US Continues Effort To Win Support For UN Resolution
State department officials have said broader support for the resolution in the 15-member Security Council will help encourage other nations to provide additional troops for what would be a U.N. force under U.S. command. But after President Bush's talks this week with leaders on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, a senior official said it might take as long as a month to negotiate a resolution. He added that Mr. Bush did not specifically ask countries to provide additional troops for peacekeeping efforts in Iraq.
Read the full VOA News story.
Matt's Chat
I fully support a resolution that would bring additional assistance to the aid of the Iraqis. I do not support any resolution that would risk the stability of Iraq by cutting them loose too early. It is quite clear what needs to happen: a constitution followed by elections, followed by a transitional period wherein control is passed to an elected body. To do any less, or to rush the process, would put to risk all that we have fought for and given up so much (in people and resources) to accomplish. And THAT would be a tragedy.Mark's Remarks
I agree with my friend. I do not agree with those (like Chirac) who want to dump off everything on the Iraqis as soon as tomorrow. These people are learning a new way of life. It takes time. I do not advocate occupying them for decades, as the French have done in Indochina, and other places. Rather, i would like to see the transition take place as soon as Iraq makes progress in the right directions. I think the course charted by the President and his staff makes sense. It needs to develop along those lines. I think France wants us to pull out so they can go in. They fear that we will bring balance to the region, that we may horn in on their markets. I think we need to be patient with Iraq, and not expect a quick fix. Usually those are the first to blow up.Arafat Was Saying He Had The Power, But...
Arafat and his top aides had expressed optimism in recent days that all Palestinian factions would embrace the cease-fire proposal. A rejection by Hamas, which has carried out numerous attacks against Israeli civilians and military personnel, would sharply reduce the significance of any such truce.
Yassin said Hamas not only would not participate in a cease-fire, neither would it agree to surrender its weapons -- an apparent reference to Qureia's statement Tuesday that he would seek to rid the West Bank and Gaza Strip of illegal arms.
Check out the full story from the Washington Post.
Matt's Chat
Oh yeah, Arafat, you're the man. You have the Palestinian's ear...or...is this another ploy where you can say that you tried to work for peace when actually you want war.Mark's Remarks
Mr. Arafat, we are still holding that call on line 2 from someone named reality..... Arafat has created a monster. Now, trying to save what little real credibility he has left, he has proven himself not to care about his people, but only about his own standing.Was NBC The Taget?
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A bomb exploded on Thursday at a Baghdad hotel housing journalists from U.S. television network NBC, killing a guard, the latest in a string of deadly attacks targeting foreigners in Iraq.
The blast, which echoed across central Baghdad at dawn, shattered windows around the three-floor Aike Hotel, wounding some guests with flying glass.
David Moodie, a 44-year-old NBC soundman and engineer, said he had been in bed in a first floor room above where the bomb exploded around 7 a.m. (11 p.m. EDT).
"I was awake in bed thinking 'Another day in paradise' and then the bomb went off," said Moodie, wearing shorts, sandals and a T-shirt spattered with blood. His right arm was bandaged. "It blew in the windows -- the glass, plaster, everything."
Check out the story from Reuters.
Matt's Chat
Hopefully NBC will now realize that they are Americans too and that the war is against us. We didn't start it, but we're sure going to finish it. Unfortunately, if you're an American, you're a target to these people.As an aside, hopefully, we'll start getting the good news from Iraq from NBC now...
Mark's Remarks
Well, the chickens are finally coming home to roost, aren't they? Report the bad news, embolden terrorists, and once they dont need you anymore, they come gunning.....Now, I hope the media wakes up and truly presents an objective view, instead of the Bush admin assassination job they have been doing.Coming Attractions
We got an email request for the 17 resolutions that Saddam violated and I'm currently doing that research now. Hopefully, I'll have an M File for you sometime tomorrow or over the weekend. Also, I asked my good friend Eric from Right to be Left to locate some source material to back up the "Bush Resume" that he has posted portions of...he has done so and I look forward to examining his research. Look for an M File on that as well in the coming days (I hope - time permitting of course). - MATT
