NewsMax Posted this story:
In a rare rebuke of a public official by name, the Senate Select Intelligence Committee has issued a scathing report blasting former Ambassador Joseph Wilson IV.
The report claims Wilson mislead the public and the intelligence committee about his trip to Niger in 2002 on behalf of the CIA to investigate claims that Iraq was seeking to purchase uranium in Africa.
In his New York Times article, Wilson said that in February 2002 he was asked by the Central Intelligence Agency to travel to Niger to investigate "a particular intelligence report" that documented the sale of uranium to Iraq by the Niger government.
The CIA wanted him to "check out the story so they could provide a response to the vice president's office," after Vice President Dick Cheney had raised questions about the purported uranium deals, he wrote.
It was Valerie Plame's recommendation for the mission that caught the eye of Vice President Dick Cheney when Wilson's Op-Ed first appeared and ultimately led to the Special Counsel investigation into how her name - supposed classified — was "leaked" to the press.
The committee found that internal intelligence community notes of meetings in which Valerie Plame participated "did not mark her name with a (C) as would be required to indicate that her association with the CIA was classified," as both Plame and her husband have said. These aren't the only instance where Wilson's account did not square with the facts, the senators found.
Wilson has said in his book and in numerous public appearances that reports he reviewed from the U.S. ambassador to Niger, Barbro Owens-Kirkpatrick, "indicated that there was nothing to the Niger-Iraq uranium story . . . This too is untrue," the committee found. On the contrary, Owens-Kirkpatrick wrote a cable to the State Department which said that the initial CIA reporting of a Niger-Iraq uranium deal "provides sufficient details to warrant another hard look at Niger's uranium sales."
Although Nigerien officials insisted in meetings with the Americans that no uranium would be sold to rogue nations, "we should not dismiss out of hand the possibility that some scheme could be, or has been, underway to supply Iraq with yellowcake from here," she wrote.
Perhaps the most damning conclusion of the Senate report has been known for nearly three years, but has remained classified until now. In the initial July 2004 report, the Senate committee reported that the intelligence community "used or cleared the Niger-Iraq uranium intelligence fifteen times before the President's State of the Union address and four times after, saying in several papers that Iraq was 'vigorously pursuing uranium from Africa'"
Once he arrived in Niger's capital, Niamey, Wilson says he met with U.S. Ambassador Barbro Owens-Kirkpatrick, then "spent the next eight days drinking sweet mint tea" and meeting with former government officials and others involved in the uranium business. "It did not take long to conclude that it was highly doubtful that any such transaction had ever taken place."
And that is what he reported back to the CIA and to the State Department African Affairs Bureau, Wilson wrote. But according to the Senate Intelligence Committee investigation, released last Friday, much of what Wilson wrote in the article, and has said since, about the trip "is not true."
Wilson wrote to the committee in July 2004 when they released an exhaustive investigation into the Niger uranium story that included the finding that he had been sent to Niger at the suggestion of his wife. Wilson claimed that was "not true."
At the time, the Committee did not release the full text of the e-mail sent by Valerie Plame on Wilson to her superior that recommended him for the job, "thinking it was unnecessary in light of the other evidence" they had made public.
But now, "considering the controversy surrounding this document," the Senate committee decided to make the full text available to the public. The Valerie Plame e-mail shows without any doubt that she recommended her husband for the mission in Niger.
After recounting an earlier fact-finding mission he had carried out in Niger for the Agency, as well as his good contacts "with both the [prime minister] and the former minister of mines," she concluded by saying that her husband "may be in a position to assist. Therefore, request your thoughts on what, if anything to pursue here."
In sworn testimony before the House committee on Oversight and Government Reform in March of this year, however, Plame denied categorically that she had suggested her husband's name. "I did not recommend him. I did not suggest him," she said.
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
Saturday, June 02, 2007
POLL: ONLY 26% FAVOR THE IMMIGRATION BILL
There's a simple reason the immigration bill being debated by the U.S. Senate is unpopular with voters—the general public doesn't believe it will reduce illegal immigration. And, in the minds of most voters, that’s what immigration reform is all about.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 16% of American voters believe illegal immigration will decline if the Senate bill is passed. Seventy-four percent (74%) disagree. That figure includes 41% who believe the Senate bill will actually lead to an increase in illegal immigration.
If voters had a chance to improve the legislation, 75% would 'make changes to increase border security measures and reduce illegal immigration.' Just 19% would" make it easier for illegal immigrants to stay in the country and eventually become citizens."
Voters who believe that the current bill will succeed in reducing illegal immigration favor its passage by a 51% to 31% margin. Those who believe the bill will lead to even more illegal immigration oppose its passage by a 70% to 12% margin.
Overall, despite a major push by the President and others over the past week, support for the Senate bill has not increased at all. In polling conducted last night (Tuesday, May 29), 26% of voters favor passage of the bill. That's unchanged from the 26% support found in polling conducted the previous Monday and Tuesday. Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters remain opposed.
Eighty-one percent (81%) of American voters are closely following news stories about the issue, including 37% who are following it Very Closely. Those with the highest interest in the issue oppose the legislation by a 3-to-1 margin (69% to 23%). By a 55% to 15% margin, those following the story Very Closely believe the bill will lead to increased levels of illegal immigration.
Unaffiliated voters are now more opposed to the bill than either Republicans or Democrats. Among those who don't identify with either of the major parties, 22% support the Senate bill while 57% are opposed.
Some supporters of the bill have tried to suggest it is politically popular by citing polling data for selected features of the bill. However, President Bush yesterday implicitly acknowledged the strong public opposition to the bill by stating that elected officials will need political "courage" to pass the measure. Senator Jon Kyl (R), a major supporter of the legislation, acknowledged in interviews that the lack of support measured by Rasmussen Reports is an accurate reflection of the public mood.
