President Bush, Victory in Iraq

Speaking at the U.S. Naval Academy, President Bush laid out the plan for victory in Iraq. America's strategy is clear: we will help Iraqis build a stable democracy, a strong economy, and security forces that can defend the Iraqi people and fight the terrorists. And we will never give in to the enemy by cutting and running before the job is done.

Read the President's complete Strategy for Victory in Iraq here, and write a letter to the editor to spread the word about the President's plan.

In Iraq, our troops' heroic work is paying off. Iraqis will soon vote in their third democratic election this year. Groups that boycotted earlier elections are joining the political process. On the security front, Iraqi troops and police are growing stronger and more ready to defend their country. Increasingly, Iraqis are taking the lead in joint operations to root out the terrorists. As Iraqi forces stand up, our troops' mission will shift away from patrolling Iraqi cities and towards hunting down the most dangerous terrorists.

In spite of the incredible progress made by our troops, some in Washington still are proposing artificial deadlines for withdrawal. This is not a plan for victory. Cutting and running would send a message to the terrorists that our will can be broken, inviting more attacks on our troops and on our homeland. It would tell our friends that America is a weak and unsteady ally. So long as George W. Bush is our President, America will never return to the dangerous, pre-September 11th illusion that the terrorists can be appeased by simply turning our backs.

In response to the President's clear plan, Democrats like minority leader Harry Reid offer empty political attacks, calling the President's speech "tired rhetoric" even before it was given. Yet these same Democrats agree with key elements of President Bush's strategy, with Sen. Joe Biden writing that "we must forge a sustainable political compromise between Iraqi factions, strengthen the Iraqi government and bolster reconstruction efforts, and accelerate the training of Iraqi forces." That sounds exactly like what the President is proposing. These Democrats fundamentally agree on what needs to happen in Iraq, but they're attacking for political gain. Are these attacks designed to help us win the war on terror, or help them win the next election?

President Bush offers a way forward on Iraq, not empty political posturing. Read the strategy and spread the word in your community.

Sincerely,

Ken Mehlman
Chairman,
Republican National Committee

Miriam's Prayer

This is part of a prayer for the Christians who've been kidnapped by terrorists in Iraq. She has written this beautiful prayer as an article in her blog, and she has asked me to share it with you. Even if you do not agree with her, please do not ignore her. If you would, please distribute this article so more people may pray for the lives of these kind people. Thank you.

Pearls of Iraq: Free the Christian Pearls of Iraq

Please do not ask for a ransom. Most of the people are poor, they gave up everything to serve God by helping the Iraqi people. Regardless of religion, peace builders are poor in hand…rich in love for God and service to others. You will receive your ransom in love, respect and dialogue. Maybe this is what the insurgency groups wants…dialogue, real dialogue. I will tell you, if you want people to dialogue and really listen, do not go to the military, go to these people. They will really listen, wallah. It is Islamic and Christian peace builders who should replace the military, inshallah, inshallah.

I will not go on and on tonight, people know the space I am in right now. I do ask that prayers be made to release our brothers who, in their love for God and the Iraqis, are there to serve. I ask that this blog be given to this group if possible and will answer questions as best I can concerning peacebuilding and nonviolence. Fellow Islamic peacebuilders speak out now in support of our Christian brothers. I conduct Islamic peacebuilding but honor, respect and love my Christian peace builders, in particular, this very special group in Iraq, who have been in my prayers for almost 3 years. [read the whole prayer].

Ugandan Rebels Seek Peace Talks

Senior commander Vincent Otti of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has stated a willingness to face the International Court to face justice in order to bring peace to the region. He has also stated that the Ugandan government should be willing to go the International Court to face charges of crimes committed in Northern Uganda against the people.

The LRA has fought in northern Uganda and Sudan for 19 years, abducting children and forcing them to fight.

This is very good news for the peace in this region. There has been much suffering, fear, death, slavery, and war. It is time to lay down arms, and allow people to choose their freedom.

"I am Lieutenant-General Vincent Otti and want this talk with the government of Uganda to end the rebellion, because now we fought for 20 years, we are ready for this talk from today," he said.

He called on the government to respond to the request for peace talks, and said he was speaking with the backing of rebel commander Joseph Kony.

Along with others, these two LRA commanders are wanted by the International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

There has been many attempts to hold peace talks before, with President Yoweri Museveni desiring only a military solution.

There were peace talks on the table more than a year ago, but they broke. They are not the only thing that is broken. This country is 93,070 square miles (about the size of Oregon) with a population of approxiametely 26 million people. They appear to have the resources for a booming economy, if given the opportunity. Here is some information about Uganda.

Most of the information in this article was obtained from Passion of the Present, a very fine source of information. The focus is mostly on Darfur, Sudan, but they cover many other areas in Africa when time permits. SaveDarfur.org is also a very good site for information.

These people are doing a great job informing others so we may not stay ignorant. Only by knowledge can we truly effect change. Hey, if we don't know what is wrong-let alone if there is indeed something wrong-how can we demand justice?

Technorati tags: Uganda, peace talks, lord's resistance army, LRA, Passion of the Present, save darfur, and state department.

News (Apparently) Unfit to Print

Gay & Right has a remarkable story about how the terrorists in Gaza Strip are trying to deny freedom of speech to the jounalists whom are trying to erase corruption from the government and the AP who is allowed to stand there to take pictures for propaganda. How is this, you ask? Hmm. Good question.

There was also another trial that did not receive much press. It is the trial in Jordan of the 13 people who plotted to spread a deadly chemical weapon on Jordan. (But there are no weapons, right? Think again!)

The government says if the attack had been carried out, it would have sent a cloud of toxic chemicals across Amman, killing thousands. [read the whole story]

They were threatening to bring down the monarchy. Only 9 are in custody, while the other 3 are being tried in absentia.

I have three very good articles from Counter Terrorism. The first one, written by Evan Kohlmann, covers the twisting of the facts by the Washington Post. Not only this, this journalist goes after Vice President Dick Cheney without any basis.

The second story, written by Victor Comras, covers the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba as it continues to interfere in the rescue and aid missions in Kashmir. This is an arm of al Qaeda. Thirdly, written by Olivier Guitta, let us give credit where credit is due. Morocco is fighting al Qaeda! All three stories are excellent reads, and they provide much needed information.

Now for a little humor.

In order to be a Liberal...
1. You have to be against capital punishment, but support abortion on demand.
2. You have to believe that corporations create oppression and governments create prosperity. (This one is really important)
3. You have to believe that guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens are more of a threat than nuclear weapons technology in the hands of Chinese and North Korean communists or Islamic fundamentalists.
4. You have to believe that there was no art before government funding.
5. You have to believe that global temperatures are less affected by cyclical documented changes in the earth's climate and more affected by soccer moms driving SUV's. [read the rest here]

Okay, this is taking it too far!

