Last minute Shopping idea... War on Terror: The Board game

There's no need to fight with your relatives this Christmas. Instead of lambasting on your drunkard uncle, degrading your wretched sister in law, or duking it out with your bitter drug induced step brother...all can rejoice and take it out on others. Welcome, "War on Terror: The Board game"

From Waronterrortheboardgame.com

Roast a terrorist, gorge yourself on a defenceless empire, plump up a coup, nestle up with a politician or spring a delightfully well wrapped IED - your choice. Play by our rules, or play by your rules, and hope they're the same as your neighbours' rules.

Christmas is that special time for falling out with family. But with the help of War on Terror the Boardgame it doesn't have to be that way. We suggest trying for 'World Peace' this Christmas instead. We put this special ending in the rules ages ago but in three years of testing, peace only broke out twice...so do your bit this year and make it a peaceful one. Although for all you warring nutters out there don't worry, being the peace envoy doesn't mean you can't have your murderous fun too: you can still be an aggressive war criminal at the same time.
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It's got suicide bombers, political kidnaps and intercontinental war. It's got filthy propaganda, rampant paranoia and secret treaties and the Axis of Evil is a spinner in the middle of the board.
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You can fight terrorism, you can fund terrorism, you can even be the terrorists. The only thing that matters is global domination - err, liberation.
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Everyone starts with the best intentions. Then things start to get cramped. Then you notice your neighbour has more oil than you. Before long, war is waged, nukes are dropped, revolutions are fought and terrorists are doing your dirty work, before turning on you...
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This is the War on Terror, the boardgame: A quality boardgame for 2 - 6 players, lovingly illustrated and politically correct (in a very literal sense). Playing it will bring out the nastiest, greediest, darkest, most paranoid aspects of your character. It's all great family fun.

Gotta Love it. Good Humored, Satirical fun the whole family can enjoy. Nature vs. Nurture? Which philosophy will you play by? Bush "cowboy diplomacy" or Richardson's "New Realism" of diplomacy? Just make sure you follow the rules.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

The Curse of George Bush and his Constantly RElabeled 'Enemy'

Five months ago I noticed something odd. It was impossible to turn of the television without hearing about the 'insurgents' recent attacks, their new beheading, botched plans, etc. Then 'boom' everything changed overnight. The people we were fighting became known as elusive "Al Qaeda" . Soon after the relabeling occurred they were relabeled again. This time they became known as Al Qaeda 2.0..or most commonly known as "Al Qaeda in Iraq".

Who is our enemy in November? Is it still AQI , or someone new? Are they insurgents again? Armed insurgents? Militants? Armed Militants? Al Qaeda in Iraq? The Taleban? Islamo facists? Terrorists? the PKK? Iranians? ...who is our revolving 'enemy' now?

Everyday our national media have referenced them as the above names. They interchange them as if they are the same people unified under the common 'cause' of waging Osama's global jihad . Are they? Hmm. I'm thinking not.

If we're going to fight this, war? We better define Who the 'enemy' is? Without that..we've lost. Are they all the same people or are they what 2008 GOP Presidential candidate, Fred "lazy" Thompson calls them, " A bunch of kids with IEDs "

Who is our enemy now?

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Independent panel cites U.S. Army as a procurer of needless debt

"The Iraq-Kuwait-Afghanistan contracting problems have created a crisis"

It must be nice to be a government contractor. No bid contracts, limited oversight, unlimited profit potential...all is great. Not so according to a new report by six independent members on a panel to review the U.S. Army 'procurement process'.

From an article in the IHT. ...According the the six member panel,

In a wide-ranging report to be made public on Thursday, the panel said these and other shortcomings had contributed to an environment in Iraq and Kuwait that allowed waste, fraud and other corruption to take hold and flourish.
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the six-member panel, appointed in August by Army Secretary Pete Geren, levels a stinging indictment of how the army oversees $4 billion a year in contracts for food, water, shelter and other supplies to sustain United States forces in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan. The panel also blames senior army leaders for not responding more swiftly to the problems, despite warning signs like severe shortages of contracting officers in the field. "The Iraq-Kuwait-Afghanistan contracting problems have created a crisis," the report states.

Got that...a 'crisis'. These guys are spending not only our current funds, but those of our children as well. How hard is it to employ people to 'review' these shady contracts? How hard can it actually be? From the time I was little..I've always heard, " pay for what you can afford. Don't purchase anything you can't pay for up front. Anything else will lead to debt" The message appears true.

...the panel's examination of the problem is the broadest to date and offers potentially the most far-reaching recommendations for fixing the shortcomings plaguing the supply system for a military that is increasingly conducting combat and stability operations around the globe. (nowadays, War is everywhere)

and those recommendations are....

increasing the number of army contracting officers by about 25 percent, or 1,400, in coming years. (Years? try NOW!) It urges the department to improve training and to start young officers in the procurement corps soon after they join the army, not after seven or eight years of other duties, as is common now.
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any increases in financing or changes in authority, would require congressional approval, officials said. But several others will be up to Geren, the army secretary, and senior army leaders to carry out. ( In short, they still get what they want.)

The recommendations haven't came without grief, though. Many 'top lawmakers' view the 'recommendations' as too little too late,

These and other changes, the officials say, are long in coming, and if they had been put in place immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks, they could have curbed much of the corruption that has surfaced since then.

"If you had had more personnel, who were better trained, on longer tours with more supervision, could you have cut the number of fraud, waste and corruption cases in half?" asked Raymond DuBois, a former senior army official. "Yes."