Rasmussen Reports polling, like that of other firms, has found that Americans may be willing to accept a compromise proposal that includes legalizing the status of the 12 million illegal aliens already living in the United States. Sixty-five percent (65%) said they would accept such a compromise provided that it accomplished the primary goal of reducing illegal immigration. However, arguing about the nuances of amnesty, guest-worker programs and other provisions will do nothing to build popular support without proof that the government is serious about controlling the border.
Seventy-two percent (72%) of voters believe it is Very Important for 'the government to improve its enforcement of the borders and reduce illegal immigration.'
Many times, voters doubt that reasonable alternatives exist. But, 68% of Americans believe it is possible to reduce illegal immigration while just 20% disagree. A New York Times/CBS News poll found a similar result--82% believe the federal government could do more to reduce illegal immigration.
The belief that the issue could be addressed adds to the frustration of those who oppose the Senate bill. Sixty-six percent (66%) believe it doesn't make sense to debate new immigration laws until we can first control our borders and enforce existing laws.
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 16% of American voters believe illegal immigration will decline if the Senate bill is passed. Seventy-four percent (74%) disagree. That figure includes 41% who believe the Senate bill will actually lead to an increase in illegal immigration.
If voters had a chance to improve the legislation, 75% would 'make changes to increase border security measures and reduce illegal immigration.' Just 19% would" make it easier for illegal immigrants to stay in the country and eventually become citizens."
Voters who believe that the current bill will succeed in reducing illegal immigration favor its passage by a 51% to 31% margin. Those who believe the bill will lead to even more illegal immigration oppose its passage by a 70% to 12% margin.
Overall, despite a major push by the President and others over the past week, support for the Senate bill has not increased at all. In polling conducted last night (Tuesday, May 29), 26% of voters favor passage of the bill. That's unchanged from the 26% support found in polling conducted the previous Monday and Tuesday. Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters remain opposed.
Eighty-one percent (81%) of American voters are closely following news stories about the issue, including 37% who are following it Very Closely. Those with the highest interest in the issue oppose the legislation by a 3-to-1 margin (69% to 23%). By a 55% to 15% margin, those following the story Very Closely believe the bill will lead to increased levels of illegal immigration.
Unaffiliated voters are now more opposed to the bill than either Republicans or Democrats. Among those who don't identify with either of the major parties, 22% support the Senate bill while 57% are opposed.
Some supporters of the bill have tried to suggest it is politically popular by citing polling data for selected features of the bill. However, President Bush yesterday implicitly acknowledged the strong public opposition to the bill by stating that elected officials will need political "courage" to pass the measure. Senator Jon Kyl (R), a major supporter of the legislation, acknowledged in interviews that the lack of support measured by Rasmussen Reports is an accurate reflection of the public mood.
Rasmussen Reports polling, like that of other firms, has found that Americans may be willing to accept a compromise proposal that includes legalizing the status of the 12 million illegal aliens already living in the United States. Sixty-five percent (65%) said they would accept such a compromise provided that it accomplished the primary goal of reducing illegal immigration. However, arguing about the nuances of amnesty, guest-worker programs and other provisions will do nothing to build popular support without proof that the government is serious about controlling the border.
Seventy-two percent (72%) of voters believe it is Very Important for 'the government to improve its enforcement of the borders and reduce illegal immigration.'
Many times, voters doubt that reasonable alternatives exist. But, 68% of Americans believe it is possible to reduce illegal immigration while just 20% disagree. A New York Times/CBS News poll found a similar result--82% believe the federal government could do more to reduce illegal immigration.
The belief that the issue could be addressed adds to the frustration of those who oppose the Senate bill. Sixty-six percent (66%) believe it doesn't make sense to debate new immigration laws until we can first control our borders and enforce existing laws.
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
Kennedy Airport Terror Plot Thwarted
4 Charged In Plot To Blow Up Jet Fuel At JFK
According to NewsChannel4's Jonathan Dienst, sources said federal investigators have made arrests in an alleged terror plot on Kennedy Airport.
Four people have been charged. One is in custody in New York.
Sources said the plot involved a plan to blow up a jet-fuel pipeline at JFK setting off a potential massive explosion.
Law enforcement officials said the plot may involve a former airport worker.
A press conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. this afternoon.
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
According to NewsChannel4's Jonathan Dienst, sources said federal investigators have made arrests in an alleged terror plot on Kennedy Airport.
Four people have been charged. One is in custody in New York.
Sources said the plot involved a plan to blow up a jet-fuel pipeline at JFK setting off a potential massive explosion.
Law enforcement officials said the plot may involve a former airport worker.
A press conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. this afternoon.
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
Poll: Muslims Believe in American Dream ?
While there are many ways to interpret the results of the Pew Research Center survey "Muslim Americans: Middle-Class and Mostly Mainstream," it is important not to overlook the positive aspects of the study. The poll clearly showed that American Muslims are mainstream, highly educated, middle-class people who believe that hard work pays off.
It also confirmed that, overall, American Muslims have a positive view of the larger society. They are overwhelmingly satisfied with their lives in the United States, and most say their communities are excellent or good places to live. The survey found that Muslim Americans reject extremism by larger margins than do Muslim minorities in western European countries. In fact, 78 percent of U.S. Muslims say that suicide bombings against civilians are never justified.
Contrast this to the survey conducted by the University of Maryland's Program on International Public Attitudes, released in December 2006, which showed that only 46 percent of Americans think that "bombing and other attacks intentionally aimed at civilians" are never justified. The Pew research found that only 1 percent of those surveyed reported "suicide bombings against civilian targets are often justified to defend Islam" while another 7 percent reported the bombings are "sometimes justified in these circumstances." Again, contrast this to the 24 percent of Americans, reported in the Maryland study, who believe these attacks are "often or sometimes justified." (See the Christian Science Monitor's "The Myth of Muslim support for terror" at www.csmonitor.com/2007/0223/p09s01-coop.html).
Having said that, Muslims continue to believe that religious extremism is unacceptable. The recent fatwa against extremism, issued by the Fiqh Council of North America and endorsed by more than 120 American Muslim leaders and institutions (the term fiqh refers to Islamic jurisprudence), clearly states that "Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives (and that) there is no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism." (See www.cair.com/default.asp?Page=articleView&id=1675&theType=NR).
