Hamas overtook Gaza, though the fighting between two elected governments in the form of Hamas and Fatah have waged numerous battles over the past year alone.  The fighting escalated in recent weeks, thus one major question has been posed.  Is there a civil war in the Palestinian territories?

A civil war is loosely defined as a war between two groups with a right to govern.  In the case of Palestine, both Hamas and Fatah can and do claim a right to govern.

For the purposes of debate, let us look at another conflict which is called a civil war by politicians and journalists.  Yes, that conflict is inside Iraq.  There are numerous sides to the conflict, but only one of those sides is represented in the Iraqi government.  That side affiliated with the current elected Iraqi government is aligned with radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr.  Sadr’s military wing, known as the Mahdi Army, chooses to war against Sunnis.  Now those Sunnis the Mahdi Army has declared war upon are not affiliated with the Iraqi government, nor for the most part are they affiliated with the umbrella Sunni insurgent group known as the Islamic State of Iraq, who, by the way, has no affiliation with the Iraqi government nor any legitimate claim to govern the nation of Iraq.

The conflict in Iraq, however, was declared a civil war by NBC News despite not carrying the main characteristic of what a civil war entails.  Calling Iraq a nation engulfed in a civil war has also been hoisted by leading Democratic politicians, apparently without regard to what the term actually means.

Meanwhile back in Palestine, it strikes me as completely odd none of the ‘purveyors of truth’ within the media elite or Democratic Party’s stronghold of Iraq naysayers have concluded there is actually a civil war ongoing.  Perhaps it’s already over after Hamas overtook Gaza and posed for pictured in Mahmoud Abbas’ presidential palace, fully hiding their true identities for whatever reason.  Regardless, what would make Iraq a civil war and Palestine not?  By the pure definition of what a civil war is, the opposite is true.

Earlier today I flipped to Fox News just at the right time to catch the Reverend Jesse Jackson who stated there was an insurgency in Chicago.  He went on to call handguns weapons of mass destruction and asked if the United States wished to engage insurgencies why the U.S. government has not taken action in Chicago.

Good question Rev. Jackson.  Should Americans conclude because there are people murdered in Chicago there is in fact an insurgency, and should Americans conclude that if we as a nation wish to curtail the use of WMDs we should vote in favor of gun control?  Jackson argued in favor of both stances.

But perhaps the good reverend should take a look around at the party he’s adopted during his runs for office and call for an immediate withdrawal of Chicago.  Nope, instead Jackson argued for more federal involvement and helped lead a protest against violence, I suppose deciding to place himself within a theater of war as he put it.

Don’t get me wrong here.  Just like the vast majority of people across the globe, I abhor violence.  I prefer to make jokes as opposed to lash out physically, but the solution to crime in Chicago isn’t to classify criminals as insurgents or to confuse the GWOT with gang wars that have gripped Chicago for decades.

I love Chicago and hope to get back there some day, though hopefully I’ll wait until after the insurgency is ended and after all WMDs are secured.  Until then, however, I am eagerly awaiting Rev. Jackson to explain why the United States should engage one insurgency while withdrawing from another.

Posted from Right Truth

From John E. Carey at Peace and Freedom, posted at his request. Highly recommended:

I came to Washington DC the first time in 1972 to work in the office of a liberal Democrat Ohio Congressman. I took away from that experience my first taste of the unwritten rules governing good conduct and decorum that most groups stick to, from your local Elks Club to the U.S. Senate.Most call it the culture or the ethos the organization lives by.

Unwritten rules exist to help an organization or team function harmoniously despite severe difference. For decades, even at the lowest moments of despair and disharmony, the Senate and in fact the United States of America, operated smoothly and got business completed. If two lawmakers wanted to lock horns, they were encouraged by the leadership to “take it outside.” Of course there are historically significant altercations on Capitol Hill but they served only to reinforce the rules.

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Originally posted at Right Truth

North American Open Skies Agreement, by Toni and Bear Creek Ledger (cross-posted)

Looks like there is a slow chipping away at any of sign of a US border whether it be by land, air or sea. Dr. Jerome Corsi is reporting on a meeting called the North American Transportation Trilateral which occurred in Tuscon.You could be flying Aeromexico or Air Canada from NYC to LA soon. I wonder who will be sued or who will have to pay when the first Aeromexico flight crashes due to maintenance issues. Personally, I wouldn’t be a taker on the Aeromexico airlines. Sorry, but there is too much graft and corruption in Mexico for me to trust any transportation industry coming out of that country.

