This and That

Then again, perhaps The New York Sun and its source are not credible.

A former special investigator for the Pentagon during the Iraq war said he found four sealed underground bunkers in southern Iraq that he is sure contain stocks of chemical and biological weapons. But when he asked American weapons inspectors to check out the sites, he was rebuffed.

I think we can. So . . . .

Outside our own little coocoon, someone is in danger:

Terrorists have kidnapped one of Gospel for Asia’s missionaries in India’s east-central Chattisgarh state.

GFA President K.P. Yohannan is calling for a prayer vigil for Pastor Subhash, a young single missionary who has already started five mission stations with 28 believers.

According to Yohannan, Subhash was returning home in a taxi with five other people, but the group never reached their destination. Both the taxi and the group disappeared, and have not yet been found. That caused a great deal of concern, which was heightened when family members got the next communication the following day.

I commend the Catholics and others for promising cooperation, presumably within the confines of what is right:

The patriarchs and heads of the Christian churches of Jerusalem told the newly elected Palestinian leadership that they extend their cooperation for the public good, but said they wanted full religious freedom.

In a Jan. 31 message, the religious leaders told the leadership of the militant Islamic group Hamas that they would cooperate “for the public good and the national Palestinian aspirations together with the cause of justice and peace in a nonviolent way.”

The emphasis on “public good” and “justice and peace” and “nonviolent way” all seem good bail-out clauses in any agreements with Hamas!

Cal Thomas makes some observations here regarding the Muslim carryings-on over those cartoons:

At the National Black Fine Art Show, a painting by Harlem artist “Tafa” depicts an upside down “Christ-like” figure with a face that resembles Osama bin Laden. No Christians have threatened the artist, or bombed the building where it is displayed, or attacked the city government.

Throughout the Middle East, state-controlled newspapers regularly depict Jews and Israeli leaders in despicable, stereotypical and anti-Semitic caricatures. These cartoons show Jews with hooked noses; Stars of David morphing into swastikas; Palestinian and Arab blood drips from Jewish hands and Jews are blamed for creating AIDS. Neither those newspapers, nor Arab embassies have been attacked by Jewish mobs.

When a Danish newspaper publishes several political cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, riots ensue and the artists and newspaper receive death threats. When newspapers in France and Germany courageously (and unexpectedly) reprint the cartoons as a demonstration of their right to free speech, further demonstrations occur and threats are made against those newspapers.

What’s the difference here?

Is there an inherent “betterness” of people, religion, government, or nationality?

Or something like that:

“I am concerned about a person that, one, tries to rewrite the history of the Holocaust, and two, has made it clear that his intentions are to destroy Israel,” Bush said.

“Israel is a solid ally of the United States, we will rise to Israel’s defense if need be. So this kind of menacing talk is disturbing. It’s not only disturbing to the United States, it’s disturbing for other countries in the world as well,” he added.

Asked if he meant the United States would rise to Israel’s defense militarily, Bush said: “You bet, we’ll defend Israel.”

Ahmadinejad has prompted international condemnation for anti-Israel rhetoric in recent weeks, including saying it should be wiped off the map, and also calling into question the Holocaust.

Something’s going to give one of these days.

Take cover, everyone!

Or, like I said earlier, something like that.

This morning on my way to get some medicine, I was listening to a Best of Rush on the radio.

He and a caller named Jill weren’t communicating very well at all.

Finally she said, “At least I’m not a drug addict.”

“Cheap shot,” I thought.

Not too much later, as they were talking all over each other, he finally exclaimed, “You are sounding like my two ex-wives. Shut up!” (The first sentence may not be an exact direct quote, but it’s very close.)

That was cheap and ungracious.

That attack on his ex-wives, one of them “the lovely and gracious Marta,” was totally uncalled-for and gratuitous.

They could offer nothing in their defense. I wonder what would be their side of the story of their marriage(s) to Rush.

I would say he revealed less than The Best of Rush.

And instead of being on The Cutting Edge of Societal Evolution, I would say he was conforming to the trailing edge.

Good news concerning the CPT captives in Iraq: They were alive a week ago (at least):

Kidnappers threatened in a new videotape broadcast Saturday to kill four Christian peace activists unless all Iraqi prisoners were released, saying they were giving the U.S. and Iraqi governments a “last chance” to save the hostages.

The tape dated Jan. 21 and broadcast on Al-Jazeera showed the four men — two Canadians, an American and a Briton — standing near a wall . . . .

Bad news: Their captors continue to make demands that won’t be met.