Always Look On the Bright Side of Life
Buddy Larsen reckons passengers will soon be flying in their underwear given the restrictions on handcarried items in aircraft cabins. STRATFOR thinks that "once liquids are banned from planes, jihadists will find another alternative" method of attack. One Samizdata commenter posted this speculative piece of dialogue: "Did you see the news today, Ahmad? All the brothers had to do was TALK ABOUT carrying bombs onto airplanes, and now they quake in fear of every gym bag! Until the end of time, no Infidel will carry a Godless bottle of water or satanic book onto an airplane! Millions of money and thousands of hours of aggravation, just from talk!"
And now as the draconian precautions spread to South America and beyond, and US travelers facing the prospect of dual screening -- once at check-in and another at boarding -- the question is how long before Buddy Larsen is right. It might well be better to separate travelers from their luggage altogether. Every piece of luggage could be loaded on another, cargo-only airplane. Passengers could then asked to strip, deposit their civvies in a tray to join their luggage and ordered to dress in disposable paper clothes or gowns of the sort that are provided in hospitals to travel in. The better to do a body cavity search should the need arise. Passengers would then be reunited with their baggage and clothes at their destination, but given the potential for lost luggage it's not inconceivable that a fair number of people will be wandering around airports buck-naked as Buddy Larsen predicted.
Then of course as STRATFOR pointed out, "jihadists will find another alternative" method of attack. "Government's invariable response to terrorism," another Samizdata commenter said, "is a new set of restrictions on the previously innocuous behavior of ordinary citizens". Eventually the day may come when whole populations are wandering around in the functional equivalent of prison clothes and leading their lives under maximum security conditions without even being able to mention how they came to that unfortunate state.
Maybe those who can should move to Florida while the gettin's good. And considering Buddy Larsen's prediction, Global Warming if it exists may not be such a bad thing after all.
posted by wretchardthecat at 8/10/2006 10:07:00 PM
292 Comments:
would it not be easier to start profiling?
ask el al....
If Buddy's predictions are correct, shouldn't the post be titled, "Always looking at the Back Side of Life" ??
Well, speculative chatter is right on for the time being, but the chattering Islamo-fascists STILL have not understood what will happen when they succeed in blowing something up, now!
Much different than 9/11... America WILL hit some Islamic point, HARD!
And billions around the world will learn about Baha'u'llah, and how HE warned His Muslim tormentors about the '...grievous chastisement...' approaching them!
I've got to think that, since the weapons-on-planes problem is in essence a problem of discovery, we will evolve technology to replace the holes in our sensory matrix.
I mean, there's a lot of money to be made in a device that can rapidly calculate every single molecule in a specific cluster of matter. And since it's practicably feasible, that means it's inevitable.
If someone wants to make a lot of money, they should start operating a no muslims allowed airline.
that's the easiest way to do this.
If we had banned muslims and arabs from flying on planes, there would have been no 9/11, no 8/11, no etc...
Kind of saw the naked traveler with hospital smocks in my mind as well. There are those that make me want to gouge my eyes out thinking about it but naturalism has its advantages. In a previous life worked on explosives detectors for the FAA based on Ion Mobility Spectroscopy. 50 phemptograms of RDX is very persistent due to its extremely low vapor pressure. The common measure was that anything less than 1 Kg of explosive could be absorbed by the cargo hold. A party of a 11 Egyptians something to concern oneself with.
A pledge of allegiance and a solemn oath would seem to help except for that Islamic tradition of Taqiya (sp?). Lies in the cause of the creator are perfectly acceptable.
...as STRATFOR pointed out, "jihadists will find another alternative" method of attack...
Looking analytically at what even GW now calls the islamic fascists, many important questions are left unanswered.
Questions such as: What generates the islamists' incredible levels of hatred? What amazing level of indoctrination (or brainwashing) drives their intense will to violence? How much of this drive to violence and conquest is due to the islamic religion, and how much is due to cultural aspects? What is behind the islamic will-to-power?
Answers may provide better weapons in this new World War.
What is striking is the islamic will-to-power. Instead of calling them "islamic fascists" perhaps they should be called "islamic supremacists"
It has been stated in the news, and often, that the islamic supremacists have the most grandiose plans for World domination and control.
How can this drive be sapped and undermined?
How can this drive be sapped and undermined?
Nukes
Sarah,
I'm not sure exactly how you'd force someone to prove that they aren't muslim.
Maybe only alcoholic beverages, only ham sandwiches as meals, and scantilly clad stewardesses.
Maybe Hooters Airline.
What's to stop them from cramming some explosive up their a-hole and detonating it some way?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Sam,
Yes, if we nuked London and the surrounding areas we could certainly get rid of those pesky terrorists. And we could cut down on the crowds at Heathrow.
James,
They would relinquish all Islamic requirements for a moment just to get us.
Remember the hijackers gambling away in Vegas just before they boarded the planes?
Aristedes,
A sample of air is blown across a Ni63 ionizing source that creates a characteristic cluster of ions known as a species. The sample is gated through an electronic shudder and the Time of Flight is measured upon a sensitive electrometer. Specific species have known characteristic ToF’s and peak detection algorithms can deduce particular peaks in a waterfall plot. The quantified vales are based on measuring individual molecules and yet, a dog’s nose is still a hundred to a thousand times more sensitive. Different sites within the dogs nose would alert in a pattern to certain combinations of atoms. This knowledge led us to look at multiple doped Surface Acoustic Wave detectors to imitate nature.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Sam,
Yes, I understand. That comment was offered up humorously. I suppose I should have made that more clear.
And my thoughts on nukes were simply to point out that today's suspects were british born londoners, if I understand correctly. I really don't think nukes are particularly useful; in this conflict or most others. Martin van Creveld has an excellent look at the development of nuclear weapons and strategy in his book, "The Transformation of War." He regards them as essentially useless devices, with just a few exceptions. Great for MAD embraces, not all that useful for a guerilla contest against self-organizing cells.
James, it's quite easy to tell if someone is muslim, at least toa large degree.
If you're from Saudi Arabia, you're Muslim. If you're from just about anywhere in the Middle East, Pakistan, Indonesia, Iran, etc... there's a good chance you're Muslim.
If your name's Muhammad, Ahmad, Ali etc.. there's a good chance you're Muslim.
Once they put out the pictures, names and origins of hte 19 hijackers, everyone knew they were Muslim.
If I owned an airline, I'd have a no Arabs, no Muslims policy. I think I'd be able to enforce it to 99% accuracy.
I'm with you James. The nuke thing was purposeful over-the-top.
Create Hooters Airlines and they'll be boarding to take it down.
Although I do like the sounds of it. Wouldn't that be fun?
Identifying the terrorists as they board an aircraft is one problem. But identifying the islamic supremacists is really less of a problem, since they flaunt their identity very publicly. They flaunt their extreme views, as they did during the islamic cartoon caper last February. They attend protests in London. These are the ones that can be targeted fairly easily, and can be dealt with harshly.
It’s not just about land:
American cash aid, Israeli concessions, windfall petrol profits and, most of all, appeasement of radical Islamists can do nothing to alleviate these perceived grievances.
Instead, there will be no peace in the general Middle East until Iranians and Arabs have true constitutional government, free institutions, open markets and the rule of law. Without these reforms, they will continue to fail, seeking easy refuge in the shreds of mythical ancestral honor – and this pathetic neurosis of blaming nearby Israel for the loss of it.
Not Just About Land
Freedom,
Yeah, they're easy to spot when they're protesting but they will lay low and silent when they want to board a plane.
The problem with nukes is they make the perfect suicide bomb.
They really can get the job done for genocide also and the option must be left on the table. You may not care if your neighbor wants to kill me but you might if I promise to obliterate you if you let him pull it off.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Kahn
Sorry, just read your first sentence again. You've already addressed it.
Wretchard:
Buddy Larsen reckons passengers will soon be flying in their underwear given the restrictions on handcarried items in aircraft cabins.
Nonsense. Once the terrorists figure out how to mold explosives into ordinary clothing (including underwear), passengers won't be allowed to wear underwear either.
I'm reminded of Cheech and Chong's movie Up in Smoke, where a van was molded out of marijuana.
...Once the terrorists figure out how to mold explosives into ordinary clothing (including underwear)...
Why is it that the "Islamic World" can't even design or produce a ballpoint pen, but they're so incredibly creative when it comes to destroying the lives of innocent people ??
Ok, then. Flying has become too dangerous and is now obsolete.
Someone get to work on that transporter. Quick.
redaktor:
I'll refer you to van Creveld, as I think he makes the case better than I.