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 Cross posted from Right Truth

  The anti-war crowd are calling the Blue Angels “weapons of mass destruction” and want them banned from fleet Week. They say it’s because the planes could crash into a building and kill or “wound” civilians. Wound??? But when questioned, the truth comes out. The Blue Angels are (1) military; (2) used for recruiting purposes, (3) a symbol of something a young man or woman might strive to be part of. All those reasons are anathema to the anti-war folks.

FRANCISCO- Efforts by several peace groups to stop the Blue Angels air show during Fleet Week in San Francisco have gained the support of Supervisor Chris Daly.After intense lobbying by Veterans for Peace, CodePink, and Global Exchange, Daly is drafting language on a non-binding resolution urging Congress to stop the Navy fighter jets from flying over the city.

“They’re weapons of mass destruction and there’s really nothing, I think, about them that people should think of as being good or desirable,” said Paul Cox with Veterans for Peace. “In a time where we’ve got a war going on in Iraq, it brings images of the kinds of death and destruction these things rain down on people around the world.”

The aerial display has been the center piece of Fleet Week since 1981. The event brings an estimated $4 million into the city economy that weekend, according to the mayor’s office, which opposes the legislation Daly has promised to introduce next Tuesday. (CBS-5)

BlackFive:

Chekov: Where are the nuclear wessels?When Commander Pavel Chekov asked that question in Star Trek IV, San Francisco’s bay area did indeed still have a robust naval presence that wasn’t limited to the aircraft carrier piers across the bay. With the closure of Naval Station Alameda in 1997, however, a big part of the Navy’s presence in the region ended.

Now, some groups are trying to pull the welcome mat out from under Navy tradition, that being the annual navy Blue Angel air show during Fleet Week.

Everyone is free to their own opinions. I’ve been to a few air shows, and they are fantastic. The skill of these pilots is beyond words or description. I hate to think of a generation of youngsters being deprived of seeing what hard work, pride and practice can achieve.

There are new developments today in the foiled JFK terror plot to blow up jet fuel lines going from New Jersey into JFK airport. It seems the four men already in custody may be the tip of the iceberg. They are being described as “just a piece of the plot.” The alleged mastermind is Russell Defreitas, a U.S. citizen from Guyana, and former cargo employee at JFK. Now more suspects are being sought outside the United States for their suspected roles and connections to Defreitas and the JFK plot.

Terrorist Nur actually met with the leader of Jamaat al Muslimeen. In court documents other suspects are mentioned by letters, “A”, “B”, ect.

Nur said he met in May with the group’s leader, Yasin Abu Bakr, at his compound and the Islamic leader suggested that he return later with others involved “to discuss the plan in detail.” (Souix City Journal)

Kareem Ibrahim, age 56, was a member of Jamaat al Muslimeen, but claims to have cut his ties with the group. Jamaat al Muslimeen is denying any connection to the plot.

In an interview inside the group’s gated compound, [Kala] Aki Bua said Jamaat al Muslimeen lacks the resources to even consider aiding an international plot as described by American officials. (Souix City Journal)

More:

… official told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because of not being authorized to speak publicly. “We are definitely seeking more players. We are targeting others overseas.“The official declined to provide details about the possible suspects, or in what countries they are being sought. (Fox)

Some have called the plot far-fetched while some experts say perhaps officials should have waited even longer before making the arrests.

Terrorism expert Richard Miniter tells CBS 2 HD that had officials held out in making the arrests, they may have stumbled upon even larger terrorist cells, especially since officials now admit Nur met with the leader of radical Islamic group Jamaat al Muslimeen to seek support for the JFK plot.A source close to this investigation tells CBS 2 HD Investigative Reporter Scott Weinberger that agents decided to move on the suspects after it was discovered that the alleged mastermind, Russell Defreitas, was planning to leave the country. At that stage in the investigation, fishing for other potential suspects took a back seat.(WCBSTV.com)

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is NO Rudy. Here’s what Bloomberg had to say, “There are lots of threats to you in the world. There’s the threat of a heart attack for genetic reasons. You can’t sit there and worry about everything. Get a life,” he said.” Via Marcia Kramer (WCBSTV.com)

According to court documents, the men sought the help of Jamaat al Muslimeen, or JAM, a Muslim organization based in Trinidad—a known violent group involved in killings, kidnappings and weapons trafficking over the past two decades. [snip] … co-conspirators, two citizens of Guyana and one from Trinidad, are in jail in Trinidad and were expected to fight extradition to New York. (WCBSTV.com)

I will be interested to see what other individuals and countries may be involved. We know that Defreitas was ready to leave the United States to attend meetings in IRAN. This could get interesting.

