mypetjawa v. 2.0 (beta)

Going Home Post

Screw you guys, I'm going home!

The In Between Meetings Post

Meetings all morning. One good thing is that I grabbed one of the precious back-row chairs. What was the meeting about? No idea. I did get a chance to read chapters one and two of Campaigns in the 21st Century, by Richard J. Semiatin, though. The book is assigned reading for my Campaigns and Elections class I'm teaching this fall. So far, so good. The author seems pretty fair and picks on Dems and Reps pretty equally.

One interesting bit from chapter 1 was the way the author characterized Karl Rove vs. Dick Morris. Dick Morris is said to be a professional opportunist who works for the money. Karl Rove, on the other hand, is described as a loyal friend of the Bush family who turned down opportunities to make millions in the private sector for a White House appointment. Interesting.

The Seven Deadly Sins of Blogging: 3-D

Like the famed Phoenix of Arizona, this post is reborn out of the ashes of my archives. What started as a silly post to indulge my vanity has made the internet rounds.

Like a DJ at a top-forty station I will suck every last hit out of this post until the public cries in unison, "Enough! Away with your foul reposting!!" Besides, with mucho responsibilities around the Ivory Tower and with the relatives in town, I really haven't had time to sit down and write anything meaningful. Not that I ever write anything meaningful....

If you've already read it, act like you're at a party. You know, they start playing Nelly's It's Gettin Hot in Here and someone invariable says what a cool song it is, but you can't really say anything about how that song was interesting the first bajillion times you heard it.....Act like that.
__________________________________________________________________________

You miss a day blogging. No time for a serious hard-hitting post. Hits are down. What do you do? Engage in the blogosphere's oldest vice: Link dropping!!!

But that's just one of the mortal vices of blogging. What are the others?

Rusty Shackleford presents: The Seven Deadly Sins of Blogging: a brief guide.*

1) The Link Drop Post: Steven Taylor and I prove kindrid souls on this one. Don't think this one works? Do you actually believe Glenn Reynolds was born Satan's right-hand man or had to work on it?

2) Search Terms Post: Google not treating you right? BRD has a full discourse on the merits of porn and conspiracy theories. Sure fire way to up the ol' sitemeter .....and send your soul right to Beelzebub's dominion.

3) The Re-post Post: Had a popular post in the past? Hits down? Ace re-introduces us to one of his greatest hit-jobs. Remember, this sin sometimes counts double.

4) The Blogroll Post: Get bloggers attention fast! The Llama Butchers are ordered to do 5 Hail Mary's and an Our Father for jeapordizing their immortal souls.

5) The Breaking News Post: The blogger ethos requires a link to the first person breaking the story. MH King, Amanda Doerty, Jeff Quinton, James....I say to you repent!!

6) The Caption Contest Post: Win the caption, get a link. See how this works? This sin seems to be reserved for Fridays. Shame on you Kevin!

7) The Recipricol Link Post: Want to up your TTLB Ecosystem rating? Easy. Start an 'Alliance' of 'like-minded bloggers' to recipricate links. (via Commissar) Jessica and Boi From Troi are warned that this mortal sin will not go unpunished!!

In the Name of He Who Rules the Blogosphere I Warn All of You to Repent! Any other Bloggers who engage in these sins have been forwarned. Hell-fire and brimstone await if you do not change your wicked ways!

*Mia Culpa. Yes, I have been guilty of all these vile acts in the past. I have seen the light! I once was lost, but now I'm saved.....

Bloggage

Blog daughter Jane has one-upped me and bought a .com domainL. Go visit her new site.

Also, the Crack Young Staff over at the Hatemonger's Quarterly are having a worst song ever contest. I'm thinking anything from Don Henley qualifies, but I'm sure at least one of you disagrees.

Light Blogging

A) Back to work.
B) Planned system downage, so no internet access tomorrow.
C) Relatives in town.

Paul Krugman's Credibility: RIP

Mr. Henke over at QandO rips Paul Krugman a new one. An incredible Thou Sayest piece that used Paul Krugman's own words to condemn his extreme punditry. Go read it.

What's wrong with this headline?

Michael Jackson in face-off with prosecutor at court

Sorry. Back to our regularly scheduled programming.....

Hostage Execution Watch

Two from Turkey kidnapped today. One American Journalist (with dual French citizenship) and his Iraqi Translator also nabbed.

Luckily, two more Lebaneese hostages were released--they were both truck drivers.

In other hostage related news, India is frantically negotiating with terrorists. And a woman, held hostage in the Muslim state of Kashmir relates her story of torture and rape by the Religion of Respecting the Dignity of Womanhood.

Posted at Jeff Quinton's terrorism round-up and at James Joyner's daily Traffic Jam.

Ossetia Ceasefire Broken

Thanks to Jane for e-mailing me about a surprisingly cogent analysis of the crisis that looms between Georgia and Russia over Ossetia--found in all places the Arab News. Unfortunately, it looks like the cease-fire brokered over the weekend may already be collapsing. Story in extended entry.

Background on the conflict here. For other Russia related news, see Winds of Change which has a monthly roundup on the region.

Continue reading "Ossetia Ceasefire Broken"

State Dept: Heads in Asses, Iraq Govt: Heads in Sand

Another delegation goes to negotiate with Muqtada al-Sadr?? Are you kidding me? Is this the most insane idea you've ever heard? Two lessons in life you should have learned in kindergarden: 1) Germans love David Hasselhoff. 2) Muqtada al-Sadr uses negotiations to buy time to rearm and reposition himself. Letting him leave is just letting him regroup in another city is not what we want. We want him dead. This is FUBAR.

Continue reading "State Dept: Heads in Asses, Iraq Govt: Heads in Sand"

Carter endorses Chavez win in Venezuela

You know, when Jimmy Carter speaks I am always reassured. Seattle Post Intelligencer:

Directing his remarks at opposition figures, Carter called on all Venezuelans to accept the results.

"Now it's the responsibility of all Venezuelans to accept the results and work together for the future," said Carter.

Never mind the strong-arm tactics employed by Chavez to silence his opposition....you know, like shooting people.

Arab? No man, I'm from East L.A.

Just in case you didn't catch the link from my earlier post, there was a report out in the Telegraph (UK) that caught my attention (hat tip: whoever it was that sent me the link---oops, forgot, sorry!!):

President Bush has launched a drive to halt illegal immigration across America's porous southern border, amid growing fears that terrorists may be using Mexico as a base camp before heading to Arizona, Texas and California.

A string of alarming incidents has convinced Bush administration officials that lax immigration rules, designed to cope with the huge numbers of illegal entrants from Mexico, have become a significant loophole in the war on terror.

Over the past month, border agents from Arizona and Texas have anonymously reported recent encounters with dozens of Arab men, who have made their way across the 2,000-mile Mexican border.

The good news is it appears we have begun to crackdown on the border. The bad news is that for every illegal caught, another one gets in unnoticed. More in extended entry.

Continue reading "Arab? No man, I'm from East L.A."

Iraqi WMD in Syria

Via Dr. Chaos, this link to a Washington Times piece that suggests that Iraqi WMD have been moved to Syria. Just to give props where props are due, Dr. Chaos has been convinced that WMD are in Syria for months. I remain skeptical.

Washington Times:

Two defense sources told The Washington Times that the ISG has interviewed Iraqis who told of Saddam's system of dispatching his trusted Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS) to the border, where they would send border inspectors away.

The shift was followed by the movement of trucks in and out of Syria suspected of carrying materials banned by U.N. sanctions. Once the shipments were made, the agents would leave and the regular border guards would resume their posts.

This is by no means a slam dunk, but it is further evidence that Saddam Hussein was up to no good. Further, if you think the burden of proof rested on the US to prove that Iraq had WMD before the invasion, you are a fool.

