Morning Report: January 30, 2007

The latest terror attack strikes in Iraq, and an American vet faces hostility on the home front. But there's more to the picture.

Attacks kill 23 Iraqis. Debka: 'At least 23 Iraqis killed in attacks targeting Shiites Monday at the high point of their Ashura rites. A suicide bomber attacked a Shiite mosque in Mandali near the Iranian border, killing 12 people and injuring 40. Further north, a roadside bomb killed 11 Kurdish Shiites walking in procession through the ethnically mixed town of Khanaqin. More than two million pilgrims are gathered at the Shiite shrine city of Karbala south of Baghdad, where there have been no reports of violence.' Yedioth: 'The death toll from a suicide bomb that hit Shi'ite worshippers marking the climax of the Ashura religious festival in a town northeast of Baghdad on Tuesday has risen to 23, with 57 wounded, a doctor said. Doctor Yassir Ahmed of Baladruz hospital said the bomb was at a Shi'ite mosque in an area of Baladruz called Dur Mandali.' (Debka, YNet)

Guardian unhappy with Nick Cohen's portrait of the Left. The Belmont Club: ' I have an extract, provided courtesy of a reader, which suggests why the Leftist readers would find Cohen's book infuriating. All I can say is that Cohen barely fails to scratch the surface; in terms of absurdity and tragedy, of the Leftist Deep. ...' (Belmont Club)

OpFor: Progress amid the violence. LtCol P at OpFor interviews fellow Marine historian Kurt Wheeler (who served during the same period as your present blogger). Wheeler reports the following: 'Obviously the violence is being reported, as we continue to suffer casualties from IEDs, SAF and IDF. There are two problems with the violence-only reporting: 1) Almost none of the steady progress being achieved in the development of Iraqi security forces, enhancement of the security of communities, improvement of local government or setting conditions for economic growth is being reported. (The argument I always here is that "news" is reporting the exceptional not the routine. By that standard, isn't a new police station far more newsworthy than the ubiquitous 120 mm mortar shell?) And, 2) Some equate the continued violence with a lack of progress. Specifically: The numbers of Iraqi police have grown dramatically during the past year (from less than 2000 to 9000 by the end of this rotation). Iraqi Army units in this AO have not grown in numbers, but they have fought, stood their ground, become much more effective and have taken over significant amounts of battle space. Overall, Marines and soldiers in this AO are doing the couterinsurgency basics extremely well. They are getting out, patrolling on foot in neighborhoods, making connections with locals. These connections are increasingly leading to intel and tips which are making us much more effective. The second piece is that you can't measure our success by the number of attacks received because our increased activity, "taking the fight to the enemy," has as much to do with the level of violence as does enemy will/actions. ...' Worth reading in full. (OpFor)

Disabled Iraq vet gets abuse from anti-war protesters. Gateway Pundit: 'CPL Joshua Sparling, an Iraqi War veteran and amputee, talks about getting spit on, flipped off, and having cigarette butts thrown at him during a "peace" rally in Washington DC on Saturday January 27, 2007.' Michelle Malkin has more. (Gateway Pundit, Michelle Malkin)

Commentary. So, what happened to "supporting the troops"?


Morning Report: January 29, 2007

Killers strike in Israel and Iraq, but the good guys are striking back with a major terror bust. A specter is haunting Europe. And a high-tech aircraft has some surprising limitations.

Pigua in Eilat. A terrorist killed three innocent Israelis in Eilat on Monday. Debka:
'Israeli military and security chiefs fear first Palestinian suicide bombing in Eilat, which killed 3 Israelis Monday, signals deadly new wave funded from Tehran and Damascus. The bomber, Mohamed Faisal al-Siksik, 21, from Gaza, blew himself up in a bakery in the Red Sea resort of Eilat Monday, Jan. 29, killing the two proprietors and a third Israeli. This was the first such attack the holiday paradise has ever experienced. DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources report that the next wave of suicide attacks is expected to be mounted from Gaza and Sinai by the Palestinian Jihad Islami in conjunction with local al Qaeda cells with funding from Tehran and Damascus. Although two Palestinian groups – Jihad Islami and Fatah-al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades claimed the attack, DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources disclosed it was in fact the first joint operation of the third group, the Army of Believers – an al Qaeda cover name – and Jihad Islami of the new anti-Israel terror offensive. A senior Israeli officer familiar with the Israeli-Egyptian Sinai border region told DEBKAfile after the Eilat attack: “Olmert and Peretz have missed the train. Their policy of military restraint in the face of Qassam missile attacks and a terrorist build-up has given the most violent elements free rein to get set for a fresh, well-organized assault.” Some attacks may also come from the sea. He stressed: “It’s no use expecting the Egyptians to secure the Sinai border. Since Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip 15 months ago, the Egyptian-Gazan-Israeli borders are a highway for smugglers of terrorists, missiles, explosives and traffickers of every kind. The IDF is the only force capable of putting a stop to this traffic and suppressing the collaboration between Hamas, Jihad Islami, Fatah-al Aqsa Brigades and al Qaeda. Unfortunately, its hands are tied by the government.”'

Arutz Sheva:
For the first time, a suicide terrorist detonated himself in the southern port city of Eilat. After he hitchhiked to the city, the man who innocently drove him called the police - but too late.

Three Jews were murdered, and five people were treated for shock.

Initial reports implied that the explosion inside a small bakery in Eilat around 9:45 AM was caused by a gas canister explosion. However, shortly after 10:30, the police abruptly issued an announcement saying that it was the work of an Arab suicide terrorist. The police announced that the murderer had entered the bakery carrying a large bag and detonated himself. Three dead were reported, in addition to the terrorist himself.

The Al Aksa Brigades of Fatah - an arm of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah organization - and Islamic Jihad have claimed joint responsibility for the murderous attack. In general, Fatah's Al Aksa Brigades has shared responsibility with Islamic Jihad for the terror attacks against Israel over the past two years.

