May 27, 2004

Cleric Offers to Pull Fighters From Najaf

Members of Iraq's Governing Council traveled to Najaf on Thursday to help nail down a peace agreement after radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr offered to withdraw his militia, raising hopes for an end to weeks of fighting in the holy city.

Al-Sadr, whose militiamen have been battling coalition troops for nearly two months, also demanded the Americans pull back and a murder case against him be postponed.
[...]
An agreement to abandon Najaf would be a major step toward ending an uprising al-Sadr's militia has waged in the south only weeks before a new Iraqi government takes power June 30, formally ending the U.S.-led occupation.

The weeks of fighting — which had threatened some of Shia Islam's holiest sites — had posed a major challenge to the U.S. occupation.
[Or so says and thinks the Leftist media pundits at the AP!--Jen]
[...]
It wasn't known how much al-Sadr was swayed by the pre-dawn raid in which U.S. troops arrested al-Sadr's key lieutenant [Riyahd al-Nouri]. Clashes late Tuesday and early Wednesday between U.S. troops and militia fighters killed 24 people and wounded nearly 50 here, hospital and militia officials said.

Al-Nouri's arrest was a major blow to the al-Mahdi Army, which has been fighting coalition forces since early April in Shiite neighborhoods of Baghdad and in the Shiite heartland south of the capital.

Al-Sadr launched his uprising after the U.S.-led occupation authority launched a crackdown on his movement. An Iraqi judge has issued an arrest warrant charging both al-Sadr and al-Nouri in the April 2003 assassination of a moderate cleric, Abdul Majid al-Khoei.
[...]
Al-Sadr said he was making the offer because of "the tragic condition" in Najaf after weeks of fighting between his militiamen and the Americans and the slight damage suffered by the city's holiest shrine, the Imam Ali mosque.

Fighting around some of the holiest cities of Shia Islam has angered many Shiites in Iraq and elsewhere and has led to calls for both the Americans and the militiamen to pull back from the shrines.

On Tuesday, the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf received slight damage. Both U.S. and Shiite forces blamed the other.

And guess which side the Media blamed? Ours, of course.
Nothing like giving the Enemy the benefit of the doubt in wartime, huh?
Our military commanders said that they were shot at from the mosque and that it was being used as an arsenal, too, so they almost had no choice but to fire on the "holy site."
(And no-one mentions that Saddam himself shelled this mosque when he was cracking down on the Shiites.
But the Iraqis themselves remember.)
I'll bet the partisan press was surprised, if not shocked, that our tactics are working against the terrorist scum.
The way they report the war, it's almost as if they're disappointed to see al-Sadr give in!

HATE CLERIC HAMZA HELD

Controversial Muslim cleric Abu Hamza has been arrested by police in London on an extradition warrant issued by the US government.

According to reports he will be held on terror charges before being deported for trial in America.
[...]
The warrant was executed after months of cooperation between the British and US authorities.

It followed a plea by President Bush to European leaders to speed up the extradition of terror suspects to the US.

The case against Hamza is thought to be based on information obtained from suspects already held in America.

The Egyptian-born cleric was a preacher at Finsbury Park mosque in north London until he was kicked out by the Charity Commission.

He has been accused of recruiting for al Qaeda and has urged young British muslims to copy suicide bombers in Israel.

His followers include shoebomber Richard Reid, who tried to blow up a transatlantic flight.

Home Secretary David Blunkett has begun legal moves to strip Hamza of his British citizenship but the case has been fraught with delays.

Oh, YEAH!!!
Thank you, Britain!
You won't be sorry! (They're probably celebrating as I type this!)
I can't wait to hear what "goods" we've got on this guy (Betcha either Richard Reid and/or some of the detainees at Gitmo have had something to say!)
This was going nowhere in the U.K. and at least here in the U.S., our criminal justice system hasn't been so weakened by Liberalism that we either can't execute him for being an accessory to multiple murders or put him away in a maximum security facility for a very long time.
Another very bad man bagged!

Even the Dimocrat-loving Newsday was forced to admit that Al lost it:
Gore: Rumsfeld, Rice, Tenet should step down

Raising his voice to a yell, he drew early applause by angrily denouncing the administration.

In the spirit of Stalin, Gore wants to see everyone purged...from an Administration that isn't his!
VP Cheney, Rummy, Tenet, Dr. Condi, Wolfowitz, ______(insert name of "neocon" here)--they've all got to go in the upside-down, manic world of the Boy who was made of wood!
Oh, and as a bonus, he wants President Bush to denounce" Rush Limbaugh from the bully pulpit of the White House, too.
[Aside: Why couldn't he have done this on the new GoreTV? Or has that already gone the way of Air America?]
Happily, the RNC issued the perfect reply to Al's breakdown (not his first, BTW, but maybe his endorsement of the Global Warming movie isn't going too very well):

The Republican National Committee shot back at Gore on Wednesday, pointing out that while he was vice president terrorists attacked U.S. embassies in Africa, bombed the USS Cole and carried out the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
"Al Gore's attacks on the president today demonstrate that he either does not understand the threat of global terror or he has amnesia," RNC spokesman Jim Dyke said in a statement.