But just real quickly: nukes have never won a war against a guerilla opponent. Nuke holding nations have frequently lost much of their power and many of their old territories in the last 50 years. Nukes were useless to the Russians in Afghanistan, the Americans in Vietnam, etc. India's nuclear capacity is of no use in Kashmir. Russia's nuke capacity is of no use in Chechnya. Britain's nuke capacity was of no use in Ireland. Nukes are useless in defeating dispersed organizations.
Israel could use nukes on Lebanon... if they are willing to take out a population that is 39% Christian.
Nukes have great utility for the threat of retaliation. Hence my reference to the "MAD embrace." But the consequences of their use as in initiating attack suddenly makes their utility extremely problematic.
Wallace finds Iranian president 'smart, interesting':
Wallace said he nearly fell out of his chair when Ahmadinejad told him, "I hear this is your last interview."
Wallace said he replied: "What do you think? Is it a good idea to retire?"
He said the Iranian president told him it was important to keep doing interesting things. And Wallace is already thinking about his next story: He said he's trying for an interview with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Wallace and Ahmadinejad
Redaktor:
What do you define as Islam's center of gravity?
Look, the entire TSA operation is making our safety worse rather than safer. All it is doing is making life miserable for 99% of travellers. Anyone with above normal intelligence and street savy could separate 95 % of the passengers who offer no threat and focus on the 5% that may. That would include 100% screening of Muslims and those that appear to be Muslims.
I am afraid the future will be the Islamic Vagina Dialogue. Separate passengers. Binary components with an electrostatic fuse. Undectable.
We have irreconcilable differences with Islam. Think divorce.
Noteworthy English View of American Values
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.
jhtml;jsessionid=
5VDFIXLNNJCADQFIQMFSFFOAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/opinion/2006/08/11/do1102.xml
We’re not really talking about “the end of the world.” Although there are a number of Islamic regimes with substantial military forces, there is nowhere the mass of forces that would be needed to do to the U.S. the catastrophic damage that was done to Europe in two world wars.
Before the fall of the Shah, the U.S. had for decades been supplying “The Peacock Throne” with modern weapons, most significantly, some 225 F-4 fighter jets in various versions, with weapons, and training for the pilots and ground crews.
Modern high-performance fighter jets require a vast industrial base for their maintenance. The pilots require years of intense training, with thousands of hours of flying to maintain their skills.
The Phantom series required a huge amount of ground maintenance to keep it on the flight line. The Tomcat reduced the flightline maintenance to about 50 hours for each hour in flight, by focusing on modular systems.
In a conversation with an old friend who retired from the Navy after several decades in carrier aviation, I heard that the Hornet has reduced the ratio to something like half that needed for the Tomcat, or about 25 hours of maintenance per hour of flight.
I don’t mean this as any chauvinism, just a simple fact. There is no other nation besides the U.S. that for the near term has the industrial capacity for producing the spare parts, weapons systems, and training that would be necessary to maintain the military air capabilities of the U.S.
Any single U.S. “super carrier” has air power greater than the combined national air forces of most individual nations.
This is equally true of the “blue-water” Navy, the ships needed to project any substantial, sustained military force.
As I’ve mentioned before, Iran *is* known to have purchased some modern conventionally-powered (¿diesel/electric?) fast attack subs from Italy, as well as some older conventional surplus subs from Russia. This means any subs it has would be extremely vulnerable to U.S. Anti-sub warfare detect/destruction, because they lack the ability to cruise long distance without surfacing, much less lurk. They would have to be re-supplied from a specially equipped ocean-going supply vessel.
It is conceivable that a few subs could for a while pose some significant threat in the Persian Gulf, though, till they were located and eliminated.
But my central point is that the threat posed by Islamic Jihadi regimes is pretty much the same as that we face from individual Jihadi nutballs — terrorist acts against soft targets, targets of opportunity, using improvised schemes rather than military weapons systems.
Instead of a cataclismic saturation attack of nukes, we can expect a prolonged hemmorhage of puny-prong acts of sabotage, punctuated by an occasional mass casualty incident on a grand scale, which might include a low-efficiency nuclear device in a container, or truck, or small aircraft.
I’ve tried to remind folks that the delusional and ill-read LLL folk are out of their minds to think a few thousand combat deaths are an unsustainable cost. It seems almost insulting to point out that World War II battles frequently killed more combatants in a single day’s battle, or occasionally, by the sinking of a single troop ship. The Germans and the Russians fielded and lost entire armies numbering in the hundreds of thousands of men. And of course, even at this late date, our combat losses in Iraq have not equaled the 9-11 terrorists’ single day’s work.
We have to contemplate harsh options; we have to harden ourselves to a sustained series of painful and ugly lessons, because Islamic Jihadis have shown they are determined to bring their attack to us. We’ve all grown up in a country where we are accustomed to safety, and when that is interrupted, we take it for granted that the government will quickly come along to clear away the bodies. In other parts, when the combat moves along, the locals have to either step around the bodies, or clean up the debris themselves.
What I have predicted in the past I still believe: that a point will be reached where the Left in this country will finally feel personally threatened, realizing that Jihad will slaughter them regardless of how many times they voted against Bush; regardless of how many anti-war vigils they’ve attended; regardless of their disinvestment in Halliburton stock; regardless of their contributions to CAIR and the ACLU. The Jihadis will in time commit one atrocity too many, or one atrocity too enormous, and the former sympathizers and apologists will realize they have been meant for the chop all along, and they will turn.
- - - - - - - - - - ( Take a Breath...) - - - - - - - - - - -
This is what I fear more than anything else. Those who are already convinced and enlisted tend toward a conventional, if vehement, military argument, with all the discipline and respect for chain of command that implies. When the Left turns — when those who are obstinately blind to the danger finally awaken in bowel-gushing fear — I believe we will see the reverse side of the Left’s long posturing for patience and indulgence. Their response (I am convinced from the historical excesses of past Leftist regimes) will be a tsunami that crests on far shores beyond anyone’s reckoning, because the convert is ever the most zealous.
It is becoming important to start enforcing some "disproportionality". When our transportation system becomes negatively impacted due to terrorist attacks, we must assure that the islamists states' transportation systems become disproportionately impacted just to insure that they don't benefit in competativeness due due their hatefull acts.
Since the return of about 3 dead kidnapped israeli solders are worth the liberation of about 800 Hizbolla terrorists, it would seem to me that 1 week of air traffic chaos in the west should merit about 1 week of air traffic stoppage in the middle east.
I am saying that the west should shut down all air traffic in the middle east for the equivalent period, otherwise capital might start leaving London and heading for Dubai.
I think a few rogue F18's could bring this about pretty quickly. Perhaps we could say that we are grounding their aircraft in the name of Christian honor and the precedence of democratic law over sharia.
James,
How can you not know what/where the Islamic center of gravity it? It is in the aggressive Wahhabi wing of religious/political elite of Saudi Arabia, it is represented by the Mullahs ruling clique in Iran, it is in the ruling gang in Syria. Those are the targets. Start with the elimination of the current leadership of these rotten regimes. If that doesn't solve it, than rinse and repeat as required until areas are sterilized. The humaneness of this is that it gives the population a chance to choose sides prior to action against them and it might encourage those countries that are hedging to start being more diligent in policing their own - Morocco, Jordan, Pakistan, etc. Oh, and part of the penalty for those centers of gravity will be loss of control of the oil revenue.
Someone has suggested tip lines.
Perhaps 1-800-RATAMUS for starters.
I believe that Iran is the current center of the spider's web, and we should consider a decapitation strike against Mike Wallace's buddy, the mullocracy, and some of the nuke facilities.
This would not solve the problem, but it would serve notice that the price just went up on state-supported terrorism.
Of course, we'd have to make plans for the DPRK, and a destabilized Pakistan, but at least we'd be in the fight using all tools and all skills. Oh, and tell the U.N. if they condemn the act, then pack up and leave.
That is just one Carolina Redneck's opinion.
Islam is the Problem. After that is understood, everything becomes clear.
Mein Gott! Could the Olmert government be history's unkind joke on Western Civ?
This is perhaps the perfect example of why the future is unpredictable. Who could have foreseen that the IDF would be kept on a short leash while thousands of rockets fell on Israeli cities?
Perhaps the upside is that voters in the Democracies will not again trust their lives to sissified liberal politicians.
ADE,
Yup. I have been trying to foment this exact approach. Don't need nukes, just Hellfire. (Love the name.) Tom Clancy can to the same conclusion about 15 years ago.
Target the imams. Do it publicly, so those Muslims that just want to live their lives SHUN the mosques, schools and residences frequented by those aholes on the list.
