It comes as no surprised that France, the nation that owes its survival through the 20^th century to the United States, has taken a position obstructing the use of force against Iran. The nation that allegedly profited from the UN oil for food program via under the table dealings with Saddam Hussein could be looking to strike a similar deal with the Iranians. Appeasement has been their tool and they have used it to work against the interest of the West; while working in their own self interest.

September 25, 2006 -- HAVING failed to stop war in Iraq, French President Jacques Chirac is determined to prevent a similar fate befalling Iran.

"There will be no war against Iran," Chirac is reported to have told a special emissary of the Islamic Republic who visited him in Paris last week. "Anything other than negotiations would be resolutely opposed by France." History may not be repeating itself, but it is hard not to remember similar pledges Chirac gave to Saddam Hussein up to March 2003, just weeks before the U.S.-led Coalition invaded Iraq. New York Post

Is there no limit to the appeasement of islamo-fascist terrorists and the nations that sponsor them on the part of the French? It is common to hear people say that those who do not learn from history are domed to repeat its mistakes. What if Hitler had been stopped in 1938, would France not have been spared countless deaths and immeasurable suffering? We are facing a similar scenario in 2006; an anti-Semitic leader whose sights are set on world domination and the extermination of Israel stands poised on the brink of acquiring nuclear technology. Do the French want to stop history from repeating itself? No, they are naïve enough to believe that they can negotiate their way through this crisis and use sanctions to stop Iran.

Sanctions only work when you have leverage behind them. The leverage here is all in the oil fields of Iran. Sanctions will not work because Iran will sell its oil to any number of nations and trade will continue despite United Nations sanctions. The recent circus side show that took place during the UN’s General Assembly demonstrates that the impotent world body is incapable of enforcing anything against rogue nations. Its time has come and gone, they just haven’t realized it yet. It took Iraq’s ignoring 17 UN resolutions before the United States said ENOUGH! Are we going to replay this scenario again with Iran? If the French have their way we surely will.

Here are the latest stories from the war against islamo-fascist terror. The mainstream media probably will give these little play because they do not fit their anti-war agenda, but I bring you excerpts and links so that you will know what is taking place:

Latest Al Qaeda Leader in Iraq Killed

BAGHDAD -- British troops in Iraq said on Monday they had killed a senior al Qaeda figure who escaped from a U.S. prison in Afghanistan in 2005.

Omar Faruq was shot dead while resisting arrest during a pre-dawn raid by about 200 British troops in Iraq's second biggest city, Basra, British military spokesman Major Charlie Burbridge said. NewsMax

People of Baghdad Seeing Results from U.S.-Iraqi Operation

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2006 – Combined U.S.-Iraqi operations in Baghdad have produced real results for citizens there, who are seeing improvements in their neighborhoods and basic services and who report a stronger feeling of security, a top U.S. general in the area said today.

As neighborhoods are cleared of violence through Operation Together Forward, Iraqi citizens are slowly returning to their everyday lives and gaining more confidence in the military and police forces, Army Maj. Gen. James D. Thurman, commander of Multinational Division Baghdad, said in a news conference from Iraq. DoD

General Hayden Estimates 5,000 Terrorists Killed or Captured

WASHINGTON -- At least 5,000 terrorists have been captured or killed since 9/11, Gen. Michael V. Hayden, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, said in an interview.

Most of the terrorists have been rolled up by the CIA or with the agency's help. In some cases, the agency has killed terrorists, either with its paramilitary officers or its armed Predator drone aircraft. In other cases, the agency has fed leads to the military, the FBI, and foreign countries leading to capture of terrorists. CIA officers often participate in their capture as well.

