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How sick is Fidel?

 

Like many of you, I heard the news last night watching Hannity & Colmes on FOX.

What's next?

Castro must be in very bad health to relinquish power. This is not the kind of man who shares power gracefully. Is he even conscious? Who knows?

Raul Castro is the man of the hour. Unfortunately, we do not know much about Raul. He has been a backstage kind of brother. Raul lacks a personality. How loyal will the armed forces be?

Cuba will change very rapidly as soon as the coffin goes in the ground. Cuba is ripe for change and Raul Castro can not stop it.

Check out
The Babalu Blog for updates.

If you have a shortwave radio or Internet access, listen to
Radio Marti for updates.

Check out some of today's articles:


How would Raul Castro govern?

Who is Raúl Castro?

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The minimum wage dance

 

It happens every two years. The Democrats do their "minimum wage" dance by accusing Republicans of overlooking the poor.

Like "tax cuts for the rich", this Democrat argument is cheap class warfare.

James Sherk has the latest summary of this minimum wage nonsense. The study is
Raising the Minimum Wage Hurts Vulnerable Workers’ Job Prospects Without Reducing Poverty:

"Contrary to the rhetoric of those who favor raising the minimum wage, most people affected by the minimum wage are actually young workers. Individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 accounted for 53 percent of all minimum wage-earners in 2005.

Due to unintended effects, a law can achieve the opposite of its supporters’ intentions. The minimum wage is such a law.


It is intended to reduce poverty, but it does not. Instead it encourages teenagers to drop out of school and reduces low-income workers’ future job prospects and earnings.

Good intentions are not enough. Congress should not pass a destructive minimum wage hike that will harm the most vulnerable American workers."

Read this one and share the study with others.



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We must win!

 

Civilian deaths are a horrible consequence of war. There are even more horrible when terrorists use civilians as human shields. We just saw an example of this in Lebanon over the weekend!

Hezbollah is responsible for the deaths of 56 people yesterday. Why do you launch missiles from a place full of civilians and children? Why do you expose civilians?

In World War 2, US and allied aircraft bombed Japanese and German cities every night. We killed a lot of civilians. Our rationale was simple. We did not start the war. Japan and Germany did.

Also, we had intelligence that Hitler was hiding his weapons among civilians.

Today, we face an enemy as evil as the one we fought 65 years ago. They are not a country or an army. Yet, they are just as determined to kill us.

Question: Does any one doubt that fanatics would blow up an American city if they had the chance or means?

Today, we face a choice. Do we fight or do we surrender? It is really that simple!

Our next President will face this new world. Check out
This conflict will long outlast Blair and Bush by Matthew d'Ancona:

"Be in no doubt, however: the Islamists are not going anywhere, whoever occupies the White House or Number 10.

Last week, Osama bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, declared that "the war with Israel does not depend on ceasefire… it is a jihad… all the world is a battlefield open in front of us. We will attack everywhere."

More than anything that the President and Prime Minister said on Friday or the UN agrees this week, that should be a text for our times."

Check out
Pacifists versus Peace by Thomas Sewell:

"If "peace" movements brought peace, there would never have been World War II."

Check out
We Must Do Whatever It Takes by Ed Koch:

"The enemies of the Western world in this war of civilizations are the Islamic fanatics. Those fanatics number hundreds of millions. They truly believe they have the right to kill all infidels."

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Where is the multinational force?

 
What's the solution? It is a cease fire backed by an international force. Any other "cease fire" is simply a band aid which would give Hezbollah time to regroup and build up its missile inventory. Israel won't accept it and who can blame them?

So will the world step up to the plate? This is a chance for Europe and some of our allies to be relevant. They have an opportunity to send some troops and contribute to peace in the region.

The US is too close to Israel. However, I'm sure that the US will provide critical logistical support, specially helicopters and airplanes. The UK is committed in Afghanistan and Iraq but PM Blair will do something.

What about the other countries? Why can't we come up with a force of 25,000 men to guarantee a cease fire in this region?

On Tuesday, the NYTimes had a headline
"U.S. and NATO Balk on Troops for Lebanon Force".

What was the bottom line? No one is ready to commit troops:

"The challenge of creating a viable international force to secure Israel's border with Lebanon was captured by Nahum Barnea, a columnist for the Israeli daily newspaper Yediot Aharonot. The European foreign ministers were enthusiastic, he said.