It also confirmed that, overall, American Muslims have a positive view of the larger society. They are overwhelmingly satisfied with their lives in the United States, and most say their communities are excellent or good places to live. The survey found that Muslim Americans reject extremism by larger margins than do Muslim minorities in western European countries. In fact, 78 percent of U.S. Muslims say that suicide bombings against civilians are never justified.
Contrast this to the survey conducted by the University of Maryland's Program on International Public Attitudes, released in December 2006, which showed that only 46 percent of Americans think that "bombing and other attacks intentionally aimed at civilians" are never justified. The Pew research found that only 1 percent of those surveyed reported "suicide bombings against civilian targets are often justified to defend Islam" while another 7 percent reported the bombings are "sometimes justified in these circumstances." Again, contrast this to the 24 percent of Americans, reported in the Maryland study, who believe these attacks are "often or sometimes justified." (See the Christian Science Monitor's "The Myth of Muslim support for terror" at www.csmonitor.com/2007/0223/p09s01-coop.html).
Having said that, Muslims continue to believe that religious extremism is unacceptable. The recent fatwa against extremism, issued by the Fiqh Council of North America and endorsed by more than 120 American Muslim leaders and institutions (the term fiqh refers to Islamic jurisprudence), clearly states that "Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives (and that) there is no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism." (See www.cair.com/default.asp?Page=articleView&id=1675&theType=NR).
Al Gore Says He's Not Good at Modern Politics
Former vice president Al Gore said Friday that he still hasn't ruled out a presidential bid in 2008, but he doesn't expect to run and might not possess the skills necessary to be elected president now.
For months, Gore has said repeatedly that he probably won't run for office again, but wouldn't say that he would never run for office again. He reiterated that stance on Friday, but downplayed the possibility of another campaign.
Gore lost the 2000 presidential election to President Bush. Gore, who lost the electoral vote despite winning the popular vote, now views the U.S. political system as flawed.
It may be easier to fix it from the outside," he said.
"I expect it will take a lot more time," Gore said. "I'm grateful for those who have a good opinion of me, to the point where they think I ought to run again, but I am not convinced myself that's the best way for me to serve.
Despite what he sees as problems in the political process, Gore said he still respects the system and the influence of the presidency. While he won't completely dismiss a 2008 run, he doesn't expect to re-enter politics
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
For months, Gore has said repeatedly that he probably won't run for office again, but wouldn't say that he would never run for office again. He reiterated that stance on Friday, but downplayed the possibility of another campaign.
"I don't want anyone to interpret that answer as throwing a little red meat out for speculation," gore said. "I am just being candid. But I don't expect to get into this race. I have given the reasons why. I strongly prefer to serve in other ways."
Gore lost the 2000 presidential election to President Bush. Gore, who lost the electoral vote despite winning the popular vote, now views the U.S. political system as flawed.
It may be easier to fix it from the outside," he said.
"Again, I haven't ruled out for all time thinking about politics again. It's just that the way it works now, I don't think that the skills I have are the ones that are most likely to be rewarded within this system. It's like a washing machine that is permanently set on the spin cycle. It doesn't stop spinning. That creates real problems for a politics based on reason."
"I expect it will take a lot more time," Gore said. "I'm grateful for those who have a good opinion of me, to the point where they think I ought to run again, but I am not convinced myself that's the best way for me to serve.
Despite what he sees as problems in the political process, Gore said he still respects the system and the influence of the presidency. While he won't completely dismiss a 2008 run, he doesn't expect to re-enter politics
"because I don't think I'm very good at some of the things that the modern political system rewards and requires, and I've found other ways to make a difference and to serve the public interests.
"And I'm enjoying them."
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
Boat Filled with Taliban Sinks; 60 dead
A boat crossing a river in Afghanistan's most dangerous province sank on Saturday, and at least 60 people were killed, including Taliban militants, the Defense Ministry said.
The boat sank while crossing the Helmand River, which snakes through Helmand province, the world's leading opium poppy region and site of fierce battles the last several months. Hundreds of Taliban insurgents are believed to be in Helmand.
The Afghan army was investigating to see how many Taliban insurgents and how many civilians were on board, the ministry said.
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
The boat sank while crossing the Helmand River, which snakes through Helmand province, the world's leading opium poppy region and site of fierce battles the last several months. Hundreds of Taliban insurgents are believed to be in Helmand.
The Afghan army was investigating to see how many Taliban insurgents and how many civilians were on board, the ministry said.
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
The Truth About Gas Prices ?
Few politicians can resist the urge to exploit consumer angst over gasoline prices, and thereby deflect where the blame certainly lies - with them.
Here are 10 things the politicians won't tell you:
1. At over $3.00 a gallon, the U.S. inflation-adjusted price for gasoline in May 2007 is now less than it was in 1981, a remarkable decrease in price over a 25 year period during which real prices in other sectors, such as health and education have tripled and quadrupled.
2. This decline in the price of gasoline since 1981 is enjoyed almost exclusively in the U.S. In most other developed counties in the world, the price of gas is at least double what Americans pay. Consumers in the Netherlands now pay an average of $7.77 gallon, while those in Great Britain pay over $7 and consider it a bargain.
3. The gross profit margins of the major oil companies is far less than that for many other sectors, such as beverages, electrical equipment, chemicals, and computers.
4. At present gas prices, the major oil companies make a profit of between 10 cents and 12 cents a gallon...
5. At present prices, combined federal and state government profit (i.e. taxes) on each gallon of gas is 28-68 cents a gallon, depending on which state you live in. Pelosi's San Francisco enjoys tacking on an extra 26 cents bite.
9. Crude oil prices, which make up 90% of the total cost of running gas refineries, are set by the international market of supply and demand, which fluctuates hourly, and not by private companies; while the major oil producing countries can form cartels (such as OPEC) which can set prices at higher than a free market, these countries are not subject to U.S. antitrust laws.
