The Iran Situation Continued

Iranian Twitter users, inside and outside of Iran: (Via I Like Patterns)

Bushehr:

Adel Ganje

Rasht:

Hamed Nemati

Shiraz:

Aboozar

Tehran:

Kamyar
madyar
Amin Abbaspour
Abdul-Azim Mohammed
Farhad
Parham Doustdar
Mohammad Ramezanpour
crash
Sajjad A. Mohammed
Yashar Khazdouzian
Mohamadreza
S T
Iran Election 2009
TehranBureau.com
MirHossein Mousavi
jim sciutto
Raymond Jahan
Parastoo
Thomas Erdbrink
Bahador Nooraei B.
William Yong
Bahram K
Alireza
persiankiwi
Hamed

Unknown:

mary moto
Alavi
duckdaotsu
Farnam B. (not Tehran)
Gita (not Tehran)
Iran
Shahrzad
Pouyan
mehdi assadi
Vahid

Outside Iran:

Muhammad Ghaffari
TwitPersia
Vote for Iran
Naseem Faqihi
RK
Elizabeth Tsurkov
Nasser Weddady
fustat
Neysan Schaefer
Neysan Zolzer

Update #2: Christopher Hitchens on the Election in Iran and he does not mince words!

Update #3: U.K. Times Reports:

Chanting Allahu akbar” — God is greatest — and “Ahmadi, we love you” the army of hardliners poured into central Tehran in a massive show of strength for President Ahmadinejad.

After a weekend of violence by supporters of his relatively moderate challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi, this was an exercise designed to reclaim the capital’s streets in the name of the establishment.

“The protesters are lying. There was no cheating,” declared Farang Kamalwand, 39, a woman in a chador who had travelled 450 miles by bus from Lorestan.

“We came to prove to people outside this country that we love and support our President,” said Karamollah Rahimi, a builder who had spent nine hours travelling from Lordegan

[…]

The exuberance of last week, when Mr Mousavi appeared to be heading for a spectacular victory, turned to terror in the space of a few hours on Friday night as the regime unleashed its forces on the opposition.

All weekend, late into the night, squads of 30 or 40 riot police tore round the capital on motorbikes, roaring along pavements when the roads were blocked, and waded into crowds of chanting Mousavi supporters with their batons. Others charged up streets on foot, or rode around in black Toyota Land Cruisers. They used teargas, rubber bullets and stun grenades, and by Saturday night they had been joined by marauding bands of basiji — volunteer paramilitaries — waving the national flag and chanting Ahmadinejad slogans.

Nobody was spared. The Times witnessed an old woman in a long black chador being beaten in a doorway after she hurled insults at the police, a teacher clubbed to the ground by a basij as he tried to protect his demonstrating students and countless protesters carried away with blood streaming from their wounds.

One human rights activist called it a “Tehran Tiananmen”, referring to China’s brutal suppression of pro-democracy demonstrators in 1989.

Mousavi aides accused the regime of mounting a “coup détat”. His supporters retaliated by throwing stones, smashing windows, setting fire to buses and rubbish skips, and making barricades of burning tyres. “Mousavi is our President,” they chanted, and “What happened to our vote?” It was the worst unrest in the capital since the student riots of 1999.

There were reports of demonstrations in Tabriz, Siraz and other Iranian cities, but they were impossible to confirm because the regime all but shut down the telephone system. It blocked text messages, Facebook and several opposition websites to prevent Mousavi supporters from mobilising en masse.

The BBC and other news websites were jammed. Foreign journalists were denied extensions to their visas, ensuring that most would have to leave today or tomorrow.

Opposition newspapers were ordered to carry positive headlines dwelling on Friday’s massive turnout, but some refused. One that supports Mousavi ran a story about Mother’s Day on its front page by way of protest. Another, which supported Mehdi Karoubi, another of the four candidates, mocked the election with a headline proclaiming: “Karoubi comes fifth”. IRIB, the monopoly state broadcaster, has scarcely mentioned the riots.

Mousavi supporters are torn between fury, fear and despair. The green ribbons, headbands, shirts and bandanas with which so many were festooned last week have vanished — to wear them now would invite a beating.

Such nice people those Iranian Government thugs, no? 🙄

Update #4: ABC News International Reports:

A spokesman for Iranian presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi says his camp will keep pushing to change the results of Friday’s election that gave incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad a landslide win.

“We are going to stay in the streets and ask the mullahs to give fatwas that Ahmedinejad is not our president. We are going to ask the Leader, through the will of the people, to change his mind,” said Mostafa Makhmalbaf, who is speaking to the foreign press on Mousavi’s behalf from his home in Paris.

“I don’t think we can do a total Revolution in Iran but we can make some change,” he told ABC News, describing what would be an unprecedented reversal for the Islamic Republic.

Mousavi’s campaign claims the announced outcome, which gave Ahmedinejad 63 percent of the vote, was fraudulent.

Ahmedinejad and state election officials, some of them his appointees, have said the election was fair and accurate, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei confirmed Ahmedinejad’s landslide win on Saturday morning. “The most magnificent contemporary election took place on Friday in Iran … to us this [complaint] lacks any legal base, and to our nation as well it is without any legal value,” Ahmedinejad said today at a victory press conference. International observers have pointed to irregularities; the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy, noted a handful of concerns including a lack of data made available to support the overall count.

Makhmalbaf said the campaign urged governments around the world not to accept Ahmedinejad’s election as president.

“He is a coup d’etat man,” said Makhmalbaf, referring to the election results as “a state of fascism.”

Mousavi has called for the results to be dismissed and a new vote taken. His camp has planned a rally for Monday, marching from Tehran’s Engelab to Azadi Squares. Mousavi himself and former President Mohamed Khatami, his political backer, plan to attend the event.

Over the weekend, protests were met with a harsh response from riot police, who attacked demonstrators with batons and tear gas.

“People are like fire nowadays. Whatever Ahmedinejad does it will be worse. Saturday morning the city was in shock. Now in the coming days you’ll see a change,” Makhmalbaf said.

Makhmalbaf clarified rumors that Mousavi was under house arrest, saying there was no official detention but that police were keeping watch on his home, exerting enough pressure to keep him indoors.

Read the rest of that one, it is quite interesting.

Closing this Live Blog and will post more, as it comes in.

