A parent in the Clark County School District of Las Vegas, Henderson area reported January 27th that his son, who is in 1st grade, came home yesterday saying that he didn't want to go back to school anymore.

When asked why, the boy said that during the Pledge of Allegiance the teacher put up a large image of Obama next to the flag.

Thinking that the boy might be exaggerating, the man asked his son if he was sure, and suggested that by "large" he might mean an 8x10 photo of the president. The boy apparently said "No, it is a large picture of Obama and when we are done, the teacher turns off the image."

The same thing was not done for President Bush last year.

After investigating this morning, the other parent reported that what the boy said was true.

At least three of the five classrooms have an overhead projector and as the children stand to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, the teacher turns on the classroom overhead and a full body image of Obama, with six U.S. flags behind him, comes up about 4 feet away from the flag that hangs on the wall. The screen is apparently around five feet by six feet.

In the image, President Obama appears to be staring straight out with no facial expression, just a serious look. All of the kids in each class faced the President, instead of the flag that hangs in the corner.

Local parents are up in arms over this situation. Teachers clearly do not realize the gravity of what they are doing.

Update Jan 28th: The parents spoke to the Vice-Principal this afternoon. He said he would take care of it. I will check with them tomorrow and update this story.

Update Jan 29th: The teachers at the school today talked to the children about flag etiquette and the meaning of the flag and why the pledge is made. The lights were left on in the room, so the flag could be clearly seen and the children were told that they should face towards and look at the flag. The parent spoke to the Principal and the child's teacher. The Principal said they would not show the image of the president at the same time as the pledge tomorrow. The Principal apologized for causing offense. The parent and Principal and teacher left on good terms. (More of this article at the link)

"Now, my job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world, that the language we use has to be a language of respect," Obama said . "I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries."

By Abdel Sattar Hatati   Excerpted from: http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=15497

Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- The Egyptian Islamist movement Jamaat Islamiya has called for Al Qaeda to adopt a four-month truce and to cease any operations against the United States, the West and other countries, as they await “the fair, practical stances of the new American president.” Its request came shortly after Al Qaeda leader Abu Yahya al Libi urged for attacks to be launched on Western states, especially the US and Britain, to avenge Israel’s attacks on Gaza and for Britain’s role in supporting the establishment of a homeland for the Jews in 1948.

Sheikh Najih Ibrahim, a theorist and leading figure of the Jamaat Islamiya group in Egypt told Asharq Al-Awsat that the movement fears that Al Qaeda may carry out operations and launch attacks in the upcoming period and as a result, turn President Barack Obama into “another George W. Bush.” The group fears that Obama would change his position regarding withdrawing from Afghanistan and Iraq and shutting down the US prison at Guantanamo Bay whereas America under George W. Bush occupied Afghanistan and Iraq and detained Islamists in Guantanamo Bay in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

“Whether or not Libi called for attacks to be launched against Britain, we fear that Al Qaeda could carry out operations that would turn Obama into another George W. Bush and turn something positive into something negative. No one will benefit from this except Israel,” said Shiekh Najih Ibrahim.

A repeat of Al Qaeda attacks “will be a victory for Israel and those who share the opinion of George W. Bush that this violence is a characteristic of Islam. We, the Jamaat Islamiya group, want the best for Islam and Muslims and we have hope that the Al Qaeda of today is different to the Al Qaeda of 9/11,” he added.

The statement signed by Sheikh Essam Derbala, a prominent leader of the Egyptian Jamaat Islamiya addressed the Al Qaeda organization saying, “Tell them (Western states) without fear: We will not start fighting except in self-defense over the next four months as we wait for Obama’s fair, practical stances. We welcome permanent peace based on respect for the Islamic identity and the right of our people to live independently according to their creed and religious law, based on common interest with America and the world and for the sake of humankind away from the clash of civilizations.”

The statement addressed “all Al Qaeda supporters, whether they are part of the movement or just agree with its ideology, but especially the leaders of the organization in all places, and particularly Sheikh Osama Bin Laden and Sheikh Dr. Ayman al Zawahiri.”

