News Never Revealed Inside the US! Reality Check, Please

That exceedingly prolific writer, Anonymous, left this comment on "Jimmy Carter, Condoleezza Rice, and Paying Attention" (April 22, 2008):

"Anonymous said...

what is your opinion on,

http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=80718&videoChannel=1

news never revealed inside the US one wonders why?"

---

Here's that URL, as a link: http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=80718&videoChannel=1

My opinion is that this is a pretty good piece of Reuters reporting.

And, I love those cultured British accents.

As to "news never revealed inside the US one wonders why?" - that presupposes that the news was never revealed inside the US.

Here's a reality check, from a few minutes with Google:

• "Hamas offers truce in return for 1967 borders"
  msnbc (April. 21, 2008)
  Excerpt:
  "Khaled Mashaal told The Associated Press that he made the offer to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter in talks on Saturday. "We have offered a truce if Israel withdraws to the 1967 borders, a truce of 10 years as a proof of recognition," Mashaal said.
  "In his comments Monday, Mashaal used the Arabic word "hudna," meaning truce, which is more concrete than "tahdiya" — a period of calm — which Hamas often uses to describe a simple cease-fire."
• "Hamas Leader Vows Not to Recognize Israel After Carter Trumpets Terror Group's Willingness to Be Good 'Neighbor'"
  FOXNews (April 21, 2008)
  Excerpt:
  "Just hours after former President Jimmy Carter trumpeted Hamas' agreement to let Israel "live as a neighbor," the same terrorist leader he met with face-to-face vowed not to recognize the Jewish state.
  "But Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal did offer Israel a 10-year truce if it withdraws from all lands it seized in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war."
• "Carter says Hamas willing to be Israel's neighbor"
  NPR (April 21, 2008)
  Excerpt:
  "Hamas, which advocates Israel's destruction, instead recycled previous offers, including a 10-year truce if Israel takes the unlikely step of withdrawing from the West Bank and Jerusalem first.
  "Hamas has repeatedly confounded observers with its conflicting messages. Actions on the ground — seven rockets were fired on Israel from Hamas-ruled Gaza Monday, including one that wounded a 4-year-old boy — contradicted the Islamic militant group's positive words about coexistence and a truce."

I don't fault Anonymous with not being aware of the relatively heavy coverage of Former President Carter's meetings with Hamas leaders and others in the Middle East. Besides, Anonymous may be technically accurate. I have not seen the Reuters video used by American news media, nor have I seen an exact copy of the Reuters text. American news services often use Associated Press news copy.

'Everyone knows' that American news media show only one side of the Middle East issues: so why spend a few minutes on one of the world's biggest search engines to confirm that?

Related posts, on censorship, propaganda, and freedom of speech.

Jimmy Carter, Condoleezza Rice, and Paying Attention

There's a specialty T-shirt with a message that I really liked: haven't seen it in years. The front looked something like this: Today's news reminded me of that shirt:

"Rice criticizes Carter over talks with Hamas"
MSNBC.com (April 22, 2008)

Excerpts: "In an interview with NPR, Carter said the State Department did not warn him off the trip. A State Department spokesman in Washington took issue with that on Monday, and Rice was more blunt in her account Tuesday."

"Attending a regional meeting on Iraq's security and future Tuesday, Rice contradicted Carter's assertions that he never got a clear signal from the State Department. Rice told reporters that the United States thought the visit could confuse the message that the country will not deal with Hamas.

" 'I just don't want there to be any confusion,' Rice said. 'The United States is not going to deal with Hamas and we had certainly told President Carter that we did not think meeting with Hamas was going to help' further a political settlement between Israel and the Palestinians."

In terms of diplomacy, the trip wasn't a complete wash: "Carter says top Hamas leaders told him during seven hours of talks in Damascus over the weekend that they are willing to live next to Israel, but a top Hamas official said the group would never outright recognize the Jewish state."

