Archive for June, 2006
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US President George W. Bush(R) and First Lady Laura Bush(L) welcome the Prime Minister of Japan Junichiro Koizumi during an official White House Arrival Ceremony at the White House in Washington, DC. Bush and Koizumi underlined their common vision on challenges like Iraq and North Korea to open their final White House summit.
AP: Bush Warns N. Korea Not to Test Missile
President Bush on Thursday warned North Korea not to test-fire a long- range missile, saying Pyongyang must tell the world its intentions for any launch.
“Launching the missile is unacceptable,” Bush said in an East Room news conference alongside Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
Bush said that he and the Japanese leader discussed concerns about what is loaded onto the missile and where North Korea intends to aim it. He asked for “a full briefing” from the North Koreas about their intentions.
“There have been no briefings as to what’s on top of the missile. He hasn’t told anybody where the missile’s going,” the president said in a reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. “He has an obligation, it seems like to me and to the prime minister, that there be a full briefing to those of us who are concerned about this issue as to what his intentions are.”
The world has been treading water for days while Kim Jong-Il decides what do do with his seemingly fueled
 Taepodong-2.
How long can this missile remain fueled on its launch pad? A few more weeks?
Answer: Depends whether the missile has been completely fueled.
Kim Jong-Il has been given the ultimatum to stand down.
Will the United States preemptively attack the missile should a launch be imminent? Or await and attempt an interception?
Picture released on June 16 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il. North Korea has offered the United States talks on its missile launch plans, indicating it might put off a flight test that has raised tension and drawn sharp international warnings.
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Previous:
North Korea Watch: United States Warns North Korea About Talks “BLUFFâ€
North Korea Watch: President Bush – North Korea Should Tell World of Their INTENT
North Korea Watch: Senators Hagel and Luger Call for Direct North Korea Talks – Rule Out Preemptive Strike
North Korea Watch: Director of the Missile Defense Agency Henry Obering Confident of North Korean Missile Interception
North Korea Watch: Former Vice President Mondale Supports Preemptive Strike Against North Korea
Michael Ramirez on Missile Defense
North Korea Watch: SM-3 Block IA Interceptor Missile SUCCESSFULLY Fired in Thursday’s Test
North Korea Watch: United States Says “NO†to Direct Talks
North Korea Watch: Direct Talks with the United States?
North Korea Watch: Korea Says it “Is NOT Bound†by Missile Test Ban
North Korea Watch: United States Activates Missile Defense Shield – Part 2
North Korea Watch: United States Activates Missile Defense Shield
North Korea Watch: North Korea Threatens to “Mercilessly Wipe Out†US Forces In Case of War
North Korea Watch: North Korea Close to Test Firing Taepodong-2 Missile – Capable of Reaching Mainland United States
North Korea Watch: North Korea Denies Reported Plans to Test-Fire a Long-Range Missile Capable of Reaching the U.S. Mainland
North Korea Watch: Preparing to Launch A Long Range Ballistic Missile?
North Korea Watch: North Koreans Can and Have Made a Few Nuclear Devices
North Korea Harvesting More Plutonium for Nuclear Weapons
North Korea Warned
Technorati Tags: NorthKorea, KimJongIl, MissileDefenseAgency
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A pedestrian passes the New York Times building in April 2006 in New York City.
Washington Post: Bush Seeks to Use Media Leaks to His Advantage
President Bush rallied Republicans with another attack on the media last night, in remarks that highlighted efforts at the White House and on Capitol Hill to gain momentum from recent disclosures about classified programs to fight terrorism.
Senior administration officials say the president was outraged by articles in the New York Times and other newspapers about a surveillance program in which the U.S. government has tapped international banking records for information about terrorist financing. But his comments at a Republican fundraiser in a St. Louis suburb yesterday, combined with new moves by GOP congressional leaders, showed how both are working to fan public anger and reap gains from the controversy during a midterm election year in which polls show they are running against stiff headwinds.
The Washington Post can spin the public’s outrage with the press on the disclosure of the secret SWIFT progam any way it wishes, but, the outrage is real and originates not by the President but by the public/voters. The House will introduce, debate and vote on House Resolution 895 today.
The text of the resolution is here.
The GOP resolution, sponsored by Rep. Michael G. Oxley (Ohio), also states that “the disclosure of the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program has unnecessarily complicated efforts by the United States Government to prosecute the war on terror and may have placed the lives of Americans in danger both at home and in many regions of the world.” It “condemns the unauthorized disclosure of classified information by those persons responsible and expresses concern that the disclosure may endanger the lives of American citizens.”