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
Here are 10 things the politicians won't tell you:
1. At over $3.00 a gallon, the U.S. inflation-adjusted price for gasoline in May 2007 is now less than it was in 1981, a remarkable decrease in price over a 25 year period during which real prices in other sectors, such as health and education have tripled and quadrupled.
2. This decline in the price of gasoline since 1981 is enjoyed almost exclusively in the U.S. In most other developed counties in the world, the price of gas is at least double what Americans pay. Consumers in the Netherlands now pay an average of $7.77 gallon, while those in Great Britain pay over $7 and consider it a bargain.
3. The gross profit margins of the major oil companies is far less than that for many other sectors, such as beverages, electrical equipment, chemicals, and computers.
4. At present gas prices, the major oil companies make a profit of between 10 cents and 12 cents a gallon...
5. At present prices, combined federal and state government profit (i.e. taxes) on each gallon of gas is 28-68 cents a gallon, depending on which state you live in. Pelosi's San Francisco enjoys tacking on an extra 26 cents bite.
9. Crude oil prices, which make up 90% of the total cost of running gas refineries, are set by the international market of supply and demand, which fluctuates hourly, and not by private companies; while the major oil producing countries can form cartels (such as OPEC) which can set prices at higher than a free market, these countries are not subject to U.S. antitrust laws.
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
Gunmen kill Al-Qaeda leader in Fallujah
Unidentified gunmen shot dead the Al-Qaeda militant group's leader in the western Iraq city of Fallujah on Saturday, police said, as fighting between rival Sunni factions continued.
Colonel Tareq al-Dulaimi, a senior police intelligence officer with close ties to Anbar Province's pro-US tribal coalition, confirmed reports that Muwaffaq al-Jugheifi had been killed but did not identify the attackers.
Dulaimi described the slain Al-Qaeda leader as an Iraqi from Fallujah.
A police capitain, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "Militants riding in two civilian cars opened fire on al-Jugheifi and his group on Saturday morning as they left the Abu Ayyub al-Ansari mosque."
Fallujah is currently at the centre of a large-scale security operation in which Iraqi police and tribal levies, backed by US forces, are attempting to drive Al-Qaeda's Islamist militants out of the town.
Saturday's killing came after the Anbar Salvation Council, the armed wing of the province's tribal coalition, announced that it was sending plainclothes "secret police" to Baghdad to kill Al-Qaeda leaders.
The council, whose fighters included thousands of former insurgents, has fallen out with Al-Qaeda and thrown its lot in with US forces. It has sent gunmen to join the Iraqi police and pro-US tribal levies.
Colonel Tareq al-Dulaimi, a senior police intelligence officer with close ties to Anbar Province's pro-US tribal coalition, confirmed reports that Muwaffaq al-Jugheifi had been killed but did not identify the attackers.
Dulaimi described the slain Al-Qaeda leader as an Iraqi from Fallujah.
A police capitain, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "Militants riding in two civilian cars opened fire on al-Jugheifi and his group on Saturday morning as they left the Abu Ayyub al-Ansari mosque."
Fallujah is currently at the centre of a large-scale security operation in which Iraqi police and tribal levies, backed by US forces, are attempting to drive Al-Qaeda's Islamist militants out of the town.
Saturday's killing came after the Anbar Salvation Council, the armed wing of the province's tribal coalition, announced that it was sending plainclothes "secret police" to Baghdad to kill Al-Qaeda leaders.
The council, whose fighters included thousands of former insurgents, has fallen out with Al-Qaeda and thrown its lot in with US forces. It has sent gunmen to join the Iraqi police and pro-US tribal levies.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Poll: 78 % Say Give Illegal Immigrants Citizenship ?
While Congress and the White House remain divided over what to do with the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants now living in the United States, a new poll shows the American public appears to have reached a consensus on the question.
A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken last weekend of 1,007 people found that 78 percent of respondents feel people now in the country illegally should be given a chance at citizenship. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Disagreements about the fate of the nation's illegal residents were a major factor in the deadlock that kept Congress from enacting an immigration bill last year, despite the support of key Democratic and Republican leaders, as well as President Bush. The president and members of his Cabinet, including Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, have said it would be prohibitively expensive to deport all the nation's illegal residents.
But many conservatives strongly oppose putting illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship.
Supporters of a plan to give illegal immigrants a chance to stay in the United States expect smoother sailing for legislation in a Democrat-controlled Congress. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has set aside the last two weeks of May for debate on an immigration bill; House Democrats hope to act before the August recess.
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken last weekend of 1,007 people found that 78 percent of respondents feel people now in the country illegally should be given a chance at citizenship. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Disagreements about the fate of the nation's illegal residents were a major factor in the deadlock that kept Congress from enacting an immigration bill last year, despite the support of key Democratic and Republican leaders, as well as President Bush. The president and members of his Cabinet, including Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, have said it would be prohibitively expensive to deport all the nation's illegal residents.
But many conservatives strongly oppose putting illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship.
"You'd be rewarding them for breaking our laws,"said Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Calif.
Supporters of a plan to give illegal immigrants a chance to stay in the United States expect smoother sailing for legislation in a Democrat-controlled Congress. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has set aside the last two weeks of May for debate on an immigration bill; House Democrats hope to act before the August recess.
Talk Show America 6/4/2007
Al Qaeda-Iran Liaison Captured
In Baghdad yesterday, Coalition and Iraqi raids were largely focused on the Mahdi Army. Also, Iraqi Special Operations Forces captured a Mahdi Army commander in the Kadamiyah district in central Baghdad yesterday. The Mahdi commander
Two more Mahdi operatives were captured in Sadr City today.
Also during a raid in Khanaqin, Coalition forces captured a
Talk Show America 6/01/2007
"is alleged to be responsible for providing financial, logistical, and political support for multiple insurgent groups and terrorist organizations" and is also "suspected of overseeing the training of insurgent recruits on terrorist methods including the construction and detonation of Improvised Explosive Devices and Explosively Formed Projectiles."
