World police body Interpol issued an arrest notice on Thursday for fallen Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi's playboy son Saadi for alleged crimes while head of the country's football federation.
The new Libyan authorities requested the notice against Saadi, believed to be in Niger, "for allegedly misappropriating properties through force and armed intimidation when he headed the Libyan Football Federation," Interpol said in a statement.
Saadi, 38, was last seen in Niger and the red notice calls particularly on countries in the region to help locate and arrest him "with a view to returning him to Libya where an arrest warrant for him has been issued," Interpol said.
"As the commander of military units allegedly involved in the repression of demonstrations by civilians during LibyaÂ’s uprising, Saadi Kadhafi is also subject to a United Nations travel ban and assets freeze," it said.
Interpol said it was the first red notice issued at the request of the National Transitional Council, with previous such notices issued for Kadhafi himself and other members of his family at the request of the International Criminal Court.
Niger's government said on September 16 that it would not send Saadi back to Libya, but could hand him over to another jurisdiction.
"With regard to (our) international obligations, we cannot send someone back there where he has no chance of receiving a fair trial and where he could face the death penalty," government spokesman Marou Amadou said.
"On the other hand, if this gentleman or any other person is wanted by an independent court ... which has universal competence over the crimes for which he is pursued, Niger will do its duty," he added.
Saadi, the third of Kadhafi's seven sons, renounced a football career in Italy in 2004 to join the army, where he led an elite unit.
He was captain of his national team and president of the Libyan football association and remained a grotesque symbol of ties between Libya and Italian football.
When he was 20, he trained with Italian clubs Juventus and Lazio. He remained a shareholder in Juventus, the legendary club by virtue of being the chairman of Libyan Arab Foreign Investment Company, which holds 7.5 percent shares of Juventus which are now frozen.
He also tried to buy Lazio in 2002 after the collapse of Cirio food empire, which owned the club.
Too big, too slow, not strong enough technically, Saadi was not at the level required for the Italian first class division football but was recruited by Perugia in 2003 for marketing reasons.
His first game was a sensation in the media, but he trampled the lawn only once in two seasons (2003-2005).
He had barely kicked a ball when he was suspended by Perugia after testing positive for nandrolone, an anabolic steroid.
[An Nahar] Photographs obtained by Agence La Belle France Presse in Libya reveal how Moammar Qadaffy's ...a proud Arab institution for 42 years... son Hannibal and his lingerie model wife lived a high-flying party lifestyle during his father's brutal rule.
In the dozens of photographs, found on a laptop belonging to Qadaffy's son and made available by former Libyan rebels to AFP, Hannibal, 36, and his Lebanese wife Aline Skaff are shown partying in European capitals, on a private jet and on a yacht off the Egyptian coast.
The couple is famed for having provoked diplomatic tensions with Switzerland ...home of the Helvetians, famous for cheese, watches, yodeling, and William Tell... when they were incarcerated in 2008 in a luxury hotel in Geneva for allegedly assaulting two former servants.
After the fall of Tripoli last month, an Ethiopian nanny also said she had been beaten and severely burnt while working for the couple.
The undated photographs show the couple on luxurious trips to Gay Paree, Rome and the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. They are shown flying on a private jet, lounging in bathing suits on a luxury yacht and shopping in expensive boutiques.
Other photos show them staying in luxury hotel rooms, paragliding, scuba diving and visiting the Tripoli zoo.
Skaff, 31, is often shown in suggestive poses on beds or at the beach and the couple is shown in some of the photos surrounded with alcohol, which is banned in Libya. Some of the photographs were of a pornographic nature.
The lavish lifestyles of Qadaffy's family and entourage helped fuel the anger in Libya that sparked the protests that led eventually to the former strongman's ouster.
Hannibal was among a group of family members -- including Qadaffy's wife Safiya, son Mohammed and daughter Aisha -- who beat feet to neighboring Algeria after the fall of Tripoli.
Following Hannibal Qadaffy's 2008 arrest in Switzerland, his father's regime demanded that no charges be brought and an "apology" over the allegations that he had assaulted two former servants, a Tunisian and a Moroccan. In September 2008, the court dropped the case.
Hannibal also previously received a four-month suspended sentence and a 500-euro fine for assaulting his pregnant girlfriend in La Belle France which media reports had said was Skaff before marrying him.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Poor Han. She looks like she could dry nails, text, and smoke a Lucky all while having sex.
[Bangla Daily Star] A petition filed by jugged Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) Founded in 1984 by Fazlur Rehman Khalil and Qari Saifullah Aktar. The Bangla branch was established in 1992 with assistance from Osama bin Laden. Recruits come mostly from Deobandi madrassahs. HuJI and Fazlur Rehman Khalil are signators of bin Laden's declaration of war on the west. chief Mufti Abdul Hannan for withdrawing his additional confessional statement in the August 21 grenade attack case is not valid or cognisable.
The media, over the last two days, reported that Hannan filed the petition with a Dhaka court on Tuesday for withdrawal of the statement given on April 7 this year.
