Free Republic

For a writer, I suppose the greatest challenge is to translate that which is immensely personal into something more universal. It would be a great failure on my part if I tried to appeal to those who share similar views. Preaching to the choir is easy and a comfortable way of existence, but I don’t think much good will come out of that.

It’s much easier to stick with your own kind, but without such social interaction and communication, we’ll remain culturally divided, each smug about his beliefs and values without understanding others.

But when views and ideas aren’t tested and challenged, whoever they are from, they end up being dogma, which is antithetical to progress.

Living a comfortable existence is undoubtedly a universal aspiration. That being said, being too content with your own condition breeds complacency.

If we don’t step out of our comfort zones, however, we will get nowhere. And that is if we’re lucky. If we’re not, we can be forced out by the rapidly changing world.

The young Iranians are not too happy with Amadingdong and the Mullocracy.

Ironically, after the dust settled from the World Trade Center Towers, focus was shifted to the "asymmetric" diversionary, distracting occupation in Iraq (feeding the news media with photo ops, "Mission Accomplished" etc.) attention was focused away from the real criminals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the financiers of Sept. 11, 2001 who continue to finance terror. There exists no united constituency in the US for their extinction

The Bush/Cheney et al strategy

1. Get rid of Saddam Hussein and open Pandora's box against the advice of the CIA case officier in Iraq, who correctly advised that a civil war would ensue which elevates the Iranians.

2. Wage war against the Iranians as a diversion to Iraq.

Surreal, like a Fellini movie.

Terrorism Financing: Roots and Trends of Saudi Terrorism Financing, The Seven Financiers of Sept. 11, 2001

In the name of the most compassionate and merciful.

GRAPH: WHY IRAN'S OIL OUTPUT IS FALLING

Iranian Oil and Gas Woes

The above link partially explains the reason for the flight from Iran. Mulahocracy in effect.

Yeah, and look at the mentality of those who remain in Iran. They have to import natural gas into Iran with all the reserves that the country has. It would be like the eskimos importing ice.

Iranian bureaucratic mentality = retard

No, Bush was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple. He is too ignorant, incompetent and indifferent to be Satan.

"confused by your comment about "frogs come out of Bush's mouth".

referring to a quote from the Bible. Spin, denial, damage control and lies spew forth from the son of a worm's mouth.

I don't claim to talk to God, but you can expect the US to be the target of a nuclear attack (compliments of the financing from our Saudi "allies"), probably affecting the city of New York in order to maximize civilian casualties.

If you don't recognize the source of problems involving your "allies", then problems turn into major disasters.

Terrorism Financing: Roots and Trends of Saudi Terrorism Financing

By the way, Bush Jr. is mentioned in the Bible, when he speaks, frogs come out of his mouth, example, "good work, Brownie", our "SAUDI ALLIES".

FUTURE BUSH utterance, "If only we knew, if only we knew" that our "Saudi allies" were involved in financing terrorism which resulted in the second destruction in New York City.

The sands are shifting in the Saudi kingdom, but the direction is still unclear.

The questions began with the out-of-the-blue resignation of Saudi Ambassador to the United States Turki al-Faisal on Monday. Turki said he resigned to spend more time with his family -- the usual excuse given for abrupt diplomatic departures -- but his absence has raised questions in Washington regarding the stability of the Saudi royal family.

There is no question that Turki's brother, 75-year-old Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, is ailing, and that Turki would want to ensure the al-Faisal faction stays intact by assuming his position should Saud end up dying or become incapacitated. But sources in the Saudi Embassy and personal friends of Turki have recently indicated that Turki is not held in high regard by Saudi King Abdullah and may not be getting a promotion after all.

Turki assumed his ambassadorship in Washington after Prince Bandar bin Sultan left the position in June 2005 (also citing personal reasons). Soon after Sultan returned to Riyadh, he assumed an elite position as the secretary-general of Saudi Arabia's National Security Council (NSC) -- a recent creation by Abdullah that was designed to formalize the decision-making process in the Saudi political system and consolidate power for the Sudeiri clan. Turki, meanwhile, was expected to put a fresh face on Saudi Arabia's diplomatic offices in Washington, but apparently did not see eye-to-eye with Abdullah on a number of issues. Tensions between Turki and Abdullah escalated in the wake of the summer war in Lebanon, when Turki furiously objected to private meetings between Bandar and the Israelis. These were primarily consultations on how to put a lid on Iranian aggressions in the region, and had the approval of Abdullah.

