U.S. Top Spot for Iraqis

We hear in the news every day that the Iraqis are displeased with the U.S., nonetheless, the U.S. remains the top destination for refugees.

"The Real Living Culture Is Western Culture"

It may be difficult to find but there are Arab

commentators, such as Muhammad Al-Mahmoud, who make sense.

Obama Consistently Wrong On Iraq

Obama has consistently been wrong in his assessment of the Iraq war

and has differed from Senator Clinton on only one, of eighty-five votes.

Lessig to Change Congress

Lawrence Lessig, a professor at Stanford Law School, is the founder of Creative Commons and author of Code, The Future of Ideas, and Free Culture. Using a Wikipedia-style project to overhaul Congress his aim is to get lawmakers to reject lobbyist money and boost transparency. The attempt is to use Web 2.0 technology to change how Congress operates.

Lessig's new Web project is Change Congress which aims to convince members of Congress to commit to one or all of four broad pledges: to not accept PAC or lobbyist contributions, to abolish earmarks, to support public financing of public elections, and to drive transparency in the work of Congress.

Thereafter, politicians will be supplied with code to embed word of their pledges on their own Web sites. In addition, the politician's actions related to his or her pledges will be tracked with a Google mashup map and through a wiki.

Most Internet initiatives towards political reform are high-minded but most have accomplished little. The idea here is to build upon the best of Internet social and community activism with the end of substantial reform. With Congress' popularity rating in the low 20s, anything is worth a chance.

Sarkozy to Send 1,000+ Troops to Afghanistan

There are those naysayers that say the surge did not work nor that Bush could conduct diplomacy; however, Nicolas Sarkozy will bolster France's commitment with an additional force in Afghanistan of 1,000+ extra troops.

The troops are a clear expression that Sarkozy is underlining his commitment to the alliance France already has 1,900 soldiers in Afghanistan. Sarkozy stated shortly before Christmas: “There is a war going on here, a war against terrorism, against fanaticism, that we cannot and will not lose.”

Canada has 2,500 troops operating in Kandahar province in the south but had stated that it would pull out next year unless another NATO country offered to send at least 1,000 soldiers to back them up.

Obama's Passport Breached Repeatedly

Obama's passport records were recently breached although the IT system in place flagged the violation. Nonetheless, the supervisors kept quiet about the infraction.

The violators are private contract employees working for the U.S. Department of State and they have repeatedly accessed U.S. Senator Barack Obama's passport records over the past three months. Two of the workers have been fired by their employers.

However, the actions of the three separate workers, employees of two different contractors, were described by State Department spokesman Sean McCormack as "imprudent curiosity." More will unfold as the research into the breach continues.

Beckstrom the Starfish

Technology entrepreneur and co-author of The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations,
Rod Beckstrom will be named to run the new National Cyber Security Center at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Beckstrom was also founder of Cats Software and co-founder of Twiki.net, a company that offers an open-source wiki software system.

This may be a good appointment since Leaderless illustrates a sound point or two about adaptable cyber era organizations. If a spider's head or a leg is cut off it cannot function. However, if a starfish loses an arm—or two or three—it regenerates them, and all without brain ordering the organism.

Likewise, organizations traditionally followed a spider form. Nonetheless, nimble organizations, whether they be illicit, such as as-Qaeda, or capitalist, such as current entrepreneurial open-source companies, fall into the starfish category.

With the criteria of fighting fire with fire, Beckstrom understands the challenge of transforming traditional bound government organizations to the adaptable and nimble units of modern warfare.

Beckstrom points out that decentralization continue to change industry and society and it is a force to be reckoned with.

Audio Message Crusades Against the West

Graphic source: a propaganda site for Islamofascists, al-Sahab, the media wing of al-Qaeda.

In a voice that has not yet been confirmed to be Osama bin Laden,

Binladen
by krs601

the speaker whines about the fact that the EU, specifically the best-selling Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, is re-printing the cartoons that satirized Muslims who are bombing innocents.

In the continued attack upon Western institutions and other religions, the voice crusades against Pope Benedict XVI.

It may be hard to believe that Islam is the alleged `religion of peace' given the fact that the audio is accompanied with a graphic characterized by a still image of bin Laden holding an AK-47.

Sorry to hear that Islamofascists are having a bad hair day.

