NIAMEY - Nigers President Mamadou Tandja extended a state of alert in the desert north, home to some of the worlds largest uranium reserves, where security forces have been battling an uprising led by Tuareg nomads. The announcement prolonged for a further three months from Sunday extra powers of arrest first given to the security forces in August in the region around the northern town of Agadez.
The rebel Niger Movement for Justice (MNJ) has killed at least 50 soldiers and taken dozens hostage since launching a revolt a year ago to demand more autonomy and a greater share of mining revenues. The unrest has threatened to disrupt activities by firms including French nuclear group Areva, whose uranium production in Niger has fuelled Frances nuclear industry for decades, and Sino-U, a unit of Chinas state-run nuclear firm which is preparing to start production in Niger.
By a presidential decree, the state of alert in the region of Agadez has been extended by three months from February 24, 2008, said an official statement issued late on Saturday. The emergency power were already extended once, in November.
The MNJ has threatened to disrupt uranium mining in the north until local people benefit from the industry. In mid-February, the rebels accused France of giving military support and equipment to Tandjas army. This was strongly denied by authorities in Paris.
They said with a smile ...
Tandjas government refuses to recognise and negotiate with the rebels, describing them as armed bandits. In a statement on Friday, it demanded that they lay down their weapons. Tandjas government had initially accused Areva of backing the rebels in order to dissuade competitors from entering the sector, but relations have warmed since the French company renegotiated its mining contract in January.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
But . . . but . . . but . . . there's no uranium in Niger! None at all! Ambassador Wilson went there and looked for himself. This is neoKKKon-Zionazi-BushCo propaganda designed to make us fearful so we give up our civil rights.
[/moonbat]
Posted by: Mike ||
02/25/2008 8:19 Comments ||
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Nearly six million North Koreans are in chronic need of foreign food aid this year with children, nursing and expectant mothers and the poor most at risk, the World Food Programme said Sunday. The UN agency said the nation would be short of an estimated 1.4 million tonnes of food this year, nearly a quarter of its total needs, following severe floods last August which wiped out more than 10 percent of the grain harvest. Young children, pregnant and breast-feeding women and poor families in both urban and rural areas will be most at risk of hunger, the WFP said in a statement. Many already struggle to feed themselves on a diet critically deficient in protein, fats and micronutrients. The communist state was hit by famine in the mid- to late-1990s which killed hundreds of thousands. Since then, the country has relied on international food aid to help feed its people. The agency said malnutrition rates had fallen since the late 1990s. But it said 37 percent of young children are still chronically malnourished, and one third of mothers are malnourished and anaemic, citing a 2004 survey.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under:
#1
I don't believe they're suffering as much as Gazans do.
#3
Send all you want, it will just go to the military.
It always has, in fact the average NKor probably has never heard about the US or UN sending food to their country. Kimmie steals every last grain for his army and his political cadres, and we keep sending it over there like a bunch of rubes. We need to get smart on this little dude.
#4
If we scrapped the UN altogether, we could take the money that is saved and feed the starving. And the children would not even need to prostitute themselves for the food. Imagine that.
#5
We know the Army is better feed these days. Make the Norks draft the entire population and put them in uniform. Maybe some of the food won't get diverted to little fiefdoms in the uniformed bureaucracy.
#6
I'd rather divert food to the Norks than the USA continue feeding the entire Somali population gratis.
Posted by: ed ||
02/25/2008 8:28 Comments ||
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#7
Kimmie-boy simply repackages the food (after skimming off a good percentage for the party and military of course) and then sends it to the people. The people themselves have no idea that the food actually comes from abroad - to them the 'Great Leader' provides all.
And of course having the food provided by the UN frees up funds for Kimmie to develop nuclear tech and missiles and, of course, oppress his people even more...
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization estimates 1,400 species of insects and worms are eaten in almost 90 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Researchers at the conference detailed how crickets and silk worms are eaten in Thailand, grubs and grasshoppers in Africa and ants in South America.
"In certain places with certain cultures with a certain level of acceptance, then insects can very well be seen as part of the solution" to hunger, said Patrick Durst, a Bangkok-based senior forestry officer at the FAO....She suggested a more practical benefit might be adding insects to animal feed or crushing them into a meal powder that could be used to make cookies or cakes.
Meyer-Rochow said aid agencies might even find a way to harvest crop-destroying swarms of locusts and crickets.
"These mass outbreaks could be a valuable food source," he said. "If the technology is available, they could be ground up like a paste and added to the food humans eat."
#10
She suggested a more practical benefit might be adding insects to animal feed or crushing them into a meal powder that could be used to make cookies or cakes.
Let them eat bug cake!
Now off to a seven course meal at the Hilton on the UN's expense account.
Posted by: ed ||
02/25/2008 10:49 Comments ||
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#11
Feeding the starving of the dictatorships world wide helps keep them in power by pushing out the date where the people are fed up enough to overthrow the tyrants. every penny of food aid sent to these holes translated directly to the dictators and tyrants in these places being able to loot their economies further to stay in power and to, in Nork's case, enhance their military. the cold war was won when the Russians couldn't afford to both feed their people and to compete militarily at the same time. how many years of suffering behind the iron curtain did jimmy carter add to the human condition by sending all that wheat to the USSR in the 70's? how long much longer will the Norks be able to hold out and crush their enslaved population because of our food aid?
take Kimmie of life support... no more aid.
Posted by: Abu do you love ||
02/25/2008 12:46 Comments ||
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PINE Gap may become part of a US-led strategic missile defence shield as Labor considers reversing its opposition to the controversial scheme - a move that could create tensions with China and Russia.
In Opposition, Labor was against Australian involvement in a program to build a national missile shield protecting the US, but supported a limited theatre-based system that could be deployed in war zones. But Foreign Minister Stephen Smith yesterday said missile defence technology had evolved and that the Government was now giving "careful consideration" to participating in the missile shield.
Yet another benefit from hitting that satellite ...
Last year, then defence minister Brendan Nelson told parliament the US-Australian defence facility at Pine Gap could form part of a missile shield by providing early warnings of ballistic missile launches.