Two more Mahdi operatives were captured in Sadr City today.
"They are believed to be members of the secret cell terrorist network known for facilitating the transport of weapons and explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training,"according to the Multinational Forces Iraq press release. Seventeen members of this network have been killed and 41 captured during numerous raids over the past three weeks.
Also during a raid in Khanaqin, Coalition forces captured a
"liaison to al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders, who assists in the movement of information and documents from al-Qaeda in Iraq leadership in Baghdad to al-Qaeda senior leaders in Iran."Al Qaeda leaders such as Saif al Adel and Said bin Laden, Osama's son, are being sheltered in Iran along with an estimated 100 al Qaeda senior operatives.
Talk Show America 6/01/2007
Ceasefire Talk: U.S. Defeat in Iraq ?
Washington's announcement of talks with Iraqi militants about a cease-fire arrangement is a "big victory" for the insurgency and demonstrates the U.S. now recognizes the legitimacy of so-called terror groups, Palestinian terrorist leaders told WND.
In a briefing with reporters earlier today, Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno said U.S. commanders at all levels are being empowered to reach out for talks with militants, tribes, religious leaders and others, including insurgents and sectarian rivals.
Reacting to Odierno's announcement, Muhammad Abdel-El, spokesman and a leader of the Popular Resistance Committees terror group, called truce talks with insurgents "a big victory for the resistance."
Abu Nasser Aziz, the deputy commander of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the northern West Bank, told WND talks with Iraqi militants
Abu Abdullah said he suspects violence in Iraq will continue regardless of a cease-fire.
Earlier today, Odierno said he believed an agreement could be reached with Iraqi elements, including insurgents.
Talk Show America 6/01/2007
In a briefing with reporters earlier today, Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno said U.S. commanders at all levels are being empowered to reach out for talks with militants, tribes, religious leaders and others, including insurgents and sectarian rivals.
"We are talking about cease-fires, and maybe signing some things that say they won't conduct operations against the government of Iraq or against coalition forces,"Odierno told reporters in a video conference from Baghdad.
Reacting to Odierno's announcement, Muhammad Abdel-El, spokesman and a leader of the Popular Resistance Committees terror group, called truce talks with insurgents "a big victory for the resistance."
"Americans are recognizing the resistance, the same resistance that they before called terrorism; now they are dealing with them, and this is the recognition of Iraqi resistance and recognition by the Americans of their own loss in Iraq,"said Abdel-El.
"This [talk of a cease fire] is a great achievement for the resistance in Iraq and this achievement will be complimented by more and more dead American soldiers they will carry in coffins to the U.S.,"Abdel-El said.
Abu Nasser Aziz, the deputy commander of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the northern West Bank, told WND talks with Iraqi militants
"shows America is recognizing its failure in Iraq and that the invasion of Iraq was judged by Allah to be a failure. This is a great victory for the resistance."
"The Americans didn't achieve anything with this invasion but to bring about their downfall."
Abu Abdullah said he suspects violence in Iraq will continue regardless of a cease-fire.
"Of course the resistance will continue,"he said.
Earlier today, Odierno said he believed an agreement could be reached with Iraqi elements, including insurgents.
"I believe there are elements that are irreconcilable, but I believe the large majority are," Odierno said. "I believe about 80 percent are reconcilable, both Jaish al-Mahdi as well as Sunni insurgents.Odierno said.
"Prime Minister Maliki and the government of Iraq have to continue to reach out to all these groups ... bringing these groups into the political process so we can deal with their differences in a peaceful way instead of in violent ways,"
Talk Show America 6/01/2007
Employers added 157,000 jobs in May
Employers showed a decent appetite to hire in May, boosting payrolls by 157,000, the most in two months. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.5 percent.
Health care, education, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and the government were among the sectors adding jobs in May.
The new report on labor activity was better than economists were expecting. They were forecasting employers to add just 135,000 jobs in May. They did, however, say they believed the overall unemployment rate would stay at 4.5 percent, considered relatively low by historical standards.
Employers boosted payrolls by 175,000 in March and by another 80,000 in April, according to revised figures released Friday. Job gains for each of those months were just a tad smaller than previously estimated.
Friday’s employment report was encouraging because it also indicated that companies are holding up well to the recent rise in gasoline and other energy costs.
Education and health services added 54,000 jobs last month. Professional and busineses services expanded employment by 32,000. Leisure and hospitality boosted payrolls by 46,000 and the government added 22,000 positions. Those gains help to blunt weankess elsewhere. Manufacturers shed 19,000 jobs and retailers cut 5,000. Construction employment showed no change.
Workers saw modest wage gains; average hourly earning rose to $17.30 in May, a 0.3 percent increase rom the previous month. That matched economists’ expectations. Over the last 12 months, wages grew by 3.8 percent.
Talk Show America 6/01/2007
Health care, education, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and the government were among the sectors adding jobs in May.
The new report on labor activity was better than economists were expecting. They were forecasting employers to add just 135,000 jobs in May. They did, however, say they believed the overall unemployment rate would stay at 4.5 percent, considered relatively low by historical standards.
Employers boosted payrolls by 175,000 in March and by another 80,000 in April, according to revised figures released Friday. Job gains for each of those months were just a tad smaller than previously estimated.
Friday’s employment report was encouraging because it also indicated that companies are holding up well to the recent rise in gasoline and other energy costs.
Education and health services added 54,000 jobs last month. Professional and busineses services expanded employment by 32,000. Leisure and hospitality boosted payrolls by 46,000 and the government added 22,000 positions. Those gains help to blunt weankess elsewhere. Manufacturers shed 19,000 jobs and retailers cut 5,000. Construction employment showed no change.
Workers saw modest wage gains; average hourly earning rose to $17.30 in May, a 0.3 percent increase rom the previous month. That matched economists’ expectations. Over the last 12 months, wages grew by 3.8 percent.
