The JackB

"When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, 'Damn, that was fun'." Groucho Marx

Terrorism

When Does Surveillance Become Intrusive

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In a post 9/11 world it is clear to me that certain changes need to be made to improve our security. In concept I haven’t a big problem with it, but in practice I find some of this to be troubling as I see potential for abuse of the new rules.

CHICAGO – A car circles a high-rise three times. Someone leaves a backpack in a park.

Such things go unnoticed in big cities every day. But that could change in Chicago with a new video surveillance system that would recognize such anomalies and alert authorities to take a closer look.

On Thursday, the city and IBM Corp. are announcing the initial phase of what officials say could be the most advanced video security network in any U.S. city. The City of Broad Shoulders is getting eyes in the back of its head.

“Chicago is really light years ahead of any metropolitan area in the U.S. now,” said Sam Docknevich, who heads video-surveillance consulting for IBM.

Chicago already has thousands of security cameras in use by businesses and police — including some equipped with devices that recognize the sound of a gunshot, turn the cameras toward the source and place a 911 call. But the new system would let cameras analyze images in real time 24 hours a day.

“You’re talking about creating (something) that knows no fatigue, no boredom and is absolutely focused,” said Kevin Smith, spokesman for the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

For example, the system could be programmed to alert the city’s emergency center whenever a camera spots a vehicle matching the description of one being sought by authorities.

The system could be programmed to recognize license plates. It could alert emergency officials if the same car or truck circles the Sears Tower three times or if nobody picks up a backpack in Grant Park for, say, 30 seconds.

CNN- Outstanding Journalism Eludes Them

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In an earlier post I spent a few minutes complaining about CNN allowing itself to be used as a propaganda tool for terrorists. Sadly, but not surprisingly they continue to strive for mediocrity. In the following story they just miss the mark.

Palestinian rocket injures sleeping soldiers

JERUSALEM (AP) — A rocket fired from Gaza struck a tent filled with sleeping Israeli soldiers, wounding more than 20 of them early Tuesday, Israeli medics and the army said.

The army confirmed that a rocket had landed on a base in southern Israel about a half-mile north of Gaza.

Palestinian militants in Gaza fire crude rockets almost daily at towns in southern Israel, causing panic but rarely causing serious casualties. [emphasis mine]

Forgive my outrage, but CNN seems happy to talk about injured soldiers but neglects to cover the attacks on children.

Watch the video in this link of children running for cover or better yet watch it here and tell me you aren’t upset. Tell me you aren’t outraged and ask CNN why they minimize the seriousness of crude rocket attacks.


The Hamas Version of Peace

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On the second day of school terrorists continue to fire rockets at schools in Sderot. This is going to get uglier before it gets better.

Parents, can you imagine sending your children to school under these conditions.

CNN Buffoons Interview "Brave" Terrorist

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You’ll forgive me for calling journalists infantile and moronic but it is hard to read the sort of preening and fawning praise of a murderer that they presented here.

He then explained he was more than willing to discuss anything we wished, ranging from a captive Israeli soldier to the peace process to U.S. foreign policy.

The still abducted Israeli soldier, Cpl. Gilad Shalit, was a key part of the interview, and Meshaal was more than willing to talk about him.

“We did not blackmail Israel, and we gave free information to Gilad Shalit’s father and his family that Gilad Shalit is still alive. When he asked us to bring him a medical glasses for his sight, we did so as humanitarian duty. We treat Gilad Shalit in a humanitarian way that is in line with the Palestinians’ morals,” he said.

Why didn’t CNN ask him to clarify what he considers blackmail to be. Would it involve threatening to murder a captive if your demands are not met. This is so much claptrap and nonsense. But it is not as ridiculous as what follows.

Robertson began to ask about Hamas’ view of the United States and the Bush administration’s foreign policy. Suddenly, Meshaal hinted at a potential shift in Hamas’ policy toward Israel. The slightest chance of change, of course, depends on events, according to the Hamas leader.

“Hamas changed a lot and great efforts have been made to conform with the realistic positions of Palestinians and Arabs. When Hamas says with other Palestinians forces that we demand for a Palestinian country as the border was back in 1967. Isn’t this a development change?” he said.

You’d think that at this point CNN would be smart enough to ask if this means that Hamas has amended its charter. You know that little document that states:

“There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors.”

Unfortunately it appears that they did not do so. All they did was nod and smile and provide a platform for a terrorist leader to spout off doctrine. Apparently they were too impressed to think.

