Britain and Australia Step Up To The Plate With New Troops For Afghanistan

Finally! The British and the Australians have both stepped up to the plate regarding adding more troops to the fight in Afghanistan and help bolster NATO efforts against the Taliban. Now, it's not exactly the kind of numbers that the U.S. has committed but with Britain pledging 750 more troops and Australia kicking in 400 more, it's not a bad start. Note to readers: there was no comment or pledge from either Germany or France. Here's the story on the British commitment from Quqnoos and here is the piece, again from Quqnoos, on the Australian deployment. And some excerpts:

British Prime Minister said extra 700 troops will be sent to Afghanistan mainly to help provide security during upcoming elections
Deployment of the new British contingent will rise the troops to 9,000 stationed in Afghanstian, mostly in Helmand, the stornghold of the Taliban militants.
"For Afghanistan, our strategy is to ensure the country is strong enough as a democracy to withstand and overcome the terrorist threat," Brown said.
The British leader revealed the enlargement of troops after a snap visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In his visit to the Afghan capital, Kabul, he said Britain will almost double up the number of forces in Afghanistan.

And on the Aussie contribution:

A press release from the Australian Defense Ministry said the troops is a reinforcement effort to the 1,100 military personnel battling Taliban in the restive southern Uruzgan province.
It’s a part of the commitment to the government of Afghanistan and the international community, the press release said.
With the new contribution, Australian troops will reach to 1550 to Afghanistan, one of the several largest nations contributing forces to NATO mission.
“This increase represents an effectiveness and sustainable contribution in Afghanistan to coalition efforts while allowing us to expand on our current operations,” The pres release adds.

Now, both announcements refer to ensuring the safety and security of upcoming elections but I think that is somewhat a smokescreen to appease the moonbat communities back in both countries - I highly doubt that Britain or Australia will send these troops into Afghanistan and once the elections are over, pull them back home.

I personally think that with these reinforcements along with the American commitments of close to 20,000 more troops, some significant gains can be made against the Taliban and if that does happen, we just might see more troops being pledged by these two countries and we might even get France and Germany to get off their asses. You see, I'm not buying this "lost cause" bullshit so many experts are throwing out about the War in Afghanistan - I, personally, believe the Taliban can be nearly eliminated from Afghanistan with enough of a commitment, and based on their behavior over the past decade or so, that simply has to be the goal.

Britain Deploys 700 Additional Troops to Afghanistan

British Prime Minister said extra 700 troops will be sent to Afghanistan mainly to help provide security during upcoming elections
Deployment of the new British contingent will rise the troops to 9,000 stationed in Afghanstian, mostly in Helmand, the stornghold of the Taliban militants.
"For Afghanistan, our strategy is to ensure the country is strong enough as a democracy to withstand and overcome the terrorist threat," Brown said.
The British leader revealed the enlargement of troops after a snap visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In his visit to the Afghan capital, Kabul, he said Britain will almost double up the number of forces in Afghanistan.
"The greatest international priority is the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan," Brown told Parliament.
Many countries including the US have vowed to send more troops to Afghanistan to safeguard the crucial Afghan presidential polls in August.
"They are the crucible of global terrorism.They are the breeding ground for international terrorists. They are the source of a chain of terror, which links the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan to the streets of Britain."
Brown in his visit to Islamabad said Britain donates $15m to Pakistan to help this country to defeat the growing Taliban-led insurgency in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

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Obama's Heart Goes Out To The Perils of Illegal Aliens

From last night's press conference, when asked about immigration reform, President Obama stated:

" It's dangerous for Mexican would-be workers who are trying to cross a dangerous border. "

" And it keeps those undocumented workers in the shadows, which means they can be exploited at the same time as they're depressing U.S. wages. "

From the transcript here.

Taliban Leader In Afghanistan Warns Of New Offensive

Apparently the upcoming "surge" of fresh American troops into the War in Afghanistan has the Taliban a bit edgy so one of their leaders has come out with a warning for both the U.S./NATO forces as well as the Afghan government...and has even suggested to the Afghan army that they drop their weapons and desert. Now, one thing to keep in mind here...the Taliban typically back up their threats much more often than say an al Qaeda group or Iranians, but at the same time, this threatened offensive is a bit vague. Here's some of the details from The Washington Post:

A senior leader of Afghanistan's Taliban warned Wednesday the movement will launch a new large-scale operation against the Afghan government, diplomatic missions, foreign troops and anyone supporting them.

Posted on a Taliban website, (www.alemarah1.org) a message quoting the deputy leader of the movement, Mullah Brother Akhund, said the "Nasrat" (victory), will begin Thursday and include ambushes, bombs and suicide bomb attacks.
"The targets of these operations will be the military units of the invading forces, diplomatic centers, mobile convoys, high-ranking officials of the puppet administration, members of parliament and personnel of the so-called defense, interior and national security ministries," the message said.

So, I would say that we will see at least a couple of fairly major attacks today - my guess is that there will be some sort of an attack on a government building in either Kabul or Kandahar and we may seem some sort of an ambush on a NATO convoy or a mini-offensive on a NATO outpost.

Afghan Taliban leader warns of new offensive

Through the offensive, the Taliban will seek to further tighten the encirclement of the enemy in the provinces and attack their supply routes, it added.
The message urged Afghan security forces to desert and join the militants and ordered private firms as well as individuals to stop working for the foreign troops.
U.S.-led troops overthrew the Taliban government after it refused to hand over al Qaeda leaders wanted by Washington for the September 11 2001 attacks on the United States.
The Taliban have made advances in recent years not only in Afghanistan, but also in neighboring Pakistan where they have some bases in the lawless tribal border region.
To fight the growing insurgency, the new administration in Washington has pledged to send an extra 21,000 troops this year to Afghanistan, where the level of foreign forces stand at more than 70,000.
The additional U.S. troops will be deployed mainly to the south east of the country.
The Taliban and al Qaeda leaders are still at large and thought to be in hiding in the tribal region on the Afghan-Pakistan border near to Pakistan's lawless northern tribal areas.

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Fort Dix Terror Sentences Complete: Four Life Sentences, One 33 Year Sentence

EXCELLENT! Five convicted Muslim terrorists who plotted to attack the military base at Fort Dix were sentenced yesterday and today and the results are FANTASTIC! Four of these fucking asswipes are going to spend the rest of their miserable lives in prison, the fifth terrorist got 33 years behind bars. I doubt that last one will ever make it to the point where he actually walks out of prison. Anyway, this is fantastic news as over the years since these arrests, there were plenty of bleeding heart Leftists in America who tried to paint these jihadists as local good boys who weren't all that serious in these plans. Well, the justice system wasn't swayed by that crock and has put these murder-plotting islamists where they belong.

Here's some of the details from the report at Yahoo:

A man who was the "epicenter of the conspiracy" to kill military personnel was sentenced to life in prison and a fellow plotter was sentenced to 33 years as a judge on Wednesday finished sentencing five Muslim immigrants who contemplated an attack on Fort Dix.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler had sentenced the three others involved in the plot to at least life in prison.
Overall, Kugler seemed to accept the position of prosecutors that the plot was one of the most frightening homegrown terrorism plots ever hatched in the U.S.
Under federal law, none of the four men given life sentences will be eligible for parole. With each of the four, Kugler cited their actions in the plot, their run-ins with the law — either before the investigation began or in the federal detention center in Philadelphia — and what he called their radical Islamist ideology.

