Thursday - September 14, 2006

Three Weeks Later

(1) Israel warned inhabitants of southern Lebanon to go North and get out of the way, even broadcasting where they were going to attack Hezbollah to allow civilians to get out of the line of fire. Hezbollah warned no Israeli settlers and fired rockets indiscriminately into Israel. (2) The IDF specifically targeted Hezbollah fighters and made every attempt possible to avoid hitting civilians. Hezbollah hid among the civilian population and even fired their rockets from within villages and towns. (3) Israel even went so far as to leave an evacuation road open out of south Lebanon and help civilians evacuate. Hezbollah gave no warning of their rocket barrages and targeted everyone in northern Israel, specifically the civilian population.

Any questions so far? Good. Then why did Amnesia International condemn Israel for “war crimes” THREE WEEKS AGO and are just now getting around to waggling their finger at Hezbollah? The jerks at AI have really given themselves away this time. It’s too bad they aren’t willing to put their cowardly, anti-semitic carcasses on the line and go perform as human shields in some of these trouble areas around the globe. Maybe then they might be useful ... as clay pigeons.

Amnesty International: Hezbollah Committed War Crimes
_{LONDON (AP) - September 14, 2006, 4:43 AM EDT}

Hezbollah militants broke international law by firing thousands of rockets into Israel and killing dozens of civilians during the recent conflict with Israel, Amnesty International charged Thursday.

The human rights group called for a United Nations inquiry into what it called war crimes by Israel and Hezbollah, but its report focused on the actions of the Lebanese militants during the 34-day conflict.

Hezbollah launched nearly 4,000 rockets into northern Israel in July and August, killing at least 39 civilians. The firing of rockets into urban areas in northern Israel disregarded international laws that call for distinguishing between civilian and military targets, Amnesty said.

“Targeting civilians is a war crime. There’s no gray area,” said Larry Cox, Amnesty’s executive director in the United States. Although Hezbollah denies targeting Israeli civilians, it fired inaccurate rockets packed with thousands of metal ball bearings to maximize harm to noncombatants, Amnesty said.

Hezbollah had no immediate comment Thursday on the Amnesty report. The report is Amnesty’s most extensive condemnation of Hezbollah since the conflict began in July. It comes after Amnesty accused Israel of violating international law with indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks on civilian targets in Lebanon. The human rights group also previously called on Hezbollah to release two kidnapped Israeli soldiers and abstain from targeting civilians.

Violence erupted between Israel and Lebanon after Hezbollah militants kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12. The ensuing fighting left more than 1,000 people dead, mostly Lebanese civilians, UNICEF said. A U.N.-brokered cease-fire in August quelled the violence and Israel and Hezbollah have mostly complied with the order, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said this week.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said he had no doubt that the Islamic militia fired rockets in a premeditated way to kill a maximum number of civilians. “It is also important to remember that the leaders of Hezbollah have spoken on many occasions about their desire to destroy the state of Israel,” Regev said.

Amnesty plans to publish additional reports studying whether Hezbollah contributed to civilian deaths in Lebanon by purposely hiding among civilians, said Nicole Choueiry, a spokesman for Amnesty in Britain. Israel and Lebanon reject the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands making any prosecution there unlikely.

Posted by The Skipper     on 09/14/2006 at 08:20 AM   
Filed Under: • Democrats-Liberals-Moonbat Leftists • Middle-East • Terrorists •  
• Comments (2) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

   Tuesday - September 12, 2006

In Their Own Words

“Our nation has endured trials—and we face a difficult road ahead. Winning this war will require the determined efforts of a unified country. So we must put aside our differences, and work together to meet the test that history has given us. Osama bin Laden and other terrorists are still in hiding. Our message to them is clear: No matter how long it takes, America will find you, and we will bring you to justice.”

President George W. Bush, September 11, 2006

“I don’t know how you can explain five years of no attacks, five years of successful disruption of attacks, five years of defeating the efforts of al-Qaeda to come back and kill more Americans. You’ve got to give some credence to the notion that maybe somebody did something right.”