I've never stopped saying this since November of 2000, but I thank the Lord on my knees that Gore is not the President of this country and that George W. Bush is.

Four Nations Seek Iraq Resolution Changes

Four key nations proposed major changes Wednesday to the U.S.-British draft resolution on Iraq, moves that would give the new government control over the Iraqi army and police and require the multinational force to consult on military actions except for self-defense.

A three-page proposal by China - which diplomats said was supported in large part by Russia, France and Germany - would give the interim government that takes over on June 30 the right to decide whether foreign forces remain in the country and limit the multinational mandate to January 2005.

Should we give these sly countries an "A" for effort?
I wonder how keen President Bush is on getting this UN resolution...hopefully, not too.
We all hate the U.N. (but the President keeps trying to play "nice" without being John Kerry) and I couldn't care less whether we get the U.N.'s "blessing" on OIF, but Tranzi nuts like Blair do, I guess.
Thank God Bush pretty much told them to forget it!
Bush balks at ceding veto to Iraqis

President Bush assured France yesterday that he will truly cede power to Iraqis on June 30, although he stopped short of granting the planned Iraqi government veto power over U.S. military operations.

AS IF....President Bush would cede control of our troops to the newly formed Iraqi government that is taking its first baby steps towards democracy!
(I don't think this is even allowable under our Constitution, although U.N. and NATO joint actions have taken some liberties--liberties that I don't care for, I might add.)
Don't know if you're familiar with one of the current metaphors for the United States as the world's lone superpower as Gulliver (from the novel Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift), but it's extremely apt for our current situation.
The only way the Lilliputians (the other, less powerful countries of the world) like France, Germany, Russia and China can tie "Gulliver" down and prevent us from succeeding in our mission is to try and get us to restrain ourselves, out of shame and guilt for our strength, stature and power!
Well, this was another nice try but again, the "dumb cowboy" Bush ain't buyin'.

May 26, 2004

Kerry to Accept Nomination at Convention
Isn't that gracious of Sen. Ketchup?
What else would these pinheads have to do at their convention?
The Dims picked this date.
They're going to shut down downtown Boston.
And Kerry doesn't need more time or money to make his unacceptable candidacy any more acceptable, because it's never going to happen.
The people from this party take the cake for obnoxious presumption!
Al Gore halted the presidential election for 35 days because he wanted to recount 3 Florida counties.
The Dim party of New Jersey took out Toricelli for Senator after the primary and stuck in Lautenberg.
(There was that strange business in Minnesota when Wellstone was killed and Mondale subbed for him as the candidate in the last week of the election.)
And now, their boy Kerry threatened to hold off his nomination for a month after their convention.
Rules? Deadlines? Vote tallies? They're only for the GOP!

7 al-Qaida Suspects Sought in Attack Plan

America's top law enforcement officials urged the public Wednesday to help the FBI track down seven suspected al-Qaida operatives and avert an attack on U.S. soil that a stream of credible intelligence indicates could occur in the summer.

Attorney General John Ashcroft said the "disturbing" intelligence, collected for months, augments al-Qaida's own declaration that its plans for a devastating follow-up to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks are 90 percent complete. Ashcroft said that could mean terrorists already are in the United States to execute the plan, though he acknowledged there is no new information indicating when, where or how an attack might happen.

"Credible intelligence from multiple sources indicates that al-Qaida plans to attempt an attack on the United States in the next few months," Ashcroft said at a news conference with FBI Director Robert Mueller.

Ashcroft and Mueller announced an intensified level of counterterrorism activity for the summer. This includes interviews with individuals who could provide intelligence about terrorism, creation of a new FBI task force to focus on the threat and an appeal to all Americans to be extra vigilant about their surroundings, their neighbors and any suspicious activity.

Heads up, fellow Americans!
Be on the lookout for these 7 suspects.
And don't be afraid; be ready.

The political repercussions from the March 11 train bombings in Spain, which contributed to defeat of the ruling party in subsequent elections, could embolden al-Qaida to try to influence U.S. elections through attacks here, Ashcroft said.
[We all knew this was coming, so here it is.--Jen]

There is also concern about a number of high-profile summer events, beginning Saturday with dedication of the new World War II Memorial in Washington and next month's economic summit of the eight industrial powers, being held at Sea Island, Georgia. The Democratic and Republican conventions, in Boston and New York, also are potential targets.

And they forgot Fourth of July festivities everywhere, including the dedication of the new Freedom Tower at the old WTC site and there's also the re-opening of the Statue of Liberty for the first time since the 9/11 attacks sometime this summer.
But do not fear, America!
Lady Liberty's been holding her torch high all this time even if we couldn't see it from her insides.
We are going to beat these IslamoNazi b*stards.
As President Bush repeated the other night in his speech, We will prevail.

