Old Jarhead's Political SitRep for December 18, 2012

Old Jarhead's Political SitRep for December 18, 2012

Robert A. Hall

Your one-stop-shop for political news and opinion. Please forward to friends who need to be informed. This SitRep (Military for “Situation Report”) is created by many readers who send me items for inclusion, which I would have likely missed or skipped. And I can only spend at most three hours a night pulling stuff, plus the healthcare or economic stuff that crosses my desk at work. As always, I—and you—owe them thanks and appreciation. I post articles because I think they are of interest and will stimulate thought and discussion. Doing so doesn’t mean that I necessarily agree (or disagree) with every—or any—opinion in the posted article, or that I was able to verify the information presented, which is the responsibility of the author. I try not to post things that are false, or too far a stretch, regardless of the view point, but I don’t always succeed. As always on the Net, or in the legacy media, you must read critically and with skepticism.

I appreciate all the people who keep endorsing or recommending me on Linked In, Skill Share, Google, and similar programs. I hope in my next life to have the time to go on these programs and learn what they are about. As for right now, I barely have time to delete the e-mails that come in about them. ~Bob

Best older posts for new blog readers

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2011/05/best-older-posts-for-new-readers.html

Tax the Rich

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2012/12/tac-rich.html

Cartoon

How Israel protects school children versus how America does

http://liberallogic101.com/?p=1547

Worth Reading: How the media shouldn't cover a mass murder

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/staggers/2012/07/how-media-shouldnt-cover-mass-murder

Excerpt: Every time there's a mass shooting, I remember this piece of footage from Charlie Brooker's BBC series Newswipe. In it, a forensic psychiatrist outlines the guidelines for news reporting of such a tragedy, assuming that your aim is to prevent further ones.

Worth Reading: Guns, Guns, Guns. By Daniel Greenfield

http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2012/12/guns-guns-guns.html

Excerpt: Mass death isn't the issue. After September 11, the same righteous folks calling for the immediate necessity of gun control were not talking about banning planes or Saudis, they were quoting statistics about how many more people die of car accidents each year than are killed by terrorists. As Stalin said, one death is a tragedy; three thousand deaths can always be minimized by comparing them to some even larger statistic. 

Important: South Carolina governor names Rep. Scott to succeed DeMint in Senate
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/17/sc-governor-to-announce-sen-demint-successor/

Excerpt: South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley on Monday named Rep. Tim Scott to replace outgoing Sen. Jim DeMint, calling him "the right U.S. senator for our state and for our country." Haley announced her decision Monday at the Statehouse. With the announcement, Scott will become the first black U.S. senator from South Carolina. (An Asian-American governor appoints an African-American US Senator. Those racist Republicans at it again! ~Bob.)

Comment on “The Great Progressive Church”

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/12/the_great_progressive_church.html

In the political philosophy known as the "kyklos," there are three good forms of government, each followed by a degenerate form, and ultimately, anarchy. The cycle goes: anarchy, monarchy, tyranny, aristocracy, oligarchy, democracy, ochtocracy (mob rule), and back to anarchy. Each phase sets the stage for the next form. The founding fathers wisely combined the three good forms of government into this great experiment we call America; however, each of these elements has concurrently drifted toward its degenerate form, and will all collapse into anarchy simultaneously. Anyone with their eyes open sees this coming, and you wrote the book on it. Since we know anarchy is coming, it is safe to assume - though the vehicle of the kyklos - that monarchy will rise out of it. Monarchy, in its earliest forms, was based on the concept of divine right, divine sanction, or even presumed divinity. Reading your article made me wonder if this isn't setting the stage for the rise of a "monarch" out of the chaos to come; with the monarch's authority based in the "religion" of progressivism. Then again, I may just be thinking too much... Another great article. Thanks for posting, and Semper Fi. –Jacob (There were 111 comments on American Thinker, last time I looked. ~Bob.)

