If they indeed are behind this, then kudos are in order for the Brits!

Over the past fortnight Israeli intelligence agents have noticed something distinctly odd happening on the internet. One by one, Al-Qaeda’s affiliated websites have vanished until only a handful remain, write Uzi Mahnaimi and Alex Pell.

Someone has cut the line of communication between the spiritual leaders of international terrorism and their supporters. Since 9/11 the websites have been the main links to disseminate propaganda and information.

The Israelis detect the hand of British intelligence, determined to torpedo the websites after the London attacks of July 7.

The web has become the new battleground of terrorism, permitting a freedom of communication denied to such organisations as the IRA a couple of decades ago.

One global jihad site terminated recently was an inflammatory Pakistani site, www.mojihedun.com, in which a section entitled How to Strike a European City gave full technical instructions. Tens of similar sites, some offering detailed information on how to build and use biological weapons, have also been shut down. However, Islamic sites believed to be “moderate”, remain.

One belongs to the London-based Syrian cleric Abu Basir al-Tartusi, whose www.abubaseer.bizland.com remained operative after he condemned the London bombings.

The war against extremist Islamic terrorists must be fought on every possible front. The Brits - if they are indeed behind the shutdown of the sites - are putting Al Qaeda and other jihadist terrorists on notice that their online methods of planning and coordinating their activities, as well as exchanging information with each other about how to cause death and destruction, will not be immune from attack. U.S. intelligence agencies, if they are not already doing so, should follow this example and begin engaging in knocking offline those jihadist sites that are dispersing information that is clearly intended to do us harm.

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Also, seven more were arrested yesterday.

Steve Chapman on "Unpleasant Discoveries About The Shuttle":

After spending two and a half years and huge amounts of money to prevent a recurrence of the problem that destroyed the last shuttle, the agency now finds the problem has recurred. If NASA takes appropriate action, though, it won't happen on the next shuttle flight, because there won't be a next shuttle flight.

With luck, the seven astronauts aboard will return safely to earth next week. But even if it ends happily, the Discovery mission can only be described as a disaster. On the first day, agency personnel were elated by the sight of the craft soaring into orbit. On the second day, they were disconsolate at the news that, once again, a dangerously large chunk of insulating foam fell off the external fuel tank during the launch.

Fortunately, an inspection revealed no appreciable damage to the spacecraft. But NASA had to announce it will stop flights until it can devise a remedy. "We decided it was safe to fly as is," said William Parsons, who heads the program. "Obviously, we were wrong."

"Obviously, we were wrong" could serve as the epitaph for the entire space shuttle program, which has never lived up to expectations and has rarely justified its existence. In recent years, it has become a gold-plated Corvair -- obsolete, horrendously expensive and unsafe at any speed.

Indeed.

As I posted the other day, this is the last space shuttle that should ever be launched. NASA's efforts obviously will now be completely concentrated on getting Discovery's crew home safely. After that, the agency's resources should be fully concentrated on developing a replacement for the shuttle. Any further effort expended toward trying to patch up and modify the current shuttle vehicles for further missions, given that the fleet is already scheduled to be decommissioned five years from now, would be a waste of time and money.

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Update:

NASA may order a spacewalk:

HOUSTON, July 31 -- NASA hopes to decide Monday whether to order an unrehearsed spacewalk to make the first exterior "repair" of the space shuttle in orbit. An astronaut would try to eliminate a potential reentry hazard by removing two protruding bits of heat shielding on the belly of the shuttle Discovery.

Wayne Hale, the shuttle's deputy project manager, said he thought such a spacewalk would be a relatively "easy thing," but "we are not making light" of a problem that NASA officials earlier had appeared to dismiss.

"The risk here of going underneath the vehicle is, we hope, relatively remote," Hale said during a Johnson Space Center news conference Sunday. "But it is surely something you have to think about. That is part of the calculation."

The avian flu virus is coming, and we're not ready to deal with it:

If the virus were to start spreading in the next year, the world would have only a relative handful of doses of an experimental vaccine to defend against a disease that, history shows, could potentially kill millions. If the vaccine proved effective and every flu vaccine factory in the world started making it, the first doses would not be ready for four months. By then, the pathogen would probably be on every continent...

The public, conditioned to believe in the power of modern medicine, has heard little of how poorly prepared the world is to confront a flu pandemic, which is an epidemic that strikes several continents simultaneously and infects a substantial portion of the population.

Since the current wave of avian flu began sweeping through poultry in Southeast Asia more than 18 months ago, international and U.S. health authorities have been warning of the danger and trying to mobilize. Research on vaccines has accelerated, efforts to build up drug supplies are underway, and discussions take place regularly on developing a coordinated global response.

Meanwhile, an 8-year-old Indonesian girl who died probably had avian flu, it is being reported. Her father died of avian flu and her sister probably did. It is not clear whether all three were exposed to the virus by by a bird or its wastes, or whether it spread between the three, which would be ominous indication that the virus has acquired human to human spreading capability - the nightmare scenario.

Human to human spread may have already happened in Vietnam.

