The First Sign of the Apocalypse Has Arrived

Pat Robertson and I agree on something.

Heat makes Pat Robertson a global warming "convert"

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Conservative Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson said on Thursday the wave of scorching temperatures across the United States has converted him into a believer in global warming.

"We really need to address the burning of fossil fuels," Robertson said on his "700 Club" broadcast. "It is getting hotter, and the icecaps are melting and there is a buildup of carbon dioxide in the air."

This week the heat index, the perceived temperature based on both air temperatures and humidity, reached 115 Fahrenheit in some regions of the U.S. East Coast. The 76-year-old Robertson told viewers that was "the most convincing evidence I've seen on global warming in a long time."

Last year, Robertson said natural disasters affecting the globe, including hurricanes Katrina and Rita that wrecked the U.S. Gulf Coast, might be signs that the biblical apocalypse was nearing. More

9/11 Panel Suspected Deception by Pentagon

9/11 Panel Suspected Deception by Pentagon

Allegations Brought to Inspectors General

Some staff members and commissioners of the Sept. 11 panel concluded that the Pentagon's initial story of how it reacted to the 2001 terrorist attacks may have been part of a deliberate effort to mislead the commission and the public rather than a reflection of the fog of events on that day, according to sources involved in the debate.

Suspicion of wrongdoing ran so deep that the 10-member commission, in a secret meeting at the end of its tenure in summer 2004, debated referring the matter to the Justice Department for criminal investigation, according to several commission sources. Staff members and some commissioners thought that e-mails and other evidence provided enough probable cause to believe that military and aviation officials violated the law by making false statements to Congress and to the commission, hoping to hide the bungled response to the hijackings, these sources said.

"We to this day don't know why NORAD [the North American Aerospace Command] told us what they told us," said Thomas H. Kean, the former New Jersey Republican governor who led the commission. "It was just so far from the truth. . . . It's one of those loose ends that never got tied."

Full Article

I have a possible idea as to why:

If YOU were in charge of defending your country and you failed to stop the worst attack on American soil since the Civil War could you give testimony that started with,”We didn't know where the planes were.” followed by “We only had 4 fighter jets available.” and ended in what would sound like you trying to pass the blame off on the FAA, several airlines, and the Navy?

Under those circumstances I might get a little creative with the truth too.

See Also:

NORAD 9/11Audio Released

NORAD 9/11Audio Released (Rated MA)

Vanity Fair has released part of the NORAD 9/11 tapes along with a transcript. If you can bear it I advise you to read the transcript first and then listen to the audio. The audio loads quickly even on dial up. It is an incredible read involving ghost planes, 30 minute long FAA information lags, airlines not confirming missing planes, the FAA ordering scrambled jet fighters out of NYC and more. It was in the truest sense of the word a clusterfuck.
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What really stands out on the audio is exactly how collected Major Kevin Nasypany, the facility's mission-crew commander, stayed throughout the 100 minutes of the 9/11 attacks. His performance that day was truly commendable. And what becomes apparent is that NORAD did the best they could given the circumstances that day.
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Vanity Fair 9/11 Live: The NORAD Tapes

Blogger Jailed After Defying Court Orders

Blogger Jailed After Defying Court Orders

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 1 — A freelance journalist and blogger was jailed on Tuesday after refusing to turn over video he took at an anticapitalist protest here last summer and after refusing to testify before a grand jury looking into accusations that crimes were committed at the protest.

The freelancer, Josh Wolf, 24, was taken into custody just before noon after a hearing in front of Judge William Alsup of Federal District Court. Found in contempt, Mr. Wolf was later moved to a federal prison in Dublin, Calif., and could be imprisoned until next summer, when the grand jury term expires, said his lawyer, Jose Luis Fuentes.

Earlier this year, federal prosecutors subpoenaed Mr. Wolf to testify before a grand jury and turn over video from the demonstration, held in the Mission District on July 8, 2005. The protest, tied to a Group of 8 meeting of world economic leaders in Scotland, ended in a clash between demonstrators and the San Francisco police, with one officer sustaining a fractured skull.

A smoke bomb or a firework was also put under a police car, and investigators are looking into whether arson was attempted on a government-financed vehicle.