They only had one small condition for the force to be made up of soldiers from another country, Mr. Barnea wrote. The Germans recommended France; the French recommended Egypt, and so on. It is doubtful whether there is a single country in the West currently volunteering to lay down its soldiers on Hezbollah's fence.

What's the problem?

First, many of our allies do not have troops. Let me repeat. Many of our allies do not have troops. I think that most Americans would be shocked to learn how many of our allies live under the US military umbrella.

Second, most of our allies are in the "peace at any cost" camp. I do not believe that their populations will tolerate casualties. We have soft allies who've grown accustomed to being protected by the US.

Sadly, most of our allies are good talkers but not good at doing anything. Let me repeat. Most of our allies talk a lot about multilateral action but do nothing when called upon to act multilaterally. They love to blast the US for doing something but sit back and do nothing on their own.

So this is a chance for Europe, Canada and some of our other allies to prove me wrong.

If our allies can't put together a military force, then don't blame Israel for defending itself or Pres. Bush for going around the UN.


As they say in Texas, put up or shut up.
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Do we really know about global warming?

 
Fact: I don't know anything about global warming. Frankly, neither does any politician. I am specially talking about a certain moviemaker who could not win his home state of Tennessee or do anything about bringing the Kyoto Treaty to the US Senate for confirmation.

If Kyoto was so important, why didn't the Clinton-Gore administration tried to pass it?

It appears that the scientists are not sure about global warming either.

Check out
"Global warming's effect on hurricane strength disputed in new report " :

"In short, Landsea said, there were far more Category 4 and 5 storms in decades past than previously thought, because satellite imagery has improved so greatly."

The bottom line is that nobody really knows.

Of course, we need to take care of our planet. At the same, we should not allow this global warming debate to turn into another partisan football.


In the meantime, let me say this:

1) The election of George W. Bush did not create global warming or bring about Cat-5 hurricanes; and

2) The selection of Howard Dean has created a lot of hot air!

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From Spain to Iraq!

 

Ayman al-Zawahri of Al Qaeda made an incredible announcement:

"It is a jihad (holy war) for the sake of God and will last until (our) religion prevails ... from Spain to Iraq.....We will attack everywhere." (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060727/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_al_qaida)
I have a simple question. Why Spain?

Didn't Spain withdraw its troops from Iraq?

Isn't PM Rodgriguez-Zapatero a strong critic of Israel? (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3278919,00.html)

Moral of the story: You can not appease terrorists.




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Krauze on the Mexican election

 

Enrique Krauze is the author of "Mexico: Biography of Power" and editor of Letras Libres magazine.

Like most decent Mexicans, he is shocked and angry with AMLO's behavior.

Krauze just published "Kidnapping Mexican Democracy" and he makes some very good points:

"If the PRD candidate had simply implemented this legal strategy, his behavior would not have unforgivably sullied the process or undermined Mexico's fragile democracy.

But as might have been predicted, López Obrador wasn't satisfied with legal action.

Just as he's always done, he had to go for broke -- resorting to "ad terrorem" methods.

If the ransom he demands (strict obedience by the Federal Electoral Tribunal to his will) is not paid, he is prepared to set the country aflame.

But in a democracy (and Mexico today is a democracy, although its long history does much to contradict that) it isn't blazing torches, insurrectional assemblies or enlightened leaders who decide: It's the vote of the people, the rule of law and institutions."
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/26/AR2006072601497.html)

Well written, Sr. Krauze.

AMLO needs a dose of common sense and patriotism. Mexico deserves a lot better than to have AMLO mock the good work done by thousands of citizens on election day.



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July 26, 1953 turned out to be a bad day for Cuba

 
On July 26, 1953, Fidel Castro and his followers attacked the Moncada Barracks in east Cuba:

"The attack proved disastrous and more than sixty of the one-hundred and thirty-five militants involved were killed. Castro and other surviving members of his group managed to escape to a part of the rugged Sierra Maestra mountains east of Santiago where they were eventually discovered and captured.

Castro was tried in the fall of 1953 and sentenced up to fifteen years in prison. While he was being held at the prison for political activists on Isla de Pinos, he continued to plot Batista's overthrow, planning upon release to reorganize and train in Mexico.

