2006-07-31
Info on deaths in Lebanese town Qana
The moment Nadir read a report that a building struck by Isreal collapsed and killed a bunch of civillians, he knew with 100% certainty that the Isrealis had targetted civillians. Could emerging FACTS demonstrate a different reality? Could Isreal's army actually operate in the interest of Isreal, by attempting to minimize civillian casualties, in accordance with its official policies? Every military analysis I encounter stipulates that Isreal's position weakens by each civillian its military kills, whereas in contrast that Hezbollah and Hamas advance by succeeding in their stated goal of killing Isreali troops and civillians. Yet Nadir claims that Isreali troops target civillians, in violation of their own official intentions.
They only win when they fire from behind baby carriages
These Isreali civillians and soldiers are happy for muslims to live in their country with full rights to speach and religious practice, and nearly full citizenship rights. Only Iraqi muslims have more citizenship rights than muslims in Isreal, but Isreali muslims are of course safer. All the Irealis want is for people to stop trying to eradicate their country.
Hizballah Firing From UN Positions Every Day
29 July 2006:
There were two incidents of firing close to UNIFIL positions from the Israeli side in the area of Marwahin and Deir Mimess in the past 24 hours. At the same time, it was reported that Hezbollah fired from the vicinity of six UN positions at Tibnin (2), At Tiri, Beit Yahoun, and Alma Ash Shab (2). UNIFIL strongly protested all these incidents to the Israeli and Lebanese authorities respectively.
(The part about “strongly protesting” is a new addition to these reports.)
30 July 2006:
It was reported that Hezbollah fired rockets from the vicinity of three UN positions in the area of Tibnin, At Tiri and Brashit. They also fired small arms fire from the vicinity of two UN positions in the area of Alma Ash Shab and Al Duhayyra. UNIFIL strongly protested all these incidents to the Israeli and Lebanese authorities respectively.
31 July 2006:
Two tank rounds from the Israeli side impacted directly on a UNIFIL position in the general area of Hula yesterday afternoon, causing extensive material damage, including the ammunition shelter, but no casualties. One aerial bomb impacted in the vicinity of a UN position in the area of Alma Ash Shab yesterday morning, causing damage to the parameter wall. It was reported that Hezbollah fired rockets from the vicinity of this UNIFIL position prior to the aerial bombardment. Hezbollah also fired small arms fire from the vicinity of the same position. They also fired rockets from the vicinity of two UNIFIL positions in the area of Tibnin and At Tiri in the central sector. There was one more incident of firing from the Israeli side close to UNIFIL position in the area of Mays al Jabal, when 10 tank rounds impacted 100 meters from the UN position. UNIFIL strongly protested all these incidents to the Israeli and Lebanese authorities respectively.
There were two incidents of firing close to UNIFIL positions from the Israeli side in the area of Marwahin and Deir Mimess in the past 24 hours. At the same time, it was reported that Hezbollah fired from the vicinity of six UN positions at Tibnin (2), At Tiri, Beit Yahoun, and Alma Ash Shab (2). UNIFIL strongly protested all these incidents to the Israeli and Lebanese authorities respectively.
(The part about “strongly protesting” is a new addition to these reports.)
30 July 2006:
It was reported that Hezbollah fired rockets from the vicinity of three UN positions in the area of Tibnin, At Tiri and Brashit. They also fired small arms fire from the vicinity of two UN positions in the area of Alma Ash Shab and Al Duhayyra. UNIFIL strongly protested all these incidents to the Israeli and Lebanese authorities respectively.
31 July 2006:
Two tank rounds from the Israeli side impacted directly on a UNIFIL position in the general area of Hula yesterday afternoon, causing extensive material damage, including the ammunition shelter, but no casualties. One aerial bomb impacted in the vicinity of a UN position in the area of Alma Ash Shab yesterday morning, causing damage to the parameter wall. It was reported that Hezbollah fired rockets from the vicinity of this UNIFIL position prior to the aerial bombardment. Hezbollah also fired small arms fire from the vicinity of the same position. They also fired rockets from the vicinity of two UNIFIL positions in the area of Tibnin and At Tiri in the central sector. There was one more incident of firing from the Israeli side close to UNIFIL position in the area of Mays al Jabal, when 10 tank rounds impacted 100 meters from the UN position. UNIFIL strongly protested all these incidents to the Israeli and Lebanese authorities respectively.
Illegal Immigration Causes Polution
The illegal stream of Mexicans into the US creates a considerable amount of pollution along its path. Will this cause leftist to oppose illegal immigration? Afterall, leftists attempt to stop the actions of Americans organized into "businesses" which result in polution. No, leftists will not take this views. Although leftists believe that the US is evil and the ultimate cause of all problems in the world, and that Americans live in horrible circumstances that are getting worse every day, the believe that the US should be the only nation on earth (or in history), that opens its borders to all people and makes them instant citizens upon their request. If the US implimented this plan, Mexicans wouldn't create these paths of garbage, and would instead steam in at border crossings... right into the evil belly of the beast.
Celebrity Justice - Mel Gibson DWI
Rule: If you're going to drink, don't drive... unless you're a celebrity, or an off-duty cop. Here it appears that justice somehow is taking hold. I think drunk driving laws are generally too severe, ensnarling many safe-driving people behaving within normal civil bounds, into a very expensive hell. I also think that many cops intelligently impose these laws, letting many safe-driving people off the hook. But even I believe in applying these laws to people who are driving dangerously. Recently we have seen that one of the Kennedys got off the hook from star-struck cops responding to a dangerously driving celebrity. It appears that in this case with Gibson that if he had behaved civily to the cop he might have also gotten off the hook.
Anybody knows cops personally know that they on average they are more likely to drive drunk, and much less likely to get in trouble when pulled over drunk.
Again, I'm left shaking my head: The best I can say about our police is that in most other countries they are much, much worse.
Anybody knows cops personally know that they on average they are more likely to drive drunk, and much less likely to get in trouble when pulled over drunk.
Again, I'm left shaking my head: The best I can say about our police is that in most other countries they are much, much worse.
No Rest for the Weary
"You know what? We feel really bad about mistakenly killing all those children yesterday. We're going to hold off on more massacres for 48 hours."
"PSYCHE!!! FOOLED YA AGAIN!!!"
"SUCKERS!!!!!!"
"PSYCHE!!! FOOLED YA AGAIN!!!"
"SUCKERS!!!!!!"
