As in the days of Noah: 5/31/09

Conservatives Hit Obama for Implicit Criticism of Military,CIA in Cairo Speech

"President Bush would never have criticised our military or our intelligence community on foreign soil," former George Bush speechwriter Marc Thiessen said on Fox News. "He basically threw our military under the bus in front of a Muslim audience."

Obama Overture to Hamas Suggests Inevitability of Terror Group’s Dominance Among Palestinians

Fox News: In an apparent policy shift, President Obama on Thursday invited Hamas -- a designated terror organization -- to "play a role" in the future of the Palestinian people. During his speech to the Muslim world in Cairo on Thursday, the U.S. president bluntly recognized the group, which has called for the destruction of Israel, in a two-sentence passage that was part of a broader discussion about the terms for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians."Hamas does have support among some Palestinians, but they also have to recognize they have responsibilities. To play a role in fulfilling Palestinian aspirations, to unify the Palestinian people, Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, recognize Israel's right to exist," Obama said.

Muslims Want Deeds,Not Just Words From Obama

Muslims like Obama tone, want action to back it up

Muslim shopkeepers, students and even radical groups such as Hamas praised President Barack Obama's address Thursday as a positive shift in U.S. attitude and tone. But Arabs and Muslims of all political stripes said they want him to turn his words into action—particularly in standing up to Israel.

PA, Hamas hail Obama's Israel message

Palestinians here expressed satisfaction with US President Barack Obama's speech in Cairo, while many Arabs and Muslims around the world voiced mixed feelings...
VIDEO:Hamas says Obama speech had signs of change, laden with contradictions

Muslims Watch,Reflect on Obama's Speech

A group of Muslims in Washington who watched President Barack Obama's speech to the Arab world say they are encouraged by what they heard, describing Obama as courageous for going to Cairo and making remarks so early in his term...

Obama:Committed to Working in Middle East

Speaking with the Egyptian President ahead of his address on Thursday, President Barack Obama said the United States is committed to working in partnership with countries in the Middle East to bring peace and prosperity...

Barack Hussein Obama and the King's Bling...

King Abdullah, who is putting Obama up at his lavish desert horse farm, showered Obama with compliments as he handed him the jewellery, which he said carries special meaning.
It is understood to be an award called the King Abdul Aziz Order of Merit, the country's highest honour.

Obama Praises King in Saudi Visit

Obama Visits With Saudi King on Eve of Speech to 'Muslim World'

President Obama met with King Abdullah in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on Wednesday in his latest bid to open a dialogue with the Muslim world.
The two discussed a wide range of issues, including Middle East peace, the conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan, energy, Iran and other issues affecting the region. They also discussed the president's upcoming speech to the Muslim world....

US reassured Jewish leaders ahead of Obama speech

The White House reached out to American Jewish leaders on the eve of President Barack Obama's speech in Cairo on Thursday, reaffirming US support for Israel and envisioning a peace process devoid of "rancor or ultimatums."

OBAMA'S MIDDLE EAST APOLOGY TOUR II WATCH

Invoking the Quran and his rarely used middle name, Barack Hussein Obama declared Thursday that America has a common cause with Islam and never will be at war with the faith — an overture intently watched by the Muslim world and welcomed in unlikely quarters. An Iranian cleric called the president's speech "an initial step for removing misconceptions....."

--Obama calls for new beginning between USA, Muslims...

--'ANY WORLD ORDER THAT ELEVATES ONE NATION OVER ANOTHER WILL FAIL'...

--'Iran should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities'...

--Reiterates support for Palestinian state...

--Admits US involvement in Iran coup in 1953...

--Says extremists exploit tension between Islam, West...

--Reaction...

--Iranian leader: USA 'deeply hated' in region...

--Says 'sweet talk' not enough for Muslims...

--'Obama really buttered them up in Cairo'...

--US Muslims: Speech 1st step in fixing ties..

Cheney:'No evidence of Iraq, 9/11 '

Former Vice President Dick Cheney says there was “never any evidence” that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq played any role in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
“On the question of whether or not Iraq was involved in 9/11, there was never any evidence to prove that,” Cheney said during an interview Monday night with Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren.

Obama:"Actions Will Help Muslim Relations"

Obama launches maiden Middle East mission

President Barack Obama embarked on his first regional Middle East mission Tuesday, seeking Arab backing for his bid to revive peace moves while a US confrontation steadily builds with Israel.On a trip highlighted by his long-awaited address to the Muslim world in Cairo on Thursday, Obama will also attempt to prod moribund regional peace diplomacy back to life.

