Iranian Forces Cross Iraq Border

They're just begging for a smackdown, but do we have the will to do anything?

Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces have been spotted by British troops crossing the border into southern Iraq, The Sun tabloid reported on Tuesday.

Britain's defence ministry would not confirm or deny the report, with a spokesman declining to comment on "intelligence matters".

An unidentified intelligence source told the tabloid: "It is an extremely alarming development and raises the stakes considerably. In effect, it means we are in a full on war with Iran -- but nobody has officially declared it."

"We have hard proof that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps have crossed the border to attack us. It is very hard for us to strike back. All we can do is try to defend ourselves. We are badly on the back foot."

The Sun said that radar sightings of Iranian helicopters crossing into the Iraqi desert were confirmed to it by very senior military sources.

In response to the report, a British defence ministry spokesman said: "There is evidence that explosive devices used against our troops in southern Iraq originated in Iran."

"Any Iranian link to armed militias in Iraq either through weapons supply, training or funding are unacceptable."

Hapless Goracle Blames Scientists for 'Crisis'

Expect this boob to hit overdrive as his silly concerts approach on July 7. All this time, we heard from the bloated Gore that scientists had reached a consensus and it was obvious we were all going to melt or be swept away by rising tides. Now that he's been exposed as a charlatan, the divinity school washout lashes out at scientists.

n an extraordinary outburst aimed at America's failure to tackle global warming, Al Gore says that if scientific agreement on the climate crisis had been reached sooner it would have been easier to "galvanise the public and persuade Congress to act".

The failed presidential candidate claims that the stronger scientific consensus he knew was about to emerge meant "we in the US were about to shift into high gear in addressing the climate crisis". Mr Gore argues that if he had made it to the White House, he would have been able to use the office as a "bully pulpit" to achieve change.

"The nature and severity of the climate crisis had seemed painfully obvious to me for quite a long time," claims Mr Gore, writing in a new foreword to a revised edition of his book, Earth in the Balance, being published this week.

In a swipe at the scientific community, he says: "I wish that we could have had in the 1990s the deafening scientific consensus that has emerged in more recent years."

Religion of Peace

Here's video of BBC reporter Alan Johnston outfitted with a suicide belt.



Also at LGF, Hot Air.

Where it's not: People's Revolutionary Republic of Koslamistan, PuffHo, MyDD . . . .

The True Democrat Speaks

Here's a gem from Soviet dictator Russian president Vladimir Paranoid while at the Balkan Energy Summit that was held in Zagreb, Croatia.

"Russian ecological standards are higher than those of our partners in other countries."

Higher ecological standards such as these, Kameraden?

The Dawn Compromise

Angela Merkel demonstrated her skills as a tough negotiator, as did Lech and Jaroslav Kaczynski.

Tony Blair turned into a French Poodle as Nicolas Sarkozy had no trouble out-smarting Blair.

The Czechs, Slovaks and Lithuanians subtly demonstrated that New Europe will be a force to be reckoned with.

But who really came out a winner from the EU's Brussels summit?

Europe's Marathon Talks Clinch a Deal
[....]

A showdown between Merkel and Kaczynski brought the summit to the brink of failure. Merkel heaped on the pressure by saying that she would launch treaty negotiations without Poland, but once a compromise deal was reached, she had to deal with other countries' resistance to what they felt had been too many concessions to Britain.

Once a deal was finally hammered out, all the heads of states pronounced themselves pleased. Polish President Lech Kaczynski praised the diplomatic skill and "solidarity" of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Tony Blair. Sarkozy said he had worked hand in hand with Merkel and described the deal as "good news for Europe." He said it was a key achievement to have struck a deal with Poland. "After all, we didn't want to leave the biggest country in Eastern Europe behind."

The agreement is crucial for the EU. After the collapse of the constitutional project, following its rejection by France and the Netherlands in 2005, the bloc was caught in a state of paralysis. But Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel had been determined to revive the plans to streamline the EU when Berlin took over the presidency in January. She has spent the past six months trying to hammer out a deal for a slimmed down treaty that could be accepted by all 27 members. And she finally succeeded. The member states have agreed to an intergovernmental conference which will give the deal a legal framework. The treaty will then be ratified by the member states and should come into force by 2009.