Vice President Richard Cheney, September 10, 2006

“The President should be ashamed of using a national day of mourning to commandeer the airwaves to give a speech that was designed not to unite the country and commemorate the fallen but to seek support for a war in Iraq that he has admitted had “nothing” to do with 9/11. There will be time to debate this president’s policies in Iraq. September 11th is not that time.”

Senator Edward Kennedy, September 11, 2006

“It’s extraordinary how much money has been spent in Iraq versus homeland security. So, yes, in smaller ways, here and there, […] we are safer. Are we as safe as we ought to be after 9/11? The answer is profoundly ‘no’. And the 9/11 commission has given failing grades to this administration in almost every sector.”

Senator John Kerry, September 11, 2006

“I mean, I think there have been times when, especially the Democrats, in my view, have sort of not understood the unseemliness when you have soldiers fighting in the field, et cetera, to turn every event, including now the fifth anniversary of 9-11, into a partisan fight. But, it happens.”

Bill Kristol, Fox News Sunday, September 10, 2006

“You gave us every legitimacy and every opportunity to continue fighting you. You should worry about your presence in the (Persian) Gulf, and the second place you should worry about is Israel. Your leaders are hiding from you the true extent of the disaster. And the days are pregnant and giving birth to new events, with Allah’s permission and guidance.”

Ayman al-Zawahri, September 11, 2006

“It’s very hard. Our family has just been ripped apart. I still hold a lot of anger, and that’s not only at the terrorists. I stayed mad at God for quite some time, even at Al (her husband), I stayed mad at him. I was supposed to have the rest of my life with him. We were together nine years. That is not forever.”

Rebecca Marchand, of Alamogordo, N.M., whose husband was a flight attendant on United Airlines Flight 175, September 11, 2006

Posted by The Skipper     on 09/12/2006 at 05:04 AM   
Filed Under: • Middle-East • Terrorists •  
• Comments (1) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

   Wednesday - September 06, 2006

Al Qaeda Protected By Geneva Conventions?

First of all, I think this stinks to high heaven. Admitting that the CIA is holding prisoners in secret prisons is bad but then to grant these barbaric murderers all the protections of the Geneva Conventions is absolutely Barking Mad™.

So what do we do? Place them in a nice comfy prison somewhere in Arkansas, give them fresh copies of the Quran (unflushed, of course) and allow the Red Cross to deliver cakes, cookies and letters from home? What about permits for Cindy Sheehan and friends to protest outside the prison camp?

I’m sorry, Dubya but I think you have screwed the pooch on this one, ol’ buddy. I am awaiting a decent explanation and you better make it good, sir. The Democrats and Liberals are going to have a field day with this one ...

High Value Detainees Will Be
Given Prisoner Of War Status
_{(ABC NEWS) - September 6, 2006}

ABC News has learned that President Bush will announce that high-value detainees now being held at secret CIA prisons will be transferred to the Department of Defense and granted protections under the 1949 Geneva Conventions.

It will be the first time the Administration publicly acknowledges the existence of the prisons.

A source familiar with the president’s announcement says it will apply to all prisoners now being held by the CIA, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the Sept.11 attacks, and senior al Qaeda leader Ramzi Binalshibh.

The source says there are “about a dozen” prisoners now being held by the CIA. Until now, the U.S. government has not officially acknowledged the existence of CIA prisons.

The Bush administration has come under harsh criticism for its handling of detainees captured in the U.S.-led military campaign to root out al Qaeda terror cells abroad.

Many detainees have been given the legal status of “enemy combatant,” which includes both lawful enemy combatants and unlawful enemy combatants.

