British military authorities say that 25 insurgent compounds have been cleared from the area around a major dam in Afghanistan.
The dam in northern Helmand Province is capable of providing electric power for 1.8 million people... The dam has been "the site of regular insurgent mortar attacks over the past two months and civilians have been forced from their homes leaving the dam largely unserviceable."
Operation Volcano was aimed at creating a safe zone around the Kajaki Dam so that the structure can be repaired, The Telegraph reported. The dam in northern Helmand Province is capable of providing electric power for 1.8 million people. British officials hope that restarting the dam will improve the lives of people living in Helmand Province, now Afghanistan's major opium-producing area.
The dam has been "the site of regular insurgent mortar attacks over the past two months and civilians have been forced from their homes leaving the dam largely unserviceable," a military statement said. During the six-week campaign, British commandos also came under mortar attack regularly.
Taliban fighters were holed up in a southern Afghan town for a fifth day as officials said they wanted to end the occupation without military action that could cost civilian lives.
NATO planes on Sunday dropped government leaflets into Musa Qala, which was captured Friday, urging the rebels to leave or face action. Thousands of people have already left, fearing bombing raids by NATO warplanes. "The government is still trying to find a peaceful solution to the problem to avoid civilian casualties," interior ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told AFP on Tuesday.
General Rahmatullah Raufi said the army was on a state of alert but was awaiting the outcome of negotiations between tribal elders and the Taliban. "The elders want to solve the issue peacefully. If they fail, then government will use military means to take control of the town," he said.
Afghan military corp commander for the south, General Rahmatullah Raufi, said the army was on a state of alert but was awaiting the outcome of negotiations between tribal elders and the Taliban. "The elders want to solve the issue peacefully. We respect that and we are waiting. If they fail, then government will use military means to take control of the town," he said.
Another military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the government was "waiting for as many civilians to leave the town as possible to limit the possibility of civilian casualties from military operations."
Scores of Taliban militants stormed Musa Qala late Thursday, breaking a controversial deal in September which saw British troops agree not to enter a five-kilometre (three-mile) radius around the town. The local elders had appointed an auxiliary police force, but there had been no direct government presence in the town.
The official said there would be no more such deals in the future. "If the Taliban leave or not, police and army forces will go to the town this time," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Hopefully, the Talibunnies are surrounded (and not in the Saudi sense)
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/07/2007 7:35 Comments ||
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Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said that his country would keep its troops in Afghanistan, at the end of a day in which his foreign minister had attacked some allied states for interfering in the decision. "A disengagement on our part from Kabul would be incomprehensible today," he said after a meeting with leaders of the parties forming his coalition, some of whom are reluctant to maintain the country's military presence in Afghanistan. "We stay for the moment in Afghanistan strengthening our civil commitment and in favour of peace," Prodi said.
He said there was no comparisons between the action in Afghanistan, where NATO and the United Nations were involved, and Iraq, which Italian troops left last year.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2007 00:00 ||
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(SomaliNet) The Somalis interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed reiterated on Tuesday his refusal to enter dialogue with the leaders of the ousted Islamist movement his latest remarks is contradicting recent announcement of holding talks with all parties in Somalia.
They should be put on trail for their crimes, he said. They are to be blamed on instability and destruction in the country, so my government will neither negotiate nor pardon these criminals.
In an interview with the Yemeni New Agency (Saba), president Yusuf who is now in Baidoa city southwest Somalia, said his government would never open talks with either moderates or hardliners of the defeated Islamic Courts, arguing that there are no Islamist leaders on the earth.
Mr. Yusuf called the remnants of the Islamic Courts as criminals who do not deserve to be negotiated with. Mr. Yusuf accused the ousted Islamist leaders of assassination attempts against a number of Somali officials including him, premier Ali Mohammed Gedi and the president of the breakaway republic of Somaliland. They should be put on trail for their crimes, he said. They are to be blamed on instability and destruction in the country, so my government will neither negotiate nor pardon these criminals.
Yusuf said Sheik Ahmed; the leader of executive council of Islamic Courts is the actor of all what happened in Somalia.
The US and European governments are pressing the government led by Mr. yusuf to hold an inclusive talks, particularly to negotiate with the moderate Islamists. Despite that, president Yusuf accepted to hold national reconciliation conference but he totally opposes to allow Islamists to become part of he government.
Mr. Yusuf has also asserted that a group of terrorists are responsible for the series of nightly mortar attacks against the government and Ethiopian military positions in the capital. These guys believe if I am killed, my government will collapse. If I die, my government will still function, he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
The dude has his head screwed on right. And, apparently, a bunch of people in his government, as well.
#2
The Somali president is ok, but there are a lot of people in the US State Department trying desperately to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I'm beginning to believe the only way the US Government can be reformed is with a rifle. That's a very negative feeling for anyone to have, and certainly one very disturbing to this miitary retiree.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
02/07/2007 16:54 Comments ||
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#4
don't drive then, it's not a right, it's a privilege.
Posted by: Jan from work ||
02/07/2007 19:19 Comments ||
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#5
I thought cell phones were bad til I saw the Burkha-clad driver tooling through the stop sign down the street. She can't see sh*t wearing that. I thought that if they were enough under the thumb to wear a face covering, they were too precious to be allowed to drive at all.
Yemeni officials and activists have warned of a humanitarian crisis in northern Yemen should clashes continue between government forces and supporters of Hussein Badr Eddin al-Houthi, a radical Shi'ite religious leader who was killed in September 2004. In five and a half years of Rantburging, we've noticed that most things will lead to humanitarian crises.
On Monday, Yemeni government officials said that at least 42 Yemeni soldiers had been killed and 81 wounded in just over a week of clashes with al-Houthi supporters in the northern governorate of Saada. The army's definitely got a humanitarian crisis going, though I doubt the usual suspects are concerned about the boyz in khaki.
Khalid al-Anesi, Executive Director of the National Organisation for Defending Freedoms and Rights, an NGO, told IRIN that the clashes in Saada will have negative consequences at the national level. "Several houses have already been destroyed [in Saada], students no longer go to school, agricultural farms have been damaged and work has come to a standstill," he said. Al-Anesi added that security in Saada province was deteriorating quickly and it would be difficult to provide humanitarian assistance because of increasing instability. Guess who they blame for that state of affairs?
The rights activist blamed the government for the situation as it did not take legal action against the perpetrators of violence when the clashes between al-Houthi supporters and government forces first erupted in 2004. "The state had to resort to using power even it had no legal justification," he said, adding that "only citizens will pay the cost of this instable situation".
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2007 00:00 ||
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#6
France plans to move its sole aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle closer to Afghanistan by mid-March, he said.
French Navy maintains a permanent base in the African nation of Djibouti while it has no plans for any permanent presence in the Gulf waters, he said.
He said the French vessels conduct around 50 inspections of commercial ships in the region as part of its effort to combat piracy and terrorism, the Admiral said. None has so far involved the use of force.
re: From Gulf Waters.
Frog Navy Promises To Plough Up Acient Cheese Balls and Synchronize Them With Arab Enfant-Terribles On Cue!
The principal of an Islamic school has admitted that it uses textbooks which describe Jews as "apes" and Christians as "pigs" and has refused to withdraw them. So bounce her. Next plane out of the country, g'bye, write if you get work.
Dr Sumaya Alyusuf confirmed that the offending books exist after former teacher Colin Cook, 57, alleged that children as young as five are taught from racist materials at the King Fahd Academy in Acton. In an interview on BBC2's Newsnight, Dr Alyusuf was asked by Jeremy Paxman whether she recognised the books. She said: "Yes, I do recognise these books, of course. We have these books in our school. These books have good chapters that can be used by the teachers. It depends on the objectives the teacher wants to achieve." In another exchange, Dr Alyusuf insisted the books should not be scrapped, saying that allegedly racist sections had been "misinterpreted".
