The Cool Blue Blog

Soldiers of heaven

Last month, Iraqi forces defeated an attempt by a radical Shi'ite group and al Qaida operatives to kill pilgrims celebrating Ashura and assassinating Iraq's most revered Shi'ite cleric: Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. And while the forces of the Soldiers of Heaven (Jund Al Samaa) took heavy losses and were defeated on the battlefield, they remained a strong presence.

As a result, US and Iraqi forces continue to hunt the remaining members

...police in Diwaniya, south of Baghdad, announced the arrests of 157 more suspected members of a Shiite cult. Its followers had allegedly planned to attack the country's leading Shiite clergymen last month in the belief it would hasten the dawn of a new age.

According to authorities, at least 263 members of the group, known as Heaven's Army or the Soldiers of Heaven, were killed in a fierce firefight with U.S. and Iraqi forces, who got wind of the plot to attack religious leaders on Ashura, one of the holiest days on the Shiite calendar.

This year, Ashura fell on Jan. 29, and the battle occurred over a period of about 24 hours in the militia's well-fortified camp between the holy city of Najaf and Diwaniya.

Iraqi officials say the group's leader claimed to be a revered Shiite saint who would usher in a better world once they got rid of Iraq's other Shiite leaders. He was killed in the fighting.

Since then, police have continued to round up dozens of his alleged followers as they try to determine the extent of the group's membership and military capabilities.

The latest arrests occurred in Ghamas, between Najaf and Diwaniya, said Brig. Gen. Abdal Khaleq Badrani, the Diwaniya police chief.

Yep

In the southern town of Ghamas, in Diwaniya Province, the authorities arrested more than 100 people suspected of belonging to a messianic Shiite splinter group that tried to overthrow the Shiite clerical leadership in Najaf last month, according to Ahmed Suaibel, a spokesman for the provincial government.

Beyond the headlines

Everyday we hear of suicide bombings in Iraq and the ordinary person listening to the news would think that nothing has changed. But that would be wrong. But you have to read past the headline, and even more than the first few paragraphs of a news story. For instance

Bombings have not slackened, with at least 10 people killed in blasts around Baghdad yesterday. However, an apparent success of the clampdown can be measured in the morgues: a sharp drop in the number of bullet-riddled bodies found in the streets of the capital, victims of sectarian death squads.

The number of bodies found this month in Baghdad -- most shot and showing signs of torture -- has dropped by nearly 50 percent to 494 as of Monday, compared with 954 in January. The figure stood at 1,222 in December, according to figures compiled by the Associated Press.

"We have seen a decrease in the past three weeks -- a pretty radical decrease," said Lieutenant General Ray Odierno, the number two US commander in Iraq.

Many Sunnis have long alleged that most of killings were by Shi'ite militias, such as the Mahdi Army or rogue elements within the Shi'ite-led police.

This impression, is not entirely incorrect. Though the majority of the car bombs that target innocent people are al Qaida, the majority of the sectarian killing can be accounted for by the Madhi Army, Iran's proxy army in Iraq led by Moqtada al-Sadr who is now in hiding as US an Iraqi troops begin the operation to occupy his base of operations and dismantle his organization

US-led strike forces seized suspected Shi'ite death squad bosses yesterday in raids that tested the fragile bonds between the government and a powerful militia faction allowing the Baghdad security crackdown to move ahead.

The sweeps through the Sadr City slum were part of highly sensitive forays into areas loyal to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has ridiculed the two-week-old campaign for failing to halt bombings by suspected Sunni insurgents against Shi'ite civilians.

Sadr withdrew his powerful Mahdi Army militia from checkpoints and bases under intense government pressure to let the security push go forward. But the US-backed government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki also worries that Sadr could pull his support if he feels his militiamen are being squeezed in Baghdad.

The predawn raids appeared to highlight a strategy of pinpoint strikes in Sadr City rather than the flood of soldiers sent into some Sunni districts.

But the attack on Sadr City itself is just the latest, but most crucial, development in the assault on Sadr's crew. Previously, members of Jaysh al-Mahdi (Sadr's boys) had been rounded up in areas other than Sadr City

In the past 45 days, combined coalition operations included 52 operations primarily focused on Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM) and 42 focused on Sunni Rejectionists / Extremists.

