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Iran Nuclear Watch: Winds of War – Talk of Military Action
Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz walks out from a news conference in Tel Aviv December 11, 2005. Mofaz warned the people of Iran on Saturday that their president would bring disaster and suffering upon them if he continued to call for the destruction of the Jewish state.
ASSociated Press: Talk of Military Action in Iran Standoff
Israel’s defense minister hinted Saturday that the Jewish state is preparing for military action to stop
Iran’s nuclear program, but said international diplomacy must be the first course of action.“Israel will not be able to accept an Iranian nuclear capability and it must have the capability to defend itself, with all that that implies, and this we are preparing,” Shaul Mofaz said.
His comments at an academic conference stopped short of overtly threatening a military strike but were likely to add to growing tensions with Iran.
There are a number of good pieces about military options vis a vis an Iranian invasion in order to deny them nuclear weapons capability.
The Case for Invading Iran by Thomas Holsinger
America has come to another turning point – whether our inaction will again engulf the world and us in a nightmare comparable to World War Two. This will entail loss of our freedom as the price of domestic security measures against terrorist weapons of mass destruction, though we might suffer nuclear attack before implementing those measures. The only effective alternative is American use of pre-emptive military force against an imminent threat – Iranian nuclear weapons, which requires that we invade Iran and overthrow its mullah regime as we did to Iraq’s Baathist regime.
From the Left: Will Iran Be Next? by James Fallows
This piece has a Powerpoint War Game Simulation with chilling findings, “So this is how the war game turned out: with a finding that the next American President must, through bluff and patience, change the actions of a government whose motives he does not understand well, and over which his influence is limited. “After all this effort, I am left with two simple sentences for policymakers,” Sam Gardiner said of his exercise. “You have no military solution for the issues of Iran. And you have to make diplomacy work.”
Our Darkening Sky: Iran and the War by Joe KatzmanI personally believe that we’re very likely to see at least 10 million dead in the Middle East within the next two decades, with an upper limit near 100 million. I do not believe pre-emptive action will be taken against Iran. I do, however, believe the extremist mullahs in Iran mean exactly what they say. They are steeped in an ideology that believes suicide/murder to be the holiest and most moral act possible. They have been diligent in laying strategic plans for an offensive Islamic War against Israel, America and the West. Plans backed by 25 years of action, and stated no less clearly than Mein Kampf. I believe that Ahmedinajad’s talk of 12th Imam end-times and halos around his head at the UN aren’t the ravings of an isolated nut, simply an unusually public (and unusually noticed) expression of beliefs that are close to mainstream within their ruling class. That class of “true believer” imams and revolutionary guard types have been quietly consolidating their control over all sectors of Iranian society over the last few months, and I do not believe anyone in the world today has both the will and the capability to stop them. A key pillar of The Bush Doctrine is about to fail.
At some point within the next decade, therefore, I believe that they will not only have nuclear weapons, but that they will act to make good on their stated beliefs and plans. With eventual “3 Conjectures” level results as noted above. I hope you’re all invested in solar, folks, and have some panels up on your houses.
It gets worse.
The Glittering Eye: Options on Iran II
In my predictions for 2006 I said that Iran would obtain a nuclear weapon in 2006 and we wouldn’t do much about it. I’m sticking to that.
Over the Christmas holidays I had a conversation on the subject of Iran with my very bright brother-in-law in which I was reminded that lots of people make little distinction among things that are physically impossible (things we can’t do), things that are politically impossible (things that are hard to do), things we shouldn’t do, and things we don’t want to do. They are different and there are quite a few things we can do about Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, it’s not completely clear (at least to me) that we should do any of them, and not one of them is particularly palatable.
Austin Bay Blog: More on the Uranium Mullahs
Jewish World Review: Iran’s mullahocracy is mortal threat
Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post: The Iran Charade, Part II
Winds of War are blowing in the Middle East.
Stay tuned……..
Previous:
Iran Watch: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – Challenges Europe to Take Back Jews in IsraelIran Watch: Winds of War – Iran President Meets Anti-Israel militants in Syria
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Moving Currency As Pre-Emptive Move
Jacques Chirac Watch: Threats May Spur Iran’s Nuclear AmbitionsJacques Chirac Watch: France Will Respond to Terrorism with Nukes
Iran Nuclear Watch: Mohamed ElBaradei Rejects EU Call to Condemn Iran at February IAEA Meeting
Iran Nuclear Watch: IEAE to Hold Emergency Iran Meeting February 2nd
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Scorns EU 3’s Draft Nuclear ResolutionIran Nuclear Watch: France Rejects Iran’s Request for More Talks on Nuclear Program
Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia and China Do NOT Support Sanctions Against IranThe Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image
Technorati Tags: Iran, Russia, China, SergeiLavrov, UnitedNations, UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil, ZhouWenzhong, NicholasBurns, EuropeanUnion, MahmoudAhmadinejad, ManouchehrMottaki, JacquesChirac, Chirac, France, Iran, Nuclearweapons, nuclear, AbdulQadeerKhan
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Samuel Alito Watch: Filibuster Likely?
