LEGISLATIVE UPDATE AND ACTION ALERT!!
ACT! for America Adds
The Secure Visas Act of 2010
to Its List of “High Priority Legislative Proposals”
We want to stop future “Underwear Bombers”
from flying into the U.S.
By Lisa Piraneo, Director of Government Relations
After 9/11, and in response to the fact that several of the 9/11 terrorists had obtained U.S. visas, Congress created the Visa Security Program (VSP) to increase the security of the visa process at U.S. embassies and consulates.
Today, Visa Security Units (VSU) are operating in several foreign cities, such as Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Islamabad, Pakistan. At these posts, 100 percent of visa applicants receive additional screening.
Unfortunately, the Obama administration does not appear to see the importance of increased visa screeningeven though the “Underwear Bomber” had a U.S. visa. Incredibly, there is no visa security presence in high risk locations such as London, Yemen, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, or Nigeria.
How does all of this affect U.S. security? At posts without a Visa Security Unit less than 2% out of 5.8 million applications receive additional screening. That’s a lot of potential terrorists missed!
Representative Lamar Smith (TX-21) and Senator John Cornyn (TX) recently introduced legislation to improve the security of our nation’s visa issuing process. The Secure Visas Act of 2010 (H.R. 4758 in the House and S. 2944 in the Senate) mandates not only that the Department of Homeland Security maintain U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Visa Security Units (VSU) at the 14 consular posts that already have them, but that such units are created at the 16 other posts that have been designated by ICE as “highest risk.”
ACT! for America has added both of these important proposals to our list of “High Priority” legislationlegislative initiatives that we feel will help protect our nation and its citizens against the many threats of radical Islam.
We hope you will become familiar with the Secure Visas Act of 2010 CLICK HERE, as well as the other legislative proposals on the list, and do your part to protect our nation by taking the action noted below. Forming and maintaining relationships with your elected officials, and their staff, is critical to winning the fight against radical Islam and to protecting our nation for our children and grandchildren.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
PALESTINIANS HONOR TERRORIST MURDERESS
PA Faked Cancellation, Named Square After Terrorist Murderess
by Hillel Fendel
While Israel was twisting in the wind because of an ill-timed announcement on progress in Jerusalem construction, the PA was “officially” canceling a ceremony honoring a terrorist – but conducting it anyway on the sly.
It occurred on March 11. Israel was in the midst of being hauled over the coals after a Jerusalem municipal committee announced a routine passage of a stage in the approval process of a housing project in Ramat Shlomo – right after U.S. Vice President Joe Biden had arrived on a sensitive visit to Israel.
The PA apparently learned the lesson, and announced that its upcoming public square-naming ceremony in Ramallah for a woman who had murdered 37 Israelis was being “postponed for technical reasons.” Despite Israeli pressure to call off the ceremony altogether, the PA announced only its postponement.
The female terrorist in question is Dalal Mughrabi, who led the largest terrorist attack in Israeli history. Known as the Coastal Road Massacre, it involved the shooting of a nature photographer on the beach, commandeering a taxi and two buses, and firing wildly at passing cars and civilians who tried to escape. In the end, a total of 37 Israeli civilians were murdered, including 13 children, and 71 were wounded.
Despite the official postponement of the ceremony in Mughrabi's honor, however, it turned out that dozens of people showed up at the scheduled time and “dedicated” the square in Mughrabi’s memory. Among the participants were top members of the Palestinian Authority leadership such as Tawfiq Tirawi, Mustafa Abu Rabbi’a, a senior Fatah figure in Ramallah, and Jamal Hawil, a member of the Fatah faction in the Palestinian Legislative Council. A large banner/picture of Mughrabi was placed in the square.
Tirawi , a former PA General Intelligence Services director, has gone on record as stating, "We are all Dalal Mughrabi" and that "for us, she is not a terrorist.”
The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (ITIC) reports that the official PA media covered the event, devoting a number of programs and newspaper columns to it and emphasizing Dalal Mughrabi’s importance. For instance, the official Palestinian TV station broadcast a memorial program in her honor. Her sister Rashida, currently an officer in the Palestinian Authority security forces, appeared on the program and said, “Today is a day of pride and victory for the Palestinian people and a day of pain for the Zionists.”
ITIC posted a photograph of a large banner honoring Mughrabi in Ramallah, with Tirawi one of those holding the banner.
by Hillel Fendel
While Israel was twisting in the wind because of an ill-timed announcement on progress in Jerusalem construction, the PA was “officially” canceling a ceremony honoring a terrorist – but conducting it anyway on the sly.
It occurred on March 11. Israel was in the midst of being hauled over the coals after a Jerusalem municipal committee announced a routine passage of a stage in the approval process of a housing project in Ramat Shlomo – right after U.S. Vice President Joe Biden had arrived on a sensitive visit to Israel.
The PA apparently learned the lesson, and announced that its upcoming public square-naming ceremony in Ramallah for a woman who had murdered 37 Israelis was being “postponed for technical reasons.” Despite Israeli pressure to call off the ceremony altogether, the PA announced only its postponement.
The female terrorist in question is Dalal Mughrabi, who led the largest terrorist attack in Israeli history. Known as the Coastal Road Massacre, it involved the shooting of a nature photographer on the beach, commandeering a taxi and two buses, and firing wildly at passing cars and civilians who tried to escape. In the end, a total of 37 Israeli civilians were murdered, including 13 children, and 71 were wounded.
Despite the official postponement of the ceremony in Mughrabi's honor, however, it turned out that dozens of people showed up at the scheduled time and “dedicated” the square in Mughrabi’s memory. Among the participants were top members of the Palestinian Authority leadership such as Tawfiq Tirawi, Mustafa Abu Rabbi’a, a senior Fatah figure in Ramallah, and Jamal Hawil, a member of the Fatah faction in the Palestinian Legislative Council. A large banner/picture of Mughrabi was placed in the square.
Tirawi , a former PA General Intelligence Services director, has gone on record as stating, "We are all Dalal Mughrabi" and that "for us, she is not a terrorist.”
The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (ITIC) reports that the official PA media covered the event, devoting a number of programs and newspaper columns to it and emphasizing Dalal Mughrabi’s importance. For instance, the official Palestinian TV station broadcast a memorial program in her honor. Her sister Rashida, currently an officer in the Palestinian Authority security forces, appeared on the program and said, “Today is a day of pride and victory for the Palestinian people and a day of pain for the Zionists.”
ITIC posted a photograph of a large banner honoring Mughrabi in Ramallah, with Tirawi one of those holding the banner.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
OBAHUSSEIN'S IDIOTIC, IGNORANCE, EVEN THUGGERY CONTINUES
BRITON IS DUPED INTO CARRYING TERROR CASH
Sunday March 28,2010
By David Jarvis
A PLOT by Al Qaeda to blow up a sports stadium was foiled when a British-based courier was arrested.
The man was held in Chicago as he prepared to board a flight for England carrying cash to buy explosives.
The money, ultimately bound for ¬Pakistan, was intercepted after an ¬elaborate sting by FBI agents who had penetrated the terror cell. Last week taxi driver Raja Lahrasib Khan, 56, a naturalised US citizen of Pakistani ¬origin, was charged with financing ¬terror.
He had handed the cash to his unwitting son, who lives in England, to take on a London-bound flight.
Khan originally intended to fly to England with the money himself before heading for Pakistan and handing it to terrorist leader Ilyas Kashmiri, who receives orders from Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden at his base in the tribal areas of western Pakistan.
But he never realised the $1,000 (£672) had been handed to him by an undercover FBI agent, who last week told a court how Khan had claimed he could blow up an unnamed sports arena.
FBI agents who arrested Khan’s son last Tuesday discovered he was carrying seven of the ten $100 bills the undercover agent had given to Khan.
Last Friday Khan was ordered to be held in custody after the US District Court in Chicago heard how he told the undercover agent that remote controlled bombs could be placed in a packed stadium and then: “Boom, boom, boom.” Khan’s son, who has not been named, was ¬unaware that he was being used as a terrorist courier and has not been detained.
Khan’s Pakistani contact Kashmiri has also been accused of helping organise an attack against a Danish newspaper that published cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed.
The attack was never carried out.
