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Area: WoT Operations    Non-WoT    Opinion        Politix   
Rebels offers $1.7 million bounty for Gadhafi
Today's Headlines
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Page 4: Opinion
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Page 6: Politix
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Afghanistan
Afghan DJs working for US & NATO
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 08/24/2011 16:16 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Give the man a green card.
Posted by: Zhang Fei || 08/24/2011 17:55 Comments || Top||


Africa North
NTC to hold elections in eight months
[Iran Press TV] The head of Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) says Libyans will go to the polls for presidential and parliamentary elections within eight months.


"In eight months we will hold legislative and presidential elections. We want a democratic government and a just constitution," Russian RIA Novosti quoted Mustafa Abdel Jalil as saying.

Jalil said that post-Qadaffy
...Megalomaniac dictator of Libya, admired everywhere for his garish costumes, funny hats, harem of cutie bodyguards, and incoherent ravings. As far as is known, he is the only person who's ever declared jihad on Switzerland... ...
Libya "must be a different country from the past, based on the principles of freedom, equality and fraternity," and will have "strong relations with other countries, based on mutual respect and cooperation."

"We will be an active member of the international community and we will respect the treaties signed in the past," he added.

Abdel Jalil also spoke of Muammar Qadaffy's trial, saying that the runaway Libyan dictator will be tried in the country.

Abdel Jalil emphasized that the trial would be fair.

The whereabouts of Qadaffy and his family are unknown one day after revolutionaries took control of his heavily-fortified compound Bab al-Aziziyah.

The Libyan fighters swept into the heart of Libya's capital city early on Monday, and seized control of much of Tripoli without facing significant resistance from regime forces.

Revolutionaries are now facing only small pockets of resistance from Qadaffy loyalists in other areas.

In a new audio message on Wednesday, Qadaffy pledged "martyrdom or victory" in the fight against NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's headquartered in Belgium. That sez it all....
and the Libyan opposition fighters, claiming that the withdrawal from his headquarters was "a tactical move."

Libya has been the scene of intense fighting between regime troops and fighters since a revolution seeking to topple Qadaffy began in mid-February.
Posted by: Fred || 08/24/2011 10:20 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:


Arabia
Libyans in Riyadh mission switch allegiance
JEDDAH: The staff of the Libyan missions in Riyadh and Jeddah have announced on Tuesday that they are shifting their allegiance to the Libyan revolutionaries.

Iraq, Oman, Bahrain and Morocco had earlier Tuesday recognized Libya’s rebel-led council as the country’s legitimate international representatives. They are the latest Arab nations to break off relations with Muammar Qaddafi’s regime in favor of the National Transitional Council.

The embassy staff confirmed, in a fax to the Arab News office, that the employees in the embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah now recognize the rebel government.

"We have decided to join the revolutionaries, as the fall of Tripoli proves that the Qaddafi regime does not represent Libya any more. The Libyan revolutionaries will assume control of the new future of Libya," a Libyan diplomatic staff at the embassy in Riyadh told Arab News.

"We have had no contact with the Foreign Ministry in Libya for the past five days and, we will unfurl the new flag of the revolution in our embassy in Riyadh on Wednesday," he added.
Posted by: Steve White || 08/24/2011 00:00 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "Please don't fire us...we got stuck on embassy duty because Khadaffy don't like us!"
Posted by: gromky || 08/24/2011 12:31 Comments || Top||


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Presidential Campaign In Kyrgyzstan Focuses On US Transit Center
Posted by: Water Modem || 08/24/2011 20:32 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:


China-Japan-Koreas
Uyghur Unrest in Xinjiang Shakes Sino-Pakistani Relations
Posted by: Water Modem || 08/24/2011 20:12 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under:


Economy
US terror victims sue Deutsche Börse group over Iran funds
Allegation could endanger takeover of New York Stock Exchange

BERLIN – A lawsuit filed in a US Federal court in Manhattan by roughly 1,000 victims of a joint Hezbollah and Iran 1983 attack on US soldiers in Beirut alleges that Clearstream Banking SA of Luxembourg, which is owned by the Deutsche Börse AG, illegally transferred $250,000 million of seized Iranian funds, according to a report in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal.

Hezbollah, along with Tehran’s government, killed 241 US servicemen in an attack on the Marine Corps housing complex, prompting family members to initiate litigation. A US Federal Judge ruled in 2003 that Iran was responsible for the terror attack and ordered the Islamic Republic to pay $2.7 billion in compensation to the family members of the murdered service personnel.

