The Reason Iran Wants Iraq...

...is all about Islam. Iranians are overwhelmingly Shia Muslims. There is a difference between Shia and Sunni Muslims, and I would recommend you spend a few minutes to research their differences. When it comes to terrorism, and the hate of Jews, both Shia and Sunni agree; but Al-Qaeda style, Sunni (Salafist) muslims consider Shiites apostate, or sinners. They will always ask an unknown person which sect they belong to in order to know if they should discriminate or not. No kidding.

Back to Iran...Iran is majority Shia Muslim. Iraq is majority Shia Muslim as well. There are three significant Shia holy sites in Iraq: Samarra, home of the Imam Kazim shrine; Karbala, home of this Imam Hussein shrine (and others); and

Najaf, home to the shrine of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet Mohammad's cousin and son-in-law and fourth caliph (656-661). Najaf also contains one of the largest cemeteries in the world. According to Imam Ali, any Muslim buried here will enter paradise; as a result, the tombs of several prophets are found in Najaf. Shia Muslims especially consider it a privilege to be buried here. Like Karbala, Najaf became an important center of Islamic scholarship and theology. During his exile from Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini lived here for 12 years prior to the 1979 revolution in Iran. In 1999, the Iraqi Shia leader Ayatollah Mohammad Sadiq al-Sadr was assassinated in Najaf, sparking clashes between Shia and the Iraqi government.

In the nineteenth century, the shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala in Ottoman Iraq emerged as the most important Shi'i centers of learning. Najaf is known for being an Islamic center for scientific, literary and theological studies for the whole Islamic world and mainly for the Shiites, therefore Najaf is attractive for a large number of people, poets, authors and other visitors from China/India, Lebanon, Pakistan and Iran which is estimated annually over half a million.

Najaf has a population of 560,000, and Muhammad's son-in-law, Imam Ali bin Ali Talib, is buried in the Imam Ali mosque. Iran's Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini spent 1964-78 in exile in Najaf. The holy city of Najaf is located 160 kilometers South of Baghdad and 60 km to the south of Hilla. Najaf in arabic means a high land where water cannot be reached. It is a city situated on high plateau over a sandy ground looking down from northern and eastern sides on wide scope camp of domes and tombs called valley of the peace. Najaf is a city of low-level sprawl, with boulevards lined by trees, arched brick buildings, and streets filled with bearded clerics wearing white or black turbans. Najaf is the spiritual center of Shiite Islam, site of the shrine of the Imam Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad and first leader of the Shias.

Four senior Grand Ayatollahs constitute the Religious Institution (al-Hawzah al-`Ilmiyyah) in Najaf, the preeminent seminary center for the training of Shiite clergymen. Before the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, Najaf was the most important center of study for Shia religious leaders. However, Saddam Hussein ordered mass arrests and the expulsion of senior clerics, giving the Iranian seminary in the city of Qom the opportunity to take over the religious leadership of the Shias. Qom was the pre-eminent religious center for Shia Muslims for 25 years. But Najaf has a history of more than a millenium of leadership, and the Iranian clerics who run the holy city of Qom, are facing a revived rival. As of mid-2003 the seminary in Qom hosted between 40,000 and 50,000 clergy, while the number in Najaf stould at about 2,000, down from about 10,000 before the Ba'ath regime took. The first exodus from Qom to Najaf is expected to be by exiled Iraqi clerics, estimated to number between 3,000, and 5,000.

Religious zealots run Iran. The Shia Islam religion is their law and their life. Iraq is the birthplace of Shia, home of their holy sites, and home of the Hawzah religious school that certifies their Imams. Stands to reason that taking over Iraq would be a high priority for the Iranians. If not overtly, then certainly by proxy. Keep your eyes on the Shiites in Iraq, and on Iran. There's more there than meets the eye, and a lot more than you are reading from the press. The Mainstream Media is either ignorant to the significance of what I showed you above, or they think you are too ignorant to appreciate it; otherwise, why wouldn't they choose to talk about it when the subject of Iran comes up?

Chinese Sanctioned for Aiding Tehran

The Washington Times reports that:

Several Chinese companies involved in selling missile goods and chemical-arms materials to Iran have been hit with U.S. sanctions, Bush administration officials said yesterday.

