First comment by Assad
DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syria will put its resources at the disposal of Lebanon to help cope with Israeli attacks devastating the country, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Lebanese President Emile Lahoud by phone on Saturday.
The official news agency SANA said Assad expressed solidarity with Lebanon, where Israeli bombing has killed around 100 civilians since Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border operation on Wednesday.
It was the first comment by Assad since the confrontation began between Israel and Hizbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran.
SANA did not say whether Assad discussed Hizbollah during the telephone call with Lahoud and gave no details on what kind of help he was offering.
The ruling Baath Party said in a communiqué on Friday that Syria fully supports Hizbollah, although Washington has said Damascus must pressure Hizbollah to release the Israeli soldiers and stop its cross-border attacks.
Syria's border crossings have become Lebanon's only outlet to the world after Israel blockaded the country and attacked its airport and seaports.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
07/15/2006 20:54
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#6
One has flashbacks of the WW 2 Italian Army promoting its machismo to the Reich. (Except the Arabs ain't the Reich...performance of Muslim SS Division and losses in '48, '56, '67, '73, and '82 proved that...)
REUTERS - read with caution
BAGHDAD, July 15 (Reuters) - Iraq's U.S.-backed government denounced Israel's "criminal" raids on Lebanon and Gaza and the prime minister warned on Saturday that violence could escalate across the Middle East.
In a rare public foray into affairs beyond Iraq's borders, the premier's office said in a statement: "Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki denounces the Israeli raids on Lebanon and warns of the consequences of escalation in the region.
"The prime minister calls on Arab foreign ministers to meet to take a clear stand that condemns the criminal acts in Lebanon and Gaza and affirms this assault will make Lebanon's people more united and cohesive in the face of the Israeli challenge."
Arab foreign ministers held an emergency meeting in Cairo on Saturday to discuss ways to end Israeli attacks.
The Iraqi government, installed two months ago in a U.S.-sponsored electoral process, has focused its foreign policy on mending frosty relations with its neighbours, partly to improve security by hindering foreign aid to guerrilla groups.
Other Arabs have been suspicious of Iraq's new rulers, partly because of the dominant U.S. military role in Baghdad. Maliki has been at pains recently to demonstrate independence and to improve ties with the mostly Sunni Muslim Arab leaders.
Some of his fellow Shi'ite Islamists in the coalition government, notably followers of radical young cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, have voiced support for Hizbollah, the militant Shi'ite group that is the main target of Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
The democratic rise of Islamist leaders from Iraq's Shi'ite majority oppressed under Saddam Hussein, has created delicate diplomatic problems for the United States, particularly in view of those leaders' links to Shi'ite Iran, Washington's most powerful enemy in the region and a supporter of Hizbollah.
As elsewhere in the Middle East, criticism of Israel, the United States' closest ally there, is also widespread in Iraq.
The speaker of parliament, a Sunni, accused "Jewish Israeli Zionists" this week of fomenting sectarian unrest in Iraq to thwart efforts by Sunnis and Shi'ites to build an Islamic state.
Washington has taken a dim view of Mahmoud al-Mashhadani's comments. A person speaking in Baghdad on Saturday on condition of being quoted only as a Western diplomat told reporters: "It is a shame that the speaker of parliament would make comments like that. It doesn't show responsibility...
"These comments are not representative of the government."
#6
I've never, ever, met an Arab that could talk about Israel without losing his cool and devolving into spittle. It's obviously congenital indoctrination.
On the other hand, I have met a couple of Persians (who had escaped the "revolution" and were living in the US) that could contain themselves, but others who had the same stupid knee-jerk you refer to.
It's an eye-opener to see someone you thought you knew well suddenly become a stark raving lunatic who's lost any capacity for rational thought. All you can do is write them off.
#13
maybe Islam and democracy really aren't compatible.
Told you so!
Posted by: Jack Shiraq ||
07/15/2006 22:38
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I don't say that lightly because I believe all are created equal. But I'm not sure that a religion that requires that church and state to be inseperable can function as a democracy when that religion is based on the concept that there are good people and then there are infidels which need to be eliminated from society to solve societies ills. I know I'm not saying anything that anyone doesn't know already - but these societies that are born and bred on the concept of victimization - anything and everything wrong can be blamed on the jews - aren't going to be able to rally the people away from demogogues who are willing to say - everything would be ok if we could just get rid of the jews.
But keep in mind - that the problem plaguing Islamic countries is exactly the same problem that plagues our own Democratic party. If your life isn't going well - blame "The Man". It's easy to see exactly the same dynamic at play here at home, and in Europe. Our Democrats are also willing to fall prey to the same self-destructive behavior be it on crime, illegal immigration, poor schools, poverty etc. You don't need to actually DO anything - you just blame a convenient Satan (George Bush, ENRON, or OTHER people who drive SUV's etc.) and you are absolved of your responsibility to make difficult choices or personal sacrifice. Thus you see the Democrats and self-proclaimed liberal elites allowing themselves to be willing participants in policies that are clearly self-destructive. To prove my point - look at how they are willing to work against their own interests on the war in Iraq or immigration or tax cuts. It's because there will always be a segment of society willing to whipped up into following someone in a position of power that is willing to tell them that they needed not do anything other than blame Someone Else(TM) and that by blaming Someone Else(TM) their job is done and they are superior for doing so.
Just scream heretic, or witch or racist or sexist and viola! you have not only identified and solved the problem - but you have established your own superiority in the process.
Islam as a religion demands that its followers identify infidels and eliminate them. But it's not that different than what the far left of our Democratic Party - or the European elites are doing as well.
Toughening its stand after the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, India on Saturday formally told Pakistan that the Foreign Secretary-level talks had been called off.
The talks were scheduled for July 20.
New dates for the talks, meant to review the third round of composite dialogue, have also not been proposed.
The new dates will be decided later, diplomatic sources said.
The decision was conveyed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to the Pakistan High Commission, a day after the government emphasised that the attacks in Mumbai had "vitiated" the atmosphere for the talks.
This move will also be conveyed by Indian High Commission in Islamabad to Pakistan Foreign Office.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said that the Mumbai blasts had put a "question mark" on the peace initiative with Pakistan as "it is becoming difficult" for India to take forward the process in view of the terror strike.
"Each time such incident takes place, we point out that our ability, like in any democracy, to take the peace process forward is dependent on public opinion," he told reporters.
"We have to take people along. Every time something like this takes place, it undermines public opinion. Negative public opinion and anger is created and whether we like it or not, it puts a question mark on the process," Saran said.
Refusing to specify what could be the threshold for tolerance of terrorism, he simply said that "as a result of this terrible terrorist incident, it is becoming difficult to take the peace process forward."
Another Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said that the talks with Pakistan were not on New Delhi's immediate agenda.
Saran, however, emphasised that India was "very much committed" to the peace process with Pakistan and pointed out that New Delhi had initiated a number of confidence-building measures, most of which relate to Jammu and Kashmir.
An Egyptian civilian ship off the coast of Lebanon was hit during an exchange of fire between Hizbollah and the Israeli military, Egypt's foreign ministry confirmed on Saturday, but the crew of 12 survived.
"The 12 sailors have reached Syria safely," Foreign Ministry spokesman Alaa el-Hadidi said, adding there were no casualties among the crew of the Egyptian-owned ship.
The Egyptian ship was hit early on Saturday after Hizbollah launched an attack against a fleet of military vessels Israel has deployed to impose a naval siege on Lebanon after Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers on Wednesday.
Israel said that a missile fired at an Israeli naval vessel off Lebanon missed its target and hit the Egyptian civilian boat instead. Egypt's state news agency MENA reported the ship was hit by mistake by Israeli fire.
"It (the ship) was hit and it was damaged," Hadidi added, saying it appeared the vessel was caught in crossfire between Israeli forces and Hizbollah. But he said it was too early to say which side had fired the shot that hit the ship.
"It's a war zone," he said.
The official Syrian news agency SANA said the sailors were receiving treatment in a Syrian hospital.
The sailors were transported to the port of Tartous, where a health official said most of them were in a stable condition, except for one sailor who had serious wounds, SANA said.
Israel has vowed to recover the captured soldiers and smash Hizbollah. Israeli warplanes have struck targets across Beirut and southern Lebanon, killing at least 103 people.
The violence is the fiercest since 1996 when Israel launched a 17-day blitz on Hizbollah strongholds in south Lebanon, four years before ended a 22-year Israeli occupation there.
#2
IMO more akin to the wilful murder of Russian diploms, i.e. an attempt to disguise weakness andor looming defeat by wilful expansion of hostilities to third-party nations. * EGYPT = ROADRUNNER > THE WILE E. COYOTE OF MADMOUD = RADICAL IRAN IS AFTER HIM. World Muslim nations are all future provinces of the Radical Iranian Shia Empire-Global State, where Tehran, NOT Cairo-Alexandria, or Instanbul, etal. traditional centres of Muslim power law and thought, has the final say.
Officer says Israeli planes struck houses in Southern Lebanon villages used by Hizbullah for concealing long-range rockets. We have no intention of hitting civilians, but those who live by the sword are bound to get hurt, he states
A senior IDF official revealed Saturday that Hizbullah has been hiding a large quantity of long-range rockets in specially-designed rooms built in houses in Southern Lebanon villages, operating under the assumption that the Israeli army will have difficulty in locating them and that it would prefer not to harm villages.
According to the official, the rockets that have been concealed are capable of reaching a range of 40-70 kilometers (roughly 25-43 miles). We took the gloves off in this confrontation, we targeted these places and will hit every convoy transporting arms, even if there are Iranian elements within it, he stated.
However, as the IDF intelligence unit believes that there are those in Lebanon capable of bringing about a significant turnabout in the country by curbing Hizbullah, it was decided that the pressure exerted on the Lebanese government will be limited, so as not to jeopardize this possibility.
Three days after the onset of the large-scale operation in Lebanon, army sources estimate that Hizbullahs head Hassan Nasrallah had expected a much more restrained Israeli response to the kidnapping of two soldiers on its border. He didnt expect us to reach all those villages and substantially damage the long-range rocket infrastructure, the senior officer said.
According to the officer, civilians who were storing the rockets in their houses have been hit in some of the strikes. We have no intention of hurting civilians, but those who live by the sword are bound to get hurt, he stressed. The strike on Beirut, he stated, was also a surprise for Nasrallah. Its true that he has surprises for us as well. Some we know of, some we dont, he said.
According to an assessment formulated by the IDF intelligence unit, there are positive forces in Lebanon capable of bringing about a much desired transformation in the country by pushing Hizbullah aside and undermining its strength. The recent operation will therefore refrain from pressuring the Lebanese government in order not to weaken these forces.
In the last three months no official element in Lebanon has confronted Hizbullah and the regime has regularly complied with the organizations demands. However, the IDF believes that some in the neighboring state are strong enough to stand up to Hizbullah, and that they must be encouraged to act.
We have no problem with having a Lebanese APC patrolling the border once this happens, a senior officer said.
However, an army official stressed that the IDF will not be content with having the current round of fighting on the northern border end with vague achievements. Pushing Hizbullah away from Southern Lebanon and the deployment of a Lebanese division in the area will not satisfy Israel, which aims for a significant transformation in the region.
yep.
We are seeking for law enforcement and order. Such deployment without arranged understandings is out of the question, the officer said.
I don't see the Israeli left holding sway whilst the country is on war footing, with three kidnapped soldiers at risk and rockets reining down on civilians.
The UN fartwicks, combined with the Arab League fartwicks, will howl, but national security is preeminent. So far, Bush seems to get it.
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/15/2006 17:44
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A senior IDF official revealed Saturday that Hizbullah has been hiding a large quantity of long-range rockets in specially-designed rooms built in houses in Southern Lebanon villages, operating under the assumption that the Israeli army will have difficulty in locating them and that it would prefer not to harm villages.
Butt-loads of secondary explosions should dispel that idea.
Fuck anyone who lets terrorists store explosives in their house. Let's start fighting according to the Geneva Conventions -- this is a violation, the use of civilian structures for military use. The Israelis are released from targeting restrictions; any restraint they use from now on is by choice, not legal necessity.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
07/15/2006 18:21
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Damn stright RC. Israel should make this very-very public and let everyone know that Hizbullah ( if not Lebanon ) have VIOLATED THE GENEVA CONVENTION and will no longer be given GC protections.
Since when has Hizbullah given any Israeli GC accomodations?
ROME - Italy began evacuating its nationals from Lebanon on Saturday and France was preparing to do the same as Israeli planes pounded the country. Some 410 people left Beirut on an Italian convoy early on Saturday, Italys Foreign Ministry said. The group was mostly made up of Italians and other Europeans, who were expected to arrive in the Syrian port city of Latakia in the coming hours.
Two C130 Italian military aircraft will then fly the group back to Rome, with help from a commercial flight departing from Cyprus, the ministry said.
About 1,000 Italians were still in Lebanon and had not indicated they wanted to leave, the Foreign Ministry said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006
15:46 ||
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#1
About 1,000 Italians were still in Lebanon and had not indicated they wanted to leave, the Foreign Ministry said.
JAKARTA, Indonesia - A moderate earthquake struck in eastern Indonesian waters on Saturday, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, meteorological officials and residents said.
The epicenter of the 5.8-magnitude quake was beneath the Banda Sea, and around 230 kilometers (145 miles) southwest of Ambon, the capital of Maluku province, the US Geological Survey said on its Web site. Lukman, an official at the Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Agency who goes by only one name, said there were no reports of casualties or damage. Residents in Ambon said they did not even feel the quake.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006
15:44 ||
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#1
Here on Guam, we had three very short but intense quakes two days ago. Felt the same as accelerating your POV but then having to suddenly stop or decelerate. As of this post, still a'feelin shakes.
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Irans embassy in Beirut issued a statement late Saturday denying Iran had any troops in Lebanon - disputing an Israeli claim that 100 Iranian soldiers helped Hezbollah attack an Israeli warship, Irans official news agency reported.
"No, no! Certainly not!"
The statement, reported on the agencys Web site, called the Israeli report meaningless. It is an attempt to escape reality with the aim of covering up (Israels) inability to confront the Lebanese nation and resistance, the statement said.
Since he's a diplomat he's practiced for years to keep his lips from falling off.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad condemned Israels military offensive in Lebanon, telling state television the Zionist regime behaves like Hitler. The fake Israeli regime has been imposed in the region on the basis of a false conspiracy to organize aggression and oppression, he was quoted as saying. The survival of this regime is not possible without oppression and aggression, he said.
Few people know more about using oppression and agreession to keep a regime around than the Mad Mullahs.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006
15:40 ||
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#1
Of COURSE they don't have soldiers in Lebanon.
They're Revolutionary Guard. Don't report to the Army leaders, their leash is held by the MM.
LONDON - Britain is to send two Royal Navy warships to the Middle East as part of the contingency planning for a possible evacuation of its nationals from Lebanon, the Ministry of Defence in London said on Saturday. The vessels -- the fleets flagship aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious and HMS Bulwark -- will be sent to the region but had been given no specific tasking, a spokeswoman said. As you would expect we are monitoring the situation closely and are engaging in prudent contingency planning. As part of this HMS Illustrious and HMS Bulwark will shortly head towards the region, she added.
The carrier has to have some escorts but these aren't mentioned. I'd expect a couple of frigates and a nuclear attack sub at the minimum.
Sky News television reported that the Illustrious was currently berthed in Gibraltar, Britains overseas territory on the tip of southern Spain, and had been due to return to Portsmouth, on Englands south coast. The vessel, or Lusty as she is affectionately known by her crew, has recently been on patrol in the Mediterranean. HMS Bulwark is an amphibious assault ship that has recently been on duties in the northern Gulf.
Britains Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is currently advising its nationals against all travel to Lebanon. The country has an estimated 10,000 citizens in Lebanon. They have been warned by the FCO and officials on the ground to be prepared to depart at short notice.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006
15:37 ||
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#1
Ok, so the US has 3 carriers "in the Pacific" (NORK, anyone?) 1 in the South China Sea and 1 in the Atlantic. So the Brits will do carrier duty in "the middle east", where we also have a command ship in the Mediterranean and the Iwo Jima strike group in the Red Sea.
JERUSALEM - The Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah has rockets capable of reaching Israels economic capital of Tel Aviv, an Israeli military intelligence official told AFP on Saturday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that Hezbollah was believed to have around 150 long-range rockets capable of reaching targets between 45 and 200 kilometres (25 to 120 miles) away.
He said that Israel believed the Lebanese militia could use these rockets to target Tel Aviv, a city of more than one million people located around 120 kilometres south of the Lebanese border.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah boasted in May that his movement had no fewer than 12,000 missiles in its arsenal. Around 100 are believed to be Zelsal-1 missiles, with the necessary 150-kilometre range to reach Tel Aviv, according to the authoritative Janes Defence Weekly.
The Zelzal missile is one of a family of solid-fuel missiles, according to Wikipedia. The Iranians developed these with considerable help from the Chinese in the early 1990s. According to Missile Threat, the three variants (-1, -2, -3) have at best a simple, inertial guidance system with ranges of 150 to 400 km and a 600 kg payload. Apparently they're mobile enough to be mounted on a truck launcher. According to the latter source, Hezbollah received about 220 of these or variant type missiles from Iran in 2004; they're stored in the Bekaa.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006
15:25 ||
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Your government, your social institutions, your schools, and your economy are all in ruins.
Your young people are growing up illiterate, ill, and bent on rites of death and suicide, while you, in effect, are living on the kindness of foreigners, including America and the United Nations.
Every day your officials must beg for your daily bread, dependent on relief trucks that carry food and medicine into the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, while your criminal Muslim fundamentalist Hamas government continues to fan the flames of a war it can neither fight nor hope to win.
In other words, brothers, you are down, out, and alone in a burnt-out landscape that is shrinking by the day.
What kind of struggle is this? Is it worth waging at all?
More important, what kind of miserable future does it portend for your children, the fourth or fifth generation of the Arab worlds have-nots?
We, your Arab brothers, have moved on.
Those of us who have oil money are busy accumulating wealth and building housing, luxury developments, state-of-the-art universities and schools, and new highways and byways.
Those of us who share borders with Israel, such as Egypt and Jordan, have signed a peace treaty with it and are not going to war for you any time soon.
Those of us who are far away, in places like North Africa and Iraq, frankly could not care less about what happens to you.
Only Syria continues to feed your fantasies that someday it will join you in liberating Palestine, even though a huge chunk of its territory, the entire Golan Heights, was taken by Israel in 1967 and annexed.
The Syrians, my friends, will gladly fight down to the last Palestinian Arab.
Before you got stuck with this Hamas crowd, another cheating, conniving, leader of yours, Yasser Arafat, sold you a rotten bill of goods more pain, greater corruption, and millions stolen by his relatives while your children played in the sewers of Gaza.
The war is over. Why not let a new future begin? Many years ago, I gave a potentially very dangerous convert to Islam some sage advice. "Allah loves those that pray and live in peace, who raise their children with all the knowledge of the world they are able, who disregard slight and insult, and treat women with courtesy, in exactly the same ways as men should be treated, oppressing them not in the least." This I followed up by saying "Use your judgement. Look who Allah smiles upon in the world. The Moslem who fights, kills and dies against endless hated enemies, or the Moslem who lives a life of peace, knowledge and kindness?" I concluded with, "See how Allah even smiles more on the Christian, Jew, or even Atheist, who follow a path of peace, compared to the Moslem who follows the path of war, violence and the oppression of women and children."
"Do not listen to men who say Allah loves war. Look instead to the word of Allah made truth in the world. The world is the Koran, and the Koran is always right, in all times and all places. So live in peace, always--prosper and be beloved of Allah." Now damn, wasn't that poetic?
SANAA - A Yemeni court on Saturday acquitted 23 men on charges of forming an armed group that planned to go to Iraq and fight US-led forces there. But the court found 21 of the men guilty of faking official documents, and handed down jail terms of between three years and two months, and three years and four months. Two men were acquitted of all charges.
They'll all be out within a year on an amnesty, so no need to tunnel to the nearest mosque ...
Earlier this month, another court acquitted 19 men, including five Saudis, charged with planning attacks against US interests in the Arab country due to lack of evidence.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006
15:11 ||
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from Fox news broadcast of press conference with Bolton. Link to online story as it's posted. Resolution imposes embargo of missile technology, parts etc.
Asked about Iran, he said "I've been working on North Korea for the last 11 days, we'll start on Iran in about an hour."
Asked how this resolution might be enforced, he said "There are national technical means to monitor compliance and there are national means to enforce it.
U.N. passes resolution condemning N. Korea
UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Saturday condemning North Koreafs recent missile tests and demanding that the reclusive communist nation suspend its ballistic missile program.
The agreement was reached after a last-minute compromise between Japan, the United States and Britain, who wanted a tough statement, and Russia and China, who favored weaker language.
The deal culminated 10 days of difficult negotiations.
The council has acted swiftly and robustly in response to the reckless and condemnable act of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, said Japan's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Chintaro Ito.
In the final negotiations, the council was divided on one issue: if the resolution should be adopted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which allows for military force to make sure the resolution is obeyed.
