Tuesday - December 26, 2006

Motivational Poster Of The Day

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/26/2006 at 02:38 PM   
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Somalia Update

• “The African Union says Ethiopia has the right to intervene militarily in Somalia as it feels threatened by an Islamic militia operating there.”
  -- (BBC Africa)


• “Ethiopia sent fighter jets across the border Sunday to help Somalia’s U.N.-recognized government push back the Islamists. Ethiopia bombed the country’s two main airports and helped government forces capture several villages. Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, a senior leader of the Islamic group, said he asked his troops to tactically retreat in the face of superior Ethiopian firepower.”
  -- (CNN)


• “Ethiopian jets fired missiles on Somali Islamist fighters retreating on Tuesday from frontlines after a week of war in the Horn of Africa nation. Despite a retreat the government was already calling a partial victory, the Islamists insisted their withdrawal and re-grouping was a tactic in what they vowed would be a long war.”
  -- Khaleej Times


• “The European Union released a statement late Sunday, saying it is gravely concerned about the clashes between Ethiopia and Somalia’s Islamist movement. The EU condemned artillery battles it said could endanger civilians, and urged the parties to stop fighting and seek a peaceful solution.”
  -- VOA News


• “Somalia could be Ethiopia’s quagmire. A more involved military offensive might pose the same problems the U.S. is facing in Iraq, observers say.”
  -- LA Times

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/26/2006 at 12:52 PM   
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Book Review

It isn’t often that the NY Times and I agree on anything. In fact, this may be a first. I finally got around to reading Lawrence Wright’s book “The Looming Tower: The Road to 9/11” (Amazon - $16.76, 480 pp. Knopf, ISBN 037541486X). My advice to all of you is simple: get this book, read it, read it again, think about it, read it again. You won’t be disappointed.

Wright presents the facts in a very readable history of the rise of modern radical Islam from Egyptian Sayyid Qutb’s impressions of America, which he toured in the 1940’s to the subsequent rise of his “disciple”, Ayman al-Zawahiri in Egypt and the formation of Islamic Jihad, the predecessor of Al-Qaeda.

The descriptions of Osama Bin Laden and his path to becoming a terrorist leader are an eye-opener, particularly the complicity of the Saudis in his rise. Wright contrasts that excellently with the story of John O’Neill at the FBI and his determined efforts to stop the terrorists only to die at the WTC in the attack of 9/11.

Wright did not come across to me as an apologist for Islam as the NY Times seems to believe (on this we disagree). I felt that this was an excellently researched book that everyone who would understand the enemies of modern civilization should read. In fact, it should be required reading for everyone involved in the War On Terror or those of us who stand to lose everything if the enemy wins this one.

“When Mohamed Atta and his four Saudi confederates commandeered a Boeing 767 and steered it into the north tower of the World Trade Center, they began a story that still consumes us nearly five years on, and one that seems, on bad days, to promise war without end.

But the events of Sept. 11, 2001, were in many ways less the start of a tale than the end of one, or at least the climax of one, begun many years before in many different precincts: in the middle-class suburbs of Cairo, in the mosques of Hamburg, in Jidda, in Islamabad, in the quiet university town of Greeley, Colo.

In its simplest terms, this is the story of how a small group of men, with a frightening mix of delusion and calculation, rose from a tormented civilization to mount a catastrophic assault on the world’s mightiest power, and how another group of men and women, convinced that such an attack was on the way, tried desperately to stop it.

What a story it is. And what a riveting tale Lawrence Wright fashions in this marvelous book. “The Looming Tower” is not just a detailed, heart-stopping account of the events leading up to 9/11, written with style and verve, and carried along by villains and heroes that only a crime novelist could dream up.

It’s an education, too — though you’d never know it — a thoughtful examination of the world that produced the men who brought us 9/11, and of their progeny who bedevil us today. The portrait of John O’Neill, the driven, demon-ridden F.B.I. agent who worked so frantically to stop Osama bin Laden, only to perish in the attack on the World Trade Center, is worth the price of the book alone. “The Looming Tower” is a thriller. And it’s a tragedy, too.

In the nearly five years since the attacks, we’ve heard oceans of commentary on the whys and how-comes and what-it-means and what’s nexts. Wright, a staff writer for The New Yorker — where portions of this book have appeared — has put his boots on the ground in the hard places, conducted the interviews and done the sleuthing. Others talked, he listened. And so he has unearthed an astonishing amount of detail about Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Mullah Muhammad Omar and all the rest of them. They come alive.”

