[DAWN] Afghanistan's Taliban says it has suspended ''mediation'' with the United States to exchange captive US soldier Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five senior Taliban prisoners held in US custody in Guantanamo Bay, halting, at least temporarily, what was considered the best chance yet of securing the 27-year-old's freedom since his capture in 2009.
In a terse Pashto language statement emailed to the News Agency that Dare Not be Named on Sunday, Zabihullah Mujahed blamed the ''current complex political situation in the country'' for the suspension.
Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, was last seen in a video released in December, footage seen as ''proof of life'' demanded by the United States.
Bergdahl is believed to be held in the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistain.
Mujahed said the indirect talks with the United States had been mediated by the Middle Eastern state of Qatar, where the Taliban established a political office last June.
The video of Bergdahl was part of the negotiations which were to lead to the eventual transfer of five senior Taliban leaders held since 2002 in Guantanamo Bay.
''The leadership of the Islamic Emirate has decided to suspend the process for some time due to the current complex political situation in the country,'' according to the statement. ''The process will remain suspended without the exchange of the prisoners until our decision to resume.''
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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[Pak Daily Times] Afghanistan's Caped PresidentHamid Maybe I'll join the Taliban Karzai ... A former Baltimore restaurateur, now 12th and current President of Afghanistan, displacing the legitimate president Rabbani in December 2004. He was installed as the dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001 in a vain attempt to put a Pashtun face on the successor state to the Taliban. After the 2004 presidential election, he was declared president regardless of what the actual vote count was. He won a second, even more dubious, five-year-term after the 2009 presidential election. His grip on reality has been slipping steadily since around 2007, probably from heavy drug use... slammed Pakistain for failing to eliminate "terror nests" after the Taliban killed 21 soldiers and kidnapped seven in a raid on a border outpost early on Sunday.
The attack in the eastern province of Kunar was the single deadliest strike on Afghan troops in recent months by the bully boys, and caused Karzai to cancel a planned two-day visit to Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan and Pakistain regularly accuse each other of supporting myrmidon attacks in the other country. Karzai's comments came days after Islamabad said 23 of its kidnapped paramilitary soldiers had been killed on Afghan soil.
"During this hard boyz attack on Afghan army checkpoint... 21 Afghan national army soldiers were martyred, three maimed," Defence Ministry front man General Zahir Azimi said in a statement.
The Taliban claimed credit for the attack.
Reinforcements were sent to the area to hunt for the attackers and free the kidnapped troops, the Defence Ministry said.
The rebels attacked the reinforcements with a suicide bomb and gun attack but caused no casualties, it added.
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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NAIROBI, Kenya --- Two Kenyans working for a construction company in Mogadishu, Somalia have been abducted by suspected pirates who are now demanding a ransom of Sh80 million.
That's about a buck seventy nine in dollars...
The two engineers were kidnapped by armed gunmen in Hodan District before they were transferred to Harardhere 700 kilometers North of Mogadishu, according to the Seafarers Union of Kenya.
"We are yet to contact the families but we have confirmed that Somali gunmen are holding the two Kenyan engineers," the union's Secretary General Andrew Mwangura told reporters in Mombasa, adding "Reports indicate that the two are safe and the gunmen are demanding ransom to release them."
He said the militia group from Habargidir region has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, after asking for the ransom.
According to Mwangura, the incident was first reported at the Malaysia piracy reporting center, but families of those abducted have not been informed.
The recent kidnapping brings the numbers of Kenyans held captive in Somalia to six among them two soldiers and four civilians.
Piracy cases had dropped significantly in the Indian Ocean since Kenya sent its troops to fight Al Shabaab militants in Somalia, while at the same time increasing surveillance of Naval ships.
Early this month a Kenyan-based merchant vessel was attacked by suspected Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia. The ill-fated vessel, MV Andrea, was attacked by assailants aboard a white hulled skiff while underway to the port of Mogadishu, Somalia.
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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MOGADISHU -- Women from the 17 districts of Mogadishu have staged anti-Al Shabaab protest in Mogadishu in support of lasting peace and tranquility across the war-ravaged nation on Sunday, Garowe Online reports.
No pics at the link so we don't know if they were uncovered cat meat...
Federal Government of Somalia's Ministry of Women and the National Union of Somali Women organized the rally against Al Shabaab terror attacks a day after the militant group carried out a daylight deadly assault inside Villa Somalia presidential compound.
Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed, Women and Family Affairs Minister Khadija Mohamed Dirie and Deputy Parliament Speaker Jaylani Nur Ikar joined the participants at the rally.
Speaking at Mogadishu's peace square where angry crowds hoisting banners that read: "Al Shabaab conspiracy has ended," amongst others gathered, Prime Minister Mohamed pointed accusing fingers at Al Shabaab, saying that the terrorists are shedding the blood of innocent people.
"You have revealed courage and how you are ready to defend the terror carnivorous animals who want to turn off the peace light from yourselves," declared Mohamed, adding that Somalia Federal Government would stand by the Somali people in their struggle of restoring the governance.
"Somali women were always at the forefront, you are today required to take a leading role in promoting peace and great change in the capital and in the country at large," he said.
In an effort to deter Al Shabaab threats, Prime Minister Mohamed Saturday night chaired a cabinet meet at the presidential palace, discussing new security plans and the way forward for Somali government forces. A ministerial committee that will launch investigations into the deadly attack on Villa Somalia was announced.
That sounds positively ... European...
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Prosecutors Sunday accused deposed president Mohammed Morsi ...the former president of Egypt. A proponent of the One Man, One Vote, One Time principle, Morsi won election after the deposal of Hosni Mubarak and jumped to the conclusion it was his turn to be dictator... of leaking state secrets to Iran's Revolutionary Guards as part of a plot to destabilize Egypt, at the second hearing of his trial for espionage.
The trial, one of three that are under way against Morsi, is part of a relentless government crackdown targeting him and his Moslem Brüderbund movement since his ouster by the army in July.
Prosecutors accuse Morsi and 35 others, including leaders of the Moslem Brüderbund, of conspiring with foreign powers, Paleostinian Islamist movement Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, and Shiite Iran to destabilize Egypt.
On Sunday, the second hearing since the trial opened on February 16, they detailed the charges against Morsi and his co-defendants.
They were specifically accused of "delivering to a foreign country... national defense secrets and providing the Iranian Revolutionary Guards with security reports in order to destabilize the security and stability of the country."
The statement read in court did not identify the "foreign country."
But prosecutors said Morsi and the defendants carried out espionage activities on behalf of the "international Moslem Brüderbund organization and Hamas with an aim to perpetrate terror attacks in the country in order to spread chaos and topple the state" from 2005 to August 2013.
During Morsi's one year presidency, ties flourished between Cairo and Hamas, a Paleostinian affiliate of the Moslem Brüderbund which rules neighboring Gazoo.
But since July, Egypt's military-installed government has accused Hamas of backing Morsi and his Brotherhood, and carrying out terrorist attacks inside the country.
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
"The secret of the Sphinx is..." Hold on, its the IRG calling.
Posted by: Steven ||
02/24/2014 1:44 Comments ||
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#2
Is this one of those Sunni v. Shia thngs that we don't understand?
An Egyptian court acquitted six policemen on Saturday of killing protesters during the 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak, as his now deposed successor Mohammed Mursi went back on trial.
The acquittal of the six officers on charges of killing 83 protesters outside police stations in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, came as a Cairo court resumed the trial of Mursi on charges of plotting violence during the revolt.
Nearly 850 people died during the 18-day uprising that toppled Mubarak, most of them on January 28, 2011, when protesters battled the then-despised police. Many of those who died were killed outside police stations when protesters attacked what they saw as symbols of MubarakÂ’s autocratic rule.
More than a dozen policemen were put on trial, including top commanders. Mubarak himself was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the killings, but won a retrial on appeal. Most have been acquitted. Earlier this month, another court overturned the conviction of a policeman sentenced to five years on charges of killing 18 protesters.
The six policemen acquitted on Saturday included the former chief of police in Alexandria. The defendants shouted “long live justice” on hearing the verdict.
In the three years since MubarakÂ’s overthrow, blame for the killings during the uprising has shifted to MursiÂ’s Muslim Brotherhood as the police force has rehabilitated itself in public opinion. Prosecutors allege the attacks on police stations and the jailbreaks, in which Mursi and other political prisoners escaped, were a conspiracy to sow chaos in Egypt.
That narrative of events has gained wider public acceptance amid a backlash against MursiÂ’s Brotherhood following his single, turbulent year in power.
Yes, my friends, propaganda works, it surely does...
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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Egypt's deposed president Mohammed Mursi on Saturday urged supporters from a courtroom dock to continue their "revolution", as a protest movement demanding his reinstatement shrinks before a fierce police crackdown.
