Archive for February, 2009

If they are so blatant why not protest them?

Posted: February 5, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news, war
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Via LGF and Mere Rhetoric we find out why Peres’ speech is so important:

Human rights groups argued Wednesday that a detailed probe into Hamas’s firing of Kassam rockets at Israeli communities is not necessary, because it constitutes such a “blatant” war crime. By contrast, Israel’s actions are more complex, and therefore do require such investigation, they said.

With Israel it is much more complicated apparently;

“With Israel things are more complicated because Israel states it does not deliberately target civilians and that it safeguards them. With Israel, you have to investigate each specific incident because even if a civilian is killed in an attack, it doesn’t mean its necessarily a war crime.”

Hamas however says not so fast:

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum was quoted by AP Wednesday as saying Hamas attacks on southern Israel towns are “a means of self-defense.” “Those are not civilians. They are all soldiers,” Barhoum said of the residents of southern Israel. “We are firing at places that bring us the F-16s, the warplanes and the tanks.”

But Micha’eli dismissed Barhoum’s statements as absurd. “No credible human rights law expert would accept that excuse,” she added.

This explains why they are not investigated but it doesn’t explain why they are not condemned or protested. The less that these guys make of this stuff the more they are ignored and forgotten. If these “blatant” crimes are ignored by the NGO’s then as far as the world community is concerned they don’t exist.

I Can’t see how I could have missed this: Peres in Davos

Posted: February 5, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news, war
Tags: , ,

Nordlinger commented on this and lionized it.

Doc’s talk commented on it elegantly:

Only an old man could speak out that way at the WEF in Davos. Peres’ age was like a sacred receptacle containing the heart and soul of Judaism. What in the world did the organizers think they were doing, throwing the old man into the ring with those three guys? Is that their idea of a fair fight? Or was it simply one more international Israel-bashing jamboree? All so smooth in shirts and ties, invited to punch up the old man… for what? To shlurp up some jihadi money and make a giant step in the direction of sharia finance?

Big mistake. They hit the jackpot, a cascade of solid gold divine wrath that knocked them dizzy.

Even Atlas was impressed:

I am not a fan of Shimon Peres, but I am deeply proud of him in this. Don’t sit through the Jew bashing…. fast forward to minute 40 – watch Peres. It is an incredible speech. And please don’t point out to me in the comment section all of Peres’ faults. I know them well. But in this moment, he is magnificent.

If you haven’t seen it here it is:

Update: Redirected Atlas quote to her own blog.

He said it out loud! Lets see if it is reported

Posted: February 5, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
Tags: ,

Nordlinger’s 6th and final report from Davos went up today. (I keep wanting to type Davros, that would be an interesting Nordlinger interview). He is relating a question and answer session with Václav Klaus and part of it is almost as required as the Yon story today:

Klaus has published a book called Blue Planet in Green Shackles: What Is Endangered: Climate or Freedom? He tells us that the answer is freedom—freedom is endangered—adding, “I imagine National Review would understand what I mean.” I reply, “Actually, there are differing views about global warming at National Review.”

A different journalist says, “What freedom do you mean? What freedom is endangered?” Klaus points to her and says, “Yours, mine, [turning to the WEF representative] the moderator’s. The freedom of publications like National Review.”

Still another journalist, with high-pitched indignation, says, “Are you saying that Al Gore is threatening freedom?” Klaus answers, “More or less. Environmentalism and the global-warming alarmism are challenging our freedom; Al Gore is an important person in this movement.”

About the financial crisis, Klaus says, “I am more afraid of the ‘reforms’ that will result from the crisis than I am of the crisis itself. I’m afraid that the current crisis will be misused for radically constraining the functioning of the markets and market economies all around the world. I’m afraid of the potential consequences of overactivity by politicians,” as those politicians “try to win votes by pretending that they are coming to the rescue.”

Bingo!

President’s speech at the prayer breakfast

Posted: February 5, 2009 by datechguy in catholic, opinion/news
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His speech is pretty good he is hitting all the right notes. He goes into some details about his own family and lack thereof. He mentions that his father was a Muslim who became an atheist and that his people were not particularly practicing Christians.

He notes Tony Blair and his coming to his (Catholic) faith. He talks about his coming to Christianity briefly it is interesting so I’ll comment on it later in its own post.

He asks for prayers for himself and the country.

A good solid speech that hit the right tone.

One small thing that I’ll mention since it will be beaten into the ground; He says that no religion says to kill the innocent. The question is who is considered the innocent? He might want to re-read his Koran on that one. Of course this speech wasn’t the place for that question but there are going to be those who hit on it hard, so I’m saying it now.

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