On Wednesday, Mohamad Shnewer, a 24-year-old U.S. citizen born in Jordan, received a sentence of life plus 30 years. Kugler said the sentence reflected his position as "the epicenter of the conspiracy" by frequently suggesting ways to kill military personnel. The judge dismissed the young man's contention that he was talking about violence only because Mahmoud Omar, an FBI informant, pushed him into it.

So there you have it...five little jihadis who aren't going to get the glory of 72 virgins but instead get the gore of 72 boyfriends in prison. Good luck boys, I give you 3 years tops before they find you disemboweled in the prison laundry room...and justice will finally be served.

4 life terms, 1 33-year sentence in Fort Dix case


CAMDEN, N.J. – A man who was the "epicenter of the conspiracy" to kill military personnel was sentenced to life in prison and a fellow plotter was sentenced to 33 years as a judge on Wednesday finished sentencing five Muslim immigrants who contemplated an attack on Fort Dix.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler had sentenced the three others involved in the plot to at least life in prison.
Overall, Kugler seemed to accept the position of prosecutors that the plot was one of the most frightening homegrown terrorism plots ever hatched in the U.S.
Under federal law, none of the four men given life sentences will be eligible for parole. With each of the four, Kugler cited their actions in the plot, their run-ins with the law — either before the investigation began or in the federal detention center in Philadelphia — and what he called their radical Islamist ideology.
On Wednesday, Mohamad Shnewer, a 24-year-old U.S. citizen born in Jordan, received a sentence of life plus 30 years. Kugler said the sentence reflected his position as "the epicenter of the conspiracy" by frequently suggesting ways to kill military personnel. The judge dismissed the young man's contention that he was talking about violence only because Mahmoud Omar, an FBI informant, pushed him into it.
"I might have spoken like a jihadist," said Shnewer, a former Cherry Hill resident who drove a cab and worked in his family's food market. "But I don't have what it takes to be a jihadist."
Like the families of the other men, relatives of Serdar Tatar spoke in court, describing the Turkish-born 25-year-old as a loving man who helped his stepson with homework. They said he was not interested in violence and cried about the shootings at Virginia Tech two years ago.
"I believe that everything that's going on is happening in some horrible dream," said his wife, Halide Mirayeva, as she spoke on the couple's third wedding anniversary.
Unlike the other men, who wore stoic expressions or even smiled during the sentencing proceedings, Tatar was sullen. He cried as his family spoke.
Tatar, a former restaurant worker and 7-Eleven clerk who lived in Philadelphia, spoke in court for about 40 minutes. Much of his talk was devoted to giving his side of a bizarre incident in the investigation — when he went to Philadelphia police, then the FBI, to report that someone had asked him for a map of Fort Dix.
At the time, his father owned a pizza shop near the central New Jersey Army installation, used primarily to train reservists for deployments in Iraq. Prosecutors say the men were focusing on the fort as a target because of Tatar's knowledge of the base.
In the trial, government prosecutors portrayed Tatar's approaching authorities as a savvy effort to smoke out Omar as an FBI informant.
Tatar said he was honestly trying to report possible criminal activity.
"I thought I was doing the right thing," he said. "And I ended up screwing it up for everyone." His mistake, he said, was lying and telling investigators that he had not handed over the map when in fact he had.
After hearing from Tatar, Kugler uncharacteristically called for a five-minute break, building drama before he announced his sentence.
Kugler said he hardly slept the previous night as he agonized over how to sentence Tatar. He settled on a 33-year term.
He said he didn't believe that Tatar was trying to do right by going to authorities, but "I am simply not convinced that he was driven by any ideology or religious fervor"
"He's the only one of the defendants I believe has any hope of rehabilitation with a prison sentence," Kugler said.
After the sentencing, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra Jr. said, "Mr. Tatar strikes me as somewhat of a follower-type person."
Lawyers for all five men say they expect to appeal the sentences.

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Do I even need a sarc tag with you folks, anymore? ;)

As Predicted: 50 Pakistani Security Forces Captured By Taliban In Buner District

Okay, the good news is that Pakistani military forces have killed 50 Taliban in the offensive in Buner district in NW Pakistan but as I just predicted yesterday, 50 Pakistani security forces have been abducted in the same operation. This scene has played out way too many times before - the government knows that the Taliban will kill and behead all of those government troops unless demands are met and that usually means some sort of pull back by the government's forces. I guess we'll have to wait and see what the Taliban demand and also what this weak-kneed government's response will be. Here's some of the details from Breitbart:

The Pakistan army says it has killed more than 50 militants in an operation to halt a push by Taliban militants toward the capital Islamabad.
Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas also said Wednesday that one member of the security forces was killed and more than 50 others abducted in the fighting in the Buner region.

Helicopter-borne commandos took back a key town from the Taliban on Wednesday as warplanes pounded militants to halt their advance toward the Pakistani capital, the army said.

Helicopters dropped troops near Daggar, the main town in the Buner district, and in neighboring areas early on Wednesday morning, an army statement said.
The commandos secured the town and were linking up with police and paramilitary troops already in the area, the statement said.

If this was any operation being done by American forces or even NATO forces...the push would not only to be pushing the Taliban back out of Buner but the offensive would continue into the Swat Valley and beyond. The Taliban typically can't hold anything and do give up ground although they normally don't go too far away and then start their counteroffensives but that is why you always see the Taliban looking to grab prisoners - the Taliban need time to regroup, to rearm...and they usually ask for some ceasefire so they can do just that.

Will it be different for the Pakistani government this time? I doubt it. They will more than likely stop after they clear Buner, tell the Pakistani people they have squashed the threat to the nation's capital and then, two weeks later the Taliban will be back in Buner. It's kind of like hoping that Barack Obama won't go to another foreign country and bash the good name of America on foreign soil.

Dozens killed as Pakistan troops battle Taliban

Helicopters dropped troops near Daggar, the main town in the Buner district, and in neighboring areas early on Wednesday morning, an army statement said.
The commandos secured the town and were linking up with police and paramilitary troops already in the area, the statement said.
It didn't say how many troops were involved or whether they clashed with militants who overran the district earlier this month.
However, a Pakistani military official said army jets and helicopters had attacked militant positions in the area as part of the move to take Daggar.
The official asked for anonymity because he was not authorized to release the details. He had no word on any casualties from Wednesday's operation.
The Taliban advance into Buner brought them to within 60 miles (100 kilometers) of the capital, Islamabad. The army also says troops have killed scores of militants in recent fighting in Lower Dir, another area neighboring Swat.
Both lie within Malakand, the region covered by the government's much-criticized peace deal. Officials agreed to impose Islamic law in return for peace in a region devastated by two years of bloody fighting.
Pakistani officials said the Islamic law concession robbed the militants of any justification for retaining their arms and have insisted they were ready to use force against militants who defy the government.
But officials in Washington, which is propping up Pakistan's army and government with billions of dollars, have slammed the pact as a surrender and welcomed the resumption of military action.
The army offensives are "exactly the appropriate response" to the Taliban advance, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Tuesday.
"We are hopeful and encouraging of the Pakistani military that they are able to sustain these operations against the militants and to stem this encroachment on the more populated areas of Pakistan."
The Obama administration has an opportunityt to reiterate that demand when Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari joins his Afghan counterpart in Washington for talks next week.
Pakistan has waged several offensives in the border region since the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the United States.
The operations have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and the flight of hundreds of thousands of people from their homes, but have been punctuated by ill-fated peace agreements from which the militants emerged stronger than before.
Amnesty International estimated on Wednesday that at least 33,000 civilians have fled their homes to avoid the recent clashes in Lower Dir. Witnesses told of bodies left lying in the fields because residents were too scared to move them, the rights groups said. At least five civilians died, it said.
"Pakistan is now facing a serious displacement crisis," said Sam Zarifi Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific director. "While the politicians in Islamabad and Washington talk about geopolitics, people in these quiet villages have their lives shattered."
Pakistan army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said Tuesday that troops faced an estimated 450-500 militants in Buner and forecast that the operation to drive them out would take about a week.
He dismissed fears that the capital Islamabad, separated from Buner by the Indus River and the Margalla Hills, was under any threat of a militant takeover.

