No remission of rockets in the southern front: Within one hour on Sunday five Qassam rockets landed in Sderot and Ashkelon. Overall eight Qassam rockets landed in Sderot and Ashkelon. One of the rockets landed near a strategic facility in Ashkelon, miraculously failing to hit the structure.
Two other rockets landed in open fields in Karmiya and Mavki'im. Later Sderot was hit by three Qassams, one landing in a babies' clinic, which caused some people to suffer anxiety. Another rocket dud landed in a park and third by officials' estimates landed in Palestinian territory near the border.
Earlier on Sunday two other rockets landed near Shaar Hanegve Regional Council and another one near kibbutz Nahal Oz. In some communities the residents were asked to go into shelters. On Sunday morning two Qassam rockets landed in Sderot, one landed in a school and other in near synagogue.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006
23:05 ||
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TWO British warships were powering towards Lebanon today as part of a risky plan to evacuate up to 10,000 British nationals from the war-struck country, starting with the most vulnerable.
In an agonising wait for everyone involved, the boats were not expected to arrive before Wednesday, Foreign Office minister Kim Howells said, noting that Britain was moving as fast as possible to rescue its nationals.
"But it's going to take some doing," Mr Howells told BBC radio.
"There's essentially a war going on there at the moment, there are shells being fired, there are war planes zooming overhead," he said.
"We've seen these scenes of some countries trying to get people out by buses when they've been endangered by explosions on the sides of the roads.
"We don't want to do that to our citizens. We want to get those who we need to get out as safely and as quickly as possible."
As well as the two navy ships HMS Illustrious and HMS Bulwar Britain had other boats, including merchant vessels, in the Mediterranean that might be called on to carry evacuees to a reception centre in Cyprus, Mr Howells said.
He acknowledged that it was a worrying time for those in Lebanon and gave assurances that the navy would reach them by Wednesday, or Thursday at the latest.
"The people must be absolutely terrified," he said.
At the same time, British officials on the ground needed the next few days to prepare for the evacuation.
"Remember this though, we have to negotiate with the Lebanese, we have to negotiate with the Israelis," Mr Howells said.
"It's no good us sending helicopters in if they are going to be shot at by whomever.
"We don't know, for example, what the attitudes of the terrorists ... are going to be in this situation."
Mr Howells noted that Britain was "one of the lead nations" on the evacuation plans, and was working in co-operation with the US and Australia.
There are about 10,000 British nationals in Lebanon, but officials are trying to identify the most needy.
These include the elderly, children, or people there without friends or support, such as business travellers.
Mr Howells acknowledged that "lots of others" would not want to move because they felt safer staying put.
The evacuation plan came as more than 50 Lebanese were killed in a devastating blitz of Israeli airstrikes yesterday and the Jewish state was hit by an unprecedented rocket attack.
#1
The morning news here in Oz was full of people saying the government should evacuate Australian nationals in Lebanon and now the Brits are sending warships.
This is nuts. Unless you live next door to a Hezbollah base (and in which case you should move), the risk is minimal. You will be at more risk being evacuated, given the anti-ship missiles flying and trigger happy terrorists who are likely to open up on helicopters.
Without too much fanfare or publicity, the United States is providing nuclear armed nations with advice on developing "fail safe" and other technologies to secure their nukes. Help is also provided for improving security at the storage sites for nuclear weapons.
While some of this discreet assistance involves American military secrets, much of it is no more than pointing out the commercial technologies and services available from American and European suppliers. The recipients of all this help appear to include India, Pakistan, China and Russia. Of course, this policy actually began during the later stages of the Cold War, when the U.S. wanted to help the Soviets keep their huge nuclear warhead inventory as secure as possible. This is major news. "Fail-Safe" protected both the US and the Soviet Union from nuclear mistakes so many times it's not even funny. For years now, we have desperately wanted the Chinese to be on board, for fear one of their war lords would take it upon himself to launch a nuke. How we managed to get the whole group at once is near miraculous diplomacy. This sets the "nuclear clock" back about 5 hours.
in response to O'Reilly asking him if they would invade Lebanon. Answer: we don't intend to, but if the attacks continue, all doors are open, including Syria and Iran.
#4
And something whispers in my ear, there are a bunch of Marines on that Iraq-Syria border, that would be cheering, just willing success to the Israelis on their run. Somewhere today, I read a letter that a Marine in Iraq had posted to a site of an Israeli, letting them know, they were standing with them.
What we are witnessing in southern Lebanon is concurrent with actions designed to prep a battlefield for the insertion of ground forces. So far, Israel has relied on its dominance in sea and air forces to isolate Hezbollah, rather than focusing their brunt of their superior forces on actual enemy positions. By blockading the coast, neutralizing Beruit's airport, and damaging roads and bridges into and out of Lebanon, the IDF has cut off Hezbollah's supply routes by land, sea, and air, and blocked all lines of escape.
These isolation actions are eerily similiar to Coalition movements prior to Operation Hail Mary during the first Gulf War, where allied aircraft severed supply lines to foward deployed Iraqi Army units.
The end result is a battlespace that traps the now ill-equipped enemy force, the ideal environment for Israel to crush Hezbollah forces.
I think that in the coming days, we will see a sizable Israeli ground incursion into southern Lebanon, a campaign designed to exploit the favorable conditions that Israel has created for itself. I have the feeling that once that invasion comes, Hezbollah's ability to launch rocket attacks into Israel proper will be severly reduced, if not eliminated.
Endstate: IDF holds the territory until it is satisfied that the Lebanese Army is A) free from Syrian control and B) capable of holding the southern border on their own.
Posted by: Mike ||
07/16/2006
19:52 ||
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#1
Will the Leb army use this chance to bury Hezbollah? Will the Lebanese people use this opportunity to shitcan the militia once and for all or give them quarter and hide them from the Israelis? This should be an interesting social experiment. Reading the Lebanese blogs on Pajamas, I get a feeling that Hezbollah is not as popular with the urban population as they might think they are.
#4
some 60% of the Lebanese army are Shia and most of those would likely refuse to act against Hizb'Allah.
Many are probably Hizb'Allah sympathizers and some apparently are members or cooperating, as with the use of coastal radars to guide the Iranian missile against Israel's frigate. Note that the IAF struck 2 Lebanese army bases in/around Tripoli in the north today.
#6
What does Israel gain by putting boots on the ground in Lebanon? The only thing I can see is clearing out an area for the Lebanese Army to move in as a buffer. But they aren't getting ready to coordinate with the Lebanese. I think they're going to do a Serbia on Lebanon/Hisballah.
Now setting up a forward base to do a thunder run to Damascus is another kettle of fish entirely.
#7
A brief incursion to destroy any Hezbollah facilities not destroyed by air especially bunkers and tunnels, to clear out arms caches, take down any infrastructure, and possibly to plant explosives and booby traps and listening devices.
They could even put in sensors that would let them quickly triangulate enemy firing positions.
I don't see that much value in a land force. Sure there would be more dead Hezb, more destroyed infrustructure and some more positives, but there would be a lot of dead Israelis also, some lost equipment, etc.
#12
"I don't see that much value in a land force."
It absolutely pushes Hezbollah out of missile range of the Israeli cities. If Israel occupies the Southern areas, the missiles are going to stop flying into Haifa. Sure, the military might start taking missiles, but the civilians in the cities would be safe and that is ultimately the job of an army. Lebanon should learn a lesson from that.
#13
add me to those who believe ONLY a ground operation will allow them to fully degrade the terrorists in Lebanon. Mosad MUST have identified lots of potential targets...but many will available only to a determined ground force.
#14
The missiles have a much longer range now. Israel will have to cut off their supply of longer range missiles if they want to have a small buffer zone across the bottom of Lebanon. What do you suppose this suggests? Ground forces would probably crush Hezballah, but they would eventually have to go after the source somehow . . . .
Israel has said they want Hezbollah to redeploy North of the Litani river. That would put them roughly midway between Tyre and Sidon or roughly 25-30 km from the current border. In light of the range recently shown, Israel might want to consider a line drawn roughly from Sidon to Jazzin but a river makes a hard boundary that is easier to police.
#16
Going in 10 miles will put Israel out of range of 98% of the rockets.
Posted by: ed ||
07/16/2006 23:06
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#17
Folks, if you think you can get it done from the air only, you are dead wrong.
To truly destroy the offensive capability of Hezbullah, and to secure a 40km buffer zone, Israel will have to put ground forces in. There is just no way around it. If you think you can find it all form the air, you don't know a damn thing about miltiary operations, especially in built-up terrain.
the second thig this does is gives the Lebanese government and army time to bitchslap the Hezbullah supporters. And no, they are not a mjority of them, just they have control of the heavy weaponry. Israel is changing that, dramatically.
Third, if needed, this gives Israel easier reach into the Bekka valley in Syria. The lay of the gorund and probable occupation areas will allow the IAF to fly basically unmolested until they het (and SEAD) the Syrian SAM sites. Once those are gone, Israel will have free reign over Syrian airspace. And I woudlnt be surprised if AWACS calls just happneed to go our since we can see everything in Syria fromthe Iraqi side.
All-in-all, this now shows what I have been ahrping on all along: the geopolitical importantce of Iraq.
If we did not have Iraq occupied, and the North (Kurdish) areas reinforce, Iran would be able to directly support Syria. But since wea re in the way, as well as a pretty well armed Iaqi military, the Syrians are on their own, and Israel knows this - they can defeat the Syrian military in detail, and shatter Hamas and Hezbollah at one blow.
I hoe, os so much, that Syria attacks and opens war with Israel - it will mean Syria will finally see its military destoryed and its central government demolished. And I also hope Iran tries to interven overland - the Kurds and a US Bridage up there woudl chew them up badly! The side effect wooudl be a rally of Iraqi's against Iranian (Perisan) invadeers, the collapse of the last Baathis regime in the region, and the death of Hama and Hezbollah as anything other than minor terrorist organizations.
#18
Folks, if you think you can get it done from the air only, you are dead wrong.
To truly destroy the offensive capability of Hezbullah, and to secure a 40km buffer zone, Israel will have to put ground forces in. There is just no way around it. If you think you can find it all form the air, you don't know a damn thing about miltiary operations, especially in built-up terrain.
the second thig this does is gives the Lebanese government and army time to bitchslap the Hezbullah supporters. And no, they are not a mjority of them, just they have control of the heavy weaponry. Israel is changing that, dramatically.
Third, if needed, this gives Israel easier reach into the Bekka valley in Syria. The lay of the gorund and probable occupation areas will allow the IAF to fly basically unmolested until they het (and SEAD) the Syrian SAM sites. Once those are gone, Israel will have free reign over Syrian airspace. And I woudlnt be surprised if AWACS calls just happneed to go our since we can see everything in Syria fromthe Iraqi side.
All-in-all, this now shows what I have been ahrping on all along: the geopolitical importantce of Iraq.
If we did not have Iraq occupied, and the North (Kurdish) areas reinforce, Iran would be able to directly support Syria. But since wea re in the way, as well as a pretty well armed Iaqi military, the Syrians are on their own, and Israel knows this - they can defeat the Syrian military in detail, and shatter Hamas and Hezbollah at one blow.
I hoe, os so much, that Syria attacks and opens war with Israel - it will mean Syria will finally see its military destoryed and its central government demolished. And I also hope Iran tries to interven overland - the Kurds and a US Bridage up there woudl chew them up badly! The side effect wooudl be a rally of Iraqi's against Iranian (Perisan) invadeers, the collapse of the last Baathis regime in the region, and the death of Hama and Hezbollah as anything other than minor terrorist organizations.
#23
Old Spook, thanks, even for the double post! All day, I've been clicking, watching for you to appear.
And all day, I've had the ear tuned to the TV -- and it's like our presence is Iraq, is not to be mentioned. It's just completely forgotten by all these "experts" parading in front of us.
So thanks, for putting a "face" on our presence in Iraq, and the fact, this is why we are really there. Rather, it's been the MSM declaring Bush a failure, not even thinking to consider, that what is happening now, is all part of a master plan, to put these evil guys out of business.
#24
What's remarkable is how much slack Israel is getting from the international community. Usually they are forced to stop winning by pressure from the outside.
I suspect this has something to do with Iraq as well.
#25
Iblis, it has something to do rather with Iran, not Iraq. People heard AhMad-i-nutjob's ramblings and he gives people major creeps. Despite rhetoric, they all wish him to be gone. Obviously, wishfull thinking has an abyssmal rate of success so they see Israel as the magic bullet or its precursor. It's a politically incorrect secret hope.
Nine Lebanese soldiers were killed and many more wounded in Israeli air strikes on two army bases on the northern Lebanese coast early on Monday, a security source said. The source said the troops were killed in strikes on an army base at the port of Tripoli and at Abdeh, adding that there could be other casualties.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/16/2006 18:49
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#2
Yes, but the original strike was very limited - took out the offices but didn't totally destroy the building, which had residential apartments on many floors. The residents moved out and now Israel has take down the building, apparently.
Sending a message AND dismantling the ability of Hamas to rule in Gaza. Hamas had its chance to accept Israel's existence and consolidate a working government. Not any longer, I suspect.
#3
D'oh - if I'd read the post correctly, I'd have seen it myself...sorry lotp ;)
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/16/2006 18:56
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#4
Israels message to the G-8.
The roadmap is no more.
We will never nergotiate with Hamas.
That offer is off the table.
You are back to square one.
The Palestinians got what they voted for.
Hamas allied with Iran it's over.
No Palestinan "homeland" for Iran's clients.
Forget the Missiles, This is Even More Bizarre
by James Dunnigan
July 16, 2006
Discussion Board on this DLS topic
While everyone's attention was focused on North Korean missiles, the real story is the North Korean economy. It continues to fall apart, and more North Koreans are unhappy about that. Worse yet, more North Koreans are finding out how badly they have been screwed by their leaders. Meanwhile, North Korean officials engage in even more bizarre behavior. For example, food and fuel supplies sent to North Korea have been halted, not to force North Korea to stop missile tests or participate in peace talks, but to return the Chinese trains the aid was carried in on. In the last few weeks, the North Koreans have just kept the trains, sending the Chinese crews back across the border. North Korea just ignores Chinese demands that the trains be returned, and insists that the trains are part of the aid program. It's no secret that North Korean railroad stock is falling apart, after decades of poor maintenance and not much new equipment. Stealing Chinese trains is a typical loony-tune North Korean solution to the problem. If the North Koreans appear to make no sense, that's because they don't. Put simply, when their unworkable economic policies don't work, the North Koreans just conjure up new, and equally unworkable, plans. The Chinese have tried to talk the North Koreans out of these pointless fantasies, and for their trouble they have their trains stolen. How do you negotiate under these conditions? No one knows. The South Koreans believe that if they just keep the North Korean leaders from doing anything too destructive (especially to South Korea), eventually the tragicomic house of cards up north will just collapse. Not much of a plan, but so far, no one's come up with anything better.
Delicate Intelligence information coming out of Hezbollah indicated that the 2 missing captives of the Israeli Army Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev have been smuggled outside Southern Lebanon to the capital.
They are secretly being held at the Embassy of Iran in Beirut, under direct Iranian security guards supervision.
#6
Prolly a ruse to get Israeli commandos to storm the embassy and get Iran in on this. If Israel had reliable knowledge of their whereabouts, I think they'd be there in a flash to implicate Iran. But if they shag the place and their guys arent there....
World leaders agreed Sunday on a joint message on the crisis in the Middle East that reflected a significant swing of support toward Israel's argument that it has been acting in self-defense.
In their statement, the Group of Eight leaders called for the Israeli soldiers abducted in Gaza and Lebanon to be released unharmed; the shelling of Israeli territory to end; Israeli military operations to cease and Israeli forces to withdraw early from areas they have invaded in Gaza; and for arrested Palestinian ministers and legislators to be released.
But the statement did not call for a release of Arab prisoners held in Israel - which the terrorist groups have been trying to achieve - and expressed support for the disarming of Hizbullah.
At the same time, the leaders expressed their "deepening concern about the situation in the Middle East, in particular the rising civilian casualties on all sides and the damage to infrastructure," the statement read.
"We do not want to let terrorist forces and those who support them have the opportunity to create chaos in the Middle East," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters. "Therefore we place value on clearly identifying the cause and effect of events."
"We are convinced that the government of Lebanon must be given all support and that the relevant UN resolutions regarding the south of Lebanon must also be implemented," Merkel said.
"We also demand that in addition to the UN activities, another observation and security mission is established. That must be worked out through the UN," she said.
In addition to the four priority actions, the G-8 leaders said they supported the start of a political dialogue between the Lebanese and the Israelis, and that they would favor a donors conference for Lebanon "at the right time."
May I suggest that time is after the dismantlement of Hezb'Allah?
On Gaza, it called for all Palestinian parties to accept the conditions of the so-called "road map," including recognizing the existence of Israel and rejecting violence.
"For its part, Israel needs to refrain from unilateral acts that could prejudice a final settlement and agree to negotiate in good faith," the statement said.
On the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, it called for an end to terrorist attacks against Israel, Israeli steps to ease the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank, including compliance with a November 2005 agreement on movement, and the resumption of security cooperation between the Palestinians and Israelis.
It also called on Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to resume steps to ensure his government's compliance with the principles set by the so-called Quartet of Mideast negotiators - the United States, Russia, European Union and United Nations.
#7
The biggest difference with the Euros is having Merkel, who knows the real difference between living in a free country and living in a dictatorship, rather than Schroeder, who followed the more traditional Euro path of buying cheap popularity by calling the US a warmonger while enjoying our protection, at the helm of Germany. Having strong pro-American leaders in Japan and Canada, too, has been very helpful for the world political climate, but it's the change in Germany that has been crucial given their economic muscle and European centrality.
Hezbollah and its backers, not the government, now appear in control of Lebanon's fate.
That was the case last Tuesday, too. But on Tuesday Siniora's government didn't realize it.
After moderating their stance in recent years,
coulda fooled me
the guerrillas surged back to the war front with a surprise attack on Israel and a sophisticated arsenal, leaving Lebanon's politicians and army looking nearly powerless. The government seems paralyzed over how to deal with Hezbollah, whose Shiite Muslim fighters have had near autonomy in the south for more than a decade.
Pretty much total autonomy, actually. That's why Leb's at war now...
Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah acted Sunday like the man holding Lebanon's reins, though he looked tired and stressed
and wounded
as he vowed that his group had only begun to fight. "We are in our full strength and power," he said on the group's Al-Manar TV. "Hezbollah is not fighting a battle for Hezbollah or even for Lebanon. We are now fighting a battle for the (Islamic) nation."
how Very Noble of you.
You're always at full strength and power when you start a war. What counts is what condition you're in when it's over.
Over the recent days, the Hezbollah TV station has aired a constant stream of martial music and images of guerrillas firing rockets at Israel.
Good idea. Remind them who started the festivities.
Even amid Israeli airstrikes, Hezbollah managed to keep the station on the air aside from a brief interruption Sunday morning while Beirut-run utilities failed. Electricity remained knocked out across much of the city; firefighters ran out water to extinguish burning apartment buildings. The Western-backed, anti-Syrian prime minister Fouad Saniora held back tears as he vowed on Lebanese television Saturday night to curb the guerrillas, desperate to stop Israel's onslaught. But on Sunday, President Emile Lahoud a pro-Syrian and an ally of Hezbollah pronounced that Lebanon "will not surrender" to Israel's attempts to batter it into submission.
Emile crawls out from under his rock. Bet they wish they'd dumped him back in March, when they had the chance. But it was Hezbollah that blocked that, too...
Few believe Saniora could move against Hezbollah without throwing the country into further turmoil. The army he would have to send into the south has many Shiite members, who might balk at fighting their brethren in the guerrilla force.
some of them were probably complicit in the use of the coastal radars against the Iraeli warship
The country's large Shiite population would be outraged.
and we mustn't, must't outrage Muslim sensibilities. We all know how sensitive they are and how they will be forced to torture and kill people as a result of any actions on our part. Like breathing.
They're not outraged at having their homes and businesses blown apart?
The Hezbollah surge into action was a shock, because its fighters had been relatively quiet since Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon in 2000. There have been occasional exchanges with Israeli forces since, but the once-hot Israeli-Lebanese border was seen by many as successfully quieted.
They've blown off rockets every time there's been a crisis in Israel...
Hezbollah's star had even appeared to be falling somewhat, with the end of its ally Syria's control of Lebanon last year. Anti-Syrian sentiment across the country ended Hezbollah's image as a nationalist anti-Israel force, while Damascus' opponents came to dominate the government. This year, Lebanon's politicians had openly discussed disarming the group, though talks on doing so dragged on without result.
Oh, they had a result - The Army of Allah invaded Israel, killed a couple soldiers and took 2 more hostage. Just top make their position in the negotiations clear ....
Elections last year gave Hezbollah a strong parliament presence of 11 lawmakers and two seats in the Cabinet, increasing predictions among many Lebanese that the group would abandon guerrilla action and become a political party. All such speculation vanished in an instant Wednesday with Hezbollah's bold raid across the border to snatch two Israeli soldiers, sparking Israel biggest bombardment in 24 years. Hezbollah clearly made a decision in favor of fighting over a political role, and felt confident it was strong enough for the fight it knew it was starting.
It was assert itself or have the government eventually decide to implement Resolution 1559. The pressure was mounting...
Israel says that's because Iran has been feeding the guerrilla arsenal with beefed-up rockets, even sending 100 members of its elite Revolutionary Guards to help launch them a claim Nasrallah denied Sunday.
Doesn't matter if they're Iranians or Hezbies trained back in the Promised Land. The missile was certainly an Iranian Silkworm variant.
Hezbollah, which was founded in 1982 after Iran's Revolutionary Guards were sent to Lebanon during Israel's invasion of the country, is thought to receive between $10 million and $20 million a month from Iran, and its fighters regularly go there for training. But Iranian fighters have not been seen in Lebanon in the past 15 years.
Of course not. The Lebs go to Iran or Syria for their training. And Syria was there for the past 14 years.
Already the new fighting has deepened divisions in Lebanon, mostly along sectarian lines. The country's 1.2 million Shiites largely support Hezbollah, while Sunnis, Christians and Druse mostly oppose it. Lebanon's army of about 70,000 soldiers far outnumbers Hezbollah's estimated 6,000 fighters, but its troops lack the guerrillas' battle experience.
The only "battle experience" Hezbollah has is popping off rockets at northern Israel. They're still play soldiers.
Largely manned by Shiite Muslims, the army could also break up along sectarian lines, while the guerrillas can call on thousands of supporters. And Hezbollah's religious zeal and willingness to die in battle also makes it a formidable foe, increasing fears that the latest conflict could tear Lebanon apart. "Hezbollah has taken the country hostage. They have destroyed people's homes and infrastructure," cried Mohammed Bazazo, 50, a merchant in the predominantly Sunni southern port city of Sidon.
Picked right up on that, didn't you?
Nasrallah tried to address those concerns Sunday, vowing that Hezbollah will help rebuild. "You are truly a historic people," he said, addressing Lebanon. "By your steadfastness, we will be victorious."
#3
The leader of Syrian backed Iranian/Shiite colony in Leabanon starts WWIII.
We are now on a collision course with a decision that must be made. A decision like that which put an end to Nazism as a political system and the State Shinto religious sect. Why are we waiting for a Pearl Harbor attack? We and our allies have already been attacked repeatedly.
Definitely not in the Chirac camp. Schedule seething by 'yuts' in 5..4..3..
French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said Israel must defend itself, and it had the right to do so.
There is an aggressive element in the Middle East, and that is Hizbullah. As friends of Israel we must advise it to maintain level-headedness and restraint, he said.
