Putin Threatens To Target Europe With Missiles

globeandmail.com

In an interview with the Globe and Mail, Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to target Europe with missiles, including potentially nuclear weapons, in a dramatic escalation of his Cold War-style showdown with the United States. Mr. Putin, in an interview at his country residence outside Moscow, said he considers U.S. plans to build an eastern European anti-missile site to shoot down Iranian missiles a provocation aimed at Russia. Asked what he might do to retaliate, he said he would return Russia to the Cold War status where missiles were aimed at European targets. "It is obvious that if part of the strategic nuclear potential of the United States is located in Europe, and according to our military experts will be threatening us, we will have to respond," he said. "What kind of steps are we going to take in response? Of course, we are going to get new targets in Europe." He suggested that this could include powerful nuclear-capable weapons. "What kind of means will be used to hit the targets that our military believe are potential threats to the Russian federation? This is a purely technical issue, be it ballistic missiles or cruise missiles, or some kinds of novel weapons systems - this is a purely technical issue."

Once again, Russia and Putin are realizing their insignificance to the world. The only people that fear them are their own people who routinely disappear if they question the gov't. They are acting like 4 year olds who aren't getting enough attention, "look at me, look at me".

 

Technorati tags: Putin, Russia, Missiles, Missile Defense, Nuclear, Ballistic, Cruise, United States, Europe, Military

Four Charged In Plot To Attack JFK Airport

WNBC | New York

NEW YORK -- 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. Three suspects are thought to be overseas. Sources said a cargo worker at JFK allegedly began to plot attacking the US last July or August. The cargo worker sought help in carrying out a plan and went to an FBI informant, who gathered information about the plot. The cargo worker is a U.S. citizen with roots in Guyana. Sources said he be a former government official in Guyana. Sources said counter-terrorism officials have been following the plot for a little less than one year. Sources said the plot involved a plan to blow up a jet-fuel pipeline at JFK setting off a potential massive explosion. Aviation officials said there is no major threat to air travel related to this plot.

 

Technorati tags: Terrorist Attacks, Terrorism, JFK Airport, United States, New York, Terror Plot, Jet Planes, Fuel

U.S. Navy Ship Fires At al-Qaeda Suspects In Somalia

MSNBC.com

The destroyer USS Chafee fired her deck guns at two or three suspected "high-value terrorist targets" in the Puntland area along the northern coast of Somalia on Saturday, U.S. officials told NBC News. The three suspects are accused of taking part in the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. According to the officials, the U.S. had "actionable intelligence” gathered by U.S. Special Operations Forces and local tribal leaders that the suspects were in the area. Out of fear that the suspects would leave the area, the decision was made to order the strike from the Chafee, which fired 20 five-inch rounds from her deck guns. The Chafee was the U.S. military's closest asset, the officials said.  Airstrikes would have come too late.

The Ethiopian Army, which was trained by the U.S. Military, wiped out most of these terrorists. I guess it shows that you need to apply constant pressure on these savages to keep them from regrouping.

This is still a sore spot for the military. If you've seen the movie "Blackhawk Down", you understand why.

 

Technorati tags: Navy, Somalia, al-Qaeda, al-Qaida, Terrorists, Islamofascists, War on Terror

'Smartest Woman in the World' Hillary FLUNKED D.C. Bar Exam!

StrangeCosmos VIA Newsbusters

When the late John F. Kennedy, Jr. failed to pass the New York State bar exam his first time out, it merited front page headlines like the New York Post's, "The Hunk That Flunked." So where are the headlines now that President-in-waiting Hillary Clinton, aka one of America's top 100 lawyers, has admitted she flunked the Washington, D.C. bar exam in 1973? After all, Mrs. Clinton's genius IQ is still routinely touted in press write-ups. Earlier this month, for instance, New York Post gossip maven Cindy Adams described her as, "the smartest, sharpest, savviest lady in captivity . . . so brilliant and focused . . . so far, ain't nobody smarter to come down the pike." But there it is on page 64 of Hillary's own memoir "Living History"; her confession that she flunked the D.C. bar exam: "I was lonely and missed Bill more than I could stand. I had taken both the Arkansas and the Washington, D.C., bar exams during the summer, but my heart was pulling me toward Arkansas. When I learned that I had passed in Arkansas but failed in D.C., I thought that maybe my test scores were telling me something."

I am absolutely shocked! Not that she failed the exam, but that I haven't heard of this until now. As Newsbusters mentioned, if this were George Bush or any other Republican, It would become part of their name. "George W. Bush, who failed the bar exam, went for his physical today."

But, alas, I take great glee in her failures. Another thing I noticed, in the last sentence, "I learned that I had passed in Arkansas but failed in D.C., I thought that maybe my test scores were telling me something." Um, insert your own joke here.

Technorati tags: Hillary, Clinton, Bar Exam, Democrat, Liberal, Genius

Fred Thompson: Speaking Up For Freedom

ABC Radio Networks

Well, he's done it. Hugo Chavez was already systematically silencing criticism of his autocratic rule through threats and intimidation. Journalists have been threatened, beaten and even killed. Now he's shut down the last opposition television networks in Venezuela and arrested nearly 200 protesters – mostly students. It’s a monumental tragedy and the Venezuelan people will pay the price for decades to come. Americans are also at risk as he funds anti-American candidates and radicals all over Latin America. It’s equally tragic that the U.S. is in no position to provide the victims of this emerging dictator with the truth. There was a time, though, when Americans were on the front lines of pro-freedom movements all over the world. I'm talking about the “surrogate” broadcast network that included Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, often called "the Radios." When Ronald Reagan was elected, he greatly empowered the private, congressionally funded effort and handpicked the Radios’ top staff to bring freedom to the Soviet Union. Steve Forbes led the group. Cynics still say that the USSR fell of its own weight, and that President Reagan’s efforts to bring it down were irrelevant, but Boris Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev say differently. Both have said that, without the Radios, the USSR wouldn't have fallen. The Radios were not some bland public relations effort, attracting audiences only with American pop music. They engaged the intellectual and influential populations behind the Iron Curtain with accurate news and smart programming about freedom and democracy. They had sources and networks within those countries that sometimes outperformed the CIA. When Soviet hardliners and reformers were facing off, and crowds and tanks were on the streets of Moscow and Bucharest, the radios were sending real-time information to the people, including the military, and reminding them of what was at stake. Then we won the Cold War. The USSR collapsed in 1991, and America relaxed. Military downsizing began and the Radios began to reduce broadcast air time to target countries. Now, of course, we know that the Islamofascists, many trained by the old Soviets, were making plans and plots of their own. Unfortunately, the plans to broadcast a pro-freedom message into Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Kurdistan and Ukraine were shelved or diluted. Reagan's ideological audacity was replaced with a more "diplomatic" tone. And see where it's got us? Not only has Islamic totalitarianism spread without a true ideological challenge, many of the freed Soviet bloc countries are slipping back into repression. Russia is making the same old threats and even protecting Iran's efforts to build nukes. We'll never know if Afghanistan might have rejected al Qaeda if America had actively engaged that country as we did those Eastern Europeans. We can't know if Venezuelans would have chosen liberty over the false security of authoritarianism if they had been challenged to face the issues. I do know, though, that it's time for a new generation of Americans to stand up for freedom -- like others before us. And this time, we’ll have a whole new set of media technologies.

