Take a Sunday afternoon nap, and you wake up to the news that some jihadis on the Syrian/Iraqi border have been taken out.

An official Syrian spokesman confirmed reports by the country’s state-run television and witnesses, who said that four US military helicopters attacked an area along Syria’s border with Iraq, killing eight people and wounding at least five.

SANA’s report quoted unnamed Syrian officials and said the area is near the Syrian border town of Abu Kamal. It later added that US soldiers stormed a building during the aerial raid.

Local residents told The Associated Press by telephone that two helicopters carrying US soldiers raided Hwijeh village, 17 kilometers inside Syria’s border, killing seven people and wounding five others. One of the witnesses said five of the dead were from a single family.

Ed Morrissey has more, including an email from Bill Roggio.

Countdown to the Arab press calling the deaths all civilians at three, two one….

Update: That was quick. Syrian agencies already calling them civilians. And of course the BBC quotes them.

In an article about the Obama money machine and its fraudulent donations, the WaPo has this to say about Obama breaking his pledge to pursue public financing:

One immediate result of Obama’s fundraising showing this fall is that it may render obsolete the current system of public financing for presidential campaigns. Because McCain opted into the system, he was limited to spending the $84.1 million provided to his campaign by the Treasury once he claimed the GOP nomination. Obama, who chose to remain outside the system after initially suggesting that he would participate in it, is expected to raise and spend at least three times that amount in the general election campaign.

Here’s his initial suggestion, which looks a hell of a lot like a promise to me:

OBAMA: Yes. I have been a long-time advocate for public financing of campaigns combined with free television and radio time as a way to reduce the influence of moneyed special interests. I introduced public financing legislation in the Illinois State Senate, and am the only 2008 candidate to have sponsored Senator Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) bill to reform the presidential public financing system. In February 2007, I proposed a novel way to preserve the strength of the public financing system in the 2008 election. My plan requires both major party candidates to agree on a fundraising truce, return excess money from donors, and stay within the public financing system for the general election. My proposal followed announcements by some presidential candidates that they would forgo public financing so they could raise unlimited funds in the general election. The Federal Election Commission ruled the proposal legal, and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has already pledged to accept this fundraising pledge. If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election.

There is also this diminishment of the fraud, belittling it by saying it “only” amounts to one percent of the total.

While the potentially fraudulent or excessive contributions represent about 1 percent of Obama’s staggering haul, the security challenge is one of several major campaign-finance-related questions raised by the Democrat’s fundraising juggernaut.

I remind you that the total has been averaging $150 million in one month. That 1 percent is $1.5 million in fraudulent donations, per month, for what, a year? Two years? That adds up to quite a lot of fraudulent donations paying for quite a lot of TV and radio time. Obama is buying this election, and the media is complicit with him.

But hey, don’t get mad. Get even. Go out and vote for McCain next Tuesday. If you won’t do it for yourself, then do it for me. I don’t want an Obama presidency. I like keeping the money I’m earning.

I wrote my 1 p.m. post earlier today and scheduled it. Here’s the lead from the first version of the AP story about Tzipi Livni calling for new elections:

Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni on Sunday abandoned her efforts to form a new coalition government and said she would recommend early parliamentary elections.

Palestinians worried the decision could put already fragile peace talks in limbo for months until the elections are held. The balloting could also clear the way for opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who rejects sweeping territorial concessions to the Palestinians, to reclaim the premiership.

And here’s the lead in the AP update:

Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni abandoned efforts to form a government Sunday, putting Israel on course for new elections and endangering already fragile Middle East peace talks.

Palestinians fear the decision could put a year’s worth of peace talks in limbo for months, until elections are held. The balloting opens the door for opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who rejects sweeping territorial concessions to the Arabs, to return to power.

There’s also this, which wasn’t in the earlier piece:

Peacemaking foundered during Netanyahu’s 3-year tenure as prime minister in the 1990s, and his positions have not softened since.

He quit Ariel Sharon’s government because he opposed Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and opposes ceding sovereignty over any part of east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war.

Do you know what they fail to mention? Why peacemaking “foundered” during Netanyahu’s term.

As Prime Minister, Netanyahu negotiated with Yasser Arafat in the form of the Wye River Accords (1998). No progress was made regarding negotiations with the Palestinians, and although they failed to implement agreed-upon steps of the Oslo Accords, Netanyahu turned over most of Hebron to Palestinian jurisdiction. In 1996, Netanyahu and Jerusalem’s mayor Ehud Olmert decided to open an exit for the Western Wall Tunnel. This sparked three days of rioting by Palestinians, resulting in both Israelis and Palestinians being killed.

You see, Netanyahu turned over Hebron to Arafat, but the Palestinians rioted over lies that their precious aqsa mosque was being destroyed (obviously, it was not).