The school is owned, funded and run by the government of Saudi Arabia. Mr Paxman asked: "Will you now remove this nonsense from the Saudi Ministry of Education from your school?"
Dr Alyusuf replied: "Just to reiterate what I said earlier, there are chapters from these books that are used and that will serve our objectives. But we don't teach hatred towards Judaism or Christianity - on the contrary." "We of the Master Race don't necessarily hate apes, y'know..."
During the programme Louise Ellman, MP for Liverpool Riverside and chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement, accused the school of inciting racial hatred and hit out at Ofsted inspectors for failing to discover the textbooks. She said: "This whole situation is unacceptable. It is incitement. It is part of a deliberate Saudi initiative to install Wahabbism extremism among Muslims and in the rest of society. If Ofsted has not drawn attention to this, that is a failing of Ofsted. It is unacceptable and we should look to see if this is happening in other schools as well. This is about teaching children. I think the school should take immediate action and so should the regulatory authorities."
In his employment tribunal claim Mr Cook, who taught English at the school for 19 years, has accused it of poisoning pupils' minds with a curriculum of hate. Arabic translators have found that the books also describe Jews as "repugnant".
Dr Alyusuf initially claimed that the books were "not taught currently", saying: "We teach a different curriculum. We teach an international curriculum." Asked by Mr Paxman, "Would you discipline any teacher who has used these teaching materials?", she replied: "Of course I would."
The principal, who has been in the post just under six months, also claimed: "I monitor what is taught in the classrooms. I have developed the curriculum myself."
Asked by Mr Paxman whether she agreed with the suggestion in teaching materials that non-believers in Islam are condemned to "hellfire", she said: "We don't teach that. We teach Islam and it is important for our students to assert their identity."
Mr Cook, of Feltham, was earning £35,000 a year and is seeking £100,000 in compensation. In legal papers submitted to a Watford employment tribunal, he alleged that pupils as young as five are taught that religions including Christianity and Judaism are "worthless". He also alleges that when he questioned whether the curriculum complied with British laws, he was told: "This is not England. It is Saudi Arabia". Pupils have allegedly been heard saying they want to "kill Americans", praising 9/11 and idolising Osama bin Laden as their "hero".
Mr Cook claims he was dismissed last December after blowing the whistle on the school for covering up cheating by children in GCSE exams. He is bringing a tribunal claim for unfair dismissal, race discrimination and victimisation. The school is vigorously defending his claims.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2007 10:03 ||
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#2
saying that allegedly racist sections had been "misinterpreted"
I would simply love to hear what the right interpretation is for calling Jews and Christians "apes" and "pigs," especially because those two animals are considered particularly unclean in islam.
even IF this one particular school doesn't teach those chapters, 1. children can still read them and 2. other schools might.
what an incredible double standard!!! aren't there laws in the UK against hate speech? why isn't there outrage in the UK!?
#4
I find it particularly appalling that Muslims had the nerve to protest the Danish cartoons in the face of their passive or active support of frequent, virulent, racist speech such as this. I couldn't imagine a more stark double standard. The fact that she actually defended this speech was even more galling. It truly does say something about the society where such speech can be considered acceptable and defensible.
A Saudi-funded Islamic school says it is removing from text books controversial passages which allegedly brand other faiths as "worthless".
She said pupils and parents had suffered discrimination and intimidation as a result of the controversy.
sure....discrimination and intimidation are the sole provinces of islam.
[the book] dated 2005/2006 allegedly asks the reader to "give examples of worthless religions... such as Judaism, Christianity, idol worship and others".
The book also allegedly asks the reader to "explain that those who die without adhering to Islam will go to hellfire".
In another textbook for 12 and 13 year olds, dated 2004/2005, the author allegedly says that a Koranic verse, which talks of turning people into monkeys and pigs, is about Jews and Christians.
The author quotes an early Islamic scholar as saying: "The monkeys are the Jews. And the pigs, they are the Christian infidels at Jesus's table."
The passages may be gone, but the sentiment remains.
#7
She said pupils and parents had suffered discrimination and intimidation as a result of the controversy.
Muslim Copout 101: Lesson 1.
These Jews and Christians are just soooooooooooo sensitive. I mean, we just compared them to apes and pigs. So what?
HEY! IS THAT A CARTOON OF MOHAMMED!!!
Sumaya Alyusuf, Director of the King Fahad Academy, Acton, London:
As a Director of the King Fahad Academy, I would like to make the following statement in response to the allegations contained in todays article on the front page of the Evening Standard written by Tim Stewart entitled Islamic School teaches hate, which is now being disseminated elsewhere in the press.
The Evening Standard failed to put any of the allegations to me or any member of the academys staff prior to publication. The allegations, made by a disgruntled ex employee, are grossly offensive, highly inflammatory and entirely false and without foundation. Not only that, these allegations have mischaracterized the students of being subjected to extremist education, an allegation that we categorically deny but fear may subject our students and teachers to risk . To this end, we hold Mr Cook responsible for any harm caused to our students or teachers as a result of his false allegations.
The Academy denies all the allegations and wishes to stress in particular that it is not a racist institution, does not provide books describing Jews or Christians (or any religious group) in a derogatory manner whatsoever, does not promote anti-western views and actively condemns extremism, intolerance and discrimination.
Teachers come from many nationalities and faiths, for instance the newly appointed head of the boys school is American. All teachers are expected to encourage interfaith understanding. The Academy does not ask prospective employees what their faith is as part of the recruitment process, this would be against our equal opportunity procedures.
The Academy does not provide girls with an inferior education. As Director of the Academy, I ensure that all the students, regardless of gender, receive the same quality of education. In fact, two of Mr Cooks daughters attended and graduated from the academy, the younger one graduated in June 2006 and the older is currently studying medicine. It is ironic that he today makes these absurd allegations.
The Academys mission statement emphasizes the goal of enabling the Academys students to become responsible and productive citizens who are able to appreciate the multicultural society in which we live. Its ethos and philosophy are grounded in respect and tolerance. The official Academy philosophy documentation lists employing a holistic approach to education that provides students with the skills needed for developing intercultural understanding, compassion and respect as one of its main principles. Students are taught to develop a balanced attitude, free of prejudice or extreme inclination in the matter of religion.
As Director of the Academy, I have recently been a speaker at two inter-faith conferences; the objective at both conferences was to bring about a change in pupils attitudes to conflict resolution and to teach pupils from different religious backgrounds how to focus on commonality and shared human values.
The curriculum currently used at the Academy is an international curriculum taught in English, which is the main language of instruction. In fact, our curriculum encourages diversity and multi culturalism.. Academy students are exposed to all religions, not just Islam: for example a year 5 class assembly on 2 February dealt with the story of the Virgin Mary as seen from both Islamic and Christian perspectives. Recently the local vicar visited the school and we have asked that he comes back to talk to the children at a future date to answer any questions they have about Christianity.
The 2006 Ofsted Inspection Report noted that the Academy:provides its pupils with a balanced education and opportunities to develop their intellect and skills. The quality of teaching is mostly good, and, in each school, there is a trend towards improved quality with increasing ages of pupils. Pupils achievement and progress reflect the quality of the teaching. The introduction of the International Baccalaureate curriculum has required a change in the languages used for teaching and learning."
At this time, we do not consider it appropriate to comment on Mr Cooks employment matter, as his appeal hearing is this Thursday. Finally, the Academy takes any such allegations made by Mr Cook or his solicitor extremely seriously and is currently taking legal advice and reserves all of its rights in relation to any damage to its reputation as a result of theses false and misleading allegations.