2006-07-30
37 Children Dead: More "Mistakes" by Israel Using US-Made Guided Missles
Israeli airstrikes kill 60 civilians, including 37 children
Israel bombed this same location in 1996 and killed 100 civilians then. This was no mistake.The Israelis sure are "mistakenly" killing a lot of civilians here, aren't they? You would think the US would have trained them how to use those precision laser-guided missles a little better. They must not have any idea how to use the targeting systems, right?
This war and the carnage are indefensible. Right-wing defense of these actions is disgusting and US encouragement of this destruction is unforgivable. The United States continues to reject calls for a cease fire.
This is cold blooded murder, not defense. Americans are accessories to murder. The blood of these children is on our hands.
Isreali Bombing of UN Post: Why?
According to this Canadian UN witness: "This has not been deliberate targeting, but rather due to tactical necessity."
From the article: "What that means is, in plain English, 'We've got Hezbollah fighters running around in our positions, taking our positions here and then using us for shields and then engaging the (Israeli Defence Forces)," he said. That would mean Hezbollah was purposely setting up near the UN post, he added. It's a tactic Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie, who was the first UN commander in Sarajevo during the Bosnia civil war, said he's seen in past international missions: Aside from UN posts, fighters would set up near hospitals, mosques and orphanages.
So, there guerrilla groups have a tactic of luring conventional forces into hitting structures that will create international outrage. I assume that Isrealli technology includes devices that detect incoming rounds and fires back at calculated sources. You can imagine Hezbohnazis cheering with victory when reports emerge showing that Isreal has hit such targets. It's at that point that the Nadirs of the world proclaim another outrage an an army that merely wants to end external attacks on its interrior.
I am changing my mind, though, in favor of resisting these traps. It may very well be true that Isreal loses fewer troops, civillians, and material resouces annually by accepting Hezboh/Hama-nazi attacks than by confronting them with invasions aiming to stamp them out.
2006-07-28
Army Boots Gay Arabic Linguist
I note that gays have more rights -- much more rights -- in the US than in any nation ruled by Hezbolladists. But why can't our soldiers have the right to consensual sex? What a shame.
New Map of Beirut Plus Southern Suburbs Negates Claims of Mass Destruction
From Vital Perspective, here’s a map of the so-called “devastation” in Beirut: New Map of Beirut Plus Southern Suburbs Negates Claims of Mass Destruction.
From Democracy Now: Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah Talks With Former US Diplomats
Sheik Hassan Nasrallah is the leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Although the United States considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization, three former U.S. diplomats had a chance to meet with Nasrallah this past February in Lebanon. The diplomats were members of a delegation organized by the Council for the National Interest.
During the meeting, Nasrallah discussed Hezbollah’s strategy to free Lebanese prisoners being held in Israel. He also spoke about the origins of Hezbollah, and recounted an event that is back in the news this week—Israel’s bombing of a UN observation post in the southern Lebanese town of Qana in 1996 which killed 106 Lebanese refugees.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And this issue of using Israeli, capturing Israeli soldiers to, in essence, trade for Lebanese prisoners is not unheard of, actually. Didn’t Nasrallah negotiate a major prisoner release back in 2004?
EDWARD PECK: Yes, and the Palestinians and the Israelis and the Lebanese, Hezbollah and Israelis have negotiated prisoner exchanges before. As I think you're aware, the Israelis have been holding a number of Lebanese as prisoners that they kidnapped from Lebanon, which is one of the contentious issues that upsets the folks on the northern side of that border.
War Against Islamic Crusade
The Islamic Crusade comprises several groups, some Sunni and other Shia. It has sponsors such as the Baath party (and previously, the Soviets) in Syria, and previously in Iraq, who share some goals, such as striking the US and Isreal. Sometimes these various groups fight each other, but they always find time and resources to fight the US and Isreal.
Perhaps the US and Isreal should have continued with their previous policies of tolerating dozens of annual deaths each year, and occassional big splashes like 911, and just wait for the appeal of civilization to finally win over the populace, as it did in Northern Ireland. Today I'm about 60% certain that Isreal should not have invaded Lebanon. Nadir thinks Isreal invaded soley because of the two captured soldiers, rather than as a response to a total means of conduct over the past several years. Nadir also thinks that the Isrealis are targetting civillians, UN officials, and reporters, which I find perposterous, as well as his assumption that Isreal poses any threat to Lebanon except to squash the threats in Lebanon against Isreal.
However, at this point I think that Isreal has made a political and military mistake by invading Lebanon. Before the invasion, the islamic retards in southern Lebanon had a civilization to their south and a growing civilization to their north. Over years I believe that the appeals of these civilizations would have had a better chance of eliminating Islamic retardation than an Isreali invasion, which both feeds islamic retardation, and destroys the Lebanese civilization that was finally growing. If Isreal could have simply tollerated a dozen or so annual deaths and hostage-taking each year along its northern border, I believe that successive generations of muslims in that area would have turned away from retardation and embraced civilization.
This represents a shift in my view, and I'm not 100% convinced of it.
Perhaps the US and Isreal should have continued with their previous policies of tolerating dozens of annual deaths each year, and occassional big splashes like 911, and just wait for the appeal of civilization to finally win over the populace, as it did in Northern Ireland. Today I'm about 60% certain that Isreal should not have invaded Lebanon. Nadir thinks Isreal invaded soley because of the two captured soldiers, rather than as a response to a total means of conduct over the past several years. Nadir also thinks that the Isrealis are targetting civillians, UN officials, and reporters, which I find perposterous, as well as his assumption that Isreal poses any threat to Lebanon except to squash the threats in Lebanon against Isreal.
However, at this point I think that Isreal has made a political and military mistake by invading Lebanon. Before the invasion, the islamic retards in southern Lebanon had a civilization to their south and a growing civilization to their north. Over years I believe that the appeals of these civilizations would have had a better chance of eliminating Islamic retardation than an Isreali invasion, which both feeds islamic retardation, and destroys the Lebanese civilization that was finally growing. If Isreal could have simply tollerated a dozen or so annual deaths and hostage-taking each year along its northern border, I believe that successive generations of muslims in that area would have turned away from retardation and embraced civilization.
This represents a shift in my view, and I'm not 100% convinced of it.
The US and UN Relationship: Is a Divorce on the Horizon?
"Many of us in the United States will welcome this acknowledgement by the international community that the US is and has been guilty of numerous human rights violations for years. Unfortunately, the report comes at a time when US ruling parties are becoming increasingly frustrated with the United Nations."
On The Road to Fascism
In his new book, "Conservatives Without Conscience," John Dean, the White House lawyer who famously helped blow the whistle on the Watergate scandal, says the country has returned to an "imperial presidency" that is putting the United States and the world at risk.
