Dean Opens Mouth And Insert's Foot Yet Again

Dean Calls Iraqi PM an 'Anti-Semite'

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.-- Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean on Wednesday called Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki an "anti-Semite" for failing to denounce Hezbollah for its attacks against Israel.

Al-Maliki has condemned Israel's offensive, prompting several Democrats to boycott his address to a joint meeting of Congress and others to criticize him. Dean's comments were the strongest to date.

"The Iraqi prime minister is an anti-Semite," the Democratic leader told a gathering of business leaders in Florida. "We don't need to spend $200 and $300 and $500 billion bringing democracy to Iraq to turn it over to people who believe that Israel doesn't have a right to defend itself and who refuse to condemn Hezbollah."

On Tuesday, leading Senate Democrats said in a sharply worded letter that Al-Maliki's "failure to condemn Hezbollah's aggression and recognize Israel's right to defend itself raises serious questions about whether Iraq under your leadership can play a constructive role in resolving the current crisis and bringing stability to the Middle East."



The Republican National Committee rejected Dean's criticism of Al-Maliki, saying, "It is incredibly troubling that Howard Dean would seek to score cheap political points by attacking the democratically elected prime minister of Iraq."

On Capitol Hill, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said: "I dismiss Howard Dean. Really, he's a disappointment, even to Democrats. I don't care to deal with that."

Dean also used the Florida appearance to criticize President Bush, calling him "the most divisive president probably in our history" as he complained that Republican policies of deceit and finger-pointing are tearing the country apart.

"He's always talking about those people. It's always somebody else's fault. It's the gays' fault. It's the immigrants' fault. It's the liberals' fault. It's the Democrats' fault. It's Hollywood people," Dean said. "Americans are sick of that. Even if you win elections doing that, you drag down our country."

Dean spoke to about 240 business leaders in Palm Beach County at a gathering of the Democratic Professionals Forum. It is part of a nationwide grassroots campaign to get voters involved in politics on a local level ahead of the November elections.

Republicans welcomed Dean's appearance in Florida, criticizing him for the same divisiveness he accused Republicans of creating.

"Howard Dean's divisive rhetoric has done nothing more than drive the Democrat Party further to the extreme left of the political spectrum," said Carole Jean Jordan, head of the Republican Party of Florida.

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Way to go Howie! It's not enough that you have the left in this Country so completely out of touch with reality, and so bitter and divided, now you have to go and pick on our Allies? What's next? You going to call up the President of Iran and Syria and say: ("Let's be buddies, between you guys and me we can really put Bush away, to hell with the Country"?) Or the next time President Karzai from Afghanistan comes for a visit you going to tell him his Country would have been better off with the Taliban still in Power? Way to alienate everyone at once Howie! Our new allies, and what was once at least a half way decent party till you got ahold of it. And ALL the Republicans, But hey, keep on going Howie! Yeaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh....

PM Maliki Of Iraq Addresses Joint Session Of Congress

Breitbart Is Reporting:
WASHINGTON - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki sidestepped controversy over Israel and Lebanon and got a ringing endorsement over his hopes to build a peaceful Iraq when he addressed the U.S. Congress on Wednesday.

"Trust that Iraq will be the grave of terrorism and terrorists, for the good of all humanity," said Maliki, who drew a number of ovations even after Democrats had condemned his earlier statements blaming Israel as the aggressor in the Lebanon conflict.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and many Democrats were irate that Maliki last week denounced Israel as the aggressor in the Lebanon conflict. They demanded he apologize or clarify his remarks, and some threatened to boycott the address.



But before the speech Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told lawmakers Iraq had joined some other Arab League nations in criticizing Hizbollah's attacks on Israel, Reid, a senator from Nevada, told reporters.

Most Democrats were in their seats for the speech that was interrupted by applause more than 20 times.

A heckler briefly halted proceedings, shouting "Iraqis want the troops to leave. Bring them home now." Capitol police removed the woman who was wearing a pink T-shirt with the words "troops home now."

Maliki said Iraq was key to defeating terrorism worldwide. Recalling a failed uprising against President Saddam Hussein in 1991, he urged the United States not to abandon his country.

"Let us not allow what happened in 1991 to repeat itself, because if it does history will not be merciful to any one of us," Maliki said. After the Gulf War then-President George H.W. Bush was viewed as supportive of insurgents against Saddam but did not give them military assistance and they were crushed.

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He's new at this but I think he's getting the idea!

Saddam: "Just Shoot Me"

MyWay.com Is Reporting:
Combative Saddam Returns To Court

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A thinner but combative Saddam Hussein appeared in court Wednesday for the first time since his hunger strike and hospitalization and asks to be executed by firing squad if the court convicts him and sentences him to death.

Saddam also complained that he had been brought to the chamber against his will and rejecting the tribunal as an agent of the U.S. occupation.

"The Americans insisted that I come against my will. This is not fair," Saddam told the chief judge.

The ousted president was then allowed to make a statement, beginning with a verse from the Quran, in which he challenged the validity and impartiality of the court which could sentence him to death by hanging.



Saddam and seven co-defendants have been on trial since Oct. 19 in the killing and torture of Shiites in Dujail following a 1982 assassination attempt against him there. The prosecution has asked for the death penalty for Saddam and two of the seven others.

"If you were a real Iraqi, you would know that your country is going through extraordinary conditions," Saddam said. "We not only resist this occupation. We do not acknowledge it. We do not acknowledge all the decisions it has made, including appointing the so-called government and this court you represent."

Chief Judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman interrupted him, telling him "you were not brought here against your will. Here's the medical report ... and it indicates that you are in good shape."

"I didn't say I was ill," Saddam snapped back. "I was on a hunger strike."

Saddam last attended the proceedings on June 19 when chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi asked the court to impose the death penalty on the former ruler for his role in the deaths of Shiite Muslims in Dujail following a 1982 assassination attempt against him.

The hunger strike and the lawyers' boycott followed last month's kidnap-slaying of defense attorney Khamis al-Obeidi, the third defense attorney slain since the trial began. The defense has accused Shiite militias for the killing.

During his remarks, Saddam also objected to having a court-appointed attorney deliver the final summation on his behalf. The replacement was appointed after the regular defense team boycotted the proceedings, claiming bias by the court and to press demands for better security for its members.

"Where are your lawyers," the judge asked. "They're staying outside in front of the TV screens and inciting violence. Those are lawyers? Having millions of dinars? Listen Saddam Hussein, your lawyers have millions of dinars and are inciting violence."

As the court-appointed lawyer began to speak, Saddam interrupted him.

"You are my enemy. Who appointed you?" he asked. "I challenge you to read this on your own. He probably didn't even write this. The American agent, the spy probably wrote this for him."

During the summation, the court-appointed lawyer, whose identity was kept secret for security reasons, said the documents and witnesses presented by the prosecution did not tie Saddam personally to any killings and torture of the Dujail Shiites.

"Instead they refer to 'Saddam the tyrant,"Saddam the killer' ... and such references that reflect being written by people who are not impartial," the lawyer said.

"The documents lack any details when it comes to a specific role for Saddam in Dujail in 1982. There is no proof that when he was president he visited Dujail after the assassination attempt. There's no proof he was there when the detentions happened," the lawyer added.

With Saddam, the court has heard six of the eight final summations. After the final one is presented, the court will adjourn to consider a verdict, possibly in mid-August.

Saddam is due to stand trial Aug. 21 in a second case - the bloody crackdown on Iraqi Kurds in the 1980s.

Read Full Story Here
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You know maybe death is to good for this idiot. Since that's where he want's to be maybe he should get life and really make his remaining day's on earth a living hell.

Kerry: "If I Were President This Wouldnt Have Happened"

Kerry knocks Bush on handling of Mideast conflict

U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D- Mass., who was in town Sunday to help Gov. Jennifer Granholm campaign for her re-election bid, took time to take a jab at the Bush administration for its lack of leadership in the Israeli-Lebanon conflict.

"If I was president, this wouldn't have happened," said Kerry during a noon stop at Honest John's bar and grill in Detroit's Cass Corridor.

Bush has been so concentrated on the war in Iraq that other Middle East tension arose as a result, he said.



"The president has been so absent on diplomacy when it comes to issues affecting the Middle East," Kerry said. "We're going to have a lot of ground to make up (in 2008) because of it."

Kerry lost by a narrow margin to Bush in 2004 and plans to seek the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 2008.

Today marks the 13th day of fighting between Israel and Lebanon. Israel launched air strikes after Hezbollah militants, whom operate within Lebanon, kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in an attempt to swap them for prisoners.

Israel began a ground invasion, sending tanks and troops across the border as thousands of Lebanese have fled to escape the fighting.

Hezbollah guerillas should have been targeted with other terrorist organizations, such as al-Qaida and the Taliban, which operate in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Kerry said. However, Bush, has focused military strength on Iraq.

