[5/31/06]
[Laura
Mansfield - author, Strategic
Translations] 12:11 am [permalink]
Apple Mecca: Jihadis call new
Manhattan store an insult to Islam Apparently
the folks over at the Tajdeed forum have just
caught wind of the fact that Apple has opened
a new store in Manhattan in the shape of a futuristic
cube, and they are not happy about the fact that
the cube resembles the Ka'aba and that the store
is nicknamed Apple Mecca.
Is
this going to be another cartoon jihad? Nah- the jihadis
like their iPods too much! Here's what they are saying:
Ka'aba
Manhattan: It stays open until morning!! Apple
Company, producers of the Macintosh, has open a
store selling Apple products in Manhattan. The
store is huge, and its design closely resembles
that of the Ka'aba in Holy Mecca. Not only that,
but it is named Apple Mecca. The store will keep
its doors open 24 hours a day and contains all
that the users of Apple computers could want. Plus
it has places of rest and amusement, and bars and
restaurants. Muslims see in the name and the design
and the activities in the building another new
insult on their religion.
Come
on people get over it. It's just a computer store!
[5/30/06]
[Lance
Izumi - Pacific
Research Institute] 12:52 am [permalink]
The Top 10 Myths of California's Proposition 82/Universal Preschool: The
pro-Proposition 82 campaign is bombarding California with television ads featuring
cute kids and union teachers talking about how government-run universal preschool
is the new magic bullet for education. In truth, the arguments for Prop. 82
are merely myths.
Myth
#1: For every taxpayer dollar spent on government-run
universal preschool, society will reap more dollars in
future benefits.
This
claim is based on a RAND study that uses data from a
Chicago preschool program targeted only at low-income
black children. Extrapolating the benefits of the Chicago
program to a statewide California preschool program targeted
to children of all income groups and all races, and which
doesn’t yet exist, is empirically unsupportable.
Myth
#2: Preschool bestows long-term benefits to middle- and
upper-income children.
Even
RAND admits there’s no evidence for this claim,
acknowledging that the one study that examined the long-term
benefits of preschool on non-poor children “found
that children participating in preschools not targeted
to disadvantaged children were no better off in terms
of high school or college completion, earnings, or criminal
justice system involvement than those not going to any
preschool.”
Myth
#3: Universal preschool in California will mirror successful
preschool models.
Pro-82
forces contend that their preschool program will mimic
successful experiments such as the Chicago program. Key
features of the Chicago program, however, such as a multi-faceted
parent involvement program, home visitations, health
screenings, speech therapy, and nursing services, are
not included in Prop. 82.
Myth
#4: Higher requirements for preschool teachers will improve
student achievement.
Under
Prop. 82, preschool teachers must have a bachelor’s
degree and a teaching credential. However, UC Berkeley
researchers warn: “Claims that a Bachelor’s
degree further advances child development simply cannot
be substantiated by studies conducted to date.”
Myth
#5: There’s no downside to preschool.
According
to a 2005 Stanford-UC Berkeley study, “attendance
in preschool centers, even for short periods of time
each week, hinders the rate at which young children develop
social skills and display the motivation to engage classroom
tasks, as reported by kindergarten teachers.”
Myth
#6: One year of preschool is necessary for best results.
Ready
to Start is a five-week preschool program held during
the summer before children begin kindergarten in Kern
County, California. It costs only $350 per child versus
up to $8,000 per child under Prop. 82. Initial test scores
of participating students show encouraging improvement.
According to one local education official, “We
can do something in five weeks at lower cost than programs
that take longer and cost more money.”
Myth
#7: Low-income minority children need preschool in order
to succeed.
At
Sixth Street Prep public charter school in Victorville,
large numbers of students are poor, immigrant and Hispanic.
These children never attended preschool, but their test
scores have improved greatly. Principal Linda Mikels
says that her students are succeeding because of the
proven research-based curricula and teaching methods
used at the school.
Myth
#8: High preschool participation explains why French
students outperform American students.
U.S.
fourth-graders test better in reading and literacy skills
than their French counterparts. Only in the later grades
do U.S. students lag behind their French peers. The better
inference: poor middle schools, not lack of preschool,
explains U.S. student underachievement.
Myth
#9: Taxing the rich is the best way to pay for preschool.
Former
state Legislative Analyst William Hamm estimates that
because of likely tax-avoidance actions by high-income
earners responding to Prop. 82’s proposed higher
state income-tax rate, the state’s General Fund
would lose revenues. Between 2007 and 2011, the General
Fund would sustain an average total loss of $4.2 billion
in revenues, causing a loss in education revenues of
$1.5 billion between 2008-09 and 2011-12.
Myth
#10: The cost of government-run preschool will be affordable.
