StormWarning’s Counterterrorism

Many in the blogosphere crowd will be surprised by the answer to this question. But even the question and answer is raising the eyebrows of some people like Evan Kohlmann who know alot more about the al Qaeda mentality thant (I hate freakin’ typos!) almost everyone out there (including myself, of course).

In a commentary posted Monday on the extremist Web site al-Hesbah, which is closely linked to the terrorist group. It said the Arizona Republican would continue the “failing march of his predecessor,” President Bush.

The post apparently draws the conclusion that al Qaeda has successfully lured the U.S. into a trap that had “exhausted its resources and bankrupted its economy,” and goes on to suggest that a terrorist strike might swing the election to McCain and guarantee an expansion of U.S. military commitments in the Islamic world.

In Kohlmann’s post on Counterterrorism Blog, he points out that Randy Scheunemann and Jim Woolsey, McCain advisors quickly spoke to minimize the entry on al-Hesbah as a “blog entry.” Clearly, al-Hesbah is not just another blog site, nor is the propaganda in this particular post meaningless blog-blather.  Six months ago, on April 3, 2006, Al-Qaida’s Organization in Saudi Arabia issued an official communique regarding their relationship with Al-Hesbah: “We can only say good things about our brothers from the Al-Hesbah network…The brothers from Al-Hesbah have provided a superb service to the jihad and the mujahideen and everyone credits them for this.”

Of greatest importance to me and clearly supporting my views all along is Kohlmann’s conclusion that should be read and understood by each and every one of the blog-bursting citizen journalists who have exercised their freedom of speech to express their views to their minions who agree with them, even if the information posted there on their blogs has no real factual value (I’m not going to blockquote this section because it would de-emphasize the type face and I want it to be read):

“There is, of course, a degree of well-deserved irony in John McCain having to defend himself against charges of being a “terrorist enabler”. The McCain campaign has been unforgivably slow to condemn the vocal minority of their supporters at recent campaign rallies who have shouted out “Terrorist!” and “Kill him!” in response to hearing the name of Senator Barack Obama. The fact is, Al-Qaida’s real interest in the current American election cycle has nothing to do with choosing one candidate over the other — clearly, Al-Qaida doesn’t like either candidate. Rather, what Al-Qaida is hoping to witness this political season are internal recriminations, name-calling, racism, xenophobia, disunity, and America tearing at its own social fabric. The motivation is obviously not in crowning the victor, but in prolonging the game. Those foolish individuals who have shown up at political rallies carrying tasteless signs and threatening violence against their own fellow Americans are Al-Qaida’s real allies in this race. They are the ones who are responsible for providing a limitless bounty of propaganda fodder for our global adversaries — and there should be no tolerance in either campaign for such despicable behavior.”

Each every one of the amateurs should read that paragraph carefully, fully and then re-read it. In the search for what you believe is the truth, you have given al Qaeda and its followers, exactly what they wanted.

Is there an attack on the horizon? I don’t know and if I had that information, I wouldn’t be blogging. But contrary to the knee jerk reaction of Randy Scheunemann and Jim Woolsey from the McCain campaign, in my opinion, the meaningless “musings and bravado” has come from many of the conservative blogs that couldn’t focus on issues, and instead spent their time on name calling.

[This may be the best place for me to "get off the bus."]

Al Hesbah, Randy Scheunemann and Jim Woolsey

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Despite the relative calm and void of terrorist attacks on US soil, we are nonetheless a Nation at war. We all must remain vigilent and report anything, as a DHS agent said in a recent presentation that I attended, that “Doesn’t Look Right.” I some circles, a rumor of an attack on October 7 2008 had been spread. The concern is that the source of the initial analysis that was flawed, not that bloggers became the conduit of mis-information.

To think that a self-proclaimed homeland security expert (see this older post from Debbie Schlussel titled, UH-OH! Northeast “Intelligence” Network Steps In It: Fake “Terrorism Expert” Douglas Hagmann Admits Plagiarism, Fabricated Info), a “font of information” with a lack of credibility, and yet a large following (notably among only those who refuse to accept the fact that the National Intelligence Network - or NIN - and its self-proclaimed “experts” are not experts at all) actually knows more than any of our law enforcement agencies (DHS, FBI, NSA etc.) or know more than excessively credible counterterrorism websites and sources of information (one among the many being the Counterterrorism Blog), is what makes the “chicken little/sky is falling” hurricane of words, and bits and bytes, more distrubing. Ask the intelligent question, rather than relying on an unreliable source like NIN. Would none of these credible sources have written something to alert the citizenry if this supposed threat had any merit?