"This is about American security and Bush has failed. He has made it so much worse because of his lack of reality in going into Iraq.…We have to destroy Hezbollah," he said.

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Yeah! OK! I suppose if Kerry were President he would have single handedly dissarmed Hamass and Hezblahhhh. He had combat experience you remember. He wouldnt have targeted anyone, he doesnt even believe we are in a Global War On Terror! Does Kerry need a reminder that we have 2.5 MILLION people In the US Armed Forces, and only 135,000 of them are in Iraq? Or maybe Kerry would have negotiated with Hezblahhh and Hamass and told them PLEASE dont kidnap Israeli Soldiers and fire rockets into Israel! Everyone knows Iran was behind this, and who runs Iran? A TERRORIST! WE DONT NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORIST'S MR. KERRY. This guy has no strategy, and is still a flip flopper. Liberal Plan: Do Nothing, But Say You Could Have Done It Better!

ACLU Sues For Protestors At Funerals

ACLU Sues for Anti-Gay Group That Pickets at Troops' Burials

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Kansas church group The Westboro Baptist Church that protests at military funerals nationwide filed suit in federal court, saying a Missouri law banning such picketing infringes on religious freedom and free speech.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit Friday in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., on behalf of the fundamentalist Westboro Baptist Church, which has outraged mourning communities by picketing service members' funerals with signs condemning homosexuality.

The church and the Rev. Fred Phelps say God is allowing troops, coal miners and others to be killed because the United States tolerates gay men and lesbians.



Missouri lawmakers were spurred to action after members of the church protested in St. Joseph, Mo., last August at the funeral of Army Spec. Edward L. Myers.

The law bans picketing and protests "in front of or about" any location where a funeral is held, from an hour before it begins until an hour after it ends. Offenders can face fines and jail time.

A number of other state laws and a federal law, signed in May by President Bush, bar such protests within a certain distance of a cemetery or funeral.

In the lawsuit, the ACLU says the Missouri law tries to limit protesters' free speech based on the content of their message. It is asking the court to declare the ban unconstitutional and to issue an injunction to keep it from being enforced, which would allow the group to resume picketing.

"I told the nation, as each state went after these laws, that if the day came that they got in our way, that we would sue them," said Phelps's daughter Shirley L. Phelps-Roper, a spokeswoman for the church in Topeka, Kan. "At this hour, the wrath of God is pouring out on this country."

Scott Holste, a spokesman for Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, said, "We're not going to acquiesce to anything that they're asking for in this lawsuit."

The suit names Nixon, Gov. Matt Blunt (R) and others as defendants.

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Well we knew this was comming! I wish the Wrath Of God would pour down on the House Phelps Built as well as the ACLU.

Oklahoman's Have Had Enough Of This Crap

World and National News Is Reporting:
Slain G.I.'s ma spurs anti-war T-shirt ban


OKLAHOMA CITY - A woman whose Marine son died while serving in Iraq is fighting to keep his name off anti-war T-shirts.
Judy Vincent learned last year that Cpl. Scott Vincent's name is among about 1,700 included on a T-shirt being sold by an Arizona man over the Internet. The front of the shirt reads "Bush Lied" and the back reads "They Died."

The woman, whose son was killed in April 2004, pushed for Oklahoma legislators to pass a law that makes it a misdemeanor to use a soldier's name or likeness for advertising purposes without consent. The law goes into effect this November.

The shirt vendor, Dan Frazier of Flagstaff, Ariz., issued an open letter to family members praising the soldiers' bravery and sacrifice, but said he would not stop selling the merchandise.

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I think people have had just about enough of this War AGAINST the War on Terror. And people putting thier fallen family members on crosses and T-Shirts and what have you without thier permission to raise money or for political gain. I know the people of Oklahoma have had enough of this crap. I hope the rest of the states follow!

Voinovich Drops Opposition To Bolton As UN Ambassador

Voinovich drops opposition to John Bolton as U.N. ambassador

WASHINGTON – A senator who temporarily blocked U.N. Ambassador John Bolton's nomination last year said Thursday he would not stand in the way this year because of an urgent need to ease tensions in the Middle East.
“I realized we're at war ... and I said I think we need to accelerate this decision-making,” said Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio. “For the betterment of our country we need to clarify our position regarding John Bolton.”

Voinovich frustrated his GOP colleagues last year when he opposed Bolton's nomination in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. That led President Bush to install Bolton through a temporary appointment that expires in January.
Now, Voinovich said, pressing diplomatic issues with Iran, North Korea and in the Middle East require a smooth approval process for the man he once called a bully.



“My observations are that while Bolton is not perfect, he has demonstrated his ability, especially in recent months, to work with others and follow the president's lead by working multilaterally,” Voinovich said.

Bolton thanked Voinovich for his change of heart and recalled Thursday how the senator reached out to him after the appointment.

“I thought, at the time, that must have been a hard call for Senator Voinovich to make,” Bolton said. “But we are interested in U.N. reform. And I felt that if he were prepared to work with me, I was prepared to work with him. I valued his assistance.”

The senator told reporters he was not pressured by the Bush administration.

White House spokesman Alex Conant said, “We very much appreciate Senator Voinovich's willingness to take a new look at the nomination and his decision to support it.”

Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., the Foreign Relations Committee's top Democrat, said Bolton should not get a confirmation vote until the White House turns over documents Biden requested when Bolton was nominated last year.

Bush has resubmitted Bolton's nomination, but the Senate hasn't taken up the issue.

Voinovich said he told Bolton and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of his decision Wednesday night and both expressed their satisfaction.

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Gee! Ya Think???? I'm no fan of the UN but we have to have SOMEONE up there. Especially someone who can keep an eye on Kofi!

Operation "LARK" Begins

A lady wrote a lot of letters to the Pentagon complaining about the
treatment of a captive insurgent (terrorist) being held in Guantanamo
Bay
She received back the following reply:

The Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20016

Dear Concerned Citizen,

Thank you for your recent letter roundly criticizing our treatment of
the Taliban and Al Qaeda detainees currently being held at Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba. Our administration takes these matters seriously and your
opinion was heard loud and clear here in Washington. You'll be
pleased to learn that, thanks to the concerns of citizens like yourself,
we are creating a new division of the Terrorist Retraining Program, to
be called the "Liberals Accept Responsibility for Killers" program, or
LARK for short.

In accordance with the guidelines of this new program, we have decided
to place one terrorist under your personal care.

Your personal detainee has been selected and scheduled for
transportation under heavily armed guard to your residence next
Monday. Ali Mohammed Ahmed bin Mahmud (you can just call him Ahmed)
is to be cared for pursuant to the standards you personally demanded in
your letter of complaint.

It will likely be necessary for you to hire some assistant
caretakers. We will conduct weekly inspections to ensure that your
standards of care for Ahmed are commensurate with those you so strongly
recommended in your letter.

Although Ahmed is a sociopath and extremely violent, we hope that your
sensitivity to what you described as his "attitudinal problem" will help
him overcome these character flaws. Perhaps you are correct in
describing these problems as mere cultural differences.

We understand that you plan to offer counseling and home schooling.

Your adopted terrorist is extremely proficient in hand-to-hand combat
and can extinguish human life with such simple items as a pencil or nail
clippers. We advise that you do not ask him to demonstrate these
skills at your next yoga group. He is also expert at making a wide
variety of explosive devices from common household products, so you may
wish to keep those items locked up, unless (in your opinion) this might
offend him.

Ahmed will not wish to interact with you or your daughters (except
sexually), since he views females as a subhuman form of property.
This is a particularly sensitive subject for him and he has been known
to show violent tendencies around women who fail to comply with the new
dress code that he will recommend as more appropriate attire. I'm
sure you will come to enjoy the anonymity offered by the burka -- over
time. Just remember that it is all part of "respecting his culture
and his religious beliefs" -- wasn't that how you put it?

Thanks again for your letter. We truly appreciate it when folks like
you keep us informed of the proper way to do our job.

You take good care of Ahmed - and remember...we'll be watching. Good
luck!

Cordially,

Your friend,

Don Rumsfeld

Dean Says "Israel" Wouldnt Have Happened If Dems Were In Power

Washington Times Is Reporting:
When Bill Clinton dealt with Yasser Arafat not as the terrorist he was but as a legitimate leader he was not, the second intifada against Israel was born. Indeed, the Clinton approach to Middle East affairs is not one Democrats can be proud of. This approach nearly always strengthened the hand of the Islamists and the various Arab dictators, usually at the expense of American interests.

And yet it's a legacy top Democrats spent the weekend invoking, blaming the current conflict on the Bush administration. "If you think what's going on in the Middle East today would be going on if the Democrats were in control, it wouldn't, because we would have worked day after day after day to make sure we didn't get where we are today," said Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee. "We would have had the moral authority that Bill Clinton had when he brought together the Northern Irish and the IRA, when he brought together the Israelis and the Palestinians."



