THE US, THE UN AND THE IRAQIS THEMSELVES, V. 7.0

It's not an anti-american mindset; it's anti-this administration, which has already shown themselves to be liars and manipulators.

2 THE FOUNDATION OF THE NEW TERRORISM
2.1 A DECLARATION OF WAR
In February 1998, the 40-year-old Saudi exile Usama Bin Ladin and a fugitive Egyptian physician, Ayman al Zawahiri, arranged from their Afghan headquarters for an Arabic newspaper in London to publish what they termed a fatwa issued in the name of a "World Islamic Front." A fatwa is normally an interpretation of Islamic law by a respected Islamic authority, but neither Bin Ladin, Zawahiri, nor the three others who signed this statement were scholars of Islamic law. Claiming that America had declared war against God and his messenger, they called for the murder of any American, anywhere on earth, as the "individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it."1

Three months later, when interviewed in Afghanistan by ABC-TV, Bin Ladin enlarged on these themes.2 He claimed it was more important for Muslims to kill Americans than to kill other infidels. "It is far better for anyone to kill a single American soldier than to squander his efforts on other activities," he said. Asked whether he approved of terrorism and of attacks on civilians, he replied: "We believe that the worst thieves in the world today and the worst terrorists are the Americans. Nothing could stop you except perhaps retaliation in kind. We do not have to differentiate between military or civilian. As far as we are concerned, they are all targets."

Though novel for its open endorsement of indiscriminate killing, Bin Ladin's 1998 declaration was only the latest in the long series of his public and private calls since 1992 that singled out the United States for attack.
In August 1996, Bin Ladin had issued his own self-styled fatwa calling on Muslims to drive American soldiers out of Saudi Arabia. The long, disjointed document condemned the Saudi monarchy for allowing the presence of an army of infidels in a land with the sites most sacred to Islam, and celebrated recent suicide bombings of American military facilities in the Kingdom. It praised the 1983 suicide bombing in Beirut that killed 241 U.S. Marines, the 1992 bombing in Aden, and especially the 1993 firefight in Somalia after which the United States "left the area carrying disappointment, humiliation, defeat and your dead with you."3

Bin Ladin said in his ABC interview that he and his followers had been preparing in Somalia for another long struggle, like that against the Soviets in Afghanistan, but "the United States rushed out of Somalia in shame and disgrace." Citing the Soviet army's withdrawal from Afghanistan as proof that a ragged army of dedicated Muslims could overcome a superpower, he told the interviewer: "We are certain that we shall-with the grace of Allah-prevail over the Americans." He went on to warn that "If the present injustice continues . . . , it will inevitably move the battle to American soil."4

Plans to attack the United States were developed with unwavering single-mindedness throughout the 1990s. Bin Ladin saw himself as called "to follow in the footsteps of the Messenger and to communicate his message to all nations,"5 and to serve as the rallying point and organizer of a new kind of war to destroy America and bring the world to Islam.

Ican, You know we disagree on the fundamental issue of what a lie is.[

McTag wrote:

From my standpoint now, I look on this current administration as your author Al Franken does when he wrote "Dude, Where's My Country?" in that I do not recognise the former USA in today's version. I consider this invasion as a crime, and America to be very mis-led.

I consider this an insult. Neither I, nor the majority of my countrymen recognize Al Franken as our spokesperson.

....Now, once you reconcile yourself to this simple truth you have little choice but to admit that the United States is head and shoulders above any and all of history's alpha's in terms of benevolence. So distasteful is such an admission to you to that you've gone to great lengths to avoid it. Even in your catch up round when you cited the question, you still avoided the answer.

Here's a shot of downtown Fallujah. What do you think McTag?

Great point Fox. That could be a poor market street practically anywhere on earth. I've seen worse, in 3 countries, all richer than Iraq and I've hardly traveled at all.

Marines recover, bury enemy remains in Fallujah
Submitted by: 1st Force Service Support Group
Story Identification #: 2004121815626
Story by Lance Cpl. T. J. Kaemmerer

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Dec. 17, 2004) -- On the northern edge of the city where Marines poised for their overwhelming attack a little over a month ago, they were still hard at work - putting the enemy fighters in their final resting place.

With the body count from Operation Al Fajr still on the rise and raging battles ensuing about a mile away, the last of more than 460 bodies collected from fighting in Fallujah were placed in graves December 11, 2004, by 1st FSSG's Provisional Mortuary Affairs Company.

Fallujah not ready for return of civilians: US military
Web posted at: 12/18/2004
Source ::: AFP
NEAR FALLUJAH: Ongoing fighting between US marines and insurgents in the former rebel bastion of Fallujah makes the imminent return of residents announced by the Iraqi government unlikely, US officers said yesterday.

"Enough supplies and basic services will be in place to start returns next week," the interim Iraqi government said on Thursday.

