The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)
Inquiry & Analysis-Iran
July 21, 2006
No. 288
The Middle East Crisis - Local, Regional, and Global; Conventional and Nuclear
By Y. Carmon, A. Savyon, N. Toobiyan and Y. Mansharof*
To view this Special Dispatch in HTML, visit: MEMRI - The Middle East Crisis .
"Only now it is beginning. The day of rejoicing for the peoples of the region is drawing near... The world is on the brink of great changes, and the Muslims' victory over the aggressors is imminent." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, IRNA, July 18, 2006
The current crisis in the Middle East has been brewing for months on two different levels - nuclear and conventional - and in three arenas: local, regional, and global.
No matter whether the crisis continues and expands or is stopped and temporarily settled - it already contains the seeds for the emergence of a new order in the Middle East, as well as the potential for global confrontation. In this new order, the U.S.'s traditional allies - Saudi Arabia and Egypt - are about to lose their regional preeminence to Russia's ally, Iran. Russia is repositioning itself vis-à-vis the U.S. as a highly influential superpower in the Middle East as well as in Europe, where it is the primary supplier of oil and natural gas.
The new order emerging in the Middle East will bring East-West relations back to a competitive mode reminiscent of the superpowers' rivalry during the Cold War era in the familiar theaters of the Middle East and Europe.
In the current crisis, Israel and the U.S. are confining themselves to the local arena and the conventional level, whereas Iran and Russia are acting on all levels and in all arenas, and are making significant achievements on all fronts.
Background and Development of the Crisis
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's accession to power marked the beginning of the "Second Islamic Revolution."(1) Ahmadinejad and his extremist conservative supporters (the religious establishment, the Revolutionary Guards, the Basij, and the politicians affiliated with them) created a power center that strives to significantly promote Iran's position as a regional power, primarily by accelerating the development of nuclear and missile capabilities.
Throughout the last year, the West has attempted to check this development, but to no avail. The main obstacle to forming a diplomatic front against Iran's nuclear armament efforts has been Russia, which has persistently opposed, and is still opposing, the imposition of sanctions on Iran.
In the last few weeks and months, the West has stepped up the pressure on Iran in this regard, and on June 6 Iran was even presented with an ultimatum: either agree to give up uranium enrichment in exchange for the incentives package, or Iran's nuclear dossier will be referred back to the U.N. Security Council - a step that will open the possibility of imposing sanctions on Iran, and perhaps even other punitive measures.
As Western pressures increased, Iran's threats against Israel and the U.S., and at times against Europe as well, grew in their severity. On June 16, it was reported that a military pact had been signed between Iran and Syria, in which Iran agreed to defend Syria against Israeli attack, to fund weapons purchases from Russia, China, and the Ukraine for Syria, and to supply the Syrian army with artillery guns and ammunition, military vehicles, and Iranian missiles. Syria, for its part, agreed to extend its previous agreements allowing Iranian trucks delivering weapons into Lebanon to pass through Syria unhindered. In addition, the Iranian and Syrian defense ministers decided on the establishment of a joint liaison office and on maintaining open communication channels in military and security matters. In a press conference following the signing, the defense ministers stated that the agreement establishes "a joint [Iranian-Syrian] front against the Israeli threats," and that "Iran regards Syria's security as its own." At the same time, the editor of the Iranian conservative daily Kayhan, who is close to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, repeatedly called to take action against "Zionist" commercial and diplomatic targets throughout the world.
On July 2, the Hamas organization, which receives significant support from Iran (and from Syria), carried out an attack on Israeli soil in which it kidnapped an Israeli soldier and killed two others. Israel's response was relatively restrained, and the incident did not develop into a crisis.
On July 12, Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani, who is in charge of Iran's nuclear dossier, was forced to hold the meeting with Javier Solana (which he had managed to evade a week earlier). In the meeting, he repeated Iran's position that it will only give its answer to the ultimatum on August 22, 2006. In response, Solana announced, on behalf of the "5+1," that the Iranian nuclear dossier would be referred back to the Security Council. Larijani then returned from Brussels to the Middle East, landing in Damascus for a meeting with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.
On that same day - July 12 - Hizbullah carried out an attack on Israeli soil in which it kidnapped two soldiers and killed several. This time, Israel responded with massive force, and the current local, conventional crisis was ignited.
Russia and the Iranian Nuclear Program
The G8 Summit, convened on July 15, 2006, was to discuss the Iranian nuclear program and the steps to be taken against Iran. On the eve of the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that "bringing excessive pressure on Iran regarding the nuclear issue would [only] lead to a dead end."
Due to Russian pressure on the one hand, and to Israel's escalation of its response to the Hizbullah attack on the other, the Middle East crisis was introduced into the summit's agenda, and subsequently became the primary issue on the agenda.
In discussions on Iran's nuclear program, Russia consistently defended Iran's interests and repeatedly expressed opposition to exerting pressure on Iran, demanding that a solution be reached by diplomatic means alone. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov even defended Iran's right to defer its response until the end of August. Moreover, the Russian speakers defended not only Iran but also its protégés, Hamas and Hizbullah, and Lavrov went so far as to say that "there is no evidence of Iranian cooperation with Hizbullah." (It should be noted that Russia does not include Hizbullah and Hamas in its list of terrorist organizations.) Russia thus positioned itself as the superpower which is the patron of the Iran-Syria-Hizbullah-Hamas bloc.
While resolutely supporting Iran on the nuclear issue, Russia was willing to cooperate with the other G8 members in resolving the local Hizbullah-Israel crisis (in cooperation with Iran and Syria...).
The U.S. got its way in that the G8's final statement endorsed the American position regarding the resolution of the local crisis (that is, the return of the kidnapped soldiers). But regarding pressures on Iran to give up its nuclear program, the U.S. lost, since the Russian pressure at the summit and the Iranian pressure on the ground (via Hizbullah and Hamas) compelled the G8 summit to set this issue aside. President Bush even expressed his satisfaction over the G8's consensus regarding the handling of the local crisis (i.e. the consensus that the Israeli soldiers must be released), despite the fact that, regarding the global nuclear issue, the U.S. was so sorely beaten.
Russia is now trying to capitalize on its success at the summit and to improve its global status by becoming a regional mediator in the local crisis - with the support of the Americans. To achieve this status, it is willing to pay by making real efforts to resolve the crisis; the deputy to the Russian foreign minister has already set out on a visit to Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Israel in order to "find a way to end the tension and the confrontation in the Middle East." This, even while Russia's consistent support of Iran's nuclear program severely increases the threat to Israel's existence.
Iran Following the G8 Summit
Thanks to the local crisis and to Russia's support, Iran has already succeeded in making significant achievements on the regional and global levels - in the nuclear as well as the conventional spheres. It has come through the G8 summit unharmed, the pressures on it have been deferred for now and it can continue to enrich uranium without American or European interference.
Iran's insistence on deferring its response to the European proposal until August 22 was meant to buy it another round of talks with the Europeans (without American intervention). This would give Iran a few extra months to develop its nuclear program, after which it will be able to announce a significant upgrade in its nuclear status (in terms of uranium enrichment, missile development or even development of a nuclear weapon.) According to reports in the last few days, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad plans to make an announcement on this issue.
All these developments should be seen as another phase in Iran's efforts to create deterrence vis-à-vis Israel, even before it attains independent nuclear fuel cycle capability. As MEMRI pointed out two years ago in its analysis of Iran's strategic orientation, this deterrence consists of several components, including the establishment of ballistic missile capability (the Shihab missiles), and supplying long-range missiles (with a range of 250-350 kilometers) to Hizbullah in Lebanon.
On the regional level, Iran - with the help of its proxies, Hamas and Hizbullah - has already become a regional power which America's traditional allies (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and some of the Gulf states) fear but are unable to oppose. It is likely that, in the future, Iran will be joined by other Arab countries like Sudan, Yemen and Qatar, which, through its Al-Jazeera TV channel, is already increasing Iran's influence among the Muslim masses.
*Y. Carmon is the President of MEMRI; A. Savyon is Director of MEMRI's Iranian Media Project; and N. Toobiyan and Y.Mansharof are MEMRI Iranian Studies Department Research Fellows.
Endnote:
(1) MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis No. 253, "The 'Second Islamic Revolution' in Iran: Power Struggle at the Top," by A. Savyon, November 17, 2005: HTML link to "The Second Islamic Revolution in Iran: Power Struggle at the Top .
*********************
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are available on request.
MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used with proper attribution.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)
P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837
Phone: (202) 955-9070
Fax: (202) 955-9077
E-Mail: memri@memri.org
Search previous MEMRI publications at http://www.memri.org/
Technorati tags: Iran, Germany ... Russia ... China ... United States ... MEMRI ... Tehran ... Ahmadinejad ... Middle East Crisis ... Saudi Arabia ... International diplomacy ... Chess ... Uranium enrichment ... Superpower ... Syria ... Lebanon ... Hamas ... Putin ... Hezbullah ... G8 summit
Thursday, July 20, 2006
LOUIS SAHAGUN of the L.A. Times - Christians 'Laying the Groundwork for Armageddon'
Courtesy of NewsBusters, Exposing and Combating Bias in the Media. DISCLAIMER: The different points of views NewsBusters or their contributors are not supported nor do they reflect the views and beliefs of the Bosun Locker or any entity affiliated with the Bosun. Re-posted with permission through NewsBusters Terms of Use.
Louis Sahagun of the L.A. Times - Christians 'Laying the Groundwork for Armageddon'
Posted at NewsBusters by Warner Todd Huston, July 19, 2006
In a misleading expose on the various "end times" religious concepts that are increasingly in the news today, the L.A. Times' Louis Sahagun; conflates Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's violent 12th Imam ravings with several different Christian and Jewish end times concepts as if the ideas are one and the same when, in reality, they aren't even comparable.
Ignoring clear Biblical claims that no man shall know when the end times are near, (Matthew 24:35-36) Sahagun focuses on the minority of Christian leaders who claim that despite that Biblical injunction it must be near. But if it isn't they want to attempt to bring it about. Sahagun warns us...
"Their end game is to speed the promised arrival of a messiah."
After briefly mentioning Christian, Jewish and Ahmadinejad's concepts, Sahagun attempts to loosely link them all together.
"Linking these efforts is a belief that modern technologies and global communications have made it possible to induce completion of God's plan within this generation."
After this line, though, one would imagine the piece would inform us about all these "modern technologies" and how similarly they are being used to advance the end times, but the piece is oddly re-directed to further highlight the apocalyptic visions of a minority of today's Christianity and the "modern technologies" aspect is dropped for the more sensational.
