Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Speaking of Chechyna and Iran...

This caught my eye earlier today, children and teachers from a school in Chechyna have been hospitalized with symptoms possibly from exposure to nerve gas. We all know just how much the Muslim terrorists in Chechyna like schools and schoolchildren, so if this report is true not many people are going to be happy. Rumors continue that Iran is providing training and support for the Muslim separatists in Chechyna; apparently Russia doesn't mind though. They just inked a deal for a lot of expensive military hardware for Iran. Lets see where this goes.
Update: Apparently those people in the hospital are just crazy, according
to reports in Itar-TASS. As an added bonus shot from our friends in the Russian media, a "senior"Russian Defense Ministry official confirms that the delivery of the Tor-M1 air-defense systems will be carried out as reported.

Iran and Syria get chummy (er)

Do you remember during the invasion of Iraq assertions were made that Syria might have received and been hiding Iraqi WMD program components and supplies? Nobody would be shocked if that were true but apparently protecting its neighbors WMD stockpiles is Syrian national policy now. I'm not sure what they are smoking in Syria (hash, I'd guess,) but why on earth would you want to give the US a reason to start lobbing JDAMs in your direction? G. Bush and Co. have been mightily frosted about Syria's continued support of the Iraqi insurgency and the UN continues to be pissed about the Hariri assassination. A wonderful convergence of US and UN irritation is building. Iran has also offered sanctuary for suspects in the assassination if indicted. The whole pledging of mutual military assistance thing is just acknowledgment of reality I suppose. If the US decides to assist Israel in the "downsizing" of the Iranian Manhattan Project, its already understood by Israel that Syria will probably retaliate militarily. I would expect Washington to offer military assistance as long as significant numbers of troops were unlikely to be involved. Logistics, intelligence, air defense, and air power would likely be key elements of that support. The new year is shaping up to be "interesting times."

Monday, December 19, 2005

Ahmadinejad bans "Western" music from Iranian TV and radio

BREITBART.COM - Iran's President Bans Western Music

Now THAT will go a long way towards getting Iranian youth on his side. Banning foreign cultural influences works so well. Just ask the USSR how that turned out.

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Iran President's bodyguard dies in ambush

Iran Focus-News - Iran (General) - Iran President�s bodyguard dies in ambush

This is interesting, I guess in the next few day we'll see if there is anything to this. Musharraf in Pakistan has had some difficulties of his own regarding assassins. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy, though. I'm guessing that if Ahmadinejad was to get whacked the mailbox wouldn't exactly be overflowing with sympathy cards.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

More background on Iranian Intentions

The Intelligence Summit has a great short piece that helps a bit towards understanding Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's motivations behind nuclear development. Of course, joining the international club of atomic powers is quite prestigious, but I'm guessing a desire to incinerate Israel is the trump card. The secular west has such a poor grasp of just how important religion is in the Middle East. If you've studied European history, just think of the Middle East as mediaeval Europe with MiGs and Kalashnikovs substituting Islam for Christianity.

My impression of Saudi Arabia when I was there was that of a 13th century country desperately trying to buy its way into the 20th but failing. Failing because the people weren't coming along into the 20th, just the stuff. This struggle against the transformation of the culture and the man is what seems to be driving the Middle East's unrest. The Islamic reactionaries are pushing back as hard as they can, and you can't push back harder than with nuclear bombs. Ahmadinejad is as reactionary as they get and he won't rest until he has enough nuclear weaponry to lay the west low I fear.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

90 days and counting

Israel readies forces for strike on nuclear Iran - Sunday Times - Times Online

It shouldn't come as any surprise that Israel let leak the information that they are gearing up for a serious round of attacks on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. By making it plain those plans on a quasi-official level the IAEA is being put on notice that their diplomatic efforts can't be allowed to fail. I'm afraid that they will, though. ElBaradei had the Official Seal of Failure given to him this week; a Nobel Peace Prize. Ask Jimmy Carter and Yasser Arafat how that turned out. The chance of a peaceful halt to Iranian nuclear weaponry development is getting smaller all the time.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

If you don't take care of it, we will

Now the IAEA says what Israel has been saying is true. Iran is just "months" away from having shiny, new, atomic bombs of its own. Makes you kinda wonder about that whole "Wipe them off the face of the map" stuff, doesn't it? I can't help but notice that Iran just inked a deal with Russia to buy some sophisticated air-defense missile systems, too. It looks like we might soon get a chance to see how good American military hardware stacks up against Russian stuff.
The whole process of sternly worded statements by UN and EU types doesn't seem to have made much of an impression on our Iranian friends. Since stern words and toothless resolutions have proved so ineffective in the past, especially when issued by the UN, look for Israel to take care of this themselves. What a holy shitstorm that will be, but if I live in Israel I wouldn't be feeling very good about Iranian nuclear missiles and car bombs.
Update:
Apparently ElBaradei was misquoted in the article I refer to above, a more complete quote below:
"Although IAEA officials have said it would take at least two years for Natanz to become fully operational, Mr. ElBaradei believes that once the facility is up and running, the Iranians could be “a few months” away from a nuclear
weapon."

Natanz is a hardened secret nuclear facility in Iran. Reportedly it is protected by several meters of reinforced concrete and covered with another 20 or so meters of dirt, presumably to protect against bombing attacks. There it is believed is where weapon-grade uranium and plutonium will/is being produced. I feel so much better.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Gashed Legs update

Just in case you haven't read my earlier posts about the leg surgeries I had this summer (and according to SiteMeter, you haven't) hit the link above or scroll down to see what I'm talking about. That, by the way, is my right calf below. Pretty, hey? I was getting a dressing change and asked the nurse to snap a shot for me.


Its been several months now and I've been running without problems. The day my surgeon told me that I could start running I took that to mean I could run around playing rugby and so I did. I whored in for the Wisconsin Rugby Club playing a B-side match and had a great time that very weekend. Of course I was in woeful shape and spent much of the game huffing and puffing as if I were about to croak. I made a few little guys regret attempting to tackle me so the game wasn't without happiness. I'm up to two miles every other night now. That doesn't sound like much but in this brutal Wisconsin winter its more than enough. Once I can run those two miles in a reasonable time I'll start increasing my mileage. If all goes well I should be in much better shape for next year's rugby season. Then those little guys should beware. I'll be able to run them over TWICE each game.

Saturday, December 03, 2005

...just trying something out...

JC2045-Church of Joe

Just in case you were wondering what I wanted for Christmas...

2XL would do nicely