The US House of Representatives on Thursday approved funds to pay for the Afghan troop surge amid criticism of the unpopular war by both Democrat and Republican lawmakers. The House-approved bill includes nearly $4 billion in economic aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The war funds are in addition to the $130 billion Congress has already approved for Afghanistan and Iraq this year.
The House's Democratic leaders, who had procrastinated for weeks over the bill, did not act in time to get the $33 billion to the troops by July 4 as the Pentagon had requested.
An amendment demanding an exit timetable from Afghanistan failed, but got 162 votes, the biggest anti-war vote in the House on Afghanistan to date. All but nine of the supporters were Democrats, and included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Of course ...
House leaders added billions of dollars in non-military spending before passing the war funds, so the measure must now return to the Senate, which is not in session again until July 12.
Pentagon chief Robert Gates said recently the money for 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan should be approved by July 4 to avoid the Pentagon having to juggle accounts and possibly lay off civilians while continuing war operations. Still it seemed a wonder the new money for the unpopular war got through the lower house at all, after long arguments among Democratic lawmakers over whether and how to do it. They set up a complicated series of votes in which the non-military spending passed 239-182, while the part containing the war funding passed 215-210.
"I do not believe this war is anything but a fool's errand. If I had my way, I would never bring this to the floor," said Representative David Obey.
"Why are we continuing to send our troops into a Mission Impossible?" asked Dennis Kucinich, a liberal Democrat during the discussion.
While, Representative Louise Slaughter complained that the US has already spent too much on the Afghan war -- some $345 billion -- and needed to pay attention to its own economic problems.
Pfiffle, that's not even half a stimulus ...
It doesn't sound like the reporter or his editor are fond of American politicians of the Democratic Party.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/03/2010 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: al-Qaeda
[Bangla Daily Star] The emerging possibility that the three arrested Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami top brass might be prosecuted for war crimes, has put BNP in a quandary about how to participate in the movement for freeing its allied Islamist leaders.
The government's moves following the arrests of Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, and Nayeb-e-Ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee gave rise to a speculation among political circles that the three might be prosecuted for war crimes.
A majority of BNP leaders feel it would be wise for the party to be extremely cautious about extending all out support for war crime suspects likely to go on trial, said party insiders.
Although BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, in a written statement on Thursday, condemned the arrests and demanded the trio's release after Jamaat had sought all out help from its key ally, BNP leaders are however divided over active participation in street demonstrations to free the three.
The BNP leaders do not want their party to be perceived by the public as one that extends support to war crime suspects, if by any chance events veer towards war crime trials.
They first want to wait and see whether the government has the real intention, and a chance of success in turning the arrests into the gateway to war crime trials, the sources added.
Many BNP leaders said they think the government is not sincere about trying war criminals; the arrests of the three Jamaat leaders are rather aimed at foiling the ongoing anti-government movement that was launched by the recent BNP-led hartal.
They look at the arrests as "political repression" due to Jamaat's support for the BNP-led emerging movement.
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, BNP standing committee members Rafiqul Islam Mian, Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, and Goyeshwar Chandra Roy said they did not yet discuss within the party whether they should take part in Jamaat's street protests against the arrests, but their party is always against political repression.
BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain told reporters yesterday that his party will extend support to Jamaat's demonstrations as the arrestees are "victims of a government conspiracy".
When reminded about Jamaat's claim that it had actively participated in the June 27 hartal called by BNP, Rafiqul Islam Mian, also a former minister, said, "Nobody saw them on the street on the day of the hartal."
He however added that the government's moves, centring the arrests of the Jamaat leaders, are making all confused, as it is not clear what the government wants to achieve. But it is clear that the government wants to move towards a one party rule, he added.
Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said, "We are very cautious about expressing our views on matters related to Jamaat right now due to many reasons, but it does not mean we will keep quiet about political repression."
He said BNP will formulate its concrete position regarding its support for Jamaat, considering where the fast evolving events end up, the expectations of BNP's rank and file, and the public opinion.
"Before taking any decision we must think about our ideology, which was formulated by a freedom fighter, Ziaur Rahman," he added.
About Jamaat's request for BNP's active participation in the protest programmes, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy said Jamaat leaders had also promised BNP its active participation in hartal, not a mere moral support.
"Jamaat announced its protest programmes, and we expressed our support. Our party will take a decision through discussions about the activeness, if Jamaat wants," he said.
