Former Interrogator: Iraq Had Ties to Al Qaeda

According to the Regime of Terror blog a former civilian interrogator attached to the U.S. Army in Iraq, Matthew Degn,says that much of the public perception about Saddam Hussein's regime and terrorism are incorrect.

When asked about recent media reports citing Saddam Hussein's denial to the FBI about links to al Qaeda Degn viewed these reports as part of an ongoing attempt to rewrite history saying these reports stand in stark contrast to what he saw and heard firsthand in Iraq. In fact, Degn said that to many of the detainees links between Saddam Hussein's regime and terrorist groups including al Qaeda was not even a point of contention but freely acknowledged. Many of the high value detainees took it as a given that their captors were aware of Iraq - al Qaeda links. Some even bragged about those links.

I interviewed plenty of Saddam's associates, as well as numerous members of Al Qaeda while at Abu Ghraib prison and elsewhere in 06 and spoke with many who were quite familiar with the inner workings of the Saddam regime while at the Ministry of Interior (MOI). Did they cooperate or have animosity towards each other? Well, this is a tough question to answer as it seemed that different individuals had a variety of feelings about the subject. Some detainees alleged that members of AQI (al Qaeda in Iraq) were in support of Saddam and began attaching the CF (coalition forces) for money, religious reasons, thrills, etc. On the other hand, there were those I spoke with who were opposed to Saddam and happy to see him removed. Still, the reasons for attacking the CF were much the same.

One thing many fail to understand is that Al Qaeda is not a unified group throughout the Middle East, or even regionally. Many small groups take the title of "Al Qaeda" to bolster their notoriety, to feel they are part of the larger effort against the US forces, or for other reasons.

As for how supporters of Saddam felt about AQI again it would depend on the individual. Many I spoke with claimed they were against the group probably because that is what they figured I wanted to hear. Some claimed Saddam was against the group because members of AQ were a bit too religious or threatening to his rule. While, other detainees claimed he used various groups as intermediaries to arrange arms and money transfers to the group in order to attack a common enemy Iran, as well as US interests in the region. Still, there were other hard core detainees, part of Saddam's core, or members of other groups such as former ANO members (Abu Nidal Organization) as a few alleged, that claimed they would associate with Saddam-ites as well as AQI from time to time as the need would arise.

Degn is currently the Director of the Intelligence Studies Program and a professor at American Military University whose testimony about events in Iraq has been cited by NPR, ABC News, the Washington Post and elsewhere. According to his American Military University bio.

He also worked as a Senior Policy/Intelligence Adviser to Deputy General Kamal and other top intelligence officials with the Iraq's Ministry of Interior. Degn, currently working on a book about his experiences in Iraq.

So folks it appears that were links to Saddam and Al Qaeda as well as many other terrorist groups. Please take the time to visit the various links in this blog post which will better educate you on this issue.

Hat Tip to Flopping Aces

Poll: Voters Trust GOP Over Democrats...Again !

Voters trust Republicans more than Democrats on eight of 10 issues, including, for the second straight month, the top issue of the economy.

According to the Rasmussen Reportsthe latest poll indicates that voters trust the Republicans more on economic issues 46% to 41%, showing little change from the six-point lead the party held last month.

Voters not affiliated with either party trust Republicans more to handle the economy by a 46% to 32% margin.

Fifty-two percent (52%) of voters now trust Republicans more on the issue of taxes,only 36% trust Democrats more on taxes.

On national security, Republicans hold a 49% to 40% lead over Democrats.

Republicans hold a four-point lead on the issue of the War in Iraq.

The GOP has a 40% to 34% lead on the issue of immigration and is ahead 46% to 39% on abortion.

Republicans also edge out Democrats on government ethics and corruption for the second straight month, 34% to 33%. In June, the GOP held a six-point advantage on the issue. (That's down thanks to our buddy, the Governor of S.Carolina)

Also for the first time in over two years, Republicans lead Democrats on the issue of Social Security 42% to 37%.

Republican candidates lead Democrats for the second straight week in the latest edition of the Generic Congressional Ballot. Support for the GOP remains unchanged this week - at its highest level over the past year, but support for Democrats dropped one point to tie its lowest level in the same time period

Fifty-four percent (54%) of all voters say the average congressional Democrat is more liberal than they are.

