Fun with Iran and Syria

Iran's statements agaoinst Israel has compelled the UN to actually get riled up! The US couldn't do that when we had evidence of illegal weapons in Iraq, but dumb statements calling for Israel's destruction can. Interesting, if you ask me. Not only has the Security Council produced a statement denouncing Iran's statement, Secretary-General Kofi Annan directly rebuked Iran for its stance. Iran is taking an interesing counterstance: it has declared the Security Council's statement "unacceptable."

I really want the UN to want to go after Iran. Already the UN is a little peeved that Iran is not being responsible with its atomic energy program. This, coupled with the statements against Israel, might make the UN start thinking about action. Israel has also called on the UN to expel Iran. That would place Iran with the Republic of China as the only sovereign states not members of the UN. That would be very interesting indeed.

Things are also turning up with Syria. After a major investigation in the death of a former prime minister of Lebanon discovered that several top Syrian officials were involved in his assassination and the government endeavoring to cover up the relationship, the UN Security Council voted to approve a resolution demanding Syria's full cooperation in the investigation. This resolution is created as a militarily enforceable resolution. While this is interesting, the UN isn't known for following up on military action to enforce its resolutions.

Iran struts around, chest stuck out

Iran has denounced Israel (again) and vows to see it destroyed (again). Nothing really new. The only things that have changed much is that Iran has developed solid-fuel rockets, which are more accurate--they have the ability to strike Israel and U.S. forces in the Middle East--and, of course, Iran has been trying to restart its uranium enrichment program. [Article Link]

It is clear that Iran is not trying to start any reactors. They want nuclear reactors. If their's any threat of an Islamic Empire, it would come out of Iran. The fundamentalist attitude of that country may intice several muslims around the world to join up and restart the caliphate.

I wonder how many Muslims would particularly care if Iran was attacked. Remember, they're not Arabs, they're Persians. There are lots of cultural differences. The country does not match the views of the rest of Islam. A couple people might complain, but more, I think, would breathe a sigh of relief that a dangerous government would be eliminated.

Chinese corruption

Is it really that big of a suprise that the government of the Peoples' Republic of China is corrupted? A Chinese defector has not only confirmed this, but also noted that it was wrong for Western businesses to be investing in China. The political environment is too unstable for a viable investment over a long term period. He notes the fact that there is a political split between the current and past Presidents in China. He warns that the government is using this economic boon to be able to enforce its power on people. [Article link]

I started raising my eyebrows when I heard that Hu Jintao had to test his political power during important government meetings. I know of no other nation that has had to confirm a ruler's power over another. Power is transferred and that is it.

This has lent credence to my suspicions that companies that do business in China are gambling. Already, they have to run through so much red tape that you need to give favors to certain people in order to get anything done. I've heard of people who have visited Beijing and Shanghai and have noted that, while Shanghai is rather friendly to Westerners, you are treated like spies in Beijing. When China finally starts wielding its big guns that it's hiding under those robes, so many businesses are going to cry. They'll plead with our government to shed its own teeth in order to appease China enough to continue business.

There is going to be conflict with China. I will probably live to see it (maybe even in uniform). I already feel like the guys who knew that war with Japan was going to start soon. It's going to start on another island, just like with Japan. I can only hope that, when we go to protect Taiwan, that we'll have the technology available to stop the nuclear strike before it hits the U.S. They're slowly and silently building up their military. China is too big to collapse before it strikes. It may be a prelude to collapse, but that will not prevent the inevitable conflict. Don't be too surprised when the news articles read that Congress has declared war on China, the first time the body has declared war on another sovereign nation since WWII. It's just a matter of when.

Alleged burning of Taliban bodies

There has been a report from the Associated Press that some U.S. soldiers have burned Taliban corpses as part of a psychological warfare tactic. Since cremation is not supported in Islam, this would be a horrible insult to the victims. Also, this would apparently be against the Geneva Convention, unless the bodies were known to be contaminated (smallpox or something like that) and burning was for sanitation purposes. This report is based from a video shot by an independent journalist working for SBS, an Australian news agency, embedded with the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Brigade and his statement that afterward soldiers taunted the Taliban.

First, I question the existence of the video. Wouldn't we have seen it by now if it was from Australia? If the video exists, I question the validity of the video. It could be fabricated or doctored. If this allegation doesn't hold water, I wonder about the true intentions of the reporter. The video purportedly shows the burning, but it doesn't show the taunting statement.

Basically, I'm saying this. Considering all the lies that the media had spread already (e.g. Newsweek claiming that U.S. troops were desecrating the Quran in Guantanamo Bay, but later retracting the allegations, but not before the story caused riots in Afghanistan), I'm more liable to believe that the media is lying about this before thinking that the troops are guilty. There's an investigation going on now, and I hope they quickly realize that this doesn't hold water.

