October 31, 2004
Environmental Blind Faith
An article in today’s Washington Post issued an environmental warning with the headline “Report Sounds Alarm on Pace of Arctic Climate Change.” In the first paragraph, the article asserts the following: The most comprehensive international assessment of Arctic climate change…
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Spotting Bin Laden
Earlier this month, Indian Air Force reconnaissance planes allegedly spotted Bin Laden in a convoy heading toward the North East corner of Pakistan near the China-Indian border: Bin Laden was actually spotted in the flesh just a few days ago…
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October 30, 2004
Equivocating Bush and Hitler, Concentration Camps & Abu Ghraib
David’s Medienktrik has detailed the latest absurdity in the German press, courtesy of Spiegel. This time they published, in an uncritical manner, comments by an Italian “philosopher” equivocating Bush to Hitler and Abu Ghraib to a Nazi concentration camp. Having…
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Sending A Message
The Christian Science Monitor provides a glimpse of what may soon be in store for Fallujah: The aim of the Fallujah operation will be to stop such attacks [large scale car bombings], and extreme options may be on the table….
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October 29, 2004
Bin Laden Speaks
We will admit, provided this new Bin Laden tape is current, that our belief was incorrect that his long absence of jihadist rhetoric suggested he was deceased. Nevertheless, this videotape did offer some timely insight into who citizens of the…
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New Al-Qaqaa Weapons Development
Once again, the controversy over the missing explosives in Iraq have taken another turn: An Army unit removed 250 tons of ammunition from the Al-Qaqaa weapons depot in April 2003 and later destroyed it, the company’s former commander said. A…
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MUST READ
1) Leaders Sign EU Constitution 2) U.S. Mulling Plans to Freeze Lebanese Assets 3) A Lesson For The Infidels 4) After Arafat, Upheaval 5) The Power of Will – Victor Davis Hanson…
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Sistani on the Elections
Iraqi Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has reitterated his support for elections in Iraq early next year: JEDDAH, 29 October 2004 — Iraq’s principal Shiite leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has informed the interim Iraqi government of his “full support” for…
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Ignoring Afghanistan’s Transformation
Charles Krauthammer reflects on the the remarkable three-year transformation in Afghanistan: In the 1990s, Afghanistan was allowed to fall to the Taliban and become the global center for the training, indoctrination and seeding of jihadists around the world — including…
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Iraqi Mass Graves
Click here for a photo journal on the excavation of mass graves in Iraq. Be warned, many of the pictures are graphic….
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October 28, 2004
Al-Qaqaa Update
They controversy over the missing explosives at the Al-Qaqaa facility in Iraq continues: Oct. 28, 2004 — The strongest evidence to date indicates that conventional explosives missing from Iraq’s Al-Qaqaa installation disappeared after the United States had taken control of…
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The Candidate’s Energy Policy
In the post-September 11th world, energy policy in the United States has moved from a second-tier issue to the forefront as it now has significant national security implications. Senator Kerry and President Bush have very different ideas on how to…
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Airbrushing Arafat
Should Yasser Arafat succumb to his current illness in the next few days, it will be interesting to see how the media portrays him posthumously. We note that some of the news services may have already offered a glimpse of…
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MUST READ
1) A Hole in the Heart – Thomas Friedman 2) Oil for Food Bribery Means Sanctions Against Iraq Were Doomed to Fail 3) Leading German Newspaper Endorses Bush 4) Real Divide is Only in Elitist Minds – Victor Davis Hanson…
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IAEA Contradiction
ABC News has obtained documents that cast doubt on the IAEA’s leaked memo to the New York Times and CBS’ 60 Minutes earlier this week: The Iraqi interim government has told the United States and international weapons inspectors that 377…
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Russian Assistance in Iraq
Bill Gertz of the Washington Times reports that Russian Special Forces helped Saddam move many of his weapons, including the explosives at Al-Qaqaa facility, into Syria before the begining of Gulf War II: Russian special forces troops moved many of…
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October 27, 2004
Muslim Deaths in Thailand