Update #5: Part III of this Blog is here

The Iran Situation

It seems that the situation in Iran is worse than the MSM is letting on…

Video via Andrew Sullivan, whom I have had issues with in the past, is following closely, as is AllahPundit:

What they are shouting is “Allah Akbar!” or “God is great!”; which happens to be what most terrorists shout, just before they blow themselves up. Which proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Islamic terrorists hijacked a Religion. The irony is that this is same chant that was used during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The neat thing about this is that this was all organized via twitter.

I’ll be posting things, that I see via the twitter feed and via twitterfall. Hash tags to use on twitter are #Iranelections, #iran, #Iranelection, #Ahmadinejad and possibly more, which I will add as I see them.

Update: BBC Report on the Situation in Iran, with reaction from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and someone from the Canadian Government:

Update #2 : Just received two reports via twitter user named persiankiwi:

fires burning. heard some gunshots about 10 mins ago. sounded like coming from north east tehran where fires are. #Iranelection

and…

I am hearing that Tehran Uni has been raided by Baseej. Have not been able to make a call since being told. #Iranelection

Update #3: Footage of the protests and the Iranian police’s lame attempt to break it up and the protesters attacking the police:

Update #4: Video here of evidence of beatings of Iranian college students. Via Andrew Sullivan, this:

Grand Ayatollah Sanei in Iran has declared Ahmadinejad’s presidency illegitimate and cooperating with his government against Islam. There are strong rumors that his house and office are surrounded by the police and his website is filtered. He had previously issued a fatwa, against rigging of the elections in any form or shape, calling it a mortal sin.

Update #5:  via twitter:

persiankiwi: tehran is like war zone. it is unbelievable. fires everywhere. shooting, people shouting. #Iranelection

Update #6:  Via Twitter:

@IranRiggedElect sources: “tear gas in the dorm. It’s un-uniformed police and riot guards. at least 100 students arrested.” #iranelection

Update #7: Via Twitter:

@persiankiwi students being killed in tehran uni dorm in amirabad right now. this must stop, ahmadinejad must stop. #Iranelection

Closing this live Blog and will open another…. Update: Click here to go to new live Blog.


Iran-gate continued

Looks like the Iran situation is still happening. I wrote about it last night.  I still feel the same way. All the uprising means nothing, unless the Islamic Republic is toppled and I highly doubt that will happen. The Military in Iran will kill them all, before they allow a toppling of the Government. Those bastards have no morals, they don’t care.

Anyhow, seeing my hits are down, I am going to a little link whoring: Newsweek, Mondoweiss, Newshoggers.com, Agence France Presse, The Impolitic, Pundit & Pundette, Israel Matzav, RealClearWorld, Betsy’s Page, Macsmind, The Strata-Sphere, Wizbang Backup, Wake up America, RIGHTWINGSPARKLE, Fausta’s Blog, Classical Values, Cold Fury, EU Referendum, Power Line, International Campaign …, Infidel Bloggers Alliance, Commentary, protein wisdom, Michelle Malkin, Wall Street Journal, Haaretz, Telegraph, The Huffington Post, Reuters, American Power, The Confluence, Time, Moe_Lane’s blog, Reason, Patterico’s Pontifications, Pajamas Media, Gateway Pundit, Riehl World View, Raw Story, Blue Crab Boulevard, ThreatsWatch, Flopping Aces, Weasel Zippers, tehranbureau, Hot Air, CNN, BBC,  and more via memeornadum

The Obligatory Iran Elections Posting

The Iranian elections are upon us. I have two words to say about that; big deal.

This is why feel this way, because the Country of Iran is an Islamic Republic. Meaning the Islamic clerics there make the big decisions.  Unlike the Country of Turkey, which is a Parliamentary republic.  What this means is this; as long as there is a influence in that country by the Religious leaders, that Nation is not truly free.

The sick and sad part is that there are people in this very country here, that want to turn America into the Christian version of Iran. They basically want to turn America into a theocratic Christian Republic. All the while claiming that is what America was founded as. Which is blatantly false; America was founded as a Constitutional Republic that gave homage to a “God”; not Jesus Christ, but a “God” and not a Christian or Theocratical Republic as it so stupidly and patently falsely reported by those who are of a Zionist mentality.

So, while I think that it might be a good thing that there is a possibly that there might be a new “leader” in the Country of Iran. I just do not see any great and major change in the makeup and ideological stance in that Country.

As always Memeorandum has the round on this story.

United Nations Counsel passes tough new sanctions against North Korea

This should be interesting to follow. The Wall Street Journal is reporting:

The United Nations Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution expanding sanctions and inspections against North Korea in response to its test of a nuclear device on May 25.

The affirmative votes by China and Russia represent increased unity on the 15-member council in the face of North Korean weapons tests and threats against the international community. But the price of that unity was a weaker resolution than the one the U.S. and its allies initially sought.

“Like all resolutions, this one was a product of negotiations,” said a Western diplomat involved in the two-week talks that produced the new sanctions.

Moscow and Beijing agreed to the U.S. draft after language on the inspection of North Korean cargo ships in international waters was watered down. Both Russia and China feared that inspections on the high seas could spark a military conflict with Pyongyang, a Western diplomat said.

However, there is one little problem with this resolution:

“We believe sanctions such as cargo inspections are very complicated and sensitive and countries involved must act prudently and with sufficient grounds,” said Zhang Yesui, China’s U.N. envoy. “Under no circumstances should there be the use of force, or the threat of the use of force.”

Seriously, what the hell is the point of having a resolution of this sort; if the use of force is not even on the damned table? This resolution, like all the rest of them; is nothing more than a carrot and stick approach to the North Korean situation.

…and of course:

Pyongyang has threatened another nuclear test in response to the resolution.

So much for them, “Don’t do this again, or we’ll let you starve!” resolutions. It’s time for action and UN needs to either get with the plan or put up with that crazy slant eyed gook.

Did Obama insult Israel?

Some think so…

CBS Reports:

Israeli TV newscasters Tuesday night interpreted a photo taken Monday in the Oval Office of President Obama talking on

Insult or no? You decide.

Insult or no? You decide.

the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an “insult” to Israel.

They saw the incident as somewhat akin to an incident last year, when the Iraqi reporter threw a shoe at President Bush in Baghdad.

It is considered an insult in the Arab world to show the sole of your shoe to someone. It is not a Jewish custom necessarily, but Israel feels enough a part of the Middle East after 60 years to be insulted too.

