From Jesus’ General
I really don’t understand how the market can be up when everyone’s at Bohemian Grove.
And here is an article from the Guardian about the War on Children:
It’s weird, the things that make you feel better in the south of Lebanon, but seven dead instead of 40 gave me a sense of relief.
…
Then another child was pulled from under the rubble, and another followed, and then another. You go a little crazy when you see little body after little body coming up out of the ground. I looked around me and all I could see in the house was the detritus of their short lives – big plastic bags filled with clothes, milk cans, plastic toys and a baby carriage.…
As we walked, jumping from one boulder to the other, Ali said: “My father and mother went with my other brothers and sisters to another town. They said they will come and get me when the bombs stop.”
In the scorching sunshine above, Israeli jets were flying, their sound mixed with that of the drones. Suddenly a thud came from the hills and Ali froze. “They are going to bomb again!” He started to cry. “Why are the Israelis hitting us? Do they hate us? My cousin Mahmoud called me on the phone and he told me that the nuclear bombs are really big. Are they as big as these rockets?” It’s hard to convey quite how shocked, perhaps quite literally shell-shocked – this little boy was. He was almost delusional.
raincoaster 
putting things in prespective.
Full text of Khamenei message to World of Islam
Thursday, August 03, 2006 – ©2005 IranMania.com
Related Pictures
LONDON, August 3 (IranMania) – According to an IRNA report, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei condemned the tragic disaster at the Lebanese village of Qana and the silence of UN and the so-called supporters of human rights on the ‘Zionist’ regime’s crimes in Lebanon.
In his message to the World of Islam, the Supreme Leader said, “The events in Lebanon have exposed the true nature of American human rights, and have revealed the kind of Middle East the American government intends to have.”
The following is the full text of the message sent by the Supreme Leader to the world of Islam:
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
“The tragic disaster in Qana has made our hearts sated with pain and grief. It has made us and other Muslims as well as all freedom-loving peoples of the world grief-stricken and angry.
“Why and for what reason the lives of those innocent children, those fragile and exhausted bodies, and the small and frightened hearts ended in such a cruel manner?
“Why were the distressed hearts of their mothers and fathers so cruelly wounded by the bloodthirsty ‘Zionists’ and their bigheaded and arrogant American supporters?
“What is the logic and rationale behind twenty days of relentless bombing of Lebanon, twenty days of atrocities on a massive scale, destruction of nation and killing of its civilian population, and the disaster such as the massacre in Qana, to make the world that claims to be civilized, the United Nations, governments and organizations that profess to be advocates of human rights to remain callously cold and uninterested?
“How long should the Islamic world tolerate existence of the scheming and evil ‘Zionist’ regime? How long should the Islamic government allow aggressive and arrogant America to have a free hand in this sensitive part of the world?
“The events in Lebanon have exposed the true nature of American human rights and have revealed the kind of Middle East the American government intends to have.
“Today it has become clear to all that attack on Lebanon was premediated and part of a joint American-‘Zionist’ stratagem and is a major step toward domination over the Middle East and the Islamic World.
“Bush and his American cohorts share the same degree of guilt in the disasters brought upon Lebanon as the evil and wicked ‘Zionist’ regime. And the silence of the United Nations and many of the western governments and above all the support by some governments, such as the notorious British
government, make them accountable and partners in crime in varying degrees in contemporary and future judgment of humanity and in the day of reckoning and divine judgment day.
“More than ever before the Muslim nations loathe America. Their governments, even those that are constrained because of political considerations, loathe and oppose the American government because of so much outrageous and arrogant aggressions. The American regime must expect a hard slap on the face and the crushing fist of Muslim ummah because of its support for the crimes and the ‘Zionist’ criminals and its blatant violation of the rights of Muslim nations.
“The resistance of the people of Lebanon and the heroic struggles of Hizbollah and power arising from their faith, endurance and trust in God is another sign of awakening in the Islamic world and a mark of their firm resolve against animosities and hostilities. The iron fist of the faithful, brave and innocent youth of Lebanon has landed on the hideous face of the aggressors and has broken the glassy shield of their conceited and drunken vanity.
