Invasion of the Refugees

Federal government incompetence is continually hurting my state.

Now a new one - the Bush Administration would like to place 15,000 Iraqi refugees in Warren and Sterling Heights. Warren is Michigan's third largest city and shares a part of Detroit's north border. Sterling Heights is directly north of Warren (and is Michigan's sixth largest city).

Warren is the home of Michigan's newest mosque, which opened earlier this year.

Democratic Mayor of Warren Mark Steenburgh complained right away, even appealing to President Bush to stop the madness.

Steenbergh said two-thirds of the applicants for refugee status indicated that they have relatives in the area.

"I've been told that these refugees will be given assistance in locating housing and in learning English," Steenbergh said in a statement.

"Will the City of Warren receive assistance for the burden placed upon our services with so many people set to arrive?"

Of course, in our politically correct, socially responsible world, the Mayor is called a racist.

"All the stuff he put in his press release is inaccurate," said Martin Manna, head of the Chaldean Chamber of Commerce. "It's all inaccurate. It smells of bigotry."

U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., called Steenbergh's statements "inaccurate and misleading."

I don't know if the mayor is racist or not, but I do know he is right - we can't absorb the costs associated with such a plan.

Of course, the Feds are denying there will be that many people transferred here. That's nice. But let me ask President Bush, why is your Administration bringing Iraqi refugees here to the US? Isn't part of your brainy war plan making Iraq safe for Iraqis?

How smart is it to bring people over to the worst economy in the United States, where citizens are losing their jobs right and left - and have been for two years? The jobs have already moved to China - how are the Iraqi immigrants supposed to get a job here?

The Warren Consolidated School District already doesn't have enough money to operate. They've drawn out of the rainy-day fund and let go a bunch of teachers when school got out in June. Now the school district is supposed to absorb these costs? There is nothing humanitarian about brining people into this situation, placing them on welfare because there is no work, and feeling like you've done the world a favor.

What's Worse - Iraq or Detroit?

"Most of Iraq is reasonably under control, at least as well as Detroit."
- Congressman Tim Walberg, R-MI

"Any reference to Detroit as a war zone is absurd."
- Matt Allen, Spokesman for Detroit Mayor Kwami Kilpatrick

There have been 3,223 U.S. military deaths in Iraq since the war began in 2003, while 1,576 people died as a result of homicide or nonnegligent manslaughter in Detroit since the beginning of 2003.
- Detroit Free Press

Iraq has 168,743 square miles of land. Detroit has 143 square miles of land.
- Wikipedia

Since 2003 there have been 0.019 Americans murdered per square mile in Iraq. Conversely, there have been 11.021 Americans murdered per square mile in Detroit since 2003. I think the Congressman owes Iraq an apology.
Jay

Military Clarification

So, there's clarification on the name of the new al-Qaeda leader in Iraq.

The U.S. military said on Thursday it believed the real name of Iraq's new al-Qaeda leader was Abu Ayyub al-Masri.

"We think that Abu Ayyub al-Masri is in fact, probably, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir. They are probably one and the same," Major General William Caldwell, the spokesman for the U.S. military in Iraq, told a news conference.

Thanks. I thought they looked like the same person.

In a statement posted on a Web site on Tuesday and signed by Muhajir, al Qaeda vowed to avenge the killing of Zarqawi.

That's nice. In a statement Tuesday evening, the US Military vowed to avenge the naming of a new al-Qaeda leader in Iraq.

One Less Terrorist

Old news, but:

U.S. warplanes killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al Qaeda leader in Iraq blamed for bombings, beheadings and assassinations, and President George W. Bush said on Thursday that American forces had "delivered justice."

Hamas Becomes Even More Dangerous

Israel National News quoted a French newspaper report that Hamas is opening it's doors to all terrorists.

Actually, what Sa'id Siyam, the Palestinian Authority's interior minister, said was that Fatah, the previous ruling party, implemented a cooperation with Israel that is not acceptalbe newly ruling Hamas government. As such, that Hamas will not arrest terrorists, even al-Queda terrorists.

Another element of the Oslo Accords down the drain. By the way, if I remember correctly, it was this particular element that sealed the deal on the agreement and created the Palestinian Authority in 1993.

And, as reported by Israel National news,

Siyam's belligerent statement was moderate in comparison with statements he made upon taking office last week. He said then that not only would he not order the arrest of terrorists who attacked Israel, but that Hamas would try to coordinate all military activity against Israel. He even appointed an Al-Aksa Brigades terrorist commander, Abu Hilal, as his ministry's spokesman.

Palestinians Hamas

The Saddam Saga

Saddam Hussein took the stand for his trial for the first time.

Saddam Hussein formally took the stand in his trial for the first time on Wednesday after earlier acknowledging in court that he gave orders which led to the killing of 148 Shi'ite men in the 1980s....During his last appearance on March 1, Saddam said he had ordered the 148 to be tried but justified the sentences as entirely legal, saying: "Where is the crime?".

But then

He called the court a "comedy against Saddam Hussein and his comrades."

Some comedy.

Saddam Hussein

DC vs. Iraq - where are you safer?

Check out the Pass the Ammo proof that Washington DC is more dangerous than Iraq.

On Saddam's trial

I don't know about you, but I am really tired of all this coverage of the Saddam Hussein trial. Today, the former dictator complained in an outburst that American forces had been beating and torturing him.

This outburst, by the way, was after witnesses testified that Saddam's agents tortured people with electric shock and (there is no non-gross way of writing this) by tearing the skin off of unfortunate prisoners.

When I look at this thug on the television set, I see a well-groomed man who looks like he eats well.

Remember the lice-covered Saddam right after he was captured in 2003 ? Look at him now - how he can claim he was tortured? No bruises. No missing teeth. Skin is all in tact. Torture? Come on.

Saddam will most likely be found guilty at the end of this trial, likely will appeal for a few years, and ultimately will be sentenced to death. There is ample evidence that this man was a cold-blooded killer who terrorized Iraqis for decades. There is no doubt this is an evil man we are dealing with, not some poor sap that the US is beating up on.

Perhaps we should call Saddam's bluff. According to the Associated Press, after Saddam complained of his "torture" at the hands of Americans, Chief Prosecutor Jaafar al-Mousawi promised to investigate, and if any evidence of abuse was found, al-Mousawi would have Saddam transferred to the custody of Iraqi troops.

Hmmm. Would you rather be in the custody of Coalition troops, eating well and living in a comfortable cell with television; or would you want to be in the custody of the people you tortured, orphaned, disfigured and mutilated? The Iraqi people are impressing the world with their resolve and determination; they will not give in to the constant evil around them in the form of terrorist attacks, they are bound to overcome the infrastructure problems that still plague them daily, and they have successfully ran and participated in honest, meaningful elections that puts the US to shame. Still, chances are good that at least one person in the group of millions of good people abused by Saddam might like to repay the favor. Saddam would be wise to keep his mouth shut.

Tags: Iraq , Saddam Hussein