February 08, 2003

Germany, France Working on Plan to Avoid Iraq War

Germany and France are working on a broad disarmament plan for Iraq designed to avoid war, including the deployment of U.N. soldiers throughout the country, reconnaissance flights and a tripling of the number of weapons inspectors, a magazine reported Saturday.

The plan could be presented to the U.N. Security Council as a resolution, the weekly Der Spiegel said, though it was unclear how the two countries or the United Nations would win Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's approval for carrying it out.

The plan would have international peacekeepers "in effect take control of the country for years," declare all of Iraq a no-fly zone and lead to agreements with Iraq's neighbors to crack down on smuggled exports of Iraqi oil as part of strengthened economic sanctions.

FoxNews is reporting that SecDef Rumsfeld just found out about this... from the press and he is irate!
So am I.
And he's in Germany!
Those krauts didn't say a word to him officially!
Oh, this is so vexing and like the weasels they are, they are so eely and slippery!
What it seems like they are proposing, in effect, is that "U.N. troops" [And who would be in this happy group?] semi-officially sympathetic to France and Germany, for whom the UN now presumably functions almost solely, occupy Iraq and protect the French and German "investments," including the oil, that are already spoken for by them...
Oh, they are the most sneaky, perfidious, double-dealing liars I've seen in modern history!
And they were supposed to be our "allies and friends..."
Snort!
If only Donald Rumsfeld's looks could kill....
Go get 'em, Rummy: Stop the Axis of Weasels!
And you wonder where the Left (on both sides of the Atlantic) came up with that "Blood for Oil" concept!

U.S. Met With Iranians On War

Bush administration officials held a rare private meeting with Iranian envoys in Europe last month to seek a promise of humanitarian help and an assurance that the Tehran government would not interfere in military operations if the United States goes to war against Iraq, U.S. officials said yesterday.

U.S. diplomats carrying a carefully designed message also asked Iran to join search-and-rescue missions for downed U.S. air crews, officials reported. They further requested that the Iranian government deny haven to fleeing Iraqis who might try to cross into Iran and regroup against a U.S.-supported government in Baghdad.

[...]

In another development, the Bush administration has begun notifying U.S.-based humanitarian organizations that they will be issued licenses permitting them to work in Iran and northern Iraq. The groups will be surveying potential needs and positioning supplies in readiness for a potential conflict, said representatives of the organizations and the U.S. government.

[...]

In last month's State of the Union address, Bush said the Iranian government "represses its people, pursues weapons of mass destruction and supports terror." Yet U.S. officials concluded that Iran should not be ignored in preparations for a potential conflict along its 904-mile border with Iraq.

U.S. envoys sought a measure of help while also reassuring the Iranians that a prospective war for control of Baghdad would not target them, said a U.S. official who was briefed on last month's mission. The U.S.-Iran meeting, which involved two U.S. officials steeped in the region's politics and history, coincided with a larger gathering on the future of Afghanistan that included U.S. and Iranian delegations.

[...]

"We wanted to make clear to them that, just as we cooperated with them in Afghanistan, we'll cooperate with them in Iraq. We're able and willing to cooperate in Iraq," the official said. He added that the administration and the Iranians have been communicating regularly through partners in Europe and the Persian Gulf.

To solidify its pledge that it seeks a representative government elected by Iraqis, the administration has also noted its acceptance of Tehran-based Shiite Muslim leaders among the Iraqi opposition. Indeed, members of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, whose militias are trained by the Iranian military, were welcomed with other opposition figures to Washington last year.

Elsewhere yesterday, U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad tried to calm Kurds in northern Iraq by declaring that Turkish troops entering the region would report to a U.S. commander and would pose no threat. Kurdish groups fear Turkish forces may try to seize territory; the Turkish government worries that the Kurds may grab oil-rich zones in the north or seek political autonomy.

When it comes to this Iraq Campaign, it seems that Washington is trying to think of everyone and everything...I like it!
I suppose it's too much to hope that the Iranian clerics will come over with brownies or a bundt cake once we move into Baghdad, but these advance negotiations are a wonderful way to put our 21st Century relationship with the Iranians on a much better and more cooperative footing than it's been for over 20 years.

Tillman just a phone call away from deployment

The phone rang in Larry Marmie's house late Sunday night.

It was Ranger Tillman checking in, saying hello from his new station at Fort Lewis, Wash.

"Are you in a position now where you can actually be deployed?" the Cardinals defensive coordinator asked.

"Within 18 hours," Pat Tillman replied.

Just like that, the phone will ring and Tillman could be on his way to Iraq.

For those keeping score, Tillman and his brother, Kevin, are now full-fledged Army Rangers. They completed infantry training. They became certified airborne parachutists. And just before Christmas, they graduated from RIP, the Ranger Indoctrination Program that separates great men from the really good ones.

Of course, no one doubted Tillman would get to this point when he walked away from the decadent life of a professional athlete and a contract that would've paid him $3.6 million over a three-year period.

After he told a friend at Arizona State that life had become "too (bleeping) easy," no one thought Tillman wouldn't succeed at scaling mountain cliffs, slogging through dangerous swamps and jumping five times out of a perfectly good airplane.It has been eight months since Tillman came home from his honeymoon and promptly left the Cardinals to become a legitimate American hero.

He is an athlete who has learned combat skills, compass readings and how to survive chemical and nuclear attacks. And now that his country may soon be calling, Tillman couldn't be more enthused about his new uniform.

"I've worked for the Army for 27 years, and it's a time unlike any I've ever seen," Darby said. "I've seen some people making some very difficult decisions during a very difficult time for our nation. And while I can't speak for any single soldier, I can tell you that Ranger Tillman has made it very clear that he wants to be a Ranger. He's worked toward a goal, he's made it, and he's declined all media interviews. And we all think it's very admirable."

But, one day, Tillman will surely tell his story to a captivated nation.

God willing.

I was so glad to find this piece...I was thinking about Pat Tillman just the other day!
What a great American patriot and a role model and his brother's no slouch either.
Godspeed,Tillman brothers and the Night Rangers, and Happy Hunting.
Come back to us soon--safe, sound and victorious!

February 07, 2003

Frosty Welcome for Rumsfeld in Germany After Jibe

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld tried on Friday to dispel German anger over his remark that the country's stance against any war with Iraq put it on a par with Libya and Cuba.
[...]"There are obviously enormous difference between those countries that are opposed to U.S. efforts on Iraq, just as there are differences that exist between those countries that have offered support the U.S.," Rumsfeld said.

