| Pakistan 'role in Mumbai attacks' | ||
The attacks were planned by the ISI and carried out by the Islamist militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba, based in Pakistan, Mumbai's police chief said. AN Roy said the Students' Islamic Movement of India had also assisted. Pakistan rejected the allegations and said India had given no evidence of Pakistani involvement in the attacks. | ||
"We have solved the 11 July bombings case. The whole attack was planned by Pakistan's ISI and carried out by Lashkar-e-Toiba and their operatives in India," Mumbai (Bombay) police commissioner AN Roy told a news conference.
Added Note from 2164th:
Sorry to interrupt your Ramadan celebrations, but this same terrorist group received training in the same madrasas, or Muslim seminaries, where Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters studied and continue to do so today . Some received military training at camps in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The Kashmiri terrorists’ leadership has al-Qaeda connections.
The leader of the Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen group, Farooq Kashmiri Khalil, signed on to al-Qaeda’s 1998 declaration of holy war, which called on Muslims to attack all Americans and their allies. Maulana Masood Azhar, who founded the Jaish-e-Muhammad organization, trucked on over to Afghanistan several times to meet Osama bin Laden. Azhar's group is suspected of receiving funding and support from al-Qaeda.
If anybody is counting, there seems to be a trend here. As someone once said.
Pakistan, founder of the Taliban, may have run the operation in India.
ReplyDeleteWith allies like that, who needs enemies.
In Baghdad, the curfew continues, Bill Roggio says:
"... Richard Fernandez looked at the possibility that Sadr and the Madhi Army were the targets of the raid. However the politician in question was “Adnan al-Dulaimi, leader of the Iraqi Consensus Front, the largest bloc of Sunni parties in Iraq, which holds about a sixth of the seats in Parliament,” according to the New York Times. A bodyguard of al-Dulaimi was the target of the raid. “American forces detained an Iraqi working for one of Iraq’s most prominent Sunni Arab political leaders on Friday on suspicion that the man was helping to plan a multiple-car suicide bombing inside the Green Zone.” Guard Khudhir Farhan, who is believed to lead an eight man al-Qeada cell, was arrested.
While the curfew and the raid on al-Dulaimi's compound have not been explicitly linked, the likelihood is they are. The curfew is unprecedented, as both vehicle and foot traffic have been banned. A deadly multiple suicide attack against the Green Zone has serious political ramifications during a heated election season in America. ..."
He goes on to describe how the US ? Iraqi Command operates in Baghdad
" ... To demonstrate how lightly the Iraqi and Coalition forces tread in instances such as these, on September 21 Iraqi troops chased a suspected insurgent into a building owned by the National Dialog (or National Consensus). The search ended as “based on the nature of the National Dialogue headquarters, Iraqi Army forces were denied permission to enter the building.” The aide must have been of significant value to take this political risk. ..."
So there you go, Sanctuaries provided the Enemy within Iraq, in Baghdad itself. No wonder Syria and Iran get a pass.
Robert Harris, an author, most recently of “Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome.” writes in the NYTimes of historical precedent and perceptions. Mr Harris is in Kintbury, England, obviously his perspective from there is different from the view in Phoenix or San Jose.
ReplyDeleteHe draws a distinct connection between when:
... In the autumn of 68 B.C. the world’s only military superpower was dealt a profound psychological blow by a daring terrorist attack on its very heart. Rome’s port at Ostia was set on fire, the consular war fleet destroyed, and two prominent senators, together with their bodyguards and staff, kidnapped. ..."
and incidents, today.
This fellow, Mr Harris, is a veritable VDH, but being a Brit, reaches different conclusions from the historical record.
But then, in "Conservative" circles VDH is not always welcome. His views on the "Calimexifacation" of the American West providing the perfect example.
In regards Immigration, the Republicans acted "to late" to save AZ6. By allowing Border Security to become an Electoral Issue, they will have lost that seat.