Mr. Wolf, who posted some of the edited video on his Web site, www.joshwolf.net, and sold some of it to local television stations, met with investigators, who wanted to see the raw video. But Mr. Wolf refused to hand over the tapes, arguing that he had the right as a journalist to shield his sources. more

Thats a setback for bloggers. However in order to ensure legal protection its important to contact any venue your covering and get press credentials and as a backup you may have to join a news service which isn't exactly cheap in the event you just happen upon a story or are doing investigative blogging. If you read the article you'll discover that it won't protect you on the Federal level but may cover you on the State and local level.

GOP Funds Green Party Candidate

GOP aids Green candidate Carl Romanelli

By Peter Jackson, Associated Press WriterTue Aug 1, 1:48 AM ET

Thanks to the generosity of GOP donors, a Green Party candidate is expected to make it onto the ballot in Pennsylvania's Senate race and siphon votes from Democratic front-runner Bob Casey in his bid to unseat Republican Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record).

While Santorum said Monday that he would welcome another candidate on the ballot, Casey's campaign accused Republicans of "trying to steal the election."

Green Party candidate Carl Romanelli, making his first bid for statewide elective office, acknowledged Monday that Republican contributors probably supplied most of the $100,000 that he said he spent gathering signatures to qualify for the Nov. 7 ballot.

Romanelli said he expects to turn in far more than the required 67,070 signatures by Tuesday's deadline.

"I have friends in all political parties. It's just that my Republican friends are more confident about standing with me than my Democratic friends. And as a group, my Republican friends are a little better off," he said in a telephone interview.

Romanelli, of Wilkes-Barre, supports abortion rights, while both Santorum and Casey oppose them. Political observers say Romanelli's candidacy would likely draw votes from Casey, the state treasurer, who has held a double-digit lead over Santorum for months.

Records on file with the Federal Election Commission show the Luzerne County Green Party received $66,000 in June from 20 contributors who gave between $1,000 and $5,000 apiece. more

What amuses me about this is that I had previously suggested that had the Dems financiers given the Constitution Party similar help in Ohio in '04 Kerry might have won. The Constitution Party candidate pulled off one percent of the vote in that race with very little finacial support. You could start seeing this tactic more in close races and in swing states. If that happens we might actually start having viable a few viable third parties. And that would make politics very interesting indeed.

Until then there's still Unity 08

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

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.

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?

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.

Iran Seeking Stealth ICBM?

US says Iranians witnessed N.Korea missile test
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(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.
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GlobalSecurity.org

Middle Eastern Newsline

GeoStrategy-Direct.com (signup required)

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

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?

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

By EDWARD WONG and DEXTER FILKINS

BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 16 — As sectarian violence soars, many Sunni Arab political and religious leaders once staunchly opposed to the American presence here are now saying they need American troops to protect them from the rampages of Shiite militias and Shiite-run government forces.

The pleas from the Sunni Arab leaders have been growing in intensity since an eruption of sectarian bloodletting in February, but they have reached a new pitch in recent days as Shiite militiamen have brazenly shot dead groups of Sunni civilians in broad daylight in Baghdad and other mixed areas of central Iraq. more

While its a little surprising it does make a certain amount of sense. Shiite death squads aside, if America were to withdraw today Iraq would quickly turn into an extension of Iran. Additionally the Sunnis oppressed the Shiites for years and in a region where no slight goes unanswered the Sunnis have finally realized that if America leaves the retribution will make Saddam's massacre of the Kurds look tame.

I'm curious as to whether or not this will slow the withdrawal of U.S. troops in the short term. Why? Because its an election year. And I'm just cynical enough to imagine troops being withdrawn until the end of November only to be replaced in December.

All cynicism aside the recent flare up of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel backs up an argument I've made before, that we cannot withdraw until Iraq has a stable government and a strong enough military to defend itself from Iran. Iran cannot under any circumstances be allowed to have any definitive sway over the Iraqi government. If the Sunni's have come to realize that and maybe, just maybe, America's left can too.

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.
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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.

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

Hezbollah Declares Open War

From the BBC:
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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.
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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."
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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."

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"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."

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"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.