U.S. officials say security concerns forced the cancellation of a scheduled news conference Sunday in Kabul with U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Authorities did not elaborate on the security issues, but a day earlier, two suicide bombings -- one in Kabul and the other in Khost -- killed 19 people. The bombing in Kabul targeted the Afghan Defense Ministry as Hagel was visiting the capital.
The press conference cancellation is the latest event to mark Hagel's first visit to Afghanistan as the new Pentagon chief.
Earlier Sunday, President Karzai accused the Taliban of being "at the service of America" by using attacks like the ones on Saturday to frighten Afghans into wanting foreign forces to remain in Afghanistan beyond the 2014 deadline.
The top U.S. general in Afghanistan General Joseph Dunford sharply rebuked the president's comments by saying, "we have fought too hard over the past 12 years... shed too much blood... to ever think that violence or instability would be to our advantage."
[Al Ahram] Seven Islamist political parties have launched the Umma Alliance (Nation Alliance)
For a given value of nation that means all the Muslims in community, and not any of the unbelievers...
announcing their collaboration to protect the "achievements of the January 25 Revolution" and stand against those who interrupt the "constitutional path that allows people to choose their ruler."
The parties say in a press conference Saturday that what prompted them to form the alliance is the recent political crises in Egypt and the "clear dangers" triggered by the "police [labour] strike... in what seems like a forced summoning of the army" to take power.
News has circulated in Egyptian media recently on the possibility of the army taking over power again amid the security and political crisis. About 2,000 people staged a march to Nasr City in Cairo calling on the army to intervene. The army has been playing a role in mainting security in cities like Port Said, where clashes have broken out, however, the army's Chief of Staff General Sedki Sobhi said last month that the army will avoid politics.
The alliance includes the Salafist Raya Party, headed by disqualified presidential candidate Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, the Reform Party, Asala (Authenticity) Party, People's Party, Islamic Party, Fadila (Virtue) Party and New Labour Party.
The parties demand a timetable for the procedures of the next parliamentary elections. They reject the idea of postponing elections without one.
Egypt's administrative court suspended parliamentary elections on Wednesday and referred the electoral law back to the High Constitutional Court (HCC) to rule on its constitutionality.
The administrative court said in their ruling that the Shura Council did not take into account all of the HCC's points of criticism on the law when it reviewed it the first time.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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[Al Ahram] The media consultant of Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya's political arm, the Building and Development Party (BDP), denied Saturday his party is planning to replace the police with its popular committees, explaining that instead they are planning to cooperate with the Ministry of Interior in maintaining security through volunteers.
Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya had announced Friday plans to establish "security militias" to protect the Upper Egypt city of Assiut if the Egyptian police -- large numbers of whom have gone on strike -- failed to return to work.
El-Sherif went on to explain his party's controversial Friday statements, saying the party only wishes to better the relation between the people and the police, rebuilding mutual trust, while changing police philosophy to one that respects human rights.
Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya also called for bettering the working conditions of the police to provide them with the necessary social services to to conduct their work properly.
"We call on the police to meet their duty in protecting state institutions and not to give up the country's security and stability in such critical times," El-Sherif said, adding that the police abandoning its duties would only serve the counterrevolution.
El-Sherif complained that the police should not make people choose between torture or a lack of security. "We reject both," he insisted.
"We demand the restructuring of the police, maintaining that the police remains the only security apparatus protecting citizens," El-Sherif said.
Meanwhile, the BDP in Minya together with the Salafist El-Nour Party again announced Saturday, via Facebook, that they will form "popular committees" to protect citizens if the police continue to strike.
Egypt's police have been staging nationwide strikes since Tuesday. Their demands were first voiced in the canal city of Ismailia when security forces refused to be deployed in the city of Port Said where clashes over recent weeks have left hundreds injured and at least five killed, including security officers.
Later on Wednesday, around 8,000 police officers and recruits across 34 Central Security Forces camps in Sinai and the Suez Canal area joined the strike call.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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[Bangla Daily Star] If any political party tries to damage public properties resorting to militancy, it can be banned with an executive order, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chief said on Saturday.
"This type of parties had not been banned earlier. But if any party continues such destructive activities, it can be banned constitutionally," Mizanur Rahman said after visiting victims of recent vandalism and arson by Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir men in Banshkhali upazila.
"What they have done here can be termed as fight against the state," the NHRC chief said, adding that the state should not tolerate such activities.