This is revisionism of the first order. The fact is that Israel and the United States have been paying the price of the Clinton administration's foolishness in trusting Yasser Arafat since. Channeling Mr. Dean, Sen. Christopher Dodd struck the same tone with a Sunday appearance on Fox News. "This administration, unfortunately, has seen the word diplomacy and negotiation as somehow a favor to your enemies," he said. This is nonsense, as Mr. Dodd, prodded by his host Chris Wallace, conceded when he ruled out negotiations with Iran.

Offering even more nonsense and less substance was Rep. Jane Harman, ranking member of the Select Intelligence Committee, who scolded the administration for not negotiating with Iran and blaming the American troubles with Syria on "the way we have been conducting ourselves in Iraq." Mrs. Harman, who probably knows better, pretends to have forgotten that Iranian, Syrian and Palestinian hostility toward Israel predated the invasion of Iraq by several decades and will no doubt long outlast the present difficulty.

But offering coherent solutions to the present crisis was not really the point. Some Democrats regard what's happening between Israel and Hezbollah as an opportunity to scrub up the party's bona fides on foreign policy. This means trying to invoke a mythical Clinton legacy and blaming everything bad on President Bush.

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Yeah Right Howie! Like the Dems could have stopped Hezblahhhh from crossing Israel's border, taking 2 Soldiers, and lobbing rockets at Israel! Or Hamas taking a Soldier from Israel. Get real Howie. NO ONE not even the United States can stop Israel from defending themselves against a terrorist group. Nor should they. Howie dont attempt to grow a brain any time soon.

What Good Is The UN?

What good is the United Nations? They pass resolution after resolution and NEVER EVER enforce them. Let's examine: Resolution 1559, had that been enforced by the UN this crap with Hezblahhh wouldnt even be going on right now!

Press Release SC/8181

Security Council

5028th Meeting (Night)

Security Council declares support for free, fair presidential election

in Lebanon; calls for withdrawal of foreign forces there


Resolution 1559 (2004) Adopted by Vote

Of 9 in Favour, to None Against, with 6 Abstentions



The Security Council this evening declared its support for a free and fair presidential election in Lebanon conducted according to Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or influence and, in that connection, called upon all remaining foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon.

................Kofi Annon A/K/A "Worthless"



By a vote of 9 in favour (Angola, Benin, Chile, France, Germany, Romania, Spain, United Kingdom, United States) to none against, with 6 abstentions (Algeria, Brazil, China, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation), the Council adopted resolution 1559 (2004), reaffirming its call for the strict respect of Lebanon’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and political independence under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout the country.


In a related provision, the Council called for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias. It also called upon all parties concerned to cooperate fully and urgently with the Council for the full implementation of all its resolutions concerning the restoration in Lebanon of territorial integrity, full sovereignty and political independence.


Requesting the Council to withdraw its consideration of that resolution before the vote, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of Lebanon, Mohamad Issa, said that friendly Syria had helped Lebanon to maintain stability and security within its borders. Syrian troops had been deployed and redeployed at Lebanon’s request, and had contributed to rebuffing the radical reactions emanating from repulsive Israeli actions. Also, the matter was purely internal and related to the upcoming presidential elections in Lebanon.


Asserting that the Syrian actions in the past week had made a “crude mockery” of the principle of a free and fair presidential electoral process, the United States’ representative said the Syrian Government had imposed its political will on Lebanon and had compelled the Cabinet and Lebanese National Assembly to amend its constitution and abort the electoral process by extending the term of the current President by three years. Clearly, the Lebanese Parliament had been pressured, and even threatened, by Syria and its agents to make them comply.


Similarly, the representative of France, who, along with the United States, had introduced the resolution, worried that persistent serious interference in the political life of Lebanon might cause it to retreat from the objectives that had been reaffirmed constantly by the international community. That was why a rapid mobilization and a decisive reaction from the Council had seemed essential. By refraining to act, the Council would have sanctioned interference in the internal affairs of another State. By acting in a robust manner, it was showing its confidence in Lebanon’s future, which must include its full restoration of sovereignty, and not the intensification of interference.


Having abstained in the voting, China’s representative said that respect for the principles of sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs constituted a centrepiece of China’s foreign policy and were principles of the United Nations. In adherence to those principles, he supported safeguarding the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Lebanon. But, the draft resolution touched on the question of the presidential elections in Lebanon, and such questions fell within Lebanon’s internal affairs and should be decided by the Lebanese people themselves.


The representative of the Russian Federation said that, with tensions high in the region, any wrong step might exacerbate the situation and lead to a new focal point of instability. He had tabled amendments to the text, aimed at moving it towards the context of a Middle East settlement as a whole and preventing the document from being one-sided and from concentrating solely on domestic Lebanese affairs. His proposals would have improved the draft by making it more acceptable to Council members. Their lack of acceptance, however, had made it impossible for him to support the resolution.


Pakistan’s speaker said he had also abstained, as the resolution was not consistent with the Council’s functions and responsibilities. Moreover, there was no evidence of any urgent threat to peace. There had been no complaint from the country whose sovereignty and integrity the draft purported to uphold. On the contrary, the Lebanese representatives had communicated to the Council their opposition to consideration of the resolution. Besides, the text addressed the wrong threat. If there were a threat to Lebanon, that was well known and did not arise from Syria.


Explanations of vote were also made by the representatives of Algeria, Brazil, Chile, Angola, Philippines and Benin.


The meeting began at 7:38 p.m. and was adjourned at 8:38 p.m.

Resolution

The text of resolution 1559 (2004) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978) of 19 March 1978, resolution 520 (1982) of 17 September 1982, and resolution 1553 (2004) of 29 July 2004 as well as the statements of its President on the situation in Lebanon, in particular the statement of 18 June 2000 (S/PRST/2000/21),


“Reiterating its strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally territorially recognized borders,


“Noting the determination of Lebanon to ensure the withdrawal of all non-Lebanese forces from Lebanon,


“Gravely concerned at the continued presence of armed militias in Lebanon, which prevent the Lebanese government from exercising its full sovereignty over all Lebanese territory,


“Reaffirming the importance of the extension of the control of the Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory,


“Mindful of the upcoming Lebanese presidential elections and underlining the importance of free and fair elections according to Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or influence,


“1. Reaffirms its call for the strict respect of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and political independence of Lebanon under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout Lebanon;


“2. Calls upon all remaining foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon;


“3. Calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias;


“4. Supports the extension of the control of the Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory;


“5. Declares its support for a free and fair electoral process in Lebanon’s upcoming presidential election conducted according to Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or influence;


“6. Calls upon all parties concerned to cooperate fully and urgently with the Security Council for the full implementation of this and all relevant resolutions concerning the restoration of the territorial integrity, full sovereignty, and political independence of Lebanon;


“7. Requests that the Secretary-General report to the Security Council within thirty days on the implementation by the parties of this resolution and decides to remain actively seized of this matter.”

Statements

Read Full Text UN Resolution 1559 Here
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It's time we face the fact that the UN is just taking up Real Estate in New York! And we are funding this useless body of corrupt Diplomats. It makes you wonder: Since Kofi Annon profited off "The Oil For Food Program", who is to say he isnt making money off this? I'm sure Annon is getting a kickback from Iran in some way. By all mean's, UN ENFORCE Resolution 1559 and prove everyone wrong about you fools!

Israel To Syria: "You Have 72 Hours"

YNetNews.com:
Report: Israel gives Syria ultimatum


London-based Arabic language newspaper Al-Hayat says Israel gave Syria 72 hours to stop Hizbullah’s activity, bring about release of kidnapped IDF troops. ‘Israel will not end military activity until new situation created that will prevent Syria, Iran from using terror organizations to threaten its security,’ newspaper quotes Pentagon official as saying.

.............Syrian President Assaud



The London-based Arabic language newspaper Al-Hayat reported Saturday that “Washington has information according to which Israel gave Damascus 72 hours to stop Hizbullah’s activity along the Lebanon-Israel border and bring about the release the two kidnapped IDF soldiers or it would launch an offensive with disastrous consequences.”


The report said “a senior Pentagon source warned that should the Arab world and international community fail in the efforts to convince
Syria to pressure Hizbullah into releasing the soldiers and halt the current escalation Israel may attack targets in the country.”

Al-Hayat quoted the source as saying that “the US cannot rule out the possibility of an Israeli strike in Syria,” this despite the fact that the Bush administration has asked Israel to “refrain from any military activity that may result in civilian casualties.”

'Hizbullah made the same mistake'


The report also mentioned that President George W. Bush has repeatedly put much of the blame for the recent escalation on Syria.


“It is no coincidence that the Hizbullah operation comes at a time when the international community is working to impose sanctions on Iran due to its nuclear program and settle the score with Syria by establishing an international court to try those behind the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri,” the Pentagon source said.

