In recognition of today's date, September 11, I won't be blogging other than this single post. I feel there's very little that one can say today that has much meaning in the context of this day six years ago.
This is particularly true given the sorry state of affairs since then. Although no new terrorist attacks have succeeded on American soil, our enemy--Islamic fundamentalism--is stronger today than it was then. Thousands of American soldiers have died in Iraq for the same reason that 9/11 occured--our selfless appeasement of the true antagonists and our altruistic approach to the "war on terror."
Iran is stronger and bolder today than it was then, and has accelerated its proxy war against us by supporting the terrorists who kill our soldiers in Iraq. Syria continues to wreak havoc in the region, with its meddling in Lebanon and among the Palestinians. Saudia Arabia, our alleged ally, continues to export the very Islamic fundamentalism that has accounted for the worst acts of terrorism in the last century.
In short, our reaction to 9/11, rather than demonstrating to the Islamists our strength and will in protecting our interests, has shown them our fundamental weakness as a nation. The dominant philosophy in America today is altruism, which has caused our leadership (along with the religiosity of Bush) to fight the war with at least one hand tied behind our back. Rather than stating firmly our right to defend ourselves, our leadership has made its official position that America's purpose is to fight and die for the likes of Iraqis and Afghans--who would just as likely stab us in the back as thank us.
This altruistic approach to the war has resulted in rules of engagement that place the safety of foreign civilians before the lives of American soldiers. And our appeasement of Iran and overt support of Saudi Arabia perpetuates the spread of the very ideas that prompted 9/11.
And so, it's with a disappointment that I can't fully express that I must honor the victims of 9/11 with silence rather than extolling the virtues of our response to the vicious and cowardly attacks of that day.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
China's Cyberwar - Not Just on the US
More, from Ars Technica, on Chinese cyberattacks around the world. It seems like this is looking more and more like the real deal.
Read the whole thing.
Read the whole thing.
A Little Bit More Craziness from Ahmadinejad
Just a little bit of craziness from Iranian President Imajihadi (or whatever his name is) via AFP:
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday lashed out at his Western foes which demand Iran halt its sensitive nuclear activities, saying they were "racing to hell".
"The Iranian people have climbed over difficult mountain passes on their path of progress. The enemies need to step aside from our path and give up their satanic ideas," he said, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.
"One or two countries are refusing to accept that Iran is now mastering nuclear technology ... Some countries are racing towards hell. But this makes us sad and, for the good of their people, we will resist."
Um, okay.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday lashed out at his Western foes which demand Iran halt its sensitive nuclear activities, saying they were "racing to hell".
"The Iranian people have climbed over difficult mountain passes on their path of progress. The enemies need to step aside from our path and give up their satanic ideas," he said, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.
"One or two countries are refusing to accept that Iran is now mastering nuclear technology ... Some countries are racing towards hell. But this makes us sad and, for the good of their people, we will resist."
Um, okay.
Some More on Putin's Russia
Another good bit on Putin's Russia from La Russophobe, this time an overview of a story by Dr. Robert Horvath, a research fellow at Melbourne University's Contemporary Europe Research Centre and author of The Legacy of Soviet Dissent: Dissidents, Democratisation and Radical Nationalism in Russia.
Some key quotes:
IT WAS ironic that Paul Keating's exhortation for us to extend a warm welcome to Vladimir Putin was published in The Age on September 5, the anniversary of one of the most tragic events in Russian history.
It was on that day in 1918 that the Bolshevik regime issued its decree on the "Red Terror", which authorised the secret police, the Cheka, to conduct extrajudicial executions and to incarcerate "class enemies" in concentration camps. Many decades later, prisoners in the Gulag would mark that day with ceremonies in memory of the victims of the "Red Terror", which they understood to be the source of the violence that culminated in the mass slaughter of the 1930s.
And some more:
The primary reason for the Kremlin's sabre-rattling on the international stage is to be found not in the West, but in the peculiar brand of neo-totalitarianism that is emerging in Putin's Russia.
Today, the Russian state is dominated by "Chekists" and other representatives of the Soviet-era security apparatus, who have systematically destroyed the fragile structures of an emerging democracy. During the past seven years, they have stifled the independent media, emasculated parliament, intimidated lawyers and imposed rigid controls on civil society.
