md on the NIE

Got an email from md last night:

As democrats like Senator Kennedy want the President to make pretty much everything in the damn world “declassified”, normal people sit back and think that there might just be a reason not to declassify things… and it has nothing to do with politics or the administration “hiding” things. It is called State Secrets which no president Republican or Democrat should reveal. With all the headlines running around about the N.I.E. saying that we are “creating terrorists”, which is BS. Let’s run through a few quotes from the summary.

Very first line, funny how they seem to skip that in most articles:

“United States-led counterterrorism efforts have seriously damaged the leadership of al-Qa’ida and disrupted its operations…”

Political systems in the Muslim nations? I thought it was Bush and America that caused Terrorism:

“Greater pluralism and more responsive political systems in Muslim majority nations would alleviate some of the grievances jihadists exploit. Over time, such progress, together with sustained, multifaceted programs targeting the vulnerabilities of the jihadist movement and continued pressure on al-Qa’ida, could erode support for the jihadists.”

Of course the favorite point/paragraph of the left:

“The Iraq conflict has become the ‘cause celebre’ for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement.”

Oh yeah by the way, that was a two sentence paragraph. The one a lot of people want to pretend isn’t attached to the above:

“Should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight.”

Holy $---! That is almost, wait no that IS the reason we continue to fight! There is only so far you can go when saying the reason people hate us is “because of us.” I suppose we should end that problem by changing OUR way of life to make OTHERS happy. I suggest the people doing the suicide bombings go first.

Hope all are doing well, I won’t be able to reply for awhile. I cannot access the blogs, but will respond when I am back.

-md

TDY

I just received orders to hop on transport and head out to oversee an operation. If possible I will try to check out the blogs, and CIRDeputy may make a few posts at CIR for me since I know I will have communication with him. Best to all of you and see you in 1-2 weeks.

-md

President Clinton on FNS (HUGE UPDATE)

C.I.R. Press Editorial

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today on Fox News Sunday my former CINC got a little worked up. I am not going to bother going in to the details of the entire interview. I just have a simple point to make that I thought of while watching President Clinton. My point here is not to quarrel that Clinton or President Bush did or did not do more. It is a slightly different one, and Brit Hume stole my thunder.

Today we argue over Constitutional rights for these terrorists, bring them to trial. On the first attack on the WTC President Clinton treated this as a law enforcement issue, which is really the biggest bone to pick with him I have ever had regarding this issue. The ’93 attack was not a crime; it was in deed an act of war. This should have been handled from the start by going after and killing terrorists. Not bringing them to trial.

I repeat, terrorist attacks around the world are not “crimes” that belong in the same court as a civil murder investigation. They are acts of war and a far different stance needs to be followed.

I understand that Clinton tried to kill Osama, but I regret that as I said in general it was far more of a law enforcement issue. Personal opinion is that it warranted going to full war.

-md

Chris Wallace's "hit job" on Clinton, excuse me, Rumsfeld! (h/t Hot Air)
Osama and al Qaeda not involved in Somalia? (h/t Hot Air)

(UPDATE 1) What was Wallace's reaction to the interview?
As he leaned forward--wagging his finger in my face--and then poking the notes I was holding--I felt as if a mountain was coming down in front of me.

(UPDATE 2) President Clinton acknowledges on Meet the Press that he realizes the need to, essentially, torture in certain circumstances. In a hypothetical scenario he described what must be done to people who have knowledge:

“We know there is a big bomb going off in America in three days, we know this guy knows where it is we know we have the RIGHT and RESPONSIBILITY to BEAT IT OUT OF HIM ... we all know what we’d do to keep our country from going through another 9/11.”

Going on to speak about how the new legislation should contain a portion of law that gives the President the right to pardon such a thing if it must take place! Dare I say it, but his charm is beginning to get to me. President Clinton seems to have more sense in that head than Warner, McCain, and Graham combined concerning the issue (that or to preserve his legacy he wants to appear hawkish on terrorism). And he has this crazy concept of not writing down what we will and won’t do, but basically keep it CLASSIFIED.

Intel Community Protecting you.

C.I.R. PRESS NOTE

As the debate rages over "torture" the truth is confirmed by ABC that the techniques worked and saved lives. I am all for saving lives via intelligence, it almost makes sense! h/t HotAir

In addition the new (un-scientific) C-SPAN poll this week: "Should Congress allow wiretapping without warrants on Americans when the President believes a terrorist attack is imminent?"

