Franklin D. Raines

Raines, Federal Regulators Reach Settlement

By David S. Hilzenrath

Former Fannie Mae chairman and chief executive Franklin D. Raines has agreed to a multimillion settlement with a federal regulator over his alleged responsibility for improper accounting at the mortgage finance giant.

The regulator, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, said Raines had agreed to forgo stock, cash and other benefits worth $24.7 million in exchange for dismissing the charges against him. However, the regulator’s estimate wasn’t the only way of looking at the value of the settlement.

The agreement includes stock options worth $15.6 million at the time they were issued; those options are currently under water. They entitled Raines to buy shares at prices of $77.10 and higher. Fannie Mae’s shares are currently trading at about $29, so the options Raines is surrendering would not produce any benefit to him unless the share price rose dramatically, according to sources familiar with the settlement who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to be seen as criticizing the regulator.

OFHEO said Raines’s settlement also includes the payment of $2 million to the federal government. That sum would be covered by a Fannie Mae insurance policy, the sources said.

The settlement also includes proceeds from the sale of stock worth $1.8 million, to be donated to programs aimed at assisting financially strapped homeowners. Those are shares Raines had been fighting in court to obtain from Fannie Mae.

He also agreed to part with $5.3 million in other unspecified benefits, OFHEO said.

Raines was one of three former Fannie Mae executives to settle.

Former chief financial officer J. Timothy Howard agreed to a settlement OFHEO valued at $6.4 million — $5.2 million in stock options — and former controller Leanne G. Spencer agreed to pay $275,000.

Howard’s cash payment of $750,000 is also being covered by a Fannie Mae insurance policy, and his options are similarly under water, one source said.

All three are barred from receiving compensation from Fannie Mae in the future or from working for a firm that does business with the company.

OFHEO sued the former executives in 2006, seeking to recoup more than $115 million of compensation the agency said they received while Fannie Mae’s earnings were misstated, plus penalties that could have exceeded $100 million.

In court papers, the agency said the former executives were unjustly enriched.

“OFHEO’s mission is to ensure that the Enterprises operate in a safe and sound manner,” OFHEO Director James B. Lockhart said in a statement. “That cannot occur without corporate management providing prudent and responsible leadership and setting the appropriate ethical and overall ‘tone at the top.’ ”

“The Consent Orders announced today represent a satisfactory conclusion to the enforcement actions against these individuals,” he said in another statement.

In his own statement, Raines said the “process invoked against me by OFHEO was fundamentally unfair.”

“While I long ago accepted managerial accountability for any errors committed by subordinates while I was CEO, it is a very different matter to suggest that I was legally culpable in any way. I was not,” he said. “This settlement is not an acknowledgment of wrongdoing on my part, because I did not break any laws or rules while leading Fannie Mae. At most, this is an agreement to disagree.”

Howard’s attorney, Steven Salky, was more blunt.

“The settlement is a capitulation by OFHEO, reflecting that its concocted claims
never had an ounce of merit,” Salkey said in a statement.

Spencer’s attorney, David S. Krakoff, said the former controller was pleased to resolve the matter.

“Ms. Spencer maintained throughout this action that the OFHEO reports and allegations had no merit,” he said in a statement.

A hearing on the charges were scheduled to be heard by an administrative law judge in September.

The case reached an important juncture in January, when a federal district court judge presiding over related litigation held OFHEO in contempt for failing to turn over certain records for use by the former executives in their defense.

The judge ordered OFHEO to give the executives documents that the regulatory agency considered privileged, but that order has been stayed pending an appeal. OFHEO recently reported that it has spent more than $6 million responding to document requests it said were “overly burdensome.” Story Continues

News and Notes

U.S. House passes “Rachel’s Law”

Washington, DC – The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 6146, crucial legislation that will protect American citizens from foreign libel judgments that undermine their fundamental First Amendment free speech rights.

The bill was inspired by a New York State Libel Terrorism Protection Act, commonly known as “Rachel’s Law,” signed into law in New York earlier this year, and declared that foreign libel judgments are unenforceable in New York courts.

Author and investigative journalist Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld, director of American Center for Democracy and a member of the Board of Advisors of our sister organization, American Congress for Truth, championed the New York law during her intense legal battle with Saudi billionaire Khalid Salim bin Mahfouz.

In response to the action by the House Ehrenfeld said, “This bill is a first step in the right direction.” However, she said, “more still needs to be done to deter libel tourists from ruining our great tradition of free speech. Specifically, we must allow authors and reporters to countersue for damages. This way, those who exploit foreign libel laws will think twice before bringing these junk lawsuits.”

We at ACT! for America wish to heartily thank Dr. Ehrenfeld for her tireless work on behalf of this legislation. We also want to thank each of you, our members, who contacted elected officials in New York early this year, and more recently, in the U.S. House and Senate.

We also want to thank our Patriot Partners and other financial supporters, who are helping make this kind of grassroots action possible. We are making a difference!! If you can help us with a contribution today, please click here. And remember, if you become a Patriot Partner who contributes $20 per month, or if you make a one-time contribution of at least $100, we’ll send you a personally autographed copy of Brigitte Gabriel’s latest book, They Must Be Stopped.

Status of Petition calling for congressional hearings

We had planned to deliver to Congress this month the petition calling for congressional hearings to review extremist materials that have been found in mosques in America. However, given how consumed Congress has been and continues to be with the financial crisis on Wall Street, and the fact that as soon as this remaining business is wrapped up they will likely adjourn, we have decided to postpone delivering the petition until after the new Congress is elected.

PC Outrage of the Month

If you have seen any articles that make your blood boil, we need those submissions! Please email them to us at info@actforamerica.org.

The entry selected for September’s “PC Outrage of the Month” will receive an autographed copy of Brigitte Gabriel’s new book, They Must Be Stopped.