MK Levy urges response: 'National Union-NRP MK Yitzhak Levy urged Israel to react to the suicide bombing attack in Eilat, saying the government policy of restraint is a failure. "I believe that the government is erring by acting with restraint. We need to set a price tag for attacks like this," he said.' Eilat's mayor responds: 'Meir Yitzhak Halevi, mayor of Eilat, called the fact that suicide bombers had managed to infiltrate the city "very disturbing," and said that he hoped that city officials would soon have all the information necessary to address the threat.' Internal security minister cites infiltration: 'Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter said Monday afternoon that the bomber who killed three Eilat residents in a suicide attack on Monday morning had infiltrated Israel from Egypt, echoing the conclusion of all of the Israeli intelligence agencies.' A reservist who gave the terrorist a ride became suspicious: 'An Israeli reservist who gave a ride to Muhammed Faisal al-Saksak, the suicide bomber who killed three people in Eilat on Monday morning, said Monday evening that he had suspected al-Saksak was up to something, but that he could do nothing until the terrorist got out of the car. Lt.-Col. (res.) Yossi Voltinski said in an interview with Channel 10 that he had told the man to get out before reaching his destination. "Still, unfortunately, he succeeded in his plot," Voltinski lamented. "He succeeded in killing innocent people, and I don't feel good about that."' IRIS: 'The southern resort city of Eilat has had its first suicide bombing, thanks to the decision of Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert to turn over Gaza to Islamists. Precisely as I predicted the terrorist strategy was two-pronged: arm Gaza and then use that base to move terror into Israel. In this case, the suicide bomber apparently travelled from Gaza across the now open border to Egypt, and then through the desert border into Israel.' (various)

Terrorists continue murdering in Iraq. CENTCOM: 'FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Fifteen Iraqis were killed in two vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks in a New Baghdad commercial district Jan. 27. The first attack, at approximately 12:12 p.m., killed 11 Iraqis and wounded 30 more, including two Iraqi police officers. Small arms fire broke out immediately following the explosion but stopped after Iraqi police arrived on the scene. The second attack, minutes later, killed four Iraqis and wounded 20 more. Fire trucks arrived and starting treating victims. The wounded in both attacks were taken by Iraqi emergency personnel to nearby hospitals.' (CENTCOM)

Coalition forces capture suspected terrorists. CENTCOM: 'BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured 21 suspected terrorists including a senior al-Qaida in Iraq courier, an improvised explosives devices cell leader and a foreign fighter facilitator during operations Sunday morning around Iraq. In Baghdad, Coalition Forces captured three individuals with ties to senior al-Qaida in Iraq leadership. During operations in Karmah, Coalition Forces captured 11 suspected terrorists including a high-level al-Qaida courier who is a known associate of multiple senior al-Qaida in Iraq personnel. He is also known for facilitating the movement of multiple senior al-Qaida personnel in the region.' (CENTCOM)

Update on Iraqi-led operation in Najaf. Bill Roggio at The Fourth Rail:
Iraqi security forces, backed by American tanks and air support, attacked what appears to be a mixed group of Sunni insurgents and a Shia end-times cult known as the "Soldiers of Heaven." The battle occurred in the suburbs and orchards north of Najaf. "Police Colonel Ali Nomas said 250 militants had been killed," reported Reuters. "The political source said up to 1,000 had been involved. An army source said they wore camouflage and appeared well organised." They were also believed to have possessed anti-arircraft missiles.

Later counts put the number of enemy fighters killed at up to 350, with a minimal loss to Iraqi and U.S. troops. Three Iraqi soldiers were killed and 21 wounded, five police were killed and 19 wounded, and two U.S. soldiers were killed when their helicopter was downed. The leader of the Shia cult, Ahmed Hassani al-Yemeni "who claimed to be the Mahdi, a messiah-like figure in Islam," was killed during the fighting, which lasted over 24 hours. ...

An American military intelligence informed us the early indications are that the Omar Brigade, al-Qaeda in Iraq's unit designated to slaughter Shia, was involved in the fighting. Al-Qaeda in Iraq would have a vested interest in causing mass casualties of Shia during the pilgrimage to Karbala for the festival of Ashura. Over 11,000 Iraqi Army and police have been deployed to Karbala to provide security for the event. ...

Read the rest for more great intel, and links. (TFR)

Anti-Semitic acts in Europe rose in 2006. Ha'Aretz: 'The number of anti-Semitic incidents rose significantly in Europe last year, according to a joint study released Sunday by the Jewish Agency's Forum for the Coordination of the Struggle Against Anti-Semitism, the Foreign Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office. Figures for anti-Semitic acts in Germany, Austria and the Scandinavian countries increased dramatically in 2006, the study said. The study indicated that 360 incidents were registered in France in 2006 (compared to 300 in 2005), 312 in Britain (compared to 321), some 300 in Russia (250), 83 in Austria (50) and 53 in Scandinavia (35). The study shows an increase of 60% in anti-Semitic incidents in the Berlin area, though figures were not provided for Germany as a whole.' (Ha'Aretz)

And if that doesn't work, they can install a Morse Code key. The Standard: 'There's no denying it, the F-22 is the most advanced fighter in the world. Stealthy, maneuverable, and lethal, it is without rival. Still, there may yet be a few kinks to work out. First, Defense Tech reports that the F-22, unlike many older fighters, was built without the ability to send data. Hard to believe, but F-22 pilots need to pass on all information through the comm system. Defense Tech's David Axe: "I asked the Raptor jockeys at Virginia's Langley Air Force Base about this last year and they shifted uncomfortably in their seats while feeding me some line about how voice comms work just fine." Axe says a fix is in the works. But according to Aviation Week & Space Technology (via Defense News), the F-22 is also having problems receiving data. ...' Read the rest at the link. (Standard)

Commentary. As of this morning, I'm officially dropping my former policy of not reporting terror attacks unless they are unusual in some way. From now on, all terror attacks get reported.