Was there a subliminal message intended from the White House to Netanyahu in Jerusalem, who is publicly resisting attempts by Mr. Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to force Israel to stop any kind of settlement activity in occupied territories once and forever?

Whether or not it is true, it shows the mood in Israel. They feel cornered. The reactions out of Israel reflect that feeling.

and then there’s this:

Israel’s Channel One TV reported that Netanyahu was told Tuesday by an “American official” in Jerusalem that, “We are going to change the world. Please, don’t interfere.” The report said Netanyahu’s aides interpreted this as a “threat.”

While I am not a big fan of the large influence of the various Israeli Lobbies in Washington D.C.; I think that angering some of our stanchest allies in the world is nothing short of a bonehead move on the part of this President. It would cost him in the ratings.

Others: Don Surber, Jihad Watch, This ain’t Hell …, Mondoweiss and normblog

The reading room: Friday Church News Notes

The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this does not imply an endorsement. For instructions on how to unsubscribe to this list or to change mailing addresses, please consult the information paragraph at the end.

HOW THE POP CULTURE HAS DUMBED DOWN SOCIETY (Friday Church News Notes, June 5, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – The rock & roll pop culture has been dumbing down society since its inception in the 1950s. The pop culture image of cool is the individual who excels in foolishness, the Elvis Presleys, the James Deans, the John Lennons, the rock & roll playboys, the Hollywood starlets. Influential pop culture movies such as “Blackboard Jungle,” “Rebel without a Cause,” and “The Wild One” emphasized irresponsibility, insubordination, free sex, and scholastic laziness. “The Blackboard Jungle” used a Bill Haley soundtrack to encourage young people to forget their studies and “rock around the clock.” In “Rebel without a Cause” James Dean exuded the essence of pop cool: unisex sensuality, narcissism, and rebellion to authority. “The Wild One,” played by the very cool Marlon Brando, glorified self-centered living and neglect of education. Chuck Berry’s hit “School Days” encouraged young people to exchange their boring studies for the glories of rock & roll partying: “Hail, hail rock and roll/ Deliver me from the days of old/ Long live rock and roll/ The beat of the drums, loud and bold/ Rock, rock, rock and roll/ The feelin’ is there, body and soul.” By the 1960s, the modern teenage culture was well established, with its own me-first attitude, Dionysian philosophy, oft ridiculous fashions (anything to differentiate the teenager from his elders), and particularly its own music. The modern teenager has always been driven by pop music. Rock stars set the tone. A serious education is downplayed for the sake of having “fun, fun, fun.” I was dramatically influenced by the pop culture from the time I arrived in junior high school in 1962. Though I had some God-given intelligence and love for reading, I soon realized that being a diligent student was not cool. I became far too busy being a proper pop culture teenager to give serious attention to my studies and as a result I was a mediocre to poor student. Nothing has changed since then. The term “nerd” comes from the climate of teenage cool. It defines a young person who is serious about scholarship and probably doesn’t fit in too well with the foolish but oh-so-cool crowd. I was reminded of this by a recent Associated Press report entitled “I Love Nerds” about the 2009 National Spelling Bee contestants. It observed that the bright students “stand out as a bit dorkey back home.” Jose Cabal of Miami said, “It’s like back home I’m a nerd. Up there, everyone else is a nerd.” The serious spellers have memorized tens of thousands of words and have sharpened their intellect and perfected their use of the English language, but they aren’t cool. The entire concept of the “nerd” exposes the vanity and foolishness of the pop culture. It is the “nerd” that is using his or her life sensibly, whereas the cool crowd is dedicated to vanity. The pop culture teenage philosophy typically leaves young people ignorant and deeply scarred with sin. But the power of teenage cool is enormous and the average young person is not wise enough to withstand its appeal. Many reports have been written on the decline in education in America. In 1994 the editor of Harper magazine characterized the national test scores as “a coroner’s report …  [that] returned a finding of mortal ignorance.” But most studies on modern American education neglect one of the most powerful influences, which is the pop culture. When the Herman’s Hermits sang in the 1965, “Don’t know much about history/ Don’t know much biology/ Don’t know much about a science book,” they were expressing the philosophy of teenage cool.

BOMBING KILLS TWO AT CHURCH IN NEPAL (Friday Church News Notes, June 5, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – A Hindu organization took credit for a bombing on May 23 that killed two and wounded 15 others at a Catholic mass in Kathmandu, Nepal. An unidentified woman entered the church just before mass began and left the bomb behind in a bag. A second bomb was disarmed by police. The Nepal Defense Army took responsibility for the murders. This is a radical Hindu group with probable ties to extremist Hindus in India that have viciously persecuted Christians. It was formed in 2007 with the objective of reinstating a Hindu state in Nepal (hindujagruti.org, Sept. 13, 2007). The Nepal Defense Army has demanded that all Christians leave Nepal and has stated its intent to “fight against the foreign religious invaders” (telegraphnepal.com, May 30, 2009). The NDA murdered a priest in July 2008. They have also bombed a mosque and another church. Police have quietly visited the churches in Kathmandu and warned them to be on the outlook for suspicious packages.
Read More …

North Korea tests a nuke and a short range missile

Here we go again!

This comes via the NYT:

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea announced on Monday that it had successfully conducted its second nuclear test, defying international warnings and drastically raising the stakes in a global effort to get the recalcitrant Communist state to give up its nuclear weapons program.

The North’s official news agency, KCNA, said “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea successfully conducted one more underground nuclear test on May 25 as part of the measures to bolster up its nuclear deterrent for self-defense in every way as requested by its scientists and technicians.”

The test was safely conducted “on a new higher level in terms of its explosive power and technology of its control,” the agency said. “The results of the test helped satisfactorily settle the scientific and technological problems arising in further increasing the power of nuclear weapons and steadily developing nuclear technology.”

Word of the test sent a shudder through Asian financial markets and clearly caught South Korea and the United States off guard. The news hit just as South Korea’s government and people were mourning the suicide of former President Roh Moo-hyun. And hours after the test was reported, South Korean state media reported that the North had fired a short-range missile.

The nuclear test also came against a backdrop of uncertainty about North Korea’s reclusive leader, Kim Jong-il, and speculation about who might succeed him. Mr. Kim suffered a stroke last August, which prompted him to step up preparations to transfer power to one of his three known sons. Analysts believe the favorite son is his youngest, Kim Jong-un, who is in his mid-20s.