_{(-- Hat tip to Drudge for catching this one so fast --)}

Posted by The Skipper     on 09/06/2006 at 12:39 PM   
Filed Under: • Middle-East • Terrorists •  
• Comments (8) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

   Wednesday - August 30, 2006

Our Feature Presentation

Good evening, Ladies and Germs! Welcome to the Skipper Theatre and our feature presentation for today’s matinee. Today we bring you a rock ‘em, sock ‘em, rip-roaring comedy that’ll leave you rolling in the aisles. Today’s feature is entitled “The Three Stooges In Lebanon” and features our favorite slapstick bozos in a wild comedy full of their usual hilarious antics and pratfalls. So settle back with your popcorn, root beer and Raisenets and enjoy the show ...

Moe is in Jerusalem giving the Jews a hard time and blaming them for everything that has gone wrong since the beginning of time.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Tuesday that Israel was responsible for most of the violations of the UN-brokered cease-fire that ended the 34-day conflict between Israel and Hezbollah two weeks ago.

Annan said he would ask Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in talks on Wednesday to lift Israel’s air and sea blockade of Lebanon, imposed at the start of the war nearly seven weeks ago.

Speaking after a meeting with Defense Minister Amir Peretz in Jerusalem, Annan appealed for all sides to work together to ensure the peace holds and “not risk another explosion in six years or 20 years.”

- HAARETZ (Israel) - August 30, 2006

Larry is in Beirut preaching to Hezbollah in hopes of convincing them to let his people go free. Hallelujah!

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson met with exiled Hamas leaders to try to mediate an exchange of prisoners between the Palestinian group and Israel, a high-level Hamas member said.

“Reverend Jackson had a good and useful meeting yesterday evening with Khaled Meshaal,” Hamas politburo member Mohammed Nazzal said. “Hamas is open to discussing all details, but we insist that any exchange of prisoners must be simultaneous, which is the main sticking point,” Mr Nazzal said.

Rev Jackson, who is not an official US government representative on his trip, is hoping to use respect he has gained in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East to succeed where others have failed.

- The Australian - August 29, 2006

Curly Joe is in Damascus stirring up trouble and sucking up to any dictator he can find. Oh, a wise guy? Whoop-whoop-whoop!

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday that his government is united with Syria in strong opposition to the U.S. government’s “imperialistic” aggression in the Middle East.

“We are here in Damascus to call for peace,” Chavez told Venezuela’s state television by phone shortly after arriving in Syria late Tuesday. “These two countries are strongly united against the imperialistic aggression and hegemonic pretensions of the U.S. empire.”

Chavez was scheduled to meet Assad on Wednesday, the Venezuelan president’s office said in a statement. Officials of both governments will sign a document opposing Washington’s “aggression” in the Middle East, Chavez said.

- Washington Post - August 30, 2006

Posted by The Skipper     on 08/30/2006 at 03:00 AM   
Filed Under: • Middle-East • Satire • Stoopid-People • United-Nations •  
• Comments (4) • Trackbacks(1)  Permalink •  

   Sunday - August 27, 2006

Quote Of The Day

“The kingdom’s petroleum policy is moderation in prices. Despite the benefits that the increase in prices brings us, we advocate moderation in oil prices. Petroleum production is plentiful. That’s why I am surprised by ... the unjustified rise in prices.”
 
 
-- King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, complaining about the high price of gas, August 26, 2006

Posted by The Skipper     on 08/27/2006 at 12:15 PM   
Filed Under: • Corruption and Greed • Middle-East •  
• Comments (4) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

Fox Reporters Freed

After two weeks, the criminal gang who kidnapped the Fox News journalists finally set them free this morning - after forcing them to make anti-West statements and convert to Islam in front of cameras ... which they will not doubt be splashing all over the media and the internet in a matter of days. This is a complete farce.

All I’ve got to say about this is - don’t give me any bulls**t about “Holy War” or “resistance fighters”. These creeps are plain and simple outlaws and thugs and they haven’t come up with a new game plan in a thousand years. They’re just pulling the same old crap their tribal Bedouin ancesters pulled for centuries. Kidnap, ransom, kill, fight over loot. They never learn.

Kidnapped Fox News Journalists Freed
_{GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Aug 27, 8:55 AM (ET)}

Militants freed two Fox News journalists on Sunday in the Gaza Strip, ending a nearly two week hostage drama in which one of the former captives said they were forced at gunpoint to make statements, including that they had converted to Islam.