——————————————————————————————-

ACT for America
P.O. Box 6884
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
http://www.actforamerica.org
ACT for America is an issues advocacy organization dedicated to effectively organizing and mobilizing the most powerful grassroots citizen action network in America, a grassroots network committed to informed and coordinated civic action that will lead to public policies that promote America’s national security and the defense of American democratic values against the assault of radical Islam. We are only as strong as our supporters, and your volunteer and financial support is essential to our success. Thank you for helping us make America safer and more secure.

John McCain’s Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Warnings - MAY 2006

I hope you haven’t just eaten, because what you are about to read will disturb you–and well it should. It’s proof that John McCain foresaw the Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae disaster in 2006– and tried against all Obama-Like minds to ward it off.

Below are John McCain’s remarks urging the passage of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, which he co-sponsored and which was rendered “Dead” in Congress.

Guess who prevailed and didn’t take heed? Or more appropriately, guess who deliberately “looked the other way”?

This is all we need to know to understand exactly WHICH candidate in this election is willing to break some eggs when it comes to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac–two organizations that, with the help of certain Democrats, deliberately redistributed wealth the easy way. Now we are all paying for it, as intended all along. Just as John McCain warned below.

As we view the carnage, this is all we need to know to understand exactly WHICH candidate foresaw this carnage we are witnessing,  and which candidate worked to convince the other candidate to help avoid it. It is all we need to know to recognize exactly WHICH candidate had the right judgment and was looking out for the rest of us.

Joe Biden? It’s time for US to be Patriotic? No. It’s time for YOU to be patriotic. In fact, it’s too late. As for you saying, “It’s time to be part of the deal”. We want no part of this “deal”. And what a “deal” it was!

May 26, 2006

Mr. President, this week Fannie Mae’s regulator reported that the company’s quarterly reports of profit growth over the past few years were “illusions deliberately and systematically created” by the company’s senior management, which resulted in a $10.6 billion accounting scandal.

The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight’s report goes on to say that Fannie Mae employees deliberately and intentionally manipulated financial reports to hit earnings targets in order to trigger bonuses for senior executives. In the case of Franklin Raines, Fannie Mae’s former chief executive officer, OFHEO’s report shows that over half of Mr. Raines’ compensation for the 6 years through 2003 was directly tied to meeting earnings targets. The report of financial misconduct at Fannie Mae echoes the deeply troubling $5 billion profit restatement at Freddie Mac.

The OFHEO report also states that Fannie Mae used its political power to lobby Congress in an effort to interfere with the regulator’s examination of the company’s accounting problems. This report comes some weeks after Freddie Mac paid a record $3.8 million fine in a settlement with the Federal Election Commission and restated lobbying disclosure reports from 2004 to 2005. These are entities that have demonstrated over and over again that they are deeply in need of reform.

For years I have been concerned about the regulatory structure that governs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac–known as Government-sponsored entities or GSEs–and the sheer magnitude of these companies and the role they play in the housing market. OFHEO’s report this week does nothing to ease these concerns. In fact, the report does quite the contrary. OFHEO’s report solidifies my view that the GSEs need to be reformed without delay.

Quick Info

S-90 Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005

Last Action: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Status: Dead

I join as a cosponsor of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, S. 190,to underscore my support for quick passage of GSE regulatory reform legislation. If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole.

I urge my colleagues to support swift action on this GSE reform legislation.

Update: Well looky here. Here’s a glowing Wall Street piece on Obama, written in June 2008. You would think Mr. “Regulator” Obama really is Jesus looking out for us! But…..here’s the paragraph that hooked me–the paragraph that haunts today:

He characterized the senator as a quick study on financial services, citing his early support of efforts by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank to empower the Federal Housing Administration to help struggling homeowners.

Oh they “empowered” all right. The Democrats killed this bill while Dodd, Frank and Obama fiddled and helped Fannie and Freddie cook their books, continue to tank, all the while keeping the regulators out of their way. These are the guys who killed the bill that McCain fought for. The bill that would have avoided the financial disaster we witnessed during the past two weeks. In the meantime, take a look at which senators were feeding at the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac trough. My party is not what it used to be. My party has not only let me down, but it has also screwed me and my country in the process.

I am at this very moment listening to Barack Obama lie to North Carolina, saying that he has been calling for regulation for years and that the Republicans stopped him. He is saying he can fix this crises that he helped create.   This is all too convenient folks. You have seen the proof of who exactly blocked the prevention of this crash.

The Truth: Obama Ranks Second In Freddie/Fannie Contributions

Barack Obama is truly a demon. Source

BILL CLINTON & CRONIES GAVE US MORTGAGE CRISIS

By JazzyKat on September 21, 2008 at 12:02 pm

The following editorial appeared in Friday’s Washington Post:

While Washington was seized with congressional negotiations over the Wall Street bailout, Iraq’s parliament on Wednesday took another major step toward political stabilization. By a unanimous vote, the national legislature approved a plan for local elections in 14 of 18 provinces by early next year - clearing the way for a new, more representative and more secular wave of politicians to take office.

The legislation eliminates the party slate system that allowed religious authorities to dominate Iraq’s previous elections, and it provides for women to hold 25 percent of seats. Most important, it will allow Sunni leaders who boycotted the 2005 provincial elections - and who have since allied themselves with U.S. forces against al-Qaida in Iraq - to compete for political power in the provinces that were once the heartland of the insurgency.

As always in Iraq’s halting journey toward a new order, the reform was not complete. Elections were put off in the province surrounding the volatile city of Kirkuk, where Kurds, Sunni Arabs and other groups compete for power, and in three Kurd-run provinces. Staging fair and peaceful elections will be another major challenge.

But the precipitous drop in violence in Iraq during the past year offers strong reason for hope that a good election can be held - and that the new Sunni and Shiite leaders who emerge will be well-positioned to jump-start reconstruction in the provinces and negotiate with each other.