Of course, the argument will always be, “better right than sorry,” or “don’t worry about or be embarrassed for being wrong.” That’s all true. The problem is the source of the information, not the intention of the bloggers who spread the illicit rumor.

In my opinion, spreading an unsubstantiated rumor from a less than credible source, is exactly what the terrorists want. The more often the populace is in any way alerted to an impending terrorist attack, the more desensitized the populace will become, and the less likely they are as a broad population to be ready to respond and react when the real terrorist alert comes. Since I am passed the point of caring, the simple point is that bloggers who choose to spread information from less than credible sources, then “bicycle the blog articles around to other bloggers” do this country a huge disservice. I’m not calling these citizen journalists anything like “unpatriotic.” Quite the opposite, they are doing what they feel is the right and patriotic thing to do (albeit perhaps they are quite naive). But in spreading misinformation and bad intelligence from a less than “intelligent” source, they are not serving the public good. Thousands of people, maybe hundreds of thousands people, walked around the last few weeks thinking that we were going to be attacked yesterday, and yet, we were not attacked.

In my entire circle of friends and associates, many of whom are in the business of counterterrorism and law enforcement and national security, none ever even mentioned the rumored attacks of October 7th, 2008. That is not to say that another attack on US soil is not coming. Someday, regettably, I believe that we will be attacked, and perhaps that attack will happen sooner than later. Perhaps, even, that attack will come from within, from a US based terrorist group, maybe not even one connected to the jihad.

One thing is certain to me (and I care not about any flack I might take for writing this entry or for what I am about to say).

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

October 7, terrorism

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Its about time that someone actually speak the truth about the “financial crisis” and why it happened. So like it or not, this is a violently politically incorrect, but, IMO, accurate take on the greed and stupidity that has led to a near meltdown in our economy and the wiping out of any profit I might have seen from the sale of my home in the immediate future. Yes dammit, pass the bailout so the rest of the economy doesn’t go down the tubes and have the next President be blamed for the implosion. And I want someone to step up and pay my damn mortgage too! I’ve worked hard for that right!

NOT PC RANT: Now, you see…the basic question lies in how some people who haven’t got good (or possibly any) credit were able to buy houses that they simply couldn’t afford. I don’t know about you, but I’ve worked hard to maintain my excellent credit rating, despite years of paltry income. But no! People have nothing, went out and moved into the “keeping up with the Jones’ neighborhoods, only to find themselves in situations where they either couldn’t afford the increased mortgage payments as their adjustable sub-prime mortages went up, or maybe even, with the real estate market imploding on itself, largely because of their own greed (and of couse, the greed of the mortgage industry that decided to loan money to anyone), found themselves “upside down” on their homes (simply, they owed more than the market value of their house).

Well excuse me! and “go fluck a duck!” I worked hard to buy my house, a house that I could afford to buy. And I live in a nice neighborhood, but as I’ve watched homes in my neighborhood go on the market and sell, it has been obvious that some of these people actually couldn’t afford to actually be my neighbor…they got themselves one of those nice sub-prime mortgage, and bought a nice house in a nice neighborhood, where they really couldn’t afford to live (the tell tale sign was when the “repo-man” came to tow their shiney new BMW out of their driveway and cart it away).

Ladies and gentlemen, and those few who read this blog - America is a land of opportunity. However, that opportunity is not an entitlement. You, if you don’t work hard and have the money in savings, are not entitled to live in my neighborhood, just like I an not entitled to live in a nearby neighborhood where the home prices are 50% higher than mine. The real problem is that one of those upside down homeowners just sold a house down the street from me for a price lower than what I paid for mine.

So screw me! for being able to afford the house I live in, because Mr. and Mrs. “Keeping up with the Jones” couldn’t afford their house, and had to sell in a distressed sale.

