Sept. 27 - Man binds

Sept. 27 - Man binds bear bites with duct tape Like that's news? Not in Canada, but then, we have Red Green, eh?

(Via Ceasefire Violator.)

Posted by: Debbye at 03:05 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 36 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 27 - An opinion

Sept. 27 - An opinion piece in the NY Post by First Lt. Eric Knapp, currently stationed with the 1st Marine Division In Najaf: A Success Story.

September 26, 2003 -- MY friends and family back in the states are frustrated because every time Najaf - the city in southern Iraq where my unit has been stationed - is in the news, the reports are of conflict between the U.S. forces and armed militias. To hear the media tell it, America has done nothing to improve the infrastructure or security, and the Iraqi public is volatile and seeking revenge.

This is not the Najaf I know. Here's the story lived by those who have worked hand-in-hand with the locals since the end of combat operations: the U.S. Marines.

Read it. It seems the public demand for better information is getting some results. Good on, well, us!

The blogger community is being mobilized in an effort to get Front Line Voices up and running (still in the planning stages, but bookmark the site.)

Note that I'm not talking about cheerleaders, I'm talking about information about the successes, the failures, and the could-have-done-betters. I'm also talking about letting our troops know that folks back home are actually interested beyond the "yeah, sure, I support the troops" kind of dismissal.

Morale. Matters.

Posted by: Debbye at 03:01 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 227 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 27 - Let's play

Sept. 27 - Let's play hard ball with the media and demand answers to 20 Questions the Media Will Not Ask Concerning Iraq:

1. Where is all the money from the UN's Oil for Food Program?

2. How many people have now lived at least six months longer than they would have under Saddam?

3. How many civilians were really killed in the major combat portion of the war?

4. How many civilians have been killed since the end of major combat?

5. How unreliable is the Iraqi electric distribution system in comparison to, say, the Washington, D.C., area system?

I share the sentiment expressed in the closing comment:

NOTE: Some answers might validate my opinions on Iraq; some might blow them to pieces. Either way, I need to know, and so do Americans in general. Why won't the media ask these questions?

Read the rest. Good questions all for our intrepid investigative reporters currently reclining by the Palestine Hotel swmming pool and those assigned to the UN.

(Link via Treacherous Truce Breaker.)

Posted by: Debbye at 02:33 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 179 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 27 - Another humourous

Sept. 27 - Another humourous column from the Toronto Star by Tim Harper, who thinks that Martin may visit Washington before Chretien steps down as Prime Minister.

Jeez, on what basis would Martin visit? He won't be a head of state. Maybe he'll visit the Lincoln Memorial and Smithsonian, and check out the night life.

Insiders in Ottawa, however, say Martin will have difficulty changing the substantive relationship between the two governments because of the hard-line Bush administration view on everything from social issues to trade policy to the obvious difference between the two countries on multilateralism and the Iraqi war.

The USA does not want to become a social democracy. Live with it.

"As long as they are in the White House, how much room is Paul going to have to make a real difference?" one Ottawa source said.

A difference in what? Canada gets along perfectly well with Zimbabwe, France, and Cuba, but can't get along with the USA?

Maybe Canada should proceed with caution, as they do with Saudi Arabia, Iran and Syria. Just a thought. Oh, wait, we'd have to arrest and torture someone, although we'd get their attention faster if we questioned a photographer to death.

Another thought: maybe it would be wise to boost the Canadian army as there's a hostile nation to the south, you know, like, if you're really worried. That would be the normal response when you distrust a neighbouring country's intentions.

"There is a disconnect between the so-called elites in Canada and Canadians," he [well-known Trudeauist Lloyd Axworthy] said.

"Without serious debate, Paul could be setting himself up for serious problems in the next election campaign.

"He cannot ignore the fact a lot of Canadians are saying they don't like Bush and they don't like his policies. What do you do when you have an administration there that is right-wing and anti-internationalist? How do you conduct a constructive relationship with that?"

See comments about Zimbabwe, France and Cuba.

They could try minding their own freaking business, I guess. I find it lucidrous that Axworthy thinks Americans should elect someone on the basis that he meets with the approval of the Canadian Elite.