#4
French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said Israel must defend itself, and it had the right to do so -- don't believe what Chirac is saying, he is certifiably senile and blathering crap profusely.
There is an aggressive element in the Middle East, and that is Hizbullah. As friends of Israel we must advise it to maintain level-headedness and restraint -- everybody is saying this, I don't want to be an odd man out, he said.
#5
Yes he is running for office but must run against the French MSM who will most certainly denounce these statements. Anti-semitism is alive and well in France ask any common arab or jew. Israel will continue to be made out to be made out as a nation of war criminals and it's actions as NAZI like.
Like most realists he knows that an Iran like regime in Leabanon is untenable and puts Europe a a greater risk. It's not just an immeadiate risk to Israel.
#2
Great footage, I love watching the same friggin' fire footage 6,000 times in a row. Can't wait for tomorrow when Fox and Friends bring their scintillating insight to the table.
(IsraelNN.com) The Anti-Terror Bureau has issued a travel advisory to Israelis traveling abroad.
Terrorist organization Hizbullah is planning to kidnap Israelis as they travel overseas. As a result, a travel advisory is in effect warning Israelis not to travel to Arab countries other than Mauritania and Comoros Islands.
Sunday, three days after an attack on their vessel, the bodies of three missing crewmembers were found. Their families were informed. Funeral dates have not yet been set.
The vessel was hit Friday evening by a Hizbullah-launched rocket, off the Beirut coastline. Saturday night, following the damaged ship's safe port in Ashdod, naval personnel, the rabbinate and a criminal identification team searched the area for the bodies of the missing soldiers. Early Sunday morning, the IDF succeeded in located, in one of the living quarters in the ship's interior, the bodies of three missing crew members: Staff Sergeant Yaniv Herschkowitz, Sergeant Shai Atias and 1st Sgt. Dov Sternshus. Sunday afternoon, IDF representatives arrived at the soldiers' homes and told their families that their sons had been killed.
Later on Sunday, the fourth crewmember killed in Friday's attack, Staff Sergeant Tal Amgar, whose body was found over the weekend off the Beirut coast, will be laid to rest in the military cemetery in Ashdod. By the weekend, the navy was already fairly certain that the bodies of the remaining three sailors would be found in the living quarters, which were hit hard by the force of the blast.
Following the rocket attack on the vessel, a fire broke out on the launching pad at the ship's stern and caused damage to the ship's internal systems. After the ship's commanders had put out the fire and completed a crew count, it was determined that four crewmembers were missing. Many forces were called to the area to help search for the crew members, all the while under heavy fire.
In the navy, an investigation of the event is still underway. Saturday night, Head of Naval Operations, Rear Admiral (lower half) Noam Feig, admitted that the navy had not had intelligence information regarding Hizbullah's possession of C802 missiles and, therefore, had not activated the ship's missile defense system against such types of missiles.
Investigation findings are scheduled to be presented Monday to the head of the Israel Navy, Rear Admiral David Ben-Basat. IDF Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, ordered an additional investigation, which will examine all facets of the event, including the responsibility of the IDF Intelligence Branch.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006
15:37 ||
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The Pentagon notified Congress of plans to sell Israel jet fuel valued at up to USD 210 million "to keep peace and security in the region". "The proposed sale of the JP-8 aviation fuel will enable Israel to maintain the operational capability of its aircraft inventory," the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in notice required by law.
It said Israel had requested the sale, but did not say when the request was made. "The jet fuel will be consumed while (Israel's) aircraft (are) in use to keep peace and security in the region," the notice to Congress said. It said the sale - which Congress may block if both houses were to enact resolutions rejecting it within 30 days - would not affect the basic military balance in the region.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006
15:36 ||
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#11
H3 airbase in western Iraq is a nice topping off point, some cold water and blintzes for the aviators, restroom break, etc....
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 18:57
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#12
#9 & #10: Check out the proposition by Froggy Rumination at Power Line about how Israel could strike Iran.
I can't comment on the viability of the plan - I'm not a military expert, and don't play one on TV either - but it's sure an intrigueing idea. And one that just might work (in my non-expert opinion).
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/16/2006 18:58
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#13
I hope we deliver most of it as mid air refuling.
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 19:23
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#18
Yes, by the NYT.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/16/2006 19:25
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#19
touche, Tony :-)
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 19:26
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#20
The enemy of my enemy is my friend,or so I've been told.
Posted by: john ||
07/16/2006 19:29
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#21
If the Israelis were going to use H3 or any other Iraqi facility, they'd have to disguise themselves as USAF planes. There are just too many eyeballs otherwise. The pilots and crews are easy enough to hide (off to a secure location on the base), but the planes themselves are visible, and the Star of David is VERY visible.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006 19:36
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#22
In-flight fueling it is, then!
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 19:38
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#23
What about a small landing strip out in the middle of the desert with a bunch of tanker trucks standing by?
#24
actually Powerline readers have noted the F-15I and F-16I (I for Iran?) equipped with external conformal fuel fuel tanks can make the round trip, even with loiter time over targets
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 19:40
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#25
and Israel has 50 F16I's and 25 F15I's
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 19:41
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#26
I will throw out three possibilities:
1. Seize an airstrip in eastern Syria, or
2. Use a remote airstrip in Azerbijan, or
3. Use an airstrip in Kurdish territory.
While likely, I do not think the Israelis would use USAF markings. More likely the IAF markings will merely be covered over.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned that for the time being the United States is not interested to assist in negotiating a ceasefire. There is no point in achieving a ceasefire so long as Hizbullah and Hamas are capable of firing rockets at Israel, and by doing so to breach it.
In a series of interviews to large American television channels, the secretary of state added that this is not the right time to make diplomatic trips to the region to solve the crisis. "Extremists in Hamas, Hizbullah, and their supporters in Syria and Iran do not want to see a resolution of these situations on the basis of 1559 and the road map, because then they would have no reason for violence," Rice said.
The US government will object to the reaching of a cease-fire at the G-8 summit or at the United Nations.
Speaking to FoxNews, Rice reiterated the American stance which was voiced by President Bush since the crisis started. "Our message to Israel is, look, defend yourself," Bush said. "But as you do so, be mindful of the consequences. So we've urged restraint."
"What you had in the Middle East before was American policies - bipartisan, by the way, it had been pursued by Democratic Presidents and by Republican Presidents - that engaged in so-called Middle East exceptionalism and was pursuing stability at the expense of democracy, and it turned out, as we learned on 9/11 or July 7th here, or in any - in London or across the world, was getting neither," she said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006
15:33 ||
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#1
Translation: GAME ON.
I don't think that this is what the black hats thought was going to happen.
The Israeli Air Force hit five long-range rocket launchers in Lebanon, a senior Air Force commander revealed Sunday afternoon. Every strike on rocket launchers damages Hizbullah's firing ability, as the group has limited quantities of the weapon, he said.
According to the military chief, Air Force sorties over Lebanonhit 60 buildings in the Dahiya quarter, Beiruts Shiite quarter, in which Hizbullah infrastructure is located. During the air strikes, bunker buster bombs were fired in attempt to destroy underground targets. The officer said, In one of the strikes in the Tyre area, a number of senior Hizbullah leaders were hit, but refused to detail their identities.
The air force chief said that army jets managed to hit a portable launcher of the type Hizbullah used to fire on Haifa. At first the air force believed they managed to blow up the actual rocket launcher that fired the lethal barrage on the Haifa train station Sunday morning, but later concluded that it was a different launcher that was destroyed. According to the officer, in a number of the strikes, rocket crews manning the launchers were also hit.
The officer added that the army was operating in two aspects: First, air sorties aimed at hitting terror targets across Lebanon, and second, flyovers aimed at searching Lebanese territory forlong-range rocket launchers . He explained that hitting the launchers was significant, as Hizbullah was in possession of a limited stockpile of the weapons, and every hit minimized their ability to fire long-range missiles at Israel.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006
15:28 ||
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#1
Of course, once the high-altitude assets shift their attention to the battle area, then targetting is going to get a lot easier.
#2
I think it's pretty clear now why neither the U.S. nor Israel smacked Iran and its nuclear program last spring. This mess has to be cleaned up first. This was Iran's plan for retaliation. I doubt they have a back-up plan.
Leaders of the Group of Eight had agreed to issue a joint statement calling for the abducted Israeli soldiers to be freed, for the attacks to stop and for Israel to end its military action, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday. It is a strong message with a clear political content," Merkel told reporters.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
15:17 ||
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Security forces managed to foil an attempt to infiltrate into Moshav Avivim in northern Israel. According to initial reports, soldiers shot dead a terrorist who was spotted approaching the community, located near Kiryat Shomna.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
15:16 ||
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(IsraelNN.com) The rockets which caused death and destruction in Haifa on Sunday morning contained parts made in Syria, according to security officials.
They were, however, Iranian-made 220 mm Fajr missiles, with a range of 40 kilometers, security sources said.
In a statement read on al-Manar TV, Hizbullahs television station, the terrorist organization said it had fired a salvo of Raad-2 and Raad-3 rockets.
The terror organization added that it would target petrochemical plants in Haifa if the IDF continued air strikes in Beirut.
#2
they had ball bearings shrapnel designed to kill/maim civilians, which Fox said was a Syrian specialty - the Syrians and Hezb being so compliant with the GC and all....
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 20:11
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#3
Fajir sounds like a variant of the BM-27...
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006 21:19
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#4
Syria also makes copies of the BM-27.
Posted by: ed ||
07/16/2006 22:37
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The Home Front Command has re-examined its instructions following the lethal barrage of rockets fired on Haifa. "We may have been mistaken in our situation analysis and instructions we gave to residents," Colonel Yehiel Kopperstein, head of the Protection Division of the Home Front Command said.
He added that the considerations behind deciding preparations for citizens and the issuing of instructions during emergencies must strike a balance between the security situation and the desire not to harm normal life.
The rocket barrage on Haifa took place minutes after Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Dan Halutz held a situation analysis at the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, during which he ordered attacks on Hizbullah across the whole of Lebanon.
Immediately after the rocket attacks on Haifa the Home Front Command reissued more severe instructions, telling all residents of Tirat Hacarmel, Haifa, Krayot, Akko, and all northern residents north of Akko, the Amiad Junction, and Carmiel, to enter protected rooms or interior rooms in residential apartments. Residents of the frontline have been told to stay in bomb shelters, while residents of Tel Aviv and northwards have been told to increase their vigilance and be prepared for a rocket attack.
Yesterday the Home Front Command instructed Haifa residents to remain within buildings, not to assemble outdoors, and to go to work only if their places of work is within an enclosed structure. The Home Front Command decided not to shut down public transportation, which would have avoided a large number of casualties on Sunday.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006
15:12 ||
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In a recorded television speech on Sunday evening, Hizbullah head Hassan Nasrallah urged Arab states to come to the organization's aid. "Where are the Arab nations?" he asked, moments after declaring that Hizbullah wouldn't ask for help from anyone.
Great minds of the 7th century at work...
Speaking to Lebanese civilians, many of whom have expressed anger at Hizbullah's Wednesday attack in which two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped and which triggered a massive Israeli aerial bombardment of Lebanese infrastructure, Nasrallah affirmed that all damage caused by IDF strikes would be repaired after the battle was won. "We have friends who have a great ability to help us financially," he said.
That'd be Iran, of course. On the other hand, the Lebs may like their old country, even if the ayatollahs are willing to buy them a new one.
He also urged the Arab world not to believe Israeli claims about the escalating conflict. "The enemy is lying," he declared, saying the "Zionists" were "managing a psychological war against us." In an unusually apologetic tone, Nasrallah said the organization had "no choice" but to hit the city of Haifa with rockets Sunday after Israel struck civilians in Lebanon.
Nasrallah also used his speech to repeat threats to IDF forces and Israel. "If the enemy invades, we will have the opportunity to meet Israeli tanks [in battle]," he said, adding that Hizbullah fighters were "ready to sacrifice themselves and are convinced they will be victorious."
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
15:10 ||
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#1
I wouldn't count on Iran if I were them. The Paleos are still looking for their $50 million check that is "lost in the mail".
#5
Remember that the Lebanese Shiites see Hezbollah as their own private army, so any reduction of them or their weapons is only a short-term solution.
The only longer term solution is for the Israelis to force the Lebanese army in the Hezbollah positions, and force them to hold their positions for so long that Hezbollah would have to force them out before it could re-occupy.
This is not impossible, but implies that the Israelis will have to parallel occupy right next to the Lebanese army for a time.
#8
"Israelis will have to parallel occupy right next to the Lebanese army for a time"
No, I think what we're going to end up with is a whipped Hizbullah, a wide no-man's land along the Lebanese and Gaza borders, and survivors in Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, and Iran who have higher priorities than messing with Israel -- priorities like food and electricity and fuel and maybe iodine pills. By the end of July, a lot of black hats are going to have the 7th century they've been longing for.
#9
French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said Israel must defend itself, and it had the right to do so -- don't believe what Chirac is saying, he is certifiably senile and blathering crap profusely.
There is an aggressive element in the Middle East, and that is Hizbullah. As friends of Israel we must advise it to maintain level-headedness and restraint -- everybody is saying this, I don't want to be an odd man out, he said.
#10
The Lebanese army are probably thinking "Why should we be expected to suppress Hezbollah in future, when the Israelis themselves couldn't do it when they were here before 2000?" Especially as the Lebanese army contains a lot of Shia anyway...
#15
#8 I think what we're going to end up with is a whipped Hizbullah, a wide no-man's land along the Lebanese and Gaza borders,
Good idea. For Gaza make it about 8 miles wide and take it out of the Gaza side.
#13 I think the IAF is already working to solve that problem. See the attack map posted by 3dc this morning. Maybe some of those 500 bunker busters the IDF bought in 2004 went boom underground in Bakkaa Valley.
#20
Fox just showed an IAF missile aimed at a TV relay station. It hit a house adjacent, killing 4 "civilians", baby ducks, kittens and a baby milk factory
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 19:08
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#21
"If the enemy invades, we will have the opportunity to meet Israeli tanks [in battle],"
Can't help but wonder if he is requesting a shipment of anti-tank mines from his Iranian masters. Poor planning?
About 25 percent of Hizbullah's capabilities have been hit, a high-ranking IDF officer estimated on Sunday night at the end of the fifth day of Operation Just Reward. According to the officer, the group's chain of command is still functioning. He estimated that the Lebanese group would not be annihilated when the dust settles, only severely damaged. The officer predicted that the operation would end in the middle of next week.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
15:09 ||
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#1
Reports are that hundreds of (or at least more than 100) innocent civilians have been killed by the Israelis; if we accept that as true, how many guilty civilians (they aren't an army so they must be civilians) have been killed? After all, Israel is not targeting the innocent - those are just the collateral damage of one of the most accurate military forces in the world. 25% degradation of Hezbollah capability doesn't sound too far wrong.
I'm not paying to read his ??? but this is a reprint of a commenter at From Beirut to the Beltway. In his piece he says that Hizbollah actually managed to attack Israel's Northern command - something I haven't seen elsewhere. The online article is unfortunately subscription only and I'm too lazy to type it all out from my print copy, but the relevant section:
"The long-range Iranian made missiles which later exploded on Haifa had been preceded only a few weeks ago by a pilotless Hizbollah drone aircraft which surveyed northern Israel and then returned to land in eastern Lebanon after taking photographs during its flight.
"These pictures not only suggested a flight path for Hizbollah's rocket attacks to Haifa; they also identified Israel's top secret military air traffic control centre in Miron.
"The next attack - concealed by Israel's censors - was directed at this facility. Code named "Apollo", Israeli military scientists work deep inside mountain caves and bunkers at Miron, watching all air traffic moving in and out of Beirut, Damascus, Amman and other cities. The mountain is surrounded by clusters of antennae which Hizbollah quickly identified as a military tracking centre. Before they fired rockets at Haifa, they therefore sent a cluster of missiles towards Miron. The caves are untouchable but the targeting of such a secret location by Hizbollah deeply shocked Israel's military planners.
"The 'centre of the war on terror' - or whatever they imagine Lebanon to be - could not only breach their frontier and capture their soldiers but attack the nerve centre of the Israeli northern military command" ...
ISRAEL has no plans "at this present moment" to attack Iran and Syria, the country's chief spokesman told US television today, although he charged both countries with playing a key role in recent kidnappings of its soldiers. "There is full responsibility on the shoulders of Iran and Syria," spokesman Isaac Herzog told ABC television's This Week program, without ruling out future attacks against the two countries.
"The responsibility lies on them, and we know it and we will remember it," Mr Herzog said. "Nonetheless at this present moment we are focused on Lebanon."
He made his remarks as the Israeli army confirmed today that its special forces were operating on the ground in Lebanon, in conjunction with air and sea forces, on the fifth day of its offensive aimed at crippling the Lebanese Hezbollah militia.
Israel has accused Iran and Syria of having deep influence over the Hezbollah militants who captured two Israeli soldiers in an attack that sparked Israeli military retaliation. But Mr Herzog stressed that Syria is not currently in Israel's sights. "We made it clear that we are not including Syria in this campaign out of our own volition," Mr Herzog said.
"We are focused on Lebanon. We want the Lebanese body politic, the Lebanese government which includes Hezbollah as one of its coalition partners, to take forceful steps to confront the Hezbollah and to make sure that this mode of behaviour does not reoccur, namely that Lebanon really takes sovereignty over its affairs."
He also insisted that Israeli forces are doing their best to avoid civilian targets in Lebanon, while conceding that "tragic circumstances" have occurred involving innocents. "We are very restrained," Mr Herzog said.
A classic understatement. Too restrained so far, IMHO, both in word and deed, but I'm waiting to see what they do with the armor and infantry reservists called up. When those people have checked in, then we will see to what extent Olmert will commit to destroying Hizbollah, as he said.
Sometimes I like Ralph and sometimes not. Today I don't.
July 16, 2006 -- THE violence that scorched the Middle East this time didn't result from a sly Iranian plot. It was the product of emotion, miscalculation, impulsiveness and folly. On all sides.
Here's a sound rule in analyzing problems anywhere between Cairo and Karachi: Never ascribe to a calculated strategy what can be blamed on passionate incompetence.
Another iron rule that applies to this and every Israeli attempt to strike back at Islamist terrorists is that, just when the Israeli Defense Forces really start to hurt the enemy, the world community - including the United States - intervenes to save the terrorists from destruction.
Europeans have more sympathy with Iran's nuclear program than they do with Israel's attempts at self-defense. But, then, the only thing continental Europeans regret about the Holocaust is that they didn't get to finish the job. Even as Europe suffers its own attacks by Islamist terrorists, Europeans defend the selfsame terrorists against Israeli retribution.
Meanwhile, the flare-up that began last week resulted from bad judgment on the part of every organization and state involved - as well as producing some spectacularly bad analysis by our herd-like media.
#2
The question in my mind is whether Israel's genocidal enemies will be saved by the bell this time. I'm beginning to be hopeful that they will get a lot of rope. Let's hope they use it better than the Paleos did.
#3
He certainly seems to be way ahead of himself here, presuming that this will be a repeat of past mistakes. Almost knee-jerk in its blatant simplicity. He charactrizes some of the players very well (hell, who cant?), but the Olmert Admin? The Bush Admin?
I wonder if he has chafed and objected to the "It's Vitenam all over again! Quagmire!" BS... yet that's what he's doing.
Now is not then. We are not them.
The Bush Administration is not very much like any previous administration I can recall. I suspect it's pretty close to Truman's, but it's hard to be sure of the day-to-day flavor of something that ended before I was born.
I call bullshit.
I'm happy to allow this to occur in the here and now. For the moment, anyway, Olmert is exceeding my expectations and Bush is meeting them.
Ralph has heartburn or gas. Or both. I think this often happens when someone is contracted to deliver a column and a certain day, has some sort of reputation to protect, and hasn't made up his /her mind WTF he /she wants to say.
#8
I guess this guy considers chemo a tragedy of errors in the fight against cancer because the chemo does so much damage to the body's healthy cells along with the cancerous ones.
#9
The Iranian government was as surprised as anyone.
bullshit foundation for the rest of his statements.
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 19:02
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#10
Israel hopes to pressure the Lebanese government into taking action against Hezbollah. But Lebanon's leaders can't do that. If they ordered their work-in-progress military to attack and disarm Hezbollah, some Lebanese Armed Forces units would mutiny, others would disintegrate - and any outfits that attempted to take on Hezbollah would be badly and swiftly defeated. And the action would reignite the country's dormant civil war.
And that's bad for Israel because?
p.s. Syria has constraints (destruction of their military --> extermination of Alawites by the Sunny majority). Hisballa, was a non-state player with WMD (10000 area denial rockets are a WDM)
#11
I think Ralph has a defensible point. The Lebanese government is weak more than it is malicious. If it falls, a more pro-Syria government will likely replace it. Bombing the airport and creating a jam-up of potential hostages (foreign nationals) trying to get out does not seem to me to be a great idea in terms of tactics vs. Hezbollah or PR. Syria and Iran are the real enemies here.
OTOH, the Lebanese government seems to lack the will to do anything about Hezbollah and Israel has been clear that, if it did, Israel would stand down. In the end it could be that Israeli positions are relieved by Lebanese Army units if and when Hezbollah heads for the hills.
Israel will leave the World Press Federation if the organization does not retract its comment regarding the IDF's attacks on a television station belonging to the Hizbullah Al-Manar TV, Army Radio reported Sunday.
The Federation stated that Israel's attacks were against the principle of the freedom of the press. The attacks on Al-Manar proves Israel's policy of the use of force as a means of quieting press organizations with which Israel does not agree, said Aidan White, Secretary-General of the Federation.
An official letter written to the Federation by Israeli reporters states that the condemnation of Israel's actions represents overt support for terrorism.
Our analysts concluded that one of the principal risks of safety of the current crisis is to see Hezbollah reviving its policy of taking Western hostages such as this organization practised it twenty years ago, at the height of the civil war.
It is clearly indeed that one should assist in the days to come - perhaps within the next 48 hours - to a massive offensive from the Israeli Army to south-Lebanon and, undoubtedly, in the plain of Bekaa with an aim if not of eradicate purely and simply Hezbollah, at least to deprive it of its operational capacities for several years.
To counter this offensive, Hezbollah could (or would have to) react in three manners:
- By developing an insurrectionary war in the south so as to bring Israel to account;
- By using all the weapons of which it lays out, including missiles able to reach Tel-Aviv (the reasoning will be: "let us use them before they are destroyed")
- By taking Western hostages
From the Civil war of the Eighties as from the crisis in progress in Iraq, Hezbollah has remembered that the businesses of hostages use to paralyse the Western nations. The hostage-taking would be thus, in Lebanon, a mean of ensuring that the United States keep neutral and of pushing other nations (of which France) to more openly commit itself "to defend the integrity of Lebanon" by the diplomatic way and ensuring the survival of Hezbollah by obliging the Occident to make pressure on Israel.
Moreover, perhaps, this solution would have a collateral advantage which would be to allow Damas and Teheran to be in a position of "honest brokers" in further possible negotiations. Syria would thus find an official role in Lebanon and Iran could even hope to lower the tensions around its nuclear program.
The Operation would be all the more easy as very many Westerners (25 000 Americans, 20 000 French, thousands of other Europeans reside at Lebanon or are there on mission of long duration or like tourists). The most exposed countries seem to us to be the Member States of the Security Council and especially the United States and France. The most exposed city is obviously Beirut where the density of foreigners is strong and where the Israeli troops will not enter.