"It just happens that Germany, Libya and Cuba are three of those countries that have declared themselves opposed," he said.

"I can't imagine why this would cause a stir because it was those countries themselves that made the statement and the case of one country, Germany, ran a political campaign on it."

Oh, gosh! This is so hilarious it makes me laugh out loud!
Just when you think Rummy can't get any better, he surprises us all!
I so wish he had run for President when he wanted to: he would have been a terrific Commander in Chief.
But thank God we can benefit from his many talents, abilities, wisdom and wit by his highly visible stint as SecDef!
Keep doing what you're doing Secretary Rumsfeld.
We love you...and some of we ladies, like my friend Carol Gould, are willing to show you just how much!

CNN.com - Bush to raise terrorism threat level

President Bush will raise the national terrorism threat level Friday from an elevated risk of terrorist attacks to a high risk, sources have told CNN.
[...]Worldwide chatter prompted the State Department on Wednesday to issue a new worldwide warning that cautions Americans to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings. The chatter concerned possible a chemical or bioweapons terror attack against the United States.

The stepped-up chatter indicates a greater amount of intelligence coming in about a possible attack, especially by al Qaeda, the culmination beginning this weekend of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and the continuing confrontation with Iraq, according to officials.

[...]The information does not single out any specific chemical agent or target, but officials said they are mostly concerned about the vulnerability of so-called "soft targets," such as apartment buildings, sports arenas and amusement parks.

OK, my fellow citizens, I think you know what to do...
And if you see something or someone suspicious,
worry about being rude later and think staying alive now!
In the meantime, I want the FBI watching those mosques and those who go into and come of them!
And I want the INS riding herd on resident aliens from "those" Islamic countries (Iraq, Algeria, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi, Syria, Lebanon, etc., etc.).
This is ridiculous!
We haven't had a good terrorist bust in the U.S. since the Buffalo 6.
And we went through this Orange hell on July 4...
I hope that the Dept. of Homeland Security isn't right about this and then again, I want them to post timely alerts, too!
I don't wanna hear anyone whine, however, that they're attacking us because we're going after Saddam, because that's partly true, but it's mainly false.
These b*stards were going to do this anyway and if it's not Saddam, it would be Bin Laden or another Islamist jihadi loon.
After 9/11--which these sick, twisted slime thought was a "success" and a sign of favor from "Allah"--they'll keep trying to attack us until they're "no longer a problem." (Thanks again, for that phrase, President Bush!)
So, heads up! Be aware and be vigilant for yourself and your fellow Americans' sake!
And when you're tempted to complain, remember that the Israelis have this level of alert and worse just about every day, 365/24/7!

[Isn't it way past time for our Government to "name" these terrorist scum, i.e. the Islamists/IslamoFascists?
It's time we in the (war)blogosphere stopped keeping this treasure of knowledge to ourselves. Lou Dobbs of CNN's Money Line thought so and declared our Enemy to be Islamism to much Liberal gnashing of teeth, but that was months ago!
We need to have Tom Ridge, Ashcroft, Mueller and President Bush use the word "Islamists" in the proper context and isn't it high time, also, that we make the practice of jihadi Islam and Wahhabism a crime in the United States?]

February 06, 2003

101st Airborne Gets Deployment Orders

The Army's 101st Airborne Division received orders Thursday to deploy overseas.

The legendary division — along with its 270 helicopters — will "support possible future operations in the global war on terrorism," according to a statement released by the public affairs office at Fort Campbell, where the division is based.
The division will deploy to the U.S. Central Command area of operations, the statement said.
The exact location and number of soldiers deploying was not disclosed. The 101st has about 20,000 soldiers.

Godspeed and Happy Hunting!
You know the drill: come home soon, safe and victorious!

Turkey agrees to aid US war

Turkey's parliament has agreed to allow the United States to upgrade Turkish military bases in preparation for a possible war with Iraq.
Deputies passed a motion on Thursday authorising US personnel to start "renovation, development, construction, expansion and infrastructure work at military bases".

The BBC's correspondent in Istanbul, Jonny Dymond, says the vote is Turkey's first step on the road to war.

A vote on allowing Turkish troops to be sent abroad and foreign troops to be stationed in Turkey is expected in about 10 days' time.
[...]Our correspondent says the Turkish Government resisted as long as it thought conflict could be averted. [This means that Colin Powell's message got through to them!--J.T.]

But before Thursday's vote Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said Turkey had no choice but to back Washington on Iraq.
We have to act together with our strategic partner and ally the United States for our national interests," the daily Milliyet quoted him as saying, echoing remarks by his party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.
[...]Many Turks fear war with its neighbour would lead Kurdish groups in the north of Iraq to break away, correspondents say.

Such a move could re-ignite tensions among its own Kurdish population who fought a 15-year guerrilla war for independence.

There are also concerns that as in the previous Gulf war, Turkey's fragile economy will be hit severely by a campaign against Baghdad.

The United Nations refugee agency predicts that thousands of Iraqis are likely to flee to Turkey in the event of a conflict.

The US Government has promised Ankara financial assistance - ranging from between $4bn and $15bn - to help alleviate the war's economic impact.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!
The smart money, including mine, always said the Turks would be on board when the time came...
OK, maybe we had to sweeten this deal with promises of lots of aid and trade and maybe we also had to guarantee that a post-Saddam Iraqi government, led by us, would keep the Kurds on the Iraqi reservation and out of Turkish borders, but we really need to be able to use our base at Incirlik.
And Turkey's not thrilled having a poisonous neighbor like Ba'athist Iraq next door anyway, Islamist-led political establishment or not.
Onward!
Baghdad (et Dimocrats, Liberals and Leftists) delenda est!

washingtonpost.com: Bush Urges Prayer During 'Testing Time'

President Bush on Thursday urged Americans to pray for God's guidance as the Columbia tragedy, potential war in Iraq and the constant threat of terrorism pose "a testing time for our country."
"One thing is for certain, we didn't ask for these challenges, but we will meet them. I say that with certainty because this nation has strong foundations that won't be shaken,"
Bush said at the National Prayer Breakfast.The event is a 51-year-old tradition that brings hundreds of lawmakers, military leaders, foreign heads of state and spiritual leaders together in prayer. The crowd included 56 senators, 240 House members, first lady Laura Bush, National Security Director Condoleeza Rice, Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and CIA Director George Tenet "It is fitting that, in the midst of tough times, that these two leaders are sharing with scripture and prayer with the country," the president said of Myers and Tenet.
[...]
"This is testing time for our country," Bush said. "At this hour, we have troops that are assembling in the Middle East. There's oppressive regimes that seek terrible weapons. We face an ongoing threat of terror."

