www.smh.com.au – French official examines possible Cheney prosecution: paper:
“A French official is examining whether to prosecute US Vice President Dick Cheney over alleged complicity in the abuse of corporate assets dating from the time he was head of the services company Halliburton, the French newspaper Le Figaro said yesterday.”
Now… when we consider that Le Figaro is a pro-Chirac government paper, and has made no bones about this point, we understand why the paper is printing this. Chirac’s version of diplomacy was exposed by the US as the criminal sham it is, and this is them trying to extract revenge for that exposure… nothing more.
I’ve said it before; Sullivan, usually so smart about things, gets downright stupid when it comes to homosexual activism. He pukes this one up today, that is really astonishing in it’s blatant stupidity:
www.AndrewSullivan.com – Daily Dish:
“The American ‘Family’ Association, a virulent anti-gay group, decided to hold an online poll in order to prove to members of Congress that the public was appalled at the idea that gay couples should have the right to marry the person they love. Then word got out and lots of people began to participate. Guess which side is winning …”
Andy, has apparently broken open his bottle of “stupid” pills this morning. This is breathtakingly dumb on his part.
The Homosexual groups have been watching places like this for a long while, waiting for an originzed attack on such things. They have a history… a LONG history of doing so. This is merely one more example of such. And Sullivan, being generally a smart guy, knows this. Here it is; I can think of no other path, than Sullivan passing off a lie as an indication of massive support for homosexual ‘marriage’. It’s ca;lled self-justification in the face of overhwhelming opposition. Why has every other properly controlled poll ever taken on the matter, shown a massive support for blockage of homosexual ‘marriage’?
Yet, Sullivan trusts THIS as some kind of indication for his chosen behavior?
Sorry, Andy, this one doesn’t wash.
Clearly, you’re participarting in a lie, because you think the stated position benefits your homosexual activism and it’s POV. Tell us, Andy… how this is any different than the NYT passing along the lies it does because it benefits the liberal POV.
You oughta know better.
Boortz brings up an interesting point, almost as an afterthought, this morning. He says in part:
“Intelligence experts say that Al Qaeda may have agents who are fully trained airline pilots now working for foreign airlines. What if one of these pilots on their way to the U.S. intended to fly their aircraft into, let’s say, the U.S. Capitol. Those reinforced cockpit doors would keep anyone from getting on the flight deck to stop him. Result? One shot-down airliner.”
This goes to the idea of having one hidden, plainclothes armed guard on the plane, as I suggested right after 9/11. Not armed pilots, armed guards… possibly military. (And I think it would be better so)
“Washington’s claims that brilliant US intelligence work led to the capture of Saddam Hussein are being challenged by reports sourced in Iraq’s Kurdish media claiming that its militia set the circumstances in which the US merely had to go to a farm identified by the Kurds to bag the fugitive former president.”
Increasingly, the claim is looking like a Kurd warlord, Qusrat Rasul Ali of the PUK forces, trying to boost his own reputation.
It’s amazing, though… the reaction this casues on the left here in the states… the leftists are tripping over themselves to jump on the story… which at the moment has the same credibility as the various factions of the Palastinians for every Suicide attack there.
Sorry, this story doesn’t wash.
The Domino Effect: is the new Bithead’s BIT, which I’ve just posted. These go up each and every Sunday night, assuming I’m in town or can get to a network port.
This week, I examine some of the press being generated over the Libya thing. One of the money lines:
“Given that there are ties between Bin Laden’s group and Libya, it should not, perhaps be overly shocking to find that Libya’s capitulation on the matter was apparently based on actions taken by the US, which in turn were started based on information apparently obtained by the capturing of Saddam. The timing and some of the indications all seem to line up to that conclusion, at least as of this writing.”
122103203203-Rochester, NY
A number of years ago, one of the justifications of getting involved in Vietnam was what was known as the Domino effect. In that case, the problem was seen that if we allowed Vietnam to fall under Communist domination, that one by one, all the nation-states of the region would also fall under communism.