Maybe we should be more understanding of Former President Jimmy Carter's position, in light of his statement on NPR.

Mr Carter really wanted to go on that trip, and meet with Hamas leaders. And, he's a man.

Most women will recognize that there are men who, once they decide that they want something, either can't or won't listen to any verbal communication.

That's why they carry Tasers and cans of Mace, and learn martial arts.

---

A previous post, which touched on what the State Department and Congress did, trying to get Mr. Carter's attention: "Former President Carter, Hamas, Khalid Meshaal: Definitely Not Routine" (April 17, 2008).

Related posts, on Individuals and the War on Terror.

Carter the Peacemaker: Carter-Hamas Talks Bring Hope of Peace!

Well, maybe.

"Carter, Hamas Meetings Produce 3-Point Peace Proposal
FOXNews (April 19, 2008)

The first two paragraphs:

• "Former President Jimmy Carter's controversial meetings with Hamas leaders have produced a draft of a three-point peace agreement that includes a ceasefire with Israel, Hamas officials tell FOX News, but it isn't clear whether such a proposal would have any standing in the peace process.
• "Carter met again on Saturday with the exiled leader of the militant Hamas group and his deputy, without backing from the Bush administration and against the wishes of Israeli leaders. The two Palestinians are considered terrorists by the U.S. government and Israel accuses them of masterminding attacks that have killed hundreds of civilians."

But, hey: nobody's perfect.

Besides, just because Hamas strapped explosives on 250 people, wound them up, pointed them toward Jews, and saw to it that they blew up: that doesn't mean that Hamas can't be a nice, civil, participant in the peace process, right?

We'll see.

The next stop for Carter the Peacemaker is Saudi Arabia.

I can hardly wait to see what happens there.

More, about Carter and Hamas, in

• "Hamas claims second Carter meeting"
  CNN (April 19, 2008)
  Mr. Carter seems to be in Saudi Arabia now, and has met with King Abdullah
• "Carter meets exiled Hamas leaders branded as terrorists by the US government"
  International Herald Tribune (April 19, 2008)
  News about the meetings, and some background

Related posts, on Individuals and the War on Terror.

Former President Carter's Peace Trip: What You See Depends on Where You Stand

There are many ways of looking at Former President Carter's trip to the Middle East, and his meetings with Hamas leaders.

I thought it might be informative to pull together a few excerpts: from an earlier post, and from a discussion thread.

---

"Former President Carter and Hamas: Doesn't Anyone Think This is a Good Idea?"
BlogCatalog discussion thread (started April 18, 2008)

Excerpts:

• Other
  "That said, I see no harm in Carter's meetings with any group, or representatives of any group. He is not officially representing the U.S. government or any other formal body; he is doing this as a private citizen, albeit one who has a unique perspective on the many facets of the situation given that he is a former U.S. president.
  "I think that blanket prohibitions on 'talking with terrorists' (i.e., people currently/officially labeled as terrorists) is not a wise policy -- not just for the U.S., but for any nation. 'Talking with' does not necessarily equate with 'negotiating with,' for one thing. I cannot see how listening to the other side, as it were, is a bad thing."
• Me
  "America is a country where it's not unusual to have several former presidents alive, and active in non-presidential affairs. Mr. Carter's own involvement with Habitat for Humanity is an example.
  "It's hard to shake the impression that some parts of the world are run along more traditional lines, and that the latest ruler is well-advised to make sure that the previous ruler is tried and executed promptly: along with the top few levels of the previous ruler's support staff.
  "People in countries which are run along such traditional lines may, I think, have trouble understanding that a former - and living - ruler (president, in this case) has no power to negotiate, and does not represent a 'power behind the throne.'
  "In a related vein, I've already read a headline that reads "Israel negotiating with Hamas through Carter" - based on a message sent to Hamas via the former president."
• Other
  "Re your concerns about how Carter's role would be perceived vis-à-vis what you call "more traditional" governments or ruling bodies, I don't think that's a problem. In contrast to some prevailing stereotypes, most leaders in that part of the world are very astute and well educated -- and if they are not, then they have at hand advisors who are."