 

Technorati tags: Fred Thompson, Presidential Candidate, White House, President, Freedom, War on Terror

Peggy Noonan On Bush Squandering His Presidency

OpinionJournal

What political conservatives and on-the-ground Republicans must understand at this point is that they are not breaking with the White House on immigration. They are not resisting, fighting and thereby setting down a historical marker--"At this point the break became final." That's not what's happening. What conservatives and Republicans must recognize is that the White House has broken with them. What President Bush is doing, and has been doing for some time, is sundering a great political coalition. This is sad, and it holds implications not only for one political party but for the American future. The White House doesn't need its traditional supporters anymore, because its problems are way beyond being solved by the base. And the people in the administration don't even much like the base. Desperate straits have left them liberated, and they are acting out their disdain. Leading Democrats often think their base is slightly mad but at least their heart is in the right place. This White House thinks its base is stupid and that its heart is in the wrong place.

This is what I've been thinking for about the past year.

 

Technorati tags: Bush, Republican, Conservative, White House, Noonan

Good News From The War On Terror 5/31

IRAQI SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES DETAIN SUSPECTED JAM COMMANDER IN BAGHDAD RAID

BAGHDAD - Iraqi Special Operations Forces apprehended a Jaysh al-Mahdi commander during an early morning raid in Kadamiyah, a central suburb of Baghdad May 30.  The target of this operation is alleged to be responsible for providing financial, logistical, and political support for multiple insurgent groups and terrorist organizations. The individual is also suspected of managing operations to murder and intimidate local Iraqis and ordering several attacks on Coalition Forces.  The alleged commander 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. Acting on tips from the local population, Iraqi forces raided a house where the suspect was believed to be residing and detained him without incident. No ISOF or Coalition Forces were harmed in the operation.

 

10TH MOUNTAIN, 1ST ACB DESTROY ENEMY URBAN ASSAULT VEHICLE

CAMP STRIKER, IRAQ - A team of Apache attack helicopter pilots discovered and destroyed a heavily armed vehicle south of Radwaniyah at about 8:10 a.m., May 30. The Apache team from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade observed the vehicle near a reed line of a canal.  The vehicle had a heavy machine gun mount attached to the bed of the truck and re-enforced sidewalls with gun ports. After coordinating with the 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain tactical operations center, an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a camera was flown over the truck to observe the area.  Once confirming the target and ensuring there were no civilians in the immediate area, the brigade authorized the helicopters to engage the truck. The Apaches fired two Hellfire missiles and destroyed the vehicle. No civilians were injured.

 

THREE SUSPECTED TERRORISTS CAPTURED

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi and Coalition Forces detained three suspected terrorists during operations in central and eastern Iraq Thursday morning. Iraqi and Coalition Forces detained two individuals in Sadr City during the first raid.  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. Intelligence reports indicate one of the targeted individuals detained during the operation is suspected of providing facilitation and logistic support for trafficking weapons used in operations against Coalition Forces. In a separate raid in Khanaqin, Coalition Forces captured a suspected 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.

Technorati tags: Iraq, War on Terror, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Military, Coalition, Terrorists, Insurgents, al-Qaeda, al-Qaida

Fred Thompson on Iran & Israel

National Review Online

 

Let me ask you a hypothetical question. What do you think America would do if Canadian soldiers were firing dozens of missiles every day into Buffalo, N.Y.? What do you think our response would be if Mexican troops for two years had launched daily rocket attacks on San Diego — and bragged about it? I can tell you, our response would look nothing like Israel’s restrained and pinpoint reactions to daily missile attacks from Gaza. We would use whatever means necessary to win the war. There would likely be numerous casualties on our enemy’s side, but we would rightfully hold those who attacked us responsible. More than 1,300 rockets have been fired into Israel from Gaza since Palestinians were given control two years ago. Israelis, however, have gone to incredible lengths to stop the war against them without harming Palestinian non-combatants. But make no mistake, Israel is at war. The elected Hamas government regularly repeats its official promise to destroy Israel entirely and replace it with an Islamic state. Hamas openly took credit for killing one woman and wounding dozens more last week alone. The Palestinian strategy is to purposely target and kill Israeli civilians. Then, when Israel goes after those launching the attacks, Palestinians claim to be the victims. If Palestinian civilians aren’t hurt in the Israeli attacks, they stage injuries and deaths. Too often, they garner sympathy and support from a gullible or anti-Semitic media in the international community. Israelis, themselves, are often incapable of facing the damage they inflict in self-defense. Knowing this, Islamic extremists are using their own populations as human shields.

Imagine what it would be like to live, knowing that a rocket could fall on you or your children at any minute. Half of those who live nearest to Gaza have fled their homes. Those remaining are traumatized by daily warning sirens and explosions. The irony is that Israel has the military might to easily win the war that is being waged against them today. They haven’t used that might, in the past, out of compassion for Palestinian civilians and because it could trigger a wider regional conflict. That balance of power is about to change, though. If Iran develops nuclear weapons, the very existence of this tiny nation of Israel will be threatened. The Iranian regime has left little doubt that it intends to see Israel “wiped off the map.” Hamas is using the same language, not coincidentally, and has announced it will begin launching missiles into Israel from the West Bank too. If the world doesn’t act to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions, it must be prepared for the consequences of Israel defending itself.

These are only excerpts, the beginning and the end. Read the rest.

