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Five individuals were killed and several were wounded including two police officers in three separate shootings in towns in and near Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Wednesday night, according to Mexican news accounts.
Two police officers were shot and wounded in an attack in Allende, Nuevo Leon by armed suspects. Victor and Erica Ledesma Ruiz were heading back into town aboard their official vehicle when they were attacked. Both siblings are expected to survive the shooting.
Between the municipality limits of Apodaca and Guadalupe in the Valle Soleado colony in Monterrey, three unidentified individuals were shot to death and two more were wounded aboard their Dodge Stratus.
It is not yet determined whether the victims were gang affiliated or civilians.
Two unidentified individuals were shot to death and two others were wounded in a shooting in the Santa Anita colony south of Monterrey.
In the Navy
NAVY chiefs battling a staffing crisis have taken the unprecedented step of ordering a two-month shutdown over Christmas, and have told personnel with child-care problems that they can work from home.
The navy has also ordered all ships not deployed on operations home for Christmas to try to combat a 2020 shortfall in trained personnel.
In addition, the number of sailors forced to stay on board ships docked in their home port on "duty watch" as sentries will be reduced from previous levels of 15 to 20 people to a skeleton staff.
Instead sensors and alarms will be used to guard the ships, with the ultimate aim being to do away with the need for any people at all.
Navy chiefs say the drastic measures are part of a plan to combat recruitment problems by creating a more family-friendly environment.
All local commanders have also been ordered to allow personnel affected by the ABC Learning child-care crisis more flexible working arrangements - and to work from home if necessary - until they have found alternative care.
Defence, like most of the public service, relies on ABC Learning for child-care services for its workers. Hundreds of children of navy personnel have been affected by the collapse of the child-care giant.
Navy chiefs, in a communication to all local commanders, directed that "following the announcement that ABC child care has gone into receivership", they must be "understanding of this stressful situation as the new working year approaches".
"Local commanders are to make every effort to negotiate flexible working arrangements that allow families to manage their commitments at home and at work until the situation is resolved," the directive says.
The stand-down period will run from December 3 to February 3, and will be a permanent arrangement every year.
This Christmas 500 navy personnel will remain deployed overseas and in waters north of Australia. If an emergency occurs, other personnel will be ordered back to work.
But thousands of sailors who might previously have been deployed on ships over December and January on exercises or training activities will not be this year, and will be able to take longer than usual holidays.
The extraordinary measures are a part of an initiative called "New Generation Navy" aimed at attracting and retaining more staff by changing the culture of the navy and improving the work-life balance of personnel.
The navy loses 11 per cent of its workforce every year and last financial year only achieved 73 per cent of its full-time recruitment targets.
The Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Crane, told the Herald "this program is about, where I can, providing an opportunity for our people to have a good break.
"This is about generating some space and taking advantage of an opportunity for [personnel] to be able to have a bit of time to spend with their families at home, a bit of time to spend with their mates."
He added: "It's about getting a culture in place that's about working smarter not harder, and I think we owe that to our people.
"By doing that I believe we can significantly reduce some of the separation rates we're seeing at the moment."
Leading Seaman Christine van Lieshout is a mother of three whose husband is also in the navy.
She believes the new Christmas arrangements will be "fantastic".
A reservist at navy headquarters at Russell in Canberra, Leading Seaman van Lieshout recalls spending Christmas in 2003 alone with her children because her husband, a chief petty officer, was on deployment to Christmas Island.
"That was pretty horrible," she said. "We were basically watching everyone else with their families we received a phone call late in the afternoon from him and that was Christmas."
This year Leading Seaman van Lieshout and her husband, Rodney, will both go on leave on December 19, and will spend the holidays with their children Daniel, 16, Ashley, 11, and Stephanie, 13.
Her husband has just returned from a six-month deployment in the Gulf, during which time he missed his children's birthdays, Father's Day and a confirmation.
"The children have not had an opportunity to see their dad very much, so having the opportunity to have Rodney home a lot longer is fantastic because it gives them bonding time and takes a bit of pressure off me."
She said the initiatives were "fantastic for a lot of people".
A mother of two from Sacramento, Calif., says that McDonald's uses toys as bait to induce her kids to clamor to go to McDonald's and to develop a preference for nutritionally poor Happy Meals. With the help of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, today the mom, Monet Parham, is filing a class action lawsuit aimed at stopping McDonald's use of toys to market directly to young children. The suit will be filed in California Superior Court in San Francisco shortly after the court opens for business Wednesday morning.
According to Parham, the main reason her six-year-old daughter, Maya, asks to go to McDonald's is to get toys based on Barbie, i-Carly, Shrek, or Strawberry Shortcake. The food seems almost beside the point to the kids, says Parham, because the toy monopolizes the attention of Maya and her two-year-old sister Lauryn. How about you exercise good parenting and actually be a PARENT to your kid instead of a self-entitled fucktwit? These people need to be shipped to China or any other authoritarian country and kept out of ours.
#1
Princess, let me introduce you to a word my boy says often. It's "NO".
Really, you can use it, too! Sure, the kid will have a spaz, probably out in public. But here comes the really clever part....you ignore the temper tantrum and wait 5 minutes.
Then you can feed the twerps some real food (no, not that gawdawful texturized vegetable protein crap....something that came from a farm, not a lab....). Lather, rinse, repeat.
#7
dunno about Mickey D having the guts to actually shut this pos off: it didn't work for the coffeein the crotchbitch (twice) now we get little warnings that tell us : Warning coffee may be hot.
More proof, if proof were needed that Amnesty International has lost the plot.
Amnesty International says Australia could be breaching international law when it hands suspected Taliban insurgents to US forces and Afghan authorities.
The Federal Government has confirmed it will continue to hand low-risk detainees to the Afghan government, while transferring high-risk prisoners to the US. It says it will monitor the detainees to make sure they are treated appropriately.
But Amnesty's Asia Pacific director, Sam Zarifi, says the US continues to deny some prisoners fair process. He says the Afghan government is accused of torturing detainees.
"In Afghanistan abuse by the National Directorate of Security is a virtual certainty, and the American system - every day it operates is essentially a violation of international law," he said.
"The system punishes the innocent and fails to appropriately provide accountability for those who have done bad things.
"Unfortunately with this decision Australia has bought into this failed system."
A pair of white British Muslim converts who joined al-Qaeda have been killed in a drone attack in a mountainous region of Pakistan, according to reports. The men, one of whom was apparently called Steve, died five days ago when a Hellfire missile was fired from a remote controlled American drone in the town of Datta Khel. If confirmed, they would be the first white British converts to have been killed in the area. The militants, who were aged 48 and 25 and using the pseudonyms Abu Bakr and Mansoor Ahmed, were in a vehicle with two other fighters.
They had entered the country last year and travelled to the town in North Waziristan in the lawless tribal belt bordering Afghanistan, to join al-Qaeda, the report on Channel Four News said.
In September another British militant called Abdul Jabber, who was of Asian descent, died in a drone attack in the same area.
There have been at least 25 such strikes in Pakistan since September, killing around 50 people. The tactic has been stepped up as the United States attempts to tackle fighters who gather openly in Pakistani villages and compounds.
However the strategy is not officially acknowledged by the CIA and last night Western intelligence sources were unable to confirm the reports.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
12/15/2010 16:36
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#3
Is this the same drone attack that zapped Fahd Mohammed Ahmed al-Quso (on the FBI's most wanted terrorist list)? Also known to have met with 911 hijackers and to have been involved in the bombing of the Cole.
EXCLUSIVE: A leader of Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard is promising that American generals will be targeted and killed in revenge for last week's attacks on two of his country's leading nuclear scientists -- a threat Middle East experts say must be taken seriously.
In a speech published in Farsi at an Iranian website linked to the Revolutionary Guard, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naghdi was quoted as saying that the filthy Americans and the Zionists should not think that with killing our scientists, they can divert our nation from its path of Jihad and scare us.
He continued with a specific threat: We will mark the hanging sites of the American and Zionist generals and we will identify which hanging was in retaliation for the blood of our great martyr Shahriari.
#1
In the midst of all this excitement, you've got to ask yourself one question,
"Do I feel lucky?"
"Well, do you, punk?"
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/15/2010 15:57
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#2
Well, given the current state of play in Wasshington, it would be interesting to see what the weak kneed political and diplomatic class would and would not allow the Pentagon to do about it if the killing of an American general could be definitively traced back to the iranian government.
I'm guessing, no, they (pols and diplos) wouldn't allow much in the way of a strong military response.
And no, I despise the thought of such a scenario occurring, so don't say I'm "rooting" for such a thing.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
12/15/2010 16:05
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#3
They should ask Pentagon staffs to nominate candidates.
#5
#3: I nominate Mullen; he needs to visit early and often. Give him a feeling for the love.
I know. Very uncharitable of me. Heartfelt though.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
12/15/2010 17:27
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#6
"President" O'Bumble SHOULD tell Iran that if they kill an American general, we nuke a major Iranian city. Start with Bushehr (nuclear reactor) or Abadan (Iran's only oil refinery), then hit Qom and Bandar Abbas. Let them know that any new attack on the United States or its people will be VERY expensive to them. If we don't, then every American can figuratively be considered to have a bulls-eye painted on their back, wherever they are. That includes in the United States. Of course, O'Bumble doesn't have that much intelligence, so it'll never happen.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/15/2010 18:01
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#7
They had better pick the squishiest REMF General they can find, because if they pick the wrong one, the General might get the first blood that's been on the family heirloom knuckle duster trench knife since WWI.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/15/2010 19:06
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#9
Military families can be different. Like when the groom removes the bride's garter, and her gun falls out of her thigh holster, cutting the cake with a cavalry saber, etc.
A synthetic derivative of the curry spice turmeric, made by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, dramatically improves the behavioral and molecular deficits seen in animal models of ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Two new studies suggest that the novel compound may have clinical promise for these conditions, which currently lack good therapies.
Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death of older people in the United States, while TBI is the leading cause of death and disability in both civilians and military personnel under the age of 45; in particular, it is the major cause of disability in veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In both conditions, those who survive frequently have serious behavioral and memory deficits.
There is no clinically documented treatment for TBI. The big question is must it be given *before* the injury, or can it be given *after* the injury?
Easy enough to sprinkle over food, like the spice it came from, so easily added to MRIs as a little packet like salt and pepper.
#1
Obumble dithered and dallied on dealing with that spill, hoping to exacerbate it into some sort of crisis to use to prop up all kinds of crazy legislation and thinking.
I'm sure the lawsuit against BP will include all kinds of energetic debate about this. And I'm sure it will get all kinds of undesirable press coverage.
And didn't BP already agree to about $20B or some such figure?
Mayor Tom Bates said the council didn't have enough information to determine whether Manning is "a hero or traitor." Don't have enough information? Try following the news.
At least they didn't feel they had enough information to call him a hero after all.
I am just aghast at how shameless Pelosi and Reid are. They've flown the entire party to a major fatal crash site and they don't realize that all they are doing is piling up more campaign issues to use against the survivors.
