Paper Tiger Pundit

See you next year

2005-12-19T21:04:00.000-08:00

Some of you (though I doubt I get many readers besides family and friends) may have noticed the dearth of postings over the last three months. Numerous factors have contributed to my slackness but the single biggest event was that on Sep 29, 2005 a daughter was born to wifey and I. Our second child. Much time is spent doing parenting things so not much time is left to blog.

I plan to resume regular blogging next year. So, keep the faith and I hope this season brings you all you wish for.

Shalom. Salam. Peace.

No Gays Allowed

2005-09-23T00:34:00.000-07:00

That's what Catholic Churches will probably have up soon on their doorways. According to The Independent, The Pope has signed an edict banning homosexuals from entering priesthood. The church has also increased it's rhetoric against gay marriage.

This is a tragedy. To discriminate against someone based on their sexual disposition goes against everything I have been brought up to believe. To have the leader of my church feel that being homosexual was "a more or less strong tendency towards an inherent moral evil." really chills me.

My daughter is currently going through an indoctrination program to become Catholic. After reading this article I'm not so sure I want her to become Catholic. I'm not so sure *I* want to be Catholic. This one ruling is anathema to me. I feel I am truly at a crossroads.

I've always been proud of being Catholic. While my actual faith differs somewhat from Church Doctrine (heck, even basic Christian dogma) I've always felt "Catholic". I love the mass. The rituals soothe me and give me peace. Now I'm have to consider stepping away. I don't feel I can, in good conscience, remain Catholic under the current regime.

I have an uncle that is gay. He and his partner have been together longer than most heterosexual couples I know. They share a love that is deep and great. How can that be morally evil?

NC has a State Lottery

2005-09-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

A buddy of mine has ranted about it so I thought I'd weigh in on the issue.

I don't think I like the idea of a State Owned Lotto. I love the idea of the State allowing legal gambling. I don't think this is what NC has though I'd have to read the bill to be 100%. According to the TechnicianOnline website, an NC Lottery Commission will be established (read: More Government) to oversee the operations. Overhead for this commission will come from revenues gained by the lottery. Also, net revenue will be go into an Educational Lottery Fund with the purpose of funding education, building public schools and to provide college scholarships to 'needy' students. In any event, the State Lotto is essentially a state run monopoly. If Bill can't have one why should NC?

On paper the Lotto looks good. I don't gamble and my daughter doesn't attend public school so this won't really affect me much. I don't buy into the whole "gambling keeps the poor poor" tangent that Hannas rants about. Gambling is a choice. If someone who doesn't have much chooses to spend what little they have on a lotto ticket who am I to bar their way.

In North Carolina, spirits (i.e. liquor) can only be sold from ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) stores. These stores are only licensed and taxed by the State. They are privately owned and operated. I think this is how the Lotto should be run. The commission would oversee taxing the private enterprises that would spring up and be accountable for the distribution of funds, but in no way would the State actually participate in the Lotto itself.

One of the primary selling points for the Lotto is that it will be tied to education. This sounds good and the additional revenue could indeed help offset the cost of education in NC. The problem is that I don't trust the government to keep current funding in place once the Lotto is up and running. The traditional funds will most likely be diverted to other areas as pointed out by the John Locke Foundation. This happened on the Federal level with Social Security.

I agree with Hannas in that gambling, prostitution, drugs and other forms of adult entertainment should be legal. It's not the State's job to be our moral compass. I also agree that the State should not participate (aside from taxation) in these areas. Of course, I also believe the legal drinking age should be reduced to 18 - I'm just crazy that way. I also don't think my taxes should go towards things I don't believe in such as abortion, welfare and social services. But such is the cost of living in America. If I don't agree with the status quo I vote, and have voted, for change. I would have voted YES to legalize gambling. I would have voted NO for state run gambling.

The problem we have here in NC, and really in any Deep South state where religion holds sway, is that government is seen as a parental power instead of a peer power. If you think things should be a certain way you try and get a law passed to enforce it. They have that in Iran too, and look how well that works out for them.

Peace for Israel ...

2005-08-25T01:56:00.000-07:00

... won't come from the Palestinians.

For those that think the return of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority was a good thing; I'll let you in on a little secret: It won't stop there.

In an interview with Palestinian TV Al Menar, Palestinian Cleric Sheikh Muhammad Ali (not the boxer) called for more violent jihad.

I note, in particular, this quote:

Any land, any piece of land, over which flies the banner of 'There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger,' and which at a certain point belonged to the Muslims – as far as we are concerned, plundering and occupying such land is forbidden, and it is the duty of all Muslims to do what they can to liberate this land, wherever it may be...

Do you know what this means? It means not only Israeli lands but also Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, parts of France (they will just surrender anyway) and a whole buncha 'Stans (Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgystan). This map shows the extent of Caliphate lands circa 650.

He goes on to say that negotiation is not an option. This guy is a Deputy Directory of the Palestinian Clerics Association. That is some pretty scary stuff.

Pat Robertson makes bold and inciteful statments and he is scorned by your average U.S. Citizen. This guy does the same and he is louded and obeyed. Of course, our apologist media won't cover the story in this light. They will simply talk about how we have to understand the Palestinian plight and how we are somehow deserving of this hostility.

