I haven’t been in the mood to talk politics for quite some time thanks to having to adjust to my new surroundings in Eastern Europe. It’s been more fun for me to actually talk to people than to simply write opinions on the blog, but as my friends and readers have been wondering if I’m [...]
Author Archives: Rudy
‘I’m a Marxist,’ Dalai Lama tells Chinese students
I think I understand where the Dalai Lama is coming from, considering his position, and he has made similar statements in the past, probably to ingratiate himself to the Chinese authorities. Still, as a theist, this makes my stomach growl a bit. A man bearing a religion slant should throw Marxism into the trash bin of history, where it belongs.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis. No link, since WordPress has become anal about cross-posts for some bizarre reason.
Call to Ban Bible Under Pakistan’s Elastic Blasphemy Laws
Nina Shea posts on the evil circus that is Pakistan. Simpletons from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam now consider the Holy Bible to be a pornographic blasphemy, threatening to punish people who own one. We should pull out of Pakistan, finish whatever business we have in the area, and be done with them. There will come a day when the monstrous mullahs infesting the country will pay for their hideous behavior against Christians and others. Until that day comes, it is best to let them stew in their own juices.
Let’s stop blaming America
What? Is it true that the so-called ‘Arab Street’ is finally waking up to the fact that America is not the great Shaytan that their mullahs, ayatollahs and rabble-rousers have made us out to be? One could only hope.
It is refreshing to read Dr. Khalid Alnowaiser’s article reminding his Arab brothers that it would behoove them to learn more about their own personal responsibility rather than to continually blame the United States over the woes they themselves have created.
Cross-posted at RudyCarrera.com.
Osama Bin Laden’s Abbottabad house ‘was al-Qaeda hub’
You don’t say! All these nay-sayers who saw OBL as a mere figurehead can apologize for their misdirected comments. Waiting… Waiting…
NATO on defensive over strikes close to Gadhafi
NATO have given a picture-perfect representation as to why they cannot and should never have been trusted in leading air raids against Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi’s government.
That they would begin to cower from people like China, Russia and Brazil (the first two are utter Human Rights abusers, and in Brazil, they indigenous community may have some unflattering words for the central government in Brasilia) shows that they have neither the spine nor the stomach to finish off Gadhafi.
It is far better that they pack their bags and go home rather than try to impress fellow Euro-weenies and play soldier.
Lost in the Meritocracy
Within the next three weeks, I will be returning to the Republic of Macedonia, where I once lived comfortably. I will be returning to teach in a place where teachers were once prized and respected, much like here in America (once). Thanks to the wonders of technology, I’ll be able to do my work via an American company, making an adequate living via laptop, as the whole curriculum is based inside of a webpage and FTP servers. Quite nice, actually!
It came as a sad and disturbing shock to see how bad good teachers are being treated. Take the example of ‘Professor X’, whom Caleb Crain of the New York Times writes on. A man who is frustrated watching good people, older, struggling to retool their careers after this economic meltdown. Though he had sympathy for his suffering students, it was obvious to him how poorly-educated they were. His detractors offer the sort of retorts one would expect at a MoveOn.org-funded event. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of those simpletons were among the students X has had to suffer with.
Islamist Militancy in a Pre- and Post-Saleh Yemen
Yemen is not talked about so much in the news these days, but this will be a pivotal battleground between Sunni and Shia ideologies. Saleh was a run-of-the-mill third-rate Socialist, and no one will miss him but his cronies. However, Al Qaeda is active in the area, and if the establish a strong beachhead here, there will be problems, most assuredly.
‘Right-Wing 24Hr News Channel Debuts In Canada
Some wonderful news from North of the Border. Sun News Network is looking to become the Fox News of Canada. Considering what tripe most of the news services on television are there, this will come as a refreshing breath of air to Canadian conservatives.
HT: The Blaze.
Whitewashing the U.N.
Susan Rice turned out to be the perfect choice for Ambassador to the United Nations. She feels utterly at home there, singing the praises of an utterly failed and morally bankrupt organization who we, as a nation, were foolish enough to sub-contract our national security to in many dangerous issues (Iran and their nuclear program topping the heap). I miss John Bolton’s presence in that chair. Anne Bayefsky of National Review Online lays out the case against Ambassador Rice. Audio is included at the link.
Eurosceptic ‘True Finns’ shatter the old consensus
Euroscepticism is seen as a bit of a crime by those who support the regime in Brussels. What’s to fear? Well for an American reference, something like what we’re seeing in the United States under the current leadership. Magnified several times. Scary? I thought so.
The Guardian, Britain’s leftist paper of record, writes on the rise of the ‘True Finns’, with subtle hints of them suffering from paranoia and xenophobia. No surprise if one considers the source.
