Nelson Mandela’s band of roving diplomats, world leaders and entrepreneurs take on Darfur

TimesOnline.co.uk brings us this story today and it goes in part like this. ...Militias attacked an African Union base in the town of Haskanita on Saturday killing 10 peacekeepers, the heaviest casualties suffered by the AU mission. Fifty peacekeepers were still missing... Hours later a government Antonov plane resumed bombing, attacking a rebel town in northern Darfur, despite promises of a ceasefire...
Read this story in full HERE

Journalist Seymour Hersh says war with Iran will be about protecting the troops in Iraq

I love the way they MSM tries to spin the truth on Iraq and in this case, Iran.

You be the judge...
AubreyJ.........

Article posted in TheRawStory.com website starts off like this... The only thing different about the Bush Administration's rhetoric about Iran and statements made Iraq before the US invasion in 2003 are the words chosen, says journalist Seymour Hersh... "They've changed their rhetoric, really. The name of the game used to be nuclear threat," Hersh said on CNN's Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, adding a moment later, "They've come to the realization that it's not selling, it isn't working. The American people aren't worried about Iran as a nuclear threat certainly as they were about Iraq. So they've switched, really."
Read the rest at RawStory.com
Has 11 minute video of interview

John Bolton and Norman Podhoretz say Bomb Iranian Nukes

Former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton told Conservative Party delegates in Britain Sunday that efforts by the UN to negotiate with Iran had failed and that he saw no alternative to a pre-emptive strike on suspected nuclear facilities in the country. Influential conservative thinker Norman Podhoretz told a British paper that he has advised President George W. Bush to do just that...
Read this story in full at IsraelNationalNews.com

Iraq Secures Pledge From Iran To Cut Militia Aid In Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has secured a pledge from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to help sever weapons, money and other support to militiamen in Iraq, US and Iraqi officials said... The US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, said there were signs of a drop in the types of attacks associated with Shiite militants since the pledge was made last month. He dangled the possibility that US and Iraqi officials might be able to do something in return, but it was too early to tell whether there had been a real reduction in Iran's support...
Read the rest of the story at TheAge.com.au

Don't hold your breath!

AubreyJ.........

US Military in Iraq says Iranian-made Missiles found in Iraq

The US military in Iraq said Sunday it had seized sophisticated Iranian-made surface-to-air missiles that were being used by insurgents in the war-torn country... Several Misagh-1s have been found in different locations, the military said, although it stopped short of saying the use of the weapons represented an escalation of Iranian activity in Iraq...
Read this story in full AFP.Google.com

Coalition Forces Seize Mortars, Rockets In Operation

Report from Saturday, September 29, 2007

Baghdad Soldiers arrested four individuals, rescued two kidnapped victims and seized multiple mortar systems and rockets September 27th in the Rashid District of the Iraqi capital.

“This successful mission is the result of outstanding cooperation across the brigade,” said Col. Ricky Gibbs, Commander of the 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division Combat Team, “Dragon Brigade.” “This is a good news story about taking a significant amount of weapons and munitions permanently out of the hands of extremists.”

Troops from the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment “Black Lions,” assigned to the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division conducted a coordinated air-and-ground operation to arrest extremists responsible for launching indirect fire attacks from Bayaa in Western Baghdad.

Apache helicopter crews from the 4th “Guns” Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division observed an indirect fire attack in Western Baghdad at about 6 p.m. and moved to the site of the launch where they observed individuals and a truck with a tarp covering objects in the back.

The crews observed an individual place additional objects in the bed of the truck before the truck departed the site of the launch.

The aircrew maintained positive identification of the truck as it drove to a second location, where items were unloaded from the truck and taken into a house.

The aircrew then observed the truck leave the second location and drive to a warehouse at a third location. While the truck was at the third location, the aircrew alerted nearby ground forces then guided Soldiers from Company D, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, to the truck’s location.

On arrival, Soldiers from Company D searched the truck, found weapons inside of it and took the suspects into custody.

The Company D Soldiers then drove to and searched the location where the truck stopped first and found a sizeable weapons cache, including 36 107mm Iranian-made rockets, four of which were wired and ready to fire.

Also found in the house were two 155mm and two 105mm artillery shells, one 82mm mortar system and one 120mm mortar system, 20 mortar rounds, numerous mortar charges and four sets of body armor complete with protective inserts.

All items were confiscated by Soldiers from the “Black Lions” battalion.
“Big Guns’ Apaches maintained continuous observation of the truck with the extremists as they attempted to depart their firing location unnoticed,” said Tampa, Fla., native Maj. Justin Hall, operations officer for 4-227th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion. “Our aviators played a pivotal role in assisting the ground forces with the arrest of the suspects and confiscation of the weapons cache.”

