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21 Taliban Insurgents Killed in Clashes
Today's Headlines
Headline Comments [Views]
15:13 2 16:19 Eric Jablow [336064]
15:05 1 15:39 g(r)omgoru [336084]
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14:44 3 20:16 Frank G [336109]
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00:00 9 09:54 Bright Pebbles [336066]
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00:00 6 09:19 Besoeker [336073]
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Britain
British police to be trained to spot sorcery
British policemen are all set to receive special training following a rise in witchcraft murders and attacks on children by their families and loved-ones across the country.

Witchcraft abuse and female genital mutilation are most often carried out by the religious and superstitious in Britain's immigrant communities.

The Metropolitan police have admitted its officers are rarely able to spot the signs that a youngster is in danger despite dealing with 81 sorcery cases in the last decade, the Daily Mail reported.

Its religious violence unit will now offer all the staff training in a pilot scheme that could be rolled out across the country following a spate of high profile cases.

Last month a woman was jailed for life for torturing her teenage brother to death after accusing him of witchcraft.

Magalie Bamu and her boyfriend Eric Bikubi inflicted over 130 injuries on 15-year-old Kristy Bamu over the course of a horrific four-day attack in Newham, east London.

"We're very well aware that usually the first person on scene is going to be the young cop with two or three years' service who probably has no understanding of this whatsoever," The Independent quoted Detective Superintendent Terry Sharpe, head of the Metropolitan Police's Religious Violence Unit as saying.

"We're not naïve enough to think this is just happening in London. It is happening in Birmingham, it's happening in Leeds, Manchester and other big cities across the country."

Following this, a new booklet is to be handed to all officers and new recruits will get extra training. The paperwork will spell out language they should listen for when they enter homes and how to judge whether any child is at risk.

This summer the government will also send out similar advice to GPs, hospitals and schools to enable them to better spot the symptoms.
Posted by: tipper || 04/28/2012 15:13 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336064 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I wonder if they're going to import some experts from abroad?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 04/28/2012 16:04 Comments || Top||

#2  I understand that some Dementors have been sighted near George Galloway's flat.
Posted by: Eric Jablow || 04/28/2012 16:19 Comments || Top||


Africa North
Are Muslims Nice People?
Posted by: tipper || 04/28/2012 15:05 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336084 views] Top|| File under:

#1  And they love their children---especially the female ones.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 04/28/2012 15:39 Comments || Top||


Europe
Dominique Strauss-Kahn accuses Sarkozy allies of choreographing maid scandal
Dominique Strauss-Kahn has accused political allies of Nicolas Sarkozy of orchestrating the New York maid assault scandal that brought his bid for the French presidency crashing down.
Always someone else's fault...
The former International Monetary Fund chief said figures close to the French president and his ruling UMP party choreographed the fallout of the scandal, following accusations he assaulted Nafissatou Diallo.
"Bitch set me up..."
He said that while he did not believe his encounter with the Sofitel housekeeper was a set-up, he believes his rapid arrest on May 14 and the highly public criminal investigation that ended his presidential chances had been "shaped by those with a political agenda".

The former favourite to win the French presidential elections, which enters its second round on May 6, said of the scandal that "more was involved here than mere coincidence".

In an interview with an American investigative journalist for the Guardian, Mr Strauss-Kahn, 63, alleged that French intelligence had been eavesdropping on him weeks before he was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting Miss Diallo. He accused agents linked to Mr Sarkozy of listening in to his phone calls and making sure Miss Diallo complained to the New York police, leading to an explosive international scandal.
Posted by: tipper || 04/28/2012 14:50 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336083 views] Top|| File under:


Home Front: Politix
Muslim voters to determine U.S. president?
Posted by: tipper || 04/28/2012 14:44 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336109 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I don't know about Muslim voters, but Muslim donors...
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 04/28/2012 15:41 Comments || Top||

#2  No I voted today stickers butt they will get their pick of a female or male corpse for free with a tattoo that says slippery when wet and I voted for Obama!
Posted by: Unutle Pelosi6887 || 04/28/2012 19:11 Comments || Top||

#3  really? That's all you got?
Posted by: Frank G || 04/28/2012 20:16 Comments || Top||


-Election 2012
Romney Wouldn't Have Wacked Osama - Says Obama
I didn't think The One could stoop so low. So why am I not surprised?
Would Mitt Romney have ordered the raid that killed Osama bin Laden? President Barack Obama's re-election campaign released a new video on Friday that strongly implies that he would not have, using the presumptive Republican nominee's own words against him.

Ever since Vice President Joe Biden boiled down Obama's 2012 slogan to "bin Laden is dead, GM is alive," it has been clear that the embattled incumbent would not hesitate to use the May 2, 2011, Navy SEAL strike as a political weapon.
Never in the course of human events has one person taken so much glory for something he didn't do.
The video, taken from footage shot for Obama's 17-minute campaign commercial "The Road We've Traveled," opens with the message "The Commander-in-Chief gets one chance to make the right decision" and turns to former President Bill Clinton for validation. "That's one thing George Bush said that was right: The president is the decider in chief. Nobody can make that decision for you."

The Obama video came one day after Vice President Biden, in a speech assailing Romney on foreign policy, declared: "On this gut issue, we know what President Obama did. We can't say for certain what Gov. Romney would have done."
I still think Obama hesitated until someone else said "Go" - that way he could blame someone else if it failed.
Posted by: Bobby || 04/28/2012 14:30 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336081 views] Top|| File under:

#1  17 Minutes? Stretch and yawn, get the coffee on.

If half the stuff released is truthy, they had enough time to build a mock-up, custom fit the equipment, and train train train.

But hey, prezzy limp wrist wants credit, then he hates Native Americans and is a Bush League War Criminal.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 04/28/2012 16:40 Comments || Top||

#2  As Commander in Chief, President Obama deserves copious accolades for the Bin Laden take-out that occurred on his watch. First, the intel was fully developed under his administration. Second, he acted proactively on said intel. And finally, the decision to send troops and not munitions was the right call. With that said, and with all due respect, the event deserves more perspective.
First, it would be naïve to believe that the foundation for the actionable intelligence didn’t originate from platforms Obama continues to call “excessive”. Second, it’s unimaginable that any post-911 US president, when given the chance, wouldn’t act decisively to take out the world’s most notorious terrorist. And finally, all military operations into sovereign countries carry enormous risk. However, launching cruise missiles into a country engaged in a nuclear cold war with its neighbor would have the potential for regional disaster. Such repercussions would be too risky even for the likes of a Bin Laden.
A President Bush, President Obama, and even a President Romney, in all likelihood, would have made similar decisions on this one. President Obama appears both shallow and foolish to suggest otherwise.
Posted by: DepotGuy || 04/28/2012 20:40 Comments || Top||

#3  So.. how long did Obama wait to make his 'epic decision'?
Posted by: CrazyFool || 04/28/2012 21:00 Comments || Top||

#4  Peggy Noonan of all people has an article out about how booring, or more specifically summed up, how he fails to make any noteworthy appearance..other than getting booed at sports events that is.

I remember how I first heard about the binny raid. It was from a baseball broadcast announcer. And not because I was not disinterested, it was because bammer was late to his own endzone prance, specifically an oddly telephotoed hallway walkup and walk out. I remember the fans in the stadium getting out a solid USA! chant a couple times, flipping back in between pitches and plays, to an ever waiting and uncomfortably impatient White House broadcast.

I will say that I am a bit pleasantly surprised. This week was the surprise week that people finally convinced me to be fully on board with Team Romney. Way to go Department of Labor, Enemy List, and purely speculative and broadly petulant Minority Report type styling of such a small speculation of unreality.

Perhaps next week, now that the Horseland Cartoon depicting kids taking care of Ranching Equipment is no longer going to be anti-government propaganda, preezy could allow his opinion onto whether the blond haired boy is really running a slave trade in the guise of what would have been an illegal dude ranch, and of course I am sexist for the Specolish use of dude.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 04/28/2012 21:54 Comments || Top||

#5  "I didn't think The One could stoop so low."

Nonsense. You ain't even see low yet as far as Bambi is concerned. >:-(
Posted by: Barbara || 04/28/2012 23:06 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran planning to cut internet access to rest of world
So how can they do business with the rest of the world?
Iran is drawing up plans to cut off its internet users from the rest of the world with a so-called Halal or "clean" internet.
Iranians are already used to censors blocking Facebook, Gmail and foreign news sites, and being spied on with surveillance software purchased from Western companies.

But the ambitious plans would go much further, blocking access to foreign-based social media sites and email. Instead, there will be an Iranian version of Facebook and a new email service, to be called Iran Mail. Users will have to register their home address and social security number with police.

The plans have received the backing of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the most powerful man in Iran, who has denounced the internet as sinful and a means for the West to wage "soft war" by invading Iranian culture.

But his real target is anti-regime activists who have relied on the internet since the failure of the "Green Revolution" which followed the disputed 2009 election. Since then security has been so tight on Iran's streets that protests are broken up almost as soon as they start.

When the system, called Halal internet or National Internet by the regime, is introduced this summer only a few approved and carefully monitored businesses and government departments will have access to the World Wide Web. In effect Iran will have a giant, country-wide intranet, with cyber police blocking websites that are not approved.
Posted by: tipper || 04/28/2012 14:14 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336083 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Chinese Persian Firewall
Posted by: Pappy || 04/28/2012 16:48 Comments || Top||

#2  That Iranian version of Facebook sounds promising. If you "like" something, they show up and whip you.
Posted by: Frank G || 04/28/2012 18:05 Comments || Top||


U.S. (supposedly) signals major shift on Iran nuclear program
WASHINGTON -- In what would be a significant concession, Obama administration officials say they could support allowing Iran to maintain a crucial element of its disputed nuclear program if Tehran took other major steps to curb its ability to develop a nuclear bomb.

U.S. officials said they might agree to let Iran continue enriching uranium up to 5% purity, which is the upper end of the range for most civilian uses, if its government agrees to the unrestricted inspections, strict oversight and numerous safeguards that the United Nations has long demanded.
It's not a major shift at all. George Bush frequently told the Iranians the same thing. International treaties and the IEA all say that if you foreswear a nuclear weapons program then you're entitled to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Such a deal would face formidable obstacles. Iran has shown little willingness to meet international demands. And a shift in the U.S. position that Iran must halt all enrichment activities is likely to prompt strong objections from Israeli leaders; the probable Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney; and many members of Congress.

But a consensus has gradually emerged among U.S. and other officials that Iran is unlikely to agree to a complete halt in enrichment. Maintaining an unconditional demand that it do so could make it impossible to reach a negotiated deal to stop the country's nuclear program, thereby avoiding a military attack.
The sticking point has always been Iran's intent: the demand to stop all enrichment was meant to force Iran to clarify that intent and then abide by international law (you know, that law the Democrats claim they favor).
Iran has produced 210 pounds of 20%-enriched uranium for what it says are peaceful purposes, according to the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency, but it has purified about 6 tons at 5% or below. Uranium is considered weapons grade at about 90% enrichment.
But you can make a dirty kaboom with 20% enriched uranium. And there's no peaceful purpose for 20% enriched uranium; it's merely a stage on the way to 90% enrichment.
The question of whether to permit even low enrichment is highly sensitive for the U.S. government and its allies because of the risk that Iranian scientists still might be able to gain the knowledge and experience to someday build a bomb. But administration officials hope a new negotiating stance, backed by punishing economic sanctions, could help end the crisis.
It won't curb the crisis, it will put the crisis off to January, 2013, which would suit Champ just fine. An 'agreement' would be used the same as killing bin Laden has been used -- to 'spike the football', as the political phrase goes. This is what Presidents do in election years when the economy is in the toilet.
The United States and five other world powers began talks with Iran on April 14 in Istanbul, Turkey, to try to broker a deal amid threats from Israel that it will bomb Iranian nuclear installations if the program isn't dismantled soon.
Alternately, they'll broker an agreement and Israel (and the Ruritanians) will continue to sabotage the Iranian nuclear program. As long as Iran has nuclear scientists, Israel has incentive to whack them.
The U.S. and its allies were heartened that Iran agreed in Istanbul to keep talking; at a meeting 15 months earlier, its negotiator had refused to even discuss the country's nuclear program. Talks are scheduled to resume in Baghdad on May 23.
And run through November 5th...
At least publicly, the administration had denied suggestions that it would consider approving any Iranian enrichment effort. But recently, some officials had hinted they might be willing to reevaluate that position, although with numerous caveats.

A senior administration official said that if Iran fulfills U.S. and other world powers' demands for strict enforcement of U.N. monitoring and safeguards, "there can be a discussion" of allowing low-level domestic enrichment, "and maybe we can get there, potentially." But the official emphasized that such discussions remained only a small possibility because Iran has shown so little willingness to meet international demands.

Gary Samore, the top White House official on nuclear nonproliferation, left open the door to Iranian enrichment in recent comments, saying the decision on which parts of Tehran's program can continue "is a matter for negotiations."

"We recognize that Iran has the right to a peaceful nuclear energy program, once it has addressed concerns about its nuclear activities," Samore told Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty on April 17.
Again, that's not a change.
Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which says countries have a right to enrich uranium if they comply with rules to prevent bomb making. The six nations negotiating with Iran have agreed that the principles of the treaty would guide the discussions.

The U.S. and other nations are most worried about Iran's small stockpile of 20%-grade uranium. At that level, the uranium can be refined to weapons grade with relative ease. The so-called P5-plus-1 nations negotiating with Iran -- the United States, China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany -- have agreed that Iran must halt all 20% enrichment and ship that stockpile out of the country. Iran also must provide full disclosure of previous nuclear work, and sign and adhere to two additional treaty protocols that provide for more vigorous oversight, they say.

