November 23, 2005
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap
Nov. 22 -
Martin hit target?
An accused drug dealer alleges he was offered a meagre $300,000 in 2003 to assassinate Paul Martin (then Finance Minister.) A bit more to the story, of course, but still, only $300,000 ...
A very Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends!
Everyone seems to be having entirely too much fun around here -- except for me: I'm in the midst of a killer work schedule (for those who don't know, I work in the retail sector.) But keep up that shopping folks! You pay my salary.
I actually got some sleep today, though, so should be more alert tomorrow morning.
The real news is that we expect snow in Toronto overnight. Driving will be such fun.
Posted by: Debbye at
08:46 PM
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Post contains 133 words, total size 1 kb.
1
This is a comment posted to an eastern seaboard US site where I thank them for providing some justice for Canadian Felons.
Happy thanksgiving from Canada and a couple of gifts [Turkeys] for you to crunch in your courts.
Gift 1 = Conrad Black. Corporate Robber Baron who stole $95 million. Taking away the life savings of thousands of retired couples.
That is only one of several scams by the Black Baron who struts around Europe and Canada with impunity. He has *Stuff* on the kingpins in the corrupt Libranos government in Canada, so they can’t find a court who dares go after him, I guess.
Your second *Turkey* for butchering in your courts is a Jihadist with some nasty plans who happens to own a couple of movie theaters in Alberta Canada. Guantanimo, here comes some new meat.
If signin at
TGs Place is too much trouble, there may be something on
Bendgovernment If not, I’ll get it pasted soon. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 24, 2005 04:40 AM (rmMzv)
2
Happy Thanksgiving, Debbye! Hope you find time to feast on something er...
Thanksgivingish!
Posted by: Tuning Spork at November 24, 2005 12:48 PM (fiAeQ)
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I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving first off.
SEcond of all I hope you stayed off the roads since as a truck driver I know how many people cannot drive around TO.
Ok, on the subject of someone being offered $300,000 to knock of Martin, I chuckled in a sense. Political kills in this country just do not happen. D'arcy McGee was the last in what? 1868 or something?? I can only say that if no one took a shot at Trudeau, I cant see someone making a run at Martin. Anyone wishing ill will on this country would best leave him be, as Prime Minister.
Besides that, all my cheap humour aside, I would hope no one would be that stupid to kill anyone. Paul Martin I may find annoying, but I wish him good health because despite my feelings about his political bent, I think at heart he is a good man. Like Most politicians.
Posted by: Mark In Bowmanville at November 27, 2005 03:21 AM (MG18F)
4
Must be some drug shipper who had a shipment on one of Martin's CSL ships that got confiscated by the police.
Seems a bit silly to draw a bead on Martin. It may have been some hired group in The Martin family employ though. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 28, 2005 03:32 AM (rmMzv)
5
Well, it was Pierre Laport that was the last Canadian victim of a political killing. While rare, it does happen in this country.
As for the drugs, and their dealers, its time to disband the CIA and their drug dealing networks around the globe. Mike Ruppert, a former LAPD narcotics officer has made a compelling case that drugs are at the centre of most of Americas political scandals, including the most recent one of unilaterally launching a war upon the people of Iraq.
Face some real drug facts. The Taliban in Afghanistan all but destroyed the heroin trade in that country. After the NATO invasion, of which we are a part as Canadians, drug production in Afghanistan has exceeded its pre-invasion peak. War Lords need drug money to finance their operations and lifestyles in Afghanistan.
The CIA has a whole fleet of C130s that ferry these drugs around the globe, it is a large enterprise that has broken free of US Congressional oversight.
Ruppert says that Gold, Oil and Drugs - G.O.D. - is the very heart and soul of the current Republican Administration in Washington, and I agree with this perspective.
So its not surprising that these international drug dealers would find Paul Martin a major obstacle to their business of flooding Canada with illicit drugs.
We should find them, document them, try and convict them, and then dispatch them to Singapore for hanging. And if some lying thugs in the CIA or CSIS get caught, too bad, so sad.
Posted by: Joe Green at December 03, 2005 05:29 PM (5dXW9)
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LMAO. Joe Green comes back in a blaze of infamy. CIA drug runners are orchestrating the downfall of St. Martin.
If only others had your insight, Joe.
Posted by: mikem at December 03, 2005 10:08 PM (EzNXf)
7
JESUS CHRIST HAS REMOVED HIS BLESSING FROM AMERICA BECAUSE OF THE AMERINAZIS. THIS HAPPENS WHEN A COUNTRY BECOMES SO THOROUGHLY CORRUPT THAT IT BEGINS VIOLATING THE LORD'S LAWS FLAGRANTLY. AMERICA'S LAST HALF DOZEN WARS HAVE BEEN WAGED PRIMARILY TO BOOST A PRESIDENT'S APPROVAL RATINGS. THOSE ARE UNJUST WARS, AND EVERYBODY KILLED IN THEM IS A MURDER VICTIM. PLUS, LOOK AT WHAT A DEN OF THIEVES THE AMERICAN MARKETPLACE HAS BECOME. AMERICA IS SOON TO BE TOPPLED, MUCH THE SAME AS THE FIRST NAZI NATION, GERMANY, WAS WHEN THEY WENT TOO FAR. MARK MY WORDS. http://www.mixposure.co(you know what goes here)/song.php?songid=14027.
AND BE A MAN. POST THIS COMMENT.
Posted by: DEAN BERRY -- REAL AMERICAN at December 11, 2005 06:31 AM (snymu)
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Don't forget the evil Jooos, DingleBerry. You left that part out. And be a man. Tell your parents what you are up to.
ALL CAPS MAKE US SMART.
Posted by: mikem` at December 11, 2005 09:57 PM (EzNXf)
9
Any chance that pro-Irsaeli speakers will be allowed to speak at Concordia anytime soon?
Or is the tolerant Liberal party still allowing Palestinian and Islamic thugs to dictate who may discuss ME issues?
Posted by: mikem at December 14, 2005 02:01 PM (EzNXf)
10
You may have seen it before, but
it's timely:
A young man named Paul bought a donkey from an old farmer for $100.00. The
farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day. When the farmer drove up
the next day, he said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news...the donkey is
on my truck, but he's dead." Paul replied, "Well then, just give me my
money back." The farmer said, "I Can't do that. I went and spent it
already." Paul said, "OK then, just unload the donkey anyway". The farmer
asked, "What are ya gonna do with him?" Paul said, "I'm going to raffle him
off." To which the farmer exclaimed, "You can't raffle off a dead donkey!"
But Paul, with a big smile on his face, said, "Sure I can. Watch me. I
just won't tell anybody that he's dead."
A month later the farmer met up with Paul Martin and asked, "What happened with
that dead donkey?"
Paul said, "I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at
two dollars a piece and made a profit of $698.00." Totally amazed, the
farmer asked, "Didn't anyone complain that you had stolen their money
because you lied about the donkey being dead?" And Paul replied,
"The only
guy who found out about the donkey being dead was the raffle winner, when
he came to claim his prize. So I gave him his $2 back plus $200 extra,
which is double the going value of a donkey, so he thought I was a great
guy."
Paul Martin grew up and eventually became the Prime Minister of Canada, and
no matter how many times he lied or how much money he stole from Canadian
voters, as long as he gave them back some of the stolen money, most of them
thought he was a great guy.
***
Paul’s Scams
Or, run *Scamslist in Google and see what you get, or http://BendGovt.blog.ca
Posted by: TonyGuitar at December 15, 2005 04:13 PM (rmMzv)
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"Toronto, Canada Monday, December 19, 2005 - On December 2, the Liberal candidate for Mississauga-Erindale, Omar Alghabra, made his victory speech after winning the nomination. In that speech, he reportedly exhorted his audience, “This is a victory for Islam! Islam won! Islam Won! ... Islamic power is extending into Canadian politics."
Not looking for any relief for Concordia Jews.
Posted by: mikem at December 19, 2005 08:17 PM (EzNXf)
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OK, Debbye, this is a long draught even for you. So, tell us the truth: Are you dead or alive?
Posted by: Tuning Spork at December 24, 2005 06:29 PM (Ae/is)
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Merry Christmas, Debbye!
Posted by: Tuning Spork at December 25, 2005 11:06 AM (DIbWB)
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We can find rough roads in life but the entusiasm for writing does return. This is a favourite.. Oil for Food..
http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/109/news120705.htm
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at December 27, 2005 05:11 AM (rmMzv)
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UN life & politics
NEW YORK, Dec. 23 (UPI) — Up to about a third of the $590 million U.N. fund spent for the Indian Ocean tsunami relief may have gone to pay for overhead.
The Financial Times says its two-month investigation showed the money appears to have been spent on administration, staff and related costs. The $590 million was part of the United Nation’s $1.1 billion disaster flash appeal.
The newspaper also found several U.N. agencies continue to refuse to disclose details of their relief expenditure in spite of earlier pledges of transparency by senior officials.