Correspondent Steve Centanni, 60, of Washington, D.C., and cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, of New Zealand, were dropped off at Gaza City’s Beach Hotel by Palestinian security officials. A tearful Centanni briefly embraced a Palestinian journalist in the lobby, then rushed upstairs with Wiig behind him.

The pair, who appeared to be in good health, then met with Palestinian officials, including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. The three men sat in a circle of chairs at the hotel, before the journalists held a news conference, then left and crossed into Israel.

“I want to thank everybody. I am happy to be here. I hope that this never scares a single journalist away from coming to Gaza to cover the story because the Palestinian people are very beautiful and kind hearted,” Centanni told reporters. “The world needs to know more about them. Don’t be discouraged.”

Wiig also said he was worried that the kidnapping would scare off reporters. “My biggest concern really is that as a result of what happened to us foreign journalists will be discouraged from coming to tell the story and that would be a great tragedy for the people of Palestine,” Wiig said. “You guys need us on the streets, and you need people to be aware of the story.”

Wiig’s wife, Anita McNaught, thanked Palestinian officials and Fox News for their efforts in getting the men released. The men refused to take questions, then traveled to the Erez and left Gaza.

In a phone call with Fox News, Centanni said that during his capture, he was held at times face down in a dark garage, tied up in painful positions, and that he and Wiig were forced at gunpoint to make statements, including that they had converted to Islam. “I’m a little emotional because this is overwhelming, but I’m fine,” Centanni said. “I’m so happy to be freed.”

- More on the release at MyWay News ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 08/27/2006 at 10:57 AM   
Filed Under: • Middle-East •  
• Comments (4) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

   Friday - August 25, 2006

Barking Moonbat Of The Week

This was a tough choice this week. It was either Chirac for waffling back and forth or the Washington Post for calling 2,000 men a “Big Force”, especially when you consider the fact that those 2,000 troops are Fwench. To be precise, 2,000 Fwench troops is roughly the fighting equivalent of an American squad (10 real warrriors).

Chirac and the Fwench pressured Israel to accept this crummy cease-fire deal and promised troops to enforce it. Then Chirac decided Fwance would only send a few engineers to “asssist”. Then Chirac said he would not send troops unless the Fwench were placed in charge and clear rules of engagement were defined by the UN. This is probably because the Fwench have never really engaged in any real fighting and needed a tutorial ... sort of a “Warfare For Fwench Dummies” book was called for.

Now finally Fwance and Chirac have decided to send 2,000 of Fwance’s finest, under Fwench control, to manage the situation. Of course, Chirac also pleaded with the US and Britain to cover their back with more of our troops - possibly to lay down suppressing fire while the Fwench retreat? Fortunately, Tony Blair and George Bush decided to take a pass on this one so it is now up to the mighty Fwench forces to maintain peace between two opposing forces. I’m sure a substantial supply of white flags have already been ordered ...

France Sets Big Force for Lebanon
2,000 to Serve As Peacekeepers; ‘Clarifications’ Set
_{PARIS (WASHINGTON POST)
Friday, August 25, 2006}

French President Jacques Chirac said Thursday that France would commit 2,000 troops to a new international peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. The decision breaks a stalemate that has held up the dispatch of soldiers seen by diplomats as crucial to maintaining the 11-day-old cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel.

Chirac’s announcement in a nationally televised address followed days of intense negotiations with the United Nations, Lebanon and Israel over European concerns that the force would have no clear mandate and inadequate rights to open fire in defense of itself or civilians.

“We obtained the necessary clarifications from the U.N. on the chain of command, which needs to be simple, coherent and reactive,” he said, “and the rules of engagement, which must guarantee the freedom of movement of the force and its ability to operate when confronted with hostile conditions.”