China had threatened to veto any resolution that mentioned Chapter 7 and in the final compromise it was dropped. The resolution adopted Saturday by a 15-0 vote states that the Security Council was acting under its special responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
So Bolton is saying that the resolution doesn't rule out UN-approved intevention but if the UN doesn't do it, we will?
It demands that North Korea suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile program, and that Pyongyang re-establish a moratorium on missile launching.
#7
I am guessing, based on his wording, that he told the rest of the Security Council that if they did not stop NORK's missile program, we would. They could play or could be visibly irrelevant.
#9
Lord I love this guy. Thank you Bush for putting him in there after that despicable display of cowardice in the Senate hearing. And I can't imagine the patience it takes not to begin slitting throats at the UN. If patience is a virtue (not using the Devil's Dictionary entry here), then he's certainly a better man than me.
A yakuza gang has asked the local education board not to show schoolchildren an anti-gang video local police are producing for fear it will lead to discrimination of gangsters' children, it was learned Saturday.
The Kitakyushu Municipal Board of Education is wondering how to respond to the request.
"The video is still being produced, and we haven't decided whether to distribute them to schools. We'll consult with police and other relevant organizations before deciding how to respond to the request," a board official said.
Fukuoka Prefectural Police's Kitakyushu regional anti-gang headquarters denied that it would constitute discrimination. "If you see the video, you will understand it will not cause any discrimination," an official of the headquarters said.
On June 29, the board received a letter titled, "Petition," signed by Takeo Hayashi, supreme adviser to the Kudo-kai crime syndicate, and its secretary-general, Mitsuhide Honda.
"If the video is shown at schools, children of crime syndicate members will be bullied. It would constitute discrimination," the letter partly reads.
The video tells the story of a lower-ranking gangster who joined a crime syndicate because he adored money and power but regrets having been only exploited by the organization.
The anti-gang headquarters is expected to complete production of the video sometime between late July and early August. (Mainichi)
#2
"fear it will lead to discrimination of gangsters' children"
Here's an idea - if you're so worried about your children being feared and hated discriminated against because of your being a gangster, howzabout not being a gangster?
Just a thought. If you really cared about your children.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/15/2006 19:14
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#3
let em watch Black Rain
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 19:25
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#6
In my humble experience, Yakuza have a rather unique postion in Japanese society. They're a mafia, but Japanese police don't take them head-on unless the yakuza cause trouble. The Yakuza keep a low profile. The Japanese public, while knowing what they do and who they are, have a sort-of 'romantic' view of them.
Gunmen ambushed an Iraqi Army checkpoint in northern Iraq yesterday, killing 12 soldiers and wounding one, in one of the deadliest single attacks in months against the US-trained Iraqi forces. In more bloodshed that has pushed Iraq close to sectarian civil war, bomb and mortar rounds aimed at mosques killed 14 people in and near Baghdad, while in the south gunmen sprayed a minibus with machine-gunfire, killing five Shiite pilgrims.
Gunmen in four cars and armed with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns attacked an army checkpoint in the town of Rashad near Kirkuk, 250 km north of Baghdad, Iraqi army Maj. Gen. Anwar Hamad Ameen said. This area is a stronghold for Takfirists and terrorists, Ameen told Reuters.
A bomb struck a Sunni mosque in Baghdad after Friday prayers, killing 14 people and wounding five, defying a driving ban aimed at preventing such attacks, while mortars barraged a Shiite mosque north of the capital. The attack against the Sunni mosque occurred about 2 p.m. as worshippers were leaving after religious services in northern Baghdad, police Lt. Mohammed Khayoun said, adding that the bomb was planted near the door of the mosque.
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Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
14:56 ||
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This isn't gonna be over in a day or two, folks. It's a real war and not a 'police action'. But then, regulars at the Burg already knew that ...
Defense Minister Amir Peretz is set to declare Saturday the coming into effect of a special situation in the home front. The announcement will enable the security forces to instruct the shutting down of schools, to operate essential industries and to close certain areas for traffic. The declaration is aimed at narrowing the damages of the expanding fighting in the north.
Peretz ordered the Home Front Command chief to conduct a detailed mapping of the areas in which the instruction is set to be implemented. This will serve the IDF chief of staff, the Northern Command chief and other bodies in giving out instructions that will protect and save lives and property.
In the framework of this new decree, the authorized elements will be able to issue orders in designated areas that will be defined as exposed to the rocket threat, in order to protect the population.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the governments secretary Israel Maimon were notified of the decree Saturday afternoon. The cabinet is set to discuss an expansion of the decree within 48 hours, and it will also be discussed by the Knessets Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
In a briefing held by the senior IDF Air Force, Navy and intelligence officials on Saturday it was reported that some 700 rockets have been fired at Israels territory in recent days, 100 of which on Saturday alone.
Major-General Gadi Eizenkot, head of the General Staff Operations Directorate, said that the attacks were aimed at hurting Israeli civilians. We are making a great effort to curb the terrorists capabilities. The people of Israel, who have shown impressing resilience, are being asked to remain in protected areas.
I can say that the enemy has sustained much greater damages than it expected. And we are pleased with the scope of our strikes against Hizbullah, he stated.
Don't usually agree with Friedman, but he does a good job describing the dwindling hope for democracy in ME
When you watch the violence unfolding in the Middle East today, it is easy to feel that you've been to this movie before and that you know how it ends badly. But we actually have not seen this movie before. Something new is unfolding, and we'd better understand it.
What we are seeing in Iraq, the Palestinian territories and Lebanon is an effort by Islamist parties to use elections to pursue their long-term aim of Islamizing the Arab-Muslim world. This is not a conflict about Palestinian or Lebanese prisoners in Israel. This is a power struggle within Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq over who will call the shots in their newly elected "democratic" governments and whether they will be real democracies.
The tiny militant wing of Hamas today is pulling all the strings of Palestinian politics, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah Shiite Islamic party is doing the same in Lebanon, even though it is a small minority in the cabinet, and so, too, are the Iranian-backed Shiite parties and militias in Iraq. They are not only showing who is boss inside each new democracy, but they are also competing with one another for regional influence.
As a result, the post-9/11 democracy experiment in the Arab-Muslim world is being hijacked. Yes, basically free and fair elections were held in Lebanon, the Palestinian territories and Iraq. Yes, millions turned out to vote because the people of the Arab-Muslim world really do want to shape their own futures.
But the roots of democracy are so shallow in these places, and the moderate majorities so weak and intimidated, that we are getting the worst of all worlds. We are getting Islamist parties who are elected to power, but who insist on maintaining their own private militias and refuse to assume all the responsibilities of a sovereign government. They refuse to let their governments have control over all weapons. They refuse to be accountable to international law (the Lebanese-Israeli border was ratified by the United Nations), and they refuse to submit to the principle that one party in the Cabinet cannot drag a whole country into war.
"Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinians all held democratic elections," said the Israeli political theorist Yaron Ezrahi, "and the Western expectation was that these elections would produce legitimate governments that had the power to control violence and would assume the burden of responsibility of governing. But what happened in all three places is that we (produced) governments which are sovereign only on paper, but not over a territory."
Then why do parties like Hamas and Hezbollah get elected? Often because they effectively run against the corruption of the old secular state-controlled parties, noted Ezrahi. But once these Islamists are in office they revert to serving their own factional interests, not those of the broad community.
Boutros Harb, a Christian Lebanese parliamentarian, said: "We must decide who has the right to make decisions on war and peace in Lebanon. Is that right reserved for the Lebanese people and its legal institutions, or is the choice in the hands of a small minority of Lebanese people?"
Ditto in the fledgling democracies of Palestine and Iraq. When cabinet ministers can maintain their own militias and act outside of state authority, said Ezrahi, you're left with a "meaningless exercise" in democracy/state building.
Why don't the silent majorities punish these elected Islamist parties for working against the real interests of their people? Because those who speak against Hamas or Hezbollah are either delegitimized as "American lackeys" or just murdered, like Rafiq Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister.
The world needs to understand what is going on here: The little flowers of democracy that were planted in Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories are being crushed by the boots of Syrian-backed Islamist militias who are desperate to keep real democracy from taking hold in this region and Iranian-backed Islamist militias desperate to keep modernism from taking hold.
It may be the skeptics are right: Maybe democracy, while it is the most powerful form of legitimate government, simply can't be implemented everywhere. It certainly is never going to work in the Arab-Muslim world if the United States and Britain are alone in pushing it in Iraq, if Europe dithers on the fence, if the moderate Arabs cannot come together and make a fist, and if Islamist parties are allowed to sit in governments and be treated with respect while maintaining private armies.
The whole democracy experiment in the Arab-Muslim world is at stake here, and right now it's going up in smoke.
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/15/2006
14:40 ||
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#1
Mr. Friedman sure low-keys Iran in this column. Keller probably told him not to give W. any ideas.
#2
It's not a democracy or republic if the people don't control it by their votes. It's useless to go to the ballot box if, in the end, mobsters and gangsters control the government through terror tactis of murder, bribery, fraud etc.
I think one problem that these people have is that they are like the Europeans. They expect that if mobsters or gangsters or foreign agents take control of their government - that some mommy or daddy state is responsible for stepping in and making it all better.
Um, no. Democracy requires the people themselves to take action to preserve their government.
Besides - in Palestine - they voted for the government that would give them what they want - the destruction of Israel. And their government is attempting to give as promised. They got what they voted for.
And in Lebanon - well they are under seige by Iranian, Syrian and Hezbollah. They can't rid themselves of these elements by themselves. They need help - much like we needed the help of the French in our revolution.
But in the end - it is the responsibility of the people themselves - not some superpower, or global body - to keep control of their own government. That's why we maintain the right to bear arms. The forefathers understood that the people need protection FROM their governments and a means to dissolve and reform it if it doesn't perform. Often that means fighting. That's why we revere those who came before us and fought the battle for our freedom. Freedom isn't a guaranteed birth right - it's paid for in blood.
#3
They got their chance. If they blow it, they will suffer the consequences. Perhaps it will become a learning experience. If not, it can be repeated after rinsing.
#4
Hard to believe the Lebs can outdo the Paleos in the "Shining Pantheon of Cultural Stupidity", but we shall see....I prefer the explanation that most Lebs are moderate, want sovereign independence, but were outgunned by the Syrian/Iranian proxies...
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 19:15
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#6
ahhhh once again, Ein-El-Hellhole comes up. Perhaps the Hezbs and Iranians are using it as a base, Israel (*hint hint*wink wink*)
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 19:26
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#7
If Iraq had been an island, the "insurgency" would have been toes-up in six months. It is the extra-territorial financing, foreign fighter elements, and Iranian RG C-3 support that has made resolution of the low-level war in Iraq problematic. There won't be peace in Iraq until Syria and Iran have been brought to heel.
I strongly dislike Vietnam parallels with the present conflict, but the hands-off with Syria and Iran smack too much of the NVA sanctuaries in Laos and Cambodia.
#4
It's the Syrian side of the Masnaa crossing from Lebanon to Syria. Can't find it on a map, however. Apparently it's one of the more major crossing points and Syrian 'refugees' have been leaving Lebanon through it.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006 15:01
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I wouldn't be completely surprised if the IAF struck Masnaa, but there are a lot of civilians trying to get out of Lebanon passing through there, so it's a tough target.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006 15:25
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we are writing the flash when the information comes to us, the denial came later and we published when received as well
A Yemeni military court has sentenced 12 intelligence officers to prison terms ranging from eight months to three years over a prison break by 23 Al-Qaeda operatives in February, a state-run website reported yesterday. In a ruling issued Wednesday behind closed doors, the court also ordered the mens dismissal from their posts for negligence.
On Feb. 3, the prisoners tunneled their way out of the high-security prison run by the intelligence services in Sanaa. The mass escape embarrassed the Yemeni government and dealt a major blow to its efforts to net Al-Qaeda members. The Defense Ministrys www.26sep.net website said the court found the officers guilty of negligence facilitating the escape.
Among the jailbreakers were 13 people convicted over the 2000 bombing of the US destroyer USS Cole and the 2002 attack on the French oil tanker Limburg off the Yemeni coast. The authorities have said the men dug a 44-meter-long tunnel from their cell to a nearby mosque using cooking tools. Nine of the escapees have been recaptured or gave themselves up to the authorities. Fourteen others are still on the run and are being sought under international arrest warrants, according to security officials.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
14:29 ||
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French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen has been ordered to stand trial for comments denying the brutality of the Nazi occupation of France during World War II, judicial officials said yesterday.
Le Pen is under investigation for "justifying war crimes" and "complicity in contesting crimes against humanity." He could appeal the two separate rulings ordering him to stand trial, said the off icials, who spoke on condition of anonymity...
#2
Not to defend pépé Le Pen, who has made himself famous with his provocative racial jokes and declaration, but this is politically motivated BS; he simply said german occupation in France was not as brutal as it could have been (or something like that), which is true compared to most of eastern or central Europe, not to mention Russia.
But since in France we've got laws restricting freedom of speech (see indictments) on any "sensitive" matter (races, History,...), he will just get fined and will gladly pay it. This is not the first time, last time I remember is when he said that when muslims in France were going to be 20% of the population, french people would have to look down and descend from the sidewalk when they cross them. Since he is THE DEVIL, he was fined.
What kills me is that any collaborator during occupation was amnistied shortly after the war (can't remember if it's 48, 49, or early 50's), but that 60 years later, thoses who talk about that period are comdemned, while thoses who did the deeds were pardoned in the name of national unity.
The expression "thoughts police" is quite apt to describe the state of the freedom of speech here in France.
#3
This could be stage by which Le Pen could hammer the existing government into the ground by pointing out their own actions to ignore terrorism. The French press which is so eager to label the Americans terrorist rather than those who truly follow the model of Nazi terrorism would be themselves taken down a peg or two for their own selective blindness to Nazi brutality like Oradour-sur-Glane. How can this be considered brutality when the Americas whom they so often accuse of exactly this, don't practice it. However, since the muzzies do practice it and the French government and media think nothing of it, this must be the new definition. Therefore, not brutal. A J'Accuse moment.
Major-General Gadi Eizenkot, head of the General Staff Operations Branch, said in a briefing held at the Kirya base in Tel Aviv that in the evening hours we destroyed all of Lebanons coastal radars. The reason for the radars destruction was the part they played in the attack on an Israeli missile boat on Friday, in which one soldier was killed and another three went missing.
Siniora, I really don't think you're going to get that quick and easy ceasefire you're desperately hoping for -- not if your own radars are being used to attack Israeli assets.
Brigadier-General Noam Page of the Navy said that the IDF was not aware that Hizbullah had in its possession a C802 missile of the type fired at the boat. We didnt know such a missile threat existed in this sector, and therefore we didnt act accordingly. In wake of the attack, we have instructed all our boats to act against this threat, he stated.
#4
He could say it with straight face?! Brigadier-General Noam Page of the Navy said that the IDF was not aware that Hizbullah had in its possession a C802 missile of the type fired at the boat. We didnt know such a missile threat existed in this sector, and therefore we didnt act accordingly. In wake of the attack, we have instructed all our boats to act against this threat,
1) It was not known that Hizballah posessed this missile.
2) The defense systems were turned off to avoid friendly fire incidents.
3) There will be a full investigation of the incident.
Sounds like what happened with the Stark, which got nailed by two Iraqi Exocets back in the 80's. But I bet the Israelis never figured the Lebanese government was in cahoots with Hezbollah. Now they know, and Lebanon is going to need new radars before they can pull another stunt like this. Bet they never figured Israel would take the radars out.
#7
Hizbullah IS PART and PARCEL of the Lebanese "government". Thought all parties understood that, esp. the Israelis who were let down at critical moments by the Maronites IN '82...
Reprieved by the US in the UN Security Council on Thursday, Israel yesterday pressed ahead with its Gaza air assault in a bid to retrieve a captured soldier and stop rocket attacks. Meanwhile, the pullback of some ground troops from Gaza was seen by Palestinians as the sign of a reduction in aggression. Also yesterday, Palestinians blew a hole in a wall on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, allowing 500 people who had been stranded owing to closures related to the assault to cross into the territory.
Gunmen, believed to be from the armed wing of the governing Palestinian movement Hamas, blew a hole in the wall around 70 meters from the Rafah border terminal, allowing hundreds of travelers into Gaza, witnesses said. The border crossing, Gazas sole gateway to the world, has been closed since June 25, when an Israeli soldier was seized by Palestinians not too far away, sparking the worst Israeli-Palestinian crisis in months.
Israels Air Force carried out at least two overnight raids on Gaza, while artillery pounded the north and south of the Palestinian territory throughout the day as part of a campaign to secure the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit. One raid struck the house of a Hamas MP, whose administration has been directly targeted in the offensive, in Beit Lahiya in north Gaza, and a bridge in the central part of the territory.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
13:58 ||
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PANAMA CITY, Panama (AP) - Lawmakers on Friday approved a national referendum on whether the government should undertake the biggest modifications to the Panama Canal since it was opened in 1914. The $5.3 billion project calls for a construction of a third set of locks on the canal that would reduce long lines of ships trying to cross the canal and allow larger ships to pass through.
The exact date of the referendum will be announced after the bill is signed by President Martin Torrijos, who has endorsed the project. Recent polls indicate that a majority of Panamanians favor the expansion.
The canal, 105 feet above sea level at its highest point, uses a series of parallel locks to lift ships to Lake Gatun for the transoceanic passage. Large container ships now just barely fit through the canal's locks. The new locks would be able to handle those ships.
Opponents of the proposed canal expansion contend the project is risky because it is based on uncertain projections about maritime trade and the world economy. Officials have said they would pay for the upgrades through loans and toll increases for ships using the canal.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006
13:51 ||
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Did you ever watch Hezbollah units parading in Beiruts Southern suburb and and making the fascist salute to Nasrallah? Well guess what happened to the guys wearing dynamite belts and holding cardboard RPGs? These mighty fighters were occulted by God overnight. They just vanished. Nobody knows where they are, but according to some rumors Beirut's sewers are experiencing a lot of demographic growth these days. But there's no need to worry, the resistance will be back. Once the last Israeli plane leave Lebanon, our courageous Hezbollah fighters will return to threaten the Lebanese who dare to question their policies.
The real tragedy is that theres only one Hezbollah thug killed until now; meanwhile 60 innocent civilians are lying on the ground. Israel cannot really get the Hezbollah so it is going for easiers target instead. These fanatics justified their existence by pretending that they defended Lebanon against Israel. They are now hiding behind (and under) the civilians they claim to defend. Whos defending whom exactly?
Go to hell Nasrallah, you and all your terrorists.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
13:51 ||
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Resort town under attack: Hizbullah fired several rocket barrages at the northern city of Tiberias on Saturday evening. At around 6 p.m., five rockets began landing in the city one after the other. Some 31 people were hurt, including a man who was lightly injured after his house was directly hit by a rocket. About thirty people suffered from shock.
All the injured were taken to the Poria Hospital in Tiberias for medical treatment. Later, at around 7:25 p.m., a second barrage landed north of Tiberias. About 54 people were injured by Katyusha rockets in Tiberias throughout Saturday, including seven who were wounded by Shrapnel. The rest suffered from shock.
An inquiry revealed that five rockets hit the city, one of them landing near the Pagoda restaurant on the shores of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). The restaurant is closed on Saturday, so there were no injuries.
Magen David Adom crews, fire fighters and police forces deployed in the rocket landing areas. Many residents gathered to watch the wreckage, but quickly left the area following a police announcement that warned of another Katyusha barrage expected to hit the area. residents were asked to leave the place and enter secure zones.
Ilan Shukrun, an eyewitness, was about 100 meters (328 feet) away from the place hit by the rocket. "We heard a terrible noise. My children started crying, it was terrifying. We keep on hearing about falls in Kiryat Shmona. Maybe this is the time to support the residents there. No one was prepared for it," he said.
He thinks there's going to be a ceasefire sometime soon. Good luck with that belated plan.
This was a banner on Haaretz - more when the story is posted.
Next to the blue helmets, no doubt. Boy, didn't they do a helluva job?
yup. here's more on the press conference
Following Israel's military pressure on Lebanon, Fouad Siniora tells reporters, 'we'll work to extend state's authority over all its territories, in cooperation with United Nations in south Lebanon'; adds 'Lebanon is last to know what is happening, but first to pay price'
uh huh. well, if it's so hard for you to keep track of Hezboallah and Iranian agents in your country, Israel will have to do it for you.
So they're not actually going to extend state authority to south Leb, they're just going to "work" to do it. Do a Rantburg search on Resolution 1559 and you'll notice they've been "working" on it since before Hariri got boomed.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora called on Saturday for an immediate ceasefire, saying Israeli attacks had turned Lebanon into a disaster area in need of international aid. "We call for an immediate ceasefire backed by the United Nations," Siniora said in a televised message to the nation. "I declare today that Lebanon is a disaster zone in need of a .comprehensive and speedy Arab plan
which you didn't get from the emergency meeting of Arab states, who decided to do ... nothing..
and (it) pleads to its friends in the world to rush to its aid."
Hezbollah has to let the Israeli soldiers go and disarm.