There’s a post worth linking my rant to at Right Truth. Good people of all walks of life work hard to establish themselves and accomplish whatever it is that they accomplish. Tiday, people who far overstepped their boundaries are putting all of us in a position to get them out of their jams. I object strenuously.

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Wake Up! There is no doubt in my feable mind that when I wrote Losing Afghanistan (Reduxed Again) nearly 10 months ago that I either guessed really well, or I was simply, right! I vote for “right.” This position is supported by Doug Farah’s post, “Trying to Get it Right in Afghanistan, and Ignoring the Elephant in the Room”

Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, has sounded the alarm on Afghanistan, correctly pointing out that the danger of losing there is real and the hour is late.

It is fitting, on this day, to remember that our collective inability to get Afghanistan right once before helped give our enemies the opportunity to plan and execute the 9/11 attacks that are being remembered today.

What is striking about the published reports of Mullen and Defense Secretary Gates is the absence of any discussion of one of the driving forces of the Taliban’s mounting success: its access to tens of millions of dollars in opium and poppy money. The UN conservatively estimates the Taliban makes between $50 million and $70 million a year from the drug trade.

Oh, sure, some of my supposed counterterrorism blogger cohorts might offer a different view. Of course, it has been argued more than once before that Afghanistan was on the road to recovery and democracy. My opinion has consistently been contrary to that. I’ve been accused of being unpatriotic, I’ve been accused of not supporting our troops who were acclaimed as having been victorious against the “defeated” Taliban, and for my point of view, I have been called a “librul.”

Still, Afghanistan remains on the brink. Hamid Karzai has an attitude that may only be solved by his assassination. To stop this very real resurgence of the Taliban, their supply of money needs to be chopped off.

If the US and NATO is serious about improving the situation on the ground in Afghanistan, the Taliban’s money stream must be cut off. That stream is heavily dependent on opium. Ignoring that reality is not a policy.

History repeats. Sometimes we have the ability to stop it. Other times, we ignore the obvious. If you’re at all interested in reading further, you can review some of the historical Storm posts on the subject of Losing Afghanistan. Its time to open your eyes…unless you want to be “surprised” in a few months by events as they evolve.

Losing Afghanistan, poppy trade, Taliban

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A reminder to reinforce the belief that in Afghanistan we fight the continuing war against terrorism, we recognize the death of Navy SEAL Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Thomas Harris of Lexington, N.C., who was killed in battle last week during an Afghanistan combat operation, the Defense Department announced.

“Petty Officer Harris was an exemplary SEAL. He served his country valorously during multiple combat tours to Afghanistan and Iraq,” said Capt. Scott Moore, commanding officer of NSWDG, in a press release. “He was a brave warrior, SEAL role model, mature and reliable teammate and an absolute great American. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Petty Officer Harris’ family. His loss is deeply felt by the entire Naval Special Warfare community.”

Internet warriors take heed. Among PO Harris’ awards were Bronze Star Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal with Combat “V” (Valor) Distinguishing Device, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V” (Valor) Distinguishing Device, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon (Operation Iraqi Freedom), Combat Action Ribbon (Operation Enduring Freedom), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbons and Good Conduct Medals.

Some do, some die, some write and rattle sabers.

Joshua Thomas Harris, Naval Special Warfare

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As we approach the 7 year mark post Sept 11th, Americans need to be reminded about the prupose of the War on Terrorism. Actually, we shouldn’t need it. But as President Bush prepares to leave office, he is seeking to re-affirm that we are at war with al Qaeda.

Sound strange? Well, I’ve been concerned about American complacency from when the last of the public funerals of those who died in the attacks. And yet, partly because of the passage of time, and partly because the focus of attention has been on Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran as pieces of geography instead of battlegrounds in the war versus al Qaeda. It was al Qaeda that attacked us on September 11, 2001. It was al Qaeda that attacked us at the USS Cole and at the African embassies.

Seven years after the Sept. 11 attacks, Mr. Bush’s advisers assert that many Americans may have forgotten that. So they want Congress to say so and “acknowledge again and explicitly that this nation remains engaged in an armed conflict with Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and associated organizations, who have already proclaimed themselves at war with us and who are dedicated to the slaughter of Americans.”

