The Talk Show American

THE TALK SHOW AMERICAN: 07/16/2006 - 07/23/2006

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Marine Families: Hold Iran Accountable

The current flare-up of hostilities in Lebanon is for some American families a poignant reminder of events two decades ago, when Hezbollah militants attacked the U.S. barracks in Beirut, killing 241 Marines who had been stationed as an international peace-keeping force. Those Marines were members of the same unit that is currently helping to evacuate American citizens trapped in Lebanon.

"We understand only too well how Hezbollah uses terrorism to advance its radical goals,� said Lynn Smith Derbyshire, whose brother was killed in the Beirut bombing. "Hezbollah must no longer be allowed to terrorize the citizens of the world, whether in Israel, the United States or in Lebanon.�

Derbyshire is a member of a group called: "Justice For Marine Corps Families � Victims of Terrorism� that for years has pushed the U.S. government to hold Hezbollah�s sponsors in Iran and Syria accountable for the actions of their proxy army.

In March 2003, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that when Hezbollah attacked the Marines in October 1983, the terrorist organization carried out the direct will of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Ministry of Information and Security. As punishment, the judge found Iran financially liable for the attacks.

The government of Iran retains commercial investments in the U.S. and is using profits made on American soil to finance more terrorism through Iranian-controlled banks that have invested Iranian funds in U.S. property. Legislation is pending in Congress that clarifies language in existing laws so that the families and victims of the 1983 Beirut bombing may target these illicit investments to collect on court-ordered damages.

"By passing H.R. 865 and S. 1257, Congress can stop Iran from funding more attacks by Hezbollah with money that is made right here in the United States,� said Steve Forbes.

"Hezbollah militants killed our loved ones without consequence, and now they are attacking other nations,� said Derbyshire. "We can stop this is by passing laws that will take action against Hezbollah for atrocities already committed.�

Saudi fatwa: Don�t support Hizbullah

A leading Wahhabi cleric in Saudi Arabia has issued a scathing fatwa against Hizbullah � the latest in a series of condemnations from the usually supportive Arab world, Fox News reported.

Sheik Abdullah bin Jabreen declares it against Muslim Sharia law to support, join, or even pray for the terror group, writing, "our advice to the Sunnis is to denounce them and shun those who join them to show their hostility to Islam and to the Muslims," the report said.

The New York Sun reports that the fatwa also condemns Iran for funding and supporting Hezbollah to further what Jabreen called its imperial ambitions.

This fatwa joins a ruling by a Kuwaiti sheikh, who harshly condemned the imperialistic aspirations of Iran through Hizbullah following the abduction of Israeli soldiers on the Lebanon border.

The surprising move by the Sudi sheikh demonstrates the controversy among cleric in the Middle East regarding the issue of supporting or opposing Hizbullah, which is a Shiite organization.

Some Sunni clerics, such as the Muslim Brotherhood members in Egypt, have declared their support of Hizbullah.

The Wahhabi faction, however, usually opposed Hizbullah's armed struggle against Israel. The faction members are well familiar with the controversy between the Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq.

The faction is considered the leading ruling voice in Saudi Arabia, although it has become a bit moderate as it is influenced by the general modernization process that the kingdom has gone through.

Jabreen ruled in his fatwa that Hizbullah members are "opposers." He added that "we advise the Sunnis to condemn them and stay away from people who join them or express their hostility towards Islam and Muslims."

"Three years ago I wouldn't have bothered to deal with this issue," Jarbeen explained, "but after al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi spoke against the Shiites, it became easier."

British capture Iraqi bombs mastermind


British forces in Iraq have seized a two-ton cache of weapons - including rockets, grenades and bomb-making equipment - belonging to the gang responsible for the deaths of numerous servicemen.

The discovery, which military commanders believe is the most significant breakthrough since they arrived in Iraq in 2003, followed the arrest of the leader of the fundamentalist Shia group in Basra last weekend.

Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, told The Daily Telegraph: "We got a very important person, the leader of a very dangerous militia gang, which will lead to a very significant deterioration in their capability � This is a sign of significant progress."

Mr Browne said Sajjad Badr Adal Saeed, the Jamaa leader who ordered the killing of many British soldiers in roadside attacks, was taken from his home in Basra last Saturday night. Ordnance tactics handbooks, fake IDs and detonators were found.

"This man was a very significant leader," Mr Browne said. "He was a planner, but he also had technical abilities which were very valuable to the militia."

