Thursday, July 27, 2006

Cold Hard Facts

Apparently polar researcher Peter Doran got tired of having of his research findings being twisted into an argument against the existence of climate change and decided to clear the air in the NY Times:

“Our results have been misused as “evidence” against global warming by Michael Crichton in his novel “State of Fear” and by Ann Coulter in her latest book, “Godless: The Church of Liberalism.” Search my name on the Web, and you will find pages of links to everything from climate discussion groups to Senate policy committee documents — all citing my 2002 study as reason to doubt that the earth is warming. One recent Web column even put words in my mouth. I have never said that “the unexpected colder climate in Antarctica may possibly be signaling a lessening of the current global warming cycle.” I have never thought such a thing either. “

In the meantime, I would like to remove my name from the list of scientists who dispute global warming. I know my coauthors would as well. “

Full Article

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

One Judge dismisses phone records lawsuit and One Doesn't

I figured this was the most likely outcome:

Judge dismisses phone records lawsuit

Citing national security, a federal judge Tuesday threw out a lawsuit aimed at blocking AT&T Inc. from giving telephone records to the government for use in the war on terror.

"The court is persuaded that requiring AT&T to confirm or deny whether it has disclosed large quantities of telephone records to the federal government could give adversaries of this country valuable insight into the government's intelligence activities," U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly said.

A number of such lawsuits have been filed around the country in the wake of news media reports that AT&T and other phone companies had turned records over to the National Security Administration, which specializes in communications intercepts.

Kennelly's ruling was in sharp contrast to last week's decision from U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker of San Francisco, who said media reports of the program were so widespread there was no danger of spilling secrets. more

However this one didn't get shot down:

Judge's Refusal to Dismiss EFF's Spying Case Sets Stage for Congressional Showdown

Ruling Comes as Senators Consider Dramatic Changes to Surveillance Law

San Francisco - A federal judge has refused to dismiss the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF's) case against AT&T for collaborating with the NSA in illegal spying on millions of ordinary Americans, setting the stage for a congressional showdown over proposed dramatic changes in federal surveillance law.

EFF filed the class-action suit against AT&T in January, alleging that the telecommunications company has given the National Security Agency (NSA) secret, direct access to the phone calls and emails going over its network and has been handing over communications logs detailing the activities of millions of ordinary Americans. The government intervened in the case and asked that it be dismissed because the suit could expose "state secrets." But Thursday, U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker refused: "The compromise between liberty and security remains a difficult one. But dismissing this case at the outset would sacrifice liberty for no apparent enhancement of security." more

I'm willing to bet that the EFF's suit will produce better results than Arlen Specter's wimpy legislation.



Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Hezbollah Suprised by Israeli Response

File this one under "Oops"
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Hezbollah: Israeli onslaught a surprise

A senior Hezbollah official said Tuesday the guerrillas did not expect Israel to react with an all-out offensive after the capture of two soldiers, the first acknowledgment by the group that it had miscalculated the consequences of the raid two weeks ago.

Mahmoud Komati, deputy chief of the Hezbollah's political arm, also told The Associated Press in an interview that the Shiite militant group will not lay down arms. "The truth is — let me say this clearly — we didn't even expect (this) response ... that (Israel) would exploit this operation for this big war against us," said Komati.

He said Hezbollah had expected "the usual, limited response" from Israel after the two soldiers were seized by guerrillas on Israel's side of the border on July 12. In the past, he said, Israeli responses to Hezbollah actions included sending commandos into Lebanon, seizing Hezbollah officials and briefly targeting specific strongholds in southern Lebanon. Komati said his group had anticipated negotiations to swap the Israeli soldiers for three Lebanese held in Israeli jails, with Germany acting as a mediator as it has in past prisoner exchanges. More

Translation: Dude, we didn't think they'd go all jihad on us and start kicking our ass.

Note to Hezbollah: Perhaps Israel realized that the way things had been done in the past didn't really work out to their advantage. Or maybe they're just really really tired of your crap and decided to teach you a lesson a you'd not soon forget.

Note to self: Leaders of Hezbollah aren't as smart as they think they are.

Specter to Challenge Signing Statements

Sen. Specter Readies Bill to Sue Bush
A powerful Republican committee chairman who has led the fight against President Bush's signing statements said Monday he would have a bill ready by the end of the week allowing Congress to sue him in federal court.
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"We will submit legislation to the United States Senate which will...authorize the Congress to undertake judicial review of those signing statements with the view to having the president's acts declared unconstitutional," Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said on the Senate floor.
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Specter's announcement came the same day that an American Bar Association task force concluded that by attaching conditions to legislation, the president has sidestepped his constitutional duty to either sign a bill, veto it, or take no action. More
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Given Specter's previous lackluster attempt to reign in the administration's expansion of executive power will this legislation also prove to be all bark and no bite? Additionally should this bill pass will it do so by a significant enough margin to avoid what could be the President's second veto?

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Aid work suspended in Darfur: UN

GENEVA (Reuters) - International aid operations in refugee camps in the Zalinge area of Sudan's Darfur region have been suspended after three water workers were killed by a mob, the United Nations' refugee agency said on Friday.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said the three were beaten to death on Thursday in the region near the border with Chad in circumstances that were still unclear. It is the latest in a long list of security incidents.

"UNHCR is extremely concerned about the deterioration of the security situation in Darfur," the agency said in a statement. more


To stay up to date on news about the crisis in Sudan visit the blogs The Coalition for Darfur and Sudan Watch.


Friday, July 21, 2006

Iran Seeking Stealth ICBM?

US says Iranians witnessed N.Korea missile test
......................................................................................................................................................................
(Reuters) - One or more Iranians witnessed North Korea's recent missile tests,
deepening U.S. concerns about growing ties between two countries with
troubling nuclearcapabilities, a top U.S. official said on Thursday.

