The Right State

There are some things that defy all explanation, other than a misleading survey. Take the new survey CNN just released which states that only 43% of the American people believe the US is safer now than before 9/11. This is just idiotic. Of course we are safer, the military forces of the United States has taken out two countries that sponsored terrorism: Afghanistan and Iraq. Since 9/11, there has not been one terrorist attack which has been carried out against this country.

There is a troubling aspect to this poll and that is CNN is providing the data in a very misleading way. While it is true that 43% think the US is safer than before 9/11, it far outpaces the other responses. 32% say we are as safe while 25% say the US is less safe. Taken together this poll would show that 75% of the American people believe we are at least as safe. The CNN headline could have just as easily said, “Only 25% of Americans believe they are less safe now than before 9/11.” But then that would not have been newsworthy, at least to them.

Compare the answer of 43% with the question which asks respondents if they are worried about the US being attacked in the next few weeks. 54% said yes. Although a whopping 65% do not believe they or someone in their family would be a victim of terrorism. Its like asking some of these people if going to New York’s Central Park was safe and lets for the sake of argument lets believe most say no. When asked if they or their family felt safe in Central Park, they would answer, yes. Just bringing up the idea of a terrorist attack scares people, but not to the point where they worry about their own safety.

Why the dichotomy? In reality most people do not think the US is in danger. In fact they rarely think about terrorism until a pollster calls.

Additionally 55% said the war in Iraq has made them less safe. What this poll shows is that the American people are being misled by the Mainstream Media. The constant carping on how the US is in danger because of the war in Iraq has tilted the numbers. Otherwise the numbers do not match up with the people who say they or their families are not in danger.

Consider another poll by CNN. This one asks if they think Osama bin Laden is planning another attack against the US? M at Unhack the Brain calls polls like those by CNN, stupid.

Poll: Most think bin Laden planning another U.S. attack

… why stupid? It is a self-fulfilling prophecy in disguise. It is more a measure of how well the media is spreading the scare of an attack than anything which predicts an attack. It is manipulative because most people are not thinking of an attack by bin Laden until the poll shows up. It is stupid because what the public thinks in terms of whether bin Laden is planning one has nothing to do with whether he is planning one. Indeed, it can be presumed that he always is planning another attack! BTW, the following (IMHO) is inaccurate as most in the headline:

source: … Seventy-four percent of the 1,033 adult Americans polled said they believe an attack is being planned, according to the poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of CNN.

… 74% is a large percentage, but is not most. 95% could be called most!

CNN is a joke. For years I have called them the Clinton News Network. (I don’t know where I heard this first, so I can’t give credit) Obviously CNN has an agenda, destroy this President. When the President’s poll numbers start dropping, they produce one poll after another which have the effect of driving down his numbers. When they poll people about the war or their safety, excessive polling drives down numbers.

I don’t believe most fear for their safety until a pollster starts asking questions designed to produce a desired response. A doctor once told me, “Whatever you do, do not scratch your nose.” My nose had not itched in years until he said don’t scratch it. Then it itched like crazy. Many of these polls have the same response, forcing people to think about something they would not normally have thought about. And most do not think they are in danger from terrorism, that is until they are asked.

Either way, CNN owes the American people an apology for pretending to be a real news network. Their biased news coverage is one reason their viewership has fallen so drastically in the last few years. This poll says one thing about CNN, expect more of the same.

Tags: Terrorism, Bias by Chuck
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Is there any wonder MSNBC is at the very bottom of the rankings of the cable news networks, especially when there are still anchors like extreme liberal Chris Matthews on?  I do not watch any MSNBC programs, but I ran across the text of an interview Van Taylor had with Chris Matthews and Paul Hackett.  Taylor is currently trying to unseat Democrat Chet Edwards from Waco, Texas in US Congress TX-17.  The liberal bloggers are saying Taylor was out of his league.  After reading the text, I disagree.  Taylor was on message, was knowledgeable, and held his own even when he was rudely interrupted by both Matthews and Hackett.  The MSNBC anchors came across as biased, rude, shallow, ill-informed, and extremely partisan.

Matthews starts off the program with a short dialog, wrong of course, but I include it to show how far to the left Matthews and his program has turned.