Religion is not a shield.
Nosecone videos at 11:00!
Englishman ALl,
Umir Hussain, 24, London E14
Muhammed Usman Saddique, 24, London E17
Waheed Zaman, 22, London E17
Assan Abdullah Khan, 22, London E17
Waseem Kayani, 28, High Wycombe
Waheed Arafat Khan, 24, London E17
Cossor Ali, 24, London E17
Tayib Rauf, 21, Birmingham
Ibrahim Savant, 26, London E17
Osman Adam Khatib, 20, London E17
Shamin Mohammed Uddin, 36, Stoke Newington
Amin Asmin Tariq, 23, London E17
Shazad Khuram Ali, 27, High Wycombe
Tanvir Hussain, 24, London E10
Umar Islam, 28, (born Brian Young) High Wycombe
Assad Sarwar, 25, High Wycombe
Abdullah Ali, 26, London E17
Abdul Muneem Patel, 17, London E5
Nabeel Hussain, 21, Waltham Forest
Norway up in arms after author asserts Israel has lost right to exist.
Haaretz
This is the next Big Cause of the Left (and P. Buchanan) here in the USA and in the EU.
Look what Larsen has wrought:
"Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People."
"Time For New Underpants," trumpeted the bags, which touted "Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People." It's due out next week, and my kids and I will be among the hordes of preposterous poopy people lining up to pay full retail price. To which, all I can say is,
"Aw, crap!"
'Captain Underpants.'
Media (BS) Generated Fatwa:
After Israel's July 30 attack on a residential building in Qana, which killed at least 28 people (half of whom were said to be children), Sistani issued a fatwa condemning the "dastardly crime" by the "Israeli enemy."
He called for an immediate cease-fire and warned that Muslims "will not excuse parties that put obstacles in the way of this." (What he left unsaid, but that was nevertheless clear to all who read the fatwa, was that it is the United States that opposed the cease-fire for several weeks in hopes of giving Israel time to destroy Hezbollah's bastions in southern Lebanon.) What remains unclear is whether a competitive process will begin, with Shiite leaders each ratcheting up anti-Israeli statements. That could produce a breach with the United States — one that could have lasting consequences. Shiite leaders cannot continue condemning Israel's war in Lebanon without coming out against the United States. That's because, in Arab eyes, American arms supplies and political backing are what enable Israel to persist with its military campaign.
Kiss Iraq Goodbye
Decapitation is the key. We need to quit farting around with the whole nation-state construct and deliver mad thermobaric payloads to every madrassah and militant mosque on the planet, regardless of the location.
The problem is Islam. Not Pakistan. Not Iran. Not Lebanon. Not Hezb’allah. Not Saudi Arabia. It is the collection of these states that make up Islam in its worst form.
Sure, they may hate each other and be rivals, but from the Western, average person point-of-view, an Islamic nutter bent on blowing up planes, nukes, cities and people is just that. Whether or not he’s Shia, Sunni, Salafi, Arab, Persian, Chechen, etc., is for the a-holes in the UN and Foggy Bottom to dither over.
Let them write resolutions for each other while the rest of us take the fight to the enemy.
When the graduation level of the madrassahs hits 0% because the students and teachers become red vapor and hamburger mixed in with brick and mortar, then we are making progress.
When every main mosque that serves as the home to the grand-ayatollah-imam-mullah-poobah-dimsum-doodah becomes a pile of rubble and said holy man is a grease spot located somewhere on the floor, we are making progress.
When the Finsbury Park mosque in London is struck by lightning and burned to the ground, we’re making progress. When the attendees of that mosque come to rebuild are met with a hail of stones and petrol bombs, we are making progress. When the imam from Finsbury Park is deported and his jet is unfortunately hit by an errant MANPADS while flying over the Middle East. We are making progress.
When the sheep and the shepherds keep getting blown to bits before they can go out and “do good”, it will make their potential replacements pause, reflect, and maybe go into the kitchen cabinet building business instead.
I don’t give a good gaddamn about “moderate” muslims, either. They need to be the most visible and vocal foes of the Islamists, but they choose not to be. Because of this – they are the enemy too.
CAIR is like the German-American Bund was in WWII, only much more potent and much more dangerous. That fifth column should be closed down and its leaders deported.
Will this latest attempt by the Islam wake this country up? I doubt it.
It’s Bush-hating season. NASCAR is on the TV. NFL is starting up. The kids need school clothes and new PDAs. Gas is $3 a gallon. Interest rates are up and my ARM is due for an adjustment. My McMansion fell in value and now I’ll have to give up the Suburban to pay for it. Life is tough in America right now and I can’t be bothered with this.
THE TEN YEAR OLD TERRORIST PLOT
Well, PB, seems that even in Boston that idea is growing.
"... First, we must acknowledge that the surest way to generate terrorists is to occupy their territory. The French learned this in Algeria; the Israelis, in the occupation of Lebanon from 1978 to 2000. To the extent that US troops are seen as occupiers in Iraq or Israeli troops occupiers in Lebanon, history would predict we motivate terrorists. The quiet, unadvertised withdrawal of US forces from bases in Saudi Arabia removed one of bin Laden's raison d'etre: to force American and other ``crusaders" to remove their troops from Arab lands. ..."
Would seem the largest example of "occupying" Arab lands would not be Israel in Lebanon, but Israel in Israel. It is the "Root Cause" of the problem.
It seems that the IDF is still stalled near the Blue Line, after publicly announced plans to drive to the Litani. Worse than bad, that HB has stopped the IDF, again.
Perhaps it is Mr Olmert's hesitation, perhaps it is HB's abilities. Depends on ones' perspective, I guess.
Assessing our adversaries
I don't disagree that Islam is a or the problem and is highly problematic, however, my stumbling block to fully accepting this view is that there actually are some reasonably decent muslim countries/societies: Tunisia, Indonesia (not including the fringe lunies), Morocco, Dubai, U.A.E., Jordan. There's may be more, but these seem to be examples of where a society can get on reasonably well in spite of being muslim. I'd like to see what happens post decapitation of the worst offenders and state sponsers...Iran/imams, Syria thugs, Wahhabi princes/imams. If that don't do it, take the oil revenue stream away from them. If that don't do it, start bombing the population until attitudes adjust appropriately.
The trick in Iraq, I believe, is keeping the Iraqi defence forces and the Kurds on our side. Sistani is going to have to do some soul searching and Sadr needs to be sent to hell post haste.
Buddy Larsen can perform the first Inaugural Body Cavity Search of a Senator when Hillary Transports her Bust to the Smithsonian.
Oops, caught the apostrophe virus from Dr. Irons...doh!!!
DR
"Occupation" would include half of Spain and everything South of Vienna.
You can buy into "their" outcome or you can fashion your own. It's quite up to you.
Mr Newt,
"... It is because the Bush administration has failed to win this argument over the direct threat of Iranian and North Korean nuclear and biological weapons that Americans are divided and uncertain about our national security interests. ...
... If they can be disarmed with less violence, then that is desirable. But a nonviolent solution that allows the terrorists to become better trained, better organized, more numerous and better armed is a defeat. A nonviolent solution that leads to North Korean and Iranian nuclear weapons threatening us across the planet is a defeat. ..." WaPo
The G team, Guiliani & Gingrich
2164 said: Englishman all
A little earlier this morning, Amy Kellog on FOX reported that two of the *Englishmen* are white converts.
Although I'm not sure I could find a link easily, I remember a column by Daniel Pipes, in which he claimed that (I paraphrase) converts to Islam tend to be more statistically likely to be involved in terrorism than born Muslims.
There were no IslamoNazis before 1948.
The Crusades are a Myth.
If Iraq is viewed through Mr Newt's perspective, the ascension of Mr al-Sadr's Mahdi Army in Iraq is but another episode of defeat.
Since the US arrival in Baghdad Mr al-Sadr has engaged US twice and his movement has grown from a few hundred to tens of thousands.
"But a nonviolent solution that allows the terrorists to become better trained, better organized, more numerous and better armed is a defeat."
Which certainly applies to the Mahdi Army over the past three years.
Boston,
"Occupation" is whatever fills 'Rat's mind!
What is Occupation, if two of the *English* suspects are indeed white converts, I think that profiling would have to involve more than *Muslim-looking* people.
I think it's necessary, but I have no idea of how it could be done.