At least 100 people, most of them civilians, have died in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since Hizbullah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight on Wednesday.
Four civilians have been killed by Hizbullah rockets in northern Israel since. "We call (for) ... work to extend the state's authority over all its territories, in cooperation with the United Nations in south Lebanon," A visibly emotional Siniora said.
Little late with that, Mr. PM
What it says, though, is that he realizes the root core problem: Lebanon isn't sovereign in the south. He just has to find a way to say that and not have Hezbollah kill him for it ...
The UN maintains a peacekeeping force in south Lebanon where Hizbullah guerrillas are active.
#1
The Lebanese Prime Minister may as well own up to the fact that what he calls "south Lebanon" is actually the Sovereign State of Hezboallah and is rightfully being crushed for kidnapping and rocket attacks and missile attacks and failing to honor the sovereignty of its neighbor. Lebanon would do better to STFU and actively stay out of it as best they can.
... Both weapons systems indicate a level of sophistication which Hezbollah likely does not possess, but their Iranian backers do. A guided missile system, either from the ground or from UAVs, further implicates the Iranian government in its involvement in this war. A ground based system requires radar and other sophisticated support systems, which require technical expertise and maintenance support, as well as technical training. For Hezbollah to have succeed in this strike using a ground based anti-ship missile system, it would have needed to deploy and fire these missiles without prior testing of the radar along the Lebanese coast. An anonymous Israeli intelligence official claims "about 100 Iranian soldiers are in Lebanon and helped fire the Iranian-made, radar-guided [C-802] at the ship late Friday."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
13:30 ||
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#1
Is it safe to assume this would be the weapon of choice for threatening the Straight of Hormos?
#2
...It would be - but any kind of ground-launched missile site, even a mobile one, would stand out like a sore thumb just long enough for its crew to get an up-close and personal demonstration of US bombing capabilities.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/15/2006 16:08
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(KUNA) Over 600 nationalist militants Saturday laid their arms in Pakistani Southern insurgency-hit Baluchistan province and announced support to the government in its war against terrorism, said an official. The militants of important tribal chieftains, close aids of Akbar Khan Bugti, head of nationalist insurgency in the province, surrendered in Dera Bugti district, said Razaq Bugti, spokesman for the provincial government, while talking to KUNA.
He said the militants while surrendering arms claimed responsibility for their anti-state activities. They announced support to the government, he said, adding that the development will help pace development work in the province. Nationalist militants had been waging low-insurgency in the province since decades to acquire maximum provincial autonomy.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
13:30 ||
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#1
Wonder if that was their part to get support for thier forces in Iran's Baluchistan SE territories.
This sounds oddly more like a temporary truce to concentrate attention to thier mutual enemy the terrorist than a outright surrender to the Pakistan government.
Jeff over at http://www.jeffkouba.com/myblog/blogger.html
has been on the Baluoch elements in both Pakistan and Iran for sometime and how we (the US) have been finding like minded groups like we did with the Kurds in both regions worthy of support.
The Israel Air Force continues its war against Hizbullah strongholds in Lebanon: Throughout the afternoon and evening hours on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces continued to attack Hizbullah's stronghold in south Beirut, including Hizbullah's High Council and the organization's headquarters.
The al-Jazeera network reported that the IDF fired three missiles at the Tripoli port in north Lebanon. The Beirut port was also attacked.
During the day, the Air Force struck the offices and homes of three senior Hizbullah members and of a senior Hamas member across Lebanon.
The IDF struck several targets in the Baalbeck area in the northern Lebanon valley throughout the day. Eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli Air Force attacked about seven times in the region and that an army drone has circled over the area for about four hours.
Lebanese news channel al-Mustakbal reported that one of the strikes was aimed against member of Hizbullahs High Council, Sheikh Muhammad Yazbek. The report said the Yazbeks condition was unclear.
Another strike ion Baalbeck targeted the house of another senior Hizbullah official, Hussein Mussawi. According to initial reports, at least 20 people were injured in the attack, and it is uncertain whether Mussawi was among them.
(KUNA) -- France decided Saturday to take a number of precautionary, military measures in view of the deteriorating situation in Lebanon and the continued Israeli attacks against targets, both civilian and Hezbollah, in that country. A statement from the Defense Ministry said "the safety of French nationals is a primary concern for the Minister of Defense" and as a result units were being deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean.
These units will be in place to allow French nationals desirous of leaving Lebanon, because of the ongoing turmoil, to leave the country. The statement said that an air group made up of transport planes and helicopters was being deployed to Cyprus and the "Jean de Vienne" frigate had received orders to make for the Eastern Mediterranean.
In addition, a landing ship with four helicopters and a hospital unit with two operating theatres is heading to the area on Sunday, the statement said. France has also put additional military resources on alert and has chartered a number of civilian aircraft and maritime vessels to be ready for an evacuation. The French government on Friday warned its nationals not to travel to Lebanon and told the 15,000 or so nationals and dual nationals to stay indoors because of the Israeli bombings.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
13:28 ||
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#1
Let's see if they keep it to that, or try to overtly meddle.
#4
"the safety of French nationals is a primary concern for the Minister of Defense" and as a result unitseunuch's were being deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean."
"These units eunuch's will be in place to allow French nationals desirous (desirous? Even war is sexual, with these people.) of leaving Lebanon, because of the ongoing turmoil, to leave the country."
#8
Am I the only one who chuckled over advice the French government give their nationals and "dual-nationals"? Would a normal person need a GOVERNMENT telling you to stay indoors if there are bombs falling outside? Or they are so dependent on big brother making their decisions for them, even their own survival needs to be ordered from above?
I'll like to see whom those ships will take aboard...
Posted by: T ||
07/15/2006 16:45
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It's almost August, the French are heading to the Med anyway...except for the old people
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 19:24
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#8 T: "Or they are so dependent on big brother making their decisions for them, even their own survival needs to be ordered from above?"
They're EUros - whaddaya want?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/15/2006 19:38
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#13
Love the pic of Laurel and Hardy in Sons of the Desert, I believe. These guys won the battle with total incompetence. The movie was a riot!
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
07/15/2006 20:48
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#14
Evacuate? What for? Give it a week and shit will be back to normal, complete with group hugs at the UN. Israel will pull back after first inflicting some heavy damage here and there. We've seen this movie before.
Not sure about the prisoners though. They might be dead by now. If not, they will used as bargaining chips. A prisoner exchange, and things are back to the way they were. I give it a week.
Posted by: Jack Shiraq ||
07/15/2006 22:47
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I'm afraid that I - the eternal pessimist - agree with Jack.
(KUNA) -- Syria on Saturday denied reports indicating that Israeli forces attacked Syrian military sites on the Syrian-Lebanese borders. "Press reports suggesting that Syrian military sites on the Syrian-Lebanese borders have come under Israeli attacks are baseless", a Syrian media official said as quoted by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The source affirmed that "no attcks have occurred on Syrian military or non-military sites", according to the agency.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
13:26 ||
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(KUNA) -- Israeli army troops continued their military operations in Lebanon by committing a "genocide" resembling operation in the town of Mirwaheen south of Lebanon, killing 23 people, said a security source on Saturday.
23 people isn't genocide, even if it was 23 civilians, which I'd guess it's not...
The source added that a pick-up truck with two families on board was bombed by Israeli warplanes, killing members of both families. The security source told KUNA that the planes also launched missiles towards what were supposed to be Hezbollah targets.
Israeli warplanes performed six raids on the town of Balabak, eastern Lebanon. Meanwhile, Israeli helicopters launched four raids on the town of Zabqeen, south of Lebanon. Hezbollah's headquarters, located in the southern suburb was and still being pounded by the Israeli warplanes. More than 20 vital bridges were destroyed since Israel began its military operations in Lebanon which paralyzed transportation there. The death toll rose to more than 80 since the military conflict erupted four days ago.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
13:24 ||
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#1
The source added that a pick-up truck with two families on board was bombed by Israeli warplanes, killing members of both families.
In view of the situation I certainly would have post phoned the wedding.
Bodies of two of the four missing Israeli soldiers on a warship that was attacked by Hizbullah off the coast of Lebanon were found Saturday aboard the damaged vessel, military officials said. Two of the bodies of the misssing soldiers were recovered, but the IDF spokesman would confirm only that one body was found on the ship, and said the other three soldiers were missing.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
13:21 ||
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Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday spoke by phone with his Lebanese counterpart Fuad Saniora, who requested Turkish mediation for a cease-fire to end the spiraling violence in the Middle East, an official said. The Turkish premier told Saniora Turkey would "make every kind of contribution" for a cease-fire, Erdogan's spokesman, Akif Beki, told The Associated Press, but gave no further information.
Predominantly Muslim Turkey has been trying to play a mediating role between Israel and Palestinians and has criticized Israel, a close ally, for using excessive force in its offensives in the Middle East. Earlier on Saturday, Erdogan racheted up the criticism, accusing the country of engaging in ruthless violence. Erdogan also called on the powerful Group of Eight nations, currently meeting in Russia, to reach a joint decision that would allow the United Nations Security Council to establish a cease-fire to end the spiraling violence.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
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#1
Erdogan racheted up the criticism, accusing the country of engaging in ruthless violence.
Oh, yeah. Just the guy you want to play mediator....
The IDF struck a vehicle carrying launch equipment near the border town of Ghajar on Saturday. The operation was done in collaboration between the IAF and the OC Northern Command.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
13:19 ||
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A senior IDF intelligence official says that Iran has approximately 100 soldiers in Lebanon and that they helped Hizbullah hit an Israel Navy ship with an anti-ship missile.
That explains that: Hezbollah doesn't have the infrastructure to maintain and operate UAVs, heavy missiles, drones, etc. But the Iranians do.
Now the Israelis have an interesting choice: they can hammer the Iranian operation in south Leb and pretend not to notice the dead Iranians, or they can escalate. Decisions, decisions ...
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
13:17 ||
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#4
Yes! Finally! I'm glad that Israel finally decided to go public with this. It supports the Jane Harmon statement someone posted - and indicates that Israel is sharing intel with the US in real-time. We get it from Israel 2 days later with this announcement. I've been waiting to see if that would be substantiated. She was ahead of the curve.
There is no doubt that this will have serious consequences in the US and should renew the US will regards dealing with Iran. A crystal clear cassus belli.
#5
Reminds me of when we were bombing Afghanistan in 2001. The Chinese swore there were none of their people in country, then complained when some were killed. Bush responded that the reports must be false, because of course there were no Chinese in country...
Lebanese prime minister Fuad Siniora is calling for a ceasefire, Fox News reports. Details as we get 'em.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
13:17 ||
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#1
Nope. Better idea: "Let's hit 'em. Let's hit 'em all while we got the muscle" -- Frankie 'Two Angels' Pantangeli
Posted by: regular joe ||
07/15/2006 13:22
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#2
Bring me Nasrallah's head on a platter
Then We'll consider
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 13:25
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#3
This is the same Siniora who yesterday refused to denounce Hezbollah's attack on Israel, giving instead a mushymouth list of Israel's various offenses against Arabs.
#4
Listened to him live (via translator) on CNN World. He was blabbering the usual stuff about solidarity, war crimes, etc, etc, and asking the Israelis pretty-please cut it out.
I don't think Siniora is in a position to denounce Hezbollah even if he wanted to, and I'm not sure he does.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006 13:43
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#5
Without Hezbollah, Leb would probably be a stable country. Siniora's nightmare is a return to the civil war of the 80s. Hassan doesn't have to threaten to initiate it, just make sure that it's mentioned from time to time.
Leb's oligarchy is split between those who yearn for the comfort (and financial opportunities) of Syrian "protection" and those who want to have an independent country. The split isn't constant, as we can tell from watching Wally blow with the wind and Aoun act against what would seem to be his own interests.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006 13:46
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#6
PM Siniora, you have no friends in the world except the U.S. and Israel.
The IDF has stationed three Patriot anti-ballistic missile batteries in Haifa Saturday, aimed at intercepting missiles launched at the area. Two of the batteries were deployed Saturday morning, and the third one was placed in the area in the afternoon.
Patriot missiles were stationed across the country for the last time in 2003 during the Iraq War.
The American-made Patriot batteries are part of Israels antiaircraft defense system. The Patriot system, which was initially designed to serve as an air defense platform, later assumed the role of an anti-ballistic system. The Patriot is still in use in Israel, and the country simultaneously continues to develop the Arrow missile aimed at intercepting ground-to-ground missiles fired at the country.
IDF sources said that the batteries deployment is the result of an evaluation of the situation, and confirmed they were placed in Haifa in wake of the current confrontation on the northern border.
The army is aware that in light of the developments in the operation, Hizbullah may employ different means in order to target Israels home front. In addition to the long-rang rockets Hizbullah possesses, it may also use explosive drones or any other weapon, a senior officer said.
#2
I attended a fascinating talk given by the Israeli Minister of Defense (can't remember his name now) during the first Gulf War. He described how the Israelis were hacking the Patriot missiles and improving them as the Scuds were raining down on Israel. All of those improvements have been incorporated into the newer generations of Patriots.
Hizbullah leaders and operatives were leaving Beirut on Saturday following a massive IAF strike on an 11-story building that served as the organization's command center, initial intelligence revealed. Channel 2 reported that the move appeared to be made under heavy security.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
12:56 ||
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#1
I hope that they are leaving to have an unplanned meeting with their maker.
#2
Fred,
Can you deliver the flight number ?
I promise to immediately relay it to the IAF Strategic Air Control Center !
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 13:19
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#3
Bravely bold Hizbollah rode forth from Lebanon.
They were not afraid to die, O brave Hizbollah.
They were not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways,
Brave, brave, brave, brave Hizbollah!
They were not in the least bit scared to be mashed into a pulp,
Or to have their eyes gouged out and their elbows broken,
To have their kneecaps split and their bodies burned away
And their limbs all hacked and mangled, brave Hizbollah!
Their heads smashed in and their hearts cut out
And their livers removed and their bowels unplugged
And their nostrils raped and their bottoms burned off.
BUT...
When danger reared its ugly head, they bravely turned their tail and fled.
Yes, brave Hizbullah turned about
And gallantly, they chickened out. Bravely taking to their feet,
They beat a very brave retreat,
Bravest of the brave, Hizbullah.
Posted by: Scott R ||
07/15/2006 13:28
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#4
It's not just the leaders. According to this
Lebanese blogger, all of the Hezbollah have disappeared.
#7
If Hezbollah has bugged out, the Israelis should officially turn over all abandoned Hezbollah territory to the Lebanese army, on condition that the government of Lebanon votes that their army shall stay there a minimum of two years, and that no weapons other than Lebanese military weapons be allowed in there.
Any Hezbollah territory not firing weapons at Israel or Israeli forces now occupied by Lebanese army would become "safe havens". Shiites could live there under the protection of the Lebanese army, but no Hezbollah of any kind would be permitted in.
After two years, there is no way the Lebanese would permit Hezbollah to re-enclave their turf.
#8
Surely you jest, Anonymoose. The Lebanese Army was useless for controlling Lebanon before. What makes you think they've improved in the last few days?
As for the Lebansese army, that is the only way this can end. The Israelis have to turn it over to the Lebanese. I don't mind if the US or NATO has to go in and help out. But the Israelis can't stay there and they can't leave a vacuum. Oh, and don't mention the UN cause I'll squirt coffee out of my nose...
#10
"When to evade destruction's hand, to hide they all proceeded.
No soldier in that gallant band hid half as well as he did.
He lay concealed throughout the war, and so preserved his gore-O..."
Posted by: Duke of Plaza-Toro ||
07/15/2006 19:35
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#11
"As for the Lebansese army, that is the only way this can end. The Israelis have to turn it over to the Lebanese."
Iblis, that depends on what you mean by "it". The Lebanese army can't subdue Hizbullah, so they just need to stay out of the way until Israel finishes bouncing the rubble. Hizbullah has not "bugged out" -- there's too many of them and too few bridges. They're just laying low.
You are correct. The Lebanese army cannot confront Hizballah. Israel can and will. Once that's done Israel will have to hand over the areas previosuly controlled by Hizballah to the Lebanese army.
IAF planes bombed on Saturday the Masna border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, Al-Jazeera reported. Thousands have swarmed the crossing in recent days in an attempt to flee Lebanon.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
12:55 ||
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The IAF struck the house of senior Hamas official Muhammad Nazal in Beirut. According to other reports, the IAF also struck the house of Hussein Musawi in the eastern city of Baalbek. 20 people are reported to have been wounded in that attack.
Fox News said they also struck Mullah Fudlullah's house...
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
12:54 ||
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Some 1,500 Arab Israelis, including Knesset members protested in Nazereth on Saturday against the campaign in Lebanon. A pamphlet distributed at the scene called on the government to "end the war crimes" and the "killing of children" that the writers alleged that Israel was performing in Lebanon. MK Wasal Taha (Balad), who also participated in the rally, told Army Radio that "undoubtedly the State of Israel is committing crimes in Lebanon: killing children, killing civilians."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
12:50 ||
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#4
2X4
Youre talking to the wrong person.
Duck soup is my favorit dish
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 13:23
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#5
These are Israeli citizens, they have a right to protest. Even if they are completely wrong and wrong-headed. Even if they're sympathetic to the other side. Even if they'd be treasonous if given the right opportunity.
And it's better to have them in the open so that the Mossad knows exactly who they are.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006 13:35
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#6
nice that they went to Nazareth to do it? Isn't that in the WB proper?
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 13:53
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#7
No, it's in the northern part of the country not too far from Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee = Lake Kinneret. Bethlehem is on the west bank, though.
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 14:00
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#9
I've been to both places (Bethlehem and Nazareth), but can't say I'm all that knowledgeable except for a couple main cities. Here's a map I use from time to time to interpret news stories...
#10
MK Wasal Taha (Balad), who also participated in the rally, told Army Radio that "undoubtedly the State of Israel is committing crimes in Lebanon: killing children, killing civilians."
Everybody knows only Muslims are allowed to do that!
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
07/15/2006 15:25
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A couple of American tourists visiting Tiberias on Saturday, noted that in spite of the two rocket attacks on the city, they were still safer there than in Washington D.C., where they live. They told Army Radio that the crime rate in the American capital was more dangerous than the rockets that have been falling on Tiberias.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
12:42 ||
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#1
Brown nosers.
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006 12:49
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#2
I think it would be hilarious to impose a concealed carry law on D.C. After a month and a dozen or so repeat offenders meeting their maker, to watch the crime rate fall through the basement to the anguished cries of the gun control crowd.
A barrage of Katyusha rockets fell in Safed and Kiryat Shemona on Saturday evening. MDA teams rushed to the area to determine whether anyone was wounded.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
12:39 ||
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The Belgian citizen from Lebanese descent Dyab Abu Jahjah, founder of the Arab European League, posted a message on the website of this organisation (www.arabeuropean.org) two days ago, expressing his will to go back to Lebanon. Under the title The homeland is calling, the post of Abu Jahjah leads to think that he wants to go to Lebanon to fight the Zionists.
He wrote: The Zionists will not get us on our knees, their pride and arrogance can not match our belief in the justice of our cause, and in the evil that they represent in this world ( ) This might be the last text I will write before going home on a trip that might be my last ( ) I lived my life for this Nation, and not a hair in me will hesitate in laying it down for this Nation too. The fight for Arab Unity, Liberation, Freedom and Socialism is the essence of Justice in the Homeland and beyond. Some people call it a fight for god, some people call it a fight for mankind, in essence it is one and the same fight for freedom and justice ( ) When oppression rises above the sun to cover it, and injustice defies the wind and the Wicked and the Evil feast on the Flesh of innocent men, women and children. From within the darkness and the orgy of blood, a sword will shine, and the brave will murmur: What a beautiful day to die
He might possibly go, but I doubt it. The head cheeses talk a great martyrdom, but they're usually running for their lives when the rockets hit. This is directed more toward the rubes, who're willing to go off and do the bidding of their local holy man or Fearless Leader™...
Founded a few years ago, the Arab European League (approximately 1 000 members) is regarded by most of the European security services as an extremist organization advocating a communitarian model of society. For instance, the League asks the recognition of Arabic as an official European language. In the past, the League had various problems for its anti-Semitic messages. Dyab Abu Jahjah himself was accused to be linked to the Hezbollah, but he is more clearly aligned on the Syrian Baathist policy, both nationalist and socialist.
#3
My response to Dyab Abu JahJah is:
" Komt A her mein kleine Shepsale Und Ich will been gelernen Karate !"
to those non-Yiddish speaking souls, "Shepsale" is "little lamb" and understanding the meaning of this is reserved to people who have seen the early Israeli movie "Shablul".
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 12:58
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#7
Its a comedy in which someone wants to improve his self defence skills after being mobbed by some aggressive guys. He enroles in a Karate class given by a homosexual Karate teacher (Uri Zohar, before he became religious).
I think you can imagine the rest of it !
#15
He really does want to go and fight, but unfortunately he can't go right now because he has to collect some clothes from the dry cleaners next week.
#20
I think we can all agree that he looks dashing tho. The very model of a modern muzzie man. I like his moisturizer foundation, and his clothing kit.