 

Technorati tags: Fred Thompson, Iran, Israel, Palestine, Hamas, Terrorism, Terrorist Attacks, Islamic Radicals

Fred To Finally Run For President? Quits "Law & Order"

FOXNews.com

Actor Fred Thompson is giving up his role as a prosecutor on the TV series "Law & Order," perhaps for a run at the White House. The show's creator and executive producer Dick Wolf said Thompson asked for his release Wednesday. Wolf said the former Tennessee senator told him he "has not made a firm decision about his political future," but the show's production schedule would create constraints. Thompson has yet to announce he's seeking the Republican presidential nomination, but GOP officials with knowledge of his plans say he'll make his first formal campaign move soon. He's expected to establish an exploratory committee in the coming days, a move that would allow Thompson to hire a staff and begin fundraising.

The best thing to come from Fred running is bringing the Conservatives together. Hopefully this buries Giuliani, McCain, and Romney. The thought of either one of those candidates become president is frightening.

I was hesitant on promoting Fred too much because I believe there are a few Conservative candidates already in the race. Duncan Hunter, Mike Huckabee, and Sam Brownback are all conservatives which would be excellent choices. I was hoping after the first few debates, their stock would rise. It didn't happen. So now we have Fred to bring attention to the Conservatives in the Republican party.

Many people do not know much about Fred Thompson. Well, stay tuned, he blogs frequently and I will start posting excerpts here.

 

Technorati tags: Fred Thompson, President, Presidential Candidates, Law & Order, Conservative, Republican

Now The Taliban Have Iranian Weapons

CNN.com

Weapons crossing the border from Iran to Afghanistan may be winding up in the hands of the Taliban, the hard-line Islamic militia that is battling U.S.- and NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, U.S. and British officials said. Coalition officials in Afghanistan said they have intercepted Iranian-made AK-47s, C-4 plastic explosives and mortars. One explosively-formed penetrator bomb (EFP) that was found can pierce American armor, a NATO official said.

But a U.S. official who requested anonymity told CNN the United States believes Iran's supreme leaders know about these operations and could stop them if they wanted to. Another U.S. official said Iran still sees the Taliban as an enemy but has a history of dealing with people it considers "nasty" as long as it is "congruent with Iran's overall objectives." In this case, Iran is "working the Taliban angle" to "bleed the U.S." in Afghanistan, the official said.

This is more of the proxy war Iran is engaging in towards the United States. Iran knows it cannot defeat us with their military, so they use terrorists to carry out their war. The sad part is we continue to let it happen.

It may be time to put those three aircraft carrier groups to good use. With that kind of firepower sitting off the coast of Iran, it would be over before they knew what happened.

 

Technorati tags: Iran, Afghanistan, Taliban, United States, Coalition, War on Terror, Terrorism, Military, Iranian Weapons, Proxy War

Putin's Lunacy: Vows To Counter U.S. "Imperialism"

Russia is at it again. More crying about the missile defense shield.

President Vladimir Putin issued an acerbic warning Thursday to the United States, saying the recent test of a new Russian missile was a direct response to US actions and condemning "imperialism" in world affairs. "Our American partners have quit the ABM Treaty," Putin told reporters after meeting his Greek counterpart, referring to the landmark 1972 US-Soviet treaty limiting the missile defenses of the Cold War superpower foes. "We warned them then that we would come out with a response to maintain the strategic balance in the world. Yesterday we conducted a test of a new strategic ballistic missile with multiple warheads, and of a new cruise missile, and will continue to improve our resources."

This is all a result of Russia becoming insignificant to European affairs. Those Eastern European countries that, in the past, were under the influence of the former Soviet Union, no longer feel the need to for any assistance from Russia.

The fact they are looking to the United States for defense needs instead of Russia is what this is about. Russia's feelings got hurt, kind of like questioning their manhood. So they feel the need to build bigger, better missiles to counter the missile defense shield.

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that tests of new Russian missiles were a response to the planned deployment of U.S. missile defense installations and other forces in Europe, suggesting Washington has triggered a new arms race. In a clear reference to the United States, he harshly criticized "imperialism" in global affairs and warned that Russia will strengthen its military potential to maintain a global strategic balance. "It wasn't us who initiated a new round of arms race," Putin said when asked about Russia's missile tests this week at a news conference after talks in the Kremlin with Greek President Karolos Papoulias. Putin described the tests of a new ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads and a new cruise missile as part of the Russian response to the planned deployment of new U.S. military bases and missile defense sites in ex-Soviet satellites in Central and Eastern Europe.

Missile defense shield. It shoots down missiles. Am I the only one that things it's ridiculous that Russia is all worked up over that? Unless Russia decides to start launching missiles against European countries, it will not have any effect on them.

The United States has already said this missile defense shield will not be effective against Russian missiles. So it appears this is less about a threat from the United States and more about Russia wanting to dominate Europe again.

 

Technorati tags: United States, Russia, Missile Defense, ABM, Putin, Communism, Arms, Missiles, Europe, Cold War

Good News From The War On Terror 5/29-5/30

AFGHAN NATIONAL POLICE DETAIN TALIBAN CELL LEADER IN GHAZNI PROVINCE

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan National Police and Coalition forces detained a Taliban cell leader 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Ghazni in the Andar District of Ghazni Province prior to midnight May 26.  Credible information led ANP and Coalition forces to a compound in the village of Myanjo where the Taliban cell leader was found and detained.   No shots were fired and there were no Afghan civilian injuries.       The cell leader has been responsible for emplacing improvised explosive devices and recruiting suicide bombers to kill and terrorize countless Afghan civilians in the Andar District.  He is also believed to be responsible for rocket attacks that targeted the Sardeh Band Dam complex.

 

COALITION RAIDS ROUND UP 23 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition Forces detained 23 suspected terrorists in operations Wednesday morning to disrupt the al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorist network in Baghdad, Mosul and Anbar and Salah ad Din provinces. Coalition Forces raided several buildings in Mosul while targeting leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq known for coordinating attacks on Iraqi and Coalition Forces.  Four suspected terrorists were detained at the site to include one terrorist believed to be a key al-Qaeda member in Mosul. During the early morning raids three Iraqi civilian received minor injuries.  One individual was brought to a military medical facility by Coalition Forces for treatment and the other two were treated on scene by Coalition Forces. In Sadr City, two suspected terrorists were detained and one was wounded during raids targeting individuals believed to be responsible for, and active participants in, a known kidnapping cell as well as attacks on Coalition Forces. In Anbar province, Coalition Forces detained 14 suspected terrorists for their involvement with al-Qaeda in Iraq.  Four of the suspected terrorists detained are believed to be involved in a facilitation network responsible for the transportation of money, weapons and foreign fighters into Iraq.  In coordinated raids, 10 suspected terrorists were detained for their participation and association with al-Qaeda in Iraq. Three suspected terrorists were detained during raids in the Salah ad Din province and a weapons cache was discovered that included mortars, numerous small arms and a heavy machine gun.  The cache was destroyed on site by Coalition Forces.