More steps are needed - most important, agreement on a law distributing Iraqi oil revenue among provinces and allowing for new investment. But it’s now clear that the political progress that the Bush administration hoped would follow the surge of U.S. forces in Iraq has finally begun. Source

Hi,

What no one is mentioning in this whole Financial mess… is Mr. Joe “Taxpayers” FAULT(S) in all of this. They did NOT Have to buy these Financial products and mortgages from these “Wall Street $%%%…And From Mortgage Lenders and Banks.

I bet if someone would have the ‘balls’ to do a study on who’s getting “foreclosed” on….I think you would find most if not all…. Graduated HS…And most  Graduated from college.

I also think…you would find most had incomes in the $45,000 - $100,0000+ Range

They NEW EXACTLY…what the terms of their loans were and out of pure GREED…and the need to keep up with the “Jones”….they choose to ignore the downside of their mortgages….who’s fault is that?

That is NOT the banks fault or Wall Streets Fault…..Its MR. Taxpayers fault… its time for some of you other “taxpayers” start putting the BLAME on some of your follow “taxpayers”.

No one sits in an Escrow office for `1-2 hours signing hundreds of pages of “loan docs”…NOT knowing what it is their doing.

The new generation of Americans….Blame everyone else for their mistakes and bad judgment.

No one forced these people to sign on the dotted line…no one force these people to run up huge amounts of credit card debt…after Real Estate p[rices….went up….and no one force them to take out huge line’s of equity loans….borrowed against the equity in their houses…so the could go out and buy the next big best SUV or the biggest “Flat Xcreen TV”!!

Time for Mr. Taxpayer to take some responsibility….for their part of this whole mess.

Just because a product is on the shelve…that looks like its on sale…does not mean you have to buy it.

Point is there is a lot blame to go around…NOT just to Wall Street & Finanical Institutions & Banks.

So, tired of hearing about the BS from congress about the “poor taxpayer”. The democrats act like everyone that choose to get a particular  loan was some how cheated or defrauded…which is pure BS!

Peace,
Dan
http://iraqsinconvenienttruth.com

Intelligence Limits Terrorism’ Infiltration

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

Alaska

Dear AMERICA,

I have the exciting news to report that Congress plans to lift the 26 year old ban on offshore drilling. This is an enormous victory for the American people and the 1.5 million members of the American Solutions’ “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less” movement who have been hurt by the high cost of gasoline and diesel.

This news proves, once again, that when the American people come together, we can create dramatic and positive change.

As you know, lifting the offshore drilling ban is a first and essential step toward an affordable energy independent future. But this victory is only the first step. Congress still needs to create a comprehensive energy strategy that includes clean coal, nuclear, wind, solar, biofuels, flex-fuel cars, hydrogen, and prizes for technological breakthroughs.

I wrote about this bold plan for American energy independence in my new book released this week: Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less: A Handbook for Slashing Gas Prices and Solving Our Energy Crisis. You can order a copy of the book here.

The book outlines a plan for lowering prices at the pump today and developing innovative and effective energy alternatives for the future. Lifting the offshore drilling ban, as the book notes, is an important part of this plan.

With your help, we launched the “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less” petition on May 20, and I’m proud to stand with you and celebrate this milestone victory. Now, it’s time to get back to work for real solutions.

I’ll be talking about these bold solutions at Solutions Day this Saturday, September 27. This free nationwide forum will discuss solutions for energy, the economy, education, and health. Solutions Day will be broadcast live on DISH Network #219, DirecTV #577, and on www.SolutionsDay2008.com.

The theme of Solutions Day is “We Have the Power” and will focus on providing citizens with the tools, knowledge, and training needed to transform government at all levels. I hope you’ll register today and join me for this important discussion about America’s future.

Your friend,

Newt

P.S. We’ve narrowed it down to the top 3, so don’t forget to vote for the best video for our “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Nothing” YouTube contest. The winner will be announced at Solutions Day this Saturday. Vote at www.AmericanSolutions.com/VideoContest.

They Must Be Stopped

“I just finished reading Brigitte Gabriel’s new book, “They Must Be Stopped.” This is a “must read” for all of us in ACT! for America and for every person who is concerned about the threat from Islamic imperialism, Islamofascism, jihadism — or whatever else you might want to call it.

At the end of the book, Brigitte Gabriel makes a convincing case that ACT! for America is the only hope of stopping the spread of Islam in America. ACT! for America, which already has nearly 50,000 members, is slated to become a mass movement, a grassroots citizens action network and politically influential group much like the NRA or the AARP. By helping to recruit new members to ACT! for America and by working together in an organized and focused manner, we can “stop them.”

PLEASE, if you have not already done so, get yourself a copy of Brigitte Gabriel’s book, “They Must Be Stopped.” Read it, and encourage others to read it. It will open your eyes and it will motivate you. And, it will contribute to saving our liberty and our civilization.

To get your copy, click here!

This Thursday, September 25^th, leaders from various religious organizations are going to “honor” Iranian President Ahmadinejad at a dinner at the New York City Hyatt.

This outrage has sparked over 30 different organizations to come together in a protest event to be held at the Hyatt beginning at 5:30 on the 25^th. For more details, click here.

“If you say that Islam is a violent faith, you are accused of being anti-Islam and you are propagating “Islamophobia.”

There are more than one billion Muslims around the world, and I’m one of them. We are told that the Koran is the “word of God.” When you read the Koran, however, - which over 90% of all Muslims have never read, according to a survey by Bielefeld University in Germany, and if they ever do, either they do not understand its archaic language, or they do not ponder on what it says - you find out that it is full of passages that incite to hatred, killing, and discriminate against women.”

The above comes from a commentary written by Dr. Sami Alrabaa. It is encouraging to see a Muslim acknowledge what those who have actually studied the holy books of Islam know – that Islam is not and has never been a “religion of peace.”

Dr. Alrabaa should be commended for his honesty and his courage. You can be sure he is hated by many in the Muslim world.

To read the entire article, click here.