Yet the corruption still continues,

As of Oct. 24, the army reported that it had 83 criminal inquiries related to contract fraud in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, according to Christopher Grey, an army spokesman. He said that 23 military and civilian staff members faced criminal charges, and that over $15 million in bribes had been uncovered. (The "#" is most likely far higher)
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One of the largest cases involves Major John Cockerham of the army, who is accused of bribery, conspiracy, money laundering and obstruction. Prosecutors have accused Cockerham, with his wife and sister, of taking at least $9.6 million in bribes in 2004 and 2005, when he was a contracting officer in Kuwait. ( these people should be tried for TREASON)

and how does the military 'attack' the problem? They've created another panel of course..

A second army review, led by Lieutenant General N. Ross Thompson III and Kathryn Condon, two army contracting specialists, is examining current contracting operations, particularly in Kuwait.

We don't need anymore 'studies' or 'investigations' . The contract 'procurement' system is in shambles. Our hard earned tax payer dollars are being diverted into 'programs, systems, and weapons' which the American tax payer would never approve. We're getting a lot of 'bang', but it's not worth the 'buck'.

Until we change the monetary equation...war will always come first and diplomacy second. The Department of State NEEDS to receive more funds...not the Department of Defense. Change that equation..you change the fate of the world.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Japan wants out of Afghanistan...and the vote proves it

Thursday is the day. The day that Japan officially quits their participation in the 'war of terror' in Afghanistan. Japanese lawmakers, in both houses of Parliament, have REFUSED to support their continued refueling 'mission' in the Indian Ocean.

According to Channel Asia News,

Japan's role in the U.S. led fight against terrorism in Afghanistan ends on Thursday, as Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has failed to get the support of both houses of parliament to extend the refuelling mission in the Indian Ocean.
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Japanese maritime forces have been part of the US-led anti-terror campaign for the past six years.

The move is exacerbated by the consistent pressure placed upon Japan's 'role' in the war of terror.

11 countries which have benefited from Japan's services are urging Japanese parliamentarians to reconsider their decision.

And how could the Japanese PM, Fukuda, reverse the decision of "both houses of Parliament?" Easy...dissolve the Lower House of Parliament and hope for a better outcome,

Some analysts said one option the prime minister has is for him to dissolve the Lower House and call for snap general elections.

Political commentator Minoru Morita said: "The most rational solution would be to dissolve the Lower House and hold elections to let voters decide whether they support the issue. The ruling party will have to consider whether it'll have an advantage if it holds elections now.
"However, if it refuses to do so, its decision will be contrary to popular opinion. So I think general elections will be held next spring, and this issue will be resolved soon after that."

There's also speculation that Mr Fukuda and Mr Ozawa may reach a deal for their parties to form a coalition, in exchange for the opposition camp's support of the refuelling mission.

Sorry, Mr. Fukuda...the representatives of the PEOPLE have spoken. The Japanese populace want out of the 'mission'. We can only hope that the representatives of, We the People, do the same here in the U.S. End this awful WAR. Speak for the majority..not the minority. We want out, too.

Return Democracy back to the People!

Same Players. Different Scandal.

U.S. Marines new training program is "Developing a "Hunter's Mentality"

“I MEF commanders believe that if we create the mentality in our Marines of hunters, and they take on some of those skills, then we’ll be able to increase our combat effectiveness,” General James T. Conway USMC, 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps

My goodness.."Every Marine a Hunter" this is the crap that our Military is teaching our children. A "hunter"? How about a "defender". You're not going to believe this one.

The United States Marine Corps has started a new training program named, "Combat Hunter". Combat Hunter aims to merge the skills of "big game hunters" of Africa with the 'new' urban combat soldier in the "war of terror".

According to a brilliant article by Nick Turse, in the Asia Times,

At a recent conference on urban warfare in Washington, DC, James Lasswell, retired USMC colonel,Head the Office of Science and Technology at the Marine Corps War fighting Laboratory,( neo conservative, PNAC participant)

He noted that, as part of an instruction course named "Combat Hunter", the marines have brought in "big-game hunters" to school their snipers in the better use of "optics". According to a September article by Grace Jean in National Defense Magazine, "[T]he lab conducted a war game with marines, African game hunters and inner city police officers to search for ways to improve training." The program included a 15-minute CD titled "Every Marine a Hunter." Asian Times
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"We think urban is the future. Everything worth fighting for is in the urban environment." said James Lasswell, Tom Dispatch

Wild. Here comes the kicker. Read this dumba$$ statement,

"The corps hopes to tap into skills certain marines may already have learned growing up in rural hunting areas and in urban areas, such as inner cities, said Colonel Clarke Lethin, I MEF's chief of staff." Read the full article

Quite an interesting statement. Put the obvious rural aspect aside, "inner cities"? Who was this comment aimed towards. Hmmm, the skills of our new Marine Corps apparently have skills based on "growing up" "hunting"in inner cities, too. I'm not a hunter, but I imagine if I ever went..it wouldn't be in the inner city.

Here in another article, General James T. Conway USMC, 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps, offers US a little more insight into our "new" hunter's mentality.

The skillful hunter of animals (dehumanizing the enemy) must learn how to successfully track down and engage it in its natural habitat…no matter what those surroundings may be. The natural habitat of mankind is in urban dwellings. This habitat has it own rules and its own camouflage. The “combat hunter” training will search for methods to help Marines find,and then hit, fleeing and moving targets that are sometimes among crowds of people", General James T. Conway USMC, 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps

Keeping with this "dehumanizing" mentality,

Troops on the ground say that they have to fire multiple shots into the enemy before they go down, and surprisingly enough, some still get up and keep coming.The suggestion has been made that perhaps a new and heavier round should be introduced to match the new Marine “hunter” mentality.

