The states also have their own asset seizure laws. During the summers when I wasn’t teaching, I would return to California and work with some law enforcement units. One summer, I think it was 1989 or 1990, I was working with the Riverside Sheriff’s narcotics unit when we raided the home of a 19-year-old meth dealer. The sheriff’s department seized his sumptuous two-story home with its large swimming pool, a one-story recreation building containing a pool table and professional video game consoles, two custom corvettes and all the expensive home furnishings, crystal collections, china figurines, grandfather clock and a foul mouthed parrot. That’s right, he was only 19 years old. Who said crime doesn’t pay?
DOJ’S EXPANDING POWER TO SEIZE ASSETS SPARKS CONCERNS
By Nathan Koppel
The Wall Street Journal
August 22, 2011
The statistics are jarring.
There are now nearly 400 federal laws that empower the federal government to seize assets from convicted criminals as well as those never charged with crimes, a near-doubling of asset-seizure laws since the 1990s.
And last year, law enforcement seized more than $2.5 billion, a haul that has more than doubled over the last five years.
The Wall Street Journal cites these figures as a part of a deep dive today into the world of asset forfeiture, a federal power that critics on the left (the ACLU) and right (the Heritage Foundation) regard as a growing threat to innocent people.
Forfeiture laws are designed to take ill-gotten gains away from criminals and help the government dismantle criminal enterprises.
But of concern to some is the fact that the federal government has the power in certain instances to seize assets without filing criminal charges against the owner of the assets. While people have the power to challenge asset forfeitures in court, they have to be able to afford a lawyer to do so.
Last year, claimants challenged more than 1,800 civil-forfeiture actions in federal court, according to Justice Department figures, WSJ reports.
But Justice Department officials told WSJ that they rarely lose such cases, a fact they cite as evidence that the system is working properly. Forfeiture attorneys, meanwhile, counter that the government often settles cases, returning at least part of the seized assets, if it thinks it might lose.
Another red flag to critics is the fact that the federal government can share seized assets with cooperating state and local law enforcement agencies, which can then use seized funds at their discretion, WSJ reports, noting that the federal government paid out more than $500 million last year to local law enforcement agencies, a figure that had risen about 75% from a decade ago.
In times of fiscal austerity, the police have an incentive to seize first and ask questions later, critics contend. (Here’s an earlier blog post about a Texas district attorney who improperly used seized assets to boost the pay of his employees.)
Justice Department officials say that seized assets are monitored closely to ensure that they are being used properly.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
OLNY SRMAT POELPE CAN RAED THIS
I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in what oredr the ltteers in a word are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is that the first and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
WELCOME TO HELL
June 1st:
Just moved to Texas!
Now this is a state that knows how to live!!
Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings.
What a place!
It is beautiful.
I've finally found my home.
I love it here.
June 14th:
Really heating up.
Got to 100 degrees today. Not a problem.
Live in an air-conditioned home, drive an air- conditioned car.
What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this.
I'm turning into a sun worshipper.
June 30th:
Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today.
Lots of cactus and rocks.
What a breeze to maintain.
No more mowing the lawn for me.
Another scorcher today, but I love it here.
July 10th:
The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week.
How do people get used to this kind of heat?
At least it's kind of windy though. But getting used to the heat is taking longer than I expected.
July 15th:
Fell asleep by the community pool.
Got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body.
Missed 3 days of work.
What a dumb thing to do.
I learned my lesson though.
Got to respect the ol' sun in a climate like this.
July 20th:
I missed my cat, Lomita, sneaking into the car when I left this morning.
By the time I got to the hot car at noon, Lomita had died and swollen up to the size of a shopping bag, then popped like a water balloon.
The car now smells like Kibbles and Shits.
I learned my lesson though.
No more pets in this heat.
Good ol' Mr. Sun strikes again..
July 25th:
The wind sucks.
It feels like a giant fucking blow dryer!!
And it's hot as hell.
The home air-conditioner stopped working and the AC repairman charged $200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts.
July 30th:
Been sleeping outside on the patio for 3 nights now.
$225,000 house and I can't even go inside.
Lomita is the lucky one.
Why did I ever come here?
August 1st:
It's 105 degrees.
Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today.
It cost $500 and gets the temperature down to 85.
I hate this fucking state.
August 3rd:
If another wise guy cracks, 'Hot enough for you today?,' I'm going to strangle him...
Fucking heat!
By the time I get to work, the radiator is boiling over, my clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like baked cat!!
August 5th:
Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts.
When I sat on the seats in the car, I thought my butt was on fire.
My skin melted to the seat.
I lost 2 layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs and butt.
Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried butt and baked cat.
Aug 6th:
The weather report might as well be a fucking recording.
Hot and sunny...Hot and sunny...Hot and sunny...
And the weatherman says it might really warm up next week.
Doesn't it ever rain in this fucking state?
Water rationing has been on the last six weeks.
My $1,700 worth of cactus might just dry up and blow over.
Even the cactus can't live in this fucking heat.
August 8th:
Welcome to HELL!
Temperature got to 110 today. Cactus are dead.
Forgot to crack the window and blew the damn windshield out of the car.
The installer came to fix it and guess what he asked me???
"Hot enough for you today?"
August 10th
My sister had to spend $1,500 to bail me out of jail.
Fucking Texas...
What kind of a sick demented idiot would want to live here??
Will write later to let you know how the trial goes...
Just moved to Texas!
Now this is a state that knows how to live!!
Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings.
What a place!
It is beautiful.
I've finally found my home.
I love it here.
June 14th:
Really heating up.
Got to 100 degrees today. Not a problem.
Live in an air-conditioned home, drive an air- conditioned car.
What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this.
I'm turning into a sun worshipper.
June 30th:
Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today.
Lots of cactus and rocks.
What a breeze to maintain.
No more mowing the lawn for me.
Another scorcher today, but I love it here.
July 10th:
The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week.
How do people get used to this kind of heat?
At least it's kind of windy though. But getting used to the heat is taking longer than I expected.
July 15th:
Fell asleep by the community pool.
Got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body.
Missed 3 days of work.
What a dumb thing to do.
I learned my lesson though.
Got to respect the ol' sun in a climate like this.
July 20th:
I missed my cat, Lomita, sneaking into the car when I left this morning.
By the time I got to the hot car at noon, Lomita had died and swollen up to the size of a shopping bag, then popped like a water balloon.
The car now smells like Kibbles and Shits.
I learned my lesson though.
No more pets in this heat.
Good ol' Mr. Sun strikes again..
July 25th:
The wind sucks.
It feels like a giant fucking blow dryer!!
And it's hot as hell.
The home air-conditioner stopped working and the AC repairman charged $200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts.
July 30th:
Been sleeping outside on the patio for 3 nights now.
$225,000 house and I can't even go inside.
Lomita is the lucky one.
Why did I ever come here?
August 1st:
It's 105 degrees.
Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today.
It cost $500 and gets the temperature down to 85.
I hate this fucking state.
August 3rd:
If another wise guy cracks, 'Hot enough for you today?,' I'm going to strangle him...
Fucking heat!
By the time I get to work, the radiator is boiling over, my clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like baked cat!!
August 5th:
Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts.
When I sat on the seats in the car, I thought my butt was on fire.
My skin melted to the seat.
I lost 2 layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs and butt.
Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried butt and baked cat.
Aug 6th:
The weather report might as well be a fucking recording.
Hot and sunny...Hot and sunny...Hot and sunny...
And the weatherman says it might really warm up next week.
Doesn't it ever rain in this fucking state?
Water rationing has been on the last six weeks.
My $1,700 worth of cactus might just dry up and blow over.
Even the cactus can't live in this fucking heat.
August 8th:
Welcome to HELL!
Temperature got to 110 today. Cactus are dead.
Forgot to crack the window and blew the damn windshield out of the car.
The installer came to fix it and guess what he asked me???
"Hot enough for you today?"
August 10th
My sister had to spend $1,500 to bail me out of jail.
Fucking Texas...
What kind of a sick demented idiot would want to live here??
Will write later to let you know how the trial goes...
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
WHAT'S YOUR WISH GENIE?
A husband takes his wife to play her first game of golf. Of course, the wife promptly hacked her first shot right through the window of the biggest house adjacent to the course.
The husband cringed, 'I warned you to be careful! Now we'll have to go up there, find the owner, apologize and see how much your lousy drive is going to cost us.'
So the couple walked up to the house and knocked on the door. A warm voice said, 'Come on in.'
When they opened the door they saw the damage that was done: glass was all over the place, and a broken antique bottle was lying on its side near the pieces of window glass.
A man reclining on the couch asked, 'Are you the people that broke my window?'
'Uh...yeah! , sir. We're sure sorry about that,' the husband replied.
'Oh, no apology is necessary. Actually I want to thank you.. You see, I'm a genie, and I've been trapped in that bottle for a thousand years. Now that you've released me, I'm allowed to grant three wishes. I'll give you each one wish, but if you don't mind, I'll keep the last one for my self.'
'Wow, that's great!' the husband said. He pondered a moment and blurted out, 'I'd like a million dollars a year for the rest of my life.'
'No problem,' said the genie 'You've got it, it's the least I can do. And I'll guarantee you a long, healthy life!'
'And now you, young lady, what do you want?' the genie asked.
'I'd like to own a gorgeous home in every country in the world complete with servants,' she said.
