Truth

radar

2009-10-11T22:11:00.000-07:00

White Sands

2009-08-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

New Mexico

2009-08-06T22:19:00.000-07:00

Financial

2009-06-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

The financial mess was caused by the markets being flooded with bad mortgages.

People get a home loan, or mortgage, to buy a house. The bank lends money, with the house as collateral, which is to be paid back over time with interest. This is considered an "asset" to the bank: a mortgage asset.

Mortgage assets can be sold to other banks and to investment banks. Investment banks can turn groups of mortgage assets into securities called Mortgage Backed Securities, or MBS. Groups of these MBS can be turned into Collateralized Mortgage Obligations, or CMO. CMOs are put into risk categories and put into Tranches. Something called Credit Default Swaps can be bought, which are like insurance on credit backed assets in case they fail.

The markets were flooded with bad loans that were packaged into other investments and sold. So where did all of these bad loans come from?

Community groups and "progressive" political forces had lowered underwriting standards for lending.

In the 1980s, groups such as the activists at ACORN began pushing charges of "redlining" - claims that banks discriminated against minorities in mortgage lending. In 1989, sympathetic members of Congress got the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act amended to force banks to collect racial data on mortgage applicants.

Minority mortgage applications were rejected more frequently than other applications - not because of discrimination but simply because minorities tend to have weaker finances.

A "landmark" 1992 study from the Boston Fed concluded that mortgage-lending discrimination was systemic. The study was tremendously flawed. The president of the Boston Fed said that no new studies were needed, with the US comptroller of the currency seconding the motion.

The Boston Fed, clearly speaking for the entire Fed, produced a manual for mortgage lenders stating that: "discrimination may be observed when a lender's underwriting policies contain arbitrary or outdated criteria that effectively disqualify many urban or lower-income minority applicants."

The Boston Fed ruled that participation in a credit-counseling program should be taken as evidence of an applicant's ability to manage debt. Bank regulators, not banks, required the loosening of underwriting standards.

A 1995 strengthening of the Community Reinvestment Act required banks to find ways to provide mortgages to their poorer communities. It also let community activists intervene at yearly bank reviews.

Banks that got poor reviews were punished; some saw their merger plans frustrated; others faced direct legal challenges by the Justice Department.

In 1977 Jimmy Carter passed the Community Reinvestment Act, or CRA. CRA loans are risky loans. Banks were compelled to make loans they normally wouldn't, violating free market principles. The leftist organization ACORN began harrassing banks, threatening lawsuits under CRA and even harrasing bankers at their homes to make them issue more and more bad loans, sub-prime mortgages. (This is the same ACORN that Barack Obama worked with, and had voter registration fraud charges nationwide.) The free market was unnaturally influenced.

Fannie May and Freddie Mac buy mortages. They were directed to buy more and more sub-prime mortgages, under the arguably noble idea of helping minorities and poor people get into houses. Freddie Mac and Fannie May buying up sub-prime mortgages increased the demand for them, causing banks to make even more.

Fannie and Freddie are GSEs, Government Sponsored Enterprises, which gave the impression that the mortages they bought were safe. This, and the political pressure to make bad loans caused the financial markets to be flooded with bad mortgages.

A housing boom caused housing prices to increase. This was a housing bubble. Then the bubble popped and house prices went down. Some people had taken mortgages thinking that if they couldn't afford to pay it, they would just sell the house and pay off the mortgage, keeping the profit. But house values went down. In many cases the value of the house was less than the mortgage, so why pay it? And of course many people had taken mortgages they couldn't afford.

Fannie May paid big contributions to politicians who should have regulated them: the biggest recipient was Democrat Chris Dodd, who received contributions totaling $165,000

In 2005, Senator Christopher Dodd, and all the Democrats on the Banking Committee blocked legislation to regulate Fannie and Freddie.

Senate Republicans introduced a bill in 2006 to regulate, but Democrats voted against.

The second biggest recipient of contributions from Fannie was Barack Obama, who received $126,000.

Republicans have also received contributions, Robert Bennett received $108,000 and John McCain received $21,550.

In 2006, John McCain co-sponsored a bill to address the problem and gave a warning. In a party line vote all the democrats voted against the bill.

In 2004, Democrat Franklin Raines steps down as CEO of Fannie May for bad accounting practices. Franklin Raines was appointed by Bill Clinton. Fannie May had been cooking the books. Raines walked away with $90 million after 6 years.

While Barney Frank was on the House Banking Committee, which had jurisdiction over Fannie, he had a gay relationship with Herb Moses. Moses worked as Fannie’s assistant director for product initiatives, and was at the forefront of relaxing lending restrictions. They broke up in 1998, a few months after Moses ended his seven-year tenure at Fannie Mae.

A Fannie Mae Foundation report singled out a model of lending that worked with community activists and followed "the most flexible underwriting criteria permitted." That lender's $1 billion commitment to low-income loans in 1992 had grown to $80 billion by 1999 and $600 billion by early 2003. The lender was Countrywide.

- Countrywide Loan Scandal -

Senators Christopher Dodd, Democrat from Connecticut and chairman of the Banking Committee, and Kent Conrad, Democrat from North Dakota, chairman of the Budget Committee and a member of the Finance Committee, received loans from Countrywide Financial through a little-known program that waived points, lender fees, and company borrowing rules for prominent people.

Fannie Mae's former CEO, James Johnson, who had been advising presidential candidate Barack Obama on the selection of a running mate, resigned from the Obama campaign after the Wall Street Journal reported that he received Countrywide loans at below-market rates.

Mr. Johnson led Fannie Mae from 1991 to 1998. He and Countrywide's Mr. Mozilo worked together to streamline the underwriting process.

Another former CEO, Franklin Raines, received low-rate home loans from Countrywide, a large originator of higher-risk subprimes mortgages and a major seller of home loans to Fannie Mae.

Mr. Raines, who succeeded Mr. Johnson at Fannie's helm at the end of 1998, became a repeat customer of Countrywide while he was CEO.

The mortgage crisis is a direct result of an intentional loosening of underwriting standards - done in the name of ending discrimination, despite warnings that it could lead to wide-scale defaults.

Financial services were not deregulated during the Bush Administration.

In 1994, state and federal action eliminated rules banning banks from operating in more than one state.

President Bill Clinton signed the 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act into law, which could be considered a deregulation bill. In 2000, Congress also passed legislation that, among other things, clarified that certain kinds of financial instruments were not regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Among these were "credit default swaps," which have played a role in this year's meltdown.

In the nine years since that legislation--including the eight years of the Bush presidency--Congress has enacted no further legislation easing burdens on financial services industry.

65th anniversary of D-Day

2009-06-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

Iowa

2009-06-04T15:32:00.000-07:00

Kansas

2009-06-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

Woods

2009-05-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

Swine Flu

2009-05-02T13:18:00.001-07:00

U.N.'s World Digital Library

2009-04-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

World Digital Library

Financial crisis myths

2009-02-16T09:50:00.000-08:00

"Deregulation, the republicans ideology is what ruined the country and everyone knows it."

Financial services were not deregulated during the Bush Administration.

In 1994, state and federal action eliminated rules banning banks from operating in more than one state.

President Bill Clinton signed the 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act into law, which could be considered a deregulation bill. In 2000, Congress also passed legislation that, among other things, clarified that certain kinds of financial instruments were not regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Among these were "credit default swaps," which have played a role in this year's meltdown.

In the nine years since that legislation--including the eight years of the Bush presidency--Congress has enacted no further legislation easing burdens on financial services industry.

In 2004, Clinton appointee Democrat Franklin Raines steps down as CEO of Fannie May for bad accounting practices - he was cooking the books to hide the risks of buying all the subprime mortgages. He left with $90 million after 6 years.

Community groups and "progressive" political forces had lowered underwriting standards for lending.

In the 1980s, groups such as the activists at ACORN began pushing charges of "redlining" - claims that banks discriminated against minorities in mortgage lending. In 1989, sympathetic members of Congress got the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act amended to force banks to collect racial data on mortgage applicants.

Minority mortgage applications were rejected more frequently than other applications - not because of discrimination but simply because minorities tend to have weaker finances.

A "landmark" 1992 study from the Boston Fed concluded that mortgage-lending discrimination was systemic. The study was tremendously flawed. The president of the Boston Fed said that no new studies were needed, with the US comptroller of the currency seconding the motion.

The Boston Fed, clearly speaking for the entire Fed, produced a manual for mortgage lenders stating that: "discrimination may be observed when a lender's underwriting policies contain arbitrary or outdated criteria that effectively disqualify many urban or lower-income minority applicants."

The Boston Fed ruled that participation in a credit-counseling program should be taken as evidence of an applicant's ability to manage debt. Bank regulators, not banks, required the loosening of underwriting standards.

A 1995 strengthening of the Community Reinvestment Act required banks to find ways to provide mortgages to their poorer communities. It also let community activists intervene at yearly bank reviews.

Banks that got poor reviews were punished; some saw their merger plans frustrated; others faced direct legal challenges by the Justice Department.

A Fannie Mae Foundation report singled out a model of lending that worked with community activists and followed "the most flexible underwriting criteria permitted." That lender's $1 billion commitment to low-income loans in 1992 had grown to $80 billion by 1999 and $600 billion by early 2003. The lender was Countrywide.

While Barney Frank was on the House Banking Committee, which had jurisdiction over Fannie, he had a gay relationship with Herb Moses. Moses worked as Fannie’s assistant director for product initiatives, and was at the forefront of relaxing lending restrictions. They broke up in 1998, a few months after Moses ended his seven-year tenure at Fannie Mae

In 2005, Senator Christopher Dodd, and all the Democrats on the Banking Committee blocked legislation to regulate Fannie and Freddie.

In 2006, John McCain co-sponsored a bill to address the problem. In a party line vote all the democrats voted against the bill.

2009-02-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

Current weather

2009-02-09T10:21:00.000-08:00

Cold

2009-01-15T16:21:00.001-08:00

17 below zero and sunny. Beautiful!

Happy Holidays

2008-12-31T15:16:00.000-08:00

Financial Crisis

2008-11-29T09:28:00.000-08:00

The mess we're in is because the markets are flooded with bad mortgages.

People get a home loan, or mortgage, to buy a house. The bank lends money, with the house as collateral, which is to be paid back over time with interest. This is considered an "asset" to the bank: a mortgage asset.

Mortgage assets can be sold to other banks and to investment banks. Investment banks can turn groups of mortgage assets into securities called Mortgage Backed Securities, or MBS. Groups of these MBS can be turned into Collateralized Mortgage Obligations, or CMO. CMOs are put into risk categories and put into Tranches. Something called Credit Default Swaps can be bought, which are like insurance on credit backed assets in case they fail.

In 1977 Jimmy Carter passed the Community Reinvestment Act, or CRA. CRA loans are risky loans. Banks were compelled to make loans they normally wouldn't, violating free market principles. The leftist organization ACORN began harrassing banks, threatening lawsuits under CRA and even harrasing bankers at their homes to make them issue more and more bad loans, sub-prime mortgages. (This is the same ACORN that Barack Obama worked with, and had voter registration fraud charges nationwide.) The free market was unnaturally influenced.

Fannie May and Freddie Mac buy mortages. They were directed to buy more and more sub-prime mortgages, under the arguably noble idea of helping minorities and poor people get into houses.

Fannie May paid big contributions to politicians who should have regulated them: the biggest recipient was Democrat Chris Dodd, who received contributions totaling $165,000.

In 2005, Senator Christopher Dodd, and all the Democrats on the Banking Committee blocked legislation to regulate Fannie and Freddie.

Senate Republicans introduced a bill in 2006 to regulate, but Democrats voted against.

The second biggest recipient of contributions from Fannie was Barack Obama, who received $126,000.

Republicans have also received contributions, Robert Bennett received $108,000 and John McCain received $21,550.

In 2006, John McCain co-sponsored a bill to address the problem and gave a warning. In a party line vote all the democrats voted against the bill.

In 2004, Democrat Franklin Raines steps down as CEO of Fannie May for bad accounting practices. Franklin Raines was appointed by Bill Clinton. Fannie May had been cooking the books. Raines walked away with $90 million.

Freddie Mac and Fannie May buying up sub-prime mortgages increased the demand for them, causing banks to make even more. Fannie and Freddie are GSEs, Government Sponsored Enterprises, which gave the impression that the mortages were safe. This, and the political pressure to make bad loans caused the financial markets to be flooded with bad mortgages.

A housing boom caused housing prices to increase. This was a housing bubble. Then the bubble popped and house prices went down. Some people had taken mortgages thinking that if they couldn't afford to pay it, they would just sell the house and pay off the mortgage, keeping the profit. But house values went down. In many cases the value of the house was less than the mortgage, so why pay it? And of course many people had taken mortgages they couldn't afford. People started defaulting on their mortgages, with the house being forclosed upon. Often the value of the house is less than the money lent out.

Now many banks and financial institutions have mortage assets on their balance sheets. And now some of these assets are worthless, and the value of the others cannot be determined.

I heard a good analogy: Imagine that mortgage assets are a salad ingredient. They are mixed with other ingredients to make a salad. Imagine that under each piece of lettuce you find a small piece of toxic waste. Pretty soon no one would want the salad, and everyone would stop ordering the salad.

The toxic waste is the bad mortgage assets.

Assets are required to lend. Banks and financial institutions need to get these assets off their balance sheets - but no one wants the salad.

The April, 2001, Bush Administration budget request identified GSE's like Fannie May as a potential problem.