---

Excerpts from an earlier post on this blog:

• "Thanks to Eli Yishai's gesture, though, I think that this is what we'll be told about the Carter-Meshaal meeting: 'Israel negotiating with Hamas through Carter' (Ya Libnan (April 18, 2008))."
• " 'Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he did not meet Carter so as not to create the impression that he was negotiating with the Islamic militants. Israel considers Hamas a terrorist group.' "

(Terrorists, Shmerrorists: I'm Here for Peace, Man!
Jimmy Carter and Khalid Meshaal Meeting Today (April 18, 2008))

Related posts, on Individuals and the War on Terror.

Carter Meetings Proof: Hamas a National Liberation Movement? Reality Check, Please

Former President Jimmy Carter's one-man peace initiative continues today.

This morning's news had some remarkable items. For starters, Hamas now has legitimacy, the American administration's policies are crumbling, and Palestinians are worse off than any group in Africa.

Reality Check, Please!

There's more to discuss in the news than what I'm going to write about, but another wave of, ah, information, is coming, and I've got to get ready to deal with that. So, here are my highlights.

Hamas: a Legitimate National Liberation Movement?

I don't think it's much of a surprise that the Carter meetings prove that Hamas is a National Liberation Movement. At least, according to prominent leaders in the region.

That's what Gaza Hamas leader, Mushir Al-Masri, said:

"Hamas officials have said the meetings with Carter have accorded the group legitimacy. Mushir Al-Masri, one of the group's leaders in Gaza, said the meetings with Carter were proof that Hamas was not a terrorist group, but a national liberation movement. According to him, countries and groups are beginning to understand that Hamas is a power to reckon with and the region will not have calm or stability without engaging the group. 'It confirms the failure of the US and European policies of ignoring Hamas,' he said. 'It confirms that all the countries that assume Hamas is a terrorist group should reconsider.' "
("Carter Defies Israeli & US Warnings, Meets Khaled Meshaal in Damascus" Arab News (April 19, 2008)) [emphasis mine]

But Carter is just a private citizen, right?

He doesn't represent the American government, right?

Or Israel, either, right?

Right. Just the same, this is what we're reading:

Carter-Hamas Meeting Proves American Administration's Policy Failure?

"Muhammad Nazzal, a top figure in the group's [Hamas] political bureau, endorsed Al-Masri's comments.

" 'Political isolation of Hamas by the American administration has begun to crumble,' he told reporters after the Carter-Meshaal meeting.

"Carter earlier met Syrian President Bashar Assad. Syrian news agency SANA said they discussed the peace process and relations between the two countries.

"The two men expressed 'their support for dialogue in arriving at political solutions to problems' and considered it important to 'mobilize efforts to reduce the suffering of the Palestinians and to lift the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip.'

"Carter insists he is not acting as a mediator and has been urging talks with Hamas and Syria, saying peace cannot be reached without them.

" 'I think it's absolutely crucial that in a final dreamed-about and prayed-for peace agreement for this region that Hamas be involved and that Syria be involved,' he said in Tel Aviv.

"Carter in Cairo on Thursday described Israel's siege of the Gaza Strip as a crime and an atrocity. He said Palestinians in Gaza were being 'starved to death,' receiving fewer calories a day than people in the poorest parts of Africa.

" 'It's an atrocity that is being perpetrated as punishment on the people in Gaza,' he said."
("Carter meets top Hamas leader" IRNA (April 19, 2008)) [emphasis mine] [Comparison of the Arab News and IRNA articles show interesting parallels.]

It doesn't matter that "Carter insists he is not acting as a mediator and has been urging talks with Hamas and Syria, saying peace cannot be reached without them."

" 'Political isolation of Hamas by the American administration has begun to crumble,' " according to a VIP in the Middle East - and that's the line that the news is taking.