After going on paragraph after paragraph about these end of times concepts Sahagun's focus on these plans makes it seem as if the entire Christian community is coalesced on creating the conditions for the end times and he fails to highlight the material differences between the various concepts. With the most egregious example, Sahagun fails to delineate the difference between the Christian ideas and that of Ahmadinijad. The 12th Imam theory is one of violence, where all nations will be conquered and forced to convert to Islam, whereas the Christian claim is of merely waiting for prophecy to be fulfilled with Christians but informing the world of what is to come -- no force, no oppression, no violence on their part.
Sahagun also perpetuates the canard that Christians think all Jews must be destroyed, too.
"But when asked to comment on the fate of non-Christians upon the Second Coming of Jesus, he said, 'That's a very embarrassing question. What can I tell you? That's a very terrible Christian idea. What kind of religion is it that expects another religion will be destroyed?'"
Unfortunately for the reader's clarity, Sahagun neglects to mention that no Christian theology claims that it will be Christians doing this destroying, but that it is God's will, not theirs be done. Unlike that of Islam that says the Muslims should take a direct hand in such violence, Christians take a more pacifistic view of preparing for the end times than do Muslims.
Close to the end of the piece, Sahagun does finally hint that not all Christians are as far out as most he describes in his article.
"So, are all of these efforts to hasten the end of the world a bit like, well, playing God? Some Christians, such as Roman Catholics and some Protestant denominations, believe in the Second Coming but don't try to advance it. It's important to be ready for the Second Coming, they say, although its timetable cannot be manipulated."
Unfortunately he uses words like "some" when describing the less driven Christians but eschews such exculpatory language when describing those he obviously feels are nuts in the rest of the piece, causing the reader to imagine those Sahagun thinks are sane are farther and fewer between than the more agitated variety of Christian end times theorist he highlights.
In a final indignity, quoting Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, vice president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership in New York, Sahagun attempts to paint Christians as racists.
"Trouble is, there are many people who want to bring a messiah who looks just like them. For me, that kind of messianism is spiritual narcissism."
Are we to expect that Rabbi Hirschfield imagines his Messiah, the one that Judaism is still expecting to come, might arrive from Harlem, rapping his way to the rebuilt Temple Mount, or perhaps he might be a kindly Buddhist from Japan in a nice orange robe? No, likely the good Rabbi imagines that his expected Messiah will be a Jew, someone who is just like Hirschfield.
All in all this is a barely disguised hit piece on Christianity where Sahagun highlights some wild-eyed, end times theories and leads the reader to imagine that every Christian is a racist, Jew hater that wants to bring about Armageddon.
Funny, though, how Ahmadinejad's Armageddon, the one where the sword of Allah will cleanse the world of non-believers, is only described with no judgmental language attached, whereas Christian's version is called "a very terrible Christian idea".
External links to NewsBusters: Warner Todd Huston's blog Categories: Los Angeles Times Religion
Technorati Tags: Christians ... Ahmadinejad ... Liberalism ... Politically Correct ... Bias ... LA Times ... Jewish ... 12th Imam ... California ... Religion ... Freedom ... Leftist ... Politics ... Iran ... Israel ... US ... journalists ... Opinion
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Sniper update
Hat tip to TTHOMAS 48 over at Stop the ACLU for providing information on how to search more effectively for "phoenix sniper." Unfortunately last night when I read the initial report off the AFP wire, I did not google "phoenix sniper news" when looking for information on the "Phoenix Snipers." Instead, I used the basic web search and came up with nothing at the time.
TTHOMAS 48, Thank you. I learned something new about effective google news searches. Use the news option instead of the web option.
The Phoenix Sniper story was regionalized for a time. As TTHOMAS 48 pointed out, perhaps it was overshadowed by the news about the Middle East. Now, the story is beginning to get national attention. In reviewing other news articles, I discovered that the Phoenix snipers have been active for quite some time. Apparently the snipers started by shooting livestock and worked their way up to human targets. I am hoping some of our Phoenix area readers will comment on their experiences and how the public is looking at it in the city of Phoenix.
The questions are, "Do you think it is crime or domestic terrorism? How do we differentiate between the two?" When the DC Snipers started their reign of terror, they started small by experimenting on how to kill and worked up the nerve to go big time. By the time they reached Montgomery County, Maryland, they were lunatics on a mission to create terror and havoc.
Lets go back to a classic example of a domestic terror that struck Japan in 1995:
The religious cult, AUM Shinrikyo (オウム真理教, literally, “AUM the True Teaching”) committed five coordinated attacks using sarin gas in the Tokyo subway. After the attacks, the Japanese police started looking at other unusual “crimes” and discovered that AUM Shinrikyo had experimented with various ways to kill, including testing ways to release Sarin gas and perfecting the elivery methods.
They used animals before they targeted and killed humans. Aum Shinriko also experimented with other poisons. The other "unusual" crimes were aired on the news but appeared random. No one connected the dots until later.
The police in Phoenix do not know who or what they are dealing with at the present time. Any readers in the Phoenix area, please let us know what is going on from your prospective.
Addition information on the Phoenix Snipers:
Phoenix Killings Spark Serial Killer Scare
PHOENIX, Arizona People aren't going out alone at night anymore. Co-workers are walking to their cars in pairs in the evenings ... The killings and wounding of at least 16 other people evoked the terror of the 2002 Washington-area sniper shootings ... WINK TV 27 minutes ago
Fifteen minutes in Havana
The sniper," I said. My trip had coincided with the Washington-area sniper shootings. The killings were covered even in Cuba ... avoid dying of thirst in the Arizona desert, or try to look after Mexican citizens' practical needs at consulates in Phoenix ... Chillico Gazette 7/18/2006
SNIPER PARALYSES PHOENIX
A series of sniper-style murders, rapes and robberies has paralyzed the south-western US city of Phoenix, Arizona as police remain unable to find clues to the crime wave. Police are searching for two distinct shooters believed responsible for 11 ... Special Broadcast Service 19 hours ago
The freedom to leave one's country
The sniper,'' I said. My trip had coincided with the Washington-area sniper shootings. The killings were covered even in Cuba ... avoid dying of thirst in the Arizona desert, or try to look after Mexican citizens' practical needs at consulates in Phoenix ... Centre Daily 22 hours ago
Mystery killers throw Phoenix into terror
PHOENIX, Arizona - People aren't going out alone at night anymore. Co-workers are walking to their cars in pairs in the evenings ... The killings and wounding of at least 16 other people evoked the terror of the 2002 Washington-area sniper shootings ... Long Beach Press-Telegram 7/17/2006
Killings terrorizing Phoenix
PHOENIX, Arizona - People aren't going out alone at night anymore. Co-workers are walking to their cars in pairs in the evenings ... The killings and wounding of at least 16 other people evoked the terror of the 2002 Washington-area sniper shootings ... Charleston Post & Courier 7/15/2006
Police rely on tips, criminals' slip-ups
Phoenix police have been trying to get to the bottom of a series of violent crimes linked to two assailants. The "Baseline ... Sniper case was a faulty lead resulting from media pressure, said Lucille Baur, a civilian worker in the Montgomery County ... AZCentral.com (Registration Required) 7/16/2006
Technorati Tags: Phoenix ... Sniper ... Armed ... Violent Crime ... Arizona ... Guardian Angel ... Domestic Terrorism.
TTHOMAS 48, Thank you. I learned something new about effective google news searches. Use the news option instead of the web option.
The Phoenix Sniper story was regionalized for a time. As TTHOMAS 48 pointed out, perhaps it was overshadowed by the news about the Middle East. Now, the story is beginning to get national attention. In reviewing other news articles, I discovered that the Phoenix snipers have been active for quite some time. Apparently the snipers started by shooting livestock and worked their way up to human targets. I am hoping some of our Phoenix area readers will comment on their experiences and how the public is looking at it in the city of Phoenix.
The questions are, "Do you think it is crime or domestic terrorism? How do we differentiate between the two?" When the DC Snipers started their reign of terror, they started small by experimenting on how to kill and worked up the nerve to go big time. By the time they reached Montgomery County, Maryland, they were lunatics on a mission to create terror and havoc.
Lets go back to a classic example of a domestic terror that struck Japan in 1995:
The religious cult, AUM Shinrikyo (オウム真理教, literally, “AUM the True Teaching”) committed five coordinated attacks using sarin gas in the Tokyo subway. After the attacks, the Japanese police started looking at other unusual “crimes” and discovered that AUM Shinrikyo had experimented with various ways to kill, including testing ways to release Sarin gas and perfecting the elivery methods.
They used animals before they targeted and killed humans. Aum Shinriko also experimented with other poisons. The other "unusual" crimes were aired on the news but appeared random. No one connected the dots until later.
The police in Phoenix do not know who or what they are dealing with at the present time. Any readers in the Phoenix area, please let us know what is going on from your prospective.
Addition information on the Phoenix Snipers:
Phoenix Killings Spark Serial Killer Scare
PHOENIX, Arizona People aren't going out alone at night anymore. Co-workers are walking to their cars in pairs in the evenings ... The killings and wounding of at least 16 other people evoked the terror of the 2002 Washington-area sniper shootings ... WINK TV 27 minutes ago
Fifteen minutes in Havana
The sniper," I said. My trip had coincided with the Washington-area sniper shootings. The killings were covered even in Cuba ... avoid dying of thirst in the Arizona desert, or try to look after Mexican citizens' practical needs at consulates in Phoenix ... Chillico Gazette 7/18/2006
SNIPER PARALYSES PHOENIX
A series of sniper-style murders, rapes and robberies has paralyzed the south-western US city of Phoenix, Arizona as police remain unable to find clues to the crime wave. Police are searching for two distinct shooters believed responsible for 11 ... Special Broadcast Service 19 hours ago
The freedom to leave one's country
The sniper,'' I said. My trip had coincided with the Washington-area sniper shootings. The killings were covered even in Cuba ... avoid dying of thirst in the Arizona desert, or try to look after Mexican citizens' practical needs at consulates in Phoenix ... Centre Daily 22 hours ago
Mystery killers throw Phoenix into terror
PHOENIX, Arizona - People aren't going out alone at night anymore. Co-workers are walking to their cars in pairs in the evenings ... The killings and wounding of at least 16 other people evoked the terror of the 2002 Washington-area sniper shootings ... Long Beach Press-Telegram 7/17/2006
Killings terrorizing Phoenix
PHOENIX, Arizona - People aren't going out alone at night anymore. Co-workers are walking to their cars in pairs in the evenings ... The killings and wounding of at least 16 other people evoked the terror of the 2002 Washington-area sniper shootings ... Charleston Post & Courier 7/15/2006
Police rely on tips, criminals' slip-ups
Phoenix police have been trying to get to the bottom of a series of violent crimes linked to two assailants. The "Baseline ... Sniper case was a faulty lead resulting from media pressure, said Lucille Baur, a civilian worker in the Montgomery County ... AZCentral.com (Registration Required) 7/16/2006
Technorati Tags: Phoenix ... Sniper ... Armed ... Violent Crime ... Arizona ... Guardian Angel ... Domestic Terrorism.
