Log Cabin News

Log Cabin Republicans news release, via e-mail:

Log Cabin Convention Will Feature Lobby Day and Chapter Training

The 2006 Log Cabin National Convention will feature a first of its kind opportunity for our grassroots members to meet with their members of Congress. This provides an important opportunity for Log Cabin members from across the country to engage in constructive dialogue with GOP members of the U.S. House and Senate. Dozens of chapter leaders, national board members, and grassroots members will be lobbying Congress on the afternoon of Thursday April 27th. Please send us an e-mail if you're interested in participating in the Lobby Day.

In addition to the lobby day, Log Cabin is hosting a grassroots training session on April 27th. This year's retreat will include training on effective lobbying, grassroots organizing, and event planning. This event provides valuable programming designed to improve chapter effectiveness and a chance to discuss strategy with other Log Cabin leaders. Anyone registered for the convention is welcome to attend. Learn more.

The Log Cabin National Convention and Liberty Education Forum National Symposium has an impressive list of speakers including former U.S. Senator John Danforth (R-MO), Congressman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), Former Governor Jane Swift (R-MA), noted conservative Andrew Sullivan, Bishop Gene Robinson, Jonathan Rauch, and many others. Aside from the compelling speakers and panel discussions, the weekend features lots of fun parties and receptions. See a detailed agenda.

The cost to register for Log Cabin's 2006 National Convention increases $50 on March 31st, so please sign up soon. Plus, convention hotels are filling up fast so you'll want to reserve your space today. Register now! Find out information about becoming a VIP convention sponsor. We'll see you in DC!

LCR National Convention registration

Log Cabin's Legal Challenge of Don't Ask, Don't Tell Moving Forward

In 2004, Log Cabin initiated a federal court challenge to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) policy on behalf of its members in the Armed Forces, who are serving in silence. These brave heroes deserve the freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

Last week, the court ruled on the government's motion to dismiss Log Cabin's complaint. The court did not make any decision on the constitutional law issues raised by the complaint. Instead, the court's opinion focuses on the government's argument that the Log Cabin lacks standing to sue. Although Log Cabin's complaint alleged that its membership includes current and former members of the armed forces injured by the policy, the court agreed with the government and found these allegations insufficient. The court did not dismiss the case, however, and allows us to amend our complaint. The judge wants the amended complaint to identify, by name, at least one Log Cabin member injured by the policy.

Log Cabin leaders are consulting with our attorneys on the case to decide the next step for moving forward with the lawsuit. Log Cabin is greatly encouraged by the District Court's refusal to grant the government's motion to dismiss the challenge on the merits. That means Log Cabin's constitutional arguments about the constitutionality of DADT have strong merit. This decision serves only to bolster our commitment to overturning the Don't Ask, Don't Tell. ...

Gay Republicans in California Running for Office

Nine openly gay Republicans, including several Log Cabin members, have announced plans to run for public office in California. They're building on past success in the Golden State to make progress in building an inclusive GOP. .

William Chan of Sacramento (Assembly District 9)
Ralph Denney from San Diego (Assembly District 76)
Brenda Green of Los Angeles (Assembly District 48)
Peter Hankwitz of Los Angeles is challenging incumbent Democrat Brad Sherman in the 27th Congressional District
Mark Patrosso from the Silicon Valley (Assembly District 23)
Eric Siddall from Los Angeles is running for the State Board of Equalization (District 4)
Steven Sion of West Hollywood (Assembly District 42)
Charel Winston from the Silicon Valley is running against Democrat Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren in the state's 16th Congressional District
"I'm very proud we have so many openly gay Republicans running for office in California," said Jeff Bissiri, Log Cabin's California Director. "We appreciate their willingness to step forward as advocates for common sense GOP values. Their efforts will continue increasing Log Cabin's influence in the state Republican Party."

Full text at the link.

Log Cabin Republicans homepage


Log Cabin

US Strike on Iran "Inevitable" - Telegraph

The Telegraph:

The Government is to hold secret talks with defence chiefs tomorrow to discuss possible military strikes against Iran.

A high-level meeting will take place in the Ministry of Defence at which senior defence chiefs and government officials will consider the consequences of an attack on Iran.

It is believed that an American-led attack, designed to destroy Iran's ability to develop a nuclear bomb, is "inevitable" if Teheran's leaders fail to comply with United Nations demands to freeze their uranium enrichment programme. ...

