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Putin Vindicated?
In 2004 the Russian president said that Saddam had planned terrorist attacks on America. New Iraqi documents suggest he may have been right.
In July 2004, during the course of a little-publicized event while on a visit to Kazakhstan, Russian President Vladimir Putin made some unusual remarks:
I can confirm that after the events of September 11, 2001, and up to the military operation in Iraq, Russian special services and Russian intelligence several times received ... information that official organs of Saddam's regime were preparing terrorist acts on the territory of the United States and beyond its borders, at U.S. military and civilian locations.
Putin's remarks were little noticed by the American press, coming as they did so soon after the release of the 9/11 Commission's report. Moreover, despite his strong opposition to the war in Iraq, Putin was unabashedly in favor of Bush's reelection, having earlier criticized Senator Kerry for supporting unilateral action against Serbia while opposing it with regard to Iraq. Putin went so far as to claim in October 2004 that "The goal of international terrorism is to prevent the election of President Bush to a second term."
And one of the newly-released Iraqi documents, BIAP 2003-000654, indicates that Putin may have been on to something. On page 6 of the document it is revealed that:
The top secret letter 2205 of the Military Branch of Al Qadisya on 4/3/2001 announced by the top secret letter 246 from the Command of the military sector of Zi Kar on 8/3/2001 announced to us by the top secret letter 154 from the Command of Ali Military Division on 10/3/2001 we ask to provide that Division with the names of those who desire to volunteer for Suicide Mission to liberate Palestine and to strike American Interests and according what is shown below to please review and inform us.
Written by the commander of Iraq's Ali Bin Abi Taleb Air Base, this document, if authentic, indicates that Iraq was actively recruiting suicide bombers with the intention of targeting U.S. interests at least as far back as early 2001. Nor is this the only document released with the intention of making it clear that Saddam's intentions for carrying out terrorist attacks against other nations--the plans for Blessed July appear to lay out a similar agenda focusing on using the Saddam Fedayeen to carry out a bombing and assassination campaign in London, Iran, and the "self ruled" areas of Iraq, a likely reference to Iraqi Kurdistan. While these documents do not by themselves prove the veracity of Putin's remarks, if they are deemed to be authentic they would appear to indicate that his claims did not occur in a vacuum.
If either document can be verified as accurate, it would seem to refute a long-standing contention among members of the U.S. intelligence community that Iraq ceased its involvement in international terrorism after its failed 1993 plot to assassinate former President George H.W. Bush. Indeed, the following exchange is reported in former counterterrorism chief Dick Clarke's book Against All Enemies:
[Anti-terror czar Dick Clarke said], "I am unaware of any Iraqi-sponsored terrorism directed at the US since 1993, and I think FBI and CIA concur in that judgment?" CIA Deputy Director John McLaughlin replied, "Yes, that is right. We have no evidence of any active Iraqi terrorist threat against the US."
It would be sad to learn that the Russian Federation's intelligence service was better informed as to Iraq's terrorist capabilities than were their American counterparts.
Dan Darling is a counterterrorism consultant.Weekly Standard ~ Dan Darling ** Putin Vindicated?
Posted by yaahoo_2006iest
at 6:35 PM EDT
bright
Scientists blame sun for global warming
The Sun is more active than it has ever been in the last 300 years
Climate changes such as global warming may be due to changes in the sun rather than to the release of greenhouse gases on Earth.
Climatologists and astronomers speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Philadelphia say the present warming may be unusual - but a mini ice age could soon follow.
The sun provides all the energy that drives our climate, but it is not the constant star it might seem.
Careful studies over the last 20 years show that its overall brightness and energy output increases slightly as sunspot activity rises to the peak of its 11-year cycle.
And individual cycles can be more or less active.
The sun is currently at its most active for 300 years.
That, say scientists in Philadelphia, could be a more significant cause of global warming than the emissions of greenhouse gases that are most often blamed.
The researchers point out that much of the half-a-degree rise in global temperature over the last 120 years occurred before 1940 - earlier than the biggest rise in greenhouse gas emissions.
