Pirates seized control of a French cruise ship Friday off the coast of Somalia, France's Foreign Ministry said.
Just where I'd want to go on a cruise of a lifetime, the coast of Somalia. What was the next port of call, Mog? Aden? Bandar Abbas?
A ministry official said details about the attack were scarce, and it was not clear how many crew members were on board the ship or if there were any passengers. The ship is in the high seas in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Somalia in the Indian Ocean.
The official declined to identify the vessel or its owner. The ministry has set up a crisis center to deal with the situation, said the official.
Pirates seized more than two dozen ships off the Somali coast last year. The International Maritime Bureau, which tracks piracy, said in its annual report earlier this year that global pirate attacks rose by 10 percent in 2007, marking the first increase in three years.
#1
PARIS - Pirates seized control of a French luxury yacht carrying 30 crew members Friday in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia's coast, the French government and the ship's owner said.
Attackers stormed the three-mast Le Ponant as it returned without passengers from the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean, toward the Mediterranean Sea, said officials with French maritime transport company CMA-CGM.
"This is a blatant act of piracy," Prime Minister Francois Fillon told reporters while on a visit to Brussels. "The Defense and Foreign Ministries are mobilized to act as quickly as possible, I hope in the coming minutes or hours to try to win the freedom of these hostages."
He did not elaborate. France has considerable military resources in the region, including a base in Djibouti and a naval flotilla circulating in the Indian Ocean.
The ship was in the high seas in the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia's coast in the Indian Ocean, the ministry said. At least some of the crew members are French. The company declined to identify any other crew member nationalities.
"French authorities are handling the situation," Jean-Emmanuel Sauvee, managing director of La Compagnie des Iles du Ponant, told reporters in the southeastern city of Marseille, where his subsidiary of CMA-CGM is based. The company did not want to comment further so as not to endanger the crew members held hostage, he said.
According to the company's Web site, the 88-meter (288-foot) boat features four decks, two restaurants, and indoor and outdoor luxury lounges. It can hold up to 64 passengers.
Le Ponant was next scheduled to carry passengers as part of a 10-day, 7-night trip from Alexandria, Egypt, to Valletta, Malta starting April 19. Prices started at euro2,205 (US$3,465), not including air fare or taxes.
#3
I believe the Legion has a base in Djibouti.
That would include choppers, and most warships can land at least one. At a time, I mean.
The anti-piracy forces there are multilateral.
So a Legion platoon might take US helicopters, stage from a Danish frigate, and get surface backup from the Brits.
Might be a problem of various forces trying to take cuts.
Posted by: Richard Aubrey ||
04/04/2008 15:47 Comments ||
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#4
Yeah, she ain't no rust bucket.
This will piss some people off. Hopefully, people in a position to have something done about it.
#7
A French frigate, Le Commandant Bouan, was temporarily diverted from its role in the naval arm of Operating Enduring Freedom to track the yacht, military spokesman Cmdr. Christophe Prazuck said. A Canadian helicopter on the HCMS Charlottetown was also taking part, he said.
A suspected al-Qaeda member on trial in Mauritania for alleged involvement in the December 2007 slaughter of four French tourists escaped from a Nouakchott courthouse following a hearing on Tuesday (April 2nd). Sidi Ould Sidna reportedly asked for permission to visit the restroom and fled shortly afterwards amid loose police surveillance.
"Sidi's escaped from the crappoir!"
"Out the window?"
"There is no window!"
"Did you look down the drain?"
Deputy prosecutor Moustapha Ould Said confirmed the escape and said a guard, a courthouse employee and two of the fugitive's sisters who were thought to have helped with the escape have been arrested.
"Into the paddy wagon wit' yez! You, too, girly!"
Police conducted a vast search of the area surrounding the courthouse but were unable to find the fugitive. Ould Said said the state would offer a reward for information regarding Sidna's whereabouts.
Sidna and four other alleged members of a Mauritanian al-Qaeda affiliate were arrested in Guinea-Bissau in January. The group is suspected of gunning down four French tourists and injuring a fifth on December 24th in Eastern Mauritania. Four additional suspects remain at large.
This article starring:
Moustapha Ould Said
SIDI ULD SIDNA
al-Qaeda in North Africa
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
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Link ||
[4 views]
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#1
Most likely the rat had insider assistance.
Nice graphic! :)
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
04/04/2008 3:39 Comments ||
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#2
As in Yemen, taking AQ prisoners is a waste of effort. Escapes from court, jail, & prison are common; escapes from the grave are exceedingly rare.
A US B-1 bomber aircraft has crashed in the Gulf state of Qatar, reports from the country say. The plane exploded as it landed at al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar-based al-Jazeera television reported.