Talk Show America 6/01/2007
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Talk Show America to Return "Live" Friday June 1st at 10 AM EST on "Net Talk World"
Good News Everyone...
The Talk Show America Show will return "Live" on Friday, June 1st at 10 AM EST on Net Talk World. Tune in daily, Monday thru Friday as Jay Are takes on the main stream news media, the liberal left, the Democrats and the Rinos, in their constant attacks against our country, the US Military and it's mission in the Global War on Terror.
Every weekday Jay Are takes on issues from immigration to the war on terror and everything else in between and brings you the truth without the spin and without the political correctness.
Net Talk World is a network of quality talk shows, such as Talk show America, The Captain's America, The Kyle Warren Show, The Scott Fuller Show, and the New Media Journal.
For the Best in Conservative talk radio programming..FREE...tune in to Net Talk World and find out what all the buzz is about.
Talk Show America 6/01/2007
The Talk Show America Show will return "Live" on Friday, June 1st at 10 AM EST on Net Talk World. Tune in daily, Monday thru Friday as Jay Are takes on the main stream news media, the liberal left, the Democrats and the Rinos, in their constant attacks against our country, the US Military and it's mission in the Global War on Terror.
Every weekday Jay Are takes on issues from immigration to the war on terror and everything else in between and brings you the truth without the spin and without the political correctness.
Net Talk World is a network of quality talk shows, such as Talk show America, The Captain's America, The Kyle Warren Show, The Scott Fuller Show, and the New Media Journal.
For the Best in Conservative talk radio programming..FREE...tune in to Net Talk World and find out what all the buzz is about.
Talk Show America 6/01/2007
Anger Over Immigration Bill Surprises GOP Senators ?
Recently I found this article on CNN that states that Republican Senators are surprised at the anger being expressed over the current Immigration bill proposal that would include "Amnesty".
If the Republican Senators are expressing "surprise" over this issue as CNN reports, then we are in bigger trouble as a party than I thought. These Senators are out of touch with their constituents.
In his speech Tuesday on immigration reform, President Bush was trying to provide political cover for members of Congress to support the legislation. That could be tough.
Republicans are getting an earful on immigration.
The angry response comes as a shock.
There's a big difference in intensity. Among those who favor a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, 28 percent say the issue is extremely important to them, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll. Those who oppose a path to citizenship feel much more strongly about the issue. Forty-seven percent say it's extremely important.
The poll, conducted May 4-6, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
President Bush said the legislation puts enforcement first.
Conservative critics responded with a scathing indictment. Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said,
President Bush used equally harsh language to assail his critics. "If you want to kill the bill, if you don't want to do what's right for America, you can pick one little aspect out of it. You can use it to frighten people,'' Bush said.
But critics of the legislation are not frightened. They're angry.
You don't see as much intensity among supporters of the legislation.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, put it this way:
Those who favor the legislation are not demanding that Congress act, or else. Those who oppose it are threatening retaliation.
Which is why President Bush felt he had to say:
Talk Show America 5/31/2007
If the Republican Senators are expressing "surprise" over this issue as CNN reports, then we are in bigger trouble as a party than I thought. These Senators are out of touch with their constituents.
In his speech Tuesday on immigration reform, President Bush was trying to provide political cover for members of Congress to support the legislation. That could be tough.
Republicans are getting an earful on immigration.
"I have learned some new words from some of my constituents,"Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Arizona, said.
The angry response comes as a shock.
"The level of intensity and volume is, I think, surprising,'' CNN contributor and radio talk show host Bill Bennett said. "We've talked to a number of Republican senators, and they confessed to being surprised by the reaction."
There's a big difference in intensity. Among those who favor a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, 28 percent say the issue is extremely important to them, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll. Those who oppose a path to citizenship feel much more strongly about the issue. Forty-seven percent say it's extremely important.
The poll, conducted May 4-6, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
President Bush said the legislation puts enforcement first.
"If you're serious about securing our borders, it makes sense to support legislation that makes enforcement our highest priority,"Bush said Tuesday.
Conservative critics responded with a scathing indictment. Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said,
"The folks out there in America who, when they see Washington saying we have this wonderful plan, they say 'Yeah right. We saw what you did with Katrina, we saw what you did with corruption, we saw what you have done in terms of managing the war. So when you tell us you fixed immigration, we are not buying.' "
President Bush used equally harsh language to assail his critics. "If you want to kill the bill, if you don't want to do what's right for America, you can pick one little aspect out of it. You can use it to frighten people,'' Bush said.
But critics of the legislation are not frightened. They're angry.
You don't see as much intensity among supporters of the legislation.
"People have begun to realize that the bill is not quite as bad as those who said it was before they had read it,"Kyl observed.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, put it this way:
"Our product is better than those who want to do nothing."
Those who favor the legislation are not demanding that Congress act, or else. Those who oppose it are threatening retaliation.
Which is why President Bush felt he had to say:
"It takes a lot of courage in the face of some of the criticism in the political world to do what's right, not what's comfortable."
Talk Show America 5/31/2007
Web Site Error Sparks Increase in Oil Prices
The story below backs up what I have said on the show time and time again, it is the oil futures market that governs the price of oil....
World oil prices jumped briefly on Wednesday after a television station in Tulsa, Oklahoma--the No. 62 U.S. media market--posted an erroneous story about a refinery fire on its Web site.
At 10:14 EDT, CBS affiliate KOTV reported that a lightning strike had caused a fire at an Oklahoma refinery--sparking a flurry of excitement among energy traders and boosting U.S. crude prices 40 cents.
The refining company announced the story was "completely wrong" and the station withdrew the story.
A string of refinery problems in the United States has propelled retail gasoline prices to record highs in recent weeks.
Talk Show America 5/31/2007
World oil prices jumped briefly on Wednesday after a television station in Tulsa, Oklahoma--the No. 62 U.S. media market--posted an erroneous story about a refinery fire on its Web site.
