NYT: Providing Aid and Comfort to the Enemy

The NYT runs their mouth...again!

Even though running highly classified information in an international publication is incredibly illegal, the New York Times should have at least considered that publishing the details of Special Operations could have devastating consequences for our new president...you know, the guy they endorsed. From today's front page [NYT]:

The United States military since 2004 has used broad, secret authority to carry out nearly a dozen previously undisclosed attacks against Al Qaeda and other militants in Syria, Pakistan and elsewhere, according to senior American officials.

These military raids, typically carried out by Special Operations forces, were authorized by a classified order that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld signed in the spring of 2004 with the approval of President Bush, the officials said. The secret order gave the military new authority to attack the Qaeda terrorist network anywhere in the world, and a more sweeping mandate to conduct operations in countries not at war with the United States.

Obama comes to power when he faces difficult challenges of hammering out diplomatic negotiations with the newly formed government of Pakistan and possibly some carrot-and-stick type balancing act with Syria to defeat the international threat posed by terrorism. Running lengthy stories formulated from "anonymous officials" lets the enemy know how we can target them and could potentially lead to lost lives for our SpecOps guys.

Other traitors in the mainstream media include Karen DeYoung of the Washington Post for disclosing classified information. As for the sources of these leaks, they're either disgruntled with the Bush administration and seek to dish out a parting slap, or they are trying to make the new President's foreign policy wrought with problems. If they want to engage in NoBama activity, that doesn't involve high treason, they can feel free to swing on by The Obacalypse for cheeky criticism without the illegal disclosure of classified programs.

Syria in the Crosshairs

There was some conspiratorial talk earlier today about the cross-border operation in Syria being some kind of "October Surprise" for the Bush Administration. Turns out it was just an offensive against a terrorist facilitator with some very accurate targeting. From Fox News:

A U.S. strike on a network of foreign fighters in Syria killed its main target — an Al Qaeda coordinator who was wanted for sending foreign fighters, weapons and cash into Iraq, a U.S. official told FOX News.

Among the eight people killed in Sunday's attack by Special Operations Forces was Abu Ghadiyain, Al Qaeda's senior coordinator operating in Syria who was closely associated with the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq.

Terrorism is an international problem and if you can't police your border area, we will. Abu Ghadiya and his ilk are responsible for killing thousands by facilitating movement of suicide bombers from Syria into Iraq, and the Sinjar Records have documented their tactics. Unlike Pakistan, we're not trying to be good friends with Syria, so the outrage expressed by some Americans seems a little overblown, and is most likely intended to poke Bush in the eye one last time before he gets kicked out of office. Cold beers are in order for the team that pulled off this courageous operation, but it would probably be best if SpecOps like these stayed out of the media.

Silly Syria, Don't You Know How to Run a Propaganda Campaign

I came across this Op-Ed in a Saudi-owned paper out of London, Asharq al-Awsat, called "A million Iraqi victims...Do They Deserve an International Tribunal". It's chalked full of chintzy leftist propaganda (here's a video example that's heavy on the self-righteousness) that uses the Iraq war to make the United States look like the evilest thing since the Mongol Hordes of folklore. Let's take a look.

Badmouthing Blackwater, check:
Human Rights Watch organization (HRW) announced in its recent report of January 31, 2008 that the killing of at least 17 Iraqi civilians by employees of the US- security firm "Blackwater" last September focuses attention on the impunity with which private contractors operate in Iraq.

Getting all sore over torturing a bunch of douchebag terrorists, check:
...the United States is still infringing the fundamental human rights by maintaining secret detention centers abroad, arresting civilians illegally, and justifying the act of torturing them.

Tossing in Hiroshima and Vietnam, check:
They killed civilian Japanese in Hiroshima and millions of Vietnamese peasants.

It's even got a reference to Noam Chomsky in there, which is certain to make over-privileged, college-aged, know-it-alls cream their pants back in the states. Now I don't support torture, the mismanagement of policy that requires Blackwater, or killing civilians, but let's take a look at who wrote this gem. It wasn't young hipsters from a liberal college...it's none other than former Syrian Foreign Ministry of Affairs, Bouthaina Shaaban! I must say, Syria is not drawing a lot of water in this town. What with the whole Ba'ath party image, being in cahoots with North Korea, and that Lebanon fiasco, it's no surprise that people representing Syria's government shouldn't be trusted. Sadly, the article has a tone that shows Ms. Shaaban combed through anti-war memes found throughout the internet to gather research for her propaganda piece. Also, her personal website looks like she's trying to appeal to Westerners (it's in english and proclaims "Welcome to my Virtual Home"), which implies that most Arabs in the region wouldn't be dumb enough to buy her cheesy message. For now, I prefer to get my propaganda from Iranian news agencies. At least their state-run media comes up with original stuff like "Tehrani worshipers rally against Zionist regime crimes".

The next Op-Ed by the Syrian Spokeswoman will be about the glorious rise of socialist paradise, North Korea, and why the US is bad