The cause of the incident is as yet unknown, a US defence official told Reuters new agency. No information on casualties was immediately available. The base is used by the US as the headquarters for its air operations in the Middle East.
Posted by: john frum ||
04/04/2008 16:01 ||
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[15 views]
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#1
The cause is that the B-1 is old, and was a swing-wing piece of crap from the get-go.
#2
Finally found a report that didn't cite Al Jizz as the source. From CBS/AP: A State Department official says the B-1 bomber caught fire at the end of a runway and some of its munitions exploded, reports CBS News State Department reporter Charles Wolfson. The crew was not hurt. It is unclear whether the incident occurred during takeoff, landing or taxiing, reports Wolfson.
#5
These things crashed when they were new. But the proof is in their performance. 80% of the bombs dropped during the Afghan campaign were dropped from B-1's. Hard to argue with that.
#6
Didn't realize they were used so heavily. I thought that the B-52 was the real work horse.
Posted by: john frum ||
04/04/2008 17:21 Comments ||
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#7
I think the bottom line is that the USAF needs a lower tech, much less expensive, modern equivalent to the B-52. It boils down to a simple equation.
1) Much of the mission of high tech bombers has been replaced with cruise missiles.
2) However, two ideal missions for a high alt bomber are either a simultaneous strike on a multitude of targets, like a mechanized brigade or fleet of ships; or to provide what could be called "theater close air support".
In the former case, the bombs can be dropped many kilometers from their target, placing the bomber out of the range of even most divisional SAM defenses. It the latter case, air superiority has been established, so aircraft reliability and ease of repair is far more important than high tech.
So the bottom line is an efficient engine, a high altitude, and ordinary maintenance demands.
When these things "were most certainly not" practicing maneuvers out this direction there are plenty of people -cowboys even- who openly admit wetting themselves when the B1 would skim overhead.
Also, interesting read about the B1 in SA&S magazine.
#9
GK
Glad to here that everyone is OK, we wait for more conformation.
The B1s sure are purty,
BTW I've read in several place that in A-Stan especially, and Iraq that B1s are doing yeoman's work! Very accurate guidance systems too.
#11
Apparently, the USAF-DOD's solution to finding a modern equivalent of the B52 REMAINS THE B52, as per WAFF.com > USAF B52's CONTINUE TO BE UPGRADED.
PROBLEM > See WAFF.com.TOPIX > CAN EUROPE RESIST ISLAMIZATION + MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES PREPARE FOR WAR [Israel vs Syria-Iran/Hizz]+ WILL RUSSIA, ASIA FALL TO ISLAMISM, +...etc.
*WAFF.com OPINION Thread [long Title] > MY SHORT/SUMMARY TITLE- CAN ANY AND ALL MAJOR MUSLIM NATIONS JOIN TOGETHER TO BECOME A MUSLIM/ISLAMIC SUPERPOWER???
IFF IRAN GETS NUKES + BECOMES YOU-KNOW-WHAT HITS THE FAN VV "RUSSIA-CHINA, etc. VERSUS RADICAL ISLAM", THE USA MAY NOT HAVE ENUFF HEAVY BOMBERS TO GO AROUND = WAGE SUCCESSFUL EFFEC MULTIPLE AIR CAMPAIGNS???
I've been up on a friend's "family compound" (i.e. huge tracts of cow pastures) in North GA before and had a B1 fly right overhead. Didn't phase her in the least, but I didn't see it comin' and literally didn't hear her until she was right over my head (came from behind me). I about did a faceplant in a nice, fresh "patty" in that pasture, as I could literally see the pilot (couldn't have been more that 250' off the ground).
She said that they run that route all the time (foothills of the Appalachians), practicing "below the radar" runs out of Dobbins AFB.
Posted by: BA ||
04/04/2008 23:30 Comments ||
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A rival party cadre of outlawed Jonojuddho, one of the factions of Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-ML), was slaughtered at Dalka village under Damurhuda upazila in Chuadanga on Wednesday night. The victim was identified as Shamsur Rhman alias Kota, 45, son of Abdus Sattar of the same village.
According to police, a gang of 10 to 12 Jonojuddho cadres went to the house of Kota at about 12:00pm and called him out. They took Kota to Dalka-Lakhmipur water body and slaughtered there.
Police recovered the body in the morning and sent to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital. One Ripon, introducing him as leader of Jonojuddho yesterday, claimed the responsibility for the murder without giving any further details.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
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SRINAGAR, India - Police in Indian Kashmir said Thursday they had arrested the chief spokesman of Islamic militant group Hizbul Mujahedin in the summer capital of the disputed Himalayan region. Junaid-ul-Islam, the chief spokesman for Hizbul Mujahedin, was arrested from a hide-out in Srinagar in the early hours today, said B. Srinivas, deputy inspector general of police. He was active since 1990 and his arrest is a big success for police, said Srinivas, adding the suspect had been pulled in on information provided by three recently arrested Hizbul members.