Tensions between the Thailand government and their sizable Muslim population in the south escalated yesterday: Six people were killed Monday during clashes with 1,000 police and troops outside a police station at Tak Bai in southern Narathiwat province, near the…
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Entering Dangerous Waters
If Senator Kerry’s Senior Foreign Policy Adviser Richard Holbrooke does not know if the 380 of explosives in Iraq disapeared after the invasion (i.e. President Bush is responsible), how can the Senator? We warned the Senator yesterday that he should…
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Criticism From The BBC
The American media is receiving criticism from an unlikely place: NEW YORK — BBC World Service and Global News director Richard Sambrook on Tuesday took the U.S. news nets to task on their own turf for “wrapping themselves in the…
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MUST READ
1) The Story Behind the Story of Saddam’s Lost Explosives 2) France Offering Data in Oil-For-Food Probe 3) Ukraine’s Big Decision 4) Terror’s New Soldiers 5) Trading Their Guns For Pens…
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Awaking From Their Slumber
There are signs that European governments are begining to realize their socialist economic policies are the reason for their anemic economic growth: During his 13-year stint as the head of the International Monetary Fund, Michel Camdessus perfected the art of…
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Passing the Blame
New information suggests that the leaking of an IAEA memo one week before the U.S. Presidential Election (which contained dated information) was, in a fashion typical of their colleagues at the United Nations, partially intended to deflect blame: WASHINGTON -…
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October 26, 2004
VDH On the Stakes of This Election
Earlier today we selected Victor Davis Hanson’s latest piece for our “Must Read” section. After contemplating its contents for the better part of today, we decided it deserved its own entry. For those who have not read it, here is…
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Gaza Pullout
The Israeli Parliament has approved the controversial and monumental unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza strip. However, the controversy may only be beginning: JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon scored a historic victory Tuesday when lawmakers approved his plan…
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Where’s the Fairness?
The credibility of yesterday’s report in the New York Times that 380 tons of explosives went missing in Iraq under the Coalition’s watch is being called into question: The mystery surrounding the disappearance of 380 tons of powerful explosives from…
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MUST READ
1) The Real Truth of Iraq 2) A Gaddafi Cover-Up 3) What Abraham Lincoln Could Teach John Kerry About Iraq 4) Attacks on Women in West Sudan Draw an Outcry 5) Country at a Crossroads – Victor Davis Hanson…
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Election Coverage Recommendations
With one week left until the United States Presidential election, we recommend checking on a daily basis RealClearPolitics for up-to-date information on the electoral college and latest polls and University of Virginia Professor Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball for the most…
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October 25, 2004
Evaluating Bush’s Foreign Policy
University of Virginia American history Professor Melvyn P. Leffler has tackled in the most recent issue of Foreign Policy questions surrounding the controversial Bush foreign policy. The questions he addresses are the following: 1) “George W. Bush’s Foreign Policy Is…
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Tax Advice
2004 Nobel Economic Prize Co-Winner Edward C. Prescott opined this weekend that despite the stereotype that Europeans prefer leisure to work, they are not “lazy.” Rather, they are over taxed and have no other choice. Prescott points to historical data…
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An Emerging Pattern
“This president hasn’t listened. I went to meet with the members of the Security Council in the week before we voted. I went to New York. I talked to all of them, to find out how serious they were about…
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MUST READ
1) Prewar Intelligence Predicted Iraqi Insurgency 2) Iran Rejects Latest Proposal on Uranium Program 3) What Would Patton Say About the Present War? – Victor Davis Hanson 4) War, Peace and Politics 5) A Roundup of The Past Two Weeks’…
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Iraq Detainee Memo
The Washington Post reported on Sunday that a leaked memo from the U.S. Department of Justice allows the CIA to take detainees out of Iraq for interrogation, a possible violation of the Geneva Conventions. A glaring omission in the article…
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The Loony Left
This weekend, the Guardian offered a unique opportunity to look into the mind of a European leftist. Unfortunately, they removed the piece this morning after receiving complaints (presumably from Americans) and offered a disgraceful excuse for publishing the piece in…