'Consider it done,' the genie said. 'And your homes will always be safe from fire, burglary and natural disasters!'
'And now,' the couple asked in unison, 'what's your wish, genie?'
'Well, since I've been trapped in that bottle, and haven't been with a woman in more than a thousand years, my wish is to have sex with your wife.'
The husband looked at his wife and said, 'Gee, honey, you know we both now have a fortune, and all those houses. What do you think?'
She mulled it over for a few moments and said, 'You know, you're right. Considering our good fortune, I guess I wouldn't mind, but what about you, honey?'
'You know I love you sweetheart,' said the husband. 'I'd do the same for you!'
So the genie and the woman went upstairs where they spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying each other.
The genie was insatiable.
After about three hours of non-stop sex, the genie rolled over and looked directly into her eyes and asked, 'How old are you and your husband?'
'Why, we're both 35,' she responded breathlessly.
'No Kidding,' he said. 'Thirty-five years old and you both still believe in genies?'
The husband cringed, 'I warned you to be careful! Now we'll have to go up there, find the owner, apologize and see how much your lousy drive is going to cost us.'
So the couple walked up to the house and knocked on the door. A warm voice said, 'Come on in.'
When they opened the door they saw the damage that was done: glass was all over the place, and a broken antique bottle was lying on its side near the pieces of window glass.
A man reclining on the couch asked, 'Are you the people that broke my window?'
'Uh...yeah! , sir. We're sure sorry about that,' the husband replied.
'Oh, no apology is necessary. Actually I want to thank you.. You see, I'm a genie, and I've been trapped in that bottle for a thousand years. Now that you've released me, I'm allowed to grant three wishes. I'll give you each one wish, but if you don't mind, I'll keep the last one for my self.'
'Wow, that's great!' the husband said. He pondered a moment and blurted out, 'I'd like a million dollars a year for the rest of my life.'
'No problem,' said the genie 'You've got it, it's the least I can do. And I'll guarantee you a long, healthy life!'
'And now you, young lady, what do you want?' the genie asked.
'I'd like to own a gorgeous home in every country in the world complete with servants,' she said.
'Consider it done,' the genie said. 'And your homes will always be safe from fire, burglary and natural disasters!'
'And now,' the couple asked in unison, 'what's your wish, genie?'
'Well, since I've been trapped in that bottle, and haven't been with a woman in more than a thousand years, my wish is to have sex with your wife.'
The husband looked at his wife and said, 'Gee, honey, you know we both now have a fortune, and all those houses. What do you think?'
She mulled it over for a few moments and said, 'You know, you're right. Considering our good fortune, I guess I wouldn't mind, but what about you, honey?'
'You know I love you sweetheart,' said the husband. 'I'd do the same for you!'
So the genie and the woman went upstairs where they spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying each other.
The genie was insatiable.
After about three hours of non-stop sex, the genie rolled over and looked directly into her eyes and asked, 'How old are you and your husband?'
'Why, we're both 35,' she responded breathlessly.
'No Kidding,' he said. 'Thirty-five years old and you both still believe in genies?'
DRUG LORDS 'WITH ALMOST NO EDUCATION HAVE OUTPACED THE U.S. AND MEXICAN INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES, THE MEXICAN ARMY AND MEXICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT'
From Borderland Beat:
HOW THE DRUG LORDS TOOK OVER MEXICO
By José Luis Sierra
New America Media
August 22, 2011
They command an army of thousands: men, women, even children north and south of the US-Mexico border. They build tunnels, and dispatch submarines and customized armored vehicles. They load planes, trucks, and railroad containers with drugs and other illicit cargo. In bulk, they buy arms and political influence across the continent. They are feared and revered at the same time; loathed and obeyed by those paid to follow their orders.
They are the Drug Lords of Mexico and, according to journalist Anabel Hernandez, they have succeeded at infiltrating the highest circles of financial and political power in the countries where they now operate and even might have a say in deciding who the next President of Mexico might be.
BUT WHO ARE THEY EXACTLY?
“Most people in Mexico and in this country believe that the Drug Lords is a men’s club being lead by “El Chapo” Guzman, “El Mayo” Zambada –leaders of the well known Cartel de Sinaloa— as well as the handful of replacements who have taken the place of those who used to control Los Zetas in the Gulf [of Mexico], and Los Templarios that now have taken over the cartel of La Familia in Michoacán and El Cartel de Tijuana. But in fact, these renowned gangsters are figure heads, eventually fall guys,’’ says Hernandez, during her second trip to Los Angeles promoting her book The Drug Lords —the result of a five-year investigation into the Mexican drug cartels, their close ties to Mexican officialdom, and the expansion of their influence in Central and South America.
“How else can you explain how individuals running the cartels with almost no education can outpace the US and Mexican intelligence agencies, the Mexican Army and Mexican law enforcement at all levels? There is only one explanation,” says Hernandez with a dramatic pause— “corruption.”
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
For the 39-year-old Hernandez—now working on a follow-up book focused on US policies toward Latin America in its war on drugs — corruption in Mexico is so pervasive that it jumped the US border many decades ago, back in the 1980s, during the Reagan administration, when senior officials facilitated the sale of arms to Iran and through back-door funding of the Nicaraguan Contras, thereby bypassing the oversight of Congress.
Much of the funding for the Contras, according to Hernandez, came from illegal trafficking of cocaine through Central America en route to the United States, with full knowledge of top CIA officials. Most of these events were well documented by several congressional commissions, as well as independent reports. Yet, only a handful of the US government officials involved got prosecuted. They ended up being pardoned or with commuted sentences.
At that time, Mexico’s ruling party, the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) had total control of the political power in Mexico and the drug cartels were left to mind their own business with no interference, as long as they paid a cut of their profits to key government officials, who in turn would spread some of that money around to make sure the drug operations would run smoothly.
Things began to get shaky in 1985, with the execution of Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agent who had investigated a 1,000-hectare marijuana plantation in the state of Chihuahua. The killing of Camarena unleashed outrage from the US government and pressured Mexican officials to punish those responsible for the murder. Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo and Rafael Caro Quintero —at that time two very well know drug lords— were apprehended and are still in prison. Four others, including a relative of former Mexican President Luis Echevarria, were also found guilty in a federal court in Los Angeles.
“The official records are there,” declares Hernandez in an interview with New America Media. “Then and now, US and Mexican officials had been involved in deals with the drug lords and they are playing a double moral standard in this so called “war’’ against drug trafficking that already cost Mexico more than 40 thousand victims.’’
She cites a more recent case when the son of “El Mayo Zambada,’’ Jesus Vicente Zambada-Niebla (aka “Mayito”) claimed immunity from prosecution early last week in a federal court in Chicago, alleging that in 1998 he had an agreement with top DEA and US officials, in exchange for his services as an informant on the activities of the Sinaloa cartel, led by his father and Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman.
According to reports from Reuters, US government officials in Mexico declined to comment on Zambada’s allegations, and US prosecutors have denied that Zambada had been granted immunity. They have until September 9 to file a response with the court. But if Zambada-Niebla’s claim is upheld, it can potentially turn into another embarrassment for the US government, on a par with the scandalous Operation “Fast and Furious,’’ in which U.S. officials deliberately allowed the export of high-power firearms into Mexico, then lost track of the arms.
“The only winner in this drug war is the Sinaloa Cartel and they can thank [Mexican] President Felipe Calderon for that,’’ says Hernandez.
HOW THE DRUG LORDS TOOK OVER MEXICO
By José Luis Sierra
New America Media
August 22, 2011
They command an army of thousands: men, women, even children north and south of the US-Mexico border. They build tunnels, and dispatch submarines and customized armored vehicles. They load planes, trucks, and railroad containers with drugs and other illicit cargo. In bulk, they buy arms and political influence across the continent. They are feared and revered at the same time; loathed and obeyed by those paid to follow their orders.
They are the Drug Lords of Mexico and, according to journalist Anabel Hernandez, they have succeeded at infiltrating the highest circles of financial and political power in the countries where they now operate and even might have a say in deciding who the next President of Mexico might be.
BUT WHO ARE THEY EXACTLY?
“Most people in Mexico and in this country believe that the Drug Lords is a men’s club being lead by “El Chapo” Guzman, “El Mayo” Zambada –leaders of the well known Cartel de Sinaloa— as well as the handful of replacements who have taken the place of those who used to control Los Zetas in the Gulf [of Mexico], and Los Templarios that now have taken over the cartel of La Familia in Michoacán and El Cartel de Tijuana. But in fact, these renowned gangsters are figure heads, eventually fall guys,’’ says Hernandez, during her second trip to Los Angeles promoting her book The Drug Lords —the result of a five-year investigation into the Mexican drug cartels, their close ties to Mexican officialdom, and the expansion of their influence in Central and South America.
“How else can you explain how individuals running the cartels with almost no education can outpace the US and Mexican intelligence agencies, the Mexican Army and Mexican law enforcement at all levels? There is only one explanation,” says Hernandez with a dramatic pause— “corruption.”
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
For the 39-year-old Hernandez—now working on a follow-up book focused on US policies toward Latin America in its war on drugs — corruption in Mexico is so pervasive that it jumped the US border many decades ago, back in the 1980s, during the Reagan administration, when senior officials facilitated the sale of arms to Iran and through back-door funding of the Nicaraguan Contras, thereby bypassing the oversight of Congress.