Poland Wins Concessions

As expected, the biggest hurdles to overcome were Poland and Britain. Poland felt that its role in the future European decisions would be diminished while bigger countries, in particular Germany, would have a greater say under the new "double majority" voting system. Under the new system, decisions made by the European Council will no longer be made unanimously but rather by a combination of 55 percent of EU states, which have to represent at least 65 percent of the total EU population.

In the run up to the summit Poland's undiplomatic rhetoric, including its repeated references to the Nazi occupation during World War II, shocked and enraged many EU leaders. Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski said Poland's population would have been much bigger than its current 38 million if it weren't for the fact that millions of Poles died during the war.

The compromise with Poland includes the postponement of the new voting system until 2014, and it will now not be fully implemented until 2017. In essence, it means the Poles can maintain their current level of influence in the EU for another 10 years. Under the current system Poland has 27 votes on the EU's decision-making council, compared with 29 for Germany, although its population is twice as big.

Warsaw was also offered pledges of solidarity in the event of any future energy crises, a major concern as Poland is dependent on Russia for much of its energy supplies. Indeed, German-Polish relations took a dramatic turn for the worse when former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder* signed a Baltic Sea pipeline deal in 2005 that bypassed Poland. The Poles felt Germany and the EU was ignoring their concerns about being over-reliant on Russia for energy supplies.

The agreement was only reached after a dramatic struggle the likes of which has not been seen at an EU summit for many years. Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who did not travel to Brussels, seemed to be calling the shots from Warsaw. When he rejected Merkel's first compromise offer, which included a delay to the voting system until 2014 and more seats for Warsaw in the European parliament, it looked as if Germany's dream of a summit success would end in tatters.

A Surprise Ultimatum

But Merkel's reaction was swift: She presented Warsaw with a surprise ultimatum, threatening to move ahead with the treaty without Poland. Her move was a gamble, with Poland's allies the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Slovakia rushing to defend Warsaw, but it prompted a last-minute rush of mediation and finally Poland was convinced by Blair, Sarkozy and Luxembourg Primer Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, who played the good cops to Merkel's bad cop. The German chancellor then presented her last offer to the Poles, and they accepted.

There's more.

*Just prior to leaving office, Gerhard Schröder signed a deal with Russia to build the Nord Stream pipeline. Shortly after leaving office, der Gerhard accepted a lucrative position with a consortium that is controlled by Russian energy monopoly Gazprom --- which is building the pipeline.

Did Blair Get A Hummer?

Tony Blair seems to be having some credibility problems.

Blair hands Brown an EU timebomb as treaty starts to unravel
Gordon Brown has been handed a constitutional 'booby trap' which will rob him of the power to block European interference in dozens of areas of national life, it was claimed.

In a Press conference, Tony Blair declared he had successfully defended Britain's interests in the marathon negotiations over a new 'constitution' for the EU.

But within hours Mr Blair's bold assertions were unravelling, as doubts were cast on crucial treaty clauses designed to safeguard our independent foreign policy and our right to opt out of the controversial Charter of Fundamental Rights.

------ ker-snip ------
Speaking in Brussels at his last ever Press conference as Prime Minister, an exhausted Mr Blair insisted Britain's so-called 'red lines' had not been crossed.

He said: "The four essential things we in the UK required to protect our position have all been obtained."

But a new analysis reveals that this claimed victory may be short-lived.

The UK had insisted on an amendment making clear that the EU's vaulting ambitions to develop its own foreign and security policy could not challenge the interests of national governments.

A 'declaration' was inserted into the footnotes of the treaty saying the 'responsibilities of member states' would not be affected.

However, this first and most important red line now looks less than secure after experts pointed out that in EU language a 'declaration' has limited or no legal power - it is merely a 'political aspiration'.

The treaty creates a new European foreign minister - or High Representative - who will have his own team of envoys and embassies. He will also chair meetings of EU foreign ministers.