It
is likely that Prop. 82 will cost much more than the
anticipated $2.4 billion per year. Reason Foundation
researchers point to Quebec, where government-run preschool
was supposed to cost $230 million over five years. Today
it costs $1.7 billion every year – 33 times the
original estimate.
Unlike
David Letterman’s top 10, there is nothing funny
about the myths deployed in favor of Proposition 82.
These are being used to convince voters to approve a
risky, expensive and untried program, and to entrench
it in the state constitution where it will be virtually
impossible to change even if it proves to be a failure.
Californians should make their voting decision based
on facts, not myths.
[5/29/06]
 |
theOneRepublic
links
Opinion from friends & fellow travelers...
|
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[Laura
Mansfield - author, Strategic
Translations] 8:11 am [permalink]
Memorial
Day: Not just for remembering, but for teaching the
next generation Today is an important day
in my family.
It’s
one of several days during the year, including Veterans’ Day
and July 4, when I sit down with my eight year old
son and we talk about the men and women who protect
our country today, and about those who did in the past. We
talk about the history of America,
and about our ancestors who have put their lives on
the line so that we can be free.
This
year it will especially poignant because he has two
relatives he knows well serving in the US military. His
cousin is in the US Army, and his step-sister’s husband
is in the US Navy.
This
morning, he knocked on my door early.
“Mommy,
today is history day! Wake
up!”
I
explained to him that it is called Memorial Day.
His
response: “But
today’s the day when we get to really talk about history. We
never get to learn this stuff in school. I
like it when you tell me about America.”
I
made a quick mental note to discuss our history more
often.
I’ll
confess. I’m
a genealogy buff, so I have spent a lot of time not
just studying the history of this country, but I’ve
also researched the role my ancestors played in the
development of this country. I’m
trying to make sure he inherits the love of family
and of country that my grandmother passed on to me.
I
think he gets it. One
afternoon last week, as we drove to the grocery, I
heard his little voice singing “I’m proud to be an
American, where at least I know I’m free”. I
guess everyone knows what kind of music I play on my
car CD player!
Today,
my son and I will sit down and we will talk about the
war in Iraq,
and how his cousin may be going to fight the terrorists
overseas, so that children in this country can be safe. We’ll
talk about the children in other countries who aren’t
safe today, and about how America’s
men and women in the military have left their homes
and families to try and help make the world a safer
place. We’ll talk about the “bad guys” who want to
hurt them, and who in the process hurt the people of
their own countries.
We’ll
talk about Desert Storm, and Bosnia.
We’ll
talk about Vietnam and
how many people did not appreciate the men and women
who served our nation there. I’ll
remind him that whether we agree with the politics
of a war or not, we must always respect the men and
women who serve America. And,
as he does always, he’ll say “Mommy, that’s why when
we see someone in a uniform, we always say thank you
to them. They
are the real life superheroes”. And
I’ll agree with him.
We’ll
talk about Korea,
and World War II. When
we talk about World War II, we’ll talk about his grandfather
who proudly served in the US Navy, and about other
relatives, including a favorite cousin who spent months
in a Nazi POW camp.
We’ll
talk about his great-grandfather, who fought in World
War I, and his great-uncle who died of Spanish flu
in the military. We’ll
talk about the beautiful red poppies that Veterans
offer on Memorial Day, and as we look for the elderly
veterans with the poppies, we’ll read the same poem
that my grandfather taught me as a child.
In Flanders Fields
the poppies blow
Between
the crosses, row on row
That
mark our place; and in the sky
The
larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce
heard amid the guns below.
We
are the Dead. Short days ago
We
lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved
and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders Fields.
Take
up our quarrel with the foe:
To
you from failing hands we throw
The
torch; be yours to hold it high.
If
ye break faith with us who die
We
shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
John
McCrae, 1915.
We’ll
talk about his great-great grandfather, who fought
for the Confederacy, and was wounded and taken prisoner
at Gettysburg. And
we’ll talk about his other great-great grandfather
who found with the Union troops. That’s
always brings a good discussion about fighting for
your country, right or wrong, and about how important
it is that this nation be united.
We’ll
read the Gettysburg Address he has memorized about
half of it so far. He
takes special pride in this line:
“…we
here highly resolve that these dead shall not have
died in vain, that this nation shall have a new birth
of freedom, and that government of the people, by
the people, for the people shall not perish from
the earth."
We’ll
talk about the War of 1812, and we’ll sing ALL the
verses of the Star Spangled Banner, including this
one:
Oh!
thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between
their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest
with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise
the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then
conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And
this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And
the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er
the land of the free and the home of the brave!
We’ll
talk about how important and meaningful that verse
is in this day and age. We’ll
laugh at the kids he knows who think the Star Spangled
Banner is about the Atlanta Braves (“The land of the
free, and the home of the Braves”) and who think that “Play
Ball” are the last two words in the national anthem.