Games

2005-08-19T18:54:00.000-07:00

Got into the City of Villains closed beta. Took me a couple of hours to get things sorted out. Then I find that I can only play M-F, 6-8 CT so I didn't get to play last night. Won't be able to play the rest of this week-end either since I have to work.

Oh well.

Played through the F.E.A.R demo. A lot of "shock" type scary. Ghostly little girl that giggles just before you catch a glimpse of her. Ghostly forms appearing before you right as your pov turns from the ladder to the walkway causing you to waste ammo. Stuff like that. Graphics are awsome especially in "bullet time". Think of that scene in The Matrix where Neo and Trinity are fighting the security forces in the atrium of the building in which Agent Smith is keeping Morphius. The supersonic air distortion as bullets fly through the air. The fragmentation of concrete as bullets impact. The jerking of bodies as bullets impact. It's all there in hi-res glory. This game would totally suck if it were limited to just a console. It's just unfortunate the names sucks so bad.

Also played a little of the Dungeon Siege II demo. I'm liking it though I do have one major problem with gameplay. All through the "tutorial" part of the game you are told over and over to stick with one "class" and not to stray too much or your character will become a weak jack-of-all-trades type. You see, you gain xp when using certain arms/spells. Bows give ranged xp. Fire spells give Combat Magic xp. You get the picture. So - I take my toon and stick strictly to melee weapons. I pick up another party member who is well suited to melee as well so I go twin weapons while I have him stick to big two handers. I get to one point in the main story arc where I have to use a ranged attack to open the door. No other option. The least they could do is allow for my measly 1 level in ranged to open the door. At least this way anyone can open it. No - this door requires 6 levels of ranged. That's pretty linear scripting. It's a wood door for crying out loud. My half-giant companion with the big 2H axe can't smash through it but some measly arrow can knock it down? Course this is just the demo. The rest of the gameplay is pretty good even if the camera controls take a little getting used to.

Oh - if you get a chance check out the TCOverride link. Capt Chuck is recovering well. He posts a little on what constitutes a "Hero". That man is a hero in my book.

HB 392

2005-08-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

This bill allows for a greater variety of beers to be sold and crafted in North Carolina. We are one of only 5 states left in the Union that have an archaic cap on Alcohol by Volume (ABV) for beer. Just beer. Not spirits or wine. Just beer. Why you might ask? Well - Mill owners felt that, in order to ensure an adequate workforce on Monday morning, something needed to be done about alcohol consumption during the week and week end.

A movement called "Pop the Cap" has been working for 2 years to get this law repealed. They have partially succeeded. The law was passed in the NC Senate (read: your state Senators) 27-21. That means in 10 days or less, Gov. Easly has the option to a) sign it, b) veto it or c) do nothing. One means the esteemed Governor of NC really wants to help our economy. One means he has given over to these fear mongering shmucks. The third is just the easy way out. The law can pass but he can still say he didn't sign it.

But then there is the opposition of mainly Christian Conservatives. One organization is the Christian Action League of NC. I found this on the Christian Action League of NC's website:

"If this bill passes, North Carolina will have beer on it’s grocery and convenience store shelves that is 30 proof."

No. It just means that 30 proof beer can be sold ... there really aren't that many 30 proof beers out there and they will be expensive so most likely only sold in specialty shops. Your local Winn Dixie can't afford to keep product on the shelf that doesn't move. Nice scare tactic. Lets battle facts with Fear!

"It will likely exacerbate the problem of underage, youth and binge drinking on college campuses."

Um... I don't know about you but college drinking wasn't about drinking high end beers. That's not good bang for buck. Why spend $5 a bottle when you can buy a whole case? Again ... this is fear at work. A college student with a $20 beer budget isn't going for some piddly half case of Harviestoun's Old Engine Oil. He's going to get 4 cases of Bud which he could buy now anyway.

"Moreover, communities that voted for beer and wine sales will have these high alcohol content beers foisted upon them – something they never voted for in local option alcohol referenda."

Foisted! Yes, the bill makes it immediately illegal for any present beer in NC to be purchased and instead leaves only the higher priced, higher ABV beer instead. You no longer have a choice. No more Budweiser for you Mr. Migrantworker! It's no longer Miller time! And what the heck is a local action alcohol referenda anyway? Is there a higher power than the NC Congress out there that I don't know about? Do local county and city councils have the power to usurp State Law?

The problem with being a conservative in the south is that you get lumped in with these a*hole blowhards. The article doesn't even have very articulate arguments against the measure - just fear mongering smoke and mirrors. These are the same talking points the Temperance Movement used in the 1900s.

Porous Boarders

2005-07-19T01:18:00.000-07:00

I haven’t ranted in a bit so I'm going to go with an old standby: Immigration.

It's not that I'm against immigration or immigrants in particular. My mom is Filipino and thus an immigrant herself. I firmly believe that anyone who wants to become an American Citzen™ should be able to do so with little or no restrictions. Belly up to the bar, the bill is due April 15th.