[Dr. Condoleeza]Rice, following Bush to the lectern for a lengthier address, mixed humorous anecdotes about her religious upbringing with a sobering message similar to the president's.

"Terror and tragedy have made us more aware of our vulnerabilities and mortality," she said. "We're living through a time of testing and consequence and pray that our wisdom and will are equal to the work before us."
[...]
Leading the crowd in prayer, Rice said, "Let us accept our responsibilities to defend the freedom which we are so privileged to enjoy."

Bush said America will triumph over adversity because of the character of its people, the desire by all people to be free of oppression and the will of God. He said events don't move by "blind change and chance."

"In this hour of our country's history, we stand in the need of prayer," Bush said. "We pray for the families that have known recent loss. We pray for the men and women who serve around the world to defend our freedom. We pray for their families. We pray for wisdom to know and do what is right and we pray for God's peace in the affairs of men."

Amen, my fellow Americans. I join you in prayer.
And believe it or not, Drudge's headline this morning was this single word, "Pray."
I don't know about you, but sometimes I get so caught up in the busy news cycles, the fogs of war and the fears of earthly terrors, that I too often forget to pray and that a Higher Power is behind everything, so this reminder to pray is ever timely.
And what with the Islamists always invoking their Allah, I think we "infidels" shouldn't mind invoking our God often, either.
Even if you're an atheist and don't believe in God or prayer, the act of praying and envisioning right outcomes amounts to nothing more or less than positive, focused higher thought and that can't be bad at all.

President Reagan, God Bless you on your birthday!
We love you and we miss you.
And you have not only the thanks of a grateful nation but of freedom-loving and good people everywhere
(like the "Vilnius Group" who bless your name the day you talked about the "evil empire" that was oppressing them, but whose demise had already begun thanks to the steadfastness of the United States on your watch!).

Let's quit the U.N.
Mark Steyn says America has no place in a body whose Human Rights Commission is headed by Colonel Gaddafi.

The last (of many) great 'graphs:

So I say: go ahead, Jacques, make my day. Wield your veto, and let the Texan cowboy and his ever-expanding posse go it ‘alone’. I don’t know whether a haughty Gallic ‘Non!’ would be enough to finish off the UN once and for all — these institutions are like those nuke-proof cockroaches — but I do know that another UN-sanctioned war would enshrine the principle that only the UN can sanction war. Maybe Katie Couric has stumbled on an appealing notion: ‘an airborne United Nations’. If you have to send people to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, let’s start with Kofi and co.

Mark rocks!
And George Will comes to the same conclusion from the other more elegant, cool direction in his WaPo column today called "Disregarding the Deniers":

But the president would find it more difficult to wage preemptive war without the coloration of international legality, which the United Nations supposedly incarnates. So an irony stands out:

It would be more difficult for the president to wage war against Iraq if the United Nations did not exist. But if the United Nations, having passed 1441, now refuses to authorize war, the United Nations will essentially cease to exist.

In essence, SoS Powell presented the case against Iraq yesterday and basically asked the U.N., not to pass another resolution condemning Iraq for not disarming, but quite simply: "Will you be now irrelevant?", echoing President Bush.
And, save for Britain, they answered back, "Yes, we will. We are incapable of doing anything but passing toothless resolutions to which noone pays attention."
NY realtors would be well advised to put the "For Sale or Lease" sign up at U.N. headquarters.
I'm sure Donald Trump could do something fun with it!

Statement of the Vilnius Group Countries

For the record: 5 February 2003, Wednesday.
Statement by the Foreign Ministers of
Albania,
Bulgaria,
Croatia,
Estonia,
Latvia,
Lithuania,
Macedonia,
Romania,
Slovakia
and Slovenia
in response to the presentation by the United States Secretary of State to the United Nations Security Council concerning Iraq:

Earlier today, the United States presented compelling evidence to the United Nations Security Council detailing Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs, its active efforts to deceive UN inspectors, and its links to international terrorism.

Our countries understand the dangers posed by tyranny and the special responsibility of democracies to defend our shared values. The trans-Atlantic community, of which we are a part, must stand together to face the threat posed by the nexus of terrorism and dictators with weapons of mass destruction.

We have actively supported the international efforts to achieve a peaceful disarmament of Iraq. However, it has now become clear that Iraq is in material breach of U.N. Security Council Resolutions, including U.N. Resolution 1441, passed unanimously on November 8, 2002. As our governments said on the occasion of the NATO Summit in Prague: "We support the goal of the international community for full disarmament of Iraq as stipulated in the UN Security Council Resolution 1441. In the event of non-compliance with the terms of this resolution, we are prepared to contribute to an international coalition to enforce its provisions and the disarmament of Iraq."

The clear and present danger posed by the Saddam Hussein's regime requires a united response from the community of democracies. We call upon the U.N. Security Council to take the necessary and appropriate action in response to Iraq's continuing threat to international peace and security.

Thank you, Vilnius Group!
Screw the French!
I'd rather have these guys on our side any day!

Seven arrested in anti-terror raidsSeven people have been arrested by anti-terrorist officers following a series of raids in Scotland and England.

The raids were carried out this morning on addresses in London, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Six men and one woman have been detained under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Round 'em up, Britain!
The enemy's still among us, trying to launch terrorist attacks.
And even the weasel servants of Islamism have "gotten religion" about their internal security:
Germany Holds Three Men Suspected of Attack Plans

German prosecutors said on Thursday they were questioning three men suspected of planning extremist attacks in Germany and of supporting the al Qaeda cell in Hamburg which launched the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Federal prosecutors based in Karlsruhe said in a statement they were questioning three men and searching six buildings, including the Islamic Center in the western town of Muenster and the Islamic Community building in central Minden.

The prosecutors said two of the men were suspected of forming a group with the aim of launching attacks. The third man was suspected of supporting the group. All three were leading members of the Islamic centers in Minden and Muenster.

After all, the Germans may be dumb, but they're not stupid!