Any about-face on missile defence could stoke tensions within the Labor Party, with opposition to the joint facilities being an article of faith for many on the party's Left. However, Mr Smith said yesterday: "The technology has moved on, and so what we've said is that in conversation with our ally, with the US, we're happy to give consideration to the missile defence arrangements."
The system would offer protection to the US, but could in the future be extended to provide limited cover to Washington's allies, including Australia, through the use of ship-based missiles.
Critics say the system would spark a regional arms race and relies on uncertain technology.
Both have been undercut by events. The technology now has been shown to work, and the neighbors are too poor to overcome it.
Any Australian involvement in a missile shield would generate tensions with nuclear powers China and Russia, both of which are implacably opposed to the scheme, which they fear is aimed at containing their strategic influence. But it would guarantee that Australia would continue to benefit from US intelligence and would give Australian defence contractors access to lucrative work during its development.
The Aussies would gain a pair of AEGIS ships in time. Homeport them in Darwin or Townsville, and Australia gains sufficient protection to be as independent as it wants of Chinese and Nork threats.
Mr Smith said the Government had yet to be persuaded about the viability of a such a system, citing the unknown high cost as well as doubts over the technology. "We're not rushing to embrace it, we are just giving very careful consideration to it and we'll do that in conjunction with our US ally," he said.
Want us to hit another satellite?
Mr Smith said the matter had been under discussion during the weekend's Ausmin talks with US Defence Secretary Robert Gates. He denied the two governments were locked in secret talks over the idea, but said certain aspects of the discussions had to remain confidential.
Participation in the scheme might prove to be in Australia's national interest, Mr Smith said. "We don't want to make any decisions which would deprive us of technology which might in the end be in our national security interest and be able to protect our forces in the field," he said.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Andrew Robb said Mr Smith's remarks were inconsistent with Labor's pre-election position on the subject. "They need to clearly explain what their position is," he said.
Strategic and defence expert Ross Babbage said that Mr Smith's remarks were a case of "reality biting". "Australia is already involved in a range of things related to missile defence, particularly in monitoring launches," he said. Improved detection, tracking and targeting technology was rendering the distinction between theatre-based and region-based missile defence systems indivisible, Professor Babbage said.
He said Australian co-operation in the project would come in the form of research and development as well as surveillance and technology.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Any Australian involvement in a missile shield would generate tensions with nuclear powers China and Russia, both of which are implacably opposed to the scheme, which they fear is aimed at containing their strategic influence.
Which even if their opinions mattered to free peoples, or if their concerns had any legitimacy, would make the project worthwhile specifically because it contains their strategic influence.
#3
ION, IRNA > UK DEMOCRACY NEEDS A COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL, + EU:EVERY FIFTH CHILD IN EUR BORN INTO POVERTY, + MALAYSIAN KING PRAISES IRAN'S NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY.
MUSLIM university students want lectures to be rescheduled to fit in with prayer timetables and separate male and female eating and recreational areas established on Australian campuses.
No.
International Muslim students, predominantly from Saudi Arabia, have asked universities in Melbourne to change class times so they can attend congregational prayers. They also want a female-only area for Muslim students to eat and relax.
Hell no.
But at least one institution has rejected their demands, arguing that the university is secular and it does not want to set a precedent for requests granted in the name of religious beliefs.
Good for them.
La Trobe University International chief executive director John Molony said several students had approached the Bundoora institution about rearranging class times to fit in with daily prayers.
Mr Molony said the university was attempting to "meet the needs" of an increasing number of Muslim international students, including doubling the size of the prayer room on campus.
Is that a non-demoninational room that anyone can book and use, or has it been taken over?
La Trobe University International College director Martin Van Run said that although it was involved in discussions with the Muslim students who had made the requests, the university was not planning to change any timetables. "That would seriously inconvenience other people at the college and it is not institutionally viable," he told The Australian. "We are a secular institution ... and we need to have a structured timetable."
Mr Van Run said that Saudi students were fully aware that the university was secular before coming to study there. "They know well in advance the class times," he said.
Even better: if you want to attend the university, you fit your schedule to theirs. Or stay home.
A spokesman for RMIT University would neither confirm nor deny reports that Muslim students had requested timetable changes.
One university source told The Australian that the requests by Muslim international students for timetable changes included a petition. "Some of the students would prefer that lecture times were organised so it would be easy for them to attend prayers," he said. "But it wouldn't be a good precedent to set."
Islamic leaders yesterday backed the push by Muslim students to have their lectures arranged to accommodate prayer sessions, but said such a move would be essential only for congregational Friday prayers.
Female Muslim leader Aziza Abdel-Halim said yesterday it was a religious duty for those who followed Islam to preach with their fellow believers on Fridays.
Guess you'll just have to make up the work. Or make up prayer.
But the former senior member of John Howard's Muslim reference board said there was nothing in Islam that indicated men and women be segregated when it came to educational activities. "There's nothing in Islam that says there should be complete segregation, especially in educational institutions," said Sister Abdel-Halim.
She said afternoon prayers for Muslims - Zhohor, at 1.10pm, and Asr, at 4.50pm - could be performed until 10 minutes before the following daily prayer, so it was more appropriate to alter prayer times than lecture schedules. "It's reasonable to ask for the lectures to be shifted around on Friday," Sister Abdel-Halim said. "But if it's going to cause havoc with the timetable, I don't think it's really feasible to ask forevery single prayer to be catered for."
It's not even 'reasonable' to shift lectures on Friday, unless you make way for the Benedectine prayers as well.
Posted by: tipper ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Global Jihad
#1
Yah, and I want a permanent Jewish and Christian presence in the Holy Lands. Will the Muslims deliver recognition? If they don't like our secularism, then can go back where they came from.
#2
All final exams should be given at precisely 1.10pm and 4.50pm.
Posted by: ed ||
02/25/2008 8:58 Comments ||
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#3
...and another thing we want: Build a minaret over the prayer room on campus and hire an authentic muezzin to recite the adhan (call to prayer) by loud speaker. Once you've satified those demands we'll be back with some more.
#7
I just read at Dhimmi Watch that the muslims at Harvard University have convinced the administration to initiate "women only" hours at the (heretofor) campus co-ed gym. This concession is made to accomodate the sensibilities of the muslim women on Harvard's campus who say they are uncomfortable working out in the presence of men.