Not according to Gen. Conway. It's misdirected training.

“Put a round in the right place, and you’ll stop the bad guy, no matter the size of the bullet and how fast he’s moving,”.

He does have a point. His point being...

“The problem is we’re not very good at hitting moving targets. A hunter can hit a moving target with a great deal of frequency.Maybe we should start with shotguns and build a level of confidence in hitting a moving target via skeet or trap, and we go from there to rifle shots.”

Explaining the benefits of skeet shooting, Scott Reed, Fmr Marine Corps Rifle Range Coach, current AM of McIntyre Skeet Range & Paint Ball located at Camp Lejeune, N.C. explained,

Most of the principles of marksmanship that we learn in the Marine Corps do not apply in shooting moving targets.
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“The emphasis here is on the target, not the front sight post as in traditional marksmanship at the rifle range. Trigger control is not a major issue here either. Most Marines forget that the weapon is moving a great deal when they take the shot; this is not the case in traditional marksmanship. There’s no waiting and breathing with proper sight alignment and sight picture here. With skeet, as in combat shooting,you only have about 2 seconds to take a well aimed shot. The only difference is skeet targets don’t shoot back.”
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“The targets are moving at speeds of 45 to 47 Mph which is pretty fast. If you think about combat circumstances, a human being cannot run that fast so skeet shooting will get Marines conditioned for the worst case scenarios of moving targets”
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The shift from rifleman to hunter will have to take place mentally before it happens physically. The hunter knows that he/she is the hunter because they are confident in their superior skills. Through constant skeet shooting, the confidence that will be instilled in the individual Marine’s combat marksmanship abilities will begin to grow. As an outcome, the Marine will begin to feel like the hunter and therefore perform like one. Sgt. Steven King

Skeet shooting and "big game hunters"...sounds like Dick Cheney's type of "hunting trip". Throw in a few alcoholic drinks and an old lawyer 'friend' and Cheney will be planning his next vacation to Camp Lejeune.

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Same Players. Different Scandal.

Azerbaijan Security Forces foil "terror plot". Are they the 'new' terrorist busters?

"The Wahhabi virus has been around here for a few years, but it's necessary to prove their involvement in these events," Ilgar Ibrahimoglu, head of the Center for Protection of Freedom of Conscience

On Saturday Azerbaijan's security forces prevented what they are calling a, "large scale, horrifying terror attack", against the U.S. and UK embassies in Baku, the capitol of Azerbaijan. Welcome Al Qaeda in Azerbaijan, (AQA) if you will.

Here are the details from several sources,

"Several people belonging to a Wahhabi group have been detained. They were planning terrorist attacks near the U.S. embassy in Baku," National Security Ministry spokesman Arif Babayev was quoted as saying.

The ministry said the group was armed with stolen military grenades and assault rifles and had planned a "large-scale, horrifying terror attack." China View
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Security forces raided a group planning the attacks, killing one member and arresting several others, a national security ministry statement said.
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The ministry said a renegade army officer was involved in the plot.

The lieutenant deserted his unit this month, taking with him four assault rifles, a machine gun and 20 hand grenades, the statement said.
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Security forces tracked the group to Mastaga, a village 30km (20 miles) north-east of Baku, on Saturday, where one of its members offered resistance and was killed. BBC

According to the Department of State's, Sean McCormack,

"There was some specific and credible threat information concerning the embassy and plans by militants to in some way do harm to the individuals in or around the U.S. Embassy there, but we have worked very well with the Government of Azerbaijan...Now, I think that they have ongoing law enforcement operations designed to address the source of the threat." AP

20 grenades, 1 machine gun, and 4 assault rifles..."horrifying and large scale", not so much. Or a plot to engage Iran with the West,

Ilgar Ibrahimoglu, the head of the Center for Protection of Freedom of Conscience, an Azeri human rights group, said it was not yet clear if the government was exaggerating the threat to show the West its determination to battle militant groups.

Welcome to Al Qaeda in Azerbaijan. (AQA). Shortly BushCO will ply them with jet fighters, advanced weaponry, and bombs. We all know, it 'pays' to play with Bush.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Saudi King goes to the UK. Tells UK "the world is not taking terrorism seriously"

Ok, ok. King Abdullah didn't quite call them "sissies", but close enough. Before departing on his extremely rare trip to the UK, the Saudi King gave an interview with the BBC in which he urged the UK to become more diligent and "serious" in the fight against "terror",

the Saudi monarch said he believed most countries were not taking the issue seriously, "including, unfortunately, Great Britain". (I guess the recent HUGE highly controversial BAE weapons deal wasn't enough to satisfy the King)
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"he said the fight against terrorism needed much more effort by countries such as Britain and that al-Qaeda continued to be a big problem for his country.

BBC world affairs correspondent John Simpson says King Abdullah is annoyed that the rest of the world has largely failed to act on his proposal for a UN clearing house for information about terrorism." BBC
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"We have sent information to Great Britain before the terrorist attacks in Britain but unfortunately no action was taken. And it may have been able to maybe avert the tragedy." King Abbullah

Isn't that cute. Saudi Arabia produced the 15 wretched souls who dropped our Twins, produced the despicable, Osama bin Laden, commits thousands of Human Rights abuses everyday, yet the "King" AKA Bush's BFF, still feels it's appropriate to tell other nations "they aren't serious" about fighting terrorism. Yup..that was a little regurg I just tasted. Pathetic.