My problem is with illegal immigration and the movement to appease them. They benefit from the state without having to pay into it. They are a burden on our social services. Now, keep in mind these are criminals, but some people want to give them drivers licences and college tuition. Not only is it unfair to native citizens but really unfair to those immigrants that have worked hard to earn their citizenship. It's also unfair to the illegals themselves who often face predators, both animal and human variety, just trying to cross the boarders.

It would seem our government isn't concerned with effective U.S. immigration law enforcement. A recent action by average citizens proves that it is possible to keep a tighter grip on our boarders if only the government would step up to the plate. Where was the ACLU during all of this? The once heralded protector of the common man? Out smoking pot.

Not that I have anything against the ACLU in particular. I'm just against communism in general. Roger Nash Baldwin, a founding member, was once quoted as saying,

"I seek the social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class and sole control by those who produce wealth. Communism is, of course, the goal."

While I applaud the organization in fighting for some of the biggest civil liberty cases in U.S. History, they are shoddily inconsistent and biased in their approach. The fact that they are in support of CAIR is alone cause for me to withdraw support.

... oh, and NAMBLA

The Left is not Right

2005-07-10T03:13:00.000-07:00

Fisking Armando over at Kos:
. . . Meanwhile in Iraq
by Armando

Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 01:18:24 PDT

More violence:

A suicide bomber killed at least 18 people and wounded more than 40 at an Iraqi army recruiting center in western Baghdad on Sunday, police and hospital sources said.

It was the bloodiest suicide bombing in a week that has seen something of a lull in this form of attack.

A suicide car bomber also killed three civilians and wounded 10 near the local authority building in the ethnically tense northern oil city of Kirkuk on Sunday, police said.

Update [2005-7-10 4:18:24 by Armando]: One for the whoops department:

The U.S. commander of military forces in and around the Iraqi capital said Friday that insurgents apparently are no longer capable of carrying out more than sporadic attacks in Baghdad after a seven-week security crackdown. Maj. Gen. William Webster, who heads the 30,000 U.S. and foreign troops and 15,000 Iraqi soldiers known collectively as Task Force Baghdad, cautioned that "there are some more threats ahead. I do believe, however, that the ability of these insurgents to conduct sustained high-intensity operations, as they did last year -- we've mostly eliminated that."

Boy they made a liar out of that General pretty damn quick didn't they? Tip to btzoo.

No "they" didn't. One attack does not a "sustained, high-intensity operation" make. Lets just ignore the fact that there was a lull. Lets just ignore the fact that no more than a month ago these VBIEDs where modus operandi for the AI forces in Iraq. The fact is we're stopping them. And I no longer call them suicide bombers either - recent reports indicate that the "bombers" are druged and strapped (taped and handcuffed) inside the cars. The bombs themselves have two ignition devices - one which the driver can operate and one remote. Seems to me that if you force someone to kill themselves that should be called murder not suicide.

And the British are leaving! the British are leaving! Probably:

The British government appeared to confirm a newspaper report that it had a plan for sharply cutting back its military presence in the south of the country early next year alongside a possible halving of U.S. forces further north at the same time. The defense minister said the plan was just one scenario.

Oh really? Leaving now? Not re-allocating resources? Concentrating troops where most needed? Acutally leaving the country? The quote states the Brits will cut back it's military presence. Not that it will withdraw it's troops from the country. But when you're grabbing at any straws to justify your position sometimes the facts can get kinda muddled I guess. Why would they withdraw from the south and the U.S. the north? Could it possibly be because the northern and southern provences of Iraq are less violent? That Iraqi Police and Security Forces are able to do the job themselves? We wouldn't want that now would we? That would mean we're winning and Busco would be justified! Can't have that no matter what the facts proves. As we all know, truth is just a matter of perspective....

And there is no end in sight:

A spokesman for the Pentagon, which has said the war in Iraq could last years, insisted Washington had no schedule for withdrawal.

Wait. Didn't you just state the British were leaving?

And Afghanistan remains problematic:

With Britain about to take the lead NATO military role in Afghanistan, a reduction in Iraq has been widely expected.

Oh and Osama bin Laden remains a free man, even though Porter Goss knows where he is, but he doesn't have a permission slip to go get him from Pakistan.

Yeah, free to choose any hole he wants to hide in. Seen any videos from him lately? No? Strange that after a major Al Queda ops he's silent. Probably just searching for the right things to say. Maybe the batteries for his Camcorder ran out...

And we are less safe now than on 9/11.

Wrong. 2,000+ killed on September 11. 192 killed in Spain on March 11. 49 killed on July 7 in England. See a trend here?

Worst President ever.

Worst. Post. Ever.

China? Who the fsck is China ...

2005-07-05T02:31:00.000-07:00

Google News has an article from Businessweek Online reporting the Chinese goverment basically telling the US Government to back off on the UNOCAL deal.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry indicates in a statement released Tuesday, "We demand that the U.S. Congress correct its mistaken ways of politicizing economic and trade issues and stop interfering in the normal commercial exchanges between enterprises of the two countries," .

