As you celebrate the new year, do not forget about the four American security contractors and an Austrian who remain in captivity after their kidnapping in southern, Iraq six weeks ago.

The men went missing Nov. 16 when a large convoy of trucks being escorted by their Crescent Security Group was hijacked on a highway near Safwan, a city on the border with Kuwait.

Suspected militiamen dressed in Iraqi police uniforms ambushed the convoy, taking 14 hostages, including the five security guards, and nine truck drivers who were later released.

“At this time, U.S. officials believe the American citizens are still being held by their captors,” said Lou Fintor, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. source

Let us not forget our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines around the globe, their families and their sacrifices. Don’t forget to pray for this new year, pray for our politicians new and old. Pray they will understand the threats against America and act appropriately.

Pray for God’s guidance in all we do as individuals and as a nation.

[Discuss This Topic With Debbie Hamilton at Right Truth]

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Projectile vomit alert: if you read on, or click on this link too soon after eating, please be advised that I am not responsible for the consequences.

Lynn Sweet must not be available to write a year-end Valentine to He Who Walks on Water, Barack Obama so the editors resorted to getting material from–are you ready for this?!–the Huffington Post! Not only that, but this drivel, written by a self-described mom, who pours out her heart to Michelle Obama about her fear that someone here in this racist country will assassinate her husband, is teased on the front page in a full-color banner at the top. Here’s some choice nuggets from the post by Ms. Erin Kotecki Vest.

“How does a family like yours decide between changing the world and risking your lives?”

“I look at my husband and my two beautiful children, and I wonder how on earth you and your family will make this decision. It would be a sacrifice, no question. Possibly the biggest sacrifice a family could make. We all know it wouldn’t just be the usual pressures of the job or public life, it could very well mean the word no one wants to say but everyone is thinking: “assassination.”

The ugly truth is some in America may not be ready to see a black family in the White House. The ugly truth is the decision to run for president could mean the death of your husband or family member or yourself. Is any job worth it? I don’t know. There are no easy answers. Would I risk my own family to change the world? I don’t know. I honestly do not know.”

“Whatever you decide, the Moms, if no one else, will understand and have your back. If you make the choice to change the world, we’ll be there with flags flying, and we’ll remember the sacrifice your family is making for ours. If you decide to refrain from the Oval Office, we Moms will know exactly why. We will not for a moment question the protection of your family.”

I realize that a lot of people are on vacation this week, but is that really an excuse for the Chicago Sun-Times, which is a fine paper in many ways, and one in which I have been honored to have some of my scribbling appear, to resort to reprinting this screed? I think not.

[Discuss This Article With Teri O'Brien]

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Al Arabiya TV is reporting that Saddam Hussein has been executed.

From Reuters news:

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Iraqi television station Al Hurra said
Saddam Hussein had been executed by hanging shortly before 6 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Saturday.

ABC News International has a postmortem with the following garbage:

Economic sanctions led by the United States and imposed by the United Nations continued. They caused enormous hardship to the Iraqi people, but Saddam seemed politically impervious.

It figures, had I written this sentence it would have read as follows:

The United States and the United Nations imposed economic sanctions on Saddam Hussein. In an effort to provide humanitarian support the Oil For Food program was created. Under normal circumstances this would have eased the burden on the Iraqi people but Saddam Hussein took the opportunity to impose greater hardship by using their suffering in a propaganda war that the mainstream media still reports to this day. Saddam undercut the United States behind its back with help from other nations represented in the United Nations and withheld much needed food and medical supplies from the Iraqi people.

Even in Hussein’s death the people at ABC fail to cover most basic of reports correctly. At least they managed to get the following correct:

Saddam Hussein, who ruled Iraq with an iron fist for 24 years, has been hanged, a senior U.S. official in Baghdad said. Saddam was 68 and had been in U.S. captivity since his apprehension by U.S. forces in December 2003, eight months after his regime was toppled.