The language, part of a proposal for hearing legal appeals from detainees at the United States naval base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, goes beyond political symbolism. Echoing a measure that Congress passed just days after the Sept. 11 attacks, it carries significant legal and public policy implications for Mr. Bush, and potentially his successor, to claim the imprimatur of Congress to use the tools of war, including detention, interrogation and surveillance, against the enemy, legal and political analysts say.

Some lawmakers are concerned that the administration’s effort to declare anew a war footing is an 11th-hour maneuver to re-establish its broad interpretation of the president’s wartime powers, even in the face of challenges from the Supreme Court and Congress.

If not in any other way, this Global War on Terrorism has been miserably mismanaged. September 11th was not and should not be treated as a singular event in history. Aside from the fact that other al Qaeda attacks pre-date Sept. 11th, the question now is how the war will be waged following the election of the next President

Perhaps the attempt to tuck language into legislation is a bit “funky,” but the fact is that too many Americans have lost focus. Many of those Americans are on Capitol Hill. Sadly my dear reader, we have lost our way in my opinion. Paraphrasing: if we forget history, it will repeat itself. We are at a cross roads in our Nation’s history. If we choose wisely, we may actually remain vigilent and remain prepared for the coming of the next attack on our Homeland. “Choose wisely grasshopper” when voting this November. There is only one real choise, and his name is John McCain.

Global War on Terrorism

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Blogging 24/7 can be stressful, and dangerous to your health. Some people take “it” (being first to scoop a story) so seriously, that they can’t do anything else but literally watch the AP wire.

Its the digital era sweat shop…the home computer!

A growing work force of home-office laborers and entrepreneurs, armed with computers and smartphones and wired to the hilt, are toiling under great physical and emotional stress created by the around-the-clock Internet economy that demands a constant stream of news and comment.

Of course, the bloggers can work elsewhere, and they profess a love of the nonstop action and perhaps the chance to create a global media outlet without a major up-front investment. At the same time, some are starting to wonder if something has gone very wrong. In the last few months, two among their ranks have died suddenly.

Pay? I don’t get paid for what I write…(is it worth anything?). Is anything that people post, especially when its only a cut/paste of someone else’s work worth it? Ask the question. Why has nothing been posted here in a week? Its called work…real work.

But if you think that blogging is a high-stress job, go try to do what I’ve been doing.

The danger factor results from high levels of stress that come with 24-hour, nonstop, sedentary reading and writing. In the world of blogging, time means everything. If you can be the first one to find, analyze, and post the news, then you can reap the rewards of the traffic it will produce, and therefore make more money, as many professional bloggers are paid per click or per post.

Keep things in perspective, despite all of the hype that bloggers are citizen journalists.

blogging, health risks

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A big “thanks” to Texas Fred for helping to get the word out on this topic.

I have also noticed an unsolicited link/trackback to this post from a “conservative” website named “Free Brittania” their post in which offensive and mistaken inuendo is made. I’ve said that you cannot disavow statements by other people who a blogger specifically and knowingly cross posts information from another source. However, in this case, I disavow all connection of this post to any post elsewhere where the entire religion of Islam is referred to (as in this case), “muzzies.” There is no accounting for what other people think, or their capacity to deal with the World on a rational basis. - EOM

Rep. Peter King (NY-3) has called upon the Metropolitan Transit Authority in NY City to remove 1000 ads that promote Islam. This is a pre-emptive move by a seriously patriotic Congressman who, along with his constituents, suffered through the Sept. 11th attacks, and who strongly believes in his mission.  While I am not sure that I’ve ever seen a list of September 11 victims by Congressional District, its a good bet that King’s constituents were very hard hit.

“I have no problem with the ad itself, but I have a very, very real problem with those behind it,” Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican, said Tuesday. He is urging the Metropolitan Transit Authority to reject the ads.

The main sponsor is a grass-roots organization, Islamic Circle of North America.  One of the backers of these ads is Siraj Wahhaj, imam of a Brooklyn mosque. Wahhaj was the first Muslim to lead a prayer before the House of Representatives, but Wahhaj was also a character witness for the “blind Sheikh,” convicted 1993 World Trade Center bombing. According to King, Wahhaj is “…known Islamic extremist, and you would be giving him credibility and stature through a known government facility.”

