India vs. China, 2

I'm back after a whirlwind trip that lasted 4.5 days.

Cows -- You'll see them on the street tied to street signs, etc. They aren't particularly fit looking which is something I asked one of my Indian (non-Hindu) colleagues. "If female cows are gods, why are they so thin? Shouldn't they be fatter to show that they're needs are being met? Also, why aren't these gods free to roam? Why must they be tied to a sign or post? Shouldn't a god be free to roam wherever it chooses?" My colleague responded that these were good questions and he wasn't sure why the "idols" were treated this way.

Airport security -- When I arrived at the airport in Delhi to depart for the US, we were met by a soldier with a machine gun. If you do not have your updated itinerary showing the flight you plan to leave on, you can't enter the airport. I had moved my flight back to the U.S. up one day so I didn't have mine. I also wasn't aware I needed it to enter the airport. An American Airlines rep tried to sneak me by the man with the machine gun, but I was stopped. The rep very graciously went to the desk and got my e-ticket while the soldier pointed his machine gun at me across his lap to keep me in place.

Driving in India -- It's chaotic but less so than China. We didn't drive on the berm or in the wrong lanes. However, the lane stripes are mainly decoration. You'll usually stay with the solid lines but lanes on the road matter litter.

Water for many is still distributed from wells on the side of the road. You see lots of women drawing water into cisterns and carrying it home or wherever on their heads.

It's quite dusty and dry despite the very high humidity in Delhi. It was 106 Friday and 90+ percent humidity. Felt great in a suit. You'd walk out of tepid air conditioning and hit a wall of hot air that almost knocked your breath away.

The food was wonderful if you like Indian. I do. If not, there's TGI Friday's, Domino's, Pizza Hut and numerous hotels. The Hyatt we stayed at in Delhi is noted for India's best Italian food. It was quite good.

Hotel rooms and conference rooms at the hotels have service buttons. If you push them, a butler will arrive a few seconds later looking to help you. I thought mine was a light and couldn't understand why a butler had arrived at my door.

Bollywood - India's version of Hollywood. They care about entertainment and celebs almost as much as American's. The Times of India, a national daily, has a whole section about celeb gossip, photos, etc. Doesn't matter what nationality the celeb is, they cover it. It's verys ad to see the American influence on their culture, sexual attitudes, dress, etc. India is typically pretty conservative but as Western industries and $$ flow into the country, the society changes dramatically.

Keep on Surgin'

Over the last few months, the United States (finally) surged in Iraq. Al Qaeda in Iraq has now surged against the surge. Iran is surging against the surge. We're pushing them back. Now the Democrats in Congress, the mainstream media, and the foreign policy establishment have mounted their own surges against the surge. So far, Bush is beating them back. If Bush can hang tough, and General Petraeus can keep on surging, the Defeatists will fail. And the United States will have a good chance to succeed in Iraq.

Yes, We Do Have a Clue, By John Scott Redd

In her recent Outlook article, Amy Zegart asserts that the United States' counterterrorism intelligence community is as ill-prepared to defend the nation as it was before Sept. 11, 2001. Although it is heartening to see Zegart address an issue as important as our ability to detect, deter and disrupt terrorists' plots, it is disappointing to see how out-of-date someone of her stature remains. Although the intelligence community faces continuing challenges, our progress since 9/11 has been nothing short of revolutionary. Today we collect, analyze and share counterterrorism intelligence within and among agencies vastly more effectively than Zegart claims.

Rather than addressing each of Zegart's arguments, I will instead focus on those areas into which, as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), I have the clearest insight -- particularly her assertion that the U.S intelligence community continues to suffer from the "organizational deficiencies" that hampered "the CIA and the FBI and prevented all 15 U.S intelligence agencies from working as a unified team" before 9/11.

The very existence of my organization, the NCTC, is testament to how the intelligence community no longer views terrorism as it did before 9/11, when it was separated into foreign (the CIA) and domestic (the FBI) realms that were distinct from one another. Today, as a result of the USA PATRIOT Act and the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004, there is one place -- the NCTC -- where all terrorism information comes together. Here we have insight into the most sensitive of CIA and FBI intelligence. Put simply, it is one team and one fight. And it goes to the heart of a changing organizational culture.