$200,000 USD in Campaign spending does not overcome poor Congressional and Executive performance. The "Grassroots" will not toe the DC Line. The moderate candidate, that could have won the election was hung out to dry, by Mr Bush and the Congress refusing to take a stand a month or two sooner.
There is a lesson there, for Republicans concerning Iraq, come '08.
Why threaten?
ReplyDeleteCut off the Aid until the desired reform is achieved. Then they will then reform, or not. They will recieve the US bribes and toe the US line, or not.
We can decide what to do, next, based on Iraqi performance, not promises.
Keep an eye on Russia and Georgia. The "Getting Red Again" Army is halting the planned pullout. I can almost hear the clatter of tank cleats.
ReplyDeleteWILLIAM B. CALDWELL IV, spokesman for Multi-National Forces-Iraq and is currently stationed in Baghdad, says:
ReplyDelete"... Iraq's new unity government is moving forward and will continue grappling with tough political challenges, such as how to balance power between central and regional governments (federalism) and how to divvy up the country's oil revenues. But Iraqis have succeeded in setting a road map for resolving these essential issues. We must maintain the patience to allow their critical efforts to come to fruition.
..."
Roadmaps
That is what has always been needed, better Roadmaps. Both in the Levant and now Iraq,
Roadmaps to Peace
Hell in a handbasket
I had linked to This in an earlier thread, I think.
ReplyDeleteMr Putin could declare martial law, if there is a War, then he could suspend elections, no?
DR, Georgia is toying with joining Nato. Putin cannot declare martial law. He can arrange a coup or send in the tanks. This should be a nice cold bucket of water over
ReplyDelete_____________________________________(fill in the blank)
It is always easier to talk about the road maps, rather than fix the damn car.
ReplyDeleteI am misunderstood, duece.
ReplyDeleteHe has a "War" in Georgia, declares martial law in Russia, suspending the Russian Elctoral process, not the Georgians.
He then retains the Kremlin, the Russian Courts would not allow him to run again. That decision a couple of weeks old.
That my friend is on the mark. He would have to stop being a G8, I guess. Better to be a czar.
ReplyDeleteNothing in the foreseeable future will remedy the pathologic distrust among/between Iraq's multitudinous factions, cults, sects, tribes, ethnicities and parties. However, almost all have one commonality: the need for the US to act as buffer and guarantor. We will be in Iraq for a long time.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh listening to Secretary Chertoff on c-span some time ago. He said he doesn't use email. I thought, now there is the smartest man in government.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you gentlemen have Sherwin Williams the globe.
ReplyDeleteIt's beginning to look like the client states of TWAT are expanding their reach as they digest the daily retrogression of our military and the impuissant NATO leadership.
We aren't going to a draft but from here at EP what we already know is that the rotation of units back to Iraq has increased in cadence and that they aren't trained up to fighting again so soon. They will do their duty though. That our inventory is depleted to a dangerous level and most importantly because we have played patty cake with the ME we are giving off the scent of fear. Forces are marshalling against us at an ever increasing rate.
That leaves India to neutralize
Pakistan permanently while we get some Navy Task force into the Black Sea on a "joint exersize" with Georgia, NOW. All signs are leading back to a Soviets reconstruction via the methods Hitler used to absorb the Sudetenland. "Hey some of these people speak German so they should become part of Germany" The West acquiesce gave great imputus to WWII.
So lets see, it's about a five iron to the hole ..caddy hand me a nuke please, a number 5.
Indeed, rufus, the source documents for the threatswatch piece are informative. Both the editorial
ReplyDelete"... Iraqi security forces, with coalition forces in support, continue their operations in the five focus areas. And again, as we've discussed before, in these five focused areas, there's five beladiyas. There's Dura, Baya, Mansour, Kadhimiya and Adhamiya. And right now we're seeing some very positive signs in the operations that are being conducted up here in the northeast portion of the Adhamiya beladiya.