France helped broker the U.N. cease-fire and initially indicated it would commit 2,000 troops to help maintain the truce. But Chirac was chastised at home and abroad when he later said he would dispatch only 200 engineers to augment the 200 French troops serving in an existing U.N. monitoring force on the Lebanon-Israel border.

Chirac said he hoped France’s decision Thursday would spur other countries to join the force, including the United States and Britain. Both have said they are too taxed in Iraq and Afghanistan to take part. In a statement issued in Kennebunkport, Maine, where he is vacationing, President Bush gave no sign of reversing that decision. But he called Chirac’s move “an important step towards finalizing preparations to deploy the United Nations Interim Force of Lebanon” and called on other countries to join in.

So far, Italy is the only other European country to make a major commitment, offering to send as many as 3,000 troops and to command the force. But the direction of the expanded force appears to be in French hands. French and U.N. officials said French Maj. Gen. Alain Pelligrini will retain command of the U.N. mission until his term ends next February. U.N. officials said an Italian general will head a new military command center at U.N. headquarters to map out strategy for the operation.

Posted by The Skipper     on 08/25/2006 at 11:50 AM   
Filed Under: • Awards • EUro-peons • Middle-East •  
• Comments (10) • Trackbacks(1)  Permalink •  

The Crazy-Ass Backward Plan

I read Scott Adam’s Blog (The Dilbert Guy) and he is one crazy dude.  I guess cartoonists have to be.  But he is very thought-provoking in his approach to ideas.  Today, he posts his plan for peace in the Middle East.  Read it and think.  I’m not sure I agree with it, but on the other hand, we have been solid allies with Iran in the past.  Here’s a snippet:

When I’m not drawing comics, I spend a lot of time figuring out how to bring peace to the Middle East and end terrorism. Today I’ll describe my best (craziest) idea so far.

Treat this as a thought experiment, in the sense that trying to figure out why it won’t work might change the way you look at the problem, and sometimes that’s a step in the right direction.

If pride is really the underlying emotional barrier to peace in the Middle East, we’ll probably need a solution like the card game from the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. There’s a scene where the Sundance Kid is accused of cheating and it looks as if shooting might start because his honor has been offended. When the accuser discovers he’s dealing with the legendary quick-draw Sundance Kid, he starts looking for a way out. Sundance explains that the only way he can leave the table without gunfire, (and his pride intact, we gather from the context), is if the accuser asks him to stay. Eventually the accuser realizes that doing so is the smartest move and he invites Sundance to stay. Sundance then politely excuses himself, honor intact, and no one gets killed.

What say you?

Posted by Drew458     on 08/25/2006 at 11:40 AM   
Filed Under: • Middle-East •  
• Comments (5) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

   Wednesday - August 23, 2006

IslamoNazis?

Jonah Goldberg compares modern Muslims to German Nazis and the similarities are eerily close - especially considering the fact that a lot of Middle Eastern leaders sided with the Germans in WWII. And the Nazis welcomed them. What they had in common was ... a fear of Jews. You heard that right - fear. Of. Jews.

The Swastika and the Scimitar
Anti-Semitic paranoia is alive and well among Muslims.
By Jonah Goldberg
_{(NRO) - August 18, 2006, 3:38 a.m.}

The Jews everywhere are “the Muslim’s bitter enemies,” said a prominent Islamic leader. Throughout history, the “irreconcilable enemy of Islam” has conspired and schemed and “oppressed and persecuted 40 million Muslims,” he said. In Palestine, the Jews are establishing “a base from which to extend their power over neighboring Islamic countries.” And, he proclaimed, “This war, which was unleashed by the world Jewry,” has provided “Muslims the best opportunity to free themselves from these instances of persecution and oppression.”

Sound like Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah? Or perhaps Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Nope. It was the grand mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin Husseini, in 1942. An ardent Nazi supporter, Husseini delivered his speech at the opening of the Islamic Institute in Berlin, one day after the Allies denounced the Nazis for “carrying into effect Hitler’s oft-repeated intention to exterminate the Jewish people in Europe.” Husseini’s address was approved by Nazi foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, and Joseph Goebbels was in attendance. The Reich press office widely distributed the comments.

