This is just too good to pass up. Many of you (Richard – you know who you are) have been so extremely adamant in your statements that there is no way OBL could have had a working relationship with Sadam. One is a secular Muslim the other a fundamentalist – so based on this reasoning, it is impossible to think that Sadam had any relationship with OBL and his terrorist ways.
Just as I predicted a year ago, and reiterated on another blog just last week, as more of these documents get translated we are going to see that the only thing the loony left has been hanging their hat on is soon going to crumble before their very eyes – “Sadam had no ties to the people who attacked us on 9/11”. It may not be next week, and this particular document doesn’t prove anything in and of itself…but 20 or 30 of these documents will. At last check, there were hundreds of thousands of documents form Iraq secret service and military just waiting to be translated.
It is with great pleasure that I direct your attention to the following (courtesy of ABC news. As an aside, why does ABC an other media, think they must put editors notes on information that is supportive of the war effort but not on information that is against it. I don’t recall any editor’s notes on the CIA leaks, but I digress):
http://abcnews.go.com/International/IraqCoverage/story?id=1734490&page=1
Here are some highlights (or lowlights depending on how bad you hate the President)
“A newly released pre-war Iraqi document indicates that an official representative of Saddam Hussein's government met with Osama bin Laden in Sudan on February 19, 1995 after approval by Saddam Hussein. Bin Laden asked that Iraq broadcast the lectures of Suleiman al Ouda, a radical Saudi preacher, and suggested "carrying out joint operations against foreign forces" in Saudi Arabia. According to the document, Saddam's presidency was informed of the details of the meeting on March 4, 1995 and Saddam agreed to dedicate a program for them on the radio. The document states that further "development of the relationship and cooperation between the two parties to be left according to what's open (in the future) based on dialogue and agreement on other ways of cooperation."
"The relationship with him is still through the Sudanese. We're currently working on activating this relationship through a new channel in light of his current location [Afghanistan]," it states.
“The document does not establish that the two parties did in fact enter into an operational relationship. Given that the document claims bin Laden was proposing to the Iraqis that they conduct "joint operations against foreign forces" in Saudi Arabia, it is interesting to note that eight months after the meeting — on November 13, 1995 — terrorists attacked Saudi National Guard Headquarters in Riyadh, killing 5 U.S. military advisors. The militants later confessed on Saudi TV to having been trained by Osama bin Laden.)”
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Someone you should know
This article tells so much more than just a tragic, heroic story of life and death. It completely goes against nearly everything that the angry left tells us about our soldiers in Iraq:
First, there is the fact that this marine was a high school salutatorian. Which seems odd since we are constantly told that the US military is the bastion of last hope for all the poor, and poorly educated kids who cant get into college. After all, who in their right mind would volunteer for that type of work when they have other options? Who indeed!
Then, we learn that on at least one occasion he went in to Iraqi homes to save the life of a mentally challenged kid who had a bomb strapped to him. Of course, according to John Kerry, our soldiers are only going into the homes of Iraqi’s to “terrorize them”. Mr Fry saved this boys life and countless others that were no doubt the intended target of this “victim bomber”.
Finally, we learn that last year he received a hand injury that would have won him a trip back to Germany – except for the fact that Mr Fry didn’t want to go back to Germany. He believed in his mission and stayed in Iraq. If things were going so horribly over there, why would he ever want to go back?
God speed Gunnery Sgt Fry.
Marine dies day before return home
Lorena native was proud of his work, did it willingly, family said
By Katy MooreWACO HERALD-TRIBUNESunday, March 12, 2006
A Marine from Texas who was due to return home from Iraq to his wife and three children this week was killed Wednesday after he volunteered to disarm a bomb in Iraq's war-torn Anbar province.
Gunnery Sgt. John D. Fry, 28, of Lorena, south of Waco, specialized in defusing explosive devices and planned to return to his family at Marine base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for six months before starting another tour in Iraq in September.
"He believed in what he was doing," Malia Fry said of her husband. "He was protecting his country, and he was doing his job because he didn't want his children to grow up with people blowing up buildings."
