Whoever did this study needs to live down by the border for a couple years , say maybe in El Paso , directly across from Jaurez !
El Paso Times
MEXICO CITY-It's one of the safest parts of America, and it's getting safer.
It's the U.S.-Mexico border, and even as politicians say more federal troops are needed to fight rising violence, government data obtained by The Associated Press show it actually isn't so dangerous after all.
The top four big cities in America with the lowest rates of violent crime are all in border states: San Diego, Phoenix, El Paso and Austin, according to a new FBI report. And an in-house Customs and Border Protection report shows that Border Patrol agents face far less danger than street cops in most U.S. cities.
The Customs and Border Protection study, obtained with a Freedom of Information Act request, shows 3 percent of Border Patrol agents and officers were assaulted last year, mostly when assailants threw rocks at them. That compares with 11 percent of police officers and sheriff's deputies assaulted during the same period, usually with guns or knives.
In addition, violent attacks against agents declined in 2009 along most of the border for the first time in seven years. So far this year assaults are slightly up, but data is incomplete.
"The border is safer now than it's ever been," said U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Lloyd Easterling.
He said one factor is that with fewer jobs available amid the U.S. recession, illegal immigration has dropped. And responding to security concerns after 9-11, the Border Patrol has doubled the number of agents in the region since 2004.
Nonetheless, border lawmakers and governors say their region is under siege and needs more troops.
"Violence in the vicinity of the U.S.-Mexico border continues to increase at an alarming rate. We believe that this violence represents a serious threat to the national security of the United States as well as a serious threat to U.S. citizens that live along the 1,969-mile long border," a dozen bipartisan members of Congress from border states wrote President Obama..
Monday, June 7, 2010
US-Mexico border isn't so dangerous
Pakistan says Taliban leaders fled outside Af-Pak
Sure they have .
Dawn.com
ISTANBUL: Pakistan's military operations in tribal areas have forced some important Taliban leaders to flee outside of Pakistan and Afghanistan, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Monday.
Afghanistan-Pakistan relations had seen a “dramatic shift” since Pakistan returned to civilian-led democracy, Qureshi added after three-way talks with Turkey designed to help dispel years of mistrust between Kabul and Islamabad.
“(Taliban leaders) have fled the region because of very successful military operations Pakistan has undertaken in the tribal belt, in Swat and Malakand,” Qureshi told a joint news conference with his Afghan and Turkish counterparts in Istanbul after the meeting.
The United States is waiting for Pakistan to launch a military operation in the North Waziristan tribal region, home to the Haqqani faction, and other Taliban groups, and a known stomping ground for al Qaeda fighters.
A peace jirga -- a council of elders -- concluded in Kabul last week with a call for President Hamid Karzai's government to find a way to make peace with those Taliban who were not linked to al Qaeda or terrorist groups.
“My brother from Pakistan, the foreign minister, quoted full support for the peace process and Pakistan and Afghanistan will work together to achieve a peaceful solution to this conflict,” Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasul said when asked if the Taliban leadership was in Pakistan or Afghanistan.
US says 12 Americans in custody in Yemen; hints at link to anti-terror campaign
Man , What is with the Yemeni , American connection here ?
I would have to imagine , in light of these recent "Un-coverings" of Americans associated with AL Qaida , in Yemen , It is a Bitch to get through Airport Security from now on , when your Passport has Yemen Stamped on it !
Foxnews
WASHINGTON (AP) — Yemeni authorities have 12 Americans in custody, and the arrests may be linked to a joint U.S.-Yemeni anti-terror campaign, a State Department spokesman said Monday.
The spokesman, P.J. Crowley, declined to provide details about the case, except to say the State Department is aware of the arrests and is seeking more information about the individuals being held.
Last Wednesday, Yemeni security officials said authorities had detained several foreigners, including Americans, Britons and an Australian woman, in connection with an investigation into al-Qaida's increased activity in the country.