Posted by: Lawrence of Wheeee ||
07/15/2006 18:47
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#21
good eye, Lawrence. Looks like he tweezed the unibrow too...
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 18:52
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AFGHAN, COALITION FORCES INTENSIFY OFFENSIVE IN URUZGAN
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan Afghan National Army and Coalition forces attacked more than 40 extremists in Chora, Kala Kala, and Khorma districts during separate operations July 13 and 14 in Uruzgan Province in an effort to disrupt and deny enemy operations in those areas. In Deh Rawod, two extremist suicide bombers, wearing burkas and disguised as women, were killed during a cordon and search of a compound. Elsewhere, near the district of Khas Uruzgan, ANA and Coalition forces repelled an attacked by 20 enemy fighters with small arms fire, killing one extremist. Sounds like more range time is in order.
The joint patrols took precautions to avoid harm to Afghan civilians during each operation, and there were no reports of Afghan civilian injuries. And if women were reported killed how would we know they weren't other Lions in drag - do we go lifting all the womens' burkas?
#6
The Towel-heads lose - it is prophesied in the Bible - see file:///C:/Net4TruthUSA.com/NS-TroubleInIsrael.htm - It is about time Israel woke up and defended itself
Posted by: Dave Todeschini ||
07/15/2006 21:15
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#7
"Disguised as women" > Iff SALADIN or SULEYMAN were alive, they'd be imprisoned or tortured for humiliating God and Islam.
Yup - gonna be a hard rain a-fallin' in that small country. Meteorologists predict the front will move north and east as well.
The United States is working on a plan to evacuate American citizens from Lebanon to the neighboring island of Cyprus, the U.S. Embassy said Saturday.
"We are looking at how we might transport Americans to Cyprus. Once in Cyprus, Americans can then board commercial aircraft for onward travel," an embassy statement said.
The US had already been calling its citizens to consider leaving Lebanon once the conditions enable such a departure. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday that the US is urging its citizens in Lebanon to "assess their personal security situation," and consider leaving the country when that becomes possible. According to McCormack, no American citizen has yet to leave Lebanon due to the closure Israel imposed on the country. "From the US government perspective, there aren't any ways to get out -- reliable ways to get out by air, land or sea," McCormack added.
Since the Beirut international airport has been taken out of commission by Israeli air strikes, the Pentagon is working on alternative plans to evacuate the American citizens from Lebanon. One possibility is to evacuate the Americans by helicopters to Cyprus.
Another that was considered was to move the helicopter carrier USS Iwo Jima and its seven ship group from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal to the shores of Lebanon. The Iwo Jima group is conducting exercises in Jordan and it will take approximately a week to gather the forces back to the ships and move the group to the shores of Lebanon.
In case there is a need for emergency evacuation the US may also ask Israel for a temporary cease fire in order to enable an air lift of the Americans from Lebanon.
The Arab American Institute (AAI) said Friday that it has received calls from many Arab Americans who are stranded both in Lebanon and in the Gaza Strip. The group called on the State Department to act promptly to evacuate American citizens from the fighting zones.
The State Department authorized the departure of all unessential personnel and family members from the US embassy in Beirut, but up to now no American citizen was able to leave.
Meanwhile, France was putting in place a special ferry to evacuate its citizens in Lebanon who wish to leave starting on Sunday, the foreign minister said. The ferry will transport to Cyprus any of the thousands of French who want out of Lebanon following recent IDF attacks on Hizbullah targets in response to the kidnapping of two IDF soldiers on Wednesday. Special Air France flights will bring evacuees to Paris from Cyprus, Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said Saturday.
#1
Lebanon is one thing concerning evacuation. But in Gaza, if you are a US citizen, you are crazy to have gone there. Tough luck. Yer on yer own in Gaza, IMHO.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
07/15/2006 12:22
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#2
1) I would love seeing the Iwo Jima group parked in front of Beirut. Lot's of firepower Ya,know ... just in case the Mullahs decide to go berserk....
2) My heart goes out for all these poor arabo-french refugees that will have to fly "HOT-AIR FRANCE" to paris.. what with all the veiled Franco-muslim stewardesses :)
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 12:29
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#3
If a bunch of Americans assemble somewhere in Lebanon in preparation for an evacuation, don't they become a really tempting target for Islamic terrorists? And how do you evacuate thousands of Americans in such a way that you don't assemble lots of them together? This seems like something that could go really wrong.
A senior IDF officer reported that as a result of a similar strike on the same building on Friday, a large building collapsed, blocking the entrance to a command bunker where Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah was believed to be located, Army Radio reported.
We're going on day four of the latest fidel castro is dead rumors. Here are a couple more uncorroborated reports and speculations:
- Hugo Chavez supposedly took an "urgent flight" to Cuba yesterday afternoon along with other high ranking Cuban officials. Details or news accounts of same unavailable.
- Granma once again published articles profiling Raul Castro, heir apparent to the dictator throne.
- WHPC reports that there is much action in Cuba at the moment, with reports from Granma stating that workers are "waging a fierce battle" in attempts to have construction and other related project complete for a huge July 26 island wide celebration. WHPC also speculates that said projects and celebration and construction may be some kind of secret preparations for an elaborate state funeral for the bearded dictator.
- Ive also received unconfirmed reports that castro may not be dead, but suffering from Parkinsons or Alzeimers and not in control of his mental faculties. (natch)
- Several sources have emailed stating that they have been unable to communicate with family and loved ones on the island for several days. Other sources have emailed saying they have been in communication with family in Cuba but have heard nothing of the rumors.
- I personally have yet to hear from certain sources in Cuba via email.
- There have been no reports from local news media regarding the rumors to my knowledge.
Unfortunately, that's all I have that I feel I can publish at the moment without helping perpetuate the rumors. As I've said all along, we have but to wait until July 26 for verification. Should fidel not appear on his holiday, chances are he is either at death's door or begging Satan not to make him recite the Pledge of Allegiance of the US in perpetuity for all eternity.
#3
- Ive also received unconfirmed reports that castro may not be dead, but suffering from Parkinsons or Alzeimers and not in control of his mental faculties.
Maybe El Presidente just wants to add the 'Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg' Chair at Havana U. law school to his list of esteemed titles.
Or rather, the Baath party supports Hizbollah. Is that the same thing?
Syria will support Hizbollah and Lebanon against Israel's attacks on the country, the ruling Baath Party said on Friday, defying the Jewish state and its chief ally Washington.
"The Syrian people are ready to extend full support to the Lebanese people and their heroic resistance to remain steadfast and confront the barbaric Israeli aggression and its crimes," said a communiqué from the party's national command issued after a meeting.
Assad, who is shaped by his late father's lifetime of struggle with Israel, was not at the meeting.
#3
Just wondering -- can you get a full refund if the runways are blown up before your Damascus departure time? And can you get that in other currencies?
#4
Asshat is now feeling the "Pendulum Effect" shaking his chair ?
This is indeed time for a serious metalstorm and Explospeak.
I hope that by the time we finish with Nasrallah and his Iranian masters, Assad would become a tourist curiousity.
If this goes on I expect to be able to buy a piece of Assad on e-Bay soon.
Any bidder's ??
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 11:33
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#6
Damn. This is the first thing posted in this category this morning. It's even on the newspaper! But I didn't see it on CNN or the BBC, so I figured it was new. Surely this is big news?
The Beeb's too busy announcing ISRAEL KILLS LEBANESE CIVILIANS. Someone at the BBC had to have himself a cigarette and some quiet time after that story came in.
#7
Darrell,
I wouldn't loath hanging a stuffed piece of the asshat in my living room.
I think I'm gonna start bidding at 5 cents per Kilo....
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 11:40
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#8
Caller: Hello, Mr. Smyth - do you still own that building in downtown London, the one that used to have the optometry shop on the second floor.
Smyth: Why yes, I do.
Caller: I used to be the optometrist there, I was wondering if the space was available for rent?
Smyth: Certainly Dr. Assad. It was just vacated - are you interested in leasing it?
Caller: Yes, in fact perhaps a long term lease. Would it be available ... immediately?
#10
Well,
Lard doesn't stink !
believe me at this price it's a bargain
for example, you could put it in a small box and every time the kids refuse to do homework or eat their spinach you just go : "well, err.. then I may have to open the Asshat box !"
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 12:10
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#11
Mmmmmmmmm, lard!
Posted by: Homer Simpson ||
07/15/2006 12:12
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#12
The Baathists in Syria have the same genius for picking winners as the late Arafish (PBBUH).
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
07/15/2006 12:26
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#13
Paul,
update.
PUBBAH has been replaced with MHRIHG
(May He Rot In His Grave)
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 12:39
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#14
Syria supports Hizbollah. It is only moral support since you might have some difficulty getting into Lebanon at this time. Oh well, just wait, the Israelis may save you the trouble of getting into Lebanon. They may be in Damascus in a few days or less.
#16
Maybe, or maybe they think Israel will occupy part of Lebanon and they can do an insurgency number on them. Or both - flee to Syria or Iran and then infiltrate back later.
#17
Angie,
I've just had a look at that thread from the BBC, and 8 of the top 10 recommended comments are in favour of Israel (at least 500 recommendations each).
I think this is encouraging..
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/15/2006 17:48
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#18
Saw on the Beeb World Service today many "Lebanese" were fleeing to... Syria!
and 3 women in burqas walked across the rear of the shot as journo speaking so he isn't talking about the Maronite Christians...
Question for Rantburgers:
Do you think the trigger event of Hezbollah rocketing and kidnapping Israelis (which after all they lob rockets most days) has provided Israel a) with the short-term reason to wipe Hizballah out but more importantly to provide cover to go after the real goal:
Destroying Iranian nuke capability pre-emptively.
Are they trying to goad or otherwise get Iran into this so as to take out Ahmedinijad's nuke facility? It is a worthy goal it's got to be destroyed for Israel's survival, I'm thinking logically if I were Israel I'd rather get world condemnation over and done with in one big hit and take it all out now.
Police and Interior Ministry sources said gunmen wearing blue camouflage Interior Ministry uniforms stormed a hall in central Baghdad at about 2 p.m. (11 a.m. British time) and killed a bodyguard of Olympic Committee chief Ahmed al-Hadjiya.
Hadjiya and about 20 bodyguards, along with at least eight committee officials and the hall's guards, were then bundled into a convoy of vehicles and driven off, making a total of about 50 people, police sources said. "Hande hoch!!" "No problem, gov, we gives."
(Indian) Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran has said that the recent terror attacks are all inter-linked. "We'll review the progress of cooperation with Pakistan. Showing no tolerance to terror is only option," Saran said. Saying a segmented approach to terrorism won't do, he asked those fighting the menace to share information.
Secretary level talks scheduled between India and Pakistan have been cancelled after New Delhi said it was convinced of Pakistan's involvement in the serial blasts in Mumbai. The July 11 blasts, which were one of the worst to have hit India, claimed 179 lives and injured 770 people.
Pakistan, on its part, has consistently been denying any involvement in the Mumbai blasts and has offered assistance in the investigations.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Mumbai and made a direct reference to the Pakistani connection in the blasts. He said that the peace talks would not continue unless Pakistan curbed cross border terrorism. "We have been trying to normalise relations with Pakistan but we have explained to the government of Pakistan at the highest level that unless Pakistan curbs terrorist activities, no government can continue with a peace process. "Pakistan had assured us in 2004 that it would not aid and abet terrorism on its soil it has to fulfill that obligation," said Singh. The talks were to be held on July 21, during which the two sides were to review the third round of their composite dialogue.
There has been another fallout of the serial blasts in Mumbai. Two MPs Sandeep Diskhit and Brinda Karat, who were to travel to Pakistan on Sunday, to take part in the Commonwealth parliamentarians' conference in Islamabad have cancelled their visit. The Commonwealth conference is being held to discuss gender issue.
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006
09:26 ||
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Hundreds of British troops have been involved in a major operation to secure a town in southern Afghanistan from the Taliban. An Army spokesman said that nearly 1,000 British soldiers - including some in support roles - were involved in the operation in Sangin. Two British troops were injured but both are expected to make a full recovery.
Details of the attack are sketchy, but it is believed that a large number of soldiers from the 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment were helicoptered into the area before dawn, to take back control of the town from Taliban militants. One of the helicopters came under a rocket propelled grenade attack, and British soldiers fired back one missile and a number of rounds of canon fire in response. Troops from the United States, Canada and other coalition countries were involved in the operation.
Three-hundred British soldiers are now on the ground in the town, which the Taliban had been using as a base from which to attack British troops. All six of soldiers who have lost their lives since the deployment of British forces to the Helmand region have died in the vicinity of the town. Good job. News reports of 10 taliban killed in Sangin.
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006
09:22 ||
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#1
Excellent!
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/15/2006 9:52
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#2
Not very clear. I gather that Sangin has a small Afghan army garrison, and about 40 British troops keeping overwatch on the town. The Taliban were never able to control the town, but committed lots of assets because of its strategic location.
This means that were finally able to secure greater priority targets elsewhere, so were finally able to relieve the soldiers defending Sangin.
#3
If they thought the odds of 6-8 Brits to the talibs was bad, I wonder if the talibs can do higher math?
After all, the Brits do have to return the favor for the last time they were in Afghanistan.
And Karzai better figure out which side he's on, blood does not outrank future potential of the country, his job is to guide Afghanistan forward, not back to the 600s.
#4
10 Talibs killed and two Brits lightly wounded. You don't need to be a genius to work out who's winning this mini-war in Helmand. Maybe even the Taliban-hype merchants in the British media will get the picture soon.
A missile fired by Hezbollah, not an unmanned drone laden with explosives, damaged an Israeli warship off Lebanon, the army said Saturday. Iranian troops helped fire the missile, a senior intelligence official said. One sailor was killed and three were missing.
The intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information, said about 100 Iranian soldiers are in Lebanon and helped fire the Iranian-made, radar-guided C-102 C-801 at the ship late Friday.
The attack alarmed Israel because initial information indicated the guerrillas had used a drone for the first time to attack Israeli forces. But the army's investigation showed that Hezbollah had fired an Iranian-made missile at the vessel from the shores of Lebanon, said Brig. Gen. Ido Nehushtan. "We can confirm that it was hit by an Iranian-made missile launched by Hezbollah. We see this as very profound fingerprint of Iranian involvement in Hezbollah," Nehushtan said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Another Hezbollah missile also hit and sank a nearby merchant ship at around the same time, Nehushtan said. He said that ship apparently was Egyptian, but had no other information. Nehushtan said the body of one of the four Israeli soldiers missing in the attack was found aboard the damaged warship. Other Israeli military officials said two bodies had been found.
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006
08:51 ||
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Israeli warplanes renewed attacks on Lebanon early Saturday, targeting bridges and fuel storage tanks and gas stations in the east and south, security officials said.
Hezbollah's Al Manar television station said at least three people were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Hermel, in the eastern Bekaa Valley. But security officials said six members of a family were injured when a rocket hit their house in Hermel.
Israeli fighter jets destroyed two bridges in eastern Lebanon, Lebanese officials said, declining to be named because they are not authorized to talk to the media.
The jets pounded a mountainous area near the border with Syria where radio and satellite TV antennas are located, they said.
Another strike targeted three bridges south of Beirut early Saturday, officials said.
Israeli jets also destroyed another bridge in the southern market town of Nabatiyeh, the officials said.
Jets also hit six gas stations and fuel tanks were also set ablaze in attacks along the coastal highway linking Beirut to the south of the country.
The Arab Al-Jazeera satellite TV channel also reported that Hezbollah's guerrillas had fired dozens of rockets at the Israeli town of Nahariya by the early hours of the morning.
In southern Lebanon, Israeli troops warned residents of the Lebanese border village of Marwaheen to evacuate in two hours or else the village would be destroyed, security officials said. No reason was given for the Israeli ultimatum.
About 150 Lebanese Sunni Muslim Bedouins left the village Saturday morning and assembled around a U.N. peacekeeping post seeking shelter, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to give statements to the media.
In Jerusalem, an Israeli army spokesman said Saturday that it attacked 44 Hezbollah targets in the past 24 hours, including the group's headquarters, al Manar broadcasting offices and several bridges in Lebanon, one on a Beirut-Damascus road.
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 9:09
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#2
Cutting of exit routes to make it difficult the move the two Israeli hostages.
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006 9:16
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#3
Interesting that Israel has not taken out the Hezbollah TV station with HARM. You would think Hez would get a clue and go off the air. But then that might invite an attack. As long as they broadcast they're safe.
#5
If my direct TV can scramble during the 4th quarter of a tied playoff game due to "technical difficulties", I'm sure Ari in IDF Tech support could mess up the signal if the bosses wanted it done... without the muss and fuss of knocking out TV communications towers. May need them for the upcoming "woe is me" programing, when the Hizzies have to cry uncle.
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006
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#1
The money quote:
the Taliban have taken such a beating that tribal leaders have appealed to president Karzai for mercy. While the tribal chiefs can't keep all their young men from running off with the Taliban (who pay well), they can appeal to Karzai to ask the Americans to take more prisoners and ease up on their generous use of smart bombs.
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
07/15/2006 9:38
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#2
Ummmmmm....no
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 9:59
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#3
Hokay, write us a memorandum in triplicate and we'll get back to you....never.
Posted by: DanNY ||
07/15/2006 10:38
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#4
Midnight basketball and a jobs program, perhaps?
#5
No prisoners. Erase the next generation and stop this shit. These fools always surrender then sneak back to kill you another day. Get rid of them. No more lefty bitching about how many prisoners are being held. It's past time these fools realize there are consequences when you play games with guns.
A home-made bomb exploded at a school in Sungai Padi district yesterday, injuring a security officer and two students. The bomb was detonated by mobile phone near the entrance of Thai Rath Wittaya 89 school around 7 am, after security officers spotted a suspicious object wrapped in a plastic bag. The bomb seriously injured Snr Sgt-Maj Pongpraram Phewlueng, 46. Two students, Sahira Sahae-Duerus, 8, and Asari Wati Dueloh, 12, were slightly hurt.
Shortly afterwards, an eight-member military unit was hit by a booby trap while removing road spikes to clear the way for troop reinforcements who rushed to the bomb-hit school. The soldiers were unharmed, but Anirute Jehpor, 16, a resident who was driving behind the military vehicle, was severely injured in the blast.
In Yala, investigators named Rommuelee Jeh-ha Samoh, 20, as one of the attackers of the security officers who escorted teachers to Ban Lak Ket school in Yaha district on Thursday, when one officer was wounded. He was placed on the most-wanted list of Muslim insurgents as an ambush unit leader in the Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK) radical group.
An intelligence source said a number of rubber-pressing machines had been stolen in the three southern provinces. The cylinders from the machines can be used as containers for bombs, in the same manner as fire extinguishers, but their explosive power is much greater.
Elsewhere in the same province, Tuanyunu Pasae, 52, a village headman in Muang district was shot dead by two drive-by gunmen. Meanwhile, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Wannasathit said an explosion at a market in Narathiwat's Waeng district which killed an officer on Thursday, might have been the work of the RKK group.
An Islamist cleric and politician from Bangladesh has been allowed to enter Britain this weekend, The Times of London reported.
The Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office considered revoking Delwar Hossain Sayeedi's visa, the newspaper said. But officials decided in the end to take no action.
Sayeedi, a member of Bangladesh's parliament, is known for anti-Western rhetoric and was accused of war crimes last year, the Times said. In one e-mail, an Islamic affairs adviser in the Foreign Office suggested that a Home Office official was biased and said that barring Sayeedi from the country might offend centrist Muslim leaders.
Sayeedi's schedule for the weekend includes a housing fair at the London Muslim Center and a rally with anti-war Member of Parliament George Galloway
#1
In one e-mail, an Islamic affairs adviser in the Foreign Office suggested that a Home Office official was biased and said that barring Sayeedi from the country might offend centrist Muslim leaders.
Fifth Column anyone?
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/15/2006 9:34
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By implication, centrist Muslim leaders support islamic war criminals.
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006 9:37
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Fifth Column anyone?
PC run amok, I suspect. Take an Islamacist as 'advisor' and then be sure never to do anything he doesn't like.
#2
"This came after Muslim groups and trade unions in South Africa called for the government to cut ties with the Jewish state and impose a trade boycott."
Just exactly what does South Africa have to trade? They're no longer exporting anything, just like Zimbob's country.
#3
South Africa has one of the world's best arms industries, developed during the apartheid period. Their 155mm howitzers (both towed and self-propelled) are used as a benchmark for judging other artillery. They developed a whole series of infantry weapons and light armoured vehicles that have been combat tested and even adopted by the US : the Rhino wheeled APC and the 6-shot 40mm gernade launcher. Also, South Africa is one of the world's biggest diamond exporters and Israel is a diamond cutting center. During the "Pariah" decades of the 1970s, 80s, and early 90s, the two countries developed a wide-ranging trade relationship that included Taiwan as well.
Annuities are not good news for Muslims. Not only do they involve interest, which is forbidden under Islamic law, they also involve uncertainty.
The issue with an annuity is that you are being given a rate, but nobodys sure how long it will be paid for, so it introduces an element of uncertainty, which conflicts with Islamic law, Alun Williams, of the Islamic Bank of Britain, said.