CHRIS MATTHEWS, MSNBC ANCHOR:  You know a Republican is in a political state of mind when he starts talking about the Democrat Party, Democrat Party.  Those are fighting words meant to tick off the Democrats, stir up Republicans.  Two weeks before Labor Day, the country‘s top Republican wants a tussle.  He wants to fight any Democrat who takes on his Iraq policy.  You talking to me?  I‘m never leaving Iraq.  Let‘s play HARDBALL.

Good evening I‘m Chris Matthews and welcome to HARDBALL.  At his press conference Monday, President Bush drew a partisan line in the sand on the war in Iraq, saying that withdrawing troops would be a disaster with this dire warning.

Huh?  How is saying withdrawing troops would be a disaster drawing a partisan line?  If you’re the great Chris Matthews, you don’t need to explain yourself.

Then they show a video clip with MSNBC correspondent David Shuster who gets his facts all messed up.

BUSH:  Imagine a world in which Saddam Hussein was there stirring up even more trouble in a part of the world that had so much resentment and so much hatred that people came and killed 3,000 of our citizens.

SHUSTER:  The problem is that none of the 9/11 hijackers were Iraqis.

BUSH:  What did Iraq have to do with what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  The attack on the World Trade Center.

BUSH:  Nothing except for its part of—and nobody has ever suggested in this administration that Saddam Hussein ordered the attack.

SHUSTER:  But before the war, President Bush himself suggested Iraq was involved.

No, President Bush never said that.  Osama bin Laden said he attacked the US because we had troops in Saudi Arabia.  We had troops in the Saudi Kingdom because of Saddam Hussein.  Shuster is being incredibly deceitful.  He twisted around Bush’s words to make his own point.  No wonder people do not trust MSNBC.

Chris Matthews bias shines through when he introduces Van Taylor as a Congressional Candidate while Paul Hackett is introduced as an IRAQ WAR VETERAN.  Van Taylor is also an Iraq War veteran, so why wasn’t he introduced the same way?  Maybe Hackett should have been introduced as ‘Paul Hackett, Failed Congressional Candidate.’  The point is, MSNBC is trying to make a point by influencing their viewers.

This is a typical statement by Paul Hackett.

HACKETT:  Chris, if I may interject—if I may interject, Chris, Van obviously doesn‘t understand the war on terror.  Where is Osama bin Laden?  Where is the 6‘2” white robe-dressed, left-handed Arab who is walking around in Pakistan or Afghanistan?  That was the war against those who attacked us on our soil.

War on terror?  I mean, that‘s a ridiculous soundbite.  Terror, as you know, Van, is a military strategy.  It‘s not a philosophy.  You are not going to defeat a strategy.  You are going to defeat a philosophy.  And if you want to defeat it, you have to address what compels those people to sacrifice their lives and kill innocent women and children.

No wonder Hackett lost his Congressional election in Ohio.  This is the liberal mantra, we just have to understand what it is that offends these people.  That way we can stop doing it and they will not attack us anymore.  What rubbish.

After reading the whole transcript, Chris Matthews and Paul Hackett come across as shallow, hide your head in the sand, cut-and-run Democrats.  As Matthews was saying goodbye to Hackett, he fawns all over him, telling Paul he needs to run for office again.  Chris just tells Van goodbye.  MSNBC’s low ratings are well deserved.  The behavior of Chris Matthews has ensured it.

Van Taylor came across as knowledgeable.  A review of just a couple of statements by Van Taylor will illustrate this fact.

TAYLOR:  Al Qaeda is trying to foment an insurgency in Iraq.  We have got to secure our country against terrorists and they are attacking us right now, U.S. forces are risking their lives fighting al Qaeda terrorists that seek to destroy our country and our way of life.  We have got to do whatever it takes to finish the job in Iraq and make sure that we give a secure country to our children.

TAYLOR:  OK, we have got to win the war on terror.  Al Qaeda is a vicious terrorist organization.  They are seeking to destroy our way of life.  They have come to this country.  They have attacked us.  They are attacking U.S. forces in Iraq.  They have attacked U.S. forces around the world.  They‘ve got to be dealt with.  You cannot put your head in the sand.  You cannot walk away.