There are no plans to institute "men only" gym hours presumabaly because that would be deemed discriminatory toward women. Hmmm.
A "press release" of sorts was put out by email by the Harvard Islamic Society announcing the latest infidel accomodation to the religion of peace. The issue came to light when it was learned that mulsim women on Harvard's campus felt they were being denied full access to the campus gym because the mulsim women felt uncomfortable using the gym facilities in the presence of men.
(I suppose as a practical matter it makes sense to have muslim women only gym hours. Most of the men during co-ed hours won't be marriage material anyway since most men are not first cousins or are infidels unlikely to voluntarily convert to islam).
The Harvard Islamic Society press release assures all non-muslim women on Harvard's campus that THEY are still welcome to attend the "women only" gym hours. Why? Because as everyone knows: islam is the religion of peace and tolerance. The presense of any non-muslim women in the gym during restricted hours will be (grudgingly) tolerated. How nice and multi-culti of the muslim women.
I don't know when it will happen, but I wouldn't be surprised to read in the near future that Harvard's Islamic Society demands separate but equal gym facilities be built on campus for men and women. Just like in the "old country": Let's all go islam: BACK to the FUTURE.
I'm cetain the muslim women on Harvard's campus are happy and find this all very liberating. So many muslim women tell us that wearing the hijab is liberating, right? Segregation = Liberation in the mind of your typical muslim (so long as the infidel is paying the jizya, mind you).
Political authorities in Khyber Agency have set a deadline of February 26 for the Malik Din Khel tribe to recover the missing Pakistani ambassador to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizudin, Dawn News TV channel reported on Sunday.
The channel quoted official sources as saying that they were under pressure to recover the ambassador, who was kidnapped around 14 days ago from the Ali Masjid area in Khyber Agency. The channel quoted the sources as saying that the ambassador had been seized from an area belonging to the Malik Din Khel tribe, while he was travelling to Afghanistan. It said elders of the tribe had convened a jirga tomorrow (Monday) to initiate measures to recover the missing envoy.
Local Taliban had earlier claimed responsibility for Azizuddins abduction saying, they would release him in return for Taliban commander Mullah Mansoor Dadullah.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
Former premier Nawaz Sharif has linked his partys cooperation with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for a national coalition government to the withdrawal of the ban on the third time premiership, sources said on Sunday.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would seek a guarantee before cooperating with the PPP that after coming into power the PPP government would withdraw the amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, the sources said.
The sources said the PML-N would also try to woo the Awami National Party (ANP) and other parties that the bar on third time premiership should be withdrawn at the earliest.
However, a PML-Q leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the party would oppose any amendment to allow Nawaz to contest for the third time premiership.
Twice-elected former premier Nawaz can become a prime minister for the third time only with prior consent of the president through a bill passed by parliament with a simple majority. It does not require the two-thirds majority to allow him to become a prime minister for the third time, the PML-Q leader said.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
President Pervez Musharraf was not thinking of stepping down from office, a presidential spokesman reiterated on Sunday. The President is not thinking of quitting. This was not the presidential election. In these elections, people have selected candidates to represent them in the legislative assemblies. There is no reason for the president to quit, retired Major General Rashid Qureishi, the spokesman for President Musharraf, told The Hindu on Sunday.
He was reacting to a report in the British Sunday Telegraph quoting a presidential aide that the retired General Musharraf would quit within days, not months.
General Musharrafs political future has looked unsure since the Pakistan Peoples Party, which emerged as the single largest party in the elections, and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) declared that they would work together for government formation.
Supported by other parties, they could move to impeach General Musharraf, although the PPP leadership has indicated it does not want to rock the boat.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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[8 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
Like how long is he going to live if he gives up power?
#2
Previous Pak military dictators like Yahya Khan and Ayub Khan lived quite normally long after they were forced out of power.
The exception was Zia Ul Haq, who clung to power and had his plane sabotaged.
Posted by: john frum ||
02/25/2008 6:00 Comments ||
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#3
of course he is not quitting. He is a little tyrant. Has a little tyrant ever left office voluntarily? Anyone? Bueller?
#4
Why should he quit? The Presidency is an elected office. Should American presidents, before popular elections, have resigned when their party lost the Congressional majority?
Posted by: ed ||
02/25/2008 8:36 Comments ||
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#5
If Yahya Khan could have a peaceful retirement, then so can Perv.
No Pak leader was as hated as Yahya. He was blamed for the humiliating defeat in the 1971 war when Pakistan lost half its territory.
A war criminal resposible for genocide, he faced no trial.
A drunkard and a womanizer, he was detested by many in the military. At one air force base, after being forced from power, he was cursed by the ground crew as he disembarked. He asked "What is their $%^& problem? Did I take away their she-goat"?
Posted by: john frum ||
02/25/2008 8:48 Comments ||
Top||
#6
An Islamic Larry Craig. Well, in the not quitting sense at least.
Local Taliban said on Sunday that they were ready for peace talks with the new government, but only if it rejected President Pervez Musharrafs war on terror in the countrys tribal belt.
A rebel spokesman quoted Taliban warlord Baitullah Mehsud accused by Musharraf of masterminding the slaying of former premier Benazir Bhutto as calling for negotiations with parties that beat the presidents allies in elections.
The announcement comes amid US concerns about Islamabads commitment against extremists after the opposition parties won the February 18 elections. The Taliban movement welcomes the victory of anti-Musharraf political parties ... and announces its willingness to enter into negotiations with them for bringing peace, Taliban spokesman Maulvi Omar said, quoting a statement by Mehsud.
Whoever makes the government, we want to make it clear to them we dont want fighting. We want peace, but if they impose war on us, we will not spare them, Omar told journalists in Peshawar by telephone.
He urged the new administration to avoid repeating the mistakes of the Musharraf government.
Omar says he is a spokesman for Taliban groups operating in the Tribal Areas but there is no way to independently verify his claim.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz responded to the Taliban statement by saying that political and economic solutions were needed to deal with extremism. Our stance is that General Musharraf has mishandled the situation to stay in power. We feel that if Musharraf steps down, half of the terrorism would end, party spokesman Ahsan Iqbal told AFP.