My original reasoning was that I didn't want to play the MSM's game by giving you a steady stream of demoralizing, bad news. I figured that if a car bomb killed fifteen people in Baghdad this morning, you had probably already heard about it from the news and didn't need to hear it again from me. I could concentrate on providing the information that went unreported in the media.

But terror attacks are certainly part of the reality in the Middle East, and I don't want to create the idea that I'm ignoring them or selectively reporting them. Better you should get the whole picture. And anyway, why should I give you a reason to watch CNN?

Dreams Into Lightning and its Morning Report feature aim, first and foremost, to inform. My goal is to provide you with a collection of information that will help you understand the world better. If you're reading this, I assume you are capable of handling the information.

Regarding today's attack in Israel, a Stratfor analysis (subscription) echoes the view of A7 and others that the bombing was a rushed or botched affair - that is, the killer had intended to detonate in a more crowded location, but became concerned that he would be apprehended soon, and so chose a target of opportunity - resulting in fewer innocent deaths than the terrorist might have wished. According to Stratfor, "The bomber struck at approximately 9:40 a.m. local time, missing the morning rush hour -- and thus an opportunity to kill or maim a greater number of people. In addition, rather than striking an area crowded with tourists, he hit a bakery in a residential area."

I'll post more information as it becomes available.


Michael Yon in Mosul

Michael Yon: Desolate roads.
Mosul is poised. Mosul is poised to become an example of progress and success. Yet with each passing day here, it becomes clear that Mosul is at least as equally poised to fall again into the wretched chaos of crime, violence and anarchy that define certain other areas of Iraq. ...

History shapes the future. In 2005, I spent five months in Mosul, chronicling a little of both. As “The Surge” begins down in Anbar and Baghdad, Mosul’s back alleys likely will tremble with at-first-imperceptible aftershocks, because historically, this crossroads city has served as a reliable bell weather. Sensing that this 2-7 battalion is suddenly about to become an important pivot in the war, I changed course. Instead of heading back down to Baghdad or Anbar, on 14 January, I requested to extend my time with the lone infantry battalion in Mosul. The commanders-that-be, whoever they are, permitted my stay.

Next morning, the Iraqi Army 2nd Division was to officially take over its battle space in Nineveh, meaning there are now two Iraqi Divisions operating in Nineveh, leaving 2-7 CAV in a largely supporting role. Yet there is more to standing up an army than giving people guns and training them to fight, and the Iraqi Army depends on the Coalition for much of its logistics. On 31 December 2006, free fuel was mostly cut off to the IA in a further attempt to show the Iraqi government that the Coalition means business. There is finite time to stand up; the Coalition wants to go home sooner than later, and if we leave the nipple wet, the baby will never grow up. Free fuel was cut.

As predicted by our military leadership, this caused lurches in the system. In Mosul the IA scaled back patrols. This is where national policy meets the road. Literally. At the battalion level. The route where the giant bomb was hidden had not been swept by IA in four days.

There were five occupants in the humvee: 2LT Mark Daily born in Los Angeles; SSG John Cooper born in Cleveland; SGT Ian Anderson born in Prairie Village, Kansas; Specialist Matthew Grimm from Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Matt Grimm had recently been awarded a Purple Heart for injuries he suffered while on patrol in a humvee that came under attack. It was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade that killed Sergeant Brent Dunkleberger. Matt had been driving the day Brent was killed, and he was driving again on the morning of 15 January. The fifth occupant was “Jacob,” a Christian Assyrian-Iraqi, born in Mosul in 1967, now performing arguably the most dangerous job in Iraq: interpreter for American combat forces. ...

Read the rest at the link.

Nabil Soliman Amer - Update

Via Freedom For Egyptians:
This update is driven from Wa7damasrya blog (Arabic) who attended detained Egyptian blogger Abdelkareem Nabil Soliman Amer's trial in Alexandria last Thursday. I m writing the heads-up in English for a better reach out. The update is followed by response from human rights organizations like RSF and U.S. Congress.

Thursday, January 25, 2007 was the trial session of Egyptian Blogger Kareem Amer who is accused of insulting Islam among other accusations that level to disrupting public state security and insulting the President.

Some Egyptian and foreign journalists as well as bloggers were there to attend the court session. Egyptian bloggers included wa7damasrya, Benhawy and Sandmonkey . Journalists were from the daily Egyptian Al Masry Al Youm , Reuters and other press outlets.

Lawyers attending on behalf of Kareem were from Hisham Mubarak Center, on top of which was Mr. Ahmed Seif. He was the first to come to court. Mr. Seif is known to be among top lawyers in the field of defending human rights in Egypt.

Television stations were not allowed to film inside the court hall. Video cameras were not allowed as well. A crew from Dream TV channel was there and could not film the trial.

Kareem was not seen entering the building as he was given access to the trial through the garage and from there to the dock.

The trial started at noon. The judge was surprised to find a big number of interested people in Kareem's trial. The session started with Mr. Ahmed Seif's defense. He pleaded that there are no regulations or laws for internet publications or blogging in Egypt that justify the trial. He confirmed that the Egyptian laws have no say on blogging. He also requested delegating a professor from the faculty of engineering from Alexandria University to identify the venue and the owner of Elaph site. This is the site from which the prosecution printed Kareem's articles. If it was proved that the site has a non-Egyptian domain or server, Kareem cannot be charged in Egypt for that.

Following the lawyers' defense, a man stood up to say he is filing a lawsuit against Kareem. The lawsuit is called "Hessba" in Islamic Jurisdiction. The "Hessba" lawsuits are (voluntary) soliciting good and advising against evil in Islam. ...

Full post at the link.

US, Iraqi forces kill terrorists in Najaf.




LGF thread here.