BBC: Ministry of Defence denies meeting.

Reports that military officers will meet government officials on Monday to discuss possible US-led military action against Iran have been denied.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said there was no truth whatsoever in the claims, made in the Sunday Telegraph.

BBC Defence Correspondent Paul Wood said US plans for a possible strike are thought to be at an advanced stage.

But US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US was "committed" to dealing with Iran diplomatically. ...

Debka:

DEBKAfile’s military sources report: British generals will examine Iran’s successful test of a Fajr-3 multiple warhead missile that can reach Israel, that was carried out undetected by US or Israel radar Friday, March 31. It was launched on the first day of a large-scale Iranian exercise in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. Those sources add that the Israeli Arrow anti-missile system has no answer for multiple warhead ballistic missiles.

The US hopes for a multinational military operation to destroy Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear bomb - if Tehran fail to comply with the UN security council demand to freeze uranium enrichment. But British defense chiefs believe that failing international support, the Bush administration would go it alone or with Israel’s assistance.

DEBKAfile adds: Last month, former Israel chief of staff Moshe Yaalon estimated that a strike of this kind would be phased, suggesting that each phase would be undertaken by a different armed force.

In Blackburn, northwest England, Saturday, US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice said all negotiating options including the use of force remained open for resolving the Iran crisis. ...

According to the Sunday Telegraph, British military chiefs believe an attack would be limited to a series of air strikes against nuclear plants rather than a land assault - tactical Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from US navy ships and submarines in the Gulf, followed by B2 stealth bombers equipped with 8 4,500lb enhanced BLU-28 satellite-guided bunker-busting bombs flying from Diego Garcia, the RAF base in Gloucestershire in the UK and Whiteman USAF base in Missouri.

Iran

Public service announcement.

Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour tomorrow morning.

Also, remember to advance your calendar one day.

time change

Portland Spotlight: Plus Ultra Team on the News, Powell's Does the Right Thing

News release, via e-mail:

I am writing to announce that I, Tracy Twyman, and my husband Brian Albert, the team behind Plus Ultra ( http://www.plusultrablog.com/ ) will be featured on the KATU-TV evening news tonight [April 1, 2006] in Portland, Oregon. That's Channel 2, the local ABC affiliate. It will play on the 5:00 news, and again on the replay 11:00 p.m.

They are tying the story in with one about Powell's Books, which has announced that they will happily carry the new issue of Free Inquiry Magazine, featuring the Mohammed cartoons, which Borders and Waldenbooks have refused to carry.

They shot pictures of the Mohammed cartoons, but then they consulted their producers for permission, and at the time we left the studio, it looked like they were probably not going to air them. I repeated several times in the interview that you can't tell the story without showing the cartoons, and the interviewer, Susan Harding, agreed with me, but I could tell that the person with the veto power did not. But we'll see what ends up in the final cut.

Also in the news: Powell's Books will carry magazine featuring Danish Mohammed cartoons. Via Oregon Live:

Borders Inc. raised book-business eyebrows Friday when the company confirmed it wouldn't stock a tiny magazine's current edition featuring the satirical cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that have enraged parts of the Muslim world.

But readers in Portland eager to sift through the April-May issue of Free Inquiry shouldn't have much trouble finding other outlets for the magazine -- unless they sell out. ...

Powell's Books plans to carry the magazine in its West Burnside Street store as usual. Rich's Cigar Store downtown and some outlets of the national chain Barnes & Noble also plan to stock it.

"I never like giving any offense, but the truth is that many of the books I stock have material that will offend somebody with something," said Powell's owner Michael Powell, who said he disagrees with Borders' decision. ...

Kudos to Mike Powell for stepping up to the plate; be sure you read the rest of Laura Gunderson's excellent article in OregonLive.

Links:
Powell's Books
Plus Ultra (Banned In Pakistan)

BREAKING NEWS: KATU runs “Plus Ultra Banned in Pakistan” as their top story.

Plus Ultra
Powell's Books
Portland
Mohammed cartoons

Iran bulletin: IRI funds Nazi groups in Europe.

SMCCDI:

Islamic regime finances Nazi groups in Europe
SMCCDI (Information Service)
Mar 30, 2006


The Islamic regime has increased its financial help to several European Nazi and Far-Right groups, especially, in France, Germany and Austria. Thousands of Dollars and Euro have been already distributed in that line.