"Are we on the road to fascism?" he writes. "Clearly, we are not on that road yet. But it would not take much more misguided authoritarian leadership, or thoughtless following of such leaders, to find ourselves there."
I disagree. The government's illegal espionage aimed at American citizens, rampant electoral fraud and voter intimidation, wars of aggression in the Middle East, and covert actions to overthrow democratically elected governments in Haiti and Venezuela, indicate that we have turned the corner of the onramp, and are sailing down the freeway of fascism at breakneck speed.
We're cruising through Authoritarian Alley and are just a few clicks away from Totalitarian Township.
"Are we on the road to fascism?" he writes. "Clearly, we are not on that road yet. But it would not take much more misguided authoritarian leadership, or thoughtless following of such leaders, to find ourselves there."
I disagree. The government's illegal espionage aimed at American citizens, rampant electoral fraud and voter intimidation, wars of aggression in the Middle East, and covert actions to overthrow democratically elected governments in Haiti and Venezuela, indicate that we have turned the corner of the onramp, and are sailing down the freeway of fascism at breakneck speed.
We're cruising through Authoritarian Alley and are just a few clicks away from Totalitarian Township.
Israel Extends Middle Finger to UN Over Murder of Observers and Peacekeeping Force
Israel continues its disregard for the international community by refusing to investigate the bombing of a UN observatory and ignoring calls for a peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
Meanwhile the Zionists call up 30,000 reservists in preparation for a ground invasion of Lebanon and escalation of the conflict.
It is clear that Israel has no intention of stopping the violence anytime soon.
Meanwhile the Zionists call up 30,000 reservists in preparation for a ground invasion of Lebanon and escalation of the conflict.
It is clear that Israel has no intention of stopping the violence anytime soon.
House Push to Raise Minimum Wage Led By?? Republicans????
Facing a difficult battle in Mid-term elections where GOP tyranny and incompetence are creating more problems for the party than the challenge of largely inept Democrats, Republican lawmakers seem poised to reverse their earlier stand against a minimum wage hike.
This report comes on the heels of a Chicago city council resolution Wednesday that would require "big box" retailers to pay around $10.00 an hour - substantially more than the Illinois minimum wage of $6.50. A possible Daley Dynasty veto looms over this measure, however.
So it is apparant that appealing to a sense of moral conscience doesn't work with Republicans, but political pressure certainly does. And the GOP would take the credit for the increase which may or may not help them overcome the ravages of war in November.
Dem0crats, are you taking notes?
"Whether people like it or not, we need to go ahead with it," said Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del., who supports the idea. "There's a general agreement among Republicans (opposing the raise) that "maybe we don't like it much, but we need to move forward with it just for political reasons."The proposed raise to a still anemic $7.25 would come over two years - plenty of time for oil companies and inflation to further impoverish already struggling American workers who face weakening unions, downsizing and increased offshoring.
Inflation has eroded the minimum wage's buying power to the lowest level in about 50 years. Yet lawmakers have won cost-of-living wage increases totaling about $35,000 over that time. So House GOP leaders are bowing to the inevitable on the increase.
This report comes on the heels of a Chicago city council resolution Wednesday that would require "big box" retailers to pay around $10.00 an hour - substantially more than the Illinois minimum wage of $6.50. A possible Daley Dynasty veto looms over this measure, however.
So it is apparant that appealing to a sense of moral conscience doesn't work with Republicans, but political pressure certainly does. And the GOP would take the credit for the increase which may or may not help them overcome the ravages of war in November.
Dem0crats, are you taking notes?
2006-07-27
Whites Voting Keith Butler for US Senate
White Republicans are racist.
Black Republicans are "sell-outs".
Whites who vote for a black Republican over a white Democrat are... what?
And what is it that these racists/sell-outs want? They want blacks to have low incomes, poor education, and the the other ingrediants that lead to criminal life? Whites in the subburbs want Detroit to be a deteriorating ghost town? What is that blacks in the subburbs want?
If the subburbs are racists, why do tens of thousans of blacks from Detroit flee there for their safety and prosperity?
If the US is racist, how do so many non-white groups out-peform whites?
Nadir, please help me with the logic here. I used to could answer these questions back when I was a brave, truth-know'n leftist. But now I've forgotton how to answer these questions.
The Republicans will lose ZERO white votes by nominating Keith Butler (but they're still racist!); the democrats will lose some black votes to him.
Black Republicans are "sell-outs".
Whites who vote for a black Republican over a white Democrat are... what?
And what is it that these racists/sell-outs want? They want blacks to have low incomes, poor education, and the the other ingrediants that lead to criminal life? Whites in the subburbs want Detroit to be a deteriorating ghost town? What is that blacks in the subburbs want?
If the subburbs are racists, why do tens of thousans of blacks from Detroit flee there for their safety and prosperity?
If the US is racist, how do so many non-white groups out-peform whites?
Nadir, please help me with the logic here. I used to could answer these questions back when I was a brave, truth-know'n leftist. But now I've forgotton how to answer these questions.
The Republicans will lose ZERO white votes by nominating Keith Butler (but they're still racist!); the democrats will lose some black votes to him.
Isreali Targetting of Civillians... Via Phone Calls
Here's the army that Nadir claims targets civillians (with a thousand high-precision, high-explosive rockets, that've only killed 300 civillians). They call Gaza household to inform the occupants to evacuate as they will will be bombing, as they consider the occupants to be Hamas. So they evacuate. Then the Isreali army calls back to appologize, they had made a mistake, and will not be bombing afterall.
CIA/Mossad Front Group Declares Holy War on Israel
The timing was damn near perfect on this one. And no surprise at all since this "terror organization" was founded with CIA funds.
Neocons Slinger and Paul Hue will claim this is grounds for an escalation of preemptive civilian murder.
I claim it is more CIA/Mossad disinformation and trickery.
Neocons Slinger and Paul Hue will claim this is grounds for an escalation of preemptive civilian murder.
I claim it is more CIA/Mossad disinformation and trickery.
Even Handkerchief-head Negro Williams Urges Israeli Restraint
From Armstrong Williams:
Israel has been and always will be a special ally of the United States. As allies we have a responsibility to stand with each other during crisis, and more importantly restrain each other when one oversteps boundaries. By holding its tongue while Israel kills hundreds of innocents in its pursuit of Hezbollah, the U.S. confirms the Muslim world's perception that we value some lives more than others. Furthermore, we undermine our own ambitions to bring democracy to the Middle East.
America holds itself to a high moral standard, and we demand no less from our allies. There are occasions when I believe the Bush administration has overstepped traditional moral boundaries, and as a patriot, I speak out, hoping my words reverberate in our leaders' conscious.