Shortly after the interview began, the room filled up with his guards and those that work with Meshaal. They wanted to hear what he had to say as much as we did. In the middle of the interview, one of his guards handed him a cell phone. He had a brief conversation and apologized to us for the interruption.

“Who was that?” I asked one of my contacts.

The answer: “A very powerful Arab leader.”

That sounds like a version of an old sales trick. Gee Mrs. Jones I’d sure like to sell you this house, but as you just heard me say, there are at least three offers for this house. I call bullshit. Don’t tell me that it is a powerful Arab leader unless you can prove it. CNN made a mistake by not holding his feet to the fire about this.

And it just gets worse.

I must say it’s difficult to truly enjoy your coffee when you know you’re about to go to a place run by Hamas to meet a man who at any moment could be killed by Israel.

Did they not see what happened in Gaza. Did they not hear about the war between Hamas and Fatah. All they can do is worry that Israel might try to execute the murderer of innocents.

Watch him use the journalists to spread his propaganda.

The interview with Meshaal lasted around 90 minutes, but it seemed to fly by far faster.

He discussed the role of Saudi Arabia and how Hamas’ relationship plays into wider regional politics, as well as his wish to speak to the West, to have peace talks and be invited to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice next month. He spoke of mistakes he believes the Americans have made — especially not backing the Hamas government in Gaza, which was democratically elected — and much, much more.

They never bother to question. They just accept his propaganda and feed it to the world. Somewhere Meshaal is smiling like the cat who ate the canary.

This just disgusts me. They should be embarrassed to have been so easily duped. It is just shameful.

Al Qaeda’s Beaver Boy

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It is not Aussie Dave’s separated at birth bit, but it works. I am sorry, but it is hard to take this guy seriously. Not only does he resemble an overgrown rodent, he makes me think of Elmer Fudd. But something tells me that when his day comes he won’t find himself engaged in witty banter with Bugs Bunny.

If you haven’t figured out who this jackass is, he is Adam Yahiye Gadahn, formerly of California. Al-Qaeda has decided that he serves as a good mouthpiece and consequently we hear their threats through him.

(CNN) — U.S. Embassies and American interests “at home and abroad” are prime targets for terrorist attacks, American al Qaeda member Adam Yahiye Gadahn said in a newly released al Qaeda-produced video.

“We shall continue to target you at home and abroad just as you target us at home and abroad … ,” Gadahn — also known as Azzam the American — says in the video provided to CNN by www.LauraMansfield.com, a Web site that analyzes terrorism.

Later in the video, which is about an hour long and takes the form of a documentary, the self-proclaimed American jihadist makes explicit threats against the United States and U.S. interests, singling out embassies and consulates”These spy dens and military command and control centers — from which you plotted your aggression against Afghanistan and Iraq and which still provide vital moral, military, material and logistical support to the crusade — shall continue to be legitimate targets for brave Muslims … until and unless you heed our demands: Stop the crusade and leave the Muslims alone,” he said.

If I were president I’d make a point of paying extra special attention to Al-Qaeda. It is time to remind them what it feels like to try and walk when a steel toed boot is shoved halfway up their rectum. I don’t like having to feel or be this way, but if they want to see what happens when they stick their hand into the lion cage it is time to show them.

I am serious about that. They aren’t playing games. They are trying to get to us. I only hope that when they come they receive the special greeting that they deserve.

Defeat Stolen From The Jaws of Victory

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“Every attempt to make war easy and safe will result in humiliation and disaster.”
General William Tecumseh Sherman

This is not the first time that I have heard or read something like this:

(IsraelNN.com) A Hizbullah man interviewed by Israel’s Channel 10 TV said that the terror group was saved by the Olmert government’s decision to call a cease-fire.

“The cease-fire [at the end of the Second Lebanon War] acted as a life jacket for the organization,” the terrorist said. He explained that the group would have surrendered if the battles had continued for another 10 days.

He described the condition of Hizbullah’s equipment and morale at the end of the fighting, saying they were running low on food, water, and arms.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni boasted before the Winograd Commission that the cease-fire was her idea, with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert saying it was one of the major accomplishments of the war.

The officer also admitted to firing missiles from inside urban centers, knowing that it would lead to civilian casualties on the Lebanese side. He explained that firing from open areas simply was not feasible, as the IAF quickly targeted any launchers operating in such areas.

Olmert and company bungled this badly. There will be another war and more people will die. Let’s hope that the next time is managed better than the last.