This is one of the principles underlying so-called Shariah finance, he said. Contracts should be very clear and certain as to their outcome. An annuity, by most interpretations, would be considered an unclear and uncertain contract, because, if you think about it, its a bit like gambling nobody is sure whether you are going to win or the insurance company is going to win.
Ian Oliver, of Norwich Union, the insurer, believes that several religious groups, including Muslims, may have objections to annuities on ethical grounds: Its really anyone who objects to, putting it bluntly, gambling on when you are going to die, and there are a number of groups who fall into that camp.
Mr Williams said that many Muslims are unhappy about investing in the sort of pension fund needed to pay eventually for an annuity. Alternatively secured pensions might be of interest to them instead of annuities, but they have objections to pensions before they get to the annuity stage, he said.
#5
Blondie, not only do they not have any problems w/life insurance but they also run a little scam up in the Detroit area. Goes like this:
Achmed takes out a life insurance policy on great grampa Wissam. Wissam go back to Iraq or wherever to visit family. *He dies during the visit* (of a heart attack or take your pick) and is buried within 24 hours as per muzzie custom. A *death certificate* get's sent to Achmed from Iraq or wherever and he gives that to the insurance folks - happens all the time & usually works. This is the type of crap me and my "American" buddies saw or even had the muzzies at the gas stations we deal with boast to us of this scam.
*I denote "American" as these arabs called all us non-arab white guys "Americans", hence they did not consider themselves American - this would've been a step down to them (one of the reasons I am prejudice toward them). They called the blacks & jews much worse as you can imagine.
#6
hehehe.. need to amend ERISA then... Defined benefit plans are against sharia... who woulda thought that Mo would have thought of that kind of thing way back then.
Posted by: Mark E. ||
07/15/2006 16:11
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A missile fired by Hezbollah, not an unmanned drone laden with explosives, damaged an Israeli warship off Lebanon, the army said Saturday. The attack late Friday alarmed Israel because initial information indicated the guerrillas had used a drone for the first time to attack Israeli forces.
But the army's investigation showed that Hezbollah had fired an Iranian-made missile at the vessel from the shores of Lebanon, said Brig. Gen. Ido Nehushtan. "We can confirm that it was hit by an Iranian-made missile launched by Hezbollah. We see this as very profound fingerprint of Iranian involvement in Hezbollah," Nehushtan said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Another Hezbollah missile also hit and sank a nearby merchant ship at around the same time, Nehushtan said. He said that ship apparently was Egyptian, but had no other information. Nehushtan said the body of one of the four Israeli soldiers missing in the attack was found aboard the damaged warship. Other Israeli military officials said two bodies had been found.
#1
...Getting some slightly confusing signals on this one, as I've seen the UAV story and now 'an Iranian-made missile'. I'm betting now on the missiles (though I wouldn't completely rule out the existence of jerry-rigged UAVs)but I want a bit more info on the Egyptian craft that was sunk and what sank it.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/15/2006 7:50
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It was a sea skimming missile with a rocket engine. Released video showed a night time rocket plume then a detonation on the horizon.
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006 9:04
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Reports around an Egyptian cruise ship was hit as well.
#8
I assume it was a bearing only attack and maybe when the C-802s radars fired up one picked the target the other picked the Egyptian vessel. Maybe chaff was used.
#12
As of this post [Guam time], FOX NEWS says Israel says its a C-802, aka [dual-use = nuke capable]SILKWORM-type, allegedly provided to Iran's IRGC from China, to which Iran per se denies receiving any such same.
London-based Arabic language newspaper Al-Hayat says Israel gave Syria 72 hours to stop Hizbullahs activity, bring about release of kidnapped IDF troops. Israel will not end military activity until new situation created that will prevent Syria, Iran from using terror organizations to threaten its security, newspaper quotes Pentagon official as saying
Al-Hayat reported Saturday that Washington has information according to which Israel gave Damascus 72 hours to stop Hizbullahs activity along the Lebanon-Israel border and bring about the release the two kidnapped IDF soldiers or it would launch an offensive with disastrous consequences.
The report said a senior Pentagon source warned that should the Arab world and international community fail in the efforts to convince Syria to pressure Hizbullah into releasing the soldiers and halt the current escalation Israel may attack targets in the country.
Al-Hayat quoted the source as saying that the US cannot rule out the possibility of an Israeli strike in Syria, this despite the fact that the Bush administration has asked Israel to refrain from any military activity that may result in civilian casualties.
The report also mentioned that President George W. Bush has repeatedly put much of the blame for the recent escalation on Syria.
It is no coincidence that the Hizbullah operation comes at a time when the international community is working to impose sanctions on Iran due to its nuclear program and settle the score with Syria by establishing an international court to try those behind the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the Pentagon source said.
According to the source, Hizbullah made the same mistake as Hamas when it did not predict the ramifications of its actions and ignored the regional and international changes since the fall of Saddam Hussein.
The source said that Israel has indicated that it will not end its military activity until a new situation is created that will prevent Syria and Iran from using terror organizations, such as Hamas and Hizbullah, to threaten its security.
#1
Ahmadinejad doesn't have the intelligence to comprehend the balance of forces. And he has been holding huge rallies, in which he boasts about destroying Israel. When the humiliation of Hizbollah reaches the streets of Teheran, ego will lead the Ayatollah puppet to launch his long range missiles at Israel. Then, he will meet his doom.
BTW: Daily Alert is full of good links today. Cut and paste because AOL won't let me tag-link:
http://www.dailyalert.org/
#4
Actually, it was an Iranian setup originally, but it got modified and improved by creative minds. Ahmadinutjob will be in awe and then in shock when the improved version gets its full play.
#8
Leave Iran alone. Iran will lose a lot of face if Israel whips Syria's butt. Everybody likes to follow the strong horse, right? After the thunder run through Damascus, Bolton aksk for sanctions against Iran. The Chinese may object, even the Russians, but that will be it.
Then the quarantine, no gasoline. Let the Iranians finish the job themselves.
Then meet at the UN with Ralph Peters to draw the new boundaries.
#12
I don't think Iran can be left alone. They will regard it as a victory, including almost sinking an Israeli warship. This is perfect opportunity to attack Iranian refineries, power plants and nuclear facilities, including the completed reactor (but not yet fueled, I think) at Bushear.
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006 9:42
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Bushear Bushehr
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006 9:44
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6 I don't know any more than you do. I think, it's just IAF reserves.
IMO, what's going on in Lebanon is twofold.
(i)The Lebs are being shown that there is a price.
(ii) IDF getting a bit of live fire training---everybody but infantry got a bit slack fighting Paleos: shit like a tank running into a mine ambush, or a missile ship being struck by shore to sea, are not something that's supposed to happen in IDF.
#16
The 72 hours notice is also for the US to fully prepare its anti-missile systems for Iraq and any naval vessels in the area.
Please note that the US Navy currently has only a few vessels in the Red Sea, and no carriers within attack range of Iranian missiles. This means that the primary US targets in the region are the airbases in western Iraq and Bagram in Afghanistan.
Using missiles carrying 1000-pound bombs to attack an airfield is a wasteful expenditure of an expensive damn missile. The odds of it hitting near enough to do much of anything is low. And once those planes are scrambled, it's party time.
That would be sweet as far as we are concerned, as the Iranians would have started the war, our airbase assets could disrupt their C&C and missile targetting, and so when our aircraft carriers arrived, Iran would be our bitch.
#19
Israel has plenty to do to take down Hizb'Allah systematically. Syria, though is the next logical target to dismantle. The US has a dog in this one, also. Taking Hizb and Syria out of the fight isolates Iran. Administrative Nut Job can only do mischief, serious mischief, mind you. Then there you have a causus belli, and whatever mischief on our side can be done and he and the MMs can be toppled more actively than anyone has been doing.
Now is the time to take out Syria, and then Iran. A nuclear-armed Iran will mean many more casualties. Hell, even the Saudis would like Iran neutralized. Takes the pressure off their own nuke program, nutty as it is.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
07/15/2006 12:17
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Alaske Paul,
I agree with you that this is the golden opportunity to take out syria or at least to shake it considerably.
I dont think Israel would do anything serious along these lines, though, because I dont think Olmert can afford a major war with Syria right now.
So, I think it's up to Dubia to up the ante on the asshat.
Think he will folloow up on it ??
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 12:22
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Elder of Zion: I am curious, what do you think the ante would be?
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/15/2006 13:55
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It has to be disavowed by the IDF, because that would be the only way that baby Assad would comply. He would loose face big-time if he was seen bending to the will of Israel. It has to look like his (Assad's idea) "for the sake of peace in the region".
#24
Unless ordinary Syrians want to be future citizens of Radical Iran, Syria has a stake in ISRAEL defeating the various terror orgs in southern Lebanon. SO MANY QUANDRIES, NOT ENUFF POPCORN - FTLG, STAY ARMED BOYZ AND GIRLZ.
...We are especially concerned by the failure of the Iranian government to engage seriously on the proposals made by the P-5 countries and Germany. In this context, we stand fully behind the decision by Foreign Ministers on July 12.
We are seriously concerned by North Korea's ballistic missile tests and urge it to return to a moratorium on such launches, to the Six-Party Talks, and to full implementation of the September 19, 2005 agreement.
The Russian Federation and the United States are actively working for the unity among the UN Security Council members on these sensitive issues. We will continue consultations with our G-8 partners to strengthen the global non-proliferation regime
Through our cooperation in the field of nuclear nonproliferation we seek to improve the security of our own peoples and of all others in the world community. In doing so, we are building on the unique historic roles and responsibilities of the United States and the Russian Federation in nuclear science and technology, both military and civilian. We are united in our determination to help make the benefits of nuclear energy securely available to all for peaceful purposes.
#1
George swaps spit with Putty, appeasement at hand.
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/15/2006 17:56
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Bush was and is using economic levers to bring Russia to join the unanimous UNSC resolution on NORK and this joint statement. Don't underestimate what it took to get this in public.
Bush and Putin spoke at a news conference just hours after the breakdown of talks to bring Russia into the World Trade Organization, a long-sought goal of Putin's. He had hoped to announce an agreement on the WTO before hosting the G-8 summit. Susan Schwab, the top U.S. trade negotiator, later told reporters that reaching a deal could take another two to three months.
The talks broke off because of differences over assurances the United States was seeking over the protection of U.S. copyrights and patents and promises that Russia would accept greater amounts of U.S. farm goods.
Bush said the administration believed Russia needed to offer more in trade concessions to satisfy the Congress. He said both sides would continue to negotiate to get a deal. The United States is the only country that has yet to signoff on Russia's membership in the WTO.
IT is unlikely Australian troops will become directly involved in the escalating Middle East conflict, defence analysts say. But Australia's close ties with the United States, Israel's strongest ally, means intelligence is almost certainly being channelled through the Pine Gap listening facility near Alice Springs.
Israel has launched a cross-border operation into Lebanon, including airstrikes that have killed scores of civilians, after militant group Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers last week.
Dr Michael McKinley, of the Australian National University's (ANU) department of political science and international relations, said he did not believe the US would become directly involved either. But any escalation involving Iran could change the situation, and Australia did have specialised tanks that could be used in the Middle East, he said.
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Democrats pulled an Internet ad that showed flag-draped coffins Friday after Republicans and at least two Democrats demanded it be taken down on grounds the image was insensitive and not fit for a political commercial.
The ad by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called for a "new direction" and displayed a staccato of images, including war scenes, pollution and breached levees as well as a photograph of former House Majority Leader
Tom DeLay doctored to look like a police mug shot.
The campaign committee replaced the ad with a radio commercial that targets Rep. John Hostetler, R-Ind., for opposing an increase in the minimum wage. Democrats have made a minimum wage increase a central theme of this year's election.
Democrats had featured the video ad for nearly two weeks on the DCCC Web site where it had gone largely unnoticed until Republicans began objecting to it this week. On Thursday, more than a dozen Republicans, many with military backgrounds, called on DCCC Chairman Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., to apologize. Democratic Reps. John Spratt of South Carolina and Chet Edwards of Texas asked Emanuel to pull or alter the ad.
"We're moving to another major effort that we're highlighting on our Web site," DCCC spokesman Bill Burton said.
In South Carolina, Spratt's Republican challenger, state Rep. Ralph Norman, commended the removal. It was "the right thing to do for the state, country and especially the brave men and women who serve in our military," said Norman's spokesman, Nathan Hollifield.
If you get a chance pop on over to Hot Air's latest Vent video where Michelle Malkin joins the Cindy Sheehan fast for a day. I think it'll be on all weekend.
Two words, Senator/Representative: Support Israel.
Their war is our war, and the sooner we realize that fact and help them dispatch medieval islamofascist vermin like Hamas, Hezbollah, the Assad regime, and the Iranian Mullahs to the hereafter, the better off we'll all be, including the Islamic world.
Well, okay, an accurate taxonomical evaluation of Assad might not include the "medieval islamo" part, but I believe that the rest fits and that his regime is the only exception in my list. Best not confuse the congresscritters.
Gerald R. Ford, the nation's oldest living former president, began his 93rd birthday Friday with a note of praise and best wishes from the White House. "Since leaving office, President Ford has set a high standard for grace and character," President Bush said in a written statement. "He has never forgotten his roots or lost sight of the things that matter, including his deep love for his wife and partner, Betty." Ford has made few public appearances in recent months and has had some health setbacks, including a 12-day hospitalization in January for pneumonia.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
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...Many happy returns and best wishes to him. A good and decent man who will be better remembered by history than we think.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/15/2006 7:02
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Certainly better than Ol Jimmah when he croaks. Ford had a tough job when he took office, and did well all things considering. Happy Birthday President Ford, and many more to come I hope.
Posted by: Charles ||
07/15/2006 8:01
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"Celebrates birthday at favorite gentleman's club."
Ever since the movie Beverly Hills Cop II, it has been a running gag that president Ford is a regular at some of the finer strip clubs in California.
Security forces raided a rebel hideout in Indian-held Kashmir on Friday and killed two militants, the army said. The incident occurred near the Aragram village, 60 kilometres north of Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu-Kashmir state, said Lt Col VK Batra, a spokesman for the Indian army. He said the militants were killed during a gunfight, which started when the soldiers were searching the village after receiving information that militants were hiding there. Batra said the army suspected the rebels belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
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QUETTA: Two top commanders belonging to the militia of tribal chief Nawab Akbar Bugti, Wadera Khan Mohammad Masuri and Riaz Gul Masuri, have surrendered to the government along with 38 other tribesmen, Dera Bugti DCO Abdul Samad Lasi said on Friday, APP reported. Lasi called the commanders' surrender "a milestone for peace in the area", saying that both were responsible for operating "the entire terrorist network of the nawab in Dera Bugti". He said that the surrender would also encourage the "remaining miscreants to leave Nawab Bugti" and surrender.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
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India is stepping up efforts to get the United States to hold the sale of F-16 fighter planes to Pakistan until the Musharraf government delivers on its promise to curb terror.
Interlocutors have conveyed Indias strong feelings on the issue to the Bush Administration. The back channels have been active since the serial blasts in Mumbai. A senior government source said credible evidence of a Pakistani link to the blasts will strengthen Indias case. Security agencies are in the process of piecing the evidence together.
The strongest message the US can give Pakistan (on the terror issue) is to put the F-16 deal on hold, said former Indian ambassador to Islamabad, G Parthasarthy.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: john ||
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I agree with the PM. Stop the sale to Pakland. At the same time, strongly encourage the Indians to buy from US inventory. Lockheed doesn't mind where the sale occurs, just as long as enough are produced and sold to keep the line open. We'd be much better to have any of our equipment in India. Anything in Pakland would soon be detoured to China on loan. They just tried to buy an F-16 engine for $4mil so they could copy it. Imagine what they'd do for the Paks if they had an entire plane to disassemble.
Jacques Chirac officiated at the colorful July 14 celebrations in central Paris, on what is almost certainly his last Bastille Day as president ahead of elections next year. Amid tight security Chirac, 73, took the salute at the traditional military parade and fly-past before hosting a garden party at the Elysee palace and giving a 45-minute interview on the state of the nation carried live on television.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Did he stay for the ceremonial Car-BQ afterwards?
Indian police investigating serial bombings in Mumbai were surprised when a "woman" wearing an all-covering burqa and acting suspiciously turned out to be a man, a report said on Friday. The man told police he had disguised himself as a woman so he could meet his girlfriend, additional police commissioner Bipin Bihari told the Press Trust of India. The man said he was scared of his girlfriend's parents.
The official said police spotted the man at Mumbai's international airport, where security forces were keeping a strict watch after seven blasts killed 179 people on trains and stations along the western rail line on Tuesday. Women officials who were asked to investigate the burqa-clad suspect were in for a surprise when the man lifted his veil. Police were investigating the man's background. "We cannot take chances in the present circumstances," Bihari said, referring to tight security and a massive hunt for the Mumbai bombers.
After the attacks - the worst in India in 13 years - security has been stepped up at railway stations and airports across the country. Meanwhile, Indian police named a third suspect in the train bombings as investigators cast a wide net in their hunt for the assailants.
Posted by: Fred ||
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At first I thought the post was about these people.
Four Israel Navy sailors were reported missing after an explosives-laden drone, apparently launched by Hezbollah, hit a naval vessel off the coast of Beirut Friday night.
The blast caused a fire on board the ship, which had been stationed 16 kilometers off of the coast of Lebanon. After the fire was extinguished, it became clear that four soldiers were missing. Their families were notified soon thereafter. Israel Defense Forces teams, with the help of planes, helicopters and additional vessels, were searching for the missing troops at the site of the blast. The ship was towed back to Israel.
The incident occurred at around 8:30 P.M., causing a fire close to the helicopter landing pad onboard. The ship's steering mechanism also sustained some damage. Several hours after the vessel was hit, an Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman said the damage was worse than originally thought. There were some 80 soldiers on board the ship when it was hit.
An army spokeswoman said later that Hezbollah continued to target Israeli vessels with a barrage of rockets after the hit, but missed and struck a civilian ship.
Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said earlier Friday that the militant organization had sunk an Israel Navy ship off the Lebanese coast. "Now in the middle of the sea, facing Beirut, the Israeli warship that has attacked the infrastructure, people's homes and civilians - look at it burning," Nasrallah said in remarks broadcast live shortly after an Israel Air Force strike on Hezbollah's Beirut headquarters.
Hezbollah has never before used a remote-controlled unmanned aircraft to attack Israel. But in a signal of its growing capabilities, the guerrilla group has twice managed to fly spy drones over northern Israel in recent years. The drones caused great concern in Israel because they evaded the country's air defenses.
Belmont Club has more with commentary. It's hard to ignore the idea that Hezbollah received the drone from Iran. That means not just the UAV but also either 1) the training to operate it (not trivial) or 2) personnel that operated it for Hezbollah. If the latter, that puts Iranian military/para-military forces on the front line in Lebanon. That's a clear escalation.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006
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#1
Steve, those operators could have been Iranian-trained Syrian military forces. At this stage, Iran prefers to spend their forward puppets.
#2
according to Bill Roggio at the CounterTerrorism site...
While initial reports are stating an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was used to ram the ships, an anonymous intelligence official indicates the Egyptian ship was struck by a UAV launched antitank missile. According to the intelligence official, the Egyptian ship was hit with a Raad anti-tank missile (this is a different weapon than the Raad rockets fired against the city of Haifa.)
The fact that two separate ships were struck at the same time, very likely with UAV fired antitank missiles, indicates a level of sophistication far beyond that of Hezbollah. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps and Imad Mugniyah clearly have a hand in these operations. The coupling of a UAV with an anti-tank missile requires extensive research, development and testing. It is unlikely Hezbollah conducted these efforts without attracting the attention of the watchful Israelis to their south. And the Iranians possess the technological capabilities; the Raad anti-tank missile is from their arsenal. The use of multiple UAVs over the mediterranian Sea indicates Hezbollah may have a fleet of these UAVs, whcih must be maintaned.
#3
What? No mention of the Egyptian vessel (merchant ship or cruise ship) that was also hit?
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/15/2006 0:22
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#4
How accurate a story are we getting from a reporter/news organization that doesn't know the difference between Soldiers, who operate on dry land, and SAILORS who work and fight ships! This little error got past the reporter, and the editor not once, but in two seperate stories! So how well did they check the rest of their facts? (assumed)censor
#7
Expect an Israeli attack on Iran in the next 48 hours. I hope they attack those oil refineries. It would screw the Mullahs big time. Iran runs on cheap petrol. Without it there will be riots or worse.
#10
Hmmm, phil_b. Wouldn't after the end of the G8 be more likely? I confess I haven't the first clue when Israel will step up the pace and begin going after the sponsors, not just the tools. In fact, I'm not (yet) convinced they will take full advantage of this 24K golden opportunity.
The one thing that gives me hope is Olmert's statement yesterday that this would not be over until Hezbollah was destroyed.
Just wondering aloud. Please post more of the logic behind your prediction, if you see this and have the time.
#14
The hell of it is, the recent NATO naval exercise in the Black Sea, in which Israel participated (a NATO first) included a similar scenario. The Israeli ship provided a helicopter that launched a kamikaze attack against one of the "blue" ships.