Mizanur visited Banshkhali Upazila Parishad, which became the target of Jamaat-Shibir arson attack, and Upazila Krishi Office, office of Upazila fisheries officer and some other places where vandalisms were carried out since February 28.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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[Bangla Daily Star] Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad yesterday called upon people to save the country from those "speaking against Islam and Prophet Muhammad (SM)".
"The country is now in the intensive care unit and its condition is critical. Those who are talking against Islam and the Prophet (SM) have to be put down to save the country," he said.
The JP chief was addressing a gathering after visiting the shrine of Hazrat Kayed Saheb at Nesarabad in Jhalakathi.
He asked the government to stop what he said was shooting people indiscriminately. "Killing of innocent people would not help it [government] stay in power forever," he added.
Making an oblique reference to Shahbagh protesters, Ershad said people of all religions must stand united against those "trying to destroy religious values".
He also said if voted to power, he would provide water and electricity to all mosques and temples free of charges.
And a chicken in every pot and a pony. Mustn't for get the pony.
JP Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader and Joint Secretary General Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan were present at the gathering.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
Anyone who does not see that "Arab Spring" is a Weasel phrase substitute for religious cleansing is living in a seriously altered universe....
#2
The older I get the more I am convinced that man's evil, hate, and genocide are little more than tools of natural selection exercised by [as the late Joseph Campbell wrote] mutually contending bands.
[Bangla Daily Star] The ruling Awami League will hold a rally in front of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital on March 18.
It also decided to visit the areas affected by violence of Jamaat-Shibir men and the places where minorities came under attack.
AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif made the announcement at a press briefing after a meeting with district-level party leaders at the AL president's Dhanmondi office yesterday.
Hanif said several teams had already been formed to visit the affected places.
AL top leaders Syed Ashraful Islam, Matia Chowdhury, Mohammad Nasim, Obaidul Quader, Abdul Latif Siddique, Tofail Ahmed, Amir Hossain Amu, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, AMA Muhith and Suranjit Sengupta will head the teams.
Hanif, also a special assistant to the prime minister, said steps would be taken to rehabilitate the affected people on the basis of information to be collected in the visits.
Actions would also be taken against the perpetrators, he added.
The AL leader said there was no connection between Islam and anti-liberation forces, adding they were using Islam only for their benefit.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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Why not just get Holder to drone zap him?
Theresa May has pledged that a Conservative government would scrap the Human Rights Act which she claims has stopped Britain from deporting the radical preacher Abu Qatada.
The Home Secretary also went so far as to indicate the Conservatives could go further by pulling out of its European obligations on Human Rights altogether, an association dating back more than 60 years.
Ms May, who is being touted as a possible future Conservative leader, told Tory activists that the party must "consider very carefully our relationship" with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
She said that Britain must stop human rights laws interfering with its ability to protect the nation. She pointed to the case of Qatada, once described as Osama bin Laden's right hand man in Europe, who was on Saturday returned to custody following his arrest for allegedly breaching his bail conditions.
The country's most senior judge, Lord Neuberger, last week pointed out that if Britain was to scrap the Human Rights Act and end its association with the European Convention on Human Rights, it would also have to withdraw from the United Nations.
He pointed out that it is under the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights that terrorists could not be deported to countries where they might be subjected to poor treatment.
Venezuela will hold a presidential election on April 14, as acting president Nicolas Maduro tries to benefit from an emotional outpouring for his late mentor, Hugo Chavez, and win his own term in office.
Mr Maduro, a physically imposing former union leader who served as foreign minister and vice-president under Chavez, has vowed to keep Chavez's self-styled socialist revolution alive.
Venezuela's main opposition coalition has picked Miranda state governor Henrique Capriles as a unity candidate to run against Mr Maduro.
Tibisay Lucena, the head of the country's electoral commission, said the candidates would have to register for the race by Monday.
Opinion polls have shown Mr Maduro as the likely winner, but Chavez's opponents say they want a chance to end "Chavismo" at the voting booth.
Mr Maduro was sworn in as acting president in congress on Friday and handed the red, yellow and blue presidential sash.
"I asked (the election authority) to comply with legal and constitutional obligations and immediately call elections," Mr Maduro, 50, told congress as he cemented his position as heir-in-waiting.
The Supreme Court had earlier ruled that Mr Maduro did not need to step down in order to campaign, but the move was denounced by opponents as a violation of the constitution and a "fraud".