 

SECRET CELL LEADER DETAINED

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition Forces detained five suspected terrorists  and one suspected cell leader Wednesday morning during raids in Sadr City. The individuals detained during the raid 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. Intelligence reports indicate the cell leader that was targeted and detained during the morning's operation is suspected of being a key weapons trafficker to include the trafficking of small arms, mortars and other munitions.

 

IRAQI FORCES DETAIN 15 SUSPECTED INSURGENTS DURING CENTRAL IRAQ OPERATIONS

BAGHDAD - Iraqi Forces detained 15 suspected insurgents without incident during three operations in central Iraq May 26, 27 and 28.  The operations disrupted insurgent networks launching attacks on innocent civilians and Coalition Forces.  During a raid May 26, Iraqi Army soldiers detained three suspected insurgents and destroyed one vehicle borne IED and several large weapons caches.The Iraqi Army captured eight suspected insurgents during a raid May 27 seeking the two Soldiers who have been missing since May 13 when their convoy was attacked in Mahmoudiya. Iraqi Special Operations Forces detained four individuals who are suspected of killing and torturing civilians, as well as forcing them out of their homes in the Baghdad area during a raid May 28. Coalition Forces served as advisors during these operations.  No Iraqi or Coalition Forces were injured during these operations.

 

IRAQI SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES DETAIN ALLEGED LEADER OF TERRORIST CELL IN BAGHDAD

BAGHDAD - Acting on a tip from local citizens, Iraqi Special Operations Forces detained a suspected terrorist cell leader during an early morning raid May 29. The alleged leader is accused of commanding a kidnapping and assassination cell that has been conducting extra judicial killings in the Baghdad area.  The individual is also suspected of kidnapping a nuclear power scientist and murdering both the Director and Deputy of Citizenship and Naturalization. One other individual present during the operation was also detained. No Iraqi or Coalition Forces were injured during this operation. Coalition Forces served as advisors during this operation.

 

VIPER'S BITE MILITARY OPERATION MEETS WITH SUCCESS

Camp Echo, Iraq-- Multinational Division Central South Brigade Combat Team (BCT) and Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) conducted a successful military operation in Al Izza district in Al Kut city, in Wasit province. Joint Iraqi Police detachment and MND-CS Brigade Combat Team conducted an operation dubbed Viper's Bite. The result of this operation, which involved close air support, resulted in Coalition Soldiers, along with the Iraqi police detained 13 persons suspected of insurgent activities. Three of them are on the most wanted persons list in Waist province. The rest of the detainees have been handed over to the Iraqi Police. The joint forces seized machine guns, rocket propelled grenades, 122 mm artillery shells and approximately 1500 rounds of small caliber ammunition during the Viper's Bite Operation.

 

Technorati tags: Iraq, Afghanistan, War on Terror, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Military, Coalition, War, Taliban, al-Qaeda, al-Qaida, Terrorists, Insurgents

Bush Attacks The Conservative Base

BREITBART.COM

GLYNCO, Ga. (AP) - President Bush attacked opponents of an immigration deal Tuesday, suggesting they "don't want to do what's right for America." "The fundamental question is, will elected officials have the courage necessary to put a comprehensive immigration plan in place," Bush said against a backdrop of a huge American flag. He described his proposal—which has been agreed to by a bipartisan group of senators—as one that "makes it more likely we can enforce our border—and at the same time uphold the great immigrant tradition of the United States of America."

The great immigrant tradition of the United States was, immigrants getting approved to come here, learn the language and history of the United States, assimilate into society, and not depend on federal or state hand-outs.

The people coming here illegally are not learning the language, don't care about the history of the United States, want to maintain allegiance to their home country, and soak up any assistance available and drain our healthcare system.

The presidential stop came during a congressional recess, with senators back home and facing pressure from the left and right on the immigration plan. Bush's aim is to build momentum for the legislation, perhaps his best chance for a signature victory in his second term. The Senate expects to resume debate on it next week. "A lot of Americans are skeptical about immigration reform, primarily because they don't think the government can fix the problems," Bush said. "And my answer to the skeptics is: give us a chance to fix the problems in a comprehensive way that enforces our border and treats people with decency and respect. Give us a chance to fix this problem. Don't try to kill this bill before it gets moving," Bush told students and instructors at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Bush repeatedly cast the matter as one of political courage. "Those determined to find fault with this bill will always be able to look at a narrow slice of it and find something they don't like," the president said. "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. "Or you can show leadership and solve this problem once and for all." The bill would give temporary legal status to millions of unlawful immigrants, provided they came forward, paid a fine and underwent criminal background checks. To apply for a green card, they would have to pay another fine, learn English, return to their home country and wait in line. The plan also would create a guest worker program. It would allow foreign laborers to come to the U.S. for temporary stints, yet with no guarantee they can eventually gain citizenship.

I understand the need for a guest worker program. However; it should be guaranteed they return to their country when the temporary visa expires. This is not fixing the problem, this kicking the can down the road. This is not going to solve the problems. You are rewarding law-breakers. What is proposed on paper will probably never be enforced. There will be no fines (AKA buying pardons from the President), the border will not be secured before these people are allowed to become legal, and it opens the door for more people to come here illegally because there is the chance they will become "citizens" too.

Both the new visa plan and the temporary worker program are contingent on other steps coming first. Those include fencing and barriers along the Mexico border, the hiring of more Border Patrol agents and the completion of an identification system to verify employees' legal status. The legislation would also reshape future immigration decisions. A new point system would prioritize skills and education over family in deciding who can immigrate.

FIX THE DAMN BORDER FIRST!!!

When the border is secure as best as it can be, then we can debate what to do with the illegal's that are here now. Until we stop the flow from Mexico, there should be no talk about legalization or whatever.

Another bit to this bill, high value immigrants will be considered first. Such as those in the medical and technology field. What do these politicians think will happen to the citizens that already have, or are aspiring to have careers in those fields? The salary for those positions will plummet along with tax receipts.

This whole legalization idea is a disaster waiting to happen. For those who believe that all these people want to do is work, look at these pics from a high school in California.

 

 

 

 

Yep, they just want to come here to work.