On February 2, 2002, The Wall Street Journal editorial page warned about it.

On September 10, 2003, John Snow warned about GSEs like Fannie May. Barney Frank, on the Financial Services Committee, said that everything was OK.

Some are raising questions about Frank's relationship with Herb Moses, who was Fannie’s assistant director for product initiatives. Moses worked at the government-sponsored enterprise from 1991 to 1998, while Frank was on the House Banking Committee, which had jurisdiction over Fannie.

Lawmaker Accused of Fannie Mae Conflict of Interest
Frank met Moses in 1987, the same year he became the first openly gay member of Congress. The two lived together in a Washington home until they broke up in 1998, a few months after Moses ended his seven-year tenure at Fannie Mae, where he was the assistant director of product initiatives. According to National Mortgage News, Moses "helped develop many of Fannie Mae’s affordable housing and home improvement lending programs." Critics say such programs led to the mortgage meltdown.

Who is Herb Moses?

Media Mum on Barney Frank's Fannie Mae Love Connection

In 2004, Clinton appointee Franklin Raines steps down as CEO of Fannie May for cooking the books.

On February 24, 2004, Alan Greenspan spoke and gave a warning about problems with Fannie May.

On April 7, 2005, Democrat Chuck Schumer says everything is OK.

In 2005, Chris Dodd and all the Democrats on the Banking Committee block legislation to regulate Fannie and Freddie.

In 2008, Bear Stearns failed. The government bought $29 million of mortgage assets and J.P. Morgan bought Bear Stearns.

In July, 2008, Barney Frank said that Fannie May had problems, but would be OK going forward.

On July 11, 2008, IndyMac bank fails.

On September 7, 2008, Fannie May and Freddie Mac are bailed out at a max taxpayer cost of $200 billion.

A week later Merril Lynch is bought by Bank Of America, and Lehman Brothers goes bankrupt.

On September 16, 2008, the Federal Reserve Bank saves AIG at a cost of $85 billion. On October 8 they get $37 billion more.

On September 17, 2008, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs stocks plummet.

On September 21, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson introduces his bailout plan, $700 billion to give the treasury power to buy bad mortgages.

Congress works on a bill, and before voting on the first bailout bill which does not pass, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stands up and tries to blame the financial crisis on George W. Bush. Unbelievable.

Watch the venomous Nancy Pelosi speech that caused the failure of the bill:

Countrywide Loan Scandal

Countrywide's Many 'Friends'

Senators tied to special 'VIP' mortgage deals

Countrywide Friends Got Good Loans

Senators Christopher Dodd, Democrat from Connecticut and chairman of the Banking Committee, and Kent Conrad, Democrat from North Dakota, chairman of the Budget Committee and a member of the Finance Committee, received loans from Countrywide Financial through a little-known program that waived points, lender fees, and company borrowing rules for prominent people.

Chris Dodd, Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee which regulates mortgage lending, received preferential treatment from Countrywide CEO Angelo Mozilo in obtaining mortgage loans. He participated in a special program for "friends" of Mozilo that awarded discounts and waived fees for those friends.

Fannie Mae's former CEO, James Johnson, who had been advising presidential candidate Barack Obama on the selection of a running mate, resigned from the Obama campaign after the Wall Street Journal reported that he received Countrywide loans at below-market rates.

Mr. Johnson led Fannie Mae from 1991 to 1998. He and Countrywide's Mr. Mozilo worked together to streamline the underwriting process.

Another former CEO, Franklin Raines, received low-rate home loans from Countrywide, a large originator of higher-risk subprimes mortgages and a major seller of home loans to Fannie Mae.

Mr. Raines, who succeeded Mr. Johnson at Fannie's helm at the end of 1998, became a repeat customer of Countrywide while he was CEO.

Franklin Raines, a onetime Clinton administration budget director, left Fannie Mae amid an accounting scandal in 2004. Mr. Raines, was forced to retire from Fannie Mae in 2004 when its regulator found it had violated accounting rules in an effort to conceal fluctuations in profit and hadn't maintained adequate risk controls.

Mr. Raines's successor as Fannie Mae CEO, Daniel H. Mudd, received two mortgage loans for about $3 million each in 2001 and 2003 while he was a Fannie Mae officer.

THE REAL SCANDAL
HOW FEDS INVITED THE MORTGAGE MESS

US Fed announces $800bn stimulus

Global stock markets in 2008

Obama

2008-06-17T17:08:00.000-07:00

Obama with Trinity United Church of Christ pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright in Chicago

Black Liberation Theology was taught at the church.

Obama and Tony Rezko

Rezko helped bankroll Obama in five election runs — for the state Senate, U.S. House and U.S. Senate.

Obama said he sometimes talked strategy with Rezko daily

Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a Chicago real estate developer and fundraiser for U.S. presidential contender Barack Obama and other politicians, was found guilty on Wednesday of fraud, attempted bribery and money laundering.

Obama's terrorist connections - William Ayers

Ayers told the New York Times in September 2001, "I don't regret setting bombs...I feel we didn't do enough."

Michelle Obama, this is the first time she is proud of her country...

Obama in his own words...

Rashid Khalidi

Rashid Khalidi held a fundraiser for Obama. Khalidi is a harsh critic of Israel, has made statements supportive of Palestinian terror and reportedly has worked on behalf of the Palestine Liberation Organization while it was involved in anti-Western terrorism and was labeled by the State Department as a terror group.

In 2001, the Woods Fund, a Chicago-based nonprofit that describes itself as a group helping the disadvantaged, provided a $40,000 grant to the Arab American Action Network, or AAAN, for which Khalidi's wife, Mona, serves as president. The Fund provided a second grant to the AAAN for $35,000 in 2002.

"And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

During the Pennsylvania primary, Obama said, "Countrywide Financial was one of the folks, one of the institutions that was pumping up the subprime lending market and inducing people to take out these subprime loans. These are the folks who are responsible for infecting the economy and helping to create a home foreclosure crisis. Two million people may end up losing their homes." Obama also blamed Countrywide's top two executives, who, he said, paid themselves $19 million in bonuses as part of the sale of their company.

Former Fannie Mae Chairman James Johnson said he has quit Senator Barack Obama's vice presidential search committee after the Wall Street Journal reported he may have received preferential mortgage terms from Countrywide Financial Corp.

Obama's childhood mentor, Frank Marshall Davis, was a communist

In his books, Obama admits attending "socialist conferences" and coming into contact with Marxist literature.

Obama’s International Socialist Connections

Raila Odinga

Mr Odinga has said he is a cousin of Mr Obama’s, although the senator’s representatives deny that the two men are related.

Barack Hussein Obama

Memorial Day

2008-05-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday of national reverence which is observed on the last Monday of May. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who died in military service for their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it expanded to include those who died in any war or military action.

60th anniversary of Israel

2008-05-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

Israel marks its 60th anniversary

In depth: Israel at 60

History of Israel: Key events
A history of 60 years of Israel in video, pictures and text.

Israel / Palestine

if Americans knew

C.I.A. World Factbook country profile

State Department -- history and overview

BBC country profile

The Economist - forecast and economic data

News and online media

National Geographic world music guide

gardens

2008-05-01T13:58:00.001-07:00

Queen Rania

2008-04-02T22:58:00.000-07:00

Queen Rania of Jordan is launching her presence on YouTube

Queen Rania on YouTube

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Electronic Crimes

2008-03-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

The Secret Service of today has an Electronic Crimes Task Force which focuses on electronic crime, including international threats, credit card theft/fraud, ID theft, missing and exploited children, virus propagation, intrusions, and threats to companies from insiders (insider threats). The Secret Service also assists other federal and local law enforcement agencies.

The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001. Sec. 105, instructed the Director of the United States Secret Service to develop a national network of electronic crime task forces based on the New York Electronic Crimes Task Force (NYECTF) model. On October 16, 2001, President George Bush signed Executive Order 13231 titled the "Critical Infrastructure in the Information Age". Section S(f) of the order calls for "Law Enforcement Coordination with National Security Components, DOJ through NIPC and Department of Treasury through United States Secret Service". The Electronic Crimes Task Force has continued to grow since it's inception.

Today one of the big crimes the Secret Service deals with is credit card theft. Databases that contain credit card information are being broken into, and credit card information is stolen from compromised PCs. Groups of people buy and sell the stolen credit cards, even some organized crime groups and international groups.

ID theft is rampant today. One of the many methods used to steal personal information from computers is the use of trojan horse malware. There are a variety of ways to infect a machine with a trojan, including packaging the trojan in with another file. Once the computer is infected, the trojan will immediately send out information and usually opens a port to listen for an incoming connection. Typically the trojan can be configured to send a message via email or instant message containing the IP of the victim. The hacker can then connect to the infected machine. The trojan usually scans and gathers information such as passwords or credit card information automatically. This information can be retrieved when the machine is connected to, or it can be included in the initial message sent out. More sophisticated trojans can be configured to target certain kinds of information and can send the information anywhere. Many trojans include the ability to turn the infected machine into a proxy. Most trojans also include a keylogger which can be configured to begin immediately, or wait to be turned on after a connection is made.

Key logger software is software that logs all keys typed on a computer. This makes it possible to harvest user name and password information, account information, as well as credit card numbers entered and other data. It is advisable to never do sensitive transactions on a public computer. The Secret Service has investigated Universities and many other public computers and found that keylogger use is pandemic.

Virus investigations are conducted to try to track down and catch those who propagate viruses. One success story is the arrest of the Minnesota teen Jeffrey Lee Parson, known online as "teekid", for allegedly releasing a version of the "Blaster" computer worm. The Secret Service also reaches across international borders to try to catch cyber criminals.

The Secret Service investigates missing and exploited children. This can include incidents of older men contacting children and attempting to meet with them. It also includes one of the most heinous crimes, child pornography. Many times computers are seized and forensics are done to catch perpetrators.

There are many organized hacking groups, many of them international groups who conduct a plethora of electronic crime ranging from mild to severe. Historically there were unorganized "clique" networks of hackers. Today there are increasingly organized criminal "entrepreneurial" networks that are typically spread out through multiple countries.

One of the schemes perpetrated by organized groups is phishing scams. In phishing scams, hackers are used to develop a legitimate appearing email with a link to a legitimate appearing website, usually a clone of a real site, that will steal any information that is entered. Typically phishers are phishing for bank or other account information, usernames and passwords, or credit card numbers. Many times a separate group will open a bank account where stolen money can be sent, and then the money can be distributed to conspirators electronically and by using services such as Western Union. This makes tracking down all of those involved very difficult.

Intrusions into systems and networks do occur, and when they do many times the Secret Service is called in to do network forensics to determine the source(s) of the attacks.

One of the big threats to network security is the "insider threat". The majority of theft at companies occurs from internal employees. They are usually motivated by financial gain, or revenge against the company. An example of insider theft is AOL software engineer Jason Smathers, 24, who was charged with stealing AOL's entire customer list and selling it to spammers. Smathers was a member of AOL staff and used his access to steal the database of customer email addresses.

A network administrator must be aware of the potential for damage or theft from internal employees. The Secret Service has noted the psychology of typical insider criminals. They display observable behavior including different forms of disobedience, and they usually do not consider consequences.

Many times when a network administrator suspects that an internal employee is involved in illegal activity, or believes that the network has been compromised, or is not sure of what is going on, the Secret Service is called in to do forensic analysis. Problems that can occur include email spam, network intrusion, embezzlement, child porn, denial of service attacks, extortion, and other fraudulent activities.

It is a good tactic for a company to have an Incident Response Team (IRT) in place before an incident occurs. The team members should include a Senior Executive, members from marketing/PR, accounting, corporate security, and IT security. The goals of the incident response team are to prevent an uncoordinated response, collect information, minimize disruption of business, and to protect the organization's reputation. The team also facilitates a civil or criminal case, and works with law enforcement.

Law enforcement will need clear evidence when dealing with an incident. All servers and PCs that are involved should be identified, and logs should be kept, along with any audio or video evidence that may exist. The incident response team should have an impartial point of contact for dealing with law enforcement or the Secret Service.

The Secret Service works with other agencies including the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense agencies, the National Security agencies, various Treasury agencies, the Office of Inspector General, as well as state and local law enforcement agencies.

The Secret Service is collaborating with CERT/CC of Carnegie Mellon University to develop the Critical Systems Protection Initiative (CSPI). An important part of CSPI is the Insider Threat Study, which " will analyze the physical and online behavior of insiders prior to and during network compromises."

The Secret Service works to protect national interest and critical infrastructure, as well as private industry. There are opportunities to join this team for Information Technology specialists of today and tomorrow.

USA PATRIOT Act as Passed by Congress
http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/Terrorism/hr3162.php

Executive Order on Critical Infrastructure Protection
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/10/20011016-12.html

National Threat Assessment Center - Insider Threat Study
http://www.secretservice.gov/ntac_its.shtml

Where did the Internet come from?

The Fed

2008-02-28T11:42:00.000-08:00

The Federal Reserve Bank of the United States was created in 1913 when the Federal Reserve Act was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson. The Federal Reserve System is the third central banking system in the United States history.

In 1791 the First Bank of the United States was established by Congress at the urging of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. The bank had a twenty year charter, and it was not renewed by Congress in 1811.

In 1816 Congress agreed to a twenty year charter for the Second Bank of the United States. Andrew Jackson who was an opponent of the central bank was elected President in 1828. President Jackson vetoed legislation to renew the Second Bank of the United States, and when the Second Banks charter expired in 1836 it was not renewed.