Read Teija Tiilikainen’s article for The Guardian here.
Cross-posted at RudyCarrera.com.
Machine Age Poet, Born in Revolution, Stifled Under Stalin
Dziga Vertov was one of the most interesting and innovative filmmakers to ever operate out of the Soviet Union. I came to his work thanks to French composer Pierre Henry, who dedicated an album to the director called Man With A Movie Camera.
Dennis Lim of the New York Times discusses the pressures Vertov had to live under during the reign of Joseph Stalin, as well as retrospective of his life’s work at MoMA.
Cross-posted at Steinblóm.
Amazon Letter To Labels: Cloud Drive Locker Has Boosted MP3 Sales
Many good people are working on their own alternatives to Amazon’s proposed locker service (Michael Robertson, for example), but it’s nice to see a heavyweight take on the music industry regarding lockers, places where one can store their music and access it at any location they wish to. The music industry, record labels especially, will either have to get on board or watch their sales plummet due to continued piracy. The rip-off game is stopping, whether they like it or not.
Billboard Magazine’s Ed Christman discusses the topic further here.
Cross-posted at A Miscellany of Tasteful Music.
Krauthammer’s Take–April 8, 2011
Syndicated columnist and Fox News Contributor Charles Krauthammer worries that Iran is taking full advantage of the West’s interfering in Arab affairs to speed up the development of their nuclear weapons capability. All that time playing hero to people who loathe us in Libya will come back to haunt us if Iran gets the bomb.
Obama friend arrested for soliciting prostitute
Don’t try to pin this on the prez. Not cool. But it shows that one should watch the friends they keep. Yahoo/AP have the story here.
The Obama Two-Step
Ruben Navarrette writes on the rather scathing interview Univision’s Jorge Ramos, a very liberal Mexican journalist, gave to President Obama regarding his immigration policy. The president looked rather bad, as he was unable to answer several of the journalist’s questions. This is the same Jorge Ramos who gushed and fawned over the president when he was running for office. It’s good to see liberal journalists actually put down the bias for a bit (like Jake Tapper at ABC News, whom I respect for his integrity) and play hardball with the interviewee. Kudos to Ramos for this takedown. The article can be read here, via Real Clear Politics.
Gaddafi’s Government ‘Ready For Reforms’
All that trouble for Muammar Gaddhafi to stay in power? Interesting. It doesn’t look like the rebels in Benghazi wish to play along, however, for the time being.
ElBaradei says if Israel attacks Gaza Egypt will counterattack: website
Is this a power-play on the part of Mohamed ElBaradei? Is he looking to cast his lot in with the Muslim Brotherhood? If so, his true colors are showing. He behaved despicably during the Iraq engagement, and has been a thorn to both American and Israeli interests for some time. Egypt’s fortunes are slowly slipping away, and it will become a state along the lines of Iran if the brave Egyptian populace doesn’t do away with their refuse quickly.
Goldstone Recants! Will the Left Follow His Example?
Israel is vindicated when self-loathing Jew Richard Goldstone, the chair of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s fact-finding commission about the conflict in Gaza, has recanted the lie he sold to the world stating Israel was purposely trying to kill civilians.
University’s soft spot for Stalinists
Universities have become one-sided rooting sections for Stalinism. It was rather disgusting during my college days (thankfully, I was older when I returned to complete my education and pick apart some of the rubbish peddled my way). It’s gotten far worse in terms of indoctrination
GoDaddy CEO Tramples Company’s Public Image
GoDaddy hosts my other sites. If Bob Parsons riles up animal-rights extremists, he’s okay in my book.
Woman charged with email threats
Mar 31
Lovely. From the “stay classy” files comes this story posted at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: According to the criminal complaint, Windels allegedly sent an email threat to State Sen. Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay) March 9. Later that evening, she allegedly sent another email to 15 Republican legislators, including Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau). The subject [...]
Mideast Nonsense: Can We Start Being Honest?
From Cal Thomas over at Real Clear Politics:
If there were an award for stating the obvious when it comes to the Middle East, it would go to the New York Times. On its front page last Friday, the newspaper ran a story headlined, “Islamist Group is Rising Force in New Egypt.”
What group would that be? Why, the Muslim Brotherhood, of course. We have been repeatedly assured by certain pundits and members of the Obama administration that the Brotherhood are a small minority with no major influence in Egypt.
Read the rest of the article here. The NYT are shockingly ignorant sometimes.
"Deepening chaos in Syria, in particular, could dash any remaining hopes for a Middle East peace agreement, several analysts said."
Hugh Hewitt isn’t terribly impressed with the New York Times’ analysis of the melee in Syria and what it will do for relations with Israel.