Posted by Robin Roberts | permalink
on 12/26 at 01:34 PM
That would be the same UN that was criticizing US efforts to bring relief to the region in the days following the tsunami while the UN was still waiting in their offices for their Land Rovers to be air transported to Banda Aceh before showing up.
Posted by Robin Roberts | permalink
on 12/26 at 01:36 PM
And the same UN that wanted US and Aussie troops, then the only active groups providing aid in Bande Aceh, to wear UN uniforms so as to “not scare the locals”. I interpreted that as “so the UN looks like it’s doing something.”
Posted by simplertimes | permalink
on 12/26 at 05:20 PM
I apologize to
Protein Wisdom for stealing these comments.
They do expose the UN so perfectly … nest pas?
There may be an alternative to the corrupt UN.
It’s the U.D.N. United Democratic Nations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Democratic_Nations
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at December 28, 2005 02:33 PM (rmMzv)
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Happy New Year, Debbye! Hope everything is going well with you and yours. I miss you!
Posted by: Tuning Spork at January 01, 2006 10:38 PM (oEIFu)
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Excellent Blog! Come join the Tories in Toronto blogroll and help show Canada that not everyone in Toronto is a kook!
Posted by: TheTorontoTory at January 07, 2006 11:41 PM (GvTUa)
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Too bad Debbye is on leave. I would love to hear her reaction to the incredible sight of Canada's media finally getting tough with the Liberal party.
Best wishes. Hope you are just distracted by pleasant things.
Posted by: mikem at January 16, 2006 01:38 AM (EzNXf)
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Congratulations, Canada!!
(Poor Joe Green)
Posted by: mikem at January 24, 2006 05:48 AM (EzNXf)
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Oops, I almost forgot. Congratulations, Debbye, and Well Done! You played a nice part in this great day, along with some other bloggers.
Just hope you are well disposed to enjoy it.
Best wishes.
Posted by: mikem at January 24, 2006 05:52 AM (EzNXf)
21
Way to go, Canadian Conservatives!! Doing their part to conserve the brainpower of the Universe and keep it from being wasted away by spoiled, arrogant liberals and radicals.
Posted by: Timbre at January 24, 2006 05:30 PM (9GojP)
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November 19, 2005
"Cowards cut and run, and Marines never do."
Nov. 19 - Add another phrase to our growing list of notable quotes! I might also add that the cowards blathered on and on but when it came to a vote, that being in favour of the immediate pullout from Iraq,
it was rejected 403-3 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Just for the record,
Those voting for it were Democrats Cynthia A. McKinney of Georgia, Robert Wexler of Florida and Jose E. Serrano of New York.
How inept are the Democrats? Their catcalls and a near fistfight resulted in such an uproar that the remarks that occasioned the response got more coverage than they might have otherwise:
At one point during the debate, Rep. Jean Schmidt, Ohio Republican and the newest member of the House, said she had received a call from a veteran and member of Ohio's state legislature , who said to send a message to Mr. Murtha: "Cowards cut and run, and Marines never do." [Damned straight I added the emphasis.]
Instantly, two dozen Democrats shot to their feet and demanded her words be "taken down," a precursor to House punishment, because she insulted Mr. Murtha. Rep. Vic Snyder, Arkansas Democrat, said the use of Mr. Murtha's name and "coward" were in "too close a proximity" to let the matter go.
Ms. Schmidt withdrew her words, but not before Rep. Harold E. Ford Jr., Tennessee Democrat, seemed to be headed for a fight with Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican. Mr. Tancredo afterward said he had been arguing with another Democrat over some of the charges Democrats had hurled at Republicans during yesterday morning's budget vote, and said Mr. Ford must have thought the argument was about Mr. Murtha.
"Say it to Murtha," Mr. Ford repeatedly shouted at Mr. Tancredo while he was being restrained by other members. Mr. Tancredo said he replied he wasn't talking about Mr. Murtha and told Mr. Ford to go sit down.
"You guys are pathetic. Pathetic," Rep. Martin T. Meehan, Massachusetts Democrat, shouted.
Hmm, who's pathetic: the one who's bluffing and or the guy who the temerity to raise and call? If you don't even have a pair ...
Great move by the GOP. Putting withdrawal from Iraq to a vote before the Fall recess is similar to last year's move to force the question on re-instating the draft to a vote and, as with the draft, the overwhelming numbers opposing such a measure damaged the Democrats. I find it humourous that Rep. Pelosi complained there was no time for a debate -- what else has she and other Democrats been doing these past years? The biggest mistake any political party can make is to continually underestimate the intelligence of the electorate, and the dislike many believe the Democrats harbour for the U.S.A. is turning on itself and I doubt I'm the only one wondering if the Dems have so pervasive a death wish that they're determined to destroy themselves.
Yes, I am in a major "Take off the farking gloves already" mood today (and this is from someone who doesn't like voting Republican any more than she likes voting Democrat.) I want to extend my personal gratitude to Democrats [sarcasm alert] for doing their utmost to reduce the U.S.A. to a one-party state. I've witnessed first-hand up here how that turns out, and I really don't recommend it. But as long as the Democrats are determined to be irrelevant and limit themselves to posturing I'll be voting GOP. Damn you donkeys! What part of "elephants never forget" don't you understand? Yes, some stayed locked in a 60's mindset, but others grew up and a new generation is grimly aware that their future and lives depend on how Iraq plays out. They are chosing kick-ass over a chorus of Kumbaya, and they will be voting in coming elections.
Grr. The one number that eludes the angst-driven "2000 service personnel killed" folks (led by most of the MSM) are the number of Iraqis who have been killed, and that far outnumbers U.S. deaths. We are not the prime target and we are not enduring the largest number of deaths. The courageous Iraqis who volunteered to join the police, army and security forces (plus those who simply go to mosques and markets) are the primary targets and have the larger number of casualties.
Are there really those who wish to cut and run, leaving those valiant Iraqis at the mercy of the vengeful? I hope I speak for more than myself when I say that there is no way on this earth that I can allow us to betray them - and the people of our military and those of our coalition allies - by cutting and running.
Shiites were a target under Saddam's rule (as were Kurds and other ehnic minorities in Iraq) and they are a target now as Sunni insurgents - aided by al Qaeda - attempt to re-establish rule. The difference now is that Shiites and Kurds have a chance to live and prosper because we took Saddam down and - this is truly wondrous as well as being the best hope for the Mid-east as a whole - they are willing to share power with the Sunnis, something the Sunnis never contemplated when they - the minority in Iraq - enjoyed privileged status under Saddam.
Yet the doom-sayers may be having a victory of sorts. A recent poll may indicate that Americans are becoming more isolationist, and despite CNN's analysis, I think the poll may more reflect a truth contained in Victor Davis Hanson's analysis of the recent rioting in France:
Practically, such pacifism results in a weakening of NATO, with the expectation that the United States will continue to assume an ever-greater share of its costs and manpower. Few over here realize that they have finally lost American good will — and with it the public's desire ever again to bail them out from another Milosevic or an ascendant Russia or nuclear Iran on the horizon.
To put it bluntly, when Old Europe erupts in flames (again) we just might respond by buying marshmallows.
A similar disillusion after WWI led to renewed isolationist sentiments in the U.S. and kept us out of WWII until the bombing of Pearl Harbour (and the breakdown of the Hitler-Stalin Pact, which reversed the position of the U.S. Communist Party and saw them agitating for a pro-war sentiment.) "Don't count us out" has a grim corollary: "Don't assume you can count us in." I don't see Americans rallying to defend Old Europe unless the United Kingdom exerts considerable pressure on us (and they alone have any credibility) but what I can't predict is how much Americans are connecting Canada to Old Europe. Certainly Chretien's membership in the Axis of Weasels is something that Americans will long remember, and hopes that Paul Martin might be able to remove that stigma have faded.
Canadians who assume that the U.S.A. will rush to defend Canada might do well to wonder how long it will take us to rush. The debate in the Senate and the House of Representatives may well be extensive and thorough, and the temptation to refer the issue to the U.N. will certainly be popular among some people.
Americans have had four years to assess who are our friends, enemies, and opportunist allies. People who fret about the CIA and conspiracy agendas are missing the real power: We, the People, of these United States. We expect considerably less from our politicans than we do from ourselves, and we can be formidable indeed when angered. We pay our diplomats to be diplomatic so that we simple folk need not be so, but when we decide that "enough is enough" our politicans listen or are replaced. Thus far most Americans are dismissive of much of the Old European and Canadian silliness, but that can turn into fury on a dime and believe me when I say that you won't like us when we're angry.
That brings us to the real question that has been looming larger and larger: why we would expend the blood of America's sons and daughters when some, i.e., Old Europeans and Canadians, won't let their little darlings be placed in harm's way. The answer is pure Darwinism and only Christian compassion can counter it. But then we Americans do have a reputation for being practical, you know?
Posted by: Debbye at
11:43 AM
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Post contains 1399 words, total size 9 kb.