North Korea conducted its first nuclear test on Oct. 9, 2006, which was considered something of a bust by South Korean and American officials. If the North’s second test was more of a success, it could mean that North Korea has bolstered its atomic weapons capabilities — and its leverage over the United States, which has sought to denuclearize the North.

In Washington, the Obama administration had a cautious initial reaction to the news early Monday. “We are aware of the reports of a nuclear test by North Korea,” said a senior State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the department was still gathering information. “We are consulting with our allies. Once we have established the facts, we will have more to say.”

Looks like Mr. Jong-il is looking for another handout; and if our United Nations’s track record is any indication. He will get it.

Here is the Official Statement from President Bambi Teleprompter:

Text of statement by President Barack Obama on nuclear and short-range missile tests conducted by North Korea.

Today, North Korea said that it has conducted a nuclear test in violation of international law. It appears to also have attempted a short range missile launch. These actions, while not a surprise given its statements and actions to date, are a matter of grave concern to all nations. North Korea’s attempts to develop nuclear weapons, as well as its ballistic missile program, constitute a threat to international peace and security.

By acting in blatant defiance of the United Nations Security Council, North Korea is directly and recklessly challenging the international community. North Korea’s behavior increases tensions and undermines stability in Northeast Asia. Such provocations will only serve to deepen North Korea’s isolation. It will not find international acceptance unless it abandons its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.

The danger posed by North Korea’s threatening activities warrants action by the international community. We have been and will continue working with our allies and partners in the Six-Party Talks as well as other members of the U.N. Security Council in the days ahead.

Yeah, that’ll show ’em! Slap ’em on the wrist another good time and make ’em feel bad, that’ll really put them in their place. 🙄

Another day, another dumb liberal response to a serious problem.

Others Covering: Michelle Malkin, Stop The ACLU, Don Surber

(H/T Memeorandum)

Terrorist plot to blow up Jewish Synagogues in the Bronx thwarted

This news broke last night, but I was not in any mood to write about it.

Video Report, showing NY’s Mayor Bloomberg:

Four men were arrested Wednesday night in what the authorities said was a plot to bomb two synagogues in the Bronx and shoot down military planes at an Air National Guard base in Newburgh, N.Y.

The men, all of whom live in Newburgh, about 60 miles north of New York City, were arrested around 9 p.m. after planting what they believed to be bombs in cars outside the Riverdale Temple and the nearby Riverdale Jewish Center, officials said. But the men did not know the bombs, obtained with the help of an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, were fake.

The arrests capped what officials described as a “painstaking investigation” that began in June 2008 involving an F.B.I. agent who had been told by a federal informant of the men’s desire to attack targets in America. As part of the plot, the men intended to fire Stinger missiles at military aircraft at the base, which is at Stewart International Airport, officials said.

“This latest attempt to attack our freedoms shows that the homeland security threats against New York City are sadly all too real and underscores why we must remain vigilant in our efforts to prevent terrorism,” Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said in a statement. The mayor was expected to appear at 6:45 a.m. Thursday at the Riverdale Jewish Center morning services, joined by Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly.

The charges against the four men represent some of the most significant allegations of domestic terrorism in some time, and come months into a new presidential administration, as President Obama grapples with the question of how to handle detainees at the Guantánamo Bay camp in Cuba.

Rabbi Jonathan I. Rosenblatt, the senior rabbi at the Riverdale Jewish Center, a modern Orthodox congregation, said the police informed him on Wednesday evening that his synagogue was a target of the plot, as well as the Riverdale Temple, a Reform synagogue that is a short distance away, on Independence Avenue. The two buildings are about six blocks apart, each with a brick facade. Outside the synagogues on Wednesday night, the streets were eerily quiet.

Rabbi Rosenblatt said in a phone interview that he took the news with “shock, surprise — a sense of disbelief that something which is supposed to belong to the world of front pages and the evening news had invaded the quiet world of our synagogue.”

via 4 Accused of Bombing Plot at Bronx Synagogues – NYTimes.com.

Of course, the Neo-Conservative Blogs are all over this one. A couple of things to point out:

  1. There’s no proof at all, that these guys were connected to any sort of formal terrorist group
  2. They never were able to obtain any sort of real weapons

So, what we have here is a group of wanna-be’s who got caught. This is what, the second time? The first was the much hyped Fort Dix plot; which turned out to be a great deal of nothing. I am sure that the Conservative media and blogs are going to hype this for all it is worth. The liberal-controlled media; hopefully, will take a more reasoned approach to the situation and report the facts, and shy away from the hype.

Do not misunderstand me here. I personally believe that the war on terrorism, as George W. Bush rightfully called it, is quite real. However, I have a hard time believing that this group of bumbling idiots were a part of it formally. If anything, these guys were a group of morons who could not even make a pipe bomb; much less a damn bomb capable of causing any sort of real damage.

As to why they did it. These guys were upset about our involvement in Afghanistan. We can expect to see this sort of a thing, as that War progresses. Now the idiots on the far liberal left will try and say that this is why we should leave Afghanistan. Which any sane, rational person knows is foolish. We should not leave until Osama and his henchmen are dead and Al-Qaeda is formally defeated. Some say this is impossible. I believe nothing is impossible, if it is done correctly. The far left likes to bring up that Russia tried to fight a war in this region and ended up pulling out. I say; apples and oranges. Different kind of a war, and the Russians did not have nearly the Military that we have and the technology that we have today.

The good thing about all this is, that this terrorist cell was broken up and these idiots are going to jail. Thanks to the fine work of our men at the F.B.I. Good show guys, keep up the good work.

Update: …and then there’s the Libertarian conspiracy theorist angle. No wonder the Republicans think that most libertarians are kooks.

The Obligatory “Nancy Pelosi supposedly knew about Torture” Posting

Honestly, I would rather be getting a root canal without any anesthesia, than to have to blog about this. But everyone else is, so, here goes!

ABC NEWS Blog “The Note” reports the following:

ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was briefed on the use of “enhanced interrogation techniques” on terrorist suspect Abu Zubaydah in September 2002, according to a report prepared by the Director of National Intelligence’s office and obtained by ABC News.