Asked at a U.S. Senate hearing about reports that Iranians witnessed the July 4 tests, Assistant Secretary of State Chris Hill, the chief U.S. negotiator with Pyongyang, replied: "Yes, that is my understanding" and it is "absolutely correct" that the relationship is worrisome. More

It would only be worrisome if you had forgotten this:

Iran Test-Fires Missile Able to Duck Radar
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Iran Says It Has Successfully Test-Fired a Missile Able to Avoid Radar and Hit Several Targets
TEHRAN, Iran Mar 31, 2006 (AP)—Iran's military said Friday it successfully test-fired a missile not detectable by radar that can use multiple warheads to hit several targets simultaneously, a development that raised concerns in the United States and Israel.
The Fajr-3, which means "victory" in Farsi, can reach Israel and U.S. bases in the Middle East, Iranian state media indicated. The announcement of the test-firing is likely to stoke regional tensions and feed suspicion about Tehran's military intentions and nuclear ambitions. More

I have no doubt that North Korea would sell Taepodong 2 missiles or their designs to Iran. The question is how long would it take Iran to apply existing technology to their new toy?

The answer?

Probably in less time than it would take them to perfect a nuclear warhead.

Update:
At least three different sources suggest that Iran financed the Taepodong 2 missile.
.
GlobalSecurity.org

Middle Eastern Newsline

GeoStrategy-Direct.com (signup required)

Thursday, July 20, 2006

John McCain Covers the Issues

Cross Posted on Donkelphant

Presidential hopeful Senator John McCain recently spoke at the Manhattan Institute and outlined his positions on major issues in an off the cuff Q&A session after his speech. Below is a heavily edited summary of his positions taken from an article in The New York Sun.

Evolution
He noted that he didn't say that intelligent design needed to be taught in "science class," leaving unclear exactly what class he thought it should be taught in. He said he believed local school boards, not the federal government, should determine curricula.

"From a personal standpoint, I believe in evolution," Mr. McCain said. At the same time, he said, "When I stand on the rim of the Grand Canyon and I see the sun going down, I believe the hand of God was there."

Economic Policy
Mr. McCain sounded like a scold. He said the Republican base is fed up with excess federal spending. "I am worried about them staying home in this upcoming election," Mr. McCain said.

The senator said he was concerned about a rising tide of trade protectionism. "I thought this hysteria over Dubai was almost incomprehensible," he said, referring to Congressional action that scuttled a deal to sell a port operator to a Dubai-owned company.

Mr. McCain warned that after the election this November, Congress may return to pass an "obscene, horrible, omnibus appropriations bill … loaded up with pork-barrel projects."

Immigration
Mr. McCain voiced support for President Bush's approach, saying it is "far from workable to round up 11 million people and send them back."

"Four hundred ten people died in the desert last year. One was a two-year old child,"

Israeli Conflict
Mr.McCain said he was "deeply disappointed" by European comments that Israel has overreacted to attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah. He blamed Syria and Iran for the attacks, and he said if America were attacked with rockets, it would react strongly, as Israel had. "No nation in the world would react any differently," he said, a theme that was echoed later in the day by a potential 2008 rival of Mr. McCain's, Senator Clinton.


Campaign Finance Reform
Mr. McCain returned to scold mode, going on a tirade against independent political advertising groups known as 527s after the section of the tax code under which they exist. They include groups like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and a group that spent money against Mr. McCain in the 2000 New York Republican primary. "These 527s are very dangerous," Mr. McCain said. "They can wreak havoc. … In my view they are a violation of everything that we believe in."

“The senator said the Supreme Court had already ruled the McCain-Feingold Act, also known as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, legal in a case he referred to as "McConnell versus Whatever."

Full Article



Wednesday, July 19, 2006

What's Shaking With Chavez?

Its time to see what Venezulan president, busybody, and kook Hugo Chavez has been up to lately:
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In the past two weeks he's been intimidating his country's media while using our own to condemn Israel, blame America for high oil prices, and planning a trip to Viet Nam.
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You know Hugo, there are decaffinated brands out there that are just as tasty.

Bush Personally Blocks Eavesdropping Probe

Bush blocked eavesdropping program probe

President Bush personally blocked a Justice Department investigation of the anti-terror eavesdropping program that intercepts Americans' international calls and e-mails, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Tuesday.

Bush refused to grant security clearances for department investigators who were looking into the role Justice lawyers played in crafting the program, under which the National Security Agency listens in on telephone calls and reads e-mail without court approval, Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Without access to the sensitive program, the department's Office of Professional Responsibility closed its investigation in April."It was highly classified, very important and many other lawyers had access. Why not OPR?" Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., the committee chairman, asked Gonzales.

"The president of the United States makes the decision," Gonzales replied.

Later, at the White House, spokesman Tony Snow said the eavesdropping program is reviewed every 45 days by senior officials, including Gonzales. The president did not consider the Justice unit that functions as a legal ethics watchdog to be the "proper venue," Snow said. more

Wouldn't that normally be called obstruction of justice or impeding an investigation? It certainly doesn't seem like the kind of thing a personally who knew that their actions were legal would do.

But it also fits in with W's history of disliking his actions being questioned, disagreed with, and/or protested. After all who are we to question The Decider?





Monday, July 17, 2006

They Want Us Not, They Want Us

From the NY Times:
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In an About-Face, Sunnis Want U.S. to Remain in Iraq



Sunday, July 16, 2006

Hell May Have Frozen Over

Today on CNN's Late Edition Senators Trent Lott and Diane Feinstein actually agreed on something.

Both agreed that Israel has the right to defend itself, that Lebanon should have previously taken steps to reign Hezbollah in, that there should be a buffer zone between Lebanon and Israel, and that diplomatic action needed to be taken to keep the conflict from becoming a regional war.
........................................................................................................................................................................
Additionally Hezbollah's leader has broadcasted a statement saying that they welcome the fighting and in it he inferred that Hezbollah has not yet utilized its anti-tank, anti-aircraft, and long range missles.
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Hezbollah with anti aircraft missles. Thats an unsettling thought. If he's telling the truth and Iran has supplied them with that capability we may also see them being used abroad as Hezbollah has attacked outside the middle east before.