At 10:14 EDT, CBS affiliate KOTV reported that a lightning strike had caused a fire at an Oklahoma refinery--sparking a flurry of excitement among energy traders and boosting U.S. crude prices 40 cents.
The refining company announced the story was "completely wrong" and the station withdrew the story.
"All it takes is a screw-up on a Web site to move the market. It just goes to show how tense this market is,"said a Houston-based oil trader.
A string of refinery problems in the United States has propelled retail gasoline prices to record highs in recent weeks.
Talk Show America 5/31/2007
U.S., Iraqi Troops Seize 47 in Iraq Operations
Iraqi and coalition forces captured 47 suspected terrorists, including some suspected terror-cell chieftains, and seized contraband weaponry during operations across Iraq over the past few days, military officials reported.
Coalition forces detained 30 suspected terrorists in operations around Iraq today.
During operations this morning in Baghdad, Mosul, and Anbar and Salah ad Din provinces coalition troops rounded up 28 suspected terrorists.
-- Coalition troops detained two suspected terrorists during morning operations in the Sadr City section of Baghdad.
-- In Mosul, coalition forces detained four suspected terrorists, including an individual believed to be the key al Qaeda link in the city.
-- During morning raids in Anbar province, coalition troops detained 14 suspected terrorists believed to have al Qaeda ties associated with transport of money, weapons and foreign fighters into Iraq.
-- Coalition raids in Salah ad Din province nabbed three suspected terrorists. A discovered weapons cache produced mortars, small arms and a heavy machine gun.
-- Coalition forces captured five suspected terrorists in Sadr City. Individuals detained are believed to be members of a secret terror cell linked to the transport of explosively formed ordnance and insurgents from Iran into Iraq.
The capture of weapons traffickers in Sadr City is sure to disrupt the flow of weapons into Iraq, he said.
In another operation today, coalition troops detained two suspected terrorists, found weapons and seized a local vehicle after coming under attack near Az-Zaidon, Iraq, west of Baghdad.
American soldiers with the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team spotted a possible improvised explosive device connection wire and followed it to a small shack. A man ran from the shack upon the soldiers' approach. The soldiers then came under small-arms fire. One insurgent was killed and another was wounded during the ensuring firefight.
Upon a search of nearby vehicles, the soldiers found a rifle, a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher, falsified identification documents, six cell phones, a cordless phone, a box of ammunition, and some AK-47 rifle magazines.
A pickup truck then bore down on the soldiers at high speed. The soldiers fired on the truck and disabled it. Three men fled the truck. Upon searching the truck the soldiers found a 9 mm pistol. Another nearby pickup truck was searched, and it yielded a spool of copper wire. The truck was confiscated for further investigation.
In other news from Iraq, Iraqi special operations troops detained two people, including a suspected terror cell leader, during a morning raid yesterday in the Baghdad area. The accused terrorist is suspected of running a kidnapping and assassination network in the Baghdad area. The cell is believed to have abducted an Iraqi nuclear power scientist and of complicity in the murders of two senior Iraqi government officials.
Elsewhere, Iraqi troops captured 15 other terrorists during three operations conducted May 26-28 in central Iraq.
-- Iraqi special operations forces seized four people suspected of killing and torturing civilians, as well as forcing them out of their homes in the Baghdad area during a May 28 raid.
-- Iraqi soldiers captured eight suspected terrorists during a May 27 raid.
-- Iraqi soldiers detained three suspected terrorists and destroyed a car bomb and several large weapons caches during a May 26 raid.
Talk Show America 5/31/2007
Coalition forces detained 30 suspected terrorists in operations around Iraq today.
During operations this morning in Baghdad, Mosul, and Anbar and Salah ad Din provinces coalition troops rounded up 28 suspected terrorists.
-- Coalition troops detained two suspected terrorists during morning operations in the Sadr City section of Baghdad.
-- In Mosul, coalition forces detained four suspected terrorists, including an individual believed to be the key al Qaeda link in the city.
-- During morning raids in Anbar province, coalition troops detained 14 suspected terrorists believed to have al Qaeda ties associated with transport of money, weapons and foreign fighters into Iraq.
-- Coalition raids in Salah ad Din province nabbed three suspected terrorists. A discovered weapons cache produced mortars, small arms and a heavy machine gun.
-- Coalition forces captured five suspected terrorists in Sadr City. Individuals detained are believed to be members of a secret terror cell linked to the transport of explosively formed ordnance and insurgents from Iran into Iraq.
"This morning we removed numerous, abhorrent terrorists from the Iraqi population," Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, said. "Our operations will continue to seek out these lawless and dangerous terrorists."
The capture of weapons traffickers in Sadr City is sure to disrupt the flow of weapons into Iraq, he said.
"We will continue to target terrorists who aid the trafficking of deadly weapons that threaten the safety and security of innocent Iraqis,"Garver said.
In another operation today, coalition troops detained two suspected terrorists, found weapons and seized a local vehicle after coming under attack near Az-Zaidon, Iraq, west of Baghdad.
American soldiers with the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team spotted a possible improvised explosive device connection wire and followed it to a small shack. A man ran from the shack upon the soldiers' approach. The soldiers then came under small-arms fire. One insurgent was killed and another was wounded during the ensuring firefight.
Upon a search of nearby vehicles, the soldiers found a rifle, a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher, falsified identification documents, six cell phones, a cordless phone, a box of ammunition, and some AK-47 rifle magazines.
A pickup truck then bore down on the soldiers at high speed. The soldiers fired on the truck and disabled it. Three men fled the truck. Upon searching the truck the soldiers found a 9 mm pistol. Another nearby pickup truck was searched, and it yielded a spool of copper wire. The truck was confiscated for further investigation.
In other news from Iraq, Iraqi special operations troops detained two people, including a suspected terror cell leader, during a morning raid yesterday in the Baghdad area. The accused terrorist is suspected of running a kidnapping and assassination network in the Baghdad area. The cell is believed to have abducted an Iraqi nuclear power scientist and of complicity in the murders of two senior Iraqi government officials.
