Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

Anyone who is suspicious of the "confession" of this man, please feel to read up on him. Please don't let your hatred of George Bush make you think he's some sort of patsy. He was also well-educated and well-traveled, an engineer.

If there was anyone who could be defined as a "ticking bomb scenario" it was this guy. If there is any one member of Al Qaeda who truly needed to be water boarded for intel, he is it. This is the guy that is the exception to the rule where even if it was illegal to torture him, you do it anyways.

Also, this creeps me out: Zawahiri actually visited my hometown and Taiwan in the 90's doing fund raising. (from the Looming Tower.)

UPDATE:

He "sang" to interrogators almost from the start, after his March 2003 arrest at a house outside the Pakistani capital. Much of the information in the 26 pages of released testimony has been long known.

I swear I read that he was water-boarded. Maybe he wasn't.

In his testimony to a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay, released in redacted form by the
Pentagon on Wednesday, Mohammed claimed involvement in 31 attacks and plots. Some are almost surely true.

He was the mastermind of the 9/11 jetliner attacks and, in their wake, certified his bloodthirsty by personally beheading Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl — bragging about it on the Internet then and in the testimony transcript of last Saturday.

"I decapitated with my blessed right hand the head of the American Jew, Daniel Pearl, in the city of Karachi, Pakistan," he said. "For those who would like to confirm, there are pictures of me on the Internet holding his head."

His operations ranged from his admitted involvement in the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center, as well as a failed scheme known as Bojinka to bring down 12 Western airliners in Asia — claims that are well documented.

Less certain is his claimed role in the October 2002 bombings that killed 202 people in Bali, Indonesia, and aborted plots to assassinate former U.S. presidents and
Pope John Paul II.

"He's a boastful character. I think after four years of silence, he'd probably like to be up there with the likes of bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri as a major figure and ideologue, and impress people with everything he's done," said Ahmed Rashid, a Pakistan-based author on Islamic militancy.

So there is documentation for many of his confessions, as I noted, and at least this story mentions them. As for the Bali bombings, this guy was living in SE Asia for many years - I would not be surprised if he was involved. Then again, he can only do so much, so maybe he is lying for effect, under duress, or boasting.

UPDATE II:

According to the sources, CIA officers who subjected themselves to the water boarding technique lasted an average of 14 seconds before caving in. They said al Qaeda's toughest prisoner, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, won the admiration of interrogators when he was able to last between two and two-and-a-half minutes before begging to confess.

So, did he "sing" or did he have to be water-boarded? The Yahoo story says he "sang" almost from the beginning. This story says he had to be water-boarded. I guess those are not mutually exclusive.

Why Canadians Emigrate

If Google Maps decides that your hometown in Canadia is not worthy of anything more than a flyover view, you know, maybe you should move to Asia and work as an English coolie building Taiwan's intellectual capital for low wages.

What's funny is that Dildo's sister city in Chad has about the same resolution as Antigonish and probably more visitors.

NOTE: This post is to balance out the pro-Canadian feelings I have been having recently.

Women's Lib / Mad Lib

If you think that supporting women's lib issues will somehow stop the endless nagging, think again:

Men at Take Back The Night (Toronto 2005)

There is always this question. Men are invited to take part in the fair and rally. If there is a men's discussion group or activity, they are invited to that. The march is for women and children only. If men want to show their support to the women in their lives, they can walk beside/outside the march.

Men can do many things to end violence against women and children. It is a constant surprise that being on this march seems to be one of the only things some (very vocal) men want to do. When asked to fundraise for women's services – we hear no. When asked to confront their male friends and family members about sexist, racist, violent behaviours, men say it is too difficult, or it's not their place. When asked to think about organizing a men's group or organization (or to join an existing one) to confront violence against women, they say they don't have the time. When asked to do childcare at this event, some men say no.

Hmmmm, does this sort of language sound familiar?

Men can do many things to help around the house. It is a constant surprise that going to the local sports bar seems to be one of the only things some (very vocal) men want to do. When asked to wash the dishes – we hear no. When asked to fix things around the house, men say it is too difficult, or it's not their place. When asked to think about cleaning out the garage, they say they don't have the time. When asked to take care of the kids while the woman goes shopping, some men say no.

p.s. You know, if my woman and young'ins were off marching, I wouldn't be vocally whining to join the march, but do some "fundraising" by tapping a keg and selling cold ones. Or just go to a sports bar instead.

Political Jokes

A political joke (not very good) in the news:

At a Radio & Television News Directors Association Foundation event in Washington on Thursday, Ailes said, "And it is true that Barack Obama is on the move. I don't know if it's true that President Bush called (Pakistani President Pervez) Musharraf and said, 'Why can't we catch this guy?"

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Seems to be me the joke is on President Bush, not Obama, no? Isn't it trying to say Bush has misconfused the two names?

I keep wanting to make some Obama joke that refers to 'Bama brand peanut butter/mayonaise, but I can't figure it out.

Also, it's Rehab for Maher:

BILL MAHER, HOST: And they [Republicans] have something very gay, excuse me, going on with Ronald Reagan. I mean, they love Ronald Reagan in a way that’s just gay. I’m sorry, but, I think they want to put him on a stamp so they can lick his backside. Seriously, I mean, am I right?

It seems to me that political jokes are rarely funny, though I am sure there are a ton of good ones. Molly Ivin's "illegal for prick to touch an asshole" was a great one. Maher's "lick his backside" is a good line but could have been used better I think when not linked to the gay references. (Though if that was off the cuff, it wasn't too shabby a shot.)

At the end of World War II, Canada had more than a million men under arms and operated the world's third-biggest navy (behind the U.S. and Britain), with more than 400 ships.

But it's only worth 4 IPC's total in Axis & Allies.