The arrests reported last week were made after foreign intelligence agencies provided lists of names of people they wanted to have detained or put under surveillance, according to two Yemeni security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not permitted to brief journalists.
It was not immediately clear whether the 12 Americans cited by Crowley were among those reported to have been rounded up last week, but Crowley suggested there may be an anti-terrorism connection.
Pakistani Army Major keeps popping up in terror investigations
Surprise, Surprise. A former Pakistan Army Major, Ahsanul Haq, keeps popping up in various terrorism investigations. But Pakistani police cannot question him because the ISI, the Pakistan secret service, claim he isn't involved...end of story.
Haq admits he helped train jihadists during the Soviet invasion, then he joined the ISI to train jihadists in Kashmir. He is a firm supporter of jihad (holy war) against infidels (anyone who isn't a muslim. Seattle Times
A former major who trained fighters for war in Afghanistan and Kashmir keeps cropping up in terrorism investigations in Pakistan. But police say the gray-haired grandfather is shielded by his links to the army and powerful intelligence agencies.[...]
The most recent allegations against him appear in a report by investigators of last year's ambush of the Sri Lankan cricket team in the eastern city of Lahore. The document, obtained by The Associated Press, claims Haq gave logistical support to unspecified Taliban and other fighters. It says cell phones used by the attackers were traced to locations close to a large garment factory owned by Haq and his brother.
Senior Lahore police investigator Zulfikar Hameed said the force reported its suspicions to the ISI, which told him the major was not involved. Therefore Haq was no longer wanted by the police in connection with the attack, he said, though other high-ranking officers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they still harbored suspicions about him.
6 bodies found near Cancun; heart cut out of three bodies
More dead bodies keep popping up in Mexico. Six bodies found in a cave near Cancun, and three bodies had the hearts cut out and a Z carved on the abdomens.
Over 22,000 people have been killed since 2006 due to the drug cartel related violence! Fox News
CANCUN, Mexico (AP) — Police discovered six dead bodies in a cavern near the tourist resort of Cancun on Sunday, three of them cut open and their hearts removed.[...]
"They were apparently tortured and their chests were opened to remove the hearts," Alor's office said later in a statement.
Three of the bodies had the letter "Z'' carved on their abdomens — a possible reference to the Zeta drug gang, though officials did not make an explicit connection to cartel violence that has plagued many parts of Mexico.
More than 22,700 people have died nationwide in drug violence since late 2006, when President Felipe Calderon sent soldiers and federal police to battle the cartels.
Helen Thomas to announce her retirement
According to the DrudgeReport, the anti-semitic Helen Thomas will announce her retirement shortly. Probably to save the White House from actually revoking her White House press credentials.
Robert Gibbs has stated that her "remarks are offensive and reprehensible." but continued to say that she had rightly apologized for them. I'm sorry but, I think the her credentials should have been taken away immediately. There is no room for those kind of remarks coming from anyone let alone a White House press correspondent.
Iran to escort next 'aid' ships to Gaza
"Iran's Revolutionary Guard naval forces are prepared to escort the peace and freedom convoys that carry humanitarian assistance for the defenceless and oppressed people of Gaza with all their strength,"
Breaching a naval blockade is an act of war, anyone remember the Cuban missile crisis???
This could be the 'stunt' that Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, warned Iran would pull in order to pull attention away from their nuke program and upcoming sanctions. Guardian
Iran has warned that it could send Revolutionary Guard naval units to escort humanitarian aid convoys seeking to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza – a move that would certainly be challenged by Israel.
Any such Iranian involvement, raised today by an aide to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would constitute a serious escalation of already high tensions with Israel, which accuses Tehran of seeking to build a nuclear weapon and of backing Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls Gaza.
"Iran's Revolutionary Guard naval forces are prepared to escort the peace and freedom convoys that carry humanitarian assistance for the defenceless and oppressed people of Gaza with all their strength," pledged Hojjatoleslam Ali Shirazi, Khamenei's personal representative to the guards corps.