Van Taylor is a guy who understands the problems with Iraq and knows what is at stake, our security and our freedoms.  We definitely need to be supporting Van Taylor over Chet Edwards in the Congressional election, the stakes are too high to make a mistake now.

Tags: President Bush, Democrats, Bias, Iraq, Politics, War by Chuck
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Is there any wonder many Republicans do not like John McCain?  Laura at the Wide Awake Café says “I’m sure my children grew up thinking that “jerk” meant the rude person who drove his car right into my parking place……..

I have a new definition for jerk now: John McCain.”

McCain claims he is a Republican, but on several occasions he has acted more like a Democrat stabbing his party in the back.

The White House on Wednesday was playing down a remark from Republican Sen. John McCain a day earlier in which he said the Bush administration had misled Americans into believing the Iraq war would be “some kind of day at the beach.”

McCain, a longtime defender of the war, said he still does not believe it’s wise for the U.S. to start withdrawing forces from Iraq, but the administration should have been more forthcoming about the challenges the military would face there.

“I think one of the biggest mistakes we made was underestimating the size of the task and the sacrifices that would be required,” McCain said. “Stuff happens, mission accomplished, last throes, a few dead-enders. I’m just more familiar with those statements than anyone else because it grieves me so much that we had not told the American people how tough and difficult this task would be.”

The problem?  President Bush never made these comments.  He has consistently told the American people that this war would be long and difficult.  McCain is well aware of this fact.  He is playing to the crowd.  When a Republican starts acting like a Democrat, we are all in trouble.  We have heard the same old song and dance from the cut-and-run Democrats for three years now.  It is not any more believable now than it was back then.

McCain is a certified war hero having fought in the Vietnam war.  Consequently he was shot down and spent several years as a POW.  By everybody’s admittance, we did not know what we were getting into when we took over for the French after losing the Battle of Dienbienphu.  Our mindset was formed by the ‘domino theory’ that one country falling to communism would lead to another.  But in Iraq, things are different.  We had intelligence data from all over the world which said Saddam was developing WMDs.  We know he did have them at one time and have no evidence he destroyed them.  We know he harbored and supported terrorists.  And we know if we left Iraq today, Iran would take over.  So to say that the President mislead the country is misleading at best, deliberately lying at worst.  Iraq is not Vietnam and yet McCain acts as if it was.

The Arizona Senator must on some level believe that attacking the President on the war like a Democrat will help him win the Presidency in 2008.  But if he keeps attacking George Bush, he doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of winning the Republican Presidential Primary, much less the Presidency.  He claims that leaving Iraq now would be even more dangerous.  Come on Johh, you can not have it both ways.  For a long time John McCain has snubbed the Republican Party becoming a media darling in the process.  Only lately has he become more ‘conservative.’  In the end the Senator may see Republicans snub him.

Tags: Iran, Democrats, Terrorism, History, President Bush, Politics, Iraq, War by Chuck
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I am feeling old.  I just read through Beloit College’s Mindset List which features a list of things kids graduating in 2010 take for granted.  Some of my favorites include:

1. The Soviet Union has never existed and therefore is about as scary as the student union.

6. There has always been only one Germany.

7. They have never heard anyone actually “ring it up” on a cash register.

9. A stained blue dress is as famous to their generation as a third-rate burglary was to their parents’.

14. The Moral Majority has never needed an organization.

15. They have never had to distinguish between the St. Louis Cardinals baseball and football teams.

19. “Google” has always been a verb.

20. Text messaging is their email.

23. Bar codes have always been on everything, from library cards and snail mail to retail items.

24. Madden has always been a game, not a Superbowl-winning coach.

27. There has never been a “skyhook” in the NBA.

36. They have rarely mailed anything using a stamp.

56. They have never put their money in a “Savings & Loan.”

63. Television stations have never concluded the broadcast day with the national anthem.

75. Professional athletes have always competed in the Olympics.

Now, not only do I feel old, I am depressed too.  How things have changed!