And the results have been dramatic.

But you have to read beyond the headlines to know it.

Meeting goals in Iraq

In his speech to the nation on January 10th, Bush told the nation what Iraq would do as their part of the new Security Plan. A major part of that was the sharing of oil revenues

To give every Iraqi citizen a stake in the country's economy, Iraq will pass legislation to share oil revenues among all Iraqis.

Today, they did just that

The Iraqi cabinet approved a draft of a law on Monday that would set guidelines for nationwide distribution of oil revenues and foreign investment in the immense oil industry. The endorsement reflected a major agreement among the country’s ethnic and sectarian political blocs on one of Iraq’s most divisive issues.

The draft law approved by the cabinet allows the central government to distribute oil revenues to the provinces or regions based on population, which could lessen the economic concerns of the rebellious Sunni Arabs, who fear being cut out of Iraq’s vast potential oil wealth by the dominant Shiites and Kurds. Most of Iraq’s crude oil reserves lie in the Shiite south and Kurdish north.

Bush also pointed out that

In earlier operations, political and sectarian interference prevented Iraqi and American forces from going into neighborhoods that are home to those fueling the sectarian violence. This time, Iraqi and American forces will have a green light to enter these neighborhoods — and Prime Minister Maliki has pledged that political or sectarian interference will not be tolerated.

And while I have been reporting on the large number of operations ongoing in Iraq, the most important one, the securing of Sadr City, had been neglected. Until now

U.S. and Iraqi forces staged raids in Baghdad's main Shiite militant stronghold Tuesday as part of politically sensitive forays into areas loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Troops have held back on broad sweeps through the teeming Sadr City slums since a major security operation began earlier this month, targeting militant factions and sectarian death squads that have ruled Baghdad's streets.

Al-Sadr withdrew his powerful Mahdi Army militia from checkpoints and bases under intense government pressure to let the neighbor-by-neighbor security sweeps move ahead. But Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and others have opposed extensive U.S.-led patrols through Sadr City, fearing a violent backlash could derail the security effort.

The pre-dawn raids appeared to highlight a strategy of pinpoint strikes in Sadr City rather than the flood of soldiers sent into some Sunni districts.

At least 16 people were arrested after U.S.-Iraqi commandos — using concussion grenades — stormed six homes, police said.

At a news conference, the Pentagon's No. 2 commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, declined to comment on whether there were special tactics for Sadr City. "We will go after anyone who we feel is working against the government of Iraq," he said.

"We will keep at this until the people feel safe in their neighborhoods," Odierno added.

U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell told Al-Arabiya television that forces "will increase our operations in the coming days," but noted that the security crackdown in the capital should continue until at least October.

These are both giant steps forward. Up until recently, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, owing much of his political support to the Militia leader and Iranian proxy Moqtada al-Sadr, had opposed any moves against the radical cleric and his Madhi Army. All that changed in January when al Maliki removed his protection and US and Iraqi forces started going after Sadr and his crew. Then Sadr disappeared; presumably to Iran. And now the final act for him is underway.

While Democrats and White Flag Republicans have from the moment it was announced declared the new security plan a failure, it gets clearer everyday that facing reality, will take a long time for those who are invested in failure.

Foreign Fighters

Yesterday

Coalition forces detained 15 suspected terrorists, including a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq emir, in raids throughout Iraq today; Iraqi forces found a large weapons cache Feb. 24; and Iraqi and coalition forces announced the casualty toll from yesterday’s car-bomb attack in Habbaniyah, military officials reported.

During an operation in Baghdad, coalition forces captured a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq emir and one of his associates.

Three suspected foreign terrorist facilitators were captured in operations northeast of Samarra, and eight more were captured in a foreign fighter safe house west of Mahmudiyah.

In downtown Ramadi, coalition forces captured two suspects in a foreign fighter safe house. Intelligence reports indicated members of the cell were planning suicide operations against coalition or Iraqi forces.

"Coalition forces are making progress dismantling the foreign fighter and al Qaeda terrorist networks inside Iraq," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "These operations send a message to terrorists that they will be caught and prosecuted for their crimes under the Iraqi justice system."