A passage from the Ayatollah Khomeini, quoted in an 11th-grade Iranian schoolbook, is revealing. "I am decisively announcing to the whole world that if the world-devourers [i.e., the infidel powers] wish to stand against our religion, we will stand against their whole world and will not cease until the annihilation of all them. Either we all become free, or we will go to the greater freedom which is martyrdom. Either we shake one another's hands in joy at the victory of Islam in the world, or all of us will turn to eternal life and martyrdom. In both cases, victory and success are ours."
Just a couple of all-American college boys!
For Freedom: 8/10/2006 11:22:06 PM
“What generates the islamists' incredible levels of hatred?”
I am not sure that hatred has anything to do with it; actually I am sure hate is not involved in the initial stages, that come later as they are encounter the pain of .
Let me explain: I have a nice lawn which I keep weed-free as much as I can. I poison the weeds with weed killer or pull them out by the roots whenever I see one but I certainly do not hate the weeds. To a believing Muslim, involved in jihad, you and I are just weeds to be exterminated! When people understand that, they realize that there is nothing they can do to stop the jihadi from his appointed starts. Except maybe converting him, which he would not accept even under death threat, or kill him. The argument therefore becomes how does one accomplish that. Facetiously maybe, nukes are one of the possible way which do not involve the problem of weed disposal
Buddy,
"buy low, sell high" surely is as American as apple pie.
Remember the pet cause of the left in the '90s - no profiling of potential offenders. Look what it's obtained for the western world.
Problem #1 is the excessive restraint enforced on the west by the hard left, particularly the media. The Jihadis are a smaller problem by comparison.
The Jihadis and the western left share hostility to Jews and Christians, so the left still sees the enemy of their enemy as a friend. Were the Jihadis main target to be, say, homosexuals rather than Jews, the left would take a very different position.
Khomeini's statement (quoted by PB above) comes close to a "suicide-by-cop" exhortation.
buddy
Suicide by thermonuclear device would be more like it.
Bernard Lewis has been around the block more than I and he also sees an Iranian WMD attack on Israel as a liklihood.
If Iranawhackjob blusters enough I suppose the French would lead the charge to disestablish Israel and pull the world from the brink.
Don't we have the technology yet to positively identify someone via retina scans? How long does it take to match up DNA? I know it used to take weeks, but I think it's considerably simpler and faster now.
What I'm wondering is why someone hasn't instituted a "Preferred Flyer" program where you submit to a background clearance check by the NSA/CIA/FBI/IRS , and once you're vetted then you can scoot through the airline check-in process by them just beeping into your eye or swabbing your cheek or doing some other VERY brief physical check that you are who you are, and not Achmed in disguise.
A *lot* of people would sign up for this, would be pre-screened, which would make it less of a hassle for the one-time only travellers.
Then, if we focused on the male Arabs between the ages of 15 and 35 -- or just didn't allow them to fly ever -- it seems to me that we could be both safer and that the majority of us wouldn't have to put up with the stress and hassle that air travel has become now.
I hate to fly now, which does not mean that the terrorists have won because I'm afraid. I hate it because of the waiting, the lines, the stunned cow-like gaze of the searchers, the humiliation of having people paw through my stuff while other strangers are looking on, and then the itsy cramped seats they poke you into once you're inside their sardine can.
What used to be a lovely lyrical adventure has been turned into one huge stressful on-going hassle that incorporates EVERYthing we all hate to have to put up with in Real Life.
Why should an Arab's humiliation be considered more important than MINE?
cedarford,
Please explain the slaughter of the Jews of the Rhine valley by Germany's finest knights prior to the First Crusade.
There were not to my knowledge any 1/4, 1/2, 1/32, or 1/128 Communist Jews at the time.
Maybe Jews were slaughtered then as now because people like you will obsessively find some pretext, no matter how farfetched, to justify what is, in the last analysis, a pathology of Evil.
Oh, do you spend equal amounts of time studying the racial purity of other ethnic groups and genotypes, or do you concentrate exclusively on Jews?
If someone is holding a gun to your head in order to force you to kill him, there's very little role in the transaction for your conscience.
The answer is dogs, working at liberty, saturating the airports, sniffing for explosives. Preferably large dogs.
1. It gives you something to watch while waiting for your plane. A trained dog at work is a joy to watch.
2. The dogs like it.
3. No lines.
4. It actually is effective.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
nahncee - I believe that idea was floated a while back and then dropped in advance of the anticipated assault by massed ranks of ACLU lawyers.
(Their argument would probably be that the program would require government endorsement and would create disparate treatment in effect - or some such nonsense.)
Yes, let's be sure and do a little work on Lenin's other 3/4, if we're gonna have an ancient race-hate-fest.
The Mad Fiddler:
...because the convert is ever the most zealous...
Reminds me of one of my favorite examples of Jewish humor. Asked about converts to Judaism, Moishe said, "Oy! They're the worst kind!"
("Worst" pronounced in this instance like the German Wurst...)
;-)
Jamie Irons
Michelle Malkin and Yoni are tentatively (very tentatively) suggesting that the Lebanese war is back on.
allen:
Cedarford has still not answered my question asking if Communism were such a Jewish conspiracy (that Nazis called Judeo-Bolshevism), why it is that so many Communists grew up in the Russian Orthodox Church.
I'm under the impression that Lenin and Stalin grew up Russian Orthodox. What's next? Am I supposed to believe now that Adolf Hitler's depravity must now be attributed to the effects of his Jewish ancestry? Good grief!
Jamie, the answer is "9W" -- what is the question?
"Do you spell your name with a "V", Herr Wagner?"
jamie irons,
re: converts
One of those distracting bits of Jewish lore: a convert may never be referred to as a convert.
alexis,
Cedarford goes astray when he misunderstands the definition of "Jew". He takes the simple racist route, because it works for him.
No question, there were lots of folks having Jewish ancestry in the Communist Party of the CCCP and elsewhere. Cedarford is either ignorant of or fails to provide the unique historical context, e.g. the opening of the Pale and the subsequent massive apostasy.
But given the history of Europe, was the sin of these folk being Communists or being Jewish. Recall, Hitler treated with some of the same "Jewish" Communists implied by C4.
I am confident that with the removal of Communist causation, C4 and his type would find some other excuse for their sad and dangerous delirium. One must have a reason to live, you know, and gardening just doesn't do it for some folk.
And, alexis, C4 is highly selective in his responses. You probably hit too close to home. Run away! Run away! Run away!
ok gang...
after 89 post of pure nonsense....
my 1st post again!
PROFILE, do it LIKE EL AL does it...
INTERVIEW each passenger...
For whatever it's worth:
"JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered the army to expand its ground offensive into Lebanon on Friday, asserting there was a lack of progress in U.N. talks on a truce, political sources said.
"We said two days ago that we would stop the fire, either militarily or diplomatically," an Israeli political source said. "We see that the ceasefire deal in the U.N. is not making the required progress, and therefore we have authorized the military action."
Reuters
Drudge has a great photo up with the caption "Ground War: On". Take heed, this is the future of Israel. A true religious war is in the making.
redaktor,
That last point is genius. All during your prior steps, the various sects will start wars amoung themselves, to become the last-man-standing against the ever-more unified infidels.
Ben Stein's July 14 message -- refresh your recent memory.
It has got to be sickening serving in an IDF under the "control" of the Olmert government. Can you say "yoyo"?
Orders to widen the ground offensive doesn't mean it is impossible to stop if there is a decisive diplomatic move, which is accepted by Israel," an Israeli source said.
"For the time being, that's the order given to the IDF: We will widen the ground operation."
"For the time being!" "For the time being!"
The sooner Israel rids itself of the Olmert monstrosity the better. May Israel's fighters be protected not only from a delusional external foe but from the delusional foe within.
"For the time being, General Pickett's division will attack Seminary Ridge."
Redaktor, CNBC just reported word that that particular counter-battery from that high ground has been "very effective".
No, I'm waiting with baited breath.
Meanwhile, back in the fever swamp, NYT and Human Rights Watch is burrowing down into the ammo biz:
The salamis keep yelling on about the joy of martyrdom, but there's a worse fate than death for them. I wonder if they'd equally delight in sleeping in their own poop because there's no water to bath with or drink, and nothing to eat, and no shelter, and nowhere to go because the whole country has been flattened. That's not martyrdom; that's a pain in the butt.
All I am saying is, give nukes a chance.
"Oh, of course we deplore Hez rockets into Israel, but we're here to complain about the counterbattery fire."
redact & buddy,
I am not quite sure of your point. But on this day 31, with all the IDF superiority you recite, Hezbollah is still keeping 1/5 of Israel in or near bomb shelters.
A 155 cannot put boots and eyes on the ground, other than those of Hezbollah in another context.