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October 24, 2004
U.K. Deployment to Baghdad
Last week’s announcement that the U.K. would send a 1,000+ contingent of soldiers from Southern Iraq to Baghdad was cynically reported as a political contribution to President Bush’s reelection campaign. We neglected to comment on the report given its irrationality…
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22 Questions for the Senator
After initially agreeing to an interview with Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward to answer questions on foreign policy and specifically Iraq, Senator Kerry has reneged on his decision to do the interview. Woodward was hoping to have a side-by-side comparison…
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UNhelpful
The United Nations is refusing to assist Iraq in training judges for Saddam Hussein’s trial, expected to begin next year: UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations won’t train judges or prosecutors for the Iraqi tribunal that will try members of…
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Campaign Meddling Backfires
The Guardian has now stopped their efforts to influence the U.S. Presidential elections: The Guardian yesterday ran up the white flag and called a halt to “Operation Clark County”, the newspaper’s ambitious scheme to recruit thousands of readers to persuade…
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October 23, 2004
Arafat Ailing
Yasser Arafat is reported to be in poor health: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has allowed Tunisian doctors to enter Yasser Arafat’s compound in the West Bank to treat him for the flu, officials there told FOX News. Three Tunisian…
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Oil for Food Businesses
The United Nations has released the names of the companies that conducted business with Iraq through the Oil for Food program. You can view the information here. Plelase note that businesses on this list did not necessarily participate in any…
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Kyoto Moving Along
Russia is about to complete their ratification of the Kyoto Protocol aimed at curbing CO2 emissions: MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s lower house of parliament ratified the Kyoto Protocol on combatting global warming Friday, putting the sweeping environmental pact firmly on…
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October 22, 2004
Under the Radar
Venezuelan “President” Hugo Chavez is being accused by Colombia of initiating an arms race in the region: CARACAS, Venezuela, Oct. 21 (UPI) — Although the Venezuelan government has denied Colombia’s accusations of initiating an armaments race, reports in the international…
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Accepting Islamofascist Democracy
This cartoon is in reference to a quote that President Bush made earlier this week where he reiterated a policy of accepting whatever outcome Iraqi democracy provides. Be sure to read Cox and Forkum’s in depth discussion on their…
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MUST READ
1) Iraq’s Democrats Look for Support From a Democracy 2) Insurgents Infiltrating Iraq Have Cash 3) Kerry’s Dilemma – Victor Davis Hanson 4) Sacrificing Israel – Charles Krauthammer 5) Why I Won’t Vote For Bush…
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Not Done Yet
Former President Bill Clinton is rumored to have his eye set on a new career: Washington: Former US President Bill Clinton has set his sights on becoming UN secretary-general. A Clinton insider and a senior UN source have told United…
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More German Anti-Americanism
David’s Medienkritik has detailed the latest instance of Anti-American propaganda in the German media, this time in the magazine Stern. Here is the front cover of this issue: The topic of the cover story is the recent announcement by the…
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Post Debate Coverage (III)
Media Tenor’s analysis of post-debate coverage for the third debate:…
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October 21, 2004
One by One
These days, it is not good to be a member of Hamas: An Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at a car travelling in the Gaza Strip late Thursday, killing a senior Hamas commander who was among the government’s most-wanted fugitives…
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Revisiting the Balkans
Our policy here is to generally refrain from citing or posting articles filled with inflammatory and gratuitous partisan language unless it is in a critical or “know thy enemy” manner. As a result, you will almost never find us suggest…
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MUST READ
1) Liberation Online – A look at Iraq’s bloggers 2) Poll: More Iraqis Doubt Nation’s Direction 3) ‘We Might be Killed’ 4) British Intervention in Poll Backfires…
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Website Recommendation
For a different perspective on Iraq, be sure to visit The Truth About Iraq….
