The United Nations said Tuesday that it would host a two-day international conference in Nairobi this week to discuss how to combat rampant piracy off Somalia. U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said the U.N. special representative for Somalia, Nairobi-based Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, confirmed that the parley in the Kenyan capital would bring together some 140 officials from 40 countries Wednesday and Thursday.
Abdallah said the meeting would begin with a meeting of technical experts on Wednesday, followed the next day by a ministerial session with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki as keynote speaker.
"It is clear that the problem of piracy is linked to the need for peace and stability in Somalia itself," Ould-Abdallah said. "We hope that this high-level conference will lead to greater international attention and cooperation between countries, regional and international organizations," he said.
The conference coincides with the launch of the European Union's Operation Atalanta, an anti-piracy task force seeking to protect merchant ships from pirate attacks, off Somalia.
Last week, the U.N. Security Council urged all countries and regional organizations with the necessary capacity to deploy naval ships and military aircraft off the Somali coast to fight piracy which is impeding U.N. efforts to feed millions of hungry civilians in the lawless, strife-torn country.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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... to discuss how to combat rampant piracy off Somalia.
BEIJING - Nuclear disarmament negotiators gathered to discuss an agreement on rules about monitoring North Korea's nuclear activities in Beijing on Wednesday as six-party talks entered their third day. North Korea partly disabled its Yongbyon nuclear facility this year in a disarmament-for-aid deal, but the talks have so far failed to agree on a protocol to check the North's declaration of nuclear activities and move disarmament forward.
Negotiators returned comments on a draft text offered by China on Tuesday that outlined a way to verify nuclear information. The state China Daily newspaper, quoting South Korean negotiator Kim Sook, said all sides had agreed to ship all promised economic aid to North Korea by the end of March.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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WORLD MIL FORUM > SOUTH KOREA: US [DOD Report] IS MAKING A MISTAKE CALLING NORTH KOREA A NUCLEAR POWER/STATE.
After 25 days of presenting evidence against five men accused of planning to kill American soldiers at New JerseyÂ’s Fort Dix, prosecutors rested their case Tuesday.
Defense lawyers said they will call only a few witnesses Wednesday, clearing the way for closing arguments to begin early next week. Deliberations could begin as early as Dec. 16. The defendants are not expected to testify.
U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler told jurors that they would be sequestered during deliberations — an uncommon step for a federal trial in New Jersey.
Prosecutors have tried to persuade jurors that the suspects were working on an attack that could have been one of the most devastating examples of homegrown terrorism in the United States. On Tuesday, they called terrorism expert Evan Coleman as their final witness. Coleman told jurors that the jihadist propaganda videos found on computers belonging to two of the men have been found on the computers of homegrown terrorists around the world, calling them “some of the classics.”
Coleman said the fact that the men also tried to buy guns and engaged in what the government calls training bolster the likelihood that they were planning to strike. He also said that the haphazard way the men seemed to act — goofing off at firing ranges and never meeting to discuss details of an attack — didn’t mean they were not going to carry one out. “It doesn’t take a lot of sophistication to kill people,” Coleman told jurors. “Ultimately, it comes down to interest. It doesn’t take a lot of thought to create chaos.”
On cross-examination, Coleman conceded that the presence of the videos did not prove the men were willing to engage in terrorism and acknowledged that there was no evidence that some of the suspects saw all of the videos or heard all of the jihadist audio recordings.
UNITED NATIONS - An Indian government minister urged the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to help punish anyone responsible for the deadly attacks in Mumbai by adding them to a U.N. terrorism blacklist.
'We have requested the Security Council to proscribe the Pakistani group Jamaat-ud-Dawa since it is a terrorist outfit,' Indian Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed told a special meeting of the Security Council on terrorism. 'All those who were in any way responsible for the Mumbai terrorist attacks, wherever they may be, should be brought to justice,' he said.
The charity Jamaat-ud-Dawa is widely regarded as a front for the Islamist militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which India says was behind the Mumbai attacks that killed 179 people.