That “midget of a mayor,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg defends the ads under the 1st Amendment and freedom of speech! Indeed, Mr. Mayor, let those ads run seven years after the September 11th atrocities.

Congressman Peter King, Islamic Circle of North America, MTA Subway ads, Siraj Wahhaj

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One of my previous posts, Who Mourns Our Fallen Soldiers, prompted a comment from someone whose voice needs to be heard. His message and story is worth reading. Clearly, while agreeing with some of what I write, he did express a disagreement with parts of this particular post (see my explanation below). Here is the comment, converted into a well-deserved place on this blog as a single post.

From a Soldier writing from a dot mil email address:

I realize this post may never be read, but I wanted to let everyone know that I am a US Army Reservist presently attached to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division headquartered at FOB Iskan, just across the Euphrates River from Jurf as Sahkr, Iraq. Jurf as Sahkr, or “Jurf” to those of us who patrol the area on a daily basis, was one of the last AQI strongholds in Anbar Province. This area was only recently “awakened” by the Coalition Forces. I’ve been here for months now, doing the dirty work of convincing the locals that we are right and AQI is bad and so on, but my primary concern was to locate the remains of our MIA Soldiers. For the past year, we never gave up on those Soldiers. We conducted leaflet drops from Blackhawk helicopters, blared messages of support to them (although we were quite certain they had been murdered) and messages to the enemy that we would not rest until they were found. I can assure you that the every measure to locate those brave men was taken (within the boundaries of the Law of Warfare, of course). Although I can not tell you how we collected the information that led to the recovery of these men’s remains, I can tell you that it was most certainly not a “message” from AQI. AQI heard our “message” in Jurf as Sahkr, and it was usually delivered with precision guided missiles and 25mm machine-gun spitting hell’s fire from a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. These days, violence in Jurf has fallen to the lowest level since 2003. We are discovering enormous weapons caches that the fleeing AQI cowards could not take with them and uncovering DBIEDs (Deep-Buried IED) that have laid dormant for years. We are rebuilding schools, medical clinics, and local governance centers. Since the recovery of SGT Jimenez and PFC Fouty, the Government of Iraq and Coalition Forces have opened up their wallets to the good people of Jurf and the level cooperation with and gratuity for the Soldiers of the Iraqi and American military is overwhelming. Keep in mind that most of the residents of rural areas, where AQI dominated every aspect of life, fled their homes to avoid those murderous bastards and returned to find leveled homes and slaughtered livestock (both common tactics, techniques, and procedures of AQI members prior to their departure). These people came out to the hasty burial site of our Soldiers because what we found was not just the remains of our Fallen, but those of some 60 locals who stood up to AQI and were executed en masse.

I appreciate the forum and look forward to reading more of your informative and entertaining posts!
Sincerely,
Matt

My comment: There is some technology still in development, and perhaps soon to be (or maybe not), that might have assisted in the search and rescue early on. Who knows?

Jurf, Jurf as Sahkr, SGT Jimenez and PFC Fouty

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While often quoting articles of interest, this blog offers my points of view and no one else’s. Thus, unlike politicians who sometimes distance themselves from aides who display poor judgment in their acts or words, I have no one to blame for my opinions. I do not publish other peoples’ work here.

So, here is the question. When aggregating articles and information on one’s blog, are you responsible for the content, the accuracy and opinion, or, by the simple virtue denying ownership, are you then devoid of any such responsibility?

Despite a number of attempts, there is no accepted “blogging code of conduct” or “bloggers’ bible” by which to guide us. But here are two attempts:

A Bloggers’ Code of Ethics
10 Rules for Responsible Blogging
Draft Blogger’s Code of Conduct

Note that in “A Bloggers’ Code of Ethics” it refers to the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.