Originally posted by Debbie at Right Truth 

Rep. William Jefferson is an elected official charged with representing the needs of American voters. What he was doing is lining his own pockets, the pockets of his congressional staff and the pockets of his children. Now he is charged with “racketeering, soliciting bribes and money-laundering in a long-running bribery investigation into business deals he tried to broker in Africa.” The 94 page long indictment lists 16 alleged violations of federal law that could keep Jefferson in prison for up to 235 years. (LATimes) Oh yes, he’s a Democrat.

Among the charges listed in the indictment, said the official, are racketeering, soliciting bribes, wire fraud, money-laundering, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. [snip]Jefferson is accused of soliciting bribes for himself and his family, and also for bribing a Nigerian official.

Jefferson, 63, whose Louisiana district includes New Orleans, has said little about the case… [snip]

Two of Jefferson’s associates have already struck plea bargains with prosecutors and have been sentenced.

Brett Pfeffer, a former congressional aide, admitted soliciting bribes on Jefferson’s behalf and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Another Jefferson associate, Louisville, Ky., telecommunications executive Vernon Jackson, pleaded guilty to paying between $400,000 and $1 million in bribes to Jefferson in exchange for his assistance securing business deals in Nigeria and other African nations. Jackson was sentenced to more than seven years in prison.

Both Pfeffer and Jackson agreed to cooperate in the case against Jefferson in exchanges for their pleas.

Can we ad traitor to the charges?

NYT:

Investigators maintain that Mr. Jefferson prodded the Pentagon to test iGate products, lobbied politicians in several African countries to include the company in telecommunications projects, and repeatedly urged the Export-Import Bank of the United States to finance the deals.

ABC:

The impact of the case has stretched across continents and even roiled presidential politics in Nigeria. According to court records, Jefferson told associates that he needed cash to pay bribes to the country’s vice president, Atiku Abubakar.

Keep in mind that Nigeria has terrorist connections, al-Qaeda connections. Also ethnic cleansing, or “Islamization” has already taken over much of Nigeria … and “more than 10,000 have died in religious violence since Sharia law was first introduced in 1999.” It was the leaders of this country, Nigeria, that Jefferson was making deals with. Traitor!

Originally posted at Right Truth 

It is being reported in the New York Times that Commanders say the push in Baghdad is short of the goal and that commanders are speaking out against the Commander in Chief. But the the New York Times is speaking out of turn, again. Talks between the generals and the President have not, as yet, leaked out into the public. Those in the know say, “Much of what has been written or said to this point is largely speculation by people who weren’t in the discussions.” (also see this)

“In an interview, he said that while military planners had expected to make greater gains by now, that has not been possible in large part because Iraqi police and army units, which were expected to handle basic security tasks, like manning checkpoints and conducting patrols, have not provided all the forces promised, and in some cases have performed poorly.” (Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, Deputy Commander, First Cav., “Commanders Say Push in Baghdad Is Short of Goal,” NYT, 4 June 2007)

How can we judge yet, when all the ‘surge’ troops have not yet arrived in Iraq? How can you count your chickens before the eggs have even been laid?

“Let’s, for example look, at the Iraqi battalions. None are at full-strength, only half are operational and even fewer actually do any soldiering. To put it mildly, to say otherwise, is a misrepresentation of fact.” (Albrecht Gero Muth, “The BSP at the 90-Day Marker, A Sadrist/ JAM Perspective,” (UNOFFICIAL) (9 May 2007)

John Murtha on ABC said, “I’ve lost a lot of confidence in many of the military leaders, because they say what the White House wants them to say …”

When asked if Petraeus was included in his lack of confidence, Murtha added, “I’m waiting to see what he has to say. But I am absolutely convinced there has been this overly optimistic picture of what’s going on in Iraq, while the figures show the opposite.”

