Afghanistan War News Updates -- June 30, 2008
Afghanistan War RelicFrom Yahoo News:
KABUL, Afghanistan - Militants killed more U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan in June than in Iraq for the second straight month, a grim milestone capping a run of headline-grabbing insurgent attacks that analysts say underscore the Taliban's growing strength.
The fundamentalist militia in June staged a sophisticated jailbreak that freed 886 prisoners, then briefly infiltrated a strategic valley outside Kandahar. Last week, a Pentagon report forecast the Taliban would maintain or increase its pace of attacks, which are already up 40 percent this year from 2007 where U.S. troops operate along the Pakistan border.
Read more ....
News on Aghanistan From Other Sources:
FACTBOX - Security developments in Afghanistan -- Reuters
Afghan violence leaves scores dead -- Press TV
US-led, Afghan forces kill 33 militants: Afghan officials -- Yahoo News
28 militants are killed in southern Afghanistan -- Yahoo News
UN figures reveal 62% rise in Afghan civilian deaths -- Guardian
Afghan War Moves Into Unknown Territory -- ABC News
Pak militant havens biggest threat to Afghanistan: NATO -- Daily Times
Taliban aims to control rural phones -- Washington Times
‘Taliban unable to expand insurgency in Afghanistan’ -- Daily Times
British death toll in Afghanistan nears record high -- Telegraph
Germany to Boost Afghan Troops by 1,000 -- ABC News
In Afghanistan, the NATO-led Force is 'Underresourced' For the Fight Against the Taliban -- U.S. News And World Report
Years of Hardship Take a Toll on Families in Afghanistan -- U.S. News And World Report
My Comment: All the focus is now on Pakistan and its Taliban sanctuaries.
Iraq War News Updates -- June 30, 2008
From The Long War Journal:Iraqi Security Forces Five Year Plan: An updated projection
n August 2007, the Projected Iraqi Security Forces Five Year Plan (end-2012), a rough estimate of the end-state for Iraqi forces, was published. Additional information and details have since become available to clarify Iraqi Security Force (ISF) development and probable plans, however, the same rule applies: What follows is heavy on speculation, estimation, and extrapolations. If sixty percent proves accurate, the estimate will be considered good. Many of the decisions that affect what is being projected here have not been made yet.
Read more ....
More News On Iraq:
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,113 -- Yahoo News
US Ambassador Says More Talks Possible With Iran on Iraq -- Voice Of America
Five Iraqi Judges Escape Baghdad Bombs -- ABC News
Wave of attacks threaten Iraqi judges -- Yahoo News
Program in Iraq against al-Qaida faces uncertainty -- Yahoo News
Car bomb kills seven Iraqi policemen -- Daily Times
Basra intel. chief assassinated -- Aswat Aliraq
Iraqi tribesmen preparing for life without U.S. aid -- Newsok
Six more combat units to head to Iraq: Pentagon -- Yahoo News
U.S. transfers first 1,000 of 8,000 humvees to Iraqi forces -- World Tribune
Iraqis: 43% say Iraq is going well while 17% of americans say USA on right track -- The Next Big Future
The Secret American Army -- Strategy Page
Army study: Iraq occupation was understaffed -- Newsweek
Iraq seeking help to develop oil -- BBC
U.S. Advised Iraqi Ministry on Oil Deals -- New York Times
British and US companies win Iraq oil contracts -- The Guardian
My Comment: Afghanistan has suffered more coalition casualties than Iraq for the second month in a row. I guess that sums up the differences between these two wars now.
Pakistan -- War News Updates For June 30, 2008
Pakistani paramilitary forces enter the rebel stronghold of Bara in the Khyber region near Peshawar. Authorities said mopping-up operations were continuing.
From The Christian Science Monitor:
In a switch from its efforts to negotiate, the three-month-old government launched an offensive in the North West Frontier Province amid a growing threat to a major city.
New Delhi - Pakistan's paramilitary forces launched a decisive offensive against Islamic militants encircling the strategically important city of Peshawar over the weekend – an indication that the new government is turning to military action after focusing, until now, on negotiation.
Troops from the Frontier Corps bolstered by tanks, armored personnel carriers, and helicopters cleared militants from the mountainous Khyber tribal area just outside Peshawar on Saturday in the first major military operation since Pakistan's new government came to power in March.
Read more ....
More news On Pakistan:
Pakistani operation against militants raises questions -- LA Times
Pakistani offensive forces Taliban to flee Peshawar -- The Independent
Troops Take Control In Pakistan's North -- Washington Post
Pakistan launches attack on Taliban -- The Australian
Three top US agencies involved in Waziristan operations: New Yorker -- Daily Times
'Khyber military operation all hype no substance' -- Daily Times
Amid Policy Disputes, Qaeda Grows in Pakistan -- International Herald Tribune
Taliban ousted from Khyber Pass -- The Telegraph
Explosion kills at least 5 at militant compound in Pakistan -- International Herald Tribune
Mystery blast kills 8 at Pakistan militant base -- Yahoo News
Taliban Destroy Delusions Of “Negotiated Peace” Inside Pakistan Government -- Strata-Sphere
My Comment: This is a half-hearted attempt to quell the uprisings that are happening in this region. How I know ..... warnings were given before the attacks. There is no preparation for holding ground. Troop strengths are at "bottom of the barrel levels".
New Fight For Congo's Riches
From The Khaleej Times:It is one of the world's most resource-rich countries, with huge deposits of diamonds, gold and copper. For a decade, the Democratic Republic of Congo was torn apart as factions backed by neighbouring countries wreaked murderous havoc on Africa's third-biggest country. Three million died.
As war subsided in all but the eastern region of this vast nation, a new regime led by Joseph Kabila signed dozens of valuable mining contracts with Western concerns based in the southern Katanga region. Only now are the implications of those contracts coming to light.
'The losers, of course, are not the companies who willingly entered into questionable arrangements, but the Congolese people,' says Patricia Feeney, executive director of Rights and Accountability in Development, a renowned expert in Congolese mining.
Read more ....
More News on The Congo:
Congo-Kinshasa: Humanitarians Pick Up the Pieces As Insecurity Persists in North Kivu -- All Africa
Boost UN force in Congo to tackle LRA rebels, US says -- Reuters Alert
International prosecutors press for Congo war crimes trial -- USA Today
My Comment: Africa's longest and bloodiest war is about to enter a new stage. With billions of dollars in resources up for grabs, and a climate where no one wants to discuss and negotiate a political solution .... this war is about to increase big time.