Islams real name was Abdul Khaliq Dar, police said, adding that he used two more alias namesKhalil-ur-Rehman and Fazal-ul-Rehman. He was involved in planning (attacks) and was one of the top Hizbul leaders wanted by the police, Srinivas said. He was dealing with press and was part of Hizbuls propaganda cell.
Hizbul Mujahedin, which has been active in Indian Kashmir for two decades, is a hardline group fighting for the Indian part of the Himalayan region to be folded into Pakistan. The arrest deals a fresh blow to the pro-Pakistan group. On Tuesday, two of its top commanders were killed during a gun battle and four key members were arrested. Last month, Indian security forces said they shot dead three top Hizbul Mujahedin commanders and arrested a leading rebel allegedly involved in nearly 30 killings.
This article starring:
ABDUL KHALIQ DAR
Hizbul Mujahedin
FAZAL UL REHMAN
Hizbul Mujahedin
JUNAID UL ISLAM
Hizbul Mujahedin
KHALIL UR REHMAN
Hizbul Mujahedin
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
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#1
I like when the spokesholes get nabbed. Make em squeal!
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/04/2008 8:23 Comments ||
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#2
I know that this isnt the Crossfire Gazette, but couldnt resist:
"Dont shoot da messinger!"
Bammity bang bang ba-bang bang blam
rosebud
Unidentified armed men killed militant commander Maulana Matiur Rehman in Ladha Tehsils Baozai area on Thursday. Rehmans body was moved to his native town of Kacha Langar Khel. He will be buried on Friday (today). He was the son of Malik Naqshband Langar Khel.
This article starring:
MATIUR REHMAN
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
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Two militant commanders surrendered to security forces in Swat districts Matta tehsil on Thursday, an official said.
"We quit!"
"Yeah. We give up!"
"Can we have somethin' to eat?"
The commanders, identified as Fazle Subhan and Yahya, have surrendered following mediation by local elders, the official said, adding that the two were released the same day.
"G'bye, guys! Thanks for the lunch!"
This article starring:
FAZLE SUBHAN
TNSM
YAHYA
TNSM
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
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[4 views]
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Four people were injured on Thursday when an explosive device planted in a motorbike detonated in Dera Allah Yar, a police officer said. Khadim Hussein Rind, the Jaffarabad district police officer, said the incident occurred at the Sohbatpur Railway Crossing, adding that the injured had been moved to a local hospital.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
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[4 views]
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Security forces on Thursday arrested four suspected suicide bombers from the Naseerabad district of Balochistan, reported Dawn News. The channel quoted official sources as saying security forces arrested the suspects after searching a passenger bus travelling from Peshawar to Quetta. The sources claimed the security forces seized suicide jackets and explosives from the possession of the alleged bombers, said the channel. The suspects have been moved to an undisclosed location for interrogation, it added.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
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[4 views]
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The Taliban are negotiating with the Ahmedzai Wazir tribes the return of former militant commanders and their foreign fighters to Wana after they were flushed out in last years popular drive, a tribal elder said on Thursday. However, we have told the Taliban that the former commanders are welcome to return, but they cannot bring Uzbek or other foreign militants back to Wana or surrounding areas, a tribal elder who was part of the jirga, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Daily Times in a phone call from Wana.
The Taliban leadership had invited influential Ahmedzai Wazir elders to a jirga in Wana on March 31 to discuss possible permission for the return of ex-militant commanders along with foreigners who fled when local Taliban leader Maulvi Nazir led a campaign against foreign militants, especially Uzbeks.
Chaos, lawlessness: It was a unanimous decision of the jirga that foreign militants were not acceptable by any means as their return would plunge the area back into chaos, target-killing, and lawlessness, the elder said.
The local tribes rejection of the return of foreign militants to Wana comes after two air strikes by the United States since February 28 in Kaloosha and Wana respectively, pinpointing foreign militants. The two strikes left more than 30 local and foreign militants dead.
Islamic Emirates, a Taliban-led parallel government in the Tribal Areas, is negotiating the return of five key Wazir militant commanders Ghulam Jan, Maulvi Abbas, Haji Umar, Maulvi Javed Karmazkhel, and Noor Islam return to Wana, along with foreign militants who accompany Taliban leader Maulvi Nazir. The five were commanders for Taliban leader Nek Muhammad, who was killed in a missile attack in Wana in June 2004. They were hosts to Uzbek militants who local residents remember as butchers for their alleged atrocities against the Wazir populace. The five men, according to tribal sources, are being sheltered by Taliban leaders who sympathise with foreign militants in South and North Waziristan.
