More Plagiarized Material Found In Another British Intelligence Dossier: After learning that Britain's last intelligence dossier contained large amounts of material plagiarized from a graduate student, reporters combed through previous dossiers and found more suspect material. The following section of a December, 2002 intelligence dossier is thought to have come from a homework assignment done by 6 year-old Cliff Wellington from Liverpool...

"Saddam Hussein is a very mean poopiehead! I don't like him at all and I think his mustash looks very stupid! He should stop being so mean or we should blow him up!

I would have written more but my dog Rex ran away and I had to find him and then I stayed outside playing cricket with my mates instead of finishing. Can I have another day to work on this Mrs. Jones?"

When asked about the dossier, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said, "While I certainly can't condone plagiarism, everything in the report is factually correct. One certainly could fairly call Saddam a 'mean poopiehead,' and that big bushy mustache of his isn't exactly fashionable is it? Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go read the newest dossier. I don't want to reveal too much, but agents who've already viewed the report tell me that there is evidence suggesting that Saddam probably smells bad, that his mother wears combat boots, and that he very well may have cooties. I think that after that dossier is released, you'll forget all about these accusations of plagiarism."

I Get Letters: This may shock some of you, but there are actually people out there that don't agree with me. I know, I know, I believed all those left-wingers who said that dissent was no longer allowed in America just like you did. Now your first reaction after learning that there is still dissent in America is probably something like, "Tell us where they live so we can demand that Bush bomb their city until all that dissent is crushed!" That's a very valid reaction, but not one that you're allowed to talk about until the VRWC's fleet of black helicopters piloted by Christina Aguilera clones is up to full strength. So in the interim, I'll just post a few of the emails I've gotten in the last few days for your amusement...

To begin with, here's a semi-standard piece of hate mail that I received today from someone in Australia named Trevor Lindstrom...

"I am so sorry for your country and its people, to put up with all these lies that the US makes against your esteem country.

Yes.... for sure its all about Oil, that is why the US should spend more time at home looking after there own staving people?

The US are the biggest trouble makers in the world for sure, and if there is ever anything I could do to help your people country please only ask, as I lived in Dubai /UAE for many years and enjoy all related Arab's.

Hence, the US have lost all creditability through out the world, and it will be the only Empire in history that will Rule the world lfor ess than 50 years.......

Inshallah, all will be okay for your country, that is if the US would stay in there own country...?

God be with you all...Trevor"

Fascinating, especially the, "rule the world" part. I'm not sure if he thinks we're going to conquer the world and then lose it or if he thinks we're already running things. If what we're doing now is"ruling the world," then trust me, it's not as cool as it sounds.

Next we move on an angry email from a white supremacist called IzedUrth. I get these from time to time when one of them hits the page and wanders into the ACPOTI section...

"It is easy for you to filter out some of the less educated/angrier people,and use them to prove your point.I'm sure that if you actually opened your mind up to a different point of view for one minute in your life,and looked around the stormfront page,I know you would come across legitimate reasons for the white race to be concerned with its place in society.You cannot try and make yourself look better than anybody else,or try to make me feel inferior for caring for my race and family.You are right though,you proved your own point that "Anyone can post on the web" when you posted your ideas of what you think ignorance is.Those "psychotic skinheads" from b-movies are obviously the only skinheads you have had the pleasure of being near,on your couch,behind a TV set.Maybe you shouldn't judge peoples beliefs by what the TV tells you,and by what you have seen in movies....maybe you should have more important things to worry about."

Yes, I can't say that I make any effort to hang out with skinheads, cannibals, serial killers, bestiality freaks, child molesters, Nazis, or any of the rest of society's rejects. Perhaps I'm missing out because of that, but somehow I seriously doubt it.

Next up is an email I received from one Robert Vazquez, a man who is perhaps the last remaining Michael Jackson fan above the age of 12...

John,

I have a few words in regards to your shallow piece, if that's what you call it, about Michael Jackson. It is people like you who keep the ugliness and hatred in the world alive. You are a disgrace to your fellow human beings and this sorry right wing news organization. You represent everything impure. It makes me very sad to know that people like you are speaking your mind polluting this world.

I wish you the worst,
Robert Vazquez"

I normally don't even bother to reply to hate mail, but in this case I was intrigued. The article he was referring to was written months ago and it actually looks more prescient than ever considering the devastating episode of 20/20 that reveals Jackson still sleeps with young boys and has a number of other bizarre eccentricities. (Editor's note: Although I've read about the special, I'd like to actually see it. Anyone know where I can view it online?) Here is what Vazquez had to say...

"For instance the last few days, the interview, that sorry excuse for a human being Bashir. It is so obvious how Bashir was blatantly trying to poke and prod and destroy any shred of credibility Michael Jackson has. The fact of the matter is that Bashir has some nerve! He is a nobody a loser trying to make a buck at the expense of others defamation. Bashir stands for everything unholy about mainstream media. He stands for everything ugly about the human race. It is because of f*cks like him that 50% of this ignorant world remains in a zombie state while the world falls apart and is molded by those media moguls with money. It is interviews like this that keep the poor poorer, the rich richer, and you and I down.

As a right wing activist you should not cater to the bullsh*t, you should not be supporting the defamation of you and I . This is what you are doing in effect. You should take a step back and really try to see what side you are really standing on. You have the power to show the people of the world about the truths of our society and our world. Instead you blind them just as mainstream media does.

I could give a d*mn about Michael Jackson's celebrity status. MichaelJackson is of an intellect beyond most of our world, and beyond you. He is true love and expression. Since he has gotten older the garbage continues to pile up. He interviewed for a reason. I hope that the world saw just as I have how shallow Bashir is and how sad the other journalists are as they read their teleprompters, zombies themselves, the words come out and their eyes are cold and empty. They have sold their souls.

