Orbit Rain
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Monday, March 29, 2004
Victor Davis Hanson's Private Papers
When should we stop supporting Israel?
The recent assassination of Sheik Saruman raises among some Americans the question at what point should we reconsider our rather blanket support for the Israelis and show a more even-handed attitude toward the Palestinians? The answer, it seems to me, should be assessed in cultural, economic, political, and social terms.
Well, we should no longer support Israel, when:
...you must read this...in fact, I'm going to put it here in case the link gets fucked up:
(sans italics)
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March 28, 2004
When should we stop supporting Israel?
The recent assassination of Sheik Saruman raises among some Americans the question—at what point should we reconsider our rather blanket support for the Israelis and show a more even-handed attitude toward the Palestinians? The answer, it seems to me, should be assessed in cultural, economic, political, and social terms.
Well, we should no longer support Israel, when…
Mr. Sharon suspends all elections and plans a decade of unquestioned rule.
Mr. Sharon suspends all investigation about fiscal impropriety as his family members spend millions of Israeli aid money in Paris.
All Israeli television and newspapers are censored by the Likud party.
Israeli hit teams enter the West Bank with the precise intention of targeting and blowing up Arab women and children.
Preteen Israeli children are apprehended with bombs under their shirts on their way to the West Bank to murder Palestinian families.
Israeli crowds rush into the street to dip their hands into the blood of their dead and march en masse chanting mass murder to the Palestinians.
Rabbis give public sermons in which they characterize Palestinians as the children of pigs and monkeys.
Israeli school textbooks state that Arabs engage in blood sacrifice and ritual murders.
Mainstream Israeli politicians, without public rebuke, call for the destruction of Palestinians on the West Bank and the end to Arab society there.
Likud party members routinely lynch and execute their opponents without trial.
Jewish fundamentalists execute with impunity women found guilty of adultery on grounds that they are impugning the “honor” of the family.
Israeli mobs with impunity tear apart Palestinian policemen held in detention.
Israeli television broadcasts—to the tune of patriotic music—the last taped messages of Jewish suicide bombers who have slaughtered dozens of Arabs.
Jewish marchers parade in the streets with their children dressed up as suicide bombers, replete with plastic suicide-bombing vests.
New Yorkers post $25,000 bounties for every Palestinian blown up by Israeli murderers.
Israeli militants murder a Jew by accident and then apologize on grounds that they though he was an Arab—to the silence of Israeli society.
Jews enter Arab villages in Israel to machine gun women and children.
Israeli public figures routinely threaten the United States with terror attacks.
Bin Laden is a folk hero in Tel Aviv.
Jewish assassins murder American diplomats and are given de facto sanctuary by Israeli society.
Israeli citizens celebrate on news that 3,000 Americans have been murdered.
Israeli citizens express support for Saddam Hussein’s supporters in Iraq in their efforts to kill Americans.
So until then, I think most Americans can see the moral differences in the present struggle.
If the Palestinians wish to hold periodic and open elections, establish an independent judiciary, create a free press, arrest murderers, subject their treasury to public scrutiny, eschew suicide murdering, censure religious leaders who call for mass murder, embrace non-violent dissidents, extend equal rights to women, end honor killings, raise funds in the Arab world earmarked only to build water, sewer, transportation, and education infrastructure, and pledge that any Jews who choose to live in the West Bank will enjoy the same rights as Arabs in Israel, then they might find Americans equally divided over questions of land and peace.
But all that is a lot of ifs. And so for the present, Palestinian leaders shouldn’t be too surprised that Americans increasingly find very little in their society that has much appeal to either our values or sympathy. If they continually assure us publicly that they are furious at Americans, then they should at least pause, reflect, and ask themselves why an overwhelming number of Americans—not Jewish, not residents of New York, not influenced by the media—are growing far more furious with them.
Sunday, March 28, 2004
TIME.com: A Test of Kerry's Faith
" The vote put Kerry on the same side as abortion-rights advocates in opposing specific legal rights for the unborn and against nearly two-thirds of his fellow Senators. "
This prompted the thought: "Who the fuck is he voting for? The anti-abortionists? Or is this how people in Massachusetts really feel?" Why did you vote against it John? I suppose I could look it up...but I think I'd rather see if I run across it in my online travelling.
Saturday, March 27, 2004
lgf: Palestinians Caught Lying Again
Props to Right Wing Conspirator
____________________________________________________
Behold the great internal struggle of Jihad:
Qur’an 9:5 “Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, harass them, lie in wait and ambush them using every stratagem of war.”
