Here’s more Berman on the subject (but do check out his book.)

Also…we blogged about Berman and the meaning of Iraq at awhile back.

Personally, I am thrilled that Bush is finally articulating this.

The narrative here is of how the combination of Hezbollah’s media management and modern photo-journalism has turned the recording of a tragic event into theatre, in the best tradition of Michael Moore.

As best we can, we have pieced together the jumble of evidence which surrounded the production of the iconic photographs which were published around the world, and put them in perspective. Many of the photographs have been used before, some are new to this site and others are video “grabs”. But it is not the pictures, per se, that tell the story, so much as their ordering and analysis. Make of this what you will, but I can assure you that you are not supposed to see them in this light.

The “story” – for that is what it is – starts here, in the wreckage of the buiding at Qana which is performing the temporary and unwholesome function of a morgue. It is from here, that the bodies are extracted, the essential props of this theatre. And standing on the left of the frame is one of the two star characters of our story, Mr “White Tee-Shirt”. With equal accuracy, though, we could call him Mr Hezbollah, for reasons which will become apparent [...]

Islam or death

I read Le Roy Barnett’s letter (“Muslims, speak up,” June 26) about Muslims’ opinion on Abdul Rahman’s conversion to Christianity.

Islam is not only a religion, it is a complete way of life. Islam guides Muslims from birth to grave. The Quran and prophet Muhammad’s words and practical application of Quran in life cannot be changed.

Islam is a guide for humanity, for all times, until the day of judgment. It is forbidden in Islam to convert to any other religion. The penalty is death. There is no disagreement about it.

Islam is being embraced by people of other faiths all the time. They should know they can embrace Islam, but cannot get out. This rule is not made by Muslims; it is the supreme law of God.

Please do not ask us Muslims to pick some rules and disregard other rules. Muslims are supposed to embrace Islam in its totality.

Nazra Quraishi
East Lansing

Hat Tip: LGF

Cox and Forkum weigh in.

Mr. Bill Keller, Managing Editor
The New York Times
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036

Dear Mr. Keller:

The New York Times’ decision to disclose the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, a robust and classified effort to map terrorist networks through the use of financial data, was irresponsible and harmful to the security of Americans and freedom-loving people worldwide.  In choosing to expose this program, despite repeated pleas from high-level officials on both sides of the aisle, including myself, the Times undermined a highly successful counter-terrorism program and alerted terrorists to the methods and sources used to track their money trails.

Your charge that our efforts to convince The New York Times not to publish were “half-hearted” is incorrect and offensive.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Over the past two months, Treasury has engaged in a vigorous dialogue with the Times – from the reporters writing the story to the D.C. Bureau Chief and all the way up to you.  It should also be noted that the co-chairmen of the bipartisan 9-11 Commission, Governor Tom Kean and Congressman Lee Hamilton, met in person or placed calls to the very highest levels of the Times urging the paper not to publish the story.  Members of Congress, senior U.S. Government officials and well-respected legal authorities from both sides of the aisle also asked the paper not to publish or supported the legality and validity of the program.

Indeed, I invited you to my office for the explicit purpose of talking you out of publishing this story.  And there was nothing “half-hearted” about that effort.  I told you about the true value of the program in defeating terrorism and sought to impress upon you the harm that would occur from its disclosure.  I stressed that the program is grounded on solid legal footing, had many built-in safeguards, and has been extremely valuable in the war against terror.  Additionally, Treasury Under Secretary Stuart Levey met with the reporters and your senior editors to answer countless questions, laying out the legal framework and diligently outlining the multiple safeguards and protections that are in place.

You have defended your decision to compromise this program by asserting that “terror financiers know” our methods for tracking their funds and have already moved to other methods to send money.  The fact that your editors believe themselves to be qualified to assess how terrorists are moving money betrays a breathtaking arrogance and a deep misunderstanding of this program and how it works.  While terrorists are relying more heavily than before on cumbersome methods to move money, such as cash couriers, we have continued to see them using the formal financial system, which has made this particular program incredibly valuable.

Lastly, justifying this disclosure by citing the “public interest” in knowing information about this program means the paper has given itself free license to expose any covert activity that it happens to learn of – even those that are legally grounded, responsibly administered, independently overseen, and highly effective.  Indeed, you have done so here.

What you’ve seemed to overlook is that it is also a matter of public interest that we use all means available – lawfully and responsibly – to help protect the American people from the deadly threats of terrorists.  I am deeply disappointed in the New York Times.

Sincerely,

[signed]

John W. Snow, Secretary

U.S. Department of the Treasury

Amen.