Maybe Axworthy is calling for is a discussion on the relationship between the USA and Canada. The natural place would be the House of Commons, but "a lot of Canadians" usually means a Royal Commission. Dump NAFTA!

Or maybe it's just the usual, empty rhetoric from a former Minister of Foreign Affairs.

I say Bring. It. On. Instead of hiding behind insults and rhetoric, let Canada decide once and for all if they are actual allies, the stuff of which French friendship is made of, or simply declare neutrality.

Or maybe Axworthy means that Canadians and the Canadian Elite should discuss things. Good plan: I'm sure a lot of Canadians would like to know the names of the Axworthy-defined Elite.

But the best (and perhaps most illuminating) is this:

Ottawa fears it would have to deal with Paul Wolfowitz, now deputy defence secretary, or Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser, if Powell departs.

Is that honesty or bad editing? I'm sticking with the words; Ottawa is afraid of both Wolfowitz and Rice. Cool.

Just another valiant attempt by the Toronto Star and Liberal Party to seek solutions in healing some canyon-sized rifts between the USA and Canada.

[I love it when my friends back home send me links to these kinds of articles. There is an unwritten disapproval in such communications which makes me feel as though I was supposed to do something about it. Like . . . what?

So I responded for those Who Shall Remain Nameless, but I wish they'd appreciate that whereas there will soon be an election in the USA to determine future policies, there won't be one here.]

Posted by: Debbye at 01:02 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 557 words, total size 4 kb.

Sept. 27 - Some meetings

Sept. 27 - Some meetings are more interesting than others, and the current meeting between Pres. Bush and Pres. Putin at Camp David this weekend is definitely in the more interesting category.

Although a member of the Axis of Weasels, the Russian president did not hurl the kind of invective toward the United States as did France and Germany, but there were some disturbing actions, such as a Russian embassy convoy that belatedly high-tailed it for the Syrian border, and of course Russian was a happy participant in the Oil-for-Palaces/Weapons program, and rumours that Russian military personnel were advising Saddam on the defense of Baghdad.

There is the nuclear reactor in Iran, of course, and the ongoing talks with North Korea (Russia is one of the 6 nations in the talks.)

One topic of discussion will be financial aid to Iraq. I think that, since Russia (among others) stole from the Iraqi people by violating the provisions of the Food-for-Oil program, they make substantial restitution to Iraq.

But then I'm not a diplomat, so I get to say things that aren't tactful.

Posted by: Debbye at 11:33 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 192 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 27 - The Canadian

Sept. 27 - The Canadian contingent in Kabul will take command of the NATO peacekeeping force in Kabul for 2004.

A Canadian, Maj.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, is deputy commander and Canadian Brig.-Gen. Peter Devlin is the operational head of ISAF's peace-support force, the Kabul Multi-National Brigade.

The Canadian battle group is based in southwest Kabul, patrolling a sector that includes about 800,000 people and extends beyond the city into mountains and rural areas.

The NATO-led force operates separately from the 11,500-member U.S.-led coalition that fights Taliban and al-Qaida insurgents in the south and east.

Posted by: Debbye at 10:58 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 102 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 27 - During testimony

Sept. 27 - During testimony before Congress, civilian administrator L. Paul Bremer stated there are 19 Al Qaeda Suspects among the 248 non-Iraqi fighters being detained by US forces. This was established not only through interrogations but by documents seized when the fighters were apprehended.

Some of the al Qaeda members have been linked to Ansar al-Islam whose base was wiped out early in the war.

The fighters come from a number of countries, with Syria contributing the largest number (132) followed by Iran and Yemen. Most of them entered Iraq through "ratlines" from that country.

Ratlines. Good phrase. Pithy, pointed and has connotations, like Pied Piper of Hamelin and fits nicely into the flypaper theory (unavoidable mixed metaphor; it works better than The Brave Little Tailor, okay?)

United Nations Security Council member Syria denied assisting or aiding the foreign fighters and claims it is not interfering with US efforts in Iraq.

