Judeopundit

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

"World Revolutionary People Called upon to Hold High Banner of Socialism"

Is backsliding a big problem among the world revolutionary people? Besides Obama, I mean.

The world revolutionary people are called upon to hold aloft the banner of socialism, bearing in mind the truth of history that to defend socialism means a victory but abandoning it means death.

Rodong Sinmun Tuesday says this in a signed article.

It goes on:

If people lower the flag of socialism, departing from its path, they are bound to suffer misfortune and disaster and become slaves.

The experience of history clearly shows that when one makes one concession and retreat over the issue of the principle of socialism, one will be compelled to make ten, nay a hundred concessions and retreats and, in the end, the party of the working class is bound to go bankrupt and a socialist regime to collapse.

The road to socialism means one to independence, peace and national prosperity. Socialism is the only way for the developing countries building new society to eradicate the aftermath of the imperialist colonial rule and achieve independent development and national prosperity.

The reality of the DPRK where people-centred socialism based on the great Juche idea is in its best day demonstrates the advantages and invincibility of socialism. Korean-style socialism is the ideal society desired by humankind for such a long period of time and the social system in which the people's independence has come true in all spheres. Socialism is the lifeblood of the people in the DPRK as it is vital to them.

Irangrish title of the day: "Dolphin die after colliding another one"

That was courtesy of IRIB. Sharky the dolphin was martyred in the course of his heroic attempts to foil all plots of the World Arrogance and hegemonic powers by uniting the Dolphin Umma:

A dolphin died over the weekend at a SeaWorld sister park after colliding with another dolphin during a guest interaction program.

About 32 visitors were in the lagoon Saturday afternoon when the two dolphins swam into the deeper center and leapt from the water, Discovery Cove spokeswoman Becca Bides said Monday.

They collided and Sharky, a 30-year-old dolphin, died, she said.

In related news the Ayatollah described the Islamic Revolution as a "sea change":

The Islamic Revolution Leader described the Islamic Revolution as a landmark event in the course of the history of Iran and noted the fact that the Iranian people used to shun any rulers or authorities all time until the Islamic Revolution emerged.

"In the great Islamic Revolution event however, the people took the stage of power transfer and ushered a sea change through their faith and resolution," Ayatollah Kahmenei said, adding that the historical event and its implications must be reviewed by a macro and comprehensive approach.

So Sharky the Dolphin did not die in vain.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Reuters: Birds gotta peck, spuds gotta cool

Let's begin with the BBC on what may be the crucial details:

The Israeli army said it had "targeted from the air two Palestinian gunmen who were approaching the soldiers while carrying large bags on their backs.

"A big explosion erupted on the scene... indicating the presence of bombs and explosives in the gunmen's bags," the army said.

"As a result of this big explosion, extensive damage was caused to a house that was near the gunmen and uninvolved civilians were hit."

And now Reuters. This is an amazing demonstration of biased journalism. It builds one paragraph after another until finally reaching the sentimental novelistic dribblings about chickens and potatoes.

Israeli fire hit a house in the Gaza Strip on Monday while a family was eating breakfast, killing six Palestinians, including four children and their mother, residents and medical workers said.

Israel challenged the account, describing the deaths as tragic and saying they occurred when an aircraft fired at two militants carrying bags filled with munitions that detonated and destroyed the home in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun.

Local residents said no militants were killed in the explosion.

So much for that. That's the first of four paragraphs supporting the Palestinian point of view:

"They have wiped out my family," said the children's father, Ahmed Abu Meateq, blaming Israeli forces and weeping as the bodies were prepared for burial.

The carnage cast another shadow over Egyptian efforts to forge a ceasefire between Israel and militant groups and end violence threatening U.S.-brokered Palestinian statehood talks.

"This aggression does not serve efforts being exerted to achieve calm, and it obstructs the peace process," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, referring to Israel's military activities, said in a statement carried by WAFA news agency.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, without giving details of the raid in Beit Hanoun, said Hamas Islamists controlling the Gaza Strip bore overall responsibility for casualties among non-combatants because gunmen "operated among civilians."

Not scare-quotes exactly, but a similar effect. Even the supposed presentation of the Israeli side contributes to the overall pro-Palestinian thrust of the proceedings.

Medical officials and residents of Beit Hanoun, an area where militants frequently fire rockets at Israel, said an Israeli projectile smashed through the ceiling of a one-storey house where a family was having breakfast.