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Democracy on the Move
Updating a historical achievement we mentioned one month ago, the largest Muslim country in the world, Indonesia, swore in their first publically elected President yesterday: Former Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono vowed to fight poverty, end separatist conflicts and make Indonesia…
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October 20, 2004
Spain Bombing Arrests – UPDATE
New developments have arisen in the new bombing plot recently uncovered in Spain. Here are the excerpts: The suspected leader of a militant Muslim cell plotted to deal Spain the “biggest blow of its history,” a suicide truck bomb laden…
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Not to be Outdone
In the growing battle for who will receive the most endorsements from dubious foreign leaders, the Associated Press (AP) reports that Iran has weighed in on their preferred candidate for U.S. President: The head of Iran’s security council said Tuesday…
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MUST READ
1) Radioactive Materials Seized in Central Russia 2) Nuclear Nightmare 3) What Bush and Kerry Missed – Fareed Zakaria 4) Relearning War – Ralph Peters 5) Kofi Annan Tries to Explain Away France and Russia’s Oil for Food Wrongdoing….
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Trouble on the Horizon
Foreign investment through the purchase of U.S. treasury bonds played a crucial role in softening the economic repercussions in the United States brought on by the September 11th terrorist attacks. (Estimates vary widely on the actual impact of the attacks,…
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Selective Memory
“He’s created something that didn’t exist before the war in Iraq — he’s created a haven for terrorists.” Vice Presidential Candidate Senator John Edwards. The Senator must have missed these historical facts: – Abu Nidal: Commonly regarded as the “world’s…
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Standing Pat?
“I will be disappointed. But democracy is democracy. If that’s what the people choose, that’s what the people choose.” – President Bush in response to a question from the AP regarding his position should the Iraqis elect a fundamentalist Islamic…
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October 19, 2004
More Foreign Endorsements
The foreign endorsements for U.S. President are starting to pour in. Yesterday, Russian Vladimir Putin implicitly threw his support behind President Bush and former Malyasian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad called upon American Muslims not to re-elect President George W. Bush….
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Foreign Meddling in the U.S. Election
CNN reports the controvesy over the U.K. based left-leaning Guardian’s attempts to influence the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election: A pro-Kerry letter-writing campaign by Britain’s left-leaning Guardian newspaper, targeting undecided U.S. voters, has provoked outrage across the Atlantic. The paper has…
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MUST READ
1) War of Words – U.S. Retired General Tommy Franks 2) Australia Must Do Much More to Help in Iraq 3) Terrorism’s Silent Partner at the U.N. 4) Wake up America, or Live With the Consequences – George Soros 5)…
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Chance for Reflection
Perhaps it is hoping for too much that this development will change the (incorrect) perception that the March 2004 Madrid bombings were launched to punish Spain for their participation in the removal of Saddam Hussein: Police arrested seven people Monday…
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Hidden Stash
Canadian soldiers recently discovered large cashes of Soviet era weapons hidden in multiple bunkers in Afghanistan: They’ve “discovered” a huge Soviet ammunition dump a few kilometres from Camp Julien with the potential of obliterating the camp, as well as most…
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October 18, 2004
Chinese Amrs Embargo
Taiwan is displeased with French efforts to soften the EU arms embargo upon China: Taiwan Foreign Minister Chen Tan-sun on Monday fired a salvo at French President Jacques Chirac for his efforts to push for the lifting of a 15-year-old…
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MUST READ
1) Why Do They Hate Us? – Victor Davis Hanson 2) A Roundup of the Past Month’s Good News From Afghanistan – Arthur Chrenkoff 3) Lessons of Cold War, Relearned, Promise Victory Over Terror – Donald Rumsfeld 4) Al Qaeda…
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Support From Abroad
CNN is reporting that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “urging” Americans to vote for President Bush in the November election: Putin, speaking Central Asian Cooperation Organization summit in Tajikistan Monday, made his most overt comments of support so far for…
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Bush = Al Qaeda?
”I think a light has gone off for people who’ve spent time up close to Bush: that this instinct he’s always talking about is this sort of weird, Messianic idea of what he thinks God has told him to do….