1
No way on earth do I want me or any other Americans to end up with a tombstone that says or implies "died for france".
Canada? - Mixed emotions there. Fair number of good people there and so I hear, and maybe more importantly good fishing. I'd hate to be the president with a missile coming into Ottowa:
General: Cheyenne says there's a missile coming into Ottowa.
President: Well, Martin says we have to consult him before we violate his airspace - anybody got a phone book?
Tho more likely:
President: Screw that twit Martin, shoot the thing down.
Most likely tho is the president has already said "screw that twit" and the military would shoot it down without any concern over what Martin thinks.
Which of course would result in Martin raising holy hell over our invading Canadian airspace.
Posted by: Jay at November 19, 2005 02:22 PM (PIbeE)
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The vote last nite exposed the Dems, great.
Posted by: Dex at November 19, 2005 04:23 PM (kO17P)
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"People who fret about the CIA and conspiracy agendas are missing the real power: We, the People, of these United States. ...when we decide that 'enough is enough' our politicans listen or are replaced."
Recent polls show that most Americans do not trust Bush and think the Iraq invasion was a mistake. So, yes, it looks like they have just about decided that "enough is enough", and are ready to join the majorities in Canada, France, etc. I respect your fierce patriotism, Debbye, but most of your compatriots do not agree with you. Americans don't like having the wool pulled over their eyes, and when they realize they've been fooled, they get fighting mad. (Admittedly, being in the majority doesn't prove that one is right.)
Posted by: mijnheer at November 20, 2005 04:33 PM (QKBqr)
4
Mijnheer, the "Bush Lied!" meme is itself The Big Lie: repeat it often enough, and people believe it. You're exactly right to note that that doesn't mean they're right, because they're not.
Posted by: Dave J at November 21, 2005 12:22 AM (8XpMm)
5
Debby, It sounds like you see the Democratic party as the joke I see it as too. It isn't I am a big fan of the war in Iraq. I am not, but it wasn't for the typical reasons that the anti-war and 60's hippy types would propose. I was against going in there when there was no way in hell anyone was going to make that country work without an authortarian leader. Since I would really object to Bush putting his own dictator in there, I saw this war as a good opportunity to straighten out one jerk in power, and serve as an example to the rest of em. That it was...look at how Quaddafi took note and coughed up his WMD's.
No, I was not against taking out Iraq's Baath party in principle, it just was that there is no way to do what Bush was trying to do. He didn't realize just how hard a task he set for himself.
This war is a mess, but I am at least behind the US trying to do what they said they would do. AS a Canadian, I respect that. I respect the position of Dubya a hell of lot more than that of Chretien or Martin. Chretien didn't want to be involved because he would sell our sovereignity to the UN and HAS. If the UN gave a green light to this war, he would be in it. He had no thoughts of doing anything else because he felt that is what the polls stated. Don't have any balls or real thoughts Jean. Martin would have put is in the war, but wont admit it for love or god now.... Martin is a hypocrite..and a fair weather friend.
The US is the best friend Canada has, even though they don't always show it. It would be about time Canada showed a little class and approached the Americans as a neighbour who has his own mind. Our nations may not agree on the Iraq war but if a PM said " We disagreed on the war, but I wish the US well in trying to bring democracy to Iraq" Say something more than "give us our tariff money back you war grubbing bastards!"
Posted by: Mark at November 21, 2005 04:45 AM (asz3M)
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The WMD lie argument is such a dead horse, yet the meek and the weak just keep flogging it, because they have nothing of any real truth to use.
It is the very effective ploy of the left to keep repeating a lie until that lie begins to gain followers and gets accepted as true by the meek and the weak.
That same ploy of repetion is used to good effect here in Canada. Look at how effective the daily drip by drip CBC propaganda is working at instilling fear of Harper and the CPC among the meek and weak here in Canada. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 21, 2005 10:03 AM (rmMzv)
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First, the intelligence was there and there are clips of highly respected American leaders swearing to that fact on news video. Check this:
GOP.com
Secondly, you are suggesting that Saddam should have been permitted to continue gassing Kurd villages and plundering each the following day.
Third, you are suggesting the horrible behaviour of Saddam's military in the Kuwait plundering be excused.
Well, excuse me, but you are simply whipping a dead horse. TG
Do me a favour anyway...
Looking for you opinion on a couple of Wikipedia Pages. If you can spare a moment to have a look and maybe leave your impression, it would be very helpful for further edits.
BendGovt
And:
BendGovernment
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 21, 2005 10:15 AM (rmMzv)
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Cynthia A. McKinney - why am I not surprised. Think of Carolyn Parrish squared.
Posted by: John B at November 21, 2005 11:02 AM (ju7Wp)
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TonyGuitar wrote:
"Third, you are suggesting the horrible behaviour of Saddam's military in the Kuwait plundering be excused."
Actually, the "looting of Kuwait" was a falsehood perpetrated by the Americans and the Kuwaiti Royal Household. If you recall, the daughter of the Ambassador lied under oath to the US Congress regarding the behavior of Iraqi Occupation Forces that were alleged to have thrown babies out of incubators at the hospital in Kuwait City. That all was a web of lies as matters turned out.
Something like the claims that Iraq had nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them so that mushroom clouds might appear over American cities.
The first casualty of war is the truth.
Posted by: Joe Green at November 22, 2005 05:08 AM (5dXW9)
10
Joe Green:
While the incubator story was planted, the Iraqis did loot Kuwait. That was evident when they cut and ran for the border and were gunned down by U.S. air power. The truck were full of looted crap.
Posted by: John B at November 22, 2005 10:41 AM (ju7Wp)
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Debbye - I can only venture to guess that while you may be living in T.O. you aren't spending a lot of time here (or perhaps you're new) otherwise, I'd have hoped that some good old Canadian common sense would have rubbed off on you.
Regardless of your views on Iraq, the Dems, the Prez or anything else you opine about (for you are entitled to your opinion) I can't help but shake my head at your saddly typical American bluster. You lot are no more than hot air and swagger.
Your assertion that "People who fret about the CIA and conspiracy agendas are missing the real power: We, the People, of these United States," is laughable. The American people can't keep their attention on any single topic for more than the span of a CNN news report. Y'all wouldn't know what you really wanted until some one sold it to you in a 30 second spot.
You write, "Thus far most Americans are dismissive of much of the Old European and Canadian silliness, but that can turn into fury on a dime and believe me when I say that you won't like us when we're angry." But I ask you, what do we (the rest of the world) have to be afraid of? You can barely effect 'liberation' in Iraq. You're over-extended and begging the rest of the world for help. Remember not too long ago, Dr. Rice showed up with her hand out. Thankfully, our PM politely turned her down.
So tell me Debbye, with whom do you intend to express said 'anger'? Can we Canadians expect you and some greenbay packers fans at our doorsteps with your Starbucks lattes and 40 extra lbs to kick ass and take names? I would bet that if push came to shove, You, the People, of those United States, would be hard pressed to pull your fat asses off your couches, put down your McGriddles and put your money where your mouth has gone in this blog.
Posted by: Andrea at November 22, 2005 02:43 PM (OPhY1)
12
Fellow Canadians like Andrea almost make me wish I were American.
If you want to talk short attention spans, how about the drop in the Liberal polls after the Gomery report? Lasted all of, what, 72 hours? Anyone in Canada still talking about the Supreme Court decision that ruled Quebec's ban on private health insurance unconstitutional, and what it means for medicare? Which native crisis flitted in and out of the news last week, and how many more does it take before we fix the complete fucked-up fiasco that is Indian Affairs? And do you remember that Martin was, at one time, pro-Iraq war and pro-missile defence?
We have absolutely no reason to throw stones at the Americans on attention spans; they'll make a nice mess of broken glass.
The rest of your drivel's not even worth responding to.
Posted by: Ian in NS at November 22, 2005 09:31 PM (v+aYr)
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I will remember for a very long time that I actually like McGriddles. The rest of McDonald's food sucks, but they do do breakfast well...
Debbye, 'puter probs again? Maybe a PayPal button will help us all help you to get a decent upgrade. I don't have anything that I can afford to part with right now meself, but I'd be willing to spread the word. We want more Debbye!
Posted by: Tuning Spork at November 22, 2005 11:07 PM (FqtX8)
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I've never posted here before, but I enjoy coming over here and I enjoy the site.
I see my friend Tony Guitar posts here (a fellow vet).
I wanted to explain something to Andrea.
You know, Andrea, regretfully, a measure of what you say is true when looked at from one side.
However, there is something you need to take into consideration before you come to the kind of conclusions you've articulated above.
While Canada has been very circumspect in the use of its military, trying to marginalize participation as much as possible, America has not.
In the United States, we have had very large complements of troops in virtually every Western conflict, beginning with World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, etc. We've had police actions in countries all over the world.
The upshot is that we have people who have served in the military in virtually every generation, from our dying World War II vets to the people returning home from Iraq.