- More from Goldberg at NRO ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 08/23/2006 at 12:36 PM   
Filed Under: • Middle-East •  
• Comments (3) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

   Tuesday - August 22, 2006

Hezbullshiite

See the pretty little picture below? It’s all sweetness and light, eh? Kinda makes you want to run out and enlist in the Religion of Pees, don’t it? No? Well then, you must be an evil Zionist infidel pig and we will destroy all of you Jew-loving donkeys and your stomachs will roast in hell. So there!

Now come on. Admit it. If it weren’t for the fact that they’re intent on killing us these asshats would be highly entertaining. As it is we will be forced to nuke the whole bunch one day and things will be mighty damn boring after that.

In case you’re wondering where this is going, I just visited the Official Web Site of Hezbollah in Iran. They even have an English version and after browsing around a little my firewall and anti-virus software didn’t complain. You never know though.

How did I get there. Well, it’s a long story and it involves a picture of a ship being sunk. It all started at Castle Arrrghh!, which led me to Andrew Bolt at Australia’s Herald Sun where I found an interesting set of pictures that caused coffee to shoot from my nose and ruin a perfectly good keyboard. I hate it when that happens.

This is a hoot, folks! The Hezzys are caught red-handed using some photographic trickery to rouse up the Arab Street. Follow the links above and go see for yourself. Put down the coffee or Diet Pepsi first. This is a Serious Bullshiite Alert™ ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 08/22/2006 at 11:36 AM   
Filed Under: • Middle-East • Terrorists •  
• Comments (1) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

UN Wussies Tossed Aside

I found this via LGF this morning. There is really nothing surprising about this story. Hezbollah decided to test the new UN forces in Lebanon and blew right by them. The UN forces cheerfully obliged by getting out of the way. But never fear, the last line of this story below is really encouraging ...

Hizbollah Pushes Past Guards In Show Of Force
(TELEGRAPH-UK) NAQOURA, Lebanon - 08/21/2006

Hizbollah mourners on a funeral parade shoved aside anti-tank barriers at a United Nations base in Lebanon yesterday in a demonstration of their new political strength. The party had been told it would be allowed to bury three “martyrs” at the Naqoura town cemetery inside the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) compound, but only if there was no flag-waving or political sloganising.

When the chanting procession, several hundred strong, reached the gates, it found the way barred by cruci-form steel tank traps. Mourners argued with the French guards, but failed to gain entry. A mob of young men then dragged the barriers away and the UN opened the gates. “They will eat us alive,” said a middle-aged official as the throng surged in.

A column of black-shirted men carried the three coffins to the graveyard. They waved yellow Hizbollah banners and portraits of the movement’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and yelled anti-Israeli and anti-American doggerel.

Among the mourners was Naqoura’s mayor, Hussein Darwish, a 59-year-old former teacher. “Israel is allowed to carry on raiding our country without Unifil doing anything,” he said, referring to an abortive raid by Israeli commandos in the Bekaa valley the previous day. “Why do they try to stop us burying our dead the way we wish?” The angry scenes were seen as a troubling portent of what may happen when a boosted UN force begins deploying to police the delicate, week-old ceasefire.

“Until now we’ve had good relations, but I don’t know what will happen after this,” said Mr Darwish. “Every-one is waiting.” Others among the mourners complained that when they sought shelter at the base during the bombardments of the month-long conflict, they were placed in open ground without bedding or water. Unifil’s hitherto easy dealings with the locals are partly due to its initial mandate, which only required it to observe and report. The new force will be expected to fill the space left by the departing Israelis and Hizbollah fighters, and police the border area, although its rules of engagement have not been finalised.

Its activities will inevitably bring it into close contact with Hizbollah, which has moved fast to consolidate its political grip on the region. Nowhere in the border area yesterday was there any sign of the Lebanese Army. It has been warned by Israel that it will not be allowed to deploy close to the frontier before the arrival of international troops. There was little sign yesterday that the security vacuum would be filled soon.