And since the Olmert government exercises such fine control over the battlefield, this may all be "for the time being", in any case.
What would Longstreet and Pickett have made of an order from Lee stating, "For the time being, General Pickett's division will attack Seminary Ridge."
Only in Hollywood are wars directed like this. There is no rewind or instant replay button.
By the way, that statement of "for the time being" did not come from Reuters.
Before reading it, I was concerned that the Olmert government was only grandly incompetent; now, I'm questioning their sanity.
Indeed, "Charge Marines!", for the time being.
I like the IDF strategy if it is really a strategy. Consider that maneuver warfare requires some geography over which to operate. The Hezbollah is deeply embedded into a tightly packed populace so they can melt away only to later threaten the IDF’s rear and logistic supply. Territory fought in an advance certainly would have to be re-won in a retreat. The Hezbollah is bleeding the IDF by a thousand cuts and maintaining its cover when it is time to cut and run. The IDF can maneuver up to Hezbollah’s positions of strength, call in air cover, artillery, and make incursions at will. The best way for the IDF to maintain a semblance of momentum while implementing maneuver warfare doctrine in such a small territory is to insert, engage, and redeploy back to fall back positions when the enemy has melted into the populous. Surveil all movements when disengaging and attack new positions or old ones based on updated intel. Use the tactic with an over all strategy of acquiescing in principle with diplomatic demarches. Give it a go to comply. Let Hezbollah reestablish positions and continue the assault.
Engage-disengage is maneuver warfare in tight spaces or the proverbial knife fight in a phone booth.
lord acton,
re: Toynbee
A quarter-century ago, my wife found a copy at a rare book store in St. Louis, Missouri - A. Amitin. I don't know if the place is still in business.
What a joy it was: several thousand square feet of narrow isles, stacked floor to 12' ceiling with the works of the ages.
The soft caress of old paper, the must of ancient leather - a bibliophiles brothel.
lord acton,
Sorry, but I forgot. With all due respect to the honored professor, I found his view of Judaism weak. However, given the events of the day, the old boy may yet be proved correct.
The Israeli objective is and should always have been to degrade Hezbollah by killing off its fighters, ammo carriers, and water carriers. Unless HB is willing to aggregate in the open in large numbers the only way to do that is eyeball to eyeball.
It seems apparent that regardless of the IDF plans or desires that Olmert and the cabinet will hobble the IDF to impotency.
the stroke above
Apostrophes be damned!
"bibliophile's"
this place is gettin apostralyptic
"Apostralyps! Airborne commas enter atmosphere!"
"Apostrophe Now!" -- the story of a punctuation-drunk soldier's journey into the Heart of Diction.
"It's five minutes to midnight. The time to strike Iran is now."
Michael Ledeen has posted the full article from "The Intellectual Activist" over at the Corner.
It is well worth reading in full.
Israel, a nation surrounded by enemies, has an innate ability to hold secrets and to therefore surprise and to perplex their enemies. The United States, a nation that is comprised of enemies, couldn’t keep NSA anti-terrorist wiretaps secret. We need to publish our war plan in the NYT and if Patrick Schroeder doesn’t approve it, certainly Hillary will demand that she get a chance to rearrange the set pieces in a manner that her superior sensibility would allow. Democrats would be the first to launch a full scale invasion.
I am still ' looking for misplaced apostrohies, ' apoplexia.
Allen, re "Marines, Charge!" -- read the saga of Lt. Gen. Chesty Puller at the Battle of Peleliu. It has analogies to south Lebanon now.
It's tits it's.
Love the coxandforkum.com “Snatching Defeat” cartoon.
Jaimo, seems like Tyre is a crappy place to vacation right now. Three bridges taken out and it is all but cut off and surrounded. Siege warfare Mediterranean style.
Annoymouse,
What the IDF may be doing reminds me of when I was a kid and our house had this roach problem. In the days before cable TV I had alot of fun killing roaches, but could only kill them by surprise before they could scurry off. When this would happen, I would simply turn off the lights and leave the room for 15 minutes. When I came back they would all be out again.
I killed alot of roaches that way.
Seems we need to define victory. For Islamists, death is a second victory. For the forces of the West, death of Islamists’ is considered victory. See, we can agree on something.
Sonspot,
I like the roaches analogy. I think that is it. A roaches little brain uses cunning and stealth to attrit its enemies. A nine year old with a light switch can control the battle space by keeping the insect OpFor off guard. Now imagine instead of a light switch an unseen UAV overhead with see in the dark capability. That’s the way I see it.
AM, that oughtta be added to VDH's Six Rules to winning the terror wars.
buddy,
Maybe. Although I don't think a serious argument could be made that the defeat of Hezbollah in Lebanon is unnecessary, as some argue was Peleliu.
My father was on both Anguar and Peleliu. He believed both were totally, unnecessary wastes of American lives.
If memory serves, by the battle of Peleliu, Lt. Col. Puller had been awarded four Navy Crosses and eight Purple Hearts.
Both General Puller and his son became tragic figures during the Vietnam War.
I like the roach analogy the more I think about it. The verminous roaches, like Hezbollah, in the end, will inherit the earth we are told, but DOW chemical begs to differ.
Great points about Egypt and Syria dealing with Jihad.
Assad killed 30K Jihadists in a few days and they haven't been heard from since.
By comparison, I'd venture to say that if one added up the total number killed by the US/Allies in Afghanistan, Iraq and by Israel in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon, it's far less than 30K and that's been over 5 years, not a few days.
We need to make a statement, in places like Fallujah, Baalbek, and all these other places.
Unfortunately, it's readily apparent that the West has not yet mustered the will to seek victory.
Perhaps if yesterday's plot had gone off, there would have been a groundswell. The more plots like those are stop, ironically, the less of a will we have to seek victory.
Of course I don't say that I wish the plot had gone off, but until one does and on a large scale, business will remain as usual
Allen, no diss intended on a true hero, nor anything implied on Peleliu strategy.
But tactically, Puller himself had a bad time halfway through the campaign.
The topography was defense-favored, and IJA was so well dug in, and so practiced, that aggressive Marine tactics for some long period of time played into enemy hands.
When somewhere around D+7 (+/-) it became clear to Gen Puller that he needed to slow the tempo, the losses already incurred nearly--it is said--broke him down.
Salute to your dad. Mine flew a B-17, was on some of the bad '43/'44 raids. Shot down on 13th mission, last day of Big Week Feb '44, POW, liberated from Stalag Luft 1 by Red Army. By age 25 he was back home chasing my mom.
"ET, phone home."
Three Middle Eastern Men Found With 1000 Cell Phones
http://www.wnem.com/Global/
story.asp?S=5269589
In the interest of political correctness, the three are at liberty.
Someone explain to me again, why Muslims are free roaming.
They're for re-sale, is the story. "Yes, but--to whom?"
highly recommend Joe Buzz' "Americans...Liberty" link--thanks for that--
buddy,
No diss was taken.
The problem I'm having with Lebanon is not tactical. G-d knows the advantages that accrue to an enemy given six years of preparation.
No, my problem is with an Israeli government that can seriously make statements like the one I quoted; as if men and units in battle can be operated like a hose bib. It's just breathtakingly stupid and, frankly, that's not the half of it.
Moreover, when your dad and mine were risking life and limb, they were not doing so under a cloud of doubt. None doubted that victory was the goal or that it would be attained. G-d love'em, they left service with the pride of accomplishment.
As you know, Korea and Vietnam would demoralized the armed forces, say what you will in the ongoing dispute about the tactical v. strategic victories of American forces during both wars. It took decades to regain our martial vitality.
This is why in both Iraq and Lebanon, the West cannot negotiate and still hope to be credible in the minds of our adversaries and our troops. Time is not our friend.
As to Dad, I wish I had saluted him more often.
sarah,
The airplane bombings would have been a "nonevent" unless they went down over the US.
The planes, lost at sea, would provide no video, no requirement of rebuilding, no crash sites.
While terrible for the passengers & disasterous for the Airline Industry, without video no ground swell would be forth coming, IMO.
The 3,000 or so dead, just another statistic in a "Long War".
If the need is to move the US public, you gotta have video, dramatic video at that.
Reuters can provide video, whether they have any or not.
I think the reason that HB started this war, at this time, was to probe the Israeli missle defense systems. I have little doubt that Iran will nuke Israel as soon as it becomes practicable. I would guess they already have the warheads.
The unknown variable is the delivery system although Lebanon will almost certainly be the point of origin. Mixing a few guided munitions among thousands of Katyushas is an effective mask and will probably provide Iran with all the information they need to complete their targeting.