There are literally multi-millions of people who swell the ranks of our VFW, American Legion posts and other organizations whose members consist of former military. There are also millions of us who never bother to join such organizations, but who share the fact of military experience with the ones who have. Generally, family members are in agreement with the political positions advanced by their spouses, fathers and grandfathers who have served.
You need to understand that although it's politically incorrect and politically sensitive to say this, the fact is that many, many millions of Americans have killed combatants on the battlefield. Americans have killed enemy combatants on land, water, and air. We are not talking here about poseurs or people with affectations or useful idiots.
So we have huge numbers of people that have either served in combat or supported those who are in combat.
As a consequence, permeated through all strata and generations of Americans are people who look at American enemies with a very stern eye. The kind of qualities required to face enemies in combat can be scarring, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. However, it also creates a certain capability that is never, ever lost.
In as much as there are no generations of Americans who do not have people with this kind of outlook and capacity, we would hope that our good friends and our extended relatives in Canada would remember that these qualities are part of our burden, but also part of our ability.
Posted by: Greg outside Dallas at November 23, 2005 06:30 PM (jAiAq)
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Oh, I'm just here for the chuckles.
How can someone justify America's current "we're the only superpower left so we get to police the world however we see fit, nyah nyah" attitude by citing a long history of warmongering? The last time I checked, America didn't have a monopoly on going to war - yet you don't see us (Canada) or "old Europe" joining you in your recent invasions.
(I'm a little shaky on Canada's war history - it's really not something to be proud of - but I'm pretty sure we've fought in all those wars too, excluding Vietnam and America's most recent agressions)
Nietzsche once said "When one goes to hunt monsters, one must be careful not to become a monster." So yes, there is a burden to bear, a duty to uphold - that of showing the rest of us a just and moral path to peace. But sadly, it seems that America lacks the ability to fufill this duty. Is this how the rest of the world should expect their "leader", a "beacon of freedom" to behave? I would hope not, for the is something seriously wrong with humanity if this is "acceptable behaviour".
To date, how many WMDs have been discovered in Iraq? How many Al Queda cells have been found? Are you even sure that Al Queda had anything to do with 9/11? And, if you're not 100% sure, how can you say that killing people in another country is justified? How are you any better than them?
(notice I say "people" not "civilians" or "combatants". There's no difference. The commandment is "THOU SHALL NOT KILL." 4 words. Easy to understand. It's not "THOU SHALL NOT KILL - except in the following cases: enemy combatants, terrorists, etc." Think about this the next time Dubya mentions his spirituality, or says something about God.)
Do you remember when Colin Powell did his interview with 20/20 a few months back? And how he basically admitted that he knew his speech to the U.N. (the one where he was all like "Let's go get Iraq cause they're so evil!") was a bunch of lies?
I would bet you don't remember.
BUT - I would bet you DO remember that Bush is sending 2 (count'em - 2!) thanksgiving turkeys to Disneyland, as opposed to some local farm. I bet you DO remember the plots to last seasons "Lost", "Grey's Anatomy", "24" and "ER". I bet you DO remember who Nicole Kidman took as a date to last years Oscars. And, I bet you remember who won the last Indy 500, who lost in the last 30 superbowls, and where you were when OJ was in his white bronco. Dollars to donuts, I would bet it.
But enough of that rant.. To the question that Debby poses:
why we would expend the blood of America's sons and daughters when some, i.e., Old Europeans and Canadians, won't let their little darlings be placed in harm's way. To be quite blunt, no one is asking you to expend the blood of your son's and daughter's - personally, I feel sorry that they're growing up in an environment where a career in killing is encouraged (Hey! That kinda reminds me of a story I once heard about a group of people who convinced their young that if the died fighting the enemy they would be greeted by 70 virgins in heaven! Now ain't that crazy!) In fact, if you listened to the rest of the world for a second (instead of acting so unilaterally), you might hear us saying, "Hey America. Stop. No, seriously, please, just stop. You're acting a little rabid. Stop. Deep breaths. Do you need a time-out? Cause.. You're starting to act like you might go postal." And it worries us! It's scary as hell when the most powerful (cough*most*cough-cough*nukes*cough) country in the world is so caught up in their own rightousness that they fail to see how wrong they are.
Posted by: Ron near Guelph at November 23, 2005 11:11 PM (JK/pP)
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"How can someone justify America's current "we're the only superpower left so we get to police the world however we see fit, nyah nyah" attitude by citing a long history of warmongering?"
When the US adopts a proactive foreign policy, we're "aggressive imperialists." When we don't, we're "reactionary isolationists." Take your pick: damned if you do, damned if you don't.
"...you don't see us (Canada) or "old Europe" joining you in your recent invasions."
InvasionS, plural? Let's see, the last invasion prior to Iraq was Afghanistan and, yes, there are Canadian troops there as well as forces from "Old Europe" (German and Dutch at the moment I'm sure of, likely others as well). You were aware of that, right? Before that, Kosovo and before that, Bosnia, both of which Europe did SUCH a damn good job of before we got involved, didn't they?
"I'm a little shaky on Canada's war history - it's really not something to be proud of"
What are you talking about? Absolutely it's something to be proud of. Canada was in charge of an entire beach during the Normandy landings, nearly on a par with the US and Britain. Canada has a noble military history, but for someone like you, who seems to regard all things military as equally base and evil, I suppose that would sound like an oxymoron.
"Are you even sure that Al Queda had anything to do with 9/11?"
Well, now there's a question that simply rules out any consideration of you as someone with whom one might have a reasoned and rational disagreement. Not only did Al-Qaeda claim responsibilty for 9/11, it bore all of their hallmarks: massive, simultaneous coordinated destruction is what they do (see, e.g., the East African embassy bombings). I was in DC that day and saw the smoke from the Pentagon with my own eyes. I probably don't even want to know who you think might have been the "real killers."
"The commandment is "THOU SHALL NOT KILL."
No, actually it's not. The literal translation from Hebrew is "Thou Shalt not MURDER." If you think all killing is morally equivalent, I'm afraid there's simply no other way to describe you than deranged.
"I would bet you DO remember [insert various trivial pop culture references]..."
What a tolerant and open-minded Canadian you are, demontrating your thoughtfulness and sophistication through crude sterotypes of stupid Americans. This is the "ignorance differential" at work yet again: most Americans may be somewhat ignorant of the rest of the world, but they at least KNOW that they're ignorant, whereas much of the rest of world is equally ignorant about the US, but seems to THINK they know everything about it from having eaten at McDonald's or seen the latest crap put out by Hollywood.
As for where I was when OJ was in his white Bronco, I was on a train from London to Edinburgh. I would guess I knew about it as quickly as I did because the Brits are really FAR more obsessed with ridiculous celebrity nonsense than are most Americans outside New York and LA.
"In fact, if you listened to the rest of the world for a second (instead of acting so unilaterally)..."
You really do live in a world where "unilaterally" means the same thing as "without the permission of France," don't you? Please tell me which countries count for the purposes of considering military action to be multilateral and which don't? I'd truly, genuinely, like to know, because so far I get the impression that the only ones that matter are those that disagree with us.
Posted by: Dave J at November 24, 2005 01:04 AM (CYpG7)
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Dave j, Not only is your history shakey, but so is your *present*
France and other European countries held back in joining with the put-down of Saddam because of selfish commercial reasons.
France was making money hand over fist, using Iraq. They and other countries were willing to look the other way when whole villages were being gassed to death by the use of a warfare gas.
You argue by inference that we all look away and let the Kurd villages be gassed one by one? Don't forget Kuwait and Shiite killings too!
All that comment space you used up and your argument simply can not hold water at all.
Consider this..
Sunni Islamic Kingdom
In my opinion, Florida based NewsMax has some fairly wild sales and promotions qualities, yet there are also some very good news items to be found as well.
See if this short piece gives you any ideas about where
Mad fundamentalist Sunni bombers could [possibly] be coming from. Nothing concrete now. Just filling out the picture a bit. We see so little about Saudi Arabia.
With Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff
For the story behind the story...
Monday, Nov. 14, 2005 9:53 a.m. EST
Saudi Teacher Jailed for Praising Jews
[Other Headlines]
@Give Thanks to Those Who Bravely Serve
@Alito Ad Flap Centers on Strip Search Ruling
@Sam Johnson Blasts Iraq War Naysayers
A teacher in Saudi Arabia was sentenced to 40 months in jail and 750 lashes for discussing the Bible and praising Jews.
Secondary school teacher Mohammed al-Harbi, who will be flogged in public, was taken to court by his colleagues and students, according to the Saudi newspaper Al-Madina.
He was charged with promoting a *dubious ideology, mocking religion, saying the Jews were right, discussing the Gospel and preventing students from leaving class to wash for prayer,* the newspaper disclosed.
