Wednesday, November 28

CIA Officer Killed in Afghanistan, Termed "Hero" by CIA Director

From the MSN news today (Wednesday, November 28, 2001)

The Times of London reported Wednesday that a CIA officer, John Micheal Spann, and another called David had on their own confronted a foreign Taliban fighter at the (Mazor-E-Sharif) prison, asking why he was in Afghanistan. The soldier replied, “We are here to kill you,” and jumped at Spann, who then shot him and several other fighters to death, the newspaper said.
After the confrontation, The Times said, a group of Taliban supporters attacked Spann, kicking, beating and biting him to death. The other officer managed to escape.
CIA Director George Tenet addressed agency employees Wednesday, calling Spann a hero. The death occurred during several days of rioting at the prison beginning around November 24-25.
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#20

Friday, November 23

Prime Minister Tony Blair's statement to Parliament Updated November 14, 2001
On November 14, British PM Tony Blair updated the statement he made to Parliament on October 4, 2001, on responsibility for the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. This statement can be accessed via the LINKS connection at my (this) web site.

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#19

Wednesday, November 21

Crisis brings out best (Letters to the Editor, the Post & Courier, Charleston, SC, November 21, 2001)

A Monday letter to the editor asks where are the liberals and decided that neither Bill Clinton nor Al Gore would have risen to the occasion like President Bush.

The liberals are where the conservatives were on Dec. 8, 1941, in the summer of 1950 and the spring of 1965. They are united with their country and the leadership, irrespective of personal or party affiliations.

This is what all Americans do when confronted with foreign enemies.

We will never know how Mr. Clinton and Mr. Gore would have responded, but I believe either man would have done us proud.

A crisis brings out the best in Americans (three liberals come to mind: Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy). I believe this is what has happened to President Bush, who was not expecting the challenge but has risen to meet it.

Liberals are still around as the voices against permanent curtailment of our freedoms.

Some of the security legislation recently passed by the Congress has a termination date, as well it should.

Legal advocates and scholars are challenging extended detention of suspects without the right to be brought before an open court and judge. The president signed an order authorizing secret trials before military tribunals, but we are a long way from conducting such proceedings.

It is necessary to remember that agreement by everyone with every little facet of government is not essential to our survival, nor is disagreement with one thing or another a sign of disloyalty. This is America, land of the liberals, conservatives and everyone in between.

FRANCIS X. ARCHIBALD
1128 John Rutledge Ave.
Hanahan
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#18

Tuesday, November 13

An apt analogy
Automobile dealers believe the General Motors decision to extend zero financing through January 2 will compel other manufacturers to do the same. A "Ford dealer has confidently predicted that Ford will continue to 'fold like a cheap lawn chair' and match GM's offers." (The Wall Street Journal, November 13, 2001, pg. A-2.)
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Friday, November 2

A fresh anecdote about Churchill. In his new book, Churchill, author Roy Jenkins tells that churchill's grandson Nicholas Soames told Jenkins that when he was six he once sneaked past the guardians into the old man's study and, starry-eyed, asked: "Grandpapa, is it true you are the greatest man in the world?" "Yes," replied Churchill, "and now bugger off."
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Thursday, November 1

Fighting on Ramadan: There was an article on the Slate Magazine website today (November 1, 2001) advocating that America stop bombing Afghanistan during Ramadan, to which I posted this reply:

I say, "Fight, fight day and night, fight during Ramandan, fight on Thanksgiving and fight on Christmas. Fight tooth and nail, hammer and tong. And bring back them damn flamethrowers. Go to the Army-Navy Surplus stores in the South and buy them back for the Army."

The reference to flamethrowers relates to an article yesterday (October 31, 2001) on the Slate website to the effect that the U.S. no longer has flame throwers in its arsenal. The fuel for these is napalm, which the author said fell into disrepute during the Vietnam War; after making a great showing during WW II in the Pacific where the Marines had to burn the Japs out of their caves and tunnels. Afghanistan is full of caves and tunnels and this is where Osama Bin Laden, and his commanders, are believed to be hiding.
See an earlier posting below on fighting during Ramadan dated 10/29/2001.
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