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My Apologetics - January 2008

Suicide Bomber caught on Video

January 31st 2008 23:48
Suicide Bomber caught on Video
bang
See the video then leave your comments

This video is reputed to be the only time a suicide bomber has been caught actually killing themselves on camera. WARNING do not watch it if you think that you will find it distressful.


It is important to understand that this film comes from the Sri Lankan Defense Force and has been editing and subtitled to suit their message. If you think that you will be emotionally stirred by this then it may not be for you. However since we seem to live in age where terrorism is in the headlines I think that headlines and sound bites rarely say as much as images do.

What you will see in the video is a rather ordinary scene of people casually entering a building and it is impossible to know who is the bomber. The female bomber is an LTTE (Tamil Tiger) and her victim is also a Tamil in Sri Lanka. You will see her come in and move patiently through to people until she sits at a desk in front of two people. She stands up and detonates herself.





The comments on the original You Tube site were out of control and with LTTE supporter and opponents slogging it out for the best insult. You have to keep in mind that terrorist do slag each other off and some of those flinging vitriol could have been LTTE or even JVP extremist anti Tamil nationalists. So I am in two mind about putting this video up.


I do believe that it is worth seeing this video from an objective viewpoint to show the tragic results of war. We have to see this as not just a murder but also a life wasted on a fanatical dream. Orble is mostly away from the radical websites and haunts of the internet.

However if I suspect that this post starts to attract radicals I am trying to avoid I will delete this post.


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Lebanon Israeli War of 2006: Israel blames the Army but not the Commander in Chief.

January 30th 2008 23:29
Lebanon Israeli War of 2006: Israel blames the Army but not the Commander in Chief.
tanks
Tanks for coming

Enquiries that find no failing with the leaders decisions to take action seem to be the vogue over the last few years. WMD’s not in Iraq was blamed on poor advice; the AWB bribery scandal in Iraq was blamed on someone else other than the minister and now the 2006 failed war on Lebanon is being blamed on the Israeli army rather than Prime Minister Olmert. The fact that he commissioned the war and cheered it on has nothing to do with it. It was the armed forces fault for not succeeding.

This is the gist of the findings of the Israeli internal investigation into the conflict that was sparked by the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers. Olmert the report claims acted in good faith and with the interests of Israel at heart. The report summary lists many of the failing as being based upon the indecision of the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) to either commit to a full scale invasion of Southern Lebanon or to remain as a low scale air attack. It claims that the ground invasion came too late and was done too close to a possible negotiated cease fire. Also damning in the report was it assessment of Israel’s knowledge and understanding of the territory that it was attacking. When the ground invasion did come 33 soldiers were lost in a very short period of time.
Here is a copy of the report summary: Really Long Link

The 41 points in the summary deal with the issue exclusively from an IDF tactical response position and reflect only the mechanics of what military tactics failed. It does mention the need to find peaceful relations with the surrounding but only if Israel maintains military superiority. The scope of the report does not appear to be concerned with how peace would come about. Nor does it delve to the consequences to the Lebanese people. This is after all a report written by Israel for Israeli’s. By far its most damning conclusion was that the war was considered an unmitigated failure that failed to achieve any of its prime objectives or reasons for going to war. The two kidnapped Israeli soldiers were never returned; the rocket attacks on Israel were not stopped and now Hezbollah is in a stronger position than prior to the war.
before
Before and After shots.

After reading the report I was left with the impression that its terms of reference were narrowed to prevent too much soul searching. It did not deal with any humanitarian issues beyond mentioning brave dead soldiers.