The National Banking Act of 1863 was passed during the Civil War. It provided for nationally chartered banks whose circulating notes had to be backed by U.S. Government securities. An amendment to the act required taxation on state bank notes but not national bank notes.

IN 1893 bank runs and financial panics triggered the worst depression the U.S. had ever seen. Financial mogul J.P Morgan intervened and stabilized the economy.

J.P. Morgan again intervened after a particularly severe banking panic in 1907. There was clearly a need for banking and currency reform.

The Aldrich-Vreeland Act of 1908 provided for an emergency currency and established the National Monetary Commission to study banking and currency reform. The chief of the bipartisan National Monetary Commission was financial expert and Senate Republican leader Nelson Aldrich.

In 1912 Democrat Woodrow Wilson was elected President. From 1912 to 1913 the Glass-Willis proposal by Virginia Rep. Carter Glass, who would become the chairman of the House Committee on Banking and Finance, and H. Parker Willis, the Committee's expert advisor and formerly a professor of economics at Washington and Lee University, was debated, reshaped, and modified into the Federal Reserve Act.

On December 23, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act into law.

Key laws affecting the Federal Reserve have been:

* Banking Act of 1935
* Employment Act of 1946
* Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 and the amendments of 1970
* Federal Reserve Reform Act of 1977
* International Banking Act of 1978
* Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act of 1978
* Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980
* Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989
* Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991
* Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999

In 2002 the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was passed:

President Bush Signs Corporate Corruption Bill

The basic structure of the Federal Reserve System includes:

The Federal Reserve Board of Governors

The President appoints the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C.

The current members of the Board of Governors are:

* Ben Bernanke, Chairman
* Donald Kohn, Vice-Chairman
* Frederic Mishkin
* Kevin Warsh
* Randall Kroszner

The Federal Open Market Committee

The Federal Reserve Banks

Federal Reserve Bank	Letter	Number	Website	President
Boston	A	1	http://www.bos.frb.org/	Eric S. Rosengren
New York	B	2	http://www.newyorkfed.org/	Timothy F. Geithner
Philadelphia	C	3	http://www.philadelphiafed.org/	Charles I. Plosser
Cleveland	D	4	http://www.clevelandfed.org/	Sandra Pianalto
Richmond	E	5	http://www.richmondfed.org/	Jeffrey M. Lacker
Atlanta	F	6	http://www.frbatlanta.org/	Dennis P. Lockhart
Chicago	G	7	http://www.chicagofed.org/	Charles Evans
St Louis	H	8	http://www.stlouisfed.org/	William Poole
Minneapolis	I	9	http://www.minneapolisfed.org/	Gary H. Stern
Kansas City	J	10	http://www.kansascityfed.org/	Thomas M. Hoenig
Dallas	K	11	http://www.dallasfed.org/	Richard W. Fisher
San Francisco	L	12	http://www.frbsf.org/	Janet L. Yellen

The member banks

National banks are required to be member banks in the Federal Reserve System. Other banks may elect to become member banks. The numerous private U.S. member banks subscribe to required amounts of non-transferable stock in their regional Federal Reserve Banks.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke delivers the Fed's Monetary Policy Report, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008, during an appearance before the Senate Banking Committee.

Alan Greenspan was the 13th Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, from 1987 to 2006. He was knighted in England in 2002.

Syria

2008-02-28T11:40:00.000-08:00

Treasury freezes assets of four Syrians

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Treasury froze assets of four Syrians on Thursday, saying they facilitated the flow of money, weapons and terrorists through Syria to al Qaeda in Iraq.

"Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, Syria has become a transit station for al Qaeda foreign terrorists on their way to Iraq," Stuart Levey, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement.

The four Syrians are said to be members of Abu Ghadiyah's network, the Treasury Department said.

William F. Buckley

2008-02-28T11:30:00.000-08:00

William F. Buckley
Nov. 24, 1925 - Feb. 27, 2008

Barack Hussein Obama

2008-02-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

Barack Hussein Obama

with Trinity United Church of Christ pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright in Chicago

Hello? Hello?! Is this Pockiston?

President Bush in Africa

2008-02-19T19:50:00.000-08:00

Mr Bush has been making pledges to help fight Aids and malaria, and promises of aid and investment, as he tours Africa.

George W Bush says violence in Darfur must be stopped "once and for all", as he continues his tour of Africa.

PRESIDENT BUSH'S AFRICA ITINERARY
Benin - Cotonou: arrival ceremony, meets president
Tanzania - Dar-es-Salaam: meets president, tours hospital; Arusha: tours hospital, textile mill and girls' school
Rwanda - Kigali: meets president, visits genocide memorial
Ghana - Accra: meets president, state dinner
Liberia - Monrovia: meets president, visits university

Bush highlights malaria campaign
President George W Bush has said the US will help provide 5.2 million mosquito nets as part of a broader campaign to tackle malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2005 President Bush launched a $1.2bn (£610m) five-year campaign to lower malaria deaths in Africa.

Bush calls for fair Zimbabwe poll
US President George W Bush has called for "free and fair" elections to be held in Zimbabwe.

Earlier, Mr Bush signed a $698m deal with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete to reduce poverty.

Bush urges end to Darfur 'evil'
US President George W Bush has urged the world to take action to stop the violence in the Sudanese region of Darfur "once and for all".

Intervene in Nigeria, Bush urged
A leading militant group from Nigeria's oil region has written to US President George Bush, asking him to help solve their dispute with the government.

In pictures: Bush's Africa tour

Hezbollah terror leader killed

2008-02-13T09:46:00.000-08:00

Imad Mughniyeh was responsible for kidnappings, car bombings and hijacks.

Hezbollah Says Top Militant Is Killed

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Imad Mughniyeh, the militant accused of attacks that left hundreds of Americans and Israelis dead, including a U.S. Navy diver during the infamous 1985 hijacking of a TWA jetliner, has been killed, Hezbollah said Wednesday.

Mughniyeh, who had been in hiding for years, was among the fugitives indicted in the United States for the 1985 hijacking of a TWA airliner in which a U.S. Navy diver was killed. He was also suspected of masterminding attacks on the U.S. Embassy and the Marine base in Lebanon that killed more than 260 Americans in the 1980s when he was then the Iranian-backed Hezbollah's security chief.

Mughniyeh, 45, was also the reputed leader of a group that held Westerners hostage in Lebanon, among them journalist Terry Anderson, a former Associated Press chief Middle East correspondent who was held captive for six years.

Mughniyeh is also believed by Israel to have been involved in planning the 1992 bombing of Israel's embassy in Argentina in which 29 people were killed and the blast at a Buenos Aires Jewish center two years later that killed 95.

Damascus bombing kills Hizbullah No. 2
The head of Hizbullah's military wing, Imad Mughniyeh - considered the organization's second in command - was killed in a car bombing in Damascus late Tuesday night, Hizbullah's Al-Manar television reported Wednesday.

Imad Mughniyeh, Hezbollah terror leader, killed in car bomb
Imad Mughniyeh, the Hezbollah mastermind behind the kidnapping of Westerners in Beirut and many big terror attacks around the world in the 1980s and 1990s, was killed late last night in a car bomb explosion in Damascus.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, speaking to AFP in Gaza City, called on Arabs and Muslims to "face up to this Zionist octopus whose crimes are now passing beyond the Palestinian territories to touch the Arab and Islamic world."

The US troop surge, a year later

2008-02-12T18:17:00.001-08:00

The US troop surge, a year later

A year later — through a mix of military might, new allies and some fortunate timing — Iraq looks very different.

Executions may be carried out at Gitmo

2008-02-12T18:11:00.000-08:00

Executions may be carried out at Gitmo

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - If six suspected terrorists are sentenced to death at Guantanamo Bay for the Sept. 11 attacks, U.S. Army regulations that were quietly amended two years ago open the possibility of execution by lethal injection at the military base in Cuba, experts said Tuesday.

This undated file photo provided by ABC News shows Waleed bin Attash. Bin Attash, a Yemeni portrayed as an al-Qaida operative and a member of a terrorist family, confessed to plotting the bombings of the USS Cole and two U.S. embassies in Africa, killing hundreds, according to a Pentagon transcript of a Guantanamo Bay hearing, released Monday March 19, 2007. The Pentagon has charged bin Attash and five other detainees at Guantanamo Bay with murder and war crimes in connection with the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and officials said Monday Feb. 11, 2008, the United States will seek the death penalty.
(AP Photo/ABC News)

U.S. Army execution procedures: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/ap_on_re_us/storytext/guantanamo_executions/26312724/SIG=11gf36eli/*http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/r190_55.pdf

Israel Palestine

2008-01-27T10:38:00.000-08:00

The Sykes-Picot agreement is a secret understanding concluded in May 1916, during World War I, between Great Britain and France, with the assent of Russia, for the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire.

The agreement led to the division of Turkish-held Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine into various French and British-administered areas. The agreement took its name from its negotiators, Sir Mark Sykes of Britain and Georges Picot of France.

Some historians have pointed out that the agreement conflicted with pledges already given by the British to the Hashimite leader Husayn ibn Ali, Sharif of Mecca, who was about to lead an Arab revolt in the Hejaz against the Ottoman rulers on the understanding that the Arabs would eventually receive a much more important share of the territory won.

Sykes-Picot agreement - text at UNISPAL

The Balfour Declaration of 1917 was the first significant declaration by a world power in favour of a Jewish "national home" in what was known as Palestine.

Historians disagree as to what the then British Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, intended by his declaration. The letter has no mention of the word "state", and insists that nothing should be done "which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine".

The letter was addressed to Lord Rothschild, a leader of the Jewish community in Britain. It became an important arm of the movement to create a Jewish state in Palestine.

The Avalon Project : Balfour Declaration 1917

The 1920 Palestine riots, or Nebi Musa riots, were violent Arab disturbances against the Jews of Jerusalem under British rule on 4 and 7 April 1920 in and around the Old City of Jerusalem.

Named after the Muslim Nebi Musa holiday in which they took place, the riots followed tensions in Arab-Jewish relations and a number of anti-Jewish attacks. Crowds gathered in Jerusalem were incited by the Palestinian Arab leadership's speeches and engaged in violence aimed at the city's Jews. At the same time, the British military administration's erratic response failed to prevent and immediately contain the rioting, which continued for four days. As a result of the events, trust between the British, Jews, and Arabs eroded and led to the Jewish community's move to independent infrastructure and security.

Five Jews and four Arabs were killed, while wounded were 216 Jews, 18 critically; 23 Arabs, one critically; and seven British soldiers, all apparently beaten by an Arab mob. The majority of the victims were members of the old Yishuv, non-Zionist or anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews. About 300 Jews from the Old City were evacuated.

Some Arabs defended Jews and granted them refuge in their homes; many witnesses identified their attackers and murderers as their neighbours. Several witnesses said that Arab policemen had participated.

Jaffa riots 1921
Dozens of British, Arab, and Jewish witnesses all reported that Arab men bearing clubs, knives, swords, and some pistols broke into Jewish buildings and murdered their inhabitants, while women followed to loot. They attacked Jewish pedestrians and destroyed Jewish homes and stores. They beat and killed Jews in their homes, including children, and in some cases split open the victims' skulls.

An immigrant hostel run by the Zionist Commission was home to a hundred people who had arrived in recent weeks and days. At 1:00 pm it was attacked by the mob, and though the residents tried to barricade the gate, it was rammed open and the Arabs poured in. The stone-throwing was followed by bombs and gunfire, and the Jewish hostel residents hid in various rooms. Temporary relief at the sight of police vanished when it became apparent that they weren't shooting to disperse the crowd, but were actually aiming at the building. In the courtyard one immigrant was felled by a policeman's bullet at short-range, and others were stabbed and beaten with sticks. Five women fled a policemen firing his pistol; three escaped. A policemen cornered two women and tried to commit rape, but they escaped him despite his shooting. A fourteen-year old girl and some men managed to escape the building, but each was in turn chased down and beaten to death with iron rods or wooden boards.

The Haycraft Commission of Inquiry was set up to investigate the Jaffa riots of 1921, but it's remit was widened and it's report entitled "Palestine: Disturbances in May 1921". The report blamed the Arabs for the violence, but identified a series of grievances concerning the way their interests were apparently being subsumed to the interests of the Jewish immigrants, who were then around 10% of the population and increasing rapidly. Some measures to ease Arab unhappiness were taken, but Jewish colonies were helped to arm themselves and ultimately the report was ignored.

Its report confirmed the participation of Arab policemen in the riots and also deemed the actions taken by the authorities adequate. The report angered both Jews and Arabs: it placed the blame on the Arabs, but said that "Zionists were not doing enough to mitigate the Arabs' apprehensions.

Highlights from the report:

"The racial strife was begun by the Arabs, and rapidly developed into a conflict of great violence between Arabs and Jews, in which the Arab majority, who were generally the aggressors, inflicted most of the casualties."

"A large part of the Moslem and Christian communities condoned it [the riots], although they did not encourage violence. While certain of the educated Arabs appear to have incited the mob, the notables on both sides, whatever their feelings may have been, aided the authorities to allay the trouble."

"The [Arab] police were, with few exceptions, half-trained and inefficient, in many cases indifferent, and in some cases leaders or participators in violence."

"The raids on five Jewish agricultural colonies arose from the excitement produced in the minds of the Arabs by reports of Arabs being killed by Jews in Jaffa. In two cases unfounded stories of provocation were believed and acted upon without any effort being made to verify them."

