From The Planet

News and Comment for 9/5/06

Nation Page
U.S deaths from the so called war on terror now surpasses the American deaths in 9/11. One can't equate the two but I think it is a notable number. There have recently been larger numbers of British and Canadians dying as they defend Afghanistan. That would be the country we relegated to a preamble in the WAT. The radical rightests have argued with me a number of times that the method we were using wasn't working because we continued to have terrorist attacks. Let me say that there have been far more attacks using their method. I don't have the numbers but unless I am forgetting something we had far fewer Americans dying during any five year period before the 9/11 attack then we have since. I want to win this thing. My problem is we are not making progress. We are causing more terrorism. We are going backward. It is time to change course.

I fully support a feet on the ground effort in America as a wise part of our fight against terrorists. However the Miami case is more and more looking like a case of overkill and political gamesmanship. These guys certainly had nothing to do with Islamic fundamentalism. Unless Osama is a big pot smoker. They wanted to be big shots and their dreams met the FBI. Unfortunately their dreams were compounded by the FBI too. In the end the group had broken up. Arrest them for what they did? Sure. Big victory over terror? I think not. These guys actually looked more like the “Turner Diaries” Tim McVeigh kind than any jhadist. Even if they said the word.

A poll say the public is in large measure angry and fed up. 54 percent said things were going badly and 53 percent say they will vote for Democrats this time.

The radical right voted against legal wiretaps before they were for illegal ones.

Another reason for me to avoid snow skiing.

The President is at least jawboning alternative energy. Kudos Geo. If he would spend as much time and effort on this as he does on people that are out to get America we might have one of the key solutions to the war on terrorists and a number of other things. Bush says he is working to advance technologies so batteries can power automobiles on short trips and ethanol can replace gasoline. HE is advancing the technologies? Sounds very close to the statement they whipped Gore over about the Internet.


International Page
The good news and the bad news about Iraq.
The Iraqi national security advisor says the #2 guy in al queda was captured saying it would reduce violence. Unfortunately the sunni group says it was not their #2 guy and they are “leadership is in the best position.” The next day to prove it 33 people were killed in Baghdad scattered around the city. 5 American soldiers and 2 British were also killed as we stay the course.

The most influential moderate Shia leader in Iraq has abandoned attempts to restrain his followers, admitting that there is nothing he can do to prevent the country sliding towards civil war. Aides say Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani is angry and disappointed that Shias are ignoring his calls for calm and are switching their allegiance in their thousands to more militant groups which promise protection from Sunni violence and revenge for attacks.
So it appears they are going to people they think will protect them. Guess what, it isn't the Americans they are turning to. We, and I am sure our soldiers, think that is our mission but it has nothing to do with the reality on the ground. On how it is working for real and not just in theory.

Elsewhere in terror news A radical right wing Columbian drug lord is found..... in his grave.

Irans' Madmanjani is sounding more like a radical republican everyday. Now he is call for a purge of the liberals and seculars in colleges and universities. Damned liberal professors. Sounds just like something Limpbaugh or Hateitty would say. The story also notes how he has purged pragmatic veterans in the government with inexperienced extremists and hardliners. Their government starts sounding like ours more and more. Not a good thing my friend.

Sports Page
Pro football about to begin. College top 25 from the weekend including:
No. 16 Iowa (1-0) beat Montana 41-7. Next: at Syracuse, Saturday, Sept. 9.
UNM Lobos had more offense but less scoring losing to Portland State 17-6Meanwhile The New Mexico State football team snapped the nation's longest losing streak of 13 games with a 30-15 victory over Southeastern Louisiana (0-1), 30-15, Thursday.