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US cancals Miltary exercize with Philippines over Rape case

The United States has cancelled its annual joint military exercises with the Philippines due to the continued detention of a US marine convicted of rape.

Legally, there is a longstanding legal agreement between the US and the Philippines that grants US authorities custody of US military personnel accused of violating Philippine laws until completion of all judicial proceedings.

This has not been done with Smith.

AFP reporting that the Subic Rape case "... has sparked street protests and revived anti-American sentiment in the former US colony."

Translation: The Left is using this to increase anti American sentiment at a time when the US is helping the Philippine army destroy "insurgents", including the (communist) NPA who is popular with the left and with the people in this area.

But many of the elites, who have a love/hate relationship about the US, hailed the conviction as proof that the powerful Americans are not above the law...as if a conviction was about Philippine pride rather than about a little thing called justice.

Alas, the truth is a bit fuzzy in all this.

The truth is that the "rape" was at the most "date rape", where a drunken lass who flirted and danced with the Marines and had sex with one of them in the van.

The initial reports was that she had been kidnapped and raped, and there was much outrage orchestrated by women's groups and the left.

Then the physical evidence showed only one set of sperm, and evidence she was willing albeit drunk. so the court expanded the "incapacitated" definition, which in the law meant unconscious to include merely intoxicated, even though a previous court case rejected that interpretation.

In short, the court was under severe pressure by the left and the press to convict all the Marines, but there was no physical evidence that anyone beside Smith was involved, so the judge creatively found a way to convict Smith by expanding the law.

Now, since a lot of US soldiers train there, the agreement between the US and the Philippines is that any military person convicted is remanded to US custody, the expectation is that Smith would be placed in US custody while his appeal is going on. Given the judicial lawmaking of the lower court, and given the political pressure on the court there is a good chance of the charges eventually being thrown out. But the physical danger to the convicted rapist is real, so the US is right to seek custody.

In the meanwhile, with conviction, and with the evidence made public that her original accusation was exaggerated to the press, the anti Americanism has actually settled down. The left has moved on, and is busy demonstrating agains charter change, and against "judicial killings" of left wing activists.

The US Government canceling military exercizes, however, might inflame the issue further.

But the left is not the only ones who can manipulate the headlines.

Indeed, today's headline proclaims Christmas gifts, carols for jailed Marine

"..Members of the group Justice for Daniel Smith (JDS) (a small organization of military wives, students, and professionals, said they would bring him gifts and sing hymns that they hope he would hear from the stockroom of the jail facility where he is detained..."

The US government won't officially interfere with the Philippine courts, but that doesn't mean that some of the estimated 100 000 Americans, many of whom are veterans, and their wives who live here can't get involved.

The local feminists tried to make a case of poor innocent women who were victimized, but they do protest too much. Now, next to American girls, they are indeed quite chaste, but "good" Pinays travel in groups for protection, and don't go out drinking alone with lonely Marines. However, this is not the same as saying all these girls are prostitutes. Most are just trying to find a nice husband, and their aim in life is to live in Detroit or San Diego, or even Makati, and meeting Americans or Europeans in bars is one way to do it.

The problem that "Nicole" miscalculated is tragic for all involved, especially since the law does not differentiate between Date rape and stranger/forced rape. The expansion of the law to convict Smith of rape for "having sex with an intoxicated female" is bordering on ridiculous if it were not so tragic.

Given the amount of liquor that flows in the Subic bars, the way things stand now is that any US soldier, sailor, Marine or expat is in danger of 40 years in prison if he takes up an offer of the generous but tipsy ladies of the evening.
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Straits of Hormuz

People discussing war with Iran --or war with Iraq for that matter-- ignore a few little things.

One: Shiites have been hated by Sunnis since Ali was killed.

Two: Kurds are Sunnis but persecuted by Arab Sunnis under Saddam

Three: Turkey hates Kurds. If they  become independent, the Turks will invade

Four: Kurds essentially have been governing themselves because Clinton protected them against     SADDAM

FIVE: The Saudis threaten to fund the Sunni insurgents killing Americans and innocent Shiites in Iraq. This is bull, since many "suicide bombers" and a lot of the funding of the insurgents are via Saudi charities.

Six: Saudis have been spreading militant islam thru their funding and mosques thruout the world. A charity here in the Philippines just had their money frozen because they were helping the A.J. in Mindanao

Seven: If Iran gets the bomb, the Saudis will arrange to get one too

Eight: Israel will bomb anyone harming them. But Israel is so small, bombing Israel risks killing a lot of Israeli Arabs and Palestinians.