The interview I regret watching now. It reminds me of how simple minded the big guys think we are. Obviously you have been blinded too. In Michael's eyes, in his eyes I see love and truth. I see everything this world should be. Go watch the interview again if you must, but look into his eyes and then look into the eyes of Bashir, the truth tells itself...

I am not the greatest writer or speaker but I know my own truths, I know what is right and wrong. I am real! You should reassess what you feed to others minds. Reevaluate your writings. You should start with the man in the mirror; make that change.)

Sincerely,
Robert Vazquez II"

If Michael ever starts a "Neverland cult," I'm pretty sure that I know who the first member to join is going to be and he will drink the kool-aid if Michael asks him too...

***Update***: I just received another angry email from a Michael Jackson fan. Maybe the homeland security department should start looking for a time machine that's bring people here from mid-eighties...

"If you ask me, you sound like the one with the problem rather then Michael Jackson. How come somebody who claims to know so much, says so little. It sounds to me like you are threatened by the fact that someone is different. People like you sit back and judge everybody else by what you read and not by what you know. We are all entitled to our opinion, sometimes people like you need to keep it to yourself. Your comments are nothing but hateful.

Sandy Piergiovanni"

800,000+ Illegals Entering Annually In Late '90S By Mark Krikorian: On January 31, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) released its latest estimates of the illegal alien population in the United States. While several media outlets have reported the overall findings that 7 million illegal aliens lived in the United States in 2000, other information buried in the report indicates that the problem is far larger and more serious than even this huge number implies. The Center for Immigration Studies has conducted a detailed examination of the INS report. (Cont)

You Won't Believe This, But There Are Actually Anti-War Celebrities Out There: Two more celebrities have very publicly jumped on the anti-war bandwagon. First up it's, "Tootsie" himself, Dustin Hoffman...

"Hoffman accused the Bush administration of "manipulating the grief of the country" after the events of September 11.

"I believe - though I may wrong because I am no expert - that this war is about what most wars are about: hegemony, money, power and oil."

First off, Hoffman made these statements in Britain....why do so many of these stars complain about Bush, the war, and the US while they're in Britain? Maybe it's something in the water -- that might help explain Robert Fisk and the Guardian as well.

Also, I can just imagine Hoffman back in WW2 going, "I'm against the war because Roosevelt is manipulating the grief of the country over Pearl Harbor." On top of that, Hoffman acts like our pre-emptive attacks are setting some sort of new world-wide precedent. Look, there have been wars since the beginning of time, and in every case somebody had to strike first. Moreover, it's especially amusing to hear Hoffman implying that India and Pakistan might decide to attack each other if we invade Iraq pre-emptively. Does Hoffman realize that would be war #4 for them since 1948? They don't need us to teach them how to kill each other.

That's enough of Hoffman, let's go on to Shakira's comments....

"I think that we see war as a virtual thing and we even get to believe that bombs fall on top of cardboard cutouts and stuff like that. They don't. They kill real people, real children, real mothers and millions of innocent people. I come from Columbia, which is a country that has been under the whip of violence for more than four decades, so I've seen the consequences of war and I've seen the psychological damage that it does in a society. And I think that we're never ready for war."

"I might be sounding like an old fashioned hippie, but I believe in pacifist revolutions and I think that we have to look for those solutions, otherwise there's no way to survive in this world. In the First World War, 13 million people were killed. In the Second World War, 40 million people were killed. I think that if a third war takes place, nothing is going to be left on the face of earth."

This is just such brainless pap, that it's hard to even formulate a response to it. It's like talking about space exploration with someone who believes the moon is made out of green cheese. I mean what do you say someone who thinks they're enlightening people by telling them that real people die in wars, not "cardboard cutouts and stuff like that?"

Furthermore, it's all well and good for people like Shakira to get on their high horses and mouth empty platitudes about "pacifist revolutions," but that doesn't stop people from flying planes into our buildings or sneaking nuclear weapons into our cities. In fact, people like Shakira are only ALIVE because they're surrounded by people who don't share their beliefs. Let me give you an example of what I mean. What if Shakira were to put out the word that she's no longer going to have bodyguards or security at her concerts since they might use violence to protect her? If she did that, how long do you think it would be before we read about her being found face down in a gully somewhere after one of her crazy fans decided to kidnap her? Exactly...

There Are Presently 90,000 Chinese Soldiers In Uniform 20 Miles South Of Tijuana: One of RWN's readers, Nick Bouterie, sent me an email that he received from one of his friends who seems to be a member of the "black helicopter crowd." The email proved to be entertaining reading, so I decided to take Nick's suggestion and include it in the ACPOTI (Anyone Can Post On The Internet) section. Enjoy the lunacy and watch out for black helicopters & Quantum Potential Weapons =D...

Misc: A few things of note...

-- RWN contributor Alan Caruba has finally sent his first book, Warning Signs to market. If you like Alan's work you should give it a look.

-- If you're looking to improve your web related skills, I'd like to recommend LVS Online to you. Personally I'm taking two courses there right now and I'm taking two more next semester. The courses are cheap & don't take an excessive amount of time. However, I am learning a lot in these classes and it's great to have a teacher who checks my work and actually tells me what I'm doing wrong instead of just having to look at a book and try to figure out my own errors. If you do sign up, make sure to mention that (John Hawkins) from Webmaster@rightwingnews.com sent you. They really don't have much of a referrer program, but I wouldn't mind racking up a few free classes.

-- Last but not least, thanks for all the country song suggestions. I did listen to a lot of the songs that were suggested and here are the ones I liked in particular....