Hundreds of people have died in months of clashes with Taliban militants in Pakistan, and the country has been hit by a wave of suicide attacks over the past year. The most high-profile bombing killed Bhutto at a political rally on December 27. The Pakistani government said Mehsud orchestrated the killing, but he has denied all involvement.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Taliban
#1
Taliban must be running low on ammo (or warm bodies) & needs to re-supply.
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan militants linked to Al Qaeda warned any incoming civilian government on Sunday that they would strike even more viciously if President Pervez Musharrafs war on terror was continued in tribal areas.
Following last weeks inconclusive election, several political parties are in talks to form a coalition big enough for a ruling majority in the National Assembly. How they deal with the militants will be one of their most pressing challenges.
I have a prediction ...
Maulvi Omar, a spokesman for the Pakistan Taleban, told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location that any new operation against militants in tribal areas would lead to violence. Whoever makes the government, we want to make it clear to them we dont want fighting. We want peace, but if they impose war on us, we will not spare them, he said. We dont want political parties to repeat the mistake which Musharraf committed and follow a path dictated by the U.S.
If the new gummint would simply then do the one thing the yokels bluster against the most, they'd actually start to fix the worst problems. But I'm betting they're going to roll over and cede the entire frontier area and Wazoo to the crazies ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Taliban
RIYADH - Egyptian and Saudi leaders meet Sunday to coordinate their position on the next Arab summit amid strained ties with its Syrian host over Lebanons political standoff and fears that the summit is doomed to failure.
An Arab Summit doomed to failure? Say it ain't so!
In their meeting, Egypts President Hosny Mubarak and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia are expected to make a long-awaited crucial decision on the Damascus summit scheduled for March. By deciding their level of participation in the summit, both regional powers, are setting the tone for many Arab countries, which are likely to follow suit.
Ahead of his visit to Riyadh, Mubarak stressed the importance of his alliance with the Saudis. Saudi-Egyptian ties are the mainstay of pan-Arab cooperation, Mubarak told Saudi Al Riyadh newspaper.
Lebanons political ordeal is not only polarizing its own rival blocs, but also major Arab rivals. Riyadh and Cairo with their backing of the Lebanese majority government seem to have intractable disagreements with Syria, which backs the opposition.
Mubarak and Abdullah will reaffirm their declared position that the election of a Lebanese president - a post that has been vacant since November - is a prerequisite to a successful Arab summit. But diplomatic sources in Riyadh refused to say whether Mubarak and Abdullah would boycott the summit in response to Syrias perceived interference in Lebanons domestic politics and hindering the election of a consensual president.
So it's just posturing, much like the Arab summit in general ...
Syria has recently lashed at the Cairo-Riyadh axis and insisted that the summit is going ahead irrespective of their level of participation. Syria rejects political blackmail by some Arab and international circles to affect the upcoming 20th summit in March, Syrias former Information Minister, Mahdi Dakhlallah told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
Not a single Arab summit has brought all Arab leaders together, Dakhlallah said. The summit will be held as scheduled but there is a problem with the level of representation. It is certain that many leaders will attend, he added.
Just a ringing endorsement, isn't it ...
Summits are often marred by differences between Arab countries. Libya boycotted the Riyadh summit in 2007 while the 2005 summit, which was to be hosted by Tunisia and eventually held in Cairo, was marred by differences over democratization and ties with Israel.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Syria
Almost every indicator of violence is headed in the right direction. Last years indispensable abbreviation, EJK, or extra-judicial killings meaning sectarian murders is barely heard now. The sectarian civil war has dissipated in Baghdad. Nationwide, enemy actions are down about 60 percent since June. In December, American casualties were at early-2004 levels.
More than 60 percent of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) the enemys most deadly weapon are now found and cleared, a direct result of more tips from the civilian population. And the effectiveness of IEDs that arent found has declined. The bomb-making networks have been disrupted, and the top tier of personnel have been killed or captured. Were now on the second and third string, says a U.S. general.
Gen. David Petraeus has emphasized the distinction between reconcilable and irreconcilable enemies. The former can be won over with various forms of persuasion; the latter must be captured or killed. This principle is dramatically illustrated by the security volunteers around the country known as concerned local citizens (CLCs), or, more recently, sons of Iraq. There are now about 80,000 of them, 75 percent Sunni.
They represent more or less a direct transfer of forces from the enemys side to ours. General Lynch estimates that about 60 percent of them had insurgent tendencies. U.S. officers tell stories of men who were targeted by U.S. forces but turned around to lead or join CLC units. Lynch marvels at the change of heart of a former Sunni fighter his troops had been hunting: Yesterday, he and I were man-kissing.
There are about 30,000 CLCs in Baghdad, and they have been key to securing the city. . . .
Posted by: Mike ||
02/25/2008 08:23 ||
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Top|| File under: Iraqi Insurgency
#1
This means one of two things. If lots of US forces are being kept in Iraq, they are there to watch Iran. However, they would be far more useful in Afghanistan, doing much more, and still watching Iran.
Otherwise, Iraq is being ordered as AFRICOM HQ, and we are planning a chain of kasernes, just like in Germany, with a Status of Forces agreement.
Safaa Wadi moved to this former mill city after his life was threatened in his native Iraq while serving as an interpreter for the US Army. He expects to soon head back to Iraq not as a civilian interpreter, but as a US soldier.
Mr. Wadi arrived in the United States in September with a special immigrant visa for Iraqi and Afghan interpreters. But with his savings nearly depleted and unable to land a decent job, Wadi enlisted in the Army. He begins training in South Carolina Monday.
Wadi isn't worried about returning to Iraq, where many of his countrymen considered him a traitor because he worked with American forces. His allegiance is now to the United States, he says. "I want to serve this country because this country returned to me my life," Wadi says. "If I had stayed in Iraq, I'd be dead now."
In the modest two-bedroom apartment Wadi shares with three other Iraqi immigrants, the walls are bare except for photos taken in Iraq of him and other interpreters with US soldiers. He points to a fellow Iraqi interpreter smiling for the camera. "He was killed," he says.
Iraqi interpreters working for US forces often face grave danger. They receive instant messages on their cell-phones threatening harm to them or their families. Some of their cars get blown up. Some get shot. Some are killed.