Sen. John Warner , R-Va, right, greets Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito prior to their meeting on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006.
Robert Novak: Filibuster Alito?
Pressure from liberal activists to oppose confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court has been so intense that Democratic senators may be trapped into a filibuster that they do not want to wage.
Despite the consensus that Alito performed well in his confirmation hearings, leaders of liberal organizations opposing him — Ralph Neas, Nan Aron and Wade Henderson — demand that Democrats vote against him. Consequently, Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska is the only Democrat at this writing who has announced in Alito’s favor.
That means the number of senators voting “no” will be well over the 41 needed to prevent cloture. Pressure groups then could ask why no filibuster had been launched. But Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid may not want to risk causing Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist to set a precedent by using the “nuclear” option: to end a filibuster by simple majority vote.
The liberal special interests may indeed be pushing Reid to call a filibuster. But, will he call one if he does not have to votes to deny cloture? What would be the point and it would isolate those Senators breaking caucus ranks.
But, stranger strategy has prevailed from the left. A filibuster will be called if Reid has the votes to deny clotureand Flap thinks that he does.
Medford News: Oregon’s Wyden To Oppose Nomination Of Judge Samuel Alito To U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) released the following statement today announcing that he will vote against the nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court when it comes to the floor of the Senate…
California Yankee has Wyden story here: Wyden Makes Nine Senate Democrats That Oppose Alito
Oregon’s Senator Wyden announced that he will vote against the confirmation of Judge Alito. The Senate Democrats that have announced they will vote against confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court now numbers now numbers nine:
Baucus (MT), Durbin (IL), Feinstein (CA), Harkin, (IA), Kennedy (MA), Leahy (VT), Mikulski (MD), Salazar (CO) and Wyden (OR).
The California Yankee has a running tally on the Alito confirmation here.
Flap handicaps a filibuster likely with Bill Frist moving for a change of the U.S. Senate rules (Nuclear option).
The fanaticism of the Moonbat LEFT will require Democrat solidarity (except Ben Nelson).
The Republicans minus Chafee will NUKE the rules, confirm Alito by a party-line vote (with Nelson for and Chafee against).
Flap’s Handicap vote:
Senate Judiciary Committee
10 Yes (All Republicans)
8 No (All Democrats)
Filibuster with NO Cloture
Cloture Vote
55 Yes (All Republicans except Chafee and Nelson voting for)
45 No (All Democrats and Chafee)
Confirmation Vote
55 Yes (All Republicans except Chafee and Nelson voting for)
45 No (All Democrats and Chafee)
A partisan vote will allow Karl Rove and the RNC to run ads citing the unprecedented partisan obstruction (filibuster) of a well qualified appeals court judge.
Stay tuned…….
Previous:
Samuel Alito Watch: Leahy Will Vote NO on confirmation
Samuel Alito Watch: Democrat Senator WILL Vote for Confirmation
Michael Ramirez on Samuel Alito Confirmation HearingsSamuel Alito Watch: Democrats Force One Week Delay in Senate Judiciary Committee Vote
Samuel Alito Watch: Senator Dianne Feinstein Warns Against Filibuster
Technorati Tags: SamuelAlito, PatrickLeahy, SupremeCourt, RonWyden
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Canada Election Watch: Conservatives and Stephen Harper Headed for 24 Sussex Drive
Ipsos Poll: Harper Headed For 24 Sussex Drive
As the 39th general election enters its final days, it now seems almost certain that when the votes are counted on Election Day, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and his family will have a new home address at 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa as he becomes the new Prime Minister of Canada.
Good Bye to America hater and Adscam corrupt Prime Minister Paul Martin and his Liberal Party cronies.
The Numbers:
Conservatives (38%, +1 Point)
Liberals (26%, -3 Points)
NDP (19%, +1 Point)
Green Party (5%, Unchanged)
In Quebec:
Bloc Quebecois (46%, +3 Points)
Conservatives (27%, +6 Points)
Liberals (14%, -10 Points)
Seat Projection Model:
Conservatives 143-147
Liberals 59-63,
NDP 39-43
Bloc Quebecois 59-63
Change is coming to Canada on Monday.
Stay tuned…….