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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North Korea has officially rejected a United Nations call to abandon its nuclear weapons program after a round of tough new sanctions. Pyongyang says the new UN sanctions will only encourage it to strengthen its nuclear and missile programs, with the foreign ministry hinting at more nuclear tests to come.
In a statement carried by state media, the ministry said the latest sanctions, which Pyongyang "totally rejects", would only lead the country to reinforce its status "as a nuclear weapons state and satellite launcher".
Even before Thursday's Security Council vote imposing tougher sanctions on Pyongyang over its nuclear test last month, the North Korean leadership had said it would conduct more atomic and long-range missile tests in the future. The foreign ministry statement said that the latest UN sanctions, instead of weakening North Korea's nuclear deterrent, would only increase its capability "a thousand times", according to the Korean Central News Agency.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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China has called on North Korea to show restraint after Pyongyang's aggressive response to new sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council.
When they cut off the oil and cash I'll believe they are serious...
North Korea has announced it is voiding non-aggression pacts with South Korea and severing its hotline with Seoul, hours after threatening the US with a pre-emptive nuclear strike.
The statement came just hours after the UN Security Council unanimously voted to impose tough sanctions against the rogue nation, mainly aimed at further isolating and financially destabilising the regime.
China's Foreign Ministry has since called for everyone involved to stay calm.
"China calls on relevant parties to exercise calm and restraint, and avoid actions that might further escalate tensions," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing.
Beijing is Pyongyang's sole major ally and by far its biggest trading partner, including being its primary energy supplier. But it voted in favour of Thursday's tougher sanctions, which were designed as a punishment for North Korea's nuclear test last month.
"We believe the resolution is a balanced one," Ms Hua said. "China is objective and fair on this matter and has played a constructive role throughout the discussion at the Security Council."
"And you Westerners are gullible enough to believe me," she added softly when she thought the microphone was off...
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
Suicide by mouth, still deadly.
Makes me think that Pudgy's looking for a way to advance his country out of the Mud age, but without him as head.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
03/10/2013 12:41 Comments ||
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The Defense Department and Lockheed Martin, the giant contractor hired to design and build the plane, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, have constructed what amounts to a budgetary force field around the nearly $400 billion program.
Although it is the costliest weapons system in U.S. history and the single most expensive item in the 2013 Pentagon budget, it will face only a glancing blow from the sequester this year. And as the White House and Congress contemplate future budgets, those pushing for additional cuts may find it difficult to trim more than a fraction of the Pentagon's proposed fleet, even though the program is years behind schedule and 70 percent over its initial price tag. The F-35 and the military industrial complex. A two-fer!
The reasons for the F-35's relative immunity are a stark illustration of why it is so difficult to cut the country's defense spending. Lockheed Martin has spread the work across 45 states -- critics call it "political engineering" -- which in turn has generated broad bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. Any reduction in the planned U.S. purchase risks antagonizing the eight other nations that have committed to buying the aircraft by increasing their per-plane costs. And senior military leaders warn that the stealthy, technologically sophisticated F-35 is essential to confront Iran, China and other potential adversaries that may employ advanced anti-aircraft defenses.
When the F-35 finishes testing, "there will be no yes-or-no, up-or-down decision point," said Pierre Sprey, who was a chief architect of the Air Force's F-16 Fighting Falcon. "That's totally deliberate. It was all in the name of ensuring it couldn't be canceled." As opposed to the past, when several aircraft were developed at the same time, in a competition, But that became too expensive.
To the plane's backers, including senior leaders of the Air Force and Marine Corps, the benefit is worth the cost. Unlike the infantry, which still accepts battlefield casualties as part of war, military aviators have grown accustomed to a different risk calculus since the 1991 Persian Gulf War, when U.S. warplanes quickly established air superiority over Iraq with minimal losses: They want to ensure that, whatever the future conflict, their planes are packed with enough offensive and defensive measures to accomplish the mission and avoid getting shot down.
"This aircraft reinforces the way Americans go to war. . . .We don't want to win 51-49. We want to win 99 to nothing," said Lt. Gen. Frank Gornec, the assistant vice chief of staff of the Air Force. He said he is convinced the F-35 "will become a superstar in the arsenal of the United States."
Posted by: Bobby ||
03/10/2013 09:15 ||
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#1
To the plane's backers, including senior leaders of the Air Force and Marine Corps, the benefit is worth the cost. Unlike the infantry, which still accepts battlefield casualties as part of war, military aviators have grown accustomed to a different risk calculus
#3
Lockheed Martin has spread the work across 45 states -- critics call it "political engineering" -- which in turn has generated broad bipartisan support on Capitol Hill.