But the group now appears to be moving toward allowing lower-level enrichment, according to diplomats and nonproliferation experts.

That position is contrary to the mood of many in Congress. Lawmakers in both houses have begun circulating resolutions, with support from dozens of members, that demand an end to all Iranian enrichment. One senior Senate aide involved in the issue said any deal allowing continued enrichment "would be dead on arrival" in Congress.

Over the last several years, Congress has led the push for increasingly tough sanctions against Iran, and could approve even tougher measures that would drive Tehran away from any potential deal with the U.S. and other powers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also remains staunchly opposed. He argues that letting any centrifuges spin in Iran will allow scientists there to sharpen their mastery of nuclear science and edge toward bomb-making capability.

Israeli officials have talked of attacking Iranian's nuclear facilities before they are so advanced and hidden so deeply underground that they are invulnerable to bombs.

But Defense Minister Ehud Barak, in an interview last month with the Jerusalem Post, outlined goals that would allow Iran to retain some low-enriched uranium for nonmilitary purposes. He did not call for an end to all enrichment.

"There have been many signals lately that the red line has shifted and they're no longer pushing for full suspension," said Michael Singh, who served as President George W. Bush's top Iran advisor and who strongly opposes allowing Iran to enrich any uranium.

George Perkovich, a nonproliferation specialist at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said he was among the U.S. hawks who believed until recently that "you have to hold the line on enrichment by Iran."

Now, he said, "that view has been overtaken by events." Iran has enriched more uranium, public support for the program is widespread, and the prospects of giving up all enrichment "has become a nationalist taboo in Iran."
Posted by: Steve White || 04/28/2012 13:46 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336098 views] Top|| File under:


Understanding Iran’s Diplomatic Strategy
Posted by: tipper || 04/28/2012 13:08 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336070 views] Top|| File under:


Arabia
Saudis recall ambassador, shut embassy in Egypt
Don't the demonstrators know who the paymaster is?
Perhaps a demonstration that not all Salafists march to the tune of the Keeper of the Two Holy Sights. Some have their own ideas as to what Allah whispered to Mo', and some listen more to the Mad Mullahs™...
Demonstrations outside the Saudi embassy in Cairo over arrest of Egyptian national in Riyadh prompt diplomatic row. Saudi Arabia said on Saturday it had recalled its ambassador from Egypt "for consultations" and closed its embassy and consulates in the country for security reasons after protests against the kingdom's arrest of an Egyptian lawyer.

It was the first public rupture between the two major Arab states since last year's popular uprising in Egypt that forced Hosni Mubarak, a close ally of Riyadh, from power.

The head of Egypt's ruling military council, Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, said in a statement reported by Egypt's state media he was working to "heal the rift" with Saudi Arabia and had contacted Riyadh over its "surprise decision".

Demonstrations outside the Saudi embassy in Cairo had grown in recent days over the arrest of Ahmed El-Gezawi upon his arrival at Jeddah airport on April 17.
Posted by: tipper || 04/28/2012 12:56 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336083 views] Top|| File under:


Southeast Asia
Indonesian VP Suggests Mosques Dial It Down A Bit
Indonesian Vice President Boediono is the latest to add his voice to calls for Mosques to turn down the volume of their loud speakers.
But not what they say to the faithful inside...
"We fully understand that Azan [the call for prayer] is a holy calling for Moslems to perform their praying obligation," Boediono said during a speech to open the national congress of Indonesian Board of Mosques (DMI) on Friday.

He said faint calls to prayer were more likely to enter a person's heart rather than loud and noisy sounds.

He said that holy Koran taught people to lower their voices while praying to God for guidance.

Boediono also said that mosques should not be used as places to spread radicalism, sectarian fanaticism and hatred toward other religions and beliefs.

"Mosques should not fall into the hands of those who suggest provocative teachings that could end up in violence and terrorism," he said. "[Mosques] should also prevent congregations from being intolerant, let alone the attitude of claiming other Moslems as heretical."
Posted by: || 04/28/2012 07:08 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336085 views] Top|| File under:


Afghanistan
US Soldier Killed by Afghan in Army Uniform
A US soldier was killed in southern Afghanistan Wednesday when a man in an Afghan army uniform opened fire on the soldiers, killing one, before he was rubbed out in return fire.

"An individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform turned his weapon against coalition service members in southern Afghanistan late yesterday, killing one service member," the 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...
-led Isaf said in a statement Thursday.

"The individual who opened fire was killed when coalition forces returned fire."

A US defense official, who declined to be named, told newswire AFP that the soldier was an American.

AFP reported that the official said the incident happened in Kandahar province, but provided no further details.

Isaf said an investigation is underway.

The shooting brings to 18 the number of foreign soldiers killed by Afghans in official uniform this year in 11 separate attacks.

The total number of foreign troops killed this year has reached 127.
Rooters adds:
An elite Afghan soldier rubbed out an American mentor and his translator at a U.S. base, Afghan officials said on Friday, in the first rogue shooting blamed on the country's new and closely vetted special forces.

The soldier shot up an American military base on Wednesday in Shah Wali Kot district, in volatile Kandahar province, said General Abdul Hamid, the commander of Afghan army forces in the Taliban's southern heartland.

"The shooting took place after a verbal conflict where the Afghan special forces soldier opened fire and killed an American special forces member and his translator," Hamid told Rooters.

The latest shooting will be of grave concern to both sides, at it is the first involving a member of Afghanistan's new special forces, who undergo rigorous vetting as part of their selection into the country's top anti-insurgent force.

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...
's top general in the country, U.S. Marine General John Allen, and Afghan Defence Minister General Abdul Rahim Wardak just this month signed an agreement for Afghan special troops to spearhead controversial night raids on Afghan homes, which are seen as one of the most potent anti-insurgent tactics.

Qari Yusef Ahmadi, a front man for the Afghan Taliban, grabbed credit for the attack in a phone text message sent to journalists, saying the Afghan soldier was "an beturbanned goon infiltrator called Zakerullah."

The claim could not immediately be corroborated, and the Taliban frequently claim responsibility for attacks by disgruntled Afghan soldiers.

Hamid said U.S. soldiers had immediately fired back and killed the gunman, as well as another Afghan special forces soldiers who was caught up in the ensuing crossfire.

But NATO commanders argue the growing number of shootings is in proportion to the growing size of Afghan cops toward an eventual 352,000 target.

Captain John Kirby, a Pentagon front man, said that though it was often impossible to determine the motives for such shootings, U.S. officials believed the majority of the attacks were driven by "personal grievances" rather than Taliban infiltration or inspiration.

"We are working hard with our Afghan counterparts to develop improvements to the overall vetting and recruitment process," Kirby said. He said NATO prevention efforts included education and protection measures.

"When we analyze the problem, it occurs for a number of reasons, and not as many as you would expect show any evidence of beturbanned goon initiation, or beturbanned goon backing," a senior NATO official who could not be identified said last week.

"Quite often people resolve their personal problems by resorting to the use of a weapon. It's more of a cultural thing here."
Posted by: || 04/28/2012 01:02 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336085 views] Top|| File under:

#1  It's becoming a common way for Afghans to switch to the winning side.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 04/28/2012 2:07 Comments || Top||

#2  Karzai should get an ass-kicking every time this happens. A total beat down
Posted by: Frank G || 04/28/2012 7:50 Comments || Top||

#3  #1 It's becoming a common way for Afghans to switch to the winning side.
Posted by g(r)omgoru


Infilitration of the Afghan Army is a well thought out and executred Taliban tactic that accomplishes many things.
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 8:00 Comments || Top||

#4  After one of our soldiers got drunk and went in and shot up a coupld of towns because of this this kind of thing stopped for about 3 to 4 weeks.

The Afghan campaign is, like everything else under Obama, is in complete shambles.

And the Republican party remains complicitly silent on this issue as well while our people are dieing.
Posted by: Victor Emmanuel Gronter8839 || 04/28/2012 10:32 Comments || Top||

#5  Repubs want out too. Obama has turned Victory into Ashes. The sooner we get out the better is what many are thinking, and they would be right. I pray for those we're going to leave behind though, and hope at least the Northern Alliance trained by us over the years are willing to clean some house.

I think we'll be nuking Pakistan/Afghanistan in 15 years though.
Posted by: Charles || 04/28/2012 19:56 Comments || Top||


21 Taliban Insurgents Killed in Clashes
At least 21 Taliban bully boyz were killed, one was maimed, and another was placed in durance vile in festivities with Afghan security troops on Wednesday, local officials said.

Afghan forces launched an operation in the Chakan district of Waradak province to clear it of bully boyz in which 17 Taliban bully boyz were killed and one other was maimed last night, front man for provincial police chief Abdul Wali said.

There were no Afghan and civilians casualties during the operation, he said.

During the operation the forces seized many weapons, he added.

Meanwhile,
...back at the desert island, Bert was realizing to his horror that he'd had only one bottle for one message, and he'd forgotten to include a return address...
four other Taliban bully boyz were killed in a clash with Afghan security troops in eastern Kunar province
... which is right down the road from Chitral. Kunar is Haqqani country.....
yesterday, front man for the 202nd Shamshad Military Corps Ebadullah said.

One other krazed killer was captured during the clash.

The incident happened in the Noor Gul district of Kunar when Taliban bully boyz attacked a convoy of coalition and Afghan troops, he said.

There were no coalition or civilian casualties during the festivities and the forces seized many weapons, he said.

Kunar province borders Pakistain and has recently seen more krazed killer activity, mainly targeting local police checkpoints.
Posted by: || 04/28/2012 00:59 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336119 views] Top|| File under: Taliban


China-Japan-Koreas
WH: Taiwan needs new jets to counter China
I wonder if they'll actually go through with this or are just planning to leverage something with it.
In a shift of U.S. policy, the White House said Friday that Taiwan does have a legitimate need for new fighter planes to address a growing gap with the Chinese military and pledged to sell Taiwan an "undetermined number" new U.S.-made planes.

The new White House position could spark a new crisis in the U.S.-China relationship on the very same day that blind Chinese Activist Chen Guangcheng is rumored to have fled his house arrest to seek asylum at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner are also slated to visit China May 3 and 4 to hold the fourth round of the U.S. China Economic and Security Dialogue.

The White House policy shift was codified in a letter sent to Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) Friday as part of a deal to get the Texas senator to release his hold on the confirmation of Mark Lippert, a close confidant of President Barack Obama whose nomination to become the top Pentagon official for Asia has been held up since October over the issue of selling F-16 fighter planes to Taiwan.

"We are mindful of and share your concerns about Taiwan's growing shortfall in fighter aircraft as the F-5s are retired from service and notwithstanding the upgrade of the F-16A/Bs. We recognize that China has 2,300 operational combat aircraft, while our democratic partner Taiwan has only 490. We are committed to assisting Taiwan in addressing the disparity in numbers of aircraft through our work with Taiwan's defense ministry on its development of a comprehensive defense strategy vis-a-vis China," Robert Nabors, director of the White House office of legislative affairs, wrote in a letter today to Cornyn.

"This work will be a high priority for a new Assistant Secretary of Defense in his dialogue on force transformation with his Taiwan counterparts. The Assistant Secretary, in consultation with the inter-agency and the Congress, will play a lead role as the Administration decides on a near-term course of action on how to address Taiwan's fighter gap, including through the sale to Taiwan of an undetermined number of new U.S.-made fighter aircraft."

The White House does not explicitly promise to sell Taiwan new F-16 fighter jets, as Cornyn wants, promising only to give the matter "serious consideration." But it does pledge an "underdetermined number" of new aircraft and the White House promised that Lippert would use the U.S.-Taiwan Defense Review Talks to conduct a full review of Taiwan's long-term defense strategy.

"Our decisions will continue to be based on an assessment of Taiwan's needs, taking into account what is needed to support Taiwan's overall defense strategy vis-a-vis China," the letter stated.

Cornyn praised the letter in a statement.

"I commend the Administration for recognizing that our friend and ally Taiwan's air force is woefully undersized and outgunned by Communist China, and their inability to adequately defend themselves poses a threat not just to their own security, but to that of the United States," he said. "I look forward to continuing to work hand-in-hand with the Administration and Taiwan as we move forward in this joint effort to ensure Taiwan has the new American-made fighter jets it needs to defend itself."

F-16 fighter planes are largely manufactured in Cornyn's home state of Texas and assembled by Lockheed Martin of Fort Worth.

Arms sales to Taiwan, especially offensive arms like F-16s, are a major irritant in the U.S.-China relationship, as China regards Taiwan as a renegade province and a core interest. The United States has maintained a balance between arming Taiwan and trying to avoid friction with China over the issue since the Taiwan Relations Act was signed in 1979.

Last October, the Obama administration decided to sell Taiwan upgrade packages for its aging fleet of F-16 A/B model planes but the administration never said whether it would sell Taiwan the newer, more advanced planes, claiming it was still under consideration.

At Lippert's November confirmation hearing, Cornyn pressed the nominee on the issue (watch the video here) and then introduced an amendment to the defense authorization bill that sought to force the administration to sell Taiwan new F-16s. That amendment was voted down in the Senate.

Cornyn then wrote a letter threatening to hold the Lippert nomination unless he gets some satisfaction on the issue.

"I remain disappointed by your de facto denial of Taiwan's request to purchase 66 new F-16 C/D fighter aircraft, and I believe it sends a damaging message to nations in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond that the U.S. is willing to abandon our friends in the face of Communist China's intimidation tactics," Cornyn wrote.