Also on the case: In the Bullpen, Power Line

Morning Propaganda

Good morning sunshine. Work starts again today, even though students don't come back for another week and a half. My day? Meetings, meetings, meetings, etc. My pre-work morning routine went something like this.

Morning Caffeine: check
Morning Hug: check.
Morning Cereal: check
Mornig News: check.
Morning Editorial. check (finally!!).

Hey, didn't post until AFTER meetings ended. How did they go? Splendid. And by 'splendid' I mean 'ended early'!!

Oops, one last thought

Just a reminder that Gordon is pretty funny. Now go to bed!!

Reporters ordered out of Najaf

Last, some good news via Wretchard that all reporters were ordered out of Najaf. Let the bombing begin! I will sleep better tonight.

WaPo on Jessica Cutler: Genius, Martyr

Just wait til Ace and Bill hear about this. Via nTodd who dropped a comment to me comes word that Jessica Cutler is back in the limelight. Before I go on, can I just ask how Washingtonienne is 'news', but the fact that John Kerry was never in Cambodia is 'not news' according WaPo?

WaPo (subscription):

Jessica's blog (short for "Web log") was the online diary she had been posting anonymously to amuse herself and her closest girlfriends. In it, she detailed the peccadilloes of the men she said were her six current sexual partners, including a married Bush administration official who met her in hotel rooms and gave her envelopes of cash; a senator's staff member who helped hire her, then later bedded her; and another man who liked to spank and be spanked.

Wait, the nation's premier politcal news source is talking about spanking???? More in extended entry. But I warn you, this reads like a lurid novel.

Rob, James, David, Eric Scoles, and (shock) Kevin already on the case.

UPDATE: Why is it that when we think Washingtonienne or Jessica Cutler we think of Bill at INDC? The Llamma Butchers are officially Munuvians, and they get the ball rolling right! And when Jeff Goldstein thinks of sex-for-money blogging, he also thinks of Bill.

Continue reading "WaPo on Jessica Cutler: Genius, Martyr"

UN Expresses Outrage At Massacre: Sends help in form of condolences

I wish it were a joke. It sounds like a joke. It's not. Remember, this is the same U.N. that John Kerry wished to wait for approval from before invading Iraq. All italics are mine. VOA:

The U.N. Security Council has strongly condemned the massacre of ethnic Tutsis at a U.N. refugee camp in Burundi. The Council issued a statement during a rare Sunday evening session.

France called the emergency session to express outrage at the massacre, which took place Friday night at a refugee camp not far from Burundi's border with Congo.

More in extended entry.

Continue reading "UN Expresses Outrage At Massacre: Sends help in form of condolences"

Blogging for Charity

I'm on board, are you? Let's pitch in to help victims of Hurricane Charley. (via NZ Bear)

Chavez Recall: 1 Dead, 13 Wounded

Please, please, please be on your way out Mr. Chavez. I know a family from Venezuela. In their opinion the Chavistas are nothing more than Chauvanistas. Bullies who use paramilitary tactics to force their will on the rest of the country. If Chavez survives the recall effort, it will be largely because of his army of Brownshirts in the slums. More in extended entry. (hat tip: Instapundit)

Continue reading "Chavez Recall: 1 Dead, 13 Wounded"

Kerry/O'Neill Debate on C-Span

C-Span ran a 1971 episode of The Dick Cavett Show earlier this evening. The show featured a young John O'Neill, looking like a clean-cut young man fresh out of the military, debating a young John Kerry, looking just a little too rich to pull off the long hair. C-Span ran the show several months ago and I caught most of it. Tonight, I only caught about five minutes. What struck me most about the show, this evening, was not so much John Kerry's smug patrician tone as he spoke to the obviously much less-educated John O'Neill, but rather Kerry's pronunciation. I'm not sure exactly how to describe what he sounded like. But think Hanoi Jane meets Thurston Howell III. Yeah, something like that.

If the Bush campaign could use that footage in an advertisement......well, think landslide. Kerry does not come off as anything but an arrogant prick. That would be before the "W" campaign ran any of the slander and anti-war BS. Include that, and Kerry might just carry MA and NY. Maybe.

PS-Look at pic in extended entry....now imagine the voice I described....that is John Kerry.

(Salute: Slant Point)

Continue reading "Kerry/O'Neill Debate on C-Span"

Swiftboat Meme Intercepted from Politburo

Most of you know I am guest blogging over at the Politburo Diktat while the Commissar is off to the gulag. Checking the Commissar's daily e-mail, I came across the following meme. Proceed at your own caution. Posession of this meme is said to carry an instant death sentence.

__________________________________________________________________
XXXXXXXXXX Top Secret XXXXXXXXXX

From: Atrios, MiniTru Undersecretary for Propaganda
To: Commissar, Washington Post, NY Times, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, Reuters, AP Affiliates Listserv
CC: Kos, Drum, Marshall, Jesse Taylor, Oliver Willis,
BCC: AS (aka, The Mole), DA (aka, The Costa Rican), JG (aka, The Moderate)
RE: New Kerry Campaign Photo.

Comrades,

Fraternal Socialist Greetings! It has come to MiniTru's attention that counter-revolutionary elements have been distributing unapproved memes on the life and times of a high placed sleeper agent (codename: Manchurian Candidate). While MiniTru's crack legal team is doing all it can to stop this reactionary propaganda and other lies about Manchurian Candidate's efforts to further worldwide peace, we believe more can be done on this front.

Therefore, with the assistance of tavarisch emigre, Mini Tru has produced the following meme. It should be distributed immediately:

PS-The following is an example of Trotskyite propaganda. All copies are to be destroyed immediately.

(via reactionaries at Iowa Pres Watch)

Please include appropriate support in weekly editorials discrediting reactionary Swift Boat Veterans. These veterans are Party approved, are more representative of veterans in general, and may be used for guest editorials.

Your fraternal socialist brother,
Atrios, MiniTru Undersecretary for Propaganda

XXX Destroy all copies of this meme after receipt XXX

__________________________________________________________________

Clenched fist salute: emigre. He designed the meme. In spite of his tireless efforts at producing Party approved photo, he is right-wing reactionary. Do not inspekt his site!

Continue reading "Swiftboat Meme Intercepted from Politburo"

Uber-Aryans: Swedes, Germans, Jews

"Today, among the 13th Jewish tribe, there are those who say that the Jews are Aryans."---Milhem Karam, president of the Lebanese Editors' Association on why he is not an anti-Semite.

Typhoon Rananim vs. Hurricane Charlie

Typhoon Rananim: 115 killed; 16 missing; 1,800 injuries; 40,000 buildings down
Hurricane Charlie: 'significant' loss of life=one mobile home park destroyed: $15 billion in property damage.

The difference? Wealth via capitalism.

160 killed in UN refugee camp

John Kerry wanted to wait for THIS UN's approval? Maybe he meant some other UN. In related news: Rwandan's Say They Will Protect Sudanese Villagers. Right. Stories in extended entry.

Continue reading "160 killed in UN refugee camp"

Will it ever stop? Yo, I don't know...

...turn out the lights, and his nose will grow. Yo, will you stop kicking a brotha when he's down?

Hostage List

Via Slant Point I found this Guardian Article attempting to list hostages held or killed in Iraq, something I have been trying to do for awhile. Unfortunately for them, the list of hostages killed is incomplete. For a complete list, see my post on the subject. If I am missing any names, please e-mail me or drop a comment.

War On! Sadr Peace Negotiations Fail, Baffles State Dept.

Fool me once: shame on you. Fool me twice: shame on me. Fool me forty-seven times: business as usual at the State Department.

