In Other News..

While everyone is focused on Tripoli or Madison there is news of our captured CIA contractor Raymond Davis detained in Pakistan:

The government of Pakistan offered to trade a CIA contractor currently jailed in that country for a Pakistani neuroscientist suspected by U.S. intelligence to be an al Qaeda operative.

According to a senior American administration official and a Pakistani official involved in the negotiations to free CIA contractor Raymond Davis, the Pakistani government proposed trading Davis for Aafia Siddiqui, an MIT-educated Pakistani neuroscientist currently serving 86 years in federal prison for attempted murder.

Gee, what a great ally in the war on terror. Usually only rogue states stoop to holding Americans for the purposes of trading them for convicted terrorists, especially someone like Siddiqui. The woman didn't just shoot at some military and FBI guys, she's a Brandeis trained biologist married to Ammar al-Baluchi, part of the same clan of Baluchis responsible for most of al Qaeda's terror against the United States in the past 18 years. Even Obama wouldn't do that trade.

What does the outlandish suggestion say? Here are some WAGS, for what they're worth -- 1) they took a long shot hoping Obama would hand over someone most of our people don't know in exchange someone everyone in Pakistan knows, to placate the restive peeps. This doesn't make sense because it would become a big news story there, most likely blowing back on Obama here.

2) they made the offer knowing it would be rejected but still did it to score political points to calm the restive peeps. This is standard operating practice.

3) Mr. Davis is actually someone a lot more important than anyone here has been led to believe and the ISI is trying to gain leverage by dangling him for a big-time AQ plum thinking Obama will panic and accede to demands behind the scenes before the press starts asking questions (I know how funny that sounds--it's just a wag).

4) Mr. Davis doesn't know as much as we think he does and ISI are bluffing by throwing up Siddiqui to make us think it's a behind-the-scenes even trade.

The ABC story suggests that it's only a matter of time before Davis will be released--as soon as the story dies down. If that's the case, 1) why are the Pakis inflaming the story by proposing an emotional trade they know will be rejected, something that they will be reminded of if Davis is simply outright released 'when the story dies down', and 2) if they are saying he'll eventually be released without a trade then why are they holding him now? How the hell can we win a war teamed up with such cunning lunatics? Hopefully Mr. Davis is as comfortable as possible.

The Silence on Libya

The Washington Post has a 3 page apologia explaining our relative silence on the massacre in Libya--it was all done to protect American lives there.

While the president has a duty to protect Americans around the world this story needs some boiling down-- it appears Obama's administration is chocked full of professors who are using world events to prove their theoretical concepts, while other advisors apparently would prefer thousands of dead Libyans so long as said president avoids a politically taxing extended American hostage crisis with Gadaffi, justifying the silence. There will be adequate time to condemn the violence and claim victory when the rebels are holding the dictator's head on a pike.

We don't know exactly what's going on behind the scenes but our public image is important too--it's what the world sees. Even Human Rights Watch seems perplexed:

"You usually expect the United States to take action and the Europeans to make statements," Tom Malinowski, the Washington director of Human Rights Watch, said last week before the sanctions were announced. "So far, though, that seems reversed."

And here's John McCain, still alive and pontificating:

Well, the British prime minister and the French president and others were not hesitant and they have citizens in that country. America leads.

Our current strategy seems to be 'leading from the rear'. Seriously, can anyone envision Obama authorizing the kind of daring and uncleared rescue the Brits just pulled off? Hopefully he has it in him, should a future crisis ever dictate, but from reading this article the question is whether his collegiate advisors and legal team would ever allow it.

You're Not Fooling Anyone, CNN

It's funny how the left has no problem discussing Jesus when it's convenient. As union protests rise across America in response to fiscal conservative governors suddenly CNN whips up the following on their US edition:

The focus of the story is John Dominic Crossan, a former priest from Ireland who believes in a non-supernatural rendering of Christ. But why did CNN headline this story today? The following paragraphs should give it away:

In Jesus' time, Rome was forcing many Jewish families into destitution, with high taxes and land seizures. Some Jews advocated violent rebellion, but others opted for non-violent resistance.

Jesus called for nonviolent resistance to Rome and just distribution of land and food. He was crucified because he threatened Roman stability -- not as a sacrifice to God for humanity's sins, Crossan says.

If you believe in a God that uses violence to "save" humanity, you'll start believing that violence is permissible in certain circumstances, such as suicide bombing or invading other countries to spread democracy, Crossan says.

Yes, because suicide bombers for Mohammad are just the same as ridding the world of those committing unspeakable violence such as Hitler, Stalin and Saddam. And maybe Jesus didn't fly into a rage when he saw the moneychangers in the Temple, maybe he just put up signs and had his disciples organize a drum circle. And he never said "render unto Caesar", he was here to non-violently remove him. And it wasn't the Sanhedrin who went to the Romans to complain because he threatened their power, it was the Romans who went to Romans.

But let's cut to the chase here. Regardless of how Biblical historians or believers feel about the life of Christ it's a pretty good bet CNN published this because Crossan believes Jesus was an extraordinary peasant socialist non-violent revolutionary who believed in spreading the wealth around. He was not the son of God, more like Martin Luther King with healing powers. Or even Barack Obama. Or to paraphrase--"take that you tea baggin' Jesus freaks in Jesusland rooting for Governor Walker!"

Anniversaries

On February 26, 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed by terrorist Ramzi Yousef (who now claims to be a Christian) and several others in what amounted to the first unofficial sortie by Islamic terrorists on US soil. At least one of the bomb-makers remains at large (and not even mentioned in the 9/11 Commission Report).