Using ancient tree rings, they show that 17 out of 19 warm spells in the last 10,000 years coincided with peaks in solar activity.
Ancient trees reveal most warm spells are caused by the sun.
They have also studied other sun-like stars and found that they spend significant periods without sunspots at all, so perhaps cool spells should be feared more than global warming.
The scientists do not pretend they can explain everything, nor do they say that attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions should be abandoned. But they do feel that understanding of our nearest star must be increased if the climate is to be understood.
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Arizona Poll: Make English Official State Language
More than four-in-five Arizona residents support making English the official language of the state according to a new poll conducted by Zogby International from March 30 to 31, 2006.
The poll of 510 likely voters in the Grand Canyon State found that 82 percent of Arizonans favor official English legislation, with more than two-thirds of respondents strongly favoring such a measure.
"Arizona residents have once again declared that they want the government to embrace our official language – English," said Mauro E. Mujica, chairman of U.S. English, Inc. "They understand that English remains the great unifier in a diverse state and that fluency in English is the key to economic self-sufficiency and personal growth."
Support for making English the official language of Arizona carried across nearly every demographic sub-group. The measure was favored by nearly six-in-10 Democrats and more than three-in-four Independents, along with 78 percent of Hispanics, 86 percent of senior citizens and 86 percent of those aged 18 to 29. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points, with higher margins of error in sub-groups.
"As an immigrant and naturalized citizen, I understand that learning English is a critical component in becoming an American," continued Mujica. "Unfortunately, government today often undermines our common language by providing a lifetime translation entitlement. This law would strike a balance between assistance and assimilation."
Official English legislation in Arizona calls for government to conduct official business in English and ensures that the state does not have an obligation to provide foreign language services. The bill takes into account numerous common sense exceptions to ensure the constitutional rights of all Arizonans. Public health and safety information, law enforcement and courtroom translation are all exempted from the law.
Last month, the Arizona House passed HCR 2036, legislation that would allow the citizens of Arizona to vote on making English the official language of the state. The measure, approved on March 23 by a margin of 34 to 22 in the House, is now in the Senate for consideration. If passed, the citizens of Arizona would cast their vote in November.
Last year, the House and Senate both passed legislation that would make English the official language of Arizona, only to have it vetoed by the governor. A subsequent poll by KAET-TV/Channel 8 and Arizona State University found that the majority of Arizonans disagree with the governor's action.
Tom DeLay: Victim of GOP Timidity
The most stunning aspect of Tom DeLay's resignation from Congress isn't that he was forced out by a wave of bad publicity that began with his indictment last September for breaking a law that wasn't even on the books when DeLay allegedly violated it.
The real surprise of the DeLay debacle is that his fellow Republicans allowed him to be ripped apart by Democrat-friendly media piranha - without firing a shot in return.
Democrats would have surely backed off on their "Culture of Corruption" mantra had the GOP made even a minimal effort to fight fire with fire.
Instead, Hill Republicans looked the other way on one Democrat scandal after another - and will likely end up paying the price by losing control of Congress in November.
Here's a short list of investigations the GOP should have launched - not for reasons of partisan revenge - but because they warranted the full oversight of the party in control of Congress:
♣ Bergergate: The theft and destruction of top secret national security documents by former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger in a blatant attempt to obstruct the 9/11 Commission investigation.
Berger's crime was easily one of the most serious ever committed by a top government official. Yet the GOP Congress declined to probe further after the Bush Justice Department cut such an embarrassingly light plea bargain that even the Berger case judge was appalled.
♣ Rathergate: You'd never know it from the lethargic Republican reaction, but when a mysterious Texas source supplied forgeries of President Bush's military records to CBS News just weeks before the 2004 election, it was a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Compounding the political intrigue, CBS tipped a top staffer in the Kerry campaign on the coming Bush document assault.
But after Texas authorities declined to pursue a request for a criminal investigation from several GOP House members, the matter was promptly dropped. Republican congressional interest in getting to the bottom this scheme to steal the 2004 election after Texas authorities opted out: Zippo.
