The World According to Imal

Not Surrender, But Treachery

2004-09-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

There has been predictable controversy surrounding a television ad produced by MoveOn.org depicting a U.S. soldier holding his rifle over his head while sinking in quicksand. MoveOn.org is a Clinton front group which was originally formed in the late 1990s to encourage Americans to "move on" from the Lewinsky scandal and impeachment proceedings. The image of an American soldier

Michael Moore Addresses His Fans

2004-07-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

(I saw this on a popular website and thought it might be worth posting here. See what you think.) by Michael Moore My fellow Americans, devoted fans and valued consumers, I wanted to lay to rest some of the rumors you may have been hearing lately. Of course, anyone who revolutionizes film and print like I have is bound to make a few enemies along the way, and we both know I

Puzzling News

2004-06-22T16:18:00.000-07:00

Things are rarely as they seem, and all the more so in the world of commercial news. There's always a reason for everything. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes it's not, and sometimes it's deliberately concealed. If a story doesn't seem to make sense, it's probably because the rationales behind it are unknown. That's my personal playground, trying to find those hidden rationales.

"Al Qaeda says..."

2004-06-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

From UPI via the Washington Times comes an interesting article titled "Saudi confirms death of main al-Qaida man". In this masterpiece of wire service exposition, the following phrase jumped out at me: A statement by al-Qaida published on a Muslim Internet site said I would sure like to know how UPI confirmed that this statement came from al-Qaeda, and not some joker posting in his

Farewell, President Reagan

2004-06-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

A great man died today, although in my thoughts he died years ago when the ravages of Alzheimer's Disease took his mind from us. Nonetheless, I find myself weeping at his passing. He was a key figure in my life. I had the honor of serving in the U.S. Navy while he was Commander-In-Chief. Just a few years before, service in the armed forces was despised and attacked by those who hated

Geopolitical Chess Under A Blanket

2004-05-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

My friend randog on the Free Republic posted the following to a thread on Iran sending a diplomatic warning to the U.S. over Iraq, I was inspired to respond as shown below, and thought I would share my thoughts thus revealed with my dear, rare and esoteric readership: My spidey sense has been tingling, too. I feel like I'm watching a grand chess game, but the board is covered by a

Innocent until proven guilty?

2004-05-17T18:12:00.000-07:00

It's a common phrase in the press these days. It is most frequently used by those who are, in fact, guilty to attempt to deflect pre-trial notoriety, although those who are innocent can and should maintain their innocence, and this popular phrase fills the bill. You get a special prize if you can tell me where that phrase comes from. (Hint: It's not in the U.S. Constitution.) I prefer

Muslim "Honor"

2004-05-11T15:16:00.000-07:00

A statement accompanying the posting of a video showing the beheading of Nick Berg in Iraq closes with this statement: And you see the slaughter, your fighting brothers suspend the head of this unbeliever on one of Baghdad bridges so that they teach a lesson to others from the infidels and serves as a witness to the honour of the Muslims. The world has seen what "Muslim honor" means.

Iraqis: Please Pardon Our Women

2004-05-06T19:55:00.000-07:00

The photographs of apparent "abuses" of insurgent prisoners by U.S. servicewomen are the scandal du jour. At first blush, it seems to be a devastating blow to America's efforts in Iraq. However, things are not always as they seem. There is definitely more to this than meets the eye. I'm pretty sure this all got whipped into a scandal because it benefits the U.S. to direct and control

Democrats: Stop Supporting Our Troops

2004-05-03T20:57:00.000-07:00

Throughout the Iraq campaign, we have heard the same refrain from the Democrats: "We oppose the war in Iraq but we support our troops." This alleged support manifests itself in many forms. But first, let me explain why I am singling out the Democrats for my request. There are some who take pains to claim that effort to undermine our troops in Iraq is not the work of Democrats, but of "

"Paranoid Survivalism"

2004-04-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

The Democrats and the Marxists are now effectively one and the same, although there are still many Democrats who deny this demonstrable fact. One manifestation of this is the relentless drive by Democrats to implement every discernible feature of Marxism/Leninism into U.S. law, an endeavor in which they have enjoyed stunning success. Another is that those who love freedom and

The Vietnamization of Iraq

2004-04-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

What I am hearing from family and friends in several states who themselves have family or friends returned from Iraq on leave or rotation is this: Universally, without exception, every single soldier says things are much better in Iraq than reported, and they are frustrated with the negative tone of the news coverage there. Iraq is a big country where an astounding number of positive