But The Daily Star found that proper legal procedure that a jugged individual is supposed to follow for filing such a petition was not adhered to.
Judge Shahed Nooruddin of Speedy Trial Tribunal-1of Dhaka on Tuesday told Hannan's lawyer immediately after the submission that there was no legal basis for the petition since proper procedure had not been followed.
The judge however asked the bench assistant of the court to keep the papers in the case file.
Tuesday was fixed for charge framing hearing in the case, but the court deferred the hearing date.
After completion of the court proceedings when the judge was about to leave the courtroom, Hannan's lawyer Lutfor Rahman Sheikh placed some papers before the judge.
Among the papers, nine pages gave a description of torture on Hannan during his remand and prayed for withdrawal of his additional statement where he had implicated BNP leaders Tarique Rahman, Lutfozzaman Babar, and Harris Chowdhury, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, and others in the grenade attack with the aim of killing Sheikh Hasina.
At the end of the nine-page application, the name of Hannan was hand written. But there was no other required signature of the authorities of the jail or the court.
Another paper that was submitted along with the nine pages was not signed by Advocate Lutfor but his name was written at the bottom of the paper where he mentioned in a line that Hannan wants to withdraw his additional confessional statement.
Some legal experts said any jugged accused must take permission from the jail authorities or the court before submitting any petition in connection with a case.
Advocate Syed Rezaur Rahman, chief prosecutor in the case, told The Daily Star that if any jugged accused wants to submit any petition, he or she must submit it through the jail authorities.
But Hannan's petition was submitted on his behalf without any authorisation from the jail authorities, he added.
He said Hannan could seek permission from the tribunal for submission of the petition, but he did not do that either. So the petition has no legal basis, he said.
Hannan's counsel Lutfor Rahman Sheikh however said his client filed the petition properly. But, he did not give any satisfactory answer to the question about whether Hannan signed the petition.
Court sources confirmed yesterday that no legal procedure was followed in submitting the petition.
Hannan first gave a confessional statement on November 1, 2007 disclosing HuJI's involvement in the grisly grenade attack on August 21, 2004 on an Awami League rally.
In 2008, during the caretaker rule, the Criminal Investigation Department submitted a charge sheet accusing 21 HuJI men including Hannan, and also a BNP leader.
But the investigation was not completed as the Sherlocks could not find the source of the grenades. Following prosecution's prayer, a Dhaka court gave an order for further investigation in 2009.
During that further investigation, in April this year Hannan gave the additional confessional statement, after which the CID submitted a supplementary charge sheet accusing 30 others including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia Three-term PM of Bangla, widow of deceased dictator Ziaur Rahman, head of the Bangla Nationalist Party, an apparent magnet for corruption ... 's son Tarique,
Who appears to have inherited at least some of his mother's special talents...
BNP's former state minister for home Babar, Khaleda's former political secretary Harris, Jammat leader Mojaheed, and some former top police and intelligence officials.
Although the unsigned papers submitted by Lutfor on Tuesday claimed that Hannan had to give the confessional statements under tremendous torture and pressure, the papers only sought to withdraw Hannan's additional statement where Tarique and other BNP leaders were implicated in the crime. The defence did not seek withdrawal of Hannan's first confessional statement.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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[Bangla Daily Star] BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia Three-term PM of Bangla, widow of deceased dictator Ziaur Rahman, head of the Bangla Nationalist Party, an apparent magnet for corruption ... 's rejection of the International Crimes Tribunal as partisan and her demand for release of the top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami held as war crimes suspects underline fresh political challenges to their trial.
Five jugged Jamaat leaders, including its chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, ...During the liberation war of 1971 he was busy killing Bengalis. Today he presumes to tell them what to do... have been accused of committing crimes against humanity during the country's Liberation War in 1971.
Jamaat-e-Islami collaborated with the Pak occupation forces which killed three million people and raped two lakh women during the nine-month war.
Khaleda's demand at Tuesday's rally in the capital has made Jamaat leaders happy as they see it as a success in their efforts to come closer to the main opposition party and jointly wage anti-government street agitations, political analysts said.
They said BNP's latest stance will boost Jamaat's morale and reinforce the allegation that the trial process is not neutral.
At the rally organised by the BNP-led four-party alliance, Khaleda said "A mockery of trial" is going on in the name of trying war criminals. The international crimes tribunal formed by the government is nothing but a partisan body, and it has no acceptance both at home and abroad, she said.
BNP distanced itself from its main ally Jamaat since the debacle in the December 2008 parliamentary election. It had a lukewarm response when the government cracked down on the Jamaat leaders.
Since the crackdown in the middle of last year, five big shots of Jamaat including its chief Motiur Rahman Nizami and Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury were jugged.
The embattled Jamaat then turned to BNP for launching a joint movement. But BNP did not respond, and Khaleda reportedly refused to meet Jamaat leaders.