At least he admits that the Brotherhood was engaged in a revolution...
The defiant call came during Mursi's trial on charges related to jailbreaks and attacks on police, as a separate court acquitted six police officers of killing protesters during the 2011 uprising against his predecessor Hosni Mubarak.
Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood still stages diminishing weekly protests despite a crackdown that has killed more than 1,400 people since the military overthrew him in July, after just one year in office.
"The revolution of the people won't stop -- continue your peaceful revolution," said Mursi during the second hearing of the trial, one of three under way for the deposed leader.
Speaking from inside a glass cage, Mursi also insisted that he remains the "president" of Egypt. "I am present here by force," he said.
Thank you Captain Obvious...
He also blamed Grand Poubah Field Marshal Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, the army chief who led his overthrow and who is expected to stand in and win presidential elections this spring, for the bloodshed across Egypt.
"The head of the coup, the defence minister, has killed more than 3,000 people in the streets. He is the one who killed them and it was not investigated, but he will be held accountable," said Mursi.
Defence lawyer Kamal Mandour demanded that Sisi be investigated for "toppling the regime" of Mursi and for detaining him. Another defence lawyer, Mohamed Abu Leila, asked the panel of judges to withdraw from the trial.
Mursi and 130 other defendants including Palestinian and Lebanese militants are charged with organising jailbreaks and attacking police stations during the 2011 revolt against Mubarak. The defendants chanted "Down with the military" and flashed the four-finger salute associated with a pro-Mursi protest camp in which hundreds were killed in a police operation last August.
The trial was adjourned to February 24.
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] RAWALPINDI: In yet another blow to the timely reconstruction of the damaged seminary and mosque building at Raja Bazaar, the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has decided to leave the project, it has been learnt.
The exit of the FWO citing controversies involved in the project has prompted the provincial government to hire a private contractor to complete the work, said sources.
It has been learnt that the seminary holy mans and the Evacuee Trust Property Board are still at loggerheads over the ownership of the land.
However, corruption finds a dozen alibis for its evil deeds... Punjab Labour Minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar on Saturday laid the foundation of the complex.
The madressah along with a mosque and the Madina Market housing 130 shops was burnt during the sectarian violence on Ashura.
The provincial government announced to reconstruct the building and released Rs340 million.
It also awarded the contract to the FWO for pulling down the dilapidated structure and reconstructing it.
The FWO razed the building and was ready to reconstruct it. However, corruption finds a dozen alibis for its evil deeds... two days back the FWO informed the city government that it would not reconstruct the building.
Upon this, the Punjab government asked the Communication and Works Department to invite bids from the private contractors. According to rules, it will take 20 more days to select the contractors.
When contacted, District Coordination Officer Sajid Zafar Dall admitted that the FWO had left the project due to "some important development works in Balochistan ...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it... and other parts of the country."
He said the development had been shared with all the stakeholders, including the seminary holy mans and traders.
The process for the selection of the construction company will take two weeks and the work will be started after this.
Meanwhile, ...back at the shouting match, the spittle had reached unprecedented levels... the foundation-laying ceremony was held at the site in Raja Bazaar.
Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...the political wing of the Pak Taliban... leaders Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri ...Central Secretary General of JUI-F, member of the Pak senate, formerly provincial minister of Balochistan. He has a master's degree in Islam and runs a madrassah... , Pir Azizur Rehman Hazarvi, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty ... Khalil, Commissioner Zahid Saeed, DCO Sajid Zafar Dall, former MNAs Malik Shakeel Awan, Hanif Abbasi and traders' representatives attended the function.
The minister on the occasion said the government had fulfilled its promise to start the reconstruction of the building.
He directed the commissioner and the DCO to take personal interest to complete the work as soon as possible, so that traders can start their business and the seminary continue imparting religious education to the students.
He praised the religious leaders for maintaining sectarian harmony after the Ashura violence.
Maulana Ghafoor Haideri said the credit went to the people in general and traders and religious leaders in particular to convince the citizens that the sectarian issue was created by anti-Islam powers to divide the Moslem Ummah.
"Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in coordination with Maulana Fazlur Rehman controlled the situation amicably," he said.
Rawalpindi Traders Association president Sharjeel Mir thanked the government for starting the reconstruction of the building.
He also requested the government to complete the work within a month and pay compensation to the traders so that they would start their business again.