The resolution does not name the New York and Los Angels Times. However, the strategy of the House GOP appears to make the Democrats go on the record against illegal leaks of classified material and side with the New York and Los Angeles Times or President Bush’s and the GOP’s criticism. A wedge vote that WILL be used in the Fall House elections.
The Democrats are already backing away from criticism of the press but instead resumed its attacks on President Bush and the GOP.
“This is all so people don’t realize what else is going on,” especially in Iraq, said Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), who is heading his party’s efforts to regain control of the House in the November elections. “This is disingenuous of both the White House and House Republicans.”
US President George W. Bush gestures as he speaks during a fundraiser for the re-election campaign of Sen. Jim Talent , R-MO, at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton, MO. Bush said Wednesday that there was “no excuse” for news accounts last week that gave details of a secret program to track and disrupt terrorism financing
Hugh Hewitt has The House Should Defeat H.R. 895. Maybe the Senate Will Represent the People?
The question before the Congress, the one on which the House –inexplicably, and to the shame of the GOP majority there, has apparently punted– is did the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times injure the war effort by assisting terrorists in avoiding capture?
All the rest is posturing.
The resolutions in both House and Senate are being brought forward because of the stories from Friday.
Not referencing the stories is clearly understood by observors to be an acknowledgment that these papers are privileged in a way soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are not: They get to make mistakes, and not be called to account.
If the House and Senate don’t call them to account, and with specificity, these papers and others will repeat their behaviors.
I just don’t see how a civilian could vote for a non-specific resolution and look a military man or woman –or the family of one of the fallen– in the eye and say: “We spoke for you. We voted a non-specific resolution of condemnation of various behaviors that might hurt the war effort and lead to the escape of terrorists from justice.”
What a horrible joke. What an insult to the military. What a terrible insult to the fallen.
The House should defeat Resolution 895, and its serious members demand a real rebuke to the scribblers who endanger the effort.
And the United States Senate should not commit a similar error.
202-224-3121.
Flap agrees with Hugh that H. Res. 895 is “WEAK SAUCE.” Is this the best the House can do?
NOPE
Should the resolution be defeated?
NOPE
The resolution is better than NOTHING – but not much better.
The debate will be lively and interesting to see if the Democrats concur or take up the sword for the New York Times.
Stay tuned …….
Patterico weighs in with Support House Resolution 895Â
Flap would vote for the resolution but it IS “weak sauce” and misses the point on condemning the egregiously disgraceful conduct by the New York and Los Angeles Times. Bill Keller and Dean Baquet have made poor judgment calls and this resolution will not hold them accountable.
But, Flap likes the idea of making the Democrats vote against their ideological friends in the MSM – if they dare.
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Previous:
Global War on Terror Watch: House Resolution 895
Global War on Terror Watch: Michael Gerson Shames Media for Revealing SWIFT Anti-Terror Program
Global War on Terror Watch: Piling on the New York Times?
Global War on Terror Watch: GOP House Leadership to Introduce Resolution Condemning New York Times for Publishing the Secret Details of SWIFT Bank Data Anti-Terrorism Program
Global War on Terror Watch: Eric Lichtblau of the New York Times Explains SWIFT Scoop
Global War on Terror Watch: Dean Baquet – Why the Los Angeles Times Published the Secret Details of SWIFT Bank Data Anti-Terrorism Program
Global War on Terror Watch: United States Treasury Secretary Snow Responds to Bill Keller of the New York Times
Global War on Terror Watch: President Bush Condemns Disclosure and Publishing Details of SWIFT Anti-Terrorism Finance Program
Los Angeles Times Watch: Patterico and Danziger Dump the Los Angeles Dog Trainer
Global War on Terror Watch: Dear Mr. Keller – Why?
Global War on Terror Watch: New York Times Publishes Secret Details of SWIFT Bank Data Anti-Terrorism Program
Technorati Tags: HughHewitt, LosAngelesTimes, NewYorkTimes, GlobalWaronTerror, SWIFT, MichaelOxley, DavidDreier, PatRoberts, EltonGallegly
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G8 Foreign Ministers meet in Moscow June 29, 2006.
Reuters: G8 tells Iran to reply next week to nuclear offer
The Group of Eight industrialized nations told Iran on Thursday to give a “clear and substantive response” next week to an offer by major powers over its nuclear program.