According to the source, Hizbullah made the same mistake as Hamas when it did not predict the ramifications of its actions and ignored the regional and international changes since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

The source said that Israel has indicated that it “will not end its military activity until a new situation is created that will prevent Syria and Iran from using terror organizations, such as Hamas and Hizbullah, to threaten its security.”

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Screw this notion of "If you break it you have to fix it! Hezblahhhhh Your Going Down!

ISRAEL DECLARES WAR!

Night Watch:
JERUSALEM - Israel is now officially at war on two fronts with the main action north in Lebanon because the main threat, Hezbollah is there with their 10,000 Katushya rockets. Reuters reports that at least 60 were fired as a result of Israel's massive assault on southern Lebanon which went as far as destroying the three runways of Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport and blockading the country's ports. Israel had done so to prevent supplies to Hezbollah from supporters Iran-Syria. Israel's Defence Ministry has stated this operation and blockade is not just for a few days but could go on much longer until the war is over.

Road between Beruit and Damascus Blown To Smitheriens


In some ways this is reminiscent of Israel's pre-emptive assault in June 1967 when they attacked Egypt - Syria because they knew both countries were about to attack them. Israel was able to seize the strategic Golan Heights from Syria who is now working with Tehran the way Damascus used to work with Cairo. This is a war both Tehran-Damascus have caused with their support of Palestinian terrorist groups and Hezbollah. Tehran-Damascus are now obliged to follow up and enter the conflict. The only question is how much damage do they want the Gaza Strip and Lebanon to endure before they do so. Israel's offensive is similar to the one in Gaza. Beirut has now been severed from the south of the country as Gaza City was cut off from the rest of the Gaza Strip.

However the economic impact of cutting off Beirut, one of the Middle East's most important banking centers, which had been in the midst of a construction boom, will have a far reaching impact internationally. Michael Kana, editor of a Lebanese business magazine said, "Now we've got no airport, so no tourism and no prosperity." In addition to the airport and blockade Israel's attacks have destroyed two dozen bridges and the building that housed Hezbollah's al-Manar TV station in the Beirut suburb of Haret Hreik. Israel has also warned Lebanon to evacuate the residents of a southern Beirut suburb where they believe Hezbollah leader Sayed Hassan Nasrallah is based.

So far the response from Arab governments has been to announce a Foreign Ministers meeting in Cairo on Saturday. Tehran has strongly condemned the Israeli offensive through its Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi. He stated Iran will be meeting with regional governments to discuss the issue. Tehran does not want a brief crisis. With a year long war, not just against Israel but also targeting Western governments Tehran protrays as supporting Israel, Tehran will use the war to not only weaken the West but to control the Islamic world by leading their military response. Islamic governments know the war is going to expand disrupting the region's economy, accelerating the cost of oil and therefore the profits of oil exporting states.

Foreign Ministry of Hamas Blown To Smitherienes


As foreign, non-Islamic, investments flee the region investment from Tehran and other Islamic financial capitals enter increasing their hold over the region's economy and its resources. It is quite possible that during the Foreign Ministers meeting in Cairo on Saturday they could announce the economic consequences of supporting Israel. This is similar to the oil crisis caused by the October War of 1973 that made OPEC the economic influence it now is. Even in the Suez -Sinai Crisis of 1956 that October, when Britain-France attacked Egypt, Arab governments reduced their oil exports to Western Europe by 30%.

Islamic heads of state like Egypt President Hosni Mubarak, who do not respond adequately, either militarily or financially will be removed, a major ally of the West gone. War against Israel will have more impact on Egypt than on Israel. Mubarak is surrounded by countries whose governments support the Jihad, Libya-Sudan-Saudi Arabia.

In Gaza City, Israel nearly destroyed the building that contained the Palestinian-Hamas Foreign Ministry.
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Look's like Hamas and Hezbollah should have Given back the Soldiers!
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And all this little bitch can do is Condem Israel! How about the terrorists that kidnapped the Israeli Soldiers?

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And this little bitch says "If Israel Strikes Syria There Will Be A Fierce Response"

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Iran Threatens Fierce Response If Israel Attacks Syria

US Vetos UN Resolution Urging End To Israeli Attacks On Gaza

Israel Intensifies Attacks Against Lebanon

Complete Coverage On DrudgeReport.com
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Somehow I think this whole bunch of crap has been instigated by Iran! It's time to put an end to this shit once and for all. All terrorists must be destroyed. And I hope Israel kicks the shit out Hamas and Hezblahhhhh, all terrorists must die!! And while Israel is at it they should knock out Iran's launchpads. Go Israel!!! By the way wasnt it Jimmy Carter who thought "Hamas wouldnt be such a bad government for Palestinians"? Thank's Jimmy! Another Carter screw up AGAIN! Wonder what the Liberal plan would be to handle this damn mess? (Let's talk nicey nicey with the terrorists and maybe this will all go away?) Right!!!!

Just When You Thought The Liberals Couldnt Sink Any Lower, SURPRISE!!

This new video from the DNC featuring Flag drapped coffins of our Soldiers for Political gain and money raising techniques is low even for Liberals.

You have to see this to believe it!

DNC Video

I guess this is the beginning of how low the Liberals are really ready to sink just to get back in power.

This isnt just sick it's very sad.

Fallout Over New York Times "Helping The Enemy Story" Continues

Bill Oreilly's Talking Points Memo:
When Living in a Dangerous World, You Must Know Your Enemy
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
By Bill O'Reilly

Know your enemy, that is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points Memo." Once again, terrorists have killed innocent people, this time in India. At least 135 people have been murdered. Hundreds more hurt in a series of terror bombings in Bombay. Muslims are suspected.

Also, the mutilated bodies of two American soldiers have now been posted on a terrorist Web site for all the world to see. Despite atrocity after atrocity, many people still don't understand the nature of the terrorist enemy.

These killers have no humanity at all. They're Nazis. People who believe their brand of Islam requires them to murder infidels, babies, women, it doesn't matter. Just as many did not understand the Third Reich in 1936, 70 years later, much of the world doesn't understand Islamic fascism.



Part of the problem is how the press portrays the War on Terror. Again, it's important to understand the mindset that exists at The New York Times and other far-left media outlets.

The publisher of The Times, Arthur Sulzberger, believes the Bush administration is a danger to the world. He's convinced the president is using the War on Terror to turn America into a totalitarian state bent on enriching the powerful and violating the rights of every day people.

Sulzberger's put together a staff of true believers like himself. And they are bent on undermining the Bush administration. Not watching it, undermining it.

Three political columnists for The Times -- Maureen Dowd, Bob Herbert and Frank Rich -- wrote a total of 156 columns on the Bush administration in the past 18 months. Every one, all 156 were negative.

Some Americans have picked up on that blatant unfairness and are demonstrating against the newspaper. This demonstration happened today. These protestors are angry that every mistake made by Americans on the Iraq battlefield winds up on page one at The New York Times. Every anti-terror program is suspect and national security secrets are printed in the paper.



Now, the role of the press in the America is that of a watch dog. Certainly the Bush administration has made mistakes. It didn't understand the enemy in Iraq, for example. And we're now mired in a vicious campaign.

Honest reporting on all important subjects is vital to the nation. But the press is not supposed to undermine policy. By printing national secrets for no clear purpose, The New York Times and others have definitely undermined your security. By posing Gitmo rendition coerced interrogations and the like, the far left is making life much easier for the terrorists. There's no question.

They, of course, don't see it that way. The far-left media simply says it is exposing an incompetent president. But the truth is far more insidious. There is a far-left press jihad going on in this country. That's the truth. Their ideology prevents them from understanding true evil. Their theoretical outlook would make it impossible to win on the battlefield.



We're all living in a dangerous world, ladies and gentlemen. And when the American press undermines rather than questions, that danger becomes much more intense.

And that's "The Memo."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill was right on the money with this one, and it looks like the NY Times is paying the price.

Jump In Tax Revenues/Deficit Declines Sharply/Tax Cuts Working

MyWay.Com Is Reporting:
Trade Deficit Declines Sharply

WASHINGTON - The deficit in the broadest measure of foreign trade narrowed sharply in the first three months of this year after setting an all-time high at the end of 2005.
America’s current account trade deficit fell to $208.7 billion in the January-March quarter, down 6.5 percent from a record $223.1 billion deficit set in the final three months of last year, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

The improvement exceeded expectations although it still left the quarterly deficit at the second highest level on record and the equivalent of 6.4 percent of the total U.S. economy, down from 7 percent in the fourth quarter.

Analysts said rising oil prices will likely send the deficit in the current quarter to a new high, and they forecast that the imbalance for all of 2006 is on track to set a record for a fifth straight year.

"Even with the modest improvement at the start of the year, reducing the U.S. current account deficit will be an exceptionally slow process," said Douglas Porter, an economist at BMO Nesbitt Burns, a Toronto investment bank.