He is the leader of Harakat-ul Jihad Islami, a group the US Justice Department said has trained terrorists and carried out attacks in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to court papers Khan claims to have known Kashmiri for approximately 15 years and had unwittingly told agents about meeting him when they had discussed plans to train terrorists to carry out attacks in the US.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/165608/Briton-is-duped-into-carrying-terror-cash
Tape undoubted from Iran.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/spy-talk/2010/03/osama_tape_has_intelligence_of.html
Osama tape has intelligence officials fuming
U.S. counterterrorism officials seemed to have a hard time making up their minds on how to respond to Osama bin Laden’s latest tape.
On the one hand, the Qaeda leader’s threat to kill American captives was “so ridiculous” that it hardly merited a response, one official said.
“They started doing that 10, 12, 15 years ago,” he virtually sputtered to CNN’s national security producer Pam Benson -- anonymously, of course.
On the other, another official told Reuters, bin Laden’s threat to retaliate if the 9/11 plot organizer Khalid Sheik Mohammed, now in Guantanamo, were executed, was so absurd it demanded a response.
"The United States Senate has the responsibility to approve or disapprove of my nominees. But if, in the interest of scoring political points, Republicans in the Senate refuse to exercise that responsibility, I must act in the interest of the American people and exercise my authority to fill these positions on an interim basis," he said in a written statement.
If Obama gave a sh*t about the American people at all, he would never have used Marxist tactics to crush the American people and ignore their concerns - he never would've pushed his Socialist agenda for medical care - and included a codicle to fine anyone and everyone who refused to accept incompetent medical care from government minions (for that's what doctor's will become) whose careers will be solely dictated by the criminals in Washington.
Not to forget the intolerable tax increases we're facing to pay for this theft of our freedoms in order to pay for medical coverage of 30 million additional people - more than half of whom are illegal immigrants who pay no taxes, and never have, but still get free medical and dental care on our dime while we will increasingly foot the bill for this scum.
Obama Makes Labor Board Appointment During Recess Over GOP Objections
http://foxnews.com/
Despite intense Republican objections, President Obama on Saturday used recess appointments to fill some administration posts, including Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board.
Despite intense Republican objections, President Obama on Saturday used recess appointments to fill 15 administration posts without Senate confirmation, including Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board.
By filling the jobs while Congress is in recess, Obama gets around Senate confirmation. Obama justified the move by charging Republicans with playing politics with his administration nominees.
"The United States Senate has the responsibility to approve or disapprove of my nominees. But if, in the interest of scoring political points, Republicans in the Senate refuse to exercise that responsibility, I must act in the interest of the American people and exercise my authority to fill these positions on an interim basis," he said in a written statement.
All 41 Senate Republicans wrote Obama this week urging him not to use a recess appointment for Becker, a former top lawyer with Service Employees International Union and the AFL-CIO, whose nomination was rejected by the Senate last month, 52-43.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/features/the-sunday-et/dateline-india/Appeasing-Pakistan-likely-to-be-US-miscalculation/articleshow/5733492.cms
Appeasing Pakistan likely to be US miscalculation
28 Mar 2010, 0127 hrs IST, ET Bureau
NEW DELHI: As part of the appeasement policy towards Pakistan, the Obama
administration, which hopes for action against the Taliban and al-Qaeda,
has pledged millions in aid, held out the promise of a civilian nuclear
deal, promised to facilitate the transfer of military hardware and assured
Pakistan that it is on par with India. There is no doubt that appeasing
Pakistan for results in Afghanistan is the top foreign policy priority of US
President Barack Obama, who finds little domestic acceptability for a
continued US presence in Afghanistan. In a recent Congressional testimony,
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said the US has made a "strategic
priority" to strengthen its partnership with Pakistan and further noted that
the efforts towards Pakistan were important to US success in Afghanistan.
But many experts see this as a miscalculation on Washington's part. "The
American will is waning and obviously they are looking for a way to secure
an exit (from Afghanistan) and the only way they think they can do that -
which is a complete miscalculation - is by somehow trying to win Pakistan
over by concession - aid and weapons. It will only be like the past," said
counter-terrorism expert Ajai Sahni.
http://thedawn.com.pk/2010/03/27/us-once-again-thinks-hikmatyar-is-a-good-taliban/
US once again thinks Hikmatyar is a good Taliban
The US has changed its mind on Hikmatyar many times. During the 90s he was a good guy. Then he was a bad guy. Now he is a good guy again.
The Taliban claim they don’t care what Hekmatyar does. “His overall strength is equal to that of one of our smaller provincial commanders,” says a Taliban intelligence officer, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Now he’s presenting himself on a plate to the Americans for money.” They’ve never trusted him anyway, considering him an unprincipled opportunist who’s interested in nothing but personal power.
But while they won’t admit it, they’re worried. With an estimated 15 to 25 percent of the Afghan insurgency’s total armed strength, Hekmatyar’s fighters could pose serious problems for the Taliban in northeastern Afghanistan. Until recently the two armed groups coexisted relatively well, even staging occasional joint operations such as the Nuristan attacks and ambushes against French troops east of Kabul. Still, hostility is growing within the insurgent alliance: some 60 fighters died in open fighting between the two groups in Baghlan province this past February.
And something else may be driving Hekmatyar as well. “Everyone from Karzai to the Americans has been talking about talking to the Taliban,” says Rahimullah Yusufzai, a noted Pakistani journalist and expert on the insurgency. “I think Hekmatyar was feeling left out in the cold and desperate.” The warlord wanted to make himself relevant again. Former ISI chief Hamid Gul agrees. “He’s trying to create a political space for himself,” says Gul, who has known him well for many years. “So when Karzai and the Americans begin talking to the Taliban, he won’t be totally ignored.”
Nevertheless, Hekmatyar will have to step cautiously. “He has always presented himself as this great Afghan freedom fighter, struggling to drive foreign armies and foreign influence out of Afghanistan,” says Yusufzai. “This offer will damage him because he has been talking so big and for so long about the jihad.” That might keep a deal from happening at all. “I don’t see him cutting a separate peace,” says Gul. “He would be hugely discredited, and all his efforts over 30 years to build himself into an Afghan leader would be wasted.”
All the same, Hekmatyar has been known to make surprising moves when it suits his purposes, suddenly allying himself with old enemies he had sworn to kill. Whatever else people may say about him, he can always be trusted to do what he thinks is best for Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=63019
Escaped terror suspect still at large
Written By:Catherine Achienga , Posted: Fri, Mar 26, 2010
Hussein Hashi Farah a suspected terrorist who vanished while in Kenyan police custody 13 days ago is still at large.
The man of Australian origin who had been declared a persona non-grata by the Kenyan government was nabbed by immigration officials at the Busia border, and handed over to the police where he later disappeared in dubious circumstances.
It was alleged that he colluded with police to secure his freedom.
Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang' while applauding his officers for their vigilance however faulted the security lapse on the part of the police who let Farah, a man on the terrorist watch list walk free.
Farah is wanted on suspicion of his association with terrorist activities.
He was found in possession of an Australian passport and is linked to the Al Shabab terrorist group in Somalia.
Foreign affairs minister Moses Wetangula is now calling on the security agents to tighten the rope and nab the suspect.
"Our security agents should hunt down the suspected terrorist within and without our borders. The consequences of not arresting him could be very grave," Wetangula said.
Australian authorities are believed to be looking for Farah over his alleged role on a terrorist attempt in Sydney Australia and wants Kenya to surrender him once nabbed.
The disappearance of the suspect believed to have made his way into Uganda has left security agents on high alert with queries over his intended destination. Ugandan authorities have however denied that the suspect is in the country
http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=171949
'Obama resigned to nuclear Iran'
By JPOST.COM STAFF
28/03/2010 05:31
Bolton says Washington pressuring Israel not to strike nuke facilities.
Talkbacks (58)
Former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton expressed concern Sunday that Washington was coming to terms with a nuclear Iran.
“I very much worry the Obama administration is willing to accept a nuclear Iran, that's why there's this extraordinary pressure on Israel not to attack in Iran,” Bolton told Army Radio.
The former envoy claimed that this pressure was the focus of last week's meetings in Washington between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyhau and US officials, including President Barack Obama.