UN officials are desperate to get a vanguard force of 3,500 on the ground within a fortnight. But Israel is opposing the use of troops from some of the Muslim countries with which it does not have diplomatic ties but have offered to supply soldiers. By last night, Unifil’s standing force of 2,000 had been supplemented only by the arrival of 49 French military engineers.

Posted by The Skipper     on 08/22/2006 at 10:30 AM   
Filed Under: • Middle-East • United-Nations •  
• Comments (1) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

   Thursday - August 17, 2006

Comedy Of Errors

A Comedy of Errors
-- by Michael Reagan

As could be expected, on Wednesday The New York Times rushed into print with a story about the wonderful compassion Hezbollah is showing in helping those in Lebanon’s civilian population who suffered enormous damage during the hostilities between the terrorist group and the Israelis.

Under the banner line “Hezbollah Leads Work to Rebuild, Gaining Stature” the Times exuberantly described the extensive humanitarian efforts Hezbollah is exerting on behalf of the Lebanese people. Wrote the Times: “While the Israelis began their withdrawal, hundreds of Hezbollah members spread over dozens of villages across southern Lebanon began cleaning, organizing and surveying damage. Men on bulldozers were busy cutting lanes through giant piles of rubble. Roads blocked with the remnants of buildings are now, just a day after a cease-fire began, fully passable.”

It’s well known that the United States of America is the world’s number-one provider of humanitarian aid – handing out billions to victims of wars and natural disasters in every corner of the globe, but you never see the Times going into spasms of adulation over our generosity. But let a declared enemy of the United States provide a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down to those suffering collateral damage as a result of their actions and the Times gets all gooey with worshipful admiration.

Hezbollah is a humanitarian organization in the same sense as the Mafia is a dispenser of charity and compassion. Hezbollah’s leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, sounded like the neighborhood Mafia don, offering money for “decent and suitable furniture” and a year’s rent on a house to any Lebanese who lost his home in the month-long war. It was his way of telling the people who their real friends are. It’s not the toothless Lebanese government, he was telling them, but your friendly neighborhood hit men who have your best interests at heart

I think he may have learned the tactic from another mob boss, Al Capone, well known for handing out cash and other goodies to the folks in the neighborhood when he wasn’t beating people to death with a baseball bat or celebrating St. Valentine’s Day by having his enemies machine-gunned to death.

This “Hezbollah-the-good” business is just one aspect of a war that turned into a dark comedy, elevating the status of a group of murderous thugs while humiliating the leadership of what has always been seen as the most-feared military force in the Middle East – the IDF - the Israeli army, which nowadays parades under the politically correct description as a “Defense Force.”

Aside from the fact that the both the IDF’s intelligence capabilities and its strategy were terribly flawed, the whole thing began to assume the appearance of a sick farce when it was learned that among his preparations for the attack on Hezbollah, Israel’s army chief, General Dan Halutz, had reportedly dumped his stock holdings – something I don’t think he learned from studying Karl von Clausewitz.

Tragically, the silliest thing to emerge from the whole farce was President Bush’s comment that Israel had won the engagement with Hezbollah, which is now running freely around most of Lebanon with its fully armed guerillas patrolling the streets in some Lebanese cities, while the IDF licks its wounds after failing to be allowed to disarm the terrorists - which in less politically correct times it could have done with dispatch.

And what could be more ludicrous than a cease fire whose conditions include the stipulation that the Lebanese army, or the United Nations, or a multi-national or just about anybody else around disarm Hezbollah. The Lebanese army says it has no intention of doing so, and the planned multi-national force can’t because it doesn’t exist, and as a result Hezbollah continues to bristle with arms and is probably being supplied with more ordnance from Iran and Syria.

In the meantime, the IDF meanders around the area south of the Litani River waiting for Hezbollah to get out of the area and disarm. I have a suggestion for them: they should take a page out of the Old Testament and march around Lebanon for the next six days and then on seventh day, march around it six more times and blow a horn.

It worked at Jericho, after all.

