State of the Union: Demoralized

So there it is, stark and unmistakable, the Democrats do not wish to win in Iraq and will do nothing to further the cause of victory. - By Mona Charen.

Read on.

Many Democrats Won't Stand For Victory In Iraq

By Lorie Byrd

"During Gen. Petraeus’ confirmation hearing testimony, Joe Lieberman asked the general if Senate resolutions condemning the President’s proposed new policy in Iraq “would give the enemy some comfort.” Patraeus said it would, answering, “That’s correct, sir.”

Hugh Hewitt addressed what it means to “encourage the enemy” saying it “means to increase their will to fight on, and their courage to do so even in the face of the arrival of reinforcements. It also means to increase –substantially—the likelihood of redoubled and retripled efforts on their part to kill American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.”

Hewitt went on to say “Democrats are willing to encourage the enemy if it means hurting George W. Bush. They are willing to disregard the advice of the general they have just sent to do a mission if it serves their political purposes.” That is a pretty bold accusation to make and not one I am eager to embrace, but everything I have seen over the past three years tells me that Hewitt is right and that the behavior did not begin with the current resolution." Read more of Lorie Byrd.

Wealth and Freedom Go Hand In Hand

"It’s a question that has perplexed politicians, philosophers and philanthropists for generations: Why are some countries rich and others poor?" Read more.....

Very, Very Big Corn

Ethanol and its consequences.
OpinionJournal:

"Ostensibly, the great virtue of ethanol is that it represents a 'sustainable,' environmentally friendly source of energy--a source that is literally homegrown rather than imported from such unstable places as Nigeria or Iran.

That's one reason why, as Jerry Taylor and Peter Van Doren note in the Milken Institute Review, federal and state subsidies for ethanol ran to about $6 billion last year, equivalent to roughly half its wholesale market price. Ethanol gets a 51-cent a gallon domestic subsidy, and there's another 54-cent a gallon tariff applied at the border against imported ethanol. Without those subsidies, hardly anyone would make the stuff, much less buy it--despite recent high oil prices.

That's also why the percentage of the U.S. corn crop devoted to ethanol has risen to 20% from 3% in just five years, or about 8.6 million acres of farmland. Reaching the President's target of 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels by 2017 would, at present corn yields, require the entire U.S. corn harvest." (Emphasis added - HH)

Read on.

The Other Russia

The man who would checkmate Vladimir Putin.
OpinionJournal:

"As the longtime world chess champion, Garry Kasparov was a famously aggressive player. His latest game is politics, and his style is equally aggressive. 'Our goal is to dismantle the regime,' he says, speaking of the political coalition he leads to bring down Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Kasparov's Putin antipathy is well known to readers of this newspaper, of which he is a contributing editor. 'I Was Wrong About Putin,' was the headline on his Jan. 9, 2001, op-ed article for this page. One year into Mr. Putin's presidency, Mr. Kasparov sounded an early warning about a man whose 'KGB roots have informed a style of governance that is neither reformist nor particularly democratic.' Since then, Mr. Kasparov has scarcely let up, retiring from chess in March 2005 in part to devote himself to politics." Continue.

Experts debate North Korea's future

In an earlier post, I noted a report that was claiming Kim Jong-Sicko had not been seen recently and it was under speculation he may be under house arrest.

If the story were true, I asked what the ramifications would be if there were to be a regime change. Would it be a positive development, or more of the same?

A story in the AP Wire, 'Experts debate North Korea's future,' attempts to answer this question.

"Pei Minxin, head of the China program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, said the best policy is to contain the current regime and 'see them out,' he said.

'North Korea's demise is a given,' he said, noting that Kim is 65 and his health is not the best.

'He's overweight. He has no heir in his family, and the record of history shows that that kind of regime has an impossible task picking an heir outside the family.'

Geun Lee, an international relations professor at Seoul National University, said he would support gradual regime change providing it doesn't produce 'disastrous consequences.'

'But that is very unpredictable,' he acknowledged."

Read more.

What's old is new all over again......

This was sent to me, I am not sure of its' author. When you think about it, it makes some very interesting and valid points, no?

"She had the best music on her station and most people just laughed.

Tokyo Rose During World War II -- the Japanese developed a way to demoralize the American forces. Psychological warfare experts developed a message they felt would work.

They gave the script to their famous broadcaster 'Tokyo Rose' and every day she would broadcast this same message packaged in different ways, hoping it would have a negative impact on American GI's morale.

What was that demoralizing message? It had three main points:

1. Your President is lying to you.

2. This war is illegal.

3. You cannot win the war.

Does this sound familiar? Is it because Tokyo Hillary, Tokyo Harry, Tokyo John, Tokyo Teddy, Tokyo Nancy, etc. have picked up the same message and are broadcasting it on Tokyo CNN, Tokyo ABC, Tokyo CBS,Tokyo NBC, etc., to our troops?

The only difference is that they claim to support our troops before they demoralize them.

Come to think of it, Tokyo Rose told the troops she was on their side, too!"

North Korea Denies Cooperating With Iran

Fars News Agency - Tehran,Iran
"The 'assertion is nothing but a sheer lie and fabrication intended to tarnish the image of (North Korea) by charging it with nuclear proliferation,' the North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency."

