Eye Candy Ration #1987

Trick Or Treat

Great Satan's recent panty raid into Syria (in broad daylight - no less!) initiated a few martyrs for sure and may have scored with an especial guest or two - along with all their ipods, laptops, diaries and Franklyn Planners.

No Surprise - the nearly 500 mile border has been a transit point for wanna be jihadis and AQ jerks too.

Multi Nat'l Force Commander (West) General Kelly pointed out last week

"Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi intelligence forces feel that
al Qaeda operatives and others operate, live pretty openly on the Syrian
side. And periodically we know that they try to come across."

So far the heat generated by such robust activity has been totally unwonderous.

Bashar's state controlled media paints a Twilight Zone version of the episode - instead of Great Satan throwing down some righteous payback on sworn enemies in Al Qaeda - wicked Americans struck a building chock full of precious innocents (ala Pakistan) in a high tech militarized drive by shooting.

Impotent - uh, that should read important, orgs like the Arab Doctors Union, The Arab Lawyers Union, the Syrian Union of Journalists along with communist partyless parties in Greece, Prague and Belgium all decried such brazen "hideous" activity."

Basharopolis lets loose protesters around the American Embassy just in time for it to close.

Even inappropriate, boring handwringers here at home - who are, honestly making a great case for drug testing journalists with their critically boring uninformed ideas, are flat tore up that Great Satan has teased and then dissed Al Assad.

Alas, ne're a one of them possess any air defense systems, a military - or even a single cruise missile between them.

Non profit jawflapping from real players like France, Russia and China features the usual sincere blocs of insincerity.

Little Satan, Hiz'B'Allah and Syria's conscript army are all alledgedly on alert - lest Great Satan act out and repeat the delish trick or treat - returning the fave with something lethally sweet.

Plus upping the ante in the weak and hytsterical laughability factor is that Syria is appealing to the UN.

Good luck with that!

Bashar's dilemma (entirely self inflicted) is that the Lion of Syria is pitifully weak - unable to impede any actions by Great Satan or Little Satan - and in a crunk and disorderly hood like the ME - the shame and honor blame game must be going into overtime.

It's actually quite easy to understand.

Like the old 10th grade adage some girls learn the hard way (NPI!) -

"dress like a hootchie, act like a hootchie, get treated like a hootchie"

Let's review:

"Only three years ago, Syrian intelligence agents helped bring yet
more carnage to Beirut when a ton of high explosives killed Rafiq Hariri, Lebanon's former prime minister, and 21 bystanders.

Two years ago, Syria cheered on a key ally, Hizbollah, when it
started a war against Israel that claimed at least 1,300 lives.

Last year, Israeli jets destroyed a suspected nuclear facility,
perhaps linked to North Korea's illicit weapons programme, concealed in the Syrian desert."

Essentially, if nation states (and any of the myriad of ineffectual, short leashed NGO's) are truly concerned with Great Satan acting out and striking across precious 'sovereign borders' - time to man up and ensure none of Great Satan's sworn enemies are in their hood.

Consider it a trick or treat type command decision.

Art - Trick or Treat for Syria?

Dream Team

After electile dysfunction climaxes in inauguration, #44 will need a cab fully stocked with super smart cats who can best handle events, opportunities and any manufactured crisis.

"He’ll need his country’s brightest minds—not his party’s usual
suspects."

Foreign Policy asked 10 of the world’s top thinkers to name the unlikely team that can best guide the new pres through the turbulent years ahead.

Fancy Bill Ayers at Education? Louis Farrakhan as ambassador to Libya? John Bolton at State? Hillary Clinton, Warren Buffet or Steve Forbes at the Treasury?

How about Jamie Gorelick as Nat'l Intell Director?

Check out the picks - plus Foreign Policy gives you a chance to design and submit your very own especial cabinet picks. And you also get a 'bonus' pick.

GsGf (with mostly write ins) selected Kenneth Pollack as National Security Council, General Michael Hayden as Nat'l Intell Chief, kept Robert Gates at Defense, State went to Robert Kagan and the Treasury to Mitt Romney.

The bonus pick was Samantha Power to the UN.

Take a sec and submit your own - and share your faves!

Spy Wars

Recent events in the ME featuring the shady, scary world of espionage all seem to indicate something about to either implode - or - explode.

The New Iraqi Army guys bushwhacked several cadre and small teams (heavily armed) of a new Al Qods strike force/assasination/terrorist gang, killing and capturing several. Surviving cats are in the clutches of Great Satan's counter intell types enjoying a leisured, thoughtful interview process.

Hiz'B'Allah's rocket rich retarde grande himself - the body part Collector General H'Ssan Nasrallah is out of action - Iran's strategic militia in Lebanon has handpicked a successor to the angry resistence little guy. Which, could be said that event is happy news that the creepy, bespectacled creep is NOT recovering from a wicked bout of poisoning that hopefully trucks the murderous intolerant straight to the perfumed gardens of Paradise.

And then there is the interesting case of gallant humanitarian babe Esha Momeni. 1st generation American, the lovely and super smart grrl from California upped her ante in education by trekking to Persia to research the struggling women's rights struggle in the Mohammedist Republic.

Chronicling gendercidal intolerance in a despotry where concepts like Mother's Day, holding hands with a bf in public or egalitarian concepts like girls driving their own rides after dark are handled by various enforcement agencies like the Fashion Posse and the Religious Police.

At least that's the cover story Barbie fearing Iran is floating about to justify her imprisonment at the infamous Evin Prison as they ransack her computer and terrify her family and friends.

