Clipmarks | willhelm's 'middle east' clips

2 US aircraft carriers headed to for Gulf and Red Sea

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:26:11 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Two additional United States naval aircraft carriers are heading to the Gulf and the Red Sea, according to the Kuwaiti newspaper Kuwait Times.

Kuwait began finalizing its "emergency war plan" on being told the vessels were bound for the region.

The US Navy would neither confirm nor deny that carriers were en route. US Fifth Fleet Combined Maritime Command located in Bahrain said it could not comment due to what a spokesman termed "force-protection policy."

While the Kuwaiti daily did not name the ships it believed were heading for the Middle East, The Media Line's defense analyst said they could be the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Ronald Reagan.

Obama would still oppose the surge

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:40:13 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: OK. This clinches it. Obama is utterly incapable of rational leadership. The terrorists were wreaking havoc in Iraq and killing hundreds daily. Now there is relative calm. Iraq is turning around. al Qaeda is out of Iraq. al Qaeda describes the situation as lost and say they can no longer recruit in the region. Iran is no longer having their way with propping up the insurgency. Intelligence tells us we are winning the hearts and minds of the Middle East. We have basically won in Iraq.
However, Obama says he would still not support the surge after originally saying prior to the surge that he did not support the surge because it would have the "opposite effect" and increase violence.
He is saying now that we should have let the situation in Iraq fester, withdrawn troops, hand the terrorists a victory in Iraq, allow the violence in Iraq to continue and instead concentrate on the few Taliban incapacitated in the mountains of Pakistan and Afghanistan. What a complete fool!

Clip Source: www.cbsnews.com

“Senator Obama was dead wrong about the surge, and to foolishly maintain he would oppose it again today calls into question whether he has the judgment and fortitude necessary to be President of the United States,” Boehner said Tuesday.

Lanny Davis: "We were wrong"

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:19:34 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: Thank You, Lannie. It is great to see there are still stand-up people on the left.

From article:

"Maybe another democracy, however imperfect, other than Israel in the Middle East could lead to more moderation, possibly other democracies? Democracies that could serve as bulwarks against al Qaeda-type of terrorist states?"

"And then in early 2007 came the Surge, which so many of us in the anti-war left of the Democratic Party predicted would be a failure, throwing good men and women and billions of dollars after futility. We were wrong."

"The surge did, in fact, lead to a reduction of violence, confirmed by media on the ground as well as our military leaders."

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

But then came my first moment of doubt.

I saw on TV in early 2005, in their first preliminary democratic elections, long lines of Iraqis waiting to vote under the hot desert sun with bombs and shrapnel exploding around them. Waiting to vote!

And then there was that indelible image -- an older woman shrouded in a carpet-like cape, smiling gleefully and holding her purple finger in the air for the TV cameras, purple with ink showing that she had voted.

Smiling! In the middle of war! With U.S. troops standing nearby!

Wow, I thought. Is it possible I was wrong?

Is it possible, I wondered, that Iraqis truly did want democracy and freedom and the right to vote and government of the people, just as we Americans do? And were willing to fight for it, with our help?

Wouldn't that be a good thing? Even a great thing?

Tags: liberals, iraq war, war on terror

Top 10 Flavor Pairings

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:31:49 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: Recipes for each pairing included at site.

Clip Source: www.mccormickgourmet.com

The intersection of functional food and fantastic flavor, this coupling is an antioxidant powerhouse.

A flavor match made in heaven taps into America's growing passion for indulgent, yet approachable luxury.

Old world authenticity in a modern context – the result is complex heat, depth, dimension and richness.

The essence of the tropics coaxes nuances of a chameleon-like spice bringing forth light, clean flavors.

Exotic fruits from far away and the ever-growing popularity of Asian cuisines pave the way for this refreshing match.

This duo brings together Latin and Asian influences to create a unique flavor experience.

A new taste sensation is born when the smokiness of wood is matched with tangy orange peel.

This adventurous combination represents America's pursuit of experimentation.

An elegant and sensuous pair that captures the pursuit of cuisines from North Africa and the Middle East.

CIA: al Qaeda losing

Fri, 30 May 2008 21:28:53 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: ******** " essentially defeated" ****************
The USA is winning the hearts and minds of the Middle East. al Qaeda losing recruits.

Clip Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Less than a year after his agency warned of new threats from a resurgent al-Qaeda, CIA Director Michael V. Hayden now portrays the terrorist movement as essentially defeated

In a strikingly upbeat assessment, the CIA chief cited major gains against al-Qaeda's allies in the Middle East and an increasingly successful campaign to destabilize the group's core leadership.