U.N. Sanctions N Korea

UN Council imposes sanctions on N. Korea
By Evelyn LeopoldSat Jul 15, 4:02 PM ET

The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously on Saturday to impose weapons-related sanctions on North Korea in response to its flurry of missile tests earlier this month. The resolution demands that North Korea suspend "all activities" on its ballistic missile programs. It requires all U.N. members to prevent imports from or exports to North Korea of missiles and missile-related items as well as materials that could be used in weapons of mass destruction.

To avert a veto from China, the resolution does not mention Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which is used on a legally binding document. But Security Council members say the resolution is mandatory because of the way it is worded. China and Russia had originally proposed weaker language, but agreed to a tough resolution. They expressed fears that Chapter 7 would lead to military action as in Iraq. More

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Additionally South Korea has opted to cut humanitarian aide shipments to North Korea until it resumes the six party talks.

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Sudan under pressure to accept UN Darfur mission

Reuters
Friday, July 14, 2006; 7:04 AM

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - World powers will next week press Sudan to accept a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur amid reports of increasing violence in the province.

Tens of thousands have been killed and 2.5 million people forced into camps during three years of rape, murder and pillage in Darfur, in lawless western Sudan.

A conference in Brussels on Tuesday attended by the European Union, the United States and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan will urge Sudan to allow a U.N. mission to replace an ill-equipped and over-extended African Union force in an attempt to stop the violence.

"A U.N. operation is the only viable and realistic option in Darfur in the long term," the European Union will say on the eve of the meeting according to a draft declaration obtained by Reuters.

More

Friday, July 14, 2006

Hezbollah Declares Open War

From the BBC:
.......................................................................................................................................................................
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has promised "open war" against Israel, in an address broadcast shortly after his Beirut offices were bombed by Israel.

The militant group said its leader was unhurt in the attack. It was not clear when his remarks were recorded.
(snip)...........................................................................................................................................................
Sheikh Nasrallah, in an address on Hezbollah's TV channel in Lebanon, threatened Israel, saying: "You wanted an open war and we are ready for an open war."
(snip)............................................................................................................................................................
The Hezbollah leader promised "war on every level". He said the Israeli coastal city of Haifa would come under attack, "and believe me, even beyond Haifa".
Our homes will not be the only ones to be destroyed, our children will not be the only ones to die," he said.
(snip)...........................................................................................................................................................
Hezbollah has said the captured soldiers will not be returned without a release deal for Palestinian, Lebanese and other Arab prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Full Article

I have no doubt that right now Hezbollah means every word. Which means the only short term solution for a cease fire is for the international community to become involved or the Lebanese people to pressure them to stop. While Israel could withdraw Hezbollah would only declare some sort of victory and stage more attacks within Israel's border.

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Robert Tracinski has a thought provoking article on the siuation that is too long to post in its entirety here but well worth checking out:

"Iran has revealed its hand, challenging the US and its allies and openly demonstrating its desire to dominate the Middle East through force and terror. While we have been trying to delay the war with Iran, it has brought the war to us, in a manner so obvious that even the mainstream media cannot evade it."

......................................................................................................................................................................

"In doing so, they have made their threat to America and its interests more obvious and more urgent--providing a stronger case for war than their nuclear program could provide. There can be no question here about whether Iran really has aggressive designs in the Middle East, whether it really seeks the weapons to attack the US and its allies, and how long it might take for such a threat to materialize. The threat is here and Iran's newest war on the West has already begun."

......................................................................................................................................................................

"Iran is risking everything on this new strategy, and the only hope they have of success is the expectation that, as they bring the war closer and closer to America, we won't fight back."

full article






Now Appearing At....

I am happy to report that Justin Gardner creator and editor of one of my favorite blogs Donklephant has decided to allow me to become a regular contributor there. While I am pleased as punch about this it does raise concerns about Mr. Gardner's mental health.
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I will continue posting daily here and will be contributing there several times a week. Please drop by Donklephant and see whats up. Its a fine blog despite the fact that I post there.

Israel Continues Attacks

Israel Blockades, Bombs Lebanon While Hezbollah Rains Rocket Fire

By Anthony Shadid and Scott Wilson
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, July 14, 2006; Page A01

DAMOUR, Lebanon, July 14 -- Israel imposed a blockade on Lebanon by land, sea and air on Thursday, striking the capital's airport twice, cutting off its ports and wrecking bridges and roads in attacks that killed at least 47 people in the last two days, nearly all of them Lebanese civilians. Israel said the radical Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah fired 150 rockets into northern Israel, including two that reached the port city of Haifa. Israeli jets repeatedly crossed over Beirut before dawn Friday. At least two explosions were heard, and antiaircraft fire and flares lit up the night sky. More
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With the third day of fighting well under way and my having watched, read, and listened to enough news coverage, talking heads, experts, and blogger I have come to a few conclusions:
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One is that Israel had to respond militarily in some way. Organizations such as Hezbollah and Hammas view non action and diplomacy as signs of weakness. Conversely they will invariably use Israel's attacks as justification for further attacks. It's a crappy catch 22.
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Hezbollah and Hammas will stop only when popular support of their actions drops to a point that it threatens their power. The question is will Israel stop its attacks before the same happens to them or the situation escalates?
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CNN reports that UN diplomats have been dispatched to Lebanon and that the Lebanese will be petitioning the U.N. which may result in U.N. peacekeeping troops patrolling Lebanon's southern border. That may help but it also might not be enough to stop Hezbollah's rocket attacks given their longer range than Hammas' rockets.
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What's that mean to your average U.S. citizen?
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It means we get to wait to see if the world catches on fire while gas prices rise. What joy.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Putting a Human Face on the Israel/ Hezbollah Conflict

I ran across the first link via Centerfield which then led me to the second link:
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From The Lebanese Political Journal:
"What are the Syrians and Hezbollah thinking? Goad Israel into an attack?"
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"I don't want to be caught in an Israeli bombing campaign. I don't want to live without electricity and water. I don't want to live with the fear of war.
......................................................................................................................................................................
From Step by Step: Making Aliyah to Israel

"I was up all night watching the news, checking the various online newspapers. My phone rang at 3 a.m. My mother, of course. She was worried. She was angry. My mother is a very big fan of Mahmoud Abbas. She considers him to be a man of peace and a man of principle, of intelligence and pragmatism --and she understands, of course, that these very qualities are why he has so little real power or influence. Moderateness is not valued in this part of the world."
......................................................................................................................................................................