"Al-Qaida's core operational leadership has been decimated, and their successors are in hiding or on the run," according to Hayden. NewsMax

Coalition Routs Taliban, Extremists in Ghazni

We are at a time in the course of global history when the bond between the Jewish faith and the Christian faith are closer perhaps than ever before. Both peoples suffer the wrath of Islamic attacks on many fronts and it is through the bond of peace and friendship that is growing between the two communities that we will weather this storm. As a devout Catholic I pray for the safety of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI daily. I am not a Jewish scholar but have a basic understanding of the meaning of this important Jewish High Holy day. Hopefully my Jewish readers will forgive my rudimentary explanation of Rosh Hashanah.

Friday is Rosh Hashanah; the Jewish New Year, during which they celebrate the birth of the world. The ten days beginning with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom Kippur are known as the Days of Awe. This is a time for introspection and is regarded as a time to repent for the sins of the previous year before Yom Kippur; when the Jewish faithful atone for sins between Man and God.

It is my understanding that Jewish tradition holds that God has books in which he write their names. In these books He determines who will live or die, and who will have a good upcoming year and who will have a bad year. On Rosh Hashanah, these books are written in, but the actions of repentance, prayer, and good deeds by the faithful during the days of Awe can alter God’s decree. This is a time when the Jewish community is deeply engaged taking account of their relationship with God and their fellow man.

Although I am a Catholic, I see the value of ten days of introspection and when done properly it can give a person time and passion to change the course of their life for the better. One of the most valuable customs during this time is seek reconciliation with people you may have wronged during the course of the year. This is a lesson which many people of all faiths around the world would benefit from. To atone for sins against another person, you must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you committed against them if possible.

This practice of reflection and atonement is truly inspirational; it would be too much to expect the practitioners of radical Islam to ever consider such a concept. A people so consumed with hate that the live by the sword; swore to convert, force to submit, or kill all infidels. As Jews around the world begin Days of Awe, Muslims around the world will undoubtedly be engaged in their deadly quest of hate. For my Jewish brothers I give the following piece, I received it via the internet and it was unsigned so to the anonymous author I give full credit. In a world of hate one must learn:

How to Handle Haters

A hater is someone that is jealous and envious and spends all their time trying to make you look small so they can look tall.

When you make your mark, you will always attract some haters... That's why you have to be careful who you share your blessings and your dreams with because some folk can't handle seeing you blessed...

It's dangerous to be like somebody else... If God wanted you to be like somebody else He would have given you what he gave them.

You don't know what people have gone through to get what they have...
(The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they don't know my story...) If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, you can rest assured that the water bill is higher there too.

We've all got some haters among us; some people don't like it that you can:

* Come to church
* Get your praise on
* Bless His Holy Name
* Haters don't want to see you happy
* Haters don't want to see you succeed
* Haters don't want you get the victory

Most of our haters are people that are supposed to be on our side. How do you handle the haters who you at least expect to have your guard up against? You can handle your haters by:

1. Knowing who you are & who your true friends are
2. Having a purpose
3. By remembering what you have is by divine prerogative and not human manipulation.

Purpose does not mean having a job. You can have a job and still be unfilled. A purpose is having a clear sense of what God has called you to be. Your purpose is not defined by what others think about you.

You will always be trying to get stuff because the more stuff you have will improve what others think about you, but what others think will last as long as the stuff last.

When God gives you favor, you can tell your haters, "Don't look at me...Look at who is in charge of me...

Remember, it isn't about you, but it's all about God.

Have a blessed Rosh Hashanah.

In the age of instant information the American memory seems to have gotten as short as its attention span. Many people think that 9/11 was the first attack on the United States by islamo-fascist terrorists. It is amazing how few people remember the first World trade Center attack, which took place way back in 1993. Is it any wonder that islamo-fascist terror groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and leaders like Iranian President Ahmadinejad have been embraced by the globalists in this Nation? Just think that under President Clinton Yasser Arafat was welcomed with open arms to the White House; President Bush allowed Iranian President Ahmadinejad to enter the Country in New York to speak at the United Nations and promote his agenda.

