[Straits Times] THE United States pressed Thailand on Thursday to hand over alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, ahead of a final Thai ruling on the US extradition request for the so-called 'Merchant of Death'.
The US State Department called in Thai Ambassador Don Pramudwinai this week 'to emphasise that this is of the highest priority of the United States', department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters.
'We believe that we've presented significant evidence to justify his extradition to the United States,' said Mr Crowley, adding: 'We think we've made our case, and we'll see what the judgment of the court is.' US lawmakers, meanwhile, urged the ambassador to let authorities in Bangkok know that rejecting the request would harm ties with Washington and said the kingdom's judiciary handling of the case had not been 'fair and transparent.'
The lawmakers complained that they had only learned through Bout's lawyer and the media that a Thai appeals court would decide on Friday whether to send the accused arms trafficker to the United States to face terrorism charges.
'We find the potential release of a man responsible for countless deaths of innocents in Africa and elsewhere simply astounding,' said the group, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Howard Berman, a Democrat. 'More so as there is little doubt that he would return to his deadly trade, arming those targeting US and Thai interests around the globe,' they said in a letter delivered to the Thai embassy on Wednesday.
Republican Representative Ed Royce's office released the letter, which was also signed by Democratic Senator Russell Feingold and Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the top Republican on Berman's committee. Bout, said to have inspired the Hollywood film Lord Of War starring Nicolas Cage, has been fighting extradition since his March 2008 arrest in Bangkok on charges of peddling weapons around the world, including to Al-Qaeda.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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#4
'We believe that we've presented significant evidence to justify his extradition to the United States....'
.....followed up by his immediate release by DoJ for lack of proper evidence and repatriation to our good friend Mother Russia aboard the same leased aircraft that recently whisked the dozen or so Russian spy moles back to Moscow. No worries Viktor, Puttie is waiting at Domodedova with patriotic songs and vodka.
#5
He's better trade bait for people we want in Russia than that red-haired babe ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/20/2010 9:13 Comments ||
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#6
No worries Viktor, Puttie is waiting at Domodedova
With Hillary and Holder pulling the strings it might be best to keep a lower profile. You know...people might...talk. Theres a nice long runway in Minsk with an embassy close by. And rumor has it the food is not too bad at Westphalia. (Better then Bangkok prison chow anyway.)
#7
With Hillary and Holder pulling the strings it might be best to keep a lower profile. You know...people might...talk.
From AOL news:
Bout hasn't done himself any favors by boasting about palling around with bloodthirsty tyrants. Speaking from his Thai prison in 2008, Bout admitted working for his "very close friend" Jean-Pierre Bemba -- a warlord who became vice president of the Congo and is now facing trial in The Hague for orchestrating mass rape and murder and enlisting child soldiers. "I know Bemba very well, and I am telling you from any point of view he would never give any orders, especially to rape women in the Central African Republic," he told British journalist Nick Paton Walsh.
But not all of Bout's clients were on the world's most wanted list. His ability to get goods delivered to the most dangerous places on earth meant that his companies were sometimes called on by the U.S. Department of Defense to deliver supplies to Iraq, and by the U.N. to land peacekeepers in East Timor.
#8
Puttie is waiting at Domodedova with patriotic songs and vodka.
Re. Putin and Bout, the relationship is probably a commercial one, not a military or strategic one. Bout represents the criminal side of the current Russian security ("siloviki") establishment. Putin and his crew probably take 10%.
Also, I thought Bout was Ukrainian? He's not a patriot, he's a common vor (thief) like most of those ex-KGB and -military figures who operate in the vast gray areas within the interstices of the Russian and Ukrainian governments.
On August 13 a local imam, Sheikh Tobah, called for jihad against Christians living in the village of Shimi in Egypt. Within a couple of hours, an argument broke out between Maher Amin, a Coptic taxi driver, and a Mohamed Ali Almstaui. Almstaui began to assault the taxi driver, but bystanders broke up the fight.
That night, Ahmad, Mohamad's Islamist brother, went to Maher's family home with 20 men. They broke down the door, destroyed the furniture and assaulted his family, including his mother and his paralyzed sister. Security forces then came and detained the Christian victims without treating their wounds, and forced them to 'reconcile' with their attackers.
I'd be interested in some more details about this so-called reconciliation process. I'm picturing some sort of vigilante show trial.