What numbnut bureaucrat thought holding peace negotiations with Moqtada al Sadr was a good idea? Reuteres:

Talks to end the conflict in Najaf between U.S. and Iraqi forces and radical Shi'ite militiamen have collapsed, Iraq's national security adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie said Saturday.
"The talks have failed. All efforts to end this have not succeeded," he told reporters.

Militants loyal to radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr have been battling U.S. and Iraqi forces in the sacred city of Najaf for 10 days in fighting that has killed hundreds and sent thousands of protesters to the streets.

A truce has held since Friday but tensions remain high.

If that weren't bad enough, Sadr used the time to reinforce. Who could have seen that coming? Xinhuanet:

Thousands of Sadr supporters flock to Najaf....

Continue reading "War On! Sadr Peace Negotiations Fail, Baffles State Dept."

Iraq's Olympic Chief Survives Assasination Attempt

Hmmm. It must be those evil Americans again just shooting at civillians for the heck of it. Or maybe another Zionist plot?

ESPN:

Iraq's Olympics chief said he survived an assassination attempt when attackers threw grenades and fired automatic weapons at his car in Baghdad after a roadside bomb failed to kill him.

Continue reading "Iraq's Olympic Chief Survives Assasination Attempt"

Oppressed Iraqis Show Hate of Great Satan

"The new Iraq looks just like the old one....We replaced one brutal dictatorial regime with another brutal dictatorial regime."--kos.

Proof below.

Continue reading "Oppressed Iraqis Show Hate of Great Satan"

Georgia and Separatist S.Ossetia Agree Cease-Fire

I know I may be the only blogger out here who cares about this. What can I say? Ya za Rossii. If you are one of the three readers who have been following this, go to the extended entry for some good news. Hopefully, this is not the calm that preceeds the storm.

Continue reading "Georgia and Separatist S.Ossetia Agree Cease-Fire"

al Qaeda Op Spilling the Beans

Vee have our vays of making you talk! Remember, this is the same guy who's mother claimed he had to be innocent because he was so quiet, well mannered, and religious. Because, as we know, terrorsts are usually atheists. And Himmler--very loud chap, or so I hear.

USA Today:

A newly arrested al-Qaeda operative is providing valuable insight into the inner workings of Osama bin Laden's network as the United States remains on alert for attacks, U.S. officials and a diplomat in Africa told The Associated Press.

Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian wanted in the deadly bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa, has much to say. His life has tracked al-Qaeda's evolution from a tightly organized network assaulting prominent U.S. targets to a looser group struggling to maintain momentum.

Another Egyptian 'CIA Agent' Beheading Video

Graphic pics posted in extended entry. In the Bullpen has graciously offered to host the video. Go HERE for video.

AP:

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — An Islamic Web site posted still pictures Friday that purportedly show Iraqi militants beheading an Egyptian man they claim was spying for the U.S. military.

The pictures are posted at a web-site connected to terrorist zombie numero uno, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The pictures strike me as being in the same location as the last Egyptian 'CIA Agent' was murdered. (See previous posts: Beheading Victim Egyptian, Not American, Beheaded man 'not CIA agent', CIA Agent Executed: Another Beheading Video)

The victim and the alleged proof that he was wired.

More below, including graphic pics. Please do not proceed if you do not want to see how horrible our enemies our. These are sick bastards we are fighting.

Also on the case: Jeff Quinton, Gordon, James Joyner, In The Bullpen

Continue reading "Another Egyptian 'CIA Agent' Beheading Video"

It's All About the Hidden Hands, Man

I think Noam Chomsky would say something like, "Find out who benefits, and you'll find the motivation."

So, who is behind QandO's Jon Henke? I bet it's GE's War Making Division.

Feel the love

I'm fooling around with my site's look. Trying to add a right sidebar. So if it looks funky, excuse the mess.

In the meantime, check out Allah. Man, I gots to get a copy of photoshop! Kevin also has the goods on NBC's terrorism pranks. Perhaps GE's wholly owned subsidiary has been taking cues from Benjamin Vanderford?

Murdured Hostages Count: 15

I've been trying to keep the hostages executed count accurate, but may be off. E-mail me or drop a line in the comments box if I'm missing anyone. Please, I want names. Names are important in remembering the individual dignity inherent in each of these victims. The list only includes hostages/prisoners murdered, not total victims of terrorism.

Continue reading "Murdured Hostages Count: 15"

Ossetia: Impending War, Georgia vs. Russia

The fighting between ethnic Russians in Ossetia and Georgia is escalating. This is not good. Up til now, Russia has fought this war through it's proxies in the Ossetian resistance. If Russia refuses to withdraw it's 'peacekeepers', this could escelate from civil war to full fledged international conflict. Further, other regional actors could get drawn into the fight in an effort to exploit the instability.

I have been speculating for some time that the reason Putin suddenly decided to improve relations with the US, by backing our pre-war claims of WMD in Iraq, was that he wanted a free hand in dealing with the Chechen rebels. I now wonder if Ossetia was part of his calculations? It should be noted that Georgian troops are US trained, while Ossetian rebels are backed by Russia. News and other info in extended entry.

Continue reading "Ossetia: Impending War, Georgia vs. Russia"

Kerry Half Way Across Country

5 miles, 50 miles....what does it matter?

Kerry now claims he was not in Cambodia, but near it on Christmas. Near being 50 miles away. Pretty close if you're in Texas, but not in Vienam. Sa Dec, where Kerry was stationed, is LITERALLY halfway across the country!! (Source)

Captain Ed has the complete story.

QuandO also spanking the Kerry campaign.

UPDATE: The Instapundit ripped off my idea...but has a better map.

ORTHODOX Christmas in Cambodia

Did you know that the Orthodox church celebrates Christmas two weeks after we do? That's what John Kerry meant by Christmas in Cambodia.....Orthodox Christmas

Drudge flash: Kerry has turned to author Brinkley for a "modification" after it was exposed that Kerry was not in Cambodia during Christmas of 1968, as he once claimed from the Senate floor.

The Brinkley piece for the NEW YORKER will now say that Kerry was not in Cambodia during Christmas, but rather in January, publishing sources tell DRUDGE.

This gets stranger and stranger.

Capatain Ed has the lowdown on it.

Iranians, Palestinians, Saudis Captured in Najaf

Via Glenn Reynolds, Hammorabi is blogging from Najaf:

Many Groups of Sadr Militia surrendered to the Iraqi Police and Coalition forces after they gave up their arms. Among them are children less than 12 years old given RPG 7 and Kalashnikovs?....

Iran frustrated by the news of thousands of the militia it trained started to surrender and among them many Iranians, and Arabs. This makes an Iranian top leader to announce that the US will soon face a similar defeat like Vietnam War! A clear sign indicating the involvement of Iran in what is going on in Najaf and the Iraq...

The Iraqi Police arrested in Baghdad Iranians, Palestinians and Saudi criminals today!

Go read the whole thing, he is constantly updating the post.

War Looms Between Russia and Georgia

From Xinhuanet:

Three people have been killed and several others wounded in an overnight shelling in Georgia's separatist region of South Ossetia.

Irina Gagloyeva, head of the South Ossetian Information and Press Committee, says Tskhinvali, the capital of Ossetia, and surrounding Ossetian villages were heavily shelled by Georgians the previous night.

Earlier on Thursday, the leadership of self-run South Ossetia issued an ultimatum to Georgia, demanding that it stop the shelling at Tskhinvali within 30 minutes, or they would eliminate the armed forces that had filtered into the conflict zone between South Ossetia and Georgia.

Tension has been high between Tbilisi and South Ossetia since late May over the status of the breakaway region.