Last week a U.S. State Department report criticized Saudi Arabia for its religious intolerance, saying religious freedoms *are denied to all but those who adhere to the state-sanctioned version of Sunni Islam.*
The report cited the plight of another teacher brought up on charges:
*During the period covered by this report, a schoolteacher was tried for apostasy, and eventually convicted in March of blasphemy; the person was given a prison sentence of three years and 300 lashes.*
An earlier report by the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom named Saudi Arabia as the world’s biggest violator of religious liberties, according to the Washington Times.
In Saudi Arabia the public practice of any religion other than Islam is forbidden, only Muslims can be Saudi citizens and non-Muslims cannot enter Mecca, Islam’s holy city.
==============================
The Sunni Saudis seem to be deathly afraid of Christianity or Democracy as threats to their absolute rule.
Could the Saudis be feeding insurgent bombers to both Iraq and Lebanon, to keep the focus off Saudi Arabia?
Do you think, given their endless wealth, the Saudis may be offering bombers the promise that their family will enjoy lifetime pensions besides the usual 72 virgins?
Possible incentives?… Reasonable speculations?
NewsMax.com
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 24, 2005 12:54 PM (rmMzv)
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Sorry Dave. Don't be too taken aback.
It's *just here for the chuckles, Ron* who seems not to realize that the war against terrorism or to be more exact, dictatorship, is underway and it is very real. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 24, 2005 01:30 PM (rmMzv)
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November 18, 2005
Another "mistake?"
Nov. 18 -
Task Force Soldiers Respond to Khanaqin Bombings:
TIKRIT, Iraq, Nov. 18, 2005 – More than 150 Iraqi civilians were reported killed or wounded in terrorist attacks that destroyed two Shiite mosques in Khanaqin during prayer services today, military officials here said.
These attacks had nothing to do with our presence in Iraq and everything to do with ongoing efforts to destroy the religious freedoms now enjoyed by Shiites.
Zarqawi now claims that the bombings in Jordan were not meant to target civilians. It is impossible to believe that the bombers in Amman didn't know they were at wedding receptions so this disavowal is little more than damage control, but, sadly, there are probably many who will accept the notion that the attack was a "mistake."
For more critical analysts, though, when this disavowal is taken within the context of today's bombings it must cause one to wonder exactly who Zarqawi considers to be civilians. Judging by these latest murderous attacks by so-called insurgents, one must conclude that worshippers in a Shiite mosque are not considered civilians.
This highlights a central issue which those who call for immediate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq need to address within their own ranks: is their reluctance to support a U.S.-lead coalition more important than defending innocent people against a monster that would strangle not only political but religious freedoms as well? Aren't religious freedoms an integral part of that which we call human rights and therefore worth defending?
In ways which many did not foresee, bringing down Saddam has exposed a previously little-known facet of Islamic extremism, which is to murder Muslims who do not fall within their narrow definitions of "true believers." I am not one who will support this latest variety of an "Inquisition."
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Saddam was an ethnic clenser. Kurds and Shiites.
Ethnic clensing was stopped in Bosnia but continues in other world trouble spots like Sri Lanka and parts of Africa like Darfour.
Even with Saddam in custody, the ills of ethnic clensing continue in Iraq. The powerful urges of the ivory tower class of Sunni marches on. They miss the drug of total command by the rule of the bullet. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 22, 2005 03:14 AM (rmMzv)
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I would be reluctant to be ruled by a bullet control leader who provided your religious guidance through the placement of suicide bombers. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 24, 2005 01:41 PM (rmMzv)
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Rooting out the corrupt
Nov. 18 - Background checks didn't work in this instance:
Issuing Contracts, Ex-Convict Took Bribes in Iraq, U.S. Says:
A North Carolina man who was charged yesterday with accepting kickbacks and bribes as a comptroller and financial officer for the American occupation authority in Iraq was hired despite having served prison time for felony fraud in the 1990's.
The job gave the man, Robert J. Stein, control over $82 million in cash earmarked for Iraqi rebuilding projects.
Along with a web of other conspirators who have not yet been named, Mr. Stein and his wife received "bribes, kickbacks and gratuities amounting to at least $200,000 per month" to steer lucrative construction contracts to companies run by another American, Philip H. Bloom, an affidavit outlining the criminal complaint says. Mr. Stein's wife, who was not named, has not been charged with wrongdoing in the case; Mr. Bloom was charged with a range of crimes on Wednesday.
[...]
The charges against Mr. Stein and Mr. Bloom have emerged from a sweeping probe of rebuilding contracts by a task force led by Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, and including investigators from the criminal investigations division of the Internal Revenue Service, the immigration and customs enforcement section of the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department's inspector general.
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Human nature is sooo predictable. Those whose job it is to check simply skimp on doing their job.
Those who are in the habit of dealing in fraud and kickbacks simply continue to do so.
Those in a position to protest the wrongdoing remain silent for fear of losing their job or other repercussions.
Effective Whistle Blower Protection law may have stopped this kickback racket sooner, saving gobs of money.
Ye gotta look out for the little guy if you expect to get his help and cooperation. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 21, 2005 11:19 AM (rmMzv)
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November 17, 2005
"Nobody was beheaded or killed."
Nov. 17 - Can you imagine another country in the Mid-East (excluding Israel) in which allegations of torture would receive such media attention?
CNN's title is extremely misleading (Iraq official defends 'torture' facility) as Bayan Jabrm, Iraq's interior minister, didn't state there was a 'torture' facility nor was he defending the legitimacy of 'torture.'
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's interior minister has defended a government facility that was found to be holding dozens of prisoners, including some showing signs of torture, saying it held "the most criminal terrorists."
"Nobody was beheaded or killed," a defiant Bayan Jabr told a news conference Thursday, saying that only seven of 170 detainees showed marks of torture.
"Those detainees, those criminal killers inside the bunker were not Indians or Pakistanis or Iranians," he said, waving a stack of passports in the air. "Those are your Arab brothers that came here to kill your sons."
He said one detainee who had been reported as paralyzed was afflicted before his arrival at the facility and had been used "by one of the terrorists" to set off bombs.
"They gave the handicapped $1,000, and he was just a beggar," Jabr said. (Emphasis added.)
The minister said a judge was in charge at the facility and was dealing with each case. Jabr pledged to hold anyone who has tortured a detainee accountable.
"I will punish them if (the investigation) proves they are responsible for any violations," he said.
It is easy to be skeptical of Jabr's account of a handicapped man being used as a homicide bomber, but the revelations that mentally handicaped children were being used to launch terrorist attacks against Israel lends some credibility, no?
However, if the media are really interested in this kind of story there are thousands of mass graves in Iraq and I understand a great many people have stories of torture under the loving gazes of Saddam & Sons. They could investigate the treatment of prisoners in Egypt or Iran. They could even interview Bill Sampson as to the treatment he received from the Saudis.
Please believe that I'm not downplaying how serious these allegations are nor pretending that I am not dismayed by them, but merely pointing out that torture in many prisons (or holding facilities) is sadly common in many non-democratic nations. Zahra Kazemi was tortured in Iran and Bill Sampson was tortured in Saudia Arabia, yet Iraq is the likliest to actually take the allegations seriously, undertake an earnest investigation into the matter, and find out who is responsible.
This is a regrettable but not surprising bump along the road as Iraq attempts to rebuild her nation from one terrorized by a madman into one that respects human rights and is willing to protect those rights. (Heck, European and North American nations are still working on that human rights thing.)
I still have faith in the Iraqi people, and I wonder if future generations will talk about Iraqi "exceptionalism" or regard them as pioneers on uncharted terrain?
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In spite of the fact Iraq is a bit of a war zone, given the choice between an Iraqi prison or an Iranian prison (or even a Cuban prison - heck, even a french prison) . . .
Posted by: Jay at November 17, 2005 01:43 PM (PIbeE)
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Decaf coffee linked to heart risk
Nov. 17 -
Decaf coffee linked to heart risk:
Drinking decaffeinated coffee could increase the risk of heart disease, a study has suggested.
It could lead to a rise in harmful cholesterol levels, the US National Institutes of Health study found.
Heh. I never touch the stuff.
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Drinking decaf coffee is kinda like showering in a raincoat. What's the @#$% point?! At least showering in a raincoat wont give you a heart attack. Then again, drinking decaf wont make you stink up a room...
Posted by: Tuning Spork at November 17, 2005 09:59 PM (abxFs)
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Decaf is an abomination of nature. It should be banned.
Posted by: Stephen Macklin at November 18, 2005 07:29 PM (ics4u)
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Mmm, coffee! I like mine strong and black, and anyone who tries to interfere with that delicious brew better be armed (preferably with Scotch. I'm willing to add Scotch because I'm not altogether unreasonable.)
Heh - shower wearing a raincoat! Great analogy, T.S.
Stephen, I'm with you. Heck, decaf is a
perversion of nature! We'll leave herbal teas alone and they'd best leave our coffee alone.
Posted by: Debbye at November 19, 2005 10:38 AM (FbbSw)
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"Showering with a raincoat" has another meaning as well.