The next day, a Muslim mob gathered and attacked the Copts in their houses and in the fields. "Why should they not do that, when they are told that the MP will defend them," said a Rev. Ezra Nageh of St. George's Church, adding the police have yet to issue a report about the incidents, because they were afraid of the MP. "So to whom should we go for help? MP Saad Gamal hates Christians, and President Mubarak pretends that he is not present or unaware of our plight."
#1
This was a regular occurrence in Egypt when we lived there. The 10% Christian population has dwindled to less than 5% in the past few decades due to self-exile as a result of persecution. Of course the Jews were run out long ago. Thank the religion of peace and the fine Imams like the one in this story who see their duty to marginalize, exile or eradicate non-Muslims.
Last night while channel surfing I bumped into CNN (AC 360) and the sit-in for Anderson Cooper had two guests (one Joel Hunter, the spiritual ad visor to Obama image how hard that must be would have better luck as a bible shop owner in Saudi Arabia, and some Muslin fellow) it was nauseating the obsequiousness was unbelievable the main theme Islam is misunderstood by Americans actually, buddy, the more we hear from that religion the more we see that it is intolerant, misogynistic, aggressive and totalitarian in part since the moderates are drowned out by the jihadist and Americas liberal left. For AC 360 not to acknowledge or talk about this latter point underscores the problem.
Posted by: Jack Salami ||
08/20/2010 10:20 Comments ||
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[Ennahar] The former leader of the Islamique Salvation Front, banned FIS, Djamel Lounici, accused by the European security services of having led the largest European network of support to armed groups in the nineties, has appealed the residues of armed groups in the bush to join the national reconciliation
The former leader of the Islamique Salvation Front, banned FIS, Djamel Lounici, accused by the European security services of having led the largest European network of support to armed groups in the nineties, has appealed the residues of armed groups in the bush to join the national reconciliation and end the armed activities that have caused destruction and misery in the country and to the people.
Lounici said in a statement to Ennahar, that it was more than necessary for the brothers who are in the bush to answer the call of the Ulemas, who have proved that all armed activity in Algeria is illegal.
Lounici, expressing his total belief and adherence to the Charter for Peace, said that what the terrorist groups do in the bush, has no statutory basis. These are acts shamed by all the Muslim Ulema. "What you do has no basis or legal framework, answer the call of Ulema in the interest of the nation and the people and for your own interest," he said in his appeal.
On his assessment of the current situation, Lounici said it is stable and that Algeria should regain its original state as before. "Stability is very important," he said.
Lounici, who is accused of committing the subway attack in Paris, expressed his satisfaction after the regularization of his situation, which allowed him to return to normal life in society. It wished to see others benefit from the regularization of their situation under the provisions of the charter for peace and national reconciliation.
Lounici said to have been one of the first to support the charter for peace and national reconciliation.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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[Ennahar] Zeraoua Ahmidache, known under the name of Sheikh Abdelfettah, spokesman of the association Essahoua Al Islamia (Islamic awakening) representing the mosques in Algeria, has announced plans to launch a new initiative, based on the national reconciliation, which seeks to convince the residue of armed groups in the bush to cease their armed activities and join life in society.
Sheikh Abdelfettah describes the initiative as a legal proposal to end the crisis in Algeria. It is an initiative which was attended by Muslim Ulema from Algeria and from abroad who have enriched it by their contributions, taking into account the interests of both parties, ie. The armed groups and the Algerian state.
The sheikh has indicated, in his speech yesterday, on Al Jazeera Channel, that the armed elements in the bush have not participated in the events that marked the country during the last two decades. These are people, according to him, who have been erred and if they knew the truth, there would be no crisis now. They would have found that national reconciliation is the best solution for the country and the people.
There are foreign parties who are involved in this situation to settle scores and exploit the Islamists in their evil designs, said our interlocutor. He added that it is necessary to accept reconciliation which is the only solution to the violent crisis.
Concerning the point of view of the Algerian authorities, Abdelfettah Sheikh said he had met with some partieswith whom he discussed this initiative. An initiative based on individual beliefs and the role of Ulema and which is managed by no party.
This article starring:
Sheikh Abdelfettah
Zeraoua Ahmidache
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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North Korea boasted of its "invincible" air power on Thursday amid reports that one of its jet fighters crashed in China, killing the pilot.