Former President Jimmy Carter's meetings with Hamas leaders, including Khaled Meshaal, proves that the American government is unwilling to use force against a former president. Whether the meetings prove that "Political isolation of Hamas by the American administration has begun to crumble," as Muhammad Nazzal said: that remains to be seen.

I do think that these remarkable proclamations of legitimacy and crumbling were predictable consequences of Mr. Carter's actions.

Reality Check: Calories per Day

Former President Jimmy Carter is, clearly, a compassionate man.

As that article in IRNA said:

"Carter in Cairo on Thursday described Israel's siege of the Gaza Strip as a crime and an atrocity. He said Palestinians in Gaza were being 'starved to death,' receiving fewer calories a day than people in the poorest parts of Africa.

" 'It's an atrocity that is being perpetrated as punishment on the people in Gaza,' he said."

Here's a bit of advice for persuasive speakers: Don't mix facts and emotion, unless the facts support your view!

Mr. Carter is, I think, genuinely compassionate. He is not, however, very well informed.

Someone made a serious mistake last month, in "Slaughter in Gaza- the Warsaw Ghetto of the 21st Century" (UNITYblogNZ.com / Hosted by Socialist Worker-New Zealand in the interests of broad left unity (March 2, 2008)). The post itself is a well-done example of persuasive writing, described - among other things - the appalling and horrible manner in which the Jews are oppressing and starving the Palestinians.

There was the usual:

"ALL OUT-
GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION
AGAINST WAR AND OCCUPATION
12 noon MARCH 15th
AOTEA SQUARE, AUCKLAND

(a) End the occupation of Iraq
(b) Freedom for Palestine
(c) No NZ Troops in Afghanistan"

Then, in a section headed, "Warsaw Ghetto and Gaza: Disturbing Parallels Commentary: Steve Hutcheson, Arab News," I read a heartfelt appeal for the poor, suffering Palestinians. It included this paragraph:

"The Nazis reduced the average calorie intake of the Jewish inhabitants of the ghetto to 241 calories per day. So too have the Israelis reduced the calorie intake of the Palestinians in Gaza. According to a UN report, it is presently at 61 percent of the average daily requirements."

Big, big mistake. It's a well-written post: plenty of pathos; gobs of gut-wrenching descriptions of human misery heaped on oppressed masses by Jewish (and American) oppressors.

That paragraph is acceptable, in the context of that post. However, it contains numbers, and a comparison.

The post itself doesn't suffer. But, by introducing facts into a discourse on the plight of the Palestinians, it put a spike strip on the information highway: one that Former President Carter hit.

Sub-Standard Diets: Some Facts

I put a little chart together, based on resources I found today, about people with sub-standard diets:

		K. Calories/Day
	WFP Minimum Daily Requirement	2,100
	Ghetto Jews	241
	Palestinians	*1,281
	Darfuris, 2006	1,050
	Darfuris, 2008**	1,242

* 1,281 is 61 percent of 2,100.
** The situation in Darfur has changed since 2006. It's now about 1,242 kilocalories per day per person. ("UN cuts food rations in Darfur" Thaindian News (April 18, 2008))

Okay. Palestinians are getting about as many calories as an Americans on some freak diet, and Darfuris. Not good. And, maybe it is the fault of the Jews: although I don't entirely buy that.

Numbers for the minimum daily requirement, and the Darfuris' diet, are from the Environment News Service:

"U.S. Lawmakers Arrested at Sudanese Embassy Protesting Darfur Genocide"
Environment News Service (May 1, 2006)

"The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said Friday that a severe shortage of funds has forced it to make drastic cuts in food rations to displace Darfuris starting today.

"By reducing the daily rations to as little as 1,050 kilocalories, half the minimum daily requirement of 2,100 kilocalories per person, WFP says its limited food stocks will last longer during the 'hunger season,' the annual period from July to September when needs are the greatest before the next harvest."