Same "political engineering" technique appears to be working for Obamacare as well.
#5
"We don't want to win 51-49. We want to win 99 to nothing," said Lt. Gen. Frank Gornec
What a bully! That's just mean. Except that winning 99-zip means you have more of your expensive stuff and valuable people left over at the end. And being able to win 99-zip might mean you don't have to fight in the first place.
#6
Air Force Magazine has a telling article in which the F-35 is severly criticized by the test pilots; no visibility to the rear, unreliable ejection seats, small control surfaces limit manuverability( sez that stealth=small) and the the fbled Lawn dart can fly rings around it. Time to kill this Edsel. Or upgrade with Lithium-ion batteries.
#7
The Defense Department and Lockheed Martin, the giant contractor hired to design and build the plane, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, have constructed what amounts to a budgetary force field around the nearly $400 billion program.
Funny how spending on the military tends to be the only type of spending that's objectionable to the press...
#8
This project helps keep military aviation engineering and manufacturing capability available. Way overpriced and overpoliticized, but not entirely a bad thing. For example, the B-17 was created in 'peace' time, and only manufactured in any quantity after we entered the war, where it was a most important factor.
#9
I'm only annoyed because they used Air Force and Marine Corp in the same sentence exclusive of infantry.
Every Marine an Aviator, no wait....
And trust me, at some point the Army (other infantry) is going to be wanting some of that sweet CAS that an F-35B will be able to provide.
Also not a good idea to leave the Royal Navy in the lurch, they can't fly F-18s, the catapult war is over for them. Cancel the F-35B and you also may as well cancel the Prince of Wales and QE.
#10
#7 That's right, Raj, it's actually a three-fer: the Mil-Ind Complex, a new product, and much more money for 'more important' things - like social engineering.
Posted by: Bobby ||
03/10/2013 17:38 Comments ||
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#11
Lockheed Martin has spread the work across 45 states -- critics call it "political engineering"
That's what Rockwell did with the B-1 bomber. It is the only way to assure funding from Democratic politicians. Unfortunately the only way democrats will support a defence program is as pork. That they can understand. Patriotism, or concern for people who risk their lives to protect us, is completely beyond these people.
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
03/10/2013 20:23 Comments ||
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[Dawn] President Asif Ali Ten Percent Zardari ... husband of the late Benazir Bhutto, who has been singularly lacking in curiosity about who done her in ... directed the provincial government and law-enforcement agencies on Friday to take all-out efforts to restore peace in the city and to take action to protect the life and property of citizens.
Chairing a meeting to take stock of the overall law and order situation in the province, with a specific reference to Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... following the Abbas Town kaboom, the president declared that myrmidons, Islamic fascistior sectarian elements would not be allowed to subvert the electoral process by creating a law and order situation.
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, provincial ministers Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, Ayaz Soomro, Agha Siraj Durrani, Murad Ali Shah, Sharjeel Memon, Chief Secretary Raja Muhammad Abbas and heads of law-enforcement agencies were present.
Presidential spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the president condemned the barbaric incident of the Abbas Town carnage and offered Fateha for the departed souls.
He reiterated his determination that polls in the country would be held on time.
While expressing his sympathies with the bereaved families, he directed the authorities concerned to extend full support and assistance to the victims for their early rehabilitation and to provide best medical treatment at government expenses to those maimed in the attack.
President Zardari called upon all political forces and stakeholders to come forward, work hand in hand with the law-enforcement agencies in Karachi and play their active role to restore peace and stability and bring the criminals to book regardless of their affiliation.
He said that everyone had to work together and augment government efforts to restore complete law and order and protect the life and property of the citizens in Karachi.
He said that the government accorded top priority to safeguarding the life and property of the citizens and that they could never be left at the mercy of a handful of vicious elements.
He reiterated that criminals involved in violent activities would be traced and brought to justice.
He said that the federal government would provide all possible help and assistance to the victims of the Abbas Town kaboom.
Earlier, the governor and the CM briefed the president on the latest situation in Sindh, particularly in Karachi, and various steps to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile, ...back at the cheese factory, all the pieces finally fell together in Fluffy's mind... the president met Sindh Assembly deputy speaker Shehla Raza and offered his condolences over the demise of her relatives in the Abbas Town kaboom.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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[Dawn] Pakistain Mohammedan League-Nawaz chief and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... on Friday said his party would turn Pakistain into a new, modern and developed country if the people voted it to power in the next general elections.