"But did you know that the majority of nativity scene sets, and yes, even especially the ones with popular names with Italian design, are now being made in China?" (Classic Nativity Scenes).

These last two are from our Military. One is from an American Marine. The other is from Big Dog. They both have to do with Christmas.

A letter from a Marine in Fallujah, and Just Say Merry Christmas.

Believe it or not...

Okay. Before we cover this story, I want to make it clear to one and all that there ARE good, sensible people in Canada. They are just NOT in the government! lol.

Having blamed him for just about everything else, some Canadian Liberals now have President George W. Bush taking pot shots at space aliens. [read the article here]

Now, I do not know about you, but I think someone may have had a little too much to drink or smoke!

Breaking News: Saddam's Trial

At 1:50 am PCT time, ABC News broke in with the news that the trial of the Century was about to begin. (My words, trial of the century. May the other totalitarian governments watch and shudder in fear.)

It should be a 15-20 minute delay to reach the USA TV. As I remember hearing it, they are making sure that everyone who is supposed be in the Courthouse is there, so there is no scene like there was the last time.

His lawyers will, of course, try to post-pone the trial, but the people outside and all over the country will not have it. They want a quick trial, and then a quick hanging. They are convinced he is guilty. So am I, but justice must prevail.

He has murdered 148 people in Dejai. If for some freak of nature he is found not guilty, there are many more charges waiting in line to be brought against him.

Oh yeah, Clarkie boy is there. That's all I say about him at this time. Stay tuned.

If you would like to see a short vidoe, here is the clip. You may also find a written article.

It is rather tense, dangerous and exciting all at the same time. This mass murderer will finally see one of his days in court. This is more than he ever gave to any of his victims. May you rot in hell.

Update: Trial has been postponed until December 5 so one of the 8 defendents may find counsil. (Don't you think he would have known by now to get a lawyer?) One witness has testified by tape, because he was very ill. Four days after the testimony, he was laid to rest. He was one of the prison guards. (?)

How The Pilgrims Made Progress

From the OpinionJournal.com.

Behind the Pilgrims' bad harvest in 1621: a lack of property rights.
Friday, November 25, 2005 12:01 a.m. EST

The textbooks don't explain why the Pilgrims had only a meager harvest in 1621, so we will. For their first two years in Plymouth, the settlers conducted an experiment in communalism. It wasn't until 1623 that they divided the land into private plots and could look forward to the kind of bounty that many of us enjoyed yesterday. In his "History of Plimoth Plantation," the colony's governor, William Bradford, wrote about how the settlers studied human nature and laid the foundation for true Thanksgiving: [read more].

Ban EU Air Flights Into USA

European Court of Justice's Advocate General Philippe Leger's opinion toward sharing information about it's air passengers into the United States with the USA is unconstitutional. (This is amazing, since they do not yet have a constitution, unlike the Iraqis.)

He has presented an Advisory Opinion to the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice which is expected to rule on the case in early 2006. This Opinion is a challenge to the May 2004 agreement.

The Counter Terrorism Blog has a remarkably disturbing article about this.

The Advocate General Opinion found that the agreement, while authorized by the EU Council , lacked a sufficient legal basis and was contrary to existing EU law. His Opinion called for the agreement to be annulled. The EU Commission had previously held that the agreement fully met European privacy restrictions criteria. The Advocate General’s finding bolsters a previously existing court challenge to the agreement initiated by the EU Parliament several months ago.

This is a very odd means of governing, but one which we should always be aware. Are they truly friends and allies of America? You be the judge.

All links and vast information is provided by Victor Comras at the Counter Terrorism Blog.

News from Iran 11/26/2005

Sunday, Nov. 19, 2005
Iranian President prevents bullet-proof cars.
**Iran Focus reported that a visit to Iran by Iraq’s top security official and his profuse praise of the Iranian government’s policy have aroused serious questions.
**Iran Focus reported that a top official in Iran’s notorious Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) was running the secret Iraqi Interior Ministry prison in Baghdad.

Monday, Nov. 20, 2005
According to BBC Persian and Persian service of IRNA, the hardline ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi has announced that the Iranians living in the US need 5000 Islamic clerics for their religious services.
**Cato.org asked: Is Iran a Trap?
**The Times of India made the case against Iran.

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2005
**Reuters reported that the EU powers and Washington have suspended their bid to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council instead focuses its efforts on a statement voicing concern about a document received by Iran which contained partial nuclear bomb-making instructions.
**ABC News reported that Iran has built, with the help of North Korea, dozens of underground tunnels and facilities for the construction of nuclear-capable missiles.
**Iran Press News reported on several bloggers and political prisoners being framed and threatened by regime.
**ET, View from Iran found an interesting conversation with Nasser Zarafshan, Ganji's attorney, published in Germany, under the title: Tehran’s reformist mask has come off.
**Intel Iran won't need exit strategy. Iraq's national-security adviser, and other Iraqi officials chastised Iran for supporting Shiite militias and aggravating the insurgency. More gently, they asked for Tehran's help. Mainly the Iraqis demonstrated that, at a strategic level, they are thinking about what their country could look like after the Americans leave.
**Spiegel Online reported that Germany's Angela Merkel says she'll take a hard-line against Tehran if Mahmoud keeps up the madness.

Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2005

All dates have many more articles. To reach the articles, click on the day of the week. Thank you.

Wear RED on Fridays

EDITOR'S NOTE: I received this e-mail from best friend in Florida, Phyllis. Thank you, Phyllis. I know this to be an actual movement by ordinary Americans, because I have heard about this from many of the bloggers sites I have read. I cannot say exactly which ones, but I do remember reading it. It started many months, if not years, ago. Enjoy!

RED FRIDAYS ----- Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority". We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers.
We are not organized, boisterous or over-bearing. We get no liberal media coverage on TV, to reflect our message or our opinions.

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday-and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that..Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their! side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked, "What can we do to make things better for you?" is..."We need your support and your prayers." Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example; and wear something red every Friday.

IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON

IF YOU COULD CARE LESS THEN HIT THE DELETE BUTTON - IT IS YOUR CHOICE. WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE.

THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED---- SO WEAR RED! --- MAY GOD HELP AMERICA TO BECOME ONE NATION, UNDER GOD

International News 11/25/2005

Two Sudanese Soldiers Sentenced to Death (Nov. 16, 2005)
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP)-- A court set up by Sudan to try war crimes in its violence-plagued Darfur region issued its first sentences Wednesday, condemning to death two soldiers in the torture killing of a Sudanese citizen.
Liberia's Johnson-Sirleaf Pledges Change, By JONATHAN PAYE-LAYLEH (Nov. 23, 2005)
MONROVIA, Liberia (AP)-- Africa's first elected female president pledged in her acceptance speech Wednesday to end Liberia's history of corrupt, brutal and male-dominated rule.
Why did the press swallow Massey's stories? By Ron Harris, POST-DISPATCH WASHINGTON BUREAU 11/05/2005
Media outlets throughout the world have reported Jimmy Massey's claims of war crimes, frequently without ever seeking to verify them.