Sunday

In Mosul, Coalition Forces killed two terrorists and captured a suspected senior al-Qaida leader during a raid today. While approaching the first targeted building, Coalition Forces began receiving enemy fire from an adjacent building. Coalition Forces fired back, killing one terrorist.

Upon entering the adjacent building, ground forces were confronted by an armed terrorist who began maneuvering on the ground forces. Ground forces took proper self-defense measures and killed the armed terrorist. During the raid, Coalition Forces detained six suspected terrorists, including the targeted individual who is believed to be a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leader operating a terrorist cell in Mosul.

In other operations throughout Iraq, coalition forces detained 12 suspected terrorists during raids Saturday morning targeting foreign fighter facilitators and the al-Qaeda in Iraq network.

In Fallujah, Coalition Forces detained three suspected terrorists with alleged ties to a foreign fighter facilitation cell. Intelligence reports indicated the suspected terrorists were associated with senior-level foreign fighter facilitators in the local area.

In Mosul, Coalition Forces captured the suspected leader of an al-Qaeda in Iraq cell. The al-Qaeda cell in Mosul reportedly facilitates financial transactions in Iraq and neighboring countries. Four others were detained during the raid.

Another raid in Mosul netted a suspected terrorist with financial ties to al-Qaeda in Iraq. During the raid Coalition Forces discovered a large amount of Egyptian and Syrian money and false passports and identification cards.

North of Amiriyah, three suspected terrorists were detained including the alleged leader of a local vehicle-borne improvised explosive device cell.

Civil war my ass.

Rethinking the Missile shield

In December of 2006, PajamasMedia ran a story on efforts by Democrats to cut the Missile Defense program

The incoming chairman of the Senate’s Armed Services Committee is Carl Levin. Levin, a Michigan Democrat, has long been a foe of missile defense. In 1980s, he worried that President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative — which aimed to develop technology to destroy Soviet missiles during all phases of flight — was “destabilizing.”

Today Sen. Levin sings the same tune in a different key. “They’ve not done the operational testing yet that is convincing,” said Senator Levin during a post-election press conference. He was referring to the Ground based Missile Defense [GMD] system being installed in Alaska and California, to defend against North Korean missiles. He added that he favors stalling purchases of interceptor missiles - vital for missile defense — until after testing is complete.

In short, Sen. Levin and other longtime opponents of missile defense plan to use “testing” - set to an unrealistically high level - to stop missile defense.

But, it seems, once again Democrats are on the wrong side of defense issues. While Senator Levin may not recognize the threat inherent in North Korea and Iran's missile programs, Europe apparently does.

US plans to extend its "star wars" missile-defense program to Europe, which once dismissed the technology as an unproven cold-war anachronism, are gaining acceptance among governments here...

"This is all a result of Iran," says Tim Williams, a European security analyst at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies in London. "Governments see that Iranian missiles can hit Europe, and suddenly they are very worried about the threat from ballistic missiles. They have to look at missile defenses."

Sunday, Iranian media reported that the country had launched a rocket into space, raising speculation that Iran was nearing the technological capacity to launch intercontinental missiles. That report, which quoted the head of Iran's aerospace research center, was quickly denied by his deputy, however.

There was no such equivocation from Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who, ahead of Tuesday's UN Security Council meeting on Iran's disputed nuclear program, compared its nuclear drive to a train that has no brakes.

The US, which says that a European shield would intercept ballistic missiles fired from "rogue states" such as Iran, wants to build a radar station here in the Czech Republic and a corresponding base with 10 interceptor missiles in neighboring Poland. After years of talks, the US last month approached the Czech and Polish governments about hosting the shield.

Britain is also on board

Britain is holding talks with the US about the possibility of putting parts of the 'Son of Star Wars' missile defence system in the UK.

A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed that talks were taking place, but stressed that they were at a very early stage and that no decisions had been made. The spokesperson said that Britain wanted to be kept in consideration as plans for the system were developed and refused to confirm reports in the 'The Economist' that Prime Minister Tony Blair had raised the issue with US President George Bush.