Elsewhere, Iraqi troops captured 15 other terrorists during three operations conducted May 26-28 in central Iraq.
-- Iraqi special operations forces seized four people suspected of killing and torturing civilians, as well as forcing them out of their homes in the Baghdad area during a May 28 raid.
-- Iraqi soldiers captured eight suspected terrorists during a May 27 raid.
-- Iraqi soldiers detained three suspected terrorists and destroyed a car bomb and several large weapons caches during a May 26 raid.
Talk Show America 5/31/2007
Officers Describe Al Qaeda Prison Rescue Mission
Officers from the U.S. Army battalion that freed 41 prisoners from an al Qaeda in Iraq hideout May 27 provided details on the operation yesterday.
U.S. and Iraqi soldiers were conducting operations in a town south of Baqubah when a local man approached them with information about the prison, Army Lt. Col. Morris Goins, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry, told reporters in a teleconference from Iraq's Diyala province.
Goins said he assigned D Company of the unit, commanded by Army Capt. Paul Carlock, to check out the report. As the unit approached, the soldiers encountered 41 Iraqis who had been held by al Qaeda in Iraq, Goins said.
The unit then took the men to a combat outpost, where they received medical attention. The American and Iraqi units killed seven al Qaeda fighters in the operation and detained another 30, Goins said.
Carlock said some of the men, mostly Sunnis, had lash marks on their backs and rope burns on their wrists and ankles. Some had been held as long as four months. He said their main diet was figs and water.
One of the freed prisoners was a 13-year-old boy, Goins said, but most were provincial government workers and local merchants. Some Shiia hostages had been held at the prison, but al Qaeda had killed them all, the colonel added.
Goins and Carlock both said the operation shows that the local people are tired of al Qaeda in their communities. The coalition and Iraqi government forces are trying to drive a wedge between the terrorists and the population.
This contact, the officers said, helps to widen the division between the insurgents and the local population and allows the forces to develop intelligence sources.
Goins said he hopes liberating the prison will have a positive effect on the attitude of the local citizens.
He added that he hopes the 41 people freed in the operation and now back with their families will pass along their experiences to their friends and relatives.
Talk Show America 5/31/2007
U.S. and Iraqi soldiers were conducting operations in a town south of Baqubah when a local man approached them with information about the prison, Army Lt. Col. Morris Goins, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry, told reporters in a teleconference from Iraq's Diyala province.
Goins said he assigned D Company of the unit, commanded by Army Capt. Paul Carlock, to check out the report. As the unit approached, the soldiers encountered 41 Iraqis who had been held by al Qaeda in Iraq, Goins said.
"They showed some signs of torture," the colonel said. "We brought them back to an attack position, where we were able to give them some water, some food."
The unit then took the men to a combat outpost, where they received medical attention. The American and Iraqi units killed seven al Qaeda fighters in the operation and detained another 30, Goins said.
Carlock said some of the men, mostly Sunnis, had lash marks on their backs and rope burns on their wrists and ankles. Some had been held as long as four months. He said their main diet was figs and water.
One of the freed prisoners was a 13-year-old boy, Goins said, but most were provincial government workers and local merchants. Some Shiia hostages had been held at the prison, but al Qaeda had killed them all, the colonel added.
Goins and Carlock both said the operation shows that the local people are tired of al Qaeda in their communities. The coalition and Iraqi government forces are trying to drive a wedge between the terrorists and the population.
"We try to every day meet with local Iraqi leaders and then also leaders of the tribes,"Carlock said.
This contact, the officers said, helps to widen the division between the insurgents and the local population and allows the forces to develop intelligence sources.
"We have more sources today than we had yesterday and the day before that," Goins said. "So it's a growing and increased basis of intelligence coming in to both the Iraqi security forces and the coalition forces."
Goins said he hopes liberating the prison will have a positive effect on the attitude of the local citizens.
"If I were a local Iraqi and I would see that 41 Iraqi citizens were detained by al Qaeda, coalition forces helped secure their freedom, provided medical attention, were able to get them back to their family, it would show me that the international and the coalition forces are here to assist the Iraqi people and (would) live a peaceful life,"he said.
He added that he hopes the 41 people freed in the operation and now back with their families will pass along their experiences to their friends and relatives.
"That will ensure that the Iraqi people understand that the Iraqi security forces as well as coalition forces are here to provide security with their assistance to allow them to have a democratic government and live a peaceful existence as the majority of the international community does,"he said.
Talk Show America 5/31/2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
U.S. Military Rescues 42 Iraqis From Al Qaeda Prison
U.S. forces raided an Al Qaeda hide-out northeast of Baghdad on Sunday and freed 42 Iraqis imprisoned inside, including some who had been tortured and suffered broken bones, a senior U.S. military official said Sunday.
The raid was part of a 3-month-old security crackdown that included the deployment of 3,000 more U.S. troops to Diyala, a violent province north of the capital that has seen heavy fighting in recent weeks, said Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the top U.S. military spokesman in Iraq.
Caldwell said Iraqis told U.S. forces about the hide-out: "The people in Diyala are speaking up against Al Qaeda."
He said the 42 freed Iraqis marked the largest number of captives ever found in a single Al Qaeda prison. Some of those freed were held for as long as four months and some had injuries from torture and were taken to medical facilities for treatment, he said.
Talk Show America 5/30/2007
The raid was part of a 3-month-old security crackdown that included the deployment of 3,000 more U.S. troops to Diyala, a violent province north of the capital that has seen heavy fighting in recent weeks, said Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the top U.S. military spokesman in Iraq.
Caldwell said Iraqis told U.S. forces about the hide-out: "The people in Diyala are speaking up against Al Qaeda."
He said the 42 freed Iraqis marked the largest number of captives ever found in a single Al Qaeda prison. Some of those freed were held for as long as four months and some had injuries from torture and were taken to medical facilities for treatment, he said.
Talk Show America 5/30/2007
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