Since Operation Dragon Talon II began on Sep. 16, the Dragon Brigade has seized 24 weapons caches, detained more than 100 individuals, 17 of which are believed to be group leaders, organizers and financiers of the various extremist factions operating in the Rashid Security District.

(From press release #20070930-01 by Multi-National Corps - IraqPublic Affairs Office, Camp Victory)

President Bush’s Saturday Radio Address

President Bush’s Saturday Radio Address
Saturday, September 29, 2007

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning.

Today I am signing emergency legislation to fund the Federal government for the next seven weeks. This legislation was necessary because Congress failed in its most basic responsibility: to pass the spending bills that fund the day-to-day operations of the government. There are 12 of these bills this year, and Congress did not complete a single one of them, so Congress had to send me a stop-gap measure before the fiscal year ends this Sunday at midnight.

Congress's failure to pass these 12 spending bills is disappointing, but I do thank the Congress for passing this temporary measure, and for passing it without any new spending, new policies or new projects. It would have been wrong to deny essential government services to the American people while Congress works through its annual spending bills.

I also appreciate the way this bill handles our disagreements over the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Congressional leaders have put forward an irresponsible plan that would dramatically expand this program beyond its original intent. And they know I will veto it. But it is good that they kept the program running while they try to work out a more responsible approach.

Congress now has more time to complete its work on its annual spending bills. Earlier this year congressional leaders promised to show that they could be responsible with the people's money. Unfortunately they seem to have chosen the path of higher spending. They have proposed spending increases that would add an extra $205 billion on top of my Administration's budget request over the next five years. There's only one way to pay for such a large spending increase, and that is to raise taxes on the American people. So it is no surprise that the same Members of Congress who are planning this big increase in Federal spending are also planning the biggest tax increase in American history.

If these members get their way, the tax relief my Administration delivered could be taken away from you. Let me explain what this would mean for an average taxpayer. If you have children, your taxes would rise by $500 for each child. If you're a family of four making $60,000 a year, your taxes would be more than $1,800 higher. If you're a single mother with two children, working to make ends meet, your taxes would go up by more than a $1,000. If you're a small business owner working to meet a payroll, your taxes would increase by almost $4,000. And if Congress allows our tax relief to expire, more than 5 million low-income Americans who currently pay no income taxes would once again have to pay taxes.

These are not the only taxes Congress wants to raise. They're proposing higher taxes on dividends and capital gains. They're proposing higher taxes on cigars and cigarettes. They're proposing to raise taxes on domestic oil and natural gas production. They're proposing new taxes on stock and bond transactions. And they refuse to make the Internet tax moratorium permanent. If this tax ban expires, it would open the doors for State and local officials to impose new taxes on your access to the Internet.

At a time when many American families are dealing with rising mortgage rates, college costs, and health care expenses, it is wrong to take even more money out of your paychecks.
Washington's elected leaders can do better. By working together, we can keep taxes low, help keep the economy growing, balance the Federal budget, and build on our record of fiscal discipline and greater economic opportunity for all Americans.

Thank you for listening.

Listen to Audio HERE
From The White House, Office Of The Press Secretary

White House file photo by Eric Draper

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich Decides Against White House Run

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) decided Saturday morning not to run for president just as his staff was preparing to launch a website to seek $30 million in pledges, his spokesman told Politico... Rick Tyler, the spokesman, said Gingrich made the decision this morning and will continue as head of his nonprofit group, American Solutions for Winning the Future...
Read this story in full at Politico.com

.

FOXNews.com reports it this way...
Newt Gingrich Won't Run for President in 2008
Has video

File Photo by NEWT.org

Coalition Forces Kill Likely Successor To Abu Ayyub al-Masri

Friday, September 28, 2007
Coalition forces positively identified a foreign terrorist killed in an operation Tuesday in Musayyib as a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq member.

Abu Usama al-Tunisi was in the inner leadership circle of Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq and was a likely successor to him. Al-Tunisi was the military emir of Baghdad’s southern belt and took over the role of emir of foreign terrorists when al-Masri became the overall leader.

Al-Tunisi facilitated foreign terrorists and helped equip them for improvised explosive device attacks, car-bombing campaigns and suicide attacks throughout Baghdad. Foreign terrorists conduct most of the high profile attacks in Iraq. Over 80 percent of the suicide attacks are conducted by foreign terrorists.

During an operation Sept. 25, Coalition forces targeted al-Tunisi and other al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders. Credible intelligence from several previous operations led Coalition forces to the location of a known al-Qaeda in Iraq meeting and supporting aircraft attacked the time sensitive target. Al-Tunisi and two other terrorists were killed during the attack.

Reports indicate that al-Tunisi was involved in the planning and operation of numerous attacks on Coalition forces and is believed to have operated in Yusufiyah since the second battle of Fallujah in November 2004.