Much of the funding for the Contras, according to Hernandez, came from illegal trafficking of cocaine through Central America en route to the United States, with full knowledge of top CIA officials. Most of these events were well documented by several congressional commissions, as well as independent reports. Yet, only a handful of the US government officials involved got prosecuted. They ended up being pardoned or with commuted sentences.
At that time, Mexico’s ruling party, the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) had total control of the political power in Mexico and the drug cartels were left to mind their own business with no interference, as long as they paid a cut of their profits to key government officials, who in turn would spread some of that money around to make sure the drug operations would run smoothly.
Things began to get shaky in 1985, with the execution of Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agent who had investigated a 1,000-hectare marijuana plantation in the state of Chihuahua. The killing of Camarena unleashed outrage from the US government and pressured Mexican officials to punish those responsible for the murder. Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo and Rafael Caro Quintero —at that time two very well know drug lords— were apprehended and are still in prison. Four others, including a relative of former Mexican President Luis Echevarria, were also found guilty in a federal court in Los Angeles.
“The official records are there,” declares Hernandez in an interview with New America Media. “Then and now, US and Mexican officials had been involved in deals with the drug lords and they are playing a double moral standard in this so called “war’’ against drug trafficking that already cost Mexico more than 40 thousand victims.’’
She cites a more recent case when the son of “El Mayo Zambada,’’ Jesus Vicente Zambada-Niebla (aka “Mayito”) claimed immunity from prosecution early last week in a federal court in Chicago, alleging that in 1998 he had an agreement with top DEA and US officials, in exchange for his services as an informant on the activities of the Sinaloa cartel, led by his father and Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman.
According to reports from Reuters, US government officials in Mexico declined to comment on Zambada’s allegations, and US prosecutors have denied that Zambada had been granted immunity. They have until September 9 to file a response with the court. But if Zambada-Niebla’s claim is upheld, it can potentially turn into another embarrassment for the US government, on a par with the scandalous Operation “Fast and Furious,’’ in which U.S. officials deliberately allowed the export of high-power firearms into Mexico, then lost track of the arms.
“The only winner in this drug war is the Sinaloa Cartel and they can thank [Mexican] President Felipe Calderon for that,’’ says Hernandez.
FEDERAL COURT ORDER AND STATE MONEY-SAVING MEASURES IMPERIL PUBLIC SAFETY
I’m sure those CDCR computers that predict future behavior of inmates will determine that most California prisoners are low-risk, non-violent individuals, thereby accommodating the release on non-revokable unsupervised parole of thousands of dangerous criminals.
PRISON CLOSURES AND PAROLE DOWNSIZING TO GO ALONG WITH A MASS PRISONER RELEASE?
By Los Angeles Police Protective League Board of Directors
LAPPL Blog
August 19, 2011
We’ve recently learned of plans under consideration that disregard the safety of Californians to such a degree that not only is greater attention warranted, but a prompt explanation is necessary.
The Sacramento Bee reports that the state intends to terminate 841 employees in its parole division by September 2013. According to Jeff Doyle’s reliable parole blog, the state has also drafted plans to close six prisons.
According to reports, in a statewide conference in June, State Parole Director Robert Ambroselli told parole agents throughout California that state officials had created a plan to effectively end parole supervision in California by eliminating 80 percent of field staff. Closure of six prisons would come after completion of “parole redirection” and compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court’s prison overcrowding ruling.
Some state officials may be using the Court’s order as a smoke screen for their plans, hoping the public will believe the closures and parole cuts are also part of the Court’s mandate. The ruling ordered a reduction in the inmate population, but it did not mandate that prisons be closed or that inmates be freed without supervision.
If the reports are accurate, it is troubling indeed that state leaders would so readily risk hard-won gains in public safety by essentially eliminating supervision of released inmates and unnecessarily closing six of the state’s prisons. These officials should promptly confirm or deny Ambroselli’s statements. Californians are entitled to know what lies ahead for the prison and parole systems, and ultimately, their safety.
PRISON CLOSURES AND PAROLE DOWNSIZING TO GO ALONG WITH A MASS PRISONER RELEASE?
By Los Angeles Police Protective League Board of Directors
LAPPL Blog
August 19, 2011
We’ve recently learned of plans under consideration that disregard the safety of Californians to such a degree that not only is greater attention warranted, but a prompt explanation is necessary.
The Sacramento Bee reports that the state intends to terminate 841 employees in its parole division by September 2013. According to Jeff Doyle’s reliable parole blog, the state has also drafted plans to close six prisons.
According to reports, in a statewide conference in June, State Parole Director Robert Ambroselli told parole agents throughout California that state officials had created a plan to effectively end parole supervision in California by eliminating 80 percent of field staff. Closure of six prisons would come after completion of “parole redirection” and compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court’s prison overcrowding ruling.
Some state officials may be using the Court’s order as a smoke screen for their plans, hoping the public will believe the closures and parole cuts are also part of the Court’s mandate. The ruling ordered a reduction in the inmate population, but it did not mandate that prisons be closed or that inmates be freed without supervision.
If the reports are accurate, it is troubling indeed that state leaders would so readily risk hard-won gains in public safety by essentially eliminating supervision of released inmates and unnecessarily closing six of the state’s prisons. These officials should promptly confirm or deny Ambroselli’s statements. Californians are entitled to know what lies ahead for the prison and parole systems, and ultimately, their safety.
DID A TEACHER'S COMMENTS ON RELIGION CROSS THE LINE AND RISE TO THE LEVEL OF UNCONSTITUTIONAL HOSTILITY?
Here are some excerpts from “US Judges Rule For Teacher Who Called Creationism ‘Superstitious Nonsense’,” an op-ed by Warren Richey that was published in the August 22 issue of Jewish World Review.
The federal appeals court did not rule whether the teacher violated the Constitution with his remarks, ruling only that he had immunity from getting sued. This case is likely to end up in the Supreme Court.
Here are those excerpts:
A three-judge panel of the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that a lawsuit for making hostile remarks about religion in his classroom against an advanced placement history teacher at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo must be thrown out of court because the teacher was entitled to immunity.
As part of its ruling, the appeals court vacated a district judge's earlier decision that the teacher, Dr. James Corbett, violated the [First Amendment] establishment clause in a comment he made in class that creationism was "superstitious nonsense."
The dispute began in 2007 when Chad Farnan, then a 15-year-old sophomore in Corbett's class, took issue with comments about creationism the teacher made during his lectures.
"Aristotle … argued, you know, there sort of has to be a G0d. Of course that's nonsense," Corbett said according to a transcript of his lecture. "I mean, that's what you call deductive reasoning, you know. And you hear it all the time with people who say, 'Well, if all this stuff that makes up the universe is here, something must have created it.' Faulty logic. Very faulty logic."
He continued: "The other possibility is, it's always been there.… Your call as to which one of those notions is scientific and which one is magic."
"All I'm saying is that, you know, the people who want to make the argument that G0d did it, there is as much evidence that G0d did it as there is that there is a giant spaghetti monster living behind the moon who did it," the transcript says.
Corbett told his students that "real" scientists try to disprove the theory of evolution. "Contrast that with creationists," he told his students. "They never try to disprove creationism. They're all running around trying to prove it. That's deduction. It's not science. Scientifically, it's nonsense."
The federal appeals court did not rule whether the teacher violated the Constitution with his remarks, ruling only that he had immunity from getting sued. This case is likely to end up in the Supreme Court.
Here are those excerpts:
A three-judge panel of the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that a lawsuit for making hostile remarks about religion in his classroom against an advanced placement history teacher at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo must be thrown out of court because the teacher was entitled to immunity.
As part of its ruling, the appeals court vacated a district judge's earlier decision that the teacher, Dr. James Corbett, violated the [First Amendment] establishment clause in a comment he made in class that creationism was "superstitious nonsense."
The dispute began in 2007 when Chad Farnan, then a 15-year-old sophomore in Corbett's class, took issue with comments about creationism the teacher made during his lectures.
"Aristotle … argued, you know, there sort of has to be a G0d. Of course that's nonsense," Corbett said according to a transcript of his lecture. "I mean, that's what you call deductive reasoning, you know. And you hear it all the time with people who say, 'Well, if all this stuff that makes up the universe is here, something must have created it.' Faulty logic. Very faulty logic."
He continued: "The other possibility is, it's always been there.… Your call as to which one of those notions is scientific and which one is magic."
"All I'm saying is that, you know, the people who want to make the argument that G0d did it, there is as much evidence that G0d did it as there is that there is a giant spaghetti monster living behind the moon who did it," the transcript says.
Corbett told his students that "real" scientists try to disprove the theory of evolution. "Contrast that with creationists," he told his students. "They never try to disprove creationism. They're all running around trying to prove it. That's deduction. It's not science. Scientifically, it's nonsense."
SAINT PELOSI
Last Saturday afternoon, in Washington , D.C. , an aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the Bishop of the Catholic Cathedral in D.C. He told the Cardinal that Nancy Pelosi would be attending the next day's Mass, and he asked if the Cardinal would kindly point out Pelosi to the congregation and say a few words that would include calling Pelosi a saint.
The Cardinal replied, "No. I don't really like the woman, and there are issues of conflict with the Catholic Church over certain of Pelosi's views."