Truth Out: Plame, Wilson, Iraq, Niger, Nuke
(Nadir and Tom: Have you guys ever changed your mind about one of your conclusions? Or have you adhered to the same set of beliefs for the past 20 years?)
"The twin allegations of a false story exposed by Wilson and then of a state-run vendetta undertaken against him and the lady wife who dispatched him on the mission—are in irretrievable ruins. The truth is the exact polar opposite. The original Niger connection was both authentic and important, and Wilson's utter failure to grasp it or even examine it was not enough to make Karl Rove even turn over in bed. All the work of the supposed 'outing' was inadvertently performed by Wilson's admirer Robert Novak. ... it is high time that [the facts] received one-millionth of the attention that the 'Plamegate' farce has garnered.
"In February 1999 one of Saddam Hussein's chief nuclear goons paid a visit to Niger, but his identity was not noticed by Joseph Wilson, nor emphasized in his [oral] 'report' to the CIA, nor mentioned at all in his later memoir. British intelligence picked up the news of the Zahawie visit from French and Italian sources and passed it on to Washington."
The only written report that Joe Wilson filed was his NYT op-ed piece. It appears that his "investigation" was cursory and non-serious. His conclusion cannot constitute the final word on the matter... or even an authoritative one. One can make a plausable case that *he* outed his own wife (to the extent that she was "outed" at all), whereas facts now preclude any reasonable assertion that Bushies did. And we can't any longer take seriously Wilson's conclusion about Iraqi-Niger Nuke deals based on his unpaid weekend trip to Niger.
"The twin allegations of a false story exposed by Wilson and then of a state-run vendetta undertaken against him and the lady wife who dispatched him on the mission—are in irretrievable ruins. The truth is the exact polar opposite. The original Niger connection was both authentic and important, and Wilson's utter failure to grasp it or even examine it was not enough to make Karl Rove even turn over in bed. All the work of the supposed 'outing' was inadvertently performed by Wilson's admirer Robert Novak. ... it is high time that [the facts] received one-millionth of the attention that the 'Plamegate' farce has garnered.
"In February 1999 one of Saddam Hussein's chief nuclear goons paid a visit to Niger, but his identity was not noticed by Joseph Wilson, nor emphasized in his [oral] 'report' to the CIA, nor mentioned at all in his later memoir. British intelligence picked up the news of the Zahawie visit from French and Italian sources and passed it on to Washington."
The only written report that Joe Wilson filed was his NYT op-ed piece. It appears that his "investigation" was cursory and non-serious. His conclusion cannot constitute the final word on the matter... or even an authoritative one. One can make a plausable case that *he* outed his own wife (to the extent that she was "outed" at all), whereas facts now preclude any reasonable assertion that Bushies did. And we can't any longer take seriously Wilson's conclusion about Iraqi-Niger Nuke deals based on his unpaid weekend trip to Niger.
How neutral is the United Nations?
How neutral is the United Nations in the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict?
A picture is worth a thousand words.
This picture is featured on page 155 of Jed Babbin's 2004 book, Inside the Assylum. This a photo taken around January, 2004, at a facility on the Lebanese-Israeli border, not too far from near a town called Metullah.
http://radioblogger.com/images/un-hezbollah.jpg
The United Nations flag is flying a couple of feet away from the Hezbollah flag. Now I do not believe Israel intentionally targeted U.N. earlier today. But if the U.N. has personnel sharing facilities with Hezbollah, how can Israel possibly be blamed? Precision weapons can do a lot, but they can't only blow up the Hezbollah side of the building.
I'm also told this isn't the only place where the two flags fly side by side. How can anyone expect the U.N. to broker or keep the peace? How can anyone believe the U.N. has not already taken sides once you see a picture like this? Kofi Annan can give us his righteous anger about the errant attack this morning all he wants, but maybe if his people weren't so closely associated with terrorists, they wouldn't get hurt.
http://radioblogger.com/#001773
A picture is worth a thousand words.
This picture is featured on page 155 of Jed Babbin's 2004 book, Inside the Assylum. This a photo taken around January, 2004, at a facility on the Lebanese-Israeli border, not too far from near a town called Metullah.
http://radioblogger.com/images/un-hezbollah.jpg
The United Nations flag is flying a couple of feet away from the Hezbollah flag. Now I do not believe Israel intentionally targeted U.N. earlier today. But if the U.N. has personnel sharing facilities with Hezbollah, how can Israel possibly be blamed? Precision weapons can do a lot, but they can't only blow up the Hezbollah side of the building.
I'm also told this isn't the only place where the two flags fly side by side. How can anyone expect the U.N. to broker or keep the peace? How can anyone believe the U.N. has not already taken sides once you see a picture like this? Kofi Annan can give us his righteous anger about the errant attack this morning all he wants, but maybe if his people weren't so closely associated with terrorists, they wouldn't get hurt.
http://radioblogger.com/#001773
2006-07-26
Canada's PM doubts Israeli bombing of UN outpost deliberate
Stephen Harper delivers a rebuke to UN chief Kofi Annan:
OTTAWA (AFP) - Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper said an Israeli attack on a UN outpost that killed four, including a Canadian, was a “terrible tragedy” but not likely deliberate.
At the same time, he questioned why the UN had manned the outpost in Lebanon near the Israeli border as bombs exploded all around.
“We want to find out why this United Nations post was attacked and also why it remained manned during what is now, more or less, a war during obvious danger to these individuals,” he told reporters.
Asked about UN head Kofi Annan’s statement suggesting Israel had targeted the outpost, Harper said: “I certainly doubt that to be the case.”
Canadian General: UN Observer Post Used By Hizballah
Retired Canadian Major General Lewis Mackenzie was interviewed on CBC radio, and had some very interesting news about the UN observer post hit by Israeli shells; the Canadian peacekeeper killed there had previously emailed Mackenzie telling him that Hizballah was using their post as cover.
The entire interview is a breath of fresh air:
"We received emails from him a few days ago, and he was describing the fact that he was taking fire within, in one case, three meters of his position for tactical necessity, not being targeted. Now that’s veiled speech in the military. What he was telling us was Hezbollah soldiers were all over his position and the IDF were targeting them. And that’s a favorite trick by people who don’t have representation in the UN. They use the UN as shields knowing that they can’t be punished for it."
Bush "Signing Statements" Violate Law
I aggree. If Bush wants a new law, submit it to congressional approval; if he opposes a law they pass, veto it; if they override his veto, well, he's out of otions.