The sanctions cover six Chinese government-run companies, two Indian firms and one Austrian company, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

[...]

The sanctions were imposed under the Iran Nonproliferation Act, which Congress passed in 2000 to deter international support for Iran's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and missile-delivery systems.

The penalties, which will last until December 2007, bar the companies from doing business with the U.S. government and prohibit U.S. firms from obtaining export licenses to sell sensitive products to these companies. The details of the transfers to Iran were not disclosed.

They come as the United States and Europe consider whether to seek U.N. Security Council action on Iran's covert nuclear arms programs. Iran has violated International Atomic Energy Agency commitments by denying access to numerous nuclear-related facilities. The U.S. government suspects oil-rich Iran is building nuclear weapons under the cover of producing civilian facilities for generating electrical power.

These latest sanctions show that China is continuing to support the missile and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs of states that support international terrorism.

"We think these transfers helped [Iran's] ballistic missile and WMD programs," a senior official said.

As the drama continues to unfold, we should note that the key players, China and India, both possess nuclear weapons. Diplomatic finesse is required here. The nightmare scenario for the United States would be if both those nuclear superpowers combined forces against her; with Iran being the straw that broke the camel's back. Although this scenario is extreme, it is not necessarily impossible. I think Tom Clancy may have even written about it.

Imagine US Forces engaged in Iraq and Iran because Iran launches a nuclear strike against targets in Israel. As the US commits more troops to the Middle East, India launches against Pakistan. What could we do? Imagine if China decided to take back Taiwan at the same time. Again what would we do? The scenario is absolutely frightening.

Another interesting point to note is how the Washington Times called Iran an "oil rich" nation. Are they trying to prepare ahead of time the argument that future US intervention in Iran would be motivated by its supposed lust for oil? Why didn't they focus on the fact that Iran has sponsored terrorism for quite some time?

Iran Attacks Israel and Europe?

This kind of scenario is not a joke; it is a real possibility. It raises the question, "What should our [US] response be?"

This article and this report in the German press put me on edge.

German intelligence believes Iran has now bought 18 longer-range missiles from North Korea, giving Teheran the capability to attack targets in central Europe, the German daily newspaper Bild reported Friday.

The study by the foreign intelligence service BND said the BM-25 missiles were being purchased from Pyongyang in the form of kit sets. The mobile missiles, which are based on the Russian SS-N-6 missile for submarine launch, will have a nominal range of 2,500 kilometres.

However it was possible to upgrade them to hit targets 3,500 kilometres away, the Munich-based BND said.

Iran already has Shehab-3 missiles with a range of 1,300 kilometres.

Bild quoted the BND dossier as saying: 'Germany and other parts of Europe could be affected in the medium to long term by the Iranian missile programme.'

It added: 'With longer ranges in the future, combined with the apparent efforts to obtain nuclear warheads, Iran would be in a position to reach all of Israel and parts of central Europe.'

According to the Bild report, the BND already suspects that Iranian experts are working towards adapting missiles to carry atomic payloads. The article stated that German agents have identified a site at Tabriz, 600 kilometers northwest from Tehran where work was being carried out on testing silo-based rockets.

Combined with news that a delivery of rocket components on its way to Iran from China was intercepted recently causes even more concern. The aluminum tubing could, in principle, be used to adapt an existing missile into a multistage rocket capable of traveling up to 10,000 kilometers -- which would put the United States in range.

I just wanted to throw this out there because I haven't seen much reporting about it in the press. Is this a significant threat? Will there be opposition to US intervention against this kind of threat? Will there be those who say the Bush administration stood by and "did nothing" if we don't act? Will there be those who say the administration "cherry picked" the intelligence if we act?

These are dangerous times. Iran and North Korea are serious threats to our National security. If just one of those missiles touch our shores it could be devastating. Am I being paranoid, or are the Iranians someone to worry about? Let me know what you think.

Generation Kill

I just finished a book last night called Generation Kill by Evan Wright, and I would like to recommend it to all of you.

