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POPSOct. 23,1983 Lebanese Terrorists Bomb the Marine Barracks in Beirut
. . with Syria. Although the United States had mounted two previous successful peacekeeping operations in Lebanon in 1958 and earlier in 1982 (to facilitate the evacuation of P.L.O. forces from Beirut that had been defeated by Israel), the ignominious end of the MNF intervention brought disastrous consequences. The failure of the peacekeeping mission led to renewed fighting between Lebanese factions and the ascendancy of Hezbollah, backed by Iran and Syria. Moreover, the Marine barracks bombing, which was the deadliest terrorist attack against Americans before the 9/11 attacks, later inspired Osama bin Laden, who viewed the United States as a “paper tiger” because of its rapid withdrawal of peacekeeping forces from Lebanon and Somalia after suffering casualties. Al Qaeda members were later dispatched to Hezbollah training camps in Lebanon, according to the 9/11 Commission Report (p. 68). Posted October 23rd, 2009 in American Leadership.
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POPSLive-Tweeting The Revolution: Day 18 29 Jun 2009 Tonight, people shouted AllahAkbar much louder and stronger than prev nights in objection to GC's certification People in Melat Park, Valiasr Sq., Vanak and sidewalks of Vailasr St. are holding hands and are trying to form a human chain. But reports of sporadic clashes indicate that the armed forces are trying to prevent the formation of the human chain. Reports: About 3000 Protesters clashing with Hezbollah at Vali Aasr Sq. (not conf) Larijani (head of Par):CNN has given money&cellphones 2 protesters 2 portray a wrong image of Iran
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POPSIran Crisis 25 June 2009 Youtube commentors offer these translations: Basically: last night several man in military uniforms with arabic accents attacked this building and several others in the same street. They broke the door, and made their way into the building all the way to the rooftop, and broke the a/c units, throwing some of them to the street. They also broke the cars in the street. 6.18pm: A reliable twitterer says that a group of mourners went to Neda Agha-Soltan's grave today but were turned back by security forces, who consisted of the usual mix of riot police, plain clothes cops and basiji militiamen. The twitter says they detained people who were carrying green signs or refused an order to disperse. 6.12pm: Our video production team knit together this montage of amateur footage from yesterday's protests. Amateur videos of clashes between protesters and the authorities in Tehran continue to be posted online
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POPSThe Latest From Iran What should President Obama do about Iran? He can do what he does best: Talk. He should roll out the TOTUS and give the Iranian mullahs and moguls an old-fashioned spanking. Complete with direct quotes from the Koran. Alas, this will not happen. Dr. Charles Krauthammer this week said of President Obama: “All hangs in the balance. The Khamenei regime is deciding whether to do a Tiananmen. And what side is the Obama administration taking? None.” Ouch. I feel the pain not for the target of Dr. Krauthammer’s words, but for the rest of us. 53% of the nation gave 100% of the world a leader of the free world someone who, when danger comes, dares to vote " present. Such a timorous approach to adversity is decidedly James Buchanan-like, as opposed to Harry Trumanesque or John Kennedyesque. There is much intelligence in not taking unnecessary risks. There is greater ignorance in trying to avoid all risks at all times.
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POPSPalestinian Extremists are Out Beating Iranians in the Streets… Another protester, who spoke as he carried a kitchen knife in one hand and a stone in the other, also cited the presence of Hamas in Teheran. On Monday, he said, "my brother had his ribs beaten in by those Palestinian animals. Taking our people's money is not enough, they are thirsty for our blood too." It was ironic, this man said, that the victorious Ahmadinejad "tells us to pray for the young Palestinians, suffering at the hands of Israel." His hope, he added, was that Israel would "come to its senses" and ruthlessly deal with the Palestinians. When asked if these militia fighters could have been mistaken for Lebanese Shi'ites, sent by Hizbullah, he rejected the idea. "Ask anyone, they will tell you the same thing. They are out beating Iranians in the streets… The more we gave this arrogant race, the more they want… we will not let them push us around in our own country." http://www.weaselzippers.net/blog/
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POPSIranian Citizen Journalism Most of the police empathize with their own; the government knows this, and thus they’ve brought in foreigners (as they have for past protests) to take care of the dirty work. The shooting earlier today was an example of this. I asked him how social life in Iran is right now, ie if people are going to work, etc. He said that probably half the stores are closed, but that unemployment is 40% anyway, so its not like protestors have anything better to do. These people are mostly young, unemployed, have poor access to higher education, and no foreseeable future prospects. All they had was their perceived voice in government, and since that has been so blatantly taken away, the situation is ready to explode. He’s also heard that in smaller cities around the country, the protests have become much more violent with a lot of skirmishes between the Basij and protestors. The focus right now seems to be in trying to channel all this frustration and anger into something positive and co
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POPS Insurrection; Day Two Defrauded opposition candidate Mir Hussein Mousavi belongs to the establishment. The regime is coming apart and turning on itself. Even clerics are turning against the “Supreme Guide” Ali Khamenei. Grand Ayatollah Sanei in Iran has declared Ahmadinejad's presidency illegitimate and cooperating with his government against Islam. There are strong rumors that his house and office are surrounded by the police and his website is filtered. He had previously issued a fatwa, against rigging of the elections in any form or shape, calling it a mortal sin. Kevin Sullivan at RealClearWorld: What's emerging here could be interesting. Iran hawks prefer to label the Iranian police state as simply "The Mullahs," but the legitimate clerics in this dispute are the ones standing with Mir-Hossein Mousavi against ONE Mullah and his secular police apparatus. . . .