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October 17, 2004
Madrid Revisited
The Washington Post is reporting that new evidence has surfaced in Spain adding credence to the theory that the March 2004 commuter train bombings were indeed a calculated effort to influence the country’s elections: Newly disclosed wiretaps of an alleged…
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Sudan Update
The Sudanese government, which has allegedly used Arab militias to put down a 19-month rebellion by non-Arab African groups in the Darfur region, denies an U.N. report estimating that 70,000 have died in refugee camps: Sudan disputed a U.N. report…
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Circling the Wagons
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan has finally given his first public comments on the revelations in the Duelfer report that France, Russia and China (among others) received bribes and oil vouchers from the Hussein regime: The UN Secretary General has…
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October 16, 2004
Never Underestimate the Power of Denial
During the Democratic National Convention in August, Presidential Candidate John Kerry advanced the commonly held leftist belief (usually espoused by the likes of Michael Moore) that the threat posed by Islamofascism has been exaggerated. He even implied that the reason…
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Post-Election Afghanistan
The election count in Afghanistan is coming to a close and as expected, Hamid Karzai is in the lead so far. OpinionJournal’s Asian bureau has some thoughts on the new path Afghanistan is embarking upon: A foolproof way to know…
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October 15, 2004
No Surprise Here…
We were not that surprised by the results of polls released today showing that the image of the United States has been hurt overseas. The only surprise was Japan but we admit are unfamiliarity with Japanese society likely contributed to…
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Election Trouble
Another election, another controversy: The State Department accused the Ukraine government Thursday of engaging in serious violations of democratic procedures in the country’s presidential election campaign. Spokesman Richard Boucher cited the disruption of opposition rallies, the muzzling of independent media…
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MUST READ
1) Signs of Progress Amid Turmoil in Iraq 2) Oil-for-Food Probe Includes Annan’s Son 3) Living Conditions for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon ‘Worse than Occupied Territories’ 4) Nobel Laureate Calls for Steeper Tax Cuts in US…
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Evaluating THE Issue
Here is an exceprt from Victor Davis Hanson’s weekly dose of historical perspective: To all you of the therapeutic mindset, listen up. We can no more reason with the Islamic fascists than we could sympathize with the Nazis’ demands over…
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October 14, 2004
Inside SOCOM
U.S. News & World Report put together an excellent expose on the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) based in large part on a briefing given by the Pentagon. Their cover story discusses the changes SOCOM has undergone to adapt…
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German Media Bias
Davids Medienkritik has been extra critical of the German media lately vis-a-vis their portrayal of the United States. We recommend reading his latest account here….
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Zell’s Media Perspective
Conveniently coinciding with the posting of our review of Ripples of Battle by Victor Davis Hanson, Georgia Democrat and Bush supporter Zell Miller has written a piece on how today’s media would cover the United States invasion of Iwo Jima…
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Update on Former Gitmo Detainee
The Pakistani military launched an operation today to try and free Chinese and Pakistani hostages being held by a former Guantanamo Bay detainee: Chinese engineer held hostage by al Qaeda-linked militants in Pakistan was killed on Thursday but his colleague…
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MUST READ
1) Addicted to 9/11 – Thomas Friedman 2) Tora Bora Baloney 3) Elusive Hamas Leader Gives Himself Up 4) Two Nigerian Women Are to Die by Stoning…
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EU-Israel Face Off
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel could end up on a collision course with the European Union and face sanctions like apartheid-era South Africa unless the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, a confidential government report warns. Political sources said the report, a 10-year…
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October 13, 2004
France Responds
France’s ambassador to the United States has responded to the Oil for Food corruption charges leveled at his country in the Duelfer report presented to Congress last week: France’s Ambassador to the United States Jean-David Levitte has condemned what he…
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Tipping Point?