Both cases drew sharp criticism from our allies in Israel. How can the United States continue to welcome terrorist sponsors onto its soil? Recall the post 9/11 speech in which President Bush said that terrorists and ALL THOSE WHO SPONSOR THEM would be brought to justice. Israel’s Ambassador to the UN said the following:

"We didn't think it was correct to honor this man with our presence. I am very sorry that he was even allowed to speak at the U.N.," Danny Gillerman, Israel's ambassador to the U.N., said.

"I ask myself if the American administration didn't have an opportunity, even at the expense of violating its agreements with the U.N., not to give an entrance visa to this man," Gillerman told Israel Radio. Story

I would go a step further and suggest that the United States should have taken this man into custody and potentially saved millions of lives in the process. The Iranian President has been compared to Hitler, especially in light of his vehement denial that the Holocaust ever took place. Imagine the millions of lives that would have been saved if Hitler had been taken into custody in 1938! This missed opportunity will be measured in time by the actions this lunatic takes in his loudly proclaimed quest to establish a world wide caliphate in preparation for the return of the 12^th Imam.

Islamo-fascist terror has been at work globally for centuries, it is not a new phenomenon. While there are many who embrace Islam as a religion of peace there are growing numbers who interpret the religion as a call to force people to convert, submit, or die. Islamic defenders often point to the crusades of the middle ages as an example of the barbarism of Christianity. It is true that this was a violent time in Christian history, interestingly enough; they were fighting Islam as it spread across Europe.

The persecution of Christians by Islam can best be measured by their oppression of the Greek Orthodox religion under the Ottoman Empire and the sacking of Constantinople. To this day, even in the allegedly secular nation of Turkey, Orthodox Christians are reduced to second class citizens. Amazingly enough, today’s islamo-fascist terrorists have expressed their outrage at the Catholic Pope’s speech last week by fire bombing Greek Orthodox churches in the Palestinian territories. I suppose a Christian is a Christian to them, but when the West speaks of Islamic terror, there is an indignant response that not all Muslims are the same.

The United States and its interests abroad have been under attack by islamo-fascist terror for roughly 30 years. The war between Europe and Islamic terror goes back centuries! The lack of knowledge about the history of islamo-fascist attacks on the United States is perhaps the byproduct of a liberal influence in the American school system. The teaching of multiculturalism and the rewriting of history books in a politically correct way so as to offend nobody have produce generations of uneducated children who are now ignorant adults. Where we could once turn to the Universities to give young adults a well rounded education, we now see that they only make left turns around the campus. For those who are historically challenged, here is a timeline of the most notable islamo-fascist terrorist attacks on the United States and its interests over the past 27 years:

1. Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979
2. Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983
3. Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983
4. Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988
5. First New York World Trade Center attack 1993
6. Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996
7. Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998
8. Dares Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998
9. Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000
10. New York World Trade Center 2001, the Pentagon, and Flight 93
    

This list does not include attacks in Australia, Indonesia, India, Britain, France, Spain and many more countries around the world. The religion of peace has been working very hard to dispel this moniker over the last three decades. Yet there are politicians around the world who continue to try to negotiate with them. By negotiating with them we legitimize them and they view this as a weakness which they continue to exploit. The latest example of Islamic attack may have been the bloodless coup that occurred in Thailand yesterday.

Muslim army commander General Sondhi Boonyaratkalin sent tanks and troops into the streets of Bangkok while Prime Minister Thaskin was in New York for the meeting of the UN General Assembly. Naturally the General has pledged loyalty to the 78 year old Monarch as he declared martial law saying that military control of the Nation would be temporary. Only time will tell if this is the case, but many a coup has begun with one pretext only to have its real agenda revealed once complete control is established. The reasons for deposing the Prime Minister:

Across the capital, Thais who trickled out onto barren streets welcomed the surprise turn of events as a necessary climax to months of demands for Thaksin to resign amid allegations of corruption, electoral skullduggery and a worsening Muslim insurgency in the south. Story

As I wrote in Pope Burned In Effigy, Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech (Transcript) in his native Germany last week that has sparked controversy world wide outrage among Islamic Communities. While the nature of the speech was not a direct slam of Islam, any mention of the religion in any way leads to violent response from the Islamic Community. The Pope's speech was about faith and reason and the need for both when diverse cultures in the violent world we live in today. The controversy came when he quoted from a 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor.

