65% of Taliban Suicide Bombers are Handicapped

According to a Japanese newspaper account, at a rate of 65%, handicapped persons left crippled by land mines or unexploded shells are recruited by the Taliban as suicide bombers, according to Rusuf Radgari, an associate professor at Kabul University's medical faculty. Radgari added: "These people are missing limbs, in poverty and unable to work, and there's the possibility that they are agreeing (to carry out these attacks) in exchange for a livelihood for their families."

Suicide attacks against foreign military and government targets in Afghanistan have increased dramatically over the past few years. A U.N. study showed that while there were only 17 cases in 2005, this figure shot up to 123 in 2006 and 150 in 2007.

Cf. http://mainichi.jp/select/world/news/20081020k0000m030105000c.html

Chinese Muslims Thus Far Denied

The seventeen Chinese Muslims had their request denied for a review by all 12 judges of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Thus far, the group has not been released.

Hussein Gets Muslim Vote

Fatema Biviji, a Muslim, is supporting Barack Hussein Obama. Biviji researched about Obama and liked that he has an international background, that he spent years in Indonesia as a young man, and his father's Kenyan roots. His internationalist views agreed with her own so she is supporting him. Her blog is featured on Obama's campaign Web site.

I agree with Ms. Biviji, Hussein is excellent for the world, and he is pleasing to Muslims.

Biden Shoots Off Mouth: Shoots U.S. in the Foot

I know I'm a tad old-fashioned but I really do not think that politicians running for national office should release national security intelligence. But ole' Joe Biden, since he is "old" like some other candidate can shoot his mouth off without fear of reprisal or recrimination from the national media. Biden stated that "It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama. . . . we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy." Now, in and of itself, a crisis is not hard to find in this world, but why would a major American politician state something like this? White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten reportedly held a meeting this week with senior White House staffers and representatives from both the McCain and Obama camps. The goal was to make sure everyone is up to speed on the latest threats and have the information they need to be ready come inauguration day. Would you buy a used-car from this loudmouth?

Fury on Bin Laden

Dalton Fury is the nom de plume of a Delta Force commander who led U.S. troops into Afghanistan's Tora Bora mountains after 9/11 to chase Osama bin Laden. He has written Kill Bin Laden: A Delta Force Commander's Account of the Hunt for the World's Most Wanted Man which is his account of chasing bin Laden. He points out that regardless of who is elected president, the intelligence on bin Laden is somewhat improved but it is hardly pristine. Since bin Laden lives such a spartan existence there is a tendency to dismiss him but Fury points out how craftily the Islamofascists employ the Internet and modern technology. One surprising aspect of the hunt for bin Laden according to Fury is that apparently Osama directed his wives and children to arm themselves and fight the Americans. Bin Laden asked the women and children to do the fighting for him. Fury believes that Americans don't understand how powerful Islam is as people are inspired to fight according to the Koran. The takeaway according to Fury is that Islamofascism is truly a different enemy that the U.S. faced during the Cold War.

Ft. Dix Five Trial Begins

Five foreign born Albanian Muslims in their 20s who planned an attack on Fort Dix were inspired by AQ, Deputy U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick stated at the start of their trial in Camden, N.J. Their paintball games in 2006 and 2007 emerged into terrorist training sessions and they discussed a plot, nipped in the bud, was to sneak into the New Jersey Army base and kill soldiers. The five are charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and weapons offenses. The government plans to play 90 recordings that would show the defendants planning and training for an attack. More than 200 people are listed as potential witnesses. The trial is expected to stretch into December.

Saudis Indict 991 al Qaeda Islamofascists

Saudi Arabia indicted 991 suspected al Qaeda militants for carrying out 30 attacks since 2003 according to a statement from Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz. The indictments aim to put an end to a chapter of violent opposition to the government run by the Al Saud ruling family in alliance with clerics: accused clerics include Nasser al-Fahd, Ali al-Khodeir, and Faris al-Shuweil. The Saudi policy has generally to re-educate the malcontents and release them.

Pair of Islamofascists Convicted in Denmark

Hammad Khuershid, a Danish citizen of Pakistani origin, and Abdoulghani Tokhi, an Afghan, were secretly filmed mixing the type of explosive used in the 2005 London bombings that killed 52 British commuters, and today, they have been convicted of preparing a terrorist attack. Danish agents filmed them conducting a small test blast with triacetone triperoxide, which was used by the suicide bombers in London. They pair were said to have had links to an al-Qaeda operative. Investigators found handwritten bomb-making manuals in the men's homes that prosecutors said Khuershid had copied at the pro-Taliban Red Mosque in Islamabad. They said he also had spent time in the Pakistani region of Waziristan, a militant stronghold near the Afghan border.