#12
The principal of an Islamic school has admitted that it uses textbooks which describe Jews as "apes" and Christians as "pigs" and has refused to withdraw them.
That's pretty funny. I guess Muzzi-land must be like the Planet of the Apes then.
#13
The more of this the better. Basically, the whole free world would be Rantburgian if people got their news unfiltered by our traitorous media and traitorous academics.
#15
The school is owned, funded and run by the government of Saudi Arabia
Homebase of the religion of piss, these animals are funding similar schools right here in the USA.
Perspective (where this shit comes from): Professor Ali Jumah (Professor of the Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence at Al-Azhar University): . But when [the Sons of Israel] defied the commandments of their god, he turned them into monkeys, pigs and devil-worshippers (p. 8). 4
Quran 5:60 Say (O Muhammad to the people of the Scripture): "Shall I inform you of something worse than that (your criticism of the muslims), regarding the recompense from Allah: those (Jews) who incurred the Curse of Allah and His Wrath, those of whom (some) He transformed into monkeys and swines, those who worshipped Taaghoot (false deities); such are worse in rank (on the Day of Resurrection in the Hell fire), and far more astray from the Right Path (in the life of this world)."
#16
well if the Islamic school uses the Koran, there 3 verses which say (or strongly imply) that Jews (the text doesn't say "Jews" but the standard commentaries, aka tafsir or tafseer, on the Koran all say that is who is being discussed) are apes and/or pigs:
"And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." "2:65
"Say: "Shall I point out to you something much worse than this, (as judged) by the treatment it received from Allah? those who incurred the curse of Allah and His wrath, those of whom some He transformed into apes and swine, those who worshipped evil;- these are (many times) worse in rank, and far more astray from the even path!" 5:60-61
"When in their insolence they transgressed (all) prohibitions, We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." "7:166
#17
So I can use textbooks that say Muzzies are unclean and are dung beetles?
Dung beetles don't deserve that. They clean up shit, and can be quite beautiful.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
02/07/2007 13:27 Comments ||
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#18
Academy students are exposed to all religions, not just Islam: for example a year 5 class assembly on 2 February dealt with the story of the Virgin Mary as seen from both Islamic and Christian perspectives. Recently the local vicar visited the school and we have asked that he comes back to talk to the children at a future date to answer any questions they have about Christianity.
Note how in even her 2 examples, the first took the Islamic view of Virgin Mary (didn't know they had one on Mary, except that she's an infidel for not covering every single square inch of her body), and the other, I wonder how many kids asked the Vicar, "So, how does it feel to be a pig?"
Posted by: BA ||
02/07/2007 13:51 Comments ||
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#19
Or, as they call her at King Fahd Academy, "Mary, the Infidel Slut"...
#20
while comparing the cartoons to this I'd like to highlight that these textbooks are for young children. Forming young thought if it were. The cartoons were mostly for adult humor.
Making these textbooks far worse.
Posted by: Jan from work ||
02/07/2007 14:15 Comments ||
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#21
Mary is an interesting character in the Koran.
The birth of Issa ibn Maryam (Jesus) is by immaculate conception however Issa is not divine in any sense, just a prophet (which seems to me to not require a virgin birth). Mary has a chapter of the koran named after her and I'm pretty sure each mention of her is in praise of her.
Also Mary is the daughter of Imran which is probably supposed to be Amran (making Mary equal to Miriam, Moses's sister). However there is a short 'descendents of David section' also.
#22
Mary is an interesting character in the Koran.
The birth of Issa ibn Maryam (Jesus) is by immaculate conception however Issa is not divine in any sense, just a prophet (which seems to me to not require a virgin birth). Mary has a chapter of the koran named after her and I'm pretty sure each mention of her is in praise of her.
Also Mary is the daughter of Imran which is probably supposed to be Amran (making Mary equal to Miriam, Moses's sister). However there is a short 'descendents of David section' also.
#25
This is why I pray every night for God to protect us from the arrogance of Islam. I also pray for the total destruction of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the sources of evil in Iran. Without those two sources of funding, even the pakinuts can't do much.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
02/07/2007 17:12 Comments ||
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#26
The birth of Issa ibn Maryam (Jesus) is by immaculate conception
I thought that was Mary, or was she the virgin birth thingy?
Detectives investigating an alleged plot to kidnap and kill a British Muslim soldier have been granted an additional three days to question seven of nine suspects, police said. Officers with the West Midlands Police must decide by early Wednesday morning whether they will charge or release two other men, also arrested in the alleged conspiracy. News reports, citing unidentified sources, said the alleged plot was to kidnap, torture and behead a British Muslim soldier.
The suspects, who were arrested and detained on suspicion of the commission, instigation or preparation of acts of terrorism, are being held in Coventry in central England. Eight of the suspects were arrested in early morning raids on January 31. The ninth was arrested later in the day.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2007 00:00 ||
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A GOLDEN handshake - including a weekly stipend and rent-free accommodation - is being drawn up for Muslim cleric Taj al-Din al-Hilali as powerful community leaders head a push to oust the controversial imam. Sheik Hilali has been officially banned from delivering sermons, and his title as mufti of Australia is expected to be up for grabs when the nation's imams meet in coming weeks to discuss a potential successor.
The future of the 66-year-old's spiritual position at Lakemba Mosque in western Sydney was thrashed out last week by more than 50 Sydney-based Muslim leaders during a secret meeting. The talks at the Lakemba Mosque last Thursday came after the Lebanese Muslim Association indefinitely banned Sheik Hilali - whose community support base continues to nosedive - from delivering sermons at the mosque following his return from Egypt last month. It is understood that Sheik Hilali, who came under fire from community leaders and politicians for comparing women to uncovered meat, initially resisted the ban before agreeing to abandon the pulpit on the basis of "mutual understanding" between him and the LMA executives.
Lebanese Islamic leader Mustafa Hamed said the LMA, along with 10 Sydney-based Muslim community organisations present at the secret meeting, were negotiating a "long-service" package for the Sheik. Under the proposed package, the LMA would allow the cleric to continue living in a house next door to Lakemba mosque, which is owned by the organisation. It is also understood the golden handshake would include an indefinite weekly stipend of several hundred dollars.
Mr Hamed, president of the Sydney-based community association Bhanin El Minieh, said yesterday that Sheik Hilali needed to accept that his position as Lakemba Mosque's spiritual head would be better served by someone less controversial. "If I didn't believe that it was in the best interest of the community, that the damage he's done is enough, I wouldn't say that he should leave," said Mr Hamed in an interview conducted in Arabic. "We are prepared to pay his long-service leave ... this is being currently negotiated in the community, among councils."
Sheik Hilali, returning to his home mosque shortly before 7pm (AEDT) yesterday, at first refused to comment and then said there were no problems between him and the LMA. "Everything is all right," he said. "There is no news. Everything is all right. I am all right with the Lakemba ... everything is the same."
Last October, The Australian exposed Sheik Hilali's inflammatory sermon, in which he suggested that rape victims who did not wear Islamic headdress were as much to blame as their attackers. And last month the cleric ridiculed Australia on Egyptian television while dismissing the furore over his insults to women. He said Westerners were "liars and oppressors" who had less right to live in Australia than Muslims.
Mr Hamed said Sheik Hilali had both benefited and damaged the community since his arrival in Australia 25 years ago. "My opinion is that in his 25 years here, he has made mistakes and made good," Mr Hamed said. "But I think it's time for him to rest and leave a place for the new generation to work for the new generation."
LMA president Tom Zreika yesterday said that Sheik Hilali needed to stop playing politics if the Muslim community was to recover from the damage his past remarks had caused. "He's a very useful and astute religious theologian, but we ask him to keep out of politics," Mr Zreika said. He said Sheik Hilali "unfairly implicated" the LMA every time the cleric strayed into the political arena because the organisation was in charge of Lakemba Mosque. "The community as a whole stands to lose more than they would gain by him pursuing this political dialogue," he said.
