Iraq militants kill 12 Nepalis

Iraq militants kill 12 Nepalis-website: "BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A militant Iraqi group says it has killed 12 Nepali hostages and has showed pictures of one being beheaded and others being gunned down in the worst violence against captives since a wave of kidnappings erupted in April. (Photo - Al-Jazeera)

The announcement of the killings, made in a statement posted on an Islamist Web site on Tuesday, came as France intensified its efforts to save two French reporters held hostage in Iraq by a separate militant Islamic group.

The Nepalis were kidnapped earlier this month when they entered Iraq to work as cooks and cleaners for a Jordanian firm. The killing of men from a tiny country that had nothing to do with the invasion or occupation of Iraq will send shockwaves through foreign companies doing business here.

'We have carried out the sentence of God against 12 Nepalis who came from their country to fight the Muslims and to serve the Jews and the Christians...believing in Buddha as their God,' said the statement by the military committee of the Army of Ansar al-Sunna.

The group posted a series of photographs showing the killing as well as a video.

What more evidence does the world need to declare WAR on Islamic extremists?? Just read the statement above. If you don't believe in Allah you are a dead man ! We are dealing with a 'holy war' plain and simple.

Headscarves for Heads

While the GOP recreates the emotions on 9/11, the French are trying to figure out what went wrong with their strategy. We wonder how puzzled the average French citizen is now with two of their fellow citizens facing death by the very same people they were giving morale support to! How naive to think France would get a free pass from these lunatics!

BBC NEWS | Middle East | French hostages plead for lives. The BBC's Angus Roxburgh in Paris reports that a large crowd of people gathered in the city's Trocadero Square on Monday evening, to show their support for Christian Chesnot of Radio France Internationale and Georges Malbrunot of Le Figaro newspaper...

"He says French people have been appalled by their plight, and are baffled that the country's citizens should have been targeted by Iraqi militants, given France's vocal opposition to the US-led invasion of Iraq." - BBC

The French people are baffled ? I guess the policy of European "appeasement" is not very effective is it? -- Maybe the French people will now understand the nature of the beast and come to their senses. - zzb

Chriac Sends Minister to Middle East

Chirac Sends FM to Mideast to Win Iraq Hostage Release

<-- Dazed and Confused!
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Jacques Chirac sent his foreign minister to the Middle East on Sunday to try to win freedom for two journalists held in Iraq by by militants demanding France end its ban on Muslim headscarves in schools. One wonders just who will his Foreign Minister be speaking to ? The new gov't of Iraq presumably. It is amazing how the worm has turned in the land of liberal thinking.

"Today, the whole nation is united because the lives of two Frenchmen are at stake," Chirac said in a televised address on Sunday evening.

"Backed up by this national unity, I solemnly call for the release of Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot. Everything is being done and everything will be done in the coming hours and days to achieve this."

Shortly after Chirac laid out France's position, Foreign Minister Michel Barnier flew to Cairo on a Middle East tour meant to tap regional contacts and win the journalists' release. - Reuters

The irony of all ironies! Now that two French citizen's are being held hostage under the threat of murder do we see this panty waste of a Western Leader stand up and make a speech calling for national unity against terrorism. What hypocrites ! This is enough to turn one's stomach. Chirac appealed to the kidnappers with an implicit reminder that France opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. But he did not directly respond to their reported demand that the ban on head scarves and other religious apparel be overturned within 48 hours. Let's see if he caves into their demands! Wake Up Europe !! -- zzb

There's Joy in the Air !

No... It's not Earth Day... It's NYC welcoming the GOP Convention !

Russia DeclaresTerrorists Behind Plan Crashes

NEWS.com.au | Plane crash a terror attack: authorities (August 27, 2004)"According to our initial investigation, at least one of the air crashes, the one in the Rostov region, came as a result of a terror attack," spokesman Sergei Ignatchenko told ITAR-TASS news agency.