#2
On the first day of the next Congressional session, I'd like to see Boehner march across the Mall with a gavel twice the size of Pelosi's big prop gavel. He should go through a crowd of people clearly parodying disgruntled liberals and then he should hold a press conference claiming that he was called a honky (which he should refer to as 'the h word').
I'm serious! Can you imagine the hysterical media fury? And the greater the reaction, the more juicy soundbites to make the left look ridiculous. I think most independent voters would be amused (and hopefully enlightened) and we know that Republicans would enjoy it.
#3
Better yet, since you got stuck actually doing the budget that was "deemed past", vote to remove all funding for all programs were not on last years budget. Even better, freeze the government up totally by floor reading bills.
Border Patrol agent Brian Terry, 40,was shot and killed on Tuesday night near Rio Rico, Arizona after encountering a group of suspects, federal authorities said Wednesday. It happened at around 11 PM near Peck Canyon, 10 miles north of the border. Four suspects are being held and another is being pursued.
#6
I wouldn't expect this story to get a whole lot of traction in the MSM, certainly not enough for the kind of general outcry that would lead to anybody's resignation or impeachment. Let's see how much time the likes of Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer give it tonight. I'm afraid they'll be much too busy with Bernie Madoff and the Holiday Shopping.
#7
Safe bet DOJ is looking for ways to punish the dead man's family for conspiracy to make the poor little illegals look bad...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
12/15/2010 14:30
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#8
#7 Safe bet DOJ is looking for ways to punish the dead man's family for conspiracy to make the poor little illegals look bad...
That wouldn't surprise me considering the treatment our CBP guys get when they actually get a chance to shoot back. Consider the circumstances surrounding the two CPB Agents who's sentences were commuted by GW Bush prior to his leaving office.
I think this is just he beginning of this kind of problem.
#9
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who had planned earlier this week to visit the border on Friday, apparently is moving her trip up a day because of the shooting.
Yeah, she's gotta get busy with the denial and double speak...no time to waste...
Bipartisan political reaction to Terry's killing came swiftly from Capitol Hill.
Did they need a committee and a press conference to emphasize the bipartisanship of their bipartisan reaction?
How about actually doing something meaningful about the problem!?
#11
The govt is willing to tie the hands of the Border Patrol, and then appear to wring their hands when this predictable thing happens. Dereliction of duty on all these so called leaders.
They have a good man's blood on their hands.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/15/2010 16:02
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#12
It is now being reported that this was a gun battle between several border patrol agents and the group of illegals 10 miles inland. Therefore the illegals were well armed.
All song writers are poets. Good, bad, or embarrassingly dreadful, but poets nonetheless.
Musician. Performer.
Eh? Isn't that what successful actors and musicians are, within their particular genre?
Rocker Jon Bon Jovi can now add one more title to his impressive resume: White House appointee.
That impressive resume' can be summed up as popular singer-songwriter, with all the other fancy words left out.
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama signed an executive order establishing the White House Council for Community Solutions, and Bon Jovi appears as one of the individuals appointed to the group.
"The Council will provide advice to the President on the best ways to mobilize citizens, nonprofits, businesses and government to work more effectively together to solve specific community needs," states the release. And people wonder why the world thinks Obama is completely ineffective and weak?
It's like Congress voting for National Chocolate Day. It does no harm and may result in bigger donations in the next election.
#2
The Obama mental picture I get is a huge fish Flopping around in the bottom of a boat.
Very out of place, ideas, and his element.
(Whatever the hell his element really is)
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 12:12
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#3
Someone cut the cheese
And your to blame
You gave the air
A bad smell (bad smell)
#4
Ooh, he's a White House appointee
We know he got the job just
Because he's a celebrity
Ooh, he's a White House appointee
Posted by: Mike ||
12/15/2010 15:39
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#5
The Council will provide advice to the President on the best ways to mobilize citizens, nonprofits, businesses and government to work more effectively together to solve specific community needs.
Sounds like Obama's re-election campaign is starting off on the goverment's dime.
Classy...real classy.
Here is a one review:
This book should be read by any and all Catholic clergy and laymen interested in Islam. While some of the information provided will call for great tact and sensitivity if shared with Muslim friends and acquaintances, it will readily furnish the needed resources and references required to help both Muslims and non-Muslims come to a clearer understanding of Islam and its growing influence in our world today. Dr. Philip Blosser, PhD, Professor of Philosophy, Sacred Heart Major Seminar another reason to read the book (it is free) is that Wario is well versed in Islam and discusses the Quran's Issa (Jesus) verses in considerable detail both theologically and personally
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
12/15/2010
08:15 ||
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#8
The Telegraph seems to have pulled the article, or at least directed to one about Mr. al-Abdaly's accomplices. Here's another article on the subject at the Independent.
From the article:
Mona Thwany became a fanatical Muslim around the time of the Sept 11 attacks and in turn radicalised her previously westernised husband, it is alleged.
Her grandmother Maria Nedelcovici, who lives in Romania, said that Taimur Abdulwahab al-Abdaly could have been persuaded to abandon his deadly bomb plot if his wife had intervened.
British investigators are understood to be focusing on possible links to al-Qaeda in Iraq and the associated group the Islamic State of Iraq, or al-Muhajiroun the banned group with a strong presence at the fundamentalist mosque Abdulwahab attended in Luton.
Mr Lindstrand said: "He was totally unknown to the Swedish Security Police. He came to Sweden from Luton in November so of course it's important to us to know if there is anything of interest there."
Explosives experts believe Abdulwahab could have killed 100 people and injured 500, but his car, which was filled with gas canisters, caught fire prematurely and his suicide belt is also thought to have gone off before he intended.
Meanwhile Abdulwahab's one-time best friend recalled how the bomber had spent time as a community radio station disc jockey in his home town of Tranas, but became withdrawn after he moved to Luton to study physical therapy at Bedfordshire University.
Pelle Johansson said: "He wanted to be a physiotherapist. His ambition was to come back to Sweden and open his own clinic, but something changed when he was in England." He added: "Taimur liked to play hip hop and pop music and he was popular with everyone, including girls."
#2
i can think of a couple ways this can be used that would be positive. for example goodwill gifts to the locals to ingratiate us. however i feel that the likelihood of that is low. most likely a pandering handed down from the top.
Posted by: abu do you love ||
12/15/2010 12:09
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#3
This is a list of items for bid, Muslim related to include camo prayer rugs for the Air Force. They don't issue Bibles and crucifix's to Christians, why are they issuing religious items to Muslims?
The influential Islamist movement issued a religious decree today against participation of Jordanian forces in peace missions lead by the US forces around the world.
The group said joining American forces in their military presence in Afghanistan and Sudan is religiously taboo, a verdict that will likely cause controversy in this Muslim nation.
''Fighting alongside the Americans means supporting non-Muslims against Muslims, this is haram (taboo) and those who do it can consider themselves non-Muslims,'' said the group in a statement made available to ANSAmed. The Islamist group said support should be directed to resistance in Afghanistan and other parts where fighting against American forces takes place and called on soldiers to disobey their leaders in this regard.
The pro-west Jordan is one of the few Arab countries to support Nato forces in Afghanistan and has an active peace missions across the world including Sudan, Congo, Indonesia and in some parts of central America.
The kingdom has also trained Afghan forces on its territories on hope of enabling the troubled forces over take security once the Americans reduce their presence in Afghanistan
#1
There will never be peace with this us(Muslim)and Them(Infidel)mentality.
Posted by: Paul ||
12/15/2010 7:56
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#2
"Influential Islamist Movement". That reminds me of the often media quoted "Influential Sunni Scholars" of Iraq, who were "influential" only in the minds of the media, until they and their followers were so thumped that even the media started referring to the as just the "Sunni Scholars."
I also remember in the first few years of the occupation, the ISS didn't get diddley-squat, ever, despite the protestations of the media that they had to be obeyed.
#6
If the pope had requested that gays refrain from sex during a World Cup held in Rome, do you suppose that Mr. Blatter would have been equally deferential? The analogy may not be perfect, but it's close enough to make the point.
#3
Those who have disbelieved our signs, we shall roast them in fire. Whenever their skins are cooked to a turn, we shall substitute new skins for them, that they may feel the punishment; verily, Allah is sublime and wise. Quran 4:56
In spite of its mineral riches, Baluchistan is Pakistan's poorest province. Islamic extremists and local nationalists are opposed to Punjabis in their midst. They increasingly attack teachers who dare teach mixed schools. The rise in Islamic schools is directly correlated with the rise in murders, at least 22 in less than 30 months
AoS note: put posts into the proper category, not 'tech & moderator notes'. Thx.
#5
What is that thing? all I see is a Greek cross atop St Andrew's cross. And that curvature of the earth nonsense, that astronaught from Indonesia proved beyond a doubt that the earth is a disc. Better not be film of the prayer group...if you pull out last years Fatwas! in Three Languages, volume 3, idols and humility section, page 747, it clearly explains that film is the same as painting or drawing with light and therefore not only steals the soul but is considered idoltry on a massive scale. But me, personally, am waiting for the ruling on digital storage and playback. I mean how crazy is that? Is it just an arrangement of electrons? I for one think it is like those self inking stamps - you know the image is hidden then you stamp and boom! sorry expression of speaking - your address but you look at the bottom of the stamp and there is no address. So in my pious opinion yes. Yes it is imaging and idoltry but you know they are the holy men so what they say is true beyond truth no matter what.
And if you disagree I'm gonna break your forearm and blind both your eyes with your exposed bones until you say its a peaceful gathering of peaceful people you got that? Now, you got a smoke for me? Oh, and a subway token I'm late for something.
It may slow down the Muslim invasion of Australia a little bit, but then again, maybe not.
ABOUT 50 asylum seekers were believed dead after their boat was smashed to pieces in violent seas off western Australia, the Royal Flying Doctor Service said, with 36 others injured.
"We understand, and it's not confirmed, that there are about 50 dead, and about 33 walking wounded,'' said Flying Doctors' spokeswoman Lesleigh Green, adding that they expected to pick up another three critically ill passengers.
Three asylum seekers are believe to be critically injured and will be airlifted to Perth.
Rough seas off Australia's northwest coast are continuing to hamper rescue, recovery and aid efforts hours later.
An Indonesian fishing vessel, believed to have been carrying up to 80 people from Iraq and Iran - including women and children - smashed into a cliff face at Christmas Island, about 2600km northwest of Perth.
Acting Prime Minister Wayne Swan said he had briefed PM Julia Gillard, who is on holiday, about the situation and said the rescue was on-going.
"We've just had a tragic incident," he said. "It will be some time before we have a clear picture of these events and their consequences."
"A number of people have been rescued and sadly ... a number of bodies have been retrieved."
Two planes from the Australian Flying Doctor Service were expected to fly from Perth to Christmas Island later Wednesday, but may not be able to land because of monsoonal weather conditions in the area, Sky News reported.