As an explosive ordinance disposal technician, Fry disarmed hundreds of bombs during his six-month stint in Iraq.
On Wednesday, he volunteered to defuse one more bomb, which exploded and killed him, family members said.
"He laid down his life so other Marines would be safe, and he did it willingly," Malia Fry said. "Every EOD tech that is over there does the same thing a hundred times a day, and they don't think about themselves. They think about the Marines. . . . They think about the children that are over there."
In interviews, Fry's family described him as selfless in his work, protecting his comrades and Iraqis from explosive devices.
Both his wife and his mother, Beth Fry of Lorena, described an incident in which the Marine answered a call to disarm a bomb and played a game of hide-and-seek with a young Iraqi boy before sending the youngster away from the site and out of danger.
On another occasion, Fry arrived at an Iraqi home to find a bomb strapped to a young Iraqi boy with mental retardation.
The Marine disarmed the bomb and saved the child's life.
"He was so proud to be there doing what he was doing," Beth Fry said. "Not just the war part . . . but the Marines and all the military people that are there have restored power, built schools, built hospitals, and they have running water. Those are the things that nobody talks about and that nobody hears about."
Fry was assigned to the 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
In October, family members said, Fry received a hand injury that was severe enough that he could have left Iraq and gone to Germany.
The graduate of Waco Christian Academy was happy that he was salutatorian of his high school class because he did not like speaking in public and did not want to give a speech at his graduation.
Relatives said Fry will be remembered as a devoted father and a humble patriot.
"(The military) wanted to give him the Bronze Star for his injury, and he wouldn't accept it," Beth Fry said. "He said what he was doing was what he was supposed to be doing and what everyone else was doing."
Family members said he had no second thoughts about returning to Iraq in September.
He is survived by three children: Kathryn, 9; Gideon, 7; and C.L., 2.
"He was a person who knew exactly what he wanted to do and was willing to make the sacrifice to do it," Beth Fry said. "And he realized the cost."
First, there is the fact that this marine was a high school salutatorian. Which seems odd since we are constantly told that the US military is the bastion of last hope for all the poor, and poorly educated kids who cant get into college. After all, who in their right mind would volunteer for that type of work when they have other options? Who indeed!
Then, we learn that on at least one occasion he went in to Iraqi homes to save the life of a mentally challenged kid who had a bomb strapped to him. Of course, according to John Kerry, our soldiers are only going into the homes of Iraqi’s to “terrorize them”. Mr Fry saved this boys life and countless others that were no doubt the intended target of this “victim bomber”.
Finally, we learn that last year he received a hand injury that would have won him a trip back to Germany – except for the fact that Mr Fry didn’t want to go back to Germany. He believed in his mission and stayed in Iraq. If things were going so horribly over there, why would he ever want to go back?
God speed Gunnery Sgt Fry.
Marine dies day before return home
Lorena native was proud of his work, did it willingly, family said
By Katy MooreWACO HERALD-TRIBUNESunday, March 12, 2006
A Marine from Texas who was due to return home from Iraq to his wife and three children this week was killed Wednesday after he volunteered to disarm a bomb in Iraq's war-torn Anbar province.
Gunnery Sgt. John D. Fry, 28, of Lorena, south of Waco, specialized in defusing explosive devices and planned to return to his family at Marine base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for six months before starting another tour in Iraq in September.
"He believed in what he was doing," Malia Fry said of her husband. "He was protecting his country, and he was doing his job because he didn't want his children to grow up with people blowing up buildings."
As an explosive ordinance disposal technician, Fry disarmed hundreds of bombs during his six-month stint in Iraq.
On Wednesday, he volunteered to defuse one more bomb, which exploded and killed him, family members said.
"He laid down his life so other Marines would be safe, and he did it willingly," Malia Fry said. "Every EOD tech that is over there does the same thing a hundred times a day, and they don't think about themselves. They think about the Marines. . . . They think about the children that are over there."
In interviews, Fry's family described him as selfless in his work, protecting his comrades and Iraqis from explosive devices.