BHO's Columbia Days: Anti-War Radical

Nearly six months after the election of President Obama the New York Times suddenly decides to to its job. For many of us there were questions as to why Obama the candidate would not talk about his Columbia campus life. Suddenly the Times has discovered a 1983 article authored by then Barack Obama the student. The title of this article that appeared in the Columbia campus student newspaper? "Breaking the War Mentality".

The article suggested that Obama loathed American "militarism" and the "military-industrial interests" of America, while supporting the nuclear freeze movement.

"The Freeze is one part of a whole disarmament movement."

"Things like this may dispel the idea that disarmament is a white issue,"

Obama also supported other anti-war campus groups such as ARA,"Arms Race Alternatives", and "Students Against Militarism" or SAM.

"At the heart of our organization is an anti-war focus", says junior Robert Kahn, one of SAM's fifteen or so active members. "From there, a lot of issues shoot forth - nukes, racism, the draft, and South Africa."

So what's the big deal, right? So what? Many college students were radicals in their campus days.

That's true, but how many of them actually became President and are jaunting off to Russia to negotiate away our only real defense against Russia, nuclear deterrent. It appears that Obama's attitude toward the military and how we defend our nation has changed little if any since 1983. Add in his lame responses to Iran and North Korea both up and coming nuclear powers in their own right, and you have a recipe for disaster.

I remember during the campaign how many criticized those who questioned Obama's relationship with William Ayers, a known anti-American radical who still teaches as a college professor to this day. As if the relationship didn't matter. Well it matters folks, especially if he currently feels the same way he did back then.

It is not that I would be opposed to the world doing away with nuclear weapons, it would be great in theory. But how would we do it and how would we verify that it is being done. What would we do about those who are not disarming, how would we defend ourselves against the nukes that they have and we don't.

Sure folks, in a perfect world, nuclear disarmament would be desirable, but this is not a perfect world.

Read more here.

NY State Dems Refuse to Stand During Pledge

Recently NY state democrats refused to stand and place their hand over their heart during the Pledge of Allegiance opening a special session. This all appears to be because of some political bickering between them and the republicans. Politics aside folks, you stand and place your hand over your heart for the Pledge of Allegiance. You can then get on with the bickering after the pledge.

How utterly disrespectful of the NY Sate Democrats to sit during the pledge and not participate, as a matter of fact one of the Democrats attempts to stand with his hand over his heart and he is pulled down by another member. This is shameful conduct by elected officials. See the video for yourself.

EPA Suppressed Report Skepitical of Global Warming

CBS is reporting that the EPA may have suppressed a report skeptical of the theory of global warming according to some newly disclosed emails.

Less than two weeks before the agency formally submitted its pro-regulation recommendation to the White House, an EPA center director quashed a 98-page report that warned against making hasty "decisions based on a scientific hypothesis that does not appear to explain most of the available data."

The EPA official, Al McGartland, said in an e-mail message to a staff researcher on March 17: "The administrator and the administration has decided to move forward... and your comments do not help the legal or policy case for this decision."

The emails pose questions about interference in what is supposed to be an independent review process within a federal agency.
Alan Carlin, the primary author of the 98-page EPA report, told CBSNews.com in a telephone interview on Friday that his boss, McGartland, was being pressured himself. "It was his view that he either lost his job or he got me working on something else," Carlin said. "That was obviously coming from higher levels."

E-mail messages released this week show that Carlin was ordered not to "have any direct communication" with anyone outside his small group at EPA on the topic of climate change, and was informed that his report would not be shared with the agency group working on the topic.

"I was told for probably the first time in I don't know how many years exactly what I was to work on," said Carlin, a 38-year veteran of the EPA. "And it was not to work on climate change." One e-mail orders him to update a grants database instead.

After reviewing the scientific literature that the EPA is relying on, Carlin said, he concluded that it was at least three years out of date and did not reflect the latest research. "My personal view is that there is not currently any reason to regulate (carbon dioxide)," he said. "There may be in the future. But global temperatures are roughly where they were in the mid-20th century. They're not going up, and if anything they're going down."

Carlin's report listed a number of recent developments he said the EPA did not consider, including that global temperatures have declined for 11 years; that new research predicts Atlantic hurricanes will be unaffected; that there's "little evidence" that Greenland is shedding ice at expected levels; and that solar radiation has the largest single effect on the earth's temperature.

As a matter of fact folks, according to Carlin, global temperatures have declined in 11 years, there is little evidence that Greenland is losing ice at reported levels and that solar radiation is the largest effect on the earth's temperature.