#3
I wonder if we will show our hand in this. The Iwo Jima is on her way to pick up Americans in Lebenon, I assume she'll come with an entire group. The mere presence of the American fleet is likely to stir up the mooks.
#5
Hostage taking may be "easy" & work with France & others but the US has learnt the hard way that responding to hostage taking will bite us in the end (figurtivly & literally). And it might be the action that would get the US directly invlolved.
Fox just announcing that State Dept is telling folks to stay where they are. It is "too dangerous" to begin movement. Wonder what that means? Would Hezbollah be dumb enough to begin to attach Americans attempting to leave?
#9
Egypt is permitting the Iwo Jima group to transit the Suez Canal? If I'm driving those ships I'm going to be very nervous; just think what a propaganda coup it would be for the Islamists to get the Cole a second time. They know pretty much when and where the ships will pass in the Canal and approaches. For that matter, the Islamists don't even need to actually mount an attack - an unarmed boat making too close an approach will get blasted, for at least a secondary propaganda victory.
MOSCOW: The Chechen terrorist leader behind the Beslan school massacre was killed by Russian security forces with the help of a mole who betrayed him for $600,000, according to intelligence sources quoted in a Moscow newspaper.
Shamil Basayev, leader of the Chechen rebels and Russia's most wanted man, is said to have been blown up by a mine the informant placed in a lorry full of explosives and set off by remote control.
The claim was made by Viktor Baranyets, a military expert and former defence ministry official, in Komsomolskaya Pravda.
"The security forces are being very tight-lipped about how Basayev was killed, but after dozens of calls I have established through intelligence sources that he was betrayed by one of his own men," Mr Baranyets said.
His sources told him that the FSB, which had been hunting Basayev for nearly a decade, learned he was planning a terrorist attack during the G8summit.
Basayev -- known as Russia's bin Laden -- was planning to detonate a lorry bomb at the interior ministry in Nazran, the former capital of Ingushetia, which borders Chechnya, the sources said.
The Russians are said to have stopped the attack and killed Basayev by recruiting one of his men. As the terrorist chief and a his group escorted the convoy of explosives, the mole set off a bomb in the lorry.
According to the Ingush Interior Ministry, the lorry was carrying 100 rocket-propelled grenades, two grenade-launchers and more than 13,000 rounds of ammunition. Basayev was decapitated by the blast.
The FSB's reticence over its coup had led many to suspect that Basayev was killed in an accidental explosion, as the Chechen rebels claimed.
#2
Can I have his head?
I want to mount it on my wall.
Or is Putin already sending it out to be mounted.
I don't care how it was done. I just glad this monster is dead.
And I am glad to see they are finally referring to this piece of crap as a "terrorist leader" instead of a "separatist leader" or worse yet "Rebel Leader".
#3
They're desperate to claim it as one of their operations aren't they?
Not that it matters to me, the outcome is the same - the PoS is in bits and very very dead.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/16/2006 13:09
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#4
'piece of crap' == 'PoS'
Great minds eh SPoD? ;)
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/16/2006 13:10
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#5
Y'know, this story is a KGB-quality operation.
So, WTF the FSB has been doing since Sept 1, 2004? Especially after the much ballyhooed Putin statement about going medieval on the Chechnyans - and only having a few poor scape-goat-herders to show for the last 23 months...
1] It quiets the critics, internal and external
2] Face saver for Putin
3] Face-saver for the FSB
4] Lets them loot the FSB budget for $600K
5] Set precedent for future repeat raids on budget for party favors
Yep. That's the kind of disinformation you could expect of the old KGB.
#6
So is this a remote control mole or a martyr mole? Or do the Ruskies give out a posthumous mole award?
Posted by: john ||
07/16/2006 19:11
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#7
Disinformation campaign. Suggest that a mole is there, after "dozens of calls", wheedled out of them by a persistent former comerade, lean back, and watch them off each other off.
#7
"Saudi Arabia on Sunday donated $50 million to Lebanon in response to a plea for help made by Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. The Saudi official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said King Abdullah ordered a fund transfer immediately."
Kind of tells the Palestinians where they rate on the grand scale.
IAF forces bombed a tunnel in southern Gaza on Sunday afternoon, thereby preventing a terror attack. At the same time, IDF artillery was firing at Kassam-launch sites in the northern Gaza Strip.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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A stabbing attempt was thwarted in Hebron as a Palestinian ran at an IDF post with a knife drawn on Sunday afternoon. The soldiers subdued the would-be stabber without sustaining any injuries. The Palestinian was taken to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) for questioning.
Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
Weird way to surrender, LOL. Maybe an informant who needed cover for his return to report in.
Lebanon's government said Sunday that Italy has relayed Israeli conditions to stop its assault on Lebanon: release the two captured Israeli soldiers and pull Hizbullah back from the Israeli border.
Information Minister Ghazi Aridi briefed reporters on the conditions after an emergency Cabinet meeting. He said Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi spoke to Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, and relayed the conditions made by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Aridi said Prodi told Saniora that "Premier Olmert has two conditions for a cease-fire: handover of the captured soldiers and Hizbullah's withdrawal beyond the Litani (River)." He said Prodi relayed Olmert's conditions to Saniora as part of a "personal initiative."
"Nothing is official because the real negotiations have not started yet," Aridi said.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Palestinians hurled stones at an Israeli bus near the Hawara checkpoint south of Nablus late Sunday afternoon. Damage was caused to the bus, but no casualties were reported.
Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
It's peculiar how there doesn't seem to be any effort to involve the West Bank in the festivities.
#4
The Sunni/Shia split is only important in Iraq - Hamas and Hizbullah are like two peas in a pod as far as Israel is concerned. The West Bank is not part of this conflict because it has already been pacified by the IDF. The Israelis have arrested 90% of the hard boyz on the Pal side and are mopping up the dregs at the rate of 50 per week. It's all over bar the stone-throwing over there.
The Israel Police on Sunday detained an Al-Jazeera news team after it broadcast live footage which disclosed the area of Sunday's deadly Katyusha attack in Haifa, in violation of military censorship rules, police and security officials said. Eight people were killed and dozens were wounded in the mid-morning attack, the most lethal Hizbullah rocket attack since Israel's withdrawal from South Lebanon six years ago. The station's Israel correspondent, Elias Karram, was among those detained by police.
The media stationed in Israel has been instructed not to broadcast the exact location of the Hizbullah rocket attacks, so as not to help the Lebanese-based terror group refine targeting for future attacks. The longstanding security regulations have been accepted by Al-Jazeera when they opened their office in Israel. But, the police spokeswoman said, the crew broadcast live during the rocket attack from a nearby observation post. It was warned not to do so again.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
12:23 ||
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#1
Get a rope!
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
07/16/2006 13:20
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#2
Sounds like the North Pole will be getting an Al-Jazz news crew after all
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/16/2006 14:55
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#3
al jizz is part of the terrorist infrastructure. Take them out and shoot them. They are spys and propagandists.
Do the same for any one working for the NYT. The NYT wants the terrorists to win and openly aids them.
#4
One seemingly obvious question, to wit: Why would the Israeli's allow Al-Jazeera access to their county, let alone a war Zone, in the first place?? Is this some kind of PR ploy?? I mean, REALLY, what were they thinking??
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana is being transported to Beirut for talks over the dramatic escalation in Middle East violence, Britain's Defense Ministry said Sunday. Solana is being flown from a base in Cyprus to Lebanon by British military helicopter, but defense officials said they were not aware who the official was due to meet for discussions. "At the request of the EU presidency, UK helicopters are flying Javier Solana to Beirut for talks," said a Defense Ministry spokesman, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
12:22 ||
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#1
I like how he's described as baggage, LOL.
"defense officials said they were not aware who the official was due to meet for discussions"
Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah threatens "direct confrontation" if Israeli ground forces enter Lebanon.
Nasrallah was taped at an unknown location on Sunday.
Ummm... I think that's the idea, isn't it, Hassan?
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
12:21 ||
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#1
That should be the idea, but the "Lion's of Islam" only talk how tough they are going to be while they let thier other countrymen die.
#5
Boy Howdy pass the popcorn.
Hmmm, lets see well trained, well equipped, highly disciplined IDF vs. undisciplined, fanatical, suicidal mob with a mixed bag of weapons and assorted rocks.
Whats the odds this will last till noon or will Hezbull$h!tollah gonna take a standing TKO?
I hope the IDF carpet bombs their @$$es.
Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin reported at a cabinet meeting Sunday that kidnapped IDF soldier Corporal Gilad Shalit was alive and remained unharmed by his captors. Shalit was kidnapped June 25 during an ambush on a military post near Kerem Shalom that left two other soldiers dead.
Meanwhile on the Gaza front, three Palestinians were killed and at least 11 wounded in IAF strikes in Beit Hanoun early Sunday as IDF troops, tanks, and attack helicopters re-entered the Gaza Strip, firing missiles and clashing with Palestinian gunmen, hospital officials said. Troops entered the town of Beit Hanun in northern Gaza, residents and Palestinian security officials said, as attack helicopters fired machine guns. The IDF said its forces attacked Palestinian operatives and fired a missile at a Hamas office in northern Gaza. Armed Palestinians exchanged fire with IDF forces, and operatives said they set off a land mine next to an IDF bulldozer building embankments near the residential areas of the town. Hamas said its cells activated bombs against several bulldozers and tanks.
Overnight Saturday, the IAF struck a building serving as base for Hamas activities in Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip. Palestinian sources reported two Palestinians killed and six wounded. Witnesses and Palestinian security said the new land operation in northern Gaza started Saturday evening with machine gun and shell fire, then about 10 tanks and bulldozers crossed into Gaza, with dozens of other armored vehicles poised just inside Israel.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
12:17 ||
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#1
Even if he's alive now, I don't like his chances. After Israel rips every Hamas operative in Gaza a new asshole, what does Hamas have left to lose by killing him? The Israeli response has humilated them, and they won't erase the stain of shame by handing over this guy unharmed. My guess is at some point they make him the star of a beheading video. I hope I'm wrong, but I just don't see the upside for Hamas in releasing him. Ditto the guys captured by Hezbollah.
#2
I doubt there was any way for Israel to get them back safely short of releasing thousands of detaineers, who would just begin attacking Israel once released.
The IDF on Sunday mobilized a reserve infantry division in preparation for a possible ground incursion into south Lebanon, The Jerusalem Post has learned. The move was intended as the beginning of a new effort to push Katyusha rocket launching cells away from the Israel-Lebanon border. The division was setting up command posts along the northern border, while tanks and armored personnel carriers were being transported northward.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
12:14 ||
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#1
"Lahoud also accused the Security Council of delaying intervention to stop Israel's military operation, thereby giving them extra time to make Lebanon surrender to its conditions."
Oh, I wouldn't say "delaying". Who the heck does he think is going to intervene? Even a lot of the Arab countries think Hezbullah is getting what it asked for. Go Israel!
#2
The IDF on Sunday mobilized a reserve infantry division
Is this the same division noted 2 days ago or a 2nd division? Is the divisional structure new to the IDF? Or perhaps their calling up multipule brigades with their Corp Hq. Who knows.
#3
Little sister sucker slapped her big brother one too many times and it looks like the adults are not going to interfere. Guess mommy [Russian, China, France] pissed daddy [Anglosphere] one two many times herself. Paleo meet Darwin. Adapt or perish.
#4
6, I believe what they called up earlier was a reserve armored division. Calling up Infantry means they plan on holding territory.
May I suggest Beaufort Castle and environs? As well as land up to the Litani with all military-age men forced north of that line?
Also, ein al-Hellhole could use some D9 urban renewal.
I hope they also bring up other battalions of M109s and maybe some of those oh sooo sweet 175mm beauts the Israelis used on Beirut in '82? I watched CBS then 'cause they always showed the impacts. Lotsa 'sploding buildings and such. ;-)
#5
Some other parts of the article. Chock-ful of new information:
"A senior IAF officer revealed to the Post on Sunday afternoon that the IDF was using bunker-buster bombs to strike at senior Hizbullah officials in hiding throughout Beirut and Lebanon. According to the officer, several of the bunker hideouts were hidden under civilian parking lots........
Since the Lebanon operation began, the IAF has launched close to 2,000 sorties over Lebanon.....
In addition, overnight strikes in northern Lebanon near Tyre killed several senior Hizbullah officials....
Meanwhile, Al-Arabiya television reported that the Syrian military was mobilizing its own reserve divisions....
Shortly thereafter, the IAF succeeded in hitting arms warehouses in southern Lebanon, as well as 20 mobile Katyusha launching crews in the area. Since Sunday morning, dozens of launchers have been targeted.....
Before the Al-Manar strike, an IDF attack on Hizbullah's main headquarters in southern Beirut destroyed the compound and sprouted new rumors that Hizbullah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah was wounded in the strike......
The IAF also staged four bombing runs on residential areas inside the eastern city of Baalbek, where senior Hizbullah officials have residences or offices, witnesses said. Heavy black smoke billowed from the area and ambulances were seen rushing to the scene.(I believe they stuck at Hussein Mussawi here).......
Earlier on Saturday IDF fighter jets struck the western side of bridges connecting between Lebanon and Syria. That target was the closest to Syria that was hit since the campaign in Lebanon began. The IDF said that the strike was meant to prevent the transport of weapons from Syria into Lebanon.
The original 'nabka' (i.e. disaster) was the creation of Israel. This is a very strong statement.
Nasrallah says he knows Israel 'better than anyone.' Here are 7 crucial mistakes he's made
Like French soccer star Zindane Zidane, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah was riding a temporary wave of popularity and felt he was on top of the virtual world. It was the sort of high that dupes people into thinking they can commit the sin of arrogance without being punished for it.
He made a fatal mistake, to say the very least, from our perspective and that of his organization at the height of its power and popularity he head butted Israel, and the referee the international and Arab community gave him a red card. The enemy themselves will be the ones to remove him from the playing field.
Anyone who has followed the Arabic electronic press in recent days has certainly noticed that in certain places in the Middle East, images of children receiving candies in celebration have been replaced with unprecedentedly harsh statements against this shining star who supposedly "restored the Arab world's pride."
One Persian Gulf leader called Nasrallah a "fool" for bringing a mega-disaster, mainly economic, on Lebanon. Now, it is true that in every generation a leader arises who tries to destroy the Land of the Cedars: In the 1970s it was Yasser Arafat, who brought in his PLO and made the place look like Sodom. Now it is Nasrallah, king of arrogance, who is making the place look like Gomorrah.
Lebanese society is licking its wounds. Tourism has collapsed. We can assume that the 15,000 Saudis who cut short their annual holidays and are torturously making their ways back to Syria via back roads aren't exactly singing the praises of Nasrallah as they board their planes in Damascus for their flights back to Riyadh.
Also, hundreds of investors, thousands of planners and tens of thousands of workers who make their livings from late President Rafik al-Hariri's plans to recreate the country, weren't exactly thrilled to see Beirut burning.
Where are the demonstrations?
The only question left is how it could be that ordinary Lebanese, who just a few months ago filled the streets of Beirut to demand, "Assad go home!" haven't done so now to protest against modern Lebanon's destroyer.
Flattering statements by ordinary Beirutis remind me of a battered woman who rushes back to the open arms of her abusive husband. What can you do, to each society its own enjoyment.
Future writers of history will have to deal with this question: How, and why, did Nasrallah decide that now was the time to bathe Lebanon in blood, destroy its economy and lay waste to its society? The Hizbullah made seven mistakes that brought about Lebanon's "nakba", version 2006.
1. 1990's strategy. Nasrallah is armed with strategic abilities that were good a decade ago. He believes Israel is afraid to engage him in light of the ongoing threat of long-range missiles at Israeli cities. He is wrong.
2. 1990's tactics. On the basis of this faulty premise, Nasrallah believes that if Israel does attack, it will do so with ground forces- and that's what he prepared for. He prepared his forces to combat IDF tanks and infantry, and hoped to hit Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers, like he did that first tank. Israel might send in some ground troops for a final clean up, but it is not clear that even this will be necessary.
3. He is not familiar enough with Israeli society. Nasrallah miscalculated the public's staying power. For someone claiming to know us better than anyone, he figured that if the relatively sheltered residents of Sderot, are supposedly "quivering" from the Qassam attacks then residents of Haifa and other cities in the north would flee their supposedly unprotected cities in the north en masse. Israel's staying power and determination have surprised Nasrallah, but he'll never admit it.
4. There is no Elhanan Tannenbaum every day. Judging by the prisoner swap in which Israel released hundreds of prisoners in response for kidnapped civilian Tannenbaum and the bodies of three dead soldiers, Nasrallah figured Israelis would pester their government for a hostage-swap. He doesn't understand that he the most arrogant, overbearing patronizing Arab leader is the last person Israel is going to make a deal with.
5. Israeli unity. Hassan Nasrallah, the expert in Israeli affairs, has almost pushed Israeli Arab politicians Ahmed Tibi and Mohammad Barakeh into joining the coalition, especially after the attack on Majd al-Krum. It's been many years since the Israeli public supported a war so broadly against an enemy who "deserves it." Nasrallah managed to unite Israel in a way that no president, prime minister or chief of staff has ever been able to do.
6. It's the economy, stupid. Nasrallah has flushed billions of Lebanese dollars down the toilet. He is a leader who has a broad understanding of many issues, apart from the main one that concerns most Lebanese today the economy. This wretched country, that has been trying to rebuild itself for more than a decade, to once again become the "Paris of the Middle East" has taken a brutal kick from the leader of an extremist religious sect with no interest in the economy.
7. Media star? Not exactly. Nasrallah's theatrical media appearances were the best intelligence he could have supplied to the IDF. How would we know what he's like under pressure if we hadn't seen his speech following the kidnapping? The only people who might have believed that the appearance was proof of his determination, or that the sweat on his brow was due to a "faulty air conditioner" were one or two members of his immediate staff.
On the other hand, anyone who understands a little bit about body language understood that this was one of his most pathetic performances. Without question, it contributed to our decision to attack him and his staff. Even more so was his second speech, delivered by telephone after his headquarters in Beirut was destroyed.
Brig. Gen. (res.) Moshe Elad is a researcher at the Shmuel Neeman Institute at the Technion
Lebanese Information Minister Aridi tells reporters his country will not hold direct talks with Israel, only with United Nations; Aridi adds plea: At this rate Lebanese nation liable to be destroyed
Roee Nahmias
No diplomatic solution from Lebanon yet: After Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora Saturday night proclaimed willingness to deploy forces across Lebanons sovereign territory in coordination with the United Nations in return for an Israeli cease fire, Lebanese Information Minister Ghazi Aridi countered Sunday that it was not yet time to negotiate with Israel .
#1
What makes him think Israel would even want to talk to Lebanon? Lebanon didn't even have military control of its own territory. Israel might just as well talk to the mayor of Cleveland.
#2
Shimon Perez said on CNN this AM that Israel would meet for face to face negotiations with the government of Lebanon, provided they were in control of the country and represented the people of Lebanon.
#7
The Lebanese government has already surrendered: to Hazballa
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/16/2006 15:03
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Negotiating with the UN will help exactly how? The Paleos have been negotiating with the UN for fifty years and look what they have to show. You want the UN in on skimming your reconstruction projects as well?
Posted by: john ||
07/16/2006 20:32
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#9
Perhaps they can get a preferred position for some of the Iranian Oil for Food money.
Facing ambushes and small pockets of resistance, Canadian soldiers continued fighting Sunday as a major coalition offensive continued in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province. Nearly 5,000 coalition forces, including about 600 Canadians, were involved in the operation west of Kandahar, along with soldiers from the Afghan National Army and Afghan police. In two separate battles late Saturday afternoon, the coalition troops suffered no casualties, but killed at least 35 Taliban fighters, wounded more than 20 others and captured more than a dozen insurgents, according to Helmand's provincial police chief.
The battles happened in Sangin, where most of Canada's combat troops stationed in southern Afghanistan had been fighting since early Saturday. A Canadian reconnaissance platoon and another infantry squad were reportedly ambushed, although none of the soldiers were hurt as they fired back during short, fierce battles. Canadian coalition officials were unable to confirm the number of dead or whether Canadians were involved in the attacks that also led to the arrests of 14 Taliban.
In the battles for control of Sangin, eight Taliban fighters were killed and four others captured in one late afternoon altercation, the police chief said. Then, about an hour later, 27 Taliban were killed, 18 wounded and another 10 arrested. Canadian officials had earlier reported that 10 Taliban were killed during the coalition's first offensive push into Sangin involving Canadian and American ground troops and British paratroopers.
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Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
11:50 ||
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N.B.: Leave your helmets on when you attend the Shura.
The war in Chechnya goes on despite the death announced this week of top rebel warlord Shamil Basayev, said the president in the fugitive separatist government yesterday. "The war continues and, with the help of Almighty Allah, we intend to reach the victory in which we have not doubted one minute," rebel president Doku Umarov said.
The threat came as the foreign minister in the rebel government, Akhmed Zakayev, announced that the guerrillas' ultimate aim was not necessarily independence, but peace and security for Chechnya, where as many as 100,000 people have been killed in two wars with Russia over the last decade. Umarov described the death of Basayev in a massive explosion near Chechnya announced on July 10 as a "heavy loss." Basayev was the rebels' most experienced guerrilla commander. He also claimed responsibility for a series of large-scale attacks on civilians, including Beslan.
It seems we have a difference of opinion here. I thought that might be the case, since Chechenpress and Kavkaz seem to be taking different tacks. Maybe they'll fight it out?
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
11:40 ||
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#2
It's time to go Old Testament on Syria and Iran.
Posted by: mac ||
07/16/2006 11:37
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It IS a PR battle, and as such, Israel cannot win. That is why I said in the very beginning that Israel's actions had to be fast - as hard as possible, but FAST. They're about out of time. Check the MSM, the blogs, international diplospeak - it's all about how many innocent children Israel has killed. Not how many innocent Israelis Hezbollah has killed. (Even I, biased as I am, question some of Israel's targetting, but what do I know.)
I have seen some discussion of 'banned weapons' in use or about to be used by Israel - white phosphorus - not exactly what most of us would consider a banned weapon.
It's not as though Israel has anything to lose, is it?
Massive internationsl condemnation? That's already the case. WHO THE FUCK CARES, besides the usual Tranzi bitches? Yawn.
It takes time to evacuate friendlies, such as the US citizens that are leaving Beirut. A courtesy. And it also means this baby's just starting. Window of time? A week? Give me / us a break.
Israel is finally planning to do the deed: kill Hizbollah. Olmert was clear. What anyone other than their only ally, the US, thinks is completely irrelevant. They have no popularity points to lose. They do have an obligation to stop the rain of rockets, i.e. protect their people.
If they were to stop now, because the MSM is lining up against them, then they'd deserve to lose. That they are NOT wimping out because Marvin Kalb or some other useful tool says, is very VERY encouraging. Do it Olmert. Kill the Hizbollah bitch.
#5
I'm not so sure about being out of time, Glenmore.
1) There isn't a lot of condemnation flowing out of the ME, at least the Sunni part, beyond pro forma condemnations for domestic consumption. I suspect a lot of them would be happy to watch Israel take Hisballah, Syria and Iran down a notch or two.
2)Bush has never responded well, i. e. at all, to media pressure. Sure, he withdrew Harriet Miers, but that was because he didn't have the votes, not the newspapers.
3) The Arabs keep making their own media errors. Sure, the MSM helps cover them up quickly, notice all the coverage and outrage about the Egyptian ship Hisballah/Iran sank? But I'll bet Hosni hasn't forgotten about it, or the threat their friends pose to him and his dynastic succession.
I think they've got enough time to let Iran make a really dumb move. Then W will send the thank you note.