The Challenge of Fallujah

2004-04-01T20:45:00.000-08:00

The murder, burning, dragging, dissection and hanging of American citizens in Fallujah is a symbolic challenge presented to America. The answer to the challenge made by the people of Fallujah and others like them will determine whether we will succeed in our efforts to reshape the Middle East, or be driven from it in shame like so many before us. Fallujah is not the only place where this

Clarke's Play for Bush

2004-03-27T16:52:00.000-08:00

The election is a very long way off. Clarke's time in the spotlight will be ending soon enough, but the topic of who did what against terrorism will remain, and the facts overwhelmingly support Bush and irrevocably condemn Clinton. The Democrats' Pandora's Box has been opened. With all the hype surrounding Clarke and his unprecedented publicity, no Democrat can reasonably claim

Victory in Spain

2004-03-17T13:19:00.000-08:00

Spain's incoming Socialist prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said today regarding Iraq:"The occupying forces have not allowed the United Nations to take control of the situation." The U.N. left Iraq in response to a terrorist attack, after rejecting U.S. offers of security, claiming that they did not want a "provocative U.S. presence" outside their compound, and has refused to

My Great Quotes

2004-02-15T20:39:00.000-08:00

I have decided I should include some one-liners from my posts here and on the Free Republic and thus commit them to the ages. While having them presented in such a concentrated form, and in alphabetical order, no less, makes for some thick and potentially confusing reading, I am nonetheless proud of my pithy remarks, and feel they deserve coverage here. And so, submitted for your

Passion Over "Passion"

2004-02-04T13:13:00.000-08:00

It is important to remember that Jews who honor the Torah (I'll call them "Jews", but there are many Jews who do not) cannot accept the idea that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God or part of a trinity and effectively God himself. To do so would be to renounce the teachings of the Torah and to violate the First Commandment. There are tremendous and insurmountable disagreements between

Comment Feature Removed

2004-01-29T15:37:00.000-08:00

Due to performance issues I have removed the comment feature. Sorry you must suffer in silence!Ignorance is not safety.

Abraham Bush?

2004-01-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

Bush is controversial, if nothing else. Although I disagree with him on several issues, I cannot fault his cleverness as a politician. Anyone who doubts Bush's skill in politics should take a look at the state of affairs in Texas before and after his reign as governor. He is now applying his subtle skills to the federal government, quietly dismantling a

WMDs: What's the Story?

2004-01-25T18:56:00.000-08:00

This is getting to be problematic. The passage of time is crystallizing the issue into two poles. Either: 1) There were no WMDs in Iraq and the whole dog and pony show leading up to the invasion was based on either lies or incompetence, both of grave consequence to the security of the United States. Every single high-level Bush administration official

Congress First Voted to Back Regime Change in Iraq in 1998

2004-01-12T18:23:00.000-08:00

Excerpts from this U.S. State Department article: "It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime," according to the Iraq Liberation Act (Public Law 105-338). [...] The Act had strong bipartisan

Bush Versus Illegal Immigration

2004-01-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

From President Bush's weekly radio address: "This past week, I proposed a new temporary worker program that would match willing foreign workers with willing American employers, when no Americans can be found to fill the jobs. If an American employer is offering a job that American citizens are not willing to take, we ought to welcome into our

The "Assault Weapons" Ban

2003-12-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

Article [II.] A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. In constitutional matters, it is crucial to stay close to the source, and consider it carefully. Sometimes even a single word found in this amazing document can convey, by its usage and

Mujahidin, Taliban or Al Qaeda?

2003-11-29T18:07:00.000-08:00

There actually is some overlap among Mujahidin and Taliban, as well as Usama bin Laden and Al Qaeda, but based on what I am seeing in the news these days, there seems to me to be some confusion on the part of some notable talking heads about their history and relationships. The most inflammatory (and inaccurate) charge is that Al Qaeda is the product of U.S.

American Soldiers Dragged Through The Streets

2003-11-23T16:16:00.000-08:00

Three U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq (Yahoo/AP) Journalists are comparing this incident to Somalia, but for some reason I am reminded of Los Angeles in 1992, and Israel on any given day. I don't like finding out about more U.S. deaths in Iraq every time I check the news, but that's the reality of our times. Whenever I learn about one of my

Hateful Partisan Rhetoric

2003-11-17T14:53:00.000-08:00

Vicious partisanship in politics is nothing new. One of my favorite political cartoons of all time is one whose exact source I cannot recall, having seen it several years ago. It appeared in a prominent newspaper during the administration of Thomas Jefferson. Drawing from memory, it was as follows: President Jefferson pulls on a rope tied to a statue

Former Chief Justice Roy Moore

2003-11-16T20:51:00.000-08:00

Mr. Moore is right about the unconstitutionality of the federal ruling in this case, but he is the wrong man for the job. Instead of using the correct legal methods for getting this issue to the Supreme Court, where ideally a clear-cut case could be presented in defense of state powers, and instead getting the injunction that was offered to him