Afternoon Roundup

Tammy Bruce: Jihad Jane. 'In this love-letter disguised as a "news story" from the Washington Post, it's apparent Jane Fonda really meant that apology for encouraging the Vietnamese enemy and has clearly moved on. Fom Hanoi Jane to Jihad Jane. ...'

Via Sandmonkey: Ahmadinejad catches a few Z's. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Via YNet: Mortars kill five at Baghdad girls' school. 'Mortar shells hit the courtyard of a girls' school in a mostly Sunni Arab neighborhood of the capital Sunday, killing five pupils and wounding 20. At the time, US troops and Iraqi government forces were fighting gunmen allegedly plotting to kill Shiite pilgrims and clerics during a religious festival.'

Morning Report: January 28, 2007



ITM: Operation Baghdad to begin. Iraq the Model:







Full post at the link. (ITM)

























MJT: Where in Lebanon was your unit?








Rabbi Steven Greenberg in Portland




"Lesbian Relations" handout is passed around ...










Morning Report: January 21, 2007

An assassin is caught, but his words are ignored; an Iranian resistance icon is in prison; and some ship movements come to light.

Hrant Dink killer caught. Gateway Pundit: ''Turkish officials captured the murderer of Turkish-Armenian writer, Hrant Dink!' Citing Reuters: 'A man identified as Ogun Samast (C), accused of killing Turkish-Armenian author Hrant Dink, hides his face as he is led away by police officers after he was captured in Turkey's Black Sea town of Samsun, late January 20, 2007. Turkish police on Saturday arrested the suspected killer of [Dink] who had angered nationalists with articles referring to a Turkish 'genocide' of Armenians.' Little Green Footballs reports on a little detail the American MSM seem to have overlooked: 'NTV television said Dink had been shot three times in the head and neck. Muharrem Gozutok, a restaurant owner near the newspaper, said the assailant looked about 20, wore jeans and a cap and shouted “I shot the non-Muslim” as he left the scene. This little piece of essential information is now being excised from all wire service and media reports.'

SKF: Update on Ahmad Batebi. You might remember Ahmad Batebi, the Iranian activist who was photographed holding up his friend's bloodied T-shirt. Shiro-Khorshid Forever reports: 'Ahmad Batebi is still in prison. The best thing we can do is keep on writing letters to different human right agencies and gov. officials on his behalf. I will have a few samples up in the next few days. Let us not forget about him in his time of need.'

Debka: Stennis heading for Persian Gulf. Debka: 'The USS Stennis carrier with thousands of troops and 80 warplanes aboard is heading for Persian Gulf. Saturday, Jan 20, the ship picked up 2,500 troops at San Diego. The Stennis Strike Group has still to collect two ships at Hawaii before heading east with a complement of 6,500 US soldiers.'

Commentary. So, is Bush ready to do more than bluff this time?


Open Letter to Jay Dixit

Dear Jay Dixit:

Last week I was having lunch with Cinnamon Stillwell and she mentioned that she'd been the subject of a Psychology Today article on political conversions. Turns out that this was the same article for which your intern contacted me last August. At the time, I wrote a somewhat lengthy response indicating that I didn't feel my politics had changed abruptly and that I didn't consider myself a case of "political conversion".

I'm curious, though, to know what it is exactly that your article is trying to establish. Because it looks as if you're trying very hard to find psychological, i.e. non-rational, explanations for cases where people adopt "conservative" political beliefs. There's no acknowledgment that such a political shift could come about as the result of a rational assessment of the relevant facts and arguments; nor, conversely, is there any discussion of fear-related psychology on the political left (dire warnings about global warming and the ever-impending American police state spring to mind). And instead of encouraging people to inform themselves on political issues while listening with an open mind to different points of view, your article prescribes the simple expedient of "reminding ourselves to think rationally", as if the fear itself, rather than its objective cause, were the real problem.


In this light, it's difficult for me to escape the conclusion that your article is ideologically driven. The agenda seems to be to encourage readers to dismiss precisely those fears which, in your analysis, lead to conservative politics. In short, you want to "cure" people of being conservative.

Is this a fair assessment of the goal of your article? Or am I missing something?

If I receive a reply from Jay Dixit, I will post it here.

Psychology Today Examines "The Ideological Animal"

"First, let me just say: Bullshit!" - Dr. Sanity

"This article tends to end up spouting nonsense." - Shrinkwrapped

"The author, Jay Dixit, is an idiot." - Sigmund, Carl and Alfred

The subject of these accolades is the article "The Ideological Animal" by Jay Dixit, which appears in the current issue of Psychology Today and may be read at the link. An audio interview program by The Sanity Squad, four political bloggers who are also practicing psychologists, produced the reactions quoted above.

Dixit's article featured an interview with Cinnamon Stillwell, who is presented as the prototype of a formerly liberal American who underwent a sudden "political conversion" on September 11, presumably (so the article suggests) as the result of an irrational, fear-based reaction.

Neo-Neocon, who has argued at great length precisely the opposite position - that is, that "A Mind Is a Difficult Thing to Change" - was also interviewed for the article by Jay Dixit, and she recalls that Dixit kept hammering her with questions about "fear", notwithstanding her insistence to the contrary. Her interview was not used for the article.

I was also contacted by Dixit's staff for this article; I replied that I didn't feel I'd undergone a "political conversion" but rather - at most - a subtle and gradual political evolution. But that wasn't what Jay Dixit was looking for.

(More posts on this topic to follow.)

Morning Report: January 19, 2007




FFE: Update on Kareem in English. Freedom for Egyptians:
















I'm back in Portland from a short visit to San Francisco. I returned Tuesday to find the city buried under some six inches of snow - a blizzard by Portland standards - and what's more, I had a mild case of the flu. So it's probably a lot of rest and indoor time for me for the rest of the week.

By Sunday I expect to be back to regular posting, Morning Report, the works.