This interagency cooperation is further highlighted by NCTC's composition. Within our ranks sit counterterrorism experts from every part of the U.S. counterterrorism community -- most notably the CIA and the FBI. Sitting side by side, our specialists ensure that terrorism information, regardless of its source, gets to those who need it. And when they return to their "home agency" they will espouse an organizational view that promotes the very unity of effort which we once arguably lacked.

But these changes are not just about organizational theory; they are about the daily grind of counterterrorism intelligence. Three times a day, every day, the NCTC chairs a video teleconference at which more than 17 intelligence and operations offices within the government come together to discuss breaking intelligence. Whether events occur in Kansas or Cairo, the information is shared so it can be analyzed and, most importantly, acted upon. Thus not only is Zegart's assessment that the FBI's culture won't vigorously pursue critical terrorism leads flatly inconsistent with what I see every day, but the larger interagency counterterrorism community is organized to avoid this potential flaw -- whether domestically or overseas.

So what of Zegart's specific examples of pre-9/11 "screw-ups" and her claim that the same deficiencies still plague us? Her first example is well known: that the CIA, FBI, and others didn't communicate in a way that might have allowed for the "watchlisting" of a 9/11 hijacker, Khalid Almihdhar.

Regrettably, this observation fails to recognize the radical change in U.S. watchlisting procedures since the attacks. Prior to 9/11, the U.S. government indeed maintained six or more "watchlists" to identify suspicious actors. Today, there is a single list for all those suspected of associations with terrorists. Thus whether it is a consular officer in a U.S. embassy, a border patrol agent or a police officer in the United States, all of their work is supported by a single database of suspected terrorist-related individuals. And while I make no claim that this system is perfect, any argument that serious and material flaws have not been corrected belies reality.

Finally, Zegart notes that "even our successes aren't cause for celebration," citing the recent disruption of plots to attack Fort Dix and New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, among others. On this point, we can at least partially agree. We should not -- and cannot -- celebrate these successes because the larger challenge continues. The terrorist threat the United States faces includes both al-Qaeda-directed plotting as well as al-Qaeda-inspired, "homegrown" terrorists. Both are tangible and dangerous, and both require government-wide cooperation. What Zegart fails to recognize is that this is just what occurs today. And the recent events in London and Glasgow remind us that, contrary to the implied arguments of some critics, there is no magic organizational bullet (such as replacing the FBI with a domestic security service like Britain's MI5) that will make us safe.

Over the past almost six years, the U.S. intelligence community and the counterterrorism community have taken significant strides to remedy past failures and better protect our country. I believe it is no accident that the United States has not been attacked since 9/11. And while there is no guarantee of perfection, our aspirations are closer to reality than many of our critics suggest. Less focus on theory and more on fact makes this readily apparent.

John Scott Redd, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral, is director of the National Counterterrorism Center.

Iraq Report V: The Real Surge: Preparing for Operation Phantom Thunder.

On June 15, 2007, Generals David Petraeus and Ray Odierno launched the largest coordinated military operation in Iraq since the initial U.S. invasion. The campaign, called Operation Phantom Thunder, aims to expel al Qaeda from its sanctuaries just outside of Baghdad. Denying al Qaeda the ability to fabricate car bombs and transport fighters through the rural terrain around Baghdad is a necessary prerequisite for securing the capital city, the overarching military goal for Iraq in 2007.

Phantom Thunder consists of simultaneous offensives by U.S. forces throughout central Iraq. The Division north of Baghdad cleared the long-festering city of Baqubah and its outlying areas. The Division east and southeast of Baghdad is clearing the critical al Qaeda stronghold in Arab Jabour, immediately south of the capital. It is also destroying al Qaeda's ability to transport weapons along the Tigris River and to send reinforcements from the Euphrates to the Tigris. The Division west of Baghdad is clearing al Qaeda's sanctuaries between Fallujah and Baghdad, all the way to the shores of Lake Tharthar northwest of the capital. Meanwhile, the Division in Baghdad continues to clear important areas of the city and areas to its immediate north and west.

Phantom Thunder is not a new strategy or a new plan. U.S. commanders have been preparing Phantom Thunder since the effort to secure Baghdad began in February. General Odierno, who commands Coalition combat forces in Iraq, has been carefully positioning the additional brigades that the President sent to Iraq. General Odierno has, brigade by brigade, encircledBaghdad. U.S. troops have not, literally, cordoned off the city. Rather, General Odierno has stationed Coalition forces on every major supply line, river, or road in a circle around Baghdad. Much of the fighting outside of Baghdad between February 15 and June 15 has aimed at positioning U.S. troops in these areas and reconnoitering them. Many of these areas received little or no attention from U.S. combat forces in 2006.