The North's air force has grown to be an "invincible revolutionary armed force" since it was founded in 1947, the official Korean Central News Agency said.
North Korean pilots "fully demonstrated their combat capability" during the 1950-53 Korean War, it said. The North has been silent on the reported crash of its aircraft Tuesday in Liaoning province's Fushun County.
China's Xinhua news agency said the plane "might be" a North Korean jet, citing unnamed Chinese government sources.
"The aircraft crashed into a civilian makeshift house, leaving no Chinese dead or injured. The pilot died on the spot," Xinhua said, adding Beijing was "communicating" with Pyongyang on the incident. Photos that appeared to show the crash site, posted on the Internet, showed what looked like a fighter plane with the North Korean flag painted on the body of the jet.
The South's military said that the plane was more likely a MiG-21, citing radar detection by its air force of the aircraft leaving a military airbase in the North Korean city of Sinuiju, near the border with China.
The South's Yonhap news agency, citing intelligence sources, said Wednesday that the pilot of the plane - possibly a Soviet-era MiG-15 - may have lost his way while attempting to fly to Russia to escape from North Korea.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
North Korean pilots "fully demonstrated their combat capability" during the 1950-53 Korean War, it said.
Uh huh. Amazing how all those inexperienced Nork pilots were such a pain right out of Nork Top Gun school. And experienced Russian pilots had nothing to do with it.
#4
ION WMF > RUSSIAN MIL + POLITICAL AFFAIRS EXPERT ALEXANDER KONOLOV: IT IS NOT CLEAR WHOM WILL BE NORTH KOREA'S MILITARY TARGET(S) IFF IT DEVS LR BALLISTIC MISSLES + NUCLEAR WEAPONS. RUSSIA'S PACIFIC FLEET IS PRESENTLY UNREADY TO CARRY OUT ITS CONVENTIONAL WARFARE MISSIONS OF COMBAT OR DETERRENCE.
IOW, IIUC ARTIC > KONOLOV =
* NORTH KOREA's true intentions remain highly subjective or dubious as PER ANYBODY.
* To deter or win a Battle-Campaign the RUSS NAVY MAY HAVE TO RESORT TO IMMEDIATE OR NEAR-TERM "FIRST/PREEMPTIVE USE" OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS FROM THE BEGINNING.
--------------------
As fpr CHINA, CHINESE MIL FORUM > ATTACK ON MILITARY POLICE KILLS SEVEN IN XINJIANG, CHINA. THOSE D **** UIGHURS AGAIN!
VARIOUS NETTERS > opine that ETIM = Uighur Militants are US Proxies for [China-Asia, World]Imperialism like AL QAEDA???
An Australian Muslim woman, sought consent to keep her face and head covered while appearing as a witness at an upcoming trial on Thursday and was denied the permission by the judge. Western Australia state District Court Judge Shauna Deane ruled on Thursday that it would be inappropriate for the woman to be completely veiled, as the jury should not be impeded in its ability to assess her demeanor. She is a prosecution witness in a case against the director of a company, Anwar Sayed, that ran a Muslim women's college in Perth.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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Achmed was returning to work one morning with two black eyes. His workmates were understandably curious: "Achmed, what happened to you?!?" "It was the darndest thing! I was at the mosque yesterday, and this fat lady stood up in front of me. You know how a burqa can get stuck in the crack of the butt of a fat lady? It looked funny. I figured she wouldn't like that, so I just reached over and pulled it out with a little tug. Next thing I know, she spins around and socks me one!" "Oy ve, you got TWO black eyes in one blow?" "Naw. After she turned back around, I figured she was angry that I pulled her burqa out of her crack, so I tried to poke it back in...."
H/T Lucianne.com -- This is a video done of Bush and Laura greeting the soldiers. Even before they arrived, Bush was mingling with the "greeters." I've said it before and I'll say it again, the soldier, retired or active, always reach out to him. Amazing to watch.
#1
Great Video Sherry! Actually, Love Field is the smaller municipal airport close to downtown Dallas and is only a few blocks from President Bush's Dallas home. A wonderful name for a place to bring our boys and girls home through, so I will recommend it to the Military. Never thought of Love Field until you mentioned it.
