Theodore's World

Displaced Shiites who were forced to leave predominantly Sunni neighborhoods around Baghdad and move into the Shiite district of Shuala waiting for assistance at a distribution center run by Sadr’s organization.

Sadr re-emerges in Iraq, bolder than ever
international herald tribune …for complete article
BAGHDAD: After months of lying low, the anti-American Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr has re-emerged with a shrewd two-tiered strategy that reaches out to Iraqis on the street and distances him from the increasingly unpopular government.
Sadr and his political allies have largely disengaged from government, thus contributing to the political paralysis noted in a White House report last week. That outsider status has enhanced Sadr’s appeal to Iraqis, who consider politics less and less relevant to their daily lives.
Sadr has been working tirelessly to build support at the grass roots, opening new storefront offices across Baghdad and southern Iraq that dispense services that are not being provided by the government. In this he seems to be following the model established by Hezbollah, the radical Lebanese Shiite group, as well as Hamas in Gaza, with entwined social and military wings that serve as a parallel government.
He has also extended the reach of his Mahdi army, one of the armed groups that the White House report acknowledged remain entrenched in Iraq. The militia has effectively taken over vast swaths of the capital and is fighting government troops in several southern provinces. Although the militia sometimes uses brutal tactics, including death squads, many vulnerable Shiites are grateful for the protection it affords.
At the same time, the Mahdi army is not entirely under Sadr’s control, and he publicly denounces the most notorious killers fighting in his name. That frees him to extend an olive branch to Sunni Arabs and Christians, while championing the Shiite identity of his political base.

Wild Thing’s comment……..
Good, let him get bolder, and when his fat ass steps outside from hiding we have a .50 caliber bullet with his name on it. You won’t live to see Rama-lama-ding-dong this year pork boy.

Sen. Christopher Bond, R-Mo., right, speaks to members of the group Vets for Freedom prior to the start of a news conference supporting the war in Iraq, Tuesday, July 17, 2007, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Democratic Leaders Refuse to Meet With Veterans Group
Vets for Freedom.org

Vets for Freedom expresses disappointment that veterans were not able to meet with Congressional leadership from both sides of the aisle in Congress today. While many Republican Senators, including leadership, made themselves available for questions and input, interaction from Democratic leadership was noticeably absent. In spite of that, Vets for Freedom members remain committed to speaking with elected leaders on both sides of the aisle.
Republican leadership (and some Democrats, although not leadership) made room in their busy schedules—on very short notice—to speak with veterans. These veterans flew in on their own dime to ask Congress to give General David Petraeus the time he needs to fully implement the surge of American forces in Iraq. Veterans are very grateful and thankful for the time that these Senators took to spend with them.
Five days in advance of today’s events, Vets for Freedom meeting requests—for 5 minutes—were submitted to the Majority Leader and the Speaker of the House. Repeated attempts were made to contact and meet with the Democratic leadership.
“In the end, they made a disappointing decision to decline meeting with veterans who have first-hand knowledge of the situation on the ground” said Pete Hegseth, an Iraq War veteran and executive director of Vets for Freedom. “It is especially disappointing because Democratic leadership’s misguided policy—a declaration of defeat—will lead to a national security disaster for the United States.”
Vets for Freedom is a nonpartisan organization established by combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its mission is to educate the American public about the importance of achieving success in these conflicts by applying our first-hand knowledge to issues of American strategy and tactics—namely “the surge” in Iraq. Vets for Freedom is the leading voice representing troops and veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. For more information, please visit www.vetsforfreedom.org.

Wild Thing’s comment……..
How does someone snub our military and our Veterans? How does a person sleep knowing they had a chance to say thank you, or talk to our Veterans or our troops and say no or ignore their request of an invitation????
It is just not a part of me to understand this, not even a little.

Just my own take on the events as they
happened up till 03:50

WASHINGTON – Democrats steered the Senate into an attention-grabbing, all-night session to dramatize opposition to the Iraq war but conceded they were unlikely to gain the votes needed to advance troop withdrawal legislation blocked by Republicans.