Two Countries: Two Policies on the Uighurs

China released a list of eight who threatened to disrupt the Beijing Olympics and are dedicated to achieving independence for its Western, Uighur region of Xinjiang. The eight, all members of China's mainly Muslim minority Uighurs, belonged to the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which the United Nations listed in 2002 as a terrorist organisation with links to Al Qaeda.

On the other hand, the U.S. wants to make sure that the Islamofascists are assured of legal representation, in addition, they want to release them into the American homeland.

If the U.S. was thinking of the best case security scenario, they would send them back to China to foster terrorism covertly in China which is a win-win-win situation. The U.S. is happy, the Uighurs are happy, and China has more issues in the global economy to deal with. Wait, that's a win-win situation for the U.S. But that is exactly what the U.S. should be doing, creating and implementing intelligent security solutions that advance the interests and concerns of Americans.

Race a Bit Tighter

Obama holds a five-point advantage in a new CNN poll, down from eight points. The economy remains the top priority and Americans appear to favor Obama here.

American Held for Another Two Weeks in Pakistan

A Pakistani judge has extended the detention of a young American man of Pakistani descent for an additional two weeks. The man, identified by police as Judi Kenan, was arrested on October. Judi Kenan seems to be one of similar names, was arrested when he was travelling in a restricted zone and police found a knive on him once he was detained.

At least two young British men of Pakistani descent traveled to Pakistan before carrying out suicide bomb attacks on London's transport system in 2005.

Italy Says No More Troops

Tornado Graphic source: Wikipedia Commons

Italian Foreign Minister, Franco Frattini, stated that his country will not send any extra troops. Italy has recently sent four Tornado aircraft to reinforce defence and Italy currently has the fourth largest, 2,350 troops, contingent in Afghanistan. Frattini rejected the idea of dialogue with the Taliban.

Italy will not be joining the recent increased efforts from other multi-national forces, Britain and Germany.

There are almost 53,000 troops in Afghanistan from around 40 countries that make up NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Note of Publication: Swiderski, Mercury

Richard M. Swiderski, Quicksilver: A History of the Use, Lore, and Effects of Mercury has been published by McFarland & Company.

American Charged with Illegalities in Pakistan

Authorities in Pakistan have charged Juddi Kenan Muhammad, a US citizen, with illegal entry and illegal possession of a weapon.

Afghan Anti-War Element: Not a Contradiction in Terms

A series of peace jirgas, or assemblies, that are taking place in Afghanistan are advocating the end of the war between the Taliban and Afghan government. Bakhtar Aminzai of the National Peace Jirga of Afghanistan, an association of students, professors, lawyers, clerics, and others are pressuring the Afghan government to find a peaceful solution. Another group, a loya jirga, or grand assembly of Afghans, agrees according to Fatana Gilani, head of the Afghanistan Women's Council (AWC), a leading nongovernmental organization (NGO). A third group asks for an end of Afghanicide-–the killing of Afghanisti-–states Israir Ahmed Karimizai, a leader of Awakened Youth of Afghanistan, a prominent antiwar group. International NGOs receive a great deal of attention, but Afghan NGOs actually make up the bulk of the NGO presence in the country, says M. Hashim Mayar, deputy director of the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), an umbrella organization of NGOs active in the country. ACBAR estimates that of the roughly 1,400 registered NGOs, nearly 1,100 are purely Afghan operations. Sheila Samimi, manager of the Afghan Women's Network (AWN), another prominent NGO that focuses on women's rights. AWN is composed of 63 small women-oriented NGOs that work around the country. In some instances, these groups will even critizise the Taliban.

Despite their organization, Afghan peace groups are also beset by weaknesses, states Habibullah Rafeh, a political analyst with the Afghanistan Academy of the Sciences. Their limitation is organizing along ethnic or tribal lines. The Awakened Youth and the National Peace Jirga, for instance, consist mostly of Pashtuns, the largest ethnic group, a rogue ethnic element.