#3
The drowning of innocents is always bad, Chris.
Check at the dry cleaners: you might have left your humanity there with your shirts.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/15/2010 9:10
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#4
Excalibur and Chris, the definition of a jerk, according to Sidney J. Harris, is a person unable to look in a mirror and shudder at what he sees there.
#5
There was an article on Facebook (don't have a link) that said a lot of Christians were fleeing the Middle East for anywhere they think they'll be welcome. I KNOW the Christians in Indonesia are looking for a way out, especially those in West Irian. Some of them have been hiking the 700 miles to Papua New Guinea. These refugees may be Muslim, but there's an equal chance they're Christians fleeing oppression.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/15/2010 13:39
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#6
It really doesn't matter what religion they are, or even whether they had a right to flee to Australia or not: this is horrifying and tragic.
#7
More of the same can be expected, if boats are still leaving Indonesia for Christmas Island. The summer wet season is in full swing and the seas North and West of the W.A. coast are a cyclone (hurricane) breeding area. Even the standard daily storms are extremely violent- a friend was managing some buildings up that way, and after a storm he would have to go up on the roof and clean off all the jellyfish.
#8
Check at the dry cleaners: you might have left your humanity there with your shirts.
The present Labor Government was trying to show its "humanitarian" and "compassionate" side when it started piling "sugar" on the table which lured these asylum shoppers to their death. But that's OK because good intentions which give you a warm fuzzy feeling is more important than good outcomes which sounds so mature and fuddy duddy.
#9
I doubt that anyone on Rantburg agrees with the Australian government's asylum policy, Tipper. But unlike Excalibur and Chris, most of us don't find 50 basically innocent men, women, and children being drowned to be a cause for pithy comments.
#10
Secret Master,
Well over a thousand of there asylum shoppers have drowned in the last ten years being ferried in leaky fishing boats by people smugglers, from Indonesia.
They have been told over and over till people are blue in the face not to cross or bring their children with them. But will they listen? Not a bit of it. Just more lies from the kuffar, they say.
Well they might listen now with plenty of footage of the disaster. If they don't listen, there is only the Darwin Award left for them.
Two suicide bombers blew themselves up near a mosque in southeastern Iran on Wednesday, killing at least 38 people at a Shiite mourning ceremony, state media reported.
The attack took place outside the Imam Hussein Mosque in the port city of Chahbahar, near the border with Pakistan, the official IRNA news agency said.
The bombers targeted a group of worshippers at a mourning ceremony a day before Ashoura, which commemorates the seventh century death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein, one of Shiite Islam's most beloved saints.
Southeastern Iran is home to an armed Sunni militant group, Jundallah, or Soldiers of God, which has waged sporadic attacks to fight alleged discrimination against the area's Sunni minority in overwhelmingly Shiite Iran.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the use of multiple suicide attackers to target Shiite worshippers is a tactic the group has employed in the past.
One of the attackers detonated a bomb outside the mosque and the other struck from inside a crowd of worshippers, state TV reported.
Security forces shot one of them, but the bomber was still able to detonate the explosives, the report said, quoting deputy Interior Minister Ali Abdollahi. A third attacker was arrested, state TV said.
Forensic official Fariborz Ayati put the number of dead at 38 and said they included women and children, IRNA reported.
Mahmoud Mozaffar, a senior Iranian Red Crescent Society official, said emergency services had been put on alert over the past few days because of anonymous threats, according to another news agency, ISNA.
The deputy interior minister blamed Sunni militants, an apparent reference to Jundallah.
"Evidence and the kind of equipment used suggest that the terrorists were affiliated with extremist ... groups backed by the U.S. and intelligence services of some regional states," Abdollahi was quoted as saying by state TV.
Iranian officials claim Jundallah, which has operated from bases in Pakistan, receives support from Western powers, including the United States. Washington denies any links to the group, and in November the State Department added Jundallah to a U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations.
#1
per the AP article on the subject, the speaker of the Parliament Ali Larijani said, "Such actions can be done only by the Zionist regime and the U.S."
That's probably what Abdollahi meant to imply when he said "... intelligence services of some regional states".
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
12/15/2010 15:20
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Federal judge Larry Burns is expected to rule on Wednesday whether a $2 billion solar project can be built on 10 square miles of federal land east of San Diego. The Quechan tribe, is arguing that the land was set aside for conservation and that the project could harm its natural and cultural resources. So could a butterfly flapping its' wings in China.
San Diego Gas & Electric had hoped the project, which is designed around mirrored dishes that concentrate the sun's heat onto Stirling engines, would help meet the state's requirements for green energy.
The Irish-backed companies behind the project have spent $20 million so far, Gannon told the judge. Gotcha!
They were hoping to get construction started before Dec. 31 to qualify for up to $600 million in federal grants, but that's highly unlikely, she said.
Posted by: Bobby ||
12/15/2010
06:29 ||
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#1
designed around mirrored dishes that concentrate the sun's heat onto Stirling engines.
Surprisingly sound idea, for Caliphornia, but a Boiler running conventional Steam turbines would work better,
I own a smsll operating stirling, and the effency sucks.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 12:23
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#2
Jim: where did you commercially acquire a Stirling engine, how much did it cost, and how do I get one?
Tactlessly stated by a military man with poor political skills. This is new technology. If the military installations are not protected, they won't be able to get at those attacking the civilian areas. Second round of installations no doubt will cover the big cities and the border areas, then the third round of installations will get the rest. That's how I'd do it with limited supplies, at any rate.
Maj. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, commander of Israel's northern front, has dropped a bombshell by disclosing that the anti-missile systems the defense industry has developed are intended to protect the country's military installations, not its cities and civilian population.
"The residents of Israel shouldn't be under the illusion that someone will open an umbrella over the heads" in the event of a massive missile and rocket attack by Israel's enemies, he declared in a speech Sunday at the University of Haifa.
Eisenkot's uncompromising statement did nothing to ease a spate of dire warnings by political and military chiefs in recent weeks that Israel's cities, particularly Tel Aviv and its densely populated environs, will be major targets in any new conflict.
In November, the outgoing head of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, gave an equally bleak forecast to the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, noting that "future wars will be much bigger, much wider and with many more casualties" than Israel's conflicts in Lebanon in 2006 and the Gaza Strip in the winter of 2008-09.
The key factor here is that Iran, Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza are expected to bombard Israel relentlessly with an unprecedented firestorm of missiles and rockets if hostilities break out once again.
Israel got a taste of that in the 34-day 2006 war, when Hezbollah unleashed nearly 4,000 rockets into northern Israel, the heaviest bombardment Israelis have ever suffered.
These weapons, mainly unguided rockets, killed around 50 people.
Next time, Israel is likely to be hammered with far greater broadsides using missiles with far greater range, accuracy and destructive power than ever before. Fatality forecasts run into thousands.
The Israeli military estimates Hezbollah has at least 42,000 rockets and missiles, hundreds of which can hit anywhere in Israel. Syria is reported to be receiving advanced missiles from Iran and to be upgrading the capabilities of its existing arsenal. Iran reportedly has more than 100 Shehab-3b ballistic missiles deployed and to be developing a more powerful weapon, the Sejjil-2, capable of hitting Israeli targets.
After 2006, when Israel's vulnerabilities to missile attack were exposed for all to see, the country's defense industry raced to develop defense systems to counter this new threat.
The Arrow system, capable of intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles at high altitude and at long range, was already in operation, largely funded by the Pentagon. But this system is useless against shorter range weapons.
Enter a system called Iron Dome, designed to counter the short-range rockets like those used by Hezbollah and Hamas, and another, called David's Sling to defend against medium-range missiles.
Two batteries of Iron Dome, built by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, are ready. But military planners say at least 20 are needed if the system is to be anywhere near effective.
Rafael is still developing David's Sling and the first live-fire test is scheduled for the next few months.
#1
Nothing that the US-NATO + USSR-WARPAC didn't employ during the Cold War, i.e. that the most effective way of protecting civilians is to protect the nation's ability to mil counterrespond wid a high prob of success.
aka DETERRENCE.
However, as Iranian + Syrian LRBMS + other MilSys improve over time, IMO TERRSTRIKES INSIDE ISRAEL WILL EVOL FROM ATTACKING CIVILIAN TARGETS TO ATTACKING MILITARY ONES, ESPEC BMD AS PART OF A UNILATERAL OR PREEMPTIVE "FIRST-STRIKE" BY SYRIA + IRAN, ETC.
* WAFF > THE CHANGE IN EAST ASIA, as ilustr
by CHANGES IN THE DYNAMIC AS PER NORTH-KOREA-VS-SOUTH KOREA.
* SAME > THE MISSLE CRISIS. US-vs-Iran [+ Hugo = Iran LRBMS in Venezuela].
ARTIC > AUTHOR = Iran's Ahmadinejad feels he can safely put Missles in Venezuela because he perceives POTUS Bammer as WEAK. MOUD BELIEVES OBAMA IS NO JFK, i.e. WILL NOT STAND WHERE IT MATTERS IN A CRISIS DESPITE EXTANT MISTAKES IN HANDLING; + THAT THE RADICAL, WINNER-TAKES-IT-ALL MOUD IS NOT THE BLUSTERY, BUT CAUTIOUS, NIKITA KRUSCHEV THAT JFK FACED IN CUBA.
IOW, MOUD = thinks POTUS BAMMER WILL QUICKLY OR ULTIMATELY SURRENDER = "BLINK FIRST". Unlike the aftermath of the Cuban Missle Crisis, there may not be a post-MIKITA LEONID BREZHNEV TO BEGIN THE GREATEST SOVIET AMERIKAN MIL + NUCLEAR BUILDUP IN OWG USSA = OWG USRoA HISTORY???
#3
Tact doesn't fly far with the Israelis. They are more able to understand and accept this necessity than the average American. I wish our government was as forthcoming.
That's way too long. I'd be in favor of cutting it back to 125 years, assuming good behavior.
[An Nahar] A North Carolina man who has spent a decade in prison for allegedly aiding Hizbullah is trying to get his 155-year sentence cut, The Charlotte Observer reported. To borrow from Richard Pryor in Stir Crazy, he'll be 190 years old when he gets out ...
Mohammed Hammoud, who was convicted in 2002 of conspiring to provide material support to a "terrorist organization" and 13 other crimes, will ask a U.S. judge at a hearing Wednesday to reduce his sentence to time served, or at least no more than 15 years.
Prosecutors say that his cell smuggled cigarettes from North Carolina to Michigan and sent the illegal proceeds to Leb to finance Hizbullah.
"The overwhelming evidence here is that Mr. Hammoud's original sentence is a miscarriage of justice," attorneys James McLoughlin and Stanley Cohen argued in court documents.
But Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Brown and Craig Randall wrote, "Defendant was motivated by fanatical terrorist ideology and, thus, represents a serious future danger to society."