Russia isn't so happy

``We must react to this,'' Putin said, noting the U.S. defense shield would ``completely neutralize'' the deterrence threat posed by Russia's own nuclear missiles. ``There will be no more balance of power,'' he said, adding that Russia will aim to achieve weapons of its own to ``overcome'' such arms systems.

Putin, turning to Gates, said ``you have made a mistake'' when judging that missiles launched from Iran could threaten eastern Europe. The Islamic Republic's missiles can reach no more than between 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) and 2,000 kilometers, the Russian president said.

Why is Russia so upset? I mean really?

Perhaps it has something to do with this?

The battle for Diyala

On February 7th, Bill Roggio reported

al-Qaeda has stepped up its car and suicide bombing campaign, attacking soft targets in the city such as markets, pet shops, and mosques, with deadly results. While Al-Qaeda is said to have pulled out of Baghdad, an American intelligence official informs us al-Qaeda has largely withdrawn to Diyala province, and is ferrying in suicide bombers into the city. Al-Qaeda is stepping up its bombing campaign in an effort to both discredit the security operations and incite sectarian attacks.

This province has been a strategic target for US and Iraqi forces since January, when the "1st Cavalry Division, defeated “The Council,” a known terrorist group which has historically targeted families and tribes with violence throughout the region". Later in February, Diyala was the subject of Operation Arrowhead.

The operations here are on-going. As the new security plan achieves success in Baghdad, the bad guys are continuing to flee to outlying areas, especially Diyala province. And because of its location it is seen as a strategic battleground for al Qaida. This activity is pushing back the schedule for Diyala.

...increased attacks by Sunni insurgents could delay the transfer of Diyala province, which lies just northeast of Baghdad, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon told The Associated Press.

Mixon is the commander of U.S. forces in northern Iraq, which includes Diyala.

“The potential is there” to hand over provinces “except in Diyala, where the future remains in question,” Mixon said. “I’m not optimistic” about Diyala “given the current situation.”

A new security crackdown in Baghdad has encouraged mostly Sunni extremists to flee the capital for surrounding provinces, especially Diyala, Mixon said.

This weekend, al Qaida was dealt a severe setback

An informant’s tip led Iraqi Police officers from Judidah, Iraq, and Coalition force members from the 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, to a large improvised explosive device cache in the Baqubah area Saturday.

The cache consisted of:
• 2 explosively formed projectiles in various stages of assembly
• One completed improvised mine and more than a dozen others in various stages of construction
• More than two dozen mortar rounds and 15 rockets
• Over 130 disks capable of producing as many individual EFPs
• Six rocket launchers
• Five anti-aircraft rounds
• Over two dozen RPG warheads
• More than 400 plastic and steel containers in various stages of fabrication for IED construction
• Large quantities of IED-making material such as detonation cord, C4, blasting caps, fuses, EFP launching tubes, bags of ball bearings and voltage regulators

"The vigilance of the Iraqi Police and the willingness of the people of Diyala to end the cycle of violence led to this discovery,” said Col. David W. Sutherland, 3-1 Cav. commander and senior U.S. Army officer in Diyala province.

Ordinance found in this cache can be traced back to Iran

U.S. and Iraqi forces have seized a large weapons cache that includes parts for sophisticated roadside bombs that are believed to originate in Iran, U.S. military investigators said.

The details of the find were expected to be announced Monday at a news conference in Baghdad.

But military officials told said the arsenal is one of the biggest found north of the Iraqi capital and contains components for so-called EFPs — explosively formed projectiles that fire a slug of molten metal that can penetrate armored vehicles.

The U.S. military has said elite Iranian corps are funneling EFPs to Shiite militias in Iraq for use against American troops. The area where the cache was found is dominated by Sunni insurgents but also includes pockets of Shiites.

As the rats flee the exterminators working in Baghdad, we'll continue reporting on Diyala as the province as where old  Islamists come to die in Iraq.

Threats within threats

Iran announced today the successful launch of an indigenous rocket

Iran claims that it has successfully test-fired what it calls "a rocket that had reached space".

The announcement, made on Sunday on state-run television, was unclear; but it appeared to refer to Iran's efforts to launch commercial satellites into orbit.

Of course Iran's nuclear program is just for peaceful uses as is their space program

Tehran says it hopes to launch four more satellites by 2010 to increase the number of land and mobile telephone lines to 80 million from 22 million.

