Flight Pundit

Regardless of your feelings about the crisis between Israel and the Palestinians and Arab neighbors, even if you believe there is more culpability on Israel’s part for whatever reason, the following two sentences really say it all:

If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence.

If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel.

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Consequences:

QANA, Lebanon, July 30 — Israeli warplanes blasted a group of buildings in this southern Lebanese village Sunday, killing dozens of people, most of them women and children, according to Lebanese officials. The Israeli military said the airstrike was aimed at destroying Hezbollah rocket launchers nearby and that civilians were not being targeted.

Lebanese Health Minister Mohammed Khalifeh said the bombing killed at least 57 people, among them 37 children, many of whom had taken refuge in a three-story building. More than 27 bodies, including 17 children ages 9 months to 10 years, were taken to one government hospital in the nearby city of Tyre.

A little history:

Some 150 rockets were fired from the Lebanese village of Qana over the past 20 days, Air Force Chief of Staff Brig.-Gen. Amir Eshel said on Sunday evening.

Speaking to reporters, Eshel added that Hizbullah rocket launchers were hidden in civilian buildings in the village. He proceeded to show video footage of rocket launchers being driven into the village following launches.

Photographic Evidence:

THIS is the picture that damns Hezbollah. It is one of several, smuggled from behind Lebanon’s battle lines, showing that Hezbollah is waging war amid suburbia.

The civilians were warned:

DF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz also expressed sorrow over the loss of innocent life. “We were operating in a place from where Katyushas are being fired and we distributed notices to residents. Unfortunately, people who assembled in the area, whom we were unaware of, were harmed,” said Halutz.
[...]
A high-ranking IAF officer said that the IDF had warned the residents of Qana to evacuate the village in anticipation of the airstrikes on Katyusha launchers.
[...]
“We warned the residents that we would be attacking there,” he said. “We work under the assumption that the villages are empty and that whoever is there is affiliated with Hizbullah.”

And now the whining begins.

CAIR:

WASHINGTON, July 30 /PRNewswire/ – A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today said the Bush administration and the international community must act to stop Israel’s campaign of “terror” in Southern Lebanon.

The UN:

UNITED NATIONS — U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Sunday repeated his call for an immediate halt to violence between Israel and Hezbollah, condemning an Israeli airstrike that killed at least 54 people and telling the U.N. Security Council he was “deeply disturbed” that his previous calls for cease-fire had gone unheeded.

Few people recognize a nations’ legitimate right to defend itself anymore. Israel is doing just that. They consider this a war. Against Hezbollah- the terrorist group that operates out of Lebanon. The Lebanese people and leadership need to take responsibility for their own complacency in this. Until they do so, these tragic things will continue to happen. Israel is not the problem. Lebanon is part of the problem, and Hezbollah IS the center of the problem. Islamic extremists will go to any length to alter world opinion…including today’s activity. They will set the conditions, including setting up innocent civilians for certain death- just to hear the condemnations against Israel.

Unlike Lebanon, Israel is looking out for the people of it’s country; Lebanon, through it’s enabling of Hezbollah- is exploiting it’s people. I stand with Israel.

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I have ordered a couple copies of this movie. Obession: Radical Islam’s War Against The West

This is about radical Islam and the threat we face. We’re going to host a showing here in a couple weeks- inviting several folks over to watch this with us. The idea is to create an awareness of the threat that we aren’t getting from the MSM, Muslim advocacy groups and the left.

From the movie’s web site:

Almost 70 years ago, Europe found itself at war with one of the most sinister figures in modern history: Adolf Hitler. When the last bullet of World War II was fired, over 50 million people were dead, and countless countries were both physically and economically devastated. Hitler’s bloody struggle sought to forge the world anew, in the crucible of Nazi values. How could such a disaster occur? How could the West have overlooked the evil staring it in the face, for so long, before standing forcefully against it?

Today, we find ourselves confronted by a new enemy, also engaged in a violent struggle to transform our world. As we sleep in the comfort of our homes, a new evil rises against us. A new menace is threatening, with all the means at its disposal, to bow Western Civilization under the yoke of its values. That enemy is Radical Islam.

Using images from Arab TV, rarely seen in the West, Obsession reveals an ‘insider’s view’ of the hatred the Radicals are teaching, their incitement of global jihad, and their goal of world domination. With the help of experts, including first-hand accounts from a former PLO terrorist, a Nazi youth commander, and the daughter of a martyred guerilla leader, the film shows, clearly, that the threat is real.