Shedaisy -- Lucky 4 U
George Strait: I Can Still Make Cheyenne
Alison Krass: Let Me Touch You For A While
Shania Twain: Man! I Feel Like A Woman
Toby Keith: The Taliban
Johnny Cash: Folsom Prison Blues
Johnny Cash: Drive On

&....that's about it. It's nice to add a few more decent songs to the repertoire but, I've come to the conclusion I'm not going to end up becoming a huge country fan =)

What's Next? Will They Title A Report In Crayon?: I cannot believe that the Blair administration made this sort of boneheaded mistake...

"Channel Four News has learnt that the bulk of the nineteen page document (link goes to word document) was copied from three different articles - one written by a graduate student.

It gives the impression of being an up to the minute intelligence-based analysis - and Mr Powell was fulsome in his praise."

First off, I imagine that the Brits gave some lone agent the responsibility of writing this dossier and he spent all of his time playing Solitaire or Tetris until 2 hours before the document was due. Then he cribbed together a bunch of excerpts from resource material he had sitting around, tossed in a few snippets from British intelligence material and handed it in and nobody looked over his work.

As far as the consequences go, they're not as severe as they might appear at first glance. Just because large portions of the dossier are plagiarized, doesn't mean that they're incorrect. Furthermore, none of the IMPORTANT information that was used in Powell's speech to the UN came from this dossier although he did mention some things from the report.

That being said, this does give the anti-war people a chance to try to discredit Powell's devastating presentation by claiming that it was all based on a plagiarized dossier. Sure that's not true, but do you think that's going to matter to a bunch of anti-war people who are so out of it that they think Bush is worse than Hitler? It also makes Tony Blair look VERY amateurish and I'm sure this will inspire more than a few pieces of satire and editorial cartoons which isn't really convenient since we're weeks away from war. All I can say at this point is, "bad form Tony, bad form."

Since today is Ronald Reagan's 92nd birthday, I thought it would be a good time to remind people of what Reagan accomplished during his eight years in office. That shouldn't be necessary, but Reagan's critics continually harp upon the faults of his administration (increasing the debt, Iran Contra) & regularly attempt to distort his record in an attempt to deny him the credit he deserves.

To begin with, to fully appreciate what Reagan accomplished, you must consider the terrible condition America was in when he arrived. America's military was in sad shape, the economy was gripped in the most severe meltdown that America had experienced since the great depression, & Vietnam, Watergate, & four years of last century's worst President (Jimmy Carter), had led many Americans and much of the world to wonder if America had passed it's peak and was beginning to decline.

Ronald Reagan was responsible for changing all of that. Here are Reagan's biggest accomplishments...

Taxes: Reagan slashed taxes from a 70% top bracket in 1981 to 28% in 1986. That resulted in 20 million jobs being created between 1983 - 1989, a doubling of the amount of revenue going into government coffers, and a wave of prosperity that America rode from 1983 until 2001 with only a small pause at the end of the George Bush Sr.'s term.

Rebuilding America's Military: If you want to know why America is such a military powerhouse today, then you need look no further than Reagan. Reagan's funding increases and dedication to strengthening our military are what allowed us to be so successful in the Gulf War and beyond. If Reagan hadn't come along, our military capabilities would be only a shadow of what of they are today.

SDI: Reagan's much derided "Star Wars program" not only helped convince the Soviets that they couldn't compete with America, but the missile defense system we're going to have working (at least in a rudimentary form) possibly as early as 2004, is an outgrowth of the program Reagan promoted.

Defeating The Soviet Union: When Reagan came into office, détente was the policy of the day. Reagan abandoned détente and made no secret of the fact that considered the Soviet Union to be an, "evil empire." Instead of cooperating with the Soviets, Reagan forced them to try to keep up with America's massive military budget when they could barely feed their own people. Eventually Gorbachev, who was an avowed Communist, realized that the Soviets had no hope of keeping up with the US, and he started trying to implement reforms. Things soon spiraled out of his control and the death of the Soviet Union occurred withina few years. Had Reagan never been in office and had the policy of détente continued to the present day, the Soviet Union would probably still exist.

Rebuilding the Republican party: Just as Babe Ruth "saved" baseball after the, "Black Sox scandal", Ronald Reagan "saved" the Republican party after Nixon. Reagan's incredible popularity (1980: Reagan 489 electoral votes -- Carter 49 & 1984: Reagan 525 electoral votes -- Mondale 13) forever altered the way the public viewed the Republican Party and the way the GOP viewed itself. Had Reagan lost 1980 or 1984, it's doubtful that we'd see the GOP controlling both Congress and the Presidency today.

Those are what I consider to be Reagan's "big five accomplishments." Of course, Reagan is also fondly remembered for his patriotism & optimism, which you can get a feel for by reading the final paragraph of a letter Reagan wrote to the American people to announce that he had Alzheimer's Disease....

"In closing, let me thank you, the American people, for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your president. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that day may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future. I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead."

Is it any wonder that so many Conservatives love & respect the Gipper?

If you'd like to learn more about Reagan, you can look for Reagan's work in our speeches or quotes sections.

Looking At The War From An Iraqi Perspective: Since war with Iraq is almost inevitable at this point, I thought it might be interesting to visit the only Iraqi blog that I know of, "Where is Raed? Here are three posts from that blog that I thought were of particular interest...