The AP:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein, the shotgun-waving dictator who ruled
Iraq with a remorseless brutality for a quarter-century and was driven from power by a U.S.-led war that left his country in shambles, was taken to the gallows and executed Saturday, Iraqi state-run television reported.

It was a grim end for the 69-year-old leader who had vexed three U.S. presidents. Despite his ouster, Washington, its allies and the new Iraqi leaders remain mired in a fight to quell a stubborn insurgency by Saddam loyalists and a vicious sectarian conflict.

Also hanged were Saddam’s half-brother Barzan Ibrahim and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, the former chief justice of the Revolutionary Court.

State-run Iraqiya television news announcer said “criminal Saddam was hanged to death and the execution started with criminal Saddam then Barzan then Awad al-Bandar.”

The station earlier was airing national songs after the first announcement and had a tag on the screen that read “with Saddam’s execution marks the end of a dark period of Iraq’s history.”

The AP is also true to form with their closing drive by that falls minutely short of painting him as a popular figure:

While he wielded a heavy hand to maintain control, Saddam also sought to win public support with a personality cult that pervaded Iraqi society. Thousands of portraits, posters, statues and murals were erected in his honor all over Iraq. His face could be seen on the sides of office buildings, schools, airports and shops and on Iraq’s currency.

Yeah, it’s not like Saddam controlled the country by fear or had any of those statues erected by himself. Don’t forget, he received something like 100% of the vote the last time he ran the country. He was loved so much that nobody voted against him despite the years of murder and torture. Stupidity must be a requirement for front line AP reporting.

Others: Michelle Malkin, Wizbang, Captains Quarters, Hot Air

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We are starting to get reports that Saddam Hussein has about an hour before he will be executed for crimes against humanity.

An adviser to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Saddam would be executed before 6 a.m. Saturday, or 10 p.m. Friday EST. Saddam and others were convicted of murder in the killings of 148 Shiite Muslims from an Iraqi town where assassins tried to kill Saddam in 1982.

We are finally starting to see some people report what we have been saying all along at Webloggin. Saddam Hussein, The Butcher of Baghdad, is responsible for the deaths of millions - not just the old crimes in the Anbar province that the left likes to make believe is his last crime against humanity. Crimes that surely happened right up until we chased him down a spider hole.

We have heard many times that Saddam’s Iraq was a relatively peaceful secular society. It was better than life now under the war torn nation ushered in by the United States. Unfortunately that is the short sighted rhetoric of apologist anti-American lefties who simply hate George Bush. This was one of many themes that eeked its way out as November 7th, 2006 neared.

But now people are starting to speak out. The information embargo has been lifted now that the Democrats can lay off the manufactured opposition - all of a sudden they have a stake in Iraq. It’s too bad they didn’t see it that way when they pulled the rug out from under the mission almost immediately after they voted to support it.

Nonetheless we are starting to see the press report some of the facts behinds Saddam’s crimes.

In a Friday sermon, a mosque preacher in the Shiite holy city of Najaf called Saddam’s execution “God’s gift to Iraqis.”

“Oh, God, you know what Saddam has done! He killed millions of Iraqis in prisons, in wars with neighboring countries and he is responsible for mass graves,” said Sheik Sadralddin al-Qubanji, a member of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, known as SCIRI, a dominant party in al-Maliki’s coalition. “Oh God, we ask you to take revenge on Saddam.” - Brietbart

But it’s hard to imagine the death penalty existing anywhere for any crime and not for Saddam Hussein — a man who, with the possible exception of Kim Jong Il, has more blood on his hands than anyone else alive. Should the world see his end in the coming days, the justice will be imperfect. But it will still be justice. - Washington Post

An Iraqi appeals court upheld Saddam’s death sentence Tuesday for the killings of 148 Shiite Muslims who were detained after a 1982 attempt to assassinate him in the northern city of Dujail. The court said the hanging should take place within 30 days.