A peaceful religion is being hijacked by a dangerous foe, who seeks to destroy the shared values we stand for. The world should be very concerned.

Get your copy…host a showing- invite people over and make a night of it. It’s about educating those who don’t understand; it’s about activism and something EACH of us can do.

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A few weeks ago, I spotted the following, reproduced in its entirety at Eyes All Around:

Can a good Muslim be a good American?

I sent that question to a friend who worked in Saudi Arabia for 20 years.

The following is his reply:

Theologically - no. Because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia.

Religiously - no. Because no other religion is accepted by his Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256)

Scripturally - no. Because his allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Quran (Koran).

Geographically - no. Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day.

Socially - no. Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews.

Politically - no. Because he must submit to the mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and Destruction of America, the great Satan.

Domestically - no. Because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34).

Intellectually - no. Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.

Philosophically - no. Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist.

Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.

Spiritually - no. Because when we declare “one nation under God,” the Christian’s God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in The Quran’s 99 excellent names.

Therefore after much study and deliberation…. perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot be both “good” Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish…. it’s still the truth.

If you find yourself intellectually in agreement with the above statements, perhaps you will share this with your friends. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future.

Pass it on Fellow Americans. The religious war is bigger than we know or understand.

From Serge Trifkovic’s The Sword of the Prophet (pages 295-296), emphases mine:

“While it is proper for democratic government to refrain from legislating the practice of religion in any way, Islam is a special case because it is, on its own admission, much more
than ‘just a religion.’ It needs to be understood and subjected to the same supervision and legal restrains that apply to other cults prone to violence, and to violent political hate groups whose avowed aim is the destruction of our order of life.

“The collective striving of ‘We the People’ makes no sense unlesss there is a definable ‘people’ to support it. Most Muslim immigrants have no kinship with the striving and no connection to that ‘people,’ except for the unsurprising desire to partake in its wealth. But their deep disdain for the democratic institutions of the host-countries notwithstanding (and just like the members of communist parties before them), Muslim activists in non-Muslim countries invoke those institutions
when they clamor for every kind of indulgence for their own beliefs and customs. They demand full democratic privileges to organze and propagate their views, while acknowledging to each other that, given the power to do so, they would impose their own beliefs and customs, and eliminate all others….’[T]rue Islam’ does not recognize a priori the right of any other religion or world outlook to exist…”

Being or becoming an American involves a lot more that “partaking in wealth.” The
essence of being an American means loving freedom and respecting the rights of others as outlined in our Bill of Rights, particularly the first amendment guaranteeing religious freedom.

On July 20, 2006, the United American Committee posed a challenge, reproduced below in its entirety:

The United American Committee is putting out a challenge to all Islamic leaders with congregations in America to issue religious edicts, also known as ‘fatwas’, against Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri of al Qaeda as apostates to true
Islam and calling for their deaths at the hands of all true Muslims.


LOS ANGELES, CA - July 20, 2006 (UACWIRE) - Osama bin Laden has admitted on videotape he was responsible for 9/11 as has Ayman al Zawahiri. Over 3,000 American died on 9/11 in New York and at the Pentagon at the hands of fanatics that the American Muslim community maintains did not represent true Islam due to the murders of innocent civilians. Those who claim to represent the mainstream Muslim community in America, such as CAIR, the Council on American Islamic Relations, claim they oppose terrorism and violence.
Others say these groups quietly work as cheering sections for international terrorism. Now, the United American Committee wishes to give the American Muslim community a chance to disprove such notions, and places an open challenge for American Muslim leaders to issue a fatwa against Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahiri.

The UAC recognizes that a previous fatwa backed by a large number of American Islamic organizations ambiguously declared; “Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives,” this fatwa did not condemn any individuals by name, and did not define who is deemed to be innocent. Further, given that Muslims like Sheik Bakri of London declare, “Yes I condemn killing any innocent people, but not any kuffar,” kuffar referring to any non-Muslims, leaves the fatwa greatly open to
interpretation. Therefore, in August of 2005 the United American Committee officially denounced the fatwa and now puts a challenge to American Muslim leaders to issue a true fatwa against the Islamic terrorists Osama bin Laden, Ayman al Zawahiri, and those who support them. The United American Committee believes that most American Muslims do not condone violence or jihad against American soldiers and civilian citizens. In accordance with this, the UAC is offering a true opportunity for all Muslim leaders in the
United States to prove their loyalty to America by issuing a fatwa which encourages the Islamic world to hunt down and kill Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahiri.

