Iran hostage Crisis.

[THE KOD]

WASHINGTON - Tell us, Mr. President, how have things changed since the last broadcasters? dinner?

?A year ago my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the Supreme Court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had shot someone,? President Bush said Wednesday night during the annual gathering.

?Ah,? he said, ?those were the good ol? days.?

In keeping with the lighthearted traditions of the Radio and Television Correspondents? Association dinner, Bush poked fun at himself and a few others in remarks that drew laughter and applause at the Washington Hilton Hotel.

Bush thanked the organization for providing dinner, ?and I?d like to thank Senator Webb for providing security.?

Virginia?s Democratic senator, Jim Webb, had to explain this week why an aide was carrying a loaded handgun as he tried to enter a Capitol complex building.

Noting that Vice President Dick Cheney was not in attendance, Bush said: ?He?s had a rough few weeks. To be honest, his feelings were kind of hurt. He said he was going on vacation to Afghanistan where people like him.?

Cheney?s recent trip to Afghanistan was marked by a bombing near where he was meeting with officials.

On the controversy over the Justice Department?s firing of eight federal prosecutors, Bush said: ?I have to admit we really blew the way we let those attorneys go. You know you?ve botched it when people sympathize with lawyers.?

Acknowledging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at the head table, Bush said some had wondered how he?d get along with her. ?Some say she?s bossy, she?s opinionated, she?s not to be crossed,? he said. ?Hey, I get along with my mother.?

Bush?s memoir
Looking ahead to life after leaving the White House, Bush said he might follow President Clinton?s lead and produce a memoir.

?I?m thinking of something really fun and creative for mine,? he said. ?You know, maybe a pop-up book.?

But seriously, folks, Bush noted that another person missing from the audience of broadcast journalists was Sen. Barack Obama, the Illinois Democrat running for president.

?Not enough press,? the president cracked.

..........................................................

Geez this guy really cracks me up.

what a sense of humor

 

[THE KOD]

 

[djv]

What Crisis? Seems like all is going as it should.

 

[THE KOD]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr made a scathing attack on the United States in a statement issued Friday, blaming it for Iraq's woes and calling for a mass demonstration April 9 to mark the fourth anniversary of Baghdad's fall.

The statement was the first by al-Sadr since March 14 when he called on his supporters to resist U.S. forces in Iraq through peaceful means. Al-Sadr has been said by U.S. and Iraqi officials to be in neighboring Iran. His aides insist he is still in Iraq.

The latest statement was read to worshippers during Friday prayers at a mosque in Kufa, a holy Shiite city south of Baghdad where al-Sadr frequently led the ritual. It also was read to thousands of worshippers in Baghdad's Sadr City Shiite district, a stronghold of his Mahdi Army militia.

"I renew my call for the occupier (the United States) to leave our land," he said in the statement, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. "The departure of the occupier will mean stability for Iraq, victory for Islam and peace and defeat for terrorism and infidels." (Watch Saudi Arabia's king also condemn the U.S. "occupation" )

Al-Sadr, whose militia fought U.S. troops in 2004 but has generally cooperated with an ongoing U.S.-Iraqi security push in Baghdad, blamed the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq for the violence raging in the country, lack of services as well as sectarian bloodshed.

"Four years on and Iraq is still without water, electricity, fuel, security, safety and, furthermore, it is in the middle of sedition," he said in the statement, which is dated March 25 but was only issued Friday.

"As if this was not enough, the occupier also isolated Iraq from the Arab and Muslim worlds, so much so that all foreign nations have ceased to care about an Iraq lying in ruin," it added.

Al-Sadr has been a vocal critic of the U.S. presence in Iraq since the very beginning, rallying tens of thousands of supporters in mass anti-American protests since his Sadrist movement rose to prominence in 2003 as the protector of impoverished Shiites.

"You, oppressed people of Iraq, let the entire world hear your voice that you reject occupation, destruction and terrorism," he said in calling for the April 9 demonstration.

"Fly Iraqi flags atop homes, apartment buildings and government departments to show the sovereignty and independence of Iraq, and that you reject the presence of American flags and those of other nations occupying our beloved Iraq. Keep them there until they leave our land," he said.

Al-Sadr joined the political process after fighting the Americans in 2004. His loyalists now have 30 of parliament's 275 seats and six Cabinet posts. However, his militia has not stood down and is blamed for much of the sectarian violence in Baghdad and its suburbs while al-Sadr never stopped professing his commitment to harmonious Sunni-Shiite relations.

