Columns to read

Jonah Goldberg of the LA times: "Give Bush a Break"

Besides, the Bush-bashers have lost credibility. The most delicious example came this week when it was finally revealed that Colin Powell's oak-necked major-domo Richard Armitage — and not some star chamber neocon — "outed" Valerie Plame, the spousal prop of Washington's biggest ham, Joe Wilson. Now it turns out that instead of "Bush blows CIA agent's cover to silence a brave dissenter" — as Wilson practices saying into the mirror every morning — the story is, "One Bush enemy inadvertently taken out by another's friendly fire."

And then there's Hurricane Katrina. Yes, the federal government could have responded better. And of course there were real tragedies involved in that disaster. But you know what? Bad stuff happens during disasters, which is why we don't call them tickle-parties.

and
Mark Steyn on conspiracy theorists.

Knee Jerk reactions

The ACLU has po'd enough people out there that the Jawa Report posted this:

A Question for the ACLU...
...what the hell is wrong with you people?

Jay at Stop the ACLU has the story: ACLU Wants Suspected Terrorists Allowed Back Into U.S..

Come to find out the suspected terrorists are US citizens who've never been accused of terrorism at all. Ok, they've spent the last couple years in Pakistan and know the 2 guys in Lodi that were convicted of 1-attending a training camp and 2-lying to authorities about carrying $28,000 to Pakistan. But.....

I'm with Jawa's first commenter, Jeff Medcalf: "Do you really want to give the government the power to keep citizens out of the country without the intervention of a court?""

These 2 US citizens may well be bad guys, but they are our bad guys. They haven't been convicted of anything. The FBI is requiring a conversation before they can return and these guys are saying "no". I believe US citizens still have that right. Let them in. Watch them. Closely. But the ACLU is right on this one.

Termination Dust

Beautiful! Winter is on it's way.

The Buffet of Resolutions

In this BBC story you have the following quote from Prime Minister Olmert:

But Mr Olmert said only that Israel would pull out of the Lebanon once UN resolution 1701 was implemented.

"[The resolution] is not a buffet where you pick up one item and leave others," he said.

And in this Bloomberg story you have the following quote:

Resolution ``1701 is a fixed menu, not a buffet where you choose and pick. It has to be implemented in its entirety,'' Annan said today.

Who is to be believed here? I suspect since Annan is the one that wants to pick and choose from the buffet of a resolution that it's Olmert who really said it.

In the NYTimes Olmert says:

The resolution, Mr. Olmert said, “is not a smorgasbord. It’s not a buffet. It’s a one-time meal."

And at Reuters Olmert said:

"The (resolution) is a fixed buffet and everything will be implemented, including the lifting of the blockade, as part of the entire implementation of the different articles," he said.

One little buffet quote. Quoted four different ways!

Lebanon

And finally today, because it cracked me up. As the Lebanese return to their homes they are feeling safe when they see the UN troops in place.

From New York or London it is easy enough to mock the powerlessness of the peacekeepers, but in these dangerous hills you feel just that little bit safer with the blue flag of the UN flying nearby.

Shouldn't some great journalist somewhere write a story about the UN, and how in first world countries they come, they give people security, they watch. But in third world countries they come, they watch, they bribe, they steal they rape, ...............

Baby Boomers

So because a few people in a suburban neighborhood in LA want to keep their neighborhood hangout, (the post box) we, the taxpayers get to pay for their little hissy fit.

For generations, the blue mailbox on the corner of Bomberry Street and Clubhouse Drive was a meeting place where neighbors caught up while walking the dog or pushing the baby stroller.

Then, one day this summer, it vanished.

No wonder the US Postal service has such a reputation. I wonder if we can add this to the big Pork Busters campaign.

Not only do mail collectors have to make fruitless trips to underused boxes, but they must also deal with graffiti and random objects dropped inside, he said.

"Our guys find soda pop dumped into them, liquor bottles, firecrackers, animal feces, cherry bombs," Ham said. "We're constantly having maintenance go around and clean graffiti."

Collections surveys found that removing the boxes in Lakewood would result in fewer than 25 pieces of mail a day having to be posted elsewhere.

"We're not just going to leave them sitting out there if we're not picking up any mail from them," Ham said.

Unless you whine enough and then we'll bring it back. The same one even.

The post office had returned a mailbox to the corner of Bomberry and Clubhouse.

Upon close inspection, Neipling realized it was the same box officials had removed days earlier, complete with the etchings neighborhood kids had left over the years.

Plame

I had the pleasure of explaining the whole Plame affair to my friends from NZ recently. I needed props but luckily the restaurant had assorted things to offer. Today the Jawa Report runs down the end result in a single paragraph. Bravo!

Fauxtography

To my reader out there who hasn't heard of Green Helmet guy so she didn't get the joke in this picture. (ht Instapundit):
Read this.

As a matter of fact, read this one too. It's from the Jerusalem Post and notes the stories printed all over the place after the 2 Fox journalists were released.

t the press conference, Centanni and Wiig, who were forced by their Palestinian captors to convert to Islam, praised the Palestinians. Centanni said, "I just hope this never scares a single journalist away from coming to Gaza to cover this story because the Palestinian people are a very beautiful, kind-hearted and caring people that the world need[s] to know more about." Wiig similarly praised the Palestinians.

While their remarks were covered extensively, no one seemed to think that the fact that their first post-release statements were made at a Palestinian Authority sponsored media extravaganza in Gaza was significant. No one noted that the men were flanked by Palestinian "security forces," and stood next to Hamas terrorist leader and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.

Exactly.

Off to here.

See you in a couple days!

2 more for Allah

Michelle Malkin has the links regarding the freeing of the Fox News guys. I've been reading the Jill Carroll story and after this "conversion" wondering what on earth these people are thinking - again.
Conversion by gun - how exactly does that work. "Hello. I want you to believe this way and I have a gun at your head." "Oh, ok. Whatever you say." "Yeah - now we get 2 points in heaven!"
If the tables were turned and some whacked missionary became armed and started "converting" Muslims to Christianity that way do you suppose the Muslim faith would be as insulted as the cartoon controversy?

Steyn

On the Penis Pump incident. Because I always link to Steyn.

Iran

Here's a headline for you.

EU hopes for further Iran dialogue.

Is that because all the other dialogue has gone so well?

European diplomats acknowledge they are constrained by Russia’s continuing resistance to sanctions, since Moscow wields a Security Council veto.