May 25, 2004

President Outlines Steps to Help Iraq Achieve Democracy and Freedom

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Thank you and good evening. I'm honored to visit the Army War College. Generations of officers have come here to study the strategies and history of warfare. I've come here tonight to report to all Americans, and to the Iraqi people, on the strategy our nation is pursuing in Iraq, and the specific steps were taking to achieve our goals.

The actions of our enemies over the last few weeks have been brutal, calculating, and instructive. We've seen a car bombing take the life of a 61-year-old Iraqi named Izzedin Saleem, who was serving as President of the Governing Council. This crime shows our enemy's intention to prevent Iraqi self-government, even if that means killing a lifelong Iraqi patriot and a faithful Muslim. Mr. Saleem was assassinated by terrorists seeking the return of tyranny and the death of democracy.

We've also seen images of a young American facing decapitation. This vile display shows a contempt for all the rules of warfare, and all the bounds of civilized behavior. It reveals a fanaticism that was not caused by any action of ours
[So, the President makes it clear that it could in no way be "justified" by the alleged abuse of Iraqi prison detainees by our military.],
and would not be appeased by any concession. We suspect that the man with the knife was an al Qaeda associate named Zarqawi. He and other terrorists know that Iraq is now the central front in the war on terror. And we must understand that, as well. The return of tyranny to Iraq would be an unprecedented terrorist victory, and a cause for killers to rejoice. It would also embolden the terrorists, leading to more bombings, more beheadings, and more murders of the innocent around the world.

The rise of a free and self-governing Iraq will deny terrorists a base of operation, discredit their narrow ideology, and give momentum to reformers across the region. This will be a decisive blow to terrorism at the heart of its power, and a victory for the security of America and the civilized world.

Our work in Iraq has been hard. Our coalition has faced changing conditions of war, and that has required perseverance, sacrifice, and an ability to adapt. The swift removal of Saddam Hussein's regime last spring had an unintended effect: Instead of being killed or captured on the battlefield, some of Saddam's elite guards shed their uniforms and melted into the civilian population. These elements of Saddam's repressive regime and secret police have reorganized, rearmed, and adopted sophisticated terrorist tactics. They've linked up with foreign fighters and terrorists. In a few cities, extremists have tried to sow chaos and seize regional power for themselves. These groups and individuals have conflicting ambitions, but they share a goal: They hope to wear out the patience of Americans, our coalition, and Iraqis before the arrival of effective self-government, and before Iraqis have the capability to defend their freedom.

Iraq now faces a critical moment. As the Iraqi people move closer to governing themselves, the terrorists are likely to become more active and more brutal. There are difficult days ahead, and the way forward may sometimes appear chaotic.
[I think he's talking to his critics here who have nagged about our seeming "lack of a plan" and telling them that no, we have a plan and we've rolled with the punches the war has thrown us.] Yet our coalition is strong, our efforts are focused and unrelenting, and no power of the enemy will stop Iraq's progress. (Applause.)

Helping construct a stable democracy after decades of dictatorship is a massive undertaking. Yet we have a great advantage. Whenever people are given a choice in the matter, they prefer lives of freedom to lives of fear. Our enemies in Iraq are good at filling hospitals, but they do not build any.
[For me and many other Americans, I'll bet, this one statement said it all!--Jen]
They can incite men to murder and suicide, but they cannot inspire men to live, and hope, and add to the progress of their country. The terrorists' only influence is violence, and their only agenda is death.

Our agenda, in contrast, is freedom and independence, security and prosperity for the Iraqi people. And by removing a source of terrorist violence and instability in the Middle East, we also make our own country more secure.
[Does anyone doubt it?]

Our coalition has a clear goal, understood by all -- to see the Iraqi people in charge of Iraq for the first time in generations. America's task in Iraq is not only to defeat an enemy, it is to give strength to a friend - a free, representative government that serves its people and fights on their behalf. And the sooner this goal is achieved, the sooner our job will be done.

There are five steps in our plan to help Iraq achieve democracy and freedom. We will hand over authority to a sovereign Iraqi government, help establish security, continue rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure, encourage more international support, and move toward a national election that will bring forward new leaders empowered by the Iraqi people.

The first of these steps will occur next month, when our coalition will transfer full sovereignty to a government of Iraqi citizens who will prepare the way for national elections. On June 30th, the Coalition Provisional Authority will cease to exist, and will not be replaced. The occupation will end, and Iraqis will govern their own affairs. America's ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte, will present his credentials to the new president of Iraq. Our embassy in Baghdad will have the same purpose as any other American embassy, to assure good relations with a sovereign nation. America and other countries will continue to provide technical experts to help Iraq's ministries of government, but these ministries will report to Iraq's new prime minister.