The country has to raise $2 billion from foreigners each day to finance the deficits, which Democrats said means more and more U.S. assets being owned by foreigners and controversies such as the flap over the aborted Dubai Ports deal.

"The current account deficit remains unsustainably large," said Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee. "If we don’t change course, we will continue to mortgage our future to foreign investors and foreign governments."

In a second report Friday, consumer sentiment in early June rebounded to 82.4 after a big drop in May, according to the University of Michigan’s preliminary survey for the month. Economists were encouraged that consumers’ expectations for future inflation dropped sharply, a development likely to be viewed favorably by the Federal Reserve.

The deficit in the current account is considered the best measure of America’s international standing because it covers not only trade in goods and services but also investment flows and foreign aid.

So far financing the deficit has not been a problem with foreigners more than willing to sell their cars, televisions and computers to Americans and hold dollars in return. That money is invested in stocks, Treasury bonds and other U.S. assets.

However, the concern is that at some point foreigners will become less willing to hold U.S. assets. If they began dumping their U.S. holdings it could depress stock prices, send U.S. interest rates higher and cause the dollar’s value to fall sharply.

The current account deficit in 2005 jumped 19 percent to $791.5 billion, according to revised figures released Friday, up from $665.3 billion in 2004.

For the January-March period, the deficit in goods and services narrowed by $4 billion to $190.7 billion. Americans earned $1.9 billion more on their overseas investments than foreigners earned on their U.S. holdings, returning this figure to positive territory after it had slipped to a negative $2.2 billion in the fourth quarter.

The category that includes foreign aid and private remittances by people living in this country to their families overseas narrowed to $19.9 billion, $6.3 billion below the outflow in the fourth quarter.

Budget Deficit Drops 296B Under Estimate

Surprising Jump In Tax Revenues Is Curbing Deficit

Payrolls Grow By 121,000 In June
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Gee! I guess President Bush's Tax Cuts are working. Now if we can get the "Line Item Veto" Passed President Bush will be able to cut the "Pork" out of all the crap that get's attached to everything that is ever plopped on his desk that he always HAS to sign in order to get what HE wants! PASS THE LINE ITEM VETO!!!

Judge Rules FBI Raid on Rep. Jefferson's Office Was Legal

Judge Rules FBI Raid on Rep. Jefferson's Office Was Legal
Monday, July 10, 2006 -
WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Monday upheld the FBI's unprecedented raid of a congressional office, saying that barring searches of lawmakers' offices would turn Capitol Hill into "a taxpayer-subsidized sanctuary for crime."

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan rejected requests from lawmakers and Rep. William Jefferson to return material seized by the FBI in a May 20-21 search of Jefferson's office.

The overnight search was part of a 17-month bribery investigation of Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat.



In a 28-page opinion, Hogan dismissed arguments by Jefferson and a bipartisan group of House leaders that the raid violated the Constitution's protections against intimidation of elected officials.

Hogan acknowledged the "unprecedented" nature of the case. But he said the lawmakers' "sweeping" theory of legislative privilege "would have the effect of converting every congressional office into a taxpayer-subsidized sanctuary for crime."

A member of Congress is bound by the same laws as ordinary citizens, said the judge, who had approved the FBI's request to conduct the overnight search of Jefferson's office.

Jefferson had sought the return of several computer hard drives, floppy disks and two boxes of paper documents that FBI agents seized during the 18-hour search of his Rayburn Building office.

Hogan said the Justice Department can retake custody of the materials, which President Bush ordered held by the solicitor general until Congress and the agency could work out procedures for future raids on congressional offices.

Jefferson's lawyer, Robert Trout, said he was not surprised by the ruling and would appeal as soon as possible. Trout is expected to ask Hogan to stay his ruling to keep the materials away from investigators until an appeals court looks at the case.

"While a congressman is not above the law, the executive branch must also follow the law," Trout said. "We appreciate the consideration the judge accorded our motion for the return of the seized property, but we respectfully disagree with his conclusion."

Justice spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said the department was pleased with the judge's decision and said prosecutors would continue discussions with Congress to work out procedures for future raids.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California also said Congress will continue to work with the Justice Department on procedures for searches.

Still, "This particular search could have been conducted in a manner that fully protected the ability of the prosecutors to obtain the evidence needed to do their job while preserving constitutional principles," she said.

At issue was a constitutional provision known as the speech or debate clause, which protects elected officials from being questioned by the president, a prosecutor or a plaintiff in a lawsuit about their legislative work.

The raid on Jefferson's office angered members of Congress, some of whom threatened to retaliate by tinkering with the FBI and Justice Department budgets.

Bush stepped in and ordered the solicitor general to take custody for a 45-day "cooling off period," which ended Sunday.

Jefferson has been under investigation since March 2005 for allegedly using his position to promote the sale of telecommunications equipment and services offered by iGate, a Louisville-based firm, that sought contracts with Nigeria, Ghana and other African nations.

In return for his help, Jefferson allegedly demanded stock and cash payments. Jefferson has not been charged and has denied wrongdoing.

An affidavit filed with Hogan to justify the May search says the FBI videotaped Jefferson in August 2005 accepting $100,000 from a business executive, who actually was a government informant. The FBI said it subsequently recovered $90,000 from a freezer at Jefferson's home.

The House leaders told Hogan in a court filing that the Justice Department had overstepped its authority by prohibiting Jefferson's private lawyer, House counsel and the Capitol Police from observing the search of Jefferson's office.

They also complained that agents showed up at the Rayburn Office Building unannounced and demanded that the Capitol Police chief let them into Jefferson's office immediately or they would "pick the office door lock."

Hogan said investigators do not need approval from elected officials or their lawyers to seize possible proof of a crime.

"The power to determine the scope of one's own privilege is not available to any other person, including members of the coequal branches of government: federal judges ... or the President of the United States," the judge said.

He also said judges have a legitimate role to play in ensuring prosecutors don't overstep their authority in investigating legislators.

"A federal judge is not a mere rubber stamp in the warrant process," Hogan wrote, "but rather an independent and neutral official sworn to uphold and defend the Constitution."

.............................My Ass


Judge Hogan's Ruling
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I guess having 90,000 left of a 100,000 dollar bribe in your freezer does suggest the FBI needs to get involved somehow!

THIS IS A MUST READ

Want To Know What Is Really Going On In Iraq?

Pat Dollard is producing Videos Straight From Our Own Troops Right IN The Middle of The War Zone In Iraq. "Young Americans" These troops are sick and tired of the left wing media, and nutjobs like Michael Moore, the Liberals in Congress, John Murtha, John Kerry, Cindy Sheehan, Arianna Huffington, and all of the recent TRAITORS that do nothing but make the Soldiers look like they have either lost thier minds, commited War Crimes, or are incompetant.
And the troops on the Ground are sick and tired of President Bush being bashed at every opportunity.
WARNING: What you are about to see is GRAPHIC:
WARNING: Children Probably Shouldnt see these Videos:
Read this next story, then scroll to the bottom to enter the website, and when you are in the website Click On Videos:
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I met Pat during my second tour in Iraq. I was immediately stunned because here is a "filmmaker" from Hollywood, and he barely knows how to use his camera. (I went to film school and found it odd that he didn't know too much). Being not only a Marine, but a Marine Officer, I had an innate distrust for media personnel. Not because we were conditioned to distrust the media, but because my Marines and unit were personally betrayed by the media; several times over. We would sit and watch a war on television that was advertised as our war, but was much different in reality.

We watched as our bloodshed was wildly exploited as political cannon fodder. After hearing Pat's story and having him live with me, keeping constant supervision of this possible media-serpent, I realized that he was something of an odd creature. What kind of person gives up his comfortable life to go to combat, and why? Why did this agent (not filmmaker) spend a ton of money on equipment and airfare just to come to Iraq? Why not someplace nice, like Thailand? Why is he intent on "telling the truth" when no one else would? What makes him any different? We have had many "truth tellers" come across our path, with promises of accurate reporting and honesty, only to be stabbed in the back by editorial perversions, liberal bias, and self serving reporters looking for the next big story. All the while operating under the careful care and security of the men they will soon betray.
CPT. Iglesias At Ramadi Park while
IED Explodes In Background



Like most Marines who volunteer for service, looking to become a part of something larger than themselves; to live a life of sacrifice, fueled by purpose and truth, Pat Dollard himself answered a higher calling. He sacrificed all of his material possessions, and put his life on the line in order to tell the story that no one else wanted to tell. To think, this man could have, and almost did, die just so he could bring a reality to the American people that would otherwise be unknown. We live in a sheltered world, in this media bubble where our "truth" is based merely on what we receive from today's media. And since we do not control what the media tells us, we do not control the truth; we are victims of it.