Does Hezbollah have the ability to strike the US??
According to a Reuters report dated July 18th, Iran's Hezbollah party, which claims links to Hezbollah in Lebanese, said that it stood ready to attack Israeli and U.S. interests worldwide. Reuters Link
In the meantime, the FBI is trying to ferret out possible Hezbollah agents in the United States amid concerns that rising U.S.-Iranian tensions could trigger attacks on American soil.
American law enforcement officials are concerned the Lebanon-based Hezbollah, which has so far focused on fund-raising and other support activities inside the United States, could turn to violence in solidarity with Iran. Link to Reuters
A name recently resurfaced in our news media but did not get much attention: Imad Fayez Mugniyah (one of the leaders of Hezbollah security organization). Mugniyah has been active on the terrorism circuit for the past 20 years. According to Laura Mansfield's Notebook, America's Truth Forum, there appears to be striking similarities between Mugniyah's brand of terrorism for the past 20 years and the practices of the present-day terrorists in Iraq.
Mugniyah allegedly has been tied to kidnappings and bombings throughout the world over the past two decades, including the following:
▪ April 18, 1983 bombing of the United States embassy in Beirut, which killed 63 people including 17 Americans
▪ October 23, 1983 simultaneous truck bombings against the French paratroopers and US Marine killing 58 French soldiers and 241 Marines.
▪ September 20, 1984, he attacked the US embassy annex building.
▪ Linked to the numerous kidnappings of Westerners in Beirut through the 1980s – some were killed, some by beheading, and a few were eventually released
▪ March 17, 1992 bombings of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires Argentina, which killed 29
▪ July 1994 bombing of the AMIA cultural building in in Buenos Aires Argentina, killing 86 people
▪ Orchestrated the 2000 abductions of three Israeli soldiers in the southern part of Lebanon
▪ Abduction of Israeli Colonel Elchanan Tenenbaum. Source: Laura Mansfield
As was seen in Hezbollah's South American operations in 1992 and 1994, Hezbollah appears to have been busy in our Western Hemisphere.
In 2002, Jeffrey Goldberg, reporter-at-large for The New Yorker magazine did an interesting 2- part article, "IN THE PARTY OF GOD" that included Hezbollah operations in South America and the United States:
- Part 1 - Are terrorists in Lebanon preparing for a larger war?
- Part 2 - Hezbollah sets up operations in South America and the United States
Here is an excerpt from Part 2 of Goldberg's article:
"Roughly two hundred thousand people live in the Ciudad del Este region, including a substantial minority of Arab Muslims; in the Triple Frontier zone, there may be as many as thirty thousand. According to intelligence officials in the region and in Washington, this Muslim community has in its midst a hard core of terrorists, many of them associated with Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite group backed by the Iranian government; some with Hamas, the Palestinian fundamentalist group; and some with Al Qaeda. It is, over all, a community under the influence of extreme Islamic beliefs; intelligence officials told me that some of the Triple Frontier Arabs held celebrations on September 11th of last year and also on the anniversary this year. These officials said that Hezbollah runs weekend training camps on farms cut out of the rain forest of the Triple Frontier. In at least one of these camps, in the remote jungle terrain near Foz do Iguaçu, young adults get weapons training and children are indoctrinated in Hezbollah ideology—a mixture of anti-American and anti-Jewish views inspired by Ayatollah Khomeini.
In the Triple Frontier, Hezbollah raises money from legitimate businesses but, more frequently, from illicit activities, ranging from drug smuggling to the pirating of compact disks. Unlike the other radical Islamic groups in the Triple Frontier, Hezbollah, it is said, has the capability to commit acts of terror."
Part 2 of the series takes place in South America, not, the Middle East. It seems to me that the Atlantic Ocean offers little protection from the spread of terrorism as we witnessed in New York City on September 11, 2001.
We have been very lucky for the past five years. However, the powder keg of Lebanon may have broader ramifications. Does Hezbollah have the ability to strike here?
Be ever vigilant.
Homeland security ... War on terror ... Military ...`Hizbollah ... Hezbullah ... Iran ... Israel ... Terror ... Terrorism ... Terrorist ... Cell ... Lebanon ... US ... FBI ... Law Enforcement ... Laura Mansfield's Notebook ... Iraq ... Buenos Aires ... Argentina ... Jeffrey Goldberg ... news feed ... journalists ... Opinion
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Snipers grip the city of Phoenix in Fear????
Very disturbing story at BREITBART.COM from an AFP newfeed: Snipers grip Phoenix in fear, Dated Jul 18th.
I have not been able to find additional information on this story. Anyone in the Phoenix area who can provide additional information, citizens reactions, or other tips, please email The Bosun directly.
A series of sniper-style murders, rapes and robberies has paralyzed the southwestern desert city of Phoenix, Arizona in fear as police remain unable to find clues to the crime wave. Police are searching for two distinct shooters believed responsible for 11 murders and as many as 37 robberies and sexual assaults since last summer.Please visit the link for information.
Technorati Tags: Phoenix ... Sniper ... Armed ... Violent Crime ... Arizona ... Guardian Angel ... Domestic Terrorism
Monday, July 17, 2006
Rick Roberts Commentary: A Little Perspective
Reposted with permission from Rick Roberts, 760 KFMB AM radio, San Diego, California. For further information about Rick or his points of view, please visit Rick's Blog at 760 KFMB.
DISCLAIMER: The different points of views on the Rick Roberts Blog are not supported nor do they reflect the views and beliefs of the Bosun Locker or any entity affiliated with the Bosun Locker.
Email: rickroberts@kfmb.com
Phone: 1-800-760-KFMB (1-800-760-5362)
Mon-Fri, 6am to 10am, PST.
Newsletter: Sign up for Rick's Newsletter
A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE
Your alarm goes off; you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.
He stays up for days on end.
– –
You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.
– –
You complain of a “headache”, and call in sick.
He gets shot at, as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
– –
You put on your anti war/don’t support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
– –
You make sure you’re cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
– –
You talk trash on your “buddies” that aren’t with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
– –
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
– –
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.
– –
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He does not get to eat today.
– –
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for months, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
– –
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn’t have time to brush his teeth today.
– –
You are angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He is told he will be held an extra 2 months.
—-
You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
——
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love’s perfume.
– –
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they’ll ever meet.
– –
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own government and remembers why he is fighting.
– –
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of the men like him.
He hears the gun fire and bombs.
– –
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the bodies lying around him.
– –
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don’t.
He does what he is told.
– –
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call and write home, sleep, and eat.
– –
You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gun fire.
– –
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is a worse place because of men like him. If only there were more men like him
Technorati Tags: Liberalism ... Politically Correct ... armed forces ... San Diego ... military ... USMC ... US Army ... Navy ... California ... Air Force ... Freedom ... Politics ... Rick Roberts
Category: Military.
DISCLAIMER: The different points of views on the Rick Roberts Blog are not supported nor do they reflect the views and beliefs of the Bosun Locker or any entity affiliated with the Bosun Locker.
Email: rickroberts@kfmb.comPhone: 1-800-760-KFMB (1-800-760-5362)
Mon-Fri, 6am to 10am, PST.
Newsletter: Sign up for Rick's Newsletter
Hundreds of you have requested a transcript of Rick Roberts' “I Want My Country Back” rant. You can get to the blog entry by CLICKING HERE. Feel free to post it on every blog you read, and e-mail it to every friend you have. If you would like to listen to it, CLICK HERE. You can also sign our ONLINE PETITION and get an official Rick Roberts KFMB AM radio "I want my country back" bumper sticker by CLICKING HERE.
Published By Rick Roberts, at his site, KFMB Radio AM, San Diego
A little background information on the follow post. Rick Roberts received this in his KFMB AM e-mail and thought it says it all. Rick wanted to share it with all of you. So, I obliged him and have cross-posting it here for more exposure.A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE
Your alarm goes off; you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.
He stays up for days on end.
– –
You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.
– –
You complain of a “headache”, and call in sick.
He gets shot at, as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
– –
You put on your anti war/don’t support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
– –
You make sure you’re cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
– –
You talk trash on your “buddies” that aren’t with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
– –
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
– –
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.
– –
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He does not get to eat today.
– –
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for months, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
– –
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn’t have time to brush his teeth today.
– –
You are angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He is told he will be held an extra 2 months.
—-
You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
——
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love’s perfume.
– –
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they’ll ever meet.
– –
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own government and remembers why he is fighting.
– –
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of the men like him.
He hears the gun fire and bombs.
– –
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the bodies lying around him.
– –
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don’t.
He does what he is told.
– –
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call and write home, sleep, and eat.
– –
You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gun fire.
– –
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is a worse place because of men like him. If only there were more men like him
Technorati Tags: Liberalism ... Politically Correct ... armed forces ... San Diego ... military ... USMC ... US Army ... Navy ... California ... Air Force ... Freedom ... Politics ... Rick Roberts
Category: Military.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
We are at war: Newt Gingrich, July 15th 2006
"This is World War III," Gingrich said. And once that's accepted, he said calls for restraint would fall away:
"Israel wouldn't leave southern Lebanon as long as there was a single missile there. I would go in and clean them all out and I would announce that any Iranian airplane trying to bring missiles to re-supply them would be shot down. This idea that we have this one-sided war where the other team gets to plan how to kill us and we get to talk, is nuts." For the rest of the story please visit the Seattle Times
"Israel wouldn't leave southern Lebanon as long as there was a single missile there. I would go in and clean them all out and I would announce that any Iranian airplane trying to bring missiles to re-supply them would be shot down. This idea that we have this one-sided war where the other team gets to plan how to kill us and we get to talk, is nuts." For the rest of the story please visit the Seattle Times
Are Iranian soldiers firing Katyushas into Israel??
According to an article in the World Net Daily (WND), Iranian Revolutionary Guard Units reportedly stationed in Lebanon fired many of the Hezbollah missiles that have slammed into the Jewish state the past few days. WND cites "multiple sources."
Technorati Tags: Homeland Security ... War ... War on Terror ... Axis of Evil ... Military ... World War III ... Hizbullah ... Iran ... Lebanon ... Israel ... Hezbollah ... Ehud Olmert
Over 150 Katyusha rockets have bombarded northern Israeli towns since Israel started retaliating inside Lebanon this past Wednesday following a Hezbollah raid in which two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped and three soldiers were killed.This escalation of terror by the islamofacists and quite possibly Iran is a significant development.