Nine: Iran's big stick is not oil, but the straits of hormuz. If they block it with landmines or by sinking a ship, they essentially will block everyone else from sending out oil tankers. The winner will be Russia. Maybe that is why the Navy is sending another aircraft carrier to the Gulf.

Ten Iran has no oil refineries. They are vulnerable to economic sanctions. Unluckily the Russians are offering to build them a refinery.

Eleven: There are a lot of non Farsis living in Iran, and Iran is persecuting their minorities.

Twelve: A lot of workers in the oil fields are foreigners. In Saudi, alone the population is 24 million, and there are 900 000 Filippinos, and a lot more Indonesians and Indians. or Egyptians or Pakistanis.....When Lebanon exploded, both India and the Philippines arranged their people to come home. Only about 20 000 out of 60 thousand pinoys came home, but you see my point. A lot of those who left are maids or drivers, not skilled mechanics or carpenters, but you get my point. If all the foreigners leave, will the "high unemployement" rate go down?

Thirteen: Remember the Persians and Assyrians and Babylonians have fought over the area in the past.

Fourteen: If the price of oil goes up, they will restart pumping in Texas and Oklahoma, open the Pennsylvania coal mines, drill offshore and in Alaska, and import a lot more oil from Alberta Canada.

Fifteen: The NEWYORKER has an article about the inability of the US getting their point of view into the Middle East. Yup. We get our news from CNN International in the Philippines. When CNNI and BBC are anti Bush, just think of what those who only get AlJezerah and the anti american government run TV channels...

What does all this mean?

Don't ask me. I'm just a doctor. But you know a lot of this never gets into the news on CNNInt.






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Repeat after me: The Saudis are our friends

I am old enough to remember China's "great leap forward", and how the left wing students, when they weren't praising Cuba, were telling enthusiastic stories of China. China sent students into the land to learn from peasants. China's barefoot doctors did miraculous cures. Look at the photos of the bumper crops. Look at the great increase in industrial output. Look at the peasants, after working in the fields, staying up enthusiastically studying Mao's Red Book.

What was missing was common sense. People just don't "love" to study and attend political meetings at the end of a hard day's work. They want to rest and make love to their wives. They don't like working on a commune because it means working for another. Ignorance does not cure people. Even herbalists in China were apprenticed for years. And bumper crops needed hard work and new techniques (green revolution hybrids, fertilizer and handplows) and are not the result of an inspiration after reading Mao's little red book.

Today too the media and elites seem to think that Bush is evil, and ignore what is being taught in the . We are told "they" hate us in Muslim countries, but rarely if ever that the media in these countries uniformly preach hatred of Israel and the US, and that Bush, by actually allowing free elections, is showing dissadents that there is another choice between a repressive government which steals the wealth and runs the country for their own benefit and the other alternative: Sharia law. Well, there is now a third choice: Democracy. And as Churchill said: Democracy is the worst type of government, except for the alternatives.

Today, there is a prayer rally in Manila. It was proposed by the Catholic bishops, but the Christian charismatic/pentecostals are joining, as are some Muslim groups. The rally is opposing the "fast tracking" of the proposal to change the constitution. The Philippino is rich and poor, and the government is corrupt. There are political killings by left and right and killings of businessmen by rivals and by "insurgents". But nevertheless, the people are not afraid to go out and pray to send a message to the government that we will not be manipulated.

That is how a free people acts.

The NYTimes laments that Iraqi women's rights are going backward. But Iraqis can go out and demonstrate for and against the war. Where are the stories about the lack of rights of women in Saudi Arabia? Where are the demonstrations saying they want free elections? Where are the prayer rallies of Christians denied freedom of religion in that country?

Even in Iran Christians are allowed churches, although the Bahai are persecuted. In Iran, democracy is a sham, because only those approved by the government can run for office, yet the students are free enough to hold a demonstration against the Holocaust conference.
One expects that an anti capitalistic left would be more critical about the extremist Islamic governments that shroud women, execute gays and adulterers, and mistreat their foreign maids. One wonders where the stories about Saudis not only helping make peace in Mindanao but also about how Saudi funded mosques are increasing hatred of other religions in Indonesia and that Indonesian fanatics and local Moros who opposed the MILF holding peace talks

So, where are the marches of the left against Saudi Arabia?
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Are they nuts?