Al-Tunisi, like the other top leaders of al Qaeda in Iraq, was not Iraqi. He was Tunisian and had been in Iraq since at least 2004.

“This is one more al-Qaeda in Iraq criminal who will never kill another innocent civilian,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesman. “We will relentlessly pursue all terrorist leaders who threaten Iraqi citizens, their elected government, and Iraqi and Coalition forces.”

Wednesday Night Democratic Debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire - September 27, 2007

Jim Malone at VOANews.com has this write-up on last nights debate and it goes in part like this... The war in Iraq and U.S. relations with Iran dominated the latest debate among the eight Democrats seeking their party's presidential nomination next year... All the Democratic contenders want to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq. But they differ over how many troops and how quickly...
Read this story in full at VOANews.com

>>> John Gibson at Fox News has this take...
Top Three Democrats Busted Over Iraq War

Twelve Mostly Militant Palestinians Killed in Gaza by Israeli Forces

Israeli army forces continued their operations in the Gaza Strip on Thursday and killed two militants in pre-dawn raids, bringing the death toll to 12 in the last 24 hours, Palestinian sources said... A dozen Palestinians were killed late Wednesday and early Thursday after Israeli troops launched a missile at a vehicle in southern Gaza City, fired artillery shells at militant position in the northern part of Gaza and deployed ground forces in Beit Hanoun...
Read the rest at eFluxMedia.com

>>> MonsterAndCritics.com has this report... Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Thursday the recent Israeli military activity in the Gaza Strip, which left 12 people, mostly militants, dead...
Abbas condemns Israeli military activity in Gaza

>>> PressTV.ir...
Hamas slams Israeli attack on Gaza

NATO, UN To Be Targeted If Kosovo Secedes From Serbia, Serbian Paramilitary Group Warns

JPost.com brings us this story this morning and it starts off like this... Serbian paramilitary group, outlawed by the United Nations in Kosovo, has threatened to target UN and NATO peacekeepers in the province, declaring them "terrorists and occupiers," according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press on Friday...
Read the rest of the story HERE

>>> MonsterAndCritics.com reports it this way... Serbian President Boris Tadic called Thursday for a compromise solution to the sovereignty dispute over the Serb province of Kosovo, warning that a unilateral declaration of independence from Pristina would lead to great instability...
Serbian leader calls for compromise in Kosovo settlement

>>> B92.net has this report...
President Boris Tadić: Terrorists train in northern Macedonia

>>> IMEDINEWS.ge...
U.S. envoy: Independence best for Kosovo

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1163-07 September 27, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pfc. Mathew D. Taylor, 21, of Cameron Park, Calif., died September 26th in San Antonio of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle July 23rd in Sarobi District, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy.
For more information related to this release, media may contact the Southern European Task Force public affairs office at 011-39-0444-71-7011 or 011-39-0444-71-8020.

Airman Missing In Action From WWII is Identified

No. 1162-07 September 27, 2007
Airman Missing In Action From WWII is Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

He is:
1st Lt. James W. Blose, U.S. Army Air Forces, of Sharpsville, Pa.
He will be buried Septembet 29th in Hermitage, Pa.

Representatives from the Army met with Blose's next-of-kin in her hometown to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.

On April 22, 1942, Blose and another pilot, 2nd Lt. William S. Shaw, departed Nausori, Airdrome, Viti Levu Island, Fiji, on an airborne alert mission. Soon after takeoff, bad weather forced the pilots to fly below the level of several mountaintops in the area and land their P-39D Airacobras at Nandi Airdrome. Shaw successfully landed his plane, but Blose was not seen or heard from again. Initial ground searches in the thick jungles and rugged terrain were unsuccessful.

In late 2004, a Fiji citizen reported to a U.S. official in Fiji that he located possible aircraft wreckage on Viti Levu Island. The official visited the site and saw the wreckage bearing a data plate that correlated to Blose's plane. The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) investigated the crash site in early 2005 and collected additional data plate information.

In 2006, a JPAC team excavated the site and recovered human remains and other items including a pilot's microphone electrical plug with Blose's initials on it.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC also used dental comparisons in the identification of Blose's remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/ or call (703) 699-1169.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1161-07 September 27, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pfc. Christopher F. Pfeifer, 21, of Spalding, Neb., died September 25th in San Antonio, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire August 17th near Kamu, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Schweinfurt, Germany.
For more information related to this release, media may contact the Southern European Task Force public affairs office at 011-39-0444-71-7011 or 011-39-0444-71-8020.

Iraq: Video Of IED Going Off

Video posted on YouTube by gregde

I saw this video first at the BlackFive.net website
My take... Holy Crap!!!
AubreyJ.........