Remember this word: Ossetia. Ossetia is a province of Georgia (the country, dumbass) that is ethnically Russian--a result of Tsarist Russian Imperialism, Stalin's Russification policy (ironic, because Stalin was a Georgian not a Russian), and borders drawn under the Soviets. Ossetia has been functionally free from Georgia since the collapse of the USSR.

I went to college in Russia for a year and can tell you that there is a deep feeling of solidarity between citizens of Russia and Russians living abroad. Russian nationalism is not based entirely on ethnicity. Rather, to be truly Russian you must be Orthodox as well. One can be ethnically Russian, and still be considered an outsider. This is why Jews never really fit in. In fact, Russians feel a much deeper solidarity with Serbs, who are also Slavic and Orthodox, than they do with Jews, Gypsies, and Asians living in Russia proper. This explains why Russia would not allow approval of a UN resolution authorizing force in Yugoslavia. To Russians, an attack on Yugoslavia is nearly an attack on the motherland itself.

So, the fact that a tense ceasefire has been broken in Ossetia's civil war with Georgia, means that a broader regional war could break out. Georgia also has had long standing border disputes with it's other neighbors. This is bad.

More info below.

Continue reading "War Looms Between Russia and Georgia"

Not All the Way Gay

I just had to get that out. (apologies to Silent Bob)

Iraq Wins, Players Not Tortured

The Old Iraq: Following a defeat for Iraq's football team, star player Sharar Haydar was dragged along a hot pavement, rolled in sand, then forced to leap into a sewage pit so that his wounds became infected.

The New Iraq: Iraq Beat Portugal!

Maybe Kos should watch more ESPN: The new Iraq looks just like the old one....We replaced one brutal dictatorial regime with another brutal dictatorial regime.

Yup, Just like it.

UPDATE: Kevin summarizes the opening ceremonies nicely:

Regardless of the outcome in their respective events, the Iraqi Olympic delegation are winners since they no longer face torture or death upon their return home.

(Related Post: 'Oppressed' Iraqis Show Hate of Great Satan and Iraq's Head of Olympics Survives Assasination Attempt)

Beheading Victim Egyptian, Not American

Notice they're called The Green Brigade. I assume it has something to do with the sacred color of the Religion of Peas. More below.

UPDATE: Just as I posted this I found another story from the Hindustan Times:

One Islamic Web site carried the video with the headline: "Beheading an Egyptian agent of the CIA."

One commentator on another forum cited reports of the beheading of an Egyptian spy and asked if this was the same man. ....

On the tape, a man was heard telling the captive in Arabic "put down your hand, this is the last time, next time I will gouge your eyes out." Then in English, he tells the captive, "open your eyes, open your eyes."

I had earlier speculated that the victim was an Iraqi local, probably Kurdish. The note around the victims neck was a dead give away, at the least, that he was not a CIA agent.

Continue reading "Beheading Victim Egyptian, Not American"

3 Fav Blogs, Jawalaunch

It's called killing two birds with one stone. This weeks favorite blogs:

1) Brian B's Momento Moron
2) Johnny Walker Red's Right-On-Red
3) Gordon's The Cranky Neocon

Why these blogs? All are frequent guests here at MPJ. Hits are thicker than water. All three also have the funny--something in short supply these days. Don't believe me? Check out Gordon's Reiner-o-meter (although, I must interject that since Uncle Shackleord had some hand in Stand By Me some adjustments are in order). Johnny always has some great take on important events. And Brian? Fuhget about it!

Linked with Patriot Paradox's Link Carnival. If you would like to link to this weeks Carnival, simply follow the intstructions at this post.

Don't Blame Me, I Voted Kodos

Ironbear welcomes our new overlord at Dean Esmay's request.

What will I do? If Kerry is elected I will move out of the country to avoid his fascist regime. I'm thinking New Mexico.

Hamster Killer Arrested

Where is John Kerry when you need him most?

I'm Black. I can feel it.

(Except Rick James)

Well known 'African-Americans'

New Party Meme

Check it out.

Car Bombings 'Not Beneficial'

The headline is Palestinian PM Criticizes Militant Car Bombing, but what qualifies as criticism in Tattooine?

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, in a rare criticism of Palestinian militants, has denounced a car bombing that caused both Israeli and Palestinian casualties.

Mr. Qureia told reporters in Ramallah Thursday that the bombing was not beneficial to the Palestinian people.

At al Reuters the headline is "Qurie Condemns Bombing". This is how followers of the Religion of Peas condemn murder:

Such operations at this time and under these circumstances are not good for the Palestinian people. On the contrary they will negatively affect the Palestinians

Right, that sounds like condemning to me.

Al Sadr's House Stormed, Najaf Battle Rages

Forget Charlie--like you've never seen rain before--this is news. Pray that this is the beginning of the end.

Update: Unfortunately, Sadr wasn't home. (via Command Post)

Update II: 1,200 SOBs captured!!!!!

Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition forces in Najaf have captured weapons and about 1,200 militiamen as they battle with insurgents loyal to Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada al- Sadr for an eighth day, Iraqi defense and interior ministers said in a televised press conference in Baghdad.

Why I blog?

Blogito ergo sum

Bush Wins Florida

Yesterday, before Ed Koch endorsement: Florida $12

Today, after Ed Koch edorsement: Florida $34.80

The Jewish vote is in play.

(Light Saber salute to Dr. Stotch who alerted me via e-mail)

Apologies to Friends

Just a note to frequent readers, posters, and friends. Let me apologize en masse for not responding to e-mail and comments like I used to. Read on if this applies to you.

Continue reading "Apologies to Friends"

Koch Endorses Bush: Sites Terrorism/Growing Anti-Semitism

For a long time I've argued with Jewish blog-buddies that the day a Republican get's 30% of the Jewish vote is the day Elijah comes to the seder. Folks, you did remember to put some food in front of that extra seat, right?

Man, I never liked this guy...til now!

Newsmax:

My decision to vote for the re-election of President George W. Bush, despite the fact that I am a lifelong Democrat, has caused some to call me a turncoat. But am I really? Or am I moving in a direction the Democratic Party itself should be going?....

Why have I endorsed George W. Bush when I don't agree with him on a single domestic issue? Because I believe the issue of international terrorism trumps all other issues. I don't believe the Democratic Party has the stomach and commitment to deliver on this issue.

Over the years, I have expressed my anxieties at the escalating worldwide anti-Semitism that now abounds in Western European countries such as France, England, Germany, Belgium, Holland and throughout Eastern Europe, including Russia. We haven't seen the likes of this rising tide of hatred directed at Jews since the 1930s. So, of course, I am interested in the views of the two presidential candidates toward Israel and its security.

President George W. Bush has amazed me. Bush 41, the father, was not particularly good on this issue. I do not believe that he is anti-Semitic, but his secretary of state, James Baker, perhaps summed up the attitude prevailing in that administration when he said: "F--- the Jews. They don't vote for us anyway."

Bush 43, the son, has fallen far from that tree. I believe most Jewish leaders will concede that of all U.S. presidents, Bush 43 has been the most supportive and protective of the security of the State of Israel.

Jews have priorities and are entitled to them just like every other ethnic group in America....

"For Jews, it is the security of the State of Israel. When 200 French Jews recently left France out of fear of persecution by Muslim toughs in that country, they knew that Israel would take them without condition, which was not the case when Jews were fleeing Germany before World War II.

"However, you are misinformed on my position as to why I support President Bush for reelection. I support him because of the Bush Doctrine, "we will go after the terrorists and the countries that harbor them." He has demonstrated that he means it by invading Afghanistan and Iraq, both threats to their regions and to the U.S. I do not believe that the Democratic Party, which is now dominated by those who preferred Governor Dean for president, but decided he could not win, has the stomach to take on worldwide terrorism. Indeed, a New York Times-CBS poll of the delegates at the Boston Convention demonstrated their opposition to John Kerry's position which is not to get out of Iraq now. It is the party activists who the candidate has to rely on to get elected and whose positions generally prevail.