But just in case you weren’t sure that Netanyahu was one of those evil Likud guys that Obama likes to denigrate, the AP points it out for you. And lays all the blame of the “foundering” peace talks on his shoulders. Not on, say the terrorist bombings that happened just before and during his term as PM:

• Mar 3, 1996 - In a suicide bombing of bus No. 18 on Jaffa Road in Jerusalem, 19 were killed (16 civilians and 3 soldiers).
• Mar 4, 1996 - Outside Dizengoff Center in Tel-Aviv, a suicide bomber detonated a 20-kilogram nail bomb, killing 13 (12 civilians and one soldier).
• Mar 21, 1997 - Three people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated a bomb on the terrace of a Tel Aviv cafe. 48 people were wounded.
• Jul 30, 1997 - 16 people were killed and 178 wounded in two consecutive suicide bombings in the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem.
• Sep 4, 1997 - Five people were killed and 181 wounded in three suicide bombings on the Ben-Yehuda pedestrian mall in Jerusalem.
• Oct 29, 1998 - One Israeli soldier was killed when a terrorist drove an explosives-laden car into an Israeli army jeep escorting a bus with 40 elementary school students from the settlement of Kfar Darom in the Gaza Strip.

Funny how the AP doesn’t mention these things.

I do.

The AP never fails to disappoint. Now they’re upset that—horrors—an election might give Israelis a chance to elect someone the AP doesn’t agree with.

Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni on Sunday abandoned her efforts to form a new coalition government and said she would recommend early parliamentary elections.

Palestinians worried the decision could put already fragile peace talks in limbo for months until the elections are held. The balloting could also clear the way for opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who rejects sweeping territorial concessions to the Palestinians, to reclaim the premiership.

Oh noes! Israelis could vote for Likud again! And we all know what that means. It’s Obamanable:

“I think there is a strain within the pro-Israel community that says unless you adopt an unwavering pro-Likud approach to Israel, then you’re anti-Israel, and that can’t be the measure of our friendship with Israel,” leading Democratic presidential contender Illinois Senator Barack Obama said Sunday.

I love the “early elections” bit. They are long overdue.

Shas asked for too much. Livni was either more explicit with the Israeli press, or the AP cleaned up her quotes.

“I’m sick of this extortion,” Livni was quoted as telling her advisers. “We’ll see all these heroes in 90 days.”

However, it ain’t over ’til it’s over. That article says Livni has postponed her meeting with Peres, leading some to believe that Shas has lowered its ransom demand to a reasonable level for Livni.

Really, really disgusts me, the politics in Israel. You need to rewrite your election laws completely, Israel.

Three out of four of Jews are voting for Obama, but we can still read what they’re saying. Because I think I found most of the 25% that aren’t Obamatons.

Haveil Havalim is here this week.

Some clips:

More on “Every Day is ‘Hit a Jew’ Day”

A sukkah on wheels (yes, really) and one on a boat, and one that used to have squirrels in residence.

Elisson on Simchat Torah, and why there was a baby bonnet on a Torah reader at his schul.

Funny.

Feline funny.

Not funny: Yid with Lid on the al-Dura hoax. (I’d probably link more often there, but he’s got reverse type, and, well, I simply will not read white text on black background. I have ranted about it before. It stops me from reading more than one decent blogger, in fact. I look for alternate skins on those blogs, and I never find them. As for reading it via RSS: I don’t like sending my readers to reverse-type blogs. Sorry.)

As for the rest, well, read it yourselves. We all have different tastes, and you’ll find something for everyone there.

I’ve the bumper sticker with the phrase “If you’re not angry you haven’t been paying attention” around a bit over the past few years. I’m assuming it’s an anti-Bush mantra. I think that it’s wrong in that case, but it’s 100% about the upcoming American election.

So here’s some advice. Do you want to be informed?

Check out the latest post from In Context, Sponge Mode for links to 5 excellent articles about different aspects of the election.

And if that’s not enough, Check out Gateway Pundit’s Confirmed: MSM Holds Video Of Barack Obama Attending Jew-Bash & Toasting a Former PLO Operative… Refuse to Release the Video!

(h/t LGF)

And if that’s not enough please check out “In what kind of nation, do the media investigate critics more than candidates?” at Daled Amos.

Please understand that we are being poorly served by our media. The information that would allow the electorate to make an informed choice has been withheld or distorted. These articles will fill in some of the blanks.

But don’t just read these articles. If you know an undecided voter, send these articles to her. If you know someone who is supporting Sen. Obama but not strongly, consider sending them to him.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad.

The UN is keeping up its tradition of ignoring all human rights offenses of the Arab and Muslim nations (cf: Executing gays in Iran, drug dealers in Saudi Arabia, whippings, cutting off of hands, “honor killings,” the status of women and non-Muslims, etc., etc., etc.) and concentrating solely on Israel. And this time, the special, ah, rapporteur (can we dump the stupid French words already?) is: A Jew. Actually, I think he’s what Snoopy calls an “Assajew.”

The UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in the territories has accused Israel of failing to halt settlement expansion in keeping with the Annapolis protocols and of violating the Geneva Conventions in Gaza.

Richard Falk, an American Jewish law professor who has been an outspoken critic of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, recommended Thursday that the UN resume economic assistance to Gaza irrespective of whether Hamas satisfies political conditions set by Israel.

He also suggested that the General Assembly ask the International Court of Justice to conduct an assessment of Israeli actions in Gaza and said the UN should ask Switzerland to convene a review of Israel’s compliance with the Geneva Conventions.

This guy’s going all-out in his effort to delegitimize the State of Israel, and yet, does he say a word about the Hamas repression of Palestinians in Gaza? I’m thinking… no.

He cited increased checkpoint security in the West Bank as evidence that the Israeli government was reneging on promises made at Annapolis, which were “specifically understood to commit Israel both to ease restrictions on movement of Palestinians subject to occupation and to freeze settlement activity.”

Hm. Increased checkpoint security. Now why would that be? Could it be perhaps because the Palestinians have been increasing their attempts to murder Israelis by smuggling bombs through the checkpoints?

IDF troops guarding Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus, apprehended a Palestinian youth after a pipe bomb was found on his person. The bomb was detonated in a controlled environment, and the youth was transferred to security forces for questioning.

The youth arrived from the direction of Nablus on Saturday, and roused the suspicion of the soldiers. They asked him to lower his bag and step back, and a search of the bag revealed the pipe bomb.

Don’t be silly. There can’t be a logical reason for it. In the world of the UN, there are no excuses for Israel to be subjecting Palestinians to searches whatsoever. In the world of the UN, there is no reason for an armed presence anywhere within Israel, you see. Israel should just disarm herself completely and submit to the will of the Palestinians, presumably. In which case, there would shortly be no Jews left in Israel.

Israel, of course, is protesting. It’s futile, but it must be done.

Israeli envoy Ady Schonmann, a human rights expert in the Foreign Ministry, appeared before the committee to criticize the report, saying that it reflected the “partisan political position which has taken root at the Human Rights Council.”

[...] Schonmann protested the “unbalanced nature” of Falk’s report, which did not take into account terrorist acts perpetrated by the Palestinians and legitimized Hamas while ignoring “the fact that Hamas’s own leaders continue to call for the total destruction of the State of Israel, to reject a two-state solution, to reject the Annapolis process and to declare their active support for terrorism.”

Schonmann also criticized Falk for relying on anonymous sources and cherry-picking academics to support his claims.

So how did Falk come back? By whining that Israel refused to give him a visa into Gaza. Yeah, probably because they figured no matter what, he’d come up with an anti-Israel report like this. And to see just how effing idiotic this man is:

Falk’s appointment by the UN’s Human Rights Council was roundly rejected by Israel, which cited Falk’s comparison in 2007 of Israeli treatment of Palestinians to Nazi treatment of Jews in Germany.

Falk told the BBC in an April interview that he made the comparison to shock Americans, adding that he felt the Gaza situation was akin to the crisis in Darfur or the repression of Tibet.

Sure. It’s just like Darfur, where Muslims are murdering, raping, and enslaving Africans, with an estimated 200,000 killed. Yep. Just like it. The Israelis must be hiding the mass graves or something. But hey, Falk feels like it’s the same, and in this modern world, feelings are facts. Just ask the Obamatons.

Typos can be so much fun.

Look out for those old Israelis in their rockers. They might smush your feet.

Jews are being stabbed, firebombed, and their yeshivas burned down—in Israel. Not in Europe, at least, not at this time.

A fire broke out Saturday night in a hesder yeshiva (program which combines advanced Talmudic studies with military service) in the northern city of Akko. There were no injuries, but the building sustained damage.

The city’s firefighting services reported that an initial investigation into the incident pointed to arson.

The fire broke out at around 3:30 am in a yeshiva located in one of the city’s mixed neighborhoods. Local firefighters were dispatched to the area and managed to put out the fire.

Another stabbing:

A 20-year-old Arab attempted to stab an Israel Nature and National Parks Service inspector Sunday, in Jerusalem’s Yad Avshalon neighborhood, near the Mount of Olives.

The inspector drew his weapon and was able to overpower his assailant, unharmed.

The molotov cocktail attacks seem to have eased off for the moment, but rest assured they’ll be back. A cheap and easy way to try to kill Jews—lob a firebomb into their car as they drive past, or at their bus, or even at their homes.

In Eretz Yisrael. Not in Nazi Germany. And the incitement that causes this hatred and violence? Well, that never stops. Because the world blames it on the “occupation,” not on the Arabs being raised on a steady diet of Jew-hatred. And oh yeah—the “wall” being built to prevent terror attacks. Yes, that “wall” causes terror attacks. Except that it doesn’t, unless you call the weekly riots against the fence terror attacks.