Neil O"Brien, director of the Open Europe think-tank, said: "It is hard to see how in practice this will not undermine the freedom of manoeuvre for our own Foreign Secretary." Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "Tony Blair says he has safeguarded British foreign policy from EU interference, even though he has agreed to an EU diplomatic service which will mean EU embassies and an EU foreign minister by any other name.

"When you examine the small print, it is clear his so-called safeguards have no legal guarantees at all.

"This is typical of the Government's approach to negotiation on this vital treaty, which undoubtedly shifts power from Britain to the EU."

A second Blair red line was over the Charter of Fundamental Rights. During the Brussels negotiations, a special opt-out was secured that exempts British courts from this new European bill of rights.

However, European judges warn the opt-out could be subject to a legal challenge. Jacques Ziller, a professor of European Law, has described the British exemption as 'nonsense'.

Britain's third red line covered our right to veto EU decisions on tax and benefits. Mr Blair said there would be no hand-over of power in these areas.

But, under the treaty, Britain has ceded control in 52 separate areas of policy. Critics fear Brussels supporters of a super-state could use these new powers to introduce a common European social security policy by the back door.

According to Mr O"Brien, the first challenge could come over the rights of new migrants from within the EU to claim benefits.

The final red line was Britain's right to veto European plans on criminal justice. But the small print of the treaty revealed that Mr Blair had quietly agreed to relinquish our blocking vote on grandiose plans to create a European police force and public prosecutor.

However, Europe Minister Geoff Hoon, responding to criticism that the Government had failed to defend its own positions, said: "We have spent weeks ensuring that these provisions are watertight."

That's what was said about the Titanic.

See the comments.


Poll: Did Blair Sell Out Britain?

You Can Fool Some . . . .

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown insist that a referendum is unnecessary. Others are call the new EU constitution treaty a sham and are demanding that a referendum be held.

Gordon Brown was under growing pressure last night to hold a referendum on the new EU treaty.

Calls for a vote intensified after Ireland promised to give its people a say.

Irish Premier Bertie Ahern admitted the new treaty reproduced 90 per cent of the EU constitution rejected in 2005. Major constitutional changes are traditionally put to the vote in the Republic.

Tories seized on his remarks to step up demands for a vote on the deal struck by Tony Blair as one of his last acts as Prime Minister.

Their warnings that huge areas of sovereignty were being surrendered set the scene for the first big battle with a Brown Government.

Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said Ireland's announcement heightened the injustice to British voters.

He said: "It is now getting clearer and clearer that this is basically the constitution by another name.

Good thing you got that figured out so soon, genius.

"Large amounts of power have been transferred to Brussels and the Government has failed to safeguard Britain's interests.

"People in Britain will want to know, when Irish voters will decide for themselves, why Gordon Brown thinks British people do not have the right to have their say."

In its 2005 election manifesto, Labour promised a referendum on the planned constitution, drawn up the previous year. But the need for a poll disappeared when French and Dutch voters defeated the idea.

Mr Brown promised yesterday to listen to debate on the new treaty - agreed by EU leaders at 5am on Saturday after fraught negotiations - though he said he could see no reason for a vote.

Critics said it was increasingly clear Mr Blair had boxed in his successor by signing an agreement that would implement-almost all the controversial-constitution.

The Chancellor stepped in during the negotiations to insist that Mr Blair stopped France watering down the EU's commitment to free trade.


But analysts said the treaty would undermine Britain's control over its foreign policy. Europe will get its own president, foreign minister and diplomatic service.

Both Mr Blair and Mr Brown insisted Britain's "red lines" were not crossed as the UK won an amendment making it clear the EU's ambitions to develop its own common foreign and security policy would not encroach on the interests of member states.

But critics said the "declaration", added to the footnotes of the treaty, would have no legal force.

Mr Blair also gave up Britain's veto in more than 40 areas, including migration, tourism, transport and energy.

But Mr Brown congratulated him on Sunday, saying his negotiating skills had done what the UK set out to do.

He insisted: "We have met our negotiating position."