US may stop supporting Israel at UN

Senior US officials this week warned that the Obama Administration will discontinue America’s traditional defense of Israel at the United Nations if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not agree to stop building homes for Jews in Judea and Samaria.

US demands halt to Jewish construction in Jerusalem, too

The Obama Administration has reportedly reacted angrily to Israel’s expected approval of plans to build a hotel on municipal-owned land adjacent to Jerusalem’s Old City.If it gains government approval, the hotel will be built just a few hundred feet from the northern wall of the Old City where an Arab wholesale market today stands. The plans call for the market to be replaced by a larger commercial center for local use.

Purported bin Laden tape slams U.S. role in Pakistan

The emergence of a purported statement from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden about U.S. policy in Pakistan as the U.S. president embarks on a major trip to Muslim countries is no coincidence, the White House spokesman and a counterterrorism official say.

VIDEO

UK troops kill "dangerous" Taliban leader

British troops killed a "most dangerous" Taliban leader responsible for the deaths of two British service members and likely hundreds of civilians, the defense ministry said Tuesday. Mullah Mansur is described as "one of the most dangerous Taliban leaders in Helmand," the province where British troops are based.He was killed on Monday by troops in British Apache helicopters northeast of Lashgar Gah, Helmand's capital.

Ex-Taliban claims abuse at Gitmo,Bagram:"They were beating me"

As one of the right-hand men to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef was one of the first Taliban leaders arrested when the United States began military operations in Afghanistan.
As a detainee, he was held both at Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base and at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba -- spending more than three years in Guantanamo before he was released in 2006...

Web sites release full version of purported bin Laden message

On the same day President Barack Obama delivered a speech to the Muslim world, a full version of a statement believed to be from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden appeared on Islamic Web sites.Portions of the statement aired Wednesday on Al-Jazeera television and focused on the Pakistani military's offensive against the Taliban movement in that nation's Swat Valley. The statement criticized both Obama and the Pakistani leadership, citing the many casualties and widespread displacement in the offensive.

Al-Qaida criticizes Obama's upcoming Cairo speech

Al-Qaida's deputy leader criticized President Barack Obama's upcoming speech to the Islamic world in Cairo, saying it will not change the "bloody messages" the U.S. military is sending Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Al-Qaida has repeatedly lashed out at Obama since he was elected, a move some analysts believe indicates the terrorist organization is worried he will be effective in improving the U.S. image in the Muslim world...

Military: Yemeni Gitmo Detainee dies on apparent suicide...

A Yemeni detainee at Guantanamo Bay who died of an apparent suicide this week was not on a hunger strike at the time of his death, but he had been force-fed with a nasal tube in the past, a prison spokesman said Wednesday.His is the fifth apparent suicide at the isolated U.S. prison, which President Barack Obama hopes to close by Jan. 22...

US to sell "bunker buster" bombs to South Korea

America has agreed to sell “bunker-buster” bombs to South Korea capable of destroying underground facilities in North Korea.
The laser-guided GBU-28 bombs were first used in 1990 during the Gulf War to destroy underground command centres in Iraq...

Obama meets Israeli defense minister

President Barack Obama met with Israel's defense minister just hours before the U.S. leader leaves on a trip to the Middle East to improve relations with Muslims.
Ehud Barak met with Obama and his national security adviser, Gen. Jim Jones,on Tuesday at the White House.

US inviting Iranian diplomats to July 4 parties

In a new overture to Iran, the Obama administration has authorized U.S. embassies around the world to invite Iranian officials to Independence Day parties they host on or around July 4th.
A State Department cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates late last week said that U.S. diplomats could ask their Iranian counterparts to attend the festivities, which generally feature speeches about American values, fireworks, and, of course, hot dogs and hamburgers.

ISLAMIC CRAZE WATCH:Recruiting Center Shooting Suspect Pleads Not Guilty, Held Without Bail

A convert to Islam accused of having "political and religious motives" in a deadly Arkansas military center shooting pleaded not guilty to capital murder Tuesday and was ordered held without bond.
One soldier died and another was wounded in what police say was a targeted attack by Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, 23, on U.S. forces.

U.S. officials raise alarm about new Venezuelan missiles

Venezuela's recent purchase of the most lethal shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles in the Russian arsenal is sharpening U.S. concerns that parts of President Hugo Chávez's massive weapons buildup could wind up in the hands of terrorists or guerrillas in neighboring Colombia.

