The Hamburg Cell

On Thursday at 9pm, Britain’s Channel 4 will air a docu-drama, The Hamburg Cell, retelling the story of 9/11 through the view of one of the hijackers. In the previews for this movie, a hijacker is shown to be torn between his love and his love for jihad. I think this is a horrible idea as it will end up portraying the hijacker in a sympathetic light. At some point, the viewer will show some compassion towards the hijacker who helped murder 3000 innocent people.
Would anyone recommend a docu-drama to show the relationship with Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun during the final days in the bunker? How about Lord Haw-Haw’s last days Henrich Himmler and his wife? Would not viewers show compassion for Josef Stalin if he is shown grieving over the death of his first wife Ekaterina?
Viewers will undoubtedly sympathize, not necessarily with the methods, but the motivations of the hijackers. Viewers may be inclined to put the blame of 9/11 on the shoulders of the United States, instead on where it belongs, the evil men of Al Qaeda. Making a movie which will result in viewers showing compassion and understanding for mass murderers is deplorable and insulting to the families of the 9/11 victims.

Islamic Terrorism Continues

Muslim terrorists continue their global jihad by murdering hundreds of innocent Russian lives aboard two aircraft. Muslim terrorism will be the dominant world issue for decades.

There is even a lot of militancy within Islam and it has nothing to do with the US or Isreal, but with restricting freedom. In Algeria, in the 1990s terrorism was very widespread. Algerians had a good deal of freedom like women wore bikinis on the beach and can vote. However, there was the faction of Muslims who bombed and killed because the countrymen didn’t comply with a Saudi Arabia style of Islam. Women didn’t wear the burhka so buses were blown up. Over 100,000 people were killed.

Don’t forget for a minute that this same widespread faction of Muslims, aren’t salivating at the chance to do the same in America. Internal Algerian terrorism had nothing to with US support of Israel and their “illegal occupation of Palestine” either. It’s the 21st century fascism. It’s not rooted in nationalism, but religious fanaticism.

One of two Russian airliners that crashed nearly simultaneously was brought down by a terrorist act, officials said Friday, after finding traces of explosives in the plane's wreckage. A Web site connected to Islamic militants claimed the action was connected to Russia's fight against Chechen separatists. AP via Yahoo

Hypocrisy in the Air

I’ve read about the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (www.swiftvets.com) and their claims against Kerry. Kerry has been defensive saying that these ads should not be aired.

Some say that you do not have the right to criticize Kerry if you are not a Veteran. However, Kerry has been campaigning on his Vietnam record for 30 years and even opened the convention by goofily stating that he was “reporting for duty.” I think the public reserves the right to examine that record. If a candidate was campaigning on his record as a businessman, the public would have the right to examine his performance even though they are not businessmen themselves. I wouldn’t want to focus on events that happened 35 years ago in order to make my choice for the President. However, constantly lying or exaggerating claims of bravery and heroics is not honorable. Kerry then continues to dig himself further in a hole, by now contradicting statements he has made for years (like being in Cambodia). I wouldn’t have any interest in whether or not he had exaggerated claims if he just focused on America today, instead of constantly injecting his Vietnam service into every statement. He rarely talks about his Senate record or what he would like to do for the country, but only his 4 months stint in Vietnam.

My main problem with everything is that Kerry has attack the airing of the ads, and even called on the publisher (Salon) of the book “Unfit for Command,” to recall the book. However, he has spent little time actually refuting the claims. Kerry’s team has called on Bush to repudiate the ads. However, where were the Democrats when Fahrenheit 9/11 was playing? (Oh they were in the audience!). That movie was filled with countless documented factual errors, yet I didn’t see Kerry or DNC denouncing the movie. Bush didn’t call Miramax and demand the film not to be shown, nor did Bush didn’t declare that the they sent Michael Moore to do Kerry’s dirty work (as Kerry said about Bush and the Swifties).

Kerry laughed it up when Fahrenheit 9/11 was raking in the box office dough, but now he expects special privileges?

Reminder from Britian: National Healthcare is a Disaster

Of course, it’s election time and those on the left love to rah-rah “free” health care. Most Democrats dream of innondating America with a hugely beaurocratic national healthcare system. These are headlines in only the last week in a quick scan of British news. Their so-called free health care is great if you don’t get sick. If you need surgery or a procedure, expect long waits. This is because it is a bloated government BEAUROCRACY. At least, if I don’t like my health care provider, I can switch!!! These poor Brits can’t do anything, yet it is “free.” Do you really want to face long waits if you need a procedure? Do you want to turn a visit to the doctor into a visit to the DMV? What’s worse is that

A Woman with an enlarged heart has had to wait more than two years for a scan, the Mail can reveal. Margaret Smith, 57, of Broadway, Goole, was first placed on a waiting list by her doctor in May 2002….. SICK kids in Renfrewshire are facing a six month wait for a vital test which helps to diagnose epilepsy. Shocking figures released yesterday reveal it can take up to 26 weeks for local children to receive a brain scan that allows doctors to discover exactly what is causing their seizures…. A FORMER NHS nurse suffering from malignant skin cancer was so disgusted with the prospect of waiting five months to see a specialist at Whipps Cross University Hospital that she turned to another hospital for treatment….. More than 100 beds are to close at a London hospital and thousands of patients kept off waiting lists because of NHS red tape, the Evening Standard has learned.