They said four children -- siblings whose ages ranged from 1-1/2 to 5 years old -- and their mother were killed in the house during what the Israeli military described as an operation against rocket launching crews and snipers.

"They were eating and they were hit," a neighbor said at the site, where chickens pecked at a bloodstained floor and cooked potatoes grew cold in a pot. [...]

After all those gestures meant to suggest journalistic balance, let's just lurch into sob-mode. Pass the kleenex. See EOZ for more on this event.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Sunday, April 27, 2008

'Youth and students" do the Songun shuffle

First you put your two knees way up tight
You show deep reverence for Kim Il Sung to the left
And deep reverence for Kim Jong Il to the right . . .

Dancing parties of youth and students were held in different parts of the country on April 25 in celebration of the 76th birthday of the heroic Korean People's Army.

Youth and students danced to the tune of such songs as "Long Live Generalissimo Kim Il Sung" and "May Korea Sing of This Pride" in the plazas of the Tower of the Juche Idea, the Monument to Party Foundation, the April 25 House of Culture and other places in Pyongyang, turning the venues into veritable seas of dancers.

One could read on the faces of the dancers the profound reverence for President Kim Il Sung who founded and developed the Juche-based revolutionary armed forces with his outstanding Songun revolutionary idea and leadership.

They also danced with deep reverence for General Secretary Kim Jong Il who has trained the People's Army into an invincible army and defended the country, the revolution and socialism with his unique Songun politics.

Similar dancing parties took place in various provinces, cities and county seats on the same day.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Did you end up at Target or Walmart armed with Blumenkrantz's Pesach guide?

"Buy some hair conditioner we can use on Pesach," my wife and daughters instructed me. I got to the conditioner aisle, only to be faced with an endless array of things with names like "Frizz-banishing High-Gloss Extrusion Asparagizer Gel for Incompletely-Deconstructed Hair-like Substance," "Kiwi-jolt Thickenizing Color-Developer Glaze Evolution Mousse and Moisturizing Tress-Matrix," and "N-Hexane Phase-V Nifsal Le'Achilas Kelev Sheitl-like Curl Inducer for Pogum Hair." Hmmm, maybe that last one.

Some of the littler ones had come along with permission to spend up to 10 bucks apiece on toys to keep them occupied during the final throes of Pesach-cleaning. One toy was the latest improvement on sidewalk chalk: sidewalk spray paint! That's a toy with a sub-text: Junior Gang-Graffiti Kit. It comes with glasses to induce a 3-D effect in the resultant sprayings.

We got to the cash-register, only to notice that the package for the three wooden spoons was open! The teenager running the cash-register was probably thinking "What's the big deal--the bag tore a little." My son ran back to get a new bag before the check-out guy was finished ringing us up. He made it back in time! My children looked very relieved.

That's what you call clinging to Religion. We Jews have been doing that ever since the brick factory closed down in Egypt.

I was thinking: Can you put out little half-ounce bottles of whiskey for bedikas chometz and drink them as you find them? Probably not. Remember: time is running out to drink all your chometz.

I usually don't post on Chol Hamo'eid.
See you when it's all over.

Kosher and freilechen Pesach!

MPAC-UK asks: "Why Are So Many Practicing Muslims Violent Thugs?"

The answer proposed by this article is that so many of their leaders are. Read on:

[...] How and why do so many religious Muslims act in this barbaric – way akin to the days of jahiliya before our Prophet PBUH swept this way filthy conduct that animals would shy away from?

The answer revealed itself to me when debating this weekend with a Mosque committee member from a mosque on Eastern Avenue in Ilford Essex. Upset about the documentary, he approached me to complain. I listened attentively and countered where I felt he was wrong.

He complained we were un-Islamic and used Allah and Islam to push his argument forward. All of which I countered.

Unable to find a logical and solid argument against me, the committee member said to me ‘if you tried to come to my mosque I would break your neck’ and stormed off.

He may not have known but one MPACUK member standing next to me as a cage fighter and would probably have broken his neck if it had gotten to it. Still it is not the way of Allah to have raised a hand at an innocent, and MPACUK has never done this.

I realised then, that when the Ummah has such leaders who were nothing more then street thugs or former gang members, or drug dealers, leading us, in our highest institutions is it any wonder that the rank and file Muslim thinks that acting like a street pimp or a football hooligan was acceptable as long as you had a beard and quoted Islam in a thobe. [...]