For instance, no one ever called any of the five journalists who were embedded with Massey's battalion to ask him or her about his claims. <...>

But none of the AP reporters ever called Ravi Nessman, an Associated Press reporter who was embedded with Massey's unit. Nessman wrote more than 30 stories about the unit from the beginning of the war until April 15, after Baghdad had fallen.
Sunni Leader Calls for Unity After Bombing, By HAMZA HENDAWI
MAHMOUDIYA, Iraq (AP)-- A day after 30 people died in a suicide bombing here, the preacher at a major Sunni Arab mosque Friday condemned the horrific attack and called for unity between Iraq's rival Muslim communities.
Political Crisis Intensifies in Uganda, By HENRY WASSWA
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP)-- Uganda's main opposition leader again refused to answer terrorism charges in a military court Friday as a political crisis intensified in this East African country ahead of next year's presidential election.
Investigator Says Big CIA Prisons Unlikely, By ALISON MUTLER
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP)-- The head of a European investigation into alleged secret CIA prisons in Eastern Europe said Friday it was unlikely that there were large clandestine detention centers in the region.
U.S. Troops Find Abused Cheetah Cubs, By ANTHONY MITCHELL
GODE, Ethiopia (AP) -- U.S. soldiers discovered two endangered cheetah cubs being held captive and abused in a restaurant in this dusty, remote Ethiopian village and have launched a campaign for the animals' rescue.

The New Angels

I could not pass up this picture . I got it from a Hannity Forum page.

Conservative Angels: Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham

The liberals, democrats and leftists all combined have NO chance against these three women of the conservative movement in our great country.

http://www.michellemalkin.com/
http://www.anncoulter.com/
http://www.lauraingraham.com/

Technorati tags: Liberals, Leftists, Democrats,Conservatives, Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, Opinion

Cross-posted: Knickerbocker News, The Bos'un at MSN

Troops express thanks, invite Iraqis to share their holiday meal

From Stars and Stripes Newspaper:

Troops express thanks, invite Iraqis to share their holiday mealSoldiers stationed in north-central Iraq celebrated a cheerful but contemplative Thanksgiving, thousands of miles and a war zone apart from their families. And in a move reminiscent of the first Thanksgiving, base leaders invited local residents — Iraqi government and military leaders — to celebrate alongside them. Read the story in Stars and Strips

Technorati tags: Thanksgiving, Iraq soldier, Iraqi government ,celebrate, Turkey Day, 101st Airborne , journalists, and Opinion

Cross-posted: Knickerbocker News, The Bos'un at MSN

Happy Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving I would like everyone to set a place at the table for the Soldier who is not home for this year's Thanksgiving. We owe them the Honor they are and have earned. We owe them the respect for the call to Duty they have answered. We owe them for protecting America from enemies, foreign and domestic, so we may be with our Families this Day.

We also owe them the Truth. If you know the truth about the Thanksgiving Day story, share it with your children. It is more likely than not they did not learn it in school. You see, it has to do with God, and giving Thanks to Him in times of Testing as well as in times of Blessing.

If you would care to research the history of Thanksgiving Day, here is the Columbia Encyclopia. Here is the text of the proclamation by President George Washington. It is found in the Avalon Project (on speeches), provided by Yale University.

Have a wonderfully Happy Thanksgiving, and God bless you.

Update: The Opinion Jounal has a very nice article on the the first Thanksgiving upon whence the term "We Gather Together" became an American hymn for Thanksgiving Day.

Norman Sider, a commenter, provided this link to the words and tune. Just click on "Thanksgiving."

Update 2: Please forgive me, Big Dog! For those of you who do not know what trackbacking is, it is when you link to someone else's site. You do this in a way where only a small part of your article is shown. Then people can come to your site and visit. What happened was this. I trackbacked at Big Dog's, but I FORGOT to add his name to this article! This is considered VERY RUDE!

I do apologize. He does have a wonderful site, let me tell you! He is also having an open trackback. That means you may trackback at his site at this particular article. Please forgive me, Big Dog. ;)

Technorati tags: Thanksgiving Day, President Washington, pilgrims, 1621, 1789, and proclamation.

Freedom of Religion Watch Update 11/23/2005

"We live in a culture increasingly hostile to Christians and their faith. America has become a nation where public school students are prohibited from praying, acknowledging their dependence upon God, and forming religious clubs; where schools and communities are challenged from displaying nativity scenes, the Ten Commandments, and other symbols of our religious and moral heritage." ~ Thomas Moore Law Center


Here are some interesting Freedom of Religion issues from around the country:


ACLU threatening school for 'altar call'
Looking for lawsuit plaintiff against prayer at grad ceremony
--WND

Falwell nixes Christmas diss
Boston backs down on disenfranchising Christians with 'holiday tree'
--Boston Herald


No free expression on public sidewalks in Concord
ADF-allied attorney files suit against city for highly restrictive policies against free speech on public sidewalks
--ADF Media Relations

Free at last
After 10-year battle, ADF attorneys secure permanent injunction against NY Board of Education for Bronx church using school for meeting place
--ADF Media Relations

Access denied: Unemployment advocates banished from open forum Presence of Bible verses leads to censoring of ads
--ADF Media Relations

On the air: Massachusetts cable station ends prohibition on religious programming
ADF attorney assists pastor's lawyer in getting city of Gardner to drop religious program ban
--ADF Media Relations

A Little Leaven Leavens the Lump
The Human Rights Campaign may soon be visiting your church, but it won’t be to protest . . . it will be to change your church’s views on sexual behavior and the way you speak about it.
--Baptist Press

Technorati tags:Religious Tolerance, politically correct, Religious Freedom, Opinion, atheist activist, In God We Trust, One Nation Under God, Liberal Left, Anti-Religion, ACLU, Christian ministry program, Freedom From Religion Foundation

Cross-posted:Knickerbocker News, Bosun also at MSN

Op-ed by bosun: New questions about who outed Valerie

The following information was obtained from World Net Daily:

It appears that Joe and Val may have violationed CIA regulations that bars contact with reporters without permission. "Joseph Wilson's agency-employed wife Valerie Plame apparently accompanied him to a breakfast meeting with New York Times reporter Nicholas Kristof in which they discussed the ambassador's controversial mission to Niger one month before Plame allegedly was "outed" by Robert Novak." New Questions About Who Outed Valerie .