The Iranian and North Korean goverments like to do this too - tell us how to conduct our own affairs. This posturing is kinda silly if you ask me. I stopped doing it in the 5th grade.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm an ardent capitalist. If CNOOC was *not* a state owned entity then I'd be all for it - yay Capitalism! But CNOOC is owned by China. Chevron isn't owned by the U.S. Not even in part. That makes the CNOOC offer an unfair bid in my eyes. If we were to put the GNP of the U.S. behind Chevron's bid then I would reconsider. This isn't just protectionist rhetoric either - those that know me know I am no protectionist. Heck, I would even consider a bid fair if the state which owned the corporation was a democracy - any democracy. But this isn't the case. The state in question is a socialist junta. In that environment you get locked up in very nasty places if you dissent with the party. You think the CEO of CNOOC is immune?

This really isn't a trade issue - it's a security issue. Do we really want a national resource owned by a potential enemy state? And China is far from friendly. Those that think otherwise may be overmedicating. All the hubbub comming out of that country is for one purpose - to keep the masses occupied. Keep them distracted from the fact that though their country has one of the highest GPDs of the world - 3rd after the U.S. and EU (per 2005 CIA world factbook) it has 10% of it's population living below the poverty line (U.S. = 5.5%) and has 9.8% unemployment (U.S. = 5.5%, EU = 9.5%). If I were Chinese I'd be pissed as well.

I just hope the Chinese people remember they have t'ien ming, a Mandate of Heaven, and overthrow the current despots and put new ones in charge.

Kelo vs. New London - addendum

2005-06-30T03:33:00.000-07:00

This is ironic.

It seems a developer has applied to the City of Weare, N.H. to develop a property on the very land His Honor Justice David Souter currently calls home. (Hattip: Michael Badnarik - Libertarian Presidential Candidate - 2004.)

This apparently isn't a joke either. The applicant is CEO of Freestar Media, LLP. Here is the story from their website. This is grassroots activism at it's best. I just wonder why more people don't jump on the bandwagon. We only really need to build 5 hotels. And if the Justices don't like it - they can appeal.

I think it's sad that the left has spoken so positively about this decision. All the rhetoric socialists spew fourth about protecting the people is just that I guess: spew. Without the right to own property our other rights are undermined. The right to religion? Can't practice that freedom if you can't build a synagogue, church or mosque in which to practice your religion. Freedom of the press? How can you print anything without a place to store your presses (or in the case of the Internet, a place to store your servers)? These ideas are better fleshed out in The Spectator.

I don't like this decision. The Justices have taken a very broad interpretation of "Public Use" replacing it with "Public Purpose". Their reasons for doing so are wholly inadequate.

Kelo vs New London

2005-06-26T01:01:00.000-07:00

As most of you already know, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has voted 5-4 in favor of eminent domain powers. For those that don't know, eminent domain powers are those given to local and national governing bodies (i.e. your State Legislature and our National Government) by the 5th Amendment. These powers allow for a government to seize private property :

'nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.'
- US Constitution, 5th Amendment

As FindLaw states, this is a tacit recognition of a preexisting right that the states have allowing them to seize private property as long as that land is to be put to public use (i.e. for the betterment of society as a whole). These powers, at least how I read them, are further fleshed out in the 14th Amendment, section 1.

Initially, I'm pretty skeptical about the whole deal. On the surface it seems that SCOTUS just sided with big business though Armondo at DailyKos seems to think otherwise. The dissertation was pretty lengthy and well written. It even gave me pause and made me reevaluate my initial position. I still think they made the wrong decision though and here's why: It's the job of the Supreme Court to check the other two governing bodies. When legislators and our executives fail to protect the people; SCOTUS us our last bulwark.

They have passed the buck so to speak. It is now up to the states to decide where they stand on legislatures handing over eminent domain powers to private corporations. Sucks to be living in Florida and Connecticut right now. Seems precedent is set in those states. Even my own state seems pretty much on track to derail a citizens right to his or her property. Citizens, at the state level, will have to try to influence legislators on how broadly to define eminent domain. I really don't know if your average citizen is up to the task.

I'm still developing my opinion on the matter but as it stands now I think SCOTUS made the wrong call.

Lead By Example vs. Tell Others What To Do

2005-06-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

I got this from perusing DailyKos. I like to read what the Left has to say sometimes. Helps me keep things in perspective. Between some of the nutjobs at Kos and some of the nutjobs at LGF I find the middle ground where I feel most people stand.

The article is pretty negative when it comes to describing a unit of the Iraqi military in a sector of Iraq. I assume the Washington Post printed a current story and not something someone came up with 3 or 4 months ago. That said the article seems pretty gloomy. I see it in another light though. I see it through the eyes of a former soldier and outside party. One thing I noted from the article is this:

An hour later, the men returned to Forward Operating Base Summerall, a sandy expanse behind concrete barricades and concertina wire a few miles outside town. They followed U.S. military protocol: Each soldier dismounted from the vehicle and cleared his weapon. [Cpl.] Zwayid stayed in the truck, handed his gun to a friend and asked him to clear it.

"Get down and clear your own weapon!" Cpl. William Kozlowski shouted to Zwayid in English.

Zwayid answered in Arabic. "That's my weapon," he explained, pointing to his friend.

"Corporal, you're a leader!" Kozlowski shouted back. "Take charge!"

Zwayid smiled at him. "What's he saying to me?" he whispered.