GENERATION KILL: Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain America and the New Faces of American War is Wright's account of being the only reporter to travel with the USMC's elite First Recon Battalion as they spearheaded the Iraqi invasion. For weeks he lived on the front lines with 23 young men from the opening hours of combat through to the fall of Baghdad. Rather than coming at his story from cynical ground, Wright instead strives to convey the stark realities of combat from the perspective of the participants. He is unique among reporters covering the war in Iraq for giving a voice to the “grunts” so often rendered invisible by the media. In magazine articles and his book ‘Generation Kill’, Wright chronicled the triumphs and horrors—physical, moral, emotional, and spiritual—that these marines endured.

In an interview with GODSPY online, Wright talks about the book, and how he sees the reality of war:

"I think we as a society are content to remain isolated from the military, which is part of the beauty of an all-volunteer army, from the standpoint of empire-building, because we as consumer-citizens don’t have to worry about these issues. If there are problems with the military, it’s their problem, not ours, because that’s how we conceive of war. We’re really alienated from the people who fight wars. They’re almost a separate class. Then we get angry when we hear reports of people getting affected by war, and we say, well, they’d better take care of theirs. But we forget that it’s our society that suffers when they suffer."

He shows young Marines the way they really are. The exceptional officers and the idiots. He exposes a part of military culture that most people will never understand or accept - the brotherhood of combat, the profanity, the violence, the raw humor, the depth of emotion, and the humanity of the men.

This is a good book for anyone who sincerely wants to have a glimpse into the lives of young American warriors who are thrown into the chaos of combat, for better and for worse.

UPDATE: In response to one of the comments on this post I thought I would explain a couple things about the book that are apparent to Marines and soldiers, but may not be to the layperson.

Marines and soldiers are trained to be warriors. They constantly train in warfighting tactics and as a result are prepared to conduct warfare. They strive to be proficient warfighters in their body and their mind. Having said that, the average "grunt" is still a young man with a normal social life outside of the military. He has a family and friends who aren't a part of his martial world. The warrior must balance the two separate lifestyles psychologically (i.e. a loving father at night, and a hardcore Marine by day) which is easy to do in peacetime, but much harder to do in combat. Warriors find individual coping mechanisms to deal with combat stress. They must keep their internal motivation up in order to survive and keep moving forward. Some of the bravado they display in combat is contrived to maintain their motivation and to deal with the realities of war. Some of the doubt and criticism they convey is how they balance the other side of their conscience. Yin and yang.

The profanity and the "moto" (motivational) statements allowed them to be fierce warriors and work through their fear. Don't mistake that kind of behavior as an indicator that those Marines are crazy. It is part of the warrior culture. As you will see in the book, not all Marines dealt with the eventualities of war the same. Some like Lt. Fick were rock steady throughout. Everyone deals with the fear, anxiety, and "fog of war" differently.

Bottom line is those kids are a cross-section of American society. Regardless of their background or ideological persuasion, they are first-and-foremost warriors who must make war. They did what they did to win and to survive. They do what they do in defense of our Nation and its objectives. I am proud to stand and fight next to any of them.

Distortions Dishonor Those Who Care For the Fallen

In an attempt to paint the current administration as duplicitous and hypocritical, some on the left have made issue with the use of commercial airliners to transport the fallen. To the point where some are accusing President Bush of treating them like "freight".

The administration does not dictate or micromanage to the Department of Defense in their policies for transporting the dead, therefore the claim of the administration's "duplicity and hypocrisy" is completely unfounded. The misguided belief to the contrary is not surprising because some caring people are mislead by their masters, and probably don't have easy access to our regulations. I will provide them for you so you can see and believe.

Joint Pub 4-06, Joint Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Mortuary Affairs in Joint Operations (28 August 1996) provides the general guidance for the evacuation of remains. Here are some of the instructions we follow...note: this is not micromanaged by the White House because it isn't their business:

"The exact number of fatalities that US military forces will suffer across the range of military operations can never be predicted beforehand. Therefore, mortuary affairs support plans at all levels should be capable of adjustment to meet unanticipated situations. Plans should be reviewed and amended as new facts become available, resources change, and other variables become apparent. Mortuary affairs support plans should be kept simple, be achievable, and provide timely and useful information to those involved."

