#1: Choong said the pirates were holding the ship inside Somalia's territorial waters and this could pose a problem should the foreign ships want to intervene
because we all respect Somalia's central gov't sooooo much. Kill them. String them up on Mog's docks as a warning
Posted by: Frank G>Frank G|| 2006-04-04 00:09
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#2: Blackwater has announced an openly mercenary division of their company recently. I'm pretty sure it includes ex-SEALs. Perhaps the UAE would like to hire them.
#1: "Is this a sign that an attack on Iranian facilities would be quietly supported?"
It seems that way to me. The surprising thing is that this was said publicly. It may be a slip by the ambassador, if it was entirely deliberate thats even more significant.
#2: Bottom line is the Sunnis fear an Iranian Shia dynasty. In spite of the "enemy of my enemy" cooporation between the Black Hats and AQ...that Brokeback SandDune lovefest would disentegrate overnight if Iran were to dominate Iraq overtly through Tater and his ilk.
#6: US will be there to help. It is US strategy to keep the sea-lanes open and no one power dominant over global petroleum reserves. So, ungrateful and obnoxious as they are, the US will defend SA.
#8: Trust Turki al-Faisal to do one thing and one thing only, and that is cover his @ss until he's farting through silk. Turki cannot be trusted, his prior ties to mullah Omar and al Qaeda have totally compromised him. I doubt that the State Department would trust him with more than a fountain pen. None of this changes the fact that the Saudi Arabia remains the real enemy in the Gulf region. Iran is merely a festering boil that needs to be lanced. The Saudis represent a metastasized Wahabbist cancer that will require excision.
#11: The Israelis crossed Saudi territory both ways to hit the Osirak reactor. Undoubtedly it was at very low levels (50 feet, probably), but that doesn't mean the Saudi radar couldn't or didn't pick them up. At the same time, the Saudis were the most vocal in attacking Israel after the attack.
NOBODY, even the Russians, really want a nuclear-armed Iran. The Russians also need all the foreign currency they can get, and will sell Iran ANYTHING to earn it - even the most sophisticated weapons in their arsenal. China needs Iranian crude, and will stand in the way of anything that threatens their supply.
Iran needs to be dealt with, and harshly. They're involved in Iraq and in Afghanistan, they're behind the trouble in Baluchistan, I wouldn't be surprised to learn they're aidng the pirates off the Somali coast, and they're certainly funding terrorism - Hisbollah, probably Hamas and the PFLP as well.
The Saudis may want Israel to do the dirty work, the condemn them again for their "unilateral" attacks on Islamic states. Israel, however, doesn't have the resources to do what really needs to be done - destroy the military capability of the Mad Mullahs. The United States does, but needs a few more assurances that Russia and China won't come to Iran's defenses if we attack. The Saudi comment may be a subtle signal that they will make a few offers China shouldn't resist.
#12: One ccountry at a time Zenster, we deal with Mad Mullahs then onward to SA.
Works for me. Iran's Mullahs are like a pack of Rottweilers in the front yard of the Saudi crack house. Certainly a problem and something that must be dealt with first, but not the real threat.
Hiding deep in Tora Bor, wait for the next bomb
And I'm feeling nearly as choked as my schmock.
Binny thumbed rose water down just before bombs did come,
It rode us all the way to Kabul Town.
I pulled my Uzzy gun out of my dirty black turban,
I was playing soft while Binny sang of Jihad.
Dust clouds swirlin' slapping time, Loadin' Binny’s pipe with Hash,
We sang praises for that seventy-two.
Freedom is just another word for martyrdom this way,
Nothing means blow-ups for Jihad, or else you're gonna lose, now now.
And feeling good was easy, Allah, when Jihad blues were sung,
You know feeling good was good enough for me,
Good enough for me and my man, Sheikh Binny.
The palace where Arthur sought the Grail
Is the resting home of the weak and frail
And the knight who challenged death on its trail
On the ocean of death forward must sail
Chasing the temporal is to no avail
As soon as you go through death’s dark veil.
Hmmm...
Where Arthur sought the grail?...
Weak and frail?...
They are delusional!...