In a change of mind, BNP agreed to hold Tuesday's rally under the banner of four-party alliance. Jamaat being a major component of the alliance, its leaders shared the same podium with BNP leaders for the first time since the last parliamentary polls.
"What Khaleda Zia said on Tuesday about the trial of war crimes is our victory as well of the people," Jamaat politician ANM Shamsul Islam told The Daily Star yesterday.
Shamsul, also chief of Chittagong city unit of the party, said Khaleda's speech supporting Jamaat's views on the war crimes tribunal will boost the morale of his party men.
From now on, the alliance will jointly fight the AL-led government, he said.
Shafiqur Rahman, acting secretary general of Jamaat, recently told The Daily Star, "Jamaat wants to wage agitation jointly with BNP to use the later as a shield to protect our leaders and activists from the government's actions."
Contacted yesterday, two members of the BNP national standing committee explained the party's latest stance on Jamaat and war crimes trial.
"We have been observing the government move regarding the trial of war criminals. Now we are convinced that the trial is nothing but the government's strategy to destroy Jamaat and the unity of Islamic forces," said MK Anwar.
The BNP chief's speech was in line with the party's changed stance, he said.
BNP's new position, however, disappointed Maj Gen (retd) KM Safiullah and Major (retd) Rafiqul Islam, two war heroes campaigning for the trial of war criminals.
"Khaleda Zia made a historic mistake by supporting Jamaat leaders who committed war crimes during the Liberation War," Safiullah, also a former army chief, told The Daily Star.
He said the government will face more challenges to the trial as BNP has publicly opposed it.
Rafiqul Islam, also an AL politician, criticised the government for the delay in the trial process. "People may become sceptical about the trial process due to the delay," he said.
Asked about Khaleda's comment on the International Crimes Tribunal, Akbar Ali Khan, a former caretaker government adviser, said, "This sort of statement is unwanted before completion of the trial process."
"It's a premature statement that will politicise the trial process," said Akbar, who is also a freedom fighter.
Khaleda's support for Jamaat leaders has also been criticised by MA Hasan, chairperson of War Crimes Facts Finding Committee.
"This will certainly create obstacles to the war crimes trial process," he said. "She has thrown a challenge to the tribunal."
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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Gang plotted suicide blitz in Britain, aimed to carry out a terror attack in Britain on the scale of 9/11.
Surveillance tapes revealed members of a six-strong group practised making bombs and poisons in a terror training camp in Pakistain, a court heard yesterday.
Someone is videotaping terror camps in Pakistan to that degree of fineness? How very clever of them!
One suspect was allegedly recorded by anti-terror officers saying: "This is Dire Revenge™ for everything they're doing. It is another 9/11."
The gang of Asian Mohammedans planned to drive around the country to make suicide strikes on various targets, it was said.
The plot was said to have been drawn up in Dire Revenge™ for cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed that appeared in a Danish newspaper.
So they're going to blow up England for what appeared in a Danish newspaper. I suppose that makes sense. In an Islamic sort of way...
For what appeared in a local Danish newspaper years ago.
Police think the men aimed to fund their operation with money raised for a Mohammedan charity. But the plan hit a snag after the Birmingham-based gang allegedly lost thousands of pounds gambled on the Stock Exchange.
Police suspect the gang collected cash from Mohammedans during Ramadan, claiming to be raising funds for Mohammedan Aid. But it is alleged the charity never got the money. Five buckets containing £1,500 were found after police raids.
Five of the men, who were allegedly recorded talking of their plans in a bugged VW Passat, bizarrely compared themselves to Formula One aces Nigel Mansell and Jenson Button. Prosecutor Deborah Walsh told West London Magistrates' Court: "It must have been clear from what they said that they were plotting a terror campaign.
"One of them gives a running commentary about being Jenson Button and Nigel Mansell and one says, 'It is four jacket wallahs driving around ready to take on England'."
Oh my.
It was alleged that two of the men made bombs in safe houses in Pakistain and travelled into the countryside to explode them. They allegedly said they were forced to hide under trees from US military drones.
Gang members also made martyr videos, it was said. One suspect was allegedly recorded warning of "suicide bombs on the streets, spilling so much blood you won't believe it". No specific targets were identified in court.
Irfan Khalid, 26, Irfan Nasser, 30, and Ashik Ali, 26, are accused of plotting to be jacket wallahs and recruiting others for terrorist training. Nasser and Khalid are also charged with travelling to Pakistain for terrorism training. Rahin Ahmed, 25, is accused of helping others get terrorism training and collecting money to fund terrorist acts. Mohammed Rizwan, 32, and Ali's brother Bahader, 28, are accused of failing to provide information. Bahader Ali is also charged with allowing money or property to be available for terrorism.
The men, all from Birmingham, were remanded in jug to appear in court again next month.
Philippine ex-president Fidel Ramos said Wednesday that China's recent assertiveness over sea disputes was motivated by a desire to challenge US power, as he predicted more tensions to come.