Read more at Fars News Agency.

Their image and reputation is so pristine, we certainly would not want to do anything to 'tarnish' their reputation.

UN chief vows action on war-torn Congo and Darfur

Reuters: "KINSHASA, Jan 27 - "U.N. chief Ban Ki-Moon, on his first visit to Africa since taking office, promised the people of war-torn Congo they could rely on United Nations' support and vowed to................."

Is Venezuela Due to Collapse?

"If Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez deliberately intended to sabotage his nation's economy, he would be hard-pressed to do anything different from what he is now doing to his country.

It has been widely reported that Mr. Chavez has been increasingly taking control of the oil, telecommunications and energy sectors, as well as the media. What has not been reported is the full extent of the corruption in Venezuela and how this ultimately will destroy the economy.

The financial scandal taking place is far bigger than Enron, and may ultimately even exceed the U.N. "oil-for-food" scandal, the biggest financial disgrace of all time. Venezuela has had a rapidly growing economy for the last few years, due to high oil prices, but the house of cards is about to collapse." - Commentary, Washington Times, By Richard W. Rahn. Full commentary.

Other nuggets:

1. Since 2004, the Venezuelan Central Bank has transferred about $22.5 billion to accounts abroad by the Chavez government, and about $12 billion of that remains unaccounted for.
2. Inflation is up to 17 percent and rapidly rising.
3. Venezuela is now down to 126 out of 130 nations in the 2006 Economic Freedom of the World the most rapid decline ever (in 1995 it was No. 75).

This is a Powerfully Compelling Reason to Have Another Woman Justice on the SCOTUS

Ginsburg 'Lonely' Without O'Connor

Is It A Surge....Or Too Little Too Late? Whatever It Is, It Can't Be Both.

An increase of 21, 000 troops into Iraq may not sound like much. But as I previously posted in in one of the comment threads, these troops are going specifically into Baghdad, which only had 4,000 troops. Now that ... is significant.

Our new strategies seem to be having an effect already. To wit:

1. Our navy is establishing a larger, more intimidating presence in the Persian Gulf;
   
2. U.S. forces have been authorized to go after Iranian agitators and radicals capturing (or killing) them;
   
3. We are now disrupting Iran's money network around the globe;
   
4. With Saudi help, oil supplies are stable, inventories up, consequently oil prices have been dropping, adding further strain to Iran's pocketbook;
5. UN sanctions pushed for by the U.S. adding further strain;
   
6. Nouri al-Maliki has finally agreed to go after Muqtada al-Sadr's militia, and already hundreds of his milita captured;
   
7. Iraqi's Parliament has just got done approving (although it was contentious there for awhile) Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's plan for securing Baghdad, giving President Bush's new strategy important legal approval from the Iraqi government.

This is all good. It is being reported, however, that our regime at Foggy Bottom (our oh, so glorious State Dept.) does not want a full out democratic revolution and real regime change. They reportedly want a change of the guards, so to speak, within the present gaggle of mullahs running the government.

Ahmadinejad is losing popularity and could be close to being impeached, and Ayatollah Khamenei, its' Supreme leader, is dying.

"They are terrified of real regime change, so are going along with Bush's military pressure as a way to support a coup engineered by yet another Ayatollah, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani," says Dr. Jack Wheeler.

Rafsanjani served as President of Iran from 1989 to 1997 and is widely recognized as the one who has really has been running Iran for the last 24 years.

So not much would change under that likely scenario. Why our State Dept. would opt for this kind of strategy is rather puzzling.

United Nations Condemns Denial of the Holocaust

Denying the Holocaust is tantamount to approving genocide, United States says.

By Judy Aita
USINFO United Nations Correspondent


United Nations -- The U.N. General Assembly, on the eve of the second International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, adopted by consensus a resolution condemning any denial of the Holocaust.

KIM JONG-SICKO, N. KOREA LEADER UNDER HOUSE ARREST?

Bloomberg.com: Japan: Kim Jong-Il May Be Under House Arrest in North Korea, Jiji Says

By Taku Kato

Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- "North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il is absent from Pyongyang and may be under house arrest or have suffered a decline in his health, Jiji Press reported, citing South Korean officials it didn't identify.

U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies are trying to confirm reports of his absence, the Japanese news agency said.

The reports say Kim may be at a villa in the east of the country, following what Jiji said was a power struggle among the leadership of the reclusive nation.

An unidentified South Korean intelligence official cited by Jiji casts doubt on the reports, saying the South's government isn't aware of unusual activity."

If true, wouldn't that be something? What would it mean? Would it be a positive? Or simply a power struggle with one wacko dictator replacing another?

North Korea

Japan Mulls Heavier Sanctions on North Korea, Says Prime Minister ...
DAVOS, Switzerland-Japan may impose heavier economic sanctions on North Korea if the communist state refuses to abandon its nuclear program, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's national security advise...

North Korea hits out at web censors
Government says South Korea's blocking of pro-North sites is "a fascist action"......

LATEST POLL RESULTS

Sen. Hillary Clinton leads fellow Democratic Party Sen. "Osama bin Laden-Osama Obama" by 19 points in a Time magazine poll of likely presidential candidates in the 2008 race.

The same poll shows Sen. John McCain edging former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani by a four-point margin among GOP hopefuls.