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61 & 100

By Findalis

61!

Today is Yom Ha'atzmaut! The 61st Anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel. 61 years ago David ben Gurion said in his address of independence:

ERETZ-ISRAEL [(Hebrew) - the Land of Israel, Palestine] was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the eternal Book of Books.

After being forcibly exiled from their land, the people kept faith with it throughout their Dispersion and never ceased to pray and hope for their return to it and for the restoration in it of their political freedom.

Impelled by this historic and traditional attachment, Jews strove in every successive generation to re-establish themselves in their ancient homeland. In recent decades they returned in their masses. Pioneers, ma'pilim [(Hebrew) - immigrants coming to Eretz-Israel in defiance of restrictive legislation] and defenders, they made deserts bloom, revived the Hebrew language, built villages and towns, and created a thriving community controlling its own economy and culture, loving peace but knowing how to defend itself, bringing the blessings of progress to all the country's inhabitants, and aspiring towards independent nationhood.

In the year 5657 (1897), at the summons of the spiritual father of the Jewish State, Theodore Herzl, the First Zionist Congress convened and proclaimed the right of the Jewish people to national rebirth in its own country.

This right was recognized in the Balfour Declaration of the 2nd November, 1917, and re-affirmed in the Mandate of the League of Nations which, in particular, gave international sanction to the historic connection between the Jewish people and Eretz-Israel and to the right of the Jewish people to rebuild its National Home.

The catastrophe which recently befell the Jewish people - the massacre of millions of Jews in Europe - was another clear demonstration of the urgency of solving the problem of its homelessness by re-establishing in Eretz-Israel the Jewish State, which would open the gates of the homeland wide to every Jew and confer upon the Jewish people the status of a fully privileged member of the comity of nations.

Survivors of the Nazi holocaust in Europe, as well as Jews from other parts of the world, continued to migrate to Eretz-Israel, undaunted by difficulties, restrictions and dangers, and never ceased to assert their right to a life of dignity, freedom and honest toil in their national homeland.

In the Second World War, the Jewish community of this country contributed its full share to the struggle of the freedom- and peace-loving nations against the forces of Nazi wickedness and, by the blood of its soldiers and its war effort, gained the right to be reckoned among the peoples who founded the United Nations.

On the 29th November, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a Jewish State in Eretz-Israel; the General Assembly required the inhabitants of Eretz-Israel to take such steps as were necessary on their part for the implementation of that resolution. This recognition by the United Nations of the right of the Jewish people to establish their State is irrevocable.

This right is the natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate, like all other nations, in their own sovereign State.

ACCORDINGLY WE, MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF ERETZ-ISRAEL AND OF THE ZIONIST MOVEMENT, ARE HERE ASSEMBLED ON THE DAY OF THE TERMINATION OF THE BRITISH MANDATE OVER ERETZ-ISRAEL AND, BY VIRTUE OF OUR NATURAL AND HISTORIC RIGHT AND ON THE STRENGTH OF THE RESOLUTION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, HEREBY DECLARE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JEWISH STATE IN ERETZ-ISRAEL, TO BE KNOWN AS THE STATE OF ISRAEL.

WE DECLARE that, with effect from the moment of the termination of the Mandate being tonight, the eve of Sabbath, the 6th Iyar, 5708 (15th May, 1948), until the establishment of the elected, regular authorities of the State in accordance with the Constitution which shall be adopted by the Elected Constituent Assembly not later than the 1st October 1948, the People's Council shall act as a Provisional Council of State, and its executive organ, the People's Administration, shall be the Provisional Government of the Jewish State, to be called "Israel".

THE STATE OF ISRAEL will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

THE STATE OF ISRAEL is prepared to cooperate with the agencies and representatives of the United Nations in implementing the resolution of the General Assembly of the 29th November, 1947, and will take steps to bring about the economic union of the whole of Eretz-Israel.

WE APPEAL to the United Nations to assist the Jewish people in the building-up of its State and to receive the State of Israel into the comity of nations.

WE APPEAL - in the very midst of the onslaught launched against us now for months - to the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to preserve peace and participate in the upbuilding of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions.

WE EXTEND our hand to all neighbouring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighbourliness, and appeal to them to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the sovereign Jewish people settled in its own land. The State of Israel is prepared to do its share in a common effort for the advancement of the entire Middle East.

WE APPEAL to the Jewish people throughout the Diaspora to rally round the Jews of Eretz-Israel in the tasks of immigration and upbuilding and to stand by them in the great struggle for the realization of the age-old dream - the redemption of Israel.

PLACING OUR TRUST IN THE "ROCK OF ISRAEL", WE AFFIX OUR SIGNATURES TO THIS PROCLAMATION AT THIS SESSION OF THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE, ON THE SOIL OF THE HOMELAND, IN THE CITY OF TEL-AVIV, ON THIS SABBATH EVE, THE 5TH DAY OF IYAR, 5708 (14TH MAY,1948).

David Ben-Gurion

11 minutes later, President Harry S. Truman sent the following telegram:

This Government has been informed that a Jewish state has been proclaimed in Palestine, and recognition has been requested by the provisional government thereof. The United States recognizes the provisional government as the de facto authority of the State of Israel.

Then 5 Arab nations (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq) attacked the fledgling nation. 5 nations whose combined military power had a 10 to 1 advantage over the new nation. 5 nations with the best equipped militaries in the region, compared to the new nation with a spattering of guns, no tanks, few planes, and no real artillery.

The new nation never stood a chance of survival fora more than a week, perhaps 10 days.

But the new nation had a weapon that the others didn't have. The Hand of G-d.

Today Israelis are celebrating the founding of their nation. Born in blood, yet with the promise and hope that peace will one day resound through out the land.

Israel then and now!



View at YouTube

100!

This month the city of Tel Aviv celebrates the 100th Anniversary of its founding.

Some interesting facts about Tel Aviv:

The city of Tel Aviv-Jaffa was established in 1909. Its birth coincided with the birth of modern Zionism. It is the first Hebrew-speaking city in modern times.