While cautioning that al-Qaeda remains a serious threat, Hayden said Osama bin Laden is losing the battle for hearts and minds in the Islamic world and has largely forfeited his ability to exploit the Iraq war to recruit adherents. Two years ago, a CIA study concluded that the U.S.-led war had become a propaganda and marketing bonanza for al-Qaeda, generating cash donations and legions of volunteers.

All that has changed, Hayden said in an interview with The Washington Post this week that coincided with the start of his third year at the helm of the CIA.

Obama Adviser meeting with Hamas

Mon, 12 May 2008 19:23:51 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: Adviser resigns.

Clip Source: www.suntimes.com

Rob Malley, a Middle East policy adviser to likely Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, resigned after news surfaced that he had been meeting with Hamas -- something Obama pledged he himself would never do.

Asked about McCain's suggestion that Obama is "favored by Hamas," Obama said McCain was "losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination."

LaBolt said, "Sen. Obama strongly opposes talking to Hamas, a terrorist group committed to Israel's destruction. As president, he will work to isolate Hamas and target its resources, and rejects any dialogue until Hamas recognizes Israel, renounces terrorism, and abides by previous agreements."

10 Simple truths about oil

Fri, 02 May 2008 08:09:16 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: Fact #4. The OPEC nations, those in the Middle East and including Venezuela, control 77% of the world’s known oil reserves. Like Russia and Mexico, where the oil industry is controlled by the state, it is generally poorly managed. Several Big Oil companies that were induced to undertake exploration and development in Russia and Venezuela actually had their assets nationalized or stolen at prices well below their investment and value.

Fact #5. Energy is the master resource. All nations with any hope of growing their economies require it, mostly in the form of electricity, but also for oil’s role in transportation. The failure to have a national long-range energy policy that is based in reality can severely impact energy prices.

Clip Source: www.intellectualconservative.com

Fact #1. The combined ownership of oil reserves by the independent, investor-owned oil companies such as ExxonMobil, Conoco-Phillips, BP, Chevron and others is barely 4% of the total known oil reserves in the world. By itself, ExxonMobil’s share is 1.08%.

Fact #2. Oil is a global commodity sold on mercantile exchanges for whatever price it can command. Speculation in oil prices is the primary reason they have been driven to utterly insane costs per barrel. It has nothing to do with actual supply and demand.

Fact #3. No nation on Earth is or can be “energy independent.” The geopolitics of oil is complex, but as nations such as China and India have seen their economies grow, their need for oil grows with it and thus they compete with long established industrialized nations for existing oil supplies. This competition has an impact on prices.

Iran holding British hostages kidnapped in Iraq

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 03:24:20 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Five British hostages who were kidnapped in Iraq almost a year ago are being held inside Iran by Revolutionary Guards, according to two separate sources in the Middle East and London.

The hostages were handed over to the Revolutionary Guards by their Iraqi kidnappers last November, the sources believe. One of the sources said they were being held in the western Iranian city of Hamadan.

If confirmed, the involvement of Revolutionary Guards would be seen as evidence that senior figures in the Iranian government had backed the decision to hold them in the country.

One of the sources, who has close links to the Revolutionary Guard, said the captors were looking for a face-saving way of freeing them. They have suggested the hostages write to church leaders in the UK asking for assistance in gaining their release, the source said.

Peter Moore, a computer specialist, was teaching data-processing. The other four were his bodyguards.

What and where is "Eurabia"?

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 03:17:49 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: article.nationalreview.com

What and where is “Eurabia”?

Thornton: Eurabia is a state of mind, as well as a set of policies pursued by some European nations. It represents a devil’s bargain with the Muslim Middle East, in which the abandonment of Israel and the acceptance of Islam’s cultural superiority were traded for immigrant labor, access to oil and markets for weapons, economic development in the Middle East, and protection from terrorism. In Europe, it is manifested by the refusal to demand that Muslims assimilate to Western political values and mores, and abandon those that clash with Western ideals. It is accompanied by a denigration of the West and an adulation of Islamic civilization. Thus Eurabia is another version of that peculiarly Western self-loathing and failure of nerve that make Europeans (and many Americans too) so eager to don the hair-shirt of colonial and imperial guilt and appease a culture that wants to destroy them.

Pelosi Doublespeak

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:58:51 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: What is the evidence that the surge hasn't worked?

Has anyone heard about the al Qaeda letter describing their condition in Iraq as a crisis?