Yet it is the humanitarian disaster that shocked the world over this conflict. The kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers may have been unwarranted but what followed a form of collective punishment on an unimaginative level. The International Airport in Lebanon was destroyed stranding tourists; a sea blockage was enforced stranding more tourists; nearly every bridge in the south of Lebanon was blown up making evacuation almost impossible and then the bombing began.
boom
All this with conventional weapons

Hezbollah was not an innocent bystander in this conflict as they started to launch rockets randomly into Israel. This was the justification that Olmert used for the destruction of much of Southern Lebanon. The humanitarian disaster reached fever pitch when the international community sent chartered boats to Lebanon to evacuate hundreds of thousands of their own citizens. The civilians in the South were not so lucky and had to wait for Israel’s permission to escape the bombing raids.
bods
Despite all the killing nothing positive was gained for Israel

Common sense should have dictated a ceasefire but despite the effort of other nations nothing was coming forth. Perhaps the most telling sign of inhumanity came with George Bush’s “Yo Blair!” comment where he emphatically insisted that Israel should be allowed to have a go at Hezbollah to teach Iran a lesson. So instead of being a conflict to return 2 soldiers it was being viewed by Bush as part of a conflict with Iran to “get rid of these people.”

Despite the volumes of propaganda pouring out of Israel this was a PR disaster even for its supporters. Israel was given not just a nod and a wink by Bush to do what it wanted in Lebanon but was also being supplied with and resupplied with the weapons to do it. Smart bombs dropped on civilian areas were directly from the USA and passed through a military airport base in England.

The weeks of this war achieved nothing but death, carnage and destruction on a spectacular level. Humanity had reached a level where it could destroy cities but fail to stop missiles from flying into Israel. For weeks the world and the UN was pleading for a ceasefire to stop the humanitarian disaster only to be ignored. Even a cessation of hostilities to allow the evacuation of civilians from area being bombed was faced with intransigence for too long. The final ceasefire came after every effort to win by military force had been exhausted and the IDF was unable to make gains both strategically and politically. That delay achieved nothing except death, destruction and the further strengthening of Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The unrealistic expectation that a massive show of destructive force would turn the Lebanese against Hezbollah backfired. They now parade themselves as the saviours of Lebanon from a second invasion. The simplistic view that Hezbollah could be wiped out by bombs alone also proved wrong as they placed themselves in positions of social services for suffering war victims (a PR coupe handed to them by Israel). The fact that they still hold the 2 Israeli soldiers shows the futility of the destruction to achieve that goal. The fact that the rocket attacks increased rather than decreased as the war went on showed how insecure Israel is to its neighbours. Yet the biggest problem was how close Israel came to creating a larger regional conflict that could easily have dragged other nations to use Lebanon as their battle ground.

Olmert may have survived harsh criticism in this report but he really cannot say that it was not his fault.
cluster
Cluster Bombs in built up areas. How humane.
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AFP Chief having a sook over the Dr Haneef Case.

January 29th 2008 23:33
AFP Chief having a sook over the Dr Haneef Case.

The head of the Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty has come out to blast the media for its reporting during the Dr Haneef case. He has called for a media blackout in all terrorist cases until all legal avenues have been exhausted. Such a blackout would have prevented the reporting of the Dr Haneef case in the media.

The Dr Haneef case for anyone who has been living on Mars for the last year was the first time that the new anti-terror laws were fully tested in the Australian legal system. Under the laws Dr Haneef was arrested and questioned without charges being laid. His case collapsed in the courts as the facts indicated that his relationship to terrorism was a coincidental family connection and a SIM card linked to one of the bombers. The courts found that Dr Haneef had no case to answer but that did not stop the then Minister for Immigration Kevin Andrew from withdrawing the Doctors’ visa on bad character grounds. The ‘bad character grounds’ were determined by ministerial discretion and was appealed in the courts. In the meantime Dr Haneef was deported from Australia back to India and would have a permanent record as a terrorist security risk in every nation on Earth. In the last few weeks the final appeal to restore Dr Haneef’s visa won in the courts and he now free to return to Australia and continue his career as a medical doctor. However Dr Haneef has said that he will wait for the results of government enquiry into the handling of his case.

The motivation for Mick Keelty to blast the media may be related to calls for him to be sacked for his bungling of the evidence; the willingness to pursue charges against an innocent man; his cosy relationship with the Howard Government; his unwillingness to disclose the true facts of the case. The media rightfully described the AFP as a bunch of Keystone Cops and it was an opinion reflected by the Premier of Queensland at that time. Dr Haneef was not involved in terrorism; the SIM card that he gave to his cousin was not used in terrorist activities; Dr Haneef tried to call Scotland Yard 4 times before his arrest. On the AFP and Federal government side there were leaks coming thick and fast to paint Dr Haneef as some kind super villain. Yet it was not until the transcript of Dr Haneef’s interview was released to the media by his lawyers that the true picture of what was going on became clear.