“The strategic policy of America in the Middle East is premised upon creating crisis, tension and wars. They must understand that as they expand the circle of insecurity in the region, the nations will become angrier at them and the world will be less safe for them.
The aggressive behavior of American and Israel will revitalize more than ever the spirit of resistance in the Islamic world and will make clearer the value of Jihad.
“The Islamic world and the Muslim youth in all Islamic nations should also realize that the only way to stand against the savage Wolf of Zionism and the aggressions of the Great Satan is by dedicated resistance.
“Surrender and capitulation before the reckless and scheming American government will only add to their greed and blatant defiance and make things harder for the nations.
“If Lebanon had caved in and surrendered to the aggressions of the ‘Zionists’, and if the combatant youth of Hizbullah and the innocent people of southern Lebanon had chosen not to put their lives on the line in this sacred defense, long-lasting humiliation and suffering would have threatened the
entire nation of Lebanon and rest of the region would have been embroiled as part of the aftermath of these aggressive attacks.
“Today Hizbullah is on the frontline of the sacred defense of the Muslim ummah and all nations of the region.
“To the ‘Zionist’ enemy, religion, faith, mosque, church, Shiite and Sunnis make no difference. It is a racist, aggressor and brutal regime. If it sees anything on its way, it will spare no crime and show no mercy toward any group or nations. The nations of the region, all Islamic sects and followers of different faiths in Lebanon and in all Islamic countries must join hands and not allow their division to be a source of strength for the enemy.
“The Islamic Iran regards it its duty to stand against bullying and aggressions of America and the evil designs of the ‘Zionist’ regime. We will stand by all oppressed nations, especially the beloved people of Lebanon and the combatant nation of Palestine.
“America is practically a partner in the heinous crimes committed in Lebanon by its open support for the killing of civilian population of Lebanon, opposition to ceasefire and by providing armaments, financial assistance and political support to the ‘Zionist’ aggressors. It is now intending to impose added tyranny on the people and government of Lebanon by imposing its own conditions.
“Without any doubt, the resistant nations and those brave combatants will not succumb to this tyranny and will choose their way only on the basis of their interests.
“I offer my condolences to the dear people, the tireless mojaheds and the political leadership of Lebanon on the sufferings brought upon the people, specially the great disaster on Qana, and declare the sympathy of the great Iranian nation with them.
“Greetings to the people of Lebanon, salutation to the victorious Hizbollah, and hail to the brave and faithful Arab leader, Seyed Hassan Nasrollah.
“So patiently preserve: for verily the promise of God is true:
nor let those shake thy firmness, who have (themselves) no certainty of faith (Sura 30, Verse 60).”
Sheeeesh.
Here’s everybody in Iraq and the Lebanon getting killed, and the Americans acting all stupid about it, and everybody the world over bemoaning the fact that these wars are going on, and a whole lot of people in Europe and America and the Middle East desperately trying to figure out a way to STOP people killing each other and learn to live side by side in peace and tolerance, and what happens?
We get this idiot Khamenei walking up to the fire with a can of petrol, and inflaming people in the Islamic world to get stuck in and do EVEN MORE KILLING.
‘The crushing fist of Muslim ummah’. How in heaven’s name does that kind of talk HELP the situation?
I don’t mind people thinking differently. I do mind intensely when they’re so stupid they can’t demonstrate compassion. Respect cuts both ways.
Amen.
But the difference is that Khameni and his merry band of ideological buddies have never pretended to be democratic (they throw the word around at election time as often as they throw their opponents into jail), never claimed to respect human rights, and have still not recognized Israel in the first place.
The point of claiming that Western (or democratic, or free-thinking, name your adjective) ideology is better is that we have to show it.
Khameni’s never been other than an @$$#0!€. He wants Israel in cinders and America the “Great Satan” destroyed. So his pronouncements are at least consistent.
As opposed to president ***, who so loved the stem cells that he gave his only veto for them, but can’t get off his ass to find a stamp and mail Olmert a letter staying “Now cut that $#!7 out!” to stop fully-grown Lebanese embryos from being killed.
Amen 2.0.