Or, was Esha in Persia with unkown others to collect targeting intell on the whereabouts and movements of the IRGC's Brigadier Generals?

Gloire's "Worst Case Scenerio" site has a shout out about Little Satan's chief spy guy getting blown away.

"Meir Dagan, the head of Israel’s Mossad, was targeted by assassins
while visiting Amman. Some say an explosion against his convoy left him hurt or even dead and his guards injured.

Sources have no knowledge of any visit by Meir Dagan to the Jordanian
capital. One rumor claimed a hit-man or team linked to Hizballah or Iran attacked Dagan to avenge the death of Hizballah military chief Imad Mughniyeh in Damascus last February.

The Arab world sees Dagan as master of the hidden Israeli hand which
reached into Syria to target Mugniyeh and destroyed Syria’s plutonium reactor in September 2007."

The original supervillan - Imad Mugahniyah - Palestinian by birth, commander in the Iranian Revo Guard Corps, founding member of Hiz'B'Allah and a mentor to Mookie Al Sadr's Mahdi Army got whacked to death on or about St Valentine's Day in a controlled area of an allied computerized police state.

Plus, Donkey Party's VP candidate cat, the avuncular, rhetorical flourishing history rewriter recently warned (right after a transition briefing about threats facing Great Satan) about a manufactured crisis.

Gloire points out that briefing included an amending caveat:

"US intelligence’s amended estimate, that Iran will be ready to build a
bomb just one month after the next US president is sworn in.

According to the new US timeline, by late January, 2009, Iran will
have accumulated enough low-grade enriched uranium (up to 5%) for its “break-out” to weapons grade (90%) material within a short time.

In February, they can move on to start building their first nuclear bomb, for which US intelligence believes Tehran has the personnel, plans and diagrams.

The UN International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna last week asked
Tehran to clarify recent complex experiments they conducted in detonating nuclear materials for a weapon, but received no answer."

This is significant.

In light of known unknowns - like Seymour Hersch's bit about extra curricular activities - old school espionage and new school snatch and grabs that Great Satan and Great Britain are sweetly swinging in Iran.

Kinda gives new meaning to Iran's President mysteriously getting ill and cancelling meetings and appearing at Friday Prayers looking tired and flat wore out.

Or Great Satan anihilating Syrian agents and Al Qaeda jerks hooking up from Syria - inside Syria.

"Eye witnesses are quoted as describing four US helicopters from Iraq
striking a house in Al-Sukkariya 17 km from the Iraqi border town of Deir Azzun Sunday night, Oct. 26, and killing 9 people. Eight US soldiers are said to have disembarked for the attack before being flown out. There has been no US comment on the incident. "

Spy wars gets the diplo political scene in Tehran aroused enough to openly wish for xforming the shadow skirmishes into way more than a regional war - advocating strikes against Little Satan and Great Britain if the escalation doesn't stop now.

Europa, Great Britain, Great Satan expert in the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Wahid Karimi may be doing more than thinking out loud

"If we agree that such a scenario - with America, England and Israel at its center - is conceivable, then it would seem that the most appropriate means of deterrence that Iran has, in addition to a retaliatory operation in the [Gulf] region, is to take action against London.

Experience proves that the [part played] by politicians in Tel Aviv
and in London, in the [fanning of the] flames against Iran and in the urging of America to strike Iran"

Spying on the Dark City and dot connecting aside, or, perhaps because of it - the next months may be critical.

Pic - Zarah counts body guards at Revolutionary Guards Strategic Rocket Forces HQ

AmPow!

One of Great Satan's new media monsters in the New Millennium is also home to choice cats of Great Satan's intelligentsia. Super smart brainiacs like Victor Davis Hanson, Michael Ledeen, Claire Berlinsky routinely hang with others like unto themselves at the essential, especial Pajamas Media.

Named after the big bad blogosphere that took out CBS Eye Guy Dan Rather biased last time presidential electile dysfunction afflicted Great Satan, Pajamas Media is fully crunk with sweet treats, hot tips and provocative prescriptions.

Stirred, never shaken into that volatile mix of brain cell phat writers, researchers and policy gurus is the pro victory, Yay! Great Satan PHD Dr. Donald Douglas.

Scoring an exceptional coup, the hot doc was thankfully seduced to submission for commission of a detective style in depth look at a certain Slim Shady and financial chicanery starring in the lead role of Donkey Party's "That One"

This is significant.

Hailing from the "...the land of the bomb ass hemp beat - a place where you never find a dance floor empty..." SoCali Poli Sci guy Dr D has enjoyed a nigh unprecedented run of influence, recognition and prestige in the very short year that the good doc's site "American Power" has blitzed it's way into the blogosphere at an exponential rate.

Happy BDay AmPow! And heartful congratulations on breaking in to the top tier of Great Satan's new media.

No surprise, Am Pow's trajectory has been remarkable thanks to the saavy insight, exceptionally researched articles and a super cool personable approach that makes it all the more real - applicable even.

An excellent example to others in the field and a real guide and mentor in an era where a keystroke never disappears, Dr Douglas' bona fides are well intact.

To be sure, Dr Douglas's article is most likely the first of many.

Sweet!

art - "AmPow!" by AmPow Fangrrl#1990

Happy BDay UN!

Today is Un Day!

Wheee! So what?

"There are millions of people alive today who did not die from a
preventable disease because of the United Nations and its agencies. Some diseases have been basically eradicated from the face of the earth.

Like Polio.