“Our enemies aren’t threatened by talk-a-thons, and our troops deserve better than publicity stunts,” said Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader.

McConnell and many other Republicans favor waiting until September before considering any changes to the Bush administration’s current policy. They have vowed to block a final vote on the Democrats’ attempt to require a troop withdrawal to begin within 120 days.

Workmen prepare to set up sleeping cots in a room off the Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 17, 2007, as the Senate prepared for an all night session to debate the war in Iraq. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)

“We have no alternative except to keep them in session to explain their obstruction,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

So far, the legislation has drawn the support of three Republicans, Sens. Gordon Smith of Oregon, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.

“Will the all-night session change any votes? I hope so,” Reid said at midafternoon, pointedly stopping well short of a prediction that it would.

Not this time. Forced to make good on their filibuster threat, it was the Republicans’ turn to describe the state of an all-night Senate.

A “political stunt,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. “Petty kindergarten games.”

“We were instructed to legislate, not to strut across a stage,” lectured McConnell, now minority leader. “This isn’t Hollywood; this is real life, the United States Senate.”

Not everyone was complaining. To at least one senator, an all-nighter offered some excitement, and a challenge.

“I’m trying to find a bench around here that’s long enough for me to stretch out,” said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., a 6-foot-4 freshman lawmaker. “It’s my first all nighter — I’m excited.”

A worker lays out a cot for U.S. Senators in the Lyndon B. Johnson room, just off the Senate floor

OMG it really is a slumber party. LOL

Feinstein advocated “compelling Iran to abandon nuclear pursuit” …..I wonder how she proposes to do that.
Then she said she wants us to build schools to educate the kids to not grow up to terrorists. What a dumb woman.
All these senator’s pretending to be generals is luducrous and humorous (other than it is such a serious issue).
Not sure if Robt. Byrd was there, he might have been in a Klan meeting.
Mary Landrrieu’s gave her speech and called for a vote, her body looks like it is getting bigger. Maybe she is hiding federal funds for Katrina relief. She told how to win the war, how to fight the battles. Good grief, I hate arm chair generals. LMAO she put a big poster board up with a little photo of Osama on it and his height, weight etc. LOL This is what he looks like and how tall he is and what he weighs. OMG this woman is nuts. haha Now she said, we should give the money we are using to fight the war and use it to make a bigger offer of $$$$ to whoever can lead us to Osama. She is lying about the troops. Man she hates our military! F#$# her!
Still now sign of Teddy Kennedy. They are still serving alcohol in the bars of DC at this hour I am writing this. They can always look for Teddy there rather than actually in the Senate.
Joe Lieberman speaking now, he is on the right side of this war. He is the ONLY democrat speaking from a position of principle, not a position of politics. The rest of them just hate President Bush so much they want him to lose the war, at any cost to our country. He spoke of how well the surge is going, how great our troops are doing and how we have to stay there.
“The American military will never lose the war in Iraq…if lost, it will be lost by a lack of political will.” – Joe Lieberman
Lieberman told the dem’s that the Reid amendment is a surrender and a vote for the amendment’s is vote for defeat – just as our troops have the enemy on the run – will change to our soldiers running in defeat.
The bore and rino, grandstanding Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J yielded the floor. There is a God.
Reid forcing another quorum call vote. The Nevadah Cadavah speaks!! Gracious!! My driveway is more colorful than this man! Harry Reid is insane. He thinks he’s really “doing something” with this crap by making them stay up all night.
Calling Robert Byrd’s name again…….. “Bueller….Bueller…..Bueller….”…..nope he isn’t there.
I am dying here…hahaahahhaa……..Reid is already caving so there will be no quorum call again before 0500 (poor darlings need sleep, or they are already too damned drunk to get back into the Senate floor un-assisted)…the 1100 gig was for the final speeches before 1100 (Wednesday MORNING)…
McConnell: I’ll be brief. I’d simply like to ask my honored colleague Mr. Reid to kiss my @$$. I yeild the floor… Heh heh oh my words not his. hahaha
LOL………….get this……C-Span spells Harry Reid=== REED! OMG hahahaha too funny
As poorly as these Senators speak, it’s a wonder any of them got elected.
Tom Harkin, he’s a cold blooded liar!! He is comparing this war and Vietnam. Damn him!! He knows exactrly what happened when the DEMOCRATS had us pull out of Vietnam. Then he said the Surge started in January, I am sorry Harkin but you are insulting OUR intelligence.