The statement referred to the new American president’s desire to follow a new direction. “Addressing the Islamic world, Obama said we are in need of a new direction. So he is calling for adopting a new approach that differs to the blocked and irrational path that Bush followed.”

Derbala stated that the new president’s approach is based on common interests and mutual respect and that Obama had said that American generations faced communism and fascism not just with missiles and tanks but with alliances and with dialogue. His approach carried a peaceful message to the world and he said that he would extend his hand to those who extend their hands in peace and announced his intention to withdraw American forces from Iraq in an easy way and would try to establish peace, which is difficult to achieve, in Afghanistan.

Derbala added, “These positions – Obama announcing a diplomatic approach towards Iran and its nuclear file, his willingness to close Guantanamo Bay, and his request that judges suspend trials for four months in Guantanamo Bay – show that there is a new opportunity that must be explored and not thrown away before making sure that it is just a mirage.”

Derbala called upon the Al Qaeda leadership to extend its hand in peace. He said, “What harm would it cause if you told Obama what you want and you said: we extend our hand in peace based on common interests and achieving good for humankind. We extend our hand for the sake of peace and achieving independence for Iraq and Afghanistan. We extend our hand for the sake of peace and realizing the hopes of our Islamic nations so that we can live under Islamic rule in accordance with our creed based on the rules of Sharia that we cherish and defend.”

According to the Jamaat Islamiya statement, there were other conditions for peace between the Al Qaeda organization and the United States: “the fair demands of our Ummah in Palestine, Kashmir, Chechnya, Bosnia and Kosovo,” and “the release of prisoners such as Dr Omar Abdul Rahman,” and that “America abandons it policy of double standards with regards to the Islamic world and its bias towards Israel,” as well it “[working towards] achieving communication between civilizations and not clashes.” Excerpted from: http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=15497

 

 Recognizing Al Qaeda?

25/01/2009

By Tariq Alhomayed

In his inauguration speech, US President Barack Obama extended his hand to the Islamic world and greeted it. He spent his first day in the White House making historical decisions; the most important of which was the decision to shut down the US prison at Guantanamo Bay and the network of American CIA ghost prisons.

Obama called Middle East leaders and spoke to them about the issues that concern the Arab and Islamic world, demonstrating his determination to keep an eye on these issues from day one of his presidency. Moreover, Washington’s special envoys were appointed for the Middle East and for Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Obama’s decisions and speeches, which express good intention towards our region, received diverse responses. The oddest response came from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya who called for Washington to review its approach towards Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and to give him a chance to reform. Gaddafi also called for engaging in a dialogue with Bin Laden to understand his motives.

The Jamaat Islamiya group also made a suggestion, for Al Qaeda however and not Washington. It called for the Al Qaeda organization to announce a four-month truce with the West and to give Obama a chance in order to verify the new US president’s fair stances.

It is strange that Jamaat Islamiya in Egypt asked Al Qaeda not to turn Obama into another George W. Bush! Does this mean that we have recognized Al Qaeda? Does Jamaat Islamiya’s request mean that if Obama does not act in a way that satisfies Al Qaeda then the terrorist organization can do what it wants?

With regards to dialogue with Al Qaeda, who would be authorized to represent the terrorist organization? What I fear most is that one of the states yearning for a regional or international role would come out and call for a reconciliation conference with Al Qaeda to be held on its territory!

What is frustrating about this proposal is that it shows that we have not yet fully understood the danger of Al Qaeda’s ideology and the essence of its goals despite all the crimes that the terrorist organization has committed not only in West but also in our Arab states over the past eight years.

The biggest mistake that we are making is to believe that a mere change of heart from an Al Qaeda member means that we have weakened the organization. Let us say for the sake of argument that Osama Bin Laden came out and said that he regretted everything that he has done to mankind and the Islamic religion (and this is very unlikely), would this mean the end of Al Qaeda? Of course not. Just as the saying goes, the stream will find its way no matter what. Someone will emerge who will outbid the Al Qaeda leader and declare that Bin Laden no longer represents them. They will surpass him with ease and will seek to eliminate him as well.

