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Forces loyal to embattled Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi scored some strategic gains early today by chasing rebels from at least two towns, apparently in an effort to establish a strategic buffer-zone around the Gaddafi stronghold of Tripoli. They also retook a key coastal oil installation and bombed at least one town in the rebel-held east. But with Gaddafi going onto the offensive, the escalating level of violence is looking more like a real civil war by the day... this one could get real, real ugly-_________________________________________________________________________ AP: One of those retaken was the strategic mountain town of Gharyan, the largest...

Among pundits on the right, there has been disagreement for quite some time over the fundamental motives informing President Obama's agenda. Essentially two schools of thought on the matter have emerged. One school insists that while the president's policy prescriptions are indeed ultimately destructive, he nevertheless genuinely believes that their implementation is what's best for the country. This is the position taken by the likes of, say, Bill O'Reilly and nationally syndicated radio talk show host Michael Medved. Members of the other school are convinced that Obama is resolved to weaken America. Only a determination on his part to diminish...

Accused Arizona shooter Jared Loughner took photographs of himself wearing nothing but a red G-string and holding a Glock 9 mm gun before going on a rampage that injured Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killed six others. The kinky photos were turned over to Tuscon cops by Walgreens staffers just days after Loughner, 22, dropped them off to be developed before Saturday's attack, The New York Times reported today on its website.

French Leader Sarkozy Slams Obama, Warns He Might Be Insane European Times hat tip Kurt A new report circulating in the Kremlin today authored by France’s Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE) and recently “obtained” by the FSB shockingly quotes French President Nicolas Sarkozy as stating that President Barack Obama is “a dangerous[ly] aliéné”, which translates into his, Obama, being a “mad lunatic”, or in the American vernacular, “insane”. According to this report, Sarkozy was “appalled” at Obama’s “vision” of what the World should be under his “guidance” and “amazed” at the American Presidents unwillingness to listen to either “reason” or...

Conclusion All the incredibly cruel and willfully stupid acts by Joseph Stalin cannot be recounted here. But Uncle Joe goes down as yet another failed, heartless, egotistical, bloodthirsty, unjust, rude, and functionally illiterate Marxist tyrant. Stalin killed many of the best people in society out of fear, which had especially bad results when Russia was attacked by Nazi Germany, as most of the experienced Red Army officers had already been executed in the Great Terror. He was also a horrific economic planner, because he had no training and was too vain to admit he needed any, and so his centrally...

Why it's sane for Kim Jong-il to be crazy Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:28am EDT By Andrew Marshall, Asia Political Risk Correspondent - Analysis SINGAPORE (Reuters) - For those who see North Korean leader Kim Jong-il as a dangerous lunatic prepared to risk the annihilation of his regime by launching a devastating attack on his neighbors, there is no shortage of supporting evidence. He uses platform shoes and bouffant hair to appear taller. His official media churns out hagiographic tales of his almost superhuman talents -- including the world's greatest round of golf, 38 under par with 5 holes in...

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates warned North Korea on Saturday that the United States would not accept it as a nuclear weapons state, as Asian security officials struggled to find a new way to deal with the isolated Communist nation. “We will not stand idly by as North Korea builds the capability to wreak destruction on any target in Asia — or on us,” Mr. Gates told a major defense conference here that has been dominated by North Korea’s test this week of a nuclear device and the firing of at least six short-range missiles, all in defiance of international...

There is one inexplicable fact that the "kumaya" forces in the American Government, and governments around the world for that mater, will never get... Hamas' Politburo Chief, Khaled Mashaal, slammed the door on all Gaza ceasefire proposals Saturday, saying his organization would treat any international peacekeeping force in Gaza as an occupying entity. Speaking after Hamas representatives met with international officials in Cairo to discuss ceasefire proposals, Mashaal added that Hamas would not accept the inspection of the numerous smuggling tunnels in Gaza by international observers. "The objective of the war in Gaza is to subdue the Palestinian people and...