Iran's Nuclear Program -- Where Is Everyone Going Now
The several hundred thousand strong revolutionary guards units - "Pasdaran". A lot of them being very experienced war veterans from the long and bloody Iran-Iraq war.Fom China View:
White House declines to comment on alleged covert operations in Iran
WASHINGTON, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The White House declined on Monday to make comment on a news report that Congress approved late last year President George W. Bush's funding request of 400 million U.S. dollars to undermine Iran's leadership.
"I couldn't comment either way," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters after the New Yorker magazine reported Sunday that the Bush administration has beefed up its covert operations against Iran's leadership.
In response to a question if the United States would resort to military actions against Iran before Bush leaves the White House office in January 2009, Perino reiterated that Bush "is singularly focused on trying to solve this issue diplomatically."
Read more ....
More News On Iran From Other Sources:
Analysis: Iran Harder Sell on Giving Up Nukes -- New York Sun
U.S. Is Said to Expand Covert Operations in Iran -- Washington Post
Iran to ready thousands of graves for enemy soldiers -- Breitbart
Bush steps up covert action against Iran -- The Independent
Iran Says It Is Digging 320,000 Graves For Invading Infidels -- Gateway Pundit
The Other Contest: Who Will Be Iran’s Next President? -- Newsweek
Oil Cash May Prove A Shaky Crutch for Iran's Ahmadinejad -- Washington Post
In Iran’s Holy City, Dissent Over Mixing Islam and Politics -- U.S. News And World Report
Opinion: Israel Vs. Iran -- Jeffrey T. Kuhner, Washington Times
My Comment: Iran is going down a slippery slope with everyone. Sunni Arabs, Israel, the U.S. and the Western World. China, Russia and India can also be added to this group. They are also in dispute with numerous ethnic groups in their own country. Their economy is kaput, with 85% of it dependent on the government. The intellectuals and elite of the country are also bailing out. It looks like the Iranian Revolution is finally sputtering out, and its pursuit of nuclear weapons is its last hurrah.
Analysis And News Updates On North Korea's Nuclear Ambitions
From Business Week:U.S.-North Korea Nuclear Deal: Who Wins?
When President George W. Bush announced on June 26 that he was removing North Korea from a U.S. list of terrorism-sponsoring nations, it seemed that Pyongyang had deftly played its nuclear card. After years of escalating threats, North Korea seemed to be ready to compromise, publicly acknowledging its nuclear plants and materials, and agreeing to resume stalled six-nation talks with the U.S., China, Japan, South Korea, and Russia, in a process that would lead to the dismantling of its Yongbyon nuclear facility. The reward: coveted access to Western capital and technology, which Pyongyang needs to shore up its shaky economy. South Korea's former Unification Minister Lim Dong Won hailed the deal as the biggest step forward in U.S.-North Korean relations since the Korean War ended in 1953.
Read more .....
News on North Korea From Other Sources:
After the nuclear deal, what is ahead for North Korea? -- Newsweek
N Korea's nuclear declaration: What's next -- ISN
North Korea Nuclear Talks About to Get Tougher -- Wall Street Journal
Can North Korea Be Removed from the State Sponsors of Terrorism List in 45 Days? -- Daily North Korean News Hub
How big is the North Korea deal? -- Newsweek
Bush Rebuffs Hard-Liners to Ease North Korean Curbs -- New York Times
Dick Cheney 'tried to block North Korea nuclear deal' -- The Telegraph
North Korea Makes Partial Disclosure on Its Secret Nuclear Weapons Program -- U.S. News And World Report
Warming U.S.-North Korean relations? -- UPI Asia Online
US says six-nation North Korean nuclear disarmament talks could be renewed next week -- International Herald Tribune
US Food Aid Lands In North Korea -- Time Magazine
U.S. food aid arrives in North Korea, U.N. says -- MSNBC
U.S. delivers wheat as North Korea expands aid access -- International Herald Tribune
Opinion: The Tragic End of Bush's North Korea Policy -- By John Bolton, Wall Street Journal
Opinion: Keep North Korea on the Terrorism List -- Human Events
My Comment: What is next? North Korea has come clean on a program that everyone knew that they were doing. The next step will be to turn over their nuclear material to another party .... probably China. Will they do this in the end ..... I will be very surprise if they do.
Tamil Tigers 'Defeated' Says Sri Lankan Army Chief
File photo shows Sri Lankan troops on patrol near the the highly venerated Roman Catholic church of Madhu. At least 41 Tamil Tiger rebels and two government soldiers have been killed in fresh fighting in the island state's embattled northFrom BBC News:
The commander of Sri Lanka's army, Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka, says the Tamil Tigers have been defeated as a conventional force.
He said troops were advancing steadily into the rebel-held north and within a year the Tigers would lose large areas and their control over the population.
But Gen Fonseka admitted a low-level insurgency could last indefinitely.
His comments came as inflation figures showed a continued rise, threatening to undermine support for the government.
Read more ....
News On Sri Lanka From Other Sources:
Sri Lanka army chief says just a year needed to finish Tigers -- AFP
Sri Lankan military says 9,000 rebels killed in last two years -- China View
Sri Lanka Tiger rebels on brink of defeat - army chief -- Reuters
Sri Lanka Says Mannar `Rice Bowl' Seized From Rebels (Update1) -- Bloomberg
27 rebels, two soldiers killed in Lanka clashes -- Hindustan Times
Sri Lanka army chief says Tamil rebels weakened -- Yahoo News
Needs another Year to Finish off LTTE - Sri Lankan Army Chief -- Tamil Eelam
Sri Lnaka Army News Release
Sri Lankan Military Captures Mannar Rice Bowl - Militants' Supply Cut -- RTT News
My Comment: As predicted by this blog last year, the Tigers as a conventional force will be finally defeated by the Sri Lanka Army this year. Unfortunately, because of ethnic and religious differences, this conflict will still continue. Terrorism, targeted assassinations, criminal activities .... even though at a low level .... will still conflict.
Peace will come .... but not for a very long time.
War And Terror With Philip Bobbitt: Chapter 1 of 5
From Uncommon Knowledge With Peter Robinson:Professor Philip Bobbitt describes the “wars of the 21st Century” as wars against terror — against modern market-state terrorism, against the distribution and assimilation of weapons of mass destruction, and against the forces that create human catastrophes, such as genocide and ethnic cleansing. Where many today portray “terror” as the method and not the enemy, Bobbitt says terror is, in fact, an enemy, and one that must be vanquished.