Hizballah Firing from Vicinity of UN Positions
There’s an amazing amount of press coverage of Israel’s airstrike on a UN observer post yesterday, but today’s UNIFIL press release (PDF) contains some information you aren’t hearing about on the nightly news.
Another UN position of the Ghanaian battalion in the area of Marwahin in the western sector was also directly hit by one mortar round from the Hezbollah side last night. The round did not explode, and there were no casualties or material damage. Another 5 incidents of firing close to UN positions from the Israeli side were reported yesterday. It was also reported that Hezbollah fired from the vicinity of four UN positions at Alma ash Shab, Tibnin, Brashit, and At Tiri. All UNIFIL positions remain occupied and maintained by the troops.
Another UN position of the Ghanaian battalion in the area of Marwahin in the western sector was also directly hit by one mortar round from the Hezbollah side last night. The round did not explode, and there were no casualties or material damage. Another 5 incidents of firing close to UN positions from the Israeli side were reported yesterday. It was also reported that Hezbollah fired from the vicinity of four UN positions at Alma ash Shab, Tibnin, Brashit, and At Tiri. All UNIFIL positions remain occupied and maintained by the troops.
I'd say that puts a fly or two in the "Israel intentionally targeted U.N. peace-keeping (what an oxymoron) forces" ointment.
Adrea Yates Not Guilty Of Drowning Her 5 Children In The Bathtub by Reason of Insanity
The only insanity here is the verdict itself. What a sick joke our legal system has become.
Our Willful Blindness in Lebanon
Bush could stop Israel in its tracks with a snap of his fingers. But why would he? Israel is doing his bidding.
The U.S. Arms Export Control Act stipulates that foreign countries receiving weapons from the United States must use them solely for defensive purposes or to maintain internal security. During the last major Israeli incursion into Lebanon, in 1981, the Reagan administration cut off U.S. military aid and arms deliveries for 10 weeks while it investigated whether Israel was using weapons for "defensive purposes."
Last week, both houses of Congress, mindful of the importance of retaining Jewish votes and campaign contributions, passed resolutions stating that Israel was acting in self-defense. The vote in the Senate was unanimous; the House vote was 410 to 8. Walking in lockstep with Bush, neither resolution calls for a ceasefire. The Senate resolution praises Israel for its "restraint" and the House resolution "welcomes Israel's continued efforts to prevent civilian casualties."
U.S.-provided Israeli bombs have killed nearly 400 Lebanese, of whom the overwhelming majority were innocent civilians. The bombing has displaced half a million people and caused an estimated $1 billion in damage.
After Israel ordered people in southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes, several vehicles filled with evacuating Lebanese civilians were bombed by the Israeli military.
US Blocking Immediate Cease-Fire…Heavy Casualties Mounting…
Let me ask you right-wingnuts this question:
Why is it in the US's interest to block a cease fire?
This action is only strengthening Hezbollah and opposition to the US-Israeli position. It is weakening the Lebanese government which is needed to counter Hezbollah.
If the goal really is to weaken Hezbollah's miltary, they will fail. Forcing Hezbollah to revert to guerrilla warfare instead of conventional fighting plays to Israel's weaknesses and to Hezbollah's strengths.
If the goal is peace and stability... well, we know that isn't the goal. Otherwise, they would be promoting a cease fire, not blocking it.
I know it will be hard, but try not to answer the question as right-wing ideologues. Think about it from a tactical standpoint. How in the hell do these tactics make sense unless the goal is greater destabilization of the Middle East and the escalation of World War III?
Why is it in the US's interest to block a cease fire?
This action is only strengthening Hezbollah and opposition to the US-Israeli position. It is weakening the Lebanese government which is needed to counter Hezbollah.
If the goal really is to weaken Hezbollah's miltary, they will fail. Forcing Hezbollah to revert to guerrilla warfare instead of conventional fighting plays to Israel's weaknesses and to Hezbollah's strengths.
If the goal is peace and stability... well, we know that isn't the goal. Otherwise, they would be promoting a cease fire, not blocking it.
I know it will be hard, but try not to answer the question as right-wing ideologues. Think about it from a tactical standpoint. How in the hell do these tactics make sense unless the goal is greater destabilization of the Middle East and the escalation of World War III?
Zbig Brzezinski: Israel's Actions in Lebanon Essentially Amount to "the Killing of Hostages"
Brzezinski stated: "I hate to say this but I will say it. I think what the Israelis are doing today for example in Lebanon is in effect, in effect -- maybe not in intent -- the killing of hostages. The killing of hostages."
"Because when you kill 300 people, 400 people, who have nothing to do with the provocations Hezbollah staged, but you do it in effect deliberately by being indifferent to the scale of collateral damage, you're killing hostages in the hope of intimidating those that you want to intimidate. And more likely than not you will not intimidate them. You'll simply outrage them and make them into permanent enemies with the number of such enemies increasing."
Duke Cops, Rasists Or Just Bullies?
The local police officers involved in investigating the Duke rape case have gotten themselves into trouble now, with charges of racism. The allegation sounds very plausable based on my life experiances, and I believe every word of it (until proven otherwise):
Six off-duty cops (including the two lead investigators of the Duke rape hoax; five are white, one is black) gather at a sports bar and get smashed. A cook (he's black) goes out back on a break, just as the officers leave. One of the exiting cars (containing two of the honkey cops) peels out, and the cook hollers out playful encouragement ("You go! Yee Who!"). The asshole cops inside (both of course well past the legal drinking limit) hear this, and misinterpret it as an insult, flip around, drive over to the cook, and shout, "Fuck you, nigger!". The cook responds, "Fuck you, cracker!". The drunk-driving cracker cops jump out and challange the cook to a fight. The other four cops swarm in, and all gang up on the cook, who falls to the ground and protects himself from harm. The cops rush away, and as they do the cook asks the black cop, "What's up?", and the black cop says, "They're drunk. I just work with them."
My take: These cops would have done the same thing to a white cook, though they would have found a different ugly thing to say to him; black cops would have done the same thing, and probably used same words; had the cook been Chinese or Indian, black or white cops would have done the same thing, and both used the same racial slur associated with those groups. Cops have a much higher than average incidence of bully behavior, many of them act like street gang members, and the only thing good I can say about them is that most don't act this way, and on balance they are better than any other police force in human history (some current European forces perhaps perhaps act even better).
I think that this will figure into the phony rape case in that they will have some of the investigatory officers testifying that use of a racial slur does not neccessarily indicate racism.
