3. oktober 2004

Clerics support hostage taking, murder A rather depressing op-ed in the WSJ by Amir Taheri about the significant support for both hostage taking and exhibition killings of infidels in the Muslim world. 11:36:27 PM    comment []  trackback []

Computer users grossly underestimate security risks A survey by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) reveals that American computer users don't take computer security very seriously. While 90% could remember Janet Jackson's breast exposure, only 60% knew when they last updted their antivirus, firewall or operating system. Unbelievably, 30% believed they had a higher chance of being hit by lightning than falling victim to a computer security problem. According to the US National Weather Service, Americans have a 0.0000102% chance of being hit by lightning. By contrast the chances of falling victim to a computer virus, phishing attack, malicious hack attempt or other cyber security dangers are currently running at 70%, according to statistics gathered for the E-Crime Watch Survey. As always, the biggest computer security risk is the user. Problem Lies Between Keyboard and Chair. 10:20:20 PM    comment []  trackback []

Now that's an American puppet BoingBoing has a quite enthusiastic review on Team America: World Police, the new crazy marionette action movie by the creators of South Park. 12:42:27 PM    comment []  trackback []

Sign of progress in Iraq II Belmont Club has some solid coverage of the combined US/Iraqi attack on Samarra. The attack appears to have been very successful, and has demonstrated the abilities and quality of the new Iraqi army. One of the most remarkable aspects of the operation was that such a huge force of Americans and Iraqis achieved tactical surprise. "When the 3,500 US troops and Iraqi forces launched the attack they appeared to catch the insurgents by surprise."  Reports suggest the insurgents were caught flat-footed.[...] The fact that the First Infantry Division and the Iraqi Army were able to keep the approach of multi-battalion forces secret from the enemy in the heart of the Sunni triangle is one of the most impressive aspects of this operation. The insurgents were surprised in a stronghold where they could expect to enjoy every intelligence advantage. Nearly as impressive was the lightning seizure of the Shi'ite shrine by the 36th Iraqi Commando battalion. If this feat were achieved in Najaf two month's earlier it would have been the equivalent of Allawi capturing Moqtada al-Sadr and his high command in their underpants. In fact, the entire multinational operation implies a degree of coordination, command and control that speaks volumes about the degree of improvement of the Iraqi Army. The surprise also means a very high degree of loyalty to the Iraqi government among the Iraqi soldiers. None of them tipped off the insurgents, for money or ideological reasons, about the imminent attack. 11:51:07 AM    comment []  trackback []

Sign of progress in Iraq I Moqtada al-Sadr, the firebrand Shiite cleric who had his Mehdi militia decimated by coalition forces in Najaf, is now testing the waters for going into politics. After weeks of watching his militia wither before American military attacks, Mr. Sadr has sent emissaries to some of Iraq's major political parties and religious groups to discuss the possibility of involving himself in the campaign for nationwide elections, according to a senior aide to Mr. Sadr and several Iraqi leaders who have met with him. PS: Strange bedfellows: According to the same Iraqis, Mr. Sadr's aides have begun to work closely with Ahmad Chalabi, the Iraqi exile who was once a favorite of the Bush administration but who has since fallen out of favor. In recent weeks, Mr. Chalabi has been advising Mr. Sadr's aides in their search for allies, and he has encouraged members of the Shiite Council, a political alliance that he is a part of, to join with Mr. Sadr. Mr. Chalabi and his allies appear to be interested in tapping the vast support that Mr. Sadr enjoys among Iraqis poor and lower-class Shiites. Somehow, I think Chalabi will keep popping up in the strangest places in Iraq, and I am not convinced he's up to any good. 9:18:09 AM    comment []  trackback []

© Copyright 2004 Jan Haugland. Last update: 01.11.2004; 14:35:03.