Cox & Forkum right on time:

From Allah:

And from MSNBC on how we got it done here. Excerpt:

Two U.S. F-16 jets on patrol over Iraq were scrambled Wednesday evening as part of an intense six-week manhunt for Iraq’s most-wanted terrorist. U.S. military officials tell NBC News the jets were tracking Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s top deputy, Abu Abdul Rahman, as he headed to a meeting with Zarqawi in an isolated two-story farmhouse 40 miles north of Baghdad.

When U.S. special forces confirmed Zarqawi was inside, they fired two 500-pound bombs. U.S. military officials, who swept the area after the attack, say Zarqawi, Rahman and four others were killed instantly.

“We have been able to identify al-Zarqawi through fingerprint verification, facial recognition and known scars,” said Gen. William Casey, the commander of the multinational force in Iraq.

Moonbat Reaction:

    Some Democrats, breaking ranks from their leadership, today said the death of terrorist leader Abu Musab Zarqawi in Iraq was a stunt to divert attention from an unpopular and hopeless war.
    ”This is just to cover Bush’s [rear] so he doesn’t have to answer” for Iraqi civilians being killed by the U.S. military and his own sagging poll numbers, said Rep. Pete Stark, California Democrat. “Iraq is still a mess — get out.”
    Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio Democrat, said Zarqawi was a small part of “a growing anti-American insurgency” and that it’s time to get out.
    ”We’re there for all the wrong reasons,” Mr. Kucinich said.
    Officially, Democratic leaders reacted positively to the news and praised the troops that successfully targeted al Qaeda’s leader in Iraq with 500-pound bombs at his safe house 30 miles from Baghdad.
    ”This is a good day for the Iraqi people, the U.S. military and our intelligence community,” said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

Read it at the Washington Times.

Quotable:

“We expect the government to make the enemy understand that it should change its hostile positions, as the future belongs to Islam,” it said.

The paper also recalled a letter once sent by Iran’s late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, in which he suggested conversion to Islam.

[...]

In his letter, Ahmadinejad proposed a return to religious principles as a means of restoring confidence between the two countries and revisits many of the grievances that Tehran has against Washington.

“Will you not accept this invitation?” asks Ahmadinejad in the letter, written in English and sent on Monday.

“That is, a genuine return to the teachings of prophets, to monotheism and justice, to preserve human dignity and obedience to the Almighty and His prophets?” read the letter.

While for some reason Iranian’s are all excited about their “clever audacity” they US…well, shrugs:

US officials have dismissed the rambling 18-page letter — the first open, top-level communication by Iranian leaders since ties with Washington were cut in 1980 — as more of a philosophical treatise than a political overture.

They also said it did not change Washington’s position in a worsening dispute over Tehran’s disputed nuclear-energy programme, which despite Iranian denials is seen in the West as a cover for weapons development.

Check it here.

–

A response to a lunatic commenter in this post over at the Jawa Report. A good post worth reading for the clarity around what we are dealing with in terms of the character of the enemy AND fact-checking the Sunday Times.

Anyway, on to the time I wasted spraying moonbat repellent:

Not even sure that reasoning is possible with this john fellow, BUT there was too much insanity in this comment for me not to do a hack summary refutation of all things moonbat mentioned:

The colonial occupation forces are responsible of
of the beheading of (IRAQ) and not this journalist!!

You’re not from around here, are you? Heh.

Colonialization requires full or partial political control. We have limited to moderate influence, but no control. Not since the dissolution of the CPA. It also requires settlers and an exploitation of the economy or resources. Our military personnel hardly qualify as settlers. And if we were really in it for the oil, we would have seized the fields and ensured cheap and exclusive export to the US. Hell, all we needed to do was lift the sanctions on Saddam if it was really just for the oil and therefor cheap energy/gas. War and its uncertainties _negatively impacts_ export systems, price stability, production, and a times, gross supply as a result of two of those and other factors. No one with any common sense thinks it is about the oil. Makes a great bumper sticker, though. And the analysis is about as deep as the thickness of one of those stickers.

The fanatics who do the beheading are responsible for their heinous actions. you know–cuz THEY do it, Not the US. They achieved barbarism all on their own. The war is simply intensifying their actions and increasing exposure. All one needs to do is spend some time researching the “justice” systems and culture in Iran and Saudi Arabia to see that Islam and its Sharia=barbarism, except by medieval standards. COme to think of it, Islam is stuck 700 years ago, so the barbarism actually fits. It also needs to be stopped.