Six off-duty cops (including the two lead investigators of the Duke rape hoax; five are white, one is black) gather at a sports bar and get smashed. A cook (he's black) goes out back on a break, just as the officers leave. One of the exiting cars (containing two of the honkey cops) peels out, and the cook hollers out playful encouragement ("You go! Yee Who!"). The asshole cops inside (both of course well past the legal drinking limit) hear this, and misinterpret it as an insult, flip around, drive over to the cook, and shout, "Fuck you, nigger!". The cook responds, "Fuck you, cracker!". The drunk-driving cracker cops jump out and challange the cook to a fight. The other four cops swarm in, and all gang up on the cook, who falls to the ground and protects himself from harm. The cops rush away, and as they do the cook asks the black cop, "What's up?", and the black cop says, "They're drunk. I just work with them."
My take: These cops would have done the same thing to a white cook, though they would have found a different ugly thing to say to him; black cops would have done the same thing, and probably used same words; had the cook been Chinese or Indian, black or white cops would have done the same thing, and both used the same racial slur associated with those groups. Cops have a much higher than average incidence of bully behavior, many of them act like street gang members, and the only thing good I can say about them is that most don't act this way, and on balance they are better than any other police force in human history (some current European forces perhaps perhaps act even better).
I think that this will figure into the phony rape case in that they will have some of the investigatory officers testifying that use of a racial slur does not neccessarily indicate racism.
Israel's Act of War Against the World
By intentionally attacking UN troops and killing international soldiers, Israel has effectively committed an act of war against the world.
Israel is the very definition and embodiment of a rogue state. They have no regard for international law as evidenced by their practice of constantly ignoring UN Security Council resolutions. Now they commit an act of open warfare against the United Nations, Austria, Canada, China and Finland.
You apologists for Israel will no doubt find some way to excuse these attrocities and downplay their significance, but these acts of war underscore the fact that Israel is a criminal regime that believes its "chosen people" are above international law and above the rest of us.
What name would you use to describe a criminal, fascist, self-proclaimed "master race" besides "Nazi"?
UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon contacted Israeli troops 10 times before an Israeli bomb killed four of them, an initial UN report says.
So Israel knowingly attacked and killed UN troops just as they knowingly shot at a Fox News corespondent two weeks ago.The post was hit by a precision-guided missile after six hours of shelling, diplomats familiar with the probe say.
Israel is the very definition and embodiment of a rogue state. They have no regard for international law as evidenced by their practice of constantly ignoring UN Security Council resolutions. Now they commit an act of open warfare against the United Nations, Austria, Canada, China and Finland.
You apologists for Israel will no doubt find some way to excuse these attrocities and downplay their significance, but these acts of war underscore the fact that Israel is a criminal regime that believes its "chosen people" are above international law and above the rest of us.
What name would you use to describe a criminal, fascist, self-proclaimed "master race" besides "Nazi"?
2006-07-25
Lebanese Blog: Hizballah's Filthy Methods
Here's a post at a blog that bills itself as “personal views and opinions of Lebanese Forces members:” Hizbullah’s Filthy Methods.
For the past 11 days, we have seen Israel bomb all sorts of targets and i am sure most of us were wondering why would Israel bomb a certain factory or a truck or a construction yard or a truck ..
If we can for a moment turn off all those local and international channels who have nothing to do but show little children killed and bodies and touch the viewer to a certain degree that ll blind him, and think about the reasons behind those hits.
From a military point of view, you have a full equiped army, ranked in the top 5 armies in the world against a guerrilla with absolutly no info on its fighters, weapons , locations.
Even though the Israeli army is way superior in terms of weapons and technology and numbers than Hizbullah, its war must be a very cautious and tactical one since its fighting a guerilla.
We ve seen Israel for example hitting a factory for tissues in a small village in the South. It appeared that Hizbullah guys operate using trucks, meaning they move around with a missile in a truck, park nearby a factory for ex and shoot the rocket and flee. The origin of the rocket being the factory, Israelies respond by hitting it.
A witness for a similar action urged on TV the Hizbullah fighters to stop coming into his village to shoot rockets and then run away since the village is being destroyed.
Same for the truck that was carrying civilians and that became very suspicious when it was not allowed to enter the UN offices.
Fighting a guerrilla is very hard and knowing that they could shoot from anywhere, we should expect hits on unusual places.
Innocent people r dying, this is true but i believe the way Hizbullah is operating and its filthy methods in infilitrating villages and using them as launch positions is causing all those casualties.
Of course Israelies have hit bridges recklessly during the day killing innocent civilians passing on the bridge, but its war and you always have victims.
On the other hand, the one hitting civilians randomly and threatening innocent lifes r the Hizbullah launching rockets with no direction whatsoever. I ve seen rockets land on balconies, small cafes, walls ... anything but military targets.
Finally, i heard that Hizbullah has accepted that the government negociates on the prisoners fate today, therefore i hope that they realized they havent achieved anything but destroy themselves politically and militarily and most of all destroy Lebanon and ruin its economy for the next 5 years.
Even the BBC notices it: BBC Admits Many Lebanese Casualties are Terrorists.
(IsraelNN.com) The British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) has admitted that many of the victims of Israeli retaliation in Lebanon are terrorists and not innocent civilians. A BBC reporter said he saw Hizbullah terrorists using a private home and added, “It is difficult to quantify who is a terrorist and who is a civilian.”
For the past 11 days, we have seen Israel bomb all sorts of targets and i am sure most of us were wondering why would Israel bomb a certain factory or a truck or a construction yard or a truck ..
If we can for a moment turn off all those local and international channels who have nothing to do but show little children killed and bodies and touch the viewer to a certain degree that ll blind him, and think about the reasons behind those hits.
From a military point of view, you have a full equiped army, ranked in the top 5 armies in the world against a guerrilla with absolutly no info on its fighters, weapons , locations.
Even though the Israeli army is way superior in terms of weapons and technology and numbers than Hizbullah, its war must be a very cautious and tactical one since its fighting a guerilla.
We ve seen Israel for example hitting a factory for tissues in a small village in the South. It appeared that Hizbullah guys operate using trucks, meaning they move around with a missile in a truck, park nearby a factory for ex and shoot the rocket and flee. The origin of the rocket being the factory, Israelies respond by hitting it.
A witness for a similar action urged on TV the Hizbullah fighters to stop coming into his village to shoot rockets and then run away since the village is being destroyed.
Same for the truck that was carrying civilians and that became very suspicious when it was not allowed to enter the UN offices.
Fighting a guerrilla is very hard and knowing that they could shoot from anywhere, we should expect hits on unusual places.
Innocent people r dying, this is true but i believe the way Hizbullah is operating and its filthy methods in infilitrating villages and using them as launch positions is causing all those casualties.