Despite the World Health Organization's opinion that mass culling of animals is the best weapon against an avian flu outbreak, Indonesia will not carry out the action because of lack of funds to compensate farmers.

In Russia, a strain of the avian flu virus that has been plaguing fowl can infect humans.

Also, an editorial in the Washington Times entitled "Vigilance against the avian flu."

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Related:

Avian Flu Is Spreading
Are We Ready For The Avian Flu?
Flu Pandemic
WHO Warns Of Avian Flu Pandemic

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Others blogging:

Instapundit
Weapons of Mass Distraction
Fragments From Floyd
The American Street
Just A Bump In The Beltway

Gateway Pundit is upset that ABC News interviewed the terrorist mastermind behind the Beslan and theater massacres, as well as other terrorist attacks:

How would Americans react to a foreign journalist meeting with Osama bin Laden or Abu Masad al-Zarqawi in a "secret" hiding place, interviewing him, and then posting the video up on their website? **

ABC uses the "Freedom of the Press" excuse to explain their "Nightline" interview with the mastermind behind the Beslan Massacre, the Moscow Theatre Massacre, and countless other terrorist attacks in Russia!

I do not understand why the press insists on conducting these types of interviews. There is no journalistic value in them. All that is spewed forth by the terrorist monsters being interviewed is pure propaganda, which could potentially be used to incite further terrorism. You just never know when a terrorist leader might be talking in code that is designed to activate and energize the troops.

Russia is justifiably displeased:

The parliamentarian said the “appearance of an interview of Basayev is unacceptable for Russia, just as an interview of the Russian mass media with Osama bin Laden would be unacceptable for the Americans”.

“This fact cannot but cause indignation,” he said.

Indeed. If ABC News conducted a similar, secret interview with Osama bin Laden, the outrage of the American people would be profound. It does no service to the war on terrorism and Islamo-fascism, or to furthering peace, prosperity and justice throughout the world, to give terrorists such as Basayev a platform to spew their hate, and try to justify their actions.

The question is why doesn't ABC News understand that?

(Via GOPINION)

Anonymity for journalistic sources? Sure. Transparency? Heck no.

Go read the whole post. (Hugh Hewitt)

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Others blogging:

John over at Powerline.

Sen. Dick "U.S. soldiers are like Nazis" Durbin blamed the state of Mississippi lastnight, in a speech on the Senate floor, for causing the deaths of Illinois citizens:

"When we traced criminal guns used in Illinois to kill people and commit serious crimes, and tried to figure out where they were coming from, the largest supplier state to Illinois of guns was Mississippi."

Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi is justifiably outraged:

"I think he owes my state an apology, and the days when everybody can use Mississippi as a whipping dog are over. We're not gonna put up with that. And if I had been on the floor I'd have called his hand."

I wouldn't hold your breath for an apology, Sen. Lott. Dick Durbin compared U.S. soldiers and personnel at Gitmo to Nazis, the Khmer Rouge and Stalin's gulag guards, and offered a mere pseudo-apology only when the heat became too intense, essentially informing those offended at the time that they misunderstood him. Because of that, it seems highly doubtful that it is in his character to even remotely conceive of the idea that he might have offended the citizens of Mississippi, and therefore owe them an apology.

(Durbin and Lott remarks via Fox's Special Report)

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Update:

The video here.

More comments on Durbin's absurd claim here.

Allegedly, funds have been diverted from two Bronx non-profit clubs that benefit "poor kids and seniors" to Air America. Returning from a fly fishing trip, I just heard Hugh Hewitt on my car radio discussing this (Hugh's blog posts are here and here) with Brian Maloney, who broke the story. Others in the blogosphere are beginning to take notice. Michelle Malkin is all over the story with her usual thoroughness here and here.

Updates from Brian Maloney here, here, here and here.

Captain Ed with posts here and here.

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Update: The first link led to an incorrect page. That's been fixed.

Sen. Arlen Specter should begin holding hearings in August, and not wait until September, for SCOTUS nominee John Roberts.

Liberal groups are already professing "alarm," and beginning the process to ramp up attacks on Roberts, as the Senate heads into its summer recess.

It is reassuring that the Bush administration understands this, and is prepared to fully rebut any charges by the those on the left, almost the instant they occur. However, it would be more comforting if Sen. Specter would insist on at least beginning the hearings process in August, regardless of whether some are inconvenienced. I believe that it is asking for potential trouble to do otherwise.

Sen. Bill Frist will break with the president, and announce in the morning that he will support stem cell research:

WASHINGTON, July 28 - In a break with President Bush, the Senate Republican leader, Bill Frist, has decided to support a bill to expand federal financing for embryonic stem cell research, a move that could push it closer to passage and force a confrontation with the White House, which is threatening to veto the measure.

Not exactly the way to endear himself to conservative primary voters in 2008. But then, Mr. Frist has not been doing very well in recent polling, anyway.

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Update:

Nancy Reagan is with Bill Frist.

Fox TV News is reporting that George W. Bush may give a recess appointment to John Bolton to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, possibly as early as next week.