"Had a conversation with a friend today. She is even more to the left than I am. She was in tears. "We've just been wasting our time and our energy hoping for peace, working for peace, believing that they want and value the same things as we do. They don't. They don't even care about themselves, about their own interests, about their own people. I can't do it anymore, I've had enough," she said, "I'm washing my hands of it. They can go to hell in the handbasket of their own making."

Israel Launches Dozens of Attacks into Lebanon

File this one under,"HolyCrap!": .......................................................................................................................................................................

In retaliation for Hezbollah kidnapping two Israeli soldiers Israel bombed dozens of targets in Lebanon including Beirut's Airport, Hezbollah's TV Station, several bridges, and other targets. Additionally Israel instituted a naval and air blockade of Lebanon to stop Syrian supplies from reaching Hezbollah.
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Hezbollah responded by launching 60 rockets into Israel saying "it would continue to fire at targets across northern Israel, utilizing an arsenal of rockets that it said numbers as many as 13,000."
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Hezbollah's leader stated, "We don't want an escalation in the south, nor war," he said. "But if the Israelis want an escalation, then we are ready for a confrontation and to its furthest extent. If Israel chooses confrontation, we are ready, and it should expect surprises."

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From the WaPo:

Speaking at a news conference in Germany this morning, President Bush said Israel has the right to defend itself and declared that Syria "needs to be held to account" for supporting and harboring Hezbollah.

"If you really want the situation to settle down, the soldiers need to be returned," the president said. "My attitude is this: there are a group of terrorists who want to stop the advance of peace. Those of us who are peace loving must work together to help the agents of peace." more

I believe that Israel has the right to defend itself but this seems like an over the top response to kidnapping two soldiers to me.

What's more important is that Iran had previously stated that should Israel attack Syria Iran will attack Israel and given the fact that Syria is supplying Hezbollah the question in my mind is how literal is Iran in defining that. Would a Lusitania type incident between Syria and Israel be enough to set Iran's troops into motion? I certainly don't know.

What I do know is that given the treaties between the U.S. and Israel whenever something like this happens it's a good reason for Americans to sweat. The situation in the middle east hasn't been this volatile in a very long time.

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Update: CNN Reports that has bombed two more airports in Lebanon this morning.





Major Powers Will Return Iran Issue to U.N. Council
E.U. Talks Spur Russia, China to Join Statement

By Molly Moore
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, July 13, 2006; Page A14

PARIS, July 12 -- Diplomats from the United States, Russia, China and Europe announced Wednesday that they would return to the U.N. Security Council for possible punitive action against Iran, expressing "profound disappointment" over the Tehran government's refusal to stop its uranium enrichment program or respond to incentives offered by global powers.

"The Iranians have given no indication at all that they are ready to engage seriously on the substance of our proposals," French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said in a statement read at the end of a meeting with his counterparts from the United States, European Union, China, Russia and Germany. "We have no choice but to return to the United Nations Security Council and take forward the process that was suspended two months ago." more

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Its good to se that China and Russia aren't being total obstructionsists in the U.N.. After the vicious chiding they gave North Korea yesterday both of them signing on to punish Iran is almost too good to be true.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

McCain/Bush in 2008?

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Florida Governor Jeb Bush has said he won't run for president in 2008, but he's never ruled out being on the ticket as someone's running mate.

And he didn't today when asked about teaming up with Senator John McCain as Republicans hope to come up with a ticket to keep the White House -- now occupied by Bush's older brother, President George W. Bush. More
.

Since Jeb Bush's term limit is coming up I'm curious as to what he's planning. I seriously doubt that McCain would ask him to be his running mate but apparently Jeb is open to the idea of Vice President.

China and Russia Wag Finger at North Korea

From the AP via WaPo
Nations Sending Iran to Security Council

UNITED NATIONS -- China and Russia introduced a resolution Wednesday deploring North Korea's missile tests but dropping language from a rival proposal that could have led to military action against Pyongyang.

The draft, obtained by The Associated Press, "strongly deplores" North Korea's missile tests last week and urges Pyongyang to re-establish a moratorium on such launches.

It also urges _ but does not demand _ that all U.N. member states "exercise vigilance in preventing supply of items, materials, goods and technologies that could contribute" to North Korea's missile program original article


Oh yeah, that's a real help. Apparently there's some sort of "nonbinding declaration virus" infecting politicians lately.


New Innovative Blog Promotion Tool

Yesterday I found a new tool to increase traffic to your blog thanks to Basil's Blog. It's called Crabapple and it is essentially a blog based version of Digg. You sign up, post the URL of the blog post you want readers to view, write a small description of it and you're done. Crabapple then posts a link to your blog, trackbacks to the post, and then other users rate your post.

It's a great idea that increases the number of viewers to your blog and your blog's link count.
What more do you want?

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Judge Rules Jefferson Office Search Was Legal

FBI Search of Jefferson's Office Constitutional, Judge Rules

By Allan Lengel
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 11, 2006; Page A04

A federal judge in Washington ruled yesterday that the unprecedented FBI raid on Rep. William J. Jefferson's Capitol Hill office was constitutional, saying the government "demonstrated a compelling need to conduct the search" in the ongoing public corruption probe.