The Australian National Imams Council is expected to meet by April to thrash out the nature of the mufti position. It is understood that council members have told Sheik Hilali, who has held the title since 1989, that they cannot guarantee his position.
#1
LMA president Tom Zreika yesterday said that Sheik Hilali needed to stop playing politics if the Muslim community was to recover from the damage his past remarks had caused.
IMO the "sheik" has done a wonderful job of presenting Islam for what it is. I trust his successor will keep up the good work.
#8
The Bogle-Chandler scenario, Whiskettes? Works for me.
I used to work for CSIRO at Lane Cove, checked out those mangroves in my lunch break. Very romantic, not.
#9
The usual method is to promote him to imam emeritus, move him down the hall to the tiny spare office, and assign his secretary to his replacement. Oh, and host a lovely rubber chicken farewell dinner so congregation members can tell him how wonderful he is, and how he'll always be their real imam, before they abandon him for the new guy. I wonder how long before the congregation decides they can't afford the stipend and the rent, and cut him off? I'm guessing he'll get about a year.
#11
When the Imams meet to choose their new leader, ummm, how should I put this ?
Wouldn't it be tragic if the building collapsed on them ?
BANG...splatter.
He might not get that long. The Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA) denies that a deal has been struck and says it doesn't pay him, he's a "man of god"!!! and does it for free out of the goodness of his heart.
#19
As people round here are so fond of saying, "Life is hard. It's even harder when you're stupid." Great news for the end of the day, Whiskettes4Hilali. Thanks!
A judge Wednesday ordered a U.S. soldier to stand trial in absentia for the fatal shooting of an Italian intelligence agent at a checkpoint in Baghdad, the prosecutor said.
Spc. Mario Lozano is indicted for murder and attempted murder in the death of Nicola Calipari, who was shot on March 4, 2005, on his way to the Baghdad airport shortly after securing the release of an Italian journalist who had been kidnapped in the Iraqi capital, prosecutor Pietro Saviotti said.
Another agent, who was driving the car, and the journalist, Giuliana Sgrena, were wounded.
"This looks to me like the first step on a long road toward truth and justice, and I hope justice will come in the end," said a visibly emotional Rosa Calipari, the agent's widow.
Lozano was not at the hearing and his whereabouts are not known, but defendants can be tried in absentia in Italy. Judge Sante Spinaci set his trial date for April 17.
Prosecutors so far have not sought the soldier's arrest. Lozano, a member of the New York-based 69th Infantry Regiment, has said through friends in the military that he had no idea the car was carrying the Italians.
The case has strained U.S.-Italian relations. The United States and Italy drew different conclusions in reports on the incident. U.S. authorities have said the vehicle was traveling fast, alarming soldiers, who feared an insurgent attack. Italian officials claimed the car was traveling at normal speed and accused the U.S. military of failing to signal there was a checkpoint.
Calipari's death angered Italians, already largely opposed to the war in Iraq, and the agent was mourned as a national hero.
#1
Aren't we missing something, like in the 'operations in a warzone', 'numerous attempts to use car bombs', 'paying the kidnappers ransom money which would then in turn be used for more terrorism', 'not coordinating the operations with Coalition authorities for safe passage of lines because of the payoff', etc.
#2
You missed the biggest point. "trial in absentia"
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
02/07/2007 10:00 Comments ||
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#3
"This looks to me like the first step on a long road toward truth and justice, and I hope justice will come in the end," said a visibly emotional Rosa Calipari, the agent's widow.
So if it comes out that hubby fucked up, what are you gonna think then, Rosa?
Oh, yeah. We know that ain't gonna happen...
#5
I was under the impression the roadblock he got killed at was in place as a countermeasure / protection for John Negroponte on a diplo mission . If the stupid cretins decided to run the gauntlet and approach it at high speed then expect to get zapped . no brainer , get over it Italy
On a side note Sgrena , hows the collapsed lung ? I hope it hurts .
#6
"This looks to me like the first step on a long road toward truth and justice, and I hope justice will come in the end," said a visibly emotional Rosa Calipari, the agent's widow.
Here's some bloody "truth and justice" Ms. Calipari. Your phueching husband was on a an extremely dangerous mission in a war zone and he fowled it up. People actually become dead over here on a daily basis. The key to the long term benefit program and Italian socialist retirement is paying attention to roadblocks, soldiers with weapons, minding their hand signals and instructions and staying alive.
#13
If I remember correctly, the whole incident was caught on tape by a Predator. (Yes, there were extra precautions in place for Negroponte's visit). This took place on Route Irish, one of the main ambush/kidnapping roads in Iraq at the time. If memory serves me the film backs up the American claim that the car approached the roadblock at over 100 KPM (over 62 MPH) and didn't slow down as it approached.
Even Iraqis know that's suicide.
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
02/07/2007 13:59 Comments ||
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#14
Sounds like it's time to close Aviano AB, Camp Darby, the homeporting of US naval forces in Naples, and whatever else we have going in this "NATO" country. Such a shame - I LIKED Camp Darby. Oh, well...
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
02/07/2007 17:18 Comments ||
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Italien Foreign Minister DAlema expressed surprise and disapproval over the open letter published Saturday in an Italian daily by the ambassadors to Italy of Australia, Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, Romania and the United States.
We must remain united, the ambassadors wrote in La Repubblica daily. We must share all of the responsibilities to sustain security in Afghanistan.
Decisions to keep Italys 1,800-strong contingent in Afghanistan and give the go ahead to the expansion of a U.S. base in Vicenza, northern Italy, have angered communists and Greens in the coalition. Premier Prodi said Italian troops will stay in Afghanistan, and pledged to boost civilian aid and diplomatic action there, a key demand by far leftists who oppose the military mission. A withdrawal today would be incomprehensible. Therefore we will stay in Afghanistan for now, strengthening our civilian commitment, he said.
That's the AP headline. Must be a newly hired editor.
Norway's Progress Party is pushing a platform that would require immigrants to learn the Norwegian language. Carl I. Hagen, vice-president of Norway's parliament, said immigrants who fail to learn Norweigian ... [sic. Definitely a newbie editor, no experienced editor would let such an egregious spelling slip through.]
... would be excluded from social support benefits, Aftenposten reported. Hagen said the party wants to reduce the number of children who enter the public school system without speaking Norwegian. "We will no longer accept the development of ghettos and that children are born in Norway and cannot speak Norwegian. It is a parental responsibility," Hagen said.
Khaled el-Masri, the German whose abduction as a supposed terrorist caused an international furore, faces a charge of assault after punching a welfare manager, prosecutors said. El-Masri, a Lebanese-born Muslim, allegedly lost his temper Monday when the counsellor rebuked him for repeatedly failing to show up for lessons. El-Masri, 43, is unemployed and was being retrained as a truck driver (!) at public expense. Prosecutors in his hometown, Ulm, confirmed an assault inquiry. A newspaper, Suedwest Presse, said a training firm had been hired to groom el-Masri for a job, but his attendance at the driving course which began in early December had been poor. The counsellor spent three days in hospital with his injuries after being beaten up, the newspaper said. Manfred Gnjidic, el-Masri's lawyer, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa, "Masri is very sorry about what happened. If he did lose his control, because of the severe trauma he has been through, he is going to apologize to the victim and take responsibility for it."
And in other news:
This week, German authorities issued warrants for the arrest of 13 persons believed to be CIA agents. The 13 allegedly seized el-Masri on December 31, 2003 in Macedonia and took him to Afghanistan to torture. El-Masri is separately suing in US courts for compensation. Despite this week's arrest warrants, Munich officials admit they do not even know where in the world the 13 are, nor if they are listed under their true or assumed names. The United States had not responded to requests to identify them. Snicker.