Comments on my School Shooting Post

If Lanza was afflicted with Asperger's syndrome, as reported, then "psychotic" (as generally used), is not a fair label. And the literature supports. I am the godfather (my nephew) of a young man diagnosed with Asperger's. He is a brilliant young man - in his second year of college. But he is different in many ways - since birth. Most noticeably emotionally and socially. He is the oldest of four and my brother and sister-in-law have worked tirelessly to educate and socialize him. But he will never be independent. Social relationships, even with family, lack depth. He simply is incapable of what we think of as normal human relationships - eye contact, hugging, any sort of expressing love is something uncomfortable - he tolerates. And communication, though not difficult, can sometimes be awkward as someone with Asperger's does not understand subtlety nor pun - even when explained. I could go on but enough for the point. Under no circumstances should he ever be familiarized with nor allowed to own a firearm. Ever. That would be a responsibility beyond his comprehension for rational decision-making and the consequences thereof use. Lack of feelings and empathy for others pertains. Add defective attention span and that's why he cannot get a driver's license. As to Adam Lanza, his mother knew (she had to have known) his limitations and was irresponsible not securing her weapons (and ammo) and for familiarizing him with the weapons. She is as culpable, arguably more so, for the slaughter as her son. As bright as my nephew is and I could give you 'Rain Man' like example after example of how his mind works, he is not psychotic - his wiring simply does not process information the way we do (more computer like) and he is incapable of experiencing normal emotions. It's complicated. And as you know, precision of language more than interests me. So careful with labels all must be. From experience (in college) working with autistic children and knowing my nephew, the killings in Connecticut preventable. Responsible adults failed. And absolutely concur as to the other deaths e.g., Chicago you cite. Awful. Senseless. And it's time to get serious with punishment. –Andy.

Thank G.d you have refrained from taking cheap and specious political advantage of this tragedy. The only Fox shibboleth you missed was Mike Huckaby's "God let this happen because they don't pray in public schools". --PLM

Boehner offers to lift debt limit for 1 year

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/boehner-offers-to-take-debt-limit-off-the-table/2012/12/16/8b369b7e-47c6-11e2-b6f0-e851e741d196_story.html

Excerpt: The proposal, part of the speaker's latest offer to President Obama in talks over the "fiscal cliff," would sacrifice GOP leverage in the budget battle but is breathing new life into year-end negotiations. (Followed by the media slamming the GOP for not being bipartisan and not being willing to compromise. ~Bob.)

Examiner Editorial: As public pensions soar, so does California's violent crime

http://washingtonexaminer.com/examiner-editorial-as-public-pensions-soar-so-does-californias-violent-crime/article/2515889?utm_source=Washington%20Examiner:%20Opinion%20Digest%20-%2012/14/2012&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Washington%20Examiner:%20Opinion%20Digest

Excerpt: Violent crime may be down in much of the United States, but it is on the rise in California. Ever since the state passed a court-mandated law that eased overcrowding in state prisons, thousands of inmates have been released early -- and violent crime has skyrocketed. It's up 49 percent in places like Kern County. The murder rate has soared 45 percent in Fresno.

Schizophrenic about Unions and Health Care. By John Goodman

http://healthblog.ncpa.org/schizophrenic-about-unions-and-health-care/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HA#more-28183

Excerpt: Michigan became the 24th state to establish a right to work without joining a union the other day. It’s provoked considerable discussion and debate. I can understand why some people might be on one side or the other. What I don’t understand is how someone can support labor monopolies to obtain above-market wages in every other industry but favor government using its buying power to obtain below-market wages for everyone who works in health care. Who holds these bizarre views? The New York Times editorial page, for one. Paul Krugman, for another. Ezra Klein. And a whole slew of others on the left.

An Economic Guide to Cliff-Diving. By Cameron Smith, Douglas Holtz-Eakin

http://americanactionforum.org/topic/economic-guide-cliff-diving

Excerpt: A new analysis from the American Action Forum finds that going over the fiscal cliff would not only have an effect on unemployment, but also on the financial markets as well. American Action Forum President Doug Holtz-Eakin and COO Cameron Smith found that "cliff diving would have significant impact on financial markets, impair asset values, exacerbate credit stringency, and amplify the direct effects on the main street economy. Moreover, contrary to what some have asserted, such impacts cannot be 'unwound' by retroactively legislating away the fiscal cliff."