Violent protests spread in Syria
According to the Financial Times, Syria is becoming the new hotspot for dissent in the Middle East. Scores have already been massacred, but the people don’t seem to have any more fear of dictator Bashar al-Assad anymore.
A Dramatic Confrontation
Powerline Blog shows stills of a video taken in Tripoli today. It is of a woman reporting to foreign journalists that she was beaten and raped. Militiamen loyal to Muammar Ghaddafi then proceed to drag her away, despite reporters and others’ attempts to protect her.
[Video] Miodrag Govedarica–Tjelo Hristovo (The Body of Christ)
Miodrag Govedarica–Tjelo Hristovo
Some soothing music for the evening.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Pray For The Reposed!
Many thanks to Pravoslavie.ru and Hieromartyr John of Riga for posting this article.
The topic weighs heavily for me, as I lost my grandfather last November. Though he himself wasn’t Eastern Orthodox, he had shown interest since my conversion in 1993, and was given prayers and comfort before his repose by my own priest. It has become part of my habit to ask for his favor in Heaven, and hope that he prays for our family’s behalf as well.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Robertson: This allegation is outrageous and it’s absolutely hypocritical
Hypocritical? The same organization who lied about ties to Saddam Hussein in order to maintain a bureau office in Baghdad? Nah!
I’m very curious to see how this play out. Will Nic Robertson and CNN be vindicated, or have they been outed as tools of a dictator? Time well tell.
Florida House Panel Passes Ultrasound Before Abortion Bill
LifeNews.com posts news that the Florida House Panel has brought back a bill which will allow women considering having an abortion to first take a look at the life they would be ending. From the article:
The House Health and Human Services Quality Subcommittee passed the bill today on a party-line vote 10-4 with Republicans supporting the pro-life, pro-woman measure and Democrats in opposition. The post said Rep. Jose Diaz, a Republican, supported the bill, saying “Anybody who has a chance to see their child’s heart beating will be deeply impacted.” And Rep. Ron Renuart, a physician, also supported it.
It’s good to see some common sense coming out of Florida.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
IDF, settlers save Arab baby
I wait for the day Hamas and Fatah leaders will ask their citizens to return this most wondrous of favors. Considering what targets both the IDF and Israeli settlers have become over the last few decades, it is miraculous that these people took the time to save this little Arab girl. It would be nice to think that, politics aside, her mom and dad will raise her to know that the Jews aren’t all pigs and dogs. There are enough Palestinians living in the area who know better.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
French Fighter-Bombers Destroy Gadhafi Tanks; Sarkozy and Cameron Earning Nobels
Thanks to Austin Bay for updating the world on France and England taking some ownership in the Libyan crisis/fiasco. This is especially true of France, who, after two centuries, have finally gotten their wish of being seen as a country who mattered again. It makes sense in this case, as the Maghreb is part of France’s realm of influence (as is the Levant and Francophone Africa). It’s nice to see someone else run with the ball for a change.
European governments “completely puzzled” about U.S. position on Libya
France and the United Kingdom looked to be leading the push for a no-fly zone in Libya, which seemed admirable. Unfortunately, they seem to be more content in pushing the U.S. into the forefront now, so that they can deflect any criticism and hector us down the road for going in.
Foreign Policy Magazine has more on this unfortunate situation here.
The Real Saint Patrick
Mar 17
This gallery contains 2 photos.
A heart-felt thanks to John Gfoeller for his wonderful article, reprinted in full. Today (17 March) is the feast day of St. Patrick of Ireland. He was born in Roman-Britain. His name, “Patrick,” comes from the Latin word for “patrician” or a member of the upper classes. He was presumably a son of an upper-middle [...]
Taming Chaos with a Personal Plan
STRATFOR gives pointers on how to tackle the idea of personal contingency planning amid all the ruckus in the Middle East and Japan.
On Libya, the ‘Do Something’ Crowd Is Back
What disgusting wretches the so-called ‘world community’ is. They watch the slaughter in Libya, in Bahrain, in Saudi Arabia, and what do they do? Nothing. The West should forever hang its head in shame if Muammar Gaddhafi and the other monstrous clowns ruining the Middle East are allowed a victory.
Michael Cohen of World Politics Review writes on the “Do Something” crowd.
Pay attention, Baroness Ashton: ‘Why fewer and fewer Americans take Europe seriously’
European politicians have always been considered something of a joke, and it’s certainly been so the last 60 or so years. For every Churchill or de Gaulle, you have a van Rumpuy or Baroness Ashton who come off looking embarrassing to the eyes of Americans interested enough to eyeball Euro-politics.
The Daily Mail writes more on the embarrassment that is Baroness Ashton here.
