Morning Report: February 27, 2005

Arrests, condemnation follow Tel Aviv bombing. A Friday night terrorist bombing at the nightclub "The Stage" in Tel Aviv claimed the lives of four victims. The Jerusalem Post reports: 'Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Sunday that Islamic Jihad was behind the suicide bombing on Friday night in Tel Aviv. Issuing a short statement at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting in response to the attack, which cost the lives of four people and wounded some 50, Sharon said: "The orders came from Islamic Jihad in Syria. We know this for a fact."' Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz added that 'Islamic Jihad was directly responsible for the attack, taking its orders from Syria, and that its intent was to disrupt the peace process between the Palestinians and Israel.' Debka reports: 'Israeli police on maximum terror alert. From Sunday, roadblocks at town entrances, special patrols at schools at crowd centers, transport terminals against at least 50 attacks known to be planned by Palestinian terrorists.' A Washington Post article (appearing here in the San Francisco Chronicle) says: 'Palestinian and Israeli security forces arrested seven Palestinians on Saturday in connection with a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv the night before, while leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Syria asserted responsibility for the attack. Among those arrested were two brothers of the presumed bomber and the man who allegedly drove the bomber to the nightclub where he detonated explosives, killing himself and four others and wounding about 50 people, Israeli security sources said. Most of the casualties were young Israelis waiting in line to enter a karaoke bar called the Stage. Israeli security sources identified the bomber as Abdullah Badran, 21, an observant Muslim and university student from the West Bank village of Deir al- Ghusun, northeast of Tel Aviv on the so-called Green Line between the West Bank and Israel.' Arutz Sheva reports: 'Syria said Sunday afternoon that the suicide bombing Friday night in Tel Aviv "contradicts Syrian policy," harms peace efforts and "gives Israel a pretext to bash the peace process."' A news bulletin from Stratfor (subscription) says, 'Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Feb. 26 condemned the Feb. 25 Tel Aviv nightclub bombing, saying that "the Palestinian Authority will not stand silent in the face of this act of sabotage."' (various)

Russia, Iran conclude nuclear deal. Iranian regime and Russian interests found common ground in Tehran on Sunday, with the signing of a long-planned deal for the completion of the Bushehr nuclear facility. From Debka: 'Iran, Russia sign nuclear fuel deal in Tehran Sunday. DEBKAfile reports: Signing delayed 24 hours over Iran’s insistence on schedule for delivery which Moscow wanted to avoid. Russians now undertake to complete Bushehr reactor core by end of 2005. This was main point at issue in Bush-Putin summit.' (Debka)

Mubarak calls for election reform in Egypt. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has called for multiparty elections. '"The election of a president will be through direct, secret balloting, giving the chance for political parties to run for the presidential elections and providing guarantees that allow more than one candidate for the people to choose among them with their own will," Mubarak said in a televised speech at Menoufia University in the Nile Delta. Mubarak, 76, said the decision was rooted in his "full conviction of the need to consolidate efforts for more freedom and democracy."' Big Pharaoh is astonished. 'I never imagined what President Mubarak said today. He asked the parliament to amend the Egyptian constitution to allow multiple candidates to run for the presidency. This means that Muabark will have opponents running against him. Now, I am not stupid nor am I living in la la land. Mubarak's decision today came after immense pressure from the US and the current earthquakes (the purple revolution in Iraq and the Hariri revolution in Lebanon) that shook the region days ago. However, I credit US pressure as the number one reason. Condoleezza Rice cancelled a trip to Egypt scheduled for next week because of the arrest of Ayman Nour and Mubarak's failure to "change". Well, it seems that Bush turned out to be bloody serious about this democracy in the Middle East thing. ... ' Read the full post at the link. (Washington Post, Big Pharaoh)

Iranian Conversions to Zoroastrianism

Iranians living abroad are rallying to the faith of Zoroaster, this fascinating thread at Free Iran reports. Spenta launches the tread with this item:

On the 1st of August 2004 (Dei be Mehr, Amordaad 3742), we organized a conversion ceremony for a group of Iranians who desired for years to convert to Zoroastrianism (Zartoshti). The initiation took place at Radisson SAS Hotel in Norway and was performed traditionally by Zoroastrian Mobed. Participants (Nozoodan) were crying of happiness while reading the promise and the Avesta of Koshti. Relatives and friends were also gathered to celebrate their return to roots and share their joy and happiness. ...

Go read the whole thing at the link.

Saddam's Half-Brother Captured

Sab'awi Ibrahim al-Hasan al-Tikriti, a half-brother of Saddam Hussein on his mother's side and a close aide to the deposed dictator, has been captured, Iraqi officials said. CNN reports:

Sab'awi Ibrahim al-Hasan al-Tikriti was No. 36 on the U.S. military's Iraqi 55 Most Wanted List, and one of only 12 people on the list who remained free.

A half-brother on Hussein's mother's side, al-Tikriti held many positions in his regime, the latest being that of Hussein's personal adviser.

There is evidence that al-Tikriti was financing insurgents in the post-Saddam era, an Iraqi intelligence official told CNN.

His son, Omar Sab'awi Ibrahim al-Tikriti, was known as a high-ranking Ba'athist and was active in the "General Union of Iraqi Students and Youth." ...