Tel Aviv and its outskirts consists of 2 1/2 million people, about one-third of Israel's population. Over one million people visit the city daily. Actual population within city limits is 350,000.

Incorporated into a single municipality with Tel Aviv in 1950, Jaffa is older than the city of Jerusalem, and is the oldest operating port in the world.

Tel Aviv contains the largest collection of Bauhaus Architecture in the world and was named a UNESCO world heritage site.

Tel Aviv-Jaffa is Israel's center of commerce and culture. Most major banks, insurance, and high tech companies, are headquartered in Tel Aviv. Fifty percent of all theater seats filled each day in Israel are in Tel Aviv. It is home to the only Opera House, the Israel Philharmonic, Habima, Cameri and Gesher Theatre companies. Israel's Diaspora Museum, the Museum of Art, Museum Ha'aretz, Nahum Gutman and Rubin Museums are all located in Tel Aviv. It is home to the Bat-Sheva Dance Troupe and the Cinematheque.

Tel Aviv in 1909

Tel Aviv today.

Quite a difference a century makes!

2 Anniversaries. One for the birth of a city, the other for the birth of a nation. 2 reasons to shout out in joy:

Am Yisrael Chai!

Pakistani Military FINALLY Moves Into Buner To Expel Taliban

Well, it's probably not a day late, dollar short type of scenario but you certainly could ask the Pakistan government what took them so damn long! The Pakistani military moved into Buner district in NW Pakistan today with ground forces and helicopter support and artillery vowing to push the Taliban out of Buner. According to the report here at The Long War Journal, no casualties had yet been reported in the fighting but obviously, the Taliban didn't just storm into the offensive - I don't know if the Taliban had time to rig the roads of Buner with IED's yet - I guess we'll find out. Here's a bit from the article:

The Pakistani government has launched a military operation in the Taliban-controlled district of Buner. The operation is the second in three days in the Malakand Division, a region recently ceded to the Taliban in a controversial peace agreement. The Malakand Division encompasses nearly one-third of the Northwest Frontier Province.
Paramilitary fighters from the Frontier Corps backed by regular Army units, artillery, helicopter gunships, and attack aircraft moved into Buner this afternoon after the government warned the Taliban to "leave Buner or face action."
"The aim of the offensive is to eliminate and expel militants from Buner," Major General Athar Abbas, the Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations, said during a briefing.

Now, this is the second operation that the government forces have started against the Taliban but this one is a bit more visible in that Buner is closer to the capital of Islamabad. Regarding the earlier operation started a couple of days ago:

The Buner operation is launched just two days after the military went on the offensive in Dir, a district bordering Swat to the north. The Frontier Corps targeted the home town of Sufi Mohammed, the radical pro-Taliban cleric who has served as the intermediary with the government in negotiating the Malakand Accord.

As some of you have guessed, I'm a fan of old sayings. A couple that come to mind here are: 1. You can't teach an old dog new tricks 2. A leopard doesn't change its spots. And with that in mind, I think we'll see the predictable happen with these Pakistani military offensives - they will pummel the Taliban for about three or four days, the Taliban will fall back , some doofus of a Taliban cleric will offer up a "resolution" and the Pakistan government will put covers on their artillery guns and sit down to sign a new ceasefire. It's happened more times than I care to think about. Oh, it might not even be three or four days if the Taliban can manage to capture 20 or 30 Pakistani soldiers.

Pakistan launches operation against the Taliban in Buner

The military estimated that more than 500 Taliban fighters "equipped with sophisticated communication system" are present in Buner. The government and military had previously claimed only 100 local Taliban fighters were present in Buner after the Taliban were ordered to withdraw from the district by Swat Taliban commander Mullah Fazlullah.
No casualties have been reported in Buner at this time. The Taliban are said to have blown up a bridge and are deploying along strategic roads as well as in fortified positions in the mountains overlooking the valleys.
The Taliban took control of Buner just eight days after advancing into the district. Following a brief clash with the Taliban, the police and local tribal militias ended resistance.
The Buner operation is launched just two days after the military went on the offensive in Dir, a district bordering Swat to the north. The Frontier Corps targeted the home town of Sufi Mohammed, the radical pro-Taliban cleric who has served as the intermediary with the government in negotiating the Malakand Accord. The peace agreement called for the end of military operations and the imposition of sharia, or Islamic law, in the districts of Malakand, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Dir, Chitral, and Kohistan. Sufi is currently missing; neither the Taliban nor the government has seen or heard from him since April 26.
The military is claiming success in Dir. Abbas said that more than 70 Taliban fighters and 10 security forces personnel have been killed during three days of fighting, while several Taliban base camps were destroyed in artillery bombardments. The government also claimed to be in control of Dir; however, fighting is still ongoing. More than 30,000 of Dir's one million-plus residents have fled the region to avoid the fighting.
Taliban creeps closer to Islamabad and Peshawar despite military operations
The Pakistani military has launched a series of operations in an effort to stem the Taliban push toward the provincial capital of Peshawar and Islamabad, the national capital. While the government and military have claimed success, the operations have failed to prevent the Taliban advance. Today, both Peshawar and Islamabad are under the real threat of being overrun by the Taliban.
The offensives against the Taliban have been limited in both size and scope. There is no coordinated campaign plan between the military and the local and federal governments to address the wider problem of Taliban control in northwestern Pakistan. Instead, the districts and tribal agencies are each treated as discrete problems.
Counterinsurgency is not a consideration; the Pakistani military often sends in the poorly armed and trained Frontier Corps, and the military also levels local towns in air and artillery strikes. The Taliban in neighboring regions provide reinforcements, supplies, and sanctuary during the fighting. If the Pakistani military gains the upper hand, the Taliban slip away to neighboring districts or tribal agencies, and return after government forces leave.
With the exception of the military offensives in Swat, the operations have never lasted more than several weeks.
The fighting has never led to a conclusive outcome. Instead, the military and the government initiate ceasefires and peace agreements just as the fighting intensifies. The Taliban have come out of the fighting in a better position to assert their power, because the government and the military are viewed as weak and indecisive. The local government and populations are demoralized as they view the government to be unwilling and unable to halt the Taliban advance.

Arlen Specter Shows America What He Is... A Coward

There's an old saying..."when the going gets tough, the tough get going." Well, Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter has shown a new twist to that saying because indeed, Specter has seen the going get pretty tough for him lately since he has abandoned nearly all conservative values...and when that going got really tough, Specter decided to NOT get going but to roll over on his back, show his yellow belly and switch his allegiance from the Republican party to the New Socialist Democratic Party of America, formerly known as the Democrat party.

That's it. Arlen Specter is no longer a Republican Senator, he's a Democrat Senator and the balance of a two party system is tipping to the point now that we will almost certainly see a one party system in America. Now, you won't see me go into some tirade about Specter's decision because this decision is 10 years too late in my eyes - Arlen Specter's about as conservative as Barack Obama is but at least with Obama you know what you are getting...Specter has worn the Republican mask for years and at the same time, stabbed more backs than a bullfighter in the ring in Madrid. Here's some of the details of Specter's decision from the article at Breitbart:

Veteran Republican Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania switched parties Tuesday with a suddenness that seemed to stun the Senate, a moderate's defection that pushed Democrats to within a vote of the 60 needed to overcome filibusters and enact President Barack Obama's top legislative priorities.