Some flotilla passengers linked to al Qaeda, Hamas, and Other Terror Organizations
Well color me surprised. IDF
Fatimah Mahmadi (born 1979), is a United States resident of Iranian origin, and an active member of the organization “Viva Palestine”, she attempted to smuggle forbidden electronic components into the Gaza Strip.
Ken O’Keefe (Born 1969), an American and British citizen, is a radical anti-Israel activist and operative of the Hamas Terror organization. He attempted to enter the Gaza Strip in order to form and train a commando unit for the Palestinian terror organization.
Hassan Iynasi (born 1982), a Turkish citizen and activist in a Turkish charity organization, is known of providing financial support to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Terror organization.
Hussein Urosh, a Turkish citizen and activist in the IHH organization, was on his way to the Gaza Strip in order to assist in smuggling Al-Qaeda operatives via Turkey into the Strip.
Ahmad Umimon (born 1959), is a French citizen of Moroccan origin, and an operative of the Hamas Terrorist organization.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
D-Day 66 years ago today
US troops landing on Omaha beach on June 6th, 1944.
D-Day, aka Operation Overlord, and Operation Neptune, was the largest amphibious invasion ever undertaken. Over 160,000 American, British, and Canadian soldiers took part in the invasion force. 
The landings took place on across 50 miles of Normandy coast, the Americans had Utah, and Omaha sectors, the British Gold, and Sword, while the Canadians took Juno beach.
You can visit the military's site to check out photos, videos, maps, WWII posters, news articles from the period, lots of other stuff related to D-Day.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Israel navy boards Gaza aid ship
Israel decided to board another aid vessel today , at least this time nobody was attacked or Killed .
(Reuters) - The Israeli navy boarded another Gaza-bound aid ship on Saturday after Washington condemned as "unsustainable" a blockade which Israel enforced earlier this week by killing nine people on a Turkish vessel. The Israeli navy, whose action on Monday triggered an international outcry, took control of the Rachel Corrie without incident, the Israeli military said.
The boat had ignored Israeli orders to divert to Israel's Ashdod port where Israel had offered to unload the cargo and deliver it to Gaza after inspecting it.
"According to initial reports, there was no violence or injuries amongst the soldiers or the crew, as the use of force was unnecessary and no shots were fired," the Israeli military said in a statement.
Carrying Irish and other activists, the ship was the latest to attempt to break the four-year old blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza with the stated aim of stopping its Hamas rulers from strengthening their arsenal to fight the Jewish state.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Delegates at Afghan peace conference back Karzai's plan to talk to Taliban
So now Afghanistan is like the U.N. All talk .
Three days of peace talks with random rpg and gunfire from the Taliban , results in an agreement to talk about peace some more !
What Progress.
Washington post
KABUL -- Afghan leaders attending a national peace conference decided Friday to back President Hamid Karzai's plan to broker a truce with the Taliban but fell short of delivering a clear strategy for negotiating with the militant group.
The government-appointed delegates to the conference, known as a "peace jirga," urged Karzai to push for the removal of certain insurgent leaders from a U.N. sanctions list, for the release of some detainees in American custody and for the U.S.-led international force to do more to avoid civilian casualties.
But some of the event's organizers acknowledged that a truce with the Taliban remains elusive and that the jirga was just the beginning of what is likely to be a long, challenging process. The Taliban, which sees the Karzai government as the byproduct of a foreign invasion, denounced the gathering and launched an attack near the site on the opening day of the three-day gathering.
Qaeda in Iraq struggling after leadership blow
Eight more Rejects to Kill or Arrest .
Killing them would be so much better for everyone involved , the money saved by not having a trial , not feeding them for months on end , not listening to there endless rhetoric !
Just Dead Al Qaida , Dig a hole , throw em in !
(Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi forces have killed or captured 34 of the top 42 al Qaeda leaders in Iraq in the past 90 days, severing the group from al Qaeda's senior leadership and leaving it struggling to regroup, Army General Ray Odierno said on Friday.
