Some New Reading

Steve Huff is has something you should read. The press seems to be gearing up for another get out of Iraq fete ... you would think they'd realize what we're fighting when it loses its own for speaking the truth. Read it.

no body ... no case, says CBS.

And there's a recently married couple from WV couple missing off the coast of Coasta Rica.

Comments

[Big Pappy]

All these dissapearances are really scaring me. We've vacationed 10+ times on different islands and in Mexico as well. I will think twice before ever going anywhere with anyone I don't know while on these trips, and will never let my wife out of my sight anymore. That includes fishing trips which I always charter by myself when I'm on vacation. It's all just too scary to me now.

I would return to Nevis or Mustique, the others I would have to seriously think about before deciding to go again. Never Jamaica.

[pamy]

by Norman 'Gus' Thomas
Caribbean Net News Senior Correspondent
E-mail: rc@caribbeannetnews.com
Tuesday, August 2, 2005
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: As the prevalence of youth crime and the flourishing of gangs has become a hot topic for debate across the Caribbean, deep concern is being expressed on the island of St Kitts

[pamy]

As a scuba diver, i go on trips and talk to other scuba divers about the best places to dive and they are always talking about the crime in the carribean. Drugs and gangs are making robberies rampant. It ends up where the smart thing to do if you go on a scuba trip is to stay at the resort, go out for the dives, but never venture anywhere else like into town. Sad but true.

[Susan]

speaking of drugs, take a look at these criminals caught outside of my town: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NV_METH_SEIZED_NVOL-?SITE=NVREN&SECTION=HOME

[TS]

As much as I hate to admit it, the CBS article is correct, unless the prosecution has more than we think they do.

[Spokane Sam]

Dan,

Give up the Iraq thing. You're not going to prove to anyone now that this was the right thing. It's been costly and deadly for us, and even conservatives (those who already didn't know it before hand) know this now. You're on the wrong side of the issue, but are too stubborn to admit that you were very wrong.

[Susan]

As other "bloggers" have commented, I don't think that Joran will dissapear into the rest of the world once he is released. I belive that his future actions will be closely watched. I am curious to see if once he is released, he or the Kapole brothers will return to a site, to see if anyone has looked at the "crime scene." If she is in captivity, I think that the chances of finding her are very slim.

[clintcarter]

Steve Huff's piece is a very emotional personal argument in support of generalizations and assumptions presented as fact.

Determine A Goal.
Decide how to achieve that Goal.
Implement your plan.

A clear statement of Purpose,
Logical arguments for each Step,
Do Not succumb to Whimsy (to paraphrase).

The death of a journalist who supported our current style of armed intervention and fuzzy Logic, no matter HOW heroic, does not validate the world's strongest nation tramping blindly about the neighbor's yard, slashing at this and that in search of some pest, exposing the young of the fathers who don't get to play war games and mowing down 10,000 innocent Iraqi citizens for every 1,000 of our soldiers murdered.
To resist this War does not have to mean disagreeing with the Goal, it is enough when the Steps are not Logical. The path to this Goal has been co-opted by emotional pleas and personal interests.

A logical argument is a formula. Lots of what I wrote above may not be strictly logical but humans need to communicate about how we feel too. A country's aims should face a stiffer test. It's NOT a matter of opinion. God Bless Logic. It certainly needs it. JMO.

[MrsJimiHendrix]

dan

what is wrong with that picture is al sadr is a shiite. AlQ are sunni and they hate the shia. we are liberating the majority shia. al sadr and his followers DO NOT represent the majority shia iraqis who want liberation from baathist and sunni regime. the only thing driving that one man is this : IRAN

Sadly CBS is onto something I hate to say it

Also thanks for the article on the missing couple

[MrsJimiHendrix]

CLINT CARTER

your conversion awaits

: )

[MrsJimiHendrix]

also look for some Al Q activity in UAE soon, a shia dominated country and an ally to the US and coalition forces which trained the new Iraqi (predoninantly shia) police force

[MrsJimiHendrix]

US MARINE KIDNAPPED TODAY/YESTERDAY ALONG W/ 8 OTHER PEOPLE

[Catherine Hammer]

I have heard some TV comentators pronounce Joran's name like the word "urine". Made me think of a product sold on TV here in the states. Too bad this one isn't a real product:

http://www.boomspeed.com/sushigal/JoranGone.jpg

[clintcarter]

I can't stay Ms. Jimi so don't get your bloomers all in a bunch.