On a visit to Washington, Ramos described China and the United States as "shadow-boxing" over the South China Sea and East China Sea where Beijing has growing friction with countries including the Philippines, Vietnam and Japan.
"China's proximate aim, it seems to me, is to limit American freedom of access" and "erode the credibility of Washington's security guarantees to the East Asian states, including and especially the Philippines," Ramos, who was president from 1992 to 1998, said at the Heritage Foundation think-tank.
"We, where we come from, expect South China Sea tensions to continue because the root cause is really China's perceived need to break out from under the strategic dominance of the Western allies," Ramos said.
However, Ramos said he did not expect military confrontation due to the vast US military superiority over China. He called for governments to shift away spending from the military to fighting "real enemies" such as poverty.
#1
China is vigorously trying to shoulder the US and every other country out of the region, by using both military and commercial shipping. An interesting strategy, but one that tends to push the situation towards brinkmanship.
When faced with such efforts in the past, the British had an interesting counter: hit 'em where they ain't.
That is, out of the blue, they would conduct a military operation against something of value of their antagonist, far removed from the annoying situation, and without any provocation.
This was particularly effective, because it would take their antagonist by surprise, not where he was ready to meet the British in conflict. It would also unbalance their strategy and cause them to divide their attention.
#3
Soviets used to shadow American ships as well. Just part of the game. I'd be curious of the range of the Chinese navy. Can they be drawn out how far, and if they can't be drawn out of position perhaps they can be taunted a bit (face and pride being a big deal in their culture and all).
#4
Seem also BHARAT RAKSHAK > [Analysis] CHINA HAS MORE TO LOSE THAN INDIA.
ARTIC = Beijing increasingly believes that the US is not able to enforce or propagate PAX AMERICANA = POST-COLD WAR NEW GLOBAL ORDER around the world, hence Beijing has to rely on unilateral assertions of force.
#7
If the Chinese think that over-extension will stop the US, they are crazy. If they think they can get by with it because of Zero and the other Dems, they have a point. Besides, we can just sell a bunch of spare parts to the Vietnamese and the Filipinos so that they can refurbish a bunch of their old equipment and boost their militaries. Poland, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine all make high-quality spare parts for Soviet/Russian equipment, excluding the very newest models. And we can completely rebuild the Philippine Air Forces just by transferring a couple of dozen old model F-16s to them from the Air Force Bone Yard.
#9
Lest we fergit. CHINESE MIL BLOGGERS = argue that the Philippines is a FAILED STATE OR [mostly]FAILING STATE, HAS NO RIGHT TO BE SOVEREIGN NATION BECAUSE OF ITS MANY PROBLEMS, + SHOULD JUST GIVE UP ITS SOVEREIGNTY TO CHINA OR ELSE BECOME A PROTECTORATE [vassal state, e.g. DPRK, Okinawa?] OF RISING CHINA. Philippinos are mere ungrateful Chinese or Chinese-descended minority???
Prompted by the comment from Moose yesterday. Nice catch.
According to the news website OnlyCy, the Israeli government reportedly asked the Cypriot permission to use the "Andreas Papandreou" airbase in Paphos in exchange for ensuring the air defense of the Republic and changing the military balance in the region.
This request comes after the recent incidents of harassment of a Cyprus Airways flight and the continuous violations of Cypriot airspace south and east of Paphos.
In the "A. Papandreou" AB, the Cypriot government has built the necessary infrastructure for hosting and supporting fighter aircraft, while nearly a decade ago F-16 fighter jets of the HAF had stationed for a short time at the AB under the joint defence area doctrine between Greece and Cyprus.
The Israeli proposal is a significant upgrade of military relations between Israel and Cyprus, and certainly any decision taken by the Cypriot government will change the military balance in Cyprus.
This move also shows the determination of Israel to defend the energy resources of the area and its concern for the Turkish aggression. On the other hand such a move, if it were acceptable, would undoubtedly upgrade the crisis in the area because of the gas drilling.
However, in general, the Israeli proposal is a qualitative improvement in relations between the two countries and should be examined with caution.
Posted by: Steve White ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Mmmmmkay...assuming this publication's credibility is somewhere above the Debka league, things in that neighborhood are about to get very interesting. And not in a good way.
The Holy Blogfather posted a pertinent note from a reader yesterday. Money quote: It’s like the summer of 1914, but I keep wondering “Where is the Sarajevo? Who will be the Archduke?"
Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) ||
09/29/2011 1:00 Comments ||
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#2
Actually wouldn't be a bad idea and a good move for both countries. Israel gets air defense farther out into the Med and can project power against Turkey and Egypt, and Cyprus gets protection against Turkey.
#6
It's like the summer of 1914, but I keep wondering "Where is the Sarajevo? Who will be the Archduke?"
That caught my attention as well.
FWIIW, I think it will happen in N. Africa.
Algeria has yet to fall to a popular revolution and a free state which hopefully Libya will become with a long border with an authoritarian state isn't a stable configuration.