The report, submitted to the Senate Intelligence Committee and other Capitol Hill officials Wednesday, appears to contradict Pelosi’s statement last month that she was never told about the use of waterboarding or other special interrogation tactics. Instead, she has said, she was told only that the Bush administration had legal opinions that would have supported the use of such techniques.

The report details a Sept. 4, 2002 meeting between intelligence officials and Pelosi, then-House intelligence committee chairman Porter Goss, and two aides. At the time, Pelosi was the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee.

The meeting is described as a “Briefing on EITs including use of EITs on Abu Zubaydah, background on authorities, and a description of particular EITs that had been employed.”

EITs stand for “enhanced interrogation techniques,” a classification of special interrogation tactics that includes waterboarding.

Of course, everyone on the right is jumping up and down  and saying, “See we told you so!” Don’t count me in with that crowd, please. When it comes to this entire issue; I am a fence sitter. On one hand, I hate to know that a fellow human being is being tortured. But on the other hand, I also know what happened on September 11, 2001, and please; do not come in here and spout that stupid Alex Jones bullcrap about 9/11 being an inside job, okay? I am just not that simple-minded to believe that idiotic nonsense.  The truth is that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by Muslim extremists who hate our Country and for what we stand for;  they also happened because of our interventionist foreign policy and because of our occupation of parts of Arab peninsula. Further, the attacks were a revenge attack on United States because of the actions of the United States in the 1980’s. Osama Bin Ladin said that in one of his many tapes. This is NOT to say that the United States had it coming or anything of that sort. It is simply the bare, and sometimes ugly; truth.

Now back to the story at hand, there are some, mostly liberals who have problems with this story. Emptywheel, for example seems to believe that the CIA is lying about the briefings. I won’t quote here, what’s being said there. Because there is just so much to read. I’d advise everyone to just go over and read what is being said there.

The truth is folks, I do not believe we will ever know the truth about what happened, and who knew what when. I am sorry if that busts any balloons or anything of that sort. Our Government has a very good track record of covering up secrets and quite frankly covering it’s backside to the point of burying the truth. So for those who were hoping that Bush and Co. would be prosecuted. I hate to be the one to say this, but you are in for a big letdown. I knew this was coming; I blogged about a great deal of times. Obama will not go after the former President and his staff and cabinet. Obama just will not burn the political capital. President Obama would rather risk being a one-term President, than try and go after a former President and his staff. It just never has been done. Nor will it ever.

If the Obama Administration told holder to open an investigation as to “Who knew what, when…” when it came to the 9/11 attacks, The Iraq War, and the torture stuff. Both Parties; Democratic and Republican would be utterly destroyed and stripped void of any credibility that they still have now.  That is something that the Obama Administration is simply not going to allow to happen. Because both of these political parties want to maintain their grip on a two party system in this Country. One Party may talk about wanted to see the other destroyed. But they know how long their leash is, and when it reaches it max length, the parties that be know when to get back into line.

So, I feel that this all just a big witch hunt, to distract us from the real issues. Like the state of our economy and so forth.

The Southern Avenger on “The Mexican Flu”

How the news coverage of the swine flu isn’t so much indicative of any serious crisis, but the mainstream media’s corporate and government, PC sensibilities.

Uh-Oh – Iran carries out Airstrikes on Iraqi Kurdish Villages

Oh boy, this is going to throw a monkey wrench into the plans of the Obama Administration:

Iranian aircraft attacked three villages inside Iraq over the weekend. The airstrikes — Iran’s first on Iraqi soil since the U.S. invasion — could complicate the Obama administration’s efforts to normalize relations with Tehran.

“The bombardments appeared to have targeted the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), an Iranian Kurdish separatist group which has launched attacks on Iran from rear-supply bases in the mountains of northern Iraq,” AFP reports. Iran has attacked the Kurdish group before, with artillery. But this is the first time the Iranians followed up, with assaults from the air.

“The incident comes a week after reports of a clash between Iranian police officers and suspected PJAK fighters in the country’s western province of Kermanshah,” Al-Jazeera reports. “At least 10 policemen and 10 fighters were killed in the gun battle.”

Details on the airstrikes remain sketchy. Voice of America says the attacks were carried out by helicopters, which remained in Iranian airspace. Al-Arabiyah television, on the other hand, says it was “Iranian planes [that] raided those villages.”

via Iran Launches Airstrikes on Iraqi Villages | Danger Room.

Hmmm… Did not President Obama say this at one point?

Sounds like Barry is now going to get a full dose of reality, when it comes to Iran and their way of doing business. I wonder what he will do? Possibly employ some smart power and leadership to the situtation? Will he call for a meeting with the top military brass and make a decision based on the interests of the United States?

Obama

Don’t bet on it, he’s too busy out taking a stroll with his American-Hating, White Man-Hating Wife.

I am afraid that this is what the next 4 to 8 years is going to be like. International Threats and a Liberal President who is more interested in making photo ops that he is trying to defend our nation and interests. All the while spending this country into a giant economic hole. I am just glad, that I did not vote for the man; I couldn’t, I would not be able to live with myself, if I had of.  The man is obviously not qualified for the office; and I am not talking about the Birth Certificate thing either. I am just referring to the man’s ability to lead the country. President Obama is a complete buffoon, who landed this election because of his skin color.

This should be a very interesting story to watch and follow. If it is not buried by our drool bucket Liberal Media. 🙄

America-Hating First Lady has a shoe fetish

Great, the first black First Lady, who hates America and white people with a passion, has a shoe fetish.

Michelle Obama has taken casual to a haute new level.

While volunteering Wednesday at a D.C. food bank, the First Lady sported her usual J.Crew

America-Hating black bitch

America-Hating black bitch

cardigan, a pair of utilitarian capri pants and, on her feet, a sneaky splurge: trainers that go for $540.

That’s right: These sneakers – suede, with grosgrain ribbon laces and metallic pink toe caps – are made by French design house Lanvin, one of fashion’s hottest labels. They come in denim and satin versions, and have been a brisk seller all spring.

They’re out of stock at posh Meatpacking District boutique Jeffrey, and Barneys New York boasts a limited selection of the sneaks, which are a cult favorite among fashionistas.

It’s likely Michelle got hers through Ikram, the Chicago retailer that often outfits her.