I would be very surprised if Tel Aviv is not targeted with guided missles to test the effectiveness of the Arrows. If it is not, of if the Arrows prove effective, then the target is almost certainly Haifa, which has already been struck with larger missles.
If Iran has more than a couple warheads then multiple strikes will be made.
UK is hardly worse off than we are, saddled-with-leftists-wise. Galloway is at least fun to listen to, unlike JF'ingKerry.
habu,
The lack of any Mohammedan actions in the US would be telling, if their battle plan had called for them.
Given a "cell" of thirty or forty individuals, you, rufus, PB, even doug or I could play havoc in the US. Yet they demur, as per their published Plan.
The idea that a dozen planes, lost over either the Atlantic or Pacific, would match the impact of 9-11 attack is fanciful. On the face of it, not up to Dr Z's dream of a "greater" event.
The Mohammedans seem fixated on aircraft for some reason. There are better, more imaginative & softer targets available. Luckily they are being ignored, for now.
allen:
Marxist Communism was an ecumenical religion of "secularized" Tikkun. Marxism is every bit as theistic as any other religion -- it's just the the Communist word for God is "the laws of history", with its pseudo-atheism camouflaging its Spinozistic understanding of nature. Although I regard Marxism to be more of a Christian heresy than a Jewish one, its communal apocalyptic messianism was very enticing to intellectuals who wanted a religion that promised Tikkun through science (and without the obvious hocus-pocus that made Shabbateanism so notorious).
It is true that Communism attracted many Jews. It also attracted many Orthodox people who were inclined toward an apocalyptic heresy. And it also attracted quite a few Shi'ites in Iran and especially Iraq for the same reason.
Although Tikkun is a very powerful idea in linear religions, I tend to be skeptical of messianic movements, whether they are overtly religious or the secularized messianism of radical environmentalism, Thomas Friedman's "corporate capitalist tikkun", or those who equate the destruction of a race, class, religion, or a particular person (such as GWB) with restoration of Eden.
I spent several tours in England and they are the same today as they have always been. There is a hard core conservative, nationalistic group of 30%. There always has been the vociferous anti-war, anti-yanks group that probably make up another 30%. Think Massachusetts. There is a slow boil going on about the muzzies. When the time comes the Left will scramble to get out of the way. Same in Germany. This is from todays Deutsche Welle:
..."Conservatives Demand Central Anti-terror Register"
Conservative politicians are also in favor of introducing a Germany-wide anti-terrorism register, which has been a bone of contention for months between the government and the federal states.
The planned register would not just contain a database of suspects and groups, but would also list names and details of foundations and companies with possible links to the Islamist scene. The idea is that all security, intelligence and counter-crime agencies both at the state and federal level would have access to the register.
Some politicians say Germany's security agencies are too bogged down in red tape
On Friday, Beckstein said that the events in Britain showed that Germany needed a closer networking of its myriad security agencies if quick decisions needed to be taken in an emergency. Cooperation between the various agencies is too slow and bureaucratic at present, Beckstein said.
"A Germany-wide anti-terrorism register is urgently needed," Beckstein said, adding that security loopholes in German counter-terrorism laws also needed to be closed."
Does "Terrorist Illustrated" have a yearly swimsuit -- or burqa -- issue?
Jamie Irons
I found this video on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict on Google Video. Most here will disagree vehemently with it, as it has a strong leftist bias. But I think many here will find it useful to understand the arguments made by their opponents.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7828123714384920696
"What used to be a lovely lyrical adventure has been turned into one huge stressful on-going hassle that incorporates EVERYthing we all hate to have to put up with in Real Life."
---
Har har!
Nahncee thinks THAT's real life!
"...let me take you down,
'cause I'm going to,
Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real,
and nothing to get hung about.
(sic)."
02:18:51
I like the one-eyed bomber wanna be that keeps an eye out for ya.
(James produced that video!)
" I have to scroll up further to follow a particular string of statements back up to a root thought..."
---
I double dare ya!
Damn, I thought I had a monoply on Video production in this crowd.
ah well...
Bob Parsons still has you beat in Phoenix!
Rat 01:57:16 PM,
You and I would come up with something that would WORK.
Luckily, we're just loveable fuzzballs,
not jihadis.
Well here's your chance to teach a foreign mind full of mush about the US, up close and personal
Make a Difference in the World
Act now, or send off another box of cookies.
SarahWeddington said...
"If we had banned muslims and arabs from flying on planes, there would have been no 9/11, no 8/11, no etc..."
What if we just banned muslims?
I remember back when Mr Roggio had his 4th Rail site operating. One day he posted a photo of a Iranian Jihadi, that had been taken down in Turkey.
Fellow looked just like a Malibu surfer dude.
There were many comments on how unfair it was, that Mohammedan did not look the part. Ten to one his replacement does not fit the preconcieved profile, either.
Now that hte news regarding the ceasefire has broken, I'd like to take my victory lap.
Walkin' on the sunny side, always on the sunny side.
If it wasn't so funny, it'd be funny. The Francs will defend the Jews, from the Arabs, along with Unifil & Lebanonese troops.
My oh my.
Mr Olmert and the Israeli will end up on the dark side of the street, fer sure.
HB survives, prospers and gains Lebanon.
Israel gains a French friend.
Go back to the thread Lebanon Again the Israeli have wasted their shot, as predicted.
Sad, but what the hey, it's just another brush fire. Local and isolated from any other aspect of the post Hamadan, War on Terror.
Don't worry, be happy
Walkin' on the sunny side, always on the sunny side.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Condi gives away Israel.
tra la la.
To For Freedom:
From: Webster's website
"fas·cism
Pronunciation: 'fa-"shi-z&m also 'fa-"si-
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian fascismo, from fascio bundle, fasces, group, from Latin fascis bundle & fasces fasces
1 often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition"
No need to pretty up the work by changing them to supremecists, they ARE fascists.
To the succeeding line of posts I read until I could not refrain from posting:
As to what to do:
They have called the game. The choices are submit or die. Not great choices, I admit. However, accepting the various circumstances, I believe we should make them die, with or without nukes, as soon as possible; smite them with "the terrible, swift sword" repeatedly...in fact, until our own consiences tell us we should go to church for being bad boys....
The folly of the last of 40 years has been not enough "terrible, swift sword" and too much listening to what I will call the church ninnies (read "Church of Liberalism" there - purposeful reference to Ms. Coulter's book) rather than our own consciences. Innocents have died steadily during that time; generally while the "terrible, swift sword" stayed sheathed and the religous leaders of the fascists urged their flocks to kill some more.
If what I have heard is correct - that Olmert is thinking of accepting a ceasefire maybe by Sunday... and in the meantime, let Israeli boys fight and die over the weekend while he and his ninnies polish the paragraphs on yet another idiot "agreement" - then Condi Rice has revealed herself to be a ninny, too. And Olmert and his peaceloving buds should be turfed out of office asap. Along with Condi, even if she is extremely stylish and smart.
And, on the Depraved Monster Watch: it seems that one of the peace loving Muslims on a dry run with explosive in hand, was caught at Heathrow WITH HIS WIFE AND 3 KIDS IN TOW. (Counter terrorism blog).
Wonder what James Baker is going to do, now?
We all know he wants George walkin' on the sunny side
rufus 03:08:05 PM,
Hope Bush and Condi know that:
We can be sure to avoid inflicting any damage on them
Heather,
I'm told she plays a mean piano.
That must count for something, right?
---
"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood,
a beautiful if you'll be good,
won't you be mine,
won't you be mine?"
- AkmaI'llwhackyoujob.
It's the same thing in the medium run:
No Lebanon, no Israel:
Matter of time.
Well, the next time the Israeli shell a Unifil position will the Francs consider that an act of terror?
Mr Chirac has promised a nuclear response to terror against the Francs.
Mr Chirac, he's always on the sunny side.
Redaktor,
I would have added "...into HB's well-prepared killing ground." to your final sentence: "There’s no need to move the army forward."
Doug, you wrote:
Condi gives away Israel.
tra la la...
and I entirely agree. But Condi works for Bush. I think GWB is exhausted. I do not think, in spite of my respect for Rufus and his opinions, that Bush has the energy to confront Iran, or even to finish the job in Iraq. I say this reluctantly, as I have come to like and admire the man, and I think he has done many good things, and has stuck to his guns when I definitely would have folded.
I don't blame the media, the left, or anyone else for this. They are just part of the background noise, and could easily have been overcome with a few very well-timed appeals to the public that were open, honest and pulled no punches. Bush's weakness is that he just can't do that sort of thing, or his advisers don't let him -- whatever. I know his heart is in the right place.