"In 1988, when the UN-sponsored Global Polio Eradication Initiative
began, there were 350,000 cases of polio in the world. Today? Fewer than 1,500. This success comes on the heels of the global eradication of smallpox by the World Health Organization almost 20 years earlier."

Today, UN agencies are on the front lines on the fight against HIV/AIDS, Malaria, TB and other less well known but equally deadly conditions like obstetric fistula.

ED Kain at the essential NeoConstant shares that the UN is a far different org than when she was first created after the world wide horror that intolerant autocratic despotries inflicted on the world.

In the new millennium, UN is more like

"...a corrupt organization that protects genocide while denouncing fledgling democracies. The hypocrisy is staggering."

UN charter reveals her goal was and is

"To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war...to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom."

UN's track record is quite pitiful in conflict resolution (note neither India or Pakistan ever want a UN cease fire) UN's easy come easy go treatment of aggressors and defenders as both being equal have totally queered the mix.

Seems only ME despotries and or their proxies ever cry out for the UN to step in.

The fix is up to Great Satan and

"This will take very rigorous diplomacy on America’s part, especially since America has reached new lows of unpopularity and mistrust around the world. Ironically, this has occurred simultaneously with the election of some of the most pro-US European leaders to take office in years. It is a promising, ironic, and dangerous world we entrust to the next American President.

Our allies can live up to that title more in the coming years, as can America, and we can do more to convince other democracies that this war against radicalism, proliferation of nuclear arms, and terror is one that we all must face together. It is a struggle that we cannot face alone, and that our allies cannot wish away. America should lead, but it should not leave behind the rest of the free world. Globalization has changed the game. In a world in which economies are inextricably bound to one another, the question can never only be one of national security–it is international security that must be achieved.

If the United Nations cannot bring this about, effectively abandoning its mission, and choses instead to cater to the tyrants and demagogues rather than uphold the principles of democracy and freedom, then America must find a new way to shore up its international support. We cannot go it alone for another eight years, nor can we fall victim to the easy road of moral relativity, tolerating the dangerously intolerant.

The time has come to throw out both options: futile international efforts and cowboy politics, and to seek out new ways to create a safer, more peaceful world, whoever our next President may be."

Rocket Man

If rumour's mill is even close to being correct, Hiz'B'Allah's creepy body part Collector General H'Ssan Nasrallah's royal taster is probably either dead, in exile or wishes he was.

Unverified reports indicate the fiery rocket rich rejectionist was magically poisoned last week and only the timely intervention of Iranian medical doctors saved his life.

Or did they?

A few days back Persian paper Khoursid leaked the leak that Hiz'B'Allah chief of the party's executive council, Hachem Safieddine, was handpicked as HBA's designated successor, since Little Satan is suspected of wanting to rip the living guts out of H'Ssan - and most likely - any designated successors too.

Also, Pyramidland disses any notion of commotion like issuing invites to Nasrallah to hang in Cairo for a regional summit of sorts.

HBA online says absolutely nothing about this and other sources deny that the General Secretary is or was in any danger - though no one who has seen the little guy recently is available for comment.

Hiz'B'Allah's 2nd in command - the original supervillan - Imad Muganiyeh was incinerated in a mystery blast in a controlled area of Damascus back on St Valentine's Day (sweet!).

While everybody in the ME blames Little Satan for literally blowing Imad straight into the perfumed gardens of paradise, Little Satan has always denied involvement.

If a poisoning attempt really was made and failed - or even better - succeeded, it is true that Little Satan has a penchant for poisoning her enemies - like the failed attempt on HAMAS's death cult fanboy Khalid Meshal in Jordan a while back.

Or the adios amigo that may have afflicted Comrade 'Papa' Arafat.

Since HBA was the most proficient killers and serial tormentors of Americans til 911 time, there is a blood debt that has no statue of limitations that Great Satan may be collecting directly or through her soulmates in the MOSSAD.

In that spirit, if H'Ssan is alive - Great Satan fans worldwide should fervently wish his recovery is slow, agonizing and fully booked with a shrieking, painful, very short lifespan. Or least recovery is halted right about the mentis non compos stage.

Iranian pol Larijani (the same cat who made the French guy cry when he was sacked for being somewhat negotiable with the EU about designer enriched wmd suspected suspicions) is enroute to visit H'Ssan and is rumoured to be carry 'messages' from Iraqi preacher Al Sistani.

Art - "Rocket Rich Retard"

Tzipi's Tzapper

Turkey talking Turkey with Syria and the Palestinians moving about as fast as a drunk girl applying mascara, discouraged Little Satan negotiators are instead casting coveteous eyes on the ancient Saudiland Peace Plan of 2002 (think Annapolis - the next generation) for the magical mythical Middle East Peace.

It probably won't get Dennis Ross excited.

Essentially, the Saudi plan packs a sweet, desirous wicked tease for Little Satan.

All 22 Arab League cats will Officially Recognize Little Satan (something Arab militaries have done for decades) - totally making Little Satan legit in a hood fully stocked with illegit regimes, Presidents for Life, corrupt monarchs and the Lion of Syria.

The Arab League has long endorsed the deal, giving an official stamp of approval in 2007.

The accord also calls for Little Satan to give up hard won goodies taken fair and square on the battlefield like Golan and East Jerusalem. (Actually, it also asks Little Satan to please, please give up the West Bank like they did the Strip back in 2005)

Faking interest in Saudi soothesayers is happening at a very interesting time in politique la Satan Petite.

Would-be Prime Minister Tzipi, sweet talking potential coalition cats, could make a tremendous power play with this deal and her posse seems to be seducing the scene for her to knock it out with no doubt.