If the murders of some of Putin's most outspoken critics remain unsolved, there is no doubt about the Kremlin's responsibility for the carnage in Chechnya. The razing of Grozny, a city of 400,000 before the first Russian invasion, is an atrocity that has no parallel in European history since the Nazis' destruction of Warsaw. In accordance with Putin's promise, in criminal slang, "to waste the terrorists in the shithouse", his security forces unleashed a campaign of "disappearances" on a scale that Human Rights Watch designated as a crime against humanity.
I've quoted quite a bit. Go read the whole thing for yourself.
Some key quotes:
IT WAS ironic that Paul Keating's exhortation for us to extend a warm welcome to Vladimir Putin was published in The Age on September 5, the anniversary of one of the most tragic events in Russian history.
It was on that day in 1918 that the Bolshevik regime issued its decree on the "Red Terror", which authorised the secret police, the Cheka, to conduct extrajudicial executions and to incarcerate "class enemies" in concentration camps. Many decades later, prisoners in the Gulag would mark that day with ceremonies in memory of the victims of the "Red Terror", which they understood to be the source of the violence that culminated in the mass slaughter of the 1930s.
And some more:
The primary reason for the Kremlin's sabre-rattling on the international stage is to be found not in the West, but in the peculiar brand of neo-totalitarianism that is emerging in Putin's Russia.
Today, the Russian state is dominated by "Chekists" and other representatives of the Soviet-era security apparatus, who have systematically destroyed the fragile structures of an emerging democracy. During the past seven years, they have stifled the independent media, emasculated parliament, intimidated lawyers and imposed rigid controls on civil society.
If the murders of some of Putin's most outspoken critics remain unsolved, there is no doubt about the Kremlin's responsibility for the carnage in Chechnya. The razing of Grozny, a city of 400,000 before the first Russian invasion, is an atrocity that has no parallel in European history since the Nazis' destruction of Warsaw. In accordance with Putin's promise, in criminal slang, "to waste the terrorists in the shithouse", his security forces unleashed a campaign of "disappearances" on a scale that Human Rights Watch designated as a crime against humanity.
I've quoted quite a bit. Go read the whole thing for yourself.
Atlas Shrugged to be Made into Movie? Don't Hold Your Breathe
I'll believe an Atlas Shrugged movie will be made when I see it. And I hold out no hope that it will be anything but atrocious. However, if it helps expose the culture to even a few of Ayn Rand's ideas without misrepresenting any, it would probably be a net gain.
Australia's Sale of Uranium to Russia: Big Mistake
I have to agree with this blog post: Australia's making a big mistake in selling uranium to Russia, a country that has its own significant reserves. I'm not sure what compelled Australia to do so, with the significant risk that some of this uranium could show up in Iranian labs.
The source of the story linked in the post is Al Jazeera, but that doesn't change the reality of Australia's mistake. Also, in reading the story, I see that I'm in agreement with Greenpeace Australia.
Yuck.
The source of the story linked in the post is Al Jazeera, but that doesn't change the reality of Australia's mistake. Also, in reading the story, I see that I'm in agreement with Greenpeace Australia.
Yuck.
Digg Report
Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 4613 Diggs, is a link to some admittedly impressive pictures of large holes (mostly mines). So, Digg scores some points for the coolness factor, but again, it's all of no real importance.
UN Human Rights Commissioner Attends Anti-US/Anti-Israeli Conference
It never fails to amaze me how inherently corrupt is the United Nations. One would think that the organization would have lost all legitimacy with the "Oil for Food" scandal, but that story was relatively buried in the mainstream press. Now, via Gateway Punding, we have news on the UN Commissioner for Human Rights attending a meeting of the "Non-Aligned Movement," headed by Cuba.
Some of this oganizations past work include the following:
This is the same group that agreed to bash just one country in their declaration of human rights, Israel, by:
"Expressing deep concern on the cultural uprooting which is continuously unfolding in the Palestinian occupied territory and the occupied Syrian Golan on the basis of such doctrines by the occupying power.
"Oh, and the group also denounced:
"The attempts to identify any culture with terrorism, violence and human rights violations."
You wouldn't want to do that!
Someday, maybe we'll get some sense and pull the US from the UN altogether. We have NATO, which is all we need.
