Kevin Tracy reports Iran firing missile into Iraq

Iran Fires Missile Into Iraq Refugee Camp!!!Posted by Kevin this morning.

I'll leave you to read his entire article, which on the surface seems very well researched. Kevin makes the case that this group in Iraq may have been terrorists in the past but are currently attempting to become more mainstream.

It wouldn't surprise me if the fine line between Islamic fanatic and refugee is pretty faint. Isn't that what we found when we got on the ground in Bosnia and Kosovo too? If you have more information I'd love to read it, Kevin is suggesting that the U.S. is blacking out the story for some reason. I would think that if the story is true, we'd be slamming the Iranians.

New elections possible in Israel

With a possible pro-Islamicist leader in the White House, and national tensions high over Israeli leadership ... will a new election be called in Israel?

Barak expected to give Olmert ultimatum: Quit, or I walk
from M E N O R A H by Menorah Menorah
Following consultations late Tuesday night, Defense Minister Ehud Barak is seriously considering presenting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with an ultimatum on Wednesday: Either the premier resign, or Barak will pull Labor out of the coalition, thus forcing new elections.Channel 1 first reported on the matter late on Tuesday, saying that Barak made his decision after consulting with advisers at his house. More

Landing on Mars

I started getting alerts (first on on google) about 5 hours ago, then rushed over to twitter to find some people with updates and a profile set up to issue updates during the landing.

Follow MarsPhoenix on Twitter

tigerbeat The NASA press conf is happening now http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

LenEdgerly Photo from Mars = wonderful bleakness. http://tinyurl.com/5as9aq

Download the MP3 of the post-landing press conference

pictures also here: http://tinyurl.com/5jqm2e

Liberals become fascists?

From Pacifascists!

Well, to the rescue is "pacifascists," via American Digest:
"Pacifascist" (pac*i*fas*cist) is my spin on a word suggested by a commentor @The Belmont Club: The valley of tears

"there are so many people now who see war as the ultimate wrong. Thus, anyone who participates in it is to be condemned. Taken to its extreme, this leads to a funny sort of fascism: "pacifiscism" would perhaps be a name for it. It begs the question: would the "pacifiscists" ever get so worked up that they'd be willing to physically punish someone for participating in war? I think yes, though they would fell horrible afterwards."

I love it. Would the anti-war activits get violent?

Special Edition: Indy 500 Today

Typically this site is dedicated to International Affairs, but today a SPECIAL Edition dedicated to the most important race of th year. We live in Indiana, so no matter who's doing what we stop for the BIG RACE.

Another great driver post: Dan Wheldon, racing, style and the Indy 500

Photos from Indy 500 site - Race Day

Who's your favorite driver? Who did you pick in the family pool?



I'll be pulling for Tony Kanaan and Sarah Fisher.

Hezbollah may have overplayed their hand

US, UK say Hezbollah weaker after Beirut fighting
from AlertNet Newsdesk
Source: Reuters By Sue Pleming PALO ALTO, Calif., May 22 (Reuters) - The United States and Britain said on Thursday they believed Hezbollah had been weakened by this month's fighting in Beirut despite the greater ...

So after kinda winning a minor victory last year with Israel, or at least Isreal didn't finish them off, Hezbollah attempts to flex in Lebanon ... only to suffer some setbacks.

New elections called for in Isreal

from Netanyahu calls for new elections
from Israel News from Jerusalem Newswire
The leader of the Israeli opposition Likud Party, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Monday that the coalition led by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "must return the mandate to the people to choose another government."
"The Olmert-Kadima government has no mandate to negotiate on Israel’s borders," the former prime minister said, according to Ynetnews.
"This government was elected under different circumstances and times. Most of the public knows that any land we give away will become a terror base for Islam extremists under Iran’s patronage," Netanyahu told a Likud faction meeting, which along with the other parties' Knesset factions was holding its first meeting in six weeks.

Confirmed peace talks Israel and Syria

Israel, Syria Peace Talks Confirmed
from The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com by The Huffington Post News Editors
JERUSALEM — Israel and Syria on Wednesday said they were holding indirect peace talks through Turkish mediators _ the first official confirmation of contacts between the longtime enemies.



This of course won't be credited to Bush since he's the big bad wolf. But, the truth will come out in years to come that the Bush Doctrine worked.

It seems to be quiet in Iraq

Bin Laden tapes
Do web messages reveal al-Qaeda problems in Iraq? So, if Al-Queda is on its last legs as a legitimate force in Iraq, who steps in to take the leadership of the militias? Iran?

Or Hezbollah? Bin Laden PR push reflects Islamist rivalry -analysts
Source: Reuters By Randall Mikkelsen WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden's emphasis on the Palestinians in recent messages is a political shift reflecting competition with a surging Hezbollah for ...

Or even Hamas? Who have tried to gain some legitimacy in the Middle East by taking part in an election.

Which Islamacist groups will be first to drop terror as a tool, and embrace the will of the people in democratic reforms and peace? As soon as one group finally drops their challenge to Israel's existence the world will rally to this newfound "leader" and scorn the remaining terror based groups. This was the game played by the PLO to perfection. Bomb and kill, then ask for peace and be hailed as hero.

Liberal writer supports Hitler appeasement

Leftwing newspaper columnist suggests that that talking to Hitler (the doctrine of appeasement that the President decried in Israel last week) was a good idea.

Democrats are rebuking President Bush for saying in his speech to the
Knesset, here, that to “negotiate with terrorists and radicals” is
“appeasement.” The Democrats took it as a slap at Barack Obama. What bothers me
is the continual reference to Hitler and his National Socialists, particularly
the British and French accommodation at the Munich Conference of 1938.