♣ Schumergate: The illegal purloining of Lt. Gov. Michael Steele's credit report by staffers on Sen. Chuck Schumer's Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee certainly seemed like a ripe topic for some congressional oversight. But like the Bergergate case, it appears that Bush Justice will let the guilty parties off with a slap on the wrist - without fingering any higher ups.
In fact, Schumer's committee is now insisting that it acted in an "exemplary manner" by not using the illegal info against Steele. GOP interest in further investigation? Bubkiss.
♣ Nukegate: We've already had several hearings into President Bush's so-called illegal NSA terrorist surveillance program, which was first revealed in James Risen's new book: "State of War."
But there's been little interest in the other bombshell development revealed by Risen: President Clinton's decision to give Iran doctored blueprints for key nuclear components that allowed the Iranians, in Risen's words, to "leapfrog one of the last remaining engineering hurdles blocking its path to a nuclear weapon."
With Sen. John McCain now predicting "Armageddon" as a result of the Iranian nuclear threat, one might think that a report like this might be ripe for congressional investigation.
But one would be wrong. Republican interest to date in a Clinton Nukegate probe: Zilch.
The list of Democrat scandals passed up by Republicans could probably fill a book. But others that deserve honorable mention are the surpression of the Barrett Report, media leaks by anti-Bush CIA insiders and a probe into Sen. Robert Byrd's activities while he was a leader in the Ku Klux Klan.
Compare those unexploited nuggets to the psuedo-scandals that supposedly drove DeLay from office - and it becomes abundantly clear why Republicans now stand an excellent chance of being forced to turn over the keys to Capitol Hill this November.
U.S. and China to strike deal on illegals
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Homeland Security is near an agreement with China to return up to 39,000 Chinese illegally living in the U.S. to the communist country, which previously had refused to accept deportations.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff yesterday said the tentative agreement, which would let the U.S. deport Chinese illegals as they are arrested, will act as a deterrent to other foreign nationals contemplating illegal immigration.
"We can't be in the position any longer where we are paying the burden and bearing the burden for countries that won't cooperate with us and take their own citizens back," said Mr. Chertoff as he completed a weeklong tour of China, Japan and Singapore to discuss security and immigration issues.
Mr. Chertoff said nearly 700 Chinese nationals held in U.S. detention centers are clogging the system and that more than 38,000 have been released on bond after spending the maximum 180 days in lockup.
China has declined to accept the illegals, citing uncertainty about their identities.
"The Chinese government is resolutely opposed to ... illegal immigration," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said. "First of all, we have to identify those illegal immigrants and based on that, China is willing to receive the repatriation of illegal immigrants."
Federal immigration judges have issued final orders of removal to Chinese citizens smuggled into the U.S., students and others overstaying their visas, and some awaiting legal immigration.
DHS officials said details of the agreement still are being worked out, as are specific deportation plans. The department uses electronic bracelets to track some illegals released on bond and uses other monitoring programs, such as regular check-ins.
Returning Chinese citizens is a major financial burden for China and a "low priority," Mr. Chertoff said.
"But they've got to understand it's a high priority for us," said Mr. Chertoff, who noted that it costs $95 per day to house each detainee.
China's state-owned Xinhua News Agency reported that a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) told Mr. Chertoff in one meeting that bilateral cooperation is essential to maintaining world peace, stability and development.
Bilateral cooperation on trade, terrorism, nuclear nonproliferation, avian flu and the nuclear buildup in Iran and North Korea also will be top priorities when Chinese President Hu Jintao visits Washington beginning April 20.
"China hopes to make substantial achievements in extradition, fighting terrorism, Olympic Games security and illegal migration," said Luo Gan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
William Knocke, Homeland Security spokesman, said a senior department official will remain in China for a few extra days to finish the agreement.
"We are encouraged by our discussions with the Chinese government," Mr. Knocke said. "There are details that we need to still work through, but now we have an agreement, in principle, on streamlining the process of repatriating Chinese nationals."
