December 31, 2004

[Ed.'s Warning: This is the Ass. Press.
Read accordingly!]
Terror groups call voting un-Islamic

The radical Ansar al-Sunnah Army and two other terrorist groups issued a statement yesterday, warning Iraqis not to vote in the Jan. 30 election because democracy is un-Islamic.
    "Democracy is a Greek word meaning the rule of the people, which means that the people do what they see fit," the groups said in a warning. "This concept is considered apostasy and defies the belief in one God — Muslims' doctrine."
[How they make this leap of supposedly theologically-based logic is beyond me!
Is this to say that "the people," either collectively or individually, don't express God's will with their vote?
Or that their leaders, as corrupt, apostate and unjustly tyrannical as they may be, are still in power simply because "Allah wills it?"
No wonder political life in the Middle East has been so sclerotic, medieval and just plain terrible!--Jen]
    
"Democracy leads to passing un-Islamic laws, such as permitting homosexual "marriage," if the majority agrees, the terrorists said.
[Too bad they fail to point out that in the US, where 13 states have voted on the homosexual marriage issue in the past year or so, all those states have voted against it.--J.T.]

After the warning was issued, all 700 employees of the electoral commission in Mosul, Iraq, resigned, the Arab satellite channel Al Jazeera reported.
    
Farid Ayar, spokesman of the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq, said he was not able to confirm the Al Jazeera report.

The warning came a day after insurgents in Mosul, which has seen increased violence in recent weeks, launched a highly coordinated
[More AP editorializing to benefit the Enemy.--Jen] assault on a U.S. military outpost.
    
The United States said 25 insurgents
[Yeppers!
The killers are still dubbed "insurgents."]
were thought to have been slain and one American soldier was killed in the battle, which involved strafing runs by U.S. warplanes.
   
 The United States, which has said the vote must go forward, repeatedly has sought to portray recent attacks that have killed dozens of people as the acts of a reeling insurgency, not the work of a force that is gathering strength.
    
Ansar al-Sunnah earlier posted a manifesto on its Web site saying democracy amounts to idolizing human beings.
[The significance of this is that, to Waahabs, any idol-worship is anathema and punishable by death and "righteous" jihadi murder.]
Yesterday's joint statement reiterated the threat that "anyone who accepts to take part in this dirty farce will not be safe."

A message this week from Osama bin Laden, the terrorist mastermind and a spiritual leader for millions of Muslims, branded anyone who votes in Iraq as an "infidel."
[Well, he would say that, wouldn't he?
This is quite a comedown for Osama, BTW, to go from promising the complete downfall of the West to threatening voters like an Arab Terry McAuliffe!
I love it. We're winning the war...big time!]
   
 Insurgents have intensified their strikes against the security forces of Iraq's U.S.-installed interim government as part of a continuing campaign to disrupt the elections for a constitutional assembly.
    
The statements by the Sunni-dominated insurgent groups
[This means Waahabs, for those following along at home.]
seemed aimed at countering Shi'ite leaders' claims that voting in the election is every Muslim's duty.
    
Shi'ite Islam includes a strong historic tradition of people rising up to oust corrupt leaders who deviate from Islam.
[AP getting creative again...Who are they talking about? Iran?
This election will mark the first time that Shiites won't be left out of the electoral process in Iraq-- ever, after being brutally suppressed by Saddam for 30 years and that's enough for them.
See next paragraph.]

    Shi'ites, who make up 60 percent of the population, hope to use the vote to gain power from minority Sunnis, who were favored under former dictator Saddam Hussein.
    
Iraqis will elect a national assembly, which will write a new constitution.

The road ahead to the Jan. 30 elections may be rough, but quitting isn't an option for us or for the Iraqis.
This "Democracy is un-Islamic" attitude is the biggest obstacle we face now, but it's what these Islamic despots have clung to for years, decades, centuries even to hang on to power and keep most of their people in misery and subjection.
At war is our view that "All men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights..." which springs directly from Christianity versus their immutable determinism that "It is the will of Allah that you commen men be nothing but helpless pawns in a ruler's 'divine' reign, so resistance is futile.", even civil resistance.
According to these theocratic thugs, power can't be transferred peacefully after the citizenry votes, but can only be seized by force, conquest and murder.
I wonder which side of this argument will win?
The suspense is killing me!
(P.S. Osama, as a devout Waahab, considers all Shi-ites to be infidels anyway, so they might as well vote!)