Also upcoming: I'll be posting on Rabbi Steven Greenberg's visit to Portland. Rabbi Greenberg, at present the world's only "out" gay Orthodox rabbi, was scheduled to speak at Portland State University on Wednesday night, but the event was postponed on account of, you guessed it, the weather. So we're looking at Tuesday evening, January 23 for the event, and yes, you can bet I'll be posting on it here at Dreams Into Lightning. And if all goes well, I may also be able to attend a private event with Rabbi Greenberg; I'll post updates as I find out more.


Alice Coltrane, 1937-2007.

Alice Coltrane has died.

Alice Coltrane was already an accomplished bop pianist when she married John Coltrane in 1965, having played under luminaries such as Barry Harris, Stan Getz, Terry Gibbs and Yusef Lateef. She served as John's pianist in his final year and a half, replacing McCoy Tyner in 1966.

Along with former bandmate Pharoah Sanders, she has done the most to carry and even expand JC's vision of spiritual, free form, Eastern mysticism music that sometimes went well beyond the normal boundaries of what was widely held as being "jazz". She didn't just stick with the piano, but also organ and later, synthesizers. She could also play a mean harp. 1970's Ptah the El Daoud was an early post-John high point for her, which demonstrated that the modal form of jazz championed by her late husband was not quite yet exhausted for ideas.

Alice Coltrane homepage.

Remarks. Jazz was always an acquired taste for me, to the extent that I acquired it at all. Of the jazz classics, I learned to love John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Thelonious Monk, but it took time to adapt my ears to their abstract sounds. (An exception was John Coltrane's "Blue Train", which I liked instantly.)

Alice Coltrane, though, was another matter. She seemed to be, literally, sui generis - a musical genre all her own. As a teenager in the 1970s my tastes tended toward the eclectic - Yes, Ravi Shankar, and Beethoven. When I discovered Alice Coltrane years later, her music seemed to pick up where progressive rock left off - where Rick Wakeman had provided excitement, Alice Coltrane added subtlety and grace.

I own most of Alice Coltrane's recordings, and if you haven't listened to her music I encourage you to experience it for yourself. My personal favorite (among many) is "Jagadishwar" from Translinear Light; it's probably my single favorite instrumental in contemporary music. Alice won't see the release of her forthcoming album Sacred Language of Ascension but you can be sure I won't miss it.

Alice Coltrane's passing is our loss. Rest in peace, Turiyasangitananda.


Americans Raid Iranian Consulate

Debka reports:
Kurdish sources report five helicopters carried US forces to pre-dawn raid of Iranian consulate in N. Iraqi town of Irbil. They were dropped on the roof while armored vehicles encircled the building. The troops used loudspeakers to call out in Farsi and Arabic to the consulate staff not to resist “or else they would be killed.” Five Iranian diplomatic staff members were detained and documents and computers impounded. Tehran has strongly protested this breach of its sovereign territory [Kinda sucks when that happens, doesn't it? - aa] and summoned the Swiss ambassador who represents US interests in Iran and the Iraqi ambassador to demand the immediate release of the Iranian diplomats. Later Thursday, Jan. 11, Tehran reported three large explosions shaking the southern town of Khorramshahr north of the oil port of Abadan on the Shatt al-Arb waterway. DEBKAfile: Khorramshahr, which faces the Iraqi town of Basra, is one of the key towns from which Iran delivers smuggled fighters, weapons and explosives to its Shiite supporters in Iraq. Our sources also report that some hours before President George W. Bush’s policy speech, a series of explosions were heard in Iranian Balochistan. Tehran imposed a blackout on the incident. These statements and events tie in closely with the new Iraq strategy announced by the US president of confronting Iran and Syria for “allowing networks to use their territory to attack US forces.”

Regime Change Iran reports that Iran's strategic guru Hassan Abbassi may have been among those arrested:
Iran Press News reported that based on unconfirmed received reports from reliable sources in Iraq, Hassan Abbasi was among those who was arrested in the Thursday, January 11th early-morning raid in the Iraqi town of Erbil. An excerpt:
Abbasi has been among the highest ranking members of the Islamic regime’s terror operations for many years, acting as Khamenei’s foreign policy and defense advisor. Abbasi has had an active voice under not only Khamenei but also Rafsanjani and Khatami as well. The Martyrdom Brigades of the Global Islamic Awakening is controlled by Abbasi.
The full text:
Hassan Abbasi known by his friends as "The Dr. Kissinger of Islam," is the guru of the Islamic Republic's revolutionary guard corps which puts volunteers and recruits through rigorous training in four camps funded and run by the Revolutionary Guard. The boot camp includes physical training, ideological indoctrination, building explosives, code-cracking classes, and finally foreign languages classes, specifically Arabic and English as well as many other 'useful' languages.

Iran Press News (Farsi).

Stratfor (subscription) believes the recently announced "troop surge" in Iraq caught the IRI by surprise; the regime had been expecting a drawdown after the Democratic victory in November. Today's analysis also notes that regime officials are acutely aware of the "resourceful and treacherous" nature of their American adversary.


Radical Republicans

Hip Hop Republican:
Instead of calling ourselves Neo Cons lets resurrect the "The Radical Republicans."

The Radical Republicans were an influential faction of American politicians in the Republican party during the American Civil War and Reconstruction eras, 1860-1877. They took a hard line against the Confederacy during the war and opposed Lincoln's "too easy" terms for reuniting the nation. By 1866 they supported federal civil rights for freedmen, and by 1867 set terms that allowed free slaves the right to vote in the South but not ex-Confederates. They fought with moderate Republicans, especially president Abraham Lincoln, as well as with his successor Andrew Johnson. Using as a base the Joint Committee on Reconstruction the Radicals demanded a more aggressive prosecution of the war and the faster destruction of slavery and Confederate nationalism. After their victory in the Congressional elections of 1866 they finally had enough votes to enact their legislation over Johnson's vetoes. They replaced ex-Confederates with a Republican coalition of Freedmen, Carpetbaggers and Scalawags. They impeached Johnson in the House but failed by one vote to remove him from office.