In coming months, the UAC will write to the leaders of Muslim congregations in the United States making this request and will share with the public the responses from each on the UAC website at www.UnitedAmericanCommittee.org. UAC welcomes all patriotic American Muslims to show they are a supportive part of the American community as a whole in the War on Terror.

“This gives Muslim-Americans the same opportunity to stand up for our country as those brave volunteers did in the 442nd Regiment during World War II without actually going into combat,” said UAC Member Peter James, referring to the all Japanese regiment of the U.S. Army in the Second World War. James continued, “If an imam refuses to issue such an edict, one can only assume he does so out of a desire that Osama Bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahiri not be stopped, and that Al Qaeda’s killing spree is in fact something
that Islamic leaders in America tacitly support. For Islamic leaders who consider themselves patriotic Americans, this should be a no-brainer.”

The UAC’s position is that given the long term nature of the War in Iraq and Afghanistan, and threats to American soldiers over there as well as threats at home, such edicts from American Muslim leaders would also bolster US support abroad in Muslim nations against anti-Americanism by creating a united front with all American Muslims regardless of their views on the war.

The UAC welcomes all Muslim-Americans into its ranks who wish to protect and preserve the United States of America and who do not support the goals of Osama bin Laden, Ayman al Zawahiri or al Qaeda.

####

Contact Information
UNITED AMERICAN COMMITTEE

info@unitedamericancommittee.org

Thus far, no American Muslim leaders have come forward in response to the UAC’s challenge. Maybe with more publicity about the above challenge, some American Muslims will come forward as patriotic Americans. If they don’t, then the forbidden question “Can a Muslim be a good American?” takes on urgency.

Technorati Tags: American Muslims

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Capt. Jason P. Schauble, future operations officer, Foreign Military Training Unit, Marine Forces Special Operations Command, displays three of the highest decorations within the Department of Defense 28 July; the Silver Star, Bronze Star with a combat “V,” and the Meritorious Service Medal. Schauble’s ceremony recognized his heroic contributions during Operation Iraqi Freedom and the establishment of the FMTU.

Read this and try to think that this great man wont kill you terrorists scum in half a breath.

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Daisy Cutter gives Pat Buchanan a well deserved fisking.

So the dogs have been unleashed, huh? And on “tiny Lebanon”? This is inaccurate and disingenuous. Israel is trying to dismantle and defeat Hezbollah, not Lebanon. Israel’s task in this regard is admittedly difficult since Islamic militants hide in civilian areas (and apparently near U.N. outposts, as well) and use women and children as shields. And we see in the last sentence above that it once again comes back to Pres. Bush, whose entire foreign policy in the Middle East has been deemed a “failure” by Buchanan.

Awesome post. Go read the rest of it.

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The House is holding meetings again, all over the country about illegal immigration and the effects on society. A couple meetings have been scheduled in Arizona:

Yuma Marine Corps Air Station, AZ, on August 2nd — What are the operational and training impacts of a porous border on military bases along the border?

Sierra Vista, AZ, on August 17th — What is the state of technical surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for monitoring the efforts of terrorists and drug cartels to infiltrate American soil through the Southern Border?

Other states include NH, CA, GA, TX, IN, IO, MI, WA….check out the list to see if your state is hosting a meeting. If you can, plan to attend.

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Our MAN for President, Tom Tancredo, has spoken about the latest immigration law offering from Pence and Huitchinson.

Pence has announced at least two prior versions of his immigration proposal, and this morning’s version continues to include a “guest” worker plan that does not require “guest” workers ever to leave the U.S., while at the same time it allows them to bring their families. The plan allows employers and private temporary work agencies – both of which have economic incentives to keep the flow of foreign labor coming – to determine the number of foreign workers who will be admitted into the U.S. for the first three years of the plan.

“Having employers which have already broken the law determine the number of cheap foreign workers that will be admitted into the U.S. is a classic example of the fox guarding the hen house,” said Tancredo. “I have never had a guest who, after staying awhile, demanded to move into my house permanently. No plan that allows temporary workers to stay permanently is a ‘guest’ worker plan.”

Heh. Another one who speaks bluntly and without fear of offending soft bleeding heart liberals and, conservatives in this case.

We have a Tancredo For President Blogroll! Email me if you want to join. He’s the man who will speak for those of us who are SICK and TIRED of illegal criminals taking over our country.