Hey King, get your "house" in line then start ridiculing. Those who live in "glass houses" shouldn't throw stones. And the ridiculous idea of a "UN Clearing House" for terrorist information is absurd. Why would the West offer up her information to the very "nations" that support "terror" against them?

Watch the interview with the King.

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Same Players. Different Scandal.

Bush: 'missile shield' protects against terrorists. Too bad terrorists carry their 'missiles', not launch them

Bush, surrounded by students after his speech at NDU

On Tuesday, Bush gave a speech at the National Defense University (NDU), in Washington, as part of the university's, "Distinguished Lecture Program". During his visit he stressed his vision for continuing the war OF terror and the need for his "missile shield" against a growing Iranian threat. With Iran saying they'll rain 11,000 missiles per minute on US bases in the region, Cheney's upgrade, and Bush promising WWIII if Iran continues her nuclear ambitions, a missile 'sheild' might not be such a bad idea to re consider.

Only problem..'terrorists' don't launch their 'missiles' , they carry them.

Here is what Bush was 'selling' the military 'leadership' at NDU

"The need for missile defence in Europe is real and I believe it's urgent."
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"The Cold War is over. Russia is not our enemy"
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"join us against an emerging threat that affects us all... we ought to respond to this threat together".
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The president said if "rogue states" had less confidence their missiles would strike, they would be "less likely to engage in acts of aggression in the first place".
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"We would consider tying together activation of the sites in Poland and the Czech Republic with definitive proof of the threat - in other words, Iranian missile testing and so on." Robert Gates bbc

Look, America, we are in a position where two delusional men are increasing their rhetoric towards war. They are both promising untold destruction and ultimately are 'staging' themselves as prophets, not Presidents. Both leaders are highly evangelized. They view the world through a pair of glasses with one lens focused on 'good' and the other 'evil'. There is no in between. War is inevitable. BushCO wants their missile shield and AmedinejadCO are rapidly preparing for battle.

We might heed the evil lil' character's warnings..what he wants..he gets and the 'House of Pelosi' seems to ensure it. Too bad the 'terrorists' don't use long and medium range missiles, though. This 'shield' is for defense against threats from 'nation states', not terrorists. Bush is playing it both ways. War with Iran will be asymmetrical...after his 'bombing shock and awe'..Iran WILL NOT be launching missiles. They will be strapping TNT onto themselves and WALKING and DRIVING into their targets. Not launching them thousands of miles.

We need to take our Democracy back NOW. These delusional chumps are CAUSING WWIII. The next time Bush goes 'fishing'..or goes to Crawford...we need to be worried because the bombs will start falling.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Cheney upgrades his 'meaningful' consequences towards Iran to 'SERIOUS' consequences.

If there is one thing you can say about the Vice President...he is extremely 'calculating'. No matter if you love him or hate him, Cheney chooses his words wisely and once he's made a decision...it's final.

That's what scares me...Cheney's recent 'upgrade' of his threats. Couple his statements with that of the 'resident in the oval office' and Cheney's 'meaningful consequences' become something quite 'serious'. He is escalating his rhetoric towards war with Iran. His words will inevitably lead to bombs....

"The Iranian regime needs to know that if it stays on its present course, the international community is prepared to impose meaningful consequences. (Applause.) For our part, the United States is keeping all options on the table in addressing the irresponsible conduct of the regime. (Applause.) And we join other nations in sending that regime a clear message: We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon." full transcript
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"Given the fact that Iran has a stated policy that their objective is the destruction of Israel, the Israelis might well decide to act first, and let the rest of the world worry about cleaning up the diplomatic mess afterwards," Cheney stated in 2005

Here is an NBC video with Cheney declaring 'meaningful consequences' on Iran

Pretty threatening, right? Well then, Cheney's upgrade shouldn't go understated. Cheney's upgraded consequences are "SERIOUS"...

"The Iranian regime needs to know that if it stays on its present course, the international community is prepared to impose serious consequences," Cheney said. He did not specify what those consequences might be, or whether they would include military action.

Cheney made his remarks in a foreign policy speech during a conference on the Middle East sponsored by the Washington Institute, a research organization. During the 25-minute talk, he also took aim at Syria, accusing it of using "bribery and intimidation" to influence coming elections in Lebanon, and he made the case, as he has in the past, for the administration's muscular approach in prosecuting terrorism suspects.

But his most serious comments were aimed at Iran, which he accused of being "the world's most active sponsor of state terrorism." IHT
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Experts at the conference said the vice president's language, while stopping short of threatening military action, seemed designed to prepare Americans for the administration to make moves in that direction if Iran does not cooperate. Bush has said in the past that the United States will not "tolerate" a nuclear Iran, but Cheney's construction, that the world "will not allow" a nuclear Iran, seemed to go a step further.

According to Dennis Ross, Middle East envoy of H.W and Clinton, Cheney's remarks are weighty...

"it does have implications." IHT

America, Cheney is rocking out, Bush is warning of WWIII if Iran goes "nuklr", Rice is threatening a new Cold War with Russia, we are in two wars and a third considering the over arching '100 year war OF terror' Bush has promised. Can we really afford to START WWIII? Do you remember Cheney's 'Quagmire' video in 1994?

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Main Photo provided by The Searcher

Same Players. Different Scandal.

If Blackwater Leaves Iraq, who Replaces them?

Blackwater USA have been deemed the "cowboy outlaws" of the colony of Iraq, but if Blackwater leaves, who will guard U.S. diplomats? The question was answered on Friday when a U.S. official stated Blackwater USA's role in Iraq will most likely 'draw down' and that one of the two other 'capable' contractors will take their role.