We’ll
talk about his two ancestors who signed the Declaration
of Independence, and about those who fought with General
Francis Marion in the Revolutionary War.
Because
Memorial Day isn’t just about our family, but is really
about America,
we’ll read the Declaration of Independence and the
Preamble to the Constitution. We’ll
sing that old Schoolhouse Rock Classic “We the People”,
to help him memorize the Preamble. And
for the next few days, he’ll walk around humming “We
the people, in order to form a more perfect union”.
We’ll
walk out in front of the house and pledge allegiance
to the flag flying there.
I
started this tradition with my son on September 11,
2001. Since
then the complexity of the discussions have increases,
as he becomes older and more able to understand. And
as a parent, it’s my job to make sure he understands. After
all, they don’t teach love of country in school anymore.
Today,
as we honor the men and women who serve our country
in the military, both today and in the past, it is
important that we remember why we do it, and why it
is important that we honor them and never forget. It
is important that we remember why we must teach this
to our children:
“that
government of the people, by the people, for the
people shall not perish from the earth."
May
God bless the men and women who serve America.
May
God Bless the United
States of America.
[5/28/06]
[Found
in the ebag-from National
Defense University Foundation]
12:01 am [permalink]
National
Defense University Foundation Announces “Arlington:
In Eternal Vigil”,
Produced by 45 North Communication Corporation,
To Be Aired Over Memorial Day Weekend in Almost
100 TV Markets Nationwide
The National Defense University Foundation (NDUF) is pleased to announce the
release of the outstanding documentary, “Arlington: In Eternal Vigil”:
a powerful and thought-provoking Television Special and DVD Documentary using
Arlington National Cemetery as a platform for discovering the source of America's
greatness - our nation’s legacy of service, sacrifice, and commitment
to the key values of freedom and duty. The production is a one-hour television
special and a ninety-minute DVD that captures the heart of Arlington Cemetery
and will represent the first in a series of original television specials/DVD
Documentaries entitled the “American Patriot Series.”
“Arlington” embodies a creative mix of compelling storytelling, high-profile
interviews and emotionally moving historical retrospectives – all designed
to encompass the broader themes represented by Arlington, and capture both the
hearts and minds of viewers. The program was filmed entirely in beautiful high-definition
video and features spectacular panoramic footage of Arlington, never before seen
archival footage, a stirring original music score, and original interviews with
such notable Patriots as Former Senator Bob Dole. NDUF is especially proud to
note interviews with General Richard B. Myers, 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff and now Incumbent of the Colin
Powell Chair for National Security Leadership, Character and Ethics at the
National Defense University, and Dr. Jim Robbins, Professor of International
Education, School of National Security Executive Education, National Defense
University.
"We
at NDUF are very proud to be a part of this project
and meaningful opportunity to promote the depth and
breadth of American patriotism,” said Ron Spratt,
Chief Development Officer, NDUF, ”and having
this inspirational documentary available on DVD gives
everyone a chance to share this valuable program with
schools, civic groups, family and friends. We hope
that American citizens take this opportunity to honor
our patriots by listening to their stories, and then
by sharing them.”
“Arlington” was produced by 45
North Communication Corporation in cooperation with and on behalf of the National
Defense University Foundation. It is sponsored by the IBM Corporation
and Co-Sponsored by IMMI.
The program will be syndicated among broadcast and cable networks nationwide
for a period of one year projected to reach a minimum of 70% of all U.S. television
households. First airings will begin Memorial Day Weekend, 2006. In addition,
the DVD is now available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds to be contributed
to NDUF.
For more information on “Arlington: In Eternal Vigil” and “The
Patriot Series” or to contact 45 North Communication Corporation, please
visit www.patriotseries.com.
About the National Defense University Foundation
The National Defense University Foundation is a nonprofit organization established
in 1982 to support and enhance the mission and goals of the National
Defense University . The National Defense University is America’s
preeminent institution for military, civilian, and diplomatic national security,
education, research, outreach and strategic studies. The main campus is located
at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington DC. The NDU Foundation promotes excellence
and innovation in education by nurturing high standards of scholarship, leadership,
and professionalism. It brings together dedicated individuals, corporations,
organizations, and groups that are committed to advancing America’s national
security and defense readiness. The NDUF Board of Directors is composed of
prominent Americans representing a cross section of the private sector as business
and community leaders who serve in a voluntary capacity. For more information
on the National Defense University Foundation, please visit www.nduf.org
[5/26/06]
[Nick
Winter-administrative editor - found in the ebag from Accuracy
In Media] 12:02 am [permalink]
Citizen
Vigilance Urged As Al-Jazeera Is Spotted Near U.S.-Canada
Border Accuracy in Media (AIM), the media
watchdog group that has just released a new documentary
on the threat posed by Al-Jazeera International,
is voicing alarm over reports that "journalists" associated
with the new Arab government-funded TV channel
arrived near the U.S.-Canada border last week.
" This
is the second time that Al-Jazeera has attempted to visit
an area close to an unsecured U.S. border," said
AIM editor Cliff Kincaid. "Citizens shouldreport
the presence of Al-Jazeera to the proper authorities."
The
Al-Jazeera visit to Crosby, North Dakota, prompted inquiries
from the local Sheriff and U.S. Border Patrol. The local
paper, the Crosby Journal, quoted a Border Patrol official
as asking, "What is the interest of an Arab news
organization in Crosby, North Dakota?" It reported
that Sheriff Lauren Throntvei "said the hairs on
the back of his neck stood up when he heard they were
in town."
The
Al-Jazeera International delegation claimed to be doing
a positive story about the people of northwestern North
Dakota. However, Al-Jazeera International is not yet
on the air and may not be up and running until the fall.
The
paper said that a U.S. Border Patrol agent asked for
the names of the Al-Jazeera journalists, whether they
had been near the border, and their stated motivations.
The agent "said there were potential international
implications to the journalists' visit, on which he could
not elaborate."
The
Minutemen group previously denounced an attempt by Al-Jazeera
to visit the U.S.-Mexico border area as a "recon" operation
to benefit those who want to illegally enter the U.S.
A Minuteman spokesman called Al-Jazeera a "terrorist
TV station."
The
AIM film, "Terror Television: The Rise of Al-Jazeera
and the Hate America Media," examines Al-Jazeera's
links to anti-American violence and terrorism. More information
is available at www.stopaljazeera.org
[5/25/06]
[Chuck
DeVore - politician, author] 12:02
am [permalink]
Why I won’t be listening to the President
of Mexico address the Legislature [Thursday afternoon at 4:30
p.m.] President Vicente Fox of Mexico will speak to a joint session of
the California State Legislature. I won’t be there.
I won’t
be there because I don’t want to hear President
Fox tell me how we Americans need to change our laws.
I don’t care to listen to him lecture us about
how we should not secure our borders. I don’t give
a whit about his opinion on how the U.S. should enforce
its national sovereignty.
Instead,
I have sent the Mexican government a letter outlining
my objections to Mr. Fox’s visit. In the letter
(included below with the press release I sent out today
below that), I point out that the Mexican president’s
position on illegal immigration is the height of hypocrisy
as Mexico has militarized its southern border while making
it a felony punishable by up to two years in prison to
violate its immigration laws. Furthermore, in Mexico
it is a crime for a foreign national to even speak out
about Mexican public policy. Foreigners have been deported
for speaking their mind in Mexico, while in America,
foreign nationals, many here illegally, held mass rallies
without impunity.
Mexico’s
refusal to reform its government, root out corruption,
and educate its people are the prime reasons that drive
millions of its citizens north, often in violation of
U.S. immigration law. We must tend to our own needs first.
Securing our border and defending our national sovereignty
are our imperatives, not Mexico’s and certainly
not Mr. Fox’s, and frankly, I don’t care
what his wants and desires are about U.S. policy and
law.
Chuck
DeVore is the Republican Assembyman from California's
70th District. www.ChuckDeVore.com
[5/24/06]
[Laura
Mansfield - author, Strategic
Translations] 12:01 am [permalink]
The
Truth About Guantanamo Bay: Interview with Col. Gordon Cucullu By
Ryan Mauro TDCAnalyst@aol.com
Colonel
Cucullu has recently traveled several times to Guantanamo
Bay with General Paul Vallely to work on a forthcoming
book on the subject. He is also the author of the best-selling
book, Separated at Birth: How North Korea
Became The Evil Twin, and is a frequent
guest on Fox News Channel. He also contributed to War
Footing: 10 Steps America Must Take To Prevail in the
War for the Free World.
His
military experience includes leading Green Beret A-Teams
in Asia, managing military assistance to Central America,
and serving as a political-military advisor to Paul Wolfowitz,
who at the time was the State Department’s Assistant
Secretary of East-Asia Pacific Affairs.
What were the goals of the staff of Guantanamo Bay?
The
command is split between the U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo
Bay commander, a Navy Captain and the Joint Task Force-Guantanamo
(JTF-GITMO) which is commanded by a major general.
JTF-GITMO
is in charge of the detainee operations including detention
and interrogation. In 2002 when the camp was set up,
these functions were split and didn’t work well.
The
Mission of JTF is unique to the world. There has never
been another detention/interrogation facility. It is
a joint command-multi service, and is inter-agency as
well. Representatives from the FBI, DOJ, DEA, DIA, DHA,
CIA, NSA and others reside at the base and participate
frequently. They supervise several sub-units such as
the Joint Detention Operations Group, the Director of
Intelligence Collection, the Behavioral Sciences Consultative
Team, the food and medical services, guards, communications,
and more.
The
goal is to provide a secure, humane detention facility
for unlawful enemy combatants, to conduct proper interrogation,
and to coordinate efforts with other agencies including
non-governmental organizations, such as the International
Committee of the Red Cross which has a live-in representative
there.
If the public could see inside the prison, would they be outraged
by inhumane conditions?
They
would be surprised by how clean, orderly and relatively
benign things are given the fact that it is a detention
center for some of the worst terrorists on the planet.
There are several camps ranging from minimum security
(Camp IV) to the maximum security (Camp V). Another camp
(VI) is under construction. The latter two are based
on the federal penitentiary system with the exception
of having space for interrogation and a high-tech medical
clinic inside. The concept is to minimize outside transit
with the detainees. All exercise and recreation space
is inside an internal compound.
Cells
in maximum security camps are larger than in a federal
penitentiary, are high-tech to prevent harm to detainees
or guards, and are open to corridors so that detainees
can converse and see others. The worst (about 10%) are
segregated but not isolated. That’s an important difference.
In
the minimum security camps, 10 detainees live in a dorm-like
setting. They pray, eat, and interact daily. Most have
recreation time. All the detainees have an Islamic prayer
kit consisting of the Koran, oils, beads, and a rug with
an arrow pointing to Mecca. The call for prayer sounds
five times daily. Ramadan is observed (if they want to
on an individual basis) by having pre-dawn and post-sunset
meals. There is a special feast for Eid ul-Fitr.
Provisions
are there for hygiene, massive medical oversight and
care, and an extraordinary focus on feeding. I have an
entire chapter written on the food service and nutrition.
Americans might be somewhat upset to see that the detainees
eat better than the American guards.
What are the motivations then of the organizations that want to
shut down Guantanamo Bay?
There
is an odd alliance between the old and new left and the
Islamofascists. David Horowitz wrote a book, Unholy
Alliance on this. It is very strange, and it is all
anti-American and anti-Bush. I think there would still
be activity but less if a Democrat was in the White House.
Still there is an overwhelming desire to attack the moral
certainty of the U.S. by undermining and using moral
equivalencies. If the Taliban was bad then so is Abu
Ghraib. If Al-Qaeda is inhumane, then so is the U.S.
at Gitmo. It’s all smoke and ideological mirrors.
Are there any success stories that come out of Guantanamo Bay?
Several
cells in the U.S. have been broken up. The Lackawanna
Six and the outfit in Cleveland to name two. Some attacks
have been thwarted. That is classified. We’ve rolled
up financial and money laundering routes that Al-Qaeda
used, found organizers and recruiters, and have engineers
in custody who were IED instructors, one of which had
a MS from Purdue.
Interesting
fact: More people have died in Ted Kennedy’s car than
at Gitmo.
What did you learn that surprised you the most?
That
we’re still getting actionable intelligence from these
guys. Much of this pertains to on-going actions like
explosives, organization, recruiting, financial and future
operations.
Did you get to speak with any terrorists?
No,
we’re not allowed to speak to them even through an interpreter.
They can speak with attorneys, the International Committee
of the Red Cross representative, and others. We did get
to observe on-going interrogations behind glass with
a detainee, an interrogator and a translator. In one
instance, the detainee ate a box of donuts the interrogator
provides for him at every session. Torture?
How successful are the interrogations said to be? Is torture necessary?
Torture
is not only unnecessary and strictly forbidden as is
any physical abuse, but it is considered counter-productive.
This was a surprise too, in that there are several women
interrogators (none slinky and sleazy) who use the role
of mother and sister as cultural bridges to get the detainees
to talk. It’s all about rapport building and establishing
mutual respect. The detainees know or soon learn that
the interrogators can improve their lives with extra
recreation and small rewards.
Some
detainees brag constantly about how they killed Americans
and want to kill more. They are proud of their achievements.
All
interrogators have an elaborate, extensively staffed
plan based on research, coordination with other agencies,
and input by psychological, behavioral, medical and intelligence
analysts. All interrogations are strictly supervised.
For example, each camp has a field grade officer and
senior NCO on the floor 24/7/365. There are elaborate
standard operational procedures for everything and much,
much supervision and inspection. This is not Abu Ghraib
and cannot be.
[5/23/06]
[Mediacrity]
12:01 am [permalink]
The
Times 'Scoop' That Never Was Extra!
Extra! Read all about it! The New York Stock Exchange
is poised to merge with an electronic something-or-other
called Euronext! So reported the New
York Times Monday.