"I have held public office for 23 years. I was elected five times as Congressman and three times as Mayor with super majorities after the first election for each office. New Yorkers trusted my insights and common sense, and I believe they still do. The Islamic terrorists, in the words of Lee Hamilton, "want to kill us," and there are hundreds of millions of them. I want a President who is willing to go after them before they have the chance to kill us.

"There is nothing wrong with American Jews, concerned for the safety of all Americans, to be grateful that President Bush supports the State of Israel when European states in fear of terrorism capitulate to the demands of the terrorists and are hostile to Israel.

That sound you hear is me eating crow. If Bush can just get 10% more of the Jewish vote in Florida than in 2000....well, the party is over. Bush wins.

Kerry Has Two Daddies

Iowahawk + Allah = Funny

Mark My Words: Bush Wins

Spoons asks how could Bush win? He points to this site for the electoral college breakdown.
Here is how that site has the count now: Bush 242, Kerry 296

Ok, so how can Bush win?

Continue reading "Mark My Words: Bush Wins"

Beheaded man 'not CIA agent'

See this post in which I speculated that the man being beheaded in the al Qaeda snuff film was probably not a CIA operative. There is no doubt that the beheading film is real, but the victim was most likely not CIA.

Agence France Presse:

A US official denied today that a CIA agent had been beheaded in Iraq, as claimed by an Islamist website that broadcast a video purporting to show the decapitation.

"The man depicted in the video is not a CIA official," the official said, on condition of anonymity.

"No CIA official is missing," the official said, adding that the Central Intelligence Agency knows the whereabouts of everyone on its payroll....

During the four-minute video, an identity card is shown with the purported American's photograph and the mention "visitor".

But the gunmen's words are unintelligible, apart from their cry of "Allah Akbar" (God is great) when the head is cut off.

Like I said, that was the giveaway. But someone died in that video. When we learn of his name, we'll add him to the list of victims.

Al Qaeda Recruitment Film

Am I the last one to see this (hat tip Dr. Chaos) ?? (Warning: Do not drink milk while watching)

Michael Moore On Goss Appointment

"Now that Michael Moore has spoken, I've decided to withdraw my support for Porter Goss as CIA director," says Bush clone in alternate parallel Universe:

"You'd think the person who was the head of the intelligence committee would ask a few more questions," said Moore.

"The reality is that Porter Goss was in charge of the oversight of the CIA during a time when the CIA didn't do its job, which in part resulted in the loss of lives of 3,000 people," he said via telephone from New York.

Iran Demands EU Give Them Nukes

Telegraph:

Iran has issued an extraordinary list of demands to Britain and other European countries, telling them to provide advanced nuclear technology, conventional weapons and a security guarantee against nuclear attack by Israel.Can you say, backfire? How did I overlook this story? More below.

Continue reading "Iran Demands EU Give Them Nukes"

Posted by Dr. Rusty Shackleford at 07:42 PM | Comments (0) | SandcrawlerTracks (0) _________________________________________________________________________________________

Irony Update: 150 Rwandan troops to deploy in Darfur

IHT:

The first half of a 300-member African protection force will deploy in the Sudanese region of Darfur this weekend, an African Union official said

150???? 150 troops are going to stop genocide? Wait, more troops on the way:

The pan-African force will consist of 150 Rwandan troops and 150 Nigerian soldiers who will be tasked with protecting an AU team of observers monitoring a ceasefire between Khartoum and Darfur rebels.

300. Yeah, that will do it.

Do you think those Rwandan troops will get a giggle out of the irony of it all? I would....if I could just get past my feelings of deep despair and uncontrollable urge to cry.

Terrorism Wrap Up

Jeff Quinton has the terrorism wrap-up for today.

CIA Agent Executed: Another Beheading Video

Reuters (hat tip LGF):

A Web site used by Islamic militants carried a video on Wednesday purporting to show militants beheading a "CIA agent" in Iraq.

The four-minute long footage showed a Western-looking man sitting on a chair surrounded by armed masked men. One of the men struck the captive's neck repeatedly with a sword, severing his head amid shouts of "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest).

A militant later held up the severed head for the camera.

An Arabic sign placed around the man's neck identified him as a "CIA agent." The video, which could not be immediately authenticated, showed what seemed to be the captive's picture identification card with the caption "visitor."

The Web site did not say which group issued the video, nor did the masked men identify themselves or make any political statements as previous kidnappers in Iraq had.

The men could be heard speaking in the background but the audio quality was too poor to understand.

The tired-looking captive was wearing a plain shirt and trousers.

Militants in Iraq have waged a campaign of kidnapping aimed at driving out individuals, companies and troops supporting U.S. forces and the new Iraqi interim administration.

Scores of hostages have been kidnapped by armed groups. Some have been freed but at least nine have been killed -- including an American, a South Korean and a Bulgarian

Developing....

UPDATE: The website has been shut down, but the URL included ansarnet in it. Possibly linking it to Ansar al Islam. You remember them, don't you? They are the al Qaeda branch that isn't in Iraq, because as we all know, there was not al Qaeda connection.

UPDATE II: May I just also ad, that the so-called proof that the man was a CIA Agent was that he had a VISITOR ID tag on him. Can anyone imagine a real CIA Agent hanging around Northern Iraq carrying his VISITOR tag? I'm going to go out on a limb here--no, this mere speculation, nothing more--the victim here might well have been a local with some contact with the provisional government. Since Ansar al Islam has their stronghold in what is now Kurdish occupied territory, chances are this man has some connection to the Kurdish government. It should also be remembered that the CIA has been operating in Kurdistan since the end of the Gulf War. It is also likely that hundreds, if not more, Kurds have been taken out of country for CIA backed training over the last dozen years. This would go a long way in explaining why the CIA is denying reports that one of their agents is missing and the VISITOR ID on the victim.

The video is real. Someone died. The hoax may be that he was a CIA officer.

I'm no expert, but the victim appears to either be unconscience or already deceased.

Above: Alleged Proof of Victims Identity

Further pictures are very gruesome. Proceed with extreme caution to extended entry below.

Also on the trail: Jeff Quinton, Command Post, Slant Point, MH King, In the Bullpen, Rooftop Report, Amanda Doerty

Continue reading "CIA Agent Executed: Another Beheading Video"

I'm John Kerry, Bitch!

Doesn't that just about sum up Kerry's response to the Swifties? QuandO and Balloon Juice completely devestate J Freakin K's responses. James Joyner does clean up. After all, JFK is no Rick James.

PS-BRD kicks JFK when he's down.

Why I am Voting for Bush

Not that this will come as a shocker for anybody, but I plan on voting for Bush in the fall. I am not a hardcore Republican. In fact, if there was a real choice, I would say I am closer to the Libertarian Party than I am to the Republican Party. I almost ran as a Libertarian for Congress, but the state I live in has pretty high hurdles for getting third-party candidates on the ballot.

There are many key areas which I disagree with the Republican Party on. (yes, I ended that sentence with a preposition... sue me). Read the extended entry if this really interests you.

If not, then let me just remind you that today is Wictory Wednesday. Yup, I'm on board.

Remember, give til it hurts!

Other Wictory Wednesday Bloggers

Continue reading "Why I am Voting for Bush"

British Jihadis in Iraq

Read the whole story in the extended entry. I especially love the part where the Muslim Council is confused as to why taking up arms against ones own country could be considered treason. From the Guardian (via Robert Spencer):

British Muslims who take up arms against UK and US forces in Iraq could face treason charges on their return, the Home Office said today.