I remember encountering Bush in Yale Station in 1966; it just shows how utterly unable we human beings are to envision or accurately imagine the future to think how, in my wildest imagination and even given a lot of "clues," I could not have come up with what that poor man is dealing with now.
I really wish Wretchard would analyse this UN "product" and its implications.
Jamie Irons
Lebanon, the French were fronting for Lebanon.
The reality the HB is Lebanon has yet to set in, amongst most.
The Hes man, he don't like walkin on the sunny side. Prefers the shadows, he does.
But Israel has given Lebanon to the Hes, what were they thinkin'
"I don't blame the media, the left, or anyone else for this.
They are just part of the background noise, and could easily have been overcome with a few very well-timed appeals to the public that were open, honest and pulled no punches."
---
Amen,
Unfortunately
Never any fault of the Sainted Bush/Condi team, right rufus?
Frank Gafney, Jed Babbin, Jamie, and I disagree!
Condi called the shots.
Olmert complied.
...now on to giving back the land!
sarah,
You go and "chill" now, I'll go take a nap and then get the burka out of storage.
When tomorrow breaks someone will tell us how it all fits in the "Plan".
Walkin' on the sunny side of life.
'Rat,
Please prepare videos of correct turbin twirling for us.
...and Hijab Hemming for Sarah.
She represents her Boss Man, no doubt 'bout that, aye.
Where are they dancin' tonight, cause it's time to Party!
Peace it's breakin' out all over.
All part of the "master plan,"
'Rat.
...you just wait.
(again)
The long Wait.
That's because you're hopelessly, blindly pro-Bush, rufus!
rufus,
18 months ago, maybe less than a year, old doug, he was a Bush loyalist, hard core loyalist.
The posts are all there to be read.
Gp back to the original, not the "fallback" site, you'll find even more doug defending Mr Bush.
doug, he's not changed much.
Me, I voted for Mr Bush, twice.
Performance counts, eventually.
Perhaps there is yet to be a "Night of Redemtion",
I doubt it though.
You didn't even get to 'Rat yet, Rufus!
Arnold Kling mentioned the concept of the "Rat Thing" from Neal Stephenson's novel "Snow Crash".
Imagine a huge bionic dog made of materials we would have to invent, and powered in manner that does not exist. In the novel the Rat Thing can move at astounding speeds, often appearing only as a blur while in motion. It also has sensory organs and a highly advanced computer "brain" which would allow it to identify a jihadist instantly, even in a crowd of civilians, using algorithms which outstrip the human brain at pattern recognition. There would be some false positives, but far fewer civilians would die than if we nuked the Middle East. Rat Things are autonomous, but they all talk to each other. Once a Jihadist was identified he would never see what hit him (surrounding people would hear a loud pop, then a big splash of pinkish liquid). These could be released by the tens of thousands wherever needed. A wave of these machines could clean out a city like Teheran in a few hours, liquidating (literally) perhaps 2-3% of the population (i.e., the jihadists).
Such a machine is of course beyond our technology at present. However it isn't THAT far beyond, and I submit that we could make the development of these things the next Manhattan Project.
James Kielland 12:43 PM said...
I'm not sure exactly how you'd force someone to prove that they aren't muslim.
-----------
How to force or coerce? Easy.
Airline seats tend to be small and tightly packed together.
Perhaps a comfy chair would produce results?
The only way the ceasefire makes sense is in the context of Iran.
I have consistently maintained that Iran is our primary target, and that all other objectives must therefore take a backseat in our drive to rid the Mullahs of their nuclear program. I've made the argument probably one too many times, but I do so again because I find it surprising how little serious thought it has engendered from other posters here (with notable exceptions).
Who is more dangerous? Hezbollah or Iran? If we're going to blow our diplomatic wad, on which cause should we do so? Should we alienate the French, Russians, Chinese, and the British in our noble solidarity with Israel and her half-assed war against the Lebanese countryside? Should we drive the UNSC away over a fistful of fucking katyushas, and then, hat in hand, turn to them to put meaningful pressure on a country that has no energy significance for us but quite a bit for them (except Russia, but Russia has other interests in Iran that need protecting)? I know, I know, fuck the UN! We should just quit! Anybody who responds with that is high and living in a much happier place than reality.
Hezbollah is not launching missiles at us, and she's not in danger of pouring across Israel's border to rape and pillage the population. Therefore, she is not an existential threat. Iran is the existential threat.
Both the US and Israel have bigger fish to fry right now. Hezbollah without Iran will die on the vine anyway. Think Island Hopping, if what I'm saying doesn't make any sense. I know you guys know that.
To mount a serious diplomatic confrontation with Iran, the war in Israel has to be over. So long as the war continues, our "allies" will be pressured by their people to stop it, to the exclusion of everything else. The longer it goes on, the more pressure will rise on these regimes to condemn Israel. Lost will be the meta-narrative of Iran and Syria and their perfidous influence in the Middle East. Only in that context can we try "all honorable means short of war" before we have to take the gloves off.
This is the only way the ceasefire makes sense. At least acknowledge the possibility, before you all start calling for heads.
If I'm wrong, then Bush has lost all sense of direction. But I don't think I'm wrong.
Whose got dibs on the liquid?
That's why we scrupulously protect Iranian sancutaries, Aristides:
Any GI's killed as a result are all in the service of furthering,
THE MASTER PLAN.
Got kids?
There is always hope, redaktor.
I have often been right about the turn of the cards. Done pretty well in life, predicting future outcomes.
Not always the outcome I'd prefer, but the outcome most likely to occur.
buddy used to say I was to "emotional" about things, like Pakistan and Mohammedan nuclear warheads and such.
So I've lighten up, walkin' on the sunnyside from now on.
Besides, the family is trying to talk me into gettin' on one of those winged buses, and then drivin' back cross country with Jr from North Carolina.
My personal concern is all but over, now it's just headlines and fun for everyone.
Heather does, but then she's just one of those over-protective moms.
(Waiting for some real men to show up.)
You're right, Doug.
Bush has jogged himself to exhaustion, and can no longer be bothered with Iran's quest for nukes.
All he thinks about is reelection these days. Reelection and Jesus. Everything else is just too damn hard.
That's why we scrupulously protect Iranian sancutaries, Aristides.
I suppose you remember why we didn't attack Zarqawi in Baghdad during the lead up to war, even though we knew where he was.
Yeah, it's kind of like that.
That's the best hope, whit, that it never gets off the ground, Olmert is replaced, and we get lucky w/GWB.
Don't forget Sadr, Aristides!
Rat Thing!
You make my heart sing!
You make everything grooooovy!
Rat Thing.
Jamie Irons
ust saw the US SecState live on TV in front of the UN. Never saw Ms. Rice look so weak, her words so tenuous, openly reading from what seems a hastily prepared text. Very disappointing, though she had an upbeat fillip at the end.
I'm hanging my hopes on that fillip - that this is the UN's chance to save the world, to disarm Hezbollah and enforce peace on Israel's borders. Forgive me if I wasn't born a half hour ago.
I'm hanging my hopes on the chance that this is the Bush Administration's final demonstration of the fatal weakness of relying on the UN and treaties with parties who have a history of never adhering to treaties. We're entering a phase like the multiple resolutions and sanctions from the UN on Iraq, all for naught. That's the only good I see can come from this, proving the fatal ineffectiveness of this approach.
I am pretty sure I'm kidding myself.
(Maybe it's just from reading Yon's and Bill Quick's latest posts, maybe that's why I'm such a gloomy Gus.)
8/11/2006 04:49:54 PM - but in the old, dead thread
04:57:24 PM Aristides,
If you could enlighten me on that, I would appreciate.
Don't forget Sadr, Aristides!
That actually bolsters my theory with empirical evidence.
Sadr is a Hezbollah-sized problem, getting Iraq functioning is an Iranian-sized problem. Leaving Sadr alive is proof that we will sometimes take a little evil if we think it's for the greater good.
Thanks for reminding me.
aristide,
Your idea that it is all about Iran may be right on, but so what if it is.
The Iranians are not backing down and will not provoke US enough to get the Chinese and the Soviets to agree we have cause to destroy Iran.
The clock ticks and tocks
I have no idea what 22 Aug holds in store, but there are not enough US troops in Iraq to take down Tehran, have not been since we stopped moving forward.
Inertia works on Armies, as well.
The US has not fought a real War in 60 years, we are not ready for one now, though as you say, it may be on the way.