The danger of Al Qaeda does not lie in its members but in its ideology. Calling for a dialogue with Al Qaeda alone is evidence of the extent of our shortsightedness and our failure to understand what is more of a threat to us than to the West. What we need is to tackle the threat posed by Al Qaeda’s ideology rather than Al Qaeda members.

What we need is to direct all our energy towards eliminating this ideology and to fight ideology with ideology. We must not show it any tolerance let alone hint at giving it another chance to exist; this would mean that we are giving such extremist thinking legitimacy and the opportunity to exist once again.

Interaction with Washington and Obama is important, especially with regards to what concerns us. But if our reactions are going to resemble those that are mentioned above, then this will be frustrating, not for Washington, but for us, the people of the region who are hoping for a better future.
Excerpted from:  http://asharqalawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=15495

 

Need more?

 

CBS Reports:

 

November 24, 2008

Jamaa Islamiya Hopes Obama Would Release The Blind Sheikh

(al Jama’a al Islamiya )

The Egyptian group al Jama’a al Islamiya released an Internet statement expressing satisfaction at Barack Obama’s victory in the U.S. presidential election. The formerly militant group listed three reasons for welcoming Obama’s election. The group argued that electing a man reflects values that were deeply rooted in Islam. It also said Obama’s election puts an end to the “Bush era” and finally, it gives the group home that Obama might consider releasing Omar Abdel Rahman, the group’s spiritual leader who is now serving time in the U.S. for his involvement in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/11/24/monitor/printable4631002.shtml

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

"Barack Obama was working with Arab intermediaries to establish an unofficial dialogue with Al Qaida long before his election."

Question: If this is true isn't this illegal?

 

Answer: If this is true, he commited a crime ..

18 U.S.C. Section 953

Sec. 953. Private correspondence with foreign governments

Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. This section shall not abridge the right of a citizen to apply, himself or his agent, to any foreign government or the agents thereof for redress of any injury which he may have sustained from such government or any of its agents or subjects.  tx eggman

Found at: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2173831/posts

 

Conducting Foreign Relations Without Authority: The Logan Act http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33265.pdf
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Robert Malley could be Obama's Pre-election Mouthpiece to Al Qaida.

Robert Malley is the hand-picked foreign adviser to potential presidential nominee Barack Hussein Obama.

Robert Malley advocates negotiations with Hamas and providing international assistance to the terrorist group.

Malley has written numerous opinion articles, many of them co-written with a former adviser to the mass murderer Yasser Arafat, petitioning for “dialogue” with Hamas and blasting Israel for harming “the Palestinian cause”.

Malley also wrote a an article in the NY Times blaming Israel for the collapse of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations at Camp David in 2000, while ignoring the fact that Arafat turned down a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and eastern sections of Jerusalem and instead chose to launch a Muslim terrorist campaign against the legitimate and sovereign Jewish state.

In February 2006, after Hamas won a majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament, Malley wrote an op-ed for the Baltimore Sun advocating international aid to the terror group’s newly formed government.

Robert Malley was a special assistant to Clinton for Arab-Israeli affairs and was a member of the U.S. peace team during the Camp David negotiations.

He currently serves as director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at the International Crisis Group, which is partially funded by billionaire and Obama campaign contributor George Soros, who also serves on the board of the Crisis Group.

Ed Lasky, a contributor to the American Thinker blog, calls Malley a “[Palestinian] propagandist” who, he charged, bends “the truth to serve an agenda that is marked by anti-Israel bias. … Malley’s writings strike me as being akin to propaganda.”

Lasky points out Malley’s father, Simon Malley, was a personal friend of Arafat and wrote in support of numerous struggles against Western countries. Simon Malley founded Afrique Asie, a French magazine that was known for its advocacy for “liberation” struggles throughout the world, including the Palestinian cause.

Daniel Pipes, director of the Middle East Forum, called Simon Malley a “sympathizer” of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, which, headed by Arafat, carried out numerous terror attacks.