Previous:
Canada Election Watch: Polls Show Harper and Conservatives Near a MajorityCanada Election Watch: Tories Surge in Polls
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin Watch: Canada Blames U.S. for Gun ViolenceCanadian Prime Minister Paul Martin Watch: USA – Don’t Dictate to Me
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin Watch: C’EST LA VIE
Canadian Adscam Scandel: Canadian Government Falls on No-Confidence Vote
Technorati Tags: StephenHarper, PaulMartin, Canada, Conservative, Party, LiberalParty, Tories, CanadaAdscamScandal, Adscam
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Michael Ramirez on Hillary Clinton’s Plantation
Hillary Clinton Watch: Laura Bush – Plantation Remarks “Ridiculousâ€
Cox & Forkum: Hillary Clinton – House of Representatives Run Like a Plantation
Hillary Clinton Watch: House of Representatives Run Like a Plantation
Technorati Tags: HillaryClinton, AlSharpton, MartinLutherKingDay, plantation, HouseofRepresentatives
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Day by Day by Chris Muir
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Iran Watch: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – Challenges Europe to Take Back Jews in Israel
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attends a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad in Damascus January 19, 2006.
ASSociated Press: Iran’s leader challenges Europe to take back Jews in Israel
In a new attack on the existence of Israel, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has challenged Europe to take back the Jews who emigrated to Israel, adding that no Jews would remain in Israel if Europe were to open its doors.
Ahmadinejad delivered the challenge after arriving in Syria for a two-day visit on Thursday. Addressing Europe, he asked: “Would you open the doors of your own countries to these (Jewish) immigrants so that they could travel to any part of Europe they chose?”
“Would you offer the necessary guarantees that you would provide for their security when they came to your countries and not allow another anti-Semitic wave in Europe?” he added in an apparent reference to recent attacks on Jewish cemeteries and properties in European states.
Winds of War with Israel and the United States.
Ahmadinejad provoked an international outcries last year when he said Israel should be “wiped out” and that the Nazi Holocaust against Jews in World War II was a “myth.”
In his comments in the Syrian capital, which Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency reported Friday, Ahmadinejad forecast that the West would not answer the questions he had posed but would instead accuse him of “talking against global peace.”
He said Europe should welcome Jewish people to prove its sincerity in supporting people’s freedoms.
He added he was confident that no Jews would remain in Israel if European countries allowed them to immigrate.
Ahmadinejad left Syria late Friday to return to Iran.
Ahmadinejad is provoking Israel, but Israel is not taking the bait. And thumbing his nose at the European Union and particularly Germany.
War plans developing…….
Stay tuned……..
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad kisses the door of the shrine of al-Sayydah Zeinab, the grand daughter of Prophet Mohammed in al-Sayydah Zeinab district near Damascus, on Friday, Jan. 20, 2006. The Iranian President arrived in Damascus on Thursday on a two-day visit for talks with his Syrian counterpart.
Previous:
Iran Watch: Winds of War – Iran President Meets Anti-Israel militants in Syria
Technorati Tags: Iran, Israel, MahmoudAhmadinejad, Syria
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Bear Flag League Watch: The JAWA Report Celebrates Second Blogoversary By Fighting Terrorism
The JAWA Report: Jawa Report Helps Nab Would-be Terrorist (Blogoversary Surprise)
Two years ago today I started blogging by warning in my very first post, If you think this is offensive, just wait til I really get going! What a way to celebrate my blogoversary!!!
The long awaited moment has arrived that I can reveal some of the details of The Jawa Report’s involvement in the capture of a would-be terrorist. Some of you already know some of the details as I have talked about them from time to time in a cryptic manner. I don’t want to overemphasize our role in the wannabe terrorists capture, nor do I wish to claim that the man now in custody would have been able to accomplish his stated goal of building and detonating a nuclear bomb in the United States–clearly he did not have that capacity–but this website did play a role in his capture.
Congratulations to Dr. Rusty Shackleford and the JAWA Report, a proud member of the Bear Flag League on their Blogoversary.
Sweet job, Rusty!
Technorati Tags: JawaReport, BearFlagLeague, Dr.RustyShackleford,
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Iran Watch: Winds of War – Iran President Meets Anti-Israel militants in Syria
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (C) visits a Shi’ite Muslin shrine near Damascus, January 20, 2006.
Reuters: Iran president meets anti-Israel militants in Syria
Reuters: Israel accuses Iran and Syria over Tel Aviv bomb
The owner of a sandwich stand looks at his destroyed shop after a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv January 19, 2006.
Winds of War are blowing across the Middle East…….
Technorati Tags: Iran, Israel, MahmoudAhmadinejad, Syria
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Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Moving Currency As Pre-Emptive Move
Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, seen here in 2004. Iran may have received three shipments of sophisticated P-2 centrifuges capable of enriching uranium. One diplomat said there were reportedly three shipments of one centrifuge each from Khan’s black-market network in 1997.