#15
phil_b, I think that attacking Iran in the next 48 hrs would be a bit of stretch. Hizbollah needs to be ground to dust and mopped up fist to a large degree. Syria is next. How soon depends on what can be pinned on them as casus belli. Sometimes the next weekend. It is possible that what is planned is to hit Iran at the same time, with some US support. If not at the same time, sometimes between August 1 to August 15.
#17
The SAAR 5 have the Phalanx and the Barak anti-missle system. If indeed it was a drone with an
anti-tank missile that was launched outside Barak envelope then was almost impossble to defend the ship Barak and Phaanx are prepared for such tny missiles. I think that is too much tech for Hizballah, so we are let that a simple drone penetrated one most sofisticated defenses of an Israeli ship...
#20
Israel can't let Iran fight a war against them through proxies. They have to make sure Iran pays a price. Iran for it's part will think they are beyond the reach of Israel.
The likeliest response is a submarine launched cruise missile from a submarine in the Indian Ocean. If there isn't a sub already there. I expect one is on its way.
Hitting oil refineries would make the price to Iran heavy.
#21
The IAF would not have disabled Beirut runways unless they wanted to make re-supply by Iran, impossible. Sunni attacks on Hizbollah, indicates that they are prepared to watch Israel crush Shiite terrorists. Ahmadinejad will have to attempt to match his genocidal rhetoric, with action. I cannot see any resolution to this conflict that doesn't include the destruction of the Ayatollah tyranny. Iranians who matter are well aware that 14 clerics have benefitted from sweetheart contracts, to the point that their personal wealth is over $100 million each. Leaving Teheran intact, while flattening Qom, militarized frontier districts, and the nuclear facilities, would cause the overthrow of the central government. Basiji elements are viewed as parasitic strike breakers. There is no scenario in which diplomacy is the monopoly approach to the genocidal, inter-generational threat posed by the human garbage that leads Iran. After the G8, something decisive will happen, and it will not cost many American or Israeli lives.
#24
If it was silkworm it was a complete failure of Phalanx and the Barak anti-missile system and all detection systems or the ship captain was an idiot.
Note that Silkworm is a big slow missile and easy to destroy. A Sea Dart missile destroyed a Stix missile in the Koweit Liberation operation and a Sea Dart even isnt an anti-missile system .
#27
Hmmm, I think the Capt. of the ship got complacent if it was a silkworm probably did not think the hizzies had silkworms. As the boy scout motto sez "be prepared".
#30
Doesn't matter WHAT hit the boat, all that matters is Isreal takes it up another notch. Start targeting where Hezbollahs money comes from, I'm sure the US will be willing to let the Isreali's stop in Airbases in Iraq quick, or even Air-to-Air refuel them if need be.
Posted by: Charles ||
07/15/2006 8:07
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Not silkworm. It has a 1000 lb HE warhead that would have blown a corvette out of the water. I haven't seen pics of the damage but think it was a Chinese C-802 missile (Exocet ripoff) with a 360 lb warhead. Video of the attack showed it was a rocket powered missile launched at night (so radar guided).
Consequences of this attack is that at a minimum the Israelis need to missile attack Iranian assets such as refineries or the navy. Hopefully Israeli subs are ready and added hardpoints to long range cargo aircraft that can fly around Saudi and back.
In addition, the Syrian navy needs to be sunk or the AF destroyed.
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006 8:09
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#32
C-801, not C-802.
Posted by: ed ||
07/15/2006 8:29
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Afghan and US-led coalition forces killed nine militants after suspected Taliban fighters attacked two army checkpoints in the latest fighting to rock southern Afghanistan, an Afghan official said on Friday. Six militants were wounded in three hours of clashes but escaped, and one other militant was arrested, said Mohammed Zahir Khan, chief of Khas Uruzgan district in southern Uruzgan province where the fighting occurred late on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a suicide bomber was the sole victim in a failed attack on Friday on an Afghan police convoy in the country's east, police said. The attack happened in the Gurbuz district of southeastern Khost province bordering Pakistan, said provincial police chief Gen Mohammed Ayoub. The attacker, on foot, ran at a police pickup truck that was driving slowly on a bumpy road and detonated his explosives short of the vehicle, killing only himself, Ayoub said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006
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premature emasculation....
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 9:11
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MUMBAI: Rahil Abdul Rahman Sheikh, identified by India's covert services as the principal organiser of the July 11 serial bombings, may be holed up in one of the several Kathmandu safe houses operated by the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Intelligence sources said Sheikh, along with Zulfikar Fayyaz Qazi and Zabiuddin Ansari, set up escape plans weeks before the bombings, in anticipation of what is being described as the largest counter-terrorism sweep since the 2001 attack on Parliament House. Police have named the men as key figures in Lashkar cells operating out of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi networks whose relationship with the bombings was first reported in this newspaper.
Sheikh, a resident of Mumbai's Grant Road area, handled communication between these cells and the Lashkar's Pakistan-based commander for operations targeting India, Azam Cheema the man who would have authorised and overseen the serial bombings. Sheikh was also responsible for funnelling Lashkar recruits, raised mainly from the ranks of the Students Islamic Movement of India, to training camps in Pakistan.
Gujarat's Anti-Terrorism Squad identified Sheikh, along with Qazi, as the architects of the attempted bombing of an Ahmedabad-Mumbai train on February 19. A malfunctioning timer and a corrupt railway guard, who pilfered the suitcase from the train in Ahmedabad before it commenced its return journey to Mumbai prevented the loss of dozens of lives in the attack, the first in Gujarat where RDX was used.
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HAZLETON, Pa. - The mayor signed a city ordinance Friday that punishes people who do business with illegal immigrants or provide them with jobs or housing while critics called the new law unenforceable and predicted it will be overturned. Mayor Lou Barletta said his office will soon begin to train city workers in how to check people's immigration or citizenship status. He also expects the City Council to approve companion legislation requiring all tenants to register with the city and prove their legal residency. "We will start the process of training employees and possibly hiring someone as well," Barletta said Friday. "We're also going to be talking with Immigration and Customs (Enforcement) to see if possibly we could receive some assistance."
The city's Code Enforcement Department will implement the Illegal Immigration Relief Act, a law passed by the City Council on Thursday that fines landlords $1,000 per day for each illegal immigrant living on their properties. It takes effect in two months.
"Do I have confidence that employees of the City of Hazleton will be able to implement this policy in a way that makes sense? Absolutely not," said Lee Llambelis, legal director of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. Llambelis said her organization will file a lawsuit that will claim the ordinance violates the federal government's jurisdiction over immigration. "We very much expect there to be similar cookie-cutter ordinances popping up all over the country," she said. "We will start in Hazleton but are prepared to litigate them nationally."
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Posted by: Fred ||
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While I sympathize with the mayor of Hazleton, I can't see this surviving a court challenge. IIRC, several courts have struck down similar measures on the grounds that immigration is supposed to be a federal issue. Of course, if the federal government is unable or unwilling to enforce the immigration laws ...
The suspects in a terrorist plot targeting lower Manhattan hoped to unleash a catastrophic flood by destroying a huge underground wall that keeps Hudson River water out of the World Trade Center site, two law enforcement officials said Thursday. It was unclear how the suspects hoped to bring down the so-called slurry wall, which was quietly put under 24-hour police protection in recent weeks once details of the plot began to emerge, the officials told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the scheme was still under investigation.
A yearlong investigation had revealed that the eight suspects "specifically wanted to take out the slurry wall in hopes of flooding the financial district," one of the officials said. The vulnerability of the wall - viewed each day by hundreds of tourists visiting ground zero - became a concern for law enforcement and engineers following the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
The FBI and police did not mention the retaining wall as a target last week while confirming reports that plotters envisioned an attack in the fall on rapid transit tunnels, which run under the river and connect to the Trade Center site. The plot also allegedly involved suicide bombers on trains. The FBI and NYPD declined comment Thursday.
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According to the spokesman of the Military Council of the State Defense Council - Majlisul Shura of the Chechen Republic of Ickeria 24 kafirs and munafiqs were eliminated and at least 22 of kafirs and munafiqs were wounded during the combat operations of the Mujahideen in various parts of the country on July 12-13.
According to the source the fiercest firefight occurred in Nojay-Yurt district of the country at Dagestan border, where the mobile squad of Mujahideen has entered into a combat with a numerous gang of munafiqs. During the fierce firefight, which lasted for several hours, at least 15 munafiqs were eliminated, scores of national-traitors (according to reconnaissance unit 12 men) were got wounded. Mujahideen have lost 2 of their fighters, a few one incurred wounds.
Another combat has occurred between the villages of Dargo and Belgatoy. According to the Chechen sources during this clash 3 kafirs were eliminated and more 5 kafirs were wounded. Mujahideen lost one fighter.
In Itum-Kali district of the country the sabotage squad has blown up an army truck with kafirs. According to the Chechen command as a result of the explosion 4 invaders were eliminated and 3 others were wounded.
2 kafirs and 1 munafiq have been eliminated and another one wounded in the capital Jokhar on July 12. It is reported that mobile squad of Mujahideen attacked the enemy at night. Outposts and patrols had been subjected to attacks.
The Chechen side also reported on artillery bombardments and aerial raids in Nojay-Yurt and Vedeno districts of the country. No information is available regarding casualties of these strikes.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Ok, I know what a kafir is, being one myself and all, but what is a munafiq?
#2
Munafiqs are "hypocrites," in this case non-Salafist Moose limbs.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006 0:50
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#3
Phony Muslims? In 2001, CAIR wouldn't accuse al-Qaeda of being non-Muslim - or apostate - because they claimed that "takfir" insults were un-Islamic. However, in the case of the "tunnel bomb" plotters, CAIR asked the media to refrain from labelling the would-bes as Muslim. I guess for CAIR, it depends on whose agendas they share.
DENVER (AP) - An Air Force officer pleaded guilty Friday to defacing cars with bumper stickers supporting President Bush, and was given a two-year deferred sentence. Lt. Col. Alexis Fecteau, a decorated officer who flew 500 combat hours in the Gulf War, Kosovo and Bosnia, pleaded guilty to felony mischief and must pay restitution to the owners of the damaged cars to clear his record.
Fecteau, 43, of Colorado Springs, did not speak during the hearing nor comment after it.
Kiss your retirement goodbye, but you already knew that.
Attorney Patrick Mulligan said his client, a 20-year veteran, has submitted his retirement papers. Negotiations are under way to determine at what rank and with what benefits he will be retired. Mulligan said he will work with other lawyers to determine how much must be paid in restitution.
Mulligan said the plea agreement ``affords Lt. Col. Fecteau the opportunity to get back on track,'' noting his record will be cleared in two years if he stays out of trouble.
But his reputation will never be clear.
Fecteau originally faced 13 charges for defacing vehicles at the Denver airport from January to July 2005. Fecteau admitted to investigators he had vandalized cars starting around the time of the November 2004 election, but pleaded guilty to a single charge of criminal mischief that named all 13 victims. Fecteau blacked out pro-Bush bumper stickers and then spray-painted an expletive over them.
After the charges became public, Fecteau was removed as director of operations for reserve forces at the National Security Space Institute at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006
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#1
If he flew 500 combat hours, why didn't he try a PTSD defense?
I'm not saying he isn't a scumbag disgrace, I'm just saying he got shitty legal advice. He would have saved his pension.
#2
a decorated officer who flew 500 combat hours in the Gulf War, Kosovo and Bosnia
I call bullsh*t. It takes pilots years to fly 1000 hours, or the equivalent of 41 1/2 straight days in the air. He might have been able to do that if he was riding AWACS, JSTARS or another multi-crew combat support bird that flies somewhat away from the fighting, but even if that was the case he wasn't getting shot at for 500 hours.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/15/2006 7:07
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#3
He did what he did. The lawyer knew it and didn't want to screw things up with a transparently chicken shit defence that would insult the court. I'd bet he's saving the PTSD for mitigation in the damage hearing. Admit he screwed up, show remorse, help him get back on track is a good strategy at this point, if it's sincere.
#5
Double Jeopardy here. Since he's faced civil charges for the act, he can't/won't face similar UCMJ for the same act. The only charge the civies could not charge that is still open under UCMJ is the 'actions unbecoming' article. Usually, that is employed to get them to sign the papers for early retirement or release from service. Though I suspect that in this case, it has been done under administrative punishment which means a formal letter in his permanent record the results of which is no promotion, no good assignments. Is there still a base on Kiska?
#6
What an idiot. I didn't like seeing Kerry/Edwards bumper stickers on base (the very few that there were) but it would never even cross my mind to vandalize someone's car over it.
#7
No double jeopardy, Gruth. A, double jeopardy can occur only after an acquittal. B, separate sovereigns doctrine. LTC Moonbat was charged, tried, convicted and sentenced by a state court, and can now be charged & tried by a federal court, (which all courts-martial are). However, the command rarely prefers charges where there's already been a civilian conviction. But they can screw him real good-like on his resignation & retirement.
#8
He got better legal advice than the deserter "free speech" idiots had. At least in this case he doesn't face "conduct unbecoming" charges before a VERY UNSYMPATHETIC court-martial board.
"The lawyer knew it and didn't want to screw things up with a transparently chicken shit defence that would insult the court."
Nimble is spot-on. This way he gets it expunged if he acts like a man instead of a d*mned schoolboy.
Posted by: Ernest Brown ||
07/15/2006 11:48
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#9
Tell me exJAG, are the lawyers and judges getting creative with the constitution again.
Amendment V.
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
He plead guilty to the crime, he didn't plead 'no contest'. Therefore he is convicted of the crime. What I understand you are saying, is that the person can be convicted in each level court for the same crime.
#10
Double jeopardy means being tried on the same charges, by the same tribunal, a second time, after having been acquitted the first time -- and that's it. It's possible only after contested cases where the defendant pleads not guilty; it's not possible if the plea is nolo contendere or guilty (because the defendant is not claiming innocence).
The separate sovereigns doctrine is based on the fact that states are sovereign entities separate from the federal government. This does indeed mean that if you're acquitted of a charge in state court, you can then be tried on the same charge in federal court, or vice versa. Happens all the time -- often in moonbat cases like these, where local moonbat juries won't convict a fellow "resister." (Happily, that wasn't a problem here).
I don't know the exact origins, but these two principles have long been black letter law -- i.e., the Supreme Court's interpretation of the 5th Amendment, ratified by Congress in that it took no action to reverse the Court's rulings legislatively. I do know, however, that both of these things have been enshrined in US law since well before the commies "got creative" with the Constitution.
As a prosecutor, these rules made me very happy, but I understand full well the potential for abuse. These principles are only as good as the government that's in charge.
#11
P.S. Yes, I am saying that people can be convicted in each level court for the same crime. However, for many reasons, that rarely happens. Off the top of my head, Terry Nichols is the only person I can think of who was tried and convicted first in federal court, and then again in Oklahoma state court (because the federal sentence was only life in prison, and locals wanted him to fry).
Hundreds of leftist activists converged from The Mid-Atlantic Radical Book Fair to hear controversial Ethnic Studies Professor Ward Churchill give his speech, "Rules for Thee, but Not for Me: The Politics of 'Academic Misconduct' in a Time of Intellectual Repression." Churchill stunned parts of the audience with an off-the-cuff joke of how the passengers on the planes hijacked by terrorists during 9/11 were laughingly "tweezed into submission" and forced to fly the plane into buildings...
#6
Gotta keep the schtick going, right, Wardo? How else would you keep getting free trips to prestigious events like The Mid-Atlantic Radical Book Fair.
It beats hanging on a Boulder street corner shaking a Dunkin Donuts cup full of change. Although you do look the part. But ditch the shades...
LONDON - Syria is telling Lebanons Hizbollah movement to stop firing rockets at Israel in a conflict sparked by the capture of two Israeli soldiers, Syrias ambassador to London said on Friday.
Uh-huh, sure. Perhaps Pencilneck is getting worried?
When asked whether Syria was telling Hizbollah to stop firing rockets at Israel, the ambassador, Sami Khiyami, told the BBC: Of course.
This is a movement that is completely independent. We have good relations with it, he said. Hizbollah was created to fight Israels former occupation of southern Lebanon and is backed by both Iran and Syria. Syria does not wish at all to be involved in the conflict. Its really seeking to ease down tensions and to reach a settlement that would stop completely the violence.
"Because we know we'd get our butts kicked if the Jooozs come north," he admitted.
The most important thing today is to concentrate on stopping the violence, on negotiating exchange of prisoners and on devising ways and means to bring peace to this poor Middle East, Khiyami said.
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#2
I am beginning to question the veracity of the Syrian ambassador. /sarcasm off
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/15/2006 0:35
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I actually think he's serious about wanting to ratchet down the level of violence and enter negotiations. By now Syria has got to realize their miscalculation.
#4
Baby Asswipe has been wearing Depends every since those low passses over his place. Now that the road to Damascus is being regularly attacked, he's having to change every 15 minutes.
#8
#1 actually it can be Hiz or Hez (phonetic translation) but the end part should be Allah as the name means 'party of god' so they are saying Allah and we just hear it with western ears as Hezbollah.
In fact it would be Hezballah
or Hizb'allah
or Hizballah or any of a number of spellings but always with allah as the suffix.
CAIRO, Egypt - Jordans King Abdullah II met in Cairo with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Friday in a hastily-called meeting to discuss escalating Mideast violence. The two leaders of moderate, U.S.-backed Arab regimes - the only countries in the region to sign peace treaties with Israel - discussed the Israeli incursions into the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, which have killed 86 Palestinians in Gaza and 61 people in Lebanon, many of them civilians.
Abdullah and Mubarak met, had lunch and then Abdullah left for Jordan a few hours later, Egypts official news agency reported.
"Okay, we're agreed. You don't let the Paleo nutters into your country, and I won't let them into mine."
Jordan and Egypt have taken a lead in efforts to support Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas amid infighting between his Fatah faction and the militant group Hamas, which runs the Palestinian government, as well as in Israeli-Palestinian clashes. Egypt has also played a mediating role in the current escalation between Israel and Hamas officials.
US President George W. Bush phoned Mubarak early Friday to talk about the escalations in Lebanon and Gaza, the agency reported. The two leaders tackled ways to contain the current exploding situation on the Lebanese stage and violence in the Gaza Strip, it said.
"George, quickest way I know to stop the fighting is let the Israelis do as they wish. Believe me, my country has experience in this."
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The ceasefire between the security forces and tribal militants known as the Taliban may be extended to facilitate the ongoing negotiations for durable peace in North Waziristan. A senior government official, asking not to be named, said on Friday that the ceasefire expiring on July 25 could be extended if talks did not yield the desired results by that date. "I think both sides can extend the ceasefire period," he said. Declining media requests to share the issues both sides were discussing, the official said that "secrecy" could help the talks succeed. The official said the jirga would decide as to which demands of the Taliban were acceptable.
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Major powers turned over to the 15-nation UN Security Council on Thursday details of energy and economic incentives they offered to Iran if it suspends its nuclear ambitions and stops uranium enrichment. The three-page incentive package, which had not previously been published in full, includes a pledge to "actively support" the building of new light water power reactors in Iran. Iran has not responded to the offer, made in June. In response, the key negotiators Germany, the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China referred the issue back to the council in a meeting in Paris on Wednesday. The 15-member body will attempt to adopt a resolution next week that would make the suspension mandatory.
If Iran still does not comply, the six nations said they would consider sanctions against Tehran. "I think the first step ... is we will move to make mandatory the requirement that Iran suspend its uranium enrichment activities with some reasonably short time fuse on that," US Ambassador John Bolton said. "And that then would be followed by looking at targeted sanctions," Bolton said. "We hope to move as quickly as possible, possibly within the next few days but realistically early next week.
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Sheeze! With any luck the time these idiots get around to actually doing anything about it beyond a strongly worded letter there may not be an Iran to talk to.
Then of course the Vampire Vulture Elite will claim all the credit for 'resolving the crisis'.....
KARACHI - A Pakistani Shiite religious leader and three others were killed in a suicide bomb attack in the port city of Karachi. Allama Hassan Turrabi, his nephew and two police guards were taken to hospital after sustaining serious injuries in the attack.
However, Turrabi and his nephew later died of their injuries, regional Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui confirmed. Earlier, Karachis chief of police, Niaz Siddiqui, told reporters a suicide bomber, who had strapped explosives to his body, blew himself up as Turrabi arrived at his house in Abbas. A child was also killed in the attack.
Siddiqui said that the attackers head and both legs were lying at the scene of the blast, adding, that police had found a hand grenade, which had not detonated. The attacker is believed to have carried the grenade, but had been unable to hurl it over Turrabis vehicle, the official added.
Turrabi was the leader of the six-party Islamic opposition alliance, Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). Hundreds of people gathered outside the hospital chanting anti- government slogans. Turrabis body was being transferred to a Shiite mosque in Karachi.
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The attacker is believed to have carried the grenade, but had been unable to hurl it over Turrabis vehicle, the official added.