ACT for America is an issues advocacy organization dedicated to effectively organizing and mobilizing the most powerful grassroots citizen action network in America, a grassroots network committed to informed and coordinated civic action that will lead to public policies that promote America’s national security and the defense of American democratic values against the assault of radical Islam. We are only as strong as our supporters, and your volunteer and financial support is essential to our success. Thank you for helping us make America safer and more secure.

Monday, 22 September 2008 ~  By Sgt. Rick Rzepka
101st Airborne Division

An Iraqi Policeman keeps an eye out during a police station grand opening in al Secour, Iraq, Sept. 16, 2008. Photo by Sgt. Richard Rzepka, 1st Brigade Combat Team.

TIKRIT — Iraqi security in the Salah ad Din province got a shot in the arm Sept. 16, as the first in a series of local police stations here opened its doors to join the fight to secure Iraq’s streets.

Dozens gathered in the midst of a dust storm, as an Iraqi police station validation ceremony marked the opening of the al Answar Police Station in the town of al Secour, which is part of the Tikrit Police District.

The Answar station is the first in a flurry of police stations set to open in the expansive northern province in the next several months. Thirteen more stations in the province are scheduled to be validated by Coalition forces, said Capt. James Bloom, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division provost marshal.

A station that meets the validation criteria means they no longer require Coalition support in the areas of training, logistics and basic police skills, said Bloom.

The Answar station rated high marks from its police transition team mentors, who assessed the station’s readiness on a scale of one to four.

A station that requires a great deal of logistical and training support from their Coalition partners is rated as a four, while stations that demonstrate a high level of competency in logistics and community policing are given a rating of one, said Bloom. “The guidelines are very clear,” he said. “They either meet them or they don’t.”

While the readiness assessment takes into account logistical factors, such as availability of weapons and body armor, it also weighs the policemen’s capacity to conduct rudimentary policing skills.

Being able to respond in a timely manner to a call or to conduct a low level investigation is critical not just to the station’s rating, but to the people it serves.

“Overall the Iraqi public believes that the Iraqi Police are a force that can and will protect them,” said Bloom, who attributes the decline in violent attacks in Salah ad Din to a more confident, proactive police force.

The province has more than 15,000 active policemen walking the beat and approximately 117 police stations that have been mentored by the 1st BCT’s Police Transition Teams during the past year.

Monday, 22 September 2008

Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq

DIYALA — Jubilant Iraqi Police graduates jumped with joy as they graduated from the Ashraf training center here, Sept. 17.  There were 704 graduates, including 21 females who were the first women to graduate from the Ashraf facility and join the Iraqi Police.

“They were incredibly happy, jumping and sing ing about Diyala,” said Scott Johnson of AFN, who helped cover the ceremony.

“This is one of the happiest days of my life. I have always dreamed of becoming an Iraqi Policeman,” said Ali, one of the graduates.

Iraqi Police Maj. Gen. Abdul, acting provincial director of police in Diyala, congratulated the graduates for their commitment to Iraq and for stepping forward to serve their country. He said the Iraqi security forces are ready to receive the security for Diyala province from the Multi-National Force - Iraq.

The Ashraf training center was opened earlier this year to quickly train more police in Diyala to aid in improving security there. The first class graduated May 15.

The students underwent 240 hours of basic recruit training in marksmanship, police operations, human rights, detention and crime scene security.

Following a marching ceremony, the new police demonstrated their skills with a precision drill team, handling a civilian disturbance, working a checkpoint and searching.

A truck was stopped and women police quickly frisked and then handcuffed a woman who was in the truck. Diyala has been the target of many female suicide bombers in recent months.

Maj. Gen. Jerry Cannon, commanding general of the civilian police assistance training team for the Directorate of Interior Affairs, said the addition of women police will strengthen the Iraqi Police force and help them save lives.

“This is a wonderful integration of what’s necessary for success in the future for a secure and stable Iraq. Having women in the police will be great for the security. It is a great addition that will allow the Iraqi Police to provide even better security for the people of Iraq,” said Cannon.

Another class of Iraqi Police recruits will start training in October with still more women signing up to serve and protect their country.

Iraq, Royal Dutch Shell to ink gas deal

Baghdad, 22 September 2008 (Associated Press)

Iraq and Royal Dutch Shell PLC on Monday will formally launch plans to invest in a joint venture to tap natural gas in southern Iraq, a government spokesman said.

Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani will sign the deal with executives from the Anglo-Dutch company at the Cabinet’s offices in the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, his spokesman said.

A joint venture with the state-run Iraqi South Oil Co. will then be established to invest in natural gas in the southern oil-rich province of Basra, the spokesman Assem Jihad said.

Iraq will control 51 percent of the venture, while Shell will hold the remaining 49 percent in the company, which will exploit flared associated gas for domestic use and exports.

“Financial, legal and technical experts from both sides will start immediately to draw up the plans and basis for the new company that will run this operation,” Jihad told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

“The agreement will help Iraq to make use of about 700 million cubic feet which is being flared everyday to process it and to meet the domestic needs and to export the surplus to the world gas market,” he added.

Basra is Iraq’s second-largest city, 340 miles southeast of Baghdad.

Earlier this month, the Iraqi Cabinet approved the agreement following nearly eight months of discussions between Iraqi oil officials and Shell. Monday’s ceremony will finalize the deal.

Shell is expected to pump $3 billion to $4 billion over five years to gather at least 500-600 million cubic feet of flared gas per day from the southern fields.

The agreement also provides for construction of a number of liquefied natural gas facilities, the statement said.

According to Iraqi oil officials, Iraq loses about $40 million worth of natural gas each day because it is either re-injected into wells or burned due to a lack of sufficient infrastructure to exploit it for consumption or export.

The agreement will be Iraq’s second major hydrocarbon deal since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003 that toppled Saddam Hussein after the approval of the $3 billion deal with China to develop the Ahdab oil field in southern Iraq.