U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan, in an anxiously awaited 28-page opinion, said politicians were not above the law, and he rejected arguments from the Louisiana Democrat that the search violated the Constitution's "speech or debate" clause, which protects speech and documents related to legislative activity.

"Congressman Jefferson's interpretation of the Speech or Debate privilege would have the effect of converting every congressional office into a taxpayer-subsidized sanctuary for crime," Hogan wrote, rejecting the request to return the seized materials.

Yesterday, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who had been a vocal critic of the raid, offered a measured response to the ruling.

Pelosi said in a statement that "no one is above the law" and that congressional members should not be allowed to use their offices to conceal criminal activity. But she added that "this particular search could have been conducted in a manner that fully protected the ability of the prosecutors to obtain the evidence needed to do their job while preserving constitutional principles."

More
.

Well that settles that. Jefferson still hasn't been charged although that may change now that the search has been ruled legal. What is important about this ruling is that it sets a legal precedent as this is the first ever search of a congressional rep's office.

Since Jefferson was taped while taking the bribe things aren't looking so good for him. Jefferson will face Republican Joe Lavigne in the 2006 mid-term election. I don't think the Dems will be banking on winning that district but given Tom Delay's post corruption allegation primary win anything is possible.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Run Tom Run?

Apparently Tom Delay isn't content to just hand the Dems a seat in Congress. From the WaPo:

"Former representative Tom DeLay suggested yesterday that he may not be ready for retirement just yet, a day after a federal judge ruled that his name must remain on the November ballot even though he resigned from Congress.

DeLay, who came to Sugar Land, Tex., for a previously scheduled event, also criticized U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks's ruling that the former House majority leader's name had to remain on the ballot.

"For this guy to say he can't tell where I'm going to be on Election Day, and that I am forced to be on the ballot, well, they may get exactly what they want," DeLay told supporters to raucous applause."

Later, reporters asked DeLay if he now plans to run. He did not say no.

"We have to wait and see what the 5th Circuit does on appeal," he said.

more

Captain's Quarters had this to add:

Thanks to an ill-considered lawsuit by Texas Democrats, Tom DeLay may wind up running for office to regain the seat he just resigned in Congress:

A source close to the ex-Congressman tells TIME that DeLay is planning an aggressive campaign to retake the House seat he quit in June if an appeals court lets stand a ruling by a federal judge last week that his name must stay on November's ballot—even though he has moved to Virginia.

"If it isn't overturned, Katy bar the door!" says a G.O.P. official. "Guess he'll have to fire up the engines on the campaign and let 'er rip."

As much as I dislike Delay I'd rather his consticuency actually have a chance to vote him out of office than have the Dems win that seat on a technicality and deny his former district true representation.






Sunday, July 09, 2006

Slavery Reparations Gaining Momentum?

I was rather surprised to find this two page article in today's Washington Post:

"Advocates who say black Americans should be compensated for slavery and its Jim Crow aftermath are quietly chalking up victories and gaining momentum.

Fueled by the work of scholars and lawyers, their campaign has morphed in recent years from a fringe-group rallying cry into sophisticated, mainstream movement. Most recently, a pair of churches apologized for their part in the slave trade, and one is studying ways to repay black church members." More

I can see a ton of problems in pursuing this course of action. According to the Wikipedia article Reparations for Slavery the U.S. census doesn't track who is descended from slaves. That means the potential for reparation fraud would be huge. Not to mention the fact that slavery was abolished 140 years ago so there are no former slaves and very few of their children to pay reparations to.
Furthermore it would open the door for reparations to every race,tribe, or ethnicity we've ever wronged. And that's not a short list. And of course once the reparation law suit ball starts rolling we'd start seeing direct descendants of former slave owners sued.



This seems counterproductive to me in many ways and if this snowballs it would increase the level of prejudice and biggotry on a national scale allowing the KKK, Aryan groups, and other hate mongers to profit and greatly expand their membership. Proponents need to do a serious cost vs benefit analysis before going further. After all how many lives are reparations worth?

Articles of Interest:

Nazis Rising

Saturday, July 08, 2006

Feds Foil NYC Transit Tunnel Plot

Plot to Attack N.Y. Foiled

By Spencer S. Hsu and Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, July 8, 2006; Page A01
Transit Tunnels to N.J. Called Targets

A terrorist plot to attack transit tunnels under New York's Hudson River was broken up in its early planning stages, U.S. authorities said yesterday, with three suspects arrested overseas, including a Lebanese man the FBI said was an al-Qaeda follower.

FBI assistant director for New York Mark J. Mershon said investigators had disrupted the plot before the suspects could come to the United States and begin to gather intelligence and explosives for the attack. He said there was no threat now to the PATH commuter lines, which carry tens of thousands of people between New York and New Jersey each day.

The FBI uncovered the alleged plot last summer and intercepted e-mails and chat-room postings on Web sites used to recruit Islamic terrorists. U.S. authorities turned in April to Lebanese officials for help in tracking one of the suspects, Assem Hammoud. The 31-year-old man, who the FBI said was the group's leader, was arrested in Beirut on April 27 and has confessed, officials said.
More


In the article one official calls the plot more "aspirational than operational". On CNN they showed how the flooding the financial district part of the plot would have failed as the tunnels go beneath the bedrock beloe the river not to mention the fact that the financial district is above sea level whereas the tunnels are below it. It also stands to reason that the tunnels would have been designed to withstand a gas tanker truck igniting.

This plot really lacks the degree of sophistication normally associated with Al Quaeda. Al Quaeda has been found using spam emails that lead to porn sites where encrypted messages are embedded in a particular picture in order to communicate securely. The communication behind this plot was amaterish by comparison. It may be a sign that Al Quaeda has started sanctioning nutjobs in order to create a smokescreen for themselves.



Friday, July 07, 2006

Darfur violence worse since peace deal: UN envoy

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - The top U.N. envoy in Sudan on Thursday said violence in Darfur had escalated after a May peace deal and violations of the accord had been ignored.