February 05, 2003

I'm sitting here listening to Sen. Chuck Schumer (P for Poodle to Hitlery, NY) reaming President Bush's nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit Miguel Estrada and trying to Bork him.
I have never heard such evil, hateful rhetoric being spewed...
and about a highly qualified and respected person who's been nominated for his outstanding legal abilities.
Mr. Estrada has argued 15 cases in front of the SCOTUS, among other things (he emigrated to this country from Honduras when he was 17 and didn't know any English, but went on several years later to graduate from Harvard Law School), but Chuckie makes him sound like a convicted child molester!
Democrats Delenda Est.
I hope they pay dearly for this-- I can't think of what punishment would be awful enough for them.
And Chuck, hope you don't need the Puerto Rican vote!
If you'd like the 4-1-1 on what a fine man and jurist Estrada really is, check out this very good piece by NRO's Byron York:

The White House Case for Miguel Estrada: A final attempt to correct the record.
And note that the WaPo comes out with some real advice for the Dimocrat Senators in this editorial called "Filibustering Judges" .
Their advice on this proposed poisonous activity? Don't.

France bolsters Ivory Coast peace force

France is strengthening its military presence in Ivory Coast to protect western nationals there and enforce a truce between rebel groups and the government.

Paris began deploying some 450 soldiers to its former colony earlier this week, to back up 2,500 troops already in Ivory Coast, said a spokesman for the French armed forces.

Meanwhile, thousands of supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo have been demonstrating in the main city of Abidjan against the peace deal reached with the rebels 10 days ago to end the civil war.

The French deployment and the protest follow the United Nations Security Council's decision to give French and African troops in Ivory Coast a mandate to use force in order to protect civilians.

I have a feeling that with this addition of 450 men, you're looking at most of the French army...
which is one of several reasons they can't and won't help us to take out the trash in Baghdad.

With Audio Tapes and Images, Powell Makes Case to U.N.
Powell and the American and British delegations had the distinction today of being the only responsible Adults in that UN room.
Bravo, Secretary Powell and I'll even send a salute to Jack Straw, too!
Masterful presentation.
But don't be shocked when the "usual suspects" will continue to thwart our aims to remove Saddam from power...
To some of our "friends and allies," it's not about disarming Saddam (even if the facts about Saddam's arsenal may genuinely frighten them), but about containing American power any and every way that they can.
A victorious and triumphant America frightens them more, than the idea of one of their major cities being nuked, sprayed with smallpox or doused with ricin.

Pentagon investigating head of Central Command - Feb. 4, 2003

The Pentagon has launched an investigation into allegations of possible misconduct by the man who would lead U.S. forces in the event of a military strike on Iraq, CNN has learned.
[...]
Sources said Franks faces several allegations -- the most serious of which might be allowing his wife, Cathy, to be present during discussions of highly classified material. The sources also said questions have been raised about whether Franks properly repaid the government for his wife's travel on military aircraft.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld -- who would decide what, if any, disciplinary action Franks would face if any wrongdoing is found -- took the unusual step of expressing support for the general before the investigation was completed.

"Tom Franks is doing a superb job for this country, and we are lucky to have him [in his command]," Rumsfeld told reporters Tuesday at the Pentagon. "He has my complete confidence and the complete confidence of the president of the United States."

UNREAL.
Here we are on the eve of war and they're going after our commanding general for alleged "misconduct" involving his wife?!?
When I think about all the crimes against this nation that Hitlery Clintoon got away with, all because she was "co-president," from drawing up a womb-to-the-tomb national health care plan, to stealing 900 FBI files, to hauling away art and furniture from the White House...ooh, it makes my blood boil!
And nobody said a word to her or her HINO (husband in name only).
And where's the Leftist loon who started this little witch hunt?
I'll go with Clintoon SecDef Dick Cohen as my first guess.
He probably despises both Franks and Rummy for making him look like such a chump! (Apparently, Dick thought his job was to do an American version of the Beatle's Sergeant Pepper's tour complete with luxury hotel suites and flamboyant uniforms.)
General Franks has my complete confidence, too, and I daresay, that of the men and women of the US military, which is what's important!
(Note to the Washington Post: Rummy is taking up for Franks now because a.) Tommy's earned his respect and deserves it and b.) Tommy's kind of busy right now, being holed up in Qatar, coordinating untold numbers of operations in the Middle East, you braindead morons!)
Who ever IS behind this: Way to go, traitor! What a great way to try and ruin morale and jeopardize any military victory we might have in the Iraq campaign!
We've got some kind of fifth column in this country....
Hopefully, this headachy diversion will pass away as quickly as it came into being because dammit, there's a war on!

*The buzz, according to blogger Phillip Coons and the WaPo was that Franks was being accused of this by a "subordinate" or two on his staff...so if it wasn't Dicky Cohen or a Clinton appointee, then it was probably someone put on the Pentagon staff by Cohen back in the days of the "touchy-feely," feminized and castrated Clintoon Pentagon.
So, in essence, it's the same thing as a "former Clinton official."

France 'no longer ally'

France is no longer an ally of the United States and the NATO alliance "must develop a strategy to contain our erstwhile ally or we will not be talking about a NATO alliance" the head of the Pentagon's top advisory board said in Washington Tuesday.

Richard Perle, a former assistant secretary of defense in the Reagan administration and now chairman of the Pentagon's Policy Advisory Board, condemned French and German policy on Iraq in the strongest terms at a public seminar organized by a New York-based PR firm and attended by Iraqi exiles and American Middle East and security officials.

But while dismissing Germany's refusal to support military action against Iraq as an aberration by "a discredited chancellor," Perle warned that France's attitude was both more dangerous and more serious.
[...]
"I have long thought that there were forces in France intent on reducing the American role in the world. That is more troubling than the stance of a German chancellor, who has been largely rejected by his own people," Perle said, referring to the sharp electoral defeat suffered by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's party in state elections Sunday.
[...]
"Very considerable damage has already been done to the Atlantic community, including NATO, by Germany and France," Perle said.
[...]Perle went on to question whether the United States should ever again seek the endorsement of the U.N. Security Council on a major issue of policy, stressing that "Iraq is going to be liberated, by the United States and whoever wants to join us, whether we get the approbation of the U.N. or any other institution."

"It is now reasonable to ask whether the United States should now or on any other occasion subordinate vital national interests to a show of hands by nations who do not share our interests," he added.

Amen, Mr. Perle and pass the ammunition!
The Axis of Weasels (that's France and Germany to voters in Floriduh) has tried to block us both as member nations of NATO and the EU, thus proving that they're both a dessert topping and a floor wax...or something.
Rather than chucking NATO altogether, I think it needs to be re-configured, say along the lines of that New Europe idea? IOW, the new NATO should have Western Europe minus the weasel countries, Belgium and Luxembourg and then add the new NATO group just added from Eastern Europe.

UN backs Ivory Coast peacekeepers

French and West African troops in Ivory Coast have won a mandate from the United Nations Security Council to use force in peace-keeping operations there.