Odierno, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, said al Qaeda in Iraq was working to rebuild its leadership despite continuing military pressure and he cautioned against complacency.
"Over the last 90 days or so, we've either picked up or killed 34 out of the top 42 al Qaeda in Iraq leaders," Odierno told reporters during a Pentagon briefing.
"I will never take my eyes off of al Qaeda," he said. "We will always watch them."
Shocker: Muslim approval rating of Obama declines
Is this really a surprise when considering that terrorist strikes against the US have been on the rise since President Obama has taken office? Yahoo! News
CAIRO , Egypt_A year ago Friday, President Barack Obama stood in Cairo and vowed "a new beginning" in a speech about how he'd change U.S. relations with the Muslim world. Egyptian vendors sold T-shirts portraying Obama in King Tut regalia, and Muslims throughout the region thrilled at his middle name: Hussein.
North Korean envoy threatens war...passes nuke tech to Myanmar
"The present situation of the Korean peninsula is so grave that a war may break out any moment,"
Yahoo! News
GENEVA (Reuters) – A North Korean envoy said on Thursday that war could erupt at any time on the divided Korean peninsula because of tension with Seoul over the sinking of a South Korean warship in March.[...]In addition it has been revealed that North Korea transferred nuke components and long range missile technology to Myanmar. That's the third country North Korea is helping acquire nuke and long range missile technology, that we know of. Kim Jong Il is just itching for a war, how far will he go before President Obama will be forced to react?
North Korea's troops were on "full alert and readiness to promptly react to any retaliation," including the scenario of all-out war, he told the forum.
Ri, departing from his prepared remarks, said that only the conclusion of a peace treaty between the two countries would lead to the "successful denuclearization" of the peninsula. The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice but no formal peace treaty.[...]
Ri repeated Pyongyang's assertion that North Korea had nothing to do with the sinking of the Cheonan warship which killed 46 sailors -- the deadliest military incident since the Korean War.
McDonald's recalls 12 mln Shrek-themed glasses
From Bloomberg Businessweek
The recall doesn’t affect the U.K., the company’s British press office said in an e-mailed statement today. McDonald’s is not running the promotion in Asia, its China office said in an e-mailed reply to Bloomberg questions.
First guess , they are made in China , The company Arc International of Millville, N.J , Is an American Company , and probably were not aware that their Chinese goods were being contaminated with Cadmium .
If they were made in China , then the upper quote tells a lot to my Theory that China is trying to poison us from the Inside out ! Literally .
Market Watch
the Oak Brook, Ill., burger chain, will recall 12 million U.S.-made collectible drinking glasses themed on the movie character Shrek because the painted design on the glasses contains cadmium, media reports say. McDonald's outlets are selling the glasses for about $2 each as part of a promotion for the new movie "Shrek Forever After," the reports say. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall early Friday and warned consumers to stop using the glasses, the reports say. The Associated Press reported that the glasses were produced by Arc International of Millville, N.J. Cadmium, which the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration says on its website is extremely toxic, is used in producing paint and coatings, batteries and other products.
Canada unveils arsenal for anti-G20 protests
The devices look harmless enough, like a large, home stereo speaker that can be strapped to an officer's chest. Protest groups say they should not be allowed because the sound can be turned to as loud as 146 decibels .
Another year , another big G20 riot .
I like this loud speaker tactic , they don't need to turn it up all the way , just to the the point that it makes the protesters really sick , like wanting to puke and have uncontrollable bowel movements !
Now that would be good fun.
Ontario (Reuters) - Canada on Thursday unveiled the arsenal it will use against protesters who get out of hand at two global summits later this month, promising riot police armed with guns, shields, Tasers and super-high-volume loudspeakers.
Toronto police said their new Long Range Acoustic Device would help them communicate with roaring protesters from as far as 250 meters (820 feet) away. When turned to full volume, the devices can emit enough sound to damage eardrums.