76-22 Senate Vote Approves Symbolic Rebuke Of Iran

The Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a measure sending another rebuke to Tehran, this one aimed at sending a message to the Islamic regime to end military tactics targeting U.S. forces in Iraq...
Read this story in full at FOXNews.com

>>> TheCarpetbaggerReport.com website sees it this way...
Senate passes Kyl-Lieberman measure on Iran
* Has Senate Roll Call

>>> OpEdNews.com website has this view on it...
Why is there such a rush to start a war with Iran?

Photo: Official Senate Portrait of Senator Lieberman

Gates Request $45 Billion Additional Funding To Cover Military Costs - Defense Stocks Hit New Highs

Gates Request $45 Billion Additional Funding To Cover Military Costs In Iraq And Afghanistan In 2008 - Defense Stocks Hit New Highs

CNNMoney.com brings us this report this afternoon and it starts off like this... Defense stocks on Wednesday hit new highs ahead of Defense Secretary Robert Gates' visit to Capitol Hill to request roughly $45 billion in additional funding to cover military costs in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008... The AMEX Defense Index, which tracks 14 major defense company stocks, rose 14.25 to a high of 1,686.72 in afternoon trading. Since last year, the index has risen roughly 47 percent, outperforming the broader S&P 500 index, which has climbed nearly 15 percent over the same period...
Read story in full HERE

>>> CNNPolitics.com has this report...
Gates to ask Congress for nearly $190 billion war funding

>>> USNEWS.com reports this...
Gates Seeks $50 Billion More for War

Iraq Briefing September 26, 2007

Iraq Briefing
Wednesday, September 26, 2007

About Video: Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman MG Kevin Bergner speaks with reporters in Baghdad, providing an Operational Update.
Video is just under 44 minutes long
Briefing Video and info courtesy of DoDvClips.mil

Several Killed, Around 100 Hurt In Myanmar Protest Crackdown

At least four people were killed and 100 injured Wednesday as Myanmar's security forces clamped down on anti-government protests led by Buddhist monks, according to officials and witnesses... About 200 people were also arrested, as many as half of them Buddhist monks, as soldiers and police cracked down on tens of thousands of protesters who swept across Myanmar's commercial hub Yango...
Read the rest at The Times Of India website

>>> FOXNews.com has a report on this and it goes in part like this... "The troops opened fire into the crowd, and they also used tear gas and some Buddhist monks have been beaten up," said Aye Chan Naing, editor of the Democratic Voice of Burma radio station, citing reports from his reporters in Yangon, who were trying to confirm reports of three other monks killed...
Read this report in full HERE
* Photos HERE

>>> Sky News website has some great reporting on this story...
UN To Meet In Wake Of Burma Violence
* Sky News Video footage HERE
* Sky News Video News Report HERE

DoD Identifies Navy Casualty

No. 1157-07 September 26, 2007
DoD Identifies Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Petty Officer Second Class Charles Luke Milam, 26, of Littleton, Colo., died September 25th, while conducting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Milam was a hospital corpsman assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
For further information related to this release, contact Navy Public Affairs at (703) 697-5342.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1156-07 September 26, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Zachary B. Tomczak, 24, of Huron, S.D., died September 25th, in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at (910) 432-0661.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1155-07 September 26, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. Anthony K. Bento, 23, of San Diego, died September 24th, in Bayji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at (910) 432-0661.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1154-07 September 26, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Kevin R. Brown, 38, of Harrah, Okla., died September 25th in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993; after hours (254) 291-2591.

Afghanistan: US-Led Coalition Troops Backed By Warplanes Kill Over 165 Suspected Taliban

US-Led Coalition Troops

Backed By Warplanes

Kill Over 165 Suspected Taliban

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Two battles killed more than 165 Taliban fighters and one U.S.-led coalition soldier in southern Afghanistan as President Hamid Karzai prepared to discuss his country's escalating violence with U.S. President George W. Bush... An ongoing clash began early Tuesday when several dozen insurgents attacked a joint coalition-Afghan patrol with machine guns, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades near the Taliban-controlled town of Musa Qala in Helmand province, with Taliban reinforcements flowing in all day...
Read the rest at CanadianPress.google.com website

>>> AFP.Google.com website reports it this way...
170 rebels, foreign soldier killed in Afghan clashes

I’ll post some video if any pops up in the next day or so...
AubreyJ.........

Gone Fishing

Dang I'll be glad to get back fishing again...

AubreyJ.........

(Photo of me and longtime friend Jim on Lake Fork, Texas several years back - Jim's brother, David took the photo - Note: That Bass was a BLAST to catch!!!)

Silence is Golden

Silence is Golden

The leaders have stop talking. Next comes the assassination of a few key players... then the attacks begin.
Time’s up...