So who is Pat Dollard? His is a normal human being like most of us, with good parts and bad. Like every man, he is flawed. But unlike most men, he has a devotion to a set of ideals that he is willing to die for. He is a man who took an introspective look at himself, and the word around him. He didn't like what he saw and he mustered the courage to change it. At 42 years old, he is no different than that 18 year old kid, heart pure and full of good intentions, who raises his right hand and pledges his life for the good of our nation. He is a man who ventured off into uncertainty and fear, and captured a world that most men would say was best forgotten. For Pat and the Marines, this world of combat will be with them forever; and with his daring efforts, this world can now be rightfully shared with the rest of the world. Simply put Pat Dollard is a patriot. A patriot who entered the fray in search of something greater, and returned with the truth that is reality, however painful, and delivered it to the American people.

Take the time to discover for yourself exactly "who is pat Dollard". You will undoubtedly find a sincere and honest filmmaker interviewing both Americans and Iraqis alike. You will see our Iraqi counterparts in a new light. View those men, who some of us call brother, husband, father, or son as they unconditionally express themselves to the camera. The candid and revealing footage, along with the many visceral images throughout this film, pay a tribute to Pat's natural ability as a filmmaker. The technical and creative merit of this film rivals that of seasoned documentary filmmakers.

Bottom line: Prepare to have your opinion of this war changed forever.

Semper Fidelis

Capt Ig
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Enter The War Zone~~Click Here

Skip Straight To The Videos By The Troops From Thier Own Mouths~~~Click Here
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I have read throught this entire webpage and found it fascinating! Especially the Videos. This man Pat Dollard is risking his life to bring the stories right from the mouths of our troops and the Iraqi troops. You are really missing something if you dont see the videos and read Pat's entire site. "Young Americans" I think I will leave this on top for a bit and post underneath so more people can see it. Also in his site you will see an interview he did with Hannity and Colmbs.

Congratulations Italy

Congratulation's Italy World Cup Winners 2006.
I never used to care much about "Soccer" but having watched alot of this World Cup, It's official I'm a Soccer Fan!
Although I still swear the US got robbed!!!
I'm glad Italy Won.

US Destroyer Sails For Japan

Breitbart Is Reporting:
New U.S. Destroyer Sails to Japan
TOKYO

A new U.S. guided missile destroyer headed to Japan on Saturday amid tensions over North Korea's missile tests.

The USS Mustin sailed into the port of Yokosuka, home to the Navy's 7th Fleet, with a crew of 300 for permanent assignment to the region, fleet spokeswoman Hanako Tomizuka said.



The Mustin, commissioned in 2003, is one of the most advanced in the fleet. The 509-foot ship carries surface-to-air missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Its deployment to Yokosuka was previously planned and not in response to North Korea's missile tests, Tomizuka said.

Pyongyang stunned the region on Wednesday by test-firing seven missiles.



In August, Yokosuka also will welcome the USS Shiloh, which last month demonstrated its ability to shoot down missile warheads in a landmark test off Hawaii.

Both the Mustin and the Shiloh are equipped with radar systems that employ Aegis technology, which is geared toward tracking and shooting down enemy missiles. The system was instrumental in identifying and assessing Wednesday's launchings in which all the missiles apparently fell into the Sea of Japan.

At least one of those missiles was believed capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

The U.S. Navy now has eight Aegis-equipped vessels at Yokosuka.
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Good. Maybe we are either going to start arming Japan, or this is the first stage in taking out thier launch pads. I dont think Diplomacy is going to work with Chia Pet.

North Korean Missile Would Have Hit Hawaii

Newsmax Is Reporting:
Thursday, July 6, 2006 9:34 p.m. EDT
Paper: North Korean Missile Targeted Hawaii

North Korea targeted waters near Hawaii when it fired a long-range missile this week, a Japanese newspaper reported Friday.

The long-range Taepodong-2 was part of a barrage of seven missiles test-fired by North Korea on Wednesday. They all fell harmlessly into the Sea of Japan, but South Korean officials said the long-range missile had malfunctioned, suggesting it was intended for a more remote target.

Japan's conservative mainstream daily Sankei said that Japanese and U.S. defense officials have concluded that the Taepodong-2 had targeted the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean, after analyzing data collected from their intelligence equipment.

The newspaper quoted unidentified Japanese and U.S. government officials.

The officials decided that the missile was pointed at Hawaii from its angle immediately after launch and the altitude it reached, after analyzing data collected by destroyers equipped with the Aegis radar combat system and RC-135S electronic reconnaissance aircraft, the newspaper said.

It said the findings support a belief North Korean intended the launch as a protest over U.S. economic sanctions against the isolated regime.

But Pentagon officials said Thursday that the brief flight of the Taepodong-2 missile made it difficult to collect useful technical data, including its intended target, its payload and whether it was a two-stage or three-stage missile.

Some U.S. officials were even leaning toward the theory that it was configured as a space launch to deliver a satellite into orbit, rather than as a flight test of a ballistic missile.

Japanese Defense Agency refused to confirm the Sankei report.

The Taepodong-2, North Korea's most advanced missile, has a range of up to 15,000 kilometers (9,300 miles) and believed capable of reaching parts of the United States with a light payload.

Hawaii is about 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles) southeast of North Korea.

The daily said it was not immediately known why Hawaii was targeted, but added that analysts believe Pyongyang might have tried to demonstrate that the missile could reach the United States, or because Hawaii is home to the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

North Korea might have avoided targeting Alaska because of a risk that the missile could mistakenly hit a land area in that route, the report said.
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Dandy!!! If the missile wouldnt have blown up 40 seconds after launch, and had we not intercepted it, it would have hit Hawaii. It is seriously time to consider taking out ALL of North Koreas Launch Pads that way they have no way of fireing anything at South Korea where we still have 30,000 troops! (Not to mention US) And/Or Arm Japan! The last thing China or North Korea want is a fully armed Japan! Maybe then the Chinese will get the Chia Pet under some form of control!
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UPDATE: Not Only does North Korea have 3-5 more missiles on the launchpad fueled and ready to launch but it appears they are loading up more Taepodong-2 missiles capapble of reaching the United States
Read Full Story Here

Hillary Will Dump Lieberman

NewsMax Is Reporting:
Hillary Won't Back Lieberman If He Loses Primary

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a longtime supporter of Sen. Joseph Lieberman, said Tuesday she will not back the Connecticut Democrat's bid for re-election if he loses their party's primary.

"I've known Joe Lieberman for more than thirty years. I have been pleased to support him in his campaign for re-election, and hope that he is our party's nominee," the former first lady said in a statement issued by aides.



"But I want to be clear that I will support the nominee chosen by Connecticut Democrats in their primary," the New York Democrat added. "I believe in the Democratic Party, and I believe we must honor the decisions made by Democratic primary voters."

There was no immediate comment from Lieberman.

Facing a stronger-than-expected Democratic primary challenge from millionaire businessman Ned Lamont and sagging poll numbers because of his support of the Iraq war, Lieberman said Monday he'll collect signatures to assure an independent ballot spot for the November election if he loses the Aug. 8 primary.

The move has complicated life for Lieberman's fellow Senate Democrats, including Clinton, who has been under attack from some Democrats for her own vote to authorize the Iraq war and her continuing refusal to back a specific timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops despite her criticism of President Bush's handling of the conflict.

"The challenges before us in 2006 call for a strong, united party, in which we all support and work for the candidates who are selected in the Democratic process," Clinton said in her statement of Tuesday.

Democrats hoping to win back the Senate have been looking to win seats in states such as Pennsylvania, Montana, Missouri, Virginia and Tennessee, and Lieberman's decision to begin collecting the 7,500 signatures needed to assure a separate spot on the November ballot could complicate things.
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Well it looks as if the last of the "Good Democrats" is about to get the boot from the Old Nag herself Hillary. I have always liked Joe Lieberman. He was never so far left that it seemed like he drank from the same watering hole as Kennedy, Schumer, Hillary, Dean, Kerry, etc. Joe Lieberman is the last of a dying breed (The Honest Democrats) I wish Joe would just go all the way and become Republican.

Corzine Shuts Down New Jersey

Buzzell.Com Is Reporting:
Budget Deadlock Shuts Down New Jersey State Government

Governor and legislature fail to agree on sales tax.
45,000 public-sector workers on unpaid leave Many aspects of daily life in New Jersey ground to a halt at the weekend after the state's governor ordered the indefinite shutdown of its government. The shutdown - the result of a budget dispute between the governor, Jon Corzine, and the state legislature - meant that 45,000 public-sector workers were placed on unpaid leave.

Road-building projects ceased immediately, while state parks and beaches were expected to close down on Wednesday, after the Independence Day holiday. Historic sites, including the location of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware river and the house of the poet Walt Whitman, will also be shut down from Wednesday.



