Editors Of New Book "Why We Left Islam" Lash Out At C.A.I.R.

Good stuff here. First off, the new book, "Why We Left Islam" sounds like a must read to me, but in essence what happened is CAIR's spokesman, Ibrahim Hooper (formerly known as MSM mouthpiece and softball tournament covering reporter, Doug Hooper) decided to lash out at the new book - BEFORE it was even released! So, in essence, the editors of the new book have lashed out at CAIR, especially after some of the MSM has picked up on CAIR's critique of the book. Here's some awesome points that the book's editors make about CAIR from the article here at World Net Daily:

"Even though CAIR wants to convince people that it's a moderate organization, the facts say otherwise," asserts Richardson, who writes using a pseudonym because of previous death threats from Islamic radicals. "The federal government named CAIR an unindicted co-conspirator in an alleged scheme to funnel $12 million to Hamas, and Representative Sue Myrick, R-NY, said evidence suggests CAIR is a front group for the Muslim Brotherhood."

And the editors didn't stop there, here's more:

"CAIR can always be counted upon to make wildly untruthful and reckless claims about others, while maintaining a hypersensitivity about its own concerns," said Farah. "Here, for example, Hooper makes this claim that WND promotes anti-Muslim hate on its site every day, offering only one example – and that one is totally untrue. Why other responsible media outlets continue to offer CAIR a platform for making such outrageous statements is beyond me. How many CAIR staffers and officials need to be indicted and convicted before my colleagues recognize these people as the extremists they are?"

So why is CAIR so threatened by this book? Because it is the account of islamic radicals who HAVE LEFT ISLAM and are now revealing exactly why they left the farce of a religion. Look at this excerpt from the book:

Khaled Waleed, for instance, said he was indoctrinated with the same type of teaching as fellow Saudi Arabian Osama bin Laden.
"Our teacher and other Islamic scholars told us that as Muslims, we are the best people in the world," he writes. "I listened to my imams and was disturbed when they used abusive language to describe non-Muslims as the grandsons of monkeys and pigs ... [they] told me that it was my duty to revile and ridicule non-Muslims."
Waleed says the attack on the World Trade Center changed him: "On Sept. 11, 2001, I saw the real face of Islam. I saw the happiness on the faces of our people because so many infidels were slaughtered so easily. I saw many people who started thanking Allah for this massacre."

So, go ahead and wail and throw as many fits as you want Ibrihim Hooper and your terrorist buddies over at CAIR but you are not going to stop this book - it's already on the Top 50 list of non-fiction books and it hasn't even hit a store yet. You clowns and your charade of a religion are being exposed now day in and day out. Enjoy the limelight CAIR, it will mean your end.

'Why We Left Islam' editors blast CAIR

LOS ANGELES – The editors of a new book compiling the testimonies of ex-Muslims say they weren't surprised when the Council on American-Islamic Relations attacked their work without reading it.
But, say Islamic experts Joel Richardson and Susan Crimp, they were shocked that the New York Daily News characterized the group as the voice of moderate Muslims.
"Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out," published by WND Books, was skewered by CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper in the paper – weeks before today's official release date. The book is controversial for two reasons – the gripping firsthand personal accounts of men and women who risked their lives by abandoning the Koran and because it is the first American book release to feature a picture of the prophet Muhammad on the cover.
CAIR didn't wait to look inside the cover before attacking the publisher for spewing hate. But the editors of "Why We Left Islam" say those in the media seeking the opinions of CAIR apparently don't know who they are dealing with.

"Evidently, CAIR's ties to Islamic extremists run deep," adds Richardson, who noted that a recent WorldNetDaily investigative report linked 14 CAIR officials to terror investigations. Richardson said that he and Crimp -- who is a noted journalist and author of books on Mother Teresa and the Kennedys -- knew from the start of their collaboration that radical Muslims would go to great lengths to discredit "Why We Left Islam," so CAIR's attack came as no surprise.
The group's spokesman, Ibrahim Hooper, lambasted the book in an interview with the New York Daily News, saying, "This book is put out by WND Publishing [sic], which promotes hate every day on its extremist anti-Muslim hate site." Hooper also falsely asserted that the company's editor "suggested air-dropping pig's blood over Afghanistan," a claim which CAIR’s lawyer subsequently retracted.
"Why We Left Islam" chronicles the moving accounts of 23 people whose raw and shocking stories reveal the horror of living in a Muslim-dominated society. And the book's cover makes an equally bold statement with an illustration of the prophet Muhammad. The picture, which comes from an ancient manuscript and is based on a 10th century illustration by a Persian scholar, marks the first time Muhammad's face has appeared on a book from an American publisher.

President Bush Pissed Off At Reporter AND Jihadists! (a must see)

Insurgent 101: Don't Park Your Car In Front Of A Stryker

Taliban 101: Here's Some 500 pounds of "Love" courtesy of the USAF

Sweet Justice - Five Taliban Blow Themselves Up In Kabul Stand Off

If we could only get more of the Taliban to start blowing up their own houses and killing themselves. I do wonder...do they get the 72 virgins if they blow themselves up without taking any innocent people with them? Here's the report from Yahoo News:

Five Taliban militants blew themselves up in a house in the Afghan capital Kabul after 10 hours of clashes with besieging Afghan security forces on Wednesday, an Interior Ministry official told Reuters.
Afghan security forces surrounded a house where the suspected militants were holed up during the night and clashes erupted. The crack of small arms fire could be heard through the morning as state security officers led army and police battling the gunmen.
"They were killed when they blew themselves up in the house. There were five of them," said an Interior Ministry official who declined to be named.

At least one of the Taliban blown to bits was involved in the attack on President Karzai's assassination attempt so it really didn't take the Afghans long to track down some of the cell that pulled that off. Probably the most worrisome thing here is the fact that they had this house full of enough explosives to blow the entire home up and this home was IN KABUL. The Taliban have vowed this year to make Kabul a target and it is thought that there are very few Taliban actually in the city. But the fact of the matter is...when the assassination attempt was made on Karzai, the belief was that these were Taliban that came into the city and infiltrated security operations. The fact that this group was holed up inside of a house inside the city is troubling.

This might not be the Spring of the huge taunted Taliban spring offensive but it's almost guaranteed that this will a time of unprecedented attacks and off the wall violence. The Taliban know some NATO members are tiring of the fight and they figure with more and more attacks, the more futile the effort against them will seem.

Taliban militants kill themselves in Afghan siege

While the Taliban have launched sporadic suicide attacks in Kabul, the militants have not before been detected in any numbers inside the city which they have vowed to target this year in their fight to overthrow the pro-Western Afghan government.
The clash comes just days after Taliban gunmen fired at a state parade sending President Hamid Karzai, his cabinet and the military top brass diving for cover. Three people were killed in Sunday's attack before troops killed three Taliban attackers.
One of the men who died in Wednesday's siege had taken part in the parade attack, a Taliban spokesman said. One other militant, a woman and her daughter were also killed in a raid on the house, the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press quoted the spokesman as saying.
Afghan security forces surrounded a house where the suspected militants were holed up during the night and clashes erupted. The crack of small arms fire could be heard through the morning as state security officers led army and police battling the gunmen.
"They were killed when they blew themselves up in the house. There were five of them," said an Interior Ministry official who declined to be named.
Police were looking into whether there were casualties caused by the explosion among civilians in neighboring houses, he said.
Two officers of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the state security and intelligence service, were also killed in the fighting, a police official said.
Taliban fighters fled Kabul in late 2001 to escape a U.S.-led aerial onslaught and a ground assault by Afghan militia.
In the years immediately after 2001, the Taliban regrouped and two years ago relaunched their insurgency with guerrilla attacks on Afghan and international troops mainly in the south and east, backed by suicide bombs across the country.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is due to hand security of the capital over to Afghan forces in the second half of this year. This week's attacks have led many in parliament and among the public at large to question whether Afghanistan's security apparatus is up to the task.