There are currently more than 60,000 Iraqi and coalition forces in the city of Baghdad as part of Operation Together Forward. Of that number, approximately 15,000 are maneuver forces from the coalition forces. Iraqi security forces outnumber coalition forces three to one within the city and are facing a tough fight. They clearly carry the preponderance of the weight with the amount of security forces they have operating within the city. ..." but even more telling the graphics, this roadmap tells the tale of how far there is to go.
The numbers of troops that will be required, to Clear, let alone Hold the "Red Zone" are not yet in Baghdad. 60,000 total, not nearly enough, especially if the Federal Police are compromised and unusable for Holding anything.
Iraq's estimated population = 26,074,906. Baghdad - 6.39 million or 25%
ReplyDelete325,000 Iraqi Security Forcecs
25^ of the Force = 81,000.
US Force = 140,000.
25% of it = 35,000.
Combine Force on hand = 60,000
Required Force based on population ratios = 116,000.
So we have half the Force that "common sense" says we need.
The challenge to that, rufus, is that the Police mirror the population.
ReplyDeleteThey are more "Popular" then US or so it appears from the polling.
It is the population that lacks capability, as well as the Federal Police. The US will not remain unless those "Truths" are told.
Having Mr al-Sadr serve as both ally and enemy has about run it's course with the US public.
There are definate timelines and performance objectives that will be demanded for the US to remain involved, well before Nov '08.
As it appears PA may be heading Blue, for Mr Santorum, Mr Specter becomes all the more important to Republicans and the President's Policy positions.
"... “After the election, there will be a lot more candid observations about Iraq,” says Republican Arlen Specter, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Specter appeared to be warming to the task in a Q&A session at the National Press Club on Monday. Asked about the NIE, he said it is “very, very, very serious,” that it is “intuitive” that a Western nation invading and occupying an oil-rich Muslim country would “exacerbate Islamic radicalism.” What troubles him the most, he said, is that the same conclusion was reached in a National Intelligence report completed in early 2003 before the war started. In his view, Iraq is “disintegrating.” And contrary to what the administration says, “It seems to me we’re already in a civil war.”
...
Well said, rufus, but that does not change reality.
ReplyDeleteHe will still represent PA when Mr Santurom is long gone.
Well that may be why, rufus, the General says we (Maliki's Government) will know if it has have succeeded or failed, within 60 days.
ReplyDelete" WASHINGTON -- An Illinois congressional candidate who lost both her legs during combat in Iraq said Saturday that President Bush has no real strategy for securing the war-ravaged nation, just political talk designed to appeal to voters.
ReplyDelete"Instead of a plan or a strategy, we get shallow slogans like 'mission accomplished' and 'stay the course,'" former Army Capt. Tammy Duckworth said in the Democrats' weekly radio address. "Those slogans are calculated to win an election. But they won't help us accomplish our mission in Iraq."
Duckworth's address served as a response to the president's weekly radio talk and gave the Democratic Party a chance to showcase one of its strongest candidates as it seeks to regain control of the House in November's elections. ..."
Gulf and Iraqi War vets were to
"Change the Political Landscape"
Well, it sure seems like they're trying.
Former Army Major L. Tammy Duckworth, right, is helped by her husband Bryan Bowlsbey, as she walks around to greet supporters after announcing her candidacy for Illinois' 6th Congressional district at her Lombard, Ill., headquarters in this Dec. 18, 2005, file photo. Duckworth, a Democrat and Iraq War veteran who lost both legs when her Blackhawk helicopter crashed in Iraq, now faces Republican Peter Roskam in an Illinois open seat. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey, File)
ReplyDeleteInteresting photo, I'll say that much. Meanwhile...
At a GOP fundraiser Thursday in Alabama, Bush said, "The party of FDR and the party of Harry Truman has become the party of cut and run."...
... "Well, I didn't cut and run, Mr. President. Like so many others, I proudly fought and sacrificed," Duckworth said. "My helicopter was shot down long after you proclaimed 'mission accomplished.'"