-- NY TIMES Book Review

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/26/2006 at 12:01 PM   
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Iraqi News From Al-Reuters

Sometime in the next 30 days, they will come for “Mr. Hussein” and walk him to the gallows. Good riddance to a human dirtbag. All of that means that it is now time for al-Reuters and the other bleeding hearts at the UN, Fwance, the “Arab street”, Hollywood and every Liberal in the world to begin wringing their hands and crying tears of sympathy for the “Butcher Of Baghdad”. You just know it’s going to happen. In fact, it’s already beginning ....

Iraqi Appeal Court Upholds Saddam Death Sentence
_{BAGHDAD (Reuters) - December 26, 2006}

An Iraqi appeals court on Tuesday upheld a ruling that Saddam Hussein should hang for crimes against humanity, the head of the Iraqi High Tribunal said. Tribunal head Aref Abdul-Razzaq al-Shahin told a news conference in Baghdad that the death sentence against Saddam should be carried out within the next 30 days.

“The appeal court has approved the death sentence. They (the government) has the right to choose the date starting from tomorrow up to 30 days. After 30 days it will be an obligation to implement the sentence,” he said.

Saddam, 69, and two others, including his half-brother, were sentenced to death on November 5 for crimes against humanity over the killings of 148 Shi’ites from the town of Dujail after he escaped assassination there in 1982.

According to al-Reuters, poor ol’ Saddam is going to have to walk the Green Mile even though the genocide was justified because the Shi’ites tried to assassinate him. Now those evil Shi’ites are just getting revenge. Incredible horse-shiite!

U.N. human rights experts have called on Iraq’s government not to carry out the death sentence, saying Saddam’s trial was seriously flawed. Saddam’s half-brother, Barzan al-Tikriti, and former judge Awad al-Bander also received the death penalty for their part in the killing, torture and deporting of hundreds of Dujailis. The court also rejected their appeals.

Saddam is now on trial with six others for genocide against ethnic Kurds in a military campaign in northern Iraq in the 1980s. Shahin said the trial would continue without Saddam.

Many human rights and legal experts have argued that Saddam could not get a fair trial in a country torn by sectarian violence that has killed tens of thousands of Iraqis. In the latest violence, bombs killed more than 30 people in Baghdad, including 15 in western Adhamiya district, a Sunni area. Earlier, a triple car bombing in a Shi’ite area killed 16.

The UN and the bleeding hearts (including al-Reuters) think the death sentence is bad and will only cause more “sectarian violence”. To back up that theory, Al- Reuters is obligated to report the latest suicide bombing figures. They forgot to call the bombers “freedom fighters” though. Someone at the news desk obviously slipped up.

The U.S. military reported the deaths of six more American soldiers in Iraq, bringing the U.S. death toll to at least 2,978—five more than the number killed in the September 11 attacks. At least 89 U.S. soldiers have died so far this month, making it the deadliest this year after October’s toll of 106, and increasing pressure on President George W. Bush to find a strategy to extricate 135,000 U.S. troops from the war.

Finally, al-Reuters can’t leave a story about Iraq alone without throwing in the latest figures of US troops deaths. To hammer the point home, they compare the troops deaths to the body count on 9/11 and wind it all up with another whining call to cut and run. Stupid ratbag al-Reuters.

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/26/2006 at 11:05 AM   
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Democratic Party Games

Democrats don’t give a damn how you voted. Regardless of the vote count, they always win, right? If the numbers don’t agree with them, they’ll just file lawsuit after lawsuit and if it’s Al Gore they’ll take it to the Supreme Court and even then bitch and moan about it until the end of time. If the vote count doesn’t suit Nancy ”Il Douché” Pelosi, she will completely ignore it. Her philosophy is “screw democracy, I’m in charge.”

Is anyone surprised that the this is happening? Pelosi and Howard Dean are only showing their true colors. Democrats have always acted like they own Washington and now that they’re in control of Congress look for more of this type of fascist behavior. Imagine how bad it would be if they win the White House. The next two years are already starting to look very scary.

Pelosi To Seat Democrat Though Republican Won?
_{(WORLDNET DAILY) - December 25, 2006 8:05 p.m. Eastern}

The certified winner of an office in the U.S. House of Representatives may not be seated with other members of Congress by incoming speaker Nancy Pelosi next week for one reason. He’s a Republican.