Defense Minister (and Labor Party leader) Ehud Barak (also an ex PM) laid out some game for Israeli Army radio:

"There is definitely room to introduce a comprehensive Israeli plan to
counter the Saudi plan that would be the basis for a discussion on overall regional peace."

On all fronts, (except for Persia - natch!) Tzipi, is doing Otay.

President Shimon Peres granted her an extension, giving her two more weeks to hook up the support necessary to take the PM spot.

Hold up though.

The ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, if buddied up with, would provide the Kadima Party leader the coalition seats she needs, has yet to commit.

Shas insists that Livni promise literally not to surrender an inch of Jerusalem. Or even act like she might negotiate it.

That kind of pillow talk promise would most likely drive Arab media and statecats batty, so Tzipi has a tough gig to do in a debut.

So what?

If the revived Saudilander peace hudna is enough to somehow put Tzipi in the prime minister's office, it's a start.

Land Of Pure Talibanistan

Dr Syed Mansoor Hussain has a hysterical bit up at the Land of the Pure's Daily Times:

"I have decided to support the Talibanisation of Pakistan, purely from an economic point of view. After all, for a country that has no money, what could be better than not having the need for money? Let us look at some of the advantages that would accrue to Pakistan if it went back to those times.

First and most importantly, no load shedding, since there wouldn’t be any electricity to begin with. No worry about energy, since petroleum, natural gas, diesel, LPG, LNG etc would still be much too far in the future. No factories, shopping plazas, high rise buildings, cars, trains, planes or other energy consuming monsters.

No reason then to spend money on building multi-lane highways, airports, rail tracks and other such expensive projects and facilities. And, of course, no expensive jet setting visits by our leaders to foreign countries. Also, no hospitals and advanced medical care.

Our maternal and infant mortality rates will increase and at the same time our expected life expectancies that are approaching civilised norms will collapse. This will rapidly solve our over-population problem.

For me however, the greatest advantage of Talibanisation will be that there will be no TV and therefore no talking heads, followed closely by the fact that there will be no motorcycles on the roads. The major downside will, of course, be no air conditioning.

So I imagined myself walking down the streets of Cordoba (Qurtaba) listening to Averroes (Ibn Rushd), expound on the intricacies of Aristotelian philosophy. But then I suddenly realised that Cordoba is now a part of modern Spain and as far as Pakistan is concerned, a thousand years ago, there was no flowering of Islamic civilisation in this part of the world. The major problem with the Talibanisation of Pakistan then is that we might go back in time but the rest of the world is going to stay in the twenty first century!

All this might seem a trifle facetious but strangely enough, people I know are actually talking about such stuff. Whether this is in response to the worsening situation in Pakistan seems to be the question. It is true that many Pakistanis today might not be overtly Talibanised but they are definitely sympathetic towards them and would not mind having that sort of system in Pakistan.

What we are seeing in Pakistan is really the political divide between the liberal secular political parties and the conservative Islamist parties. Over the last few decades something similar happened in the US when the Republican Party swung to the right and became dependent politically on the conservative Christians for electoral support.

However much liberals might dislike the idea of Talibanisation, the fact is that what Pakistan needs most at this point is the kind of austerity usually but inaccurately associated with the Islamist parties.

If an austerity campaign starts, it must really start with our middle and upper classes that are generally more supportive of the PML and Islamist parties. The primary focus will have to be on less conspicuous consumption, payment of taxes and a decrease in the utilisation of precious natural resources.

The deteriorating law and order situation and the insurgencies in our western and the northern areas will continue to bleed our resources. Unless we can de-link Islam and the Taliban it is unlikely that Pakistan can make much progress in this respect. And that, in my opinion, is the greatest challenge that faces us a nation at this time.

Is some degree of Talibanisation of Pakistan inevitable? The answer to that question is a partial yes. Traditionally conservative areas will become more religious in time - But not all of Pakistan.

And yes, if the US and NATO intervention in Afghanistan ends, things will get better for Pakistan, but that will not solve the problem of religious extremism.

Whether we like it or not, Islamist thinking will still be around. "

Pic - "Taliban Cola" by ZoFkA

Conservative Badlands

After a cat and mouse 'courting' game of cyber seduction GsGf finally gave it up to "Conservative Badlands".

To be fair - they probably don't know what they are getting into!

Pic - "Badlands" by Joe5ho

Endorsement

Since the lame stream media is openly endorsing cats for prez - seems only fair.

Grand Bargain

Last week, The New America Foundation, a Washington DC based Think Tank hosted an event entitled “A Grand Bargain With Iran”.

The Keynote speakers were Flynt Leverett, who is a former National Security Council adviser on the Middle East, and his wife Hillary Mann Leverett, who was a senior director for Middle East affairs on the National Security Council. They are now fellows at The New American Foundation.

The underlying point of their presentation was that the time has finally arrived for the US to sit down with Iran and reach a broad diplomatic understanding, as part of what they have termed, “ A Grand Bargain”.

How would this work?

To kick things off, both sides would present the entirety of their demands (full list is presented in this article written by the presenters) .

In short, demands by the US would include the cessation of uranium enrichment and of any nuclear weapons related activity which may be taking place in Iran.

Secondly, cessation of Iranian support for militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah and the softening of Tehran’s “ attitude ” towards a negotiated settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Lastly, Iran’s regional role and aspirations, including its posture toward Iraq and Afghanistan, must be addressed.

According to the Leveretts, what would be offered to Iran in return would be “to extend security assurances to the Islamic Republic and lift all unilateral and multilateral sanctions. Furthermore, the U.S. must acknowledge the Islamic Republic’s place in the regional and international order”.