Qur’an 9:112 “The Believers fight in Allah’s Cause, they slay and are slain, kill and are killed.”
Qur’an 9:29 “Fight those who do not believe until they all surrender, paying the protective tax in submission.”
Qur’an 8:39 “Fight them until all opposition ends and all submit to Allah.”
Ishaq:324 “He said, ‘Fight them so that there is no more rebellion, and religion, all of it, is for Allah only. Allah must have no rivals.’”
Ishaq:300 “I am fighting in Allah’s service. This is piety and a good deed. In Allah’s war I do not fear as others should. For this fighting is righteous, true, and good.”
Ishaq:587 “Our onslaught will not be a weak faltering affair. We shall fight as long as we live. We will fight until you turn to Islam, humbly seeking refuge. We will fight not caring whom we meet. We will fight whether we destroy ancient holdings or newly gotten gains. We have mutilated every opponent. We have driven them violently before us at the command of Allah and Islam. We will fight until our religion is established. And we will plunder them, for they must suffer disgrace.”
Qur’an 9:123 “Fight the unbelievers around you, and let them find harshness in you.”
Qur’an 8:73 “The unbelieving infidels are allies. Unless you (Muslims) aid each other (fighting as one united block to make Allah’s religion victorious), there will be confusion and mischief. Those who accepted Islam, left their homes to fight in Allah’s Cause (al-Jihad), as well as those who give them asylum, shelter, and aid—these are (all) Believers: for them is pardon and bountiful provision (in Paradise).”
I can keep going and going and going, but I don't want to suck up the bandwith here.
____________________________________________________
just keeping this list handy
Friday, March 26, 2004
Yahoo! News - World Photos - AP - "After Friday Prayers"
After Friday Prayers
An Israeli police officer keeps an eye on Muslim worshippers praying outside the Old City , Friday, March 26, 2004 in Jerusalem
Interesting how I see at least two other photographers in this shot.
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Pakistan Today: The Mideast: A Cesspool Of Hate
"An anti-Semitism which is now turning the Arab-Muslim world into a version of what Europe became during the first half of the previous century - a cesspool of hate where Jews were, and today are, blamed for all things wrong in a culture hurtling toward self-destruction. "
Pakistan Today: The Islamist Agenda
Free Muslims are convinced that the CAIR controlled Muslims are mad at Bush because he did not allow the Islamists to control or guide his foreign and domestic policies. Here too, like in France, Islamists want to use their growing numbers to control the United States of America's direction. CAIR, as the front of the radical Islam, wants to stop the U.S. administration from going after jihadi mentality. It wants Washington to support the homicide bombers and assist radical Islam in undermining the democratic societies like Israel. It wants Washington to applaud HAMAS and Hezbollah for their achievements in destroying the Middle East Road Map. And it wants the U.S. to become a society where non-Wahhabi Muslims and Jews are discriminated against and persecuted.
Saturday, March 20, 2004
lgf: AP Crosses the Line
"This is media bias at its most naked. This AP photographer was not just taking pictures. He was taking part in the demonstrations."
Friday, March 19, 2004
Iraq-al Qaeda link
Inside the Ring - The Washington Times: Inside the Ring:
" The 1993 document, in Arabic, bears the logo of the Iraqi intelligence agency and is labeled 'top secret' on each of its 20 pages.
The report is a list of IIS agents who are described as 'collaborators.'
On page 14, the report states that among the collaborators is 'the Saudi Osama bin Laden.'
The document states that bin Laden is a 'Saudi businessman and is in charge of the Saudi opposition in Afghanistan.'
'And he is in good relationship with our section in Syria,' the document states, under the signature 'Jabar.' "
National Review Online (http://www.nationalreview.com)
To treat Sistani with anything more than polite respect will only antagonize the vast majority of Iraqis
I imagine I'd be a little irritated if Iraqis thought we all followed and kowtowed to whatever the Rev. Jesse Jackson thought.
Thursday, March 18, 2004
Peace activist (moron) killed in Gaza is remembered
the death of an Olympia college student crushed by an Israeli bulldozer
bzzzt
She was killed by falling debris
to prevent the Israeli army from tearing down the home of a Palestinian pharmacist and his family.
bzzzt
It was an abondoned house with hidden tunnels used to sneak weapons into Gaza from Egypt.
For Will Sullivan, it echoed his own sense of frustration and fear at being silenced for voicing views outside of the mainstream.
hmm Will Sulivan...what was that you said? You're being muffled? What was that? I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
bzzzt
oh it's not that you're being muffled, its that no one is listening.