61% YES 39% NO

Chavez, makes some points. (UPDATED, again)

C.I.R. Press Editorial

UNDISCLOSED – I know this is not really a military matter but listening to Chavez at the U.N. today he did mention the military of America are terrorists, and brought up bombs and what not so I figure it is close enough. The odd thing is that I did find myself AGREEING with him; a few times he makes some very valid points in between his insane ranting.

He was right, there was a smell of sulfur because the devil did indeed speak at that very podium yesterday:


Points:

1) Do you realize the irony of him telling the “Yankees to go home” while he is in the northeast of America, and on a smaller level the literal home of the Yankees baseball team! We are home you jackass.
2) He thinks the U.N. should possibly be moved, even to Venezuela… ok, good take it.
3) The U.N. is not a functioning body, he says. It is a great place to have people come make speeches and that is about all it is good for.

“I don't think anybody in this room could defend the system. Let's accept -- let's be honest. The U.N. system, born after the Second World War, collapsed. It's worthless. Oh, yes, it's good to bring us together once a year, see each other, make statements and prepare all kinds of long documents, and listen to good speeches…”

Well, he does make some very good points oddly. And if you are still a believer in the U.N. please explain to me why you support a body of people that are lathered up to an orgasm to applaud after a man on U.S. soil is calling for the demise of our country?

-md

(UPDATE 20060921): Congrats to Rep. Rangel who stood up against Chavez today.

I want to express my extreme displeasure with statements by the President of Venezuela attacking U.S. President George Bush in such a personal and disparaging way during his remarks at the United Nations General Assembly.
...
George Bush is the President of the United States and represents the entire country. Any demeaning public attack against him is viewed by Republicans and Democrats, and all Americans, as an attack on all of us.

(UPDATE 20060921): Congrats to Rep. Pelosi who stood up against Chavez today.

"Hugo Chavez fancies himself a modern day Simon Bolivar but all he is an everyday thug," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference, referring to Chavez' comments in a U.N. General Assembly speech on Wednesday.

Happy 59th!

The Air Force Link Web site will help the Air Force celebrate its 59th birthday by posting photos Sept. 18 of Airmen on the job around the globe. There will be different photos posted every hour throughout the day to show Americans how their Airmen are celebrating the anniversary -- hard at work around the world, said Louis Arana-Barradas, Air Force News Agency chief of news. "Like all other American servicemembers, our Airmen are busy fighting and supporting the war on terrorism," he said. "Sometimes people lose sight of that fact." By posting this Web photo album, "our hope is that people will see Airmen continue to be an integral part of winning the war," he said.

www.dosomethingamazing.com

A Pacifist That Acknowledged the Threat

C.I.R. Press Editorial

UNDISCLOSED – Today we see the fight over treatment of detainees that want nothing more than to kill us. Pacifists crying out “war is not the answer.” Well my friends, this is not a war of choice… terrorists attacked us on 9/11. As the Nazis built their power we looked the other way, much as we had leading up to 9/11. Even with attacks on barracks and embassies overseas we wanted to believe it was a danger to be only seen on the other side of the oceans. You would have thought the 1993 WTC bombing would have changed the "this is a law enforcement issue" mentality.

9/11 should be our clear warning sign that this is not overseas anymore, and the rhetoric from the Islamic terrorists should not be shrugged off as just their best dreams and our worst nightmares. It is a reality! Yet we have infighting here in the US over how nice we must be to those captured, how we must always maintain the moral high ground. That is worth nothing when we treat our Constitution as a “suicide pact.”

No the terrorists are not an industrialized country, however their intentions are not that different than the Nazis… world domination, raising the “Muslim flag over the White House.” How have we come to a point in time where we forget every lesson learned? After Pearl Harbor we did not wonder how to be nice to people! We figured out how in the hell to crush them, and after we were assured safety that was the time to begin normalized relations.

You do not solve the problem by pretending violence is not the answer! In this case it is, the terrorist plan to die either at our hands or in their hopes by their own while dragging thousands of innocents with them… intentionally. I take not issue with those who hate war, who are pacifists. I do not want war, I don’t want death. I take issue with the pacifists that refuse to take on the issue that when the other side does not want peace, you cannot have a peace unless you bring them to their knees or kill them. “Kill them dead.”