The major port city of Haifa, Israel's third largest population center, was struck Thursday night, marking the furthest a Hezbollah rocket ever traveled inside Israel and placing over 2 million residents toward the north of the country within rocket range.
Israeli security officials told WND today they have "concrete information" Iranian soldiers stationed at Hezbollah positions in Lebanon have aided in efforts to fire missiles into Israel since Wednesday.
Jordanian officials told WND they are "100 percent sure" Iranian Revolutionary Guard unit soldiers have fired rockets into Israel. They also said the Syrian army has provided Hezbollah with intelligence information on the locations of strategic Israeli targets to aid in Hezbollah rocket fire. Source: World Net Daily
Contrary to the liberal and dhimmis agenda, we are ALL THREATENED by the developments in the Middle East islamofacism ambitions. Quote: Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel, ACLJWe must stand united in our resolve in the war on terror.
Technorati Tags: Homeland Security ... War ... War on Terror ... Axis of Evil ... Military ... World War III ... Hizbullah ... Iran ... Lebanon ... Israel ... Hezbollah ... Ehud Olmert
ACLJ calls for Solidarity in War on Terror
I am passing on an email from Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel, American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ.)
Dear Americans,
It is not "just a story" on the evening news. The violence is real. The innocent lives taken are real. The bombs ... rockets ... missiles ... and air strikes are real.
The conflict between Hezbollah terrorists and Israel is quickly escalating to an all-out war.
As I was leaving Israel for our law offices in Strasbourg, France, the intensity of the attacks along the northern border of Israel was increasing significantly.
While the people of Israel have endured - and are accustomed to - the continuous conflict, this latest situation is perhaps the most severe threat in over a decade.
And even though it is taking place thousands of miles away from America - and doesn't involve U.S. citizens or our military ...
... what is happening in Lebanon today against Israel is our concern.
I have met with our European Center for Law and Justice staff concerning the international reaction to Israel's defense, and I have instructed our Washington, D.C., office to take immediate action as well.
Our legal team in Washington is in contact with U.S. officials to show solidarity and support for the nation of Israel.
Please understand: this recent wave of terrorism and violence in the Middle East is a direct threat to our freedom as Americans. The ongoing aggression against Israel could even prevent America from building a coalition to fight against terrorist strongholds in Iraq and elsewhere.
Our freedom is literally at stake!
As we know from experience, when terrorists are allowed to thrive in any nation, we are ALL THREATENED. Any attack on Israel is an attack on freedom - and freedom attacked anywhere is freedom attacked everywhere.
This is why we cannot turn our backs on Israel. For the sake of religious freedom, for the sake of personal liberties, we must support Israel's battle against terrorists.
We must stand united in our resolve, so please use the online forward-to-friend tool to alert your friends and family as well. Get the message out to anyone who believes in freedom and liberty. We need as many signatures as possible to show strong support for what is right ... for freedom.
Thank you!
Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel, jsekulow@aclj.org
Center for Law and Justice
P.O. Box 90555, Washington, D.C. 20090-0555
Phone: (800) 296-4529
Copyright©2006, ACLJ Privacy & Security Policy
Technorati Tags:homeland security ... war ... war on terror ... axis of evil ... military ... world war III ... hizbullah ... transfer ... soldiers ... iran ... lebanon ... israel ... hezbollah ... Ehud Olmert
Friday, July 14, 2006
Israel: Act of War
"This was an act of war." Thus Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert succinctly summarized the facts, the law, and the consequences of the raid Wednesday by the Lebanese terrorist group-cum-governing-partner Hezbollah into Israeli sovereign territory that resulted in the abduction of two Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers.The article, Israel: "Act of War" was reposted with permission from the editors of TSC Daily.
DISCLAIMER: The different points of views of TSC Daily or it’s contributors are not supported nor do they reflect the views and beliefs of the Bosun Locker or any entity affiliated with the Bosun Locker.
By J. Peter Pham & Michael I. Krauss : BIO 13 Jul 2006
Olmert is correct in the careful distinction that he made, one that has been unfortunately lost on many in the media and even on the White House. The Hezbollah action was "not a terrorist attack but the action of a sovereign state that attacked Israel for no reason and without provocation" -- that is, a pure casus belli. As Olmert patiently tried to explain to the media, "Lebanon is responsible and it will bear responsibility." After Hamas's incursion near Gaza, Israel has been attacked in two locations, by two governments.J. Peter Pham is director of the Nelson Institute for International and Public Affairs at James Madison University. Michael I. Krauss is professor of law at George Mason University School of Law. Both are adjunct fellows of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Sinioura's claim that his government was "not aware of and does not take responsibility for, nor endorses what happened" at what he conceded was "the international border" of another sovereign nation rings hollow considering his was the first ever government in Beirut to bring Hezbollah into its cabinet. The Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, who claimed responsibility for the attack on Israel was Mr. Sinioura's chief interlocutor in the negotiations to set up his cabinet last summer.
In fact, since then, as we have previously noted, the Lebanese government has allowed Hezbollah to control Lebanon's border with Israel, and to act as a government in the largely Shiite southern part of the country. In so doing, Beirut ignored a United Nations resolution calling upon it to assume control of its frontiers and to disarm the terrorist group. Note that pleas of helplessness are unacceptable; the Lebanese government has never invoked its inability to control its territory or asked for foreign assistance in fulfilling its obligations. No, Hezbollah controls its territory as part and parcel of Lebanese sovereignty. That case is closed. Israel was invaded by a foreign power. That foreign power killed Israelis and kidnapped soldiers. Israel has demanded the soldiers' safe return (and, we presume, the rendition of the invaders for punishment in Israel). Lebanon has declined to help, which would have been the only way to rescind the casus belli. Israel is now free, indeed obliged by its own sovereignty, to use all necessary force to accomplish this goal.
Beyond Lebanon's responsibility, of course, Syria and Iran are also sine qua non causes of the invasion of Israel. The former, despite its much ballyhooed withdrawal from Lebanon last year still, exercises considerable influence and enables Iran, as we pointed out last week, to reinforce its Hezbollah client. A strong legal case can now be made that Iran and Syria have become legitimate targets of Israeli self-defense.
So war it is -- a war of self-defense against unlawful Lebanese aggression in which the Israeli government has the obligation to its citizens to inflict maximum damage to the infrastructure of those who have attacked them. But this responsibility is not Israel's alone. If the international community wishes to vindicate those most sacrosanct principles of national sovereignty and the right to self-defense, it must assist Israel. It must condemn the attack and demand both the safe return of the IDF soldiers and the bringing to justice of all Lebanese officials who have been complicit in this act of war. It must demand the dismantling of the Hezbollah infrastructure, which it has already (toothlessly) called for.
Of course, we do not hold our breaths for the UN to do what it must. Its new Human Rights Council was elected in May with high hopes that it would stop coddling human-rights abusers tolerating atrocities (e.g., Darfur) as its predecessor, the disgraced Human Rights Commission, had done. With streamlined membership and new rules, there were claims that things would be different. The UN's new council finished its first session recently. So how did it do? Did it call on the world to get tough on human-rights abuses in China? Oops. No. China's on the Council panel. How about the abysmal state of women's rights in Saudi Arabia (see our description here)? Sorry. Saudi Arabia's a member too. Russia? Cuba? Sorry. They're members. No, the Council panel took direct aim at a familiar target: Israel.
The Cold War preceding World War III arguably began when Iranians occupied the US Embassy in Tehran under Jimmy Carter. It's just heated up immeasurably, as a bastion of the West has been formally attacked twice. Time for all good nations to come to the aid of freedom.
I would be amiss if I did not give a a special thanks and a job well done to the editors of TSC Daily and it’s contributors. Please visit TSC Daily for other interesting and though provoking articles. You may also sign up for daily emails and other advance services directly from TSC Daily. If you are a producer or reporter who is interested in receiving more information about this article or the author, please email your request to interview@tcsdaily.com
Technorati Tags:homeland security ... war ... war on terror ... axis of evil ... military ... world war III ... hizbullah ... transfer ... soldiers ... iran ... lebanon ... israel ... hezbollah ... Ehud Olmert
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Mumbai: Deadly Numerology
Terrorists didn't need to conduct a detailed reconnaissance. The commuter trains of Mumbai (Bombay), India, classify as a "very soft target." This article, Mumbai: Deadly Numerology, was reposted with permission from the editors of TSC Daily.
DISCLAIMER: The different points of views on TSC Daily or it's contributors are not supported nor do they reflect the views and beliefs of the Bosun Locker or any entity affiliated with the Bosun Locker.
By Austin Bay, : BIO 12 Jul 2006
DISCLAIMER: The different points of views on TSC Daily or it's contributors are not supported nor do they reflect the views and beliefs of the Bosun Locker or any entity affiliated with the Bosun Locker.
By Austin Bay, : BIO 12 Jul 2006
Please visit TSC Daily for other interesting and though provoking articles. You may also sign up for daily emails and other advance services directly from TSC Daily. If you are a producer or reporter who is interested in receiving more information about this article or the author, please email your request to interview@tcsdaily.comAccording to Indian government statistics, 6 million people a day ride Mumbai's commuter trains. Checking every bag and briefcase is simply a logistical impossibility.
As an operation, India's 7-11 repeats methods and techniques exploited in London's 7-7 and Madrid's 3-11 -- serial bombs detonated on mass public transportation. The Madrid Method is a proven, blood-soaked concept -- scatter a few time bombs on city trains, and high explosive wreaks its deadly evil. The Mumbai attack also echoes the 9-11 attack on lower Manhattan, for Mumbai is India's financial center. Bombing a financial center exacts an immediate international economic cost.
As I write this column, no terrorist organization has "claimed responsibility" for what Indian police describe as a "coordinated" terrorist act. Initial police reports indicated the bombs exploded over a six-minute period during the evening rush hour. Several Indian states placed their police and security forces on high alert to prevent further attacks.
Americans will immediately think of al-Qaeda and point to the hideous numerology -- 9-11, 3-11, 7-7, 7-11 -- as a clue. Roll sevens and 11s on the dice table, and the shooter wins. Terrorists use mass murder to create fear and chaos. If the public begins to dread seven and 11 on the calendar, international terrorists will consider that a psychological victory.
Al-Qaeda, or an al-Qaeda affiliate, may well be involved in the murders. Polyglot, poly-ethnic India, however, confronts an array of homegrown ethnic, religious and political zealots with track records in terrorism.
Violent Hindu separatist groups have been implicated in past bomb plots. The terrorist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are based in Sri Lanka -- the island nation off India's southern coast. The Tigers tend to focus their terror on fellow Sri Lankans.