There were also deep divisions between Turki and Abdullah over how to safeguard Saudi interests in light of the deteriorating U.S. position in Iraq. Saudi Arabia's senior strategic adviser Nawaf Obeid released a controversial report for the Washington Post on Nov. 29 saying that Saudi Arabia would have no choice but to support a proxy war in Iraq by propping up Sunni militants if the United States were to pull its forces out of Iraq. Turki subsequently fired Obeid from his position as managing director of the Saudi National Security Assessment Project, a Riyadh-based government consultancy.

The idea of Saudi Arabia supporting the Sunni insurgency in Iraq makes a good deal of sense from the Saudi point of view: The Saudis are wholly dependent on the United States for their national security and rely on U.S. troops to block Iran from advancing beyond Iraq and into the oil-rich Saudi deserts. Without a Sunni buffer zone in Iraq, Riyadh's need for U.S. troops to remain in Iraq soars. Now with pressure on the United States to draw down its forces, the Saudis are speaking up to make it clear that the consequences of leaving will be far greater for the United States than toughing it out in Iraq and keeping the Iranians at bay. These sentiments were also echoed during Abdullah's visit with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in November -- a meeting at which Turki was notably absent. The fact that Turki might not get the Foreign Ministry position after all suggests serious implications for the stability of the Saudi regime. Power in the Saudi political structure is shared by the key clans:

1. The Sudeiris, which include Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Aviation Crown Prince Sultan, as well as his sons Bandar, the secretary-general of the NSC, and Prince Khalid, the deputy defense minister; Minister of Interior Prince Nayef and his son Prince Ahmed, the deputy interior minister; and Prince Salman, the governor of Riyadh.

2. The al-Faisals, which include Turki, who formally serves as the country's intelligence chief and ambassador to the United Kingdom, and his brother Saud, the ailing foreign minister.

3. The Abdullah Faction, which includes King Abdullah and his son Prince Mutaib who is deputy commander in the Saudi National Guard. Bandar is reportedly angling for the foreign minister position once Saud is out of the picture. Should Abdullah choose Bandar over Turki, the al-Faisal clan will be squeezed out of the royal hierarchy, paving the way for the Sudeiris to consolidate their control over the al-Saud regime. A disproportionate amount of power allocated to the Sudeiri clan spells trouble for the stability of the Saudi government as competition will intensify among these key rival factions. The outcome of Turki's replacement is still murky, but we will be watching the House of Saud closely for growing signs of a power struggle.

The Saudis have a system of checks and balances, the King takes out his knife or khanjar and sticks it into the @ss of his half brother, shouting, "Take that you Son of a Turki!"

no, right now the American public is in a state of denial just like the President of the United States. If Bush Jr. would have invaded Saudi Arabia back in 2002, 2003 he would have been hailed as a great President. He failed to confront the enemy (again the mental state of denial and damage control), i.e. the finaciers within Saudi Arabia and has lost both Houses of Congress to the opposition.

The very first step in solving a problem, is to recognize the problem, not go into denial or damage control mode.

The US will never solve the problem of terrorism if it does not recognize what the problem is. Iraq was never the source of terrorism, Iraq does not harbor the seven financiers of Sept. 11, 2001 like our "allies" in Saudi Arabia. You don't confront problems, you don't solve them, it's that simple.

What’s human sacrifice if not sending guys off to Iraq for no reason?”

As a diversion, while our Saudi "allies" escape unscathed.

Terrorism Financing: Roots and Trends of Saudi terrorism financing

When the Jews return to Zion. And a comet rips the sky And the Holy Roman Empire rises, Then You and I must die. From the eternal sea he rises, Creating armies on either shore, Turning man against his brother. 'Til man exists no more

You must go and find, Bugenhagen.

This guy is more American than Russian, "whoever dies with the most toys wins!"

"Better to burnout than to fade away"

I'll bet that babe Tina burned her buns, Putin should have a contest for the lucky Ruskie to apply salve on it, put out the fire. OUCH.

thanks for posting.

"Maybe we have not yet drained the cup called Iraq"

What exactly are you saying, Nathan Bedford? A "dinari" (penny) for your thoughts. Please elaborate.

When all else fails, read the directions.

First three words are "Oil Producing countries" nickname is real appropriate, "brilliant"

They suck your blood, then they spit it out!

The movie, Spartacus is one of my favorite films, I have difficulty watching the end of the film (disturbing), the crucifixion with Spartacus, Kirk Douglas (nailed to the cross) watching his baby son below, "Spartacus, your son is free!"

"I want to be champeeon!"
boxer Midge Kelly, (Kirk Douglas) movie, "Champion"

Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus

Seasons Greetings!