The citizens of Iraq are ratting out the terrorists. They were afraid we would pull out and we have shown we will not. They trust us and they are helping make the difference. Also, recent reports throughout the Middle East are that the people of the Middle East are beginning to reject the militant ideology of al Qaeda. They are no longer indifferent and they are backing the US.

Clip Source: www.politico.com

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said twice Sunday that Iraq “is a failure,” adding that President Bush’s troop surge has “not produced the desired effect.”

The speaker hastened to add: “The troops have succeeded, God bless them.”

Turkish warplanes attack PKK rebels in Iraq

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 06:50:12 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: abcnews.go.com

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish warplanes attacked Kurdish rebel positions across the border in the mountains of northern Iraq early on Sunday, the military General Staff said in a statement.

Turkey's armed forces have conducted several cross-border military operations in recent weeks against rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), who use northern Iraq as a base from which to attack security forces inside Turkey.

Tags: iraq, turkey, middle east

Please, whatever you do, do not question global warming

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 04:33:08 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: Please link back to the source if interested. Hilarious leftoid lunacy.

Clip Source: thinkprogress.org

These guys are hardened criminals.

John Bolton is committing treason against this country by making it “less safe” and “less secure” in it’s reliance on the middle east for our sustenance. Off with him to the gallows.

what’s wrong with being the leader here. We all know that global warming is real (at least anyone with an IQ above room temperature)

FOX has a tiny viership, compared to the networks, and its demographic is very waek in purchasing power. Colmes is not a liberal, he’s an actor, a clown. if I or any real liberal were hired to go up against Hannity, he’d be fired in a week.

morons and traitors dominate the demographic of rightwing bullshit cable television, and FOX is the leader of the shitpile.

Military finding more Iranian weapons in Iraq

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 02:13:46 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

The quantity of Iranian bomb-making components being found in Iraq is increasing despite a fall in attacks and 20 Iranian-trained agents are still operating south of Baghdad, a top U.S. general said on Sunday.

Extensive Iranian influence in Iraq remained evident, said Major-General Rick Lynch, despite signs of a possible easing of tensions between Washington and Tehran over security in Iraq.

Lynch said his troops were chasing 20 "targets" he identified as Iraqi Shi'ites who were agents for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps's (IRGC) elite Qods Force.

"They were trained in Iran and they're conducting operations in our battle space," Lynch told reporters. "They're Iraqis but they're IRGC surrogates and they're still out there."

He said he was also troubled by the number of Iranian rockets being found. In two recent cases, he said, 46 Iranian rockets were found ready and aimed at a U.S. operating base and several more were discovered near a U.S. patrol post.

Tags: iran, iraq, war on terror, middle east

Pakistan: No good options

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 04:06:23 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: From article:
Yes, Mrs. Bhutto is very popular, showing her drawing more support (63 percent) than both Osama bin Laden (he gets a disturbingly large 46 percent) and Gen. Musharraf (38 percent). But Shariah, or Islamic law, is popular, too. As Jeffrey Imm points out at The Counterterrorism Blog, the same poll and another from World Public Opinion indicate that between 60 and 76 percent of Pakistanis seek more Shariah throughout Pakistan. This is anything but "moderate." In fact, this popular desire for Shariah dovetails nicely with Taliban plans to turn Pakistan into an all-Shariah state.

when asked by World Public Opinion to rank government priorities, Pakistanis listed defeating "al Qaeda, the Taliban and other Jihadi groups" dead last - the will of the Pakistani people looks unlikely to amount to an asset, for example, to American troops fighting in the region. And aren't troops in harm's way to protect our national security our real moral imperative?

Clip Source: www.americanthinker.com

I would only add this:

79% of Pakistanis want "Strict application of Sharia law in every Islamic country"

74% of Pakistanis agree with the goal of "unifying all Islamic countries into a single Caliphate." (see what that actually means,

Tags: pakistan, muslims, islam, middle east

20,000 Iraqis sign up to fight al Qaeda

Sat, 27 Oct 2007 04:49:44 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: cm.my.yahoo.com

Who would have thought, as the fires still burned in the heart of rubble that was the WTC, that we would see Iraqis signing up to fight with the US to destroy al-Qaeda? I would have called anyone predicting that scenario insane at the time. Maybe that is why it is so hard to get our heads around what is happening in Iraq.

20,000 in four months is a mobilization that nearly equals the US Surge (of 30,000 in four months). And these are people who can detect an al-Qaeda foreigner in their midsts. People who are signing up to protect their families and their country.

Harry Reid is really regretting he ever opened his mouth and declared the Surge a failure

Tags: iraq, al qaeda, middle east, war on terror