Iran and the Saudis’ Countermove on Bahrain
STRATFOR analyzes the battle in Bahrain. This is an extremely important field of operations to watch, as this is where both Saudi Arabia and Iran are conducting a proxy war against each other. Where some Shi’a and Sunni will work together against outside influences (i.e. The United States), left to their own devices, they are happy to destroy each other.
Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard: ‘There is a reason the world always looks to America’
How sad it is to think that we have to be reminded by this country’s greatness by an outsider.
A liberal and an atheist, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard seems like the sort of person who would be more comfortable speaking in front of the café society over in Brussels rather than inside the chambers of the Congress of the United States. Yet this lady managed to wet the eyes of many a Congressman with her fine speech yesterday. Andrew Malcolm of the Los Angeles times writes a fine article reminding us who are friends truly are.
Some analysis from STRATFOR
George Friedman and company always make for intriguing reading:
Bahrain and the Battle Between Iran and Saudi Arabia – Bahrain has turned into a proxy war for Shi’a and Sunni Muslims led by Iran and Saudi Arabia.
How a Libyan No-fly Zone Could Backfire – Don’t be so quick to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. The SAS tried that and ended up having men captured by those they were supposed to be assisting.
Why Women Make Lousy Men
Oh, isn’t it the truth…
Kathleen Parker admonishes her Western feminist friends to take a look at what really being a feminist means in the eyes of women from the Middle East. There is truth in saying that women from the West gave up an integral part of their femininity when they gained equality with men.
It would be most interesting if the women of ConClub would be so kind as to pour their thoughts into this article.
Kuwaiti protests on Tuesday aim to remove PM
This article hits a bit close to home as one of my dearest friends is working in Safat, just outside of Kuwait City. Kuwait is as tough to operate in as Saudi Arabia is, but now even Kuwaitis have tired of their leadership. The Middle East gets more and more interesting each day.
Culture Break
As the beginnings of Apocalypse break out in the Maghreb and the Arabian Peninsula, I decided to let my head rest from the unending assault of news between Hosni Mubarak, Muammar Gaddafi and the idiocy that is Charlie Sheen (why is he even a meme?).
Look at some interesting images and rest your head this evening.
Arid Uka’s Gratitude
Mark Steyn wonders how Arid Uka, the radicalized Kosovar Muslim extremist, could shoot two American soldiers dead despite America’s best efforts at making that undeserving land free from Serbian control.
Chalk another murder up to multi-kulti.
Rebels push back Libya regime attack on oil port
I have to admit that I’m impressed with the “rebels” of Libya. They’ve managed to hold off Muammar Ghaddafi’s goons for some time now in many towns across the country, and may well wear the dictator into submission, inshallat.
End It: North Korean Food Aid = Aid to Its Nuclear Program
Rep. Ed Royce makes an excellent point; any money going to North Korea goes to their nuclear program. That needs to end now. Their bellicose behavior will either be put in check or they will be starved into submission.
2 US airmen killed in Frankfurt airport shooting
Horrible news from Germany today. A Kosovar punk, about 21 years old, screamed “Allahu Akbar!” before shooting at American servicemen in Frankfurt. Two are dead, and two are wounded as of this first report.
Daniel Foster of National Review links to an article posted at The Guardian for a bit more information.
1st Amendment protects military funeral protesters
Scum they may be, but the 1st Amendment is there to protect trash like this. One never knows when that trash may be you.
Thousands take to Yemen’s streets for new ‘Day of Rage’
Yemen burns, just like Oman, Bahrain and Libya. This one is worth concentrating on as a radical leader, Abdul Majid al-Zinadi, a former mentor to Osama bin Laden, is leading the charge against Yemen’s leader, Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Suggested Reading
For my friends, the posters on Con Club, and some of our new readers, I thought I’d direct you to some worthy reading:
The Corner @ National Review Online
* – You will find plenty of liberal gibberish here, but there is much worthy on this blog. Many articles which will force one to think about and wrestle with your belief system. It’s always good to keep your focus sharp, so I heartily recommend this site. It’s also not bad for you culture snobs.
Another Scandal in the OCA
Stories like this frustrate the heck out of me. We have such a scandal here, yet we have such poor leadership in the OCA. It’s patently obvious that our leadership is not really ready to develop a proper Orthodox Church in America yet. Thanks to John Gfoeller for breaking such bad news. His post is displayed below:
Read the rest of this entry
[Video] John Carpenter – ‘One Last Long Goodbye’ (Echo, Los Angeles 2/14/11)
John Carpenter and his crew are about the freshest thing to come into Los Angeles in quite some time. The scene is simply better for them being here. They tore up The Echo on Valentine’s Day, and Joe Albanese, erstwhile drummer of Carpenter’s band, sent over this clip: Cross-posted at A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music.