Kagan on American Strategy After the Bush Doctrine

Robert Kagan, Senior Associate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, is more helpful than Stephen Van Evera. Kagan challenges the common misconception that Bush represents a radical change from past American foreign policy. Truman, Kennedy, and Clinton, Democrats all, along with Bush, have maintained a consistent American policy since the end of World War II: a "preponderance of power," rather than a balance of power (Cf. Leffler, Melvyn P., National Security, The Truman Administration, and the Cold War, Stanford Universtiy Press, 1992).

For example, "regime change" characterized all presidential administrations of the past half-century, Kennedy in Cuba, and Clinton in Bosnia and Haiti. The Clinton administration bombed Iraq over the objection of UN Security Council permanent members, and went to war in Kosovo without UN authorization.

What has changed is the world. The world is a less secure place with the ongoing crisis that transnational rogue elements will deploy WMD; in addition, the fragility of the world's financial situation should be clear in the light of Wall Street's meltdown in the Fall of 20008. Previously, the world acquiesced with an American predominance as a security measure. That world is gone. The American Left will revel in an American fall from grace, and the unrealistic solution is only to offer a multi-polar Concert of the World (p. 49). The world no longer shares what the Concert of Europe could assume, a "common morality and shared principles of government" (p. 49). Kagan suggests a League of Democracies (p.50), to advance American interests in concert with similar nations, since deep-seated divisions already exist between intermational multi-polar powers. This League could exert and extend our influence to advance our security. A similar proposal was made during the McCain 2008 presidential campaign.

Powell Endorsement on Meet the Press

Colin Powell has caused a buzz as a guest on "Meet the Press." It seems like a johnny-come-lately announcement though if all he plans to do is to support Obama. If it was a dramatic announcement with genuine impact it would have to be a clear negative. At this point it is just piling on since Obama has already convinced anyone who interested enough to support him. Since he does not have the requisite preparation as president Powell's endorsement is much less interesting as a result.

Ron Paul on the State of the Union

U.S. Representative Ron Paul, who has been one of the few voices of sanity opposing the Democratic, Republican, and government's bailout plan, was interviewed on CNN's "American Morning."

Paul advocates the position that says the bailout's infusion of government money will lead to inflation, that our current monetary system is coming to end, and the market, not politicians, can best solve the economic crisis.

Paul objected to the government intervention in that the complex plan expanded to an inflationary inducing, 450 page, $850 billion, $5 trillion debt levied on the American taxpayer, and, he stated: "I don't think it's going to do any good whatsoever."

Paul believes the bailout is an "attack on the dollar system. . . . the end of a monetary system that we've had since 1971."

Paul stated: "It's an immoral system. You're asking the poor people to bail out the rich. You're asking the innocent people to bail out the guilty. You're asking people to just totally defy the Constitution because there's no place in the Constitution that says that we can do these things."

Paul makes an analogy to a drug addict receiving a fix, the junkie feels tood for a day or two but it is an addiction that does not work.

Neither presidential candidate is offering a solution. There are some good parts to both candidates financial programs, but ultimately, but voted with the Bush bailout. Paul said: "how can we trust anybody?" For the record, Paul voted against the bailout.

Paul was asked about the likely scenario in the election, Democrat control of Congress, both houses, and the White House. What are its implications?

Paul responded: "it's a disaster for the country and everybody because, even with all the shortcomings of John McCain, his strongest argument to be president is keep the Congress and the presidency in separate hands."

The only thing that Paul has going for his position is that the government should get out of the way, quit spending money, balance the budget, bring our troops home, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, while letting the American people keep the money they earn. This may not be enough.

Supremes Say Democrats Should Take Ohio

The Supreme Court backed Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner in an ongoing dispute over allegations of voter registration fraud. The justices in an unsigned opinion blocked a lower court order directing Brunner, a Democrat, to update the state's voter registration database after information provided by some newly registered voters did not match up with Social Security and driver registration numbers. The appeal follows a Tuesday ruling from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati that sided with the state GOP.

Brits Add to German Support in Afghanistan

General Sir David Richards, who will today be named as the British Army's new head, appeals for a dramatic, 30,000 troop increase in Afghanistan. Richards, advocates sending up to 5,000 more British troops to Afghanistan in addition to the 8,000 already there. The other 25,000 troops would be made up of U.S. reinforcements and newly trained Afghan soldiers. The British support for a surge follows the German pledge to send additional troops and the successful strategy in Iraq.