Coalition and Iraqi forces have also been securing Baghdad's vital and unstable neighborhoods before and during Phantom Thunder. General Odierno's careful disposition of forces inside of Baghdad from February to June has restricted insurgent movement within the city, and has squeezed the enemy into ever smaller operating areas within the capital. As the offensive outside the city continues, it is increasingly difficult for the enemy inside the city to receive supplies or reinforcements..

Editor's note: The Iraq Report will be published at www.weeklystandard.com approximately every two weeks and will chronicle and analyze ongoing coalition military operations both in Baghdad and throughout Iraq. To read the full report in pdf click here

Previous Iraq Reports:

Iraq Report I: From "New Way Forward" to New Commander, March 1, 2007

Iraq Report II: The Baghdad Security Plan begins., March 15, 2007

Iraq Report III: The Anbar Awakening., April 5, 2007

Iraq Report IV: The Battle for Diyala, May 7,2007

Iraq round-up

Of Senators and Soldiers
The soldiers think they can win. Some Senators lose their nerve.
by William Kristol

The Crisis of the Wahhabi Regime
Surprising developments in Saudi Arabia.
by Stephen Schwartz and Irfan al-Alawi

The New Strategy in Iraq
General Petraeus learns from past U.S. mistakes.
by Frederick W. Kagan & Kimberly Kagan

Orderly Humiliation
The moderates think they've found a 'responsible' way out of Iraq.
by Tom Donnelly

Richard Lugar,
Meet David Kilcullen
Thoughtful analysis of the war is in short supply in Washington.
by William Kristol

Rudy at Regent
Giuliani gets a standing ovation at Pat Robertson's university.
by Matthew Continetti

Tax Cuts for Kids
A pro-family agenda for 2008.
by Cesar Conda & Robert Stein

Live Earth is a win for global yawning

"the inconvenient truth of Live Earth is that it was a soulless telethon, with no clarity or drive."

Delhi

Introduction Places of Interest Eating Places Special Festivals

Bangalore

Introduction Places of Interest Eating Places Special Festivals

India vs. China

Greetings from Bangalore. Got into Delhi last night after a 15 hour flight non-stop from Chicago. I'll be spending the next five days between here and Delhi before heading back to the U.S. Should be fun.

I'll try to share some observations from the trip and maybe post a link later this week to some photos.

Lots of flies in the Delhi airport. Not as modern as China. Neither is well air conditioned but the facilities are better in China.

The military is out en masse at airport with rifles and check points with sand bags.

Westerners look more rugged here - backpacks, jungle gear, etc. Westerners in China were dressed for business.

Lots of turbans and forehead dots.

Cell phones just as important here as China. Everyone has one. Mine works great. My blackberry worked in Delhi but there's only a GSM signal in Bangalore.

No snake charmers yet but did see a cow walking the main drag of Bangalore. India has cleaner air and it's easier to get around because so many speak English. Also is a lot more "green." Great trees, gardens, flowers, etc.

It's almost not fair to compare India and China. They are very different. India strikes me as more Middle Eastern or like the Caribbean than anything Asian.

China's larger cities are definitely more modern looking. The American fare here vs. China is pretty similar. We didn't have Dominoes though, just Papa John's and Pizza Hut. Traffic is bad in India and only slightly more orderly than China. Motorcycles here vs. scooters in China.

Doormen are a real treat in the way they dress. It's all about the outfit, headdress and beard.



I can't wait to try the Indian food. I had two vegetable samosas for breakfast. Yum.

It's monsoon season right now and it's pretty cloudy. We'll see how that affects the week.

Leave Iraq and Brace for a Bigger Bloodbath, by Natan Sharansky

What Bono doesn't say about Africa

The real Africa also has seen cellphone and Internet use double every year for the last seven years. Foreign private capital inflows into Africa hit $38 billion in 2006 — more than foreign aid. Africans are saving a higher percentage of their incomes than Americans are (so much for the "poverty trap" of being "too poor to save" endlessly repeated in aid reports). I agree that it's too soon to conclude that Africa is on a stable growth track, but why not celebrate what Africans have already achieved?

...Why do aid organizations and their celebrity backers want to make African successes look like failures? One can only speculate, but it certainly helps aid agencies get more publicity and more money if problems seem greater than they are. As for the stars — well, could Africa be saving celebrity careers more than celebrities are saving Africa?