“They’re shoes,” the First Lady’s reps sniffed when curious reporters inquired about the fancy footwear. – Via New York Daily News AKA Obama Slobber Liberal News

Michelle Malkin, Aka the “other” Michelle, points out the fact that one of Obama’s biggest videos, used against John McCain was the following. As a side note, Michelle Malkin does not have the goodamned balls to criticize Michelle Obama. What the hell is wrong with you woman? You don’t have the goddamned balls to call this woman what she is? She’s an America-Hating Negro First Lady, who hates White people and anyone else, who isn’t black; not to mention she hates any sort of success by White Americans, this is why she favors taking thier damned money, just like her useless Husband. So, Michelle, grow a damn pair and call it like it is, “sweetie”.

Here’s the video:

So, yeah, Michelle Obama is one thing and one thing only, An self-loathing, American-Hating, Black BITCH who has a shoe fetish. Joy. …and while white people; like me, are out of work, and living hand to mouth. I guess she sees this as punishment for what my ancestors did to her people. Good going ancestors; if we’d just left thier dumb asses in Africa, we would not be in this position in the damned first place.

Just letting my readers know, I’m closing the comments on this one, because I do not want to have to deal with the idiot liberals, who will most likely want to come here and cause trouble. Because I am no mood to battle with brain-dead idiots.

Others:JustOneMinute, Michelle Malkin, Hot Air, Fausta’s Blog, RedStateMoonbattery, Don Surber, Brutally Honest and 24Ahead

Local Auto News: Chrysler looking at Bankruptcy

A pretty sad thing to wake up today. However, I am sorry to say this, but I knew it was coming. Chrysler never was able to get their act together; unlike G.M. and get a resolution together.

The Report comes via the Washington Post, I won’t quote the whole thing and I kindly ask that you go over and read the whole thing. But rather, I will give some my impressions from the interesting stuff.

My impressions:

The Obama administration last night planned to send Chrysler into bankruptcy, replace chief executive Robert L. Nardelli and pump billions of dollars more into the effort, all in hopes the company can emerge from court proceedings as a reenergized competitor in the global economy.

Government officials clung to 11th-hour hopes last night that bankruptcy could be averted, but talks broke down with Chrysler’s creditors. A bankruptcy filing could happen as soon as today.

The U.S. government’s attempt to save the automaker amounts to another extraordinary intervention in the economy and a landmark event in the history of the American auto industry.

Under the administration’s detailed court strategy, ownership of Chrysler would be dramatically reorganized, the leadership of Italian automaker Fiat would take over company management and the U.S. and Canadian governments would contribute more than $10 billion in additional funding.

Company and government officials had feared that a bankruptcy would stain the brand, shake customer confidence and erode sales, but the administration said it would seek to use the process to create a new Chrysler company. Its ownership would be divided, with the company’s union retiree health fund receiving a 55 percent stake, Fiat would claim as much as a 35 percent share and the United States would take 8 percent. The Canadian government would receive two percent.

Basically this is what General Motors did voluntarily. Minus the Fiat equation, of course. It is a tough break that the creditors, bond holders, and company management could not come together to an agreement.  The main and good thing is, that the automaker, itself, will be saved, and that American jobs will be saved.

Now comes the part that will make people like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin, and the rest of the far right wing people howl at the moon:

The automaker’s current majority owner, the private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, would have its holdings wiped out.

Now, to be fair; I will report the truth about this holdings company. This company, from what I have read and have been told; is notorious for buying up struggling companies, like Chrysler and shutting them down and selling off the assets to make money. They have done this in past, from what I told. So, while I hate to see anyone lose their money. I actually am glad to see Chrysler being taken away from this company.

Let me also say this. As an Conservative, who believes in “America First”, and believes that business sometimes have to fail; I am not exactly jumping for joy, when it comes to fact that this auto company is having taxpayer dollars being pumped into it. Nor am I happy at the fact, that a US automaker is having a foreign auto company’s management taking over its operations. However, I believe we must be realistic about such matters. We are not living in the 1950’s any longer, we are in a economic recession of monumental proportions, and if we do not drastic measures quickly, we could see a total collapse of the American auto industry. I also know that there is a undeniable truth that “as Detroit goes, so goes America.” Pat Buchanan and I, have been saying this all along; if allow the big three or in this case, the big two to disappear our Nation’s economy would go into free fall. I shudder in absolute horror at the thought of the far reaching implications of such an event.

I will say, as a devout Paleo-Conservative; If we would have rejected the globalism of the Rockefeller-type conservative types and would have imposed strict trade restrictions on Japanese and other such foreign automotive products, these auto companies would not be in the position that they are today.  It is because of the Rockefeller-type, Madison Avenue, Neo-Conservatives, whose mantra is “screw the American middle class”, is the reason we are in this position today.  Further more, it is the reason that the world is also partaking in our recession as well.  Perhaps President Obama will see the state of our globalist economy and will rethink his position on NAFTA and TAFTA and the rest of those toxic free trade agreements that are in place; and impose strict tariffs on imports that are bleeding our economy dry.

Realistically however, I highly doubt that President Obama will do any of that, because he is trying to run as a centrist, or as I like to call it; he is sucking up to the Neo-Conservative right, as they are his biggest supporters, strangely, after trying so very hard to defeat him in the election. Of course, we Paleo-Conservatives know why this is; because the only difference between a Neo-Conservative and a Democrat is the letter next to the name.

Oh Boo Hoo! Convicted Muslim Child Killer’s husband to sue because Islam was insulted.

What a joke!:

The police booking photo of alleged child killer Nour Hadid released Tuesday is an “insult against our religion,” says Hadid’s husband, Alaeddin.

Orland Park police detectives say the 26-year-old Muslim woman was treated as any other suspect in a murder probe would be, and they did not intend to humiliate her when they photographed her Sunday without her headscarf and wearing only a skimpy top.

Nour Hadid is accused of beating her 2-year-old niece Bhia Hadid to death over four days at her home on the 9000 block of West 140th Street. The child had 55 separate bruises and was beaten “from head to toe,” according to prosecutors, who say Hadid confessed.

But Alaeddin Hadid – who insists his wife is innocent – said Orland Park police are “really going to be in big trouble” for releasing the woman’s booking photo to the news media after she was charged with first-degree murder.

The Hadids are Muslims and Nour “never leaves the home without covering up,” said Alaeddin, who’s vowed to sue.

via Islam ‘insulted’ by wife’s mug shot, husband says :: The SouthtownStar :: News.