[Video] Francisco Guerrero Marín – "Ariadna" (1984)
We covered a Renaissance composer with the same name in the previous post. This one was a 20th Century avant-garde composer who died at the age of 47 in 1997, which was a pity, as he was beginning to look like one of the leading lights in contemporary classical music. Here is a sample of his work: Cross-posted at A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music.
[Video] Francisco Guerrero (composer) – "¡O qué mesa y qué manjar!"
I’ve been on a kick recently exploring liturgical music from the 16th Century, concentrating on the work of Spanish Renaissance composer Francisco Guerrero. Here is a piece of one of his greatest works: Cross-posted at A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music.
Bad, Mr. Huckabee, Bad
Torrey Honors Institute Director and fellow Eastern Orthodox Christian John Mark Reynolds provides a rather nice defense of Mike Huckabee after the Arkansas governor was criticized for rightfully attacking the “Religon of Peace™”. Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Is Barack Obama Secretly Swiss?
The great dying scribe, Christopher Hitchens, really lays into President Obama on his rather tepid and pathetic war of words against Muammar Ghaddafi. I can see why young Libyans might hate us at this moment.
Gaddafi will take his own life and not flee – minister
One can only hope he commits this one good act of his life very soon before more innocent Libyans get massacred by this monster.
In other news, CNBC reports that there are unsubstantiated rumors Gaddhafi has been shot. Fingers crossed.
Revolution and the Muslim World
George Friedman of STRATFOR provides a synopsis of the upheaval in the Ummah.
Is the Out of Africa Theory Out?
It should be by now. I’ve been preaching this for years, but it’s good to see some scientific evidence to uphold this line of thinking. Nikhil Swaminathan of Scientific American makes a strong case that Europeans came from Asia. Cross-posted at Steinblóm.
Report: Gaddafi Fleeing Tripoli, En Route to Venezuela
One can only hope this is true. Though there was some sort of statement made that Muammar Ghaddafi never left, it wouldn’t be out of line for this cretin to lie about running like a scared girl from his country. May some Libyan with a grievance take this bastard out.
Presidents’ Day Posts at National Review
I found a couple of posts worth perusing at the corner on a couple of presidents past. The Corner really should be part of your daily reading if you consider yourself to be a center-right conservative. If not, have fun with Alex Jones or something.
Thomas Jefferson – By Michael Knox Beran
Calvin Coolidge – By Amity Shlaes
[Poem] ‘Thougts on a wayside shrine’ by Alasdair Sclater
It’s been a good spell since my unofficial bard has made an appearance here:
The shrine stands now
Crucifix strong and standing
Among the snow bound hills
Hills of the Czech Republic
Where it speaks the ancient faith
In our Saviour
Who stands now on the Cross
To remind us of those dark days
Amid the cold and the snowStands the reminder of our Saviour
Crucified for us
In the cold
And in the nakedness of truth
Spoken down the ages
In the wonder of the messageSaviour your form looks so cold
Among the snow racked tempest
Where we celebrate your death and resurrection
And speak again the days
When you hung on the Cross for our sinsCold stands the picture
Of the shrine
That stood so many years
And the tempest of the cold
Rack your gallant form
The sins of man
That visit at every turnAnd all the scene speaks of hardship and sacrifice
The price of sin paid
In the triumph of the ages
That speaks all
In the snows that surround
In the bitter coldAnd the shrine stands a message
A picture too vivid to let go
The form of our Lord so cold
Amid the bitter snow
Of the emotions of the people
Who stood by and watched
Our Saviour put to deathThe years have gone by on this deed
But the shrine still stands
To remind in the winter snow
Cross-posted at Steinblóm.
Bahrain security forces fire on defiant protesters
Poor Bahrainis. They want to eat and have housing, or so report the press. What you really have here is the fact that Shia and Sunni can never live together, and will only work together if the enemy is so hideous that they have no choice. Still, the royal family of Bahrain deserve the chopping block for firing on their citizens indiscriminately. HT: Breitbart.
The Egyptian Military Takes Sides. Not Ours.
Those who were pessimistic about the role Egypt’s military played in the Cairo uprising can now feel justified. The Egyptian Military just allowed the Muslim Brotherhood to allow extremist cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi back into the country. Qaradawi is a noted intellectual inside of Al-Ikhwān, as the Muslim Brotherhood is known in Egypt. That the military have provided a guard for this cretin’s return shows that they are not on the side of democracy, but will be part of aiding the development of a new Islamist state. Woe to Miṣr. Thanks to Dave Reaboi who posted the article at Big Peace.