The link to see the video is here.
About Philip Bobbitt
Philip Bobbitt teaches at the University of Texas and at Columbia University, where he is the director for the Center for National Security. He has served in a number of government posts, and has been a member of the National Security Council. Bobbitt’s most recent book is Terror and Consent: The Wars for the 21st Century.
Life Imitates Art
NBC Universal has settled a $105 million lawsuit brought by a woman who claimed a televised sex sting by "Dateline NBC: To Catch A Predator" drove her brother to kill himself.I've expressed concerns before, but it looks like South Park totally nailed it.
[Via SayUncle/View from the Porch]
The Wicked Official: A Fable
The following is a work of fiction involving fictional characters. Any similarities with real persons, living or dead, and actual events is purely coincidental.
Once upon a time, in a faraway empire, there lived a wicked official who worked in the Bastion of Assault, Terror, Fraud and Usurpation.
Now this man was known throughout the Bastion for his ill temper and abusive ways.
One day, one of his maidservants, the comely wife of one of his guards, entered his ministerial chamber in the course of her duties.
"Aha!" cried the wicked official, who coveted her. "Come here, wench, so that I may feel the ripeness of your fruits!"
With that, the wicked official grabbed lustily at her breasts.
Horrified, the maidservant ran from the chamber to her husband, and told him what had transpired.
Furious--for even though he knew he was part of a band that plagued the land, he still had his pride as a man--the guard rushed to confront the wicked official, and finding him, dashed him to the ground.
Now the wicked official was, as is often the case with abusive and arrogant men, a coward. Rather than fight man-to-man, he drew his service wea...uh...sword, and pointed it at his insubordinate guard, who knew if he did not surrender he would surely be struck down.
When word of this reached the Emperor's minister, who perused a personnel file thick with performance deficiencies, the wicked official was ordered to temporarily turn in his gun, go to anger management classes and take a walk every afternoon during business hours, where he spent his time throwing rocks at traffic signs.
Until one day, he retired with full pension and benefits, but despite this, remained angry and bitter until the end of his days.
The End
Personally, I prefer fairy tales with happier endings...
I've Been Meaning to Bring this Up...
...and keep getting derailed by projects and this thing called life...
I just want to remind everyone that if you're looking for a summation of blogs dealing with RKBA, you owe it to yourself to bookmark The Liberty Sphere and consult it frequently.
And it's not just an aggregator--D. Martyn Lloyd-Morgan does his share of original and insightful commentary, too.
I've been thinking of doing a regular feature, kind of a WaronGuns' Blog of the Week. So many of you out there are doing such good things that deserve to be recognized, but more often than not I get preoccupied with my own agenda and don't steer people to your sites as often as I should.
Consider Liberty Sphere the first one. Thanks for the work you do.
I just want to remind everyone that if you're looking for a summation of blogs dealing with RKBA, you owe it to yourself to bookmark The Liberty Sphere and consult it frequently.
And it's not just an aggregator--D. Martyn Lloyd-Morgan does his share of original and insightful commentary, too.
I've been thinking of doing a regular feature, kind of a WaronGuns' Blog of the Week. So many of you out there are doing such good things that deserve to be recognized, but more often than not I get preoccupied with my own agenda and don't steer people to your sites as often as I should.
Consider Liberty Sphere the first one. Thanks for the work you do.
Global Nuclear Stockpiles 'Must Be Reduced To Prevent Terrorist Attacks'
From The Telegraph:Nuclear stockpiles around the world must be reduced to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists, a coalition of senior British politicians has warned.
The four former British defence and foreign secretaries warn that the more nuclear material in circulation, the more countries who have not had such weapons to date are likely to want to acquire their own.
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, Lord Owen, Lord Hurd of Westwell and Lord Robertson of Port Ellen do not call on Britain to take immediate action, but say that it should consider what adjustments to make to its stock of 200 warheads in the event of a "major multilateral disarmament".
Read more ....
My Comment: Nuclear weapons will only be used as a deterrence against smaller nations who are trying their best to develop their own nuclear stockpile. Iran, Pakistan, etc ... these countries must be made aware that if material from their nuclear plants find their way to a bomb that explodes in a major European city .... there will be consequences.
Bob Barr Poster Contest: It's On
[Poster design by ryanmguard]We talked about this here.
Since that time, there has been no response from either the Bob Barr campaign or the Libertarian Party. Indeed, the LP continues to beg support from gun owners via solicitations that ignore emails we have sent to them. They even issue media statements saying the other candidates are "get[ting] free passes on [the] gun issue."
Well they don't get a free pass either. Don't tell me you've got a "pro gun" candidate when he has endorsed and introduced edicts as offensive to Liberty as any.
If the "Party of Principle" thinks their best course is to continue ignoring this rather than addressing it squarely, that's their choice. But some of us aren't going to stay silent while they do.
Western Rifle Shooters Association introduced their poster last week. Now we have this one.
Let's have a contest.
Design a Barr/Lautenberg poster of your own. If you have a blog, post it and send me a link so I can send traffic your way. If you don't, just send me your graphic as a .jpg file.
I'll post them as I get them, and will pick a time--maybe two weeks from now--to present them together. I still have to figure out how to select a "winner" and what prize I can come up with, but what the heck--let's have some fun.
And feel free to let the LP and Barr campaign know about this.
UPDATE: Good one!
Mercenaries
For Erik Prince and Niccolo Machiavelli have very different ideas on the subject of mercenaries. Not that Erik Prince would even embrace that term. His employees are called "private contractors" not mercenaries. This is true in the same sense that prostitutes are now called "sex workers" to avoid the stigma.Mike Vanderboegh examines our friends at Blackwater.
After you've read it, I have a couple questions I'd be interested in gleaning opinions on.
Per Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, Congress has the specific enumerated power to issue letters of marque and reprisal. We know that privateers played a part in protecting American interests in the past. And no less a Constitutionalist than Ron Paul has proposed resurrecting the practice.
What would that look like? Would a Blackwater or other private actor necessarily and always be a bad thing? How would such a system work and what kind of oversights would be needed? How would that differ from what we do now? What do we do now?