1929 Palestine riots
In the summer of 1929, a long-running dispute between Muslims and Jews over access to the Western Wall in Jerusalem escalated, and erupted into a series of violent demonstrations and riots in late August. During the week of riots, 133 Jews were killed and 339 wounded (mostly by Arabs); 116 Arabs were killed and 232 wounded (mostly by British-commanded police and soldiers)

The Hebron Massacre refers to the mass murder of sixty-seven Jews in 1929 in Hebron, then part of the British Mandate of Palestine, by Arabs incited to violence by false rumors that Jews were massacring Arabs in Jerusalem and seizing control of Muslim Holy Places

The carnage had a deep effect on the Jewish community. The survivors were forced to flee Hebron, and their property was seized by Arab residents and occupied until after the Six Day War of 1967. It also led to the re-organization and development of the Jewish defense organization, the Haganah, which later became the nucleus of the Israel Defense Forces.

The 1929 Safed massacre took place on 29 August during the 1929 Palestine riots. Eighteen Jews were killed (some sources say twenty) and eighty wounded. The main Jewish street was looted and burned.

The Shaw Report was a British report of a Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Sir Walter Shaw, into the 1929 Palestine riots.

The Hope Simpson Report was an investigation in the British Mandate of Palestine following widespread Arab riots of 1929 and subsequent to the Shaw Report. The commission was headed by Sir John Hope Simpson, and on October 21, 1930 it produced its report, dated October 1, 1930. The report recommended to limit the Jewish immigration due to the lack of agricultural land to support it.

The Hope Simpson Report, the complete text, at UNISPAL

December, 1930 - REPORT of the Commission appointed by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with the approval of the Council of the League of Nations, to determine the rights and claims of Moslems and Jews in connection with the Western or Wailing Wall at Jerusalem

The 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine was an uprising during the British mandate by Palestinian Arabs in Palestine which lasted from 1936 to 1939. It should not be confused with the Arab Revolt of 1916–18.

Despite the assistance of 20,000 additional British troops and several thousand Haganah men, the uprising continued for over two years. By the time it concluded in March of 1939, more than 5,000 Arabs, 400 Jews, and 200 Britons had been killed and at least 15,000 Arabs were wounded.

The revolt did not achieve its goals, although it is "credited with signifying the birth of the Arab Palestinian identity."

Another outcome of the hostilities was the disengagement of the Jewish and Arab economies in Palestine, which were more or less intertwined until that time. For example, whereas the Jewish city of Tel Aviv relied on the nearby Arab seaport of Jaffa, hostilities dictated the construction of a separate Jewish-run seaport for Tel-Aviv. Historians later pointed to the uprising as a pivotal point at which the Jewish population in Palestine became independent and self-sustaining.

The Peel Commission of 1936, formally known as the Palestine Royal Commission, was a British Royal Commission of Inquiry set out to propose changes to the Mandate for Palestine following the outbreak of the 1936-1939 Arab revolt in Palestine. It was headed by Earl Peel.

On 11 November, 1936, the commission arrived in Palestine to investigate the reasons behind the uprising. It returned to Britain on 18 January 1937. On 7 July, 1937, it published a report that, for the first time, recommended partition. This proposal was declared unworkable and formally rejected by the government.

According to the Peel Commission report, Arab allegations regarding Jewish land purchase were unfounded. "Much of the land now carrying orange groves was sand dunes or swamp and uncultivated when it was purchased...There was at the time of the earlier sales little evidence that the owners possessed either the resources or training needed to develop the land." The land shortage decried by the Arabs "was due less to the amount of land acquired by Jews than to the increase in the Arab population."

Summary section of the Report of the Palestine Royal Commission (from the United Nations Information System on the Question of Palestine - UNISPAL)

aljazeera: The history of Palestinian revolts

Aug 1947 - UK DELEGATION TO THE UN "summary of the principal recommendations made by the Shaw commission".

The United Nations General Assembly decided in 1947 on the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem to be an international city. The plan, which was rejected by the Palestinians, was never implemented.

On 29 November 1947 the United Nations voted to terminate the British Mandate of Palestine by 1 August 1948 and, to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict in the British Mandate of Palestine, for a plan for the partition of the Mandate territory. The plan came to be called the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine or United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181. The plan was approved by the United Nations General Assembly by 33 votes to 13, with 10 abstentions.

The plan would have partitioned the territory of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, with the Greater Jerusalem area, including Bethlehem, coming under international control.

On 29 November 1947, the United Nations General Assembly voted 33 to 13, with 10 abstentions, in favour of the Partition Plan, while making some adjustments to the boundaries between the two states proposed by it.

██ In favor

██ Abstaining

██ Against

██ Absent

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 - November 29, 1947

Declaration of Israel's Independence 1948

Although Israel’s independence on May 14, 1948, triggered the first full-scale war, armed conflicts between Jews and Arabs had been frequent since Great Britain received the League of Nations mandate for Palestine in 1920. From 1945 to 1948 Zionists waged guerrilla war against British troops and against Palestinian Arabs supported by the Arab League, and they had made substantial gains by 1948. The 1948–49 War reflected the opposition of the Arab states to the formation of the Jewish state of Israel in what they considered to be Arab territory.

As independence was declared, Arab forces from Egypt, Syria, Transjordan (later Jordan), Lebanon, and Iraq invaded Israel. The Egyptians gained some territory in the south and the Jordanians took Jerusalem’s Old City, but the other Arab forces were soon halted. In June the United Nations succeeded in establishing a four-week truce. This was followed in July by significant Israeli advances before another truce. Fighting erupted again in August and continued sporadically until the end of 1948. An Israeli advance in Jan., 1949, isolated Egyptian forces and led to a cease-fire (Jan. 7, 1949).

Protracted peace talks resulted in armistice agreements between Israel and Egypt, Syria, and Jordan by July, but no formal peace. In addition, about 400,000 Palestinian Arabs had fled from Israel and were settled in refugee camps near Israel’s border; their status became a volatile factor in Arab-Israeli relations.

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpi/palestine/

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpi/palestine/ch10.pdf

The 1948 hostilities witnessed thousands of Palestinians fleeing their homes in Palestine to take refuge in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and neighbouring Arab countries.

The hostilities that accompanied the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 led to the flight of some 750,000 refugees from Palestine. Most of these refugees fled to the West Bank, then held by Jordan, to the Gaza Strip, held by Egypt, and to Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and even further afield. The Arab-Israeli war of 1967 led to yet another displacement, this time of more than 500,000 Palestinians, nearly half of whom were refugees uprooted for a second time.

The West Bank and the Gaza Strip became distinct geographical units as a result of the 1949 armistice that divided the new Jewish state of Israel from other parts of Mandate Palestine.

From 1948 to 1967, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was ruled by Jordan. During this period, the Gaza Strip was under Egyptian military administration.

In the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Israel took control of the western part of Jerusalem, while Jordan took the eastern part, including the old walled city containing important Jewish, Muslim and Christian religious sites.

BBC: Key Maps

BBC: Key Documents

1956: The Sinai campaign

The 1956 War
From 1949 to 1956 the armed truce between Israel and the Arabs, enforced in part by the UN forces, was punctuated by raids and reprisals. Among the world powers, the United States, Great Britain, and France sided with Israel, while the Soviet Union supported Arab demands. Tensions mounted during 1956 as Israel became convinced that the Arabs were preparing for war. The nationalization of the Suez Canal by Egypt’s Gamal Abdal Nasser in July, 1956, resulted in the further alienation of Great Britain and France, which made new agreements with Israel.

On Oct. 29, 1956, Israeli forces, directed by Moshe Dayan, launched a combined air and ground assault into Egypt’s Sinai peninsula. Early Israeli successes were reinforced by an Anglo-French invasion along the canal. Although the action against Egypt was severely condemned by the nations of the world, the cease-fire of Nov. 6, which was promoted by the United Nations with U.S. and Soviet support, came only after Israel had captured several key objectives, including the Gaza strip and Sharm el Sheikh, which commanded the approaches to the Gulf of Aqaba. Israel withdrew from these positions in 1957, turning them over to the UN emergency force after access to the Gulf of Aqaba, without which Israel was cut off from the Indian Ocean, had been guaranteed.

In a pre-emptive attack on Egypt on 5 June 1967 that drew Syria and Jordan into a regional war, Israel made massive territorial gains capturing the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula up to the Suez Canal.

The principle of land-for-peace that has formed the basis of Arab-Israeli negotiations is based on Israel giving up land won in the 1967 war in return for peace deals recognising Israeli borders and its right to security. The Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt as part of the 1979 peace deal with Israel.

The Six-Day War began after a series of complex and disputed events between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

Border incidents:
Attacks from Palestinian guerrilla groups (fedayeen) supported by Syria, Egypt, and Jordan increased during the early 1960s.

Israel retaliated against attacks by going into Arab territory. One such reprisal was the incident at Samu on November 13, 1966.

Syria regularly shelled Israeli farms from its Golan Heights region. Israel aerially attacked Syrian emplacements on the Golan Heights. In April 1967 Israel shot down six of Syria’s MiG fighter planes.

Israel's National Water Carrier:
The Arabs started work on the Headwater Diversion project in 1965. Israel declared that it would regard such diversion as an infringement of its sovereign rights. According to estimates, completion of the project would have deprived Israel of 35% of its contemplated withdrawal from the upper Jordan, constituting one-ninth of Israel's annual water budget.
In a series of military strikes, Israel hit the diversion works. The attacks culminated in April 1967 in air strikes deep inside Syria. The increase in water-related Arab-Israeli hostility was a major factor leading to the June 1967 war. more here

May 17 - President Nasser asks the UN to remove the UNEF from the Egyptian-Israeli frontier in Sinai.

May 18 - UN withdraws peace forces from Sinai, at President Nasser's request.

May 22 - President Nasser closes the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping.

May 29 - President Nasser declares "Our basic objective will be the destruction of Israel. The Arab people want to fight."

May 30 - Egypt and Jordan unite against Israel.

May 31 - Jordan moves tanks towards Israel.

June 5 - Israel launches attack on Egypt, destroying nearly 400 Egypt-based military aircraft. Israeli planes attack airfields in Jordan, Egypt and Syria, nearly destroying the Arab air forces.

Egypt, Syria, and Jordan were involved in the fighting. They were aided by Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Algeria.

Israel captured the Sinai peninsula from Egypt, the Golan Heights from Syria and the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan.

1973: October War

The 1973–74 War (The Yom Kippur War)
During 1973 the Arab states, believing that their complaints against Israel were going unheeded (despite the mounting use by the Arabs of threats to cut off oil supplies in an attempt to soften the pro-Israel stance of the United States), quietly prepared for war, led by Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat. On Oct. 6, 1973, the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur, a two-pronged assault on Israel was launched. Egyptian forces struck eastward across the Suez Canal and pushed the Israelis back, while the Syrians advanced from the north. Iraqi forces joined the war and, in addition, Syria received some support from Jordan, Libya, and the smaller Arab states. The attacks caught Israel off guard, and it was several days before the country was fully mobilized; Israel then forced the Syrians and Egyptians back and, in the last hours of the war, established a salient on the west bank of the Suez Canal, but these advances were achieved at a high cost in soldiers and equipment. Through U.S. and Soviet diplomatic pressures and the efforts of the United Nations, a tenuous cease-fire was implemented by Oct. 25. Israel and Egypt signed a cease-fire agreement in November, but Israeli-Syrian fighting continued until a cease-fire was negotiated in 1974. Largely as a result of the diplomatic efforts of U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Israel withdrew back across the Suez Canal and several miles inland from the east bank behind a UN-supervised cease-fire zone. On the Syrian front too, Israeli territorial gains made in the war were given up. After the war Egyptian and Syrian diplomatic relations with the United States, broken since the 1967 war, were resumed, and clearance of the Suez Canal began. The 1973–74 War brought about a major shift of power in the Middle East and ultimately led to the signing of the Camp David accords.

1982: Lebanon invasion

The 1982 War
In 1978 Palestinian guerrillas, from their base in Lebanon, launched an air raid on Israel; in retaliation, Israel sent troops into S Lebanon to occupy a strip 4–6 mi (6–10 km) deep and thus protect Israel’s border. Eventually a UN peacekeeping force was set up there, but occasional fighting continued. In 1982 Israel launched a massive attack to destroy all military bases of the Palestine Liberation Organization in S Lebanon and, after a 10-week siege of the Muslim sector of West Beirut, a PLO stronghold, forced the Palestinians to accept a U.S.-sponsored plan whereby the PLO guerrillas would evacuate Beirut and go to several Arab countries that had agreed to accept them. Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 1985 but continues to maintain a Lebanese-Christian–policed buffer zone north of its border.

1987: First Intifada

1993: Oslo agreement

Text: 1993 Declaration of Principles

2000: Second intifada

2005: Gaza withdrawal

2006: Lebanon war

4 major issues today are Jerusalem, Borders, Security, and Refugees.

GPS satellite to better guide military weapons

2007-12-22T05:27:00.000-08:00

Rocket launched into space; carries satellite to guide weapons

CAPE CANAVERAL - A rocket carrying a GPS satellite to better guide military weapons was launched into space Thursday.

The Delta 2 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 3:04 p.m. with the modernized NAVSTAR Global Positioning System Block 2R military navigation satellite aboard for the U.S. Air Force.

The satellite is part of a constellation of 24 and one of eight that were modernized to more precisely guide weapons and a variety of civilian applications.

Powered by a solar panel that can produce up to 800 watts of power, the 4,540-pound satellite is expected to circle the earth for up to a decade before becoming obsolete.