Check Hek's boyz
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 9:17
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`Rahil Abdul Rehman Sheikh,' reads the text on the top of the dossier on India's most wanted terrorist the man believed to be the principal executor of the Mumbai serial bombings, which claimed 200 lives. There is no photograph below it: for all of his adult life, Sheikh refused to have one taken, on the ground that graven images were forbidden by Islam.
A picture is not the only thing we do not know about Sheikh's terror career. Since at least February, police in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi have all been attempting to locate the man alleged to be responsible for the second-largest terror strike in Indian history. Indian communications intelligence personnel intercepted conversations between Sheikh and the Lashkar's overall military commander, Azam Cheema but little else.
Operating under the direct command of a Dhaka-based Lashkar-e-Taiba commander code-named `Junaid' about whom little is known other than that he is a Pakistani national Sheikh's principal tasks were to funnel funds to field units, and ensure that fresh recruits could travel safely to training camps in Pakistan. He travelled frequently to Dhaka to meet Junaid.
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SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- There's pecking disorder in the city. Brewer's blackbirds, apparently protecting their young during nesting season, are swooping down and attacking the heads of pedestrians. "On a bad day, we get about 15 attacks an hour," Nautical Bean coffee house business manager Brett Jones said. "I thought about naming a coffee after them."
Customers are often seen flailing their hands over their heads as they walk toward the Laguna Village Shopping Center cafe. Last week, while walking into the Nautical Bean Espresso Cafe, customer Charlie Magnuson felt tiny claws tug on his peppered hair. "Once you've been scratched," he said, "it does scare you a little. But not really, because they won't go for your eyes. I think it's a fun thing as long as no one gets hurt."
Wildlife experts said the birds are simply protecting their young. Capt. David Fox of the California Department of Fish and Game said the behavior is a common defense mechanism. Once nesting season is over at the end of summer, the harassment of Nautical Bean patrons will likely stop, he said.
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Isn't that happening everywhere? This is hostile crow season. They especially hate people who wear red.
HELSINKI - The European Union expressed concern on Friday that the situation in the Middle East could deteriorate further after Israels military offensive in Lebanon, with conflict possibly spreading to Syria. We consider the situation to be very bad and there is still the possibility that it could get worse and that the conflict could spread, especially to Syria, said Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja of Finland, which holds the rotating EU presidency.
This is in no way desirable. The consequences could be really uncontrollable, he told a news conference.
Light dawns in Europe. Unfortunately it likely will cause them to blame the Israelis and demand that they stop fighting ...
Tuomioja said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana would go on Saturday to the Middle East and that there might be a meeting of the quartet which has tried to revive peace talks. The UN representatives are travelling today to the region, Solana will be there tomorrow, I expect, and we know that there are lower level American representatives also talking with the governments, he told Reuters.
Because when it comes to being ineffective there's no one as good as Solana ...
I am sure the Russians are also there. At present, there is no scheduled meeting of the quartet, but that could take place very shortly.
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#1
Stop worrying Uros...it's not a bug, it's a feature.
#3
Laughable from those neither capable or willing to defend themselves.
Sit down and STFU unless you plan on sending troops to help wipe this group of assclown, sectarian fascists out. Them and "The party of God" proxies they employ in Leabanon.
#6
And Chirac thinks that Israel wants to destroy Lebanon. What a moron. Everybody except Syria and Iran wants to see Hizbollah trampled. And there should be G8 consensus on doing exactly that. France deserves to be marginalized and humilitated.
#7
France destroyed Lebanon circa 1920 when they annexed the Bekka and turned a christian majority state into a state where christians were bearly 50%. It all went downhill from there.
#8
They worry most, not because violence could spread to Syria or because "the situation in the Mideast could deteriorate further", but because it will expose the idiocy of their worldview that evil doesn't exist in the world and that there is never a need for military force-words are enough to stop terrorists. If their worldview comes tumbling down, then what? They stand to lose their prestige as world-class negotiators, they stand to lose much in financial terms because of their activities in the area, and horror of horrors, red-state Americans' worldview that evil exists, oft expressing itself in terror attacks, might actually gain ground in the international community. What a nightmare!
Their failure in "negotiations" with Iran should have proved the idiocy of their addiction to words, but we still have a lot of buy-in from the international community that a few well-turned phrases at closed-door council meetings are enough turn terrorists into cuddle toys.
#13
HELSINKI - The European Union expressed concern on Friday that the situation in the Middle East could deteriorate further after Israels military offensive in Lebanon, with conflict possibly spreading to Syria.
I am sorry Mr. Errki, wake up you stupid Finn ! it has already spread, it is all over your godforsaken Eurabian sub-continent. Stop mumbling MSM stupidities and take a look at your vermin filled backyard !
As for the rest of your hopes for the Quartet reviving the ""peace talks"" - I garantee you that even if you bring forth the awsome Quintet, we are not in the mood for music right now !
There would be no talks until we wipe out Hizballah and their puppeteers from Lebanon, and if it takes cutting off one of Assad's testicles in the process - tough shit !
Until they return the kidnapped soldiers there would be no talks (besides the sound of screeming shrapnell).
So the Sissy Euro's and the impotent UN assholes should either shut the fuck up or deliver those soldiers back to us pronto.
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 11:57
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#15
Btw, one very real worry of at least the french authorities is the explosion of the muslim 'hoods if/when open war breaks out with syria and iran; there was some talk of foreign intervention during the ramadan riots, I wouldn't be surprized to have iran, which boasts now of owning every terrorist outfit in the world, to retaliate against the euros by stirring ethnic/social troubles; in France, as there's an omnipresent low-level intifada (30 000 torched cars a year, about 1000 no go zones where any police incursion leads to spontaneous rioting,...), it wouldn' pose any problem for them.
#16
We all know the Eurabs have no balls.
Now we no they dont have brains as well!
They simply cant see beyond their Pate De Fois Gras and their fat pensions.
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 13:29
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#17
Amazingly, I find I have something in common with the EU.
(I know - it shocked me too.)
I, too, am worried.
Worried that the war to destroy the terrorists assholes Mideast Conflict won't spread to Syria.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/15/2006 19:09
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A woman who called 911 to get "the cutest cop I've seen" sent back to her home got a date all right a court date. The same sheriff's deputy arrested her on charges of misuse of the emergency dispatch system. Washington County Sheriff's Sgt. David Thompson told KGW-TV of Portland it all started with a noise complaint called in last month by neighbors of Lorna Jeanne Dudash. The deputy sent to check on the complaint knocked on her door, then left.
Thompson said Dudash then called 911, asking that the "cutie pie" deputy return. "He's the cutest cop I've seen in a long time. I just want to know his name," Dudash told the dispatcher. "Heck, it doesn't come very often a good man comes to your doorstep."
After listening to some more, followed by a bit of silence, the dispatcher asked again why Dudash needed the deputy to return. "Honey, I'm just going to be honest with you, OK? I just thought he was cute. I'm 45 years old and I'd just like to meet him again, but I don't know how to go about doing that without calling 911," she said. "I know this is absolutely not in any way, shape or form an emergency, but if you would give the officer my phone number and ask him to come back, would you mind?"
The deputy returned, verified that there was no emergency and arrested her for misusing the 911 system, an offense punishable by a fine of up to several thousand dollars and a year in jail. Thompson said Thursday it was the first case he knew of in which someone called the emergency line for such a personal reason.
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#1
It's happened before, just never heard of a dingbat who was so blatant about it. ;)
A suspicious powdery substance found Friday in an envelope sent to The New York Times likely is corn starch, the newspaper and police said.
We guessed as much...
Police were called after an employee in the mailroom opened a business-sized envelope containing a beige powder. The Department of Environmental Protection, through field tests, preliminarily identified the substance as ``an organic substance, probably corn starch,'' police spokesman Paul J. Browne said. The envelope also contained an editorial about reports on secret government anti-terrorism programs with a red ``X'' through it, said Catherine Mathis, a Times spokeswoman. The letter, handwritten to The New York Times, had no return address but had a Philadelphia postmark.
Whoever did this is an idiot. This proves nothing and solves nothing.
The employee, identified in a Times story as a 54-year-old Brooklyn man, put the envelope in a plastic bag and called police. He was examined at a hospital, but showed no symptoms or injuries, Mathis said. The building's eighth floor - which includes the mailroom and the Travel and Styles sections - was evacuated and sealed off for about four and a half hours as the police hazardous materials unit conducted tests, Mathis said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006
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Power for Mo Dowd's jock itch
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/15/2006 0:38
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This proves nothing and solves nothing.
Probably doesn't suggest anything to the numbnuts running the NYT, either.
#3
Nah, gorb, it will prove to them the rightness of their position, how all the wingnuts are out to get them, etc. Watch for an editorial any day now about how other people want to deny freedom of the press or some other self-righteous bullshit like that.
#6
"An FBI Official, who requested anonymity, said the there was a person of interest, but would only give his initials as 'SH' to the Times. The investigation is expected to take several years."
-NYT
Fifteen-year-old D.J. Choate and his buddies were concerned Monday night when a car full of men raced down a suburban side street and nearly hit a young boy. Their concern turned to outrage when the men got out of the car, took D.J.'s prosthetic left leg and used it to beat D.J.'s friend unconscious. "I think they're sick and twisted in the head," D.J. said Thursday.
The men left Kyle Keene, 19, of Oak Lawn, in a bloody heap and D.J.'s $15,000 fake leg in pieces. The slight boy, who police say lost his leg at the calf in a railroad accident, is now left to hop or crawl around his Burbank apartment as he waits for repairs. He has a wheelchair, but it's cumbersome in his family's second-floor home.
It all started around 11:30 p.m. Monday outside D.J.'s apartment building at 79th and Natchez. D.J., Keene and friend Mike Manley, 16, were headed inside when a Jetta zoomed south on Natchez -- close to the curb -- and almost clipped a 13-year-old boy, they said. Manley said he went up to the car when it stopped and asked: "Why are you driving like that late at night? There's kids out here."
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Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a potential presidential candidate, said today that her re-election campaign for a second Senate term had more than $22 million. The former first lady and Democrat said her campaign had raised almost $5.7 million over the last three months and had raised more than $43 million overall. The campaign has spent more than $21.7 million on her bid for another Senate term.
Clinton had $19.7 million cash on hand at the end of March after raising more than $6 million during the first three months of the year. Patti Solis Doyle, executive director of the Friends of Hillary campaign committee, said that over the second quarter of this year, the Clinton committee received 38,377 individual contributions with almost 35,000 of those donors giving $100 or less.
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#1
Things are raging all over the place. This beast can forget about 2009 and WILL NOT get past the Demon primaries. This country will need a very, very competant leader in 2009. The world "ain't got no time" for this shebeast right now.
Yes, I am fully that this article is about Senate Re-Elect.
ISLAMABAD: Those behind the suicide attack in Karachi will not go unpunished, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao told a news channel on Friday. "It is a very tragic incident in which Allama Hassan Turabi has been martyred," Sherpao said, adding that identification and checking of suicide bombers was a difficult task, but the administration and the law enforcement agencies had been alerted against such attacks. "We expect people to remain peaceful," Sherpao said.
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Conspirators used e-mails, hid behind women
The men who planted explosives on Mumbai's train were heavily armed and numbered nearly two dozen. Investigations by the security agencies into the 7/11 Mumbai blasts have revealed that the executioners of the plan were ready for a fidayeen encounter with the police in case of any confrontation.
Those who executed the plot on that fateful Tuesday had arrived on the scene hours before the strike and are believed to have fled the country soon after the bombs went off, highly placed sources told the Pioneer.
#2
Videotapes would have been less than worthless in this case. You cannot believe the crowding in India's train stations. You could lose a fully-armed infantry batallion, clad in red jump-suits, in the main train station in Mumbai, Dehli, or any other major Indian city.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/15/2006 14:29
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A spokesperson for tribal militants on Friday claimed to have killed 14 security personnel in two separate incidents in the Dera Bugti district. Wadera Alam Khan, who called the Quetta Press Club via a satellite phone from an unknown location, said that they had killed eleven security personnel in Pashinbogi area and seized their weapons. He said a land mine killed three FC officials and injured another three. However, when contacted by Daily Times, officials of the security agencies denied the claims, saying, Those miscreants are losing control over the area and are making false claims to regain their lost image.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Gov. Mitt Romney signed legislation Friday giving him control of inspections in the Big Dig tunnel system, where falling ceiling panels fatally crushed a woman. The legislation was passed overwhelmingly by the Legislature late Thursday, which would also give the governor ultimate say on when the tunnels reopen, instead of the Turnpike Authority chairman.
The move came as inspectors quadrupled the number of ceiling bolt problems found in the project, revealing there are at least 242 other points where bolts are separating from the tunnel roof. "When it comes to an issue of inspecting the tunnel system, to have the person who's been responsible for it for the last several years say, 'I'm going to inspect it' and tell us, 'It's now safe,' that's not enough," Romney said.
Turnpike Authority Chairman Matthew Amorello told reporters he would accept independent inspections. But he rebuffed requests that he step aside - even after state lawmakers urged him to accept a lesser role solely as an authority board member. Amorello has thus far ignored demands from the governor to step down.
Posted by: Fred ||
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We stand ready to defend our phoney baloney jobs.
#2
I hung out w/ some state engineers last night. The stories they were telling were absolutely frightening, all the way back to the Fred Salvucchi days.
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 9:55
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#4
(Amorello) rebuffed requests that he step aside - even after state lawmakers urged him to accept a lesser role solely as an authority board member. Amorello has thus far ignored demands from the governor to step down.
I'll translate to Massachuettsese. Negotiations are in progress. Give me the same deal as Billy Bulger, and I'm off to Florida, never to be heard from again.
Let him keep his office, but romney should call the chief of police, tell him to get 20 of his healthiest off-duty men to meet him at Romney's office, tranport them over to Amorello's office and move everything out.
#7
Living in Mass and knowing one of the engineers I can make two salient comments...
1) As much of a hack as Amorello is, he wasn't in charge when this work was done.
2) A significant amount of the construction budget and some important contracts were funneled to Billy Bulger erst while head of the "Irish Mafia" and Mass Senate President. Oh yeah, his brother Whitey is #1 on the FBI most wanted list.
This is typical Democratic corruption and not a surprise to anyone, though the consequences were more dramatically tragic.
Sen. Rick Santorum, one of the most vulnerable incumbents facing re-election this November, announced Friday he has raised $20.1 million - nearly double that of his Democratic challenger. The number bypasses the previous record raised by a Senate candidate in Pennsylvania, which was $19.8 million raised by Sen. Arlen Specter for his 2004 race.
Santorum, the No. 3 Senate Republican, raised $3.6 million for the fundraising quarter that ended June 30, and has $9.5 million in cash, according to his campaign. His opponent, state Treasurer Bob Casey, raised $2.8 million and has $5.2 million in cash, his campaign said. He has raised a total of $10.8 million, his campaign said. Casey has led Santorum in polls by the double-digits for months.
Virginia Davis, Santorum's campaign spokeswoman, said polling numbers are unreliable. "Sen. Santorum clearly has momentum on his side as demonstrated by his fundraising ability," Davis said.
Casey's campaign spokesman, Larry Smar, noted this was Casey's best fundraising quarter, and said that momentum was building for Casey. He said Santorum's fundraising was not going to be enough "to cover up his record of putting special interests ahead of Pennsylvania." First lady Laura Bush and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani both made fundraising stops for Santorum during the quarter.
Posted by: Fred ||
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If he is the most vulnerable incumbent facing re-election this November, how is it, he raised so much money? Didn't we have a post the last 24 hours about how a poll shows, we are all voting Democrat this November? So, please explain, I give my money to a Repub in July, but I vote for a Democrat in November?
*just walkin' off, noddin' and scratchin' my head, wonderin' what medications for my senile condition I took and totally messed up the doses*
The Palestinian economy ministry and a bridge in the Gaza Strip have been targeted by Israeli air strikes, according to Palestinian officials. The ministry building caught fire as a result of the air strike, causing severe damage. The raid followed a similar strike on the Gaza building of the foreign ministry on Thursday. The offices of the prime minister and interior minister have also been destroyed. The second attack destroyed a bridge near the Bureij refugee camp. Palestinian officials said there were no casualties in either raid.
The north and south of the Palestinian territory was hit by artillery fire throughout Friday as Israel tried to secure the release of Corporal Gilad Shalit and stop rocket attacks.
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A missile fired at an Israeli naval vessel off Lebanon hit a civilian boat, possibly from Egypt, the Israeli army said on Saturday. A spokeswoman said those on board were believed to have been evacuated, adding it was unclear if there were any casualties.
After initially saying the missile had been fired at an Israeli vessel in a fresh strike early on Saturday, the spokeswoman later said it had been part of an attack late on Friday when an Israeli warship was badly damaged. "At the same time as the incident took place in which an Israeli ship was hit, a merchant ship was also hit," the spokeswoman said.
Israeli media said the damaged missile ship was hit by an airborne drone packed with explosives. Four Israeli troops were missing after the warship was hit in an attack claimed by Hizbollah, Al Jazeera television said, as violence escalated between Israel and the guerrilla group.
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A man has been jailed for life for murdering his sister after she fell in love with an asylum seeker. Greengrocer Azhar Nazir, 30, and his cousin Imran Mohammed, 17, stabbed Samaira Nazir 18 times at the family home in Southall in April 2005. The 25-year-old recruitment consultant was killed after she asked to marry an Afghan man - instead of marrying a close relative someone in the Pakistani family circle. An Old Bailey judge detained Mohammed, also convicted of murder, for life. The teenager was told he must serve a minimum of 10 years in youth detention, while Nazir will be jailed for at least 20 years.
The court had earlier heard Samaira fell in love with Salman Mohammed, who befriended the family after arriving in the UK in 2000. They began a secret relationship but when Miss Nazir asked for permission to marry him, her family reacted angrily. Mr Mohammed had been warned by Nazir: "We can get you anywhere if you get married, even if you are not in this country."
The couple had last seen each other about an hour before Miss Nazir was killed. She had tried to talk to her mother about the problem at a relative's house, but her mother refused. The pair returned to the family home. The attack that followed, described by Judge Christopher Moss as barbaric, was witnessed by two young nieces. Miss Nazir tried to flee but her brother dragged her back into the house where the assault continued. A neighbour heard screams and knocked on the door. Nazir told her his sister was suffering a fit, but as she returned to her home she heard Miss Nazir shout "You are not my mother any more".
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
Don't try banging your head on your keyboard. It doesn't help. Perhaps someday they will evolve a bit in prison and feel somewhat remorseful. And perhaps one day their family will stop feeling indignant about society's reaction. I wonder what the heck they were thinking they would do after they were finished. I wonder if they even slowed down enough to think. Religion of pieces.
#5
Sorry, typed too fast. I did recognize the sarcasm, was responding to the 'character' you all too accurately portrayed.
I'm patient, but my patience with these misogynist barbarians is all worn out -- as is my patience with judges who impose what I see as light sentences for honor killings, rapes and mutilations.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Thousands of Iraqis demonstrated in Baghdad on Friday praising the leader of Lebanons Hezbollah group and denouncing Israel and the United States for attacks against Lebanon. Some protesters said they were ready to fight the Israelis.
The demonstrations started immediately after Muslims left Friday prayers in mosques around the county. Thousands of people chanted slogans and carrying banners denouncing the Israels attacks on Lebanon. No, no to Israel, no no to America, chanted some of the more than 5,000 demonstrators in Baghdads eastern neighborhood of Sadr City. Oh God make (Hezbollahs leader) Hassan Nasrallah victorious.
Let everyone understand that we will not stand idle, read one of the banners carried by the demonstrators. Iraq and Lebanon are calling, enough silence Arabs, read another.
In the Shiite holy city of Karbala, Sheik Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalai, representative of Iraqs top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani said we condemn the Zionist terrorist offensive against Lebanon that targeted the infrastructure of this country, while Hezbollah hasnt targeted the infrastructure of the Zionists. They targeted military facilities.
You're a little confused as to what is and isn't a military facility, Sheik, let me help adjust you with this nightstick ...
In the southern holy city of Kufa, Sheik Asaad al-Nassiri, an aide to radical, anti-US cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, said we condemn and denounce the crimes of the Zionist enemy committed against our Lebanese people. This offensive is considered an oppressive act against the Lebanese people and is targeting the legitimate resistance that has been an example of bravery, al-Nassiri said.
You knew Mookie was going to take advantage of this.
Hundreds also took to the streets in the southern cities of Kut and Amarah denouncing the offensive.
Al-Sadr, a Shiite who launched two uprisings against the Americans in 2004, said in a statement that our hearts are aching because of what is happening in Lebanon, the attacks by the terrorist Zionist enemy under cover from America which is the enemy of people.
Despite the occupation and the difficult situation that we are passing through we put our hands in yours and we are with you not with your enemy, al-Sadr said. no and 1,000 no to Israel.
Posted by: Steve White ||
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Bring back Saddam
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/15/2006 0:31
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#2
The demonstrations started immediately after Muslims left Friday prayers in mosques around the county. Tell you most of what you need to know.
The Clerics are loyal to Iran for the most part. The new governmet need to "address" this.
#4
Nevermind that the powers that be allowed them to seethe all they wanted to. That says something about how much trust/distrust they have of coalition force motivations and behavior. The ironic thing is that they probably aren't all that aware of it.