OK, thuggish leaders explain thuggish followers, but isn't that sort of a chicken-egg thing? Will we see further exploration of this train of thought at MPAC?

IRIB: "Iran denounces Google's plot forging name for Persian Gulf"

Use of the name "Arabian Gulf" provokes more over-the-top rhetoric from Iran than Fitna, the Prophet Cartoons, and Salman Rushdie put together. It's a "desperate attempt," a "failed and seditions conspiracy," and an "irrational and opportunist plot." Kinda makes you have more respect for Google--just joking Iranians!

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said Tuesday that Google's plot forging a name for the Persian Gulf is a desperate attempt to falsify historical facts.

Hosseini told reporters that forging a name for the Persian Gulf will definitely tarnish the reputation of the website in the eyes of Iranians and other nations worldwide.

The attempt to forge historical facts and legal documents of the international community, the United Nations, indicated the opportunist and ambitious attitude of directors of the website, he said, expressing regret over the failed and seditious conspiracy.

He noted that the Foreign Ministry has succeeded to foil such falsifying attempts through authentic historical documents and defended the identity of the Iranian heritage, the Persian Gulf, in international organizations.

Iranian nation has made all-out efforts to send online petitions to safeguard their territory, he said, adding that the nation showed national solidarity in this respect.

Hosseini further thanked all respected Iranians and expatriates abroad who resisted the irrational and opportunist plot of Google.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Al Qassam Brigades Information Office: "Rules of the game in Gaza have changed"

This is probably half-bluster and half-justified. Israel should do something about the justified part:

Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic resistance movement Hamas, warned the Zionist occupation forces that "rules of the game" in Gaza Strip have changed, and that any OF invasion of the Strip won't be a "picnic".

Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades warning came after OF officer of the elite forces was killed and two other soldiers were wounded during OF incursion into Khanyounis city, southeast of the Strip. One QB fighter was martyred in the armed clashes.

According to local sources, earlier OF attempt to advance into Jabalia city, north of Gaza city, was botched by Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades fighters who also forced the invading troops to retreat.

"The killing of the OF officer was a clear message to the occupation that any OF incursion into the Strip will cost it a high price as rules of the game have changed in Gaza Strip", asserted Abu Obaida, the spokesman of the Brigades.

"If the [Zionist] occupation wished to try invading the Gaza Strip once again, then they will lose a lot as they have seen what had happened to them in a limited incursion; yet, if the OF troops opted to continue their intrusions into the tiny Strip, then their losses will be more as the invasion of Gaza won't be a picnic for the Zionist occupation soldiers", the Brigades spokesman furthermore underlined.

Moreover, Abu Obadia disclosed that the Palestinian resistance capabilities were in continuous development, and Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades fighters along with other Palestinian fighters became also more organized and prepared.

That's true, no doubt.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Ex-first lady Rosalyn Carter to assume bodyguard duties for snubbed husband

Israeli leaders shunned former U.S. President Jimmy Carter during a visit because of his plans to meet Hamas and Israel's secret service declined to assist U.S. agents guarding him, U.S. sources said on Monday.

"They're not getting support from local security," one of the sources said, on condition of anonymity.

The anonymous source went on to explain that a little-known tradition of first-lady firearm expertise allowed ex-first lady Rosalyn Carter to capably take on security responsibilities.

Asked to confirm her gun-toting role and the tradition of first-lady sharp-shooting, Mrs. Carter replied, "Yes, it's true. Hillary thinks she's Annie Oakley, but you should have seen Lady Bird. Anyone who started up with her would have been pumped full of lead in a Texas minute."

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Source: Reuters, additional reporting by Yitz

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Clinton reveals she once accidentally shot a fellow hunter

Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, criticizing Barack Obama's remarks about bitter rural dwellers who "cling to guns," revealed that she once accidentally shot and wounded a campaign contributor during a weekend quail hunt on a friend's Arkansas ranch.

The 78-year-old wounded man ended up in intensive care at a Little Rock hospital after being hit by several pellets of birdshot.

After reiterating his regret for his choice of words, Obama turned the tables on Clinton — mocking, among other things, her sudden fealty to the rights of gun owners.

"She is running around talking about how this is an insult to sportsman, how she values the second amendment. She's talking like she killed a guy. We all know he lived."