Muslim leaders urge for the end of massacre in Libya
I thought I’d take a look and check out a foreign perspective on the upheaval in the Maghreb and the Middle East. This story comes from Macedonia. Arab leaders are trying to get Muammar Ghaddafi to quit massacring his people. As if he’d listen.
Argentina Holds Confiscated U.S. Air Force Cargo
Argentina may be the home of my favorite writer of all time (Jorge Luis Borges), as well as the home of tango, but it is also run by an incompetent boob by the name of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, wife of the late Néstor Kirchner, a leftist who managed to not do too much damage to the republic.
Unfortunately, she has decided to pick a fight with the United States over cargo they allowed into the country. This would not end well for the Argentines under a competent leader, but since we’re stuck with the current POTUS, all bets are off.
Yemenis trying to oust leader protest for 5th day
Breitbart and the AP report that Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, is active with protesters trying to dislodge the current regime led by Ali Abdullah Saleh. The contagion spreads.
Iran sending warships through Suez Canal
It looks like Iran wants to test the resolve of the new Egyptian government, as well as Israel’s, by sending a group of ships to move through the Suez Canal. They risk war by doing so, but Iran seems to be willing to take this calculated risk. Surprisingly, no one is reporting on it much here in the United States.
Could Libya be next?
In šāʾ Allāh. The hemmerhoid running and ruining Libya for nearly four decades has brought little to the country but managing to make himself a rich pain in the rear for not only America, but Africa, The Maghreb and the Arab world in general. Good riddance to him if the Libyans can throw him out and kill off any undue radical influence.
The Threat of Civil Unrest in Pakistan and the Davis Case
I’m assuming that poor Pakistan, which has been neglected in the world news cycle as of late, has decided it needs to do something to remain relevant and newsworthy. There is a deep-seated hatred of America and much sympathy with the Taliban and its allies in Al Qaeda. A security officer, Raymond Davis, is the current hatred <em>du jour</em>, having killed two men who had tried, unsuccessfully, to rob him. The terrorist group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are demanding that Davis be executed. If the Obama Administration decides not to protect their man in Islamabad, it is my hope that Pakistan be incinerated by a more pro-American regime than the one we’re currently stuck with.
Video: Niall Ferguson destroys Obama over Egypt
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
I’ve enjoyed reading Niall Ferguson for years, as his history on money has made for wonderful reading. He’s a historian of the first rate, and on the video, he really lets the Obama regime have it in terms of their incompetent Foreign Policy schemes.
The problem of sexual violence in Egypt
This is an addendum to the story of the reporter who was sexually assaulted in Cairo during the revolution. One needs to see what kind of culture is being vaunted as ‘revolutionary’. In other news, a douchebag by the name of Nir Rosen lost his job for making some incredibly stupid comments against the reporter in question, Lara Logan, who probably has more balls than this loser. HT: National Review.
Critics Slam U.S. Government, Media for ‘Weak’ Response to Anti-Christian Attacks
It is sickening to see such a pathetic display of cowardice against fellow Christians who endure attack after attack in the Middle East, but am equally disturbed to see such quiet responses from Christians of all denominations. While we are so willing to attack each other on doctrines, others, truly living the faith, are getting massacred. One wonders if Apocalypse has been at hand for decades now, judging by such weak responses. Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Leftist Blogger Dismisses Black Conservative, CPAC Speaker Herman Cain As ‘Minstrel’
Stay classy, Alternet. What utterly racist garbage.
Bahrain protesters take control of main square
We have a new hotspot to watch. Protesters have taken over the main square in Manama, the capital of Bahrain.
‘If not now, when?’ A million furious Italian women protesters demand the head of Berlusconi over ‘underage sex’ scandal
Since we’re throwing allies under the bus, it would make sense that we will watch a sleazy man like Silvio Berlusconi get his rump handed to him by a bunch of mad Italian women. The problem is that the left were ousted after some of their pols were caught in a pedophile scandal. Italy is a basket case. Poor them.
Gaddafi tells Palestinians: revolt against Israel
The Cretin of Tripoli has the unmitigated gall to call for Palestinians to revolt against Israel (who will crush them if they try) while Libya is beginning to feel the heat inside its own country.
Kremlin ‘bans critical ballerina from TV’
Interesting news from Russia. A dissident ballerina who came out against the jailing of billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky has had her TV show cancelled. She claims to have been forced to have signed a letter supporting Khodorovsky’s first jail sentence, according to this article in Breitbart. Wouldn’t it be nice if Russia got rid of their home-grown tin-pots?
Protester killed in Bahrain "Day of Rage": witnesses
The contagion spreads. A protester died today in Bahrain, despite the royal family trying to pay off protesters with a (by their standards) large amount of cash to quell another revolution. The so-called “Arab Street” smells blood everywhere. This will not end soon.