Al Qaeda torture

2007-12-20T16:45:00.001-08:00

Iraq 'torture complex' discovered
US and Iraqi forces have discovered a "torture complex" in an al-Qaeda safe haven near Muqdadiya in central Diyala province, the US military has said.

Three buildings containing chains on the walls and ceilings, and a metal bed connected to a power supply were found during an operation on 9 December.

Mass graves containing 26 bodies were uncovered nearby, the military said.

Torture chamber found in Iraq
BAGHDAD - Blood-splotches on walls, chains hanging from a ceiling and swords on the killing floor — the artifacts left a disturbing tale of brutalities inside a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq torture chamber. But there was yet another chilling fact outside the dirt-floor dungeon. Villagers say they knew about the torment but were too intimidated by extremists to tell authorities until now.

The rooms "had chains, a bed — an iron bed that was still connected to a battery — knives and swords that were still covered in blood," said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, the top U.S. commander in northern Iraq.

Nearby were nine mass graves containing the remains of 26 people, he said.

Iraq bombings kill at least 16
The U.S. military, meanwhile, released details today of an apparent torture center found in Diyala province this month. A military statement said U.S. forces killed 24 suspected insurgents and detained 37 during an operation Dec. 8-11, which also uncovered the apparent torture complex.

The statement said the remains of 26 people were found in multiple mass graves during the operation near Muqdadiya, 60 miles northeast of Baghdad. Tips from residents led U.S. troops to the site, which appeared to have been used by the group Al Qaeda in Iraq as a detention and execution facility. A bed hooked up to an electrocution system, chains on the walls and ceilings and blood-stained items were found inside the compound, officials said.

From last May: Torture, Al-Qaeda Style

Hillary

2007-12-18T17:41:00.001-08:00

Hillary The Movie

From Iraqi Mojo

2007-12-18T17:09:00.001-08:00

Iraqi Mojo posts:

Interview With a Terrorist

Musa Qala

2007-12-15T20:11:00.000-08:00

Calm after fight for Afghan town
Local people are slowly returning to the Afghan town of Musa Qala, after the Taleban stronghold was captured by British, US and Afghan forces.

Iraqi oil

2007-12-15T09:51:00.000-08:00

Iraqi oil exceeds pre-war output

Iraqi oil production is above the levels seen before the US-led invasion of the country in 2003, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

It puts the rise down to the improving security situation in Iraq, especially in the north of the country.

Since the summer there has been a marked downturn in all forms of violence in Iraq.

Analysts point to a number of reasons for this, ranging from the big increase or "surge" in American troop numbers in Baghdad, to Sunni militant groups turning against former al-Qaeda allies.

Iraq

2007-12-09T15:47:00.000-08:00

US 'kills key Iraq al-Qaeda man'
Abu Maysara, a Syrian, was a senior adviser to the group's leader, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, a statement said.

40 Qaeda leaders killed or captured in Iraq: US
US military spokesman Major General Kevin Bergner said Abu Maysara, a close aide of Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Egyptian Abu Ayyub al-Masri, was among those killed.

"He was one of the 40 Al-Qaeda leaders killed or captured in November," Bergner told reporters, breaking the figures down into nine militants killed and 31 captured.

Iraq to be given control of Basra
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced that the Iraqi province of Basra is to be handed over to Iraqi control within two weeks.

Iraq plans crackdown in violent province
BAGHDAD - Iraq's defense minister promised on Sunday to wage a new crackdown in a volatile province northeast of Baghdad where militants are trying to regroup after being routed from their urban stronghold there last summer.

Freedoms Watch

2007-12-07T12:29:00.001-08:00

http://www.freedomswatch.org/

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2007-12-07T08:44:00.000-08:00

click:
EAGLES

click:
EYRIE

click:
PICTURES

Aiding Hezbollah

2007-11-30T23:54:00.000-08:00

Detroit man pleads guilty in bid to aid Hezbollah

Fawzi Assi, 47, pleaded guilty in federal court in Detroit to attempting to provide support to a terrorist organization under U.S. law, federal prosecutors said.

Nuradin Abdi

2007-11-30T10:24:00.000-08:00

Nuradin Mahamoud Abdi

Somali gets 10 years in Ohio bomb plot

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A Somali immigrant was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday for plotting to blow up an Ohio shopping mall with a man later convicted of being an al-Qaida terrorist.

Nuradin Abdi, a cell phone salesman before his arrest, pleaded guilty in July to conspiring to provide material support for terrorists. He will be deported to Somalia after serving the federal sentence.

One of the men with Abdi that day was Iyman Faris, who pleaded guilty in May 2003 to providing material support for terrorism. A Pakistani immigrant, Faris was convicted of plotting to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The third man alleged to be at the meeting is Christopher Paul, a U.S. citizen who grew up in suburban Columbus. He was charged in April with plotting to bomb European tourist resorts frequented by Americans as well as overseas U.S. military bases, and his trial is scheduled for January 2009.

Other Foiled Attacks

Condemning MoveOn.org

2007-09-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

Resolution (S.Amdt.2934) sponsored by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) condemns the ad by radical liberal group MoveOn.org attacking General David Petraeus.

Senate condemns "General Betray Us" ad

The 72-25 vote condemned the full-page ad that appeared in The New York Times last week as Gen. David Petraeus, the top military commander in Iraq, testified on Capitol Hill. The ad was headlined: "General Petraeus or General Betray Us? Cooking the books for the White House."

Bush slams MoveOn.org and Democrats for Petraeus ad

NYT says MoveOn ad was `mistake'

NYT regrets moveon.org ad on Petraeus

Lars Vilks

2007-09-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

Qaeda leader offers $100,000 for cartoonist death
DUBAI (Reuters) - The head of an al Qaeda-led group in Iraq offered $100,000 for the killing of Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks over his drawing depicting the Prophet Mohammad.

"The award will be increased to $150,000 if he were to be slaughtered like a lamb."

Artist says Prophet picture meant to stir debate
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A Swedish artist threatened with death over his drawing of a dog with the head of Islam's Prophet Mohammad said on Tuesday he drew the picture to spark debate about freedom of expression in the art world.

Showing the original picture at a debate in the Swedish capital, Lars Vilks said he had wanted to test the boundaries of freedom in art.
"It was a project for the art world," Vilks said.

Holy Land Foundation

2007-09-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development used charity as a cover to finance international terrorism.

Five Holy Land members stand accused of secretly sending money to the Middle East terror group Hamas.

Muslim charity trial wraps up in Texas

3 Terror Suspects Arrested in Germany

2007-09-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

3 Terror Suspects Arrested in Germany

BERLIN (AP) - Three suspected Islamic militants were arrested for allegedly plotting "imminent" and "massive" attacks on a major U.S. Air Force base in Germany and Frankfurt International Airport, one of Europe's busiest, German authorities said Wednesday.

wars in cyberspace

2007-09-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

US Air Force sets up Cyber Command

The US Air Force established a provisional Cyber Command Tuesday as part of an expanding mission to prepare for wars in cyberspace, officials said.

surge plan

2007-09-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

US surge plan in Iraq 'working'
The military objectives of the US troop surge in Iraq "are largely being met", the top US military commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, has said.

Petraeus talks of troop withdrawal
In long-awaited testimony, the commanding general of the war said last winter's buildup in U.S. troops had met its military objectives "in large measure."

Iran fighting 'proxy war in Iraq'
Washington - Iran is fighting a "proxy war" through Shi'a militias against the Iraqi state and United States-led forces in the war-torn nation, US war commander General David Petraeus said on Monday.

US plans base on Iraq-Iran border
The US military is planning to build its first base near Iraq's border with Iran in order to curb the alleged flow of weapons to Shia militants in Iraq.

Iraq chides 'meddling' neighbours
Iraqi leaders have criticised neighbouring countries for interfering in the country's internal affairs.

U.S. workers most productive in the world

2007-09-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

U.S. workers: World's most productive
According to a U.N. report, workers in the United States lead the world in labor productivity.

Report: U.S. workers are most productive

Americans Are World's Most Productive Workers, U.N. Report Finds

Islamist bomb plot in Germany

2007-09-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

U.S., German cooperation key to foiling bomb plot
BERLIN (Reuters) - Close work between German and U.S. authorities was key to uncovering what German police say would have been "massive" bomb attacks by militant Islamists, German media and a diplomat said on Friday [Sept. 7].

Germany hunting 10 more suspects in Islamist bomb plot
BERLIN (AFP) - German police have launched an international hunt for 10 accomplices of the three men held over a foiled Islamist plot to blow up airports and US installations in Germany, a top official said Thursday.

Some other foiled attacks

German hostage Rudolf B.

2007-09-07T06:58:00.000-07:00

German hostage pleads for his release on Afghan TV

Christina Barbara Meier

2007-08-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

Abducted German female pleads for her release

Kidnapped German in Afghan video

Kidnapped German freed in Kabul
Christina Meier was freed during a police raid on a house on the outskirts of the city, and a number of her suspected abductors were arrested.

Freed German aid worker flown out of Afghanistan: NGO
KABUL (AFP) - A pregnant German aid worker rescued from her kidnappers in a dramatic police swoop has been flown out of Afghanistan, her boss said Tuesday, insisting she had been well treated by her captors.

Houston men plead guilty in oil-for-food case

2007-08-18T10:28:00.001-07:00

Houston men plead guilty in oil-for-food case

Texas Oilman Goes to Trial

Texan oilman pleads guilty in oil-for-food case

Padilla is guilty

2007-08-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

Padilla guilty in US terror trial
US citizen Jose Padilla has been found guilty of plotting to kill people overseas and supporting terrorism.
His two co-defendants, Lebanese-born Palestinian Adham Amin Hassoun and Jordanian-born Kifah Wael Jayyousi, were convicted on the same counts.

Padilla convicted of terrorism support
Padilla, 36, and his foreign-born co-defendants, Adham Amin Hassoun and Kifah Wael Jayyousi, were convicted of conspiracy to murder, kidnap and maim people overseas, which carries a penalty of life in prison. All three were also convicted of two terrorism material support counts, which carry potential 15-year sentences each.

Padilla Is Convicted in Terrorism Case
Jose Padilla was convicted of federal terrorism support charges

On Feb. 28, 2007, U.S. Judge Marcia Cooke in Miami ruled that suspected Al Qaeda operative Jose Padilla was mentally competent, paving the way for his long-delayed case to proceed to trial.

Jose Padilla along with Lebanese-born Palestinian Adham Amin Hassoun and Jordanian-born Kifah Wael Jayyousi were convicted of conspiracy to murder, kidnap and maim people overseas as well as two terrorism material support counts.
The three were accused of being part of a North American support cell that provided supplies, money and recruits to groups of Islamic extremists.
The key piece of physical evidence was a five-page form Padilla supposedly filled out in July 2000 to attend an al-Qaida training camp in Afghanistan, which would link the other two defendants as well to Osama bin Laden's terrorist organization.
The form, recovered by the CIA in 2001 in Afghanistan, contains seven of Padilla's fingerprints and several other personal identifiers, such as his birthdate and his ability to speak Spanish, English and Arabic.
"He provided himself to al-Qaida for training to learn to murder, kidnap and maim," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Frazier in closing arguments.
Central to the investigation were some 300,000 FBI wiretap intercepts collected from 1993 to 2001, mainly involving Padilla's co-defendants Hassoun and Jayyousi and others. Most of the conversations were in Arabic and purportedly used code such as "tourism" and "football" for violent jihad or "zucchini" and "eggplant" instead of military weapons or ammunition.

Judge Rejects Padilla Torture Argument
Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Judge rejects 'defensive jihad' argument
Fri Aug 10

U.S. forces launch new offensive in Iraq

2007-08-13T09:33:00.000-07:00

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi forces launched an offensive against al Qaeda and "Iranian-supported" Shi'ite militants across Iraq on Monday in anticipation of an expected surge in violence.

Walking in space

2007-08-13T09:12:00.001-07:00

NASA astronauts begin second mission spacewalk
HOUSTON (Reuters) - NASA astronauts from the shuttle Endeavour began a spacewalk to replace one of the International Space Station's steering gyroscopes on Monday while engineers in Houston examined images of a deep gouge in the orbiter's belly.

US space shuttle Endeavour seen from the International Space Station on 10 August 2007

International Space Station taken from the US space shuttle Endeavour 10 August 2007

Atlantis returns

2007-06-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

Atlantis, 7 astronauts return to Earth

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Atlantis and its seven astronauts returned to Earth safely Friday, ending a two-week mission to deliver an addition to the international space station and bring a crew member home from the outpost.

The International Space Station is seen from the US space shuttle Atlantis
19 June 2007 as the shuttle leaves the station.

Operation Arrowhead Ripper

2007-06-22T17:28:00.000-07:00

U.S. and Iraq forces kill 90 al Qaeda in offensive
BAQUBA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi forces say they have killed 90 al Qaeda fighters around Baghdad during one of the biggest combined offensives against the Sunni Islamist group since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

2 al-Qaida leaders captured in Iraq
BAQOUBA, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi troops captured two senior al-Qaida militants and seven other operatives Saturday in Diyala province, an Iraqi commander said, as an offensive to clear the volatile area of insurgents entered its fifth day.

The U.S. military also cracked down elsewhere in Iraq, saying in a statement that seven other al-Qaida fighters were killed and 10 suspects detained in raids in Tikrit, east of Fallujah, south of Baghdad and in Mosul.

Three other militants suspected of having ties to Iran were detained in a predawn operation by U.S. forces working with Iraqi informants in Baghdad's main Shiite district of Sadr City, the military said separately.