Investigators said they had found traces of explosive material in the wreckage of one of the two planes that crashed in southern Russia, Russian news agencies reported.

"During the investigation of the wreckage of the Tupolev 154, we found traces of explosive material," a spokesman for the FSB intelligence agency was quoted by ITAR-TASS and Interfax news agencies as saying.

The spokesman, Sergei Ignachenko, identified the material as Hexogen, the same material that Russian authorities claimed was used in a series of apartment bombings in 1999 that killed some 200 people."

The Russian press issued unusual and harsh criticism of the Government, lashing out at authorities for refusing to admit that the planes were in all likelihood brought down by terrorism or sabotage.

"Ahead of presidential elections in Chechnya, authorities do not want to admit the obvious fact: only Chechen rebels can organize attacks of this scale in Russia," the business daily Kommersant commented on its front pages.

The centrist paper Izvestia took a similar tone, accusing officials of "failing to see the links" between the plane crash and controversial elections scheduled to take place in war-torn Chechnya on Sunday.

"An inexplicable tragic coincidence - that is how the official special services tried to explain the events," Izvestia said.

In all likelyhood Russia is expected to "kick it up a notch" with respect to eradicating terrorism in the Balkins. Look for more Russian military presence in the region and don't be surprised if some of it doesn't come from the U.S. in the coming months. Most likely in the form of indirect satellite and intel support. - zzb

Iranian Teenage Girl Hanged for "Sharp Tongue"

Iranian injustice. The following news story is an example of the metality the West, indeed the civilized world, is up against. The latest is an article today in Iranian press (Iran Focus) describing the hanging of a 16 yr old girl by a religious judge for having a "sharp tongue" and protesting in "his" court. [Unconfirmed by mainstream media]

On Sunday, August 15, a 16-year-old girl in the town of Neka, northern Iran, was executed. Ateqeh Sahaleh was hanged in public on Simetry Street off Rah Ahan Street at the city center.

The sentence was issued by the head of Neka’s Justice Department and subsequently upheld by the mullahs’ Supreme Court and carried out with the approval of Judiciary Chief Mahmoud Shahroudi.

In her summary trial, the teenage victim did not have any lawyer and efforts by her family to recruit a lawyer was to no avail. Ateqeh personally defended herself. She told the religious judge, Haji Rezaii, that he should punish the main perpetrators of moral corruption not the victims.

The judge personally pursued Ateqeh’s death sentence, beyond all normal procedures and finally gained the approval of the Supreme Court. After her execution Rezai said her punishment was not execution but he had her executed for her “sharp tongue”. -- IranFocus.com

This girl, 16, was alledgedly hanged in public from a construction crane without even the represenation of an attorney in court. Alledgedly the "judge" actually put the noose around her neck. Apparently in protest the girl began to remove her clothing in court not having a lawyer present (details not described). Result? Execution. Another good example of religious "justice", and gender bias, Middle Eastern style.

The Debate Preview

Delaware Valley: Emmons Gets the Gold !

USATODAY.com - Shooter's mentality: Emmons keeps focus on target: "You won't see him in college basketball's NCAA Tournament this month, but Matt Emmons knows all about clutch shooting. In 2002, the New Jersey native, then 21 years old, won a world championships in 50-meter prone rifle shooting. He shot 596 of a possible 600 in the first round, two points off the lead. In the 10-shot final, in which 10.9 is the highest possible score per shot, his score of 103.7 pushed him over the top. He spoke with USATODAY.com's Beau Dure from USA Shooting's office in Colorado Springs."

Emmons, who graduated from UAF after the 2003 NCAA championships, has qualified to compete in all three rifle events: men's three-position shoot, men's 50-meter prone and air rifle-at the Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, The games start on Aug. 13 and run through Aug. 27.

He is the first American to qualify in all three men's rifle events in the same Olympic year.

Randy Pitney, who recruited Emmons to shoot at UAF and coached him for a couple of seasons before becoming the school's athletic director, said he wouldn't be surprised if Emmons didn't win or medal in a couple of his events.