Under the contract, China National Petroleum Corp. will develop the field for 20 years. It’s expected to produce up to 25,000 barrels per day after three years, and eventually reach 125,000 barrels per day.

Iraq has the world’s third-largest oil reserves with an estimated 115 billion barrels. It also sits on an estimated 112 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, according to the ministry.Iraq Updates

____________

Iraqi’s warmth to Israel exacts a heavy price

Baghdad, 23 September 2008 (Associated Press)

First his two sons were murdered. Now he faces prosecution. The reason for Mithal Al Alusi’s troubles? Visiting Israel and advocating peace with the Jewish state - something Iraq’s leaders refuse to consider.

The Iraqi is at the centre of a political storm after his fellow lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to strip him of his immunity and allow his prosecution for visiting Israel - a crime punishable by death under a 1950s-era law. Such a fate is unlikely for Al Alusi, though he may lose his party’s sole seat in parliament.

Because he had visited Israel, many Iraqis assume the maverick legislator was the real target of the assassins who killed his sons in 2005 while he escaped unharmed.

Now he is in trouble for again visiting Israel and attending a conference a week ago at the International Institute for Counterterrorism.

“He wasn’t set to speak, but he was in the audience and conversed with a lecturer on a panel about insurgency and terrorism in Afghanistan, Iraq and Israel,” said conference organiser Eitan Azani. “We didn’t invite him. He came on his own initiative.”

Al Alusi has a German passport, allowing him to travel without visa restrictions imposed on other Iraqis. Lawmakers accused him of humiliating the nation with a trip to the ‘enemy’ state.

The uproar shows how far Iraq has moved from the early US goal of creating a democracy that would make peace with Israel and remove a critical force from the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The US Embassy declined comment. “It is an issue for the Iraqi parliament, not the US Mission to Iraq,” said spokesman Armand Cucciniello.

“What has happened was a catastrophe for democracy,” Al Alusi said in an interview in his Baghdad home. “Within an hour, the parliament became the policeman, the investigator, the judge, the government and the law. It was a sham trial.”

Al Alusi said he went to Israel to seek international support for Iraq as it struggles against terrorism, and insisted that the outcry reflects Iranian meddling in Iraq’s internal affairs - an accusation often levelled by Sunnis like himself against Iraq’s mostly Shiite neighbour.

“Iran is behind Hamas and Hezbollah and many other terrorist organisations. Israelis are suffering like me, like my people. So we need to be together,” he said. “Peace will have more of a chance.”

Iraq sent troops to three Arab wars against Israel, and fired Scud missiles at it in the 1991 Gulf War. It remains technically at war with the Jewish state. Iraq’s once-thriving Jewish community has shrivelled to just a few people, most having fled after Israel was founded in 1948.

Allegation

“Al Alusi has insulted the hundreds of Iraqi martyrs who fell while fighting the Israelis,” said Osama Al Nujeifi, a Sunni lawmaker. “It was a provocative visit to a historical enemy.”

In Al Alusi’s living room, decorated with rugs and paintings, his two dead sons, aged 19 and 29, smile from a photo hanging next to a grandfather clock.

Al Alusi said Iraq should follow Jordan and Egypt in seeking peace with Israel, especially since Syria is moving in that direction. He insists Israel would have to make concessions to the Palestinians.

“We should act now because if the Syrian-Israel talks succeed, this means that Iraq will be isolated,” he said. “It’s the right time to open a new phase with Israel.”

US presidential race: Palin to meet Talabani

Seeking to bolster her foreign policy credentials, Sarah Palin, the Alaska governor who Republican presidential nominee John McCain picked to be his running mate earlier this month, will meet with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani tomorrow. Iraq Updates

The meetings will take place on the fringes of the annual UN General Assembly in New York.

_______________

PM: terrorism page will end as previous regime ended

Baghdad, 22 September 2008 (Al-Sabaah)

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has indicated that terrorism and crime page would be ended for ever as darkness of the previous regime had been ended.

Al-Maliki confirmations came during holding feasting for 75 orphans of martyrs’ sons and presenting several presents to them as well as gave them money on the occasion of holy Ramadan month and the advent of holy al-Fitar Id.

Iraqi PM said “crimes committed by terrorists resulted many children prevented from fatherhood’s kindness, but they will never be prevented from the society and state kindness which will provide to them all their need and work to raise them in a good manner to be capable to realize their dreams and be good individuals in the society. Iraq Updates

Dear AMERICA,

Last week we learned that Islamic sharia law is now being followed in numerous cities in Great Britain, enforced by sharia courts. News reports indicate as many as 100 cases have been heard in such courts. Thus continues the tragic saga of Great Britain’s capitulation to militant Islam.

The good news is that here in America the threat of sharia law is gradually getting the attention of more and more elected representatives. The latest illustration of this is the report below, carried on the “Muslims Against Sharia” website, that Congressman Tom Tancredo has proposed legislation called the “Jihad Prevention Act.”

However, because Congress is trying to wrap up its business for this year, coupled with the fact that it is trying to grapple with the financial sector meltdown, it is a virtual certainty that Congress will not take up Tancredo’s legislation this year.

But every time someone like Congressman Tancredo introduces legislation, or Congresswoman Sue Myrick puts forth a plan to “wake up America” to the threat of radical Islam, progress is being made. Progress is being made!

lmert dismisses Bible believers as “delusional.” Will Livni follow his lead on Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria?

By Joel C. Rosenberg

(Washington, D.C., September 21, 2008) — Several colleagues and I leave tonight for various meetings and interviews in the Middle East as I finish the manuscript for “Inside The Revolution.” We will also be doing humanitarian relief work with our Joshua Fund allies. Lord willing, we’ll return to the U.S. on October 8th. I will post updates from the region if I can, but I would be grateful for your patience as this won’t always be possible. We would also be grateful for your prayers for safety, wisdom and open doors. Thanks so much.