The Security Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to back the troops' deployment with a review of the situation in six months' time.
In New York, the Security Council passed Resolution 1464 giving "full support" to troops of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and France currently serving in Ivory Coast. [Has anyone ever heard of this ECOWAS thingie before and what is it, exactly?--Jen]

The troops were authorised to take any necessary steps to ensure their own security and freedom of movement and "the protection of civilians threatened with imminent violence".

The Council said it was acting under Chapter Seven of the UN Charter which authorises the use of military force where other means of enforcing resolutions prove inadequate.

This is so outrageous I can hardly bare to blog about it!
If the UN will give the nod to France for sending in troops ex post facto to another sovereign country, what other "crazy cowboy" government won't they unleash on another?
And yet they stood silent when there were massacres in Kosovo and in Rwanda and virtually gave the nod to the Palestinian intifada!
(And they make us sweat blood to "prove" that our goal of disarming Saddam by using military force is "necessary" and "appropriate" even in the wake of their 16 toothless resolutions to disarm him peacefully which have failed miserably.)
If "mandates" like these are what we can expect as S.O.P. from the UN, I don't want a second resolution for our Iraq attack!
[Also, the Bush Administration has made a singular misstep and has also gone on record as backing this French-brokered "peace deal." I hope that will change and/or that it's merely a matter of not ruffling any more feathers while we have the Iraq matter on the table.]
In France, New York and Washington, the cry should be "No blood for chocolate!" as this appears to be the primary French reason to pursue this diplomatic and military adventure, i.e. to secure the Ivorian cocoa trade for themselves.
If we don't get a second UN resolution--and I hope we don't!--remember their sins of commission like this one!
Many have said that the UN has become a cesspool filled with thugs, dictators and murderers, rather than the august democratic body with the highest goal of world peace on earth that it was intended to be.
I not only think they're irrelevant, but they're also ineffectual and malevolent and the sooner the US leaves, quits paying our UN dues and kicks their HQ out of our country, the better!
Then, the other member nations--and here we're talking about an assemblage of every petty despot and tinhorn dictator on the planet-- can see how much attention, respect and cooperation they can get from each other.

SoS Colin Powell, accompanied by CIA chief George Tenet, will be speaking to the UN today at 10:30 EST.
When interviewed yesterday getting into his limo by FoxNews, Powell was whistling and smiling broadly (even grinning!), which I've never really seen Colin do...so it must be very good.
Be there or be square!
Here's a little teaser about the CIA angle: CIA Chiefs Will Accompany Powell at U.N.

Secretary of State Colin Powell, backed by top CIA officials and declassified intelligence material, is making the U.S. case to a mostly skeptical U.N. Security Council that Iraq continues to defy U.N. orders to disarm.

BTW, when have you ever seen such open cooperation and coordination between the CIA and the State Dept.?

If you haven't heard the very fine speech that the President gave in Houston today for the Columbia astronauts or if you'd like to hear it again, here's the link:President Bush Attends Memorial Service for Columbia Astronauts.
But do have your hankies handy.
It's heartfelt and very moving.

February 04, 2003

The Reliable Source

[...]
Hitchens's Right-Wing Stuff
We remember when our friend Christopher Hitchens was a card-carrying (or at least Scotch-hoisting) member of the left. But the British-born polemicist has apparently come a very long way since he stopped writing for the Nation magazine last year. In the new issue of Doublethink, a Washington-based right-wing quarterly, Hitchens reveals that he plans to support President Bush's reelection campaign -- never mind his recent Vanity Fair puff piece about Democratic hopeful John Edwards. "I don't believe in [Edwards]" Hitchens tells Doublethink interviewer Tom Ivancie. "I mean, I told him I wouldn't vote for him. . . . Because I'd vote for Bush. The important thing is this: Is a candidate completely serious about prosecuting the war on theocratic terrorism to the fullest extent? Only Bush is." Hitchens also scoffs at the Everyman pitch of the millionaire trial lawyer turned North Carolina senator:"Oh, that's all [bleep]. . . . Spare us the false populism."

Meanwhile, Hitchens suggests that old nemesis Bill Clinton was a CIA plant at Oxford, where both were students in the late 1960s. "I think he was a double," Hitchens says. "Somebody was giving information to [the CIA] about the anti-war draft resisters, and I think it was probably him. We had a girlfriend in common -- I didn't know then -- who's since become a very famous radical lesbian."

Un-fricking-believable. Christopher always has the BEST bull!
I really like Hitch enormously: he's very smart and he has a wonderful vocabulary together with a masterful command of the language, plus there are his marvelous perceptions which are, like David Horowitz's, only what former Leftist true believers would have.
He sounds drunk in this interview (doesn't he always? or is he always drunk?), but then so what?!
The only time he gets weird is when he wanders off on his "spook" stories like this one about Clintoon, the lesbian and CIA doubles...
Hitch, you sound more and more like a Conservative all the time.
Welcome to the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy;
it's a nice, sane place to be!

February 03, 2003

Shuttle destroyed by God, says Abu Hamza

THERE were renewed calls for the deportation of Abu Hamza al-Masri yesterday after he said that Allah had destroyed the shuttle because it was a "trinity of evil" against Islam.

The militant cleric said that God had destroyed the Columbia because it was carrying American Christians, an Indian-born Hindu and an Israeli Jew. He added that the craft's explosion was a message from God because the first Israeli in space, Ilan Ramon, a former fighter pilot, was killed over an area of Texas called Palestine.

The former imam of Finsbury Park Mosque in North London came under fierce criticism from politicians and leading Muslims. They accused him of inciting racial and religious hatred and revelling in the deaths of innocent people.

Mr Hamza, 44, said: "The Muslim people see these pilots as criminals. By going into space they would have sharpened the accuracy of their bombs through satellites. These missions would increase the number of satellites for military purposes. It would increase the slavery of governance of other countries by America. It is a punishment from God. Muslims see it that way. It is a trinity of evil because it carried Americans, an Israeli and a Hindu, a trinity of evil against Islam."

The Muslim Council of Great Britain said: "The vast majority of Muslims are now quite disgusted by (Mr Hamza's) sentiments."

I don't think Mr. Hamza's going to be getting any roses or chocolates on Valentine's Day for this little love talk...
What a guy!
He manages to insult 3 of the world's greatest religions in one sentence: not bad!
But then he's had lots of practice in the Hate Department.
As for those Muslims carrying on about the shuttle exploding over "Palestine," Texas, I think I can safely say that they've honed in on that town's name because they can't pronounce "Nacogdoches!"
[BTW, speaking as a native Texan,I can tell you that those are both nice, pretty little towns, too.]