In an extremely close race in Florida’s 13th District, Republican Vern Buchanan defeated Democrat Christine Jennings by 369 votes. But ongoing legal challenges by Democrats are putting Buchanan’s claim to the seat in jeopardy, now that the party in control of the majority has shifted away from the GOP.

“The bottom line here is that nothing’s off the table,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The paper reports Pelosi has refused to shut the door on Jennings, until all audits, lawsuits and a House investigation are completed.

Aides for Buchanan say the Republican will be in the nation’s capital next month despite the threat from Pelosi’s office. “Historical precedent is that when there’s a contested race the certified winner be seated,” said Buchanan spokeswoman Sally Tibbetts. “Therefore, we fully expect Vern Buchanan to be seated on Jan. 4.”

But Pelosi’s office says seating a certified victor is more of a Republican interpretation and not a concrete rule. For instance, in 1984, a Democrat-controlled House refused to seat Republican Richard McIntyre, the certified winner by 418 votes after a state-ordered recount.

Two weeks ago, national Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean said Buchanan should “absolutely not” be seated Jan. 4. But not all Democrats appear to be jumping on the bandwagon to keep out the Republican.

“At most, he should be seated provisionally,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., a close ally of Jennings. “In my mind, I can’t really justify leaving the constituents of the 13th District without representation during the House Administration and the court’s review.”

At this point, neither a state audit of the touch-screen voting machines nor lawsuits by Jennings and voting groups have produced any evidence to suggest malfunction on Election Day.

The contested election is now in the political realm as Jennings has taken her challenge to Congress, filing a contest with the House Administration Committee seeking an investigation and, possibly, a new election. Such a move could take months to resolve.

If Buchanan is indeed seated next week, history would be on his side for keeping it. Out of 105 contests filed since 1933, only twice has someone been unseated, with the last occurrence in 1967.

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/26/2006 at 10:04 AM   
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   Monday - December 25, 2006

Merry Christmas, Baghdad!

In Baghdad, a Christmas Patrol
_{FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq (AP) - December 25, 2006, 2:41 PM EST}

The sun was just beginning to rise, bringing a dim glow on a cold and clear Christmas morning in Baghdad, but the U.S. Army mission was late. The Stryker armored vehicles were supposed to have rolled from Forward Operating Base Loyalty 11 minutes ago, at 6:30 a.m., yet soldiers were still milling about outside the green machines, shivering in bulletproof jackets and Kevlar helmets.

“Load up!” bellowed Jeffrey Huggins, battalion sergeant major for the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment. The men began climbing into the back hatches of the Strykers, but not fast enough for Huggins: “Load up means all of you get in your trucks! It doesn’t mean stand there and look at me!”

Some of the soldiers tried to lighten the mood. “Merry Christmas, sir. Merry Christmas,” they called out, knowing they could have had it worse, since other platoons began patrols at 5 a.m. “Get in the truck!” came the rattling reply. Christmas was another working day for many in the battalion, heading out to cordon off a dangerous section of eastern Baghdad and go house to house searching for insurgents, weapons and bomb-making materials.

But the holiday—and thoughts of friends and family back home—never left their minds. Packed inside the Strykers, some sang off-key carols for comrades guarding the base entrance as the vehicles roared out onto the streets of the Iraqi capital. “Being out there Christmas Day, people are in a lot better mood than I thought they’d be,” said 1st Lt. Tim Price of Wise, Va., an officer in the battalion’s Company A. “They’re missing their families and their kids, but they’re out there working.”

As soldiers began searching homes, some Iraqis greeted them with smiles, offering sweet tea and fried bread. “Merry Christmas, mister!” one man said as soldiers, their boots caked with mud from the unpaved street, clomped into his house. Other locals bristled. “Why you come?” one woman demanded in broken English. “We have nothing.” After a few hours, the mission was suddenly suspended. Several hundred people had taken to the street near a mosque, complaining about the house searches. “No, no, America,” they chanted in Arabic. “Yes, yes, peace!”

Troops ran to control the crowd, but Stryker vehicles eventually rolled up, attempting to drown out the chants by blasting their horns. Protesters shook their fists and waved Iraqi flags. Though tense, the demonstration stayed peaceful and many soldiers who had been on foot were ordered back into the Strykers. Iraqi troops and police began negotiating with the protest’s organizer, who U.S. officers described as the head of a mosque whose computer was seized when his home was searched.