U.S. forces tighten grip on Iraq city
"We are enveloping the enemy into a kill sack," said Command Sergeant Major Jeff Huggins from the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade.

'Al-Qaeda gunmen' killed in Iraq
US helicopters have killed 17 gunmen with suspected al-Qaeda links in Iraq's Diyala province north of Baghdad, the US military says.
The attack took place on Friday morning outside the town of Khalis.

U.S. says 30 militants killed in big Iraq offensive
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi forces killed at least 30 al Qaeda militants and found numerous weapons during the first full day of a big offensive against the Sunni Islamist group north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said on Wednesday.

Al-Qaida's End?
Arrowhead Ripper isn't an athlete, a TV star or a person famous for being famous. It's the code name for a massive U.S.-led assault under way in Iraq's Diyala province -- an undertaking that has garnered token media coverage since it began Tuesday.

Dhiren Barot

2007-06-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

UK al-Qaeda cell members jailed
Seven men have been jailed for up to 26 years over an al-Qaeda-linked plot to kill thousands in the UK and US.

Dirty bomb plotters caged
SEVEN members of a terror cell run by al-Qaeda "general" Dhiren Barot were jailed for a total of 136 years today.

Britons jailed over al Qaeda plot to bomb NYSE
LONDON (Reuters) - Seven Britons linked to a plot to blow up U.S. financial institutions, including the New York Stock Exchange, and stage a series of attacks in Britain were jailed for a total of 136 years by a London court on Friday.

Seven accomplices of dirty bomb plotter jailed for 136 years
LONDON (AFP) - Seven members of a terrorist cell led by convicted Al-Qaeda "dirty" bomb plotter Dhiren Barot were jailed for a total of 136 years on Friday.

Other foiled attacks

63rd anniversary of D-Day

2007-06-06T10:05:00.000-07:00

United States: 29,000 dead, 106,000 wounded and missing;

United Kingdom: 11,000 dead, 54,000 wounded and missing;

Canada: 5,000 dead; 13,000 wounded and missing;

France: 12,200 civilian dead and missing 23,019 KIA ,67,060 wounded,198,616 missing & captured

Pentagon chief honors D-Day troops
COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France - Above a cliff of silent reminders, Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday evoked the image of fallen warriors to mark the 63rd anniversary of the Normandy D-Day landings that turned the tide of World War II.

He tied the memory of Normandy to the challenge of today's war on terrorism.

"We once again face enemies seeking to destroy our way of life, and we are once again engaged in an ideological struggle that may not find resolution for many years or even decades," he said.

Encyclopædia Britannica's Guide to Normandy 1944

40 years since 1967 Arab-Israeli war

2007-06-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

Mid-East marks start of 1967 War
Israeli and Palestinian peace activists have been holding protests to mark 40 years since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

In the Shadow of the Six-Day War
His life, with hopes raised and dashed, consumed with bloody and often pointless struggle, parallels the Palestinian experience and explains what lies at the heart of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. And it reveals why, 40 years on, the Six-Day War continues to shape the Middle East.

Frequently Asked Questions about the 1967 War

Why did Israel attack USS Liberty?

immigration

2007-06-04T16:47:00.000-07:00

Poll: Opinions go against immigration measure
WASHINGTON — As the Senate prepares to vote on a landmark immigration bill, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds that Americans who have an opinion about it are overwhelmingly opposed to the deal.

Watch this video

Al-Qaeda leader killed by Iraqi army

2007-06-04T06:42:00.000-07:00

Iraqi army kills Al-Qaeda leader in Baghdad
Iraqi soldiers have killed a senior Al-Qaeda leader in a clash inside one of Baghdad's historic Sunni quarters, military spokesman Brigadier General Qassim Atta said Monday.

"He was from Al-Qaeda, they called him the 'Governor of Adhamiyah'," Atta told AFP. "He was killed during clashes with the 11th Division's first brigade this morning, and 11 of his aides were arrested."

Iraqi army kills Al-Qaeda leader in Baghdad

New protections proposed for bald eagles

2007-06-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

New protections proposed for bald eagles
WASHINGTON - The Fish and Wildlife Service wants to replace four decades of federal protections for the American bald eagle with new rules against disturbing it.

In a push to remove the nation's symbol from the endangered species list, the wildlife agency is writing new regulations under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act to protect the birds and their nesting, breeding and feeding areas from anything likely to cause them harm.

Foiled terror attack on Kennedy Airport

2007-06-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

Alleged Terror Plot Foiled at JFK Airport
NEW YORK — Three people were arrested and one was being sought in connection to a plan to set off explosives in a fuel line that feeds John F. Kennedy International Airport and runs through residential neighborhoods, officials close to the investigation said.

4 Charged In Plot To Blow Up Jet Fuel At JFK
Sources said the plot involved a plan to blow up a jet-fuel pipeline at JFK setting off a potential massive explosion.

Arrests in NY airport 'bomb plot'
Three people have been arrested in connection with an alleged plan to bomb John F Kennedy airport in New York, reports from the United States say.

Authorities charge 4 in NYC terror plot
NEW YORK - Three people were arrested and one other was being sought Saturday in connection to a plan to set off explosives in a fuel line that feeds John F. Kennedy International Airport and runs through residential neighborhoods, officials close to the investigation said.

JFK Terror Plot: Alleged Mastermind On Video
Surveillance Tape Captures Defreitas With FBI Informant

JFK terror plotter directed cohorts to use satellite mapping service
Google as terror tool?

Official says JFK terror probe widening
NEW YORK - The investigation into the thwarted plot to bomb John F. Kennedy International Airport is widening beyond the four men in custody, with more suspects sought outside the U.S. for their suspected roles, a law enforcement official said Friday.

U.S. attacks militants in Somalia

2007-06-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

Full Coverage: Somalia

Country profile: Somalia

Somalia in crisis

US attacks Somali 'militant base'
A US Navy warship has carried out a missile attack on a Somali village where Islamist militants are reported to have set up a base.

Report: U.S. hits militants' Somali base
MOGADISHU, Somalia - At least one U.S. warship bombarded a remote, mountainous village in Somalia where Islamic militants had set up a base, officials in the northern region of Puntland said Saturday.

Sources: U.S. fires at al Qaeda target in Somalia
(CNN) -- A U.S. Navy destroyer off the coast of northern Somalia Friday fired on a suspected al Qaeda operative believed to have been involved in the 1998 attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, sources confirmed to CNN.

U.S. Navy attacks al Qaeda suspect in Somalia: CNN
BOSSASSO, Somalia (Reuters) - A U.S. Navy warship attacked a suspected al Qaeda target in northern Somalia, CNN reported, and residents said on Saturday missiles had pounded hills where foreign jihadists fled after clashing with locals.

Bomb attack on Somali PM's house
A suicide bomber has used a vehicle packed with explosives to attack the Somali interim prime minister's residence in the capital, Mogadishu.

1967 War

2007-06-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

Molly has copied onto her blog an account of the 1967 War in the form of "frequently asked questions". Historical events can be represented with the exclusion or misrepresentation of facts to present the event in a way more favorable to a particular cause. So in the interest of accuracy:
Frequently Asked Questions about the 1967 War

1. How did the 1967 war begin?

The Six-Day War began after a series of complex and disputed events between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Israel had been at war previously with Egypt, Syria, Transjordan (later Jordan), Lebanon, and Iraq in 1948-9, and in 1956 Israel went to war with Egypt in the Sinai.

Border incidents:
Attacks from Palestinian guerrilla groups (fedayeen) supported by Syria, Egypt, and Jordan increased during the early 1960s.

Israel retaliated against attacks by going into Arab territory. One such reprisal was the incident at Samu on November 13, 1966.

Syria regularly shelled Israeli farms from its Golan Heights region. Israel aerially attacked Syrian emplacements on the Golan Heights. In April 1967 Israel shot down six of Syria’s MiG fighter planes.

Israel's National Water Carrier:
The Arabs started work on the Headwater Diversion project in 1965. Israel declared that it would regard such diversion as an infringement of its sovereign rights. According to estimates, completion of the project would have deprived Israel of 35% of its contemplated withdrawal from the upper Jordan, constituting one-ninth of Israel's annual water budget.
In a series of military strikes, Israel hit the diversion works. The attacks culminated in April 1967 in air strikes deep inside Syria. The increase in water-related Arab-Israeli hostility was a major factor leading to the June 1967 war. more here

May 17 - President Nasser asks the UN to remove the UNEF from the Egyptian-Israeli frontier in Sinai.

May 18 - UN withdraws peace forces from Sinai, at President Nasser's request.

May 22 - President Nasser closes the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping.

May 29 - President Nasser declares "Our basic objective will be the destruction of Israel. The Arab people want to fight."

May 30 - Egypt and Jordan unite against Israel.

May 31 - Jordan moves tanks towards Israel.

June 5 - Israel launches attack on Egypt, destroying nearly 400 Egypt-based military aircraft. Israeli planes attack airfields in Jordan, Egypt and Syria, nearly destroying the Arab air forces.

2. Which countries were involved in the fighting?

Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. They were aided by Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Algeria.

3. What was the outcome?

Israel captured the Sinai peninsula from Egypt, the Golan Heights from Syria and the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan.

Israel defeated the Arab states.

4. How did Israel justify its attack?

The post on Molly's blog states that "Israeli UN envoy Abba Eban initially claimed to the United Nations Security Council that Egyptian troops had attacked first and that Israel's air strikes were retaliatory." This does not appear to be true:

Statement by Foreign Minister Eban to the Security Council on the Six Day War, 6 June 1967

5. Is Israel's version of the facts universally accepted?

Israel's version of facts is not universally accepted, especially in the Arab world where propaganda and falsehoods are common.

On the day of the war, false information from Egypt denied Egyptian losses and claimed a massive and successful Egyptian attack against Israel - an illusion the Egyptian public believed for several days.

6. If Israel's claimed reasons for the attack were false, what were its true objectives?

This questions opens up conjecture into all kinds of conspiracy.

Israel entered the West Bank when Jordan, on the first day of Israel’s war with Egypt, began intensive bombardment of Israeli civilian locations.

7. What was the chain of events leading up to the war?

See question #1.

The post on Molly's blog suggests that the cause of the war was the Samu Incident.

TIME magazine Friday, Nov. 25, 1966
Incident at Samu

From BBC: The path for war was cleared on 16 May when President Nasser ordered the withdrawal of the United Nations Emergency Forces from the Egyptian-Israeli border.

8. Why was the UN Emergency Force (UNEF) only on the Egyptian side of the border and not on the Israeli side as well?

FIRST UNITED NATIONS EMERGENCY FORCE
UNEF I (November 1956 - June 1967)

Location:
First the Suez Canal sector and the Sinai peninsula. Later along the Armistice Demarcation Line in the Gaza area and the international frontier in the Sinai peninsula (on the Egyptian side)

Its main functions were to supervise the withdrawal of the three occupying forces and, after the withdrawal was completed, to act as a buffer between the Egyptian and Israeli forces and to provide impartial supervision of the ceasefire. In the event, UNEF, stationed entirely on Egyptian territory with the consent of the Government, patrolled the Egypt-Israel armistice demarcation line and the international frontier to the south of the Gaza Strip and brought relative quiet to a long-troubled area. The Canal, blocked as a result of the conflict, was cleared by the United Nations. UNEF I was withdrawn in May-June 1967 at the request of the Egyptian Government, which informed the Secretary-General that it would no longer consent to the stationing of the Force on Egyptian territory and in Gaza.

The UNEF mission was to enter Egyptian territory with the consent of the Egyptian Government, in order to help maintain quiet during and after the withdrawal of non-Egyptian forces and to secure compliance with the other terms established in the resolution ... to cover an area extending roughly from the Suez Canal to the Armistice Demarcation Lines established in the Armistice Agreement between Egypt and Israel.

The deployment of a military force had to be approved by Egypt. The UN secretary general sought to station UNEF forces on the Israeli side of the 1949 armistice lines, but this was rejected by Israel.

9. Where were Egypt's troops on the day preceding the war?

In the Sinai and along the Suez Canal. The post on Molly's blog claims that these were in "defensive posture." But the fact is that Arab troops had massed on Israel's borders.

Historical review of the political riparian issues in the development of the Jordan River and basin management

MSN Encarta: Six-Day War

1967 Middle East War

The Columbia Encyclopedia: Arab-Israeli Wars

BBC: On This Day, June 5 1967

MIDEAST TIMELINE

Wikipedia: Six-Day War

United Nations: The Question of Palestine

United Nations: Palestinian Rights

UN Resolution 242

SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS - 1967

Open Source Learning

2007-06-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

MIT OpenCourseWare
a free and open educational resource (OER) for educators, students, and self-learners around the world.

LearningSpace - OpenLearn - The Open University
The Open University provides high-quality university education to all.

Managing the Digital Enterprise
an open educational resource that surveys the opportunities and challenges managers face in an increasingly digital world.

Eagles

2007-05-31T14:06:00.000-07:00

Ten Facts About Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Viewing Bald Eagles

American Bald Eagle Information

National Foundation of Protect America's Eagles

Journey North American Bald Eagle Updates

The Birds of Prey Foundation

National Audubon Society

Winter Eagles
A report on eagle migration in the winter months. Focuses primarily on the Mississippi River.
Windows Media - Dial-up Connection, 1MB
Windows Media - Broadband Connection, 15MB

DARPA

2007-05-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

DARPA to create brain-chipped cyborg moths
Famed US military mad-scientist bureau DARPA (the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency) is engaged in an effort to grow/build cyborg moths for use as spies. No, really.