It also hopes to expand its satellite capabilities to let Internet users to rise to 35 million from the present 5.5 million in the next five years.

Right. Iran wants to bring the Internet to more of it's people. We're to believe this when a recent report found that

Iran has adopted one of the world's most substantial Internet censorship regimes. Iran, along with China, is among a small group of states with the most sophisticated state-mandated filtering systems in the world. Iran has adopted this extensive filtering regime at a time of extraordinary growth in Internet usage among its citizens and a burst of growth in writing online in the Farsi language.

So if their stated reason for developing rockets is suspect, what is their real motive? I don't know but I can speculate...

What else can be put on a rocket besides a satellite? Oh yeah. A nuclear warhead.

And what do you have when you put a nuclear warhead on a rocket that can put a satellite into space? Well, you have an Inter-Contenental Ballistic Missile or ICBM.

Of course, building a rocket is one thing, but the nuclear warhead that goes on the rocket is something else. But clearly, they are getting help.

In 2005, Iran launched its first such satellite in a joint project with Russia, and said that its next step would be the launch of a satellite on an 'indigenous rocket'.

Oddly enough, it is also Russia that is helping Iran with their nuclear weapon program. And it's a fact that Russia knows how to build nuclear warheads that can ride atop ICBMs.

So is Iran to become the next Cuba? Can Russia use Iran to house nuclear tipped ICBMs that can strike Europe and even the US without risk of retaliation on Russian soil?

And if so who is going to stop them?

The Iranian foreign minister said yesterday the United States was in no position for another war and maintained that negotiations -- not threats -- were the only way to resolve the standoff over its nuclear activities.

Why does Iran think that even as we have two Aircraft Carrier Groups in the region and one in close proximity on the Horn of Africa? Democrats threaten to stop any attack on Iran.

But what "negotiations" will prevent Iran from continuing to develop nuclear weapons? We've been negotiating for years as partners with Europe and in the UN, and that hasn't helped.

Iran has ignored a U.N. Security Council ultimatum to freeze uranium enrichment -- a possible pathway to nuclear arms -- and has instead expanded its program by setting up hundreds of centrifuges, the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Thursday. The finding paves the way for new U.N. sanctions.

Iran's claims of a successful rocket launch, whether true or not, can not have escaped the Defense Ministers and Secretaries of the Western Nations. If true, Iran does not just threaten Israel, about whom Europe cares little, but now threatens  Europe directly. Perhaps we will see stronger sanctions.

And it is clear that despite the fact that the US  is not at a point where it will directly confront Iran, there are indirect ways of making them pay a price for their agressive plays in the Middle East.

A helicopter of the Islamic Revolution's Guards Corps (IRGC) crashed northwest of Iran on Friday in which two IRGC commanders and eight forces were killed.

The helicopter was on a mission at Khoy region, East Azarbaijan province, where it had to make an emergency landing immediately after which it was exploded. All IRGC forces on the board including two commanders were killed instantly.

Some sources cited technical problems as the cause of the explosion. But certain terrorist organizations claimed that the helicopter exploded after they targeted it with US made SA-7 rockets.

Saeed Ghahhari, commander of the 3rd army of IRGC and Brigadier Hanif Dorosti were among those killed.

And this isn't the first time "terrorists" have caused trouble or attacked and killed Iran's Revolutionary Guards inside Iran

The past two years have seen a rise in violent incidents in a number of regions inhabited by Iran's minorities, amid complaints of government oppression, discrimination or political or economic neglect, says the BBC's regional analyst Pam O'Toole.

A bomb attack on 14 February in south-east Iran killed 13 Revolutionary Guards in the majority Sunni city of Zahedan.

(more here)

Look: Russia is no friend to the US. They continue to support our enemies. They have formed a military alliance with another communist country - China - who is also supplying computer and other technologies to Iran in echange for energy. Most importantly, Russia is setting up a situation where they can directly wage war against the US and the West using Islamists as proxies. They have allies in the Middle East, in Asia, and in the US. Because of this, we can not confront them directly, but the War on Islamists becomes even more important in countering Russia's moves in establishing proxy militaries in Islamist states.