Once the agenda between the two sides has been agreed upon, the two sides would sit down and negotiate, with the goal of reaching a mutually beneficial outcome.
This is an original idea, as until today the US and Iran have not negotiated directly and publicly over such a broad range of issues.

Is there a precedence?

Yes, in the 1970s the US and China reached a similar deal by means of the the Shanghai Communiqué which laid the groundwork for a strategic understanding between the two nations.

It must also be mentioned that according to Flynt Leverett who was at the National Security Council at the time, in 2003, the Iranians tried to offer a grand bargain deal to the US, but it was rejected by the Bush Administration.

Is The Grand Bargain a feasible idea?

In theory, yes.

In fact, under current circumstances, it could be a game changer. With the world unable to form a united diplomatic front to address Iran’s nuclear program, a US initiated agreement such as this, could be a powerful strategy to stop Iran’s march towards a nuclear bomb, while also addressing its support for terrorist groups.

How would Israel view such an initiative?According to Flynt Leverett, “Israelis are the most realistic people when it comes to Iran. They would check every line of such an agreement, at least three times over to make sure that there are no get out clauses which would enable Iran to break the agreement.

If they believe that the agreement is solid, then they are likely to support it. If a watertight agreement can be found to stop Iran’s nuclear program, and to prevent Iran from lending support to extremist groups, then it is very likely that Jerusalem would back it”.

This is one accurate observation.

The other is that many Israelis would not trust Iran , unless they themselves deal with Tehran directly, as suggested recently by Ephraim Halevy, the former head of the Mossad, in an oped in the Jerusalem Post .

Although in theory Mr Halevy is correct, in reality it is difficult to see how Israel would qualify to sit at such a table. Iran has influence in Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan, and so has the US .

What bargaining chips does Israel have? There is also Ayatollah Khamenei’s refusal to recognize Israel, which makes such a scenario even more difficult to realize . Therefore letting the US represent Israel’s interest under such a deal, if and when it takes place, would probably be the best realistic option Jerusalem has.

Furthermore, one must not forget that that the first word here is “bargain”. People just don’t offer bargains, unless they absolutely have to. And Iran, judging by its recent behavior, doesn’t feel such a need.

Just as the US made the mistake of not meeting Iran’s listed economic requirements in return for suspending uranium enrichment in 2005, Iran is ironically making the mistake of rejecting the recent 5+1 offer. This offer was very reasonable as it would have enabled both sides to begin taking confidence building measures necessary to move forward.

Ayatollah Khamenei’s belligerence and unwillingness to suspend uranium enrichment in return for suspension of sanctions is the best indication that Iran is in no mood to offer any “bargains”.

If there is to be any silver lining to the recent worldwide economic meltdown it may be that with oil prices falling to new lows, Iran in the near future may be forced to look at the advantages of such an offer, if and when the US is ready to make it.

submitted by mEiR jAvEnDaNfAr

Art - "death 2 America"

Wrong Crowd

Way back in the day, an older grrl in the hood sported a new ride on her sweet 16th.

Instantly - she became a huge hit with friends and frenemies - because - natch - she could be considered as transportation for especial emergency trips and treks like the mall, ball games and concerts.

Before long, afflicted with a curious dilemma nom de guerre'd "boy crazy" she and certain GF's xformed that ride into a full blown Ho - mobile.

Rumours mill was grinding chaff overtime and events were whispered that included weird new words like "STD" even the old Hillybilly stand "PG" (which is an unconvincing abbreviation for pregnancy) followed closely by the term 'abortion"

Her and her friends suffered a loss of respect, self esteem and damage to their reps - singulary and collectively.

"No surprise!" the sage elders crowed.

After all, that gal hung with the "Wrong Crowd"

Translate that true tail tale into the current bout of electile dysfunction in Great Satan.

"At a time when many people are saying Barack Obama’s past associations with radical figures doesn’t matter — and even that it
shouldn’t matter - it’s worth considering the opposite argument."

What applies to an inheat teenage wildchild also applies to presidential candidates.

"Over the years, Barack Obama hung around with some pretty disturbing characters, and what we’re talking about aren’t isolated incidents. It has happened with a slew of people on a range of issues. He has connected himself with domestic terrorists (William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn), with an anti-American and racist minister (Jeremiah Wright), and with corrupt people (Antoin “Tony” Rezko) and organizations (ACORN). What we see, then, is a pattern."

"Will it be something that will manifest itself if Obama is elected
President? It’s impossible to know for sure, and we can hope it wouldn’t be the case.

But it might.

The concern is not that Obama will invite domestic terrorists to the White House for signing ceremonies or private lunches; rather, it is that we know enough about Obama to say that his enormous personal ambition has clouded his judgment over the years.

He looks to be a man who will do disquieting things in order to climb the ladder of political success; when he was in Hyde Park, the rungs on that ladder included Mr. Ayers and the Reverend Wright.

This kind of trait — soaring ambition trumping sound judgment — can
manifest itself in very problematic ways, especially when you occupy the most powerful office in the world.

I get all that. But some of us believe there is a responsibility to make
this case in a calm, responsible, factual way. We believe it’s important to explain why Obama’s radical associations bear on the question of his character, and why Obama’s character bears on the question of electing our next President.

This issue shouldn’t, by itself, be dispositive. Nor should it be the only,
or even the most important, issue in the campaign. Nor is it fair to say that Obama’s character can be understood only through the prism of his associations. But to evoke eye-rolling, dismissive reactions in response to simply raising the issue is an effort to sideline a legitimate topic.

