***Operation Infinite Freedom - Situation Room - 18 MAY 03/Day 60 - LIVE THREAD***

Everywhere! | 18 MAY 03 | null and void

[null and void]

Operation Infinite Freedom

Link to the previous thread

Good Morning.

This is the Daily Thread of Operation Infinite Freedom, formerly Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - LIVE THREAD.

It is designed for general conversation about the ongoing war on terror, and the related events of the day. In depth discussion of events should be left to individual threads - but links to the threads or other articles is highly encouraged. This allows us to stay abreast of the situation in general, while also providing a means of obtaining specific information.

[MEG33]

Thanks.It's still deadly dangerous for our troops.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Voting goes government's way

Swiss Info, by Staff w/ agencies  - 5/18/2003

The Swiss voted the government’s way

in Sunday’s ballot, throwing out seven of

nine issues, including a ban on nuclear power.

The result is a slap in the face for the left. The

Social Democrats blamed the failure of the

anti-nuclear initiatives on a well-funded

campaign of misinformation.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Australia creates anti-terror force
BBC by Red Harrison - 5/18/2003

~ Australia is to establish a special unit of military

reserve forces to deal with what the government

says is the growing threat of international terrorism. 

Most controversially, every soldier in this force is

expected to be ordered to carry weapons.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Iraqi athletes 'tortured and jailed'

BBC News, by Harry Peart   5/18/2003
~The International Olympic Committee (IOC)

has strongly condemned the actions of Saddam

Hussein's eldest son, Uday, when he was president

of Iraq's National Olympic Committee. The IOC

has accused him of torturing and jailing athletes

at his headquarters in Baghdad.

[MEG33]

This was known before the war.I applaud the IOC giving aid...but the outrage could have been expressed sooner.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Amen, MEG.

Police: Explosion in downtown Tel Aviv accidental

Associated Press, by Staff  - 5/18/2003 3:25:43 PM   

 JERUSALEM (AP) -- A gas canister blew up outside a Tel Aviv restaurant Sunday, wounding at least 20 people. The blast apparently was accidental, police said. The blast was heard across downtown Tel Aviv, causing new jitters in a country already on edge over the latest series of Palestinian attacks.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

but the outrage could have been expressed sooner.

Kofi just announced to the world that we need to fight global terrorism. Perhaps the "human rights" groups will figure this out by the year 2005 - Hollywood, by 2020?

[MEG33]

The UN will meet to debate this ...endlessly.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

And how was your weekend?

Jail romp bid foiled

Herald Sun (Australia), by Staff   - 5/18/2003

 Two sex-starved Romeos tried to break into a women's prison - because they were sure the inmates would find them irresistible. The bright-spark duo hit on the idea after one-too-many beers at a nightclub.  ''These guys thought they were God's gift to women''

[MEG33]

Some people should lay off alcohol altogether!..LOL

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Second funniest UN story today: they're moving their Iraqi hq. to Mosul (sticking like glue to the Coalition for protection - in a place where the USA military - along with the Kurds and Iraqis brave enough to say "NO" to Saddam have been fighting him and building a non-Saddam community for years - no thanks to Saddam-appeasers in the UN).

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Our Aussie allies are a lively lot. Some of them still (get ready for this) BRAWL (a more honest pastime than cocktail party back-stabbing, imho).

Their PM's pretty cool, too:

PRIME MINISTER JOHN HOWARD has welcomed troops returning to Australia from the Middle East. The ABC provides a transcript of the Prime Minister chatting - slightly awkwardly, a little embarrassed at the emotion expressed - with relatives of those who served:

[ABC reporter] ANNE BARKER: ... It was an emotional Prime Minister John Howard who took the initial applause, when he arrived on his own Air Force jet with a roll call of dignitaries to welcome the troops home.
JOHN HOWARD: Are you waiting on your dad to come home?
CHILD: Yes!
WOMAN: I'm waiting on my son.
JOHN HOWARD: How long's he been away? How long's your son been away?
WOMAN: February.
JOHN HOWARD: February! That's good. There, there. He'll be back and he's safe.
[Sound of woman sobbing]
JOHN HOWARD: It's wonderful and he did a fantastic job and it's just going to be nice to welcome them all home and they're all in one piece, which is very important.
CHILD: I've waited all my life for you.
[John Howard laughs]

posted by Tim Blair at 4:40 AM

[MEG33]

Nice..I discovered Tim Blair in the aftermath of Bali.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Judge Rules on Muslim Driver's License

Associated Press, by AP Staff   -  5/18/2003

 A Muslim woman fighting to get her driver's license back may argue the state infringed upon her freedom of religion and due process rights. But Judge Janet C. Thorpe on Friday rejected Sultaana Freeman's argument that Florida violated her rights to privacy and free speech when it took her driver's license last year.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Transcript: Saudi Foreign Policy Adviser Adel al-Jubeir on Fox News Sunday

Fox News, by Staff   - 5/18/2003 2:36:38 PM  

HOST TONY SNOW: Relations between Saudi Arabia (search) and the United States were further tested Monday, when terrorists hit three residential compounds in the Saudi capital of Riyadh (search), killing eight Americans and 26 others.

[TexKat]

I'm baaaaack. The baccalaureate ceremony was just beautiful. Too bad Phil Donahue cannot fill totally the same:

Donahue Speaks at N.C. State University

RALEIGH, N.C. - Liberal talk show pioneer Phil Donahue drew both catcalls and cheers with a politically tinged commencement address at North Carolina State University.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Phil who????

Glad you two had a nice service today, Kat. Don't you want to hold and keep her near? Sigh.

MSNBC's showing The Devil Dog Diaries right now. An in depth look at the trip across Iraq and the liberation of Baghdad.

[TexKat]

For those of you who can stand to watch CNN, CNN Presents has the Devil Docs (Iraq)on at the present.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

The Canteen crew was misbehaving today - and on a Sunday! (^:

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

That's so funny! CNN has the Devil Docs and MSNBC has Devil Dogs and FoxNews has Ollie w/ the War Stories. Ollie, I believe WAS FIRST. Copy cat cable channels!

I'll cover MSNBC, can watch Ollie (my hero) later.