However, the actual airport in this video is the big Dallas airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW), between Dallas and Fort Worth.
#2
Thanks, TEX -- wasn't playing attention -- I've flown into both airports more times than I can count! In fact, flew into DFW the second day it was open! That was an experience.
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency said it will create a center to fight the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
Weapons analysts will work alongside undercover operatives who are part of the CIAs National Clandestine Service, the agency said in a press release today. The center will be headed by an undercover officer. (additional info from anonymous professional source) "The number one artificial biological threat has become a gene-synthesised virus. Although it is a good idea to try to monitor orders for viruses engineered by commercial services, this is unlikely to prevent an attack. The machines necessary to produce such viruses have already been sold to many countries. Such nations can produce highly lethal, highly infectious viruses at will, as well as sophisticated delivery systems.
"For its part, the failure of the CDC to implement basic procedures like high-throughput PCR for diagnostics and seroprevalence studies for CFR information is an indicator of incompetence. They had the equipment, they just didnt know how to use it. The CDC is 10-20 years behind in their knowledge of modern biological methods, because they are for the most part public health officials who typically have little or no recent laboratory experience. Likewise, they shun becoming bio-conflict oriented."
Building a weaponized virus or bacterium is not trivial but it is straightforward. A competent PhD in cell and molecular biology, with standard protocols, equipment and commercially-available reagents, materials, and kits, can build such viruses and bacteria. There are thousands of academic, government and pharmaceutical company laboratories around the world that can do this. Much of the work can be done quietly, on the side, by a motivated individual or small group using said laboratories of their employers, without their employers and supervisors being aware.
The DNA and RNA sequences for lethal virulence factors that could be inserted into a virus or bacterium are known and listed on government (e.g., NIH) websites. They can be cloned using kits. Plasmids and packaging vectors to receive the cloned DNA are widely available, and model viruses and bacteria are commercially available or can be obtained by an innocent letter to a colleague halfway around the world.
#1
Don't worry 'moose, it will all make sense to them after the first attack or two.
As for giving away deadly technology: Could we possibly stop doing that? It's mentally deficient. After we invented the A-bomb, plans were available until about the 80's. Then suddenly they got classified. And it hasn't slowed down since then. We give away every bit of tech we have until suddenly someone realizes that maybe being able to modify a virus could create all kinds of havoc and says "Hey, someone with half a brain could use this to kill millions of people" and then suddenly it gets regulated. After the horse has exited the barn and wandered off into Pakistain or wherever. Duh. Gotta quit that. Maybe next time. I shake my head every time that happens at the lack of the simplest common sense.
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/20/2010 13:32 Comments ||
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Truthfully, I think that the target here is not attacking people directly, but going after agriculture. For example, most of southern Asia would be devastated if a carefully distributed rice virus wiped out most of their crops one season. Much of the rest of the world if corn were attacked.
The CDC look like cub scouts compared to the USDA, which is continually at war with dozens of diseases, insects and parasites, and so are wartime authoritarian in their actions.
I watched once, when a few wheat samples in AZ were found to have a disease called Karnal Bunt. With no hesitation, the USDA ordered every speck of living wheat in the State destroyed, and prohibited growing it for five years. No arguments.
[Arab News] A Canadian Muslim associated with the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is spearheading a campaign to spread the message of Islam in Canada and the United States.
He intends to distribute tens of thousands of English language copies of the Holy Qur'an with the support of Muslim philanthropists. "A copy of the Qur'an will cost only $1.25 if we print it in large numbers," said Suhail Kapoor.
The move comes after a nondenominational church in Gainesville, Florida, announced plans to host an "International Burn a Qur'an Day" to mark the 9/11 attacks.
"Ours is a proactive move and we hope it will have a positive response. Many people turn against Islam because of their ignorance about this divine religion. If they get a chance to read the Qur'an, which is a miracle from God, it will definitely change their mind," Kapoor told Arab News.
Kapoor, who has been engaged in the propagation of Islam ever since he embraced the religion in 1990 while working in Saudi Arabia, spoke about the mesmeric power of the Qur'an in winning the hearts of people.
"You know, it was the Qur'an that changed the mind of Omar bin Khattab (the second Caliph) who, before coming to the fold of Islam, had pledged to kill the Prophet (peace be upon him). I know that thousands of people are still accepting Islam after reading this holy book," he explained. He has already distributed thousands of copies during the last 10 years.