Between his first and second bursts of gunfire, the Virginia Tech gunman mailed a package to NBC headquarters in New York containing photos of him brandishing guns, and video of him delivering an angry, profanity-laced tirade about rich kids and hedonism. "You forced me into a corner and gave me only one option,'' 23-year-old Cho Seung-Hui, who killed himself after the shooting rampage on Monday, said in the video portion of the package that NBC received on Wednesday and turned over to the FBI. "Do you know what it feels like to be humiliated and impaled upon the cross? Thanks...

"And the idea was, the shark comes to the nearest man, that man, he starts poundin' and hollerin' and screamin', sometime's the shark goes away, sometimes he wouldn't go away. Sometime's that shark, he looks right into ya, right into your eyes. And another thing about that shark. He's got lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, he doesn't seem to be livin'. Until he bites you." Quint from Jaws

Tough sanctions on Iran to punish it for pursuing uranium enrichment would be counter-productive, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said before major powers met to discuss possible measures on Tuesday. "We believe it is irresponsible to impose these kind of sanctions," Lavrov told reporters on the margins of a meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Brussels.

Today at 8 pm Eastern, at the request of Iran, the entire unedited (and unhinged) version of Mike Wallace’s interview with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be broadcast on C-SPAN.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday, “The day of happiness for the region is near… The world is on the verge of great changes,” according to the Iranian news agency. Ahmadinejad added that he considered Israel’s operation in Lebanon “a type of playing with fire.” (Dudi Cohen)

Howard Dean says Democrats must have faith in their ability to attract religious voters. The former presidential candidate, who will speak at this weekend's Oregon Democratic Convention in Eugene, says his party must do a better job of winning the support of evangelical Christians, who have voted Republican in recent elections. To that end, Dean recently appeared on Pat Robertson's "700 Club." The appearance wasn't without its bumps. Dean had to later apologize to gay-rights leaders for incorrectly stating during the program that the party's platform said "marriage is between a man and a woman." Still, Dean, the chairman of...

Dean said that "one of the misconceptions about the Democratic Party is that we're godless and that we don't have any values." The Vermont liberal is trying to change that. Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean told CBN News that his party has a lot in common with the evangelical community. Dean wants evangelicals and other conservative Christians to know that Democrats have something to offer them. "The truth is, we have an enormous amount in common with the Christian community, and particularly with the evangelical Christian community,” Dean said. But the Democrats’ record on hot political issues such as abortion,...

The head of the Democratic Party said Wednesday that unchecked U.S. reliance on foreign oil helps fund terrorists and the nation must address its energy needs in a way that creates jobs. Howard Dean, in a speech to the American Jewish Committee, said new industries should emerge to develop alternative fuel sources. The other option, he said, is continued support of Islamic schools that teach hatred of the United States and Israel. "We are committed to ending our standing while our oil money (provides) indirect funding of fundamentalist Islamic schools all over the world," he said. Dean took a swipe...

What's the deal with all the dead scientists?

WASHINGTON (AFP) - America's ongoing military entanglement in Iraq (news - web sites) has become President George Bush (news - web sites)'s Vietnam, US Senator Edward Kennedy, a leading member of the opposition Democratic party, said. The harsh words refer to the US role and ultimate defeat in the 1964-1975 Vietnam war. Iraq is "clearly is George Bush's Vietnam," said Kennedy, speaking on CBS's "Face The Nation" program. Kennedy then blasted Bush's claim in an interview in Sunday's Washington Post that his Iraq policy was endorsed by the US public because of his November 2004 re-election victory. "I think that's...

Carville: Democrats Should Resist Bush's 'Dangerous Second-Term Agenda' By Jimmy Moore Talon News January 14, 2005 Democratic strategist James Carville is asking for a commitment from one million activists to "stand strong in the face of Republican" initiatives in 2005 to counter President George W. Bush's "bullying political tactics and his dangerous second-term agenda." In an e-mail to Democratic supporters on Thursday, Carville said he is looking at this new year and decided to have "a fighting spirit" to counter the "Republicans' malarkey." Carville said Republicans want people to think the recent presidential election was about a mandate from the...