Bolton said that the Obama administration had embraced the view, prevalent in Europe, that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was the key to the resolution of all other conflicts throughout the Middle East, including the Iranian conflict.
He added that the rift in US-Israel relations stemmed from a fundamental difference in the understanding of the Middle East and Israel's role in the Middle East, and is not really about east Jerusalem at all.
Bolton said that the treatment Netanyahu received during his visit "should tell the people of Israel how difficult it's going to be dealing with Washington for the next couple of years."
On Saturday, meanwhile, The New York Times reported that international inspectors and Western intelligence agencies suspect that Teheran is preparing to build more sites in defiance of United Nations demands.
According to the report, half a year after the revelation of a secret Iranian nuclear enrichment site northeast of Qom, the UN inspectors assigned to monitor Iran’s nuclear program are now searching for evidence of two additional sites, prompted by Israeli assessments as well as by recent comments by a top Iranian official that drew little attention in the West.
The paper said that the inspectors were looking into the mysterious whereabouts of recently manufactured uranium enrichment equipment.
In an interview with the Iranian Student News Agency, the official, Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had ordered work to begin soon on two new plants. The plants, he said, “will be built inside mountains,” presumably to protect them from attacks.
“God willing,” Mr. Salehi was quoted as saying, “we may start the construction of two new enrichment sites” in the Iranian new year, which began March 21.
One European official noted to the Times that “while we have some evidence,” Iran’s heavy restrictions on where inspectors can travel and the existence of numerous tunneling projects were making the detection of any new enrichment plants especially difficult.
The paper went on to quote American officials as saying that Israel had "pressed the case" with their American counterparts that evidence points to what one senior administration official called “Qom lookalikes.”
The revelation that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, now believe that there may be two new sites comes at a crucial moment in the White House’s attempts to impose tough new sanctions against Iran, the Times report added
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7530725/British-forces-to-withdraw-from-Helmand-under-new-US-plan-for-Afghanistan.html
British forces to withdraw from Helmand under new US plan for Afghanistan
British forces are to be withdrawn from Helmand and replaced by United States Marines under controversial new plans being drawn up by American commanders.
By Toby Harnden in Kabul
Published: 2:00AM BST 28 Mar 2010
The proposal, which would have to be approved by a new British government, is facing stiff resistance. Whitehall officials fear that a pull-out from Helmand, where nearly 250 British troops have been killed since 2006, would be portrayed as an admission of defeat.
Under the plans, British forces would hand over their remaining bases in Helmand to the US Marines as early as this year.
Such a move could bring back unhappy memories of the 2007 withdrawal from Basra in southern Iraq, which provoked jibes about British forces being bailed out by the Americans.
The proposal is linked to a reorganisation of Nato's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces that will split the current Regional Command (South) in two after an American-led offensive against the Taliban in Kandahar this summer.
A senior American officer in ISAF said that "the Marines will be the primary force in Helmand and Nimruz" while "British forces will go to a combination of Kandahar and Uruzgan and Zabul".
British officials opposed to the move argue that the ground-level expertise and knowledge of local power brokers in Helmand, which they have built up over many years, would be squandered in apparent contradiction of the "know the people" counter-insurgency doctrine put in place by the Nato commander in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley McChrystal.
But while acknowledging the political sensitivities, a senior British officer in ISAF said that a new role outside Helmand would be central to Gen McChrystal's campaign strategy, which is based on protecting the main Pashtun population centres.
"Through the microcosm of the UK media lens, a lot of people will say, 'We fought, we've spilt British blood in Helmand and now we're withdrawing'," the official said.
"Completely wrong. We're going to where the main effort is."
Under Gen McChrystal's plan, Helmand and Nimruz will come under a new Regional Command (South West) while Kandahar, Uruzgan and Kabul will constitute Regional Command (South East).
The US Marines have a strong tradition of independence and a determined preference for operating alone in a single area, as they did in Iraq's Anbar province. Nato has agreed that Major General Richard Mills of the US Marines – who for 18 months commanded ground forces in Iraq's Anbar province – will take command of the new south-western area of Afghanistan.
In a recent interview with The Daily Telegraph, Gen McChrystal stressed that Kandahar was of "tremendous moral importance" to the Taliban because it was their former capital and the birthplace of their leader the one-eyed Mullah Omar.
Asked whether British forces would move to Kandahar, he responded carefully: "There's a lot of politics involved in where forces go, so rather than start a political debate about where forces are what I'd rather do is just move on with where things are now and let things develop."
Canadian forces, 2,500 of which are currently based in Kandahar – where British forces won a decisive battle in 1880 that brought the Second Afghan War to an end – are due to withdraw from Afghanistan next year. Some 2,000 Dutch forces in Uruzgan are due to be pulled out by August.
British forces first deployed to Helmand in significant numbers in spring 2006, when 3,300 members of 16 Air Assault Brigade arrived. Their mission was to restore security so that reconsstruction could begin and the illegal opium trade be disrupted.
But they faced an immediate upsurge in Taliban activity and this has continued ever since, leading to regular calls for greater troop numbers. There are currently around 10,000 from the UK in the region, and 248 soldiers have been killed there.
This would leave a vacuum in south-eastern Afghanistan at a time when US Marines are pouring into Helmand as part of President Barack Obama's surge of 30,000 troops, which will soon bring American forces to a level of 100,000, double what they were a year ago. About 20,000 US Marines will be in Helmand by this summer, more than twice the number of British troops there.
Some senior American officers believe the British have become too attached to "Helmandshire" and have developed tunnel vision.
Although British troops have been praised for their valour, the consensus within the American military is that control of the province has slipped away because of inadequate numbers, poor equipment and thin logistical support.
Senior American officers also believe the British became distracted by defending bases in outlying areas like Musa Qala, Kajaki and Sangin when they should have concentrated on the more-populated central Helmand.
A Washington defence source said that, under the new plan, "Helmandshire will become Marine-istan."
The main British logistics base in Afghanistan is already at Kandahar airfield – a factor that makes a shift from Helmand more feasible. Nato forces in southern Afghanistan are currently commanded by Maj Gen Nick Carter from his Regional Command (South) headquarters at the airfield.
Mark Sedwill, formerly British ambassador in Afghanistan and now Nato's Senior Civilian Representative, acknowledged that withdrawal of British forces from Helmand would make "a lot of sense" when viewed from a "purely military perspective".
This was because "the challenges in Kandahar are very well suited to the resources we can bring and the capabilities" British troops have.
"Could we end up with the Brits in Kandahar?" he said. "I guess theoretically we could and certainly I wouldn't rule it out because from the ISAF perspective we need to look at what is the sensible force deployment as the Canadians draw down after 2011 and given how central Kandahar is to the entire campaign.
"But any shift of that kind is not just an ISAF decision, it would have to be agreed with the British government of the day. There would be enormous political sensitivities to manage just because of the amount of investment of blood and treasure that has gone into central Helmand."
Maj Gen Gordon Messenger, senior British military spokesman, said that there was "no thought at the moment of doing anything other" than "a job which is utterly, utterly needed as part of the coalition force in central Helmand".
He added: "How that function changes over time is clearly being looked at ... and there are any number of options. But it would be unwise to view moving and conducting ground-holding in Kandahar as one of them."
Sunday March 28,2010
By David Jarvis
A PLOT by Al Qaeda to blow up a sports stadium was foiled when a British-based courier was arrested.
The man was held in Chicago as he prepared to board a flight for England carrying cash to buy explosives.
The money, ultimately bound for ¬Pakistan, was intercepted after an ¬elaborate sting by FBI agents who had penetrated the terror cell. Last week taxi driver Raja Lahrasib Khan, 56, a naturalised US citizen of Pakistani ¬origin, was charged with financing ¬terror.
He had handed the cash to his unwitting son, who lives in England, to take on a London-bound flight.
Khan originally intended to fly to England with the money himself before heading for Pakistan and handing it to terrorist leader Ilyas Kashmiri, who receives orders from Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden at his base in the tribal areas of western Pakistan.
But he never realised the $1,000 (£672) had been handed to him by an undercover FBI agent, who last week told a court how Khan had claimed he could blow up an unnamed sports arena.
FBI agents who arrested Khan’s son last Tuesday discovered he was carrying seven of the ten $100 bills the undercover agent had given to Khan.