Read more about Barack Hussein Obama’s hand-picked terrorist-loving adviser, here.

Related Articles:

• Obama, having won the Jewish vote, sends PLO-supporter Robert Malley to Syria
• The Jewish Case Against Barack Obama

  Excerpted from: http://smoothstoneblog.com/2008/01/who-is-robert-malley.htm                                       

January 27, 2009

BY PAUL SCHEMM

President Barack Obama chose an Arabic satellite TV network for his first formal television interview as president, part of a concerted effort to repair relations with the Muslim world that were damaged under the previous administration.

Obama cited his Muslim background and relatives, practically a taboo issue during the U.S. presidential campaign, and said in the interview, which aired today, that one of his main tasks was to communicate to Muslims “that the Americans are not your enemy.”

The interview on the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news channel aired as Obama’s new envoy to the region, former Sen. George J. Mitchell, arrived in Egypt today for a visit that also will take him to Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Obama said the U.S. had made mistakes in the past but “that the same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago, there’s no reason why we can’t restore that.”

Obama’s predecessor, former President George W. Bush, launched wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which prompted a massive backlash against the U.S. in the Muslim world.

In contrast to the enthusiastic reception Obama’s victory has garnered around the world, the Arab world has been much more cautious about the new U.S. president - with most people skeptical that American policy in the region will change substantially.

“I can’t be optimistic until I see something tangible,” said Hatem al-Kurdi, 35, a Gaza City engineer who saw parts of the interview. “Anyone can say nice words, but you have to follow with actions.”

“He seems very interested in the Middle East issue but he didn’t say exactly what he’s going to do about it,” Kurdi added.

After earlier dismissing Obama as following the same policies as his predecessor, officials from the militant Palestinian Hamas group softened their stance against the new president today.

“In the last couple of days there have been a lot of statements (from Obama), some of them very positive, and choosing this George Mitchell as an envoy,” said Ahmed Youssef, a senior Hamas official interviewed on the Doha-based Al-Jazeera news network. “I think there are some positive things we have to count.”

Obama’s choice of Al-Arabiya network, which is owned by a Saudi businessman, follows the lead of the Bush administration, which gave several presidential interviews to that news channel.

“The U.S. sees Al-Arabiya as a friendly Arab channel, whereas they see Al-Jazeera as confrontational,” said Lawrence Pintak, director of the journalism training center at the American University in Cairo.

Hady Amr, director of the Brookings Doha Center, an arm of the U.S. think-tank in the Qatari capital, described decision to make the first presidential interview with an Arabic news network as “stunning.”

“President Obama has made it absolutely clear ... that a central priority will be repairing America’s relations with the Muslim world,” he said. “If that’s his objective, I’d say he’s been hitting home run after home run.”

In the interview, Obama called for a new partnership with the Muslim world “based on mutual respect and mutual interest.” He talked about growing up in Indonesia, the Muslim world’s most populous nation, and noted that he has Muslim relatives.

Obama’s Kenyan father was born Muslim, though a self-described atheist, and many of his relatives in Kenya are practicing Muslims. As a child, Obama lived for a number of years in Indonesia while his mother as doing research there.

This appeal does seem to have struck a chord among many Muslims.

“He’s different from the previous presidents, perhaps because of his color or his Islamic background. My views of America are different now than they were during the Bush administration,” said Youssef Ali, 45, who works for the Iraqi Electricity Ministry in Baghdad.

Most of Obama’s interview focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is widely perceived in the Middle East as the most pressing issue in a region filled with animosities.

Obama said he felt it was important to “get engaged right away” in the Middle East and had directed Mitchell to talk to “all the major parties involved.” His administration would craft an approach after that, he said.

“What I told him is start by listening, because all too often the United States starts by dictating,” Obama told the interviewer.

The president reiterated the U.S. commitment to Israel as an ally and to its right to defend itself. But he suggested that both Israel and the Palestinians have hard choices to make.