 

Technorati tags: Immigration, Illegal Immigrants, Amnesty, Congress, President, Pardons, Immigration Bill, Border

Big Kitty Loves To Swim

Daily Mail

Most cats do not like getting wet - as anyone who has tried to bathe a moggie will know. But as these pictures show, there's always the exception to the rule. For the cat in question is a large male white Bengal tiger called Odin. Six years old, and at the prime of his life, Odin lives at the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Zoo in Vallejo, near San Francisco. He is about 10ft long from nose to tail, and is an excellent swimmer.

The look on this tiger's face is priceless. He always has the same look on his face in all the pics from the website.

 

Technorati tags: Tiger, Bengal, Swim, Odin, Six Flags, Zoo

Flags Replaced With Swastikas

UPDATED

Yahoo! News VIA LGF 

Vandals burned dozens of small American flags that decorated veterans' graves for Memorial Day and replaced many of them with hand-drawn swastikas, authorities said Monday. Forty-six flag standards were found empty and another 33 flags were in charred tatters Sunday in the cemetery, authorities said. Swastikas drawn on paper appeared where 14 of the flags had been. Members of the American Legion on this island off Washington's northwest coast replaced the burned flags with new ones Sunday afternoon. The vandals struck again on Memorial Day after a guard left at dawn, the San Juan County sheriff's office said. This time, the vandals left 33 of the hand-drawn swastikas.

The is probably some attempt by the lunatic left, or "progressives" as they're called, to protest the War on Terror. Abu Ghirab would be too good for those people. The one under Saddam because that's when there was REAL torture. I suggest first smashing their teeth out with a ball peen hammer. Then:

HUNG.DRAWN.&QUARTERED

 

***UPDATE 12:18PM 5/29/07***

A similar incident happened in Delaware County, Pennsylvania

As veterans and their families filtered in to a local American Legion on Memorial Day, they found a somber scene.

Swastikas were sprayed all over the Manoa American Legion building in Delaware County, prevalently displayed and polluting the patriotic look of the veterans’ sanctuary.

"I was just shocked to think that someone would come to a place like this and desecrate it with a swastika,” said Phil Miller of American Legion Manoa Post 667. “Especially on Memorial Day. It's just horrible.”

Some volunteers spent the day of honor and remembrance painting over the fresh swastika graffiti that tarnished the post.

 

 

Technorati tags: Memorial Day, Veterans, Flags, Swastikas, Progressives

Man Clad in Underwear Pins Leopard

BRIETBART.COM

JERUSALEM (AP) - A man clad only in underwear and a T-shirt wrestled a wild leopard to the floor and pinned it for 20 minutes after the cat leapt through a window of his home and hopped into bed with his sleeping family. "This kind of thing doesn't happen every day," said 49-year-old Arthur Du Mosch, a nature guide. "I don't know why I did it. I wasn't thinking, I just acted." Raviv Shapira, who heads the southern district of the Israel Nature and Parks Protection Authority, said a half dozen leopards have been spotted recently near Du Mosch's small community of Kibbutz Sde Boker in the Negev desert in southern Israel, although they rarely threaten humans. Shapira said it was probably food that lured the big cat. Leopards living near humans are usually too old to hunt in the wild and resort to chasing down domestic dogs and cats for food, he added. Du Mosch's pet cat was in the bed with him at the time, along with his young daughter who had been frightened by a mosquito in her own room.

WTF! Who would think that in a city, sleeping in your home, in your bed, you be attacked by a leopard? I would be more concerned about a leopard getting in my house than a burgler.

 

Technorati tags: Leopard, Underwear, T-Shirt, T Shirt, Animal, Jerusalem, Israel, Wrestle

More On The Religion Of Peace

The Ayatollah on Sex with Infants: "A man can have sexual pleasure from a child as young as a baby. However, he should not penetrate.  If he penetrates and the child is harmed then he should be responsible for her subsistence all her life. This girl, however would not count as one of his four permanent wives".    (Arabic source)

 

Loving your children:   Book 2, Number 0494: Narrated As-Saburah: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Command a boy to pray when he reaches the age of seven years. When he becomes ten years old, then beat him for prayer. Book 2, Number 0495: Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Command your children to pray when they become seven years old, and beat them for it (prayer) when they become ten years old; and arrange their beds (to sleep) separately. Book 2, Number 0497: Narrated Mu'adh ibn Abdullah ibn Khubayb al-Juhani: Hisham ibn Sa'd reported: We entered upon Mu'adh ibn Abdullah ibn Khubayb al-Juhani. He said to his wife: When (at what age) should a boy pray? She replied: Some person of us reported: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was asked about it; he said: When a boy distinguishes right hand from the left hand, then command him to pray.

 

So, you think the Ku Klux Klan and the Spanish Inquisition are bad? So do we, but... Put the Numbers in Perspective More people are killed by Islamists each year than in all 350 years of the Spanish Inquisition combined. (source) Islamic terrorists murder more people every day than the Ku Klux Klan has in the last 50 years. (source) More civilians were killed by Muslim extremists in two hours on September 11th than in the 36 years of sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland. (source) 19 Muslim hijackers killed more innocents in two hours on September 11th than the number of American criminals executed in the last 65 years. (source)

Last, but not least, this video from LGF

 

Technorati tags: Islam, Islamic Radicals, Muslim, Religion of Peace, Terrorists, Abuse, Islamists, Molestation, Child Abuse, Murder, Islamofascists

Religion Of Peace Includes Gang Rape Of Darfur Women

The Washington Times

KALMA, Sudan (AP) -- The seven women pooled money to rent a donkey and cart, then ventured out of the refugee camp to gather firewood, hoping to sell it for cash to feed their families. Instead, they say, in a wooded area just a few hours walk away, they were gang-raped, beaten and robbed. Naked and devastated, they fled back to Kalma. "All the time it lasted, I kept thinking: They're killing my baby, they're killing my baby," wailed Aisha, who was seven months pregnant at the time. The women have no doubt who attacked them. They say the men's camels and their uniforms marked them as janjaweed - the Arab militiamen accused of terrorizing the mostly black African villagers of Sudan's Darfur region. Their story, told to an Associated Press reporter and confirmed by other women and aid workers in the camp, provides a glimpse into the hell that Darfur has become as the Arab-dominated government battles a rebellion stoked by a history of discrimination and neglect. Now in its fourth year, the conflict has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis, and rape is its regular byproduct, U.N. and other human rights activists say. Sudan's government denies arming and unleashing the janjaweed, and bristles at the charges of rape, saying its conservative Islamic society would never tolerate it. It has agreed to let in 3,000 U.N. peacekeepers, but not the 22,000 mandated by the U.N. Security Council. It claims the force would be a spearhead for anti-Arab powers bent on plundering Sudan's oil. Meanwhile, more than 200,000 civilians have died and 2.5 million are homeless out of Darfur's population of 6 million, the U.N. says, and a February report by the International Criminal Court alleges "mass rape of civilians who were known not to be participants in any armed conflict."

