Quick links

Here are several links from LGF:

France finally admits role in Holocaust.

Two great articles by Michael Ledeen:

We Are All Fascists Now

We Are All Fascists Now II - American Tyranny

Just read it.

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Man bites dog

This is is what comes to mind when a former KGB Colonel and a current Prime Minister of Russia explains the dangers of socialism.

I get interesting e-mails from someone named Larwin.  I am not sure who it is, but I am sure I have exchanged comments with this person on some blog.  Larwin sent me a link to the Gateway Pundit post with links and comments on former Russian President Putin's speech in Davos at the World Economic Forum.  The transcript of the speech is here.  Here is the money quote:

Esteemed colleagues, one is sorely tempted to make simple and popular decisions in times of crisis. However, we could face far greater complications if we merely treat the symptoms of the disease.

Naturally, all national governments and business leaders must take resolute actions. Nevertheless, it is important to avoid making decisions, even in such force majeure circumstances, that we will regret in the future.

This is why I would first like to mention specific measures which should be avoided and which will not be implemented by Russia.

We must not revert to isolationism and unrestrained economic egotism. The leaders of the world's largest economies agreed during the November 2008 G20 summit not to create barriers hindering global trade and capital flows. Russia shares these principles.

Although additional protectionism will prove inevitable during the crisis, all of us must display a sense of proportion.

Excessive intervention in economic activity and blind faith in the state's omnipotence is another possible mistake.

True, the state's increased role in times of crisis is a natural reaction to market setbacks. Instead of streamlining market mechanisms, some are tempted to expand state economic intervention to the greatest possible extent.

The concentration of surplus assets in the hands of the state is a negative aspect of anti-crisis measures in virtually every nation.

In the 20th century, the Soviet Union made the state's role absolute. In the long run, this made the Soviet economy totally uncompetitive. This lesson cost us dearly. I am sure nobody wants to see it repeated. (Emphasis mine - Eric-Odessit).

Nor should we turn a blind eye to the fact that the spirit of free enterprise, including the principle of personal responsibility of businesspeople, investors and shareholders for their decisions, is being eroded in the last few months. There is no reason to believe that we can achieve better results by shifting responsibility onto the state.

And one more point: anti-crisis measures should not escalate into financial populism and a refusal to implement responsible macroeconomic policies. The unjustified swelling of the budgetary deficit and the accumulation of public debts are just as destructive as adventurous stock-jobbing.

Putin knows what he is talking about.  I can vouch for that based on my personal experience.  Here is the video with this quote:

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Is it surprising?

A Nazi hiding out in an Arab country?  Converting to Islam?  Wow, you don't say:

BERLIN —  Documents have surfaced in Egypt showing the world's most-wanted Nazi war criminal, concentration camp doctor Aribert Heim, died in Cairo in 1992, Germany's ZDF television and The New York Times reported.

Wednesday's reports said Heim, known as 'Dr. Death,' was living under a pseudonym and had converted to Islam by the time of his death from intestinal cancer.

ZDF said that in a joint effort with the New York Times, it located a passport, application for a residence permit, bank slips, personal letters and medical papers — in all more than 100 documents — left behind by Heim in a briefcase in the hotel room where he lived under the name Tarek Hussein Farid.

Though he did not know Heim's real identity, Egyptian dentist Tarek Abdelmoneim el Rifai said he knew him through his father, Abdelmoneim el Rifai, 88, who was Heim's dentist in Cairo.

He told the AP on Wednesday that he only met Heim a few times, 20 years ago, but confirmed that he knew of his death.

"He died in 1992. I didn't know that he was a doctor and that he is the most wanted Nazi war criminal. I am surprised," he said in a telephone interview.

"He introduced himself to my father as a German and I know that he converted to Islam and changed his name."

When he met Heim two decades ago at his father's clinic, el Rifai said he had the impression he was on the run.

"The only thing I knew about him is that he fled from the Jews," el Rifai said.  (Emphasis mine - Eric-Odessit).

That poor German escaping from those murderous Jews!  He was just a doctor, dedicated his life to science!  Of course he was welcomed by another Jew-hating regime.  Come to think of it, there seems to be a lot of Jew-hating doctors, just look at Hamas leadership!  What, they don't like the competition?

Read it all.  Of course, it is not surprising that the Nazis find asylum in the Arab countries governed by the modern Jew-hating Nazi-like regimes.  Another one, Alois Brunner escaped to Syria and might still be alive.

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Russians in Afghanistan again?

Here is an interesting news item from Fox News that I stumbled upon:

MOSCOW —  President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday that Russia and its ex-Soviet allies want to help the United States stabilize Afghanistan, saying Moscow wanted "full-fledged" cooperation with Washington.

He spoke a day after the ex-Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan announced it would evict the U.S. from an air base key to the Afghan war. Kyrgyzstan made the move after getting a promise for $2 billion in loans from Russia — which resents the American presence in a region Moscow regards as part of its traditional sphere of influence.

The possibility of the base closure poses a serious challenge to the new U.S. administration and President Barack Obama's plan to send up to 30,000 more American forces into Afghanistan this year.

Click here for photos.

"Russia and other (alliance members) are ready for full-fledged comprehensive cooperation with the United States and other coalition members in fighting terrorism in the region. This fight must be comprehensive and include both military and political components. Only in the case will this have a chance to succeed," Medvedev said.

It was not clear if Medvedev's reference to "full-fledged" cooperation was an attempt to reassure Washington or an indication that Moscow would seek concessions in exchange for helping keep the Manas air base open.

Read it all.  There were some news stories back in late 2001 - early 2002 about the Russians helping us in Afghanistan.  It was all believable back then.  But then Russia started being a pain in the ass.  It is very hard to trust them.  They always have some strange angle.  At the same time, it is in their interests to be our allies, in my opinion.  After all, they have their own problems with the islamists.  But the idiots dreaming of Russia's greatness might screw up the life for us and them.

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