The United Nations Special Envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, is now consulting with a broad spectrum of Iraqis to determine the composition of this interim government. The special envoy intends to put forward the names of interim government officials this week. In addition to a president, two vice presidents, and a prime minister, 26 Iraqi ministers will oversee government departments, from health to justice to defense. This new government will be advised by a national council, which will be chosen in July by Iraqis representing their country's diversity. This interim government will exercise full sovereignty until national elections are held. America fully supports Mr. Brahimi's efforts, and I have instructed the Coalition Provisional Authority to assist him in every way possible.

In preparation for sovereignty, many functions of government have already been transferred. Twelve government ministries are currently under the direct control of Iraqis. The Ministry of Education, for example, is out of the propaganda business, and is now concerned with educating Iraqi children. Under the direction of Dr. Ala'din al-Alwan, the Ministry has trained more than 30,000 teachers and supervisors for the schools of a new Iraq.

All along, some have questioned whether the Iraqi people are ready for self-government, or even want it. And all along, the Iraqi people have given their answer. In settings where Iraqis have met to discuss their country's future, they have endorsed representative government. And they are practicing representative government. Many of Iraq's cities and towns now have elected town councils or city governments - and beyond the violence, a civil society is emerging.

The June 30th transfer of sovereignty is an essential commitment of our strategy. Iraqis are proud people who resent foreign control of their affairs, just as we would. After decades under the tyrant, they are also reluctant to trust authority. By keeping our promise on June 30th, the coalition will demonstrate that we have no interest in occupation. And full sovereignty will give Iraqis a direct interest in the success of their own government. Iraqis will know that when they build a school or repair a bridge, they're not working for the Coalition Provisional Authority, they are working for themselves. And when they patrol the streets of Baghdad, or engage radical militias, they will be fighting for their own country.

The second step in the plan for Iraqi democracy is to help establish the stability and security that democracy requires. Coalition forces and the Iraqi people have the same enemies -- the terrorists, illegal militia, and Saddam loyalists who stand between the Iraqi people and their future as a free nation. Working as allies, we will defend Iraq and defeat these enemies.

America will provide forces and support necessary for achieving these goals. Our commanders had estimated that a troop level below 115,000 would be sufficient at this point in the conflict. Given the recent increase in violence, we'll maintain our troop level at the current 138,000 as long as necessary. This has required extended duty for the 1st Armored Division and the 2nd Light Cavalry Regiment -- 20,000 men and women who were scheduled to leave Iraq in April.
[God bless them all and I hope that their needed presence "in country" doesn't cause them too much hardship. And God bless their families who wait for them to come home, too.]
Our nation appreciates their hard work and sacrifice, and they can know that they will be heading home soon. General Abizaid and other commanders in Iraq are constantly assessing the level of troops they need to fulfill the mission. If they need more troops, I will send them.
[Here, the Commander-in-Chief is again talking to his many armchair generals (TV generals and talking heads) who keep whining that we've got to have "more troops" and the President just won't admit it.]
The mission of our forces in Iraq is demanding and dangerous. Our troops are showing exceptional skill and courage. I thank them for their sacrifices and their duty. (Applause.)

In the city of Fallujah, there's been considerable violence by Saddam loyalists and foreign fighters, including the murder of four American contractors. American soldiers and Marines could have used overwhelming force. Our commanders, however, consulted with Iraq's Governing Council and local officials, and determined that massive strikes against the enemy would alienate the local population, and increase support for the insurgency. So we have pursued a different approach.
[I've discussed this strategy for weeks and concluded on my own that that was what we decided to do, rather than employ a "scorched earth" tactic. Again, Bush confronts his querrelsome critics who thought that overwhelming force was the only way for us to go.]
We're making security a shared responsibility in Fallujah. Coalition commanders have worked with local leaders to create an all-Iraqi security force, which is now patrolling the city. Our soldiers and Marines will continue to disrupt enemy attacks on our supply routes, conduct joint patrols with Iraqis to destroy bomb factories and safe houses, and kill or capture any enemy.

We want Iraqi forces to gain experience and confidence in dealing with their country's enemies. We want the Iraqi people to know that we trust their growing capabilities, even as we help build them. At the same time, Fallujah must cease to be a sanctuary for the enemy, and those responsible for terrorism will be held to account.

In the cities of Najaf and Karbala and Kufa, most of the violence has been incited by a young, radical cleric who commands an illegal militia. These enemies have been hiding behind an innocent civilian population, storing arms and ammunition in mosques, and launching attacks from holy shrines. Our soldiers have treated religious sites with respect, while systematically dismantling the illegal militia. We're also seeing Iraqis, themselves, take more responsibility for restoring order. In recent weeks, Iraqi forces have ejected elements of this militia from the governor's office in Najaf. Yesterday, an elite Iraqi unit cleared out a weapons cache from a large mosque in Kufa. Respected Shia leaders have called on the militia to withdraw from these towns. Ordinary Iraqis have marched in protest against the militants.