The time-honored truth is that character matters in leaders. Sometimes people forget that lesson - and when they do, it’s appropriate to remind them. And whether the country understands it or not, and whether voters think it’s a big deal or not, integrity and associations matter."

Pic - Left 2 right - Bad Influence, Bad Attitiude and Bad Judgement

Columbus Day

Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue way back in 1492.

This delightful ditty firmly places the date of the discovery of the New World into the minds of saavy kids everywhere in Great Satan.

Later on, CC get's dissed in crash courses for introducing alien concepts like slavery, STD's, baby Jesus and advanced weaponry to hapless, childlike races in places from South America all the way to Alaska.

What ev.

What was the motivation for CC to split sail from Europa and head west?

Easy!

Find a short cut to India.

The real quiz is quite significant. Why?

After all, Europa was the centre of the world for the tech saavy Europeans - India's locale was well known and thanks to Prince Henry (the cat who put the 'gator' in) the Navigator sealanes and land routes could have sweetly hooked up to provide the fastest transport times circa 1500 anywhere on earth.

Check out a World map from 1500 AD and the answer is prett obvious.

Critical portions of any route to and from India were totally beseiged by totalitarian monarchies like the Ottomans, Safavid Persia and an unhealthy mix of sundry and "...various mohammedist states..."

Amazing that the reason for the season of Columbus Day is traced back to probs facing the entire free world today.

Unfun, unfree and unhinged regimes built, cruelly maintained and by their very design expansionist feature intolerance, nonegalitarian and misery projection with all the trimmings like slavery, pitiful lit rates and of course - violence.

Detours allowing the avoidance of such retarded, backward civs were in high demand, thanks to Columbus - Europa turned her back on the faux, played league of failed states - and concentrated their efforts on the "New World"

Hail Columbia! Happy Columbus Day.

Scaredy Cat

Ex (thank goodness!) Great Britain Foreign Sec David Owens (who was blown out of his gig by election of the Iron Maiden) mews pitifully unlike other Brit Cats Sir Winnie or Sir Tony and kinda reduxes old Sir Neville Chamberlains's appease tease (we all know how well that worked out).

To be fair - David is an apostle of the old faux school realpolitik cabal with all the unholy enchantments and retarded cacophony - containment, dialogue - a real get along and go along guy.

Reliving the unheady days of the last millennium, Sir Dave has a pitiful piece in UK Timesonline that may have squads of retirement home staff breaking red to retain and recapture an escaped patient who may either be off his meds - or worse - on the payroll of Persia's petro phat provocateurs.

Either way - the uninformed opinion piece is totally unrealistic.

Aside from drinking tea - Dave reads the tea leaves too and he is freaked!

Little Satan is about to ruin everything if she acts out against the enrichment, egotisitical mullahs at Preacher Command!

"Following an Israeli attack and Iranian countermeasures, the American military would be bound to follow Bush’s orders. The president-designate or, if before the election, the two candidates, would be wary of criticising him.

It is imperative that voices are raised in America and Europe to warn
Israel off unilateral action against Iran."

According to shame filled game Dave disserts, best not to distrurb Iran - unless super sucking up to the illegit regime in Tehran is deployed.

Great Satan

"...would be best served by taking dramatic diplomatic action to
prevent a war with Iran. Publicly warn Israel that the United States will use its air power to prevent it bombing Iran, while announcing that sending Rice to Tehran to start negotiating a grand bargain whereby all sanctions would be lifted if Iran forgoes the nuclear weapons option."

The result would be that Great Satan indicates

"... negotiations would not continue indefinitely, but they would
give his successor, as president, time to consider all the options, military and economic. "

Maybe.

It could also be pointed out that Iran by then would be far past the point of no return with designer nukey WMD and make a regional war inevitable.

Stats

Recently at like the most de boring debate ever - (held in the same burg where Old Glory Herself hid in exile during the horrible Confederacy times) some interesting stats were thrown down gauntlet style by "that one".

"We have three percent of the world's oil reserves and we use 25
percent of the world's oil."

The uncool appeal to deceive Americans and their innate sense of fair play is essentially that Great Satan sweetly reclines atop only 3% of mother earth's resources while unsweetly devouring 25% of Momie Earth's resources.

"The United States is the most voracious devourer of natural
resources ever. Its 296 million citizens spend over half a trillion dollars each year on energy. Over 40 percent of that energy comes from oil, of which the U.S. guzzles 20 million barrels, and growing, daily."

Even worse, Great Satan's insatiable appetites are queering the mix for tons of foreigners - especially those living under tribal or despotic rule.

"The international order is based in large part on American
domination that resembles imperialism. This can be seen from the disproportional advantage that the United States enjoys across several sectors related to the conditions necessary to sustain human life.

Not only is American the world’s largest consumer of resources, but
it also increasingly control the access to those resources giving this country a de facto strangle hold on life on our planet. Even where development takes place—to which the United States is frequently a contributor—that development often contributes to America’s increased superiority and dependence by the ‘partner’ on America’s assistance.

The inequalities caused by this situation perpetuate an environment
of oppression from which the majority of the people of the world are confined to an inhumane existence.

While indeed this could be changed by a radical shift in American
policy, such as the acceptance of a greater degree of equality and justice in the world, this is not happening."

Natch - the only hope for the entire world is for Great Satan to get into the fairness game and stop queering the mix.

"The changes that are necessary to allow for peaceful international
coexistence among all people and to preempt violent revolution must be substantive, not illusionary. They require a literal counter-revolution in American thinking about its goals and policy priorities.