Pakistan army: Dozens abducted by Taliban rescued

Troops manning a checkpoint Tuesday rescued dozens of students, teachers and staff from a boys school who had been taken captive by militants in the northwest, the Pakistani military said.
The brazen abduction in North Waziristan on Monday was part of a string of militant actions in Pakistan's tribal belt, some of which the army says is aimed at distracting it from its offensive against the Taliban in the Swat Valley.

India urges Pakistan to "confront" militants

India's new government Thursday said it would seek to mend ties with Pakistan as long as Islamabad "confronted" militant groups operating on its soil.
The comments came two days after New Delhi said it was disappointed by the decision of a Pakistani court to free the head of an Islamic charity which New Delhi says was linked to last year's Mumbai attacks.

Pakistani court orders Mumbai-linked cleric freed

The founder of the group India blames for last year's Mumbai siege was ordered freed in a court ruling Tuesday that raised new tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors and drew criticism of Pakistan's commitment to fighting terrorism.The ruling to end the six-month house arrest of Hafiz Mohammed Saeed comes at a time when Washington and other Western allies would prefer that Pakistan focus on dislodging Taliban militants in the border region with Afghanistan — rather than its decades-old rivalry with India.

Barack Hussein Obama:"USA "one of the largest Muslim countries in the world"...."

It is important to note that "if you actually took the number of Muslim Americans, we'd be one of the largest Muslim countries in the world".
So says President Barack Obama. Or I should say: Barack Hussein Obama.
That's right: Barack Hussein Obama. Say it proud. Say it out loud....

Venezuela Chavez says "Comrade Obama" more left-wing...

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday that he and Cuban ally Fidel Castro risk being more conservative than U.S. President Barack Obama as Washington prepares to take control of General Motors Corp.....

The Emergence of OBAMA'S MUSLIM ROOTS...

ABC News' Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller report: The other day we heard a comment from a White House aide that never would have been uttered during the primaries or general election campaign....

NBCNews anchor "Bows" before President Obama...???

Government posts sensitive list of US Nuclear Sites...

The head of the agency responsible for the country's nuclear weapons says a list of nuclear sites accidentally made public does not include classified information about weapons-related facilities. Thomas D'Agostino head of the National Nuclear Security Administration,told a Senate hearing Wednesday the sites on the list are of civilian facilities and that none of the information is classified. Still, he said he's concerned the list could provide an "easy locator" for uranium storage sites and other facilities related to the country's civilian nuclear program...

A NOTE TO MY READERS

Dear faithful readers,followers,visitors and friends:

Well last night--after withstanding pain for some time--I landed in the hospital.The pain was unbereable.I couldn't take it anymore.

After many hours of tests and a C-Scan,I've got some good news back though:there are no tumours or changes in my colon and there is nothing new,except one or two things that I have to follow up this week.But that was good news....No obstruction,no more masses or messes like I had in the past...which is all good news.

I just got out of bed--which is pretty unusual for me--cause we're always up at the crack of dawn,but the pain has been so horrible,that after some mild pain medicine--since I dont take meds at all--did its job and helped me actually rest and relax.

I still feel like a train run over me last nite and I'm moving around pretty slowly but I can actually walk and Im pain free...so Ill take it easy today,but somewhat relieved that there are no other "new masses" that can be a cause of concern in my abdomen.PRAISE the LORD.....!!!!!

The Lord orchestrated things in a way that my nurse last nite was a good friend and brother from church.He took good care of me and helped me a lot.

I hate going to the doctor....I dont know why but I am not a good patient,but my doctor was very nice to me last nite.

So Im back home now and Ill try to do what I can today.

I trust the Lord than in days to come Ill regain the strength I need in my body.

Im blogging actually from our home now.Im just enjoying just to look thru the window...my backyard,the birds,and all so green and luscious.

I guess today Ill just enjoy some good rest.I think I need it.

News keep generating no matter what and there are many things going on--from Obama's Trip to the Middle East to the sad story of the Air France crashed at sea and no survivors...plus increased persecution in the four corners of the earth.

So just bear with me....I'll blog as much as my strength allows me today and in the days to come.

I thank you all that faithfully come back every day.

Thank you to all those of you that have recently emailed me and had encouraging words.

Thank you to all of you that have shared your blogs and sites with me and thank you also to my followers.

God bless you all...!!!!

Please come back and visit....!!!

As in the days of Noah....

5 killed in Iran arson attack on bank

An arson attack on a bank killed five people on Monday in a southeastern Iranian city where a mosque bombing days earlier killed 25, state media said.
The attacks were both in the restive city of Zahedan, which sits at a crossroads between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran and has seen a sudden explosion of violence in the run-up to June 12 presidential election.