Darfuris? Who's That? Darfur is a part of western Sudan, where people are being starved to death. It's a major scandal, or it should be.

There is, however, an important difference between Darfur and Gaza. "The Jews" can be blamed for the Gaza problems. The Darfur region is part of Sudan, and Sudan is not run by Jews.

I can't help think that this may part of the reason why it took so long for Darfur to get in the news, and why we hear so much about Gaza and the Palestinians.

Now, there's more in the news about Carter the Peacemaker.

Related posts, on Individuals and the War on Terror.

Terrorists, Shmerrorists: I'm Here for Peace, Man! Jimmy Carter and Khalid Meshaal Meeting Today

Former President Jimmy Carter is trying to bring peace to the Middle East, by meeting with leaders of a terrorist organization. A noble goal, although I think that Former President Carter either doesn't understand what's happened in the last several decades, or doesn't care.

Terrorists, Shmerrorists: I'm Here for Peace!

Former President Jimmy Carter is in Syria today, meeting with a terrorist leader, presumably in the interests of a lasting peace in the Middle East.

A fine sentiment. And, I think, an achievable goal. Eventually. But not by making nice to terrorists.

Lately, I've found myself agreeing with people that I generally don't. Connecticut's Senator Joseph Lieberman joined the list yesterday. As Newsmax.com put it,
" Lieberman told Fox News on Thursday that 'at best, President Carter is being naive' for reaching out to a group directly linked to terrorism.

" 'There is a long list of people who thought they could reason with dictators and killers, going back to Neville Chamberlain and Hitler in the 1930s, but it has been shown to be absolutely wrong,' Lieberman said."

Attacking Neville Chamberlain after the effects of his "peace for our time" became obvious may be a sort of Monday morning quarterbacking. I think it's possible that Mr. Chamberlain was a well-intentioned, optimistic man who didn't understand what he was dealing with.

I think that Mr. Carter may have some of the same qualities.

There are differences, of course.

• Mr. Chamberlain was an official representative of a government, sent by that government to negotiate
• Mr. Carter has been asked by several sectors of the American government to not do what he's doing with Hamas
• Hitler's Germany did not, at the time of Chamberlain's meeting, have a decades-long track record of unwanted behavior
• Hamas does

Now, I read that an Israeli cabinet minister wants Jimmy Carter to pass a message to Hamas. What makes this remarkable is that Israel, with better reasons than most, is participating in the international isolation of Hamas.

The Israeli minister has a noble goal: freeing a prisoner or two. As the International Herald Tribune put it, "Cabinet Minister Eli Yishai says Friday that he asked former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to tell Hamas he wants to talk to the militant group. Yishai wants to win the release of a captured Israeli soldier. The minister says he wouldn't discuss a Israel-Gaza fighting so as not to go against a government ban on negotiating with Hamas."

I sympathize with cabinet minister Eli Yishai, but I think that Israel's prime minister has the right idea. Again, from the International Herald Tribune, "Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he did not meet Carter so as not to create the impression that he was negotiating with the Islamic militants. Israel considers Hamas a terrorist group."

Thanks to Eli Yishai's gesture, though, I think that this is what we'll be told about the Carter-Meshaal meeting: "Israel negotiating with Hamas through Carter" (Ya Libnan (April 18, 2008)). (I recommend the Ya Libnan post, for a more-than-usually detailed look at the Carter-Meshaal-Yishai-Hamas-Israel matter.)

Nevile Chamberlain's name has come up from time to time, in the context of imprudent negotiations and concessions involving terrorists. I do think that Former President Jimmy Carter's un-negotiations with terrorists permits - even encourages - a comparison between the wisdom of Carter and Chamberlain.

When I heard about the Israeli cabinet minister and Carter, I thought we might have another parallel between a prominent individual from the WWII era and someone in current events.