"I'm not saying just because he was at UAF, but because I know Matt as a person and he's an extremely dedicated individual. If you're not extremely dedicated you can't reach the level he has attained," Pitney said.

Emmons, who is from Browns Mill, N.J., exudes confidence every time he picks up a gun and fully expects to be the best shooter in every competition he enters." - USA Today.
Matt Emmons -- New Jersey and the Delaware Valley are proud of you... !

Kerry "Loosing His Cool"

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Democratic Party launched a costly round of ads Friday to buttress John Kerry's credentials to be commander in chief as the White House accused the Massachusetts senator of "losing his cool" over attacks on his war record.

[That's Kerry right above Jane Fonda's head at a anti-government / anti-war rally while soldiers were still being killed and prisoners tortured in Hanoi. Vietnam Vets can't stomach Fonda for her support of the enemy and her actual visits to Hanoi to give her open support to the enemy against our nation and our troops. Kerry probably wishes he was never there and the photographer who shot this picture took it from a different angle! - ed]

"John Kerry is a fighter and he doesn't tolerate lies from others," shot back spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter.

The unusual late-August maneuvering highlighted the closeness of the race for the White House and came as polls offered the first hint that the questioning of Kerry's medal-winning service in the Vietnam War - allegations that he strongly condemned this week as lies - were taking a political toll. More... AP Article

John Kerry is showing signs of emotional pressure from the airing of his anti-war protest activisim which portray him as very anti-Veteran. Many Vietnam Vets are having second thoughts about supporting someone who stood shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Jane Fonda while POWs spent time in miserable conditions in the Hanoi Hilton. His actions back then gave aid and comfort to the enemy to undermine support for the war and our troops.

One poll found that more than half the voters questioned had seen or heard of an ad by Swift Boat Veterans For Truth that accuses Kerry of lying about events that earned him five medals in Vietnam a generation ago. The University of Pennsylvania's National Annenberg Election Survey also found that 44 percent of self-described independent voters found the ad very or somewhat believable. - AP

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth accuse Kerry of lying about the severity of his wounds and embellishing his acts of heroism during his four months in Vietnam, claiming he was being fired upon. Charges strongly rejected by the senator from Massachusetts. The ads are powerful and appear to be opening some old wounds with the over 50 generation. Kerry today has decided to TAKE EM TO COURT claiming the ads are unfair and illegal. We shall see... - zzb

Iraqi government issues ultimatum to al-Sadr

Aljazeera.Net - Iraqi government issues ultimatum to al-Sadr: "Aljazeera's correspondent said Minister of State Kasim Daud, speaking in Najaf on Thursday, spelt out 'final-hour conditions' that he said the Shia leader had to meet and warned that 'military action is imminent'."

The showdown is about to begin. Yesterday's rumors that Sadr was accepting surrender terms appear to be proving just that. Rumors. There is no way these terrorist supporters will be giving up their arms. This is also crunch time for the credibility of the new Iraqi gov't to show they can back up their words with action. - zzb

Kerry Deals Away His Ace in the Hole

At least one Liberal Democrate is having second thoughts about John Kerry. It's like choosing between Goldwater and LBJ. The hawkish rhetoric from John Kerry is beginning to make dyed in the wool liberals cringe !

"Kerry has made a colossal mistake by continuing to defend his October 2002 vote authorizing President Bush's invasion of Iraq.

Last week at the Grand Canyon, Kerry said he would have "voted to give the president the authority to go to war" even if he had known there were no stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction -- Bush's original justification for war on Iraq.

Kerry explained that he believes a president should have the "authority" to go to war, and he voted accordingly. But he insisted that Bush subsequently misused the authority by rushing headlong into combat based on faulty intelligence about Saddam's weapons arsenal.

Kerry is mistaken on a key point. Under the U.S. Constitution, the president does not have that sole right to declare war. Despite its mindless default, that right still belongs to Congress." - Helen Thomas / Hearst News More ...