Isn't it spelled Shiite?

And religious differences, even to the extent they may lead to warfare, cannot simply be 'enclosed' within some D-Day line in the sand. As more of the world's children grow up poor than ever before and Eskimos to Peruvians gape at a life on TV they cannot yet dream of enjoying the economic dispaaties will be More than enough to breed enemies of America, enough to inspire some brilliant sociopath too young and too isolated to do a little 'dismembering' of a society.
We need to communicate an Awareness of our connectivity to the rest of the world; be uneuivacably magnanamus(sp?) in our actions; recognize that it will take more than gentle nudges to change the inertia of continuing division and conflict.
Yield from Strength to attain full Power.

No, I don't do yoga.

[Mr. JimMorrison]

Mrs. Jimi Hendrix,

Yes, the majority of Iraqis are Shiite. And yes, many of these welcome the US. But they do so primarily because the US deposed Saddam. They do not share any love for US-style democracy beyond its ability to get their own leaders elected and impose a distinctly Islamist stamp on government. It will take years for us to recognize how bad a mistake our intervention in Iraq was. Unfortunately, those who notice it most will be academics, foreign policy analysts, and citizens of the Middle East. Our short term memory will have been long-since distracted towards something else by then.

[GrannyToad]

what is wrong with that picture is al sadr is a shiite. AlQ are sunni and they hate the shia. we are liberating the majority shia. al sadr and his followers DO NOT represent the majority shia iraqis who want liberation from baathist and sunni regime. the only thing driving that one man is this : IRAN

Posted by: MrsJimiHendrix | August 3, 2005 02:39 PM

Thanks for the short overview, Mz J. It's refreshing to see someone able to express & condense the wider picture accurately.

It's troubling how, after so many decades of internet access there are so many uninformed on at least the basics.

[GrannyToad]

They do not share any love for US-style democracy beyond its ability to get their own leaders elected and impose a distinctly Islamist stamp on government.

Posted by: Mr. JimMorrison | August 3, 2005 03:08 PM

Did I miss something, about this US-style requirement?

Will you define the difference between islamic and islamist, please?

[skyboxx]

Wack,

Let me get this correct, perfectly innocent people, (presume you mean Juran, Papa and company) with nothing to hide make up an incredible story IN CASE someone were to say, "Hey didn't I see NH with them/" They weren't the known last, but they made up this story about dropping her off and were going to let the security guards swing just because?????

Ever since mid June, when a source I have come to trust has mentioned the possibility of the land fill, and every since I have posted this, my web site gets attacked, along with negative emails. Luckily my firewall prevents any shenanigans. But I find it someone odd that only when I post the possibility of Daddy, Police chief and Juran being involved to the hilt and the landfill issue, all Hell breaks loose. The DJ also concocted a perfectly good alibi for the Kalpoes???? There is a strong possibility that Deepack called the DJ to cover for them on the HI story, in case Juran, father and Police cheif double crossed them. Police know this and that's why they released him. One Kalpoe brother was to be released. See my post back in June. Surprise to everyone when both Kalpoes were released. These are not coincidences, there is a fabric to this story. Keep the pressure on and search the land fill.

VDS are more powerful family than reported. This is big stain for them and they have led a misdirection campaign from the beginning. NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE concocts the security guard story out of the blue for no reason. Please search the landfill, find the body and charge the culprits. NH wasn't abducted by Aliens and she didn't disappear on her own.

[sharon]

I am now thinking she would not be in the dump area. Why would someone wait several days to contact the police about seeing a body? They could have called anonomiously to the police if they were scared. This does not make sense...how does one believe what they saw with their own eyses and sit on it for days....

[Ciarra]

I'm thinkin' that perhaps Natalee's mother should have a good old come to jesus meeting with the three boys. First interview with Joran, with the lawyer present, and say "I will never see my daughter again, but you were one of the last people to see her. Please tell me how she spent the last hours of the night..." and ask painful details about his supposedly having sex with her. "Did she seem happy??" "Did she smile?" etc. just to grind the sand into the wound of guilt.

Kill him with kindness and sensitivity. Kill him with her abject saddness of wanting to know what it was like to have had such intimate moments with her daughter, what those moments were like, since she'll never have that mother/daughter talk...if any of these boys or their families have souls, this kind of "final closure" conversation might strike a chord.