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - The New Year's Eve celebrations in the small community of Paraiba do Sul will honor a figure the town's mayor says hasn't been honored anywhere else in the West - the late Yasser Arafat. Moments before the clock rings in 2005, a fireworks and light show will serve as a backdrop to the unveiling of a life-sized statue of the Palestinian leader holding the traditional symbol of peace, the olive branch. The 5-foot, 7-inch bronze statue will be part of an open-air memorial that includes a marble map of Palestine and a replica of the...

NEW YORK (AP) - George Soros' dream is President Bush losing in November - and so far, the billionaire philanthropist has donated nearly $13 million to independent groups that also want to turn that vision into reality. "I'm merely putting my money where my mouth is," Soros told The Associated Press. After surviving the Nazi occupation of his native Hungary and giving away billions of his self-made fortune to charitable causes, Soros is entering national politics in a big way for the first time. He says he is too disturbed by Bush's policies to do nothing. "This is not a...

Student From London Charged With Murdering Prominent British Literary Agent 5/30/04 9:02PM GMT Authorities have charged a student with murdering the prominent British literary agent Rod Hall, whose clients included the writers of films such as "Calendar Girls," "The Full Monty" and "Billy Elliot," police said Sunday. Hall, 53, was found dead in his southeast London home on May 23 after a friend reported him missing. An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. Usman Durrani, 20, a student from east London, was charged late Saturday with his murder and is...

North Korea reports on its national evening TV news from Pyongyang 23 November(with the usual vitriol and staged excitement), that they have now tabulated the number of honorable titles of respect assigned to the 'Great Leader' dictator Kim Jong-il.The North Korean male TV reporter emotionally announces these have been flooding in "from all over the world." They are such titles of respect and endearment as: "The Undefeated General", and "Wise Man Born of Heaven", and "Teacher of Philosophies", "Son of the Sun", etc. etc. etc., ad nauseum....Please don't take my word for it. VIEW THE BRIEF STREAMING VIDEOS HERE:Cut...

Road Map To Nowhere The president's "road map to peace," which is blowing up in his face even as I write this, was riddled with defects to begin with. It does not recognize the basic facts of the conflict. It ignores the rule of law. It turns normal human behavior upside down. The basic facts of the conflict are that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip is illegal. Israel was ordered to withdraw from those territories by the United Nations Security Council in 1967, when Israeli forces in the Six-Day War captured them....

In the days, weeks and months following September 11, 2001, George W. Bush both surprised and impressed me with his handling of a national crisis. Like many who watched Bush squeak into office via the Supreme Court’s intervention, I didn’t expect much of Dubya. Yet he appeared to grow into the job and handled 9-11 with an adroit mixture of compassion and anger. Maybe, I thought, this guy might be up to the job after all. That was then. This is now. Now I’m not so sure. As Bush prepares to lead us into war with Iraq, a war that...

BREAKING NEWS: U.S. INTERCEPTS IRAQI TRANSMISSION TO ACTIVATE CHEMICAL WEAPONS IMMEDIATELYThat is correct. Saddam has sent orders to Republican Guard in the field to activate weapons that Iraq claim 'do not exist.'

As the United States prepares for war on Iraq, one of the challenges for its intelligence experts and for those of Britain, its ally is to understand the psychology of President Saddam Hussein. What will he do if cornered? Will he try to bring down the temples around him? Intelligence specialists are poring over maps of Iraq, pinpointing the main dams, oilfields and refineries that the Iraqi leader might sabotage in order to disrupt the advance of US troops. They are working out what to do if he takes Westerners hostage, uses human shields or seeks to attack Israel or...

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