Matrix Dominatrix

That famous photo of Condi Rice can be found here at Instapundit. Kesher Talk has a good roundup. I think Judith is too kind to the Washington Post's idiocy, but the quote from Aaron is a must-read.

The Manolo, he is posting here.

The Nir Rosen Peace Plan

Guest blogging at Michael J. Totten's place, Jeremy Brown deconstructs Nir Rosen's piece in the New York Times Magazine about the Kurds, Iraq, and oil.

Rosen is trying to induce in you, the reader, the idea (and you are to think it was your own) that as bad a man as Saddam was, things are going to get much worse than ever in Iraq. And very soon. Why focus on the Kurds? Because they are the most closely allied with the U.S. And because people have a tendency to, well, like them ...

Read Jeremy's post as a study in the kind of critical reading we all ought to be doing with the MSM. And read it to the very end - for its final, chilling paragraph.

False Hope vs. No Hope

Iraq the Model has a fascintating response to Big Pharaoh on the different ways a population can be demoralized by a fascist regime. Very important information in both of these posts; go read and learn.

Why the Pope Is Not Like the Commandant of the Marine Corps

Great post on the Pope's illness by Michael Novak at The Corner.

Is there no end

... to the corruption and depravity of the United Nations?

Go read this post at the Redhunter.

Calling Joseph

Big Pharaoh has a dream.

I have a dream. I am obsessed with this dream. Everyday I search the news for any indication that my dream will ever come true. It is my euphoria, my ecstasy. Ohhhh, how sweet is this dream. If it came true, it will resemble a massive earth quake that will shake the Middle East. I believe it will have greater effects than the purple fingers revolution in Iraq or the Hariri revolution in Lebanon.

Now, for just a couple minutes, let us forget reality and imagine if we actually saw the below sequence of headlines:


Millions march through Tehran demanding freedom

Riots all over Iran

Student protesters occupy Tehran TV station

Government of Iran losing control

CNN’s Christian Annampour: These riots and demonstrations exceeds what we saw in 1979. The Revolutionary Guards of Iran fired live ammunition on the rioters to disperse them but the throngs are getting bigger and bigger.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivers a speech promising reform and free elections. Students call for the government and the cleric based council to step down.

Iranian regime falls ...

Read the rest of the dream at the link. Then help make this dream a reality.

Melissa: Bald is Beautiful

Melissa Etheridge performed hairless at the Grammy Awards, but unlike Sinead O'Connor's early gesture of rebellion, Melissa's scalp carried a serious message: survival.

While officially a tribute to the late Janis Joplin, many saw the bald-headed Etheridge -- in her first appearance since being diagnosed with breast cancer -- as a symbol of empowerment, not only for female rock musicians, but also for the millions who have suffered from breast cancer.

Read about it at CNN.

"Lebanon United Against Syria"

Photos of the Lebanese demonstrations posted by Stefania at Free Thoughts.

IRI Catches "Mole", Worries Over Protests

A new bulletin from Debka reports:

DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources reveal: A high-placed Iranian mole has been caught in Iranian president Mohammed Khatami’s office in Tehran.

Hossein Marashai, head of Iran’s cultural heritage council, was caught using a sophisticated US-manufactured listening-long-distance-transmitting device at top-level Iranian leadership meetings. DEBKAfile’s sources calls this the deepest foreign intelligence penetration in all 26 years of Iran's Islamic regime.

I don't care to dwell on the likely fate of Hossein Marashai at this hour; but I will be praying for him and his family. Let us hope his service in the cause of freedom will not be in vain.

On a brighter note, the cause of freedom seems to be marching forward - and it's been marching through the streets of Tehran lately, according to this thread on Free Iran:

From an Iranian Student:
I am receiving confirmed reports of protests in Alameh university campus in Tehran, now.

BBC Persian language service confirms the reports and posted a news story in Persian language on this.

A group of students are on strike in Tehran to ask for freedom of expression and release of all political prisoners.

They are protesting against the closure of newspapers, imprisonment of outspoken professors!

They demand support from the free world and the US! They support hunger strike of political prisoners. ...

Visit Regime Change Iran for updates.

If they can keep it up for six hours or more, the regime will have a real problem on its hands:

In a recent secret report to the Iranian regime's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps pointed out that were a demonstration or rebellion to last more than six hours in Tehran, the security apparatus would no longer be able to control the situation.

"Society is in an unstable state. Were certain sensitive locations in Tehran to 'explode' under these circumstances, and the capital sink into chaos, if uprisings continue unabated and grow larger for more than six hours in Tehran, the situation would become uncontrollable", the report said.

The Iranian capital has been the scene of numerous clashes between people and State Security Forces over the past few months.

The Iranian regime has stepped up repression throughout the capital over the past year to combat any outbursts against the state.

Clashes have also erupted elsewhere in Iran in recent weeks. Iranian Kurds and security agents clashed heavily on Friday in three towns in western Iran, leaving dozens injured and hundreds arrested.

The disruption occurred after SSF agents used force to disperse demonstrations taking place simultaneously in the towns of Sardasht, Saqqez, and Baneh in protest against severe fuel shortages in the area, eye-witnesses reported. ...

Read the whole story at Iran Focus for full details. Hey, I wonder how that "secret report" got out ... our friend Hossein Marashai, perhaps?