The anti-U.S. protests he called will be held three months after the young cleric was last seen in public -- in the holy city of Najaf in early January -- and will gauge the support he still has among Iraq's majority Shiites. He singled out Najaf, home to the country's top Shiite clerics, as one of the venues of the proposed demonstrations.
...............................................................

This guy is most scary as far as power. I guarantee as soon as the US leaves , this guy is going to take names and kick some ass.

All of a sudden we have a big gasoline crisis on our hands. It starts to shut down our economy and our way of life.....

And the newly elected democratic president will says......

Uh maybe thats why George W said onward to Bahgdad.

So much has gone behind us. So much more is yet to be revealed.

This is a crazy world we live in. I don't remember it ever being like this.

So much uncertainty.

 

[THE KOD]

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran on Friday released a third letter purportedly written by detained British sailor Faye Turney, in which she claims to have been "sacrificed" by British and U.S. policies and urges both countries to withdraw their troops from Iraq.

"We were arrested after entering Iranian waters by the Iranian forces. For this I am deeply sorry," the letter states.

"I am writing to you as a British service person who has been sent to Iraq, sacrificed due to the intervening policies of the Bush and Blair governments.

"I believe that for our countries to move forward, we need to start withdrawing our forces from Iraq, and leave the people of Iraq to start rebuilding their lives."

The letter, the authenticity of which cannot be independently determine by CNN, follows two previous letters said to be written by Turney and released separately this week. (Watch Turney say what happened when she was captured )

Friday's letter was released just hours after Turney appeared with two other Britons in new video aired by Arabic language network Al Alam.

In the video, one the 15 detained service personnel held in Iran for the past week confessed to "entering your waters without permission."

"On the 23rd of March 2007 in Iranian waters we trespassed without permission," said Nathan Thomas Summers. The third detainee in the video has not been identified. (Watch detained British sailor make his 'confession' )

Summers said the Britons were being treated well, as did the Turney letter.

There has been no official reaction by the British government to the letter.

Prime Minister Tony Blair, speaking to reporters after the video was aired said: "All this does is enhance people's sense of disgust. Captured personnel being paraded and manipulated in this way doesn't fool anyone.

"What the Iranians have to realize is that if they continue in this way they will face continuing isolation."

Blair called for "patience" in dealing with the crisis, adding: "The most important thing is to ensure people are returned safe."

Earlier Friday, Britain's Foreign Office responded to the video, telling CNN that "using our servicemen in this way for propaganda reasons is outrageous."

Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers on Friday demanded Iran release 15 Britons, though some warned against escalating the dispute and said their diplomatic ties with Tehran would not be immediately affected, AP reported. (Full story)

Friday's video was the second so-called confession by a British detainee to be aired by Al Alam this week.

On Wednesday, it showed a video of Turney wearing a black scarf covering her hair, "admitting" that she and her crew had gone into Iranian waters. "Obviously we trespassed into their waters," she said.

Footage in the video also showed the other 14 British detainees eating.

The video caused outrage in London and Britain's ambassador to Iran visited the foreign ministry Thursday to protest its broadcast, Britain's Foreign Office confirmed.

Blair called it "completely wrong -- a disgrace, actually -- when people are used in that way. It's contrary to all international law and convention."

British Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett announced Wednesday that Britain was freezing all bilateral diplomatic business with Iran until the 15 Britons were freed.

Security Council appeals for release
On Thursday, the UN Security Council expressed concern for the marines and sailors and appealed for their early release. (Watch the war of words build )

The U.N. statement fell short of a full condemnation sought by the British government.

On Friday, Turkey's government said it had spoken with Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, who suggested Tehran was willing to reconsider an offer to release Turney, The Associated Press reported.

In footage aired Thursday, said to be of the capture operation, gunshots could be heard on the tape and a helicopter was shown above inflatable boats in choppy seas.

Iranian guard boats were seen cruising around while a couple of Iranian guardsmen shot into the air.

Then the video showed some of the British troops -- including Turney -- seated in a boat with an Iranian flag, presumably after their capture.

An Iranian military official also appeared on state television giving a briefing about the incident, indicating on a map where he said it happened. (Watch the war of words build )

The demonstration looked similar to a Wednesday briefing on the incident by British Vice Admiral Charles Style, who released a map of the Shatt al-Arab purporting to show the coordinates of the British boat when it was captured, along with pictures of handheld GPS devices showing the location. (Watch Iran's use of maps to show British 'trespassing' )

Release delayed
Earlier Thursday, Iran said the British personnel entered its waters six times before they were arrested.