"Wilson makes a stunning admission to Vanity Fair magazine reporter, Vick Ward, who reported it in the January 2004 edition of the magazine. It has been theretofore overlooked. The wording of the relevant paragraph needs to be repeated in full since it is clumsy enough to allow misinterpretation: In early May, Wilson and Plame attended a conference sponsored by the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, at which Wilson spoke about Iraq; one of the other panelists was the New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof. Over breakfast the next morning with Kristof and his wife, Wilson told about his trip to Niger and said Kristof could write about it, but not name him." Woodward revelation may be moot

This story has more twists and turns than Lombard street in San Francisco. Not a day goes by when new revelations come out or old ones overlooked by Patrick Fitzgerald and the biased mainstream media are located.

What the heck are we spending good taxpayers dollars for when these "slipshod investigations" and "dog and pony shows" miss so many details? One has to wonder if there has been a miscarriage of justice in this case. Perhaps if the US Attorney had gotten ahold of some good investigators in the first place, the whole story would have come out. "Piece-meal" investigations are like "half-baked" policitians, both waste time and valuable resources. And, they seldom produce favorable results.

Technorati tags: Plame, Wilson, bias, Vanity Fair, investigations, Nicholas Kristof, Robert Novak, Jim Gilliam, outing, CIA, Taylor, journalists, Opinion

Cross-posted: Knickerbocker News, The Bos'un at MSN

Michael Yon Media Appearance: Laura Ingraham Radio Program

Media Alert

Wednesday, November 23, 2005 : Michael will appear on the Laura Ingraham talk show, syndicated to over 250 stations nationwide. To find the time and station broadcasting closest to you, please click this link.

Info to Help Free SpecOps Jack Idema

How many of you understand that Jack Idema is a Special Ops man who is imprisoned in Afghanistan? The Afghanistan justice system has cleared him and the 3 others (one journalist) of all charges. They have done this twice.

I listened to an interview that he was allowed to give, and I was shocked. I urge you, if you can tear yourself away for an hour, listen to this interview. I know it can explain what is happening better than I.

You say you support the troops, right? Well, here is an opportunity to put your money where mouth is.

In the meantime, Cao has written extensively and wonderfully about this situation. Please visit her site.

She is also having an open trackback on this Wednesday. If you could write about Jack, that would be awesome. She will have to okay it first, though. Remember, no foul language, and no negativity. This is not your site you will be trackbacking from!

If you would like to join the Free Jack Idema Team, please e-mail Cao. Thank you.

Update: Rottweitler Puppy has a wonderful article ready for your eyes. It is wonderfully written, not the content. The content confirms why we need to make enough noise to reach the White House! Check it out.

Update 2: Please forgive me, I have forgotten to inform you about Super Patriots. This is also a magnificant site! Please visit...often.

Update 3: Kevin from Pundit Review has written an article about this situation. He is very kind, since I asked him to looked into it around 4-5am this morning! lol.

Beware! Confessions Convict

In Alexandria, VA today, Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was convicted of conspiring to assassinate President Bush in a 3 week trial. He was interviewed in Saudi Arabia, where he claims he was tortured into making the confession that was used against him.

OPINION: I don't care whether or not it is true. The rest of the evidence was equally, if not more so, convincing.

BACK TO THE NEWS: He is facing life imprisonment on February 17, 2006 when he appears for sentencing. Read the whole article.

If you will notice, I used two sources. I would like you to notice the word for word similarity! They appear to be written without any investigating into whether or not the AP is indeed correct. Is there bias? You be the judge.

Tribute to our Boots on the Ground

THE FINAL INSPECTION

The Marine stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

"Step forward now, Marine,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"

The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the Marine waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

"Step forward now, you Marine,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."

~Author Unknown~

It's the Soldier, not the reporter

who has given us the freedom of the press.

It's the Soldier, not the poet,

who has given us the freedom of speech.

It's the Soldier, not the politicians

that ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

It's the Soldier who salutes the flag,

who serves beneath the flag,

and, whose coffin is draped by the flag.

Pray for our men and women who have served,

those who are currently serving our country, and

pray for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

THESE COLORS DON'T RUN

MEMRI Special Dispatch - Saudi Arabia/Jihad & Terrorism Studies Project

Here is one of the advance emails that I receive from MEMRI each week. If you have not visited MEMRI, it may be worth it. For those of you who are regular visitors to MEMRI, bear with me. R/Bosun

Reformist Saudi Author: Religious Cassettes Advocate Jihad by Emphasizing Martyr's Sexual Rewards

To view this Special Dispatch in HTML, visit:
http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD103205

In a November 15, 2005 article in the Saudi daily Al-Iqtisadiyya, Sa'ad Al-Sowayan, a reformist Saudi researcher and columnist, argued that religious cassettes, which are widely available in Saudi Arabia, advocate Jihad by emphasizing the sexual reward awaiting the martyr in Paradise. This is aimed at tempting teenagers who can find no sexual release in conservative Arab society. An English translation of the article was published in the Saudi Gazette on November 17.(1)

The following are excerpts from the translation:

Religious Cassettes Promoting Jihad

"So ubiquitous are the religious cassette shops that they are outnumbered only by groceries. The bulk of cassettes sold in these stalls are motivational. On closer scrutiny, you will realize that their contents are confined to a system of thought that serves to prepare youth to accept its ideas, yield to them, and adopt its Jihad program.

"These cassettes mostly urge people to carry out Jihad through taking up arms, without specifying the zero hour or the Jihad battlefield. As such they advocate Jihad for Jihad's sake. It's a mobilization campaign in which Jihad becomes a state of mind, a mode of living. They want you to give up this foul and mean earthly life, renounce worldly pleasures, devote your life to Jihad, and seek to die in the Jihad battlefield so as to win martyrdom."

Spiritual Martyrdom is Reduced to Jihad for Lust

"The basic Islamic issue - carrying out Da'wa (Islamic propagation), calling people to Allah, spreading monotheism (Tawheed), security and Islam, establishing justice, and treating people on equal terms - is reduced to a marginal matter in comparison to the pleasures in the Hereafter that the martyr can win, pleasures that supersede worldly pleasures and must be given up.

"The modern martyr has thus reduced spiritual martyrdom [for the sake of Allah] to a Jihad for lust, for the utmost pleasure and intoxication a Nirvana state of mind.

"The Jihad cassette describes the path that must be followed in order to win martyrdom and deserve the Hoor Al-Een fair females with wide, lovely eyes. It reduces the lofty objective of spiritual martyrdom to mere lust and a selfish search for sexual pleasure, regardless of what martyrdom can achieve for the public interest or for upholding Allah's word.

"In their call for giving up this world in preparation for the hereafter, and through their description of the martyr's reward - they are trying to program the mind to accept as principle the idea of committing suicide by blowing up oneself. Whoever is convinced of the reward of lust awaiting him will not hesitate to commit suicide: He will seek death with no fear, focused on the pleasures of the hereafter as compensation for the worldly pleasures abandoned.