But a marine officer based outside the city, requesting anonymity, said that such a scenario "seems highly unlikely, if you consider that we are still fighting the rebels at this very moment".

Almost all of the city's 250,000 to 300,000 residents fled the city, 50km west of Baghdad, before and after the start of a massive US-led assault on Fallujah on November 8.

"We shouldn't plan on anything happening before the first of January, at best... the difficult thing being to discriminate between the civilians and the bad guys," said Marine Lieutenant Rex McIntosh.

The marines say they are distributing aid to the few families still remaining in the city, where the infrastructure is severely damaged, including water and electricity supplies.

Fallujah's houses are also largely in ruins, providing inadequate shelter as nighttime temperatures fall to below freezing.

In the nearby town of Karma, around 200 displaced residents of battle-scarred Fallujah demonstrated outside a mosque, demanding that they be allowed back to their homes.

"American forces out of Fallujah, families must return peacefully to their homes," read a tract handed out by the demonstrators.

Here's a shot of downtown Fallujah. What do you think McTag?

Baghdad Burning


... I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls can mend...

Saturday, December 18, 2004

Christmas Wishlist...
I have to make this fast.

No electricity for three days in a row (well, unless you count that glorious hour we got 3 days ago...). Generators on gasoline are hardly working at all. Generators on diesel fuel aren't faring much better- most will only work for 3 or 4 straight hours then they have to be turned off to rest.

Ok- what is the typical Iraqi Christmas wishlist (I won't list 'peace', 'security' and 'freedom' - Christmas miracles are exclusive to Charles Dickens), let's see:

1. 20 liters of gasoline
2. A cylinder of gas for cooking
3. Kerosene for the heaters
4. Those expensive blast-proof windows
5. Landmine detectors
6. Running water
7. Thuraya satellite phones (the mobile phone services are really, really bad of late)
8. Portable diesel generators (for the whole family to enjoy!)
9. Coleman rechargeable flashlight with extra batteries (you can never go wrong with a fancy flashlight)
10. Scented candles (it shows you care- but you're also practical)

When Santa delivers please make sure he is wearing a bullet-proof vest and helmet. He should also politely ring the doorbell or knock, as a more subtle entry might bring him face to face with an AK-47. With the current fuel shortage, reindeer and a sleigh are highly practical- but Rudolph should be left behind as the flashing red nose might create a bomb scare (we're all a little jumpy lately).

That picture, mind you, did not look as if it was taken this year. I've seen other pictures a bit different, where the stores were completely out of restraint gear or even S&M stuff. And windows, and walls.

Walter - I also read Riverbend. Just for purposes of clarity, let me remind readers here that there are some hundred or so blogs in the vein of IraqTheModel (those delightful dentists/brothers) living in Baghdad and roughly four blogs like Riverbend's that see nothing but the doom and gloom.

OCCOM BILL wrote:

McTag wrote:

From my standpoint now, I look on this current administration as your author Al Franken does when he wrote "Dude, Where's My Country?" in that I do not recognise the former USA in today's version. I consider this invasion as a crime, and America to be very mis-led.

I consider this an insult. Neither I, nor the majority of my countrymen recognize Al Franken as our spokesperson.

Insult schminsult. Bill, do you go round pretending to be Robert de Niro in front of mirrors? You know, "You talkin to me?"?

I happen to think, like Al Franken and close to 49% of your countrymen, that the country has taken a wrong turn in having anything to do with the policies of George Bush. If that insults you, go ahead, be insulted. I will keep my freedom of speech which GWBs illustrious predecessors helped win for me, thank you.

We elected George Bush for that job. I respect you for marching for your beliefs, but don't let A2K's liberal slant fool you: Neither I nor the majority of my countrymen agree with your reasons for doing it. We re-elected George Bush despite, and in part because, of you (and your ilk's) assumption that we were foolishly mislead. While you are recognizing everyone's right to dissent, you damn well better recognize the majority's right to agree with Bush's actions. While we are certainly less likely to be offended when you attack Bush & Co., instead of Americans in general, such attacks nonetheless are on us. "How can 300,000,000 people be so stupid?" is not a headline likely to win our hearts and minds, you know? I wonder if any other alpha's benevolence was ever taken for granted so often or easily as ours, let alone denied.

OCCOM BILL wrote:

You and Revel pretending that comparing alphas to alphas is irrelevant is akin to employees comparing what they would do if they were in charge, to the person who actually had the wherewithal to be in charge. You can't judge a CEO without comparing him to other CEOs. Stating that Jane from Human Resources or ANY other would-be leader might be better is what's irrelevant. ....Now, once you reconcile yourself to this simple truth you have little choice but to admit that the United States is head and shoulders above any and all of history's alpha's in terms of benevolence. So distasteful is such an admission to you to that you've gone to great lengths to avoid it. Even in your catch up round when you cited the question, you still avoided the answer.