As challenges arise in Fallujah, Najaf, and elsewhere, the tactics of our military will be flexible. Commanders on the ground will pay close attention to local conditions. And we will do all that is necessary -- by measured force or overwhelming force -- to achieve a stable Iraq.

Iraq's military, police, and border forces have begun to take on broader responsibilities. Eventually, they must be the primary defenders of Iraqi security, as American and coalition forces are withdrawn. And we're helping them to prepare for this role. In some cases, the early performance of Iraqi forces fell short. Some refused orders to engage the enemy. We've learned from these failures, and we've taken steps to correct them. Successful fighting units need a sense of cohesion, so we've lengthened and intensified their training. Successful units need to know they are fighting for the future of their own country, not for any occupying power, so we are ensuring that Iraqi forces serve under an Iraqi chain of command. Successful fighting units need the best possible leadership, so we improved the vetting and training of Iraqi officers and senior enlisted men.

At my direction, and with the support of Iraqi authorities, we are accelerating our program to help train Iraqis to defend their country. A new team of senior military officers is now assessing every unit in Iraq's security forces. I've asked this team to oversee the training of a force of 260,000 Iraqi soldiers, police, and other security personnel. Five Iraqi army battalions are in the field now, with another eight battalions to join them by July the 1st. The eventual goal is an Iraqi army of 35,000 soldiers in 27 battalions, fully prepared to defend their country.

After June 30th, American and other forces will still have important duties. American military forces in Iraq will operate under American command as a part of a multinational force authorized by the United Nations.
[I'm not sure this is a "done deal," yet. Already France is making contrary noises again.--J.T.] Iraq's new sovereign government will still face enormous security challenges, and our forces will be there to help.

The third step in the plan for Iraqi democracy is to continue rebuilding that nation's infrastructure, so that a free Iraq can quickly gain economic independence and a better quality of life. Our coalition has already helped Iraqis to rebuild schools and refurbish hospitals and health clinics, repair bridges, upgrade the electrical grid, and modernize the communications system. And now a growing private economy is taking shape. A new currency has been introduced. Iraq's Governing Council approved a new law that opens the country to foreign investment for the first time in decades. Iraq has liberalized its trade policy, and today an Iraqi observer attends meetings of the World Trade Organization. Iraqi oil production has reached more than two million barrels per day, bringing revenues of nearly $6 billion so far this year, which is being used to help the people of Iraq. And thanks in part to our efforts -- to the efforts of former Secretary of State James Baker, many of Iraq's largest creditors have pledged to forgive or substantially reduce Iraqi debt incurred by the former regime.

We're making progress. Yet there still is much work to do. Over the decades of Saddam's rule, Iraq's infrastructure was allowed to crumble, while money was diverted to palaces, and to wars, and to weapons programs. We're urging other nations to contribute to Iraqi reconstruction -- and37 countries and the IMF and the World Bank have so far pledged $13.5 billion in aid. America has dedicated more than $20 billion to reconstruction and development projects in Iraq. To ensure our money is spent wisely and effectively, our new embassy in Iraq will have regional offices in several key cities. These offices will work closely with Iraqis at all levels of government to help make sure projects are completed on time and on budget.

A new Iraq will also need a humane, well-supervised prison system. Under the dictator, prisons like Abu Ghraib were symbols of death and torture. That same prison became a symbol of disgraceful conduct by a few American troops who dishonored our country and disregarded our values. America will fund the construction of a modern, maximum security prison. When that prison is completed, detainees at Abu Ghraib will be relocated. Then, with the approval of the Iraqi government, we will demolish the Abu Ghraib prison, as a fitting symbol of Iraq's new beginning. (Applause.)

The fourth step in our plan is to enlist additional international support for Iraq's transition. At every stage, the United States has gone to the United Nations -- to confront Saddam Hussein, to promise serious consequences for his actions, and to begin Iraqi reconstruction. Today, the United States and Great Britain presented a new resolution in the Security Council to help move Iraq toward self-government. I've directed Secretary Powell to work with fellow members of the Council to endorse the timetable the Iraqis have adopted, to express international support for Iraq's interim government, to reaffirm the world's security commitment to the Iraqi people, and to encourage other U.N. members to join in the effort. Despite past disagreements,
[Lord love President Bush! He keeps trying to bury the hatchet and France and its satellite weasel powers keep digging it back up!]
most nations have indicated strong support for the success of a free Iraq. And I'm confident they will share in the responsibility of assuring that success.

Next month, at the NATO summit in Istanbul, I will thank our 15 NATO allies who together have more than 17,000 troops on the ground in Iraq. Great Britain and Poland are each leading a multinational division that is securing important parts of the country. And NATO, itself, is giving helpful intelligence, communications, and logistical support to the Polish-led division. At the summit, we will discuss NATO's role in helping Iraq build and secure its democracy.