Of course Israelies have hit bridges recklessly during the day killing innocent civilians passing on the bridge, but its war and you always have victims.
On the other hand, the one hitting civilians randomly and threatening innocent lifes r the Hizbullah launching rockets with no direction whatsoever. I ve seen rockets land on balconies, small cafes, walls ... anything but military targets.
Finally, i heard that Hizbullah has accepted that the government negociates on the prisoners fate today, therefore i hope that they realized they havent achieved anything but destroy themselves politically and militarily and most of all destroy Lebanon and ruin its economy for the next 5 years.
Even the BBC notices it: BBC Admits Many Lebanese Casualties are Terrorists.
(IsraelNN.com) The British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) has admitted that many of the victims of Israeli retaliation in Lebanon are terrorists and not innocent civilians. A BBC reporter said he saw Hizbullah terrorists using a private home and added, “It is difficult to quantify who is a terrorist and who is a civilian.”
2006-07-24
Be Careful How You Use The "N" Word
On 7-12-06 Nadir said...
Maybe it's just me, Nadir, but you might want to consider being a little more careful and selective about dropping the "N' word from now on.
Echoes of Nazism in Tyre
Hundreds of Hizballah propaganda photographs are emanating from the city of Tyre, Lebanon: Tyre.
But here’s what was happening in Tyre last August, in a photo from TIME Magazine’s Inside Hizballah slideshow.Maybe it's just me, Nadir, but you might want to consider being a little more careful and selective about dropping the "N' word from now on.
Anti-Semitism? It's All A Karl Rove Plot
“I came to the conclusion that the hostile comments about Israel on these liberal blogs are not coming from true liberals. Most of the anti-Semitism comes from racism and most of the racism I have experienced has come from the far right, not the left.
“So my conclusion is that the bloggers who violently hate Israel and see it in black and white terms are not really liberals. They may even be anti-Semites, but they are not representative of the liberal community that was so active in achieving racial and ethnic equality. It is a contradiction for a true liberal to be an anti-Semite.
Furthermore, I would not put it past the right wing to flood the liberal blogs with hateful criticisms of Israel to advance a perception that liberals are anti-Israel or anti-Semitic. And I see Karl Rove’s fingerprints all over this.”
Now I've heard everything. What an imbicile.
“So my conclusion is that the bloggers who violently hate Israel and see it in black and white terms are not really liberals. They may even be anti-Semites, but they are not representative of the liberal community that was so active in achieving racial and ethnic equality. It is a contradiction for a true liberal to be an anti-Semite.
Furthermore, I would not put it past the right wing to flood the liberal blogs with hateful criticisms of Israel to advance a perception that liberals are anti-Israel or anti-Semitic. And I see Karl Rove’s fingerprints all over this.”
Now I've heard everything. What an imbicile.
Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah: I Told Lebanese Political Leaders We Would Abduct Israeli Soldiers
They knew and they did nothing.
Bloody Conquest? Subjugation? Cultural Imperialism? Slavery?
Ah, when Iraqis has the world's most advanced civilization. What a wonderful time that was, before the dreadful honkies came around and ruined everything.
How different are Christian and Islamic fundamentalists?
Please excuse this post from a liberal website. I don't want to be accused of being narrow-minded...
In the post linked above, Alternet blogger Joshua Holland debates the comments of a self-professed "Christian fundamentalist" in a discussion that echoes conversations from Reformed Leftist:
"Our side is in the right no matter how many civilians are killed, and no matter how many people are impoverished. The other side is not only wrong because they disagree with us, but are damned for all of eternity if they don't adhere to our principles."
In the post linked above, Alternet blogger Joshua Holland debates the comments of a self-professed "Christian fundamentalist" in a discussion that echoes conversations from Reformed Leftist:
I contend that hypocrisy is the cornerstone of Western conservative ideology whether the discussion is economics, foreign policy, race or religion.The commenter wants us to judge other fundamentalist ideologies according to their violent minorities but not his or her own. Our guest isn't violent, but the KKK, Eric Rudolph (who bombed abortion clinics, gay bars and the Atlanta Olympics), the Lambs of God (violent abortion opponents who have shot doctors), Timothy McVeigh and a host of other groups -- terrorists -- are inspired by Christian beliefs. According to this commenter, they don't count (or they don't exist). Same with the flip-side: hundreds of millions of Muslims -- millions of whom would qualify as "fundamentalists" -- are peaceful, but they don't count either; Islamic fundies are terrorists -- whether peaceful or not -- and Christian fundies are simply following the word of God.
Is it any wonder things are so screwed up?
"Our side is in the right no matter how many civilians are killed, and no matter how many people are impoverished. The other side is not only wrong because they disagree with us, but are damned for all of eternity if they don't adhere to our principles."
How Many Civilians Do You Have to Kill Before You Become a Terrorist?
"Are Israel's enemies not allowed to fight at all? If they have to audacity to challenge Israel in any way, do they automatically become terrorists? Is arguing with Israel also an act of terrorism? These days I wouldn't be surprised. I imagine they'll call it verbal terrorism. Sorry, I didn't mean to give them any ideas."Why is Israel allowed to take bold and aggressive military action (let alone the US) and no one is allowed to respond? If anyone has the nerve to fight back -- terrorists!
"I wonder how many of us would be "terrorists" if we were attacked and occupied by a foreign country?"
2006-07-22
Gay Parade Invades Lebannon?
An Isreali gay parade got cancelled due to the Isreali-Hezbollah war. This is really a missed opportunity. If Isreal's military really wanted to harm the neadrathal HezbollahKKKers, the generals should have just sent a parade of gays through their areas. This might even have gotten leftists in the US and Europe to say something negative against Hezbollah, once their brave soldiers started attacking the men for being gay.
Does Peace Always Beget Peace? Is War Never the Answer?
I remember during my leftist days, "peace" was a means to itself. Yet I notice now that all the anti-US peaceniks don't require "peace" for everybody. They admire Hezbollah, Hamas, and the various anti-democrats in Iraq; those people are "freedom fighters" seeking "independance." The peaceniks do not demand that those anti-democrats practice "peace", only those whom they fire upon. But is "peace" always the best route forward?
Guns Don't Save Lives, People With Guns Do
Not sure exactly where I stand on the gun control issue. But I have become certain that my previous liberal certainty on this issue is full of holes. Here's a story where a guy with a gun in his car uses it to rescue unarmed victims from a knief-wielding madman.
2006-07-21
Sistani calls for end to violence...