Pakistan's New Government Starting To Fall Apart?

Two of Pakistan's key leaders in the coalition of the new government met in a panic yesterday in Dubai over some touchy issues regarding reinstatement of judges and it appears to be signaling some major issues with the new government. From the article here at Breitbart:

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif rushed to Dubai on Tuesday night after aides failed to settle differences with Asif Ali Zardari over reinstating judges that President Pervez Musharraf deposed during a period of emergency rule six months ago.
Some officials of Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), or PML (N), have hinted that their ministers could quit Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's cabinet.
"If deadlock continued, then it will have very bad consequences for the democracy and the country," Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Chairman of PML (N) said.

Funny thing how these clowns were all in such a hurry to get Musharraf out of real power and to take over themselves and now they are finding out it ain't no bed of roses. They have this issue that is dividing them concerning the judges and at the same time, they have stuck their necks out , way out, on the peace treaty with the Taliban and tribes in the NW territory that will more than likely explode into chaos and bloodshed any minute.

Nope, tough times ahead for these newbies and quite frankly, this country is STILL #1 on the takeover target of al Qaeda.

Pakistani coalition holds urgent talks in Dubai

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Two senior leaders of Pakistan's coalition partners were due to hold talks in Dubai on Wednesday that could determine whether the month-old government holds together or starts to crack.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif rushed to Dubai on Tuesday night after aides failed to settle differences with Asif Ali Zardari over reinstating judges that President Pervez Musharraf deposed during a period of emergency rule six months ago.
Having defeated Musharraf's allies in a parliamentary poll in February, Zardari, who succeeded his late wife Benazir Bhutto as head of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), forged a post-election alliance with Sharif.

Sealing their alliance, Sharif and Zardari had vowed the PPP-led government, within a month of being sworn in, would pass a resolution in the National Assembly to bring back 60 judges.
That self-imposed deadline passed on Wednesday, with Zardari in Dubai, where he went last weekend to see his daughters.
Some officials of Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), or PML (N), have hinted that their ministers could quit Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's cabinet.
"If deadlock continued, then it will have very bad consequences for the democracy and the country," Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Chairman of PML (N) said.
Any cracks in the coalition would heighten concern that nuclear-armed Pakistan will face prolonged political instability at a time when it is facing challenges from Islamist militancy and acute economic problems.

INVESTORS ANXIOUS
The alliance between the PPP and PML-N marked the first time Pakistan's two mainstream parties have come together to assert civilian rule in a country that has been run by generals like Musharraf for more than half the 61 years since its formation.
Optimism over the political outlook after the February vote had helped the Karachi stock market hit a record high on April 21, but the index has since lost over three percent as investors registered worry over the deadlock in the judges issue.
Just a week ago Sharif said rivals hoping the coalition will split will be disappointed. The PPP leadership has clearly calculated that Sharif won't go to the brink over the judges.
"We're optimistic of positive outcome," Zardari's spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.
Some PML-N officials were also hopeful of a compromise.
"Mr. Sharif has gone to find out some way out and it's good for the country that some way out is found out," Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, a Sharif loyalist, told Geo News television.
Sharif, who was overthrown by Musharraf in 1999, wants the judges to be reinstated immediately as part of a strategy to drive Musharraf from office.

Ted Nugent Gives It To The Gun Grabbing Dems

Al Qaeda Pays The Price Today In Iraq - U.S. Guns Down 13 Al Qaeda In Iraq, Captures 17

HUGE day for U.S. forces in Iraq! Thirteen dead al Qaeda in Iraq, count 'em, thirteen dead muj! And U.S. forces captured 17 al Qaeda in Iraq during the same multiple operations. There are two different stories on this from Multi-National Force - the first one here discusses the killing of ten al Qaeda, the other one here details the other three. Here's a bit from the first article:

Coalition forces killed 10 terrorists and detained five terrorist suspects during four operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq networks Monday near Baghdad.
Targeting a foreign terrorist with direct ties to suicide operations, intelligence led a Coalition forces to engage two vehicles and kill 10 terrorists near Khalaf Al Mahd. Coalition forces destroyed the vehicles carrying four heavy machine guns, eight assault rifles and several hundred rounds of ammunition. They later detained one suspected terrorist and destroyed a weapons cache he was guarding nearby.
In Abu Ghurayb, Coalition forces targeted a terrorist with ties to AQI leadership in Baghdad. Acting on intelligence, they stopped a vehicle and detained two terrorist suspects. Coalition forces then searched the suspects’ residence where they detained another suspect.

I keep pounding on this but I think it is important. These operations on al Qaeda in Iraq all talk about "intelligence" leading them to the jihadists and as I've stated many times here...that intelligence is coming in big part from local Iraqi citizens - they've bloody had it with the murdering crazed minions and they are turning them over in droves!

Any day that 30 al Qaeda in Iraq are taken off the streets is a banner day - just additional proof of the unbelievably awesome our troops are doing their job in Iraq. Awesome, just awesome.

I've excerpted the second article below.

Coalition forces target AQI: three terrorists killed, 12 detained

BAGHDAD – Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained 12 suspected terrorists while targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq network in the northern half of the country Tuesday.
Coalition forces targeted an AQI foreign terrorist facilitator at a suspected terrorist safe-house 60 miles north of Baghdad. Coalition forces called for the target building’s occupants to come out peacefully, but several men refused to comply, including three men displaying weapons, one of whom was wearing a military-style assault vest. Responding to the perceived hostile threat, Coalition forces engaged the three armed terrorists, killing them. Five additional suspected terrorists were detained.
Coalition forces captured an individual allegedly involved in attacks against Iraqi Security Forces and one other suspected terrorist in Mosul based on information gathered from an operation Mar. 31. Another operation in Mosul targeted a car-bombing expert who recently fled Kirkuk after Coalition forces captured two of his associates there during operations Apr. 15 and 22. Two suspected terrorists were detained.
In Bayji, 100 miles south of Mosul, Coalition forces captured an AQI car-bombing cell leader and detained two additional suspected terrorists.
“Today’s operations will have an impact on al-Qaeda in Iraq’s ability to bring in and utilize foreign terrorists and will further degrade the terrorists’ ability to carry out car-bombing attacks on innocent Iraqi civilians, as well as Iraqi and Coalition forces,” said Cmdr. Scott Rye, MNF-I spokesperson.

President Bush Sends Iran A Warning Via N.Korea-Syria Nuke Link

Good for you, Mr. President! President Bush has laid out a fairly thinly veiled threat for Iran when he was speaking about what went down in the Syrian desert. This from the article here at Breitbart:

"We have an interest in sending a message to Iran and the world for that matter about just how destabilizing nuclear proliferation would be in the Middle East," he said at a White House press conference.

And President Bush didn't stop there - he had fairly stern words for the North Koreans as well - again from the article:

"We also wanted to advance certain policy objectives through the disclosures, and one would be to the North Koreans, to make it abundantly clear that we may know more about you than you think, and therefore it's essential that you have a complete disclosure on not only your plutonium activities, but proliferation as well as, you know, enrichment activities," he said.

I love that line where the President says, "we may know more about you than you think" - if that wasn't sending another signal to Iran, I don't know what is. Let's face it, the Iranians were, I'm sure, a bit shaken up by the Israeli bombing of the Syrian nuke facility. I mean, it wasn't enough that the Israelis pulled off the operation without a signal shot being fired by Syria but the fact that the Israelis knew EVERYTHING about the operation had to have sent the mullahs into a panic. And at this moment, I'm sure the Iranians have resigned themselves to the fact that the U.S. knows a helluva lot more than they thought we did before all of this.