Ahamed said he wanted the group added to the list of individuals and groups facing travel bans and asset freezes under Security Council resolution 1267, which imposed sanctions on supporters of al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban. Without naming them, Ahamed said 'other such organizations' should also be blacklisted 'and effective sanctions imposed against them.'
Pakistan's U.N. Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon told the council Islamabad was ready to support such measures.
Ahamed also made clear that New Delhi expected Islamabad to act decisively against any militants operating in Pakistan who might have been involved in preparing the attacks. He said that India had acted with restraint so far though his country might feel compelled to take action in the future and would be justified in doing so. 'We must do our duty to by our people and take all actions as we deem fit to defend and protect them,' he said. 'The charter of the United Nations and provisions of international law, including the right of self defense, gives us the framework to fulfill these responsibilities.'
Haroon said that Pakistan had not only proposed a joint investigation of the attacks but had offered to send to India 'the highest level possible delegation from Pakistan to sort out these affairs.' 'Not only are the terrorists not linked to Pakistan in any way, we too are their targets and we too continue to be their victims,' Haroon told the council.
The Pakistani envoy said he was a 'a little surprised' at the force of the statement of the Indian minister, adding that India and Pakistan should 'stop all negative campaigns against each other.'
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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WORLD MIL FORUM > MALAYSIAN, CHINESE-MADE WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT FOUND WITH MUMBAI ATTACKERS.
Right. And I promise to grow my hair back and make Patty Anne Brown deleriously happy for about 20 minutes at the Motel 6.
Hey Fred - I've got a bunch of frequent sleeper points at the Marriott you can use. What the heck, throw the budget to the winds and go first better class.
Dealing with Ethel is on you, tho. LOL
Always wondered what was in those pills ...
Posted by: Fred ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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If he hangs them in public with witnesses from the Indian government present at the hanging, that might do. Ain't gonna happen? Didn't think so.
The army confirmed late on Monday it has begun an operation targeting banned organisations in the wake of the attacks in Mumbai last month, but did not name any organisation. "There have been arrests and investigations are ongoing," a statement said, adding further details would be released once preliminary investigations had been completed. The White House said on Monday that Pakistan has taken "some positive steps" since the terrorist strikes in Mumbai but called for continued co-operation with India and the United States to thwart possible follow-on attacks.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Yaasss... we will continue to ban illegal organizations and act forcefully against malefactors. Tomorrow we will be declaring outlaw 'evildoers', 'bad people' and 'associations of the ill-intentioned'.
The day after tomorrow we will ban 'the Association of Uppity Journalists Who Want Details of Our Operations Against Outlawed Organizations'.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
12/10/2008 11:22 Comments ||
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Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir on Monday handed over a Pakistani demarche for information-sharing to the Indian high commissioner at a meeting on Monday. The Indian official was told the government had launched investigations into claims that Pakistan was 'involved' in the Mumbai terror attacks. The foreign secretary noted that if the probe into the attacks was to be carried forward, "we require detailed information and evidence". Reiterating a suggestion for joint investigations, the foreign secretary proposed that a high level delegation from Pakistan visit New Delhi as soon as possible.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Translating from diplo-speak:
claims that Pakistan was 'involved' = We are in it up to our ears, Allan help us.
"we require detailed information and evidence" = Just how much do you know?
(AKI) - Pakistan will not hand over any suspects in last month's Mumbai attacks investigation to India, but will try them under its own laws, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Tuesday, quoted by media. Pakistan has in recent days arrested several members of the outlawed Kashmiri separatist group Lashkar-e-Toiba. India accuses the group of involvement in the Mumbai assault which killed at least 170 people and wounded over 300. "The arrests are being made for our own investigations. Even if allegations are proved against any suspect, he will not be handed over to India," Qureshi said. "We will proceed against those arrested under Pakistani laws."
At the request of security agencies, Pakistan on Saturday arrested at an undisclosed location Lashkar-e-Toiba's operational commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhwi, alleged by India to be the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks. Lakhwi will be interrogated by a joint team of agents from the FBI and Pakistan's spy agency ISI.