Update to December 2003. President Bush has been saying for months that the removal of Saddam from power would not only help the Iraqi people, but would also start a domino effect in the region. We remove the Taliban, we remove Saddam, and woosh…. here comes Quack-Daffy, telling us he’s going to disarm.
The latest domino falls, and this one didn’t require a shot. Just as the President called it. Hmm. As best I can tell the evidence is now irrefutable that the President’s way of handling this situation is the correct one…
The resulting press is interesting, and telling. Even the usually leftist press is being forced to concede that Mr. Bush has been doing it right, after all.
A few examples:
Says CNN:
“Libya has declared its intention to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction and to limit the range of Libyan missiles to no greater than 300 kilometers,” Blair said, adding that the Libyan leader has agreed “that this process will be transparent and verifiable.”
Libya also agreed to adhere to international agreements on chemical weapons and sign an additional protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the nuclear watchdog group.
“This decision by Colonel Gadhafi is an historic one and a courageous one, and I applaud it,” Blair said. “It will make the region and the world more secure.”
National Website of Wales which said in part:
“War in Iraq helped secure Libya’s agreement to give up its weapons of mass destruction programmes”
British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon Told Sky News, recently:
“I don’t think you can separate out the relevance of military action in Iraq from the decision the Libyans have taken.
“We showed, after Saddam Hussein had failed to co-operate with the UN, that we meant business and Libya – and I hope other countries – will draw that lesson.”
The Japanese outlet, Asahi.com agrees, saying:
“Some observers believe that the use of military force against Iraq by the United States and Britain was also read as a warning to Libya, with that action paving the way to the current negotiations. It seems plausible that such a threat was one influence on Tripoli’s decision to come clean.”
The Scottsman says pretty much the same:
“…nevertheless, the toppling of Saddam will not have been unhelpful in concentrating minds, both on the decision to abandon weapons of mass destruction and on the agreement to sign up to UN nuclear arms inspections. Such negotiations could have dragged on for many more months and years without yielding anything so dramatic as the developments of the past two days. It was perhaps no coincidence that Gaddafi approached Britain and the United States in March, at the very time when Saddam was being driven from power.”
Larger yet is the report from The Daily Times in Pakistan that with these agreements, comes also, intelligence on hundreds of Al Qaeda and other Islamic militants. Hundreds of terrorists have already been given up by Libya.
Given that there are ties between Bin Laden’s group and Libya, it should not, perhaps be overly shocking to find that Libya’s capitulation on the matter was apparently based on actions taken by the US, which in turn were started based on information apparently obtained by the capturing of Saddam. The timing and some of the indications all seem to line up to that conclusion, at least as of this writing.
And what will France do, I wonder? Wasn’t it France who tried to over-rule and negate the agreement with Libya last August, over the Flight 103 incident?
Reuters reports that:
” France said on Sunday the United States told it months ago it was talking with Libya about giving up banned weapons, dismissing talk that Paris was frozen out because of its opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said France was kept informed of discussions between Washington, London and Tripoli which culminated in a surprise announcement on Friday that Libya was giving up its banned weapons programs.”
Amazing. Sounds like these French have been taking lessons at the feet of one Bill Clinton… who has a habit of resisting to the last, and then when the situation gets out of his control, and what he was resisting finally happens anyway, he’d get out front and claim it was his idea all along. (Take, welfare reform as an example.) Even at this, however, even the French are being forced to admit progress in spite of, not because of their efforts at holding back the US. Says Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin:
“We are seeing the emergence, after what has been achieved in Iran and in Libya, of a coherent and willful international approach to tackle the problem of proliferation, which is essential for the safety of our societies.”
I suppose the French to be playing along now, but should,be fully trusted… rather like Smeagol of the Lord of the Rings fame. They clearly have an agenda of their own and are still trying to steer matters. Whatever else is happening, however, that particular dog has been successfully called to heel for the moment.
