The press doesn't represent the public
It used to be the press reported the "news"; someone got shot or something blew up.
Somewhere along the line things changed and the press decided it could think for the public. The press decide on which facts you get to see and who you should listen to. A lot of the "public" got fed up with this and with the advent of the internet the public started "blogging".
Well it seems one person in particular has had enough of the "misrepresenting press".
From Jay Rosen via Instapundit
"... Auletta, for example, can describe Bush at a barbeque for the press in August, where a reporter says to the president: is it really true you don't read us, don't even watch the news? Bush confirms it.
And the reporter then said: Well, how do you then know, Mr. President, what the public is thinking? And Bush, without missing a beat said: You're making a powerful assumption, young man. You're assuming that you represent the public. I don't accept that.
Which is a powerful statement. And if Bush believes it (a possibility not to be dismissed) then we must credit the president with an original idea, or the germ of one. Bush's people have developed it into a thesis, which they explained to Auletta, who told it to co-host Brooke Gladstone:
That's his attitude. And when you ask the Bush people to explain that attitude, what they say is: We don't accept that you have a check and balance function. We think that you are in the game of "Gotcha." Oh, you're interested in headlines, and you're interested in conflict. You're not interested in having a serious discussion and, and exploring things."
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Has civil war broken out in Saudi Arabia?
The Religious Policeman thinks so.
The first was when King AbdulAziz, back in the last century, unified Saudi Arabia (or stole it from the Hashemites, depending on your point of view. However the victors write the history).
The second is starting now. Am I being over-dramatic? Some may think so. However I do not believe that I am.
Saudi Arabia has always nurtured religious extremists thru its Wahabbi state religion, its educational system, and its introverted attitude to the outside world. The advent of oil provided the finance for these extremists to practice what they preached.
At first they operated abroad, in Afghanistan, in Chechnya, in the Yemen. And we Saudis regarded them as brave adventurers, the late 20th century equivalent of volunteers in the Spanish Civil War.
Then came 9/11. It had become more serious. But Westerners were the target. And, at all levels, we never really condemned it. Indeed, many cheered.
Then they attacked within the Kingdom. But it was housing compounds, for Westerners. And, at all levels, we never really condemned it. And still many cheered.
Then they attacked more housing compounds. This time, Arabs, Muslims, got killed. So we didn't cheer. But they were Egyptians and Lebanese, so we didn't care that much.
Now, all of a sudden, they are attacking Saudis. OK, Saudis from the ruling tribes, part of the security forces. But we all look the same. And suddenly we are the targets. The terrorists are not going to leave us alone, because we're not part of the government apparatus. And now we are faced with the sudden realization that we should have done something about this a long time ago.
I've been reminded of the poem by Pastor Martin Niemoller
In Germany they first came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me —
and by that time no one was left to speak up
If you haven't been to his site you don't know what you are missing.
"Moderate Muslims", did you read this part carefully:
And now we are faced with the sudden realization that we should have done something about this a long time ago.
The Religious Policeman thinks so.
The first was when King AbdulAziz, back in the last century, unified Saudi Arabia (or stole it from the Hashemites, depending on your point of view. However the victors write the history).
The second is starting now. Am I being over-dramatic? Some may think so. However I do not believe that I am.
Saudi Arabia has always nurtured religious extremists thru its Wahabbi state religion, its educational system, and its introverted attitude to the outside world. The advent of oil provided the finance for these extremists to practice what they preached.
At first they operated abroad, in Afghanistan, in Chechnya, in the Yemen. And we Saudis regarded them as brave adventurers, the late 20th century equivalent of volunteers in the Spanish Civil War.
Then came 9/11. It had become more serious. But Westerners were the target. And, at all levels, we never really condemned it. Indeed, many cheered.
Then they attacked within the Kingdom. But it was housing compounds, for Westerners. And, at all levels, we never really condemned it. And still many cheered.
Then they attacked more housing compounds. This time, Arabs, Muslims, got killed. So we didn't cheer. But they were Egyptians and Lebanese, so we didn't care that much.
Now, all of a sudden, they are attacking Saudis. OK, Saudis from the ruling tribes, part of the security forces. But we all look the same. And suddenly we are the targets. The terrorists are not going to leave us alone, because we're not part of the government apparatus. And now we are faced with the sudden realization that we should have done something about this a long time ago.
I've been reminded of the poem by Pastor Martin Niemoller
In Germany they first came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me —
and by that time no one was left to speak up
If you haven't been to his site you don't know what you are missing.
"Moderate Muslims", did you read this part carefully:
And now we are faced with the sudden realization that we should have done something about this a long time ago.
Exposing George Galloways lies
I've made no secret of my contempt for this man and have said many times I will pop a bottle of bubbly when he goes behind bars where he belongs. You don't have to take my word for it. Read this article from The Telegraph via Scott Burgess
George Galloway: This is the same story, based on the same dubious sources and documents that I'm suing The Daily Telegraph over.
The Telegraph: It's not. The Telegraph's reporter David Blair discovered files in the Iraqi foreign ministry in April last year. The papers purported to show that Mr Galloway had met an Iraqi secret service agent on Boxing Day 1999 and had asked for more financial support from Saddam's regime for his "projects and future plans for the benefit of Iraq".
According to the papers, he had allegedly already received at least £375,000 from the Iraqi authorities. We carried his denials in full at the time.
In January this year Iraqi newspaper Al Mada published a report based on an entirely separate set of documents that purported to record the 270 oil voucher beneficiaries.
[...]
George Galloway: I have never received a penny, a cent or a voucher - not even a luncheon voucher - directly or indirectly from the former Iraqi regime.
The Telegraph: On 21 April last year, Mr Galloway told this newspaper that his Mariam Appeal fund had received money from Fawaz Zureikat, a Jordanian businessman. The fund was founded in part to help a young Iraqi girl suffering from leukaemia.
But Mr Galloway also told this newspaper: "The Mariam Appeal is a political campaign which was involved in a life or death struggle with the might of the British and American state and against a tide of hostility from powerful newspapers like your own which were extremely hostile to it."
He also said: "[Zureikat] was an extremely generous benefactor of the Mariam Appeal."
Read the whole article to find out more.
I've made no secret of my contempt for this man and have said many times I will pop a bottle of bubbly when he goes behind bars where he belongs. You don't have to take my word for it. Read this article from The Telegraph via Scott Burgess
George Galloway: This is the same story, based on the same dubious sources and documents that I'm suing The Daily Telegraph over.
The Telegraph: It's not. The Telegraph's reporter David Blair discovered files in the Iraqi foreign ministry in April last year. The papers purported to show that Mr Galloway had met an Iraqi secret service agent on Boxing Day 1999 and had asked for more financial support from Saddam's regime for his "projects and future plans for the benefit of Iraq".
According to the papers, he had allegedly already received at least £375,000 from the Iraqi authorities. We carried his denials in full at the time.