Officials also announced that the promised release of Turney was suspended because of Britain's "behavior" in the matter.

"The wrong behavior of those who live in London caused the suspension," Iranian military commander Alireza Afshar said, according to the Mehr news agency.

Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Council, warned that Britain's tough stance in the matter was causing a delay in the release of Turney. (Watch what Iran says is holding up the release of British personnel )

On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki had said Turney would be released "very soon."

Larijani said Tehran would like to resolve the issue through bilateral discussions and an investigation of legal and technical issues, and again asserted that the British patrol boats entered Iranian waters illegally.

In London on Thursday, the British Foreign Ministry said the Iranian government had sent a formal note to the British Embassy in Tehran.

"Such exchanges are always confidential, so we cannot divulge any details," a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said. "But we're giving the message serious consideration and will soon respond formally to the Iranian government."
.............................................................

 

[THE KOD]

 

[THE KOD]

......................................................

MOSCOW - Vladimir Putin's Russia, in many ways, looks and feels like a new Soviet Union. The Russian president, who once praised democratic reform, now rules, some Russian experts say, like an old party chairman ? crushing all opposition, cracking down on anti-government protests, even appointing mayors and regional governors.

Putin calls it ?sovereign democracy.? Critics call it dictatorship.

"Today, if Putin says 'I want this' it will be done," says Vladimir Ryzhkov, a member of parliament.

And Putin wants no rivals ? sending super-rich oilman Mikhail Khodorkovsky to jail on questionable charges.

Another opponent ? billionaire Boris Berezovsky ? fled to London, now in political exile.

"It's definitely [gone] way back to the Soviet Union," says Berezovsky. "Not in the sense of ideology, but in the sense of the organization of power."

Putin leveraged a booming economy, fueled by high oil prices, to build up that power, and used the media he controls to create a cult. Putin the sportsman, the fearless pilot, the global player.

"Mr. Putin, Mr. Putin, Mr. Putin ? people are told that their only savior, the only guy that cares about them is Mr. Putin himself," says Yevgenia Albats, a journalist with The New Times.

With steely confidence he stunned Western officials last month in Munich. Attacking America with Cold War rhetoric, he claimed the U.S. wants to defeat the world.

Such policy can only lead to another arms race, he warned.

Putin's real message?

"Russia is back, so beware of us," says Sergei Strokan, a journalist with Kommersant. "Don't touch us. We are strong enough."

While the West cringes as Putin sounds and acts like a Soviet strongman, here at home, Russians love him. His approval ratings are soaring into the stratosphere. But Putin must go at the end of his second term next year. Unless he changes ? or ignores ? the Russian Constitution. Or rules from behind the scenes.

"America had better start getting used to dealing with somebody who understands power," says Francois Heisbourg of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Because it could be dealing with Putin's Russia for years to come
..............................................

 

[THE KOD]

Lets talk about this, we can resolve any dispute by the proper negociations

 

[THE KOD]

I said give them back, and give them back now !

 

[THE KOD]

America is a Nation with a mission - and that mission comes from our most basic beliefs. We have no desire to dominate, no ambitions of empire. Our aim is a democratic peace - a peace founded upon the dignity and rights of every man and woman.

did I tell you the one about Obama and Hillary are walking down the street and........

George W. Bush

 

[THE KOD]

 

[THE KOD]

VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- Iran, in a confidential letter posted Friday on an internal Web site of the U.N. nuclear monitor, said its fear of attack from the United States and Israel prompted its decision to withhold information from the agency.

In the letter, Iran said the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency had repeatedly allowed confidential information crucial to the country's security to be leaked.

The IAEA, in response, urged Iran to reconsider, saying the decision would be in defiance of the monitor's 35-nation board. Both the Iranian document and the confidential IAEA response were made available to The Associated Press.

The exchange reflected heightened tensions arising from Iran's refusal to heed the U.N. Security Council and freeze uranium enrichment and the council's decision last Saturday to increase sanctions in response.

The IAEA also is waiting for Iran to respond to its requests to install remote cameras at key locations at Iran's underground enrichment plant at Natanz.

No enrichment is yet taking place at Natanz, but diplomats accredited to the IAEA said Friday it may start within days. If so, those cameras are crucial to IAEA experts' efforts to watch for attempts to alter machinery there to make weapons-grade uranium.