The regulation (not politicians) gives us instructions on the proper care of remains:

"Upon arrival of transportation, load the remains on a first in/first out basis to the extent possible. Ensure that the remains are handled in a proper and reverent manner. Carry remains feet first and face up. Position remains in such a manner that prevents the stacking of remains. Secure remains in such a manner that prevents shifting during movement."

The regulation (not President Bush) establishes something known as the Theater Mortuary Evacuation Point (TMEP) that conducts all evacuation operations:

"The TMEP is task organized to provide the following capabilities:
(1) Receive remains and accompanying PE from any theater location;
(2) Perform quality assurance checks on existing documentation and/or to initiate, complete, or obtain required processing documentation;
(3) Prepare remains for evacuation and/or to hold and refrigerate remains until transportation out of the theater can be arranged;
(4) Coordinate for aircraft and initiate all required shipping and special handling documents; and
(5) Load, palletize, and tie-down transfer cases and transport pallets to the Air Mobility Command (AMC) cargo special handling area."

"Locate the TMEP at or adjacent to a major aerial port of embarkation. This arrangement will capitalize on all available aircraft and corresponding logistical support. Additional TMEP might be established at other aerial ports of embarkation throughout the theater based on the following factors:
(1) The geographical size, population, and location of units in the theater;
(2) The projected number of remains and the availability of aircraft to evacuate them; and
(3) The operational concept and scheme of maneuver for all units in the theater."[emphasis mine]

As you can see the responsibility for scheduling aircraft belongs to the military (not the administration), is governed by regulations, and driven by availability (not the secret, evil conspiracy government who brainwashes us into treating our brothers like "cargo").

Finally AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 34-242

(This instruction implements Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 34-2, Air Force Community Service Programs, Joint Publication 4-06, Joint Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Mortuary Affairs in Joint Operations 28 Aug 96, DoD Directive (DoDD) 1300.15-D, Military Funeral Support, 11 Jan 01, DoD Directive 1300.33, Mortuary Affairs Policy, 3 Feb 00, DoD Directive 1344.8-D, Interment Allowance for Deceased Active Duty Personnel, 25 Sep 78, and DoD 4515.13-R,Air Transportation Eligibility, Nov 94, by providing guidance for remains disposition of Air Force and other eligible personnel, identification of remains, military funeral honors, guidance and procedures for search and recovery (S&R), government cemeteries and headstones, government mortuary facilities, procurement of supplies, contract mortuary services, case file maintenance, records administration and disposal, and reimbursable supplies and services. All Air Force military and civilian personnel (includes Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and Air National Guard (ANG) units and members) must comply with this publication.)

Says in Paragraph 2.27

"Transportation of Remains from OCONUS [Outside the Continental United States]. Remains will be transported from the place of death to the nearest OCONUS mortuary facility by military airlift, if available. Remains located in Greenland, Antigua, Ascension, Lajes and locations in Latin and South America will be shipped by military airlift directly to the Dover Port Mortuary whenever possible. Some OCONUS locations may require coordination between HQ AFSVA/SVOM, the losing unit, the Air Tactical Operations Center (ATOC) and in some cases, commercial mortuary services and airlines."

Sorry so lengthy, but I thought instead of the Left flailing out against the machine unnecessarily, I would show them how things can be distorted by those who are too blinded by ideology to see the truth. The truth is that mortuary affairs is established doctrine. The use of commercial air is allowed and more preferable than letting the body decompose. Read all the publications listed above to see for yourself.

Ted Rall: Virulent Scumbag

I consider myself a pretty understanding person. I listen to other's points of view because I know I might learn something. But I'm also able to distinguish right from wrong...and cartoonist/columnist Ted Rall is WRONG!

His cartoons are shitfilled piles of wrongful lies and distortions. They are posted here in hopes that you will be as disgusted as I am, and boycott the periodicals that print his rubbish (New York Times, Washington Post, etc.) now and forever. When they stop paying him, hopefully he will have to go back to wearing his kneepads to make money again.