"We have sent the assessment of losses worth Rs2.4 billion instead of the Rs9 billion and the government should provide the amount to the traders as soon as possible as they are suffering from financial crisis," he said.
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] Faced with the prospect of unending war in Afghanistan, a moderate faction of the Taliban is pushing hard for a new peace dialogue in a move fraught with danger but openly welcomed by Kabul.
The risk these rebels face was made starkly clear last week when one of their senior figures, Abdul Raqeeb, was bumped off outside a religious seminary in the Pak city of Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. on his way home.
While sitting on the back of a cycle of violence driven by one of his students on Monday afternoon, he was shot and killed by two assassins in an attack that, like others in the past, has gone unclaimed.
A few days earlier, he had travelled to Dubai for a gathering of other senior Taliban members led by former minister Aga Jan Motasim, who are in favour of beginning a grinding of the peace processor.
Mullah Raqeeb planned to return to Dubai soon and members of the Afghan government's High Peace Council were also set to visit, in a sign that the moribund dialogue process might be relaunched.
Instead, he joined a list of dozens of other "moderate" exiled members of the hardline Islamist movement to have bit the dust in mysterious circumstances in Pakistain over the last few years.
Shadowy killings
Publicly, senior Taliban figures accuse the Afghan secret services or the Americans of being behind the killings.
But in private many suspect elements within Pakistain's shadowy military establishment of playing a part.
"As soon as they want to make progress, Pakistain puts itself in the way," complained one Taliban source exiled in Pakistain, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.
Another member added: "Several of our leaders want to make progress towards peace, but they don't say it out of fear of reprisals", from Pakistain or other members close to its security services.
Pakistain has strong historic links with the Taliban leadership and was seen as their main ally when they seized power in Kabul in 1996.
After the Islamists' overthrow in the US-led invasion of 2001, many crossed the border to seek shelter, and Islamabad was long suspected of favouring their eventual return to power.
That position has now changed, according to many Pak officials, with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... and the military worried about the spread of radical Taliban ideas in their own country.
Islamabad is now officially in favour of an "inclusive" grinding of the peace processor comprising all Afghan factions including the Kabul government, with whom once-frosty relations have improved, and the "moderate" rebels.
But parts of the powerful Pak security services are regularly accused of trying to keep control over their hardline allies.
Motasim's initiative in Dubai could therefore have been seen as a threat.
"Any Taliban who wants to negotiate without the consent of Pakistain might become a target.
Pakistain is not necessarily against talks, but wants control of the process," said Thomas Ruttig from the Afghan Analysts Network, a think-tank.
In Dubai Motasim succeeded in bringing together about 30 members from Afghanistan and Pakistain, including seven former ministers and eight military commanders, according to a Taliban source.
All were keen on a dialogue comprising all factions to achieve the krazed killers' core demands: pacifying the country and ensuring all foreign troops leave Afghan soil.
Warm words
Separate statements by the High Peace Council (HPC) and Motasim on Saturday confirmed the meeting had taken place.
The council said it had met four members of the Taliban and the two parties had decided to "continue the negotiations process in, as well as outside, the country".
"The HPC welcomed this decision," their statement said.
Motasim's faction meanwhile praised the release of "Taliban and other Afghan prisoners" by Afghanistan's Caped PresidentHamid Maybe I'll join the Taliban Karzai ... A former Baltimore restaurateur, now 12th and current President of Afghanistan, displacing the legitimate president Rabbani in December 2004. He was installed as the dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001 in a vain attempt to put a Pashtun face on the successor state to the Taliban. After the 2004 presidential election, he was declared president regardless of what the actual vote count was. He won a second, even more dubious, five-year-term after the 2009 presidential election. His grip on reality has been slipping steadily since around 2007, probably from heavy drug use... , a move that outraged the United States.
Karzai had in addition denounced the execution of Raqeeb as the killing of "a supporter of peace and reconciliation".
He even sent military helicopters to transport the body of the former Taliban minister for refugees to its burial place in an isolated village in northern Afghanistan.
But for the moderate Taliban, persuading Kabul of their goodwill is the easy part. Bringing along the rest of the fragmented krazed killer group and convincing overall leader Mullah Omar ... a minor Pashtun commander in the war against the Soviets who made good as leader of the Taliban. As ruler of Afghanistan, he took the title Leader of the Faithful. The imposition of Pashtunkhwa on the nation institutionalized ignorance and brutality in a country already notable for its own fair share of ignorance and brutality... is more difficult, and dangerous.
