorized our Commander-in-Chief to take whatever action neccessary to defend this nation and our National interest as well as defending our allies.

End of Story

"Are you trying to say that Congress has not debated this issue of War against Iraq?"

You must be joking...you mean have the Congressional staffers debated among themselves about the War against Iraq?

If you knew anything about what REALLY happens inside the beltway, you would know that Congress is too busy running around trying to fulfil the careerist agendas to seriously debate anything...that's why they have staffers!

Hell, 99% of Congress didn't read one page of the so-called "Patriot Act" before they voted on it.

Of course, Presidential "Emergency Powers" give Bush just about all of the license for action in Iraq he needs without even consulting Congress anyway...

For some reason Stavka's questions remind me of questions like;

Why did the CIA over-throw democracy in Iran and install the Shah?

Why did we re-install a totalitarian monarchy in Kuwait after freeing it from Iraq in 1991?

Thank you, thank you for helping to point the obvious that these bots don't want to look at. Just like the Republican congress voted on Klintoon's war on Yugoslavia...or rather voted not to vote.

At least you stayed with the thread and took-on the flames!

Merry Christmas

&

Happy New Year!

Boy, have you opened a can of worms or what? LOL I give you credit for having a brave pair of brass balls though. All these questions deserve serious answers and not just the usual lame mantras you'll be hearing in result. So, hang in there. Someone had to do it.

“Why hasn't Congress done it's job on the war?”

The only question really worthy of an answer. The “what ifs” have no pat answer.
As to the above, Congress hasn’t done its Constitutional duty on any of our wars since 1941. They would rather shirk the responsibility so each party can lay the blame for the results on the other. They have determined that “resolutions” are good enough, no one wants to actually declare war anymore. With a resolution the buck can be passed upstairs.

Damn skippy, someone had to do it. I'm sick and tired of these so called "conservatives" who are no better then their leftest counter parts. Tote the party line or we'll break out the napalm...nothing but knee jerk thought police.

Very true, but there are more then "What ifs" on that list, there are a hell of a lot of "Whys".

Your answer is better than the one I was going to give.

5. How much largeness will the US oil companies and defense industries receive from this war?

Do I state the answer in square feet or gallons or what? I'm stuck.

Over here! I think I found a friend for you. ;-)

Hope you and yours are having a great Christmas and that all is well. JVb