AND WHEN PIGS FLY

“It’s possible that nothing is going to fix Iraq, but ‘Why can’t we all just get along’ parleys have about as much chance of bringing the factions together and ending Iranian and Syrian mischief as a rabbi has of being elected king of Saudi Arabia.” —Ralph Peters

IT'S OK TO WIN? IMAGINE THAT

“It is critical that we take advantage of this opportunity to win... Iraq is the central part of a larger and ultimately longer-term conflict in the Middle East... Are we going to surrender to [the terrorists]... and encourage people like them to be in authority and power all over the Middle East and in a better position to strike us again?” —Joe Lieberman

CRADLE TO GRAVE CARE....... AND SHACKLES ON YOUR FEET

“Democratic California Assemblywoman Sally Lieber has announced that she will introduce a bill this week to make it a crime to spank children who are 3 years old or younger, punishable by up to a year in jail or a $1,000 fine. If this zany idea were to become law, California could be the place where the nanny state meets the authoritarian state.”
—Debra Saunders

WORLD'S SMALLEST VIOLIN

“This [ethics] legislation has been extremely difficult to deal with. It is difficult because it deals with our lives.” —Harry Reid

THE POWER OF FEELINGS

“[This] is a world in which facts always bow to feelings. What matters is not so much that you do good, but that you feel virtuous, or perhaps more to the point, are seen to be virtuous.”
—Mona Charen

Ignorance. It's All Around Us.

“I find myself arguing with a whole bunch of people on the left who ‘know’ things that aren’t true. I’m both amused and surprised not only at the ignorance out there, but the confidence with which it is bandied about.” —Dinesh D’Souza

You Can Run But You Can't Hide

“Our political elite and chattering classes deserve a stiff rebuke for ignoring—and encouraging the public to ignore—the truth: In a global war for the Free World, there is nowhere to run.”
—Frank Gaffney

OBSTRUCTION

“Sen. Clinton ticked off the issues about which she is ticked off, because she says the Bush administration has failed to deal with them. They include health care, Social Security, Medicare and Iraq. The Bush administration has attempted to address all of these, but Democrats have blocked any progress. It’s an old political trick. You work against success and then blame failure on the president.” —Cal Thomas

ON POLITICS

“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.” —Ernest Benn

WOULD BE NICE, BUT FAT CHANCE

“Nothing is more essential to the establishment of manners in a State than that all persons employed in places of power and trust must be men of unexceptionable characters.” —Samuel Adams

Fearmongering

By Walter E. Williams

"Scott Pelley, CBS News '60 Minutes' correspondent, compared skeptics of global warming to 'Holocaust deniers,' and former Vice President Al Gore calls skeptics 'global warming deniers.'

But it gets worse. Dave Roberts, who, in his Sept. 19, 2006, online publication, said: 'When we've finally gotten serious about global warming, when the impacts are really hitting us and we're in a full worldwide scramble to minimize the damage, we should have war crimes trials for these bastards -- some sort of climate Nuremberg.'

He didn't say whether the death penalty should be administered to those found guilty of global warming denial.

The environmental extremists' true agenda has little or nothing to do with climate change. Their true agenda is to find a means to control our lives. The kind of repressive human control -- not to mention government-sanctioned mass murder -- seen under communism has lost any measure of intellectual respectability. So people who want that kind of control must come up with a new name, and that new name is environmentalism." Read more from Walter Williams.

Hizballah Protests Meant to Weaken Western Resolve Against Iran, Expert Says
Jerusalem - Iran and Syria are funding Hizballah's "urban intimidation" campaign in Lebanon to crush the emerging democracy and weaken Western resolve to stop Iran's nuclear program, a U.S.-based expert said on .......

Report: Gulf states would prefer U.S. strike to a nuclear Iran

"A report by the Dubai-based Gulf Research Center asserted that the six Arab states would not tolerate a nuclear Iran. The report said the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) sees a coming conflict between the U.S. and Iran as a 'castrophe'." -- WorldTribune.com

Jews driven from homes in northern Yemen

"Fighters from the Iranian-backed Believing Youth have driven Jews out of their homes in the northern province of Saada near the border with Saudi Arabia.

In 2004, Believing Youth launched an unsuccessful rebellion against Yemen, and renewed the campaign last year, Middle East Newsline reported." -- WorldTribune.com

Strategist: Iran believes it could destroy Israel with a single nuke

"JERUSALEM — Iran's nuclear program seeks first-strike capability against Israel, a leading strategist said." -- WorldTribune.com

U.S. denies minesweepers are part of Gulf buildup

ABU DHABI — "The U.S. Navy has deployed two minesweepers in the Gulf to prevent Iranian attempts to block the Straits of Hormuz."
-- WorldTribune.com

Russian smuggled nuclear-bomb uranium, officials say - CNN.com

CNN.com

"WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republic of Georgia authorities, aided by the CIA, set up a sting operation last summer that led to the arrest of a Russian man who tried to sell a small amount of nuclear-bomb grade uranium in a plastic bag in his jacket pocket, U.S. and Georgian officials said."

ANOTHER DOOMSDAY SCENARIO

Another Asteroid Collision With Earth: It's Just a Matter of Time

So, should we start setting odds and taking wagers on which does us in first? Global warming or the asteroid?