Three days later, British forces used intelligence gathered at the address to track down the weapons cache and bomb-making factory.

Ministry of Defence sources said more than 50 rockets, about 10 rocket-propelled grenades and 150 mortars were seized following a battle. Improvised explosive devices - the roadside bombs that have killed so many British soldiers - were also found, fully assembled, along with mines and other weapons.

One source said: "This is the largest cache we have found in two years." Saeed was "the most significant guy arrested in Iraq" by British forces.

Palestinian terrorists prepare to target U.S.

It is only a "question of time" before Palestinian terror groups and other Islamic organizations in the Middle East target the United States both abroad and on the home front, Abu Nasser, second-in-command of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, told WorldNetDaily in an exclusive interview.

The information comes after FBI officials told reporters earlier this week they are searching for possible Hezbollah agents operating inside the U.S. amid concerns escalating tensions with Iran could trigger attacks on American soil.

According to Israeli security officials, Abu Nasser and the overall leader of the Al Aqsa Brigades in northern Samaria, Ala Senakreh, coordinate their groups activities directly with Hezbollah. Sources in the Brigades admitted to WND they work in tandem with Hezbollah, which they say provides funding and training.

"The Americans deserve to be targeted because of their support to the enemy. ... It is a question of time before the revolutionary organizations in the Middle East will start targeting the Americans," said Abu Nasser, speaking to WND from Nablus.

The Al Aqsa Brigades, the declared "military wing" of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, is responsible for scores of rocket and shooting attacks, and � together with Islamic Jihad � for every suicide bombing since last February's so-called cease-fire.

"One can say that these threats are just rhetoric, but the near past proved that these threats come more and more into reality," said Abu Nasser. "Believe me, it is a new era and I am suggesting to the American people to adopt a different policy and strategy because very soon they will deal with a unified Muslim world, but without the help of their agents in the Middle East."

The Al Aqsa Brigades is not thought to possess the ability to attack inside the U.S., but there are concerns its ally, Hezbollah, has infiltrated America and is seeking to attack.

Hezbollah representatives in Iran warned earlier this week the group stood ready to target U.S. and Israeli interests worldwide.

American law enforcement officials said they are taking the Hezbollah threats seriously.

"Because of the heightened difficulties surrounding U.S.-Iranian relations, the FBI has increased its focus on Hezbollah," said FBI spokesman Paul Bresson in Washington.

"Those investigations relate particularly to the potential presence of Hezbollah members on U.S. soil."

William Kowalski, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI in Detroit, asked, "If the situation escalates, will Hezbollah take the gloves off, so to speak, and attack here in the United States, which they've been reluctant to do until now?"

Detroit is home to one of the largest Muslim communities in the United States. Hezbollah sympathizers have been caught fund-raising in the city.

Two men pled guilty earlier this month to racketeering charges in which a smuggling ring based in Michigan is accused of funneling profits to Hezbollah.

U.S. law enforcement agencies reportedly have indications Hezbollah agents are on U.S. soil and may be planning attacks.

In May, the New York Post cited law-enforcement and intelligence officials stating Hezbollah may be planning to activate sleeper cells in New York and other big cities as the U.S. confrontation with Iran escalates.

The sources told The Post about a dozen hard-core supporters of Hezbollah are operating in the New York area. They said the possible Hezbollah agents have been placed under heavy surveillance.

Hezbollah never has launched a strike on U.S. soil, but prior to al-Qaida's Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, it was responsible for more American deaths than any other terrorist group.

Hezbollah is accused of attacking the U.S. embassy in Lebanon, killing 63, and of a spate of kidnappings and murders of Americans in Lebanon. Hezbollah's deadliest attack against Americans was the 1983 bombing of Marine barracks in Beirut that killed 241 U.S. servicemen.

Friday, July 21, 2006

New Osama Bin Laden Message Coming Soon?

A new Osama bin Laden message from al Qaeda's as-Sahab Institute for Media Production is to be released soon, according to IntelCenter, a private contractor providing counterterrorism support work to the intelligence community.

In his message, bin Laden will reportedly address events in Gaza and Lebanon. This message has been expected and is consistent with new efforts in 2006 by al Qaeda's senior leadership to be responsive in their messages to current developments.

According to ABC News Blog

Troops Believe in Iraq Mission, Morale Is High

Two-thirds of U.S. troops serving in Iraq
say they believe the cause they're fighting for is worthwhile, according
to a new Stars and Stripes survey.