While no decisions have been finalized, Blackwater's role in Baghdad is likely to be taken over by one of two other contractors who provide security for the State Department in Iraq, the officials said. They are Triple Canopy and DynCorp International. Miami Herald

Not to worry, though. Trigger happy Blackwater personnel will simply switch employers...

''There will be some sort of disengagement process, but it won't be that they're shown the door,'' said a State Department official. "As one builds down, another builds up.''
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It's unclear whether Blackwater employees in Iraq could simply switch employers. And, according to congressional officials, the State Department's Diplomatic Security service argues that it cannot operate without the helicopters that Blackwater provides for escort and rescue efforts. Miami Herald

Sneaky, sneaky, bastards. Blackwater isn't going anywhere. They're just getting another employer. The State Department doesn't want DynCorp. They don't want Triple Canopy either, even though they've been guarding the Green Zone since 2005. In fact, the State Department knows that Triple Canopy has hired a bunch of Latin Americans to do the job. The State Department wants Erik Princes' feudal army. They want Blackwaters little black helicopters, armored vehicles, high power weapons, and the trigger happy cowboys with their own definition of America's "hearts and minds" approach to win over Iraqis.

Blackwater USA is not going anywhere. They are the guardians of the colony of Iraq. With $834 million invested in Blackwater contracts the State Department can't afford to let 'em go.

Blackwater's current work order under a State Department contract worth $834 million reportedly runs out in May 2008.

They know their lives depend on them.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Chertoff's Gut Feeling "IEDs are coming to America"

"If terrorists initiated an IED campaign in America today, it could paralyze us." David Heyman, director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is having problems with his "gut"...again. This time his "sour stomach" is telling him that the terrorists have a "weapon of choice" and they want to export it to America. That weapon is the Improvised Explosive Device (IED). In a report given to the Senate last month, Chertoff explained the administrations rising concerns and stated Bush will soon issue a "blueprint for countering the threat of IED's."

"we haven't waited for the paperwork . . . because my concern, frankly, is not words; it's deeds and actions." He said his department has provided $1.7 billion in grants related to the IED threat, trained workers at 16 ports and deployed thousands of new explosives detectors at airports, and plans to increase the screening of small boats and private aircraft that might carry bombers or bombs.
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U.S. officials define the domestic IED threat across a wide spectrum, including a block of TNT with a remote-controlled detonator; a fertilizer bomb delivered by a car, truck or plane; and a suicide runner carrying a peroxide-based explosive. At the extreme, an IED can be enhanced into a "dirty bomb," rigged to scatter radioactive material.
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"Terrorists' use of IEDs cannot be extrapolated into anything other than a major threat to this country," Supervisory Special Agent Barbara Martinez, a senior official at the FBI's Critical Incident Response Group
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"National coordination of IED prevention efforts is absolutely crucial," said Lt. Shawn E. Stallworth, a Michigan State Police detective and member of the National Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board. The group this year called for "urgent action" to increase training in handling the threat posed by large-vehicle bombs.
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Among the shortcomings identified in the report: Explosives-sniffing dogs are trained differently by various federal agencies, making collaboration between squads "difficult if not impossible." Federal agencies maintain separate databases on bomb incidents. Separately, bomb squad commanders have complained of inadequate training for responding to truck bombs. msnbc

Great...It's six years after the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and Bush and his cronies and finally decided to create a "blueprint" for America's preparedness. Oddly enough, Bush's blueprint came from the Justice Department via Presidential Directive, not Homeland Security. Bush's 'blueprint': More money and dogs. Ridiculous.

Defending the 'blueprint', Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General William E. Moschella said, "It's late and we wish we were two months earlier, but the bottom line is we have submitted . . . a product [to the White House] that we're very proud of."

Two months too late? Nope. More like six years, bud. I thought DHS was supposed to act as a warehousing Bureau. Weren't they supposed to 'bring all the agencies together'. To help foster an environment where all the other bureaus could transfer information to each other. If so...then why did Bush have to stop the 'bickering' and send the 'product' to the Justice Department? Homeland Security is a farce on the nation. It has created an industry of 'fear', not protection.

Chertoff...get some Alka Seltzer...and take the blue crayons away from Bush. America doesn't need HIS 'blueprint' for anything, much less our security.

George W. Bush has invaded 'Absurdistan'
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Same Players. Different Scandal.

Remember The Roomba® Vacuum?...well now they've packed 150 lbs of Guns and Ammo on it

The Roomba® Vacuum has guns and it's going into battle soon.

Who would have thought?..the friendly little "robot" vacuum cleaner, The Roomba® would be in combat. That's right. The compact autonomous vacuum cleaner that "cleans routinely so you don't have to" has evolved. Whereas the commercial version of the Roomba® is weak and non threatening, the military version,the iRobot Warrior X700, is the polar opposite.

Packing....

..a Metal Storm 4 barrel, 40mm cannon attracted more than a little attention on the show floor. Metal Storm is known for its stacked electronic small arms firing system that allows their weapons to fire LOADS of bullets/grenades in milliseconds. Combine this with iRobot's latest 200+ lbs, 15 mph beast and you get the the grandfather of The Terminator. militarytimes
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The robot-mounted weapons shoot as far as 800 meters, according to officials at Metal Storm, the Brisbane, Australia-based company that makes the firing system.

According to Metal Storm, to understand how to shoot a million bullets a minute it's "necessary to look in an unlikely place, the ink jet printer. This print head distributes its ink very quickly, precisely, and efficiently from a large number of barrels [video]"

Sure. Except this isn't an ordinary inkjet 'printer'...it's the "new" iRobot Warrior X700....