When I saw one of his cartoons today I was infuriated. Since I'm away from time to time, I didn't realize he is the guy responsible for the posthumous critique of Pat Tillman (the cartoon described Tillman as an "idiot" and "sap" for abandoning his NFL career to fight the war against terrorists.) After I saw the Tillman cartoon, I decided to do some research. I found that Rall appeared on Fox News' Hannity and Colmes show in May of 2004, and was naturally flamed by Hannity; but to my surprise even the liberal Holmes slapped Rall.

COLMES: I think this kind of stuff gives liberals a bad name. You call him basically an idiot and a sap for going to fight a war that you don't believe in. I'm not for the war in Iraq either, but to call someone these kinds of -- or to imply these things for doing what they think is right for their country, I think is -- I think it's shameful.

[...]

HANNITY: You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You're a mean, despicable, thoughtless human being. And you're a heartless human being. And you're a lying human being.

The real kicker is that Rall paints all soldiers as evil stormtroopers. In May of 2004, Rall wrote a piece entitled, An Army of Scum: Or, We're Looking For a Few Good Homosexual Rapists which said the following:

Now it's official: American troops occupying Iraq have become virtually indistinguishable from the SS. Like the Germans during World War II, they cordon off and bomb civilian villages to retaliate for guerilla attacks on their convoys. Like the blackshirts who terrorized Europe, America's victims disappear into hellish prisons ruled by sadists and murderers. The U.S. military is short just one item to achieve moral parity with the Nazis: gas chambers.

He depicts us as torturers and zombies. He makes me sick. In one of his pieces-of-merde, Rall tallies numbers of deaths in the war-on-terror versus the number of deaths in the WTC, he concludes by saying: "Bush us 80 percent as likely as Osama to kill you. Osama can be trusted more." This guy is a piece of work.

In another cartoon, he mocked the current terrorist threat by comparing it to the more generalized communist threat during the Vietnam war. Essentially he said since there were no Vietnamese in the US hurting us today, that there will be no Islamic terrorist threat either. Hate to tell you Rall, but I don't think any Vietnamese crashed planes into our buildings. Wake up you asshole.

In this one he says the administration and our soldiers are rapists and sodomites.

Note to Rall: Don't use your broad-brush stroke to define military men as rapists or murderers for your personal or political gain, you little weasel. The only reason you are free to write such filth is because of the wisdom of our Founding Fathers; and the honor and conviction of people like Ranger Pat Tillman, who had the guts to put his money where his mouth was. Our soldiers are doing something to keep your life comfortable from danger. So comfortable in fact, that you feel free to say and do whatever you wish without regard for the truth, or the dignity of decent military men.

Note to the reader: The sad part is this guy has dozens and dozens of his asspaper cartoons out there, and we aren't doing anything about it. I think he owes us all an apology. Don't buy any periodicals that publish this scumbag's work. You want to support the troops? That is how you can do it.

Master Chief Zane Hamm...

...has gone to sea for the last time.

Retired Master Chief Fire Controlman Zane James Hamm Jr. passed away Nov. 25, 2005, after an illness. Born in Enid, Okla., on Nov. 29, 1928, Zane grew up in Wichita, Kan. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1948. He served in the Korean War, and after a brief break to attend college at Kansas Wesleyan University, Zane then rejoined the Navy in 1961.

Zane served eight deployments in Vietnam and later one deployment in support of Desert Storm. Zane was a career military man, retiring from the Navy after 33 years, 19 cruises on board U.S. Navy ships and serving as master chief of the command at NSWSES, Port Hueneme.

His son is a former US Marine comrade of mine. We drank beers with his Dad and crashed on the floor on many occasions. The Master Chief was a cool guy and a great role model. Eric wrote me about his passing today.

"My Dad made this world a safer place for democracy. He lived His life, His Way, Period! He didnt want a funeral or even a wake. He told me, "tell everyone who gives a damn to have a beer for the Master Chief" So thats what were doing. He will be going out on the next carrier to deploy to have his ashes buried at sea."

I know a lawful order when I hear one, so I'm going to drink a beer for you. God Speed Zane Hamm. Sailor, warrior, friend.