Addressing a public meeting here at Mardan Railway Station ground, the PML-N chief said his party gave Pakistain People's Party the opportunity to complete five-year constitutional term in power to strengthen democratic system in the country, but unfortunately, the government failed to deliver to the misery of the people.
"They (the government) have given the people nothing but suicide kabooms, assassinations, scandals of massive corruption, high inflation and excessive loadshedding. There was no such thing when I was the prime minister of the country," he said.Mr Sharif said during his term as the prime minister, Pakistain's rupee was stronger than that of India, while the country's foreign policy was free from all kinds of foreign pressure.
He said the US offered him $5 billion for not blasting atomic bomb in 1998 and he rejected the offer in the best national interest.
The PML-N chief said his government had planned to build motorway from Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... to Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. and then from Peshawar to Kabul and Tashkent but it was unconstitutionally removed, bringing work on the mega development project to a halt.
He said Pakistain People's Party, which had been ruling the centre, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... , Balochistan ...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it... , Gilgit-Baltistan and even Azad Jammu and Kashmire for last many years, had failed to provide relief to the people of these areas, while PML-N ruling Punjab had delivered by beginning and completing mega development projects.
"The Punjab government has launched laptop scheme for talented students, Ashiyana housing scheme for the poor, a metro bus service in Lahore, Danish School System for poor students, Sasti Roti Scheme and several other people friendly developmental projects all across the province," he said.
Mr Sharif said his party had unveiled manifesto for the coming elections to apprise the people of its plans of development in case of coming to power.
"We will build a new, developed and modern Pakistain," he said.
He said his government would settle the Kashmire dispute and improve ties with Afghanistan.
"We will resolve the problem of loadshedding for good within two years of forming the government in the centre. Loans on easy conditions will be given to educated youths for start of business so that they not only get employed but also provide employment to others. We will also establish industrial zones in Mardan district," he said.
Khawaja Mohammad Khan Hoti and Pir Sabir Shah also addressed the public meeting and urged the people to vote for PML-N in the next elections for national development and progress.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
"with the Same Olde Graft"
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/10/2013 11:29 Comments ||
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[Dawn] Interior Minister Rehman Malik urged the nation on Saturday to unite against terrorism and militancy.
He was addressing participants of an inauguration ceremony of a newly established passport office at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).
The minister said that the government had managed to "control terrorism to a great extent" in Quetta and that the situation "was improving all over Pakistan except Karachi".
Later, talking to media representatives at the SCCI, Malik said that the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) government was taking effective measures to secure the lives and properties of people across the country. He added that it was also the national obligation of all powers in the state to come forward and play their role in eliminating terrorism and militancy.
The minister said the PPP was doing everything in the larger national interest and would never compromise on this. He assured that the energy crisis would 'soon be over' as the country would become self-sufficient in energy and also be able to export energy to other countries.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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The United Nations has issued a report with unusual courage and accuracy that plainly tells the tale of Israel's Pillar of Defense counter terror operation -- and exposes the lies of Hamas, told to a grieving father and his BBC bureau chief.
In what has become typical of international media, The Washington Post and a BBC bureau chief last November accused and convicted the Israel Defense Forces in a heartrending, angry piece without verifying their information after a fellow editor in Gaza lost his baby son in rocket fire that struck his home.
The front page photo of an Arab stringer for a world-class news network, clutching his dead baby son in his arms, tears running down his cheeks, became a powerful icon of the tragedy of the conflict.
It was used by Hamas as propaganda to blacken Israel's name in the media and politically in the international arena as it fought to defend its southern population against Gaza's missile fire.
But apparently very few questioned the source of the rocket fire -- certainly not the grieving father, Jihad Misharawi, who at his son's funeral blamed "the Jews" -- nor did BBC Middle East bureau chief Paul Danahar, who came to Gaza to support his colleague, or The Washington Post, which printed the story, written by Max Fisher and "foreign staff", with photos, published on the front page.
Photos of the damaged home were duly posted, along with a photo of the little child, who is indeed beautiful, and the heartbreaking photo of a grieving father carrying what appears to be his dead son wrapped in shrouds.
[Iran Press TV] Iranian clerics and seminary students have strongly condemned international community's silence over the massacre of the Shia Muslims in terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
In a Saturday statement, Chairman of the Assembly of Experts Ayatollah Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani severely criticized the silence of international organizations over the massacre of Pakistani Shia Muslims.