The fifth and most important step is free, national elections, to be held no later than next January. A United Nations team, headed by Carina Perelli, is now in Iraq, helping form an independent election commission that will oversee an orderly, accurate national election. In that election, the Iraqi people will choose a transitional national assembly, the first freely-elected, truly representative national governing body in Iraq's history. This assembly will serve as Iraq's legislature, and it will choose a transitional government with executive powers. The transitional national assembly will also draft a new constitution, which will be presented to the Iraqi people in a referendum scheduled for the fall of 2005. Under this new constitution, Iraq will elect a permanent government by the end of next year.

In this time of war and liberation and rebuilding, American soldiers and civilians on the ground have come to know and respect the citizens of Iraq. They're a proud people who hold strong and diverse opinions. Yet Iraqis are united in a broad and deep conviction: They're determined never again to live at the mercy of a dictator. And they believe that a national election will put that dark time behind them. A representative government that protects basic rights, elected by Iraqis, is the best defense against the return of tyranny -- and that election is coming. (Applause.)

Completing the five steps to Iraqi elected self-government will not be easy. There's likely to be more violence before the transfer of sovereignty, and after the transfer of sovereignty. The terrorists and Saddam loyalists would rather see many Iraqis die than have any live in freedom. But terrorists will not determine the future of Iraq. (Applause.)

That nation is moving every week toward free elections and a permanent place among free nations. Like every nation that has made the journey to democracy, Iraqis will raise up a government that reflects their own culture and values. I sent American troops to Iraq to defend our security, not to stay as an occupying power. I sent American troops to Iraq to make its people free, not to make them American.
[I thought this was a very good way to state our mission!--Jen]
Iraqis will write their own history, and find their own way. As they do, Iraqis can be certain, a free Iraq will always have a friend in the United States of America. (Applause.)

In the last 32 months, history has placed great demands on our country, and events have come quickly. Americans have seen the flames of September the 11th, followed battles in the mountains of Afghanistan, and learned new terms like "orange alert" and "ricin" and "dirty bomb." We've seen killers at work on trains in Madrid, in a bank in Istanbul, at a synagogue in Tunis, and at a nightclub in Bali. And now the families of our soldiers and civilian workers pray for their sons and daughters in Mosul and Karbala and Baghdad.

We did not seek this war on terror, but this is the world as we find it. We must keep our focus. We must do our duty. History is moving, and it will tend toward hope, or tend toward tragedy. Our terrorist enemies have a vision that guides and explains all their varied acts of murder. They seek to impose Taliban-like rule, country by country, across the greater Middle East.
[And across the world, if they can. But they cannot.--J.T.]
They seek the total control of every person, and mind, and soul, a harsh society in which women are voiceless and brutalized. They seek bases of operation to train more killers and export more violence. They commit dramatic acts of murder to shock, frighten and demoralize civilized nations, hoping we will retreat from the world and give them free rein. They seek weapons of mass destruction, to impose their will through blackmail and catastrophic attacks. None of this is the expression of a religion. It is a totalitarian political ideology, pursued with consuming zeal, and without conscience.
[This is very right and extremely "nuanced," as a matter of fact. Islamists like the members of Al Queda are following a political agenda, rather than just "practicing a faith."]

Our actions, too, are guided by a vision. We believe that freedom can advance and change lives in the greater Middle East, as it has advanced and changed lives in Asia, and Latin America, and Eastern Europe, and Africa. We believe it is a tragedy of history that in the Middle East -- which gave the world great gifts of law and science and faith -- so many have been held back by lawless tyranny and fanaticism. We believe that when all Middle Eastern peoples are finally allowed to live and think and work and worship as free men and women, they will reclaim the greatness of their own heritage. And when that day comes, the bitterness and burning hatreds that feed terrorism will fade and die away. America and all the world will be safer when hope has returned to the Middle East.

These two visions -- one of tyranny and murder, the other of liberty and life -- clashed in Afghanistan. And thanks to brave U.S. and coalition forces and to Afghan patriots, the nightmare of the Taliban is over, and that nation is coming to life again. These two visions have now met in Iraq, and are contending for the future of that country. The failure of freedom would only mark the beginning of peril and violence. But, my fellow Americans, we will not fail. We will persevere, and defeat this enemy, and hold this hard-won ground for the realm of liberty.

May God bless our country. (Applause.)

Amen, President Bush!
On to Victory and the handover!

May 24, 2004

Paris terminal may be destroyed

New cracking sounds were heard in the terminal at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport where a deadly roof collapse had killed four people 24 hours earlier.
[...]
The building, the pride of the airport, could be razed if investigations prove it cannot be made safe, the head of the airport authority said.

Who needs terrorism when you can manage to kill your citizens yourself?
What is with the shoddy French construction?
They're giving new meaning to the saying, "They don't build 'em like they used to."
Remember last year's dock collapse at the French launch of the new Queen Mary 2 that killed 17?
'Design faults' caused QM2 deaths

Maybe it has something to do with their unproductive 35-hour work week.
All I can say is, if you're travelling to France, better wear a helmet..and maybe a life vest, too, just to be on the safe side and make sure your insurance is up to date!