Both his wife and his mother, Beth Fry of Lorena, described an incident in which the Marine answered a call to disarm a bomb and played a game of hide-and-seek with a young Iraqi boy before sending the youngster away from the site and out of danger.
On another occasion, Fry arrived at an Iraqi home to find a bomb strapped to a young Iraqi boy with mental retardation.
The Marine disarmed the bomb and saved the child's life.
"He was so proud to be there doing what he was doing," Beth Fry said. "Not just the war part . . . but the Marines and all the military people that are there have restored power, built schools, built hospitals, and they have running water. Those are the things that nobody talks about and that nobody hears about."
Fry was assigned to the 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
In October, family members said, Fry received a hand injury that was severe enough that he could have left Iraq and gone to Germany.
The graduate of Waco Christian Academy was happy that he was salutatorian of his high school class because he did not like speaking in public and did not want to give a speech at his graduation.
Relatives said Fry will be remembered as a devoted father and a humble patriot.
"(The military) wanted to give him the Bronze Star for his injury, and he wouldn't accept it," Beth Fry said. "He said what he was doing was what he was supposed to be doing and what everyone else was doing."
Family members said he had no second thoughts about returning to Iraq in September.
He is survived by three children: Kathryn, 9; Gideon, 7; and C.L., 2.
"He was a person who knew exactly what he wanted to do and was willing to make the sacrifice to do it," Beth Fry said. "And he realized the cost."
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
The acceptance speech nobody heard
As you three or four readers have noticed (or am I up to five readers now…not sure) I have been missing in action from the blogshepere for a while – work has been kicking my tale for the better part of a month with little relief in sight. I thought I would ease back into posting with this faux acceptance speech by Dennis Prager:
The Academy Award speech we should have heard
Mar 7, 2006
Here's a speech we would like to hear from an Academy Award winner: I thank you for this wonderful award. Receiving an Academy Award gives the recipient an almost unique opportunity to speak to hundreds of millions people around the world, so I would like take this once-in-a-lifetime moment to say this:
First, I want to thank my country, the United States of America. Every one of us here has this country to thank for enabling us to live lives of unprecedented freedom and unimaginable affluence. Too many of us forget that no other country in history has offered such opportunities to people in our profession or in any other profession, for that matter.
Second, I want to thank the men and women of the armed forces of the United States. While we bask in freedom and spend a good part of our lives going from party to party and award show to award show, tens of thousands of my fellow Americans are confronting a menace to our world as great as that fought by previous generations fighting Nazism and communism.
At the same time, I also want to apologize to these troops for my profession not having made even one motion picture about any of the heroic American fighters in Afghanistan and Iraq. This country is fighting a war, Hollywood. You may think this war is unwise, waged under mistaken, or even false, pretenses. And as an actor in Hollywood, you are overwhelmingly likely to hate this commander in chief. But even the men and women of Hollywood must recognize that America is fighting the worst people of our time, people who hurt every group Hollywood claims to care about -- minorities, women, gays -- people who engage in the sins Hollywood most professes to oppose -- intolerance and violence -- far more than anyone else on the planet.
In another era, when what many have labeled "the greatest generation" fought the German Nazis and the Japanese fascists, Hollywood made movie after movie depicting that great war and our great warriors. And Hollywood showed freedom's enemies as the cruel and vicious people they were. We have not produced one film yet depicting this war in positive terms or one depicting this generation's enemies of freedom as the cruel and vicious people they are.
In fact, the only nominated film about people who slaughter children at discos, blow up weddings, and bomb pizzerias and buses filled with men, women and children is one that attempts to show these murderers in God's name as complex human beings. Just imagine how the Academy would have reacted 60 years ago to a film depicting Nazi murderers as complex human beings. We have descended far.
We in Hollywood walk around thinking we are very important. That is why this year's nominated films for best picture are largely pictures with messages, pictures that relatively few people actually see. But although Hollywood was always concerned with politics, we have let ourselves be taken over by those for whom their message is more significant than the primary purposes of film -- to illuminate life and to entertain. Yes, entertain.
