Qadaffi At Large

Arrest warrants were issued Monday from the International Criminal Courts for Libyan leader Muammar Qadaffi, his son Seif, and his Intelligence Chief Abdullah al-Sanoussi. 

It has already been four months of violence and fighting between Qadaffi forces and rebel groups.  Meanwhile, prosecutors are adamant about finding and subduing the men as quickly as possible in order to protect civilians, stop the bloodshed and "to prevent them from covering up ongoing crimes".

The 3 men are charged with crimes against humanity;  including the killing, arrest, and incarceration of hundreds of innocent civilians during the first two weeks of the revolution.

Judge Sanji Monegeng of Botswana said there were ''reasonable grounds to believe'' the leader and his son are ''criminally responsible as indirect co-perpetrators'' for the oppression.

Before the warrants were announced, French President Nicolas Sarkozy recapitulated the urgency of Qadaffi to step down from power for the betterment and evolution of the country and its people.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy reaffirming Qadaffi to step down

The United Nations resolution comprised of France, Britain and the United States began bombarding Qadaffi's compound and forces with rocket strikes in an attempt to stop the murders of civilians and rebels on March 19.  Since then, a number of Arab allies have joined with NATO for the air campaign over Libya.

NATO and Taliban

Two interesting news broadcasts were reported back to back.  One, an atrocity done in the name of peace - another, done with intentions of terror and mayhem.

In the first story, NATO claims that one of its airstrikes in Libya has taken the lives of innocent civilians.  In the not-war against Qadaffi, a NATO weapons system failure led to an errant airstrike that took the lives of nine civilians.  Two of the civilians were children.  Obviously, NATO says that it 'regrets the loss of innocent civilian lives'.

The second story was half way around the world, in Afghanistan.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for a car bomb that killed 3 innocent civilians near the edge of Kunduz City.  Eleven other civilians were wounded in the car bomb that was targeting a German military convoy.  Afghan President Hamid Karzai is still involved in peace talks with the Taliban, in attempts to quell the persistently unnecessary bloodshed.

The irony is that both stories have led to innocent people losing their lives.  One, NATO, is trying to help.  The other, the Taliban (which I feel have NO place in 'peace talks'), is intentionally trying to disrupt every facet of capitalist culture by killing their own people.  Different ideologies.  Same result.  Be it government intervention or radical, jihadist thoughts, innocent people are dying.  How do you fight broken ideologies?

Wedding Massacre

The Central Criminal Court of Iraq is doing the world some justice.  Today, 15 alleged Al-Qaeda members were convicted guilty and sentenced to death for their horrific participation in a 2006 wedding party massacre. 

The attack, which led to the murder of over 70 people, is viewed as one of the most horrendous acts carried out by the Sunni-led militants during the insurgency.

The event, which was supposed to be a joyful and amicable experience, truly became a nightmare, as a roadside bomb forced the wedding guests off road and allowed the terrorists to begin their attack.  Kids were tied down with weights and thrown in the river to drown;  the bride - raped in front of her new husband, then cut across the chest and left to bleed to death.

Anti-terror unit checkpoint in Baghdad

All the men were executed with a bullet to the back of the head and flung into the water.

Even for Iraqi standards, the shocking events of this brutal massacre will haunt the region forever.   And despite the miniscule amount of solace that comes from the conviction of these 15 pieces of garbage, the world continues to shed innocent blood in a frugal attempt to coexist.

Iraqi women crying out for retribution against the murders

During a videotape confession, the defendants claim that their motives for the attack were that the groom was Shiite and the bride was Sunni.  What a waste.

Kinzinger on Obama

Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger spoke today in the weekly GOP address, calling for a more job-focused government.   He is adamant about doing something different to encourage job growth in America.

Kinzinger reminded the Obama administration's promise that unemployment would go no higher than 8%.  However, America saw 9.1% earlier this month.  Kinzinger says that the goverment needs to reduce debt, simplify the tax code, and limit regulations.

He sees that private sector business are like revolving doors, and that small business receive too high taxes and too many government regulations.

He also says that Washington needs to pass free-trade agreements with Columbia, Panama and South Korea, while boosting domestic energy production.

Former National Guard and current Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger

Kinzinger seems like a straight arrow, and a bit of a bad-ass.  He saved a woman's life from getting stabbed to death, and was selected the Red Cross Hero of the Year.

Watch how he became a hero!

Yemen Enemies

The Yemeni Vice President spoke today about President Ali Abdullah, who was wounded in a rocket attack on his palace Friday.  He says the President will return in a few days from Saudi Arabia, where he is currently receiving medical treatment.

In the President's absence, the United States and Saudi Arabia are working towards a power transfer.  International authorities fear that after his 28-year rule, the President would incite more violence across the country upon his return.

The United States also fears that Al Qaeda could expoit the ensuing turmoil and plot more violent attacks.  The violence however, is already prevalent as Yemeni Government forces and opposing tribesmen have been clashing for weeks.

Saudi Prince Alwaleed (Groucho Marx) and Yemeni President Ali Abdullah (Ken Watanabe)

E.U. Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton said the President "knows perfectly well what he needs to do for his people", and let his country "move on".

"This is the end of oppression", a civilian shouts on the streets.

The Death of "Dr. Death"

Dr. Jacob 'Jack' Kevorkian, most known for his patient-assisted suicides, died early on Friday due to kidney complications and pneumonia. 

Jack was well-known for many accomplishments and attributes.  He was an avid oil painter, composer and jazz musician.  He was a renowned pathologist, and a die-hard (pun intended) right-to-die activist.  The Michigan-born doctor claims to have helped over 130 people with assisted suicide.  His Thanatron ("death machine") allowed terminally ill individuals to press a button that would administer a fatal drug.
 

He is famously quoted as saying "dying is not a crime".
 
Kevorkian went on trial several times for his assisted suicides.  His practices incited prosecutors to filed murder charge against him, and he ultimately had his medicine license revoked.  In 1999, Kevorkian was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to a 10-25 year life sentence.  He served 8 of those years, and was released on parole in June of 2007.