The warning was prompted by a Guardian report that two Britons had travelled from their homes in London to join the Mahdi army, a militia loyal to the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. The men arrived in Najaf, where fierce fighting has been raging for seven days, earlier this week.

Continue reading "British Jihadis in Iraq"

John Kerry's Real Cambodian Visit Revealed

Win-win. Win, no problem.

Lose, kill Bush. Kerry takes the fall. Activate super-sleeper agent, codename 'Halliburton'.

Why is no one looking into the Halliburton-Cambodia ties? Everyone knows Nixon lied about the reason he bombed Cambodia. It's always about corporate interests, man. Corporate interests!

Why can't Kerry keep his Cambodia story straight? Brainwashing will do that to you, man.

Continue reading "John Kerry's Real Cambodian Visit Revealed"

Mike Wallace Arrested For Disorderly Conduct

Ha-Ha!

Gostinitza Rossiya to be Levelled

Boy, this brings back memories. Just waxing nostalgic.

Al Qaeda Planning Major Assasination

This just in from Drudge, so hot off the presses that Drudge hasn't even corrected typos (I've updated the quote, as Drudge has changed it somewhat)

U.S. intelligence officials say a high-profile political assassination, triggered by the public release of a new message from Osama bin Laden, will lead off the next major al Qaeda terrorist attack, the WASHINGTON TIMES has learned.

The assassination plan is among new details of al Qaeda plots disclosed by U.S. officials familiar with intelligence reports who, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the killing could be carried out against a U.S. or foreign leader either in the United States or abroad.

The new details of al Qaeda's plans were found on a laptop computer belonging to arrested al Qaeda operative Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan of Pakistan, Bill Gertz is set to report in a page one blockbuster.

'We're talking about planning at the screwdriver level,' one official said. 'It is very detailed.'

More as it develops. Possible big news, possible the usual Drudge MO of hyping things up.

UPDATE: Reuters

A high-profile political assassination, triggered by a new message from Osama bin Laden, will lead off the next major al Qaeda attack, The Washington Times reported in Wednesday editions, citing U.S. intelligence officials.

U.S. officials familiar with intelligence reports, speaking on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the assassination plan was among new details of al Qaeda plots and would target a U.S. or foreign leader either in the United States or abroad, according to the newspaper.

Planning for the attacks to follow involves "multiple targets in multiple venues" across the United States, one official was quoted as saying.

"The goal of the next attack is twofold: to damage the U.S. economy and to undermine the U.S. election," the official told the newspaper.

The officials said there are intelligence reports, some of them sketchy, that a new tape from bin Laden would surface soon, the newspaper reported.

"The message likely will be the signal for the attack to be launched," one official said.

A second U.S. official was cited as saying that one intelligence agency was aware of unconfirmed reports of a new bin Laden tape.

"There may be such a tape, but it hasn't surfaced and we haven't seen it," the newspaper quoted the official as saying.

The Washington Times reported that the plot was among detailed al Qaeda plans found on a laptop computer belonging to captured al Qaeda suspect Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan.

Information from Khan, a computer expert, prompted the United States to issue a new security alert for financial institutions in Washington, New York and New Jersey and led to the arrest of a dozen al Qaeda suspects in Britain.

Khan's capture was part of a Pakistani crackdown, which began a month ago and has dealt al Qaeda a major blow.

UPDATE: Dead Pool. I disagree.

Also on the case: Kevin Aylward, Jeff Quinton, Blogs of War, Speed of Thought, Evil White Guy, Joe Gandalman, OTB, Discount Blogger

Islamic Beard Discrimination Case

Come on, are you kidding?

Britain's first-ever suit by a man claiming he lost his job because of religious discrimination centers on the Muslim man's beard, The Sun said Tuesday.

Mohsin Mohmed, 22, said he had been humiliated by his bosses at Richard Branson's Virgin Trains, and they fired him for refusing to trim his 8-inch beard.

Who is the defendant in the case? Richard Branson. Yes, THAT Richard Branson.

Two Jordanian Hostages Freed

Thank goodness. But in all fairness, to execute these guys would have been terrible PR. Make no mistakes, the hostage taking phenomenon is all about PR. Different publics.

Cat Attacks Pilot

Cats are evil. No, not just evil...evil incarnate. From the Guardian:

A Belgian aeroplane made an emergency landing after a cat got into the cockpit and attacked the co-pilot, it was revealed yesterday.

Obviously an al Qaeda scheme to circumvent post 9/11 security procedures.

Football Bonfire of the Vanities

Check out this week's Bonfire of the Vanities hosted by Kevin Donahue. I seriously forgot I had sent in an entry. I will be hosting the Bonfire the week of August 31.

PS-Which college team is ranked #1?? Say it........

Honored Irish Dead

As many of you know, I keep a running count of hostages that are executed by the Religion of Peas. My criteria for adding names to the list is simple: the victims must have be executed some time after being captured. FYI-14 hostages have been murdered by terro-zombies since 9/11.

A reader, from Ireland, sent me an e-mail reminding me of the names of the two Irish victims of Islamic extremism. Both murdered in cold blood. While not officially going on the list, let us not forget their names. From that e-mail:

1 - Tony Higgans - Age - 63 - Shot dead in his place of
employment by masked militants - 08/03/04

2 - Simon Cumbers - Age - 34 - Shot dead while working as a BBC
cameraman outside the house of a prominent militant - 06/06/04

May God Speed You to Eternal Bliss

Allah Descends from on High

Allah to John Kerry: "Many many moons ago, in Cambodia, I f**k buffalo. I think your my son."

Guest Blogging

Why aren't you reading my guest blogging posts over at the Politburo Diktat?

Go on, click over there. NOW.

Bjorn Lomborg: Good Gay

I didn't know he was gay!! That changes everything. He must be right then.

Both my long-term readers may know that my real professional interest is in environmental policy. Seriously. I'm a wuss greeny at heart. But what is a greeny to do when he also hates government? To paraphrase my illustrious namesake, Dale Gribble, "People don't ruin the environment, governments do."

Dr. Lomborg's book, The Skeptical Environmentalist, sits on that portion of my office shelf within quick reach. What can I say? I'm a fan.

So when I read this post by Diogones over at anti-com I was--how you say in English?--oh yeah, happy.

If Lomborg's book is too thick, Ronald Bailey basically has the same thesis, but is easier reading. Further, Lomborg doesn't argue that global warming isn't real. His major thesis is that the costs of addressing the problem far exceed any benefits. Since global warming will primarily hurt people in developing nations, there are far more important things to address. Oh, you know, like AIDS, malaria, clean water...........

Jawa Philatelia

Have you collected your MPJ stamps yet??

Lightsaber salute: Sharp as a Marble and Jeff Jarvis

Rodney Alexander Switches Parties

Rodney Alexander has long been a little pet peeve of mine. During the 2002 campaign he ran a series of television spots that were so obtuse that none of my students could identify to which party he belonged. This ad has become a staple in my introductory American National Governmnet course as a way to show how politicians use symbols that can be interpretted in a variety of ways.

My favorite part of the ad? The fade out shot of Rodney Alexander walking through a field with what is allegedly his family. His 'wife' is clearly 20 years younger than him and his 'children' are toddlers. Throw in some oblique references about 'protecting our children and our senior citizens' and you have an A+ thirty second political ad that tells you absolutely nothing about the candidate.

For once I am inclined to agree with David Anderson that Mr. Alexander is 'self serving'. However, calling a politician self-serving is like calling an In-n-Out Burger Double-Double 'tasty'. It's definitional. Also, I predict Mr. Alexander wins handily and remains in office indefinitely. He switched because his district is increasingly becoming Republican.

