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Spain Says No to Asylum For Osama Bin Laden's Son

LibertySugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0800

Yesterday Spain told Omar bin Laden, one of Osama bin Laden's 19 sons, that he was not welcomed there. The 27-year-old Saudi citizen lives in Egypt with his 52-year-old British wife, but while in Madrid for flight layover, he appealed for asylum. Omar argued that his pacifist stances put his life at risk in the Middle East. Even so, Spain rejected his petition. An anonymous Spanish official said Omar simply did not meet refugee requirements.

Before the UK rejected a similar asylum request, Omar hoped to move to his wife's hometown in England. Perhaps to his detriment, during a January interview with the Associated Press, Omar chose not to renounce his father. He did say that unlike his father, he wanted to be an "ambassador of peace." Before he made the decision to choose peace over violence, Omar trained at an al Qaeda camp. He says that since he left the camp in 2000, he has had no contact with his father.

Omar and his wife think the stigma of their last name has prompted Western countries to reject Omar's bid for asylum. Even if that accusation is true, is it a fair basis?

Source

Clarke: Al Qaeda May Try To Tilt Election To McCain

CitizenSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:40:06 -0700

Clarke: Al Qaeda May Try to Tilt Election to McCain John Kerry believes that the so-called al Qaeda Halloween videotape released days before the last presidential election in the United States affected enough undecided voters that it may have made the difference in the outcome. Opinion polls, which al Qaeda reads closely, suggest that an attack would help McCain. Polls in Europe and the Middle East also suggest an overwhelming popular support there for Barack Obama. Al Qaeda would not like it if there were a popular American president again.

Pakistan's New President Finds Himself in Awkward Trouble

LibertySugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

When American politicians do something awkward they have to answer to YouTube, but Pakistan's new president, Asif Ali Zardari, has to answer to religious leaders and feminists. A religious leader issued a fatwa, a nonbinding opinion on Islamic law, condemning Zardari for flirting with Sarah Palin at the UN. The radical prayer leader said Zardari disgraced the whole nation with "indecent gestures, filthy remarks, and repeated praise of a non-Muslim lady wearing a short skirt." He also added: "we are fighting the American war in our country and thousands of our people have been killed just to please Uncle Sam." And as for Pakistan's feminists, some say by calling Palin "gorgeous" Zardari looked at her merely as a woman and not a politician.

But that's not where the embarrassment ends. In an interview with Fox News, President Zardari repeated the debunked Internet hoax that Colonel Oliver North installed a home security system in the 1980s because he was scared of Osama bin Laden. To find out how Zardari has done damage control,

Boo, I'm Osama bin Laden? Are Certain Costumes Off-Limits?

CitizenSugar — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:00:12 -0700

While it may be a bit until Halloween, all those "Spirit Stores" are popping up selling costumes already, and they made this story jump out at me. This week a senior British police officer found himself in hot water over his choice of costume for the local carnival parade. He's been advising the Afghan government on counter-terrorism, so I suppose he thought his costume was true to the theme: he showed up dressed as Osama bin Laden. Despite the fact that the officer works to fight terrorism and has attended 9/11 memorial services in New York, his superiors were not amused by the flowing robes and turban. A spokesman for the officer's unit released a statement condemning the costume: “While we believe that his actions were misguided rather than malicious, they were clearly inappropriate, and we would condemn any such actions by any police officer as unacceptable.”Even though Halloween is more and more (it seems to me anyway) about dressing as sexy and shocking as possible, was this beyond the boundaries of taste? It's certainly a scary enough costume — and they sell Osama masks online — but are certain costumes automatically off-limits?

Boo, I'm Osama bin Laden? Are Certain Costumes Off-Limits?

Absolutely. Some costumes are by nature in very poor taste and shouldn't be worn.

Where you're wearing it is a consideration, but in the end, it's just a costume.

Nope. They're all fair game. Osama, Hitler . . . after all, the point is to be scary, right?

Other. I'll say "boo" in the comments.

Is Osama bin Laden Winning?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:00:40 -0700

It's a dicey question, but consider this: a military superpower engages a desperate and religiously motivated army in a remote desert nation. They spend years attempting to crush this insurgency only to be driven into economic ruin. Does it sound familiar? It happened to the Soviet Union after facing the CIA-backed mujahideen fighters and Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan in the 1980s. The question America perhaps should be asking itself is: Are we next?