Meanwhile, North Korea is keeping rather quiet about these developments in Libya, and says the Korean Times:
“The reclusive country’s state media is also silent on the capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and Iran’s possible acceptance of comprehensive inspections of its nuclear facilities.
U.S. President George W. Bush voiced his hope Saturday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il would accept international inspections for weapons of mass destruction, as has Libya done.”
This situation seems to also speaks rather loudly as to the effectiveness of the UN in controlling nuclear arms. Consider; that Libya has found itself in need of de-arming means it was armed… for years… with Nuclear weapons banned under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty they were a signatory to. So much for the arguments about trusting the UN to deal with such matters. And so much also, for the malcontents here at home in the US trying to direct us toward the UN running the show. This situation shows that was a Nuclear attack waiting to happen.
But it didn’t because the current occupant of the White House not only has some testicular fortitude the one he replaced did not, but also one that is a student of history.
History shows clearly treaties don’t keep the peace… the only path to peace in this world is the judicious use of military force. Mr. Bush and his administration have the wit to see this truth, and are reaping the benefits of a possibly more peaceful world as a result of that truth, and it’s resulting policy.
But of course the nine dwarves here in the States won’t like it. Particularly Dean, whose idiotic insistence that all this doesn’t help our security at home, is going to be hanging over his head for the rest of his life.
In the very near term, he may be right, in terms of the possibility of further attacks against America and the west, as the Islamofacists get more desperate. Like any cornered dog, they’re likely to lash out with what they have left. (This, I suspect is the thinking behind the Orange alert as this is written.) Nobody, however, can deny that in the long term, we’re going to be better off.
And think; all it took was standing up to a couple tyrants. Do that and like Dominos, all the rest fall in line. Amazing what happens when you have a leader, isn’t it?
122103203203-Rochester, NY
A number of years ago, one of the justifications of getting involved in Vietnam was what was known as the Domino effect. In that case, the problem was seen that if we allowed Vietnam to fall under Communist domination, that one by one, all the nation-states of the region would also fall under communism.
Update to December 2003. President Bush has been saying for months that the removal of Saddam from power would not only help the Iraqi people, but would also start a domino effect in the region. We remove the Taliban, we remove Saddam, and woosh…. here comes Quack-Daffy, telling us he’s going to disarm.
The latest domino falls, and this one didn’t require a shot. Just as the President called it. Hmm. As best I can tell the evidence is now irrefutable that the President’s way of handling this situation is the correct one…
The resulting press is interesting, and telling. Even the usually leftist press is being forced to concede that Mr. Bush has been doing it right, after all.
A few examples:
Says CNN:
“Libya has declared its intention to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction and to limit the range of Libyan missiles to no greater than 300 kilometers,” Blair said, adding that the Libyan leader has agreed “that this process will be transparent and verifiable.”
Libya also agreed to adhere to international agreements on chemical weapons and sign an additional protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the nuclear watchdog group.
“This decision by Colonel Gadhafi is an historic one and a courageous one, and I applaud it,” Blair said. “It will make the region and the world more secure.”
National Website of Wales which said in part:
“War in Iraq helped secure Libya’s agreement to give up its weapons of mass destruction programmes”
British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon Told Sky News, recently:
“I don’t think you can separate out the relevance of military action in Iraq from the decision the Libyans have taken.
“We showed, after Saddam Hussein had failed to co-operate with the UN, that we meant business and Libya – and I hope other countries – will draw that lesson.”
The Japanese outlet, Asahi.com agrees, saying:
“Some observers believe that the use of military force against Iraq by the United States and Britain was also read as a warning to Libya, with that action paving the way to the current negotiations. It seems plausible that such a threat was one influence on Tripoli’s decision to come clean.”
The Scottsman says pretty much the same:
“…nevertheless, the toppling of Saddam will not have been unhelpful in concentrating minds, both on the decision to abandon weapons of mass destruction and on the agreement to sign up to UN nuclear arms inspections. Such negotiations could have dragged on for many more months and years without yielding anything so dramatic as the developments of the past two days. It was perhaps no coincidence that Gaddafi approached Britain and the United States in March, at the very time when Saddam was being driven from power.”