“It is the largest vehicle that can still go into a building. We’re looking at urban warfare and going into lots of different types of buildings with it,” said Helen Greiner, iRobot chairman and co-founder. “We really think of it as a multimission platform. It can be deploying weapons systems. It can be doing re-supply operations, taking ammo or water to troops who are pinned down, perimeter security and building clearing. ” armytimes

The 250 lb weapons toting robot can move faster than you can run...

"Right now, it can go 10 miles per hour. When we finish the development, it will be able to do a four-minute mile,” said retired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Joe Dyer, iRobot’s president of the government and industrial division. “You are starting to see the first robot that can really haul your pack and be not only a partner but be a stronger and faster partner.” armytimes

Hell..the vacuum of autonomous death can now 'rove' around on it's own and can 'call home' when necessary...

the Warrior and PackBot are being engineered with advanced software, giving them the ability to perform some battlefield functions autonomously. “The software says, ‘Hey, robot, get back up yourself.’ If you lose [communications], right now you have to go get the robot,” Dyer said. “A capability they are building into PackBot is if you lose comms, go back to where you could talk last and re-establish comms on your own.” armytimes

Great...autonomous robot killer vacuums.. Save US all. The funny thing is, if one takes Moore's law into consideration..the multimillion dollar X700 will be out of commission in 4 months.

Come on U.S. military. The enemy that we are fighting are committing their "ied" crimes with unsophisticated methods. Nothing more than a cell phone and a few lines of code, a little solder here a little there. Taadaa..X700 is now useless. The Pentagon can spend millions upon billions..the robot "electronic weapons" systems will always be fraught with Moore's Law. Every battlefield "tech wonder" will have met his/her nemesis in less than 4 months after deployed into the battlefield. Come on, military.."keep up with the Jones'

I guess that means we'll be seeing X800 soon, too.

the beauty of "planned obsolescence".

Same Players. Different Scandal.

12 ex U.S. Army Captians "Staying in Iraq means REINSTATING the DRAFT"

The United States military is stretched to its limits. We are currently fight three wars. Iraq, Afghanistan, and the broader "war OF terror". Yet, as the military leadership screams to the executive and the DoD, their message goes unheard. On Tuesday, another scream goes unheard.... Those screams. Start the DRAFT or get out of Iraq, NOW!
Twelve former US army captains Tuesday urged Washington to either abandon Iraq or dramatically increase its military presence there by reinstating mandatory military service.

"There is one way we might be able to succeed in Iraq," wrote the ex-captains, all of whom saw service in Iraq between 2003 and 2006.

"To continue an operation of this intensity and duration, we would have to abandon our volunteer military for compulsory service. Short of that, our best option is to leave Iraq immediately.

"A scaled withdrawal will not prevent a civil war, and it will spend more blood and treasure on a losing proposition," they wrote.

The Iraq war "is as undermanned and under-resourced as it was from the start," the authors wrote, stating bluntly that "Iraq is in shambles."

The authors say they have "seen the corruption and the sectarian division. We understand what it's like to be stretched too thin. And we know when it's time to get out."

The captains describe widespread corruption in the Iraqi government, a country where the infrastructure is in "deplorable condition."

Iraq's oil industry "still fails to produce the revenue that Pentagon war planners hoped would pay for Iraq's reconstruction," they wrote.

Even with the 'surge' of US forces this year there are not enough troops in Iraq. Temporary regional success "may brief well on PowerPoint presentations," but in practice "they just push insurgents to another spot on the map."

Millions of Iraqis "correctly recognize these actions for what they are and vote with their feet -- moving within Iraq or leaving the country entirely.

"Still, our colonels and generals keep holding on to flawed concepts."
Yahoo News

NO, no, no , no, no. Listen to the military. Listen to the youth. Our policymakers are playing "death" with our children and the actual soldiers know it. Stop the insanity. Stand up for your rights. The Draft is not the answer.

As Clausewitz stated...War is Politics by other means. When the policymakers can't NEGOTIATE and COMPROMISE they go to war...and war is Easy for them...it's not with their kids, but with OURS. Damn CHICKENHAWKS!

If they want war...let Jeb's son, Mitt's sons, Rudy's son, Jenna Bush's "fiance" ..let them be the first to go...Let them show how determined they are to support these wars!

related post:
Canada Here We Come: Bush Cabal wants DRAFT 'on the table'
Video Redux: Stop the War..Draft College Republicans

Same Players. Different Scandal.

It's Official...Petraeus is marching US towards war with Iran

How long do we have before the Bush administration TAKES US into our third war in six years? According to General David Petraeus' recent statements on Iran...not long..not long at all.

On Saturday, Petraeus gave a speech to reporters in which he basically linked Iran to everything going wrong in Iraq. Assassinated governors, smuggled sophisticated weaponry, the dreaded explosively formed projectiles (EFPs)..and oh yeah...the Iranian ambassador to Iraq..he's a Qods force member, too. Here are a few of his statements...

"They are responsible for providing the weapons, the training, the funding and in some cases the direction for operations that have indeed killed U.S. soldiers,"

"There is no question about the connection between Iran and these components, (the) attacks that have killed our soldiers."
......

"The ambassador is a Qods force member," said Petraeus, before appearing to suggest that Kazemi-Qomi was not under the U.S. military spotlight because he was a diplomat.
.....
"There should be no question about the malign, lethal involvement and activities of the Qods force in this country"
.....

"They are implicated in the assassination of some governors in the southern provinces," said Petraeus.

Asked to be more specific, he said one case "was clearly an explosively formed projectile".