Pelosi's aide then said, "Look, I'll write a check here and now for a donation of $100,000 to your church if you'll just tell the congregation you see Pelosi as a saint."
The Cardinal thought about it and said, "Well, the church can use the money, so I'll work your request into tomorrow's sermon."
As Pelosi's aide promised, House Speaker Pelosi appeared for the Sunday worship and seated herself prominently at the forward left side of the center aisle. As promised, at the start of his sermon, the Cardinal pointed out that Speaker Pelosi was present.
The Cardinal went on to explain to the congregation, "While Speaker Pelosi's presence is probably an honor to some, the woman is not numbered among my personal favorite personages. Some of her most egregious views are contrary to tenets of the Church, and she tends to flip- flop on many other issues. Nancy Pelosi is a petty, self -absorbed hypocrite, a thumb sucker, and a nit-wit. Nancy Pelosi is also a serial liar, a cheat, and a thief. I must say, Nancy Pelosi is the worst example of a Catholic I have ever personally witnessed. She married for money and is using her wealth to lie to the American people. She also has a reputation for shirking her Representative obligations both in Washington , and in California. The woman is simply not to be trusted." The Cardinal concluded, "But, when compared with President Obama, House Speaker Pelosi is a saint."
The Cardinal replied, "No. I don't really like the woman, and there are issues of conflict with the Catholic Church over certain of Pelosi's views."
Pelosi's aide then said, "Look, I'll write a check here and now for a donation of $100,000 to your church if you'll just tell the congregation you see Pelosi as a saint."
The Cardinal thought about it and said, "Well, the church can use the money, so I'll work your request into tomorrow's sermon."
As Pelosi's aide promised, House Speaker Pelosi appeared for the Sunday worship and seated herself prominently at the forward left side of the center aisle. As promised, at the start of his sermon, the Cardinal pointed out that Speaker Pelosi was present.
The Cardinal went on to explain to the congregation, "While Speaker Pelosi's presence is probably an honor to some, the woman is not numbered among my personal favorite personages. Some of her most egregious views are contrary to tenets of the Church, and she tends to flip- flop on many other issues. Nancy Pelosi is a petty, self -absorbed hypocrite, a thumb sucker, and a nit-wit. Nancy Pelosi is also a serial liar, a cheat, and a thief. I must say, Nancy Pelosi is the worst example of a Catholic I have ever personally witnessed. She married for money and is using her wealth to lie to the American people. She also has a reputation for shirking her Representative obligations both in Washington , and in California. The woman is simply not to be trusted." The Cardinal concluded, "But, when compared with President Obama, House Speaker Pelosi is a saint."
Monday, August 22, 2011
GLUCOSE NOT A PAROLE HEARING PROBLEM IN KOOKFORNIA
The time of day inmates appear for a parole hearing in Kookfornia is irrelevant because computers determine who will be released by predicting future behavior and then classifying those to be paroled as low-risk, non-violent offenders. As a result, these low-risk, non-violent parolees are arrested daily for murders, rapes and robberies. Perhaps those computers could use an infusion of glucose.
GLUCOSE LEVELS AFFECT PAROLE BOARD DECISIONS
Grits for Breakfast
August 20, 2011
The New York Times this week had a story on decisionmaking that included a fascinating reference to a study of release decisions by the Israeli parole board, one that's almost certainly applicable here in Texas given the much vaster volume of cases considered:
__There was a pattern to the parole board’s decisions, but it wasn’t related to the men’s ethnic backgrounds, crimes or sentences. It was all about timing, as researchers discovered by analyzing more than 1,100 decisions over the course of a year. Judges, who would hear the prisoners’ appeals and then get advice from the other members of the board, approved parole in about a third of the cases, but the probability of being paroled fluctuated wildly throughout the day. Prisoners who appeared early in the morning received parole about 70 percent of the time, while those who appeared late in the day were paroled less than 10 percent of the time. ...
__The benefits of glucose were unmistakable in the study of the Israeli parole board. In midmorning, usually a little before 10:30, the parole board would take a break, and the judges would be served a sandwich and a piece of fruit. The prisoners who appeared just before the break had only about a 20 percent chance of getting parole, but the ones appearing right after had around a 65 percent chance. The odds dropped again as the morning wore on, and prisoners really didn’t want to appear just before lunch: the chance of getting parole at that time was only 10 percent. After lunch it soared up to 60 percent, but only briefly. Remember that Jewish Israeli prisoner who appeared at 3:10 p.m. and was denied parole from his sentence for assault? He had the misfortune of being the sixth case heard after lunch. But another Jewish Israeli prisoner serving the same sentence for the same crime was lucky enough to appear at 1:27 p.m., the first case after lunch, and he was rewarded with parole. It must have seemed to him like a fine example of the justice system at work, but it probably had more to do with the judge’s glucose levels.
There's plenty of debate over what criteria parole boards should use to make release decisions, but this study reminds us that rationality may not always be the main (or at least the only) driving factor behind who gets released, and when.
GLUCOSE LEVELS AFFECT PAROLE BOARD DECISIONS
Grits for Breakfast
August 20, 2011
The New York Times this week had a story on decisionmaking that included a fascinating reference to a study of release decisions by the Israeli parole board, one that's almost certainly applicable here in Texas given the much vaster volume of cases considered:
__There was a pattern to the parole board’s decisions, but it wasn’t related to the men’s ethnic backgrounds, crimes or sentences. It was all about timing, as researchers discovered by analyzing more than 1,100 decisions over the course of a year. Judges, who would hear the prisoners’ appeals and then get advice from the other members of the board, approved parole in about a third of the cases, but the probability of being paroled fluctuated wildly throughout the day. Prisoners who appeared early in the morning received parole about 70 percent of the time, while those who appeared late in the day were paroled less than 10 percent of the time. ...
__The benefits of glucose were unmistakable in the study of the Israeli parole board. In midmorning, usually a little before 10:30, the parole board would take a break, and the judges would be served a sandwich and a piece of fruit. The prisoners who appeared just before the break had only about a 20 percent chance of getting parole, but the ones appearing right after had around a 65 percent chance. The odds dropped again as the morning wore on, and prisoners really didn’t want to appear just before lunch: the chance of getting parole at that time was only 10 percent. After lunch it soared up to 60 percent, but only briefly. Remember that Jewish Israeli prisoner who appeared at 3:10 p.m. and was denied parole from his sentence for assault? He had the misfortune of being the sixth case heard after lunch. But another Jewish Israeli prisoner serving the same sentence for the same crime was lucky enough to appear at 1:27 p.m., the first case after lunch, and he was rewarded with parole. It must have seemed to him like a fine example of the justice system at work, but it probably had more to do with the judge’s glucose levels.
There's plenty of debate over what criteria parole boards should use to make release decisions, but this study reminds us that rationality may not always be the main (or at least the only) driving factor behind who gets released, and when.
198 YEARS TO LIFE, THANKS TO HIS LAWYER
This ‘connoisseur of drugs’ obviously did a bang-up job in serving as his own attorney. Adding insult to injury, nobody even considered the fact that, following his escape from a prisoner transport van, he offered to be a security expert for the Sheriff’s Office.
JAIL ESCAPE LEADS TO 198 YEARS IN PRISON
By Michelle Durand
The Daily Journal
August 20, 2011
SAN MATEO, CALIF. -- A parolee who broke out of a jail transport van using a razor blade to escape a third-strike trial for armed robbery and later offered to be a security expert for the Sheriff’s Office was sentenced Friday to 198 years to life in prison.
Daniel James Longorio, who represented himself during trial, was sentenced as a three-striker.
San Mateo County prosecutors do not seek a third strike in all cases but District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said his conduct warranted the severity.
“Mr. Longorio is the poster boy of why we should have three strikes unless you believe it is wrong in all cases,” Wagstaffe said.
A jury convicted Longorio Aug. 5 of two counts of residential burglary, two counts of home invasion robbery, two counts of false imprisonment and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The jury, which deliberated two hours, also found true the use of a firearm, that Longorio was a parolee who committed a felony and that the crimes were serious or violent felonies.
Longorio, 39, of San Francisco, robbed the Daly City home June 24, 2009 and among other items took the stamp collection belonging to a deceased husband. While the crime went largely unpublicized, Longorio’s attempt to escape prosecution did not. On Aug. 11 of that year, Longorio was returning to the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City from the South San Francisco courthouse where he had a preliminary hearing for the robbery case. Longorio was seated inside a Sheriff’s Office transportation van, facing the back doors. There is no handle inside the vehicle but Longorio managed to undo the back panel and flip the door’s locking mechanism. After the van pulled into the jail’s transportation bay, Longorio — still shackled and wearing a red jail jumpsuit identifying him as a high-risk prisoner — jumped from the vehicle and ran. Officers nabbed him minutes later approximately 1,000 feet away from the jail on Bradford Avenue in the area of Brewster Avenue and Marshall Street.
Deputies later discovered an industrial-like razor blade in the van’s back seat and believe Longorio may have used it as a screwdriver to undo the back panel.
Longorio opted to serve as his own attorney although a lawyer from the private defender panel was appointed on a stand-by basis. Prior to opening statements, Longorio asked that his entire statement to police be admitted even though it included references to his time served at Pelican Bay and Corcoran prisons. The jury also heard three taped confessions to police in which he referenced other uncharged crimes like burglary and drug manufacturing.