Israel and the US have gone silent...
and
Silence is Golden

AubreyJ.........
Tuesday, September 25, 2007

President Bush Addresses UN

President Bush Addresses The
United Nations General Assembly
Tuesday, September 25, 2007

President George W. Bush speaks before the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, September 25, 2007, in New York City. Said the President, "With the commitment and courage of this chamber, we can build a world where people are free to speak, assemble, and worship as they wish; a world where children in every nation grow up healthy, get a decent education, and look to the future with hope; a world where opportunity crosses every border... It is the promise that established this body. And with our determination, it can be the future of our world."
Click HERE for transcript, video, audio...
White House photo by Eric Draper

House of Representatives Votes 397-16 To Tighten Sanctions On Iran

The House of Representatives passed legislation Tuesday that tightens existing sanctions on Iran, specifically on companies that invest more than $20 million in the Islamic regime, including in its oil industry... The legislation directs President Bush to determine whether the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the country's elite paramilitary forces, should be designated a foreign terrorist organization, placed on the list of designated global terrorists or placed on the list of weapons of mass destruction proliferators and supporters...
Read this report at FOXNews.com

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1149-07 September 25, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew D. Blaskowski, 27, of Levering, Mich., died September 23rd in Asadabad, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy.
For more information related to this release, media may contact the Southern European Task Force public affairs office at 011-39-0444-71-7011 or 011-39-0444-71-8020.

Coalition Forces Capture Suspected Special Groups Member

Iran in Iraq...
Coalition Forces Capture
Suspected Special Groups Member

Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Coalition forces captured an Iraqi suspected of terrorist activity and detained six other criminals during operations early Tuesday in Baghdad.

Intelligence indicated that this criminal was a Special Groups member who specialized in the movement of weapons throughout Iraq for the terrorist network. The man was reported to have ties to several Special Groups senior leaders, as well as contacts with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Quds Force members.

Sensitive intelligence information led Coalition forces to an area were they detained six other suspected terrorists. A vehicle that tested positive for explosive material was safely destroyed on site.

“Special Groups members, working with support from Iran, are criminals who jeopardize the security and safety Iraqi citizens,” said Maj. Brad Leighton, a Multi-National Force – Iraq spokesman. “Their IEDs often kill civilians, their mortar rounds often hit residential areas, and they attack from residential areas, placing residents at risk when Iraqi and Coalition security forces defend themselves.”

(From press release #A070925a by MNF-I, Press Desk, Baghdad, Iraq)

"Can't Tase This" UF Student Tasered

"Can't Tase This" UF Student Tasered

Video Posted on YouTube by bradlee92

NOW THAT'S JUST FUNNY!!!

AubreyJ.........

Photo for the Day - September 24, 2007

Two F/A-18C Hornet Aircraft

DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jimmy C Pan

Iraq Briefing September 23, 2007

About Video: Mark Fox, Communications Division Chief for Multi-National Force-Iraq, and Dr. Tahseen Sheikhly, civilian spokesman for Operation Fardh al-Qanoon, speaking with reporters in Baghdad.
Info and video courtesy of DoD

U.S. Military Accuses Iran Of Smuggling Advanced Weapons Into Iraq

The U.S. military accused Iran on Sunday of smuggling surface-to-air missiles and other advanced weapons into Iraq... The new allegations came as Iraqi leaders condemned the latest U.S. detention of an Iranian in northern Iraq, saying the man was in their country on official business... Military spokesman Rear Admira; Mark Fox said U.S. troops continue to find Iranian-supplied weaponry including the Misagh 1, a portable surface-to-air missile that uses an infrared guidance system... Other advanced Iranian weaponry found in Iraq includes the RPG-29 rocket-propelled grenade, 240 mm rockets and armour-piercing roadside bombs known as explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, Fox said... A U.S. soldier was killed Saturday and another wounded when an EFP hit their patrol in eastern Baghdad, the military said...
Read the rest HERE

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1148-07 September 24, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. David L. Watson, 29, of Newport, Ark., died September 22nd in Baqubah, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related accident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Lewis public affairs office at (253) 967-0152, (253) 967-0147 or after hours at (253) 967-0015 (ask for the public affairs officer on call).

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1147-07 September 24, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Joshua H. Reeves, 26, of Watkinsville, Ga., died September 22nd in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Riley public affairs office at (785) 239-3410.

Iran Closes Major Border Crossings With Northeastern Iraq

Iran closed major border crossings with northeastern Iraq on Monday to protest the U.S. detention of an Iranian official the military accused of weapons smuggling, a Kurdish official said... At least four border gates were closed starting Sunday night and one remained open Monday, Sulaimaniyah Gov. Dana Ahmed Majeed told The Associated Press... The move threatens the economy of Iraq's northern region - one of the country's few success stories - and also appears aimed at driving a wedge between Iraq and the Americans at a time of friction over a deadly shooting in Baghdad involving the security firm Blackwater USA...
Read this story in full at Guardian.co.uk

>>> KhaleejTimes.com has this take on the story...
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Iraq-Iran border chaos over detainee dispute

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1145-07 September 23, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Command Sgt. Maj. Jonathan M. Lankford, 42, of Scottsboro, Ala., died September 22nd, in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 79th Ordnance Battalion, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Sam Houston public affairs office at (210) 221-1151.