In the administration's Feb. 16 response to Cornyn, acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy James Miller wrote, "We believe the F-16 A/B upgrade effectively meets Taiwan's current needs." Today's letter changes that analysis.

The Lippert hold is not the first time Cornyn has used his power to hold nominees to press for selling F-16s to Taiwan. Last July, Cornyn held up the nomination of Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns until Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed to make a decision on selling the fighter plane to Taiwan.

Lippert's nomination had also been stalled by an objection by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who wanted details on Lippert's reported feud with former National Security Advisor Jim Jones. Lippert was confirmed by the Senate late Thursday evening.
Posted by: gorb || 04/28/2012 00:46 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336100 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The White House does not explicitly promise to sell Taiwan new F-16 fighter jets, as Cornyn wants, promising only to give the matter "serious consideration."

Posted by: Pappy || 04/28/2012 9:59 Comments || Top||

#2  How many of them?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 04/28/2012 15:42 Comments || Top||


Europe
Hollande toughens immigration stance
[Daily Nation (Kenya)] French Socialist presidential frontrunner Francois Hollande toughened his stance on immigration Friday in a campaign increasingly fought on themes dear to the far right.

Hollande will face right-wing Nicolas Sarkozy
...23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. Sarkozy is married to singer-songwriter Carla Bruni, who has a really nice birthday suit...
in a May 6 run-off for the presidency, and both are scrambling to recruit voters who backed far-right anti-immigrant candidate Marine Le Pen in the first round.

Hollande repeated a pledge to ask parliament to cap the number of migrants allowed into La Belle France every year -- Sarkozy has vowed to halve the number to around 100,000 -- but warned it would never halt the flow.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336069 views] Top|| File under:

#1  So which one will win Le Pens beguiling feminine favors?
Let me see - Eeny, meeny, miny, moe
Posted by: tipper || 04/28/2012 6:53 Comments || Top||

#2  France cannot do anything about immigration whilst in the EUSSR.

Bluster and lies.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 04/28/2012 7:19 Comments || Top||


China-Japan-Koreas
Russia has no illusions over N. Korea's intentions
MOSCOW/BEIJING -- Russia is under no illusions as to North Korea's intentions, a news agency has reported, as concerns grow Pyongyang may carry out a nuclear test following its failed rocket launch.
Nice to know that at least one major power sees the Norks for what they are. Too bad that power isn't America...
"If this or that country tries to create a weapon of mass destruction, it will be also trying to create a delivery vehicle," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said earlier this week, as reported by the Itar-Tass news agency.

"A WMD as such is worthless without a means to take it to the target," Rogozin was reported as saying. "For North Korea it is important to have a weapon of intimidation to threaten not only its near neighbors, such as South Korea, but U.S. naval bases, too."

Rogozin said it is common knowledge North Korea is trying to develop a missile, stating, "We have no illusions" as to the North's intentions, according to Itar-Tass.
Posted by: Steve White || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336081 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Or IRAN'S, "Japan Model" or no "Japan Model".
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 04/28/2012 0:15 Comments || Top||

#2  "A WMD as such is worthless without a means to take it to the target..."

About all the Norks have demonstrated is the ability to pop nuke over their own territory in the winter months and let the fallout blow south. Of course come spring, the prevailing winds reverse ....
Posted by: Mike Ramsey || 04/28/2012 7:50 Comments || Top||

#3  IF RUSSIA HAS NO ILLUSIONS COULD WE SEND A SPECIAL OP TEAM OVER THERE TO STEAL THE TECH AND SAVE AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Glinerong Juse3508 || 04/28/2012 8:24 Comments || Top||

#4  Select one name and stay with it.

You are abusing your privileges here.

Love,
badanov
Posted by: Snunter Protector of the Leprechauns1325 || 04/28/2012 8:25 Comments || Top||

#5  badanov/Snunter,
Don't feed the trolls.

"Any behavior that is not reinforced is likely to be extinguished" B.F. Skinner
Posted by: Mike Ramsey || 04/28/2012 9:36 Comments || Top||

#6  I only wish "we" had no such illusions... about North Korea or its sponsors, China and Russia.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain || 04/28/2012 14:19 Comments || Top||

#7  Mike__ The exception is Einstein's definition of insanity... doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result... which sort of fits the pattern here.
Posted by: Tiny Angusoling6838 || 04/28/2012 14:40 Comments || Top||


Home Front: WoT
Cyber-security bill Cispa passes US House
Obviously the bill must have some merit:
"In a statement on Wednesday, the White House said Mr Obama would veto the act if it reached his desk or golf cart."
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336086 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I was against this at first but with the world these days we must have some team efforts because public and private could suffer as well as government.

Meanwile;
Posted by: Dale || 04/28/2012 21:08 Comments || Top||


Africa Horn
Fighting in Gedo Region Leaves 11 Dead
(Sh.M.Network)- Eleven people slain and many more others sustained injures in a battle between Somali soldiers backed by Kenyan military and the Al Qaeda allied hard boyz of Al shabab in southwestern Somali region of Gedo, officials said on Friday.

According to local residents who spoke with Shabelle Media under anonymity confirmed that the fighting started when Al shabab bases came under heavy ground and air attacks by Somali and Kenyan forces
Hurrah!
several townships located on the outskirts of Garbaharey town, the placid provincial capital of Gedo region.

Both warring sides claimed victory over the upper hand of the fighting. Sheik Abdiasais Abu Musab, the front man of Al shabab for the military operations said that his fighters have managed to kill in discovered number of soldiers during the raid against TFG and Kenya army.

On his side, Aden Ahmed Hirse better known as (Rufle), said Somali and Kenya army handled to foil the attack and ward off the hard boyz from area during the counter-fighting. He added that at least 7 fighters bit the dust in the combat.

There are no any independent sources verify the reports on the battle in Gedo region, southwestern Somalia.

The town has also a major presence of heavily armed Ethiopian forces, which are supporting Somali government troops and a pro-government militia group, Ahlu Sunna and has been under their control for almost a year.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336083 views] Top|| File under: al-Shabaab


Al shabab threatens elders meeting in Mogadishu
(Sh.M.Network)- Sheik Ali Mohamud Rageh, the front man of Al shabab beturbanned goons linked with Al Qaeda has sent a verbal threatening
Which is only in theory similar to a stiff diplomatic note...
to the Somali traditional elders gathering in chaotic Mogadishu to select the new constituency assembly those are supposed to pass the new draft constitution..

Speaking to a rebel controlled local radio station in Elasha Biyah, out of Mogadishu, Sheik Ali Dheere stated that Al-Shabaab
... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
will target any of the elders getting on the process of adopting the new constitution which he described 'anti Islamic' constitution, as he put it.

This warning by Al shabab front man comes as Somali traditional clan elders of 135 members have begun to gather in the capital, Mogadishu to begin the selection of the constituency assembly before forming the new Somali parliament.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336081 views] Top|| File under: al-Shabaab


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Nine dead in Damascus suicide bomb
BEIRUT: A suicide bomber killed nine people and wounded 20 outside a central Damascus mosque on Friday, Syrian state television said, in another blow to a peace plan that the United Nations says President Bashar Assad has failed to honor.

The blast ripped through worshippers at the Zain Al-Abideen mosque, which was under heavy security for Friday prayers, often a launchpad for anti-Assad protests, opposition activists said. State media said security officials were among the wounded.

“We had been trying to go pray in the area but they stopped us at a checkpoint. Security weren’t letting us in because there are usually protests there,” one anti-Assad activist told Reuters in neighboring Lebanon.

“Then we heard the blast. It was so loud and then ambulances came rushing past us,” the activist added. “I could see a few body parts and pieces of flesh on the road. The front of a restaurant looked destroyed. People were screaming.”

State television showed images of blackened flesh and a mangled hand lying on a motorway underpass as soldiers and police cleared the area to make way for ambulance crews.

A resident who spoke to security officials at the scene said a man had approached soldiers near the mosque and detonated a bomb belt when challenged. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Earlier, a loud blast was heard in the capital’s al Sinaa district near a garage used by government buses and pro-Assad militiamen tasked with preventing demonstrations.

Shopkeepers said the first blast hit a black Mercedes, which caught fire. The driver was wounded but no one else was hurt.
Posted by: Steve White || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336066 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Well, where do you think "Palestinians" came from in the first place?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 04/28/2012 2:12 Comments || Top||


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Obama signs waiver to lift Palestinian aid barrier
President Barack Obama has signed a waiver declaring that aid to the Palestinian Authority is “important to the security interests of the United States,” removing a block on such funding.
This would be another line in, "If I Wanted America to Fail"...
In a memo sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, published by the White House, the president said it was appropriate to release funds to the authority, which administers the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

A provision of The Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2012 said none of the funds “may be obligated or expended with respect to providing funds to the Palestinian Authority.”
Doesn't sound like it provided for a waiver. Wonder if this is more 'executive over-reach' by Champ...
A $192 million package was frozen by Congress after the Palestinians moved to gain statehood at the United Nations in September last year.

In November, the US Congress released $40 million but the State Department had expressed concern about being able to provide the necessary funding to address the dire economic and humanitarian hardship facing Palestinians.

In signing the waiver, Obama instructed Clinton to inform Congress of the move, on the grounds that “waiving such prohibition is important to the national security interests of the United States.”

On April 11, the Middle East Quartet called on foreign donors to deliver promised aid to the Palestinians while urging Israelis and Palestinians to build trust to revive peace talks.
Posted by: Steve White || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336071 views] Top|| File under:

#1  In signing the waiver, Obama instructed Clinton to inform Congress of the move, on the grounds that "waiving such prohibition is important to the national security interests of the United States."

Hopefully in November he will be "informed" that his services are no longer needed!
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 7:14 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Four militants killed near Turbat
[Dawn] At least four cut-throats were killed and seven others were jugged on Friday by Frontier Corps (FC) personnel near 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...
's Turbat region in retaliation of an ambush, DawnNews reported.

The incident took place 20 kilometres from Turbat in the province's Gaban area, a front man of the FC said.

FC's assault was in retaliation to an ambush by cut-throats on their convoy, the spokesperson added.

In two separate crackdown operations in Nushki and Naseerabad, FC officials recovered weapons and ammunition in large quantities.

The weapons and ammunition included 11 SMGs, three LMGs, 14 rifles, nine short guns, five rocket launchers and 100 rounds of SMGs.

However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
no arrests were made in the operations in Nushki and Naseerabad.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336067 views] Top|| File under: TTP


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Lebanese Navy Seizes Ship with Suspected Arms for Syria Rebels
[An Nahar] The Lebanese navy intercepted a ship on Friday suspected of carrying weapons destined for Syria's rebel army, a security official told Agence La Belle France Presse.

The vessel "Lutfallah II" was stopped by the navy off Leb's northern coast and towed to a port near the city of Batroun.

An army front man would only say that a ship was being searched. He would not elaborate or say whether any weapons were found.

News reports said the ship was coming from the Egyptian port of Alexandria and was headed to the Lebanese coastal city of Tripoli
...a confusing city, one end of thich is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn...
Al-Manar television also reported that the ship had sailed from Alexandria in Egypt and that it had been headed to Tripoli in northern Leb. It said that it was shipping three containers loaded with weapons.

Meanwhile,
...back at the desert island, Bert was realizing to his horror that he'd had only one bottle for one message, and he'd forgotten to include a return address...
Leb's state-run television Tele Liban reported that the ship had first sailed from Libya ahead of arriving at Alexandria and that it is owned by Syrian national Mohammed Khafaja.

Tele Liban said shipping agent Ahmed Bernard was incarcerated without mentioning the identity of his imprisoners. The TV network said the ship sailed from Libya under the guise of carrying engines and oils.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336071 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Syria


India-Pakistan
India Deports Iranian For Spying On Israelis
Indian newspaper reports PhD student in employ of Iranian gov't was monitoring Chabad House, synagogue in city of Pune.

Police in the Indian city of Pune deported an Iranian national last month after they discovered him spying on Israeli nationals and Jewish institutions in the city, the Pune Mirror reported on Thursday.

According to the report, 40-year-old Hamid Kashkouli, an Iranian PhD student at the University of Pune, was spying on the Chabad House in the city's Koregaon Park region and the Rasta Peth Synagogue in the city.

Kashkouli was on the payroll of the Iranian intelligence agency, according to the report.

"He came to India under the pretext of being a student but was keeping a close eye on the Jewish centers in Pune," the Mirror quoted a police official as saying. "He had collected information about visitors' movements at the Chabad House and the synagogue which he forwarded to intelligence officials in Tehran," he added.

Kashkouli's repeated trips to the Iranian Consulate in Mumbai roused the suspicions of the police, according to the report. His driver was also jugged and questioned, telling police that Kashkouli was employed by the Iranian government and was often visited in Pune by top Iranian government officials.

Police intercepted email messages from Kashkouli which proved he was an undercover Iranian agent monitoring the movements of Jews in Pune. He was also in contact with Iranian nationals in Delhi, according to the Mirror.

Delhi was the site of a February 13 terror attack in which a suspect on a cycle of violence attached a bomb to an Israeli Embassy car in transit, which blew up, injuring Tal Yehoshua Koren, wife of the Israeli defense attaché in India.

The Delhi Police's Special Cell identified three Iranians as those responsible for the attack. Israel has accused the Iranian government and its proxy Hezbullies of orchestrating the Delhi attack as well as another terror plot against Israeli interests in Tblisi, Georgia uncovered on the same day and a botched terror attack in Bangkok, Thailand on February 14.
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336071 views] Top|| File under:


Home Front: WoT
Russia Is Sending Troops To The US To Learn American Military Tactics
Russian paratroopers will meet up with American forces next month for an unprecedented military exercise in Colorado, according to RT News. It's the first time Russian service members will be invited into the United States for a joint drill.