On September 11th, 2001 America faced the worst terrorist attack in its history — but the stated target of al Qaeda that day wasn’t America’s military might, it was the economy itself. Osama bin Laden declared in December 2001, “If their [the American] economy is destroyed, they will be busy with their own affairs rather than enslaving weak peoples. It is very important to concentrate on hitting the US economy through all possible means.” I hate to wonder, but has bin Laden achieved that goal?

Here's why one might think so: according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the second quarter of 2008 saw nearly 300,000 workers get laid off as the national unemployment rate reached a two year high of five percent (seven percent in California and Ohio). The total outstanding public debt is 9.5 trillion dollars and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which stated in its second quarter report is “suffering a malaise not seen since the Carter Administration, the US Stock market staggered by accelerating inflation and a stagnant economy."

Of course, the US is facing more challenges than just these. To see how those could point to a bin Laden victory,

Know the Facts? Al-Qaeda Marks 20 Years of Terror

LibertySugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:00:19 -0700

Twenty years ago this week, Osama bin Laden and his cohorts founded the infamous militant group al-Qaeda. For two decades the terrorist network has sought to end foreign influence in Muslim countries, kill US citizens and their allies everywhere, and create a perfect Islamic form of government in the Muslim world.

The past 20 years have seen many gruesome al-Qaeda successes, but the group also faces feasible fragmentation and failure in the future. Do you know the facts on America's main enemy in the war on terrorism?

Source

Front Page: Bin Laden Driver Sentenced, 13 Dead in Texas Bus Crash, Iraq Proposes Timetable

CitizenSugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:54:43 -0700

Bin Laden Driver Sentenced:
A panel of military officers have sentenced the convicted former driver of Osama bin Laden to five and a half years in prison. Ignoring the prosecution's pleas for a strict sentence, the 66 month decision means that the first detainee convicted of a war crime in court could complete his punishment by the end of the year. The military judge said he had already planned to give credit for the 61 months the detainee has already served.

13 Dead in Texas Bus Crash:
A charter bus carrying 55 church members rolled on its side killing 13 instantly and sending 24 to the hospital. A blown tire caused the bus to run off a highway overpass. The passengers had been on their way to a religious festival honoring the Virgin Mary.

Iraq Proposes Timetable:
Iraqi negotiators have decided on October, 2010, as the deadline when combat troops will have left the country. US troops will begin to withdraw from the streets in the middle of next year, and be gone by 2010, though some support units would stay on. If agreed upon by President Bush, the schedule will be close to the proposal of Barack Obama.

Source

Verdict Issued in Trial of Osama bin Laden's Driver

CitizenSugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:40:57 -0700

The military jury's verdict in the Guantanamo Bay trial of Osama bin Laden's driver is in: he has been found not guilty in the more serious count of conspiracy to aid terror, and guilty of material support of terrorism. The sentencing phase of the trial begins this afternoon. The prosecution's case did not prove that he intended to do harm, but that he aided the al Qaeda network in accomplishing acts that caused harm. This was the first war crimes trial since WWII.

Pakistan Says US Not Hunting bin Laden On Its Turf

CitizenSugar — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:45:05 -0700

Pakistan Says US Not Hunting bin Laden On Its Turf Pakistan's top diplomat said Saturday there are no US or other foreign military personnel on the hunt for Osama bin Laden in his nation, and none will be allowed in to search for the al Qaeda leader. In an interview with The Associated Press, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said his nation's new government has ruled out such military operations, covert or otherwise, to catch militants.

Bush Says Ciao to Europe, Get Bin Laden to Special Forces

LibertySugar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:00:36 -0700

George W. Bush ordered special forces to capture Osama bin Laden before his presidency is up, and seven and a half years after September 11. Bush arrived in London yesterday, and renewed the urgency to capture bin Laden, according to British and American intelligence sources. Bush has enlisted British special forces to help Americans complete the job. The US led operation will now cross the Afghan border, into Pakistan, with the approval of the Pakistani government.

President Bush has been making a farewell shuffle through Europe, reconnecting with American allies like Germany, Italy, France, and Britain. Check out the pictures!

If America succeeds in capturing Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, will Bush have better secured his nation, as well as a more positive legacy? Or is it too little too late, if al Qaeda does not rely much on its figurative leader?