Ex-Fed: Privacy Advocates Should Go After China, Lay Off NSA

Internet privacy advocates are doing the right thing by protesting warrantless government surveillance of the internet — they’re just going after the wrong government, a former lawyer for the National Security Agency said Tuesday.Speaking on panel at the Computers Freedom and Privacy Conference here, one-time NSA general counsel Stuart Baker raised the specter of Chinese government spying, focusing in particular on the so-called GhostNet findings reported by security researchers at the University of Toronto in March.

GM to sell Hummer to Chinese company

General Motors Corp. took a key step toward its downsizing on Tuesday, striking a tentative deal to sell its Hummer brand to a Chinese manufacturer, while also revealing that it has potential buyers for its Saturn and Saab brands.
China's Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co. said Tuesday afternoon that it reached an agreement to acquire the brand from GM for an undisclosed ammount. The Detroit automaker had announced Tuesday morning that it had a memorandum of understanding to sell the brand of rugged SUVs, but it didn't identify the buyer....

OPEC:"OIL COULD REACH U$S 90..."

Oil prices could reach $80-$90 a barrel by early next year, but OPEC will not increase its output until a huge amount of over-supply has been absorbed, the group's Secretary General said on Tuesday.
OPEC officials have been nudging up their price aspirations since Saudi Arabia's oil minister said last week an oil price of around $75 could be achieved later this year and would not undermine a tentative global economic recovery.

Oil slides below $68 as investors eye inflation...

Oil prices slipped below $68 a barrel Tuesday as traders took profits on recent gains, which were driven by speculation that a massive global fiscal stimulus could spark an economic recovery and inflation.
Benchmark crude for July delivery was down 82 cents to $67.76 a barrel by noon in European electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Monday, the contract rose $2.27 to settle at $68.58, the highest close since early November.

Geithner says "China's Assets are Safe"....gets laughter from the audience...

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Monday reaffirmed his faith in a strong dollar and reassured the Chinese government that its huge holdings of dollar-denominated assets are safe....

OBAMA BLASTS CLINTON:"Was Engaging in Bald-Faced Lies"'...

The flood of books devoted to the 2008 campaign and President Barack Obama begins in earnest this week with the release of “Renegade, The Making of a President,” by former Newsweek reporter Richard Wolffe.
Wolffe’s account of the Obama campaign isn’t to be officially released until Tuesday, but POLITICO obtained a copy earlier this week.

Obama:"USA cannot impose its values on world..."

US President Barack Obama has told the BBC he believes his country can help to get serious Middle East peace negotiations back on track.
Mr Obama's first interview with a UK broadcaster comes on the eve of a trip to the Middle East and Europe. .....

OBAMA:"Iran has right to nuclear power"

President Barack Obama reiterated that Iran may have some right to nuclear energy--provided it takes steps to prove its aspirations are peaceful.In a BBC interview broadcast Tuesday, Obama also restated plans to pursue direct diplomacy with Tehran to encourage it to set aside any ambitions for nuclear weapons it might harbor....

China Blocks Twitter,Flickr,Others as Tiananmen Anniversary Looms

Beijing turned up the volume on the "Great Firewall of China" Tuesday, blocking nearly a dozen Western Web sites and search engines.
Thursday is the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, and as a foretaste, Chinese users were denied access to Blogger, Flickr, Twitter, Livejournal, Tumblr, the Huffington Post and Microsoft's Live.com, Hotmail, its MSN Space blog tool and its new search engine Bing, according to various reports...

Riot police detain protesters of group "Russia without Putin"

Russian police thwarted opposition plans for a protest against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in central Moscow on Sunday, detaining a prominent Kremlin critic and more than 30 other government opponents in a show of force.
The leader of the banned National-Bolshevik Party, Eduard Limonov, was among at least 10 people seen being grabbed by police and dragged into buses as they tried to protest in Triumph Square. Moscow police said about 100 people had tried to protest, and 33 were detained.

SUMMER OF UNREST: Hungry Russians block motorway to demand help...

Hundreds of out-of-work Russians have shut down a major highway west of St. Petersburg to protest the closure of two big factories.
Roughly 500 people chanted "Work! Work!" as traffic backed up on the road in the town of Pikalyovo.
Most protesting Tuesday were either relatives or workers from a cement factory, which stopped operations in February.

Vatican laments drop in confessions...

A Vatican official is lamenting that many faithful no longer confess their sins, and says some confuse a psychologist's couch for a confessional booth....