These people are nothing more than primitive savages. May they drown in pigs blood.

Where's the outcry from Amnesty International? Oh, that's right, Dick Cheney is the only human rights violator in the world.

 

Technorati tags: Sudan, Darfur, Islam, Arab, Rape, Terrorists, Human Rights, Religion of Peace

U.S. Frees 42 Al-Qaeda Kidnap Victims In Iraq

CNN.com

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. forces have freed 42 Iraqi citizens who were kidnapped, held by al Qaeda in Iraq for as long as four months and possibly tortured, a U.S. military spokesman said Sunday. U.S. forces received a tip on where the hostages were held, said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver. "There was some evidence of torture," he said. Garver said he believed the kidnappings were part of al Qaeda's "fear and intimidation" campaign against Iraqi civilians. [...] Some detainees had broken bones and are being treated for their injuries, he said. "Some had stated that they had been hung from the ceiling," he said. The overnight raid took place in Iraq's Diyala province, north of Baghdad, Garver said. The military spokesman said tips that come from Iraqi citizens, including the one that led to the Diyala raid, are a sign of the growing trust with the U.S. military. But not all the leads pan out, he said. "In this instance we got very lucky," Garver said. According to the U.S. military, disenchantment with al Qaeda is also evident in Iraq's predominantly Sunni Anbar province, where coalition forces recently freed 17 kidnapped Iraqis who were found in two separate torture rooms. U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said last week that one of those freed was a 13-year-old boy, who "literally had been tortured, electrocuted, whipped, beat by these al Qaeda terrorists." He said freed people told troops that one or two captives had died during the torture sessions, and the remaining captives expected to be ransomed off to their families, with the money going to support the al Qaeda insurgency.

I thought there wasn't al-Qaeda or foreign terrorists in Iraq (except for our troops-Rosie). They need to stop linking Iraq and al-Qaeda together or their liberal handlers will jerk the leash.

 

Technorati tags: Iraq, War on Terror, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Military, al-Qaeda, al-Qaida, Terrorists, Torture, Kidnapping, Hostage, Insurgency, Insurgents

Gathering Of Eagles/Rolling Thunder Rally For The Troops

Head over to This ain’t Hell to view pics of the event. Of course you won't see it in the media. If two anti-war protesters showed up, it would be a media circus.

It's refreshing to see things like this because sometimes you feel all alone. You wonder if anybody cares anymore. Then you see patriotic events like this and it gives you hope.

 

Technorati tags: Gathering of Eagles, Rolling Thunder Rally, Troops, Support, War on Terror, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Military, Patriotic

Good News From The War On Terror 5/27

SECRET CELL TERRORIST DETAINED IN SADR CITY

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi and Coalition Forces detained one suspected terrorist during multiple raids targeting secret cell terrorist leaders in Sadr City Sunday. Intelligence reports directed Iraqi and Coalition Forces to a residence where they detained an individual who is believed to have ties to a secret cell terrorist network.  The network is 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. Iraqi and Coalition Forces and Iraqi Police also searched for a suspected terrorist who was believed to have been injured in an operation May 25.  Relatives of the targeted individual told Iraqi and Coalition Forces the man was at Jumla al-Hassabiyah Hospital in Baghdad, but the ground forces did not find him there.  No civilians were detained or injured, and the hospital was not damaged. Before dawn, Iraqi and Coalition Forces conducted an operation targeting a suspected weapons facilitator working for the secret cell terrorist network. During the operation, a vehicle approached Iraqi and Coalition Forces.  Ground forces tried to get the driver to stop by using visual and audible signals, but when the vehicle showed hostile intent by continuing to approach them, a supporting Coalition Forces vehicle engaged it with automatic weapons.  No civilians were injured but the vehicle ignited when a civilian returned to the vehicle and attempted to start the engine.  Local fire emergency crews quickly responded and contained the fire.

 

Iraqi Army Soldiers detain seven suspected Al Qaeda terrorists in Diyala province

JALULA – Iraqi Soldiers conducted a raid on May 24 in an eastern Iraq neighborhood capturing seven suspects linked to the terrorist network of al-Qaeda in Iraq. Acting on tips received from the local population, Iraqi Soldiers raided several residences in the village of Karim Al Haymus and detained their primary targets without incident. The Iraqi Soldiers also seized a cache of weapons including 12 AK-47s, two sniper rifles and materials used for the construction of improvised explosive devices.

 

2-15th Field Artillery Soldiers nab suspects

BAGHDAD — As Soldiers continue to search for two missing comrades south of Baghdad, troops of the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., detained six suspects for other crimes. Troops from the battalion detained five local nationals in a series of searches and raids west of Lutifiyah, Iraq, including two who were on the list of persons of interest. As the Soldiers took the detainees toward U.S. facilities for further questioning, a man attempted to throw a hand grenade at the patrol. He was detained. Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd BCT found an AK-47 with four magazines and a 9mm pistol magazine that had been tossed in the reeds along a canal. The six men were taken to Patrol Base Lutifiyah for questioning.

 

BOMBS DESTROYED, 18 SUSPECTS DETAINED

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces detained 18 suspected terrorists and destroyed a cache of weapons and bomb-making materials during operations against al-Qaeda in Iraq Sunday. Based on information gained from successful operations May 21, Coalition Forces raided a suspected meeting place for al-Qaeda operatives.  Inside the two targeted buildings, ground forces detained five individuals with suspected ties to the al-Qaeda network.  One individual said he had attended an IED-making class in a building nearby. Coalition Forces moved on to the nearby building and found a cache of weapons, explosives and improvised explosive device-making materials.  The cache contained three fully assembled IEDs, two artillery rounds, multiple IED triggers, eight rifles and assorted IED components.  A trained explosives team safely destroyed the materials on site. In Mosul, Coalition Forces detained six individuals in two separate raids targeting al-Qaeda cell leaders in the city.  At the first location, Coalition Forces detained three individuals, including a suspected IED cell leader responsible for attacks on Iraqi and Coalition Forces.  At the second site, Coalition Forces detained three more suspected terrorists, including an alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq cell leader who is known for distributing media and propaganda, including videos showing attacks on Iraqi Forces. Intelligence reports led Coalition Forces to two buildings southeast of Fallujah, where they searched for associates of an al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leader.  Four suspected terrorists were detained. Coalition Forces raided a building searching for a cell leader within a Baghdad vehicle-borne IED network, where they detained three suspected terrorists for their involvement in the cell and destroyed two vehicles used in the VBIED network.