Iran rejects the charges of complicity in the single deadliest terror attack on US soldiers.

According to the Journal article, court documents from 2008 show that “Clearstream and a second financial institution helped Iran move the money out of accounts at Citigroup Inc.’s Citibank unit in New York after a federal court had ordered the funds frozen.”

A Judge from the Southern District of Manhattan court “ordered Citibank in June 2008 to freeze $2.25b. of Clearstream accounts that were allegedly controlled by Iran,” wrote the Journal.

The family victims argued that Clearstream furnished improper information to secure the release of the $250m. A second bank was also involved in transferring Iranian funds, but the name of that bank has been “redacted” from the court documents, noted the Journal.

The lawsuit against Deutsch Börse could throw a wrench in the negotiating process to control the NYSE, in which the Deutsche Börse seeks to take over NYSE Euronext Inc, which oversees the New York Stock Exchange. According to the Journal, US lawmakers have raised the Clearstream controversy as a reason to block the Deutsche Börse’s takeover attempt.

The Journal cites a question asked by US Congressional Representative Steve Austria (R.Ohio) to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner at a legislative hearing this year: “Are you concerned that the New York Stock Exchange is going to be owned by a company that’s allegedly – and I think is – conducting business with Iran?” The involvement of the Deutsche Börse in reportedly transferring Iran funds is another blow to Germany’s financial reputation. The Deutsche Bundesbank — with assistance from Germany’s Foreign Ministry – circumvented US sanctions earlier this year and funneled at least $1.5billion euros to a US sanctioned bank, the European-Iranian trade bank (EIH), to help pay for Indian crude oil payments owed to Iran.

The US Treasury Department expressed alarm about Germany’s business relations with the EIH because the Iranian entity finances illicit nuclear proliferation and weapons activities. After considerable US, French and British pressure, Germany agreed to place the EIH on the EU sanctions list. The EIH, however, is still permitted to process previous financial transactions, which were commenced before the May EU sanctions targeting Iran.

German critics view Chancellor Angela Merkel’s failure to shut down pre-sanction EIH transactions as undercutting international efforts to stop Iran’s drive to obtain nuclear weapons and finance terror groups.

Germany remains Iran’s largest European trade partner, with an annual 2010 volume of combined export and import trade reaching over 4billion euros. German engineering firms play a key role in Iran’s infrastructure.

According to the Journal, Clearstream declined to comment on the US lawsuit. The Deutsch Börse wrote in its 2010 annual financial disclosure that Clearstream “intends to defend itself vigorously to the fullest extent.”
Posted by: || 08/24/2011 07:13 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


US terror victims sue Deutsche Börse group over Iran funds
Allegation could endanger takeover of New York Stock Exchange

BERLIN – A lawsuit filed in a US Federal court in Manhattan by roughly 1,000 victims of a joint Hezbollah and Iran 1983 attack on US soldiers in Beirut alleges that Clearstream Banking SA of Luxembourg, which is owned by the Deutsche Börse AG, illegally transferred $250,000 million of seized Iranian funds, according to a report in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal.

Hezbollah, along with Tehran’s government, killed 241 US servicemen in an attack on the Marine Corps housing complex, prompting family members to initiate litigation. A US Federal Judge ruled in 2003 that Iran was responsible for the terror attack and ordered the Islamic Republic to pay $2.7 billion in compensation to the family members of the murdered service personnel.

Iran rejects the charges of complicity in the single deadliest terror attack on US soldiers.

According to the Journal article, court documents from 2008 show that “Clearstream and a second financial institution helped Iran move the money out of accounts at Citigroup Inc.’s Citibank unit in New York after a federal court had ordered the funds frozen.”

A Judge from the Southern District of Manhattan court “ordered Citibank in June 2008 to freeze $2.25b. of Clearstream accounts that were allegedly controlled by Iran,” wrote the Journal.

The family victims argued that Clearstream furnished improper information to secure the release of the $250m. A second bank was also involved in transferring Iranian funds, but the name of that bank has been “redacted” from the court documents, noted the Journal.

The lawsuit against Deutsch Börse could throw a wrench in the negotiating process to control the NYSE, in which the Deutsche Börse seeks to take over NYSE Euronext Inc, which oversees the New York Stock Exchange. According to the Journal, US lawmakers have raised the Clearstream controversy as a reason to block the Deutsche Börse’s takeover attempt.