"The sweetest thing for a teenager, especially in a conservative society like ours, is sex, and the discourse of the religious cassettes is directed toward these very youngsters in their sexual peak of life. They access these youth through the Hoor Al-Een, just as how the youth of our time were drawn to slide pictures of actresses and female singers. So should we not consider sexual suppression in conservative societies as one of the factors leading to such deviation?."

A Magical Prescription to Join the Hereafter: Blowing Yourself Up

"You never hear them speaking about worldly matters of so much concern to the people. The only reform program they offer is for the Hereafter. They speak as if they - and not the all-forgiving and merciful God - have the keys to Paradise in their hands. They have a magical prescription with which you can join their program of the Hereafter; that is, by blowing yourself up.

"Listen carefully to what these religious cassettes convey and you will find that the mythical supersedes the religious intent. They have converted this world to a filthy and mythical place and the Hereafter into a fabled utopia. They first divide the world into two parts: one belonging to God, which you are for, and the other to Satan, which you are against. The next step is to step up the value of the myth and draw the recipient into a world of mythical thinking in which rational thinking stops and the mind becomes receptive to suggestions and irrationalism."

Arab Culture Suffers from Sexual Phobia

"Then again, maybe the phenomenon of Jihadists seeking martyrdom in order to win the Hoor Al-Een is just a symptom of a vein-deep disease within society, which is ravaging the cultural system. The disease I mean is the sexual phobia that Arab culture is suffering from. Before the Arabs solve their problems with their governments or before their governments solve their problems with terrorism, they must first solve their problem with the other sex."

Endnote:
(1) Al- Iqtisadiyya (Saudi Arabia), November 15, 2005; The Saudi Gazette (Saudi Arabia), November 17, 2005.

***************************************************************************
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are available on request.

MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used with proper attribution.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)
P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837
Phone: (202) 955-9070
Fax: (202) 955-9077
E-Mail: memri@memri.org
Search previous MEMRI publications at www.memri.org

Technorati tags: MEMRI, Jihadists, Da'wa,Saudi Arabia, spiritual martyrdom, Middle East,and Paradise, andOpinion

Cross-posted: Knickerbocker News, The Bos'un at MSN

Darfur Peace and Accountability Act: S. 1462

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: The Darfur Peace and Accountability Act has passed the Senate, still awaits action in the House.

The Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (S. 1462) passed the Senate Friday evening, November 18, and now awaits action in the House of Representatives. We at the Save Darfur Coalition would like to thank all of you who have taken the time to urge your Senators to act. Your efforts have made a real difference and you should be proud of having helped move this important piece of legislation forward. While we believe that it is important to tell our elected officials that we expect them to take action on Darfur, it is just as important that we thank them once they have acted. Therefore, if you are a constituent of Senators Brownback, Corzine, Lugar, Frist or any of the bill’s cosponsor listed here, please take a moment to send them an email thanking them for supporting this bill. Click here to find contact information for your Senators.

Our work is not over, however. Now the focus shifts to the House of Representatives, where members of the International Relations Committee continue to negotiate. We are hopeful that the full International Relations Committee will complete its work on the bill soon by holding a markup of the legislation when the House returns from the Thanksgiving recess in early December. In the near future, we will let you know how you can help push the bill down the home stretch to the President's desk for signature. Again, thank you for your help.

Rick Roberts Op-Ed: PULL THE TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ?

Re-posted from Rick Roberts website at 760 KFMB Radio, November 21st, 2005

"You’ve got to tip your hat to Congressman Duncan Hunter who made the liberals in the House put their vote where their big mouths are.

He asked for a vote of Congress which basically read “if you want the troops to pull out of Iraq now, vote for them to be pulled out.”

The measure went down in overwhelming defeat.
Only 3 libs voted for pulling troops out of Iraq now.

They were Cynthia McKinney, (D-Georgia) Jose Serrano (D-New York) and Robert Wexler (D-Florida), all well-known crazies.

You’ll remember this whole debate was sparked by Democratic Congressman John Murtha’s call for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.

Not even John Murtha voted for his own idea – when it came right down to having to put up or shut up.

On November 17, 2005 he said of our troops “IT IS TIME TO BRING THEM HOME.”

On November 18, 2005 he voted against the immediate withdrawal of our troops from Iraq.
So what does this tell you about the political rhetoric you’ve been hearing from the loudmouth liberals?

Do they really believe what they are saying? Evidently, not enough for a vote that goes on the record.

This reminds me of what happens when you confront a bully on the playground. Except these bullies are messing with the lives of our troops and the credibility of our country."

Read more commentaries from Rick Roberts at his blogsite on 760 KFMB

Technorati tags:Duncan Hunter, politically correct, Freedom, Iraq, Opinion, Rick Roberts, Cynthia McKinney, John Murtha, Jose Serrano, Liberal Left, Robert Wexler, Anti War, 760 KFMB, Democratic Congressman

Cross-posted:Knickerbocker News, Bosun also at MSN

Op-ed by bosun: A question posed by a reader on John Murtha

John "Jack" Murtha, was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1974. Since being elected, Murtha appears to have had a liberal voting record on economic issues and supported the military on military issues. (GOVTrack.us) Murtha was the chair of the defense appropriations subcommittee before the Republicans took over the House in 1994. Murtha appears to have had a reputation of a pork-barrel hall of famer, but has not been much of a "barn burner" in congress. Murtha appears to have performed about average status quo congressman along with his other colleagues.

Now for a question posed by a reader yesterday, "What do you think the chances are that Rep. Murtha, due to his pro-military reputation, was told to make his statement by the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer?"

My response: We know that the extreme left wing has hijacked the Democratic party and they, the Dems, have not been quite rational since. However, I do not think that Murtha was or has ever been Pelosi's (or Hoyer's) lackey.

According to Sean Hannity in one of his articles, Rep. Murtha Calls for U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq , Murtha is a close adviser to Pelosi. Hannity also indicated that Pelosi was absent from Murtha's news conference. Perhaps Pelosi knew what Murtha was going to do and decided to absent herself. It is quite possible that the Dems talked it over to gauge their damage control efforts. But, no, I don't see Murtha being her lackey. He is a self-made Democrat congressman.

My question is, "Was Murtha's conduct outlined in some "secret" democratic strategy memo?" Only the Dems know for sure and they obviously are not saying anything about it. Remember the "secret" senate memo of 2003: Dems close-Senate playbook in 2003 memo advising leaders to 'pull the trigger' on investigation? It is purely speculation to say that this is another harebrained Dem scheme to disrupt the Conservatives. If it was, it backfired. There has been so much intrigue with the Dems these days, it is hard to keep up on who is doing what to who.

My second question is, "Why is Murtha being billed as the "hawkish" democratic congressman by the mainstream media (MSM)?" He voted for the war initially, as did most other Dems. However, Murtha is on record in 2003, as having reservations about the war and cranked up his anti-war rhetoric in 2004.