Longorio testified on his own behalf, telling jurors he was not the robber and at the most guilty of possessing stolen property. He claimed police told him exactly what to say during the taped confession.
On the stand Longorio said he was not an “abuser of drugs but a connoisseur of drugs” who used cocaine instead of methamphetamine, according to prosecutors.
He also said that following the escape he offered to be a security expert for the Sheriff’s Office, Wagstaffe said.
JAIL ESCAPE LEADS TO 198 YEARS IN PRISON
By Michelle Durand
The Daily Journal
August 20, 2011
SAN MATEO, CALIF. -- A parolee who broke out of a jail transport van using a razor blade to escape a third-strike trial for armed robbery and later offered to be a security expert for the Sheriff’s Office was sentenced Friday to 198 years to life in prison.
Daniel James Longorio, who represented himself during trial, was sentenced as a three-striker.
San Mateo County prosecutors do not seek a third strike in all cases but District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said his conduct warranted the severity.
“Mr. Longorio is the poster boy of why we should have three strikes unless you believe it is wrong in all cases,” Wagstaffe said.
A jury convicted Longorio Aug. 5 of two counts of residential burglary, two counts of home invasion robbery, two counts of false imprisonment and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The jury, which deliberated two hours, also found true the use of a firearm, that Longorio was a parolee who committed a felony and that the crimes were serious or violent felonies.
Longorio, 39, of San Francisco, robbed the Daly City home June 24, 2009 and among other items took the stamp collection belonging to a deceased husband. While the crime went largely unpublicized, Longorio’s attempt to escape prosecution did not. On Aug. 11 of that year, Longorio was returning to the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City from the South San Francisco courthouse where he had a preliminary hearing for the robbery case. Longorio was seated inside a Sheriff’s Office transportation van, facing the back doors. There is no handle inside the vehicle but Longorio managed to undo the back panel and flip the door’s locking mechanism. After the van pulled into the jail’s transportation bay, Longorio — still shackled and wearing a red jail jumpsuit identifying him as a high-risk prisoner — jumped from the vehicle and ran. Officers nabbed him minutes later approximately 1,000 feet away from the jail on Bradford Avenue in the area of Brewster Avenue and Marshall Street.
Deputies later discovered an industrial-like razor blade in the van’s back seat and believe Longorio may have used it as a screwdriver to undo the back panel.
Longorio opted to serve as his own attorney although a lawyer from the private defender panel was appointed on a stand-by basis. Prior to opening statements, Longorio asked that his entire statement to police be admitted even though it included references to his time served at Pelican Bay and Corcoran prisons. The jury also heard three taped confessions to police in which he referenced other uncharged crimes like burglary and drug manufacturing.
Longorio testified on his own behalf, telling jurors he was not the robber and at the most guilty of possessing stolen property. He claimed police told him exactly what to say during the taped confession.
On the stand Longorio said he was not an “abuser of drugs but a connoisseur of drugs” who used cocaine instead of methamphetamine, according to prosecutors.
He also said that following the escape he offered to be a security expert for the Sheriff’s Office, Wagstaffe said.
AT LAST IT'S NO LONGER BUSH'S FAULT
Beset with continuing economic and employment problems, the Obama administration spent the first two years blaming former President Bush for the mess we’re in.
When David Axelrod was Obama’s Senior Adviser, he was frequently seen on the Sunday morning TV news interview shows saying that the administration inherited all of the country’s problems from the previous administration, i.e. Blame Bush!
In addition to Axelrod, a long line of cabinet members, economic advisers and other White House aides made similar appearances during which they played the blame Bush game. After two years of that, blame Bush fatigue began to set in.
Axelrod left the White House on January 28 to become Obama’s chief reelection campaign adviser. On Sunday, he was no longer blaming Bush for our economic and employment woes. Now Axelrod is blaming (1) the Japanese tsunami and the European economic collapse for the economic recovery malaise, high unemployment, and the stock market’s nosedive; and (2) the Arab Spring for our high gas pump prices.
Now that my dwindling retirement savings are taking another heavy hit, I feel so much better hearing that none of America’s current economic and employment problems are the fault of President Obama.
When David Axelrod was Obama’s Senior Adviser, he was frequently seen on the Sunday morning TV news interview shows saying that the administration inherited all of the country’s problems from the previous administration, i.e. Blame Bush!
In addition to Axelrod, a long line of cabinet members, economic advisers and other White House aides made similar appearances during which they played the blame Bush game. After two years of that, blame Bush fatigue began to set in.
Axelrod left the White House on January 28 to become Obama’s chief reelection campaign adviser. On Sunday, he was no longer blaming Bush for our economic and employment woes. Now Axelrod is blaming (1) the Japanese tsunami and the European economic collapse for the economic recovery malaise, high unemployment, and the stock market’s nosedive; and (2) the Arab Spring for our high gas pump prices.
Now that my dwindling retirement savings are taking another heavy hit, I feel so much better hearing that none of America’s current economic and employment problems are the fault of President Obama.
QUESTIONS FROM AND ANSWERS FOR SENIORS
Q: Where can men over the age of 60 find younger, sexy women who are interested in them?
A: Try a bookstore under fiction. If that doesn’t work, try a house of ill repute.
Q: What can a man do while his wife is going through menopause?
A: Keep busy. If you're handy with tools, you can finish the basement. When you're done you'll have a place to live.
Q: Someone has told me that menopause is mentioned in the bible. Is that true? Where can it be found?
A: Yes. Matthew 14:92: "And Mary rode Joseph's ass all the way to Egypt..."
Q: How can you increase the heart rate of your 60-plus year old husband?
A: Tell him you're pregnant.
Q: How can you avoid that terrible curse of the elderly wrinkles?
A: Take off your glasses.
Q: Seriously! What can I do for these Crow's feet and all those wrinkles on my face?
A: Go braless. It will usually pull them out.
Q: Why should 60-plus year old people use valet parking?
A: Valets don't forget where they park your car.
Q: Is it common for 60-plus year olds to have problems with short term memory storage?
A: Storing memory is not a problem, Retrieving it is the problem.
Q: As people age, do they sleep more soundly?
A: Yes, but usually in the afternoon.
Q: Where should 60-plus year olds look for eye glasses?
A: On their foreheads.
Q: What is the most common remark made by 60-plus year olds when they enter antique stores?
A: "Gosh, I remember these!"
A: Try a bookstore under fiction. If that doesn’t work, try a house of ill repute.
Q: What can a man do while his wife is going through menopause?
A: Keep busy. If you're handy with tools, you can finish the basement. When you're done you'll have a place to live.
Q: Someone has told me that menopause is mentioned in the bible. Is that true? Where can it be found?
A: Yes. Matthew 14:92: "And Mary rode Joseph's ass all the way to Egypt..."
Q: How can you increase the heart rate of your 60-plus year old husband?
A: Tell him you're pregnant.
Q: How can you avoid that terrible curse of the elderly wrinkles?
A: Take off your glasses.
Q: Seriously! What can I do for these Crow's feet and all those wrinkles on my face?
A: Go braless. It will usually pull them out.
Q: Why should 60-plus year old people use valet parking?
A: Valets don't forget where they park your car.
Q: Is it common for 60-plus year olds to have problems with short term memory storage?
A: Storing memory is not a problem, Retrieving it is the problem.
Q: As people age, do they sleep more soundly?
A: Yes, but usually in the afternoon.
Q: Where should 60-plus year olds look for eye glasses?
A: On their foreheads.
Q: What is the most common remark made by 60-plus year olds when they enter antique stores?
A: "Gosh, I remember these!"
Sunday, August 21, 2011
NETANYAHU SHOULD TELL BARACK OBAMA AND HILLARY CLINTON TO SHOVE IT UP WHERE THE SUN DOESN'T SHINE
The Israeli commando raid came only after repeated warnings to the flotilla not to run the Gaza blockade. And the loss of life occurred only after the commandos were attacked by those aboard the boarded vessel. Turkey demands a public apology from Israel because its ships tried to run the Gaza blockade and its nationals attacked the Israeli commandos.
When Turkey ignored Obama’s threat to cut of its purchase of American weapons if it did not reconcile with Israel, he did a complete turnaround by threatening our relations with Israel if it did not issue an official public apology to Turkey.
Israel certainly does not owe Turkey an apology. Shame on Netanyahu if he caves in to Obama and Clinton.
OBAMA TO ISRAEL: APOLOGIZE TO TURKEY, OR ELSE
By Ryan Jones
Israel Today
August 17, 2011
Israel's largest daily newspaper, Yediot Ahronot, reported on Wednesday that the Obama Administration is threatening Israel to either apologize to Turkey over its bloody interception of a Gaza aid flotilla last year, or risk strained ties with Washington.
Israeli diplomats in Washington told the newspaper that they had received a communique from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton insisting that the rift between Israel and Turkey was harming American interests in the region, such as affecting regime change in neighboring Syria.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan demands that Israel publicly apologize for intercepting a May 2010 "humanitarian aid" flotilla that tried to break Israel's maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip. The flotilla had set sail from Turkey, and nine Turkish nationals were killed when they and others aboard the largest ship, the Mavi Marmara, attacked the Israeli boarding party.