Israeli Commandos Seized Nuclear Material in Syrian Raid

Israeli Commandos Seized

Nuclear Material in Syrian Raid

Israeli commandos seized nuclear material of North Korean origin during a daring raid on a secret military site in Syria before Israel bombed it this month, according to informed sources in Washington and Jerusalem... The attack was launched with American approval on September 6 after Washington was shown evidence the material was nuclear related, the well-placed sources say... They confirmed that samples taken from Syria for testing had been identified as North Korean. This raised fears that Syria might have joined North Korea and Iran in seeking to acquire nuclear weapons...
Read the story in full at TimesOnline.co.uk

>>> AmericanThinker.com has this take on the story...
Proof enough of North Korea's nuclear trade with Syria?

>>> HAARETZ.com...
Report: IDF seized nuclear material before Syria air strike

More to come out on this news today I’m sure...
AubreyJ.........

IAF File Photo of a F-161

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Face Stormy Rallies in NY

YNetNews.com has this story out early this morning and it starts off like this... US citizens, Jewish groups outraged by Iranian President's anticipated arrival in the city Sunday and Columbia University's decision to host him as speaker. Columbia Dean says, 'We would have invited Hitler, too'...
Read this story in full HERE

Al-Qaeda Claims 'Execution' of Five Iraqi Soldiers

An Al-Qaeda front claimed on Saturday to have "executed" five captured Iraqi soldiers, and posted a short video on the Internet allegedly showing their killing.
Read the story at AFP.Google.com
Has troubling video still photo showing their killing

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1144-07 September 22, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Capt. (Dr.) Roselle M. Hoffmaster, 32, of Cleveland, Ohio, died September 20th in Kirkuk, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. She was assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. The circumstances surrounding the death are under investigation.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 772-8286.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1143-07 September 22, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. John J. Young, 24, of Savannah, Ga., died September 21st in Camp Stryker, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y. The circumstances surrounding the death are under investigation.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 772-8286.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Warns West Over Perils of Attack

Iran on Saturday warned the West of the "serious consequences" of launching any attack against the Islamic republic after showing off a new longer-range missile in public for the first time... "Military aggression against Iran is no longer a case of 'you hit and you run away,'" said supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "Anyone who launches an aggression will seriously suffer the consequences of this aggression." His comments, broadcast on state television, were the first such intervention by Iran's undisputed number one since French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner warned the world last week to brace for war against Tehran...
Read the rest of the story at AFP.Google.com

"FREEDOM" Video

Video posted on YouTube by PriceProductions
************************
When you get right down to it... we all want pretty much the same thing. It’s how we get there is where we differ...
Freedom - It’s such a powerful thing.
AubreyJ.........

(Thanks go out to our friend Beth at Blue Star Chronicles for pointing this video out to us... By way of LGF)

Iran And Israel Face Off In Bitter Clash Over Nuclear Weapons

Iran called for UN inspectors to be dispatched to verify whether Israel has nuclear weapons, in a heated showdown with the Jewish state at a meeting of the UN atomic agency... The face-off between the two nations came as Arab states condemned Israel for hiding an atomic arsenal, at a general conference of the 144-nation International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna...
Read the story at NEWS.com.au

>>> Reuters.com has this take on the story...
Iran and Israel in bitter clash at U.N. watchdog debate

IAEA photo by D. Calma

Senator John McCain stops in Indy and blasts the Democrats

Setting a date to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq would amount to surrender, Sen. John McCain said tonight... The Arizona Republican and candidate for president, in Indianapolis for a private fundraiser, told reporters the proper role for Congress is to fund the war... "The Democrats have lost sight of the fact that presidents don't lose wars, and political parties don't lose wars," McCain said. "Nations lose wars, and when the majority leader of the Senate stands up and says the war is lost, you have to ask, 'Who won? Al-Qaida?' The American people don't want us to fail. And if you can show them a path to success, they'll support it.”......
Read this story in full at IndyStar.com

File Photo Courtesy of MCCAIN.Senate.gov

Low Pressure Area In The Gulf Of Mexico - Update One

Low Pressure Area

In The Gulf Of Mexico

Friday, September 21, 2007
As of 5:30pm CDT:
THE LOW PRESSURE AREA OVER THE NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO HAS BEEN MOVING NORTHWESTWARD DURING THE NIGHT AND IS NOW CENTERED ABOUT 100 MILES SOUTH OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA.

SATELLITE IMAGERY, RADAR DATA AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE THE SYSTEM IS GRADUALLY BECOMING BETTER ORGANIZED BUT DOES NOT YET HAVE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUBTROPICAL OR TROPICAL CYCLONE.