Mike Reagan, the eldest son of the late President Ronald Reagan, is heard on more than 200 talk radio stations nationally as part of the Radio America Network. Look for Mike’s new book “Twice Adopted”. Order autographed books at http://www.reagan.com. Email Comments to mereagan@hotmail.com. ©2006 Mike Reagan

Posted by The Skipper     on 08/17/2006 at 12:53 PM   
Filed Under: • Editorials • Middle-East • Terrorists •  
• Comments (1) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

Who’s On First?

Posted by The Skipper     on 08/17/2006 at 12:49 PM   
Filed Under: • Middle-East • United-Nations •  
• Comments (3) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

   Wednesday - August 16, 2006

Constructive Ambiguity?

Question: what do you get when you combine the United Nations, French troops, angry Hezbollah terrorists and even angrier Israeli army troops?

Answer: I don’t know but it promises to be more hilarious than a barrel of drunk monkeys going over a waterfall singing “Le Marseilles” out of tune.

Evidently the French are confused about what constitutes “hotile activites” ... which is not surprising, considering the military history of the Frogs. Throw the UN into the mix and you have the blind leading the blind .. in the middle of a hornet’s nest.

I have my popcorn all ready for this show. The Frogs are going to maintain peace with the backing of the UN and neither has a clue about how to do it? Bwah-hah-hah-hah-hah-ha-ha-ha-ha .... oh, stop it - you’re killing me ....

U.N. Troops’ Mandate Not All That Clear
_{BEIRUT (AP) - August 16, 2006, 3:02 PM EDT}

The U.N. peace troops shipping out soon to south Lebanon may find their first skirmish will be over words—like “hostile activities” and “all necessary action.”

The cease-fire resolution that diplomats produced in New York’s air-conditioned backrooms last week equips the new truce force with an uncertain mandate, one that could confuse as much as calm the situation once they hit the ground in Lebanon’s smoldering summer hills, peacekeeping veterans say.

“They call it `constructive ambiguity,’” one ex-U.N. official, Timur Goksel, said disparagingly of vague passages in Resolution 1701. Another said French commanders, expected to lead the mission, had better nail down detailed, approved rules for action before the mission.

“This, to me, looks like it will be a rough one,” added Ian Johnstone. “My advice to the French is to work this out carefully.”

The Security Council resolution halted a monthlong conflict in which Israel tried and failed to neutralize Hezbollah via air and ground attacks on Lebanon, and the Shiite Muslim militia poured thousands of rockets onto Israeli targets.

The council called for Hezbollah to cease attacks and Israel to cease “offensive military operations,” and for Lebanese army units and the U.N. force to deploy in the south, as Israeli troops withdraw. The 18-mile-deep southern zone is supposed to then be free of armed Hezbollah fighters.

The first fresh peacekeepers may arrive within two weeks under the new mandate, reinforcing UNIFIL, the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, U.N. officials say. Full deployment of up to 15,000 U.N. “blue helmets” may take months.

French and other envoys, meanwhile, are returning to those U.N. backrooms to talk over Resolution 1701’s real meaning. “It’s time for a robust force, but they have to negotiate every aspect of that mandate, including when to use force and when not to use force,” said Sir Brian Urquhart, former chief of U.N. peacekeeping.

Questions focus on a paragraph deep in the lengthy document, in which the council authorizes the strengthened U.N. force “to take all necessary action” to, among other things, ensure no “hostile activities” take place in its zone, and to “protect civilians.”

“What constitutes `hostile activities’?” asked Tufts University’s Johnstone, a one-time U.N. peacekeeping official who edits an annual journal on peace operations.

“One can imagine all the situations where one side takes action and that’s interpreted as hostile by the other, and UNIFIL will have to decide.”

- More Frog Fears from AP ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 08/16/2006 at 03:44 PM   
Filed Under: • Middle-East • United-Nations •  
• Comments (11) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

DISCLAIMER

THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.

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.

THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.

Copyright © 2004-2015 Domain Owner