A Pakistani military helicopter gunship on Sunday attacked Lashkar-e-Toiba's headquarters outside the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, Muzaffarabad. The army overwhelmed militants at the camp after 90 minutes and several were arrested. Pakistan's armed forces have reportedly been mobilised to arrest more Lashkar-e-Toiba leaders in Punjab province.
The sole surviving gunman from the Mumbai assault, Azam Amir Qasab, reportedly told his interrogators he is Pakistani and was recruited and trained for the attack by Lashkar-e-Toiba. India claims all ten gunmen who carried out the Mumbai attacks were Pakistani. The attacks targeted two luxury hotels, the Taj Mahal (photo) and the Oberoi, a Jewish centre and several tourist sites.
This article starring:
AZAM AMIR QASAB
Lashkar-e-Toiba
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi
Zakiur Rehman Lakhwi
ZAKIUR REHMAN LAKHWI
Lashkar-e-Toiba
Posted by: Fred ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Pakistan doing their usual jail them till international press forgets about them and then release them!!!
#4
The destabilization of the area increases. Neither government dares back down at this point. LeT's objectives are being met.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
12/10/2008 9:51 Comments ||
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#5
Ah, wasn't that the position of the Taliban running Afghanistan when the US requested they turn over Old Benny and the boys of AQ after 9/11? How'd that all work out?
I think our Congress addressed that issue in September 2001, remember the wording - IN GENERAL- That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.
#6
That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.
P2K, if the boys in Islamabad had any sense they'd be looking at it very carefully.
A former high-ranking Pakistani intelligence official denied allegations Monday that he had given advice and support to a Pakistani militant group linked to the attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai late last month.
Retired Lt. Gen. Hamid Gul, former director of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency, or ISI, first surfaced in connection with the armed Islamist group Lashkar-i-Taiba over the weekend when a high-ranking Pakistani government official said India is seeking Gul's arrest along with several other Pakistanis. The Pakistani official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivities, said Gul was not suspected of having a direct role in the Mumbai attacks but was considered a political patron of Lashkar.
The Pakistani official acknowledged that Gul is widely viewed as the "godfather" of a Pakistani policy that used guerrilla groups such as Lashkar as proxies in the conflict with India over the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir. But the official said Pakistan declined to hand over Gul because he has no role in setting the operational agenda of Lashkar or other organizations within Pakistan. Reached at his home in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi on Monday, Gul said he was aware of the allegations but dismissed them as an effort to "malign" him.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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Thanks, guys. That oughta do it... Expressing deep concern™ over "continuous terrorist attacks around the world", the Security Council this afternoon called on Member States to renew the degree of international solidarity against the scourge that was manifested immediately after the tragic 11 September 2001 attacks, following a day-long meeting during which some speakers warned that the Mumbai carnage of 26 to 29 November could mark a new stage in the violence.
In a statement read out by the President of Croatia, Stjepan Mesic, Council members underlined the need to strengthen existing mechanisms and cooperation in order to find, deny safe haven and bring to justice any person who supported, facilitated or participated in the financing, planning, preparation or commission of terrorist acts.
It also condemned in the strongest terms™ the incitement of terrorist acts and repudiated attempts at the justification or glorification of such acts, and reaffirmed the importance of countering radicalization and the exploitation of young people by violent extremists.
At the same time, the Council emphasized the need to enhance dialogue among civilizations and address regional conflicts, underdevelopment, and the full range of global issues to help build international cooperation™, which, by itself, was necessary to sustain "the broadest possible fight against terrorism". In that vein, members said they believed that "the strengthening of mutual trust among Member States of the United Nations will facilitate the creation of conditions for the successful fight against terrorism". Once they figure out what terrorism is.
More harrrumph harrrumph harrruph at the link...