A Russian airborne task force will "exercise with U.S. special service weapons," an announcement by Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Aleksandr Kucherenko revealed.

The official purpose of the joint training is to practice airborne tactics and anti-terror operations, such as dropping into a hostile area and conducting a "terrorist camp raid."

"Soldiers of the two countries will hold a tactical airborne operation, including reconnaissance of an imaginary terrorists' camp and a raid," said Kucherenko.

It's worth noting the Russians will have access to U.S. military weapons training at the Army's Fort Carson -- "Home of America's Best" -- ahead of the scheduled May 24-31 drills. They'll also be trained to understand and operate hardware used by U.S. forces in airborne missions including "parachuting, operation planning, reconnaissance, assault operations and evacuations by helicopter."

This announcement comes at a time when Russia actually has troops working in cooperation with China.

A joint naval drill in the Yellow Sea is currently underway, with Xinhuanet reporting the military exercises are focused on sea-to-air defense, anti-submarine warfare, recovery of hijacked vessels and shooting down aerial, maritime and underwater targets.
Posted by: Sherry || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336070 views] Top|| File under:

#1  D *** NG, dare "Red Dawn II" get it wrong - twasn't the North Koreans at all???
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 04/28/2012 0:13 Comments || Top||

#2  Its common to train with them. It's common to have much in common with them.
Posted by: newc || 04/28/2012 0:17 Comments || Top||

#3  Russian, Chinese. Makes no difference. The willingness to empower Non-Commissioned Officers is antithesis to their cultures. It's something that they can't duplicate, but one which we can loose if we don't pay attention and allow the occasional screw up not to be the basis to pull the reigns too tight as to throw away the advantage.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 04/28/2012 0:26 Comments || Top||

#4  Not certain what we can teach the Russians about airborne operations. Interesting month to hold the exercises however.... 'May.'
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 7:20 Comments || Top||

#5  Good catch there Mr. B. 'May.'. In my humble opinion now is the time to work with a former ally. The elections are over so the political rhetorick can be toned down. Putin has a huge country to manage. Vast natural resources that China wants desperately. I side with Russia. I believe we have more in common now. They would be the best ally for stability in this part of the world. Seize the day. The Russian people don't want war. The want capitalism and freedom.
Posted by: Dale || 04/28/2012 9:26 Comments || Top||

#6 
Posted by: Dale || 04/28/2012 19:17 Comments || Top||

#7 
Posted by: Dale || 04/28/2012 19:44 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
U.S. Amasses Stealth-Jet Armada Near Iran
The U.S. Air Force is quietly assembling the world's most powerful air-to-air fighting team at bases near Iran. Stealthy F-22 Raptors on their first front-line deployment have joined a potent mix of active-duty and Air National Guard F-15 Eagles, including some fitted with the latest advanced radars. The Raptor-Eagle team has been honing special tactics for clearing the air of Iranian fighters in the event of war.

The fighters join a growing naval armada that includes Navy carriers, submarines, cruisers and destroyers plus patrol boats and minesweepers enhanced with the latest close-in weaponry.

It's been years since the Air Force has maintained a significant dogfighting presence in the Middle East. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq Boeing-made F-15Cs flew air patrols from Soddy Arabia, but the Iraqi air force put up no resistance and the Eagle squadrons soon departed. For the next nine years Air Force deployments to the Middle East were handled by ground-attack planes such as A-10s, F-16s and twin-seat F-15E Strike Eagles.

The 1980s-vintage F-15Cs, plagued by structural problems, stayed home in the U.S. and Japan. The brand-new F-22s, built by Lockheed Martin, suffered their own mechanical and safety problems. When they ventured from their home bases in Virginia, Alaska and New Mexico, it was only for short training exercises over the Pacific. The F-15Cs and F-22s sat out last year's Libya war.

The Air Force fixed the F-15s and partially patched up the F-22s just in time for the escalating stand-off over Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program. In March the Air Force deployed the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing, flying 20 standard F-15Cs, to an "undisclosed" air base in Southwest Asia -- probably either Al Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates or Al Udeid in Qatar. The highly-experienced Massachusetts Guardsmen, who typically have several years more experience than their active-duty counterparts, would be ready "should Iran test the 104th," said wing commander Col. Robert Brooks
Posted by: Sherry || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336089 views] Top|| File under:

#1  ...This is interesting for a couple of reasons:

1: The biggest problem with the -22 is that it was built in tactically useless numbers and the leadership is terrified of losing one for any reason, so a serious, honest-to-God, no-$hit deployment (especially after all the contortions the USAF leadership went through to justify not sending them to Libya) means that somebody at the Echelons Above Reality is not kidding around.

2: The Raptor-Eagle team is probably the most vicious air supremacy weapon anybody's ever come up with. The strengths of each aircraft compliment each other quite nicely, and when you throw in our ability to run flawless operations on a 24/7 basis backed up by the guys and gals in the E-3s, these guys will be capable of pretty much sweeping the sky clear of any Iranian fighters that actually get airborne - especially their surviving F-14s, which are now used more as AWACS.

3: The -22s - being essentially invisible to the Iranians - have an incredible potential to just mess with them. Given (1) above, I think that's one part of their mission.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski || 04/28/2012 7:25 Comments || Top||

#2  Israel has been busy in neighboring Azerbaijan.
Posted by: Mike Ramsey || 04/28/2012 8:20 Comments || Top||

#3  Mike, I like your number one reasoning and massivly significant now you've draw attention to it.
Posted by: Kojack || 04/28/2012 9:11 Comments || Top||

#4  ..of course we're all assuming that its aimed at Iran and not to obstruct, say, an Israel preemptive strike.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 04/28/2012 10:09 Comments || Top||

#5  Debkafile weighs in on the subject. Usual grain of salt, but y'all will begetter able to interpret than I.
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/28/2012 12:41 Comments || Top||

#6  Procopius2k: I'd have serious doubts on whether our pilots would fire on Isreal.
Posted by: Charles || 04/28/2012 20:06 Comments || Top||

#7  y'all will begetter able

...be better able... PIMF!!
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/28/2012 20:53 Comments || Top||

#8  ..or inbounds without proper IFF headed in the direction of friendly forces arrayed just to the west and south of Iran?
Posted by: Procopius2k || 04/28/2012 20:59 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Top Al-Qaeda Bomb Maker In Yemen Resurfaces
When a drone strike killed one of the leaders of al-Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen last year, US intelligence officials thought they also had wiped out the terrorist group's top bomb maker.
 
Soon it became apparent that Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, the brains behind sophisticated bombs that have been used in attempts to attack the US, was still alive. Al-Asiri went underground, knowing the US was after him, particularly after the US killed Anwar al-Awlaki
... Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, zapped in Yemen, al-Awlaki was a dual citizen of the U.S. and Yemen. He was an Islamic holy man who was a trainer for al-Qaeda and its franchises. His sermons were attended by three of the 9/11 hijackers, by Fort Hood murderer Nidal Malik Hussein, and Undieboomer Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. He was the first U.S. citizen ever placed on a CIA target list...
, one of the Yemen group's top leaders.
This article starring:
Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336068 views] Top|| File under:


Africa North
West African leaders to send troops to coup-hit Mali and Guinea-Bissau
[Daily Nation (Kenya)] West African leaders decided Thursday to send troops to coup-hit Mali and Guinea-Bissau to support their return to civilian rule and demanded coup leaders "return to barracks" in both countries.

At an extraordinary summit in Ivory Coast, the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also said the two countries must prepare for legislative and presidential elections within a year.

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara
...the current president-for-life of Ivory Coast. He actually beat his predecessor in an election before having to eject him from the presidential palazzo....
, current head of ECOWAS, pledged a firm response to the instability "to prevent our sub-region from giving into terrorism and transnational criminality".

"The safety of Europe and of the United States now starts in the Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea," Ouattara said.

The coup in Mali on March 22 allowed Tuareg separatist rebels and armed Islamist groups, including al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, to take control of an area roughly the size of La Belle France in the remote desert north.

The troops would help with Mali's transition and "deal with any eventuality in the event of use of force for the recovery of the territorial integrity of Mali", said ECOWAS commission chief Desire Kadre Ouedraogo.

ECOWAS did not say troops would be sent to fight in the north of Mali.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336065 views] Top|| File under: al-Qaeda in North Africa

#1  This is a very poor idea.
Posted by: newc || 04/28/2012 9:10 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Curfew in Khairpur following clash involving police, religious group
[Dawn] A curfew was imposed in Sindh province's Khairpur city on Friday, DawnNews reported.

The shoot-on-sight curfew was imposed for an indefinite period after a clash occurred involving activists from a religious group and the police.

The city's commercial and trading centres had shut down following the clash.

The region has experienced incidents pertaining to religious violence in the past.
Gosh, they pertain in Pakistan, too? Truly, a versatile people!
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336067 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


China-Japan-Koreas
US to move 9,000 soldiers from Okinawa
The United States has made a deal with Japan to relocate 9,000 marines away from its southernmost island Okinawa to other locations in Asia-Pacific. The new plan will involve transferring thousands of marines to regions including Guam, Hawaii and Australia, nearly halving the number of US troops in Okinawa to 10,000.

The deal, announced in a joint US-Japan statement, was unveiled just days before Yoshihiko Noda, Japan’s prime minister, heads to Washington next week to meet with his counterpart President Barack Obama.

“I am very pleased that after many years, we have reached this important agreement and plan of action,” Leon Panetta, the US defence secretary, said in a statement.
“I applaud the hard work and effort that went into crafting it. Japan is not just a close ally, but also a close friend.”

Despite the agreement, questions are likely to continue in relation to the controversial relocation of the military base Futenma within Okinawa, an issue expected to be discussed by the two leaders in Washington. The issue has become a key source of tension in recent years in relation to the US-Japan security alliance, regarded as a critical partnership in maintaining regional power balance.

The proposed relocation of the base from a populated area to a quieter location is widely opposed by locals, politicians and environmentalists, while Yukio Hatoyama, the former prime minister, resigned over the issue in 2010 after he was unable to keep his electoral promise to shift the base entirely off Okinawa. However, US politicians hope that the new deal in relation to the relocation 9,000 troops away from Okinawa may help break the policy deadlock that has surrounded the region in recent years as a result of opposition to Futenma.

“We think it breaks a very long stalemate …. That has plagued our politics, that has clogged both of our systems,” said Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Posted by: Steve White || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336073 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The number of Marines coming to Guam is back up to 5000, up from 4000 + 4700 but below the original 8000+, but AFAIK its not clear iff these 5000 Marines is final vee final Congressional approval, iff these 5000 will be permanently-based on Guam only or Guam-CNMI Tinian], or will 60% [3,500] of same be on "rotational" training or TDY i.e. only 1500 will be locally based. AS INDIC PREVIOLSUY, JAPAN REPOR WOULD LIKE TO BASE + ROTATIONALLY DEPLOY SDF UNITS TO TINIAN FOR TRAINING.

A recent Guam-visiting CODEL comprised of Senators McCain, Cark Levin, + Jim Webb has vowed the Marine Relocation includ Guam Buildup will not occur until the US Congress first sees reliable Costs Datas + Analyses.

-------------

* ION DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > USAF DRILLS A PRACTICE FOR MAINLAND CHINA BOMBING RUN? |USAF EXERCISE EYES CHINA AS ADVERSARY.

Operation "Chichimanga" LR AIREX.

versus

* INDIAN DEFENCE FORUM > MANTHORPE: JAPAN BOOSTS DEENCES OF OUTER ISLANDS TO DETER CHINA.

Big 4 + 100 other islands or islets in East China Sea, POTENTIAL FOR INTENSIVE SINO-NIPPON RIVALRY + ULTIMATELY EVEN MILITARY CONFLICT.

* SAME > CHINA DEMANDS EVERYTHING, in South China Sea i.e. disputed Islands + espec resources-rich UW seafloors underneath, around same.

* WORLD MIL FORUM > JAPAN PUSHES UN FOR QUICK RECOGNITION OF ITS "SOLE/UNILATERAL" SOVEREIGNTY OVER MORE THAN 310,000 SQUARE KILOMETERS OF UNDERWATER CONTINENTAL SHELF.

* SAME > MANY ORDINARY/MAINSTREAM JAPANESE BEGIN SENDING MONETARY DONATIONS TO TOKYO GOVERNOR SHINATARO ISHIHARA IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSED DAOYUS ISLANDS BUYOUT SCHEME, by Tokyo from JAPANESE Owners.

Chinese-claimed Daoyus Islands/Daoyutai = Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands.

Posted by: JosephMendiola || 04/28/2012 0:49 Comments || Top||

#2  I would sympathize more with the Japanese position on Okinawa if it wasn't for the fact that US troops wouldn't be there at all if Japan had not chosen war as their remedy.