The Chancellor also said he did not believe the public would see the need for a vote, as the deal was simply an "amending treaty" rather than a new EU constitution.

And if the Brits rise up with pitchforks proving they're not as stupid as you claim they are?.

He pointed out when the Tories were in power they had not seen the need for a referendum on the 1991 Maastricht treaty, which turned the European Community into the EU and paved the way for the creation of the euro.

But in Ireland, Mr Ahern said: "Given the fact that there was strong legal advice that the draft constitution in 2004 would require a referendum in Ireland, and given the fact that these changes haven't made any dramatic change to the substance of what was agreed back in 2004, I think it is likely that a referendum will be held.

"Ireland over the years has tended to err on the side of caution in relation to this because ultimately it is the people who should decide."

The Irish government was planning a referendum in 2005 but stopped its preparations after France and the Netherlands voted "no".

Both Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and former Tory Chancellor Ken Clarke backed Mr Brown's insistence there was no need for a referendum.

Mrs Beckett said Britain was not a country which governs by referendum.

She said: "People buy into the notion that somehow some massive change has taken place. This is not a massive change."

Mr Clarke admitted: "The nuts and bolts are obviously quite essential" but added: "What we have now is far less important than Maastricht. I think the idea we have a referendum is frankly absurd."

He went on: "Some of the Eurosceptics will have demanded a referendum just about the date on the top of the piece of paper, but they are flogging a dead horse."

And others may decide, sir, that you're frankly absurd. Time will tell.

Danes to Burn Effigy of Mohammed....

I predict an Islamic Rage Boy sighting if this hits the MSM. Side note, God bless the Danish!!....

Via: Gates of Vienna

Today is Midsummer’s Day — Saint Hans’ Day in Denmark — and the traditional Danish midsummer custom is to burn an effigy of a witch in order to banish evil from the country and ensure the good fortune of the people in the coming year. This year there’s going to be a slight variation on the usual ritual.

According to SIAD, a previously secret group is planning to burn an effigy of Mohammed instead of a witch, to symbolize the need to rid Western Europe of a new kind of evil. Tomorrow the group will release a video of tonight’s Midsummer bonfire.

I’m sure the “Muslim street” is not going to take this one lying down, so now is a good time to buy stock in Danish flag manufacturers and the butane lighter companies.

W Zip

Huff Po Article "at least Hitler and Stalin meant well"....

Donkey Dick Seinfeld co-producer Peter Mehlman on Huff Po declares that Bush is worse than two of the worst tyrants in history, Stalin and Hitler, who killed over 40 million combined. Friggen real!!....

His post on Huffington is here

You could argue that even the world's worst fascist dictators at least meant well. They honestly thought were doing good things for their countries by suppressing blacks/eliminating Jews/eradicating free enterprise/repressing individual thought/killing off rivals/invading neighbors, etc

... we're six and a half years into Bush and everyone from Helen Thomas on down is declaring him the worst president ever. What no one is saying is the one overarching reason he's the worst: the Bush administration is the first that doesn't even mean well.

With the possible exception of immigration reform -- and who knows what grotesque financial incentive underlies that -- try to pinpoint even one policy motivated by the desire to lessen human suffering, to improve the life of citizens. Nothing. There is nothing.

Hot Air has more>>>>

The New Editor has the whole story>>>>

Former Washington Post sportswriter, Seinfeld writer and executive co-producer, and television comedy writer Peter Mehlman has written something for The Huffington Post that might qualify as the most hyperbolic nonsense written by a member of the Hollywood Left, a 'progressive' -- or whatever appellation they are giving themselves these days -- in at least the last week.

W Zip

Another Arrest in Davis Case

It's getting ugly.

2nd Person Arrested After Missing Woman's Body Identified

A second person was arrested and charged Sunday in connection with the death of pregnant mother.

Myisha Ferrell, 29, a classmate of Bobby Cutts Jr., was charged with obstruction of justice.

Authorities searched her Canton duplex Saturday night.

The Canton Repository reported that a warrant showed investigators were looking for DNA evidence and bleach.