He denounced the Gainesville church's campaign to burn the Qur'an. "I am sure these smear campaigns would only encourage more people to learn about Islam and its holy book."
Born a Hindu, Kapoor himself embraced Islam after reading a translation of the Qur'an given by one of his friends in Saudi Arabia 20 years ago.
"I accepted Islam after I found that it gives convincing answers to all my questions related to the purpose of life. In Islam one can get forgiveness without the mediation of a priest. One can ask for forgiveness directly to God and there is no need of penance."
Kapoor wants to take the message of Islam to policymakers in North America in order to change their attitude toward Islam and Muslims. He believed the renaissance of Islam would come from the West, with hundreds of people embracing the religion every day.
"According to a survey conducted by a non-profit organization, 150,000 to 200,000 people embrace Islam in North America every year and about 200,000 in Europe," he said.
Kapoor emphasized the need for interaction between Muslim and non-Muslim communities in Western societies and solving common problems.
"I am happy to know that lots of efforts are taking place in this direction. This will certainly contribute to rebuilding the image of Islam and Muslims," he said.
"For example, every autumn we Muslims participate in a cleaning campaign in Greater Toronto with the support of municipalities. A large number of Muslim women wearing hijab take part in the program."
Kapoor is the author of a book called "Islam: Balancing life and beyond," which presents the basic teachings of Islam in a simple way and highlights the commonalities of the three Abrahamic religions -- Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
According to him, the 72-page book was well received by readers in the West and it encouraged many of them to embrace Islam. The director of the Central Mosque in London has asked his permission to reprint the book. He has printed 210,000 copies of the book with the support of Muslim donors.
Kapoor is now a full-time daee (propagator of Islam) in Canada and his activities are centered in Mississauga, 24 km north of Toronto. He distributes his book in the street and gives Islamic lectures at churches and Catholic high schools.
"There are a lot of misconceptions about Islam in the minds of Western people and I am trying my best to remove them." He spoke about the Western media's deliberate attempt to discredit Islam and link it with terrorism. He also censured the move by some Western governments to ban hijab.
"They don't have any problem if a woman walks in the street almost half naked but they have a problem if a woman wears a moderate dress. This is sheer absurdity. Where is the freedom and where are the human rights?" he asked and criticized the double standards of Western governments.
He urged Muslims to represent Islam in the best manner. "The commitment and passion a Muslim revert has is lacking in born Muslims," he pointed out. "It's the sense of understanding and sense of value that makes it different."
He admired newly converted women in the West who follow Islamic teachings with a high degree of commitment. "It's absolutely phenomenal."
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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$1.25 sounds overpriced since you can get it for free at the library. Until they have a riot at the library because the Koran wasn't placed on the top shelf, and you return it to the same book drop along all those infidel Danielle Steel novels.
Posted by: American Delight ||
08/20/2010 6:13 Comments ||
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#2
$1.25 is cheaper than Toilet paper.
Just saying....
(But then why would you desecrate sh*t by touching it with the Quaran?)
#3
Extremist Muslims get very upset about having a Koran in any language other than Arabic, which is the "official language". And yes, they call for death and destruction for that as well.
#11
Any religious fervour should be quashed in any manner possible . Its the bane of this century .
Posted by: Black Charlie ||
08/20/2010 20:17 Comments ||
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"I accepted Islam after I found that it gives convincing answers to all my questions related to the purpose of life."
Then you must have had some damn weird questions, bubbe.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
08/20/2010 21:46 Comments ||
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#13
150,000 to 200,000 people embrace Islam in North America every year
In Africa, every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity. Everyday, 16,000 Muslims convert to Christianity. Ever year, 6 million Muslims convert to Christianity
The developers of the Ground Zero mosque are refusing to flat out reject cash for the project from Holocaust-denying Iranian nuke nut Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"I can't comment on that" was the reply of mosque spokesman Oz Sultan yesterday when asked specifically if the fund-raising would extend to Iran and Saudi Arabia. "We'll look at all available options within the United States to start."
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the leader of the project known as Park51, has said at meetings with downtown officials that he would raise money for the 13-story mosque from local Muslims, foundations and the sale of bonds.