In today's context, Japan uses the US as a shield against the Norks and the Chicoms. Would Japan really be better off if the US simply pulled out and took its nuclear shield with it? If not, then put up with some inconvenience and stop whining.
Posted by: Mike Ramsey || 04/28/2012 8:05 Comments || Top||

#3  Panetta the DoD hatchet man simply doing his job.
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 8:11 Comments || Top||

#4  I sure hope Guam does not tip over.
Posted by: newc || 04/28/2012 9:11 Comments || Top||

#5  Tipping point for the Guam economy.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 04/28/2012 9:13 Comments || Top||

#6  A 'shell game' with the end-state being troop reductions across the board. Troops are volunteers, generally staunch patriots, and pubs. We don't need people like that any longer. All Star Ship Troopers will be hand picked in the Obomatomorrow.
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 9:19 Comments || Top||


Good morning!
Posted by: Steve White || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336093 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Happy Birthday/Daily Gam Shot

Jessica Alba aka Nancy Callahan in "Sin City (2005)" aka Sue Storm in "Fantastic Four (2005)" aka Invisible Woman / Susan Storm in "Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)" aka Morley Clarkson in "Valentine's Day 2010)" aka Andi Garcia in "Little Fockers (2010)" aka Sartana in "Machete (2010)" (age 31)



Bonus Gam Shot
Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC || 04/28/2012 19:06 Comments || Top||

#2  sweet mother of....
Posted by: Frank G || 04/28/2012 20:14 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Al-Qaeda Militants Bomb Gas Pipeline
[Yemen Post] Suspected al-Qaeda snuffies blew up a gas pipeline Thursday night in the eastern Yemeni province of Shabwa, the Interior and Defense Ministry said.

This is the third attack against oil and gas facilities in the impoverished country within a month.

The pipeline is used for transferring liquefied natural gas from Yemen's Mareb province to Belhaf terminal was bombed in al-Akla district of Shabwa province.

The attack stopped the country's export of gas.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336067 views] Top|| File under: al-Qaeda in Arabia


Osama bin Laden's family preparing to live incognito in Saudi Arabia
The 14 members of Osama bin Laden's family who survived the US Navy Seal raid which killed him in May last year were on Friday preparing to live incognito - but apparently in some luxury - in Saudi Arabia after being deported from Pakistan.

They were deported on the orders of a Pakistan court after being convicted of entering the country illegally, but it is understood officials wanted them removed from the country before next week's first anniversary of the raid in which the al-Qaead leader was killed

The family comprises three of his wives, 10 children and one grandchild.

One of his wives, Amal Ahmed al-Sadah, was deported to Saudi Arabia despite being a Yemeni, at the insistence members of her family who feared she might become a focal point for bin Laden’s followers or alternatively targeted by al-Qaeda militants.

In Saudi Arabia, the family members are expected to live with bin Laden’s extended family.

Bin Laden’s half-brother, Bakr bin Mohammed Binladin, is chairman of Saudi Binladin, the kingdom’s biggest construction company and the foundation of the family’s fortune.
Posted by: lotp || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336067 views] Top|| File under:


India-Pakistan
Hijack threat forces PIA plane to land after takeoff from Karachi
[Dawn] An airliner was forced to land shortly after takeoff in Pakistain on Friday after a passenger made a hijack threat, Pakistain International Airlines (PIA) officials said.
As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
The domestic flight carrying more than 50 passengers and five crew had left Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It may be the largest city in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
on its way to the eastern city of Bahawalpur, a front man for the national flag-carrier said.

"Soon after the plane took off a passenger on board warned the staff that he could hijack the plane," Sultan Hasan told AFP.

"The captain was informed of the situation, who returned the plane back after getting the nod from the control tower."

The passenger was jugged and handed over to security personnel for questioning, PIA said, and the plane was searched and found safe.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336067 views] Top|| File under: al-Qaeda in Pakistan


Europe
Trio Arrested in Denmark for Suspected Terror Plot
[An Nahar] Three people were tossed in the calaboose in Copenhagen on Friday suspected of planning a "terrorist act", Danish intelligence agency PET said.
Remember back in the old days, when Scandinavia was a safe backwater full of beautiful women and equally beautiful furniture?
A 22-year-old Jordanian citizen and a 23-year-old Turkish citizen -- both Danish residents -- as well as a Dane living in Egypt, are "suspected of being illegally in possession of automatic weapons and munitions and are also suspected of preparing a terrorist act," the agency said in a statement.

No details of the alleged planned attack were disclosed.

The three were tossed in the calaboose at two addresses in greater Copenhagen.

"Raids were also conducted in connection with the arrests at several addresses in the Copenhagen area," PET said.

The trio was to appear before a Copenhagen court on Saturday for a custody hearing, police said.

PET said it was collaborating with police on the case.

Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet reported meanwhile in its online edition that police had seized three cars in the Copenhagen suburb of Herlev in an action it said was linked to the terrorism case.

"Police officers in bullet-proof vests have just seized three cars in Herlev and a large police operation is underway in Valby," a neighborhood outside the Danish capital, the paper said.

Friday's arrests come as four other people are currently on trial in Denmark for "attempted terrorism" for allegedly plotting to massacre the staff of a Danish newspaper that first published controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336069 views] Top|| File under: al-Qaeda in Europe

#1  Remember back in the old days, when Scandinavia was a safe backwater full of beautiful women and equally beautiful furniture?

There is a joke in there about wood, but I ain't touching it!

It would appear that the shine on the Scandinavian dream is getting scuffed off by non-assimilated immigrants.
Posted by: SteveS || 04/28/2012 1:36 Comments || Top||


Southeast Asia
Assistant village leader gunned down in southern Thailand
An assistant village leader was gunned down yesterday in a drive-by shooting on the road in Narathiwat province. Piak Chuenban, 40, was found dead by his motorcycle after being shot by a terrorist gunman riding pillion on the Pa Phai-Cho Airong road.

Earlier the victim, carrying a rifle and a 9 mm pistol, had driven his motorcycle from his home to go hunting in a nearby forest. He was followed by two terrorists men on a motorcycle who shot at him with an assault rifle. One of the terrorists attackers took one of Piak's guns after shooting him and fled.

Police found 10 spent cartridges near Piak's body.

In Pattani province, about 300 police and military officers raided a private Islamic school. Authorities suspected the school was being used as a weapons storehouse by terrorists insurgents.

Meanwhile, deputy national police chief Suwat Chanitthikun paid a visit to the Southern Border Provinces Operation Center in Yala province yesterday to discuss security issues with local authorities. Pol Gen Suwat ordered them to tighten security to prevent terrorists insurgents from committing atrocities to coincide with the 8th anniversary of the Krue Se mosque massacre in Pattani tomorrow.
Posted by: ryuge || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336067 views] Top|| File under: Thai Insurgency


China-Japan-Koreas
N. Korea to carry out more provocations: Pentagon official
WASHINGTON -- A senior Pentagon official on Thursday emphasized the need for "optimal readiness" against additional provocations from North Korea.

"North Korea's April 12 missile test will not be its last," Kathleen H. Hicks, the nominee to become principal deputy under secretary of defense for policy, told the Senate Armed Services Committee at a confirmation hearing. She has been serving as deputy under secretary of defense for strategy, plans and forces since 2009.

"The United States must continue to monitor carefully North Korea's weapons of mass destruction and missile development programs and related proliferation activities," she added.

Hicks vowed efforts to "ensure optimal readiness against North Korea's unpredictable and reckless behavior."

Concerns are growing that the North may carry out a third underground nuclear test. It conducted nuclear experiments in 2006 and 2009, both coming on the heels of long-range missile launches.
Posted by: Steve White || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336071 views] Top|| File under:


N.Korea Reiterates Threats of 'Special Action'
North Korea on Thursday denied that dire threats of "special action" issued Monday would mean merely a repeat of the deadly shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in 2010.

The official propaganda website Uriminzokkiri said if South Korea dismisses the warning as something similar to the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, "it is a big mistake." In an editorial headed, "Do They Still Not Understand Our Determination to Retaliate?" the website said the North's "revolutionary forces never utter empty words."

"Our revolutionary forces decided to take special action in order to obliterate the group of traitors led by Lee Myung-bak and defend our supreme dignity," it thundered. "We will lay Lee Myung-bak's group to ashes with unprecedented means and our own ways."
Posted by: Steve White || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336069 views] Top|| File under:

#1  ION NOT NECESSARILY UNRELATED ...

* TOPIX > [Australia DM] STEPHEN: CHINA + INDIA CANNOT BE CONTAINED.

* TOPIX > BEIJING: MANILA GOING TOO FAR.

* SAME > [BenZinga] CHINESE GENERAL CALLS FOR "DECISIVE ACTION" AGZ PHILIPPINES.

PLA MGEN Luo Yuan > whom also warns that CHINA HAS NOT + NEVER EVAR! ABANDONED ITS HISTORICAL IDEA/STRATEGEM OF "WAR AT ALL COSTS" DESPITE THE POST-COLD WAR, POST-9-11 ADVENT OR RISE OF NEWFOUND "STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES" TO IMPROVE ITSELF + ITS NATIONAL ECONOMY, ENDOWMENTS.

Read, THE PHILIPPINES, ETC. [sub-read, US = US-Allies, UNO, ASEAN] IS MAKING A GRAVE MISTAKE IFF THEY THINK CHINA WON'T FIGHT.

MGEN. LUO YUAN = CHINA WILL WIN/PREVAIL NO MATTER WHOM FIRES THE "FIRST SHOT", OR THE "LAST SHOT", OVER HUANGYAN ISLAND.

* WORLD MIL FORUM > EXPERTS: CHINA'S PATIENCE VIS-A-VIS THE PHILIPPINES OVER HUANGYAN ISLAND [Scarborough Shoal = PHIL Panatag Island] IN SOUTH CHINA SEA IS REACHING ITS LIMIT. PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA HISTORY HAS MANY EXAMPLES TO SHOW THAT CHINA WILL FIGHT AND DEFEND ITS INTERESTS NO MATTER WHO THE ENEMY IS [or how militarily strong vee China].

IOW, IFF SOMETHING DOESN'T PROACTIVELY CHANGE PER THE STANDOFF, THERES GOING TO BE A'SHOOTIN + A'SINKINS.

* SAME > CCTV: SINO-PHILIPPINES STANDOFF/
CONFRONTATION OVER HUANGYAN ISLAND REACHES ITS 18TH DAY, MANILA SEEKS MILITARY ASSISTANCE FROM US TO BACK CLAIMS.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 04/28/2012 1:09 Comments || Top||

#2  IOW, IFF SOMETHING DOESN'T PROACTIVELY CHANGE PER THE STANDOFF, THERES GOING TO BE A'SHOOTIN + A'SINKINS.

The Philippines seems like a good place for the ChiComs to throw down the glove. Show everyone in the neighborhood you are ruthless and determined, and find out once and for all if the US is going to get involved.
Posted by: SteveS || 04/28/2012 1:49 Comments || Top||

#3  The Norks should be more careful about making threats or the rest of the world might standby while a million Norks starve. :-/

Can the Norks miscalculate any more than they already have?
Posted by: Mike Ramsey || 04/28/2012 7:41 Comments || Top||

#4  What starving people in N. Korea, Mike? Pudgy and his generals don't see any.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia || 04/28/2012 15:41 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Laden family deported from Pakistan
[Bangla Daily Star] The family of al-Qaeda leader the late Osama bin Laden
... who was potted in Pakistain...
, killed almost a year ago by American special forces in a military town in northwest Pakistain, left Pakistain for Soddy Arabia early yesterday morning, the family lawyer told Rooters.

The move ends months of speculation about the fate of the three widows and 11 children, who were jugged by Pak security forces after the May 2 raid.

"Yes, they're being deported to Soddy Arabia," said Aamir Khalil, the family lawyer. "It is a special flight."

The jet took off at around 1:30am for Soddy Arabia, according to local TV channels. Its destination in the kingdom was not known.

At the house in Islamabad where the family were being held, a white minivan pulled up to take them to the airport. The women refused to enter the van with a crush of media around it, so officials covered its windows with plastic sheets.

The Ministry of the Interior, which was responsible for the family, issued a statement saying it had "passed orders for the deportation of 14 members of OBL family in pursuance of the Court orders".

"The family was kept safe and sound in a guest house ... They have been deported to the country of their choice, Soddy Arabia, today," it added.

Earlier this month, a court sentenced the women to 45 days in prison for entering Pakistain illegally. It ordered their deportation after the end of the prison term, which began on March 3 when they were formally nabbed.

Once outside Pakistain, the family could reveal details about how the world's most wanted man was able to hide in Pakistain for years, possibly assisted by elements of its powerful military and spy agency.

Any revelations about ties to bin Laden could embarrass Pakistain and anger Washington, which had been hunting bin Laden since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Pak officials describe bin Laden's long presence in the hill-town of Abbottabad
... A pleasant city located only 30 convenient miles from Islamabad. The city is noted for its nice weather and good schools. It is the site of Pakistain's military academy, which was within comfortable walking distance of the residence of the late Osama bin Laden....
as a security lapse and reject suggestions that members of the military and intelligence service were complicit in hiding him there.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336079 views] Top|| File under: al-Qaeda

#1  taking the trash out in bags
Posted by: Frank G || 04/28/2012 8:20 Comments || Top||

#2  Hero welcome in Saudi?
Posted by: Gruth McGurque5303 || 04/28/2012 18:57 Comments || Top||


Africa North
New Armed Arab Group Takes Control of Mali's Timbuktu
[An Nahar] A newly formed group of armed Arab fighters tightened its grip on the northern Malian desert city of Timbuktu on Friday, witnesses said.

The push into Timbuktu by the so-called National Liberation Front of Azawad (FNLA) came a day after west African leaders agreed to send a military force into coup-hit and divided Mali, though those troops will be based in the capital Bamako for now.

Witnesses said around 100 vehicles loaded with fighters poured into Timbuktu on Friday, after they seized control of entries to the east and south of the city a day earlier.

"They are armed to the teeth," a Malian security source said.

The new group announced its existence April 8, saying it was made up of about 500 men who do not want to see northern Mali secede, nor do they support an Islamist agenda.

This differs from the hotchpotch of outlaws and other groups that swept the region over the past month, with some Tuareg Arab fighters declaring the north an independent state, while Islamists tried to impose strict sharia Moslem law.