Feds Begin Construction of Vehicle Fence Along Southwest Border

FOXNews

"TUCSON, Arizona — Construction has begun on vehicle barriers that will be part of a mix of fencing along the Arizona-Mexico border to discourage illegal border crossings.

The construction started Wednesday is part of a Bush administration initiative announced last year that aims to provide a mix of high-tech virtual fencing and a traditional physical barrier.

The first phase of construction will be made up primarily of concrete-filled vertical tubes set into the ground to prevent vehicles from entering.

Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russell Knocke said some portions of the barrier may also contain traditional fencing." More.

Obama sets goal of health care for all Americans

Obama Urges Affordable Health Care for All in Six Years

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama said on Thursday every American should have affordable health care coverage within six years, calling for end to the 'disappointing charade' of debate on the issue." - Reuters

Hunter Makes Presidential Bid Official

Says He'll Follow Reagan's Legacy
Las Vegas Sun/AP

Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process Was a 'Scam,' Former CIA Director Says

"The Israeli-Palestinian peace process was a 'scam' during the 1990s and because of that Washington should not be pushing Israel to make a 'land for peace deal' now, a former head of the CIA said here."

Gingrich Backs English Official Language Push

"A significant majority of Americans don't believe the federal government is doing enough to promote English as the country's preeminent language, according to a Zogby International Poll released Tuesday."

US Should Set Up National Security Court to Deal With Terrorists, Say Analysts

"The United States should establish a National Security Court designed to handle terrorism cases fairly but also in a way that does not jeopardize public safety, a legal expert argued Wednesday."

Israel's Goal in Iran Affair is to Prevent Second Holocaust, Olmert Says

"Israel is not spearheading the international struggle against Iran's nuclear program, but it is leading the charge to have the issue placed at the top of the world's agenda, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday."

UN Members Urged to Back Resolution Against Holocaust Denial

"The United States hopes that the United Nations General Assembly will vote by the end of this week on a resolution that condemns 'any denial of the Holocaust,' but as of Wednesday, dozens of nations had yet to indicate whether they would support it."

Tancredo: Abolish Black, Hispanic Caucuses

"White House hopeful Tom Tancredo said Thursday the existence of the Congressional Black Caucus and other race-based groups of lawmakers amounts to segregation and should be abolished.

'It is utterly hypocritical for Congress to extol the virtues of a colorblind society while officially sanctioning caucuses that are based solely on race,' said the Colorado Republican, who is most widely known as a vocal critic of illegal immigration.

'If we are serious about achieving the goal of a colorblind society, Congress should lead by example and end these divisive, race-based caucuses,' said Tancredo, who is scheduled pitch his longshot presidential bid this weekend in New Hampshire." More.

Michael Chertoff: 21st Century Will Get More Dangerous

"Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday the world is facing a critical test as it seeks to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists, and that there will be no way 'to put that genie back in the bottle' if it fails." More.

Israel Rafalovich: EU to Push for Global Death Penalty Ban
UN Observer
Ms Brigitte Zypries, Germany's Justice Minister, said that the European Union is planning to submit a resolution to the United Nations to put the moratorium ...

Econ 101: How to Reduce Gas Consumption

Government intervention in energy markets leads to inefficiency, even when 'energy security' is the goal.

Econ 101: How to Reduce Gas ConsumptionGovernment intervention in energy markets leads to inefficiency, even when 'energy security' is the goal.By Gary L. Wolfram, Ph.D.Business & Media Institute

Read more of Econ 101: How to Reduce Gas Consumption  at Business and Media Institute.

Energy: Mission Impossible?

In reality, the United States is actually very self-reliant when it comes to energy. “If we look at total energy – including coal, nuclear and a small but growing share from renewables – the country is over 70% self-sufficient,” wrote Daniel Yergin of Cambridge Energy Research Associates in a January 23 Wall Street Journal commentary.

“The risks do not owe to direct imports from the Middle East, contrary to the widespread belief,” Yergin wrote. “Some 81% of oil imports do not come from that region. Thus, only 19% of imports – and 12% of total petroleum consumption – originates in the Middle East.” He noted that Canada and Mexico are the two largest sources of U.S. oil imports.

But the primary media focus has remained on hostile nations, especially in the Middle East, excluding those facts.

Read more of Energy: Mission Impossible?

New York Times Calls Leading Islamist a 'Reasonable Man,' Compared to Bin Laden Perhaps He Is.

New York Sun

'Washington needs to move quickly, along with Arab and African leaders, to try to broker a political compromise between responsible leaders of the Islamic Courts Union, which was evicted from power last month by the Ethiopians, and the internationally endorsed transitional government installed in its place,' the New York Times editorializes.

If the transitional government is to survive, it will have to strike a deal with moderate Islamists. The person it needs to talk with is Sheik Sharif Ahmed, who is No. 2 in the movement and by most accounts a reasonable man.

'By most accounts a reasonable man'? Compared to who, Bin Laden?" Read on.

Hezbollah Welcomes Korean Troops

"Korean troops headed for United Nations peacekeeping duty in Lebanon have received a conditional welcome from Hezbollah. It's the first time Hezbollah has made an official statement on Korean troop participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations in southern Lebanon.