After having served less than two years, he was released in May 1955 due to a general amnesty from Batista who was under political pressure, and went as planned to Mexico."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro)

In Mexico, Castro met Che Guevara and the rest is history.

Today, Cuba is under a dictatorship. Thousands have been executed. Others have died leaving the country. Many others are sitting in political prisons. Castro has never allowed anyone a fair trial or had a general amnesty. Castro devatasted a beautiful country and a prosperous island.

In fact, political prisons are the worst legacy of Castro’s dictatorship:

“The conditions in Cuba's prisons are inhuman, and political prisoners suffer additional degrading treatment and torture.” (http://hrwpubs.stores.yahoo.net/cuba0799.html)

What are Cuba’s political prisons like? Read Armando Valladares “Against all Hope”:

“This is a book about my 22 years in Fidel Castro's political prisons for expressing ideas different from those of the Castro regime.”
(http://www.encounterbooks.com/books/aghop/aghop_prologue.html)

What about journalists in Cuba:

“Jorge Olivera Castillo spent most of two years in the hellish conditions of Cuba's prisons. The director of a small independent news agency, the Havana Press, Olivera Castillo was one of 29 journalists arrested in a massive government crackdown on dissidents and the independent media in March 2003. He was convicted in a one-day, closed-door proceeding under a law prohibiting acts "aimed at subverting the internal order of the nation and destroying its political, economic, and social system."
(http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2005/DA_spring05/Olivera/Olivera.html)

In retrospect, July 26 turned out to be a bad day for Cuba.
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Hezbollah in Europe?

 

This one is for those who think that Hezbollah just hates Israel. Check this out:

"If Hizballah does launch an attack in the present environment, the U.S. is one of the less likely places for it to do so.

Europe is a more likely target for a number of reasons. Most prominent is Europe's coordination problem. If Hizballah attacks a synagogue in Oklahoma, every state in the Union will instantly clamp down on suspected Hizballah activity.

But if Hizballah bombs a synagogue in Italy, that doesn't necessarily mean that the various countries comprising the EU will uniformly clamp down on Hizballah."
(http://counterterrorismblog.org/2006/07/german_intelligence_supports_c.php#ping-9578)





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Hezbollah in Latin America?

 
What about Hezbollah in Latin America? According to this post:

"Hezbollah's annual budget is more than a hundred million dollars, provided by the Iranian government directly and by an international network of fund-raisers, of which, according to the article approx. 10% came from the Triple Frontier area."
(http://faustasblog.com/2006/07/hezbollah-in-latin-america.html)

It's easy to get pessimistic and negative. I am not suggesting that. However, let's be realistic about Hezbollah and the threat it poses to the world, not just Israel!

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Did you hear about Miss Indonesia?


Normally, I don't watch The Miss Universe Pageant. I do know that Miss Puerto Rico won and fainted. How can you avoid that?

Have you seen this from Michelle Malkin's website:

"Miss Indonesia is now the target of jihadis in her "modern, moderate" Muslim home country.

Reuters reports she and her pageant aides may face jail time for "insulting" Islam.

Nadine Chandrawinata's participation in the contest and display of her body in a swimsuit "is actually insulting for Indonesian dignity and women", Islamic Defenders Front lawyer Sugito said yesterday."
(http://michellemalkin.com/archives/005608.htm)

These people are fanatics!!!!!

 

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Good news from Iraq

 

Over the weekend, I saw this TV ad:

"The people of Iraqi-Kurdistan invite you to discover their peaceful region, a place that has practiced democracy for over a decade, a place where the universities, markets, cafes and fair grounds buzz with progress and prosperity and where the people are already sowing the seeds of a brighter future." (http://www.theotheriraq.com/)

Take a second and watch the videos. You will feel a lot better about our efforts in Iraq. You will also feel a lot better about mankind in general.

Check out "Progress Report, More good news from Iraq"By Bill Crawford:

"The purpose of these compilations is not to whitewash the situation in Iraq, nor to suggest that there haven’t been problems with the administration’s handling of the conflict. They are simply an attempt to fill in the news gaps, to help form a more complete picture of the current state of affairs, so that readers can be better informed about it." (http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjI0NmZhMGVmZjJjOWE2OWNmOTgyNzNiMGEzNjNjM2E=)

Iraq is a country making the difficult transition from Saddam Hussein to an elected leader.