On Friday, Sergei Ivanov, Russia’s defence minister, said the situation “was not so serious at the moment for the UN Security Council...to consider any introduction of sanctions”.

I suspect there is a money situation in there somewhere. Russia has yet to come up with an alternative to this plan of sanctions. I understand, they don't usually work, blah, blah, blah. So what is the alternative. The UN Security council wants Iran to do X. Iran doesn't want to do X. The UN Security council has certain things it can do in response. 1- pass a resolution. 2- start a war 3-try some sanctions 4- keep "talking" (though Scott makes a good point about talking with the insane.)

This poll out of Mosnews shows that most Russians don't want to go the sanction route either.

In analyzing the data, the organization was able to make many wide-ranging, if general, assertions. While Russia and the United States are in unison on some important issues, they differ greatly on others. While they both had negative views of Iran’s nuclear program, they disagreed on the use and effectiveness of economic and military sanctions. While they agreed on the role of the United Nations in discouraging nuclear proliferation, they held very different views towards China, as well as each other’s role in the world.

We all know about polls and there was no follow up as to what the answer should be if not sanctions, but......
In the meantime, this story out of Russian concerns our sanctions on two of their businesses due to suspected arms sales to Iran. It's bizarre. And short, so read it. It sounds to me like they think the sanctions are warranted and legal but that they should get out of it.

RFE/RL’s Russian Service spoke with Nikolai Zlobin, the director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Washington-based Center for Defense Information, about the U.S. sanctions.

Is there any foundation behind the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on Rosoboroneksport and Sukhoi?

Nikolai Zlobin: I think that, of course, the motivation is serious. The Americans usually act on the basis of laws and facts and evidence. Of course, they might choose not to use these facts and evidence, but I have no doubt that their decision has a logical basis. From a purely legal point of view, it won’t be possible to contest this decision. You can contest it at the political level, but from the economic and legal points of view, I’m sure that everything has been thought through. The Americans usually think about these things carefully and don’t make mistakes.

Whenever you REALLY start to want to give up on all US press, just read the stuff out of Russia and China.

Importing Chickens

Seriously?

The authorities in Venezuela have accused the US embassy in Caracas of importing cargo illegally after halting lorries carrying diplomatic baggage.

The story is about diplomatic stuff and who gets to look in who's stuff. But in there it says that they found 176 pounds of chicken in one of the US diplomat's packages.
Huh? Do Venezuelan chickens taste funny?
Were these chickens bribes for the poor or the housestaff or something? Enquiring minds want to know.

RMBB

Ok, that (Rocky Mtn Blogger Bash 5.5) was fun.
(Though Zombyboy (from yesterdays comment) - did I meet you? Linking people with their blogs was a good solid game of memorization!)

You get to be in a room/rooftop with people who know, without explaination, who Ace/Deb Frisch/Ahmadijenad are! Very nice people with intelligent opinions and no one going off spouting complete nonsense or getting angry because you might differ. Plus there is a whole new set of blogs to explore all of whom will have further links.....

I also learned that I am not alone in bypassing podcasts and video blogging. They just take too long to listen too or watch. Probably lots of fun to experiment with, and someone might come up with a genre I like, but I prefer the straight read at my own pace now.

Anyway - nice to meet you all! I hope to see you again.
Have a great wedding Erin and Jess!

UPDATE: Stacy already has some pictures posted. I am waiting for Jed's karaoke video. (a video I would watch!)

Tonight

I'll be attending my very first Blogger Bash!
Look out world!

Rocky Mountain Blogger Bash 5.5

Friday, August 25, 2006
Minturn Saloon Moon Time Bar
Pseudo-Centrally Located
846 Broadway | Denver, Colorado

Good News Friday

Because I'm tired of all the bad news.

Iraq the Model just returned from Egypt. Key quote:

My participation in this meeting renewed my hope and strengthened my feeling that we're not fighting this battle alone. The beautiful thing about the meeting is that everyone is looking forward to see the Iraq experiment unfold to something good that will reflect positively on all those who have accepted the Middle East to be their home.

Michael J. Totten is seeing some positive signs out of Lebanon that wouldn't have been possible before this war.

There were 2 stories in the Washington Post this morning about the Mahdi Army. OPFOR Neither sound positive but neither are unexpected. Except this.

The repositioning is the first public acknowledgment that forces from the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq have entered into guerrilla warfare to combat the insurgents and militias they have been fighting for more than three years." It's bold. I like it.

I'm with him. It's bold. I like it.
The first story ended with the sight of a 15 year old dead girl on the street that no one is bothering to look into. It's not clear from the story if no one bothers to look at any murders assumed committed by the Mahdis or if it's just women but I'd like to seem him (Moqtada) gone. Ok so that's not "good news" but him being gone would be.....

Steyn

On evenhandedness.

New Poll

43% of the American people think we are safer now than before 911!
That is amazing. I wonder what people were worried about before 911?

The non-amazing part of this poll is the headline.

Poll: 1 in 4 Americans believe U.S. was safer before 9/11

and the first paragraph:

CNN) -- Less than half of Americans believe the United States is now safer from terrorism than it was before September 11, 2001, according to a CNN poll released Wednesday.

That's some amazing spin on a story that could have been interesting if the focus had been on those 43%. Seriously what were they thinking before? Post 911 we know what people want to kill us and why. Pre 911 what on earth were people "unsafe" from? Were they really concerned about the Kobar tower incident? Or Russians? Or Cuba? Enquiring minds want to know.

Its going to be "hard"

It's funny how when other people have heard the administration speak they've heard

"One of the biggest mistakes we made was underestimating the size of the task and the sacrifices that would be required," McCain said. "

I've always heard Bush say it was going to be "hard, very hard". I think he's said that in every speech about the WOT.

Jill Carroll's Story

Continues.

In the meantime two other journalists are still held.
Steve Centanni and Olaf Wilig are hopefully safe and cared for in Gaza as the search continues.

Here it is

August 22nd. Iran fires at a Romanian Oil Rig.

The perfect link

The Belmont Club has a post that includes Mark Steyn and Keyser Soze, along with the great writing we've been led to expect. While I don't fully agree, the read is well worth it. Enjoy!

A different Perspective

On what Olmert did.