That is why I would like to remind you of a very smart man, a life-long pacifist. Who is the man I speak of? Albert Einstein. It was thanks to his status in the world that made his letter the beginning for a nuclear bomb. He was a democratic socialist that realized when threats are on the horizon, you MUST make a stand. Later of course he worked towards getting rid of “the bomb.” Quoted once saying: "I do not know how the Third World War will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

He acknowledged not wanting war but sometimes it is not a choice. Where is the pacifist today, not calling for a weapon that destroys all within sight… but simply saying, “I may not like this, but turn the freezer and stereo up”? In today’s war our Little Boy and Fat Man will come in the form of intelligence gathering. But we have people on left and right trying to take the wheels off the modern day “Enola Gay.”

I sincerely apologize for the fact that the terrorists will not divulge needed information over a Starbucks cup of coffee, but do we want to win this struggle or just stand on the sidelines throwing wrenches into the intelligence community’s work? This is a sad sign, we are fighting a war not trying a court case of a murderer. We are trying to use captured terrorists to prevent more attacks, why does it seem that there is such a large following of people that are looking out for the rights of these terrorists as opposed to the rights of US Citizens lives to continue?

-md

Losing Our Will to Win by Ed Koch (h/t The_City_Troll)

Together my ass!

C.I.R. Press Editorial

UNDISCLOSED – My tribute shall of course stand but I now go back to the demand for people to work with us in the battle against the terrorists. That means Congress get your ass in gear and pass legislation to begin tribunals, keep the NSA program up and running to continue to prevent attacks. Liberals stop your whining; if you want to hold your civil liberties as more important than preventing terrorist attacks, I think that is a sad commentary on how much you care about your fellow Americans. If you phone number is caught up in the surveillance there is a damn good reason. By the way, if you are dead you cannot make phone calls or send emails… just so you know.

Why don’t you join today, join the fight against the terrorists. We in the military are willing to put our lives in danger for you, and you are pissed about your phone call being overheard? The ACLU is a waste of space that hampers the USA in the fight and war and appears as though it actually willing trying to endanger National Security. What was the ACLU’s tribute to 9/11? “Even while the president's abuses of power diminish the light of American values, key victories since 2001 show that together we can carry the torch for freedom.” How is it together if they are suing to STOP everything the President is trying to do? That is what they had up on their site as a 9/11 tribute. "The 9/11 attacks changed many things in America, but it is still our freedoms that define us, not our fears." I don't call planes being flown into buildings killing thousands a fear to be easily disregarded, they do. Not with your help and together my ass. Join the fight, let’s go back to our roots to learn the idea of how to win:

I cannot speak for the left or those that believe using all our assets to stop terrorism is wrong, but I advocate using everything possible so that we don’t have to turn on TVs one sunny morning again only to suffer. I have a message for the terrorists, it is where I know I stand, again from our roots:

-md

A video that reminds us what happened, and what we are fighting for in the President's words.(warning: graphic)

9/11

C.I.R. Press Memorial

I know almost every blog will have 9/11 tributes up, however the main focus for most will be the WTC towers. I pray for all the families affected by the 9/11 tragedy and for all the souls lost that day on all 4 planes… in NYC and Pennsylvania. Not that it is forgotten but obviously my personal loss came from the Pentagon attack, and it is in their honor I make this post.

Those who lost their lives at the Pentagon.

Department of Defense: A day we will never forget

On that horrible day I did not shed a tear, I was too busy working overtime to prevent further carnage. It was in the following days that I did sleep little and mourn the loss of my friends and all Americans lost that day. I shed many a tear afterwards. I make this post at the moment the plane crashed into the Pentagon 5 years ago.

184 Beams of light, one for each soul lost 5 years ago at the Pentagon. Pentagon Memorial Site.

-md

Other Tributes: Assorted Babble, Chickenhawk Express, God Bless America, Grizzly Mama, Mike's America, Political Pistachio, Red Hot Cuppa Politics, Say No To P.C.B.S., Sparks From the Anvil, The Violence Worker, Hot Air

I politely request there be no conspiracy posts. This is a tribute to those who lost their lives. If you want to put blame on anyone in response to this post… direct it towards the terrorists. I will edit out anything I feel does anything but honor those who perished. This is not the place for those who wish to debate who did and knew what and when, there are plenty other places for that conversation. Thank you.

Who will protect you?

C.I.R. Note
Another one of those (non-scientific) C-SPAN polls.

"Which do you trust more to protect the US from Terrorism?"

Democrats: 29%
Republicans: 68%
Neither: 3%

18,496 votes

Real Deal Nut, so funny I couldn't resist. Sorry.