We mentioned last week that when 100 top officials in Samarra sought the assistance of the Iraq government (which implies U.S. forces as well) to deal with terrorist elements in their town, that that request may have signaled a turning…
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Expanding Chechnyan Operations
Bill Gertz of the Washington Times reported today that U.S. security officials are investigating a recent intelligence report claiming that a group of 25 Chechen terrorists illegally entered the United States from Mexico in July: The Chechen group is suspected…
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Ramadan Influx
According to Iranian exiles in France, the Iranian theocracy is planning to increase their infiltration of Iraq during the holy month of Ramadan when thousands of Iranians make pilgrimages to Iraq. The Washington Times reports: Ayatollah Jalal Ganje’i, a prominent…
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MUST READ
1) Iraqi Deputy PM Slams U.N. at Aid Meeting 2) EU Continues Ban Against China Arms Sales 3) US to Rate Its Allies on Their Treatment of Jews 4) The Sprint to the Finish Line – Larry Sabato 5) Only…
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October 12, 2004
What a Surprise
Another former Guantanamo Bay detainee is causing trouble again after his release: A delegation from the Mehsud tribe – from which the kidnappers’ leader, Abdullah Mehsud, hails – is leading efforts to secure the hostages’ release. Mr Mehsud says the…
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American Post-Debate Coverage Part II
As promised, here is Media Tenor’s analysis of the post-debate coverage of the SECOND U.S. Presidential debate last Friday: Two key points. The first is that the polls after the second debate showed most people felt it was a draw…
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Evaluating American Involvement in Oil for Food Scandal
Reports in the foreign and domestic press have been discussing possible American involvement in the U.N. Oil for Food Scandal. Wire service AFP is the source of most foreign reports on the topic and uses information from a Saturday New…
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MUST READ
1) Saudi Women Won’t Vote in Municipal Elections 2) The Case for Fearmongering – Charles Krauthammer 3) What Saddam Was Really Thinking 4) Not Just a Personality Clash, a Conflict of Visions – David Brooks…
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Hisotry, Not Poverty
Islamic historian Bernard Lewis has written a piece for the New Yorker discussing his views on how the Islamic war with the West happened and what the prospects are for it ending. Here is an excerpt: In his pronouncements, bin…
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Happy Birthday
In celebration of French Newspaper Le Monde’s 60th anniversary, ¡No Pasarán! has documented some of the newspapers most recent examples of anti-Americanism. We recommend reading their findings here….
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October 11, 2004
Presidential Debate Coverage
The Media Tenor Institute, an independent and non-partisan organization found through out the world, has been analyzing the post-debate coverage of the Presidential debates. The Institutes’ findings of the first post-debate discussions on the major news organizations are shown below:…
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Forgotten History
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder gave a speech at the annual world’s largest book fair in Frankfurt, Germany this weekend. Every year, the fair emphasizes literary work from a specific country or region, and this year’s guests of honor came from…
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Taking Sides
John Leo of U.S. News & World Report must have been reading the mail we received last week challenging our critique of the New York Times and the elite media in general: [T]he news business had a disastrous summer. In…
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MUST READ
1) Israel Accused of Masterminding [Sinai] Attacks 2) A Roundup of the Past Two Weeks’ Good News From Iraq – Arthur Chrenkoff 3) The Legend of the Squandered Sympathy 4) Sinai Massacre – An Iranian-Hizballah-al Qaeda Co-Production 5) The Other…
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October 10, 2004
When All Else Fails, Blame America
In an interview filmed last month in anticipation of his visit to Asia (and perhaps also for the CIA report discussing the Oil for Food corruption), French President Jacque Chirac echoed the words of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan by…
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Waiting For Proof
The remanents of radical Shitie cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s militia claim they are willing to lay down their weapons and discontinue hostile actions in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City: An agreement between Moqtada-Al-Sadr, Iraq’s interim government and U.S. officials has…
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October 09, 2004
Defining “Postmodernism”
Victor Davis Hanson recently described the phenomenon of “postmodernism,” a perspective typically associated with the far left that has come to define how its observers view history and modern society: [C]ontemporary postmodernism (“after modernism”)… claim[s] that there is no objective…
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Election Updates (II)
Australian Prime Minister John Howard was reelected as expected, meaning that Australian troops will remain in Iraq for the foreseeable future and Australia will continue to be a strong ally of the United States in the War on Terror. Regarding…
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October 08, 2004
All Eyes on the U.S.
Via Switzerland…
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Election Updates
Two important elections are taking place this Saturday under very different, yet related circumstances. Afghanistan is preparing for their first democratic elections in their nation’s long history. Violence is expected to mar the event as Taliban remanenats are threatening all…
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MUST READ
1) What I Really Said About Iraq – Paul Bremer 2) Terrorists’ Candidates? – Charles Krauthammer 3) Sizing Up Iraq: Things are coming to a head in the Middle East – Victor Davis Hanson 4) Why al-Qaeda Will Dominate the…
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The Real Coalition of the “Bribed and Coerced.”