Erdogan called the operation an act of piracy. And even though Washington and other Western powers agree with Israel that the Gaza blockade is legal and legitimate, the Obama Administration has decided that it is more politically expedient to simply have Israel meet Erdogan's unreasonable demands (as if that won't have any long-term negative consequences).
A year ago, Obama actually pressured Erdogan to either make up with Israel, or risk his ability to purchase American weapons. But, like other Middle East powers embroiled in conflict with Israel, Erdogan had learned that Western threats are fleeting and toothless. Obama never followed through on that ultimatum, and all Erdogan had to do was wait one year for Washington to decide to start pressuring Israel, instead.
What's worse, the Obama Administration's pressure on Israel - the party it agrees is in the right - has also reportedly come in the form of a threat.
According to the Israeli diplomats cited in the Yediot report, they were told that if Israel does not comply with Clinton's request to apologize to Turkey, the White House may suddenly find itself unable to continue building opposition to a unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood at the UN next month.
"God forbid we apologize," declared Israeli Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon at a conference of Likud activists on Tuesday.
Demonstrating a firm understanding of Israel's regional antagonists, Ya'alon, a former IDF chief, noted that Erdogan "will never let go, even after we apologize."
Most Israeli leaders maintain that the flotilla raid was legal and that the deaths, while regrettable, cannot be blamed on Israel. The Israelis fear that meeting Erdogan's demands will negate that position, and play into the hands of those who claim Israel is conducting a cruel and inhumane siege against Gaza.
However, Israel is more easily pressured than its neighbors, and those same Israeli leaders are even more afraid of upsetting the White House. As such, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet has for weeks been debating not just if, but how to apologize to Turkey in a way that does the least harm to Israel.
When Turkey ignored Obama’s threat to cut of its purchase of American weapons if it did not reconcile with Israel, he did a complete turnaround by threatening our relations with Israel if it did not issue an official public apology to Turkey.
Israel certainly does not owe Turkey an apology. Shame on Netanyahu if he caves in to Obama and Clinton.
OBAMA TO ISRAEL: APOLOGIZE TO TURKEY, OR ELSE
By Ryan Jones
Israel Today
August 17, 2011
Israel's largest daily newspaper, Yediot Ahronot, reported on Wednesday that the Obama Administration is threatening Israel to either apologize to Turkey over its bloody interception of a Gaza aid flotilla last year, or risk strained ties with Washington.
Israeli diplomats in Washington told the newspaper that they had received a communique from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton insisting that the rift between Israel and Turkey was harming American interests in the region, such as affecting regime change in neighboring Syria.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan demands that Israel publicly apologize for intercepting a May 2010 "humanitarian aid" flotilla that tried to break Israel's maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip. The flotilla had set sail from Turkey, and nine Turkish nationals were killed when they and others aboard the largest ship, the Mavi Marmara, attacked the Israeli boarding party.
Erdogan called the operation an act of piracy. And even though Washington and other Western powers agree with Israel that the Gaza blockade is legal and legitimate, the Obama Administration has decided that it is more politically expedient to simply have Israel meet Erdogan's unreasonable demands (as if that won't have any long-term negative consequences).
A year ago, Obama actually pressured Erdogan to either make up with Israel, or risk his ability to purchase American weapons. But, like other Middle East powers embroiled in conflict with Israel, Erdogan had learned that Western threats are fleeting and toothless. Obama never followed through on that ultimatum, and all Erdogan had to do was wait one year for Washington to decide to start pressuring Israel, instead.
What's worse, the Obama Administration's pressure on Israel - the party it agrees is in the right - has also reportedly come in the form of a threat.
According to the Israeli diplomats cited in the Yediot report, they were told that if Israel does not comply with Clinton's request to apologize to Turkey, the White House may suddenly find itself unable to continue building opposition to a unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood at the UN next month.
"God forbid we apologize," declared Israeli Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon at a conference of Likud activists on Tuesday.
Demonstrating a firm understanding of Israel's regional antagonists, Ya'alon, a former IDF chief, noted that Erdogan "will never let go, even after we apologize."
Most Israeli leaders maintain that the flotilla raid was legal and that the deaths, while regrettable, cannot be blamed on Israel. The Israelis fear that meeting Erdogan's demands will negate that position, and play into the hands of those who claim Israel is conducting a cruel and inhumane siege against Gaza.
However, Israel is more easily pressured than its neighbors, and those same Israeli leaders are even more afraid of upsetting the White House. As such, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet has for weeks been debating not just if, but how to apologize to Turkey in a way that does the least harm to Israel.
THE OFFICER SHOULD HAVE SHOT THE 'TOS'
It bothered Bob Walsh that the officer did not shoot this tub of shit. It bothers me too! The ranger should have shot that hippo as he was pounding on the poor woman. At 300 lbs. and enraged, no cop by himself would have been able to grapple with that beast.
THE TRIGGER NOT PULLED
By Bob Walsh
PACOVILLA Corrections blog
August 19, 2011
I try to not indulge in a lot of second-guessing of situations that went down when I was nowhere near. News reports are always missing something and are always suspect. Never the less this one bothers me a bit.
Yonnie Jackson, 40, is a big guy, he is 6-2 and weighs 300 pounds. His estranged wife is Sherry Jackson, 37, an elementary school principal here in Stockton. He has been stalking her for months, and broke into her house and set fire to it in July.
On Monday of this week he was waiting for her to come out of Wal-Mart. He jumped her from behind, beat her unconscious, and kept beating on her after she passed out.
An off-duty park ranger saw the incident after it started and drew down on Yonnie. Yonnie fled. The ranger did not shoot. There is now a warrant out for Yonnie, on attempted murder charges. There is no info currently available on Ms. Jackson’s condition.
I realize that there may be issues for any cop (and I don’t know what flavor this ranger was) shooting an unarmed black man, maybe in the back, even if he is attempting to beat an unconscious woman to death. It still bothers me.
NOTE: This particular piece of shit was arrested today.
THE TRIGGER NOT PULLED
By Bob Walsh
PACOVILLA Corrections blog
August 19, 2011
I try to not indulge in a lot of second-guessing of situations that went down when I was nowhere near. News reports are always missing something and are always suspect. Never the less this one bothers me a bit.
Yonnie Jackson, 40, is a big guy, he is 6-2 and weighs 300 pounds. His estranged wife is Sherry Jackson, 37, an elementary school principal here in Stockton. He has been stalking her for months, and broke into her house and set fire to it in July.
On Monday of this week he was waiting for her to come out of Wal-Mart. He jumped her from behind, beat her unconscious, and kept beating on her after she passed out.
An off-duty park ranger saw the incident after it started and drew down on Yonnie. Yonnie fled. The ranger did not shoot. There is now a warrant out for Yonnie, on attempted murder charges. There is no info currently available on Ms. Jackson’s condition.
I realize that there may be issues for any cop (and I don’t know what flavor this ranger was) shooting an unarmed black man, maybe in the back, even if he is attempting to beat an unconscious woman to death. It still bothers me.
NOTE: This particular piece of shit was arrested today.
MR. B
What a heartbreaking and yet heartwarming story. As a dog lover, I can only imagine the pain that this poor child must have been going through. What a great kid and what a lucky dog!
CHILD LEAVES DOG ON DOORSTEP FOR A CHANCE AT A BETTER LIFE
WHEC.com
August 19, 2011
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- High above Lake Washington in the Kirkland neighborhood, Paul Wu pulled his car out of his garage and did a double take. “I was driving out and he was right there."
It was a dog he'd never seen before. “He would not go away." He looked closely. "I find this bag hanging around his neck, some paper in there and it says open and so I open it up and I find a note. It says please take care of Mr. B and find him a new home. He is a King Charles Spaniel, six years old. My parents got divorced and Mr. B was supposed to go to the pound. I think he has a better chance with you. This is my birthday money.”
Robert Kuchcinski heard the story at the office he shares with Wu. “Makes you wonder what kind of spot they're in and if they're okay too."
Kuchcinski agreed to take dog home to his wife and three kids where the Cavalier is acting happy, and healthy. But they still wonder what the full story is behind the curious case of Mr. B. "All I want to do is let this person know that we found him a good home. That's the whole message."
Kuchcinski says the dog didn't have any tags or a microchip, but that the dog was healthy and given a clean bill of health by the vet.
CHILD LEAVES DOG ON DOORSTEP FOR A CHANCE AT A BETTER LIFE
WHEC.com
August 19, 2011
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- High above Lake Washington in the Kirkland neighborhood, Paul Wu pulled his car out of his garage and did a double take. “I was driving out and he was right there."
It was a dog he'd never seen before. “He would not go away." He looked closely. "I find this bag hanging around his neck, some paper in there and it says open and so I open it up and I find a note. It says please take care of Mr. B and find him a new home. He is a King Charles Spaniel, six years old. My parents got divorced and Mr. B was supposed to go to the pound. I think he has a better chance with you. This is my birthday money.”
Robert Kuchcinski heard the story at the office he shares with Wu. “Makes you wonder what kind of spot they're in and if they're okay too."
Kuchcinski agreed to take dog home to his wife and three kids where the Cavalier is acting happy, and healthy. But they still wonder what the full story is behind the curious case of Mr. B. "All I want to do is let this person know that we found him a good home. That's the whole message."
Kuchcinski says the dog didn't have any tags or a microchip, but that the dog was healthy and given a clean bill of health by the vet.