The survey results, reported in the July 19 Mideast edition of Stars
and Stripes newspaper, revealed that 46 percent of readers in Iraq who
responded to a survey called fighting the war for America "very
worthwhile." Another 30 percent rated it "somewhat worthwhile."

Fourteen percent of respondents called the mission "not very
worthwhile," and just 8 percent referred to it as "not worthwhile at all," the
July 20 paper reported.

The survey explored readers' views on a variety of other issues. Among
them were how clearly their mission is defined, their unit's as well as
their personal morale, support for troops in the Middle East, and how
informed they are about that support.

Respondents overwhelmingly agreed that their mission is clearly
defined, the survey noted. Fifty-five percent called it "very clear" and 27
percent called it "somewhat clear." Nine percent said it's "somewhat
unclear," and 7 percent said it's "not at all clear."

Unit morale is high, and personal morale even higher, most respondents
said. Forty-four percent called unit morale "very high," and 43 percent
gave the same ranking for their personal morale. Eighteen percent
called their unit morale "somewhat high," and 30 percent ranked their
personal morale at that level.

Twenty-six percent of respondents called unit morale "somewhat low,"
and 19 percent gave that rating for their personal morale. Ten percent
reported "very low" unit morale, and 6 percent rated their personal
morale at rock bottom.

The vast majority of deployed troops agreed that public support for
troops in the Middle East is strong. Forty-four percent rated it "very
strong," and 26 percent called it "somewhat strong." Twenty-two percent of
respondents called it "not very strong," and 6 percent "weak."

Two-thirds of respondents believe they're well informed about what the
public is doing to support troops serving in the Middle East, the
survey showed. Forty-four percent called themselves "very well informed," 20
percent "somewhat informed," 28 percent "not very well informed," and 6
percent rated themselves "not well (informed) at all."

Responses appeared to track with military rank. Eight-eight percent of
senior officers, for example, ranked both unit and personal morale as
high or very high. Among junior enlisted servicemembers, 49 percent
rated unit morale as high or very high and 66 percent gave that same rating
to their own personal morale.

Almost across the board, respondents said conditions in Iraq had
improved since they arrived there. Sixty-nine percent of senior officers, 66
percent of senior enlisted members and 64 percent of junior enlisted
troops said conditions were very or somewhat improved. Forty-eight
percent of junior officers assigned that rating to conditions.

Nearly 600 Stars and Stripes readers in Iraq responded to the survey,
and the results were compiled by media experts from MORI Research, the
newspaper reported.

Stars and Stripes [http://estripes.osd.mil/]

Visit the Defense Department's Web site "America Supports You" at
http://www.americasupportsyou.mil, that spotlights what Americans are
doing in support of U.S. military men and women serving at home and
abroad.

Truck drivers from India to take U.S. jobs?

An American company is recruiting long-haul truck drivers from India with the goal of placing them with U.S. trucking firms.

The Teamsters Union strongly opposes the plan by Gagan Global LLC of Garnerville, N.Y.

Teamsters Union spokesman Galen Munroe told WND the plan "is yet another example of corporations exploiting a visa program to replace highly trained, hard-working Americans with cheap labor from overseas."

Gagan Global has contracted with the Indian state government of Andra Pradesh and its Overseas Manpower Consultancy to run a training school in the Asian country.

Gagan Global CEO Philip Gagan told WND a first batch of 200 Indian truck drivers has been recruited to attend the school in preparation for work in the U.S.

"We are recruiting Indian truck drivers," Gagan confirmed to WND. "We are very demanding on our requirements to get into the school. The requirements are that you have to have five years of heavy driving experience on tractor-trailer trucks, you have to be HIV-negative, have a clean police record, verifiable references that the government in India can verify."

What about the ability to speak English?

"The Indian truck drivers have to be able to read and understand English," Gagan explained. "We like them to speak English. They all speak pigeon-English, mostly what they learned in schools."

How does Gagan Global know that the Indian drivers will be able to read road signs or communicate with other drivers on the road?

"We know that if they can read English and understand what they are reading," Gagan told WND, "then we think they can learn enough English in the four-months training program to be able to be productive in the U.S."

Gagan argued that the reason he created the company was to address the growing shortage in the U.S. for long-haul drivers.

"There's a massive shortage of long-haul truck drivers in the U.S.," Gagan said. "Long-haul truck drivers get home four days a month. There just aren't enough Americans who want to do that kind of work."