The state lottery, the fourth biggest source of government revenue after income tax, sales tax and corporation tax, halted all ticket sales, while legal battles were under way to allow horse racing to continue on state-owned tracks and to allow Atlantic City's casinos to stay open, even though the law requires them to be constantly supervised by state employees. As of yesterday morning a temporary court order permitted weekend racing, and a spokeswoman for Bally's Casino, one of 12 in Atlantic City that take in $13m each day between them, insisted it had no plans to close.

"It gives me no joy, no satisfaction, no sense of empowerment to do what I'm forced to do," Mr Corzine told a news conference. "There will be people who do not receive the attention that they rightfully deserve from our state government. I don't like it. We will do everything we can to bring this to a short conclusion."

Although Mr Corzine is a Democrat and the New Jersey state legislature is also overwhelmingly Democratic, the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a budget by the time the fiscal year ended at midnight on Friday. Without an agreed budget the state has no authority to spend public money. Many of the affected government agencies were closed for the Independence Day holiday weekend when the announcement was made. The police, prisons, child welfare services and state mental hospitals will be able to continue operating.

Mr Corzine had been pushing for an increase in the state sales tax from 6% to 7%; his opponents say the rise is not necessary. The talks ended in deadlock and the governor dug in, at one point ordering a collapsible bed for his office to demonstrate that he was willing to stay there around the clock until a deal was struck.
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That's the way to do it Corzine you jackass! Shut down the government, put people out of work, raise the income tax from 6% to 7%, and give the poor workers of New Jersey UNPAID leave at the expense of thier families because your pissed they didnt have a budget on time? With no money comming in at all YOU WONT HAVE A BUDGET Dumbass. And during a Holiday week no less. What have you been there a couple months? And already you have screwed up New Jersey. Nice Goin. Well the people of New Jersey who elected your dumb ass get what they deserve! Ya know when President Bush didnt get his budget out of the congress on time I didnt see him shut down the Country!

North Korea Throws Hissy Fit On 4th Of July\IL Loses Mind

North Korea launches missiles, UN Council to meet

TOKYO - North Korea test-fired a barrage of missiles on Wednesday, including a long-range weapon said to be capable of reaching Alaska, ratcheting up tensions in north Asia and drawing international condemnation.

At least six missiles were launched early in the morning and a seventh some 12 hours later, officials in Japan and South Korea said. Russia said North Korea fired 10 missiles, but the report from a senior general could not be immediately confirmed.

The long-range Taepodong-2 missile apparently failed 40 seconds into its flight, U.S. officials said. Japanese and South Korean officials said the missiles fell into the sea separating the Korean peninsula from Japan.



The United States warned North Korea against any more provocative acts, and said Washington would take necessary measures to protect itself and its allies.

"The United States strongly condemns these missile launches and North Korea's unwillingness to heed calls for restraint from the international community," White House spokesman Tony Snow said in a statement.

The U.N. Security Council was to meet later in the day, at Japan's request, to discuss the latest move by the reclusive Stalinist state, a French spokesman at the United Nations said.

China, North Korea's closest ally and the host of six-way talks on its nuclear programme, expressed worry.

"We are seriously concerned about the events that have occurred," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in a statement.

"We hope that all sides will maintain calm and restraint, and do things conducive to the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia and do not take any further steps that will add to tensions and further complicate the situation."

South Korea's military stepped up its alert level after the launch, Yonhap news agency cited a military source as saying.

The two Koreas are technically still at war more than half a century after the inconclusive truce which halted the 1950-1953 Korean conflict. Some 30,000 U.S. troops remain in South Korea under a mutual defence treaty.

The missile launches "demonstrate North Korea's intent to intimidate other states by developing missiles of increasingly longer ranges", Snow, the White House official, added.

"We are consulting with international partners on next steps."

U.S. National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said the multiple firings might have been an attempt by Pyongyang to steal the spotlight away from Iran, which has been the main focus of U.S. nuclear diplomacy in recent months.

"Obviously, it is a bit of an effort to get attention, perhaps because so much attention has been focused on the Iranians," Hadley told reporters.

But like many U.S. officials, he said it was impossible to be sure about Pyongyang's motives.

North Korea, whose government pays close attention to symbolic gestures, chose to launch the missiles as the United States was marking its July 4 Independence Day.

"It got everybody's attention on the Fourth of July. (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-Il can set off fireworks, too," said John Pike, director of the security Web site GlobalSecurity.org.

Japan said it would consider immediate economic sanctions against North Korea. The government banned visits by North Korean ferries for six months.

"Whatever North Korea seeks to achieve or is speculating, nothing positive for North Korea will come out from this," Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said.

The Japanese yen and the South Korean won both slipped against the dollar on the launch news, with Tokyo and Seoul stock markets also lower. In Seoul, the government said South Korean authorities would take action if necessary.

Russia, which is a party to six-way talks on North Korea's nuclear programme, condemned the launch. Tokyo also called on Pyongyang to return to the six-party talks, which have been stalled since November.

The other participants in the talks are the United States, China, Japan and the two Koreas.

North Korean media made no mention of the multiple launches, Japanese reporters in Pyongyang said. Television channels had no programming on Wednesday morning, they said, and state radio led its bulletins on Kim Jong Il's visit to a tyre factory.

Experts say the Taepodong-2 has a possible range of 3,500-4,300 km.

A U.S. State Department official told Reuters the long-range missile had failed 40 seconds after it was launched. A senior South Korean security official said the Taepodong-2 had splashed down in the sea off the peninsula's east coast.

Experts say that Pyongyang is developing long-range missiles to have the capability one day to deliver a nuclear bomb, but that it is years away from acquiring such a weapons system.

UPDATE: North Korea Launches Seventh Missile Read Full Story Here

UN Security Council To Hold Emergancy Meeting Read Full Story Here
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So what is the UN going to do? Sanction this crazy ass some more? Had that Taepodong-2 Missile actually worked instead of blowing up and humiliating Chia Pet, It may have reached the USA! Had we not of blown it out of the sky of course. This is getting a bit more serious now, we still have troops stationed in South Korea. What happens to them if this Lunatic is allowed to keep this crap up? Then you have Russia and China that pretty much have thier fingers up thier butt at this point, and what may even be worse, Japan is pissed and who knows what they are going to do, and then you have Iran who is not going to be one-upped by N.Korea, I dont see this ending well for anyone (Especially Chia Pet). I guess we will just watch and see what the hell unfolds today, Chia Pet has already started firing missiles again. This had to be the wildest 4th of July I've ever witnessed!

WOW!!! 4th Of July Space Shuttle Fireworks

Foxnews is Reporting:
Space Shuttle Discovery Blasts Off on Fourth of July Launch
Tuesday, July 04, 2006

NASA's first-ever Fourth of July manned launch came after two weather delays and a new crack in foam insulation on the fuel tank. Shuttle managers said early video images showing small pieces of debris breaking away were not troubling.

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said of the launch: "They don't get much better than this."

It was Griffin who chose to go ahead with the launch over concerns from the space agency's safety officer and chief engineer about foam problems that have dogged the agency since Columbia was doomed by a flyaway chunk of insulation 3 1/2 years ago.

Discovery thundered away from its seaside pad at 2:38 p.m EDT (1838 GMT).



About three minutes later, three or four pieces of debris were seen flying off the tank, and another popped off a bit later, said shuttle program manager Wayne Hale. Discovery was so high by then that there wasn't enough air to accelerate the pieces into the shuttle and cause damage, he said.

"That is the very raw, preliminary data," Hale said. "It will be a while before we get a complete picture of what happened during the ascent."

Hale and others on the launch management team were in a jubilant mood over the smooth liftoff.

"No, we did not plan to launch on the Fourth of July, but it sure did work out to be great to launch on Independence Day," said Hale, who was wearing a patriotic tie.

Commander Steven Lindsey, an Air Force fighter pilot, was at Discovery's controls and aiming for a Thursday linkup with the international space station.

"Discovery's ready, the weather's beautiful, America is ready to return the space shuttle to flight. So good luck and Godspeed, Discovery," launch director Mike Leinbach said just before liftoff.

"I can't think of a better place to be here on the Fourth of July," radioed Lindsey. "For all the folks on the Florida east coast, we hope to very soon get you an up-close and personal look at the rocket's red glare."

It was unclear for a while Monday whether Discovery would fly at all.

A slice of foam, not much bigger than a crust of bread, fell off an expansion joint on the external fuel tank as the spacecraft sat on the launch pad. Shuttle managers concluded Monday night after intensive engineering analysis that the remaining foam on that part of the tank was solid.

Engineers said the piece — 3 inches long (7.6 centimeters) and just one-tenth of an ounce — was too small to pose a threat even if it had come off during launch and smacked the shuttle. Inspectors devised a long pole with a camera to inspect the joint and found no evidence of further damage. NASA also made sure there was no excessive ice buildup at that spot Tuesday.

The fallen foam, albeit harmless, added to the tension already surrounding this mission.

NASA's chief engineer and top-ranking safety official objected two weeks ago to the 12-day mission without eliminating lingering dangers from foam loss, considered probable and potentially catastrophic.