#8
Congratulations, Pheatch Ulick1830. That is the most incoherent post I've read in absolutely ages! Just a thought -- I don't think anyone ever claimed Cyprus as a Jewish homeland.
#13
Hey Abdrool, can you say M-O-B-Y? I knew you could because you are smarter than your average inbred forehead banger, but still not smarter than your average bear.
#14
Ooookay. Â Pheatch Ulick1830, that second try is certainly more coherent, which should bring you comfort. Now try actually reading the articles and comments at the site, to see if your opinion of us is valid. When you do, a simple, "Sorry, I hadn't had my tea yet," will be a good start.
It is odd. Usually it's the Muslims and the Jew-haters who who burst in here like that, not the Jewish lovers of Israel. But, contra the wise old gentleman of Ecclesiastics, there are indeed new things under the sun.
#16
Instead of WWI I see parallels to WW2 in that the world is in a global slump and the Superpower of the time is looking and acting weak. That's a go flag for crazies.
#17
I agree with the WWII comparison: we are facing an increasing aggressive Asian authoritarian power, that is massively dependent on imports for everything for fuel to food, who keeps biting off chunks of its neighbors, sells us all sort of cheap crap goods and buys all sorts of militarily-useful technology and products from us, and is taking advantage of a world-wide economic problem to expand in the Pacific in the face of a weak-kneed socialist American President who is talking about cutting the US military. Almost a duplicate of the positions of Imperial Japan and the US in the 1930s.
The leader of the U.S. branch of a defunct Islamic charity was sentenced Tuesday to nearly three years in prison after being convicted of helping smuggle $150,000 to Saudi Arabia.
U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan said that while he has no doubt the money went to Islamic fighters battling the Russian army in Chechnya, as the prosecution maintained, there's no proof directly linking Pete Seda to terrorism.
For that reason, Hogan said he wouldn't apply the so-called "terrorism enhancement" that could have sent Seda to prison for eight years. Instead, Hogan sentenced Seda to 33 months in prison, ordered him to pay the Internal Revenue Service $80,980 in restitution, and allowed him to remain free for 60 days before reporting.
Seda, also known as Pirouz Sedaghaty, is an Iranian-born U.S. citizen who ran the U.S. chapter of the al-Haramain Islamic Foundation based in Ashland. He worked in Ashland as a tree surgeon and was an outspoken proponent of the peaceful aspects of Islam. He was known for marching in the local July 4 parade with his camel.
The leader of the U.S. branch of a defunct Widows & Orphans Ammunition Fund was sentenced Tuesday to nearly three years in prison after being convicted of helping smuggle $150,000 to Soddy Arabia.
U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan said that while he has no doubt the money went to Islamic fighters battling the Russian army in Chechnya, as the prosecution maintained, there's no proof directly linking Pete Seda to terrorism.
For that reason, Hogan said he wouldn't apply the so-called "terrorism enhancement" that could have sent Seda to prison for eight years. Instead, Hogan sentenced Seda to 33 months in prison, ordered him to pay the Internal Revenue Service $80,980 in restitution, and allowed him to remain free for 60 days before reporting.
Seda, also known as Pirouz Sedaghaty, is an Iranian-born U.S. citizen who ran the U.S. chapter of the al-Haramain Islamic Foundation based in Ashland. He worked in Ashland as a tree surgeon and was an outspoken proponent of the peaceful aspects of Islam. He was known for marching in the local July 4 parade with his camel.
[Dawn] The Pentagon rejected reports Wednesday of disagreement among US officials over Pakistain's role in Afghanistan after the top US military officer accused Islamabad of backing jihad boys.
A Pentagon front man said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ...current SecDef, previously Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Panetta served as President Bill Clinton's White House Chief of Staff from 1994 to 1997 and was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 1993.... endorsed the view of Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, who told senators last week that Haqqani cut-throats targeting NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A collection of multinational and multilingual and multicultural armed forces, all of differing capabilities, working toward a common goal by pulling in different directions... forces were a "veritable arm" of Pakistain's main intelligence agency.
"The secretary and the chairman both agree that there are unacceptable links between elements of the Pak government and the Haqqanis," press secretary George Little told news hounds.
The Pak elements backing the Haqqani network "include the ISI" spy agency, he said.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday some defense and other officials disagreed with Mullen's remarks and that the admiral had overstated the role of the ISI.
Unnamed officials told the Post that US intelligence reports did not have clear evidence Pakistain was exerting control over the Haqqanis, blamed for deadly attacks on US and NATO troops.
But Little said there was a "consensus view" in the Pentagon about the links between Pakistain and the Haqqani network, which operates out of sanctuaries in Pakistain.
"Everyone here understands there's a link between elements of the Pak government and the Haqqanis," he said.
"At the analytic level, there's no disagreement," he added.