A May 2005 study conducted for the American Trucking Association argues that there is "already a shortage of long-haul heavy-duty truck drivers equal to about 1.5 percent of the over-the-road workforce, or about 20,000 drivers."

The driver shortfall is projected to reach 114,000 by 2014. Another 219,000 new truck drivers "must be found to replace drivers currently of ages 55 and older who will retire over the next 10 years and to replace those in younger groups who will leave the occupation."

Teamster Union spokesman Munroe strongly objected. In an e-mail to WND, he wrote:

While there is currently a shortage of long-haul drivers, the problem lies with corporations like Gagan Global that are championing the race to the bottom for American workers. If corporations would treat their employees fairly and offer competitive wages with decent benefit packages, this shortage would disappear.
Gagan Global is in the process of applying to the Department of Labor to get H-2B visas for the Indian drivers. H-2B visas are designed to be issued only when there are no qualified and willing U.S. workers available for the job. Gagan acknowledges that no H-2B visas have yet been issued to Indian truck drivers training in India with his company.

Regarding the issuance of H-2B visas, Munroe wrote WND:

Gagan Global has twisted the intent of the H-2B visa program to fit their desire for a fatter bottom line. The assertion that there are no American workers who are willing to take long-haul truck driving jobs is absurd. It would be more accurate to say they do not want to be exploited by taking poor-paying, long-haul jobs at nonunion companies.
On the company website, Gagan Global explains why Indian drivers are suitable to help address the shortage in long-haul drivers:

We also found that while the average long-haul truck driver makes between $50,000 and $90,000 a year, these truck drivers make far less, and work a whole lot more. So what we have here are people who are never shy of work, extremely friendly and cooperative, and most of all, tough guys who are more than up to handling the American trucks.

'Amnesty' Dead ?... At Least For Now

Mexican President Vicente Fox told radio listeners in his country that the idea of an amnesty for illegal aliens in the U.S. is dead � at least for a time.

Fox said President Bush advised him of the political realities of passing his "comprehensive immigration reform plan" this year during a flight from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Madrid, Spain. Congress will shortly be adjourning until the November election.

Fox said Bush "pointed out that this period is very short, there are only two or three weeks before Congress members go on the election campaign. So the chance of the immigration issue reaching approval in the House of Representatives and reaching join approval isn't very high."

A White House spokesman acknowledged Bush made the comment to Fox, but said that doesn't mean the president won't be back promoting his immigration plan before the end of the year.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

The Democrats' blame game

When Bill Clinton dealt with Yasser Arafat not as the terrorist he was but as a legitimate leader he was not, the second intifada against Israel was born. Indeed, the Clinton approach to Middle East affairs is not one Democrats can be proud of. This approach nearly always strengthened the hand of the Islamists and the various Arab dictators, usually at the expense of American interests.

And yet it's a legacy top Democrats spent the weekend invoking, blaming the current conflict on the Bush administration. "If you think what's going on in the Middle East today wou ld be going on if the Democrats were in control, it wouldn't, because we would have worked day after day after day to make sure we didn't get where we are today," said Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee. "We would have had the moral authority that Bill Clinton had when he brought together the Northern Irish and the IRA, when he brought together the Israelis and the Palestinians."

This is revisionism of the first order. The fact is that Israel and the United States have been paying the price of the Clinton administration's foolishness in trusting Yasser Arafat since. Channeling Mr. Dean, Sen. Christopher Dodd struck the same tone with a Sunday appearance on Fox News. "This administration, unfortunately, has seen the word diplomacy and negotiation as somehow a favor to your enemies," he said. This is nonsense, as Mr. Dodd, prodded by his host Chris Wallace, conceded when he ruled out negotiations with Iran.

Offering even more nonsense and less substance was Rep. Jane Harman, ranking member of the Select Intelligence Committee, who scolded the administration for not negotiating with Iran and blaming the American troubles with Syria on "the way we have been conducting ourselves in Iraq." Mrs. Harman, who probably knows better, pretends to have forgotten that Iranian, Syrian and Palestinian hostility toward Israel predated the invasion of Iraq by several decades and will no doubt long outlast the present difficulty.

But offering coherent solutions to the present crisis was not really the point. Some Democrats regard what's happening between Israel and Hezbollah as an opportunity to scrub up the party's bona fides on foreign policy. This means trying to invoke a mythical Clinton legacy and blaming everything bad on President Bush.