Even Bill Clinton, when asked about the US talking with Iran, noted that "Right now the Iranians don't want to do anything, probably because their policy seems to be, whatever causes America heartburn is good for us,"

Carolyn Glick notes that Baker is ignoring history, both recent and past:

Even if the US were to somehow get them to agree to certain understandings about Iraq, there is no reason to believe that the Iranians and Syrians would keep their word. Not only would the US be approaching them as a supplicant and so emboldening them, but to date the US has never credibly threatened anything either Syria or Iran value. Indeed, through supporting negotiations between the EU and Iran, empowering the UN to deal with Iran's nuclear program, and forcing Israel to accept a cease-fire with Hizbullah last summer that effectively gave victory to the Syrian and Iranian proxy, the US has consistently rewarded the two countries' aggression.

Worse than that, from a US perspective, although Gates admitted Tuesday that he cannot guarantee that Iran will not attack Israel with nuclear weapons, he ignored the fact that Iran - whose President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad daily calls for the destruction of the US - may also attack the US with nuclear weapons.

Ah, but A.P. REPORTER in an article claims that Iran just wants respect to solve the problem...the writer of this "breaking news" article, SCHEHEREZADE FARAMARZI, Associated Press Writer
is one of several AP reporters who write of lurid Ameican atrocities. I've read her reports before. Umm...bias anyone? yet even Schehererzade has to note that "many" blame Iran for arming and funding the Shiite hit squads that are killing Sunnis...duh...and she goes on to mention that Iran was "hurt" that they were called part of the axis of evil..Their president can threaten to nuke the US and calls the US the great Satan all the time, but don't dare call them evil. How dare you.

the BBC admits what Iran wants is the US to withdraw their troops, and ignore their nuclear program.

In short, the Baker plan will not work, but is making the enemies of theUS which alas includes many in the European union to rejoice.


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December 8, when the war started here

In the USA, the war started Dec. seventh, on a Sunday Morning.

But here in the Philippines, it started on December 8th, which is a holy day and in many places there are fiestas for Mary, so everyone goes to church.

When I worked in New Mexico, I found a shrine in our church commemorating the Bataan death march and the war in the Philippines. It seems that the priest there, Father Braun, and a couple of the local Apaches had been sent to Manila right before the war started, since they were trained in anti aircraft gunnery. That would make a good movie, but never mind, "The Great Raid" is probably the only movie that will be made about their story.

Well, anyway, when the war started, my husband was still a kid. He tells stories that he had a Japanese soldier friend who would give them candy. Later, they turned against the Japanese, his older brother leading local guerillas and my husband joined them, still a kid. He claims he never saw battle, but never talks about it except to point out the house where his cousin was tortured to death.

Many Philippinos died in the death march, but some politicians, including the father of Ninoy Acquino, (who was killed and his wife took his place and ran against Marcos and won). actually cooperated with the Japanese, figuring they were all Asians and that they would get their independence more quickly.

Alas, the brutality of the Japanese, including the killing of many Phlippinos, turned the people against them, and the story of their retreat is full of atrocities to civilians, followed by the murder of the stragglers who hid out in the jungles and mountains north of here.

For fiestas, the proud veterans who once marched proudly in the parades are reduced to a half dozen in cars.
There is a small monument in the city square. Our cousin's family still has his photo enshrined with the condolance letter from President Truman framed next to it. When his sister dies, the more "modern" family will probably store it somewhere, and another story will be lost.

So happy Pearl Harbor day.

But remember: It was more than Pearl Harbor, and remember that thousands of Philippinos fought and died along side of the US Army
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Iraq report

The CNN/BBC is spinning this as Bush's defeat and America's cut and run.
This does not bode well for Asia, who have been fighting Islamofascism for decades.
Scrappleface has the best idea.
too bad killing the bad guys is no longer politically correct...
Ironically, the only thing that would save the US from cutting and running is a strong Bush. However, with the MSM one doubts he will get a word in edgewise.

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Well, Israel's enemies got another one

John Bolton's whose defense of Israel against the UN's jihad, has been pressured to resign.

There was no hope his nomination could pass the gatekeepers of the present RINO who kept his nomination from being voted on by the Senate, and since there was little hope in having the next Democratic congress from approving his nomination, he has resigned.

Too bad. For, unlike most of the self righteous pompous bureaucrats that are in the UN, normal people liked Bolton for calling a spade a spade.

One hopes he will be replaced by someone with similar sentiments but who will be able to "call a spade a self propelled earth moving device".
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The Freepers broke another story

The NYTimes discovers you can easily buy polonium.

Hmm...they must  be reading my blog...j

Just joking. I suspect they read FreeRepublic where the poster Rightwingassault pointed this out eight days ago.

