Short Takes, 10/17/06

Here's a brief rundown of some of today's matters of interest:


* President Bush signed a bill into law to interrogate and prosecute suspected terrorists. The law bars torture, but allows forceful interrogation, does not require that any of them be granted legal counsel and specifically bars detainees from filing habeas corpus petitions challenging their detentions in federal courts. Hey, it only took five years after 9/11 to get to the point where we can actually treat Islamic jihadis captured while shooting at our men as enemy combatants instead of treating them like American citizens caught holding up a liquor store..better late than never.

* There's an interesting slugfest being played out between Venezuela and Guatemala at the U.N. for a vacant revolving seat on the UN Security Council. The Security Council consists of five permanent members — the U.S., Britain, China, France and Russia — and 10 nations elected for two-year terms, with five replaced each year. This year, Belgium, South Africa, Indonesia, and Italy were voted in, which leaves one seat contested between US backd Guatemala and Chinese and Russian backed Venezuala. Interestingly enough, there's only one member of the UN that is officially banned from gaining a temporary seat on the Security Council - Israel.

* North Korea may be planning a 2nd nuclear test, and today the Dear Leader's government referred to the wristslap sanctions voted by the UN as `a declaration of war.'

* The Italians get into the act...today, the Italian PM Prodi said that Muslims should not "hide" behind the veil if they want to integrate and become part of Italy's future. Prodi, by the way, like Britain's Jack Straw is extremely Muslim friendly and the head of the left wing government that took over for US ally Berlesconi. I suppose even they have to draw the line somewhere.

* President Bush praised US Muslims for working to defeat terrorism at an iftar dinner held in the State Dining Room of the White House, just as it has been every year since Bush became president. This year, he opened with the traditional Ramadan greeting of "Ramadan Karim" and praised Islam for bringing "hope and comfort to more than a billion people around the world." Enough said.I certainly couldn't top that one.

* British Labour Politician Denis McShane writes an op-ed for the British Telegraph: `Our failure to confront radical Islam is there for all to see'. A worthy read, though as some of the comments point out, a little hypocritical coming from someone who is quite open about wanting to cede British Sovereignity to the EU. The blind men begin to understand the nature of the elephant, slowly but surely...

* Arnaud de Borchgrave has a superb piece in the Washington time on the second round of Le Jihad Francais...or as he calls it the Gallic intifada .