The same CIA report that two days all but concluded Saddam did not have WMDs after 1991 also all but confirmed France, Russia and China, three veto wielding countries on the U.N. Security Council, were being bribed by Saddam Hussein….
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October 07, 2004
An Ally Responds
“I find it kind of sad that a senator with 20 year parliamentary experience is unable to notice the Polish presence in the anti-terror coalition. This is immoral…There is one thing which should be stated clearly: this coalition is not…
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Oil: Changing the Status Quo
Back from a four month sabbatical, Foreign Affairs Expert Thomas Friedman took some shots at the Bush Administration in today’s column. Understandably, the bulk of Mr. Friedman’s piece concentrated on the lack of a sound energy policy in America: Of…
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MUST READ
1) Trade Dispute Between Boeing, Airbus Sparked Anew 2) Task for Indonesian Leader: Fight terror, But Not For US 3) Force Alone Will Not Curb the Terror Threat 4) The Battle of the Pump – Thomas Friedman…
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ISG WMD Report
The Iraqi Survey Group (ISG) charged by the CIA with the hunt for Saddam’s alleged banned weapons issued their report yesterday before Congress: Saddam Hussein did not possess stockpiles of illicit weapons at the time of the U.S. invasion in…
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October 06, 2004
Iraq’d on Kurdistan
Spencer Ackerman, writer of “Iraq’d” over at the New Republic has been closely following recent events taking place in Kurdish populated Northern Iraq. Just last week, hundreds of thousands of Kurds took to the streets in support of an independent…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Colorful News
This might be just about the most obvious form of biased reporting we have seen yet: JABALIYA, Gaza Strip – The harvest of death in this most dispossessed of refugee camps continued yesterday as the Israeli army finished its first…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Zarqawi Link Questions
A recently released CIA report has reportedly found no conclusive evidence that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein harbored Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The source also states that it is unlikely “Saddam Hussein even knew Zarqawi was in Baghdad.” If true, this…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
MUST READ
1) Bin Laden’s Path Crossed Through Sudan 2) Prospect of Early Israeli Elections Weighs on Gaza Operation 3) European Economies: German Jobless Rate Rose to 10.7% 4) Kerry Says Franco-German Troops Unlikely 5) Standing For Our Principles is More Important…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Case of A Bad Memory?
The Wallstreet Journal takes issue with Paul Bremer’s criticism of U.S. troop levels in post-war Iraq: You get the idea: Mr. Bremer isn’t to blame because he was tossed into a bad situation that only got worse while his pleas…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Oil for Food Stonewalling
Testimony at the Congressional hearing on the U.N. Oil for Food Scandal revealed yesterday that France, Russia, China and Syria had blocked U.S. led efforts to stop the corruption surrounding the program: The governments of France, Russia, China and Syria…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
V.P. Debate
“Mr. Vice President, you are still not being straight with the American people. I mean, the reality you and George Bush continue to tell people, first, that things are going well in Iraq — the American people don’t need us…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
October 05, 2004
Boiling Over
Tension in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict seem to be escalating on an almost hourly basis: Israel killed the military chief of the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad in a Gaza City air strike Tuesday that drew vows of revenge and could…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Changing Perception?
If Samarra turns out to be the norm rather than the exception, the influence and role of foreign fighters in perpetrating the insurgency in Iraq may be larger than previously thought: The U.S. military has established that Al Qaida-aligned insurgents…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
New Iraqi Election Poll
A recent poll conducted by the Iraq Center For Research and Strategic Studies among 3,500 respondents provided mixed results on the prospects of voter turnout in the planned January 2005 national elections. Here are some of the study’s key findings:…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
MUST READ
1) Quickening the Tempo in Iraq – David Brooks 2) Bit by Bit, Women’s Rights Are Improving [in Afghanistan] 3) Peaceful Regime Change 4) For France (and Europe), the China Card…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Arabic Self-Criticism
Dr. Abd Al-Hamid Al-Ansari, former dean of the Faculty of Shari’a at the University of Qatar criticized in an op-ed piece the reluctance of Arabs to come to terms with the fact that their fellow Muslims and not agents of…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
October 04, 2004
Hear No Evil, See No Evil
“I am sure that there are Hamas members on the UNRWA payroll and I don’t see that as a crime. Hamas as a political organization does not mean that every member is a militant and we do not do political…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Ulterior Motive
Apparently the true motive behind regime change in Iraq may have been to keep the pressure on Saudi Arabia to reevaluate their relationship with Al Qaeda. Special thanks to Hobbsonline for this information….