Think of it; a nuclear exchange between the West and the Middle East that leaves Russia and China intact.

Failure in Iraq, will allow Russia yet another opportunity to arm a state that will forever hate the US for abandoning it after promises that it wouldn't.

And that's all Russia needs: states and organizations that already want to do harm to the US. They can arm them they will do the rest.

Allowing Iran to develop nuclear tipped ICBMs will clearly be a grave mistake.

The War to defeat Islamists is important in and of itself. But it is also becoming clear that the War to defeat Islamists is also necessary to keep Russia from employing a strategy that makes it the last man standing.

Biden asserts "Mission Accomplished"

Senator Joe Biden is co-sponsoring a bill to rescind the original authorization given by Congress to go to war in Iraq. His basis for such a move is that in his mind, the original goals set forth in that resolution no longer apply

We gave the President that power to destroy Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and, if necessary, to depose Saddam Hussein.

The WMD were not there. Saddam Hussein is no longer there. The 2002 authorization is no longer relevant to the situation in Iraq.

I am working on legislation to repeal that authorization and replace it with a much narrower mission statement for our troops in Iraq.

In case you missed it, Senator Biden says "Mission Accomplished."

But is it?

If we take a look at the Joint Resolution to Authorize the use of the United States Armed Forces Against Iraq (HJ  Res 114) it does indeed say get rid of Saddam. And while it does not say that Iraq had WMDs (instead finding that Iraq had not complied with UN Resolutions to disarm and that because it did not comply, the cease-fire was off) we'll give that one to Biden.

But the HJ Res 114 also says

Whereas the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 (Public Law 105–338) expressed the sense of Congress that it should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove from power the current Iraqi regime and promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime; (emphasis mine)

I'm thinking we're not quite there yet. So that mission is still not accomplished. And then there's

Whereas in December 1991, Congress expressed its sense that it ‘‘supports the use of all necessary means to achieve the goals of United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 as being consistent with the Authorization of Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (Public Law 102–1),’’ that Iraq’s repression of its civilian population violates United Nations Security Council Resolution 688 and ‘‘constitutes a continuing threat to the peace, security, and stability of the Persian Gulf region,’’ and that Congress, ‘‘supports the use of all necessary means to achieve the goals of United Nations Security Council Resolution 688’’;

I'm thinking that unless and until Iraq becomes a self-secure nation with border integrity, it will continue to be a threat to the Persian Gulf region. So that mission is still not accomplished.

And of course there's

Whereas Congress has taken steps to pursue vigorously the war on terrorism through the provision of authorities and funding requested by the President to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such persons or organizations;

I think even Senator Biden would acknowledge that al Qaida and other international terrorist organizations still operate in Iraq. So that mission is still not accomplished.

You know I'm surprised, given as how Senator Biden signed this authorization for war that he is so unaware of what was in it. I'm guessing he's unaware of these parts as well

Whereas the President and Congress are determined to continue to take all appropriate actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such persons or organizations;

Well, some are still determined and some are not

Whereas the President has authority under the Constitution to take action in order to deter and prevent acts of international terrorism against the United States, as Congress recognized in the joint resolution on Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107–40); and

See? At one time Congress knew its place; and the President's place; in the Constitution

Whereas it is in the national security interests of the United States to restore international peace and security to the Persian Gulf region

And that mission is still not accomplished

So which is it, did Biden not execute his sworn duty to carefully review the authorization to go to war with Iraq before signing it, or was he so incompetent that he was able to be misled for years and years prior to the Bush Administration even taking office?

Either way, I'd say he's definitely not Presidential material.

Precurser to War

There are troubling signs that UNIFILs inaction in Southern Lebanon will result in not only a complete failure of their mission, but another war between Hizbollah and Israel.

The Lebanese army has made a deal with Hizbullah terrorist guerillas, dividing up patrols in southern Lebanon, according to an officer of the United Nations Interim Forces (UNIFIL).

Hajj Ali, a Hizbullah terrorist leader who lives in the village of Bint Jbil near the Israeli border, declared, "There will be another war in the summer. It is the beginning of the end for Israel; we are preparing."