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Heh. Blogging friend Always On Watch asks THE question:

Can a good Muslim be a good American?
Go read the answers.

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He’s rough around the edges; he doesn’t beat around the bush; he tells it like it is and this causes hurt feelings. Some call this cowboy diplomacy. Others call it blunt. And liberals claim John Bolton is a BULLY. Oh my. Since they say this, it gives me more confidence he’s the man to continue with the job.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats on Thursday said they remain opposed to President Bush’s pick for U.N. ambassador, contending that John Bolton has not yet repaired his reputation as an ineffective “bully.”

Sen. Christopher Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, cited recent press reports on Bolton’s interactions with other U.N. officials as evidence that Bolton “clearly has an aversion in my view to building consensus.”

Uh, duh! We’re never going to build “consensus” with the UN members such as France, Russia and China. Bolton pisses off a lot of people because of his ability to directly place blame where it needs to go. He’s the kind of man WE need to represent America. Instead of being the big cowardly lion, America should stand up and start acting like the leader we are in this craZy world. It takes a man with balls to stand up to the diploMATS of the UN.

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Here’s some evidence that socialism is alive and well in America. Rest assured, the liberals would love to see these examples spread everywhere.

Chicago:

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) — Brushing aside warnings from Wal-Mart Stores Inc., City Council approved an ordinance Wednesday that makes Chicago the biggest city in the nation to require big-box retailers to pay a “living wage.”

“It’s trying to get the largest companies in America to pay decent wages,” said council member Toni Preckwinkle.

The measure requires retailers with more than $1 billion in annual sales and stores of at least 90,000 square feet to pay workers at least $10 an hour in wages plus $3 an hour in fringe benefits by mid-2010.

Boston:

Hilltop Steak House in Saugus could be required to pay more than $2.5 million in damages to wait staff after an Essex County jury found that the restaurant’s function department illegally steered tip money to managers.

The Essex Superior Court jury that returned the verdict late Tuesday also found that the restaurant wrongfully fired four waitresses because they complained about losing a percentage of their tips.

The case, the first of 19 so-called “tip cases” to go to trial in the state, was filed after the Legislature amended Massachusetts law four years ago to say that waitresses, waiters, and bartenders are not legally required to share tips with managers or kitchen staff.

Nationwide:

Basing her story on a July 19 study by the liberal Kaiser Family Foundation, ABC’s Lisa Stark offered the audience of the July 26 “World News Tonight” a look at the “Wild West” world of food marketing on the Internet geared to kids, complete with flashy games on company Web sites.

The Kaiser report found that “more than eight out of ten (85%) of the top food brands that target children through TV advertising also use branded websites to market to children online.”

But rather than presenting the development as a safer Internet pastime for children then chatting with complete strangers or looking up pornographic Web sites, Stark suggested the advertising development is a danger to children that needs to be regulated.

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I view this as good news.

Poll: World Doesn’t Respect Bush

(CBS) Americans generally approve of President Bush’s handling of the current Mideast crisis, according to a CBS News/New York Times poll, but six in 10 say the president is not respected by foreign leaders.

The poll finds Americans are pessimistic about the prospects for Mideast peace and do not think the United States should involve itself in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Just 32 percent said U.S. troops should be sent to the Mideast as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force, although 60 percent favor such a force.

More Americans (47 percent) said they approve of how Mr. Bush has handled the conflict so far than disapprove (27 percent), but one in four said it’s too early to form an opinion.

Mr. Bush’s overall approval rating remains low — and in an additional diplomatic concern, most Americans (60 percent) now think he is not respected by foreign leaders.

Anyone who wants the respect of foreign leaders should join the John Kerry (pass the Global Test) camp. It’s not in the job description for the President of the United States- to fondle the egos of foreign leaders. It’s not in this job to be popular. Doing the right thing often times means being UNPOPULAR with most of the world these days.

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The Marines are back in Lebanon. This time it’s to evacuate American citizens who seek to leave the war zone. This time the Marines are at least lightly armed, unlike 1983. To those Americans who are being evacuated and who are complaining- they should remember that having the US Marines protect them is indeed a priviledge afforded only to US Citizens.

LARNACA, Cyprus — The head of U.S. efforts to safely pull fleeing Americans from the fighting in Lebanon said today he hopes to have as many as 6,000 people moved out of the increasingly violent country by week’s end.