#6
The other great unknown here is exactly how much of a hurtin has already been put on the Hezzi's... most people assume that with 24 hour CNN coverage, we are all up to speed. However, military damage reports on both sides take a bit of time to compile, and access.
Just seeing black smoke from the distance doesn't begin to even get to the issue of whats been blown up... and not all missions in war are about destruction...
I will only say that no matter who is politically in charge of Israel, the war game scenarios have been played out in Israel more times that our local gang bangers copy of "Grand Theft Auto" has been booted up.
#7
I observe the absolute lack of condemnation by Israel's Arab neighbours....Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia. There has been an ongoing transformation in the middle east that the MSM has completely overlooked (as usual) and that is the power play that Iran is making to dominate the Arab world. Also notice how Gaza and Hamas has disappeared from the news. By the time Israel has put the rout on Hezbollah, Hamas will no longer exist.
Does not appear anybody east of the West Bank is unhappy about the current situation. Nasrallah speech was a call for help aimed at Tehran. The Mullahs just might blink and hang him out to dry. After all, if they have the bomb, they really do not need Hezbollah any more.
If the claim that the kidnapped soldiers are at the Iranian embassy in Beruit is true, then they might have committed a major PR blunder. They hardly want to remind the world about hostage taking.
Posted by: john ||
07/16/2006 20:09
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#8
Iran may not help Nasrallah because it can't. It can't start a war with Israel any more easily than Israel could prosecute one with Iran. Iran needs to be careful it doesn't give Uncle and excuse to whack it. That's why I'm applying the 48 hour rule to the embassy venue rumor, though it may be a very safe place. Iran is going to cool it, for Iran, and hope it can get the nuke finished.
Mark your calendar for September. New Mexico will stage her first World Peace Conference. Ever. And who better to host the event than Santa Fe, the epicenter of intellectual snobbery?
Exciting. I can see it now. The Dixie Chicks will set the stage with the conference theme song, "Not Ready to Make Nice." Therein, they will warble their George Bush taunt, "How in the world can the words that I said send somebody so over the edge I made my bed and I sleep like a baby."
OK, it doesn't rank up there with the classic anti-war ballads like "Where Have All The Soldiers Gone?" but these girls are no Peter, Paul and Mary, either.
Cindy Sheehan will host, giving her further opportunity to embarrass herself. Howard Dean can be counted on to say something stupid. Michael Moore will stand there looking goofy to the wild applause of prancing, marching peace activists, painted blue, but not red, white and blue. They will be bare-chested, many of them female, the slogan "No More War" scrawled on their upper torsos.
But, wait. That's not the case at all. This is an entirely different kind of peace movement. We're not talking here about activists crowding the plaza. No, think instead of guys in suits and ties, maybe some scarves and pipes. We're talking about people who think grass is something you mow.
Were it necessary for New Mexico to stage a peace conference a debatable proposition you would think the government would step aside and let the Santa Fe private sector take care of that business. I mean, those folks know how to do peace.
Instead, New Mexico leaders allocated $420,000 of your taxpayer money to pamper speakers at some posh hotel. All they needed to do was spend $834 on "Bush Sucks" T-shirts and spend the rest of the money on something we need. Fixing a road would be nice. . . .
Posted by: Mike ||
07/16/2006
11:11 ||
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Governor Richardson's laying down some foundation for 2008.
The bombers who targeted Bombay's rail system had support from inside Pakistan, India's prime minister said, warning that the nuclear-armed rivals' peace process could be derailed unless Islamabad reins in terrorists. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's unusually blunt comments on Friday appeared to signal an abrupt shift in relations between India and Pakistan, whose ties had warmed over the past two years.
Initial fallout came quickly, with high-level India-Pakistan talks planned for July 20 canceled, news reports said Saturday. The Hindustan Times, quoting unidentified officials, said the talks would not be held as planned between the foreign secretaries of the two countries. Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran declined Friday to say whether the talks would proceed as planned. But while insisting the peace process would continue, he told reporters that "Cooperation is a two-way street."
Also Friday, investigators named a third suspect in the carefully coordinated bombings that shattered first-class commuter rail cars Tuesday, killing more than 200 people. "We will leave no stone unturned -- I reiterate, no stone unturned -- in ensuring that terrorist elements in India are neutralized and smashed," Singh told reporters in Bombay.
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Total: 332
Average Per Day: 5
Average Visit Length: 1:13
Last Hour: 0
Today: 20
This Week: 34
Five a day? Has she become so irrelevant that you can count the number of people who come to read her writings using the fingers on one hand?
Over the last 30 days, her peak traffic was 44 hits on the June 18. At the time I write this, her day's traffic is 20. . . .
Her website was created by Theron Parlin, a part-time web designer, so I would doubt this is technical problem.
I just expected something else. A couple of thousand hits a day from adoring fans at Code Pink and elsewhere. But a couple of dozen?
Maybe this is an example of the difference between the media and the people they serve. Cindy Sheehan still makes it in the papers and on TV with her fasts and her foreign trips to visit the likes of Hugo Chavez. But in the blogosphere, where you choose what news you want to read, people are going elsewhere.
Interesting.
Posted by: Mike ||
07/16/2006
11:06 ||
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#1
and the five who visit do so to get information to mock her....
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 11:40
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#2
Good grief, what a pathetic place she has. I held my nose and clicked through to have my eyes assailed by a B&W photo of some woman on the verge of crying, biting her lip - yuk. I then scrolled all the way down, there's about a dozen entries on the page, and three of them have comments. Three. One entry has one comment, another entry has, well, one comment, but the third entry has a veritable snowstorm of reader involvement - it has two comments.
Four comments in total on a blog of a woman who is getting huge amounts of MSM coverage.
IMHO, Steve is spot-on, when people choose, they tend to choose to ignore this woman...
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/16/2006 11:53
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The media has most cleverly created the false impression that she has a much bigger audience than what she has.
North Korea has angrily denounced a United Nations resolution condemning its missile tests and said it would build up its military arsenal.
The country's foreign ministry described the resolution as the product of a hostile American policy and said Pyongyang would not be bound by it.
North Korea would, it said, "bolster its war deterrent" in every way.
South Korea has urged Pyongyang to order a moratorium on missile tests and return to six-party nuclear talks.
The UN resolution demands that North Korea suspend its ballistic missile programme, and bars all UN member states from supplying North Korea with material related to missiles or weapons of mass destruction.
It was passed unanimously by the Security Council after being revised to drop any mention of Chapter Seven of the UN Charter, which is legally binding and can authorise sanctions or even military action.
China had otherwise threatened to veto it.
The resolution was tabled by Japan after North Korea test-fired seven missiles including a long-range Taepodong-2, believed capable of reaching Alaska.
'Unambiguous message'
Japan had produced its draft resolution for the 15-member Security Council just days after the tests on 4 and 5 July.
It underlines the need for North Korea "to show restraint and refrain from any action that might aggravate tension", and calls for Pyongyang to return to the six-nation talks over its nuclear programme.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said the Security Council had acted "swiftly and robustly in response to [North Korea's] reckless and condemnable act".
The UK and US ambassadors to the UN described the resolution as strong and binding.
US Ambassador John Bolton said it had sent "an unequivocal, unambiguous and unanimous message to Pyongyang".
He said that if North Korea did not comply with the resolution, the council could consider further action.
Sure is convenient that with things heating up in the ME we can afford to be without a flattop in the Persian Gulf due to the centrally located airfields in the quagmire that is Iraq.
Posted by: Howard Dean ||
07/16/2006 11:34
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#6
Is my imagination playing tricks on me, or have we had unusually little news lately on the doings of U.S. forces in Iraq? Makes me wonder if they're busy preparing for something...
Posted by: Dave D. ||
07/16/2006 11:41
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#7
No dead Americans. The MSM are mourning the lack of dead Americans.
#9
Some Repub commenters on TV this AM saying Bush has to get engaged, too.
But I think his strategy was to give the Paleos and their sponsors room either to build a peaceful state or provoke an open confrontation. They've chosen the latter.
#11
Me thinks the lack of american dead in Iraq is due to the fact that the Iraqi army is rapidly coming up to speed and.....pardon my cynicism BUT.........we are probably kicking the crap out of the local terrorists and baathists with few casualties so the MSM doesnt want to report on our successes......so................F@#k em the MSM are morons and at least 85% of america knows it.
Sayonara MSM.......
The world is hypnotized by the modern American way of combat.
Precision munitions that strike military targets with minimal collateral damage. A "civilized" means of war.
However we should not forget that it is not the only way to wage war. And that another option exists for Israel if they are to attack Iran. The Dresden option.
All agree that the Iranians have gone to great lengths to protect their nuclear and missile programs. What they have not done is to protect their people.
Teheran is an urbane and sophisticated city, which is deeply divided in its support for the Iranian government. The city of Qom, on the other hand, it the power base of the mullahs, the training center for legions of Imams who sustain their theocracy.
So I propose this consideration: with all the conventional horror it can muster, Israel *not* waste its resources attacking facilities buried deeply under rock. Instead, that it reduce the city of Qom. Wipe it from the face of the Earth. That it leave not a single living thing. Firebombing.
No orphaned children or weeping widows. Just scorched earth and rubble, left behind with conventional weapons. An entire city, blasted to oblivion.
Then entreat the Iranian people for peace. Not their government, but go directly to their people. Ask them if this is what they crave for their nation. Tell them, that with Israel's nuclear weapons, they could do to every city in Iran what they did to Qom, and no one could stop them. A single Jew could wipe out their entire nation.
Then say to them the truth, that their government has said it is willing that all of them should die in this way. And if they wish it, then indeed they shall die. But if they do not wish to die, then they must replace their government with another that does not wish for them to die in fire.
And they must do it now. Because their government has offered their lives, their souls, and their nation, not to Allah, but to Satan. And very soon, unless they act now, Satan is coming to collect them all.
#1
Appealing to rationality certainly makes sense to the unindoctrinated - us, especially with the demonstration of power. I do not know if it would connect with the automatic knee-jerk Jooo haters, though. And that describes the majority of Persians -- and many of the other occupants of Iran, I believe.
I shudder to think of the political pressure Bush would feel. He is currently saying that Israel has the right to defend itself, but simultaneously following the mainline thinking that Israel must at least try to minimize civilian casualties.
Something premeditatedly heinous, such as Hizbollah taking a busload or ten of civilians trying to escape Beirut as hostages - and viciously killing them, would be required to make this something Bush could even remotely condone. To be blunt, lots of MSM coverage of dead babies would be required. God that's an awful thought. I need a shower, now.
And Israel needs the US - for resupply, if nothing else.
#3
phil_b: Iran is a very big country with plenty of defenses. A typical fight with them would be bruising. So what I have proposed is both a psychological knock-out punch and something that hits their elitist Mullah government directly.
Remember that 80% of their population is young, and really has no beef with the US, and in fact detests the Mullahs. However, they do not really grasp the horror of war. Like everybody else in Iran, they just don't "get" nuclear war.
Qom is a religious city, a "sacred" city to Shiites, and the heart of their religious government. Were it to be annihilated in a brutal way, it would strike right at the Mullahs, and it would convince their young population that they had better act, and quick.
But this destruction would have to be immediately leaped on by the Israelis, to broadcast into every Iranian home, via satellite, that *this* is what their leaders are doing. They are threatening to destroy Iran. Israel just wants to be left alone, but it can do this to every single city in Iran. Nothing will be left. Only madmen want such things. Stop your government now.
Iran expects something like Gulf War I. They stupidly think they can "win" in a war like that. They have all sorts of stupid and murderous tricks they are ready to pull. And if things develop in the normal way, it will be a terrible blood bath.
Would it have been worth it for the US to invade Japan at the end of WWII? Just two nuclear bombs, destroying two cities, ended it and spared countless lives.
#6
personal hurt will help the MM's see the light- strike their residences, their assets, their families and their friends. Those still alive will be powerless
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 18:55
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#7
Just hit the refineries. Iran already imports a large share of its gasoline. Flatten them, the declare a ceasefire (what's the Hebrew word for hudna anyway). Makes any economic sanctions much more effective.
#9
I hope so too Grom - my (Catholic) prayers are with Israel ( as if you couldn't tell....)
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 21:08
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#10
gromgoru: In past, I've suggested how Israel could not only shut down Iran's nuclear facilities, but how the Iranians would have to rebuild everything from scratch. And not only that, but have to train a whole new generation of nuclear scientists, too.
In a major covert operation, have transported in to their facilities quart-to-gallon sized containers hidden in something else.
The containers have an extremely toxic chemical agent or toxin that will destroy the human liver with a few ppm over the course of two weeks. They also have a timing device, a silent atomizer and fan.
Over the course of many days, a very fine mist is pumped into the air, circulating to every corner of the facility and contaminating everything. This happens in dozens of facilities simultaneously.
Eventually, many people at the facility become ill, then everyone becomes ill. Even those who visit the facility for a short time become deathly ill. All of their livers are destroyed, and there is no possible way to save their lives.
Replacements who are sent to the facility can function normally for a week or two, then they also die. There is no way to decontaminate such a structure, or even to recover most of its equipment without risking death.
Instead of killing hundreds of thousands, only a few hundred are killed. The nuclear program is ended for many years.
On CNN TV with Wolf Blitzer: Peretz offered to meet face to face with Lebanese government, IF they will take control of the country. He said, "Lebanon is not our enemy."
Siniora responded with a major tirade saying all problems are due to decades of terror by Israel against Lebanon. He refuses even to mention Hizb'allah. Spittle is flying.
He is demanding releaser of all Lebanese prisoners in Israeli jails in exchange for the Israeli soldiers..
#1
Bad move. Didn't work for the Paleos, won't work for the Lebanese, and taking Hizb'Allah's position at this point will only make the situation worse.
#3
He's been trying to 'negotiate' with Hizb'allah for years. He thinks he can get them to free the soldiers if he can get ISrael to meet Hizb'allah's demands.
And that's the problem in a nutshell. Siniora either can't or won't control his country. It's fine and good that he NOW wants international help in countering Hizb'allah's power in the southern half of Lebanon, but where the hell was he on this issue prior to Israel's counterattack? It's put up or shut up time, unfortunately -- and I do mean unfortunately, because I had tenuous hopes for the Cedar revolution. But the extremists will NOT allow a peaceful evolution.
Pyongyang's protectors are reviving Tokyo's military power. Wall Street Journal house editorial
No one knows how long it would take Japan to go nuclear, though estimates are days or weeks.* But for 60 years Japan has refrained from becoming a nuclear power and remained militarily quiescent. That particular sun may be rising again, however, thanks to the support by China and South Korea for the military threats of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.
This is the meaning of a remarkable, but underreported, comment last week that Japan might want to knock out North Korea's missile bases with a pre-emptive military strike. "If we accept that there is no other option to prevent an attack . . . there is the view that attacking the launch base of the guided missiles is within the constitutional right of self-defense," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe. "We need to deepen discussion." The head of Japan's Defense Agency made a similar observation.
Article 9 of Japan's 1946 Constitution bars military force in settling international disputes and prohibits Japan from maintaining a military for the purpose of warfare. Even so, Japan has 243,000 men under arms and one of the world's most technologically capable militaries. Only the U.S., Russia and China spend more on defense.
The discussion Mr. Abe refers to has already begun--and in part he is only reflecting public opinion. North Korea's first Taepodong missile test, in 1998, shocked many Japanese and elevated national security as a political issue, leading to the election of hawkish Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2001. Virtually every poll since North Korean test also shows overwhelming public anxiety about North Korea and support for a strong response. . . .
*- Wikipedia on Japan's M-5 solid-fuelled booster:
"There are reports that the M-5 design was modeled after the LG-118A Peacekeeper ICBM which has similar dimensions and payload, and is also a three-stage solid fuel rocket. The M-5 design could certainly be weaponised quickly."
Posted by: Mike ||
07/16/2006
08:58 ||
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#1
Article 9 did not look into the future and see Kim standing at their door step, it must be ammended. Japan has every right to defend herself and a preemptive strike just might be the best defence.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
07/16/2006 10:02
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#2
A nuclear Japan should keep Kimmie up at night. That would add an interesting dimension to the Asian theater.
#5
There are reports that the M-5 design was modeled after the LG-118A Peacekeeper ICBM
The Solid Rocket Boosters used on the H2-A would make excellent stages for a Heavy ICBM.
Posted by: john ||
07/16/2006 14:40
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#6
And you can bet that Mitsubishi could produce a miniaturized thermonuculear warhead for any ICBM very quickly.
Posted by: john ||
07/16/2006 14:43
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#7
I think these events are a result of Japan loosing some level of confidence in the US as a protector. After watching our internal politics over the last 4 years the Japanese government may not be willing to bet its life on the US willingness to protect them if things become really nasty. I cant say that I blame them when I look at the actions of the Democratic party over the last few years.
Posted by: Dan Canaveral ||
07/16/2006 16:44
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#8
Nations don't have permanent allies, only permanent interests.
There hasn't been a threat to Japanese survival till now. Korea also gives them a convenient excuse to arm up for their real enemy and threat, China.
#9
Maybe. Or maybe it's the result of Japan looking at the Chinese demographic bomb of huge numbers of young adult and adolescent males who will never find Chinese wives. And of Chinese swordrattling of the sort that countries with excess males tend to do.
And then looking at their own demographics, at the Chinese protection for the NORK nuclear / missile program and deciding that there was a need for a regional counterbalance. I know we've been encouraging them in that direction. We don't WANT to be the only ones pushing back.
#13
lotp: Maybe. Or maybe it's the result of Japan looking at the Chinese demographic bomb of huge numbers of young adult and adolescent males who will never find Chinese wives. And of Chinese swordrattling of the sort that countries with excess males tend to do.
This is a moronic fantasy dreamed up by people who think of China as a mirror image of the West. Please don't parrot it. China doesn't have a social security system. Parents rely on their kids for retirement - a tradition that is mirrored in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, all countries with large ethnic Chinese populations. Back in the days of large families, this used to mean two parents would be shuttled among five or six siblings. The one-child policy and the disproportionate gender ratio simply means that in some cases a single unmarried son will have to support two parents. He doesn't get to back away from his responsibilities simply because he can't get married. In China, as in some other East Asian countries, failure to support one's parents financially can result in fines and the garnishing of one's wages. This applies to sons and daughters alike.
Note also that in China, as in the West, you don't have to buy the cow in order to get the milk - you can rent it. Sometimes, you even get the milk for free - via non-committal relationships with single women as well as adulterous affairs - women marry certain men for money, and have affairs outside their marriages for love.
In fact, the above practices are a long-established tradition in Chinese history - which has always had shortages of marriageable women. Widows were considered bad luck and consequently out of the marriage market. Eligible women were sold into marriage, with bride prices (paid to the bride's parents) equivalent to several years of salary. Prior to the 20th century, polygamy was legal - Chinese law permitted men to marry as many women as they could afford. Today, polygamy is illegal, but Chinese men still marry multiple women off-the-books. Only one wife is legal, but these men maintain husband-and-wife relationships openly with their common-law second, third, et al wives and have children with their last names attached.
Whatever a Chinese youth does to get his rocks off - and there are strip joints, massage parlors and prostitutes galore in today's China (talk to the concierge at any hotel) for those who want zero commitment - he is still required, by law, by upbringing and by tradition to support his parents. He can't do that if he's dead. And that is why any Chinese war won't be able to rely on a horde of eager conscripts. The fact is that the Chinese man is not a rugged individualist. He is responsible to his ancestors for propagating the family line. Again, he can't do that if he's dead.
The Chinese Civil War was a really, really major exception because the Communists promised the tenant farmers that they would kill their landlords and distribute their lands. During the Korean War, the majority of the captured Communist Chinese POW's chose to go to Taiwan. The fact of the matter is that there are intensely ideological Chinese who think that China should wreak havoc upon countries they perceive as China's enemies. But most of them think someone else should do the fighting.
Iran warned its arch-enemy Israel of "unimaginable losses" if it attacks Syria and vowed that it was standing by the Syrian people.
"We hope the Zionist regime does not make the mistake of attacking Syria, because extending the front would definitely make the Zionist regime face unimaginable losses," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters.
"Iran is standing by the Syrian people," he said of the Islamic republic's sole regional ally.
"We have offered and will offer Syria and Lebanon spiritual and humanitarian support," Asefi insisted, reiterating Iran's denial that it is providing military and financial assistance to the Hezbollah movement.
The Israeli army has said Hezbollah militants had used an Iranian-built radar-guided anti-ship missile in an attack on Friday on an Israeli warship off Lebanon's coast.
The attack marked the Lebanese militia's first successful strike on an Israeli warship, dealing an unprecedented blow to the Jewish state's military. One Israeli sailor was killed and three more were missing, feared dead.
An Israeli military intelligence official has also alleged that around 100 members of Iran's powerful ideological army the elite Revolutionary Guards were in Lebanon, acting as military advisors to Hezbollah.
Iran is a major backer of Hezbollah, but regularly insists that it only gives "moral support" to the Shiite movement.
"We have no Guards there. It is not true that we have sent missiles. Hezbollah is capable enough. The Zionist regime is under pressure," Asefi said, repeating Iran's denial of any connection to the attack.
He also hit out at the United States after President George W. Bush said Israel had "every right to defend itself".
"The United States has had a destructive role by vetoing resolutions and hence encouraging the Israeli crimes," Asefi said, referring to Washington's use of its veto in the UN Security Council Thursday to block a resolution calling for a halt to an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.
"The United States should reconsider its policies and correct its wrong attitude of supporting the Zionist regime."
On Friday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boasted that Israel was not powerful enough to take on Iran and also warned against an attack against Syria.
"Thanks be to God, despite its criminal and savage nature, the Zionist regime and its supporters in the West do not have the power to look in the same way towards Iran," the fiercely anti-Israeli president said.
"If Israel commits another act of idiocy and aggresses Syria, this will be the same as an aggression against the entire Islamic world and it will receive a stinging response," Ahmadinejad said in a telephone conversation with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad.
The hardline president, who has calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map" or moved as far away as Alaska, has also compared Israel's military strikes on Gaza and Lebanon to tactics used by Nazi Germany's leader Adolf Hitler.
"Their methods resemble Hitler's. When Hitler wanted to launch an attack, he came up with a pretext," Ahmadinejad said Saturday.
"Zionists say they are Hitler's victims, but they have the same nature as Hitler," said Ahmadinejad, who has previously described the Holocaust of six million Jews in wartime Europe as "a myth."
"We have two solutions for the crisis. One of them, which is a logical one, is that as you (Western nations) who imposed this regime by fabricating stories, you put an end to it and take it with you," he said.
Ahmadinejad's second solution was to have a referendum in which only the "true Palestinians," decide their fate.
#1
Yep, uhhuh, right. You want to see talk that people will pay attention too. Start low level notices to foreign governments with embassies in Tehran, that our government will not be responsible for their safety if they choose to remain there. Then watch the action.
#2
Remember Granada and Panama? The White House wasn't saying much, then President Reagan gave a brief clarifying speech, while US troops were doing the rest.
#3
So what does this mean?
a) I have a nuke and just dying to use it
b) I'm pretending I have a nuke and if Israel backs off I will claim victory
c) This kind of rhetoric worked for Saddam, didn't it?
Posted by: regular joe ||
07/16/2006 9:07
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#4
Just cross fingers, everybody, that we have a very dense, layered anti-missile shield around Iran and Syria.