"I have found myself increasingly at odds with the Republican philosophy and more in line with the philosophy of the Democratic Party," he said at a news conference. He added, "I am not prepared to have my 29 year record in the United States Senate decided by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate."
Not long after Specter met privately with Republican senators to explain his decision, the party's leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell, said the switch posed a "threat to the country." The issue, he said, "really relates to ... whether or not in the United States of America our people want the majority party to have whatever it wants, without restraint, without a check or balance."

Let's make one thing perfectly clear - this decision was NOT about Specter's feeling at odds with the Republican party or with Senate Republican leadership. This is purely and simply Arlen Specter doing what he needs to do to stay a Senator. I liken this to Harry Reid - Senator Reid, when the bandwagon seemed to really be rolling for America to surrender in Iraq, Harry Reid decided to tell the whole world that we had lost the war...he voiced a treasonous statement in order to keep his job in the Senate.

But let me be even more clear. I can live with a filibuster proof Senate. I can't live with these fake conservatives sitting in Senate and House seats. I'm hopeful that the whole lot of them will all bail out - yes, I'm calling for Snowe and Collins and Graham from the Senate to all follow suit - hang up your fake conservative masks, put on the Liberal face that you actually own and let us all in America get to work on throwing your impotent asses out of Congress and the Senate.

Good riddance, Arlen. A better man wouldn't be able to sleep tonight...but you will be sawing logs, I'm sure.

Specter switches to Dems; 60-vote majority is near

As a result of last fall's elections, Democrats control the White House and have a large majority in the House. Specter's switch leaves them with 59 Senate seats. Democrat Al Franken is ahead in a marathon recount in Minnesota. If he ultimately defeats Republican Norm Coleman, he would become the party's 60th vote—the number needed to overcome a filibuster that might otherwise block legislation.
Specter, who has a lifelong record of independence, told reporters, "I will not be an automatic 60th vote." As evidence, he pointed out he opposes "card check" legislation to make it easier for workers to form unions, a bill that is organized labor's top priority this year.
His move comes as Democrats are looking ahead to battles on health care, energy and education.
Specter was one of only three Republicans in Congress who voted for Obama's economic stimulus bill earlier this year, a measure the senator said was needed to head off the threat of another Great Depression.
Specter called the White House on Tuesday to notify Obama of his decision to switch. The president called back moments later, according to spokesman Robert Gibbs, to say the Democratic Party was "thrilled to have you."
Several officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said discussions of a possible switch had reached into the White House in recent days, although Gibbs said he had no details.
Gibbs said Obama would raise money for Specter as well as campaign personally for him if asked.
Specter told reporters at his news conference that Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, had suggested a meeting in Washington for this week at which the party's leadership could formally "endorse my candidacy."
In Pennsylvania, State Rep. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, swiftly announced he was no longer interested in running for the Senate next year. The only announced Democratic candidate has been Joe Torsella, chairman of the State Board of Education.
Among Republicans, former Rep. Pat Toomey is expected to run. He had been poised to challenge Specter, who defeated him narrowly in a 2004 primary.
"I welcome Senator Specter and his moderate voice to our diverse caucus," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said in a statement that was a jab at the Republicans.
Other Democrats spread the word on Twitter in a way that reflected surprise. "Specter to switch parties? Wow," said a message sent by Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri.
At his news conference, Specter grew animated as he blamed conservatives for helping deliver control of the Senate to Democrats in 2006, making it impossible to confirm numerous judicial appointees of former president George W. Bush.
"They don't make any bones about their willingness to lose the general election if they can purify the party. I don't understand it, but that's what they said," he added.
Ironically, Specter had spoken recently about the importance of a strong Republican presence in the Senate.
"If we lose my seat they have 60 Democrats, they will pass card check, you will have the Obama tax increases, they will carry out his big spending plans. So the 41st Republican, whose name is Arlen Specter, is vital to stopping tax increases, passage of card check and the Obama big spending plans."
Pennsylvania has voted increasingly Democratic in recent elections, and Obama's candidacy in 2008 prompted thousands of voters to switch their registration to his party. Specter said their migration had left the GOP primary electorate "very far to the right."

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The Newest Target Of Iran: Egypt

Not a bad little article from The Wall Street Journal about how Iran has targeted Egypt as its main obstacle to further influencing the Middle East - this article is written by ABDEL MONEM SAID ALY so beware, there's a bit of bullshit in it regarding the stance of Israel but it does show how Iran certainly has set its sites on Egypt. Here's some of the excerpts:

On April 8, Egypt announced it had uncovered a Hezbollah cell operating inside its borders. This startling pronouncement offers a rare insight into the way Iran and its proxies are manipulating Middle East politics.

In the past six months, there have been irrefutable signs of Iran's determined effort to sabotage Egypt's attempts at regional stability. At Tehran's instigation, Hamas rejected the renewal of the six-month, Egypt-brokered cease-fire last summer between it and Israel. This rejection led to the Gaza war in December. At the height of that war, Mr. Nasrallah called on the people of Egypt and its army to march on the city of Rafah to open the border to Gaza by force, a highly inflammatory appeal aimed at causing insurrection.

Tehran sees Egypt as its greatest rival in the region, and the most formidable Arab bulwark opposing its influence. It is in this context that Hezbollah actions in Egypt should be assessed. Acting as a front for Iranian objectives, Hezbollah is tasked with distracting Egypt from the diplomatic process that will hopefully lead one day to a two-state solution in the Palestine-Israel conflict.

We mentioned many times here at Holger Awakens how the divide between the Shias in Iran and the Sunnis in Egypt and Saudi Arabia is widening with each day - now, when it comes down to it, they all will unite against Israel but what we are seeing is the likes of Egypt who is about fed up with all the shit they have to deal with on their front door step being caused by the Persians who are thousands of miles away from the fray.

I'm going to make a wild prediction here. If there happens to be some sort of terror attack inside of Egypt, which can be pinpointed to the efforts of Hezbollah, I believe that we will see the Egyptians retaliate against Hezbollah INSIDE of Lebanon. Now, if that does happen, it's going to put Israel in a bad spot but it's my contention that the Egyptians are that pissed off at the moment. Wouldn't that get some heads exploding across the muslim world if Israel allowed Egyptian aircraft use of their airspace to bomb the shit out of Nasrallah's gang in southern Lebanon!