Like I said, check out the photo, Ms Duckworth, she ain't runnin' no where, but for that seat in Congress.
Interesting eyewitness accounts to the bombing in Kabul on BBC. Someone feel free to link this. (I do not have my little crib sheet on this computer!)
ReplyDeletehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia
/5394628.stm
ReplyDelete/5394628.stm> Try this Duece
The link is there, somewhere.
ReplyDelete"... Bob Woodward's 2002 book Bush at War portrayed the president in such a heroic light that the Republican National Committee promoted it on their Web site. ...
...Woodward's third Bush book, State of Denial, should probably be for sale on the DNC's Web site. Or perhaps Democrats will just hand it out at campaign rallies. ...
... Woodward's book undermines the effort to make this pitch. He charges the president has not been straight with the American people about how bad things are in Iraq and how much worse it's going to get. But his most damning claim—screaming at you right there in the title—is not that Bush is deceitful; it's that he's clueless. ...
... At some point, the American public's sense of courage and determination will be outweighed by its outrage at ineptitude. In the book, the president reportedly says about Iraq: "I will not withdraw even if Laura and Barney are the only ones supporting me." After State of Denial is published, the president may be closer to that moment. ...
... What makes the Woodward book different from the many other books critical of the Bush war effort is not only the piquancy of his anecdotes but the tonnage of the publicity behind it. The Bob Woodward/Simon & Schuster machine is vast and it's not going to let you sit there and think this is just any other book critical of Bush. First printing was 750,000 copies, and they've already gone back for another 75,000. ..."
Simon & Schuster, it's been a long time since Carly's dad ran that House. Viacom owns S&S now, as well as CBS.
The White House provided Mr Woodward moral authority, by promoting "Bush at War", now that "State of Denial" is not supportive can be demonized, successfully?
"... the American public's sense of courage and determination will be outweighed by its outrage at ineptitude. ..."
ReplyDeleteThat is the tipping point to be most concerned with.
Many on the "Right" are already there.
All or Nothing is a terrible option. That is what we will end up with, the way this is going.
In that way it's 'Nam redux.
Stumbling into '08 Election cycle, which starts 8 Nov 06. With Mr Bush looking and sounding more and more like a "duck" with each passing day after that.
Well, rufus, the Dems will pick up at least 10 seats in the House. That's about the best scenario, for the Republicans, today.
ReplyDeleteThe Senate, at least three seats will swing Blue, maybe more, up 6 or 7, seems to be, today.
No missed votes allowed for members in either Chamber, for both Parties, but it'll be Gridlock Heaven, regardless.
Good point, that Viacom owns CBS as well as Simon & Schuster. Woodward will be on "60 Minutes" this wknd--an extended interview.
ReplyDeleteThe point that a previous book was "liked" by WH is balanced by that same book being dissed by the Dems as "full of lengthy unattributed quotes".
So, now, both parties are in the position of having pointed out that Woodward's technique is to describe the sausage-making of policy, without the framing, and certainly without the other side, and using 'docudrama" or "new journalism" quotes--which are presented as quotes, but aren't, actually (imagine how a discussion between you and spouse over which restaurant to go to, framed as a "momentous" event, could be "presented").
It's all very clever, very devious, and dishonest to the core. A more sophisticated CBS "memogate", timing and all.
All rather shady, isn't it? "Here's proof of all the campaign allegations you're hearing!"
Feh.
Gotta read this. No mention of the voter ID bill--wonder where it stands?
ReplyDeleteA well integrated, self supporting vertical information system, buddy.
ReplyDeleteProviding economic and political opportunities for it's owners.
Whether Mr Murdock or the faceless few at Viacom.