Graphic source: Jyllands-Posten

Audacity of Obama

Obama derived the title of his second book from a sermon originating with his controversial pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright. If he heard controversial items from his pastor's mouth and he did nothing, or did not vote with his feet, then he does not have character for the Presidency. If he did not defend his mentor's words then he does not have the loyalty and forbearance for the Presidency. I don't see Obama gaining adherents on this issue. His credibility is lacking.

Obama represents a profound loss for this country. He consciously distances himself from civil rights. The country is clearly ready for an African-American President, but he is not representative of an individual who can move that dream forward. Timing is everything and this is not Obama's time. He is too far removed. Note how he parts company with Rev. Wright, and the civil rights movement. Obama states:

What's remarkable is not how many failed in the face of discrimination, but rather how many men and women overcame the odds; how many were able to make a way out of no way for those like me who would come after them (in the Civil Rights struggle).

Obama has only benefited from civil rights, he did not work for them.

Also, I find it interesting that YouTube plays such a significant role in the controversy but Obama knew Wright, not from a clip, as he was an intimate friend and client. He should have known better and a note to Obama, if a pastor of a church preaches "God damn America"

in a sermon, its time to leave and take your children out of there.

If that point is not enough, Obama and Wright's church, the United Church of Christ General Synod XV also passed a resolution:

concerning the conflict between Israel and Palestinians in the Middle East. . . . named `Tear Down the Wall', [which] calls upon Israel to remove the separation barrier between Israel and the West Bank. Opponents of the `Tear Down the Wall' resolution have noted that the wall's purpose is to prevent terrorist attacks, and that the resolution does not call for a stop to these attacks. The Simon Wiesenthal Center stated that the July 2005 UCC resolutions on divestment from Israel were `functionally anti-Semitic'. The Anti-Defamation League stated that those same resolutions are `disappointing and disturbing' and `deeply troubling'. In addition to the concerns raised about the merits of the `economic leverage resolution, additional concerns were raised about the process in which the General Synod approved the resolution. Michael Downs of the United Church of Christ Pension Boards (who would be charged with implementing any divestment of the UCC's Pension Board investments) wrote a letter to UCC President John Thomas expressing concern `with the precedent-setting implications of voted actions, integrity of process and trust.'

Another note to Obama, if a church votes and in a public manner illustrates anti-Semitic tendencies, you should leave, and take your children out of there.

The First Internet War

Graphic source: The masked and fearful

The new media is heavily invested in the Iraqi situation. The range of blogs runs the gamut from the approved Multi-National Force Iraq website of Operation Iraqi Freedom as well as the registered and published according to Pentagon guidelines type of blog by 1st Lt. Matt Gallagher. On the other hand, an outlaw soldier's blog exists at The Unlikely Soldier. The wide range of soldier blogs can be found at a list of soldier blogs.

But, that is not all, the enemy is active and maintains a propaganda site at the Islamic Army in Iraq blog.

But finally, not to be outdone, in order to stop offensive and objectionable content from airing on American websites the cyberwarfare slogs on at Stop the Internet Terrorists blog site.

How One Person Can Shut Down a Terrorist

I've often heard the expression "What can I do, I'm only one person." One person can make a difference. I've engaged in my share of insurgent interactions via the net but I would think the fact that terrorists use the internet, specifically American technology and sites such as YouTube, to showcase their graphically violent videos glorifying Coalition soldiers pain would elicit outrage. It has not. However, since insurgents are actively posting offensive videos, or videos aired for propaganda, as well as for and teaching and recruitment purposes there may be some who are concerned.

These concerned persons can do something about offensive videos. One such site, Stop Internet Terrorists provides a `How to.' The site states:

Our mission - remove as many of these videos as possible! Then maybe YouTube will take it upon themselves to join us in trying to preserve what our military fights for every day: Life! Liberty! The Pursuit of Happiness!

The site also provides directions:

How to Flag (tag) a Video and Shut it DOWN!

Just follow these six easy steps!