Source

New Al Qaida Message Released By Second In Command Ayman al-Zawahiri

CitizenSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:55:54 -0700

New Al Qaida Message Released By Second In Command Ayman al-Zawahiri Reiterating the message in Osama bin Laden's last address, al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman Zawahri released an audio message Wednesday, calling for the siege to be lifted off Ghaza. Lamenting the 1967 Six Day War, referred to in the Arab world as "Al-Naksah" or "the setback," Zawahri follows bin Laden's technique of appealing to Muslim Arabs by rallying around the Palestinian cause.

New Bin Laden Message To Be Issued Soon: Report

CitizenSugar — Sun, 18 May 2008 10:55:56 -0700

New Bin Laden Message To Be Issued Soon: Report The media wing of al-Qaida says Osama bin Laden soon will issue a new message addressed to the Islamic world. Al-Sahab posted a banner Sunday on a militant Web site known for carrying the terror network's messages. It said a "powerful speech to the Islamic nation," will be issued soon.

Front Page: Osama bin Laden Tape, Indictment in MySpace Case, Zimbabwe Names Date,

CitizenSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 07:02:08 -0700

Osama bin Laden Tape: Osama bin Laden just released another audio tape to mark Israel's 60th anniversary. Bin Laden has placed growing emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, putting it at the heart of the Muslim battle and calling it an inspiration to the bombers who attacked US cities on September 11, 2001. In the tape bin Laden says, "we will continue, God permitting, the fight against the Israelis and their allies ... and will not give up a single inch of Palestine as long as there is one true Muslim on earth." The Israeli anniversary celebrations were his inspiration to say, "this is evidence that Palestine is our land, and the Israelis are invaders and occupiers who should be fought."
Indictment in MySpace Case: A federal grand jury indicted the Missouri woman accused of creating a fake MySpace identity to manipulate a 13-year-old girl, who then committed suicide as a result. The woman, Lori Drew, was charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing a computer without authorization and via interstate commerce to obtain information to inflict emotional distress. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Zimbabwe Names Date: The run-off in Zimbabwe's disputed presidential election will be held on June 27. Though opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the first round, the margin was not big enough to avoid a run-off. President Robert Mugabe called the poll "disastrous". Tsvangirai will compete in the second round, after originally threatening to boycott it.

Where in the World is Osama bin Laden? In Theaters!

CitizenSugar — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:00:25 -0700

I must have been in a cave this weekend — or so busy talking about Ben Stein's Expelled that I completely forgot to mention that Morgan Spurlock's new flick, Where in the World Is Osama bin Laden opened this weekend. I've been following this film since way back, and now that it's out it sounds like part of a perfect afternoon — a nice double feature of intelligent design and terrorist hunting. Buzz would approve.

The trailer makes it seem like a wacky romp, which is odd given the sort of global gravity of finding bin Laden, but I'll bet Spurlock has some pretty scathing commentary on the man's elusiveness. Are you going to check it out? The reviews are in if you want to research before investing in a ticket. I wonder what topic Spurlock will take on next? Do you like his affable take on serious issues? Does he give Michael Moore a run for his money?

Did You See This? Ashcroft Makes a Osama/Obama Flub

CitizenSugar — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 07:00:24 -0700

At Skidmore College last week, Former US Attorney General John Ashcroft made a terrible slip of the tongue — and got booed. Loudly. Check it out.

Oh dear. Well, he apologized immediately. Sort of. In an off-handed way. Wasn't John Ashcroft the one who lost his election to a dead man?

Front Page: Osama bin Laden Fine, Mugabe, Missile Defense

CitizenSugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:00:08 -0700

Al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri, says Osama bin Laden is alive and doing very well in a recording just released. In the 104-minute recording posted on the Internet, al-Zawahri said, “Sheik Osama bin Laden is in good health. The ill-intentioned always try to circulate false reports about him being sick.” He then went on to call the UN an enemy of Islam and promised more attacks saying, "we promise our Muslim brothers that we will do our utmost to strike Jews in Israel and abroad with help and guidance from God.” As a finale to the piece, he defended al-Qaeda's mission saying, “We do not kill the innocent. We fight those who kill the innocent — the Americans, the Jews, the Russians, the French and their agents.”

In Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe says that he's ready to compete in a runoff election. This statement comes after the opposition candidate has declared victory and the opposition party has squeaked out a win of more parliamentary seats — though the official results showed that Mugabe's party won the popular vote. Independent counts are showing that the opposition candidate may indeed have won, 49 percent to Mugabe's 42 percent, but unless a candidate wins over 50 percent, a runoff is needed. The deputy information minister said, "President Mugabe is going to fight to the last, and he's not giving up, he's not going anywhere, he hasn't lost the election."
Amid debates over Afghanistan at the NATO summit, President Bush has won support for his plan to build a missile defense system in Europe, despite Russian objections. The plan adopted states, ''ballistic missile proliferation poses an increasing threat to allied forces, territory and populations," and mentions the protection of allies to be provided by a US-led system. Bush however lost his appeal for the Ukraine and Georgia to be granted membership due to a block by Greece. Albania and Croatia were extended invitations to join.

Front Page: More From bin Laden, Obama's Passport, Pelosi

CitizenSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 07:00:36 -0700

Another new audio message allegedly delivered by Osama bin Laden urges Muslims to join the insurgency in Iraq, calling it the best way to support the Palestinians. He makes the tie between the two saying, "The nearest jihad battlefield to support our people in Palestine is the battlefield of Iraq." The statement was released on al-Jazeera TV, and comes just a day after he threatened Europe in a similar audio recording. The newest statement says of attempts at peace talks, "Palestine cannot be retaken by negotiations and dialogue, but with fire and iron."

Two employees have been fired from the State Department and another reprimanded for improperly opening electronic information from the passport file of Senator Barack Obama. The announcement came yesterday detailing three separate occasions of unauthorized access, in January, February, and March. The events are being called "imprudent curiosity," and there are no details yet as to reasons for the breach, or why the announcement only reached top officials and Senator Obama after the third occasion.
US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi arrived in northern India this morning for talks with the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan government-in-exile. Pelosi sharply criticized China saying, "If freedom-loving people throughout the world do not speak out against China's oppression in China and Tibet, we have lost all moral authority to speak on behalf of human rights anywhere in the world. The situation in Tibet is a challenge to the conscience of the world." The comments came during a meeting with the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader. Pelosi noted that she was voicing her personal opinion and not US policy. The meeting comes amid violence surrounding Tibetan protests against China.

Osama bin Laden Releases New Single Threatening Europe

LibertySugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:00:53 -0700

Osama bin Laden took a break from condemning America, instead taking aim at the European Union and the Catholic Church. In an audio tape tentatively attributed to the fugitive terrorist, his first message of 2008, bin Laden threatened the European Union "grave punishment" for publishing offensive cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. His new single is titled: "The Response Will Be What You See, Not What You Hear."

In 2006, 50 people were killed after a Danish newspaper republished cartoons of the Prophet with a bomb as a turban. Many saw the cartoons as an attack on Islam. Enraged by the infamous cartoons, bin Laden called them a part of a "new crusade" and accused Pope Benedict XVI of being involved.

Are you troubled by this new tape? Do you think the constant reminder that bin Laden is still at-large gives his followers motivation to keep fighting?

Source

Would You Buy a First Cleaning Lady?

LibertySugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:00:41 -0700

I have to admit that when I first saw the Hillary Clinton "First Cleaning Lady" version of this toilet tool, I was offended. I thought it was just another example of dirty politics. But, then I saw that the makers of these toilet bowl cleaners are equal opportunity mockers, and decided the bowl buddies were just a weak attempt at being funny. Would you express your disagreement with a public figure by using a toilet bowl cleaner created in his or her image?

Would You Buy a First Cleaning Lady?

Yay! It's a creative way to dump on an opponent.

Nay. Has public discourse really sunk this low?

Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 09:01:46 -0800

Morgan Spurlock, director of the fantastic documentary, Super Size Me, is expected to hit the Sundance Film Festival, with a brand new creation titled, Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden. Solidifying Morgan's reputation as a bankable name, the Weinsteins' impulse bought his new pic at the Berlin Film Festival after only seeing 15 minutes of it.

Buzz is that Morgan, during his 800 hours of footage and extensive travel over the entire Middle East, actually found the elusive bin Laden. Do you think he brought him a Big Mac? The movie is wrapped in 17 layers of top secret duct tape until it makes its premiere at Sundance, January 17-27. I cannot wait to see it. Do you think it's possible? Do you think Morgan managed to find bin Laden, or is it just movie hype?