Higher Taxes Mean Slower Economic Growth

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=22681&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD

Excerpt: President Obama believes his reelection gave him a mandate to raise taxes on high earners. However, top earners already pay high taxes and a further increase could depress overall economic growth and production, say Edward C. Prescott, co-winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Economics and director of the Center for the Advanced Study in Economic Efficiency at Arizona State University, and Lee E. Ohanian, the associate director of the center and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. U.S. growth is currently weak, with an overall output of 13.5 percent lower than what it would be had we continued on the pre-2008 trend. The average marginal effective tax rate is around 40 percent when all taxes on earnings and consumer spending, federal, state and local income taxes, and Social Security and payroll taxes are taken into account. The effect of tax increases would slightly increase revenues but reduce overall economic activity. This is because high tax rates on labor income and consumption reduce the incentive to work by making consumption more expensive relative to leisure.

Election over, administration unleashes new rules. By Matthew Daly, Associated Press

http://news.yahoo.com/election-over-administration-unleashes-rules-081641511--finance.html

Excerpt: For months, federal agencies and the White House have sidetracked dozens of major regulations that cover everything from power plant pollution to workplace safety to a crackdown on Wall Street. The rules had been largely put on hold during the presidential campaign as the White House sought to quiet Republican charges that President Barack Obama was an overzealous regulator who is killing U.S. jobs. But since the election, the Obama administration has quietly reopened the regulations pipeline.

Fault lines also appearing on Democratic side in fiscal debate: Democrats relish Republican disunity in the fiscal debate, but splits of their own are emerging over Medicare.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-fiscal-cliff-obama-20121217,0,3108910.story

Excerpt: For weeks, Democrats in Congress have been relishing the division and sniping within Republican ranks over whether to raise tax rates. But as negotiations over the budget crisis wear on and shift to a debate over spending cuts, the tables are turning.

Obama looks for women to fill cabinet

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/273079-obama-looks-for-women-to-fill-cabinet

Excerpt: Susan Rice’s decision to drop her bid for secretary of State could give other women a second look at senior positions in President Obama’s second term cabinet. (Probably asked his staff for “binders full of women.” ~Bob.)

Worth Reading: The Rise of Faux Diversity. By Bruce Thornton

http://www.hoover.org/publications/defining-ideas/article/135416

Excerpt: But even if the Supreme Court strikes down the use of race as a determining factor in admissions, the institutionalized racism and discrimination of university race-conscious admissions criteria will not necessarily be eliminated. Universities will continue to promote identity politics ideology under the guise of “diversity.” … The falsity of the ideological construct of “diversity” is best understood by contrasting it to genuine diversity.

The six year wait for a new knee.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-82465/The-year-wait-new-knee.html

Excerpt: Elderly patients are waiting in pain for up to six years for hip and knee replacements. One 61-year-old man has become virtually housebound while waiting since 1995 to have his arthritic knee replaced on the NHS. Doctors at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, South Wales, hope that retired steel worker James McCarthy will finally have his operation by February.

Denmark: "'Youths' in Muslim-dominated area demand money from church for being in 'their area'"

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2012/12/denmark-youths-in-muslim-dominated-area-demand-money-from-church-for-being-in-their-area.html

Excerpt: A new case of extortion in Nørrebro in Copenhagen has been reported to the police. This time the claim is not directed at a tavern, but a local church.

In northern Mali, Islamists’ attacks against civilians grow more brutal

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/in-northern-mali-islamists-attacks-against-civilians-grow-more-brutal/2012/12/11/5b74a734-3e46-11e2-8a5c-473797be602c_story.html

Didn’t get the memo. ~Bob. Excerpt: They beat her up, shoved her into a white pickup truck and drove her to their headquarters. She was locked up in a jail as she awaited her sentence: 100 lashes with an electrical cord. … Hassan was being punished for giving water to a male visitor.

Kuwait introduces death penalty for ‘cursing God and prophets’

http://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2012/12/kuwait-introduces-death-penalty-for-cursing-god-and-prophets

Excerpt: "We do not want to execute people with opinions or thought because Islam respects these people... But we need this legislation because incidents of cursing God have increased. We need to deter them," opposition MP Ali al-Deqbasi said during the debate.