The Journal cites a question asked by US Congressional Representative Steve Austria (R.Ohio) to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner at a legislative hearing this year: “Are you concerned that the New York Stock Exchange is going to be owned by a company that’s allegedly – and I think is – conducting business with Iran?” The involvement of the Deutsche Börse in reportedly transferring Iran funds is another blow to Germany’s financial reputation. The Deutsche Bundesbank — with assistance from Germany’s Foreign Ministry – circumvented US sanctions earlier this year and funneled at least $1.5billion euros to a US sanctioned bank, the European-Iranian trade bank (EIH), to help pay for Indian crude oil payments owed to Iran.

The US Treasury Department expressed alarm about Germany’s business relations with the EIH because the Iranian entity finances illicit nuclear proliferation and weapons activities. After considerable US, French and British pressure, Germany agreed to place the EIH on the EU sanctions list. The EIH, however, is still permitted to process previous financial transactions, which were commenced before the May EU sanctions targeting Iran.

German critics view Chancellor Angela Merkel’s failure to shut down pre-sanction EIH transactions as undercutting international efforts to stop Iran’s drive to obtain nuclear weapons and finance terror groups.

Germany remains Iran’s largest European trade partner, with an annual 2010 volume of combined export and import trade reaching over 4billion euros. German engineering firms play a key role in Iran’s infrastructure.

According to the Journal, Clearstream declined to comment on the US lawsuit. The Deutsch Börse wrote in its 2010 annual financial disclosure that Clearstream “intends to defend itself vigorously to the fullest extent.”
Posted by: || 08/24/2011 07:13 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:


Home Front: Politix
US lawmaker: Aid to Egypt depends on peace with Israel
Kay Granger tells ‘Post’ that level of Muslim Brotherhood involvement in new Egyptian government will impact US assistance.

Washington’s $2 billion in annual aid to Egypt will be cut off if Cairo backs out of the peace treaty with Israel, Congresswoman Kay Granger – whose job as chairwoman of the US House appropriations foreign operations subcommittee means she literally writes America’s annual foreign aid bill – told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

“The United States aid to Egypt is predicated on the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, and so the relationship between Egypt and Israel is extremely important,” the eight-term Republican from Texas said in an interview. “As an appropriator I have two concerns: One thing is the continuing relationship between Egypt and Israel, and the other thing of course is what government we will be dealing with in Egypt, and what position the Muslim Brotherhood will play in this government.”

Granger, here among a delegation of 25 Republican congressmen sponsored by the American Israel Educational Foundation, a charitable organization affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, said she is on record as saying that “if the treaty between Egypt and Israel is not continued, our financial support will not continue.”

Since the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, the US has provided Cairo with $2b. of aid annually, $1.3b. in military assistance and the rest in economic assistance.

Granger, who along with the delegation is scheduled to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday, said it has been made clear that if the PA goes through with its statehood recognition bid at the UN in September, the roughly $500m. of US aid to the PA would be suspended. She said this would include money for Palestinian security training.

Granger said the message the delegation would bring to Abbas was that there was a strong “bipartisan desire” in the US Congress to see a return to peace negotiations “in a very serious way.”
Posted by: || 08/24/2011 07:39 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Home Front: WoT
FBI Busts CIA-NYPD Antiterrorism Operation Near Rutgers
Posted by: Anonymoose || 08/24/2011 10:13 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Sounds like a complete charlie foxtrot.
Posted by: Anonymoose || 08/24/2011 10:16 Comments || Top||

#2  well, thank God the AP has conducted a month-long investigation and published their findings.
Posted by: Frank G || 08/24/2011 10:44 Comments || Top||

#3  The big question I have is who is paying for it? NYC or CIA? 11 foreign cops? Informants? It sounds like a 20 million a year or more operation.
Posted by: Penguin || 08/24/2011 10:47 Comments || Top||

#4  The NYPD's 2011 budget, at $4.5b is 2/3 the entire Pakistani military budget. That kind of money pays for a lot of personnel.
Posted by: Zhang Fei || 08/24/2011 12:13 Comments || Top||

#5  Isn't there something about the CIA NOT engaging in domestic intelligence?