Do Blackwater ops fall under military procurement regs? Are there RFPs and bids? Do they have defense contract audit oversight? Do they ever employ government equipment, and if so, do they follow federal acquisition and government property regs, etc.? Or is this a hybrid, or even a creature all its own?
If you have thoughts, please share them.
The Secret American Army In Iraq
From Strategy Page:
The United States now has thousands of spies inside Iraq. This didn't happen overnight. For the last five years, the U.S. has been building an informant network there. This sort of thing takes time, and knowledge of how Arab culture works, and how to work it. The U.S. Army Special Forces, the CIA, reservist cops and Israel were key components. The results (mostly classified) have been impressive. For example, last year, tips from Iraqis led to the discovery of 6,963 weapons caches, plus similar information on safe houses and terrorists themselves. During the first half of 2009, tips led to finding nearly 5,000 weapons caches.
Read more ....
My Comment: One of my first posts in this blog was a rant on what I felt was an absence of intelligence resources in Iraq. Things have clearly changed in the past year.
We're the Only Ones Managing Emergencies Enough
A FEMA inspector, angered at a pedestrian who got in his way, allegedly took out a golf club, chased the pedestrian down and bashed him across the arm, breaking the club in the process...That's almost as good as "Do you know who I am?"
According to the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Koley stopped the car, got out and insisted that "he didn't have to slow down, he was with FEMA."
Yeah, we do. You're a punk "Only One" with a totally unearned sense of importance. You're lucky someone didn't wrestle away that golf club and take a few divots out of your sorry back nine with it.
[Via Avg Joe]
Hamas Emboldened By Israel-Hezbollah Swap
A video grab from footage from the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation showing what the stationclaimed was an image of captured Israeli air force navigator Ron Arad in 2006.
From Yahoo News:
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Gaza's Hamas rulers hinted Monday they would raise the stakes for a captured Israeli soldier, emboldened by Israel's decision to trade a Lebanese prisoner convicted in a brutal attack for the bodies of two other Israeli servicemen.
Hamas-affiliated militants captured Sgt. Gilad Schalit two years ago in a cross-border raid. Three weeks later, Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon burst across Israel's northern border and seized Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, touching off a monthlong war between Israel and the militant group.
After nearly two years of German-brokered negotiations, Israel's Cabinet overwhelmingly agreed Sunday to trade Goldwasser and Regev's bodies for Samir Kantar.
Read more ....
More News On Israel/Hezbollah/Hamas From Other Sources:
Lebanese to be freed in swap was sentenced in brutal 1979 attack in Israel's north -- International Herald Tribune
Israel swaps militants for soldiers' remains -- Times Online
Main points of the framework of the agreement on the release of Israel's missing and captive soldiers in Lebanon -- Israel Ministry Of Foreign Affairs
Hamas says calm conditions not connected to fate of Israeli soldier -- Al Bawaba
My Comment: Short term political gain (maybe), long term pain.
The Heller Misdirection
Like the inhabitants of other formerly free societies, Americans are content to define "freedom" in terms of those liberties we are permitted to exercise. Yesterday's Supreme Court ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller is perfectly in harmony with this self-defeating concept of "freedom."
While everybody's popping champagne corks, William Norman Grigg issues a warning that we ignore at our peril. We need such critical examinations, especially since there will be no shortage of "practical" voices, ostensibly from "our side," dismissing such examiners.
I especially am moved by his observation that "the intellectual and psychological disarmament of our population is nearly complete."
[Via Ron W]
Heller High Water
My best friend is a Public Defender in Phoenix. Hard-corps Jew, entire family wiped out in the Holocaust except his dad (who was 17 at the time). Political Science professor as well - he and I went to college together, and he is a big 2nd Amendment supporter (for obvious reasons). We talked about Heller yesterday and here is what he has written, after reading it all - his lawyerly opinions are quite insightful, and should give us hope (and some fear) as well.
This really is a good analysis, and deserves wider distribution. Pay special attention to his concerns about registration.
On a side note, I finished and sent in my Heller column to the magazine yesterday, and thought I'd come up with an original title: "The Heller High Watermark." I see from Google that while that exact title hasn't been used, enough have jumped on the pun. I don't see much point in changing it now--I bumped an earlier submission to get this one in under the wire--and it looks like all the "good" puns (are there such things?) have already been exploited anyway.
[Via HZ]
This Is Why Osama Bin Laden Is Still Free
Osama Bin LadenFrom The International Herald Tribune:
WASHINGTON: Late last year, top Bush administration officials decided to take a step they had long resisted. They drafted a secret plan to authorize the Pentagon's Special Operations forces to launch missions into the snow-capped mountains of Pakistan to capture or kill top leaders of Al Qaeda.
Intelligence reports for more than a year had been streaming in about Osama bin Laden's terror network rebuilding in the Pakistani tribal areas, a problem that had been exacerbated by years of missteps in Washington and the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, sharp policy disagreements, and turf battles between American counterterrorism agencies.
Read more ....
News On The Hunt For Bin Laden From Other Sources:
US secret plan to launch military operations in Pak held up -- Press Trust Of India
Secret US military plan for Pakistan on hold-report -- Reuters
Turf battles delay hunt for Al Qaeda -- Chicago Tribune
Clash of agencies stalls terror fight -- Denver Post
My Comment: This was the first article that I read this morning. I am not surprised ....t Bin Laden has been on the loose for the past decade and no one has come close to getting the guy. We now know why. The political leadership does not want to go after him if there are "complications" in the operation.
Pakistan's role in this affair is also beneath contempt.
On the positive note, Bin Laden's network has been destroyed. But like the phoenix he can arise from the ashes if he and his main men are not stopped.
We're the Only Ones Carrying Out the Intent of the Framers Enough
Undercover police officers who arrested four men on drug charges are under investigation after surveillance video proved the men they arrested committed no crime.
More of Steven Abootman...uh...Patrick Lynch's lift-a-finger-against-us-and-die "Only Ones," I see.
So happy over their ability to do whatever the hell they want to whoever the hell they want any damn time they want they're dancing with joy.
Tell me these are rare exception. Is this the behavior of any but those who know they can get away with it because they have over and over again, and who know corruption is so institutionalized into the system the exception is getting caught?
In the 6 months it took to clear the Colon brothers names, they lost their business and their savings.Yeah, Jose and Maximo.
As ususal, the "Authorized Journalist" government watchdogs have dropped the ball again (or never bothered to pick it up).