1. Click on the first numbered video listed to the right (a full list is available on the Stop Internet Terrorists site.
2. If you see "Confirm Birth Date," click on it. This is your agreement that you are 18 or over.
3. When the video appears, STOP or PAUSE it a few seconds after it has launched if you don't want to watch. If you choose to watch, we can tell you that you need a strong stomach. These videos are offensive, graphic, and very upsetting to some.
4. Just below the video, click on "Flag". This will then open another view that gives you the option to "Select a Reason" as to why you are flagging this video.
5. Then click "Flag This Video" button to the right.
6. There will be an area now right under "Flag" that will then be highlighted saying "Thank you for sharing your concerns".

Congratulations! You have just flagged your first Internet Terrorist Video!

That's it!! Now, just click the back arrow to our site and notice the video you just flagged has changed color! It's a simple tool for visually seeing what you have or haven't done.

And please, if you would, go to the second video and repeat the same process as above until all videos are done!

That's really quite simple and anyone can do it. The world does not need any more violent images than it already has and the terrorists are denied one more outlet for illegitimately spreading their message. Any time the terrorists would like to debate in an open and public forum would be fine. However, I see no reason why they should be able to take advantage of American technology and laxity in regards to denying offensive, hateful speech.

Guarded Optimism About Vital Indicators

Graphic source: The New York Times

Amidst a recent survey in which at least half of Iraqis have reason for guarded optimism about the future, the Times published a list of vital indicators. While not rosy, there are reasons to think that Iraq may have a chance to be a coherent nation again. The cost is high, the road is fraught with obstacles, but for the first time in five years, there is reason to think that events may unfold in a more positive manner.

Iraqis: Blood for Oil

In February, American troops detained Ghalib Ali Hamid, the intelligence and internal affairs chief of the Oil Protection Force at the refinery, on suspicion of skimming fuel profits and having ties to insurgents. Graphic source: The N.Y. Times

The N.Y. Times reports that the Baiji refinery "may be the most important industrial site in the Sunni Arab-dominated regions of Iraq." On a peak production day 500 tanker trucks leave the refinery filled with fuel with a street value of $10 million.

Unfortunately, many Iraqis divert at least one-third, and possibly much more, of the fuel from Iraq’s Baiji refinery to the black market. Tankers are hijacked, drivers are bribed, papers are forged and meters are manipulated. And to top it off, at least some of the money reaches insurgents who are still killing more than 100 Iraqis a week.

The American military claims that greed, far more than jihadist ideology, is the critical motivator for a majority of Sunni insurgents.

To combat the financial motivation, at least 91,000 Iraqis, many of them former enemies of the American forces, receive a regular, American-paid salary for serving in neighborhood militias.

In the Salahuddin area of the refinery for example, there were eight pre-war local gas stations, a figure that has ballooned to fifty. The reason is not economic growth but graft.

The Times reports that:

Gas stations are often built just to gain the rights to fuel shipments, at subsidized government rates, that can be resold onto the black market at higher prices. New stations cost more than $100,000 to build, but black market profits from six or seven trucks can often cover that cost, and everything after that is profit, said officials who have studied the scheme.

During last year, the Pentagon estimated that as much as 70 percent of the Baiji refinery’s production, or $2 billion in fuels like gasoline, kerosene and diesel, disappeared annually into the black market.

The insurgents have their agents at all levels, and some are the watchdogs who are supposed to oversee the operation. In February, American troops detained Ghalib Ali Hamid, the intelligence and internal affairs chief of the Oil Protection Force at the refinery, on suspicion of skimming fuel profits and having ties to insurgents.

Although Al Qaeda receives the bulk of Western attention, many in the U.S. military question the numbers and loyalty of average Iraqis for the group. In the opinion of U.S. middle-level troops, jihadist ideology is secondary to the financial incentive of average Iraqis who need to earn a living.

The other major guerrilla groups in the country are Jaish-e-Muhammad, or the Army of Muhammad, which includes ex-Baathists and former military officers, who continue to battle American forces. Some American officers consider the Islamic State of Iraq, to be a front group for Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia.

But other groups such as the 1920s Revolutionary Brigades and Jaish al-Islami, or the Islamic Army, have agreed to support American-financed Sunni militia forces.

The question is whether bribing former insurgents to stop attacking American forces is an effective counter-terrorism force, or whether developing a more secure economic infrastructure would solve the problem. American officers are concerned that the failure to incorporate these Sunni militiamen into the government of Iraq or find them other jobs could portend trouble.

As we might say, you have to do what you need to in order to survive.

