The Talk Show American

THE TALK SHOW AMERICAN: 01/30/2005 - 02/06/2005

Friday, February 04, 2005

Iraqi Citizens Fight Back Against Insurgents !

The ABC's Middle East Correspondent, Mark Willacy, is in the Iraqi capital,
Baghdad.

Mark Willacy, we've heard reports about the high voter turnout, but now there are reports of how some voters have taken on the insurgents in order to vote, you know, the people are fighting back.

MARK WILLACY: That's right, Tony. The Iraqi police have investigated a case in the village of al-Mudhariya, which is just south of Baghdad. The villagers there say that before the election insurgents came and warned them that if they voted in last weekend's election, they would pay.

Now the people of this mixed village of Sunni and Shia Muslims, they ignored the threat and they did turn out to vote.

We understand that last night the insurgents came back to punish the people of al-Mudhariya, but instead of metering out that punishment the villagers fought back and they killed five of the insurgents and wounded eight. They then burnt the insurgents' car. So the people of that village have certainly had enough of the insurgents.

TONY EASTLEY: Do you think that is a one off, Mark, or is it a sign perhaps that some Iraqis are no longer sympathetic to the insurgents' cause, or at least no longer willing to turn a blind eye?

MARK WILLACY: It would appear that people are getting sick of the insurgency. I understand, though, that this is the first report of Iraqis confronting insurgents and actually fighting back in such a way.

But certainly many people here see the insurgency as the work of foreigners who want to turn their country into some sort of Islamic state, like Afghanistan under the Talbian.

And a couple of days ago we spoke to some voters in central Baghdad and every one of them basically said that they'd like the insurgents to stop their bombing and shooting attacks. Some even said they'd voted just to send a message to the insurgents that they would not be frightened any more.

Thursday, February 03, 2005

Full Text: President's State of Union Speech

CLICK ABOVE TITLE for the full text of the speech !

State of the Union Highlights

Highlights from President Bush's State of the Union address:

SOCIAL SECURITY: "Social Security was a great moral success of the 20th Century, and we must honor its great purposes in this new century. The system, however, on its current path, is headed toward bankruptcy. And so we must join together to strengthen and save Social Security."
"Today, more than 45 million Americans receive Social Security benefits, and millions more are nearing retirement and for them the system is strong and fiscally sound. I have a message for every American who is 55 or older: Do not let anyone mislead you. For you, the Social Security system will not change in any way.

"All these ideas are on the table. I know that none of these reforms would be easy. But we have to move ahead with courage and honesty, because our children's retirement security is more important than partisan politics. I will work with members of Congress to find the most effective combination of reforms. I will listen to anyone who has a good idea to offer. We must, however, be guided by some basic principles. We must make Social Security permanently sound, not leave that task for another day."

IRAQ:

"Our generational commitment to the advance of freedom, especially in the Middle East, is now being tested and honored in Iraq. That country is a vital front in the war on terror, which is why the terrorists have chosen to make a stand there. Our men and women in uniform are fighting terrorists in Iraq, so we do not have to face them here at home. "

"And the victory of freedom in Iraq will strengthen a new ally in the war on terror, inspire democratic reformers from Damascus to Tehran, bring more hope and progress to a troubled region, and thereby lift a terrible threat from the lives of our children and grandchildren."

"We are standing for the freedom of our Iraqi friends, and freedom in Iraq will make America safer for generations to come. We will not set an artificial timetable for leaving Iraq, because that would embolden the terrorists and make them believe they can wait us out. We are in Iraq to achieve a result: A country that is democratic, representative of all its people, at peace with its neighbors, and able to defend itself. And when that result is achieved, our men and women serving in Iraq will return home with the honor they have earned."

TERRORISM:

To promote peace and stability in the broader Middle East, the United States will work with our friends in the region to fight the common threat of terror, while we encourage a higher standard of freedom. "

"Our Nation, working with allies and friends, has also confronted the enemy abroad, with measures that are determined, successful, and continuing. The al-Qaida terror network that attacked our country still has leaders but many of its top commanders have been removed. There are still governments that sponsor and harbor terrorists but their number has declined. There are still regimes seeking weapons of mass destruction but no longer without attention and without consequence. Our country is still the target of terrorists who want to kill many, and intimidate us all and we will stay on the offensive against them, until the fight is won. "

IRAN:

Today, Iran remains the world's primary state sponsor of terror, pursuing nuclear weapons while depriving its people of the freedom they seek and deserve. We are working with European allies to make clear to the Iranian regime that it must give up its uranium enrichment program and any plutonium reprocessing, and end its support for terror. And to the Iranian people, I say tonight: As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you.