During the war and the first part of Reconstruction, the leading Radicals were Thaddeus Stevens in the House and Charles Sumner in the Senate. After his election as president in 1868 Ulysses Grant became the leading Radical. ...

Richie at HHR adds:
-I say its about time we take back our name and use it more often. We have a proud history. Neo Con sounds to much like Neo Nazi and I am not too fond of it.

The Radical Republicans have come back they were resurrected on September 11th just as they arose during the fight against slavery. It was The Radical Republicans who pushed for the Civil Rights Act of 1866 which made African Americans American citizens and forbade discrimination against them, with enforcement in federal courts. It was also these same Radical Republicans who with courage and faith passed the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution of 1868, (with its equal protection clause) It was The Radical Republicans led the Reconstruction of the South and the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson.

Today the Radical Republicans fight for justice and equal rights not just in America but also in the Middle East and around the world. As president Bush so eloquently stated I believe freedom is not America's gift to the world; I believe freedom is the almighty God's gift to each man and women in this world.

It was another Radical Republican who while fighting a war ignored the pundits and said "In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free - honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth. Other means may succeed; this could not fail. The way is plain, peaceful, generous, just - a way which, if followed, the world will forever applaud, and God must forever bless." Lincoln's Second Annual Message to Congress, December 1, 1862.

The Radical Republicans who so long ago fought for equal rights and freedom for blacks against the racist segregationist who justified his acts by quoting holy scripture, today fight against Arab Islamist supremacist which is a racist ideology that holds the belief that Arab Muslims are superior to other races and religions.

Some Radical Republican quotes:



"I believe freedom is not America's gift to the world; I believe freedom is the almighty God's gift to each man and women in this world." - George W. Bush


Morning Report: January 3, 2007

Khamenei dead? AKI recently reported that 'Iran's top spiritual and political figure, Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei is seriously ill and will have to be replaced in the coming months as he is no longer capable of holding office, according to Assembly of Experts member Ayatollah Nasseri. The powerful clerical body appoints and oversees the country's supreme leader.' Khamenei succeeded Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. AKI adds: 'The names of three possible successors to Khamenei are currently on the lips of Iranians: Khamenei's son, Mjtaba; Iran's former reformist president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani; and Gholam Ali Mesbah Yazdi, the ultra-conservative ayatollah who is considered the spiritual father of Iran's current hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.' Pajamas Media is now carrying conflicting reports of Khamenei's condition. Winston at The Spirit of Man says: 'I just talked to my folks and my mom said TV is showing video clips and music. Nothing extra ordinary out there at 7:30 am of 5th of Jan, 07. And you know what, if the regime wanted to prepare the masses for khamenei's death, they had to ask people to pray for him just like the way they asked people to do the same for khomeini in 1989 and before he died. Nothing of this sort is going on inIran right now but I keep my fingers crossed... '

Captain Jamil Hussein found? Via Little Green Footballs, the AP reports:



Pakistan: Marriage without family approval a serious offense. The Muslim Woman: 'Rural areas of the Province are still drenched in dogmatic existence. Many men consider it an insult if their female relatives marry without their consent. Killing or attacking women and their partners in such cases is assumed to reinstate family honor. And to make the situation more worse, the offenders escape the lariat of justice just because of poor policing, corruption and legal loopholes. Lately, a young chap of 22 year old was severely battered by his wife’s relatives. His crime was that his wife belonged from so-called ‘upper caste’ family and they got betrothed against their wishes. The girl’s male relatives, around 30 in number, assaulted the man and slashed his nose and ears. Hundreds of women are killed in Pakistan every year in the name of ‘honor killings’.'

Belmont Club on Islamic insurgency in the Philippines. The Belmont Club: 'The story of the Islamic insurgency in the Philippines is the story of the gradual and partial reversion of Philippine territory, originally incorporated by the American wars against the Moros in the early 20th century, to its former state. Prior to the US pacification campaign against the Moros between 1899 and 1913 the Sultanates of Sulu, Maguindanao and Buayan -- Muslim Mindanao -- were effectively independent from Spain. Although the Spaniards nominally claimed the entire extent of what is now called Palawan, Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago, they did not exert effective control over it, anc could not have bequeathed it to a successor Filipino state. It was the Americans who accomplished that. ...' Read the full article at the link.

CTB on Bangkok bombing. Counterterrorism Blog:
With no claims of responsibility for the eight New Year’s Eve bombings and two confirmed defused bombs, that killed 3 and wounded 42, Bangkok is awhirl with speculation and rumors. Here are the different hypotheses that attribute the bombings to the deposed prime minister, his government, the police, the military and southern separatists.

In a three-page hand written letter faxed to his lawyer on 2 January, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra denied any role in the bombing. He attributed it to southern insurgents, which is interesting because for the past three years he almost denied that there was an insurgency, laying the unrest on drug gangs, and by denying that there could ever be bombings in Bangkok. In his letter he asserts that he warned government officials that the insurgents “will go to Bangkok” if they are not stopped. It is unlikely that Thaksin had any direct involvement: though unhappy with the 19 September coup that ousted him from power, he wants to return to Thailand and he clearly doesn’t want to give the authorities to go after his family’s assets, especially the illiquid fixed real estate holdings.

Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) likewise and unsurprisingly denied any involvement. All eyes at first were on them. Thaksin was corrupt, but he was smart enough to spread his wealth widely and a lot of people made their fortunes because of him. The coup led to a lot of lost earnings potential.

On Thursday, the interim Minister of Defense, Boonrawd Somtas, revealed that the bombers “were in uniform,” without elaborating. Rogue members of the police have been suspected. Thaksin, himself a former police, favored his former colleagues. After the coup, the police stood to lose a lot and were unhappy with the proposed reforms that the army was going to begin to impose on them.

But rogue elements in the military could also be blamed ...