True, Murtha is a decorated Marine with about seven years of active service. Murtha spent the remainder of his career as a drilling reservist and rose the rank of Colonel before he retired. Murtha deserves a strong "thank you" for his military service. But, he does not deserve a pass on the stunt that he pulled on our President and also on our military personnel currently in harms way.

Technorati tags: John Murtha, Nancy Pelosi, Anti War, military, liberal, drilling reservist, hawkish - democrat, Pork Barrel, Barn Burner, Status Quo, Opinion

Cross-post: Knickerbocker News

Hear SF Jack Idema Monday, Live!

This Monday evening at 5pm EST (2pm PCT), Special Forces Jack Idema will be granted an interview with Mike Levine, on his Expert Witness Radio Show via streaming audio. Please, be sure to listen.

This is a man whom has given much, asked for nothing, and has received a traitorous State Department's kick in the teeth.

As I have have stated in an earlier article, there has been much injustice befalling this brave hero. It is important that we stand up for our heroes as they defend us far from home.

To read more about this, please go to Big Dog's WEBLOG. Also, pay a visit to Cao's Blog. She is fabulous! She can keep you up to date. Thank you, and have a great day.

Update: If you missed the interview, do not fret. I have a link for you to listen to it. Please leave a comment, and let me know what you think of the interview after you listen to it. Also, let me know if you have any trouble listening to it. Thank you.

(Op-Ed by bosun) DEPP: 'I CAN'T STAY IN RIOT-RAVAGED FRANCE'

DEPP DOES NOT WANT TO STAY IN FRANCE ANY LONGER!!!!

According to the news out of france, Johnny Depp wants to move on, again. Johnny is so shocked and traumatized by the riots in france, he's moving. Johnny says, "It's insane, that setting cars on fire is the new strike."

So, I thought that I would write Johnny a letter to help him out:

Dear Johnny,

I remember when you said in an interview,

"the United States was a stupid, aggressive puppy and he would not live there until the political climate changed....America is dumb, it's like a dumb puppy that has big teeth that can bite and hurt you, aggressive".

What is the matter Johnny, reality of the world showing itself? Why don't you and the rest of your the hollywood socialists, leftists, communities, and whatever other "ists" you represent move to Iran or one of the other countries more to your idealalogy. Johnny, you can take Jane Fonda, Barbara Streisand, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Sean Penn, Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen, Michael Moore and the rest of your friends with you.

After all, most of you have no morals, values, ethics, integrity, beliefs, or principals.
I figure, when a guy, girl, cross-person, or other type of halfbaked socialite pertender from hollywood such as yourself spends their whole life playing people they are not, you are bound to get confused. Just don't get confused around me. And please, don't resettle back in the United States. After all, I don't watch your movies, or buy your videos anyway and could care less of you are depressed about the current living conditions in france.

Hey, wait a minute, did not the U.S. mainstream media go along with that french president and french media to say that the original coverage was rather excessive. Thought that there is not much happening there. I put the french disturbance in the back of my mind because it was so minor. If you can find any area in france that resembled a movie set, maybe you could film a war movie or something.

Heck, I don't even know why I am writing this letter to you anyway. It is not a script that you have to memorize. I doubt that you would understand what I am saying anyway.

Peace, love, and jihad.

Your buddy in the worlds greatest country, The United States of America
Bosun

Technorati tags: Johnny Depp, france, liberal, riot and, Opinion

Cross-posted: Knickerbocker News, The Bos'un at MSN

Compliments of Orbusmax Northwest News - 'Around the world in 80k' one of my favorite news sources:

403 against immediate withdrawal, 3 for withdrawl, 6 indicated they were "present" whatever that means, and 22 not voting. Guess most did not want to go on record as wanting withdrawl. Here is the link to the vote:

STAY IN IRAQ: HOUSE VOTES 403-3 AGAINST IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL... VOTING YES: MCKINNEY, SERRANO, WEXLER... WA REP MCDERMOTT ONE OF SIX TO VOTE "PRESENT"... REP. MURTHA, WHO LED CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL, VOTES AGAINST IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL...

Here are some other tibits of information from around the block:

Defense official: Rumsfeld given Iraq withdrawal plan; Plan calls for troops to begin pulling out after December elections...

MALKIN LIVEBLOGGING OH HOUSE DEBATE/VOTE FOR IRAQ PULLOUT...

Soldier's letter from Iraq - "I want this message heard"...

U.S. Field Commander Counters Calls by Murtha to Withdraw Troops - "Here on the ground, our job is not done..."

UNHINGED: Stansfield Turner Says Cheney 'V.P. for Torture'...

OIL-FOR-FOOD: Senior French Aide To Annan Confesses Saddam Bribery...

Unsubstantiated but on the internet:

BLOG RUMOR: CIA/PLAME LEAK MAY BE FROM COLIN POWELL...

America is Worth Defending, and Here is Why

I found this over at one of friends, so he is going to receive full credit for it. Thank you, Bill, from Small Town Veteran.

I received an email from a mother whose son is currently fighting in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division. He and his platoon have penned a message to the American public that is a little different from the message we are getting via the MSM. He asked his mom to help get this message out and she asked me. Here it is from the soldiers on the ground…

Mom,

Be my voice. I want this message heard. It is mine and my platoon’s to the country. A man I know lost his legs the other night. He is in another company in our batallion. I can no longer be silent after watching the sacrifices made by Iraqis and Americans everyday.Send it to a congressman if you have to. Send it to FOX news if you have to. Let this message be heard please…

[Read the rest at Hook's place. Hat tips: Small Town Veteran, Soldiers' Angels New York, Mudville Gazette]

This is a very moving letter. One I recommend everyone read, write at your homepage (giving credit where credit is due), and answer his call to contact all the people of influence. Thank you.

Technorati tags: Military Service and Iraq.

American Classes Needed to Interpret ME

Mohammed has done it again. He has written an insightful article about the situation in Iraq, and the effects and reasons for the terrorist attacks against his people. He has the authority to speak, because he is in Iraq. This, unfortunately, is a daily occurance. It is, however, getting better. Slowly, but it is working. Please read his piece.

Free Jack Idema, et al

I have some very disturbing news to bring to your attention. I want everyone who reads this piece to write about it yourself. Call your Congressmen and Senators. Call President Bush. He promised to take care of these men. Hold him to it.

There is a man by the name of Jack Idema who has been imprisoned in Afghanistan ever since August 2004, and he has been found INNOCENT. TWICE.

He has had at least 5 "hearings" upon which even the AG dropped the charges. Twice. So why are Jack Idema, Captain Brent Bennett, Major Ezmirai, and Lt. Zorro Rasuli Banderas still imprisoned where they have attempted to assassinate them 7 times?

