Thursday, February 13, 2003

Okay, it looks like this is the explanation for why Colin Powell had the transcript of the "Bin Laden" tape before Al Jazeera even knew about it. If anyone can explain the precise relationship between Al Jazeera and the Qatari government, please put your answers on a post card. It's more confusing than the BBC and the British government, that's for sure. Al Jazeera supposedly got the tape two hours before it ran, so who in the Qatari government got it before them? Oh, I'm sure there will be inter-office emails at the "Jaz" today! Now I have a new question: If the U.S. government had this info on Feb. 6, why did they wait until Feb. 11 to release it? - Consider Arms 12:08:02 PM    comment []

"'The question I will put to them is: Why more inspections? And how much more time?' Powell said. 'Or are you just delaying for the sake of delaying in order to get Saddam Hussein off the hook and no disarmament? That's a challenge I will put to them.'" Is this really what passes for acceptable political discourse these days?  This quote is about as sophisticated as anything that might come out of the mouth of the most ignorant, inflammatory right-wing pundit out there.  "...to get Saddam Hussein off the hook..."?  Does Powell have a semi-retarded sixth grader write his speeches for him? - Marcus-Marcus 9:15:19 AM    comment []

This is all stuff I found on the AP wire at work this morning, so forgive me for not providing links.  If, however, you go to http://www.ap.org you should be able to find all of these.   The big news is that Germany looks ready to back down from their position that NATO shouldn't help Turkey prepare for an attack that will never come.  Germany has hinted that they could cave in as early as Saturday, although there are some undefined "concessions" they want from Bush & Co.  France and Belgium are still holding out.   Also, there is apparently another Osama tape, this one bought over the Internet (snicker) by an "Islamic news agency" in Britain.  If Al Jazeera can be believed, this British news agency is unreliable; they allegedly released a video tape of Osama showing that he had survived the war in Afghanistan that had been recorded before the bombing began.  I don't know if this is authentic (I have my doubts about all of these tapes), but if it is, then bravo to Al Qaeda for using the Internet in innovative new ways to get their product to the masses.  They are embracing the future in a way that the Recording Industry Association of America can only dream about.   And furthermore:   A Bolivian police strike has caused bloody riots in La Paz.  At least 14 people are dead. . . The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (which has a funny acronym, when you think about it), which has been fighting a guerrilla war in the Philippines for 30 years, is beating back a government offensive. Whatever happened to those Abu Sayyaf guys?. . . U.S. troops are still fighting guerrillas loyal to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar (erstwhile U.S. ally) in the mountains of Afghanistan. . . U.S. troop strength in the Middle East is up to 113,000, with more than half in Kuwait. . . Obdulio Villanueva, a former Guatamalan soldier convicted in the 1998 murder of Roman Catholic Bishop Juan Gerardi (also a human rights activist) was beheaded during a prison riot. I'm reminded of Orwell's satisfaction upon hearing of Italo Balbo's death. . . The Belgian Supreme Court will not indict Ariel Sharon for war crimes . . . More than half the 650 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay are being rewarded for good behavior.  Doesn't that make you feel better?   - Consider Arms 9:03:12 AM    comment []

© Copyright 2003 Marc Hatfield. Last update: 02/28/2003; 9:38:53 AM.