Millions in Ransoms Fuel Militants’ Clout in West Africa

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/13/world/africa/kidnappings-fuel-extremists-in-western-africa.html?_r=1&

Excerpt: “Lots of Western countries are paying enormous sums to the jihadists,” he said in a telephone interview from northern Mali, crowing about the hefty ransoms militants have collected in the region. “The source of our financing is the Western countries. They are paying for jihad.”

Danish police' travel advisory to Jews: stay away from unsafe areas... Ambassador: "It is like Gaza"

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2012/12/danish-police-travel-advisory-to-jews-stay-away-from-unsafe-areas-ambassador-it-is-like-gaza.html

Excerpt: If you are a jew in Copenhagen, it is wise to not show that publicly. On the street there is a risk of harassment, says Israel's ambassador.

Scourge of violence against transgender sex workers in Cote d'Ivoire

http://mg.co.za/article/2012-12-10-scourge-of-violence-against-transgender-sex-workers-in-ivory-coast

Excerpt: The abuse of transgender sex workers, however, began long before the recent attacks and subsequent crackdown. … Victims almost uniformly attribute the attacks to the fact that many soldiers in the new army are Muslim.

Obama’s Electronic Medical Records Scam. By Michelle Malkin 

http://frontpagemag.com/2012/michellemalkin/obamas-electronic-medical-records-scam/?utm_source=FrontPage+Magazine&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dc88fbede2-Mailchimp_FrontPageMag

Excerpt: So, what’s it to you? Well, $4 billion has already gone out to 82,535 professionals and 1,474 hospitals, and a total of $6 billion will be doled out by 2016. But the feds’ reckless profligacy, neglect and favoritism have done more harm than good. Don’t take my word for it.

Tipping Our Fez To Egypt. By Burt Prelutsky
http://www.burtprelutsky.com/2012/12/tipping-our-fez-to-egypt.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+burtprelutsky%2FSQlQ+%28BurtPrelutsky.com%29

Excerpt: In recent months, there were two presidential elections of historical importance. In Egypt, they had their first ever democratic election for president. It was won by Mohammed Morsi over Ahmed Shafiq. Here in the United States, we had our 55th presidential election, and re-elected a man who had inherited a bad economy and made it worse; insulted our friends and coddled our enemies; and spent most of his time golfing, throwing parties and taking vacations.

Tweet from Toby Harnden‏ @tobyharnden

Newly re-elected & with 55 Dems in Senate, Obama had political capital to get Susan Rice confirmed as SofS - but chose not to spend it

Tweet from Moe Lane ‏@moelane

Susan Rice was smart to withdraw. We WERE going to ask her about how she helped enable the Rwandan Genocide. For example.

Zarqawi's brother-in-law reported killed while leading Al Nusrah Front unit

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/12/a_brother-in-law_of.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LongWarJournalSiteWide+%28The+Long+War+Journal+%28Site-Wide%29%29

Excerpt: A brother-in-law of al Qaeda in Iraq's former leader, Abu Musab al Zarqawi, has died while fighting for the Al Nusrah Front in Syria, Al Jazeera reported. And the jihadist replacing him as emir of an Al Nusrah subgroup has also served Zarqawi in Iraq.

Stop Subsidizing the Slaughter. By Paul Driessen 

http://townhall.com/columnists/pauldriessen/2012/12/15/stop-subsidizing-the-slaughter-n1467370?utm_source=thdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl

Excerpt: By raising electricity costs for factories, internet hubs, offices, malls, hospitals, school districts and other businesses, industrial wind power kills two to four jobs for every wind job created through government mandates, subsidies and tax credits – which themselves extract billions of dollars from productive sectors of the economy, to support Big Wind. Its impact on the budgets, health and well-being of people on low and fixed incomes is equally damaging.