Last week, Lynn and I were traveling and I was unable to write Flash Traffic or post updates on the weblog. We were on a cruise from Boston to Montreal with Jack and Kay Arthur and about 350 Precept Ministries leaders and donors, teaching the Bible prophecies of Ezekiel 36 and 37 (the rebirth of Israel and the return of the Jewish people to the Holy Land in the last days) and Ezekiel 38 and 39 (the rise of a Russian dictator who will form an alliance with Iran and other Middle Eastern countries to attack and try to destroy Israel in the last days). It was a wonderful time to be with evangelical Christian leaders who love Israel unconditionally and have demonstrated unwavering support for the Jewish State for decades. It was also a real honor to be able to work side by side with Jack and Kay to equip their team to teach Bible prophecy in light of fast-moving geopolitical events in Russia, Iran and Israel, as well as to brief their team on how more people in the epicenter are coming to faith in Jesus Christ than at any other time in human history.

During the course of the “floating conference,” a number of dramatic events happened. Here are a few that caught my attention and that we discussed at sea:

* Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last week offered to give 98.1% of the Biblical lands of Judea and Samaria (commonly known as the “West Bank”) to the Palestinian Authority (PA), despite the fact that the PA leadership has shown little if any capacity to govern effectively and protect the rights and God-given liberties of its own citizens, much less create and maintain real peace with Israel. The PA lost control of Gaza to Hamas, after all; has not been able to regain control of Gaza; and Hamas has fired well over 5,000 rockets, missiles and mortars at southern Israel since Israeli forces withdrew in 2005. How, then, has the PA earned the right to control more land?

* Olmert last week offered to divide the holy city of Jerusalem with the Muslim leadership of the PA, despite the fact that Olmert once vowed as mayor of Jerusalem never to allow the capital to be divided.

* Olmert said last week: “The vision of a greater Israel no longer exists,” referring to the Bible prophecies in Genesis 12, Genesis 17, Genesis 35:6-12, Genesis 38:3-4, Genesis 50:4, Exodus 12:25, Exodus 33:1, Joshua 21:43-45, I Kings 11:32, 2 Chronicles 6:6, Psalm 132:13-14, and Zechariah 3:2 (to name just a few) that indicate the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has promised the holy land to the Jewish people and chosen the city of Jerusalem to be His own special city, the capital of the Jewish nation.

* Olmert also said those who speak of it the Bible prophecies concern a greater Israel are “delusional” or “deluding themselves.”

Olmert believes he is being a bold peace-maker. Actually, he is pouring fuel on the fire of Radical Islam by making the extremists feel that more violence leads to more Israeli concessions.

* Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad immediately predicted Israel won’t survive for long, saying, “while some say the idea of Greater Israel has expired, I say the idea of a Lesser Israel has expired, too.”

* Hezbollah leader Sheikh Nasrallah said Hizbullah was responsible for “pounding the last nail in the coffin of ‘Greater Israel’….The victories of 2000 and 2006 destroyed the dream of a vast Israeli power,” he said, referring to Israel’s retreats from southern Lebanon. “Today, we face ‘Mediocre Israel.’”

When he was the Vice Premier of Israel, Ehud Olmert once said “We are tired of fighting, we are tired of being courageous, we are tired of winning, we are tired of defeating our enemies.” That was a very telling statement. Such immense fatigue has shown through in nearly all of Olmert’s policies. Olmert and his advisors are exhausted by the Arab-Israeli conflict. They do not want to fight. They want to surrender. They want to give up more and more land in hopes of convincing Israel’s enemies that they are men of goodwill. But enemies such as Ahmadinejad and Nasrallah are not exhausted. Indeed, they are energized by Olmert’s statements and actions. They believe that the wind is at their backs and Allah is about to give them a great victory over the Jewish people. Thus, they are feverishly preparing for war.

The question now is whether Olmert’s hand-chosen foreign minister - Tzipi Livni - shares Olmert’s ideological and emotional exhaustion and the policies that emanate from such fatigue now that she has (narrowly) won the Kadima primaries and is in position to become Israel’s next Prime Minister. Does Livni believe that Jews and Christians who believe the God of Israel gave Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria to the Jewish people are “delusional”? Does she believe the prophetic vision of a “Greater Israel” is dead? Will Livni thus try to give away Judea and Samaria? Will she try to divide Jerusalem? Will she try to give away the strategically vital Golan Heights? Will she try to appease Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas? Or will she confront Israel’s enemies and do everything necessary to neutralize Iran’s nuclear threat?

It is too soon to say.

The first Big Question is: Can Livni can put together a coalition to run the government? If she cannot, new elections are coming and Bibi Netanyahu may defeat her to become the next Prime Minister.

The second Big Question is: If Livni does become PM, will she take military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities in the window of time between the U.S. elections in November and the inaugural in January?

Olmert’s resignation and Livni’s emergence creates enormous uncertainty during a very volatile moment in the epicenter. Let us, therefore, continue to pray for peace while we make necessary preparations for war.
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JOSHUA FUND HELPS PROVIDE BACKPACKS FOR NEEDY ISRAEL CHILDEN

Thought you might enjoy this note from the head of an Israeli relief organization:

Dear Friends from the Joshua Fund,

I want to thank you again for your generous donation to our backpack distribution project this year. Through your generous support, and with help from others, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice was able to distribute 7,500 brand-new backpacks filled with brand-new school materials, such as notebooks, pencils, pens, rulers, glue, pencil cases, etc, to children living under the poverty level throughout the whole nation of Israel.

Our distribution project took place from August 24 to August 28 under the banner of the alliance “For the Empowerment of Israel.” Among others, we distributed back-packs to new immigrant children from Ethiopia in Jerusalem, Meveseret Tzion and the Tel-Aviv Area, new immigrant children from Yemen in Rehovot, children of Southern Lebanese Army refugees in Nahariya, and children living with their mothers in shelters for battered women in various cities.