Some of this oganizations past work include the following:
This is the same group that agreed to bash just one country in their declaration of human rights, Israel, by:
"Expressing deep concern on the cultural uprooting which is continuously unfolding in the Palestinian occupied territory and the occupied Syrian Golan on the basis of such doctrines by the occupying power.
"Oh, and the group also denounced:
"The attempts to identify any culture with terrorism, violence and human rights violations."
You wouldn't want to do that!
Someday, maybe we'll get some sense and pull the US from the UN altogether. We have NATO, which is all we need.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Saturday, September 08, 2007
China Plans Cyberwarfare Against US
As I mentioned in an earlier post, our various military systems could be vulnerable to attack, and that would spell disaster against a serious foe. A recent Pentagon report outlines how China is preparing for cyberwarfare against the United States.
Some quotes:
Chinese military hackers have prepared a detailed plan to disable America’s aircraft battle carrier fleet with a devastating cyber attack, according to a Pentagon report obtained by The Times.
The blueprint for such an assault, drawn up by two hackers working for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), is part of an aggressive push by Beijing to achieve “electronic dominance” over each of its global rivals by 2050, particularly the US, Britain, Russia and South Korea.
Yes, that's what it says: a "detailed plan to disable America's aircraft battle carrier fleet." Again, that would be devastating if successful. Given our recent reliance on networked system for command and control, particularly in the Navy, any successful effort to interfere with those systems could significantly reduce the effectiveness of such a fleet.
Even more unnerving:
Larry M. Wortzel, the author of the US Army War College report, said: “The thing that should give us pause is that in many Chinese military manuals they identify the US as the country they are most likely to go to war with. They are moving very rapidly to master this new form of warfare.” The two PLA hackers produced a “virtual guidebook for electronic warfare and jamming” after studying dozens of US and Nato manuals on military tactics, according to the document.
Read the entire story. It's a bit frightening. Of course, I don't doubt for a moment that the NSA has similar programs underway, but no country's military is as reliant upon networked systems as is the US's. If we don't fix vulnerabilities, it could be our downfall.
Some quotes:
Chinese military hackers have prepared a detailed plan to disable America’s aircraft battle carrier fleet with a devastating cyber attack, according to a Pentagon report obtained by The Times.
The blueprint for such an assault, drawn up by two hackers working for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), is part of an aggressive push by Beijing to achieve “electronic dominance” over each of its global rivals by 2050, particularly the US, Britain, Russia and South Korea.
Yes, that's what it says: a "detailed plan to disable America's aircraft battle carrier fleet." Again, that would be devastating if successful. Given our recent reliance on networked system for command and control, particularly in the Navy, any successful effort to interfere with those systems could significantly reduce the effectiveness of such a fleet.
Even more unnerving:
Larry M. Wortzel, the author of the US Army War College report, said: “The thing that should give us pause is that in many Chinese military manuals they identify the US as the country they are most likely to go to war with. They are moving very rapidly to master this new form of warfare.” The two PLA hackers produced a “virtual guidebook for electronic warfare and jamming” after studying dozens of US and Nato manuals on military tactics, according to the document.
Read the entire story. It's a bit frightening. Of course, I don't doubt for a moment that the NSA has similar programs underway, but no country's military is as reliant upon networked systems as is the US's. If we don't fix vulnerabilities, it could be our downfall.
Ahmadinejad Wants Iran To Create World Government
More from Iranian President Imajihadi (or whatever his name is), this time on his political aspirations:
"They know quite well that the Islamic Revolution wants to prepare the ground for materialization of the promised `big event' (reappearance of the Imam of Age); that's why they try to take precedence in campaign against us. We are against rule of the non-righteous individuals. Clashes today are only a pretext and they confront us because the revolutionary Iran aims a global government and a genuine Islamic culture so as to gain a loftier position worldwide..."
Thanks for stating things so clearly, Mr. Imajihadi.
"They know quite well that the Islamic Revolution wants to prepare the ground for materialization of the promised `big event' (reappearance of the Imam of Age); that's why they try to take precedence in campaign against us. We are against rule of the non-righteous individuals. Clashes today are only a pretext and they confront us because the revolutionary Iran aims a global government and a genuine Islamic culture so as to gain a loftier position worldwide..."
Thanks for stating things so clearly, Mr. Imajihadi.