“I do believe that the moment is ripe for both sides to realize that the path that they are on is one that is not going to result in prosperity and security for their people,” he said, calling for a Palestinian state that is contiguous with internal freedom of movement and can trade with neighboring countries.

On Tuesday, Gaza’s fragile truce was threatened when a bomb detonated by Palestinian militants exploded next to an Israeli army patrol along the border with Gaza, killing one soldier and wounding three.

Obama also said that recent statements and messages issued by the al-Qaida terror network suggest they do not know how to deal with his new approach.

“They seem nervous,” he told the interviewer. “What that tells me is that their ideas are bankrupt.”

In his latest message on Jan. 14, al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden said Obama had been left with a “heavy inheritance” of Bush’s wars. Shortly after the election, the network’s number two, Ayman al-Zawahri described Obama with a demeaning racial term for a black American who does the bidding of whites.

The message suggested the terror network was worried Obama could undermine its rallying cry that the U.S. is an enemy oppressor.

“There’s no actions that they’ve taken that say a child in the Muslim world is getting a better education because of them, or has better health care because of them,” said Obama about al-Qaida.

Obama also emphasized the importance of engaging with Iran, a country the Bush administration often singled out as the most dangerous in the region.

Obama condemned Iran’s threats against Israel, pursuit of nuclear weapons and support of terrorist organizations, but said “it is important for us to be willing to talk to Iran, to express very clearly where our differences are, but where there are potential avenues for progress.”

Evil intent ... al-Qaeda suicide bombers bragging on YouTube video

By SIMON HUGHES
Chief Investigative Reporter

Published: 26 Dec 2008 

A SICK video of three suicide bombings has been posted on YouTube by al-Qaeda.

Terror experts say the film is a twisted “tribute” to the assassins — and a warning of attacks to come in Britain and elsewhere.

---

Click on the slideshow below to see more pics:

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The posting on the world’s most popular website was timed to coincide with Glasgow Airport bomber Bilal Abdulla beginning his jail stretch.. For more go to:
The Sun UK .

Excerpted from an "Exclusive" in the Sun UK  at: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2070998.ece

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Obama’s Intelligence Adviser Involved in Security Breach ("cauterized" O’s passport info)

Obama’s Intelligence Adviser Involved in Security Breach

Obama’s top terrorism and intelligence adviser, John O. Brennan, heads a firm that was cited in March for breaching sensitive files in the State Department’s passport office, according to a State Department Inspector General’s report released this past July.

The security breach, first reported by the Washington Times and later confirmed by State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, involved a contract employee of Brennan’s firm, The Analysis Corp., which has earned millions of dollars providing intelligence-related consulting services to federal agencies and private companies.

During a State Department briefing on March 21, 2008, McCormack confirmed that the contractor had accessed the passport files of presidential candidates Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and John McCain, and that the inspector general had launched an investigation.

Sources who tracked the investigation tell Newsmax that the main target of the breach was the Obama passport file, and that the contractor accessed the file in order to “cauterize” the records of potentially embarrassing information.

“They looked at the McCain and Clinton files as well to create confusion,” one knowledgeable source told Newsmax. “But this was basically an attempt to cauterize the Obama file.”

At the time of the breach, Brennan was working as an unpaid adviser to the Obama campaign.

“This individual’s actions were taken without the knowledge or direction of anyone at The Analysis Corp. and are wholly inconsistent with our professional and ethical standards,” Brennan’s company said in a statement sent to reporters after the passport breach was made public.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...

..

http://blog.kievukraine.info/2005/08/obama-part-of-group-locked-up-at.html

Obama part of group locked up at Russian airport // U.S. delegation stripped of passports as guards demand to inspect plane
Chicago Sun-Times (IL) - Monday, August 29, 2005
Author: Lynn Sweet, Sun-Times Washington Bureau chi

WASHINGTON — Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) were not allowed to leave a Russian airport Sunday and were locked in a room briefly.

The incident prevented their departure for about three hours, but Obama told the Sun-Times “it ended up not being a very big deal.”