#3: I suspect that until the settlement is signed, sealed and delivered Morgenthau will keep his mouth shut. It isn't clear to me why they announced what they did unless it is a negotiating ploy. There is little doubt that we would see the biggest run on a bank since 1932 if the name of the institution were made public regardless of how obscure the bank is.
#4: There is always more to this than meets the eye. Remember that such transactions leave very detailed fingerprints hither and yon. Part of the deal means that we now own the information that had previously been secret.
We might decide to keep some of the pipelines open, to see who uses them; or to provide marked cash to the end users. We might fudge some of the accounts, so right after a major transaction suddenly funds are "not available", leading to much bad feelings.
In fact, this thing is only probably being closed down now that we have squeezed every drop of blood out of it.
#8: I just Googled LARGEST BANK NEW YORK and got a list
Top 150 Largest Banks
Source: American Banker, 9/05.
Rank Name Headquarters Deposits (billions) Assets (billions)
1 Bank of America Charlotte, NC $630 $1,214
2 Citicorp New York, NY $569 $1,490
3 JP Morgan Chase New York, NY $531 $1,179
4 Wachovia Charlotte, NC $299 $507
5 Wells Fargo San Francisco, CA $273 $435
6 Washington Mutual Seattle, WA $172 $337
#4: According to the article, two of the gentlemen in question are Pakistainis, one a naturalized American citizen of Indian extraction. As I recall, all three were settled in the U.S. with their families at the time of the arrests. So, five years in the calaboose, followed by immediate deportation, along with the families no longer having visible means of support. The wives and children (not to mention the extended family whose lives had been so much more comfortable on the remittances they'd been receiving from their Stateside relative these many years), deprived forever of the lifestyle to which they were happily accustomed, should be enough to make the gentlemen long for their prison days the rest of their sorry lives.
#5: Among drug dealers in the 70s it was a known fact that $20k would get them a lot of drugs in South America but $20K in weapons would get a whole lot more. Then the problem was how to consumate the deal without the weapons being turned on the dealer afterwards.
The interesting twist here is the drugs are delivered in the US. The story doesn't explain where the weapons were to be exchanged. Drug suppliers don't usually show that much savy. By already having smuggled the drugs into the US they could ask for way more weapons per unit of drugs.
That should have raised red flags to them. (they were a bit greedy.) If a dealer had weapons to sell, they are easier to export than drugs are to bring in. A sharp dealer would have just made the deal in Pakistan. (His return would have been so much better.)
They were idiots that they didn't suspect this.
(maybe using their product?)
#1: I'm not generally fond of the soldiers of Pakistan's army, but this one dedicated his life for Good. May he be pleasantly surprised to be met by a full set a houris and a seat at God's right hand when he arrives in Paradise. And may the wounds of his comrades be those from which full recovery is rapid and painless (Yes, I'm stretching here, but one can hope.)
#5: That "restive tribal belt" needs greasing. I suggest tactical nukes from 40,000 feet. That should be enough grease to remove the "restive" for a looooonnng time - not to mention the "tribal belt" itself.
#1: 1) The cleric, Qari Fazal, is still on the run.
2) Police sources said Fazal “developed relations” with Malik
3) ...several complaints had already been lodged against Fazal.
BTW- I was wondering what did the army ever do with those wood chippers that Saddahm used to grind up his political opponents? Just curious.
Back on topic. This guy Qari Fazal needs to meet the 72 succubi a little early...
#1: If we are as certain of our information as DEBKA is, arrest the gentlemen with great fanfare, publicize their connections, and immediately hold a vote for their replacements. If it's good enough for Chalabi, it is certainly good enough for such as these.
#2: Obviously the Mullahs succeeded in planting agents and subverting the election - recall the tankers filled with phoney ballots, the millions ($70M, wasn't it?) spent every month for the militias and agents - and they bought the SCIRI party leaders outright. We should've taken those reports seriously and acted. Damn. I'm afraid we're just not devious enough or paranoid enough to do business with Arabs.
Take down the Mullahs and eliminate Sadr and his militia both with extreme prejudice, and then see if the assholes can win without the money and dirty tricks. If they do, then fuck em.
#3: I agree. With great misgivings and deepest regrets to the world community, we should decisively imprison or shoot all the throwbacks to the dark ages of history, disband SCIRI, and insist that modern, civilized, and approximately "neutral" professional forces hold all the power in Iraq.