U.N. special envoy Jan Pronk also renewed his call for additions to the May 5 agreement, such as international security guarantees and greater compensation for war victims, despite recent objections from the Sudanese Foreign Ministry.

"You can compare this situation ... I would say to March, February, before we had the peace agreement," Pronk told a news conference, referring to violence in Darfur in Sudan's west. "It's not dying out, it's increasing at the moment," he added.

Since the African Union-mediated peace deal, which only one of three negotiating rebel factions signed, tens of thousands of people have staged demonstrations, at times violently, saying it does not meet their basic demands.

Fighting has continued despite the deal, and key deadlines, including receiving Khartoum's crucial plan to disarm pro-government militias by June 22, have been missed with no repercussions.

Pronk said more needed to be done to address peace deal violations, and defended the peace agreement, which he had signed as a witness and helped broker by urging rebels to agree to the text.

"A peace agreement which is not getting the support of the majority ... is not sustainable. But then the technical question is, should you wait until everybody is in agreement? Or can you see the agreement as a step toward further agreements?" he said.

"The first priority is implementation, implementation, implementation ... It's non-implementation of the text which is creating a problem, not the text," he added.

More than three years of fighting in Darfur has killed tens of thousands and forced 2.5 million people into wretched camps.

original article

To stay up to date on the crisis in Darfur please visit The Coalition for Darfur and Sudan Watch
both are updated several times a day and are excellent resources for staying abreast on all issues regarding Darfur.

What's Shaking With Chavez?

Hugo Chavez never fails to provide good blogging material. He's such a busy paranoid kooky anti-American media whore that if he were the leader of a larger (or nuclear armed) country he'd be a real danger. Hat tip to Donklephant for pointing me to two of these articles. And now I present what may become a regular piece:

What's Shaking With Chavez?

See their new show "Kook and Tool" this fall on UPN

Chumming it up with Cindy Sheehan

CARACAS, Venezuela - Cindy Sheehan, who gained international fame when she camped outside President Bush’s ranch in an anti-war protest, plans to pitch her tent again, Venezuela’s president said Sunday as he urged activists worldwide to help bring down “the U.S. empire.” Chavez said Sheehan had invited him to join her April protest at Bush’s Crawford, Texas, ranch. Sheehan, whose 24-year-old soldier son Casey was killed in Iraq in 2004, held a vigil outside Bush’s ranch during the president’s vacation in August, attracting some 12,000 peace activists and reinvigorating the national anti-war movement. more

Sucking Up to the Iranian Govt

Meanwhile, the firebrand presidents of Iran and Venezuela also took advantage of the 53-nation African Union summit to declare solidarity with the impoverished continent and lash out at the West.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez backed Iran's controversial nuclear program, which the United States and the European Union want rolled back despite Tehran's insistence that its ambitions are peaceful. more

Trying to Form an International Anti U.S. Coaltion

Chavez urges Africa to unite against US

BANJUL (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called on Africa on Saturday to forge closer ties with Latin America to combat what he called a threat of U.S. hegemony.

Chavez, whose repeated criticism of America has raised hackles in Washington, called on an African Union summit to cooperate with Latin America in everything from oil production to university education to counter "colonial" meddling in developing nations. more

Venezuela's Chavez planning arms-for-oil trip to N. Korea

North Korea and Venezuela are discussing a strategic alliance motivated by a common goal — expanding anti-American forces.

During Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il in late July, the two countries are also expected to craft an oil-for-arms deal.

Venezuela's leader is most likely to fly to Pyongyang at the end of July on the occasion of his planned trip to Russia on July 25. Chavez told reporters that he plans to discuss science and technology cooperation with the North.

Analysts in Seoul say Kim and Chavez would mainly discuss forming a "strategic alliance" against the United States. more

Demanding that the U.S. and the EU apologize for Slavery

US and Europe must apologize for slavery: Chavez

BANJUL (Reuters) - Europe and the United States should apologize to Africa for the cruelties of slavery, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Sunday, calling on Africa to resist what he called modern day U.S. colonialism.

Attending a summit of African leaders in Gambia, Chavez said both Africa and Latin America had been blighted by slavery and colonialism for centuries, to the benefit of Europe and North America. More

Showing off His New Russian Made Weapons

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - President Hugo Chavez marked Venezuela's independence day on Wednesday, showing off Russian fighter jets his government is planning to buy and new helicopters and rifles it purchased after Washington blocked U.S. arms sales to Caracas.

Two Sukhoi SU-30MK fighters sent from Russia roared overhead as troops, tanks and vehicles filed past Chavez and his counterparts from Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay who were visiting for a summit of the Mercosur trade bloc. He has already bought Kalashnikov rifles and attack helicopters from Russia. More

And trying to get onto the UN Security Council

Chavez challenges US over Security Council seat

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez challenged the United States on Thursday to try to block his attempt to secure a U.N. Security Council seat as he seeks to curb Washington's "imperialist" influence.

A U.N. General Assembly vote set for October to award two-year Security Council seats to five nations is the latest arena for sparring between Caracas and Washington, which views Chavez as a strongman using Venezuela's oil wealth to promote an anti-democratic agenda throughout Latin America. more

In Closing

Is Chavez a threat to to the U.S.? Not yet.

However he will eventually court every nation that bears a grudge against the U.S. and after that maybe start courting every group that bears America ill will. Hopefully he'll get voted out sooner rather than later but thats provided he doesn't make himself dictator of Venezuela.

And then the U.S. would have a real problem. Because given the sheer number of times he tries to make problems for the U.S. if he stays in office long enough he will eventually manage to become one himself. After all, those articles cover only the past 9 days reporting what he's been up to which means he's busier than a one-eyed cat watchin two mouse holes.