Ivory Coast women condemn French

Thousands of women have surrounded the French embassy in the Ivory Coast commercial capital, Abidjan, angered by a French-brokered peace plan.

The women, dressed in the national colours of orange, green and white waved tree branches and shouted "Chirac, liar".

This is the latest demonstration by supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo, accusing the French of forcing him to share power with rebels.
[...]
Opponents of the [Paris-brokered] deal staged the largest protest since the conflict began on Saturday, with up to 100,000 people taking to the streets.

Thus begins another *happy* week for France, as the Anti-Cheese Weasel Movement goes global!

ArabNews: Diplomats start leaving Baghdad

Foreign diplomats in Iraq are leaving the country as the United States and Britain yesterday started a final diplomatic push to rally support for a possible war.

The Polish diplomat who acts as Washington’s sole representative in Iraq, Krzysztof Bernacki, will leave tomorrow “for long consultations in his country,” the Polish Embassy said. Other diplomatic sources in Baghdad said the representatives for Yugoslavia and Spain had already gone, citing the same reason.

The departures came as Washington and London exerted pressure on reluctant US allies to support a new UN resolution that would underpin a military assault on Iraq.

Departed for "long consultations in their countries..."--don't you love it?!?
Never B.S. a B.S-er like these Arabs.
They know what you mean.
And can you blame these diplos for getting while the getting's good? Heck no!
If you stay, you'll be reading from the Gospels of "Matthew, Mark, Luke and duck!"

Evidence against Iraq 'unmistakable'

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has insisted there is unmistakable evidence that Iraq is failing to co-operate with United Nations weapons inspectors.
Mr Blair, who has already sent thousands of British troops to the Gulf in preparation for possible war, said the "final phase" of disarming Iraq had begun.

"Eight weeks have now passed since Saddam Hussein was given his final chance. The evidence of co-operation withheld is unmistakable," Mr Blair told British MPs, many of whom are unsure if war against Iraq can be justified.
[...]
However, on Monday a White House spokesman dismissed as "guesswork" reports that the US and Britain have agreed on a plan to limit UN weapons inspections in Iraq to no more than six more weeks.

President Bush "has not put a definitive period" of time by which the inspections must end, "so any reports to the contrary would not be based on anything substantive," said Ari Fleischer.

There you have it.
I'm hoping that Colin Powell's presentation to the UN on Wednesday will be a "doozey!"
Looks like Congress is getting pretty itchy to hear this horror story themselves:
Tommy Daschole, Senator Major Idiot Minority Leader, is leaking about it to the 4th Estate:
U.S. Lawmakers to Get Briefed on Iraq

The Bush administration will brief members of Congress on why it believes Iraq is hiding weapons of mass destruction a few hours before it gives its reasons to the United Nations on Wednesday, an aide to Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle said on Monday.

Daschle spokeswoman Ranit Schmelzer told reporters on Monday that the administration scheduled a breakfast briefing for Democratic and Republican Senate and House of Representatives leaders shortly before Secretary of State Colin Powell makes his mid-morning presentation to the United Nations in New York.

She said President Bush was to attend the briefing, but she was not sure who would give it. Chairmen and ranking members of key congressional committees also were expected to attend, she said.

Sounds pretty sobering and serious to me.
(Hope Tommy's people leak the rest!)

EU's Amato blames France, Germany for policy split over Iraq stance

The deputy chair of the Convention on the Future of the EU Giuliano Amato said France and Germany caused divisions over EU foreign policy by pledging to work together to avoid a war in Iraq, he told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.
Their statement caused the leaders of eight countries, led by the UK and Spain, to write in open letter in support of the US' hardline policy on Iraq.
"What we are going through at the moment is a lesson for Europe. And I have to say: Germany and France were originally responsible for it," said Amato, who is also a former Italian prime minister.
"Berlin and Paris forgot[Oh, I wouldn't say they'd forgotten exactly...--Jen] to seek support for their position in the European Union," Amato was quoted as saying in the German daily.
"The necessary harmony in Europe can't be created the same way it was 40 or 50 years ago. At the time, Franco-German relations were a central pillar of everything," said Amato.
"It remains important, but today it is no longer good enough for them to announce a position and then expect the others to sign it," he said.
"The method used by Paris and Berlin was harmful, almost counter-productive. We no longer live in a Europe of six states, we are de-facto already 25. This is another world."

And there was this today, too, from another capital of New Europe:
Spain's Palacio warns France, Germany against unilateralism

Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio has warned France and Germany to steer clear of unilateralism and urged them to take more account of the positions of other European nations and NATO ally, the US.

In an article published in the Spanish daily ABC, Palacio said last month's Franco-German declaration, published to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their post-World War II friendship treaty, was not exempt from " a whiff of unilateralism".

She noted that the declaration contained several projects -- a harmonisation of law between the two countries, dual Franco-German nationality, and a bilateral common foreign policy strategy -- which could only be welcome as part of a broader EU framework.

For a "convinced European, it is not possible to read the Franco-German declaration without being startled," Palacio commented.

France and Germany must "continue to play an essential role in the EU and make real non-judgemental proposals for integration, which do not ignore the role which Europe and the United States must play together on the world stage in the 21st century," she said.

Bravo, Senore Amato!
Viva Signora Palacio!
Ah, those hot-blooded Latin members of New Europe--Gotta love 'em.
France and Germany, time to duck and cover!
Ha-ha!

Hat tip to tacitus for this.

Please check out these 2 riveting op eds in today's WSJ Opinion Journal on how that "United We Stand" from the "New Europe" leaders published last week came into being (Hint: WSJ reporter Michael Gonzalez called Berlusconi of Italy's office and they called Aznar of Spain and they both called Tony Blair....) Read them both!
"The Op-Ed Alliance:
The Wall Street Journal stands accused of committing journalism. We plead guilty."
Catch the last graph of their mea culpa:

We admit to committing journalism. And if our critics want to accuse these pages of having so much clout that we can dictate policy to eight European heads of state, we will humbly accept.

"Our Statement:
Reports of anti-Americanism have been greatly exaggerated."
The enterprising Mr. Gonzalez concludes the piece on the statement's conception thusly:

Our motives were entirely journalistic. I'd just come back from the States and one of the things that struck me was how misinformed Americans are about European support. Many Americans had been convinced by Bush opponents and some on the right that Europeans hate the U.S. I hope the statement we printed informed Americans that European "anti-Americanism" has been exaggerated. The leaders who signed it took a stand on principle, but as politicians they're attuned to political currents in their countries. We can only assume that they were speaking on behalf of their electorates.