Hey HARKIN listen up!! The blood of millions will
be on the Democrats hands,
just as it was after Vietnam. Our troops
were winning in
Vietnam, it was our Democrat Politicians that lost it.

I am telling you listening to this Harkin is making me sick to my stomachl. He just read two letters, supposedly from two different moms of soldiers saying bring them home. Then he pleaded….. LET US HAVE THE VOTE!! over and over.
That ticks me off so much. I am in 4 email groups of wives, family members and friends of our troops. Every day I see what they go through and you know what????? Every single day I also read how proud they are of their loved one, scared yes, but PROUD.
Harken said we lost already in Iraq, it is time to get out of there. He also said the President lied us into Iraq, and killed thousands of soldiers and Iraqis.
These absolute lies will not be called out, and the “TRUTH” will be whatever the leftist media decides it is.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr
They are all giving different start dates that the surge started. Someone better have the Dems get their talking points right…The surge started in January…then March then May…which is it guys?

The sign the Democrats have and then they all say ” Let Us Vote”
You know what would be funny? The next Republican goes to speak, says “Get that damn sign out of my face. Where the hell was that sign when the President’s judges were up for a vote? You a-holes pulled the same b.s. that you decry now!
“’Let us vote’? Kiss my – I yield the floor.”
I am making jokes, but I must say, listening to the outright lies that are being spewed here this evening by the likes of Harkin and others, scares me even more for my country!
And millions will die in rabid unstoppable violence when the Democrats force us to cut and run in cowardly defeat.
For liberals, history begins when they wake up in the morning. And whatever they decide to MAKEUP and lie about.
John Thune is speaking now and he is doing GREAT! He read a letter from a Marine and it said….”please accept the adivce of one Marine, that knows the sacrifice, has experienced the sacrifice and knows what it would mean to leave Iraq at this time.”
GRRRR Senator Jim Webb interrupting Thune and trying to agrue with him and use up Thune’s time. Webb asking him if he (Thune) knows of the beliefs of our troops. Thune is not falling for it and he is staying strong. I love it.
Thune: Reclaiming my time. meaning shut the heck up I have the floor. Go Thune not speculating on our soldiers political beliefs.
Smarmy Jim Webb asks Thune about political make-up of the military. Trying to get Thune to talk about phony polls of military on Iraq. Webb called out of order as he tries to talk over Thune to get in phony poll results.
WEBB IS A THUG!!!
Oh Lord on High – Olympia Snowe– God help us! Could anyone be more of a bore then she is and a rino on top of that. LOL Snowe bragging about spending 28 years KEEPING HER SEAT FROM ANOTHER AMERICAN, as if she OWNS it.
She thinks we are stupid, Snowe says this legislation will allow our troops to fight AQ in Iraq anytime we want?
Jeff Sessions!! Yipee! Can I hear an Amen! He is laying into them. Scolding them for not waiting to here the report in Sept. and how they had voted to send Petreus ( spelling) and how he had been there for several tours and that they are in so many words slapping Petreus and the troops in the face.
He said this pulling out would provide the enemy with a victory of such huge proportions , a tremendous blunder, and would aid the enemy.
” we agreed to do this surge and wait for the report and that is what we should do. We talked and we talked and we voted on this surge, an increase on soldiers in Iraq and on Petreus and the new strategy and he is executing it. And now YOU want to change it again?? Because of some poll that just came in? Let’s get real here!!! A change without even listening to Petreus is wrong.
“Many have said that Bush lied to get us in this war. I reject that. And to pull the plug on them when they want to be successful is wrong. A failure of will by the Congress to our military would be the badest thing to do to them. He has only had his fulll compliment of the troops for the surge for about three weeks.”
” I have met some of these Marines, and why would I want to bet against one of these tuff Marines!”

