From the Federalist. This is how they think:
Confused about the ethos of Islamist terrorism? (Clearly, Robert Reich is.) Well, it doesn't get much clearer than this: "We don't make a distinction between civilians and non-civilians, innocents and non-innocents," quoth suspected al-Qa'ida terrorist Omar Bakri Muhammad, interviewed in the July issue of Harper's Magazine. "Only between Muslims and nonbelievers. And the life of a non-believer has no value. There's no sanctity in it.... We assume the purpose is to kill as many people as possible, to spread the terror.... Terror is the language of the 21st century. If I want something, I terrorize you to achieve it."
That thought in mind, it is of some note that independent reports confirm that at least five Islamist detainees released from U.S. custody at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have rejoined the fight against U.S. forces in the Middle East.
"We've already had instances where we know that people who have been released from our detention have gone back and have become combatants again," said Rep. Porter J. Goss, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Meanwhile, Iraq's interim government announced a new national-security law on Wednesday with the intention of getting very tough on crime and terrorism. The law allows Prime Minister Allawi to declare a state of emergency in individual areas for up to 60 days. During such a state, the government could use police and military against Iraqi citizens and conduct search operations (in cooperation with U.S. forces). The government could also monitor phone or email and stop meetings or demonstrations, as well as greatly restrict the movement of foreigners. Iraqis are widely in favor of such a law, due to more than a year of nearly unrestrained criminal violence. To help safeguard the Iraqis' new-found liberties, the law, when put into action, requires unanimous approval of the Prime Minister, the president and vice presidents, as well as approval by judges, who would issue the necessary arrest warrants.
U.S. forces were "soft" on crime due to the sensitive nature of occupation and crime has increased dramatically as a result. The Iraqi government is looking to turn that trend around. Allawi has vowed to reinstate the death penalty (local judges have already done so), to the approval of most Iraqis. Najaf now has a 7 pm curfew and criminal sweeps have been made in Baghdad. Major General Ali Kamal, a Kurd involved in fighting terrorist group Ansar al-Islam, is heading the new operations in Baghdad and reports success.
Nonetheless, the Leftmedia in our own country are already decrying the measure as indicative of "authoritarian tendencies" and "shades of the old Iraq" -- a contemptible insult to our newly sovereign ally.
Confused about the ethos of Islamist terrorism? (Clearly, Robert Reich is.) Well, it doesn't get much clearer than this: "We don't make a distinction between civilians and non-civilians, innocents and non-innocents," quoth suspected al-Qa'ida terrorist Omar Bakri Muhammad, interviewed in the July issue of Harper's Magazine. "Only between Muslims and nonbelievers. And the life of a non-believer has no value. There's no sanctity in it.... We assume the purpose is to kill as many people as possible, to spread the terror.... Terror is the language of the 21st century. If I want something, I terrorize you to achieve it."
That thought in mind, it is of some note that independent reports confirm that at least five Islamist detainees released from U.S. custody at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have rejoined the fight against U.S. forces in the Middle East.
"We've already had instances where we know that people who have been released from our detention have gone back and have become combatants again," said Rep. Porter J. Goss, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Meanwhile, Iraq's interim government announced a new national-security law on Wednesday with the intention of getting very tough on crime and terrorism. The law allows Prime Minister Allawi to declare a state of emergency in individual areas for up to 60 days. During such a state, the government could use police and military against Iraqi citizens and conduct search operations (in cooperation with U.S. forces). The government could also monitor phone or email and stop meetings or demonstrations, as well as greatly restrict the movement of foreigners. Iraqis are widely in favor of such a law, due to more than a year of nearly unrestrained criminal violence. To help safeguard the Iraqis' new-found liberties, the law, when put into action, requires unanimous approval of the Prime Minister, the president and vice presidents, as well as approval by judges, who would issue the necessary arrest warrants.
U.S. forces were "soft" on crime due to the sensitive nature of occupation and crime has increased dramatically as a result. The Iraqi government is looking to turn that trend around. Allawi has vowed to reinstate the death penalty (local judges have already done so), to the approval of most Iraqis. Najaf now has a 7 pm curfew and criminal sweeps have been made in Baghdad. Major General Ali Kamal, a Kurd involved in fighting terrorist group Ansar al-Islam, is heading the new operations in Baghdad and reports success.
Nonetheless, the Leftmedia in our own country are already decrying the measure as indicative of "authoritarian tendencies" and "shades of the old Iraq" -- a contemptible insult to our newly sovereign ally.