I don't think there's an official in Iran from Khomenei to Ahmadinejad to any of the mullahs that really doubts that the U.S. will take out their facility if it comes to that. And I hope they are nervous as hell.

2ND LD: Disclosure of N. Korea-Syria nuke link was message to Iran, Bush says

President George W. Bush said Tuesday the recent U.S. disclosure of North Korea's alleged transfer of nuclear technology to Syria was intended to sound a tough warning to Iran of its nuclear aspirations.
"We have an interest in sending a message to Iran and the world for that matter about just how destabilizing nuclear proliferation would be in the Middle East," he said at a White House press conference.
The White House said last week North Korea helped Syria's covert nuclear activities and the reactor that Israel bombed last September was meant for military purposes.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said at the time North Korean and Syrian nuclear cooperation underlined the need for "further steps" by the international community against Iran's nuclear activities.
Iran has consistently defended its nuclear program as intended only for peaceful purposes.
The president said the disclosure was also meant to press North Korea to give a full account of its nuclear programs and to send a stern message to Syria.
"We also wanted to advance certain policy objectives through the disclosures, and one would be to the North Koreans, to make it abundantly clear that we may know more about you than you think, and therefore it's essential that you have a complete disclosure on not only your plutonium activities, but proliferation as well as, you know, enrichment activities," he said.
The disclosure could hamper six-party talks on ending North Korea's nuclear drive, which has been stalled since Pyongyang missed an end- of-2007 deadline set by it and its five negotiation partners -- the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia.
The United States is anxious to see the six-party process make further strides and for North Korea's denuclearization activities to be completed before Bush ends his second four-year term in January 2009.
North Korea is disabling its nuclear facilities in Yongbyon, north of its capital, under a six-way deal reached last year in return for energy aid and diplomatic benefits.
The United States has said it will remove Pyongyang from its list of terror-sponsoring countries and exempt it from the Trading with the Enemy Act as the denuclearization process moves forward.

U.S. Attorney In New Jersey: An Undocumented Alien In U.S. Is Not Breaking The Law

Talk about hogwash. Domestic U.S. policy is not my focus here at Holger Awakens but it doesn't mean I'm not passionate about it and this article here from NewJersey.com really caught my eye. Here's what the U.S. Attorney in New Jersey said at a public forum:

"Being in this country without proper documentation is not a crime," Christie told more than 60 residents and town officials. "The whole phrase of 'illegal immigrant' connotes that the person, by just being here, is committing a crime."
"Don't let people make you believe that that's a crime that the U.S. Attorney's Office should be doing something about," he added of entering the country illegally. "It is not."

Boy, no wonder we have some issues tackling this problem, huh?! So let me get this straight...If I enter my neighbor's house without permission, I can be arrested for breaking and entering, but if a Mexican without permission swims across the Rio Grande and enters the U.S., he has broken no law? Then why the hell do people line up at border crossings? Why in the hell do I have to go through the game of 30 questions everytime I reenter the U.S. from Canada?

Christie went on later to explain that the only way you can technically be labeled an "illegal" alien is if you were caught in the U.S., deported back to where you came from, and then returned. Hahaha! We have over half the country begging for a fence to be built to keep the hordes of illegals out of this land and here we have one of the most powerful law enforcement officials on the East Coast more or less saying that a fence would be illegal in itself.

Perhaps when 3 out of 5 hospitals in Christie's hometown have shut down due to losses attributed to caring for emergency room illegals and there's a large MS-13 gang located down the street from his 4 bedroom tudor, he might change his tune.

Christie: Immigrants are not criminals

U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie surprised many at a Dover church public forum when he said sneaking into the United States is not a criminal act.
"Being in this country without proper documentation is not a crime," Christie told more than 60 residents and town officials. "The whole phrase of 'illegal immigrant' connotes that the person, by just being here, is committing a crime."
Being undocumented may be a civil wrong, but it's not a criminal act, Christie said.
"Don't let people make you believe that that's a crime that the U.S. Attorney's Office should be doing something about," he added of entering the country illegally. "It is not."
After touching on the usual topics of his corruption-busting career and battles against gang violence, Christie fielded questions -- mostly on immigration issues -- from Morris County residents and community leaders in an open forum that at times grew heated.
The U.S. attorney had been invited by the local chapter of the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey, a statewide group formed to empower Latinos to obtain political, economic and social equity, and hosted by the First United Methodist Church of Dover.
While Christie told the audience it doesn't take a "genius" to see there's a "serious immigration problem" in this country, he stressed an undocumented immigrant is not a criminal unless that person re-enters the country after being deported.

Marines Launch Southern Afghan Operation

The really bad news for the Taliban in southern Afghanistan is this from the article here at CNN:

Many of the men in the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit served in 2006 and 2007 in Ramadi, the capital of the Anbar province in western Iraq. The vast region was once al Qaeda in Iraq's stronghold before the militants were pushed out in early 2007.

What that means is that these Marines emerged out of the bloodbath and hell of Ramadi - they have seen it all and if I was the Taliban, I'd be scared shitless. The article describes beginning operations of the Marines and it is pretty clear that the Taliban are intimidated. More from the article:

But on the initial assault, Moder said his men were prepared to face mines and improvised explosive devices and "anybody that wants to fight us."
One Marine in Charlie Company, Corp. Matt Gregorio, a 26-year-old from Boston, alluded to the fact the Marines have been in Afghanistan for six weeks without carrying out any missions. He said the mood was "anxious, excited."
"We've been waiting a while to get this going," he said

Again, if you are the Taliban, the LAST thing you want is a bunch of "anxious" and "excited" Marines moving into your area! This is going to be interesting to watch.

U.S. Marines launch Afghan operation

OUTSIDE GARMSER, Afghanistan (AP) -- U.S. Marines in helicopters and Humvees flooded into a Taliban-held town in southern Afghanistan's most violent province early Tuesday in the first major American operation in the region in years.

Several hundred Marines, many of them veterans of the conflict in Iraq, pushed into the town of Garmser in predawn light in an operation to drive out militants, stretching NATO's presence into an area littered with poppy fields and classified as Taliban territory.
U.S. commanders say Taliban fighters have been expecting an assault and have been setting up improvised explosive devices in response. It wasn't known how much resistance the Marines would face in Garmser, where the British have a small base on the town's edge but whose main marketplace is closed because of the Taliban threat.
The assault in Helmand province -- backed by U.S. artillery in the desert and fighter aircraft in the sky -- is the first major task undertaken by the 2,300 Marines in the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which arrived last month from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina for a seven-month deployment. Another 1,200 Marines arrived to train Afghan police.
Maj. Tom Clinton, the U.S. commander at Forward Operating Base Dwyer, a British outpost 16 kilometers (10 miles) west of Garmser, said the Taliban had undoubtedly seen the Marines moving into the area in recent days.
But he said the fact that the Marines were assaulting the town by helicopter and were moving through by foot was likely a surprise.
"There's all kinds of reports of (Taliban) commanders telling their guys to grab their stuff and get out there" to fight, said Clinton, 36, of Swampscott, Massachusetts. "It's no secret they know we're here. It's just a question of when and where" an assault would happen.

U.S. & Afghan Troops Repel Taliban Attacks, Kill 12 Taliban

More good news from Afghanistan! And although the 12 Taliban killed came from Taliban attacks on five different U.S. and Afghan bases, it still shows how prepared we are for these attacks. It's a rite of Spring for the Taliban to love to come racing down a mountain in a frontal attack but it is also a rite of Spring for U.S. forces to cut them off at the knees. And it's encouraging to see the Afghan troops holding there own in these types of attacks.