In January this year Iraqi newspaper Al Mada published a report based on an entirely separate set of documents that purported to record the 270 oil voucher beneficiaries.
[...]
George Galloway: I have never received a penny, a cent or a voucher - not even a luncheon voucher - directly or indirectly from the former Iraqi regime.
The Telegraph: On 21 April last year, Mr Galloway told this newspaper that his Mariam Appeal fund had received money from Fawaz Zureikat, a Jordanian businessman. The fund was founded in part to help a young Iraqi girl suffering from leukaemia.
But Mr Galloway also told this newspaper: "The Mariam Appeal is a political campaign which was involved in a life or death struggle with the might of the British and American state and against a tide of hostility from powerful newspapers like your own which were extremely hostile to it."
He also said: "[Zureikat] was an extremely generous benefactor of the Mariam Appeal."
Read the whole article to find out more.
Who is really behind all these world wide terror attacks?
Well the deputy editor Abd Al-Wahhab 'Adas of Egyptian government daily Al-Gumhouriyya blames, not so surprisingly, the Jews. From MEMRI
"If you want to know the real perpetrator of every disaster or every act of terrorism, look for the Zionist Jews. They are behind all the violent and terror operations that have occurred everywhere in the world. [They do this] first of all in order to slap [the label of the attacks] on the Arabs and Muslims, and second to harm them, distort their image, and represent them to the world as terrorists who endanger innocents. What is even more dangerous is that after every terror operation they perpetrate, they leave a sign, clue, or traces meant to show that the perpetrators are Arab Muslims.
Now this is going to be a shock for one Egyptian. I mean this Egyptian is going to be really pissed off that the credit for all his hard work, planning and brilliant execution is given to the Jews. I mean his entire life as been devoted to their destruction. He has spent cold lonely nights in a tent in some far off mountains making intricate plans and spending millions of his hard cash to kill Jews everywhere. And now this Egyptian editor has the nerve the audacity to give all the credit to the Jews!
Who is this Egyptian I refer to? Who doesn't get credit where credit is do? Who is the weakest link?
Ayman al-Zawahri From The BBC
Ayman al-Zawahri, an eye surgeon who helped found the Egyptian Islamic Jihad militant group, is often referred to as Bin Laden's right hand man and the chief ideologue of al-Qaeda.
[...]
Born in Egypt in 1951, Ayman al-Zawahri, comes from a middle class family of doctors and scholars.
Man this guy has got to be pissed off. bin Laden gets all the credit for Al-Qaeda and now his own country gives the Jews all the credit for all the world wide terror! What is a terrorist mastermind to do? How does one prove conclusively that it is not the Jews behind all this terror and prove it is an Egyptian?
Poor al-Zawahri, he reminds me of the meeting between Billy Graham and the Pope.
One of the cardinals guarding the door of their private meeting couldn't stand it any longer and peeped through the keyhole. Billy was seated in the Pope's chair with the Pope standing in front of Billy, waving his arms is distress and proclaimed in a loud stern voice, "But Dr. Graham I am a Catholic!"
So, al-Zawahri yells at Abd Al-Wahhab 'Adas "Damnit I am a terrorist!"
Well the deputy editor Abd Al-Wahhab 'Adas of Egyptian government daily Al-Gumhouriyya blames, not so surprisingly, the Jews. From MEMRI
"If you want to know the real perpetrator of every disaster or every act of terrorism, look for the Zionist Jews. They are behind all the violent and terror operations that have occurred everywhere in the world. [They do this] first of all in order to slap [the label of the attacks] on the Arabs and Muslims, and second to harm them, distort their image, and represent them to the world as terrorists who endanger innocents. What is even more dangerous is that after every terror operation they perpetrate, they leave a sign, clue, or traces meant to show that the perpetrators are Arab Muslims.
Now this is going to be a shock for one Egyptian. I mean this Egyptian is going to be really pissed off that the credit for all his hard work, planning and brilliant execution is given to the Jews. I mean his entire life as been devoted to their destruction. He has spent cold lonely nights in a tent in some far off mountains making intricate plans and spending millions of his hard cash to kill Jews everywhere. And now this Egyptian editor has the nerve the audacity to give all the credit to the Jews!
Who is this Egyptian I refer to? Who doesn't get credit where credit is do? Who is the weakest link?
Ayman al-Zawahri From The BBC
Ayman al-Zawahri, an eye surgeon who helped found the Egyptian Islamic Jihad militant group, is often referred to as Bin Laden's right hand man and the chief ideologue of al-Qaeda.
[...]
Born in Egypt in 1951, Ayman al-Zawahri, comes from a middle class family of doctors and scholars.
Man this guy has got to be pissed off. bin Laden gets all the credit for Al-Qaeda and now his own country gives the Jews all the credit for all the world wide terror! What is a terrorist mastermind to do? How does one prove conclusively that it is not the Jews behind all this terror and prove it is an Egyptian?
Poor al-Zawahri, he reminds me of the meeting between Billy Graham and the Pope.
One of the cardinals guarding the door of their private meeting couldn't stand it any longer and peeped through the keyhole. Billy was seated in the Pope's chair with the Pope standing in front of Billy, waving his arms is distress and proclaimed in a loud stern voice, "But Dr. Graham I am a Catholic!"
So, al-Zawahri yells at Abd Al-Wahhab 'Adas "Damnit I am a terrorist!"
Would bin Laden be welcome in Sweden?
The answer might surprise you.
NewsMax has a good round up of the latest global sweep of terror cells. The article illustrates how countries around the world are cooperating to defeat terrorism. In all but one country it would seem.
"As long as someone doesn't do anything while they're here, they're fine," said Norell of the Swedish Defense Research Agency. "It's not illegal to be from another country or on a terror list."
Indeed, in Stockholm, the capital, the leadership of Indonesia's rebel Aceh group moves about freely. Indonesia has sought their deportation, but Sweden said there's no proof they're guiding the rebel movement from afar.
If I was a jihadist I know where I would hide out. Yeah, it's cold. But hey, it's home.
The answer might surprise you.
NewsMax has a good round up of the latest global sweep of terror cells. The article illustrates how countries around the world are cooperating to defeat terrorism. In all but one country it would seem.
"As long as someone doesn't do anything while they're here, they're fine," said Norell of the Swedish Defense Research Agency. "It's not illegal to be from another country or on a terror list."
Indeed, in Stockholm, the capital, the leadership of Indonesia's rebel Aceh group moves about freely. Indonesia has sought their deportation, but Sweden said there's no proof they're guiding the rebel movement from afar.
If I was a jihadist I know where I would hide out. Yeah, it's cold. But hey, it's home.
'Osama Captured' e-Mail is Malicious Trojan From Internetnews
Those "Osama Bin Laden Captured" e-mails hammering your in-box today will attempt to download a Trojan if the embedded URL is clicked, anti-virus experts warned Friday.
Be warned.