Therein lies the difference in mentality which I think plagues the ME. The US soldier is steeped in the "Lead by Example" mentality. US doctrine is built around leading from the front. As a leader you don't ask another soldier to do something you are not willing to do yourself.

The Iraqi leader has had a different example all his life. He has only been exposed to a "Tell Others What To Do" style of leadership. Leaders are tantamount to kings. They tell others to do things and don't sully themselves by doing such menial tasks. From the Caliphs down through Saddam it has always been this way. Deference has been given to a leader.

I think the lack of respect shown towards the Iraqi soldiers by the US troops stems from this difference. In Iraq, I guess respect is given. In America it's earned. While it's important that we learn from the culture in which our soldiers are immersing themselves I also believe they can learn something from us. One soldier commented on the fact that the insurgents were willing to die for their cause. Isn't his own freedom worth dying for as well? Isn't the freedom they haven't had the chance to experience in over 24 years worth dying for? If they don't learn this lesson from us then they'll soon have another Saddam in charge.

One must also take the article in context. The reporter was in Baiji which is about 130 miles north of Baghdad. Of course our main efforts to rebuild will start in the capitol and radiate outward. That means there will be places that see less of everything. If we attempted to rebuild the entire country en masse we would fail miserably. Instead we take things one step at a time. To gain a better perspective, the reporter should also report from Southern Iraq where the population makeup is different. Or Northern Iraq where the Kurds hold power and it's much safer (our troops head there for R&R).

Instead he reports from the Sunni Triangle, hotbed of insurgent activity. This leads me to believe the reporter has an agenda. He takes a piece of the pie and declares it is representative of the whole pie (the Title of the article was Building Iraqs Army: Operation Improbable). Such a statement is just absurd.

FSCK Amesty International ...

2005-06-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

I started listening to this and had to stop ...

I have more to say on the matter but right now my inflamed brain can only come up with :

FSCK Amnesty International!

On a less serious note ...

2005-06-07T23:57:00.000-07:00

Google Maps Rocks!

Planning a trip to Kill Devil Hills over Father's Day Week-end.
Tried out Google Maps - much better than Mapquest. It pops up mini maps as you select each leg in the directions and you can even see satellite photos of the areas. Very nice indeed.

I'm such a nerd!

More on Operation Lightning and other roundups

2005-06-02T18:23:00.000-07:00

Iraq The Model: Mohammed posted another update on Operation Lightning. Seems Iraqi security forces "arrested 49 terror suspects in the districts of Hurriya, A'amil, Ghazaliya and Mada'in in and around Baghdad." Also, more bases and districts are being handed over to Iraqi forces as they are deemed qualified to run ops by themselves. Will we see any of this positive news in any MSM outlets? Of course not!

RealClear Politics: Col. Bay posted a comment on a column by Deborah Saunders. It's a good read. (hattip: Austin Bay Blog).

Free Iraqi: Ali gives some pretty informative insight into the machinations of some of the power groups operating in Iraq.

Con or Lib: Which are you?

2005-06-01T18:48:00.000-07:00

This is me:

Your Political Profile

Overall: 70% Conservative, 30% Liberal

Social Issues: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Personal Responsibility: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

Fiscal Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal

Ethics: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Defense and Crime: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

How Liberal / Conservative Are You?

Strange really .. thought I'd be more conservative. The answers for each question are kind of extreme and you only get two choices so ... this is a very rough estimate at best.

Mohammed my friend ...

2005-05-31T14:13:00.000-07:00

This is from Iraq The Model:

Monday, May 30, 2005

Following Operation Lightning.
Yesterday operation lightning began and we noticed an excessive presence of the Iraqi army and police forces on the streets and main squares in Baghdad with an obvious readiness for confronting the terrorists.

It's become clear that the phenomenon of seeing terrorists taking control of streets and government buildings in Baghdad had diminished long time ago but it's not completely over yet. And I guess that operation lightning will mobilize the terrorists out of their hides because awaiting clashing with the security forces is worse (from the terrorists point of view) is much worse than the fight itself and they realize that having their hides assaulted one at a time will render them weaker as they would have to fight in much smaller groups.

Baghdad had witnessed high activity for the terrorists in the western part of the city which is geographically close to Anbar province; around a hundred armed men tried to control a police station where many of the most dangerous criminals were kept in custody and it seems that one of the prisoners is of significant value to the terrorists and my assumption is that the police force in charge wasn’t aware of the importance of that prisoner.

The attackers detonated a number of car bombs in the nearby intersections apparently in an attempt to prevent Iraqi or American reinforcements from reaching the operation scene while they attacked the police station with mortars and RPGs.
The battle lasted for more than 2 hours and helicopters and jet fighters attended the scene and eye witnesses said that some f-16's patrolled the area at very low altitudes but didn't fire at anything.

The policemen fought bravely and defended their station and the attack was successfully repelled after a number of the attackers got killed while the rest fled the area but additional army and police forces blocked the adjacent streets and started chasing the terrorists.

According to news sources in Baghdad, hundreds (nearly 500) suspects were captured in the 1st 24 hours of operation lightning and many weapons were confiscated; some were hidden in caches while others were found during inspecting vehicles in checkpoints.