2003-11-04T15:07:00.000-08:00

Dem Intel Committee Memo Reveals Anti-Bush Plot Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2003 4:38 p.m. EST NewsMax.Com A memo circulated among Democrats on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence shows the committee's minority plotting to use classified information against the White House in next year's presidential campaign. The document, obtained and disclosed by

2003-10-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

Scholars Call for U.N. Prosecution of Terrorists A Call for UN & World Leaders to Prosecute Organizers of Suicide/Homicide Bombings Against Civilians as War Criminals by Scholars for Peace in the Middle East inspired this response from me: While I wholeheartedly agree that the use of human bombs against civilian targets is a

2003-10-07T05:56:00.000-07:00

Rush Limbaugh, Drug Addict? Everything about this story stinks of a hit job, possibly orchestrated by "professionals". From what I have heard and read, Rush's accuser has provided extensive documentation and evidence to support her allegations. Let's consider the basics of this case, as described by the New York Daily News:

2003-09-20T04:05:00.000-07:00

Something About Wesley The presidential candidacy of General Wesley Clark puzzles and concerns me in many ways. It's hard to explain why my short hairs are prickly, but all the subconscious signs are there. A "rival campaign aide" makes a "dismissive" comparison and it sets me thinking. I wonder if we have another Ross Perot in the making here? This all has the aroma of

2003-09-20T02:46:00.000-07:00

Pick a Cause, Any Cause Davis signs law giving domestic partners most marriage rights Wow, Gray Davis is sponsoring quite a political fire sale in Sacramento these days. He'll sign anything. Heck, he's probably signing cocktail napkins for drinks. I think I'll submit my "Pay Imal One Billion Dollars" proposal. The way Davis is signing things, I may not even need to

2003-09-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

The deadliest weapon is patience.

2003-09-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

While Sacramento Burns... Frankly, I'm starting to vacillate on whether I hope Davis gets recalled or not. Living in a neighboring state, and being one of the federal taxpayers that will have to pay for California's disastrous addiction to Marxism, I prefer to see better leadership take over. On the other hand, leaving California to the Democrats would almost certainly result in a

2003-08-30T21:08:00.000-07:00

A Vote for Gary Coleman Is a Vote for Gallagher! Vote Angelyne California's Next Governor www.angelynegovernor.com

2003-08-30T02:17:00.000-07:00

Sen. Clinton Dismisses 2004 Speculation By MARC HUMBERT The Associated Press Friday, August 29, 2003 ALBANY, N.Y. - A drop in President Bush's poll numbers has increased speculation about New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton jumping into the 2004 Democratic presidential race - a notion the former first lady rejected Friday.

2003-08-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

It's Official: Liberals Smarter Than Conservatives Excerpted from article by Greg James, celebrated towering intellect "For several years I've been listening to folks of the conservative persuasion going on about the liberal bias in the media, in Hollywood and among elites on the West and East coasts. There's no denying that liberals outnumber conservatives on the two coasts. It is

2003-08-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

Bali Bomber Thanks Anti-War Protesters For Support Advocates Disarmament, World Peace From the article: THE man who helped mix the deadly one-tonne Bali nightclub bomb Sawad, alias Sardjiyo, yesterday said he wanted to thank the Australian people who had supported his cause during recent Australian anti-Gulf War protests. And fellow bomb-mixer Abdul Ghoni urged Australians

2003-08-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

STATEMENT SUPPORTING CUBA AGAINST BUSH'S ATTACKS Initiated by the International A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition We in the U.S. progressive and anti-war movement recognize our obligation to expose and organize against the Bush administration's plans to overthrow the government of Cuba. Under the rubric of the "war against terrorism" the Bush administration has aggressively embarked on a

2003-08-24T16:30:00.000-07:00

New Deal Humor While researching what I have called "International Socialism", but which is far more accurately described as "Communism", I found this joke which was popular in the U.S. circa 1934, as FDR unleashed the New Deal on America. In my opinion, the insights contained in this "joke" are timeless: Socialism: If you own two cows you give one to your neighbor. Communism: You

2003-08-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

Communists Against Bush From the Communist Party USA website: Push Bush Out the Door in 2004 It will take an extraordinary united all-people’s front with a movement on the ground to defeat the Bush right-wing agenda in 2004. It can be done with the combination of the labor vote, the women’s vote, and African-American and Latino vote, combined with the youth