China is at the top of the list of foreign countries that refuse to cooperate with repatriation when their citizens are caught residing in the U.S. illegally.
When asked which other nations refuse to accept their citizens caught illegally in the U.S., Mr. Knocke said, "We're not above naming names if other governments continue to be uncooperative, but the meetings in China were very productive, and we are optimistic about other possible outcomes."
Entire Squad Reenlists in Iraq
I found the story below but don't have a non-subscription link for it. I'll post one later if I find it. I thought it interesting - especially, amidst the doom and gloom being reported. While I've posted about huge re-enlistments in Iraq before (I think the Idaho National Guard has the record), this seemingly small act is very important because you win wars with small units like 3rd Squad/2nd Platoon of Bravo Company, 5th Engineers
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Entire Squad From Co. B, 5th Eng. Bn.
and I'm very proud to be a participant in reenlisting this fine 'Beast' squad of the 'Fighting 5th' Engineer Battalion," said Brig. Gen. Robin Timmons, commander, 16th Eng. Bde., who conducted the reenlistment ceremony.
"This simultaneous reenlistment shows your unique cohesiveness, respect and confidence in each other and to the military," he told the squad.
1st Sgt. Douglas Gault, Co. B, 5th Eng. Bn., credited the squad's leader, Staff Sgt. Ramon Martinez on his leadership for the team's unique commitment.
"This squad reenlisting together shows the loyalty and confidence in their squad leader and the mission - that's what leadership is about, 100 percent loyalty," said Gault.
Staff Sgt. Martinez, a combat engineer from Yuma, Ariz., has 12 years of military service and has been assigned to the squad for the past year. He attributed his Soldiers' commitment, pride in their mission and a bit of luck as real factors in his squad's rare reenlistment opportunity.
"We are part of the Castle Iron Claw team, and removing improvised-explosive devices from the routes gives us an enormous sense of pride - pride in knowing that there's one less IED on the road and we can ensure our comrades are safe," he said.
Lt. Col. Michael McGuire, commander, 5th Eng. Bn., said Martinez' guidance played a great role in his squad's accomplishment.
"These Soldiers reenlisted because they believe in themselves and their mission, and have the utmost confidence in their leadership," he added.
Captain James Booth, commander, Co. B, 5th Eng. Bn., echoed McGuire's remarks and also emphasized the importance of small unit leadership to his Soldiers' mission success.
"Great small-unit leadership is why we are successful over here. Staff Sgt. Martinez has provided the kind of leadership that Soldiers thrive on. Soldiers want to stay in the Army when they follow men like him. That is why you see all of them standing up as a squad - together - committing to serve our nation for six more years," he said
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special
RNC Hits Home Run With New Censure Ad
I hereby call for 
Two weeks ago, Russ Feingold (he doesn't deserve the title of senator) proposed that the Congress censure President Bush for protecting the country from terror attacks via the violation of terrorists' civil liberties. If anyone had any doubts as to the Democrats' real agenda if they win back the Congress in November, Feingold's off-the-wall rhetoric should clear that up.
A recent New York Times news story asserted that while Democrats initially ran like scared cats away from Feingold's measure, they have begun to realize that by doing so, they risk alienating their base, as if to say the far-left MoveOn.org camp has won a plethora of congressional and presidential elections for the Democrats. But wait. MoveOn.org is not the far-left wing of the Democratic Party; it represents the mainstream Democratic Party. The taxpayers are even paying the salaries of people who have come out in support of the impeachment movement, including Garrison Keillor, host of NPR's "A Prairie Home Moron- er, Companion." Just stick to ketchup jokes, Garrison, and leave politics to the politicians.
As evidenced in the 
.
In a time of war, the President's job is to protect the nation. Bush knows what he is doing; the wiretapping will continue. The job of the President is not, however, to placate Russ Feingold and the ACLU. If Feingold thinks Bush should be censured and impeached for wiretapping suspect terrorists, then Feingold won't mind if we try him for treason, impeach, and publicly humiliate him for aiding the enemy.
don't ask
Terror training
The more documents that emerge from Saddam Hussein's reign of terror, the more evidence stacks up that his regime was in lockstep with international terrorists.