The senators had their passports seized by local officials at an airport in Perm. Obama said the officials demanded, unsuccessfully, to inspect the DC-9 military aircraft being used by the congressional delegation for the trip.

(snip)

Although he was on a first-time diplomatic mission, Obama has traveled extensively, spending part of his youth in Indonesia and visiting Kenya, where his father was born. He noted that as a back- packing college student he had “a lot less leverage than this time.”

Obama , a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Lugar, its chairman, left Wednesday for a trip to inspect sites where nuclear and biological weapons are slated to be destroyed in Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. On Sunday, the U.S. group was scheduled to fly from Perm to Kiev, Ukraine. But border guards wanted proof that the group’s aircraft — which Obama said looked like a “mini-Air Force One” — was really an official U.S. government plane, which would be exempt from an inspection.

Robert Gibbs, Obama ‘s spokesman traveling with him, said in an e-mail that “the border guards took our passports and demanded to inspect our aircraft, which we refused. We were moved to a room to wait.”

“At one point they were demanding to inspect virtually everything, including the gifts their representatives at the missile facility had given us.” The border guard said “they were acting on the authority of the FSB,” the Russian intelligence agency.

(snip)

"You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done," Obama

There is a Rush behind every tree!

 
Comment # 3, Posted by SparkyBass

Can be found at: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2172278/posts

 

That wasn't Obama's only jab at Republicans today.

While discussing the stimulus package with top lawmakers in the White House's Roosevelt Room, President Obama shot down a critic with a simple message.

"I won," he said, according to aides who were briefed on the meeting. "I will trump you on that."

 

Post # 73 posted by rlmorel

 

 

Now that the Fairness Doctrine issue is out in the open, Rush can concentrate on keeping it before the public. Obama has given Rush a great gift by calling attention to the power that has been given to the new socialist administration to control just about any aspect of American life. The other conservative media will pick up the discussion and the Obama forces will not be able to sneak legislation past the public. Democrats are reverting to their true nature of bullying and coercing the American people to get what they want. Obama was warning Rush to watch his step or else. Rush will make him show his hand and the RATS will wish Obama had not jumped the gun.

Post # 134 posted  by mountainfolk

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2170641/posts?q=1&;page=101

 

Good catch, Cindy. Major Garett's piece gives a little broader view of the exchanges.Obama Says His View on Taxes Prevailed Because 'I Won'

............"Obama explained that lawmakers were closer together than the public realized on the stimulus package but warned of pitfalls if Congress and the White House don't work together. Again, according to participants in the meeting, Obama said this about rising above typical partisan differences: "We're all political animals, we've all got political bases," the president is reported to have said. "If we don't get this done we (the Democrats) could lose seats and I could lose re-election. But we can't let people like Rush Limbaugh stall this. That's how things don't get done in this town.""................

............"The "I won" comment came after Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., said Republicans believed cutting income taxed would do more to stimulate economic growth than providing a $500 per person payroll tax refund for individuals earning less than $200,000. The president said, according to those present, that this was an important philosophical divide between Republican and Democrats and that it had already been settled -- and would remain settled -- because he won the election."..............

.............."Democrats called it a light-hearted moment that drew laughs around the table. Republicans said there was laughter but couldn't recall if any of it came from their ranks."...............

..............."In the biggest concession of all, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the package should pass by mid-February, the Democrats' line-in-the-sand legislative deadline. By refusing to threaten a filibuster to block the bill, McConnell is guaranteeing passage of a bill that reflects Democratic priorities and reaches Obama's desk on his timeline."..............