Last Friday Khan was ordered to be held in custody after the US District Court in Chicago heard how he told the undercover agent that remote controlled bombs could be placed in a packed stadium and then: “Boom, boom, boom.” Khan’s son, who has not been named, was ¬unaware that he was being used as a terrorist courier and has not been detained.
Khan’s Pakistani contact Kashmiri has also been accused of helping organise an attack against a Danish newspaper that published cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed.
The attack was never carried out.
He is the leader of Harakat-ul Jihad Islami, a group the US Justice Department said has trained terrorists and carried out attacks in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to court papers Khan claims to have known Kashmiri for approximately 15 years and had unwittingly told agents about meeting him when they had discussed plans to train terrorists to carry out attacks in the US.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/165608/Briton-is-duped-into-carrying-terror-cash
Tape undoubted from Iran.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/spy-talk/2010/03/osama_tape_has_intelligence_of.html
Osama tape has intelligence officials fuming
U.S. counterterrorism officials seemed to have a hard time making up their minds on how to respond to Osama bin Laden’s latest tape.
On the one hand, the Qaeda leader’s threat to kill American captives was “so ridiculous” that it hardly merited a response, one official said.
“They started doing that 10, 12, 15 years ago,” he virtually sputtered to CNN’s national security producer Pam Benson -- anonymously, of course.
On the other, another official told Reuters, bin Laden’s threat to retaliate if the 9/11 plot organizer Khalid Sheik Mohammed, now in Guantanamo, were executed, was so absurd it demanded a response.
"The United States Senate has the responsibility to approve or disapprove of my nominees. But if, in the interest of scoring political points, Republicans in the Senate refuse to exercise that responsibility, I must act in the interest of the American people and exercise my authority to fill these positions on an interim basis," he said in a written statement.
If Obama gave a sh*t about the American people at all, he would never have used Marxist tactics to crush the American people and ignore their concerns - he never would've pushed his Socialist agenda for medical care - and included a codicle to fine anyone and everyone who refused to accept incompetent medical care from government minions (for that's what doctor's will become) whose careers will be solely dictated by the criminals in Washington.
Not to forget the intolerable tax increases we're facing to pay for this theft of our freedoms in order to pay for medical coverage of 30 million additional people - more than half of whom are illegal immigrants who pay no taxes, and never have, but still get free medical and dental care on our dime while we will increasingly foot the bill for this scum.
Obama Makes Labor Board Appointment During Recess Over GOP Objections
http://foxnews.com/
Despite intense Republican objections, President Obama on Saturday used recess appointments to fill some administration posts, including Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board.
Despite intense Republican objections, President Obama on Saturday used recess appointments to fill 15 administration posts without Senate confirmation, including Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board.
By filling the jobs while Congress is in recess, Obama gets around Senate confirmation. Obama justified the move by charging Republicans with playing politics with his administration nominees.
"The United States Senate has the responsibility to approve or disapprove of my nominees. But if, in the interest of scoring political points, Republicans in the Senate refuse to exercise that responsibility, I must act in the interest of the American people and exercise my authority to fill these positions on an interim basis," he said in a written statement.
All 41 Senate Republicans wrote Obama this week urging him not to use a recess appointment for Becker, a former top lawyer with Service Employees International Union and the AFL-CIO, whose nomination was rejected by the Senate last month, 52-43.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/features/the-sunday-et/dateline-india/Appeasing-Pakistan-likely-to-be-US-miscalculation/articleshow/5733492.cms
Appeasing Pakistan likely to be US miscalculation
28 Mar 2010, 0127 hrs IST, ET Bureau
NEW DELHI: As part of the appeasement policy towards Pakistan, the Obama
administration, which hopes for action against the Taliban and al-Qaeda,
has pledged millions in aid, held out the promise of a civilian nuclear
deal, promised to facilitate the transfer of military hardware and assured
Pakistan that it is on par with India. There is no doubt that appeasing
Pakistan for results in Afghanistan is the top foreign policy priority of US
President Barack Obama, who finds little domestic acceptability for a
continued US presence in Afghanistan. In a recent Congressional testimony,
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said the US has made a "strategic
priority" to strengthen its partnership with Pakistan and further noted that
the efforts towards Pakistan were important to US success in Afghanistan.
But many experts see this as a miscalculation on Washington's part. "The
American will is waning and obviously they are looking for a way to secure
an exit (from Afghanistan) and the only way they think they can do that -
which is a complete miscalculation - is by somehow trying to win Pakistan
over by concession - aid and weapons. It will only be like the past," said
counter-terrorism expert Ajai Sahni.
http://thedawn.com.pk/2010/03/27/us-once-again-thinks-hikmatyar-is-a-good-taliban/
US once again thinks Hikmatyar is a good Taliban
The US has changed its mind on Hikmatyar many times. During the 90s he was a good guy. Then he was a bad guy. Now he is a good guy again.
The Taliban claim they don’t care what Hekmatyar does. “His overall strength is equal to that of one of our smaller provincial commanders,” says a Taliban intelligence officer, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Now he’s presenting himself on a plate to the Americans for money.” They’ve never trusted him anyway, considering him an unprincipled opportunist who’s interested in nothing but personal power.
But while they won’t admit it, they’re worried. With an estimated 15 to 25 percent of the Afghan insurgency’s total armed strength, Hekmatyar’s fighters could pose serious problems for the Taliban in northeastern Afghanistan. Until recently the two armed groups coexisted relatively well, even staging occasional joint operations such as the Nuristan attacks and ambushes against French troops east of Kabul. Still, hostility is growing within the insurgent alliance: some 60 fighters died in open fighting between the two groups in Baghlan province this past February.
And something else may be driving Hekmatyar as well. “Everyone from Karzai to the Americans has been talking about talking to the Taliban,” says Rahimullah Yusufzai, a noted Pakistani journalist and expert on the insurgency. “I think Hekmatyar was feeling left out in the cold and desperate.” The warlord wanted to make himself relevant again. Former ISI chief Hamid Gul agrees. “He’s trying to create a political space for himself,” says Gul, who has known him well for many years. “So when Karzai and the Americans begin talking to the Taliban, he won’t be totally ignored.”
Nevertheless, Hekmatyar will have to step cautiously. “He has always presented himself as this great Afghan freedom fighter, struggling to drive foreign armies and foreign influence out of Afghanistan,” says Yusufzai. “This offer will damage him because he has been talking so big and for so long about the jihad.” That might keep a deal from happening at all. “I don’t see him cutting a separate peace,” says Gul. “He would be hugely discredited, and all his efforts over 30 years to build himself into an Afghan leader would be wasted.”
All the same, Hekmatyar has been known to make surprising moves when it suits his purposes, suddenly allying himself with old enemies he had sworn to kill. Whatever else people may say about him, he can always be trusted to do what he thinks is best for Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=63019
Escaped terror suspect still at large
Written By:Catherine Achienga , Posted: Fri, Mar 26, 2010
Hussein Hashi Farah a suspected terrorist who vanished while in Kenyan police custody 13 days ago is still at large.
The man of Australian origin who had been declared a persona non-grata by the Kenyan government was nabbed by immigration officials at the Busia border, and handed over to the police where he later disappeared in dubious circumstances.
It was alleged that he colluded with police to secure his freedom.
Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang' while applauding his officers for their vigilance however faulted the security lapse on the part of the police who let Farah, a man on the terrorist watch list walk free.
Farah is wanted on suspicion of his association with terrorist activities.
He was found in possession of an Australian passport and is linked to the Al Shabab terrorist group in Somalia.
Foreign affairs minister Moses Wetangula is now calling on the security agents to tighten the rope and nab the suspect.
"Our security agents should hunt down the suspected terrorist within and without our borders. The consequences of not arresting him could be very grave," Wetangula said.
Australian authorities are believed to be looking for Farah over his alleged role on a terrorist attempt in Sydney Australia and wants Kenya to surrender him once nabbed.
The disappearance of the suspect believed to have made his way into Uganda has left security agents on high alert with queries over his intended destination. Ugandan authorities have however denied that the suspect is in the country
http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=171949
'Obama resigned to nuclear Iran'
By JPOST.COM STAFF
28/03/2010 05:31
Bolton says Washington pressuring Israel not to strike nuke facilities.