Inside the parked Strykers, soldiers munched on dry rations and waited. “I wish I was home now drinking some brandy slushes and opening presents,” said Pfc. Allen Groth, who was spending his first Christmas away from his family in Winona, Minn. He described a brandy slush as a frozen mix of brandy with tea and lemon and orange concentrate.

Attempting to sleep beside him, despite the 12 people crammed on the Stryker’s small, twin benches, Spc. Chris Martin of Nashville, Tenn., grumbled. “Yeah? I wouldn’t give you anything.” While the soldiers waited, their superiors debated whether to continue the mission. The number of demonstrators swelled to more than 1,000.

Asked what they might do with the rest of their Christmas afternoon if the mission were canceled, most of the soldiers said they were simply looking forward to the opportunity to shed their body armor for a few hours. “I just want to eat and sleep,” said Spc. Jeremiah Westerfeld of Batesville, Ind. “Maybe clean my weapon and change my underwear.”

Spc. Jose Charriez of Hermiston, Ore., said he hoped for a hot shower. “And maybe a plate of food right after. That would be great for Christmas.” Superiors finally called off the mission, but the ride back to base was tense. Some Iraqis barricaded the road with burning tires and metal cables. After a squad of soldiers on foot cleared the roadblocks, teenagers and younger children threw rocks and chunks of concrete as the Strykers sped by.

Frustrated after hours of waiting, the soldiers shot paintballs and smoke canisters at their assailants from hatches in the vehicles. “Merry Christmas, Baghdad,” Westerfeld joked between shots. “This is our present.”

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/25/2006 at 06:47 PM   
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Messin’ With Your Eyes

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/25/2006 at 04:35 PM   
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Upgrade

_{RJ Matson - The St. Louis Post Dispatch}

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/25/2006 at 01:55 PM   
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On This Day In History

December 25, 1991 - Moscow

Gorbachev, Last Soviet Leader, Resigns;
U.S. Recognizes Republics’ Independence

Mikhail S. Gorbachev, the trailblazer of the Soviet Union’s retreat from the cold war and the spark for the democratic reforms that ended 70 years of Communist tyranny, told a weary, anxious nation tonight that he was resigning as President and closing out the union.

‘I hereby discontinue my activities at the post of President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,’ declared the 60-year-old politician, the last leader of a totalitarian empire that was undone across the six years and nine months of his stewardship.

Mr. Gorbachev made no attempt in his brief, leanly worded television address to mask his bitter regret and concern at being forced from office by the creation of the new Commonwealth of Independent States, composed of 11 former republics of the collapsed Soviet empire under the informal lead of President Boris N. Yeltsin of Russia. Within hours of Mr. Gorbachev’s resignation, Western and other nations began recognition of Russia and the other former republics.

‘We’re now living in a new world,’ Mr. Gorbachev declared in recognizing the rich history of his tenure. ‘An end has been put to the cold war and to the arms race, as well as to the mad militarization of the country, which has crippled our economy, public attitudes and morals. The threat of nuclear war has been removed.’

Mr. Gorbachev’s moment of farewell was stark. Kremlin guards were preparing to lower the red union flag for the last time. In minutes, Mr. Gorbachev would sign over the nuclear missile launching codes for safeguarding to Mr. Yeltsin, his rival and successor as the dominant politician of this agonized land.

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/25/2006 at 01:37 PM   
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Christmas News Briefs

• James Brown died early this morning at the age of 73. Papa’s got a brand new bag.


• Ethiopian ground forces march into Somalia and their air force bombs Mogadishu. The fuse has now officially been lit in the Horn Of Africa.


• Fidel Castro isn’t dieing of cancer but Spain just sent their best cancer surgeon to Cuba. Raul Castro better start coming up with a better story soon.


• The Pope’s Christmas message: worship God, not technology. So turn off your computer and go to church but don’t forget to take your cell phone.


• The United Nations gives Iran a slap on the wrist over its nuke technology. A strongly worded letter is next step if they don’t comply.


• Fraud in Katrina rebuilding effort reaches $1 billion - Shaw Group Inc., Bechtel Group Inc., CH2M Hill Companies Ltd., and Fluor Corp under investigation. One name conspicuously absent from list of evil companies is Haliburton ... someone alert the media.


• Finally, North Korea reports a halo around the sun occurred on Kim Jung Il’s 15th anniversary of taking power ....
  