Iran has still not said whether it will accept a package of incentives given to it on June 6 by the five permanent, veto-wielding U.N. Security Council members — the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia — and Germany.
The United States has accused Iran of having a secret program to build nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the charge, saying its nuclear program is solely for power generation.
A statement issued by the G8 foreign ministers said: “We are disappointed by the absence of an official Iranian response to this positive proposal.
“We expect to hear a clear and substantive response to these proposals at the planned meeting of (EU foreign policy chief) Javier Solana …. and (Iranian negotiator) Ali Larijani on July 5 and to bring these discussions to a rapid conclusion”.
The statement came after talks between U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and foreign ministers from Russia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Britain who were in Moscow to prepare for a G8 summit next month.
A July 5 deadline for Iran. Look for an ANY opportunity for Iran to stall since the centrifuges continue to run at Natanz.
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said that Iran must reply to an international plan for resolving the standoff over Tehran’s nuclear programme before the G8 summit in two weeks
The French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy was optimistic in his comments earlier today.
“We expect their reply before July 15,” Douste-Blazy said during a visit to Moscow for talks with other foreign ministers from the Group of Eight.
“It seems clear to me that Iran will say yes. Then there will be negotiations,” he said.
“If the response is negative between now and July 15, then it is clear that the international community will be firm and that in particular we will continue what we have begun in the (UN) Security Council,” he added, referring to discussions over potential measures against Iran.
“It is necessary to create conditions for a return to negotiations,” he said.
Also in Moscow Thursday EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana confirmed he would soon meet Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, probably next Wednesday.
Solana, who is meeting with G8 foreign ministers in Moscow, said he would “probably meet July 5″ and that the talks would be “in Europe, probably in Brussels.”
Flap is not as optimistic. Iran will now bloviate about being “ordered” to respond and there will be demonstrations in the streets of Tehran.
On the nuclear incentives, Tehran has said it will respond by August 22. The United States and the European Union have suggested they would like a response before the G8 summit on July 15-17.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Jiang Yu also urged Iran on Thursday to respond “as soon as possible” to the offer.
Will the P-5-plus-1 be able to enforce a deadline?
Doubtful
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (L) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during the welcoming ceremony in Moscow. Foreign ministers of the Group of Eight (G8) countries have stepped up pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme as Moscow seeks to prevent next month’s G8 summit becoming a magnet for criticism of Russia’s democratic credentials.
Stay tuned……..
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Previous:
Iran Nuclear Watch: Germany Can Accept Iranian Uranium Enrichment?
Iran Nuclear Watch: G-8 Foreign Ministers to Nudge Iran?
Iran Nuclear Watch: Britain to Iran – No Talks About Talks
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Says NO
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Faces Gas Rationing
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Urges Patience
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Repeats Threat to Use Oil As a Weapon
Iran Nuclear Watch: Uranium Enrichment Halt Not a Precondition to Negotiations And Not EVER
Iran Nuclear Watch: Uranium Enrichment Halt Not a Precondition to Negotiations
Iran Nuclear Watch: President Bush Rejects August Iranian Response to Big 6 Proposal
Cox & Forkum: Forked Tongue
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Accuses the United States of Pushing Europe Away from Compromise
Iran Nuclear Watch: President Ahmadinejad – Big 6 Proposal a “Step Forwardâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Would “Use Nuclear Defense†If Threatened
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Sends Mixed Signals on Big 6 Proposal?
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei REJECTS Suspension of Uranium Enrichment
 The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.
Technorati Tags: Iran, MahmoudAhmadinejad
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Posted by Flap in Day By Day
Day By Day by Chris Muir
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Technorati Tags: DayByDay, ChrisMuir
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Posted by Flap in ACLU
If it is a tool we use in the fight against terror one can bet that the ACLU will be against it. When the NY Times revealed classified information that we are trying to track international phone calls of suspected terrorists, the ACLU took that ball and are still running with it. When the NY Times leaked classified information that we are trying to track international bank transactions in order to catch terrorists the ACLU jumped on board with that too. If the NY Times doesn’t leak it to everyone, the ACLU will do its best by filing freedom of Information Act requests.
In the face of suspicions that the government is using cutting-edge brain-scanning technologies on suspected terrorists being held overseas or at home, the American Civil Liberties Union today announced that it has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with all the primary American security agencies.