The State Department and the Defense Department have fallen down on the job. State Department's acting Consul, Sandra Ingram, "attempted to avoid the situation by refusing to provide the Americans with copies of the Combatant Geneva Convention, failing to file official protests to the torture outlined, withholding medical reports on the effects of the torture, and conspiring to conceal evidence of their torture, including directing a doctor to "modify" medical reports by rewriting them and watering down the extent of the injuries."

(Thank you for the State Department's name, Cao.)

The terrorists were tried on charges of torture, and found innocent. Henceforth they were released. (So why is Jack still in prison?!) Right after they were released, there was a bombing in Kabul. It fits the profile of those who were just recently released.

Oh. Maybe I should let you in on a dirty little secret. They are being held by judges that are from the TALIBAN. Our State Department is making deals with the Taliban while turning it's back on the Northern Alliance who helped us overthrough the Taliban!

We do not leave our men behind, and I promise you, we will never forget those who do.

Do you really want to release those at Gitmo? Do you feel safe now? You have forgotten September 11, 2001. Shame on you. May you be cursed for all your life, unless you see the light. Then you shall be forgiven.

I would like to introduce you to two very special people. They have been on this case for quite some time now, while I have just learned of his plight. They have much more information than I.

You may read a really cool lady, Cao, at Cao's Blog, and you may read a very brave man at Good Morning Afghanistan. (Also known as SuperPatriot!)

Bias in the Press: Congressman Murtha

Listening to Congressman Murtha yesterday set up some red flags. It was not that he was criticizing the war in general, but, he took lines out of the John Kerry Playbook. I am not besmirching Congressman Murtha's reputation as a decorated United States Marine during the Viet Nam War. I thank him for his service. However, I disagree with Murtha's insinuations that our President and Vice President are not qualified. I also disagree with Murtha's stand for immediate pullout. Both of these are irresponsible given the fact that we are in a state at war with Islamofacism.

After hearing Congressman Murtha's rant, I went to a couple reliable sources, Media Research Center and Newsbusters, to read what the experts in media bias were saying. Brent Baker of Media Research Center had this to say about our grandstanding mainstream media (MSM) performance:

....the network evening news broadcasts tonight all lead with Congressman John Murtha's (D-Penn.) call for the removal of American troops from Iraq. Yet, they seemed disinterested in focusing much attention on Rep. Murtha's denouncing of the Iraq war more than a year ago. (Please see a May 10, 2004 CNN story stating, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pennsylvania, in a news conference with Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said the problems in Iraq are due to a "lack of planning by Pentagon chiefs and the direction has got be changed or it is unwinnable.") The networks totally ignored the fact that Rep. Murtha has been expressing disgust with the Bush administration's prosecution of this war since six months after it started.

Here is some additional background regarding Murtha and Iraq: In September 2003, Murtha was raising a big fuss about the United States involvement in Iraq. New York Time reported it then. Apparently the leftists, Murtha, and MSM all suffer from the same selective amnesia.

Now, we have John Kerry trying to grandstand about someone questioning Murtha's patriotism, something that has not happened as far as I know. MSM jumps right on the Kerry bandwagon. So, here we have a bunch of leftists, biased press, and Kerry koolaid drinkers circling the wagons, so to speak, in defense of misguided rants. I would also like to point out the fact that as far as being a congressman, Murtha was discrete and less known congressman. After yesterday, he was an instant celebrity and one the media hyped as an "expert." His rant was not worthy of so much attention.

The best thing I think came out of this is media hype is that the conservatives called out the leftist legislators and requested a vote. Now the leftists can go on record for being inappropriate. And what did they do, of course say that the conservatives were trying to grandstand.

Leftists, wake up. Our enemies are watching and you are playing into their plans; divide and conquer. I wish you would realize the threat of Islamofacism and Caliphate Dreams. It is true that appeasers and apologists have emboldened the Islamofacists.

Lets win the war and then call the troops home. Anything less would be a disservice to our military members and is also a threat to the freedom of our western world.

Re-read al - Zawahiri's letter that was released in October, Letter: U.S. May Run From Iraq and review information that I posted regarding the Caliphate Dreams of the Islamofacists. J.M. Berger authored a report that I highly recommend; al Qaeda's Caliphate
How American Strategy Gave al Qaeda Its Chance To Win The Terror War:

In a little-noticed Pentagon news briefing in August, (General) Myers laid out the likely consequences if the U.S. is perceived as retreating under fire. "The stakes are huge," said Myers. "If the Zarqawis of the world, if (al-Qaeda) were allowed to be successful in Iraq, in their view, that would be the start of the caliphate that they envision. The would be huge for the region. You talk about instability. It would be instant instability in that region, in Saudi arabia on down the Gulf states, perhaps Iran, Syria, Turkey."

Leftists, do you know the harm and disservice that you are doing? Aymen al-Zawahiri's talking points sounded much like your leftist talking points. Who is writing for who? I wonder when you are going to figure out what is going on and find out about what Radial Islam's Caliphate Dreams are all about. You better wake up before it is too late.

Technorati tags: Radical Islam, al-Qaeda, terrorist, Palestine Liberation Front, Islamization, Anti-American, Intifada, Jihad, Opinion

Cross-posted:
Knickerbocker News

9th Circuit (Circus) Court Sets Standards for Liberal Action

If the liberal left is not held in check, we are going to be in for some serious trouble in the great land, America. The liberal left continues to wack away at the very moral fabric of our society. There was not even a wimper from the mainstream media (MSM) on this. However, WorldNetDaily which is fortunately not part of the liberal left MSM reported this fiasco on November 3rd.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against parents who sued their local school district after their elementary-age children were given a sexually charged survey, saying there is "no fundamental right of parents to be the exclusive provider of information regarding sexual matters to their children."

Are the liberal left wingers so wacked out that they want to ride the train all the way to the wreck?

"If it ain't right, it's probably left."SM

Thu Nov 17, 2005 CNSNews.com - The “right to privacy,” which liberals maintain is implied in the U.S. Constitution and which was used by the U.S. Supreme Court to legalize abortion in 1973, apparently mattered little to Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this month when he ruled on a case involving parental rights.

On Nov. 2, Reinhardt wrote the Ninth Circuit Court’s decision declaring that the “right to privacy” did not apply to parents who wanted to prevent public school officials in Palmdale, Calif., from giving their elementary school age children a sexually explicit survey (Fields v. Palmdale School District.)

The ruling is but one of many that Reinhardt’s critics say qualifies him as one of the most liberal and activist judges in the nation.

Link to the Article

Technorati tags: 9th Circuit Court, Activist Judges, bias, Liberal, Left, Judge Stephen Reinhardt, Mainstream Media, and Opinion

Cross-posted: Knickerbocker News, The Bos'un at MSN

Freedom of Religion Watch Update

Reposted with permission from Rick Roberts, 760 KFMB AM Radio, San Diego, Ca. Rick is an excellent talkshow host and a great blogger. Visit his site at 760 KFMB for daily updates on news and the latest happening in the media.