But in an interview with a London-based Arab newspaper earlier this year, he admitted his fund-raising would also extend to Muslim nations around the world.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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Ah, but that doesn't matter. Let the rest of the world think they are contributing to a monument to America's weakness, we all know it's really a tribute to our religous tolerance!
We really outsmarted those rubes!
It's all about what we (should) think!
Posted by: Bobby ||
08/20/2010 6:30 Comments ||
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My money is on Saudi.At least Iran Govt admit they hate the West.Does Saudi?
#3
Does Saudi Arabia hate us? They are in the mideast and they are muslim. I'd say yes. Particularly since they have been financing hatred for 30 years.
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Iraqi forces structure are incomplete to protect the countrys borders and sovereignty, according to the Iraqi governments official spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh on Thursday.
Iraqs army forces cannot be built in one or two years. Until the year 2011, the Iraqi security forces would not be ready to protect the nations borders and sovereignty, he said in an interview aired by the semi-official al-Iraqiya channel.
The U.S. government had announced the end of its combat troops missions in Iraq and actually embarked on pulling out forces as of mid-August, and supposed to be completed by August 31. The U.S. military presence in Iraq, however, will be confined to logistical and training support for Iraqi forces as well as backup in the civilian field.
Dabbagh pointed out that the pending issues regarding encroachments on Iraqi territories must be settled by the Iraqi government.
The political decision-making establishment in Iraq is taking into account the need to strike a balance between having U.S. forces to stay for a long time or facing a tough situation in which we have to defend the nation ourselves, he said.
The Iraqi armys chief of staff, General Babakr Zebari, had said in a press conference a few days ago that the Iraqi army would not be capable of fully shouldering the security responsibilities before 2020, proposing that the U.S. army should stay in Iraq until the Iraqi army is completely ready.
Zebaris statements triggered varied reactions and concerns by some Iraqis who are afraid Iraq would slide into another cycle of violence, particularly with the delayed formation of a new government five months after the countrys second legislative elections since 2003 were held and the mounting differences among the winning blocs.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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I trust them. These idealogical noobs have been so right on everything else, why shouldn't they be just as accurate on this, too? Jack wagons.
Anyway, this article talks about how our vaunted CIA is putting together another just as vaunted NIE. I'm sure it will be much better than the first because it is supposed to have input from some new sources. Maybe the guy who just ran back to Iran mailed us a postcard with a status report on it or something.
Oh, and I'm sure the Nork/Pakistani/Iranian nuclear-bomb development program is about to try their latest design somewhere in North Korea since we held the wargames there off their front porch where they could watch our tactics up close and personal. It'll be all our fault that they were forced to do that, of course. Funny, if I were afraid of a guy with a gun shooting me, I personally wouldn't be flipping him off, but maybe that's because I've had a fairly nutritive diet over the course of my lifetime and am not intimately familiar with the different kinds of bark and grass that won't kill me when I eat them.
In any case, in one year the reactor will be be fueled and operational. Iran will have several more processing sites up and running, their nuclear infrastructure buried deeper and more spread out, and will have had another year to strategize. Hezb'Allah and the "Palestinians" will have more advanced weapons and more of them. And they too will have had another year to stragegize and prepare as well. Iran may have something up its sleeve and might have handed material or completed bomb(s) off to the next player in the chain, who may just be a se><-starved terrorist with a cargo container at his disposal.
It'll be sorta like blackmail. "I got one nekkid picture of you, and now I want another or I'm going to send it to all your friends at work." Well, what's one more. And then another. And another. Whoops, there when Israel, but they haven't come after us. Well, OK. Wow! Where did our port go? Was it these guys or those? The Iranians fervently deny they did it. They're even sending us another container-ship full of hankies to replace the first one that got blown up. Suppose there will be another? Better check with China to see if they have a problem with us nuking Iran if it turns out they did it and not the Norks. Who happen to have a similar warhead design.
In any case, I don't really care if their stupid reactor is fueled, working, or not. Stick a 2000# bomb right up their cooling tower while running at full power and be done with it for all I care. More importantly, take out their nuclear sites, including storage, development, and as much as they can related to manufacturing. I'd like to see their government bombed during a full session, and the Republican Guard screwed up simultaneously, too. Too bad all these things can't happen at once in the middle of the night. Maybe the pros can figure something out. Might just cut off half their food supply and tell them we'll send them more if they let us in and behave themselves. Of course, that may be tough since Nutjob says they'd be happy to be the nation that has to sacrifice half their population just to wipe Israel off the map. Whatever that means.