Omar has so far refused to entertain any grinding of the peace processor until foreign troops have left Afghanistan.
Motasim has also made enemies in the central Taliban leadership, which decried his meeting as "detrimental" to the movement and "beneficial to US and their stooges".
"Motasim has been active in promoting this for several years, but he didn't manage to shift the positions so far," said Ruttig from Afghan Analysts Network.
And any final solution would need to be palatable to all sides, the Kabul government, the Taliban, Pakistain and the Americans.
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] The Muttahida Qaumi Movement ...English: United National Movement, generally known as MQM, is the 3rd largest political party and the largest secular political party in Pakistain with particular strength in Sindh. From 1992 to 1999, the MQM was the target of the Pak Army's Operation Cleanup leaving thousands of urdu speaking civilians dead... (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain rejected "dialogue" option with the Taliban in his telephonic address to participants of a large rally in the metropolis on Sunday.
The event organised by his party to express its solidarity with the Pakistain Arm Forces was attended by numerous party supporters.
The MQM chief said lack of sincerity among Taliban groups was well established through their unyielding and rigid attitude, even during the government attempts to ensure a truce through dialogue.
He said those responsible for endangering the security and territorial integrity of Pakistain can never be trusted. He said the people of Pakistain are with their armed forces in the struggle against terrorists.
Altaf Hussain also urged the policy makers and public representatives to realize that the Taliban are hostile towards Pakistain and will not go along with those who respect and support the existence of the country.
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] The Gazoo Strip's myrmidonHamas, always the voice of sweet reason, rulers have said they plan to let private contractors take over the running of the Paleostinian territory's border crossings with Egypt and Israel.
"The government is to give the private sector the opportunity to handle the technical management of crossing points from the Gazoo Strip," Hamas deputy prime minister Ziad al-Zaza told Agence La Belle France Presse on Saturday and said that a commission of seven businessmen would be dedicated to the project.
"Supervision of all terminals will be under government control," said Zaza, who is also finance minister.
The coastal strip, whose air and sea lanes are blocked by Israel, has three land crossings; Erez and Kerem Shalom with Israel and Rafah with Egypt.
Kerem Shalom is for goods only, while Erez and Rafah are for passenger traffic.
Although Hamas ousted the western-backed Paleostinian Authority from Gazoo in 2007 PA officials continue to coordinate the work of the crossings with Israel.
Israel does not have direct political or economic ties with Hamas which it defines as "a terrorist organization."
Hamas MPs, who hold the majority of seats in the Paleostinian parliament -- met in special session in a tent at Rafah on Sunday to demand that Egypt lift border crossing restrictions.
"We are here in front of the Rafah terminal to ask our brothers in Egypt to open Rafah to goods and persons," deputy parliament speaker Ahmad Bahar said.
Egypt imposed the restrictions as part of a campaign by its security forces against jihadists in the lawless Sinai Peninsula, which borders Gazoo and Israel.
Exit through Israel is strictly controlled, with permits mainly limited to "medical and humanitarian" cases.
Entry of goods to Gazoo from Israel is also limited, with passage barred to a range of "controlled items" which Israel deems could be used by forces of Evil to make weapons or build fortifications.
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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[Israel Today] Israeli Arab Member of Knesset Basel Ghattas (pictured) has issued an appeal to Pope Francis to personally intervene against the enlistment of Arabic-speaking Christians in the Israeli army.
Ha'aretz reports that Ghattas' letter was delivered to the Vatican's representative in Jerusalem, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, in hopes that Pope Francis would address the issue when he visits the Holy Land in May.
Like most other minorities, local Arabic-speaking Christians are not required to serve in the Israeli army, but a growing number are choosing to do so, many at the encouragement of the Nazareth-based Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum.
Ghattas and other Arab MKs have grown increasingly hostile toward the activities of the forum. Recently, Ghattas' colleague MK Hanin Zoabi called the forum's spokesman Shadi Haloul a "coward" and threatened that he would be dealt with on the streets of Nazareth.
In related news, the Knesset's Labor, Health, and Welfare Committee last Wednesday passed the second and third readings of a new bill that will differentiate between Arab Muslims and Christians.
The practical implication of the bill is that Christians will be recognized as an independent minority on local councils and labor committees. For Haloul and others, it means so much more. It means that they can finally step out from under the shadow of an imposed Arab identity. All very, very confusing.