Those "Osama Bin Laden Captured" e-mails hammering your in-box today will attempt to download a Trojan if the embedded URL is clicked, anti-virus experts warned Friday.
Be warned.
The Guardian doesn't even recognize its own reporter!
Does it get any funnier than this?
Claire Cozens writing in The Guardian about the BBC pulling some of its staff out of Iraq used this quote:
"This explains some of the poor coverage coming out of Iraq. Neither the BBC nor ITV has anyone in Falluja, but ITV has at least broadcast an interview with [aid worker] Jo Wilding from the city. The BBC should be giving the other side of the story," he said.
Notice the bracketed "aid worker"? This despite the fact that Ms Wilding is a well known anti-war activist and "journalist" who has written many articles for the Guardian. See my earlier post with links to some of her Guardian "reports".
Maybe Claire and Ms Wilding should "do lunch" sometime or get their nails done together. I'm sure Ms Wilding could teach Claire a thing or two about "journalism".
Anybody see or hear the ITV broadcast of the interview with Ms Wilding? If so, how did they identify her?
Does it get any funnier than this?
Claire Cozens writing in The Guardian about the BBC pulling some of its staff out of Iraq used this quote:
"This explains some of the poor coverage coming out of Iraq. Neither the BBC nor ITV has anyone in Falluja, but ITV has at least broadcast an interview with [aid worker] Jo Wilding from the city. The BBC should be giving the other side of the story," he said.
Notice the bracketed "aid worker"? This despite the fact that Ms Wilding is a well known anti-war activist and "journalist" who has written many articles for the Guardian. See my earlier post with links to some of her Guardian "reports".
Maybe Claire and Ms Wilding should "do lunch" sometime or get their nails done together. I'm sure Ms Wilding could teach Claire a thing or two about "journalism".
Anybody see or hear the ITV broadcast of the interview with Ms Wilding? If so, how did they identify her?
Blasts target Iraqi oil terminals From The BBC
Three boats have exploded in apparently co-ordinated suicide attacks near two Iraqi oil terminals in the Gulf, off the southern city of Basra.
I wrote about just such an attack on Grangemouth, Scotland, in a post on 6 April.
There was a strike at the Grangemouth terminal a few years ago that severely restricted petrol supplies. In my little town there were long lines and all but one station ran out of petrol. Imagine what would happen if this terminal was taken out completely.
The rail system in the UK would be unable to cope with the increased civilian and goods traffic. People would find it difficult to get to work or do their shopping. It would be difficult to even get the goods to the shops in the first place.
And then there is the terror value.
Many years ago just such an explosion at a Texas terminal killed hundreds. An explosion at Grangemouth could kill thousands.
UPDATE: The question is, does Al-Qaeda have the ships to do the job? Possibly.
From World Net Daily
While al-Qaida continues to hide from international authorities 15 ships it has purchased, there are growing warnings around the world the next dramatic terror attack is more likely to come at sea than in the air.
Three boats have exploded in apparently co-ordinated suicide attacks near two Iraqi oil terminals in the Gulf, off the southern city of Basra.
I wrote about just such an attack on Grangemouth, Scotland, in a post on 6 April.
There was a strike at the Grangemouth terminal a few years ago that severely restricted petrol supplies. In my little town there were long lines and all but one station ran out of petrol. Imagine what would happen if this terminal was taken out completely.
The rail system in the UK would be unable to cope with the increased civilian and goods traffic. People would find it difficult to get to work or do their shopping. It would be difficult to even get the goods to the shops in the first place.
And then there is the terror value.
Many years ago just such an explosion at a Texas terminal killed hundreds. An explosion at Grangemouth could kill thousands.
UPDATE: The question is, does Al-Qaeda have the ships to do the job? Possibly.
From World Net Daily
While al-Qaida continues to hide from international authorities 15 ships it has purchased, there are growing warnings around the world the next dramatic terror attack is more likely to come at sea than in the air.
Saturday, April 24, 2004
Al-Qaeda goes for decapitation
Remember my earlier post "Al-Qaeda attack soon and it will be chemical!"
here
In that article I said "Al-Qaeda's hallmark is large scale multiple attacks at once and they may be planning to hit the US and UK simultaneously."
So what did lawmakers in the US and the UK do this week? From Jihad Watch
In Washington, they discussed what to do if 100 or more members of Congress were killed. In London, there was a "specific threat" to the House of Commons. From The Telegraph, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm:
MI5 discovered a "specific threat" that terrorists were planning to use anthrax or ricin to launch a deadly attack in the Commons chamber, MPs were told yesterday. This helped to persuade them to vote in favour of spending £1.3 million on a permanent glass security barrier between the public gallery and rest of the chamber.
See, you don't have to destroy the buildings to destroy the government.
The 911 attacks were billed by some as the ingenious use of "low tech" by Al-Qaeda. After all, they didn't have their own missiles so they improvised and turned aircraft into missiles.
Another hallmark of Al-Qaeda is they learn their lessons well and they like to attack a target again using a new method. They learned their lesson with the first bombing of the World Trade Center and finished the job the second time. There were several years between those two attacks. It has been several years since 911.
Does Al-Qaeda have any "unfinished" jobs in the US?
Well information suggests that the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania was meant for the White House. Indeed, some Jihadist websites picture a burning Capitol Building. Some critisize these websites as being ignorant for making the common mistake of tourists; mistaking the Capitol Building for the White House.
I'd say based on what we are seeing here that the Jihadists are not mistaken, the Capitol Building is the real target. Think about it. Eliminate the President and maybe Cheney as well and what is the effect? Sure it is a crisis but our system of government is set up for just such an eventuality. Now eliminate a large majority of the Congress and what is the effect? How long would it take to put a functioning government in place? Think of the chaos and think of the propaganda value.
Having learned the lessons of previous attacks how would Al-Qaeda approach the task this time? More "low tech" probably. Any number of chemicals or gas will do and you really don't have to kill a lot of people. Contaminating the building would cause a major disruption of government.
What would the political fall out of that be? The President's opponents would size on the attack as proof positive that Bush is unable to protect the Capitol much less the whole country. Countries around the world would also wonder about America's ability to defend itself and its interests.
The image that Al-Qaeda is a bunch of tent living camel jockeys could be fatal.
Remember my earlier post "Al-Qaeda attack soon and it will be chemical!"
here
In that article I said "Al-Qaeda's hallmark is large scale multiple attacks at once and they may be planning to hit the US and UK simultaneously."
So what did lawmakers in the US and the UK do this week? From Jihad Watch
In Washington, they discussed what to do if 100 or more members of Congress were killed. In London, there was a "specific threat" to the House of Commons. From The Telegraph, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm:
MI5 discovered a "specific threat" that terrorists were planning to use anthrax or ricin to launch a deadly attack in the Commons chamber, MPs were told yesterday. This helped to persuade them to vote in favour of spending £1.3 million on a permanent glass security barrier between the public gallery and rest of the chamber.
See, you don't have to destroy the buildings to destroy the government.
The 911 attacks were billed by some as the ingenious use of "low tech" by Al-Qaeda. After all, they didn't have their own missiles so they improvised and turned aircraft into missiles.
Another hallmark of Al-Qaeda is they learn their lessons well and they like to attack a target again using a new method. They learned their lesson with the first bombing of the World Trade Center and finished the job the second time. There were several years between those two attacks. It has been several years since 911.
Does Al-Qaeda have any "unfinished" jobs in the US?
Well information suggests that the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania was meant for the White House. Indeed, some Jihadist websites picture a burning Capitol Building. Some critisize these websites as being ignorant for making the common mistake of tourists; mistaking the Capitol Building for the White House.
I'd say based on what we are seeing here that the Jihadists are not mistaken, the Capitol Building is the real target. Think about it. Eliminate the President and maybe Cheney as well and what is the effect? Sure it is a crisis but our system of government is set up for just such an eventuality. Now eliminate a large majority of the Congress and what is the effect? How long would it take to put a functioning government in place? Think of the chaos and think of the propaganda value.
Having learned the lessons of previous attacks how would Al-Qaeda approach the task this time? More "low tech" probably. Any number of chemicals or gas will do and you really don't have to kill a lot of people. Contaminating the building would cause a major disruption of government.
What would the political fall out of that be? The President's opponents would size on the attack as proof positive that Bush is unable to protect the Capitol much less the whole country. Countries around the world would also wonder about America's ability to defend itself and its interests.
The image that Al-Qaeda is a bunch of tent living camel jockeys could be fatal.
Copy of an email I sent to Bill Oreilly at Fox News
Mr. Oreilly,
I am writing to you in regards to an outrageous article on the BBC's website wherein they accuse "US gunmen [of] firing at ambulances and civilians."
The article is here BBC
These comments only inflame anti-US sentiment and increases the danger of attack on US forces. What is worse, there is not one shred of evidence in this entire article.
"Humanitarian workers speak of US gunmen firing at ambulances and civilians."
The BBC does not name the agency in question, nor do they name the head of the agency even though the quote him thus:
"By who? The probability is by US snipers," he said." We therefore are unable to determine the background of the man or the agency.
We are given the name of the "humanitarian" worker, who makes the most damaging accusations, quoted in the article.
"British aid worker Jo Wilding said an ambulance she was in, with flashing lights, siren blaring and "ambulance" written on it in English, was hit as it drove to collect a woman in premature labour.
Ms Wilding is sure the shots came from American troops.
"You can tell the shape of US marine from a mujahideen - even if you can only see a silhouette, the helmet and flak jacket are quite distinctive. Also, we were in a US-controlled part of town," she told BBC News Online."
"British aid worker"? Jo Wilding is one of the most well known anti-war activists in the UK. She was arrested for attacking the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. She regularly writes for the most anti-American newspaper in Britain - The Guardian.
A Google search of her name will reveal numerous anti-war writings and sites by Ms Wilder. The BBC is well aware of this and yet they publish such an outlandish article.
I wrote an analysis here USS Neverdock
The BBC is so well known around the world that most believe it speaks for all of Britain.
the American public and the world public need to know about the unrelenting anti-American campaign currently being waged by the BBC.
The BBC need to be held accountable for inciting violence against US forces in Iraq.
Thank you.
Marc Landers, CTTC, USN, Ret
Mr. Oreilly,
I am writing to you in regards to an outrageous article on the BBC's website wherein they accuse "US gunmen [of] firing at ambulances and civilians."
The article is here BBC
These comments only inflame anti-US sentiment and increases the danger of attack on US forces. What is worse, there is not one shred of evidence in this entire article.
"Humanitarian workers speak of US gunmen firing at ambulances and civilians."
The BBC does not name the agency in question, nor do they name the head of the agency even though the quote him thus:
"By who? The probability is by US snipers," he said." We therefore are unable to determine the background of the man or the agency.
We are given the name of the "humanitarian" worker, who makes the most damaging accusations, quoted in the article.
"British aid worker Jo Wilding said an ambulance she was in, with flashing lights, siren blaring and "ambulance" written on it in English, was hit as it drove to collect a woman in premature labour.
Ms Wilding is sure the shots came from American troops.
"You can tell the shape of US marine from a mujahideen - even if you can only see a silhouette, the helmet and flak jacket are quite distinctive. Also, we were in a US-controlled part of town," she told BBC News Online."
"British aid worker"? Jo Wilding is one of the most well known anti-war activists in the UK. She was arrested for attacking the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. She regularly writes for the most anti-American newspaper in Britain - The Guardian.
A Google search of her name will reveal numerous anti-war writings and sites by Ms Wilder. The BBC is well aware of this and yet they publish such an outlandish article.
I wrote an analysis here USS Neverdock
The BBC is so well known around the world that most believe it speaks for all of Britain.
the American public and the world public need to know about the unrelenting anti-American campaign currently being waged by the BBC.
The BBC need to be held accountable for inciting violence against US forces in Iraq.
Thank you.
Marc Landers, CTTC, USN, Ret
Formal charges against the BBC
Formal charges should be brought against the BBC for aiding and abetting the enemy. They continue to systematically attack the United States with rigged polls and unbelievably biased news reporting. We are not talking about mere anti-American slants. We are talking about carefully constructed rigged polls and using anti-war activists disguised as aid workers and freelance journalists.
Here is a link to my earlier post about the rigged poll.
While not mentioning the BBC poll by name, bin Laden did mention that he was following opinion polls. Since the US and UK are his biggest enemies he would almost certainly pay attention to a BBC poll that had this headline 'US is bigger threat than terror.' Due to many complaints the headline now reads 'Globalization' instead of the 'US'. Even the Google cache version has been changed.
Not content to rig polls against the US, the BBC decides to report the following in Falluja"...US gunmen firing at ambulances and civilians." Words that are sure to inflame the situation in Falluja further and increase the danger to US forces.
While the US struggles to subdue terrorists in Falluja and end the siege peacefully and thereby save innocent lives, the BBC decides to incite violence against the US. This is a crime and formal charges should be brought against them.
The article I refer to is here. Who does the BBC use as the source for their story?
The head of mission of a European humanitarian agency with staff in Falluja told BBC News Online that, according to his staff, two of their ambulances had been shot at.
So just who is this "European humanitarian agency"? The BBC does not tell us. That's right. The supposed, world class news reporting organization, BBC did not even bother to tell it's readers the identity of the agency. What are they trying to hide?
And who is "the head" of the agency that they give the following quote to?
"By who? The probability is by US snipers," he said. "He said". Who is "he"?
Is the BBC so incompetent as to not get the name of "The head of mission of a European humanitarian agency" that accuses the US of shooting at ambulances in a war zone the entire world is watching? What are they trying to hide?
Well at least we get the names of the staff and now you will find out some of what the BBC are trying to hide. There are two staff members mentioned in the original article. That's right, the article has been edited, again, by the BBC. The original article told of these two staff members being kidnapped and released. The two staff members used for this story are Jo Wilding and Jenny Gaiawyn. You will not find Ms. Gaiawyn's name (she changed her name to the Celtic for earth-lover) in the article now. The kidnapping part has been edited out and you will find out why later.
Who is Ms. Wilding?
Here is a link to her personal page and here is what she has to say on Iraq.
Those politicians and corporations are sucking your blood and the media is lying to you about it.
By the way, did I mention she is also a circus clown? No joke! Follow the links on her site.
Her anti-war in Iraq page is here which says this
Now the bombing is over and the occupation and carve-up of Iraq are well underway, what's next for the anti-war movement?
And this "I went because I'd been campaigning against the sanctions for a while and felt that I had to actively break them and to see what was happening so I could speak from experience, not just reports. I was in court in March 2001 for throwing fruit at Tony Blair in an Iraq protest..." here.
Writing in the UN Observer she writes this
Iraq: Jo Wilding in Fallujah
2004-04-13 | US snipers in Falluja shoot unarmed man in the back, old woman with white flag, children fleeing their homes and the ambulance that we were going in to fetch a woman in premature labour.
And in an article for Indymedia
She gives us a little biographical data like this:
Jo wilding - journalist, lawyer and circus clown reports from the hospitals of Falluja
I don't know about the lawyer part but I know about the journalist part and so does the BBC because she has written for a British newspaper. Which one? Go on, guess. Give up?
The Guardian!
Nowhere is safe
Although the skies over Baghdad have cleared after the sandstorms, the view from the ground is one of mangled bodies and shattered lives, says Jo Wilding
And in The Guardian here.
Fear and fury in Baghdad
Human rights campaigner Jo Wilding on the mood in the Iraqi capital
There is no way the BBC did know who Ms Wilding is. This is not just some slight ommission on the part of the BBC. This is deliberate and calculated. By portraying her as a "humanitarian aid worker" when in fact she is well known to the British media, including the BBC, as an anti-war campigner the BBC deliberate mislead their readers. This is an outrage and journalism at its very worst. No wonder there is no credit given to the author of the story.
Now who is Jenny Gaiawyn?
First up we have this from The Yorkshire Post.
Jenny Gaiawyn was yesterday heading for safety in Jordan after her release and faces tough questions from her mother, who found out about her ordeal through the media.
The 25-year-old charity worker was with a friend, Jo Wilding, 29, in the stricken Iraqi town of Fallujah when they were snatched as they helped injured civilians.
They were released after 24 hours and Miss Wilding spoke to journalists in Iraq where she said guns and rockets had been pointed at them and they feared they would be burned to death.
Miss Gaiawyn's mother, Royanne Wilding, only found out about her daughter's ordeal when news crews turned up outside her North Yorkshire home asking how she felt about her release.
I wonder why the BBC dropped the kidnapping part from their orginal story? Maybe it didn't happen. They seemed to have had complete access to ambulances and hospitals in the town. Being kidnapped only adds another element of terror to their story.
Her mom adds this for us:
She added: "Jenny has always been like this, an active peace campaigner, working with disabled youngsters, it's just like her to go off and end up in Fallujah."
But how well known is Ms Gaiawyn? Well, Tommy Sheridan MSP knows here quite well. In fact he even made a MOTION TO THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT on her behalf. Link here.
Why would he do that you ask.
This Parliament condemns the disgraceful three-month prison sentence handed down to Jenny Gaiawyn on 29 November by Sheriff Morag Galbraith for a breach of the peace at the February blockade of Faslane nuclear base earlier this year; considers this sentence an outrageous attack on this young woman's human right to protest peacefully
Now if you really want to know why the BBC dropped their kidnap story, Richard Littlejohn writing in The Sun has the answer. Besure and visit the site, the cartoon is great.
THIS week's edition of You Couldn't Make It Up comes from Iraq, where two British women were kidnapped near the siege city of Fallujah.
Jenny Gaiawyn, 25, and Jo Wilding, 29, had travelled there to teach children circus tricks.
Like you do.
"We showed them how to make animals out of balloons and played a penny whistle, said Jo, a trainee solicitor.
"They liked the balloons but not the music. They said their Islamic code forbade it and it gave women sexual urges."
Jenny and Jo were released by their captors after 24 hours.
That's how long it took the gunmen to master the dachshund and the giraffe.
Now I know what the army meant when they said the balloon had gone up in Fallujah.
"trainee solicitor" Remember she claims to already be a lawyer.
The BBC knew full well who these people were when they ran the story. They used two well known anti-war activists, one who was jailed for an attack on Tony Blair and the other jailed for anti-nuclear protests. The BBC deliberately called Ms Wilding a "British aid worker" implying she was working for Britain. They deliberately did not tell its readers who the agency involved was nor the head of the agency even though they quoted him.
This article is just part of an ongoing anti-American campaign by the BBC. I encourage all of you to write or call them and demand a full retraction.
There is not one shred of evidence in this article and the BBC knows it. They should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
note: sorry for any spelling errors. It took me three hours to write this, I haven't had my breakfast and the spell checker isn't working. Oh, well.
UPDATE: I have emailed the BBC and demanded a full and immediate retraction.
Formal charges should be brought against the BBC for aiding and abetting the enemy. They continue to systematically attack the United States with rigged polls and unbelievably biased news reporting. We are not talking about mere anti-American slants. We are talking about carefully constructed rigged polls and using anti-war activists disguised as aid workers and freelance journalists.
Here is a link to my earlier post about the rigged poll.
While not mentioning the BBC poll by name, bin Laden did mention that he was following opinion polls. Since the US and UK are his biggest enemies he would almost certainly pay attention to a BBC poll that had this headline 'US is bigger threat than terror.' Due to many complaints the headline now reads 'Globalization' instead of the 'US'. Even the Google cache version has been changed.
Not content to rig polls against the US, the BBC decides to report the following in Falluja"...US gunmen firing at ambulances and civilians." Words that are sure to inflame the situation in Falluja further and increase the danger to US forces.
While the US struggles to subdue terrorists in Falluja and end the siege peacefully and thereby save innocent lives, the BBC decides to incite violence against the US. This is a crime and formal charges should be brought against them.
The article I refer to is here. Who does the BBC use as the source for their story?
The head of mission of a European humanitarian agency with staff in Falluja told BBC News Online that, according to his staff, two of their ambulances had been shot at.
So just who is this "European humanitarian agency"? The BBC does not tell us. That's right. The supposed, world class news reporting organization, BBC did not even bother to tell it's readers the identity of the agency. What are they trying to hide?
And who is "the head" of the agency that they give the following quote to?
"By who? The probability is by US snipers," he said. "He said". Who is "he"?
Is the BBC so incompetent as to not get the name of "The head of mission of a European humanitarian agency" that accuses the US of shooting at ambulances in a war zone the entire world is watching? What are they trying to hide?
Well at least we get the names of the staff and now you will find out some of what the BBC are trying to hide. There are two staff members mentioned in the original article. That's right, the article has been edited, again, by the BBC. The original article told of these two staff members being kidnapped and released. The two staff members used for this story are Jo Wilding and Jenny Gaiawyn. You will not find Ms. Gaiawyn's name (she changed her name to the Celtic for earth-lover) in the article now. The kidnapping part has been edited out and you will find out why later.
Who is Ms. Wilding?
Here is a link to her personal page and here is what she has to say on Iraq.
Those politicians and corporations are sucking your blood and the media is lying to you about it.
By the way, did I mention she is also a circus clown? No joke! Follow the links on her site.
Her anti-war in Iraq page is here which says this
Now the bombing is over and the occupation and carve-up of Iraq are well underway, what's next for the anti-war movement?
And this "I went because I'd been campaigning against the sanctions for a while and felt that I had to actively break them and to see what was happening so I could speak from experience, not just reports. I was in court in March 2001 for throwing fruit at Tony Blair in an Iraq protest..." here.
Writing in the UN Observer she writes this
Iraq: Jo Wilding in Fallujah
2004-04-13 | US snipers in Falluja shoot unarmed man in the back, old woman with white flag, children fleeing their homes and the ambulance that we were going in to fetch a woman in premature labour.
And in an article for Indymedia
She gives us a little biographical data like this:
Jo wilding - journalist, lawyer and circus clown reports from the hospitals of Falluja
I don't know about the lawyer part but I know about the journalist part and so does the BBC because she has written for a British newspaper. Which one? Go on, guess. Give up?
The Guardian!
Nowhere is safe
Although the skies over Baghdad have cleared after the sandstorms, the view from the ground is one of mangled bodies and shattered lives, says Jo Wilding
And in The Guardian here.
Fear and fury in Baghdad
Human rights campaigner Jo Wilding on the mood in the Iraqi capital
There is no way the BBC did know who Ms Wilding is. This is not just some slight ommission on the part of the BBC. This is deliberate and calculated. By portraying her as a "humanitarian aid worker" when in fact she is well known to the British media, including the BBC, as an anti-war campigner the BBC deliberate mislead their readers. This is an outrage and journalism at its very worst. No wonder there is no credit given to the author of the story.
Now who is Jenny Gaiawyn?
First up we have this from The Yorkshire Post.
Jenny Gaiawyn was yesterday heading for safety in Jordan after her release and faces tough questions from her mother, who found out about her ordeal through the media.
The 25-year-old charity worker was with a friend, Jo Wilding, 29, in the stricken Iraqi town of Fallujah when they were snatched as they helped injured civilians.
They were released after 24 hours and Miss Wilding spoke to journalists in Iraq where she said guns and rockets had been pointed at them and they feared they would be burned to death.
Miss Gaiawyn's mother, Royanne Wilding, only found out about her daughter's ordeal when news crews turned up outside her North Yorkshire home asking how she felt about her release.
I wonder why the BBC dropped the kidnapping part from their orginal story? Maybe it didn't happen. They seemed to have had complete access to ambulances and hospitals in the town. Being kidnapped only adds another element of terror to their story.
Her mom adds this for us:
She added: "Jenny has always been like this, an active peace campaigner, working with disabled youngsters, it's just like her to go off and end up in Fallujah."
But how well known is Ms Gaiawyn? Well, Tommy Sheridan MSP knows here quite well. In fact he even made a MOTION TO THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT on her behalf. Link here.
Why would he do that you ask.
This Parliament condemns the disgraceful three-month prison sentence handed down to Jenny Gaiawyn on 29 November by Sheriff Morag Galbraith for a breach of the peace at the February blockade of Faslane nuclear base earlier this year; considers this sentence an outrageous attack on this young woman's human right to protest peacefully
Now if you really want to know why the BBC dropped their kidnap story, Richard Littlejohn writing in The Sun has the answer. Besure and visit the site, the cartoon is great.
THIS week's edition of You Couldn't Make It Up comes from Iraq, where two British women were kidnapped near the siege city of Fallujah.
Jenny Gaiawyn, 25, and Jo Wilding, 29, had travelled there to teach children circus tricks.
Like you do.
"We showed them how to make animals out of balloons and played a penny whistle, said Jo, a trainee solicitor.
"They liked the balloons but not the music. They said their Islamic code forbade it and it gave women sexual urges."
Jenny and Jo were released by their captors after 24 hours.
That's how long it took the gunmen to master the dachshund and the giraffe.
Now I know what the army meant when they said the balloon had gone up in Fallujah.
"trainee solicitor" Remember she claims to already be a lawyer.
The BBC knew full well who these people were when they ran the story. They used two well known anti-war activists, one who was jailed for an attack on Tony Blair and the other jailed for anti-nuclear protests. The BBC deliberately called Ms Wilding a "British aid worker" implying she was working for Britain. They deliberately did not tell its readers who the agency involved was nor the head of the agency even though they quoted him.
This article is just part of an ongoing anti-American campaign by the BBC. I encourage all of you to write or call them and demand a full retraction.
There is not one shred of evidence in this article and the BBC knows it. They should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
note: sorry for any spelling errors. It took me three hours to write this, I haven't had my breakfast and the spell checker isn't working. Oh, well.
UPDATE: I have emailed the BBC and demanded a full and immediate retraction.
Friday, April 23, 2004
Why the BBC is the most evil organization on the planet.
Copy of an email I sent my "news tip group" tonight. I am too pissed off to write about it.
It is late my time and I don't have time to write a post about this tonight but I wanted to give everyone a heads up on this one. This BBC article is just outrageous.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3653223.stm
BBC
Humanitarian workers speak of US gunmen firing at ambulances and civilians.
And who are these humanitarian workers?
The head of mission of a European humanitarian agency with staff in Falluja told BBC News Online that, according to his staff, two of their ambulances had been shot at.
and who are these "staff"
British aid worker Jo Wilding said an ambulance she was in, with flashing lights, siren blaring and "ambulance" written on it in English, was hit as it drove to collect a woman in premature labour.
Ms Wilding is sure the shots came from American troops.
And why is she "sure"
Google search results of Ms Wilding. Read who she is. You are not going to believe this.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=British+aid+worker+Jo+Wilding
Google
Sample: 1
Iraq: Jo Wilding in Fallujah
2004-04-13 | US snipers in Falluja shoot unarmed man in the back, old woman with white flag, children fleeing their homes and the ambulance that we were going in to fetch a woman in premature labour
Sample 2
Jo Wilding, 29, is a human rights campaigner and trainee lawyer from Bristol. She and two other foreign nationals have been inside Falluja for the past week, providing medical and humanitarian aid
"Human rights campaingeer and trainee laywer" - trying to make a career are we?
Sample 3
Jo Wilding is a British journalist, anti-war activist, and circus clown. She is working as a Red Crescent volunteer, ferrying the wounded to medical aid in Falluja. Here is her eyewitness journal from April 11, documenting a city under attack by United States Marines. It's a stunning and heart-wrenching account.
Did you catch that..."circus clown".. this is no joke! Anti-war activist - no axe to grind here!
Sample 4 ...this "fake kidnapping" idea is starting to take hold
TWO British women told last night how they were kidnapped and held by Iraqi gunmen after volunteering to help injured civilians in the besieged city of Fallujah.
Jenny Gaiawyn, 25, and Jo Wilding, 29, spent several days braving the guns of United States marines and insurgent fighters to help ferry injured locals to medical centres.
My My, Jo Wilding again.
How low can the BBC go? So much for a new direction for the BBC. I am so pissed off right now.
Scott Burgess please write about this.
Michael Morris please write about this.
Everyone call, write and complain to the BBC, Grade, the press complaints commission and anybody you can think of. This is the most outrageous thing the BBC have done since the rigged poll.
Listen to her
"You can tell the shape of US marine from a mujahideen - even if you can only see a silhouette, the helmet and flak jacket are quite distinctive. Also, we were in a US-controlled part of town," she told BBC News Online.
ARRRRRRgh
Copy of an email I sent my "news tip group" tonight. I am too pissed off to write about it.
It is late my time and I don't have time to write a post about this tonight but I wanted to give everyone a heads up on this one. This BBC article is just outrageous.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3653223.stm
BBC
Humanitarian workers speak of US gunmen firing at ambulances and civilians.
And who are these humanitarian workers?
The head of mission of a European humanitarian agency with staff in Falluja told BBC News Online that, according to his staff, two of their ambulances had been shot at.
and who are these "staff"
British aid worker Jo Wilding said an ambulance she was in, with flashing lights, siren blaring and "ambulance" written on it in English, was hit as it drove to collect a woman in premature labour.
Ms Wilding is sure the shots came from American troops.
And why is she "sure"
Google search results of Ms Wilding. Read who she is. You are not going to believe this.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=British+aid+worker+Jo+Wilding
Sample: 1
Iraq: Jo Wilding in Fallujah
2004-04-13 | US snipers in Falluja shoot unarmed man in the back, old woman with white flag, children fleeing their homes and the ambulance that we were going in to fetch a woman in premature labour
Sample 2
Jo Wilding, 29, is a human rights campaigner and trainee lawyer from Bristol. She and two other foreign nationals have been inside Falluja for the past week, providing medical and humanitarian aid
"Human rights campaingeer and trainee laywer" - trying to make a career are we?
Sample 3
Jo Wilding is a British journalist, anti-war activist, and circus clown. She is working as a Red Crescent volunteer, ferrying the wounded to medical aid in Falluja. Here is her eyewitness journal from April 11, documenting a city under attack by United States Marines. It's a stunning and heart-wrenching account.
Did you catch that..."circus clown".. this is no joke! Anti-war activist - no axe to grind here!
Sample 4 ...this "fake kidnapping" idea is starting to take hold
TWO British women told last night how they were kidnapped and held by Iraqi gunmen after volunteering to help injured civilians in the besieged city of Fallujah.
Jenny Gaiawyn, 25, and Jo Wilding, 29, spent several days braving the guns of United States marines and insurgent fighters to help ferry injured locals to medical centres.
My My, Jo Wilding again.
How low can the BBC go? So much for a new direction for the BBC. I am so pissed off right now.
Scott Burgess please write about this.
Michael Morris please write about this.
Everyone call, write and complain to the BBC, Grade, the press complaints commission and anybody you can think of. This is the most outrageous thing the BBC have done since the rigged poll.
Listen to her
"You can tell the shape of US marine from a mujahideen - even if you can only see a silhouette, the helmet and flak jacket are quite distinctive. Also, we were in a US-controlled part of town," she told BBC News Online.
ARRRRRRgh
Who joins the US military and why.
I've read some articles recently in the press and on the net regarding the type of people who join the US military.
Some would have you believe it is middle to lower class citizens who need a job or are trying to get a college education. They do not want to believe that patroitism and a belief in freedom plays a large part in mosts decision to join.
The following article from MSNBC will be called an exception by those same people. I spent 20 years on active duty and I tell you this is not an exception.
WASHINGTON - Pat Tillman, who gave up a lucrative NFL contract with the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army Rangers, was killed in action in Afghanistan, military officials said Friday.
In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Tillman decided to turn down a three-year, $3.6 million contract with the Cardinals to enlist in the Army.
It is almost prophetic that this article comes out when the vile spin machine The Guardian tries to make political points out of the Doonesbury comic strip. Here is the link to my post on Doonesbury's comic strip about wounded Americans.
Spin on it Guardian!
I've read some articles recently in the press and on the net regarding the type of people who join the US military.
Some would have you believe it is middle to lower class citizens who need a job or are trying to get a college education. They do not want to believe that patroitism and a belief in freedom plays a large part in mosts decision to join.
The following article from MSNBC will be called an exception by those same people. I spent 20 years on active duty and I tell you this is not an exception.
WASHINGTON - Pat Tillman, who gave up a lucrative NFL contract with the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army Rangers, was killed in action in Afghanistan, military officials said Friday.
In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Tillman decided to turn down a three-year, $3.6 million contract with the Cardinals to enlist in the Army.
It is almost prophetic that this article comes out when the vile spin machine The Guardian tries to make political points out of the Doonesbury comic strip. Here is the link to my post on Doonesbury's comic strip about wounded Americans.
Spin on it Guardian!
Islamic terrosim and Koffigate linked?
How?
In an earlier post I quoted from The Sunday Times:
The Sunday Times (available on oline), 4 April 2004, page 7, "Scotland is not exempt from threat of extremists" article, 3rd collumn, 3rd paragraph reads:
"Dundee has gained a reputation as a fertile breeding ground for Islamic fundamentalists.
Last year it emerged that Norien Sajeel, a Scottish primary school teacher in her twenties, born and raised in the city, was also leader of Pakistan's Sister Division, the women's branch of Al-Muhajiroun.
In the wake of the Bali bombing, which left more than 180 dead, one of the eight suspects was Shamsul Bahri Hussein, a graduate of Dundee University."
So what is the connection to Koffigate?
The British MP George Galloway, who is implicated in the scandal, comes from Dundee.
Sure it is a stretch but it's Friday and I'm off to the pub.
How?
In an earlier post I quoted from The Sunday Times:
The Sunday Times (available on oline), 4 April 2004, page 7, "Scotland is not exempt from threat of extremists" article, 3rd collumn, 3rd paragraph reads:
"Dundee has gained a reputation as a fertile breeding ground for Islamic fundamentalists.