In May 1991, however, they assassinated Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Ghandi. The LTTE arguably invented modern suicide terror attacks.The Tiger assassin wore a suicide explosive belt. Ghandi was killed while campaigning in India's state of Tamil Nadu.
Islamic radicals have repeatedly attacked India. For 50 years, India and Pakistan have been battling over Kashmir -- and in 1965, the two nations fought a full-scale war over the religiously divided region. In December 2001, Islamist gunmen attacked India's parliament building in New Delhi. Islamist radicals consider Kashmir to be one of the holiest of holy wars. They seek to derail any Indian and Pakistani diplomatic rapprochement. Launching attacks in India stymies any peaceful resolution.
Mumbai attracts attention in India. The city is wealthy. It's a media center and the headquarters of the Indian "Bollywood" movie industry. In the early 1990s, Mumbai suffered a series of bomb explosions that Indian government later blamed on criminal gangs. In 2003, a bomb killed 11 people on a train there. In August of that year, two car bombs killed 60.
In the last decade, India's economy has grown -- at times spectacularly. As the world's largest democracy, India serves as a political example to other developing nations who confront ethnic divisions, illiteracy and poverty.
Terrorists of all stripes despise democracy, for democracy means having to respect the interests of human beings who are political opponents. Rattling India seeds doubt in the fragile nation-states of the developing world.
But don't expect India to waver. New Delhi is already an ally in the War on Terror. In fact, Indians argue that the United States is the Johnny-come-lately to the war against Islamo-fascists.
In a public statement following the attacks, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh vowed to "fight and defeat the evil designs of terrorists."
Believe him.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Update on Man Allowed to Board Aircraft
In yesterday's Houston Chronicle story, 'HPD, airport security at odds over incident ', a traveler at the Houston Hobby airport was apparently deceptive when Transportation Security Agency (TSA) screeners asked if he had a laptop computer in his baggage, an X-ray machine operator detected a laptop after he apparently indicated that he did not. Upon further examination, screeners claimed that they found a clock with a 9-volt battery taped to it in his luggage and examined the man's shoes. The shoes were described by the TSA screener to be "hollowed out."
In today's follow-up article, 'Screeners' actions at Hobby questioned', it appears to people in authority are looking at TSA screener's actions or inactions instead of analyzing if this incident was a probe or a dry run on airport security, except for Representative John Culberson, R-Houston.
Representative Gene Green D-Houston did his typical liberal tolerant act by asking the question (and insinuating blame on TSA), why did (TSA) baggage screeners defer to a Houston police officer instead of using their authority to keep a man (they suspected of carrying bomb parts) from boarding a plane at Hobby Airport.
Staffers for Representative John Culberson, R-Houston, went a step further and are seeking explanations from the FBI and TSA about what happened. Thank you for trying to get to the bottom of the problem, Representative Culberson.
In the meantime, a TSA spokeswoman indicated that TSA security officers acted in accordance with their training and protocols. The Houston Police Department chimed in that the shoes were old and worn, not "hollowed out" like the screener claims. The police officer defended his actions and his representatives indicated that the clock worked when the battery was inserted, but did not ask why the battery taped to the outside of the clock to begin with. According to the news article, nobody asked why the man originally indicated that there was no computer in his carry-on baggage. Now others are also second guessing the TSA screener.
A security expert commented that: "The idea that TSA is going to stop, randomly, people who happen to be carrying an alarm or a laptop or are not wearing brand-new shoes seems a bit excessive, ......... It sounds like they need to revise their training procedures of who and what to look for." Remember, the famous Shoe Bomber, Richard Reid, was originally questioned and missed his flight from Paris to Miami on December 21, 2001, after French security agent becomes suspicious because he (Reid) was traveling without checked luggage. Those security agents cleared Reid to board the next days flight. On December 22, 2001, about 90 minutes into the flight, Reid tried light explosives hidden in his shoes. Reid had successfully eluded airport security procedures when they were already suspicious of him. Could this scenario happen again?
Sounds to me that what we have here is an old standoff between the Houston police, TSA, and other government agencies in Houston. Everyone is looking for a fall guy and the TSA screener is a likely candidate. Perhaps the man in Houston had a legitimate reason to act the way he did, perhaps he did not.
Were the man's shoes "hollowed out" or worn out? Was this current situation a probe or dry run on airport security?
TSA has been on the job for three years. Now we have to answer the question, "Do they (TSA) have the authority and backing of their officials to deny a traveler from boarding a flight or not?"
One has to hope that the authorities involved have learned from this situation and will fix any flawed procedures that they have discovered.
Previous Post: Man allowed to board aircraft appeared to have bomb components
Technorati Tags: Airport Security... TSA ... Security Screeners ... Bomb Components ... Airline Safety ... Travel ... Houston Police ... Friendly Skies ... Shoe Bomber ... Richard Reid ... Delta Airlines ... HPD
In today's follow-up article, 'Screeners' actions at Hobby questioned', it appears to people in authority are looking at TSA screener's actions or inactions instead of analyzing if this incident was a probe or a dry run on airport security, except for Representative John Culberson, R-Houston.
Representative Gene Green D-Houston did his typical liberal tolerant act by asking the question (and insinuating blame on TSA), why did (TSA) baggage screeners defer to a Houston police officer instead of using their authority to keep a man (they suspected of carrying bomb parts) from boarding a plane at Hobby Airport.
Staffers for Representative John Culberson, R-Houston, went a step further and are seeking explanations from the FBI and TSA about what happened. Thank you for trying to get to the bottom of the problem, Representative Culberson.
In the meantime, a TSA spokeswoman indicated that TSA security officers acted in accordance with their training and protocols. The Houston Police Department chimed in that the shoes were old and worn, not "hollowed out" like the screener claims. The police officer defended his actions and his representatives indicated that the clock worked when the battery was inserted, but did not ask why the battery taped to the outside of the clock to begin with. According to the news article, nobody asked why the man originally indicated that there was no computer in his carry-on baggage. Now others are also second guessing the TSA screener.
A security expert commented that: "The idea that TSA is going to stop, randomly, people who happen to be carrying an alarm or a laptop or are not wearing brand-new shoes seems a bit excessive, ......... It sounds like they need to revise their training procedures of who and what to look for." Remember, the famous Shoe Bomber, Richard Reid, was originally questioned and missed his flight from Paris to Miami on December 21, 2001, after French security agent becomes suspicious because he (Reid) was traveling without checked luggage. Those security agents cleared Reid to board the next days flight. On December 22, 2001, about 90 minutes into the flight, Reid tried light explosives hidden in his shoes. Reid had successfully eluded airport security procedures when they were already suspicious of him. Could this scenario happen again?
Sounds to me that what we have here is an old standoff between the Houston police, TSA, and other government agencies in Houston. Everyone is looking for a fall guy and the TSA screener is a likely candidate. Perhaps the man in Houston had a legitimate reason to act the way he did, perhaps he did not.
Were the man's shoes "hollowed out" or worn out? Was this current situation a probe or dry run on airport security?
TSA has been on the job for three years. Now we have to answer the question, "Do they (TSA) have the authority and backing of their officials to deny a traveler from boarding a flight or not?"
One has to hope that the authorities involved have learned from this situation and will fix any flawed procedures that they have discovered.
Previous Post: Man allowed to board aircraft appeared to have bomb components
Technorati Tags: Airport Security... TSA ... Security Screeners ... Bomb Components ... Airline Safety ... Travel ... Houston Police ... Friendly Skies ... Shoe Bomber ... Richard Reid ... Delta Airlines ... HPD
Man allowed to board aircraft appeared to have bomb components
Hat tip to: Doug Hagmann, Director, Northeast Intelligence Network.
According to a Houston Chronicle article, ' HPD, airport security at odds over incident,' on June 26th, a man was allowed to board a Delta Airlines flight after being stopped at the airport security screening area with what appeared to be suspected bomb components. The man was allowed to board a Delta Airlines plane with what was described as "hollowed out shoes, a computer in his carry-on luggage that he originally denied having, and a clock with a 9-volt battery taped to it." Apparently a screener examined the man's shoes and determined that the "entire soles of both shoes were gutted out." Upon further examination, no explosive material was detected, the paper said.
A police officer was dispatched to the airport security screening area and questioned the man. The officer then cleared the man for travel saying that he had no probable cause to hold the man. A Transportation Security Agency (TSA) screener disagreed with the officer and indicted that man's shoes were tampered with and he had components of (a bomb) except for the explosives. To make matters worst, the officer apparently was not able to check the man's criminal background because of computer problems. The official position of Houston police department is. "Our job is not to be the gatekeepers," a police spokesman said. "That burden falls squarely on the airline and TSA to make that final decision."
The FBI was ultimately called and cleared the man of any wrongdoing, adding that "no federal laws were broken and the man did not pose any risk to the aircraft or its passengers." The FBI termed the incident as a "non-event." Source: 'HPD, airport security at odds over incident'
According Northeast Intelligence Network report, 'Incredible Incident at Houston's Hobby Airport' , "Investigators from the Northeast Intelligence Network have been investigating the incident and have tentatively identified the passenger who indeed has an Arabic name, identified the security officers involved and confirmed the contents of the carry-on luggage through the law enforcement sensitive report. Although no one is "officially" talking, our investigation into the incident continues. Federal officials have yet to respond to Northeast Intelligence Network's inquiries for further information pertaining to the suspicious incident... Source: 'Incredible Incident at Houston's Hobby Airport'
Complacency has once again returned to law enforcement authorities and public safety officials. In 03/2006, TSA revised regulations regarding what is allowed in a passenger's carry-on luggage. TSA now allows: Safety Razors (including disposable razors), Scissors - plastic or metal with blunt tips, and Scissors - metal with pointed tips and blades shorter than four inches in length. You may find the revised list of allowed and prohibited articles at the TSA website: Prohibited Items List (English) (Word 281KB) (Revised 3-2-2006): Printable Prohibited Items Brochure (PDF 402KB)
I checked the list and other documents on the TSA website. As you would know it, hollowed out shoes, batteries tapes to clocks and other paraphernalia that this man had in his possession were not on the prohibited list. All he did wrong was to deny having a computer in his possession.
One has to wonder why the man hollowed out his shoes and allegedly lied about his computer. A battery taped to his clock was rather odd, but, was not illegal. Was the man probing airport security, a confused traveler, or was he perhaps a hard headed individual with a bad attitude?