Never saw the point in decaf - take out the caf and all you have is hot brown water. I think I'd be better off with orange juice as a morning pick-me-up (tho when no coffee is available I'm more likely to have a Mountain Dew, which is plenty caf'd).
Posted by: Jay at November 19, 2005 02:30 PM (PIbeE)
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Able Danger
Nov. 17 - Former FBI director Louis Freeh writes about the dismissive attitude toward Able Danger by the Sept. 11 Commission in
An Incomplete Investigation.
We're fully into the Christmas Holiday season at the store (including non-stop playing of the ubiquitous Christmas Holiday carols.) Posting will tend to be light until mid-January.
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November 14, 2005
I am seeking an honest journalist
Nov. 14 - A few weeks ago Michelle Malkin noted the doctoring of a photo of
Dr. Rice which showed her as a Go'auld (sorry, demon-hunters, everyone knows that demons have yellow eyes.)
Final word on this and attendant issues goes to Doggerel Pundit who cuts to the heart of the matter with a lament that is achingly familiar to those of us who are more interested in truth than propaganda and who have been repeated betrayed by those who call themselves journalists.
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Powerful CBC propaganda.
What I like about this site is that one can refer Liberals here.
Those Liberals who can allow themselves to think will see the obvious truth here and at least vote CPC this one time.
That way the Liberal party can clear out the rotten wood and refresh itself. There are many honest Liberals. [ie:Allen Cutler]
If they get back in as a mortally wounded lame duck party, the scorn will be so severe, they could bite the dust permanently with no chance on earth of recovery. Canada too, may not recover properly.
Let's hope there are not too many *Rigid liberals* who refuse to allow themselves to think.
The CBC propaganda campaign that so skillfully instilled fear of Harper and the CPC has worked well beyond the dreams of Paul Martin and Liberal bosses.
I meet many people here on Vancouver Island who say they have to stick with the Liberal party because they are afraid of the Harper team.
What a misplaced fear that is. Harper and all have young families for which they want to keep Canada as a vibrant and well run place to live and prosper.
Martin and the Liberal bosses are Financial Empire builders who just want to further amass huge financial reserves at our expense.
That’s exactly what those who fear Harper are afraid of!
The Harper team would normally enjoy a landslide victory in the next election, except that the CBC and MSM fear mongering campaigns against Harper have been so powerful that it leaves a lot of room for doubt.
Hope for the best anyway. 73s
http:www.My.Opera.com/T-G/
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 14, 2005 02:49 PM (rmMzv)
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I really am tired of American Republicans bearing Canadian Passports from coming into Canada and interfering with our political processes. That is precisely what happened under Lyin Brian Mulroney, who begot Preston Manning, who begot Stockwell Day who begot Stephen Harper.
Their rotten fascist American Politics have no place in Canada, and have done immense damage to the Canadian Conservative Movement, and has crippled the Progressive Conservative Party as the Official Opposition. That great party put together by MacDonald and Cartier has been infiltrated by Emperor George Bush II type "neocons" and they produced the largest public debts in Canadian History. ONLY NOW, are Canadians crawling out from the Mulroney Train Wreck. Unlike the lunatics south of the border, proposed future tax cuts in Canada are being targeted upon on the lower income levels.
Now the pigs in the "neocon" movement, together with Separatists and Socialists, wish to deny Canadians the full set of facts from the Gomery Commission before an election.
What is Harper afraid of? Are we going to find out that Mulroney and Mazankowsky, together with the Gramesian Brothers, the Reichmanns, and Manulife are implicated up to their asses in the massive fiscal wreck in 1993 and that Judge Gomery is going to implicate them as well in his final report?
This election is a no brainer. The problem is not the CBC, its not Her Majesty the Queen, its not the Governor General, and its not the current Prime Minister. The real problem is that we do not have a competent alternative which is what the Official Opposition is paid to provide Canadians.
Stephen Harper is the Grinch that Stole Christmas in our household, and I for one, am going to make him and his party PAY for that.
As for right wing crazies that have come into this country to subvert Canadian Democracy, I would tell these "neocons" like Tom Long, and Rod Love to F**K OFF and disappear into the sunset and take the FOX PROPAGANDA NETWORK WITH YOU.
And while you are at it, please remove the CIA remnants of organized criminals in this country, such as the decendents of Hal Banks, and so forth. The Mounties kicked out Royal American Shows from Tampa Florida a number of years ago for criminal activity, including drug dealing, and the time has come to do the same with the rest of these undesirables from south of the border.
Time for you to learn some manners Debbye.
Posted by: Joe Green at November 15, 2005 05:04 AM (5dXW9)
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Heavens, Joe, what are you on about? If you're referring to me, I am not a Republican (I'm a registered Independent and intend to remain so) and I don't carry a Canadian passport as I'm not a Canadian citizen.
We've had our disagreements, but your paranoia has reached an all-time high.
Posted by: Debbye at November 15, 2005 10:02 AM (DEVSr)
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Whew! Did the cat piss in his corn flakes? Maybe he wasn't wearing his tinfoil beanie whe the little black helicopters flew over with their ray guns.
Posted by: DoubtingThomas at November 15, 2005 01:57 PM (YD54c)
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"I really am tired of American Republicans bearing Canadian Passports from coming into Canada and interfering with our political processes."
If we wanted to interfere with your "political processes" we'd send the Marines, not civilians.
As for the Go'auld - HEY! I was the first one to say that (at least at all the blogs I read - even tho I think the show has totally gone downhill after about season 7 when it became the Amanda Tapping Show and brought in that SG Atlantis stuff).
Posted by: Jay at November 15, 2005 02:00 PM (PIbeE)
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The National Post carried a doctored photo of Dr. Rice last April when she met with M Putin. Putin was giving her the evil eye, or would have if she'd been in the room, she was added later and the shadows were all wrong. It looked like I did it, that's how sloppy it was. I didn't have a scanner at the time so I had no way to record the effort.
She may be the new cover girl for Adobe Photo Shop Software, she sure is popular with itÂ’s adherents.
Posted by: Blair Hansen at November 15, 2005 04:35 PM (8A/rH)
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Memo to Joe Green: Time to renew the old prescription buddy.
Posted by: Blair Hansen at November 15, 2005 04:42 PM (8A/rH)
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Yeah Joe, back on your meds kid.
* We were dismayed at the regressive proposals that were presented [ To the Review Committee on changes to freedom-of-Information laws].*
Jason Gratl, B.C Civil Liberties guy in a letter to BC labour Minister Mike de Jong.
Damn that Paulie, who just rubbed noses with our leader Gordon Campbell. He's rubbed the great secrets trick into our Premiere.
The B.C. Freedom of Information & Privacy Association are all VERY upset now, among others.
Paulie, you recall slammed a [Life Term] secrets clamp on more than 6000 Govt. mandarines and the Canadian NewsPapers Association did a lot of screaming on that. Who listened?
Terrorism is a godsend for the Libranos, eh?
I doubt if the secrets stuff will get in the way of reclaiming public servants pensions though.
Yes indeed. Many cans of worms to be straightened out. Enough to drive one to distraction.
Distractions like adding a page to the World's Largest Free & editable Encyclopedia. Imagine! And I, who barely understands the concept of accurate spelling.
http://www.Wikipedia.com
The page you are looking for? .. United Democratic Nations
Wow! .. The Gall eh? TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 15, 2005 06:01 PM (rmMzv)
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Jay wrote:
"If we wanted to interfere with your "political processes" we'd send the Marines, not civilians."
Last time you morons tried that, in 1812, you had your asses run out of town, and Canadians and Brits marched down to Washington and burned down the White House. Dolly Madison fled into the night wearing nothing but her bloomers.
Its time you "neocon" musclemen learned some manners, and if you need to relearn what it feels like to lose your scalp, perhaps you all need a booster shot.
Read some history before you come here and say a lot of dumb things. No one, least of all Canadians, are intimidated with such threats. This is Canada, not Guatamula. Go peddle your CIA drug business elsewhere.
Posted by: Joe Green at November 16, 2005 02:31 AM (5dXW9)
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Debbye, I have reached the end of my patience with American media operating in our country. Like you, they constantly distort and devalue Canadian institutions, processes, values and ideals, and I for one am completely fed up with it.
Just look at how many "pretend Canadians" we have in the current "Canadian media", when you look at such loose cannons as Diane Francis for example, who purports to write on "financial matters". Give it a rest.
You don't see Ms. Francis and others of her ilk writing about American breaches in NAFTA as being something between American corporations and "nominal Canadian corporations" that are owned and operated by Americans in this Country. Why present this story as a "Canada vs America" story in NAFTA when in fact, its a conflict between American multinational companies???
Finally, how about having the FOX Propaganda Network disprove the torture stories being run on the CBC coming out of Iraq?
Posted by: Joe Green at November 16, 2005 02:44 AM (5dXW9)
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Joe, Great, you and many others are fed up. While you may not get everything just right, you are at least motivated.