"Hizbullah still dominates the south, its security men policing the Shi'ite villages and its fighters patrolling the border," the Guardian reported.

Shi'ite Muslims, aligned with Hizbullah, have re-armed, said the newspaper, which questioned the effectiveness of UNIFIL.

Compounding the international force's problems in carrying out its mission of keeping Hizbullah out of the area is a growing suspicion among local residents. Analysts have noted that most of southern Lebanon is obligated to Hizbullah, which has provided residents with social and economic support.

Meanwhile, even humanitarian missions are being rejected

A medical team from the French contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was ordered to leave the village of Maroun al-Ras by officials from the Bint Jbeil municipality on Monday, a security source here told The Daily Star on Tuesday. The French medical team had been visiting Maroun al-Ras every Monday for over a month to administer patient checkups, the source said.

"But the French team was surprised [Monday] to see members of the municipality urging them to leave, saying they were not welcome," the source said.

Meanwhile, UNIFIL spokesperson Liam McDowall said that "what happened [Monday] in Maroun al-Ras was the result of a lack of coordination in timing [of the visit]."

Yeah, I'm sure Hizbollah doesn't like unannounced visits; you never know what might be going on they don't want UNIFIL to know about. Willard Payne puts the situation bluntly

Tehran has begun its armed campaign against the European units in UNIFIL, the United Nations forces in south Lebanon organized by the Rome Conference last July. Soon after they arrived, Tehran had al-Qaeda declare them to be an enemy of Islam, realizing it was an instrument of Europe to restore its influence in the region that had been badly shaken by assassinations of Lebanese political leaders that had been working with the West. The assassinations had been carried out by Tehran and with the full knowledge of Damascus. Rome and the West also knew the only Islamic head of state completely opposed to Tehran's growing influence was President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. [AKI]

...But now, as Hezbollah threatens to begin a campaign of civil disobedience to increase pressure on Western ally Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Tehran is now having Hezbollah and its supporters target UNIFIL, right after Syria President Bashar al-Assad just visited Tehran last week. On Sunday, youths who support Hezbollah threw stones at Spanish troops. UNIFIL is trying to explain these incidents away as "misunderstandings" and "youthful exhuberance." [AKI]

With Hezbollah resupplied, Damascus-Tehran are now in position to attack Israel-UNIFIL-US/UK and maintain the siege against Siniora simultaneously and with the full blessing of the House of Saud.

To support this contention, Olivier Guitta of the Counterterrorism Blog notes

First incidents against the international forces of UNIFIL in the South are increasing.

For instance last Sunday Spanish soldiers were attacked with stones by pro Hezbollah villagers in Debbine. Then on Monday it was the turn of French troops, a medical unit composed of doctors and nurses who came to Marun El Ras to treat for free some local villagers. The French were quite violently kicked out by locals favorable to Hezbollah who told them not to come back.

These incidents have not been given much publicity but they spell disaster.

On Tuesday a Minister even denounced Hezbollah's role in fomenting violence against UNIFIL troops. At the same time, UNIFIL troops are playing low profile and downplaying these stories in order to avoid terror attacks against their troops by Hezbollah terrorists.

Hopefully, this time, Israel will be better prepared to kick ass than they were last Summer.

al Qaida detector

It seems Democrats have a new bright idea for Iraq

Key senators are drafting legislation that would revoke the broad authority granted to the president in 2002 and replace it with a narrower mandate....

Democratic aides have said the proposal could restrict US troops in Iraq to fighting al-Qaeda, training Iraqi forces and protecting Iraq's borders.

Congress will now mandate that US troops be supplied with "al Qaida detectors" so they can distinquish al Qaida operatives from other people who might be shooting at them in Iraq. And what, pray tell, if a soldier loses or breaks his al Qaida detector and shoots the wrong person?

Besides, how do we even know if the al Qaida detector will work?

I say we try it out on Congress first.

"I think if we were to do what Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Murtha are suggesting, all we will do is validate the al-Qaida strategy," the vice president told ABC News. "The al-Qaida strategy is to break the will of the American people ... try to persuade us to throw in the towel and come home, and then they win because we quit."

Maybe the al Qaida detector will tell us what is really motivating the Speaker and her mentally deficient bulldog.