#7
It's time for Israel to give the people of Iran a 48 hour notice that they can either overthrow their insane government or they can be the second country to experience nuclear war on their territory. 48 hours, and if the world doesn't see Iranians tearing Ahmedinejad and the Pasdaran limb from limb with their bare hands, Israel can legitimately assume the Iranian populace supports them--and can suffer the consequences right along with them. It's nut-cutting time now, and the mad mullahs need to be vaporized along with any who are in their vicinity. Sympathy for the Iranians? Just as much as I have for the Lebs. Both countries elected the bastards who put them in these situations. They can now reap the rewards.
Posted by: mac ||
07/16/2006 11:35
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Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz declared on Sunday afternoon that the rocket which hit the train station in Haifa and killed eight was maunfactured by Syria.
"The metal from the missile shows that it was made in Syria...We know that over the last few years, Syria has transferred ammunition to Hizbullah and that is what they used today," he said after touring the site of the attack.
"Hizbullah is al-Qaeda and Nasrallah is bin Laden" and we have to fight them accordingly, he declared.
Mofaz said the goals of the IDF's campaign were to push Hizbullah back from the border, impair its capabilities and get back the captured soldiers. He encouraged Lebanese President Fuad Siniora to bring the army to the south.
He also expressed approval of the IDF's strategy thus far.
"Hitting Dahiya in southern Beirut [where Hizbullah's stronghold is] is especially right," he stated.
Mofaz accused Iran and Syria of providing Hizbullah with weapons.
"Iranians are heavily involved with Hizbullah - they give them guns and money.
Hizbullah is Iran's proxy. Syria also gave them weapons."
Mofaz also said that the government had been aware of most of Hizbullah's capabilities.
"Most of what is happening to us now was expected [in the event of a conflict with Hizbullah]," he concluded.
#1
Wouldn't change much but it would be gratifying to get him so soon after he unilatterally declared open war. Is the intelligence and targeting of IDF that good? Or did they get lucky? Or, were there 3rd parties (Saudis) who may have ratted him out? (This is hard to believe, we know the non-hizzie Lebs wanted him dead and the region's Sunni bigwigs were unhappy with him too but it's hard to imagine them helping Israel.) Or is this just a wild rumor, the typical kind that flies around during such times?
#4
Why is it hard to believe, Monsieur Moonbat? Most of Israel's intelligence in the Palestinian territories comes from friends and neighbors tired of the shenanigans, and not long ago when Israel occupied the Hizb'allah portion of Lebanon, they had strong support from other sections of Lebanese society. And ratting out is a key factor in Arab culture, predating Islam.
#5
It would be a nice irony if some of the Hizb prisoners released in a one sided exchage in 2004 where actually IDF intel sources who had a hand in 'hurting' Nasr allah
Jihad el-Khazen of Dar al-Hayat (House of Light), the London-Beirut mouthpiece for Arab crybabies, is fire-breathing against Michael Ledeen, from his safe London homestead. If Jihad had done his homework, he would know that Ledeen's support for military over democraticization options in the Middle East, hardly makes him a toady of either the Bush administration or Israel. A couple of years ago, I e-mailed Jihad, and told him that he should move to Beirut if he wants to spew front-line rhetoric. His reply, "Go f--- yourself." Crybabies do as crybabies are.
Ayoon Wa Azan (He Lies Like He Breathes) Jihad el-Khazen al-Hayat - 13/07/06
Michael Ledeen's role in the Iran/Contra scandal might be an ample evidence that he worked for Israel, yet I know another fact I noted in my book, "The Neo-Conservatives and the Zionist Christians". In 1983, the infamous Richard Pearl hinted that Ledeen should be appointed as expert consultant on terrorism at the Pentagon. Ledeen went to Rome with his supervisor, Assistant Secretary of Defense Noel Koch, who found out from the CIA head in Rome that when Ledeen worked in the Italian capital as editor for the radical "New Republic", he was registered as an "Israeli agent". Later, Koch tried to limit his access to secret documents. Nevertheless, in 1986, Ledeen was appointed as consultant in the National Security Council, yet doubts about his Israeli affiliation remained, thus his license to access secret documents was diminished one notch.
Knowing the background of Michael Ledeen I suspected from day one that he is somehow connected with the forged Niger documents about Iraq's attempt to buy uranium (yellow cake) from Niger. I have no proof so I do not level any accusations against him but rather offer the reader a summary of the material available on the subject.
There have been long-standing allegations that Ledeen was tied to the Italian P2 Masonic Lodge. This right-wing organisation was involved in a number of terrorist attacks in Italy in the 1970s and 1980s. It has been noted that Ledeen was working as a consultant to Italian intelligence on terror issues in the late 1970s... Michael: if you made this loser angry, you must be doing something right. Maybe this dork is mistaking Bnai Br'th for the Free Masons.
Moderator note: please use hilite for all your comments when you submit an article. Thanks!
Second moderator note: articles like this go into 'Opinion'. Thanks. AoS.
#3
Second sentence quoted, he misspells Richard Pearl (sic - Perle!). I'm surprised he spelled Iran correctly. Sheesh - can these people get anything right? Wholly forgetting the noxious politics, is the sky blue, which way is up, does a bear . . .. Enough already.
Operational assessment and planning. IIRC, it was Dagan who said the Iranian program would have results by August. It's close to August now.
Mossad chief Meir Dagan will depart for the United States this week to meet with senior administration officials on ways to halt Iran's nuclear weapons program. His visit was arranged several weeks ago, after the international community demanded that Iran stop enriching uranium and start negotiations.
Dagan will likely discuss the current crisis with Hezbollah, as well as Syrian and Iranian involvement in developments on the northern border and in the Gaza Strip.
According to a source in Jerusalem, Dagan may have to postpone his visit due to the crisis.
During Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's visit to the U.S. two months ago, it was agreed that Israel and the U.S. would continue cooperation on the Iranian front, and that Dagan would visit Washington D.C. for further talks.
Shortly after Olmert's visit, the U.S. announced it would participate in talks European leaders are conducting with Iran on halting the nuclear program.
Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich says America is in World War III and President Bush should say so. In an interview in Bellevue this morning Gingrich said Bush should call a joint session of Congress the first week of September and talk about global military conflicts in much starker terms than have been heard from the president.
"We need to have the militancy that says 'We're not going to lose a city,' " Gingrich said. He talks about the need to recognize World War III as important for military strategy and political strategy.
Gingrich says that as of now Republicans "are sailing into the wind" in congressional campaigns. He said that's in part because of the Iraq war, adding, "Iraq is hard and painful and we do not explain it very well."
Continued on Page 49
#1
I hear Newt frame his argument on concepts like "incumbentitis" and "how weirdly San Francisco these guys are voting" and Democrats will "collapse in defeat."
The Demo spokesman frames it on "tough and smart" strategy and "tough and dumb" conduct of the war...
Once again never offering any back as to why the demo path would be "smart" and why actions to date have been dumb.
Why do the dems never fail to prevent an "history channel" watching independent thinker come to their own conclusion?
Offer up a few ideas to counter, will you fella's?
#4
Democrats believe we need a "tough and smart" "Cut and Run" strategy that makes 2006 a year
There. Fixed that for you.
The democrats have placed them in a position that in order for them to win anything america has the lose the WOT - and lose big. The more dead americans the better for the DNC.
#5
Just saw Newt and Joe Biden on Meet the Press. Newt would have started a war on the Korean peninsula, while Biden would have the NKors playing the South against us forever (the usual '1 on 1' idea). Newt interrupted ("Surely my friend doesn't mean") when Russert -- color me shocked, not surprised -- pressed Biden on his apparent willingness to guarantee regime survival in return for nuclear dismantlement. Biden and Newt agreed that current Admin policy in the Mideast was a failure due to lack of planning. Hey, guys, this IS the plan. I would be very surprised if either one of these guys is allowed anywhere near the U.S. toybox, much less given the keys.
#6
Ah, yes - IO do tend to agree that the 'plan' was to give the Palestinians and their allies rope which they could either use as a lifeline or hang themselves with. They've taken the latter course and GWB isn't inclined to stop the results from occurring. But I wonder about the Congresscritters .....
#7
The congresscritters are busy trying to win elections. No Americans are dying, so what issue do they raise? Let's walk out on Israel or let's send American troops into this clusterf^∞&? Better to keep your mouth shut and leave them wondering than to open it and remove all doubt.
#8
lotp: Buchanan is proudly rigid-minded. It's even been said by one of his enemies that if given sodium pentathol, Pat would still say the same things. He had held the same philosophy since his post-Nixon days.
Unfortunately, the world changes. Pat is stuck in the old-fashioned American isolationism mode, and stands steadfast against any American involvement outside of the US. Historically, his viewpoint is today almost as rare as that of alcohol prohibitionists.
While Gingrich is not of the Buchanan mindset, his own zeitgeist is rapidly becoming dated. Perhaps because he is not savvy with the Internet, once he was out of the information loop, he was reliant on the minimalism of the MSM to know what is going on in the world.
He says we are now in WWIII, but if we were in WWII, we would already be past V-E Day, and be looking forward to V-J Day. We have exterminated the vast majority of the "independent" terrorists, and now only have remnants, and a few state sponsors to fight.
This does not mean the war is over, but for Bush to now declare war is a little late on the power curve. And though there is a great possibility now of our attacking Syria and Iran, and maybe even North Korea, we are on the downside of the WoT.
And even that being said, the entire WoT can be seen as an interlude during which we are jockying for power with China, which has a good chance of becoming the next great war. And despite our expenditures of wealth and destruction, our losses in the WoT, while painful, come nowhere close to those of a "real" war.
#10
I think we gave the Paleos and their terrorist buds plenty of rope and they immediately "outed" themselves and their ties to Hamas and Hezbollah, which was well know but not offically acknowledged by the Paleos.
Now that everyone knows the players and understands who is in charge, I don't think the EU is inclined to do much more than tut tut the whole thing. The EU got bent over like a prison bitch by Iran and is still embarrassed by that "failure of diplomacy"(the EU admits it but the UN and our DOS won't)(DUH).
So I say everyone is sitting back watching the adults take the children to the woodshed.
Amazing, eight years ago the Paleos could have had a freaking NATION but Arafat(is he still dead?)backed away from a sweet heart deal just so he could kill a few more Isrealis. In a couple of more weeks, Syria and Egypt will be full of paleos and assorted nutjobs and Gaza and the west bank will be Isreali again (and after what they went through trying to negotiate with the Paleos, I dont think they are EVER going to be in a bargaining mood again. The paleos let their stupid leaders sell them down the river again so I think Palestine is now a dead issue never to return.)
#11
Gingrich is looking at the 2006 and 2008 elections but also at the current tug of war between the administration and Congress pver Gitmo, intel etc.. His point, I think, is that the adminstration should rally the country openly - both enlisting Congress and challenging it to rise to the geopolitical reality and respond seriously to it.
#12
OH BTW, we've been in WWIII with the islamofascists since the bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut.
And if 9/11 wasn't enough of a wake up call for the USA, then this Iran/PPRK joint venture with Nukes should be.
Have I mentioned that when I was in Iraq, I had a US Army Light Colonel tell me that they were killing more Iranians than Iraqis everyday and the Coalition leadership is of the mind that we have been at war with Iran since April of 2004?
I believe all hell is going to break loose in the ME and Syria and Iran are going to understand why we are the greatest military power on earth and they are the bug on the windshield.
All we have to do is start shooting at Iran and the government will fall. there will be riots in the streets and a revolution...same with Syria, we can take both of them down quickly because of the popular unrest against the governments.
SIc em George
#14
I put the Jihadi start date as 1922 with arafish's uncle, haj amin al-husseini. He began to mobilize the paleos againt the evil Joos. It became an existential threat in 1979 with the first "Islamic Republic".
#15
I was there on "business" from January till late March 2004.Just a polite little sight seeing trip mind you.....just trying to feast at the trough with the other evil government contractors. None of the big guys wanted to give small american businesses anypart of the deal.
I kinda liked it there and really got along well with the Iraqis.
#16
Okay, that suggests strongly I have confirmed that you are NOT our regular Sock Puppet of Doom. Please choose another 'nym - using someone else's is highly discouraged here.
NOTE: I posted the same thing yesterday. Continued use of other people's established 'nyms will result in deleting of your comments and posts.
#18
As ltop points out the person posting here is not Me.
I don't know what is up with this but I request that you find a new nick if you want to contributre here. I do not have a great reputation so you do yourself no favors using my handle.
#19
Yeah, I've always thought you were a jerk and anyone stealing your name must be a bigger one. Unless it's .com. Or Gentle. Or Left Angle. Try one of those.
My suggestion is to publish each person's ip address next to their nym, with the last octet hidden. Something like this: Posted by: Clavimble Spomoger8840 192.168.10.*
Posted by: Rafael ||
07/16/2006 17:26
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Hundreds of youths set fire to a Pizza Hut, two gas stations and a dozen vehicles in Pakistan's biggest city Saturday after a funeral for an Islamic Shiite cleric killed in a suicide attack. Rioters rampaged through a busy commercial area of Karachi a day after a suicide bomber killed cleric Allama Hassan Turabi, his cousin and a police guard. Police fired shots in the air, swung batons and used tear gas to control the crowd.
Hours earlier, Turabi was buried at a city cemetery after more than 8,000 people, beating their chests with their hands as a sign of grief, packed the city streets for his funeral. Most of the crowd dispersed peacefully after the ceremony, but a gang of youths damaged shops and torched a Pizza Hut, two state-owned gas stations and several vehicles, apparently expressing general anger at the U.S. and Pakistani governments.
Turabi's son denounced the violence. "My father always advocated for peace and sectarian harmony, and those people who torched cars and shops have no links to my father's party," Murtaza Turabi told reporters after the funeral.
He said his father's assassination was a "conspiracy to pitch Shiites and Sunnis against each other," and he demanded punishment for those behind the suicide attack.
Pakistan is a key U.S. ally in what Washington calls the war on terror. Many Shiites identify Pizza Hut with the American administration and have burned the chain's outlets after previous attacks on their leaders.
About 80 percent of Pakistan's 150 million people are Sunni; most of the rest are Shiite. The majority live together in peace...
#8
Hard to find any rationale for torching a business. This has a chill effect for any franchiser/franchisee
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/16/2006 14:48
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#9
Famous Ray's Original Pizza should add a franchise. Or is it Ray's Original Famous—I forget. Or Original Famous Ray's? I haven't lived in NYC for a long time.
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
07/16/2006 16:18
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#10
Must've torched all the KFCs already. Look for the bullet riddled Ronald McDonalds to start showing up soon.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said the government will take steps to control North Korea's ``transfer of financial resources'' to help prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Aso made the comments today in a statement welcoming a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding that North Korea halt its missile program. North Korea on July 5 test-fired seven missiles, ignoring calls from China and other countries to refrain from such launches.
The U.S. and Japan gained the support of China and Russia today by dropping provisions in earlier drafts of the measure that threatened North Korea with economic penalties or military force for failing to comply. China had threatened to veto any resolution that contained such threats.
Japan's decision to target the transfer of money from Japan to North Korea may have no effect, said Kim Myong Chol, who runs the Center for Korean-American Peace in Saitama prefecture, on Tokyo's northern border. The center's Web site describes Kim as the ``unofficial spokesman for North Korea.''
``Very few people transfer money from North Korea, so the sanctions would have no impact on North Korea,'' Kim said in a telephone interview.
Japan earlier this month banned a North Korean ferry from entering its ports for six months. North Korea's Mangyongbong 92 ferry, which runs between Wonsan and Niigata, Japan, and is the main communications link between the countries, was stopped on July 5 from entering its port of call in northern Japan.
Some Japanese money is still flowing to North Korea, said Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor at Waseda University in Tokyo, and an expert on Korea, said in an interview today.
``Transfer of financial resources specifically refers to credit card payments by Japanese tourists who visited North Korea,'' Shigemura said in an interview today, responding to Aso's comments.
``Recently more than a few Japanese have been visiting North Korea and they can use a credit card in places like Pyongyang's hotels,'' Shigemura said. ``The Japanese government aims to suspend that kind of credit card payment by Japanese tourists to North Korea. This will be effective,'' in reducing the flow of money to North Korea, he said.
Lebanon's prime minister considering sending the army to wrest control of southern Lebanon from Hezbollah.
Hezballah peppers much of northern Israel with Katyushas, including heavily targeting the refinery near the Haifa suburbs. They blame it on Israel, of course.
Yet another moderator note: your comments go in Hilite text. Moderators are busy today and can't fix everything. AoS.
#1
CNN is running a News Alert. No details and nothing elsewhere yet:
Lebanon says Italy has relayed Israeli conditions for it to stop assault on Lebanon: hand over two captured Israeli soldiers and pull back from border area.
Seems a reasonable request. Let's grab some popcorn and watch Leb, Hezb's and pals response.
Hizbullah threatened Sunday to attack petrochemical installations in Israel's third-largest city of Haifa.
In a statement read on its TV station Al-Manar, Hizbullah said its military wing fired rockets on the port city but deliberately avoided hitting the petrochemical installations.
"The Islamic Resistance warns the Zionist of committing any new folly because it (Hizbullah) deliberately avoided the petrochemical installations," said the statement. "But next time, it (Hizbullah) will not spare anything in Haifa and its surroundings." The oil refinery war begins. I'm betting on Iran to lose.
#1
I am beeting in Israel to loose. It's leadership is a bunch of idiots (ehud barak should receive a special honorable mention) and it's army is showing big levels of complacency and to be bragging kids.
Just hope that a 1973 turn around can happens but
unfortunatly i dont really expect it.
Israel's leadership doesn't have to be the smartest in the world, it just has to be smarter than that of "Palestine", Hezballah, Lebanon, and Iran (and it's bitch Syria).
#4
Since direct retaliation against missile launch crews is rarely possible, the appropriate retaliatory weapon is: Napalm bombs, striking the entire launch area, disproportionately. Israel has over 100,000 missile of all kind, including rocket launchers that it can cite at will. Enough of appeasement; let them liquidate Hizbollah and then we will work on Syria and Iran. With those cess pools in operation, peace initiatives are a joke.
#6
Peretz: Civilian infrastructure that protects terrorists must expect harm
Defense Minister, Amir Peretz, warned residents of the Dahiya neighborhood in southern Beirut, considered a Hizbullah stronghold, that the situation has changed.
"Hizbullah uses civilians as a cover for terror activities, and a civilian infrastructure that protects terrorists must expect harm," said Peretz in a cabinet meeting.
#7
Mofaz: Must continue to attack Lebanon with full force
Transportation Minister and former Minister of Defense, Shaul Mofaz, said in a cabinet meeting that "Israel must continue to attack Lebanon, in particular around Dahiya, with full force, possibly even more than we're exerting now." "
We need to give the IDF all the time necessary because we've come to the point of no return," he continued.
#10
Do they have the ability to target these rockets onto the installations? - I've always assumed they're pretty much area weapons.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/16/2006 6:01
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#11
The al-Jazeera Arab television station reported that one of its crews, including journalist-reporter Elias Karam, was arrested by police in Haifa, following a barrage of rockets on the city.
Apparently, the crew was arrested after broadcasting a live video from the area of Haifa's oil refineries.
[2x4 note: Also they were broadcasting where missiles hit. Suspicion is they were essentially providing guidance info to Hizbullah for further attacks. I don't understand what AJ is doing in Israel. They should have been told to pack up the moment military operations started.]
#13
[2x4 note: Also they were broadcasting where missiles hit. Suspicion is they were essentially providing guidance info to Hizbullah for further attacks. I don't understand what AJ is doing in Israel. They should have been told to pack up the moment military operations started.]
That is for that kind of reasons that a said the above.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/16/2006 7:18
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#15
CU - I don't share your view. Israel has a competent army, navy, air forc e,and ample reserves. Where is the Syrian or Hezbollah navy? Where is the Syrian or Hezb air force? Either non-existent or afraid to take to the sea or skies in the Syrian case. Hezbololah is being taken apart in the actual field and beaten down in the people's eyes. Are Nasrallah his band of heroes fighting? No, they're hiding like children, and the Lebs know it
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 9:27
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#16
They dont need to play Israel game to win, so they dont need AF and Navy. Rockets can rain is Israeli towns and Israel is with its hands tied in back.
Complacency and incompetence is what was showed by Israel in last weeks:
a)A tunnel under an army position near Gaza.
b)after that warning 2 Humvv in an arborised(??) road near Lebanon are attcked and 2 soldiers are made hostage. The reaction by a tank was destroyed by a land mine.
c) A 200M$ israeli corvete got lucky and wasnt sunk by a missile large enough to send it to the fishes.
A brigadier has candure to say that Israel didnt know instead of being in shame! Only after that coastal radars in Lebanon were attacked...Smaaaaaart!
I am sure there are great units in Israel sadly that dont translates to leadership and some part of military.
Read this http://www.meib.org/articles/0211_l2.htm
Nov 2002...
What Israel leadership has made against that threat since then? Are they expecting that only when rains nerve gas rockets to start to act?
They are playing the status squo. It's like in soccer when a team plays to get a tie it usually looses.
#22
The question isn't who won, but how and why. Bombing cities without military targets such as Hamburg and Dresden contributed nothing to the ultimate victory. The only thing bombing non-military cities does is kill civilians. But there's too many of them to ever be able to kill them all, so no matter how many rockets the Paleos shoot at Israeli civilians and no matter how many of those civilians they kill, they will only make the Israeli military more remorseless and effective.
#24
it's certainly a tactic in "all out war", like Nasrallah declared
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 11:37
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#25
Bombing of cities contributed to the victory, disruption of transportation hubs and some industries. But i think it has also a moral heavy cost too.
What i am saying is that Israel isnt fighting back like England.
And what we did to the Japanese cities makes all the European bombing pale in comparison. But not one Japanese or German soldier surrendered as a result.
It was only when we demonstrated the we could and would utterly exterminate their nation at Hiroshima and Nagasaki that the Japanese surrendered. And not all of them wanted to, even then.
That is the level of destruction that must be visited upon a polpulation to make a civilian focused bombardment effective. Hisballah has nothing near that capability. Their civilian directed rocket attacks will be useless against Israel in a general war such as has begun.
#30
What i am saying is that Israel isnt fighting back like England.
After four days we can reach this conclusion? I've certainly been critical of Olmert in Gaza, but he's also learning on the job. How long did the phoney war last? A year? I'd say thus far we've seen little more than preparation of the battlefield. Are all the reserves even effective yet? Tell me Israel didn't fight back like Britain after the fighting is over.
#31
"And what we did to the Japanese cities makes all the European bombing pale in comparison. But not one Japanese or German soldier surrendered as a result."
That's not true.
The bomb was the last important drop. If you read Japanese political decisions you would have known they were already intended to reach peace and the cabinet was discussing many ways to achieve that.
#33
CU2772 is on target with the end of Japans war. The bombing was bad, but the mining of the homewaters was catastrophic. Japan was facing mass starvation within weeks unless they surrendered. To that end the 2 nukes may have saved millions of Japaneese lives.
#34
Japanese individually were all over the map. You can find writings to support any conclusion. And there was an assasination team on the way to rub out the Emperor before he could give the radio message. So argue whatever position you wish about intentions. Actions speak louder than words.
The minimg would have been disastrous, but only as part of boiling the frog by slowly raising the temperature of the flame. Note that the greatest destruction of the Japanese economy was probably rendered by the Silent Service. The only ships the japanese had left had no fuel to sail. But the atomic bombs were the equivalent of throwing the frog into boiling water. And it jumped out.
If you're willing to make judgements on insufficient data, be my guest. I'd not be inclined to make conclusions about this war yet. Israel did not choose the timing so it's not surprising it takes some time to gear up a large organization.