Actions Make a Difference: So Do Motives

I was relieved to read more about Cabinet Minister Eli Yishai and his communications with Hamas. Ya Libnan quoted him in the post I cited before: " 'I am ready to meet with all necessary Hamas members and with Shalit's captors, and I would be pleased if you can help,' Yishai told Carter at their meeting on Monday. 'I am volunteering myself for the task, and I ask you to convey a message: They also have prisoners and I am sure they want to see them released, and therefore it is proper to expedite the negotiations.' "

However, "Yishai opposes negotiating with the Palestinian leadership, led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, over a permanent-status arrangement, especially regarding Jerusalem."

Cabinet Minister Yishai seems to have some understanding of Israel's position, and concern for Israel's integrity.

That's a relief. Hearing that an Israeli official wanted to talk with terrorists whose policy is to obliterate Israel, I considered the possibility that we were looking at someone who was making personal arrangements with what he thought might be the winning side.

Flexibility and Treason: There's Difference

When I heard that an Israeli official was slipping a message to Hamas via Carter, I immediately thought of a prominent individual from the World War II era. As Germany, led by their new Chancellor and his party, took over management of European nations which it saw as insufficiently Aryan, some people decided to adapt to what they probably thought was the new big power.

In Norway, a man who admired Chancellor Hitler and his policies had pointed out the advantages of assuming control of Norway. After Germany added Norway to it's holdings, this man made himself Norway's leader, and told Norway's armed forces to stop resisting the Germans.

Although I generally approve of flexibility and adaptability in leaders, I think that this man made the wrong decisions. And I'm not alone. Instead of receiving a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to bring about a swift end of the war in Norway, this man was tried and executed, after the Norwegian resistance and the Allies ended WWII.

This man did, however, receive a sort of recognition for his efforts. His surname is now synonymous with "traitor" in some circles: Vidkum Quisling.

Related posts, on Individuals and the War on Terror.

Individuals and the War on Terror

Although I acknowledge the importance of vast socio-economic forces and other metacauses, I also think that individuals make a difference. In the War on Terror, some people stand out.

• President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran
• American Armed Forces
• American Civilians
• Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan
• The Holy Father
• Iraqi Leaders
• Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
• Osama bin Laden, from Saudi Arabia
• Stanislav Petrov, the man who saved the world
  (From 1983: before 9/11, a tale of one man's common sense and willingness to think.)

---

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran

• "Ahmadinejad Wants America to Apologize: This is News?"
  (January 28, 2009)
• "Barack Obama's Presidency: History Being Made"
  (November 6, 2008)
  (President Ahmadinejad congratulates, advises President-Elect Obama)
• "Barack Obama's Presidency: History Being Made"
  (November 6, 2008)
• "Resolutions "Worthless Papers"
  - Iran's President Ahmadinejad"
  (October 24, 2007)
• "Iran's New Nuclear Negotiator"
  (October 21, 2007)
• "Iran and Russia and Germany and Japan"
  (October 19, 2007)
• "Russia's Putin and Iran's Ahmadinejad: More Complications"
  (October 16, 2007)
• "Students Demonstrating Against the President: in Iran"
  (October 10, 2007)
• "Ahmadinejad's Plan for Peace: Banish the Jews to Alaska"
  (October 7, 2007)
• "Kidnapped Israeli Soldier's Wife Asked Wrong Question at UN"
  (September 27, 2007)
• "President Ahmadinejad: Let's Give Him the Credit He Deserves"
  (September 26, 2007)
• "President Ahmadinejad at Columbia University: The Transcript"
  (September 25, 2007)
• "Ahmadinejad at Columbia, What Happened?"
  (September 24, 2007)
• "Ahmadinejad at Columbia University - Part 2 - There are No Homosexuals in Iran?!"
  (September 24, 2007)
• "Ahmadinejad at Columbia University - Part 1"
  (September 24, 2007)
• "Columbia President Introduces Ahmadinejad at Columbia University"
  (September 24, 2007)
• "Let Ahmadinejad Speak? Of Course!"
  (September 24, 2007)
• "President Ahmadinejad Arrives Not-So-Quietly at Columbia University"
  (September 24, 2007)
• "President Ahmadinejad Arrives Quietly in New York"
  (September 23, 2007)
• "Columbia, President Ahmadinejad, and Tolerance"
  (September 23, 2007)