" The NYSE Group is expected to present Euronext with a formal proposal in the
next couple of days, two people involved in the negotiations said yesterday."
The story was filled with stuff like this -- confidential source stuff -- talking
about a "person" here and a "person" there said this and that.
Nice! I guess that "person" must have been reading the Sunday Times of London,
which got there first. As the New
York Post reported today,
London's
Sunday Times reported yesterday that Big Board
chief John Thain was poised to make a merger offer
to Euronext - an electronic network covering stock
listings in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Lisbon
and derivatives in London - to counter a move made
Friday by German exchange Deutsche Boerse.
Gee,
nothing in the Times story about one of Britain's
leading newspapers reporting that.
Guess they must have forgot.
See? Bloggers aren't the only ones who get poached by the Times.
Hey Barney Calame! Dust off that Empty Suit and serve us up a nice whitewash. [go
to Mediacrity blog]
[5/22/06]
[Laura
Mansfield - author, Strategic
Translations] 12:01 am [permalink]
El Al Plane Saved From Terrorists' Rocket The
Swiss intelligence agency uncovered a terrorist gang
planning to blow up an El Al plane during take-off,
and for a week, diverted all El Al flights to Zurich.
It
has only now been publicized that an unnamed Islamic
terror gang planned to fire an RPG missile at a plane
as it took off from the Geneva airport. The Swiss agents
first learned of the terrorists' plans five months ago.
An
undercover agent inside the Islamic Center in Geneva
became friendly with several immigrants from Arab countries,
and they told him of their intentions. The terrorists
had planned to flee to Iraq after the attack.
Armed
with the alarming information, the Swiss security service
investigated the airport and environs. The warning was
also submitted to the local police, but no arrests were
made in the case.
For
a week, El Al planes were kept away from Geneva, flying
to Zurich - 140 miles to the northeast - instead. El
Al was contacted for its response following publication
of the story, but said that it does not comment on security
matters.
Many
El Al planes are equipped with the FlightGuard system,
designed to interfere with shoulder-fired missiles. FlightGuard
creates another source of heat, in addition to the plane's
engines, so that the heat-guided missiles will be misled
and diverted away from the plane.
According
to U.S. State Department estimates, shoulder-fired missiles
have downed 25 airplanes and killed over 600 people since
the 1970s. The weapons – termed MANPADs (man-portable,
air defense systems) – are a favorite among terrorist
groups, as they are relatively inexpensive and easy to
transport and conceal.
Source: http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=103918
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theOneRepublic
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Opinion from friends & fellow travelers...
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[5/19/06]
[Laura
Mansfield - author, Strategic
Translations] 12:01 am [permalink]
It’s all about perception… If
you listen to the media, you’ll hear that the United States is losing the War on Terror; you’ll
hear that we are getting our butts kicked in Iraq, and that
Islam is making fresh inroads in the west on a daily
basis. There is a growing sense of terror fatigue
as we wait for the proverbial “other shoe” to drop. You’ll hear that radical Islam is a creeping
force that will eventually overtake us, and life as
we know it in the United
States will change
dramatically for those who do not convert to Islam. You
hear Iran’s president vowing to destroy both the US and Israel, and you
hear Osama Bin Laden talk about restoring the Global
Caliphate.
You’re not hearing this by accident.
The Propaganda War is in full swing.
The truth is this:
- We are not losing the war in Iraq
- We are not getting our butts kicked
in the War on Terror
- Radical Islam DOES want to rule the
world
What no one is telling you is that the only way Radical Islam can “take
over the world” is if we roll over and play dead; in
other words, we would have to surrender, either overtly
or by doing nothing to stop it.
That’s where the propaganda war becomes so important, because it alters
our perception and convinces us that defeat is inevitable.
An article published on March 6, 2006 on the website of the Islamic Thinkers’ Society,
discusses the important of perception, using an example
from early Islamic history.
Near the end of the Prophet Mohamed’s life, he was preparing an invasion
force to attack the Roman armies in the area that is
today known as Jordan. He died while the army was en route to the
attack.
The article describes the results this way at http://www.islamicthinkers.com/index/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=540&Itemid=26::
Usamah (radhi allahu anhu) marched forth
with his army and reached Jordon and Balqa. When the
news of Prophet's death and then the news of the huge
Muslim army reached the Romans; they exclaimed with
surprise: 'How strange is it that their leader is dead
and they are approaching to attack our lands Surely,
they are very powerful otherwise, they would not dare
to attack us!! This huge army is a proof of their enormous
power.' Thus, the enemies of Islam deterred (were frightened,
prevented) from attacking the Muslims in al-Medina
or blocking the army. The Muslim army safely reached
its destination, defeated the Romans and returned back
after forty days, with immense amount of war spoils
The
rag-tag Islamic army was certainly not invincible; in
fact, most scholars agree that the Romans could have
easily been defeated by the army of “Usamah”.