Helen Thomas of the White House Press Corps / Hearst Newspapers, a staunch Democratic Liberal and author of the article above is turning on John Kerry. Kerry's flip flop posture has painted him into a corner with respect to his on again-off again support of the war and is becoming a source of sheer frustration for the anti-war supporters on the left. The above comments are from a scathing column she wrote this week sticking it to John Kerry. Clearly, she is no Bush supporter, but what this column does point out is the sheer frustration some Democrats are having with John Kerry's image. Indicating earlier this week that he would have voted to go to war even if he knew there were no WMD in an attempt to justify his vote in Congress, as you recall before Howard Dean showed some spine to take on a different perspective, is just one more reflection of what we can all expect from him as a leader in the White House. Once Kerry saw it work for Dean, he flipped. In fact he has flipped so many times most writters are loosing track of which position he is taking at any given point in time. One might ask, IF Kerry was such a strong supporter for the war, as he rhetoric indicates now, then just why did he vote against aid for the troops? Could it have been the polls at the time made it seem like a good idea ? - zzb

Al-Sadr Agrees to Withdraw

Al-Sadr Agrees to Withdraw:

"NAJAF, Iraq - Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr accepted a peace plan Wednesday to end the fighting in Najaf that would disarm his militia and remove them from a holy shrine where they are based, according to a letter read by a delegate at the Iraqi National Conference." - AP

If this breaking story can be confirmed it will be great news for the Bush administration!

...Shaalan referred to those who occupied the shrine as a "gang dressed in the clothes of religion....

The defense minister had said Iraqi forces were trained to raid one of Shiite Islam's holiest sites, and reiterated that U.S. forces would not enter the shrine, which almost certainly would cause an uproar among the country's majority Shiites.

"The only American intervention would be aerial protection and also securing some of the roads that lead to the compound," Shaalan said on Al-Arabiya.

While never referring to al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia by name, Shaalan referred to those who occupied the shrine as a "gang dressed in the clothes of religion."

It will remain to be seen how the Iraqi military will plan to disarm Sadr's militia without further hostility. -- zzb

Iranian Retaliatory Strike Capability

Aljazeera.Net - Iran to hit Dimona if Israel attacks:

"'If Israel fires one missile at Bushehr atomic power plant, it should permanently forget about Dimona nuclear centre, where it produces and keeps its nuclear weapons, and Israel would be responsible for the terrifying consequence of this move,' General Muhammad Baqir Zolqadr warned on Wednesday." More ...

Iran is posturing and threatening Israel with a counter attack with it's new intermediate range missle if Israel strikes the Iranian nuclear power generation facilites. The statement came a few days after the Islamic republic conducted what it called a successful test of an upgraded version of its conventional medium-range Shahab-3 missile. There should be no doubt that the playing field is leveling in a very dangerous and ominous way. This story is taking back seat to the conflict in Iraq yet it has a greater potential for instability and destruction than the installation of a new Iraqi government. The political debate over the balance of power in the Middle East is just getting started. Iran, and Iranian Fundamentalism has always been the bigger problem of the two.

Exactly what pressure that impotent body the U.N. will put to bear on containing WMD proliferation remains to be seen. Anyone have a microscope to see it ? - zzb

Bush in the Delaware Valley

In his second visit to a Boeing Co. plant in a week, this time in election-critical Pennsylvania, Bush also renewed his pledge to appeal to the World Trade Organization (news - web sites) if necessary to challenge European Union (news - web sites) subsidies of Boeing's chief commercial aircraft competitor, Airbus.

Addressing thousands of Boeing employees and their families as well as local political supporters, Bush praised people who "work day and night to put out a good product for our country."

He spoke at an outdoor rally in a parking lot alongside a helicopter assembly and refitting plant in this Philadelphia suburb. Two CH-47 Chinook choppers served as props. More...