SPORTS DIPLOMACY
The Georgetown University basketball team is currently on a 10-day goodwill tour of China in which they are playing several Chinese basketball teams.
On Thursday, in Beijing, the Hoyas played the Bayi Rockets, a team owned by the Chinese army. During the game a bench-clearing brawl broke out. Fists flew and chairs were thrown. The Hoyas stormed off the court without finishing the game.
Obama’s State Department cited the Georgetown University basketball team’s tour as ‘an example of sports diplomacy that strengthens ties between the two countries’ peoples.’
On Thursday, in Beijing, the Hoyas played the Bayi Rockets, a team owned by the Chinese army. During the game a bench-clearing brawl broke out. Fists flew and chairs were thrown. The Hoyas stormed off the court without finishing the game.
Obama’s State Department cited the Georgetown University basketball team’s tour as ‘an example of sports diplomacy that strengthens ties between the two countries’ peoples.’
GYROBIKES TO BE USED BY AUSTRIAN PARAMEDICS
A great way for paramedics to get around the problem of ambulances stuck in traffic. And the Segways can enter a mall to reach an injured or seriously sick shopper where ambulances can’t.
SEGWAY TO THE RESCUE! AUSTRIA SNAPS UP TWO WHEELERS FOR AMBULANCE TEAMS
Mail Online
August 19, 2011
A fleet of Emergency Service Segways will be put into action in Austria after they outperformed ambulances and motorbikes in trials,
The scooters, equipped with sirens and flashing blue lights are perfect for reaching stricken patients struck in traffic jams or busy shopping centres, according to officials,
A Red Cross spokesman in Vienna, Austria, said the gyrobikes are ideal for attending emergencies where crowds are gathered.
He said: 'They go places that conventional vehicles could never reach.'
He added that they had been especially useful in shopping precincts at Xmas and marathons in the Austrian cities of Vienna and Linz where pavements and roads were lined with supporters.
'The Segway could get to people that needed medical help much more effectively than anything else we've seen so far' he said.
'And you can fit them with all the things you would need for most first aid operations including a heart defibrillator.'
Segway's British owner Jimi Heselden, 62, died when his own machine drove off a cliff in a freak accident.
He was found in the River Wharfe at Boston Spa, near Wetherby, West Yorkshire, in September last year.
It was revealed he left his family a fortune of more than £340million.
SEGWAY TO THE RESCUE! AUSTRIA SNAPS UP TWO WHEELERS FOR AMBULANCE TEAMS
Mail Online
August 19, 2011
A fleet of Emergency Service Segways will be put into action in Austria after they outperformed ambulances and motorbikes in trials,
The scooters, equipped with sirens and flashing blue lights are perfect for reaching stricken patients struck in traffic jams or busy shopping centres, according to officials,
A Red Cross spokesman in Vienna, Austria, said the gyrobikes are ideal for attending emergencies where crowds are gathered.
He said: 'They go places that conventional vehicles could never reach.'
He added that they had been especially useful in shopping precincts at Xmas and marathons in the Austrian cities of Vienna and Linz where pavements and roads were lined with supporters.
'The Segway could get to people that needed medical help much more effectively than anything else we've seen so far' he said.
'And you can fit them with all the things you would need for most first aid operations including a heart defibrillator.'
Segway's British owner Jimi Heselden, 62, died when his own machine drove off a cliff in a freak accident.
He was found in the River Wharfe at Boston Spa, near Wetherby, West Yorkshire, in September last year.
It was revealed he left his family a fortune of more than £340million.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
TERRORIST SOUGHT FOR STORING WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION THAT FELLED CONNECTICUT FIREFIGHTERS
Following a massive flea attack Tuesday on Connecticut firefighters, Reginald Farnsworth, foreign correspondent for London’s Daily Bugle, cornered Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to inquire about the Waterbury flea infestation.
Napolitano admitted that Ahmed Muhammad Mustafa al Ibaba is believed to have stored this latest biological weapon of mass destruction in an abandoned Waterbury house. The fleas weapon is believed to be much more virulent than last year’s bed bugs weapons that struck New York, Philadelphia, Detroit and Denver. The Pakistani native and suspected al Qaeda operative is being sought by the FBI. When asked if al Ibaba had been planning to unleash the fleas in New York, the head of Homeland Security would only say, "No comment."
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and police commissioner Raymond Kelly said they were much relived that this biological weapon of mass destruction had been discovered before al Ibaba was able to unleash it in New York City. Bloomberg said that the city was still suffering from a decline in tourism because of last year’s massive bed bugs infestation attack.
FIREFIGHTERS ATTACKED BY THOUSANDS OF FLEAS AT ABANDONED HOUSE ARE TESTED FOR BUBONIC PLAGUE
Mail Online
August 19, 2011
A team of firemen, who were left coated in thousands of fleas when they went to an abandoned house, had to be tested for plague.
The crew from Connecticut were conducting a routine safety check at an abandoned building in the town of Waterbury when they were besieged by the insects.
They returned to their truck itching like mad to discover they were absolutely covered in fleas.
The team rushed themselves to hospital and had to strip-off completely before going inside in case they brought the insects in with them.
They were examined by doctors and found to be absolutely covered in bites before being scrubbed down and tested for a number of potential illnesses including bubonic plague.
Fire Chief David Martin said all of the team had been given the all clear and are back at work.
He told Waterbury Republican-American: 'One of the guys described it as they had thousands of them, crawling on them.
'I've been doing this for 23 years, and I've never heard of anything like it. It's not your typical work hazard, that's for sure.'
The truck had to be taken out of service so it could be fumigated, and the firemens' clothing was washed at ultra-high temperatures to kill off any remaining fleas.
Napolitano admitted that Ahmed Muhammad Mustafa al Ibaba is believed to have stored this latest biological weapon of mass destruction in an abandoned Waterbury house. The fleas weapon is believed to be much more virulent than last year’s bed bugs weapons that struck New York, Philadelphia, Detroit and Denver. The Pakistani native and suspected al Qaeda operative is being sought by the FBI. When asked if al Ibaba had been planning to unleash the fleas in New York, the head of Homeland Security would only say, "No comment."
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and police commissioner Raymond Kelly said they were much relived that this biological weapon of mass destruction had been discovered before al Ibaba was able to unleash it in New York City. Bloomberg said that the city was still suffering from a decline in tourism because of last year’s massive bed bugs infestation attack.
FIREFIGHTERS ATTACKED BY THOUSANDS OF FLEAS AT ABANDONED HOUSE ARE TESTED FOR BUBONIC PLAGUE
Mail Online
August 19, 2011
A team of firemen, who were left coated in thousands of fleas when they went to an abandoned house, had to be tested for plague.
The crew from Connecticut were conducting a routine safety check at an abandoned building in the town of Waterbury when they were besieged by the insects.
They returned to their truck itching like mad to discover they were absolutely covered in fleas.
The team rushed themselves to hospital and had to strip-off completely before going inside in case they brought the insects in with them.
They were examined by doctors and found to be absolutely covered in bites before being scrubbed down and tested for a number of potential illnesses including bubonic plague.
Fire Chief David Martin said all of the team had been given the all clear and are back at work.
He told Waterbury Republican-American: 'One of the guys described it as they had thousands of them, crawling on them.
'I've been doing this for 23 years, and I've never heard of anything like it. It's not your typical work hazard, that's for sure.'
The truck had to be taken out of service so it could be fumigated, and the firemens' clothing was washed at ultra-high temperatures to kill off any remaining fleas.
CLEAR-CUT EVIDENCE OF RACISM
I was watching the news on TV when they showed a flash mob cleaning out a Washington, D.C. convenience store. All the thieves, both men and women, were black.
Why doesn’t the TV news show flash mobs of whites robbing businesses? Why do the TV stations run mostly surveillance videos that show blacks robbing stores? Why do we see mostly blacks when they show people on TV who are wanted for crimes and who are arrested or arraigned in court?
It sure looks like what we have here is a clear-cut case of racism.
Why doesn’t the TV news show flash mobs of whites robbing businesses? Why do the TV stations run mostly surveillance videos that show blacks robbing stores? Why do we see mostly blacks when they show people on TV who are wanted for crimes and who are arrested or arraigned in court?
It sure looks like what we have here is a clear-cut case of racism.
FRUIT OF THE ARAB SPRING
Israel had good reasons for wanting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to remain in power.
ATTACKS IN ISRAEL AND NEW MILITAANT OPPORTUNITIES IN EGYPT
STRATFOR Global Intelligence
August 19, 2011
A series of coordinated attacks occurred Thursday along Israel’s border with Egypt. While each attack was relatively small, the incidents indicate some degree of coordination among the attackers. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak attributed the attacks to elements emanating from the Gaza Strip, while Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tactical reports stated that the attacks had been launched from across Israel’s border with Egypt along the Sinai peninsula. No one has yet claimed responsibility.
Israel has plenty of experience in dealing with threats from militants in Gaza. In response, Israel often conducts preemptive as well as retaliatory airstrikes using real-time intelligence. In addition, whenever things appear to be getting out of control, the IDF conducts a major ground offensive.
Attacks inside Israel have become a rare occurrence. Weakened capability and shifting strategic imperatives have caused Hamas and other militant groups to largely refrain from such attacks. Most attacks usually consist of the firing of rockets from Gaza, a practice Hamas has an interest in both limiting as well as calibrating to enhance its control over the Strip.