Larger yet is the report from The Daily Times in Pakistan that with these agreements, comes also, intelligence on hundreds of Al Qaeda and other Islamic militants. Hundreds of terrorists have already been given up by Libya.
Given that there are ties between Bin Laden’s group and Libya, it should not, perhaps be overly shocking to find that Libya’s capitulation on the matter was apparently based on actions taken by the US, which in turn were started based on information apparently obtained by the capturing of Saddam. The timing and some of the indications all seem to line up to that conclusion, at least as of this writing.
And what will France do, I wonder? Wasn’t it France who tried to over-rule and negate the agreement with Libya last August, over the Flight 103 incident?
Reuters reports that:
France said on Sunday the United States told it months ago it was talking with Libya about giving up banned weapons, dismissing talk that Paris was frozen out because of its opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said France was kept informed of discussions between Washington, London and Tripoli which culminated in a surprise announcement on Friday that Libya was giving up its banned weapons programs.
Amazing. Sounds like these French have been taking lessons at the feet of one Bill Clinton… who has a habit of resisting to the last, and then when the situation gets out of his control, and what he was resisting finally happens anyway, he’d get out front and claim it was his idea all along. (Take, welfare reform as an example.) Even at this, however, even the French are being forced to admit progress in spite of, not because of their efforts at holding back the US. Says Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin:
“We are seeing the emergence, after what has been achieved in Iran and in Libya, of a coherent and willful international approach to tackle the problem of proliferation, which is essential for the safety of our societies.”
I suppose the French to be playing along now, but should,be fully trusted… rather like Smeagol of the Lord of the Rings fame. They clearly have an agenda of their own and are still trying to steer matters. Whatever else is happening, however, that particular dog has been successfully called to heel for the moment.
Meanwhile, North Korea is keeping rather quiet about these developments in Libya, and says the Korean Times:
“The reclusive country’s state media is also silent on the capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and Iran’s possible acceptance of comprehensive inspections of its nuclear facilities.
U.S. President George W. Bush voiced his hope Saturday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il would accept international inspections for weapons of mass destruction, as has Libya done.”
This situation seems to also speaks rather loudly as to the effectiveness of the UN in controlling nuclear arms. Consider; that Libya has found itself in need of de-arming means it was armed… for years… with Nuclear weapons banned under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty they were a signatory to. So much for the arguments about trusting the UN to deal with such matters. And so much also, for the malcontents here at home in the US trying to direct us toward the UN running the show. This situation shows that was a Nuclear attack waiting to happen.
But it didn’t because the current occupant of the White House not only has some testicular fortitude the one he replaced did not, but also one that is a student of history.
History shows clearly treaties don’t keep the peace… the only path to peace in this world is the judicious use of military force. Mr. Bush and his administration have the wit to see this truth, and are reaping the benefits of a possibly more peaceful world as a result of that truth, and it’s resulting policy.
But of course the nine dwarves here in the States won’t like it. Particularly Dean, whose idiotic insistence that all this doesn’t help our security at home, is going to be hanging over his head for the rest of his life.
In the very near term, he may be right, in terms of the possibility of further attacks against America and the west, as the Islamofacists get more desperate. Like any cornered dog, they’re likely to lash out with what they have left. (This, I suspect is the thinking behind the Orange alert as this is written.) Nobody, however, can deny that in the long term, we’re going to be better off.
And think; all it took was standing up to a couple tyrants. Do that and like Dominos, all the rest fall in line. Amazing what happens when you have a leader, isn’t it?
The Clinton View of Iraq-al Qaeda Ties:
“ARE AL QAEDA’S links to Saddam Hussein’s Iraq just a fantasy of the Bush administration? Hardly. The Clinton administration also warned the American public about those ties and defended its response to al Qaeda terror by citing an Iraqi connection.”