Dems Do Unto Delay...

as Delay would have done unto them:

Ruling Keeps DeLay on Ballot
Judge Sides With Democrats, Says Former Lawmaker Can't Quit

By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 7, 2006; Page A05

A federal judge in Texas threw the political retirement of former House majority leader Tom DeLay into doubt yesterday, ruling that the Texas Republican Party must keep the indicted former congressman on the ballot for reelection this November.

For Democrats eager to seize control of the House this fall, the ruling was a significant victory. DeLay is under indictment on campaign finance charges in Texas and is under a cloud of scandal in Washington, and Democrats had hoped to wrest the conservative district from him. But DeLay seemed to thwart those designs in April, when he announced that he would resign from Congress and move his official residence to Alexandria from his suburban Houston district, making him ineligible to run for reelection.

Texas Democrats sued to keep him on the ballot, maintaining that state election laws say victors in a party primary must appear on the general election ballot unless they die or live outside the district on Election Day. They pointed out that DeLay still owns a Houston area home, where his wife, Christine, lives and where he still spends time.

In a strongly worded opinion, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks sided with the Democrats.

"There is no evidence that DeLay will still be living in Virginia tomorrow, let alone on November 7, 2006, the only day that matters under the Qualification Clause of the United States Constitution," wrote the judge, a Republican appointee. "DeLay was chosen as the Republican nominee by the voters in the Republican primary, and he is still eligible to be the party's nominee."

More

Personally I find this amusing and fitting as I have no love for Delay. But having said that the Dems are acting just like Tom Delay and so I can't really side with them either. The Dems have denied Delay's district any real choice in the upcoming election. Thats hardly democratic.


Thursday, July 06, 2006

Ripped from the Headlines

No charges for Limbaugh over Viagra

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Rush Limbaugh will not face charges in Palm Beach County for the bottle of Viagra found in his luggage that was prescribed in his psychologist's name, prosecutors said Wednesday. more

7th N. Korean missile intensifies furor

By JOSEPH COLEMAN, Associated Press Writer Wed Jul 5, 1:16 PM ET

North Korea test-fired a seventh missile Wednesday, intensifying the furor that began when the reclusive regime defied international protests by launching a long-range missile and at least five shorter-range rockets earlier in the day.

The missiles, all of which apparently fell harmlessly into the Sea of Japan, provoked international condemnation, the convening of an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and calls in Tokyo for economic sanctions against the impoverished communist regime. More

Ya know, maybe if Rush had shared his Viagra with Kim Jong-Il Mr. Kim wouldn't be having all of these problems with projectile dysfunction.

FBI's Computers Hacked

Consultant Breached FBI's Computers
Frustrated by Bureaucracy, Hacker Says Agents Approved and Aided Break-Ins

A government consultant, using computer programs easily found on the Internet, managed to crack the FBI's classified computer system and gain the passwords of 38,000 employees, including that of FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III.

The break-ins, which occurred four times in 2004, gave the consultant access to records in the Witness Protection Program and details on counterespionage activity, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Washington. As a direct result, the bureau said it was forced to temporarily shut down its network and commit thousands of man-hours and millions of dollars to ensure no sensitive information was lost or misused.

The government does not allege that the consultant, Joseph Thomas Colon, intended to harm national security. But prosecutors said Colon's "curiosity hacks" nonetheless exposed sensitive information.

According to Colon's plea, he entered the system using the identity of an FBI special agent and used two computer hacking programs found on the Internet to get into one of the nation's most secret databases.

full article

This once again proves how inadequate the defenses of the Federal government's computer systems are. As someone who has designed many office networks I can only guess at how daunting the task of defending networks that large could be. Words like Herculean come to mind. Whats scary is that the FBI and the CIA have the two best defended networks in the Federal government.

We're fortunate in this case that Colon was merely skirting proper procedure rather than acting out of malice. And there are those that that seek to infiltrate our governments computer networks that truly have malice in what passes for their heart.

From the Washington Post:
Cyber-Attacks by Al Qaeda Feared

Its old news but whats important is that the intent is there. And according to this interview Al Quaeda has been the pushing the boundaries of what can be done over the internet for 20 years

"I've been tracking Al Qaeda and actually bin Laden and his group forward since the late 1980s. And it's simply because as a group that is operating in what can be referred to as best practice, they really are very good at what they do. I'm always willing to learn from somebody who may learn something that I should know. So I've been watching them for quite a while. And they are very, very good at everything from money laundering, to secure communications. And to underestimate them at any point in time is suicidal."

About two years ago the show Frontline did an excellent piece on threats to American security from the internet called Cyber War. Its well worth watching additionally there are transcripts from interviews that didn't make it into the show including one with former White House Cyber Security Advisor Richard Clarke as well as one with a professional for hire hacker. You can also watch the program here.

I can sum it up for you though:

Its all fun and games until someone opens up a dam over the internet.

hat tip to Gun Toting Liberal




Political Cartoon of the Year (so far)


Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Climate Change: Reframing the Debate

Warning: The following post contains names and terms that some might find offensive like “Al Gore” and “global warming” we apologize in advance for the usage of the aforementioned terms.

Just a few minutes ago I was disagreeing with the editor of Texas Monthly on his brand spanking new blog Burkablog and it occurred to me that I should probably turn my argument into a full post.


First the article that Mr. Burka was commenting on:

Global Warming's Real Inconvenient Truth

By Robert J. Samuelson

Global warming may or may not be the great environmental crisis of the next century, but -- regardless of whether it is or isn't -- we won't do much about it. We will (I am sure) argue ferociously over it and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid it. But the more dramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely they are to be observed. Little will be done. . . . Global warming promises to become a gushing source of national hypocrisy.''

-- This column, July 1997

Well, so it has. In three decades of columns, I've never quoted myself at length, but here it's necessary. Al Gore calls global warming an "inconvenient truth," as if merely recognizing it could put us on a path to a solution. That's an illusion. The real truth is that we don't know enough to relieve global warming, and -- barring major technological breakthroughs -- we can't do much about it. This was obvious nine years ago; it's still obvious. Let me explain.