On June 29, Jamaat leaders Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, and Abdullah Taher met Khaleda Zia, and sought BNP's all out support for a movement to free the top three Jamaat leaders.
Jamaat already demonstrated all over the country on Wednesday and Thursday against the arrests of its leaders, and its free leaders said more demonstrations will come soon.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/03/2010 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Jamaat-e-Islami
#1
un-freaking-believable. This judge needs to spend some time in Sderot. Then a severe beating. Asshat. They should pursue civil penalties against them as well
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/03/2010 19:46 Comments ||
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#2
So vigilantism is legal in England. WOW cool new law.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
07/03/2010 19:50 Comments ||
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Too big to fail apparently also means too big to be indicted for facilitating the laundering of hundreds of billions of dollars.
Wachovia's man in charge of spotting such activity quit when executives ignored his repeated reports that the branch banks were being used by the cartels.
To clarify: This is in Durango, Mexico...
In basic education schools safety drills will be implemented as preventive measures against acts of violence, said the head of the Ministry of Education in the state, Jose Luis Gonzalez de la Vega Otero. I'm missing something: how are these measures preventing acts of violence?
In an interview after attending the opening of the twentieth regular session of the South Central Regional Council (ANUIES), the state official announced yesterday that along with the state Public Safety Department elementary school Jose Marti in Chilpancingo began drills.
In that school, a shooting was simulated and trainers asked the more than 744 students, 28 faculty and staff as well as 12 parents participated such as promptly obeying signals and noticing the signs such as lying on the ground until the shooting stops. Placing the kids neatly in rows makes them better targets, so that's a plan. And stay calm. Nothing prevents a .223 bullet like not panicking and nothing allows bullets to fly like not laying down in neatly arranged rows.
#1
A planned mosque in Folsom, CA was withdrawn allegedly when the Muslims learned that next door would be a pet shop or kennel. A sandwich shop called, The BacInn" ...we serve the best BLTs would have done the trick too.
#2
A new Quinnipiac Poll shows that well over half of New Yorkers 52 percent oppose building a mosque near the 9/11 site. Only 31 percent support it.
Who are these 31%?
Posted by: Formerly Dan ||
07/03/2010 11:16 Comments ||
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#3
Muslims @#2 comment
Posted by: chris ||
07/03/2010 12:40 Comments ||
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#4
#2: People who confuse 'emoting' for 'thinking.'
Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Friday that al Qaeda, Sipah-i-Sahaba, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Tehrik-e-Taliban together are spreading terrorism in Pakistan.
While talking to a gathering in Islamabad, Malik said attack on Data Darbar was a very tragic and condemnable incident.
He said all culprits involved would be caught and brought before justice.
The interior minister expressed that in order to stop terror acts in future, police force would be strengthened further.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/03/2010 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: al-Qaeda in Pakistan
A twin suicide attack that killed 42 at Pakistan's most popular Sufi shrine has angered and frustrated Pakistanis, with some saying Friday that the solution to the country's terror threat is a U.S. exit from Afghanistan.
Most of some two dozen Pakistanis interviewed said that even if Islamist extremists were behind the slaughter at the Data Darbar shrine in Lahore, the root cause of the violence was America's war in Afghanistan, its missile strikes in Pakistan's tribal regions, and its alliance with Islamabad.
The sentiments underscored the low standing of the U.S. here. The wariness of the U.S. was all the more remarkable considering Thursday's attack was a direct assault on the moderate, Sufi-influenced Islam most Pakistanis still practice, and which the Taliban and allied Islamist extremists despise.
"America is killing Muslims in Afghanistan and in our tribal areas, and militants are attacking Pakistan to express anger against the government for supporting America," explained Zahid Umar, 25, a frequent visitor to the Lahore shrine.
Qaiser Hameed, a car dealer in the southern city of Karachi, said the attacks that have occurred in Pakistan are "directly linked with the situation in Afghanistan and the American aggression there.
"There should be efforts to start negotiations with all the stakeholders in Afghanistan, especially those disgruntled elements who are resisting the American occupation there," he said.
Even those who blamed others saw an American hand in the attacks. Arifa Moen, 32, a teacher in Multan, said Washington "is encouraging Indians and Jews to carry out attacks" in Pakistan.
The targeted shrine was that of an 11th century Sufi saint, Ali bin Usman, commonly known as Data Ganj Bakhsh Hajveri, who traveled throughout the region spreading Islam with a message of peace and love. His shrine is the most revered and popular of Sufi shrines in the nation.