Iran's New Target: Egypt

On April 8, Egypt announced it had uncovered a Hezbollah cell operating inside its borders. This startling pronouncement offers a rare insight into the way Iran and its proxies are manipulating Middle East politics.
According to Egyptian authorities, the cell was tasked with planning attacks against tourist sites in Sinai, conducting surveillance on strategic targets including the Suez Canal, and funneling arms and money to Hamas. Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has admitted that the ringleader of the cell was indeed a member of his organization to provide "logistical support to help the Palestinian brothers in transporting ammunition and individuals."
These latest actions by an emboldened Hezbollah have been spurred on by Iran, which is seeking to further its quest for power in the Arab Middle East. In the past six months, there have been irrefutable signs of Iran's determined effort to sabotage Egypt's attempts at regional stability. At Tehran's instigation, Hamas rejected the renewal of the six-month, Egypt-brokered cease-fire last summer between it and Israel. This rejection led to the Gaza war in December. At the height of that war, Mr. Nasrallah called on the people of Egypt and its army to march on the city of Rafah to open the border to Gaza by force, a highly inflammatory appeal aimed at causing insurrection.
After the war ended, Egypt resumed its efforts to reach a long-term cease-fire. Iran pressured the Hamas leadership to resist. Cairo's ongoing effort to build a Palestinian unity government, by bringing together Fatah and Hamas, has also been undermined by intense Iranian pressure on Hamas.
Tehran sees Egypt as its greatest rival in the region, and the most formidable Arab bulwark opposing its influence. It is in this context that Hezbollah actions in Egypt should be assessed. Acting as a front for Iranian objectives, Hezbollah is tasked with distracting Egypt from the diplomatic process that will hopefully lead one day to a two-state solution in the Palestine-Israel conflict.
Egypt's persistent attempts to bring about peace in this arena and its encouragement of other Arab countries to follow its path with Israel threaten to deprive Iran of the single most potent regional issue that it can exploit to further its radical agenda. Thus Tehran seeks to undermine the prospects for this peace -- and it, along with its clients, believe the way to do this is by undermining Egypt. Similarly, Egypt's security interests in the Gulf, and its traditional role as a force for regional stability, present a clear obstacle to Iran's wider regional ambitions.
For President Barack Obama and members of his administration watching from the sidelines, the implications should be clear. A final settlement of the Palestine-Israel conflict is indispensable if the U.S. wishes to check Iran's expanding influence in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the U.S. administration will have to contend with a right-wing Israeli government that has yet to subscribe to the principle of a two-state solution in defiance of international consensus. It will also have to press Israel to halt its illegal settlement activity, which now more than ever endangers the fundamental basis for a solution.
The administration's focus on the immediate issue of Iran's nuclear program should not distract it from addressing Tehran's overall posture towards the peace process or its support for terrorism. Iran's challenge to the regional status quo is multifaceted, which is why Washington must adopt a comprehensive approach as it formulates its nascent engagement with Iran.
It is said that Mr. Obama is still weighing when and where to deliver a major speech to the Arab world. If he were to make such a speech in Cairo, it would give heart to millions in the region who want to see the peace process succeed. It would also send a firm message to Tehran that America stands with Egypt on the side of peace and stability.

Video: This Is What Happens When You Don't Hear A UAV Overhead

WTF Video of the Day: Obama's Shocking New Strategy For Afghanistan

Watch the third "prediction" from Helene Thomas of The New York Times.

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Video: What Argument Could The Left Possibly Use To Defend Their Attacks On The Constitution? ..."Shut Up!"

(Hat tip: Sharku)

Keith Ellison, Congress' Only Muslim, Handcuffed And Led Away To Jail

Yesssss! This is sweet! Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minn) was arrested this morning along with four of the most moonbat Congressmen and women in the U.S. House of Representatives as they protested outside of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C. Ellison and the others were protesting the expulsion of aid groups in Sudan from the area of Darfur. The other Representatives arrested were:

Jim McGovern, D-Mass., John Lewis, D-Ga., Donna Edwards, D-Md., and Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif.

Okay, okay...I realize it was all a publicity stunt but the visuals I think will backfire. While Ellison is the only muslim of the bunch arrested, as he is the only muslim in Congress, the rest of those arrested reads like a who's who of nutcases. Here's some of the details from the article at the Star Tribune:

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., and four other members of Congress were arrested this morning in front of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., as they protested the expulsion of aid groups in Darfur.
It was an apparently unprecedented act by a member of Minnesota's congressional delegation and somewhat out of character for Ellison, who has kept a generally low profile since he arrived in Congress, attracting international attention as its first Muslim member.

"They were speaking on the embassy steps and were asked to leave," said Ellison spokesman Rick Jauret. "When they didn't, they were arrested."
Ellison and a total of seven other protesters were taken away by U.S. Secret Service agents and are expected to be charged with trespassing, Jauert said.

I guess it's too much to ask that all five of these pieces of shit would spend the next week or two in jail but perhaps their constituents will want to know exactly WHY the representatives they elected to represent them in Washington are spending their time on personal protests and being paid tax dollars while they sit in jail. For Ellison, this is a coming out party - he's ready to pick up the crescent of Islam and start to ruffle as many feathers as he can - he has the support of an American President now to rock the boat, so hang on folks....Ellison is now showing his true colors. P.S. take a good look at the photo atop this thread - you will see that again one day, but the charge then will be treason against the United States of America.

Rep. Ellison arrested during Darfur protest

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., and four other members of Congress were arrested this morning in front of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., as they protested the expulsion of aid groups in Darfur.
It was an apparently unprecedented act by a member of Minnesota's congressional delegation and somewhat out of character for Ellison, who has kept a generally low profile since he arrived in Congress, attracting international attention as its first Muslim member.
News archives show that no other members of the state's delegation have been arrested for civil disobedience; former Sen. Dave Durenberger was arrested on disorderly conduct charges in 1986 after he argued with a police officer and a taxi dispatcher. The charges were dismissed.
Before being led away in handcuffs during the mid-morning protest, Ellison said it's wrong to deprive aid to what he called "the most vulnerable people on our planet."
"They were speaking on the embassy steps and were asked to leave," said Ellison spokesman Rick Jauret. "When they didn't, they were arrested."
Ellison and a total of seven other protesters were taken away by U.S. Secret Service agents and are expected to be charged with trespassing, Jauert said.
Also arrested were Reps. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., John Lewis, D-Ga., Donna Edwards, D-Md., and Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., and three Darfur activist leaders
The activists are urging world leaders to take a stand against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's decision to expel 16 aid agencies from Darfur.
The United Nations says up to 300,000 people have died in Darfur, where ethnic African rebel groups have been fighting the Arab-dominated national government for six years.

ACTIVE: The American Constitution and Capitalism Defense Front (ACTIVE)

Finally. FINALLY, we Americans, who have gnashed our teeth over this unabashed departure of our new government away from the U.S. Constitution, who have seen a concerted assault on free market capitalism, who have looked on in shock as socialism is being teed up in America, have a grass roots movement to join. The American Constitution and Capitalism Defense Front (ACTIVE) has opened its website and is now taking registrations for membership at the ACTIVE website. I encourage everyone to go to the ACTIVE site and look around and yes, JOIN TODAY! Here is the mission statement of ACTIVE:

ACTIVE Mission Statement

Active, The American Constitution and Capitalism Defense Front, is a permanent and enduring organization of American citizens dedicated to maintaining the foundational principles of the United States of America, as initiated by its Declaration of Independence and realized by its Constitution and economic system of free-market capitalism.
These founding documents and this economic system define the United States, and as such, there is no United States without them.
The changing tides of time allow for the development of threats capable of abolishing both, either through overt attack or the processes of slow erosion and unconstitutional change. The principles of free-market capitalism are eternal, and the only legitimate process to change the United States Constitution is that which is prescribed within it.
As such, it is a moral imperative for each and every loyal American to dedicate a sufficient amount of their blood, sweat, and tears to the preservation and defense of both the Constitution and free-market capitalism.
United we stand, divided we fall. Upon this eternal truth we hereby declare that it is incumbent upon the people of this great land to come together in broad union to demand that the freedoms granted to us by God, protected by our Constitution, and given wings by our self-chosen labors, are left intact.
We are the people by which the government is of and for. We are the grantors of the power that the government wields. We are the people who can recall that power from the government at any time of our choosing. We are the citizens of the United States of America. We are the defenders of the greatest nation in the history of man, and we are hereby responding to the call to become ACTIVE.