Talkbacks (58)
Former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton expressed concern Sunday that Washington was coming to terms with a nuclear Iran.
“I very much worry the Obama administration is willing to accept a nuclear Iran, that's why there's this extraordinary pressure on Israel not to attack in Iran,” Bolton told Army Radio.
The former envoy claimed that this pressure was the focus of last week's meetings in Washington between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyhau and US officials, including President Barack Obama.
Bolton said that the Obama administration had embraced the view, prevalent in Europe, that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was the key to the resolution of all other conflicts throughout the Middle East, including the Iranian conflict.
He added that the rift in US-Israel relations stemmed from a fundamental difference in the understanding of the Middle East and Israel's role in the Middle East, and is not really about east Jerusalem at all.
Bolton said that the treatment Netanyahu received during his visit "should tell the people of Israel how difficult it's going to be dealing with Washington for the next couple of years."
On Saturday, meanwhile, The New York Times reported that international inspectors and Western intelligence agencies suspect that Teheran is preparing to build more sites in defiance of United Nations demands.
According to the report, half a year after the revelation of a secret Iranian nuclear enrichment site northeast of Qom, the UN inspectors assigned to monitor Iran’s nuclear program are now searching for evidence of two additional sites, prompted by Israeli assessments as well as by recent comments by a top Iranian official that drew little attention in the West.
The paper said that the inspectors were looking into the mysterious whereabouts of recently manufactured uranium enrichment equipment.
In an interview with the Iranian Student News Agency, the official, Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had ordered work to begin soon on two new plants. The plants, he said, “will be built inside mountains,” presumably to protect them from attacks.
“God willing,” Mr. Salehi was quoted as saying, “we may start the construction of two new enrichment sites” in the Iranian new year, which began March 21.
One European official noted to the Times that “while we have some evidence,” Iran’s heavy restrictions on where inspectors can travel and the existence of numerous tunneling projects were making the detection of any new enrichment plants especially difficult.
The paper went on to quote American officials as saying that Israel had "pressed the case" with their American counterparts that evidence points to what one senior administration official called “Qom lookalikes.”
The revelation that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, now believe that there may be two new sites comes at a crucial moment in the White House’s attempts to impose tough new sanctions against Iran, the Times report added
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7530725/British-forces-to-withdraw-from-Helmand-under-new-US-plan-for-Afghanistan.html
British forces to withdraw from Helmand under new US plan for Afghanistan
British forces are to be withdrawn from Helmand and replaced by United States Marines under controversial new plans being drawn up by American commanders.
By Toby Harnden in Kabul
Published: 2:00AM BST 28 Mar 2010
The proposal, which would have to be approved by a new British government, is facing stiff resistance. Whitehall officials fear that a pull-out from Helmand, where nearly 250 British troops have been killed since 2006, would be portrayed as an admission of defeat.
Under the plans, British forces would hand over their remaining bases in Helmand to the US Marines as early as this year.
Such a move could bring back unhappy memories of the 2007 withdrawal from Basra in southern Iraq, which provoked jibes about British forces being bailed out by the Americans.
The proposal is linked to a reorganisation of Nato's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces that will split the current Regional Command (South) in two after an American-led offensive against the Taliban in Kandahar this summer.
A senior American officer in ISAF said that "the Marines will be the primary force in Helmand and Nimruz" while "British forces will go to a combination of Kandahar and Uruzgan and Zabul".
British officials opposed to the move argue that the ground-level expertise and knowledge of local power brokers in Helmand, which they have built up over many years, would be squandered in apparent contradiction of the "know the people" counter-insurgency doctrine put in place by the Nato commander in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley McChrystal.
But while acknowledging the political sensitivities, a senior British officer in ISAF said that a new role outside Helmand would be central to Gen McChrystal's campaign strategy, which is based on protecting the main Pashtun population centres.
"Through the microcosm of the UK media lens, a lot of people will say, 'We fought, we've spilt British blood in Helmand and now we're withdrawing'," the official said.
"Completely wrong. We're going to where the main effort is."
Under Gen McChrystal's plan, Helmand and Nimruz will come under a new Regional Command (South West) while Kandahar, Uruzgan and Kabul will constitute Regional Command (South East).
The US Marines have a strong tradition of independence and a determined preference for operating alone in a single area, as they did in Iraq's Anbar province. Nato has agreed that Major General Richard Mills of the US Marines – who for 18 months commanded ground forces in Iraq's Anbar province – will take command of the new south-western area of Afghanistan.
In a recent interview with The Daily Telegraph, Gen McChrystal stressed that Kandahar was of "tremendous moral importance" to the Taliban because it was their former capital and the birthplace of their leader the one-eyed Mullah Omar.
Asked whether British forces would move to Kandahar, he responded carefully: "There's a lot of politics involved in where forces go, so rather than start a political debate about where forces are what I'd rather do is just move on with where things are now and let things develop."
Canadian forces, 2,500 of which are currently based in Kandahar – where British forces won a decisive battle in 1880 that brought the Second Afghan War to an end – are due to withdraw from Afghanistan next year. Some 2,000 Dutch forces in Uruzgan are due to be pulled out by August.
British forces first deployed to Helmand in significant numbers in spring 2006, when 3,300 members of 16 Air Assault Brigade arrived. Their mission was to restore security so that reconsstruction could begin and the illegal opium trade be disrupted.
But they faced an immediate upsurge in Taliban activity and this has continued ever since, leading to regular calls for greater troop numbers. There are currently around 10,000 from the UK in the region, and 248 soldiers have been killed there.
This would leave a vacuum in south-eastern Afghanistan at a time when US Marines are pouring into Helmand as part of President Barack Obama's surge of 30,000 troops, which will soon bring American forces to a level of 100,000, double what they were a year ago. About 20,000 US Marines will be in Helmand by this summer, more than twice the number of British troops there.
Some senior American officers believe the British have become too attached to "Helmandshire" and have developed tunnel vision.
Although British troops have been praised for their valour, the consensus within the American military is that control of the province has slipped away because of inadequate numbers, poor equipment and thin logistical support.
Senior American officers also believe the British became distracted by defending bases in outlying areas like Musa Qala, Kajaki and Sangin when they should have concentrated on the more-populated central Helmand.
A Washington defence source said that, under the new plan, "Helmandshire will become Marine-istan."
The main British logistics base in Afghanistan is already at Kandahar airfield – a factor that makes a shift from Helmand more feasible. Nato forces in southern Afghanistan are currently commanded by Maj Gen Nick Carter from his Regional Command (South) headquarters at the airfield.
Mark Sedwill, formerly British ambassador in Afghanistan and now Nato's Senior Civilian Representative, acknowledged that withdrawal of British forces from Helmand would make "a lot of sense" when viewed from a "purely military perspective".
This was because "the challenges in Kandahar are very well suited to the resources we can bring and the capabilities" British troops have.
"Could we end up with the Brits in Kandahar?" he said. "I guess theoretically we could and certainly I wouldn't rule it out because from the ISAF perspective we need to look at what is the sensible force deployment as the Canadians draw down after 2011 and given how central Kandahar is to the entire campaign.
"But any shift of that kind is not just an ISAF decision, it would have to be agreed with the British government of the day. There would be enormous political sensitivities to manage just because of the amount of investment of blood and treasure that has gone into central Helmand."
Maj Gen Gordon Messenger, senior British military spokesman, said that there was "no thought at the moment of doing anything other" than "a job which is utterly, utterly needed as part of the coalition force in central Helmand".
He added: "How that function changes over time is clearly being looked at ... and there are any number of options. But it would be unwise to view moving and conducting ground-holding in Kandahar as one of them."
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
PREPARE FOR SURVIVAL WHEN (NOT IF) TERRORISM STRIKES
With the threat of catastrophic terror attacks on US soil, below is a list of actions to take and supplies to have on hand to help us survive the next hit.
Also the looming economic disaster our nation faces, could well have "we the people" in the streets, as in Greece, and faced with Oba-Husssein's Million Person "Civilian Security Force", which he has already begun to set up, which will report to him NOT the Constitution.
He insists they be as well (and heavily) armed and funded as our regular military, thus providing him a private , personal one million army paid for with your tax dollars to throw at "we the people"!