Read the rest at the link.

Bush names new national security team. Fox News: 'President Bush named a new intelligence chief Friday morning during an official announcement that his current top spy man is stepping down. John Negroponte, an Iraq specialist, who oversees the nation's 16 intelligence agencies and reports directly to the president, resigned from his position to move over to the State Department. Bush tapped former National Security Agency Director Mike McConnell, a retired Navy vice admiral, as his replacement.' It's a good week for the Navy: ABC reports that 'the president intends to nominate Admiral William J. Fallon to replace General John Abizaid at Central Command. The announcement is expected next week, before the president gives his Iraq strategy speech, according to US officials. ... Fallon, who is in the Navy, is currently head of Pacific Command; he will be overseeing two ground wars, so the appointment is highly unusual.' Indeed. Iraq has very little coastline, and Afghanistan has none at all. So, what's with the Navy presence? Via Pajamas Media, Astute Blogger Reliapundit has an idea:
Could it really be because the NAVY would lead any military move - like an embargo - against Iran, and also launch any preemptive military attack on IRAN? I think so.The Navy would likely be our lead force against Iran: The Gulf Cooperation Council plans to launch its largest ever military exercise:
GCC sources said the six Gulf Arab members would conduct an exercise by the regional Peninsula Shield force over the next two months. They said the exercise, hosted by Oman, would contain air, ground and naval components in the Gulf region. "The exercise is designed to begin a serious effort at interoperability and regional defense," a GCC source said. "We have been planning this exercise carefully with our allies."

The source said Britain and the United States have been advising Peninsula Shield on the forthcoming exercise. The six GCC militaries employ mostly U.S. and British weapons platforms and also receive training from London and Washington.

More links at the post. See also Middle East Newsline.

Hamas critic shot dead outside of mosque. Fox News: 'A local religious leader who was a frequent critic of the Islamic militant group Hamas was killed in a drive-by shooting Friday as he walked out of a Gaza mosque, witnesses and medical officials said as violence seemed to be spiraling out control in the area. There was no claim of responsibility in the death of Adel Nasar, who was shot by gunmen who were waiting in a car outside the mosque in the Mughazi refugee camp in central Gaza. Nasar was not openly affiliated with any political party, but he was a well-known in the refugee camp and often spoke against Hamas in his sermons.'

Saddam hanging hijacked? As pleased as I was to report the execution of Saddam Hussein, some disturbing aspects of the hanging have come to light. FDD: 'Iraqi law provides that no executions shall be carried out on a major public holiday. This was the principal reason behind the rush to hang Saddam Hussein on Saturday December 30th, before the holy day of Eid al-Adha. Except, and shockingly, it is Shiites who celebrate Eid on the 31st; most Sunnis, however, celebrate it the day before, the very day Saddam Hussein was executed.' Sandmonkey:



Big Pharaoh:
* Readers of this blog know how I regard the Arab street. However, every now and then I find myself understanding a certain reaction emanating from the Arab street. I fully understand the repulsiveness many felt here towards executing Saddam on the first day of the Muslim feast. It was like executing a person on Christmas eve and airing the process instead of Christmas carols.

*No matter what evidence available indicating that it was solely the Iraqi government who executed Saddam, the average Middle Eastern (minus Kuwaitis) in the street believe that it was the US who executed the guy on the first day of the feast to continue its "ridiculing of Islam" and "humiliation of Muslims".

Counterterrorism Blog: 'According to the Saudi daily Al Riyad, citing a witness to the execution of Hussein, one of the masked men was indeed Moqtada Al Sadr. Knowing that Saddam Hussein had Moqtada's father killed, this would not be surprising. In fact the son would want to take part in taking revenge. But if this turns out to be true, this would be another major faux pas for Iraqi authorities.' IraqPundit: 'The cellphone footage of Saddam Hussein's hanging reveals that Iraq's government was content to let the execution become a circus. For example, it features a chant of "Moktada! Moktada! Moktada!" as the dictator is being led to the gallows. Who allowed the miserable, ignorant thugs who follow Moktada Al Sadr to participate in the execution? Was Al Maliki's government afraid that the execution might be a solemn event?' Healing Iraq: 'It utterly disgusts me that Sadr's supporters have infiltrated every level of the state, and that the witnesses, including Iraqi government officials, have made this look like a sectarian issue. They were doomed to repeat Iraqi history by hanging their former oppressor and labeling it as justice. In a perfect situation, Saddam's execution would have united Iraqis, but thanks to the actions of the new Iraqi rulers, it will only serve to divide further. I doubt any of them will prevail as much as Saddam did, though. ... Some Iraqis are saying this was part of the deal for the Sadrist bloc to return to parliament, that they would take care of Saddam's execution themselves.' Big Pharaoh notes this report from CBS indicating that the US tried to pospone Saddam's execution, but to no avail. LightningBaron has more.

Commentary. I've maintained from the beginning that the war against the jihadis and against Middle Eastern fascism is too important to be left to one ideological camp alone. As events progress in both the West and the Middle East, it becomes increasingly clear that Western liberals must see this as their battle too. Fortunately I think this is beginning to happen - and fortunately (but not coincidentally) the number one item on the agenda is Iran.

The Spirit of Man links to Andrei Codrescu who makes a similar claim: 'The Iranian drama is a great opportunity for American liberals to reassert their proud tradition of defending human rights at a time when radicals on the left and the right can’t see past their hatred of each other.'

Codrescu's claim, and that of Danny Postel whose book Codrescu cites, is that the neocon warmongers are using human rights as an excuse to pick fights with Middle Eastern countries. Now this simply isn't true, nor would it explain why Rolling Stone misrepresented the position of Michael Ledeen, who opposes armed intervention in Iran, or why Time Magazine misdirects its readers from an anti-regime website. But let's set all that aside and look ahead.