#1
The United States had not responded to requests to identify them. Ok, ok, ok. Here are the names:
Secret Agent Persons Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Al Gore, Patrick Leahy, Nancy Pelosi, John Edwards, Joe Biden, Russ Feingold, Dianne Feinstein, Frank Lautenberg and Carl Levin.
The Reed brothers, Jack and Harry were also involved, but never left the States. Plesae let us know if you want them as well.
FORT LEWIS, Wash. The judge overseeing the court martial of an Army lieutenant who refused to deploy to Iraq declared a mistrial Wednesday, saying the soldier did not fully understand a document he signed admitting to elements of the charges.
Military judge Lt. Col. John Head announced the decision after 1st Lt. Ehren Watada said he never intended to admit he had a duty to go to Iraq with his fellow soldiers one element of the crime of missing troop movement. Actually the last part of the last sentence is not true. It's not an element in his crime of refusing to follow a lawful order. One person interviewed, I wish I could remember names, set this trial up as a political trial. He said, "Lt. Watada made a political descision and now must face the political consequences. Horsepookey. This is not a political issue but now the left is making it one.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
02/07/2007 19:17 ||
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#1
Well, exJAG told us---from personal knowledge---that Head is incompetent.
#3
According to another source ( KIRO TV) which I duplicate posted their dropping of the 'conduct' charges was in exchange for that signed document. Now that the document is out I wonder if they will be charges be reinstated...
#4
I'll say again that this last election was a repudiation of government that seems to be incompetent. Border Patrol that doesn't patrol. Convicting Border Patrol that does. 11,000,00 illegal aliens. Leaks and a slow-motion coup attempt in the CIA. A feckless DOS. TSA follies. Sedition and disclosure of classified info in the MSM. A lack of seriousness in the prosecution of the war. Calling Islam the "Religion of Peace" and so on. People know better and they are increasingly frustrated.
They were not voting for the Dems, and the Dems will do even worse. 2008 will be very interesting.
Of course it depends on who the Republicans put forth. Judging by the fact that they chose the same incompetent pack of 'leaders' after the last election -- lets hope there's a change.
Desperately short of soldiers who speak Arabic and understand Islam, the U.S. military is quietly courting American Muslims. But they show little enthusiasm for an institution many say is prejudiced against them. Pentagon statistics show there are more Jews and Buddhists than Muslims serving in the 1.4 million strong, overwhelmingly Christian armed forces. In the Marine Corps, there are only slightly more Muslims than Wiccans, who practice witchcraft. And in the Air Force, Wiccans outnumber Muslims by more than two to one. The Pentagon lists 3,386 Muslims in active service, compared with 1.22 million Christians.
While there is no specific recruitment drive aimed at Arab and Muslim communities in the United States, the Pentagon has made well publicized moves to show that the military does not equate Islam with terrorism and is making efforts to accommodate Muslim Americans who want to serve both God and their country. Last July, the Marine Corps dedicated a new Muslim prayer center at its base in Quantico, Virginia. A month later, the Air Force Academy commissioned its first Muslim chaplain. And in September, the U.S. military academy at West Point inaugurated its first Muslim prayer room.
However, concerns about fifth columnists, which have grown since September 9/11, gathered momentum after an Army sergeant who converted to Islam, Hasan Akbar, rolled grenades into the tents of sleeping soldiers at a base in Kuwait and opened fire on those who ran out. Two officers died and 14 soldiers were wounded in the attack, shortly before the United States invaded Iraq in 2003. The military lawyers who defended Akbar argued he had snapped after fellow soldiers relentlessly ridiculed his faith. Akbar was sentenced to death and is awaiting execution.
Public opinion polls show that negative views of Muslims are not restricted to a fringe minority. In a Gallup poll taken around the time the West Point prayer room opened, a third of those surveyed thought Muslims living in the United States sympathized with al Qaeda.
"This is a big problem," said Hossam Ahmed, a retired Air Force Reserve colonel who leads prayer meetings for the small Muslim congregation that meets at the Pentagon prayer room every Friday afternoon. "I never had anyone question my loyalty until September 11. After that, yes, it has happened." Ahmed, who was born in the United States of Egyptian parents, said that while he had at times encountered prejudice and hostility, his faith had not been an obstacle in his career, a frequent observation by Muslims in the military.
"I've run into lack of understanding and ignorance but I don't have problems practicing my faith," said Lt. Col. Tim Oldenburg, a flight test engineer attached to the Pentagon. "What I get constantly is reactions of surprise when people hear I'm a Muslim." Unlike most Muslims in the military, Oldenburg is white and grew up on an Illinois farm.
Black Americans make up for the majority of Muslims serving in the U.S. armed forces.
#1
---- Pay a sufficient bonus for Arabic speakers, like an extra $50,000 a year, and either Arabic-speaking Muslims will volunteer or someone else will study Arabic to get this. How long does it take to train linguists, anyway? 9/11 was more than 5 years ago. It appears that the US gov't will still be short of Arabic translators for many more years.
#2
What is the problem? There are christians speaking Arabic--Maronites that emigrated from Lebanon, also Iraqi Assyrians. I would bet that they understand Islam pretty well, better than some muslims.
#3
This is a Reuters article. It's not about the inability of the military to recruit Arab speakers; it's about the awful repression muslims of all kinds are facing in the current US environment of oppression, and how that can cause muslims to snap and be forced to murder people, and why that's all our fault.
#4
"I never had anyone question my loyalty until September 11. After that, yes, it has happened." Ahmed, who was born in the United States of Egyptian parents, said that while he had at times encountered prejudice and hostility, his faith had not been an obstacle in his career, a frequent observation by Muslims in the military.
Rubbish, whinning, blithering fool rubbish. Had the 9/11 hijackers been Fijian fire walkers, we'd be looking askance at Pacific Islanders right now, I assure you.
We've had a few experiences with Muslims in the armed forces of late, and some of them have not been too pleasant.
#5
Pay a sufficient bonus for Arabic speakers, like an extra $50,000 a year, and either Arabic-speaking Muslims will volunteer or someone else will study Arabic to get this. How long does it take to train linguists, anyway?
One issue: standard Arabic is one language, but it's used only in e.g. official news articles. What gets you are the dialects - there are a lot of them and they're pretty divergent. There's no such thing as 'plain old Arabic' once you get to the street or (to some degree) the Internet.
Considering that most women and some poor men only ever learn their local dialect, it can make the problem of training people hard. Needs a clear definition of what you want that person to know and be able to do ... i.e. a guy trained to speak with Iraqi officials might not be able to talk with a poor woman in a Shiite community well, or with an Egyptian intel source at all if that source comes from among the Bedouin.
#6
With the same logic the US military should have recruited plenty of Fascist Italian Americans, of Nazi German Americans and of imperialist Japanese Americans.
After all they knew the language and the ideology. Of course iun addition to the occasional fragging we would just have had to deal with Germans knowing that the Allies would land in Sicily not Sardinia, that the landings in Normandy were not a side-show for the real landings at Calais or that the Americans had deciphered Japanese codes and were waiting for the Japanese carriers at Midway.
For the Black Americans who happen to be Muslims we should be reminding them non-stop about Darfur and South Sudan until they understand what is their proper place in Islam.
#7
"With the same logic the US military should have recruited plenty of Fascist Italian Americans, of Nazi German Americans and of imperialist Japanese Americans."
actually we had plenty of Italian Americans, german americans, and Japanese Americans in the service during WW2. Henry Kissinger got his start as an intell officer interrogating German prisoners, IIUC, but there were plenty of gentile German Americans in the army as well, dont know if how much they were used in intell. There were Jap-American units, though they were mainly used in Europe (Daniel Inouye was in one such unit, and lost the use of his arm in Italy). I dont know who was used for translating Japanese language intell provided by our decode program.