In any case, I think it will take US backing to keep Iran from striking back at Israel directly. And even with that, the local players like Hamas, Fatah and Hezballah will likely have to be dealt with by Israel alone for the most part. For the next ten years unless Iran has a revolution. And then and only then might there be peace in the area.
Maybe Israel could use a few F-22s. For peaceful defense-related purposes, of course. And maybe some external fuel tanks. For even longer-range peaceful defense-related purposes.
#2
In other words, there's no need to get all excited until after the election.
Posted by: Bobby ||
08/20/2010 6:10 Comments ||
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Most likely Israel has a handle on the timeline better than our estimates. After all, their survival depends upon knowing these things.
So is this just FYI for watchful waiting, ho-hum factoid, greenlight? Wishy-washy useless message. Israel is going to have to go their own way; they can't depend on what used to be a useful ally.
Organisers of a Lebanese women-only aid ship which plans to break the Gaza blockade announced on Thursday they will sail to Cyprus on the first leg of their journey this weekend. "The ship Mariam will leave for Cyprus on Sunday at 10 pm (1900 GMT) from the port of Tripoli" in north Lebanon, organiser Samar al-Hajj told reporters outside the port.
The Mariam, a Bolivian-flagged cargo ship Bolivia has cargo ships?
originally named the Junia Star, plans to carry aid to Gaza in an bid to break the four-year siege of Gaza with 50 Lebanese and foreign women activists on board, including a local pop star.
The Mariam, renamed in honour of the Virgin Mary, would need Cypriot authorisation to depart for Gaza from its shores but officials in Cyprus have said the island was keeping in place a ban on ships departing for Gaza.
"The Cypriot ambassador to Lebanon tried to convince us not to go and reiterated that his country would not grant us authorisation to sail to Gaza," Hajj told AFP. "But we are adamant," she added. "We have no arms and we will go to Gaza." Israeli officials have warned the Jewish state would intercept any boats attempting to approach the coast of Gaza, which is run by the Islamist Hamas terrorist movement.
The United Nations has said that groups seeking to deliver aid to Gaza should send it by land. The "Naji al-Ali," another Lebanese boat organised by journalists and originally named Julia, has also announced it would sail to Gaza via Cyprus but has not yet received clearance from Lebanese authorities. Lebanon and Israel remain technically at war and have no diplomatic ties or maritime links.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
I would intercept them with a shipfull of IDF women.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
08/20/2010 2:03 Comments ||
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#2
Actually, they already did that on the second "aid" ship. But hey, it's the best way to respond to this one, too!
Arab states have cut financial aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) so far this year, according to PA figures seen by Reuters, and the United Nations has warned of a looming Palestinian cash crisis.
"The Arabs are not paying. We urge them to meet their financial pledges," said Saleh Rafat, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's executive committee and one of the few Palestinian officials willing to speak out on the matter.
Arab government officials contacted by Reuters declined to comment on the issue. The failure of some wealthy Arab states to pay up is frustrating Western governments, which are big contributors to the Palestinian territories, and leaving officials in the West Bank with a budget headache.
Some Palestinian officials speculate Arab states might be withholding the cash to try to persuade the Palestinian factions Fatah, which controls the West Bank, and Hamas, which controls Gaza, towards reconciliation.
Palestinian Finance Ministry figures seen by Reuters showed the PA had received $583.5 million in budget support so far in 2010. Only 22 percent came from Arab donors, the rest coming from international donors including the EU and US.
In the last three years, the most Arab states have paid in any one year was $525.9 million, contributed in 2008, the figures show. Gulf oil exporters Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been the main Arab contributors since 2007. But in 2010, both have fallen well short of previous support.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Palestinian Authority
#1
Arab states have cut financial aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) so far this year
Why should they spend their own money with Obama in the White House?
#2
"The Arabs are not paying. We urge them to meet their financial pledges," said Saleh Rafat...
Why? What's in it for them? Arab "brotherhood"?
Sounds like everybody might be starting to see through the Palestinian bullshit.
Except, of course, the idiots in charge here and in Europe...