“There are certain things that have such powerful implications for our society — and for humanity at large — that we have a right to know how they are being used so that we can grapple with them as a democratic society,†said Barry Steinhardt, Director of the ACLU’s Technology and Liberty Project. “These brain-scanning technologies are far from ready for forensic uses and if deployed will inevitably be misused and misunderstood.â€
I know that the ACLU claim to be the experts on rights, but I’m not sure where they found this “right to know†every secret government program used in a time of war. This must be one of those rights the ACLU made up out of thin air. Furthermore the ACLU’s leap that it would be inevitable that the program would be misused and misunderstood is pure biased opinion on their part.
Here is a brief description of the program.
FMRI is a technique for determining which parts of the brain are activated by different types of physical sensation or activity, such as sight, sound or the movement of a subject’s fingers. This “brain mapping†is achieved by setting up an advanced MRI scanner in a special way so that the increased blood flow to the activated areas of the brain shows up on Functional MRI scans. (See here for a description of the physiology of the BOLD response.) The whole FMRI process will now be briefly described.
The subject in a typical experiment will lie in the magnet and a particular form of stimulation will be set up. For example, the subject may wear special glasses so that pictures can be shown during the experiment. Then, MRI images of the subject’s brain are taken. Firstly, a high resolution single scan is taken. This is used later as a background for highlighting the brain areas which were activated by the stimulus. Next, a series of low resolution scans are taken over time, for example, 150 scans, one every 5 seconds. For some of these scans, the stimulus (in this case the moving picture) will be presented, and for some of the scans, the stimulus will be absent. The low resolution brain images in the two cases can be compared, to see which parts of the brain were activated by the stimulus.
After the experiment has finished, the set of images is analyzed. Firstly, the raw input images from the MRI scanner require mathematical transformation (Fourier transformation, a kind of spatial “inversionâ€) to reconstruct the images into “real spaceâ€, so that the images look like brains. The rest of the analysis is done using a series of tools which correct for distortions in the images, remove the effect of the subject moving their head during the experiment, and compare the low resolution images taken when the stimulus was off with those taken when it was on. The final statistical image shows up bright in those parts of the brain which were activated by this experiment. These activated areas are then shown as coloured blobs on top of the original high resolution scan, for interpretation of the experiment. This combined activation image can be rendered in 3D, and the rendering can be calculated from any angle. (See here for a brief overview of GLM analysis.)
Now why would the public need to know about this and debate it? This kind of information is for our elected officials to decide, and our enemies don’t need to know about it.
Back to the ACLU…
The most likely technology to be used for anti-terrorism purposes is Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), which can produce live, real-time images of people’s brains as they answer questions, view images, listen to sounds, and respond to other stimuli. Two private companies have announced that they will begin to offer “lie detection†services using fMRI as early as this summer. These companies are marketing their services to federal government agencies, including the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, the National Security Agency and the CIA, and to state and local police departments.
“This technology must not be deployed until it is proven effective — and we are a long way away from that point, according to scientists in the field,†said Steinhardt. “What we don’t want is to open our newspapers and find that another innocent person has been thrown into Guantánamo because interrogators have jumped to conclusions based on a technology no one understands very well.â€
Who does the effectiveness of the program have to be proven to? If it has to be proven to the ACLU it would never happen. If the companies that have developed the technology are providing this service to the government as a useful means they are staking their reputation on its effectiveness. The ACLU admit that they don’t understand it well. Who would better understand it than those that developed it?
The ACLU’s FOIA requests were filed yesterday with the Pentagon, NSA, CIA, FBI and Department of Homeland Security.
“These brain-scanning technologies have potentially far-reaching implications, yet uncertain results and effectiveness,†said Steinhardt. “And we are still in our infancy when it comes to understanding the underlying processes of the brain that the scanners have begun to reveal. We do not want to see our government yet again deploying a potentially momentous technology unilaterally and in secret, before Americans have had a chance to figure out how it fits in with our values as a nation.â€
The Uncooperative Blogger says:
I say let’s experiment on terrorist, what better testing ground can you ask for? The ACLU has become just plain ridiculous, and they are not working in the best interest of our country. The New York Times, the leakers and the ACLU, who I refer to as the American Communist Liberation Union, are killing us in the war on terror!
So, what are we going to learn from an FOIA request? That they are using what I just told you about? Gee, that will be very helpful to the American people won’t it?