Mullen's outspoken comments to the Senate Armed Services Committee carried special significance as he has devoted much of his four-year tenure to cultivating relations with his Pak counterpart and has often tried to explain to American audiences the challenges facing the leadership in Islamabad.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
But, but, but.... none of this, none of it I say, none of it, has anything at all to do with Islam, mad mullahs, Mosques or, or, or, madrassas (bomb making, kidnapping, clandestine communications training, the collection of zakat for the cause, suicide bomber recruitment, indoctrination and training, weapons training, or the like).
[Dawn] A US newspaper has alleged that Pakistain was involved in an attack on US soldiers in 2007 on the border with Afghanistan. The attack resulted in the death of a US major and injured three other American soldiers, along with an Afghan interpreter.
The New York Times ...which still proudly displays Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize... has reported that the attack took place in the border town of Teri Mangal, where the US soldiers were meeting with Afghan officials in a schoolhouse.
Although the reason for the attack was not made clear but it has been reported that it took place as a retaliation for US involvement in the death of Pak citizens.
The US reportedly covered up the incident due to the necessity of its alliance with Pakistain.
Pak and American officials have so far refused to comment on the the incident. The timing of the leak has been regarded as poignant by analysts who point out that the revelation has come at a time when US-Pakistain relations have been under enormous strain.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Games being played. Yes why now. Sad if true. Incessant drum beat of negativism. Everything now is coming out of the woodwork. Next we will have Zogby poll with the Paks hating us. Like its now in vogue to pile it on. One dog barks and the others join in. I give this NYT story the stink eye.
Remember 2007, according to the NYT and its readership, the evil-but-dumb BusHitler and his diabolical puppet-master Cheney were in charge. Iraq was a Quagmire which General "Betray-Us" and his incompetent-because they didn't-finish-college military wouldn't solve.
Afghanistan was the Good War, because the enlightened, Progressive elite said so. Reporting that the Paks were involved in killing US troops would have conflicted with the meme.
[Dawn] US politicians are continuing their assault on Pakistain here and quietly moved a resolution in Congress, asking for cutting all but nuclear-safety assistance to the country. Tell us again how much you don't like us, you rat bastards.
The move contrasts sharply with recent efforts by US and Pak governments aimed at reducing tensions over Islamabad's alleged links to the Haqqani network of hard boys.
On Monday evening, US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistain, Marc Grossman, spoke with Ambassador Husain Haqqani and conveyed Washington's desire to deescalate tensions.
Mr Grossman is believed to have told the ambassador that "the US considers Pakistain an ally and despite challenges and disagreements will continue to work with the country's democratic leadership".
Also on Monday, Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh met US Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides and both agreed to resolve the dispute through "diplomatic means", official sources said.
"Mr Nides agreed that current adversarial heights and the war of words need to be reduced," said a diplomatic source.
In another move aimed at de-escalation, Mr Grossman and Ambassador Haqqani plan to address a joint news conference on Wednesday and talk about the efforts both sides have so far made to overcome the crisis.
But temperatures remain high in both chambers of the US Congress where politicians continue to attack Pakistain, with some even suggesting that Washington should now encourage India to take a higher profile in Afghanistan.
The current crisis in bilateral relations began last week after scathing remarks by Admiral Mike Mullen, outgoing Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, who spoke openly of the links between Pakistain's Inter-Services Intelligence and the Haqqani network.
Soon after the admiral's statement, Congressman Ted Poe, a Republican from Texas, tabled H. R. 3013, also known as the Pakistain Accountability Act, a piece of legislation which, if passed by Congress, will freeze all US aid to Pakistain with the exception of funds that are designated to help secure nuclear weapons.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
And when the Paks decide not to let us ship our Afghan war materials and supplies over their LOC's, (ports and roads) then what? Is this the administration plan, cripple our logistics and re-supply capability, bring everyone home, and blame the Paks?
Should never have funded the bastids anyway. Buying friends is not the answer, particularly Islamic friends. They have a very strange and quite different sense of gratitude.
#3
Besoeker, aren't we sending ever more supplies via Russia and India and such? I thought I read somewhere that we are aiming to reduce the supply line through Pakistan to practically nothing, or have I misunderstood?
#4
I'm not a logistician TW, I hope what you've seen is correct. The news I am getting relates to the continued theft, and break-ins of sealand containers, missing military items, and exploding fuel tankers. If the logistics strategy is to move toward India, that's a good thing. Russia, possibly not so much.
#5
Hopefully someone else will chime in then, Besoeker, because I'm not nearly smart nor organized enough to be a logistician, either. I just have time to read, and some bits stick in my memory...
But agreed that running the supplies in via Pakistan is an open invitation to serious shrinkage.
#7
I believe that by year end no Pakistani logistics will be required. Depending on the Russians for 50% or more has its own downside but they have incentive to play nice. They are scared stiff that Afghanistan will go all Paki and then the CIS Stans will go into full blown insurgency mode. Then there is the unfettered drugs weapon that an Islamic victory will bring.
The administration needs to learn how to not aggravate situations worse. The STUPID Congress needs to focus on keeping the USA from becoming Argentina, not helping S*** for brains POTUS piss off the few "allies" we have left. Intel is important and any lead in is better than none.