You might recall that the VTOL Osprey plagues with problems was also develoed at this site just outside of the Philadelphia International Airport. Rumors have persisted for years that the Boeing Corp. may shut this division down. The President desperatly needs the Pensylvania vote.-- zzb

2012 Olympic NYC Hypocracy in Shooting Sports !

The Corner on National Review Online: "OLYMPIC SHOOTING EVENTS [John Derbyshire]

New York City's offer to host the 2012 Olympics raises an interesting point: The Olympics includes shooting events. To get medals in these events, a person has to spend years, starting at a young age, practicing with firearms. New York City does everything it can to make this ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE for the city's youngsters. So, though to a lesser extent, does New York State. - John Derbyshire

The height of hypocracy is for NYC to sponsor the 2012 Olympics while prohibiting and restricting Junior Rifle Teams from training in the shooting sports. Even though the shooting sports exist on the NCAA's list of sanctioned collegiate sports, NYC continues to be one of the most restrictive environments in the country today for any aspiring Olympian in the shooting sports. - zzb

US Navy rescues Iranian Sailors

BBC NEWS | Middle East | US Navy rescues Iranian boatmen: "The U.S. Navy's John F Kennedy aircraft carrier despatched helicopters to winch the Iranians to safety after receiving a distress signal from their boat.

The six sailors had a medical check and a meal aboard the US ship before being put on an Iranian boat passing nearby.

The US and Iran do not have diplomatic relations and recent dealings between the two have been marked by suspicion.

The Iranian dhow, named the Naji, had a broken propeller seal which was letting in water, the US Navy spokesman said.

Lt Bill Speaks said he believes the vessel to which the six men were transferred took them to an Iranian port.

The fate of the Naji is not known. - BBC

Good thing it was the U.S. Navy out there instead of the Israeli Navy, otherwise these sailors would have chosen to drown.

Would you be surprised if the Middle Eastern media claimed that we sunk the boat in the first place to stage the mishap for political reasons? I'll have to check Al Jazeera for the story. Either way, we are all certain that the Iranians would have done the same for us if one of our fishing boats sprang a leak. You gotta love us Americans, always the first ones to return a favor! - zzb

Iranian Missiles Target Israel

Aljazeera.Net - Iran warns missiles can hit Israel: "Iranian officials have made a point of highlighting the Islamic state's military capabilities in recent weeks in response to some media reports that Israeli or US warplanes could launch air strikes to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities.

Iran last week said it carried out a successful test-firing of an upgraded version of its Shahab-3 medium-range ballistic missile. Military experts said the unmodified Shahab-3 was already capable of striking Israel or US bases in the Gulf.

"The entire Zionist territory, including its nuclear facilities and atomic arsenal, are currently within range of Iran's advanced missiles," the ISNA student's news agency quoted Yad Allah Javani, head of the Revolutionary Guards political bureau, as saying on Sunday." More...

Is there any doubt that we are fast approaching the end times now ? These statements from Iran today certainly are not designed to demonstrate their willingness to unilaterally give up their nuke program.

...The entire Zionist territory, including its nuclear facilities and atomic arsenal, are currently within range of Iran's advanced missiles...

It makes one wonder if the nuclear standoff between US and USSR during the cold war era under the doctrine of Guaranteed Mutual Distruction will not evolve between Israel and a nuke enabled consortium of Islamic Fundamentalist States? Will that be the ultimate answer for co-existence in the Middle East? Think again. During all the years of the cold war the US and USSR did not overtly engage in terrorist acts against each other. Do we believe the same will really hold true in the middle east? Conflict over political ideology and strategic geo-political power between super-powers is NOT what we are talking about here ! Religious fanaticism and years of flat out hatred is. A set of factors that never really existed between the US and the USSR. Very dangerous times indeed! -- zzb

No Judo with a Jew !

Reuters News: ATHENS (Reuters) - Iran's world judo champion Arash Miresmaeili refused to compete against an Israeli Sunday, triggering a fresh crisis at the Olympic Games where race, creed or color are not allowed to interfere with sport !!!