From the Combined Joint Task Force briefing here:

A dozen insurgents killed, dozen more wounded in failed Kunar attack

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (April 28. 2008) – A dozen insurgents were killed and a dozen more were wounded during a failed attack, Sunday, on Afghan National Army and U.S. bases in Kunar province’s Korengal Valley. An estimated 30 to 40 insurgents attacked five bases in the Korengal valley with small-arms fire, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and indirect fire. Afghan and U.S. forces repelled the enemy’s attack utilizing effective small-arms fire, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, mortar rounds, and artillery fire and close-air support. No Afghan, U.S. Soldiers or civilians were killed or injured in the attack.

One thing of concern though throughout this latest rash of attacks is that they are happening throughout a good part of Afghanistan. Up until a month ago, the southern province of Helmand was seeing about 80% of the heavy Taliban activity and now we are seeing it more to the east and west. I'm not sure what that means but the bad news of it is that there doesn't seem to be any shortage of Taliban jihadists. Considering the terrain of Afghanistan and the porous border with Pakistan, I'm one of those on the negative side of long term total success in Afghanistan. Don't get me wrong here - I'm as adamant about fighting the Taliban to the end as anyone, but I also feel that a major success will only happen when Pakistan joins the fight 100% (which is why I'm so bloody ornery over recent appeasements by Pakistan's government) and also, we get to the top echelon of Taliban leadership - including Mullah Omar himself.

In the meantime, I'm still hoping for an average of 30 dead Taliban a day for the rest of the year year - that would set my goal at about 6200 dead by the end of 2008. I like that number.

Iranians Issue A Fatwa....On Barbie???

Most of the world is pretty nervous about the Iranians getting nuclear weapons due to their statements about destroying Israel and eliminating the U.S. (the Great Satan) but some of us are doubly nervous because, let's face it, the Iranians are just flat out insane. We have a country in Iran whose President flies around the world, sticking his nose in EVERYONE's business, who will demonstrate and object to cartoons published 8,500 miles away and sponsors terror a half a globe away, but they are tirelessly trying to keep anything "Western" away from its own people. It's my opinion that the Iranians should heed this: If you want to stay in the 7th century culturally and societally, then put up a bloody wall around your country and keep to yourselves - don't trade with anyone, don't bother anyone, don't ask for a thing...just live in isolation, because if you don't you can't have it both ways, chumps.

Anyway, here's the latest rantings of the insane asylum formerly known as Persia from the Breitbart article here:

A top Iranian judiciary official warned Monday against the "destructive" cultural and social consequences of importing Barbie dolls and other Western toys.
In the latest salvo in a more than decade-old government campaign against Barbie, Prosecutor General Ghorban Ali Dori Najafabadi said in an official letter to Vice President Parviz Davoudi that the doll and other Western toys are a "danger" that need to be stopped.
"The irregular importation of such toys, which unfortunately arrive through unofficial sources and smuggling, is destructive culturally and a social danger," said the letter, a copy of which was made available to The Associated Press.
Iranian markets have been inundated with smuggled Western toys in recent years partly due to a dramatic rise in purchasing power as a result of increased oil revenues.

So there you have it, Barbie and Ken dolls have a fatwa on them and their little plastic heads risk beheading! Hahaha. You know, if these clowns in Iran weren't so dangerous, they'd be even more comical.

Iran takes new shot at Barbie, calling US doll 'destructive'

While importing the toys is not necessarily illegal, it is discouraged by a government that seeks to protect Iranians from what it calls the negative effects of Western culture.
Najafabadi said the increasing visibility of Western dolls has alarmed authorities and they are considering intervening.
"The displays of personalities such as Barbie, Batman, Spiderman and Harry Potter ... as well as the irregular importation of unsanctioned computer games and movies are all warning bells to the officials in the cultural arena," his letter said.
Najafabadi said Iran is the world's third biggest importer of toys and warned that smuggled imports pose a threat to the "identity" of the new generation.
"Undoubtedly, the personality and identity of the new generation and our children, as a result of unrestricted importation of toys, has been put at risk and caused irreparable damages," he said.
Mattel Inc., the maker of Barbie, had no immediate comment Monday on the Iranian action.
Barbie is sold wearing swimsuits and miniskirts in a society where women must wear head scarves in public and men and women are not allowed to swim together.

Ahmadinejad To Visit Pakistan

The reports are saying that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will meet with Pakistani officials to discuss the issue of the continuing war in Afghanistan and also the proposed gas pipeline from Iran to Pakistan, but I don't know...perhaps Ahmadinejad is looking for some advice on how to conduct his first nuclear weapons test?

Here's an excerpt from the CBS story here:

Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejadand Pakistani leaders are expected to discuss security issues in their surrounding region, including worsening conditions in Afghanistan, when Ahmedinejad arrives in Islamabad on Monday for his first visit to the south Asian country. Ahmadinejad’s visit - a day after Afghan president Hamid Karzai narrowly escaped an assassination attempt - is a powerful reminder of the instability in the war-torn central Asian country with possible consequences for its surrounding region, a senior western diplomat warned. “If Afghanistan goes out of control, Pakistan and Iran will feel the consequences. There is a very real danger of the war in Afghanistan spilling over mainly into Pakistan, but the consequences will also affect Iran,” said the diplomat stationed in Islamabad in a CBS News interview given on the condition of anonymity.

I don't think Ahmadinejad is too worried about the Taliban's violence spilling into Iran - I think he is more concerned that if NATO forces block off the Pakistani border that the Taliban will try to flee into Iran, followed by the NATO forces. At the same time, Iran has had some issues with militants bringing attacks into Iran from the southwestern region of Pakistan.

But, when it is all said and done, I don't think it's a coincidence that Ahmadinejad suddenly makes this visit to Pakistan and then later in his trip visits India - both countries are currently holding nuclear weapons. Perhaps Ahmadinejad wants to better relations with both in case of some inadvertent nuclear missile miss that hits India or Pakistan instead of Israel and he wants to be sure that Iran isn't hit back in retaliation (okay, i'm getting a bit sarcastic now), but Ahmadinejad is more than likely giddy with excitement in joining the group of nuclear armed countries.

Ahmadinejad Makes First Visit To Pakistan

The diplomat said worsening insecurity inside Afghanistan may intensify the conflict in that country between the West (including U.S. troops) and members of the Taliban, with the danger of that conflict eventually bringing intense fighting close to the Pakistani border (as well as Iran’s border) at a future stage. Pakistan has been surrounded with persistent reports in the past two years for its linked to the Taliban movement which is believed to have carried out Sunday’s attack on Karzai. The Pakistani government has always denied connections to the Taliban, though Western diplomats insist that there is evidence of connections between the Islamic militants and their supporters in Pakistan, such as members of local tribes living near the Pak-Afghan border. For predominantly Shia Muslim majority Iran, a big concern is tied to militant violence in the country carried out by members of hardline Sunni militant groups who, according to Iranian officials, have operated from Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province. “Iran’s security concerns are directly connected to these people (militants) coming from the Baluchistan area,” a senior Iranian official told CBS News in an interview in February this year on the condition that he would not be named. After taking off on Monday morning from Tehran, Ahmadinejad will first travel to Islamabad for a stopover before leaving for Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, on the same afternoon. On his return from Sri Lanka, Ahmadinejad would stop over in Delhi, the Indian capital, for discussions with Indian leaders. On Sunday, a senior Iranian official speaking to journalists in Tehran said Ahmedinejad’s visits to India and Pakistan could help push a longstanding plan for a new pipeline to transport gas reserves from southern Iran to the two south Asian countries which both face energy shortages. In recent weeks, Pakistani officials have said, the pipeline could be extended to China as well at a future date. “It looks like arriving at this agreement [for the pipeline] will not be out of reach [during Ahmadinejad’s trip],” said Mohammad Ali Hosseini, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman speaking at a news conference in Tehran. “And it is natural that the matter (of the pipeline) which is one of the most important issues of interest by the three parties (Iran, Pakistan and India) will be discussed in the trip by the president,” he added. In the past, the U.S. has opposed the pipeline project estimated to be worth $7.5 billion on the grounds that it would inject fresh revenues to the Iranian economy which has been under U.S. sanctions - this at a time when Washington is seeking to further pressure Iran due to Iran’s alleged involvement with backing anti-U.S. groups in Iraq, and also due to Iran’s development of its nuclear program.

