It's Time for the Cotillion

Everyone is entitled to our opinion...

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Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day,
You fritter and waste the hours in an off hand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

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Jane from Armies of Liberation has not been frittering away time. Instead she has researched a long article exposing Chemical Weapons, Drug Smuggling, and Other Crimes of the Yemeni Dictator. In recognition of her efforts, she gets to open the Cotillion.

Among other activities of the Yemeni government, we have:

Active Support of Terrorists: It is no secret that al-Qaeda affiliated members of the Yemeni military and security forces are aiding terrorists. A Yemeni government official stated that “subversive” (al-Qaeda) elements of Yemen’s secret service have established training camps for Iraqi Baathists who later fight in Iraq. Military analyst James Dunnigan wrote recently, “There are many al Qaeda sympathizers in the Yemeni military and government as well. These sympathizers have been discreetly aiding Iraqi Baath Party officials who have fled Iraq, and now Syria. There has also been some active, but covert, support for the terrorists operating in Iraq.”

Dunnigan’s assessment corresponds with that of former Yemeni ambassador to Syria, Ahmed Abdullah al-Hasani, who recently requested political asylum in London. A former commander of Yemen’s navy, al-Hasani stated at a press conference that “al-Qaida elements are at the top in Yemen, in the army and political security forces.” Yemeni Socialist Party lawmaker Mohammed Salah, said “The government deals with terrorists in a way to keep them under their control, to use them when it needs to,” the AP reported. Of 144 bank accounts in Yemen designated in 2004 by the U.N. as related to the terrorism of al-Qaeda or the Taliban, Yemen has frozen one. It has not restricted the activities or finances of U.S. classified “Major Terrorist” Sheik Zindani, who remains a prominent politician and businessman.

A recent study for the Center for Strategic and International Studies by Anthony Cordesman found that 17% of foreign fighters in Iraq were likely Yemeni. This figure does not account for fighters of other nationalities trained in Yemen. Twenty suicide bombings in Iraq were perpetrated by Yemenis, reported al-Thawry newspaper. Two individuals charged with involvement in the Cole bombings who “escaped” along with eight other suspects were later reported to have carried out suicide bombings in Iraq which resulted in dozens of deaths.

There is much more in this well done report on the Yemeni government.

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Tired of lying in the sunshine, staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today,
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

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So, you want to be in The Cotillion? For those interested in how the Cotillion is run, you can take a look at this article, by Beth at MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, which describes how we got started and how we carry on the work.

CatHouse Chat sends her Congratulations to Iraq! In spite of the negativity of the "Lame Stream Media," the election was a success.

How wonderful it is to see Iraqis participate in the delightful brawl of compromise and give and take that is the heart of democracy!

FoxNews says participation is estimated to be around 61% or so, which is a fantastic turnout for that troubled country, and that ratification is very likely. In some areas, turnout was almost universal, while admittedly some regions' was only around 10%. Nevertheless, the average was excellent, and support for the new constitution seems strong, and should certainly be celebrated.

Go see all of the good news.

Fausta at The Bad Hair Blog wonders about Sex, envy, and libel. MoDo and the NYTimes are (of course) attacking the Miers nomination. But Fausta wonders if the Dowd attack doesn't cross the line into sexism and libel. (Well she isn't wondering about sexism.)

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And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it’s sinking,
And racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in the relative way, but you’re older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.

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The American Princess thinks that None of Us Cares about corruption in Detroit.

But just in case you were holding a contest for Most Corrupt Politician of a Mid-Western Metropolis, I want you to have all of the information. And honestly, its kind of funny how deep this whole Kwame Kilpatrick thing goes. Just this morning, the local liberal propaganda machine, the Detroit Free Press, released what appears to be the most damning evidence that we of the City of Detroit neglected to realize that electing a man who shops from the same store as Snoop Dogg was probably not such a good idea.

Detroit seems to be short about $200,000.00 from petty cash.

The Gray Tie expresses Her Wrath at the state of her children’s bedrooms. Keeping her word and throwing out things they are not taking proper care of. (Please note the New Home of the Gray Tie)

Little Miss Attila brings our attention to the latest offering from JibJab in JibJab Takes on Wal-Mart and Costco.

the butt of the joke is called "Big Box Mart," which implies not just the reflexive lefty hatred of Wal-Mart, but also criticism of the "bix box" stores such as Costco (where my "enlightened" friends go to save money).

It's Caption Contest Time! at Who Tends the Fires.

Not A Desperate Housewife has some thoughts on abortion. WARNING: Graphic Abortion Photos in this post! Not Just Tissue.

Having spent most of my life as a mother now, I have never been able to digest abortion. Dear husband and I made great sacrifices to not be guilty of this atrocity. Upon discovering that I was pregnant at the age of 17, abortion did cross my mind but I knew it was something I could not do. It almost seemed like the logical way out; my parents wouldn't know, my friends wouldn't know and I would be able to continue life as normal. As I've said before, 'abortion is the eraser for sexual immorality'

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Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines.
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.
The time is gone. The song is over. Thought I’d something more to say.

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Girl on the Right presents a few suggestions now that Vancouver, British Columbia has decided there are no criminals, in Lawless . Guilt and innocence are such old-fashioned ideas.

Florida Cracker brings us Homefires VI - An interesting look at a Country Music star.

What's better: attending Harvard or performing at the Grand Ole Opry? Not too many people would be able to tell us, but one of these boys could have.

Also a British Country Music star. Hmmmm.

A North American Patriot is worried about the systematic attack on Rights. In The Clash of the Rights Titans she examines some of issues.

Of late, there has been a battle waging, in the hushed confines of the venerated courtrooms of the world. It is a battle of "rights" and who is entitled to them. Who is entitled to infringe upon them. And exactly which rights are inalienable and which are granted by circumstance.

I am a harsh defender of rights -- Though not the rights that seem to be popular these days. For me, the only rights that are fundamental and uncompromising, are the right to life, and the right to security of that life.

The Democrats had Westley Clark respond to the President's radio address. CNN ran Clark's statement in full, while giving sparse coverage to Bush. Atlas Shrugs has a complete analysis of the Dhimmis in Democrats Oppose Free Iraq - Fisking Wesley Clark.

Hate Crimes are much in the news, as we just passed the seventh anniversary of the death of Mathew Shepard. My position has always been that hate crimes are essentially thought crimes, and that we should stick to outlawing actions. See my post Hate Crimes: What Happened to Equal Before the Law? for my position.

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Home, home again
I like to be here when I can,
And when I come home cold and tired
It’s good to warm my bones beside the fire.
Far away across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spell.
["Time" from Dark Side of the Moon]

Cross Posted at TFS Magnum

Posted by Zendo Deb at October 18, 2005 12:01 AM