Most Israelis now believe, rightly, that without partition Israel's future existence is dubious. Hezbollah and Hamas attacked Israel's ability to extract itself from the occupation. And, for the time being, they have succeeded.

Many were outraged by Ehud Olmert's declaration, in the middle of the war, that this war was about his convergence plan. It may not have been pragmatic to say so, but it was nevertheless true. Had Israel won, had it been able to subdue the threat of missiles, we would have been on the way to implementing the unilateral withdrawal called "convergence."

Israelis aren't used to thinking about their enemies in this way, but this time around radical Muslims were not fighting against the occupation, they were fighting to perpetuate it. Remember the sequence: Israel signed the Oslo Accord in September of 1993 because most Israelis came to believe that the occupation endangers the country's future. Arafat blew the deal of partition.

Business Decisions 101

What to do in this situation:

On the one hand you have people being vigilant about terrorists and refusing to fly with others who they think are terrorists.
(Empowered people insisting that airport workers do a good job or else they will take their business to another airline)

On the other hand you have 3 families of children who delay a plane for 3 HOURS because they don't want to fly with people speaking Arabic!!!
(you've now just delayed the other people on the plane for 3 HOURS in order to triple check some Arab people who have already passed inspection and to please 3 families with children who will annoy passengers anyway


What would you do?

Steyn

Wotrh a read

Reading the Future

Captain Ed has tea leaves.
Here's the news story:

Lebanon's defense minister said Sunday any group breaking the cease-fire in southern Lebanon would be "decisively dealt with" and would be considered a traitor.
Defense Minister Elias Murr's comments apparently were to air concerns that factions other than Hizbullah, which he said is committed to the cease-fire, may attempt to draw Israeli retaliation by firing on the Jewish state.

"We consider that when the resistance (Hizbullah) is committed not to fire rockets, then any rocket that is fired from the Lebanese territory would be considered collaboration with Israel to provide a pretext (to Israel) to strike," he told a news conference at the Defense Ministry.

Watch for it.....here's the future:

That sounds like an invitation to Hezbollah to start launching rockets at their earliest convenience. It can't be Hezbollah, Murr will claim; they promised not to do it -- and so it must be the Israelis themselves! Besides, how many other groups in Lebanon have rockets and launchers?

And with Kofi already deciding that Israel is a resolution violator without so much as mentioning the actual violations of Hezbollah............I think I'm seein the signs too.

I just like the Headline

California on brink of global warming breakthrough.

Guarding Borders

That you don't really think exist. Wouldn't that be kind of hard to do?
Some of the volunteers for the UN force in Lebanon don't recognize Israel at all. (Indonesia and Malaysia)

"But to expect countries who don't even recognise Israel to guard Israel's safety I think would be a bit naive," he said. (Israeli UN envoy)

His comments were dismissed by Malaysia, which, along with Indonesia, has a Muslim majority population.

"We're going to be on Lebanese territory ... We're not going to be on Israeli territory," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said.

Hmmm - why don't they just admit that they believe Israel exists? If they have a "territory", doesn't that mean.......? Nevermind.

Jimmy Carter Warning

I know your'e tempted, but whatever you do, do not, don't even think of reading this interview in Der Spiegel. It doesn't matter to anything and will only make you mad.

We have seen the enemy and it is.....

Walmart?
Good plan guys (Democratic party).

“My problem with Wal-Mart is that I don’t see any indication that they care about the fate of middle-class people,” Mr. Biden said, standing on the sweltering rooftop of the State Historical Society building here. “They talk about paying them $10 an hour. That’s true. How can you live a middle-class life on that?”

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Is there a guarantee of a middle-class life there? I might have missed something. If you apply for a job at Walmart, don't you know what you are getting? Many people want part-time work. Many people are not engineers and lawyers. Many people go into retail and make $6/hr.

The focus on Wal-Mart is part of a broader strategy of addressing what Democrats say is general economic anxiety and a growing sense that economic gains of recent years have not benefited the middle class or the working poor.

I think Walmart helps to alleviate this anxiety by making things more affordable to the working poor.

Yet there are clear risks for Democrats, not least in alienating Wal-Mart employees and customers.

Do Democrats have any idea how many people that is? Here in my town, Walmart wanted to open a Supercenter at one of the "gateways" to town. City council got the standard screaming from people who hate Walmart but when it came right down to it, more people wanted it than didn't. This is definitely a middle-class town and people shop there. Yet after a year you still hear from those screamers that believe the council was bought off. They simply refuse to believe that people actually like Walmart!
Captain Ed has more.

Jill Carroll's Story

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV

Things to think about

Back to the issue of torture as a source of information. Jeff Goldstein has an interesting post that points to how the information regarding the UK plot was gained. I think it is part of "why the world hates us". We in our "moral superiority" act as if affronts to personal dignity are torture but we will gladly allow other nations to do the dirty work. Similar to the bill that passed in congress where they get to be "morally superior" to the folks on the ground by condemning it all and yet expect those folks on the ground to use their best judgement. And don't worry, we'll give you a lawyer if it comes down to it!

I'm not saying go for the gusto torture all prisoners is ok. I'm saying the adult thing to is, if it's ok in Pakistan, admit that is may have it's place and codify it. When/where/how is it to be used and on who. And if you use it wrong, then what are the penalties and reparations. If you use it wrong on purpose what are the penalties and reparations in that instance. If you use it based on good information and it turns out wrong, what are the reparations, etc, etc, etc.
Don't leave it for others to decide all of this on a whim.

Another perspective on Lebanon

Bush is right.

But at the end of the day, these achievements, if one can call them that, will end up exacting a heavy price from Syria and Iran. Inevitably, the trouble they have stirred up in the region over the past month is bound to boomerang right back at them.

Indeed, by transferring advanced rockets and weaponry to Hizbullah, Teheran and Damascus have just unwittingly proven one of the Bush Administration's central contentions regarding the need for preemptive action against rogue states in the global war on terror.

The two countries have demonstrated that they are ready and willing to share missile systems with a terrorist organization, thus strengthening the case that they must be prevented from obtaining weapons of mass destruction at all costs.

This very point was at the heart of an important speech made by US President George W. Bush last October in which he outlined America's strategy for fighting terror across the globe.

Emphasis mine.

Outrage over civilian deaths

Only occur when they are committed by the US or Israel. Sri Lanka gets a pass with the press. This story about targeting children is even written as if it's ok.