Tsunami Death Toll Tops 119,000

Pilots dropped food to Indonesian villagers stranded among bloating corpses Thursday, while police in a devastated provincial capital stripped looters of their clothing and forced them to sit on the street as a warning to others. The death toll topped 119,000, and officials warned that 5 million people lack clean water, shelter, food, sanitation and medicine.

I'm sure you're like me and are having a hard time dealing with this massive loss of life and the devastation of such a wide swathe of land in 11 countries.
Of course, whatever we're feeling is that much worse for the people there who've actually lost loved ones, homes and their livelihoods all from just 10 minutes' worth of Nature's wrath.
Also like me, I'd bet you've already graciously and prayerfully donated to one of the relief funds that have been set up to help the victims--because Americans aren't "stingy," we're generous givers-- but in case you haven't yet, here's a link to Network for Good to facilitate that.

I'm proud to report that U.S. firms have donated over $80 million in cash and supplies in tsunami aid!
(Color Me so NOT surprised that America leads the world in humanitarian aid, as always.)
The most valuable asset we're providing, however, is leadership:

While the corporate donations eclipse the initial $35 million promised by the U.S. government, American officials have seized the leadership role in relieving areas hit hardest by the earthquake-fueled tsunami that has killed more than 117,000 people in coastal regions of the Indian Ocean.

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell yesterday said the United Nations has been added to the core group of relief countries, which was created by President Bush and is made up of the United States, India, Australia and Japan.
    
The State Department also said U.S. officials will be involved in a conference next Friday of international donors being organized by European governments.
[...]
Among the biggest givers are the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc., which is giving $10 million in cash and $25 million worth of drugs; Coca-Cola Co., donating $10 million; Exxon Mobil Corp., giving $5 million; and Citigroup Inc., contributing $3 million. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged $3 million.
    
With wells and other fresh water contaminated by seawater, debris and sewage, drinkable water is perhaps the most badly needed item. The U.S. military continued airlifting rice and water purifiers into the hardest-hit areas yesterday.
   
 As aid also flowed from the world's governments — Spain has approved $68 million and Australia $27 million — meetings of Mr. Bush's core group focused on ensuring that the relief efforts are not duplicated.
[...]
The White House said Mr. Powell and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's younger brother, will leave Sunday on a trip to areas of Asia and Africa most affected by the tsunami to survey the damage.
[Jeb is a great choice!
Having just steered his state through its latest hurricanes, he knows how to deal with destructive acts of nature and he can communicate the region's needs to his brother, the President, in a meaningful way without a poisoned, partisan agenda.--Jen]
[...]
As vital supplies arrive at major airports in the disaster zone, Mr. Boucher said officials are focused on logistical problems of getting goods to people in coastal areas and in difficult to reach spots such as civil war-torn Aceh province in Indonesia.
   
 "We're going to have C-130s [military cargo planes] that can get into some places, including Aceh," he said, adding that India and Australia are sending helicopters into some areas.
    
Meanwhile, drug makers with offices or plants in the region have sent employees out with antibiotics, nutritional supplements, infant formula, baby food and other supplies, and employees of such companies as Coca-Cola, Pepsico and Marriott International hotels in the region are delivering bottled water, food and other supplies.
    
"I think it's a humanitarian instinct," said New York public-relations analyst Howard Rubenstein, who added that the "byproduct would certainly be good PR for the corporation, and more importantly for our country."

There's not a doubt in my mind that we would have given just as much money if that moron at the UN hadn't said that we were "stingy" and that we'd still lead the world in donations, too, so I hope you ignored his remarks and knew them for the mindless drivel they were.
Remember, we're giving via our government when President Bush commits us to $35 million in aid, but we're also giving as individuals to private charities and then we have our corporate giving, too, such as that cited above.
And we've done this for decades for every world crisis that has arisen.
Finally, there's the indirect "aid" we give to virtually every nation on the planet through trade and tourism...tsunami or no.
So worry not!
There's not much danger of the USA becoming Scrooge this Christmas or any Christmas which is one of the many things I love about this country!
And we're a praying nation, too, so I know you've joined me in offering up your prayers for the victims, also.
May God bless the Living and give them the strength to go on with their lives, comfort those who mourn, give eternal rest to the perished and guide the rescue and aid workers.