On my other venue, my work is edited for content and accuracy, as well as literacy and form. We don’t quote other people’s work unless we know who they are, and respect their attribution. As I wrote a few days ago (or was it weeks already?), I disavow nothing or no one here, but could I disavow someone else’s opinions if I allowed them space to publish their views here? I think not. Personally, I believe that as in any other form of “journalism” (giving blogging alot of credit), there is a responsibility of being accurate. Similarly, I believe that there is a responsibility to accept the heat and the kudos if you publish someone else’s words. Certainly, if you present yourself as an authority or as a resource of information and commentary, then this responsibility exists.

blogging code of conduct, responsible blogging

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Recently, I’ve been called to as a “liberal” for having certain opinions; I’ve been referred to as a “liberal Jew” because I didn’t believe that Israel should (or could) expel its Arab Israeli citizens, and now, astoundingly, I will most certainly be called worse for strenuously objecting to the concept of expelling or registering all American citizens who are Muslims…even those who are my friends.

It has been nearly three years since I started writing here. Yes, blogging has finally gotten to me. Some of the things that I read on other blogs are far too outrageous and ludicrous, even when veiled as “opinion” or “crossposting.” What has appeared on these pages and over a thousand posts have been my opinions, supported by facts, and always backed by my integrity and honesty. Disavowals of words on a blog are not possible, nor are they honest (these words are very telling - they are not mine: “I completely agree and support the material set forth in this particular article. We have found a kindred spirit my friends.”).

Time is too short and too valuable. Time is too short and the issues too big to waste effort on bigotry and blindness, when that will not solve the problems that we all face. The simplistic approach to solving this War on Terrorism will not work. It will simply and decisively not work. Avowing any simplistic approach to the solving of the issues at hand reveals a simplistic outlook on those issues. We are all endowed with the right to an opinion, however distasteful that opinion might be to me. Have a happy life, be good to others, do the right thing. And most of all, leave the hatred at the door.

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Deadliest attack in Kabul since the first “fall of the Taliban;” worst car bombing in Afghanistan since 100 died at dog fight in Kandahar in February 08. A vehicle born IED killed at least 40 people at the Indian mission in Kabul, among them were 4 stated to be Indian nationals (including the Indian Defence Attache, a Counsellor-level diplomat and two security guards).

This was apparently a targeted attack against the Indian minister with the other deaths being labeled as “collateral.”

There has been a sharp increase in acts of terrorism in Afghanistan since the new Government headed by Yousef Raza Gilani assumed office in Islamabad in the last week of March, 2008. NATO officers in Afghanistan have spoken of a 40 per cent increase in the infiltration of jihadi terrorists from the tribal belt of Pakistan into Afghanistan since the new Pakistani Government suspended military operations against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and entered into peace negotiations with them. Even as acts of terrorism—-including suicide terrorism— have increased in Afghan territory, there has been a sharp decrease in acts of suicide terrorism in Pakistani territory. This indicates that the new Government has made a deal with the Taliban allowing it to operate freely in Afghanistan in return for its stepping down its operations in Pakistani territory.

For pictures and a video of the gory details click on the links.

Let us recognize the point of what is meant by a “Long War.” The enemy has long patience. We do not. The enemy infiltrates places and organizations where we cannot (we don’t look like “them”). If you think for one second that the Taliban is defunct, kaput! or dead, you know nothing of the “Long War.” Even with great losses of troops and men, the Taliban, the jihadists, al Qaeda is resilient. Do you believe for one minute that our Defense Department or our State Department is not aware of this?

Department of Defense, Kabul, neo Taliban, U.S. State Department, VBIED

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Our Nation’s history had begun a bit more than 225 years earlier, but for us all, time stopped at 8:46am Eastern time on September 11, 2001 when American Flight 11 hit the North Tower. I measure time now in the days and weeks and months since that moment, and cannot keep the tears from my eyes when I think of that moment or hear our National Anthem or other patriotic hymns. Those moments, from the shut down of the bridges and tunnels in NY City at 9:21am, to the collapse of the South Tower at 10:05am followed by the North Tower only 23 minutes later are a mark of time.

Right after the attacks, leading to the Joint Session of Congress, to the bi-partisan gathering on the steps of the Capitol Building, to the National Prayer Service on September 14th…

…we thought, felt and acted as one unified body of citizens.