If we're thinking the "long war" we probably could use almost all dialects. If the focus is on Iraq, there are considerable numbers of Iraqi americans in Detroit.
Of course Christian arabs could be used as well, and others can learn Arabic.
One question - undoubtedly the guys whove served in Iraq have learned some street Arabic, and at least a few officers have gone beyond that, IIUC. Is that knowledge base being tracked and developed?
#9
Arabic classes should be common in our US military by now. If they are not we're not taking this seriously.
Arab speakers should be seperated into those we can trust (Christian Arabs) who can go into the theater and act as backup translators to confirm the local Iraqi translaters are giving our troops the right translations... and those we're not sure we can trust, which should be divided into two groups that translate Arabic stuff for us back here. The two groups should double-check each others stuff without being aware that is what is happening so we can weed out those that give us false translations. Those that do so consistantly should be put into a special group.
#10
Seems to me the two biggest drawbacks for muslims in the US military would be taking an oath to uphold the Constitution, a document that conflicts with Sharia and the likely job of fighting against your co-religionists.
#12
I wouldn't trust a muzzie to burn the shitter.
You have to trust each other, and that won't happen with muzzies involved.
Muzzies in military equals mistake.
#13
I believe for some years now we are not taking the jihad seriously, and the chronic shortage of interpreters shows this up well. Arabic & Farsi, one or the other, should be made mandatory to graduate from either high school or college, depending on the level of the country's commitment. Hell, this effort should be taking place at the first grade level, a time when most children can pick up a foreign language with almost no effort. By 10th grade (in 2017), these students would be fluent. Screw "No Child Left Behind", aka "No Child Allowed to Excel." Servicepeople who are fluent in necessary languages should be paid big bonuses. Of course there are many Arabic dialects, does this mean we don't even bother to try to train and field our own interpreters? As far as supplying personnel to train our people, there are 1000's of highly skilled Iraqis (and Iranians) who would be more than willing to move to the US "for the duration" to become the training cadre for this massive effort in language skills upgrades. There are plenty of non-Muslims in both these countries (and domestically) who would qualify as politically reliable people to do this. The effort has not been made.
#3 - ditto on your opinion, this Reuters article is a disguised hit-piece on the eeevil racist American hegemonists, etc.
#14
I think we can be faulted for not having more translators. In 1945 (after 4 years of war) we had 10,000 Japanese translators in Hawaii alone (not counting similar groups in Australia and India). Only a minority were Niseii Americans.
If you look at our Japanese Order of Battle documents in the National Archives, they are encyclopedic.
The real sin is that we have a surplus of Russian translators 16 years after the end of the cold war.
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
02/07/2007 14:11 Comments ||
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#15
I think we can be faulted for not having more translators. In 1945 (after 4 years of war) we had 10,000 Japanese translators in Hawaii alone (not counting similar groups in Australia and India). Only a minority were Niseii Americans.
If you look at our Japanese Order of Battle documents in the National Archives, they are encyclopedic.
The real sin is that we have a surplus of Russian translators 16 years after the end of the cold war.
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
02/07/2007 14:11 Comments ||
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#17
This article is garbage and the FBI is a prime example why that is so. The FBI to this day refuses to hire Arabic speaking Jews from the Middle East -- justifying their refusal with the old anti-Semitic canard of divided loyalties. Also, there are hundreds of thousands of Christian Arabs in this country that could be tapped for translator duties. So who carries if the Muzzies refuse to serve? We have alternate sources of translators, IF we can get past the PC roadblocks in the various agencies.
#18
I dont know who was used for translating Japanese language intell provided by our decode program.
My mother, for one. She was part of the unit that took over a college in DC (Wellsley?), and spent her entire wartime duty (42-45) there. She was even trained there. I didn't learn about that until I had a Japanese pen-pal who wrote me a letter in Japanese, and my mother translated it for me. I was about 17 at the time...
This is what the school at Monterrey, California, did for more than 50 years, before being closed down and moved around to different places. Another idiotic move of the BRAC committee. I managed to evade attending Chinese language school there only by sheer luck.
We've had a half-dozen bad incidents with US muslim personnel in the military, out of perhaps several hundred people. We haven't had anywhere close to that percentage from any other religion. Is there any wonder we look at muslims with a bit more jaundice?
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
02/07/2007 17:30 Comments ||
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#19
Hell, let's think out of the box.
Teach the enemy to speak English.
La.E.1a Words and phrases of self-preservation ncluded are:
Move motherfucker
Make a dustangel
Put your hands up and start praying I'm in a good mood
La.E.2a Phrases of friendship
Examples are, but not limited to:
Your sister is shit fine!
Your Momma looking street right too!
No goat moron
La.E.3a Bringing the English to the Souk
Indeed, it is not raining, lo I am pissing upon your leg.
No and Fuck off
Time to review and practice:
Move motherfucker
With my soon to be designed tiny instruction kit an Arab could learn these magic door opening phrases in 3 days. Thousand and thousands of lives will be saved with mutual understanding.
Gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms abducted Iranian diplomat Jalal Sharafi, the second secretary at the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad, Iraqi and Iranian officials said. In an interview with ABC News, Iranian ambassador to Iraq, Hassan Kazami Qomi, blamed the United States for the kidnapping. He alleged that the Iraqi troops are "under the control and responsibility of the American forces here" and that the U.S. military uses them for its own purposes.
U.S. military officials deny any involvement in the abduction. Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a military spokesperson who works with Multinational Forces in Iraq (MNF-I), said it has been determined that MNF-I was not involved with the kidnapping of the Iraqi diplomat. "We talked to Iraqi units we work with and we have no report of anything corresponding to this sort of operation" said Garver.
The ambassador also said that the United States has six Iranian diplomats as well as 30 additional Iranians in its custody, alleging that some have been held for as long as three years. He accused the Bush administration of "turning Iraq into a stage for settling its own accounts with others at the cost of the Iraqi people." Furthermore, he said U.S. policy is preventing other countries from engaging Iraq. When asked about the various weapons U.S. officials claim to have recovered, Qomi laughed and asked in English, "have you seen these weapons?"
The U.S. and Iraqi military are set to begin a major push to secure Baghdad, with many troops already taking up positions in different neighborhoods. The role of Iraqi forces will be critical in this operation. Some Iraqi soldiers are being offered cash bonuses to ensure that they will show up for the fight. Qomi was skeptical that the new plan for securing Baghdad will be successful. During his interview with ABC News two bombs went off nearby and the electricity went out.
Iraq and Iran, he said, have begun discussions on how Iran can assist Iraq with military aid. Areas of military and security cooperation are border control, intelligence, training, technical training and supplying weapons to Iraq. He would not specify what sorts of weapons. He said that Iran plans on opening two new consulates in Irbil and Suly.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Iraq and Iran, he said, have begun discussions on how Iran can assist Iraq with military aid
How about GO THE HELL HOME, TAKE YOUR SPIES AND WEAPONS WITH YOU That would help more than anything.
I sincerely hope this guy is strapped to a hospital bed, doped to the gills and talking away to tape recorders.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
02/07/2007 10:18 Comments ||
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#8
SPACEWAR/OTHER > POLAND wants US bases due to its belief in a future Iranian missle threat to Poland [read - Europe] within 5-6 years. ALso, RUSSIA desires a GLOBAL ABM PACT = Pact wid America to ensure that Dubya's GMD points elsewhere. Methinks Russia is being geopol-PC > KILL USA-WEST FROM WITHIN WHILE GETTING USA-WEST TO PROTECT FROM CHINA + IRAN, etal. considering that Russia now considers CHINA vz NORTH KOREA = CHINA IN NORTH KOREA, and prob by extens TAIWAN CRISIS?, to be within Russia's interests. IMO RUSSIA IS HINTING/SAYING IT WILL PLAY THE "RACE/ETHNIC CARD" BOTH FOR AND AGAINST CHINA.