Respect for military surges

Last week the Defense Department announced that the four major branches � Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines � had met their recruiting goals for June. Annual goals are within sight, well before the fiscal year ends Sept. 30. Results for two branches of the reserves � the Navy and Air Force � are lagging somewhat, but both may meet their annual objectives.

The active-duty Army, after missing some recruitment targets just over a year ago, has met its goals for 13 straight months. The persistence of the Army�s results undermines the notion that we as a nation aren�t committed to seeing this war reach a noble and successful conclusion.

Recent polling data also bear testimony to a resurgence of respect for the military. In March, the Harris Poll released its long-running time series on trust in the leaders of various American institutions. The Harris organization, now known as Harris Interactive, has asked a random sampling of Americans basically the same battery of questions since 1966. From 1971 on, this venerable survey series has been asked on an annual basis.

The military should be particularly grateful for the time series because it puts the armed services at the apex of institutional trust. A near majority of Americans, 47 percent, said they have a �great deal of confidence� in the people in charge of running the military. This edged out small business, 45 percent, and a group of other institutions clustered in the 30 percent range: universities, the Supreme Court, medicine and organized religion.

TV news, Wall Street, the press, major companies, organized labor, Congress and law firms were near the end of the list, earning the strong confidence of less than 20 percent of Americans.

The ratios of trust are astounding. Almost five times as many Americans have a great deal of confidence in leaders of the military, 47 percent, as have the same confidence in leaders of the Congress, 10 percent. This enormous gap in trust should cause persistently obnoxious Democratic congressional critics of the military to pause before they launch into another attack on our strategists in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Even though the latest numbers are strong, military leaders enjoyed even better poll numbers right after Sept. 11, when their �great deal of confidence� ratings soared into the 60 to 70 percent range. There were a few other scattered years where the top figures exceeded 50 percent, but the �norm� for the four decades has been below 40 percent.

Given today�s above-average poll results, then, the recruiting successes just announced shouldn�t be surprising. Even if they don�t follow polls, potential recruits must innately sense that America is behind the military and that we�ll applaud their response to a call to service. Yes, the hyperpatriotism of post-Sept. 11 has waned, but a solid underpinning of respect for the military remains. May it ever be so.

Congress to Voice Support for Israel

Little of the political divisiveness in Congress over Iraq war policy is evident as lawmakers rush to embrace the Bush administration's staunch support of Israel in the latest flare-up of violence in the Middle East.

House Republican leader John Boehner cited Israel's "unique relationship" with the United States as a reason for his colleagues to swiftly go on record supporting Israel in its confrontation with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.

So strong was the momentum that it was steamrolling efforts by a small group of House members who argued that Congress's pro-Israel stance goes too far.

The nonbinding resolution, expected to pass the House by a large margin Thursday, is similar to one the Senate passed Tuesday. It harshly condemns Israel's enemies and says Syria and Iran should be held accountable for providing Hezbollah with money and missile technology used to attack Israel.

"I certainly sympathize with the Lebanese people and the Lebanese government," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told CBS' "The Early Show" on Thursday. But, he said, if Hezbollah is "going to launch attacks from the Lebanese territory, then tragically the Lebanese government and people pay a price for that."


Yet as Republican and Democratic leaders rally behind the measure in rare bipartisan fashion, a handful of lawmakers have quietly expressed reservations that the resolution was too much the result of a powerful lobbying force and attempts to court Jewish voters.

"I'm just sick in the stomach, to put it mildly," said Rep. Nick J. Rahall II, D-W.Va., who is of Lebanese descent.


Rahall joined other Arab-American lawmakers in drafting an alternative resolution that would have omitted language holding Lebanon responsible for Hezbollah's actions and called for restraint from all sides. Rahall said that proposal was "politely swept under the rug," a political reality he and others say reflects the influence Israel has in Congress.


"There's a lot (of lawmakers) that don't feel it's right ... but vote yes, and get it the heck out of here," Rahall said.

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who co-sponsored the alternative resolution and also is of Lebanese descent, agreed. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobby "throws in language that AIPAC wants. That isn't always the best thing for this body to endorse," Issa said.

Nevertheless, Rahall and Issa said they were considering voting in favor of the resolution. "I want to show support for Israel's right to defend itself," Issa said.

Another lawmaker with Lebanese roots, Rep. Charles Boustany Jr., R-La., said he too planned to vote in favor of the resolution despite holding deep reservations on its language regarding Lebanon. "I think it's a good resolution. But I think it's incomplete," he said.