Lightsaber salute: Kevin Aylward

They've Got THE FUNNY

Surfing using bloglines is definitely the way to go. The problem with using it is that you get to read so much stuff in so little time. Nay, TOO MUCH stuff. Hence, how to share with your good readers the most important news of the day? And by important, I mean funny.

Warning: Do not drink milk while reading.

-Bill left out the ever important jawa slur. Look it up and then you'll see why my blog ought to offend you.
-Speaking of racial slurs.
-Iowahawk, finally, takes off the gloves and makes Kerry's Vietnam record his bitch.
-Gordon becomes William F. Buckley's bitch in his exclusive interview with the erudite and double-lizzle conservative.
-Ted Rall, makes John Kerry his bitch. (can't remember where I picked up link)
-Ace has some advice for PP, bi-yatches!

Suspect Arrested Taping Landmarks

Highly political move. I question the timing.

Might I also suggest to Dean Esmay this: Yes, the government of Pakistan is a close ally. No, the people of Pakistan are not our allies. And unfortunately government offices in Pakistan are filled with Pakistanis.

When Women Were Women

Decadent capitalist Dean Esmay has been having quite a bit of fun over a report by the Instapundit on the merits of porn.

After careful examination of the pics Dean linked to I can definitely say that none of them can even compare to the beauty of Fay Wray. Alas, the world will be a lesser place in her absence. Via Jeff Quinton, I learned of her demise. Unlike Dean's, my tribute is safe for work. *sigh* I long for the days when women were women and apes were a thinly veiled metaphor for the lustful nature of men.

Fay Wray 1907-2004. RIP.

Continue reading "When Women Were Women"

Jews Attacked at Auschwitz

Via the Omniscient Allah this JPOST story:

While on a tour of the museum at the Auschwitz death camp in Poland on Sunday, a group of around 50 Jewish university students from Israel, the U.S. and Poland were verbally attacked by a three-member gang of French male tourists.

Evidently incited by the presence of an Israeli flag wrapped around the shoulders of Tamar Schuri, an Israeli student from Ben Gurion University, the first assailant ran at the group while its members were being guided through a model gas chamber and crematoria and began swearing and hurling anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli insults.

"He told us to go back to Israel and said that we were stupid and should be ashamed to walk around with an Israeli flag," testifies Maya Ober, a 21-year-old Polish student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan and member of the Polish Union of Jewish Students (PUSZ), which organized the 16-day summer learning program along with the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS).

After the initial altercation, a second assailant
grabbed Ober by the arm. "One of the guys held me by the arm and wouldn't let go," says Ober, who lost several members of her family at Auschwitz. "I was afraid. I couldn't move and I didn't know what he was going to do.

"I was shocked. Although I have met anti-Semitism many times, I never expected to meet it at Auschwitz, where so many of my relatives were killed," she says she spoke to the assailants in French and that in addition to being "brutish and vulgar," their sentiments "made absolutely no sense."

Weinbaum, who has been to Poland more than 30 times on educational tours, says he never before saw anything like what happened, happen. "It was simply shocking," he says. "In some way, I felt that these men were satisfied to visit Auschwitz. This was another reminder that in Western Europe there is sympathy for dead Jews; it's just the live ones that they cannot tolerate."

Kerry's Main Swiftboat Defender Served With Him Less Than a Week!

Captain Ed has been following this one pretty closely and pretty much demolishes Kerry's rejoinders to the Swifties. NZ Bear thinks the Swiftie campaign would be the undoing of the Kerry candidacy--this was BEFORE NZ Bear knew about this. Novak knocks one out of the park:

O'Neill told me that these former sailors served with Kerry no more than five weeks. Jim Rassmann, now part of the Kerry presidential campaign, was a Special Forces lieutenant spending a few days with Kerry when he fell or was knocked off the swift boat while under fire and was fished out of the Mekong River by the future candidate.

Wait a second, let me get this straight, the main defender of Kerry's 'band of brothers', the man who viciously attacks the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth for not serving on John Kerry's boat, only served with him for a couple of days!!!!!!!! Are you kidding me? All the reports I had ever seen about this man was that John Kerry had saved his life--not that they only served together a couple of days.

This is a totally devestating revelation to me and completely undermines the Kerry camp's assertions.

Shamelessly linked at the Beltway Traffic Jam.

Another Bulgarian Beheading Video

AP:

CAIRO, Egypt - Four masked, black-clad men who said they belong to a group that has claimed responsibility for kidnappings and killings in Iraq (news - web sites) beheaded a man identified only as a Bulgarian in a video posted on the Internet Monday....The militants in the video said they were from the Tawhid and Jihad group, which had claimed to have kidnapped two Bulgarian truck drivers June 29 and demanded Iraqi detainees be released in exchange for their lives.

The beheaded body of one of the drivers, Georgi Lazov, was found in the Tigris River in Iraq in mid-July and a tape was released showing his death. An announcement late last month of the discovery of a second decapitated body in an orange jumpsuit and a head in a bag near the Tigris River had prompted fears that Ivaylo Kepov too had been killed, but there was no video of his slaying.

Updates as they happen.

I previously posted about this here.

UPDATE I: The problem with blogging is you often write something before thinking too hard. This is NEW video. What I had before was not VIDEO, only still images from the video. Zarquawi's group had posted a message saying they would release the video in the future, along with some vidcaps they posted the day of the announcement. This is the video they announced.

UPDATE II: In the Bullpen has graciously offered to host the video in .zip format.

UPDATE III: Just to reiterate--this is new VIDEO, not a new beheading. The video shows either Georgi Lazov or Ivaylo Kepov who were both murdered sometime around July 13 or 14. See this post for a list of the 14 hostages murdered since 9/11.

UPDATE IV: Wizbang also has the video--but server is slow.

UPDATE V: Chris Short has also graciously offered to host the video (very fast), and has a good blog roundup. The version I sent him is the Real Video Version, and therefore does not need to be unzipped when downloaded. Scroll to bottom of post to get video.

Others on the trail: Jeff Quinton, James Joyner, In the Bullpen, Command Post, On the Third Hand, Wizbang

Kerry's 'Secret Plan' Revealed...sort of

John Kerry laid out his heretofore 'Secret Plan for Bringing Home the Troops' in an op-ed in USA Today. James Joyner does a first-rate job of deconstructing the plan, as does McQ. My thoughts run along similar lines, but I wanted to add a few sentiments:

• Lead NATO to make the security of Iraq one of its global missions and to deploy a significant portion of the force needed to secure and win the peace there. NATO participation will open the door to greater international involvement from non-NATO countries.

I love this one. File this under the Personality Theory of International Relations. Kerry is an absolute idiot. He believes the reason NATO isn't more involved is because George W. Bush (or his administration) doesn't have the leadership capacity to get NATO on board. McQ, rightly, notes that most NATO countries are already on board and James sarcastically asks if this is the same NATO with Germany and France in it? Also, is this the same NATO that is fudging out of it's commitments in Afghanistan--a war that NATO supported (link via Right on Red):

[there is] confusion and delay [over] Nato's provision of extra troops it promised to bolster security for the landmark presidential elections due on 9 October.... there has still been no announcement of when they [the fresh NATO troops] are coming. Meanwhile, the security situation has deteriorated, with mounting attacks on election workers registering voters.

What Kerry is really saying is that Germany and France would cooperate, if only a different President was in office. This theory of international relations completely overlooks the notion of national interest---that nations act in certain ways because it is in their interest to do so. So why would a Kerry administration somehow change the national interests of France and Germany? This is a naive theory of how the world works...and dangerous!!

• Internationalize the reconstruction efforts in Iraq to end the continuing perception of a U.S. occupation and help coordinate the rebuilding.

