Month: December 2005

Although Bush is Blasted for "Rendition", It Was Clinton's Baby

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Although, President Bush was blasted this week from those on the left for the “rendition” program, it was actually Bill Clinton, Sandy Berger and Richard Clark who developed this practice.The US “rendition” program of capturing and questioning terror suspects on foreign soil was launched under US president Bill Clinton, said a former US counterterrorism agent today.Michael Scheuer, a 22-year veteran of the CIA who resigned from the agency in 2004, told Thursday’s issue of the newsweekly Die Zeit that the US administration had been looking in the mid-1990s for a way to combat the terrorist threat and circumvent the cumbersome US legal system.”President Clinton, his national security advisor Sandy Berger and his terrorism advisor Richard Clark ordered the CIA in the autumn of 1995 to destroy al-Qaeda,” Scheuer said, in comments published in German.”We asked the president what we should do with the people we capture.

Hurricane Drives Man to Commit Murder-Suicide

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2005 leaves us with a new class of victims.A Louisiana man shot himself, his wife and his 14 year old son in Dallas, Texas last night after the a year full of hardship and facing eviction:A friend said Hurricane Katrina had destroyed the family’s rental home in Louisiana.

Do Rulings Mean This is the End of US Catholicism?

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Two separate rulings on Friday paint a bleak picture for the US Catholic Church.Mitchell Garabedian, a lawyer representing 55 of the abuse cases against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, is seen in a 2002 file photo.

UN Accuses US of Cruel Gitmo Force-Feeding

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A UN official who declined to tour Guantanamo Bay Detention Center after he was told he would not have unlimited access to detainees, accused the US of force-feeding detainees at the prison.Manfred Nowak’s comments came after it emerged that the number of detainees refusing food at the prison camp had more than doubled since 25 December.

If '06 is Year of the Frog, Old Gray Lady May Be Marching

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Today the Justice Department finally opened an investigation into the leak of classified information on domestic surveillance programs.There have been several predictions for ’06, but after today’s announcement, how about this one…2006 Will be the Year of the Frog,And, the “Old Gray Lady” will be marching!After numerous media leaks jeopardizing national security operations in the past several months, it’s about time!The officials, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the probe, said the inquiry will focus on disclosures to The New York Times about warrantless surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency since the Sept.

Rockefeller Flip Flops on Intelligence Gathering

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This is what Senator Jay Rockefeller said in a July 26, 2004, press release: “Our top priority is to ensure the best intelligence capability possible and we must be guided by certain principals.

The Tashkent Papers and Ambassador Craig Murray

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Craig Murray, Britain’s former ambassador to Uzbekistan, has been portrayed in the media as a colourful and dotty rogue with a penchant for bars, girls, Range-Rovers and outrageous breaches of diplomatic protocol.

All Eyes on Snuppy

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Poor little Snuppy Doo!After all of the attention, the VIDEOS, and the Milk-bones, the world’s first cloned dog may just be (dare I say it?) a son of a bitch after all!Snuppy Dogs are difficult animals to clone.Snuppy, seen here with his father(???), may have problems adjusting to life without celebrity status.A South Korean investigation panel looking into the work of the disgraced scientist has not reached a conclusion on Snuppy:A South Korean investigation panel looking into the works of a disgraced scientist said on Thursday it could not yet reach a conclusion on whether his team produced the world’s first cloned dog.The same Seoul National University panel dealt a devastating blow to scientist Hwang Woo-suk, saying there was no data to back the fundamental claim in a landmark 2005 paper that Hwang’s team had produced the world’s first tailored embryonic stem cells.A few months after Hwang grabbed headlines with the May paper on the tailored stem cells, he was back in the spotlight again.

Polls Show Palestinians Upbeat & Favor Israel Annihilation Party

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The good news is that Palestinians are optimistic with 68% feeling general optimism for the future.The bad news is that 59% of Palestinians in recent exit polls favor Hamas who favors Israel’s destruction.Hamas is positioned to make big gains in the upcoming January Parliamentary elections.A Palestinian boy wears a Hamas banner on his head during a Hamas rally in Gaza December 23, 2005.