Around 150 pro-government elders were killed between December 2004 and February 2007 in and around Wana, and Uzbek militants were prime suspects for all these killings and for other crimes. Sources said that Maulvi Nazir was showing [a] soft corner for the five commanders and also the foreign militants after the Islamic Emirates guaranteed good behaviour of the foreign militants; however the sources added that the Ahmedzai Wazir tribes unwillingness would be difficult for him to bypass, as he had signed a peace accord with them.
Nazir is taking the Ahmedzai Wazir tribes into confidence on every major issue before making any decision, and local analysts say that because of a still unconsolidated and weak position he could not ignore the local tribes strength in protecting him against any attack from foes.
This article starring:
Ahmedzai Wazir
GHULAM JAN
Taliban
HAJI OMAR
Taliban
MAULVI ABAS
Taliban
MAULVI JAVED KARMAZKHEL
Taliban
MAULVI NAZIR
Taliban
NEK MUHAMAD
Taliban
NUR ISLAM
Taliban
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
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WASHINGTON, April 3, 2008 The recent increase in attacks by Shiia extremists in Iraq gave coalition forces in the center of the country opportunities to target extremist cells and degrade their capabilities, the U.S. general in charge of operations in the area said today. Video
From March 25 to 30, Shiia extremists in the Multinational Division Center area of operations stepped up attacks in conjunction with a spike in violence in Basra and southern Baghdad, Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, the divisions commander, told reporters in Baghdad. That violence flared after Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered Iraqi forces to clamp down on illegal militias, criminals and thugs in Basra. Shiia cleric Muqtada al-Sadrs Jaysh al-Mahdi organization contested the Iraqi security forces, and fighting spread north to Baghdad and other Shiia cities in the south.
In the Multinational Division Center area, there were some 78 attacks by Shiia extremists during the six-day period, Lynch said. These attacks targeted coalition forces, Iraqi security forces and Iraqi civilians, and included the use of improvised explosive devices, armor-piercing explosively formed penetrators, rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire, he said. One U.S. soldier, 17 Iraqi security forces members and five civilians were killed in the attacks, and many more were wounded.
While these attacks did cause casualties, they also brought a lot of the Shiia extremists out of hiding and gave the coalition and Iraqi forces an opportunity to target them, Lynch said. Division leaders previously had estimated that about 600 Shiia extremists were in their area, making up about 10 so-called special groups. The increased attacks allowed the coalition to more easily target them, and during the six-day period, coalition and Iraqi forces captured four high-value individuals, killed 69 extremists, wounded five, and detained 537 suspects, he said. The suspects were questioned, and 230 are still in detention.
The enemy needed his leaders to conduct operations; we took some of those away, Lynch said. The enemy needed his led, his soldiers if you will, and many of those are now currently detained.
The combined forces also found 18 weapons caches that contained various types of ammunition, bombs and other weapons, Lynch said.
We experienced a tactical and an operational opportunity to take the fight to the Shiia extremists, Lynch said of the six-day period of increased violence.
Since March 30, attacks in the Multinational Division Center area have gone back to their normal levels, with just one attack occurring yesterday and none the day before, Lynch said. Since taking command of forces in the area 13 months ago, Lynch said, hes seen a significant decrease in violence and an increased focus on rebuilding Iraqi society.
Lynchs soldiers occupy 57 different patrol bases throughout the area with Iraqi security forces, and that presence has helped build trust with the locals, the general said.
What we have found is the local population, as a result of seeing the patrol base, they come forward and ask two questions, he said. The first question is, Are you staying? and when the local population is convinced were going to stay, the next question is, How can we help?
About 36,000 concerned local citizens are helping to secure their neighborhoods in Sons of Iraq security groups in the divisions area, Lynch said. And as the violence has decreased, the people have focused more on improving their quality of life, he added.
Now, when I go to patrol bases I immediately leave the patrol base and go visit with the population, talk to the people, he said. The conversation now has changed. Its no longer about security; its about jobs. Its about capacity; its about the economy; its about local governments.
BAGHDAD More than 1,000 Iraqi soldiers and policemen either refused to fight or simply abandoned their posts during the inconclusive assault against Shiite militias in Basra last week, a senior Iraqi government official said Thursday. Iraqi military officials said the group included dozens of officers, including at least two senior field commanders in the battle. All the militia fighters quit.
The desertions in the heat of a major battle cast fresh doubt on the effectiveness of the American-trained Iraqi security forces. The White House has conditioned further withdrawals of American troops on the readiness of the Iraqi military and police.
The crisis created by the desertions and other problems with the Basra operation was serious enough that Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki hastily began funneling some 10,000 recruits from local Shiite tribes into his armed forces. That move has already generated anger among Sunni tribesmen whom Mr. Maliki has been much less eager to recruit despite their cooperation with the government in its fight against Sunni insurgents and criminal gangs.