This is the kind of stuff that makes talk of big-brother much more cogent. There's much to much of this s*** going on these days with the TSA, DHS, ATF, etc.
Posted by: AlanC || 08/24/2011 12:46 Comments || Top||

#6  Given that 9/11 happened because of the wall built between the CIA and domestic intelligence agencies so high they could't even tell each other that there were concerns, I'm not sure I have a problem with this, if the CIA was only advising and informing as opposed to doing the spying themselves.
Posted by: trailing wife || 08/24/2011 13:47 Comments || Top||

#7  I'm a little more concerned about the NYPD setting up a spyshop outside of the city like that, and in general acting like Wool's Union Defence Committee hiring privateers to scour the Chesapeake in the spring of 1861. It rather sounds like they've set themselves up as a rival to the FBI.
Posted by: Mitch H. || 08/24/2011 14:47 Comments || Top||

#8  TW I take your point but this is not applicable here. The CIA is spying on civilians, apparently, in colusion with the NYPD.

This is not a case of sharing foreign intel, which is their purview, with the FBI; or even a case of the FBI sharing domestic intel with the CIA. I don't recall the NYPD being part of the Federal Gov't. with all the congressional oversight that implies.

This sounds like a rogue police state operation that breaks all the rules.
Posted by: AlanC || 08/24/2011 15:10 Comments || Top||

#9  AlanC, as I read the article, the CIA trained some NYPD officers in data collection skills, and a certain Mr. Cohen spent some time as a consultant. I'm sure there was also some sharing of suspicious names... As we would have liked to see them sharing the name of Al Awlaki, dear friend of Major Hassan, MD and the Pantibomber.
Posted by: trailing wife || 08/24/2011 15:30 Comments || Top||

#10  WHAT: CAIR-NY/NJ News Conference to Call for DOJ Probe of NYPD-CIA Spy Program
WHEN: Wednesday, August 24, 2 p.m.
WHERE: 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 244, New York, NY
CONTACT: CAIR-NY Civil Rights Manager Cyrus McGoldrick, 203-206-6883, 212-870-2002, E-Mail: cmcgoldrick@cair.com; CAIR-NJ Executive Director James Yee, 908-938-5990; E-Mail: jyee@cair.com; CAIR Staff Attorney Gadeir Abbas, 720-251-0425, E-Mail: gabbas@cair.com

Following a months-long investigation, The Associated Press (AP) revealed that the NYPD is using covert surveillance techniques "that would run afoul of civil liberties rules if practiced by the federal government" and "does so with unprecedented help from the CIA in a partnership that has blurred the bright line between foreign and domestic spying."
Posted by: Sherry || 08/24/2011 16:56 Comments || Top||

#11  Nothing will come of this, since the media's pet DemoncRat is in the White House.

If a Republican were President, however....
Posted by: Barbara || 08/24/2011 18:44 Comments || Top||

#12  [PENN STATE here].

And not just the CIA either.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 08/24/2011 19:17 Comments || Top||

#13  AP and CAIR prolly don't "CAIR" for it, so I think it's prolly a good idea.
Posted by: Bobby || 08/24/2011 19:44 Comments || Top||

#14  I'm afraid that the devil is due to turn around soon if you know what I mean.
Posted by: AlanC || 08/24/2011 20:54 Comments || Top||


Future TSA: Track All 'Daily Travels To Work, Grocery Stores & Social Events'
When the TSA was asked to provide legal reasons that definitely spelled out why physically invasive patdowns are legal, without any probable cause, not one TSA person had an answer. There was no legal documentation for enhanced patdowns other than it serves "the essential administrative purpose."
Well silly, there's your answer right there. It's 'essential'. Otherwise TSA has no reason to exist, and have you ever heard of a large bureaucracy finding a reason not to exist? Cheez, from what turnip truck did you fall off last night?
Peep show, police state or privacy invasion, patdowns and body scans are not just in airports. EPIC said DHS is refusing to disclose details of mobile body scanner technology. In fact, in answer to EPIC's FOIA request, DHS handed over "several papers that were completely redacted."

Meanwhile at airports, the TSA is rolling out "less-invasive gingerbread man" body scanners to a tune of $2.7 million for 240 machines. At this point, I don't think skinnier versions of the Pillsbury Doughboy via kinder and gentler naked body scans are going to placate people who are secretly murmuring that America is truly becoming a police state. Spending countless billions of dollars on all this 'security theater' makes it look like the TSA is "doing their best to ensure that if there's a terrorist attack the public doesn't blame the TSA for missing it."
That's part of 'essential', bub...
According to TSA Blogger Bob, in the 10 years after 9/11, there have been vast improvements and new technology as well as a "professionalized workforce" of Transportation Security Officers. Professional as in claiming no more enhanced groping of children under 12, only to break that promise and seemingly molest this little boy dressed as Spiderman?

