target

Remember last year when protests broke out across the Middle East because of
a report in Newsweek that our military was flushing the Quran? It created a big
back lash that ended up with Newsweek publishing a retraction and the right
escalating their attack against opponents of the war.

Here we are 7 months later and once again the actions of the U.S. has
provoked protests in the Middle East:

Chanting "Death to America," Islamic groups held nationwide protests
Sunday as anger mounted over a purported CIA airstrike that Pakistan says
killed innocent civilians instead of the apparent target — al-Qaida's No. 2
leader.

Meanwhile, a newspaper reported that the mission was launched on
intelligence that Ayman al-Zawahri had been invited to dinner that night in
one of three houses leveled by the attack on Damadola, a village near the
Afghan border.

Islamabad — which insists it does not allow the 20,000 U.S. soldiers in
Afghanistan to cross the border in the hunt for Taliban or al-Qaida fighters
— has condemned the strike. The Pakistanis have shown increasing frustration
over a recent series of suspected U.S. attacks along the frontier aimed at
Islamic militants.

Pakistani officials say innocent people were among the 17 men, women and
children killed in Friday's attack and al-Zawahri, Osama bin Laden's top
lieutenant, was not even there.

Article continues

here.

Kerry has broken his silence on the wiretapping issue:

BOSTON --Sen. John Kerry said Tuesday that the domestic spying authorized
by the White House "doesn't uphold our Constitution," and that President
Bush offered a "lame" defense in recent public appearances.

The Massachusetts Democrat, who lost to Bush in the 2004 presidential
election, also said the alleged White House leak of a CIA agent's identity
was more serious than the media's disclosure of the spying program.

Bush said Monday that it was "a shameful act" for someone to have leaked
details of the program to The New York Times, and he suggested the Justice
Department is investigating the leak.

Though leaking any classified information is against the law, "there is a
world of difference between what the president's engaged in and what was
leaked out of the White House," Kerry told reporters after addressing
ironworkers at a local labor hall.

View complete article

here.

Also worth noting, a peace group in Ohio was the target of a Department of
Defense survellance program.

An Akron-based group charged Monday that the Department of Defense spied
on area residents at a peace rally March 19.

The Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee said documents
uncovered by NBC News in a Wednesday report revealed that information about
the Akron gathering was included in the data.

``This is chilling,'' the Quaker-affiliated group said in a press
release.

After Matt Cooper's testimony into the leak of Valerie Plame's identity, we
got to see him make the round on Sunday morning talk shows and also read his
article in Time Magazine about his testimony. Now the question is "When will we
hear Judy's story?"

NEW YORK (AP) Now that New York Times reporter Judith Miller has
testified again in the investigation into the leak of a CIA operative's
name, many are wondering when the newspaper will publish the detailed
account it has promised on their own reporter's role in the case.

That story may yet have to wait: Even after her second round of grand
jury testimony Wednesday, it remains unclear whether Miller's cooperation
with the probe has finished. A spokesman for Patrick Fitzgerald, the special
counsel who is leading the investigation, declined to comment.

Miller was freed on Sept. 29 after nearly three months in jail for
refusing to reveal her source for information about the operative. That
information never made it into a story.

Perhaps Judy is once again a target in this investigation. If she is not
cooperating with Fitzgerald fully, then all deals are off the table and she
could land herself back in her call.

Read the full article

here.

The east seems to be the hot topic in the news today. Not only did Russian
President Putin issue a statement calling for a timetable for the withdrawal of
troops from Iraq, but a high ranking Kremlin official also said we must
recognize Iran's nuclear ambitions to

generate power.

"Russia believes it is appropriate for the international community to
recognize Iran's right to continue its nuclear programs, since that would
solve the current crisis and save unnecessary problems."

This could add problems to the United States motives if it is taken before
the United Nations Security Council. Russia is a permanent member of the
Security Council, and there for holds a veto.

This news came out the same day that Russia and China were involved in one of
the largest joint military exercise in history. The exercise will go on for
eight days and involves training exercises on land, sea, and air. It is meant to
send a message to the
United States:

"The main target is the US. Both sides want to improve their position for
bargaining in terms of security, politics and economics"

That statement was made by Jin Canrong, a professor of international
relations at the People's University of China.

This are all very troubling signs. We don't live in the same America we did
before 9/11. While the attacks themselves changed America, George Bush has done
more to change it. He is trying to push America into being a global empire, and
the world is responding to his threats.

Imagine if our enemy was closer than you think - Your next
door neighbor, or the person who sits across from you in the office. It could
even be your doctor and local grocer. This would frighten the hell out of anyone
around here. Now, what if that enemy was you? Yes – you could very well be the
enemy the FBI is targeting.

In a report by the

Associated Press, they have learned that the FBI counterterrorism division
has been keeping thousands of pages on activist groups around the country. These
aren’t groups you would think of like the Klu Klux Klan or the
Westboro Baptist Church, who thinks
9/11 was a blessing. The groups they are following are the ones trying to
promote peace. Groups like the ACLU and Greenpeace are now the target of
investigations by the FBI.

One report by the

Washington Post even indicated that the FBI’s counterterrorism unit was
watching a group planning to protest the Republican National Convention. If this
was done by the Clinton White House, you can be certain there would be screaming
of abuse of powers. Oh Wait. This did happen then; When Hillary Clinton was
allegedly “abusing” powers to do FBI background checks on key people in the
White House. Of course, that was an allegation that never played out.

There is a growing debate in Washington of the distribution
of anti terrorism money to states. It seems that this has become another
familiar game in our Capital. The money is now being distributed to states, not
dependent upon their risk of terrorism, but their political allegiance.

New Jersey, who is a top risk for a terrorist attack
because of its miles of chemical factories and open ports, saw their homeland
security money cut. Was it because they had done such an excellent job at
protecting these high threat areas? No! Was it because the ports are so much
safer and the federal government is now protecting them? Hell No! Was it because
their Republican governor left office and now a Democrat is in the mansion?
BINGO!

Now I have read the Quran cover to cover. I am not a
Muslim, but I do feel in a time of war it is a good thing to know who you are up
against. It offers an overseen look into our enemy’s views. Now, not once in the
Quran did I see a mention of Jihad based upon political party. Basically if they
are going to blow someone up, then they are going to blow up who ever is around
that target. When was the last time you heard a suicide bomber say “OH! RNC you
can go before I blow!” The answer is never, but of course maybe our liberal
media doesn’t cover those facts.