#35
(Hizbullah) deliberately avoided the petrochemical installations,
Pahleeze, they just missed and want to cover themselves, not want to hit a target such as that? Hawh.
Thank God Israel is taking the steps it has been.
Posted by: Jan ||
07/16/2006 13:30
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#36
Cleret - If you have it available, you should tune into FoxNews - they're going to interview your buddy, Ehud Barak, ina little while. Tagline was that he's one of Israel's most highly decorated Special Forces soldiers.
#37
Until the Israelis respond with overwhelming force and/or attack Syria this will just go on. What they need is a truly humiliating defeat for the Hizzies and their puppeteers, but the cost of that effort will be exceedingly high.
The other option is to destroy Syria if they don't resolve this. The cowboyesque "You got 48 hours to git 'r done" message to Chinless or the air campaign extends to Syria. And, if there is any, any response from Syria other than supine acceptance, then the Golani Brigade will lead the way to Damascus. Comprende?
#38
Israel has made a lot of mistakes in the past, not dealing with the threats presented by Hizb'Allah, Hamas, Syria, and Iran. Well, shiite, so have we. Now even Olmert is getting it. so Israel has some catching up to do. Serious catching up. And they are doing it. We are going to get drawn into this one, via Iran. I hope that we are ready when the time comes for a decisive blow.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
07/16/2006 13:40
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#39
About the Israel reserve soldiers. I read somewhere yesterday, on one of the Israel sites, that it takes 6 days to get the reserves fully mobilized. We're at Day 5. And I think that Day 6 coincides with that 72 hour announcement that was or wasn't made!
#42
And the British destruction of those cities was equally effective militarily.
You mean like Dresden and our own bombing of Tokyo? Well guess what they were damn effective for a period of time when we didnt have anything like precision guided weapons. Dresden itself had somwhere between 110 to 127 medium to large factories and workshops that were almost entirely dedicated to the war effort along with its railway system that could have shunted materials away from Berlin, which was already being bombed, to the front line. The military was right to attack it. To suggest otherwise would be equivalent of moral naivety on the level of those in the heights of academia who respond to historical events in hindsight. Things are always great when you can look back on them, not so great when you're the one busy surviving.
#43
"they're going to interview your buddy, Ehud Barak(...)
Obviously a stupid git"
Yes he was great soldier and yes he was a stupid PM.
A great soldier doesnt make a great PM. If you know a little bit of military History even a great Division Commander doesnt make a great Corps Commander.
The point he failed like abandoning the buffer zone in Lebanon a treason to many Lebanese that supported Israel and great loss of inteligence about hizballah...
Be happy. I have one good thing to say about current leadership that i was forgetting. They didnt accepted a prisioner deal. That is an important change is Israel policy.
----------------------
Japanese were collapsing without nukes they would be resisting a couple more months maybe. In the end the Nukes saved japanese many lives.
#45
Valentine, I'm not calling into question the decision made at the time so much as the lesson their results teache us. The lesson it teaches me is that bombing does not have a material effect on a civilian population unless it threatens them with annihilation. Thus the rockes being sent into Israel by Hezballah will have minimal effect on the outcome of the war.
However, Israel should be doing everything it can to portray them as terror tactics.
#46
Dresden itself had somwhere between 110 to 127 medium to large factories and workshops that were almost entirely dedicated to the war effort along with its railway system that could have shunted materials away from Berlin, which was already being bombed, to the front line. The military was right to attack it.
Concerning Dresden, my understanding is that Churchill ordered the bombing at the request of Stalin, who was about to roll through it. Dresden mostly escaped the bombing campaign throughout the entire war. The Brits came at night, Americans finished the job during the day.
Posted by: Rafael ||
07/16/2006 22:15
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#47
The lesson it teaches me is that bombing does not have a material effect on a civilian population unless it threatens them with annihilation.
That was actually true during the entire strategic bombing campaign as carried out by the Brits. German film footage at the time shows that German civilian morale was still relatively high. So much so, that in fact the whole success of the campaign had been called into question by the end of the war. And even bomber crews weren't given campaign medals.
Posted by: Rafael ||
07/16/2006 22:25
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At least 8 civilians killed, 20-30 injured, in heavy Hizballlah rocket barrage of Haifa, Acre and Nahariya from Lebanon. At least 20 rockets counted in metropolitan Haifa - Upper Hadar, Krayot and Haifa Bay
July 16, 2006, 10:22 AM (GMT+02:00)
Most of the casualties, six in serious condition, at the main railway terminal near Checkpoint in Haifa. Hizballah reports improved Grad rockets fired in its deadliest attack so far in reprisal for air raids against Beirut. Their range is 35-40 km. Smoke clouds rise above Haifa Bay site of big port, industries and refineries. Close to a million residents of affected area and south advised to take shelter indoors and heed sirens. Heavy peak hour traffic heading into Israel's third largest city, Haifa, turned around and headed out of the city. Nahariya to the north is under Hizballah attack for fifth day, as are western Galilee moshavim.
Israeli artillery has opened heavy fire on sources of rocket fire in Lebanon.
#1
Launching missiles at civilian centers, invites retaliatory area bombardment by artillery. Israel will take the hits in exchange for disproportionate retaliation. Can't wait until the G8 is over. There will be a nice little secret consensus on what to do with proliferators.
#2
Grads are not Katyshas, a 122mm artillery rocket which are a relic of WWII. They are a modern Russian built MRL system. The BM-21 MRL uses the Grad missile.
#7
Obviously, from the sheer volume, these are supplied from Iran. These chumps have np way of acquiring these independently. What other evidence is required to attck Iran now ?
#8
The international community may or may not accept Isarael's word on the origin of the rocket - although I don't hear many demurrals.
More important is issues of tactics, logistics and timing. It's not clear Bush or our forces in Iraq are ready for that move yet. OTOH, last winter a senior Israeli leader said that if the Iranian nuclear program wasn't dismantled by August it would be too late. And Bush has said they will not be allowed to have nuclear arms.
Note that the head of Mossad is due in Washington this week to discuss the Iranian program. He may be held in Israel due to the fighting but it's a sign ....
#10
well there you go, plenty of pro-Israel moderate muslims in Pakland
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 19:55
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#11
Shavitch Glesh8218 has awfully good English. D'you s'pose he's one of the many Pakistanis who ran back/was shipped back when the Muslim men had to check in with Immigration? You know, all those who'd settled in the US on expired visas and such? He must miss home terribly to hang around here at this time.
Prime Minister John Howard has blamed Hezbollah for starting the current crisis between Lebanon and Israel, saying the group provoked the Jewish state into "self-defence" by going across the border and seizing soldiers.
Speaking on the ABC's Insiders program, Mr Howard echoed comments by the US President George W Bush, who said the violence started because Hezbollah kidnapped two soldiers. "You could hardly have had a more provocative act," said Mr Howard.
Attaboy John, point that out to the world, some parts of Europe have trouble understanding that.
He says Hezbollah is the "plaything of Syria", and that he understands the Israeli position. "Much as I deplore the violence ... one has to understand Israel's position, Israel has the right of self-defence," he said. "This country has been under constant attack for almost 50 years, since it was founded, and there is still an unwillingness on the part of many in the region to accept Israel's right to exist.
"Until there is unconditional acceptance, and also an unconditional acceptance by others of the need for a Palestinian state, separate to Israel of course, we're never going to have any lasting settlement."
#1
I support his comments but they'll be largely unpopular in an Australia well-infiltrated by left wing hate-Israel culture and hizballah rampant in Sydney's southwest
#4
Domestically he is under a lame kind of leadership challenge from Peter Costello (treasurer) he will defeat it.
Elections every 3 years for the house of representatives (the government). senate ratifies legislation made by the lower house (of representatives). They are on a different voting timetable.
Next election for Howard to contest must be called no later than November 2007.
Don't think any limit on his rule if he wins again he can serve again. Not sure, never thought about it!
#5
all he needs to do is ask "what would the Aussies demand he do if Indo troops kidnapped (and killed) Aussie troops and took them back to Indonesia as hostages...."
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 10:03
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The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Saturday to impose limited sanctions on North Korea for its recent missile tests, and demanded that the reclusive communist nation suspend its ballistic missile program. North Korea immediately rejected the resolution and vowed to continue missile launches. U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said North Korea set "a world record" for a rejection -- 45 minutes -- and warned that Pyongyang's failure to comply could lead to further council action. He did not say what that might be.
The resolution bans all U.N. member states from selling material or technology for missiles or weapons of mass destruction to North Korea, and from receiving missiles, banned weapons or technology from Pyongyang. It condemns North Korea's multiple missile launches on July 5 and demands that North Korea "suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile program" and re-establish a moratorium on missile launches. It strongly urges North Korea to return to six-party talks on its nuclear program, which have been stalled since last September.
North Korea's U.N. Ambassador Pak Gil Yon, who was in the Security Council chamber for the vote in a rare appearance, accused the council of trying to isolate his country, known officially as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK. "The delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea resolutely condemns the attempt of some countries to misuse the Security Council for the despicable political aim to isolate and put pressure on the DPRK, and totally rejects the resolution," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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#1
North Koea won't even abide by agreement's they've agreed to. What makes the UN think they will abide by sanctions they don't agree with...
Airstrikes. Now. Let's eliminate North Korea's ability to wage nuclear war before it is too late.
#3
Two valuable aspects to these sanctions. First, the UNSC is on record as demanding the missile program be suspended - and that includes China.
And second, Bolton has suggested strongly that if the NORKs fail to comply, we have "national security means to monitor compliance" and "national means to enforce it". (words as verbatim as I can remember from his press conference yesterday)
BERLIN, July 14 -- German prosecutors said Friday that they had closed their investigation of a German Syrian businessman accused in Spain of being a key al-Qaeda figure. Federal prosecutors said their investigation had failed to confirm suspicions that Mamoun Darkazanli "founded, along with other people, an organization in Germany with the aim of giving logistical and financial support to the terrorist aims of the international network of violent Islamists."
Darkazanli is among 41 suspects, including Osama bin Laden, indicted by Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon, who has been investigating al-Qaeda. Last year, Germany's highest court blocked his extradition to Spain.
Darkazanli appears in a 1999 wedding video with two of the three Sept. 11, 2001, suicide pilots who studied in Hamburg along with lead hijacker Mohamed Atta.
Just a coincidence of course.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006
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The Indian Army on Saturday sounded an alert saying the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) was planning to let loose a reign of terror in Assam in apparent retaliation for the killing of two of its cadre by the security forces. An army statement said the ULFA was planning a series of bomb blasts in the districts of Baska, Kamrup, Nalbari and Barpeta to avenge the death of two of their leaders killed on Tuesday in western Assam in an encounter.
"Reliable intelligence inputs have revealed there are very strong indications to suggest that this threat will be carried out in the immediate future to avenge the deaths of the ULFA terrorists," the statement from the army's Four Corps Headquarters in northern Assam's Tezpur said. Four more ULFA rebels were killed in the adjoining state of Meghalaya on Tuesday in a separate encounter. "While the government machinery and the security forces have been informed about the threat, the public needs to be also sensitised to the evil designs of the ULFA and prevent necessary loss of lives," the army statement said.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday said his government was ready to offer a ceasefire and release five top jailed ULFA leaders as sought by the outfit to facilitate direct talks between the rebel leadership and New Delhi. "We are ready for a ceasefire and releasing the five jailed ULFA leaders once direct contact is established between the militant leadership and the government," the chief minister told. "So far we have been talking with the ULFA through a third party," Gogoi said, referring to the 11-member People's Consultative Group (PCG) chosen by the ULFA that is currently engaged in peace talks with New Delhi.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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#1
Here's an idea, why don't you quit talking and kill the f*ckers. Then you can be reasonably sure they won't blow anything up. Of course, that would be SO American though.
Somalia's newly powerful Islamists have agreed to respect the legitimacy of the fragile government and continue talks despite a rebuff by the president, an Arab League envoy said yesterday. President Abdullahi Yusuf decided on Friday to boycott talks in Sudan this weekend meant to avert war between his government and the Islamist movement which has seized the capital and part of the south, threatening his administration's limited power.
Despite the rebuff, Islamist delegates flew to Khartoum on Friday and held initial discussions with the Arab League, which brokered a first round of talks last month. "They stressed the importance of saving the legitimacy of the government... their readiness not to escalate against the government and in particular not to make any attacks against Baidoa," Arab League envoy Zeid Al Sabban said. "They stressed that they want to open a frank discussion with the government...(and) are in total readiness to pave the way for the government to return to Mogadishu," Sabban said.
The interim gummint has the international recognition. It makes more sense for the turbans to kiss and make up with it, then take it over. That way they become the legitimate government. Toldja Sheikh Sharif was a smart boy.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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Pakistan has claimed that it has deported an Indian, wanted by New Delhi for various criminal acts, to Dubai from where he had arrived here recently. The Pakistan Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said it had detained the wanted Indian, Shivdasan Raman Vallppil, a resident of Kerala, when he arrived here recently and deported him to Dubai yesterday. Raman was detained and sent back to the country from where he got the visa for Pakistan, FIA Director General Tariq Pervez was quoted as saying by the local daily 'The News'.
He said Raman was wanted by the Indian agencies for various criminal acts committed in India and red warrants had been issued against him by Interpol, of which Pakistan is a member. The accused was deported after "higher authorities" granted permission, he said Raman's detention and deportation were informed to both the Indian government and Interpol Headquarters, Pervez claimed.
When asked about the media report, Indian High Commission officials here said that New Delhi was apparently informed through the Interpol. Raman was allegedly involved in criminal activities in India and escaped from the country and took shelter in Gulf nations when he was booked under various criminal charges, including running illegal telephone exchanges, causing a loss of billions of rupees to the Indian government, sources said. Indian law enforcement agencies registered criminal cases against Raman on September 30, 2004 and tried to arrest him but he escaped to the Gulf countries. The government contacted Interpol, requesting it to issue 'red warrants' against the accused, the sources said.
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Posted by: Fred ||
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Lance Armstrong getting in some digs about the doping charges, among other things, while the top tier Euro cyclers really did test positive.
Lance Armstrong renewed his verbal attack on the French, bashing their World Cup team during an American awards show and using a derogatory word to describe the players. "All their players (France) tested positive ... for being a** holes," the seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong was quoted as saying in the Los Angeles Daily News on Friday.
Dubya should nominate Lance to replace Bolton at the U.N. ...
Don't mess with Texas.
The American cycling hero Armstrong made his comments in his opening monologue as the host of ESPY Awards, an annual televised event produced by ESPN. The show was taped on Wednesday at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre and is scheduled to be aired on Sunday night. Armstrong said afterwards that he didn't regard his comments about the French as being offensive. "Well, if they'd live with me and heard me at home, they'd know that was a step down," Armstrong told the newspaper. Armstrong, a cancer survivor, retired from competitive cycling in 2005 after capturing his seventh Tour title. Because of the Tour de France's timing, this is the first year he has been able to attend the show in person to pick up his awards, including four straight athlete-of-the-year trophies.
Posted by: ed ||
07/16/2006
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#1
First announcements were, he wouldn't be attending the Tour de France this year.
But, being the class act is he... he's going! Will represents his guys on his country's team... and will smile for the French. G_D that's got to feel great!
#3
And I hear another American is in the hunt to win this years tour.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
07/16/2006 9:31
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#4
Lance has certainly earned the right to call it like he sees it. Whacking the feckless jealous bores who've tried to destroy his magnificent achievements seems only fair, LOL.
(KUNA) -- Up to 12 Egyptian sailors were sent to Bassel hospital in Tartous city in northern Syria after their ship was attacked by the Israeli army on the Lebanese international waters, said Syria Arab News Agency (SANA) on Saturday .
SANA added that the Egyptian survivors sent a distress call via the satellites Friday night. They were rescued by Syrian and Egyptian ships that were sailing towards Tartous seaport. Head of Bassel hospital Dr.Talal Hamdan said the sailors were medically treated and they were now in stable condition except for one whose injury was serious. The Egyptian vessel was carrying cement when it came under fire 65 km from the Lebanese coast in an area between Beirut and Tripoli.
I wonder if that's the ship that Hezbollah attacked at the same time it was launching at the Israeli navy?
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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#1
Gotta be, I'll bet chaff fooled one of the missiles.
Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport Chairman Igor Sevastyanov said the United States will buy $400 million worth of Russian arms. The Russia Journal reported on July 13 that Sevastyanov revealed the information during the Russian Expo Arms-2006 exhibition in Nizhny Tagil on Wednesday. Analysts speculate that the Russian arms could be used for equipping the Afghan National Army.
Or the Iraqi army ...
After energy exports Russian military exports are the country's second most profitable foreign sales. As of March 31 Rosoboronexport had $17 billion in orders. China remains Russia's most profitable export market, followed by India. In 2004 Rosoboronexport exported $6.1 billion in arms to 61 countries.
Naval equipment accounted for more than 52 percent of Russia's total arms exports with aircraft accounting for an additional 44 percent. In 2005 Rosoboronexport signed more than $9 billion worth of contracts. Makes sense. Reasonable quality, low maintenance, much lower shipping costs, ease of use, and much less valuable on the black market.
#1
We also may be renewing our OPFOR resources since they have been so heavily used in the training cycle for Iraq. Of course, since both the Afghani and Iraqi Armies were predominately equipped with Soviet arms, it would make some sense to re-equip that way. Although several other articles have discussed how many hundreds of millions of dollars worth of American equipment is now being transfered to the Iraqis, including armoured HUMVs and the like.
Two maritime policemen and a suspected Abu Sayyaf militant were killed yesterday in a shootout inside the busy port of Zambonga City in the southern Philippines, officials said. A port security guard was also wounded in the gunbattle that erupted around 6:30 a.m. as policemen tried to frisk the man after his backpack yielded a magazine for .45-caliber pistol. "The man quickly pulled a pistol from under his shirt and shot at the two policemen and the security guard. The assailant was later killed," Chief Inspector Francisco Clavecillas, the port police commander, told Arab News.
"There he is!"
[BANG!] "Hands up, youse!"
[BANG!] "Stop or [BANG!] we'll [BANGETY BANG!] shoot!"
"The man was well trained in handling a gun. He was quick and really trained to kill. He was a determined assassin and we suspect that he was a member of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group," Clavecillas said. He said the man did not have any identification card. "We are still trying to identify him," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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TO THE lay observer it seems like an infinite network of computers, servers and cables stretching around the globe. But the worldwide web is filling up. So quickly, it turns out, that programmers have had to devise a new one. Of the internet addresses available, more than three quarters are already in use, and the remainder are expected to be assigned by 2009. So, what will happen as more people in developing countries come online? The answer is IPv6, a new internet protocol that has more spaces than the old one: 340,282,366,920,938,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 spaces, in fact. Currently theres four billion addresses available and there are six billion humans on Earth, so theres obviously an issue there, said David Kessens, chairman of the IPv6 working group at RIPE, one of five regional internet registries in charge of rolling it out.
Every device that is connected to the internet websites, computers and mobile phones needs an internet address to locate it on the network. When the internet was developed in the 1980s, programmers had no idea how big it would become. They gave each address a 16-bit number, which meant that the total number of available addresses worked out at about four billion (2 to the power of 32). But as use grew, it became clear that the old protocol, IPv4, wasnt big enough, so a new one was written based on 32-bit numbers. That increased the number of available addresses to 340 undecillion, 282 decillion, 366 nonillion, 920 octillion, 938 septillion enough for the foreseeable future, Mr Kessens said.
IPv6 does not involve any new cables being laid, nor will there be any burden on customers, for whom the change will appear seamless. It will, however, greatly improve the quality of certain internet services, in particular phone calls, which are not suited to IPv4. The big change is going to be in peer-to-peer services like gaming and file-sharing, which are going to become much easier to use, Mr Kessens said.
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Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
Somebody can't do binary arithmetic.
Posted by: ed ||
07/16/2006 1:39
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#2
I would prefer GPS coord type ips
IP-Carrier, Lat, Long, Alt. (random #)
Then one would not need DNS just a GPS on each network card and a carrier id. Local nets would be 192 type IP-Carrier code.
Wireless could do hopping and anealing really well.
#3
128 vs. 32, not 32 vs. 16. This is 4 billion times 4 billion times 4 billion (2^^96) times the size of the IPv4 address space (2^^32). This works out to be:
340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456
#5
My understanding is that IPv6 will be notated as a sixteen bit hexadecimal number to six numbers. So that would be 65536 to the sixth power, all written in hex.
9.7 and 23 zeros. A large number to be sure.
IPv4 was based on 8 bit numbers in four octals, 256 to the fourth power, or 4.2+ billion addresses, expressed in decimal form.
#7
I think it might be easier to get rid of the 2 billion extra people than to add 340,282,366,920,937,999,999,999,999,998,000,000,000 extra addresses. I've got a little list they'll none of them be missed.
#8
IPv6 has been in the works for over a decade. A lot of software in client machines and servers will need upgrading to use it. A bigger issue will be who allocates the space - look for more fighting about IANA and who "runs the internet".
#11
"My understanding is that IPv6 will be notated as a sixteen bit hexadecimal number to six numbers."
Your understanding is incorrect. IPv6 addresses are 128 bits in length and are expressed in a 16 byte hexadecimal format with colons delineating the individual bytes.
A good starting POINT for anyone interested in educating themselves on IPv6.
I believe that the same terrorist organisation, Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), is behind the serial blasts in Srinagar and Mumbai. Of course, it is part of Pakistan's well-thought out strategy, but the lack of political will to fight terror in the present government is also responsible for giving a fillip to terrorism.
Just a few days back, came the news that Al Qaeda had handed over full responsibility of rapidly spreading terror in India to Lashkar. The government should have realised that in addition to Jammu and Kashmir, cities such as Mumbai and Delhi, and other sensitive places, would be the targets of terror. The security agencies should have been directed that they were free to take the strictest and firmest possible measures. But, alas, this was not done.
These serial blasts have to be seen in the background of the failures suffered by our missile and satellite launch programmes recently, and are basically a result of a conspiracy by Pakistan. Pakistan is trying to demonstrate how badly it can hurt us by causing losses to us.
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Posted by: john ||
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(KUNA) -- Investigations into the serial blasts in the western Indian city of Mumbai are gaining momentum as 11 of the 285 wanted in Mahim area of the city were detained Saturday. The people were arrested up in a search operation conducted by over 400 policemen, leading English news channel NDTV 24 X 7 reported from Mumbai.
Statements of 350 blasts victims have already been recorded by the Mumbai police. Among the eyewitnesses are stockbrokers and doctors. The raids were conducted early Saturday by officials of the central region of Mumbai police, the news channel reported. Various police units in Mumbai have already detained over 200 suspected Students Islamic Movement of India members during the past two days, while local police stations are also likely to intensify combing operations in the coming days. Meanwhile, a suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba operative believed to be the mastermind of attacks on tourists in Srinagar last Tuesday, was arrested Saturday from Srinagar itself, the news channel reported.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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Cyprus yesterday evacuated 104 people from Lebanon via Syria early after Israel launched an air, land and sea blockade on Beirut. A government-chartered jet landed at Larnaca airport early yesterday morning. The island, the closest EU member to the Middle East, has also offered to evacuate Europeans on another flight should that be needed today. The aircraft arrived more than six hours later than scheduled because security concerns forced a change in the route used in the evacuation from Beirut to Damascus by road on Thursday night, officials said. "The buses took a northern route instead of going southwards for security reasons," Foreign Ministry Director General Sotos Zakhaeos told Reuters.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the IDF's offensive in Lebanon showed that "the Zionist regime behaves like Hitler," Iranian state television reported on Sunday. Must be a compliment, Hitler being so revered in the Islamic world.