A Pentagon audit has found that the US Defense Department failed to take proper measures to save the lives of troops against roadside bombs. An internal Pentagon investigation said in its new report that the Marine Corps and the other military branches were aware of the threat posed by roadside bombs and mines years before insurgent actions began in Iraq.
The Pentagon carried out the audit after the Marine Corps was criticized for setting aside an urgent request from field commanders in 2005 for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored vehicles.
"DoD (Department of Defense) was aware of the threat posed by mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in low-intensity conflicts and of the availability of mine-resistant vehicles years before insurgent actions began in Iraq in 2003," the audit found. "Yet DoD did not develop requirements for, fund, or acquire MRAP-type vehicles for low-intensity conflicts that involved mines and IEDs," a summary of the report said.
Hundreds of US troops have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan because commanders delayed provision of blast-resistant vehicles.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
I think I see 20-20 hindsight being applied here. Were the politicians that were busy spending the "peace dividend" and cutting the military reviewed in this report?
#5
Total, absolute bullshi*! DoD was aware of the dangers of radioactive fallout as well, but no one built fallout shelters! You don't (import hulls - another story) assemble a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) deploy the heavy bastard to the Gulf, train crews, and get it operational in 30 days. Without going into details, there was and continues to be a massive, I say again MASSIVE and very successful counter-VBID/IED effort throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. Counter-VBID/IED training programs in CONUS, and both active and passive measures in theater. Very little has enjoyed a higher priority than this effort. Special note to CAC, and The Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) from an old ranker: Ironically, the MRAP Buffalo and Cougar originated from designs made in South Africa and Rhodesia during the bush wars of the 70's and 80's.
#8
In another report, military sources confirm that the Army of the Potomac was aware of the danger of massed musketry fire as early as 1861 yet took no steps to protect US soldiers. Lincoln administration officials have so far failed to respond to the allegations.
Posted by: Baba Tutu ||
12/10/2008 12:23 Comments ||
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#9
Oops! I didn't notice the source. It did look so much like the NYT's style of reporting.
#10
I think they compared our casualties vs. Iraq with theirs during the Iran-Iraq war, and didn't like what they saw.
It is standard practice to project casualty estimates before you get into a war. Right now, their C&GS is probably saying to itself, "WTF!!! How the hell did they do that???"
They are now having to face the ugly idea that as much cannon fodder they throw at us, they are still not going to achieve much in US casualties.
Well, that's their problem, isn't it? If they were growing corn or turnips or cabbages they'd be a lot better off.
The UNRWA: Serving your refugee needs for sixty years.
Are they desperate for guns, or ammunition?? Inquiring minds want to know...
Dig more tunnels, boys, dig more tunnels ...
Tell that desperation story to the hundreds of millions in Africa, India and China that are far less well fed, clothed, housed, and educated than the people in Gaza
Posted by: Fred ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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"Mothers are unable to buy powdered milk for their babies."
Ever thing about breastfeeding? It's free, and healthier for the kids!
#10
Liberal Americans spent millions purchasing these from the departing Jewish settlers and donated them in working order to the people of Gaza. So much for feel good liberalism.
Outgoing Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert says Israel will adopt an aggressive policy not a defensive one in dealing with the Gaza Strip. "We will never flee from our homes. We won't defend, but will attack - and stop once and for all what threatens our daily lives," he was quoted by the Israeli daily Haaretz as saying on Tuesday.
Olmert made the remarks hours after Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni urged the government to take any necessary steps to topple the Hamas government in Gaza.
Palestinian groups have been firing rockets at Israeli targets since November 4 when six people were killed in an Israeli raid on the costal region.
The remarks by Olmert could be interpreted as a green light to the Israeli Army to launch incursions into the Gaza Strip and attack Palestinian targets including Hamas offices.
Israel has also been using the targeted assassination policy to murder Palestinian leaders.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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Olmert? *That* Olmert? Or is there another one somewhere we don't know about?
(AKI) - One of the leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Philippines's largest Islamic rebel organisation, said that his group is not keen on a ceasefire to celebrate Christmas.
MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said that the MILF is not opposed to the government stopping hostilities in December, but did not forget that Manila refused to call a ceasefire during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month. "So if they declare a ceasefire now, Muslims will take it as a sign this government values December more than Ramadan," Iqbal said in an interview on dzXL radio.
Iqbal however reiterated that the MILF is observing a ceasefire and accused the military of attacking. "We don't need to declare a ceasefire. It is the government that needs to declare one because it is doing the attacking," he said.
Fighting between the MILF and the military intensified since August, after a proposed peace agreement between the two warring parties was halted by the Supreme Court on he ground of unconstitutionality. Hundreds have been killed since and over 600,000 people were forced to flee their homes. Many remain in squalid evacuation camps, aid agencies and social workers said.
In the last few days, the fighting has been particularly fierce in island of Basilan, Sulu Archipelago, where at least 55 people were killed in two days, the military said. Five soldiers were among the dead.
Marine commandant Major Gen. Ben Dolorfino--himself a Muslim--said that the military are fighting against a combined force that includes terrorists of the Abu Sayyaf Group, lawless elements of the MILF, and small kidnap-for-ransom groups.
"The military has deliberately attacked the MILF under the guise of pursuing the Abu Sayyaf," said MILF spokesperson Eid Kabalu.
Abu Majid, a MILF junior political officer based in Basilan, claimed also that attacks have been indiscriminate. "There is no distinction between civilians, Abu Sayyaf, MILF, or those involved in the ceasefire between the Philippine government and the MILF," Majid told the MILF-affiliated 'Luwaran.'
Experts have long claimed that the lines between MILF, Moro National Liberation Front--the precursor of the MILF--Abu Sayyaf and lawless groups are very misty in the Sulu Archipelago and that alliances shift fast and are mostly driven by ethnicity and family ties.
Moro is the communal term to define the original tribes of Mindanao and Sulu that were islamised in 1380.
Karim ul' Makhdum, was the first Islamic missionary to reach the Sulu Archipelago and Jolo. He is credited with bringing Islam to what is now the Philippines, Asia's largest Catholic country. However, there are an estimated 4.5 million Muslims in the Philippines and the majority live in the south of the country.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/10/2008 00:00 ||
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no ceasefire in Eid, a-holes
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/10/2008 18:46 Comments ||
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Officials from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have refused to meet with former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, who is in Lebanon, Carter's spokesman Rick Jafculca said Wednesday.
Carter requested the meeting with the Iran-backed movement - which is recognized as a terrorist group by the United States - as part of a two-day visit to Lebanon
.....
Carter's Lebanon visit, which started on Tuesday, will be followed by a trip to neighboring Syria.
Carter's talks in Syria include a meeting with President Bashar Assad
#3
First Zimbob and now the Hisbulla boys. Didn't they run you out of Darfur too? Your luster's wearing off, there, jimmuh. I told you to go check out that election in Venezuela. Can't understand why you passed up an opportunity like that. Oh well. How about Gaza? No. I got it. How about Islamabad?
#6
I'm positive Jimmy thinks he's got an unlimited open door to Barry O. He probably thinks that cullid boy is gonna be needing all the help he can get.
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.
The United Nations said Tuesday that it would host a two-day international conference in Nairobi this week to discuss how to combat rampant piracy off Somalia. U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said the U.N. special representative for Somalia, Nairobi-based Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, confirmed that the parley in the Kenyan capital would bring together some 140 officials from 40 countries Wednesday and Thursday.
BEIJING - Nuclear disarmament negotiators gathered to discuss an agreement on rules about monitoring North Korea's nuclear activities in Beijing on Wednesday as six-party talks entered their third day. North Korea partly disabled its Yongbyon nuclear facility this year in a disarmament-for-aid deal, but the talks have so far failed to agree on a protocol to check the North's declaration of nuclear activities and move disarmament forward.
A former high-ranking Pakistani intelligence official denied allegations Monday that he had given advice and support to a Pakistani militant group linked to the attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai late last month.
Expressing 