What happened? One of my readers recently wrote, and I will refrain his comment here now…which for the most part, I agree with…

I remember the time immediately “following the attacks of Sept. 11, we were once again united, many people from many walks of life at a moment of great dispair.” Shortly after, on the 12th or 13th, my town had a patriotic parade. All the Memorial Day flags were flown from the street lamps and people in cars and pick-ups drove up and down the main street honking their horns, yelling, and waving flags. They were united.

Maybe my wife Neve and I are wired differently than most people, but we had a feeling of dread on that night. We are not the type of people who are easily pulled into the herd - though we may want to be at times. We worried that the folks honking and screaming, while supportive of the US, didn’t really know what was going on. Our friends gave us dissapproving looks for not joining in the party atmosphere.

Now, almost 7 years later, I think I see where the dread was pointing. This unity that felt so good, this clarity of purpose and assertion of absolute right — was used. It morphed into fear and silence — fear of being branded as unpatriotic and silence instead of discussion.

I really do feel that many of the mistakes in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the larger War on Terror, flowed directly from ‘moment of unity’. The checks and balances were removed, and instead of the Nation moving as one great force, political factions and interests used the opportunity to further their own agenda - to the detriment of their political foes, to the detriment a war effort, and to the great detriment of the Nation.

We all need to remember who we are People! Tonight, it is time to remember that we are “Americans, all.” We are not Black or White, Jewish or Christian or Muslim or Bhuddist or Hindu or atheist. We are “Americans, all.” If we forget that…if we lose sight of that, then we are doomed. Yes, we are doomed, because the terrorist attacks will have split us apart.

Be moved by Whitney Houston’s rendition. I cry when I watch it. I am, after all, an American.

And thanks to Right Truth for the link to the National Anthem (and for a reminder of who we are, and who are not).

4th of July, September 11th

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Anyone who reads this space knows that I’ve frequently made predictions. Those among you also know that at the predicted time, it is time to step back, reflect and recognize the validity of those predictions. On December 26, 2007 Austin Bay wrote, “Sometime within the next six months or so, al Qaeda or Saddamist terrorists will attempt a Tet offensive.” The article urged readers to believe that the jihadists sought to emulate the strategic political effects North Vietnam’s 1968 attack obtained.

Mr. Bay then went to draw an historic parallel between the peacewing of the Democratic party during the Civil War led by Clement Vallandigham to Senator Harry Reid (who Bay called “our era’s Vallandighams”). And further, Mr. Bay predicted that:

Their “ultimate Iraqi Tet” would feature simultaneous terror strikes in every major Iraqi city. These simultaneous strikes would inflict hideous civilian casualties with the goal of discrediting Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s and General David Petraeus’ assessments that Iraqi internal security has improved. The terrorists would reduce Iraqi government buildings to rubble.

Well, I don’t want to be proven wrong by near term events, but given the “effectiveness” of the surge. there is reason to expect that no Iraqi Tet will occur (too soon at least). Of course, Bay bought himself a bit of leeway by then saying that the Election period in November would give al Qaeda, the jihad, the Islamic Fundamentalists etc. the opportunity to inflict “sensational carnage that even momentarily seeds the perception of defeat is their only chance of victory.”

But I’ll bet that Bay got his 10 votes within minutes…LOL And yes, I’ve had this article bookmarked since it first appeared simply to see if the bold prediction played out in reality.

Austin Bay, Terrorists Tet

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This will be short since I have to admit to having heard the concept while driving and hearing Limbaugh rant on about this. The mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the blind Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, stood trial and was convicted of convicted of “seditious conspiracy” and now serves a life sentence in the Butner NC Correctional Facility. That was before we knew what we know now.

Affording terrorists or enemy combatants rights under the U.S. Constitution as the recent Supreme Court ruling does, leads to the presumption of innocence. This means that if Osama bin Laden was to be captured and brought to trial, he would be presumed innocent until proven guilty. What proof would we need? Or, worse, what reasonable doubt could be established to enable the man who ordered the murder of nearly 3,000 the morning of September 11, 2001 to walk free? The simple answer is that not only is the Supreme Court decision wrong headed, but the utter ignorance by Barack Obama that we are a Nation (and a World) at War with Terrorism by indicating a return to treating terrorism as a criminal act, is emptyheaded.

Obama, politics of ignorance

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