Hat tip: Fox News

Tags: Culture by Chuck
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Iran is playing games with the UN, the United States, and the European Union.  The question remains, do we have the guts to stand up to them and demand they obey international law.

Iran said Tuesday it was ready for “serious negotiations” on its nuclear program, but a semi-official news agency reported the government was unwilling to abandon nuclear enrichment — the key U.S. demand.  (emphasis added by TRS)

Wow!  Now that is negotiation.  Iran waits until the UN deadline to stop producing nuclear material before telling the world, “We are ready for real negotiations whenever you are.”  Do they really think we are that stupid?  Forget that question.  Obviously they do think we are that stupid, otherwise they would not have told us they were ready for serious negotiations.

At the end of WWII, Japan tried the same stunt.  They continually stalled all negotiations by asking for clarifications, adjusting minor points, and by making unacceptable counter offers.  Once the Truman administration realized Japan was not seriously considering any of the administrations proposals, the decision was made to drop the atomic bomb on select Japanese cities to end the war with a minimum of casualties.  Japan did not think the US was serious in their negotiations; a mistake which cost them dearly in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Iran is playing the same type of game, believing the US is a paper tiger and too tied up in Iraq and Afghanistan to do anything about its nuclear program.  Right now the US has plenty of time to let diplomacy take its course, something we could not do with Japan in 1945 since we were at war.

The game Iran is playing is dangerous to them, to us, and to the rest of the world.  Unfortunately the rest of the world can not see the dangers posed by one of the members of the ‘Axis of Evil.’  We have fought two world wars in which this nation has had to pull Europe’s chestnuts out of the fire.  In this world of integrated societies, it remains difficult for the US to maintain the space provided by the oceans separating us from other nations.  So instead of being able to withdraw from world affairs as we would like to do, we forced to interpose ourselves in Europe’s, Asia’s and Middle Eastern affairs.  9/11 showed us just how small the world really is and how we can never truly withdraw from it.  Once again the world turns to us to fight evil, right wrongs, and save the world.  That way they can criticize us when things do not turn out just right or when other nations complain about our heavy-handedness.

And within the United States we have our own ‘fifth column’ while we are fighting the world’s wars.  The Democrats are all too happy take swipes at the President as he is conducting a war, bashing our troops and accusing them of all manor of atrocities while they are in harm’s way, and siding with our enemies in this crucial war.  They are willing to sacrifice long term security for short-term gain.  Their goals are no secret, they want power.  To them, the world’s problems like dealing with Iran can wait.

This brings us back to what we can do about Iran, given the political situation in the world and in the United States.  It looks like China, Russia and France may not back us on placing sanctions on Iran.  Once again the United States and their stalwart ally Great Britain must be prepared to face the dangers posed by Iran alone, if need be.  And once again we will have sacrificed our blood and capital to bring down a danger the rest of the world, including our own ‘fifth column,’ is too scared or too weak to face.  If we do not face Iran now, starting with economic sanctions, the problem will only grow.  The world almost waited too late in determining Germany was a danger, we do not need to wait as long with Iran.

Tags: Democrats, Terrorism, Iran, History, Politics, War by Chuck
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There is every indication that Iran is anxious for a fight, any kind of fight to show the world they are a force to be reckoned with.  But I to believe Iran just wants to flex their new found muscles is rather shortsighted.  They have much grander plans than just prestige on the world stage.  They believe they are destined to conquer the world.

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has already indicated a willingness to destroy one of our best friends in the Middle East, Israel, when he admitted his country was arming Hezbollah.  Currently he is thumbing his nose at the world community when the UN asked them to abstain from trying to acquire nuclear weapons.  Ahmadinejad has insisted his country is not trying to make nuclear weapons, but Iran’s religious leaders insist they have the right to these kinds of weapons.

Under the provisions of the Non-Proliferation Treaty Iran has an obligation to not try to acquire nuclear weapons.  The obligations of both nuclear nations and non-nuclear weapons are quite clear.  Iran is supposed to open its nuclear facilities and promise not to make or buy nuclear weapons.