Technorati Tags: Airport Security... TSA ... Security Screeners ... Bomb Components ... Airline Safety ... Travel ... Houston Police ... Friendly Skies ... Delta Airlines ... HPD
According to a Houston Chronicle article, ' HPD, airport security at odds over incident,' on June 26th, a man was allowed to board a Delta Airlines flight after being stopped at the airport security screening area with what appeared to be suspected bomb components. The man was allowed to board a Delta Airlines plane with what was described as "hollowed out shoes, a computer in his carry-on luggage that he originally denied having, and a clock with a 9-volt battery taped to it." Apparently a screener examined the man's shoes and determined that the "entire soles of both shoes were gutted out." Upon further examination, no explosive material was detected, the paper said.
A police officer was dispatched to the airport security screening area and questioned the man. The officer then cleared the man for travel saying that he had no probable cause to hold the man. A Transportation Security Agency (TSA) screener disagreed with the officer and indicted that man's shoes were tampered with and he had components of (a bomb) except for the explosives. To make matters worst, the officer apparently was not able to check the man's criminal background because of computer problems. The official position of Houston police department is. "Our job is not to be the gatekeepers," a police spokesman said. "That burden falls squarely on the airline and TSA to make that final decision."
The FBI was ultimately called and cleared the man of any wrongdoing, adding that "no federal laws were broken and the man did not pose any risk to the aircraft or its passengers." The FBI termed the incident as a "non-event." Source: 'HPD, airport security at odds over incident'
According Northeast Intelligence Network report, 'Incredible Incident at Houston's Hobby Airport' , "Investigators from the Northeast Intelligence Network have been investigating the incident and have tentatively identified the passenger who indeed has an Arabic name, identified the security officers involved and confirmed the contents of the carry-on luggage through the law enforcement sensitive report. Although no one is "officially" talking, our investigation into the incident continues. Federal officials have yet to respond to Northeast Intelligence Network's inquiries for further information pertaining to the suspicious incident... Source: 'Incredible Incident at Houston's Hobby Airport'
Complacency has once again returned to law enforcement authorities and public safety officials. In 03/2006, TSA revised regulations regarding what is allowed in a passenger's carry-on luggage. TSA now allows: Safety Razors (including disposable razors), Scissors - plastic or metal with blunt tips, and Scissors - metal with pointed tips and blades shorter than four inches in length. You may find the revised list of allowed and prohibited articles at the TSA website: Prohibited Items List (English) (Word 281KB) (Revised 3-2-2006): Printable Prohibited Items Brochure (PDF 402KB)
I checked the list and other documents on the TSA website. As you would know it, hollowed out shoes, batteries tapes to clocks and other paraphernalia that this man had in his possession were not on the prohibited list. All he did wrong was to deny having a computer in his possession.
One has to wonder why the man hollowed out his shoes and allegedly lied about his computer. A battery taped to his clock was rather odd, but, was not illegal. Was the man probing airport security, a confused traveler, or was he perhaps a hard headed individual with a bad attitude?
Technorati Tags: Airport Security... TSA ... Security Screeners ... Bomb Components ... Airline Safety ... Travel ... Houston Police ... Friendly Skies ... Delta Airlines ... HPD
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Yemeni court acquits suspected al-Qaeda members
A Yemeni court acquitted 19 alleged al-Qaeda members of charges they plotted to blow up a hotel frequented by Americans, citing a lack of evidence. We are entering a new era in our war on terrorism. President Bush has told us that we must have resolve in winning the war on terrorism. The left has told us to cut and run. There are new complications from a Yemeni judge in San'a, Yemen. The judge has legitimatized Jihad from the bench and issued his own edict or judicial fat'wa.
This appears to be a slight victory for Bin Laden and Al-Zawahiri. Disclaimer: The actual guilt or innocence of the suspects have to been addressed or implied here. One must analyze what the judge has said and done according the news article that appeared in today's Boston Herald:
Technorati Tags: San'a, Yemen ... Yemen ... Sharia ... Jihad ... Islamic law ... Middle East ... Al-Zawahiri ... Bin Laden ... monotheism ... al-Qaeda
This appears to be a slight victory for Bin Laden and Al-Zawahiri. Disclaimer: The actual guilt or innocence of the suspects have to been addressed or implied here. One must analyze what the judge has said and done according the news article that appeared in today's Boston Herald:
Several of the defendants did confess to having been in Iraq to fight U.S. troops there and had Iraqi stamps on their passport, the judge said. "But this does not violate (Yemeni) law," the judge said.It appears that it is going to get worse before it gets better. Sounds like Yemen has its own version of the ACLU and radicalized “leftism.” The radicalized ideology of this flavor of religion of peace is scary...
"Islamic Sharia law permits jihad against occupiers," he said.
Cries of "Allahu akbar"(God is great) rose from behind the bars where the defendants stood, clad in blue prison uniforms. Families received the verdict with cheers and claps. Some burst into tears.
"This (verdict) is a change for the judiciary in Yemen," said Ali al-Kurdi, one of the defendants. "It is fair, something unusual." ... Link to the Boston Herald news article.
Technorati Tags: San'a, Yemen ... Yemen ... Sharia ... Jihad ... Islamic law ... Middle East ... Al-Zawahiri ... Bin Laden ... monotheism ... al-Qaeda
Thursday, July 06, 2006
MEMRI: Saudi Columnist Critiicizes Hamas
Special Dispatch-Palestinian Authority
July 7, 2006
No. 1199
Saudi Columnist on June 25 Gaza Attack: This is a Despicable Attack by Hamas, Which is Acting Like a Terrorist Organization
To view this Special Dispatch in HTML, visit: HTML: Saudi Columnist Criticizes Hamas .
In an article in the Kuwaiti daily Al-Siyassa titled "The Crime at the Kerem Shalom Crossing," Saudi columnist Yusuf Nasir Al-Suweidan argues that the June 25, 2006 attack at the Kerem Shalom crossing, in which Israeli soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit was taken hostage, has turned the Palestinian dream of an independent state into a thing of the past, and that after Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the Palestinians should have laid down their weapons and worked to develop Palestinian society.
The following are excerpts from the article: (1)
"When Vietcong Fighters Dug Underground Tunnels in Order to Reach the American Danang Base in South Vietnam... They Did so Inside the Borders of Their Homeland"
"When Vietcong fighters dug underground tunnels in order to reach the American Danang base in South Vietnam in the 1960s, they did so inside the borders of their homeland, Vietnam, and in the context of a minor world war in which the strong players were the Americans, the Chinese, and the Soviets.
"But the faulty course of action taken by the Palestinians, for instance this war of tunnels, is something else entirely. The tunnel dug by the terrorists from the Gaza Strip to the Kerem Shalom crossing took them outside the Palestinian border, and they used it to penetrate into Israel - an independent, sovereign, U.N. member state. There [in Israel] they perpetrated the crime of murdering two Israelis, kidnapping a third, and wounding others, with all the dangerous consequences that [such a] despicable attack has caused and will cause to the Palestinian side. As Palestinian Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina put it: 'Things are back to square one'..."
Hamas' Claims of "Important Victory" in This Attack are Absurd
"It would be absurd to try to believe the claims of the terrorist Hamas movement, and of its allies and masters in Tehran and Damascus, that speak of an 'important victory' over the Israelis in this desperate attack. This [claim is absurd], for the simple and obvious reason that the military, political, and economic balance of power, along with every other parameter, will always favor Israel to a considerable degree, so that the very notion of equilibrium between the two sides in the conflict is [nothing but] a wild fantasy.
"[In addition] it would [be] a complete fantasy to think that the Israelis will react like 'harmless lambs' to what occurred near the Kerem Shalom crossing last Sunday. Several minutes after the terrorist attack, the crossings [were] closed and the Israeli military units began moving in battle readiness. This was the largest Israeli military build-up since the withdrawal from Gaza last September. This shows that the Israelis are determined to invade the Gaza Strip within hours [if three conditions are not met]: firstly, if the kidnapped Israeli is not released; secondly, if the firing of Qassam missiles into Israeli territories does not cease; and thirdly, [if] the terrorist infrastructure is not dismantled.
"If this invasion materializes, then this time, a new reality will be created in the Gaza Strip in which all talk about 'back to square one' will be nothing but wild optimism - since the [situation] will regress [far beyond that], to a level where it is possible to talk of a plan of deportation and demographic change in Gaza, and this [plan] might even be implemented soon. This will turn the Palestinian dream of an independent state into a thing of the past..."
"What [The Palestinian Masses] Need Most is Food, Medicine, Clothing... Not Explosive Belts, Car Bombs, and the Slogan, 'Congratulations, Oh Martyr, the Black-Eyed Virgin Awaits You'"
"The main mistake lies in the fact that the Palestinian organizations did not respond correctly to the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza... and its consequences. Instead of beating their swords into plowshares, pens, and other things that are needed for the development of Palestinian society - in terms of the economy, society, culture, and so on - most of them read the developments incorrectly and immaturely. This was exploited by the terrorist networks, that are funded and run by the regimes of the ayatollahs in Tehran and the Ba'th [party] in Syria, and [people] have been taken in by delusions and empty slogans like 'liberation from the river to the sea' [that are heard] among the poor, hungry, and desperate Palestinian masses. At present, what [these masses] need most is food, medicines, clothing, and other essentials - not explosive belts, car bombs, and the slogan, 'Congratulations, oh Martyr, the black-eyed virgin awaits you.'"
Endnote:
(1) Al-Siyassa (Kuwait), June 27, 2006.
*********************
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are available on request.
MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used with proper attribution.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)
P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837
Phone: (202) 955-9070
Fax: (202) 955-9077
E-Mail: memri@memri.org
Search previous MEMRI publications at MEMRI Website
Technorati Tags: Hamas ... Qassam missile ... Terrorism ... Palestinian militants ... Gaza Strip ... Islamists ... Attitudinal problem ... Kerem Shalom ... Fundamentalist Militants ... Middle East ... Muslim ... Israel ... Martyr ... Ayatollahs ... Al-Suweidan ... MEMRI
July 7, 2006
No. 1199
Saudi Columnist on June 25 Gaza Attack: This is a Despicable Attack by Hamas, Which is Acting Like a Terrorist Organization
To view this Special Dispatch in HTML, visit: HTML: Saudi Columnist Criticizes Hamas .
In an article in the Kuwaiti daily Al-Siyassa titled "The Crime at the Kerem Shalom Crossing," Saudi columnist Yusuf Nasir Al-Suweidan argues that the June 25, 2006 attack at the Kerem Shalom crossing, in which Israeli soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit was taken hostage, has turned the Palestinian dream of an independent state into a thing of the past, and that after Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the Palestinians should have laid down their weapons and worked to develop Palestinian society.