...but not for a US exit NOW! Why not? Why does this Muslim Iraqi cleric not direct his criticism at US troops and that cursed George Bush? Why does he not blame Bush and the US military for all the problems? Why does he ask for the waring factions to stop tyring to kill and exact revenge, as a pre-requisite for the US leaving? Please explain this to me, Tom and Nadir. Why does he blame non-US forces for that Shiite mosque bombing?
Sixstringer pointed out the other day that if Hezbollah and Hamas threw all of their weapons into the ocean and stopped all acts of violence, all Isrealis would cease their violence as well, and the borders of Isreal would not budge a single inch. In contrast, if the Isrealis tossed all their weapons into the ocean, the Hezbollah and Hamas forces with launch Total War, and Isreal would evaporate in a sea of destruction and blood.
In Iraq, if the US troops left NOW!, would violence end? Would people there have freedom to speak and practice religion any way that they liked? No. But what if all the non-US forces stopped their violence and destruction. Would the US military continue firing any weapons?
Sixstringer pointed out the other day that if Hezbollah and Hamas threw all of their weapons into the ocean and stopped all acts of violence, all Isrealis would cease their violence as well, and the borders of Isreal would not budge a single inch. In contrast, if the Isrealis tossed all their weapons into the ocean, the Hezbollah and Hamas forces with launch Total War, and Isreal would evaporate in a sea of destruction and blood.
In Iraq, if the US troops left NOW!, would violence end? Would people there have freedom to speak and practice religion any way that they liked? No. But what if all the non-US forces stopped their violence and destruction. Would the US military continue firing any weapons?
New Orleans: Rebuild Your Own Levees?
US Federal and State Govt agencies have in the past produced some wonderful creations. The Hoover Dam comes to mind. But then there's the New Orleans levees, and now Boston's Big Dig. Here one of my libertarian economist heroes proposes that the Fedl govt is even worse than local govts. But he doesn't explain how the fedl govt produced the magnificently successful Hoover Dam, or how the the local Boston govt wasted so much on the Big Dig. I don't know what the answer is.
Police Kill Unarmed Man; Nobody Protests
Here's a guy who went nuts, and wouldn't comply with police directives to submit to arrest. They shot him dead. I think the police made an unethical choice, a choice that I think should be illegal. However, nobody protested the guy's death, not even his family. I wonder why. (Actually, I don't wonder; I'm pretty sure I know why nobody -- such as Nadir -- has loudly protested, and why nobody's even heard of this incident which occured two years ago in the Detroit metro area.)
Bush killed Martin Luther King!
So, do you want the president to speak to your convention, or not? In his speach to the NAACP, he mentioned his visit to the Lorraine Motel a few weeks back, the cite of MLK's assassination. This prompted one woman to expose herself as a loud mouthed dim wit:
"You guys killed him -- you better say that," a woman shouted from the audience.
Yes, lady, George W. Bush -- and some other" guys" (who? all white people alive today?)! -- killed Martin Luther King. Now, some nice men in white jump suites are going to take you to a special place, where you can relax (and maybe learn some manners, at the very least, and maybe some history and logic)...
"You guys killed him -- you better say that," a woman shouted from the audience.
Yes, lady, George W. Bush -- and some other" guys" (who? all white people alive today?)! -- killed Martin Luther King. Now, some nice men in white jump suites are going to take you to a special place, where you can relax (and maybe learn some manners, at the very least, and maybe some history and logic)...
Voting Rights Violations?
This is why the NAACP wants to extend the Voting Rights Act? To prevent states from requiring photo IDs at voting booths? Isn't this one of the best ways to prevent fraud? In what way are black folks special that a photo ID requirement will block them from voting?
Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America
Executive Summary
Americans have long maintained that a man’s home is his castle and that he has the right to defend it from unlawful intruders. Unfortunately, that right may be disappearing. Over the last 25 years, America has seen a disturbing militarization of its civilian law enforcement, along with a dramatic and unsettling rise in the use of paramilitary police units (most commonly called Special Weapons and Tactics, or SWAT) for routine police work. The most common use of SWAT teams today is to serve narcotics warrants, usually with forced, unannounced entry into the home.
These increasingly frequent raids, 40,000 per year by one estimate, are needlessly subjecting nonviolent drug offenders, bystanders, and wrongly targeted civilians to the terror of having their homes invaded while they’re sleeping, usually by teams of heavily armed paramilitary units dressed not as police officers but as soldiers. These raids bring unnecessary violence and provocation to nonviolent drug offenders, many of whom were guilty of only misdemeanors. The raids terrorize innocents when police mistakenly target the wrong residence. And they have resulted in dozens of needless deaths and injuries, not only of drug offenders, but also of police officers, children, bystanders, and innocent suspects.
This paper presents a history and overview of the issue of paramilitary drug raids, provides an extensive catalogue of abuses and mistaken raids, and offers recommendations for reform.
Botched Paramilitary Police Raids: An Interactive Map
Americans have long maintained that a man’s home is his castle and that he has the right to defend it from unlawful intruders. Unfortunately, that right may be disappearing. Over the last 25 years, America has seen a disturbing militarization of its civilian law enforcement, along with a dramatic and unsettling rise in the use of paramilitary police units (most commonly called Special Weapons and Tactics, or SWAT) for routine police work. The most common use of SWAT teams today is to serve narcotics warrants, usually with forced, unannounced entry into the home.
These increasingly frequent raids, 40,000 per year by one estimate, are needlessly subjecting nonviolent drug offenders, bystanders, and wrongly targeted civilians to the terror of having their homes invaded while they’re sleeping, usually by teams of heavily armed paramilitary units dressed not as police officers but as soldiers. These raids bring unnecessary violence and provocation to nonviolent drug offenders, many of whom were guilty of only misdemeanors. The raids terrorize innocents when police mistakenly target the wrong residence. And they have resulted in dozens of needless deaths and injuries, not only of drug offenders, but also of police officers, children, bystanders, and innocent suspects.
This paper presents a history and overview of the issue of paramilitary drug raids, provides an extensive catalogue of abuses and mistaken raids, and offers recommendations for reform.
Botched Paramilitary Police Raids: An Interactive Map
2006-07-20
America's Black Brewer Wins NYT Wheat Beer Tasting
As best I can tell, the US has one black brewmaster, Garret Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery. He's my favorite food writer, and pehaps the world's most effective beer advocate. Here his brewery's Wheat wins a New York Times tasting. He's triumphed in his field. I think he's happy, and certainly successful.
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Hezbollah is not Hamas, though they may be allies. The Zionist Nazis in control of the Israeli government have been looking for an excuse to continue their war against Lebanon where they have frequently fired missiles and led smaller scale attacks since withdrawing forces 20 years ago.
The apocalypse is upon us.