The lack of momentum for alternative proposals frustrated pro-Arab groups.

"This is the usual problem with any resolution that talks about Israel - there are a lot of closet naysayers up there (in Congress), but they don't want to be a target of the lobby" of Israel, said Eugene H. Bird, president of the Council for the National Interest, a group that harshly condemns Israel's military campaign.

"These guys aren't legislating. They're politicking," said James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute.


An AIPAC spokeswoman said Congress's overwhelming support for Israel reflects the support of U.S. voters and not any pressure applied by lobbyists. "The American people overwhelming support Israel's war on terrorism and understand that we must stand by our closest ally in this time of crisis," said Jennifer Cannata.

Oil prices tumble for 3rd straight day

Crude oil prices fell for the third straight day on Wednesday, briefly dipping below $72 a barrel after a surprising increase in U.S. gasoline supplies.

Analysts said selling also was spurred by the rising belief in the market that the conflict in Israel and Lebanon would not spread and thus threaten Middle East oil supplies.

Oil futures have plunged more than 5 percent since settling at a record above $77 a barrel on Friday.

�Markets initially priced in an expectation that this would become a broader regional conflict and interrupt Iranian supplies,� said Jason Schenker, an economist at Wachovia Corp. Iran, a financial backer of Hezbollah, is OPEC's No. 2 supplier.

Schenker said markets were also responding to Energy Department data that showed U.S. gasoline inventories above year-ago levels for the first time since late March. �We've got some lush supplies,� he said.

Light sweet crude for August delivery tumbled as low as $71.65 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, before settling at $72.66, a decline of 88 cents. Gasoline futures declined by 3.72 cents to settle at $2.2298 a gallon, while heating oil futures finished 1.83 cent lower at $1.9651 a gallon.

Fears in the market that the crisis could escalate and possibly draw Iran into the conflict lifted oil prices to an intraday record of $78.40 a barrel on July 14 before settling at a record $77.03.

September Brent crude futures on London's ICE Futures exchange declined 46 cents to settle at $73.90 a barrel.

In its weekly inventory report, the Energy Department said gasoline inventories grew by 1.5 million barrels last week to 214.2 million barrels, or close to 1 percent above year ago levels.

The increase in supplies came as refineries cranked up their production, pumping out gasoline, diesel and other fuels at 93 percent of their total capacity to meet growing demand. Over the past four weeks, gasoline demand in the U.S. averaged almost 9.6 million barrels per day, or 1.9 percent greater than last year.

But oil prices began to fall even before the U.S. data was released.

House votes to acquire Soledad cross

The House voted 349-74 Wednesday to acquire a monumental cross and the park around it from the city of San Diego.

The 29-foot cross has been the target of a 17-year court battle between an atheist and the city, which owns the hilltop property where the monument stands.

A federal judge ruled in May that the cross cannot stand in the municipal park because it violates a state constitutional prohibition on the governmental endorsement of any one religion. That ruling is being appealed by the city.

San Diego-area congressman Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, said in floor debate that federal ownership would make the existing lawsuit moot and might also insulate the cross from further legal challenges under the U.S. Constitution.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court said it might be willing to consider the case once appeals have been exhausted.

City officials have argued that the cross, a symbol of Christianity, is part of a secular memorial commemorating veterans of the Korean War.

Under federal law, which is more flexible than California law, religious displays may stand on public property if they have a secular meaning.

In May, Hunter asked President Bush to exercise his powers of eminent domain to federalize the park property. The president declined to act on that request, but the administration endorsed Hunter's bill in a policy statement Wednesday.

Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions has introduced an identical bill in the Senate.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Hezbollah Ready To Crumble?

The Australian claims that Hezbollah has been sent reeling both by the Israeli military response and the lack of support from the Arab world, and that the terrorist group may agree to pull away from the Israeli border in exchange for a cease-fire. The terrorists have found out that their deterrent no longer works on an Israel fed up with constant border provocations:

One week after the humiliation it suffered in a Hezbollah cross-border raid in which eight soldiers were killed and two captured, Israel senses one of its major military and political victories is within reach.
The stunning campaign it has waged against Hezbollah has reportedly brought the militia to a point where it is willing to discuss Israel's major demand - that it pull back several kilometres from the Israeli border, perhaps to the Litani River.