A British military official said that Mr. Maliki had brought 6,600 reinforcements to Basra to join the 30,000 security personnel already stationed there, and a senior American military official said that he understood that 1,000 to 1,500 Iraqi forces had deserted or underperformed. That would represent a little over 4 percent of the total.
A new National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq cites significant security improvements but concludes that security remains fragile, several American government officials said.
Even as officials described problems with the planning and performance of the Iraqi forces during the Basra operation, signs emerged Wednesday that tensions with Moktada al-Sadr, the radical cleric who leads the Mahdi Army militia, could flare up again. Mr. Sadr, who asked his followers to stop fighting on Sunday, called Thursday for a million Iraqis to march to the Shiite holy city of Najaf next week to protest what he called the American occupation. He also issued a veiled threat against Mr. Malikis forces, whom he accused of violating the terms of an agreement with the Iraqi government to stand down.
Estimates by Iraqi military officials of the number of officers who refused to fight during the Basra operation varied from several dozen to more than 100. But three officials said that among those who had been relieved of duty for refusing to fight were Col. Rahim Jabbar and Lt. Col. Shakir Khalaf, the commander and deputy commander of an entire brigade affiliated with the Interior Ministry.
A senior military official in Basra asserted that some members of Colonel Khalafs unit fought even though he did not. Asked why he believed Colonel Khalaf did not fight, the official said that the colonel did not believe the Iraqi security forces would be able to protect him against threats to his life that he had received for his involvement in the assault.
If he fights today, he might be killed later, the official said.
The senior American military official said the number of officers was less than a couple dozen at most, but conceded that the figure could rise as the performance of senior officers was assessed.
But most of the deserters were not officers. The American military official said, From what we understand, the bulk of these were from fairly fresh troops who had only just gotten out of basic training and were probably pushed into the fight too soon. This is Advanced Infantry Training?
There were obviously others who elected to not fight their fellow Shia, the official said, but added that the coalition did not see the failures as a major issue, especially if the Iraqi government dealt firmly with them.
Mr. Maliki, who personally directed the Basra operation, which both American and Iraqi officials have criticized as poorly planned and executed, acknowledged the desertions without giving a specific number in public statements on Thursday.
Everyone who was not on the side of the security forces will go into the military courts, Mr. Maliki said in a news briefing in the Green Zone. Joining the army or police is not a trip or a picnic, there is something that they have to pay back to commit to the interests of the state and not the party or the sect.
They swore on the Koran that they would not support their sect or their party, but they were lying, he said.
On Sunday, Mr. Sadr gave the prime minister a somewhat face-saving way out of the Basra fight by ordering the Mahdi fighters to lay down their weapons after days in which government forces had made no headway.
Mr. Sadr simultaneously made a series of demands, which senior Iraqi politicians involved in the talks said they believed that Mr. Maliki had agreed to in advance. But the prime minister has since denied any involvement in the talks, and government raids on Mahdi Army units something Mr. Sadr had said must stop have if anything become more frequent in Basra and Baghdad.
Accordingly, Mr. Sadrs latest statement began by quoting a section of the Koran promising doom to those who make promises and then break them. He then complained bitterly that his followers were being unjustly suppressed and arrested, and warned that nothing would force them to completely withdraw. But he did not explicitly call for new fighting. Really, nothing he would ever do
American support for Iraqi government forces has also continued, and on Thursday the American military said it had carried out two airstrikes on Wednesday in Basra, one to destroy an enemy structure housing a sniper engaging Iraqi security forces in Basra and another to destroy a machine gun nest.
The Iraqi police said one of the strikes leveled a two-story house in Basras Kibla neighborhood, killing three people and wounding three, all in the same family. The police made no mention of hostile activity. Do they have baby ducks and fuzzy bunnies in Basra
Ryan C. Crocker, the United States ambassador to Iraq, said Mr. Maliki took the lead in talks with Shiite tribes and said that the turnout of thousands of security applicants in Basra was testament to his success.
It is very clear that they have moved over toward the prime minister in a very significant way, Mr. Crocker said during a briefing in the United States Embassy in Baghdad.
The tribal element he managed himself, as far as I can see, he said. You may recall he had a series of meetings with different tribal leaders, three or four of them, maybe more. That was something he focused on almost from the beginning, and pressed it hard straight through and has seen it pay off. Did he have counsel to do it, I dont know. But he is the one who did it.
Two southern tribal sheiks said that by providing recruits for the security forces, they were expressing support for the government. But the sheiks made clear that the promise of good-paying jobs for the largely unemployed young men in their tribes had also been a powerful inducement.
Sheik Kamal al-Helfi, head of the Basra branch of the Halaf tribe, said by phone that he was still bargaining to increase his tribes allotment of 25 jobs in the security forces. Many people faced a bad situation since the time of Saddam, and they have no jobs, he said.