That's more than you can say for many glazed over Canadians. You will likely get off the couch on voting day.
I will be voting on that day and in the meantime doing what I can to debunk the CBC propaganda that has so many people thinking Harper is a Boogy-Man. De-bunk sites:
http://www.Conservative.ca/EN/Accountability/
http://www.Conservative.ca/?section_id=1045
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The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.
TonyGuitar
said...
1,335 computers hit with SonyBMG Rootkits TROJAN in NewZealand.
Other country hit counts are at: http://Anchorpin.Redpin.com
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 16, 2005 05:27 PM (rmMzv)
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Looks as though the Identity_id error is fixed as of now. 13:30 PST. Hope it stays solid. Angry was doing a test...
lost comments. Lots of fun. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 16, 2005 05:31 PM (rmMzv)
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Motivations Liberal
Is it with urges porcine
I embark my political climb?
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 16, 2005 10:21 PM (rmMzv)
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"If we wanted to interfere with your "political processes" we'd send the Marines, not civilians."
"...Canadians and Brits marched down to Washington and burned down the White House."
Nice condescending lecture on historical ignorance there, Joe. Pot, meet kettle. There were no Canadian troops engaged in or anywhere near the burning of Washington, despite this being a persistent Canadian national myth: the forces involved were British Army regulars, Royal Marines, and sailors of the Royal Navy. The only Canadian connection to that campaign is that the fleet stopped in Halifax on its way back to fighting Napoleon, which is why General Ross, who was killed at Baltimore, is buried there.
Nor did the British burn DOWN the White House, as should be rather plainly apparent from its still being there. They charred the paint off, and the fire destroyed most of the original interior, but there was no real structural damage.
As for the Marines, the Commandant's Residence at 8th and I was spared by the British as a mark of respect for the USMC.
"...they constantly distort and devalue Canadian institutions, processes, values and ideals..."
Last I checked, it was you who was defining anyone who disagreed with you as un-Canadian or "pretend Canadians."
Posted by: Dave J at November 17, 2005 02:05 AM (8XpMm)
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Ooh, Dave, you are tampering with a Canadian myth!
If you really want to draw blood, ask if they can place the War of 1812 in the context of the Napoleonic Wars. Ask them if French-Canadians were members of the "Canadian" forces and remind them that the newly American French inhabitants of New Orleans fought with us to beat the British.
Ask where these "Canadian" troops were during the more important bombardment of Fort McHenry and if history might have been different if the English has managed to it (replying "the trip home certainly would have been easier" doesn't count!)
More seriously, the English population in Canada more than doubled when Loyalists moved north after the War of Independence so this myth has more to do with vengeance than history.
The Great Lakes stayed open, the British stopped seizing our sailors ("impressment") and our merchant ships continued to trade with France.
The British and U.S.A. have had excellent relations since and we don't sing the second stanza of the Star Spangled Banner.
If Canadians wanted to be pissed off about anything it should be how we re-drew the map after the purchases of the Louisiana and Alaska territories. Now
that was scandalous!
Posted by: Debbye at November 17, 2005 09:49 AM (oJ/nl)
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DaveJ wrote this:
"There were no Canadian troops engaged in or anywhere near the burning of Washington, despite this being a persistent Canadian national myth: the forces involved were British Army regulars, Royal Marines, and sailors of the Royal Navy."
You are flat wrong. The facts are that Canada was attacked in 1812 by the American Army at a time when British regulars were on the Continent at war with Napoleon. Canada was defended by Canadian militiamen, Quebecers that decided to fight the American invaders of their Province, and the First Nations under Tecumseh following the brilliant military leadership of General Issac Brock.
During that defensive war, at one point, Canadian and British regulars and militia underwent a march in the dead of winter from the Maritimes to reinforce the garrison in Quebec. The Americans did succeed in attacking and torching York (now called Toronto) and that so inflamed passions, that when British military reinforcements arrived the following spring, a major assault was organized upon Washington itself, as retribution for the burning of York. Make no mistake, the White House did not merely suffer a little "smoke inhalation", it was destroyed by fire set by the British regulars and Canadian militias that invaded Washington, forcing Dolly Madison into the night. That is no myth, that is the historical fact. The reason its called the White House is because of the whitewash used to cover over the burned out damage.
Nor do I see your revolutionary war in any other context except a tragic one, since Americans lost an evolutionary continuity with the English Speaking world once the revolution ruptured the "rule of law" and the Crown. These unfortunate consequences still resonate down through the centuries where we continue to see bizzare legal consequences that arise out of that "revolution".
Why should Canadians abandon the certainty of "habius corpus" under Canadian law and tradition, for the uncertainty of a Bush Supreme Court that may or may not respect such long legal traditions as we have been endowed with in Canada?
Posted by: Joe Green at November 22, 2005 05:26 AM (5dXW9)
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Who's in your Front Row?
Nov. 14 - One staple of American philosophy is that "your rights end where the other fellow's nose begins." Implicit in this cliche is the recognition that individuals will inevitably meet people whom they don't like and who don't like them but a person's just gotta shrug it off and let it go.
Easier than it sounds, no? But I think most parents find that the first life lessons their kids learn in school are that (1) not everybody is going to like them and (2) nothing they can do will really change it. That second part is the hardest, and I doubt I'm the only parent who listened to their child's lament that after he did everything they could think of, little Johnny or Jane still despised him. (Gender specific because I had boys.)
On the one hand we teach our children to avoid "peer pressure" because we know their friends can lead them into all kinds of trouble. On the other we (Americans, in particular) are castigated because we defy "peer pressure" and embark upon courses of which "the rest of the world" disapproves. This isn't only about Iraq but also include Kyoto, social programs in which people become increasinlgy dependent on the state and, perhaps most of all, on gun control (or the lack thereof.) (Snark Time: maybe they want us to be like them in order to validate their compromises. Misery loves company, they say.)
The willingness to march to the beat of one's own drummer is one that is sorely and repeatedly tested and, let's be honest: sometimes we keep faith with our inner drummer and sometimes we wimp out.
I've finally been able to review comments left on posts made during my computer's comatose state and can only shake my head at how little people seem to know of recent history.
On my post for Rosa Parks there was an attack on the U.S. due to the "separate but equal" policy which was enshrined by the Supreme Court in Plessy vs. Ferguson (1896). I presume the troll also denounces an activist judiciary as this deplorable decision took nearly 60 years to be overturned because only the SCOTUS could overturn its own rulings. (He might also be expected to applaud Harry S. Truman despite the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki because he found a work-around to that Supreme Court decision and opened the proverbial roadblock to integration, and if the trolll doesn't I will.)
Then there's the claim that Americans didn't know our presence in Iraq would be lengthy. Actually, a CNN poll right after the fall of Baghdad says differently: a majority of the respondents said we would be there 3 years, and barely in second place was those who chose 5 years. Or, for those who pay attention and connect dots, a recent DoD press release spoke to the number of troops we currently have in Bosnia after 10 years and that situation is by no means stabilized yet despite their recent elections (which only occurred after just under 10 years of occupation.)
If Iraq is a quagmire, what is Bosnia? or, indeed, Cyprus?
What do they teach in schools these days? Evidently not the definition of fascism which includes "stringent socioeconomic conrols" and the "suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship" or Canadians would be more alarmed about their own laws permitting censorship and regulating the economy. Time was that leftists understood that laws intended to suppress their freedom of speech were often disguised as "progressive." (Of course, time was that leftists opposed gun control because they recognized the implicit threat to them. I can only conclude the left has gotten dumber.)
I may at some point address the claims that President Bush misled the nation about the state of Saddam's Iraq weapons research and capability but, as only a real wacko would try to pretend that Bush wasn't relying on intelligence collected by the prior Clinton administration as well as that of other nations, I will pass for today. Those who embark upon re-writing history need to rely so much on invective that I find it hard to respond without scorn (and I'm not in a scornful mood this morning.)
The personal is not the political. Polls that suggest that Canadians "dislike" President Bush always leave me baffled. Who freaking cares if Canadians "like" or "dislike" him? It's not a popularity contest! Clinton was (and is) very likeable but his "law enforcement" policies toward terrorists proved disasterous. One of the most likeable, decent and kindly men I ever had the privelege to meet was Jimmy Carter (when he was still governor of Georgia) but he was utterly inept as the Head of State. I can like him even as I deplore his weakness at a time of national crisis (okay, I don't often attack Carter. Truth is I think he has become unstable but that doesn't make him evil but misguided in his desperate efforts to justify his policies during his brief presidency. Any why blame him alone? Didn't many of us wish that the U.S. would take a closer look at their internal policies toward dissidents before allying herself with men like Marcos of the Phillipines as well as the Shah of Iran? I can't blame Carter for being shortsighted when I myself was so in my younger years.)
Sad Conclusion: liking them on a personal basis isn't a good enough reason to vote for them. We're adults, right? We get to vote in real elections because we are adults, and have presumably developed criteria beyond those necessary for selecting the Head Cheerleader.