Bush Speech to Shore Up Iraq Policy
Don't miss President Bush's speech tonight on the WOT, although for those of you who don't get cable, it will be tough because the major networks aren't bothering to carry it. (Pathetic. This is not only a disservice to the American people, but another show of disrespect and disdain for the President and I seem to recall that this isn't the first Bush speech they couldn't bring themselves to air. Of course, they have profits to make on their prime time shows and that's more important than our national and world security, right?)
The President should tell us a lot, but it's already been leaked that one of the things he will propose tonight is to tear down Abu Ghraib.
That's probably something that needs to be done not so much because of the abuse of detainees by our military, but because it surely will always remind the Iraqis of Saddam's reign of terror by torture and murder.

Tune into our Commander-in-Chief on FoxNews, BSDNC, CNN and C-Span.

May 23, 2004

Click on over to Operation Gratitude.
They're sending Care packages to U.S. Troops.
With a donation of just $20, you can send a box of goodies to a well-deserving soldier.
They're having a special "push" to send 10,000 packages next Memorial Day weekend so get over there and give generously, America!

Thank you shout out should go to AT&T which has donated 10,000 prepaid phone cards to Operation Gratitude to go in those packages!
Ya see, Lib'ruls, not all big corporations are evil and some are even generous and patriotic!
And boy, do those GIs appreciate being able to call home!

Anti-Bush film tops Cannes awards

Insurgency: U.S. Military Says Shiite Rebels Seem to Have Ceded Karbala

American commanders said early Sunday that insurgents loyal to a rebel cleric appeared to have given up control of central Karbala, where they had been shielding themselves at two shrines.

According to the commanders, there were several strong signs that the armed supporters of Moktada al-Sadr, the maverick Shiite cleric, have abandoned the area and ceded authority to the Americans and their allies after nearly three weeks of urban combat.

A large overnight raid met no resistance coming from a group of buildings where insurgents had been firing at American tanks with rocket-propelled grenades. Civilians were seen returning to homes in central Karbala that they had abandoned during fierce fighting. And in the afternoon on Saturday, tribal sheiks approached American commanders offering to persuade the militia, the Mahdi Army, to lay down its arms and leave the city.

"It looks like they just packed up and went home," Col. Peter Mansoor, commander of the First Brigade of the First Armored Division, said in an operations tent on the city outskirts where he monitored field reports. Referring to Mr. Sadr, Colonel Mansoor said, "I think his days are numbered."

At around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, in the midst of the raid, three Iraqi civilians walked up to American soldiers and asked why they would attack the buildings. The civilians said the Mahdi Army had dropped their weapons on Friday night and left the area, according to a radio dispatch from an American field commander. Not a shot was fired Friday night at a large convoy of Bradley fighting vehicles driving through the city center — something unheard of since the First Armored Division began its offensive nearly three weeks ago.

At 12:45 a.m. on Sunday, soldiers at the scene of the raid saw 10 Iraqi police cars and three police pickup trucks speeding up to the outskirts of the old city with their lights flashing. The police officers told the soldiers they were doing a patrol. The fact that the police could travel around the old city, if only on the outskirts, indicated that the insurgents were no longer in control, Colonel Mansoor said.

During the raid early Sunday, Iraqis at a nearby teahouse told soldiers that busloads of fighters from Falluja who came to town last week had left Friday. The fighters fled after concluding that they could not stand up to American tanks, these Iraqis said.

An Iraqi reporter for The New York Times in Karbala said he had seen militiamen putting their weapons in bags in recent days and trying to leave the city. Some residents of the city have distributed fliers denouncing Mr. Sadr and the presence of his fighters.
[...]
If the insurgency in Karbala has truly dissipated, then Mr. Sadr's six-week insurrection has suffered badly. Though the Americans clamped down on the rebellion, Mr. Sadr had managed to maintain his grip on three towns: Karbala; the nearby holy city of Najaf, where he lives; and Kufa, a town adjacent to Najaf where Mr. Sadr preaches.

He might be restricted to Najaf and Kufa, but the Americans are testing those cities, too, though with care.
[...]
American officials say they have no intention of sending soldiers into the heart of Najaf, which is centered around the Shrine of Ali, dedicated to the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. They say they fear such an attack could provoke a backlash from Shiite Muslims around the world, and would prefer that senior clerics persuade Mr. Sadr to surrender.

The apparent withdrawal of Mahdi fighters from the central shrine area in Karbala came after nearly three weeks of intense combat in which American officers said more than 120 insurgents were killed. The Americans destroyed large parts of the city's downtown to flush out the insurgents. In the last week, the Americans had called in an AC-130 Specter gunship[Woohoo!--Jen] to strafe militiamen standing around the shrines with 40-millimeter cannon fire.