Obama continued, saying "Hillary Clinton is out there like she's on the duck blind every Sunday and she has Gumbo Mudders on her 4-wheel drive and a winch on the front bumper and she chews Red Man Chewing Tobacco. Come on, she knows better. That's some politics being played by Hillary Clinton."

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Sources: AP, CNN, blend at medium speed for two minutes

At long last, a seder that celebrates freedom from non-local food sources

Every politically correct seder needs a new definition of freedom. Here is one in which slavery is not having a health food store to overcharge you for your produce and claim that it's locally grown:

Passover is also called the "Holiday of Spring," a time when green symbolizes new life. The color also represents all things eco-friendly, which serves as the inspiration for this year's Workmen's Circle community seder.

Each year the Pico-Robertson community center, which embodies progressive Jewish values, features a "third" seder with a theme, such as immigration or labor. This year's event, "The Sustainable Seder," will be held on April 27 and will be catered by Meg Dickler-Taylor, owner of Large Marge Sustainables, whose motto is "Fresh. Local. Organic. Don't Panic."

"Passover is a celebration of a lot of things, primarily the freedom of the Jews [from] enslavement of Egypt. Every year, if we are to create a dynamic civilization, we have to reapply that concept of freedom to what we're experiencing in our environment right now," she said.

Dickler-Taylor said she feels enslaved to relying on sources far from home for her food.

"If we can find a way to eat locally, in the coming years, we will feel more secure," she said.

Dickler-Taylor spoke at the Workmen's Circle on April 3 about how to create a sustainable, organic seder. [...]

The rest of the article tells you what to do: "Shop With Recyclable Bags," "Use Durable Table Settings," invite a western grey whale to the table, eat bitter organic seaweed to protest the right-wing smear-machine's exploitation of Obama's "bitter" remarks . . .

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Al-Hayat J: "Gaza is threatened with submergence in the dark compost in a few days"

This is auto-translated, with the usual lapses in readability, but the meaning is fairy clear:

Gaza - New Life - Douhan Hasan - and agencies - warned general manager power station in the Gaza Strip yesterday from the station stopped working entirely because of the fuel crisis facing the sector, a result of the closure Israel Nahal Oz crossing, which fuels with him.

He said Rafiq Maliha, director general power station "that the station would depend entirely on the work over several days will lead to complete paralysis in all sectors, unless Israel provide us with fuel."

He added, "the station stopped entirely depends on the amount of consumption by the citizens." The company began distributing electricity yesterday cut the electricity supply within the distribution areas of Gaza.

For his part, the spokesman Jamal Darsawi Electricity Distribution Company "If you do not enter the fuel there will be a real catastrophe because the power station would depend on what action deprive than 55 MB."

He continued: "This will ultimately drive to cut electricity periodically on citizens by no less than ten hours a day on each region."

As the independent MP Jamal al-Chairman of the People's face of the siege "to stop the power station means stop everything and comprehensive destruction in the Gaza Strip and stop health services, environmental, power outages and disruption of the cell phone and fixed communications."

"The stations and sewage treatment standstill and the material is pumped sewage into the sea directly."

According to Reuters, quoting various officials, the Palestinians are refusing to "distribute fuel in the holding tanks," so Israel can't supply any new fuel anyway. Where would it go? They need empty tanks to pump into:

Mahmoud al-Khuzundar, head of the Gaza Fuel Suppliers' Association, denied any Hamas role in the strike and said the association will not distribute fuel in the holding tanks until Israel increases the amount it supplies . . .

Israeli and Western officials said even if Israel agreed to restart the flow of gasoline and diesel to Gaza, it will not be able to do so until fuel tanks on the Palestinian side have been emptied out.

The Dark Compost reigns in Gaza, beware the Dark Compost . . .

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Ramattan: "Medics: 3 Palestinians killed, 4 Injured in Vague Blast"

The supremely watchful EOZ has already posted about this work-accident, but that phrase "vague blast"--it's priceless!

Three Palestinians were killed and four others injured in a vague blast on Sunday in the Jabaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza strip, Palestinian medics said.

The Spokesman for the Israeli army claimed no responsibility for the Jabaliya blast.

Eyewitnesses said that they heard three consequent explosions in the home of Hasan al-Mtaweq, a leader of Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades.

Speaking of things insane, Carnival of the Insanities is up. So is Haveil Havalim 162. The theme of this edition is Pesach. Here's hoping you don't have any chometzdik work accidents in the course of your preparations.