So it appears that the Obama administration is attempting to suppress this report because it does not support Obama's environmental policies and his attempt to tax carbon emissions. If this report became public it could be used in any court proceedings challenging the legitimacy of a carbon emissions tax.

Yes folks, the transparency of the Obama administration is as clear as mud.

WORLD PREMIERE: "We The People" NEW tea party unity song by Lloyd Marcus

Date: Tuesday, June 23rd

Time: 12noon/EST







Place: http://www.YouTube.com/LloydMarcususa

Dear Fellow Patriots, No marketing firm could have started this incredible spontaneous Tea Party Movement. It is totally driven by love, passion and concern of the America people.

The passionate voice of one man, Rick Santelli, ignited a fire which spread across America. You came by the tens of thousands to tea parties. Your message was loud and clear, "ENOUGH!...STOP the hijacking of our Freedom, Liberty and Culture!"

In my NEW Tea Party unity song, We The People, I humbly try to be your voice. I thought, what if every patriot joined and sang together. What would it sound like and what would we say? Brothers and sisters, from my heart to yours, I give you, "WE THE PEOPLE".

TUESDAY, JUNE 23rd / 12 NOON EST

http://www.YouTube.com/LloydMarcususa

God Bless, Lloyd

AVAILABLE FOR YOUR NEXT TEA PARTY: http://www.LloydMarcus.com

As you may or may not know Folks, Lloyd wrote and sings the song "United We Stand" which is the opening theme song for Talk Show America, which Lloyd graciously gave me permission to use. He also sings the ending theme medley of "God Bless America", "America" and "United We Stand" again graciously allowing me to use the song for my show.

Lloyd is a great singer, song writer,entertainer and American Patriot, having provided entertainment for the Bush and Reagan campaigns as well as The Gathering of Eagles and of course Talk Show America.

I am proud to count Lloyd as one of my friends and fellow Patriots and I am more than happy to endorse his abilities as a singer,songwriter,entertainer and Patriot.

If you want entertainment for your political rally, Lloyd Marcus is your man, no one does it better, he writes and sings songs about how he truly feels about our country and you can't get any more genuine than that !

Jay Are
Talk Show America

Free Health Care Isn't Free

Recently the Congressional Budget Office reported that a government run health care system would cost at least a trillion dollars and cause the loss of Private coverage for about 23 million Americans.

Democrats counter that report by saying that the Congressional Budget Office's numbers do not reflect the savings the plan would create by "taxing" unhealthy foods like "sugar".

The plan which was authored by Senator Kennedy does not include the government run health insurance sought by Obama or the Democrats plan to extend Medicaid benefits to anyone making less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level. The Congressional Budget Office says that this would add significantly to the cost of the bill.

Enacting the Kennedy plan, nonetheless, "would result in a net increase in the federal budget deficits of about $1 trillion," says the CBO. "That estimate primarily reflects the subsidies that would be provided to purchase coverage through the new insurance exchanges, which would amount to nearly $1.3 trillion in that period."

The final figure comes in at $1.042 trillion due to revenue provided by increased taxes as people moved from employer-based, tax-free coverage to other forms of insurance, penalties for being uninsured, and reduced payments to physicians under Medicaid.

"Those costs would be partly offset by receipts or savings from three sources: increases in tax revenues stemming from the decline in employment-based coverage; payments of penalties by uninsured individuals; and reductions in outlays for Medicaid and CHIP."

The CBO also said that, if enacted, the bill would break a key promise made by Obama: that those with private health insurance would not be harmed.

"[T]he number of people who had coverage through an employer would decline by about 15 million (or roughly 10 percent), and coverage from other sources would fall by about 8 million," the report says.

On top of all this folks Representative Charles Rangel(D)(NY)Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee says that the Democrats plan will include $600 billion in tax increases and $400 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.

So 600 Billion in tax increases (coming from you of course), they want to Tax unhealthy foods and cut Medicaid and Medicare by 400 billion.

First, almost any food could be considered unhealthy, bacon,hot dogs,bologna,ham,potato chips, ring dings, etc., you get the idea, and by taxing "sugar" they are going to cause a rise in costs of not just sugar, but everything containing it (which is almost everything you eat. So your pocketbook will feel it there as well).

Cutting Medicaid and Medicare will reduce benefits to those who now rely on it.

There are an estimated 46 million without health care in the United States, the Democrats plan would extend coverage to 16 million Americans, still leaving 30 million uninsured.

Do you still think this is about getting health care coverage for every American and making it affordable ? Wake up people before it's too late !


Read more here and here.