 

Warrior Battalion defeats 18 IEDs in 48 hours

BAGHDAD — Tips from local citizens led Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Division–Baghdad troops to discover 18 improvised explosive devices in the Rashid District of Baghdad May 23 -24. Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division, together with Companies A and B of 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, found the devices after following tips from citizens in the Doura neighborhood of the city. “We found these IEDs thanks to peace-loving Iraqis who are obviously tired of the violence and danger in their neighborhoods,” said Col. Ricky D. Gibbs, commander of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. “Their trust in the Warrior Battalion to successfully act on the information given them is a great news story in East Rashid and serves as a great example for others to follow.” The Fort Carson, Colo.-based 2-12th Infantry is attached to the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan. The units were clearing the area in support of Operation Dragon Fire East when they were alerted to the whereabouts of the explosive devices. The IEDs consisted of one propane tank rigged with explosives, nine antitank mines, one cylinder laden with explosives, a propane tank with wires, another tank filled with homemade explosives, three 155mm artillery rounds and one 120mm artillery round filled with homemade explosives. In all, 160 lbs. of homemade explosives were discovered. Explosive ordnance disposal units disposed of the munitions and explosives.

 

Technorati tags: Iraq, Afghanistan, War on Terror, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Terrorist, Terrorism, Insurgents, Insurgency, Military, Coalition, Al-Qaeda, Al-Qaida, Taliban

Medical Experiments To Be Done Without Consent

More on the gov't owns your body

WASHINGTON — The federal government is undertaking the most ambitious set of studies ever mounted under a controversial arrangement that allows researchers to conduct some kinds of medical experiments without first getting the patients' permission. The $50 million, five-year project, which will involve more than 20,000 patients in 11 sites in the United States and Canada, is designed to improve treatment after car accidents, shootings, cardiac arrest and other emergencies. The three studies, organizers say, offer an unprecedented opportunity to find better ways to resuscitate people whose hearts suddenly stop, to stabilize patients who go into shock and to minimize damage from head injuries. Because such patients are usually unconscious at a time when every minute counts, it is often impossible to get consent from them or their families, the organizers say.

I don't think the government has right over your body in this instance. You are not killing any living thing, such as with abortion.

You need to ask yourself, "do I want treatment that usually works?", or, "do I want treatment that may or may not work or even contribute to my death?" Apparently; you no longer have the choice.

 

Previously: Courts: Your Organs Belong To The Government

 

Technorati tags: Medical Experiments, Treatment, Government, Consent, Rights

Taliban Steals Food From Afghan Civilians

CENTCOM

KHAS ORUZGAN, Afghanistan - An estimated 50 Taliban members stole a stockpile of United Nations World Food Program goods intended for Afghan civilians in the Khas Oruzgan District of Oruzgan Province on May 25.  The thieves, under the cover of darkness, took bulk food, clothing and survival items intended for thousands of Afghan civilians living in the District.  Maliks and village elders protested the crime and reported the incident to Afghan National Security and Coalition forces operating in the area.  ANSF and Coalition forces are coordinating with local government officials to track down the Taliban criminals and recover the stolen goods.          UNWFP is the United Nations front-line agency in the fight against global hunger.  Their aim is to provide 525 metric tons of food aid to 6.6 million Afghans through various projects and programs by December 2008.  The agency focuses on relief and resettlement for internally displaced persons and refugees including food for work and education programs.  Over the past 11 months, there have been 16 incidents in which UNWFP convoys have been attacked by enemy fighters with the intent of depriving aid to hundreds of thousands of Afghan civilians.  There have been seven convoy attacks that have occurred since the month of April.      “Taliban fighters are criminals attempting to oppress and deprive Afghan civilians of needed aid,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesperson.  “Afghan National Security and Coalition forces, with the support of the Afghan populace, will rid Afghanistan of its enemies and bring peace and stability to the country.”

 

Technorati tags: Afghanistan, Taliban, Food, United Nations, Afghani, Military, Coalition, Operation Enduring Freedom, War, War on Terror

News From Afghanistan

PRT TAKES AFGHAN EDUCATION TO A NEW LEVEL

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FENTY, Afghanistan—Soldiers of the Jalalabad Provincial Reconstruction Team traveled to the rural village of Dar Bhabba in the Nangahar District May 15 for a ground-breaking ceremony, which celebrated the construction of a new girl’s school. In many Afghan villages, classrooms are feeble shelters covered in palm fronds or tattered tents with woven mats for floors. As the country begins to move toward a more positive future, its dependence upon the vigilance of its youth is strong. “These kids just break your heart,” said Army Capt. Paul Noce, PRT team leader. “There is a lot we hope to do to help them.” A non-governmental organization is currently building a school for boys in the village.  Area children are currently attending school in makeshift tents.  Some students are currently being taught in the shelter of a crumbling mud wall. The village of Dar Bhabba is but one of many areas the PRT travels to and works with to spur education advances in Afghanistan. The new buildings will provide shelter and a more professional environment for the children to work in. “It’s good to come out and work closely with the locals,” said Noce. “We build trust with the kids and firm working relationships with the elders. It really contributes to the mission if you put a lot into the relationships. Handshakes and smiles go much farther than a weapon in our line of work.” The eyes of Dar Bhabba’s school girls are bright with the curiosity of youth and their aspirations are grand. “I want to be a doctor,” one breathless female Afghan student said. When asked why, she states with conviction, “To help Afghanistan and my people.” Each girl has similar dreams. “I want to be an engineer,” said another girl. “I want to help all the countries come together and rebuild Afghanistan.” The new school will provide a positive learning environment where these students can begin to realize their dreams. “Education is everything,” said Tadrish, a citizen of Dar Bhabba, who is also the father of two girls attending the new school. “Without education we can do nothing. I am happy to know my children will receive a high-level education. We need educated people if we are to rebuild this country; we need them to be educated in everything. We need teachers, engineers and doctors. I encourage my daughters to be whatever they will, as long as they are educated.” Groundbreaking on the new school was a jubilant occasion. A group of boys and girls each sang a prayer to bless the occasion. Noce and village leaders brandished shovels and symbolically broke ground for the new school as citizens stretched an Afghan and American flag against a mountainous backdrop to symbolize the unity of the occasion. PRT members also provided humanitarian assistance supplies to citizens and school children of Dar Bhabba such as rice, flour and school supplies for the children.         “We were happy to be able to bring the news of the school project,” said Noce. “In addition to the event, we like to make it standard to bring some much needed supplies as well.” The Jalalabad PRT travels to rural areas of Kunar and Nangahar province on a regular basis. Another team works directly in Jalalabad, to address humanitarian issues in the city. Each has various ongoing projects. The work of the PRT units is essential in the fight to regain Afghanistan’s strength and independence. “We love to help,” said Noce. “It’s what we do.”