An official from Hezbollah told a Korean news agency his organization is ready to cooperate with Korean troops if they work with Lebanese troops to protect the country from Israeli attacks.

The official said, however, that Korean troops will not be welcome if they go beyond their duties, and warned against intervening in the movement to disarm Hezbollah."

Source: Arirang News

U.N. Leader Protests Arrests and Beatings of Aid Workers in Darfur - New York Times

New York Times

America is talking itself into defeat in Iraq.

BY DANIEL HENNINGER

Congress has no constitutional power to micromanage a war.

An Opinion Journal editorial.

North Korea

North Korea denies US allegations it misused UN development funds and: Accuses US of dirty politics.

N. Korea Bans Domestic Use of Foreign Currency

North Korean Economy Watch: "North Korea recently banned the domestic use of all foreign currency in a desperate effort to get hold of U.S. dollars possessed by individuals amid strict financial sanctions imposed by the outside world, reports said..............."

Newt Gingrich: Iran Eyes 'Second Holocaust'

"Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Israel is facing the greatest threat to its survival since the Six-Day War in 1967 – and warned that a nuclear-armed Iran would lead to a 'second Holocaust.”

Addressing a security conference in...."

Poll: Giuliani, Edwards Lead in Iowa

"Rudolph Giuliani leads other Republican presidential hopefuls and John Edwards is ahead among Democrats in Iowa, site of the first presidential caucuses in 2008, a new poll reveals." More.....

U.S. Eyes Heat-Beaming Weapon

"The U.S. Defense Department Wednesday unveiled what it called a revolutionary heat-beaming weapon that could be used to control mobs or repel foes in conflicts like Iraq and Afghanistan.

The so-called Active Denial System causes an intense burning sensation causing people to run for cover, but no lasting harm, officials said.

'This is a breakthrough technology that's going....."

Immigration Raid Nets 761 Illegals From 14 Countries

"Of the 761 people arrested since the sweep began Jan. 17, more than 450 have already been deported, Kice said Tuesday. The raids were a major push within 'Operation Return to Sender,' a crackdown that has resulted in 13,000 arrests nationwide since June. Immigration officials have also identified 3,000 inmates in state and local jails who will be deported.

It's an uphill battle. Despite ongoing efforts, officials estimate that about 600,000 illegal immigrants who have ignored deportation orders are still at large, Kice said." Read on.

Fox, CNN at Odds Over Obama Story

"Rival cable news channels CNN and Fox News have gotten into a dispute over Fox’s coverage of a report on Sen. Barack Obama’s childhood schooling.

The report was originally posted on the online version of Insight, a magazine owned by the Washington Times. It claimed that Obama had....." Read on.

Tancredo: Congress 'Hell-Bent' on Mass Amnesty

"While liberal interest groups were quick to criticize President Bush's State of the Union comments on issues ranging from the war in Iraq to the environment, conservatives were also upset as he continued to push for immigration reforms that they claim go easy on illegal aliens.

While Bush reported that he is doubling the size of the Border Patrol to monitor the U.S. border with Mexico and pledged to enforce immigration laws at the workplace, his temporary worker proposals are still a touchy subject for his conservative base." Read more.

"Newspapers...serve as chimnies to carry off noxious vapors and smoke." -- Thomas Jefferson

NORTH KOREA - IRAN AXIS

North Korea has permitted Iranian nuclear scientists to study the results of NK's October 2006 nuclear test in order to assist Iran in preparation for their own underground nuclear test.

North Korea to Aid Iran in Nuclear Program
Arutz Sheva - Israel
(IsraelNN.com) According to the British Daily Telegraph, North Korea will help Iran to develop a nuclear program. North Korea, which conducted a nuclear ...


Who's weighing in:
1. North Korea Assistance For Iran?
By Captain Ed
The Iranians may be getting expert assistance on their nuclear program from North Korea and may have begun preparing a device test with their help, the London Telegraph reports: North Korea is helping Iran to prepare an underground ...

2. North Korea Helping Iran With Nuclear Weapons
By mickeyyarber
North Korea is helping Iran to prepare an underground nuclear test similar to the one Pyongyang carried out last year.

3. Iran To Test Nuclear Bomb by End of 2007 with North Korea's Help
By Danny J Norman
Axis of evil partners, North Korea and Iran, working hand in hand to accelerate ... North Korea is helping Iran to prepare an underground nuclear test ... Thanks to a weak response from the United Nations towards North Korea for its ...

4. North Korea helping Iran with nuclear testing.
By doug
North Korea provoked an international outcry when it successfully fired a bomb at a secret underground location and Western intelligence officials are convinced that Iran is working on its own weapons programme. ...

Russia bristles at US missile plans

IOL
By Vladimir Isachenkov

Russia's defence minister on Wednesday harshly criticised US plans to deploy missile defence sites in central Europe, saying that Moscow doesn't trust American claims that they are intended to counter missile threats posed by Iran and North Korea................"

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

"In a general sense, all contributions imposed by the government upon individuals for the service of the state, are called taxes, by whatever name they may be known, whether by the name of tribute, tythe, tallage, impost, duty, gabel, custom, subsidy, aid, supply, excise, or other name."