[Dawn] White House press secretary Jay Carney was asked about Mullen's claim in congressional testimony last week that the Haqqani bad boy network "acts as a veritable arm" of Pakistain's Inter-Services Intelligence agency.
The comment has upset Pakistain and stirred concern among some US officials at a time when the US must work with Pakistain.
Carney said that Mullen's statement is "not language I would use."
But he said the comment is "consistent with our position" and tried to dismiss questions about it as a "matter of semantics."
Carney reiterated that the Haqqani network has safe havens in Pakistain and Pakistain needs to take action to address that.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
I'm sure Chief Stalking Horse Admiral Mullen feels terribly, terribly betrayed by the lack of support from the White House.
[Dawn] US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen on Wednesday told the Wall Street Journal that attacks against US soldiers in Afghanistan will not be tolerated, DawnNews reported. Does that mean the people remotely pulling the trigger will be Seal Teamed even if they live in Islamabad? Is Hamid Gul's life on the line? Is Qazi's guesthouse a drone target? Is something unfortunate waiting to happen to Fazl? Should Siraj ul-Haq not start any long books?
He stated that the partnership approach between the US and Pakistain would be hard to revive now. Two men went into business making cheese. Sam provided money, planning, technical expertise, plant maintenance, and lunch. Joe rented the factory to the partnership and provided access across his own land to the railhead for a second fee. Sometimes he would sell raw materials to the partnership, though not on a regular basis because most of his large family professed to hate Sam and all his works.
One day the factory was attacked by vicious bandidos and for a price Joe helped repair the damage. One day it was discovered that the leader of the bandidos was openly living in Joe's basement with a couple hookers, though Joe said he knew nothing about it. A little later the plant manager was bumped off by people living in Joe's guest house. Joe actually had several guesthouses on his estate, and he got really angry when Sam wanted him to clean them out.
Can this marriage be saved?
Mullen told the WSJ that the US will be very firm in its approach with Pakistain and its battle against terrorism. He said that he believed that Pakistain's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had supported the Haqqani network, which is the jihad boy group the US blames for the Kabul attack. Mullen blamed the ISI for providing "logistic support" to the Haqqani network.
He said the US wanted a strong relationship with Pakistain, however, given the current situation, it will take time to restore those relations and trust.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Could it possibly be, that the recent "Fallen Angel" ambush (yes ambush as we now know) and the tragic loss of USN Seals was orchestrated by a foreign intelligence service?
Why has everyone suddenly come down with a massive case of the ass... over what has been going on for years?
#3
Yes, g(r)om, but only tangentially. Large numbers of dead servicemen and women will highlight the administration's failure going into an election year. Bad press, that sort of thing. The little people don't like to see their kith and kin blown to bits. Can't have that now can we. If you believe me a bit callous, take a look at the honour or attention extended fallen civilian contractors in these hapless conflicts, whom by the way, are nearly all veterans of one country or another. Would that be crickets we hear?
#1
Well, Happy New Year!.
"New Year's Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.
James Agate"
#3
We have a young family in the neighborhood. They have two young slim and trim healthy young girls(twins). All day they were on their skate boards, tramp, and boisterous. Back flips and cartwheels. Ah, the energy of youth.
[An Nahar] The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday sent the Paleostinian bid to join the United Nations ...an international organization whose stated aims of facilitating interational security involves making sure that nobody with live ammo is offended unless it's a civilized country... to a specialist committee to report on the application.
A full session of the 15-member council that lasted barely two minutes was the first public discussion of the application. The United States has vowed to veto any Paleostinian bid.
"Unless I hear a proposal to the contrary I shall send the application of Paleostine to the committee on new members," Leb's U.N. ambassador Nawaf Salam said. No comments were made and Salam hurriedly brought the gavel down to get the meeting over.
The membership committee is to hold its first meeting on Friday at the U.N. headquarters. All 15 members of the Security Council are represented on the committee.
Paleostine president the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas ... a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial... made the historic application on Friday and was given a standing ovation in the U.N. General Assembly. The United States and Israel, strongly opposing the bid, say that only direct Israel-Paleostinian talks can create a Paleostinian state.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Syrian President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad One of the last of the old-fashioned hereditary iron-fisted fascist dictators. Before going into the family business Pencilneck was an eye doctor... stated on Wednesday that Syria is keen on Leb's stability and security, noting that the "painful events" that had taken place in Syria have come to an end.
He said after holding talks with former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim Hoss: "The Syrian cities that were targeted in the incidents have started to regain their stability."
"The Syrian authority is keen on maintaining the peace to ensure the safety of the Syrian people," he added.
The talks also addressed the developments in Leb, where the two sides agreed that Leb has and will always remain at the forefront of maintaining the dignity of the Arab ummah.
"Syria supports Leb and it will stand by it in defending its unity, message, and existence," said a statement issued by Hoss' media department.
The Syrian news agency SANA had reported that the Syrian president and former premier had discussed the developments in Syria and their repercussions on the region, and Leb in particular.