The International Judo Federation (IJF) failed to agree how to deal with the politically explosive issue at an emergency meeting and said it would hold further talks Monday.

The burning issue was whether any penalty would hit Miresmaeili alone or the entire Iranian team.

"There has been no decision and we are considering this situation very carefully," said IJF spokesman Michel Brousse. More...

So much for the spirit of non political international freiendship in the 2004 Olympics. One has to wonder if the real issue was the prospect of being beaten by a jew in front of the world community was just too much for this follower of the "peaceful" religion of Islam to take. Instead, like his cowardly compatriots hidding in masques and other quasi-religious "sanctuaries" in Najaf Iraq, the yellow streak down the back is wider than most people give them credit for. The entire Iranian delegation should be expelled if they all support Miresmaeili.

Wildcards Not Too Soon to Tell

Sports Central | Sports Articles and Columns | MLB | Wildcards Not Too Soon to Tell:

It is clear that the best two clubs in MLB are the New York Yankees in the American League East and the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. Both hover around 10 games or more ahead of their nearest challengers, the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs, respectively. While New York has a much better home record than St. Louis, the Cardinals have excelled on the road.More...

Najaf Timebomb

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Talks collapse in Iraqi holy city: "Talks to disarm militants in the Shia Iraqi holy city of Najaf have broken down, the Iraqi government negotiator has announced."

Every day the stand-off continues, Moqtada Sadr and his men gain more support across the country, our correspondent says, not only from Shia Muslims including those who do not agree with his methods, but also from Sunnis. - BBC

Is anyone surprised? Keep an eye on this one over the weekend. There is a showdown coming up. Victory for the bad guys is the U.S. leave Iraq unprotected. Once we do, this government will fail, the fundamentalist terrorist element will gain full contol, Sunni /Shia cival war will break out, Iran will invade, U.S. will send troop buildups to Afganistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and possibly Isreal and the world will freak. Nostradamus where are you now ?

Marines Surround Sadr

Developing Story... Fighting intensifies and Sadr is surrounded by Marines and Iraqi forces. It is a matter of time that this cowardly bunch are given what they are looking for. Their 1000 virgins.

Taking cover behind walls and palm trees and supported by a column of tanks, American marines advanced through the holy city of Najaf yesterday, cornering the forces of Moqtada al-Sadr and the rebel leader himself in the revered Imam Ali mosque.
With their comrades crawling over roofs to take up firing positions, the men of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit claimed to have cleared the city of pockets of resistance.

Helicopters flew overhead and tanks lined one side of the city's huge cemetery, pressing the Mahdi army into a retreat to the shrine.

But the insurgents did not give up their ground without a fight.

"It's pretty standard. They'd push up here, fire off a few rounds, fire rocket-propelled grenades and then leave," said Capt Patrick McFall.

But for the American forces sweeping the city and the resistance offered by the retreating Shia fighters, witnesses described Najaf as a "ghost city" More...

Terrorists Hiding Behind Religion

Al-Darraji warned that if US occupation forces entered the Imam Ali shrine or tried to capture Muqtada al-Sadr, there will be bloodshed all over the country. US forces have been warned not to approach the Imam Ali shrine "We will not stay silent. We will liberate Iraq fighting under al-Sadr," he said. "I warn the US occupation forces if they approach Imam Ali shrine, Baghdad and all governorates will carry out operations to eliminate these forces," he said.

"The 'terrorist operations' committed in Iraq are terrible," al-Darraji said, referring to the attacks by the occupation troops."If they really want to do something other than talking, they should head towards Najaf and stop the gunfire" Abd al-Hadi al-Darraji, official spokesman for Muqtada al-Sadr "The 'non-Iraqi' government is responsible for every blood drop of al-Sadr movement and of all the Iraqis particularly in Najaf," he said. "We will continue fighting until the last drop of our blood, until the occupation forces pull out of the country dragging their tails behind them," al-Darraji said. "Our blood will pave the way for those who will liberate Iraq and protect the holy shrines and for those who have refused to disgrace themselves through collaborating with the occupation forces," he added.