What were the names of those lying, life-destroying thugs again...?
[Via Jeff R]
So Take a Tip from a Mayor Who Does...
Prosecutors are investigating whether Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon received thousands of dollars in gifts - including fur coats - from a prominent developer whose projects benefited from tax breaks and zoning changes she supported as City Council president, a document obtained by The Sun shows.
Not Mayor Against Guns Sheila...?
Are there no heroes left anywhere...?
We're the Only Ones Crowd-Dispersing Enough
French officials were probing Monday an incident that left 17 people injured, including a child in critical condition, when soldiers used live rounds in a weekend visitors day display.
Fifteen civilians, including five children, and two soldiers were injured on Sunday when members of a marines parachute regiment demonstrated a hostage liberation exercise to visitors at their barracks outside the southwestern city of Carcassonne, regional officials said.
Ah...Les Seuls...
Sarkozy's heroes showing everyone how liberated they'll make them...
War News, Blogs, Opinions, And Wire Service Roundup -- June 30, 2008
US Army RangersWAR/TERRORISM NEWS SUMMARIES AROUND THE WORLD
United States Central Command
Global Security Briefs -- In Homeland Security
Complete Roundup Of World Trouble Spots -- Small Wars Journal
International, War, and Terrorism Headlines -- Rantburg
Morning Brief -- Foreign Policy
Global Incident Map
Global News -- Inform
Spotlight on Military News and International Affairs -- Canadian Perspective
Summary Of Wars & Conflicts: Right Hand Side Of Page -- Counter Terrorism Blog
Global Security News Roundup -- Global Security.org
Threatswatch
Latest News -- Strategy Page
Institute For War And Peace Reporting
Intelligence News Roundup -- Intelligence Online
Analysis And Commentaries -- International Relations And Security Network
Alertnet From Reuters -- Use Their Search Filter
Emerging Threats -- United Press International
International Forecasting And News -- Stratfor
IRAQ
Iraq News -- E I N News
Conflict In Iraq -- Full Coverage From Yahoo News
War In Iraq -- MSNBC
Iraq News Online -- Times Online
Iraq News -- Inform
Iraq Status Report
Iraq Weekly Status Report -- U.S. State Department
Iraq Updates
Iraq Coalition Casualty Count
AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan -- Full Coverage From Yahoo News
Afghanistan Conflict Monitor
Afghanistan Update: April 1-30, 2008 -- Center For Defense Information
Operations In Afghanistan -- U.K. Ministry Of Defense
MIDDLE EAST
Mideast Conflicts -- Full Coverage From Yahoo News
Middle East Coverage -- Memri
SECURITY AND TERRORISM
Security -- MSNBC
Terrorism -- Full Coverage From Yahoo News
Terrorism -- MSNBC
National Terror Alert Response Center
U.S. MILITARY NEWS
U.S. Department Of Defense News
News in The Military -- Military News
Stars And Stripes
U.S. Armed Forces News -- Full Coverage From Yahoo News
Index Of Military Blogs: Stories Updated Daily -- Military.com
Milblogging: Stories Updated Daily -- Index Of Military Blogs
Directory Of Intelligence Sites -- Strategic IntelligenceComplete
Final Post For Tonight -- Budweiser Tribute To Soldiers
I have always liked this commercial. It is a shame that more were not made .... an even greater shame that none are being made now.
Trying The 9/11 Suspects -- A U.S. Supreme Court Mess
Guantánamo Bay CourtroomFrom U.S. News And World Report:
The charges filed last week against six men at the Guantánamo Bay detention center are the U.S. government's boldest move yet to show that after years of setbacks it can finally serve justice at the controversial island prison. But proving that these detainees were responsible for the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, promises to be a protracted and uncertain legal battle.
The new cases—which will be tried before a special military commission—are expected to reignite the long-simmering debate over the government's detention and interrogation policies for suspected terrorists. The prosecution's intent to seek the death penalty, considered a human-rights violation in much of Europe, will no doubt renew criticism abroad of a place that has held hundreds of men for years without charges or access to any meaningful judicial process. Indeed, the continuing controversies may taint whatever verdict is ultimately reached.
Read more ....
News From Other Sources:
Judge says Supreme Court ruling no reason to delay 1st Guantanamo trial -- International Herald Tribune
In Courts, Afghanistan Air Base May Become Next Guantanamo -- Washington Post
US to carry on military trials at Guantanamo despite ruling -- AFP
My Comment: This article was written in February, but much of it is still very relevant today.
It has been almost 2 weeks since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that combatants on foreign soil have the same constitutional rights as American citizens. I am not a lawyer, but as a person who has been studying military and war history for the past 30 years ....this ruling will not be workable under the present circumstances.
The 9/11 suspects in custody are supported by millions of people and by institutions that have been around for a period of time that even predates the U.S. constitution. There is no paper trail. There are no witnesses. The only real evidence that the courts have are propaganda statements and fatwas that call for the defeat of the west.
The presumption of innocence for combatants wounded and captured on a foreign battlefield. The need to face your accuser (i.e. the soldier who caught you), to be provided legal representation, to have evidence presented to trial that may expose informants and their families ..... no ..... what they Supreme court ruled is not workable ..... and in the end will cost numerous American lives, wasted resources, and the possibility that intelligence that can prevent future attacks .... even WMD attacks, can be potentially lost.
In American history, the U.S. Supreme court has made rulings that tarnished and damaged the court's moral and ethical standing in the eyes of the American public, decisions that caused enormous hardship and suffering to millions of Americans. The Dred Scott v. Sandford ruling and the Plessy v. Ferguson are just two rulings that in the end caused enormous harm and suffering to millions. The Boumediene v. Bush ruling has the potential to be just as damaging.
Ethiopians Braced For New Famine
From The Telegraph:Last year, the rains were good. Teagistu Gansamo filled the fertile earth of her half-acre plot with maize and bean seeds and, for months afterwards, she and her five children ate well.
A year later, she was squatting on a grubby pink blanket outside a rural health centre deep in Ethiopia's south, holding her listless infant son Harony tightly to her chest.
She walked eight miles through the heat of the day to bring Harony here to Boricha, 180 miles south of the capital Addis Ababa.
When nurses admitted him, into a ward crammed with 38 other severely malnourished babies, the boy with the narrow face and weak smile weighed less than a stone.
Read more ....