Another southern tribal leader, Sheik Adel al-Subihawi, said larger and more powerful tribes had received quotas as high as 300 jobs.
Mr. Maliki also announced $100 million in economic assistance to Basra, to be administered by the central government in partnership with the provincial government, and said the government would create 25,000 jobs in the city over the coming year.
Citing that promise of assistance and the tribal discussions, Mr. Crocker said, Were there deals? Like everything else, that is not an engagement you win purely by military means. The prime minister is employing the economic dimension of power right now, and good on him, I think. Money is in many respects his most important weapon and he is using it.
Mr. Maliki said that the tribal recruits would be carefully vetted. But that was not enough to satisfy some Sunnis farther north who have been waiting for months to see comparable numbers of their tribesmen accepted into the government security forces. Tens of thousands of these Sunnis, including many former insurgents, are working alongside Iraqi and American troops in a so-called tribal awakening movement clearly a model for the tribal outreach in Basra.
Recruiting large number of young people in Basra to fight the JAM proves once again that the government of Nuri al-Maliki is a sectarian government, a double-standard one that favors one sect at the expense of other sects, said Abu Othman, a senior member of Fadhil Awakening Council, referring to the Mahdi Army by its Arabic acronym.
Abu Othman said four months ago he had presented 100 Sunni names for enrollment in the Iraqi police and had received no reply.
The Maliki government wants security forces that are controlled, manipulated and moved by them, he said. What an odd concept, the governmment controlling the Army
#1
Recruiting large number of young people in Basra to fight the JAM proves once again that the government of Nuri al-Maliki is a sectarian government, a double-standard one that favors one sect at the expense of other sects, said Abu Othman
Hey, Daddy Othy, the very fact that he's fighting the JAM proves he's not sectarian. Weren't the JAM killing a lot of innocent Sunnis recently?
BALAD, Iraq Iraqi Security Forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces, killed seven criminal members and detained 16 others during three separate operations in Basra directed by the Government of Iraq April 3. Iraqi Special Operations Forces captured a suspected Special Groups leader who has been rallying criminal members in Basra to fight against Coalition forces.
Intelligence reports have linked the man to the kidnapping and murder of Iraqi Army and ISOF soldiers. He is also believed to be involved in oil smuggling and foreign fighter networks. Hope he keep good computer records - so proper withholding taxes can be paid. And that we now have those records.
During the operation, ISOF received heavy small-arms fire and two Coalition force vehicles struck improvised explosive devices. One IED temporarily disabled a vehicle while the other IED was ineffective. ISOF killed five armed fighters and detained 10 others during the operation. Sounds like he may have been pretty important - to have warranted such a spirited defense.
Hillah Iraqi Special Weapons and Tactics team conducted an operation to deny insurgent operations in Basra. During the operation, the team came under small-arms attack and returned fire while a Coalition force aircraft provided close-air support. Two armed individuals who were firing on ISWAT were killed. Three others we detained.
In a third operation in Basra, an Iraqi Emergency Response Unit captured two suspected members of a criminal cell linked to an ambush attempt against U.S. SF soldiers April 2. Three other suspects are being held for further questioning.
#1
A special grouper, eh? After trolling all day, they hooked him. Still, I think there's something fishy about this story. I mean, is it for reel? Who, or what was the bait?
OK, I'm finished now. (I feel so gillty.)
Posted by: Mike ||
04/04/2008 8:31 Comments ||
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#2
Six years in the punitentiary!
[BANG!]
Next case!
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2008 8:51 Comments ||
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#3
Heres hoping he will Serranid us in interrogation . That , or loose his Sole
Hang them and leave them for the crows to pick clean. About half a mile from the nearest Iranian border post.
No. Skin them alive in the public square, tack their hides up on the wall as a public warning and then send their flayed bodies to rot a half mile away from the Iranian border post.
about how he was told he is doing this all for Allah
about how he was told that Iraqi Shiites aren't hallal
about how the Iran National Guard recruits cannon fodder
about how the money flows
#13
Catch and release is OK, as long as it's the "Release of death".
By the way, I know you tune a car, but just how do you tuna fish?
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/04/2008 14:44 Comments ||
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#14
I think, Fred, we need a photograph of a grouper - one of the bug-eyed spotted kind, with the big pouty mouth. It would go so well for these stories, Putin-bashing, and Mookie. I'll do a little googling later this afternoon.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
04/04/2008 14:57 Comments ||
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#15
As long as he remains a coralled grouper, it should be safe. ;)
Is this thread related to the Iranian "wet dream" thread a couple days ago?
A new classified intelligence assessment on Iraq says there has been significant progress in security since the last assessment was delivered in August, a senior military official said.