They were overruled by shuttle managers and, ultimately, Griffin. He stressed the need to get on with building the half-done, long-overdue space station before the shuttles are retired in 2010 to make way for a moonship, per President George W. Bush's orders.

Griffin said he welcomed the debate over Discovery's launch and acknowledged that the space agency plays the odds with every shuttle liftoff.

"If foam hits the orbiter and doesn't damage it, I'm going to say ho-hum because I know we're going to release foam. The goal is to make sure that the foam is of a small enough size that I know we're not going to hurt anything," Griffin said in a weekend interview with The Associated Press.

"It's hardly the only thing that poses a risk to a space shuttle mission," he said.

If photos during launch or the flight show serious damage to Discovery, the crew could move into the space station. Then a risky shuttle rescue — fraught with its own problems — would have to be mounted. The rescue ship, Atlantis, would face the same potential foam threat at launch. NASA also worked on a possible plan for flying Discovery back to Earth unmanned if necessary.

Many have speculated that if anything happens to Discovery or its crew, the shuttle program could end with this mission, and plans for moon and Mars exploration could be put in jeopardy.

In its flight last July, Discovery experienced dangerous foam loss, though the chunk was smaller than one that slammed into Columbia's left wing, and it missed Discovery altogether.

Just like a year ago, more than 100 cameras and radar were trained on Discovery at liftoff to spot any foam shedding. The intensive picture-taking continued with on-board cameras and the astronauts snapping zoom-in shots upon reaching orbit.

NASA figures it will be nearly a week before it can decisively say whether any debris hit Discovery during launch.

Last July, cameras caught a 1-pound (0.5 kilo) chunk two minutes after liftoff, despite extensive repairs that came after the Columbia disaster. The big piece of foam came off an area untouched in the wake of the tragedy. Smaller pieces popped off other parts of the 154-foot tank.

Over the past year, NASA has removed foam from the location of last year's largest foam loss, saying it represented the biggest aerodynamic change to the shuttle in 25 years of flight. Engineers deemed the foam there unnecessary.

Shuttle managers put off repairs to another potentially dangerous area of the tank, foam wedges to insulate the metal brackets that hold pressurized lines in place. The foam prevents ice and frost from forming on the brackets once the tank is filled with super-cold fuel.

Managers said they wanted to make one major change at a time. The space agency's chief engineer disagreed as did the chief safety officer, saying they would rather take the extra six months to fix the problem before launching.



Griffin contends NASA doesn't have time to spare with the shuttles set to be phased out in 2010.

One of the seven crew on Discovery is a German, Thomas Reiter of the European Space Agency, who will move into the space station for a half-year stay, joining the American and Russian there already.

Reiter will bring the size of the station crew to three for the first time since 2003.

Besides commander Lindsey and Reiter, Discovery is carrying pilot Mark Kelly; Michael Fossum and Piers Sellers, who will conduct at least two spacewalks at the station; and Lisa Nowak and Stephanie Wilson.

Beginning Wednesday, they will survey use a 50-foot (15-meter) inspection boom to view the shuttle for damage. They also will make repairs to the space station and deliver much-needed supplies.
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This was enough fireworks for me yesterday. What an awesome sight.

Happy B-Day America

Happy

Birthday

America




And to ALL Our Brave Men and Woman Serving All Across The World, Happy 4th! God Be With You!

N.O.R.A.D. On High Alert

NORAD air base on heightened alert
World Net Daily Is Reporting:
No reason given for 'Bravo-Plus' security level
Posted: July 3, 2006

As the U.S. continues to express concern about the possibility of a North Korean missile test directed toward American territory and the rest of the world holds its breath over a close encounter with an asteroid, several U.S. air bases are on heightened alert.

But no one is talking about why.

The Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, which houses NORAD – charged with monitoring the North Korea situation – is now at "Bravo-Plus."

Other air bases in Colorado, California and Florida are also on heightened alert status.


There are five levels of alert: normal, Alpha (low), Bravo (medium), Charlie (high) and Delta (critical). "Bravo-Plus" is slightly higher than a medium threat level.

The Bush administration has urged North Korea to abandon its plans to test a long range missile. The Pentagon believes the missile is capable of reaching the United States.

NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command in Colorado would play a big role in both detecting and responding to a missile launch if it ever occurred.

The U.S. missile defense system is only a few years old, but could be tested if North Korea chooses to act.

Meanwhile, in a development that may or may not be related to the heightened security alert, an asteroid up to half a mile wide is due to brush past the Earth early today.

Scientists who have been tracking asteroid 2004 XP14 say it will approach almost as close as the Moon, traveling at 10.5 miles per second.

It has been classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA), along with 782 known others.

Initially there were concerns that the asteroid might collide with the Earth later this century. However, further analysis of its orbit has ruled this out - at least for the foreseeable future.

If XP14 did hit the Earth the effects would be devastating.

"It would probably be big enough to wipe out a small country," said Dr David Asher, from the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland.

House Passes Resolution Criticizing Media Leaks

House Passes Resolution Criticizing Media Leaks
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
June 30, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - In a move that simply sends a message, the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a nonbinding resolution supporting the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program.

More to the point, the resolution also criticized media leaks that "impair[s] the international fight against terrorism and needlessly exposes Americans to the threat of further terror attacks..."

The resolution passed on a 227-183 vote.

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), in a press release praising passage of the resolution, said recent leaks about the financial tracking program by the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal have hurt the government's ability to protect American citizens.

"The America we live in today has changed. Terrorists are plotting in the shadows to hurt the American people and destroy our way of life. It is government's role to remain vigilant and stop these terrorists in their tracks before they harm American families," Hastert said.

"It's simple: Loose lips kill American people. And wayward ink can draw a clear path for the enemy to follow."

Hastert also expressed disappointment that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) "refused to condemn those who leak and publish intelligence programs designed to root out the terrorists before they inflict harm against U.S. citizens."

In other words, Pelosi voted against the resolution - and she explained her reasons for doing so in a speech on the House floor.

Pelosi said both Democrats and Republicans support "effective tools to fight terrorism, including the tracking of terrorist financing here and abroad under all applicable laws."

And she said no one in either party condones the disclosure of national security information.

But she called the Republican resolution a political document that "makes sweeping and dubious conclusions on the facts and legality of the financial transaction surveillance program." She accused Republicans of taking the president at his word, without any "fact-finding or oversight."

Pelosi complained that the Bush administration lacks credibility when it comes to complaining about leaks. "The administration's record, and that of this Republican Congress, are marked by selective disclosures of classified information and selective expressions of displeasure over leaks," Pelosi said.

"So let's take this resolution for what it is: it is a campaign document. The Republican resolution contains a number of statements that simply cannot be factually confirmed, and are not the result of congressional fact-finding or rigorous congressional oversight."

Pelosi specifically questioned whether the program has been "conducted in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and executive orders," as the resolution says it has been; or whether "appropriate safeguards and reviews have been instituted to protect individual civil liberties" and whether "Congress has been appropriately informed and consulted for the duration of the program."

There's never been any oversight of the program, Pelosi insisted. "They're asking us to vote on something that we absolutely cannot attest to. Not any one of you can attest to this as a fact, because it isn't a fact," she said.



Pelosi supported an alternative Democratic resolution, which she described as more balanced and accurate, but that resolution never made it to the floor for a vote.
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Leave it to Pelosi to never admonish those in the media who insist on threatening our National Security.

Jury Convicts Penis Pump Judge

Jury Convicts Former Oklahoma Judge of Exposing Himself by Using a Sexual Device in Court

BRISTOW, Okla. -- A former judge was convicted late Thursday of exposing himself by using a sexual device while he presided over court cases.

A Creek County jury found Donald Thompson, 59, guilty on four counts of indecent exposure and recommended one year in prison and a $10,000 fine on each count.

The investigation into Thompson's actions began after a police officer saw a penis pump in the judge's courtroom. The charges involved four jury trials in 2002 and 2003.

Thompson's former court reporter, Lisa Foster, testified that she traced an unfamiliar "sh-sh" in the courtroom to her boss. She testified that she saw Thompson expose himself at least 15 times.

Thompson, who served for more than 20 on the bench in eastern Oklahoma before his retirement in 2004, denied using a penis pump and said it was a gag gift.

Thompson was ordered into custody on $75,000 bond, which his attorneys said would be posted Friday. Thompson's formal sentencing was scheduled for Aug. 14.

Prosecutor Patricia High said she was pleased with the outcome: "The same justice system that he abused held him accountable."

Defense attorney Clark Brewster did not speak with reporters.

The conviction will require Thompson to register as a sex offender, which could jeopardize his $7,489.91-a-month pension from the state.

His trial was moved to Bristow, 20 miles west of the Sapulpa courtroom where Thompson served.
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This guy should just be taken off the streets!