The Sri Lankan government has defied growing condemnation and declared that it considered children and young people killed in an air strike to be combatants and legitimate targets.

"If the children are terrorists, what can we do?" said a military spokesman, Brigadier Athula Jayawardana.

The government claimed that children killed and injured in the bombing on Monday were child soldiers conscripted by the Tamil Tiger rebels.

Michael J. Totten

Is in Israel now. Here is a post from the weekend before the calm. Keep reading him and send him money. I suspect he'll be going back to Lebanon eventually if financed.

Islamic "fascism"

Approved by Al-Arabiya. Via Tim Blair.

Lebanon/Israel Ceasefire: Day 2

Amen to Captain Ed today. He wrote very eloquently what I've been thinking after reading opinion after opinion and story after story. Each item focuses on who won between Israel and Hezbollah. Um - no one. This is a ceasefire with conditions. That's it. Yes the UN is a screwed up scam of an institution but yes also this world is changing as we look at it. There is no need to expect the exact same things to happen this time as all the other times.
Let Nasrallah crow. Big deal.
People are going on about how important it is that Israel defeat Hezbollah completely. Um - that would be for our easy benefit. Israel didn't defeat them completely in the past, what makes them "losers" this round? The LATimes has decided that Hezbollah is now stronger. They've made a turn around after being in the rubble. They are now fully supported by citizens of Lebanon. Well - lets use our imagination just a bit and imagine being a Lebonese citizen. Just a regular 30something age person who had been enjoying the new Lebanese atmosphere of fun. You come back home only to find bridges etc taken out by Israel. You immediately blame Israel and tell the reporters exactly that, but then what happens? This is the attitude of Hezbollah to the citizens in Lebanon:

"There is no army that can disarm Hezbollah. These 14 of March idiots can't do it," Moussawi said, referring to the bloc of Lebanese politicians who led the charge that ended Syrian dominance here last year and who then turned their attention to Hezbollah's weapons.

That's going to go over real well in reality, don't you think?
So back to Captain Ed. He, like me, is not all that hopeful that the ceasefire will hold, but you might as well have some hope, eh? We're not the ones doing the fighting here. Israel is. They've agreed to this arrangement. The whole Knesset, not just Ohmert. Hezbollah fired rockets yesterday from north of the Litani and hit - you guessed it - Lebanon.

Lastly, let's get a little perspective on the supposed Hezbollah victory. Many yesterday continued to bemoan the cease fire, arguing that it gave Hezbollah enhanced prestige in the Arab community. Unfortunately, any war that didn't involve Syria would have delivered that result, because Hezbollah would survive any kind of frontal attack, no matter how prolonged, as long as the Assad regime survives in Damascus. Wars are not won or lost on prestige, or the Arab street, or the creation of martyrs and heroes. Wars are won when one side either captures territory or changes the threat level in a significant manner.

The critucs operate from a narrow context, believing that Israel has made itself vulnerable because it did not crush its enemies beneath its tank treads. However, that has rarely been the case in Israel's wars, as evidenced by the fact that the Assad regime remains in Damascus, the Hashemites still rule Jordan, Sadat remained in power in Egypt after all the wars -- until he actually made peace with Israel, when he was assassinated by his own people. Israel is still surrounded by its enemies, and they remain armed. No one would make the case that Israel therefore has lost every war it fought.

In this war, they pushed Hezbollah out of the sub-Litani, forced them to fire off a third of their missile and rocket inventory, and destroyed a number of their launchers. This all took place over two kidnapped soldiers, and Hezbollah didn't even get the prisoner swap they wanted. After six years of relative non-action to Hezbollah provocations, Olmert changed the dynamic by launching a massive war after a relatively routine terrorist action by Hezbollah. Israel also forced Lebanon to finally address the conundrum of sovereignty and drove a wedge between Hezbollah and the rest of Lebanon's institutions. Does anyone think that Fuad Siniora would even have discussed disarming Hezbollah before this war? They had a year after UNSCR 1559 and completely shrugged it off.

The goals for Israel have always been a Hezbollah-free sub-Litani without having to conduct another generational occupation. They got the agreement they wanted that delivers on these goals, and at the same time served notice that the era of non-response to provocations had passed. The key for Israel is to insist on full implementation of 1701 and 1559. They cannot budge on these points. If Lebanon reneges, Israel can go back to their military options until the Lebanese get the message for good.

The Jill Carroll Story

Part I. (filed for later, I haven't read it yet but will)

Israel and Lebanon

Waiting and seeing. The Jerusalem Post expects the cease fire to fail. And Israel is preparing.

According to Peretz, "The main question is how Hizbullah will react; in any case, we are preparing for all the scenarios."

According to Andrew Buncombe writing in the NZ Herald planning for future scenarios is a bad thing. Or at least that's the tone he's taking.

Both Israeli and US officials say that the Israeli military operation against Hizbollah was triggered by the seizing of two Israeli soldiers, apparently to be bargained with for a possible prisoner swap.

But Hersh's report, published in the New Yorker, adds to evidence that Israel had been anticipating a Hizbollah provocation for some time and planning its response - a response that was widely condemned for being disproportionate.

Not really seeing a connection there...because they had a plan for responding to increasing tension, there was a disproportionate response?? Andy's not clear.
Captain Ed sees the as yet non deployment of Lebanese forces as a humiliation for them.

I'm certain there are tons of nuances/preparations going on all over the world right now as we wait and see. But I'm guessing that is you have to hand out leaflets proclaiming you're victory, in reality, it's not much of a victory.

In the meantime, I suspect the UN will be investigating this story about the Islamic Jihad killing a suspected spy in front of hundreds in Jenin.

Mike Wallace Interview

Interestingly enough I don't come up with much when googling 60 minutes, Wallace, Ahmadijenad. Did anyone watch it last night?
Wallace looked a little afraid I thought. Kept crossing and uncrossing his arms, giggling, and trying to act like a tough guy while not really listening well enough to the answers to give a good followup.
Ahmadijenad wants to be taken seriously while acting casually. He joked around a lot, dressed casually, danced around questions and acted like a man who expected his 18 page letter to Bush to somehow change Bush's behavior.
When accusing the US of "occupying Iraq", Iraq that has an elected govt by the people etc, Wallace never followed with, "the elected Iraqi govt has requested our prescence and that's why we're there."
Anyway - my 2 cents.

Steyn

On that Pew poll asking people if they thought of themselves first as citizens of their country or as Muslims.

Because 81% of British Muslims think of themselves as Muslims first many people are trying to attach a problem to that. I think the premise is misguided.
Doesn't the Marine Corp saying say something about being faithful to "God" THEN "Country, Family and the Corps"?
I suspect many reporters and/or bloggers forget what being religious is about. God comes first.

Now granted, Country is number 2. And in the number 2 spot, it deserves not getting blown to bits, but I think people are putting way too big of an emphasis on this poll. The way the question is asked, many good Christians would agree with Mulims and say they think of themselves as Christians first.
As always, Steyn is fun to read.

Grant for the sake of argument that these reports are true -- that when the bloodthirsty Zionist warmongers attack all those marvelous Hezbollah social outreach programs it drives British subjects born and bred to plot mass murder against their fellow Britons. What does that mean?

I AM a victim

Today is International Left-Handers Day. Who knew? And yes, we do face horrible discrimination! The one that irritates me the worst is the pen that's tied down to the counter in banks and post offices and places like that.
It's always tied down on the right, with a very short chord attached, so signing the credit card receipt becomes tricky.

New Threats

The NYTimes today is whining about the US govt response to future threats.
The title: Focused on 9/11, U.S. Is Seen to Lag on New Threats
It goes on and on about how we should have thought of liquid explosives etc etc.
Not once does it mention we the public's role or even the NYtime's role in these perceived threats. Can you imagine say if in May of this last year right before the big travel season if the DHS had banned all liquid on flights? There would have been rioting in the streets! Or just for fun, (see yesterdays post on the "timing" of the UK thwart) that DHS had banned liquids two days before the primaries! LOL

So - continuing on in this vein we have 2 things today.
1- Let's imagine.
I'm a terrorist and we'll focus on planes to keep it simple. What is my next move.
-Well - I'd start to use white haired old ladies. Fake ids, Hollywood makeup, maybe even a wheel chair. (wheelchairs are currently allowed.)
DHS thinks of this, and starts searching wheelchairs and all white haired old ladies. The public riots.
-Ok, so let's move onto pets. How closely does TSA look at pets? Those carry on cages with a biting chihuahua. What agent is going to want to pat down that dog's collar.
DHS thinks of this, and starts insisting on pat downs of pets and babies. Yeah that'll go over good.

Bottom line, we are also a line in this front. And we're a bunch of whiners. Keep that in mind before you start accusing the govt of not doing enough. They only have so many resources and so much credit with the public to push. Cripes, every time over the last 4 years the administration has raised the threat level and then nothing happened people accused them of "politicizing" terror. That can only go on so long.

Second thing - how about this.
For those people who are willing, and passable, can pay for and receive a solid background check of some sort that is reviewed every 5 years or even yearly. Maybe even require these people to show that they've flown at least once every 2 months over the last year. Those people get to go in the 'easy pass line' at the airport. This line would only have the basic check on things. They still need to follow some basic rules and still go through a screening but not the full on blow in the face, take apart your carry on sort of thing.
There are so many regular flyers out there that could really clear up the fog of who TSA has to really be looking into vs Joe business person.

The UN Resolution

Memorize the number of the latest UN Resolution. (sadly I read it this morning but can't find it again. It will be out again) Here is a quick rundown from Secretary Rice.
Based on that it sounds like a good plan to me. American Future sees a lot of ambiguity about who is going to be in charge of the border and what power they will have. Michelle Malkin and others see this as surrender.

From our interests we have a couple of things that seem clearish.
1 - Hezbollah may have been defeated eventually but without defeating Iran and Syria would never have disappeared. and
2 - no one was really wanting to take on Iran and Syria. so
3- having a resolution that behooves Hezbollah to behave and discusses stopping the illegal entry of arms to Hezbollah and allowing Israel to act defensively does not sound like a bad plan here. and
4. - the more the UN is found to be not only helpless but counterproductive, the more it is in everyone's interests to keep it from becoming completely ineffective, (Ok, ok - we are very close to that point now, but you know what I mean. ) so theoretically people will be eyeing this action closely. Like I said, memorize the number.
and of course
5-The Lebanese Govt will be bearing the responsibility here. Hezbollah is part of the govt. Treat this growing democracy with some respect and they will get stronger.
and 6 (added later) This resolution includes the handover of the 2 Israeli prisoners. That's the reason they went to war and getting them back should signal the basic start of the end. Michelle would like to use Israel to wipe out Hezbollah for us. I don't think that's fair to ask of them without more assistance from us. If they want out - and I can only assume if they pass an ok to this resolution that they do - then they should have that out. They are not surrendering here.

I know - I am a glass half full kind of person. So in the interests of less war, if Lebanon and Israel support this, then I will too.

Good for the LA Times

Tim Rutten of the LATimes actually suggests that someone in the media might want to investigate what's become known as "Reutersgate" and see whats up.

That brings us to the most troubling of the possible explanations for these fraudulent photos, which is that some of the photojournalists involved are either intimidated by or sympathetic to the Hezbollah terrorists. It's a possibility fraught with harsh implications, but it needs to be examined thoroughly and openly.

Johnson and his colleagues have done the serious news media a service. Failure to follow up on it would be worse than churlish; it would be irresponsible.

Logical Thinking

To be perfectly fair to all sides yesterday, I listened in on Air America and checked out lefty blogs a lot during the day. Al Franken sounded like a relatively reasonable man who has different opinions than the president on how to deal with terrorists. No problem. However - some of his callers and some left wing blogs were amazing yesterday.
The Jawa Report follows one line of thought that shocked him but that I heard throughout the day. And, fyi, these whackjobs think this makes logical sense.
Yesterday's foiled plot was timed to coincide with Ned Lamont's win.
Yes - the world revolves around Connecticut elections folks!

As long as we're on the media, the NYTimes editorial (via American Thinker) also makes it a point to be hurt that politicians would use yesterdays trauma for political gain. Both instances cited, Lieberman and Cheney, in my humble opinion, while quite likely placed for political gain in all fairness are what people should be talking about! Their's are strong opinions. And ones that I agree with.
Leaving Iraq now would be a plus for Islamofascists. Politcal gain is convincing people that your opinion is the best one for the voter. It makes sense to me to share.

Now, check out the Time's closing paragraph:

Here is what we want to do in the wake of the arrests in Britain. We want to understand as much as possible about what terrorists were planning. To talk about airport security and how to make it better. To celebrate what worked in the British investigation and discuss how to push these efforts farther. It would be a blessed moment in modern American history if we could do that without turning this into a political game plan.

That's right, celebrate what worked in the British investigation and discuss how to push these efforts farther. Ok - what worked:
Wall Street Journal mentions a few. Like surveillance, money tracking, phone call tracking.

Meanwhile, British antiterrorism chief Peter Clarke said at a news conference that the plot was foiled because "a large number of people" had been under surveillance, with police monitoring "spending, travel and communications."

So the NYTimes wants us to be more like Britain, because they are so clever about how to catch terrorists, and yet they (the NYTimes) will do anything in their power to thwart any sort of reduction in what they see as civil liberties by putting things like the Swift program and the oversees calling surveillance program on the front page under headings like "Bush Government goes the way of Hitler". (ok, not really, but you get the picture)

It's hard to keep up in this world isn't it?

Now here's a question to throw out there? Is Ned Lamont's support dropping because
a) of his stock in Walmart
b) of his groupie's black faced Lieberman "joke" on the internet
c) of President Bush's evil timing of Prime Minister Blair's capture of plotters of murder
or
d) MOST Democrats are not as crazed as those that vote in primaries and the more they get to know Lamont vs Lieberman, the choice becomes obvious.

ps, call me a Lieberman groupie.

Today

Well, I'm a linker and today, with the terrorist plot disrupted, is a day for people who blog better than I. Also you'll wnat to read people who can update throughout the day. Apparently authorities in Pakistan uncovered some tapes from wannabe martyrs and that led to the investigation.
Michelle Malkin is all over this.
The Jawa Report is also always a good link.
And aren't you interested, just a bit on what the loons are thinking? Kos blames the UK connection to Bush. I wonder what Kos was thinking when it was Clinton's troops and WTC getting blown up?
Tim Blair blames the Presbyterians.

I'm curious when the plot was going to happen. Tomorrow? 8/11?

Blackfive notes some things.

It is in the interest of tolerant, moderate Muslims worldwide to root out and rat out the jihadis. Nobody will give the guy wearing the keffiyeh a second glance as soon as guys in keffiyehs stop blowing people up in the name of Allah.

ps, don't forget about the Dearborn arrests. and here are photos of the missing Egyptian students meant to be in Montana.

That's enough.
But let's throw in a Steyn column just for fun.

Why we're hated

One more post today because it was funny. You think we have ridiculous opinion columns? I was searching for other perspectives in other newspapers and came across this column in Pravda. "Why the world hates todays USA"
You have to be curious right?

On the example of a cult-figure with very much influence in the USA , publicist and journalist Ann Coulter, the matter may be made transparent: You really don't know who is Ann Coulter? She is the most named power woman of the USA. And she is rightwing, Republican, a real woman out of steel and with an atomic brain and - she is blond and she assumes to be intelligent. This assumption requires a heavy theory of relativity - as follows:

ROFL
It goes on and on and Ann is the center of things. "most named power woman of the USA"???!!
This person isn't in a different country but on a different planet!

Prime Minister Siniora

Has written an editorial for the Washington Post today. Captain Ed is all over the outrageousness of it.
My personal favorite line is

The resolution to this war must respect international law and U.N. resolutions, not just those selected by Israel, a state that deserves its reputation as a pariah because of its consistent disdain for and rejection of international law and the wishes of the international community for over half a century.

The bullshit quotient in that is over the top. Hezbollah never followed the OLD resolutions. And the international law Israel keeps flouting are those that want Israel to stop defending itself. Not once does Siniora mention the amounts of suicide bombers or Katyushas that Israel has had to put up with.
In another story today, this time in the NYTimes is about how all of those moderate Arabs are having a hard time right now because anyone who agrees with the US about anything is a pariah. I wouldn't have called that news, but this cracked me up.

Omar Amiralay, a Syrian documentary filmmaker, was in a taxi recently when the radio broadcast a news bulletin about a suicide bombing in Baghdad that killed some 35 people.

“The Americans should just let Saddam out of jail for a week,” he quoted the driver as saying, only half joking. The dictator would slay one million Iraqis and “everything would be peaceful again.”

Apparently as along as it's an antiAmerican Arab killing the bad guys, it's ok. But if Israel or the US armed forces do it, that's when there's a problem.

One more thing to note. Aren't there better ways for leaders of countries to spread their word vs letters to the editor of American newspapers?

Progress in Iraq

via Powerline

More Photos

Michelle Malkin is all over this story with tons of links and pictures. I just want to say that this story, which I would think would be front page news but isn't, changes the way I'm reading everything. I'm not often "touched" by the tragic pictures so can't say how influential they are but now I question the stories. How many stories mention the "900 casualties in Lebanona, most of them civilians"? Should we divide that number by 3? 2? 5? And then ask for names of the civilians so they can be checked against....? some Hezbollah database? I'm not even sure how you CAN get the story.
Captain Ed follows an NBC newsman.

Meanwhile, news services increasingly rely on stringers for their reports, and usually this means publishing pictures or reports from people who may have other loyalties. As the meltdown of Reuters shows, when media outlets rely on people like Adnan Hajj with little or no editorial control, they turn themselves into propaganda providers, not news organizations. One would think that an editor would understand the pitfalls of relying on locals in a war for objective reporting, but not only do they fail to consider it, the editors pass along their product without any serious review.

UPDATE: Charles did make the front page of the Washington Post in a throwaway story titled Blogger Takes Aim at News Media and Makes a Direct Hit Frankly "the story", if I were king, should be about whether or not we public regular joes can trust the news media. That is what's important here. This little fluff piece is about bloggers, Charles Johnson in particular, going up against the media.

Hooper says the Reuters incident is unfortunate in itself, but says such sites as Little Green Footballs use such lapses "as a club against the entire mainstream media. Their line is basically that if one freelance photographer alters a photo, then everything Israel does must be justified. Or if one of the sentences that Dan Rather once uttered wasn't correct, then the media is corrupt and Dan Rather's whole career is rotten to the core."

Iraq

Interesting quote from the President of Iraq. A Kurd.

"it is in no one's interest to have a confrontation" with al-Sadr's movement.

I believe he may win the award for being the least controlling head of state of any state in the world! It sounds like he has become a puppet for the militias vs a puppet of the US. Wouldn't you think the attitude would be "we are continuing to increase police/Iraqi army presence on the ground so that the need of the militias who's bias' are nefarious will go away."?
When is the next election?

Steyn

On proportionality.

The big story of the weekend

LGF once again has showed his greatness and the beauty of the blogosphere by uncovering the latest MSM scandal. Roger Simon has a nice reflective piece:

What is clear is that to Reuters (AP, CNN, etc.) cooperation with such people was the only way in to a closed society. Of course what results from that is distortions in the reporting of news we can only begin to imagine. No doubt, in their more honest moments, these press institutions and their personnel acknowledge this to themselves. But then they push on.

Powerline has today's latest picture discovered by Randy and Randy has a nice little photo display of past "enhancements". I think my favorite is still the Barbie doll kidnap victim.

This weekend

I'll be out of the blogging arena this weekend. The last time this happened Zarqawi was killed. Something good happened the time before that too, but I don't remember. So maybe when I get back:

-Nato will have taken care of Afghanistan and there will be peace.
-The bombing in Iraq will be done as the entire country unites to protect itself from Iran.
-Ahmadijinad finds himself killed by his own people because they are tired of the world linking him with the loon Chavez.
-Hugo goes broke and finds that like many people with money .....as soon as its gone, his friends dry up.
-Speaking of drying up, Castro's bones dry up this weekend as they've been dead since Argentina.
-And lets throw in Nasrallah gets killed by one of his own bombers since they clearly can't aim worth crap. (or maybe they were aiming straight...hmmmm)

Have a good one!

US in Lebanon

Psych. I know what you were thinking, but here's the story. Funny it came as a throw away line:

The White House has said it does not plan to contribute troops to a larger peacekeeping force envisioned for the area.

But in the first indication of a possible U.S. military role, the Bush administration has approved a plan to help train and equip the Lebanese armed forces to enable the government to take control of the southern territory, officials said Thursday.

Interview with Olmert

via Powerline
Hello:

Times: [T]here is a sense in the world, and you must be aware of it, of lack of "proportionality". Many people question how after two soldiers kidnapped and eight killed by Hezbollah we are now seeing upwards of 400 dead and rising in Lebanon. How can such an initial incident justify such a huge response from Israel?

Olmert: I think that you are missing a major part. The war started not only by killing eight Israeli soldiers and abducting two but by shooting Katyusha and other rockets on the northern cities of Israel on that same morning. Indiscriminately.

Iran Not a Threat

Even when Ahmadijinad says things like

Today, the Iranian people is the owner of nuclear technology. Those who want to talk with our people should know what people they are talking to. If some believe they can keep talking to the Iranian people in the language of threats and aggressiveness, they should know that they are making a bitter mistake. If they have not realized this by now, they soon will, but then it will be too late. Then they will realize that they are facing a vigilant, proud people.

That doesn't mean they're a threat. Remember, just the other day:

Iran's ambassador to the UN, Javad Zarif, rejected the move, saying the country's nuclear programme "poses no threat to international peace and security".

Lebanon Timeline

From the Lebanese Political Journal A little history.

An Iraqi Perspective

From Iraq the Model. Mohammed may be tired of this war, but he wants them over for ever!

Again I hope to see no half-solutions because we have had enough. I do not want to see the terrorists and their allies open their mouth when the war ends to brag about how "courageous and devoted" they were in defending the faith and the nation.
Meanwhile, let Europe argue for another decade to agree on a definition for terror…I thank God it isn't Europe handling this war, the cowardice and reluctance of Europe disgusts me as much as the Arab media does.

Losing in the Middle East

David Broder today has a column suggesting that losing isn't the end of the world. And of course it isn't. But two things to note.
One: Over and over the US is accused of not understanding the Arab mind. We don't get how they work so it goes. Well, we're learning. And that mindset includes a serious respect for strength. So when Mr. Broder notes:

In both cases, the argument is not that continuing on the present course will necessarily or probably yield a positive result. On the contrary, it is basically a claim that it is unacceptable to change -- because the other side will claim a victory.

That may well be true and a problem. Either now, or in the future. Ie, We left Somalia making Al-qaeda think we didn't have the strength we actually have. (ps he then suggests that if we really think that Hezbollah and the Iraqi insurgents are such a threat, then we should use our superior strength to it's utmost. Yeah, right.)

Two: Broder then suggests that losing isn't so bad. He notes that South Korea still hasn't been attacked after we "lost" in Korea and came up with the DMZ. Oddly he doesn't note the actual cost in dollars for us to sit there on that DMZ since the 60s! Nor does he note the actual cost in North Korean lives as they've had to live and/or die in the mess that is North Korea.
He notes that we "lost" in Vietnam but so what? Even though the North moved into the south we now have trade agreements and isn't that nice. Funny how he doesn't even think to mention the costs of us "losing" that war. Southeast Asia may not have all turned communist but Pol Pot arrived on the scene and 2 million Cambodians are dead for it. He arrived shortly after we left. Correlation? Hmmm.

Of course we can walk away from Iraq. To what end? Mr. Broder is not clear on that. He suggests that the only reason we say is the stubborness of the administration and that we "can't afford to let the other guy win". He says not one word about the obligations we have in Iraq after going in in the first place. As to Israel, not one word about their future existence should they decide to back off.

Things that Cracked me up

This morning while reading the papers things in the world just hit me as funny. Please pardon my lack of somberness because the events ARE serious. But listen...

ie. From the BBC regarding the Iran nuclear resolution, Ahmadijinad had this to say:

"Those who think they can use the language of threats and force against Iran are mistaken."

"If they don't realise that now, one day they will learn it the hard way," he added.

while his ambassador said this:

Iran's ambassador to the UN, Javad Zarif, rejected the move, saying the country's nuclear programme "poses no threat to international peace and security".

So how exactly are we supposed to take the original sentance? lol
......................
In the NYTimes is a story about the U.S. insisting on disarmament of Hezbollah before a cease-fire while Europe wants a cease-fire first.
I am imagining these folks sitting around NY at the UN table discussing this and saying things like

France has circulated a Security Council resolution that calls for an immediate halt to the fighting, followed by a negotiated cease-fire and a political agreement, before any international force is deployed. Israel says an international military force should be put in place first. And the United States says there can be a cease-fire and political arrangements only after the formation of an international force to back them up.

As if this body of people, if only they could agree, could all of a sudden make changes in the situation in Lebanon/Israel. lol Pulease.
Until and Unless Israel agrees to anything they are saying they can talk all they want.
Until and Unless Hezbollah agrees to whatever "the plan" is, they can talk all they want. I'm not saying diplomats shouldn't be talking over plans but sheesh, they act like they are actually in charge and can insist on cooporation whenever they decide.
.......................
And then there is book banning by the right wing religious fanatic evil lying no good administration who will snoop so low as to trace what you get from the library...... ooops, I mean the Brooklyn Public Library. (ht Powerline)
.....................
And then there is this from the Environmental Republican about universal health care.

However, the acceleration of treatment breached rules set by the Suffolk East Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), which stated that patients must wait at least 122 days, to ensure that its own resources were not exhausted too quickly.

ROFL
.....................
And Hugo Chavez decides to declare war on Israel. From behind the skirts of Ahmadijinad.

If you want war, look for a real army to fight. If they want war, because of the demons inside them, why don't they behave like a soldier? I am a soldier. Come up against us soldiers.

Him and who's army? Code Pink? lol Tough guy that Hugo.
......................
And finally, last night Israel helicopted commandos into Lebanon at a hospital, asked for and received id's from people and took with them several Hezbollah officials AFTER being seen by Hezbollah.
.....................
Have a great day.
...................
UPDATE: I almost didn't read this story from the NYTimes regarding Bush Jr vs Bush Sr. but it was pointed out to me by my sister. So you suppose that Michael Moore will notice that apparently Bush Jr is NOT in the pocket of the House of Saud?

“Bush the father was from a certain generation of political leaders and foreign policy establishment types,” said William Kristol, the neo-conservative thinker who worked for the first Bush administration and is now editor of The Weekly Standard. “He had many years of dealings with leading Arab governments; he was close to the Saudi royal family. The son is less so. He’s got much more affection for Israel, less affection for the House of Saud.”

President Bush

This poor guy was apparently cursed and must now govern in 'interesting times'. Keep up with Cuba through Babalu Blog.
(let me add a Thank Goodness it was this guy and not, say President Carter)

President Carter

I know, I know. He's a senile old man who's opinion should just be taken with a grain of salt. But he's an ex-president and this morning he has me very angry!
The Washington Post this morning has an opinion piece by Carter concerning what's going on in Israel and Lebanon. He starts off with a little history: The Middle East has problems and when Israel arrests someone and puts them in prison, in the past they have exchanged these prisoners for prisoners taken by Palestinians and/or Lebanese.

The Middle East is a tinderbox, with some key players on all sides waiting for every opportunity to destroy their enemies with bullets, bombs and missiles. One of the special vulnerabilities of Israel, and a repetitive cause of violence, is the holding of prisoners. Militant Palestinians and Lebanese know that a captured Israeli soldier or civilian is either a cause of conflict or a valuable bargaining chip for prisoner exchange. This assumption is based on a number of such trades, including 1,150 Arabs, mostly Palestinians, for three Israeli soldiers in 1985; 123 Lebanese for the remains of two Israeli soldiers in 1996; and 433 Palestinians and others for an Israeli businessman and the bodies of three soldiers in 2004.

Ok. Groundwork set. Now here is the solution and the blame. (I'll get to the rest of the crap in a minute)

The urgent need in Lebanon is that Israeli attacks stop, the nation's regular military forces control the southern region, Hezbollah cease as a separate fighting force, and future attacks against Israel be prevented. Israel should withdraw from all Lebanese territory, including Shebaa Farms, and release the Lebanese prisoners. Yet yesterday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected a cease-fire.

These are ambitious hopes, but even if the U.N. Security Council adopts and implements a resolution that would lead to such an eventual solution, it will provide just another band-aid and temporary relief. Tragically, the current conflict is part of the inevitably repetitive cycle of violence that results from the absence of a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East, exacerbated by the almost unprecedented six-year absence of any real effort to achieve such a goal.

Why such a major disconnect? "The current conflict is part of the inevitably repetitive cycle of violence that results from the...blah, blah, blah"
In reality, "The current conflict is part of the inevitable cycle of violence when you negotiate with terrorists!!!!!" If you are willing to exchange prisoners, time after time and time, then it can be expected that you will do it again. Israel and the US appears to have said "no more. Lets end this 'repetitive cycle of violence'" and not go with the standard prisoner exchange. It makes logical sense to me.

Clinton had a comprehensive settlement. And I give him an A for effort. But Israel was bombed with regularity after just that settlement. Israel gave up terroritory and was bombed with regularity after doing so. It sounds like a different sort of solution was needed to me.

Moving on in the column:

It is inarguable that Israel has a right to defend itself against attacks on its citizens, but it is inhumane and counterproductive to punish civilian populations in the illogical hope that somehow they will blame Hamas and Hezbollah for provoking the devastating response. The result instead has been that broad Arab and worldwide support has been rallied for these groups, while condemnation of both Israel and the United States has intensified.

That's nice Mr. Carter but I sinceretly doubt that Israel had a) any expectation of support from the world in anything they do or that b) civilian populations, after having their homes bombed, would blame Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel is doing what needs to be done. And no that does not included bombing civilians on purpose. But if Hezbollah and Hamas are going to fight from population centers then civilians are bound to get killed. Where is the outrage against Hamas and Hezbollah for AIMING at civilians!!?

Traumatized Israelis cling to the false hope that their lives will be made safer by incremental unilateral withdrawals from occupied areas, while Palestinians see their remnant territories reduced to little more than human dumping grounds surrounded by a provocative "security barrier" that embarrasses Israel's friends and that fails to bring safety or stability.

Um, until this war started those traumatized Israelis were traumatized by suicide bombers in their midsts. These suicide bombers were drying up as that "security barrier" was being built. Embarrassing or not it did bring a measure of safety. And once again President Carter has come up with no better solution for the problem of suicide bombers because frankly he hasn't even bothered to mention them.
Here's his answer:

The general parameters of a long-term, two-state agreement are well known. There will be no substantive and permanent peace for any peoples in this troubled region as long as Israel is violating key U.N. resolutions, official American policy and the international "road map" for peace by occupying Arab lands and oppressing the Palestinians.

So Israel is the violator here of key UN resolutions. Please go back and rease Claudia Rossett and see that the the friggin UN is the violator of key resolutions. She is much more eloquent than I.