Here’s hoping that this woman and family runs up against a jury that knows that the Muslim customs end at the booking spot and at the jail cell. Women mercilessly kills a child and then complains because her religious customs were violated? Unreal.

She’s damned lucky she did not mysteriously end up dead in the jail cell.

…and they call it a Religion of peace. I call bullshit! If she was not in America we would not have this problem. The solution is a mass deportation away.

Others: PoliGazette, Tim Blair, Moonbattery, Jihad Watch, Riehl World View and JONATHAN TURLEY

Plot to Murder President Obama Exposed in Turkey

Now this is quite interesting!

As United States president Barack Obama began an official visit to Turkey on Monday, reports surfaced that a Syrian man was arrested in Istanbul in connection with a plot to kill him. The man – who sought to disguise himself as a journalist for the Arab TV network Al-Jazeera – managed to obtain press accreditation and allegedly planned to stab the US president with a knife, said Saudi daily al-Watan.

The Saudi daily contacted Al-Jazeera’s bureau in the Turkish capital Ankara and spoke with the bureau’s director Yusuf al-Sharif who claimed the Syrian man never worked with Al-Jazeera.

The suspect was arrested last Friday in Istanbul, where he had been permanently living for a number of years. After his arrest, al-Watan said he confessed to having planned Obama’s murder and that in case he failed, there were three other accomplices that would carry out the assassination.

via Turkey: Syrian man arrested over ‘Obama murder plot’ – Adnkronos Security.

As Dinah Lord put it, we might not be at war with Muslims, but they sure are not happy to see us! This is to be expected though, as there are many angry Muslims out there; who are still angry at the United States for invading Iraq. Then again it might have had nothing to do with that, this guy could just have been some sort of a fruit loop or a terrorist. We will not know for sure, until more information comes out.

As an American; I am just glad to see that the plot was exposed, because the LAST THING this Country needs is our President hurt or killed. I may not agree with Obama’s Politics, but I do not want to see the guy murdered. Anyone that would say anything any different is either crazy or just an mean spirited asshole. It is one thing to chide the President because of his politics, but it’s an entire other matter to do something like this.

Let’s hope this idiot remains behind bars for a long time or worse; and considering where it happened, he will most likely end up hung. Which is just fine with me.

Update: CBS NEWS is now reporting the story….finally.


Obama says “We’re not at war with Islam”

I really don’t get why this is new, as Bush said this as well. But Here goes!:

Barack Obama, making his first visit to a Muslim nation as president, declared Monday the United States “is not and will never be at war with Islam.”

Urging a greater partnership with the Islamic world in an address to the Turkish parliament, Obama called the country an important U.S. ally in many areas, including the fight against terrorism. He devoted much of his speech to urging a greater bond between Americans and Muslims, portraying terrorist groups such as al Qaida as extremists who do not represent the vast majority of Muslims.

“Let me say this as clearly as I can,” Obama said. “The United States is not and never will be at war with Islam. In fact, our partnership with the Muslim world is critical … in rolling back a fringe ideology that people of all faiths reject.”

The U.S. president is trying to mend fences with a Muslim world that felt it had been blamed by America for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

via Obama declares US not at war with Islam- AP.

From what I understand there are some that are not happy about the statement underlined above. Ed Morrissey weighs in here:

Obama spoke in the tradition established by Bush over the last seven-plus years of emphasizing that America did not declare war on Islam.  That’s been obvious through our partnership with Islamic nations, such as Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, just to name a few.  And he’s right; the last thing we would want to do would be to declare war on a billion people just on the basis of their religion.  The more we can keep the Muslims on the sidelines, the better off we are in fighting against the radicals.

However, the AP wants to pretend that this is some new effort by the US to assure Muslims of our intentions.  It decidedly is not, and perhaps a mention that Bush tried making these same assurances for almost his entire presidency would be in order here.

Well Ed, When your name is George and you are a Christian white man from Texas, it is a bit harder to sell that idea. Let’s face it; Obama is a black man with a Islamic middle name, it’s just going to be easier to sell that idea for President Obama; than it was for President Bush. I believe the majority of “Americanized” Muslims understood this, but it was the Muslims abroad that felt it was an attack on the Islamic Faith.

I just hope that Obama is able to make that sell. Because the last thing we need is war with Islam itself.

Barry Continues to win friends

It is being reported in French paper Le Figaro:

Barack Obama a écrit à Jacques Chirac

Le président américain vient d’adresser une lettre «très sympathique » à Jacques Chirac, selon l’expression de ce dernier. «Je suis certain que nous pourrons au cours des quatre années à venir collaborer ensemble dans un esprit de paix et d’amitié afin de construire un monde plus sûr» , écrit le successeur de George W. Bush au prédécesseur de Nicolas Sarkozy. En évoquant le mot de « paix», Obama rend un hommage implicite à l’action de l’ancien président français qui s’était opposé à la guerre en Irak. Une intervention américaine contre laquelle le futur président américain s’était opposé comme sénateur, lors du vote au Congrès.

Which Translates to: (As good as google translate can do so…)

Barack Obama wrote to Jacques Chirac

The U.S. President has just sent a letter “very sympathetic” to Jacques Chirac, in the words of the latter. “I am confident that we can over the next four years working together in a spirit of peace and friendship to build a safer world,” writes the successor to George W. Bush’s predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy. In mentioning the word “peace,” Obama makes implicit tribute to the action of the former French president who opposed the war in Iraq. A U.S. intervention against which the future U.S. president had opposed as a senator, in a vote in Congress.

Nice…… Barry in his first 100 days, manages to piss off the British AND the french! Great. 🙄

Others Covering:

(H/T to Gateway Pundit)

Obama’s Katrina Moment?

Seems that way to me!

The Video:

(Via Jim Treacher on Twitter)

Yes, Iran does hate us and they have reasons too

This is one of those posts that will separate me from the rabid Neo-Conservative right.

The New York Times reports that Iran has rejected the overtures of the Obama Administration.

The reasons were given:

Khamenei enumerated a long list of Iranian grievances against the United States over the past 30 years and said the U.S. was still interfering in Iranian affairs.

He mentioned U.S. sanctions against Iran, U.S. support for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during his 1980-88 war against Iran and the downing of an Iranian airliner over the Persian Gulf in 1988.

He also accused the U.S. of provoking ethnic tension in Iran and said Washington’s accusations that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons are a sign of U.S. hostility. Iran says its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes, like energy production, not for building weapons.