If we follow the curve of the terrorists power we'll find that the curve is going down in general and I believe that they cannot win the battle on the strategic or the tactical level.
The illusion of the "resistance" had anaesthetized many people that they even forgot all logical and scientific calculations and I don't know how those people are going to deal with the facts when the terrorists are completely defeated.
We've been challenged in our home and we cannot afford to runaway from the challenges and keep weeping about the past. It's our battle and it's a battle for existence and that's why we must fight it to the end.

Mohammed.
- posted by Omar @ 21:49

Of course - we won't see anything like this in the MSM ... and the left will probably lament all the "innocents" that get caught up in the round up.

Sith ... yet another review.

2005-05-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

I could not have produced a better review than the one written by NC's own Orson Scott Card.
(Hat-tip: vodkapundit)

Here's a snippet:

But the story itself, the epic that had so inspired Young Mr. Lucas, does have grandeur in it that his own ineptness was unable to destroy. There is power in the sheer ambition of it. Sitting in the flickering light of a dying fire, listening to the old man tell us the tale he learned in his youth, we are captivated despite the cracking of the old man's voice and the fact that everything he says is a cliche. For we know, at some level, that the tale has some truth in it.

2005-05-19T23:33:00.000-07:00

I was reading an article on Chrenkoff commenting on Donald Trumps proposal for replacing the WTC towers.

I have to agree with the man. I think the best thing for New York, New Yorkers and this country is to rebuild the towers bigger, better and stronger. I don't like the Freedom Towers concept. The last 276 ft of the tower is basically a skeleton. The architectural homages included within the design are just too fancy for my taste and don't reflect the true nature of the American People post 9/11.

Of course, as always, this is just my opinion. Please feel free to comment.

Moore Minutemen die for the "cause" ...

2005-05-13T21:48:00.000-07:00

From the StrategyPage:

May 13, 2005; Sunni Arab terrorists have stepped up their violence, with over 400 civilians killed so far this month. American casualties are up as well, with about two coalition troops dying each day, versus one a day two months ago. But more and more of the killers are foreigners. Syrians, Egyptians, Yemenis and Saudis are among those being captured, or identified after their are dead. Raids on terrorist safe-houses usually yield documents and computer records that list the large number of foreigners involved in the terrorism. Over the last two decades, Saudi Arabian charities have established tens of thousands of religious schools that preach Islamic radicalism and hatred of non-Moslems. Most of the Sunni Arabs coming to die in Iraq are the products of those religious schools. These "martyrs" can't get to North America or Europe, and are unable to get organized sufficiently to kill Infidels (non-Moslems) in their own countries. But in Iraq, the Baath Party will supply weapons and some direction for those who want to kill, and are willing to die in the process. The foreigners are particularly wanted because they are willing to kill Iraqis. To an Islamic radical, the wives and children of Iraqis who collaborate with the Infidels are worthy of death. Thus the majority of terror attacks are in neighborhoods where Iraqis support the government. Everyone there is considered a legitimate target by the terrorists. There are still many neighborhoods where the terrorists are welcome, and where the terrorists do not set off their bombs. These are the neighborhoods where police, soldiers and coalition forces encounter ambushes and hostility.

American Marines are still finding and shutting down terrorist safe-houses along the Syrian border. There, well armed groups of Islamic radicals have stood and fought. But these fanatics are not well trained, and suffer over twenty dead for each American they manage to kill. Iraqi border guards are already making it more difficult to cross the Iranian, Saudi and Kuwaiti borders. But most of the killers come across from Syria, where the government does not want to stop the flow, fearing that these Islamic killers would realize that they have plenty of targets in Syria (where the government is dominated by Alawites, an Islamic sect considered heretical by Islamic conservatives.).

To paraphrase Hannibal Smith: "I love it when a plan comes together."

2005-05-10T22:05:00.000-07:00

From Daily Kos:

Can't recruit? Hire private soldiers
by kos
Tue May 10th, 2005 at 15:17:06 PDT

Job Posting
Government contractor seeking applicants for overseas assignment in KUWAIT. Excellent pay & benefits up to $60,000+.
The FPO performs duties under the direct supervision of the Shift Sergeant and the Shift Supervisor. The FPO is responsible for providing security, force protection and support for the U.S. Army's ARS (Area Support Group) assets at various U.S. Army Compounds in the country of Kuwait. FPOs serve as team members performing individual basic combat tactics and techniques unique to military service. They adhere to post orders unique to individual posts that range in function from static posts to roving patrols to escorting VIPs or military asset convoys and other missions as assigned. They must be able to perform as a fire team member to provide defense against attacks and terrorist operations. The duties of the FPO are similar to those of an Army MP.
$60,000+
Army 2005 pay scale.

Private: $13,711
Private E-2: $14,822
Private First Class: $17,475
Specialist/Corporal: $19,352
Sergeant: $21,108
Staff Sergeant: $23,040
Sergeant First Class: $26,640
What is wrong with this picture?

Well .....