Sessions was awesome, I tried to type as he spoke but it is hard to keep up. haha But it will give you an idea of what he said.

McCain is up now to speak, but I am off to bed. See you all later.

Goodnight or good morning everyone. I am going
to sleep now.

Hahaha I  just wanted to give you an idea of what I heard and
saw with all of this instead of some liberal media BS.

FBI: Iraqis Being Smuggled Across the Rio Grande
blotter
The FBI is investigating an alleged human smuggling operation based in Chaparral, N.M., that agents say is bringing “Iraqis and other Middle Eastern” individuals across the Rio Grande from Mexico.
An FBI intelligence report distributed by the Washington, D.C. Joint Terrorism Task Force, obtained by the Blotter on ABCNews.com, says the illegal ring has been bringing Iraqis across the border illegally for more than a year.
Border Patrol officials in the area said they were unaware of the specifics of the FBI’s report, and federal prosecutors in New Mexico told ABCNews.com they had no current cases involving the illegal smuggling of Iraqis.

The FBI report, issued last week, says the smuggling organization “used to smuggle Mexicans, but decided to smuggle Iraqi or other Middle Eastern individuals because it was more lucrative.” Each individual would be charged a fee of $20,000 to $25,000, according to the report.

The people to be smuggled would “gather at a house on the Mexican side of the border” and then cross the Rio Grande into the U.S., the report says.

“Unidentified individuals would then transport them to train stations in El Paso, Texas or Belen, New Mexico,” according to the FBI document.

Wild Thing’s comment……….
We are at war and we have no border. Hello!!!!
It is blatantly obvious even to the most casual reader that Islamic terrorists have been, and continue to, cross the U.S./Mexico border into America.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is warning of the threat of terrorists entering this country through the same routes as those used by illegal aliens. Secretary Rumsfeld, traveling in South America, warned that enemies look for weaknesses and take advantage of them. (Transcript)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: The risk is that some of these human-smuggling routes into our country from this hemisphere could be used just as easily for terrorists.
DOBBS: And three million illegal aliens are estimated to be entering this country this year.
Secretary Rumsfeld also said the United States has to be, as he put it, smarter and quicker in securing our borders. The federal government’s failure to secure those borders is leading individual states to take action. Arizona’s Proposition 200, which limits state benefits for illegals, passed overwhelmingly two weeks ago. Now at least half a dozen other states are considering similar measures.
Consider the following 5 statements by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson given at a Senate Floor Speech 16 March 2005 to President George.W. Bush (page S 2828).
1. “In Detroit, Mahmoud Youssef Kourani was indicted in the Eastern District of Michigan on one count of conspiracy to provide material support to Hezbollah. Kourani was already in custody for entering the country illegally through Mexico and was involved in fund raising activities on behalf of Hezbollah.”
2. “…the capture of terrorist suspect Jose Padilla. The Justice Department says Padilla and an accomplice planned to enter the United States through Mexico to blow up apartment buildings in major cities such as New York.”
3. “Or the case of suspected al-Qaida sleeper agent Mohammed Junaid Babar, who told investigators of a scheme to smuggle terrorists across the Mexican border. He is tied to a terror plot to carry out bombings and assassinations in London.”
4. “Intelligence reports suggesting that 25 Chechen terrorism suspects have illegally entered the United States from Mexico have refocused attention on a porous border from which many believe the next major attack on Americans could come.”
5. “Also last July, an Egyptian man United States authorities described as one of their most wanted smugglers of humans was arrested on charges of operating a ring that illegally brought people from Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries to the United States. The indictment says Abdallah and his associates would direct people seeking to reach the United States to travel to one of several Latin American countries, and from there to Guatemala. They would then be transported to America through Mexico in return for payments of thousands of dollars in smuggling fees.”