The president's patience with Democrat stalling efforts has obviously run out. John Bolton will be heading to the United Nations. The only problem is that a recess appointment is temporary, expiring at the end of Congress's next term. Congress leaves Friday for its summer recess, returning September 6th.

The always hilariously unhinged reporter Helen Thomas vows that she will kill herself if Dick Cheney runs for president:

Veteran wire reporter Helen Thomas is vowing to 'kill herself' if Dick Cheney announces he is running for president.

The newspaper HILL first reported the startling claim on Thursday.

MORE

"The day Dick Cheney is going to run for president, I'll kill myself," she told the HILL. "All we need is one more liar."

Thomas added, "I think he'd like to run, but it would be a sad day for the country if he does."

Sad for Helen Thomas, but a wonderful thing for the country. Indeed, almost anything that is bad for Helen Thomas is highly likely to be a very, very good thing for this country.

Many on the left today have twisted themselves into hysterical contortions over a Miami Herald article about - yikes! - John Roberts' work for the Republicans during the Florida recount in 2000:

U.S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts played a broader behind-the-scenes role for the Republican camp in the aftermath of the 2000 election than previously reported -- as legal consultant, lawsuit editor and prep coach for arguments before the nation's highest court, according to the man who drafted him for the job.
Ted Cruz, a domestic policy advisor for President Bush and who is now Texas' solicitor general, said Roberts was one of the first names he thought of while he and another attorney drafted the Republican legal dream team of litigation ''lions'' and ''800-pound gorillas,'' which ultimately consisted of 400 attorneys in Florida. ...

''He's one of the best brief writers in the country. Just like a good journalist or a novelist, he can write with clarity, concisely and can paint a picture with words,'' said Cruz. Roberts, a constitutional-law expert in a top Washington law firm at the time, is now a federal appeals court judge in D.C. Roberts was a no-brainer for the recount effort: His win-loss record at the U.S. Supreme Court was one of the most impressive. And, like Cruz, he was a member of a tight-knit circle of former clerks for the court's chief justice, William Rehnquist -- a group jokingly referred to as ``the cabal.''

Why would it be surprising that Roberts, one of the most eminent lawyers in the United States, as well as a conservative, was an advocate for the GOP in Florida during the recount? What is shocking about this? It would be highly surprising if he had not been involved. But the left, and their enthusiastic accomplices in MSM, are desperate to drum up something about Roberts and rouse the anesthetized Democratic base, which is yawning because Roberts just does not appear to have anything in his past that is even remotely disqualifying, and he's a likeable and sympathetic character.

(Article via Captain's Quarters and GOPINION)

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Captain Ed provides some links to lefty blogs which are disturbed by Roberts involvement in Florida and notes: "A word of advice for the port side of the blogosphere: try keeping your powder dry. If you get this cranked up over a "revelation" that Roberts actually did work for the GOP at one point in his career, then no one will take you seriously if at some point Bush nominates a real extremist to the bench."

A roundup of SCOTUS posts from around the web:

Confirm Them:
Here’s how you can help Judge Roberts
Congressman Hyde Warns Against Anti-Catholic Bigotry

Think Progress:
Affirmative Action, Roberts—and Justice Kennedy
More Data Points on Roberts
Authorship
Where does Roberts stand on standing?
The Other Side of Federalism
Hoping for Another Souter?

Supreme Court Nomination Blog:
Analysis: Judge John Roberts and the Fourth Amendment
Analysis: Roberts's Busing Memo, the ADA and Partial Birth Abortion

Bench Memos:
No illusions
Our Allies on the Left
Oh, Margaret!
Ramesh's Question About Questions
Amar Misrepresents Roberts
The Question of Questions

WA Post Court Blog:
Sen. McConnell: Press Accounts Wrong
Sen. Nelson Leans Toward Approval
Federalist Society
Geoffrey R. Stone
GOP on Proper Questions

The Volokh Conspiracy:
Questioning Roberts on Overturning Roe

Powerline:
He only writes conservative
Hyde vs. Durbin
Charles Schumer and Lizzie Borden
Impotence-drunk
He's familiar with the "report"

Disheartened that the Valerie Plame affair has gone nowhere fast, and that Karl Rove has not been found to have broken any laws, the Democrats are now fixing their sights on John Bolton:

WASHINGTON — Two of Washington's most contentious political issues of late have collided — the nomination of John Bolton to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and the investigation into who leaked a CIA operative's name to the press.

Democratic Sen. Joe Biden (search) of Delaware, who opposes Bolton's nomination, faxed a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday asking if it was true that Bolton was called to testify to the grand jury about who leaked the name of Valerie Plame yo reporters. If Bolton did testify, some Democrats say, he should have amended his response to a questionnaire filled out for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Biden might have slightly more credibility if he would publicly ask Ambassador Joe Wilson why he lied about who sent him to Niger. But if the Democrats wish to keep fruitlessly pursuing this story, while embracing a known liar, by my guest.

The Democrats, who have all of the sudden taken a great interest in whether a nominee to the Supreme Court will be a judicial activist, have been assured by John Roberts that he will not be one. Not surprising, given that Roberts is a conservative, but apparently it is necessary to state the obvious to overly concerned Democrats.