On the American psywar (Feb 5)

"The juiciest bit of news actually happened about a week ago but I was told about it today. A couple of days ago it was rumored that all top officials had their phone numbers changed, well who cares it's not like I call Saddam every night to chat, but today a friend explained why. Around six days ago the phone lines of the Iraqi air defense units were "attacked". When you picked up the phone in some of the command units you didn't get a dial tone but a male voice speaking in broken Arabic. What it said is close to what the infamous email said, don't use chemical or biological weapons, don't offer resistance, and don't obey commands to attack civilian areas and so on. This went on for a couple of hours. Now everyone has new numbers. I have no idea how that is at all possible. I do know that for some rural areas we use microwave signals for phone connections but they can't be so stupid as to use it for military purposes. Way to go uncle Sam. This is going to make one hell of a James Bond movie."

Raed worries about the upcoming war (Jan 31)...

"a car ride to al-mansour to get sandwiches, late at night. 10 new sandbag protected trenches seen on the way. appetite totally ruined by thoughts of who will use them and what will happen along these roads. maybe exploration journey tomorrow to see what else is being done to baghdad. I am either angry or scared i can't make up my mind."

On the foreigners who've come to Iraq to be "human shields" (Jan 26)...

"Those foreigners are all over the place, I think I know what it should be called: War Tourism. betcha they will be out of here faster than you can say 'Iraqi-peace-team' when things get a bit too hot.

I know they all mean well, but I really don't think coming here and getting photographed with Iraqi officials is helping their "cause". Do thy really want to stand up and risk their lives for this regime. If you are so in love with the situation here, be my guest let's trade places because if it is a "cause" for you, for me it's my life and the way I have to go thru it."

U.N. Security Council Sets Conditions for Invasion By Scott Ott: (2003-02-05) -- After U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's compelling Presentation of evidence that Iraq is violating U.N. sanctions, the Security Council passed a resolution authorizing the use of force if the following qualifications are met:

--Multiple independently-targetted warheads are launched from Iraq toward any nation but Israel.

--Thousands of civilians in a U.S. city begin keeling over from the effects of poison gas and Saddam Hussein personally claims responsibility for the attack.

--Saddam Hussein is photographed sitting astride a plutonium tipped ICBM with the words "To Russia, with Love" painted on it.

--Iraqi military officers are photographed launching a ship laden with clearly marked canisters of Sarin or VX. The bow of the ship must bear the words "Slow boat to China"

--Photographs prove that Iraqi SCUD missiles, bearing biochemical agents and emblazoned with the words "The French Connection," are about to be launched.

If you liked this satire by Scott Ott, you can see more of his work at Scrappleface."

Quote Of The Day: This quote from Ralph Peters describes many of the celebrities who have come out against the war lately, Jimmy Carter, and a lot of the anti-war crowd to the T...

"The "peace movement" is and has been a curious affair for at least a century. It has always found its recruits in those who believe, against all evidence, that their own governments are malevolent, whether in Washington, London, Ottawa or Canberra, while even the bloodiest foreign dictator really wants peace."

Spot-on Ralph!

In My World: U.S. Troops To Be Led By Haunted Robot: Secretary of State Colin Powell plans to present evidence to the U.N. today that Saddam has weapons of mass destruction and is mocking the rest of the world. On one audio tape, Saddam reportedly says, "I have weapons of mass destruction! Stupid world; I mock them! And I am so glad the U.N. will never hear me say this!"

Defense Secretary Rumsfeld showed his support for Colin Powell. "That weak willed fool better not fail!" Rumsfeld shouted at a press conference, shaking his fist in the air.

"Chirac seems to say that he will not join the war plans no matter what," said one reporter, "How much do you plan on hurting him?"

"You must be from FOX News," Rumsfeld stated. "As for Chirac, just having other people see him after I'm done with him will be considered a crime against humanity." (Cont)

The World's Collective Blindspot: There are a couple of polls I've seen lately that I find to be quite troubling. First up is a poll mentioned by David Frum...

"Last week, the left-wing tabloid the Daily Mirror sponsored a poll of British opinion about Iraq. It offered readers three options: immediate war, war after further UN action, and no war under any circumstances. Results: 9% for immediate war, 41% for war after further UN action, 43% opposed to war under all circumstances."

The number that really jumps out at me is that "43% opposed to war under all circumstances." So that 43% is in effect saying that they'd be perfectly willing to let Saddam acquire nuclear weapons, turn Iraq into a terrorist training camp, takeover the surrounding region, cooperate with Al Qaeda in a war against the US, set up concentration camps and start liquidating the Kurds, anything rather than go to war. We've also got to keep in mind that Britain is a hawkish country compared to their neighbors so you have to figure those numbers may be higher in much of the rest of Europe.

Now let's take a look at some numbers from the WildMonk Personality Profile Results.,

"A few notes: among self-identified "Greens", 66% (256 respondents) say that the US is the greatest threat to peace. Self-identified European leftists vote the same way by 59% (243). Interestingly enough, 41% of self-identified Democrats (615) think that the US is the greatest threat and 10% (154 people) are unsure. Among Republicans, the figures are 5% and 2%. 92% of Republicans disagree or disagree strongly with this proposition. If you wonder why many Americans doubt the patriotism of the Democrats, this will go a long way toward explaining why."

That's right, 66% of Greens, 59% of European leftists, 41% of Democrats think that the US is the greatest threat to peace. Really? The US that helped stop a nuclear war between Pakistan and India, that supports Israel against it's genocidal neighbors, that has defended Europe since WW2, that defends Taiwan from China, that guarantees South Korea's freedom, that saved Bosnia from the Serbs, that tossed Saddam out of Kuwait, etc, etc, -- this country is the "greatest threat to peace?"