"We came here to defend and protect our region," FNLA member Ahmed Ould Mamoud said.

The group is headed by Mohamed Lamine Ould Sidatt, a regional elected official, and its military operations are directed by a lieutenant colonel who defected from the Malian army, Housseine Khoulam.

A witness said the group was in the process of taking control of the civil protection building. There were no immediate reports of gunfire or injuries.

At an extraordinary summit in Ivory Coast on Thursday, the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) decided to send troops to both Mali and Guinea-Bissau, which also has seen a coup in recent weeks.

Officials said the troops would help with Mali's transition to civilian rule, after a group of soldiers ceded power following their March 22 coup.

There was no immediate indication any international troops would be sent to try to wrest Mali's north from rebel hands.

Much of northern Mali, an area spanning more land mass than La Belle France, remains in the hands of two other gangs -- Islamists Ansar Dine and the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), Mali's main Tuareg rebel group.

The entries in the north and west of Timbuktu remained in the control of the two groups Friday.

The MNLA earlier declared independence in the north, a vast swathe of desert it calls Azawad, which it captured along with Ansar Dine in the disarray following the coup.

Ansar Dine subsequently took control of Timbuktu, saying it rejects independence for the north and is fighting for Islam and to impose sharia.

Security sources say Ansar Dine has fallen under the influence of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Al-Qaeda's north African wing, which is holding several Westerners hostage.

Malian soldiers seized power because they wanted the government to do a better job of fighting the years-long rebellion in the north. Their tactic backfired disastrously, with the rebels quick to exploit the Bamako power vacuum.

Parties opposed to the coup, grouped in the United Front for Democracy and the Republic, hailed Friday the ECOWAS decision to send troops and set a deadline of a year for new presidential and parliamentary elections in Mali.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336067 views] Top|| File under: al-Qaeda in North Africa


China-Japan-Koreas
Japan Was Nearly Invaded 425 Times Last Year
Data quietly released this week by the Japanese Defense Ministry reveals China and Russia are to blame for a record number of emergency operations by Japan's Air Self-Defense Force.

Kyodo news agency reports:
Japan scrambled fighter planes 156 times in response to Chinese aircraft approaching Japanese airspace in fiscal 2011, a record high number for China since the Defense Ministry started releasing such data by country in 2001, the ministry said Wednesday.

But it was Russia that tipped records to a peak that hasn't been reached in 20 years. Closely-approaching Russian military jets prompted Japanese fighter planes to gear up to protect the Asian country's borders 247 times.

A ministry official told Japanese media that foreign aircraft, namely China's, are executing a wider range of missions far too close to Japan. It's considered "evidence in part of China's increasing military activity" and cause for concern.

Flight patterns have diversified with intelligence-gathering aircraft standing out," noted the official.

Chinese jets flew around the Nansei Islands around the East China Sea, and over Okinawa where a huge U.S. military installation is based. But China's transgressions don't seem to faze Japan all that much. The Japanese government has just closed a deal with the U.S. to remove 9000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa. At the moment, there are 47,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan, according to Reuters.

It's not clear which other countries also sent Japan's self-defense forces into a scramble last year to bring the reported total to 425 times.

But the release of the data does coincide with the Chinese military's "solemn vow on territory" around the Asia Pacific region. China Daily reports armed forces officially vowed to "'fulfill their duty' to safeguard China's territory in the South China Sea" yesterday — other countries in the area will see that as China's attempt to take over the region.

China's growing military presence in the South China Sea, and its threat to encroach on neighboring countries' borders, has promoted the U.S. to pivot its attention to Asia Pacific. The Pentagon is sending the most troops to the region since World War II.

U.S. Marines have been doing joint-drills with Philippine forces this week and conducted an exercise to practice re-taking an island in the region. China was furious, but it's also been war-gaming and just wrapped up a large-scale joint-drill with Russia in the Yellow Sea.

It may be worth noting the Yellow Sea is east of Japan's coastal borders. It was the location of one of the most decisive naval engagements in the Russo-Japanese war in 1904.
Posted by: Sherry || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336084 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Put a 10 percent tariff on imports from China and the country falls apart.
Posted by: Perfesser || 04/28/2012 8:37 Comments || Top||

#2  Agreed, along with Wal-Mart and Target.
Posted by: Rj45acp || 04/28/2012 15:21 Comments || Top||

#3  and the U.S. Economy.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 04/28/2012 18:56 Comments || Top||

#4  Or it jumpstarts production at home. Of course inbetween we'd be F'ed over but everything has a cost.
Posted by: Charles || 04/28/2012 20:03 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Pak PM refuses to quit
[Bangla Daily Star] Pakistain's prime minister refused to step down
...Hell no! The money's too good!...
yesterday as he made a defiant appearance in parliament a day after his conviction over a corruption investigation into the president.
Just when you think Pakistan has become as surreal as is possible within the limits of reality, they somehow manage to break through to a new limit.
Yousuf Raza Gilani
... Pakistain's erstwhile current prime minister, whose occasional feats of mental gymnastics can be awe-inspiring ...
faced opposition calls to quit after the Supreme Court convicted him of contempt for refusing to write to Swiss authorities asking them to reopen a multi-million-dollar graft probe into President Asif Ali President Ten Percent Zardari
... sticky-fingered husband of the late Benazir Bhutto ...

His lawyer has said he will appeal against the verdict, which made him the first sitting premier in Pakistain's history to be convicted, and Gilani said only parliament had the authority to remove him from office.

"There is no law to remove an elected prime minister, parliament is the supreme authority and only this parliament has the authority to remove me," he said.

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...
, the head of the main opposition Pakistain Mohammedan League (Nawaz) said Thursday that Gilani should quit to avoid pushing the country into "further crisis".

"I am an elected prime minister, representing 180 million people. How can any body order an elected prime minister to go home?" Gilani said.

"Only the speaker of the house, who is the custodian of this house, has the authority to decide."

The conviction opened the way for proceedings to remove him as a politician, but addressing the speaker, Gilani said: "I will step down only if you de-notify me. I will accept if this parliament disqualify me."

Though it looks unlikely to bring down the coalition government led by Gilani's Pakistain People's Party (PPP), Thursday's ruling is likely to cause fresh uncertainty in a country already struggling with Islamist militancy and economic woes.

Legal experts say the process to remove Gilani from office, which involves the speaker referring the matter to the Election Commission, could drag on for months.

Gilani urged the speaker, who is a PPP member, to apply her "own mind" and "own legal assessment" on the case and said his conscience was clear over the Swiss letter.

The Zardari allegations date back to the 1990s when he and his late wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto
... 11th Prime Minister of Pakistain in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, founder of the Pakistain People's Party, who was murdered at the instigation of General Ayub Khan. She was murdered in her turn by person or persons unknown while campaigning in late 2007. Suspects include, to note just a few, Baitullah Mehsud, General Pervez Musharraf, the ISI, al-Qaeda in Pakistain, and her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, who shows remarkably little curiosity about who done her in...
, are accused of using Swiss bank accounts to launder about $12 million in bribes from companies seeking customs inspection contracts.

Gilani has always insisted Zardari has full immunity as head of state and last month said that writing to the Swiss would be a violation of the constitution.

The case has been highly politically charged, with members of the government accusing judges of over-stepping their reach and of trying to bring down the prime minister and president, a year before the administration would become the first in Pakistain to complete an elected term.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336064 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Europe
Spanish economy in "huge crisis" after credit downgrade
Spain's sickly economy faces a "crisis of huge proportions", a minister said on Friday, as unemployment hit its highest level in almost two decades and Standard and Poor's downgraded the government's debt by two notches.

Unemployment shot up to 24 percent in the first quarter, one of the worst jobless figures in the developed world. Retail sales slumped for the twenty-first consecutive month as a recession cuts into consumer spending.

Standard and Poor's cited risks of an increase in bad loans at Spanish banks and called on Europe to take action to encourage growth.

The downgrade spooked financial markets, raising the interest rate fellow euro zone struggler Italy was forced to pay to sell 10-year bonds at auction. The yield was its highest since January as investors worried about the economic outlook in the bloc's indebted states.
Posted by: lotp || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336076 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The Spanish economy was in a "huge crisis" BEFORE the credit downgrade.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 04/28/2012 0:19 Comments || Top||

#2  Fall in debt reveals how bad Spain's economy has BEEN.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 04/28/2012 7:19 Comments || Top||

#3  The Spanish economy was in a "huge crisis" BEFORE the credit downgrade.

True, but now it's so bad that they simply cannot deny/hide it any longer. Put another way: if I ever hear the US Government say 'we are in a huge crisis" in the economy...I'm heading for the hills.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski || 04/28/2012 7:33 Comments || Top||

#4  Quick! Elect another Socialist!
Posted by: newc || 04/28/2012 9:18 Comments || Top||

#5  The Gods of the Copybook headings with fire and thunder return.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 04/28/2012 16:10 Comments || Top||

#6  This was announced/scheduled over a week ago, but just makes the 'crisis' look even worse.
Spanish authorities suspended the Schengen Treaty, which allows unrestricted travel inside member nations, and imposed controls at six border crossings with France and at Barcelona and Gerona international airports.
Security forces have been strengthened with 2,000 extra police on duty until midnight on May 4, when the restrictions are due to end.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 04/28/2012 18:49 Comments || Top||

#7  Trying to prevent money-flight.
Posted by: Pappy || 04/28/2012 21:54 Comments || Top||


27 Injured as 4 Blasts Target Ukrainian City
[An Nahar] At least 27 people were maimed Friday in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk in four successive blasts that President Viktor Yanukovych called a challenge to the nation.

"There is a total of 27" injured in three kabooms in the city of about a million people east of the capital Kiev, said an emergencies ministry official, adding there was no immediate information on the fourth blast.

"We understand that this is yet another challenge for us, for the entire nation," Yanukovych said, cited by the Interfax news agency.

The kabooms in Dnipropetrovsk, home town of Yanukovych's incarcerated opponent and 2004 Orange Revolution leader Yulia Tymoshenko, come ahead of the Euro 2012 football championship which Ukraine is co-hosting this summer.

Officials earlier said that the first blast went off in a rubbish bin near a movie theater in the center of the city at 11:50 a.m. (0850 GMT).

A second blast followed 40 minutes later and the third, in another busy central street, 15 minutes after that, emergencies officials said.

The fourth kaboom went off at 1:00 p.m. (1000 GMT), the interior ministry said without providing further details.

"Police are looking into the casualties and circumstances" of the last two blasts, it said in a statement on its website.

Ukrainian prosecutors launched a probe into possible acts of terrorism, Interfax news agency reported. Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko quickly left for Dnipropetrovsk to oversee the investigation in person.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336069 views] Top|| File under:


India-Pakistan
The Real Enemy Of Pakistan
On 12 February 2012, two parallel gatherings were held in Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It may be the largest city in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
. One was the Bloody Karachi Literature Festival, in which Pak intellectuals discussed how they could make their country safer and deal with extremism - Pakistain's real enemy. Many Indian publishers were invited to the event and works by Indian authors were also discussed and sold.

About 10 kilometres away, representatives of 40 religious and political groups participated in a Difa-e-Pakistain rally, where Jamaat-ud-Dawa
...the front organization of Lashkar-e-Taiba...
chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed
...who would be wearing a canvas jacket with very long sleeves anyplace but Pakistain...
asserted Pakistain's real enemy was India.

To blame external powers for internal problems is an age-old gimmick of state establishments. That way the state can evade its Hobbesian responsibility to provide security to their citizens.By constructing an external enemy and blaming it for everything bad happening in their country, they project themselves as saviours of their nation, reaping political and economic benefits.This has also happened in Pakistain.

But Paks must realize their real enemies are the people who are proponents of extremism, injustice and violence against women and minorities. Pakistain's real enemies are those who silence the liberals by threatening or killing them or forcing them to leave the country. Pakistain's real enemies are those responsible for sectarian and ethnic violence that has killed thousands of innocent people, and those who provide political and religious justification for such violence.

The people at the literature festival cannot be absolved either, because they have collectively failed to fight against the Death Eater forces. The civil society is the most potent forcein any modern state.It has the power to change the political regime. Pakistain's civil society did a courageous job supporting Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, who had been forced out of office by former president Pervez Perv Musharraf
... former dictator of Pakistain, who was less dictatorial and corrupt than any Pak civilian government to date ...
. The movement resulted in Chaudhry's reinstatement and Musharraf's exile.

Not too long after that, the same people were seen showering rose petals on the killer of Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer.

The liberals in Pakistain now have a responsibility.As David Easton had said, they have to come out of their cocooned and self-exiled life and fight against the Orcs and similar vermin if they are really serious about carrying out their social responsibilities. They have to use the tools and instruments available to them to educate Pakistain's youth. And if they fail to do so, Pakistain's future is grim.
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336067 views] Top|| File under:

#1  And if they fail to do so, Pakistain's future is grim.

I'll take $5 on grim, please. And not because I'm bitter and cynical. Well, not only.

Pakistan has managed to create a sort of chaotic stability where, for every foo'ed up part, there is some large or powerful group who profits from it and would hate to see it gone. It will take a great force to move Pakistan out of this attractor basin. It won't be the Pak people because they all hate each other. It won't be the Karachi Book Club, however effete and intellectual, because they don't have guns. What's left? I suspect implosion into a bunch of mini-stans. Or the Indians will nuke them.
Posted by: SteveS || 04/28/2012 1:24 Comments || Top||

#2  Real living flesh and blood people that can think are the enemy of Islam.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 04/28/2012 8:41 Comments || Top||

#3  "Or the Indians will nuke them"

India knows that it cannot win a war with Pakistan. Oh India could invade and defeat the Pak military but then what? The problem with being the landlord is that you have to fix all the broken appliances. India will not Nuke Pakistan unless Pakistan nukes them first. India is a civilized democracy.