Pre-Event Actions:
1. Learn about the natural disasters that could occur in your community from your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter. Learn whether hazardous materials are produced, stored or transported near your area. Learn about possible consequences of deliberate acts of terror. Ask how to prepare for each potential emergency and how to respond.
2. Talk with employers and school officials about their emergency response plans.
3. Talk with your household about potential emergencies and how to respond to each. Talk about what you would need to do in an evacuation. If someone in the family has a critical job, expect them to be gone.
4. Plan how your household would stay in contact if you were separated. Identify two meeting places: the first should be near your home—in case of fire, perhaps a tree or a telephone pole; the second should be away from your neighborhood in case you cannot return home.
5. Pick a friend or relative who lives out of the area for household members to call to say they are okay.
6. Draw a floor plan of your home. Mark two escape routes from each room.
7. Post emergency telephone numbers by telephones. Teach children how and when to call 911.
8. Make sure everyone in your household knows how and when to shut off water, gas, and electricity at the main switches. Consult with your local utilities if you have questions.
9. Take a first aid and CPR class. Local American Red Cross chapters can provide information. Official certification by the American Red Cross provides “good Samaritan” law protection for those giving first aid.
10. Reduce the economic impact of disaster on your property and your household’s health and financial well-being:
Review property insurance policies before disaster strikes – make sure policies are current and be certain they meet your needs (type of coverage, amount of coverage, and hazards covered – flood, earthquake, etc.)
Protect your household’s financial well-being before a disaster strikes— review life insurance policies and consider saving money in an “emergency” savings account that could be used in any crisis. It is advisable to keep a small amount of cash or traveler’s checks at home in a safe place where you can quickly gain access to it in case of an evacuation.
Be certain that health insurance policies are current and meet the needs of your household.
11. Consider ways to help neighbors who may need special assistance, such as the elderly or the disabled.
12. Make arrangements for pets. Pets are not allowed in public shelters. Service animals for those who depend on them are allowed.
13. Ensure all immunizations are up-to-date. If we are hit with true mass causality event, the bodies may lie around for days or weeks. Rotting corpses will cause disease outbreaks.
14. If you have a disability or special need, you may have to take additional steps to protect yourself and your household in an emergency. If you know of friends or neighbors with special needs, help them with these extra precautions. Hearing impaired may need to make special arrangements to receive warning. Mobility impaired may need assistance in getting to a shelter. Households with a single working parent may need help from others both in planning for disasters and during an emergency. People without vehicles may need to make arrangements for transportation. People with special dietary needs should have an adequate emergency food supply. Find out about special assistance that may be available in your community. Register with the office of emergency services or fire department for assistance, so needed help can be provided quickly in an emergency.
15. Create a network of neighbors, relatives, friends and co-workers to aid you in an emergency. Discuss your needs and make sure they know how to operate necessary equipment.
16. If you are mobility impaired and live or work in a high-rise building, have an escape chair. If you live in an apartment building, ask the management to mark accessible exits clearly and to make arrangements to help you evacuate the building. Keep extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters, medication, food for guide or hearing-ear dogs, or other items you might need. Also, keep a list of the type and serial numbers of medical devices you need.
17. Those who are not disabled should learn who in their neighborhood or building is disabled so that they may assist them during emergencies. If you are a care-giver for a person with special needs, make sure you have a plan to communicate if an emergency occurs.
Preparedness Overview:
You may need to survive on your own for three days or more. This means having your own water, food and emergency supplies. Try using backpacks or duffel bags to keep the supplies together. Assembling the supplies you might need following a disaster is an important part of your disaster plan. You should prepare emergency supplies for the following situations:
A disaster supply kit with essential food, water, and supplies for at least three days—this kit should be kept in a designated place and be ready to “grab and go” in case you have to leave your home quickly because of a disaster, such as a flash flood or major chemical emergency. Make sure all household members know where the kit is kept.
Consider having additional supplies for sheltering or home confinement for up to four weeks.
You should also have a disaster supply kit at work. This should be in one container, ready to “grab and go” in case you have to evacuate the building. Remember to have a comfortable pair of shoes in case you need to walk long distances.
A car kit of emergency supplies, including food and water, to keep stored in your car at all times. This kit would also include flares, jumper cables, and seasonal supplies.
Stockpiling Water Safely
Stocking water reserves should be a top priority. Drinking water in emergency situations should not be rationed. Therefore, it is critical to store adequate amounts of water for your household. Individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate. A normally active person needs at least two quarts of water daily just for drinking. Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more. Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed. Because you will also need water for sanitary purposes and, possibly, for cooking, you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day.
Store water in thoroughly washed plastic, fiberglass or enamel-lined metal containers. Don’t use containers that can break, such as glass bottles. Never use a container that has held toxic substances. Sound plastic containers, such as soft drink bottles, are best. You can also purchase food grade plastic buckets or drums. Containers for water should be rinsed with a diluted bleach solution (one part bleach to ten parts water) before use. Previously used bottles or other containers may be contaminated with microbes or chemicals. Do not rely on untested devices for decontaminating water.
If your water is treated commercially by a water utility, you do not need to treat water before storing it. Additional treatments of treated public water will not increase storage life. If you have a well or public water that has not been treated, follow the treatment instructions provided by your public health service or water provider. If you suspect that your well may be contaminated, contact your local or state health department or agriculture extension agent for specific advice.
Seal your water containers tightly, label them and store them in a cool, dark place. It is important to change stored water every six months.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PART II
Food:
If activity is reduced, healthy people can survive on half their usual food intake for an extended period or without any food for many days. Food, unlike water, may be rationed safely, except for children and pregnant women.
You don’t need to go out and buy unfamiliar foods to prepare an emergency food supply. You can use the canned foods, dry mixes and other staples on your cupboard shelves. Canned foods do not require cooking, water or special preparation. Be sure to include a manual can opener.
Keep canned foods in a dry place where the temperature is fairly cool. To protect boxed foods from pests and to extend their shelf life, store the food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers.
Replace items in your food supply every six months. Throw out any canned good that becomes swollen, dented, or corroded. Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh supplies. Date each food item with a marker. Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in front.
Food items that you might consider including in your disaster supply kit include: ready-to-eat meats, fruits, and vegetables; canned or boxed juices, milk, and soup; high-energy foods like peanut butter, jelly, low-sodium crackers, granola bars, and trail mix; vitamins; foods for infants or persons on special diets; cookies, hard candy; instant coffee, cereals, and powdered milk.
Buy a box of MRE entrée’s – 72 packages of main course MRE meals and keep them at home. They will fee a familty of four for about a week. It’s no frills eating.
You may need to survive on your own after a disaster. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it may take days. Basic services, such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones, may be cut off for days, even a week or longer. Or you may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you.
You probably won’t have the opportunity to shop or search for the supplies you’ll need. Your household will cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes.
First aid:
Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
Assorted sizes of safety pins
Isopropyl alcohol
Hydrogen peroxide
Antibiotic ointment
Latex gloves (2 pairs)
Petroleum jelly
2-inch and 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6 each size)
Triangular bandages(3)
2-inch and 3-inch sterile rolled bandages (3 rolls each)
Cotton balls
Scissors
Tweezers
Needle
Moistened towelettes
Antiseptic
Thermometer
Tongue depressor blades (2)
Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
Sunscreen
Aspirin
Anti-diarrhea medication
Antacid
Tagamet
Decongestant
Cough Suppressant
Space Blanket
Mole Skin & Foam
Epi-pin
Snake Bite Kit
Tools:
A portable, battery-powered radio and extra batteries
Flashlight(3), extra bulbs(6) & batteries(12)
Oil Lamps (Hurricane)
Signal flare(6)
Candles
Matches
Lighters
Waterproof Matches
Magnesium Fire Starter
Paraffin
Leather-man Tool(2)
All Purpose Knife(2)
Duct tape
Scissors
Plastic sheeting
Whistle
Small canister, A-B-C-type fire extinguisher(2)
Compass(2)
Work gloves (2)
Paper, pens, and pencils
Needles and thread (2)
Wrist Watch
Honing Stone & Oil
Hatchet
Shovel
Kitchen items:
Manual can opener
Mess kit
Fork & Spoon
Knife
Frying Pan
Pots
Plastic Forks, Spoons, Knives
Heavy Duty Paper Plates
PUR Drinking Water System
Extra filters for PUR Water Filter
Water Bottles
Propane Stove
Propane Grill
Extra Case(s) Propane
Heavy Duty Tin Foil
Trioxane Stove
Trioxane Fuel
Sterno Fuel
ZipLoc bags (Lg & Sm)
Cooler
Food:
Vitamins
Summer Sausage
Beef Jerky
Slim Jim
Peanut Butter
Hard Candy
Freeze Dried Dinners
Canned Veggies
Canned Meats
Canned Soups & Stews
Bulk Flour
Bulk Grains (Wheat, etc.)