Israelis Enter Gaza To Thwart Border Attacks

The Israelis, being a bit more proactive today, moved into Gaza and met heavy resistance from jihadists. When it was all over there were at least seven palis dead, including civilians. Here's the details from the DEBKA piece here:

DEBKAfile's military sources report Israeli patrol forces entered the Gaza side of the Erez crossing Mon. April 28 for an operation to keep armed infiltrators, missile-launchers and snipers away from the border fence. They clashed with Palestinian gunmen, killing 7 people including four children and their mother. Their home in Beit Hanoun was struck by an Israeli tank shell aimed at sources of anti-tank and mortar fire. An Israeli soldier was slightly hurt.
Islamic Jihad and two other Palestinian factions said they launched several rockets before and after the home in Beit Hanoun was hit.

Now, we have to remember something here. Hamas implements the yellow belly strategy originally formulated by Iran that is also adopted by Hezbollah in which they conduct attacks from within civilian residences and public buildings so when Israelis are fired upon and return fire, Hamas and Islamic Jihad are using human shields to deter just that. It appears the Israelis are loosening rules of engagement and that is a good thing. It is high time that the world shifts the blame for civilian deaths in these battles from the Israelis to the ones who are truly at fault, and that is Hamas who purposely puts these people in harm's way.

Let's face it. Hamas demonstrates the most cowardly of all warfare tactics in this use of human shields. But it is not uncommon in the islamist world - how many videos anad reports have we seen of the Taliban doing the same thing - literally setting children outside of the doorway of a meeting place? One has to wonder how long the pali people will keep drinking the koolaid over there and finally wake up and ask Hamas: Why are you using our homes to wage your war?

IDF operation to ward off Palestinian infiltrations kills seven

DEBKAfile's military sources report Israeli patrol forces entered the Gaza side of the Erez crossing Mon. April 28 for an operation to keep armed infiltrators, missile-launchers and snipers away from the border fence. They clashed with Palestinian gunmen, killing 7 people including four children and their mother. Their home in Beit Hanoun was struck by an Israeli tank shell aimed at sources of anti-tank and mortar fire. An Israeli soldier was slightly hurt.
Islamic Jihad and two other Palestinian factions said they launched several rockets before and after the home in Beit Hanoun was hit.
Hamas retaliated by blasting Sderot, Ashkelon, Netav Ha’asara in the north and Kerem Shalom in the south with at least 8 missiles and mortar fire. Several shock victims were treated. Netiv Ha’asara was hit by heavy 120mm mortars. All the civilian locations bordering on Gaza went on high alert for marauding terrorists.
In the last two weeks, Hamas gunmen breached the border fence four times with fatal results. One incident, a major armored vehicle attack on Israeli civilians at Kerem Shalom, was foiled ten days ago.
As Israel-Palestinian clashes escalated Monday, Hamas called on all armed Palestinian wings to join forces for a wholesale assault on Israel, dashing the prospects of Egypt’s bid to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza.
Palestinian representatives had been expected to set out for Cairo to discuss terms.

Thousands Honor Fallen Hero Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin

This morning, I turned on Meet The Depressed and Tim Russert had Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, as a guest. Dean made the statement at least four times during that broadcast that "over 70% of Americans want the U.S. out of Iraq." Well, Mr. Dean, some of the "30 percent" were in attendance at the memorial service for Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin today in Ohio - actually thousands were there and more memorial services were held around the U.S.

This from CNN's article here:

Thousands walked past Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin's casket during a daylong
visitation at a civic center in Clermont County, east of Cincinnati, where he
grew up. Many of them headed to Great American Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati
Reds, for an afternoon memorial service.
The crowd occupied the lower
portion of the 42,000-seat stadium, behind home plate, stretching from first
base to third

Maupin's remains were found in Iraq last month, nearly four years after he was captured when his fuel convoy was attacked near Baghdad on April 9, 2004. He became the face of the war for many Americans after the Arab television network Al-Jazeera aired a videotape in April 2004 showing him wearing camouflage and a floppy desert hat, sitting on a floor surrounded by five masked men holding automatic rifles.

Members of his unit, the Illinois-based 724th Transportation Co., were among those on the field Sunday.

Yes, this was a special day, for a special man. America rightfully honored a fallen hero today, Sgt. Matt Maupin and he is home now, where he belongs. G_d Bless his family and all members our our armed services.

Thousands honor Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin

CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP) -- Military workers and supporters from across the country joined in memorials Sunday for a slain Army reservist who had become a poignant picture of the war in Iraq after he was captured by insurgents.

Maupin's flag-draped casket was on a platform in the area of the pitcher's mound. The only people on the field were members of the 338th Army band and about 100 family members, military representatives and dignitaries.
"Matt Maupin was the all-American kid," said retired Lt. Gen. James Campbell, representing the Army at the service. "We are so proud of you. You have served your country with honor and distinction."

"In his service, he became a son to all of Batavia and a son to all of Ohio," said Gov. Ted Strickland. "The Maupins heard the prayers of people from across the state and across the world."

Taliban 101: This Is Why You Can't Sleep At Night

With Proof, U.S. Will Go After Bin Laden Inside Pakistan - With or Without Permssion

Now this is the kind of talk I like to hear! US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte made such comments in this article here from the Daily Times:

If the United States has explicit proof of Osama Bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan’s border regions, then it will categorically pursue him, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte has said. Speaking to Charlie Rose, he said that as far as Bin Laden was concerned, the US would pursue him regardless of any permission from Pakistan to conduct a military operation within its borders. “I’m pretty confident that that’s the way the president would react,” he added.

I hope that statement makes it to the respective caves of bin Laden and al-Zawahiri this weekend. And I don't think it's a coincidence that Negroponte is making these statements now. It is clear that U.S. and NATO intelligence in Pakistan is improving by the say. Recent airstrikes inside Pakistan by U.S. command have targeted and killed key al Qaeda operatives - there is more intel coming out of Pakistan and it has been flawless so far.

With all of this being said, it always has to pick up the morale and efforts of those chasing bin Laden. Knowing that they can follow him ANYWHERE now, has to be a huge motivator. Who knows, perhaps Negroponte knows something we don't and this statement was a bit on the preemptive side? :drooling:

‘US to pursue Osama in Pakistan if it has evidence’

LAHORE: If the United States has explicit proof of Osama Bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan’s border regions, then it will categorically pursue him, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte has said. Speaking to Charlie Rose, he said that as far as Bin Laden was concerned, the US would pursue him regardless of any permission from Pakistan to conduct a military operation within its borders. “I’m pretty confident that that’s the way the president would react,” he added. Negroponte said that Pakistan was a very important country with respect to its proximity to Afghanistan. On President Pervez Musharraf’s continued importance to the country, he said that it appeared that the prime minister’s role was taking on greater importance. daily times monitor

Hamas Leader Nabbed In Gaza Raid

Talat Hassan Marouf, a local Hamas leader in Gaza, won't be sitting around on a Sunday afternoon eating dates and figs - nope, he'll be in an Israeli prison cell spilling his guts about his operation in Gaza. Good.
This from the article here at The Washington Times:

Israeli forces entered a northern Gaza town early yesterday and seized a local Hamas leader from his home during heavy fighting with Palestinian gunmen, Hamas militants and a Palestinian health official said.
The military said Israeli troops came under fire from inside the house, where Mr. Marouf's family was at the time.