[Poem] ‘I Haven’t Left Yet’ by Teimuraz Zanaturi
ჯერ არ წავსულვარ…I haven’t left yet…
გავყვები ფიქრებს
დარდის პირველ გაჩერებამდე.
დაველოდები
ჩამოვლილ ტიტრებს…
“ისევ მარტო ვარ,
როგორც ბეღურა
მარტის წვიმაში”…
მრუდე სამყარო
დაფლეთილი
ფიქრის წვეთებით
ჩემს ფანჯარაში…
გამოვიარე სიზმარივით “წლები წამებში გადასაფრენი”;
ჯერ არ წავსულვარ, ყოველთვის ვნახე
ერთი მიზეზი
აქ დასარჩენი.
თეიმურაზ ზანათური
(თემურ ლურსმანაშვილი)
14 აგვისტო, 2010
I haven’t left yet…
I’ll follow the thoughts
To the first stop of the sorrow.
I’ll wait for the captions
Passing in the narrow.
“In the spring rain
I’m alone again – as a sparrow”…
False, shabby universe
With drops of thoughts – in my window…
I passed them as a dream:
“Years elapsed on instant way”;
I haven’t left yet:
I could always find a reason to stay.
Temur Lursmanashvil.
Translated by Archil Lursmanashvili
Cross-posted at Steinblóm.
Red Alert: Mubarak Resigns, Military is in Charge
Things are about to get VERY interesting now that Hosni Mubarak has been ousted via military coup.
Mexico’s Gun Supply and the 90 Percent Myth
Though the world pays attention to the Middle East as it burns, STRATFOR gives analysis to what’s happening across our border with Mexico. Read this quickly before it gets archived.
Egypt’s Uprising May Reignite Iran’s Green Movement
As grave as the situation might be in Egypt, and God willing it will normalize soon, there is a possible side-effect developing from the revolution; Iran’s Green Movement might reignite, tiring of the Mad Mullahs, awful Ayatollahs and the rats ruling the roost in Tehran.
Hosni Mubarak as Nicolae Ceauşescu
Hosni Mubarak may be an evil thug, but in the real world, one has to admit he was “our” evil thug, meaning America’s. That he was shows what a mistake we made. We should have been fostering ties with real democrats in order for them to develop leaders who would have been able to assist in making a smoother transition. The only ones who would resist would be the sort of people we rightly call our enemies. Most Egyptians are not keen on seeing the ascendancy of the Muslim Brotherhood. Why would they? At least under Mubarak’s less-than-democratic (by a long shot) rule, the poor were at least able to eat bread made with subsidized wheat. Jihadis and MB members need to eat, too, so who do you think will feel the brunt of this overturning in Egypt? It won’t be the troublemakers.
As for Mubarak, I had heard a man mention a rather interesting scenario. Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu was faced with a somewhat similar situation. Rather than leaving gracefully, his security services, obviously loyal to him, decided to go hard-line against the population, and it turned out that the army switched sides at the opportune moment. He would be executed for crimes against his state. The Egyptian Army is in a similar quandary. Does one really think that Mubarak has enough sway at this point to get the army to attack citizens? If Omar Suleiman, the vice-president, is delusional enough to think that the army will attack protesters, he’ll be in for a disappointment (and maybe end his days via a rope around his neck). The best scenario I see would be for Mubarak to feign illness and leave with his estimated $70 billion robbed from Egyptian coffers. He’s too arrogant, too much of a pharaoh to do that. He will have his security forces attack the citizens, the army will intervene, martial law will ensue, and Hosni Mubarak will be shot in the back of the head.
Then the fun really begins.
Coptic Mass in Tahrir Square
http://online.wsj.com/media/swf/VideoPlayerMain.swf
What more can one add to this? God bless the Copts and those Muslims who love their neighbors more than the murderous swine who share their religion hate them.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
What Russians can learn from Egyptians
Kim Zigfeld does what she does best – pick on Russia. She links to an article by Vladimir Ryzhkov of the Moscow Times on what Russia should (but will never) learn from the Egyptians in this critical stage of history.
Liberty, Not the Brotherhood
Stephen F. Hayes at The Weekly Standard comments that, while some Conservatives may not want to admit it, the Obama Administration is indeed aware of the trouble the Muslim Brotherhood could cause if they seize power in Egypt, and are doing what they can to guide democracy in.
I’m far more skeptical, as the Obama Administration has been slow to respond to the events occurring all over the Middle East. Perhaps now it’s time for them to save face and start looking for serious democracy-minded groups to collaborate with, rather than relying on placating terrorists or supporting knuckle-dragging thugs.