Shalom Zachar tax in California?

The proposer of the bill is a Democrat, of course. The rationale: "The people who use alcohol should pay for part of the cost to society, just like we've accepted that concept with tobacco . . . " In a sane world, anyone who uttered a sentence like that would be out of public life forever. Just about everybody "uses alcohol" in this society, and the health and other problems generated by people who don't use it responsibly are already paid for to a large extent by the general public. And almost everything alcoholic that someone might buy instead of beer has a higher alcohol content. From Mercury News:

Joe Six-pack will have to pay a lot more to get his buzz on if Assemblyman Jim Beall has his way.

The San Jose Democrat on Thursday proposed raising the beer tax by $1.80 per six-pack, or 30 cents per can or bottle. The current tax is 2 cents per can. That's an increase of about 1,500 percent.

Beall said the tax would generate $2 billion a year to fund health care services, crime prevention and programs to prevent underage drinking and addiction.

"The people who use alcohol should pay for part of the cost to society, just like we've accepted that concept with tobacco," Beall said.

He added that the beer tax hasn't been touched since 1991, and the increase then was meager.

But the freshman lawmaker will have to lift the legislative equivalent of a full keg of beer over his head to get his tax enacted. That's because it would require a two-thirds vote in the Assembly and Senate - and then, because it's a constitutional amendment, it would have to be approved by voters. Republicans say it's a non-starter.

"I predict the shelf life will be very short," said Assemblyman Roger Niello, R-Sacramento, vice chairman of the budget committee. "It's a piecemeal approach to the budget that completely avoids any discussion of spending discipline, which is fundamentally why we have the problem that we have." [...]

Time is running short. I'm glad I got to do one last post about chometz before Pesach. (Hat Tip: Drudge)

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Friday, April 11, 2008

Ahmadinejad: "Israel has no way for survival"

Oh Mahmoud, I bet you say that to all the Muslim heads of state! From IRIB:

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that the allies hope for survival of the Zionist regime is waning.

Ahmadinejad made the remark in a meeting with his Senegalese counterpart Abdoulaye Wade in Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi province, adding that the countdown for fall of Tel Aviv regime has started, and that their strives are in full desperation.

The fake Zionist regime carries out the most ugliest crimes against humanity by massacring civilians in the occupied Palestine, he said, adding that the best way out for the current crisis is to hold referendum in the occupied land.

"The issue of Palestine is considered a benchmark for assessing sincerity of nations and governments in abiding by democracy, human rights and freedom," he noted.

Urging the Organization of the Islamic Conference and all Muslim nations to support the oppressed nation of Palestine, he said that the organization can play decisive role in different problems of the Islamic world.

Ahmadinejad further outlined Iran-Senegal relations as positive, constructive and growing, adding that the Islamic Republic of Iran spares no efforts to put its experience at disposal of all friendly and brotherly countries including Senegal.

Wade, for his part, thanked Iran's all-out supports for Muslim nations, saying that after undertaking the OIC presidency, he preferred to seek advice from Iran as the first Islamic country. [...]

The bellicose rhetoric impressed him!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Islamic Jihad: "If their fuel means humiliation for us, we don’t want it."

I believe the way to word that is "Please close my fuel account." The insanity keeps snow-balling. If I started launching attacks on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, it would probably reconsider its commitment to supply me with energy. Why isn't that good enough for the Palestinians? From Arab News:

Israel yesterday cut off fuel supplies to Gaza following an attack by Palestinians fighters on its fuel depot in Nahal Oz crossing on Wednesday that killed two Israelis.

Though some Israelis demanded that Israel halt all supplies to Gaza, Israeli defense officials indicated that the fuel cutoff would not last past the weekend.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zawahri said yesterday that the attack on the fuel depot was one of the many choices Hamas had. "This was the first option, and the beginning of the eruption against the blockade," he said.

Yesterday afternoon, hundreds of demonstrators began flocking to main intersections of Gaza City to protest Israel’s blockade and economic sanctions.

Abu Ahmed of Islamic Jihad said the attack deliberately targeted the fuel depot on which Gazans depend. "This fuel (from Israel) is dipped in humiliation," he said, because people wait for it for hours. "If their fuel means humiliation for us, we don’t want it." [...]

The words of someone utterly certain that Israel won't have the guts to withhold the fuel.

"Thaw has begun in Mt. Paektu, the holy mountain of revolution"

It's spring in the People's Democratic Republic of Korea--or is that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea? Anyway, it's spring there.