Post # 307 posted by Girlene

 

Some good reads

http://noiri.blogspot.com/2009/01/obama-arrogant-appears-preens.html

http://alanpetersnewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2009/01/obamination-news-roundup.html

http://alanpetersworld.blogspot.com/2009/01/statistics-islamic-school-books.html

http://noiri.blogspot.com/2009/01/terrorists-rejoice.html

http://terrornewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2009/01/various-iran-arms-smuggling-ship.html

http://alanpetersworld.blogspot.com/2009/01/when-my-grandmother-left-germany-on.html

http://alanpetersnewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2009/01/tip-of-iceberg-indonesia-type-barbarity.html

Post # 284 posted on by FARS

 

All Comments Excerpted from the 348 Comments posted at FreeRepublic.com at: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2170641/posts?q=1&;page=201

"The Journal later described the provision Frank inserted into the bill to help UnitedOne. Frank apparently recognized that it would prompt unpleasant ethical questions if he simply earmarked money for UnitedOne, so instead he created a pool that would benefit the bank without having to name it: "

News Flash: Democrats Use TARP to Protect Friends and Shady Bankers

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/01/news_flash_democrats_use_tarp.asp

Some background on the ball;

YES! THE "SALUTE TO HEROS" IS A REAL BALL!!!!!

President Bush Thanks Veterans For Service During Inaugural Ball   From: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=24307 By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2005 – President Bush and first lady Laura Bush were greeted with resounding cheers as they made the first stop of their whirlwind tour of inaugural galas Jan. 20 at the Capital Hilton here. Kenneth Stumpf, an Army squad leader in Vietnam who was awarded the Medal of Honor and the Purple Heart, pledges allegiance to the flag at the "Salute to Heroes" inaugural ball at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C., Jan. 20. Stumpf said the Medal of Honor belongs to all of those in his squad. "I did not earn this (medal) alone," he said. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. At the "Salute to Heroes" inaugural ball, hundreds of veterans from across the country, along with their wives and families, greeted the president with a resounding show of support. Vice President Richard Cheney and his wife, Lynne, stopped in later as they made their way through the inaugural circuit. Kenneth Stumpf, one of many Medal of Honor recipients who squeezed through tight security inside the hotel to see the president, was particularly happy to be on hand. "I spent my entire life in the military, so whoever was the president, that was my commander-in-chief," he said. "It just so happens I really like this one." The American Legion sponsors the ball, which recognizes recipients of Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. It started in 1953 for President Dwight D. Eisenhower's first inauguration. Event co-sponsors include 13 other veterans service organizations, among them the Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Paralyzed Veterans of America. With applause and cheers often interrupting his comments, the president used his brief appearance to thank veterans for their service. "They have set a fantastic example for those who wear the uniform today," he said. "Our veterans who have served all across the world in the cause of freedom, they have done so in a selfless way and for that, this nation is eternally grateful." The president also used the occasion to reiterate points made during his inaugural address, speaking on the importance of freedom and saying that United States will succeed in bringing democracy to Iraq. "We believe in freedom, and we know that free societies will be peaceful societies," the president said. He also said that by ending tyranny, such as that imposed in Iraq by Saddam Hussein, the United States "Will have fulfilled the obligations of our founding fathers who recognized that every man and woman on the face of the earth should be free." With the Joints Chiefs of Staff seated on each side of the podium, the president acknowledged the difficulties being placed on the military. "We've asked hard things of our troops and the families of our troops," he said. But he noted the progress made in Afghanistan and Iraq. "Think about what has happened in a very short period of time," he said. "The people of Afghanistan have been liberated by our troops and our friends the Afghans went to the polls by the millions for the first time in 5,000 years," he said. "Very shortly, because of the great work of our military, and the military of our friends, the people of Iraq will be voting. This is a major achievement, and it's a major milestone in the advance of liberty." The president admitted that bringing liberty to Iraq "has not been easy," but "it's going to happen," he emphasized. "And when it does, our military, and those of us who have been fortunate enough to be involved with our military, will be able to look back and say we did our duty, we did our duty for freedom, and we did our duty for generations of Americans to come." Before leaving, the president again expressed thanks to the audience, telling those veterans who have served and those who are now serving, "I am incredibly proud to be your commander in chief." Outside the ballroom, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth Preston was enjoying the night's events and said the president's inaugural address and the theme of the "Salute to Heroes" ball gave recognition to the men and women who wear the uniform. "Being an Army at war and supporting a nation at war," he said, "it's important that we recognize our heroes (and) that we pause for a moment and reflect on their courage, their sacrifice and their dedication. I very am proud of what the men and women of the armed forces are accomplishing, and what they stand for in this country."