Base Pay is just that - Base.
You need to add:
Housing Allowance - both enlisted and officers are provided housing on most bases. They are provided a stipend if housing is full or if they decide to live off-post. The stipend is based of the cost of living in a certain area.
Clothing allowance - Enlisted (Officers get a one time Clothing allowance) are provided a stipend to help defray the cost of uniform upkeep.
Subsistence Allowance - Those authorized to mess separately are provided this separately. Most single enlisted who live in the barracks are feed in the mess hall.
Separation Allowance - for those assigned to posts where dependents are not allowed.
Dislocation Allowance - to help defray the cost of moving. This does not include the actually shipping of household goods which the military pays for - this is equal to two months Housing Allowance.
Cost of Living Allowance - to help defray the cost of local economies.
Free Health and Dental Care for soldiers and their dependents.
Special Pay - amount varies depending on pay type. Foreign Language pays an additional $100/month. Combat Pay (Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger) pays $150-$225/month. Jump Pay is $150/month.

It all can be found here.

I think Kos is asking the wrong questions. What corporation would pay an employee for each certification he/she holds? Would increase that pay based on where he/she lived and what he/she did? Would give that person extra money if they filled a much needed skill? Would not only pay to move that employee but also give that employee a "loan" to help with movement costs? There are also numerous hidden benefits that civilians, even most soldiers, don't know about. Every base has a fully stocked garage. Want to change your oil? Rent a bay for as little as $3 and you have all the tools you need. They even dispose of the oil for you. Need to register your car - done onbase. PXs and BXs offer tax-free shopping to military personnel and their dependents.

I know. I know. The point of the article was to show how the "Military" is getting screwed over by Bushco. Well, I'd hate to break it to them (and the moonbats that read that site would probably ignore me anyway) but cuts in Defense Spending have been going on since well before the Clinton Years™. Despite the misinformation that is presented by Kos - if you really wanted to know what was spent where all you have to do is research (omg - not that!). Of course - these are numbers from the White House and as you know Rove probably spun it.

One small step ...

2005-05-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

It's kinda funny that the Marines, possibly the most conservative branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, is taking the first steps at total integration:

Marine raid breaks gender barrier
By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, May 4, 2005

KARMAH, Iraq — Lance Cpl. Erin Libby doesn’t want to be treated the same as her male Marine Corps counterparts. But she does want to be treated as an equal — even in combat.

In a way, she got her chance last weekend when Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment led a raid into the city of Karmah in search of high-value targets and hidden weapons.

“We’re out here, and we’re rocking on the front line,” said Libby, a 21-year-old from Niceville, Fla., who pinned on the rank of lance corporal during a break in the mission.

In all, 14 women from Combat Logistics Battalion 8 were called away from their usual jobs of supplying ammunition, food, water, fuel and mail for the three-day offensive that kicked off in the pre-dawn hours Saturday about 15 miles northeast of Fallujah.

Cultural sensitivities precluded male Marines from searching women, so the female Marines were meant to deflate fears of Iraqi men and women, said the battalion executive officer, Maj. Larry Miller. It was a first in Iraq to have female Marines embedded at the lowest levels of infantry companies and working alongside their male counterparts, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jill St. John, 39, an embark officer with CLB-8.

“This is history. This is huge for us,” St. John said. “I’ve been in the Marine Corps for 18 years, and this is my first opportunity to be out with an infantry company. Even five years ago, the Marine Corps wouldn’t be doing this. This is a major change in how we think women can be used in the military.”

While female Marines were used in similar fashion during missions in Afghanistan, they were not fully integrated with line companies, St. John said.

“It wasn’t quite as dynamic as this. They’d wait at a camp in the rear and were called in when needed, often called in for resupply,” such as bringing in food and water.

“I’m so sick of hearing females can’t do this and females can’t do that. Blah, blah, blah,” said Cpl. Rachel Bergstrong, 20, of Cumming, Ga. “We’re in it as much as the grunts, and we love it.”

The battalion’s Lima and India companies absorbed the women into their ranks, giving them the primary mission to search women and children suspected of hiding anything. But the female Marines’ presence was not intended to show a softer side of the Marine Corps, said Capt. Mark Liston, commander of India Company.

“They’re still a fighting force for us,” he said. “With them, we can grab a wife [of a suspected insurgent], for example, put the screws to her, and find out where the husband might be hiding. And while it hasn’t been used here, [the insurgency has] been known to use female suicide bombers,” Liston said.

But there were times in which the softer side appeared in both the male and female Marines. When they weren’t raiding homes and businesses, the Marines were on humanitarian missions, handing out food, water and toys, especially to the hordes of children who flocked to the streets when the Humvees rolled in.

“Whenever I read about these humanitarian missions, I always thought it was so cheesy,” Libby said after tossing out handfuls of stuffed animals. “Now I’m the one sounding cheesy, but I like this. It makes you feel good inside.”

They’re often referred to as the WMs, or women Marines. They hate it, and the crass distortions of the acronym some say they’ve heard.

“We’re Marines, bottom line,” said Cpl. Dawn Lansberry, 31.

“I’m out here to prove a point,” Libby said. “A lot of males think females are weak. It’s time to shine, and I’m going to leave here golden.”

I just have to say - it's about damn time!