Neighbors said officials took several items, including jugs of bleach from the apartment. They said they thought that was odd because the woman did not have a washing machine.

Meanwhile, the Summit County medical examiner Sunday positively identified the body of a missing pregnant woman found in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park as that of 26-year-old Jessie Marie Davis.

The cause of death has not yet been determined, pending further investigation, said Lisa Kohler.

Her body was discovered at 3:30 p.m.Saturday, and the father of her children was arrested.

Iran Launches Answer to CNN

What they don't seem to realize is the American media is already carrying water for them. On the upside, they don't have far to go to beat MSNBC in the ratings.

Iran Launches its Answer to CNN, BBC World

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- An increasingly crowded market for 24-hour news is facing a new rival -- a channel from Iran whose self-proclaimed aim is to break the "stranglehold" of the West over the world's media.

Iran's state broadcaster is to launch "Press TV" on July 2 at a time of mounting international tension over its nuclear program, complete with international journalists brought in from foreign countries including Britain.

The Tehran-based channel is promising the usual diet of on-the-half-hour news bulletins, talk shows and documentaries familiar to viewers of established names like CNN and BBC World but with a distinctly Iranian spin.

"To break the global media stranglehold of Western outlets," is the number one goal listed on the new channel's website.

Mohammad Sarafraz, head of international services of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), said the main aim of Press TV was to present "an alternative view" on global news.

"Since September 11 [2001], Western bias has divided the media into two camps: those that favor their policies make up one group and the rest of the media are attached to radical Islamic groups like al-Qaeda," he said. "We want to show that there is a different view."

The channel, which has a total of more than 400 staff, says it has 26 reporters employed at different locations worldwide, including Jerusalem, Gaza City and Ramallah on the occupied West Bank as well as New York and Washington.

Its features will include documentaries on aspects of the Islamic world and culture as well as live talk shows broadcast from Damascus, New York and Washington.

Will they be showing items such at this?

Vote for Fred: He's a Stud

OK, it's a British tabloid, and they seem to think his prowess with the ladies is newsworthy, and who am I to argue?

Old girlfriends cast their vote for Thompson

IN the battle for the women’s vote, Fred Thompson has a secret weapon against Hillary Clinton - the legions of former girlfriends who still adore him and who want him to be president.

The Hollywood actor and former Tennessee senator racked up an impressive list of conquests during his swinging bachelor days in the 1990s, but he appears to have achieved the impossible and kept their friendship and respect.

Lorrie Morgan, a country singer who dated Thompson and considered marrying him in the mid1990s, told The Sunday Times: “I couldn’t think of a bad word to say about Fred if somebody put a gun to my head.

“Fred is a perfect example of chivalry. He’s the kind of man little girls dream about marrying, who opens doors for you, lights your cigarettes, helps you on with your coat, buys wonderful gifts. It’s every woman’s fantasy.” Thompson, who wooed Baroness Thatcher during a visit to London last week, is expected to announce officially next month that he is running for president. He is already challenging Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, for first place in polls of likely Republican voters.

Bill Clinton's legion of former girlfriends were unavailable for comment.

'Chemical Ali' to Hang

I wonder how many cellphone videos we'll see of this.

Iraq's 'Chemical Ali' sentenced to hang

Two decades after Iraq's military laid waste to Kurdish villages, the Iraqi High Tribunal on Sunday sentenced Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali," and two others to death for their roles in the bloody campaign against the restive ethnic minority.

Al-Majid, a cousin of executed former President Saddam Hussein, was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes for ordering army and security services to use chemical weapons in an offensive said to have killed some 180,000 people during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.

Of course, as the left continually points out, they never had any WMD in Iraq, so obviously there's a big mixup here.

Fish-Faced Freak Bags Paris Interview

Well, they do have something in common.

No truth to the rumor King plans to propose to her.

Larry King lands first Hilton interview

Paris Hilton plans to appear on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Wednesday night, a day after she's scheduled to be released from jail, a spokeswoman for King said Saturday. "We do have Paris on Wednesday," said the show's spokeswoman, Bridget Leininger. "She'll do the whole hour."