#5
Shouldn't Binnie be airing his biggest blockbuster video hit - "this is the big one, all jihadis around the world must kill, maim or explode right now. Every muslim must join the jihad, Allan says so" - any moment now?
Syria will support Hizbollah and Lebanon against Israel's attacks on the country, the ruling Baath Party said on Friday, defying the Jewish state and its chief ally Washington. "The Syrian people are ready to extend full support to the Lebanese people and their heroic resistance to remain steadfast and confront the barbaric Israeli aggression and its crimes," said a communiqué from the party's national command issued after a meeting. It said Israel and the United States "are trying to wipe out Arab resistance in every land under occupation" and that President Bashar al-Assad was aware of the seriousness of the situation in the region.
The national command is the highest echelon of the Baath Party, which has been in power since 1963. The party considers the issue of Arab rights and regaining land occupied by Israel central to its legitimacy. Assad, who is shaped by his late father's lifetime of struggle with Israel, was not at the meeting.
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At least 16 persons, including 12 soldiers of the Sri Lankan Army (SLA), were killed in a major confrontation between the military and the LTTE in Vakaneri, Batticaloa, on Friday morning. "Yes, there was a battle with the LTTE. However, we are not in a position to confirm the number of those killed", the army spokesman, S.A.P.P. Samarasinghe told The Hindu .
However, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said both sides had approached it for facilitating handover of the bodies of the 12 soldiers in LTTE's possession. The army spokesman said a search and clear operation conducted by troops in Vakaneri area came under LTTE mortar and small arms fire. Troops retaliated and reinforcements were rushed to the area.
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Power is out in Beirut, streets are deserted and thousands are leaving.
Three Israeli airborne rockets destroyed Hizballahs command and control center and Hassan Nasrallahs residence in the southern suburb of Beirut as well as bridges and Hizballah bases and a second raid on Beirut international airports runways and fuel tanks. The Hizballah leader later broadcast a (recorded) threat of total war.
Thousands heading out of the Lebanese capital towards Damascus encounter difficulties after Israeli air strikes damaged the main highway.
Israels sea, air and land blockade and air bombardments of roads, bridges, airports and seaports are aimed primarily at preventing the delivery by Iran and Syria of replenishments for Hizballahs depleted weapons stocks and manpower reinforcements. Its purpose is also to block escape routes to Hizballah operatives.
Earlier Friday, Olmert approved new targets and declared all-out war on the Hizballah in view of the escalated Hizballah rocket offensive.
#2
Unfortunately I have an American coworker in Beirut now who's stuck. It seems nobody from the State Department is doing anything and many Americans are heading to Syria for a flight out of the country.
#3
seems nobody from the State Department is doing anything
That's the way it is. The only kind of service you get there is the kind you have to bend over for. They'll run you around in circles for the tiniest thing because they are so inefficient and clueless it would kill you. Don't count on them for much. If they hand off the evacuation problem to the military, then something will happen.
Although he was not selected in Thursday's supplemental draft, former University of Texas fullback Ahmard Hall, the onetime Marine sergeant who served tours in Kosovo and Afghanistan, will be reporting for duty at an NFL training camp.
Hall on Thursday evening agreed to contract terms with the Tennessee Titans as a free agent. He will sign a two-year contract for the minimum base salaries of $275,000 in 2006 and $360,000 in 2007.
The deal came after Hall turned down offers from Minnesota, Green Bay, Seattle and the Giants.
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Hey there Sir, yes Sir, you. Congrats, say hello to Vince, and we'll be watching. Hoping you get to lead out of the dressing room with our flag, everytime.
Israeli strikes against civilian targets in Lebanon and Gaza, from power stations to bridges, stirred growing international condemnation on Friday and warnings the conflict could spread. But Hizbollah guerrillas, who Israel says triggered the action with missile strikes on Israel and the capture of two of its soldiers, were also urged to curb their operations.
That's fairly unusual...
"One can ask oneself whether there isn't a sort of desire to destroy Lebanon," French President Jacques Chirac said of Israeli attacks that have killed 66 people, almost all civilians. "I find, honestly, like most Europeans, that the reactions are completely disproportionate." He described Hizbollah guerrillas who fired rockets on to the territory of the Jewish state as "completely irresponsible".
Take the next step, Jaques: Assume they were in Switzerland or Belchium, and rocketing French towns and kidnapping French troops. The Swiss or Belchian government is unable or unwilling to control them. Would you retaliate?
Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora urged President George W. Bush by telephone to use all his influence on Israel to "stop its aggression on Lebanon, reach a comprehensive ceasefire and lift its blockade", the prime minister's office said in a statement. "President Bush stressed that he was keen on pressing Israel to contain the damage to Lebanon and to avoid inflicting harm on innocent civilians," the statement said.
All Leb has to do is shut down the state within its state. But it's too weak to do that.
Tall order. Perhaps they'd like some help?
Bush said on Thursday "Israel has the right to defend herself", and made clear he felt its actions were justified. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, speaking on Thursday night, described Israeli action as a measured response.
I get such a good feeling when the Great White North acts like the Dominion of Canada instead of like Luxembourg...
Top U.N. relief co-ordinator Jan Egeland said those who had seized Israeli soldiers and fired rockets into Israel from both Gaza and southern Lebanon bore their share of the blame. "They don't seem to care the slightest bit that it is the children and the women and the civilians who bear the brunt of all of this," he told a news conference in Geneva.
From the headline, I expected the howling to be a lot more one-sided. They're still being pretty balanced, except for Jacques.
Israel says Hizbollah has launched 130 missiles in the last 48 hours, killing two Israeli civilians and wounding over 100. Residents in northern Israel have taken to bomb shelters. Egeland called Israeli targeting of civilian infrastructure a violation of international law and of common sense. "You are supposed to do something with the armed troops, you are not supposed to hurt the children and people who had nothing to do with all of this."
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Moud > has already said or indic that any mil action against Iran by Israel = US = West justifies Iranian retaliation = Islamist/Muslim terror, includ strikes against Israel and USA-West proper. Dubya & Admin better order extra Secret Service-FBI personnel and other security measures.
#2
Is that any different from what they are doing now?
Funny how Israeli strikes against **TERRORIST** (and their enablers) targets in lebanon and Gaza draws quick comdemnation while the thousands of missles, rockets, and suicide bombs against innocent civilians nary gets a mention.
#5
It would be great if instead of a bird there were a cow in the graphic. :-)
Chirac seems to be all over the map the last year or so. Threatening terrorists with nuclear attacks on one hand, and trying to beat up on the Israelis on the other. Time for him to go. Isn't there a minimum limit on how much of his brain must be functioning before he's removed from office?
#6
Egeland called Israeli targeting of civilian infrastructure a violation of international law and of common sense
I am usually a very polite person but I would like to take the opportunity to ask Mr. Egeland to take his finger out of his fuking nordic asshole and shut the fuck up !
As to Messieur Chiracccc... he can lick Mr. egeland's finger (the one he just took out of his rectum). IMHO Shirac can talk again only after he develops a solution to the Islamization of his country, one that would not involve licking of Imam ass and other sharia cunts.
Comments anyone ???????
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 11:26
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#9
Thank you Darrell
Tough situations sometimes require that you say the truth.
The truth is never pleasant
I promise to wash my mouth and apologize after Egelund and Chirac quit their jobs :)
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/15/2006 11:37
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"The truth is never pleasant"
I disagree. Just consider John Bolton at the U.N. I find that to be very pleasant.
Two top leaders of Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) Lalpataka faction were killed in a shootout between Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and the outlaws' cohorts in Pabna early yesterday.
You begin to wonder just how many commies could be left in B'desh ...
The dead were identified as PBCP Lalpataka chief adviser Kamrul Islam alias Kamrul Master, 55, and operations commander Md Abdul Latif alias Jhunu Maker, 40.
Rab-12 sources in Pabna said they had arrested Jhunu Maker at Mirpur in Dhaka on Thursday.
"Jhunu! We heard youse was around here. Why don't youse come wit us for a 'chat'?"
Following his painfully extracted statement, the Rab members also arrested Kamrul Master at Goran of Khilgaon in the capital the same day.
A two-fer!
Upon their information, ...
"Shafiqul, you want the number 6 pliers?"
"Cheez no, it's covered with Master's blood. Hand me the number 5, that'll do in a pinch ..."
... the Rab members took the two to Tebunia in Pabna sadar upazila yesterday to recover hidden firearms and arrest other outlaws, Rab sources said.
I have no idea where that is.
But as soon as the law enforcers reached Tebunia Shahapur area at about 3:30am, ...
...that magic moment ...
...the PBCP outlaws ambushed the Rab team, who also returned fire.
"We got 'em in an ambush, boys! Pour out the lead!"
Kamrul and Jhunu got hit with bullets while trying to escape from the Rab custody and died on the spot, Rab said.
Bet they didn't run too far in their curly-toed slippers, what with each getting one behind the left ear and one behind the right ...
The law enforcers rushed the dead bodies to Pabna General Hospital where the doctors confirmed their death.
What's the rush? They're dead for cryin' out loud.
The Rab recovered two pipe-guns and three bullets from the spot.
Not much of a haul, but they got what they went out for ...
Kamrul Master, son of Hamid Sardar of Daspara village of Pabna sadar upazila, was accused in twelve systems numerous cases, including 15 for murder, and was on the "most wanted" list of criminals.
Every commie in B'desh is on the 'most wanted' list.
Jhunu was accused of five murder charges, Rab sources said.
He was just a rookie ...
Kamrul's political career started with his involvement with the Naxal Movement. Later, he formed the PBCP Lalpataka and became famous as an intellectual leader. Kamrul was general secretary of the PBCP five years ago and later became its chief adviser. He had been involved in underground politics since the Liberation War.
Should have gotten religion, Kamrul, you don't see any of them Islamicists in any crossfires, do you?
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That Naxal Movement requires a prescription, doesn't it?
Oil-for-Food has had its first airing in federal court, and the verdict is in. South Korean businessman Tongsun Park was accused of conspiring to act as an unregistered agent of Saddam Hussein's Iraq in shaping the United Nations Oil-for-Food program. He has been found guilty.
Excellent. He was so deep in Saddam's pocket he was coated with lint. Now let's see if he'll roll for a lighter sentence, because if not he should be turning boulders into gravel for years to come.
Park's conviction comes at a time when the scandal-ridden U.N. is demanding $1.8 billion for the renovation of the same Turtle Bay headquarters where the grand U.N. conclave has been failing utterly to cope with such urgent matters as the nuclear crisis in Iran, the missile crisis in North Korea and the long-running genocide in Sudan. Against this backdrop, Park's trial can be viewed as the best argument in ages for letting the U.N. even stay in the country. The U.N. itself operates immune to any system of justice, with a resulting lack of accountability that explains much of its corruption, both financial and political. But at least the U.N.'s current location puts within reach of the law some of the private players who feed illicitly off the U.N. stew of money, secrecy, diplomatic immunity, and privilege.
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If this was a Bush hack, we'd expect it to be bold print, front and center on the cover page of tabloids and magazines and the first minute of broadcast news. That it involves the UN, the sweetheart of the left, it'll be buried by the same usual suspects.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
JAKARTA, Indonesia - A moderate earthquake struck in eastern Indonesian waters on Saturday, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, meteorological officials and residents said.
from Fox news broadcast of press conference with Bolton. Link to online story as it's posted. Resolution imposes embargo of missile technology, parts etc.
Gunmen ambushed an Iraqi Army checkpoint in northern Iraq yesterday, killing 12 soldiers and wounding one, in one of the deadliest single attacks in months against the US-trained Iraqi forces. In more bloodshed that has pushed Iraq close to sectarian civil war, bomb and mortar rounds aimed at mosques killed 14 people in and near Baghdad, while in the south gunmen sprayed a minibus with machine-gunfire, killing five Shiite pilgrims.
A Yemeni military court has sentenced 12 intelligence officers to prison terms ranging from eight months to three years over a prison break by 23 Al-Qaeda operatives in February, a state-run website reported yesterday. In a ruling issued Wednesday behind closed doors, the court also ordered the mens dismissal from their posts for negligence.
French far-right leader 
Reprieved by the US in the UN Security Council on Thursday, Israel yesterday pressed ahead with its Gaza air assault in a bid to retrieve a captured soldier and stop rocket attacks. Meanwhile, the pullback of some ground troops from Gaza was seen by Palestinians as the sign of a reduction in aggression. Also yesterday, Palestinians blew a hole in a wall on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, allowing 500 people who had been stranded owing to closures related to the assault to cross into the territory.
(KUNA) Over 600 nationalist militants Saturday laid their arms in Pakistani Southern insurgency-hit Baluchistan province and announced support to the government in its war against terrorism, said an official. The militants of important tribal chieftains, close aids of Akbar Khan Bugti, head of nationalist insurgency in the province, surrendered in Dera Bugti district, said Razaq Bugti, spokesman for the provincial government, while talking to KUNA.
(KUNA) -- France decided Saturday to take a number of precautionary, military measures in view of the deteriorating situation in Lebanon and the continued Israeli attacks against targets, both civilian and Hezbollah, in that country. A statement from the Defense Ministry said "the safety of French nationals is a primary concern for the Minister of Defense" and as a result units were being deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean.
(KUNA) -- Israeli army troops continued their military operations in Lebanon by committing a "genocide" resembling operation in the town of Mirwaheen south of Lebanon, killing 23 people, said a security source on Saturday.
Lebanese prime minister Fuad Siniora is calling for a ceasefire, Fox News reports. Details as we get 'em.
The Belgian citizen from Lebanese descent 
Afghan National Army and Coalition forces attacked more than 40 extremists in Chora, Kala Kala, and Khorma districts during separate operations July 13 and 14 in Uruzgan Province in an effort to disrupt and deny enemy operations in those areas. In Deh Rawod, two extremist suicide bombers, wearing burkas and disguised as women, were killed during a cordon and search of a compound. Elsewhere, near the district of Khas Uruzgan, ANA and Coalition forces repelled an attacked by 20 enemy fighters with small arms fire, killing one extremist.
We're going on day four of the latest fidel castro is dead rumors. Here are a couple more uncorroborated reports and speculations:
(Indian) Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran has said that the recent terror attacks are all inter-linked. "We'll review the progress of cooperation with Pakistan. Showing no tolerance to terror is only option," Saran said. Saying a segmented approach to terrorism won't do, he asked those fighting the menace to share information.
Hundreds of British troops have been involved in a major operation to secure a town in southern Afghanistan from the Taliban. An Army spokesman said that nearly 1,000 British soldiers - including some in support roles - were involved in the operation in Sangin. Two British troops were injured but both are expected to make a full recovery.
Security forces raided a rebel hideout in Indian-held Kashmir on Friday and killed two militants, the army said. The incident occurred near the Aragram village, 60 kilometres north of Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu-Kashmir state, said Lt Col VK Batra, a spokesman for the Indian army. He said the militants were killed during a gunfight, which started when the soldiers were searching the village after receiving information that militants were hiding there. Batra said the army suspected the rebels belonged to 
MUMBAI: 
HAZLETON, Pa. - The mayor signed a city ordinance Friday that punishes people who do business with illegal immigrants or provide them with jobs or housing while critics called the new law unenforceable and predicted it will be overturned. Mayor Lou Barletta said his office will soon begin to train city workers in how to check people's immigration or citizenship status. He also expects the City Council to approve companion legislation requiring all tenants to register with the city and prove their legal residency. "We will start the process of training employees and possibly hiring someone as well," Barletta said Friday. "We're also going to be talking with Immigration and Customs (Enforcement) to see if possibly we could receive some assistance."
The suspects in a terrorist plot targeting lower Manhattan hoped to unleash a catastrophic flood by destroying a huge underground wall that keeps Hudson River water out of the 
According to the spokesman of the Military Council of the State Defense Council - Majlisul Shura of the Chechen Republic of Ickeria 24 kafirs and munafiqs were eliminated and at least 22 of kafirs and munafiqs were wounded during the combat operations of the Mujahideen in various parts of the country on July 12-13.
Hundreds of leftist activists converged from The Mid-Atlantic Radical Book Fair to hear controversial Ethnic Studies Professor 
CAIRO, Egypt - Jordans King Abdullah II met in Cairo with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Friday in a hastily-called meeting to discuss escalating Mideast violence. The two leaders of moderate, U.S.-backed Arab regimes - the only countries in the region to sign peace treaties with Israel - discussed the Israeli incursions into the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, which have killed 86 Palestinians in Gaza and 61 people in Lebanon, many of them civilians.
The ceasefire between the security forces and tribal militants known as the Taliban may be extended to facilitate the ongoing negotiations for durable peace in North Waziristan. A senior government official, asking not to be named, said on Friday that the ceasefire expiring on July 25 could be extended if talks did not yield the desired results by that date. "I think both sides can extend the ceasefire period," he said. Declining media requests to share the issues both sides were discussing, the official said that "secrecy" could help the talks succeed. The official said the jirga would decide as to which demands of the Taliban were acceptable.
Major powers turned over to the 15-nation UN Security Council on Thursday details of energy and economic incentives they offered to Iran if it suspends its nuclear ambitions and stops uranium enrichment. The three-page incentive package, which had not previously been published in full, includes a pledge to "actively support" the building of new light water power reactors in Iran. Iran has not responded to the offer, made in June. In response, the key negotiators Germany, the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China referred the issue back to the council in a meeting in Paris on Wednesday. The 15-member body will attempt to adopt a resolution next week that would make the suspension mandatory. 
KARACHI - A Pakistani Shiite religious leader and three others were killed in a suicide bomb attack in the port city of Karachi. 
`
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- There's pecking disorder in the city. Brewer's blackbirds, apparently protecting their young during nesting season, are swooping down and attacking the heads of pedestrians. "On a bad day, we get about 15 attacks an hour," Nautical Bean coffee house business manager Brett Jones said. "I thought about naming a coffee after them."
HELSINKI - The European Union expressed concern on Friday that the situation in the Middle East could deteriorate further after Israels military offensive in Lebanon, with conflict possibly spreading to Syria. We consider the situation to be very bad and there is still the possibility that it could get worse and that the conflict could spread, especially to Syria, said Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja of Finland, which holds the rotating EU presidency.
A woman who called 911 to get "the cutest cop I've seen" sent back to her home got a date all right a court date. The same sheriff's deputy arrested her on charges of misuse of the emergency dispatch system. Washington County Sheriff's Sgt. David Thompson told KGW-TV of Portland it all started with a noise complaint called in last month by neighbors of Lorna Jeanne Dudash. The deputy sent to check on the complaint knocked on her door, then left.
Sen. 
ISLAMABAD: Those behind the suicide attack in Karachi will not go unpunished, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao told a news channel on Friday. "It is a very tragic incident in which Allama Hassan Turabi has been martyred," Sherpao said, adding that identification and checking of suicide bombers was a difficult task, but the administration and the law enforcement agencies had been alerted against such attacks. "We expect people to remain peaceful," Sherpao said.
Conspirators used e-mails, hid behind women 
Sen. 
A missile fired at an Israeli naval vessel off Lebanon hit a civilian boat, possibly from Egypt, the Israeli army said on Saturday. A spokeswoman said those on board were believed to have been evacuated, adding it was unclear if there were any casualties.
A man has been jailed for life for murdering his sister after she fell in love with an asylum seeker. Greengrocer Azhar Nazir, 30, and his cousin Imran Mohammed, 17, stabbed Samaira Nazir 18 times at the family home in Southall in April 2005. The 25-year-old recruitment consultant was killed after she asked to marry an Afghan man - instead of marrying 
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Thousands of Iraqis demonstrated in Baghdad on Friday praising the leader of Lebanons Hezbollah group and denouncing Israel and the United States for attacks against Lebanon. Some protesters said they were ready to fight the Israelis.
Syria will support Hizbollah and Lebanon against Israel's attacks on the country, the ruling Baath Party said on Friday, defying the Jewish state and its chief ally Washington. "The Syrian people are ready to extend full support to the Lebanese people and their heroic resistance to remain steadfast and confront the barbaric Israeli aggression and its crimes," said a communiqué from the party's national command issued after a meeting. It said Israel and the United States "are trying to wipe out Arab resistance in every land under occupation" and that President Bashar al-Assad was aware of the seriousness of the situation in the region. 
At least 16 persons, including 12 soldiers of the Sri Lankan Army (SLA), were killed in a major confrontation between the military and the LTTE in Vakaneri, Batticaloa, on Friday morning. "Yes, there was a battle with the LTTE. However, we are not in a position to confirm the number of those killed", the army spokesman, S.A.P.P. Samarasinghe told The Hindu . 
Israeli strikes against civilian targets in Lebanon and Gaza, from power stations to bridges, stirred growing international condemnation on Friday and warnings the conflict could spread. But Hizbollah guerrillas, who Israel says triggered the action with missile strikes on Israel and the capture of two of its soldiers, were also urged to curb their operations.
Two top leaders of Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) Lalpataka faction were killed in a shootout between Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and the outlaws' cohorts in Pabna early yesterday.
By Claudia Rosett