But instead, the Romans who were the target of the attack chose not to
defend themselves, thinking they were facing a force
they could not resist.
The
Islamic Thinkers Society makes an excellent point in
this article.
Perception is everything.
If they can convince us we have lost, we will lose.
They
know it.
[5/18/06]
[OJ
blogger The
Right Views] 12:08
am [permalink]
The Media's
Nuclear Option The NPT review conference
is well underway in New York. Strangely, the agenda
of the conference has not yet been worked out due
to conflicting opinions among member nations. Not
surprisingly, non nuclear nations want the focus
to be on nuclear arms reductions while their nuclear
capable counterparts are more interested in implementing
legislation aimed at curbing proliferation and closing
loop holes currently exercised by Iran and North
Korea in their pursuit of nuclear technology. Egypt
further stalled the process this week, complaining
that the conference did not adequately address arsenal
reductions by nuclear powers.
The
liberal media is joining the fray as was heard last weekon
NPR. The network's morning segment, Morning Edition,
aired an editorial piece written and read by Robert Reich,
former labor secretary under President Clinton, which
factually misrepresented the current situation regarding
the North Korea nuclear impasse, while contorting historical
events, all for a cheap swipe at the Bush administration.
The first indication that Robert swung left came when
the, now professor, stated as fact that North Korea's
recent missile test was that of a nuclear capable short
range missile. Reich went on to suggest that John Bolton
scrapped the agreement with North Korea put into place
during the Clinton administration and that Bolton had
replaced this treaty with an exchange of insults. Reich
also criticized the US decision to withdraw from the
ABM treaty while failing to mention Bush's unilateral
push for the largest strategic arms reduction agreement
in history. Finally, the former labor secretary faulted
the Bush administration for not sending the highest level
of delegates to the NPT review conference when the stakes
are so high, completely disregarding that the conference
spans over one full month.
There
has been much debate recently about the credibility of
blogs and their supposed low journalistic standards in
regards to fact checking. The quite significant factual
errors and omission of historical determinants to the
current situation evident in Reich's piece, highlights
mainstream media's unwillingness to convey all the nuances
of a story in an attempt to twist the plot to align with
their political believes. The media's hammering of any
bad news from the Iraq conflict into sensational headlines
over the last few years is further evidence of their
own low journalistic standards. If blogs are being attacked
for not doing enough fact checking, should intentional
omissions by established journalists not also be scrutinized?
This is a clear case of the pot calling the kettle black!
Anti-American
sentiment around the world, materializing in obstructionism
to any and every American global and regional agenda,
is the real culprit behind the dead lock at the UN. If
one where to consider and analyze the Egyptian position,
serious flaws in their opinion becomes apparent. May
25th marks the 3 year anniversary of one of the most
sweeping nuclear arms reduction initiatives ever achieved,
seeking to cut segments of the American and Russian nuclear
arsenals by as much as two thirds over the coming decade.
Apparently this historic agreement carries little weight
in Cairo.
When
addressing the real threat posed by nuclear weapons to
the world, it is of critical importance that historical
elements are considered. In the history of concurrent
American and Russian nuclear capability, no weapon has
been detonated in an act of war. Over the same period,
both nations have fought numerous campaigns and opposed
each other's interests in countless covert confrontations.
Judging from history, both Washington and Moscow have
exhibited steadfast rationality and a crystal clear understanding
of the responsibility that comes with possessing a nuclear
component of deterrence. It is safe to argue that the
North Korean and Iranian regimes cannot display the same
level of rationality. Thus, which scenario poses a greater
threat to global security and stability? The current
global nuclear arsenal remaining at present levels or
rogue nations developing a nuclear weapons program, utilizing
loopholes in the current international control mechanism?
Opportunistic
jousting on the international stage should be expected.
However irrational the Egyptian arguments may appear,
zero sum doctrine and UN protocol provides a favorable
environment for grandstanding. Where we must begin to
demand higher standards is with our own domestic media.
When most other nations will oppose American interest
in an effort to further their own cause, the least we
can expect is honest and straight reporting from our
news outlets. Undermining the President on issues of
this magnitude, by distorting the truth, can certainly
provide for a short lived domestic political spectacle.
Yet the damage the contorting liberal media is inflicting
on world security by not presenting the actual truth
when the facts are clear, is daunting.
Americans
should be united in their demand for NPT reform at the
UN, reform which might very well save our nation from
a future nuclear detonation. The media has an obligation
to accurately report and convey world events in context
with how they relate to Americans as national coverage
of these global realities could easily mobilize American
sentiments. Instead, media outlets are looking to keep
America divided and thus appear weak in the eyes of the
international community.