Hopefully, this may signal more and more Hamas mid level and upper level leaders being either captured or killed. I've been calling for a targeting of Hamas leaders for weeks now although this incident appears more to have been precipitated by some weapons fire coming from Marouf's home than an operation designed to capture him. Either way, it's all good. One less Hamas leader on the streets today and tonight. And hopefully, this pile of shit will sing like a canary and give up the locale on about half a dozen of his fellow leaders in Gaza.

Hamas leader nabbed in raid

The fighting erupted in the town of Beit Lahiya, near the border with Israel. The army confirmed the raid, saying its forces exchanged fire with Palestinian militants.
The apparent target of the Israeli raid was Talat Hassan Marouf, a local Hamas leader. The fighting took place around his house, and Israeli forces withdrew after detaining him, said Abu Obeida, a spokesman for the Hamas military wing.
The military said Israeli troops came under fire from inside the house, where Mr. Marouf's family was at the time.
His 14-year old daughter, Mariam, was killed by shrapnel from heavy machine guns, said Dr. Moawiya Hassanain, a Palestinian Health Ministry official. The girl's mother was injured in the clashes.
Nine other Palestinians, including seven gunmen, also were wounded in the fighting, said Dr. Hassanain. Three of the gunmen were in critical condition, he said.
The fighting began before dawn when an Israeli undercover force entered an area of northern Gaza near the border with Israel. Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants fired at the force, using machine guns, mortars and homemade bombs, Hamas militants said.
A dozen Israeli tanks and aircraft provided cover during the clashes, the army said. It said its aircraft launched two missile strikes against the militants. The sound of explosions could be heard across northern Gaza.

Insurgent 101: Laser Guide + Apache = Doom

Taliban 101: ' That's A 500 Pound JDAM Up Your A** '

British Hostages Being Held In Iran, Not Iraq

Whoa! This story hasn't exactly been plastered across the New York Times and I didn't see Tim Russert talking about it this morning on Meet The Depressed but this could be absolutely huge. This may just be more than the smoking gun the U.S. and coalition forces have been looking for to officially nail Iran for its involvement in the Iraq War. From the TimesOnline account here:

Five British hostages who were kidnapped in Iraq almost a year ago are being held inside Iran by Revolutionary Guards, according to two separate sources in the Middle East and London.
The hostages were handed over to the Revolutionary Guards by their Iraqi kidnappers last November, the sources believe. One of the sources said they were being held in the western Iranian city of Hamadan.
If confirmed, the involvement of Revolutionary Guards would be seen as evidence that senior figures in the Iranian government had backed the decision to hold them in the country.

The U.S. has compiled quite a laundry list of proof that Iran has been directly involved in operations inside Iraq during the Iraq War - from Iranian-made weapons and IED's to Quds Forces personnel captured to Shia militia trained in Iran but the world has ignored this evidence because of course it is being presented by the U.S. But now, this will show how British citizens were kidnapped by Iraqi insurgents then handed over to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards inside Iran. The key words there are INSIDE IRAN.

Perhaps slowly but surely the world will begin to understand one thing. That Iranians lie. It's what they do. You and me , we breathe air to exist - Iranians lie to exist. Iran has lied about its involvement in the Iraq War. Iran has lied about its support of Hamas and Hezbollah. Iran has lied about not holding British kidnap victims. And Iran has lied about developing nuclear weapons.

Will the British grow a spine on this one? Will Prime Minister Brown get off his yellow belly ass and call for the release of these prisoners in 24 hours or British commandos will go in and get them? Don't hold your breath.

Britons kidnapped in Iraq are ‘held by Iran’

The hostages are said to be in good physical shape but spending much of their time in solitary confinement.
According to one of the sources, they are under the control of Mohammad Safaei, 41, a senior Revolutionary Guard colonel who was previously in charge of special operations in the southern Iraqi city of Basra.
The hostages were kidnapped in Baghdad last May in an attempt to force the Americans to release Qais al-Khazaali, an Iraqi militia leader said to be close to the Revolutionary Guards.
Khazaali was apparently being groomed by Iran to take control of a breakaway faction of the Mahdi Army, a Shi’ite militia, that would be compliant with Tehran. A former chief spokesman for the Mahdi Army, Khazaali was arrested by US troops after masterminding a raid inside a base in which five US soldiers were killed. The Americans have refused to release al-Khazaali in exchange for the British hostages.

One of the sources, who has close links to the Revolutionary Guard, said the captors were looking for a face-saving way of freeing them. They have suggested the hostages write to church leaders in the UK asking for assistance in gaining their release, the source said.
The five were abducted from the Iraqi finance ministry, where one of them, Peter Moore, a computer specialist, was teaching data-processing. The other four were his bodyguards.

The suggestion that the hostages are in Hamadan follows contradictory claims earlier this month that they were in Tehran. This is the first time it has been claimed they are in the hands of Revolutionary Guards. One of the sources has previously proved to be a reliable source of information about them.

Taliban Attempt Assassination of Afghan President Karzai, Parliament Member Killed

You watching this, Pakistan? This is how the Taliban "negotiate." Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai escaped an assassination attempt this morning by the Taliban but a member of the Afghan parliament, a minority group leader and a child were not so lucky - they were killed. As for the Taliban attackers, most accounts say that three of them were killed and three escaped.
Here's the latest from the Reuters article here:

Afghan President Hamid Karzai escaped unhurt on Sunday after an assassination attempt by Taliban fighters who fired guns and rockets at an official celebration near the presidential palace in Kabul.
Karzai, government ministers, former warlords, diplomats and the military top brass ducked for cover after gunfire sounded at the event to mark the 16th anniversary of the fall of the Afghan communist government to the mujahideen.
"It was coming to the end of the 21-gun salute. I saw an explosion and a puff of dust to the left of the parade and then heard the crackle of small arms fire from all directions," he told Reuters.

This account here from CNN adds some regarding the injured in the attack:

The attack also wounded more than 12 people, including a member of parliament, a Health Ministry official said.
The people standing did not react for several seconds, but security guards shielded Karzai and whisked him away from the reviewing stand. Other dignitaries quickly scrambled to safety.

Unfortunately, in my view, Karzai better get used to this. How many assassination attempts were made on Musharraf in Pakistan? Six? Bhutto was assassinated by the Taliban and al Qaeda. Karzai will always have a target on his back - but the eerie part of this is how close the Taliban came this time - the Reuters article doesn't play up the dead here very well, this was closer than people are going to think.

Let's take a look at Pakistan. The new leaders in Pakistan decided to enact a truce, a peace accord with the Taliban in Pakistan...exactly 24 hours after that peace agreement was signed, the Taliban sent a suicide bomber on a mission that killed Pakistani citizens. And just a few days later here, they have attempted the assassination of Pakistan's neighboring president.

The Taliban will not abide by any peace accord - they have one goal in mind and that is the takeover of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It really is that simple. And what's more simple is that we either stand together and stop them or do as the Pakistanis and bow down and hand it over to them. Your choice.

Afghan president escapes assassination bid

Karzai later appeared on state television to address the nation.
"Today, the enemies of Afghanistan, the enemies of Afghanistan's security and progress tried to disrupt the ceremony and cause disorder and terror," Karzai said.
"Fortunately, Afghanistan's military forces surrounded them quickly and arrested some of the suspects," he said.
The Taliban, which claimed responsibility for the attack, said three of its fighters were killed.
British ambassador Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles was standing on the front row of the dais alongside the U.S. envoy to Kabul.

The Taliban fire appeared to come from a building a few hundred meters (yards) from the site, a road which is blocked off for official parades, close to the presidential palace.
"Three of our attackers have been killed and three managed to escape. Small arms and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) were used in the attack," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters from an undisclosed location.
The attack disproved Afghan government and NATO assertions that the Taliban insurgency has been weakened, he said.