They require a commitment to sharing the fruits of the world’s
natural and human resources more fairly among the people of the world. They require a system that holds authoritative actors accountable to ensure the rights that they have pledged to uphold in the numerous international undertakings that they have given their people and the world community at large.

If these goals cannot be accomplished the presently growing
environment of inequality and injustice will be become unsustainable and unbearable."

Otay - Let's review:

Great Satan - all by her lonesome is devastating the world's pop with her greedy, unbridled, unfair energy desires.

YAWN.

So what?

Look at what Great Satan does with her ill gotten, ill divy'd spoils:

In any endeavour - academics, arts, biz, communications, entertainment, health, medicine, science, tech, travel, space exploration and work enhancement - Great Satan leads the world.

Everything - from electric pencil sharpeners to Ipods. Americans have invented nearly everything in the last 60 years from Barbies and Hot Wheels to laser surgery and the WWW.

Plus, Great Satan doesn't hoard her unfair inventions like HIV meds or disaster relief.

Certain nations that sit atop most of the world's oil reserves have absolutely NO track record of humanitarian relief efforts in their own back yard - like a massive mud slide in Pakistan - let alone easing suffering around the world.

When did Mommie Russia act out to save lives? Or Red China? Or any of the 22 and a half members of the Arab League?

It's not unfair divides of energies that has made Great Satan truly great. It is her irresistable drive to fashion and uphold her tolerant, egalitarian society with all the trimmings - a military under civilian control, an independent judiciary under elected gov oversight, transparent and periodic elections, a nat'l treasury under public scrutiny and an uncensored free press.

Whenever the 3% versus 25% screed is brought up - feel free to LOL and point out all Great Satan's accomplishments - and quiz the quizer that it might be way cooler to grant her the other 75%

art - GrEaT sAtAn dEvOuRs ReSoUrCeS

Supreme Sultan

Akbar Ganji, ex Revo Guard Commander and current dissident (with an interesting book called "The Road to Democracy in Iran" has an interesting bit up at Foreign Affairs about politics in Iran.

Pointing out the Gay Free Republic's fiery little rocketeer is a leader in name only.

"For many Iranian opposition leaders, as well as much of the Western
media and political class, Ahmadinejad is the main culprit of Iran's ills today: censorship, corruption, a failing economy, the prospect of a U.S
attack.

But this analysis is incorrect, if only because it exaggerates
Ahmadinejad's importance and leaves out of the picture the country's single most powerful figure: Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader."

And that nom de guere is so true. Supreme Leader is way more than a jumped up Ayatollah -

"The Iranian constitution endows the supreme leader with tremendous
authority over all major state institutions, and Khamenei, who has held the post since 1989, has found many other ways to further increase his influence.

Formally or not, the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government all operate under the absolute sovereignty of the supreme leader; Khamenei is the head of state, the commander in chief, and the top ideologue.

He also reaches into economic, religious, and cultural affairs
through various government councils and organs of repression, such as the Revolutionary Guards, whose commander he himself appoints."

Ganji's dossier is a worthy read for info on Iran's topsy turvy crazy curvy bi polar body politic.


art - "MuLLaHs GaNg by fUnDaMeNtAl rEgImE

A Force For Good

That world view that says that America is a nation of exceptionalism. And we are to be that shining city on a hill, as President Reagan so beautifully said, that we are a beacon of hope and that we are unapologetic here.


We are not perfect as a nation. But together, we represent a perfect ideal. And that is democracy and tolerance and freedom and equal rights.


Those things that we stand for that can be put to good use as a force for good in this world.

Some of these dictators who hate America and hate what we stand for, with our freedoms, our democracy, our tolerance, our respect for women's rights, those who would try to destroy what we stand for cannot be met with just sitting down on a presidential level.That is beyond bad judgment. That is dangerous.

Living in America. We are so blessed.

We have to fight for our freedoms, also, economic and our national security freedoms.

It was Ronald Reagan who said that freedom is always just one generation away from extinction.

We don't pass it to our children in the bloodstream; we have to fight for it and protect it, and then hand it to them so that they shall do the same.

We will fight for it

gOvErNoR sArAh

Pirates!

In geography class - the "Horn" of Africa is that horny protruberance on the East Coast of Africa that boldly protrudes and divides the Gulf of Aden where the Red Sea hangs out and the massive Indian Ocean.

It's also the hood for one of the New Millennium's Failed States.
THE number 1 Failed State in fact.

Somalia. With a pop of less than 10 million and a lit rate of a pififul 37.8% and about 94 K online. Most of Somalia's turf is unarable - like over 98%.

"This year, Somalia claims the unenviable distinction of being the state most at risk of failure. In many ways, Somalia has failed already, as the unpopular transitional government lacks control of the streets of Mogadishu—much less the rest of the country.

The loose coalition of Islamic clerics and militia leaders that captured the capital in 2006 was routed in the early weeks of 2007 with the help of Ethiopian troops, who have since stayed on to battle the remnants of the Islamist insurgency.

The fighting has yet to produce anything resembling a victor;
if anything, the country’s clan chaos continues unabated in the unruly
streets, while pirates stalk the waters offshore. What the fighting has
successfully produced is a refugee nightmare, with some 700,000 people fleeing Mogadishu last year. "

The fighting has also produced a semi society almost entirely free from the consistency of the Rule of Law.

"Following the breakdown of the central government, most regions have
reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either secular, traditional
Somali customary law, or Shari'a law."

Yay.