Hey - it's not goung to be idealistic democracy, or open-minded tolerance of another culture - but, well, we live in an imperfect world, and everyone is just going to have to get used to a secular Iraq.
Weeping, gnashing of teeth, and howls of frustration will be allowed - but - to a certain extent, the fate of the world as we know it depends on Iraq not turning into a wellspring of the Caliphate, and if it takes an arrogance similar to that which spawned the "Monroe Doctrine", so be it.
I cannot friggin' believe that the lessons of just 60 years ago have been completely forgotten. In those days, no one involved in rebuilding Germany or Japan would have given ANY consideration WHATSOEVER to allowing remnants of the former population to resist establishment of a stable nation, with strong rule of law.
"Tolerance of different viewpoints and perspectives" - that sounds good in parlour arguments. But - forget about that on the ground.
Time to lay out the choices : either get with the modern program that runs most of the succesful part of the world, or become a revered ancestor - like, immediately.
We don't need to apologize, or squirm in embarrassment. Just get it done - carrying a bigger stick that the gangster militias. They don;t have to like it - they just have to live with it.
#5: It's going to be hard because of the publicity. Perhaps the shakeup could be done under cover from a monthlong bombardment of Iran's defence and nuclear facilities.
#7: Despite Jabr, SCIRI seems to have been more cooperative than the other Shiite parties. You can support having Jabr fired - but you cant just go in and disband Iraqi political parties. Not if you expect to have an Iraqi army and police force fighting by your side in large numbers. And if you dont want them, you need a lot more American forces. the 133,000 who are left are not enough. Does the admin have any appetite for a significant buildup in Iraq? I dont think so.
#8: You seem to forget, we just conquered this country. We'll conquer it again if necessary. We should dictate the removal of all things Iranian, period. All those not in favor, line up against the wall.
#10: In those days, no one involved in rebuilding Germany or Japan would have given ANY consideration WHATSOEVER to allowing remnants of the former population to resist establishment of a stable nation
Seems to me that Lone Ranger's never heard of Hirohito (and his successors). Oh wait, that'd just contradict you, now wouldn't it?
we conquered it 3 years ago. And we never really conquered the Sunni triangle, not till the last few months. We didnt really conquer the Iraqi Shia, either, cause contrary to the MSM and the left, they DID welcome us (though not with flowers) What we did was destroy Saddams army. With the force we have in Iraq, we've only managed to really be able to hold gains in the Sunni Triangle since weve trained up enough Iraqis to give us more boots on the ground. Now I suppose we could play a game of terr hunting in the Sunni triangle indefinitely, with our current forces alone. I dont think anyone serious thinks thats a very good idea.
#12: Edward - You better go study the transcripts of Hirohito's radiu broadcast to the nation of Japan - explaining the decision to surrender -which was the first time a Japanese Emperor's voice had ever been heard by most Japanese citizens. After the surrender, Hirohito was completely cooperative with the true decision-maker in post-war Japan - GEN Douglas MacArthur.
Had MacArthur felt that Hirohito was an impediment, Hirohito would have been hung the next day.
You need to spend more time studying.
My father - an officer in the 11th Airborne Division - accepted the Japanese surrender in Sendai - and then served another year in the occupation forces. He was a minor player - but clearly understood that the Japanese Emporer had proclaimed cooperation - albeit at peril of utter destruction.
#9: Consider it an act of war and take out Iran's air force.
Iran leads with a pawn move....USA counters with a massive air strike on Irans rooks.
Faster please.
#10: "...Iran’s radical Islamic government of sending agents and arms into Iraq to assist the insurgency."
Using the catch-all phrase of "insurgency" to describe any and all groups that are resistant of an Iraqi representative government or want to drive out the occupying coalition forces confuses the understanding of the conflict. Such broad defintions make it difficult, if not impossible, to determine a precise composition. Which makes reports like this equally difficult to determine capabilities, funding, and goals. It seems to me, for purposes of discussion, there needs to be a distinction made between insurgents and common crimminals or opportunists. Furthermore, it would be helpful to avoid lumping in the militant Shia militias as part of the insurgency. It’s hard enough trying to figure out the alliances and degree of cooperation between Saddam loyalists, Ba’athists, and Iraqi nationalists with the foreign Jihadists.