SQUALLS WITH GUSTY WINDS UP TO 30 TO 35 MPH HAVE BEEN REPORTED AT OFFSHORE NOAA AUTOMATED STATIONS.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THIS SYSTEM TO BECOME A SUBTROPICAL OR TROPICAL CYCLONE AT ANY TIME DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS IT MOVES GENERALLY TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST.

ALL INTERESTS ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM AND TROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS COULD BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THIS AREA LATER TODAY. AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT WILL BE INVESTIGATING THE SYSTEM IN A FEW HOURS.

* POST UPDATE: 10:00am CDT *
Subtropical Depression TEN
Forms in the GULF Of Mexico
* Read latest up to date info on this storm HERE

* 30 minute updates of GOES Floater Imagery HERE
* 30 minute updates of GULF-Infrared Satellite Loop HERE

* New Orleans/Baton Rouge, LA Radar Loop HERE
*******
POST UPDATE: 10:00pm CDT
* Tropical Depression TEN Moves Inland *
Short-lived Depression Weakens as it moves inland.
Read latest up to date info on this storm at link above
This will be my last update on this storm...

Info/Graph & Satellite Imagery by NWS TPC/National Hurricane Center, Miami FL/SSD

Lebanon: Presidential Elections

Statement by Secretary Condoleezza Rice

Joint Statement With Republic of France Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner

Washington, DC

Friday, September 21, 2007

The United States and France condemn in the strongest possible terms the brutal murder of Antoine Ghanem. The two countries reaffirm that it is crucial that the Presidential elections in Lebanon be held according to the Lebanese Constitutional schedules and norms.

The fact that the international community, through a unanimous Security Council Resolution 1757, instituted the international tribunal following the murder of Prime Minister Hariri, demonstrated its determination not to let such crimes go unpunished.

What is at stake today is the will of the murderers to disrupt the constitutional life of Lebanon, to deprive the Lebanese people and communities of their political rights in the framework of a united, sovereign, and democratic Lebanon. The U.S. and France, with their partners in the United Nations Security Council, are vigilant in protecting this process and the intra-Lebanese political dialogue. France, as President of the Security Council, is keenly attentive to this. Such a result will mark not only the defeat of the murderers but also the victory of all Lebanese people and communities.

2007/788 - Released Date September 21, 2007 by DoS

Photo: Official Portrait of Secretary Condoleezza Rice

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1142-07 September 21, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Luigi Marciante Jr., 25, of Elizabeth, N.J., died September 20th in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Lewis, Wash.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Lewis public affairs office at (253) 967-0152, (253) 967-0147 or after hours at (253) 967-0015 (ask for the Public Affairs Officer on call).

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1141-07 September 21, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. Graham M. McMahon, 22, of Corvallis, Ore., died September 19th in Balad, Iraq, from a non-combat related illness. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Lewis, Wash.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Lewis public affairs office at (253) 967-0152, (253) 967-0147 or after hours at (253) 967-0015 (ask for the Public Affairs Officer on call).

DoD Joins The Civil Air Navigation Services Organization

DoD Joins The Civil Air
Navigation Services Organization

Friday, September 21, 2007
The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration and Chief Information Officer John Grimes announced today that the Department of Defense, represented by the DoD Policy Board on Federal Aviation (PBFA), has joined the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO) as an associate member.

"This membership in CANSO better enables the Defense Department to address the network-centric environment which links air traffic management and air security systems," said Grimes. "Moving toward network-enabled operations is vital to the transformation of the air navigation system and will enhance efficiency, safety and operational flexibility."

The move is one aspect of DoD's strategy to participate in the worldwide effort to create a new era of global collaboration in air navigation services. As a CANSO associate member, the PBFA will advocate the defense department's position in support of the U.S. National Airspace System as a partner with the Federal Aviation Administration. The PBFA provides strategic vision and policy for DoD's participation and partnering in U.S. and global air transportation systems as well as serving as the primary point of contact between the Defense Department and the Department of Transportation on domestic and international civil aviation issues.

CANSO is the 'voice' of the world's air traffic management community. Its air navigation service providers manage over 80% of the world's air traffic. The CANSO seeks to ensure the world's air transport system can meet the demands of growing traffic in an increasingly safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable manner.

Membership in CANSO is significant because of the Defense Department's unique role in aviation. Alongside the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the DoD is an air navigation service provider within the National Airspace System, as well as one of the largest operators of aircraft in the world. The DoD and FAA provide the same capability in terms of safety and security of civil and military air traffic, providing air traffic control services in the U.S. and globally in accordance with current FAA and military guidelines.