I know you shouldn’t feed trolls, but this back and forth took place over at “The Liberal Lie, The Conservative Truth” and I just found it so funny, I had to make a post out of it. Rob, and myself were having a typical “you’re wrong, no you’re wrong” mature debate, seriously… no sarcasm on that. Then this random kook posted Anonymously. He has been banned from many a sites including this one. This was his original post in regards to a conversation regarding “National Strategy for Combating Terrorism.”

"[NAME OF BOOK,EDITED AS TO NOT GIVE ANY CREDIT]" is the factual recount of my victimization by the intelligence community and it's media proxies, corporate proxies and gang proxies. There is one copy in print and it's for sale on eBay. I am going to drum up some interest in the English Language China Daily Blogosphere. You remember me. I have dropped some of my catch phrase to now more accurately characterize my torturers" Plutocratic fascist naziesquely orwellian roveianlly infanticidal americana ". They almost got lucky and killed me in the year 2000. Things are going to be different really soon. No hard feelings but the truth won't be kind to them.

What follows is a reply to him at the end of a comment I was making to Rob, then he breaks out the REAL deal lunatic rant. Cindy step aside! (I am going to edit out the expletives. Noted with *)

"Anon,
You nut, I wouldn’t be willing to pay the postage to read the crap that spews from your demented mind. If all that really happened why don’t you turn over your one copy to the DoJ? Or the New York Times? Anyone? Oh, because it is a load of *horses--t*."

Hey you Fascist little puke satan worshipping yank. You really are an ass, ASS. Pre pearl harbor american lobbyists bought Chinese revolutionaries there own *f---ing* air force to battle the Japanese Imperial Army. Your terrorists. Blue chip american corporations paid for hitler's political campaign, rise and their profits increased by a multiple of ten,10. Your american super power status was achieved by your support of adolf hitler and waiting out most of the war while the other super powers killed each other off. america is the instigator of WW II on multiple fronts and 60 million people perished. Wake up and smell the evil *s—t* cause you're it. america has been the biggest sponsor of terrorism for years. saddam hussein was your proxy and came long before Hezbollah and saddam was allowed to rule so he could terrorize the Middle East for america. You supported him just like hitler and then had to go
in and take your own man out just like hitler and your nazi blue chip buddies. Pearl Harbor was no surprise, 911 was no surprise. saddam hussein was your man and donny rumsfeld introduced him to all your corporate buddies to sell him the pre cursors to make WMD's. rumsfeld has been a busy beaver selling nuclear technology to lots of dictators. You are satan.I did send my book to the nytimes and they work for the pentagon you *f---ing* piece of yankee *s---*. Then again the media silence pre WW II was bought and paid for by your blue chip corporations while seven million Jews were extinguished. I have been providing your *f---ing* loser intelligence community with better intelligence than any single person you have in intelligence. Your *f---ing* intelligence community tried to kill me and failed. Most recently I gave the brits some huge intel right before their latest arrests. The media works directly for the pentagon. corporate america is a huge proxy for the pentagon and so is every piece of *s--t* criminal and gangster. If you claim to be in intelligence once more and insist that the pentagon doesn't use organized crime and street thugs to maintain the plutocracy you really are the plutocratic fascist naziesquely orwellian roveianlly infanticidal murderous lying thieving yank I keep calling you. Haiti is another place where it is openly acknowledged that the cia used street thugs to maintain the plutocracy in power. Get a *f---ing* life you piece of *s--t* murderer. You are satan and everything you do destroys Christianity. You aren't a democracy you are a very carefully groomed and maintained plutocracy. *Horses--t* huh, we will see, frankly I thought it was your favorite breakfast meal next to aborted fetuses with some good old texas salsa. Don't you just love the infant mortality rates in texas. Oh yes that's right mdc is illiterate when it comes to the truth. This is the biggest story to hit in thousands of years and you corrupt satan worshipping americans evil behavior is highlighted and busted. Thousands of people know behind the scenes and very soon I'm going to ram my book up your ass to satisfy your american predeliction for sodomy, al a Albert Louima in the NY police precinct bathroom you God less racist slave trading red neck. The first time I've sworn on the internet and you deserve it and more. Hurricane season is still hot and you can expect the weather to play hop scotch with you brain dead red necks in the south. You americans raid the world playing king herod trying to kill off all the alpha males in every country on the planet, cold war strategy. mdc is a *f---ing* juvenile idiot and you aint in intelligence analysis. You can try and stir up *s--t* in hell but I guarantee you you're a bit player and no stud. Here comes the boom asshole.