Graphic source: The New York Times

Senators Lining Up to the Trough

McCain lost his vote to rein in pork barrel spending, a vote that both of his two major opponents, Clinton and Obama voted for, but the excessive funding continues to run away unchecked.

Clinton received $342 million in earmarks last year, ranking her 10th highest in the Senate, according to the budget watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Obama in fiscal year 2008 secured $98 million in funding for Illinois projects, according to the same group. Although Obama voted with McCain, Obama indicates that he requested $311 million in earmarks for the same year.

His total requested funding was about $330 million. His average request was about $2.4 million, with the largest request being $62 million intended to modify a Boeing 747 aircraft to capture infrared images of the Earth.

Who Makes a Good Bomber?

The suicide bombers who have killed Coalition troops are estranged young men from large families outside Iraq but who are desperate to stand out from the crowd according to a U.S. military study. The question I would have of the conclusion is that it may contradict other studies which show bombers are largely better educated and more prosperous than their peers.

Saudi Arabia is the single largest point of origin. Al-Qaida is a primary recruiter.

The study profiles 48 foreign fighters who were captured or surrendered. The interrogators of the study concluded that most foreign fighters are Sunni Muslim men from 18 to 30, with the mean age of 22. They are almost always single males with no children, and tend to be students or hold blue-collar jobs ranging from taxi drivers to construction and retail sales. The majority of the bombers have six to 12 years of schooling, with very few having gone to college. Most come from families in the poor or middle-classes and have six to eight siblings.

According to the National Counterterrorism Center in Washington, 949 suicide bombers killed 10,119 people and wounded 22,995 from the beginning of 2004 until now. Data compiled by the AP through its own reporting found that between April 28, 2005 and March 13, 2008 there were 708 incidents involving suicide bombings, with a total of 14,633 Iraqis wounded and 7,098 killed.

Mohammed Hafez' study, "Suicide Bombers in Iraq," states there have been 1,800 suicide attacks worldwide since the phenomenon began in the early 1980s. Of those, more than half have taken place in Iraq.

Records seized by the U.S. military shows that 40 percent of bombers come from North African countries such as Libya and Algeria, and 41 percent from Saudi Arabia.

Now They Tell You

World Muslim leaders condemned extremism and terrorism as incompatible with Islam and proposed a high-level international meeting to promote a "dialogue of civilizations" with Christians. My only question is what has taken them so long? After so much water under the bridge, the religion of peace is much less credible than if would have been it Muslim leaders would have unequivocally condemned leading Islamist terrorists or insurgents in Iraq.

I suppose this is better late then never but I think they lost their credibility with their delay.

Leaders of the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference represents 1.5 billion Muslims across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, they made their "Dakar Declaration" on Friday.

The Declaration states: "We continue to strongly condemn all forms of extremism and dogmatism which are incompatible with Islam, a religion of moderation and peaceful coexistence."

Female Warrior

A "Female Warrior" serves alongside the men and on the combat lines in Iraq.

Secrets of High School

This book is chock full of things I didn't know, aspects of the high school game that I should know, and tons of worthwhile and handy references.

Bush Halves Clinton's Military Deaths

In simple statistics, Bush's Presidency has resulted in almost exactly half the military deaths as during Clinton's tenure for an equivalent eight-year period. The statistics are startling to consider but true.

Review: Technitium MAC Address Changer v4.8

I haven't commented in a while about the free Top Ten Network tools but Technitium MAC Address Changer v4.8 may be handy to protect your home wireless network against intruders. You will need to block anyone from connecting to your network except those who have network cards with specific MAC addresses. Sounds simple enough because you can set your router to block out intruders. The question is: how do you spoof a MAC address?

You can check it with this tool. You spoof a MAC address by providing one of your existing network cards a new address. This can be done with this software that lets you change your MAC address with a few simple clicks. You run the program, highlight the network card that you want to give a spoofed MAC address, click Random MAC Address, and then click the Change Now! button. Its pretty simple. It is then easy to restore your original MAC address, once you highlight it, and click "Original MAC."

Supplemental information is included about the details concerning your network cards, including the manufacturer name, MAC address, IP, Gateway, and DNS information associated with each of your network cards. It can also renew an IP address for a card, which can help fix broken network connections.