Last year it emerged that Norien Sajeel, a Scottish primary school teacher in her twenties, born and raised in the city, was also leader of Pakistan's Sister Division, the women's branch of Al-Muhajiroun.
In the wake of the Bali bombing, which left more than 180 dead, one of the eight suspects was Shamsul Bahri Hussein, a graduate of Dundee University."
So what is the connection to Koffigate?
The British MP George Galloway, who is implicated in the scandal, comes from Dundee.
Sure it is a stretch but it's Friday and I'm off to the pub.
How are the British press covering Koffigate?
Scott Burgess at The Daily Ablution does a round up for you.
Here is the one I like.
Let's see, have I forgotten anyone? Oh yes, The Guardian:
Guardian Word Count: 0
Now tell me again who their poster boy is that is linked to Koffigate. Right! That would be Galloway.
Gee, maybe that is why they have nothing to say on the issue. What a pathetic bunch the Guardian are.
Here is my round up of what the left have to say on the issue.
Scott Burgess at The Daily Ablution does a round up for you.
Here is the one I like.
Let's see, have I forgotten anyone? Oh yes, The Guardian:
Guardian Word Count: 0
Now tell me again who their poster boy is that is linked to Koffigate. Right! That would be Galloway.
Gee, maybe that is why they have nothing to say on the issue. What a pathetic bunch the Guardian are.
Here is my round up of what the left have to say on the issue.
What is really going on in Faluja? From Andrew Sullivan via Rantingprofs
EMAIL OF THE DAY: I can't verify this first-hand but it comes from a source I know and trust. It's from a military chaplain in Fallujah:
Here's some background on Al Faluja to keep in mind.
A) Why is it in the news almost every night? Because it is one of the FEW places in all of Iraq where trouble exists. Iraq has 25 million people and is the size of California. Faluja and surrounding towns total 500,000 people. Do the math: that's not a big percentage of Iraq. How many people were murdered last night in L.A.? Did it make headline news? Why not?
B) Saddam could not and did not control Faluja. He bought off those he could, killed those he couldn't and played all leaders against one another. It was and is a 'difficult' town. Nothing new about that. What is new is that outside people have come in to stir up unrest. How many are there is classified, but let me tell you this: there are more people in the northeast Minneapolis gangs than there are causing havoc in Faluja. Surprised?
Read the whole thing it puts things in focus.
EMAIL OF THE DAY: I can't verify this first-hand but it comes from a source I know and trust. It's from a military chaplain in Fallujah:
Here's some background on Al Faluja to keep in mind.
A) Why is it in the news almost every night? Because it is one of the FEW places in all of Iraq where trouble exists. Iraq has 25 million people and is the size of California. Faluja and surrounding towns total 500,000 people. Do the math: that's not a big percentage of Iraq. How many people were murdered last night in L.A.? Did it make headline news? Why not?
B) Saddam could not and did not control Faluja. He bought off those he could, killed those he couldn't and played all leaders against one another. It was and is a 'difficult' town. Nothing new about that. What is new is that outside people have come in to stir up unrest. How many are there is classified, but let me tell you this: there are more people in the northeast Minneapolis gangs than there are causing havoc in Faluja. Surprised?
Read the whole thing it puts things in focus.
Koffigate and UN weapons inspections.
If it is true that the UN, at the highest levels, was involved in the oil-for-food scandal, then the whole UN weapons inspection program gets called into question.
Why?
If WMDs had been found during an inspection then the oil scam would have been up and those involved would have been out billions.
It would have been easy for someone inside the UN to tip off the Iraqis about impending inspections. The Iraqis would not have even had to spy on the inspectors in Iraq.
While the WMDs have yet to be found the inspectors found many instances of "things" being moved just prior to a visit. I have read on some Iraqi blogs first hand accounts of this.
Since Koffi's own son is implicated he should take a leave of absence while the investigation is carried out. But then who do you appoint in his place and how can the UN be investigated impartially?
If it is true that the UN, at the highest levels, was involved in the oil-for-food scandal, then the whole UN weapons inspection program gets called into question.
Why?
If WMDs had been found during an inspection then the oil scam would have been up and those involved would have been out billions.
It would have been easy for someone inside the UN to tip off the Iraqis about impending inspections. The Iraqis would not have even had to spy on the inspectors in Iraq.
While the WMDs have yet to be found the inspectors found many instances of "things" being moved just prior to a visit. I have read on some Iraqi blogs first hand accounts of this.
Since Koffi's own son is implicated he should take a leave of absence while the investigation is carried out. But then who do you appoint in his place and how can the UN be investigated impartially?
Moderate Muslims claim that radical Muslims do not speak for Islam.
Then who does?
As my usual readers will know I have repeatedly called for moderate Muslims to speak out against bin Laden and others to no avail. They remain silent and let radicals speak for them.
Here is a case in point.
MUSLIM leader Sheikh Abu Hamza has told young British supporters that murder, bank robbery and looting are legitimate weapons against the enemies of Islam. From The Mirror
Now moderate Muslims will tell you that is not true and disavow Hamza's remarks. But then we find this:
Ask the Scholar From Islam on Line. via Harry's Place
Fatwa Question Details
Name Iyad - United Arab Emirates
Title Robbing Jewish Banks
Question What is the legal ruling on a Muslim robbing Jewish banks to help the Muslim fighters (who defend their countries and rights) all over the world?
Date 20/Apr/2004
Mufti
Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi
Answer
[...]
"Islam is Almighty Allah’s message to all humankind that aims at establishing right and justice among all people. Hence, it is not lawful to steal non-Muslims’ property. This may be lawful only in one case, that is when there is a war ongoing between Muslims and non-Muslims.
The question then is, are we at war with each other? Hamza and his followers think so. Silence from moderate Muslims make one wonder what they think.
Then who does?
As my usual readers will know I have repeatedly called for moderate Muslims to speak out against bin Laden and others to no avail. They remain silent and let radicals speak for them.
Here is a case in point.
MUSLIM leader Sheikh Abu Hamza has told young British supporters that murder, bank robbery and looting are legitimate weapons against the enemies of Islam. From The Mirror
Now moderate Muslims will tell you that is not true and disavow Hamza's remarks. But then we find this:
Ask the Scholar From Islam on Line. via Harry's Place
Fatwa Question Details
Name Iyad - United Arab Emirates
Title Robbing Jewish Banks
Question What is the legal ruling on a Muslim robbing Jewish banks to help the Muslim fighters (who defend their countries and rights) all over the world?
Date 20/Apr/2004
Mufti
Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi
Answer
[...]
"Islam is Almighty Allah’s message to all humankind that aims at establishing right and justice among all people. Hence, it is not lawful to steal non-Muslims’ property. This may be lawful only in one case, that is when there is a war ongoing between Muslims and non-Muslims.
The question then is, are we at war with each other? Hamza and his followers think so. Silence from moderate Muslims make one wonder what they think.
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