And I would expand this conclusion about the non-existence of "widespread anti-Americanism" to include not only Europe, but the rest of the world.

Apparently, the only misstep in this whole episode was that Bernie Ahern, PM of Ireland, stated that he would have signed it as well, but that no-one asked him!

TIME IS RUNNING OUT:
We Will Not Shrink From War

Iraq has flouted the will of the world with its deceptions and empty claims.

[...]President Bush's message has been clear from the beginning. The President eloquently and persuasively set forth the U.S. position at the U.N. on Sept. 12: A peaceful outcome to this situation is possible if Iraq cooperates with the U.N. and disarms. Unfortunately, Saddam seems to be leading his nation down another path. The U.S. seeks Iraq's peaceful disarmament. But we will not shrink from war if that is the only way to rid Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction.

I quoted only the final paragraph, so do read the whole thing for yourself.
This is running in today's (Monday's) WSJ Opinion Journal so that no-one miscontrues SoS Powell's position on the matter.
As an aside, I'd like to note here that one of the things that Nelson Mandela was babbling about last week was that the Bush Administration "discounted" Kofi Annan of the UN because he was black, so what's Mandela's excuse for ignoring the judgement of his "brother" Colin? Hmmmm?
(This holier-than-thou racist "inclusiveness" goes for the Dimocrats,too. The same week that the Dims were blasting Trent Lott and the G.O.P. as "rascist," the American public was hanging on Powell's every word, as is only proper for a nation at war to heed the Secretary of State's reports in tense negotiations. But no-one pointed out that obvious disconnect of the Liberal Left, i.e. that Colin Powell--a black man--held a position of great power, second only to the President, in a GOP Administration and had been appointed to that position for his abilities, experience, knowledge and judgement, not to "fill out" a "diverse for diversity's sake" Cabinet, like Jocelyn Elders or Ron Brown (RIP) in the -ahem!-previous administration of that "he's black, but he's white" president.
Actually, this phenomenon of giving Powell's actions and words importance and attention is a very good thing: many Americans, including myself, don't see SoS Powell as a "black man" first and foremost. We see him for himself. And I think the same thing could be said for Dr. Condi Rice. I "forget" that these people are "black." They're themselves, above all, and as the younger people say, "They rule." And that's what racial equality is all about, isn't it? It's about just simply being able to get past the single characteristic of a person's race or skin color and accepting and relating to them on their own merits.)
So, bottom line?
If Powell, the reputed peacenik, dove and coolest head of the Bush Administration says we're going to war, you can just about take it to the bank.

February 02, 2003

Welcome to the world Eli David!
Mazeltov to Mr. and Mrs. Solly Ezekiel on the birth of their son on Friday!
Solly tells us that mom and baby are doing fine.
And amidst our sadness over the loss of these 7 fine astronaut heroes who died on Columbia, why not surf over and share Gedanken's joy over this new life?

UK restates nuclear threat

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon says Saddam Hussein "can be absolutely confident" the UK is willing to use nuclear weapons "in the right conditions".

Speaking on BBC One's Breakfast with Frost Mr Hoon said the UK reserved the right to use the weapons "in extreme self defence".

Thank you, Britain, for helping make the U.S. looking a little less like isolated, "trigger happy" cowboys and more as if you're our partner in confronting Saddam's armed aggression, deception and defiance.
Let's hope and pray that neither power is called upon to use this response.
Saddam, disarm, step down and leave power.

God punished Columbia because an Israeli 'spy' was on board, Palestinians say

God punished the space shuttle Columbia because its crew, which included an Israeli astronaut, was on an espionage mission against the Arab and Muslim nations, some Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip told The Jerusalem Post today.
[...]
"They were sent to space to spy on the Arabs and Muslims,"said Rudainah Salman, a 28-year-old schoolteacher from Ramallah. "I have no sympathy for the astronauts because they were doing something bad to us. Allah punished them because of their bad intentions. I hate the Americans and the Israelis because of what they are doing to our people."

Salim Najjar, a mosque preacher from a village near Jerusalem, told a group of Muslim worshippers that a "divine omnipotence" was behind the tragedy.

"This is a message from God to America and Israel that they must stop their aggression against the Arabs and Muslims," he said. "Israel and America are trying to control the world through their arrogance and with the help of military force. On Saturday they were reminded that God is there to protect the believers, the people of the Prophet Mohammed, God s blessing and peace be upon him."

At the Kalandya refugee camp south of Ramallah, a group of young men sitting in a small restaurant said they felt happy when they heard the news of the space shuttle explosion.

"We heard that the Israeli was a pilot in the Israeli air force who had participated in the attack on the Iraqi nuclear reactor," said Jamil Shehadeh, a 22-year-old mechanic. "God is great because this pilot has now been punished for the crime which he committed. I wish we will have more disasters like this in the US and Israel. Who do the Americans and Israelis think they are?"

One of his friends, Ayman Dweik, 19, said he heard "somewhere on TV" that the Columbia explosion was the first in a series of disasters that are expected to hit the US.

"They said on TV that the next strike is going to be when the sea opens and swallows one of the American warships that s on its way to attack Iraq. This is the will of Allah, that all the enemies of Islam shall be destroyed. People here say that the shuttle was on an espionage mission to gather information on the Arab and Muslim countries," Dweik said.

What can I say that doesn't include bad language about people that are this ignorant, prejudiced and gullible, as well as morally hateful?
Just reading and blogging this made me so furious and upset....
Arafat tried to cover up this kind of reaction and went through the motions of being decently sorrowful about the Columbia disaster, as he pretends to do everything else that is decent, but these responses got out anyway.
Yes, why shouldn't you jihadi Muslims be at liberty to kill all the "infidels" and "enemies of Islam"--Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, even atheists-- that you feel like?
Why? Because every human life is precious, not just Muslim lives.
That is why we mark each person's earthly passing, regardless of their religious beliefs.
I knew the "Arab street" would have this reaction, but I'm still sick that it did.
The adherents of the "Religion of Peace" still have lots of work to do to reform and change their now murderous credo:
if you believe that the only way to deal with non-believers of your faith is to for them to be killed, you don't have much of a belief system.

Stunned World Grieves Over Shuttle Disaster

[...]
Japan, which had been due to send up its fifth astronaut on a U.S. shuttle next month, said the disaster would deal a blow to its space program.

Officials said astronaut Soichi Noguchi's mission would be postponed. Japanese plans to build a module for the ISS would also be affected.