India is a growing economic power and if the ISI had an ounce of brains they would be looking to sign a free trade agreement with India instead of helping thugs plan attacks on Indian hotels.
Posted by: Mike Ramsey || 04/28/2012 9:13 Comments || Top||

#4  "if the ISI had an ounce of brains"

I think I see the problem there, Mike....
Posted by: Barbara || 04/28/2012 13:36 Comments || Top||


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Abduct Israelis to free prisoners, Gaza leaders say
Islamic leaders in the Gazoo Strip called on Friday for Orcs and similar vermin to kidnap Israelis and use them as bargaining chips to secure the freedom of thousands of Paleostinians prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Human rights groups say up to 2,000 prisoners have joined an open-ended hunger strike to protest against jail conditions and thousands of Paleostinians staged a rally in the Gazoo Strip to support their cause.

"We should work hard to get (Israeli) prisoners in our hands in order to secure the freedom of our prisoners," Khaled al-Batsh, a senior member of the Islamic Jihad
...created after many members of the Egyptian Mohammedan Brotherhood decided the organization was becoming too moderate. Operations were conducted out of Egypt until 1981 when the group was exiled after the liquidation of President Anwar Sadat. They worked out of Gaza until they were exiled to Lebanon in 1987, where they clove tightly to Hezbollah. In 1989 they moved to Damascus, where they remain a subsidiary of Hezbollah...
, told the crowd. "I say to all armed factions, the way to free the prisoners is through swaps ... An arrest for an arrest, and freedom for freedom. This is the way," he said.

Israel last year freed some 1,000 Paleostinians in return for the release of Gilad Shalit, a soldier seized in 2006 and held by the Islamist group Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, in secret captivity for five years.

Human Rights groups say at least 4,700 Paleostinians remain in Israeli jails, many of them convicted for violent crimes. Paleostinian leaders say they should be treated as prisoners of war, something Israel rejects.

Friday's rally saw participants waving both the green and black flags of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad - a sign of growing ties between the two groups, which share the same Islamist ideology and advocate the destruction of the state of Israel..
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336071 views] Top|| File under:

#1  wonder why they haven't focused on this before.

I think sending these guys to martyrdom in the first place would solve this problem.
Posted by: Mikey Hunt || 04/28/2012 21:33 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Military committee makes progress in Sana'a
[Yemen Post] The Military Committee formed under the GCC power transfer discussed on Thursday its program to end the armed manifestations from the Capital Sana'a, pointing out that all the remained armed ministrations will be totally removed on the upcoming Saturday.

The committee said it will open the main road linking between Sana'a and Marib on Saturday , emphasizing that it will display security forces to secure the road.

It further asserted that it will totally remove barracks and checkpoints remained in Al-Hasabah and Sufan in Sana'a, urging all sides to positively cooperate with the committee.

The committee had managed to remove sand bags, trenches from streets and checkpoints set up since protests began against the former President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh
... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, but he didn't invite Donna Summer to the inauguration and Blondie couldn't make it...
's in February 2011.

It could end the violence and restore peace to Yemen after months of unrest.

Meanwhile,
...back at the pound, Zebulon finally found just the friend he'd been looking for...
the Defense Minster said on Wednesday that the Military committee along with the Higher Military Academy will present a projection to reorganize the military.

The GCC power transfer deal provides to reconstruct the military on national bases in the wake of a sharp division the military witnessed during the last year as military commanders defected from the former President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Media sources had stated that a US military team has recently visited the state and held meetings with officials of the Military Committee and the Higher Military Academy.

Hadi , who took office in February, has vowed to launch more reforms in the army to end divisions and hold a national dialogue to settle disputes among political parties.However,
today is that tomorrow you were thinking about yesterday...
some military commanders and officials who are loyal to Saleh still refuse accepting his decrees.

Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336066 views] Top|| File under: Arab Spring


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Bombings rock Damascus as doubts grow over success of UN peace plan
We are all shocked, I'm sure.
[Daily Nation (Kenya)] A deadly suicide kaboom rocked the Syrian capital on Friday, capping a week of non-stop violence that has killed dozens and fuelled growing scepticism about hopes for the success of a UN-backed peace plan.

Amid the unrest, demonstrations were taking place after weekly Moslem prayers in flashpoint cities such as Hama, where shelling by government troops has reportedly killed more than 100 people since Monday.

The kaboom shook Damascus
...The City of Jasmin is the oldest continuously-inhabited city in the world. It has not always been inhabited by the same set of fascisti...
' central district of Midan, killing at least seven and wounding 20, state television
... and if you can't believe state television who can you believe?
said, with civilians and security force members among the casualties.

It blamed "terrorists," the term used by the regime of Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Before going into the family business Pencilneck was an eye doctor...
to refer to rebels.

A separate blast hit an industrial zone of Damascus, but there were no reports of casualties, and three security agents were maimed in a blast in the coastal city of Banias, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Assad's regime has repeatedly blamed "armed terrorist groups" for the violence, and for failing to abide by a putative ceasefire that went into force on April 12.

But UN chief the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon
... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
said the regime was in contravention of a six-point peace deal by keeping troops and heavy weapons in urban areas, and expressed alarm about reports population centres were shelled.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336082 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Syria

#1  It blamed “terrorists,” the term used by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad to refer to rebels.

Rebels my ass! And no it wasn’t activists either. For a political end police and civilians were targeted by a suicide bomber. The motivation was to instill fear. That is the most basic and universally accepted definition of the term “terrorists”.
Posted by: DepotGuy || 04/28/2012 9:23 Comments || Top||

#2  "UN peace plan"

Now there's an oxymoron.

With the emphasis on the moron.
Posted by: Barbara || 04/28/2012 15:22 Comments || Top||


-Election 2012
Major Obama 'bundler' gets Dutch ambassador post
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336093 views] Top|| File under:

#1  An ambassadorship, not a bad payday. And it wasn't even his money that got him there.
Posted by: SteveS || 04/28/2012 1:28 Comments || Top||

#2  OTOH RUMORMILLNEWS > TOP CLINTON AIDE [Howard Wolfen] ON JOHN EDWARDS-HILLARY CAMPAIGN:HILLARY WOULD BE PRESIDENT NOW IFF OBAMA CAMPAIGN HADN'T PROMISED JOHN EDWARDS THE VICE-PRESIDENCY.

Looks like the Bammer has a case of skeletons in the 2008 closet vee JOHN-LIZ-RIELLE???
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 04/28/2012 1:47 Comments || Top||

#3  Well, as long as he doesn't appoint Rev. Wright ambassador to Israel...
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 04/28/2012 16:08 Comments || Top||

#4  Wright would never take the posting, grom - he wouldn't want to be around that many Jooooooz. >:-(
Posted by: Barbara || 04/28/2012 16:22 Comments || Top||

#5  Not to mention all those white folks.
Posted by: SteveS || 04/28/2012 17:07 Comments || Top||

#6  Does he speak Dutch? Or Austrian?
Posted by: Frank G || 04/28/2012 17:27 Comments || Top||

#7  What a walloon.
Posted by: Blackbeard Noodleman4715 || 04/28/2012 18:53 Comments || Top||

#8  Blackbeard wins! :-D
Posted by: Barbara || 04/28/2012 23:03 Comments || Top||


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Islamist lawyer flees amid sharia law threats
A Muslim lawyer has gone into hiding amid threats and an outpouring of criticism after he publicly demanded the creation of sharia courts in the country.

Dagir Khasavov canceled an interview and went to an undisclosed safe house Thursday after armed men thought to be from Chechnya appeared at the station's premises on Novy Arbat, according to Khasavov's son. He said the men had identified themselves as members of Chechen tyrant Ramzan Kadyrov's security service.

Kadyrov issued an angry statement earlier this week in which he accused Khasavov of provoking Muslims and damaging Islam.

Arslan Khasavov said that his family was being threatened. He said, "We receive threats, although not from serious people," but refused to elaborate further. Khasavov did not confirm a report by the BBC that his father had left the country.

The Investigative Committee said Friday that it is looking into whether Khasavov's comments violate the section of the criminal code which bans inciting national or religious hatred.

Dagir Khasavov said in a television interview Tuesday that Muslims reject the country's court system and that attempts to prevent the creation of Sharia courts would end in bloodshed. He said, "We will flood the city with blood."

His comments sparked outrage. The liberal Yabloko party called upon authorities to open a criminal case against him. Muslim clerics stressed that their believers respect the constitution, which calls for the separation of and state.

Experts pointed out that, despite being unconstitutional, sharia courts already exist in the country. Alexander Verkhovsky of the Sova Center said, "In practice such courts already work in the rural North Caucasus."

Arslan Khasavov suggested that the television station had aired his father's quotes out of context. He wrote on his blog, "Why has the full recording not been shown?"
Posted by: ryuge || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336068 views] Top|| File under:

#1  DagirKhasavov said in a television interview Tuesday that Muslims reject the country's court system and that attempts to prevent the creation of Sharia courts would end in bloodshed. He said, "We will flood the city with blood."

"somebody else's blood, of course. I'm too important"
Posted by: Frank G || 04/28/2012 8:16 Comments || Top||


Europe
Italy cuts the size of its army
As Italy attempts to chip away at its mountainous public debt, the government's austerity drive has found a new target -- the armed forces. Long considered a hallowed institution that was immune from reform, the top-heavy army, navy and air force now face swingeing cuts in budgets and manpower.

The number of generals and admirals will be cut by a third, one in five colonels will be axed and the armed forces overall will be reduced from 183,000 to 150,000. Civilian staff will be reduced from 30,000 to 20,000.

Italy is one of the largest European contributors to the Nato-led force in Afghanistan and also has peacekeepers deployed in Kosovo and Lebanon.

The cuts were announced to parliament by the defence minister, Giampaolo Di Paola, who is an admiral in the navy and a former military chief of staff.

It is highly unusual for Italian defence ministers to be serving officers, but Di Paola was appointed as part of an unelected technocrat government which replaced the conservative coalition of Silvio Berlusconi in November, amid market jitters over Italy's massive debt.

The cuts were of "fundamental importance" and needed the widest political support, the minister told parliament in Rome. They are part of a far-reaching defence spending review, with the military budget for this year slashed by nearly a third.
Posted by: lotp || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336068 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Italy has a long way to go before it catches up with Greece
Quiz
Question: Who is the third biggest arms importer in the world, behind India and China?

Answer: Greece

Question: If Greece had spent the EU average on defence over the past 10 years (1.7% of GDP
rather than spending 4% of GDP on defence, how much money would it have saved?

Answer: 52% of GDP, or 150billion euros

So why are France and Germany not demanding that Greece cuts its defence spending?

Question: In the period 2006-2010 which country was Germany’s largest market for munitions?

Answer: Greece, which accounted for 15% of total German arms sales.

Question: In the same period, what country was France’s largest arms export market in Europe (third
largest overall)?

Answer: Greece

Question: In 2010 (last year data is available) social spending in Greece was cut by 1.8bn Euros.
How much did military spending change? Was it…

a) Decreased by Euro 900 million
b) No change
c) Increased by Euro 900million

Answer: C
Posted by: tipper || 04/28/2012 6:44 Comments || Top||

#2  To only three generals per every enlisted?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 04/28/2012 16:05 Comments || Top||


Afghanistan
Pakistan, Afghanistan, US consider safe passage for Taliban militants
"What a smooth, safe path you have, Grandma!"
"The better for the drones to follow you home with, my dear."
[Dawn] Pakistain, Afghanistan and the United States said they would explore ways to arrange safe passage for Afghan Talibs who wish to engage in peace talks, officials from the three countries said on Friday.

While not yet making an iron-clad guarantee, officials told a news conference in Islamabad they would form a group of experts to consider the proposal.

"We need to be able to find them, those who are willing to talk wherever they are," Afghan deputy foreign minister Jawed Luddin said. "We need to provide ... a safe passage and an environment where they feel safe and confident that they can engage in peace talks without any consequence."

Representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistain and the United States were meeting in Islamabad for two days as part of an initiative to revive stalled peace talks with the Afghan Taliban and to smooth relations between Washington and Islamabad.

Washington's Special Representative Marc Grossman led the US delegation. He was the highest-level American official to visit Pakistain since a Nov 26 cross-border attack by 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 left 24 Pak soldiers dead and the US-Pakistain relationship in tatters.

The United States has been working for more than a year to revive stalled peace talks with the Afghan Taliban as it prepares for the withdrawal of most foreign combat troops by the end of 2014.

That campaign has become central to US strategy as officials conclude the Afghan war will not end on the battlefield alone.

"We really welcome this ... initiative of the safe passage, which will mean our experts can meet and take this process further," Luddin said.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336064 views] Top|| File under: Taliban

#1  Is Ferdinand Foch’s railroad car available?
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 8:04 Comments || Top||


Bangladesh
Businesses 'forced to pay some politicians'
[Bangla Daily Star] Most businesspeople in the country are forced to pay a section of politicians for the sake of their lives and businesses, a top business leader has said.

"Most politicians feed on our money. We pay this money for our existence. We don't give it willingly," AK Azad, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), said yesterday.

According to him, it is the case now as it had been in the past.

Without naming any, Azad said: "We cannot respect politicians as we see one face of them before their becoming politicians and ministers and another face afterwards."

The top business leader was speaking at a seminar titled "Entrepreneurship: What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur" at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.