Thousands had gathered at the green-domed shrine when the bombs went off minutes apart. The blasts ripped concrete from the walls and left the white marble floor awash with blood.
There was no claim of responsibility, but Islamist extremists consider Sufism - a mystical strand of Islam - to be heretical. They have a history of attacking Shiites, non-Muslims and others they deem unacceptable. About a month ago, gunmen and suicide bombers attacked two mosques of the minority Ahmadi sect in Lahore, killing 93 people.
Pakistani officials condemned Thursday's bombings, using language they have frequently used to try to convince the population that the fight against militancy is not one they can ignore.
"Those who still pretend that we are not a nation at war are complicit in these deaths," said Farahnaz Ispahani, a spokeswoman for Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the attack and said "the deliberate targeting of a crowded place of worship makes this particularly vicious," U.N. associate spokesman Farhan Haq said at U.N. headquarters in New York.
Polls in recent years have shown that support for the Taliban has dropped in Pakistan dramatically as violence has exploded. But that hasn't been coupled by a surge in support for the U.S. or the Pakistani government's alliance with it.
An opinion poll by the International Republican Institute conducted last summer found that 80 percent of Pakistanis believed the country should not cooperate with America in the war on terror. The poll had a margin of error of 1.41 percentage points.
The U.S. Embassy said the Lahore attack "demonstrates the terrorists' blatant disregard for the lives of the Pakistani people and the future of this country" and that the U.S. "will continue to support Pakistan in the fight against a common enemy."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/03/2010 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#4
I don't get why we still call these guys allies? Why not go all in with India since they hate the pkais and is a good countermeasure too china with the closeness in case of war ever happens with them.
Posted by: chris ||
07/03/2010 10:26 Comments ||
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#5
80 percent of Pakistanis believed the country should not cooperate with America in the war on terror.
Sounds like Pakistanis would make excellent journalists and democrats.
#7
Pak is a cesspit of confused people. When they wake up and realize who the bad guys really are then we may start caring. Until then, the pak population is brainwashed and against us. They are being bitten by their own snakes.
#10
pappy the cold war is over. I believe there was a report on yesterday about 11,000 shipping containers missing that went through pakiland too ISAF troops that are missing in pakiiland.India is a better ally than Pakistain and i would rather back them than the ones that hate us both.Bagram is a pretty big base now and how many passes go through too afghanistan from pakistan? was it India or PAkistan who proliferated nuke weapons through A.Q Khan too some of our most devout enemies in the world or was it India?So you keep living in the Reagan era of "allies" and take your smartass reply and blow it clean out your ass.
Posted by: chris ||
07/03/2010 23:36 Comments ||
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TEHRAN (Reuters) - The latest sanctions against Iran are pathetic, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday, warning world powers they would regret their bullying.
In his first speech since U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law sanctions targeting Iran's vulnerable fuel imports, Ahmadinejad said the measures would not hurt the economy or stop Iran taking a greater role in world affairs.
"They know that there is a sleeping lion in Iran which is waking up and if she wakes up all the relationships in the world will change," he told industrialists. "Their pathetic acts show they know what a great human power is hidden in Iran." He's so poetic, he's just got to be the hidden imam.
The U.S. law followed sanctions agreed by the U.N. Security Council and the European Union, all aimed at pressuring Tehran to curb a nuclear program some countries fear is aimed at making a bomb -- something Iran denies.
"They thought that by having meetings and talking to each other and signing papers they could stop a great nation's progress," Ahmadinejad said.
"Iran is much greater than what they can perceive it in their small minds," he added. "We know that if this Iranian civilization awakes then there would be no more room for arrogant, corrupt and bullying powers."
The hardline Iranian leader has consistently played down the impact of sanctions. He called the U.N. resolution a "used handkerchief" and said that Iran could become self-sufficient in gasoline within one week if needed -- more likely a rhetorical flourish than a realistic assessment of its energy needs. ya think?
Last week, France's Total joined a list of oil companies that do not sell gasoline to Iran which, despite being the world's fifth-largest oil producer, lacks sufficient refining capacity and imports up to 40 percent of its petrol.
Two days ago, South Korea's GS Engineering & Construction called off a $1.2 billion contract to sweeten gas from the South Pars field. This one of the world's biggest gas fields, but Iran has yet to exploit it fully, partly because sanctions have limited foreign investment and knowhow.