Dr Haneef was being used as the test case for the controversial new anti-terror laws and a successful conviction under the new legislation would vindicate them publically. Instead the Haneef case highlighted how such laws can be abused for political gain and how Minister Kevin Andrews tried to manipulate this case for political gain in an election year. In short Dr Haneef was being used as a sacrifice to justify laws that curtail civil liberties and to drum up support for a Howard government election win. The fact that Dr Haneef was innocent was not important.

Perhaps Commissioner Keelty feels hard done by in the media or perhaps he finds public scrutiny and accountability an annoyance. Yet he is not the one who was arrested, interrogated, accused of terrorism and deported unjustly. Perhaps if Dr Haneef was some fool who took his punishment lying down then Keelty would be satisfied. Instead the media for once did their job correctly and exposed how an innocent man was being crucified for the pathetic careers of a few politicians and their cronies. This is something that will never have come to light if Mick Keelty gets his way with media blackouts.

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This is the wrong way to Link something.

January 28th 2008 23:31
This is the wrong way to link something.

Really Long Link
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Suharto’s Departo

January 28th 2008 23:10
Suharto’s Departo
suharto
Suharto - Iron fisted rule, killed thousands, invaded nations. Empiralist, dictator and thief but we should remember him fondly.

Had someone else been in charge of Indonesia perhaps the relationship with Australia would been much more trusting. Perhaps anyone other than Suharto could have done a better job but few could have done a worse job. Suharto was a man to be feared in his own nation and in the nations that annexed throughout his 30years of office. In just last few days he passed from this life to face whatever happens to dead dictators who build their career on the dead bodies of others. He reported in the news as dying from massive organ failure


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Crazy German Doctor learns to write emails.

January 27th 2008 04:54
Crazy German Doctor learns to write emails.

Here is the transcripts


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Hypocrites? I discovered a new word to fling around.

January 27th 2008 03:34
Hypocrites? I discovered a new word to fling around.

Hypocrites, hypocrites everywhere, but for the meaning of the word I just don’t care


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Anonymous verses Scientology: video

January 26th 2008 00:53
Anonymous verses Scientology
The Denial of Service Attacks begin.

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Future Shocks Part 2: Dystopia – The Crappy Future

January 25th 2008 12:03
Future Shocks Part 2: Dystopia – The Crappy Future

This is the second part in my series futurology and analysing contemporary fears of thing that are yet to come. Part one dealt with plagues and part two will deal with the world of the future


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Images that say so much

January 25th 2008 00:30
Images that say so much.

goth
How you treat your girlfreind says a lot about you.

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No, it is your economy stupid

January 24th 2008 11:23
No, it is your economy stupid

Here is a crazy thought: If the USA economy goes into recession why does anyone else have to follow it. Twenty years ago where the biggest economy in the world resided in one place I can understand the desire to hang on to the ship in the hope that it could be refloated. However these days we have alternatives like China and India who are booming and will one day be larger economies that the USA. In fact half the world’s population sits just above Australia and their economies are growing. We have not even considered what will happen if Africa can find stability and good governments


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WANTED - a REAL Referee/moderator/adjudicator for the Debate

January 23rd 2008 00:48
WANTED - a REAL Referee/moderator/adjudicator for the Debate.

Must have low mileage


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Ann Coulter – Godless - The Church of Liberalism: Book Review.

January 22nd 2008 09:32

Ann Coulter – Godless - The Church of Liberalism: Book Review.
couler
I read it in 2 hours.

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Future Shocks Part 1: Plague

January 20th 2008 23:27
Future Shocks Part 1: Plague
s
The sockpuppet Plague. You may be next.

This will be the first of several analyses I will do one the subject of futurology and fears that have been popularized in books, entertainment and the media. I will be looking at the most dire prediction for the future and how they stack up against plausibility


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Burger Clones itself then converts to Islam before Dropping like flies.

January 20th 2008 00:29
Burger Clones itself then converts to Islam before Dropping like flies.