Karbala has been the scene of the most intense urban warfare in Iraq since the siege of Falluja ended last month. The Americans failed to pacify Falluja through military force because the revolt there had broad support, and the city became a symbol of resistance to the occupation.*

This whole Fallujah thing has become quite a subject of controversy, as to whether we "lost" the siege there, won them over by persuasion and a show of force, or somewhere in between.
I tend to go with the second option--that we won them over by letting the local leaders pacify the "insurgents," using Iraqi forces to keep order (even if they were ex-Baathists), and giving them a show of force that proved sufficiently that our Marines could go in there and decimate them, if necessary.
Check out the WaPo's take on the Sit Rep:
Falluja Leaders Say City Is Now Safest in Iraq

A month after hundreds were killed in fierce clashes between U.S. Marines and guerrillas, Falluja's leaders said Thursday the city is the safest in Iraq and invited U.S. contractors back to rebuild it.
[Hmmm. Wonder if they'll take him up on that offer yet?--Jen]

"Finally we have peace in Falluja. This city is today the safest and the calmest in Iraq," Mayor Mahmoud Ibraheem Al-Juraisi told reporters, under the watchful eyes of heavily armed U.S. Marines in Humvees mounted with machine guns.
[Marines, you GO, guys!--J.T.]
[...]
Everybody wants peace back," said Gen. Mohammed Latif, commander of the Falluja Brigade that includes soldiers from Saddam Hussein's old army.

"The most important thing is that Iraqis and Americans are working together and this is going to be an example for all Iraq," said Latif. "When reconstruction begins, American engineers are welcomed to come."
[OK, the ex-Saddamite we picked before Latif was a mistake, but it sounds like this guy is a team player!]
[...]
U.S. forces backed by warplanes and tanks launched a crackdown on the Sunni stronghold of 300,000 after a crowd killed and mutilated four American private contractors on March 31 and dragged their bodies through the streets.

Under a cease-fire agreement, Marines lifted their siege and pulled back to the outskirts, tasking the Falluja Brigade with restoring security.

The deal put an end to clashes, but U.S. commanders have expressed growing impatience at the brigade's slow pace in stripping guerrillas of heavy weapons and arresting the killers of the contractors.

In an apparent attempt to placate American impatience, Latif said guerrillas had "voluntarily" handed over the rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and AK-47s to his 1,800-strong brigade.
[Heheh! You can only wonder what old Latif said to these criminals to get them to cooperate!--Jen]
[...]
Maj. Gen. James Mattis, commander of the 1st Marine Division, said the Falluja Brigade had still to prove itself.

U.S. Marines are massed outside Falluja and have not ruled out renewing their crackdown if the brigade fails to restore order and hunt weapons. Three Marines have been killed in action this week in the volatile province that includes Falluja.

I'm sorry, but this doesn't sound like a "defeat" to me, even if someone whose opinion I respect like NRO's Michael Ledeen, says that it is.
(Some of my fellow neocons get upset when the U.S. doesn't kick ass hard enough and fast enough, so anything less than the complete sack of the town looks to them like a "defeat.")

By contrast, Mr. Sadr's militia here has lost much of its backing since it took over Karbala last month, largely because the violence it brought has driven away Shiite pilgrims and wrecked the local economy.
[...]
Fighting over the last week had been edging closer to the shrines, dedicated to two of the most revered Shiite Muslim martyrs. But early Friday morning, American forces withdrew from the Mukhaiyam Mosque, a nearby building they had occupied on May 12 after a pitched battle with insurgents in the area.

The mosque had become a foothold for the Americans in the dense urban landscape of downtown Karbala, and the Army had lost three men just trying to defend it from snipers and mortar teams.

The retreat
[The NYT pulls this out of thin air! I can't find a "retreat" to which they supposedly refer anywhere in the report!--J.T.]
came at a time when the American military was being forced to defend itself in light of the prison scandal at Abu Ghraib and of an air attack on Wednesday near in the Syrian border in which 41 people were killed. On Friday, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Beirut and Bahrain against the American presence in the Shiite holy areas.

I wouldn't make too much out of those (This *is* the NYSlimes, you know!), but here's the story.
The Slimes forgets to mention that the larger protest in Lebanon was made up mostly of Iranian-sponsored Hezbollah.
And of course, as in Syria, anything that goes on in Lebanon has the approval of Bashir Assad.

[...]
"The tribal leaders were going to make a public announcement in the media to tell the Mahdi Army to lay down their arms and leave the city," Colonel Bishop said after the meeting with the sheiks on Saturday.

Let's hope for the best and pray that the al-Sadr/Shiite uprising has about run its course with a minimum of loss of life on both sides, the maximum use of local leaders, both religious and military, to restore order and without us having to use a "scorched earth" policy on the rebel cities, although we can kick some butt (as we did yesterday in Najaf after "Friday prayers" got the Islamists all fired up).
Yesterday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Richard Myers told the House Armed Forces Committee that we are on the "brink of success" in Iraq and who would know better than he?!