On the Olympics

Many people have commented on the lack of attendance at sporting events in the Olympics. I think this is tri-fold. The first being the lack of confidence in the public for the Greeks to provide adequate security. If they couldn’t build the arenas on time, what about security. (Now, however, the bulk of security, the US is providing now anyway). There is also a lack of facilities in Athens, like hotels. It’s also about how expense everything is. The announcers said that a ticket for the gymnastics final was €200 each, but scalpers were selling them for €100. It’s supply and demand. Do the organizers really think they will sell out when a ticket is costs €200, which is currently $240?
Everything from the cost of tickets to the cost of a hot dog become so unreasonably expensive that people stop going and the promoters and the politicians wonder why. It’s like baseball games. I would like to go to an Olympics someday, but I knew Athens wasn’t the place. It’s quite a dirty, congested city if you ask me.

Regarding the openings ceremonies, the Americans weren’t allowed (by the US) to carry and wave the little Americans flags for fear of offending someone. Simply Ridiculous.

In basketball, I am displeased with the American team. First off, it doesn’t deserve to be called a Dream Team. Almost every real NBA star had something better to do than play for the USA. The team is filled with a lot of rookies. Many seem to lack the character and class of the 1992 or 1996 teams. Tim Duncan seems to be the major standout. (And although I don’t like Iverson much, at least he came). The team only met 3 weeks before the Olympics to start practicing. So they do not seem to play well together. There are 5 individuals playing, instead of a team. I think they expected to waltz out onto the court and beat everyone without really trying. Then again, perhaps this reflects the attitude in the NBA. Gone are the days of shooting and defence. Now it’s dunks, swagger, and sneaker contracts. They’re not playing against children, and have deservingly lost. Perhaps not winning the gold would be a good thing. Perhaps it would be a wake up call to the NBA players to actually play and actually take it seriously.

IOC: Anti-Semitism is OKAY!

An Iranian was scheduled to face an Israeli in the first round of the judo competition, so he quit and forfeited the match instead. This is a low key story and hardly makes the press. If it was the other way around, would there be this outrage? The IOC is waffling about trying to ignore it. Reuters gives the story a pro-Arab spin, especially the first sentence. There is no mention of anti-Semitism or anyone’s outrage.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Iran has defied the Olympic spirit of sport without frontiers by refusing a judo fight against an Israeli at the Athens Games, insisting on putting political solidarity with the Palestinians before gold medals….Sidelined judoka Miresmaeili was quoted by Iran's official news agency IRNA as saying he "refused to face my Israeli rival in sympathy with the oppressed Palestinian people". But shunned Israeli opponent Ehud Vaks told Israeli Army radio he felt sure Mirasmaeili had no choice, and in Tehran a spokeswoman for Iran's Olympic committee said he was told to pull out, in line with national policy toward Israel. Iran's President Mohammad Khatami also left no doubt about the reasons behind the pullout, saying Miresmaeili's action should be "recorded in the history of Iranian glories". Among those lamenting the blight was spokesman Yaron Michaeli, who said the Israeli team "are sorry for the athlete because he is very good and could have won a gold medal". Reuters

The Press and Martyrs

I’m tired of hearing about the press’s fears of turning terrorists into martyrs. The press is constantly skeptical about fighting insurgency because of their overinflated fears of turning the criminal terrorists into martyrs. We constantly hear, about the “danger” of killing Al-Sadr because he would become a “martyr.” The same is true with Arafat, but it always used with every Muslim terrorist. The press said the same thing about the old Hamas “spiritual leader” that Israel waxed several months ago. Have the Palestinians done anything differently, before or after? Well, if anything, the 3rd new leader of Hamas (after Israel waxed the second one) has stayed underground. Contrary to press footage of several Iraqis protesting with the same dire photo of Al-Sadr pointing his finger, they Medhi army probably doesn’t have popular support.

What is probably true, is the longer Al-Sadr hangs around, the more importance he gets in the eyes of the world and the press. If the US had killed him a year ago, he would be have been blip in the pages of the press. Although I don’t think there’s a danger of martyrdom, there is a danger of Al-Sadr becoming “important”, like a Yasser Arafat, jr. He would then be much harder to get rid of.

Although eager to show themselves capable of crushing Iraq's bloody Shiite and Sunni insurgencies, Allawi and the U.S. want to avoid turning Sadr into a martyr in the eyes of his followers or harming the mosque, which could enrage Shiites the world over. Yahoo News

The Politics of War

If Bush wants to fulfil sceptical liberal predictions of “another Vietnam” then he should continue doing what he is doing. This seems to be the cycle: Insurgents cause violence. US assaults insurgents. Insurgents take losses and call cease fire. US agrees. Insurgents regroup and rearm. Insurgents cause violence.

Al-Sadr will never be a decent human being. There is no reason for negotiations with Al-Sadr. Everytime we assault and stop, more Marines die and it kills morale. Everytime our troops take a position and then abandon it, only to have to retake it later, more Marines die. Let's stop the politics.

The longer Al-Sadr is around, the more important he gets. Terrorist folks like Al-Sadr who have seen political fruits of his terrorism are likely to change. I feel there is a danger of him becoming, Yasser Arafat, junior. This is where he talks out of the left side of his mouth where he agrees to stopping violence for the return of money and political concessions, and where he continues to preach terrorism out of the right side of his mouth in an effort to extract more concessions. A man like Al-Sadr will not suddenly become a peaceful politician. He must be removed from any process.

For a President who defined sceptics to invade Iraq (rightfully) he certainly has taken a back step, overly worrying about Muslim sensitivities. I still like him, and he is doing a better job than Kerry would, but come on already… how many chances will we give Sadr, when he does deserve none?

U.S. and Iraqi forces scaled down an offensive against Shiite militiamen in the holy city Najaf Friday to let government officials pursue talks with supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr to end more than a week fighting, a military official said. Aides said the radical cleric had been wounded in the assault. Yahoo

On Gay Marriage

There are several fundamental problems with the gay rights and gay marriage issue. Although I disagree with “gay marriage” on religious terms, for civil-union terms, I am yet undecided. However, I do not like how the gay rights activists are forcing the issue on the courts. Polls continue to show that about 70% are against gay marriage. Since the right of gays to get “married” is not a constitutionally protected right, then it should be up to the people. It’s a legislative issue, but there are always activist judges who love to overstep their boundaries. Perhaps in 25 years, people will feel differently, but they don’t now. This is how a democracy works.
One argument the gay movement likes to use is to compare themselves to the civil rights movement. One of the big differences between civil rights movement and gay marriage is that there hasn’t any substantial scientific proof to show that being gay is purely genetic rather than a choice. This matters because the natural state is one of the deciding factors of affirming civil rights. Blacks became slaves because of their skin color. Women were denied the right to vote because of their sex. The Japanese were put into internment camps during World War II simply because of their ethnicity. Because skin color, sex, and ethnicity are basic human characteristics, we have a responsibility to guard against discrimination that penalizes these groups. If sexual preference is indeed an individual choice rather than a biological fact, then what civil rights need to be protected? The problem with the current crisis is that we are now shifting the civil rights debate from simple biology to personal choice. From homosexuality, it's a slippery slope to any number of lifestyle choices that people would want to claim civil rights over. Tolerance dictates that all people should be treated with dignity and respect. It does not, however, compel society to endorse someone's personal choice over the will of the majority.

The California Supreme Court voided the nearly 4,000 same-sex marriages sanctioned in San Francisco earlier this year, a move that will likely spur a new round of litigation about whether California's Constitution allows the weddings. The seven justices on Thursday all said Mayor Gavin Newsom's decision to issue the licenses and perform the ceremonies violated a 1977 state law that defines marriage as a union between a man and woman. Yahoo News

Al-Sadr again

More from Iraq. Muqtada al-Sadr is at it again. When will the US put him down? While the US wants to create a new democracy in Iraq, they keep kowtowing to the old guard of the Arab Street. Al-Sadr is not going away. He will remain a thorn in the side of the new Iraq and America for as long as he is able to. If The US really wants to turn Iraq into Vietnam it will continue the half-hearted political approach to putting down the insurgency. Al-Sadr will become Arafat. The longer he is around, the more power he gets. Meanwhile, soldiers keep dying.

NAJAF, Iraq - Militant cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose Shiite militia has been battling U.S. forces across Iraq, warned Monday that he would fight "until the last drop of my blood has been spilled," in his first appearance since the violence began. …. While U.S. and Iraqi forces were trying to quell the eruption of Shiite violence,
attacks by Sunni Muslim militants persisted around Baghdad: A suicide car bombing targeting a deputy governor killed six people, and a roadside bomb hit a bus, killing four passengers….. The U.S. military also said a U.S. Marine was killed in action Sunday in the western province of Anbar, a hotbed of Sunni militancy. The death brought to at least 927 the number of American troops who have died in Iraq. ….An insurgent group warned in a videotaped message it would launch a campaign of attacks on government offices in Baghdad, telling employees to stay away. Al-Sadr's militants also kidnapped a top Baghdad police official and demanded that their comrades in detention be freed.