Posted by: house of salads|| 2006-04-04 19:30
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#14: They wuz trying to smuggle HGH to Barry Bonds
Isn HGH the Klear or the Cream? Opppps never mind. HGH.... different stuff. Barry got loads of human grow harmine. Luckily there's a huge suppy of HGN so kidz wont be affected. Itz cool.
#14: Why doesn't the link buttone work?
Because the Colorado Springs Gazette doesn't archive their pages in a way that outsiders can retrieve them. That's one reason I don't post much from their newspaper (my local paper). It's part of the "Freedom" newspaper chain, so it's not quite as leftist as most - which is good, since about half of Colorado Springs is either military, military retirees, former military, or contractors WITH and TO the military.
#1: "'For every action, there's a reaction,' ministry spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal said."
Well, he's got the basic concept. Now he just needs the insight that it works both ways and Israel has the superior weapons.
#2: The IDF needs to take a lesson from the US and do some bunker busting modeling. Maybe a 250 pounder to model the effects of the 5000 pounder. This would also send a message, kill noone and make me smile. Here's the target....
#4: They really need to stop sending messages, and start actually breaking things and people. They've sent too many messages, which are clearly not being taken seriously.
#4: I've read Debka for years and find they are ahead of the news curve and generally accurate (and they may well be right about Saddam's WMD going to Syria).
#5: Debka is full of $%!#. I don't fall for wishful thinking. Someone ought to keep track of these types of predictions. 3 years ago I fell for a rumor that Iran was on the brink of a counter-revolution. Never again.
#6: thats the thing with DEBKA, never beleive it 100% but don't discount what they say as twaddle either, they come up trumps a fair few times if you keep a close eye on them.
#7: It makes sense for al-Qaeda to move into Gaza. They are an entity that cannot thrive outside of chaos, and even Somalia has proven too orderly for them.
In Gaza, they can join the table as the junior partner, taking advantage of the Fatah, Hamas, and Hizbullah split. Remember they have no compunction against attacking Shiites of which there are many in the area.
Importantly, al-Qaeda in Gaza have a different focus: for now, they actually do not care very much about Israel. They want a headquarters, a base of operations for attacks outside of the Paleo territories, not including Israel, who would immediately retaliate.
They can guess that if they limit themselves to slaughtering Paleo opposition and setting up an "Emirate", the Israelis might actually leave them alone. Of course, the Paleos are like dogs to them, but useful dogs. Like other Arabs, they hope to use the Paleos to their own ends.
This is not a bad strategy. There are many Paleos who would be more than willing to commit terrorist acts somewhere else just for the chance to be somewhere else.
And, if al-Qaeda actually *stopped* the Paleo attacks against Israel, Israel might in turn be so tired of the whole thing they would leave al-Qaeda alone. Israel might actually accept the idea of Gaza being used as a base to attack other Moslem countries, as long as those other countries didn't retaliate against Israel.
#8: I wonder how many more of these thugs will be invited to the party before the Palestinians finally realize that they are the party. The Palestinians are like prostitutes invited to a convention. They think there's something to gain, when in reality, they're nothing more than a tawdry amusement to be passed around until tired of.
As to DEBKA, salt liberally and make sure you only pay heed to their less outlandish story lines. They are the ones that usually bear out in the long run.
#9: Israel might be satisifed if Al Queda removed the Paleo attacks but they'd probably be really happy for US involvement in the occupied territories and the reverse in international public opinion that would result if major Al Queda folks were shown to have been sheltered by the Palestianians.
The other thing is Al Queda might hit Israel hard enough hoping to provoke Holy War that they begin the displacement of Arabs from East Jerusalem or even the entire West Bank.
All in all I'm not sure the value for Al Queda or the Palestinians.
#12: Still seems very strange. Unless the threat of Al Q setting up shop, or heaven forbid, attack Palestinians is supposed to rally the the world around Hammas and turn the money spigots back in because it's supporting the WOT.
I'd rather believe in a plan for a huge hit on Israel, that cannot be be blamed on the poor, innocent Pals. If a few H and F honchos have to die to prove the "takeover", so be it.