It is interesting that the Pope was speaking about faith and reason and the reaction to his speech has been anything but that. Despite apologies over the weekend for any offense caused by his speech, Islamic communities around the world have rioted, burning churches and calling for the death of Pope Benedict XVI. In London, the Evening Standard had the following::

A notorious Muslim extremist told a demonstration in London yesterday that the Pope should face execution.

Anjem Choudary said those who insulted Islam would be "subject to capital punishment". Evening Standard

This is what we have come to expect whenever radical Islamic people perceive something as offensive; violence, riots, killing , etc. How can the so called religion of “peace” call for the death of the Pope for quoting from a 14^th century Emperor while making his case for faith and reason in an increasingly violent world? Are they not, in effect, demonstrating the very traits that they found offensive in the quote from the 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II?

"The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war," the pope said. "He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."' FoxNews

Simply think back a couple of weeks to the release of two Fox News correspondents from captivity at the hands of islamo-fascist terrorists. They won their release by submitting to their forced conversion to Islam. Is this not akin to spreading their faith by the sword? Naturally, any event that is inflamed by Islamic radicals to this magnitude will invite comment from Al Qaeda:

The Mujahedeen Shura Council, an umbrella organization of Sunni Arab extremist groups that includes Al Qaeda in Iraq, issued a statement on a Web forum vowing to continue its holy war against the West. The authenticity of the statement could not be independently verified.

The group said Muslims would be victorious and addressed the pope as "the worshipper of the cross" saying "you and the West are doomed as you can see from the defeat in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya and elsewhere. ... We will break up the cross, spill the liquor and impose head tax, then the only thing acceptable is a conversion (to Islam) or (killed by) the sword." Fox News

Again we see the same edict: convert to Islam or be killed by the sword. Contrast this to the Pope’s speech on Faith and Reason (Transcript) and you see that the Catholic Church has grown since the dark ages yet Islam is still mired in the same mentality. How is it that the infidels have evolved beyond the days of the crusades and inquisition yet the islamo-fascist terrorist still live in a convert or die world? I pray daily for the safety of the Pope and for all the churches and parishioners who bear the wrath of the insulted Muslims. I would seem that they don’t need any help exposing their blood thirsty quest to force conversion or death upon the world, their actions demonstrate it daily. It would seem that Islam is not content with fighting the United States, they now wish to take on the Catholic Church as well. It is not a surprise that the actions of Islamo-fascist terrorists draws comparison to the dark ages.

Proving once again that appeasement does not work, a European Nation has been moved to the top of Al Qaeda’s hit list. Al Zawahiri has called for attacks against France, who he calls a “Crusader Nation”; this comes despite the fact that France has openly opposed the United States’ war on islamo-fascist terror. You just can please some people.

PARIS -- Deputy al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has urged a militant Algerian Islamist group to punish "Crusader nation" France, even though it vehemently opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq, a newspaper said on Thursday.

The Le Figaro daily cited a security expert who had reviewed the entire tape, released on Monday, in which Zawahiri called on the Algerian GSPC group to become "a bone in the throat of the American and French crusaders." NewsMax

A large number of Americans look at the French with disgust, remembering well how this Nation saved their collective . . . in two world wars. The repayment we get is continual slaps in the face at every turn and French open defiance to nearly all aspects of American foreign policy. Throw in the condescending tone and overall arrogance of the French and it leaves an American wondering how Al Qaeda can group these two nations together. The answer is quite simple; both nations are full of infidels.