American Armed Forces

• "Michael Jackson and 1st Lieutenant Brian N. Bradshaw: One's News, the Other's Not"
  (July 7, 2009)
• "A Bank Robbery in Texas, Donald Murrah and David Long"
  (March 12, 2009)
• Navy Petty Officer Mike Monsoor
  
  • "Navy Petty Officer Mike Monsoor and the Trident Hoax"
    (March 11, 2009)
  • "Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor: American Hero"
    (March 31, 2008)
  • "Golden Tridents on Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor's Coffin"
    (July 5, 2008)
  • "Michael Anthony Monsoor: Above and Beyond the Call of Duty"
    (April 8, 2008)
  • "Michael Monsoor to Receive Posthumus Medal of Honor"
    (April 2, 2008)
  • "Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor: American Hero"
    (March 31, 2008)
• "Melissa Stockwell: Representing America, Again
  (September 6, 2008)
• "There are Heroes - Ross A. McGinnis"
  (June 2, 2008)
• Gunnery Sergeant William "Spanky" Gibson
  "Crippled Marine Marches Back to Iraq, Wants to Help"
  (February 28, 2008)
• Marine 1st Lieutenant Nathan Krissoff
  Marine 2nd Lieutenant Austin Krissoff
  Lieutenant Commander Bill Krissoff
  "A Father Honors Fallen Son"
  (November 28, 2007)
• Specialist Christopher Hoyt
  "There are Heroes"
  (November 19, 2007)
• Lance Corporal Matthew A. Snyder, Albert Snyder:
  • "Individuals Count: See the Snyders"
    (November 1, 2007)
  • "Tolerance Only Goes So Far"
    (October 31, 2007)
  • "Does Free Speech Include Disrupting Funerals?"
    (October 26, 2007)
• Lieutenant Michael Murphy, U.S. Seal
  "The World Needs Heroes -"
  (October 22, 2007)

American Civilians

• "Bruce Maloy, Thank You"
  (March 13, 2009)
• "Dog Tags for Kids: That's One Good Idea"
  (December 26, 2008)
• Former President Jimmy Carter
  (starting April 9, 2008)
  • "News Never Revealed Inside the US! Reality Check, Please"
    (April 22, 2008)
  • "Jimmy Carter, Condoleezza Rice, and Paying Attention"
    (April 22, 2008)
  • "Carter the Peacemaker: Carter-Hamas Talks Bring Hope of Peace!"
    (April 19, 2008)
  • "Former President Carter's Peace Trip: What You See Depends on Where You Stand"
    (April 19, 2008)
  • "Carter Meetings Proof: Hamas a National Liberation Movement! Reality Check, Please"
    (April 19, 2008)
  • "Terrorists, Shmerrorists: I'm Here for Peace, Man!
    Jimmy Carter and Khalid Meshaal Meeting Today"
    (April 18, 2008)
  • "Former President Carter, Hamas, Khalid Meshaal: Definitely Not Routine"
    (April 17, 2008)
  • "Hugs and Kisses: To Hamas, From Former President Carter"
    (April 15)
  • "Jimmy Carter and the Blogosphere"
    (April 11, 2008)
  • "Khaled Meshaal, Jimmy Carter, and the News: Why the 24 Hour Delay?"
    (April 10, 2008)
  • "Khaled Meshaal; Jimmy Carter; Common Sense: Which of These Doesn't Match the Other Two?"
    (April 10, 2008)
  • "Jimmy Carter's Mid East Jaunt"
    (April 9, 2008)
• "Peach Bottom Nuclear Plant: Security was the Pits"
  (February 28, 2008)
• " 'Cowboy Diplomacy' and 'Live Long and Prosper' "
  (October 29, 2007)

Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan

• "Bhutto's Assassination Anniversary: Claims, Wild and Otherwise"
  (December 27, 2008)
• " 'Democracy is the Best Revenge' "
  (September 6, 2008)
• "Bhutto: A Son of bin Laden Planned My Death"
  (February 3, 2008)
• "Bhutto Assassination: Gun = Government Involvement?" (January 2, 2008)
• "Pakistan and the Bhutto Assassination: A New-and-Improved Official Explanation"
  (January 1, 2008)
• "Pakistan is not America"
  (December 30, 2007)
• "Brave Words, Prudent Words"
  (December 30, 2007)
• "After Benazir Bhutto: Grassroots Looters, Official spinmeisters"
  (December 28, 2007)
• "Pyrrhic Victory, Anyone? Another Thought on the Bhutto Assassination"
  (December 28, 2007)
• "Al Qaeda: We Killed Bhutto"
  (December 28, 2007)
• "Benazir Bhutto's Assassination and Nawaz Sharif's Near-Miss: It Could be Worse"
  (December 27, 2007)
• "Benzir Bhutto, June 21, 1953 – December 27, 2007"
  (December 27, 2007)
• "Pakistani Government Promises Objective Investigation of its Involvement in Bhutto Assassination Attempt"
  (October 22, 2007)
• "Bhutto, Bombs, and Curious Coincidences"
  (October 19, 2007)
  
• "'Long Live Bhutto' Banner: Why English?"
  (October 19, 2007)
  
• "Pakistan Politics: Bhutto Bombed"
  (October 18, 2007)

The Holy Father

• "Spiritual Leader of 1,000,000,000 Doesn't Meet With Los Angeles Advocate!"
  (April 15, 2008)
• "Pope Visits America: News and Adequate Coverage"
  (April 15, 2008)
• "Pope Benedict XVI is Coming to America"
  (April 14, 2008)
• "The Pope Comes to America: A Prediction in a Very Catholic Post"
  (April 13, 2008)
• "America is in Good Company: Bin Laden Slams Pope, Too"
  (March 20, 2008)
• " 'Pope attacks Iran at Jewish Congress' "
  (October 13, 2007)
• "Muslim Leaders Call For Dialog! Pope Told "Survival of World" at Stake!!"
  (October 12, 2007)

Iraqi Leaders

• "Ten Iraqi Sheiks Kidnapped: Who's Promoting Islam Here?"
  (October 28, 2007)
• "Stressed-Out by Iraq? You're Not the Only One"
  Sheikh Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, Sheik Majid Tahir
  (September 16, 2007)

Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

• "Putin, Ahmadinejad, Iran, Syria, Israel: Here We Go Again?"
  (October 18, 2007)
• "Wisdom (?) From Iran: Boycott Peace Conference"
  (October 13, 2007)
• "When Iran's Disappointed, Bad Things Happen"
  (September 29, 2007)
• " 'Quagmire,' the Revolutionary Guard, and the News"
  (August 19, 2007)

Osama bin Laden, from Saudi Arabia

• "Osama bin Laden: Something Old, Something New"
  (October 23, 2007)
• "SITE, Osama bin Laden, and Online Security: What Part of "Secret" Doesn't Washington Understand?"
  (October 9, 2007)
• "القـُدْس - Al Quds - Death to Israel, Death to America, and All That"
  (October 6, 2007)
• "Osama bin Laden, Superstar!"
  (September 11, 2007)
• "Osama bin Laden: Media Star"
  (September 10, 2007)
• "When Osama Talks, People Listen"
  (September 8, 2007)
• "Bin Laden's New Video"
  (September 7, 2007)
• "Muslims Fear American Attack, Global Survey Finds!!!"
  (July 27, 2007)

Stanislav Petrov, the man who saved the world

• "Common Sense Knows No Boundaries: Neither does Bureaucratic Vindictiveness"
  (February 14, 2008)