The Los Angeles Times reported on TSA launching a behavior-detection program at Boston's Logan International Airport. These TSA officers received a whopping two weeks of training and are supposed to ask each passenger a "few" questions "in an effort to detect suspicious behavior." Doesn't this seem like yet another strike at your privacy? Some people are stressed or even nervous when they are traveling. What if you don't feel like talking or being questioned? Is this too going to become yet another TSA-mandated "you will answer if you want the privilege of flying?"

A MSNBC travel article warned that when it comes to airport security, "you ain't seen nothing yet." Some security analysts suggest Big Brother will employ an even Bigger Brother in the form of "chip-embedded passports that someday tell the federal transportation watchdogs all about your daily commutes to work, the mall -- even to parties."
Yes, big brother is wanting to watch you. Congress needs to de-fund the TSA immediately if not sooner. What a complete disgrace of an agency. And proof that a good intention paves the road to hell.
Posted by: DarthVader || 08/24/2011 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  When govt is unwilling or unable to profile potential terrorists and to deal with the obvious threats, then it goes after the law-abiding citizens with invasive searching and intimidation tactics.

A wall of bureaucrats will not protect the public, but they are good at confiscating millions of bottles of water and fingernail clippers.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 08/24/2011 0:58 Comments || Top||

#2  "good at confiscating millions of bottles of water and fingernail clippers". Ebay deals.

TSA government jobs, what? $32./hr. with benefits!.
Posted by: Dale || 08/24/2011 6:36 Comments || Top||

#3  While they are at it, could they clean the gutters, mow the grass, carry in the groceries, put them away, wash the dishes, brush and walk the dogs, feed the critters, prepare meals, clean the house, dust,...Forget it. It's not worth the cost of freedom.
Posted by: JohnQC || 08/24/2011 7:43 Comments || Top||

#4  Just think what the unemployment rate would look like if TSA was shut down. It's become 'essential' as a jobs program.
Posted by: Glenmore || 08/24/2011 7:53 Comments || Top||

#5  You can thank your buddy 'Homeland' Bush next time your undies get frisked at the aeroport...
Posted by: Van Der Groot || 08/24/2011 8:04 Comments || Top||

#6  ..if you check the record, Bush was initially opposed to the project which was pushed by the Donks for political leverage after 9/11. But don't let facts get in the way of your alternate universe.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 08/24/2011 8:06 Comments || Top||

#7  However, your buddy Obama says its time to bring the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan because things are better now, so we can anticipate in a few days the announcement that TSA will also be drawn down as well, right?
Posted by: Procopius2k || 08/24/2011 8:08 Comments || Top||

#8  You really need to read the archives. Bush got a lot of beatings here over the Homeland security and TSA bullshit.

But now, like all government regulation agencies, the TSA is morphing into something that it was never intended to be and taking away more of our freedoms.
Posted by: DarthVader || 08/24/2011 10:21 Comments || Top||

#9  The project initially was supposed to be a very temporary security contract to allow the intel service enough time to identify threats.
The democrat congress insisted on making it another permanent federal bureaucratic nightmare.

It needs to be shut down.
Posted by: newc || 08/24/2011 11:05 Comments || Top||

#10  You have to just laugh or you're heart would explode. Quite frankly, I enjoy watching the TSA ($32./hr. with benefits) slip-shoe, shuck and jive at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport. It reminds me to hit the tax-free munies and to save receipts for the long form.
Posted by: Besoeker || 08/24/2011 11:08 Comments || Top||

#11  "you will answer if you want the privilege of flying?"

This attitude that flying, driving, walking is a priviledge needs to be slammed down.

I can see regulation for common rules, but travel isn't a priviledge, its a right.
Posted by: flash91 || 08/24/2011 11:11 Comments || Top||

#12  How Unalienable Rights Become Privileges
Posted by: newc || 08/24/2011 12:15 Comments || Top||

#13  $32./hr. with benefits

Only if you're full time and at a mid SV-H level. That's equivalent to a GS-12, btw. Not who you'd see in the airport security area.

The pat-down artists are SV-C band (GS-04/05 equivalent) $22K-$33K, full time. However, most of those are part-timers
Posted by: Pappy || 08/24/2011 12:19 Comments || Top||

#14  Yes #12 I agree. You have an unalienable right to be stoopid...
Posted by: Van Der Groot || 08/24/2011 13:26 Comments || Top||

#15  "Rights can be either recognized or abrogated, but they cannot be granted."