-- JOSEPH STORY, 1833, Associate Justice of the U.S Supreme Court

BBC NEWS: Crackdown 'nets 600 Sadr forces': "About 600 fighters and 16 leaders of the radical Shia militia, the Mehdi Army, have been captured by security forces in Iraq, the US military says."

Russia limits foreign labor to fight illegals

The Washington Times:
MOSCOW -- "Thousands of migrant workers from the Caucasus, Central Asia and China are leaving Russia as the government institutes tough new measures aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.

Campaigners against illegal immigration are welcoming the measures, saying low-paid migrants were distorting the job market and taking work from Russian citizens." Read on.


I am not sure I understand the problem. Are they not just taking 'the jobs the Russians don't want?' Hmmmmmm...?

As Kerry ponders, Democrats crowd in - The Boston Globe

The Boston Globe: 'This spasm of declarations from the other candidates is great entertainment, but Senator Kerry is focused on his work in the Senate on behalf of Massachusetts and the rest of the country,' said Vince Morris, a Kerry spokesman. 'He's talking with family, staff, and supporters, and isn't going to be rushed into announcing his plans......'

THE MINIMUM WAGE BILL

The Washington Times: "The Democrat-controlled Senate took up a bill yesterday that would raise the minimum wage across the United States and its territories but exempt American Samoa, where tuna canneries pay workers $3.26 an hour.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters less than two weeks ago that she would close the loophole after coming under criticism from Republicans for what they termed a 'fishy favor' to StarKist Tuna. StarKist has lobbied for years against raising the minimum wage in American Samoa, and its parent, Del Monte Corp., is based in Mrs. Pelosi's San Francisco district........................."

Group Plans 'Terror Free' Gas Station in Omaha

FOXNews: "OMAHA, Neb. — The Terror-Free Oil Initiative is planning to open the nation's first 'terror free' gas station in Omaha."

Israel May 'Stand Alone' in Years to Come, Professor Says

"Despite America's current strong support for Israel, the Jewish State should be prepared to 'go it alone' in the years ahead, an American professor warned.

Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz mentioned several events as.............."

'Scientist' Group's Funding Comes with Liberal 'Strings Attached' -- 01/23/2007

"At a time when the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is censuring free market organizations for accepting donations from ExxonMobil, critics have turned the spotlight back onto the UCS, its left-wing positions, and its own funding practices......"

Activists Trying to Shut Down Climate Debate, Skeptics Say

"Climate change skeptics - and journalists who report on them - have become the target of a campaign aimed at stifling legitimate debate at a time when Congress is planning an aggressive new environmental push.

This is the assessment of environmental scientists and......."

Heh, heh. Minnesota Always On The Cutting Edge

Early College Proposal Better Than Dems' Tuition Plan, Think Tank Says

"In the town of Bemidji, Minn., more high school seniors attend classes at the community college than go to the high school across the street.

It's just one example of how Minnesota leads the nation in pushing early college, says Lewis Andrews, executive director of the Yankee Institute, a conservative think tank in Hartford, Conn."

Clinton Woos Black Vote, Targets Obama

"When Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton went away for their last holiday before the storm of the 2008 presidential election, they chose the island of Anguilla, a tiny British possession a bit off the Caribbean social circuit.

Aides to the Democratic senator from New York refused even to discuss the reports of what country they were in, and nothing more of their trip was ever revealed.

But there aren't, really, vacations in Hillaryland. And the Clintons' time in Anguilla was well spent. For although they weren't hobnobbing with the usual political suspects, they spent much of their vacation with someone more important: Robert Johnson, the man known as the 'First Black Billionaire.' "

Continue reading at The Politico.

U.S. Warns Iran To Back Down

Washington Rules Out Direct Talks With Tehran; Sends Second Carrier Group To Gulf

(CBS/AP) "A second U.S. aircraft carrier strike group now steaming toward the Middle East is Washington's way of warning Iran to back down in its attempts to dominate the region, a top U.S. diplomat said Tuesday.

'The Middle East isn't a region to be dominated by Iran. The Gulf isn't a body of water to be controlled by Iran. That's why we've seen the United States station two carrier battle groups in the region,' said Nicholas Burns, U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs.

'Iran is going to have to understand that the United States will protect its interests if Iran seeks to confront us,' Burns continued."

Read more at CBS News.

The 'Greed' Fallacy

RealClearPolitics
By Thomas Sowell

"In an era when our media and even our education system exalt emotions, while ignoring facts and logic, perhaps we should not be surprised that so many people explain economics by 'greed.'

Today there are adults -- including educated adults -- who explain multimillion-dollar corporate executives' salaries as being due to 'greed.'

Think about it: I could become so greedy that I wanted a fortune twice the size of Bill Gates' -- but this greed would not increase my income by one cent.

If you want to explain why some people have astronomical incomes, it cannot be simply because of their own desires -- whether 'greedy' or not -- but because of what other people are willing to pay them.

The real question, then, is: Why do other people choose to pay corporate executives so much?"

The New Slavery : Illegal workers

By Harry R. Jackson, Jr.: "Every American knows that one of the biggest blights upon America’s legacy of freedom and economic opportunity was slavery. Slaves were pushed beyond normal limits. In fact, they were treated like chattel or livestock versus full-fledged human beings. In addition to atrocious working conditions, slaves were often disciplined severely with whippings, torture, and lynching. It took the nation over a hundred years and a civil war to wean itself from its first addiction to cheap labor.