When I look at both of these poll results, you know what I see? A combination of incredible naiveté about how the world works that has led to a lack of appreciation for all the thankless tasks the US has taken on across the globe. The world had better hope that the US doesn't decide to take its ball and go home one of these days for a few decades of rest. Because if it ever comes to that point, and I believe that it may when the war on terrorism is over, the world is going to be in a lot of trouble.

There is no nation, no group of nations, and no organization that is willing & able to the shoulder the burden the US carries in the world today with little reliable help. And I fear that within a decade, not only may we step aside and let the rest of the world find out how invaluable we are, but we're going to enjoy watching the planet go to Hell in a handbasket while we smugly say, "I told you so." Let us hope for everyone's sake that it never comes to that...

America Corrupts The Children Of Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia's Arab News has run an unintentionally hilarious editorial called, "Another American trick." Apparently we American pig-dog, Yankee, capitalist, cowboy hegemons are corrupting the youth of Saudi Arabia. Arab News covers the chilling story...

"In an attempt to counter the effects of a popular campaign calling for a boycott of American products, one fast food outlet in the Kingdom has developed a tricky tactic to attract customers, especially children. With each meal, the restaurant gives a present which is a children's story. The story leads to the conclusion that children who eat the restaurant's meals will develop supernatural powers. Its message is simple: Eat our meal and we guarantee that you will become a superman.

...There is yet another hidden side of the story. It lies in the fact that the people who prevent the children from eating these fast food meals are monsters. These ugly creatures, says the student in his letter, are shown as evil men who deny the children the pleasure of enjoying a delicious meal - sold by none other than the restaurant in question."

Who knew that explaining toy giveaways at restaurants to Saudis would be like explaining how a jet plane works to a caveman? I can just hear the conversations...

Saudi 1: "What is this "Grimace" thing that is being given out as a toy to our children?"

Saudi 2: "I don't know, but I don't like it!"

Saudi 3: "Me either! Today, my little girl demanded a "Little Mermaid Happy Meal"...

Saudi 2: I have seen those! It is a scantily clad 1/2 woman -- 1/2 fish demon that tempts men to defile themselves with her nearly naked body!

Saudi 1: That's nothing...have you seen this, "Hamburglar"...

Saudi 3: Yes! He's a thief! But instead of having his hands chopped off, he's rewarded with delicious hamburgers!

Saudi 1: These Americans are teaching our children poor values! Today they demand Harry Potter toys, but when they grow up they'll be demanding to vote and dressing like that nearly naked mermaid...

Lol...I wrote those lines as a goof, but the last one is largely true. Totalitarian societies can't survive under the constant barrage of outside cultural pressures indefinitely. It may start small, giving these kids some GI Joes to play with, letting them watch Star Wars & Lord of the Rings, listening to American pop music, but eventually it starts to take it's toll. Sooner or later, people want that freedom & the lifestyle that produced all these wonderful Western toys, baubles, and images and they start to work towards it. Western culture, particularly American culture, is like the Borg, "resistance is futile, you will be assimilated."

A Short Guide To Blogosphere Jargon: I frequently have people ask me what particular terms they hear around the "blogosphere" actually mean. In order to answer these questions, I decided to create my own little reference guide that covers the most used terms. Some of these definitions were written from scratch and others were gathered from various sources. If I used another source, I included a link back so credit could be given where it was due. (Cont)

Richard Perle Pulls Out The 'Clue Bazooka': The "head of the Pentagon's top advisory board," Richard Perle, put down the "clue bat" and picked up a clue bazooka that he promptly launched at point blank range directly at the Axis of Weasels...

"France is no longer the ally it once was," Perle said. And he went on to accuse French President Jacques Chirac of believing "deep in his soul that Saddam Hussein is preferable to any likely successor."

"It is now reasonable to ask whether the United States should now or on any other occasion subordinate vital national interests to a show of hands by nations who do not share our interests."

These are not just strong remarks, they're blistering in their intensity. More importantly, this isn't just some Conservative pundit spouting off. As UPI correctly notes, "Perle's position as the Pentagon's senior civilian adviser gives his harsh remarks a quasi-official character." Apparently the Bush administration has reached the limits of it's patience with France and Germany and has decided to make that clear in a very public manner. While this may not gather the same amount of attention that a Rumsfeld or Cheney statement would, the significance of what Perle said is going to come through loud and clear in Europe's capitals. All I can say is, "it's about time."

Fisking The Saddam Hussein Interview: You've just got to read this fawning, softball, interview w/ Saddam done by some anti-war British politico.

To begin with, the Brit pol in question, Tony Benn pumps out a little leftist spiel that somehow reminds me of when Scott Ritter said that he wasn't going to talk about the horrors of a children's prison he saw in Iraq because he was, "waging peace."

"I come for one reason only - to see whether in a talk we can explore, or you can help me to see, what the paths to peace may be. My only reason, I remember the war because I lost a brother. I never want to see another war. There are millions of people all over the world who don't want a war, and by agreeing to this interview, which is very historic for all of us, I hope you will be able to help me, be able to say something to the world that is significant and positive."

Saddam responds by saying among other things....

"...The Iraqis are committed to their rights as much as they are committed to the rights of others. Without peace they will be faced with many obstacles that would stop them from fulfilling their human role."

I don't know whether to just write that off as gibberish or to consider it a threat given Saddam's human rights record and the fact that the "human role" of the Iraqi people right now may as well be "slave." However, Mr. Chamberlain...ehr...excuse me..Mr. Benn then goes on to ask Saddam whether he has WMD. Here is the crucial part of Saddam's reply...

"There is only one truth and therefore I tell you as I have said on many occasions before that Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction whatsoever."