It quoted Hoss as saying: "Syria plays a central and pioneering role in protecting Arabism and it is being targeted because of this."
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Tuesday that Leb does not want to intervene in the developments in Syria "because we don't want anyone to meddle in our affairs."
He said while meeting with a delegation of Arab ambassadors in New York: "We don't want to interfere in its affairs because we want to defend Leb from any potential repercussions on the country."
"We are trying our utmost to distance Leb from regional developments, especially those in Syria," the premier said.
Miqati met with the ambassadors at the end of his four-day visit to the United Nations ...Parkinson's Law on an international scale... where he chaired its Security Council on Tuesday.
He renewed during the meeting with Arab ambassadors Leb's commitment to the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, calling on the international community to pressure Israel to halt is ongoing violation against Leb.
He also demanded that the Lebanese army be supported in performing its duties to the utmost throughout Lebanese territory.
On Paleostine's request to be recognized as an independent state by the U.N., Miqati said: "Leb has always treated Paleostine and the Paleostinians well. We have long supported its cause."
"We now recognize that its bid for statehood is the least that can be presented to it," he added.
"It's unfortunate that not all sides supported this request and we will keep on striving, through all diplomatic means available, to ensure that Paleostine achieve its independence," he stressed.
Miqati held talks during his visit with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ... sometimes described as the Smartest Woman in the World and at other times as Mrs. Bill, never as Another Philander C. Knox ... , U.N. Secretary General the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon ... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan... , and a number of other officials.
He chaired the Security Council on Tuesday, renewing Leb's commitment to international resolutions and the Special Tribunal for Leb.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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Buying Wally isn't hard. Keeping him bought is another matter entirely.
[An Nahar] Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Wally Jumblat ... Druze politician, head of the Progressive Socialist Party, who's been on every side in Leb at least four times. He'll sell you his friends for a dollar, but family comes higher because of shipping and handling... has been holding meetings with a number of high-ranking March 14 Those are the good guys, insofar as Leb has good guys... officials, during which his views have coincided with theirs, reported the Central News Agency on Wednesday.
Sources told the agency that the last of these meetings was held at the residence of one of these figures and it stressed the importance of adhering to centrism during the current phase the country is going through.
The sources said that the MP informed his former allies that he agrees with their views.
Jumblat had broken away from the March 14 camp on August 2, 2009.
Earlier this year, on January 21, he announced his "steady support for Syria and the Resistance That'd be the Hezbullies, natch... in order for the democratic game to take its course in Leb away from sectarian alliances."
On January 24, during the period of parliamentary consultations to elect a new premier, he announced the dissolution of the Democratic Gathering bloc and the formation of the National Struggle Front, which later nominated Najib Miqati to the premiership.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Jumblat must have been a Byzantine politician in a former life: Or Captain Renault from "Casablanca" who politically follows the prevailing winds - even and especially when they blow from Vichy.
[An Nahar] The White House Wednesday treated an Iranian claim that it would send ships close to U.S. waters with derision, saying it did not reflect Tehran's ability to project sea power far from its shores. "We don't take these statements seriously, given that they do not reflect at all Iran's naval capabilities," President Barack Obama's spokesman Jay Carney said.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
If they turn one of their ships into a floating Chernobyl or giant nuclear torpedo, I assure you the laughter will quickly end.
#3
I agree. Anything is possible. A pawn chess piece has been moved on the board. The Turks send a tub to do a gas survey. Iranians are sending some of their pawns as well to visit us. I'd suggest boarding the vessels for a look see. Anything is possible with this sort. Mind games.
#5
Again, until Iran devs an effective, potent nuclear arsenal of its own, it will prefer to stay on the Diplomatic, Media etc. strategic "defensive" AMAP ALAP.
Its real threat is PROXY TERROR, e.g. the HEZBOLLAH + MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, ETAL. HARD BOYZ + ALIGNED ALREADY SETTING UP STAGING, MISSLE? BASES IN THE LOWER AMERICAS.
IOW, IRAN'S PROXIES ARE ALREADY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC + IN AMER'S BACKYARD.
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.
Photographs obtained by Agence 
Khaleda Zia
Philippine ex-president Fidel Ramos said Wednesday that China's recent assertiveness over sea disputes was motivated by a desire to challenge US power, as he predicted more tensions to come. 
[Dawn] US 
[Dawn] White House press secretary Jay Carney was asked about Mullen's claim in congressional testimony last week that the Haqqani
[Dawn] US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen on Wednesday told the Wall Street Journal that attacks against US soldiers in Afghanistan will not be tolerated, DawnNews reported.
President-for-Life Bashir 
Najib Miqati
Hillary Clinton
Walid 
The White House Wednesday treated an Iranian claim that it would send ships close to U.S. waters with derision, saying it did not reflect Tehran's ability to project sea power far from its shores. "We don't take these statements seriously, given that they do not reflect at all Iran's naval capabilities," President Barack Obama's spokesman Jay Carney said.