There is no need for military action to stop Iran from moving forward with its nuclear program, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations on Tuesday night.
"If the international community joins forces and applies the necessary restrictive measures on the economy of Iran, it will force Iran to reconsider its position," said Olmert. If Europe, the US, China and Russia join forces, he continued, "they can create such damage to the Iranian economy that it will force them to reconsider." Olmert made it clear that he believes that the Iranian threat "is not as close as the Iranians want us to think. They are not as close to the threshold as they pretend to be. There is still time to fight in a comprehensive responsible manner."
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2007 00:00 ||
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#2
With a lot of IFs, you can put Paris in a bottle, and you can stop Iran too.
Will this be sufficient to send Olmert to a mental asylum? after allowing HizbAllah to survive in Lebanon, he will allow Iran to develop nukes and USE them against Israel.
The choice Israel faces is pretty clear, and the cost of stopping Iran cannot be assessed as too high. Are 10,000 soldiers worth saving Israel? 100,000? I say yes, if that's what it takes. But the outcome must be the total destruction of Iran. And the certainty for any other anti-Semite on Earth that they cannot take over a country and run it against Israel without consequences.
"Never again" has to mean total, ruthless destruction to anyone who threatens Israel. Next to that, I don't care about Global Warming fascists.
#3
I don't remember, is it my turn to say "And monkeys shooting bottle rockets might fly out of my butt?"
It's sort of like OPEC. Someone's always cheating. That's all it takes. If the international community truly stands shoulder to shoulder [including a bunch of scared muslim countries who always hedge their bets] in a meaningful way I'll eat my hat.
#4
Israel cant totally destroy Iran without using dozens of nukes. Watch what happens to Israels trade, etc when that happens.
Israel knocked out Iraqs reactor in '81, and the Iraqis started over again. All Israel can do is delay an Iranian bomb, and its not clear that they can even do that without nuking Iran. Given that its possible no one else will do that for them, they have to push whats possible.
And yeah, the limited sanctions already in place are having an effect - prices rising in Teheran, stock market falling. A real concerted effort (and that means the countries Olmert mentioned - the muslims just arent important enough) could well seal the fate of the regime.
Olmert may have f**ked up on Lebanon, but on this hes playing his hand as well as it can be played.
#6
Anyone who openly puts his life and the survival of his nation in the hands of Russia, China, AND Europe has a death wish that these entities will busily entertain.
#7
"If the international community joins forces and applies the necessary restrictive measures on the economy of Iran, it will force Iran to reconsider its position," said Olmert. If Europe, the US, China and Russia join forces, he continued, "they can create such damage to the Iranian economy that it will force them to reconsider."
And if Olmert thinks that will actually happen, the boys in the white coats, and a straightjacket with his name on it are approaching...
#9
lh, you are ignoring key words: openly plus Russia, China, and Europe.
You're arguing that people should put their survival in the hands of gangs of criminals -- instead of having recourse to self-defense, the police, or the army. Think about it.
#10
And, that "Olmert: Hezbollah can be stopped without resorting to violence" headline worked soooo well last summer, didn't it, Mr. P.M.?
The mind boggles. We are truly doomed (as the West) if Israel refuses to protect itself there in the middle of the hornet's nest.
Posted by: BA ||
02/07/2007 11:29 Comments ||
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#11
Israel is certainly using its army, police, etc.
Not to much they can do about Iran though. Israelis arent supermen, im afraid.
You said something about 100,000 soldiers.
That says to me you think the IDF can occupy Iran. Is that what you intended? The IDF was stretched occupying Gaza and the West Bank - you expect the IDF to occupy a country of what, 75 million people?
#12
"lh, you are ignoring key words: openly plus Russia, China, and Europe."
Need I remind you that in the 1950s UK and France sold arms to Israel in large quantities, while the US did not? That UK and France joined Israel against Egypt, while the US pressured for withdrawl from Sinai, resulting in future wars? You may believe that Europe is uniquely eevil, and the US perfectly reliable as an ally, but I dont think thats the view in Israel. No country is a perfectly reliable ally - and many countries can help.
Israel has to deal with strategic realities, not with right wing fantasies about teh EEVIL euros. What they DO have to do is apply what pressure they can for EU, China and Russia to apply sanctions to Iran. So far that has gone further than many on right AND left ever thought it would.
"There is no need for military action to stop Iran from moving forward with its nuclear program,If the international community joins forces and applies the necessary restrictive measures on the economy of Iran, "
IE EITHER support sanctions, or take the chance that either the US or Israel or BOTH will take military action, with all the negative consequences the Euros and others fear. IE its blackmailing them, not appeasing them.
#17
I'm with liberalhawk on this one. Olmert is right in that IF the other Nations would unite and not cheat Iran could be stopped. That'll happen when Donkeys fly.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
02/07/2007 17:22 Comments ||
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#18
This little ditty came into my head last night while I was reading a book:
Bomb, bomb, bomb; bomb bomb Iran,
Bomb, bomb, bomb; bomb bomb Iran,
Bombing and a booming,
banging and a breaking,
bomb Iran.
Sung to the Beach Boys' tune, Barbara-ann
It doesn't matter who does it, as long as it accomplishes three things: damaging their nuclear infrastructure (including support and personnel), breaking Iran's military capability, and destroying its harbors. Not only will their nuclear capability be put back a decade or more, but the destruction of their import/export infrastructure will cause a total internal collapse that will end the reign of the mullahs. Of course, a little judicious bombing of Qom would help...
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
02/07/2007 17:41 Comments ||
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#19
I got this nasty hunch that Israel is gonna be required to take a punch to maintain the purity of arms. Silly, dangerous and maybe futile.
Under pressure from the Palestinians to patch up their differences, Hamas and Fatah leaders arrived in Saudi Arabia Tuesday for crucial talks on ending internal strife and forming a unity government. The leaders of the two parties expressed fear that the failure of the summit would lead to renewed fighting. The Fatah delegation is headed by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, while the Hamas team is led by the movement's Syria-based leader, Khaled Mashaal. PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas will also participate in the discussions, which are expected to last three days.
Sources close to Abbas said that if the summit ended without an agreement, he would carry out his threat to call early presidential and parliamentary elections. "This is the last chance for Hamas," the sources added.
The sources voiced concern over a report in a Kuwaiti newspaper on Tuesday to the effect that Syrian President Bashar Assad had warned Mashaal against making concessions to Fatah.
Upon their arrival, Abbas and Mashaal met separately with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz and briefed him on the latest developments in the PA-controlled territories. Saudi officials will not participate in the talks between the two Palestinian parties.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Darn! You know, this would be a prefectly good time to nuke Mecca.... ;-)
Islamic leaders on Tuesday called for a new wave of violence against Israel over an archeological excavation near the Temple Mount. The threats came as archeologists pressed ahead with a three-week-old salvage excavation in the archeological garden outside the Temple Mount ahead of the planned construction of a new bridge to the Mughrabi Gate. "The danger in Jerusalem has increased. It is high time for the intifada of the Islamic people," the leader of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Raed Salah, told reporters near the holy site on Tuesday. "The continued Israeli aggression on Al-Aksa Mosque and Jerusalem require all Palestinians to unite and remember that our battle is with the occupation," said Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas called on the Islamic world to intervene to halt the work. The bridge, which is being built under the auspices of Israel's Antiquities Authority, will replace the temporary bridge which has been constructed on the section of the Western Wall allocated for women's prayer after the original stone ramp leading up to the Mughrabi Gate was removed, having been deemed unsafe by city engineers. Israeli officials repeatedly emphasized Tuesday that the work under way at the site was outside the confines of the Temple Mount, and posed no danger to the mosque at the site. "The construction of the bridge, located in its entirety outside the Temple Mount, has no impact on the mount itself and certainly poses no danger to it," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said.