Can you imagine what someone like Bill O'Reilly would say after that? "Come on Saddam, stop the weasel dancing. The inspectors have already found artillery shells tipped with mustard gas! That means you're lying Saddam! And why would you have chemical warheads lying around if you didn't have chemicals to put in them hidden somewhere? You're not going to get away with that kind of spin on the "Factor" Saddam!"

Of course, then Saddam would have had him shot. Maybe that explains why Benn swallows Saddam's obvious whoppers wholesale and moves on to ask Saddam if he has, "links with Al Qaeda?" Saddam replies,

"If we had a relationship with Al-Qaida and we believed in that relationship we wouldn't be ashamed to admit it. Therefore I would like to tell you directly and also through you to anyone who is interested to know that we have no relationship with Al Qaeda."

That's Saddam's way of winking at the Arab world and saying, "I have to deny being connected with Al Qaeda to keep the Americans from invading, but I really admire them. I certainly wouldn't be ashamed to be associated with them if I didn't have the threat of war hanging over my head."

Benn, being a lefty dupe, accepts that answer and EVERY answer Saddam gives without a single follow-up question and without giving the slightest indication that he's doing anything other than eating up the kaka is spewing like it was escargot. Then Benn goes on to ask Saddam about the inspectors and Saddam gives a long, rambling answer that does contain at least one interesting assertion,

"...They have claimed before that Iraq did not implement the previous resolutions. However after many years it became clear that Iraq had complied with these resolutions. Otherwise, why are they focusing now on the latest resolution and not the previous ones?"

Now that is an interesting point, although not in the way that Saddam means it. Absolutely no one (other than Saddam) is arguing that Iraq has complied with the previous resolutions, so why does the United Nations, when confronted with a defiant Saddam, choose to create new resolutions instead of enforcing the previous ones? The answer is simple -- making new resolutions is easy while enforcing the previous resolutions is hard.

Then after asking Saddam a completely inane question about the UN's role in creating peace on earth, Benn's questions start to become even more irritating than Saddam's replies. Witness Benn's next questions about the eternal favorite of the mindless anti-war crowd, the 'war for oil'....

"There are people who believe this present conflict is about oil, and I wonder if you say something about how you see the enormous oil reserves of Iraq being developed, first for the benefit of the people of Iraq and secondly for the needs of mankind."

It's asinine enough that he's asking Saddam about the whole, "war for oil" thing, but asking Saddam about how Iraq's oil is going to "benefit of the people of Iraq" & "mankind" is just unbelievable. Who but an imbecile could believe Saddam cares in the slightest about benefiting his own people, much less mankind?

Saddam, sounding like an Iraqi Gore Vidal, goes on to hit most of the left's favorite theories in his response....

-- It's all about the Jews: "The first factor is the role of those influential people in the decision taken by the President of the US based on sympathy with the Zionist entity."

-- It's all about the oil: "Those people and others have been telling the various US administrations, especially the current one, that if you want to control the world you need to control the oil."

-- Bush is an imperialist who wants to rule the world: "They could dictate to China the size of its economic growth and interfere in its education system and could do the same to Germany and France and perhaps to Russia and Japan. They might even tell the same to Britain if its oil doesn't satisfy its domestic consumption."

Ya know if Saddam had mentioned the "Bush Family Evil Empire" or had gone on to call Bush a Nazi, he could have really scored some points with the left.

Then to finish up, Benn goes into, "full Susan Sontag mode" in his last question and says that we must prevent war -- are you ready for it -- you can almost feel it coming -- for the children...

"There are tens of millions, maybe hundreds of millions of people in Britain and America, in Europe and worldwide, who want to see a peaceful outcome to this problem , and they are the real Americans in my opinion, the real British, the real French, the real Germans, because they think of the world in terms of their children. I have ten grandchildren and in my family there is English, Scottish, American, French, Irish, Jewish and Indian blood, and for me politics is about their future, their survival. And I wonder whether you could say something yourself directly through this interview to the peace movement of the world that might help to advance the cause they have in mind?"

Since we're thinking of things, "in terms of the children," I wonder how many American children would die if let's say an Iraqi sponsored terrorist were to sneak into LA and cause it to disappear under a mushroom cloud? How many Kuwaiti and Saudi children would die if Saddam were allowed to rearm and conquer the region? What's the count up to on Iraqi children that Saddam allowed to starve to death while he built new palaces for himself? How about those Iraqi kids in the children's prisons, do these "terms" apply to them too? I guess not.

However, I digress, let's get back to interviewee. Saddam then launches into another semi-incoherent reply that starts with, First of all we admire the development of the peace movement around the world in the last few years." Hear that all you anti-war protestors? Saddam admires you. So make sure you don't forget your, "We admire you too Saddam" signs whenever the Commies at ANSWER decide to hold their next peace rally.

It'll be interesting to see how much play this little "Saddamercial" gets tomorrow and what the general reaction to it will be. If only Benn's interview had gone more like this pre-George W. Bush fake interview w/ Saddam, then the whole world would be better off....

Another Whacked Out Celebrity Shoots Off His Mouth? Big Surprise There...: "David Clennon, star of the hit CBS television series "The Agency," is the latest celebrity to make a jackass out of himself. Here's what Clennon bloviated about to Sean Hannity,

"I'm saying that the moral climate within the ruling class in this country is not that different from the moral climate within the ruling class of Hitler's Germany.

...I'm saying that we (Americans) have sunk pretty low and I'm saying that you can look at the moral climate in Germany in 1933. We have to ask ourselves if we found ourselves in Nazi Germany, what would we do. Now I say, let the inspection process take its course."