Bangladesh Youth Leadership Centre, a platform of youths, organised the three-day event with a theme "Leading Bangladesh into the future: a journey of exploration."

Azad said the country's GDP growth would have increased by 2 percentage points if the politicians were honest.

Annisul Huq, former president of FBCCI and Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry, echoed Azad's view, saying the society has become such a place where the business community has to "buy their own protection".

"You've to pay ransom to the influential people if you want to be an influential person. This is an open secret now," said Annisul.

He was also of the same view as Azad's that the young generation should come forward to cleanse the society.

Speaking on the state of media, Azad said there were two groups that ran the country's media organizations.

"While one section runs media outlets for raising voices against sufferings of the common people, the other group does it only to protect its businesses," he added.

The second group of people have thousands of acres of land, and the state machinery helps them grab more, alleged Azad, who is also the publisher of Bangla daily Samakal.

Geeteara Safiya Choudhury, chairman of Adcomm Ltd, and Salahuddin Kasem Khan, managing director of AK Khan & Company Ltd, also spoke on the occasion.
Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336068 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "Most politicians feed on our money. We pay this money for our existence. We don't give it willingly,"

Same here.
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 8:12 Comments || Top||

#2  Same here

But here it's largely been institutionalized for collecting and distributing the 'real money'.

Charlie Rangel is pretty much the last of the independent, old-time grafters.
Posted by: Pappy || 04/28/2012 9:54 Comments || Top||


Southeast Asia
Panetta, Clinton, Philippine leaders to discuss Pacific strategy
Posted by: ryuge || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336088 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Mek it good, + timely/expeditious ASAP AMAP ALAP - again, as per WORLD MIL FORUM, China's patience vee Manila on Scarborough Shoal is reaching its limits.

Safe to say ditto as per the rest of the South China Sea + East China Sea.

RISING CHINA WANTS "SOLE/SOVEREIGN" PLA BASE RIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE "FIRST ISLAND CHAIN", + ITS NOT GETTING IT.

* E.G. TOPIX > CHINA PLANS TO BUILD DOCK ON ISLAND [Hoang Sa = Chin Xisha = Paracels]BELONGING TO VIETNAM.

* SAME > VIETNAM SAYS CNOOC BIDS VIOLATE TERRITORY.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 04/28/2012 1:40 Comments || Top||

#2  Isn't it just too bad that after the volcano dumped its load on Clark AF and Subic Bay, that the Philippines did not negotiate another basing deal with us? After all, that would mean that US troops and equipment would still be there, protecting Manila and the other big cities.
Posted by: Shieldwolf || 04/28/2012 18:12 Comments || Top||

#3  Let's put it this way: Both sides wanted out. Fortunately Pinatubo stepped in, and the kabuki theater that were the negotiations finished it.
Posted by: Pappy || 04/28/2012 21:46 Comments || Top||


Economy
Falling Home Prices Drag New Home Owners Under Water
(Reuters) - More than 1 million Americans who have taken out mortgages in the past two years now owe more on their loans than their homes are worth, and Federal Housing Administration loans that require only a tiny down payment are partly to blame.

That figure, provided to Reuters by tracking firm CoreLogic, represents about one out of 10 home loans made during that period.

As of December 2011, the latest figures available, 31 percent of the U.S. home loans that were in negative equity - in which the outstanding loan balance exceeds the value of the home - were FHA-insured mortgages, according to CoreLogic.

Many borrowers, particularly since late 2010, thought they were buying at the bottom of a housing market that had already suffered steep declines, but have been caught out by a continued fall in prices in wide swaths of America.
Definitely got the change, but confused about the hope part.
Posted by: Snoter Speating5571 || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336066 views] Top|| File under:

#1  In related news: Thirty-five big U.S.-based multinational companies added jobs much faster than other U.S. employers in the past two years, but nearly three-fourths of those jobs were overseas, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 04/28/2012 0:25 Comments || Top||

#2  Recent home loaners who thought they were buying at the bottom of a doomed housing market turned out to be catchers of falling knives. Hard to be left holding the bag when your fingers have been cut off.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 04/28/2012 0:32 Comments || Top||

#3  If they bought the homes to live in and not as an investment they might be OK in 10 years. If they don't lose their job.
Posted by: tipover || 04/28/2012 1:31 Comments || Top||

#4  To complicate home purchasing even further, try buying a "short sale" property. The price as listed may NOT be the actual price if the lending institution does not "approve" the sale, the approval of which can take months. I suspect the bank must get gov't assurances that their loan will be restored, and that is the old up.

The housing market in Georgia has YET to bottom out as many houses remain empty, abandoned and unlisted. Evidently the banks (or gov't) do not want to flood an already fully saturated market.
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 6:53 Comments || Top||

#5  I like the Austrian school view. Houses are getting more affordable. This is good.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 04/28/2012 7:17 Comments || Top||

#6  I agree BP. Isn't it interesting though, the "rules" they just keep changing:

1. I put money in the bank and earn interest.
2. I take out a US Savings Bond each month.

3. My company has a pension plan.

4. I prefer 12 month CD's
5. My home is also an investment.
6 My 401k plan is growing nicely.
7. My PMI is tax deductable.
8. The Alternativer Minimum tax does not effect me.
9. The sale of my house is tax exempt.del>


Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 7:56 Comments || Top||

#7  Now it might not be a popular view here, but I think the economy has been structured so extracting "energy" from the economy without work seems untaxed, yet working etc is highly taxed. Seems to favour the politically connected very well.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 04/28/2012 8:40 Comments || Top||

#8  Obama hasn't been paying mortgages, as expected.
Posted by: badanov || 04/28/2012 9:17 Comments || Top||

#9  Not subsidising excessive borrowers is GOOD not bad. Just need to stop subsidising banks (in reality their bondholders) now...
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 04/28/2012 9:54 Comments || Top||


China-Japan-Koreas
More N. Korean Workers to Earn Valuta for Pudgy
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently issued an order to send as many workers as possible abroad to earn hard currency, never mind the risk of defections, according to a South Korean government source.
Chattel slavery the communist way...
This is a relatively unconventional position given that the North Korean regime has tried to limit the number of workers abroad to prevent "contamination" by foreign influences.

The source said North Korea has dispatched over 30,000 workers to some 40 countries around the world and plans to send out another 10,000 this year. "The reason is that sanctions by the international community have dried up North Korea's sources of cash," the source added.

The North Korean workers abroad make over US$100 million a year in foreign currency. The monthly salary of these workers varies from US$200 to $1,000 depending on region and industry, but they get only 10 to 20 percent of the salary while the regime takes the rest. The share that goes to the regime, which is handled by a Workers Party department known as Room 39, is billed as party loyalty funds, tax, insurance, and accommodation.

Room 39 manages Kim's funds and directs businesses earning foreign currency through 17 overseas offices and 100 trade firms under its roof. During Kim Jong-il's reign, it made an average of $300-400 million a year. About $100 million came from workers' salaries, $100-200 million from export of weapons, trade in forged currency and drugs, and another $100 million from economic cooperation with South Korea.

But when package tours to Mt. Kumgang for South Koreans came to a halt in July 2008, it lost a steady source of some $50 million a year. North Korea's arms export industry suffered hugely from sanctions imposed by the international community after its nuclear and missile tests in 2009, and the fatal blow came when South Korea halted all trade after the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan in 2009. Room 39's annual income has reportedly dropped to $200 million.

A diplomatic source said, "Kim Jong-un must be desperate for money because he has to buy gifts and throw parties to ensure the loyalty of his inner circle. North Korea has no other choice but to increase the number of workers overseas." Dispatch of additional 10,000 workers is expected to boost Kim Jong-un's funds to $300 million a year.
Posted by: Steve White || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336063 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Again, 20,000 NOKOR Civilians repor mainly just starved to death since the recent passing of Kim Jong-il, + in one of the DPRK'S MAJOR AGRICULTURE = RICE PROVINCES.

Pyongyang may finally be losing any local semblance or ability, etc. to control the famine in North Korea, + irregardless of any food aid or new higher food aid???

Jong-un = "Pudgy" must do what has never been done before.

--------------


* DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > NORTH KOREA MAY SEE ITS END IN [Regime] COLLAPSE: FORMER WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR. Victor Cha.

> Untested New Guy in Power = Jong-un.
> Perennial Econ Problems.
> Perennial Food Problems = mass starvation/ famine.
> ROK = SOKOR POLICY OF INDUCING NOKOR REGIME COLLAPSE IS WORKING.

* WORLD MILITARY FORUM > NORTH KOREA DARE NOT DISRESPECT OR ANGER CHINA, "ESCAPE ROUTE(S)" OF KIM FAMILY FROM PYONGYANG + COUNTRY IS WELL-KNOWN IN BEIJING.

Iff the tens of thousands of PLA's Security Troops already protecting the Kim Family + Regime from post-Collapse chaos + retribution don't do a Roman Empire-style "Praetorian Guard" betrayal agz Jong-un, etc. CHINA WILL GET HIM [+ them] IFF DURING ANY ESCAPE FROM PYONGYANG.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 04/28/2012 1:31 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Agreement to merge Yemen's intelligence services
[Yemen Post] Yemen President Abdurabu Mansour Hadi
...the second and possibly the last president of Yemen, successor to former President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh...
and Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Robert Mueller have agreed to merge the Political Security and the National Security, the two intelligence services, well informed sources affirmed.

Sources close to the Military Committee formed under the GCC deal said that they further discussed the increase of Al-Qaeda activities, Iran's influence in Yemen as well as possibilities of cooperation with regional and international states to encounter Iran's activities.

The sources said they discussed the reorganization of Yemen's security and military services and ending the divisions of the military according to scientific and modern approaches that could facilitate the defeat of Al-Qaeda.

Mueller affirmed to Hadi that the White House will not accept any repeating of rebellions against Hadi's decrees in the upcoming days, the sources went on.

During the meeting, Hadi demanded the US government to provide Yemen's army with complicated weapons to encounter Al-Qaeda.

Mueller arrived in Sana'a on Tuesday and discussed Yemen's updates and how to translate the GCC deal into realty. He affirmed that the US will strongly supports Yemen at all levels to achieve stability and security and create atmosphere of development and progress.

Hadi highly appreciated Washington's attitudes toward Yemen, pointing out that the US played significant role in reaching a political settlement in Yemen.

In the meeting attended by the US Ambassador to Yemen, Gerald Feierstein, Hadi and Muller discussed efforts of counterterrorism, in particular fighting against Al-Qaeda in some southern governorates.

Feierstein has praised the government's renewed offensive against Al Qaeda, coming after months in which the terror group had taken advantage of internal turmoil to overrun parts of the south.

Posted by: Fred || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336081 views] Top|| File under: Arab Spring

#1  Mueller affirmed to Hadi that the White House will not accept any repeating of rebellions against Hadi's decrees in the upcoming days, the sources went on.

"Decrees" and Executive Orders.... same, same right? Ok, I now understand.
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/28/2012 9:13 Comments || Top||


China-Japan-Koreas
S. Korea Pushes for Bigger Missile Payload
The government is seeking to persuade the U.S. not only to extend the range of South Korea's missiles but to increase the size of the warheads it is allowed to mount on them.

Existing missile guidelines signed by South Korea and the U.S. in 1979 and revised in 2001, limit the range of Seoul's ballistic missiles to 300 km and their payload to 500 kg, and any longer range would require their payloads to be reduced. That way South Korea has been effectively prohibited from developing solid fuel-powered rockets that can be turned into mid to long-range ballistic missiles.

But now Seoul feels the threat from North Korea and the regional arms race make these restrictions dangerous and obsolete. In the next round of talks with Washington to revise the missile guidelines, it plans to raise both the issues of boosting the range and scrapping limits on payloads, a government source said Wednesday.

Military officials recently unveiled the Hyunmu-3 cruise missile with a maximum range of between 500 and 1,500 km, whose payload must under the existing missile guidelines be reduced if the range is extended. If the size of the payloads is increased, it will be possible for the country to develop unmanned aerial vehicles that can be mounted with larger warheads or missiles.

The government has been in talks with the U.S. officials to extend the maximum range of ballistic missiles from 300 km to between 800 and 1,000 km. But Washington has dug in its heels.
Posted by: Steve White || 04/28/2012 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [336066 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Excuse me but - why do we care?
Posted by: Water Modem || 04/28/2012 1:06 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
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Two weeks of WOT
Sat 2012-04-28
   21 Taliban Insurgents Killed in Clashes
Fri 2012-04-27
  Separate bomb blasts rock Nigeria's newspapers, at least six killed
Thu 2012-04-26
  Libya bans religious, tribal or ethnic parties
Wed 2012-04-25
  Sacked Yemen Air Force Commander Quits Post
Tue 2012-04-24
  India orders deportation of 10 French nationals over Maoist links
Mon 2012-04-23
  Kazakh court sends 47 men to prison for terrorism
Sun 2012-04-22
  Tons of Explosives Seized from Militants Planning Attack in Kabul
Sat 2012-04-21
  Sudan Rebels Kill 79 Troops, Militia in Blue Nile
Fri 2012-04-20
  8 die in Michoacan state as conflict goes hot
Thu 2012-04-19
  Qaeda leader suicide bombs himself and family in Iraq
Wed 2012-04-18
  Hadi Refuses to receive Former Yemen President
Tue 2012-04-17
  UN Camp in South Sudan Targeted by Sudanese Warplanes
Mon 2012-04-16
  US drone strike kills senior al-Qaeda Militant in Yemen
Sun 2012-04-15
  Afghan capital hit by blasts, gun attack
Sat 2012-04-14
  U.S. drone strike kills 7 al-Qaeda members in Yemen

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