"This is not a weapon," said Constable Wendy Drummond, a spokeswoman for the Integrated Security Unit that will provide security for the two summits. "It is a communications tool. It may or may not even be used."
Security forces have bought four of the portable loudspeakers, also known as a sonic guns because the volume can be turned up to such levels they can be used as weapons.
The devices look harmless enough, like a large, home stereo speaker that can be strapped to an officer's chest. Protest groups say they should not be allowed because the sound can be turned to as loud as 146 decibels, or the equivalent of a firecracker exploding by your ear.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Bush on Waterboarding: 'I'd Do It Again'
"Yeah, we waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed," Bush said. "I'd do it again to save lives."
Me Too !
AOL Times
(June 3) -- Former President George W. Bush says he has no regrets that the mastermind of 9/11 was waterboarded while under interrogation, and he would allow it again "to save lives."
Bush made the comment in a speech Wednesday to the Economic Club of Grand Rapids, Mich.
"Yeah, we waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed," Bush said. "I'd do it again to save lives."
Waterboarding is a technique used by CIA interrogators under the Bush administration, in which the suspect's head is either submerged underwater or water is poured into his or her airways, to simulate drowning. It's now banned under the Obama administration, which considers it torture.
Mohammed is believed to be the most senior al-Qaida suspect in U.S. custody. He was captured in Pakistan in 2003 and is one of several detainees who endured waterboarding under their American captors.
In his speech Wednesday, Bush also defended his decision to invade Iraq in 2003.
Afghan Peace Conference Continues as Violence Rocks South
Another day of peace talks in Afghanistan , the Taliban has joined in again with some RPG's and some Gunfire .
They must really want some peace .
VOA
The gathering's opening was disrupted Wednesday by the sound of loud explosions as Taliban militants fired missiles and gunfire near the meeting site in western Kabul. The attack took place as Mr. Karzai was giving his opening address to the crowd of nearly 1,600 delegates.
Missiles fell near the huge tent where the "jirga," or assembly, is taking place, but no one was hurt. Officials said security forces killed two would-be bombers who tried to infiltrate the meeting disguised as women.
Organizers say the goal of the peace conference is to reach a consensus for a road map to reconcile with Taliban insurgents and other extremist groups that are attacking the government and U.S. and NATO troops.
Afghan MP calls for execution of Christians
According to the International Christian Concern, Abdul Sattar Khawasi, the deputy secretary of the lower parliament has called for the public execution of Christian in front of parliament. This was in response to a video of an Afghan man being baptized and praying in Farsi, that was broadcast on Afghan television.
Anyone who knows that in Afghanistan there is no higher law then shariah law, this shouldn't be a surprise.
Somali troops storm cargo ship but pirates kill captain
Unfortunately the Captain was murdered as the soldiers stormed the Ship .
To bad the Somalian Soldiers did'nt killed all the Pirates .
Somalia (Reuters) - Soldiers from Somalia's Puntland region stormed a Panama-flagged cargo vessel held by pirates, but gang members killed the captain in the operation, a minister said on Thursday.
"Our troops stormed the Panama-flagged vessel and engaged the pirates. There was brief fighting before they defeated them," Said Mohamed Raage, Minister of Ports and Marine Transport, told Reuters. "We arrested seven pirates after they killed the captain of the ship."
Semi-autonomous Puntland is a base for sea gangs targeting the Gulf of Aden, but is more peaceful than the rest of the failed Horn of Africa state.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Three Killed by World War II Bomb in Germany
A 22 hundred pound Bomb , From WWII !
That's a big Boomer to be playing with !
Foxnews
A World War II bomb killed three people trying to defuse it and injured six others in Goettingen, central Germany on Tuesday, police said.
The incident occurred as specialists tried to make the 2,205-pound device safe after workers discovered it while working on the construction of a sports stadium.
All the victims were involved in the clearance operation, said a police statement, which offered no further details.