 

Technorati tags: Afghanistan, Schools, Good News, Reconstruction, Operation Enduring Freedom

Good News From The War On Terror 5/26

IRAQI ARMY SOLDIERS DETAIN SEVEN SUSPECTED AL QAEDA TERRORISTS IN DIYALA PROVINCE

JALULA - Iraqi soldiers conducted a raid on May 24 in an eastern Iraq neighborhood capturing seven suspects linked to the terrorist network of al-Qaeda in Iraq. Acting on tips received from the local population, Iraqi soldiers raided several residences in the village of Karim Al Haymus and detained their primary targets without incident.  The Iraqi soldiers also seized a cache of weapons including 12 AK-47s, two sniper rifles and materials used for the construction of improvised explosive devices.

 

AFGAN NATIONAL POLICE DETAIN AL-QAIDA CELL COMMANDER IN KOWST PROVINCE

KHOWST, Afghanistan - Afghan National Police, advised by Coalition forces, detained one al-Qaida cell commander in the Bak District of Khowst Province just after midnight on May 25.  Credible information led ANP and Coalition forces to the village of Pelekhail where they detained an al-Qaida cell commander, known only as Mujahid.  ANP detained Mujahid and two other men for questioning while conducting a search of a compound in the village.  No shots were fired during the successful operation and there were no injuries to Afghan civilians or ANP members.      The enemy commander, known only by his first name, has been responsible for multiple improvised explosive device and suicide bomber attacks in Khowst Province.  Mujahid has targeted schools and government officials resulting in the deaths of dozens of innocent civilians.  He has also been involved in weapons smuggling and supplying logistics to other al- Qaida fighters.

 

TWO TERRORISTS KILLED, 23 SUSPECTS DETAINED, EXPLOSIVES DESTROYED

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition Forces killed two terrorists, detained 23 suspected terrorists and destroyed a cache of explosives during operations against al-Qaeda in Iraq Saturday. Coalition Forces targeted a suspected terrorist leader in a raid southwest of Taji Saturday morning.  As the ground forces approached the building, two armed men took up fighting positions.  Coalition Forces, reacting to the perceived hostile threat, engaged the two men with small arms fire, killing them. Inside the building, Coalition Forces detained three suspected terrorists.  One is believed to be an al-Qaeda senior leader whose group supplies vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices for use in the Taji area.  The group is also known to be responsible for indirect fire and IED attacks on Iraqi and Coalition Forces. In a follow-up operation southeast of Karmah, Coalition Forces found a cache of weapons and explosives, including 10 homemade bombs, a 55-gallon drum of ammonium nitrate, 200 anti-aircraft rounds and an anti-aircraft artillery mount, and a dump truck outfitted with a detonation cord.  Coalition Forces detained two suspected terrorists and safely destroyed the weapons cache on site. Coalition Forces targeted a suspected terrorist in Baghdad and detained two individuals during a raid there.  One of the individuals is allegedly a member of a deadly VBIED cell.  In another raid in the city, Coalition Forces detained seven suspected terrorists for their involvement as associates of an al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leader. In a raid targeting an al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorist network known to facilitate the movement of foreign fighters, Coalition Forces detained six suspected terrorists in Fallujah. Acting on intelligence gained from successful operations May 22, Coalition Forces raided three buildings in Mosul, where they detained three suspected terrorists with alleged ties to the al-Qaeda in Iraq network there.

 

TWO MILITANTS DETAINED

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan and Coalition forces detained two suspected al-Qaeda militants and discovered weapons in a raid on a compound early Saturday in the Khost district of Khowst Province.  Credible intelligence led the forces to the location suspected of housing local al-Qaeda operatives.  A search of the compound revealed two fragmentation grenades and an anti-personnel mine. The weapons were taken to a safe distance and destroyed in place. The detainees will be questioned as to their involvement in militant activities.

 

AFGHAN BORDER POLICE DETAIN NANGARHAR PROVINCE TALIBAN LEADER

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Afghan Border Police, advised by Coalition forces, detained a Taliban leader in the Pachir Wa Agam district of Nangarhar province during an operation May 24. After receiving information on the whereabouts of Sayed Gulab, a notorious Nangarhar Taliban area commander and improvised explosive device cell facilitator, ABP members quickly moved to the village of Shir Wagan and detained him.  Gulab is currently being held for questioning in a Coalition detention facility. No Afghan civilians or ABP members were injured during the successful operation.    Gulab has been responsible for emplacing IED’s in the Pachir Wa Agam district resulting in the injuries and deaths of innocent Afghan civilians and Afghan National Security Forces.  He is also known to have extensive connections with other senior Taliban and Al Qaeda leadership in Nangarhar and Pakistan.

 

SECRET CELL KEY LEADER DETAINED, AIR STRIKE IN SADR CITY

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi and Coalition Forces detained one suspected terrorist cell leader and killed at least five terrorists Saturday morning during raids in Sadr City. The individual detained during the raid is believed to be the suspected leader in a 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. After successfully detaining the suspected secret cell leader during the morning's operation, nine vehicles moved into the target area and were positioning themselves to block and ambush Iraqi and Coalition Forces as they began to depart the area.  Iraqi and Coalition Forces responded to a perceived threat and called in close air support.  All nine vehicles were engaged during the air strike, killing at least five terrorists. Intelligence reports indicate the individual detained is suspected of having direct ties to a senior leader of a significant EFP network as well as acting as a proxy for an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps officer.

 

Technorati tags: Iraq, Afghanistan, War on Terror, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, War, Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Al-Qaida, Terrorists, Insurgents, Military, Coalition