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, also referred to as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), obligates the five acknowledged nuclear-weapon states (the United States, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, France, and China) not to transfer nuclear weapons, other nuclear explosive devices, or their technology to any non-nuclear-weapon state. Non-nuclear-weapon States Parties undertake not to acquire or produce nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices. They are required also to accept safeguards to detect diversions of nuclear materials from peaceful activities, such as power generation, to the production of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. This must be done in accordance with an individual safeguards agreement, concluded between each non-nuclear-weapon State Party and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Under these agreements, all nuclear materials in peaceful civil facilities under the jurisdiction of the state must be declared to the IAEA, whose inspectors have routine access to the facilities for periodic monitoring and inspections. If information from routine inspections is not sufficient to fulfill its responsibilities, the IAEA may consult with the state regarding special inspections within or outside declared facilities.

The United States and Great Britain have taken their obligations seriously.  Thus far Russia, China, and France have been reluctant to upholding theirs.  The UN Security Council is great at issuing threats but is very weak when it comes to enforcement.  This is all because of the unwillingness of the weak-kneed three to hold countries accountable.  As a result Iran seems to believe they can do anything they want with the Security Council unwilling to act.  It is particularly disturbing that Iran has decided to forgo any inspections.

Diplomats close to the U.N. nuclear watchdog said its inspectors were denied access to an underground site under construction where Iran plans industrial- scale production of enriched uranium, adding to the tensions.

A senior diplomat said blocking inspectors this way could be a violation of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty since the U.N. inspectors have a right to verify design information during the construction of a nuclear facility.

If the UN had any guts, they would immediately place sanctions on Iran for this breach.  Instead I expect more wringing of their hands with more promises of aid and more threats of sanctions.  But these threats will be without teeth.  Iran continues to insist they are trying to develop nuclear energy, but western countries are dubious since they are the fourth largest exporter of oil in the world.

Like anybody who studies this part of the world, all of what Iran is doing must be taken in together.  Iran is a haven for terrorists, funds terrorism, and exports terror around the world.  Hezbollah has killed more Americans than any other terrorist group other than al-Qaeda.  They are aiding and arming Hezbollah’s activities in southern Lebanon against Israel.

Iran appears to be actively trying to acquire nuclear weapons.  Ahmadinejad has continually thumbed his nose at the world community, denied the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) admittance to Iranian nuclear facilities in violation of international law.

Iran has also been testing apparently upgraded military, and is now conducting war games.  As a strong regional power, I am sure they were emboldened by Israel’s failure to do much harm Hezbollah.  Israel would be Iran’s greatest threat if war broke out.

And lastly, Iran has begun to use its military to bully others.  Syria is already under the thumb of Iran as a puppet state.  And today comes word that Iran has attacked a Romanian oil rig off the coast.

A Romanian oil rig off the coast of Iran came under fire from an Iranian warship and was later occupied by Iranian troops, a company spokesman said.

The Iranians first fired into the air and then fired at the Orizont rig, said GSP spokesman Radu Petrescu. Half an hour later, troops from the ship boarded and occupied the rig and the company lost contact with the 26 crew members shortly afterward.

Iran is a particularly dangerous country.  Their ambitions will not stop at the water’s edge or with their neighboring countries.  They feel they are destined to be the leader of all of the Middle East.  The mullahs want to bring about a new Islamic state covering and uniting all of the Middle East.  The Iranian mullahs have already expressed a willingness to bring about war in order for the ‘new mullah’ who would conquer the world to come forward.  These are people who want to bring about the Apocalypse.

The world community needs to wakeup.  Iran is dangerous; dangerous to their neighbors and dangerous to the world.  Terrorism and nuclear weapons are only a part of the problem.  The mullah’s ambitions include the whole world.  There will be others falling to the Iranians unless the world community acts and quickly.  Even if Iran temporarily puts off their nuclear plans, the danger is far from over.  Iran is at the very center of the Global War on Terror.

Tags: Terrorism, Iran, War by Chuck
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There is an old saying I heard from my grandfather many years ago concerning change.  He would say, “The more things change, the more things stay the same.”  His point was that as we continue down the path of life, things seem to go in circles.  For instance we as a nation are horrible at history.  (That is not fair to us since the Europeans are as guilty at this oversight as we are)  As a result of our shortsightedness, we repeat the same mistakes over and over again.  Many in the US did not see the threat Germany posed to the security of the entire world until it was almost too late.  Today many Americans do not see terrorism as a threat to the world.  Penraker has a great post comparing our reluctance to enter World War II with our reluctance to enter the GWOT.

