WAR ON TERROR - UPDATES

Killing Their Own

One of the bombers in the Jordanian hotel bombings, sister of Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi, who was said to have been killed in Falujah while acting as a right-hand-man to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, head of al-Qaeda in Iraq, calmly described on Jordanian television how her own explosive harness – RDX plastique (interesting tale how that designation evolved) and ball bearings – failed to ignite. Her husband’s didn’t and 28 Arab wedding guests died as a result (so much for the Koran). The televised interview ran for less than a minute and the 35-year old woman, who entered Jordan from Iraq, is in the hands of Jordanian security.

Jordan’s Dairat al Mukhabarat (General Intelligence Department or GID) is considered one of the best in the Middle East – especially at keeping Jordan safe – and also runs Al Jafr prison, nicknamed “Al Qaeda’s Desert Inn,” an “oasis” Sajida al-Rishawi will undoubtedly be visiting once her interrogation is finished.

The GID are said to be taking the bombings quite personally, according to … well, let’s just say they’re pretty ticked off about it.


Back On The Homefront Where There Are No Explosions

In a less than related issue … watch for media trying to blame the Jordanian bombings on inefficient American military/intelligence (in other words, George Bush). One of the bombers was stopped, held and later released by U.S. forces last year.

In a MORE than related issue Democrats are now saying the WMD intelligence that “started” the war was faulty and is …you guessed it … George Bush’s fault. (See below “It’s All George’s Fault – WMDs.”) Aside from getting most things wrong, they apparently have forgotten about those incidents when planes slammed into buildings.


Torture

Lots of coverage about torture, iconically culminating with Senator John McCain getting front-and-center face time on the cover of Newsweek. Now, I’ll listen to the senator and any other of our former POWs as well – their views and opinions on torture, having lived through it, are understandable, logical and with merit.

That said, our people in Iraq and Afghanistan KNOW that being taken alive by the enemy isn’t an option because they torture and then decapitate.

It’s easy to sit in America, not have fine-powdered sand grinding down your teeth, while irrational thugs try to blow you up because you’re trying to end – dare I say it? – a regime and way of life that uses torture as a means of keeping the citizenry in check, and say: “No, no, mustn’t try to stay alive. Torture’s immoral!”

Yeah, right. Check the morals of some of those advocating that our intelligence operation works with one hand behind its back.

I don’t advocate torture as a policy. That said: in war, well, you do what you gotta do as long as it keeps you and your buddies alive. If you don’t like that attitude, get out from in front of the computer and go to Iraq or Afghanistan and come up with another way.


Down Under

A less publicized incident in Australia – the arrest of 18 Islamic terrorist suspects – revealed that three of the men arrested had been stopped and questioned last December when they were found near Sydney’s Lucas Heights nuclear plant. At the time, police had discovered a gate had been forced at the plant. The terrorists have been charged with acquiring and attempting to acquire explosive-making material.

Elsewhere Down Under, the Brisbane transport system – bus and train – was halted for a half hour when unspecified phone threats were received.

On The Plus Side - 60 Minutes

I hate 60 Minutes, the CBS news program. That said, last night's (11/13/05) segment about 10 New York doctors and medics who took it upon themselves to go to the most remote areas of Pakistan - REAL Islamic terrorist territory - to deliver aid to victims of the massive earthquakes that shook the area three weeks ago (and disappeared from the media in about three minutes) was exceptional.

It was well done, with nary a trace of anti-Americanism, and showed a non-military way of winning the hearts and minds of the "real" people of Islam. Those of us who participated in the first hearts-and-minds campaign (i.e., Viet Nam) know that the military aren't the people to win hearts and minds. These medical people are, and the ones featured are every bit as exceptional as our military.

I never thought these words would come off my keyboard, but since the purpose of LRRPs World is to tell the truth, here goes: Great job 60 Minutes. And great job to the medical people you featured and the reporter and crew who produced the segment.