  
  A mysterious halo appeared in the sky over North Korea just before its leader Kim Jong-Il marked an important anniversary, the communist state’s official media reported. The “unprecedentedly great halo” appeared over the city of Kusong on December 23 during a day of cloud and gentle hail, the Korean Central News Agency reported Monday.
  
  “The big ring around the sun stayed for 30 minutes, throwing bright rays of seven colours. And when it disappeared, the hail stopped and not a speck of cloud was seen,” the agency said. In a separate dispatch, the agency said youths and students held dances in different parts of the country to celebrate. “The participants delightedly danced to the tune of ‘Let’s Sing of Our Pride in Being under the Guidance of the General’ and ‘Our General Is Best’ and other songs,” it added.

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/25/2006 at 12:42 PM   
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   Sunday - December 24, 2006

Christmas Gift Idea #1

This concludes the Christmas Gift list for this year and with that in mind try to imagine the following. Pretend for a moment that you are God. It’s OK. HE knows where this is going and HE says it’s all right for just this once, so bear with me.

Now, close your eyes and pretend that you are The Creator. You are everywhere and everywhen. You have always been and always will be. You do not have to go anywhere because you are everywhere. Time exists only as a trivial concept for mortals who measure their days of existence.

Makes you kinda dizzy, doesn’t it? All that power encompassing the glory of all creation is enough to break the minds of mere mortals who are given only a glimpse of the power and majesty of God, like Moses and the prophets. When God says “I AM THAT I AM”, HE means it. Literally.

So imagine that you are the “be all and end all” - the Alpha and the Omega. Now turn your gaze upon this little blue planet orbiting a small sun out on the edge of one of trillions of galaxies you created. Your children are playing. They insisted on having free will shortly after you created them and you have tried to guide them along their path to maturity.

At times you have had to intervene when they strayed too far from the path you have set out for them. They are an ornery bunch at best. At their worst, they are an abomination and must be disciplined with floods or pillars of fire. You ordered them to follow ten simple rules to live by to help them be good. They have broken every one on a regular basis.

So what do you do? After pondering the matter, you decide to give them something - one last chance to redeem themselves. You dispatch an angel to give to a good woman a small part of yourself in the form of a child. A child who will grow up and show these mortals a small piece of your power and glory by raising the dead, healing the blind and lame and bringing to them a short, simple message consisting of only two rules: (1) Love God, (2) Love each other.

Sounds simple doesn’t it? Of course since you are everywhere and everywhen and you already know how this will turn out. They will not believe the messenger and instead will nail HIM to a cross. For that is their nature. Your only hope is that they will recognize this flaw in their nature and realize the horror of what they have done.

So you already know they will abuse this gift horribly. To seal the deal with these ungrateful wretches, you offer them a pardon .... “Believe in the messenger and try to understand and follow the message he brought and you will be given everlasting life and salvation and forgiveness for all your sins.”

So you have given them the ultimate gift. Nothing else can surpass it. All you can do now is watch and wait ...



For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

-- John 3:16 (KJV)

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/24/2006 at 04:43 PM   
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Thank You All!

Well, another year is almost gone and Christmas day is fast upon us. First, I want to thank everyone who donated to this blog yesterday and today. I have sent out thank you cards to all of you and I want to thank you again for your generous support.

We managed to collect enough $$$ to pay our annual rent ($400) here at our hosting service and have a little left over, which is a relief since blogad sales have been a little slim the past few months. I guess all those Looney Left sites are getting all the advertising dollars nowadays.

All the rest of you Scrooge ratbags out there can look forward to the Ghost Of Christmas Future coming tonight to visit you and you ain’t gonna like it (Hint: he carries a sword and shouts ‘Allahu Akhbar’). Those who donated are entitled to one free box of ammo when the revolution comes. So there!

With that said, the following weeks should be lots of fun. We have the Annual Barking Moonbat Hall Of Fame vote coming in a few weeks as well as the Third Anniversary of this blog. Our fourth year will officially begin at around 8:00am on January 14. So hang around and enjoy the fun.

Posting will be light tomorrow, probably no more than one of two items of interest. I have a large ham to slow cook tonight, potato salad to prepare, corn on the cob to boil, salad to toss and ... a chance to unwind with a good book and relax for one day.

This is the first time in 57 years that I have spent both Thanksgiving and Christmas by myself and I’m starting to enjoy the peace and quiet. If I don’t hook up with a new girlfriend soon I may decide to become a monk. Hmmmm. “The Blogging Monk”? Sounds good. I wonder if that name is taken?