”Have you released Iranian assets? Have you lifted oppressive sanctions? Have you given up mudslinging and making accusations against the great Iranian nation and its officials? Have you given up your unconditional support for the Zionist regime? Even the language remains unchanged,” Khamenei said.

Khamenei, wearing a black turban and dark robes, said America was hated around the world for its arrogance, as the crowd chanted ”Death to America.”

While I will be the first to concede that much of this was done much before Obama’s time. The fact is that the United States has always treated that region as a pawn. A pawn in a game of “The Ends Justify the means.” and we are bearing the fruit of that now.

The Zionist remark can be described as simply this. The United States has never, ever, taken a critical tone with Israel and has mostly always blindly supported Israel’s acts of aggression in the region. All the while condemning anyone’s acts towards Israel. It is that policy that has people like those in Iran saying, “Death to America.”

Anyone that tries to tell you anything other than this, is selling you a line of bullshit.

An Interesting Movie

I post this because I believe that it is interesting. Alex Jones has always struck me as a kook. Someone amongst the “Tin Foil Hat” crowd. However, it is something interesting to watch.

Enjoy…

What do you think? Do you think that there is any truth to this?

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The Obligatory Charles Freeman withdrawal from appointment posting

I think that this is a good thing, for a number of reasons.

Charles Freeman, the Obama administration’s choice to head the National Intelligence Council, has withdrawn from consideration after facing strong opposition from Senate Republicans.

Freeman is the latest in a string of Obama administration appointees and nominees to withdraw in the past few weeks.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) told The Hill that Freeman has withdrawn his nomination and that Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair agreed to accept the decision. Blair released a statement late Tuesday announcing Freeman’s decision.

The withdrawal came hours after Freeman agreed to testify before the Senate intelligence panel on Thursday to answer questions raised in recent days. All seven Republicans on the panel had sent a letter to Blair raising concerns about Freeman’s experience and objectivity.

Earlier on Tuesday Feinstein told The HIll she was keeping an open mind on Freeman’s appointment.

“I’ve talked to director Blair about it. Director Blair feels this is not a policy job, that he’s well qualified for what he wants him to do,” Feinstein said. “I feel presidents should have their choice if possible of appointments. I’ve read Mr. Freeman characterized in a number of different of ways. We’d like an opportunity to talk with him and get our own fix on these views. How strongly their held, whether in fact there is bias.”

via TheHill.com – Controversial intelligence pick withdraws.

The reason why I say this, is because of this little quote right here: (H/T HotAir.com)

MR. FREEMAN: On the question of U.S. strikes on targets on Iran or elsewhere, I simply want to register what I think is an obvious point; namely that what 9/11 showed is that if we bomb people, they bomb back.

Ed Morrisey provides that perfect reply to this, that I agree with 100%:

Uh, what?  Starting in 1993, al-Qaeda conducted a series of attacks on American targets, including the World Trade Center, Khobar Towers, two American embassies in Africa, and the USS Cole.  We didn’t attempt to bomb them until 1998, when we missed them entirely, thanks to a collapse in operational security.  We didn’t bomb the Saudis or Yemenis at any point, the two nationalities to which Osama bin Laden can lay claim, or Egypt, where Ayman al-Zawahiri was born.

The point is here that this guy was obviously among the anti-Zionist crowd, like these guys here.

Let me be absolutely clear, I am not a huge fan of the Evangelical Zionist crowd; whom are famous for thier doctrinal error and unholy alliances with unbelievers and unsaved, but to have someone who obviously was trying to blame Israel and America for the 9/11 attacks, was not very smart move by the Obama Administration.

So, in this case, yeah, I believe this was a good thing for this clown to remove his name for consideration. Maybe he will get a job with the American Free Press crowd, God knows, that is where he belongs. 🙄

….and before any Conspiracy theory meatballs come in here and try and chide me, feel free, with a push of one button, I can ban your stinking IP address and you won’t even be able to view this blog. So, bring it on boys, I wanna weed out the idiots. 😡

Others: Weekly Standard, Ben Smith’s Blogs, Michelle Malkin, War in Context, The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room, Wall Street Journal, Newshoggers.com, The Strata-Sphere

(Via Memeorandum)

Mudville Gazette discovers the obvious

That B. Hussien Obama is a big fat liar. (As are most Democrats.)

Click here.

Coincidence or just bad timing?

This is very interesting…:

President Barack Obama is poised to offer an olive branch to Cuba in an effort to repair the US’s tattered reputation in Latin America.

The White House has moved to ease some travel and trade restrictions as a cautious first step towards better ties with Havana, raising hopes of an eventual lifting of the four-decade-old economic embargo. Several Bush-era controls are expected to be relaxed in the run-up to next month’s Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago to gild the president’s regional debut and signal a new era of “Yankee” cooperation.

The administration has moved to ease draconian travel controls and lift limits on cash remittances that Cuban-Americans can send to the island, a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of families.

“The effect on ordinary Cubans will be fairly significant. It will improve things and be very welcome,” said a western diplomat in Havana. The changes would reverse hardline Bush policies but not fundamentally alter relations between the superpower and the island, he added. “It just takes us back to the 1990s.”

via Obama will use spring summit to bring Cuba in from the cold | World news | The Observer.

Meanwhile:

Caracas – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday called upon US President Barack Obama to follow the path to socialism, which he termed as the “only” way out of the global recession. “Come with us, align yourself, come with us on the road to socialism. This is the only path. Imagine a socialist revolution in the United States,” Chavez told a group of workers in the southern Venezuelan state of Bolivar.

The controversial Venezuelan leader, who taunted the United States as a source of capitalistic evil under former president George W Bush, added that the United States needs a leader who can take it to a “higher” destiny and bring it out of “the sad role that it has been given, as a murderous, attacking power that is hated all around the world.”

Chavez said that people are calling Obama a “socialist” for the measures of state intervention he is taking to counter the crisis, so it would not be too far-fetched to suggest that he might join the project of “21st century socialism” that the Venezuelan leader is heading.

“Nothing is impossible. Who would have thought in the 1980s that the Soviet Union would disappear? No one,” he said.

“That murderous, genocidal empire has to end, and some day there has to come a leader … who interprets the best of a people who also include human beings who suffer, endure, weep and laugh,” the outspoken Chavez said.

Coincidence? or just really bad timing? You Decide.

(H/T Drudge)