Reports from Beirut yesterday said that Hezbollah officials had declared readiness to discuss the pullback proposal as well as a ceasefire with Israel but were not willing to discuss Israel's demand that it disarm. ...

The huge missile arsenal Tehran sent to Hezbollah - 13,000 missiles, according to Israel - was intended primarily as a deterrent against Israel should it contemplate an airstrike against its nuclear facilities.

To respond heavily to a Hezbollah provocation could bring down a rain of missiles on Israel's cities. Surprisingly, it was an Israeli leader without a significant military background, Ehud Olmert, who decided to take on Hezbollah and pay the price.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Arab world fed up with Hizbullah

With the exception of the Palestinians, the Arab world appears to be united in blaming Iran and Syria for the fighting in Lebanon. Until last week, Arab political analysts and government officials were reluctant to criticize Hizbullah in public. But now that Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and his top aides are in hiding, an anti-Hizbullah coalition is emerging not only in Lebanon, but in several other Arab countries as well.

The Palestinians and Hizbullah feel that their Arab brethren have once again turned their backs on them. On Monday, hundreds of Palestinians who marched in downtown Ramallah in support of Hizbullah chanted: "Hassan Nasrallah is our hero, the rest of the Arab leaders are cowards" and "O beloved Abu Hadi [Nasrallah's nickname], bomb, bomb Tel Aviv." The second battle cry is reminiscent of the famous slogan the Palestinians used during the first Gulf War: "O beloved Saddam, bomb, bomb Tel Aviv."

Hizbullah and their supporters were hoping that the massive Israeli military operation in Lebanon would trigger large-scale protests throughout the Arab world, creating instability and threatening to bring down some of the Arab regimes.

But the response on the Arab street has been so disappointing for Hizbullah that its leaders are now openly talking about an Arab "conspiracy" to liquidate the Shi'ite organization. The few Hizbullah supporters in Ramallah, the Gaza Strip and some Arab capitals have therefore been directing most of their criticism against the Arab presidents and monarchs, accusing them of serving the interests of the US and Israel.

The anti-Hizbullah coalition, which appears to be growing with every Israeli missile that drops on the heads of Hizbullah leaders and headquarters, is spearheaded by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. These three countries, together with many Arab commentators and political analysts, are convinced that the leaders of Teheran and Damascus are using Hizbullah to divert attention from Iran's nuclear program and Syria's involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.

The Saudis were the first to openly criticize Hizbullah, paving the way for other Arab countries to follow suit. The message coming out of these countries is that the Arabs and Muslims can't afford to allow an irresponsible and adventurous organization like Hizbullah to drag the region to war. Government spokesmen and officials, as well as prominent Arab editors and commentators, have shown no sympathy for Hizbullah while appearing on pan-Arab TV networks like Al-Jazeera and Abu Dhabi.

The Saudi position, which surprised Hizbullah and its supporters, was outlined by an anonymous official, who said that the people should distinguish between legitimate resistance and dangerous adventurism by some parties without cooperation from their governments and the Arab states.

The Saudi stand reflected the position of all the Gulf countries, which are unhappy not only with Hizbullah, but with Hamas as well. The Gulf countries are of the opinion that Hizbullah and Hamas are acting on orders from Teheran and Damascus.

That's why most Arab governments have refrained from making efforts to resolve the current crisis. As one government official in the Gulf explained: "We cannot play the role of mediators upon the request of some parties that act without taking into consideration the consequences of their actions." Similar sentiments have been reflected in a series of articles that appeared in the Arab media over the past few days. Some of the articles appear as if they had been written by Israeli government spokesmen. Ironically, the fact that Hizbullah and Hamas are now on the defensive has encouraged many Arabs to come out against the two groups in public.

Monday, July 17, 2006

MEDIA COVER-UP BLOCKS MAJOR NEWS STORY OF 2006

American Border Patrol Agents Beheaded

Rodney Stubbs

Normally, watching CSPAN you will often come across tidbits of good information. Through their search engines, it is possible to review the hearings especially those programs involving hearings conducted by the United States Congress. On July 5, 2006, a hearing at the border guard station in San Diego, California caught my attention. Several prominent Republicans and Democrats were on the panel concerning Border Vulnerability. They were interview panels of selected individuals including a panel of county Sheriffs who are responsible for controlling aliens once they cross the border.