Sure we all know how the French took superficial measures to ban head scarves but they succumbed to the will of Islamic rioters and have dealt in secret with Islamic nations for years. Just read Bill Gertz’s book “Treachery” and you will see a shopping list of French arms that have been used in many conflicts in the Middle East. Include their participation in Saddam’s Oil for Food scandal and you have a French Nation that has done everything possible to appease radial Islamists; everything except converting to Islam.

I must repeat again the clearly stated objective of the islamo-fascist movement. They will convert or kill all infidels as they work to create the world wide caliphate that they believe will precede the return of the 12^th Imam. They are singular in focus on this issue and they view every non-Muslim as an infidel to be dealt with. It is time to take these people seriously and stop with the diplomatic rhetoric. They won’t negotiate, they can’t be bought, and they must be fought.

Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech (Transcript) in his native Germany that has sparked controversy world wide outrage among Islamic Communities.  While the nature of the speech was not a direct slam of Islam, any mention of the religion in any way leads to violent response from the Islamic Community.  Fox News is reporting that they burned an effigy of the Pope in India and protest spread throughout the world: The AP published this photo of the incident.

 

Muslim students burn an effigy of Pope Benedict XVI at a protest rally in Allahabad, India, Friday, Sept. 15, 2006. A growing chorus of Muslim leaders has called on the Pope to apologize for the alleged derogatory comments made by him about Islam. 

Benedict quoted from a book recounting a conversation between 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II and a Persian scholar on the truths of Christianity and Islam.  

"The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war," the pope said. "He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."' FoxNews  

The Pope's speech was about faith and reason and the need for both when diverse cultures in the violent world we live in today.  He clearly stated that he was quoting 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II, but Muslims across the world have taken this as a push to revive the Crusades. 

Salih Kapusuz, a deputy leader of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party, said Benedict's remarks were either "the result of pitiful ignorance" about Islam and its prophet, or a deliberate distortion. 

"He has a dark mentality that comes from the darkness of the Middle Ages. He is a poor thing that has not benefited from the spirit of reform in the Christian world," Kapusuz was quoted as saying by the state-owned Anatolia news agency. "It looks like an effort to revive the mentality of the Crusades." FoxNews  

The reactions of the Islamic world to anything they consider to be inappropriate continues to be violent.  We can only pray that the violence doesn't find its way to the Vatican in response to this speech.  How can Muslims be taken as peaceful when every expression of anything negative regarding Islam is taken as a call for violence.  Those on the Left who want to embrace the people of the so called religion of peace should take note of how free speech easily sparks the tinder box of radical Islam.

As the Left continues to push for the legal rights of enemy combatants captured in the War on islamo-fascist terror, we get another glaring example of why military tribunals are necessary. The Judge presiding over the trial of Saddam Hussein said yesterday that he did not believe the deposed leader of Iraq was a dictator. This comes despite a preponderance of evidence of his genocide, corruption at the expense of his people, and overall oppression of the people of Iraq. MyWay News has the following story:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The chief judge in Saddam Hussein's genocide trial said Thursday that he does not believe Saddam was a dictator.

Judge Abdullah al-Amiri made the remark in a friendly exchange with the deposed leader, a day after the prosecution said the judge should step down because he is biased toward the defense. Saddam and his co-defendants are being tried on charges of committing atrocities against Kurds in northern Iraq nearly two decades ago. MyWay

If this is an indication of the Left’s idea of a fair trial, they have succeeded in revealing to the world what a farce these trials are. Imagine the three ring circus that will surround trials of detainees at Guantanamo. In fact, by these standards, trials of enemy combatants might as well be held in the 9^th circuit! This type of judicial misconduct is a microcosm of the farce that has become the international legal system. Take for example the trial of Slobodan Milosovich at the Hague; the trial was marked by controversy that went on so long that the accused died in jail.