A Very Wacky German

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Wacky Suzanne Osthoff who was just released by her captors in Iraq believes that hostage-taking is a perfectly reasonable means for encouraging Western governments to supply more humanitarian aid to the Sunnis of Iraq.Now she wants to go back to Iraq.TigerHawk has the disturbing details on this deranged woman and her release.German blogger Davids Medienkritik who has been following the Osthoff saga, says one might well question the psychological status of the former hostage.

Oil for Food & The Aunt with Hairy Legs

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Claudia Rosett ends the year with an Oil for Food Scandal thriller!(via Free Thoughts)Curiously, the name on the mailbox for the “aunt’s apartment” was that of the man in charge of the Oil for Food Program himself…

Palestinian Factions Exchange Fire in Gaza

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PALESTINIAN GUNMEN EXCHANGED FIRE IN GAZA EARLY TODAY, CRITICS FEAR ABBAS IN UNABLE TO ENFORCE SECURITY,VIDEO HEREAs Gaza battles escalate between factions and before elections planned for next month, Israel fears a Palestinian Collapse.Palestinian gunmen from the Fatah movement take position on the roof of a government building after storming the building, northern Gaza Strip, December 27, 2005.

Egyptian Blogger Accuses WaPo of Slogging for the Regime

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Bill Roggio at Threats Watch was more than mildly upset with the Washington Post for the flaws in its Monday article on Information Operations:Monday’s Washington Post featured an article written by Jonathan Finer and Doug Struck titled s, Money Now Weapons in Information War – U.S.

The Myth in Juan Cole's "10 Myths"

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Juan Cole laid out his “10 Myths on Iraq” today to set the record straight for all of his readers who have not been paying attention to any of the successes in Iraq.

After Tense Days, Iraqi Political Crisis is Abating

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IRAQI OPPOSITION PROTESTERS TOOK TO THE STREETS OF BAGHDAD TODAY BUT THEIR NUMBERS DWINDLED SINCE THE WEEKEND,VIDEO HEREAs Mohammed at Iraq the Model was saying yesterday the political situation in Iraq seems have subsided in the last 48 hours.

The Amazing Tsunami Survivors, One Year Later

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A year after the devastating Asian tsunami, the amazing survivors of the disaster that killed an estimated 230,000 people in southeast Asia are still struggling to put their lives back together.

After They Took His Oil Wells, China Jails Investor for Protesting

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“As long as I am alive, I will not be resigned to being a slave.”Feng BingxianDuring his trial for organizing protests in China.December 26, 2005″They accused my father and the other three defendants of ‘disrupting social order’, which is groundless, since we only gathered around 200 people to stand in front of the provincial government and ask them to negotiate.

With Iraqi Election Turmoil, The Left Rejoices & Attacks

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This was predictable.The reactions from the Left ignore the good news coming from Iraq but that doesn’t matter to left leaning pundits who equate destruction in Iraq, with a loss for the US, with a loss for Bush (EVERYTHING revolves around Bush) to a win for (terrorism and) the Left.Mahablog reports:I remain skeptical that Iraq or any other non-democratic nation can be forcibly retrofitted with a workable democratic government by outside forces.

"Good Morning America" Shafts Baby 81

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After the tsunami last year, Baby 81 was caught in a desperate custody battle with 9 sets of parents.The boy was put under police guard after Jeyarajah was arrested and briefly detained for trying to forcibly take him from nurses.

Powell Defends Eavesdropping and Bush, Former Aide is Sad

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COLIN POWELL HAD SPECIAL WORDS FOR THE TROOPS WHO ARE SERVING AWAY FROM HOME DURING THE HOLIDAYS,VIDEO HERE This is the second major interview in ten days where Colin Powell has defended the Bush Administration since he was attacked by a former aide.

Looking Heavenward at Christmas 2005

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Antiphon for Monday Vespers in the 4th week of Advent:O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you.

Good News from South America

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Russell Crandall was appointed Director for Western Hemisphere Initiatives, one of five advisors for the Western Hemisphere to the President and National Security Advisor.

Media Likens Al Franken to Bob Hope… But Hope Left Message

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The mainstream media today likens body slamming, screaming, blood on his hands, f***ing shameless, “He lied to us.”, cussing, crack up, Al Franken to the legendary Bob Hope.BUT BOB HOPE WAS NO MAINSTREAM ZOMBIE!VIDEO HEREVideo via Clay Calhoun and Extreme WisdomThe mainstream media compares fierce anti-Bush critic Al Franken to USO stalwart Bob Hope today.Comedian and fierce anti-Bush critic Al Franken is traveling to visit troops in Iraq this week in what he calls his “Very Bob Hope” show:Comedian Al Franken is headlining USO shows at military bases in Iraq this week.