The money is being distributed by businessmen with links to some of Dubai's Import-Export circles which are working with the Islamic regime's Intelligence.

This policy intends to boost the regime's anti-Jewish propaganda and to show support of the regime's President and his denial of the Holocaust. It also targets the Iranian masses in an effort to persuade them on the validity of Ahmadinejad's claim which will look stronger with the presence of Europeans sharing his shameful view. [emphasis added - aa]

Does this come as a surprise to anyone?

[NOTE: At present I cannot independently verify this report from SMCCDI. I will post any corroborating or supporting information as it becomes available.]

Iran
Nazi
Europe

Great post at Free Iran ...

AmirN eviscerates Charles A. Kupchan and Ray Takeyh in the International Herald Tribune.
Choice quotes:

First, the Iranian government is anything but nationalistic, and would destroy Iran to replace it with its own “Islamabad” if it could. Second, Iranians are currently either too busy trying to not starve to death, or getting high from drugs as an escape, or avoiding being thrown into prison and being tortured and killed to really care about having a nuclear bomb. A nuclear bomb is irrelevant to a people struggling to just stay afloat and dealing with constant torment and oppression from their own government. ...

The reason the mullahs have staying power is two-fold. First, they brutally and mercilessly oppress any opposition. Though effective in the short term, history has shown that its effect eventually diminishes and gets overwhelmed by a people who eventually reach a boiling point. Second, they have oil and money, which makes many of the world’s greedy nations – Russia, China, European nations, etc – want to continue to do business with and empower them. This too, will eventually be overcome, as the boiling point of the people will not be averted forever. It is a question of WHEN, not IF.

And the Mullahs “freed” nothing except their own “Willy,” which they have subsequently stuck up the backside of the Iranian nation and all of its citizens. ...

As far as the “Iranian moderates,” there is no such thing. The moderates are just the “good cops” in the “good cop, bad cop” routine. The moderates are the wolves in sheep’s clothing. Save the “moderate” mumbo jumbo for the simpletons. ...

Now go read the whole thing at the link.
Iran

Congratulations

... to the WinXP user, unknown location, who visited Dreams Into Lightning at 11:31 AM Pacific (and, ironically, entered at this archive page)! You are visitor number 40,000 according to Site Meter.

Thanks to all who have visited.

Regime Change Iran

Just as a reminder, make sure you have Regime Change Iran bookmarked on your browser - and if you blog, be sure to link RCI on your sidebar. Regime Change Iran is the project of activist "Doctor Zin", and it's your one-stop shop for all the latest pro-Iranian news: everthing related to Iranian human rights, women's rights, democracy and freedom activism, and ... well, regime change. I read Regime Change Iran every day and you should, too.

Other Iran-related sites you won't want to miss:
Iran Focus
IranMania
Free Iran message board
SMCCDI
SOS Iran
Marze Por Gohar
PGLO - Persian Gay & Lesbian Organization

And finally, if you haven't done so yet, please take a moment to sign this petition:
True Security Begins with Regime Change in Iran

Iran
Regime Change Iran

Pakistan: Aisha Parveen Fights Sex Slavery

Via The Killing Zone, the Daily Times (Pakistan) reports:

LAHORE: The courts in Khanpur are to soon decide the case of Aisha Parveen, 20, and the decision could mean life or death for her, reports the New York Times.

“Ms Parveen ... is steeling herself for a state-administered horror. Just two months after she escaped from the brothel in which she was tortured and imprisoned for six years, the courts are poised to hand her back to the brothel owner,” writes Nicholas D Kristof.

Parveen says she was 14 when she was hit on the head while walking to school in NWFP. She awoke to find herself imprisoned in a brothel hundreds of miles away, in the town of Khanpur.

Parveen fought back and refused to sleep with customers, but she says the brothel owner - Mian Sher - beat and sexually tortured her ...

Rantburg weighs in.

Don't forget to bookmark The Killing Zone (homepage) for the latest info on women in the Middle East and the Muslim world.

Germany, ElBaradei Urge Iran to Stop Nuclear Work

Xinhua:

BERLIN, March 27 (Xinhua) -- German leaders and Mohammed ElBaradei, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), urged Iran on Monday to suspend its nuclear program as top diplomats will meet over the issue here on Thursday.

The foreign ministers from Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States will meet in the German capital at the invitation of German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier over the Iran nuclear issue, according to a report from the German news agency DPA.