The Winds of WarASSociated Press: Iran Moving Currency As Pre-Emptive Move
Iran is moving its foreign currency reserves out of European banks as a pre-emptive measure against any possible U.N. sanctions over its nuclear program, the Central Bank Governor said Friday.
Ebrahim Sheibani told reporters that Iran has started transferring the foreign currency reserves from European banks to an undisclosed location, the semiofficial Iranian Students News Agency reported.
Previous:
Jacques Chirac Watch: Threats May Spur Iran’s Nuclear AmbitionsJacques Chirac Watch: France Will Respond to Terrorism with Nukes
Iran Nuclear Watch: Mohamed ElBaradei Rejects EU Call to Condemn Iran at February IAEA Meeting
Iran Nuclear Watch: IEAE to Hold Emergency Iran Meeting February 2nd
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Scorns EU 3’s Draft Nuclear ResolutionIran Nuclear Watch: France Rejects Iran’s Request for More Talks on Nuclear Program
Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia and China Do NOT Support Sanctions Against IranThe Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image
Technorati Tags: Iran, Russia, China, SergeiLavrov, UnitedNations, UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil, ZhouWenzhong, NicholasBurns, EuropeanUnion, MahmoudAhmadinejad, ManouchehrMottaki, JacquesChirac, Chirac, France, Iran, Nuclearweapons, nuclear, AbdulQadeerKhan
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Peggy Noonan Watch: Decline of the Liberal Media Monopoly
The Tribune Company NYSE from Yahoo Finance.
Peggy Noonan writing in The Wall Street Journal, Not a Bad Time to Take Stock
Thoughts on the decline of the liberal media monopoly and the future of the GOP.I don’t think Democrats understand that the Alito hearings were, for them, not a defeat but an actual disaster. The snarly tone the senators took with a man most Americans could look at and think, “He’s like me,” and the charges they made–You oppose women and minorities, you only like corporations and not the little guy–went nowhere. Once those charges would have taken flight, would have launched, found their target and knocked down any incoming Republican. Not any more. It’s over.
Eleven years ago the Democrats lost control of Congress. Then they lost the presidency. But just as important, maybe more enduringly important, they lost their monopoly on the means of information in America. They lost control of the pipeline. Or rather there are now many pipelines, and many ways to use the information they carry. The other day, Dana Milbank, an important reporter for the Washington Post, the most important newspaper in the capital, wrote a piece deriding Judge Alito. Once such a piece would have been important. Men in the White House would have fretted over its implications. But within hours of filing, Mr. Milbank found his thinking analyzed and dismissed on the Internet; National Review Online called him a “policy bimbo.”
Could Democratic senators today torture Clarence Thomas with tales of Coke cans and porn films? Not likely. Could Ted Kennedy have gotten away with his “Robert Bork’s America” speech unanswered? No.
And the end of the monopoly of course isn’t only in the news, it’s in all media.
And now from Michelle Malkin and Patterico with the decline of the Tribune Company, the media parent and owner of such MSM as the Los Angeles Times.
Michelle Malkin: THE LA TIMES GOES DOWN, DOWN, DOWN
Today’s poor earning report follows several previous reports of declining circulation at the LA Times.
Memo to Tribune officers: shoving liberalism down your readers’ throats is not a good business straetgy.
Patterico: Tribune Company Revenue, Stock Value Down
Shares in Tribune Co. tumbled Thursday after the media company reported a 6.1% drop in revenue last month on declines in both its newspaper and television businesses.
. . . .
Revenue from the publishing unit, consisting of its newspapers, dipped 4.2% to $413 million from $431 million in December 2004. The company said about $6 million of that $18 million drop was due to the timing of Christmas on Sunday and the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma in Florida.
Advertising revenue in the publishing division fell 4.5% to $333 million, down from $349 million. The decline included a 5.2% decrease in retail ad revenue and a 9.6% decline in national ad revenue, mainly at the Los Angeles Times. Classified ad revenue edged up 2.5%.
Circulation revenue was down 3.5%, the company said, citing volume declines at most of its newspapers and selectively higher discounting.
Evidence of the continuing decline of MSM pulp newspapers. Will the decline continue at this pace?
Probably and WILL ACCELERATE as the baby boom pulp newspaper reading generation is replaced with computer literate new media readers.
Flap wonders if Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times business writer and blogger, will DELETE any more comments on his blog for posting the BAD CIRCULATION NEWS?
Technorati Tags: LosAngelesTimes, TribuneCompany, PeggyNoonan, WallStreetJournal, MichelleMalkin, Patterico, MichaelHiltzik