Using a combination of three CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Navy ships such as the amphibious transport dock ship Nashville and civilian ferries and cruise ships that ply these Mediterranean waters, more than 3,000 American citizens are expected arrive here from Lebanon on Thursday alone.
[...]
“We just started this in earnest a few days ago — starting in the tens and hundreds. We hope by the end of today we will have moved in excess of 1,100 American citizens from Lebanon.”

Jensen said the amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima and the dock landing ship Whidbey Island should be close enough to Lebanon’s capitol of Beirut by Friday to lend support with additional helicopters and landing craft.

Jensen rebuffed criticism of the timing of the military’s efforts to assist the American exit, saying he’s as impatient as anyone to get all who want to leave out.

As in 1983, the Marines are placing themselves in harms way. Those who are being evacuated should respect this and be grateful that the USMC is taking this task on considering the history of this area.

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When I read this article I thought of that stupid song by John Lennon. I won’t bother putting those words to that tune here because they are lame as hell…

Continue Reading »

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A pep talk from Thomas Sowell regarding Illegal Immigration and WE THE PEOPLE–

No issue discussed in this column has brought in so much virtually unanimous mail, so full of outrage, as the issue of amnesty for illegal aliens living in this country.

Much of this mail also expressed a sense of futility. “What can I do?” these letters and e-mails often asked. “I am just an ordinary citizen.”

Sometimes these letters and e-mails said, “I have written my senator” (or representative) — and either received no reply or got back an obvious form letter, not really responding to the concerns expressed. Some said that they wrote to their local newspaper but these letters were not printed.

“I am just one person,” some said. “What difference do my views make?”

What difference? Public outrage made the Senate and the President of the United States back down from their amnesty bill.

Just one person can make a difference…when you group up with others who feel the same way. Who hold the same passions. I am still not at all satisfied with the Senate’s version of this legislation and frankly I don’t trust the President on his stance. But we know they have heard some of our outrage.

Never think that you don’t count. You are what count most of all. Politicians understand votes if they don’t understand anything else. They are virtually obsessed with public opinion polls.

Democracy means that each individual voter cannot expect to prevail on every issue because there are other voters with other views. But that does not mean that the public is powerless when a clear majority knows what it wants and doesn’t want.

We are the clear majority on this issue. I have seen polls that try to tell it differently, but when you look at the actual numbers and what is being said- the vast VAST majority of Americans want the borders secured FIRST. They do not want any form of AMNESTY. They do not believe this garbage about jobs no one wants to hold down either; some people are very offended that this is even being said.

The media, the politicians, and the intelligentsia may all be overwhelmingly on the opposite side but the people will prevail. That is how bilingual education was defeated at the polls in California and why the amnesty bill is now dead in the United States Senate.

Make no mistake about it. The elites always think they know better, that the public’s views are just mindless stereotypes or ugly prejudices.

They think we can always be fooled with a little rhetoric and clever political spin. Sometimes these elites succeed in confusing the issues and pulling a fast one on the public. But, as Abraham Lincoln said long ago, “You can’t fool all the people all the time.”

I consider the Senate’s version of these “town hall” type meetings a fast one; the House is doing this and they are much more sincere in their efforts. No…we cannot be fooled. These elites are the ones who look like fools.

The biggest insult was the endlessly repeated claim that illegal aliens “take jobs that Americans won’t take.” Even in agriculture, where illegal aliens have their biggest impact, three quarters of the workers are not — repeat, not — illegal aliens.

In some particular localities, some particular work may be done primarily by illegal aliens. But that does not mean that this work would go undone without them. More pay attracts more people.

New York’s mayor Michael Bloomberg is still pushing the line that there would be economic collapse without illegal immigrants. But, despite the scary picture of 12 million illegals being suddenly deported, the cold fact is that 12 million young Americans in the prime of life were removed from our economy to go into the military during World War II and the economy did not collapse.

These 12 million young men went into the military a lot faster than 12 million illegals can be rounded up and deported.

It takes some clear thinking and reason to see this for what it is…and to look back in history to see how we managed. We did fine- our parents and grandparents’ generations. We will do fine as well.

The other big insult to our intelligence was the claim that amnesty is not amnesty when you call it something else. But, when the people didn’t buy it, the politicians had to stop selling it.

Exactly. Mr. Spence should read this and weep…since he claims his solution isn’t amnesty when in fact it is. Kennedy and McCain should shut up already- but at least they half way admit their version is an amnesty. As for the other polecats in DC, they should remember- my vote counts. As does yours. And everyone else’s.

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