#2
But yet, he denounces the Holocaust. These two thoughts don't compute. Keep speaking, ole Mister A.
He seems to have such a gasp on history, for comparison purposes. Well, there are lots and lots of us, that still remember that day, 241 of our Marines died. And unless you were with a Marine that day, you really can't understand the impact that Marines suffered that day.
There is lots of history of the last 40 years, that I kinda forget, but I vividly remember 444 days you had our folks.
Work stopped in my office, TV's were turned on, watching Reagan sworn in, knowing, we would next see our guys coming home. (They were on, not for the swearing in, but for what was gonna happen next)
And we stayed glued to those TV sets, watching our folks coming home until each of them were on American soil. That memory is in my head.
Later, one of those folks was quoted, upon being asked, would he ever return to Iran, and he answered, "Yes, in a B-52."
You Middle Eastern folks, Mister A with your history comparisons, aren't the only people with long memories. We've got our and we hold them close.
We are light sleepers. Be careful in waking us up. We don't always wake up in a good mood.
#3
I happened to be in the lobby of one of the New York hotels when some of the hostages arrived there after being released. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life. "Rock star" doesn't begin to convey the reception those folks got.
Posted by: Matt ||
07/16/2006 0:47
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Didn't you say recently that Hitler wasn't such a bad guy?
#5
I lived in the US at the time of the Iran hostage crisis and 'Nuke Teheran' is still my favourite bumper sticker, well after 'Troy, New York; Home of Son of Sam'.
#7
Beautifully said, Sherry. Thank you for that. I just turned on the computer, and this article is my first news of the day. Iran's comeuppance is coming.
For the first time in Bombays history, Muslim religious leaders representing virtually every sect came together on Thursday evening to condemn the serial bomb blasts in the city as a barbaric, inhuman and cowardly act. We teach in our madrassas that you have to be a decent human being first before you can call yourself a Muslim. How can an act which is inhuman ever be considered to be Islamic? said Maulana Gulzar Azmi, national council member of the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind. We are one with all citizens of Bombay and the country in condemning such wanton acts of terror, expressing our solidarity with the family members of the victims and we share their grief and sorrow, said Maulana Mustaqim Azmi, member, Ulema Council.
They were addressing a press conference jointly with other senior Muslims representing the Jamiat-ul-ulema-e-Hind, Ulema Council, Milli Council, Jamaat-e-Islami, All-India Sunni Jamiat-ul-Ulema, All India Sunni Tablighi Jamaat, All-India Qazi Board and Bombay Aman Committee among others. The maulanas expressed their readiness to extend the fullest cooperation to the Bombay police in their efforts to identify and nab the perpetrators of the dastardly act. They also announced their plan to visit the homes of the bereaved families in the coming days to share their sorrow and offer help.
After the press conference, the religious leaders had an hour-long meeting with CPM MPs Sitaram Yechuri and Brinda Karat. Terrorism has no religion, one of the Muslim leaders told the Communist leaders while several others reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of terrorist acts.
Maybe so, but it sure is fond of turbans...
They also bemoaned the fact that while the overwhelming majority of Muslim religious leaders in the country had repeatedly condemned terrorism as inhuman and un-Islamic the mass media failed to communicate this message to fellow Indians.
Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
They must sense that they've once again tweaked the general populace right up to medium boil, and if they don't act fast to cool things down the pot will explode and there will once again be Muzzies dead from one end of the country to the other.
#3
They also bemoaned the fact that while the overwhelming majority of Muslim religious leaders in the country had repeatedly condemned terrorism as inhuman and un-Islamic the mass media failed to communicate this message to fellow Indians.
Damn that MSM! All one has to do is look at all the cross-blogging done by moderates to know how they really feel! Come on, all you moderates out there contributing to this site, tell us how you really feel!
GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli forces clashed with terrorists militants in Gaza on Sunday as tanks moved back into the north of the Strip on an offensive that has continued even as fighting with Lebanese Hizbollah guerillas opened a second front.
The Gaza offensive, aimed at recovering a captured soldier and stopping armed terrorists groups from firing makeshift rockets, has piled pressure on the Palestinian government led by Hamas, which demands a terrorist prisoner swap for the Israeli corporal.
Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers, backed by helicopters with machine guns sending down bursts of fire, moved into farmland near Beit Hanoun, an area often used by terrorists militants for launching rockets. Small groups of terrorists militants opened fire at the Israeli forces, but there was no report of casualties. "There is an army activity in Beit Hanoun. There has been deterrent fire," said one Israeli military source.
Israeli troops had pulled out of the northern Gaza Strip a week earlier after a major raid into the territory, which Israel abandoned in 2005 after a 38-year occupation.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006
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CBS News has learned that an evacuation of Americans from Lebanon will most likely begin next week. The evacuation would be led by the USS Iwo Jima, and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit would use its helicopters to ferry as many as 8,000 Americans to nearby Cyprus. It is the same way many Americans left the Lebanon in 1987.
Former U.S. ambassador Ned Walker, who has helped coordinate a number of evacuations in the Mideast, told CBS News correspondent Joie Chen that embassies are prepared in advance for emergency evacuations. "Every embassy has a detailed plan on what to do," he said. "Every embassy has coordinated those plans with our military. They have video of the escape routes. They have it down to a 'T.'"
Earlier on Saturday the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said in a posting on its Web site that it was working on a plan to evacuate American citizens from Lebanon. "We are looking at how we might transport Americans to Cyprus. Once in Cyprus, Americans can then board commercial aircraft for onward travel," the statement said.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Steve White ||
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#1
I heard an interesting comment on FoxNews last night. They were interviewing a woman sitting in a hotel over there, and she said that there were a lot of American passport holders there who are not Americans. There was no clarification, and I fell asleep wondering who those people were, and whether we would feel responsible to evacuate them, too.
Little-known outfit Lashkar-e- Qahhar yesterday night purportedly claimed responsibility for Tuesday's serial blasts in Mumbai. An e-mail, received by Aaj Tak news channel, said it was sent by Lashkar-e-Qahhar and the outfit was associated with al-Qaeda and Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. The e-mail said 16 Qahhar activists had carried out attacks in Mumbai and threatened to carry out more attacks if the Indian Government does not stop the "exploitation of Kashmiri people". The same outfit had claimed responsibility for the bomb blasts in Varanasi in March this year.
Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
Al Qaida - more franchises than McDonald's. The drive-through is a killer tho'.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Lebanon accused the United States on Saturday of blocking a U.N. Security Council statement calling for a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, saying the impotence of the United Nations' most powerful body sent the wrong signal to small countries and the Arab world. "It's unacceptable because people are still under shelling, bombardment and destruction is going on ... and people are dying," said Lebanese special envoy Nouhad Mahmoud.
Qatar, the only Arab nation on the council, received widespread support during closed council consultations late Saturday for a press statement calling for an immediate cease-fire, restraint in the use of force, and the protection of civilians caught in the conflict, council diplomats said.
But Argentina's U.N. Ambassador Cesar Mayoral said the United States objected to any statement and Britain opposed calling for a cease-fire. The U.S. and Britain want to wait for the outcome of this weekend's Group of Eight meeting in Russia, an Arab League foreign ministers meeting, and a mission sent to the Middle East by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Mayoral and other diplomats said.
France's U.N. Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere, the current council president, confirmed "there was no agreement on a text tonight, but we will meet on Monday." "Many delegations would have liked to have a very prompt reaction," he said. "Others think the spotlight should be elsewhere, not here in the council. "
But Lebanon's Mahmoud protested, saying while innocent civilians are killed, "here we are impotent." "It sends very wrong signals not only to the Lebanese people but to the Arab people, to all small nations that we are left to the might of Israel and nobody is doing anything," he said.
"We have many reasons to expect much more from the Security Council," said Mahmoud. And from the United States? "They were always supportive in the last 1 1/2 years, but when it comes to Israel it seems things change," he said.
Yup. Get used to it. We stand with Israel. We'll stand with you unless you stand against Israel. It's not hard to figure out.
Posted by: Steve White ||
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I'm thankfully that Bolton was chosen as US Ambassador.
#2
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Bush is perfect as Prez, and Bolton is perfect as Ambassador.
Am glad they are focussing on Hizballah and repeating often that the war was caused by Hizballah firing rockets from southern lebanon, abducting soldiers.
As the rest of the world tries to play the equivalence game and the victim card, someone needs to remind people how it all started. They soon forget and think Israel just attacked unprovoked.
Now they have only the lame duck argument of disproportionate response.
#5
Don't forget that while 3 were kidnapped there were many more killed and wounded during the kidnappings. Kidnappings are serious but murder is murder. If it is not murder to the terrorists then it is war and they are getting a dose of what war really is.
#7
"It's unacceptable because people are still under shelling, bombardment and destruction is going on ... and people are dying," said Lebanese special envoy Nouhad Mahmoud.
Qatar, the only Arab nation on the council, received widespread support during closed council consultations late Saturday for a press statement calling for an immediate cease-fire, restraint in the use of force, and the protection of civilians caught in the conflict, council diplomats said.
I'm sure they're referring to Hezballah as the aggressor, right? Or maybe get closer to the root with Syria and Iran? After which Israel would stand down and Hezballah would be made to just magically go away permanently? Hasn't this been tried before? FWIW (which isn't much!), don't I recall a couple of UN resolutions dealing with this point directly?
But Lebanon's Mahmoud protested, saying while innocent civilians are killed, "here we are impotent."
Again referring to Hezballah, right?
"It sends very wrong signals not only to the Lebanese people but to the Arab people, to all small nations that we are left to the might of Israel and nobody is doing anything," he said.
Wrong signals == signals you don't want to hear about due to extreme denial of the causes and resulting effects?
"We have many reasons to expect much more from the Security Council," said Mahmoud.
In terms of resolutions regarding eliminating the Hezballah thingy, right?
And from the United States? "They were always supportive in the last 1 1/2 years, but when it comes to Israel it seems things change," he said.
There's a reason. Hopefully things will change for the better and you will enjoy more support in the future.
#8
...saying the impotence of the United Nations' most powerful body sent the wrong signal to small countries and the Arab world
On the contrary, it's sending exactly the right signals - the old ways of doing things, where some shithole country, famed for nothing more than killing 000's of it's own citizens would have the same standing and say as a country such as the US, is over.
As our American friends would say "wake up and smell the coffee". Dimwit.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/16/2006 6:23
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#11
I think the Isreali spin meisters should be pushing the kidnapping issue as hard as the US media pushes the numerous "missing pretty blonde girl" cases. In all the coverage yesterday, they were barely mentioned... Sort of an Israeli "Amber Alert" that includes F-15's.
#12
But Lebanon's Mahmoud protested, saying while innocent civilians are killed, "here we are impotent." "It sends very wrong signals not only to the Lebanese people but to the Arab people, to all small nations that we are left to the might of Israel and nobody is doing anything," he said.
Indeed Mahmud, its sending a signal and the signal is loud and clear....
ALLOW A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION TO TAKE ROOT IN YOUR "SOVEREIGN" COUNTRY, LET THEM ACCUMULATE A HORRIFIC ARSENAL OF UMPTEEN THOUSAND ROCKETS, IGNORE THEM OR EVEN GIVE THEM A SEAT IN YOUR PARLIAMENT, AND VOILA ! BEFORE YOU KNOW IT THEY MAKE A BIG BIG MISTAKE AND YOUR FUCKING ASS IS ANSWERABLE TO US !
Kapisch ?????
is the signal loud and clear ?
HASTALAVISTA Mahmud baby !
Posted by: Elder of Zion ||
07/16/2006 9:10
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Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan charged yesterday that Western powers were "keeping mum" over mounting bloodshed in the Middle East, warning that they would "pay the bill" by facing more terrorist attacks, Anatolia news agency reported. "Bombs are exploding, innocent people are being killed, infrastructures are being destroyed... The powerful continue to crush the weak, but unfortunately those who hold the power in the world are keeping mum," Erdogan said in the northeastern city of Artvin.
"Those who back global peace (only) with words will sooner or later pay the bill by facing global terrorism... This is what is provoking terrorism," he was quoted as saying. Erdogan complained that violence in the Middle East was also damaging the United States' efforts to enhance democracy and human rights in the region, hinting that Ankara might reconsider its role in such initiatives. He urged the Group of Eight leaders to push for a cease-fire in the crisis and harshly criticized Israeli military offensives. "I appeal to the G-8 countries to take a joint decision ... (for) the UN Security Council to ask for a cease-fire... They have to work this out," Anatolia quoted him as saying.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Recep, you blathering hypocritical idiot...
If you want to be an example of "powerful not continuing to crush the weak", stop oppressing Kurds! Only then can people consider your suggestions as sincere.
Let's put it in tiny words that maybe even he can understand.
The rest of the world, for the most part, is tired of your co-religionists' crap. They may not like Israel, in fact, they may hate it immensely. But for right now, they are enjoying watching them kick your buddies' asses. If anything, they would like to see even more ass kicking going on.
When the rest of the world gets tired of watching your vaunted Lions of IslamTM get their ass kicked, maybe they will pass a Strongly Worded ResolutionTM...somewhere.
As far as innocent people getting killed, etc., well, I gots two words for you: Armenians and Kurds. Once you solve those tiny little problems (they say admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery, you know) then get back to us, ok?
Until that day arrives, Yippy, shaddup and go get us some popcorn.
#6
Erdogan needs to watch his back. I'm sure the generals are very happy with what Israel is doing to Hezbollah, and by proxy, to Iran. The more Israel costs Iran, directly or not, the more the generals will be pleased. The generals have been known to remove a Turkish head of state from time to time...
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/16/2006 21:27
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Thousands of demonstrators demanding the return of ousted president Jean-Bertrand Aristide marched to Haiti's National Palace on Saturday, pushing past riot police in a dramatic show of support for the exiled former leader. Chants of "Aristide or death!" and "Aristide's blood is our blood!" rang out as a crush of demonstrators pressed against a line of national police, who eventually allowed some 3,000 protesters to fill the street outside the palace.
"Aristide, we will defend you with our blood!"
Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
In Haiti things are never so bad that they can't get significantly worse.
The unrecognized rebel government of Chechnya is ready to begin peace negotiations with Russia, Chechen Foreign Minister Akhmed Zakayev said July 16. Zakayev said Chechnya acknowledged that continued military action and violence will not lead to resolution of the conflict, so negotiations with Russia should begin without preconditions on either side. Russian Federal Security Service director Nikolai Patrushev declared a two-week amnesty offer for Chechen guerrillas July 15.
Manifesto for Peace in Chechnya
(This Manifesto has been written with the aim of attracting the attention of the World Leaders of the G-8 in view of their meeting in St. Petersburg mid July 2006)
Too bad they forgot to coordinate with Iran and Hizb'Allah...the festivities in Lebanon are apparently sucking up all the oxygen at the conference. Not that anyone at the G-8 really gives a rat's patootie about the plight of the Chechens anyway. That goes double with the demise of Basayev.
Considering, that Russians and Chechens, during their shared history over the last four centuries, have been in an ongoing conflict, which has endangered the mere existence of the Chechen people through wars and deportations,
Considering that since the agreements in Moscow, Nasran and Khasavyourt followed by the peace agreement of 12 May 1997 - ten years have passed - ten years during which resumed hostilities have caused the death of maybe a hundred thousand persons, forced an even greater number of refugees to leave the republic, brought further destruction of the material basis of society and made life for the remaining population extremely hard,
Considering, that the ongoing conflict has led to increasingly barbaric violations of human rights - torture, seductions, illegal imprisonments and terrorist acts - and has weakened or destroyed moral values in society; religious traditions have been undermined by the influence of foreign ideologies and youth has lost any perspective for a decent life in future,
Considering, that this conflict has serious effects on the entire region, destabilizes the whole of Northern Caucasus by aggravating ethnic conflicts and by jeopardizing its potential of becoming a prosperous zone where all different ethnic and religious groups could live together in peace,
Considering that the late President Maskhadov who had been elected in the free and fair elections, officially recognized by Moscow, has launched in early 2005 a substantial peace initiative, proposing unconditional talks with Moscow, and declared a one-sided one-month-ceasefire for the month of February 2005 this initiative remained without any reaction from the Russian side and Maskhadov was killed on March 8, last year;
Today we declare that urgent action is needed for a peaceful solution of this conflict as the only way out for bringing stability and progress to the whole region. In this perspective we define our goals as follows:
To guarantee the security in the life of the people of Chechnya, the respect of human rights and of law,
To establish political power structures, based on free and fair elections,
To create the conditions for economic and social development for normalizing life and allowing the return of the refugees.
For achieving these goals our means are the following:
Our people have been fighting for defending independence during all these years through the first and the second war. In view of Russian aggression against our Republic, we always have considered independence as the fundamental means to achieve our goal of peace for the Chechen people and as guarantee for its security. However, if based on international law, any other solution for peace with the Russians can be found, for achieving the above mentioned goals, we are open for according negotiations.
Through our conflict with the Russians a lot of violence has been brought into our society, the consequences of which constitute a heavy burden for future internal peace. Therefore, all efforts for general conciliation and internal peace in Chechnya have to be brought about. For this not only amnesty measures are necessary but also means - like truth commissions , with allow an active participation of the family members of the victims of violence.
For reconstruction of the Republic foreign assistance has to be mobilized.
We know that there is no solution of the conflict by continued warfare and violence. Therefore, we declare that negotiations with Russia have to start without preconditions. We condemn all forms of violence against the civilian population, including terrorist acts.
Ahmed Zakayev, Foreign minister of the Chechen Republic of Itshkeria 5 July 2006
Patrushev suggests Chechens surrender
The head of the FSB (Russian Secret Service) Patrushev has made a-long-time-forgotten propagandistic statement in Moscow. He has suggested Chechens to lay down weapons and surrender. The time for those who are ready to surrender is certain till August 1st, 2006.
The statement of the leader of FSB in itself is remarkable. On the background of bravura reports on full rout of Mujahideen several years ago, and for a long time stopped war, to call someone to lay down weapons, is strange enough. According to Patrushev's explains, this appeal to Chechens is connected with death of vice-president of CRI, the Military Amir Shamil Basayev who as Patrushev assures, did not allow Mujahideen to surrender.
Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
Hey quit dissing me!
/idont give a shanks pony bout the G8 but I do lovs me V8!
#7
"Considering, that Russians and Chechens, during their shared history over the last four centuries, have been in an ongoing conflict..."
Translated,
"Dear Russians,
We hate you. You suck. This all your fault. We are having a few ... difficulties. We are not defeated, but we will consider talking about peace - for the sake of the children. Stop killing us. We want amnesty. And independence. And a group-encounter session. So we can blame you. Without getting shot at, of course.
#8
Putins victory over his terrorists wasnt won with rhetoric, it was decisive use of force. Israel must do the same, the terrorist thugs need to arrive at a point of realization, that to live by the sword is to die by the sword.
soon the jihadists will get thier chance to march into a now certain outcome.
#11
Hummmmour. Believe that the FSB had anything to do with Basayev's departure? Right.
Hey, people believe all sorts of shit. You and Glish can buy the Pootie's a Tough Guy silliness if you want. The evidence is that Basayev's demise was in the "work accident" category, not the absurd evolving farce (reread the sequence of press statements) that the FSB pulled it off. Beslan was a long long time ago. Pootie's "anyplace, anytime" press release was a howler, in retrospect.
And this is merely the usual Colleseum Scene - one source calling for a hudna (this story) while another says the "struggle" goes on (Count Dooku story).
Take the Beslan Massacre number out and the FSB has killed about as many civilian Russians as the Chechies. I'll grant they were more "humane" about it: They put them to sleep, first.
#13
The Chechen rebels need to be hunted down and taken out. Every last one. They showed no mercy, and they should get none. They are a scourage on humanity.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
07/16/2006 13:19
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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - More than 40 insurgents were killed Saturday as hundreds of coalition troops, many dropped by helicopter, wrested a desert town from the Taliban and U.S. forces battled militants across southern Afghanistan, officials said.
Before dawn Saturday, more than 300 British paratroopers, backed by hundreds of U.S. and Canadian forces, launched a raid in Sangin, where hundreds of Taliban had massed in preparation for attacks, said coalition spokesman Maj. Scott Lundy. "Coalition forces killed 10 Taliban and drove the others out, but it is difficult to say if the remainder are still nearby," Lundy said.
Gotta get some good tracking dawgs over there...
... and some Kentuckians with long-barrel rifles ...
The assault was part of Operation Mountain Thrust, an anti-Taliban offensive involving more than 10,000 U.S.-led troops. Coalition forces will remain in Sangin until the Taliban threat has been wiped out and Afghan authorities can reach out to impoverished residents to promote reconstruction efforts, Lundy said. The Sangin Valley is a "natural corridor" for Taliban and criminal movement in southern Afghanistan, plus opium poppy cultivation, with the Taliban believed to use some of the proceeds to buy weapons, Lundy said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006
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I see we're back up to the number 40 again. That's better.
United States President George W. Bush said on Saturday that America and Russia were willing to work together to send a clear message to Iran that its "nuclear weapons ambitions" were "not acceptable".
"We are working with Russia and our partners to develop Security Council resolutions that will send a clear message", Bush said at a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Strelna, Russia, as the annual summit of leaders of the G8 nations were kicking off in St. Petersburg. "One thing is for certain, that if the Iranians see that the United States and Russia are working together on this issue, they'll understand the seriousness of our intent", he said.
Bush said that he and Putin had "strategised" how to tackle Tehran's nuclear threat. "There is common agreement that we need to get something done at the U.N. And I am confident we will be able to do that", he said. "The Iranians need to understand that we are speaking with one voice that they shouldn't have a weapon".
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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Bush has been puttywacked
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/16/2006 0:42
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GW talks pretty in St. Petersburg while Iran's ally gets the living crap kicked out of it back "home." Iran has miscalculated, and badly, perhaps because they pay too much attention to our polls. They think GW's bogged down in Iraq and therefore powerless, but Hezbollah is going to get taken down, and down hard by a "petite paye de merde" (gotta keep up the French, donchyaknow). If Iran does not come to Hezbollah's aid in a very visible way, it will be clear to all in the region that Iran's just another losing horse.
#3
And if it does, it's a causus belli. Yup. Dangerous times for us all, but I think that the trap Iran was laying for Israel and the US might have caught them in it instead.
#5
I suspect its more that the allies Iran sought to have trap Israel have trapped Iran instead and Ahmedinajihad is finding out how difficult command, control and communications can be. I'd have added intelligence, but it's quite apparent he has none of that.
#7
Iran and Syria have already stated they will not let Hez go down.
If you watched the presser with GW and Putty, you witnessed how condescending Putty is and how he belittled GW over Iraq's democracy.
GW agreeing to give the Moolahs the same package Kimmy received in 1994 is a freakin joke. With one possible exception, that he had foreknowledge that the Moolahs weren't going to accept it.
GW still trusts Putty, it would appear, which is laughable.
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/16/2006 15:25
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yes Putin was condescending. He still lost on this G-8 meeting. Bush pushed him hard prior to the meeting AND at the press conference -- and more importantly, vetoed Russia's entry into the WTO for now.
Moreover, Bush insisted that Hizb'allah is responsible for triggering the war in Lebanon. Syria used to be a dependent of Russia's. Iraq was one of the strong allies under Saddam. Putin is reduced to trying to claim victory over Basayev's death and snarking at Bush in front of the cameras. Meanwhile, we got the UNSC resolution on NORK.
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal leader Allama Hassan Turabi was laid to rest here in the premises of Mustafa Mosque at Abbas Town yesterday as violence flared in this southern Pakistani city as angry mobs went on a rampage after the funeral.