News on Ethiopia From Other Sources:
As famine looms in Ethiopia, only the neediest get food aid -- Christian Science Monitor
Ethiopia’s political landscape worrying -- The East African
New famine threat for Ethiopia -- New Scotsman
My Comment: The African tragedy continues.
Hugo Chavez Faces Political Crisis As Allies Desert Him
Hugo Chavez Of VenezuelaFrom The Telegraph:
President Hugo Chavez, the "socialist revolutionary" leading a global campaign against America's "empire", is facing a political crisis in Venezuela where crucial elections are approaching and old allies have turned against him.
Mr Chavez, a devoted admirer of Fidel Castro, has forged an anti-American front with leaders ranging from President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran.
At home, however, Mr Chavez is in trouble. State elections are due in November and Venezuela's opposition, which now includes former followers of South America's standard-bearer for socialism, is expected to perform well.
Read more ....
My Comment: When historians look at Chavez in the future they will see a man who came to power to not only satisfy his own ego of becoming the leader of Venezuela, but they will also see a man whose goal was to help the poor of Venezuela. But even with having oil deposits that at todays prices are worth approximately 10 trillion dollars, his report card is mixed on his attempt to provide the goods and services to Venezuela's poor.
Even though he has been given this golden opportunity by the people of Venezuela, after 10 years of rule the future does not look bright. The oil industry .... like Iran's .... functions because of the technology and infrastructure that was placed there by previous multinational oil companies. No investment, no upgrading, no use of new technologies .... has resulted with Venezuela (and Iran's) experiencing a decline in it's production and output. If there is a price drop in oil .... which probably will occur sooner than what people think .... this will have a devastating effect on Venezuela.
Inflation .... an economic condition that always hurts the poor the worse, is now present in double digits. Poverty and unemployment is now rising. Price controls have also had their predictable impact .... a shortage of the basic commodities on grocery shelves.
Closing down TV stations, muzzling the free press, throwing union leaders into jail .... limiting people's freedom, these actions also always lead to suffering and hardship for all.
Hugo Chavez will try his best to stay in power .... and like most tyrants who control the state apparatus he will probably succeed. But after 10 years in power there are many others who now want to rule. They are not going to make his job easy.
Will this destabilize the region .... the answer is yes. Will Venezuela's problems impact other countries .... the answer to this question is also yes. Countries like Ecuador, Nicaragua, Cuba, Bolivia .... they are now dependent on Venezuela's handouts. If these handouts stop .... it will destabilize everyone.
Iran Ready To Strike At Israel’s Nuclear Heart
From The Times Online:Iran has moved ballistic missiles into launch positions, with Israel’s Dimona nuclear plant among the possible targets, defence sources said last week.
The movement of Shahab-3B missiles, which have an estimated range of more than 1,250 miles, followed a large-scale exercise earlier this month in which the Israeli air force flew en masse over the Mediterranean in an apparent rehearsal for a threatened attack on Iran’s nuclear installations. Israel believes Iran’s nuclear programme is aimed at acquiring nuclear weapons.
The sources said Iran was preparing to retaliate for any onslaught by firing missiles at Dimona, where Israel’s own nuclear weapons are believed to be made.
Read more ....
More News From Other Sources:
Iran Revolutionary Guards chief in new warning to Israel: report -- AFP
Report: Iran to hit Israel if attacked -- AP
Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief warns Israel against launching attack -- China View
Newspaper: Iran commander warns of missile strike against Israel if attacked -- International Herald Tribune
Iran says Gulf oil route at risk if attacked -- Reuters
Iran threatens to cut off Gulf oil exports if nuclear facilities are attacked -- Telegraph
FACTBOX: What could Iran do if pushed in conflict? -- Reuters
My Comment: Everyone is now increasing the temperature. Will they know when to stop?
Report: U.S. Escalating Covert Operations Against Iran
From The New Yorker:Late last year, Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources. These operations, for which the President sought up to four hundred million dollars, were described in a Presidential Finding signed by Bush, and are designed to destabilize the country’s religious leadership. The covert activities involve support of the minority Ahwazi Arab and Baluchi groups and other dissident organizations. They also include gathering intelligence about Iran’s suspected nuclear-weapons program.
Read more ....
News On Covert OPS Against Iran From Other Sources:
U.S. escalating covert operations against Iran -- Reuters
Report: U.S. Escalating Covert Operations Against Iran -- FOX News
US gives 'major' boost to covert ops in Iran: report -- AFP
U.S. Escalating Covert Operations Against Iran: Report -- New York Times
CIA-JSOC Covert Operations against Iran -- Uskowi on Iran
Seymour Hersh claims new Bush regime covert ops against Iran -- People's Geography
My Comment: Iran has been actively attacking and/or supporting groups that attack the U.S. and its allies for decades. This is now blow-back against them, and they should not be surprised. What is surprising is ..... why did it take so long?
My prediction .... with Iraq becoming stable and Iranian influences be defeated, with the Afghan War heating up and dissent growing in Iran among its many ethnic minorities, I predict that our "cold to mild war" with Iran is now going to heat up.
Of all the alternatives, what is disappointing is that the West has so few of them. International cooperation in stopping Iran's nuclear goals and objectives have failed. Dissenters in Iran are either dead, in jail, or abroad. There are no Iranian leaders who can rally the people against the ruling theocracy in the country. Attacking Iran in an overt manner will plunge the region into a tit for tat situation that will continue for years, terrorism will increase and radical elements will use this as a cause to continue their terrorism against us. As for nuclear weapons .... Iran will still continue with its objectives in mind.
A covert war is what we have now .... and probably been having it for the past year. This has the potential to be a very bloody and costly affair, but until I hear a more attractive counter proposal this is probably the best of a bunch of lousy actions that we can now do. The only thing that I wish I knew .... which no one is going to say right now .... is exactly what are these "actions".
PETA Will Choose Our Menus for Us
"Jessica Simpson might have a right to wear what she wants, but she doesn't have a right to eat what she wants."Oh, really?
That must mean I don't, either. Or this guy.
And just what are you going to do about it, Alistair Currie? Pop this out at us?
On the other hand, the lunatic left going after celebrities is always great entertainment.
And that's enough blogging for today. I'm finishing my magazine column on Heller, due tomorrow, but first I have some leftovers from last night's barbecue, so a steak and eggs brunch is in order.