For David Moise, who spent several years living in Israel, the anniversary was an opportunity to show compassion for peace supporters on both sides of the conflict.
bzzzt
I'm sorry, where are the Palestinian peace protesters again? I've only been hearing from those looking to deny Israel's right to exist.
For Larry Neilson, Corrie's brutal end was further evidence of an increasingly dismal world situation
bzzzt
Further evidence that stupidity still persists in this world. But then i shouldn't speak ill of the dead...more like further evidence that demolitions operations are no place for protesters.
"Rachel Corrie was a martyr,"
bzzzt
Rachael Corrie was an idiot.
She gave up her life to bring about justice in this incredibly screwed-up world,
bzzzt
she tripped dude
and it's going to take a lot more people of similar dedication to turn things around.
bzzzt
It's going to take people with a lot more Love to turn things around.
"what kind of country are we citizens of?"
A wide spectrum, including plenty a fewls.
(take a look in a mirror)
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
A little reply I never finished
#39 postit 3/16/2004 07:56PM PST
Kragar #33
Islam is the real global threat, but I'm sure the majority of the U.N. will claim its Israel.
More likely they will claim it's the US and with some merit.
Think about it, just for a moment, imagine your weren't fortunate enough to have been born under the protection of the greatest superpower the world has ever seen. How would you, the citizen of some lesser country, view the arrogance of King George and his WOT linked to a policy of pre-emption meaning we have suspended the normal rules and diplomatic niceties in favour of striking out at whoever and whenever we damn well please.
That has the whole world worried including terrorists and their sympathisers, which is a good thing, but it's also frightening our friends and allies, which is a bad thing.
The world has no need for a superpower run amock, especially not one so well armed and so badly led.
Perhaps with better leadership and closer co-ordination with European and other allies we can work this out together. That's assuming and yes praying we get the government we deserve this november.
A little reply I never finished:
________________________________________
hey let me pile on postit too :D
More likely they will claim it's the US and with some merit.
some (lame) arguments perhaps, but little merit.
Think about it, just for a moment,
in other words indulge your fantasy a wee bit?
imagine your weren't fortunate enough to have been born under the protection of the greatest superpower the world has ever seen.
ahh yes, imagine growing up in a world with people like Hitler and Stalin running around, or should I go south and modern day to the like of Saddam and Arafat? (Who, by the way...) Yes, let me imagine growing up with the fear of not war, but death, starvation, disease, etc... (I wonder where I can find an example?) Yes, i'll forget my land that I Love, the land of the Free...the home of the Brave...a place where the nearest threat was a soviet missle...a place never over-run with guns and soldiers fighting street to street, trench by trench, or better said today overpass by overpass...God Willing, it will always be so...(gee, some other people else seems always to ask God's will...i wonder who :| )
where was I? Ah yes..."been born under the protection" Yes, let me suspend further. let me forget that I am a sovereign free citizen, that the government derives its power from me. Let's imagine instead that I grew up in a world where millions upon millions have been slaughtered...(why don't I add in the Great Depression to further swirl this psychosis?)
How would you, the citizen of some lesser country
hey, that's all on you man
(and please look up that idiom)
(and yes that was an "m" not a "t" - I'm not going to entertain some childish grammatical contest)
anyways...imagine I view myself as a second class world citizen because my country isn't America...yawn...how about you imagine that - yes - you too are a child of the same creator. Imagine that you live in a world of peace and prosperity, good will toward your fellow man...or is that too hard for YOU to imagine?
where was I?
view the arrogance of King George
...omg this is a long run-on sentence isn't it...I think you're starting with your conclusion. Bad form. So...
striking out at whoever and whenever we damn well please. is arrogant? Ok wait a minute...let me get my "evil-dictator" mindset going here....
MWUAAHAAAHAAAAHAAAAA
...ahh that feels good...evil is so intoxicating...oh wait...I'm just supposed to be "arrogant". I'm vorpally aware of how sharp the drop in intelligence can get around here...does that make me arrogant?
WOT linked
so, am I supposed to also pretend that we invaded Afghanistan and Iraq BEFORE 9/11? You're SOOOoooo confusing oh great one, please do elucidate do boop boop be dooo. Am I to imagine that going after those that help or harbor terrorists is a bad thing, that going after those who have used chemical weapons on "citizens" of their OWN COUNTRY is a bad thing? (please do your own research, only you can change your own mind) How much moola did Saddam spread around? WHO did he spread it to? and I'm not just talking about "oil contracts"...who else did he pay off?
Are you or are you not aware of the facts? Or do you jerk your knee and assume that damning evidence must be the imagination of pentagon writers? Do you believe what your own intelligence service says? Or perhaps you view them as the pawns of madmen?
We like to say in these parts: Where'reyacomminfrom.
(no it's not german...ba dumpbum)
See...here's the problem...you're wasting my cycles as I try to disabuse you of your stupid preconceptions...You come to the "proper" conclusions as you follow the cheese through your maze...I hope you enjoy your prize at the end, but honestly it never looks good for the rat.
That has the whole world worried including terrorists and their sympathisers, which is a good thing, but it's also frightening our friends and allies, which is a bad thing.
you must be twelve or a hoax...we are supposed to let the pussies of the world make the calls? Aren't you making the EU so we don't have to go over there and save some of you people from slaughtering each other ?
Or is that just too much for you? You have only about a months worth of history in your brain? Oh heaven forbid anyone should be afraid safe in their home while others are murdered at will.
WTF is wrong with you?
Sunday, March 14, 2004
WorldNetDaily: Kerry ready for war with Iraq in 1997
Oh, this is just too good:
"The administration is leading." said Kerry. "The administration is making it clear that they don't believe that they even need the U.N. Security Council to sign off on a material breach because the finding of material breach was made by Mr. (Richard) Butler. So furthermore, I think the United States has always reserved the right and will reserve the right to act in its best interests. And clearly it is not just our best interests, it is in the best interests of the world to make it clear to Saddam Hussein that he's not going to get away with a breach of the '91 agreement that he's got to live up to, which is allowing inspections and dismantling his weapons and allowing us to know that he has dismantled his weapons. That's the price he pays for invading Kuwait and starting a war."
Saturday, March 13, 2004
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Saturday, March 06, 2004
As U.S. Detains Iraqis, Families Plead for News
"Iraq has a new generation of missing men."
Give me a fucking break, ten thousand out of twenty-five million?! That would be .04 percent New York Times...and that is why I will stop reading your article at that point. And just confirms my ongoing in-necessity to read the NYT.
NewsMax.com: Inside Cover Story
NewsMax.com: Inside Cover Story:
"Though the Tribune-Review report was first unearthed by researchers on FreeRepublic.com within 36 hours of the inception of the Bush ad controversy, the mainstream press has been slow to pick up on Peaceful Tomorrows' anti-Bush pedigree. The group, for instance, has long been active in opposing U.S. involvement in Iraq.
Still, PT's political portfolio escaped the notice of the Washington Post, which described the group as 'nonpartisan' on Thursday.
Other mainstream outlets repeatedly quoted PT members without revealing their anti-Bush agenda."
...this meets my criteria for "Lying Cock-Suckers"
How patheric is that? The press beholden to The Ketchup Queen. Catch up people...
I am "never behind"
lgf: Do We Want to Go Back?
From here
Just as a presidency of earlier ossified liberals like Michael Dukakis or Walter Mondale probably would have led to support of a utopian nuclear freeze and subsequent Russian intimidation of Europe, unilateral cuts in military preparedness, and acquiescence to the Soviet Union, so too the election of John Kerry may well undo much of what has been achieved these last three years as we return to the old, normal way of doing business.
With Howard Dean gone, Kerry realizes that suddenly he must move rightward to sound tougher than George Bush. Finally, he seems to understand that every northern liberal Democrat in the last 30 years who ran to the left on national security lost badly — like McGovern, Mondale, and Dukakis. And so Mr. Kerry abruptly will have to talk grandly of what he would have done to make us more secure. Yet a better guide is his own record in opposing defense programs, in harboring a chronic suspicion of using American force, and his own contradictory past votes about deployments to the Middle East.
More likely, if President Bush loses, the war against terror will return, as promised, to the status of a police matter — subpoenas and court trials the more appropriate response to the mass murder of 3,000 at the “crime scene” of the crater in New York. Europe will be assured that our troops will stay while we apologize for the usual litany of purported unilateral sins. North Korea will get more blackmail cash, while pampered South Korean leftists resume their “sunshine” mirage. Iraq will be turned over to the U.N. as we abruptly leave, and could dissolve into something like the Balkans between 1991 and 1998. Iran and Syria will let out a big sigh of relief — as American diplomats once more sit out on the tarmac in vain hopes of an “audience” with despots. The Saudis will smile that smile. Arafat will be assured that he is now once again a legitimate interlocutor. And strangest of all, the American Left will feel that the United States has just barely begun to return to its “moral” bearings — even as its laxity and relativism encourage some pretty immoral things to come.