Read that Brits view of history, his observation, that:
"It also brought a flood of money into an electoral system that had been designed for a simpler, non-imperial era. Caesar, like Pompey, with all the resources of Gaul at his disposal, became immensely wealthy, and used his treasure to fund his own political faction. Henceforth, the result of elections was determined largely by which candidate had the most money to bribe the electorate. "
Oh, I see I did not link to it earlier, ah well, for those that care,
here, it's in the NYTimes
Gen McEinerny is on Fox, saying the Green Zone dope he's getting back-channel is that a chem/bio attack is/was being planned--an attempt to get a large kill ("5,000 or more") before the elections here in the US. [bold mine]
ReplyDeleteThat remark GWB supposedly said about Laura and Barney being enough agreement for him, reminded me of a favorite Lincoln quote, from the darkest days of the war:
ReplyDelete"I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside of me."
(see it here, #27)
check #14, rat--re the "interests".
ReplyDelete#13 is a longer exposition of the #27 "last friend" quote. And the extra phrasing makes it yet more apt today.
ReplyDeleteOf course, those words are the words of a crazy man, with an ego so insufferably large that he was willing to answer to himself, even if ever other sob on the planet disagreed with him.
ReplyDeleteGood thing he won the war--else instead of "greatest" he'd be "the one who went nuts".
You choose this one for reading:
ReplyDelete"Corporations have been enthroned. An era of corruption in high places will follow and the money power will endeavor to prolong its reign by working on the prejudices of the people...until wealth is aggregated in a few hands...and the Republic is destroyed."
While, of this bunch, these two stand out
"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong."
"If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."
As the beat goes on...
remember the Pakistani are our friends, and good credit risk, for now.
Well, it seems we were ahead of the "smart money", at least for a while.
ReplyDeletegood place to look, re Paki financial movements:
ReplyDeleteMenendez in NJ ain't looking too good, most recently--
ReplyDeleteNow, it seems, Republican leaders in the House knew of Mr Foley's indiscresion for about a year.
ReplyDeleteIt will be said that there was a "Cover up" by those Leaders.
Greedy for Power, not concerned about the victim of "Happy" pedophelia in the Offices of Congress.
As someone said, 16 is "legal" in DC. Even so, if it had been any of my kids ...
What did the Republican Leaders know and when did they know it.
Perhaps that question will influence another House Seat or two.
Hubris and clay feet, gotta love the show, when the self rightous get a taste of humble pie.
dunno yet--trying to find the heavy trades on the US exchanges. will advise--
ReplyDeleteonly the actual price/volume charts are really worth looking at. as u well know--
ReplyDeletescroll down the 'very interesting' link -- see date on PRC invite, compared to taliban truce.
ReplyDeleteDon't need to be a weatherman,
ReplyDeleteto know which way the wind blows
just "globalization, or something sinister?
ReplyDeleteWas that Mr Jefferson, Dem LA, ever indicted?
ReplyDeleteI know he won the Primary election.
Yeah, I didn't think so.
Wonder why?
Was the whole thing a "set up"?
Or is Mr Gonzo and the Justice Dept just to busy?
"Cold Cash Jefferson" is "at the center of a federal bribery investigation".
ReplyDeleteLessee, FBI, is that a GOP or Dem organization, this year?
ReplyDeleteAs tight as the Election and following weeks may be, that cadre of "Hard Men" will not adjust the results, I hope.
ReplyDeleteAn accident here, a murder there, and before you know it, the Coup is complete, democraticly arrived.
It was SOP in Rome, and as Mr Lincoln warned:
"Human action can be modified to some extent, but human nature cannot be changed. "
I have to thank you for that link, buddy.
"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
In my youth my dad would tell me this:
"If you don't say much, people may think you're smart, talk alot, they'll know the truth"
Sound like dad knew ye well, rat!
ReplyDeleterufus' Mahoney link:
ReplyDelete"I wonder how long it will take to find the many investors who lost their “life savings” in vFinance, Inc?
I did see that Tim Mahoney (D) was against individual social security accounts. With a track record like his publicly traded company, I do not blame him.