"Any sentence less than life imprisonment will provide defendant the opportunity and the motivation to carry out acts of violence," they said.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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#1
be magnanimous. Split the diff and call it 85 yrs
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/15/2010 10:07
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#2
Change it to life, the hanging's tomorrow.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 14:43
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That'll give the crewmen some stories to tell their grandkids when they sitting by the fire. Not that their grandkids are gonna believe them...
[Emirates 24/7]Pirates attacked an Italian fat merchantman with a crew of 23 in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday but have so far failed to gain control, Italy's coastguard said.
"Right now, the ship is performing evasive manoeuvres to escape from the pirates who have failed to take control," Ansa news agency quoted the coastguard command as saying.
The captain of the 225-metre-long "Michele Bottiglieri" grain carrier, an Italian, sent a SOS via satellite to the operation center of Italy's coastguard command.
The coastguard immediately alerted naval forces operating in the area, including an Italian navy ship, for a possible rescue, officials said.
Three of the crew of the Michele Bottiglieri, which is registered in Torre del Greco near Naples, are Italian while the others are Filipinos.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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#1
Can I guess they don't have any Roccos or Guidos on board then?
#3
You've got a 750-foot long ship, weighing several hundred thousand tons. Start doing some very wild maneuvers, turning first toward and then away from the pirate launch, altering speed from full ahead to full astern. Sooner or later you're going to hit that da$$$$ skiff the pirates are in, and it's going to dump its crew into shark-infested waters. Most of the pirates will probably NOT be able to swim, and certainly will be in danger of being sucked into the freighter's screws. Pretty soon, it's going to be too expensive in lives and equipment lost for the pirates to continue, or they'll start picking easier targets, like fishing boats. Even there, a gaff hook works equally well on a 150-pound Somali as it does on a 300-pound tuna. The only reason the pirates are succeeding is that the crews of these ships don't have enough gumption to fight back. When they do, the pirates beat feet.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/15/2010 14:04
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#4
You've got a 750-foot long ship, weighing several hundred thousand tons. Start doing some very wild maneuvers, turning first toward and then away from the pirate launch, altering speed from full ahead to full astern
Do you have any idea how long it takes to stop a vessel of that size? Or to go from forward to reverse? Especially with a propulsion plant and a hull that's not designed for quick moves?
We're talking 'fat merchantman', not a cruiser. A ship designed to haul grain. As in "a full load of grain". It'd be like trying to do a slalom course in a dump truck loaded with sand.
The maneuvering makes sense, if only to keep the pirates from boarding.
Any would-be terrorist can easily outsmart the ubiquitous backscatter scanners found in major airports around the world, two scientists say.
The Transportation Security Administration's X-ray backscatter scanners have been the center of a widespread controversy, following concerns from privacy advocates that they take nearly naked photos of people. The trade-off is improved security, of course. Yet Leon Kaufman and Joseph W. Carlson, two physics professors at the University of California, San Francisco offer a stark conclusion: They can be easily duped, according to a recent paper published in the Journal of Transportation Security. No - the trade off is a increased false sense of security.
"It is very likely that a large (15--20 cm in diameter), irregularly-shaped, cm-thick pancake with beveled edges, taped to the abdomen, would be invisible to this technology -- ironically because of its large volume, since it is easily confused with normal anatomy," the researchers said in the paper. Kaufman and Carlson conclude that some types of foreign objects can be reliable detected only if they are packed outside the sides of the body, and some well hidden items would be impossible to see even with the scanner. Such a shaped object would probably also be undetectable to even the grope-searches the TSA loves to give. How does the groper know if that is your breast (or beer belly) or 5-20 lbs of explosives without really feeling (as in skin on skin contact) or actual examination?
Because of the inherent detection methods, raising the level of X-ray exposure and thus the picture clarity wouldn't help. "Even if exposure were to be increased significantly, normal anatomy would make a dangerous amount of plastic explosive with tapered edges difficult if not impossible to detect."
The TSA maintains that the machines remain an integral part of their security arsenal. Of course it is. Its not intended to actually find anything or stop any threats. How many attacks have the TSA stopped so far? None.
The intended 'target' is the American public - to get them used to being stripped searched at the whim of government bureaucrats. It's security theater ...
Not the actual details, of course, but the fact that they're taking place.
(KUNA) -- The French government on Tuesday gave a strong message of support for the "determination" of the United States to pursue peace efforts in the Middle East, specifically between Israelis and Paleostinians.
"La Belle France welcomes the speech made by (US Secretary-of-State) Hilary Clinton in Washington on December 10," French Foreign Ministry front man Bernard Valero said at a briefing.
"We note with satisfaction the determination of the American Administration to pursue its important and numerous efforts on the Middle East grinding of the peace processor file, despite the obstacles encountered," he said.
Valero said that "in the absence of peace the only winners are the cut-throats and the only victims are the populations of the region." While the French official admitted in answer to KUNA questions that "there is nothing new" in the statement today, he did emphasize that it was important to set out the ground-rules for future efforts and to draw up the framework and context for moving forward.
He also said in his answers that La Belle France was "showing its mobilization" through support for the US and through "its dialogue with the parties." "We naturally lend our full support to the pursuit of the American efforts. It is important that the international community, notably the European Union, are associated with these," the official said.
The US efforts to broker direct talks between Paleostinians and Israelis faltered because of Israels outright refusal to stop or even extend a freeze on illegal settlement building in occupied Arab lands like the West Bank, and also in East Jerusalem, which is to be the new Paleostinian capital and whose status is not to be changed until a final status accord is signed.
La Belle France reiterated the EU position adopted Monday and which calls for a negotiated settlement, more coordination with the Quartet, which has been conspicuously absent from the scene, and remarked positively on the progress by the Paleostinians and the institution-building in territories they control.
Additionally, La Belle France recalled that the EU statement calls for affirming Israels right to security and the right of the Paleostinians to have their own State. These rights cannot be called into question, despite a tendency by some to do so on the international scene, Valero pointed out.
The EU statement, Valero indicated, also recognizes the steps taken by Israel to ease some of the blockade on Gazoo and also points out the willingness of the European Union to help rebuild and develop Gazoo.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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They're "positive" any talks aren't gonna last long, that nothing of substance is gonna come of them, and that they're gonna discard any agreements they make as soon as it suits their convenience.
[Emirates 24/7] China said on Tuesday that North Korea had agreed to help prevent any escalation of tensions with the South and had a "positive attitude" about the resumption of talks aimed at ending its nuclear drive.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told news hounds that officials in Pyongyang had expressed that view during a visit last week by State Councillor Dai Bingguo, ... "and Bingguo was his name-o!" ... who met with North Korean leader Kim Dear Leader Jong-Il
.... hereditary dictator of North Korea. His definition of reunification isn't the same as the definition in Seoul...
That trip came amid high tensions between the two Koreas sparked when the North shelled a South Korean island on November 23, killing four people including two civilians.
"The two sides believe that all parties should keep calm and exercise restraint, take a responsible attitude to avoid further escalation of tensions and play a constructive role in safeguarding peace and stability," Jiang said.
The two sides "will continue to push forward the six-party talks process committed to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula (and) realising the normalisation of state-to-state relations among countries involved," she said.
The spokeswoman said North Korea "has taken a positive attitude" on a resumption of the stalled negotiations bringing together the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.
Beijing has been under renewed pressure to rein in its ally Pyongyang in the wake of the deadly shelling.
The United States, South Korea and Japan gave the cold shoulder to a Chinese proposal for emergency six-way negotiations, saying North Korea must demonstrate its commitment to change first.
US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg is to visit Beijing this week to press for stronger action from China.
Regional tensions also spiked after Pyongyang disclosed a new uranium enrichment programme that has further sparked fears it could produce more material to make nuclear bombs.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, at a meeting Monday in Moscow with his visiting North Korean counterpart Pak Ui-Chun, expressed "deep concern" about the new capability and urged Pyongyang to comply with UN Security Council resolutions banning its nuclear activities.
In Beijing, Jiang said: "As for the uranium enrichment programme, we hold that parties should implement relevant UN resolutions and take a responsible attitude to carry out international obligations."
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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Somebody disposes of a disposable assassin. The only person surprised was probably him, and him not for long.
[An Nahar] A man wanted on charges of murdering Lt. Col. Abdo Jasser and Adjutant Ziad al-Mais in October was found dead in the Bekaa town of Majdal Anjar on Tuesday.
Mahmoud Mohammed Ajjaj, 30, was found dead with several gunshot wounds in a location near the sugar factory in Majdal Anjar.
Investigations got underway to identify the circumstances as the army and the Internal Security Forces encircled the area.
Jasser and Mais were killed on October 21 when their vehicle came under gunfire during a raid aimed at finding an army deserter in Bekaa.
The eastern Bekaa Valley has historically been known as a safe haven for runaways and gained particular notoriety during the 1975-1990 civil war as a fertile hashish-growing region run by tribes.
In April, three soldiers were killed in an ambush on a patrol in the Bekaa when a prominent clan sought Dire Revenge™ for the killing of one of their members, a drug baron who refused to stop at an army checkpoint.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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Al-Jizz is an arm of al-Thani family policy, which is why it treads on so many people's toes. However, in the past ten years it's seen a bit of competition grow up, some of it pretty good, so it's a problem -- assuming it is actually a problem -- that will recede with time. The only reason it still remains a problem is the widespread existence of ministries of information. [An Nahar] Kuwaiti authorities have closed the office of the Qatar-based pan-Arab Al-Jazeera news channel over coverage of a police crackdown on a public gathering, the channel said on Monday.
"Today, I received a phone call from the information ministry informing me that the office has been closed immediately and our accreditations have been withdrawn," Saad al-Saeedi, Al-Jazeera's bureau chief in Kuwait City, told Agence La Belle France Presse.
Ministry officials had delivered the office a letter that stated the reason for the closure was "the latest developments and your interference in Kuwait's internal affairs," Saeedi said, quoting the letter.
The channel had aired extensive coverage of the police crackdown on a gathering held by the Kuwaiti opposition on Wednesday.
It showed footage of police beating activists and aired interviews with members of the Kuwaiti opposition following the festivities in which four Kuwaiti MPs and a dozen citizens were hurt.
In a statement, Al-Jazeera denied the charge of meddling in Kuwaiti affairs, saying it was just doing its job.
"Al-Jazeera, which has adhered in its coverage of Kuwaiti affairs to hosting all parties, condemns considering its professional coverage an interference in Kuwaiti internal affairs," it said.
"Al-Jazeera vows to continue to cover Kuwaiti affairs with full professionalism and balance."
Three Kuwaiti opposition MPs on Monday filed a motion to question the prime minister in parliament over the police action and alleged government clampdown on public freedoms.
Kuwait closed the office of Al-Jazeera in November 2002 in the run-up to the U.S.-led war on Iraq because it said the channel took a hostile stand against Kuwait, and for security reasons, before reopening it in May 2005.
This followed an official visit by Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, whose country has often had problems with other Arab states over Al-Jazeera's news coverage.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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#1
the office has been closed immediately and our accreditations have been withdrawn,"
A small step but a good one, and in the right direction.