Disappearances up the ante in Tahrir Square
We in the West rarely stop to think of the human toll riots and revolutions cause. Take the case of Mohammed Said Ali, whose son went missing. Laura King covers this tragedy for the New York Times.
Egypt crisis: Mubarak’s son Gamal among party leaders to resign, state TV says
Hosni Mubarak has seen pretty much everyone resigning, even his own son and heir-apparent, Gamal (don’t be stupid enough to believe Hosni when he says he never intended for Gamal to take over, as the man is a liar of the worst order). Hosni’s day is done.
We simply await the next chapter: democracy, a real one, or the Muslim Brotherhood and their fellow travelers?
All the Reagan you need today
Happy birthday, Gipper.
Peggy Noonan: Ronald Reagan at 100.
Tevi Troy: The Gipper’s gift – A pro Israel GOP.
George Weigel: Reagan & John Paul II.
Washington Times Editors: Unlike today, Reagan’s foreign policy was based on strength.
Video: ‘Reagan’s Final Triumph Over His Enemies.’
Charles Moore: Warming to the cold war warrior.
Lou Cannon: Reagan remembered for a good reason.
Andrew Malcolm: Ronald Reagan’s birth centennial, Part I: Politics came late in his life.
Jane Hampton Cook: Reagan’s secret legacy – quiet diplomacy.
Cal Thomas: Reagan understood America’s greatness resides in its people.
Robert MacFarlane: Three qualities that made Reagan great.
Stephen Dinan: Ronald Reagan’s enduring legacy.
Lorne Gunter: All hail the communicator-in-chief.
Daniel Flynn: Happy 100th Birthday, Ronald Reagan.
Paul Kengor: When Reagan spoke truth to Soviet power.
Tasha Kheiriddin: Ronald Reagan, the most influential president since FDR.
Martin Tullai: Reagan – Humorist in chief.
Andrea Billups: Nancy Reagan was a true political partner.
Peter Schweizer: The genius of Ronald Reagan’s humor
Ed Rollins: Reagan restored faith in America.
Matt Lewis: The bullet that would have killed Ronald Reagan.
Ronald Reagan: The Boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagan: ‘Tear down this wall!’
Flashback — June 12, 1987: 24,000 demonstrate in Berlin against Reagan’s visit today.
Pro-Mubarak Supporters Target Journalists As ‘Jews’
Every idiot in the Middle East thinks it’s “The Joooooooos” conspiring against them. Kind of like here, but nastier. Canary In The Coal Mine blogs on the sheer hypocrisy of Mubarak and his goon squad.
The Iranian Revolution Echoes in Egypt
Michael Totten talks Iran, The Revolution there, and the mess in the Middle East with author Abbas Milani.
Video: Anderson and crew attacked in Cairo (via Anderson Cooper 360)
Not a fan at all of Anderson Cooper, but it wasn’t right to see him get worked over like that.
50 Years of Black History: A Time Line
A break from the rigmarole. Here’s an article from Henry “Skip” Gates, the pompous ass who, as it turns out, produced a rather fine timeline on Black History for The Root.
Al-Qaida on brink of using nuclear bomb
With all the juicy news from the Maghreb, I thought I’d throw a wrench and bring you back to reality with this rather unsettling story from Heidi Blake and Christopher Hope from the Daily Telegraph. Al-Qaida are capable of detonating more than just a dirty bomb according to intelligence reports.
2.1.11 // Mubarek’s speech (via black & white & chic all over)
I stumbled into this post. The blog isn’t my cup of tea, but this article is worth a look. Linked is a transcript and video of Mubarak’s speech to the throngs in Cairo. They’re not buying it. He will probably pack his bags soon.
A democratic Egypt or a state of hate?
You know things are pretty bad when liberal pundits like Richard Cohen of the Washington Post call the situation in the Middle East in general and Egypt in particular “chaos.” From Mr. Cohen:
Things are about to go from bad to worse in the Middle East. An Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement is nowhere in sight. Lebanon just became a Hezbollah state, which is to say that Iran has become an even more important regional power, and Egypt, once stable if tenuously so, has been pitched into chaos. This is the most dire prospect of them all. The dream of a democratic Egypt is sure to produce a nightmare.
More STRATFOR analysis on Egypt
Here’s more analysis as we observe the fall of Hosni Mubarak: The Egypt Crisis in a Global Context: A Special Report
Egyptian Police Redeploying
Egypt protests show George W. Bush was right about freedom in the Arab world
Elliott Abrams posts an excellent apologia for George W. Bush’s Middle East policy at the Washington Post. It is rather shocking to see even people like Chris Matthews begin to admit that Obama doesn’t know what he’s doing and that Dubya may just have been right. This happens when grotesque ideological blinkers are removed.
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