The fact is that Israel did not turn out to be a strategic asset. She dithered away an opportunity and won no friends with a reckless campaign that has set back the GWOT. It will be amazing if Hezbollah does not dominate all of Lebanon, but who knows. Her army had no direction and no goal and a tie goes to Hezbollah. I made a metaphor with a prize fighter and to continue, Hez comes out contender and Izzy will have to take on all comers for a lesser purse. Better luck next time.
I was respnding to smoov, (04:37:14 PM), and not referiing to our esteemed 'Rat.
;-)
Jamie Irons
Aristides,
I sure hope you are correct about how we are keeping our eye on the ball.
But we could have dealt Iran, with Israel's help, a devastating blow, had they been turned loose at the outset to destroy Hizbullah. I don't know whether that failure was due to Israel or to US.
Jamie Irons
Aristedes says a lot of interesting things and he again said:
"You're right, Doug.
Bush has jogged himself to exhaustion, and can no longer be bothered with Iran's quest for nukes."
Next time let's have a president, short, bald, bi-foculs,a penchant for deep red wines, six books on his nightstand, who never goes to church and is a tough cigar smoking SOB and can deliver a sixty minute speech without a teleprompter.
Tony refers to Yon:
"When I first alerted the public about the growing civil war in Iraq back in February 2005, those cautions were dismissed or ignored. Yet in all the time since, the fire has been growing in Iraq, while people here quibble over the pros and cons of using terms such as “sectarian violence” versus “civil war.” Painfully silly. It’s as if firefighters rushed to a conflagration and instead of recognizing it for what it is, fighting it for what it is, calling it what is, instead of unrolling hoses, the firefighters instead began arguing over radios and loudspeakers about whether to call the fire a conflagration or an inferno. And while they argued, people were burning to death, and the blaze was spreading, and firefighters were being surrounded.
Despite incredible progress in Iraq, we are now in great peril of losing the war entirely.
At the current rate, we will witness genocide as a nation rips itself apart along sectarian seams.
"
Doug, I can't find the primary, but the reason why we didn't take Zarqawi out before the war is because we didn't want to be seen as prematurely prejudicing the diplomatic route before it had a chance to work.
This explanation was in response to the usual criticism that Bush knew where he was and let him go, so Zarqawi couldn't have been as big a bogeyman as we later made him out to be. The "let diplomacy work" explanation came from a very credible source, though I can't remember who it is right now.
redaktor
I am a happy dad.
Jr did not get killed or maimed. Some of his fellow 29 Palms AIT mates were. I feel for each and every one of the parents of those men.
For three years we have dicked around in Iraq and the Middle East. I am damned tired of it. Lone star, a few threads back was proud of his efforts in Iraq and the difference he thought they/ he had made. He thought Victory was being achieved
I hope he is right, that democracy breaks out and US allies take charge. But Mr Maliki is no US ally.
No more so then the Iranian President or Hes man. That's a fact. The Iraqi people voted for our foe.
We let it stand.
We Stay the Course.
Our Ambassador in Iraq gives Mr Maliki 'til mid September, then what, a Coup? Mr Diem redux?
Headlines and fun for everyone.
2164th,
I think Cheney would have got the job done.
Quick like.
Thanks Aristides:
That's what makes a horse race, I guess!
To me it's Koolaide.
Aristides said...
Bush has jogged himself to exhaustion, and can no longer be bothered with Iran's quest for nukes.
-------------
You blame one of the few carrying water and withhold criticism for the ones sitting on the side because you expect them to just watch.
I'm bothered by those sitting on the side, watching, smoking, complaining. It is their homes who are infested.
00000000000000000000
2164th said...
The fact is that Israel did not turn out to be a strategic asset. She dithered away an opportunity and won no friends with a reckless campaign that has set back the GWOT.
------
2164, you ignore the fog of war and expect near utopian results from men. Whatever fog covers our thinking is certainly covering the POV of the enemy.
War is confusion, chaos and missteps not ballet, not a video game.
Reckless campaign that has set back the GWOT? Go for a jog when it's 100 degrees out 2164, it might make you less dazed.
:)
Jamie Irons,
re: Rat thing
Which happy hour are you into at this point?
WRT the ceasefire, Captain Ed sees a half full glass...
Jamie Irons
Allen:
Which happy hour are you into at this point?
I am just blessed (cursed?) with that kind of mind. No drugs, no alcohol, just free association, 24/7/365, but not in a creative way, like Buddy!
;-)
Jamie Irons
"It bears repeating, despite the incredible progress that has been made in Iraq; we are in great peril of losing the war entirely. Having seen and reported on how it doesn’t have to end this way, because there are units and leaders in our military who know how to succeed in Iraq, who have won the peace for communities once considered as dangerous as Baghdad, I have always maintained a hope of the eventual success of the mission citing conditions on the ground as justification.
Unfortunately, given what we have for information sources, now may have passed.
Now could be yesterday, or last month, or even last year. Now it may be too late. But I can’t say that for certain because the PAO in Baghdad is censoring.
I have contacted Central Command—who is conducting the war in Iraq—to ask if this censorship is merely the policy of one Lieutenant Colonel Barry Johnson in Baghdad, or if he is speaking for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, because he is acting as the gatekeeper for all of them"
- Yon
Rat,
I've got to think anti-Americanism has weighted Bush's thinking vis-a-vis war. All honorable means, and maybe even a punitive force ala 1990-91 (very much maybe), versus Let's Be Cowboys. He may be wrong, but it is very much in American tradition for the President to champion legal and moral causes before self-interested ones. The UN is the vehicle to do so -- the fig leaf if war is inevitable.
Jamie: But we could have dealt Iran, with Israel's help, a devastating blow, had they been turned loose at the outset to destroy Hizbullah. I don't know whether that failure was due to Israel or to US.
That's been bothering me immensely, and I have no answers. A week or so ago someone here referenced an article, in which Israel's inability to present Rice with a military card was addressed. The article was as puzzled as we all are as to why it wasn't accomplished.
Everything I've said about our Iran strategy would be so much better with a significantly degraded Hezbollah. I have no idea why Olmert punted.
Arthur Dent,
I think if you reread the series of posts, you'll discover your intepretation of my comment is diametrically opposed to its intent.
Jamie: A Good Mind put to great use.
Can anybody find any other pundit, from the MSM on down, who is analyzing the Ceasefire in terms of our Iran strategy?
I have been unsuccessful, and surprised at my unsuccess.
Arthur was once a public school teacher, Aristides.
Be understanding!
danmyers
Eventually Panama.
First Phoenix.
Got to try out the overland route, haul down a small boat, some jet skies, then come back for the Cruiser/ live aboard.
Porto Bello, the end of the road, both physically and metaphoricly, so to speak.
Men are from Earth
Diplomats from Smurf
That may go a long way into explaining the day's events.
Millions will die
Seeing pie in the sky
It really is that simple. Check out a history book.
jamie irons,
re: not like Buddy
Is that a considered opinion?
Doug. I said I have twelve years of public school experience.
Most Americans do.
Americans tend to be very innovative compared to most.
"Check out a history book."
---
Just make sure it covers '39 well.
Here, I have an idea. Let's give Iran to China. We'll help them invade (along with the Russians, of course.) They can relocate large numbers of Chinese to Iran, while relocating the Persians to China. They will make practice of any religion a crime. The Chinese are great capitalists, and brutally effective at repression, and will put the oil and its wealth to far better use than the Islampfascists.
The Islamofascists always make a big deal about how there are a billion Muslims and in a mutual nuke launch with Israel they will kill all of the Jews and still have most of the Muslims left in the world. Ok, all you fans of "demography is destiny": let's introduce you to 1.2 billion Chinese...
cathy :-)
Sorry, Arthur, my mistake.
Islampofascists:
Facists from the Oil-Lamp days.
aristide
Iran is being ignored, the approved talking points do not include a Regional response.
To my thinking if we were going to roll up the Iranian network, this was the best invitation we were going to get.
Instead we leave all their nodes in place, then go for the root?
I just do not see it, it is not how we have ever operated. It is not like bypassing Japanese strong points on the way to Tokyo, it's like bypassing the Ryukyu Islands and Iwo, going straight for Hiroshima.
I just do not believe that could be, or is, the Plan.
Been wrong once or twice before, though.
Doug,
Thanks for that piece on Van Allen. I recall reading about his work (perhaps in an article he'd written himself, I don't remember) in The Scientific American I subscibed to as a very young wannabe scientist.
Jamie Irons
alexis; 2:01 PM
My dear alexis, bless you. Yours is a brilliantly presented summarization. While I might take a tiny exception to the importance of atheism, I am in awe.
Thank you!
Shalom
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