Find the idea of rights not granted by a state offensive, do you lib? Typical.
Posted by: Secret Master || 08/24/2011 13:43 Comments || Top||

#16  If the government or your social betters wanted you to have rights, they would have given them to you.
(/me rummages in the desk for a snarkasm tag)

Paging King John to the white courtesy phone.
Posted by: SteveS || 08/24/2011 13:51 Comments || Top||

#17  Oddly enough, Mr. van der Groot, all the Dutch people I met last summer, while wandering though the countryside with my mother, visiting her old haunts, were charming and courteous. Quite like the mathematicians I know, oddly enough. Only you insist on being rude, for some reason, but perhaps you merely have a Dutch name.

I answered your question about American troops last night, by the way. Go read it, and learn something. Then google "Rantburg "Princess Pats" " and "Rantburg Canada" to learn more things. Learning is important, and you need to acquire some.
Posted by: trailing wife || 08/24/2011 14:02 Comments || Top||

#18  He's Polish today, TW. Poznan, I believe...
Posted by: tu3031 || 08/24/2011 14:04 Comments || Top||

#19  Just think what the unemployment rate would look like if TSA was shut down. Not nearly as bad as it would look if the federal government merely reverted to what it spent in 2001.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 08/24/2011 14:06 Comments || Top||

#20  He's Polish today, TW. Poznan, I believe...

Then he should have called himself Grotswiecki, tu3031. A more varied people, the Poles -- some sweet, and some tough as nails, many both. None of them foolish enough to think that name calling wouldn't get them a punch in the snoot, though.
Posted by: trailing wife || 08/24/2011 14:20 Comments || Top||

#21  On second thought, just as well he didn't, tu3031. To the Poles of Poland, the descriptor of Platonic perfection is "American", whether it is a couch or a man. A Grotswiecki would have immediately revealed himself as a fraud.
Posted by: trailing wife || 08/24/2011 14:35 Comments || Top||

#22  I once told a TSA gent who was patting me down (I opted out of getting additional rads) that we should be able to get a clearance certification from our local law enforcement agency. His response was, no, what if someone turned after getting the clearance. My response was what about all of you guys? You've all be "cleared" to do this job. You could turn as easily as any other citizen theoretically could.

I can't stand the TSA. It is clown college.
Posted by: remoteman || 08/24/2011 15:10 Comments || Top||

#23  Some security analysts suggest Big Brother will employ an even Bigger Brother in the form of "chip-embedded passports that someday tell the federal transportation watchdogs all about your daily commutes to work, the mall -- even to parties."

I don't carry my passport in country but if Big Brother really wants to, they can already track most people around with GPS chips in your phone and with Onstar-enhanced vehicles. Remotely shut it off and lock doors/windows, too, if reported stolen or just wanted by authorities. Friends in law enforcement have told me they routinely access all sorts of info we would think of as invading our privacy without warrants or our knowledge if they think they may have probable cause. Unfortunately, we cannot undo the "progress" that also gives us incredible conveniences.
Posted by: Lumpy Elmoluck5091 || 08/24/2011 15:46 Comments || Top||

#24  I thought smart/cell phones already did this.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 08/24/2011 17:28 Comments || Top||

#25  My accountant had his truck stolen. He located it in Philadelphia in an area that had a bad crime rate. He used gps tracking. He called the police and told them where it was. They said sorry. He goes steals his truck back and calls the police to let them know he got it back. They told him never do that again.They don't go there without several cruisers and officers. So it's the easy pickins who get targeted.
"snarkasm tag" that's a keeper.
Posted by: Dale || 08/24/2011 18:32 Comments || Top||

#26  Reminds me of an old Joke.

A britisher comes home and seeing a light in his Gaage looks, an he sees three Yoots rummaging around for whatever they can find, be calls the Bobbies.

The Bobbies tell him "There's nobody available" and hangs up.

He thinks a bit, calls the Bobbies back and says"Don't bother, I've shot them, send a meat wagon"

The Bobbies hit his house with four cars and a helicopter, they catch the Yoots red handed and say, "You said you shot them", He replied "You said nobody was available".
Posted by: Redneck Jim || 08/24/2011 20:46 Comments || Top||


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
IDF ups Egypt border defense amidst new terror warnings
IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen Benny Gantz instituted new defensive measures along Israel's border with Egypt on Wednesday in the wake of intelligence indicating that additional Palestinian terror groups were planning attacks like the one carried out last Thursday by the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC).

Gantz's orders went into effect Wednesday afternoon and included a bolstering of defensive measures along the border with Egypt as well as a stronger emphasis on collection of intelligence by the IDF in Gaza as well as in Sinai in an effort to locate and track terrorists that may be planning attacks against Israel.