The senior cleric also called on religious scholars and students to gather to vociferate their resentment against such brutal acts of terrorism.
In protest to the massacre of Pakistani Shias by foreign-backed terrorists, all seminaries in the cities of Tehran and Qom were closed on Saturday, with teachers and students taking to the streets to voice their protest to the silence of international organizations.
They also chanted slogans in support of innocent Pakistani Shias while condemning US and Israel for being behind anti-Shia terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
The protest came after a bombing in the Pakistani port city of Karachi on March 3 killed over 45 Shia Muslims and injured 150 others. Women and children were among those killed and injured.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
How about Iran sending some troops to guard the Shia in Pakistan.
What could possibly go wrong.
Posted by: lord garth ||
03/10/2013 10:26 Comments ||
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[Al Ahram] U.S. investigators tracked Suleiman Abu Ghaith, a son-in-law of Osama bin Laden, for about 10 years before he was detained in Jordan and brought by the FBI to New York City in the past few days, U.S. officials familiar with the investigation said.
An FBI agent and a New York police detective together spent more than a decade investigating Abu Ghaith, not only for his role as a spokesman for al Qaeda after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington but for activities they believed he was involved in before 2001, said one official.
On Friday, Abu Ghaith pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court to conspiring to kill Americans, becoming one of the highest-ranking al Qaeda figures to face trial in the United States for crimes connected to the Sept. 11 attacks.
He was captured on Feb. 28 and brought secretly to the United States on March 1, prosecutors said in court. Law enforcement sources say he was detained in Jordan by local authorities and the FBI after was believed to have been expelled from Turkey.
But it was in Iran where Abu Ghaith is believed to have spent most of the past decade, having taken refuge there following Sept. 11, 2001, with a group of other associates of bin Laden, the al Qaeda leader killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan in 2011.
Current and former U.S. officials said that group, known to U.S. investigators as the al Qaeda "Management Council," was kept more or less under control by the Iranian government, which viewed it with suspicion. Along with Abu Ghaith, members of the group included Saif al Adel, one of al Qaeda's top military commanders, and Saad bin Laden, one of bin Laden's sons.
A former U.S. official said that in late 2002 and early 2003, CIA officers held secret discussions in Europe with Iranian officials regarding the possible expulsion to Saudi Arabia or another country of Abu Ghaith and fellow al Qaeda operatives in Iran.
At the time, the United States had information indicating the al Qaeda figures in Iran might be in contact with militants in Saudi Arabia who posed potential threats to Saudi interests.
But the secret discussions fell apart when Iran suggested that, in return for its expulsion of the al Qaeda operatives, the United States should crack down on the Mujaheddin-e-Khalq, an Iranian exile group that until recently was the target of U.S. and European sanctions for its alleged involvement in violence, the former official said.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/10/2013 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: al-Qaeda
#1
Officials said it was unclear whether Abu Ghaith had much information about current al Qaeda activities or plots.
Guess well never know now will we? Funny how when you tell these Islamic thugs they have the Right to remain silent they usually clam up.
#3
At the time, the United States had information indicating the al Qaeda figures in Iran might be in contact with militants in Saudi Arabia who posed potential threats to Saudi interests
Methinks there lies the answer for the 10-year search.
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.
[Al Ahram] The media consultant of Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya's political arm, the Building and Development Party (BDP), denied Saturday his party is planning to replace the police with its popular committees, explaining that instead they are planning to cooperate with the Ministry of Interior in maintaining security through volunteers.
[Bangla Daily Star] If any political party tries to damage public properties resorting to militancy, it can be banned with an executive order, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chief said on Saturday.
The Defense Department and Lockheed Martin, the giant contractor hired to design and build the plane, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, have constructed what amounts to a budgetary force field around the nearly $400 billion program.
[Dawn] 
Nawaz Sharif
[Dawn] Interior Minister Rehman Malik urged the nation on Saturday to unite against terrorism and militancy.
The United Nations has issued a report with unusual courage and accuracy that plainly tells the tale of Israel's Pillar of Defense counter terror operation -- and exposes the lies of Hamas, told to a grieving father and his BBC bureau chief.
[Iran Press TV] Iranian clerics and seminary students have strongly condemned international community's silence over the massacre of the Shia Muslims in terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
[Al Ahram] U.S. investigators tracked Suleiman Abu Ghaith, a son-in-law of Osama bin Laden, for about 10 years before he was detained in Jordan and brought by the FBI to New York City in the past few days, U.S. officials familiar with the investigation said.
