The People Have Won

The blog "Iraq the Model" has a moving post about the first election day in Iraq for the two Iraqi citizens, Mohammed and Omar. They certainly said it better than I could. I know there are a lot of surprised doomsayers in the media today. And frankly, I am glad that they were wrong. It is amazing what can be accomplished when God is on your side!
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Pray for the Elections in Iraq

We definitely need to hold up the Iraqi people in prayer as they step forward toward democracy -- in the face of terrorists and anarchists who threaten their very lives. Please pray for them and the Iraqi policemen who are dying every day for a free Iraq.

And finally, I ask for your prayers for the brave men and women of our military as they strive to protect the Iraqi people from those who would try to enslave them once more.
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Friends of Democracy - Iraq Election News

To get news of the Iraqi election activities, posted by Iraqis themselves, just CLICK HERE. You will get the scoop straight from the people who live there. I think the reporting will be a bit more accurate compared to the western journalists who report from their hotel rooms. . .
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Remembering Auschwitz

I've re-posted this from TexasBug's blog. It's worth reading -- and remembering.

Remembering the Wannsee Conference and the Liberation of Auschwitz

This article is posted by participants of the January 27, 2005, BlogBurst (see list at end of article), to remember the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp, sixty years ago, on January 27, 1945.

On January 20th, we marked the anniversary of the 1942 Wannsee Conference. In the course of that Conference, the Nazi hierarchy formalized the plan to annihilate the Jewish people. Understanding the horrors of Auschwitz requires that one be aware of the premeditated mass-murder that was presented at Wannsee.

Highlighting these events now has become particularly important, even as the press reports that "45% of Britons have never heard of Auschwitz" (see this article at the Jerusalem Post).

So, in case you're one of 45%, or even if you just need a reminder....here's some history for you:

The Holocaust, symbolized by Auschwitz, the worst of the death camps, occurred in the wake of consistent, systematic, unrelenting anti-Jewish propaganda campaign. As a result, the elimination of the Jews from German society was accepted as axiomatic, leaving open only two questions: when and how.

As Germany expanded its domination and occupation of Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, the Low Countries, Yugoslavia, Poland, parts of the USSR, Greece, Romania, Hungary, Italy and others countries, the way was open for Hitler to realize his well-publicized plan of destroying the Jewish people.

After experimentation, the use of Zyklon B on unsuspecting victim was adopted by the Nazis as the means of choice, and Auschwitz was selected as the main factory of death (more accurately, one should refer to the “Auschwitz-Birkenau complex”). The green light for mass annihilation was given at the Wannsee Conference, January 20, 1942, and the mass gassings took place in Auschwitz between 1942 and the end of 1944, when the Nazis retreated before the advancing Red Army. Jews were transported to Auschwitz from all over Nazi-occupied or Nazi-dominated Europe and most were slaughtered in Auschwitz upon arrival, sometimes as many as 12,000 in one day. Some victims were selected for slave labour or “medical” experimentation. All were subject to brutal treatment.

In all, between three and four million people, mostly Jews, but also Poles and Red Army POWs, were slaughtered in Auschwitz alone (though some authors put the number at 1.3 million). Other death camps were located at Sobibor, Chelmno, Belzec (Belzek), Majdanek and Treblinka.

Auschwitz was liberated by the Red Army on 27 January 1945, sixty years ago, after most of the prisoners were forced into a Death March westwards. The Red Army found in Auschwitz about 7,600 survivors, but not all could be saved.

For a long time, the Allies were well aware of the mass murder, but deliberately refused to bomb the camp or the railways leading to it. Ironically, during the Polish uprising, the Allies had no hesitation in flying aid to Warsaw, sometimes flying right over Auschwitz.

There are troubling parallels between the systematic vilification of Jews before the Holocaust and the current vilification of the Jewish people and Israel. Suffice it to note the annual flood of anti-Israel resolutions at the UN; or the public opinion polls taken in Europe, which single out Israel as a danger to world peace; or the divestment campaigns being waged in the US against Israel; or the attempts to delegitimize Israel’s very existence. The complicity of the Allies in WW II is mirrored by the support the PLO has been receiving from Europe, China and Russia to this very day.