Today President Bush goes to Capitol Hill to push for the ability to use, what many believe are his constitutionally provided, war powers. In a war unlike any other, the United States faces a foe that has no national identity, no uniforms, and does not abide by the accepted code of conduct established by the Geneva Conventions. They dress as civilians and strike non-military targets with impunity; then, those who do not kill themselves in the attack fade back into the civilian landscape. American Soldiers are held to such a high standard, that, under these conditions, they face a court martial if they kill a civilian!

In effect, one side of this war, American troops, will face military courts while the opposing forces may wind up facing civilian courts. How can this be the case in a war? Naturally the response from the Left will be that, as Americans, we must be held to a higher standard. This is why President Bush is going to Capitol Hill today and why he must be given the war powers afforded him by the constitution. It may be an unconventional war in the traditional sense but it is a war none-the-less.

WASHINGTON — President Bush will be facing a tough crowd as he steps behind closed doors to ask House Republicans divided by the politics of war to support his drive for more power to spy on, imprison and interrogate terrorism suspects. Story

The United States continued today to tell the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency that Iran is aggressively seeking nuclear weapons. What is new about this; “nothing” both in the sense that the majority of sane people realize that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons and in the sense that it falls on deaf ears at the United Nations. The result is always the same; another UN resolution. 

American Envoy Gregory Schulte told the IAEA board of governors in Vienna that "The time has come for the (U.N.) Security Council to back international diplomacy with international sanctions," he said." This would be funny if it wasn’t such a serious issue. Iran has the economic leverage and plenty of markets to sell its oil to. Just look at the profiteering that Saddam Hussein engaged in through the Oil for Food program while under UN sanctions. Iran has and will laugh at UN sanctions and continue to what it wishes while the community of global diplomats scurries about in pointless exercises to appease them. 

When will the United States pull its head out and stop working through the United Nations? Kofi Anan just paid Iran a visit and nothing has happened; UN sanctions have been threatened and nothing has happened; Secretary Rice has lost her backbone and noting has happened. Diplomacy will not work with the islamo-fascist ideology that is driving the Iranian regime. It is an all or noting ideology with no room for infidels. Enough with the diplomacy and saber rattling already! It is time to decide whether we are willing to live with a nuclear Iran or if we are ready to take the necessary preemptive action.

What appears to be an Al Qaeda related group was stopped dead in its tracks as it attempted to attack the United States embassy in Damascus, Syria. The attack was carried out by terrorists armed with guns, grenades and a van filled with explosives. Syrian Security has been credited with stopping the attack by Secretary of State Rice, and while links to Al Qaeda are suspected, it has not been confirmed.  

Islamic militants tried to storm the U.S. Embassy in Damascus on Tuesday using automatic rifles, hand grenades and at least one van rigged with explosives, the government said. Four people were killed in the brazen attack, including three of the assailants, but no Americans were hurt.  

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. An Al Qaeda offshoot group called Jund al-Sham was suspected, said Syria's ambassador to the U.S., Imad Moustapha, in comments to a major news network. The radical fundamentalist group has been blamed for several attacks in Syria in recent years, he said. Story 

If it is determined to be Al Qaeda, it is their latest failure in an attempt to reclaim the terrorist spotlight; a spotlight that has shifted from them to Hezbollah and Hamas. Hiding in the caves of Afghanistan and getting slaughtered in Iraq, the once prominent terrorist organization is now but a shell of its former self.  

In an attempt to reclaim the spotlight, Al Zawahiri released a video yesterday warning of impending attacks in the Middle East. Naturally the only glimpse there has been of Bin Laden was a pre-911 video, and AL Qaeda has suffered tremendous losses in Iraq; what it has called the central front in its war against the United States and its allies. This confirms Bush was right in selecting the battlefield in the war on terror and has effectively routed Al Qaeda in Iraq. It appears that with its network crumbling, Al Qaeda is turning it attention to its own back yard. 