ATTACKS ON RELIGION IN AMERICA… Posted By Rick November 16th, 2005

Now the anti-religion group Freedom from Religion wants prisons to be free from God.

You got it. The people that need God’s influence the most, may not be able to study his works because of the liberal’s hatred of religion.

From The Capital Times:

In a federal lawsuit filed this week, Freedom From Religion Foundation charged that a state-funded Christian ministry program in a women’s prison there violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits government funding of activities that endorse or promote a specific religion.

The suit asks the court to bar the state of New Mexico from continuing to fund such faith-based initiatives, which have been a hallmark of President George W. Bush’s administration.

(Well…we all knew it was Bush’s fault somehow right?)

Tia Bland, spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Corrections, said in an interview Wednesday that she had not yet seen the complaint.

But, she added, “Obviously we don’t think we’re violating the Constitution by devoting resources to faith-based programs. These types of programs are well established in correctional systems throughout the country.”

She said the prison system is merely responding to demand.

“These programs exist because the inmates want to and are allowed to practice their religious beliefs,” Bland said. “As a result, we have to have some kind of support structure for that.”

According to the complaint, the Women’s Correctional Facility offers a segregated religious program - called the “God Pod” by prisoners - in which women live apart from other inmates and are given more privileges and amenities than other prisoners.

The women, according to the complaint, are provided Christian Scripture-based books and movies, undergo spiritual counseling, attend religious meetings, and are required to stay involved in a “faith community” upon release from prison.

(Well that’s just awful isn’t it. )

Bland said such exclusivity breaks no rules because inmates are not forced into the program.

“The people who are in the program are voluntarily saying, ‘I identify with the Christian faith and I sure would like to be a part of this program.’ ”

This is the sixth time the Freedom From Religion Foundation has launched a challenge to faith-based initiatives.

AND THEN THERE’S THIS….

First, prayer was taken out of schools. Next, it was being pulled from football games and graduations. The latest attack on faith in America was an effort by atheist Michael Newdow to have the words “under God” removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. Now, he is at it again, and this time the focus is the money in your pocket.

The atheist from the Sacramento-area Michael Newdow says he’s going after U.S. coins and currency. Newdow will ask a federal court to remove “In God we trust” from them.

Newdow will file suit this week in which he will ask a federal court to order the removal of the motto “In God We Trust” from U.S. money.

Newdow says that the motto “violates the religious rights of atheists who belong to his ‘First Amendment Church of True Science.’”

Here are more of Newdow’s idiotic comments:

Michael Newdow told the ACLU of Oklahoma that he would file a lawsuit on the grounds that it is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion and “excludes people who don’t believe in God.”

“The key principle is that we’re supposed to treat everybody equally especially in terms of religious belief. Clearly it’s not treating atheists equal with people who believe in God when you say ‘In God We Trust’ or we are a ‘nation under God.’”

“People say, ‘Are you an atheist activist?’ And I’m not. I couldn’t care less what anyone believes. I just care that our government treats everybody equally.”

Makes you want to barf, doesn’t it.

Technorati tags:
Religious Tolerance, politically correct, Religious Freedom, Wal-mart, Opinion, Rick Roberts, atheist activist, In God We Trust, One Nation Under God, Liberal Left, Anti-Religion, ACLU, Newdow, Christian ministry program, and Freedom From Religion Foundation

Cross-posted:
Knickerbocker News, Bosun also at MSN

173 Sunnis Freed from Torture Chambers

On the 16th of November, USA Forces along with Iraqi Forces and Police raided a secret prison belonging to the Interior Ministry. There are claims under investigation of torture.

PM al-Jaafari declared an investigation is underway, and the prisoners had been moved from that area.

In Washington, State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli called for those responsible to be held accountable.

"We don't practice torture, and we don't believe that others should practice torture," he said. "So when there are cases of people being accused of torture, we take that seriously."

We certainly do. We do not treat our citizens in this manner, and it is good to see this country learning how people in a civil manner treat their offenders-if indeed they were guily of anything.

To read the whole article, please visit the Washington Times.

Update: Iraq the Model has written a good article on this subject. I encourage you to read it.

Technorati tags: Iraq, torture, raids, police, and human rights.

Freedom of Speech vs. the UN

When the summit to discuss who should be in control of the USA ingenuity-born internet, freedom of speech was denied to human rights NGO's. Tunisia prevented access to the sidelines where these groups had planned a meeting before the summit.

These NGO's were also denied any access from inside the summit. There were to be no internet usages during this meeting. This seems very odd, since this was a meeting precisely for this issue!

Rights groups long ago questioned the wisdom of allowing a government with a poor human rights record -- and one which censors the Internet -- to host the summit.

Other countries criticized for human rights and press freedom violations, including China and Iran, are among those spearheading attempts to wrestle supervision of the Internet away from the United States.

The United States of America is pushing back rather hard on this issue. It does not matter which countries are unsatisfied. (see earlier story)

If you are interested in further knowledge of what occurred at this summit and what is happening to your free speech, please go to CNSNews.

Update: Freedom of Speech - 1, UN - 0! It appears that their efforts to wrestle the internet out of the hands of freedom loving peoples has failed. Washington Times has the story.

Technorati tags: Free Speech, Tunisia, UN, Summit, and Internet.

Bush Haters are at it again, Vern!!

If we are losing the war in Iraq like the mainstream media (MSM) claims, then it is because they are actually part of the problem. The MSM appears to be aiding the Iraqi terrorists by opposing the war on terror. With friends like MSM, who needs enemies. The terrorists have it made! Read an editorial by Rob Hood that appeared in today's American Daily:

What Does it all Mean ? The Bush Haters Are At It Again.

Here are some more interesting tibits of information that have been gleaned from various newspapers, blogs, and other information sources around the country. Perhaps, we should begin to contemplate on our fortune or misfortune about our involvement in Iraq.

You read and you decide:

• New Documents Reveal Saddam Hid WMDs, Was Tied to Al Qaida...
• BILL TIERNEY: Where the WMDs Went...
• ROADKILL: TIMEOUT ON WMD'S; TIME TO STOP POINTING FINGERS - AND START COUNTING BLESSINGS...
• Clinton: Iraq invasion big mistake...
• FLASHBACK: Clinton: Iraq has abused its last chance...
• GOOGLE SEARCH: clinton+iraq+1998...
• JEFFREY: Did Hillary lie America in war?...

Technorati tags: MSM, Losing the War, bias, Rob Hood, American Daily, Terrorists, journalists, Opinion, WMD, Bush Hater, Clinton on Iraq, Pointing Fingers, and Saddam

Cross-posted: Knickerbocker News, The Bos'un at MSN