Muzzle the Rabid Muzzies and leave the rest alone.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 12:39
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There's a lot of money to be made in the religion racket, and Fazl takes it personally when the flow's shut off. [Emirates 24/7] A key partner in Pakistain's ruling coalition says it is defecting to the opposition, leaving the US-allied government one vote short of a majority in the National Assembly.
The announcement by the Islamist party Jamaat Ulema Islam threatens the existence of the weak civilian government whose cooperation is critical to America's war effort in neighbouring Afghanistan.
JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman Known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty ... said Tuesday the party is leaving because one of its ministers was sacked over a scandal involving Mohammedan pilgrimages to Soddy Arabia arranged by the government.
The next session of parliament is slated for December 20, giving the ruling Pakistain People's Party some time to cobble together a new coalition.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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#1
Obviously Ray-Bans are not Haram.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 13:03
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"Who is Silvio?
What is he, that all our voters commend him?
Holy fair and wise is he,
Such grace did heaven lend him,
That he might admirèd be."
[Emirates 24/7] Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Tuesday scraped through a crucial confidence vote in parliament, overcoming one of the most serious crises in his 16-year political career. Berlusconi won with a razor-thin majority, as 314 politicians voted in his favour with 311 against and two abstentions in the 630-seat Chamber of Deputies lower house.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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Salafists and Deobandis don't have shrines. Brelvis do. Keep that in mind next time you're blaming all Muslims for the actions of the 15 percent.
[Pak Daily Times] Taliban stormed a shrine in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar and killed three of its custodians, police said on Tuesday.
Police said five beturbanned goons attacked the shrine of Ghazi Baba at Badabher on the outskirts of Peshawar and opened fire on four custodians. Three of them keeled over dead while the fourth sustained injuries.
Police said a search operation had been launched to apprehend the attackers and added that the motive behind the incident was unclear.
Local residents said the custodians of the shrine had received threats from faceless myrmidons.
In a separate incident, three people, including a woman, were maimed when a police vehicle was targeted with a remote-controlled improvised bomb in Nagman area of Peshawar in the morning, police said.
The bomb was planted near a gas pipeline and went off as the van passed by it.Taliban stormed a shrine in Peshawar and killed three of its custodians, police said on Tuesday.
Police said five beturbanned goons attacked the shrine of Ghazi Baba at Badabher on the outskirts of Peshawar and opened fire on four custodians. Three of them keeled over dead while the fourth sustained injuries.
Police said a search operation had been launched to apprehend the attackers and added that the motive behind the incident was unclear.
Local residents said the custodians of the shrine had received threats from faceless myrmidons.
In a separate incident, three people, including a woman, were maimed when a police vehicle was targeted with a remote-controlled improvised bomb in Nagman area of Peshawar in the morning, police said.
The bomb was planted near a gas pipeline and went off as the van passed by it.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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Negotiation involves trading tits for tats. Getting guarantees means you don't have to give anything away -- all the load's on the other side. Or you can just wait them out and eventually the EU will recognize you and express surprise you don't already have all the stuff you've been demanding.
[Bangla Daily Star] Paleostinian leader the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas was hoping to secure a series of US guarantees before resuming peace talks with Israel, as he met with Washington's Middle East envoy.
George Mitchell returned to the region on Monday for the first time in months on a mission to salvage peace talks between Israel and the Paleostinians a week after Washington admitted that direct negotiations were off the menu.
Mitchell is trying to secure Paleostinian agreement to discuss the key issues of the conflict through indirect negotiations with the Israelis.
Ahead of the morning meeting, a senior Paleostinian official said Abbas was hoping to get Washington's answer to a list of demands laid out in a letter handed to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ... sometimes described as the Smartest Woman in the World and at other times as Mrs. Bill... last week by chief Paleostinian negotiator Saeb Erakat.
"Last week, Erakat delivered a letter to Hillary saying that they want US guarantees and answers before returning to any negotiations, direct or indirect," the official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. ... for fear of being murdered... "We are now awaiting the answer to that letter."
The letter lays out two key requests on which the Paleostinians are conditioning their return to any peace talks with Israel.
Firstly, it demands US guarantees that there would be "a complete halt to settlement in the West Bank and east Jerusalem."
It also calls on the United States to recognise a Paleostinian state based on Israel's borders of before the 1967 Six-Day War in which the Jewish state seized the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, and the Gazoo Strip.
If Washington refuses, the letter asks that the administration of President Barack B.O. Obama not take steps to prevent the Paleostinians from seeking such recognition from the UN Security Council.
"If there was no agreement on these points and no recognition by the administration of a Paleostinian state, then the US administration was requested not to block the Paleostinians from going to the Security Council and the General Assembly," the source said.
"Abbas is waiting for US answers to his request, which he expects Mitchell will have during his meeting today in Ramallah."
The letter also asks for Washington to reaffirm its commitment to ending Israel's occupation of the territories seized in 1967 and the establishment of a two-state solution, with a Paleostinian state within those borders.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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#1
list of demands laid out in a letter
"First you give us everything we want, then we'll talk, but after you give us everything we want, there's no need to "Talk".
Typical Muslim bullshit.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 13:09
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#2
Problem is, OBumbles / Biden is just stupid enough to fall for it.
#3
Isn't there a commercial where two youngsters are sitting on a bench, one with a candy bar and the other with a hammer. "Trade you my candy bar for your hammer." One says, the other says sure and they trade.
Guy with the hammer bonks the other one and gets his candy bar back.
A few terrorists are nothing in the overall scope of relations so there won't be any discernible impact, despite the fact that Venezuela's now a rogue state.
[El Universal] Alleged ETA members Arturo Cubillas and José Angel Urtiaga, who live in Venezuela and Cuba, respectively, failed to appear on Tuesday in the Spanish National Court in Madrid, where they were subpoenaed to testify as suspects in the case where their alleged links between the Basque gang ETA and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have been investigated.
Despite their absence, Judge Eloy Velasco, of the Spanish National Court, did not order any action against them, because there are search and arrest warrants against them since late February, when they were indicted.
Cubillas, 46, and residing in Venezuela since 1989, is an official at the National Lands Institute (INTI), an agency attached to the Venezuelan Ministry of Agriculture. In early October, two suspected ETA cut-throats said in the Spanish National Court that they were trained by Cubillas in weapons use in Venezuela in 2008, DPA reported.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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#1
Y'know, they can cut out the middlemen and give those frigates they're planning to sell to Yugo straight to the ETA instead.
It's not just girls' schools, it's all schools, because education outside a madrassah is un-Islamic.
But education in a madrassah makes the graduate unemployable, except as jihadi cannon fodder. Jihadi leaders -- sorry, successful jihadi leaders bring some sort of secular, technical education to the table that prepares them to be trained as bomb makers or management. Madrassah boys are qualified to wear bomb vests and wave AK-47s.
[Pak Daily Times] Terrorists blew up three primary schools in Saafi tehsil and Bazar Zaka Khel with explosives, official sources said on Tuesday. The buildings of Government Boys' Primary School, Shah Zarin, and Government Girls' Primary School, Malak Dostan, were razed to the ground with bombs late on Monday. Government Boys' Primary School Amlook Killi, Bazar Zakha Khel, was blown-up on Tuesdsay evening. The school was located in the far flung and inaccessible area of Bazar Zakha Khel in tehsil Landikotal. The Bazar Zakha Khel area is a stronghold of different terrorist outfits, sources said. So far no terrorist group has grabbed credit for blowing up the schools. The total number of schools destroyed by the Islamic fascistihas reached 73. The house of a Saafi tehsil peace committee's volunteer, Ali Akbar, was also blown-up with explosives, sources added.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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There's no limit to the size of the lies you can concoct if you have no regard whatsoever for the truth.
[Bangla Daily Star] Leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the party widely condemned for opposing the country's independence and collaborating with Pak occupation force during the Liberation War, is now accusing India of planning the murders of intellectuals on December 14, 1971. All that proves is that the JeI leaders understand what a problem the murders are ...
"The intellectuals had stayed in the country till December 14, 1971 as they felt safe here. They were against a war being fought from India. That big power realised that they won't become its agents," said Jamaat's Acting Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam yesterday.
"So, it cannot be said that the big power [India] was not behind the killings of the intellectuals as the trial for the crimes was not held."
He was addressing a discussion to mark the Martyred Intellectuals' Day. Jamaat's Dhaka city unit organised the event at its Paltan office.
After the discussion, when this correspondent asked Azhar if he was refusing that Pak Army and their local collaborators were behind the killings, the Jamaat leader said he wouldn't make further comments as he had told everything in the speech.
Sensing defeat the Pakistain army and their local collaborators -- razakars, Al-Badr and Al-Shams -- on December 14, 1971 killed eminent doctors, academicians, engineers, journalists and educationalist. They do a lotta "sensing" over there...
It's a sensitive part of the world. Curious, though, that the Pakistani army and their local collaborators so thoroughly executed -- so to speak -- the Indian plot. One would think they'd oppose on general principles anything coming from the devious Hinjoo, as the Pakistanis so cleverly misname them.
Azhar in his speech said, the intellectuals were killed on December 14 but the Indian Army had already captured the entire capital on December 12.
Jamaat's Dhaka city unit acting Ameer Hamidur Rahman Azad said they [the intellectuals] were killed because they didn't want Bangladesh to be subservient to India.
Jamaat top brass including its chief Motiur Rahman Nizami are now facing trial for crimes against humanity in 1971.
In 2007, Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid in another outrageous comment said there were no war criminals in the country.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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#1
India must have done a great up job and couldn't find anymore.
The terrorist ideal is that every time somebody opens his mouth to give a speech there's a grenade tossed.
[Pak Daily Times] Suspected rebels hurled a grenade at a paramilitary vehicle on Tuesday in the Indian-held Kashmire (IHK), injuring two troops and four civilians and sending bystanders fleeing in panic, police said.
The attackers lobbed the grenade at the vehicle in Pulwama town, south of Srinagar, when IHK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was addressing a group of coppers nearby.
The grenade injured three civilian men and a woman and two paramilitary personnel, Police Superintendent Abdul Razak said.
"People ran for safety when they heard the blast," local resident Ayaz Ahmad Bhat said.
Security forces searched the area, looking for the terrorists. So far, five people have been killed and 46 injured in grenade attacks this year, including the latest attack, down from 18 deaths and 99 people injured in 2009.
But popular pro-independence protests since June have left more than 110 protesters and bystanders, many of them teenagers and young boys, dead.
Posted by: Fred ||
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The story doesn't actually say whether the birds are in hand. I suspect they're not. (KUNA) -- A Dutch woman and 17 other members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) designated foreign terrorist organization were indicted by a federal grand jury here today on seven counts of terrorism and weapons charges arising out of their participation in the hostage-taking of three American citizens in the Republic of Colombia, the Justice Department announced here Tuesday.