Hide the kids, the draft is coming...

C.I.R. Press Editorial

WASHINGTON, D.C. – I need some help from the lefties out there. You are against the war in Iraq, and believe it is a massive failure due to a litany of reasons. I ask you not to roll out the talking points here as I am going to do my best to refrain from using right talking points.

How in the world does one go from saying the Iraq war is a mistake and troops should be “re-deployed within the region.” That troops are “killing in cold blood.” To voting for and now saying that the draft should be reinstated? If things are so FUBAR in Iraq why are you going to send more people there Rep. Murtha?

“Two years ago, I was one of only two in the House of Representatives who voted for a draft, because I believe if we are a country truly at war, the burden should be shared proportionately and fairly.”

I don’t understand this, we are in a time of war so the burden should be shared. As opposed to putting that burden on the military, you know those guys (and gals) that train to fight wars and have now been called up to fight one. Regardless of what you think of the war I think all can agree if a war will be fought it will be fought by the military. It is a massive burden yes, but those in the military know what they signed on for and are willing to make that sacrifice knowing that one day they may be asked to place their life on the line.

“This war is the first protracted conflict in modern times in which our nation has not utilized a draft for additional support.”

For many of those to young to remember, or just are too sidetracked with the easy ways of today… you can still be called up, ‘tis true. The draft never “ended”, it just has not been used in years. One good reason is we have a great military of volunteers that right now does not require the draft. In addition the last thing you want in war is the guy covering your back being a 19 years old that is pissed he was taken away from his frat house and Playstation.

I wish that it wasn’t the case but many would be so bitter they would be horrible on the field. You want people that volunteered. That have been trained, not rushed through training to be cannon fodder. Many young people today are so pissed at the world and authority they disdain the military. However, at the same time love movies about war, love videogames about war, but when push comes to shove want nothing to do with the military and would be more of a liability than an asset.

I want a “willing draft” like we have now, people that WANT to serve and volunteer. I wish more young people could know how great military life can be. How wonderful the feeling is to serve your country. But due to peace-nic type professors and the media that deem the military as murders of children, many are turned off.

When they try to argue the numbers compared to WWII, Korea, and Vietnam it is an unfair comparison. This idea that if we are to compare Ahmni-Jihad to Hitler we need to have the 10 million people fighting, what? No, the argument is that he thinks like Hitler not that we will fight the same exact enemy. Incase you have not noticed we have made a few improvements in military hardware, technology, and training since the days of WWII. That can be shown by the number of troops lost on the first days of storming the beaches in comparison to how many we lost in the first days of going in to Iraq.

“So Mr. President, you have two options, either change the course in Iraq and reduce the burden on our overstretched active force or reinstitute the draft. We cannot sustain the current course.”

I’d like to remind Rep. Murtha of huge advancement of our Air Force, our advancement in arms and protection. I must preface the next by saying every life lost is horrible, but one reason you needed so many bodies in WWII and other wars was due to the massive loss of life. As much as opposition to this war want you to believe, in military terms our casualties are small. That Rep. Murtha is why we do not need the draft.

You want to talk about the “politics of fear”, the draft is a good card to use. I ask: How do you go from retreat from Iraq to reinstate the draft and send more people there? I thought that "the US cannot accomplish anything further in Iraq militarily" Rep. Murtha?

-md

Meet the Murtha,Tip of the Sword
Murtha Must Go: Murtha's never-ending quest to declare defeat in Iraq continues...

THANKSUSA : Thank Our Troops

C.I.R. NOTE

"ThanksUSA" stands for Treasure Hunt Aiding Needs of Kids (and spouses) of those Serving the United States of America. It began in August 2005, when two schoolgirls had a "brain blast" to create a treasure hunt to help America's active-duty servicepeople. Their enthusiasm captured the support of their teacher, their parents, neighbors, corporations and Congress. By June of 2006, a treasure hunt with awesome prizes was expanding the ThanksUSA scholarship program...

I will just let that speak for itself. Great idea kids.

-md

Iran should have nukes?

C.I.R. NOTE
In a C-Span poll (yes Rob I know it is not scientific, but these results are a little scary):

"Do you think Iran has a right to possess nuclear weapons?"
YES: 33%
NO: 67%

Who the hell is voting yes? I want to know, I want their IQ examined.
-md