Gantz also made changes to the operational doctrine of the Navy Command Center in Eilat which is responsible for protecting southern Israel from threats originating in the Red Sea.

"These are important changes that come in response to the serious threat that Israel faces today from the Sinai peninsula," a military source said.
Posted by: || 08/24/2011 07:37 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran shows off new cruise missile
TEHRAN: Iran’s president claimed on Tuesday the country’s military can cripple enemies on their own ground as Tehran put a new Iranian-made cruise missile on display, the latest addition to the nation’s growing arsenal.
It's almost as tall as Short Round...
The state TV reported that the new missile, showcased at a ceremony in Tehran, is designed for sea-based targets, with a range of 124 miles (200 kilometers) and is capable of destroying a warship. The TV said it can travel at low altitudes and has a lighter weight and smaller dimensions.

“The best deterrence is that the enemy does not dare to invade,” President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said during the ceremony. As he spoke, the TV showed footage of the weapon, dubbed “Ghader,” or “Capable” in Farsi.

“The enemy should be crippled on its own ground and not over the skies of Tehran,” said Ahmadinejad.

Iran has an array of short and medium range ballistic missiles capable of hitting targets in the region, including Israel and US military bases in the Gulf. In 2010, Tehran displayed other Iranian-made cruise missiles but with a shorter range.

Also on display Tuesday was a new Iranian-made torpedo, dubbed “Valfajar,” or “Dawn” in Farsi.

Iran frequently makes laughable announcements about new advances in military technology that cannot be independently verified.
Posted by: Steve White || 08/24/2011 00:00 || Comments || Link || [12 views] Top|| File under:

#1  See also NEWSMAX/TOPIX > {US Senator] INHOFE:IRAN WILL BE ABLE TO HIT US [US East Coast, Western Europe] WID WMDS BY 2015.

NOT "MIGHT BE ABLE", BUT "WILL BE ABLE"???

and

* FYI TOPIX > IRAN MFA: KURDISH MILITANTS [PJAK] DO NOT RECEIVE TRAINING IN ARMENIA.

Again, SHIA IRAN-CHRISTIAN ARMENIA versus JEWISH ISRAEL-[Sunni]MUSLIM AZERBAIJAN.

* SAME > SOMALI PIRATE [Al-Shabaab], LeT TIE-UP [alliance = coop] IS BIG THREAT FOR INDIA.

* SAME > [Gaddafi Crisis] RUSSIA LOSING LIBYA, BUT MAY BE WINNING NORWAY? Russian "OstPolitik" as per International Trade, espec in Military Arms.

Strange brews, this GWOT + OWG-NWO maketh???
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 08/24/2011 22:59 Comments || Top||


Raad: STL Indictment is Fake, Resistance Will Defend Itself Appropriately
[An Nahar] The head of the Loyalty to the Resistance
That'd be the Hezbullies, natch...
bloc MP Mohammed Raad slammed on Tuesday the indictment in the Special Tribunal for Leb as "fake", accusing the investigation of being politicized in order to target the Resistance.

He said in a presser to refute the indictment: "The Resistance will determine the way it will defend itself from the indictment and tribunal."

He added: "We had stated in the past that this tribunal does not respect the minimum amount of standards of justice, it does not want to achieve the Lebanese people's interests, and it has adopted circumstantial evidence."

"Such a tribunal cannot be expected to achieve justice and we would not be surprised if it was employed for the interests of imposing foreign hegemony over Leb," the MP continued.

"The tribunal's shortcomings in adopting international standards bolsters our assessment that it is aimed at wrongfully accusing noble resistance fighters," Raad stressed.

The indictment has accused four Hizbullah members of being involved in the liquidation of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

"The indictment is a political decision dictated by American and Israeli interests," Raad continued.

"Those behind the incitement are delusional in thinking that they can tighten the noose around the Resistance and blackmail it," he added.

Leb is being forced to choose between strife and between subjecting Leb to American and Israeli hegemony, the MP noted.

"The indictment revealed that STL Prosecutor Judge Daniel Bellemare is part of a political investigation based on fabrications aimed at reaching a political decision," he said.

The indictment's terminology demonstrates that the investigation team and the international tribunal are aimed at seeking Dire Revenge™ from the Resistance, Raad stressed.

"The indictment was weak and it justified this by saying that it has not revealed all of its findings," he stated.

The indictment lacked any direct evidence, he continued.

