Tag Archives: Israel

Kofi Anan, ironist

Talk about gall. UN kleptocrat Kofi Anan journeyed to Missou to use the Truman Library for his last speech, digging at President Bush for various awful things, such as freeing 50-odd million people from tyranny, as Anan, a greater friend to dictators than even Jimmy Carter, handed in his resignation and left the building the US hosts and pays for. Truman must be rolling over in his grave.

But, then, Kofi has never lacked for irony. As another parting gesture, he inaugurated the UN Human Rights Council in June. And what has it done? Condemn genocide in Darfur? Seek to ameliorate the oppression of women in (pick one) any Arab country? Nah. It spends all of its energy attacking Israel. Go home, Kofi, and stay there.

UPDATE  Better late than never, he finally mentioned the situation in Darfur in another of his "last" speeches. Muslim women, however, are still off his radar screen.

We’re not Spaniards yet

President Bush, in this report from the usually unfriendly BBC, indicates he will be keeping his word on Iraq rather than calling in Iran and Syria to save his bacon.

"Mr Bush, answering questions after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, made it clear there would be no complete about-turn in US foreign policy…Iran must be isolated internationally if it continued with its uranium enrichment programme, Mr Bush said. He also showed little enthusiasm to engage with Syria, stressing that the US had already made it clear to Damascus that it should stop interfering in Lebanon and stop harbouring extremists."

Meanwhile, Austin Bay says the Baker-Hamilton Group is more about political cover for the Dems than any dramatic changes in policy.

"Then the military will continue to do what it’s been doing in Iraq and Afghanistan and the new Iraqi government will continue to learn by doing — and in the ordeal of war that will mean learn by bleeding, suffering, and sweating."

War criminals allege war crimes

This would be amusing, if it wasn’t so pathetic, Hamas outrage at the UN over 18 Gaza civilians killed by Israeli artillery trying to counter the Hamas rocket shooters who’ve been bombarding Israeli civilians in surrounding towns every day for months.

This time, even al-Reuters doesn’t try to overlook the obvious.

"’Although the Palestinian civilians killed in this incident may have been killed by Israeli fire, they are in fact the victims of Hamas terrorism,’ Carmon added, referring to the militant movement heading the elected Palestinian government, which refuses to recognize Israel or renounce violence."

Given it’s the longtime anti-Israel UN, though, you can’t be sure it won’t produce something.

Shana Tovah/Happy New Year

And while you’re dipping your apple slices in honey for a sweet and wonderful year ahead, you can click on a joke via Snoopy the Goon in Israel, and read a brief essay on what the service (and more ordinary ones) are like in a synagogue by Meryl Yourish in the capital city of the old Confederacy.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Israeli "Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said on Sunday that the world may have as little as ‘A few months’ to avoid a nuclear Iran and called for sanctions."

Meanwhile, back at the ranch… the search is on for a nuclear terrorist…

UPDATE  Other analysts, with some expertise, like Austin Bay, still think the Mullah’s first nuke is at least 12 to 18 months away. 

Night Patrol

Compelling video report on a night patrol into Lebanon by Regiment 931 of Israel’s Nahal Brigade. Well, I had it for a while, then the link broke at On The Face, where you will have to go and hunt for the post under the innocuous title: Something to Watch. Check that. Even that general link is denying access from this site. Don’t know what I did. Could be because my trackback was rejected? Or the author of OTF decided I was not of sufficient caliber, or something. Too bad. It’s a great video, if you can get to the site on your own. Google it. Or try Israelly Cool’s link, they’re allowing this site so far. So go there and clink on their Lisa Goldman link, which is trackbacked to OTF. I’m missing something here in the great blogospheric game. It’s worth the hassle. Will even help clear up the mystery of those showercap helmet covers some Israeli troops wear. They must work in camoflaging a shooter. Because no one self-respecting infantryman would wear them otherwise. They make one look like a mushroom.

Via On The Face 

An Israeli wedding

"What all of these young men shared in common was the inevitable M-16 casually slung over a well-muscled shoulder, and an impossible level of enthusiasm and energy… broad toothy smiles and friendly shouts that gave hint to the simple, unimaginable pleasure they were experiencing at being safe and alive."

A good story here, of a soldier’s wedding in Israel, two days after the ceasefire.