Right up to December 7th, 1941, America First and Charles Lindbergh maintained a very popular campaign to keep us out of war.

They were very clear: We had no business meddling in Europe’s business. Let them all go to hell over there. We don’t need to be involved. Besides, Lindbergh reasoned, it was all because of the British and the Jewish influence in the country that we were even considering being involved at all. It sounds an awful lot like the arguments that we hear today.

Isn’t that the truth.  Read the rest, it is a great comparison between our entry into these two wars.

Tags: History, War by Chuck
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For eighteen years Joe Lieberman has been a Senator.  He rose to national prominence when Al Gore picked the Connecticut Democrat to be his running mate for the 2000 Presidential election.  Joe has been a ‘good’ Democrat having voted against George Bush 92% of the time (I would call anyone who votes against the President 92% of the time an obstructionist) Then we were attacked on 9/11 and Joe Lieberman did the unthinkable.  He supported President Bush in his attack on Saddam Hussein and still supports it today.  But supporting the President in a time of war is unpopular with rank-and-file Democrats, so he Joe lost the Democratic Primary to single issue anti-war candidate Ned Lamont.  Throughout all of this Lieberman has shown remarkable tenacity and has decided to run for the Connecticut Senate as an Independent.  Leftist Democrats like John Kerry have come out against his decision to run for the Senate as an Independent.

The run to the left fringe continues for failed presidential candidate John Kerry.  The Massachusetts liberal went full scale on the attack against Connecticut US Senator Joe Lieberman on Sunday when he appeared with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos.

According to a report on the ABC web site, Kerry accused the 2000 Democratic vice presidential candidate of “adopting the rhetoric of Dick Cheney,” on the issue of Iraq.

Just when I thought Joe Lieberman was showing some guts in supporting the war in Iraq specifically and the Global War on Terror generally, the Senator starts this ‘me too’ nonsense.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, attacked by fellow Democrats as being too close to the White House on the Iraq War, on Sunday called on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign but said the United States cannot “walk away” from the Iraqis.

Democrats have earned their reputation as ‘cut-and-run Democrats.’  The lone exception to this rule was Joe Lieberman who saw the war in Iraq for what it was, a small piece of the GWOT.  As the Democrats turned against the war, the Main Stream Media obediently followed.  As the MSM began to toe the Democratic Party line, the American public who were only allowed to see the bad in Iraq began to buy into the ‘we can not win in Iraq’ mantra.  Joe’s primary loss to Ned Lamont was one of the results and seemed to have scared the Senator.

Not everyone is buying Lieberman’s change in positions.  Even Ned Lamont found the Senator’s newfound position on Iraq hard to swallow.

“His new found ‘criticism’ of the war won’t convince Connecticut voters after so many years of stubbornly rubber-stamping Bush’s failed policies,” the statement said.

What happened to the Senator’s renown independent streak?  Where are his guts?  I guess he is afraid of losing his seat in the Senate if he continues to unconditionally support the war.  While I did not like the old Lieberman very much, I dislike the new Lieberman even more.

Tags: Democrats, President Bush, Bias, Politics, War by Chuck
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Germany’s security bubble has just burst. They thought they had covered all their bases in their efforts to appease the same Islamofascists who hate America. For years German politicians have blasted the United States as a way of achieving office. They opposed sending troops into Iraq. They have opposed the US on just about everything. And they, along with much of Europe, have refused to get serious with the terrorist groups in their own countries.

All of this changed with the arrest of a 21 year old engineering student from Lebanon for trying to bomb the German rail system.

“The terrorist threat has never before come so close to us,” Wolfgang Schäuble, the Interior Minister, said. Police patrols on railway stations have been stepped up but the scale of the problem — 5,700 railway stations and 4.3 million passengers a day — makes it impossible to impose the security measures being put in place in airports in Britain and elsewhere.