"They only come from Iran and they are only used by militias so it's a sort of a signature trademark of militia extremists. The other case the suspicion is the same, we just don't have the same quality of forensics."

Asked if there was intelligence directly linking Iran to the two bomb attacks, he said: "I would not comment on this." Read the full article

Amazing...without a doubt we are off to war....again. Soon Fox News will be broadcasting 24/7 in 'night vision'. We'll start seeing the Pentagon flashing video propaganda of how 'pin point' their air strikes have been. The sky will be filled with tracers flying through the air in all directions.

Folks...We the People, have seen this 'show' all too often lately. Stop BUSH/CHENEY NOW!

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Please Hear the Drumbeat, Cheney's Rocking out

The drumbeat to a military confrontation with Iran is intensifying. The same players from different scandals are all 'preaching' the same rhetoric as they did before the Iraq war. The marching orders towards Iran are 'active'...Please America...wake up.

All the puzzle pieces are falling into place. Remember Cheney's 'meaningful consequences'..

"The Iranian regime needs to know that if it stays on its present course, the international community is prepared to impose meaningful consequences. (Applause.) For our part, the United States is keeping all options on the table in addressing the irresponsible conduct of the regime. (Applause.) And we join other nations in sending that regime a clear message: We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon." full transcript

"Given the fact that Iran has a stated policy that their objective is the destruction of Israel, the Israelis might well decide to act first, and let the rest of the world worry about cleaning up the diplomatic mess afterwards," Cheney said in 2005

Iran WILL NOT be allowed to continue with their nuclear facilities and enrichment programs. IAEA regulations and UN resolutions move to slowly within our rapidly changing multi polar international world. The bureaucracy will tie up action within the UN. Meanwhile, Israel and the west will have already acted. Cheney's 'meaningful consequences' will have occurred.They will not wait for approval.

Listen to their drumbeat...This is not the "last throes of the insurgency". A military confrontation with Iran will not lead to "mission accomplished" Iran will not play tit for tat..they will go for broke. War will be asymmetrical.

In the words of Clausewitz, "politics is war by other means" . According to the Bush regime, the time for politics is over...war seems inevitable. Odd considering they haven't even tried diplomacy. Please..America..listen to the drumbeat.


Same Players. Different Scandal.

Pakistan..Butter up the popcorn. It's your turn for the 'bush Laden' Show

When can you trust a lawmaker? It depends....are you listening to Liaquat Baluch, from the Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), a major political alliance of religious groups in Pakistan. The coalition is strongly opposed to the Musharraf regime and want him ousted. When asked to give a response on the recent 'new' bin Laden tape controversy , he retorts,

"This is an attempt to turn people's sympathies in favor of Gen. Pervez Musharraf but such tactics are not going to work. I am sure that the video is a fake and made in America" iht 9/20

Get used to saying those words over and over again, Mr. Baluch. This is your first tape! We here in the west have been listening and watching this subversion for years. Prepare yourself for the show. Butter up your popcorn, settle into your sofa, turn down the lights, and watch another cheap production..produced via 'al Qaeda' with special guest appearances of the 'terrorists of the day'.

We've seen sick Osama, healthy Osama, slim gray bearded Osama, fat fake bearded Osama...We've had freeze frame with audio, freeze frame without audio, video with flames, streaming banners, and oh..can't forget about the backgrounds. Osama in the mountains, Osama in dark room, Osama in a bright room, Osama in the Lincoln bedroom. OK. Just thought I'd try to throw that one in there.

Guess what, Mr. Baluch, it's Pakistan's turn. Time for the 'ghost of bush Laden' to scare the crap out of your populace. Be careful...he may force all 160 million of you to...
'go shopping'. Call it an import. You've just received the package via anonymous courier from 'the ghost of bin Laden'

Little hint from the West...the 'ghost of bush Laden' appears during

1. US Election cycles
2. When Bush doesn't get his way
   
3. Neo conservative political scandals
4. Major anniversary dates for the US
5. when 'propped up' Musharraf begins to have trouble subverting his illegal re election.
   

Don't be afraid. Keep pushing for your Democracy. Give Mush the boot and free yourself from the deviant grasps of the neoconservative, war profiteering, Bush Cabal.

Perhaps after a few more 'fake' bin Laden tapes we can all come together, get our costume party kits, and play 'Who Looks More Like Osama' this time? ( there's a entrepreneurial concept ). Mr. Baluch, just remember...it could get worse at anytime... if 'bush Laden' fails....Musharraf might import another dreaded program to fear your populace ...the idiot O'Reilly.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

ARE you Kidding? France recieves contract for Nuclear Power plant in Libya

This one blows my mind. Here we go.

The entire world is in upheaval over the 'nuclear option'. Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, India, Syria, China..everyone is in on it. But here is what's odd. We all agree whether it is for electrical purposes, desalination, or for weaponisation...Nuclear capabilities still prove to be the answer of last resort. Solar, wind, thermal...anything besides nuclear.

Yet we press on..and France is as close to the forefront in nuclear technology as anyone. A French company was just awarded the contract to build the new steel cover over Chernobyl and now we find out that another French based company Areva sealed a deal with Libya to build a nuclear power plant.

During a visit to Libya by French President Nicolas Sarkozy in late July, the leaders signed a memorandum of understanding that would allow French nuclear-giant Areva to build a nuclear power plant there [Libya].

from another article, the Germans weigh in...

Reinhard Buetikofer, accused Sarkozy of "reckless, nationalistic activism" and called the deal "highly questionable in security policy terms."