Can cyborg moths bring down terrorists?
A moth which has a computer chip implanted in it while in the cocoon will enable soldiers to spy on insurgents, the US military hopes

Scientist: Military Working on Cyborg Spy Moths
At some point in the not-too-distant future, a moth may take flight in the hills of northern Pakistan, and flap towards a suspected terrorist training camp.
But this will be no ordinary moth.

New Agency Develops Spy Tools
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity will try to develop groundbreaking technology for the 16 spy agencies.

If IARPA can clear some crucial hurdles, including convincing its congressional skeptics, the new office will be modeled after a similar agency that develops gee-whiz toys for the Pentagon.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency was created after the Russians launched Sputnik in 1957, driving home the U.S. competitive disadvantage in space. Since then, DARPA researchers have brought the United States much-heralded advances including stealth technology, global positioning systems and the Internet.

Where did the Internet come from?

Iraq residents rise up against al-Qaida

2007-05-31T09:38:00.000-07:00

BAGHDAD - A battle raged in west Baghdad on Thursday after residents rose up against al-Qaida and called for U.S. military help to end random gunfire that forced people to huddle indoors and threats that kept students from final exams, a member of the district council said.

more...

Azzam al-Amriki

2007-05-30T16:06:00.001-07:00

Qaeda warns of attacks 'worse than 9/11'
An American member of Al-Qaeda warned in an Internet video that US President George W. Bush should withdraw all his troops from Muslim land or face attacks worse than September 11.

Torture, Al-Qaeda Style

2007-05-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

‘How-to’ Manual Found in Al Qaeda Safe House Shows Disturbing Torture Methods
WASHINGTON — Al Qaeda terrorists use blow torches, electric drills and meat cleavers to torture and force information out of their victims, according to a "how-to" book discovered in a terrorist safe house in Iraq.
The Defense Department recently released disturbing images and cartoons showing how to torture a captive found by American forces during a raid on a Al Qaeda safe house a few weeks ago. They also found photos of tortured Iraqi victims.

U.S. frees 42 Iraqi captives in raid
BAGHDAD - American forces freed 42 kidnapped Iraqis — some of whom had been hung from ceilings and tortured for months — in a raid Sunday on an al-Qaida hideout north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.

more from The Smoking Gun

Lebanon

2007-05-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

From The World Factbook:

Following the capture of Syria from the Ottoman Empire by Anglo-French
forces in 1918, France received a mandate over this territory and separated out
a region of Lebanon in 1920. France granted this area independence in 1943. A
lengthy civil war (1975-1990) devastated the country, but Lebanon has since made
progress toward rebuilding its political institutions. Under the Ta'if Accord -
the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese established a more
equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater voice in
the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the
government. Since the end of the war, Lebanon has conducted several successful
elections, most militias have been disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces
(LAF) have extended authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, a
radical Shi'a organization listed by the US State Department as a Foreign
Terrorist Organization, retains its weapons. During Lebanon's civil war, the
Arab League legitimized in the Ta'if Accord Syria's troop deployment, numbering
about 16,000 based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Damascus
justified its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests
and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the
constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from southern
Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that
Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passage of UNSCR 1559 in early October
2004 - a resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its
interference in Lebanese affairs - further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to
Syria's presence in Lebanon. The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq
HARIRI and 20 others in February 2005 led to massive demonstrations in Beirut
against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar Revolution"). Syria finally withdrew the
remainder of its military forces from Lebanon in April 2005. In May-June 2005,
Lebanon held its first legislative elections since the end of the civil war free
of foreign interference, handing a majority to the bloc led by Saad HARIRI, the
slain prime minister's son. Hizballah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in July
2006 leading to a 34-day conflict with Israel. UNSCR 1701, which passed in
August 2006, called for the disarmament of Hizballah.

From BBC News:

Lebanon is the most politically complex and religiously divided country in the
Middle East, which is what makes it such a potentially explosive factor in an
unstable region.
Tiny Lebanon baffles outsiders. Even people in the Middle
East find its politics confusing.
Set up by France after World War I as a
predominantly Christian state, Lebanon is now about 60% Muslim, 40% Christian.
It has 18 officially recognised religious sects and sharing power between
them has always been a complicated game.
Lebanese Muslims have tended to
look east for support from the other Arab states and from Iran. The Christians
have tended to look west to Europe and the United States.
The country's
proximity to Israel - and the presence of a large number of Palestinian refugees
on its soil - mean it is also intimately tied to the Arab-Israeli dispute.
While Lebanon has plenty of problems of its own, it has also become the
arena where many of the region's conflicts and rivalries are played out.

Syrian influence
The long conflict which ravaged
the country from 1975 until 1990 was both a civil war and a regional war.
It
left Lebanon firmly under Syria's thumb, and with a southern strip of territory
occupied by Israel as a buffer zone.
Israel has repeatedly intervened in
Lebanon to protect its northern border.
The civil war also drew in Iran to
fight Israel and support the Lebanese Shia.
In 1982, with Iranian help, the
Shia created Hezbollah, the Party of God, which has evolved into a major player
in Lebanese politics and an important ally of Iran and Syria.
Israeli forces
eventually withdrew in 2000 and Syrian forces in 2005.
But while Syria no
longer has a military presence, it has retained political influence through its
relationship with Hezbollah.

Israeli onslaught
It
is against this backdrop of conflict and polarisation that the war on the
Lebanese-Israeli border unfolded during the summer.
The capture of two
Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah provoked a month-long Israeli onslaught.
The
areas where the Shia movement enjoys support - south Lebanon and the southern
suburbs of Beirut - bore the brunt of the Israeli offensive.
This caused
large-scale death and destruction but failed to secure the soldiers' release or
Hezbollah's defeat.
Hezbollah claimed it had won a "divine victory".
In
the aftermath of the war, the country began the task of physical reconstruction
- but was still plagued by its old divisions.

Polarisation
The government is badly split between anti-Syrian and pro-Syrian
factions.
The first is a loose alliance of Sunnis, Christians and Druze (a
heterodox offshoot of Islam) and enjoys the support of the United States.
The second is an essentially Shia grouping dominated by Hezbollah, with the
backing of Syria and Iran.
Symbolising the polarisation is the fact that the
president is pro-Syrian and the prime minister anti-Syrian.
The political
deadlock has persisted into 2007, defying the mediation efforts of various Arab
states.
Relations with Syria are complicated by ongoing efforts to establish
an international tribunal to investigate the killing of the former Lebanese
prime minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005. Many Lebanese hold Syria responsible for
the assassination - something Damascus staunchly denies.
The UN Security
Council has indicated that, if Lebanese politicians are too divided to agree on
the setting up of a tribunal, it will become the UN's task to do so.
The
outbreak of fighting in the north of the country on 20 May has added a new twist
to Lebanon's problems.
Clashes between the Lebanese army and a shadowy group
called Fatah al-Islam, based in a Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli, have
left dozens dead.
The Lebanese government sees the hand of Syria behind
Fatah al-Islam.
Others see a different but no less worrying possibility -
that radical Islamists of the al-Qaeda type now see Lebanon, like other failing
states, as attractive terrain in which to establish a foothold.

NYTimes: Lebanon

Muslims

2007-05-22T11:47:00.000-07:00

Muslims 'well integrated' in US

Muslim Americans are largely integrated in US society and moderate in their views, a nationwide survey suggests.

The study by the Pew Research Center says US Muslims - most of whom are immigrants - believe in the American work ethic and reject extremism.

Their income and education levels mirror those of the general US public, according to the survey.

However, most respondents say life has become more difficult for US Muslims since the 11 September attacks.

Overall, the study says, Muslim Americans have a positive view of US society at large.
Most say their communities are excellent or good places to live.

Some US Muslims say suicide attacks OK

WASHINGTON - One in four younger U.S. Muslims say suicide bombings to defend their religion are acceptable at least in some circumstances, though most Muslim Americans overwhelmingly reject the tactic and are critical of Islamic extremism and al-Qaida, a poll says.

PewResearchCenter

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream

Released: May 22, 2007

Multi-National Force - Iraq

2007-05-18T14:07:00.001-07:00

Official Website of Multi-National Force - Iraq

immigration watchdog

2007-05-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

immigrationwatchdog.com

Palestine

2007-05-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

Arabs despair over Palestinian violence

Israeli Airstrike on Hamas: PICTURES

Hamas threatens Israel suicide bombings

Israeli School Hit by Rocket

Immigration Bill

2007-05-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

Deal Struck on Immigration Bill

Bush hails deal on immigration reform

From Michelle Malkin -

Excerpts from an e-mail bulletin by Roy Beck of
NumbersUSA:

Although we don't have the legislative language yet, here are the key
components:

WE LOSE -- by getting an immediate amnesty for nearly all 12-20 million
illegal aliens who will get legal status for residence and jobs (with assurance
of green cards no later than 13 years).

IN EXCHANGE FOR -- we get mandatory workplace verification and a lot of
extra enforcement (with a lot of typical Kennedy loopholes) to try to slow the
flow of the next 12 million illegal aliens enticed by the amnesty;

WE LOSE -- by getting a tripling of the rate of chain migration of
extended family from around 250,000 a year to around 750,000 a year for about a
decade;

IN EXCHANGE FOR -- after about a decade, there should be no more chain
migration (assuming that Kennedy doesn't add it back in by then);

WE LOSE -- by getting new flows of 400,000 temporary foreign workers
each year, bringing their families and having anchor babies who will be given
U.S. citizenship;

IN EXCHANGE FOR -- at least the temporary workers are supposed to leave
and not be able to apply for greencards and permanent residency.

WHY THE REPUBLICANS ARE STAMPEDING TO BACK THIS AMNESTY
The majority
of Republican Senators last year voted against the S. 2611 amnesty that
passed.

But at a noon meeting today with nearly all GOP Senators, Sen. Kyl
outlined the amnesty agreement he had negotiated with Sen. Kennedy. Our sources
say only about three Senators raised concerns. Most of the rest were saying
things like, "If you think this is a good idea, John, I guess that should be
good enough for us."

Pres. Bush and staff have been brilliant in moving Sen. McCain
(R-Ariz.) and Sen. Martinez (R-Fla.) into a more secondary role and persuading
conservative leader Kyl to lead the negotiations. Kyl is able to lead many
Senators to follow him who would otherwise not support an amnesty of any
kind.

At the moment, the only Senators whom we feel relatively certain are
opposing this new amnesty are Sen. DeMint (R-SC), Enzi (R-Wyo.), Crapo
(R-Idaho), Vitter (R-La.), Allard (R-Colo.), Sessions (R-Ala.), Chambliss
(R-Ga.), Grassley (R-Iowa)...

Iraq

2007-05-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

Bush, Blair Defend War in Iraq Together
Standing side by side in the Rose Garden, the two leaders said they had no regrets about the decision, contending Iraq has become the main battleground in the war against global terrorism.

Iraq Withdrawal Move Thwarted in Senate
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate on Wednesday rejected legislation that would cut off money for combat operations in Iraq after March 31, 2008.

Senate Dems fail to cut off war funds
WASHINGTON - Anti-war Democrats in the Senate failed in an attempt to cut off funds for the Iraq war on Wednesday, a lopsided bipartisan vote that masked growing impatience within both political parties over President Bush's handling of the four-year conflict.

Search for 3 missing soldiers continues

2007-05-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

U.S. says it has suspects in Iraq ambush
Military gives details of the ambush in which four soldiers were killed and three apparently were captured.

This undated U.S. Army photo released Tuesday, May 15, 2007, by the Public Affairs Office at Fort Drum shows Pfc. Christopher E. Murphy, 21, of Lynchburg, Va. The Pentagon on Tuesday identified Murphy as one of the four soldiers killed in the May 12, 2007, ambush in Iraq. The attack near Mahmoudiya, in a Sunni stronghold 20 miles south of Baghdad, left four U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi translator dead, and three other soldiers missing. (AP Photo/U.S. Army)

Private Daniel Courneya has been named as among those killed

Hydrogenated

2007-05-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

Trans fatty acids have been linked to heart disease and diabetes, and are worse for you than saturated fats. It is estimated that between 30,000 and 100,000 premature cardiac deaths could be prevented by replacing partially hydrogenated fats with natural non-hydrogenated oils.
Trans fatty acids are produced commercially in large quantities to harden liquid oils into solids. Trans fatty acids are created when a naturally occurring unsaturated fatty acid, which would be a liquid at room temperature, is heated in the presence of metal catalysts and hydrogen. This process, called partial hydrogenation, causes carbon atoms to bond in a straight configuration and remain solid at room temperature. Naturally occurring unsaturated fatty acid molecules are curved, and this new straight molecule is what is called a "trans fatty acid".

Trans fatty acids are in almost all commercially processed food. Partially hydrogenated oils are used in foods to help maintain their shape and to give them a longer shelf life, as hydrogenated oils do not spoil as quickly as natural ones. The FDA now requires information about trans fatty acids to be listed on nutrition labels. The way to identify trans fatty acids in foods is to read the ingredient list. Look for the word HYDROGENATED. If anything has been hydrogenated, it has gone through the process of partial hydrogenation and should be avoided.

2007-05-11T09:02:00.000-07:00

Morning swim, Gaza
courtesy of arabianEye.com

King Herod

2007-05-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

King Herod's ancient tomb 'found'
An Israeli archaeologist says he has found the tomb of King Herod, the ruler of Judea while it was under Roman administration in the first century BC.