The suspect, identified only as Youssef Mohammed E, is accused of being at the heart of a plot to blow up two regional trains simultaneously on July 31. Investigators say that only a flaw in the construction of the propane gas bombs prevented a disaster.

What the German people do not seem to understand is the Islamic terrorists hate Germany because who they are. Germany is a rich, western, democratic and free society; the embodiment of everything the Islamofascists hate. The terrorists hate Germany because Germany is not an Islamic state. They hate Germany because German women do not cover themselves.

Another words, the terrorists hate everything about Germany. So they might as well get on board with the United States and fight the terrorists where they are. Spain has learned this lesson as has Australia and Great Britain, the Islamists want to destroy the west. Thus far, Great Britain and Australia have been great partners in this Global War on Terror while we fight the terrorists where they live. Germany would serve its people well if they also joined in this fight.

War has been declared on the west, we can either chose to fight or we can ignore the problem, or we can give in. Until now, Germany has chosen to ignore the problem, but you can be sure the Islamists have not. Ignoring the problem is suicide.

Hat tip: Captain’s Quarters

Tags: Terrorism, War by Chuck
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Maybe I shouldn’t be, but I am amazed at the disconnect of the Lebanese people towards Hezbollah and why this war started.  Since the fighting stopped between this terrorist group and Israel, civilians have begun streaming back to what were once their homes.  In many places where their houses or apartmants once stood now stands a mountain of rubble.   But don’t expect these displaced civilians to blame Hezbollah for anything, because in their minds, the trouble is all the fault of Israel and the United States.

“We will kill every American for this!” Dr. Mansour shouted, his voice cracking with rage. “Every Shiite Muslim will kill Americans! We will grind them under our shoes!” (snip)

Around the couple, thousands of others streamed back on Monday into the ruined streets, where smoke and the smell of rotting flesh rose from the rubble. Some cursed America and Israel and swore revenge; others simply wept. Most said that before they returned, they had no idea of the scale of the destruction in this area, which includes many Hezbollah offices.  (emphasis added by TRS)

“Why did they bomb here?” asked a 60-year-old woman in a black-and-white head scarf who gave her name only as Umm Abdullah. “So that people would turn against Nasrallah and the resistance?” referring to Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader. “But that will never happen. Whatever happens, we could never hate the resistance. They’re part of our blood, they’re our children.”

Why did Israel bomb the apartment buildings?  Duh!  The IDF bombed their living areas because that is where Hezbollah was.  Somehow the Lebanese people do not understand this one simple fact.  While Hezbollah may be a relief organization and a political group to many of the Lebanese people, they can not be blind to the terrorist acts of this same group.  Most of the civilized world recognizes Hezbollah for what they are: terrorists.  And these terrorists are a bunch of cowards hiding behind the skirts of women and children and they should be treated as such by the Lebanese.  When they hid among the civilians to conduct their attacks, of course the civilian areas are going to be targeted.  Remove the terrorists and there would not be any bombing of the civilian areas.  It’s that simple.

The war started because of the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers.  During the war Hezbollah specifically targeted civilian areas.  They were trying to kill as many civilians as they possibly could.  Israel tried to minimize civilian casualties.  The only problem with the battle is that Hezbollah started a war that Israel did not finish.  Of course it should also be remembered that this was a war largely fought by Israel ham-strung by its own rules of engagement and by a terrorist group who is not above using civilians as human shields.  But for the Lebanese people to blame Israel for all the destruction is ludicrous when Hezbollah should share a large portion of the responsibility.

I would not expect this attitude of the Lebanese to change.  In fact the stature of Hezbollah has risen during the fighting.   If the fighting starts up again, even more homes occupied by both terrorists and civilians will be targeted for destruction.  Only this time I do not expect Israel come into this fight with the same rules of engagement it used last time.  I would imagine the next time these two meet in battle, the IDF will fight Hezbollah much more aggressively.

Sometimes bad things happen in war, civilians killed, homes destroyed, and infrastructure demolished.  Even worse things happen when one of the combatants fights while hiding among the civilians.  For this the Lebanese people should either blame Hezbollah or their government. Neither one has served them very well.

Tags: Terrorism, War by Chuck
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