The Gadhafi regime gave up its nuclear weapons program only four years ago. The deal comes just days after Libya released five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian doctor accused of deliberately infecting several hundred children with HIV.

That's right. France is building a nuclear desalination plant for Muammar Gaddafi. France the country of who just publicly warned Iran with bombardment about her pursuit of 'nuclear intentions' is providing assistance to a country who only four years ago was part of the 'extended' axis of evil, Libya. France..Freedom fries..France.

I find this appalling. The man who Reagan hit with air strikes in 1986, gave us Lockerbie, had ACTUAL WMD stockpiles has became part of the 'crew'.

Our enemies from yesterday are our BFF today. Is four years of being the obedient step child of the west long enough? I don't believe so.

The war of terror continues to make odd bedfellows.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Another Boring Bin Laden Video "what will he look like this time?'

It appears Al Qaeda is on another propaganda tour. Another video is expected to be released soon. The supposed 'authentic video' was announced on an Islamic militant website which ran the banner

"Soon, God willing: 'Come to Jihad', from sheik Osama bin Laden, God protect him"

"Urgent, al-Qaeda declares war on the tyrant Pervez Musharraf and his apostate army, in the words of Osama bin Laden,". usatoday

Great..more propaganda from the 'ghost of bin Laden'. How's this possible if it has already been reported that..

"..bin Laden has not chaired a meeting of Al Qaida's ruling shura or council in more than two years." Ayman al-Zawahiri, Bin Laden's number two, has rebuilt the terror network since the Afghan war in 2001"

"Al Qaida under Al-Zawahiri's direction has promoted a new generation of leaders to the highest echelons of the shura, a group of 20 to 30 leaders who govern operations, finance and religious fatwahs.

"The guys on the subs' bench are now in the XI. They have stopped using mobile phones to talk to each other, which has made it more difficult to find them," times of india 9/16

and....

"This is a man on the run in a cave who is virtually impotent other than his ability to get these messages out," Frances Townsend
CNN 9/10

So..I guess we'll get another still image of Osama bin Laden with the voice of another.

The question of the day....what will the fake Osama look like?

Will it be fat Osama? Fake bearded Osama? Sickly Osama?

Same Players. Different Scandal.

General Rudy Giuliani at your Service...in London

The General speaks...excerpts from Reuters

Giuliani, giving the first "Margaret Thatcher Atlantic Bridge" lecture to an audience that included the former British prime minister, called for an expansion of the US military, saying it had cut back too much after the Cold War.

"We need to add at least 10 new combat brigades, that's probably just the beginning," Giuliani said.

The United States faced not only Islamic terrorism, but also had to consider the possibility of a "large war with a nation state,"

.....

"The policy of the United States of America should be very, very clear: we will use any option we believe is in our best interest to stop them from being a nuclear power,"

Do we really want this guy campaigning on the European continent? Excerpts from HuffingtonPost.

"I'm probably one of the four or five best known Americans in the world," Giuliani told a small group of reporters at a posh London hotel as onlookers gathered in the lobby to gawk at actor Dustin Hoffman who was on a separate visit.

....

Giuliani said earlier in the day that as president he would take any action necessary to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

"That is not said as a threat. That should be said as a promise," he said.

Rudy, SHUT THE HELL UP, already!

Rudy thinks he was there in spirit...The Iraq Study Group


Same Players. Different Scandal.

Adm. William Fallon's 'Containment' Tour

The man who gave US the statements.. General Petraeus is , "an ass-kissing little chickens**t"... I hate people like that", and "We won't have war with Iran on my watch", is currently on a ten day tour throughout the Gulf region.

He is attempting to solidify US allied support against Iran. Admiral William Fallon's, chief of the Central Command (CENTCOM), ten day tour will consist of stops in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq. This could be viewed as either: coalition building, a containment strategy, or another arms deal. Excerpts from the Air Force Times article

At military compounds and royal reception halls across the Persian Gulf this week, Adm. William Fallon is delivering personal appeals to Arab leaders to counter Iran’s ambitions to expand its regional influence and move ahead with its nuclear program.

Fallon has carefully avoided publicly discussing any war contingency plans or making any direct threats against Iran, which sits in his sphere of operations. As head of U.S. Central Command, he oversees forces in Central Asia, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.

His current 10-day trip, which began Saturday in Bahrain, was more about seeking to quietly galvanize Gulf leaders while letting others sharply escalate pressure on Tehran. On Sunday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the world should prepare for war if Iran obtains nuclear weapons.

......

Military officials with knowledge of Fallon’s meetings also suggested that pressure from Gulf nations could dissuade Iranian naval forces from challenging U.S. and allies watching over Iraqi oil platforms and shipping lanes into Kuwait and Iraq. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

......

“We want to send Iran a message that there are no cracks between the U.S. and its allies here,” Fallon said.

...he still comes bearing 'gifts'...

In Bahrain, Fallon expressed support for a possible $300 million upgrade for the nation’s F-16 fleet and met with Crown Prince Sheik Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, who also serves as commander in chief of the nation’s military forces.

The drumbeat for war with Iran is increasing at a rapid pace. Within the last few weeks, the Gulf has been 'rearmed', war plans have been drawn on all sides, Israel hit Syria with air strikes (without international denunciations ...odd) , the US and UK have ignored IAEA recommendations, ignored the UN, France has increased their rhetoric....worse..the echo chamber is occurring on dreadful FOX news. Wake up America!

Remember 1981?

WATCH: Nuclear Bunker Buster Video by the Union of Concerned Scientists

One question...why no Condi?...shouldn't she be with him?...

Same Players. Different Scandal.