Operation Ithaca’ Surprises, Pummels, al Qaeda Forces
Department of Defense
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON
July 17, 2007
American and Iraqi military forces broke up al Qaeda operations in the Diyala River valley during “Operation Ithaca,” conducted July 12, a U.S. military officer said today.
Operation Ithaca targeted Sunni-backed al Qaeda forces in and around the villages of Haimer, Abu Nasim and Jamil, located about 20 kilometers north of Baqubah, the capital of Diyala province, said Army Lt. Col. Andrew P. Poppas, commander of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division’s 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, which took part in the anti-insurgent offensive.
The operation was a great success and caught al Qaeda “completely by surprise,” Poppas said, noting U.S. ground troops were inserted into the battle space at multiple landing zones by helicopter.
Meanwhile, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthogs,” Army attack helicopters, and Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters fired on the insurgents from the air, Poppas said. Unmanned aerial vehicles kept an eye on insurgent movements during the battle, he added.
Each of the aircraft was assigned “very specific, detailed areas” for engaging the al Qaeda forces, Poppas said. In this way, he noted, the enemy lost the ability to control the battle and was blocked by coalition air or ground troops at every turn.

“In a direct firefight, American soldiers are going to win every time,” Poppas said, noting there were no U.S. casualties during the operation.

Twenty-nine al Qaeda operatives were killed and 23 others were captured during the operation. Also, three enemy weapons caches were discovered and a safe house was destroyed. Additionally, eight Iraqis who’d been held hostage by the insurgents were freed.
Local Iraqis fed up with al Qaeda had delivered hand-written maps and other information about the enemy that were used during pre-operational planning, Poppas said.

“We had some very specific intelligence that was provided to us from the local populace,” Poppas said. Unmanned aerial vehicles and other means were used to confirm the information.

Ongoing surge operations in and around Baghdad are putting the squeeze on al Qaeda and other insurgents, causing them to flee Iraq’s capital city to places like Baqubah to the north, Poppas explained.
The insurgents “have got to go somewhere” out of Baghdad, Poppas continued, noting his forces were positioned to intercept and deal with such relocations.
Poppas said his troops have worked closely with 5th Iraqi Army Division soldiers.

“We do all of our patrols combined,” Poppas said of his unit’s relationship with local Iraqi troops. “My experience with the Iraqi army units that I have fought alongside personally (with) is excellent.”

Poppas said his soldiers’ morale is excellent, citing their “impressive” and “phenomenal” performance during Operation Ithaca. Their battlefield prowess is the result of training as a unit for more than two years, he said.

“You deny the enemy’s ability to react to you, because you’re on top of them,” Poppas pointed out.

Reid Threatens to Keep Senate Up All Night, Republicans Yawn
WASHINGTON
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has threatened to keep the Senate awake all night Tuesday to protest GOP blocking tactics on moves to compel U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq.
Senate Republican leaders, alerted to Reid’s plans on Monday, said they have the votes to keep the president’s surge policy in place, at least for now, and called Reid’s up-all-night gambit a stunt that wouldn’t change any minds.
Senior Democratic leadershp aides said that Reid was planning a Tuesday all-nighter — complete with roll-away beds — to draw public attention to GOP demands that any changes to Iraq policy carry a 60-vote majority.

“Is this a publicity stunt? Yes,” a senior Democratic aide told FOX News. “This is the only way we know to highlight their complete ignorance of the will of the people!”

Republicans said they’ve applied that standard for months on Iraq policy changes and aren’t about the change now, especially when recent GOP defections have given Democrats bipartisan majorities on troop drawdowns and other policy changes.