The following are excerpts from the article: (1)
"When Vietcong Fighters Dug Underground Tunnels in Order to Reach the American Danang Base in South Vietnam... They Did so Inside the Borders of Their Homeland"
"When Vietcong fighters dug underground tunnels in order to reach the American Danang base in South Vietnam in the 1960s, they did so inside the borders of their homeland, Vietnam, and in the context of a minor world war in which the strong players were the Americans, the Chinese, and the Soviets.
"But the faulty course of action taken by the Palestinians, for instance this war of tunnels, is something else entirely. The tunnel dug by the terrorists from the Gaza Strip to the Kerem Shalom crossing took them outside the Palestinian border, and they used it to penetrate into Israel - an independent, sovereign, U.N. member state. There [in Israel] they perpetrated the crime of murdering two Israelis, kidnapping a third, and wounding others, with all the dangerous consequences that [such a] despicable attack has caused and will cause to the Palestinian side. As Palestinian Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina put it: 'Things are back to square one'..."
Hamas' Claims of "Important Victory" in This Attack are Absurd
"It would be absurd to try to believe the claims of the terrorist Hamas movement, and of its allies and masters in Tehran and Damascus, that speak of an 'important victory' over the Israelis in this desperate attack. This [claim is absurd], for the simple and obvious reason that the military, political, and economic balance of power, along with every other parameter, will always favor Israel to a considerable degree, so that the very notion of equilibrium between the two sides in the conflict is [nothing but] a wild fantasy.
"[In addition] it would [be] a complete fantasy to think that the Israelis will react like 'harmless lambs' to what occurred near the Kerem Shalom crossing last Sunday. Several minutes after the terrorist attack, the crossings [were] closed and the Israeli military units began moving in battle readiness. This was the largest Israeli military build-up since the withdrawal from Gaza last September. This shows that the Israelis are determined to invade the Gaza Strip within hours [if three conditions are not met]: firstly, if the kidnapped Israeli is not released; secondly, if the firing of Qassam missiles into Israeli territories does not cease; and thirdly, [if] the terrorist infrastructure is not dismantled.
"If this invasion materializes, then this time, a new reality will be created in the Gaza Strip in which all talk about 'back to square one' will be nothing but wild optimism - since the [situation] will regress [far beyond that], to a level where it is possible to talk of a plan of deportation and demographic change in Gaza, and this [plan] might even be implemented soon. This will turn the Palestinian dream of an independent state into a thing of the past..."
"What [The Palestinian Masses] Need Most is Food, Medicine, Clothing... Not Explosive Belts, Car Bombs, and the Slogan, 'Congratulations, Oh Martyr, the Black-Eyed Virgin Awaits You'"
"The main mistake lies in the fact that the Palestinian organizations did not respond correctly to the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza... and its consequences. Instead of beating their swords into plowshares, pens, and other things that are needed for the development of Palestinian society - in terms of the economy, society, culture, and so on - most of them read the developments incorrectly and immaturely. This was exploited by the terrorist networks, that are funded and run by the regimes of the ayatollahs in Tehran and the Ba'th [party] in Syria, and [people] have been taken in by delusions and empty slogans like 'liberation from the river to the sea' [that are heard] among the poor, hungry, and desperate Palestinian masses. At present, what [these masses] need most is food, medicines, clothing, and other essentials - not explosive belts, car bombs, and the slogan, 'Congratulations, oh Martyr, the black-eyed virgin awaits you.'"
Endnote:
(1) Al-Siyassa (Kuwait), June 27, 2006.
*********************
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are available on request.
MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used with proper attribution.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)
P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837
Phone: (202) 955-9070
Fax: (202) 955-9077
E-Mail: memri@memri.org
Search previous MEMRI publications at MEMRI Website
Technorati Tags: Hamas ... Qassam missile ... Terrorism ... Palestinian militants ... Gaza Strip ... Islamists ... Attitudinal problem ... Kerem Shalom ... Fundamentalist Militants ... Middle East ... Muslim ... Israel ... Martyr ... Ayatollahs ... Al-Suweidan ... MEMRI
USS Ronald Reagan Returns Home to San Diego
Today is a happy day for many of the crewmembers, thier families, and loved ones as the USS Ronald Reagan and its crew returns to San Diego Thursday after the ship's maiden voyage 6 month deployment.
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and its crew of about 5,500 personnel departed San Diego Jan. 4 on a deployment to conduct naval operations in support of the global war on terrorism, as well as national and theater cooperative security commitments in the western Pacific.
The Ronald Reagan Strike Group is comprised of CVW-14, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Reagan, the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), the guided-missile destroyers USS McCampbell (DDG 85) and USS Decatur (DDG 73), the fast-combat support ship USS Rainier (AOE 7), and Explosives Ordnance Disposal Unit 11, Det. 15.
The squadrons of CVW-14 include the “Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22, the “Fist of the Fleet” of VFA-25, the “Stingers” of VFA-113, the “Eagles” of VFA-115, the “Black Eagles” of Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 113, the “Cougars” of Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (VAQ) 139, the “Providers” of Carrier Logistics Support (VRC) 30, and the “Black Knights” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 4.
Reagan was commissioned in July 2003, making it the ninth Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The ship is named after the 40th U.S. president, and carries the motto of “Peace through Strength,” a recurrent theme during the Reagan presidency. This was the maiden deployment for the Navy’s newest Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
To the men and women of the USS Ronald Reagan, "Thank you for your service!" You have served your President and nation well. And, you have lived up to the namesake of President Reagan
Sources for this article:
- USS Ronald Reagan Returns Home It is a happy day for many families as the USS Ronald Reagan and its crew are returning to San Diego Thursday after the ship's maiden voyage. >>>> KFMB San Diego Morning News.
- Navy News Release NNS060104-03 >>>> USS Ronald Reagan Departs on Maiden Deployment.
- For related news, visit the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Navy NewsStand >>>> News at USS Reagan (CVN 76) US Navy Military website.
Category: Military.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
North Korean Missiles set of fireworks with the international community
Apparently, Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK) attempted to fire a long-range Taep’o-dong 2 ballistic missile on July 4th, but it failed after about 40 seconds in flight, several news sources indicated.
It is unsure if the medium - range Scud -style missiles were Taep’o-dong 1 (Daep’o-dong 1, Nodong 2, Scud X, Scud Mod. E, Rodong 2) or perhaps another advanced version of the same. The Taep’o-dong 1 is a medium-range, liquid and solid propellant, single warhead ballistic missile.
Lets not forget our globe trotting peacenix, Jimmy Carter. All of the appeasement and apologist agreements that former President Jimmy Carter made with DPRK was for naught.
One cannot blame only Clinton or Carter for their appeasement and apologist attitudes and policies regarding DPRK. It (mismanagement and miscalculation) has occurred on every American Presidents' watch for the past 30 years. America's mainstream media has short term memory and appears to not recall or care about reporting the significance of DPRK's missile tests. One has to wonder what foreign representatives were present to observe the test firing or who DPRK is planning to sell its advanced technology to.
So, for the past 30 years as the world has sat idly by, DPRK has pursued development of an ever expanding ballistic missile development program devoted to its development of a nuclear weapon delivery program.
Links for more information on DPRK Missile Technology:
However, DPRK successfully fire several non-guided, medium-range Scud-style missiles which apparently landed in the Sea of Japan and will cause a furor with the United States' Asian ally. These were downplayed in the media as "scud type missiles" with little other information.The development of the Taep’o-dong 2 is estimated to have begun at the same time as the Taep’o-dong 1, in 1990. The Taep'o-dong 2 missile is a 2-stage liquid, possible 3-stage, with a range of 6,000-9,000 km.
Along with DPRK, Pakistan and Iran have jointly worked on similar missile projects with DPRK. The Iranian Shahab-5/Shahab 6 is similar in technology and in design to the Taep'o-dong 2. Source: Missile
Threat.Com - Taep’o-dong 2
It is unsure if the medium - range Scud -style missiles were Taep’o-dong 1 (Daep’o-dong 1, Nodong 2, Scud X, Scud Mod. E, Rodong 2) or perhaps another advanced version of the same. The Taep’o-dong 1 is a medium-range, liquid and solid propellant, single warhead ballistic missile.
The Taep'o-Dong 1 is said to be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to a maximum range of 2,000 km (1,243 miles). The Taep'o-dong 1 program has been in development since 1990 and with advance testing throughout the Clinton administration.Perhaps Madeline Albright and others in the deposed Clinton administration could enlighten the American public on the DPRK programs developed during their reign. DPRK's successfully first test launched the Taep'o-dong 1 in 1998, which caused an outrage in Japan. Throughout the Clinton Presidential years (January 1993 - January 2001), North Korea succeeded in developing its “Nodong” missile and nuclear programs. By 1998 DPRK's “Nodong” missile had a range estimated at up to 900 miles and was capable of covering South Korea and most of Japan.
Lets not forget our globe trotting peacenix, Jimmy Carter. All of the appeasement and apologist agreements that former President Jimmy Carter made with DPRK was for naught.
One cannot blame only Clinton or Carter for their appeasement and apologist attitudes and policies regarding DPRK. It (mismanagement and miscalculation) has occurred on every American Presidents' watch for the past 30 years. America's mainstream media has short term memory and appears to not recall or care about reporting the significance of DPRK's missile tests. One has to wonder what foreign representatives were present to observe the test firing or who DPRK is planning to sell its advanced technology to.
So, for the past 30 years as the world has sat idly by, DPRK has pursued development of an ever expanding ballistic missile development program devoted to its development of a nuclear weapon delivery program.
Links for more information on DPRK Missile Technology:
- Missilethreat.Com - News Archive North Korea
- FAS - Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) DPRK - Iranian Shahab - 3 Technology
- FAS - Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) DPRK - Iranian Shahab - 6 Technology
- Janes: Iran moves its Shahab 3 units
- History of Ballistic Missile Development in the DPRK
BN: NK Tests Missile
NHK Online, a Japanese newspaper, has claimed that North Korea did in fact fire a missile at 3:32am Japan Time. They do not know which type of missile was launched, but it landed in the Sea of Japan after flying for about 6 minutes. AP is also reporting this news. More to come...
Update: It turned out that NK fired 6 missiles Tuesday, and then they fired another one today. There is an ememrgency meeting the UN (HAHAHA) where they are going to try for sanctions with teeth. (Excuse me while I laugh, but what the...) One of these days, we're going to have some leaders in the world who do not play games. Maybe then we can stop all this bs.
Category: North Korea, Japan and (Breaking) News.
Update: It turned out that NK fired 6 missiles Tuesday, and then they fired another one today. There is an ememrgency meeting the UN (HAHAHA) where they are going to try for sanctions with teeth. (Excuse me while I laugh, but what the...) One of these days, we're going to have some leaders in the world who do not play games. Maybe then we can stop all this bs.