Journalist Tells Her "Truth", Comes Up Short

2005-05-02T00:55:00.000-07:00

I just got finished reading the U.S. report on the March 4, 2005 shooting in Iraq that involved an Italian journalist. I found a link in the comments section on an article about the new Ridley Scott film Kingdom of Heaven over at LGF.

I found the report to be pretty well balanced. Of course I'm pretty pro-military so my opinion is biased.

Some highlights from the report (I quote the actual report in boldface):

The scene of the incident wasn't a Checkpoint but rather a Blocking Point. Both are a means of controlling traffic but a Checkpoint allows for inspection/searches of vehicles traveling along a road and a Blocking Point (BP) is used to prevent travel on that road altogether. The BP consisted of a Blocking Vehicle and an Overwatch Vehicle. Both Blocking and Overwatch vehicles had automatic weapon points but neither had their weapons pointed directly at the on-ramp, where the BP had been established. The BP had established an Alert Line and a Warning Line along the onramp which acted as designated points for certain warnings to be given to oncoming traffic. Prior to the Alert Line a spotlight would be directed at an approaching vehicle. As the vehicle neared the Alert Line, a green laser pointer would be directed against the driver side window in an attempt to get the drivers attention. If a vehicle approaches the Warning Line the shots are fired in yet another attempt to get the vehicles attention. If the Warning Line is breached then shots are fired into the vehicles engine block in an attempt to disable the vehicle. This is basically what happened that night. The BP had successfully turned around between 15 and 30 vehicles from 1930 (when the BP was established) to 2050 (when the Italian's car arrived).

The vehicle approaches the BP at high speed:
Though not in the habit of checking his speedometer, Mr. XXXXXX estimated his speed at 70-80 kph as he exited off of Route Vernon, heading toward the on-ramp to Route Irish.

It is at this point the vehicle is lit up with the spotlight:
Specialist XXXXX, holding the spotlight in his left hand, shined his spotlight onto the car before it arrived at the Alert Line.

The car did not slow down:
Both Specialist XXXXXX and Sergeant XXXXXX perceived the car to be traveling in excess of 50 mph. (Annexes 79C, 87C, 129C, 134C).
(U) The car crossed the Alert Line still heading towards the Soldiers’ position without slowing down.

Of interest at this point is that at least two of the soldiers at the BP were Police Officers in their civilian lives and are trained to judge car speeds. The car is also traveling at a speed faster than that of any car previously encountered that evening.

At this point the car has crossed the Alert Line and is approaching the Warning Line:
(U) The car continued to approach at a high rate of speed, coming closer to the Soldiers than any other vehicle that evening. (Annexes 79C, 87C, 129C). When the car got to the Warning Line, Specialist XXXXX, while still holding the spotlight in his left hand, used his right hand to quickly fire a two to four round burst into a grassy area to the on-coming vehicle’s right (the pre-set aiming point) as a warning shot. (Annexes 79C, 87C, 125C, 129C, 134C).
(U) The vehicle maintained its speed as it went beyond the Warning Line.

So - spotlight, laser pointer and now warning shots are all used in an attempt to gain the drivers attention. What does the driver do? He hits the gas:
(U) Mr. XXXX told Sergeant XXXXX who Ms. Sgrena was and that he was trying to get to the airport. He told Sergeant XXXXX that he heard shots from somewhere, and that he panicked and started speeding, trying to get to the airport as quickly as possible. Mr. XXXXX further told Sergeant XXXXXX that he continued to speed down the ramp, and that he was in a hurry to get to the airport. (Annexes 91C, 136C).

After the vehicle crosses the Warning Line, shots are fired into the engine block in an attempt to disable the vehicle. It is only after the shots hit the vehicle that the driver hits the breaks and the car comes to a rolling stop.

As for Ms. Sgrena's "avalanche of bullets":
This analysis disclosed 11 entrance bullet holes. They are consistent with 7.62 mm bullets. Three bullets perforated the front section of the car at the bumper, right head light, and right fender. Two bullets perforated the windshield. Six bullets perforated the right side, right door, right front and rear passenger windows. No bullet holes or ricochet damage was noted on the car’s undercarriage.

...(U) The ammunition box in the blocking vehicle originally contained 200 rounds. There were 142 rounds remaining in the M240B ammunition box. No casings were collected. Eleven rounds hit the vehicle. The weapon had been fired on seven previous occasions using the same ammunition box. As such, there were no more than 40 additional rounds that could have been fired.

U) Specialist XXXXX was the only one to fire his weapon. (Annexes 77C, 79C, 81C, 83C, 85C, 87C, 89C).
(U) The car was traveling at approximately 50 mph as it crossed the Warning Line. (Annex 83C). (U) Mr. XXXXX did not apply his brakes until after the rounds began striking the car. (Annexes 104C, 105C).
(U) Given the cyclic rate of fire of the M240B, Specialist XXXXXX's expertise with the weapon, and that only 11 rounds struck the vehicle with only five of those impacting the front of the car, it is highly unlikely that any shots were fired after the car came to a stop.

Of course this will be disputed by the Italians. It's expected, especially since their government is in flux and their leader is trying to garner popular support before elections. Machiavelli was Italian was he not? I can't wait until their report comes out.