Posted by: Debbye at 09:54 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 162 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 27 - Pres. Bush's

Sept. 27 - Pres. Bush's recent address to the UN called for nations to crack down on rings that prey upon children and a Crackdown on child predators nets 1,000 arrests:

A three-month federal crackdown on child pornographers and predators has netted more than 1,000 arrests, according to the Bureau Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the investigative arm of the new Department of Homeland Security.

ICE officials launched "Operation Predator" in July, saying government reorganization had brought together resources helpful in identifying and tracking down child predators.

While the operation was wide-ranging in scope, the biggest group of those arrested resulted from comparing ICE databases of people with immigration violations with people on various Megan's Lists -- lists of convicted sexual predators.

The tactic allows ICE to identify child sex offenders who are illegally in the country, and deport them on the belief that they continue to be a threat to U.S. children. Officials in the countries they are returned to are notified about their criminal histories, ICE officials said.

At the same time, ICE officials say they are cracking down on U.S. citizens who go on child-sex tours overseas. This week, ICE officials arrested a man in Seattle who allegedly was returning from a sex tour in Cambodia where he was said to have molested two boys. The man is the first in the nation to be charged under the child sex tourism provisions of the Protect Act, enacted in April.

Do you suppose they'll accuse us of "going it alone?"

Posted by: Debbye at 02:04 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 259 words, total size 2 kb.

Sept. 26 - Angry Virginians

Sept. 26 - Angry Virginians Blow Up Power Substation:

The note said the Virginians would continue to hit major power grid sites until electricity is restored and "the infidel power company forces have retreated from our streets."

Actually, they might have a fight on their hands if Meryl hears of it, because she's blogging away now that her power is back on. You might stop by, she's making up for lost time and has a nice story about hawks (I like it because it reminds me of a similar story in an Andre Norton Witch World book.)

And about the French, (never forget/forgive the French,) UN Hails Chirac's Moral Vision. My favourite proposal:

-- A stronger U.N. Security Council which could set bounds to the use of force. Each member nation would be surrounded by a 1000-yard Gun Free Zone, with substantial fines for anyone found possessing a firearm within it. The Council would also triple the average length of the text of resolutions which almost threaten use of force.

Actually, that's going too far. Those resolutions are already Too. Danged. Long.

Posted by: Debbye at 12:03 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 188 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 26 - I'm waiting

Sept. 26 - I'm waiting for the youngest to come home, and found a new adventure story at Anger Management, Discount Super-Hero.

Anyway, all this is just to set up my story. I should tell you up front that I can't afford a cool Batman suit like the one Michael Keaton wore, so I'm stuck with the Adam West tights. Nevertheless, last night I was driving through Old Town, Alexandria in search for crime to fight when I saw him -- standing outside a pub near the waterfront, all decked out in his Evil Genius garb, it was...the Joker.

Read the whole thing.

There are such incredibly witty people out there. (Via Bad Money, and do scroll around, he's got some links to other funny stuff, and a pretty great sense of humour himself.)

Posted by: Debbye at 11:12 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 142 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 26 - Musharraf Calls

Sept. 26 - Musharraf Calls for Tolerance between Muslims and Christians in a speech in Canada.

Musharraf has always struck me as a leader who cares passionately about his country, his people and their future. He has problems even within the army, but I've been inclined to trust him.

His decision to become a US ally must have been a long, soul-searching process.

Posted by: Debbye at 10:58 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 73 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 26 - I am

Sept. 26 - I am voting for Animal Cruelty - Update for the new blog showcase.

He talks about an issue close to my heart: personal responsibility, and behaving responsibly with those dependent on you -- animals and, by extension, children.

Posted by: Debbye at 09:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 51 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 26 - I don't

Sept. 26 - I don't like to monger rumours (unless they happen to conform to my own suspicions, of course,) but I'm inclined to believe the report that the Probe Into Gitmo Spy Suspect Began in Nov. 2002.

Despite the calls to unabashedly rely more on racial profiling, I think there are better reasons not to: one of them is Richard Reid, and the other includes them, many of whom betrayed their country for the money. Ethnic profiling would let them operate more freely.