Today, the new PM of Iraq is speaking before Congress. Could anyone have believed that three years ago?

My message to the news media is simple. Tell me about the bombings, which are carried out by a very small number of Iraqis. At the same time, tell me about the millions of Iraqis who are trying to turn their country around. 


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Is this our summer of 1939?

 

The summer of 1939 is known as the last summer of peace before WW2. (http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/triumph/tr-last.htm)

Will the summer of 2006 be our summer of 1939? It's beginning to look that way.

Check out this article from IBD:

"Here, in no particular order and excluding the war in Lebanon, is a sampling from the densely packed events of last week:

Somalia: The transitional government sought troops from Ethiopia to deter Islamist militia encircling the provisional capital, Baidoa. Ethiopia sent hundreds of armored carriers 100 miles into Somalia. In Mogadishu, Islamists in a machine-gun-mounted pickup "arrested" 20 men watching an allegedly pornographic video.

Iran: A U.S. official told Congress that Iranians may have paid for and observed North Korea's seven long-range and medium-range missile test launches directed at the U.S. on July 4 and 5.

U.S.: The Homeland Security Department is investigating a pipe bomb found in Lake Pontchartrain, La. Officials fear it could be part of a practice run for a future attack that could shut down all commerce on a critical U.S. waterway.

Meanwhile, two students in Georgia with terror contacts in Canada were indicted for allegedly plotting jihad after preparing for it through paramilitary training in north Georgia.

Separately, customs officials said religious visas were being abused by radical clerics from Syria, Algeria, Pakistan and Egypt. In addition, experts said an analysis of the suicide plot that was revealed on July 7 to blow up the PATH trains of lower Manhattan and flood the financial district had a good chance of success.

Romania: Prosecutors prepared a case against Florian Lesch, 29, a convert to militant Islam, who was arrested after trying to detonate two gas cylinders in Timisoara to punish Romania for its good relations with the U.S. Police tied him to the Muslim Brothers.

Afghanistan: Taliban fighters ambushed Canadian troops near Kandahar after the Taliban announced a new campaign of violence against allied troops and anyone cooperating with them. Taliban also set a high school on fire in Paktika province, gutting it.

Syria: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met with Hezbollah leaders in Damascus, prompting fears of more coordinated terrorist attacks.

United Kingdom: Two more Islamist organizations — Al-Ghurabaa and the Saved Sect — were banned as terrorist. They split off from the group founded by terror cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed, now in Lebanon. Meanwhile, militants on paltalk.com called for the destruction of Israel and all Jews worldwide.

India: Three men affiliated with terrorist group Lashkar-e-Tayyaba were apprehended in a string of bombings on Bombay's transit system July 11 that killed 208 and injured 800. India's army reported new al-Qaida terror camps on the Pakistani border specializing in unconventional training, such as the use of female recruits.

Thailand: Six people were killed by Islamist militants in drive-by motorcycle shootings around Pattani. Victims included an assistant village chief. Police reported growing numbers of terror suspects with ties so strong to Indonesian terror group Barisan Revolusi Nasional, they suspect BRN and Thailand's own RKK terrorists may now be the same organization.

Venezuela: President Hugo Chavez, an Iran ally, moved to build diplomatic support for his bid for a United Nations Security Council seat, claiming he won pledges of votes from the Arab League and some African states. Chavez condemned Israel's self-defense efforts and explicitly vowed to thwart the U.S. if he won the U.N. seat.

Bosnia: Three men accused of plotting a terror attack on Sarajevo or another European capital went to trial. Meanwhile, local experts said they feared Bosnia would become a new Iranian front as a diversion if the war goes badly for Iran in Lebanon. They cited longstanding Hezbollah ties to Bosnia dating from the wars around the breakup of Yugoslavia a decade ago.

Canada: The Canadian Council on American Islamic Relations urged Muslims not to apologize for the activities of terrorists or cooperate with security in terrorist investigations.