Maybe she'll do King to help spice up the ratings.

Big Oops for 'No Guns' Founder

On the upside, he wasn't an elected public official, although I'm sure he had a bright future in Democrat Party circles.

No Guns founder pleads not guilty to gun charges

The founder of an antiviolence group called No Guns pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal weapons charges.

Hector "Big Weasel" Marroquin is accused of selling an assault rifle, a machine gun, two pistols and two silencers to undercover federal agents last fall. He could face up to 50 years in prison if convicted.

Marroquin, 51, of Downey, is a onetime member of the 18th Street gang who founded No Guns in 1996. No Guns received $1.5 million from the city as a subcontractor on anti-gang efforts, but its contract was canceled last year.

Marroquin is charged with three counts of manufacture, distribution and transport for sale of an unlawful assault weapon, along with one count each of machine gun conversion and possession of a silencer.

Good Times Roll in Iran

A police officer forced a young man whose clothes were deemed un-Islamic to suck on a plastic container Iranians use to wash their bottoms (Ebrahim Noroozi/Fars News Agency)

These are the goons the left would like us to dialogue with. Probably what they'd like to do with talk radio listeners and Fox News viewers.

Iran Cracks Down on Dissent, Parading Examples in Streets

Iran is in the throes of one of its most ferocious crackdowns on dissent in years, with the government focusing on labor leaders, universities, the press, women’s rights advocates, a former nuclear negotiator and Iranian-Americans, three of whom have been in prison for more than six weeks.

The shift is occurring against the backdrop of an economy so stressed that although Iran is the world’s second-largest oil exporter, it is on the verge of rationing gasoline. At the same time, the nuclear standoff with the West threatens to bring new sanctions.

The hard-line administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, analysts say, faces rising pressure for failing to deliver on promises of greater prosperity from soaring oil revenue. It has been using American support for a change in government as well as a possible military attack as a pretext to hound his opposition and its sympathizers.

It's ironic those same "labor leaders, universities, the press, women’s rights advocates" in this country are the ones casting a blind eye toward what's going on in Iran.

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin has more photos, via Gateway Pundit.

Army of Islam Warns Hamas on BBC Reporter....

The Army of Islam, who is holding BBC reporter Alan Johnston, has warned Hamas not to pressure them into releasing Johnston or they will "slaughter" him. They go on to say, "It is not worth spilling even one drop of Muslim blood in a fight among us for the sake of this infidel."

Via: MEMRI

The speaker goes on to implore the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassan Brigades not to pressure Jaysh Al-Islam to release kidnapped BBC correspondent Alan Johnston unless the conditions for his release as set by Jaysh Al-Islam are met. "We captured him [i.e. Johnston] based only on the religious considerations of our respected 'ulama... Our brothers in Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam, are you hurt by the fact that we strive to release Muslim prisoners? Do you know what our brothers experience in British jails? Therefore, we ask you and everyone who wishes to make the banner of Allah supreme to work [with us] hand in hand, to unite under one banner, and to speak in one voice under the flag of 'there is no God but Allah' in an Islamic emirate... It is not worth spilling even one drop of Muslim blood in a fight among us for the sake of this infidel [i.e., Johnston]..."
The speaker then warns that pressuring Jaysh Al-Islam to release Johnston without the demands being met will force the organization to "slaughter this correspondent."

W Zip

Davis Found, Cutts Charged

Two counts of murder. Hopefully the death penalty is applicable.

A massive search ended in sadness Saturday when authorities announced they found a body believed to be a pregnant woman who vanished from her home a week earlier. A police officer believed to be the father of the unborn child was arrested on two counts of murder. Jessie Davis, 26, who was due to deliver a baby girl on July 3, was reported missing after her mother found Davis' 2-year-old son home alone, bedroom furniture toppled and bleach spilled on the floor.

The boy gave investigators their first clues. "Mommy was crying. Mommy broke the table. Mommy's in rug," the boy said.