Newly released papers seized after the March 2003 U.S.-led invasion reveal contacts made between Saddam's top aides and Osama bin Laden, particularly during the al Qaeda leader's stay in Sudan.
The huge collection also gave a history of the regime put out last week by U.S. Forces Command.
The command told of meticulously kept files by the Gestapolike Fedayeen Saddam, which the dictator put in place to prevent military coups and to enforce his rule through threats and killings.
The documents show the fanatical Fedayeen operated bustling terror training camps for recruits from all over the Middle East.
The book, titled, "The Iraqi Perspective Project," states:
"Beginning in 1994, the Fedayeen Saddam opened its own paramilitary training camps for volunteers, graduating more than 7,200 'good men racing full with courage and enthusiasm' in the first year. Beginning in 1998, these camps began hosting 'Arab volunteers from Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, the Gulf and Syria.' It is not clear from available evidence where all of these non-Iraqi volunteers who were 'sacrificing for the cause' went to ply their newfound skills.
"Before the summer of 2002, most volunteers went home upon the completion of training. But these training camps were humming with frenzied activity in the months immediately prior to the war. As late as January 2003, the volunteers participated in a special event called the 'Heroes Attack.'
"This training event was designed in part to prepare regional Fedayeen Saddam commands to 'obstruct the enemy from achieving his goal and to support keeping peace and stability in the province.'"
Overseen by Saddam's son, Uday, the Fedayeen trained foreign "heroes" and Iraqis in commando tactics, surveillance and explosives. The Iraqi Intelligence Service supplied the Fedayeen with silencers, training in explosives and booby-trapping cars, and timers.
"The only apparent use for all of this ... equipment was to conduct commando or terrorist operations," the Joint Forces history said.
Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough are Pentagon reporters. Mr. Gertz can be reached at 202/636-3274 or e-mail at
bgertz@washingtontimes.com. Mr. Scarborough can be reached at 202/636-3208 or e-mail at rscarborough@washingtontimes.com.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - An Indiana National Guard soldier who spent a year in Iraq returned home to a big surprise: In his absence, his friends had transformed his rusted 1967 Plymouth Barracuda into a deep blue, chrome-trimmed car lover's dream.
Spc. Bob Metcalf, who had stored the rusted, hoodless, fenderless Barracuda in his brother's garage, left for Iraq last year. He had planned to someday fix up the old muscle car.
Friends of the 39-year-old reservist kept their restoration work secret until Friday night. That's when Metcalf wandered into South Bend's Joyce Center to see the Cavalcade of Wheels auto show with his pals.
Metcalf, who returned recently from Iraq, was incredulous when his friends told him that the gleaming deep blue car with red and white stripes sitting under a spotlight was his old car sporting a new look.
"I don't believe it. This is incredible," he said, looking around at the crowd of volunteers and cameras that greeted him at his new ride.
Sean Burns, a friend of the Army National Guard soldier, turned over the keys to him.
"Why don't you go start it up?" he told Metcalf.
The hot-rodded Chrysler 318 V-8 under the hood awoke from its slumber with Metcalf's first turn of the key, settling into a loping rumble.
Metcalf's friends and family had waited a long time to see him sitting in his polished car. Dozens of volunteers had endured six months of busted knuckles, grease and sweat to finish a project they called "one soldier's dream."
After he left, Burns and several of Metcalf's other friends pitched in with work, parts, and cash to make the Barracuda restoration project a reality. They toiled until the early morning hours behind the roll-up steel door in a Mishawaka workshop, fueling up with caffeine and pizza as they worked their magic on every nut and bolt of the old car.
"A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses."
"I Saw Our Soldiers Greeted as Liberators": Hitchens Mashes Matthews' Mantra
Matthews: "Pictures?"
Hitchens: "No. I was there. I saw it myself. American soldiers and British soldiers were greeted by hundreds of thousands of people with real joy. I saw it myself. I can't believe people say it didn't happen."
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