(He crunches some numbers)

Just keeping annual greenhouse gas emissions constant means that the world must somehow offset these huge increases. There are two ways: Improve energy efficiency, or shift to energy sources with lower (or no) greenhouse emissions. Intuitively, you sense this is tough. China, for example, builds about one coal-fired power plant a week. Now a new report from the International Energy Agency in Paris shows all the difficulties (the population, economic growth and energy projections cited above come from the report).


I draw two conclusions -- one political, one practical.

No government will adopt the draconian restrictions on economic growth and personal freedom (limits on electricity usage, driving and travel) that might curb global warming. Still, politicians want to show they're "doing something." The result is grandstanding. Consider the Kyoto Protocol. It allowed countries that joined to castigate those that didn't. But it hasn't reduced carbon dioxide emissions (up about 25 percent since 1990), and many signatories didn't adopt tough enough policies to hit their 2008-2012 targets. By some estimates, Europe may overshoot by 15 percent and Japan by 25 percent.

Ambitious U.S. politicians also practice this self-serving hypocrisy. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has a global warming program. Gore counts 221 cities that have "ratified" Kyoto. Some pledge to curb their greenhouse emissions. None of these programs will reduce global warming. They're public relations exercises and -- if they impose costs -- are undesirable. (Note: on national security grounds, I favor taxing oil, but the global warming effect would be trivial.) The practical conclusion is that if global warming is a potential calamity, the only salvation is new technology.


The trouble with the global warming debate is that it has become a moral crusade when it's really an engineering problem. The inconvenient truth is that if we don't solve the engineering problem, we're helpless.

Full Article

That last paragraph is a fat load of crap.

Part of the problem is that most the people that have been explaining this problem are traditionally liberals. Meaning that they tend to look at it in a way that is limited by their idealism.

On the other hand we have many conservatives that don't believe that it is a man made problem. As a result the solutions that their political counterparts suggest are disregarded.

Some of those solutions are reduce fuel consumption, increase renewable energy production, increase biofuel production, and build cars that can run on biofuel.

We also have another problem and that is America's dependence on foreign oil. Everyone agrees its a real problem.

However it creates a secondary problem because many of the countries that oil comes from give money to terrorist groups. Everyone agrees that's a real problem too.

What are the solutions? Reduce fuel consumption, increase renewable energy production, increase biofuel production, and build cars that can run on biofuel. So...
energy dependence = funding terrorism = global warming

If you had previously made those connections you're probably not suffering from partisan myopia and deserve a frosty adult beverage of your choice.

Had liberals begun explaining the global warming problem in those terms after 9/11 how many people do you think would agree with them? Had many conservatives not put their hands over their ears every time the words “global warming” were spoken how much sooner might they have come to the above realization?

Now back to that article. Calling it an engineering problem is a gross oversimplification and also a whiny lame excuse. “I am powerless because only engineers can solve this problem.” I'm not buying it. Its a consumption problem, a foreign policy problem, and a market problem. So lets address those problems individually:

Consumption: Every American can opt to use less gas and/or electricity as well as change the types of fuel and energy they personally use. (drive less, proper car maintenance, fluorescent bulbs, sign up for your local electric companies renewable energy program etc etc etc)

Foreign Policy: Vote for candidates that can see the forest for the trees then write, call email, or fax them and vent away. (Wherever my people go I must follow, for I am their leader.)

Market: By increasing demand companies will do everything possible to create supply as fast as they can. That will also cover the engineering end of the problem.

My point is we aren't powerless. We as individuals can effect change. Liberals can combat global warming Conservatives can help make America secure and in doing so theoretically solve both problems. Then all you'll have left to argue about in this area is offshore drilling, ANWR, and drilling in national parks. (Hey, I never said this was a panacea for all energy woes.) We can work together on the same solutions for different reasons. The trick is getting the word out.

Finally while global warming may not be a moral problem indirectly funding terrorism is. If that's not a reason for bipartisan consensus nothing is. And if we can't work together as a nation to kill two serpents with one stone then maybe we deserve whatever we get.

North Korea Sinks Seventh Missle

7th N. Korean missile intensifies furor
By JOSEPH COLEMAN, Associated Press Writer

North Korea test-fired a seventh missile Wednesday, intensifying the furor that began when the reclusive regime defied international protests by launching a long-range missile and at least five shorter-range rockets earlier in the day. The missiles, all of which apparently fell harmlessly into the Sea of Japan, provoked international condemnation, the convening of an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and calls in Tokyo for economic sanctions against the impoverished communist regime.

Ambassadors from the 15 nations on the U.N. Security Council met in an emergency meeting to discuss a response. Japan said it was considering calling for sanctions against North Korea in a U.N. resolution, while China's ambassador indicated that Beijing would favor a much weaker council statement.

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said the council must send a "strong and unanimous signal" to the North that its actions were unacceptable.

China, North Korea's neighbor and most important ally, urged all parties to stay calm.

"We are seriously concerned with the situation which has already happened," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in a statement on the ministry's Web site.

"We hope that all the relevant sides ... do more things which are conducive to peace and stability ... and not take any actions to escalate and complicate the situation," the statement said.

Two State Department officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the long-range missile was the Taepodong-2, North Korea's most advanced missile with a range of up to 9,320 miles. Some experts believe it could reach the United States with a light payload.

North Korea's missile program is based on Scud technology provided by the former Soviet Union or Egypt, according to American and South Korean officials. North Korea started its Rodong-1 missile project in the late 1980s and test-fired the missile for the first time in 1993.

North Korea had observed a moratorium on long-range missile launches since 1999.

full article

I'm starting to feel like N Korea is having a temper tantrum. If you can imagive Mr Jong-Il jumping up and down screaming, "Iran got incentives! Where's my incentives?!"

I'm sure as soon as they find another rubber band and a few more gerbils they'll launch an eighth missle.