The United States responded by increasing from 50 to 500 the annual number of interpreters from Iraq and Afghanistan who were allowed to immigrate here in the past two fiscal years. Wadi was one of 1,880 applicants for the slots, immigration officials say.
For some who have moved here the realities of life in the US have fallen short of their hopes. The men, many of whom studied at the college level and owned homes and cars in Iraq, have had a hard time finding work. There's no market here for Arab interpreters, so they're learning to write résumés, network, and apply for other jobs.
Nationwide, hundreds of interpreters are having a tough time, says Francie Genz, outreach coordinator with Upwardly Global, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that helps professionals re-establish themselves in the US.
Some face a daunting choice: stay in America and work in low-wage jobs or return to Iraq for high-paying but dangerous jobs as interpreters. "It's kind of a shameful predicament that that's their choice," Ms. Genz says.
Wadi speaks in fluent English about life in Lewiston. He shops at Wal-Mart and Staples. Reality cop shows and "Deal or No Deal" are among his TV favorites. He enjoys listening to Johnny Cash. Few people in Iraq know he and his roommates are in the US, they say. Instead, people in Iraq think the men are attending school or working jobs elsewhere.
One of Wadi's housemates has found a job at a visa processing center. The pay is low, but it's a start, he says.
Despite difficulties finding work, decent housing, and convenient public transportation, Wadi and others resist the temptation to return to Iraq as interpreters. It's just not safe, they say.
Wadi decided last summer to leave Iraq. Now he says the time has come to put on a uniform. This week, he'll become Army Specialist Wadi. "I think I'm the first guy to do this," he says. An Army spokeswoman says she's unaware of any other Iraqi interpreters joining the Army. But they are welcome to do so. Enlisting would give them good benefits and put them on the path toward US citizenship while filling a need for the Army, Lt. Col. Anne Edgecomb says.
Wadi expects to be used as an interpreter again when he returns to Iraq. He plans to put in four years in the military. "After the Army," he said, "I hope to go to an American university, get a job, and be a productive citizen."
Posted by: Mike ||
02/25/2008 8:21 Comments ||
Top||
#2
Good man, I'm pleased he's here and is fitting in, but I'm wondering: an interpreter who speaks fluent English and Arabic can't find a job in the U.S.? Really? I thought the FBI and our military were desparate for Arabic speakers here stateside.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/25/2008 9:52 Comments ||
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#3
Sounds like he's got limited horizons - only trying to be an interpreter. What's his degree in? LEWISTON, Maine? Needs to move to DC or something.
#5
Many times technical as well as medical degrees are not recognized here. They have to start from scratch in their profession. Gromky is correct, they should have been located near federal facilities (DC?) that could use their skills. Sounds like a normal State Dept screwup to me. And more than one if there others there as well. Sounds like someone should get these folks in contact with the right HR departments. (Their biggest problem may be clearances)
#6
Article: Enlisting would give them good benefits and put them on the path toward US citizenship while filling a need for the Army, Lt. Col. Anne Edgecomb says.
This is BS. Anyone who gets a green card can become a citizen after 5 years of US residency. Note that the green card doesn't need to be renewed and is valid for work and residency* in the US. It also makes the holder eligible for government assistance after a short waiting period. The point being that green card holders don't need citizenship for anything other than voting or holding positions that are sensitive for national security reasons. Why do I mention this? It annoys me that military recruiters consistently bring up what I consider a stupid and invalid reason for enlisting** - it makes them look moronic and dishonest.
* Green card holders are eligible for in-state tuition at state colleges, unlike illegal immigrants and foreign students on student visas.
** Green card holders enlist out of patriotism, not because they want to vote two years earlier than other green card holders. Note that it's a lot more of a hassle to deal with naturalization procedures when you're posted overseas. I've heard of GI's who have missed their interview dates because they were abroad when the interviews were scheduled.
Catholic Relief Services most likely settled him in Lewiston. CRS has a scam going where they have settled a lot of Somali refugees in Lewiston Maine. The word got out about Maine's generous welfare payments and and Somali clans have migrated to Lewiston and are sucking it dry. Somali migration transforms Lewiston
Posted by: ed ||
02/25/2008 22:46 Comments ||
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#9
Green card holders in the military are eligible for citizenship after 3 years.
Posted by: ed ||
02/25/2008 22:49 Comments ||
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More evidence that the Iraqi Army is stepping up, and in WaPo, no less ...
U.S. Is Betting Iraqi Forces Can Take Lead Against Insurgents
MOSUL -- The mission was as dangerous as any that American troops could face in Mosul. An Iraqi informant had tipped them off about an enormous stockpile of homemade explosives and rocket-propelled grenades hidden along a city block within a few hundred yards of the place where 15 tons of explosives had blown up less than a month earlier, killing as many as 60 people.
As illumination flares drifted down over the desolate northern city, Apache attack helicopters circled the neighborhood and U.S. armored vehicles took their positions around the block. "If there's ever a time that you need to find God," said Sgt. James Leisinger, "now's the time."
But instead of storming the buildings themselves, standard procedure for them over the past five years, the American soldiers deferred on this night to their partners. Dozens of Iraqi soldiers jumped down to the pavement and searched 22 buildings as the Americans watched from their vehicles. No weapons were found, and the soldiers drove back unharmed.
"It cuts down on the danger to American forces," said Sgt. Christopher Sherman. "It's nice to have some people helping us kick in doors."
CIZRE, Turkey - The Turkish army Sunday warned Iraqi Kurds not to shelter Kurdish rebels fleeing its military offensive in northern Iraq, as Baghdad labelled the incursion a threat to its sovereignty.
As fighting intensified, the army said it had killed another 33 militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), taking the rebel toll, according to Turkish figures, to 112 since the cross-border incursion began Thursday evening. PKK rebels are trying to run away flee southwards in panic, the general staff said in a statement. Local Iraqi groups are expected to prevent members of the terrorist organisation-the biggest enemy of regional peace and stability-from entering their region and being given protection there.'
The warning raised the spectre of a potential confrontation with the autonomous regions Kurdish-run administration, and just hours later Baghdad called for a swift Turkish withdrawal.