Again, the only way to protect our liberties, our freedoms and our American tradition is to stand fast behind the Constitution and the intent of our Founding Fathers. Join ACTIVE today and DO SOMETHING! GET ACTIVE HERE!

Pakistani President Says Osama bin Laden Is Dead

Now, before we all rush to celebration that there is finally evidence that al Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden, is dead...hold on, there is no evidence and with the way the Pakistani government has handled the operations of the Taliban and al Qaeda inside of Pakistan, I'm not sure we can gauge these guys as "expert" but the Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari,is indeed saying that it is the Pakistani position that bin Laden is dead. Here's the entire article from Breitbart:

Pakistan president doubts bin Laden alive

President Asif Ali Zardari said Monday that Pakistani intelligence believes Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is dead but acknowledged they had no evidence.
"The Americans tell me they don't know, and they are much more equipped than us to trace him. And our own intelligence services obviously think that he does not exist any more, that he is dead," Zardari told reporters.
"But there is no evidence, you cannot take that as a fact," he said. "We are between facts and fiction."

Zardari was responding to reports that Pakistani Taliban in the troubled Swat valley have said they would welcome bin Laden if he wants to visit the former Pakistani hill resort which is now in the hands of Islamists.
"The question is whether he is alive or dead. There is no trace of him," the president said.

I admit that I have been all over the board on the existence of bin Laden. For quite some time, I did believe that bin Laden had actually not escaped Tora Bora and was dead - then the new tapes emerged and although some of it was suspect, I agreed that the voice was authentic and that he could not have made the statements if killed at Tora Bora. Since then I have flip flopped and have come to the conclusion that I do believe he is still alive....barely alive. I base most of this on the fact that U.S. intelligence and special ops are still on his trail and have not let up on their search.

But to think anyone is going to say, "Well, if the Pakistani Intelligence Services think bin Laden is dead, then he must be dead" is ludicrous. First off, you cannot trust anything these guys say in Pakistan and secondly, as I mentioned before, they have bordered on incompetent for many months now.

So I throw it out to Holger readers: Is Osama bin Laden dead or not?

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Iranian Ship Transporting Arms To Gaza Torpedoed and Sunk Off Of Sudan

Yesssss! The Iranians continue to try and rearm their Hamas minions in Gaza with shipments on Iranian cargo vessels and this time, this past week, a set of torpedoes took down an Iranian vessel just off the coast of Sudan. Neither Washington, D.C. or Jerusalem has mentioned who put the Iranian ship on the bottom of the Indian Ocean....haha. Here's some of the scant details from the article over at Haaretz:

An Iranian vessel laden with weapons bound for the Gaza Strip was torpedoed off the coast of Sudan last week, allegedly by Israeli or American forces operating in the area, the Egyptian newspaper Al-Usbu reported on Sunday. Anonymous sources in Khartoum told the newspaper that an unidentified warship bombed the Iranian vessel as it prepared to dock on Sudan before transferring its load for shipment to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. These sources said they suspects U.S. or Israeli involvement in the attack, but neither Washington nor Jerusalem have released a statement yet on the matter.

The article goes on to point out the previous operations against a convoy of arms crossing the Sudan headed for Gaza and the Iranian vessel that was seized in Cyprus that was also loaded with weapons.

What's interesting about this latest incident is the lack of reporting on it - obviously, the Iranians got caught red-handed as they haven't said a thing about their ship being sunk and if it weren't for this Egyptian release, no one would have known about it. At first glance at this, I thought it would have been Americans behind the torpedoing of this vessel but due to the close proximity of the the Iranian ship to Sudan, I'm leaning more towards the Israelis. Also, considering the hellacious amount of time it took the Obama administration to take out a band of Somali pirate misfits, I find it hard to believe they would have been this decisive on a potentially volatile action. Either way, it's good to see a ship-full of Iranian weapons on the bottom of the sea and a bunch of Hamas crying their eyes out.

'Iran arms ship bound for Gaza downed near Sudan'

An Iranian vessel laden with weapons bound for the Gaza Strip was torpedoed off the coast of Sudan last week, allegedly by Israeli or American forces operating in the area, the Egyptian newspaper El-Aosboa reported on Sunday. Anonymous sources in Khartoum told the newspaper that an unidentified warship bombed the Iranian vessel as it prepared to dock on Sudan before transferring its load for shipment to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. These sources said they suspects U.S. or Israeli involvement in the attack, but neither Washington nor Jerusalem have released a statement yet on the matter.

The Israel Air Force, meanwhile, is suspected of attacking a convoy of Iranian arms that passed through Sudan en route to Gaza in January, according to reports released in March. American officials confirmed the IAF involvement in that attack, The New York Times later reported, abd said they had received intelligence reports that an Iranian Revolutionary Guards operative had gone to Sudan to help organize the weapons convoy said the report. Israel has neither denied nor confirmed involvement in that incident. In February, Cypriot authorities detained an Iranian arms ship en route Iranian arms ship en route to Syria, apparently upon request of the U.S. and Israel. A search of the ship, which was sailing from Iran to the Syrian port of Latakia, found ammunition for T-72 tanks, used by the Syrian army, as well as various types of mortar shells, said a senior Israeli official. The United States has claimed that the ship was carrying weapons from Iran to Hamas or the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah.

Video: Apache Compilation Classic aka ' Virgin Drive Thru '

Italian Cruise Ship Captain: ' It was as if we were at war '

The captain of an Italian cruise ship that was attacked by Somali pirates late Saturday night recalled the attack and equated it to being at war before the Israeli security guards on the cruise ship repelled the attack. It seems that once the Somali pirates discovered themselves in a hair of gunfire, the retreated from the attack pretty quickly ....LOL! Here's some of the details from the AP report:

Ciro Pinto, captain of the Melody, said one passenger and one crew member were injured when panic broke out as the pirates closed on the white-hulled vessel and opened fire late Saturday.

"It was as if we were at war," Pinto told Italy's ANSA national news agency as he described the clash in which his ship -- carrying 991 passengers and 536 crew -- sustained smashed windows and bullet holes in the hull and a lifeboat.
Six men on a speedboat and armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles attacked the cruise ship, Pinton said.
"After four or five minutes, they tried to put a ladder on the bow," Pinto said.
However, security guards on the ship "opened fire, and when they saw we were shooting, they abandoned their effort and went away."
"They still followed us for about 20 minutes and continued to fire at us," he added.

And my favorite quote from the article:

Domenico Pellegrino, managing director of the liner's owners MSC, said the Melody was protected by Israeli security guards.
"We use them because they are the best. And we have had a demonstration of that," said Pellegrino.

You can almost imagine the scene when the Somali pirates take a couple of steps up onto the ladder to board this ship and a hail of fire rains down on 'em from Israeli security guards - probably set the world record for dismounting a ladder. haha.