What could be more cowardly than to hide behind a religion and cry sanctuary ! sanctuary!? After killing Iraqis, Amercias and peoples from all parts of the globe there to help free, rebuild and install a representative Iraqi government, this radical group hides in a mosque and cries sanctuary like children. Nothing more than cowards. I guess they identify with the Hunchback in Notre Dame. Watching the old Turner Classics eh ? Clearly a power struggle of Islamic Fundamentalists against any form of government that supports individual freedoms. Islamic forces will go in there, make a stand and the U.S. will provide air support. The world now sees them for what they really are. Come out and fight hand to hand with our Marines or surrender. Amnesty has been given, now the Iraqi gov't must follow through or loose all credibility. -- zzb

Kerry Flips Again ?

Just when you think you have this guy figured out... he throws you a curve ball. Now I could have sworn he said it was a bad thing to go into Iraq and that the President was reckless "... our nation should only go to war as a last resort..." so I guess this new statement means he believed it was the last resort? Then why didn't he vote for the buget to support the troops after his vote in Congress. Does he support the war or doen't he? This guy just doesn't know what side of this issue he is on. When in doubt, just keep us all guessing.

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. (Reuters) - Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry said on Monday he would have voted for the congressional resolution authorizing force against Iraq even if he had known then no weapons of mass destruction would be found.

Taking up a challenge from President Bush, whom he will face in the Nov. 2 election, the Massachusetts senator said: "I'll answer it directly. Yes, I would have voted for the authority. I believe it is the right authority for a president to have but I would have used that authority effectively."

Speaking to reporters from the Powell's Landing on the rim of the Grand Canyon above a mile-deep drop, Kerry also said reducing U.S. troops in Iraq significantly by next August was "an appropriate goal." More...

Iraq Cleric Vows Fight to Death Vs. U.S.

An insurgent group warned in a videotaped message it would launch a campaign of attacks on government offices in Baghdad, telling employees to stay away. Al-Sadr's militants also kidnapped a top Baghdad police official and demanded that their comrades in detention be freed.

In the city of Nasiriyah, 190 miles south of Baghdad, militants raided the local office of interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's Iraqi National Accord party, set it on fire and warned party members to leave the city, an assault captured on video obtained by Associated Press Television News. More...

Iraq and Iran: At it Again !

An Iranian diplomat has been kidnapped in Iraq, the Iranian embassy in Baghdad has confirmed.

The embassy said Fereidoun Jahani was seized on Wednesday as he travelled from Baghdad to the Shia Muslim holy city of Karbala, in central Iraq.

He had been due to start work there as the Iranian consul.

News of the abduction came as Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi made a surprise visit to nearby Najaf to order militants to disarm. More...

No doubt Iraq and Iran will be at it again. Now that the old regime is gone, there may be some old scores to settle. We suspect this is not the first or last incident we will hear about in coming days. Don't you find this twist interesting ? Iran will not doubt pursue nukes for fear of a permanent U.S. presence in Iraq during the next decade.

Aljazeera Muzzled ?

Aljazeera vows to cover Iraq despite closure"Aljazeera has vowed to continue its Iraq coverage despite the one-month closure of its Baghdad office announced by the Iraqi interim government on Saturday.

In a statement Aljazeera expressed regret for the unjustified move, and said it was contrary to pledges made by the Iraqi Government to start a new era of free speech and openness. " More...

A gag order on Aljazeera does not seem likely to last long from a new gov't supposedly dedicated to more freedom for it's people. The paradox is uncanny. - zzb

Mr. Bogus Purple Heart

Scripps Howard News Service: " Grant Hibbard, a U.S. Navy lieutenant commander and Kerry's direct supervisor for three months in 1968 and 1969 when Kerry commanded a five-man, 50-foot swift boat, said he never approved of the Purple Heart award for the wound Kerry received Dec. 6, 1968.