A statement issued by the government of Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki urged Turkey to withdraw its forces from Iraqi soil as soon possible and specifically described the operation as a threat to Iraqi sovereignty. Previously, Baghdad had appeared to accept Turkeys assertions that the offensive posed no threat to its territorial integrity.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
A statement issued by the government of Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki urged Turkey to withdraw its forces from Iraqi soil as soon possible and specifically described the operation as a threat to Iraqi sovereignty.
At least someone has some common sense. The PKK may be bad, but as I will continue to say, we would not tolerate this action on our own borders, why would we expect the Kurds or Iraqi's to tolerate it on their own? Yes, I know the PKK are terrorists who deserve to die. So the are the M13 gang members in the US. We would not tolerate Mexico or Canada invading our borders with troops and tanks to get rid of M13 gang members who have murdered in their respective countries. Why should we expect the Iraqi's to tolerate this? Is it because we think that we are better than them? Little brown folk need help? I don't think so, and no one else should either. This is an outrageous violation of Iraqi sovereignty. We've spent our own blood to liberate Iraq and make it free. We need to stop this invasion NOW!
#2
Crease,
Since we WON'T kill MS-13 infiltrating the US I would have no problem with a 'behind the scenes' agreement to let Mexico come do it - not that they would either, but in your analogy, the Turks WILL. It's only a 'real' violation of sovereignty if the Iraqis and we 'really' don't want them there. I figure we and the Iraqi government wants the nest of vipers cleaned up but does not want to risk firing up broader internal conflict which might get out of control. Better to let the Turks do it and plausibly deny we have anything to do with it. As long as they leave when 'really' told to, I am ok with it.
#3
Not exactly a perfect analogy. MS-13 is Central American in origin, not not Mexican. And there is no one ethnic group with independent economic and military power tied to MS-13.
However, it is reasonably accurate in that:
a) the PKK does have significant support among the Iraqi Kurds, and
b)at this point, given the political situation in Iraq, it would be counter-productive for either the US or the Iraqi government to go after the PKK.
Glenmore has it nailed. The one viable option is Turkey dealing with the PKK.
#4
Well, I don't agree. Erdogan is a tyrant who should not be trusted. He is an Islamist who gobbles up more power every year that passes and fancies himself the head of the Caliphate.
He has never been happy with the Kurds getting that oil. All that we are doing is making it easier for him to come and get it and he will as soon as the opportunity presents itself. I would imagine that Iran would be more than happy to divide up "Kurdistan" with the Turks in exchange for cooperation.
All of you think he is our ally. I think he repeatedly shown that he would be happy to align himself with Iran in the quest to establish a global caliphate.
How many times are we going to let this little piss-ant sucker us?
#6
I just think there is a dangerous group think occuring regarding the invasion of Iraq by the Turks. Just like there was when everyone insisted that the Turkish military would step in at the last minute with the 4th ID. We got screwed then.
I certainly hope the expert anaylsts who blew that last time are at least asking the question what if the Islamist tyrant Erdogan believes that he can work with Iran to get his hands on that oil in Northern Iraq. What if they don't simply kill the PKK forces and withdraw? And for those of you who pooh-pooh and say, "Of course they will", I would ask if you also insisted that the Turkish Miitary would step in and stop Erdogan from preventing the 4th ID from using Iraq?
Israel should work to bring back kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Schalit, but must not pay any price for his freedom, OC Human Resources Maj. Gen. Elazar Stern said Sunday. Speaking to high school students in Tel Aviv, Stern said "Israel should pay a high price to bring back Gilad .. but there is also responsibility towards the citizens of the state."
Stern told the students that he clearly expressed his opinion on the matter to members of Schalit's family. "Noam Schalit didn't like what I had to say to him," he said, adding that releasing many terrorists would only lead to renewed attacks. "There are limits to what we are willing to do," he said.
However, Stern added that "as a state, we are responsible for doing everything to bring the boys back home but if we open the jails and release killers, who, from past experience, may go back to murdering soldiers and civilians, then we need to take this into account."
Posted by: Fred ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Sad but true. It needs to be said - good for Gen. Stern.
#2
DEBKA > NASRALLAH DECLARES ISRAEL WILL DEFINITELY CEASE TO EXIST IN THE NEXT WAR; + WAFF.com Poster Opinion Thread > WEAPONS, TACTICS FOR THE SECOND LEBANON WAR [Israel versus Hezbollah, etc].
Hamas vowed early Monday to use any means to breach the Israeli embargo on the Gaza Strip, hours before a planned mass rally in Gaza to protest economic sanctions against the Hamas-controlled area.
As part of the demonstration, the protesters are scheduled to march toward the Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip. "Our people will not allow the continuation of this situation regardless of the results, and we will work to break the siege by all possible means," said Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri, who nonetheless stopped short of threatening to breach the border.
The Israel Defense Forces has bolstered its forces along the border with the Gaza Strip, fearing that the rally's participants will try to break into Israel. Commanders have received orders to stop entry into Israel "by all means," including sniper fire against the legs of the demonstrators.
The organizers of the demonstration are planning a "human chain" which will stretch along the main highway running north to south in the Strip.
The head of the Popular Committee Against the Siege of Gaza, an independent member of the Palestinian parliament, Jamal al-Hudari, who is close to Hamas, said that the chain will stretch to 40 kilometers in length, from Rafah in the south to the Erez crossing, and will include 40,000 children.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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#2
"...Siege of Gaza..., said that the chain will stretch to 40 kilometers in length, from Rafah in the south to the Erez crossing, and will include 40,000 children."
So far (mid pm local time) only about 5000 have participated.
#3
Commanders have received orders to stop entry into Israel "by all means," including sniper fire against the legs of the demonstrators.
Good, but not good enough.
Hamas terrorists continue to refuse to wear uniforms contrary to Geneva Conventions. Merely declare that, because of that policy, ALL un-uniformed individuals approaching the border, regardless of weapons status, will be considered un-uniformed combatants.
Appearance of children will be considered as a use of child soldiers on part of Hamas.