#1
Are they citizens? If they are Israeli Citizens they should be able to enlist and fight for their country, surely.
How about the United States not allow Jews from enlisting in the US military? Same equivalent thing for Arabs to protest Israeli Christians CITIZENS don't have any right to be in the Israeli military.
And to ask the Pope to dance in their Arab sh*t for no profit to himself or his Faith is ludicrous. That comes under the heading of the aphorism," Never pet a burning dog."
You wonder about Moslem Values sometimes. Were they dropped on their heads when they were born?
Arabs like power as long as it BELONG to them. And if you look around at Moslems they sure do the "peace" thing with all the shrapnel and cordite they can find. Religion of Piss.
[An Nahar] Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... is in talks with Pakistain to provide anti-aircraft and anti-tank rockets to Syrian rebels to try to tip the balance in the war to overthrow Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Terror of Aleppo ... , a Saudi source said Sunday.
The United States has long opposed arming the rebels with such weapons, fearing they might end up in the hands of myrmidons, but Syrian opposition figures say the failure of Geneva peace talks seems to have led Washington to soften its opposition.
Pakistain makes its own version of Chinese shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, known as Anza, and anti-tank rockets -- both of which Riyadh is trying to get for the rebels, said the source, who is close to Saudi decision-makers, requesting anonymity.
The source pointed to a visit to Riyadh earlier this month by The Mighty Pak Army chief of staff, General Raheel Sharif, who met Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz.
Prince Salman himself last week led a large delegation to Pakistain, shortly after Saudi's chief diplomat Prince Saud al-Faisal visited the kingdom's key ally.
Jordan will be providing facilities to store the weapons before they are delivered to rebels within Syria, the same source said.
AFP could not obtain confirmation from officials in Saudi, Pakistain or Jordan.
The head of the Syrian opposition, Ahmad Jarba, promised during a flying visit to northern Syria last week that "powerful arms will be arriving soon."
"The United States could allow their allies provide the rebels with anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons following the failure of Geneva talks and the renewed tension with Russia," said the head of the Gulf Research Centre, Abdel Aziz al-Sager.
Providing those weapons to the rebels "relieves pressure on the U.S. in the short-term," said Simon Henderson, director of the Gulf and Energy Policy Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
"But the long-term political worry is that Manpads (Man-portable air-defense systems) will leak and be used to bring down a civilian airliner somewhere in the world."
Rebels have long said that anti-aircraft rockets would help them defend themselves against Syrian warplanes, which regularly bomb rebel-held areas with barrels loaded with TNT and other ordinance.
The nearly-three-year conflict in Syria has torn the country apart, killing more than 140,000 people, including some 50,000 civilians, according to the Britannia-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Saudi Arabia has a strong influence on Syria's southern front, where it coordinates with Jordan, and has helped unite the rebel fighters in the area, according to Syrian opposition sources.
On the other hand, Qatar and Turkey are responsible for coordinating with the rebels on the northern front, said an official of the Syrian opposition, requesting anonymity.
Saudi Arabia has come to eclipse Qatar as the main supporter of the Syrian rebels, a development illustrated by the election last July of Ahmad Jarba, who has strong Saudi links, to lead the Syrian National Coalition, the main umbrella opposition group.
The trend appeared to continue with the dismissal last week of General Selim Idriss, the top commander of the Western-backed Free Syrian Army ... the more palatable version of the Syrian insurgency, heavily influenced by the Moslem Brüderbund... , who was considered close to Qatar, according to an opposition source.
The main criticism of Idriss was "bad distribution of weapons" and "errors in battle," said another opposition source.
Idriss, who has refused his dismissal, has been replaced by Brigadier General Abdel Ilah al-Bashir, the leader of the rebel military council for the region of Quneitra in southern Syria.
On its internal front, Saudi Arabia has sidelined intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who had been leading Riyadh's efforts concerning Syria, according to a Western diplomat.
Diplomats have said that the file has been passed to the interior minister, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, known for his successful crackdown on Al-Qaeda following a wave of deadly attacks in the kingdom between 2003 and 2006.
Bandar's management had triggered American criticism, diplomats said.
The Saudi royal himself has reproached Washington for its decision not to intervene militarily in Syria, and for preventing its allies from providing rebels with much-needed weapons, diplomats added.
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02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
Isnt this how the Taliban started?