ECONOMY:

"America's economy is the fastest growing of any major industrialized nation. In the past four years, we have provided tax relief to every person who pays income taxes, overcome a recession, opened up new markets abroad, prosecuted corporate criminals, raised homeownership to the highest level in history, and in the last year alone, the United States has added 2.3 million new jobs."

"America's prosperity requires restraining the spending appetite of the federal government. I welcome the bipartisan enthusiasm for spending discipline. So next week I will send you a budget that holds the growth of discretionary spending below inflation, makes tax relief permanent, and stays on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009."

"My budget substantially reduces or eliminates more than 150 government programs that are not getting results, or duplicate current efforts, or do not fulfill essential priorities. The principle here is clear: a taxpayer dollar must be spent wisely, or not at all."

MILITARY:

"Some of our servicemen and women have survived terrible injuries, and this grateful country will do everything we can to help them recover. And we have said farewell to some very good men and women, who died for our freedom, and whose memory this nation will honor forever."

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Video of Hercules air attack is 'bogus' - Breaking News

Video of Hercules air attack is 'bogus' - Breaking News

Video of Hercules air attack is 'bogus'

  • 18:01 01 February 2005
  • NewScientist.com news service
  • Will Knight

A video purportedly showing the moment a British military airplane was shot down by Iraqi insurgents is almost certainly bogus, say defence specialists who studied the footage.

The Royal Air Force C-130 Hercules crashed 40 kilometres north-west of Baghdad at 1340 GMT on Sunday, killing all 10 military personnel on board. The plane is thought to have been carrying Special Forces troops to a base in the north of the country. On Tuesday, the British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed his "sympathy and condolences" to the families of those killed.

But the circumstances surrounding the crash remain hazy and on Monday the Arabic television station Al-Jazeera aired a video allegedly showing the aeroplane being destroyed by a missile.

The footage was supplied by an insurgent group calling itself the 1920 Revolutionary Brigade, which also claimed responsibility for bringing down the aircraft. The video shows a missile being launched by remote control followed by a mid-air explosion and images of aircraft wreckage on the ground.

Defence experts say the wreckage seen in the video shown is consistent with that of a Hercules C-130, but dismiss the rest of the video as a crude propaganda attempt.

Surface-to-surface

"I think the video is bogus," says Peter Felstead, editor of Jane's Defence Weekly. "The missile footage has just been grafted onto the front. And it looks like a surface-to-surface missile to me."

Jim O'Halloran, editor of Jane's Land-Based Air Defence, agrees. He says the pointed shape of the missile and the way it launched suggests it was a surface-to-surface Multiple Launch Rocket System missile, possibly the Katyusha type used by the Israeli army. He adds that such a weapon would not be effective against an airborne target. "What they're showing did not kill a C-130," O'Halloran told New Scientist.

But some of the wreckage footage itself may also be suspect, as it is shot in daylight. The airplane crashed at 1635 local time, leaving just an hour before sunset for someone to reach the wreckage and start recording. The images could not have been captured the following morning, as British forces had arrived at the site by this time.

Countermeasures

Even if the video is a fake, it still remains possible that the Hercules was brought down by a heat-seeking ground-to-air missile. Military officials say the debris from the plane was strewn over a large area, consistent with an explosion at approximately 4000 metres - the altitude at which the Hercules was known to be flying.

But several factors suggest the plane may not have encountered a missile at all. For one, Iraqi insurgents are not known to have access to such weapons. Secondly, the aircraft ought to have had numerous built-in countermeasures to combat heat-seeking projectiles, including infrared and radar detectors, decoy flares and a sophisticated infrared jamming system.

Felstead notes that heat-seeking missiles usually strike an aircraft's engine and destroy its wing. This often causes the plane to flip over and crash - leaving a relatively small area of debris on the ground.

He suggests that the plane may have suffered an onboard explosion, perhaps caused by a bomb or a fuel tank accident. "This seems more likely than something hitting it in the air," he told New Scientist.

However, Andrew Doyle, news editor at the aviation industry magazine Flight International, sounds a note of caution: "We're just not seeing enough evidence to say what happened at the moment."

G.I. JOE: MILITANTS TAKE 'TOY' HOSTAGE; IRAQI WEBSITE WAS CLIP ART...


U.S. MILITARY: NO SOLDIER MISSING IN IRAQ...