We expected no less. The things Paks do best are kill each other and riot...
Gangs attacked and torched the Gulshan-e-Iqbal outlet of Pizza Hut and two petrol stations in protest at the death of Hassan Turabi. Protesters also attacked car showrooms and smashed up dozens of cars outside. Fires could be seen all around and the air was filled with thick, black smoke.
As far as I know, he wasn't eating pizza when he was killed, he wasn't gassing his car, and he wasn't buying a new one.
Police fired tear-gas to break up the crowds but there were no immediate reports of injuries. Thousands of people had earlier attended funeral prayers for Turabi and his nephew Ali, aged about 10, whose killing also sparked rioting late on Friday. The pair were killed when the attacker hugged Turabi outside his home before detonating explosives hidden under a long black gown. The bombers head was found nearby. Three bodyguards were also wounded in the blast, one of them seriously. More than 5,000 people, including both Shiites and Sunnis, gathered for the funeral prayers amid tight security with thousands of police patrolling the violence-prone port city. Shiite activists carrying black flags chanted God is Great and Death to America.
I'm not sure, but I don't think that it was an American who gave him the kiss of death, either...
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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I love it, they throw in the gratuitous "Death To America" chant just for the hell of it. I think they call that a knee JERK reaction.
TEGUCIGALPA (AP) - The United States is helping Honduras establish a new military base to combat international drug trafficking, according to a senior military official quoted in a Honduran newspaper on Saturday. The base, planned for the northeastern province of Gracias a Dios near the Nicaraguan border, will allow Honduras to house aircraft and a fuel supplying system, according to the newspaper, La Prensa.
Honduran army and navy forces are already in the area, but "it's a zone where there is conflict and problems, therefore we need to have greater presence," Gen. Romeo Vasquez, head of the joint chiefs of staff of the armed forces, told the newspaper. He said that task force would initially consist of Honduran soldiers, who would be joined by U.S. forces if needed.
The base is "a long-term project, but it is being studied formally by both governments," said Col. Leonardo Munoz, spokesman for the armed forces.
The project will coincide with other U.S.-funded initiatives in the area, including bridges and a 50-mile highway between the cities of Mocoron and Puerto Lempira. More than 70,000 people live in Gracias a Dios, near the Caribbean Sea, which includes virgin jungles used by Colombian drug traffickers. According to the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala, more than 100 tons of cocaine from Colombia destined for the United States passes through Honduras each year.
The United States also has maintained the Enrique Soto Cano air base, known as Palmerola, in Honduras for 23 years. The base, 28 miles northwest of the capital of Tegucigalpa, houses about 350 U.S. soldiers.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006
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Good move
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/16/2006 0:44
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Halo Presidente!
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 10:27
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ROGERS, Ark. -- Sen. Hillary Clinton, on a rare visit to her former Arkansas stomping grounds, reminisced about old times with state Democratic women and told their convention that America faces challenges including energy policy, stagnant wages and rising health-care costs.
... and, oh, yes: We're in the middle of a war...
The former first lady got an enthusiastic reception from about 650 women and men at a convention of the Arkansas Federation of Democratic Women, in a corner of the state considered a Republican stronghold. "I'm so happy to be here and to see so many friends and to see so many Democrats in Benton County," said Clinton, who also was first lady of Arkansas before husband Bill Clinton became president in 1993. The meeting at a convention center in Rogers was about 25 miles north of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where she first came to the state as a law professor in 1974. The crowd stood, cheered and waved red signs reading "Madam President, January 20 2009," alluding to calls for her to run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. Clinton says she is focused on her bid for re-election to the U.S. Senate.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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Mona Lisa Vito: [Vinny looks at her funny] What?
Vinny Gambini: Nothing. You stick out like a sore thumb around here.
Mona Lisa Vito: Me? What about you?
Vinny Gambini: I fit in better than you. At least I'm wearing cowboy boots.
Mona Lisa Vito: Oh yeah, you blend.
Posted by: Matt ||
07/16/2006 1:02
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"Dozens" wouldn't seem to be the same International ANSWER demonstration that was held on July 13th in support of Hamas.
SAN FRANCISCO Dozens of protesters carrying banners and Lebanese flags rallied at City Hall on Saturday, condemning Israel's attacks on targets in Lebanon as barbaric and illegal. "We're trying to raise some awareness with the American public about what's going on," said Mohamad Charafeddine, a Stanford University doctoral student who organized the protest. "It's unacceptable."
About 50 people, mostly members of the Bay Area's Lebanese community, took part in the demonstration. Charafeddine, who is from Lebanon, said more actions would be organized if the attacks continue. "We hope the aggression will stop, but if it continues it's the least we can do," he said. "What's going on is against international law."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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Hizballah: a globalisation success story.
Sydney has a nice fat slab of Hizballah living in the suburbs of the southwest notably lakemba, punchbowl and congregating at Lakemba Mosque.
Remember the Cronulla beach riot? Followed by 5 nights of reprisal rioting streets of cars smashed and shots fired at christmas carollers at a school? Random people beaten in the streets and a convoy of 50 cars heading out from Lakemba mosque to beach suburbs headed by one flying the lebanese flag? The text messages stirring up violence from the 'lions of lebanon'?
Bob Carr presided over the wholesale import of Hizballah into Sydney.
Were I in areas with large jewish populations like Bondi, Rose Bay and Bellevue Hill, (in Sydney's east) I'd be carefully avoiding synagogues, transport hubs and large shopping centres in case the Lions of Lebanon don't just get on a plane and go home to fight but take it to the Sydney streets.
#6
I agree, pull their visa's. Send them packing to Lebanon to live with their brothers. Hope the missles dont get ya. The problem has been us all along. We have effectively taken a knife to a gun fight with our measured approach. We need to identify that they are at total war and we shpould respond appropriatly, with total war. Why should I care one bit about the so called oppressed Muzzies when they continually blow up busses full of women and kids. We have allowed this rat to infest our world for too long and now we must destroy them, all of them, hezbullah, hammas, Iran, and all the others that support them.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
07/16/2006 13:38
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In the wake of the Mumbai blasts, India has decided not to go ahead with Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan that were expected to be held next week, reports CNBC-TV18. It was Manmohan Singh who virtually confirmed that India and Pakistan would not be talking any time soon. His message was unambiguous; the peace process with Pakistan was reversible. The honeymoon was over, and the Prime Minister had just signalled a change in India's policy on engaging Pakistan. "The peace process between Pakistan and India cannot carry on unless terrorism stops," said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Within hours, confirmation from high level sources in Singh's government said that India would not re-confirm the dates. Both countries had tentatively agreed upon July 20-21 for the talks.
Posted by: Fred ||
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You'll never solve anything this way. Which is exactly what terrorists like to hear.
Juba Peace talks aimed at ending Ugandas brutal Lords Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency hit a snag on Saturday as the government threatened to walk out over harsh rebel rhetoric, officials said. Kampalas delegation complained that the LRA had been too "combative" in its opening statement on Friday when the rebels vowed to continue their 19-year war in northern Uganda unless all their grievances were addressed.
"We are very concerned about the combative mood of the LRA delegation. That mood is not good for peace talks. We told them that we cannot continue with that combative mood," Paddy Ankunda, the spokesman for the Ugandan team, said, adding that Ugandas lead negotiator, Interior Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, was meeting with mediators to unblock the stalemate. "We are ready to compromise because we know who they are," Akunda said.
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Two Palestinians were killed as Israel pounded Gaza with fresh air raids yesterday. Ten people were wounded including three babies, in Israels campaign to retrieve a captured soldier.
and hold Hamas accountable for its actions.
A 25-year-old Palestinian was killed when Israeli aircraft slammed two missiles into a three-story building in Gaza City, which the Israeli Army described as a weapons factory used by Hamas fighters. Three infants and three women were among 10 other people wounded in the strike, medical sources said. Earlier, an 18-year-old Palestinian was killed by an Israeli helicopter strike in a village near Deir Al-Balah.
Firefighters were searching for bodies among the ruins of the building in Gaza City which was demolished, with a huge crater dug out by the blast according to an AFP correspondent. An Israeli Army spokeswoman said the building was being used as a rocket factory and ammunitions depot by members of the ruling group Hamas, and that Hamas members were inside at the time. The powerful blast that occurred afterward could have been caused by the explosion of ammunition stashed inside the building, she said. The building belonged to a Hamas member, a professor at the Islamic University in Gaza, although he did not live on the premises.
Some neighbors said the building now served as a shop selling wood for construction work, although others said it was used as a secret meeting place for various groups. Armed members of Hamas armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, swarmed around the building after the attack, pushing journalists away.
As meeting places go, it doesn't seem to have been all that secret.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Fluffy bunnies sometimes explode after they've been grievously injured . . . .
MONTGOMERY - Alabama has agreed to send National Guard troops to the U.S. - Mexican border if requested. Gov. Bob Riley authorized the use of the troops last weekend shortly before he left on a trade trip.
Alabama joins 28 other states that have agreed to send troops in support roles to reinforce the U.S. Border Patrol. Though no deployments have been requested so far, the state could send from 100 to 500 troops to the border, said Riley spokesman Jeff Emerson. The federal government will pay for the troops and the troops will be able to return to the state in case of a natural disaster.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2006
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thank you, Alabama
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 21:47
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Posted on the off-chance that France still matters.
The French president, Jacques Chirac, gave what was probably his last Bastille Day address to the nation yesterday, vowing to put his final months in office to good use and stop France falling into political paralysis.
Falling?
But Mr Chirac, 73, who has been in office for 11 years, refused to say he would not stand for a third term in 2007 - he would announce his decision early next year. He pointedly declined to endorse the conservative presidential frontrunner, the interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy. Last year Mr Sarkozy hosted a rival garden party and compared Mr Chirac to Louis XVI at Versailles.
Louis XVI got the better of that comparison ...
Though Jacque is still wearing his head...
... his term isn't over yet ...
But this year the president persuaded Mr Sarkozy to delay the launch of his latest book, which was threatening to steal the headlines this week, and assured the nation that the pair had "very good relations".
Like Lewis and Martin.
Mr Chirac has had one of his most turbulent years as president. His popularity plummeted after last autumn's riots in the suburbs, followed by serious street protests over employment laws, and allegations of a smear campaign within his government. His popularity rose slightly in the past month, boosted in part by French successes at the World Cup.
Especially the head-butt: that made everyone think of Chirac.
He promised to put the next 10 months to good use, overseeing the reform of the justice system and cutting unemployment in what he called a "great nation in a state of malaise".
How that man's lips never fall off I'll never know ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
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So can we translate "Reform of the Justice System" as "Making sure I don't do hard time for corruption once I leave office?"
(KUNA) -- Israeli war planes bombarded Saturday a Lebanese army radar center in northern Lebanon as well as the coastal area of Ain Al-Mersya in Beirut.
They said yesterday they were taking out radar sites. They don't want any more Silkworms...
A security source told KUNA that the bombardment of the army center in Wajh Al-Hajar area resulted in several injuries to the soldiers in the center. It added that the Beirut lighhouse in Ain Al-Mirsya was targeted by Israeli helicopters.
The light's out, but the lighthouse itself wasn't destroyed...
The source said that Beirut's southern suburbs also witnessed two air raids on Hezbollah's security centers. Meanwhile, Israeli Jet fighters launched an attack on several Lebanese seaports. Tripoli and Jounieh seaports were targeted by Israeli jet fighters, said the security source who added that the attacks caused major damages to ports. The source confirmed that the Israeli jet fighters also stormed Tripoli's Hamah airport.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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No more missle imports from Iran by sea or otehrwise. Missles that are not in control of the Government of Leabanon.
Peter Hawkins, a British actor who voiced characters that ranged from "The Flowerpot Men" to the sinister Daleks on "Dr. Who," has died at the age of 82.
Hawkins began his acting career on stage after World War II service in the Navy, The Independent reported. His first television role was also a conventional one.
But he quickly moved to providing voices for children's puppet shows on television, helping to make "The Flowerpot Men" a success in the 1950s. That show featured two creatures with legs made from flower pots.
Hawkins' achievements included doing all the voices for "Captain Pugwash," a pirate cartoon that ran from 1957 to 1966 and for the later "Sir Prancelot."
He helped create the distinctive sound of the Daleks, the sinister robotic enemies of Dr. Who, and of another Dr. Who adversary, the Cybermen.
President George W. Bush refused Friday to press Israel for a cease-fire in Mideast violence, risking a wider breach with world leaders at a weekend summit already confronting crises with Iran and North Korea. Flying here from Germany, Bush called the leaders of Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan to explore ways to end three days of furious fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Turning aside complaints that Israel is using excessive force, Bush rejected a cease-fire plea from Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora. "The president is not going to make military decisions for Israel," said White House press secretary Tony Snow. He said it was unlikely either side would agree to a cease-fire now. Snow also said that in his conversation with Lebanon's prime minister, Bush underscored that Israel has a right to defend itself, but should try to limit damage.
In Washington, Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), who chairs the Armed Services Committee, urged Bush to "think through very carefully how Israel's extraordinary reaction could affect our operations in Iraq and our joint diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue." While making appeals to Arab leaders, Bush did not call Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Snow said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Olmert, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and others.
Posted by: Fred ||
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I used to think highly of John Warner. Until he took on a RINO gown
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/16/2006 0:43
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Tell you what John. Lets have Israel send a corvette to lob missles into Richmond and see how long you decide to show restraint.
(KUNA) -- Three militants were killed Saturday and six others were arrested in armed clashes in Baghdad, Iraqi Police announced. Iraqi Army clashed with unidentified militants in Athamiya district, a source from the police said in a press statement. Police also said unidentified armed men were positioned in the streets of Al-Fathil district in Baghdad, carrying RPG missiles and light weapons. Police clashed with them, killing one militant and injuring seven others.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Question: Does anyone over the age of 18 months not have an AK and RPG?
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/16/2006 0:25
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The space shuttle Discovery detached from the International Space Station early Saturday, slipping away from the research outpost after more than a week of joint operations that set the stage for future missions.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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(KUNA) - Turkish security forces announced Saturday that a Kurdish rebel was killed in armed clashes between the Turkish Army and members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Sirnak province. Turkish Ihlas News Agency quoted a release from Sirnak's mayor office saying the military operation was ongoing.
Posted by: Fred ||
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nice roadkill pic
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 9:15
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As many as 65 terrorist modules have been busted in India in the last seven months, according to a senior official concerned with national security. However, the Government has reason to believe that many more "sleeper cells" have been "re-commissioned" and that the country needs to be vigilant against possible terror attacks, mostly being masterminded by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
In the post-Mumbai blast assessment, intelligence agencies believe that while foreign-based terror groups have managed to recruit some local support, the involvement of Indians is low. "None of the controllers is Indian," said the official. At the same time, the official assessment is that the involvement of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) is "clearly indicated."
SIMI's an arm of Lashkar-e-Taiba...
What is worrisome, according to the latest assessment, is that the ISI has succeeded in "outsourcing" some of the terror chores to groups in Nepal and Bangladesh, while there is evidence that terror networking includes elements in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. All this is to hide direct Pakistani involvement in terrorist activities in India.
According to a source inside the Chechen command, 7 Mujahideen were became Shaheeds (insha Allah) and 2 Mujahideen were gone missing as a result of combat with Russian kafirs and Chechen munafiqs in CRI's Nojay-Yurt district. The source reported that the majority of died Mujahideen were natives of Khasavyurt district of Dagestan.
The source reported that the group of 25 fighters had entered into firefight with superior forces of the enemy on July 13. The group consisted of young fighters, who never were in the action and only just went into the Jihad. Let's remind that earlier the Russian side reported about 13 Mujahideen were died and 2 were captured during the gun battle in CRI's HRI Nojay-Yurt district.
The group consisted of young knuckleheads new to the jihad game, and they got blown away. Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stoopid.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Amr Moussa. Or maybe it's Jerry Lewis this time. I'm not sure which.
Foreign ministers of 18 Arab countries passed a unanimous resolution yesterday calling on the UN Security Council to intervene to stop escalating Mideast fighting. "The Middle East peace process has failed. The whole process should now be sent back to the Security Council for a complete overhaul," said Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa. "We are going to the Security Council this is a unanimous position to discuss the whole situation from scratch," he said. "If the Security Council fails, nobody knows what might happen next," he added, pronouncing the whole Mideast peace process "dead."
"It is? Golly, Amr. How could you tell?"
"It's the stench. And maybe the gagging sound everybody makes whenever we utter the words 'peace process.'"
[GAG!]
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006
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Yup, yup, yup. Failed . Absolutely, positively. We reached that conclusion years ago, that dealing with A--rabs only produces failure. And extended talking only produces hot air. You towel heads know what happens when the talkin's over, don't ya ?
#3
For 50 years we have been doing the talking while you have been doing the shooting.
Their heads have been getting bigger over the last 50 years trying to contain the logic that allows them to continue to believe that Israel is the problem, but the fan belts that hold the towels in place have not. :-)
I think we all saw this coming. In fact, I think we all saw this coming right about now.
Iran's leadership has rejected demands to freeze sensitive nuclear work contained in an international proposal aimed at resolving the crisis over Tehran's nuclear drive, an official was quoted as saying yesterday. "In the West's proposal, two preconditions are raised: suspending nuclear activities and responding to questions" raised by the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli, the deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. "The leadership has reached the conclusion that it will not accept the precondition set by the Europeans," he was quoted by semi-official Mehr news agency, which is close to the Islamic republic's top national security body. Although a number of senior officials have over the past month spoken out against a freeze, the comments from Rahmani-Fazli the deputy of Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani are the first indication that the regime has reached a clear decision.
Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
I'm thinking either Iran is orchestrating the Hezballah war to provide distraction cover so it can continue nukes program unhindered (and work towards wiping Israel off the map)
OR
Israel is taking advantage of trigger situations in an attempt to blitz Hizballah and then take out Iran's nuke program.
Predict: Israeli bombs to drop on Iranian reactor sites. Particularly since Hizballah using Iranian missiles blatantly
#4
The US could form two teams: One for the nuke sites, one for the MMs. Give them whatever they want. Whoever does a better job of taking out their target with minimum collateral damage gets a $100k bonus for each team member. The loser only gets $50k for each team member. :-)
#5
There is so much unrest in Iran right now that any sort of attack either land or air against the MM's would percepitate a revolt.
I think all hell is gonna break loose in Iran and all we need to do is bomb the nuke sites and pass the popcorn.
What do you suppose a white turban will sell for on ebay?
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Warplanes bombed Beirut's southern suburbs again early Sunday, witnesses reported, after a day in which Israel tightened a noose around this reeling nation with the heaviest air strikes yet in the four-day-old conflict.
The Israeli air force on Saturday hit strongholds of the Shiite Muslim guerrilla group Hezbollah, bombed central Beirut for the first time, and pounded seaports and a key bridge. Then, in Sunday's early morning darkness, a half-dozen thunderous explosions shook southern Beirut, where Hezbollah is headquartered and much of the intensifying air assault has been targeted since cross-border hostilities erupted Wednesday.
Israeli warplanes demolished the last bridge on the main Beirut-Damascus highway - over the Litani River, six miles from the Syrian border - trying to complete their seal on Lebanon.
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#5
I don't want to hear "hurt." I want to hear "dead, and verified by reliable authority as being so." The verifiable authority should hopefully be the IDF.
Posted by: mac ||
07/16/2006 11:12
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#6
Number 3 on the charts with a bullet: "Last Train to Damascus."
Israel's war with Hizbullah intensified over the weekend as Katyusha rockets rained down on northern Israel, prompting the IDF to deploy Patriot missile batteries outside Haifa and Defense Minister Amir Peretz to declare martial law throughout the North. Meanwhile. a Katyusha rocket warning system is due to be activated in southern Haifa on Sunday, Home Front Commander Yitzhak Gershon said on Saturday night. The system will sound the alarm a minute before the rockets hit the ground in order for residents to seek shelter. Residents who had previously been asked not to leave their houses are requested to stay in the vicinity of shelters despite the introduction of the warning system.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Hi Fred!
I heard patriot can't bring down katyushas but CAN bring down the more sophisticated, longer-range Iranian missiles such as the one that blew up the Israeli warship.
The warship could have been protected by a missile warning system but it was switched off as the Israelis didn't realise Hizballah had the missile capability to strike at that range
#2
The missile that hit the gunboat was a Silkworm variant, from what I've read. That element of surprise thing has to be pretty delicately calibrated. The IDF is warned now.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2006 0:28
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#3
Surely, Patriot isn't the only missle defense system available to Israel.
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/16/2006 0:34
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Top||
#4
Arrow is not fully operational, nor is the laser anti-katusha system. Only Patriots and Standard 3s are fully operational, and both are anti-ballistic missile systems. Katushas and mortars are too short-ranged and too low altitude for the ABM systems. SCUDs and FROGs have an high enough arc to be intercepted.
#5
The way the Katyushas are raining down on Israel, they'd exhaust their Patriots in short order. Even if the Patriot could take out Katyushas with 100% success, they would still want to save them for bigger threats.
#6
Even if possible it doesn't make sense to targe a Grad with a Patriot. It's an ugly thought, but it's just not cost effective. I doubt there are more than 100 Patriot rounds in the IDF inventory.
Under development for nearly four years, the joint U.S.-Israeli Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) destroyed an in-flight, short-range Katyusha rocket for the first time during a June 6 test. Although Lieutenant General John Costello, commanding general of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, hailed the test as turning "science fiction into reality," the laser must still undergo several more tests, including tests against multiple rockets, before being shipped to Israel later this year, as currently planned.
Stemming from an April 1996 commitment from President Bill Clinton to then-Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres to help defend northern Israeli cities from terrorist attacks, THEL is a high-energy chemical laser designed to shoot down short-range rockets. In the June 6 test, THEL identified, tracked, and shot down the Katyusha rocket, which was traveling at about a speed of Mach 1, without any preprogrammed information on the rocket's trajectory or outside guidance. The effective range of the laser is classified, and its operational performance is susceptible to environmental factors, such as wind, rain, and fog.
At present, Israel only intends to take delivery of the current THEL demonstrator, while the United States has no plans to acquire the system, which Pentagon officials say is not mobile enough for U.S. defense needs. However, a U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command spokesperson remarked that the "THEL success demonstrates that high-energy lasers do have the potential for meeting the Army's need" for defenses against rockets, mortars, and artillery. The current program is expected to total more than $250 million dollars, including an Israeli contribution of $67.5 million.
That test was back in 2000. The US has significantly progressed in THELs on movable platforms but none are operationally deployed to my knowledge.
#8
How about the Phalanx CIWS (correct me on the name or acronym). Isn't it the rapid fire/fill-the-sky-with-lead-and-let-the-incoming-round-hit-it device? Is it a question of range - i.e. katyusha's trajectory crossing the border is out of range?
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2006 10:57
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#10
Thanks Frank - I note the range is "classified", but since it's a Gatling gun (albeit at the top of the chart, #1 hit parade type) I suppose it all comes down to physics. Might as well invite any gunnies into the discussion - is there an existing weapon with the range to hit a mid flight projectile - at whatever trajectory - from the mortar to the katyusha?
Israel's northern border is so short (compared to, say, Korea) is it practical (yet) to line it with an anti-projectile defense system?
Or de we need to just erase the violent and gruesome parts of the Koran and wipe out the adrenaline charged, overly excitable types who take them literally?
#12
eLarson:
Yep, they can hit mortar, rocket & arty with very accurate counterbattery. And have been. That's where most of the 'civilian' casualties in Lebanon have probably been coming from - counterbattery hits on launchers in family courtyards etc.
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