#7
Last night, at almost 10 PM, expecting the worst, the Israeli embassy in Washington took the unusual step of issuing a preemptive statement on what was believed to be an impending public-relations disaster:
Hamas is behind an intentional action that yet again places Palestinian civilians on the front lines. Israel does not interfere in demonstrations taking place inside the Gaza Strip, but Israel will protect its borders and will prevent any violations of its sovereign territory. Israel is acting to prevent any deterioration of the situation but wishes to unequivocally clarify that if this does happen, the sole responsibility lies directly on Hamas shoulders.
I don't think we're on the Egyptian border anymore, Filthy Infidel Beast Toto...
#8
FREEREPUBLIC > MEMRI.rog [Kuwaiti daily Al-WATAN] - REPORT: HIZBULLAH PLANNING LARGE SCALE ATTACK AGZ ISRAEL IN MARCH [2008], in revenge for Mugniya killing. Said attack is allegedly being coordin vv SYRIA-IRAN, and also in possib armed collusion wid various Paleo orgs includ HAMAS, etc.
(Xinhua) -- The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Sunday said it is completely ready to deal with any Arab mediation to hold a dialogue with President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement if no prior conditions were set.
Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, made the remarks in response to a Yemeni initiative aiming to bridge the gaps between the two rival movements and bring them back to the negotiating table. Abu Zuhri said his movement "is completely ready for succeeding any Arab mediation to hold a dialogue between Hamas and Fatah," underlining that the dialogue should be one without prior conditions.
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh earlier presented the initiative, calling for ending Hamas control of Gaza and going forearly presidential and legislative elections in the Palestinian territories.
Abu Zuhri said that his movement "is ready to tackle and discuss all outstanding issues on the table of dialogue," adding "Hamas leadership is following up the initiative in details with the Yemeni leadership."
A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had earlier said that Abbas welcomed the seven-point initiative presented by the Yemeni president, and expressed readiness to deal with it immediately.
This article starring:
Sami Abu Zuhri
Posted by: Fred ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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RAMALLAH, West Bank - A senior Hamas leader in the West Bank said on Sunday he met ineffectual president Mahmud Abbas after an imam who was in the Islamist movement died while in the custody of Palestinian security forces.
Nassereddin Al Shaer, who served as deputy prime minister under dismissed Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya, told AFP that he and Ali Al Sartawi, another senior Hamas leader, met Abbas on Saturday for private talks. Shaer declined to give any details about what was discussed at the meeting which came after Majed Al Barghuti, a Hamas imam, died in police custody on Friday in Ramallah.
Kinda hard to blame that one on the Jooooz, huh ...
Hamas has accused Palestinian security forces of torturing the 42-year-old to death in prison and said Abbass government in the Israel-occupied West Bank bears full responsibility for the murder of the martyr.
There was no immediate comment from Abbass office.
"Go away. Leave us alone."
Abbas has meanwhile ordered his forces to investigate Barghutis death, which security officials initially said was caused by a heart attack.
"Heart stopped, right?"
"Yup."
"That's what killed him, right?"
"Last thing that happened."
"You'll sign it out that way, right?"
"Of course, effendi."
The incident aggravated already bitter divisions between Abbass Palestinian Authority and the Islamist Hamas movement, which ousted Abbass forces from the Gaza Strip last June after a week of deadly clashes.
Aggravated? Is that possible?
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
JPOST OP-ED > TO SAVE LIVES, NEGOTIATE WITH THE DEVIL? Is the salvation of one life equal in value or worth millions of Israelis?
Hes big. Hes got no soul. And hes teaching the DOD whats possible about driverless vehicles.
WASHINGTON The Crusher is a bad, bad man. He doesnt smile, doesnt talk, doesnt really care about his co-workers. He never offers to carpool.
Hell drive through yards, roadblocks, even other vehicles without a second thought. He speeds through red lights, ignores stop signs and doesnt brake for animals. He has no soul.
But beneath his hard shell lies the heart of a great driver, hellbent on getting from start to finish as quickly as possible. Think Dale Earnhardt Sr., but driving a bulldozer.
Actually, think of Dale as the bulldozer.
The reason Crusher is a bad man is because hes a fully automated battle truck, designed to plow over the hardest terrain without any help from puny human drivers. Imagine Knight Riders self-driving, self-thinking KITT, but with fewer wisecracks and a lot more ramming power. The robotics project, the culmination of almost four years of work by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), is designed to show military planners what unmanned, unsupervised machines can potentially handle on the battlefield.
The seven-ton Crusher is programmed to get itself from point A to point B without any instructions other than some basic GPS coordinates. It has no steering wheel, no seats for passengers, and unless the remote control override is turned on no human driver.
It maps its own route while it cruises, picking out the quickest and easiest path to complete the mission. For boulders and riverbeds more than two meters high, the machine plans easier paths around the obstacles. For ones less than two meters, it barrels over or through them, relying on its 30-inch ground clearance and six-wheel nonskid steering system. This vehicle can go into places where, if you were following in a Humvee, youd come out with spinal injuries, said Stephen Welby, director of DARPAs Tactical Technology Office. Usually vehicles are set up to protect humans. Here, we didnt have to worry about that.
But humans enjoy the scenic drive courtesy of the dozens of laser sensors and mapping cameras mounted on the machine. In a command center miles from the bumpy ride, technicians can see every hill and tumbleweed in full color and in infrared readouts if needed.
Army officials are still experimenting with the Crusher, and there are no immediate plans to field a military truck that drives itself. And the machine does have limitations. Researchers said they didnt design it for rush hour, so it doesnt understand how to follow traffic signs or stoplights. Its nine-foot wide frame isnt really designed for city driving either.
But Welby said the idea was to get Pentagon planners to think about the next step in warfare, and what role unmanned vehicles will play there. This could be used as a scout, or a quick-response support vehicle, he said. With existing cameras weve put on there this vehicle is able to see rabbits at long-range, and enemy troops from 4 kilometers away. Imagine sending this to an intersection and letting it sit there to monitor whats going on for days or weeks.
A battalion could mount speakers on the device and use it for crowd control from afar. Researchers said with a few modifications the crusher could drive as part of a convoy, or run route clearance missions on its own. And machine guns can be mounted on the mast, and controlled by remote while the truck drives itself.
Or the military could simply decide to enter the Crusher in this years NASCAR circuit and see how he stacks up against the top human drivers. Sure, the machine only has a top speed of 26 mph, but it has the advantage of not worrying about getting in a wreck with Tony Stewart. In fact, he might cause a few of his own.