In most ways the new National Intelligence Estimate hews closely to the one delivered nine months ago. That document spoke of security gains since the increase in troop levels began in January 2007, the continued high rate of violence and uneven progress on the part of Iraqi security forces. ``It does not differ significantly from August's NIE,'' a congressional official said in describing the document.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the report is classified. They noted that many of the conclusions of the report are already reflected in public statements and press reports. Since the August report, Sunni tribes have solidified their resistance to al-Qaida-associated insurgents in Anbar and Diyala provinces, which has weakened the movement.
Congress received the new report this week in advance of congressional hearings April 8-9 at which war commander Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker are scheduled to testify. Similarly, the August report was delivered shortly before Petraeus' highly anticipated September testimony.
In a departure from the January and August 2007 intelligence estimates, the intelligence agencies have declined to release an unclassified summary of its key points. National Intelligence Director Michael McConnell decided last fall that NIEs should not as a rule include an unclassified section because he believes analysts are less likely to be forthright in their writing if they believe the language will become public. Late Thursday, Democratic Sens. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, called for McConnell to release a summary, saying in a letter that the information ``is critical to the public debate in the coming weeks and months.''
#2
Of course this report was written before the latest escalations in Shiastan. It is not clear to me whether those represent a deterioration or improvement in security - or no significant change.
BAGHDAD - US military forces in Iraq on Thursday confirmed operations in the cities of Hillah and Basra, but did not confirm earlier casualty reports.
In the southern city of Basra, US airstrikes destroyed a house in the Kobla district. According to earlier reports the attack killed four civilians. The US military confirmed the air raids were conducted by a US fixed wing aircraft, but said there was no reports of any civilians killed.
Sources at Iraqs Defence Ministry said Iraqi army forces detained the leader of Thaar-Allah Shiite party, the Voices of Iraq (VOI) news agency reported. The Shiite party leader, Youssef Sinawy, was taken from his house in Basra together with his three brothers. A Sinawy security guard was killed after heavy clashes with Iraqi troops. Sinawy is listed among the targeted militants in the security operation launched by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, reports said.
Thaar-Allah was established in 2005 as a political movement and became a party after elections in Basra city. In 2006, the Shiite party has been involved in several clashes with the Iraqi police. Since then, Thaar-Allah has been accused by Iraqi forces of committing violent crimes in the city.
In Hillah, south of Baghdad, two terrorist suspects were detained and three civilians wounded during a military operation, US forces said, adding that the incident was under investigation. Earlier reports said night guards by mistake opened fire on a US patrol early Thursday in Jamiyah, a district in the city centre. Later, a US gunship shelled the scene of the shooting, killing five policemen and injuring 11, including two women in their homes, the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said. Seven people were killed and 12 injured in a suicide bombing in the northern city of Mosul last night, VOI reported.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Mahdi Army
#1
Chopping down the little weeds all around Sadr.
The Iraqi military says a suicide bomber has attacked a checkpoint near Mosul, killing seven people and wounding 12. The U.S. military confirms the Wednesday night attack but puts the toll at five dead and 19 wounded. The blast occurred in the Addayah area about 20 miles west of Mosul while Iraqi soldiers were checking vehicles. The dead include a woman and a five-year-old child. Mosul is believed to be the last major urban center where al-Qaeda maintains a substantial presence.
Earlier Wednesday, Iraqi soldiers rolled through a Shiite militia stronghold in Basra, drawing scattered bombs and bullets that wounded a camera operator for a U.S.-funded TV station and narrowly missed the commander of government troops in the city.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: al-Qaeda in Iraq
GAZA - Palestinian gunmen blew up a monument in a British-run cemetery for foreign soldiers in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Thursday, witnesses and British diplomats said.
No doubt some in Britain will call for 'calm' and 'understanding' of this gross sacrilege ...
Witnesses said gunmen blew up the two-metre (6.5-foot) high stone monument in Britains Gaza War Cemetery in central Gaza. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mohammed Awaja, the cemeterys caretaker who lives nearby, said he heard the explosion. We had no idea that it was in the cemetery until two hours later when we discovered the explosion had blown up the monument, he said.
A statement issued by the British Consulate General in Jerusalem said the Gaza War Cemetery contains graves of British and other foreign soldiers who were killed in conflicts in the region from as early as World War One. Many tombstones in the graveyard are marked with a cross or star of David, indicating that both Christians and Jews were buried there. The history of this region is complex. But the right of the dead to lie in peace and dignity is simple and should be respected by all, the statement said. We hope that the authorities in Gaza will make every effort to apprehend those responsible.
Hamas security forces, which seized control of the coastal territory in June after routing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbass Fatah forces, said they were investigating the incident.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Surprised it took them so long to desecrate the graves of the infidels and Joooooos.
"We hope that the authorities in Gaza will make every effort to apprehend those responsible."