There was no national commission to investigate the attack so the public is left to wonder in perpetuity about the players involved. The presumption was al Qaeda, but it was just a presumption.

Two years earlier on the same date then Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein ordered his invasion forces to retreat from Kuwait City, marking the end of occupation and the Gulf War. Kuwait is celebrating the 20 year anniversary this year. Unlike the royal wedding in Britain, Obama was formally invited to attend but apparently declined; Admiral Mullen and Colin Powell were there.

Today is also the first anniversary of another weird Obama conspiracy--the death of a woman named Holiyah "Lia" Soetoro, who claimed to be a step-sister and caretaker of the president when he lived as Barry Soetoro in Indonesia. One might think a story about a long-lost and previously unnamed step-sister would make national news, if nothing else in a puff piece, but beyond WND this one only made news on the blogs:

“Lia, a nickname. She lived at the family home of Lolo Soetoro for 15 years. And four years of which she spent in the company of a black kid who came from Hawaii.

Obama's half-sister Maya reportedly called this woman a fraud--she may well be--yet it would seem rather easy for a mainstream journalist to confirm or deny. Obama just recently visited Indonesia on November 9, 2010 and reporters mentioned his history as such:

Obama's stop here, the second country on his 10-day Asia trip, is a homecoming for the president. He spent four years in Indonesia as a boy after his mother married an Indonesian man, and his return was highly anticipated. "Much has been made of the fact that this marks my return to where I lived as a young boy," the president said. "I will tell you, though, that I barely recognize it."

Nothing about the mysterious Lia, though. The visit was cut short, reportedly due to volcanic ash from Mt. Merapi. Obama's earlier planned visit to his boyhood homeland was to have taken place in March 2010 but was canceled by the health care debates, then later in June, canceled that time by the BP oil spill. If Lia was indeed a childhood step-sister to Obama she would have missed them all anyway. But like the first World Trade Center bombing this one appears destined to remain just another unexplored mystery.

Side Tracks

The Moody Blues, from somewhere (the Soviet Union?)

The Rummy Files

Rummy has been making the rounds, boldly appearing with Andrea Mitchell then Jon Stewart promoting the 800 page tome and likely exploding a few heads (perhaps on the left and the right). On a side note, it was funny to watch Mitchell grill him over things she thought she knew only to have him tell her she didn't know them because she wasn't there. Too bad he couldn't have turned the tables and grilled her on her Plame comment but apparently the media has their own private untouched vaults just like the government.

Anyway, in doing these interviews he refers to "Rumsfeld.com" as a repository of documents used to back up his memories. And that site is very interesting. Goof around with the search engine and perhaps you'll find a December 3, 2001 memo from Paul Wolfowitz to the Secretary laying out a list of good/bad about the coming future.

Here is one of his good things:

Saddam dies: 1) replaced by a new thug; or 2) revolutionary upheaval

Doesn't sound like Neocon One was secretly planning a war at that point. Here is one of the 'neutral' things:

We find conclusive evidence of a state sponsor of 9/11

Interesting they considered this 'neutral', although they apparently knew something would have to be done about and as Cheney was quoted in the Woodward book, they weren't "ready to do anything about it yet".

Here's one of the 'bad' outcomes:

Terrorist Attacks in U.S., perhaps with anthrax, radiological or nuclear WMD

Interestingly, one of the good outcomes was also capturing bin Laden, again casting doubts on some kind of shadowy conspiracy to let UBL escape. Remember, the battle of Tora Bora was only two weeks away at that point.

But the most brutal memo is the one Stewart mentioned, a 'what if' list he put together in October 2002. About half of the bad things he listed came true.

MORE 2/25/11

Here's a document from Rummy from July 27, 2001 calling for a principal's meeting on Iraq. Take a look at this:

A third possibility perhaps is to take a crack at initiating contact with Saddam Hussein. He has his own interests. It may be that, for whatever reason, at his stage in life he might prefer to not have the hostility of the United States and the West and might be willing to make some accommodation. Opening a dialogue with Saddam would be an astonishing departure for the USG, although I did it for President Reagan the mid-1980s. It would win praise from certain quarters, but might cause friends, especially those in the region, to question our strength, steadiness arid judgment. And the likelihood of Saddam making and respecting an acceptable accommodation of our interests over a long period may be small.

Now, consider the picture of Rummy shaking hands with Saddam that had been used by the left for 8 years to bash Bushitler. In fact, wasn't Rummy just doing what Obama wanted to do with our adversaries, something his supporters have defended six ways from Sunday? Also, this does not exactly sound like a bunch of people trying to start a war, just solve a problem.

Here's another, rather cryptic and apparently a note to self, dated 9-21-01:

At the right moment, we may want to give Saddam Hussein a way out for his
family to live in comfort.

So at least Rummy was considering Saddam right after 9-11. Then again, so was Hillary.

Here's another one, from November 4, 2003:

1. I want to know what exists as to France and Russia advising Saddam
Hussein pre-war, according to the Tariq Aziz interview and others’
interrogations.
2. I also want to know about the seized Iraqi intel files.
Please get back to me.

Wonder what the reply was?

A Ticking Time Bomb

Apparently all the chaos in Arabia and here at home is masking a serious, serious national crisis--call it a ticking time bomb in the health care system. Overweight pets.

Yes, overweight pets.

But gosh, if our pets are overweight that seems like a sign of prosperity. If the Koch Brothers were really that evil we'd already be eating pet food ourselves.

Now pardon me, but there's a tornado coming...