"There is nothing on earth that can cause damage to the walls of the Temple Mount, and certainly not to any structures inside," said Dr. Gideon Avni, the director of excavations and surveys at the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2007 00:00 ||
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I was away last week so I didn't see if RB covered the latest "Peace Process" developments in Mindanao, where the government negotiators were prisoners honored guests of the Islamists for a period of time. Belmont Club has some links and commentary. This article comes from MindaNews, which is basically the "La Voz de la Ummah" in the 'Ppines. Important to remember here is that the Philippine Army has hassled and harried and killed and captured a number of high ranking Sayyaf and JI leaders and cannon fodder over the past few weeks. So they may be trying to overplay a suddenly weaker hand.
Hostaged or hosted, detained or held, overstaying guests or on forced vacation. However and whatever you would call the situation in Sulu from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon when Peace Process Undersecretary on Security Concerns Ramon Santos, a retired Army general; Marine Brig. General Benjamin Dolorfino and 23 others were asked to stay over in the camp of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the fact remains that Ustadz Habier Malik got what he wanted: a date for the tripartite meeting or at least for the preparatory meeting among the Philippine government, MNLF and the Oganization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
The date? March 17 to 18. The venue? Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Of course. Bring them back to the mother ship and feed them with milk and honeyed words. Kind of like they're doing with the Paleos this week. Which makes me think the Soddies are nervous about the Iranians and counting their flocks...
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, however, says government did not give in to Maliks demand. He told MindaNews the date for the preparatory tripartite meeting had been set three weeks ago when Ambassador Rafael Seguis met with the Secretary-General of the OIC in Jeddah. Dureza said the OIC agreed to their request to convene the Tripartite Meeting after the May elections.
The MNLF, supposedly one of the parties of the tripartite meeting, apparently knew nothing about this alleged agreement, unless the Philippine government was dealing with another MNLF. Apparently, too, only some officials in the Philippine government knew about the supposed agreement. Santos, Durezas undersecretary, and Dolorfino apparently knew nothing about the supposed March 17 to 18 preparatory meeting because if they did, the hostage-but- dont-call- us-hostage drama would not have happened. The two would have told Malik the schedule of the meeting. If Malik had known about March 17 and 18, he would have had no reason to hold Santos and company for two nights.
Sure, sure, yewbetcha.
In Jeddah, OIC Secretary-General, Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, received Seguis, the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Philippines and his delegation, in his office on January 22, a January 23 press statement from the OIC reported. The press statement noted that the Philippine delegation gave a brief presentation on the progress made in implementing the Sept. 2, 1996 Peace Agreement between the Philippine government and the MNLF, as well as on the developments of the situation in Southern Philippines The meeting addressed also the ongoing preparations to hold a tripartite meeting between the OIC, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front in Jeddah in order to make a comprehensive review of the Peace Agreement, to overcome the obstacles hindering the full implementation of this agreement, and to find appropriate solutions to these obstacles, the statement read.
While mention was made about ongoing preparations for the holding of a tripartite meeting, no mention was made about a March 17-18 preparatory meeting. For his part, the Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for the information provided by the head of the delegation of the Philippines and stressed the importance of fully implementing the provisions of the agreement by the parties concerned in Southern Philippines. He reaffirmed his willingness to pursue his efforts to find radical and fair solutions to the problems of Muslims in Southern Philippines and to achieve peace, stability and development in the region, the OIC press statement read. On January 24 or two days after Seguis meeting with the OIC Secretary-General, MindaNews asked Dureza about the tripartite meeting on February 6 to 8 but his answer was, If its the tripartite meeting, its no go pa.
I think that's Tagalog for "Die in a fire."
He said nothing about a preparatory tripartite meeting scheduled on March 17 and 18.
In May last year, Ambassador Sayed El-Masry, adviser to OIC Secretary-General and head of delegation of the OIC Field Visit to Southern Philippines, proposed the convening of a Tripartite Meeting in Jeddah in July, preferably with MNLF chair Nur Misuari, to work out an implementation program to carry out the provisions that have not been implemented or have been changed in a way. Misuari has been in detention for alleged rebellion, since January 2002 in the Philippines. Between November 2001 and the first week of January 2002, he was detained in Sabah, Malaysia for alleged illegal entry. The OIC had repeatedly called for his release. The parties must sit together, El-Masry said.
For peace to really be permanent, it has to be just. One of the parties thinks the agreement has not been implemented. The purpose of proposing a meeting in Jeddah is for this, (for the parties) to sit together with open hearts and minds and only after that can we reach an assessment of the situation, El-Masry said, adding that until now, there is wide gap between the reports of the parties on the implementation of the peace pact. We are trying to narrow the gap, he said.
Lebanon's pro-Syrian president said Tuesday that his rival, the prime minister, violated the constitution by sending to the United Nations an approval of an international tribunal to prosecute the suspected killers of former prime minister Rafik Hariri.
The tribunal has become a major point of contention in Lebanon's power struggle between the anti-Syrian government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, who support the creation of the UN-backed court, and pro-Syrian factions, including the Shi'ite Hizbullah movement.
Last week, Saniora sent a signed copy of the agreement for creating the court to the United Nations. The UN must now sign it and return it to Lebanon for ratification. Lahoud said the contents of Saniora's letter were "misleading and sidestepped reality and the rules of the constitution, conventions and national unity," according to a copy of his letter to Ban, provided to the AP by Lahoud's office.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2007 00:00 ||
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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.
British military authorities say that 25 insurgent compounds have been cleared from the area around a major dam in Afghanistan. 
A GOLDEN handshake - including a weekly stipend and rent-free accommodation - is being drawn up for Muslim cleric 
Khaled el-Masri, the German whose abduction as a supposed terrorist caused an international furore, faces a charge of assault after punching a welfare manager, prosecutors said. El-Masri, a Lebanese-born Muslim, allegedly lost his temper Monday when the counsellor rebuked him for repeatedly failing to show up for lessons. El-Masri, 43, is unemployed and was being retrained as a truck driver 
Gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms abducted Iranian diplomat Jalal Sharafi, the second secretary at the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad, Iraqi and Iranian officials said. In an interview with ABC News, Iranian ambassador to Iraq, Hassan Kazami Qomi, blamed the United States for the kidnapping. He alleged that the Iraqi troops are "under the control and responsibility of the American forces here" and that the U.S. military uses them for its own purposes. 
Under pressure from the Palestinians to patch up their differences, Hamas and Fatah leaders arrived in Saudi Arabia Tuesday for crucial talks on ending internal strife and forming a unity government. The leaders of the two parties expressed fear that the failure of the summit would lead to renewed fighting. The Fatah delegation is headed by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, while the Hamas team is led by the movement's Syria-based leader, Khaled Mashaal. PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas will also participate in the discussions, which are expected to last three days. 
Islamic leaders on Tuesday called for a new wave of violence against Israel over an archeological excavation near the Temple Mount. The threats came as archeologists pressed ahead with a three-week-old salvage excavation in the archeological garden outside the Temple Mount ahead of the planned construction of a new bridge to the Mughrabi Gate. "The danger in Jerusalem has increased. It is high time for the intifada of the Islamic people," the leader of the 
Lebanon's pro-Syrian president said Tuesday that his rival, the prime minister, violated the constitution by sending to the United Nations an approval of an international tribunal to prosecute the suspected killers of former prime minister Rafik Hariri. 