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Difference of Opinion
Mr. Eliot Cohen, the director of the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) believes the Presidential debate last Thursday “ left much to be desired” regarding the discussion of foreign…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Justice 25 Years in the Making
Cambodia’s legislature on Monday approved a long-delayed agreement to put surviving Khmer Rouge leaders on trial for crimes committed during their communist reign from 1975 until 1979. The establishment of trials for these surviving regime members is an important step…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
For Sale: Three Slightly Used U.N. Security Council Seats
The Times of London has obtained a leaked report complied by the interim Iraqi Government in preparation for a possible legal action against those who may have illicitly profited from the Hussein regime. Here is an excerpt: The report says…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
MUST READ
1) US ‘Hyping’ Darfur Genocide Fears 2) The Perfect Storm of Hating Bush (Part IV) – Victor Davis Hanson 3) Brussels Feels East Wind of Change 4) Iraq and Averages – Robert Kagan…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Revolution Rumblings (Update II)
We contacted the source of our information for the scattered reports of violence and uprisings in Iran (Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI)) regarding the absence of their news in the mainstream media. Their answer for the…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
October 03, 2004
French Meddling
Debkafile is reporting some serious allegations concerning French President Jacque Chirac’s attempt to use the kidnapping of two French journalists as a means of undermining the Bush administration and the Iraqi interim government. Here is an excerpt of their intelligence…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Tool of the Devil
After analyzing a reconnaissance video, Israel is again accusing the United Nations of allowing their ambulances to be used by terrorists to transport weapons, this time a Qassam rocket. And for the first time, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations,…
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October 02, 2004
On The Same Page
“We will spare no effort to clean all the Iraqi lands and cities from these criminals, and we will pave the way through these operations not only for reconstruction but also for the general election.” – Iraqi national security adviser…
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Birds of a Feather
“The Iraqi insurgents are our best allies.” – French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin This quote reminded us of the street protests a few months back in Paris where the protestors showcased their solidarity with the Iraqi “resistance.” Tip courtesy of…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
October 01, 2004
Kidnapping Twist
The Independent in the U.K. is reporting that the Amsterdam home of British hostage Ken Bigley’s brother has been raided in search of intelligence on Abu Musab al-Zarqawi: Armed intelligence officers yesterday raided the Amsterdam home of Paul Bigley, the…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Update on “Bilateral” discussion
Dartmouth professor and author of Nuclear North Korea: A Debate on Engagement Strategies David Kang (who emphasized he is not a member of the Kerry campaign) explained on Fox News’ Special Report the rationale behind the bilateral strategy. At this…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Election Year Word Play
“I want bilateral talks which put all of the issues, from the armistice of 1952, the economic issues, the human rights issues, the artillery disposal issues, the DMZ issues and the nuclear issues on the table.” – Senator John Kerry…
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The Rationale of Flip-Flopping
Military historian and GPR favorite Victor Davis Hanson dissects the “Anatomy of Flip-Flopping” in today’s column. Here are some highlights: – “There is a logic to Senator Kerry’s flip-flopping that transcends his political opportunism: He is simply a captive of…
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MUST READ
1) Plan Would Let U.S. Deport Suspects to Nations That Might Torture Them 2) Questions Without Answers 3) Russian Cabinet Approves Kyoto Protocol 4) The Perfect Storm of Hating Bush (Part 3) – Victor Davis Hanson…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
Revolution Rumblings Update
Here is the latest information on the still unconfirmed situation in Iran, as repoted by Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI): Sporadic clashes took place, late yesterday night, as groups of young sized the occasion offered by…
Posted by GPR on 2004 10: Read more…