Afghan and NATO authorities this year repeatedly said the Taliban are on the verge of annihilation ... Now it is has been proved to them the Taliban not only have the ability to operate in the provinces, but even in Kabul," said Mujahid.
"Karzai and his cabinet can't be safe from Taliban attacks."

NATO Airstrikes Kill 15 Taliban In Paktika Province Of Afghanistan

Huge news! When you kill 15 Taliban in a series of airstrikes in one location, you are having one helluva day, in my estimation. This from a China View report here:

Air raids carried out by international troops on Taliban militants in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province have left over a dozen suspected insurgents dead, spokesman of provincial administration said Saturday.
"The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in efforts to eliminate insurgents carried out air raids on their hideout in Charbaran district yesterday evening (Friday evening) ,killing 15 armed enemies," Ghani Khan Mohammad Yar told Xinhua.

Sweet, huh? Paktika province hasn't exactly been in the limelight lately as it falls further east than the real hotspot, Helmand province so it is good to see that NATO and U.S. forces aren't forgetting about Taliban spread out around Afghanistan.

Air strikes leave 15 suspected insurgents dead in Afghanistan

KABUL, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Air raids carried out by international troops on Taliban militants in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province have left over a dozen suspected insurgents dead, spokesman of provincial administration said Saturday.
"The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in efforts to eliminate insurgents carried out air raids on their hideout in Charbaran district yesterday evening (Friday evening) ,killing 15 armed enemies," Ghani Khan Mohammad Yar told Xinhua.
A number of arms and munitions have also been seized from the rebels, he further added.
Taliban insurgents have yet to comment.
Militancy and conflicts have left more than 400 people, mostly civilians, dead in Afghanistan since January this year.

Breaking: Two Israeli Guards Killed By Pali Jihadists

This is just happened yesterday and the only story I can find on it is here at Yahoo:

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Two Israeli guards have been killed by Palestinian militants in an industrial area on the border between Israel and the West bank, a military spokeswoman said on Friday.
"Two guards in an industrial zone have been shot dead by terrorists," she told AFP. "The army and the police are chasing one, possibly two perpetrators."
Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, and said in a joint statement the perpetrator had disguised himself as a woman.

I'm not sure why there is such a lack of news reports on this but one other blurb I found at DEBKA says the Israelis are in hot pursuit of two jihadists. This is yet another example of an emboldened Hamas and in my view, this is mainly to blame on the lack of Israeli response to the massacre of Israelis at the seminary in Jerusalem. Hamas saw no significant backlash from that operation and since then, they have abandoned the rocket attacks into Israel in favor of manned operations at the border crossings and attacks like this inside of Israel.

Perhaps this weekend we will finally see the Israelis show some retribution for this. Then again, perhaps not.

Two Israelis killed by Palestinian militants: army

They claimed he is a fighter being sought by both Israeli forces and Palestinian police.
Israeli police said the victims, both men in their 50s, were killed in the Israeli village of Nitzanei Oz, across the border from the town of Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank.
The weapon of one of the guards was stolen in the attack, they said.
According to an AFP tally at least 436 people, most of them Palestinians, have been killed since Israel and the Palestinians relaunched formal peace talks under US auspices at an international conference in November.

U.S. Troops Kill Al Qaeda In Iraq Commander In Samarra

The hits keep coming ! This is HUGE! Mohammed Jahim al-Harbuni was the commander of al Qaeda in Iraq for the Salaheddin province and the key word there is "was." And U.S. forces took three of his buddies with him.

From the brief article at The Australianblockquote>>:

US forces have killed a top militant from the al-Qaeda in Iraq group and three
accomplices - one a Saudi Arabian - in the centre of the country, a local police
officer said today.
Mohammed Jahim al-Harbuni, an Iraqi, was killed
yesterday in the Al-Jillam district northeast of the central town of Samarra,
Captain Ala Jassim said.
The other two dead were also Iraqis, he said.
Harbuni was the operational head of the jihadist group in Salaheddin
province, Capt Jassim said.

I continue to ring up these killings and captures of al Qaeda in Iraq leaders because it is that huge - it will mean the end of al Qaeda in Iraq. And also, the fact of the matter is the last four or five major leaders either captured or killed have been up in the northern area of Iraq, north and east of Baghdad - we have seen it in Mosul and then Diyala province and now in Salaheddin province. These are the last areas where al Qaeda in Iraq is trying to white knuckle it out and there second biggest enemy right now is space or lack of it. They have been cornered to some extent into one region now and as we can see, leaders are more visible and when they are more visible, they are more dead.

Al-Qaeda commander killed -
police


US forces have killed a top militant from the al-Qaeda in Iraq
group and three accomplices - one a Saudi Arabian - in the centre of the
country, a local police officer said today.
Mohammed Jahim al-Harbuni, an
Iraqi, was killed yesterday in the Al-Jillam district northeast of the central
town of Samarra, Captain Ala Jassim said.
The other two dead were also
Iraqis, he said.
Harbuni was the operational head of the jihadist group in
Salaheddin province, Capt Jassim said.

Insurgent 101: This Is The 1-24 INF

Insurgent 101: A Street Corner Is NOT The Best Place To Hide Out

Insurgent 101: We WILL Find Your IED Warehouses

U.S. Troops Kill 4 Iranian-Trained Special Groups Jihadists North of Baghdad, Capture 5

Great, great news! It's always extra special to gun down the Iraqi jihadists hand picked and trained by the Iranians. It's about time we brought the hammer down on the Special Groups personnel. There's another report out that 3 more Special Groups terrorists were killed later in Baghdad. Here's some from this article at Multi-National Force:

Coalition forces killed four Iranian-trained Special Groups criminals and detained five other suspected criminals Thursday during operations in Rashidiyah, north of Baghdad.
Intelligence sources led Coalition forces to the location of an Iranian-trained Special Groups criminal suspected of receiving weapons and finances from Iran in order to lead attacks against Coalition forces. He is also suspected of directing and conducting kidnappings and sectarian violence against Iraqi citizens.

Again, we see the use of the terminology, "Intelligence sources", and I'm telling you, that is Iraqi citizens who are blowing the whistle on these ass hats. And that is great news as the Iraqi people see these pukes day in and day out - they not only know where they are but when they are home.

Hopefully, we will see some great intel come out of the five captured and we can celebrate about two dozen more of these pieces of shit killed this weekend.

Coalition Forces kill four Special Groups criminals, capture five others

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed four Iranian-trained Special Groups criminals and detained five other suspected criminals Thursday during operations in Rashidiyah, north of Baghdad.
Intelligence sources led Coalition forces to the location of an Iranian-trained Special Groups criminal suspected of receiving weapons and finances from Iran in order to lead attacks against Coalition forces. He is also suspected of directing and conducting kidnappings and sectarian violence against Iraqi citizens.
Despite receiving sporadic small arms fire attacks, Coalition forces apprehended the suspected criminal and three other suspects. Coalition forces continued to another location to capture an additional suspected criminal wanted for hostile acts against Iraqi forces.
As Coalition forces approached the second location, they came under small arms fire from both sides of the road and returned fire, killing one criminal.
After arriving at the targeted individual’s location, Coalition forces again came under small arms fire from three criminals atop a local residence. Coalition forces followed the three individuals to a home in the neighborhood, where the criminals gained entry. Coalition forces came under attack from the criminals inside the house and engaged the hostile threat, killing the three criminals. The engagement ignited a fire in the house, but Coalition forces were able to evacuate the residents from the building unharmed.
“Coalition forces will continue to seek out these criminal elements supported by Iran who threaten the security of Iraqi citizens and who undermine the sovereignty of Iraq,” said Cmdr. Scott Rye, MNF-I spokesman.