The only rational measure must be about the policies of a state's leaders, and Bush's approval ratings in the U.S.A. can go up and down yet he still scores higher than the current Prime Minister of Canada. (Paul Martin would do cartwheels if he could garner Bush's approval figures at their lowest.)
There's a point to all this, right? Well, yes. I'm the sort of Christian who doesn't attend church but feels a personal relationship with my deity and my savour but nevertheless the catechism of my early years has left a lasting impression as to the faith and courage of the early Christian martyrs -- and how resolutely they defied peer pressure and refused to burn meaningless incense on the altars of false gods.
My friend Dex has long been a source of strength and kindness. He recently sent me the following which speaks to the difficulty of being true to oneself (and maybe should be sub-titled I Will Not Be A Co-dependent) because, by implication, it poses the question of who needs to approve of you the most: You, or Toxic Others.
THE FRONT ROW
Life is a theater - invite your audience carefully. Not everyone is holy enough and healthy enough to have a front row seat in your life.
There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you let go, or at least minimize your time with draining, negative, incompatible, not-going-anywhere relationships, friendships or fellowships.
Observe the relationships around you. Pay attention to: Which ones lift up and which ones tear down? Which ones encourage and which ones discourage? Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill? When you leave certain people, do you feel better or feel worse? Which ones always have drama or don't really understand, know and appreciate you and the gift that lies within you?
The more you seek God and the things of God -- the more you seek quality. The more you seek not just the hand of God but the face of God -- the more you seek things honorable -- the more you seek growth, peace of mind, love and truth around you, the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the FRONT ROW of your life and who should be moved to the balcony of your life.
You cannot change the people around you...but you can change the people you are around! Ask God for wisdom and discernment and choose wisely the people who sit in the front row of your life. [My bolding.]
(Author Unknown)
Dex added this postscript: I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. Helen Keller
What is your "something that you can do?"
Posted by: Debbye at
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Ethics. Life is great when you deal with people who do not require contracts or written agreements. You simply do the best for them and they for you.
One example. You can send valuable coin collections to fair and trusted dealers in New York and Chicago. Aside from, *Loss in transit insurance*, there is nothing to worry about.
These firms of professional reputation will honestly and fairly evaluate your valuables and either buy them or return them on your whim.
Men of the old school. A pleasure to deal with.
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 14, 2005 03:12 PM (rmMzv)
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Iam so happy to see you back posting again. Good work!!
Posted by: Dex at November 14, 2005 05:59 PM (kO17P)
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It's always fun to watch my "city friends" react when they meet up with a small store or produce farm up in Vermont or Maine. We'll grab some stuff and walk over to the box.
"Where's the cashier?" they'll wonder aloud.
"You put yer money in the box," I tells them,
"This place goes by the honor system." "What?! This place would NEVER survive in Bridgeport!" "This isn't Bridgeport." It's always a hoot.
Posted by: Tuning Spork at November 14, 2005 10:42 PM (1/ZyU)
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Lot to be said about places where people don't lock their doors.
Back in old Kansas, you'd never lock your door because a neighbour might need to borrow a cup of sugar and you wouldn't be home to give it to them.
Posted by: Debbye at November 15, 2005 10:07 AM (DEVSr)
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Great site here, you may get a chuckle out of this being an Ex=pat American.
http://www.eriksvane.com/aa.htm
Americans Anonymous
Keep Your Hopes Up, Overseas Americans, Help Is Available!
Posted by: Dan Kauffman at November 16, 2005 12:16 PM (ZgJa9)
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Great link, Dan. Erik Svane hits several nails on the head in it and it should be mandatory reading in International Relations classes. I've often wondered how clearly Americans at home understand how mean-spirited and hateful some of our so-called friends really are.
Posted by: Debbye at November 17, 2005 10:19 AM (oJ/nl)
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Great and if you liked that site you will LOVE the other one he is in along with some Ex=Pats in France it is THE definitive site for information on the European Intifada.
¡No Pasaràn!
Well you seem to have swallowed the bait nicely, time to put you on my blogroll ;-)
Posted by: Dan Kauffman at November 18, 2005 07:04 AM (ZgJa9)
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Thank you kindly, Dan. I'll be reciprocating.
Here's one for you:
Ex-pat Yank who lives in England.
Liked your post on bringing the troops home -- from Germany!
Posted by: Debbye at November 18, 2005 08:00 PM (1t0Ub)
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November 11, 2005
Stupid, stupid computer
Nov. 11 - Sorry about my sudden absence, folks. Danged computer died and it took awhile to get it back up and running which was complicated by an intense work load.
Best amend that to just "running." There are still some features that disappeared and had to be re-installed and some old features that reappeared - like just how freaking old is Morpheus, anyway? and how many times do I have to uninstall Wild Tangent until goes away and leaves me alone?
At least I no longer need to wrestle over whether to get rid of Kazaa, and in one blazingly cheering revelation I realized that not only was it gone but that all its accompanying adware was also gone yet all my downloads remain. It doesn't seem quite cricket somehow, but I'll take it.
Recent news items have left me shaking my head. Some chickens may have come home to roost but other members of the fowl family cluck cheerfully along. The terror attacks in Jordan showed the futility of trying to fool all of the people all of the time. The latest reports are all about the shock that Palestinians were the victims of the bombings:
SILET AL-THAHER, West Bank -- In this village, the Akhras clan mourned 17 relatives killed by a suicide bomber in Jordan -- the first time Palestinians have been a target in a suicide attack.
"Oh, my God, oh, my God. Is it possible that Arabs are killing Arabs, Muslims killing Muslims?" asked Najah Akhras, 35, who lost two nieces.
In the West Bank and Gaza Strip yesterday, Palestinians expressed outrage over suicide attacks aimed at civilians.
That's from an AP dispatch, by the way, and I am incapable of commenting because my head is spinning as I wonder who the hell was killed in Bali, Jerusalem, Istanbul, London, Madrid, New York City and
IRAQ (I know - I left some terror attacks out. Head. Spinning. remember?)
Then there's France, where the rioting of "insurgents" are in part a consequence of a country which has successfully fooled most of its people all of the time.
I don't believe that those who advocated multi-culturalism were actively or knowingly promoting racist policies, but it does seem that one result has been to isolate rather than genuinely embrace non-European immigrants and the events of the past two weeks have perhaps been hardest of all on the parents and grandparents of these young Molotov tossers who moved to France in pursuit of a better future for their children. Their reward was to be denied protection by the law from lawlessness - after all, whose cars, schools and businesses were torched?
Was I the only person yelling "Use tear gas!" every time clips came up on the news? The kind of thinking that dictated that it would be racist to confront and stop the rampaging led to the French government's choice to deny these "other" citizens their indisputable right to be protected by the law from lawlessness. But then it wasn't whitey's car a-burning, you know?
But they did rouse themselves sufficiently to put out full police presence to protect a military parade.
The ease with which people are willing - even desperate - to be fooled was indicated in Canada when the initial Gomery report exonerated Paul Martin from any involvement in much less knowledge of Adscam or, as Doug Fisher put it, "Gomery's whitewash of Martin is both thorough and repetitious" and the report also cruised past what senior government bureaucrats knew or did not know (we already know that they did nothing.)
Mark just called and for some reason emails being sent to him are being bounced back. I need to "fix" it and then tackle my own email. The universe can be so very unkind.
Posted by: Debbye at
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Avalanche
You lied, I lied, we all lied at one time or another it's the motivation behind the lie that's important.
This is serious business. This jihadist thing is like a rolling avalanche. I think it really got going when Soviet Russia backed off from trying to gain control on Uzbekistan . Russia didn't want to waste any more lives and money on the Jihadists, but the insurgents considered this as a paramount victory.
I'm willing to bet that OBL used this David against Goliath example to fire up his fundamentalist converts.
Now after Night club bombings in Sri Lanka, hotel bombing in Egypt and three major hotel blasts in Jordan, not to mention the London tube, we seem to have self feeding destruction with no goal and no leader to talk settlement with.
Here is a short great news video. Are they saying we should have let Saddam gas these people because they were [awful}?
http://Strongworld.blogspot.com
http://My.Opera.com/T-G/
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 11, 2005 04:31 PM (rmMzv)
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You are going to like this. Bill Strong pointed it out. It's great.
http://www.TheOtherIraq.com
The guys in Iraq and Afghanistan would get a boost of of this. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 12, 2005 05:17 PM (rmMzv)
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Yay! Debbye's back!!!
Er... Nice post, too! :/
Posted by: Tuning Spork at November 12, 2005 08:18 PM (ihwr7)
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Dragnet, Here are the facts, just the facts, nothing but the facts: You can hang them out to dry with this stuff. This ex-cop is now a security and public speaking consultant. His professional reputation is on the line, so I suspect most of this is gold.
http://tinyurl.com/8zogn TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 13, 2005 03:28 AM (rmMzv)
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