Kashmir: Six Lashkar-e-Tayyaba terrorists were killed in two gunbattles with security forces that came looking for them and were ambushed. In a third village, a 26-year-old woman's throat was slit by terrorists who accused her of collaborating with police.

Indonesia: A total of 217 jihadis — 72 Indonesians, 57 Filipinos, 36 Malaysians, 45 Thais, three Bengals, three Bruneians and one Singaporean — embarked to fight Israel in south Lebanon, according to an Islamic Youth Movement leader. Meanwhile, 90 militants from Aceh province's Islamist separatist movement also declared their intent to fight in south Lebanon.

Argentina: Known Hezbollah operatives in Iran remained at large for their 1994 terrorist attack on a Jewish center in Buenos Aires. Jewish groups protested its 12th anniversary, pointing out that it was Hezbollah's first on foreign soil and "a forerunner of all other attacks," one Jewish leader said.

Sweden: A top-secret trial of three terror suspects continued in Malmo. British intelligence reportedly supplied the tip-off.

Russia: Chechen terrorists put new threats of attacks on their Web site. Two other Web sites published hagiographic videos extolling the life of Shamil Basayev, the terrorist mastermind of the Beslan massacre, who was killed July 10 by Russian troops."
(http://www.investors.com/editorial/IBDArticles.asp?artsec=20&artnum=1&issue=20060721&view=1)

Now, check out this map and see war breaking out all over: (http://www.newt.org/backpage.asp?art=3287)

Is this a coincidence? I don't think so!

Historians will look back and call this whatever they call it. World War 3? A war on terror? A Middle East War?

I don't know what they will call it. Nevertheless, we are at war. Our enemy is dead serious about killing us. Are we serious about defending our way of life?


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Why is Hugo Chavez buying Russian weapons?

 
Who is Caracas afraid of? Check this out:

"HUGO CHÁVEZ, the ardently anti-American President of Venezuela, arrives in Russia today to sign a billion-dollar arms deal that has infuriated and alarmed the US.

The self-styled leftist revolutionary will sign an agreement with President Putin to buy 30 Sukhoi Su30 fighter jets and 30 military helicopters worth $1 billion (£540 million).

The two leaders will also discuss plans to build two Kalashnikov factories in Venezuela — to add to the 100,000 Kalashnikov AK103 assault rifles that Venezuela has bought from Russia in the past year. The arms deals — and the visit by Señor Chávez — are the latest evidence of Mr Putin’s drive to re-establish Russia as a counterbalance to the West in international affairs."
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-2283673,00.html)

This is a reckless and irresponsible move by Chavez.

Is anyone surprised?

Chavez' militarization is going to threaten Colombia and some of his other neighbors. It will also catch Washington's attention.
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How does Kofi Annan keep his job?

 

When will someone stand up and call for Kofi Annan's resignation? It's ridiculous for all of these intellectuals to call for a cease fire rather than Kofi's dismissal.

Greg Richards of The American Thinker calls it "Kofi's war". I agree:

"There is a person responsible for the devastation both in Israel and in Lebanon. And that person is the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan.
This is “Kofi’s War.”

Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000 under the guarantee of a UN resolution that the border area would not be remilitarized. The responsible agent of that guarantee was Kofi Annan.

Defenders might say that the UN did not have the military power to enforce that policy. So why did it not say so? Kofi still had the bully pulpit of the Secretary Generalship. He could have called for a larger force and the will to use it.

Do you remember the conferences called to examine the building of what we are now told are impenetrable underground bunkers? Neither do I.

Do you remember the speeches calling attention to the stockpiling of offensive missiles? Neither do I.

Do you remember the investigation of the use of civilian domiciles to house weapons launchers and thus endanger the local citizenry? Neither do I.

This is dereliction of duty on a massive scale. Kofi Annan should be reprimanded in a way that will get his attention. He is not Secretary General just to line the pockets of his friends and family and to undermine free countries. His duty, rather, is to maintain the integrity of the commitments of the UN."
(http://www.americanthinker.com/articles_print.php?article_id=5696)

To be fair, Annan cannot commit troops or enforce resolutions without UN members. However, he should have resigned in protest years ago.

Kofi decided to stick around and enjoy the UN's compensation package. He also enjoyed some of its corruption, such as the UN Oil for Food Program.

So go home Kofi. Clean your desk and do the book tour.


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