G.I. JOE: MILITANTS TAKE 'TOY' HOSTAGE; IRAQI WEBSITE WAS CLIP ART...


 

Corporate Jet Slams Into N.J. Building

Corporate Jet Slams Into N.J. Building
1 hour, 17 minutes ago

TETERBORO, N.J. - A corporate jet slammed into a building Wednesday after going off the runway at Teterboro Airport.

 

A traffic helicopter pilot for New York radio station WCBS says it appears the plane went off the runway, broke through a fence, crossed a highway and slammed into the building.

Television reports showed smoke billowing from the building and skid marks leading to the crash site.

There was no immediate word on injuries.

Route 46 closed in both directions and broadcast reports said the airport was closed.

AP To Report Bin Laden's Capture...

They got the photographic evidence to prove it...

HAT TIP: The Corner
UPDATE: Scrappleface reports that a George W. Bush doll has rescued the toy soldier...

Captured Soldier... or Toy Soldier?

Drudge asks the question if the soldier claimed to be captured in Iraq is really a toy.

You judge:

The above animation shows the original photo of the alleged captured soldier, with the toy head superimposed at 25% on the second frame, 50% on the third frame, 75% on the fourth frame, and 100% on the fifth frame.

UPDATE: Other blogs on the story... Wizbang... Ace of Spades... A Small Victory... Backcountry Conservative... Command Post... The Jawa Report... Slant Point... Powerline notes other toy hostages.. Wizbang again... Cynical Nation... The Political Teen... Pardon My English...

Military says no soldier is missing...

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Kidnapped soldier actually a Toy Figure ?

Terrorist group released photo
with threat to behead hostage

Click on the above link and view the pictures for yourself !Posted: February 1, 2005
5:00 p.m. Eastern
� 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

Image released by terrorist group appears to show captured U.S. soldier
A photograph distributed by the Associated Press appearing to show an American soldier held at gunpoint by Muslims terrorists in Iraq might actually be an image of a toy action figure, according to comparisons making the rounds on Internet message boards.

A website often used by radical Islamic groups posted the photo along with a statement from a group called "Mujahedeen Brigades," which claimed it was holding other soldiers, the AP reported.


Head of toy action figure resembles image in photograph released by terrorists.

"Our mujahadeen heroes of Iraq's Jihadi Battalion were able to capture American military man John Adam after killing a number of his comrades and capturing the rest," said the statement.

"God willing, we will behead him if our female and male prisoners are not released from U.S. prisons within the maximum period of 72 hours from the time this statement has been released."


But the man's uniform had no U.S. insignia or names visible, according to the AP report, and the figure "appeared stiff and expressionless, and the photo's authenticity could not be confirmed."

Posters to the web forum Gunsnet.net believe they know why.


"Cody" action figure produced by Dragon Models USA was purchased for sale at U.S bases in Kuwait.


In one of the first Gunsnet.net posts today about the photograph, a user said: "It just doesn't look right. The boots look like Wolverine Work boots, and I've never seen such a vest. I hope it's a fake."

After several posts conveying similar skepticism, a contributor said: "Okay, I'm probably wrong and prepared to take the heat. But I think I've seen that face before on an 'action figure.' And since when has the military began issuing cammied M-4s?"

Then user BladeWLS posted a photograph of a toy soldier produced by Dragon Models USA, which eventually was relayed to the Drudge Report where it received wide circulation.

A spokesman for the company, Liam Cusack, told the AP the image bore a striking resemblance to one of the company's products, an African-American version of its "Cody" action figure.

"It is our doll ... to me it definitely looks like it is," he said. "Everything the guy is wearing is exactly what comes with our figure."

Cusack said the toy was ordered for sale at U.S. bases in Kuwait so "they would have been in region."

On the company's website, the Dragon toys are described as an "award winning line of highly detailed and historically accurate action figures and accessories. The series include numerous titles from WWII including U.S., German, British and Russian forces as well as many modern military and movie titles. Each figure has its own name, unique headsculpt and numerous accessories."

Meanwhile, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, Staff Sgt. Nick Minecci, said "no units have reported anyone missing."

Weblogs already have begun poking fun at the AP report, including this post by Jihad Watch titled "GI hostage's mother pleads for son's life."


Monday, January 31, 2005

GIVE TERROR THE FINGER -- JANUARY 31, 2005

GIVE TERROR THE FINGER -- JANUARY 31, 2005

On January 31, 2005, in a show of solidarity with the bravery of the Iraqi people, all Americans should color their index fingers blue or purple, and give terrorism the finger.
The Iraqi elections have been a resounding success. Nearly 70% of eligible Iraqis braved threats of terrorism and voted on January 30. On January 31, we can all show our solidarity and give terrorism the finger just as nearly 10 million Iraqis did.