LET the families be there for the questions, LET the lawyers be there for her questions. It is only the wish of a grieving mother to know what her daughter's last supposidly happy moments were; play it off as no longer being concerned about the fact that they may have disposed of NH. Act as if that's the farthest thing from her mind right now and that of COURSE she believes them, she just now wants to know that her daughter was in good hands when she was last seen. (no puns intended, there.)

i just kinda think reverse psychology and playing off the guilty may honestly strike a chord. Interrogations are generally hostile, so maybe a non-hostile interview under the guise of closure for the mom might do something.

i dunno, i am just floored by the fact that these three guys can remain so silent w/o mentally cracking up. it'll eventually get to them, tho. i can only hope. but then, i've been hoping the same thing about OJ for years now...(ook, no flames, just needed to say that...)

[Caroline]

Dan-
I just wanted to thank you for linking the article that I sent you on the missing couple. I do not know them personally, however getting the article out will hopefully help the family in some way. Thank you!!!!!!! Keep up the good work!

[calista]

my gosh! acn you not leave america anymore? we are barely sfae here as it is how sad I pray they find this couple.....and natalee but chances are looking slim for that

[Kat Gram]

A come to Jesus for those two good Hindu boys, who have a shrine in the house and pray every day ! ( According to their Mumma )

Does anyone know if trials are public in Aruba or is that all behind closed doors also ? I know there is no plea bargaining ( too bad ) and there is no such thing as a jury trial, it is a judge.
If there is an appeal, it goes to Holland and three judges decide, but it is just on legal issues.

They might have to try to charge them or just Joran now that is has gone so political. Then have weakling of a trial.

[calista]

Dan,

Give up the Iraq thing. You're not going to prove to anyone now that this was the right thing. It's been costly and deadly for us, and even conservatives (those who already didn't know it before hand) know this now. You're on the wrong side of the issue, but are too stubborn to admit that you were very wrong.

Posted by: Spokane Sam | August 3, 2005 02:18 PM

I odn't know Dan's views or anyone elses and although I may not be the most politically up to speed person I iwll say that our president is wrong. He went into Iraq to prove apoint because he felt he had to after 9-11 and he didn't have a clue what our men and women would face over there - there are thousands and thousands that have been killed and for what? saddam is in captivity and it is worse than ever over there - I truly wish the good people of Iraq could have freedom and safety but we can't do it and frankly it isn't our job - the craziness over there will never stop and peole will continue to die. So many of the military killed are so young and they had no idea what they were getting into - I talk about this with a personal motive also because my husband is in the Army and he is only 21 years old. he is studying to be a linguist in Arabic and chances are good he will be sent to Iraq. We have a 7 month old baby. My prayers and admiration are HUGE for the military families who have endured their loved ones being gone in Iraq not knowing for a year or more and the ones who have lost their loved ones. I do not respect our president because he wanted to make himself look good and he got our man and women killed to do it. They didn't even have propwer equipment to protect themselves with and how could he know that and let this continue? I highly doubt he would send his own children into such a situation. I pray this ends soon and that we have a new president with the courage to say enough is enough and bring our troops home

[Mr. Jim Morrison]

Granny Toad,

You've asked a good question.

Generally, the term Islamist is used to refer to political movements or parties or candidates with an Islamic agenda. The adjective Islamic pertains to anything having to do with Islam. "Islamist" might define the "Virtue" party in Turkey, the former Salvation Front in Algeria, or recently-elected Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran. The more widespread "Islamic", however would be used to describe someone's faith, or architecture or art, or culture, etc. To be sure, the two words can be used *somewhat* interchangeably, though generally, again, refers to an Islamic political agenda. Does this make sense?

In the class I teach on Middle Eastern history really try to avoid making generalizations about the Shi'a majority in Iraq, as those sorts of sweeping indictments don't accurately describe reality. Many Shiites, especially those from the centers of Baghdad and Basra, are very-western leaning in their views. A small handful, such as those that serve in the Al Sadr brigades, are anti-western -- they have an exaggerated fear of the US and consider the American forces to be a threat to their desire to impose a rather austere, harsh brand of Islamic law on Iraqi society. The majority, I would say, however, are neither virulently anti-West, yet neither do they have any notion as to what Western-style democracy is. They have known for years that they are the majority, and if Saddam was ever deposed and a plebescite was held then they would be able to get a Shiite-dominated government that would listen to them. But they view elections more as a tool for imposing Sharia than they do as a perpetual way for the people of Iraq to have a voice in running government. I would say that most are not as extreme as Sadr, but would still like to see government and law embody Islamic values. What they want in Iraq is radically different from the democracy that we have in the West, and would result in the stripping-away of women's rights (though women would not necessarily be completely removed from the political process, as evidenced by neighboring Iran -- the Middle Eastern world is much more complex than our simplified generalizations!) and many other freedoms that we cherish. This would also make the Sunnis, Kurds, and minority Christians and Turkmens chafe.