Oh, Little Prison of Bethlehem

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Despite Bethlehem’s largest Christmas celebration in years, Senior Roman Catholic Leader Michel Sabbah just sees a prison.Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Michel Sabbah sprays water in front of the Nativity Church in the Biblical West Bank town of Bethlehem.

Bush Job Approval at 50%, Expected to Rise

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Despite constant attacks and the refusal to emphasize any of the terrific economic numbers and progress in the Mideast by the media, President Bush has bounced back to 50% approval in performance as president.

Dutch Court Claims Genocide on Kurds, Arms Dealer Convicted

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Dutch arms merchant who sold Saddam chemicals is convicted of war crimes as a Hague Court claims Saddam waged genocide against the Kurds.Iraqi Kurds celebrate after hearing the verdict outside the Court in The Hague, the Netherlands Friday Dec.

At 0 & 15… Daily Kos Says "It's All About Winning"

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In an interview with the Washington Monthly liberal blogger Daily Kos, Marcos Moulitsas, says “It’s all about winning” and shows no remorse for his outrageous comments in June 2003 about the murdered American contractors in Fallujah: I hate Washington,” says Markos Moulitsas Zuniga…

How Public Terrorist Trials have Hurt America

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Prairie Pundit has the distressing story on how Bin Laden gained knowledge that we were listening in on his cell phone conversations in 1998 and what it was that tipped him off to it.Bin Laden’s satelite phone records made public in African Embassy trialAs I posted back on April 24 in “OBL’s Missouri Connections”, the story of Bin Laden’s cell phone has roots in St.

Tony Blair Praises Iraqi Troops in Surprise Visit

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TONY BLAIR MADE A SURPRISE CHRISTMAS VISIT TO SOUTHERN IRAQ TO PRAISE BRITISH TROOPS,VIDEO HEREBritish troops were happy to see Leader Tony Blair.British Prime Minister Tony Blair (C) poses with British troops based in Basra, Iraq December 22, 2005.

Legality of NSA Electronic Surveillance Program

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John Hinderaker at Powerline discusses the NSA matter today including this point:If our soldiers or intelligence agencies discover a terrorist in Afghanistan, Iraq or elsewhere, the President or his designees can order an air strike or other attack to kill him.

White House Wakes Up from Slumber

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The White House Wakes UpDavid White, a former speechwriter for the Bush Administration, wrote on Wednesday in the New York Sun and American Enterprise Institute on how the Bush team has FINALLY come out of hibernation and how the democrats have gone back into their anti-war fantasyland of a strong defense by one thousand options.This is a must read!Oh,…

Arnold "Terminates" Ties with Town, Mayor Comes Begging

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After Crips Co-founder Tookie Williams was put to death last week, activists in Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s hometown of Graz, Austria started a petition to remove Arnold’s name from the city stadium.

The President's Legal Wiretapping

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Not to bust a big liberal bubble or anything, but John Schmidt at the Chicago Tribune explained how President Bush had legal authority to wiretap:President Bush’s post- Sept.

The Gang's All Here (and a few gunshots!) as Tookie is Laid to Rest

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CRIPS CO-FOUNDER TOOKIE WILLIAMS WAS LAID TO REST TODAY,VIDEO HEREThe Tookie Legacy:In 2004 alone, in the City of Los Angeles alone, gang-related crimes accounted for 291 homicides, 717 attempted homicides, 2616 felony assaults, 61 attacks on police officers, 2308 robberies, 44 kidnappings, 36 rapes, 754 acts of witness intimidation, 20 acts of extortion, and 188 carjackings.

Vicente Fox Slams US, Likens Proposed Barrier to Berlin Wall

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BILL OREILLY GOES OFF ON VICENTE FOX, MEXICO AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS,VIDEO HERE”There was a lot of criticism about the Berlin Wall, and the wall that Israel is building along its border with Palestine, and now it´s happening here…” …Except that the Berlin Wall kept people in instead of out.Three layers of fences separate the U.S.