The response was literally overwhelming as many tears of thanks and appreciation were expressed by parents and community leaders, and many smiles were beaming from the faces of children. Here is a translation of one of the letters of appreciation which we received. It is from “Isha L’Isha - the Jerusalem Shelter for Battered Women,” and a copy of the original letter in Hebrew is attached hereto.

“I want to thank you in the name of the children from the shelter, their mothers, and our team, for the donation of the equipped backpacks and pencil cases in preparation for the upcoming school year….We received 15 back-packs for kindergarten students and nine back-packs for elementary school student, all of them well equipped. This makes the children very happy and gives them a feeling of renewal together with the start of the school year.”

All of the backpacks were distributed through local volunteers throughout Israel. Needless to say, this blessed cooperation is a “win, win” situation. Firstly, we are able to fulfill the greatest commandment of loving our neighbors as ourselves by showing compassion to poor and needy families in our nation. Secondly, this is done through cooperation with leading Israeli social and political activists, which helps us build meaningful relationships that have real value in the pursuit of civil rights, freedom of religion, and social justice.

Please enjoy the photos….We hope that you will choose to continue supporting these important projects.

With much love and appreciation,

Calev Myers
Founder and Chief Counsel
Jerusalem Institute of Justice

——————–

The Joshua Fund continues working to bless Israelis and Palestinians who are poor and needy, as well as those who could soon be victims of war and terrorism. We continue to help believers in Israel stockpile 400 tons of food in a warehouse in the North ahead of the coming war. And we are continuing to work on securing a TJF warehouse in Jerusalem.

As always, The Joshua Fund will continue to do our best to keep you up-to-date on the kinds of projects we are doing, brief you on how those projects are proceeding. We will also let you know about the kinds of projects we are developing for the future. In no way do we want to pressure anyone to give financially. We fully believe the Lord will provide for the needs of the people we seek to serve. But if you or others wish to help, we welcome your support, and all financial gifts are tax-deductible.

To contribute to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund please make your check payable to “The Joshua Fund” and send to:

The Joshua Fund
18950 Base Camp Road
Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus — especially at critical moment in history of the epicenter.
Would you consider making a donation of $25, $40 or $60 a month to The Joshua Fund? Please click here to find out more, and/or to make a secure donation on-line.

_______________

Thank you for reading. Please feel free to forward to others.

TO BOOK JOEL FOR AN INTERVIEW please contact Beverly Rykerd at 1-888-481-0405, (719) 481-0537, or (719) 440-2746 (cell), or brykerd @ ix.netcom.com.

Democratic Rep. Mike Kernell of Tennessee has acknowledged that his 20-year son, David Kernell, is the subject of Internet postings alleging he is the person who hacked into Sarah Palin’s e-mail, according to The Tennesseean.

“The person they’re talking about is my son,” said Kernell. “But we know of no investigation. I have not been contacted. He has not been contacted,” Kernell told a Memphis TV station.

The FBI and Secret Service have not confirmed that David Kernell is a suspect. However, the TV station said the FBI in Anchorage, Alaska has contacted the Memphis FBI bureau in the investigation.

On the Internet 4chan forum, the hacker, using the pseudonym “Rubico,” detailed how easily it was to gain access to Palin’s e-mail. The poster said that the intrusion started off as a “prank.”

“I really wanted to get something incriminating which I was sure there would be,” the e-mails said. “I read though the e-mails ALL OF THEMbefore I posted, and what I concluded was anticlimactic, there was nothing there, nothing incriminating, nothing that would derail her campaign as I had hoped, all I saw was personal stuff, some clerical stuff from when she was governor and pictures of her family.”

“After the password recovery was re-enabled, it took seriously 45 mins on wikipedia and google to find the info, Birthday? 15 seconds on wikipedia, zip code? well she had always been from wasilla, and it only has 2 zip codes (thanks online postal service!), “Rubico” wrote. “The second was somewhat harder, the question was “where did you meet your spouse?” did some research, and apparently she had eloped with mister palin after college, if youll look on some of the screensh*ts that I took and other fellow anon have so graciously put on photobucket you will see the google search for “palin eloped” or some such in one of the tabs.” Story continues at: The Channel Wire

From: Tammy Bruce Website:

Here’s the video of B. Hussein Obama pledging to disarm us during a time of war. This is from just last year. HIs gang has been trying to get it buried, but we found another copy. Please let me know if this link gets killed. Here you go:

Barack Obama “Gutting” Of The USA Millitary When He Thinks Hes Going To Be President!

Some “Commander And Chief” To have running the Best Country On Earth….What a Joke!

THIS IS THE “REAL” OBAMA YOUR VOTING FOR….BETTER DO A “DOUBLE THINK”!

Thursday, 18 September 2008

Many of the electricians, carpenters and masons working to renovate the Iskandariyah Vocational Technical School in Babil Province south of Baghdad are graduates of that facility and know first hand the value of the job-training skills being taught there. USACE photo by Alicia Embrey.

ISKANDARIYAH — Iraqi workers, who are helping expand the job-training opportunities at a votech school in Babil Province, have a personal interest in ensuring the renovation is done right.

“Many of the carpenters, electricians and masons on that construction crew attended classes at Iskandariyah VocationalTechnical School and know the value of its curriculum,” said Iraqi engineer Ali Edreise with the Gulf Region Division. The $4.5 million project involves renovating seven school dormitories that will house up to 1400 students, as well as classrooms and the auditorium.

“After Iraq’s liberation in 2003, the school was ransacked and looted,” explained Edreise. “The furniture, doors and windows were stolen and the rooms had no water, electricity, or working restrooms. The renovations will allow students from outside the area to attend classes and learn new skills.”

Edreise pointed out this is the third phase of improvements at that facility. “In 2007, we oversaw a $600,000 electrical upgrade so the automotive and machinery shops were functioning, as well as a complete new outfitting of the school’s food preparation and dining facility. Earlier this year, new concrete flooring was installed in the grinding workshop, milling workshop, tools workshop and turning workshop, along with new electrical connections and exhaust fans there under a $77,000 project,” he continued.