You're kidding, right? It's more likely any "authorities" in Gaza will throw these clowns a party.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
04/04/2008 0:14 Comments ||
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#2
You're kidding, right? It's more likely any "authorities" in Gaza will throw these clowns a party.
Barb, Paleo Parté Favors = thousands of lead presents sent straight up in the sky.
#3
Instead of attempting to improve living conditions, these Hamas (no doubt it was Hamas) are to busy desecrating a British monument to those who fought bravely in World War One and Two. Maybe these Hamas killers were upset do to whom Allied troops fought against - Nazis, like themselves!
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
04/04/2008 3:29 Comments ||
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#4
No doubt this will be interpreted by many Brits as a statement of Gazan desperation and reflective of their feelings of betrayal. More evidence the jooooooos need to make concessions. These are the same people who cry for Rachel "pancake" Corrie.
The whole situation there is a rorschach. people see what they want to see.
Posted by: john frum ||
04/04/2008 7:47 Comments ||
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#6
During WWI, Hadj Amin Husseini, the initiator of Palestinism, future friend of Hitler, worshipped by nowadays Palestinans, took part, under Turkish uniform to the Armenian genocide
#8
To be fair, there are explosions of various intensities all the time in the part of the world, interspersed with bullets magically falling from the sky. There doesn't appear to be any reason the caretaker should suspect anything more nefarious than usual.
#11
Hamas security forces said they were investigating the incident.
Hey, Mahmoud? Was that you that blew up that monument last night?
Ummmmmm...nope.
Hey, Abdel? Was that you that blew up that monument last night?
Ummmmmm...nope.
Hey, Hassan? Was...
A statement, faxed to press by the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, read Thursday that seven members of the brigades have been kidnapped by Hamas-linked militants in northern Gaza Strip. "Several Hamas militants stormed the condolences ceremony of the al-Aqsa brigades fighters, Murad Khdair and Rabi Muhsin on Thursday, in an attempt to disrupt the ceremony", the statement explained.
The aL-Aqsa brigades also confirmed that members of the ruling Hamas militants placed ambushes enroute to the ceremony and that seven members of the brigades have been abducted. Hamas and Fatah have been involved in a power struggle before the Islamist Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in June of last year and ejected Fatah-loyal forces from the coastal territory. Recently, both parties have signed a reconciliation agreement in the Yemeni capital of Sana'a, yet no concrete progress has been observed on the ground.
Hands not doing what the lips are saying, huh?
This article starring:
MURAD KHDAIR
al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades
RABI MUHSIN
al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2008 00:00 ||
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#2
abbas already said they signed the Yemen deal by error. Not by mistake, in the strategic sense, but simple error - they hadnt intended to affix their sigs to it.
#7
Soooo... when are we going to get to see videos posted on the internet with the Hamassites chanting in the background with kneeling Feta cheeses having their heads sawed off?
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.
A suspected al-Qaeda member on trial in Mauritania for alleged involvement in the December 2007 slaughter of four French tourists escaped from a Nouakchott courthouse following a hearing on Tuesday (April 2nd). 
A US B-1 bomber aircraft has crashed in the Gulf state of Qatar, reports from the country say. The plane exploded as it landed at al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar-based al-Jazeera television reported.
SRINAGAR, India - Police in Indian Kashmir said Thursday they had arrested the chief spokesman of Islamic militant group Hizbul Mujahedin in the summer capital of the disputed Himalayan region. 
The Taliban are negotiating with the 
The Taliban leadership had invited influential Ahmedzai Wazir elders to a jirga in Wana on March 31 to discuss possible permission for the return of ex-militant commanders along with foreigners who fled when local Taliban leader 
BALAD, Iraq Iraqi Security Forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces, killed seven criminal members and detained 16 others during three separate operations in Basra directed by the Government of Iraq April 3. Iraqi Special Operations Forces captured a suspected Special Groups leader who has been rallying criminal members in Basra to fight against Coalition forces. 
The Iraqi military says a suicide bomber has attacked a checkpoint near Mosul, killing seven people and wounding 12. The U.S. military confirms the Wednesday night attack but puts the toll at five dead and 19 wounded. The blast occurred in the Addayah area about 20 miles west of Mosul while Iraqi soldiers were checking vehicles. The dead include a woman and a five-year-old child. Mosul is believed to be the last major urban center where al-Qaeda maintains a substantial presence.
GAZA - Palestinian gunmen blew up a monument in a British-run cemetery for foreign soldiers in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Thursday, witnesses and British diplomats said.
A statement, faxed to press by the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, read Thursday that seven members of the brigades have been kidnapped by Hamas-linked militants in northern Gaza Strip. "Several Hamas militants stormed the condolences ceremony of the al-Aqsa brigades fighters, 