If this is Nazi Germany, then I guess we've seen the last of Clennon because at best he'll be in a work camp tomorrow and at worst he'll be dead. Also, he can expect to have all of his belongings confiscated and given to the "loyal Nazis" in the US. That's what the Nazis would do right? Hell, if Bush were really a Nazi the military would probably be forcing most of Hollywood into cattle cars right now so they could be shipped off to the gas chambers.

Furthermore, when I hear people claiming that, "Bush is Nazi," "America is like Nazi Germany," etc, etc, I have to wonder if these people get their images of Nazis from, "Hogan's Heroes" or Mel Brooks movies instead of history books. Do these people understand that the Nazis liquidated millions of people? Does it dawn on them that Hitler was engaged in a war of aggression that had as it's ultimate goal subjugating all of Europe and then the world under Hitler's iron boot? When you hear people make these sorts of ridiculous comparions between American and Nazi Germany, there are other obvious questions that come to mind as well. I mean let's face it, if Clennon thinks Bush is Hitler and America has the same moral climate as Germany in 1933, then shouldn't Clennon view Osama Bin Laden as a "good guy" who was striking out against the "evil empire?" What about Hussein's Iraq? Does Clennon view Iraq as the moral equivalent of Poland in WW2 here? When does Clennon think the death camps are going to start opening their doors for business? Don't those seem like reasonable questions to ask given Clennon's cartoonish and ignorant views?

Oh and one last thing, since Clennon apparently believes America is a modern day Third Reich in the making, isn't fair to call him, "anti-American?" I would say that it is....

Quote Of The Day: Tony Blair had this to say yesterday,

"When people say to me why are you risking everything in a sense, politically, on this issue I say to them in all honesty I do not want to be the Prime Minister when people point the finger back at history and say you knew perfectly well those two threats [weapons of mass destruction and terrorism] were there and you did nothing about it."

Walking the path of Churchill is tougher than following in Neville Chamberlain's footprints. However, Churchill is now viewed as having been a titan among men while on the other hand, Chamberlain is generally looked at as having been weak and foolish. Blair may not be taking the easy way out today, but I believe that down the road he'll be looked at as having the courage to get on the right side of history despite stiff opposition. I haven't always been sure of Blair's intentions and I have to wonder if even Blair has the will to keep fighting the good fight once the war on terrorism moves beyond Iraq. However, Blair deserves credit for having the courage to do the right thing, even if it has cost him politically. Tony Blair, RWN salutes you...

***Update***: Tony Blair also sent a little thank-you to France for all the support they've given Britain on Iraq and Zimbabwe...

"Tony Blair blocked a decision to award a French company a £3 billion contract to build the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers because of anger at President Jacques Chirac's behaviour over Iraq and Zimbabwe.

The industry journal Defence Analysis will say today that the reason for snubbing the French company was "purely political".

Take that Axis of Weasels!

Country Music Suggestions Needed: For the first time ever, I'm starting to get into country music. It began with Toby Keith's, "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue." I really liked that song, which is why I went ahead and listened to a Johnny Cash cover of, "Hurt." Again, that was just a phenomenal song. Then yesterday, for the first time, I listened to the song, "The Highwaymen" by Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, & Waylon Jennings. I absolutely love that song.

Now I figure that if I like all of these songs, there have got to be other great country songs I'm missing out on. Are there any country fans out there who can point me in the right direction?

Patients Fail to Notice Physician 'Slowdown' Protest By Scott Ott: (2003-02-03) -- Although more than 1,300 New Jersey physicians staged a work slowdown Monday to protest the high cost of malpractice insurance, patients reported no difference in service.

"Sure, I sat there naked under that flimsy gown for several hours, but what's new?" said Alan K. Seltzer of Paramus, NJ. "I thought protestors did unusual things to get your attention. This was the same old same old."

A spokesman for New Jersey physicians said next week's protest will include ice-cold stethoscopes, withholding eye-contact and illegible prescriptions.

If you like this satire by Scott Ott, then you can see more of his work at Scrappleface.

Superhero Wanted By Ozrael: Are you a bored millionaire playboy? An evolutionarily deviant offshoot from humanity? A time traveler from the future armed with a deadly plethora of high-tech weaponry? A Norse God fallen to Earth in mortal form destined to return gloriously to the halls of Valhalla? A genetically engineered super-soldier? Perhaps you are a demon who has turned on his dark masters? The proud owner of 60 foot tall exo-skeleton equipped with tactical nuclear warheads and bio-armor plating? An alien from another planet? Are you imbued with magical powers? The sole surviving member of your clan, entrusted with the ancient arts of your people and mystical katana that glows with the souls of your ancestors? Are you a super-genius turned super-human by your own botched experiment? An escaped cyborg prototype? A robot able to take the form of a sportscar or large truck? A powerful interdimensional psychic vampire? Do you need a job? If you said yes, then we have the job for you. The Town Council of Oxford Pennsylvania has voted to secure, for the protection of our community, a superhero. (Cont)

The Wartime Glossary By Rand Simberg: For those who, like me, seem to be watching coverage of the Iraq situation as reported by people from a bizarro dimension, in which they speak a language very similar to English, but with subtle and confusing differences, I think that I've finally broken the code, and have thus put together a little translation guide for the rest of us.

"allies"

Nations that we either defeated or liberated six decades ago, and then paid to rebuild half a century ago, and continued to pay for their defense through the Cold War, which has been over for more than a decade, who now feel that they are thereby entitled to obstruct or dictate our foreign policy, which is driven by our own self defense, in the furtherance of the business interests of their corrupt governments and the brutal dictators that they cynically coddle. (Cont)

Did Al Qaeda Hire Eric Margolis To Write Press Releases?: You have got to read this editorial by Eric Margolis in the Toronto Sun. This exact same editorial could appear, unedited on an Al-Qaeda website. In fact, the only thing missing is a call to Jihad against America. You think I'm exaggerating? Let me give you some samples from the editorial...