John Kerry: Assad's Man in Washington: After the senator's romance with the butchers of Vietnam came his romance with the butcher of Syria. By Arnold Ahlert

http://patriotpost.us/opinion/15922

Excerpt: Whether Kerry should be nominated at all is the question we would be asking if there were any justice in the world. If Rice ostensibly incurred the wrath of Washington insiders for her lack of judgment regarding Benghazi and Rwanda, how is it possible Kerry gets a pass for his own lack of judgment regarding a host of issues, from his enduring support for Syrian butcher Bashar Assad and his belief that climate change is a "national security" issue, to his unthinkable testimony before the U.S. Congress maligning America and Vietnam vets while running interference for the Viet Cong? Kerry, it seems, cannot kick the habit of sidling up to the great killing machines of our time.

The Baby Bust Generation. By Jeff Jacoby 

http://patriotpost.us/opinion/15921

Excerpt: A mania for pets isn't all that materializes when the birth rate sinks. So do economic stagnation, dwindling innovation, a declining lifestyle, the exploding health and pension costs of an aging population, and the ever-heavier taxes needed to maintain the government safety net when there are fewer workers and entrepreneurs. Optimism, booming markets, and technological dynamism recede, supplanted by intergenerational conflict and loneliness.

Time to profile white men? By David Sirota

http://www.salon.com/2012/12/17/would_the_u_s_government_profile_white_men/

Excerpt: During a conversation on MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes, I said that because most of the mass shootings in America come at the hands of white men, there would likely be political opposition to initiatives that propose to use those facts to profile the demographic group to which these killers belong. (Of course, 53% of the murders in America are committed by the 13% of the population that is black, according to the FBI. But to deal with that would be racist.. And since most of the victims are also black, liberals don’t care. ~Bob.)

Obamacare's Cruel War On Patient-Centered Healthcare

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sallypipes/2012/12/10/obamacares-cruel-war-on-patient-centered-healthcare/

Excerpt: In just a few weeks, when the calendar flips to 2013, millions of Americans will get their first taste of Obamacare — a $2,500 cap on their flexible spending accounts. That’s down from the previous $5,000 cap — and thus equivalent to a tax hike for any family that had been putting more into their FSAs to cover out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. 

Is America headed for anarchy and chaos?

If America descends into anarchy and chaos, I would want at least one assault pistol and one assault rifle just in case I were pinned down by a group of thugs with guns. I would want the same for my family. But I do not recommend that for you. You need to know what is best for you in such a case. Do I think America is headed for anarchy and chaos? My economist friends tell me that is a distinct possibility. It would be a potential outcome of any government policy that spends too much, has too much debt, and issues un-backed currency. Greece has anarchy and chaos as a result of a government spending more than its GDP. QE 1. 2 and 3 meet the criteria of issuance of un-backed currency, around $2 trillion so far and counting. America has a debt of $16 trillion and a GDP of $15 trillion, thanks to an irresponsible president (who cries a lot), Congress and Fed. Now here is a math problem for you. Which is bigger, $15 trillion or $16 trillion? If you don't know, you may be a government official. If you DO know, you may be a 5th grader or above. Oh, but I forgot to mention: Unfunded liabilities are calculated by experts at anywhere from $50 trillion on up:

http://dailycaller.com/2012/07/16/report-federal-unfunded-liabilities-total-84-trillion/

Unfunded liabilities dwarf the fiscal cliff, so even if we get beyond that, and even if Obama confiscates every penny of the rich, we can't pay them. Something is coming fast and you may want to be prepared. Not recommending anything, of course. I especially am not necessarily recommending you buy and assault weapon, report it stolen and then bury it in an airtight container (making sure you wait until the grass has re-grown over the burial site before reporting it stolen). I would never recommend anything like that. --Don Hank

#MyJihad in Pakistan: Islamic jihadists murder 35,000 people since 9/11

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2012/12/myjihad-in-pakistan-jihadists-murder-35000-people-since-911.html

Excerpt: Meanwhile, the ideological accomplices and allies of these violent jihadists have intimidated and deceived Western authorities and media into thinking that to investigate the ideology behind these murders, and formulate strategies to resist it, is as bad or worse than the murders themselves.