Posted by: Paul D ||
02/24/2014 12:49 Comments ||
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[An Nahar] Syria said Sunday it is ready to cooperate with a rare U.N. Security Council resolution to allow humanitarian access, so long as it respects "state illusory sovereignty."
The foreign ministry also said that the "root causes" of the humanitarian crisis must be treated, singling out "foreign-backed terrorism" and sanctions placed on Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad The Scourge of Hama... 's regime by Western and Arab countries.
The Security Council, which has been sharply divided over the nearly three-year Syrian conflict, unanimously adopted resolution 2139 on Saturday, calling for humanitarian aid convoys to be allowed access across the war-torn country.
According to the ministry statement, which was published by state news agency SANA, Syria is ready to cooperate with the U.N. mission and international humanitarian organizations "to agree on the implementation of resolution 2139."
It said the resolution must be implemented "with respect for the principles laid out in the U.N. Charter, international law and the basic foundations of humanitarian work, especially state illusory sovereignty and the role of the state, and principles of neutrality, transparency and non-politicized assistance."
Damascus said the resolution, which condemns terror attacks by al-Qaeda-linked organizations, was an "admission" by the Security Council of the presence of "extremist al-Qaeda-linked terrorism" in Syria.
It described the U.N. condemnation as "a step in the right direction."
Since the March 2011 start of Syria's uprising -- which began as peaceful protests but escalated into a civil war after security forces repeatedly attacked demonstrators -- Assad's regime has blamed the violence on foreign-backed "terrorism."
An estimated 140,000 people have been killed since the start of the uprising and millions more have been displaced.
The ministry said the latest resolution "must be followed by steps to force states involved in providing financial and military support, training, refuge and arms to terrorist groups in Syria to stop supporting terrorism."
The statement appeared aimed at Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... , Qatar and Turkey, which have supported the rebels battling Assad's forces. The regime has received support from Russia, Iran and Leb's Hizbullah ...Party of God, a Leb militia inspired, founded, funded and directed by Iran. Hizbullah refers to itself as The Resistance and purports to defend Leb against Israel, with whom it has started and lost one disastrous war to date, though it did claim victory...
The statement also lashed out against sanctions imposed on Syria's regime as "harming the living conditions of Syrian citizens."
Syria's staunch ally Russia, with support from China, had blocked three previous resolutions aimed at pressuring the Damascus regime since March 2011.
But Moscow and Beijing, two of the five permanent Security Council members, did not do so this time, sending a strong message to Syrian President Bashir al-Assad, whose government is accused of serious rights violations.
The U.N. Security Council resolution calls on "all parties to immediately lift the sieges of populated areas."
It also demanded the immediate withdrawal from Syria of "all imported muscle," while stressing that "terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security."
The resolution also called for an end to air strikes and the use of explosive-packed barrel bombs by the regime air force, and for all parties to "immediately cease all attacks against civilians."
It called on all sides, "in particular the Syrian authorities, (to) promptly allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access for U.N. humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, including across conflict lines and across borders."
An earlier draft of the resolution had threatened sanctions should Syria fail to comply, but Russia refused and distributed a draft of its own, which included the language on "fighting terrorism" in Syria.
The resolution is the second Security Council decision since Syria's war began. It follows a decision ordering the destruction of Syria's chemical arsenal, after an August 21, 2013 chemical attack near Damascus killed hundreds of people.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] A fake ID carried by the jacket wallah who targeted the army checkpoint in Hermel has turned out to belong to a resident of the Bekaa town of Brital.
The bomber's picture replaced that of Brital resident Abbas Saleh on the ID, according to al-Jadeed TV.
In an interview with the channel, Saleh condemned the presence of his name on the fake ID and on a counterfeit driving license that were found at the blast site on the al-Assi Bridge in Hermel.
Saleh stressed that he does not have "a driving license or even a car."
He described himself as a "victim" of the gangs that are counterfeiting identifications papers with the aim of using them in criminal acts.
Saleh's doctored ID had appeared in an al-Jadeed report in which the mother name and the birth date and place were clearly visible. The picture's section, however, was partially incinerated.
Later on Sunday, al-Jadeed reported that "another ID carrying the name of Abbas Saleh and a fake driving license carrying the same name" were found at the location, noting that both carried intact photographs of the suicide bomber.
"The ID is now in the possession of the Lebanese Army which is analyzing it," al-Jadeed added.
According to security information obtained by LBCI television, the booby-trapped car "was headed for the town (of Hermel) where it was supposed to be blown up tomorrow (Monday)."