On July 5, 2006 the following exchange took place between U.S. Representative William Bilbray and William Kolender, Sheriff of San Diego County. This is an 11-second transcript of that hearing including the time markers.:

2:55:56 - Rep. Bilbray: "Do you want to break the news about three law enforcement officers concerning an incident that took place about two miles from this location in the last couple of weeks?

2:56:02 Sheriff Kolender: "They were killed."

2:56:04 Rep. Bilbray: "They were not only killed, they were decapitated (Beheaded) weren't they?

2:56:07 Sheriff Kolender: "Yes!"

Within this same time period, Private Tucker a Marine from Madras, Oregon is tortured and beheaded in Iraq. He received International press and was laid to rest in Central Oregon.

In the meantime the main stream media failed to report the beheading of three law enforcement officers. Where is the outrage by the Senators Boxer, Reid, McCain, Feingold, and Kennedy. Why the silence? Why the cover-up? To make matters worse the video recording of the hearing was buried by CSPAN. No press, and the President said nothing. It is easier to secure a video of Private Tuckers ordeal than find the video regarding the beheading of deputies in San Diego county. Fortunately the clip can be viewed at www.plantek.us.

Who were these brave officers and where are their families? This type of cover up deserves the attention of voters all across America. It is time to weed out Congress and send the moderate Republicans' and leftist Democrats home, or better yet turn them and their families into border guards.

Click Here For Another Report Confirming the Above Story !

Fraternizing with the Enemy; The New York Times...

Preparing to kill a Marine or Soldier





Little Green Footballs found a New York Times picture where the photographer, Joao Silva, gets eerily close to the gunman firing on U.S. troops.



The photo caption says:

"A sniper loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada al Sadr fires towards U.S. positions in the cemetery in Najaf, Iraq."


Remarks Michele McNally, NYT Assistant Managing Editor for Photography:

�Right there with the Mahdi army. Incredible courage.�



"More PROOF of where the main stream news media, especially the NY Times, stands in regards to our troops !"
J.R., Talk Show America

Prime Minister Olmert : Fighting will end when Hezbollah frees soldiers

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday the fighting in Lebanon would end when Hezbollah guerrillas freed two captured soldiers, rocket attacks on Israel stopped and the Lebanese army deployed along the border.


In his first address to the Knesset since the nation began an offensive against Hezbollah six days ago, Olmert pledged that Israel would "not be a hostage" to terrorists and the fight was one "for the right to live a normal life."

"When missiles are launched at our residents and our towns, our answer will be war waged at full strength, with all determination, courage and sacrifice," he said after a day of attacks on the Lebanese border, including a hail of Lebanese-fired rockets raining down on the northern Israeli city of Haifa.

"We are not looking for war or direct conflict, but if necessary we will not be frightened by it," he added.

A Great Tribute to Our Brave Troops !




"Please take a few moments to watch this video and listen to the people thanking our brave men and women who fight for our freedoms everyday. It is very heart warming to hear the American people supporting the troops."

J.R., Talk Show America

Hat Tip To:Code Red

What terrorist organization was responsible for the most American deaths prior to 9/11?

Here�s an interesting question in light of current world events, �What terrorist organization was responsible for the most number of American deaths prior to the 9/11 attacks?� A tough question and the answer might surprise you.

J. Cofer Black, the U.S Department of State Coordinator for Counterterrorism from 2002-2004, gives the answer. He was at a press conference in 2004 when asked by an A.P. reporter about the greatest international terror threat. His Answer here.
The answer to your question is in particular from the American perspective, if I can be allowed that. Before 9/11 the terrorist group that had killed more Americans actually was Hezbollah and with the catastrophic attacks of 9/11 Al-Qaeda moved up in that deplorable category as having killed more Americans.

Hezbollah? Oh yes, the same Hezbollah that killed 241 U.S servicemembers in Beirut. The same organization that destroyed our embassy in Beirut in 1983, killing 63. The group that again bombed our Beirut embassy in 1984, killing 2 U.S. soldiers. The same Hezbollah that kidnaped and killed numerous Americans through the 1980�s including Colonel William Higgins and CIA Station Chief William Buckley. And yes, the same organization responsible for the hijacking of TWA flight 847 in 1985.

Now with this information, try to name any retaliation by our government in response to these attacks. Having trouble coming up with something? That�s because there was never any serious attempt to hold Hezbollah accountable for a decade of terrorism against our country. A fact we Americans should remember as Israeli soldiers now conduct a military operation against this group. Actions the U.S. should have taken 20 years ago.