Coffee
Tea
Sugar
Salt & Pepper
Water:
(1 gal. per person per day)
Sanitation and hygiene items:
Washcloth and towel
Towelettes
Soap
Hand sanitizer
Liquid detergent
Tooth paste and toothbrushes
Shampoo
Deodorant
Feminine Supplies
Razor
Shaving cream
Lip balm
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Heavy-duty plastic garbage bags (to go potty in)
Toilet paper
Medium-sized plastic bucket with tight lid
Disinfectant
Chlorine bleach
Shovel (for a latrine)
Documents:
Personal identification
Cash
Emergency phone numbers
Maps of the area
Misc:
Extra pair of prescription glasses
Candles
Extra set of car & house keys
Reading material, books, etc.
Games for the kids
Clothing (no cotton):
Heavy, Waterproof Boots
Wool Socks
Rain gear
Hat w/ visor
Gloves
Sunglasses
Capelin Pants (4)
Wind pants
Polypro Shirt (2)(short sleeve)
Polortek Shirt (2)(Long sleeve)
Polartek Pants (2)
Polypro Boxers(5)
Gortex/Thinsulate Parka
Gortex/Thinsulate Bibs
Shelter:
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Tent
Small Tarps
Large Tarp
Folding Chair
Nylon Cord
Weapons: (minimal needs)
City dwellers need sidearms and a Mossler or Remington pistol grip 12-guage pump shotgun, preferably with an extended under-barrel which holds seven cartridges rather than the standard five.
You can buy low-recoil, self-defense slug cartridges (one big single lead pellet), though for most uses buckshot cartridges with seven pellets (my option) would be better unless you are a good shot.
The best sidearm to have/buy is any .40 round weapon with the finest made the SigSauer. Bit pricey but with a well balanced/ weighted slide for a .40 bullet. This caliber has less stopping power than a .45 but allows more bullets in a magazine/clip. California has a 10-round limit but the larger, heavier .45 SigSauer only has an 8-round clip. Normal .40 caliber clips traditionally hold 12 rounds.
I would suggest you buy a Lasergrip for whichever brand you choose. Instead of having a laser tube at the end of your sidearm, a laser beam is built int othe handgrip of your weapon (manufactured specifically for each diferent type of handgun) and sends a beam out from above hour forefinger. (Specify left or right handed preference).
This allows for a both eyes open aiming. Point (learn how to grip and aim a sidearm), place the dot on target and do NOT try to steady it. As soon as it is about where you want it, double tap (shoot twice). It's not target practise, so if you are a two or three inches off, you will still kill the enemy. Then double tap again. Always fire two shots at a time, never single shots.
Unless, as an usual city dweller without combat experience, you are close to nearby forest or game haunts and can hunt for food, you will not need a rifle.
Nor an AK-47 or similar military type weapons unless you have experience with them or the civilian (not fully automatic) models. This is an offensive rather than defensive weapon and your neighbors with military backgrounds will probably have these to to use in a serious firefight for themselves and for you.
Hunters and countryside dwellers have their preferences on rifles, calibers and scopes and almost certainly already have weapons they use regularly, so need no advice.
Remember, firearms are just tools and tools in the wrong hands are more of a liability than an asset. If you choose to arm yourself (and I highly recommend you do), GET SOME TRAINING on the safe handling and use of them.
Hat tip FreeRepublic.com
Also the looming economic disaster our nation faces, could well have "we the people" in the streets, as in Greece, and faced with Oba-Husssein's Million Person "Civilian Security Force", which he has already begun to set up, which will report to him NOT the Constitution.
He insists they be as well (and heavily) armed and funded as our regular military, thus providing him a private , personal one million army paid for with your tax dollars to throw at "we the people"!
Pre-Event Actions:
1. Learn about the natural disasters that could occur in your community from your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter. Learn whether hazardous materials are produced, stored or transported near your area. Learn about possible consequences of deliberate acts of terror. Ask how to prepare for each potential emergency and how to respond.
2. Talk with employers and school officials about their emergency response plans.
3. Talk with your household about potential emergencies and how to respond to each. Talk about what you would need to do in an evacuation. If someone in the family has a critical job, expect them to be gone.
4. Plan how your household would stay in contact if you were separated. Identify two meeting places: the first should be near your home—in case of fire, perhaps a tree or a telephone pole; the second should be away from your neighborhood in case you cannot return home.
5. Pick a friend or relative who lives out of the area for household members to call to say they are okay.
6. Draw a floor plan of your home. Mark two escape routes from each room.
7. Post emergency telephone numbers by telephones. Teach children how and when to call 911.
8. Make sure everyone in your household knows how and when to shut off water, gas, and electricity at the main switches. Consult with your local utilities if you have questions.
9. Take a first aid and CPR class. Local American Red Cross chapters can provide information. Official certification by the American Red Cross provides “good Samaritan” law protection for those giving first aid.
10. Reduce the economic impact of disaster on your property and your household’s health and financial well-being:
Review property insurance policies before disaster strikes – make sure policies are current and be certain they meet your needs (type of coverage, amount of coverage, and hazards covered – flood, earthquake, etc.)
Protect your household’s financial well-being before a disaster strikes— review life insurance policies and consider saving money in an “emergency” savings account that could be used in any crisis. It is advisable to keep a small amount of cash or traveler’s checks at home in a safe place where you can quickly gain access to it in case of an evacuation.
Be certain that health insurance policies are current and meet the needs of your household.
11. Consider ways to help neighbors who may need special assistance, such as the elderly or the disabled.
12. Make arrangements for pets. Pets are not allowed in public shelters. Service animals for those who depend on them are allowed.
13. Ensure all immunizations are up-to-date. If we are hit with true mass causality event, the bodies may lie around for days or weeks. Rotting corpses will cause disease outbreaks.
14. If you have a disability or special need, you may have to take additional steps to protect yourself and your household in an emergency. If you know of friends or neighbors with special needs, help them with these extra precautions. Hearing impaired may need to make special arrangements to receive warning. Mobility impaired may need assistance in getting to a shelter. Households with a single working parent may need help from others both in planning for disasters and during an emergency. People without vehicles may need to make arrangements for transportation. People with special dietary needs should have an adequate emergency food supply. Find out about special assistance that may be available in your community. Register with the office of emergency services or fire department for assistance, so needed help can be provided quickly in an emergency.
15. Create a network of neighbors, relatives, friends and co-workers to aid you in an emergency. Discuss your needs and make sure they know how to operate necessary equipment.
16. If you are mobility impaired and live or work in a high-rise building, have an escape chair. If you live in an apartment building, ask the management to mark accessible exits clearly and to make arrangements to help you evacuate the building. Keep extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters, medication, food for guide or hearing-ear dogs, or other items you might need. Also, keep a list of the type and serial numbers of medical devices you need.
17. Those who are not disabled should learn who in their neighborhood or building is disabled so that they may assist them during emergencies. If you are a care-giver for a person with special needs, make sure you have a plan to communicate if an emergency occurs.
Preparedness Overview:
You may need to survive on your own for three days or more. This means having your own water, food and emergency supplies. Try using backpacks or duffel bags to keep the supplies together. Assembling the supplies you might need following a disaster is an important part of your disaster plan. You should prepare emergency supplies for the following situations:
A disaster supply kit with essential food, water, and supplies for at least three days—this kit should be kept in a designated place and be ready to “grab and go” in case you have to leave your home quickly because of a disaster, such as a flash flood or major chemical emergency. Make sure all household members know where the kit is kept.
Consider having additional supplies for sheltering or home confinement for up to four weeks.