To begin with, Margolis calls the Iraqi invasion an, "evangelical crusade" and later asks what, "could Arabs do to prevent a war of aggression against Iraq that increasingly resembles a medieval crusade?" That's right out of the Osama Bin Laden playbook folks.

Then Margolis trots out the ever popular, "it's the Jews fault refrain" that never seems to get old in the Middle-East.

"...Arab leaders are keenly aware the strategy for the U.S. attack on Iraq, and attendant propaganda campaign - the biggest since World War II - were drawn up in 1998 by American neo-conservatives supportive of Israel's rightist Likud government.

...The war on Iraq was designed to leave Israel dominant and unchallenged in the Mideast, put an end to Palestinian resistance, exact revenge on Hezbollah and ensure Arab regimes would be subservient to Israel and control of Iraqi and Saudi oil by the U.S., Israel and Turkey might follow."

See it's not about oil, it's about the dreaded "neo-conservatives" (cough cough Jews cough cough) who Margolis thinks are behind the scenes orchestrating the whole war on terrorism for the benefit of Israel.

Then, Margolis goes to chastise the entire Middle-East for not standing up to the United States, to the point of actually saying the whole Middle-East should unite to fight against the United States...

"What could Arabs do to prevent a war of aggression against Iraq that increasingly resembles a medieval crusade? Form a united diplomatic front that demands UN inspections continue. Stage an oil boycott of the U.S. if Iraq is attacked. Send 250,000 civilians from across the Arab world to form human shields around Baghdad and other Iraqi cities. Boycott Britain, Turkey, Kuwait and the Gulf states that join or abet the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Withdraw all funds on deposit in U.S. and British banks. Accept payment for oil only in Euros, not dollars. Send Arab League troops to Iraq, so an attack on Iraq is an attack on them all. Cancel billions worth of arms contracts with the U.S. and Britain." (my emphasis)

Margolis even goes on to chastise the Arab states for being cowards because won't fight against the US...

"At least make a token show of male hormones and national pride. But the Arab states won't. They will cringe, temporize, then join the vultures who will feed on Iraq's bleeding carcass, while vying to prove their loyalty to Washington."

Margolis even lauds Saddam and Osama Bin Laden...

"No wonder Osama bin Laden remains so popular. The only Arab leader to show any gumption over the past decade is Saddam Hussein. However cruel and disastrous his rule, Saddam alone stood up to the Mideast's modern colonial power, the United States."

It's just amazing to see something like this in a Canadian paper. What is Margolis trying to do, get syndicated in Arab News? Did someone from Al Qaeda hack in and post this column in his name? Hell, I'm surprised he didn't go all the way and encourage Muslims across the world to strap on suicide belts and try to take as many citizens of the "Great Satan" with them as they can on the way out. Hey Eric Margolis, is OK if we call you an "anti-American" now? Geeze...

Fisking Bill Bradley On The War: Former Presidential candidate Bill Bradley has penned an editorial saying that George Bush hasn't made the case for invading Iraq. I took a look at what Mr. Bradley had to say and wrote out a point by point response...

The State of the Union address was President Bush's opportunity to make the case for a unilateral invasion of Iraq. He failed to do so in a convincing manner. How we get rid of Saddam Hussein is as important in the long run as just getting rid of him. If we do it the wrong way, our action could seriously damage larger national interests.

1. The president did not demonstrate that a unilateral U.S. invasion of Iraq will help in the fight against the ongoing, more serious, distributed threat of worldwide terrorism. To the contrary, it could well become a giant recruiting vehicle for al Qaeda and its imitators. Young Muslims around the world will see U.S. action without U.N. approval as neocolonialist, motivated more by a desire for Iraqi oil than Iraqi freedom. Many could become terrorists, striking at Americans anywhere in the world. If Americans are safe abroad only when they're accompanied by bodyguards, it will be difficult, among other things, for the United States to succeed in the world economy.

If we don't go after the regimes that actively support terrorist organizations, then we may as well quit the war on terrorism now, declare ourselves the losers, and sit back and wait for DC and NYC to disappear under mushroom clouds. The money, the training, the intelligence info, and the protection that rogue states give to terrorist organizations are what make them so effective. For example, Al Qaeda could not have pulled off 9/11 without their safe haven in Afghanistan where they were shielded from attack and given time to plan and a place for recruits to go and receive training. Invading Iraq not only removes one regime that supports terrorism, it sends a powerful message to other rogue regimes about the consequences of supporting terrorism. Two of those regimes, Syria & Iran, border Iraq which means that a large number of US forces would be in striking distance of their nations after an Iraqi invasion. That in and of itself could be a powerful motivator for these regimes. Obviously that isn't something the President wants to go into detail about BEFORE we go into Iraq. (Cont)

Ronald Reagan's Speech on the Space Shuttle Challenger Explosion (1986): Back in 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded during take-off. Ronald Reagan gave the following speech in response to that tragic accident. The names are different, but otherwise his words are just as applicable today.

You can see a little of this Reagan speech in what GWB said on Saturday. Especially when W said,

"The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home. "

Allah Has Made Sure That His Footsteps Never Touched The Ground Ever Again: It's been a while since I looked in on the radical Islamists at the Clear Guidance forums. But, when I checked in today, I found that they were mocking the destruction of the Columbia. You can see the thread I got these posts out of by clicking here, but I believe you have to be a member to see them. So prepare yourself for the religious fanaticism and sick humor of the Clear Guidance gang in the latest episode of ACPOTI (anyone can post on the internet)...