And no, I have nothing against people who make a choice to maintain a vegetarian diet. The operative word, of course, is "choice." Anybody presuming to tell another sovereign individual what they do and do not have a right to eat deserves to be pointed and laughed at, and if they persist, repelled.
Some Help Here...?
A person very close to me has a soon-to-be 11-year-old son he wants to get shooting instruction for. He would prefer it be a dispassionate and qualified teacher rather than himself or a relative, for a number of reasons, proper discipline being primary. He asked me to help him find an NRA-certified instructor who can provide introductory practical instruction for both handgun and rifle.
Does anyone know of a good and qualified instructor--one who is known, trusted, and good with kids--in the Summit County, OH area?
If so, please email me at dcodreaAThotmailDOTcom with contact information. Thanks!
Does anyone know of a good and qualified instructor--one who is known, trusted, and good with kids--in the Summit County, OH area?
If so, please email me at dcodreaAThotmailDOTcom with contact information. Thanks!
Two from Orlando
WarOnGuns Correspondent Phillip C. just sent me two links:
After 217 years, Supreme Court affirms the right to bear arms
You're right, Phillip, when you say "They managed to slip a little bit of bias in, but it looks like they were trying to stay neutral for a change."
What I find most promising:
I don't completely agree with this guy, but his opinion piece promotes an individual right to a general audience, so it works in our favor. I do agree that Judge Scalia was being activist, and it may surprise you to find out I agree with a point made by Judge Breyer in his dissent, although obviously not for the same ultimate reason (see pg. 42-43 of Breyer dissent, or 155-156/157 of the .pdf file):
Scalia manufactured those unnecessary concessions out of thin air, and happy as most gun owners who haven't read the majority opinion are about the outcome, we damn well deserve to know it.
After 217 years, Supreme Court affirms the right to bear arms
You're right, Phillip, when you say "They managed to slip a little bit of bias in, but it looks like they were trying to stay neutral for a change."
What I find most promising:
Q. Will the ruling allow those who are arrested or convicted on gun charges to challenge their cases?High-court ruling recognizes that gun laws only disarm victims
A. Yes.
I don't completely agree with this guy, but his opinion piece promotes an individual right to a general audience, so it works in our favor. I do agree that Judge Scalia was being activist, and it may surprise you to find out I agree with a point made by Judge Breyer in his dissent, although obviously not for the same ultimate reason (see pg. 42-43 of Breyer dissent, or 155-156/157 of the .pdf file):
I am similarly puzzled by the majority’s list, in Part III of its opinion, of provisions that in its view would survive Second Amendment scrutiny. These consist of (1) “prohibitions on carrying concealed weapons”; (2) “prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons”; (3) “prohibitions on the possession of firearms by . . . the mentally ill”; (4)“laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings”; and (5)government “conditions and qualifications” attached “to the commercial sale of arms.” Ante, at 54. Why these? Is it that similar restrictions existed in the late 18th century? The majority fails to cite any colonial analogues.Bingo. Sometimes your enemy hands you a chair. Don't be afraid to bash with it.
Scalia manufactured those unnecessary concessions out of thin air, and happy as most gun owners who haven't read the majority opinion are about the outcome, we damn well deserve to know it.
UK Crime Isn't the Only Thing Going Unreported
A study has claimed that much of the gun crime on Britain's streets goes unreported.So when they tell us how much more tranquil the UK is, we might not be getting the complete story?
What a shock.
"Contrary to its commitment to be 'tough on crime'... the Government's criminal justice policy has been characterised by a reluctance to acknowledge the causal relation between income inequality and violent crime," it said.In other words, don't remove the vicious elements from society, but implement more wealth-distributing socialism?
This is what ivory tower egghead Peter Squires calls "addressing causes and not just symptoms"?
Peter thinks "income inequality" is a cause, rather than--in general--a predictable result of poor choices, such as not paying attention in school, being lazy, relying on government, having unprotected sex and out-of-wedlock children, being immoral, hanging out with the wrong people...the enabling of which has been committed by the control-all state, as I tried to address in my "elephant" post, where I wrote about "populations most directly affected by and responsive to a continuing history of destructive government policies."
"Income inequality." That's a damned insult on generations that went before, immigrants like my ancestors who were poor, proud, honest and clean, and worked hard to create a better life for themselves and their children. It's an insult to those of us who know what it's like to do the most menial, dirty, tiresome, physically demanding of jobs for the lowest of wages.
As long as they have useful idiots like the good Professor Squires here, the masters can continue to ratchet up their controls, reaching longer and deeper. And producing the results that will allow them to go to the next step, then the next...
Mixed Messages
After Heller, The Gun Lobby’s “Slippery Slope” Is Gone; Reasonable Regulations Ahead
Uhh...Paul...?
I think somebody forgot to give the playbook replacement pages to the Chicago Tribune.
And as for the "slippery slope" argument being a paranoid fiction of "the gun lobby"...
Y'know, change can sometimes be worrisome, and with the new post-Heller phase we're now entering into, it's comforting to know that some thing will remain the same. Like you still relying on deception...
Help Yourself!
General Sessions Court Judge Bob Moon said Friday that crime in Chattanooga "has become so rampant that it is no longer possible for the police department to protect our citizens."Aw c'mon, judge--you know an attacker would just take it away and use it against her.
He told a woman who had been pulled from her car and beaten in the head that she or her mother needed to "purchase a weapon, obtain a gun permit and learn to protect yourself."
Why not give her some sound advice, like "give them what they want"?
[Via RCB]
"It Could Set Precedent"
44-year old Andre Moore is being held at the 18th Police District by the very officers he apparently wanted to kill.For some reason I can't find the complete video, but what I've seen so far disturbs me significantly less than this one. And I fear a state-authorized armed force that will batter in a man's door, drag him to a cell and try to destroy his life with legal charges far more than I fear a frustrated, angry guy ranting on YouTube because he's fed up with the enforcers.
At least that's the message he allegedy sent out to the world in a disturbing, hate filled rant on YouTube.
All you "Homegrown Terrorists" who comment on WarOnGuns be advised--if precedent is set, they won't end with the hapless Mr. Moore. And our great watchdogs for freedom, the "Authorized Journalists," will be right there in lockstep with "The Only Ones" as another enemy of the people gets dragged off to the gulag.
Here's the thing: If Moore can't say what he did about Philly cops, no one can say that about anyone. So does that mean they'll finally be coming for Ice-T?
How about Michael Reagan?