In truth, Africans are and will be escaping poverty the same way everybody else did: through the efforts of resourceful entrepreneurs, democratic reformers and ordinary citizens at home, not through PR extravaganzas of ill-informed outsiders.

The real Africa needs increased trade from the West more than it needs more aid handouts. A respected Ugandan journalist, Andrew Mwenda, made this point at a recent African conference despite the fact that the world's most famous celebrity activist — Bono — was attempting to shout him down. Mwenda was suffering from too much reality for Bono's taste: "What man or nation has ever become rich by holding out a begging bowl?" asked Mwenda.

Racial Harmony and the Gospel

In the first half of this message, John Piper talks about the racial diversity of Minneapolis. Then in the second half, about 20 minutes in, he begins to deal with the text and issues more broadly.

Previous messages in this series

Road map for Terrorism

In his meeting with [the Wall Street Journal], Mr. Giuliani said something else unexpected: "George Bush's speech on September 20, 2001 is still the best road map for what to do about terrorism."

It's Not the Economy, Stupid

No matter how low George Bush falls, terror remains the No. 1. issue.

Marriage, Christ, and Covenant: One Flesh for the Glory of God

Staying Married Is Not About Staying in Love, Part 1

Genesis 2:18-25

Read

Staying Married Is Not About Staying in Love, Part 2

Genesis 2:18-25

Read

Marriage: God’s Showcase of Covenant-Keeping Grace

Colossians 2:13-15, 3:12-19

Read

Marriage: Forgiving and Forbearing

Colossians 3:12-19

Read

Marriage: Pursuing Conformity to Christ in the Covenant

Ephesians 5:21-33

Read

Lionhearted and Lamblike: The Christian Husband as Head, Part 1

Ephesians 5:21-33

Read

Lionhearted and Lamblike: The Christian Husband as Head, Part 2

What Does It Mean to Lead

Ephesians 5:21-33

Read

The Beautiful Faith of Fearless Submission

1 Peter 3:1-7

Read

Single in Christ: A Name Better Than Sons and Daughters

Isaiah 56:1-7

Read

Marriage, Singleness, and the Christian Virtue of Hospitality

1 Peter 4:7-11

Read

Marriage Is Meant for Making Children...Disciples of Jesus

Ephesians 6:1-4

Read

Marriage Is Meant for Making Children...Disciples of Jesus, Part 2

A Father’s Conquest of Anger in Himself and in His Children

Ephesians 6:1-4

Read

What God Has Joined Together, Let Not Man Separate, Part 1

Mark 10:1-12

Read

What God Has Joined Together, Let Not Man Separate, Part 2

Matthew 19:3-12

Read

Secret Document: U.S. Fears Terror 'Spectacular' Planned

Alarmist global warming claims melt under scientific scrutiny

Divorce & Remarriage: A Position Paper, by John Piper

Divorce and Remarriage: A Position Paper

A Statement on Divorce & Remarriage in the Life of Bethlehem Baptist Church

Fighter Verses

Fighter Verses are short passages of Scripture to memorize each week. The Scripture, day after day, reveals to us the greatness of all that God is for us in Christ so that by the power of the Spirit we find our joy in him and the ways of sin become distasteful -- indeed ugly and repugnant.

Set A
Set B - for 2007
Set C
Set D
Set E

An audio recording of the Fighter Verses is available via podcast. The podcast is updated weekly. To subscribe to the podcast using Apple iTunes or any podcasting program that accepts xml, copy http://www.wezmn.com/podcasts/fv/default.xml into your podcasting program.

Why Memorize the Bible?
For many reasons! Here are a few. It is one of the most effective ways to "meditate" on the Word of God "day and night" (Joshua 1:8); to treasure it in our hearts that we might not sin against the Lord (Psalm 119:11); and to meditate on the Lord in the "night watches" (Psalm 63:6) so that we can regard all his ways (Psalm 119:15). Since "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17), the memorized Word helps us in evangelism making the Word of truth readily available to build our own and others' faiths. It works on our hearts to cultivate Christ-like character. It helps us to resist temptation, and enhances prayer and worship.

Pelagianism, by Michael Horton

"We possess neither the ability, free will, power, nor the righteousness to repair ourselves and escape the wrath of God. It must all be God's work, Christ's work, or there is no salvation."