The Department said in a statement that the indictment charges Tanja Anamary Nijmeijer, 32, who moved to Colombia and joined the FARC in 2002 and the other 17 defendants "with one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking, three substantive counts of hostage taking, one count of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of conspiracy to provide material support to gunnies and a designated foreign terrorist organization." The three former hostages, identified as Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes, were held in the Colombian jungle by members of the FARC for more than five years, until their rescue by Colombian military forces in July 2008.
"Today's indictment demonstrates our firm resolve to bring to justice every last FARC commander who played any part in this brutal act of terrorism," US Attorney for the District of Columbia Ronald Machen said.
For his part, John Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, of the FBIs Miami Division said that the FARC "has authorized the use of violence and attacks against American citizens to forward their mission of terrorism." "Today's indictment represents the continuing commitment of the FBI to fully investigate and to bring to justice gunnies throughout the world who harm citizens of the United States," he stressed.
Todays charging document represents the fifth indictment issued in the District of Columbia against various FARC members involved in the kidnappings, the Justice Department indicated.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Lost an election? Just have the lame duck legislature vote a measure saying you can do anything you want.
[El Universal] Vice President Elías Jaua announced that the draft Enabling Law submitted to the National Assembly will be effective for 12 months and will allow President Hugo Chavez to have special decree powers to address the emergency caused by heavy rains in Venezuela.
The Venezuelan Vice President said that after the expected approval of the draft Enabling Law, "the first decree-laws will be passed in 15 days."
"The President has requested (special decree powers) for 12 months in order to create a package of laws required to address a serious crisis, which is mainly the result of structural causes that still keep Venezuelan people trapped in poverty. Natural phenomena occurred in the last decade due to the global climate change have worsened this crisis," Jaua said.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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#1
Heil Chavez?
Posted by: Water Modem ||
12/15/2010 10:36
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I wonder how many decades "12 months" will extend to.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/15/2010 14:06
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In 12 months it will rain again.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
12/15/2010 14:32
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Hugo Chavez: now so progressive that he's become a fascist... or is that redundant?
I can't quote Mein Kampf chapter and verse or anything (it's amazingly tedious), but I'm pretty sure the blueprint for what Chavez is doing is in there.
Russia on Monday criticized North Korea over the artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island last month, brushing aside claims that it was a response to a preemptive strike by the South.
Better late than never. Perhaps the Russians would be ready to be useful for a change ...
"It was confirmed that a fatal artillery attack on a nation's territory deserves denouncement," said a statement the Russian Foreign Ministry issued Monday after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met his North Korean counterpart Pak Ui-chun.
Russia, along with China, urged self-restraint on both Koreas after the North sank the Navy corvette Cheonan in March, but the Yeonpyeong shelling was apparently a provocation too far for Moscow.
Lavrov also expressed "deep concern" about the North's uranium enrichment project at Yongbyon and called on it to comply with UN Security Council resolutions 1718 and 1874, according to the statement.
On Nov. 23, when the North shelled Yeonyeong, Lavrov censured the North Korean attack in a press conference. Two days later he said South Korea's "firing drill is one thing and shelling a residential area is quite another. People died and that is most important."
"Russia has noted the facts objectively. We are doing our best to help Russia share views with us," Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan told reporters Tuesday.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/15/2010
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Mouth, Mouth,Mouth,Mouth and do nothing(I didn't get a "Harumph" outa that guy)
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 12:47
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At some point they're going to have to talk to each other, if only to sign an agreement. But an agreement is never, never going to come because the Paleostinians don't want one on any terms but their own and those terms don't have room for a Zionist state.
Never mind the Zionist state stuff, those terms leave no room for living Jews, period.
[An Nahar] Washington's Middle East envoy George Mitchell is to arrive in the region on Monday for talks with both sides as the B.O. regime attempts to keep alive the battered grinding of the peace processor.
The visit, Mitchell's first in nearly three months, comes after the United States admitted it had failed to secure a new Israeli settlement freeze that would have allowed the continuation of direct peace talks.
Mitchell is to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening, then on Tuesday head to the West Bank city of Ramallah for talks with Paleostinian leader the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas.
On Wednesday, Abbas is due in Cairo to discuss the situation with diplomats from the vaporous Arab League.
Following the collapse of the negotiations, the U.S. envoy is expected to ask both sides to outline their ideas for an eventual peace deal.
"The U.S. is today going to ask both sides to hear their positions," opposition leader Tzipi Livni told Israel public radio from Washington, where she held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. ... sometimes described as the Smartest Woman in the World and at other times as Mrs. Bill...
"I have no doubts the Paleostinians will be asked to put their positions on the table. Then we will see any difference between what they say in public and what they say in private," she said.
However, The infamous However... the Israeli daily Haaretz said most of the pressure would be on Israel.
"The brunt of the work will be in Israel because the Paleostinians have already submitted their opening positions on all the core issues -- borders, security, Jerusalem, refugees, water and the settlements," the paper said.
In a speech on Friday, Clinton pledged that despite the crisis, Washington would remain engaged, and she encouraged the two sides to address core issues through indirect talks.
Clinton's speech came after weeks of fruitless efforts to convince Israel to impose a second freeze on West Bank settlement activity.
A previous 10-month freeze expired at the end of September, just weeks after Israel and the Paleostinians embarked on direct peace talks.
Since then, the two sides have not met up, with Abbas refusing to talk while Israel continues to build on land the Paleostinians want for a future state.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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Not too sure what UNIFIL does with tanks anyway. Have they ever fired a tank round anywhere? Has any UN "peacekeeping" operation outside of DRC done so?
[An Nahar] The United Nations, aka the Oyster Bay Chowder and Marching Society Interim Force in Leb (UNIFIL) has implemented the recommendations of the joint technical assessment conducted by the peacekeeping operations administration and UNIFIL by withdrawing heavy combat tanks (Leclerc) from the rapid intervention unit and replacing them with light armored vehicles equipped with anti-tank capabilities, UNIFIL front man Neeraj Singh announced Tuesday.
The step comes as part of UNIFIL's objectives to boost its mobility and rapid intervention capabilities and in order to reduce the level of annoyance caused to villagers and the damage inflicted on roads and other infrastructure as a result of the use of heavy armored vehicles, Singh said in a statement.
Posted by: Fred ||
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A trifle bemused to see that French LeClerk tanks are tearing up the roads in PRC. The example that I saw in the French Armour Museum at Saumur was mostly made of plywood.
If they're not careful the coppers will thump knobs on their 'alternative' heads. Hosni's a pretty bare-faced dictator.
[An Nahar] Egypt's new parliament convened for the first time on Monday, as about 20 opposition politicians defeated in disputed legislative polls announced the formation of their own rogue legislature.
The new parliament re-elected Fathi Srour as speaker ahead of a formal opening session on Sunday, while prominent opposition figure and independent MP Mustafa Bakri read a statement on the creation of the "People's Parliament."
Bakri and other legislators, including from the opposition Mohammedan Brotherhood and the liberal Wafd party, stood on the steps leading to Egypt's State Council.
The State Council or Maglis al-Dawla is the court authorized to settle administrative disputes concerning the exercise of public power.
The rogue MPs pledged allegiance to respect the constitution and said their alternative parliament would reflect the will of the people.
Two dozen protesters also joined the politicians outside the court, some of them holding placards saying the November 28 and December 5 parliamentary elections should be nullified.
"Blatant fraud: Nul. Nul. Nul," said one sign.
Others held up a white banner that read: "This is the coffin of fairness and transparency."
Obama could use one of those banners for the White House porch.
A coalition of rights groups which monitored the vote has called for the dissolution of the new parliament.
The ruling National Democratic Party of geriatric President Hosni Mubarak clinched control of four-fifths of the new parliament, securing 420 of 508 seats, while independents garnered 70 seats and the opposition trailed far behind with 14 seats.
Wafd secured six seats although it had boycotted the second and last round of voting along with the Mohammedan Brotherhood on December 5.
The Mohammedan Brotherhood won a fifth of seats in parliament at the last election in 2005 and none in the last polls.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Emma Goldmann is smiling in her grave. No matter how high you falute your theoretical concepts, this is what anarchy looks like.
[Yemen Post] At least eight people were killed in Al-Mlahedh district when Houthi followers attacked a house in Al-Maqsher tribe in Sa'ada province killing the whole family.
Tribal sources said that Houthi followers also attacked Ktaf district, arresting at least one of its citizen.
Private sources told Yemen Post that an exchange of gunfire between Houthi followers and rustics from Al-Malhedh district took place, killing several Houthis and injuring others. Houthi information bureau did not confirm the information.
The Interior Ministry said that festivities between the two sides stopped, but each side returned to its position, with increasing tension between them.
Houthi followers also blocked off the main road in Al-Malhedh district, capturing residents there, Interior Ministry added.
Posted by: Fred ||
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It's a Yemeni jail. What did they think was going to happen?
[Yemen Post] Houthi detainees held in connection with the rebellion in the far north were abused at political security jails in Saada and other provinces, the Houthi information bureau said on Monday.
The front man for the Houthi Group Muhammad Abdul Salam said in a statement to the Alsahwa website that their detainees were brutally tortured at jail.
We obtained information that one of the detainees had died under torture, said Abdul Salam, as he held the government responsible for the abuse of the detainees. "We urge an investigation into the abuse and other illegal acts against the war prisoners."
Meanwhile, ...back at the ranch... the website quoted its correspondent in Saada as saying that the riot police were seen rushing to the political security prison, but the reason was unclear.
The government and the group reached early this year a ceasefire ending a six-year war in northern Yemen, but sporadic festivities between Houthis and tribes have since left many casualties.
Posted by: Fred ||
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SEOUL, Dec. 14 (Yonhap) -- Lockheed Martin Corp. can deliver F-35 fighter jets as early as 2016 if it wins South Korea's multi-billion dollar contract for a fighter modernization program, a senior company executive said Tuesday, dismissing doubts over a delay in the new warplane's flight-test schedule.
I'm sure that's what Lockheed would say. Might even be correct.
South Korean officials say the cost rise for an individual F-35 aircraft, stemming from the delay, is a potential obstacle for Lockheed in an upcoming tender by Seoul for 60 fighter jets, valued at 9.7 trillion won (US$8.5 billion).
Seoul is expected to invite bidders as early as next year for the third stage of the fighter modernization program to replace aging F-4E and F-5E/F jets that have been involved in several deadly crashes in recent years. The delivery of new aircraft is scheduled to start in 2016.
The delay in the flight-test schedule, however, would force South Korea to buy F-35s after 2018 if it selects Lockheed, South Korean officials said. Lockheed, Boeing Co. and a consortium of European firms led by EADS have expressed interest in the tender.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/15/2010
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If one thinks about fighter jets as 'commodities' it makes sense the price in dollars would rise, just due to the devaluation of the dollar.
Mexican president Felipe Calderon was threatened with death in an anonymous posting in a narco blog Sunday night, according to Mexican press source.
The death threat is said to be a response to last week's Policia Federal operation which killed La Familia leader Nazario Moreno Gonzälez, alias El Chayo in Apatzingan, Michoacan.