We're the Only Ones WWE Smackdown Enough
Despite the nature of Marquez's injuries, which included a broken jaw and bruises over her entire face, law enforcement authorities initially sided with the officer.But she didn't die so she can tell her side, and there are too many witnesses now, and a video, so we need to give up one of ours for the good of the body.
"I've also seen the video, and I know what it shows. But what the video doesn't show is the operation of Wayne Simoes' mind at the time of this incident"...I know what would be going through his mind if this was someone I loved.
Is it any wonder they think they're "The Only Ones" who should be armed?
[Via Andre D]
If You Won't Let Us Kill You, Will You at Least Commit Suicide?
In other words, rather than telling gun makers what to do, performance-based regulation would tell them what outcome they must achieve: Reduce deaths by guns. Companies that achieve the target outcomes might receive large financial bonuses; companies that don't would face severe financial penalties. Put simply, gun makers -- whose products kill even when used as directed -- would have to take responsibility for curbing the consequent public health toll.Because carbon offset credits work so well for the environment and indulgences so well for the soul.
Say, would you mind stepping up on this crate and putting this rope around your neck? If you do mind, we'll force the issue, and stump for it under the banner of "common sense gun regulation."
Per McHenry County Sportsmen's Association:
Why would gun-makers agree to "performance-based" solutions where a government agency assesses penalty based on a manufacturers "share of the blame" when makers are already immune to civil prosecution from the consequences of a criminal's actions?And they're right when they point out "This is wrong on so many levels..."
For instance, what is the value they'll place on a human life? Won't that open the door to outrage? The gun lobby thinks your child's life is only worth...
And this lie: "Our proposal is not a tax on gun sales."
Who do they think the costs will be passed on to?
And yeah, I can see these Tribune Company Marxists, whose Chicago affiliate proposed repealing the Second Amendment as the appropriate response to Heller--standing idly by while the government pays out rewards to gun makers. Yeah, that'll happen. More likely they'll back some collectivist "community leader" who will demand the money be turned over to them--for "youth programs," you understand...
Y'know, I hadn't even read the entire Times editorial when I made that carbon offset crack, but I see it's in there--are these charlatans predictable or what?
[Per Less]
This Day in History: June 29
Resolved, that thirteen thousand coats be provided as soon as may be, and one thereof given to each non-commissioned officer and soldier in the Massachusetts forces, agreeable to the resolve of Congress...
War News, Blogs, Opinions, And Wire Service Roundup -- June 29, 2008
WAR/TERRORISM NEWS SUMMARIES AROUND THE WORLDUnited States Central Command
Global Security Briefs -- In Homeland Security
Complete Roundup Of World Trouble Spots -- Small Wars Journal
International, War, and Terrorism Headlines -- Rantburg
Morning Brief -- Foreign Policy
Global Incident Map
Global News -- Inform
Spotlight on Military News and International Affairs -- Canadian Perspective
Summary Of Wars & Conflicts: Right Hand Side Of Page -- Counter Terrorism Blog
Global Security News Roundup -- Global Security.org
Threatswatch
Latest News -- Strategy Page
Institute For War And Peace Reporting
Intelligence News Roundup -- Intelligence Online
Analysis And Commentaries -- International Relations And Security Network
Alertnet From Reuters -- Use Their Search Filter
Emerging Threats -- United Press International
International Forecasting And News -- Stratfor
IRAQ
Iraq News -- E I N News
Conflict In Iraq -- Full Coverage From Yahoo News
War In Iraq -- MSNBC
Iraq News Online -- Times Online
Iraq News -- Inform
Iraq Status Report
Iraq Weekly Status Report -- U.S. State Department
Iraq Updates
Iraq Coalition Casualty Count
AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan -- Full Coverage From Yahoo News
Afghanistan Conflict Monitor
Afghanistan Update: April 1-30, 2008 -- Center For Defense Information
Operations In Afghanistan -- U.K. Ministry Of Defense
MIDDLE EAST
Mideast Conflicts -- Full Coverage From Yahoo News
Middle East Coverage -- Memri
SECURITY AND TERRORISM
Security -- MSNBC
Terrorism -- Full Coverage From Yahoo News
Terrorism -- MSNBC
National Terror Alert Response Center
U.S. MILITARY NEWS
U.S. Department Of Defense News
News in The Military -- Military News
Stars And Stripes
U.S. Armed Forces News -- Full Coverage From Yahoo News
Index Of Military Blogs: Stories Updated Daily -- Military.com
Milblogging: Stories Updated Daily -- Index Of Military Blogs
Directory Of Intelligence Sites -- Strategic IntelligenceComplete
Another Failure Of British Law Enforcement, And Why Law Enforcement Alone Cannot Contain This Threat
From The Daily Mail:American counter-terrorism chiefs are demanding a full explanation from Britain of how radical cleric Abu Hamza was able to smuggle murderous messages from his UK prison cell to Al Qaeda's deputy leader.
The major diplomatic row comes in the wake of a long-running battle by US prosecutors to extradite the former imam of London's Finsbury Park mosque to stand trial in America.
Read more ....
My Comment: The tactics and tools of terrorism have evolved from the days of small groups organizing to plant bombs at symbolic targets that when detonated would make a political or social message to today's terrorist groups who have a clear policy of not only committing mass murder, but to also enslave mass populations under their rule.
I fail to see how bringing about indictments against individuals who have the support of millions in the Muslim world will solve or confront this threat. I also fail to see how Geneva convention rules can apply to these same individuals who have openly made it a policy to commit mass murder.
Unfortunately, the British are in denial with their situation, and are clearly not sensitive to the threats that they face.
The Causes Of Africa's Food Riots
West African Rice FarmerFrom The Washington Times:
Food prices have skyrocketed internationally. In my own Nigeria, rice has epitomized the crisis after doubling in price since last year.
Riots around the world over food supplies are prompting panicked governments to find solutions to stem the crisis. Whether they will bring about an abundance of food is debatable.
Read more ....
My Comment: Zimbabwe is not the only country that has destroyed its farm and food sector. Much of Africa is doing the same thing, but in a less forceful manner. Food .... or the lack of it .... is one of the many means that dictatorial or corrupt countries use in controlling their populations. Mugabe controls his population through intimidation, murder, and giving food to those who support him or who promise to remain neutral. In Africa and in the rest of the world the focus is on him, but he is one of many African tyrants or corrupt societies that are now successfully pursuing this policy.