From those who know:

Clearly on the issue of policy and national level strategy, the military is not going to get out in front of the President. They will continue to render their advice to him in private. The President will decide and the military will execute. Knowing most of these men, it is hard for me to imagine them not being totally candid in their assessments and advice. They know the consequences for soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors; for the region; and for this Nation. (source withheld)

John Murtha also tried to link the John F. Kennedy airport terror plot to … Iraq. (video here)

NewsBusters says, “In reality, Murtha was brought on to counter the “things are getting better” in Iraq after the surge viewpoint expressed by the previous guest, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. (video available here)”

GEORGE STEPHANOPLIS, HOST: … You believe that these homegrown terrorist plots are being inspired by the U.S. work in Iraq right now?JOHN MURTHA, CONGRESSMAN: Absolutely. George, they were inspired by them all over the world. Our presence in Iraq, our occupation in Iraq, gives these people the inspiration. Now, we didn’t have this problem before, they came from Afghanistan. But, now we even have it in the United States. So, I’m absolutely convinced that this is the kind of thing that inspires these people.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But we did have 9/11 before we went into Iraq.

MURTHA: Yeah, we had 9/11, but that came from Afghanistan. There was no, there was no al Qaeda in Iraq. We don’t even know how many al Qaeda are in Iraq right now. For instance, we think a couple of thousand. They’ll take care of al Qaeda. They’ll get rid of al Qaeda. Our presence is inspiring them to recruit people all over the world. This is the problem we have.

Hot Air:

And never mind that the 9/11 plot which Murtha claims came “from Afghanistan” didn’t involve any actual people who were, you know, from Afghanistan.Spanky’s got his story and he’s sticking to it. I’ll let Tony Blair answer via his piece in the Economist,

In “Recipe For Iraq: Slice, Dice, And Serve With Rice“, R.J. Godlewski says, “Not a single member of the Democratic Party’s parade of presidential hopefuls even dares look at the prospects for victory.”

If the surge fails to produce results, then it is because the Iraqi people haven’t stepped up to the plate. This means that our next step must be one in which we pull away from traditional counterinsurgency practice – that is, we abandon the “hearts and minds” approach and concentrate on the “raw application of power” that even the most stoical individual can relate to.If the surge fails, I suggest that we pull our troops back to seal (like in hermetically) the country’s borders – primarily that with Iran and Syria – and forfeit any significant troop presence within the cities. Once we’ve basically isolated the nation from the rest of the world, we begin to slice wide swaths of “depopulated” zones horizontally through the country. By this, I mean, that we create areas that are devoid of anything and enforce this… [snip]

One, we isolate Iraq from its meddling neighbors and impose strict quarantine on what goes in and out of the country. Two, we take out everyone who is a threat to peace and security, even if it is only a political wannabe like Muqtada al-Sadr. Third, we rebuild Iraq into a beacon of all that’s good with free trade, free enterprise, and free from corruption. Iraq can exist as a free democracy working together to build a stable nation in the Middle East or it should become an example of what will happen if we lose our patience. The choice is definitely theirs to make.
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I’m not sure what Murtha would say about that. He would probably go on the talk show circuit and be the toast of the anti-war crowd — again.

Originally posted at Right Truth 

Originally posted at Right Truth 

I going to say it. Anyone who hires an illegal alien is guilty of aiding and abetting criminals. These employers are accessories to the crime of illegal immigration. If we really started punishing these employers, the number of illegal aliens would greatly decrease. Why is this so difficult?

My friend R.J. Godlewski writes a great article on illegal aliens, “Illegitimacy, Inc.” He covers a lot of territory and you should go read it all, but here’s a taste:

Once we decide that America’s borders aren’t worth defending, we decide that nothing is. Once we decide that certain laws aren’t worth upholding, then who decides where we stop? Once we decide that we’ll grant amnesty to some, who else will get a free pass too? Illegal immigration has become BIG business, one stocked full of ancillary vices such as prostitution, drug smuggling, and terrorism. The time has come to break up this monopoly for the “security of society”. (R.J. Godlewski read it all here)

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I knew there was something fishy about this. Andrew Speaker is the man diagnosed with a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis (TB). His father-in-law, Robert Cooksey, just happened to be a federal microbiologist working at the CDC with … live TB and other bacteria. Coincidence? Highly unlikely. Now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating.