Ahmadinejad has said he is prepared to return to talks with major powers on the nuclear question, but on certain conditions only, and not before the end of August -- a delay he said was intended to "punish" the West.
EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, with the backing of the major powers that have been involved in nuclear talks with Iran in the past, wrote to Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator last month inviting him to resume negotiations.
Iran has moved radar to Syria that could provide early-warning against a possible surprise Israeli air attack against Tehran's nuclear sites, a US defense official said on Friday.
The radar transfer was first reported in the Wall Street Journal on Thursday and prompted the State Department to voice concerns about cooperation between Syria and Iran. The sophisticated radar were deployed in Syria last year, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.
"Ari, you got the kill switch code for that new radar?"
"Right here, David."
The move could bolster Iran's position amid long-running speculation that Israel might stage a bombing raid against Tehran's nuclear enrichment facilities.
Information from new radar also could potentially help the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah with its missile arsenal and air defenses.
State Department spokesman Philip Crowley on Thursday said Washington had concerns about the relationship between Iran and Syria. "We don't believe that Iran's designs for the region are in Syria's best interest," Crowley told reporters.
While acknowledging that all countries "have the right to protect themselves," the spokesman said the reported radar delivery would be of concern due to Syria's relationship with Hezbollah.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/03/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
ION TOPIX > NATO SUPPORTS AZERBAIJAN BY SUPPORTING TURKEY + [roundabout]TURKEY THREAT GREATEST TO ARMENIA, notsomuch IRAN or Azeri.
[Iran Press TV Latest] A senior Iranian lawmaker, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, has warned the US of imminent collapse, saying its approaches bring to mind soviet policies before disintegration.
"America's conduct toward the world bears great resemblance to that of the Soviet Union before its disintegration," Fars News Agency quoted the head of the Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission as saying on Friday.
"I believe the United States today is going through disintegration just like the former Soviet [Union] and this collapse is easy to see and sense."
On the US military presence in the Middle East, Boroujerdi called Washington a major "international thief" which pursues various goals by invading other nations.
He referred to the rising production of narcotics in Afghanistan years after the US-led invasion of the impoverished country, suggesting Washington's military presence has aggravated the situation.
Boroujerdi further cited Afghan President Hamid Karzai as saying that the United States has gained USD 100 billion through the production of narcotics in Afghanistan.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/03/2010 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
HMMMM, HMMMM, so are the border troubles wid the MIXICAN DRUG CARTELS [inter-gang wars oer DRUG TRADE, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION $$$ PAYOFFS, etc.] our "1980's AFGHANISTAN WAR", notsomuch AFPAK per se????
#2
US facing Soviet-like disintegration
Hmmmm, I always liked the idea of the Republic of TEXAS being an independent nation, I would move there.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
07/03/2010 12:58 Comments ||
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#3
I always liked the idea of the Republic of TEXAS being an independent nation, I would move there.
Then you better get here before the collapse. Because after it happens...us Texans and the Okies are shuttin' the door. For real. In fact, most of the South will be closing the door and barring entry. There is going to be a War you know.
Posted by: Secret Asian Man ||
07/03/2010 20:39 Comments ||
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FORMER boxing champion Mike Tyson, who converted to Islam while in jail in the 1990s, is visiting the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina on pilgrimage.
Tyson, who was world heavyweight champion from 1986 to 1990, arrived on Friday in Medina with the Canadian Dawa Association for the umrah, or minor pilgrimage, the newspaper Okaz said.
From Medina he will travel on to Mecca and plans to visit other Saudi cities, it reported.
Tyson, 44, converted to Islam while serving a 10-year prison sentence, later commuted to three years, for raping a US beauty queen in 1991.
After prison he attempted a comeback, but he was never able to regain his title and finally gave up professional boxing in 2005.
Last January, he took part in a WWE Raw pro wrestling event in the United States.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates ordered military officials Friday to zip it clear interviews and other contacts with the news media with the Pentagon after President Barack Obama fired the top general in Afghanistan for embarrassing comments in a magazine interview.
Posted by: ed ||
07/03/2010 02:36 ||
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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.
Too big to fail apparently also means too big to be indicted for facilitating the laundering of hundreds of billions of dollars.
A twin suicide attack that killed 42 at Pakistan's most popular Sufi shrine has angered and frustrated Pakistanis, with some saying Friday that the solution to the country's terror threat is a U.S. exit from Afghanistan.