From the same story:

In another development in Germany on Monday, police searched business sites across the country in connection with the illegal export of double-use equipment to Iran.

The German prosecutor's office in Potsdam near Berlin said that some 250 agents raided 41 companies in 10 German states last week after learning of suspicious purchase requests by a Berlin firm.

The firm which was run by Russians is believed to have exported hydraulic pumps and transformer parts, which could be used at nuclear facilities.

The firm delivered the equipment from Berlin to a company near Moscow, and from there to Iran.

Iran

Debka: Hamas won't be invited to Khartoum summit.

Debka reports:

The Bush administration persuaded Arab rulers not to invite Hamas to their summit opening in Khartoum Tuesday, March 28 - but not to cut off funding. - March 27, 2006, 10:57 PM (GMT+02:00) - Most Arab leaders are worried by the rise to power of the radical terrorist group, whose PM-designate Ismail Haniya asks the Palestinian legislative council to vote confidence in his 24-member cabinet Monday, March 28. He is assured of majority endorsement after Hamas’s landslide win of the December election. Mahmoud Abbas will head the Palestinian delegation to Khartoum. But foreign ministers preparing the summit resolutions rejected Western demands to cut off aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government.

Yemen and Security

Jane at Armies of Liberation links to a scathing column in the Yemen Times:

The political regime used to keep an iron grip over everything, even the opposition parties, sorting out differences with them through bargains and deals. But, when it has found out that these ways will no longer work out, it is going nuts and is behaving like a child who holds a gun and starts firing against everybody without knowing the consequences. ...

An anonymous guest poster at Armies of Liberation comments on Yemen's gun ownership, concluding:

The vast majority of Yemenis are engaged full-time in the business of
survival and savings. They know that goats plus rain equals money,
or that pick-up trucks plus subsidized fuel plus cheap labour equals
money. They also know that there is very little that you can do on a
daily basis with a gun that makes money. Forget notions of weapons
culture, or the odd gun freak that has five or six weapons, ordinary
people in the tribal areas can only afford to keep what weapons they
have in order to protect their other assets, so if you ask yourself
what is required to do this - you arrive at a very different answer,
but one which exactly tallies with first hand observation of rural
people’s houses and lives.

Via Internet Haganah, ICT on the Yemeni connection:

The Yemeni connection to worldwide Islamic terrorism stretches back nearly two decades; its roots can be traced to the war in Afghanistan during the 1980s between the Afghan rebels and the pro-Soviet Communist regime backed by Soviet military forces. During this war thousands of Muslim volunteers from all over the world, especially Arab countries (including Yemen), came to fight alongside their Afghan brothers. The war served these volunteers as a university for the study of radical Islam and prepared them, mentally and physically for the violent confrontation with the "infidel" West and with the Muslim regimes that cooperate with it. The Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan "proved" to them that the power of faith in Islam conquers all other forms of power.

The Afghan Veterans returned to Yemen during the early 1990s, convinced both of their ability to eliminate the remnants of the Communist Muslim regime in the southern region of the United Yemen and of their capacity to expel the foreign presence from Yemeni soil. They formed an alliance with the northern Sana government against the remnants of the southern Communist regime in the hope of being allowed to enlist in the Yemeni army and freely operate in southern Yemen, in order better to expel the American and British presence from Yemen. After these demands were rejected, the Afghan Veterans established radical Islamic organizations that began to undermine the Yemeni regime and perpetrate terrorist attacks against western targets inside Yemen and against senior Yemeni figures suspected of collaborating with the West. Soon these organizations began to cooperate with al-Qa'ida and even received financial support from it.

The involvement of Yemeni volunteers in the Iraqi war was just a matter of time. Just as in Afghanistan, Yemenis comprise a significant component of the Muslim volunteers in Iraq. However, in contrast to the Afghan case, this time the Yemeni regime made it more difficult for them to leave for Iraq; nor was the government pleased to accept them upon their return. As a result, Iraqi veterans and subsequent alumni of Afghan training camps, including the Yemenis, were forced to return to Yemen under false identities. Very quickly the concerns of the Yemeni government were confirmed: the return of Iraqi alumni to Yemen brought with it a wave of terrorist attacks that may threaten the stability in the country. Iraqi veterans, some of whom are members of al-Qa'ida, view Yemen as a convenient ground for the fostering of radical Islamic ideologies and as a target for terrorist attacks against the foreign presence in the region.

Yemen