The objective is regime change in Iran. I suppose I could split hairs and talk about "changing the nature of the regime" but I think you get the point. And as to how this objective can be achieved, I'm going to say "whatever works best". We can come back to this point later.

I think it will be easier to get Western liberals on board for Iran (as compared to Iraq) for several reasons. First, Iran is not Iraq and its recent history with the West is different from Iraq's. No one who was alive at the time can forget the "444 days", and Ahmadinejad's rhetoric to this very day is a message of direct threats to the West. Even now, Iran is at war with America in all but name on the battleground of Iraq. It is simply impossible to claim, as the Iraq-era antiwar movement did, that the country in question does not pose a direct threat to the West.

Second, the facts on the ground are different. Saddam's Ba'athist regime was hated and despised, but its iron grip on the Iraqi people utterly precluded the possibility of an uprising from within. But Ahmadinejad's hold on power is questionable, and even the regime itself - though still firmly in command - is showing signs of stress. Over the last two years, anti-regime demonstrations and even riots, while not widely publicized by the Western media, have spooked the mullahs pretty good. Add to that the fact that Iran now has an American military presence across both its Afghan and Iraqi borders. (An Iraq hawk might point out that this is a consequence of the Iraq war.)

Third, there's Iran versus the Arab world. The neighboring Arab states will be the first ones threatened by Iran's nukes if it gets them. As much as those regimes may dislike dealing with America, they're going to prioritize. Add to that the ethnic aspect - for all the rhetoric of "we're all Muslims", it's clear that the Arab world is not keen about having a non-Arab (i.e. Persian) superpower in its midst.

Fourth, there's Iran versus Israel. Despite the impression you might have gotten from the Democratic Party of Howard Dean, there are pro-Israel Democrats out there. And there's a significant portion of the liberal world (not necessarily the folks you'll see at Zombietime) who are pro-Israel and who opposed the Iraq war mainly because they believed Iran's threat to Israel was the more urgent priority.

Fifth, the humanitarian case is easier to make becase (at least in my observation) the repressive nature of the Iranian regime has been better known to Westerners. And finally, politically speaking, there seems to be something about religious fundamentalism that stirs the ire of Western liberals on a visceral level that secular dictatorshops simply do not. It sucks that it's that way, but it is.

And the domestic picture in America is different from what it was a couple of years ago. George W. Bush, a "lightning rod" (as Michael Totten put it to me) for so much animus from the Left, is nearing the end of his presidency, and there's a Democratic majority in Congress. People often behave very differently when they acquire responsibility, and a majority Democratic Party may turn out to be a very different animal from the minority party of the same name.

What to do about Iran? This is the challenge before America and the West. But it is in particular a challenge to Western liberals, because their answer will shape the course of the liberal tradition in the future. If the West's liberals are truly liberal, they should embrace the cause of freedom and democracy in Iran, and the only debate should be about means, not ends. Do you oppose an American invasion of Iran? Very well - and you might be surprised how many "neo-cons" agree with you. So let's talk instead about what we can do, working together, to help the Iranian people topple the sadistic fundamentalists in Tehran ... and bring about a free, secular, liberal Iranian nation.

Personal note. As I posted earlier today, I'm going on hiatus. I need some time away from dealing with the day-to-day battles of the current conflict, and I want to broaden and deepen my understanding of the world. I enjoy maintaining this site, but it takes time: one Morning Report alone typically takes me about two hours to compile and post. That's two hours out of my morning that I don't have for doing other stuff.

It should be obvious that I'm not a Middle East expert. My only direct involvement in American foreign policy has been the few years I spent in the enlisted ranks of the Air Force and the Marines. (My day job is working as an office clerk for twelve dollars an hour.) What I can do is to speak as an interested layperson and direct you to the folks who do know what they're talking about, and occasionally throw in a few thoughts of my own.

As I've indicated in this post, I believe Western liberalism can and should play an important role in the struggle against the dangers of terrorism, jihadism, and secular Arab fascism - but only if it chooses. The blurb for this blog - "culturally liberal, politically neoconservative" - is a clumsy but descriptive way of saying where I'm coming from on this.

People who don't fit neatly into one political/ideological camp are going to take their lumps. Look at President Bush - the Left loves to portray him as a "right-wing fanatic" but that's only because they need their enemies to be right-wing fanatics. Meanwhile the conservatives are hitting Bush for his insistence on reaching out to moderate Muslims, and his administration's pursuit of a two-state solution for Israel/Palestine. Do the liberals give Bush any credit for the things he's liberal on? Ha!

I make a continuing effort not to get so attached to one faction or ideology that I can't think for myself. I never jumped on the neocon bandwagon about Keith Ellison because, frankly, if he wants to take the oath of office on the Jefferson Qur'an then that's fine with me. Sandmonkey thinks it's cool. He also wonders if you've read Ellison's statements on Israel and the Middle East:
The template set forth by the roadmap for peace currently provides the best outline for achieving a two-state solution to bringing about a lasting settlement. Right now Hamas represents the greatest obstacle to this path, and until Hamas denounces terrorism, recognizes the absolute right of Israel to exist peacefully and honors past agreements, it cannot be considered legitimate partners in this process. Sensible and moderate elements in Palestinian society could possibly provide credible negotiating partners. The United States should encourage dialogue with peaceful Palestinian leaders that recognize Israel, condemn terrorism, and honor past accords.


The other serious threat to the security of the region is Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. This must be stopped. A nuclear-armed Iran would upset the strategic balance in the region and pose a clear threat to world peace. Iran's sponsorship of international terrorism as well as financial aid to terrorist organizations endangers peace around the globe. I believe that the United States must engage Iran in a diplomatically meaningful way, through direct or multi-lateral negotiations, before resorting to military force.


I'm going to let you read the rest at the link.

Have a great new year in 2007, and please keep an eye on this spot. I'll be posting updates periodically, and regular posting will resume before too long. Meanwhile, keep working for freedom, peace, and a better world.