Saddam also was in the midst of a second trial, charged with genocide and other crimes for a 1987-88 military crackdown that killed an estimated 180,000 Kurds in northern Iraq. Experts said his execution would probably not stop the trial from continuing for his co-defendants.

In a Friday sermon, a mosque preacher in the Shiite holy city of Najaf called Saddam’s execution “God’s gift to Iraqis.”

“Oh, God, you know what Saddam has done! He killed millions of Iraqis in prisons, in wars with neighboring countries and he is responsible for mass graves,” said Sheik Sadralddin al-Qubanji, a member of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, known as SCIRI, a dominant party in al-Maliki’s coalition. “Oh God, we ask you to take revenge on Saddam.” - The AP

Imagine what unspeakable horrors the survivors of Saddam Hussein had to live though. We can safely surmise that for each of the millions killed their were countless raped, maimed, starved, tortured, imprisoned and shattered. Men, women and children whose lives were destroyed by a tyrannical regime as the world watched in silence.

Yet the idiots at the New York Times still don’t seem to get it. Their reporting stops short at around 10,00 dead in 1982. I’m getting sick of these morons who simply can’t bring themselves to admit that Saddam Hussein was a ruthless murdering dictator. A man who killed an estimated 1 to 2 million people over a 25 year span. He was a man who “relocated” babies to mass graves along with their families. So the New York Times should be called to the mat with useless statistics that don’t even begin to touch the surface of Saddam’s crimes.

Mr. Hussein, a Sunni Muslim who ruled Iraq for 30 years until the American-led invasion that toppled him nearly four years ago, was given the death penalty for his part in the killing of 148 Shiite men and boys in 1982, but he still stands charged with responsibility for killing tens of thousands more of his own citizens.

Saddam’s time has come. Rather than use it as a springboard for protests against the death penalty or as an event to blame on the United States I hope people understand the real lessons here. The days of tyrannical dictators are numbered. The United States, a nation vilified by many here an abroad can stand with its head held high knowing that justice for millions came with our help. This should have happened long ago, but for the millions of people who felt the wrath of Saddam Hussein it is better late than never.

Others: Michelle Malkin, Wizbang, Captain’s Quarters, The Wide Awake Cafe,
The Anchoress, Bill’s Bites, Flopping Aces,Church and State, Conservative Outpost, Gone Hollywood, Outside The Beltway, Leaning Straight Up, Gun Toting Liberal, The Wide Awake Cafe, Assorted Babble

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I’ve been reading some of the retarded statements by some Americans concerning Saddam Hussein’s execution. Pirate’s Cove has an excellent roundup of comments on ‘poor Saddam’ and how Bush should be the one getting executed. The Pirate said something very profound, “And the DUmmies feel (never say think).” That is so very true. Rational logic has nothing to do with those on the left. You see they ‘feel’ so much more than we on the right do. They are more compassionate, more sympathetic, more …. full of crap.

It’s not about Saddam - it’s about us. And what kind of people are we? What kind of people would permit their leaders to do what our leaders have done? In our name! In your name and in my name! What kind of people would permit a Congress as obedient as a puppy licking your face? This is about a crime that went wrong. I could think of 4 or 5 people that should be standing on the gallows with Saddam Hussein. Unfortunately, they have used the naivete of the American people and the power of the US military to escape their just desserts.

No, it’s about Saddam … and what he could spill on U.S. leaders.

Kill Saddam? Not in my name. Saddam is a saint compared to Kill Saddam’s killer.

The day of Saddam’s execution will mark a dark day in American history, where we were made-as a people-coarser and more like those we have historically condemned. It sickens me.

There are a few more choice comments in that thread, but, how about in this one?

* He (Bush) is worse than Saddam and yet he walks free

* Follow that Ford. Pardon Saddam and let the nation heal. After all, the media are saying that pardoning Nixon saved America from years of political instability and cynicism. Our country just wasn’t strong enough to withstand an examination of the truth!!