Iran insists it wants to enrich only to low levels, suitable for generating nuclear power. But the international community increasingly fears that the country may want to develop enrichment for weapons uses.

Iran said Sunday it would no longer provide the IAEA with advance notice about any new nuclear facilities planned -- a decision government spokesman Gholan Hossein Elham said came in response to the "illegal and bullying resolution by (the) Security Council."

Expanding on the decision, the confidential letter, dated March 29, declared that "the United States and the Israeli regime ... are threatening the use of force and attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran and have repeatedly stressed that military action is an option on the table."

"So long as such threats of military action persist, Iran has no option but (to) protect its security through all means possible, including protection of information which can facilitate openly stated and aggressive military objectives of the war mongers," said the letter, signed by Ali Ashgar Soltanieh, Iran's chief delegate to the IAEA.

Blaming the IAEA for failing "systematically and repeatedly to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information," Soltanieh wrote that "therefore such dangerous dissemination of sensitive information will have to be curtailed through steps which limit their scope and availability."

The agency noted in its Friday response that the move is "contrary to the board's decision" and suggested it may indirectly breach agreements linked to the Nonproliferation Treaty.

Calling Iran's decision "regrettable," the agency, in a letter signed by a deputy of senior IAEA official Vilmos Cserveny, urged the Iranian authorities to reconsider their decision.

Iran had previously committed itself to informing the agency of any planned new nuclear construction before such construction begins -- a commitment it has not always kept.

Former U.N. nuclear inspector David Albright said Iran's decision could allow for clandestine nuclear work related to its enrichment program.

Albright, whose Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Science and International Security tracks Iran's nuclear program, said that Iran may be looking to build a "backup facility" for enrichment that would remain undetected -- and safe -- in case of attack by the United States or Israel.
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[DOGS THAT BARK]

Had to laugh at Blair photo when young--he'd be dead ringer of Alfred Newman if he had tooth missing.

 

[THE KOD]

Cheney pokes fun at Bush, Gore
Vice President speaks at Gridiron Club for Washington journalists
MSNBC political calendar

Updated: 3:12 a.m. ET April 1, 2007

WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney poked fun at his boss? relationship with the press corps as he spoke to a gathering of Washington journalists Saturday night.

?The president is really sorry he couldn?t be here tonight, but he had another obligation,? Cheney said. ?His book club is meeting.?:142smilie

President Bush traditionally attends the annual Gridiron Club dinner but was conferring with Brazil?s president at Camp David on Saturday. Instead, Cheney was the night?s final speaker.

He took a few lighthearted jabs at his predecessor, noting that former Vice President Al Gore?s house uses an above-average amount of energy. ?Many argue that global warming is manmade,? Cheney said, ?and it looks like they found the man.?:142smilie

Founded in 1885, the invitation-only Gridiron Club is the oldest organization for Washington journalists.
...................................................


fawking funny rat bastids

 

[gardenweasel]

scott...this is an excellent thread.....full of goodies....

and that blair photo?.....laugh out loud funny.....

a good combination of info and some laughs....kinda what the political forum should be.....

good stuff....:grins:

 

[THE KOD]

gw

thanks, its sad to me that I think about politics so much these days. When I was younger I used to never think about it day to day.

But with corruption, war and threats of war, taxes, scandals, and just overall craziness, I find myself dwelling on it at times.

I like madjacks forum as a outlet to vent and get my thoughts off my chest.

Its funny but right now I could not tell you if gw was a dem or a repub , left right or indifferant.

I just read your posts and try to interpret them the best I can. You can confuse me at times.

 

[gardenweasel]

gw

Its funny but right now I could not tell you if gw was a dem or a repub , left right or indifferant.

I just read your posts and try to interpret them the best I can. ""You can confuse me at times"'.

there`s smurph`s opening.....lets hope he doesn`t disappoint.....

 

[THE KOD]

Iran, in a confidential letter posted Friday on an internal Web site of the U.N. nuclear monitor, said its fear of attack from the United States and Israel prompted its decision to withhold information from the agency.

In the letter, Iran said the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency had repeatedly allowed confidential information crucial to the country's security to be leaked.
.............................................................

my interpretation of this would be that the report showed Irans full intention of proceeding with
their nuclear ambitions. They sure do like to play the international games. :scared

Not sure Iran can be shut down like N Korea.

 

[smurphy]

there`s smurph`s opening.....lets hope he doesn`t disappoint.....

:mj21: