Day: November 11, 2007

Muslim Brotherhood Propagandist Loses Head, Ten to Hang

The story of Mohammed Taha comes to a close as the Islamists responsible for his beheading were sentenced to death by hanging. Mohammed was a propagandist for the Muslim Brotherhood, he wrote Islamist screeds to further their aims. The problem with MB Islamism however is that anyone can assume the mantle of Amr, anyone can declare someone Takfir, apostate, etc. From ABC News:

Ten men from the Darfur region of Sudan have been sentenced to death for the murder and beheading of a controversial Islamist newspaper editor.

Mohamed Taha was kidnapped from his home last year by armed men.

His decapitated body was found the next morning lying on a street in the south of the capital Khartoum.

The crime came as a huge shock in Sudan.

Many believed it echoed images of the brutal killings by Al Qaeda militants in Iraq.

Mr Taha, an Islamist himself, had angered some by reprinting an article questioning the roots of the Prophet Mohammed.

More at BBC 

So the extremists war with themselves, and that is the problem with Political Islam – it becomes a dog-eat-dog fight over who will be Emir or Caliph, who is more holy, and who is Takfir. It attracts the worst sorts in the Islamic world, not the best.

So you have it that Al Qaeda and allies have killed ten times the number of Muslims that the US has, even though we are at war in two Muslim countries. Think on the evil that must drive that – and the cowardice of the Islamists. 

They have no hope for a future, and really never did.

3 Al Qaeda HVT’s Captured in Iraq

In a good start to labor day, the military has captured three Al Qaeda high-value targets, and 200 more operatives in Iraq today. This is a great kick-off to the new campaign in the north as they mop up the remaining dregs of Al Qaeda in Iraq. Story from Reuters:

The operation had also netted multiple weapons caches that included more than a tonne of various explosives, hundreds of artillery rounds and rockets, the statement added.

“The combined operations of Iraqi Security Forces and U.S. Army brigades in our four provinces in Northern Iraq have been nothing short of phenomenal,” said U.S. Major-General Mark Hertling, a senior military commander in Iraq.

Even though our forces have had major success the past two months with string after string of victories, it’s no time to rest on laurels as this campaign proves. There are still some hard core remnants that must be pursued to demolition. The targetted assassinations and coordinated twin car bombings recently prove that some hard-core cells still remain after the main Al Qaeda retreat out of Iraq. Where did they retreat to?

As I’ve been saying since June I think most of their forces have retreated across Iran into Pakistan; and judging from the increased fighting and effectiveness of Al Qaeda in Somalia it could be that some went there.

Meanwhile, the number of arms captured from Iran is rising, not falling. They play with fire here, because there are insurgent groups within Iran — if Iran continues to exfiltrate arms and Quds force Operatives to all neighboring countries, then there in nothing that precludes their neighbors from doing the same to them. This year has seen Quds forces and arms in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. (there are rumors but no confirmation of arms sent to Turkey as well.) More at Reuters, and please see this instructional debate at Memri for more background on Iranian aspirations.

By continually destabilizing their neighbors they have become the crisis in the region, not Iraq.

Veteran’s Day; Armistice Day; Remembrance Day 2007

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This is a day to honor and remember all those who have served our country in its need. We remember those who fought amidst smoke and ruin, and those who worked long hours behind them wishing they were there at the front instead. We remember them fondly as they are the finest among us; even those who never saw warfront, nor blood, nor battle bravely chose the inherent risk of putting their life in service to their country.

We honor as well those who worked life-long to ensure our safety, thus defeating foes without battle – they are also the finest among us — for they know that safety and freedom rely on readiness first. They all suffer the fellowship of pain and toil that comes from seeing the potential faces of death, and saying “It Shall Not Be!”

Some of our warriors bear the lifelong burdens of deaths and pains, both comrade’s and foe’s, upon their shoulders. Despite those burdens they persist in life and create a better future. So think on them most of all this day, and on the burden the honored ones who did not fall carry with them ever after. 

UPDATE:

Please also stop by Jammie Wearing Fool, Jawa Report, Little Green footballs, and the Mountain forum  and This Aint Hell for pictorial and video tributes from today’s activities. In the latter is a great series of photos, ending with Veterans giving the only salute appropriate to the Westboro Baptist Church.