Like a man returning to smoking, our generation has once again gotten hooked on cheap labor. Unfortunately, we are forgetting that this kind of labor may be dangerous to our national health." Read on...

North Korea folding on nukes?

American Thinker Blog:
By Clarice Feldman

First Libya, now North Korea folds on their nuclear program - if this news from the South Korean national daily Chosun Ilbo is to be believed. And jerks like Carter, Arafat and Annan got the Nobel prize for peace which rightly should go to President Bush (and certainly will not). Chosun Ilbo reports: ..........."

RUNNING AGAINST HILLARY

“So let’s accept the fact that whoever the GOP nominee is, he’ll be facing Hillary Clinton. If the Republicans want to win, they will have to decide which Mrs. Clinton they plan to run against; just plain Hillary Clinton, or United States Senator Hillary Clinton, D-NY. If they choose to run against Hillary Clinton, they’ll lose. If they choose to run against Senator Clinton, they’ll win hands down. If we run against Hillary Clinton as the former first lady, if we run against her as the wife of Bill Clinton, if we run against the cherished darling of the media who spent eight years all but canonizing her as America’s patron saint, she’ll win. Running against that Hillary is the wrong argument. If, however, you run against Senator Hillary Clinton and her record, or her abysmal lack of one as a senator, you can win. If you focus on her dismal record of accomplishment and not on her carefully created image as St. Hillary and her hyped-up public personality you’ll beat her hands down. You can beat the senator; you cannot beat the cardboard saint... It’s no wonder Senator Hillary Clinton, who has the media in her pocketbook, wants you to attack her as Hillary Clinton and not as Senator Clinton who has accomplished nothing meaningful as a senator. Matched against a Republican with a solid record for getting things done, she’s a sure loser.”
—Michael Reagan

GOVERNMENT

“It’s not that I dislike government... I just don’t trust government. Which brings us to the Democrats. Democrats love government. They think government and good intentions can solve all the woes of the world. And now that they’re running Congress, they’re going to try to do just that. They’ll promise to ‘fix’ our health care troubles by having the government take over, which will increase our troubles and limit our health care. They’ll ‘fix’ Social Security by raising taxes and growing the program, only to hurt the economy and damage the program. They’ll ‘fix’ the gap between rich and poor by raising taxes on the rich, which will slow the economy and make all of us poorer—especially the poor. The Democrats will unwittingly unleash a legion of federal meter maids who will regulate, monitor and punish—and unwittingly accomplish the opposite of whatever they set out to accomplish.”

—Tom Purcell

A CLEAR CONNECTION

“The most fundamental difference between President Bush and his critics has not been in who has made mistakes, because both have. The biggest difference has been that the President has taken a long-run view of the worldwide war on terror, while his critics are seeking a quick fix. Critics claim that there is no connection between the war on terror and the war in Iraq. They don’t seem to notice that the terrorists themselves obviously see a clear connection, which they express in both words and deeds. Terrorists are pouring into Iraq, even at the cost of their lives, in order to prevent a free, democratic government from being established in the Middle East. They see victory or defeat in Iraq as having major and long-lasting repercussions throughout the region and even throughout the world.”
—Thomas Sowell

The Ethanol Debacle

By Alan Caruba

"Hating so-called 'fossil fuels' (coal, oil, and natural gas) with a passion, the environmentalists have perpetrated every deception possible and among them is the notion that Americans can avoid destroying the Earth if they just fill up the tanks of their automobiles with ethanol.

As I have pointed out in the past, the world is not running out of oil, and here in the United States, we have enough reserves of coal to provide electricity and other needs for centuries to come. So who has the new Democrat majority in Congress declared persona non grata? The oil industry. Their proposed 'answer' to our transportation energy needs is ethanol.

Instead of pandering to the environmentalist's obsession over fossil fuels, Congress should be making areas in and around the United States more accessible to exploration and extraction of known oil and natural gas supplies. That is the true definition of 'energy independence.' " Continue reading....

EDITORIAL

Hillary Faces 'Formidable' Challenges

NEWS

Zawahri to Bush: Send 'Entire Army' to Iraq to Be 'Annihilated'

Chavez Tells Washington Where to Go

Experts Fear They've Oversold Global Warming

British Police Identify Suspected Killer of Poisoned Ex-Russian Spy

Top Democrats seek to avert abortion clashes

Why some Democrats worry that Sen. Clinton can't win
Even admirers see her hampered by personal and political baggage.

GOP seizes on dissent in majority

Al-Maliki turns on Shi'ite militia

Support grows to make English the official language

Sen. Clinton's Abortion Record May Haunt '08 Campaign

"Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) will have a lengthy pro-abortion rights record to defend during her 2008 presidential campaign -- a record established not only by her Senate votes but also by her eight years as first lady.

The presumed frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, Clinton has a 100 percent rating from Planned Parenthood. The same can be said of Democratic Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois, John Kerry of Massachusetts, Joseph Biden of Delaware and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards -- all of whom are expected to challenge Clinton for the nomination.

Although helpful in a Democratic primary....................."