Al Qaeda's No. 2, Ayman al-Zawahiri, condemned U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon as enemies of Islam and warned the terror group will strike the Persian Gulf and Israel, suggesting new fronts in its war against the West in a video Monday marking the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Story

As we remember the terrorist attack from 9/11/01 I ask you to pray for the families and friends of all those who died in New York, at the Pentagon, and in the field in Pennsylvania.  This is a time to stop from partisan political posturing and reflect on the event that changed our lives profoundly.

The sacrifice of the first responders at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon as well as the bravery of the passengers on Flight 93 should be commemorated and they should be prayed for on this day.  This should remind us that terror can strike at any time and it is the first responders and the American people who will face this evil should it raise its demonic head again.

This should also serve as a time to pray for the brave men and women who are fighting over seas, on the central battlefields of the war on terror.  Their brave sacrifice and dedication to stopping the forces of terror from spreading their ideology like a plague around the world is all that stands between us and full blown global terror.  Pray for them as they fight to stop this evil from spreading.

Remember what took place on September 11, 2001 and never forget.  Remember how you felt on that day as you watched people jumping from the World Trade Center, the towers collapsing, the devastating crater in the Pentagon and field in which Flight 93 went down, its brave passengers aborting its flight to the Nations Capitol.  As Americans we should reflect and pray on this day.

Bill Bennett has gotten the boot from Chicago radio! The management at conservative talk radio station WIND 560 has decided that they need a local flavor to their morning drive and sent the brilliant Dr. Bennett packing. According to a column that appeared in the Sun Times, http://www.suntimes.com/index/feder.html, they were looking to boost their ratings and at local talent to their lineup.

The result is that they have hired a long time Country Music Radio host and local musician “Big” John Howell and given him a side kick named Cisco Cotto. They have done this to try to compete with WLS 890 radio hosts Don and Roma, a husband and wife team that is a Hannity and Colmes want-to-be as Don is the conservative and Roma is a liberal.

Apparently Chicago is a big city that does not deserve national talent, they “need” local flavor. There are numerous talk radio stations in this market that offer local talent and that is what made WIND 560 stand out in this market. They were the GO TO station for national talk radio. One has to ask who is going to be the next National talent kicked out of Chicago for local yokels? Laura Ingraham is in the time slot immediately following Bill Bennett, is the WIND going to blow her out of town as well? If you have any comments on this matter you can contact the station ‘s General Manager Dave Santrella.  dsantrella@salemradiochicago.com

We live in a Nation where the liberal Left attacks the Bush Administrations war against Islamic radicals; all those outspoken feminist liberals who bash the Bush Administration for its war against islamo-fascist need to take a look at the story developing in Saudi Arabia. MyWay News is reporting:

Officials are considering an unprecedented proposal to ban women from performing the five Muslim prayers in the immediate vicinity of Islam's most sacred shrine in Mecca. Some say women are already being kept away.

The issue has raised a storm of protest across the kingdom, with some women saying they fear the move is meant to restrict women's roles in Saudi society even further. But the religious authorities behind the proposal insist its real purpose is to lessen the chronic problem of overcrowding, which has led to deadly riots during pilgrimages at Mecca in the past. MyWay News

This is a microcosm of life under Islamic law. Women are reduced to minimal status, homosexuals face the severest of penalties, and freedom of speech is a pipe dream under their oppressive social structure. This is what is so puzzling about the Left; they hate President Bush so much that they can’t support the war against an ideology that would institute the severest of penalties against their lifestyles.

Another example of this took place in the Sudan; a newspaper editor was found beheaded in Khartoum. The BBC is reporting that he was tried a year ago for allowing a pro-government newspaper to reprint a story questioning the parentage of the prophet Muhammad. The charges were ultimately dropped, but if convicted he would have been put to death under Sharia law. The BBC reports that the people were not satisfied with the charges having been dropped:

The charges were later dropped but if convicted of blasphemy under Sharia law, he could have been put to death.