Insurgent 101: Hiding On Top Of A Roof Is NEVER A Good Idea

Insurgent 101: You Never Know Who Is Watching When You Plant An IED

Al Qaeda Video Ridicules Pope Benedict, Calls U.S. and Israel 'Terrorists'

I haven't stopped shaking my head since seeing this. Now, there isn't much that al Qaeda would do that would surprise me or shock me but this video has me shaking my head because of how stupid al Qaeda actually thinks the world is. They actually believe this shit, I'm convinced. Here's a description of what is in the video per the article here at Adnkronos:

The video opens with a platoon of American soldiers with a cross on one side with the inscription, 'Jesus camp', followed by a star of David and images of conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians.In the background, a voice in Arabic, says "Israel wants to destroy us."The film includes images of Napalm bomb attacks conducted by the US in Vietnam and video images of dead babies said to have been filmed by Iraqi al-Qaeda cells.The video's main argument is that the wars conducted by the US and Israel in the Middle East signal the return of a new anti-Islamic crusade.
"The true enemies of Islam are the crusading Pope that Allah curses and the head of the crusading campaign, Bush," reads one caption over photo.
Another photo shows Pope Benedict XVI with part of his robe caught by a gust of wind covering his face.In another image he is shown with a Nazi symbol beside US president Bush (photo) above a series of swords and shields with the flags of Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon.

So, straying from the attacks here on the U.S. and Israel, which we certainly would expect, al Qaeda has gone on to ridicule Pope Benedict XVI. Hold on a minute - isn't al Qaeda one of the groups that expressed such outrage at the Danish cartoons of mohammed? Where is the outrage from the muslim community over ridiculing the leader of the Catholic Church on Earth? And besides that...where are the mass demonstrations by Catholics and Christians worldwide over this blasphemy! (insert laugh here) I wonder if the Vatican will issue a fatwa on al Qaeda later today? Okay, okay I'll knock off the sarcasm.

I guess I would love al Qaeda to be right in their view that there is a Crusades underway to get their asses. I would simply LOVE that to be true. Visions of Christian and Jewish forces swarming over Arab and Persians borders to totally swallow up the jihadists and their pagan idols of allah is worthy of fantasy status here at Holger Awakens.

But when it is all said and done, al Qaeda comes off with this as the truly nut cases that they are. They continue to prove themselves to be an embarassment to any muslims in this world that are trying to at least come off as rational.

Terrorism: Al-Qaeda attacks US and Pope in new video

Dubai, 25 April (AKI - By Hamza Boccolini ) - Al-Qaeda has released a new video attacking the US and Israel, as well as a photo display including an image ridiculing Pope Benedict XVI.Both have been released on Islamic forums on the internet in response to the controversial short film Fitna produced by right-wing Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders .The ten-minute video attacks the US and Israel and presents an historical review of what it claims their armies have done in the past 40 years. The video opens with a platoon of American soldiers with a cross on one side with the inscription, 'Jesus camp', followed by a star of David and images of conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians.In the background, a voice in Arabic, says "Israel wants to destroy us."The film includes images of Napalm bomb attacks conducted by the US in Vietnam and video images of dead babies said to have been filmed by Iraqi al-Qaeda cells.The video's main argument is that the wars conducted by the US and Israel in the Middle East signal the return of a new anti-Islamic crusade.

Apart from the al-Qaeda video, there are images and photos. The first shows a star of David with a cross and a white dove and an inscription that reads: "Christians and Jews are terrorists and their presence is proof of it." "The true enemies of Islam are the crusading Pope that Allah curses and the head of the crusading campaign, Bush," reads one caption over photo.Photos presented on the site include one of Vietnam and another from Palestine where there are bodies on the ground, and another of US soldiers in the Iraqi prison of Abu Ghraib.

U.N. Nuke Official Criticizes U.S. For Withholding Intel On Syrian Nukes

Is this asshat serious? The United Nations nuclear 'watchdog' has now criticized the United States for withholding the information of North Korean involvement in the Syrian nuclear facility. From the article here at AP:

The head of the U.N. nuclear monitoring agency has indirectly criticized the U.S for not giving his organization intelligence information sooner on the Israeli bombing in Syria.

Of course, this chump's name is Mohamed ElBaradei and he's the one responsible for allowing Iran to move forward each and every day with adding more and more centrifuges to its own nuclear weapons development program.

So I have new for you ElBaradei: The reason the U.S. or Israel didn't tell you about the intel on the Syrian facility, is because YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD THE SYRIANS THAT THE FACILITY WAS THREATENED! Simple as that, fool. You are not only worthless as a watchdog, you basically are an official who is enabling terrorists to build nuclear weapons. If a non-muslim country was doing what Iran is doing, you would be holding inquisitions and bringing sanctions daily before the U.N. Security Council - you would be publicizing their activities. But since Iran and Syrian are islamists, you bury your head in the sand or covertly aid them in their efforts.

The sooner this chump is removed at the IAEA, the better.

IAEA criticizes US for holding back intel on Syria bombing

VIENNA, Austria (AP) — The head of the U.N. nuclear monitoring agency has indirectly criticized the U.S for not giving his organization intelligence information sooner on the Israeli bombing in Syria.
Mohamed ElBaradei says his International Atomic Energy Agency has now been briefed on what the U.S. says was the target — a nuclear reactor.
But in a statement Friday he says he deplored the delay in receiving the information.
Israel bombed the target seven months ago. The White House broke its silence about the issue Thursday.
ElBaradei was also critical of the Israeli bombing.

U.S. Begins Anti-Terror Training of North African Countries

The African countries of Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger have all signed up for some anti-terror training by the U.S. in an effort to try and repel and control the terrorism brought to the region by al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb. Here's a bit from the article here at Bloomberg:

``The terror groups are constantly on the move; lots of weapons, lots of people cross these borders,'' said Lieutenant Colonel Randall Horton, a planner in Africom's Operation Enduring Freedom-Trans Sahara mission. ``We are working with our partner nations to address these security issues.''
Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger are taking part in the U.S.-sponsored military programs. Africom's mission is to train their forces to roust terrorists and also to control sparsely patrolled borders for arms traffic, drug smuggling and infiltration by violent organizations.

The U.S. isn't messing around in this region now that the effects of al Qaeda in the region have really shown some effects in Algeria and Somalia. Now, whether these African nations can really be effective is a whole 'nother matter but it's encouraging to see them signing on to the training. I venture to guess that more countries will sign on the line after they've tasted their first attacks from al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb. Who knows, maybe Algeria will even see the light and come to the conclusion that without help, they will be fighting a losing battle.

Al-Qaeda Sahara Network Spurs U.S. to Train Chad, Mali Forces

April 23 (Bloomberg) -- Bands of Islamist fighters, terrorist trainers and arms suppliers roaming the mountainous southern Sahara Desert are new targets in the U.S. war against al-Qaeda.
The groups, originally linked to rebels fighting the government of Algeria, operate under the umbrella of Algeria- based al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, U.S. military officials say. AQIM has claimed responsibility for at least six attacks, including a failed attempt to assassinate Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, that have killed more than 100.
The war against AQIM is being led from the new headquarters of the U.S. Army's Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, which is due to become fully operational this October with a staff of about 1,000. Africom will provide military aid and training to countries in the southern Sahara, an area known as the Sahel.

The cross-border Sahel AQIM forces travel by Toyota Land Cruisers that rely on a network of underground fuel bunkers. They possess mortars, surface-to-air missiles and equipment needed to construct roadside bombs. The membership may be as low as 150, U.S. officials in Stuttgart say. About 500 more AQIM members are based in Algeria, which, like Morocco, Tunisia and Libya, is part of the Maghreb region.
They get help from nomadic tribes known as the Tuareg, a Berber ethnic group that is in combat with the government of Mali. Drug smuggling helps nourish the Sahel AQIM, say U.S. military officials who speak on condition of anonymity; they say that cocaine from Colombia passes through Venezuela and is sent to Burkina Faso in West Africa and then transported via Algeria and Morocco to Europe.