Thaw has begun in Mt. Paektu, the holy mountain of revolution associated with the immortal feats of the peerlessly great persons and the soul of the revolutionary forerunners, presenting a spectacular view.

They're serious about that mountain. Put the word "Paektu" in the "Search Blog" window of this blog if you doubt it.

According to data available at the Paektusan Meteorological Observatory, the snow more than 80 centimeters thick began to melt on April 4, reducing it to 46 centimeters on the ninth.

Fascinating is the scene of Rhododendron spreading its green leaves in Mt. Paektu where spring has come half a month earlier than last year.

When the sun rises, snow rolls down in an avalanche from the Janggun, Hyangdo, Haebal and other peaks and myriad-shaped cliffs, adding to the scenic wonders of the mountain.

The surroundings of the hot spring of Lake Chon are veiled in water mist and spring water is melting the coat of ice covering the shore of the lake.

Global warming? Even on the holy mountain of revolution?

It's hard to believe that there is any room under there for new tunnels

From Ramattan:

Hamas Interior minister, Saed Siam said Thursday that Israel digs tunnel under Gaza strip to abduct Hamas' leaders.

Siam claims that Israeli intelligence purchased houses in Gaza through its spies in the strip that plan to use them to kidnap Hamas' officials to Israel.

"Israel has dug tunnels under the Gaza Strip in order to kidnap senior Hamas leaders," Hamas Interior Minister Said Siam told the London-based Arabic newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat.

According to the Hamas official, the security forces in Gaza recently arrested two Palestinians, a father and son, who are suspected of collaborating with the Israeli intelligence.

The two were arrested after they bought an apartment in Gaza City located near the house of Hamas military wing commander Raed al-Atar's sister.

IRIB: "Great economic evolution plan devised"

Sounds like they are going to give even greater play to the might of Songun in the spirit of Mt. Paektu--no, wait, that's North Korea:

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at one of courtyards of Imam Reza's Holy Shrine that plan for country's economic evolution is devised and ready to be implemented.

President Ahmadinejad further stressed, "We need to prepare ourselves for a great economic surgery, fundamental reforms, and a great construction movement."

The President further reiterated that the Iranian nation is today a model, the witness to many internal and international great events, and the pioneer of justice seeking in the world, adding, "We need to eliminate our country's shortcomings rapidly hand in hand of one another, and to construct our dear Iran as best we could."

That should all be accomplished by about Tuesday.

He said, "We need to solve our country's economic, cultural, and development problems and then to heed the international responsibilities of our revolution."

Ahmadinejad added, "Our enemies are strongly annoyed due to rapid advancement of the Iranian nation, which is why resorting to various means and different plots they try to create obstacles in the way of our nation's further progress and development."

He considered resorting to nuclear issue, regional engagements in such countries as Iraq, Afghanistan and the like, as well as the issuance of numerous resolutions against the Iranian nation as pretexts aimed at blocking the path of our nation's advancement."

Yeah, the war in Afghanistan was just a pretext aimed at blocking Iran's development. Another item at IRIB announces "Era of IRI's enemies over- President." "Enemies are afraid of the grandeur and dignity of the Iranian nation," says A although "concern of the Western powers over development of a bomb by Iran is nothing." He concludes:

"What they are afraid of is a country which has raised against them in a world under their domination."

The president warned big powers against moving against the will of the Iranian nation, stressing, "If they continued their opposition to the will of the Iranian nation, they would receive a crushing response from the brave Iranian people."

Typical rhetoric about Iran's nuke program: deny and threaten. Meanwhile, the NY Times reports: "Hamas in Largest Arms Buildup Yet, Israeli Study Says." That is also largely Iran's doing. The clock is ticking. Even the trashing of Iran's civilian economy by that "evolution plan" won't slow it down.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Ma'an News: "According to proposed law, Israeli war criminals could by tried in Palestinian court"

New horizons in justice. The barristers will wear ski-masks, and the judge will bring the court to order by firing his gun into the air.

The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) plans to approve a new law on Monday enabling the Palestinians to try Israeli war criminals, PLC officials said.

The PLC's legal committee has started drafting the bill to submit before the PLC for ratification.

Several lawmakers, attorneys and international law experts, and humanitarian activists took part in a session during which the new rule was been discussed.

The PLC is the "legislature" of the PA.