A great Patriotic Army video, from Iraq made with pride!

A great Patriotic Army video, from Iraq made with pride!

http://www.steadfastpatriots.com/media/278th_ACR_Journey_to_Iraq.wmv

Bravo Zulu to our troops!

"Let Freedom Ring In Iraq" !

"We have defeated the terrorists today � the winds of freedom are sweeping across Iraq"

32-year-old Samir Hassan, who lost his leg in an October car-bomb blast, was determined to vote. "I would have crawled here if I had to,"

"the first time the Iraqis will determine their destiny,"

"I don't want terrorists to kill other Iraqis like they tried to kill me. Today I am voting for peace," he said, leaning on his metal crutches.

"This is a wedding for all Iraqis. I congratulate all Iraqis on their newfound freedom and democracy."

"I cannot describe what I am seeing. It is incredible. This is a vote for the future, for the children, for the rule of law, for humanity, for love."

"We have no fear."


Sunday, January 30, 2005

Pictures of proud Iraqi people showing they have voted.

Click here for more pictures of proud Iraqi people showing they have voted.

'Voice of freedom' 60 % of Iraqi's Vote Despite Violence !

32-year-old Samir Hassan, who lost his leg in an October car-bomb blast, was determined to vote. "I would have crawled here if I had to,"

Posted: January 30, 2005
1:00 p.m. Eastern

� 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Purchased at the cost of some 1,400 American lives and those of countless countrymen, millions of Iraqis today participated in their country's first democratic election in more than 50 years.

Although at least 35 Iraqis, plus 8 suicide bombers, died in election-day terror attacks around the nation, the election was also marked in some polling places by dancing and singing.

"What we're seeing here is the voice of freedom," commented Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on ABC's "This Week." "Every indication is that the election in Iraq is going better than expected."

Voter turnout, at first estimated at 72 percent by Iraq's Independent Electoral Commission, was later pegged at approximately 60 percent of eligible voters � around 8 million Iraqis.

Iraqi terror kingpin Abu Musab al-Zarqawi reportedly claim responsibility for the election-day bombings and mortar strikes on polling stations. Some 300,000 Iraqi and American troops � including rooftop sharpshooters � provided security, while private cars were virtually banned from the streets. The suicide bombings that killed several dozen Iraqis were carried out by terrorists who had attached explosives to their bodies.

Iraqi officials were very upbeat, with Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi calling it "the first time the Iraqis will determine their destiny," according to the Associated Press. National Assembly candidate Ahmad Chalabi said, "We have defeated the terrorists today � the winds of freedom are sweeping across Iraq," in a Fox News report.

According to a Reuters report, 32-year-old Samir Hassan, who lost his leg in an October car-bomb blast, was determined to vote. "I would have crawled here if I had to," he told the wire service. "I don't want terrorists to kill other Iraqis like they tried to kill me. Today I am voting for peace," he said, leaning on his metal crutches.

In Najaf, where security was especially high, Jaida Hamza, wearing a black Islamic veil, told Reuters: "This is a wedding for all Iraqis. I congratulate all Iraqis on their newfound freedom and democracy."

Today's election will result in the seating of democratically chosen representatives in a 275-member National Assembly as well as 18 provincial legislatures. The assembly will draft Iraq's permanent constitution and choose the nation's president and two deputy presidents, who will then choose a prime minister and Cabinet until new elections are held in 11 months.

With Iraqis prohibited from driving cars today as a security measure, long lines of voters formed at polling places, with most walking to the polls, although some managed to hitch rides on military buses and trucks.

Rumors of election-day terror attacks had been building for days, and certain "pockets" of the country were deserted. But in most areas voters turned out in droves for the historic election. When a loud boom sounded near a Baghdad voting station, reports Fox, some women whispered prayers, while others continued to walk calmly to the polling place, some shouting in unison: "We have no fear."

At least one Baghdad polling station saw soldiers and voters dancing together, while in another, voters jumped and clapped in celebration, said the Fox report.

The election's final results will not be known at least seven days, although a preliminary outcome could come in the next day.

Alaa al-Tamimi summed up the sentiments of many Iraqis today in a Reuters report: "I cannot describe what I am seeing. It is incredible. This is a vote for the future, for the children, for the rule of law, for humanity, for love."