You should also have a disaster supply kit at work. This should be in one container, ready to “grab and go” in case you have to evacuate the building. Remember to have a comfortable pair of shoes in case you need to walk long distances.
A car kit of emergency supplies, including food and water, to keep stored in your car at all times. This kit would also include flares, jumper cables, and seasonal supplies.
Stockpiling Water Safely
Stocking water reserves should be a top priority. Drinking water in emergency situations should not be rationed. Therefore, it is critical to store adequate amounts of water for your household. Individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate. A normally active person needs at least two quarts of water daily just for drinking. Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more. Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed. Because you will also need water for sanitary purposes and, possibly, for cooking, you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day.
Store water in thoroughly washed plastic, fiberglass or enamel-lined metal containers. Don’t use containers that can break, such as glass bottles. Never use a container that has held toxic substances. Sound plastic containers, such as soft drink bottles, are best. You can also purchase food grade plastic buckets or drums. Containers for water should be rinsed with a diluted bleach solution (one part bleach to ten parts water) before use. Previously used bottles or other containers may be contaminated with microbes or chemicals. Do not rely on untested devices for decontaminating water.
If your water is treated commercially by a water utility, you do not need to treat water before storing it. Additional treatments of treated public water will not increase storage life. If you have a well or public water that has not been treated, follow the treatment instructions provided by your public health service or water provider. If you suspect that your well may be contaminated, contact your local or state health department or agriculture extension agent for specific advice.
Seal your water containers tightly, label them and store them in a cool, dark place. It is important to change stored water every six months.
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PART II
Food:
If activity is reduced, healthy people can survive on half their usual food intake for an extended period or without any food for many days. Food, unlike water, may be rationed safely, except for children and pregnant women.
You don’t need to go out and buy unfamiliar foods to prepare an emergency food supply. You can use the canned foods, dry mixes and other staples on your cupboard shelves. Canned foods do not require cooking, water or special preparation. Be sure to include a manual can opener.
Keep canned foods in a dry place where the temperature is fairly cool. To protect boxed foods from pests and to extend their shelf life, store the food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers.
Replace items in your food supply every six months. Throw out any canned good that becomes swollen, dented, or corroded. Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh supplies. Date each food item with a marker. Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in front.
Food items that you might consider including in your disaster supply kit include: ready-to-eat meats, fruits, and vegetables; canned or boxed juices, milk, and soup; high-energy foods like peanut butter, jelly, low-sodium crackers, granola bars, and trail mix; vitamins; foods for infants or persons on special diets; cookies, hard candy; instant coffee, cereals, and powdered milk.
Buy a box of MRE entrée’s – 72 packages of main course MRE meals and keep them at home. They will fee a familty of four for about a week. It’s no frills eating.
You may need to survive on your own after a disaster. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it may take days. Basic services, such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones, may be cut off for days, even a week or longer. Or you may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you.
You probably won’t have the opportunity to shop or search for the supplies you’ll need. Your household will cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes.
First aid:
Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
Assorted sizes of safety pins
Isopropyl alcohol
Hydrogen peroxide
Antibiotic ointment
Latex gloves (2 pairs)
Petroleum jelly
2-inch and 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6 each size)
Triangular bandages(3)
2-inch and 3-inch sterile rolled bandages (3 rolls each)
Cotton balls
Scissors
Tweezers
Needle
Moistened towelettes
Antiseptic
Thermometer
Tongue depressor blades (2)
Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
Sunscreen
Aspirin
Anti-diarrhea medication
Antacid
Tagamet
Decongestant
Cough Suppressant
Space Blanket
Mole Skin & Foam
Epi-pin
Snake Bite Kit
Tools:
A portable, battery-powered radio and extra batteries
Flashlight(3), extra bulbs(6) & batteries(12)
Oil Lamps (Hurricane)
Signal flare(6)
Candles
Matches
Lighters
Waterproof Matches
Magnesium Fire Starter
Paraffin
Leather-man Tool(2)
All Purpose Knife(2)
Duct tape
Scissors
Plastic sheeting
Whistle
Small canister, A-B-C-type fire extinguisher(2)
Compass(2)
Work gloves (2)
Paper, pens, and pencils
Needles and thread (2)
Wrist Watch
Honing Stone & Oil
Hatchet
Shovel
Kitchen items:
Manual can opener
Mess kit
Fork & Spoon
Knife
Frying Pan
Pots
Plastic Forks, Spoons, Knives
Heavy Duty Paper Plates
PUR Drinking Water System
Extra filters for PUR Water Filter
Water Bottles
Propane Stove
Propane Grill
Extra Case(s) Propane
Heavy Duty Tin Foil
Trioxane Stove
Trioxane Fuel
Sterno Fuel
ZipLoc bags (Lg & Sm)
Cooler
Food:
Vitamins
Summer Sausage
Beef Jerky
Slim Jim
Peanut Butter
Hard Candy
Freeze Dried Dinners
Canned Veggies
Canned Meats
Canned Soups & Stews
Bulk Flour
Bulk Grains (Wheat, etc.)
Coffee
Tea
Sugar
Salt & Pepper
Water:
(1 gal. per person per day)
Sanitation and hygiene items:
Washcloth and towel
Towelettes
Soap
Hand sanitizer
Liquid detergent
Tooth paste and toothbrushes
Shampoo
Deodorant
Feminine Supplies
Razor
Shaving cream
Lip balm
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Heavy-duty plastic garbage bags (to go potty in)
Toilet paper
Medium-sized plastic bucket with tight lid
Disinfectant
Chlorine bleach
Shovel (for a latrine)
Documents:
Personal identification
Cash
Emergency phone numbers
Maps of the area
Misc:
Extra pair of prescription glasses
Candles
Extra set of car & house keys
Reading material, books, etc.
Games for the kids
Clothing (no cotton):
Heavy, Waterproof Boots
Wool Socks
Rain gear
Hat w/ visor
Gloves
Sunglasses
Capelin Pants (4)
Wind pants
Polypro Shirt (2)(short sleeve)
Polortek Shirt (2)(Long sleeve)
Polartek Pants (2)
Polypro Boxers(5)
Gortex/Thinsulate Parka
Gortex/Thinsulate Bibs
Shelter:
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Tent
Small Tarps
Large Tarp
Folding Chair
Nylon Cord
Weapons: (minimal needs)
City dwellers need sidearms and a Mossler or Remington pistol grip 12-guage pump shotgun, preferably with an extended under-barrel which holds seven cartridges rather than the standard five.
You can buy low-recoil, self-defense slug cartridges (one big single lead pellet), though for most uses buckshot cartridges with seven pellets (my option) would be better unless you are a good shot.
The best sidearm to have/buy is any .40 round weapon with the finest made the SigSauer. Bit pricey but with a well balanced/ weighted slide for a .40 bullet. This caliber has less stopping power than a .45 but allows more bullets in a magazine/clip. California has a 10-round limit but the larger, heavier .45 SigSauer only has an 8-round clip. Normal .40 caliber clips traditionally hold 12 rounds.
I would suggest you buy a Lasergrip for whichever brand you choose. Instead of having a laser tube at the end of your sidearm, a laser beam is built int othe handgrip of your weapon (manufactured specifically for each diferent type of handgun) and sends a beam out from above hour forefinger. (Specify left or right handed preference).
This allows for a both eyes open aiming. Point (learn how to grip and aim a sidearm), place the dot on target and do NOT try to steady it. As soon as it is about where you want it, double tap (shoot twice). It's not target practise, so if you are a two or three inches off, you will still kill the enemy. Then double tap again. Always fire two shots at a time, never single shots.
Unless, as an usual city dweller without combat experience, you are close to nearby forest or game haunts and can hunt for food, you will not need a rifle.
Nor an AK-47 or similar military type weapons unless you have experience with them or the civilian (not fully automatic) models. This is an offensive rather than defensive weapon and your neighbors with military backgrounds will probably have these to to use in a serious firefight for themselves and for you.
Hunters and countryside dwellers have their preferences on rifles, calibers and scopes and almost certainly already have weapons they use regularly, so need no advice.
Remember, firearms are just tools and tools in the wrong hands are more of a liability than an asset. If you choose to arm yourself (and I highly recommend you do), GET SOME TRAINING on the safe handling and use of them.
Hat tip FreeRepublic.com
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