The Defense Department has over 150 facilities (tower, radar, or combination) including overseas locations such as Afghanistan, Germany, United Kingdom, Guam, Honduras, Italy, Iraq, Japan, and Qatar. In addition, DoD employs over 9,000 uniformed, civilian and contract controllers. With transparency to the U.S. National Airspace System, DoD is responsible for over 13 million traffic movements of which 23-25% are commercial and general aviation.

From press release #1140-07 by DoD - Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)

US Security Firm Blackwater Back On Limited Iraq Duty

The CBS News website brings us this story this morning and it starts off like this... The U.S. Embassy resumed limited convoy movements with Blackwater USA protection in Baghdad, four days after all land travel by U.S. diplomats and other civilian officials was suspended in response to Iraqi outrage over the alleged killing of civilians by the American security firm... U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo said the decision was made after consultations with the Iraqi governments and the convoys will be allowed to leave the heavily fortified Green Zone on a select basis...
Read this story in full at link below...
Blackwater USA Back On Limited Iraq Duty

>>> BBCNews.co.uk has this take on the story...
Blackwater working again in Iraq

Low Pressure Area In The Gulf Of Mexico

Low Pressure Area

In The Gulf Of Mexico

Thursday, September 20, 2007
As of 10:30pm CDT:
THE LOW PRESSURE AREA IN THE GULF OF MEXICO HAS BEEN MEANDERING DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS AND IS NOW LOCATED ABOUT 115 MILES WEST OF TAMPA FLORIDA. THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ORGANIZATION THIS EVENING BUT BANDS OF HEAVY SQUALLS ARE FORMING TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER AND ARE ALREADY AFFECTING COASTAL SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THIS SYSTEM TO BECOME A SUBTROPICAL OR TROPICAL CYCLONE AT ANY TIME DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS THE LOW MOVES SLOWLY TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST. ALL INTERESTS ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM...AND TROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS COULD BE PROMPTLY REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THIS AREA ON FRIDAY.

* 30 minute updates of GOES Floater Imagery HERE
* 30 minute updates of GULF-Infrared Satellite Loop HERE

Info & Satellite Imagery by NWS TPC/National Hurricane Center, Miami FL/SSD

Senator Hillary Clinton Sides With MoveOn.org in Senate Vote

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.) would not criticize MoveOn.org on the campaign trail for an offensive advertisement the group produced to attack Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, but she sided with the anti-war lobby in a vote on Thursday... Motivated by the full-page advertisement MoveOn.org published in the New York Times that accused Petraeus of betrayal, the Senate passed a resolution condemning “attacks of honor and integrity” on the general and other members of the Armed Forces...
Read the story in full at TownHall.com

Iraq: Coalition Forces Arrest Iranian Quds Force Officer

Iraq: Coalition Forces Arrest
Iranian Quds Force Officer
Thursday, September 20, 2007

Coalition forces arrested an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps – Quds Force officer in Sulimaniyah today.

Contrary to recent diplomatic initiatives, this individual has been involved in transporting improvised explosive devices and explosively formed penetrators into Iraq. Intelligence reports also indicate he was involved in the infiltration and training of foreign terrorists in Iraq.

The Quds Force is a covert action arm of the Iranian government responsible for aiding lethal attacks against the Iraqi government and Coalition forces.

(From press release #A070920b by MNF-I, Press Desk, Baghdad, Iraq)

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1138-07 September 20, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Edmund J. Jeffers, 23, of Daleville, Ala., died September 19th in Taqqadum, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related accident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. The circumstances surrounding the death are under investigation.
For more information related to this release, media may contact the Fort Carson public affairs office at (719) 526-4143; after hours (719) 526-5500.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 1137-07 September 20, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Christian M. Neff, 19, of Lima, Ohio, died September 19th in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Stewart public affairs office at (912) 767-2479.

Richard Miniter: CIA Shut Down In Iraq

Richard Miniter: CIA Shut Down In Iraq
Thursday, September 20, 2007

PajamasMedia’s Washington editor Richard Miniter has a good read out early this morning and it goes in part like this...

At least eight Iraqis are reported dead after the Sunday shoot out and some press reports refer to the local casualties as “civilians.”

.

“Initial press accounts were inaccurate,” said Blackwater USA spokeswoman Anne Tyrell. “The ‘civilians’ reportedly fired upon by Blackwater professionals were in fact armed enemies and Blackwater personnel returned defensive fire. Blackwater regrets any loss of life but this convoy was violently attacked by armed insurgents, not civilians, and our people did their job to defend human life.”“

.

Blackwater professionals heroically defended American lives in a war zone on Sunday and Blackwater will cooperate with any inquiry into this matter.”

.

It’s well known in Iraq that dead insurgents become “civilians” as soon as their comrades carry away their AK-47s and spare magazines. Captured al Qaeda manuals detail how militants should use deaths as a propaganda tool.

Read in full HERE