Finally ... there will be one more post today before I turn out the lights and go dream of sugar plums and toy soldiers. If you’ve been reading this blog for the last twenty three days, you already know what the title of the post will be. Now it’s up to you to figure out what the subject of the post will be. See if you can guess what The Skipper has chosen.

Again, THANKS to all the readers and commenters here for another wonderful year. God Bless you all and have a Merry Christmas!

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/24/2006 at 03:19 PM   
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Barking Moonbat Of The Week

Man Sets Self Aflame In Calif. Protest
_{BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) - Dec 23, 10:48 AM EST}

A man used flammable liquid to light himself on fire, apparently to protest a San Joaquin Valley school district’s decision to change the names of winter and spring breaks to Christmas and Easter vacation. The man, who was not immediately identified, on Friday also set fire to a Christmas tree, an American flag and a revolutionary flag replica, said Fire Captain Garth Milam.

Seeing the flames, Sheriff’s Deputy Lance Ferguson grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran to the man. Flames were devouring a Christmas tree next to the Liberty Bell, where public events and demonstrations are common. Beside the tree the man stood with an American flag draped around his shoulders and a red gas can over his head.

Seeing the deputy, the man poured the liquid over his head. He quickly burst into flames when the fumes from the gas met the flames from the tree. The deputy ordered the man to drop to the ground as he and a parole agent sprayed him with fire extinguishers. “The man stood there like this,” the deputy said with his arms across his chest and his head bent down, “Saying no, no, no.”

The man suffered first degree burns on his shoulders and arms, Milam said. Kern County Sheriff’s Deputy John Leyendecker said the man had a sign that read: “(expletive) the religious establishment and KHSD.” On Thursday, the Kern High School Board of Trustees voted to use the names Christmas and Easter instead of winter and spring breaks.

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/24/2006 at 09:40 AM   
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Silent Night

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

-- Luke 2:1-14 (KJV)

On This Day In History

December 24, 1914 - Flanders, France

During World War I, in the winter of 1914, on the battlefields of Flanders, one of the most unusual events in all of human history took place. The Germans had been in a fierce battle with the British and French. Both sides were dug in, safe in muddy, man-made trenches six to eight feet deep that seemed to stretch forever.

All of a sudden, German troops began to put small Christmas trees, lit with candles, outside of their trenches. Then, they began to sing songs. Across the way, in the “no man’s land” between them, came songs from the British and French troops. Incredibly, many of the Germans, who had worked in England before the war, were able to speak good enough English to propose a “Christmas” truce.

The British and French troops, all along the miles of trenches, accepted. In a few places, allied troops fired at the Germans as they climbed out of their trenches. But the Germans were persistent and Christmas would be celebrated even under the threat of impending death.

Signboards arose up and down the trenches in a variety of shapes. They were usually in English, or - from the Germans - in fractured English. Rightly, the Germans assumed that the other side could not read traditional gothic lettering, and that few English understood spoken German. ‘YOU NO FIGHT, WE NO FIGHT’ was the most frequently employed German message. Some British units improvised ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS’ banners and waited for a response. More placards on both sides popped up.

A spontaneous truce resulted. Soldiers left their trenches, meeting in the middle to shake hands. The first order of business was to bury the dead who had been previously unreachable because of the conflict. Then, they exchanged gifts. Chocolate cake, cognac, postcards, newspapers, tobacco. By Christmas morning, the “no man’s land” between the trenches was filled with fraternizing soldiers, sharing rations and gifts, singing and (more solemnly) burying their dead between the lines. Soon they were even playing soccer, mostly with improvised balls.

According to the official war diary of the 133rd Saxon Regiment, “Tommy and Fritz” kicked about a real football supplied by a Scot. “This developed into a regulation football match with caps casually laid out as goals. The frozen ground was no great matter . . . The game ended 3-2 for Fritz.”

By New Years Day the fighting had resumed and the war would drag on for another four years — and it would ultimately see the staggering totals of 8½ million dead and 21 million wounded but for a few brief days in that December of 1914 there was “peace on Earth, good will toward men.”

-- “Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce” by Stanley Weintraub
    Plume; Reprint edition (October 29, 2002), 224 pages, ISBN: 0452283671

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/24/2006 at 01:10 AM   
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Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
3. Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere

It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

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