They really think the world is backing Palestine and plan on claiming this as theirs, post Israel. Irans ready to back the draw the hit on troops sent to Israel and Palestine to counter Al Q. I dunno. Weird movements and allliances and rhetoric. Something's afoot. But nothing sounds right in speculation yet.
#3: The Russian equipment didn't help Saddam. Its still Iranians that are gonna operate it. Their last big war was against Saddam. Massive suicide waves left that war at a stalemate. The best that they could do is make a big mess with shipping if they get the first shot off. I don't think that's gonna happen. JMO
#8: And the Bear is back. Let's see all the Putin-lovers defend his record since becoming Tsar, that's always worth some major laughs. Makes me dizzy. In the last 20 years, the outcome there since the fall of the Soviets is definitely one of the greatest disappointments from my point of view. So much potential totally wasted. The Russians dropped a huge opportunity, just as the Iraqis are doing today.
I'm learning. Lesson of the last few decades is: You just can't fix stupid. It isn't some surface condition, it's through and through. Brain-dead to the bone.
#11: RUSSIA > it was with Iraq during OPERS DESERT SHIELD/STORM and IRAQI FREEDOM, so why should Iran be any different, espec since the Russkis are already strongly believed by many to had de facto helped Saddam hide + transfer his WMD caches to various ME countries, includ but not limited to Iran per se. The Iranians know the Perfectionism-happy, agenda-less, Fascists = [imperfect] mere HalfCommies/Socialists Lefties will blame-and-constrain Dubya-America for everything anyways, and that the Clinton-led/centric USDemoLeft wants the Fed and only the Fed to expand and take over everything and anything domestically, while simul ensuring Dubya and America fail overseas. The Left > America voluntarily giving up its sovereignty and endowments = same as America being militarily forced to. We know why the RINO-CINO Failed/Angry Left wants America under anti-sovereign Socialism and OWG circa 2015-2020, becuz Russia itself now finally admits that it may likely be too costly or cost(s)-prohibitive for them to maintain any sort of effective mil-nuclearized counter arsenal against America's.
#1: Interesting. That is actually/possibly a rational act. So from where I stand, it clearly identifies a weakness. The MM's don't want to lose their hard-earned stolen cash.
#2: The Swiss bankers must be crying in their fondue over this. I seem to be suffering from a major case of Schadenfreude over this -- I apologize to you all.
#4: In WWII, Swiss bankers bought gold from Germany in exchange for convertible currency (Germany's currency was not accepted in international markets). I guess the WOT isn't working out well as WWII for the Swiss bankers.
#9: Jimbo, are you suggesting that the Dubai Ports deal was wrong to block because, supposedly, now we won't have as much "leverage" and "influence" with Dubai? I'll trade both for REAL homeland security any day...not the illusionary kind that comes from investing billions in a plaqued missile defense system that only serves Bush's buddies in the defense industry, and prompts countries like Russia to improve their missile systems (Topol-M). And in the end, who helped broker the Dubai Ports deal? Bush's dadddy. And he and HIS buddies stood to make millions from the deal. This administration must be tired from washing each other's backs all day and night. And by the way, this wasn't partisan politics, either. There were many, many Republicans opposed to this deal...ones who don't fly around the world trying to score their next cash fix. If the Iranians want to invest in Dubai, let them. I'm grateful that we're not.
#1: From Jan 2005: TEHRAN, Jan. 22 (MNA) -- A number of Iranian engineers have designed a two-seat flying boat in the Malek Ashatar University of Industry in Shiraz which is able to fly over water for 1-4 meter distance and even 50 meter distance in emergency to jump over obstacles, according to a report released in the Persian Gulf exhibition that wound up on Jan. 21 in Kish.
That's a WIGE plane.
The flying boat is in final stages to be produced massively.
Gearing up asembly line for mass production.
It speeds as fast as 160 km per hour and can be continuously driven for two hours with a fuel tank of 60 liter. The boat is fully made by composite and is equipped with an Austrian-made 110 horse piston engine.
That matches the photos. 160 km at 2 meters off the water will make it difficult to hit with normal anti-aircraft missiles.
Less than ten countries such as Russia, Germany, China, the U.S., and Australia have so far been able to obtain the production technology of this sort of boat in the world.
Russians have been working on WIGE planes for years.