Wild Thing’s comment…………..
Just hope we don’t see the Swimmer in his jammies. Will he sneak a flask into his pillow?
I can see it now, Harry Reid trying to force Robert Byrd to stay up after 9:00pm.
“This is the only way we know to highlight their complete ignorance of the will of the people!”
Every time the Democrats don’t get their way they stamp their foot and whine “Will of the people!”
I think the Republicans should bring decks of cards, snacks and board games. Turn it into a party. heh heh

FedEx vs. Government Bureaucracy — Newt Gingrich

……. Thank you Cpl. James for sending this to me.

FEARS GROW OVER ‘MEGA MOSQUE’
Daily Express
Gordon Brown is under pressure to block a £75million “mega mosque”, amid claims one of the suspected Glasgow Airport bombers belongs to the radical Islamic group behind it.
More than 200,000 people have signed a Downing Street petition calling on the Prime Minister to intervene over plans for the mosque near the Olympics site in east London.
It is being funded by the fundamentalist Tablighi Jamaat sect. One member of the sect is said to be Kafeel Ahmed, who was engulfed in flames when a Jeep laden with gas canisters crashed into a Glasgow Airport building two weeks ago.
The 27-year-old from Bangalore is fighting for his life in hospital after suffering 90 per cent burns.
He is said to have taken up the teachings of Tablighi Jamaat after he was asked to leave his local mosque which he had tried to convert to what he called a purer form of Islam.
The 7/7 suicide bombers Moham­med Siddique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer attended the European headquarters of Tablighi Jamaat at Dews­bury, West Yorkshire.

The sect’s plans for a huge mosque just a mile from the main Olympics stadium have caused much concern. Local Tory councillor Alan Craig said: “It will be a horrendous security nightmare if they are allowed to build this large mosque so close to the Olympics.

“They have a growing and ominous track record as further young men follow Tablighi teaching about Islam and then go on to plan horrendous atrocities.”

The Newham councillor accused the sect of radicalising and dehumanising young Muslims and said: “The dangerous truth about Tablighi Jamaat is coming out.

“We must watch the gap between what they say and what they do.”

The centre-right think tank Civitas has also raised concerns about the mosque which will hold 12,000 ­people – four times as many as Britain’s largest Christian building, Liver­pool’s Anglican cathedral.

It said: “Are we sure, as a nation, that we want by far the largest place of worship in our land to be sponsored by an organisation which holds views directly opposed to our democracy and a religion which, in many parts of the world, denies essential ­freedoms?”

Tablighi Jamaat, funded by millions of pounds sent from zealots in Saudi Arabia, has hired public relations company, Indigo, to deflect criticism from its mosque project.
“The person who is really behind it is Ken Livingstone,”
Livingstone has what some would describe as a pro-Islamist, anti-Jewish track record. He’s called Ariel Sharon a “war criminal” and has said that British Muslims who go to the Middle East and kill Israelis should not be called terrorists. He has welcomed London radical cleric Yusef al Qaradawi, who defends suicide bombings against Israelis.
The Mega Mosque when built will make England the “Muslim Capital of Europe”.

Wild Thing’s comment……..
“the mosque which will hold 12,000 ­people – four times as many as Britain’s largest Christian building.”
Good grief! Saudi Arabia has spent billions to finance the construction of radical “hate mosques” all over the world. This $$$ is one of the main reasons that Islam is being radicalized on a global basis.
Why don’t we just round these people up and ship them back to the desert? Why does the west continue to follow the fiction that Islam is just another religion? It is a cult of death, a death cult!

Cops beating Copts. Muslim police teach an Egyptian Christian his place in Islamic society.