If Kerry Goes to State, Who Will Succeed Him? The Guessing Begins. By David Freedlander 

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/12/14/if-kerry-goes-to-state-who-will-succeed-him-the-guessing-begins.html

Excerpt: The Massachusetts weirdness is mainly due to the fact that the state legislature is both dominated by Democrats, and has an occasional tendency to be too clever by half. Thus, in 2004, when Mitt Romney was governor and John Kerry was running for president, the legislature changed the rules prohibiting the governor from appointing an interim senator, fearful that Republican Romney would appoint a fellow GOPer and jeopardize the Democrats’ chances of retaking the Senate. 

National Crisis! Obama Delays Hawaiian Vacation…

http://weaselzippers.us/2012/12/17/national-crisis-obama-delays-hawaiian-vacation/

Excerpt: Be strong America, we’ll get through this.

Worth Reading: The Facts about Mass Shootings. By John Fund
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/335739/facts-about-mass-shootings-john-fund#

Excerpt: Mass shootings are no more common than they have been in past decades, despite the impression given by the media. In fact, the high point for mass killings in the U.S. was 1929, according to criminologist Grant Duwe of the Minnesota Department of Corrections. … Economists John Lott and William Landes conducted a groundbreaking study in 1999, and found that a common theme of mass shootings is that they occur in places where guns are banned and killers know everyone will be unarmed, such as shopping malls and schools.

Worth Reading: Blue Model Death Throes in Spain. By Walter Russell Mead

http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/12/17/blue-model-death-throes-in-spain/

Excerpt: Spain’s youth unemployment rate, now over 50 percent, is the stuff of nightmares for economists. But even those young Spaniards lucky enough to be gainfully employed are beginning to learn that having a job doesn’t guarantee you’ll get paid. … Spanish workers are discovering what happens if you trust the people who tell you, “Don’t worry, the government has plenty of money. Your benefits are secure; we’ve put it in a lock box.” (Socialist countries pulling us into the abyss. ~Bob.)

Deputy shoots gunman at San Antonio movie theater
http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Deputy-shoots-gunman-at-San-Antonio-movie-theater/2wFsix5ntU2CDrsHjXx2kQ.cspx

Excerpt: Garcia was finally stopped by an off-duty deputy who was working at the theater. The deputy heard the gunfire and ran to find out what was going on. The deputy spotted Garcia coming out of a bathroom with his gun drawn and fired at him, shooting him four times. (Gee, if only they had had a “gun free zone” sign, she wouldn’t have had to shoot the poor guy. ~Bob.)

Tweet from Kemberlee Kaye ‏@red_red_head

I can't wait to be lectured about my gun rights from an Administration responsible for arming Mexican drug cartels http://fb.me/1Vs8MMIAx 

Tweet from talkradio200 ‏@talkradio200

I notice most 'gun control' advocates are people who paid other people to protect them with guns.

Tweet from Bill Hobbs ‏@billhobbs

A Justice Department study found that armed women stopped 97% of attempted rapes against them. Unarmed women fared much worse.

Tweet from Charles Sykes ‏@SykesCharlie

If a drunk runs on the field at game.. TV won't show it to deter copycats...if you're a mass murderer however...24 hr coverage

Bay Area Woman’s Sex Act Reveals Workers’ Comp Fraud

http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2012/12/14/bay-areas-womans-sex-act-reveals-workers-comp-fraud/

Excerpt: A sex romp in a public park has helped prosecutors convict a California woman of faking an ankle injury to collect workers’ compensation payments.

Why Switzerland has a low crime rate

http://www.snopes.com/politics/guns/switzerland.asp

Iran Making Anthrax At Secret Plant

http://atimetobetray.com/blog/iran-making-anthrax-at-secret-plant/

Excerpt: Russian scientists have helped Iran master four microbial agents for bombs, which the Islamic regime has used to arm 37 launch-ready missiles so far, sources have revealed. The secret work is being done at a plant named Shahid Bahonar on a mountaintop by the city of Marzanabad off the mountainous Chalus road to the Iranian Caspian Sea. (Another of the agents mentioned in this article is smallpox. Why is anyone surprised? THEY’RE at war. With us. Ron P.)