Chasing
cheap shots at the President, distorting the factual
reality of events in the process, all to score infantile
political points should serve to show that the liberal
media does not care about Americans, American interests
or our national security.
[5/17/06]
[Cliff
Kincaid columnist] 12:05
am [permalink]
Undeserved
Pulitzers In
his story about the Washington Post winning four Pulitzer
Prizes, reporter Howard Kurtz said two of the stories
involved "breaking open the Jack Abramoff lobbying
scandal and disclosing the existence of secret CIA
prisons overseas…" Well, not really. Sorry, Howie.
Wrong again.
As
we have pointed out, the Abramoff
story, by the admission of the Post, was broken open
by Abramoff's competitors, who went to the paper with
complaints about Abramoff being too successful. The Post,
of course, carried the story, but it was spoon-fed the
information by disgruntled lobbyists. That doesn't take
a lot of work.
By
contrast, if you want an example of a real investigative
story, consider what the National Legal & Policy
Center (NLPC) has done in the
case of Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV), the top Democrat
on the House Ethics Committee. NLPC, which has sparked
an inquiry into Mollohan's millionaire status and financial
shenanigans through a 500-page complaint to the U.S.
Attorney, gave the story to the Wall Street Journal.
Numerous media have followed up, and Mollohan stepped
down from the ethics committee because of the heat.
And
those "secret CIA prisons?" As we have pointed out repeatedly,
there's no evidence they ever existed, and Kurtz should
know it.
Dana
Priest of the Washington Post, who wrote the "secret
prisons" story, claimed that the CIA had created "a covert
prison system" in various countries. The story ran under
the headline, "CIA Holds Terror Suspects in Secret Prisons."
But
the Post also ran the story, "European Inquiry Fails
to Confirm Secret CIA Prisons," on January 25. A European
human rights investigator said that "he was unable to
independently confirm reports of secret prisons run by
the CIA in Eastern Europe…" Kurtz apparently missed this
story. Another European investigator also failed to confirm
their existence.
Are
we supposed to believe Dana Priest's anonymous sources?
One of them was reported to be a former Clinton official
and CIA officer named Mary O. McCarthy, but she is claiming
through intermediaries that she had nothing to do with
that story.
Kurtz
noted that "the paper drew criticism from the left for
withholding the location of the prisons." This is the
mark of a "media critic" who is always sensitive about
how the paper appears to those on the far-left fringe.
There
never were "secret prisons." It appears they were places
where suspected terrorists were temporarily detained
as part of the CIA secret "rendition" program. The Post
story distorted the nature of this program. But that
was enough to get a Pulitzer, further diminishing the
value of this "prize." [AIM]
[5/16/06]
[Daniel
Pipes - author, activist contributor] 12:01am [permalink]
Why
CAIR Is Not To Be Trusted According
to a CAIR press release issued last week, the office
manager for its Arizona chapter, Bushra
Khan, was shopping along with two other head-scarved
young Muslim women on April 29 at the Desert Ridge
Marketplace in Scottsdale when a middle-aged couple
approached them calmly and asked if they were Muslim.
After an affirmative reply, the couple indicated they
had just watched the film United 93, became
enraged, and told the women, "Take off your f**king
burqas and get the f**k out of this country. We don't
want you in this country. Go home."
Now,
I was not present at the Desert Ridge Marketplace when
the alleged incident took place, but I do have my doubts
about Bushra Khan's reliability, for CAIR's staff has
a history of making claims about "hate crimes" and "Islamophobia" that
do not stand up to scrutiny. It has also played loose
with the facts in other ways. Here is a bibliography,
to be updated as needed, of this problem:
Plus,
there is the unforgettable episode uncovered by Robert
Spencer at "Stalinism
at CAIR: photo doctored for Islamic correctness" that
has to be factored in to any discussion of believing
what CAIR says. (May 12, 2006)
Update: Douglas
J. Hagmann of the Northeast Intelligence Network
notes two points about the alleged incident at Desert
Ridge Marketplace. First, it grew and grew in CAIR's
propaganda against United 93, to the point that
the director of communications for its Sacramento Valley
office, Dina El-Nakhal, claimed on the basis of
this incident alone that the movie "has affected
Muslim communities across the nation." Second, Hagmann
investigated what happened at the store and found no
confirmation for it. Here is his conclusion: "Although
it might well have taken place as described, my investigation
found no police report, no incident report on file
with mall security, and no independent confirmation
of this incident of verbal assault."
Comments:
(1) CAIR appears to be up to its habitual tricks. (2)
CAIR is more certain about the movie being the cause
of harm than Osama bin Laden causing 9/11. (It defended
him before 9/11 and for months afterwards would not
blame him for the attacks.)