Funny how the Democrats forget this connection.
HoustonChronicle.com: “DERRY, N.H. — Moments after praising his opponents in the Democratic presidential race as worthy running mates, Wesley Clark said, in no uncertain terms, how he would respond if they or anyone else criticized his patriotism or military record.
I’llbeat the s— out of them,’ Clark told a questioner as he walked through the crowd after a town hall meeting Saturday. ‘I hope that’s not on television,’ he added.
It was, live, on C-SPAN. “
Pulic notice to Weasely Clark:
I openly question your patriotism.
I openly question your honesty.
I openly question your military record.
Explain to us why the pentagon fired your skinny butt.
Come and get me, you weasel.
“WASHINGTON – The son of former vice president and 2000 Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore has been charged with marijuana possession.”
“WASHINGTON (AP) – The government on Sunday raised the national threat level to orange, the second-highest, saying attacks were possible during the holiday season and that threat indicators are ‘perhaps greater now than at any point’ since Sept. 11, 2001.”
Yeah, I know, it’s been kinda light in the blog. Here’s why:
I’m installing a new (to me) file and print server and getting it right. The biggest problem I have is getting this big ol’ Cisco router working right, so the server is hidden from the net, but not from the house computers.
I know….. “You need a server?”
Well, yes and no. I suppose I don’t need the SERVER, really. At the least, though, I need a LAN since I have several different computers here at the BitCave. A couple desktops for me, plus my laptop. (Plus another disktop running Red Hat Linux) Then, there’s a computer for my older boy, and one for my wife.
Of course they’re all running to the cable modem, too. But since server support is what I do, it’s nice to have one or two of my own servers, here, as well. One’s the main gun, the other for playtime. It makes supporting all the desktops easier for me, and gives me a central file backup system.
And, heck; Servers are cheap, if you buy the older ones. I don’t need bigtime fast, (And trust me, this isn’t) they just have to run, be fairly stable, and be fairly sizeable. The one I have was originally designed to service around 5000 people, around 6 years ago. I suppose it’s up to my smaller needs, even if it is a few years old.
But, it takes some time to get right. The big project this week is going to be getting the power into the server room upgraded. Only got 15 amps to there right now, and I think I’ll be needing more.
Anyway, that’s what’s occupying my time of late. It’ll be better in the end, though, for the blog and the column, too. More space and some automation of newsgathering, too.
Cascading Effects of Saddam’s Capture – On Point Commentary by Austin Bay StrategyPage.com:
Austin Bay makes an interesting analasys of the current situation in the middle east. Says he:
“Scooping Saddam from his spider den isn’t history the size of Gaugamela, but it ain’t bean bag, either. Saddam’s capture has the potential for producing extraordinary change in the world’s most politically dysfunctional region, the Middle East.”
He goes on to list quite a few changes. Very worth a read.
Reason’s Virginia Postrel suggests that’s the case: ”
“Today’s lavish displays do more than brighten the night. They tell a story of economic progress. Like the electronic gadgets aimed at gift buyers, the tiny lights outlining rooflines and tree limbs illustrate new sources of growth, productivity, and prosperity. Aesthetic pleasure, they tell us, is an increasingly important source of economic value and hence of new jobs and business opportunities. And the same trends that boost living standards in other areas also make Christmas lights more abundant. ”
An interesting argument.
JOHN BERTHOUD in the Miami Herald this morning:
“For years, the government-owned Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and its affiliates, National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), have been the recipients of large public handouts.
Tax dollars from wealthy, middle-income and lower-income Americans have gone to subsidize programming whose audience is disproportionately upper-income. The dollars flow to CPB and then to PBS and NPR and their member stations in the form of direct handouts as well as tax deductions for contributions made by individual viewers. In 2003, CPB received a $363 million federal appropriation.
That’s an incredible 45 percent increase in just four years!
The time has come to end the gravy train of taxpayer dollars.”
Quite right. I’ve been saying this for 20 years, now.