You keep on with badgering people to give an answer in the form acceptable to you. A form of arrogance, IMO. Sometimes my answers are more interestion to me than following your prompts, straw men, and nonsequiturs. And sometimes, not too often mind, you ask a killer question. :wink:

Ican, You know we disagree on the fundamental issue of what a lie is.[

2 THE FOUNDATION OF THE NEW TERRORISM
2.1 A DECLARATION OF WAR
In February 1998, the 40-year-old Saudi exile Usama Bin Ladin and a fugitive Egyptian physician, Ayman al Zawahiri, arranged from their Afghan headquarters for an Arabic newspaper in London to publish what they termed a fatwa issued in the name of a "World Islamic Front." A fatwa is normally an interpretation of Islamic law by a respected Islamic authority, but neither Bin Ladin, Zawahiri, nor the three others who signed this statement were scholars of Islamic law. Claiming that America had declared war against God and his messenger, they called for the murder of any American, anywhere on earth, as the "individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it."1

Three months later, when interviewed in Afghanistan by ABC-TV, Bin Ladin enlarged on these themes.2 He claimed it was more important for Muslims to kill Americans than to kill other infidels. "It is far better for anyone to kill a single American soldier than to squander his efforts on other activities," he said. Asked whether he approved of terrorism and of attacks on civilians, he replied: "We believe that the worst thieves in the world today and the worst terrorists are the Americans. Nothing could stop you except perhaps retaliation in kind. We do not have to differentiate between military or civilian. As far as we are concerned, they are all targets."

Though novel for its open endorsement of indiscriminate killing, Bin Ladin's 1998 declaration was only the latest in the long series of his public and private calls since 1992 that singled out the United States for attack.
In August 1996, Bin Ladin had issued his own self-styled fatwa calling on Muslims to drive American soldiers out of Saudi Arabia. The long, disjointed document condemned the Saudi monarchy for allowing the presence of an army of infidels in a land with the sites most sacred to Islam, and celebrated recent suicide bombings of American military facilities in the Kingdom. It praised the 1983 suicide bombing in Beirut that killed 241 U.S. Marines, the 1992 bombing in Aden, and especially the 1993 firefight in Somalia after which the United States "left the area carrying disappointment, humiliation, defeat and your dead with you."3

Bin Ladin said in his ABC interview that he and his followers had been preparing in Somalia for another long struggle, like that against the Soviets in Afghanistan, but "the United States rushed out of Somalia in shame and disgrace." Citing the Soviet army's withdrawal from Afghanistan as proof that a ragged army of dedicated Muslims could overcome a superpower, he told the interviewer: "We are certain that we shall-with the grace of Allah-prevail over the Americans." He went on to warn that "If the present injustice continues . . . , it will inevitably move the battle to American soil."4

Plans to attack the United States were developed with unwavering single-mindedness throughout the 1990s. Bin Ladin saw himself as called "to follow in the footsteps of the Messenger and to communicate his message to all nations,"5 and to serve as the rallying point and organizer of a new kind of war to destroy America and bring the world to Islam.

10
WARTIME
10.3 "PHASE TWO" AND THE QUESTION OF IRAQ
…
Franks told us that he was pushing independently to do more robust planning on military responses in Iraq during the summer before 9/11-a request President Bush denied, arguing that the time was not right. (CENTCOM also began dusting off plans for a full invasion of Iraq during this period, Franks said.) The CENTCOM commander told us he renewed his appeal for further military planning to respond to Iraqi moves shortly after 9/11, both because he personally felt that Iraq and al Qaeda might be engaged in some form of collusion and because he worried that Saddam might take advantage of the attacks to move against his internal enemies in the northern or southern parts of Iraq, where the United States was flying regular missions to enforce Iraqi no-fly zones. Franks said that President Bush again turned down the request.79

Having issued directives to guide his administration's preparations for war, on Thursday, September 20, President Bush addressed the nation before a joint session of Congress. "Tonight," he said, "we are a country awakened to danger."80 The President blamed al Qaeda for 9/11 and the 1998 embassy bombings and, for the first time, declared that al Qaeda was "responsible for bombing the USS Cole."81 He reiterated the ultimatum that had already been conveyed privately. "The Taliban must act, and act immediately," he said. "They will hand over the terrorists, or they will share in their fate."82 The President added that America's quarrel was not with Islam: "The enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends; it is not our many Arab friends. Our enemy is a radical network of terrorists, and every government that supports them." Other regimes faced hard choices, he pointed out: "Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make: Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."83

President Bush argued that the new war went beyond Bin Ladin. "Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there," he said. "It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped, and defeated." The President had a message for the Pentagon: "The hour is coming when America will act, and you will make us proud." He also had a message for those outside the United States. "This is civilization's fight," he said. "We ask every nation to join us."84