Plus, it is a very fun exercise to google vFinance and lawsuit……
UPDATE:The best part of this is that all that shareholder value was lost while Clinton was President!!! This company went public in March 2000 at $7.00 a share. In one year, Tim Mahoney (D) lost $300,000,000 of shareholder value for the stockholders. This chart from Yahoo Finance will sink this guys campaign. Please help spread the news."
-- Oak Leaf
I think 'oakleaf' is a tad optimistic--there's many, many dot.com busters around. Political price is probably paid by now.
ReplyDeleteIt seems, that though he was involved
ReplyDeleteIn one year, Tim Mahoney (D) lost $300,000,000 of shareholder value for the stockholders.
It is also true his company ran with the "big dogs"
Some 122 companies, including 13 brokers, such as FleetBoston (NYSE: FBF), Goldman, Sachs & Co. (NYSE: GS), H. Myerson & Co., Inc. (NASDAQ: MHMY), Olde / H&R Block (NYSE: HRB), Charles Schwab (NYSE: SCH), Toronto-Dominion's (NYSE: TD), TD Waterhouse Group and vFinance, Inc. (OTCBB: VFIN). A.G. Edwards, Inc. (NYSE: AGE), Ameritrade Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: AMTD), Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE: DB), and ETrade Group, Inc. (NYSE: ET), have been embroiled for over a year in a raging controversy
vFinance
Follow the advice, goodle away, there is not much there.
Bet Tim Mahoney shows well, like Mr Allen.
But then, $300 Million, made and/or lost in a Initial Public Offering. That's about normal for a smooth Demovratic operator.
Makes Mr Jefferson look like a parking valet, scrapin' for tips and lookin' for small change in the seat crack.
But niether compare to that $3.8 Billion loss the US incurred in that Afghan cemetary, last summer.
Buddy,
ReplyDeleteYour Don Surber link:
"3. a tough eavesdrop on al-Qaeda law."
---
I thought the Dems blocked that?
---
Also, says santorum is a shoe in, yet RCP shows him well behind in Polls?
?
I dunno--Surber isn't known to "game" these questions--
ReplyDeleteMNo, they didn't block it, when it came time to vote. 12 of the 16 who were "agin' voted 'yea' at crunch time. That was Surber's point--the grassroots ain't as far left as the MSM is touting. Surprise, surprise. propaganda news, all the time.
RCP has Casey up by 12.8
ReplyDeleteThe error rate in PA is about 7 points, historicly
Puts Casey up by about 6, today.
Of the 14 Senate races tracked at RCP, Mr Kyl seems safe. Mr Lieberman, what Party does he caucus with, next year?
Mr Allen is up by 4
As is Whitehouse in RI
Mr Kean up by 2.3 in NJ
Mr Talent even in Missouri
Mr Ford tied in TN
The balance have the Dems ahead
Four of 14 for Repubs. include CT
Ywo even up
Eight of the "toss ups" for the Dems.
untul the real poll, 40 days
196 House members voted against "Voter ID".
ReplyDeleteWhy? Why? Whywhywhy????
jeez, rufus, that wouldn't be very patriotic of them, to cheat.
ReplyDeleteyeh, you need to re-think, alright. why, they've been sayin it and sayin it, how patriotic they are.
ReplyDeleteVoter ID:
ReplyDeleteIt's an unconstitutional poll tax, and it only gets worse in 2010 when people have to have a copy of their birth certificate to vote by mail!
So, to hear tell, every time they vote, they gotta DRIVE DOWN TO KINKOS and pay the poll tax on that.
(everybody being either too stupid to keep a few copies, or pick up the copy with on the Beer Run)
So, prepare for the courts to overturn this OUTRAGE against people's right to vote
ABSOLUTELY! A little walk-around crack money oughht to be the only expense!
ReplyDeleteIf we're getting intel on bodyguards planning car bombings the AQ and al Sadr have to be getting very uncomfortable that we've turned some people or we've got some magic juju work'n...I love it.
ReplyDeleteParanoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away ...yeah
ho ho ha ha--Buffalo Springfield--or maybe not
ReplyDelete