“Prior to 2007, Iskandariyah Votech was able to offer only one course with about 30 students in attendance,” Edreise said. “Today, the curriculum includes 18 classes with over 1,250 students enrolled. When the final phase is completed in December, the votech will be able to house and educate over 4,000 students each year.”

The curriculum includes classes in computer operations and maintenance, sewing, hair care, welding, auto mechanics and body work, electrician fundamentals and carpentry.

The project is located in Babil Province, about 50 kilometers south of Baghdad.

More than 638 infrastructure projects valued at $700 million have been completed in Babil, Karbala, Wasit, al Qadisiyah, and an Najaf over the past year. These include roads, schools, water treatment facilities, electrical distribution improvements, and primary health care clinics.

(By Alicia Embrey, Gulf Region South District)

Thursday, 18 September 2008  ~~  Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq Public Affairs Office

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Army wants every Iraqi Soldier to receive ethics training just like he receives marksmanship or drill and ceremony training.

Since 2003, the primary focus for the Iraqi Army has been building the force. Getting Soldiers trained to fight took precedence over many other military functions. Iraqis came from all locations and all walks of life to join the fight to secure their country from terrorists.

Every one of those Soldiers brought a unique set of values with him: personal values, family values, community values and religious values. Creating a culture of ethical behavior means that each Soldier must now learn and accept Iraqi Army values.

Those core values are the same as the United States Army’s: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and courage.

Unifying ethical standards in a force of more than 150,000 Soldiers cannot be done haphazardly or in a reactionary fashion. The Center for Military Values, Principles and Leadership Development is tasked with creating ethics training doctrine for the Army and providing ethics training for the Soldiers.

Army values and principles is just one of the five blocks of training CMVPLD covers. In addition, Soldiers learn; role of the military in a democracy, law of armed conflict, military professionalism and leadership.

“We would like to expand the values and the principles to all of the Iraqi Army from the Jundi to the senior level,” said Iraqi Army Staff Brig. Gen. Mohan, director of CMVPLD.

The decline in violence in Iraq has given the center some breathing room to push training out to the field. Mobile training teams are visiting all the Basic Combat Training locations as well as the four military academies.

“According to our plan, no one will graduate without getting the training in 2009,” said Mohan.

Thursday, 18 September 2008:

By Capt. Mark Miller
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

Iraqi National Policemen help a local Iraqi family returning to their home in the Risalah community of the Rashid District of southern Baghdad, Sept. 15, 2008. Photo by Capt. Mark Miller, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs.

FOB FALCON — As Iraqi security forces and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers dismounted their vehicles for a security patrol in the Rashid District, a family waited alongside a road in the Risalah neighborhood.

A displaced family, returning from Syria with all of their worldly belongings, sat anxiously on the road in southern Baghdad looking for someone to help them get back to the home they left two years earlier.

On the morning of, Sept. 15, National Policemen (NP) from the 5th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Division, saw the family in need and readily assisted.

Upon seeing the dismounted patrol of NPs and MND-B Soldiers, Hatim Muhammed Suod, the father of the family, jumped from the curb and greeted Staff Brig. Gen. Bahaa, commander of the 5th Bde., 2nd NP Div.

The Iraqi man quickly explained his situation and requested assistance.

“We left two years ago when our family was receiving death threats,” Suod explained. “It wasn’t safe here.”

When Bahaa asked if the man was returning to his community as a result of the reduced violence, Suod replied, “Yes, the situation is better here now, and I feel it is safe to bring my family back to our home.”

Bahaa responded quickly, ordering his NPs to bring a truck up to the side of the road and assist the family loading up their belongings.

The assistance provided by the Iraqi NP seemed second nature to them as they helped the Iraqi family load their belongings in the back of their patrol truck.

“We always help returning families when they come to us for help,” said Bahaa. “This helps build trust among the people.”

As Suod moved to load the last of his family’s things into the trucks, the NP opened the door for his wife and sister.

The children quickly followed, and the whole family was on their way back to their own home. They were happy to be returning home and showed their gratitude for the assistance they received with warm smiles and handshakes.

As families return in response to reduced violence and return to normalcy, the resettlement efforts are assisted by local neighborhood councils and support councils in addition to the assistance provided by ISF.

“All of the Iraqi security forces are willing to provide assistance like this,” Bahaa explained, referring to the cooperative relationship the Iraqi National Police have with the Iraqi Army as well as security volunteers. “We have to work together and help these people as one force.”

Thursday, 18 September 2008 American Forces Press Service

KIRKUK — Former members of the “Sons of Iraq” citizen security groups in Iraq’s Kirkuk province took the next step in improving their communities this week as they became apprentices in the Civil Service Corps (CSC).  On Sept. 14, Hawijah celebrated the start of a new CSC and the next day, two started in Dibis.

“The CSCs are intended to provide the necessary training, education and skill that will allow the graduates to seek and attain good-paying jobs and to begin the hard task of rebuilding Iraq village by village, city by city,” said Army Lt. Col. Kevin Hudie, commander of the 10th Mountain Division’s 3rd Battalion, 6th Artillery Regiment, at the Dibis commencement ceremony.

The CSC program is patterned after a U.S. depression-era job program known as the Civilian Conservation Corps, designed to put young men back to work, officials said. All of the CSC apprentices are former Sons of Iraq members who have contributed to the significant security gains in the Kirkuk province.

The Hawijah ceremony was held at the Hawijah Farmer’s Union building and was attended by Army Lt. Col. Christopher Vanek, commander of the 10th Mountain Division’s 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, as well as Abu Saddam, the district council chairman. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was witnessed by some of the 105 CSC apprentices who soon will learn the valuable skills needed in rebuilding their communities.

“This is a very important day for us,” the district council chairman said. “Security and the economy is rising. Thi