Melanie Phlipps is part of the propaganda network that tried to launch the WMD's-were found-but-hidden-in-Iraq-hoax by Dave Gaubatz. She may well be the main go-to person in the UK. The main US channels I remember were FrontpageMag and The American Thinker and without doubt the "objectivist" fury Atlas Shrugged. Yes obviously

While Gaubatz himself led straight into SANE:

America is a unique people bound together through a commitment to America’s Judeo-Christian moral foundation and to an enduring faith and trust in G-d and in His Providence. America’s founding, and its greatness was neither accident nor staging ground for some better existence or world state. America was the handiwork of faithful Christians, mostly men, and almost entirely white, who ventured from Europe to create a nation in their image of a country existing as free men under G-d. This constellation of forces existed no where else in the world and resulted in a unique people and nation.

Ed, should join them, maybe? I am kidding.

But here: New York Times, June 23, 2006

The weapons hunters were encouraged in February when tapes of Mr. Hussein's talking with top aides about his arsenal were released at the Intelligence Summit, a private gathering in northern Virginia of 600 former spies, former military officers and hobbyists.

"We reopened the W.M.D. question in a big way," said John Loftus, organizer of the conference.

She's an authentic neo-conservative, perhaps the only true one we have. She started out on the left, gradually drifted to the right, and continues to drift ever rightwards (needless to say she's also an ardent Zionist).

She's an intense, highly-strung character, with an unpleasant personality. Perhaps that explains why she seems permanently angry, and her articles (esp on her blog, where there is no editor to exercise any restraint upon her) have a hysterical quality.

She has some following amongst the extreme pro-Israel right in the United States. These people love her message that Israel is fighting a desperate war of survival, and that Europe and Britain are morally, culturally and militarily doomed.

Fortunately in Britain, Mad Mel is a bit of joke.

"Iraqi informants showed US investigators where Saddam had constructed huge underwater storage facilities beneath the Euphrates River. The tunnel entrances were still sealed with tons of concrete. The US investigators who approached the sealed entrances were later determined to have been exposed to radiation. Incredibly, their reports were lost in the postwar confusion, and Saddam’s underground nuclear storage sites were left unguarded for the next three years … "
link to frontpagemag.com

And Canada, I am watching a very active "network member" there. He demanded that Norman Finkelstein be excommunicated. He even used this term. Maybe since Cherem used to exist during the Enlightenment except for the Haredim. But what do I know. And yes, Philips for him belongs to the righteous. Here is another one of my "GB friends"according to my Google Reader. Not quite as mad as Mel, admittedly. ;) Thanks for telling us: Mad Mel. We have a wellknown similar male phenomenon over here in Krautland. But it only became evident for me post 911.

Rowan, so you only pointed out that there was a certain similarity to a James Bond (Dr. No) plot? How do you know, you "owe" the destruction of your blog to Loftus? (this guy has left no big traces in my gray cells yet.) Strictly, I trusted Hans Blix on the issue from the very start. But interesting discovery.

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Pam, thanks. I'll keep your take on the Spectator in mind. But basically any anti-* is not to my taste. Magnes Zionist seems to be orthodox or at least teaches orthodox Judaism, and I like him a lot. Don't trust the headline above. Or do, but then read it to the very end

We had trouble over here in Germany, only orthodox Jewish congregations were state supported. Maybe it changed. There were quite some activities by the Reform congregations. But strictly, I still haven't looked into the development of Reform in 19th century over here close enough, and have the vague suspicion that the "essentially" non-hierarchical structures of the Jewish faith may have led authorities to push reform. Besides, I could understand the desire for a break with an essentially German Jewish tradition in Judaism post WWII.

I agree though that the I/P issue must be resolved and that mystification should stop. …

Loftus is mainly famous for being the person who leaked to FOX News the fact that Finsbury Park Mosque Islamist and general boogie man Haroon Aswat was an MI6 agent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Loftus