The threat appeared in the popular narco blog El Blog del Narco Sunday night warning reader to stay away from shopping and hospitals.
Michoacan is Calderon's home state. His sister, Maria Luisa, is seeking state office under the Partido Accion Nacional banner in 2011.
The message in part reads: ""Beware Felipe Calderón, pray to thy holy because we bring the blessing of our God. Nazario our God, may God rest his soul. his will not stop until you die..."
Several armed groups associated with La Familia are named in the message as well including Pumas, Los Bravos, Los Leones, La Resistance, The 5-5, The Elites, The LF, Los CHAYITO, The Machito, Las Fieras, Los X, Los de la A.
"Do not panic, try not to go out for federal pork, no disrespect to them, and to avoid further bullet losses. Do not go to hospitals, do not go shopping, watch TV and stay at home please." the message adds.
The message declaims their threats as narco-terrorism related, rather as a guerrilla war.
The Blog del Narco is a website frequented by various participants from both sides in the Mexican Drug War.
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqs Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has reiterated in a reception here on Monday of visiting U.S. Commander of the Joint Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, the necessity to activate the Strategic Security Agreement, signed between Iraq and Washington.
The Prime Minister has also reaffirmed during the meeting the significance of further strengthening of Iraqs relations with the United States in different fields, as well as the activation of the Strategic Security Agreement, a statement by the Prime Ministers office said on Tuesday.
It stressed that Maliki had also called during the meeting, attended by the U.S. Ambassador to Baghdad, on the Unites States to render support for the Iraqi Armed Forces and Security bodies in the fields of training, armament and developing Iraqi expertise in these fields.
Admiral Mullen, on his part, has reiterated the U.S. Administrations support for Iraq in all fields, especially in training and armament, highly assessing the current progress of the Iraqi Armed Forces and the Iraqi security bodies, the statement added.
Posted by: Steve White ||
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Sorry, but Pres. Obama doesn't want an alliance with Iraq because that could validate Bush's Middle East strategy. Better for Obama if it ends with a messy divorce.
Posted by: American Delight ||
12/15/2010 7:43
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The heavy casualties will come. They've already been there in Britain and Spain. The next step will be for them to become routine. But that's okay. Y'all just continue denying you're being colonized.
[Emirates 24/7] Stockholm narrowly avoided mass casualties not seen in Europe for some time when it was attacked by a jacket wallah at the weekend, Sweden's foreign minister said Monday.
Carl Bildt told BBC television that the bomber was just minutes and "a couple of hundred metres" from causing catastrophe when he went kaboom!" in a busy shopping district of the Swedish capital on Saturday.
The bomber, who Sherlocks strongly believe was Taymour Abdelwahab, was the only person to die in the attack. Two other people were maimed when the bomber detonated a car before blowing himself up.
Bildt said he did not know the bomber's exact target but added that he appeared to have been "heading into probably the most crowded place of Stockholm at the most crowded time of the year.
"He was heading into a place where if he had went kaboom! all of the ordnance that he had with him... it would have been mass casualties of a sort that we have not seen in Europe for quite some time," he told the programme Newsnight.
"We were extremely lucky... I mean minutes and just a couple of hundred metres from where it would have been very catastrophic."
An Islamist group has said Abdelwahab, a Swedish citizen who had been living in Britain, targeted Sweden over its military presence in Afghanistan.
The attacker was carrying a cocktail of explosives and probably meant to wreak carnage among Christmas shoppers, Swedish prosecution chief Tomas Lindstrand said.
Bildt said that Sweden was working with other countries, including Britain and the United States, to figure out whether the bomber had any accomplices.
British police have been searching his house in Luton, just north of London, where he had been living with his family.
"It might be that he was operating on that particular night alone," said Bildt.
"It might be that preparations and training and whatever was part of a wider network. But that is obviously something that the authorities are extremely keen to find out."
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The next step will be for them to become routine.
You mean like the French Car-B-Ques?
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 12:56
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The crackdown on bad guyz has to be regarded as a temporary thing because the other major party in Bangla is the BNP, who partners with Jamaat-e-Islami and extends a sympathetic hand behind the scenes to the terrs.
[Bangla Daily Star] The Rapid Action Battalion busted a hilltop training camp of the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami in Chittagong on Monday. Obviously it is good news, for it demonstrates the state of alert in which the security forces remain where handling militancy is concerned. There is little question that despite all the operations against them, large numbers of religious forces of Evil remain active and could yet pose a grave threat to the security of the state. A heightened and constant state of alert is, therefore, a clear necessity. Unless these disruptive elements are tackled firmly and militancy is firmly put to an end, the future of democratic politics in Bangladesh will remain something of a question mark.
That said, it must be noted that despite all the organized state action against Islamic myrmidons, forces like HuJI Founded in 1984 by Fazlur Rehman Khalil and Qari Saifullah Aktar. The Bangla branch was established in 1992 with assistance from Osama bin Laden. Recruits come mostly from Deobandi madrassahs. HuJI and Fazlur Rehman Khalil are signators of bin Laden's declaration of war on the west. keep rearing their heads and are found ensconced in different pockets of the country. That should serve as a telling message for all, the government as well as the people of the country. It is quite clear that even as we have gone in determined fashion after the thugs, we are yet to have a situation where we can legitimately claim that militancy has been done away with for good. The question now arises as to whether or not a change in strategy in dealing with extremism is called for. The constant raids we have seen being made against Islamic myrmidon camps are certainly a necessity. The forces of Evil need to be nabbed and their hideouts destroyed. But then comes the question of what the government must do about convincing the Islamic myrmidons, once they are captured or jugged, that theirs is a wrong course and that they need to come back to society as individuals willing to respect others and adhere to the law. In other words, the task of nabbing forces of Evil must be followed by a process of re-education for them. Nothing can be more dangerous than for the state to keep forces of Evil in prison and punish them for their activities without considering measures of how they can be reformed and returned to society.
A process of re-education for forces of Evil is rendered all the more crucial by the fact that their extremism is based on a severe degree of indoctrination they have gone through at the hands of their Islamic myrmidon mentors. What has so far been happening is that once a group of forces of Evil is nabbed or killed, a fresh new group emerges, necessitating new action on the part of the security forces. In other parts of the world, re-education of people considered dangerous for the state has been the norm over the past many years. The system can be replicated here.
One cannot ignore the fact that most of these religious forces of Evil happen to be young men driven by what they think is a cause. It then remains the responsibility of the state and society to wean them away from their incendiary ideology and restore in them the belief that politics is a matter of accommodation, that it is an arena where diverse and divergent points of view are at peaceful play. More importantly, measures must be taken at the intellectual, academic and political levels to ensure that the young do not fall for or embrace such lethal ideologies. Preventive steps, more than corrective ones, are the requirement.
The discovery of the HuJI camp in Chittagong is a call for intensified action against militancy. It is, at the same time, an opportunity for a rethink on how we should be dealing with Islamic myrmidons, the better to enable them to understand the folly of their ways.
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BANGLA BAD/HARD BOYZ
versus
* CHINESE MILITARY FORUM > [YouTube News]BANGLADESH ARMY STANDS READY TO INVADE BURMA [Myanmar], JIHAD MAY CONQUER AN [South Burma + large parts of SE ASIA].
Mexican president Felipe Calderon told US Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) in October 2009 he was aware that Venezuela president Hugo Chavez funded one of his opponents in the 2006 Mexican presidential election, according to various online news sources.
This new information, brought to light through a leaked US State Department of State cable two weeks ago, also revealed that Chavez was involved in several activities in Latin America, termed "everywhere", by Calderon, especially in Mexico.
The cable detailed the content of an October 19th, 2009 meeting between Calderon and Admiral Dennis Blair in Mexico City, then the US DCI, who was fired by President Obama in May, 2010 over an unrelated matter.
Calderon told Blair he concluded that Chavez gave money to Partido Revolucion Democratica candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for his 2006 presidential run which he narrowly lost by less than a half percentage point.
Lopez Obrador has denied the allegation.
Following the election Lopez Obrador charged that an outside group headed by former Mexican president Vicente Fox, unfairly influenced the election by campaigning on behalf of Calderon. The issue was brought to court by Lopez Obrador after the election, but was ultimately dismissed by a court.
The PRD was originally a coalition of several Mexican communist and socialists parties formed in 1989, and is the most left wing of all major Mexican national political parties.
Another issue raised at the meeting was an warning by Calderon that in order to counter Chavez's ambitions in Latin American, the US would need to engage the incoming Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's first female president and like her predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a leftist and a member of the democratic socialist Workers Party.
The day after the revelation about Chavez funding the PRD, Lopez Obrador issued a Twitter tweet challenging Calderon to prove the his claim.
If that's the case they probably just got tired of the sound of Mottaki's voice.
[An Nahar] Iran said Tuesday its nuclear and foreign policies will not change after President Mahmoud Short Round Ahmadinejad fired Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and replaced him with the atomic chief.
"Iran's major international policies are defined in higher levels and the foreign ministry executes these policies. We will not see any changes in our basic policies," foreign ministry front man Ramin Mehmanparast said at his weekly briefing.
"I don't think there will be any changes in the nuclear policy and the talks" with world powers over Iran's nuclear program, he said.
Ahmadinejad on Monday named Ali Akbar Salehi, a vice-president and head of Iran's atomic energy organization, as caretaker foreign minister after sacking Mottaki.
No reasons were given for the surprise move, which came just days after Iran held crunch talks in Geneva on December 6 and 7 with world powers over its controversial nuclear dossier.
Further talks are scheduled for next month in Iran's neighbor Turkey.
Salehi, 61, who was appointed atomic energy chief on July 17, 2009, has been a driving force behind Iran's atomic program, and during his tenure, the country's first nuclear power plant has come on line.
Earlier this month, at a security meeting in neighboring Bahrain, Mottaki hailed as a "step forward" remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ... sometimes described as the Smartest Woman in the World and at other times as Mrs. Bill... that Iran is entitled to a peaceful nuclear energy program.
Clinton had told the BBC that Tehran could enrich uranium for civilian purposes in the future, but only once it has demonstrated it can do so in a responsible manner and in accordance with Iran's international obligations.
Mottaki's comments appeared to cut across the Islamic republic's official position, repeated almost daily, that its enrichment of uranium is non-negotiable.
Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
IRAN'S "NO CHANGE"
and
* TOPIX > IRAN PLEDGES SUPPORT TO LEBANON'S ARMY.
versus
* TOPIX > [Israeli President SHIMON-] PERES:TIME RUNNING OUT ON PEACE IN AN ERA WHEN MISSLES COULD BE FIRED [anywhere]ON US, EVEN FROM [Gaza +] ALASKA.
* SAME > SHIMON PERES: TIME RUNNING OUT FOR PEACE BETWEEN IRAN, ISRAEL ON NUKES, but will still give Iran Nuke Talks a chance.