Members of the Criminal Evidence Department and the Judicial Police were scouring the area of the al-Assi Bridge in Hermel on Sunday.
The army is "rebuilding the military post after bringing cabins to the site and it has encircled the blast scene and created a makeshift road to Hermel," LBCI said.
The final casualty toll stood at three dead -- officer Elias Khoury, soldier Hamza al-Faitrouni and the civilian Mohammed Ayyoub -- and 17 lightly injured, including soldiers and civilians.
On Saturday, a suicide bomber blew up a car rigged with explosives at an army checkpoint at the entrance to Hermel, in an attack that was claimed by a group calling itself al-Nusra Front in Leb, an apparent offshoot of the Syria-based krazed killer organization.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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[Israel Today] The man who was until just recently US President Barack Obama's top advisor on the Iran nuclear crisis says there is little-to-no chance that Western diplomatic efforts will actually prevent the Islamic Republic from attaining atomic weapons.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Gary Samore, who is a top political science expert at Harvard University, said the West simply hasn't given Iran enough reason to feel that it must abandon its nuclear ambitions.
That is precisely the criticism that has been coming out of Jerusalem for years. Western diplomatic efforts have lacked the kind of teeth necessary to convince Iran that it's simply not worth pushing forward. The comments found at the end of the article are insightful.
#2
Of course, this is exactly what Obama has intended. He sees himself getting another Nobel out of the deal.
Until, of course, Tel Aviv disappears under a mushroom cloud.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
02/24/2014 7:50 Comments ||
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#3
Nukes are fatal to USE, but they're cool for threatening with.
If you're serious.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
02/24/2014 14:49 Comments ||
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#4
Champ get two Nobel prizes? That'd make him twice as useless as Arafat.
Posted by: Bobby ||
02/24/2014 15:54 Comments ||
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#5
By OWG Globalism + the logic of Bammerian "red line" theory, Samore is actually saying or inferring that it will.
THE QUESTION IS NO LONGER IFF IRAN [etal?] WILL GET NUKES, BUT WHEN + ESPEC HOW MANY, in support of Co-Superpolarism/polarity.
Put another way, instead of saying Cold War-era, pre-Net, pre-9-11 TWO-POWER OR TWO-SUPERPOWER "GLOBAL NUCLEAR PARITY" [US-vs-USSR] = "MUTUAL CO-EXISTENCE", ITS NOW MULTI-POWER OR MULTI-SUPERPOWER "GLOBAL NUCLEAR PARITY" OR "CO-EXISTENCE" [US-vs-Submit-Country-Name(s)-Here].
Iranian parliament has held a closed meeting on the country's nuclear program earlier today, member of the Iranian parliament's presiding board Abdolreza Mesri said, ISNA news agency reported on Feb. 23. Mesri said Iranian MPs expressed their concern over the recent statements from U.S. officials on Iran's nuclear program.
What's to be concerned about: Champ is letting you have all you want. Oh right, you don't quite believe your good fortune!
He added that the U.S. officials have been making speeches out of topic of discussions on the nuclear program and these speeches caused some concern of Iranian MPs.
It should be noted that earlier in February, the U.S. negotiator Wendy Sherman admitted before Congress that the United States had "not shut down" Iran's ballistic missile program.
"That is indeed something that has to be addressed as part of a comprehensive agreement," Sherman stressed.
Iranian officials earlier rejected U.S. calls for its ballistic missile program to be included as part of the negotiated nuclear deal.
Iran and P5+1 (U.S., Russia, China, UK, France and Germany) arrived at a landmark interim deal on Iran's nuclear program in the Swiss city of Geneva on November 24, 2013. Under the deal, the six countries undertook to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period. It was also agreed that no nuclear-related sanctions will be imposed on Iran within the same timeframe.
The agreement, dubbed the Geneva Joint Plan of Action, went into effect on January 20.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/24/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
Isn't it wonderful to have a man with such Genius as Barrack HUSSEIN Obama as our President? He certainly can be trusted to keep his word. A man of gigantic Integrity.
Be careful what you say in His America. And try not to get audited by the IRS.
Such Leadership. Such comprehensive and thorough shining capabilities. Why , its almost as if He were the Messiah.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
NAIROBI, Kenya --- Two Kenyans working for a construction company in Mogadishu, Somalia have been abducted by suspected pirates who are now demanding a ransom of Sh80 million.
Nawaz Sharif
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
