Saturday, November 29, 2008

We need this now more than ever

A good way to lift our spirts with the events that have been happening these last few days.

This is the song "Peace Train" being performed by Cat Stevens (today known as Yusuf Islam). It really brings forth a feeling of hope.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Indians remember fallen police chief


As terrorists stormed through Mumbai in a bloody rampage, Hemant Karkare stepped in to try and stop it. Karkare was the chief of Mumbai's anti-terrorist unit. He tragically lost his life in the horrendous mass killings that have sowed terror on the city for days, but his death will not be forgotten and his colleagues are remembering him. From what I have read, he is one of those guys who loved what he did for a living...the type of person I hope to be one day :D The moment the attacks took place, Karkare rushed to the scene, as you can see in this photo from CNN. He was killed not long after it was taken. He is shown on the left putting on a helmet.

From CNN:

(CNN) -- Hemant Karkare, Mumbai's slain terror chief, was a shrewd and unflappable investigator whose death is a blow to a police force that has difficult work ahead, his colleagues said this week.

According to accounts in Indian newspapers, Karkare, 54, was credited with solving many crimes and did his job apolitically and with the utmost integrity.

"The state Anti-Terrorism Squad has lost a daredevil officer in Hemant Karkare," Peter Lobo, chief inspector of the Anti-Terror Squad in Pune, told The Times of India on Thursday.

Karkare, head of Maharashtra state's Anti-Terrorism Squad, was heading home Wednesday when he learned gunmen were attacking the Oberoi hotel in Mumbai, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil told The Hindu newspaper.

Karkare later got word the situation at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus was more serious. The terror chief and two other officers -- armed with automatic weapons -- jumped in a jeep and rushed to take on the terrorists, The Hindu reported.

What a great man. I can say that he inspires me, and hopefully the great city of Mumbai, to do good things in the world. Karkare sounds like one of those truly dedicated people who would do his job for free because of his motivation. Not only was he looking out for his country and his people, he jumped into this tragedy to help people from all over the world, including Americans.

Rest in peace Hemant, and don't worry about the state of this world. Those of us all across it thanking you are prepared to take it from here :)

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Rescue operation underway

At this hour, Indian commandoes have raided a Jewish culural center in Mumbai besieged by terrorists. Israelis are believed to be among the hostages and some are reported to be freed.




This dramatic photo from Reuters India shows the rescuers drop into the building from a helicopter.

I need to give my thoughts on this...an attack like this by fundamentalists is almost unheard of. The most similar event I can think of is the 2004 Beslan School Siege in Southern Russia. I have been hearing repeatedly that the terrorists came in from the sea, as if this situation is not disurbing enough.

India is a great country...I trust its brave security forces are doing everything they can to bring this tragedy to a close.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Terror sweeps through Mumbai


It is very saddening to see a beautiful city burn at the hands of extremists. This great tragedy is still unfolding as I write...it is equally disappointing that the world has taken its eyes off of this inhumane threat. I'm watching CNN now, and one report even suggests that the terrorists might have followed rescue workers to a hospital and attacked there. Just remember that terrorism doesn't go away when the markets are struggling, and they are always willing to remind us of this. Let's pray that the hostages are rescued and the brave Indian soldiers and police bring this to a close.

From the BBC:

Gunmen have carried out a series of co-ordinated attacks across the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay), killing at least 80 people and injuring 200 more.

At least seven high-profile locations were hit in India's financial capital, including two luxury hotels where hostages were reported to be held.

A fire is sweeping through the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai's most famous hotel which is now ringed by troops.

Police said four suspected terrorists have been killed and nine arrested.

The situation is still confused but the main train station, a hospital, a restaurant and as well as the two hotels are among those places caught up in the violence.

There are reports of gunfire and explosions taking place elsewhere in the city.

Commandos have now surrounded the two hotels, the Taj Mahal Palace and the Oberoi Trident, where it is believed that the armed men are holding dozens of hostages.

One eyewitness said that the attackers had singled out British and American passport holders.

If this report is true, our security correspondent Frank Gardner says it suggests that Islamic militants are behind the attack.