Category: North Korea, Japan and (Breaking) News.
North Korea Threatens Pre-emptive Attack, what is the rhetoric all about?
Two interesting articles, one from Breitbart and one from World Net Daily discuss the North Korean situation.
In Breitbart.com, North Korea vowed on Monday to respond with an "annihilating" nuclear strike if it’s atomic facilities are attacked pre-emptively by the United States. The North Korean threat of retaliation, which is often voiced by its state-controlled media, comes amid U.S. official reports that Pyongyang has shown signs of preparing for a test of a long-range missile. Source: Breitbart.Com
In World Net Daily, one has to question if testing the will of the United States a profitable exercise? Some analysts suggest that it is more than a coincidence that North Korea began preparations for an intercontinental ballistic missile test in the direction of the United States less than two weeks after America and its allies offered Iran new incentives for backing away from its nuclear arms program. The North Koreans have escalated the issue in the past when they wanted to gain influence. Source WND.com: Reports say bargaining with Iran led to Pyongyang's missile test
At any rate, we are going to have to deal with this situation in North Korea.
Technorati Tags: Homeland security ... North Korea ... Korean ... Missile ... Attack ... Nuclear ... Military ... President Bush ... George Bush ... President ... War on Terror ... Missile Launch ... Threat
In Breitbart.com, North Korea vowed on Monday to respond with an "annihilating" nuclear strike if it’s atomic facilities are attacked pre-emptively by the United States. The North Korean threat of retaliation, which is often voiced by its state-controlled media, comes amid U.S. official reports that Pyongyang has shown signs of preparing for a test of a long-range missile. Source: Breitbart.Com
In World Net Daily, one has to question if testing the will of the United States a profitable exercise? Some analysts suggest that it is more than a coincidence that North Korea began preparations for an intercontinental ballistic missile test in the direction of the United States less than two weeks after America and its allies offered Iran new incentives for backing away from its nuclear arms program. The North Koreans have escalated the issue in the past when they wanted to gain influence. Source WND.com: Reports say bargaining with Iran led to Pyongyang's missile test
At any rate, we are going to have to deal with this situation in North Korea.
Technorati Tags: Homeland security ... North Korea ... Korean ... Missile ... Attack ... Nuclear ... Military ... President Bush ... George Bush ... President ... War on Terror ... Missile Launch ... Threat
Islamic Militants: Caliphate State
The Christian Science Monitor has summed up the Iraqi conflict with its article 'Report: Al Qaeda using Iraq as terrorist training ground British lawmakers say Al Qaeda also sees Iraq as propaganda tool':
Christian Science Monitor reported that Al Qaeda has "changed its modus operandi," and is using Iraq as a training ground for future terrorists and as a propaganda tool in its war against the West. The source of the report comes from a British parliamentary committee report found in Daily Telegraph. In the Daily Telegraph, the parliamentary committee predicts another "brutal attack" on Britain, similar to the one that occurred in London a year ago this week, because of the war on terror. Source: 'Report: Al Qaeda using Iraq as terrorist training ground...', By Tom Regan, CSMONITOR
Islamic extremists appear to be poised to seize political power across the Middle East in the wake of a U.S. Democrat sponsored "Cut and Run" withdrawal from Iraq if the likes of Kerry / Feingold / Murtha / Pelosi / Dean / Leftist have their way. In August 2005, General Richard Meyers, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a pentagon briefing:
Additional reading:
Al Qaeda: Profile and Threat Assessment, Congressional Research Service, August 17, 2005
Al Qaeda: Statements and Evolving Ideology, Congressional Research Service, June 20, 2005
Christian Science Monitor reported that Al Qaeda has "changed its modus operandi," and is using Iraq as a training ground for future terrorists and as a propaganda tool in its war against the West. The source of the report comes from a British parliamentary committee report found in Daily Telegraph. In the Daily Telegraph, the parliamentary committee predicts another "brutal attack" on Britain, similar to the one that occurred in London a year ago this week, because of the war on terror. Source: 'Report: Al Qaeda using Iraq as terrorist training ground...', By Tom Regan, CSMONITOR
Islamic extremists appear to be poised to seize political power across the Middle East in the wake of a U.S. Democrat sponsored "Cut and Run" withdrawal from Iraq if the likes of Kerry / Feingold / Murtha / Pelosi / Dean / Leftist have their way. In August 2005, General Richard Meyers, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a pentagon briefing:
The liberal democrats in the United States fail to realized the consequences of their folly; "Cut and Run.""The stakes are huge," said Myers. "If the "Zarqawis" of the world, if (al Qaeda) were allowed to be successful in Iraq, in their view, that would be the start of the caliphate that they envision. The stakes would be huge for the region. You talk about instability. It would be instant instability in that region, in Saudi Arabia on down the Gulf states, perhaps Iran, Syria, Turkey."
With those words, Myers unambiguously identified America's strategic imperative for the postinvasion conflict in Iraq -- preventing the birth of a fundamentalist Islamic empire spanning the entire Middle East -- al Qaeda's Caliphate. Source: American-Made: Al Qaeda's New Caliphate
Additional reading:
Al Qaeda: Profile and Threat Assessment, Congressional Research Service, August 17, 2005
Al Qaeda: Statements and Evolving Ideology, Congressional Research Service, June 20, 2005
Saturday, July 01, 2006
President Bush's 4th of July Radio Address
PRESIDENT Bush's 4th of July Radio Address 07/01/2006: (Audio Link here) Good morning. Laura and I wish all Americans a safe and happy 4th of July weekend. I'm looking forward to spending Independence Day with members of our Armed Forces and their families at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. These brave men and women risk their lives to defend the ideals of our founding generation, and I will have the honor of thanking many of them personally for their service in freedom's cause.
In 1776, John Adams predicted to his wife, Abigail, that America's Independence Day would be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. He wrote that "this anniversary should be commemorated with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward, forever more."
Since then, generations of Americans have done just that. Each year we look forward to the family gatherings and the grand celebrations that take place across the Nation on the 4th of July. And amid the music and barbeques and fireworks, we give thanks for our freedom, and we honor the bravery and sacrifices of all those who have made that freedom possible.
On Independence Day, we recall the courage and high ideals of our Nation's founders, who waged a desperate fight to overcome tyranny and live in freedom. Recent years have brought a renewed interest in the lives and achievements of our founders, and we have learned once again that they possessed extraordinary talents, as well as ordinary human failings, which only makes their accomplishments all the more remarkable.
For the brave men and women of our founding generation, victory was far from certain. They were certain only of the cause they served -- the belief that freedom is the gift of God and the right of all mankind. The strength of their convictions made possible the birth of the free Nation in which we are blessed to live.
On the 4th of July we also honor the sacrifices made by each American generation to secure the promises of the Declaration of Independence. For more than two centuries, from the camps of Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan, Americans have served and sacrificed for the principles of our founding.
Today, a new generation of American patriots is defending our freedom against determined and ruthless enemies. At this hour, the men and women of our Armed Forces are facing danger in distant places, carrying out their missions with all the skill and honor we expect of them. And their families are enduring long separations from their loved ones with great courage and dignity. Our troops and our military families deserve all our support and gratitude, and on this 4th of July weekend, I ask every American to find a way to thank those who defend our freedom. To find out about efforts in your community, please visit the website AmericaSupportsYou.mil.
As we celebrate the 4th, we also remember that the promises of liberty contained in our Declaration apply to all people. Because Americans believe that freedom is an unalienable right, we value the freedom of every person in every nation. And because we are committed to the God-given worth of every life, we strive to promote respect for human dignity. Today, all who live in tyranny and all who yearn for freedom can know that America stands with them.
As citizens of this good Nation, we should be proud of our heritage, grateful for our liberty, and confident in our future. Two-hundred-and-thirty years after America declared its independence, the spirit of '76 lives on. And our Nation remains proud to carry freedom's torch. We still place our trust in the protections of divine providence. We still pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor to freedom's defense. And we still believe in the promise of freedom for all.
Thank you for listening.
END
Technorati Tags: President Bush ... United States ... Terrorism ... 1776 ... Independence Day ... Freedom ... Patriots ... America ... 4th of July Militants
Category: Military.
In 1776, John Adams predicted to his wife, Abigail, that America's Independence Day would be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. He wrote that "this anniversary should be commemorated with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward, forever more."
Since then, generations of Americans have done just that. Each year we look forward to the family gatherings and the grand celebrations that take place across the Nation on the 4th of July. And amid the music and barbeques and fireworks, we give thanks for our freedom, and we honor the bravery and sacrifices of all those who have made that freedom possible.
On Independence Day, we recall the courage and high ideals of our Nation's founders, who waged a desperate fight to overcome tyranny and live in freedom. Recent years have brought a renewed interest in the lives and achievements of our founders, and we have learned once again that they possessed extraordinary talents, as well as ordinary human failings, which only makes their accomplishments all the more remarkable.
For the brave men and women of our founding generation, victory was far from certain. They were certain only of the cause they served -- the belief that freedom is the gift of God and the right of all mankind. The strength of their convictions made possible the birth of the free Nation in which we are blessed to live.
On the 4th of July we also honor the sacrifices made by each American generation to secure the promises of the Declaration of Independence. For more than two centuries, from the camps of Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan, Americans have served and sacrificed for the principles of our founding.
Today, a new generation of American patriots is defending our freedom against determined and ruthless enemies. At this hour, the men and women of our Armed Forces are facing danger in distant places, carrying out their missions with all the skill and honor we expect of them. And their families are enduring long separations from their loved ones with great courage and dignity. Our troops and our military families deserve all our support and gratitude, and on this 4th of July weekend, I ask every American to find a way to thank those who defend our freedom. To find out about efforts in your community, please visit the website AmericaSupportsYou.mil.
As we celebrate the 4th, we also remember that the promises of liberty contained in our Declaration apply to all people. Because Americans believe that freedom is an unalienable right, we value the freedom of every person in every nation. And because we are committed to the God-given worth of every life, we strive to promote respect for human dignity. Today, all who live in tyranny and all who yearn for freedom can know that America stands with them.
As citizens of this good Nation, we should be proud of our heritage, grateful for our liberty, and confident in our future. Two-hundred-and-thirty years after America declared its independence, the spirit of '76 lives on. And our Nation remains proud to carry freedom's torch. We still place our trust in the protections of divine providence. We still pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor to freedom's defense. And we still believe in the promise of freedom for all.
Thank you for listening.
END
Technorati Tags: President Bush ... United States ... Terrorism ... 1776 ... Independence Day ... Freedom ... Patriots ... America ... 4th of July Militants
Category: Military.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)