Biographies: Sgt. Maj. Of the Army Kenneth Preston Related Sites: The American Legion

President Bush addresses supporters at the American Legion's "Salute to Heroes" inaugural ball at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C., Jan. 20. The president and first lady Laura Bush made the event their first stop on a tour of inaugural galas. The ball, held since 1953, honors recipients of Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award, and the newly inaugurated president. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample   Download screen-resolution    Download high-resolution Sgt. Varetta Barnes of the 354th Civil Affairs Brigade, Riverdale, Md., came to the "Salute to Heroes" inaugural ball hoping to get close to the president. She wanted to present him a booklet of all the things her unit had accomplished during its tour in Iraq, from helping to re-establish the Baghdad Zoo to organizing a business women's association. She also wanted to show him a newspaper clipping with a photo of the president giving her a warm hug during his surprise visit to Baghdad during Thanksgiving 2003. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA   Download screen-resolution    Download high-resolution Air Force Capt. Brad Baxter of the 940th Air Refueling Wing, Beale Air Force Base, Calif., and his wife, Debbie, take a stroll on the dance floor during the American Legion's "Salute to Heroes" inaugural ball at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C., Jan. 20. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA   Download screen-resolution    Download high-resolution The Army Band's brass quintet from Fort Myers, Va., performs patriotic music during the American Legion's "Salute to Heroes" inaugural ball at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C., Jan. 20. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA   Download screen-resolution    Download high-resolution

LA Times gives more information on the Somali missing men in the US.

The LA Times has a quote that firms up the number missing from Minneapolis but still no word on how many are missing from other US cities where we resettled them at taxpayer expense and gave them an opportunity for a good life.

The youths, who have U.S. passports, followed a well-trod trail from Minneapolis to Mogadishu. Another group took off in August. The FBI believes that over the last two years, 12 to 20 Minnesotans have gone to Somalia and are believed to have returned to Somalia for terrorist training,.

As a result, a joint terrorism task force led by the FBI is scrambling to determine if extremist Islamic groups are seeking recruits here in the nation’s largest Somali community — as well as in San Diego, Seattle, Boston and other cities. [Hint to FBI:  be sure you add Lewiston, ME to your list of possible recruitment cities]

More details on Shirwa Ahmed, the 27-year-old Somali suicide bomber we gave a decent burial to back in December were revealed.  We now know that he was definitely a suicide bomber and he killed UN aid workers among the 30 or so people he blew up. 

Officials believe the naturalized American was on a terrorist team that detonated five car bombs in two northern Somali cities on Oct. 29, killing at least 30 people, including U.N. aid workers.

Ahmed phoned his sister in Minneapolis a day before the bombings to say he would not see her again, according to a family friend. “She thought he was sick,” the friend said. The next day, someone else called from Somalia to say he had “gone to paradise” as a martyr for Islam.

I still would like to know how much the return of Ahmed’s remains cost the US taxpayer.

The FBI brought back bone fragments and other remains found in Bosaso, one of the blast sites, Wilson said. DNA tests established Ahmed’s identity.

He was buried in a Muslim funeral in Burnsville, south of Minneapolis, on Dec. 3.

Ahmed had not been on the FBI’s radar before the bombings. And his death raised fears that someone trained in Somalia might import terrorist tactics to America.

“There is always a concern about spillover, bleed-out, call it what you will,” said a U.S. official tracking the case who requested anonymity when discussing U.S. intelligence matters. “Especially if they were to return on a U.S. passport.”

How about that, the FBI didn’t have Ahmed or these other guys on their radar screen.  Guess they didn’t see any need to keep an eye on radical MOSQUES!

We had heard about one mosque being watched since the men went missing, but this LA Times article adds a second mosque now under scrutiny in the Minneapolis area.

• Last Updated: 17 January 2009 7:45 PM
• Source: Scotland On Sunday
• Location: Scotland