A Halal Burger which is known to properties of evil cloned itself today. The Burger was previously a Liberal Burger and therefore the most evil thing that was ever made. It was declared a Liberal at Liberal declaring committee by Conservatives called The Jesus Friends Re-educating And Killing Stupidity (Jesus FREAKS for Short). Their motto is ‘Kill ‘em all because it is in the Constitution’. Jesus FREAKS have the special ability to tell God what he should do and they told him that anyone who is not them is a liberal and should be treated like evil. They are yet to give God permission to respond. Jesus has been sent to Adu Graibe to be re-educated


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Dumb ways to Encourage Terrorism.

January 19th 2008 14:21
Dumb ways to Encourage Terrorism.

Terrorism is a tactic not an ideology so to treat as some kind of warped learning disability offers no solutions. Even the definition of terrorism is very vague and can change from side to side depending upon who favours the action. Some ones freedom fighter is another person’s terrorist and visa versa. Remember the Contra Rebels? They were a foreign sponsored and supplied group dedicated to bringing down the elected government. Remember the KKK in its glory years? They boasted membership numbers in the millions but today are recognized as America’s home grown terrorist organization. History also has a way of white washing your friends and demonizing the enemy beyond reason. Another excellent example is the Spanish Civil War. It attracted many foreign fighters who went with the idea that they were fighting fascism. Many were shocked to find that a large part of the Socialist agenda was to execute thousands of Nuns and Priests, yet parts of modern American culture still see the Socialists them as saintly heroes


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Damo’s Response to SLB: I will not be silenced. You have offered Nothing.

January 19th 2008 00:17
Damo’s Response to SLB: I will not be silenced. You have offered Nothing.

Quote of the weak: (yes i did mean weak


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Na na na na na na Leader. More Freaky Videos from Tom Cruise.

January 18th 2008 10:44
Na na na na na na Leader. More Freaky Videos from Tom Cruise.
it
We love the leader

You know I thought the term ‘Bat Shit Crazy’ is so over used these days until these video were leaked to the media. Yet just when you thought that it would never be a appropriate along comes Tom Cruise and the Scientologists to prove me wrong


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Really Important Questions that We never Answer

January 17th 2008 23:36
Really Important Questions that We never Answer

How many angels can sit on the head of a pin
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Ah, the hypocrisy of accusing others of posturing.

January 17th 2008 20:51
The head line was there, so I could not help myself.

Brain dead I know but so is a debate without a REFEREE.
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Interpreting a dream

January 17th 2008 13:07
I will now interpret this dream:

I had a nightmare last night. It was like a huge train station and there were large groups of heavily covered women standing around, crying. When I found one that could speak English, I asked her what was wrong. She told me that she was in "heaven" and waiting for the next suicide bomber to win her and the rest of her group as his "reward" for killing infidels. I asked her why, if she was in heaven, she was crying. She shook her head sadly and told me she had always been a good Muslim and done everything right. She should have been proud to have died in a car bombing that killed her mother and sisters, too. But she just couldn't stop crying.

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How to Link This Properly

January 17th 2008 12:47
How to Link This Properly

Now I am sorry to have to teach people who should know better how to source an article but it seems that there are some who have no idea what they are doing


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Is The Concept of a REFEREE too Frightening for SLB to handle?

January 17th 2008 12:24
Is The Concept of a REFEREE too Frightening for SLB to handle?

More Ducking and Weaving to avoid a Refereed Debate: Such fine Morals


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Dishonest Baiting is not a Debate. SLB throws in the towel before we start.

January 17th 2008 04:01
Dishonest Baiting is not a Debate. SLB throws in the towel before we start.

I spoke too soon. The debate that was offered by SLB was not a debate after all but another of her baiting sessions in her home turf, surrounded by her friends (and bot friends). This is not a debate but her posting something weird and demanding that I defend something that I do not stand for. Old tactic used by baiters from the Nazis to the Communists. Invite someone in then ask them defend a bunch of false accusations. Why does SLB think that using the tactics of the Nazi Party will make her look respectable? I don’t know, but her attempt to weasel out of this debate knows no depth to which she will scrape


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