ABC News Conspires with Spies for Profit

On 5 December, ABC News revealed that they maintain confidential relationships with US traitors and spies. In a news "exclusive", ABC maintains:

"Two CIA secret prisons were operating in Eastern Europe until last month when they were shut down following Human Rights Watch reports of their existence in Poland and Romania.

Current and former CIA officers speaking to ABC News on the condition of confidentiality say the United States scrambled to get all the suspects off European soil before Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived there today. The officers say 11 top al Qaeda suspects have now been moved to a new CIA facility in the North African desert."

CIA officials asked ABC News not the name the specific countries where the prisons were located, citing security concerns. [Emphasis mine. Note: the article purposely says the CIA boys asked ABC not to name the countries, which implies to the reader that ABC News now knows which countries the "new" prisons are in.]

If what ABC News says is true, the CIA employees are traitor-spies; and the news organization is guilty of accessory to the commission of espionage-related crimes under the United States code. The specific code most applicable to my allegation is US Code, Title 18, Part I, Chapter 37, Section 793 which is excerpted as follows:

§ 793. Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information

(a) Whoever, for the purpose of obtaining information respecting the national defense with intent or reason to believe that the information is to be used to the injury of the United States, or to the advantage of any foreign nation, goes upon, enters, flies over, or otherwise obtains information concerning any vessel, aircraft, work of defense, navy yard, naval station, submarine base, fueling station, fort, battery, torpedo station, dockyard, canal, railroad, arsenal, camp, factory, mine, telegraph, telephone, wireless, or signal station, building, office, research laboratory or station or other place connected with the national defense owned or constructed, or in progress of construction by the United States or under the control of the United States, or of any of its officers, departments, or agencies, or within the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States, or any place in which any vessel, aircraft, arms, munitions, or other materials or instruments for use in time of war are being made, prepared, repaired, stored, or are the subject of research or development, under any contract or agreement with the United States, or any department or agency thereof, or with any person on behalf of the United States, or otherwise on behalf of the United States, or any prohibited place so designated by the President by proclamation in time of war or in case of national emergency in which anything for the use of the Army, Navy, or Air Force is being prepared or constructed or stored, information as to which prohibited place the President has determined would be prejudicial to the national defense; or

[...]

(d) Whoever, lawfully having possession of, access to, control over, or being entrusted with any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, or note relating to the national defense, or information relating to the national defense which information the possessor has reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation, willfully communicates, delivers, transmits or causes to be communicated, delivered, or transmitted or attempts to communicate, deliver, transmit or cause to be communicated, delivered or transmitted the same to any person not entitled to receive it [ABC News], or willfully retains the same and fails to deliver it on demand to the officer or employee of the United States entitled to receive it;

[...]

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. [Emphasis mine]

Some of the more astute legal-beagles out there will split hairs with me over whether or not there was an intent to harm the nation by either the CIA employees or ABC, however, espionage law was previously used successfully in a Fourth Estate-related case to convict Samuel L. Morison in 1985. Morison, a civilian employee of the Navy, sent "secret" spy photos to Jane's Defense Weekly, a publication, not a foreign power. Additionally, CIA employees sign a "non-disclosure agreement" (NDA) forbidding them from communicating the same type of information they reportedly did. Breach of the NDA alone is punishable by 10 years and/or a fine.

One key element in my accusation of ABC News is their blatant admission to knowing the information was classified "secret", and the fact that they maintain they have a "confidential" relationship with CIA employees who are committing espionage. Should the media be allowed to reveal national secrets that can be used to bolster the terrorist's propaganda campaign against us? Should they be allowed to illegally communicate national secrets to further their own political agenda, or to discredit the current administration?

The CIA employees should be sought out and tried for espionage crimes. ABC News should be indicted for accessory after the fact, and/or other espionage related charges considering they are printing known classified information for profit and political motives.

Any monkey should and would know that information of this nature, if true, would cause damage to our Nation in more ways than one. Not only are the agents and those associated with them put at risk by this kind of disclosure, but also the nations who may have supported us in the alleged ventures.

We have two problems that need to be solved: ONE - find and stop those who would intentionally "leak" classified information; and TWO - make an example of ABC News in order to stop further damage by the press from intentional dissemination of "leaked" classified information.

What do you think?