"The Lebanese have unanimously agreed on reaching the truth and justice, but the STL cannot achieve them," the MP remarked.

"A legal investigation should take into consideration any lead and the evidence we had presented in the past demonstrated that Israel was involved in Hariri's investigation," he added.

"The evidence was enough for Bellemare to launch an investigation in Israel's involvement in the crime, but he didn't because the investigation is politicized," he said.

"We are now confronted with a politicized indictment, which was published by an untrusted side," he added.

"It chooses the timing to release it based on political factors in an attempt to destroy the Resistance," he continued.

"The Resistance will not accept the blackmail and it will not succumb to the will of its enemies and its perseverance and national resolve will thwart the goals of all the conspirators," Raad declared.

"The Resistance will determine the way it wants to defend itself and its experience has demonstrated that it can properly deal with the traps being set up by its enemies," he concluded.

Posted by: Fred || 08/24/2011 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Hezbollah


Aoun: Govt. May Collapse but Our Dignity Will Remain Intact
[An Nahar] Free Patriotic Movement
Despite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic...
leader MP Michel Aoun
...a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hizbullah...
stated on Tuesday that society is not aware of the size of our efforts in government.

He said after the Change and Reform bloc's weekly meeting: "We are working within a political society that has had shortcomings in dealing with its duties."

These shortcomings were caused by its mismanagement of public funds, which the led the country towards chaos, he added.

"Leb is not a garbage dump and the Lebanese people must become aware of the size of the conspiracy being devised against them," the MP stated.

"The militia mentality has ended and the government may be toppled, but our dignity will remain intact," Aoun stressed.

"If we fail, it will fail as well," he remarked.

"I have no personal interests to achieve, but I cannot remain silent over errors," he noted.

Regarding the electricity file, he said that it is now being dealt on a "base level."

"We want the establishment of a state that can protect the citizens, while others view it as their own private company," he said.

"It's important that the people realize that an electricity plan is available and another is available to destroy mafias," the FPM leader added.

"They accused us of seeking to avoid the audit bureau, but on the contrary we want the bureau and the government to look into the plan," Aoun said.

Parliament failed to approve an electricity draft law proposed by Aoun that allows Energy Minister Jebran Bassil to receive $1,200,000,000 to implement a project on producing 700 Megawatts of electricity.

The March 14
Those are the good guys, insofar as Leb has good guys...
-led opposition says that the draft law gives the minister the freedom to use the amount of money without referring to the cabinet or without any monitoring by the Audit Bureau.

On the security situation in Leb, Aoun accused the Mustaqbal
... the Future Movement, political party led by Saad Hariri...
movement of seeking to create sectarian strife in Leb, adding: "The gates of hell won't be able to destroy this small country."

Addressing the Lassa land dispute, he remarked: "This issue dates back to 70 years. It can be resolved through the law seeing as it is not political and it has nothing to do with Hizbullah."

Property disputes erupted in Lassa a few weeks ago when Hizbullah members prevented a Maronite League team from surveying land owned by the Maronite Patriarchate in the predominantly Shiite town of Lassa in the Jbeil District.

They also came after members of the same party prevented an MTV crew from filming a report on the issue in the town.

Posted by: Fred || 08/24/2011 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under: Hezbollah



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Two weeks of WOT
Wed 2011-08-24
  Rebels offers $1.7 million bounty for Gadhafi
Tue 2011-08-23
  Rebels Capture Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya Compound, House
Mon 2011-08-22
  Libyans Celebrate Takeover of Capital
Sun 2011-08-21
  Blasts, heavy gunfire rattle Tripoli
Sat 2011-08-20
  Pakistan mosque bombing kills at least 50
Fri 2011-08-19
  Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi wants to leave Power
Thu 2011-08-18
  Dozens reported hurt in 3-stage terror attack near Eilat
Wed 2011-08-17
  Libya rebels see victory by end of month
Tue 2011-08-16
  Libyan rebels push to isolate Tripoli
Mon 2011-08-15
  Medvedev signs order backing Libyan rebels
Sun 2011-08-14
  Tripoli Denies Rebel Capture of Western Port Town
Sat 2011-08-13
  'Cholera epidemic spreading in Somalia'
Fri 2011-08-12
  Two Hariri Murder Suspects Linked to Murr, Hamadeh, Chidiac, Hawi Cases
Thu 2011-08-11
  US drone strike kills 21 in north Wazoo
Wed 2011-08-10
  Yemeni president 'to return home'


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