"He informed me of a wound," Hibbard said. But Hibbard said the wound he saw on Kerry's arm was so minor, "I basically said forget it, or words like that." More...

The truth will out. You can count on it. Sounds like one of Kerry's purple hearts may have been for a mosquito bite.

Coalition Support Nets Results

Aljazeera.Net - US alert over 'al-Qaida threat': "The alert increase resulted from a series of events that began with the capture of an al-Qaida computer engineer in Pakistan in mid-July, the New York Times reported on Monday.Pak"

The capture of this 25yr old Al-Qaeda operative is another sign that the coalition is closing in. The pressure needs to stay on disrupting their network and gaining as much intel as possible. Way to go Musharif and thank you Pakistan ! I don't understand why the Republicans don't vocalize these accomplishments. They need to focus more on the positive achievements.

United Press International: Analysis:Top Shiite condemns church bombs

United Press International: Analysis:Top Shiite condemns church bombs: "WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- The most significant voice raised in condemnation of Sunday's wave of bomb attacks on Christian churches in Iraq belonged to Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the Shiite Muslim leader.

'We denounce and condemn these terrible crimes,' Sistani declared in a statement Monday. 'We stress the need to respect the rights of Christians in Iraq and those of other religions, including their right to live in their own home, Iraq, in peace.' Sistani is considered the most authoritative cleric in Iraq's Shiite community comprising over 60 percent of the population. His quick reaction was seen as an attempt to distance mainstream Shiites from the bombings.

The bombings -- clearly coordinated -- were the first open attack on Iraq's Christian minority, although the community had been under mounting pressure for some time. So far, no group has claimed responsibility, but some Iraqi Christians had privately said Shiite fundamentalists could have been responsible."

It is about time the Islamic religious leaders began to speak out against this attrocity. Perhaps others will follow. It is hard to imagine that the mainstream muslim would condone these acts. We need to hear from the Al-Sader... let's see what he has to say.!

The New Crusade Has Begun

If this is not a religious war then what more evidence does one need to be convinced? Catholic churches bombed in Iraq today targeting innocent Iraqi civilians. The world is witnessing the lowest form of cowardly desperation. In separate violence, a suicide car bombing outside a police station in Mosul killed five people and injured 53, and three roadside bombs in Iraq killed four, including a U.S. soldier, and wounded six, police said. A drive-by shooting north of Baghdad late Sunday killed three police officers and wounded three others. What will be the Iraqi government's response ??

Yellow to Orange! Another Tense Week?

By Zardoz Z. Bachman

Today the North East undergoes a color change. From Yellow to Orange on the Terrorist Alert rainbow. NYC, Newark, NJ and Washington law enforcement are all concerned about terrorist attacks on major financial institutions in thsoe cities. By nature, the terrorist will always be at an advantage with respect to target choice and timing unless they have been truely infiltrated by undercover agents. We should all be concerned about back up plans and alternative targets now that this information has been spread across the mainstream media today. Would it be prudent for the the planner to play the meida attention to the hilt to maximize the fear factor, then striking at different targets in a coordinated fashion to undermine our confidence in our security intelligence and maximize the fear factor?

Also what better way to make the administration look foolish then to provide a major head fake and strike in a fashion that was not alerted to the public? Chicago, San Franciso and Boston financial areas would best be on the altert as well. Just imagine going to work as though everything is normal after listening to these news reports as Tom Ridge suggests! NYSE, Prudential, CitiGroup, World Bank and IMF employees, I hope you have nerves of steel.

The Homeland Security Secretary said there was credible information al-Qaeda planned to attack financial buildings ahead of November's presidential poll."This is not the usual chatter. This is multiple sources that involve extraordinary detail," Tom Ridge said.The International Monetary Fund and World Bank buildings and the New York stock exchange were among those named. - AP

Let's see what our politcal leaders are made out of. The partisan politics of the fall will be our undoing as a nation if we are not careful ! --zzb