If this "reporter" made this up, I hope we get him (and maybe even SBS) charged with slander or libel. He has endangered the lives of thousands of servicemen all around the world and tens of thousands of American citizens abroad because of these allegations. And, even if the government proves that this is a complete lie, who in the Muslim world is going to believe it? Most of them think we're evil anyway. And Europe is more content to dislike us than not; After all, capitalism and socialism don't really get along well. The UN is going to get on a high horse, saying that, once again, we're violating international law. So, he did a real good job screwing America over.

Wounded Marine back in action

About a month ago, I had a post discussing a Marine working on an EOD assignment had been injured by an IED and, after he was patched up, he flipped off the insurgents who did it to him. Well, he's back in action. GySgt Michael Burghardt actually became rather famous for the photo taken by the Omaha World-Herald photographer that was inserted into the Nebraska Army National Guard 167th Cavalry 1st Squadron, which was guarding the Marine EOD unit. After the picture was distributed, GySgt Burghardt received over 100 emails and the picture became featured on several soldiers' and Marines' computer screensavers.

Three impressive things about this whole situation: GySgt Burghardt survived an explosion from an IED he was trying to disarm (so he was VERY close to it) and returned to duty in less than a month, he became famous from his photograph, and the World-Herald took the famous photograph!

The article was written by C. David Kotok, World-Herald Staff Writer, in the sunrise edition of the Omaha World-Herald on Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Rumsfeld in China

Defense Secretary Rumsfeld began his visit to the People's Republic of China today. Part of his visit includes discussing how China is really building up the military. He claims that China is spending about $90 billion on the People's Liberation Army, three times more than China's official statements declare. Rumsfeld wants China to be more open to prevent the U.S. from making any faulty decisions based on assumptions rather than actual fact. [Article Link]

China is building itself up to me the next superpower. It may be, in the future, that the defense of China will include not only making sure Taiwan is reintegrated, but also ensuring that no one can challenge China's dominance on world events. This would probably mean that China's ultimate target would be the U.S. This is a potential Cold War situation that has a bigger chance than ever to become very hot.

On Parasites and Spacewalks

Obviously, one of the major topics of this little corner of the Web is China. With their recent achievements (specifically their sending a manned flight into space), China, in the words of another blogger (whose name I regrettably forget) has demonstrated that they're "in the club." It's a rather exclusive club they've joined, and, like most clubs, there's no economic incentives to joining. It's a prestige thing. Hopefully it's obvious to anyone with brains that China is looking to move into the spot vacated by the Soviet Union - as the counterpart and rival to the United States. Whether or not they intend to be as antagonisitic remains to be seen.

As to the other topic I wished to mention, Michael J. Totten over at Tech Central Station write about the recent spate of car bombings in Lebanon. What's fascinating is how everyone knows what Syria's up to, but they still try. Perhaps they're finally coming to this realization themselves, which is why they're starting the slow process of drifting away from Tehran and aligning themselves incrementally with Washington. Still, I think Boy Assad is going to be looking for a new job before that happens - hopefully soon, but I tend to be a vague optimist that way.

Someone New Joins the Party

I've been lurking in the background around here for a little while. I'm sure anyone who visits has noticed I don't say much. Hopefully that'll change as I get inspired to write down the thoughts banging around inside my head. Salutations to all.

Five-year anniversary of the USS Cole attack in Yemen

Five years ago, Al Qaeda terrorists attacked the USS Cole (DDG-67) while it was docked in the port of Aden, Yemen, refueling during its voyage from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. Seventeen sailors lost their lives in the attack and another 39 were injured. The ship was saved from sinking and is in service today. A special on the History Channel discusses the events surrounding the attack, including discussing the world situation just before the attacks, what happened on the USS Cole this whole time, and the investigation afterward to prove the Al Qaeda. Unfortunately, the time this attack occurred was during a transition in presidential power: Clinton was leaving office just as proof was shown, and Bush didn't feel like acting on an incident that didn't happen on his watch.

God bless and keep the victims of this attack. God Bless America.

"Cole survivors think about, but don’t dwell on, bombing" - HamptonRoads.com
"Five years ago today. . ." - HamptonRoads.com
USS Cole (DDG-67) - Wikipedia
USS Cole Bombing - Wikipedia
USS Cole (DDG-67) Association

No more BCGs

The Army is transitioning away from using BCGs and into a set of protective glasses for training and a choice of frames for garrison work. [Article link]

For those of you not in the military, BCG stands for Birth Control Glasses. It's a reference to the God-awful design of the lenses. They're so bad that it's said to eliminate any chance the soldier may have had with a girl, thus preventing any activity leading to pregnancy. My father had a pair of these. They look to be quite effective.