Nevertheless, it a sad day when the military has to probe their hiring of clerics. At present, clerics are endorsed by American Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council and the Islamic Society of North America.

The Islamic Society of North America has already been under scrutiny for potential terrorist links, and I'm too pissed off to quote the cries of "we're being victimized and demhumanized and . . ." you know, the usual, but they are in the linked articles.

I'd welcome a change, guys. How about saying something like "This is a matter of concern to us all. Even the suggestion that Muslim clerics are involved in spying has to be seriously examined. It hurts our efforts in the war on terror, and we hope the government gets to the bottom of it."

Posted by: Debbye at 10:06 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 228 words, total size 2 kb.

Sept. 26 - Bruce Willis

Sept. 26 - Bruce Willis is not only entertaining the troops in Iraq, he is offering $1m bounty for Saddam (and asking only to be given 4 seconds with him.)

During an interview Willis said: "Peculiar thing back home is that the liberal media was trying to portray it as a bad war.

"But being over here just a couple of days, seeing how well our troops and the allied troops are being received here, (I) think the Iraqi people are happy we're here," the Hollywood star said.

"Children are being taken care of, starting being inoculated, starting being looked after. Wherever these guys go they get thumbs up. They no longer have to contend with the terrorist leader," Willis said

Willis will be going to Tikrit and then to Kuwait. (BBC link via Neale News.)

Posted by: Debbye at 09:46 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 144 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 26 - Three more

Sept. 26 - Three more detainees in the case of a group of Toronto-based men who were arrested on charges they belonged to an al Qaeda sleeper cell and for falsely claiming to attend a long-defunct school have been freed from jail on bond. Ottawa dropped the claim that the three were a threat to national security.

Posted by: Debbye at 09:15 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 67 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 26 - It's no

Sept. 26 - It's no surprise that the Toronto Sun supports Canadian troops in Afghanistan, nor is it a surprise that the troops are, among other projects, building schools:

In Qal'ay-eh-Moslem, just south of the Canadian military base, there is an old Soviet army headquarters that Canadian troops will soon transform into a school.

[...]

"It's sort of ironic to see how a military building surrounded by graveyards will be a centre for enlightenment," [Canadian Sgt. Mariangeles] Najlis, 32, said yesterday, after visiting the site with her Afghan contractors. "It's like a metamorphosis. It's actually quite symbolic."

Yes. And I'm also sticking with the theory that some Afghan kids have learned to play hockey.

Posted by: Debbye at 09:05 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 118 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 26 - Maher Arar

Sept. 26 - Maher Arar is to be tried in a Syrian military-style court and there are no assurances that there will be Canadian representation at the proceedings.

This case has raised a lot of questions, such as how Arar came to be on a list of suspected terrorists (was the RCMP involved?) but to me the biggest question is "Why did the Syrians want him so badly?" If it was because he is suspected of ties to al Qaeda, why didn't the FBI send him to Guantanamo? Sure, there would have been protests by the Canadian government and human rights groups (like that's new) but at least we wouldn't have turned him over to a country known for torture and which has been named as a terrorist state.

The only conclusion that makes sense is that there was some kind of trade-off, but I don't see a clear connection yet (maybe because Syria has raised so many red flags of late.)

Posted by: Debbye at 08:54 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 172 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 26 - The President

Sept. 26 - The President and First Lady will be guests at Buckingham Palace during a visit to the UK in November.

Even though I can't explain the bond between the British Monarchy and Americans, the mutual affection is undeniable. Go figure.

God save the Queen!

Posted by: Debbye at 08:26 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 56 words, total size 1 kb.

Child porn is everyone's problem

Sept. 26 - Child porn and child sexual abuse is everyone's problem:

The cops

The courts

Us

Be a pack

Can't hide

That's entertainment?

Posted by: Debbye at 08:03 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 34 words, total size 1 kb.

Sept. 26 - THE top

Sept. 26 - THE top story: Toronto Blue Jay Carlos Delgado, who became the 15th man in baseball history to hit 4 consecutive home runs in a game. He is only the 5th player in the AL to do so.

The Jays won 10-8.

Posted by: Debbye at 07:39 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 54 words, total size 1 kb.