Great Britain's Royal Institute of International Affairs @ Chatham House reveals that one biz out of Somalia that is expanding at an exponential rate is actually an ancient biz.

Piracy.

2008 has been like a bang up year for Pirates in Somalia's near abroad.

Brit Cat Roger Middleton unleashed a very interesting dossier for RIIA entitled "Piracy in Somalia: Threatening Global Trade, Feeding Local Wars"

"Pirates have hijacked more than 30 ships off Somalia this year, making the country's 3,300 km (2,060 miles for the metrically challenged) coastline one of the most dangerous in the world and threatening an important shipping lane between Europe and Asia."

"Total ransom payments for 2008 probably lie in the range of $18-30
million. Inflation of ransom demands makes this an ever more lucrative
business"

Somalia pirates are totally jamming up the World Food Fund too, collecting vital booty like foodstuffs the UN has paid for to be sent to ease misery and offer hope in Africa's desperate environs like Somalia.

And Sept 2008 has been a banner month!

* Sept 2 - Pirates seize the Carre D'as IV, a small French yacht with two French citizens aboard, in the Gulf of Aden, and demand a ransom of more than $1.4 million. French commandos free the French couple on September 16, killing and capturing pirates..

* Sept 3 - An Egyptian ship is hijacked.

* Sept 10 - Pirates seize a SoKo cargo ship.

* Sept 17 - Pirates hijack a Greek vessel, the Centauri, with 25 crew aboard.

* Sept 21 - Pirates hijack the Greek MV Capt Stephanos with 20 crew on board.

And then they hit the jackpot.

Ukrania's MV Faina just happened to be toting over 30 upgraded old school Russian T 72 panzers and a mix of weaponry including the ever popular AK 74 Assault rifle (a 1974 upgrade of the ancient AK 47).

Destination for the panzers is still unclear - though intell suspects

"Chartered through a Ukrainian front company, the Faina's a typical
post-Soviet arms smuggler: Its cargo is manifested to the Kenyan military, but the true destination for those T-72 tanks is either Sudan's government, which is under an international arms embargo, or southern-Sudanese rebels chafing under a rickety peace deal.

The Kenyans are just middlemen making a buck. "

The pirates may be using MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems) and rocket propelled grenades during their attacks. They also have GPS systems and satellite phones.

Magically, Great Satan's USS Howard (DDG 83) is on hand, buzzing MV Fain with choppers - determined not to let those panzers get into the wrong hands. Concern for hostage safety has ruled out any action for now.

Somalia's semi gov has asked Russia to intervene and fight the pirates.

"We are inviting all countries, all states who have possibility to
support Somalia to fight against ... pirates. We are especially inviting Russia and giving special status to Russian warships to fight, to help Somalia."

Russia's CWS Fearless (F1154) is en route - making nigh unto 30 knots to the scene.

And Russia's rep for hostages surviving her commando raids (like that theatre in Moscow or that school in Beslan) isn't so good.

The pirates won't like dealing with the Russians who were sent down yonder to cover up Vlad's hanky panky in arming rogue states.

Great Satan should strike first. She needs to know exactly what's on that ship; keep those panzers out of Sudan's hands and enjoy a wonderful opportunity to make an example of cutthroats.

"What if we make a move and the pirates attack their captives? They
might - or they may fear the consequences. Either way, it's better to risk a small amount of bloodshed now than to let these gangs continue terrorizing the Gulf of Aden (the route to the Suez Canal) and sea lanes stretching into the Indian Ocean."

"Piracy must be exterminated."

Africom

Great Satan's 30 year in the future military expands her global reach and opens up shop in Africa with a new field command.

Africom.

Back in the day, any biz south of the Nile's Cataracts were unsweetly divided across 3 diff Commands - like Europa, ME and the Pacific. Original Vulcan and Regime Changer Ex Def Sec Rumsfeld often quized about the coolness of such discombobulated disarray.

After Liberia back in 2001 it became prett clear Great Satan needed a dedicated structure to hang near by and keep an eye open for events on a continent of a guesstimated 690 million souls speaking a thousand diff tongues among 53 diff nations.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs Theresa Whelan points out that

"Africa, and the Horn of Africa in particular, is a region of great
strategic importance to the United States. At the crossroads of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Near East, the Horn presents a series of complex threats to U.S. national security, including weak governance, lawlessness, territorial disputes, and safe havens for terrorism."

"If ignored or unaddressed, all of these issues will have dire
consequences for the people of the Horn, for the broader region, for our
friends and Allies on the continent, and for the United States. We believe that a coordinated U.S. foreign and national security policy in the Horn of Africa, of which our defense relations are a component, is of critical importance to U.S. strategic and security interests."

Africom's Vision?

Develops and implements military programs that add value to the important endeavor of enhancing stability and security on the continent of Africa and its island nations;

Directs, integrates and employs credible and relevant military capability in peace and in response to crisis;

Is a trusted and reliable partner for the nations and security institutions in Africa, our U.S. government teammates, our allies, and intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations working in Africa;

Africom will be essential in training free troops like 5 Brigades from South Africa who function as a first on the scene combat force to incarcerating and incinerating Al Qaedas in Africa, putting paid to the piracy trade as well as challenging and standing up against intolerant ideologies that tend to make up a concept called "The Protracted Peoples Wars"

Africom's 1st commander is 4 Star General William Ward and is responsible to the Secretary of Defense for U.S. military relations with 53 African countries, including the Islands of Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe, and the Indian Ocean islands of Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles.

Central Command will still maintain its traditional relationship with Egypt, but AFRICOM will coordinate with Egypt on issues relating to Africa security.