How Christians Are Treated In Muslim Land
Saudi Arabia – Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bibles are illegal. Churches are illegal. Easter celebrations are illegal. It is punishable by death for a non-mulsim to enter the “holy” muslim cities of Medina and Mecca.
Yemen – Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims and forbids conversions. The Government does not allow the building of new non-Muslim places of worship.
Kuwait – Registration and licensing of religious groups. Members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran may not build places of worship. Prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam.
Egypt – Islam is the official state religion and primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with Islamic law are prohibited. Muslims may face legal problems if they convert to another faith. Requires non-Muslims to obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship.
Algeria – The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a faith other than Islam. Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for distribution. The country has passed the “Regulation of Religious Practice” law, which stipulates a punishment of two to five years’ imprisonment and heavy fines for anyone convicted of urging a Muslim to change his religion.
Syria – The constitution requires the president to be a Muslim and specifies that Islamic jurisprudence is a principal source of legislation. Sharing your Christian faith is discouraged as “posing a threat to the relations among religious groups” and carries a penalty of up to life in prison. A Christian is not allowed to proselytize – ever. Churches who want to hold an extra service must get a government permit. Sermons are routinely monitored, as is church fundraising.
Jordan – Has the death penalty for any Muslim selling land to a Jew.
Sudan – Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death.
Pakistan – Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims. Christians regularly put in prison for charges of blasphemy. Islam is the state religion, and in a court of law the testimony of a Christian carries less weight than that of a Muslim. Section 295(c) of the Penal Code calls for a death sentence for anyone who defiles the name of the Prophet Muhammad and requires the testimony of four Muslims for a conviction. This fosters an environment in which Muslims can feel free to use intimidation and violence against religious minorities for personal gain. Also, if any criminal Muslim rape with any Christian female and then take plea that she has accepted Islam and marry with him. Such person is not culpable under Pakistani criminal law
Qatar – Islamic instruction is compulsory in public schools. The government regulates the publication, importation, and distribution of non-Islamic religious literature. The government continues to prohibit proselytizing of Muslims by non-Muslims.
Malaysia – Under Malaysian law, any convert to Christianity must apply to a shariah (Muslim law) court to legally renounce Islam. Many Christians prefer to remain silent converts rather than take their battle to the shariah courts, where apostasy or conversion out of Islam is punishable by whipping, fines, imprisonment and—in the most extreme application—death. In a country where Muslims account for more than half of the population, conversion from Islam is punished with a 5-year prison sentence and a $3,000 fine. A Malaysian Muslim who marries a non-Muslim and who converts the non-Muslim to Islam is rewarded with an apartment, a car, a one-time payment of $2,700, and a monthly stipend of $270.
The Maldives – In the island paradise visited by tens of thousands of tourists each year, Christianity is simply not tolerated. While local Christians – said to number around 300 out of a total population of 300,000 – do get together to worship, they do so at the risk of imprisonment or worse if discovered by the Muslim authorities. Bibles are banned, and tourists can be arrested for trying to bring them into the country.

Please note the finger on the gun.

John Edwards seeks help from Iran, Syria in stabilizing Iraq
International Herald Tribune
MAQUOKETA, Iowa:
The United States needs help from Syria and Iran in stabilizing Iraq, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said Saturday.
He also called the Iraqi prime minister a weak leader.
Edwards again said that if he were president today, he would immediately reduce the number of U.S. troops in Iraq by about 50,000.

“The Iraqis are going to have to take responsibility, and they haven’t,” he told people at a campaign stop in Iowa.

The former senator told reporters that the U.S. “should be making our own evaluation about the circumstances in Iraq” and that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has not proved effective in stopping violence.

The Sunni leadership is very fragmented, al-Maliki is a weak leader, and there’s been very little progress made to reach a fundamental political compromise, which is the whole issue,” Edwards said. “If that were to occur, there would be a much higher chance of stability in Iraq.”

Other countries in the region, including U.S. foes Iran and Syria, must become involved in Iraq’s future, Edwards said. “We need to engage them directly into helping to stabilize Iraq.”

Wild Thing’s comment……..
Reduce the troop numbers by 50,000, and we’ll have an even higher body count to contend with. The enemy, according to my emails from those in the theatre, are on the run right now. Remove the troops from the battle field and the enemy will return.
The United States needs help from Syria and Iran in stabilizing Iraq,
That’s like saying the U.S. needed help from Nazi Germany in stabilizing Europe.
This is some scary stuff. A guy with something of a chance to become President of the United States wants to get two of the three leaders in the world that hate the United States the most to HELP us. That makes no damn sense at all.