Ahmadinejad Calls for Interest-Free Banking
Iranian President Imajihadi (or whatever his name is) keeps astounding with his wackiness. This time, he's calling for reforming the Iranian banking system to the Islamic principle of interest-free banking. I hope he succeeds; that alone could bring his country to the point of begging the West to remove him from power.
I mean, it's funny, actually:
“No economic activity is possible without assistance from banks,” he said and “any problem in the banking system will have a negative impact on all economic sectors and the people's lifestyle."
However, if the banking system adopts a proper monetary policy, all other sectors of the economy will grow, he observed.
I could go into the function of interest in an economy, but I won't. Hopefully everyone who reads this will understand the utter insanity of his plan.
I mean, it's funny, actually:
“No economic activity is possible without assistance from banks,” he said and “any problem in the banking system will have a negative impact on all economic sectors and the people's lifestyle."
However, if the banking system adopts a proper monetary policy, all other sectors of the economy will grow, he observed.
I could go into the function of interest in an economy, but I won't. Hopefully everyone who reads this will understand the utter insanity of his plan.
Digg Report
Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at a light 2870 Diggs, is a link to a picture of a little girl holding sign of all the things she's "learned from Bush."
It's been awhile since Digg showed its Leftist side, and this ranks right up there with the best of its many Leftist stories.
It's been awhile since Digg showed its Leftist side, and this ranks right up there with the best of its many Leftist stories.
Has This Blog Lost Value?
As I started the Daily Topic a few months ago, my readership was on a steady rise. Then, suddenly, about a month ago, the number of folks visiting the site plummeted.
I ask those of you who are still visiting: has the blog lost value? Are my posts less interesting? Am I too redundant, or to unfocused?
I would appreciate any comments, because of course I'd rather see my readership increase, not decrease.
I ask those of you who are still visiting: has the blog lost value? Are my posts less interesting? Am I too redundant, or to unfocused?
I would appreciate any comments, because of course I'd rather see my readership increase, not decrease.
National Healthcare Means Higher Rate of Cancer Deaths
Unfortunately, this Principles in Practice post doesn't link to it, but a recent study of cancer survival rates shows why socialized medicine (think "national healthcare" or whatever you want to call it) is deadly. The money quote:
The study finds that Britain (whose much-touted "universal health care" system is held up by the left as a model for America) has among the lowest cancer survival rates in the West—drastically lower than the United States, which has the world's highest survival rate.
It's simple, really:
Researchers attribute Britain's dismal numbers primarily to late diagnoses and lengthy waiting lists for treatment. But long lines and waiting lists are necessarily endemic under socialized medicine.
The solution is less government and more individual responsibility in healthcare. That is, unless we less of a chance to live.
The study finds that Britain (whose much-touted "universal health care" system is held up by the left as a model for America) has among the lowest cancer survival rates in the West—drastically lower than the United States, which has the world's highest survival rate.
It's simple, really:
Researchers attribute Britain's dismal numbers primarily to late diagnoses and lengthy waiting lists for treatment. But long lines and waiting lists are necessarily endemic under socialized medicine.
The solution is less government and more individual responsibility in healthcare. That is, unless we less of a chance to live.
National Service - Slippery Slope to Slavery
I wouldn't even know where to begin in extolling the vile nature of this article on "national service." It's a very thinly veiled call for altruistic self-sacrifice in the name of "society." The writer calls for "voluntary," not mandatory nor compulsory, service, but why do we need government programs for volunteers? And, how can a program be "voluntary" if $5000 in taxes per newborn is to be spent on a "National Service Baby Bond"? It certainly wouldn't be voluntary for today's taxpayers.
Again I have little time for blogging, and so rather than attacking this topic myself I refer you to the Ayn Rand Institute (ARI), where the "national service" ideology is described as what it really is. Read the Times story, and then the ARI editorial, and see where you stand.
Again I have little time for blogging, and so rather than attacking this topic myself I refer you to the Ayn Rand Institute (ARI), where the "national service" ideology is described as what it really is. Read the Times story, and then the ARI editorial, and see where you stand.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Only a Digg Report
Only a Digg Report for today. Hopefully, I'll finish this project and get back to normal blogging by the end of the weekend.
Digg Report
Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 4550 Diggs, is a link to a rant about Internet Explorer's general lack of conformance to various Internet standards. Not much to say about that.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Light Blogging Next Few Days
Just to remind, light blogging today and probably through tomorrow, at least.
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