Big Question: Why did it take the NYTimes eight days to write this story? If they read FR, they would have picked up on the news that you can buy this stuff...
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Bush: more likely a prophet than the worst president

Thanks to the election, where the win by conservative Democrats was interpreted by Islamofascists as a victory, we are seeing Syria taking over Lebanon via their friends in Hezbollah.

So the headlines in the WAPO? About a memo (leaked) saying Rumsfeld ...well, the implication is that he thought Iraq was a mistake.
And then one on "Gulf war syndrome"...you know, from Gulf War one? The one that the Clinton administrations' bureaucrats said didn't exist?
Then we read "friendly fire" incidents were mishandled. Yup. All those friendly fire stuff are being spun too. Of course, as Stonewall Jackson could tell you, wars run by good Democrats like Jefferson Davis would NEVER allow anyone be killed by friendly fire.
And finally, a whole bunch of editorials on why Bush is the worst president in the world.
We have Douglas Brinkley at Tulane: " When 9/11 happened, Bush did too much, attacking the wrong country at the wrong time for the wrong reasons.".
Well, some would say that we should have attacked Iran, and the UN should have voted to punish Saddam Hussein by sending troops into removing him for his breaking the peace treaties of 1991, but never mind. When France and Russia are taking Oil for food bribes and selling weapons to Saddam and Nuclear facilities to the Mullahs, there are no ways that the UN would do that. But the problem of Islamofascism is not mentioned in the essay.
Then we have Eric Foner from Colombia who claims Bush is the worst president because he has rolled back the rule of law so badly that the courts are against him. Specifically, he cites Gitmo, where people are imprisoned without trial complete with lawyers and the ability to see the names of those testifying against them.
His heroes Lincoln and FDR would never do such things...
Except, of course, the Lincoln didn't supend "habeas corpus" for foreigners who voluntarily worked with America's enemies. He suspended habeas corpus for all.
And FDR didn't just "imprison" young men associated with people who are sworn to kill Americans, he imprisoned men, women and children because their Japanes ethnicity implied they might cooperate with America's enemies. And when German Saboteurs entered the USA, they were not imprisoned in a clean camp, but quickly and quietly tried and executed.
As for the courts "rebukes of Bush's policies", one wonders how a professor is seemingly unaware that the Supreme Court reveresed many of FDR's policies, and that he attempted to pack the courts in response, something that was so against the constitution that he failed despite his popularity.
Only Vincent Cannato is allowed to argue that "wait and see" might be a better way to judge things. Ironically, even he does not point out that it is mainly due to a MSM that overblows the negative and ignores the positive that is encouraging the enemies of a free Iraq to push on.

Would the situation in Iraq be a "black" if CNN International did not go out of it's way to hire people with upper class British accents who smirk and lift their eyebrows as if to ridicule anything good about America? Those of us overseas are being told day after day that Bush is incompetent.

The bad thing is that the criticism is not helping the war.
You wouldn't know it from Professor Fone, but Lincoln was called a baboon and his wife a traitor. There were draft riots in New York City, and large financial scandals. What saved Lincoln's reputation was that his idea, that the republic was worth saving, won the day.

Back in the 1920's, there was something called a "Red Scare". If you read the "historians" now, you would think it was overblown, like McCarthyism. But the strange thing is that the idea behind these bomb throwers spread, mainly because the elites of England thought war was wrong and thought that socialism was a good idea.

And this idea, that the Reds were no danger, resulted in both Churchill and FDR underestimating the duplicity of Stalin during World War II, leading to both the takeover of Eastern Europe and various Asian wars.

The legacy of elites who failed to see the evil in communism and fascism has left us shaking our heads not only at the 40 million killed in World War II, which might have been prevented if Churchill had been listened to in 1932, but the 100 million who were killed in the name of communism because no one had the forsight to see the ideological fellow travelers of the bomb throwers of the Red Scare would continue to escalate their atrocities when in power.

One wonders if all these historians, including Professor Cannato, would like to ponder a question: What if Bush is right, that there is a growing danger, that WMD capabilities in unstable oil rich dictatorships are open to push the dangerous idea of a Caliphate, and that only by establishing Democracy can that idea be reversed?

Unlike the esteemed professors, I have lived thourgh history, and recognize evil exists.

One hopes that 100 years from now, the world will not look back on the aggression of the Caliphate and the Chinese-Persian nuclear war that devestated the landmass of Eurasia as the legacy of our elites.
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