"The accident not only poses a serious situation for the U.S. manned space program but also for the ISS project which our nation is also taking part in," Science Minister Atsuko Toyama said in a statement.

Two Canadian astronauts due to fly to the space station later this year will also likely be grounded. NASA has put all shuttle flights on hold while it investigates the breakup.

The station is being built by Russia and the United States with the help of space agencies from Europe, Canada and Japan.

China, which hopes to become the world's third nation to launch a manned spacecraft -- possibly later this year, also sent condolences to the United States and Israel.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin told President Bush China deeply regretted the loss of Colombia's seven crew but he believed the exploration of space would continue.

While the supporters of Saddam celebrated the horrible explosion and the tragic deaths in Iraq and some Leftist Canadians sneered about the "just desserts" of "American arrogance" on the Canadian Broadcasting Company yesterday, the fact still came shining through these world-wide expressions of sorrow that the now indisputably international space program is the product and pride not only of American greatness, but that of all Mankind, just as was foreseen and the reason why Neil Armstrong uttered those famous words with his first step on the moon.

Russian rocket blasts off for ISS

An unmanned Russian cargo rocket, headed for the International Space Station (ISS), has been launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan as planned.

The Russians had already made clear that, despite the Columbia space shuttle disaster in the US, they would go ahead with their launch.
[...]The vessel, which is controlled from the ground, is set to bring supplies to the three-man crew aboard the ISS - two Americans and one Russian.

The ISS team, called Expedition 6, arrived at the space station for a four-month mission in early December aboard US space shuttle Endeavor. They have enough supplies to last them until June.
[...]A BBC space correspondent says that when the first of them, Challenger, was lost, in 1986, it forced a fundamental rethink of space policy in the United States.

But our correspondent says the loss of Columbia will force a reassessment throughout the world.

Russia's last accident with a manned craft came in 1971 when it lost three astronauts in a Soyuz-11 craft on re-entry.
[...]RSA spokesman Vyacheslav Mikhailichenko said the Columbia tragedy may prompt space officials to only use Soyuz rockets to transport crew to and from the space station in the near future, ITAR-Tass reports.

But another RSA spokesman told ITAR-Tass that Russia's space agency only had two Soyuz rockets capable of carrying crews to and from the space station, urging US and Russia officials to help the space agency build new rockets.
[...]
Tass also quoted James Newman, Nasa's director of human space programmes in Russia, as saying that space co-operation between Russia and the United States was bound to intensify.

Spasiba, Russia!
Now the 2 Americans and 1 Russian up on the ISS will have supplies and, of course, they already have a Soyuz escape vehicle up there should they need to come home.

India mourns space heroine

Front pages of Saturday's Indian newspapers carried pictures of Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-born woman in space, to celebrate her expected return to earth on the U.S. space shuttle Columbia.

Instead of a celebration, a pall of sadness descended on India as much of the country watched with horror the video footage showing the disintegration of the space shuttle Columbia.

In a letter to U.S. President George W. Bush, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee conveyed his sympathies to the American people. "We mourn with you in this moment of grief. Our hearts go out to the bright young men and women who were on that spacecraft. For us in India, we felt that since one of them was an Indian-born woman it adds a special poignancy to the tragedy."
"The world has seen with admiration the U.S. spacecraft program. We hope that in the days to come it will reach new heights," Vajpayee added.
[...]In India, which has launched satellites for years and is preparing for a moon orbit this decade, Chawla was a new kind of heroine.

Born in Karnal, Chawla earned a degree in engineering from Punjab Engineering College in 1982 and then went to the United States, where she earned her Master's and doctorate in aerospace engineering.

Even more sadly, Dr. Chawla got here graduate degrees here at the University of Texas in Arlington, not far from where the shuttle Columbia tragically exploded...
What a lovely, smart lady and such a heroine already for India, for women everywhere and also, in these times when immigration has been such a controversial issue here and in Europe, Kalpana was a shining example of someone who was foreign-born, but American-by-choice, who, no matter where she was, was clearly an outstanding person.
We're grateful that you chose to serve our country as an American citizen, although you're clearly loved in your native India.
R.I.P., Dr. Kalpana.
You're an angel up above now and an Indo-American-world heroine here down on Earth!

Anderson: Bright future for black astronauts

Astronaut Michael Anderson saw a "really bright" future for African-American astronauts in space.

In an interview Wednesday night, Anderson, the only black crew member on space shuttle Columbia, pointed out that three other black astronauts were scheduled to be on shuttle flights in the next year.

In addition, some of the research the crew was conducting onboard Columbia had an important benefit for black males. A bioreactor on the space shuttle was growing cells of prostate cancer, which has a high rate among African-Americans.
[...]
Astronaut Robert Curbeam was scheduled to fly on a shuttle mission in the next few months, and Joan Higginbotham was scheduled to be on a shuttle mission later in the year. Early next year, astronaut Stephanie Wilson was scheduled to fly.
[...]
Anderson's sister [named Joanne who withheld her last name] said Saturday she was still grappling with the report of her brother's presumed death. The news, she told a reporter, "hasn't set in yet, and it probably won't until I hear something very definite."
[...]
"The United States of America has many, many problems -- racism is one of them," she said, "but only in America could he have achieved what he did achieve."

Good Lord willing, Lt. Col. Anderson, those 3 African Americans (2 of whom are women!) and a lot of other good people will go into space soon: President Bush promised that we would continue the space program.
I'm hoping he'll give the nod to Prometheus, our Mission to Mars now....
In the meantime, rest in the arms of God, Michael, along with your crewmates.
Mission accomplished and job well done.

'The Days of Miracle and Wonder':
The Columbia's loss is a searing reminder of American heroism.

[...]
Today the tragedy feels less like something that teaches than something that reminds. We were reminded of what we know. President Bush referred to it when he lauded the astronauts' courage. We forget to notice the everyday courage of astronauts. We forget to think about all the Americans doing big and dangerous things in the world--members of the armed forces, cops and firemen, doctors in public hospitals in hard places. And now, famously again, astronauts. With their unremarked-upon valor and cool professionalism. With their desire to make progress and push on.

Buzz Aldrin captured it this morning. He tried to read a poem about astronauts on television. He read these words: "As they passed from us to glory, riding fire in the sky." And tough old Buzz, steely-eyed rocket man and veteran of the moon, began to weep.

He was not alone.

God bless and bless and bless their souls, and rest their souls in the morning.

And God bless Peggy Noonan, for giving us all comfort and faith at such a dark time and putting into words yet again what most of us cannot yet yearn to express.