Cooksey said he provided “fatherly advice” to Speaker about traveling with the illness. Trying to avoid the fact that he is a doctor/researcher and could be sued for giving erroneous medical advice to his son-in-law, fatherly advice sounds so innocent.

Speaker said he was advised at the time by Fulton County, Ga., health authorities that he was not contagious or a danger to anyone. Officials told him they would prefer he didn’t fly, but no one ordered him not to, he said. Speaker was in Europe when he learned tests showed he had not just TB, but an extremely drug-resistant strain known as XDR. (WJZ)

OK, I’ll give Mr. Speaker the benefit of the doubt, if that is true, that he did not realize he was contagious and a danger to others when he flew OUT of the United States. But other reports say:

Speaker has said he, his doctors and the CDC all knew he had TB that was resistant to some drugs before he flew to Europe for his wedding and honeymoon last month. (CTV)

He did know he was contagious before he decided to hop, skip and jump his way back to the United States. For this I say shame on you Mr. Speaker.

Despite warnings from federal health officials not to board another long flight, Speaker flew back for treatment, fearing he wouldn’t survive if he didn’t reach the U.S., he has said. He said he tried to sneak home by way of Canada instead of flying directly into the U.S. (WJZ)

Two Kentuckians exposed to TB

The XDR-TB patient traveled on these flights: Air France No. 385/Delta Air Lines No. 8517 departing Atlanta on May 12 and arriving in Paris on May 13; and Czech Air No. 0104, from Prague, Czech Republic, to Montreal, Canada, on May 24. (source)

Again, coincidence that Speaker’s father just happens to work with TB and his son-in-law just happens to contract a drug-resistant form of the disease? Not very likely. More to come on this, you can be sure.

Originally posted at Right Truth 

The following is a book review by Debbie cross posted from Right Truth.

Over the life of Right Truth and prior to the inception of Right Truth Book Club, I have read, reviewed and recommended many books. I can say without reservation that The Gathering Storm by W.C. is a MUST READ for every person concerned about Islamic terrorism. I think we should send a copy of this eBook to the White House!

According to W.C., we have not begun to fight this war, we have not even been brave enough to accurately identify the enemy, out of fear we may offend someone. He notes some want to conduct the war as a “criminal investigation” while others see it as a war “against the acts of terror.” He believes both are wrong and what we are involved in now is only a “prelude to the real war.”

To quote former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld:“Churchill saw that there was a storm gathering, but there were people in Europe who didn’t believe it and who didn’t take the periodic storm clouds and the squalls as a real threat. They thought they were transitory and, of course, paid an enormous penalty in treasure and life for their failure to understand the nature of that threat. I worry we are in a gathering storm and we do not, as a society, accept it. Many of the elites of our society, the key opinion leaders, are unwilling or unable to accept what an awful lot of people believe to be the case. The penalty for being wrong can be enormous.”

We are fighting Jihadists who have one goal, “… imposing peacefully or violently the rule of Shariah law upon the world.” We have two choices — surrender or Victory. It’s that simple, and that complicated all at the same time. The Jihadists can impose their laws upon us by force or they can “change our laws.” Remind you of any current events or Islamic groups?

The enemy uses “intimidation, infiltration and disinformation tactics” and the “appeasers and apologists” defend and aid the enemy. Those would be “what Lenin called ‘Useful Idiots’,” according to W.C. The Gathering Storm is packed full of facts, figures, resources, history. You will not want to miss one page in this book.

According to Walid Shoebat in the Forward, “This book “is definitely void of any politically correct language, censorship, spin, double-talk, or complex vocabulary.” … And “explains in detail the chilling prognosis — radical Islam is even more of a threat than Nazi Germany and has so many parallels in it‘s ideology.: … “Reading The Gathering Storm will leave us with only two choices – surrender or Victory.”

I believe that there is only one choice, Victory! However, the intimidation, infiltration and disinformation tactics are sometimes so subtle that we let them slide right by us. It brings to mind the old vaudeville skit used in the Three Stooges movie, “Gents Without Cents” made in 1944 and Abbott and Costello movie entitled “Lost in A Harem”: “Slowly I turned, step by step, inch by inch…I took my revenge.”

That is the premise the Jihadists are working under right here in the United States. They are patient, subtle, effective, and will use any means to reach their goal.

The Gathering Storm is an eBook, easy to purchase, download, and easy to read. Price $6.95, order here. Jacket Notes are by Always on Watch Two