#1
The soldiers will treat them as if they had souls, though. I remember an article posted here a while back about soldiers taking blown-up IED detection vehicles, demanding that each be individually repaired, painting purple hearts on them, and giving them 'field promotions' to them.
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
02/25/2008 20:21 Comments ||
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LAWYERS for three of the Bali bombers will today return to court in a last-ditch attempt to prevent their execution. Denpasar District Court is due to hold three case review hearings - for the so-called smiling assassin Amrozi Nurhasyim, his brother Ali Ghufron (alias Mukhlas) and Imam Samudra - who played key roles in the Bali nightclub bombings on October 12, 2002.
The twin attacks killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
The three should burn in hell, but I suspect the Indonesian courts are looking for a way to release them with clean suits turbans and a wad of cash ...
The judicial case reviews have delayed the impending executions of the men. The hearings are expected to focus on the retroactive terrorism laws under which the men were convicted and the decision of the judges to reject earlier case reviews.
Lawyers for the men sought the latest review of their cases last month as a deadline for them to seek clemency neared. Indonesia's Supreme Court accepted the terrorists' application for the judicial review, but rejected another request that the hearings take place in Cilacap District Court, close to the island prison where the men are detained.
None of the bombers - housed in a prison on Nusakambangan Island, known as Indonesia's Alcatraz - will attend court.
Three judges have been appointed to hear each of the men's cases, which are expected to run for the next three weeks. Police have been asked to provide extra security for the terrorists' legal team.
The bombers had originally been due to be executed in 2006. A spokesman for Indonesia's attorney-general has said the bombers will not be executed until the Supreme Court hands down a final decision.
#2
Waiting for the publicity to die down so they can commute their sentence and start chopping large chunks off for 'Islamanic Holidays' until they can be set free again.
An explosion shook the nortwestern Iranian city of Tabriz on Monday, but the cause of the blast and whether there were any casualties were not immediately clear, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
Fars said the blast occurred shortly after mid-day and was felt across the city. According to Global Security, Tabriz is a missile production center and "has also been reported as a possible site of a nuclear weapons research facility of unspecified nature and provenance."
"As of 11 April 2000, Russian 2-meter resolution KVR-1000 imagery coverage was not available via the SPIN-2 service on TerraServer, nor was archived Space Imaging IKONOS 1-meter imagery of this facility available on the CARTERRA Archive."
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy ||
02/25/2008 04:57 ||
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#1
Update: The Iranians are now claiming that the explosion was due to construction work on a nearby road.
"The workers were blasting the Einali mountain to build a road," an official in the Tabriz governor's office told Reuters by telephone.
The original story said that the blast was felt across the city and implied that there was only one explosion. That seems very unlikely for construction blasting a good distance outside of town.
The explosion heard in Tabriz on Monday has been caused by disposal of waste ammunition.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps said that the 31st combat division of Ashura, an affiliate to IRGC, had destroyed the waste ammunition on suburbs of Tabriz.
IRNA reporter in Tabriz said that the explosion was strong enough to cause public anxiety.
The IRGC said in a statement that the ammunition waste disposal had been arranged so far and no damage was caused for the operators. (emphasis added)
I guess none of those broken windows belong to the Revolutionary Guards.
#3
Yeah, they like to dispose of about 10 tons of waste ammunition at a time. Good for community relations. It's also good to know that no operators were injured, seeing as even when they are planned that they like to hang out real close to these kinds of blasts.
What is "waste" ammunition? Do they really mean ammunition, or do they mean waste explosives, which I would think they would be shipping over to Iraq anyway. I can't imagine blowing up any kind of ammunition all at once because it seems to me that half of it would just scatter.
#9
Do the Iranians use solid propellant motors? Making composite motors does yield propellant shavings and dust which can lead to OOPS!. One story I read the employees at one rocket plant in the US would take the ammonium perchlorate they swept up, make a solution, then soak a t-shirt in it and put it out in the sun. They would then take turns throwing rocks at, the one whose rock started it on fire had to buy the beers after work.
If the Iranians don't know about this fun activity we should make sure their missile plant workers find out about this.
Posted by: bruce ||
02/25/2008 18:52 Comments ||
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#10
Hope the blast hole is about the size of the one at the port of Riga. Apparently they were loading missiles when a crane head broke. The Russians were never very good at storing munitions.
Our satellites at first thought it was a nuclear detonation. It left a very big hole.
Iran yesterday warned it would hit back with an appropriate response to new UN Security Council sanctions over its contested nuclear programme, as Western powers stepped up efforts to punish Tehran.
Britain, France and the United States are pushing for a new sanctions resolution in the coming week after the UN atomic watchdog said it could still not confirm if the Iranian atomic drive was peaceful. "In the case of the adoption of the resolution, we will make a deserving action. We will announce our decision at the right time based on the content of the resolution," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/25/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Oh no! They're going to suspend exports of sand and walnuts!
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.
PINE Gap may become part of a US-led strategic missile defence shield as Labor considers reversing its opposition to the controversial scheme - a move that could create tensions with China and Russia.
MUSLIM university students want lectures to be rescheduled to fit in with prayer timetables and separate male and female eating and recreational areas established on Australian campuses.
Local Taliban said on Sunday that they were ready for peace talks with the new government, but only if it rejected President Pervez Musharrafs war on terror in the countrys tribal belt.
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan militants linked to Al Qaeda warned any incoming civilian government on Sunday that they would strike even more viciously if President Pervez Musharrafs war on terror was continued in tribal areas.
RIYADH - Egyptian and Saudi leaders meet Sunday to coordinate their position on the next Arab summit amid strained ties with its Syrian host over Lebanons political standoff and fears that the summit is doomed to failure.
RAMALLAH, West Bank - A senior Hamas leader in the West Bank said on Sunday he met 
LAWYERS for three of the Bali bombers will today return to court in a last-ditch attempt to prevent their execution. Denpasar District Court is due to hold three case review hearings - for the so-called smiling assassin 
An explosion shook the nortwestern Iranian city of Tabriz on Monday, but the cause of the blast and whether there were any casualties were not immediately clear, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