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POPSA White House Sedar? WTF? Yesterday, President Obama and guests celebrated Passover the first Passover Seder at the White House. WTF? So should we now have a Muslim service? A Catholic Mass? A Southern Baptist Easter Service? And although Westerns don't take other religions too seriously, what about the Hindus? the Buddhist? Shinto believers? Native American Tepee events? Not to mention the atheist, agnostics and others might feel left out. The nation is sinking in a swamp of attempts to promote religious wars religious based controversial issues and hosting official religious services (not just a 2-minute prayer or something) is going in the way wrong direction. One good Constitutional principle of the USA (among others) is the separation of church and state and now instead of shedding these influences politics is invaded with them and panders to them. Not a good omen. *&* The clip here is about past lobbying of the White House by a group called: Christians United for Israel. (and
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POPS Privitizing Piracy Protection by Oliver North "to the shores of Tripoli" in the "Marines' Hymn." It seemed like a glorious victory for American arms. But it wasn't. Though Jefferson had pledged "not 1 cent for tribute," the treaty ending what came to be called the "First Barbary War" provided $60,000 in ransom for the 300 or so American citizens being held by the defeated government. Jefferson and Congress acquiesced because of the value they placed on American lives. It was a precedent that I came to know well. By 1984, Beirut, Lebanon, was the most lawless place on the planet. Organized terror cells and "freelance" criminal gangs routinely took Westerners hostage and held them for ransom. Those they couldn't "sell" were often killed. Then Hezbollah -- the radical Islamic terror group organized and operated by the theocratic government in Tehran, Iran -- began snatching Americans. There were no military options, and more than a dozen diplomatic initiatives failed to win the release of any of those being held.
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POPSUS Forces Capture 14 Iraqi Shia Terrorists In Baghdad would disband the Mahdi Army and form a small, secretive military arm to fight Coalition forces in June. Sadr's moves caused shockwaves in the Mahdi Army, as some of the militia's leaders wished to continue the fight against US forces in Baghdad and in southern and central Iraq. The League of the Righteous receives funding, training, weapons, and direction from Iran's Qods Force, the country's secretive special operations group that backs terror groups such as Lebanese Hezbollah. In a recent message issued by Sadr where he rejected the US-Iraqi security agreement, he said he "extends his hand to the mujahideen in the so-called Asaib but not their leaderships who have been distracted by politics and mortal life from the Sadrs and the interests of Iraq and Iraqis."
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POPSMust Be Poverty Driven The video is the usual local,hype-up which will lend the deniers to call b.s. The facts remain despite the cheesy presentation. Investigate these links. Quite an adventure. Not to mention a lot of that beautiful middle eastern artwork and imagery. There is no denying that.
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POPSIran fined $2.65 Billion, for terrorism. "Finding and seizing that money will be difficult." Could an invasion of Iran, be part of the Bush debt collection strategy ? Pre-emptive collection, of $2.65 billion in oil. They'll have to get it before Iran gets a strategic advantage, by selling it to someone else. The US will be able to pay their foreign debt, with procedes of litigation.
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POPSWhat to do about Iran - From an Editorial in Washington Times By: By Tom McInerney and Fred Gedrich Also from Editorial: Iran poses a clear and present danger to the United States. And President Bush appears poised to act if its behavior is not modified. During the dark days leading to World War II, many European and American leaders mistakenly thought they could bargain with or isolate their countries from sinister forces threatening mankind. Their failure to recognize right from wrong and good from evil prevented them from promptly acting collectively against that gathering threat. As a result, 60 million died, including 6 million Jews. History shows appeasement is a failed policy. Let's ensure it doesn't repeat itself.
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POPSHistory of Car Bomb: Poor Man's Air Force Whether as a result of superb intelligence or sheer luck, the bombing coincided with a visit to the embassy of Robert Ames, the CIA's national intelligence officer for the Near East. It killed him ("his hand was found floating a mile offshore, the wedding ring still on his finger") and all six members of the Beirut CIA station. "Never before had the CIA lost so many officers in a single attack. It was a tragedy from which the agency would never recover." It also left the Americans blind in Beirut, forcing them to scrounge for intelligence scraps from the French embassy or the British listening station offshore on Cyprus. (A year later, Hezbollah completed their massacre of the CIA in Beirut when they kidnapped and executed the replacement station chief, William Buckley.) As a result, the Agency never foresaw the coming of the mother-of-all-vehicle-bomb attacks.
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POPSU.N. Force Is Treading Lightly on Lebanese Soil UN shows its ineptitude once again sending people in who can do... nothing. What was the point of sending them? Based on the recent speech by the hezbollian and this - history will again be repeating itself.
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POPSConflict of interest and the inquiry into the Lebanon war As if a former Mossad man does not have conflicts of interest... or is a reliable candidate for a committee that is supposed to shed light on recent events, not cover them up. Israel rigged its pathetic "investigation" into the Jenin debacle in 2002 in a very similar way.
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POPSHezbollah and Venezuela Can this be true? I checked out the website linked on the page, and it looks legit...but it still sounds fishy. Very scary if it is true.
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