If remembering Auschwitz should teach us anything, it is that we must all support Israel and the Jewish people against the vilification and the complicity we are witnessing, knowing where it inevitably leads.

For a complete list of the over 150 blogs participating in this "blogburst", see this list.

Mudville Gazette

Here is an interesting post on the Mudville Gazette that describes four military gambits by desperate commanders on the losing side. All of them failed initially, but the third one ended up succeeding due to American help. Perhaps the fourth one will, as well. I pray that will not be the case.
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The Final Raid

Read this for a very interesting first-hand account of a raid in Iraq.
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Turn on the A/C & Open the Windows

Here is a rather dissenting view on the latest report that has come out about global warming (you know -- the one that every one has been reporting about over the last few days). Actually, "dissenting view" is not completely accurate. Diplomad has actually read the report and posted his thoughts about its accuracy, completeness, and veracity. It's a good read . . .
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A teacher's blog

Click here to be taken to a web log that is by an educator and is about education. I just found it this evening, so don't really have a good feel for it. But it seems pretty interesting . . .
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Can you believe this?

This is so wrong -- on so many levels . . .

It's Just a Plant - The Children's Marijuana Book

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From both sides of the Atlantic

Chrenkoff has a hopeful post here.
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Polls talk.

Below is a post on Ali's blog (called Free Iraqi ) -- he is a resident of Iraq.

Polls talk
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No relief in sight for USS Lincoln

Here is a first person account from a crewmember of the USS Abraham Lincoln. The writer is not very flattering when describing the UN functionaries that are on board.
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Reason enough

This article provides another look at why removing Saddam was a really good idea.
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More Good News from Iraq

Here is more good news from Iraq, as reported by Chrenkoff.
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Baghdad: First Person Perspective

Here is a post by Ali, who is an Iraqi resident of Baghdad, about the situation there during this time leading up to the elections. His blog, Free Iraqi, provides some interesting reading from a perspective that we don't see here in the US.
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An Alternative Inaugural Address

Click here to read a humorous "alternative inaugural address" for our President to deliver this week. It's two pages long.
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SIlent Visitors

Read this moving story that was posted a couple weeks ago on Redleg's blog. It's well worth your time.

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Aiding and Abetting the Enemy

This article is a must-read. It is written by LTC Tim Ryan of the 1st Cavalry. He presents a very compelling argument that the Main Stream Media is aiding and abetting the terrorists in Iraq. It's a pretty long article, but well worth the time! (Hat tip to Sarah at trying to grok.)

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Peggy Noonan on the Mainstream Media (MSM)

This is definitely worth a gander. It is a refreshingly honest appraisal of the MSM and how it has lost its monopoly on information. I recommend it highly.

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More good news . . .

TROOPS DETAIN 6 SUSPECTED IN BAGHDAD GOVERNOR SLAYING

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Reporters Ignore A Soldier's Assessment

Here's an interesting article from Newsmax.com. Reprinted in its entirety, with italics added by myself.
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Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005 10:51 a.m. EST

Attacks Down as Iraq Election Nears

Press reports from Iraq paint a grim picture of assassinations, bombings and overall security spinning out of control - fueling the notion that there's almost no chance that successful elections can be held at the end of this month. But that's not what reporters in Iraq were actually told yesterday by Maj. Gen. Peter Ghiarelli, who's the commanding officer for U.S. troops in Baghdad.

In comments covered by Fox News Channel's "Special Report with Brit Hume," Gen. Ghiarelli said rebel attacks in Baghdad have actually dropped in recent weeks. The reason? U.S. forces have improved bomb detection methods, and increasing numbers of roadside explosives and car bombs are being uncovered before they can be detonated. "For every bomb that you've seen go off, I've found another one - or have broken up a cell that is placing another one," the Baghdad commander told reporters, in comments they mostly ignored. "We're also finding a lot of the equipment that makes [car bombs]."

Citing recent polling data that shows a substantial margin of Iraqis intend to vote in the election, Gen. Ghiarelli said he expects "a large turnout" in Sunni-dominated Baghdad.