2003-08-23T02:00:00.000-07:00

Repealing Judicial Legislation The corruption of the courts, accomplished through generations of selecting judges on the basis of their political qualifications, rather than their judicial qualifications, did not occur overnight, and it will not be corrected overnight. The best way to clean up the courts is to appoint judges with a commitment to justice, instead of debts to

2003-08-22T23:43:00.000-07:00

The President Makes His Case Against Iraq This is a time of tremendous promise for America. The superpower confrontation has ended; on every continent democracy is securing for more and more people the basic freedoms we Americans have come to take for granted. Bit by bit the information age is chipping away at the barriers economic, political and social that once kept people locked in

2003-08-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

Israel, Stop the Insanity Israeli angst over seeming too militaristic is costing lives. Israel has the power to expel the so-called "Palestinians" from Israel, claim its proper borders, and defend them from the Arabs. How do I know this? Because it has done it a half-dozen times before, even on Day One of its modern existence. There will be no peace with the Arabs without ruthless

2003-08-21T17:54:00.000-07:00

Imal to Israel: Just Do It Israel needs to stop being a victim and just get this over with. Just kick the damn Arabs out, kill the ones that won't go, and don't let any back in. A bit oversimplified, but if you want a Jewish state, and the Arabs want to destroy the Jewish state, the Arabs have to go. If you don't want a Jewish state,

2003-08-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

Israel Breaks the Hudna Furious over the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Abu Shanab, Hamas has declared an end to the "hudna" that was declared eight weeks ago. Apparently the murder of over twenty people on Tuesday didn't count as a breach of the "hudna" in the minds of Hamas leaders, or of the world press. It will be interesting to see what will happen now that Israel has "

2003-08-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

Peace in the Middle East Yesterday's bombings, notably the bombing in Jerusalem that killed 20 people, 6 of them children, and injured over 100 more, 40 of them children, illustrate a simple, immutable truth about the Middle East. The truth is that there can be no peace there until the war is ended, and the only way to end a war in the Middle East is with decisive, ruthless and

2003-08-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

Judicial Tyranny Ten Commandments Ruling in Ala. Appealed The issue in the case of "separation of church and state" isn't God, but law. There is no basis in the U.S. Constitution for the edicts of federal judges trying to remove religious symbols from public property. The "separation of church and state" doctrine is formed from an unsupported and overly

2003-08-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

Back in the Saddle Admittedly, my "field research" has included a great deal of recreation. After all, it IS summer. Actually, though, autumn is my favorite time of year for getting out the Jeep and doing some serious recreating, so expect some gaps and scarcity in spots in the months to come, but I doubt I will ever tire of screaming at God.

2003-07-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

Research Break A note to my handful of loyal readers: Summer is upon us, and I dare not ignore her call. Aside from some rest and relaxation, I am also doing some light research for upcoming posts. Rest assured, I will return soon with a fresh cartload of opinion and polemic to share with you.

2003-07-18T20:45:00.000-07:00

Bambi, Beware! WARNING!: If you are an attractive young woman accustomed to jogging nude through the desert outside Las Vegas, Nevada, then you may want to pay close attention to this story. Why? Because someday, when you least expect it, you may just find yourself the target of a ruthless, sex-crazed paintball hunter. Or so the press would have us believe. It's a sordid tale of guns,

2003-07-15T17:50:00.000-07:00

The New Credibility Gap It must be hoax season once again on Capitol Hill. Yes, it's a cheery, colorful time of year when no story is too thin or incredible to make the front page, when editors and reporters alike whistle pleasantly as they cast prudence to the wind and print whatever their fancies may dictate at the moment. Nothing seems to make the presses roll as merrily along as

2003-07-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

International Socialist Conspiracy? "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." - Keyser Soze, The Usual Suspects As time goes by, I become more and more convinced that a relatively small group of people are in charge of and coordinating the International Socialist movement. Of course, positing that secret cabals control any kind of

2003-07-13T07:02:00.000-07:00

Hillary in '04? Still grasping at straws, trying anything and everything to get some kind of usable dirt on Dubya, the Democratic National Committee has resorted to yet another campaign of outright lying. This time, the story is that President Bush was told by a CIA adviser that the "Nigerian uranium story" was false, and that Bush retorted by effectively insisting that the evidence be

2003-07-12T17:19:00.000-07:00

Hello, world! On this day, July 12, 2003, into the great Sea of Anonymity, a fresh new droplet of opinion fell from a cloudy sky. "Who Am I, Why Am I Here?" Some of the 20 to 30 people I expect to actually peruse this blog will know me from my ravings on Free Republic, where I hold forth on a variety of topics. A FReeper friend, windchime to be precise (using flattery, which is

2003-07-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

Captain's Blog, stardate 20030712.163808: Begin captain's blog.