Thousands of volunteers had searched for Davis over several days, while investigators continued to question Bobby Cutts Jr., 30, who is the father of Davis' son but is married to another woman.

Investigators were mum on many details of their work until they announced Cutts was taken into custody Saturday and was to be arraigned on charges of murder in the deaths of Davis and her unborn child.

More here.

UPDATE: It appears Cutts had a female accomplice, according to TV chatter. A real ladies man.

More at the Plain Dealer.

UPDATE II; A very interesting take. Proceed with caution.

Taliban Send 6 Year Old on a Suicide Mission....

Luckily, British soldiers spotted the boy at a checkpoint and defused his suicide vest. This is supposed to ensure their place in heaven?.....

Children as young as six are being used by the Taliban in increasingly desperate suicide missions, coalition forces in Afghanistan claimed yesterday.

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), to which Britain contributes 5,000 troops in southern Afghanistan, revealed that soldiers defused an explosive vest which had been placed on a six-year-old who had been told to attack Afghan army forces in the east of the country.

The boy was spotted after appearing confused at a checkpoint. The vest was defused and no one was hurt.

"They placed explosives on a six-year-old boy and told him to walk up to the Afghan police or army and push the button," said Captain Michael Cormier, the company commander who intercepted the child, in a statement. "Fortunately, the boy did not understand and asked patrolling officers why he had this vest on."

Lieutenant Colonel David Accetta, ISAF eastern regional command spokesman, told the Guardian: "In the past we have not seen the Taliban sink that low, to use children as suicide bombers. The personnel secured the vest to make sure the child was safe."

Read the rest>>>

W Zip

The Biggest battle in Iraq that you are not hearing about

Most people with a more then a passing interest in what is happening in Iraq knows that there is a big operation going on in the Diyala province, centered on the town of Baqubah. It involves more then 10,000 US troops and thousands more of the Iraqi army. It seems all our news here in the states have time for is the latest updates on the missing women in the Midwest, some senile judge suing over a pair of pants and the out of touch politicians on capitol hill trying to foist this universal amnesty program on us.
The fighting in the Diyala province is being reported by a couple of embedded reporters through their blogs and for that a big debt of gratitude is due to them. Michael Yon reports that maybe some other reporters may be joining him. Gee a week into the operation and they can finally get off their butts in the Green Zone and find out what all this stuff put out in the daily press briefing is all about. You want to know the real reason they aren't reporting on it. They are afraid that if they actually get out in the field they are going to find a different Iraq. One that goes completely against their biases and the storyline they have been promoting for 5 years.
I do not expect the reporting to change. They will bring you the desperation and their armchair quarterbacking of how flawed our operations are, but it won't change what is happening on the ground.
What is happening is the Iraqi people are stepping up and assisting in ways not seen. This is a direct result of our operations to clear the Al Queda out of the Al Anbar province. We set the tone and showed the Iraqi's that we are there to help. We brought the Iraqi security forces up to speed and by using them in the operations they gained the experience, skills and confidence that they could provide for the security of their people. The people saw the Iraqi forces working for them and they got the trust of the citizens. For 50 years inside the country of Iraq those who wore the uniform of the ruling government were not the defenders of the people but rather the enforcers of a brutal dictator. That sort of attitude towards uniformed people does not change overnight, but it is changing.
So for all the blustering by politicians, all the gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands by every "the sky is falling" liberal, for every person who has seen nothing but gloom and doom reinforced by their daily reminder of the loss of American life in this campaign, the soldier on the ground has continued to do his duty. He has remained loyal to his leaders, and he has been able to seize the situation on the ground and it would seem in spite of everyone else they are doing what needs to be done and doing it better then any of their critics could imagine.
Of course you aren't going to hear about unless of course you go read Michael Yon and Bill Roggio who are living, eating, sleeping and in one infamous case fighting alongside the soldiers and walking among the general population.
The fighting has not reached the level of violence that was witnessed in Fallujah, yet, but the operation is in the beginning stages and in fact may last for 60 days. One thing that is clear is the trap has been set and according to what little information you can find we aren't there to take prisoners.