Hot Air has more.

These are the same kind of people who put terrorist videos up on CNN, showing American soldiers being shot by snipers. Return of the Conservatives broke the story and got a Malkin launch. Show anything, sponsor anything, even if it’s an American getting killed.

[Discuss With Debbie Hamilton at Right Truth]

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We noticed that readers were coming in from Time Magazine and wanted to extend a warm welcome.

Regardless of your political persuasion we hope you will return often and share with us your comments and views. Please have a look around and drop us an e-mail with your suggestions.

We hope to see you and your friends back again soon.

Have a safe and Happy New Year!

Sincerely,
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We are where some of today’s most gifted researchers are able to do more science, more quickly. Where doctors across the world send their toughest cases and most vulnerable patients. Where no one pays for treatment beyond what is covered by insurance, and those without insurance are never asked to pay. We’ve built America’s 3rd-largest health-care charity, with a model that keeps the costs down and the funds flowing, so the science never stops.

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Terror experts believe that ‘Tehran has been maneuvering for years to secure certain interests in the region. First and foremost is the country’s own national security, for which the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s regime in Baghdad was prerequisite. An Iranian strategy began emerging almost from the moment the statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad fell in April 2003, leading to the secondary and equally desirable goal: regional hegemony.’

Iran’s plans may be coming to fruition in the next 3 to 6 months. Kenneth R. Timmerman believes that “We got to this point because the White House essentially caved in to intense pressure from the CIA and the foreign policy establishment, and refused to do the one thing that could have headed off this crisis: that is, to support the rights of the Iranian people and their struggle for freedom against this clerical tyranny. And now, it is almost – almost – too late.“

The United Nations finally passed UNSC Resolution 1737, ‘which bans nuclear and missile-related trade with Iran, and includes a short list of Iranian government entities and individuals whose assets could be subject to seizure and who could be banned from international travel.’

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad responded to the UN resolution by saying, “This resolution will not harm Iran and those who backed it will soon regret their superficial act, … Iranians are neither worried nor uncomfortable with the resolution…we will celebrate our atomic achievements in February,” he added.

[Read More And Discuss This Article With Debbie Hamilton at Right Truth]

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D J McGuire at The Right Wing Liberal brings our attention to an interesting article that indicates Syria is close to having nuclear capability (read weapons) and it is because of the items shipped to Syria by Saddam Hussein’s sons prior to and just after the beginning of the war. The article from the Washington DC Examiner reports:

But what really broke the camel’s back was a recent report from the well-informed Kuwaiti daily newspaper Al Seyassah. It quoted European intelligence sources as saying that “Syria has an advanced nuclear program” in a secret site located in the province of Al Hassaka, close to the Turkish and Iraqi borders. British sources quoted by the paper believe that “it is President Assad’s brother, Colonel Maher Assad and his cousin Rami Makhlouf, who supervise the program.”

This nuclear weapons program is based on material that Saddam Hussein’s two sons shipped to Syria before — and during — the U.S. war against Iraq. According to the Kuwaiti newspaper, this explains why international investigative teams found no proof of Hussein’s nuclear program. [my emphasis]

It would seem that earlier assertions by many people including yours truly, that Hussein sent WMD to Syria were right on target. Now those items are being used to develop nuclear weapons that can, in turn, be used to cause havoc int he region and in this country. Given the alliance between Iran and Syria and the hatred of Israel by all people Muslim it is not hard to imagine these items being used to carry out Ahmadinejad’s desire to wipe Israel off the map.

The next time some liberal, especially some liberal politician, tells you there were no WMD you tell them that they will know for sure when one detonates int heir neighborhood. Of course, now that the Democrats are in charge we will hear talk about certain countries and how dangerous they are. There is only real danger when a Democrat is in control as it was when Clinton was asleep at the helm.