Meanwhile, the managing director of Fajr Air Industry Co., said that his company has produced four fully composite-structure planes entitled “Fajr 3” so far but the figure will reach 11 by next year and 15 soon after that.
Einollah Qal’eh added that Fajr 3 plane is mainly used for training, traffic control, and mapping. It might be used as an air taxi or for private flights. The minimum price of the planes stands at 2,700 million rials (300,000 dollars) and cost owners some 1,500 rials per hour flight which is much cheaper than helitaxis that cost 5,000 rials per hour flight, he said.
Cheap, mass-produced suicide planes, perfect for the Iranian jihadi corp.
#2: I give up. They are way to advanced for us. Before they kill us all, let's give in. I want to live in a world where a earthquake kills 44,000 people, but they are far superior to us militarily.
Either that or just nuke them.
#4: Also testing new deep fry technology stolen from internship at American McDonalds. Can quickly heat oil to 350 degrees to pour on special forces infidals trying to breech the castle walls.
#7: That flying boat is pie in the sky. I don't see it's weapons capability. No armor, no lifting capability, probably doesn't manuver very well, and needs highly trained operators, but Iran feels a need to boast of it's superior technology.
I think we should hold manuvers called the Cartoon Strikes Back. We can feature those air colume thingys; a Mohammed with swinging swords trying to stand straight, weaving and bobbing, thrashing about with bloody swords.
#8: "...Back off, man - we've got super-advanced flying boats..."
No probs, guys. Our TARGET drones have better performance than that. Oh, and by the way, for people who are so obsessed with history, you should look up what happened to the Japanese when they mass produced special one-off suicide planes.
Mike
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski|| 2006-04-04 11:36
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#9: next up?....a flying carpet! Something "nice" with great patterns and a fringe to die for
Posted by: Frank G>Frank G|| 2006-04-04 11:42
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#10: That WIGE should be meat on the table for the R2D2's
#11: What do people know about the Kowsar? I googled it and have come up the Shahab-6 ICBM. But given its purported role and capabilities, this doesn't mesh. Could it be the AS-15 they got from Ukraine, or the C-802 they got from China and further developed with North Korea? Or a reversed engineered, indigenously produced variant of either?
#19: Re # 13: the Russian craft is a pure WIG while the P6M was designed to be the USN's sea-going equivalent to the B-52: rotary bomb bay, 4 J-79's w/ AB (think F-4 Phantom) and the abiltiy to ride rough seas for mid-ocean refueling from tanker subs. Depending on which version of history you read, it fell victim to either budget cuts of USAF-USN in fighting and the AF won. All tooling and remainging aircraft were cut up and sold as scrap ( 2 crashed during tests and one story still circulating says that one of the engineers on the project saved a set of the wing tip floats and made a houseboat from them).
#23: I guess it's just coincidence that ALL the Russian WIG testing was done on the Caspian. The Russians began testing WIG aircraft in the mid-1960's, and had built several dozen different designs. Many of them failed, some spectacularly.
I see Iran boasting of devices that the Russians designed and built five, ten, twenty years ago, and which they had very little success with. Are the Russians selling Iran all their junk? Seems like it...
#24: All this publicity is Irans pitch to hugo chavez aka bobo. who needs new arms suppliers to put expropriated oil money to work? bobo.
who is building a million man army as a substitute for jobs and free enterprise? bobo is. The world as we'v known it has changed, the disentagled left has found its new useful idiots and the whole damn thing is being orchestrated by one vladimir putin.
#26: The Iranians might want to paint concentric circles on the craft with numbers increasing towards the center. Make it more challenging for our military.
#28: It still has to survive both US-Allied air strikes
+ US Navy defenses-in-depth - its still slowewr than the Navy's curr missle systems, plus lest we fergit the Navy's PHALANX-based CIWS can take out. i.e. SHRED TO PIECES, ANY MULTIPLE AIR-SEA THREAT(S) within its scopes. This "flying boat" is likely most useful in night-time suicide attacks and where Iran still holds any beach area(s) near enuff to US naval units - in end, it still comes down to the Mullahs wilfully engaging US milfors in pre-planned, PC, asymmetric warfare, aka "People's War", to includ nuclearized suicide attacks.
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