What Hitler was demanding was not unreasonable

Although we immediately say, the guy's a nut, Libertarian Blogger suggests that the left is leaning further and further toward a Nazi Party style "correctness"

Can't have a gun, can't say what you think on radio or TV, society has to be broken down by race and genders, more government control

The French ... and Obama ... think talking to terrorists might work

France Admits Hamas Meetings
from ABC News: International
Retired French diplomat says Hamas is willing to stop suicide attacks.

O my, when will they learn, you can't negotiate with terrorists. When they drop their stance against Israel, then they can come to the table.

Our greatest export - FREEDOM

Bush Urges Mideast Leaders to Advance Democracy
from ABC News: International

Bush urges Mideast leaders to isolate state sponsors of terror, give citizens more freedoms

While traveling the Middle East attempting to broker peace and oil solutions, our President did what he does best ... used the opportunity to push and prod these same leaders to join us in giving back to our citizens the freedoms that government has taken away.

In this I wholeheartedly endorse this President, he may have low ratings, but he tells the world what they need to hear, even when it's not politically correct.

Obama and Guns

Who is willing to stand up to Iran? Israel

“As it goes with Israel so will it go with all of us”
from Gates of Vienna article suggesting that the new rage to talk of the demise of Israel is crazy.

In his recent essay at National Review Online Mark Steyn lays out a case for Israel’s “possible doom.” It doesn’t make for pleasant reading ....

Let me be straight forward, only Israel has the guts right now to stand up to Iran. That alone is a great reason to support them.

Also today, Olmert says understandings reached in peace talks, it is imperative that the Palestinian state be created and the Palestinians throw off the fanaticall mantle and enter the council of states in peace and democracy and capatalism. Similar to problems facing Sudan, we cannot have American forces there, but we can help foster open, free, democratic culture.

Iranian fighters in Lebanon too?

I can't vouch for the veracity of this post, but it goes without saying that it sure makes sense.

EXCLUSIVE From Lebanon: Iran Revolutionary Guard Caught Fighting for Hezbollah
from M E N O R A H by Menorah Menorah
My exclusive Lebanese Intelligence sources tell me that a number of Hezbollah terrorist fighters have been caught, over the weekend, and they cannot speak Arabic, only Farsi. They are Iranian and have identified themselves or been identified by third parties as members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. This is the same group that, under Khomeini, took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and kept U.S. civilians hostage for over 444 days in 1979-81, in Iran. More Fighting rages in Mt. Lebanon, Damour south of Beirut and northern town of Tripoli. More

Lost Boy - Sudanese Olympic Athlete

H/T to Chris Sloan (Inkspot Printing) with his post Don't Complain:

International Briefs May 6, 2008

While many of us here in Indiana will type and talk about the primary, I thought a quick perusal of the international events around us may be in order as well.

Myanmar Cyclone from Associated Press:

Myanmar cyclone death toll soars past 22,000: state radio YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar state radio says the cyclone death toll has risen above 22,000. A news broadcast on government-run radio said Tuesday that 22,464 people have now been confirmed dead and thousands more are missing. Cyclone Nargis tore through the country's heartland and largest city, Yangon, early Saturday. Relief efforts have been difficult, in large part because the storm destroyed roads and communications outlets. The first assistance from overseas arrived Tuesday from neighboring Thailand.

Some estimate over 50,000 will eventually die from this tragedy.

Chilean Volcano:

SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - Lava started to spew from an erupting volcano in southern Chile on Tuesday, authorities said, ordering the immediate evacuation of all remaining residents and journalists from a nearby town.

Chaiten volcano, in Patagonia around 760 miles (1,220 km) south of the capital of Santiago, began erupting on Friday, sending a towering plume of ash into the sky that has since coated the surrounding area and reached as far as Argentina.

Fernando Aguila, governor of the affected Palena province, told local radio lava was flowing and said 180 civilians and around 100 troops remained in Chaiten. Local television reported loud groaning sounds emanating from the volcano.

"The situation has changed suddenly," Rodrigo Rojas of the National Emergency Office said in an interview. "Today the volcano is erupting with pyroplastic material on a different scale," he added. "We presume lava is flowing and so have ordered the immediate precautionary evacuation of all civilians, military and press in Chaiten." Authorities have already evacuated around 4,200 people -- nearly the whole population -- from Chaiten, which is six miles (10 km) from the volcano.

They are also evacuating a second town, Futaleufu, which lies around 810 miles (1,300 km) south of Santiago and has also been coated with ash. The area is some distance from Chile's vital mining industry farther north.

Chilean authorities were caught off guard by the eruption of the 3,280-foot (1,000-meter) volcano, long considered inactive. Officials say the volcano had been dormant for thousands of years before Friday.

Why isn't Sarah Palin story being covered?

The World as 100 People

Came across this idea, not sure where it started: The World as 100 people, blog post by Jim Estill, the author suggest we need to be more understanding ... 100 People a World Portrait

I know I lead a fortunate (although busy) life. Actually, I prefer to think
of it as a full life. I read the following in a newsletter recently. Thought it
was interesting

The World As 100 People...If we could shrink the earths population to a village of 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would like this:

60 Asians, 14 Africans, 12 Europeans, 7 Latin Americans, 5 from USA & Canada and 1 from South Pacific

49 would be female and 51 would be male

82 would be non-white, 18 white

67 would be non-Christian, 33 would be Christian

32% of the worlds wealth would be in the hands of only 5 people and all 5 would be US citizens

80 would live in substandard housing, 24 would not have electricity, 33 would not have access to safe water

67 would be unable to read, 50 would suffer from malnutrition

One would be near death, 2 would be near birth

Only one would have a college education but 7 would have internet access

When you consider our world from such a perspective, the need for both acceptance and understanding becomes glaringly apparent.