A Lexis Nexis search Thursday morning showed that no other news outlet was interested in reporting what the U.S.'s top military man in Baghdad had to say.
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Isn't it sad when reporters, who are supposed to be objective, ignore the facts you're telling them because it doesn't fit with their opinion of the matter?

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UN tsunami relief efforts, not so wonderful?

This post by The Diplomad gives a different spin than what we hear on the news. I've been reading other things that lead me to believe this to be true, but haven't yet made up my mind about it. Please read . . .

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Re-enlisting to apply gangland lessons to Iraq

Here is an interesting story at MSNBC about how the Marines in Iraq are using anti-gang tactics (with the help of an ex-cop from Chicago) to defeat the "insurgents".

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News from Mosul

So has anyone seen or read about this in the news? This is pretty important stuff! Of course, it does not serve to illustrate the "futility" of US efforts in Iraq. In fact, this is damaging news for those who would have us believe that all is lost over there.

Pardon my sarcasm, and please read the news release. . .

THREE OF FOUR KEY TALHA LEADERS CAPTURED IN MOSUL

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Tsunami redrew ship channels, ocean floor

Check this out. This world has undergone some major changes in the last two weeks!
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Tsunami Relief Organizations

There have been a lot of folks looking for legitimate organizations to donate money to for the relief efforts in south Asia. I've compiled a small list of legitimate organizations' websites for your reference.

World Vision
Baptist World Aid
Christian Children's Fund
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC)
Food for the Poor
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)
International Aid
Lutheran World Relief
MAP International
Campus Crusade International Tidal Wave Relief
Save the Children
American Red Cross
UNICEF

This is nowhere near comprehensive, and I don't have time to research much more, but I know these are legitimate websites for real organizations that are providing relief to the victims of that terrible tragedy. I encourage all of you to give as you are able to help those who find themselves now in desperate need.
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More good news from Iraq

Another link to another perspective about Iraq.

Chrenkoff: Good news from Iraq, Part 18

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Iraqis Cracking Down on Terrorists

Here is news that you don't see in your local paper . . .

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US foreign policy in the Middle East

I want to wish you all the best for 2005. But this post is as much about our past as it is about our future . . .

It's pretty amazing what all has transpired during this past year. We've witnessed tremendous political debate over America's foreign policy -- primarily revolving around Iraq. And the debate really boils down to one question: should the USA be involved in aggressive efforts to shape the political nature of this world?.

Many Americans are of the opinion that this country should have a "hands-off" approach to foreign policy. They prefer that we just let things happen in the world, and cope the best we can using strictly diplomatic means. They refuse to acknowledge (or are just plain ignorant of the fact) that history has shown the passive approach to be catastrophic in terms of preserving the peace and security in this world. The USA pursued this very policy during the period between World War I and World War II. This country's failure to "get pushy" in opposing the Axis countries' expansionism led Germany, Italy, and Japan to believe that the US did not have the resolve to oppose them. The United States' isolationism during that period resulted in a world war.

If we try to follow a foreign policy like that in this day and age, we will just make this country overwhelmingly attractive to terrorist attacks like the one on 11 September 2001. We're already a target -- let's not make ourselves even a better target by being passive.

Terrorism is not an isolated, anti-social, non-political activity. It is a VERY political, VERY common approach to affect political change. Terrorists are not just some maladjusted, warped individuals. Many of the terrorist leaders are educated, reasoning individuals -- who happen to prefer evil means to make political changes. Yes, they are maladjusted and warped, but they are not stupid. Some of them are brilliant. And they are leading a large group of fanatical warriors who prefer their leaders to do their thinking for them. Scary, isn't it?

Though the Bush administration has not done a good job of PR concerning the military efforts in the Middle East, its policy is on the right track for making this world safer.

A doctor treating cancer does not wait around and hope it goes away -- he performs aggressive chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery (or a combination of them) to get rid of the cancer. And, generally, the patient gets sicker from the treatment before ultimately recovering from the cancer.

Right now, the Middle East is looking sicker than it did. But that is the result of the necessary steps that our US policy is taking to rid the world of the cancer of terrorism. If we continue our aggressive treatment, the Middle East will ultimately recover from terrorism. And the world will be a more peaceful and secure place -- for all of us . . .

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