Report: North Korea caves on nuke program?
By Allahpundit
Hill that in exchange for this move the North hopes to get from the United States economic and energy assistance, as well as guarantees that Washington will unfreeze North Korea’s accounts in Banco Delta Asia in Aomen (Macau) worth 24 ...

Bombs Kill at Least 90 People in Iraq

Top Dissident Cleric Slams Ahmadinejad

EU threatens Sudan with sanctions over Darfur

Blame an American First

The New York Sun: "The first clue that the U.N. Development Program in Pyongyang needs to be looked at came from someone in the American intelligence community, which is more interested in this dangerous weapons-proliferating corner of the 'axis of evil' than in other far-flung countries where the United Nations's 'good offices' operate, a source has told me."

Report: N.Korea agrees to halt nukes

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- "North Korea has agreed to halt its nuclear activities in return for economic and energy aid from the United States, a Seoul newspaper said Monday.

During bilateral talks with the United States in Berlin last week, the North also agreed to allow international inspectors back into the country to 'monitor' its nuclear facilities, according to South Korea's largest daily Chosun Ilbo.

In return, the North called for the United States to ease financial sanctions on the communist country, the paper said, citing sources in Seoul and Beijing.

'North Korea's top nuclear envoy Kim Kye Gwan told his U.S. counterpart Christopher Hill that North Korea will yield in return for economic and energy aid from the United States and assurances that the United States will seek to unfreeze North Korea's $24 million in accounts with the Macau-based Banco Delta Asia,' it said."

North Korea, U-S reportedly near agreement on nuclear deal

"SEOUL, South Korea There's another sign that a breakthrough could be near in the nuclear impasse involving North Korea.
A South Korean newspaper says last week's talks in Berlin between...."

Chairman Barney Frank's "Boat" and What It's Full Of

"Barney Frank, the 14-term Massachusetts congressman who chairs the Financial Services Committee, says it might be useful to 'make it a misdemeanor to use metaphors in the discussion of public policy,' such as 'a rising tide lifts all boats.' Against what he considers that too-complacent view of economic growth (the metaphor was John Kennedy's), Frank says: A rising tide is wonderful 'if you have a boat.'

Frank questions whether market-driven wealth creation is producing more inequality 'than is either socially healthy or economically necessary.' He favors much more government intervention in the economy to diminish inequality. Sometimes he means equal dependence on government. For example, he wants everyone......" Read more by George Will.

Multicultural Cant Blinds Us to Islamist Threat

"The widespread drubbing of Virginia Congressman Virgil Goode and his worries about increased Muslim immigration to the U.S. by mainstream media editorialists and the usual crowd of TV talking heads — invoking everything from Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an to charges of racism, bigotry and extremism — demonstrates once again the tendency of multicultural nonsense to cloud the issues and draw attention away from any substance..........." Read more.

Muslims Protesting '24' Again
Muslims are once again protesting the Fox show "24." Two years ago, Muslim groups protested when the show featured Islamic terrorists as the villains. Now, a new plot on the show has a group of Muslims detonating a nuclear bomb in Los Angeles....................

Gov. Bill Richardson Takes First Step To Join 2008 Race For Presidency
The Democratic New Mexico governor is seasoned political figure. He announced in a statement that he had set up an exploratory committee, a usual first step for presidential candidates. He joins what may be the most diverse field of candidates ever to seek the White House. Richardson, who served as a congressman, U.N. ambassador and as Secretary of Energy has emerged as an outspoken opponent of the war in Iraq. In his statement, he suggested that if elected he would act quickly to end U.S. involvement........

Poll: Clinton Has Big Lead In 2008 Race
Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois may have the star power, but according to a new poll, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has the numbers. Despite Obama's seeming emergence as the Democratic candidate most likely to block Clinton's path to the White House, a news poll released Saturday showed Clinton favored by 41 percent to 17 percent for Obama, with other possible and announced candidates trailing well behind the two favorites........ Read More.

More Hillary News:

1. Hillary Says: 'I'm In'
2. Hillary Announces Exploratory Bid
   
3. Obama Poll Numbers Smoked Hillary Out
   
4. Dick Morris: Hillary in Trouble

Bush Unveils Plan To Treat Health Insurance Premiums Similarly To Mortgage Interest

Ahmadinejad Rejects U.N. Sanction Resolutions

All Headline News
Som Patidar - All Headline News Staff Writer

Tehran, Iran (AHN) - "Giving strong indications that Iran will not budge in its nuclear enrichment program despite the United Nations Security Council's sanctions, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday that sanctions would not affect the country's nuclear program.

Referring to the United Nations Security Council's sanctions as 'dead', he said, 'ten more similar resolutions will not affect our economy and our policy.'

Delivering the country's budget for the New Year, Ahmadinejad said: 'The government has completely controlled the prices of some food stuffs, such as bread, gas, water and electricity.'

The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1737 on Iran Dec. 23, which imposed sanctions on the country's nuclear weapons programs but allowed officials to make foreign trips and companies to do business abroad."

US expert: N. Korea nuclear arms danger to Israel

Ynetnews: "North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons has direct implications on Middle East peace and poses a threat to Israel 's security, former US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Stanley Roth said Sunday.

Speaking at the Herzliya Conference, Roth said.............."