A claim of responsibility has been made by a previously unknown group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen.

The motive is far from clear - but the attacks come amid elections in several Indian states, including in disputed Kashmir.

In the latest developments:

-Police say an explosion heard inside the Oberoi was from a hand grenade, and flames and a massive plume of smoke are billowing from the Taj Mahal hotel

-The head of Mumbai's anti-terrorism unit and two other senior officers are among those killed, according to local TV

-The US and the UK have both condemned the attacks and Washington says it is "assessing the hostage situation"

-Gunmen opened fire at about 2300 local time at the sites in southern Mumbai.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Indonesian Justice

I think its safe to say these 3 terrible human beings will not be missed. On one hand, the world is a better place...3 less bad guys to blow up innocent people. But on the other, their executions might inspire future unrest. Muslims of the world must remember that these men and all of their supporters are Islam's greatest enemies, and I feel very confident that most do. Indonesian Muslims were not spared Al-Qaeda's savagery in the Bali attacks.

From Fox/Associated Press:

Three Islamic militants were executed Saturday for the 2002 nightclub bombings on Indonesia's resort island of Bali that left 202 people dead, many of them foreign tourists, officials and relatives said.

Imam Samudra, Amrozi Nurhasyim and his brother Ali Ghufron were executed at 11:30 p.m. several miles (kilometers) from their high security prison on Nusakambangan island, said Qadar Faisal, one of their lawyers.

Their bodies will be taken by helicopter to their home villages for burial early Sunday.

The Oct. 12, 2002 attacks — allegedly funded by al-Qaida and carried out by members of the Southeast Asian militant group Jemaah Islamiyah — thrust the world's most populous Muslim nation onto the front lines in the war on terror.

The three men never expressed remorse, saying the blasts were meant to punish the U.S. and its Western allies for alleged atrocities in Afghanistan and elsewhere. They even taunted relatives of victims at their trials five years ago.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Concrete playgrounds

Israeli children in Sderot have been forced to have recess inside of concrete playgrounds for fear of Kassam rocket strikes by Palestinian militants along the Gaza border.



Americans and westerners who criticize Israel should be asked the same question this reporter asks...would our country tolerate this? Would any parent in the United States want to send their child off to school everyday in an environment like this?

Time to be one nation again

How good and how pleasant it would be, before God and man, to see the unification of all Americans (borrowed of course from the great Bob Marley's 'Africa Unite')

Seriously, more than anything at all, this is what I want. If Barack Obama can manage to accomplish this, I will be the first one in line to offer him praise. Nothing angers me more than politicians who put their party ahead of the good of the country. Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, is a good example. I really hope that Obama will move away from actions like Reid's. At the moment, I'm still trying to decide if Rahm Emanuel was a good pick to be Obama's Chief of Staff. On one hand, the man can be mean, angry, and extremely partisan, but on the other, he is of Israeli descent, and speaks fluent Hebrew. Could this be a signal to Israel that he intends will uphold America's alliance to the Jewish State? I hope so. I also hope that it will be a slap in the face to scumbags like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who embrace Obama's victory as a victory for criminal regimes across the world.


Say hello to Rahm, our president-elect's new chief of staff. He speaks Hebrew and his father immigrated to the United States from Israel.

Throughout my blog posts, I have always been consistent with my belief that hating the president gets us absolutely nowhere--in fact, I think that the violent hatred the anti-Bush/war movement has created the last few years is partially responsible for the situation the country and the world are in today. I want President Obama to exceed and I, like all Americans, am honored to see history made...that does not mean that our new president should be given a free pass. My greatest fear is that he will follow through on his commitments to the "antiwar" groups and pull our soldiers out of Iraq, even after so much sacrifice from both Iraqis and Americans. Thankfully, it appears Barack will not do that...the heroes of Iraq have already triumphed over the forces of terrorism.

There is another thing I am very thankful for...I am so happy to see the election process over with. After two years of obsessive reporting on the news, it has finally come to an end. Now, let's try to solve the issues with something other than words.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Wow...



I'm going to give my thoughts about the presidential election before I head to the polls tomorrow. Until then, check out this video...its a little creepy, I must add.