The likelihood of civil war is quite high, and will be for some time. While I am not sad to see Saddam gone, I am very concerned about the genie the US intervention has let out of the bottle. The reality in Iraq now is very, very troubling. It is only small consolation that, once the US withdraws completely (most experts in-the-know think it will inevitably happen within the next 18 months) then most Americans' attentions will be turned elsewhere.

[MrsJimiHendrix]

Thanks for the short overview, Mz J. It's refreshing to see someone able to express & condense the wider picture accurately.

It's troubling how, after so many decades of internet access there are so many uninformed on at least the basics.

Posted by: GrannyToad | August 3, 2005 03:44 PM

GRANNY TOAD

you and I both know that we cannot afford not to know this anymore, although we have known about it for a long time.
anyone who thinks they can gloss over this stuff anymore is kidding themselves. but then again, it is a lot to comprehend and i wish i did not know it most of the time myself.

also an islamic is someone of the islamic faith, be it muslim, druse, bedioun, etc. an islamist is an extremist who embraces the principles of groups like AQ (sunni) and hisbella (shia). I am certain you already know this, but just for clarification.

MOST PEOPLE OF ISLAM DO NOT EMBRACE ISLAMICISTS BELIEFS, BUT UNTIL MODERATE ISLAMICS STAND UP IN DROVES TO THESE PEOPLE THE WORLD IS IN TROUBLE. not a salman rushdie here or an ibn warraq there, but nations upon nations.

God bless the whole world. We are in trouble.

[MrsJimiHendrix]

Clint

I agree

And i do yoga!!

so great minds do think alike and i await your response!!

this is a gap in a lot of things, but we are not necessarily all at fault
these countries do have governments who have access to our cash flow
and resources.

what they do with it is the question.

Namaste CC!!

[MrsJimiHendrix]

MR JIM MORRISON AKA KEEPER OF THE MORRISON MOTEL

i have a strong feeling i know who you are
oh kindred one

break on through to the other side!!

: )

[MrsJimiHendrix]

Isn't it spelled Shiite? posted by clint carter

Clint

i spelled it correctly

shiite is singular
shia is plural

i grew up with enough shia to know of what i speak here

[MrsJimiHendrix]

Mrs. Jimi Hendrix,

Yes, the majority of Iraqis are Shiite. And yes, many of these welcome the US. But they do so primarily because the US deposed Saddam. They do not share any love for US-style democracy beyond its ability to get their own leaders elected and impose a distinctly Islamist stamp on government. It will take years for us to recognize how bad a mistake our intervention in Iraq was. Unfortunately, those who notice it most will be academics, foreign policy analysts, and citizens of the Middle East. Our short term memory will have been long-since distracted towards something else by then.

Posted by: Mr. JimMorrison | August 3, 2005 03:08 PM

Mr Jim

i have to go with you on this. As in Achmed Chalabi.

Also look at Aziz K Aziz (aka aziz al tahee)

i saw that gruesome video where at the end some imbiciles were saying
it said, "thy will be done," but in reality it was RUSSIAN and they were saying
"get it over with quick"

AND I DO KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT I AM REFERRING TO

now, while mr. aziz was in this country, in philly to be exact, do you realize
he was in witness protection for RUNNING PEOPLE AND CRACK UP AND DOWN THE
EASTERN US FOR THE RUSKIE MOB?

interesting that no matter how hard they look for him in iraq, they cannot find him!!!

also WTF was he doing IN JORDAN with Nick Berg's cell phone after mr berg was
kidnapped and presumed beheaded

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK MR MOJO. WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE HERE

[MrsJimiHendrix]

MR MOJO

blame it on

THE CARLYLE GROUP!!

[chandellesmom]

OMG, that couple is from my home town...I used to work with her at the medical center!! I pray they are found.

[MrsJimiHendrix]

chandellesmom

glad you are still here