Cruise captain recounts Somali pirate attack

The captain of an Italian cruise ship carrying more than 1,500 people whose Israeli security guards fought off marauding Somali pirates said Sunday the attack had felt like "war".
The cruise liner Melody continued its trip Sunday toward the Jordanian port of Aqaba while Somali pirates seized a Yemeni oil tanker after a clash in which two raiders were killed, according to Yemeni authorities.
Ciro Pinto, captain of the Melody, said one passenger and one crew member were injured when panic broke out as the pirates closed on the white-hulled vessel and opened fire late Saturday.

"It was as if we were at war," Pinto told Italy's ANSA national news agency as he described the clash in which his ship -- carrying 991 passengers and 536 crew -- sustained smashed windows and bullet holes in the hull and a lifeboat.
Six men on a speedboat and armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles attacked the cruise ship, Pinton said.
"After four or five minutes, they tried to put a ladder on the bow," Pinto said.
However, security guards on the ship "opened fire, and when they saw we were shooting, they abandoned their effort and went away."
"They still followed us for about 20 minutes and continued to fire at us," he added.
Domenico Pellegrino, managing director of the liner's owners MSC, said the Melody was protected by Israeli security guards.
"We use them because they are the best. And we have had a demonstration of that," said Pellegrino.
The ship was to rendezvous with international naval vessels in the Indian Ocean which would escort the vessel to Jordan.
But Somali pirates hit back and seized an empty Yemeni oil tanker in a new raid off the Yemeni coast. A Yemeni official said the vessel belonged to Aden refineries.
The Yemen defence ministry said on its website that two pirates were killed in the confrontation, and three other pirates and two coast guards were wounded.
According to the official, the tanker was on its way back to the southern port city of Aden from Al-Mohra province, where it had unloaded its cargo.

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Video: The INEVITABLE Takeover Of The World By Islam (watch this video, I implore you)

(Hat tip: Lookingup)

Video: Don't Tread On Me (Metallica)

Don't Tread On Me (metallica)

Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail
Once you provoke her, rattling of her tail
Never begins it, never, but once engaged...Never surrenders, showing the fangs of rage

Dont tread on me

So be it Threaten no more
To secure peace is to prepare for war
So be it Settle the score
Touch me again for the words that youll hear evermore...
Dont tread on me
Love it or leave it, she with the deadly bite
Quick is the blue tongue, forked as lighting strike
Shining with brightness, always on surveillance
The eyes, they never close, emblem of vigilance

Dont tread on me

So be it Threaten no more
To secure peace is to prepare for war
So be it Settle the score
Touch me again for the words that youll hear evermore...Dont tread on me
So be it
Threaten no more To secure peace is to prepare for war
Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail
Once you provoke her, rattling on her tail
So be it Threaten no more
To secure peace is to prepare for war
So be it Settle the score
Touch me again for the words that youll hear evermore...
Dont tread on me . . .

Sderot: Remembering the Holocaust. and Durban II

by Findalis


From the Sderot Media Center

Holocaust Remembrance Day: The Tragedy of Silence

by Anav Silverman

Today Israel marked Holocaust Remembrance Day. Standing on a street in Sderot, I listened quietly to the siren sound, remembering the tragedy of 6 million Jews killed in Nazi Europe, my great grandparents, uncles and aunts from Poland among them.

I’ve become used to sirens sounding in Sderot during my past two years here-the click of the intercom, followed by a female voice that calmly repeats Tzeva Adom, Tzeva Adom, or Color Red. The scenes that unfold usually entail people dashing into shelters-racing for 15 seconds that may mean the difference between life and death.

But now at this moment, the Holocaust siren gives me a moment to reflect. I watch passerby’s stop, Ethiopians, Russians, Uzbekistanis, Moroccans, Persians and the like; Israeli Jews from countries around the world who make up Sderot’s colorful cultural tapestry. We stand together to remember the tragedy of silence that cost the lives of so many innocent people in our nation.

It is this tragedy of silence which probably strikes hardest here in Sderot.

Eight years of Qassam attacks have wounded over 1,000 Israelis, destroyed hundreds of Jewish homes, and have left thousands of children psychologically traumatized. Today close to one million Israelis in southern Israel live under the threat of Palestinian rocket attack thanks to the financial aid and embedment from Iran.

Who will speak up for these Israelis who continue to be the targets of radical Islam in the form of Hamas rocket terror?

Sderot is targeted not because it is a city outside the 1967 green lines, nor because of an army base located in the city. Sderot is part of the UN Partition Plan of 1948 with a civilian population of 19,000, where over 5,000 residents have been forced to flee since Palestinian rocket fire began on the city in 2001.

Sderot is targeted simply because it is a Jewish city on the frontlines of Israel-an easy target for Palestinian terrorists who seek Israel’s destruction.

THE greatest testimony that the world is once again returning to its apathetic state of silence that defined the era of Nazi Germany was revealed no less ironically today at the Durban II conference when Iranian President Ahmadinejad was invited as a guest speaker. Moreover, Hans-Rudolf Merz, the president of Switzerland, a country that declared its “neutrality” during the Holocaust, agreed to meet with Ahmadinejad, who is a fervent Holocaust denier and has repeatedly called for the destruction of Israel.

According to an Associated Press report, the Swiss president defended his meeting with Ahmadinejad and said that the criticism of the meeting was unjustified, stating that “Switzerland is neutral and not part of any alliance.”

Ahmadinejad’s presence at Durban II is symbolic in that there has been no overwhelming international outcry against his views or the fact that he was invited to speak at the UN conference on racism.

Iran is considered the greatest threat to Israel’s survival. Although Iran, an oil-rich country, continues to claim that its nuclear program is meant to produce electricity, it remains clear to Israel that Tehran is intent on building nuclear weapons that could potentially cause massive destruction to the state.

SDEROT residents have been the silent targets of Islamic terror for too long. Last year on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, 13 rockets fell upon Sderot. Although rocket fire has significantly decreased since Operation Cast Lead, close to 200 rockets have still been fired at the western Negev region. If Israel does not effectively stand up for her citizens at home, who will stand up for Israel in the world?

As countries across the world show alarming acceptance of a blatantly anti-Semitic figure like Ahmadinejad, demonstrated in Durban II, the state of Israel and the Jewish people cannot allow silence to become a national policy in the face of anti-Semitic terror, be it rockets or rhetoric, at home or abroad.

In 1938 the world did nothing, said nothing while Hitler and his thugs accelerated Germany's slide into the madness that was the 'Final Solution'. We witnessed on Monday 100 nation rise and applaud Ahmadinejad in Geneva. There is only one nation that speaks for Israel and Jews around the world. It is Israel. It is a shame that the world has decided to turn its back and closed its ears to the cries of pain and anguish from Israelis. It is only Palestinian tears that matter to the world.

But I pray not to you, truth seeker. I once again ask you to remember the people of Sderot, and Israel in your prayers. To sign up for Code Red Alerts. To contact you Congress Representatives, Senators and President Obama. Contact your newspapers, radio, and other media outlits. And if you are able to, donate a few coins to the Sderot Media Center. Just click on the logo at the top or bottom of this post and follow the directions from there. It is time that the people of Sderot and Israel start having a loud voice screaming out their story too.