In light of recent unrest in the Arab world and the new political and security reality in Egypt, these latest attacks in Israel potentially represent a new kind of threat — one posed by transnational jihadists who have long wanted to undermine Egypt without operational success. It is quite possible that al Qaeda is trying to exploit the post-Mubarak political environment to mobilize its Sinai- and Gaza-based assets in order to create an Egyptian-Israeli crisis that can (potentially) undermine Cairo’s stability.
EGYPT AFTER MUBARAK
Under the police state run by ousted President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt successfully kept political Islamists restrained, neutralizing the threat from jihadist groups. The unrest that broke out in the Arab world earlier this year has altered the domestic political reality in Egypt. Mubarak’s fall from power in the wake of popular agitation and the Egyptian military regime’s obligated engagement in political reforms have created a new environment — one in which autocratic measures have become largely obsolete.
Egypt’s rolling back of the police state and subsequent political reforms have made it difficult to maintain domestic security and keep militants under control. Indeed, militants are already taking advantage of the political opening. They have stepped up their operations, as evidenced by attacks against energy infrastructure and other targets in the Sinai Peninsula.
The new era of Egyptian multiparty politics has also allowed a variety of Islamist actors to emerge as legitimate political entities. At the same time, Egyptian national sentiment is emerging as a major factor in the foreign policymaking process. This change alone constitutes a threat to Israel’s national security, though it is a more of a long-term issue.
The rise of different types of Islamist actors (Muslim Brotherhood, Salafists and Sufists, among others) as legitimate political entities who pursue constitutional means to come to power makes it difficult for jihadists to directly threaten the stability of the Egyptian regime. With even Salafists and former jihadist groups such as Gamaah al-Islamiyah and Tandheem al-Jihad embracing the political mainstream, the jihadists will have a hard time gaining support for an armed insurrection against the Egyptian state. Realizing that they are not able to directly confront the Egyptian state (despite the Arab unrest), the jihadists are trying to indirectly undermine the regime by exploiting the Israeli-Gaza situation and the renewed militancy in the Sinai.
A NEW THREAT TO ISRAEL?
Even before today’s attacks, the Israelis responded to increasing attacks in the Sinai by allowing Cairo to deploy an additional 1,000 troops to the peninsula. That concession indicated that Israel is likely skeptical of the Egyptian military’s ability to effectively deal with this problem, considering current political and security circumstances. Cairo is under a lot of stress domestically and regionally. Egypt is in the early stages of trying to manage political and militant opposition in a tense political climate and it is unable to maintain internal security as effectively as it once did.
Israel, therefore, will likely see today’s attacks as a new kind of threat. The Israeli leadership realizes that the problem is no longer strictly confined to Gaza but has now spread to Egypt itself. However, Israel doesn’t have any good way to control the situation unfolding within the borders of its Arab neighbor. That said, Israeli officials have already begun pointing fingers at the deteriorating security situation in Egypt, a response which likely going to cause tensions between Jerusalem and Cairo — exactly what the jihadists hope to achieve.
The latest video statement from al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, in which he speaks of an “intellectual” effort in addition to the armed one, is noteworthy. Al-Zawahiri’s comments are part of al Qaeda’s response to the so-called “Arab Spring” — a development in which the jihadists have largely been marginalized. Al-Zawahiri has long been frustrated by the fact that many former jihadists in Egypt (his home country) have renounced violence, attacking al Qaeda and him personally.
For decades, the al Qaeda leader has longed to be capable of undermining the Egyptian state, and now the Arab unrest provides an opportunity (albeit not without challenges of its own). Al-Zawahiri’s status as al Qaeda chief after the death of Osama bin Laden boosts the viability of this endeavor. In this new role, he is more or less free to steer the movement toward his preferred direction. His ascension to the top of the jihadist hierarchy also signals a rise of Egyptians (who have long held a disproportionate amount of influence) within the global jihadist network.
The result is that al Qaeda can be expected to focus heavily on the Egyptian-Gaza-Israeli fault line. This fixation will not only complicate matters for Israel and its efforts to deal with the Gaza Strip, it could also begin to unravel the Egyptian-Israeli relationship that has existed since the signing of the 1978 Camp David Peace Accords.
ATTACKS IN ISRAEL AND NEW MILITAANT OPPORTUNITIES IN EGYPT
STRATFOR Global Intelligence
August 19, 2011
A series of coordinated attacks occurred Thursday along Israel’s border with Egypt. While each attack was relatively small, the incidents indicate some degree of coordination among the attackers. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak attributed the attacks to elements emanating from the Gaza Strip, while Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tactical reports stated that the attacks had been launched from across Israel’s border with Egypt along the Sinai peninsula. No one has yet claimed responsibility.
Israel has plenty of experience in dealing with threats from militants in Gaza. In response, Israel often conducts preemptive as well as retaliatory airstrikes using real-time intelligence. In addition, whenever things appear to be getting out of control, the IDF conducts a major ground offensive.
Attacks inside Israel have become a rare occurrence. Weakened capability and shifting strategic imperatives have caused Hamas and other militant groups to largely refrain from such attacks. Most attacks usually consist of the firing of rockets from Gaza, a practice Hamas has an interest in both limiting as well as calibrating to enhance its control over the Strip.
In light of recent unrest in the Arab world and the new political and security reality in Egypt, these latest attacks in Israel potentially represent a new kind of threat — one posed by transnational jihadists who have long wanted to undermine Egypt without operational success. It is quite possible that al Qaeda is trying to exploit the post-Mubarak political environment to mobilize its Sinai- and Gaza-based assets in order to create an Egyptian-Israeli crisis that can (potentially) undermine Cairo’s stability.
EGYPT AFTER MUBARAK
Under the police state run by ousted President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt successfully kept political Islamists restrained, neutralizing the threat from jihadist groups. The unrest that broke out in the Arab world earlier this year has altered the domestic political reality in Egypt. Mubarak’s fall from power in the wake of popular agitation and the Egyptian military regime’s obligated engagement in political reforms have created a new environment — one in which autocratic measures have become largely obsolete.
Egypt’s rolling back of the police state and subsequent political reforms have made it difficult to maintain domestic security and keep militants under control. Indeed, militants are already taking advantage of the political opening. They have stepped up their operations, as evidenced by attacks against energy infrastructure and other targets in the Sinai Peninsula.
The new era of Egyptian multiparty politics has also allowed a variety of Islamist actors to emerge as legitimate political entities. At the same time, Egyptian national sentiment is emerging as a major factor in the foreign policymaking process. This change alone constitutes a threat to Israel’s national security, though it is a more of a long-term issue.
The rise of different types of Islamist actors (Muslim Brotherhood, Salafists and Sufists, among others) as legitimate political entities who pursue constitutional means to come to power makes it difficult for jihadists to directly threaten the stability of the Egyptian regime. With even Salafists and former jihadist groups such as Gamaah al-Islamiyah and Tandheem al-Jihad embracing the political mainstream, the jihadists will have a hard time gaining support for an armed insurrection against the Egyptian state. Realizing that they are not able to directly confront the Egyptian state (despite the Arab unrest), the jihadists are trying to indirectly undermine the regime by exploiting the Israeli-Gaza situation and the renewed militancy in the Sinai.
A NEW THREAT TO ISRAEL?
Even before today’s attacks, the Israelis responded to increasing attacks in the Sinai by allowing Cairo to deploy an additional 1,000 troops to the peninsula. That concession indicated that Israel is likely skeptical of the Egyptian military’s ability to effectively deal with this problem, considering current political and security circumstances. Cairo is under a lot of stress domestically and regionally. Egypt is in the early stages of trying to manage political and militant opposition in a tense political climate and it is unable to maintain internal security as effectively as it once did.
Israel, therefore, will likely see today’s attacks as a new kind of threat. The Israeli leadership realizes that the problem is no longer strictly confined to Gaza but has now spread to Egypt itself. However, Israel doesn’t have any good way to control the situation unfolding within the borders of its Arab neighbor. That said, Israeli officials have already begun pointing fingers at the deteriorating security situation in Egypt, a response which likely going to cause tensions between Jerusalem and Cairo — exactly what the jihadists hope to achieve.
The latest video statement from al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, in which he speaks of an “intellectual” effort in addition to the armed one, is noteworthy. Al-Zawahiri’s comments are part of al Qaeda’s response to the so-called “Arab Spring” — a development in which the jihadists have largely been marginalized. Al-Zawahiri has long been frustrated by the fact that many former jihadists in Egypt (his home country) have renounced violence, attacking al Qaeda and him personally.
For decades, the al Qaeda leader has longed to be capable of undermining the Egyptian state, and now the Arab unrest provides an opportunity (albeit not without challenges of its own). Al-Zawahiri’s status as al Qaeda chief after the death of Osama bin Laden boosts the viability of this endeavor. In this new role, he is more or less free to steer the movement toward his preferred direction. His ascension to the top of the jihadist hierarchy also signals a rise of Egyptians (who have long held a disproportionate amount of influence) within the global jihadist network.
The result is that al Qaeda can be expected to focus heavily on the Egyptian-Gaza-Israeli fault line. This fixation will not only complicate matters for Israel and its efforts to deal with the Gaza Strip, it could also begin to unravel the Egyptian-Israeli relationship that has existed since the signing of the 1978 Camp David Peace Accords.
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