[Discuss This Post With Big Dog]

Others: Hot Air

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Webloggin Editor Note: Morgan Freeberg writes about United Federation of Teachers Union President Randi Weingarten and her inability to do simple math when she appeared on a talk show. My last recollection of Weingarten was on John Stossel’s Stupid in America 20/20 segment where he explained that American schools lag behind international schools that spend much less on education. Weingarten, as an advocate by proxy for unqualified teachers epitomizes the problem with education in this country and is one of the main reasons why our children fall behind despite the reprehensible amount of money we throw at the failing system. You should pay attention whenever she opens her mouth, it will provide a tremendous amount of insight when trying to determine why public education is so abysmal in this country; it is all quite clear to me.

You should also note how Weingarten is given a pass by a “math expert” who is a dean at the City College school of education. Friends of a feather + union money = diminishing returns.

The following is Morgan’s article as it appears on his blog (a blog you should read :-)):
================================================================

This blog, which nobody actually reads anyway, is one of the last places on earth where people are respected for knowing things — specifically, knowing how to do things. All over the civilized world, this respect is in a rapid decline. It is receding faster than my hairline. You doubt me?

Check out the word “qualified.” Listen real close the next time you hear it used. Does it have anything to do with ability…anything at all whatsoever?

No, nobody uses it that way anymore. “Qualified” no longer means you’re experienced doing things equal to, or greater than, the task to be done, and have made a success of yourself as you do that. That’s what it used to mean. Qualified, today, means you have some kind of accreditation. That would be bad enough if said accreditation had to do with demonstrating that you know things, but this has been corrupted too. Today, it has to do with holding the right opinions about things. Yet-unproven opinions. As in…you think boys are better at three-dimensional problems and girls have better social skills, you fail — you think boys and girls are equal in everything they do, you pass. Opinions like those. That’s what it takes to be what we call “qualified” for things now. We’ve become a rather pasteurized, Utopian society, in which promotions to higher offices of trust have less and less to do with merit and competence, and more and more to do with ensuring people with good opinions outrank people with bad ones.

For an even more incandescent example, listen a little more closely next time you hear the word “unqualified.” A generation ago this would have meant someone was about to mention inexperience in whoever was unqualified. That’s no longer the case today. Again, it’s got to do with holding unpopular opinions…or failing to present credentials, which would have proven a candidate holds the right opinions.

And every once in a great while we see evidence of this problem, said evidence usually not quite as damaging as it could be, when you think about it. File this one under “cheap warning about where we’re headed.”

Talk about a high-stakes test. The radio audience was live and the question for teachers union president Randi Weingarten involved sixth-grade math: “What’s 1/3rd plus 1/4th?”

Weingarten, however, is a not a sixth-grader or a math teacher. She’s a lawyer and a union boss who once taught high school social studies - and no one told her there was going to be a quiz. “I would actually have to do it on paper,” she said when asked yesterday to complete the math problem on WNYC’s “Brian Lehrer Show” where she was a guest. Mike Pesca, who was filling in for Lehrer, introduced the show’s education topic by saying American college grads can’t do basic math while high school grads in Canada and middle-schoolers in India have no trouble.

After Weingarten stumbled, another guest quickly produced the correct answer: 7/12ths, leaving Weingarten to explain herself.

“I do it the old-fashioned way,” she said. “You take your paper, your pen, you add it up and get the fractional whatever.” “And you show your work,” Pesca offered. “And you show your work,” Weingarten agreed. “A good teacher will look at it and talk to you about what went right and what went wrong, like they do in Singapore.”

Math expert Alfred Posamentier, dean of the City College school of education, said most Americans can’t add fractions in their heads, leaving Weingarten in good company. “I hate to say it, but I would cut her slack on that one,” he said.

I wouldn’t. You know, just take a look at what’s happening here.

[Read More and Discuss This Article With Morgan at House of Eratosthenes]

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