Since we have already done this, and continue to do so, this is a non-sequitor. This is the I will do what Bush is doing, but since I'm not Bush I will do it better theory of public administration. John Kerry must believe he has super-human powers. It's like saying a new coach could bring more wins over the last one, however the new coach will use the same playbook. Again, file this under a theory in which personality is the driving force behind public policy. Same policy + different administration = success. Again, naive and dangerous.

• Launch a massive and accelerated training effort to build Iraqi security forces that can provide real security for the Iraqi people, including a major role for NATO. This is not a task for America alone; we must join as a partner with other nations.

Again, somehow NATO would get more involved if only there was a different administration. Utterly stupid. Also, if Kerry wants more training to be given to the new Iraqi forces, why the hell isn't he in the Senate authoring a Bill that would fund this project of his--if it is something different than what the administration is already doing? Oops, I forgot, Kerry is too busy to try to get his 'new' not-really-a-plan-plan going in the Senate. How many Bills has Kerry voted on this year, anyway?

• Plan for Iraq's future by working with our allies to forgive Iraq's multibillion-dollar debt and involve our allies in the development of a new Iraqi constitution and the political arrangements needed to protect minority rights. At the same time, we should convene a regional conference with Iraq's neighbors to secure a pledge of respect for Iraq's borders and non-interference in Iraq's national affairs.

Err....again, what is new about this? Kerry's plan is to impose his will on the Saudis or the Kuwaitis, both of which have said they will not forgive Iraq's debt. How about France? Does he know something about France that I don't? Somehow France will be forgive Iraq's debt--the same France that loaned Iraq money, even during the embargo, so that Iraq could buy French goods prohibited them under US law!!!!!!!!!!!!

People, Kerry is more dangerous than I thought. His is a classic example of an ego run amuck. He believes that his personality can somehow change the course of history and the interest of nations. This is not a 'realistic plan' as he claims. It is sheer fantasy.

Who Outted Khan?

Jay Tea blames the NY Times. Atrios blames......can you guess? Look for the answer below.

Continue reading "Who Outted Khan?"

Planned Parenthood Superhero: 'Choice Chick'

I have a feeling she won't make the cut down at the Hall of Super-Best Friends. This is too funny to even comment on. However, notice that she wears glasses while in her superhero uniform--the exact opposite of those symbols of patriarchal oppression Superman and Spiderman, who wear glasses to conceal their true identities.

PS: Just when we thought PP couldn't get any sillier.....

Don Henley Must Die

Mojo Nixon was right. Inspired by Gleeful Extremist and Dr. Chaos.

On second thought, the lyrics don't need any changes whatsoever. Read them in the extended entry. Also, instead of buying Don Henley's newest crap, why not go down to your local store and buy an old Mojo Nixon album? And if they don't have Mojo Nixon...well, then their store could use some fixin!!!!

Continue reading "Don Henley Must Die"

John Kerry Named First Metrosexual President

As long as I'm thinking about Senator Kerry, his colleague Senator Pundit found an interesting article in the Toronto Sun.

Two questions: 1) Aren't Canadians gay by definition, and hence people who read Canadian papers metrosexuals themselves? 2) Why stop at metrosexual, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Kerry is all the way gay. I yield the floor.

Orwell Alert: John Kerry

Methinks Texas Native is on to something here.

Fear and Loathing in Iraq

This blog rocks:

Right now Lt Armeni is in critical condition in Germany. He was wounded on that attack on 05 AUG 04. I received a e-mail from his father thanking me for this site which allowed him a little more insight to the event that critically wounded his son on that day, and to continue praying for him. I am asking everybody to please include Lt Armeni and his family in their prayers. It would mean a lot. To me, and everybody else here. I know of at least five guys here who are alive today because of his actions on that day.

Indeed, let's pray for Lt. Armeni.

PS-unlike that Johnny Depp film with a similar name about that nutjob Hunter Thompson, this blog is not gay.

Right Wing Blogger Arlert

As long as I'm on Atrios and Kos I might as well throw Willis in there.

Just remember, it's not about the facts. It's about the timing, man. The timing.

Right-Wing Media Alert!

According to Atrios, that is:

There's something we used to hear a lot -- that incumbents with under 50% approval ratings are in deep deep trouble. We haven't heard it much since Bush dropped below 50.

In national polls, Kerry is almost always ahead. In electoral vote analysis, Kerry has consistently been ahead.

In another year, the press would be (rather unfairly) writing Bush's epitaph and painting him as an inevitable loser. I'm not suggesting that's the appropriate way to cover this (or any) campaign, but they do seem to be doing a pretty good job of not mentioning the obvious -- right now, Kerry's ahead, and that isn't good news for that other guy.

Kerry is ahead???? I hadn't heard that one before!! Thanks for your amazing insight.

Moron.

Is he watching the same 'media' I am watching? Because if he is, then perhaps he can explain how just about every story covering the campaign brings up the fact that Kerry is ahead?

Oh, more on that right wing media from Captain Ed.

Kos--Insane, Stupid, or Traitor?

When you equivicate between beating prisoners, which is routinely practiced in just about every country in the world--even in places which aren't 'brutal dictatorships'--then you are either insane, stupid, or a traitor (traitor here defined as giving comfort to the enemy). Kos may be all three:

The new Iraq looks just like the old one....

We replaced one brutal dictatorial regime with another brutal dictatorial regime.

Yup. Just like it.

Marine in Al Jazeera Documentary

I may not have mentioned it in awhile, but why haven't we bombed al Jazeera? This is not a joke. We should completely oblitirate that organization. This is war. In war, propaganda outlets are legitimate targets.

Needless to say, I support the Interim Government's decision to close it down. But why for only a month?

Via Joe Gandalman (Dean Esmay is probably in the gulag, too) this link to a Boston.com article:

WASHINGTON -- For most of the central figures in the Arab-produced documentary film "Control Room," the grisly images that emerged from the US invasion of Iraq last year were no cause for a change of opinion

Jehane Noujaim, the producer, gives an inside look at the war through the eyes and lenses of Al Jazeera's journalists, based at US Central Command headquarters in Doha, Qatar. And over the length of her film, the chasm only widens between US military officials who speak about the "liberation" of Iraq and the Al Jazeera reporters skeptical of the invasion.

The exception is a Marine lieutenant named Josh Rushing.

Rushing, who was a Central Command spokesman assigned to escort the documentary makers during their time in Qatar, is among the film's most sympathetic characters. He is portrayed as a thoughtful young man moved over time by the grim reality of war.

At no point is he shown doubting the justness of the US effort in Iraq, yet the film documents a friendship between Rushing and an Al Jazeera reporter, Hassan Ibrahim. There are also moments on camera when Rushing is wrestling with the film's central themes: war, bias and the Arab world's strongest media outlet.

The article is a two-part series. I highly recommend it. Apparently, some of the brass were a little peeved at a Marine in an al Jazeera produced film and Rushing is thinking about not re-upping. Of course, most Marines don't re-up for a variety of reasons. I don't blame the brass for being peeved or Rushing for wanting to get out.

Troll Alert?

Just the other day me and the regular crew were wondering why there were no trolls around here. I even told Brian B. that I was thinking of dropping some trollish comments, just to spark some debate. Then I get this (scroll down to comments):

Bu zalim insanlar gün gelecek Türk milletinin ayaklarını öpmeye kalkacaklar. Ama Türk oğlu Türk olan, asil kan Türk askeri başlarındaki puşileri Gözlerine bağlayacak ve o 3 kurşunu birer birer yavaş yavaş can cektirerek sıkacak. Bunu ya o Türk askeri yapacak yada BEN !!!!... Ne mutlu Türk'üm diyene, Ne mutlu Türkiyeliyim diyene, ............ Bir Gün..... O gün de gelcek ElbeTTttt....

Anyone speak Turkish?