The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Khartoum says no-one has claimed responsibility but suspicion will immediately turn to Sudan's hardline Islamic groups.

In May last year, thousands of people demonstrated outside a courtroom in central Khartoum calling for Mr Taha to be put to death. BBC

Apparently someone found a way to impose the sentence that Sharia law would have dictated a year after the fact. Combined with the reactions to the much maligned Danish cartoons, this situation gives us a candid view of life under Sharia law.

• Women reduced to non-existence
• Questioning Islam or its Prophet is punishable by death
• Humor related to the prophet is blasphemy

Where do the liberals in the United States see their lifestyles and human rights falling into place in a world ruled by Sharia law? Perhaps it is time they got on board with the war against islamo-fascist ideology. Bush only has a couple of years left in office; the Left should turn their focus to the real threat to the United States, the Democracy, and the freedoms they enjoy.

The Democrats are actually outraged by something that is coming to network television; it is a show that has not even aired and the Democrats are calling for a recall, a boycott if you will! That’s right, the upcoming ABC miniseries, Path to 9/11, based on the 9/11 commission report is latest focus of the Democrat double standard because it may cast their party and golden boy, former President Bill Clinton, in an unfavorable light. How interesting to hear this from the party whose members flocked to se Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 911 before the 2004 Presidential election. That film did not exactly cast President Bush in a positive light and the creative editing led people to interesting conclusions.

Oh how the worm has turned; the Left sees one of their greatest icon’s image tarnished on network television. Imagine that, they say that the miniseries is not a documentary but a drama and that many elements of the program are made up. This is the same group who proclaimed Michael Moore’s “documentary” to be the unveiling of the truth behind the Bush administration in its eight months prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

I have not seen the program and probably will not. Football season has started and the baseball pennant races are winding down. There is so much more to than watch yet another 9/11 piece whether or not it casts the Democrats in a negative light. What strikes me is the irony that the Democrats cry foul when the shoe is on the other foot.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is apparently planning to come to New York on September 19^th to address the United Nations during the Grand Assembly. He is going to come into the United States to debate his Nation’s nuclear development program in President Bush’s back yard. This comes on the heels of the visit of former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami to the United States.

This is bold defiance in the face of the United States as Khatami openly claimed that American actions in the Middle East have backfired. His contention is that military action has resulted in greater terrorism. Naturally he says nothing about the fact that terrorists have struck American interests both at home and abroad repeatedly since the 1970s. Our military action is reactive and not proactive; a point that many conservatives believe needs to be addressed. Proactive action against Iran is what many believe is needed not reactive.

Now the man who may represent the greatest evil of our lifetime is planning a trip to New York City. Imagine how the Left will turn out to make sure he is properly respected; imagine how the Islamic world will view it as a sign of weakness. Are we expected as a Nation to welcome him to our soil, and the airport is our soil, with open arms? Would we have welcomed Adolf Hitler during WWII?

Make no mistake; this is yet the latest carefully orchestrated publicity stunt from the Iranian President. He has demonstrated that he is intent on achieving his nuclear ambitions and has found a new way to embrace the American media and thumb his nose at President Bush. The media will crucify President Bush if he doesn’t allow him into the country (probably calling it racial profiling) or they will crucify him for letting him in to taunt the United States from floor of the United Nations. It is a no win scenario for the United States.

This is the latest example of why the United Nations as outlived its usefulness in the world. The fact that they would allow a man like Iranian President Ahmadinejad to come to the UN is incomprehensible. He widely acknowledged as a state sponsor of terrorism, he denies that the Holocaust ever happened, and he has declared that he wants to wipe United Nations member Israel off the face of the earth! The United Nations is a farce and should be disbanded, or at least the United States should pull its funding and give them the boot. Surely they would be welcomed in the Middle East or in Europe.