The US is not a terrorist organization. Terrorism specifically means _targeting civilians_ for the purpose of creating fear in the populace, instability, and influencing policy, etc. That is simply not something we do. We are more careful with civilians than any military in the history of mankind. By far.

…they invade that country to ensure democracy!!!!who believes them??

Most who are clear about the perhaps hopelessly idealistic, but nevertheless strategic vision of democratizing the Middle East. That’s who. Although I must say, we should have enforced secular constitutions in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Separation of Koran and State, a free press, civilian control of the military, free markets, equal rights and universal suffrage, property rights, the rule of law and an independent judiciary…and the protection of the [negative not positive] rights of the individual above any group or organization…these are what is important. Democracy for democracy’s sake can get ugly with a tribal, islamofascist mentality. But yes, I believe them. Not the only reason we went to be sure, but certainly a major strategic element.

where is the mass weapons you came for???

Most who are informed think Bekka Valley and other points in Syria. Possibly Iran, but primarily Syria and the Bekka.

Abu Ghraib is a black spot in the forhead of the violent aggressive terrorists who invaded that country and destroyed it completely.

Abu Ghraib is certainly a black spot. And, in a military of hundreds of thousands of personnel strong, mistakes are made. To point to this and not to balance it with the attrocities of Saddam and other militaries [heck how about the UN Peacekeeping troops globally accused of child molestation?! only demonstrate a lack of clarity and balance [at best].

The larger point is war is always messy and mistakes will be made. What is important within that is to acknowledge our mistakes in a useful and forward fashion: learn and integrate the learning and change policy/standards where necessary.

that is the type of democarcy they want to establish! you can not fool people, these are more intelligent than the chief commander i.e. (Adolph) Bush!!

Ah yes. Bush is Hitler. All this assertion points out is the historical illiteracy of the writer. Bush is no Hitler. Hell, he is not even a Lincoln. Lincoln suspended Habeus Corpus, jailed newspaper editors and judges, etc. In terms of despotism/fascism Bush is a 2 on a Hitler scale of 10. And given we are AT WAR he should probably be a 3.

a simple question: what is the difference betwen
the Nazi actions and what we see now in Iraq?

Ummmm…it is less popular to kill Jews? Well, not really. Less organized/effective at same? Short answer: A Lot. Do a little research and get a grip.

they invaded that country for stealing the oil
and getting revenge for Sept. 11, and for the sake of Israel…

Not even gonna to waste more time on this tired tripe.

They will lose, in deed they lost the war: morally
(Abu Ghraib and Pucca), and militarilly (great
losses of the occupation forces every day…
the will of people can not be defeated!!??

Good. Cuz the “will of the people” is what Iraqi’s now get to exercise rather than the will of a person in Saddam. And they get to experience and evolve that process thanks to US intervention. There are many great reasons to have gone in that are still valid. But let’s just take one that is often not mentioned. Saddam violated DOZENS of U.N. Resolutions. The US military is [like it or not] the de facto enforcement body for the UN. No one else has the logistical capabilities, the precision, the skill, the will, and the volume of ordinance to do it. Even our allies have trouble communicating with us in the battle-space due to technology gaps we are closing with our anglo-shphere [you know, the credible countries] allies. The bottom line is that “mandatory” resolutions only mean something if they are back with swift and resounding force [or at least the credible threat of it]. Dude was makin’ a mockery of the UN Sec Council [and WMD's AND ties to training, supporting, funding [Palestinian suicide bomber families] terror. Plus, if we can get the Iraqis to be self-sustaining, Iraq makes a great staging ground for point East [Iran] and Northwest [Syria. Best point of entry in the longer war.

It would be great if our "allies" were wiling to do the peacekeeping/post major ops role to leave us free to do the heavy lifting elsewhere, but now I am really dreaming big.

/moonbat repellant

I am beginning to think that BDS [Bush Derangement Syndrome] is not a new ailment. Rather a renaming of one that existed already, and under recent events [including being out of the majority] just exposed the lunacy of many in the fevered left.

The Only Republican in San Francisco has some first hand details:

“I just got back and it went well. We had 70-80 people, among them a Danish journalism student from Berkeley, many flags, a hottie handing out Havarti and a complete absence of local media.”

Let’s hope we see more events like this. I found out about it too late to make it over there, but I’d love to get to the next one…

Interesting to see that T.O.R.I.S.F. poses the following question in the header area of his blog: “Imagine being an empirical, free-market thinker in a liberal town.”

Hmmmmmmmm… Gee, I wonder what that WOULD be like?

Personal to TORISF: let’s talk.