I’d just like to know how the ACLU would have us handle the war on terror. It seems they want us to fight the killers with kid gloves. If someone can name me one anti-terrorist program our government has implemented that the ACLU has approved of we might have a debate. I can’t think of one. If we are to fight the war on terror the way the ACLU wants we might as well just go ahead and surrender.
Bill O’Reilly is right on target.
The anti-Bush crew, led by The New York Times and the ACLU want civilian trials for terrorists, no coerced interrogation, no rendition for terrorists to other countries, no war in Iraq, and on and on. As I opine, The Times and other committed left media believe the Bush administration — and not the terrorists — is the primary danger to this country.
Thats ironic, because every once in a while I think it is the ACLU and far left that pose more of a danger to America.
This was a production of Stop The ACLU Blogburst. If you would like to join us, please email Jay or Gribbit. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll. Over 200 blogs already on-board.
Technorati Tags: ACLU
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Hugh Hewitt: Congressman Oxley’s Resolution
Congressman Michael Oxley, Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, is said to be poised to introduce a resolution on the Times Two stories assisting the terrorists in eluding capture.
Let’s hope it is as tough as Sgt. Boggs’ letter.
Who will step up in the senate?
The resolution is now up on the House Rules Committee Page: H.Res 895 and can be viewed here.
Read it ALL……
Weak sauce and pathetic.
And it does not even mention the New York or Los Angeles Times.
Congressman David Dreier, Chairman of the House Rules Committee and Congressman Oxley should be ashamed of themselves.
Flap said yesterday that Senator Pat Roberts needed some COJONES. The same applies to Representatives Dreier and Oxley.
Give them a phone call.
David Dreier: 202 225-2305
Michael Oxley: 202 225-2676
Call your Congressman/woman. The House telephone directory is here.
Tell them to condemn the New York and Los Angeles Times for betraying America’s national security.
Tell your representative to NAME NAMES.
Flap has already called Representatives David Dreier and Elton Gallegly, my Congressman.
Call them……..
From N.Z. Bear, a suggestion: Rewrite the resolution and send us both the new language.
Better yet: Call Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Boehner and tell them to give us a real resolution tomorrow or ask them why not?
Speaker Hastert: 202 225-2976
Majority Leader Boehner: 202 225-6205
Call them!
Speaker Hastert said today, “Loose lips kill American people”
Declaring that “loose lips” kill Americans, a top congressional Republican leader said on Wednesday the House of Representatives would debate a resolution condemning the U.S. media for exposing details of secret intelligence programs.
The move heaps more criticism on The New York Times and other newspapers that reported last week on a secret program by the U.S. Treasury Department that monitors private bank records in an effort to track terrorist organizations.
“What we’re talking about is people who are leaking classified information. It’s not news. It’s classified information our government is using to fight terrorists,” said House Speaker Dennis Hastert, of Illinois.
“Loose lips kill American people,” he added.
A floor vote is scheduled for Thursday, said a spokesman for House Majority Leader John Boehner.
Call Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Boehner tomorrow. Tell them you want a resolution the names the New York and Los Angeles Times in the body of the resolution. INSIST ON IT!
Flap knows you will be glad you did……..
Previous:
Global War on Terror Watch: Michael Gerson Shames Media for Revealing SWIFT Anti-Terror Program
Global War on Terror Watch: Piling on the New York Times?
Global War on Terror Watch: GOP House Leadership to Introduce Resolution Condemning New York Times for Publishing the Secret Details of SWIFT Bank Data Anti-Terrorism Program
Global War on Terror Watch: Eric Lichtblau of the New York Times Explains SWIFT Scoop
Global War on Terror Watch: Dean Baquet – Why the Los Angeles Times Published the Secret Details of SWIFT Bank Data Anti-Terrorism Program
Global War on Terror Watch: United States Treasury Secretary Snow Responds to Bill Keller of the New York Times
Global War on Terror Watch: President Bush Condemns Disclosure and Publishing Details of SWIFT Anti-Terrorism Finance Program
Los Angeles Times Watch: Patterico and Danziger Dump the Los Angeles Dog Trainer
Global War on Terror Watch: Dear Mr. Keller – Why?
Global War on Terror Watch: New York Times Publishes Secret Details of SWIFT Bank Data Anti-Terrorism Program
Technorati Tags: HughHewitt, LosAngelesTimes, NewYorkTimes, GlobalWaronTerror, SWIFT, MichaelOxley, DavidDreier, PatRoberts, EltonGallegly
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