In a statement from its Foreign Ministry Friday, Russia says the decision by a Thai court to extradite the Russian national Viktor Bout to the United States has nothing to do with justice and is the result of American political pressure on Thailand. Good. Nice to know that the U.S., on occasion, can successfully throw its weight around.
It also says it will continue efforts to have Mr Bout released and flown home.
Mr. Bout is facing an Everest of trumped-up arms smuggling charges.
Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said Friday that Iran has test-fired a new surface-to-surface missile, the local English language satellite Press TV reported.
Iran's new surface-to-surface missile, Qiam, has been successfully test-fired, Vahidi said in Friday prayers in Tehran.
"Being a new class of Iranian missiles, Qiam has been equipped with new technical specifications and exceptional tactical powers, " Vahidi was quoted as saying.
One of the features of the missile is that "it does not have flippers and this provides it with higher tactical capabilities," the minister said.
Another feature of the missile is that the possibility of being targeted by other missiles is very low, Fars news agency quoted him as saying.
Vahidi did not specify the location and the time of the test.
Vahidi's remarks came a day before the country's Bushehr nuclear power plant operations startup.
[Al Arabiya Latest] Lebanon's energy minister on Thursday said his country plans to outline its maritime sea borders and auction off rights to explore potential offshore natural gas and petrol reserves by 2012.
"Now that the law on the exploration of offshore oil and gas reserves has been passed by parliament, we expect to begin the licensing process for the exploration of the reserve in 2012, barring political hurdles," Gibran Bassil said at a news conference.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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Iran's Supreme National Security Council has granted the country's Revolutionary Guards more powers to expand and maintain its control of the economy, Al Arabiya TV reported, stating informed sources. Bambi's getting ideas ...
The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), headed by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, issued a resolution stipulating the appointment of a representative of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, commonly known as the Revolutionary Guard, in the Board of Directors of Iran's Central Bank, reliable government sources told Al Arabiya.
According to the resolution, no decisions can be taken at the bank without the approval of the Revolutionary Guards representative. This specifically applies to loans that exceed one million dollars.
The second SNSC decision stipulates the appointment of a Revolutionary Guard member, as well as a representative of the Ministry of Intelligence, in the Association for Decision Reviewing and Organization, a monitoring body affiliated to the Telecommunication Company of Iran and located at the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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These decisions came in the aftermath of the tightening sanctions on Iran and despite warnings from financial experts and opposition leaders of the consequences of the Revolutionary Guard's hegemony in the country's political, financial, and security sectors.
The decisions also coincide with harsh criticism by leading reformist and presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi against Khatam al-Anbiya, the construction unit of the Revolutionary Guards, and its monopoly over the most substantial of business transactions in the industry and economy sectors.
According to media reports, Karroubi expressed concern over the latest developments in the country's economy.
"The private sector is no longer able to compete as the economy is monopolized by the Revolutionary Guard," he said. "This violates the plan for the year 2025 and which emphasizes the role of private institutions to achieve economic dynamism in the country."
Karroubi added that the government is currently placing several obstacles in the way of privatization by involving security forces in all the country's economic sectors.
"Privatization is now restricted to a handful from the military which defeats the main purpose of privatization and violates the constitution."
Karroubi pointed out that Article 43 of the Iranian constitution bans the concentration of wealth in the hand of the minority and prohibits the government from turning into a contractor that controls all economic transactions in the country.
"This leads to more corruption and increases unemployment rates as well as makes the Revolutionary Guard lose what it originally stood for."
Posted by: Fred ||
08/20/2010 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
On August 13 a local imam, Sheikh Tobah, called for jihad against Christians living in the village of Shimi in Egypt. Within a couple of hours, an argument broke out between Maher Amin, a Coptic taxi driver, and a Mohamed Ali Almstaui. Almstaui began to assault the taxi driver, but bystanders broke up the fight. 
An Australian Muslim woman, sought consent to keep her face and head covered while appearing as a witness at an upcoming trial on Thursday and was denied the permission by the judge. Western Australia state District Court Judge Shauna Deane ruled on Thursday that it would be inappropriate for the woman to be completely veiled, as the jury should not be impeded in its ability to assess her demeanor. She is a prosecution witness in a case against the director of a company, Anwar Sayed, that ran a Muslim women's college in Perth.