You know, entertainment is actually a noble pursuit. Life is difficult for almost every human being on earth. And if we can offer people an elevated way to divert their attention for a couple of hours from their troubled child, their marital tensions, their ill parent, their financial woes, we have rendered the world a greater service than by making another message-film against racism in America, the least racist country in the world.
My fellow actors, we walk around feeling that we are very important. But we do so only because we confuse fame with significance. We do have more fame than any other human beings in history. Far more people have heard of any actor here tonight than of any of the discoverers of any medication saving billions of lives, of any teacher of the disabled, of any nurse tending the aged, of almost any national leader.
But the truth is that, as noble a calling as acting can be, all we do is make-believe: We portray other people, and we speak words written by other people. Everyone knows our names, but almost no one knows us. All they know are the characters we play.
Thank you again. I hope I haven't ruined your evening.
Dennis Prager is a radio talk show host, author, and contributing columnist for Townhall.com.
The Academy Award speech we should have heard
Mar 7, 2006
Here's a speech we would like to hear from an Academy Award winner: I thank you for this wonderful award. Receiving an Academy Award gives the recipient an almost unique opportunity to speak to hundreds of millions people around the world, so I would like take this once-in-a-lifetime moment to say this:
First, I want to thank my country, the United States of America. Every one of us here has this country to thank for enabling us to live lives of unprecedented freedom and unimaginable affluence. Too many of us forget that no other country in history has offered such opportunities to people in our profession or in any other profession, for that matter.
Second, I want to thank the men and women of the armed forces of the United States. While we bask in freedom and spend a good part of our lives going from party to party and award show to award show, tens of thousands of my fellow Americans are confronting a menace to our world as great as that fought by previous generations fighting Nazism and communism.
At the same time, I also want to apologize to these troops for my profession not having made even one motion picture about any of the heroic American fighters in Afghanistan and Iraq. This country is fighting a war, Hollywood. You may think this war is unwise, waged under mistaken, or even false, pretenses. And as an actor in Hollywood, you are overwhelmingly likely to hate this commander in chief. But even the men and women of Hollywood must recognize that America is fighting the worst people of our time, people who hurt every group Hollywood claims to care about -- minorities, women, gays -- people who engage in the sins Hollywood most professes to oppose -- intolerance and violence -- far more than anyone else on the planet.
In another era, when what many have labeled "the greatest generation" fought the German Nazis and the Japanese fascists, Hollywood made movie after movie depicting that great war and our great warriors. And Hollywood showed freedom's enemies as the cruel and vicious people they were. We have not produced one film yet depicting this war in positive terms or one depicting this generation's enemies of freedom as the cruel and vicious people they are.
In fact, the only nominated film about people who slaughter children at discos, blow up weddings, and bomb pizzerias and buses filled with men, women and children is one that attempts to show these murderers in God's name as complex human beings. Just imagine how the Academy would have reacted 60 years ago to a film depicting Nazi murderers as complex human beings. We have descended far.
We in Hollywood walk around thinking we are very important. That is why this year's nominated films for best picture are largely pictures with messages, pictures that relatively few people actually see. But although Hollywood was always concerned with politics, we have let ourselves be taken over by those for whom their message is more significant than the primary purposes of film -- to illuminate life and to entertain. Yes, entertain.
You know, entertainment is actually a noble pursuit. Life is difficult for almost every human being on earth. And if we can offer people an elevated way to divert their attention for a couple of hours from their troubled child, their marital tensions, their ill parent, their financial woes, we have rendered the world a greater service than by making another message-film against racism in America, the least racist country in the world.
My fellow actors, we walk around feeling that we are very important. But we do so only because we confuse fame with significance. We do have more fame than any other human beings in history. Far more people have heard of any actor here tonight than of any of the discoverers of any medication saving billions of lives, of any teacher of the disabled, of any nurse tending the aged, of almost any national leader.
But the truth is that, as noble a calling as acting can be, all we do is make-believe: We portray other people, and we speak words written by other people. Everyone knows our names, but almost no one knows us. All they know are the characters we play.
Thank you again. I hope I haven't ruined your evening.
Dennis Prager is a radio talk show host, author, and contributing columnist for Townhall.com.
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