Tomb Of King Herod Discovered At Herodium
Science Daily — The long search for Herod the Great's tomb has ended with the exposure of the remains of his grave, sarcophagus and mausoleum on Mount Herodium's northeastern slope, Prof. Ehud Netzer of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Institute of Archaeology just announced.

Terrorists caught

2007-05-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

6 charged with plot on Army post in N.J.
FORT DIX, N.J. - Six Islamic militants from Yugoslavia and the Middle East were arrested on charges of plotting to attack the Fort Dix Army post and "kill as many soldiers as possible," authorities said Tuesday.

Arrests over US army base 'plot'
Six men have been arrested on charges of plotting to attack Fort Dix army base in the US state of New Jersey.

Project Vote Smart

2007-05-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

Voting records and other background materials on politicians.

Project Vote Smart

Raw Video: Bush Busts a Move

2007-04-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

Play Video

Associated Press - (APTN)
Apr. 25, 2007. 03:30 PM EST

President Bush joined a group of dancers on stage during the first ever Malaria Awareness Day, to help combat malaria on the continent of Africa. (April 25)

State of the Union 2007

2007-01-27T10:38:00.000-08:00

President Bush Delivers State of the Union Address

Saddam Hussein is DEAD

2006-12-30T13:33:00.000-08:00

Saddam Hussein was executed, in accordance with Iraqi law, at around 6 A.M. Baghdad time (10 P.M. Eastern U.S. time)

Soaring...

2006-06-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

Eyrie

2006-06-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

An eyrie or aerie is the lofty nest of a bird of prey such as a hawk or eagle.

Zarqawi is DEAD.

2006-06-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

Zarqawi died when US planes dropped two 500lb (230kg) bombs on a site near the city of Baquba. He was identified by fingerprints, tattoos and scars.

The US struck after receiving specific tip-offs from within Zarqawi's organisation, officials said. -- BBC

Within minutes of the announcement of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's death, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki named three key security ministers — military and political breakthroughs in rapid succession that marked the biggest potential turnaround in Iraq in months. -- AP on Yahoo

Afghan President Hamid Karzai says the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, is a "severe blow" to global terrorism.

Mr Karzai said Zarqawi had been responsible for the deaths of thousands of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan. -- BBC

BAGHDAD — Ordinary Iraqis greeted the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi with relief and elation, but most said it would do little to slow the pace of insurgent violence and sectarian killings.

The news brought joy in Shiite areas of the capital. Iraqi police in the Shiite slum of Sadr City fired weapons in the air and chanted.

Ali Mustafa, a 31-year-old Shiite, said Zarqawi's death filled him with "extreme happiness." -- USA Today

Complete Coverage of Zarqawi's Death

Al-Zarqawi's Biography

Iraqi soldiers hold up their weapons as they celebrate the death of al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in Najaf, June 8, 2006.

Iraqi soldiers celebrate the death of al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in Kerbala, June 8, 2006.

June 8: Iraqi soldiers celebrate the news that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead.

June 8: Iraqi police officers, elderly woman fire guns in the air to celebrate the news that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi death.

MEMORIAL DAY

2006-05-29T12:24:00.000-07:00

2006-05-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

2006-04-16T21:23:00.000-07:00

Concerning Palestine...

2006-04-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

What happened during the Arab riots of 1920-1921?

What happened during the Arab riots of 1929?

What happened during the Arab Revolt of 1936-39?

Resolution for the establishment of an independent Jewish State in Palestine

Declaration of Israel's Independence 1948

Events Surrounding the Independence of the State of Israel (1947-1949)

Arab-Israeli Wars

What happened during the period of the fedayeen attacks on Israel in the 1950s?

Question of Palestine at the United Nations

The Question of Palestine & the United Nations

Country profile: Israel and Palestinian territories

Documents relating to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Victims of Palestinian Violence and Terrorism since September 2000

Palestinians celebrating 9-11 attacks.

When the Palestinians say "End of occupation", what do they mean?

The Second Draft: "Pallywood" and "Birth of an Icon"

Pallywood, "According to Palestinian Sources..." on Google Video

Palestinian Media Watch

Nazis, al-Husseini, Iraq, and Hussein

2006-04-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

'Palestinian' security forces salute during a training session in the West Bank city of Tulkarm February 1st, 2005. REUTERS/Abed Omar Qusini

Palestinian police officers salute during a graduation ceremony in the West Bank town of Jenin May 9, 2006. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman

Yasser Arafat's interview with the London-based Arabic language newspaper Al Sharq al Awsat was reprinted by a leading Palestinian daily Al Quds (August 2, 2002):

Interviewer: I have heard voices from within the Palestinian Authority in the past few weeks, saying that the reforms are coordinated according to American whims...
Arafat: We are not Afghanistan. We are the mighty people. Were they able to replace our hero Hajj Amin al-Husseini?... There were a number of attempts to get rid of Hajj Amin, whom they considered an ally of the Nazis. But even so, he lived in Cairo, and participated in the 1948 war, and I was one of his troops."

Within weeks of Adolf Hitler`s ascendance to power, the Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini, contacted the German counsel-general in Palestine. With the exception of funding some anti-Semitic riots, Germans rejected the Arab`s overtures until 1937, when Adolf Eichmann and Herbert Hagen were sent to Palestine to establish a framework to provide Husseini with military and financial aid by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.

Haj Amin al-Husseini cooperated with Nazi Germany during World War II and helped recruit Muslims for the Waffen SS.

When the Red Cross offered to mediate with Adolf Eichmann in a trade prisoner-of-war exchange involving the freeing of German citizens in exchange for 5,000 Jewish children being sent from Poland to the Theresienstadt concentration camp, Husseini directly intervened with Himmler and the exchange was cancelled.

From Egypt al-Husseini was among the sponsors of the 1948 war against the new State of Israel.

Both Yasser Arafat and Saddam Hussein were greatly influenced by al-Husseini during their time in Cairo during the 1950s.

Iraq 1941

In 1941 there was a pro-Nazi coup attempt in Iraq, chronology here.

One of the Iraqi coup plotters was Gen. Tufah Khariallah. Tufah Khariallah is the uncle and mentor who raised SADDAM HUSSEIN.

Rashid Ali and the Golden Square at War

Air War Over Iraq - In May 1941, British forces were fighting to keep Iraq in Allied hands

The Battle for Habbaniya - The forgotten war - The RAF fought a battle which lasted five days and a campaign which lasted a month, which against all odds they won.

Iraq, 1941, Second World War

"Our fundamental condition for cooperating with Germany was a free hand to eradicate every last Jew from Palestine and the Arab world. I asked Hitler for an explicit undertaking to allow us to solve the Jewish problem in a manner befitting our national and racial aspirations and according to the scientific methods innovated by Germany in the handling of its Jews. The answer I got was: The Jews are yours."

Former Mufti of Jerusalem Haj Amin al-Husseini in his post-World War II memoirs.

"The Mufti was one of the initiators of the systematic extermination of European Jewry and had been a collaborator and adviser of Eichmann and Himmler in the execution of this plan... He was one of Eichmann's best friends and had constantly incited him to accelerate the extermination measures."

Adolf Eichmann`s deputy Dieter Wisliceny in his Nuremberg Trials testimony.

The Muslim/Nazi Connection

The Arab/Muslim Nazi Connection

PHOTOS AND DOCUMENTS

Islamism, fascism and terrorism: (Part1) (Part2) (Part3)

The Nazi Origins of Modern Arab Terror

Remembering Arafat

2006-04-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

Arafat the monster

By Jeff Jacoby, Globe Columnist | November 11, 2004

YASSER ARAFAT died at age 75, lying in bed surrounded by familiar faces. He left this world peacefully, unlike the thousands of victims he sent to early graves.
In a better world, the PLO chief would have met his end on a gallows, hanged for mass murder much as the Nazi chiefs were hanged at Nuremberg. In a better world, the French president would not have paid a visit to the bedside of such a monster. In a better world, George Bush would not have said, on hearing the first reports that Arafat had died, "God bless his soul." God bless his soul? What a grotesque idea! Bless the soul of the man who brought modern terrorism to the world? Who sent his agents to slaughter athletes at the Olympics, blow airliners out of the sky, bomb schools and pizzerias, machine-gun passengers in airline terminals? Who lied, cheated, and stole without compunction? Who inculcated the vilest culture of Jew-hatred since the Third Reich? Human beings might stoop to bless a creature so evil -- as indeed Arafat was blessed, with money, deference, even a Nobel Prize -- but God, I am quite sure, will damn him for eternity.

Arafat always inspired flights of nonsense from Western journalists, and his last two weeks were no exception.
Derek Brown wrote in The Guardian that Arafat's "undisputed courage as a guerrilla leader" was exceeded only "by his extraordinary courage" as a peace negotiator. But it is an odd kind of courage that expresses itself in shooting unarmed victims -- or in signing peace accords and then flagrantly violating their terms.

Another commentator, columnist Gwynne Dyer, asked, "So what did Arafat do right?" The answer: He drew worldwide attention to the Palestinian cause, "for the most part by successful acts of terror." In other words, butchering innocent human beings was "right," since it served an ulterior political motive. No doubt that thought brings daily comfort to all those who were forced to bury a child, parent, or spouse because of Arafat's "successful" terrorism.

Some journalists couldn't wait for Arafat's actual death to begin weeping for him. Take the BBC's Barbara Plett, who burst into tears on the day he was airlifted out of the West Bank. "When the helicopter carrying the frail old man rose above his ruined compound," Plett reported from Ramallah, "I started to cry." Normal people don't weep for brutal murderers, but Plett made it clear that her empathy for Arafat -- whom she praised as "a symbol of Palestinian unity, steadfastness, and resistance" -- was heartfelt:

"I remember well when the Israelis re-conquered the West Bank more than two years ago, how they drove their tanks and bulldozers into Mr. Arafat's headquarters, trapping him in a few rooms, and throwing a military curtain around Ramallah. I remember how Palestinians admired his refusal to flee under fire. They told me: `Our leader is sharing our pain, we are all under the same siege.' And so was I." Such is the state of journalism at the BBC, whose reporters do not seem to have any trouble reporting, dry-eyed, on the plight of Arafat's victims. (That is, when they mention them -- which Plett's teary bon voyage to Arafat did not.)

And what about those victims? Why were they scarcely remembered in this Arafat death watch?

How is it possible to reflect on Arafat's most enduring legacy -- the rise of modern terrorism -- without recalling the legions of men, women, and children whose lives he and his followers destroyed? If Osama bin Laden were on his deathbed, would we neglect to mention all those he murdered on 9/11?

It would take an encyclopedia to catalog all of the evil Arafat committed. But that is no excuse for not trying to recall at least some of it.

Perhaps his signal contribution to the practice of political terror was the introduction of warfare against children. On one black date in May 1974, three PLO terrorists slipped from Lebanon into the northern Israeli town of Ma'alot. They murdered two parents and a child whom they found at home, then seized a local school, taking more than 100 boys and girls hostage and threatening to kill them unless a number of imprisoned terrorists were released. When Israeli troops attempted a rescue, the terrorists exploded hand grenades and opened fire on the students. By the time the horror ended, 25 people were dead; 21 of them were children.

Thirty years later, no one speaks of Ma'alot anymore. The dead children have been forgotten. Everyone knows Arafat's name, but who ever recalls the names of his victims?

So let us recall them: Ilana Turgeman. Rachel Aputa. Yocheved Mazoz. Sarah Ben-Shim'on. Yona Sabag. Yafa Cohen. Shoshana Cohen. Michal Sitrok. Malka Amrosy. Aviva Saada. Yocheved Diyi. Yaakov Levi. Yaakov Kabla. Rina Cohen. Ilana Ne'eman. Sarah Madar. Tamar Dahan. Sarah Soper. Lili Morad. David Madar. Yehudit Madar. The 21 dead children of Ma'alot -- 21 of the thousands of who died at Arafat's command.

© Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.

FREE!!!!

2006-03-31T16:19:00.000-08:00

Cell Phones

2006-03-25T10:35:00.000-08:00

A person can open a cell phone, and if there is a signal, place a call to virtually any phone in the world. A person can be walking down a busy street where hundreds of others are using mobile phones and receive a phone call of their own from virtually anywhere. How exactly does that work?

Cellular telephones use radio waves to communicate with a cellular telephone tower which contains a transmittor/receiver. Why are they called cellular? Geographic areas are divided into cells, which can range in size from one half mile to 50 miles. Each cell has it's own tower which provides service for that area. The tower is then connected to a Cellular Telephone Switching Office (CTSO) or Mobile Telecommunications Switching Office (MTSO). The Switching Office is connected to the local telephone system.

Radio waves operate at different frequencies, and there are only a certain amount of frequencies available for specific applications. In each cell there is at least one channel, called the setup channel, which the cell telephone uses to transmit it's ID information. The cellular telephone company accepts the ID information and identifies the telephone and which cell it is in. The phone retransmits this ID information on the setup channel periodically to identify which cell it is located, in case the phone is moving around.

So how do you place a call? When a call is placed, the cell telephone transmits the dialed number and ID information on the setup channel, which is sent to the Switching Office. If the account is good, the Switching Office assigns a channel to be used. The cell telephone then uses the assigned channel for the call.

How do you receive a call? When there is an incoming call, the Switching Office sends the cell telephones ID information to the cell it is in, and the telephone seizes the setup channel and transmits it's ID information to the Switching Office. The Switching Office verifies the ID, then assigns a channel and connects the call.