Bombs left over from the war are routinely discovered in Germany, with four found over the past two months in Berlin alone, according to press reports.
Afghanistan peace conference debates talking to Taliban
President Karzai's opening remarks came as the Taliban fired a series of rockets near the jirga's grounds. Three suicide bombers attempted to breach the conference's security but police killed two and captured one before they could enter, Afghan officials said. No jirga participants were harmed.
Yes , During peace talks the Taliban Tried to join in on the fun .
OOPS, Damn suicide Bombers were stopped , Two with bullets , one was just Defective and was arrested , And they really need some help with those RPG's .
Oh well , It is not like talks with the Taliban ever mean anything anyway , they just tell you what you want to hear and then still do whatever they want .
The CSMonitor.com
Kabul, Afghanistan
Afghanistan's much-awaited national peace conference opened Wednesday with nearly 1,500 tribal elders, government officials, and civil society representatives divided on how best to approach the insurgency and convince militants to lay down their arms.
They have three days to reach consensus. At issue is whether there should be talks with the Taliban's leadership and whether the Afghan constitution should be revised to implement more Islamic laws.
President Hamid Karzai opened the three-day conference, known here as a jirga, by reaching out to insurgents. "My dear Taliban, you are welcome in your own soil," he told participants gathered under a massive, air-conditioned tent in the capital. "Do not hurt this country or kill yourselves."
The conference is one the largest gatherings of its kind in Afghanistan since 2001. But many Afghans doubt it will mark a significant step towards peace. Most delegates were handpicked by the Afghan government, leading to concern that the jirga isn't really representative or independent.
Russia says terrorists seeking nuclear materials
I've heard this before , It really sounds like if you have enough money or actually work at a Russian Nuclear facility , you can walk away with whatever you Want !
The end result of Russian failure , Nuclear Jihad !
(Reuters) - The chief of Russia's state security service said on Wednesday that terrorists were seeking access to nuclear materials across the former Soviet Union, Russian news agencies reported.
Alexander Bortnikov, the chief of the FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, gave no further details about the attempts or which groups had sought the materials.
"We have information which indicates that terrorists are continuing to attempt to get access to nuclear materials (and) biological and chemical components," he was quoted as saying by Interfax and Itar-Tass.
"We are paying constant attention to this issue," Bortnikov said, referring to concerns that terrorists could get their hands on nuclear materials.
Nuclear experts say there is no sign that terrorists have acquired weapons-grade nuclear material but there have been at least 18 documented cases of theft or loss of plutonium or highly enriched uranium, several in the ex-Soviet Union.
Despite major, heavily U.S.-funded security improvements at Russian facilities containing nuclear materials since the 1991 Soviet collapse, experts say the risk of theft remains.
Among concerns are the potential for theft by insiders -- particularly in a country plagued by corruption -- as well as imperfect accounting for the materials and inexperienced guards, according to Harvard University nuclear expert Matthew Bunn.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Drone strike reportedly killed Al Qaeda No. 3 Mustafa Abu al-Yazid
Hell Yeah !
“His death will only be a severe curse by his life upon the infidels,” the statement said. “The response is near.”
Bring it on , We are waiting to retaliate , Again .
The CSM
A militant website on Monday reported that Al Qaeda's No. 3 leader and top commander in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, has been killed. US and Pakistani security officials believe that Mr. Yazid, along with members of his family, was recently killed by an American drone attack in Pakistan’s tribal areas. Yazid’s death is being claimed as a counter-terrorism victory, but analysts said that Al Qaeda is quick to appoint successors to key posts.
According to the Financial Times, Yazid’s death was confirmed by Al Qaeda:
A statement issued by al-Qaeda’s media wing announced that Mr Yazid had been killed, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist websites.
“His death will only be a severe curse by his life upon the infidels,” the statement said. “The response is near.”
US counter-terrorism officials see Mr Yazid’s apparent death as a victory, although al- Qaeda has succeeded in replacing a number of previous holders of its number-three slot killed by the CIA.