ARTICS = The World now opers under a GLOBAL ECONOMY, hence NO PLACE ON EARTH IS SPARED FROM THE EFFECTS OF SAME. ANY KIND OF PEACE MUST NOW BE A "REGIONAL PEACE", i.e. NOT JUST LOCAL OR BILATERAL.
Yemen is an argument to toss back into the face of people who claim dictatorships are more efficient than democracies. I'll bet the trains run late, if they have trains...
[Yemen Post] Yemen has deported four Cameroonian people who have been nabbed by the Political Security System since March 1995 without trial or convictions, HOOd said on Monday. 1995? Lotta paperwork, I guess... However, The infamous However... the body of the four's leader billionaire Donisan remains in Yemen after he died at the system in unclear circumstances six months after his arrest, it said, pointing out that no investigation into his death was opened. A billionaire, ya say?
A source at the organization confirmed the four including a lawyer were deported to their country last week and that they were accompanied by Red Thingy officials. The billionaire died during treatment, the source said. I don't think billionaire means what I think it means...
In 2005, the organization sent a letter to former Interior Minister Rashad Al-Alimi who said the foreigners had been jugged on sabotage charges. Al-Alimi, according to the organization, also said the four would face court, but that never happened.
HOOD knew about the case after the Cameroonians filed a secret complaint about their detention. Meanwhile, ...back at the ranch... it urged Attorney General to investigate the Cameroonian's death and the arbitrary detention of the five. I have no idea what I just read...
Posted by: Fred ||
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GAZA CITY - Huge crowds of flag-waving Hamas supporters clogged the streets of Gaza City Tuesday and cars and buildings were adorned with the militant movements trademark green as tens of thousands turned out to mark the 23rd anniversary of the groups founding.
The turnout appeared to be at least on par with previous years for an event billed by Gazas rulers as a referendum on their popularity. Hamas claimed it was a record crowd.
They're good at turning the rubes out ...
At the mass rally, Hamas leaders lauded the groups history of fighting Israel and dismissed claims, including by some pollsters, that it has been losing ground since seizing Gaza by force more than three years ago.
Hamas has not failed, Hamas has not collapsed, Prime Minster Ismail Haniyeh told the crowd. Hamas did not fail to bring together government and resistance.
They did fail at doing anything constructive, but then the Paleos don't care about that, which is why you don't see them doing anything constructive in Gaza.
Hamas has often been torn between its roots as a militant group seeking to destroy Israel and a local government responsible for providing services to 1.5 million Gazans.
Oh, they're not torn. Everything goes into whatever can go boom. Services are for later when they can sucker the UN into providing more funds for the off-shore accounts.
While sticking to its militant rhetoric, the Hamas has largely observed an informal truce since a bruising Israeli offensive two years ago, forgoing attacks that could spur Israel to strike back or tighten its blockade. Any Israel response could make life harder for Gazans.
"Please don't kill us!"
Some 30 percent of residents are unemployed and many more rely on food aid.
Hamas official Osama Muzini called the rally a referendum on Hamas popularity.
All people who came to the streets came to say yes to Hamas and to its model of government and resistance, he said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
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Some 30 percent of residents are unemployed and many more rely on food aid.
Putting them on a par with certain parts of the U.S., but wew don't get any UN aid!
Posted by: Bobby ||
12/15/2010 6:24
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North Korea has dug a new tunnel more than 500 m deep at a nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, North Hamgyong Province, intelligence sources said Tuesday. The North is also reportedly accelerating massive excavation work and construction of a new building at its main nuclear site in Yongbyon.
Busy little beavers, aren't they ...
"North Korea seems to be busy digging even in winter when the ground is frozen" at Punggye-ri and Yongbyon, a South Korean intelligence officer said.
Maybe they're digging for turnips ...
Based on an estimate of the amount of earth dug up, the intelligence officer speculated that the North has already dug a cave more than 500 m deep in Punggye-ri.
"If progress goes on at the current pace, the North will have dug a cave 1 km deep, the depth where it is possible to conduct a nuclear test, between March and May next year," the officer said.
Voice of America, quoting a U.S. Congressional Research Service report, reported on Dec. 7 that the North could conduct a nuclear test as a proxy for nuclear weapons developing nations such as Iran.
The North is also carrying out massive construction in Yongbyon. Experts including Siegfried Hecker, a U.S. nuclear scientist who visited Yongbyon last month, believe that the North is building a 25-30 MW reactor.
But a South Korean security official said, "The North has never admitted what it is building. We're just speculating that it's building a nuclear facility whose purpose is unclear."
But we can guess, can't we ...
South Korean government officials believe the North does not have enough technical wherewithal to build a light-water reactor power plant that uses enriched uranium as fuel and suspect it is now openly attempting to build a highly-enriched uranium facility to produce nuclear weapons. They also suspect that the North has three or four more undisclosed uranium enrichment facilities in addition to the one in Yongbyon it showed Hecker last month.
South Korea and the U.S. are worried that the North could heighten tensions on the peninsula by using a nuclear threat after the artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island. It apparently aims to sway public opinion in the international community and South Korea in favor of early talks with the North by either conducting a third nuclear test or boosting its uranium-based nuclear capability.
Former chief U.S. nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill was quoted by VOA as saying that the North's disclosure of the uranium enrichment plant proves that the regime lied in the six-party talks.
Thanks Chris, if only you'd figured that out while you were in charge ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/15/2010
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ION TOPIX > ANOTHER ISSUE TO KEEP SEOUL, WASHINGTON DC BUSY. US-ROK in negotiations to revise [upward?] 2004 Accords LIMITING SOUTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES.
Posted by: Water Modem ||
12/15/2010 10:07
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Far past time for an "Accidental" nuke explosion there.
Hint,Hint
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 12:53
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"North Korea seems to be busy digging even in winter when the ground is frozen" at Punggye-ri and Yongbyon, a South Korean intelligence officer said
Even in NKor, the ground only freezes for the first meter of the 500m tunnel.
BNP was perfectly happy to partner with Jamaat-e-Islami and to support its campaigns of intolerance against anybody but them.
[Bangla Daily Star] Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday alleged that BNP chief Khaleda Zia Three-term PM of Bangla, widow of deceased dictator Ziaur Rahman, head of the Bangla Nationalist Party, an apparent magnet for corruption ... has sided with the war criminals and their collaborators through extending support for the December 26 hartal. ... a peculiarly Bangla combination of a general strike and a riot, used by both major political groups in lieu of actual governance ...
Barbie says, "Governing is haaaaaard!"
Hasina, also the Awami League president, said the hartal has been called to obstruct the war crimes trial and to protect the perpetrators of 1971.
The premier was speaking at a discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital with AL Presidium Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair. The ruling AL organised the discussion marking the Martyred Intellectuals' Day.
The main opposition BNP on December 9 extended support to the countrywide hartal called by Sammilita Olama Mashayekh Parishad president Muhiuddin Khan in protest against the National Education Policy that has been passed recently.
Hasina said the countrymen witnessed the evidence of BNP-Jamaat's looting when they were in power.
"The looted items were shifted in boxes in last few days.... Her broken suitcase has turned into a magic box.
"BNP doesn't love the country and its people. It only knows to loot. Their main job is to patronise killers and Islamic exemplars," she noted.
Hasina urged the countrymen to compare the 23 months of her government with that of the BNP-Jamaat coalition government. "Liars will resort to lies. Don't be misled by those lies," she said.
She also directed party leaders to work for the common people who voted them to power.
Urging BNP to withdraw its support for the hartal, AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said an identified razakar and war criminal has called the hartal, and BNP has unveiled its actual face by supporting it.
Earlier in the morning, Ashraf, also the LGRD and cooperatives minister, said the anti-liberation force killed hundreds of intellectuals on 14 December in 1971 to intellectually cripple the country.
The current government will try the war criminals and the killers of martyred intellectuals at any cost, he added.
AL leaders Suranjit Sengupta, Matia Chowdhury, AK Azad Chowdhury, Mohammad Nasim, among others, spoke on the occasion.
Posted by: Fred ||
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I think we've actually seen this play...
[Emirates 24/7] A Saudi woman named Portia stole from her husband and ran away from her house to live with men for two months, disguised as an Emirati young man who had run away from his family before she was seized by police, a local daily reported on Tuesday.
The unnamed woman, in her 30s, cut short her hair and wore men's clothes before fleeing her house in the western town of Alqunfudah to the nearby Red Sea port of Jeddah, where she lived with a family of four men for nearly two months, the Arabic language daily Okaz said.
She had used her husband's cash card to withdraw SR5,000 and drive all the way to Jeddah, where she met a member of that family, the paper said.
"She lived with that family for nearly two months, posing as an Emirati young man who had decamped his family in the UAE because of a dispute over their lifestyle...she was driving a car through Jeddah streets and going to mosque to pray with men...she then went to the Jeddah Islamic Guidance Centre and sought help from its director as a man having a problem," Okaz said.
"The woman was later exposed and jugged by police. She has been jugged pending trial on charges of theft, fleeing her house and imitating men...she will also be referred to the psychiatry hospital for examination."
Okaz did not say how the woman was uncovered or why she had decamped her husband.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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did not say how the woman was uncovered
Maybe she was uncovered by being seen uncovered?
Or maybe it was the mess she made at the urinal (though I'm not sure she'd do significantly worse than some men.)
Trying to out-bluster Hezbollah is like trying to out-bluster North Korea. On the other hand, the Zionist Entity™ does rubble well.
[An Nahar] A senior Israeli officer warned Hizbullah that Israel's response this time would be much tougher. "The response would be ten times tougher than the July war if tensions spread to the northern border," the officer warned.
He said the response would include "strong strikes" against Leb in the event of war following the indictment in the liquidation of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Aharonot quoted the officer as warning civilians in southern Leb that Israel would hit Hizbullah targets, pointing to Hizbullah's missile arsenal in villages flanking Israel's northern border.
He said that according to Israeli estimates Syria has provided Hizbullah with "all types of advanced rockets."
"So far, there are no sings that Syria has supplied Hizbullah with chemical weapons," the officer added.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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#1
Don't "Talk" just DO IT.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 13:11
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Actual elected presidents don't need to stage coups... [Daily Nation (Kenya)] Troops loyal to defiant Cote d'Voire leader Laurent Gbagbo laid siege on his rival Alassane Ouattara's headquarters on Monday, in the first armed standoff of the west African nation's two-week-old crisis.
As EU foreign ministers in Brussels agreed measures against Gbagbo and his senior supporters, the incumbent deployed troops and gendarmes on access routes to Ouattara's United Nations-protected waterfront hotel base.
Gbagbo and Ouattara both declared themselves president in the wake of last month's disputed election. Ouattara has been recognised by the international community, but Ivorian army chiefs continue to back Gbagbo.
Pro-Gbagbo security forces blocked roads to the hotel from around midday until nightfall, then fell back into more discreet positions to monitor the situation, while allowing traffic to pass, witnesses and soldiers said.
A 10:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew remained in place on Monday, state television said, and will be prolonged from Tuesday for at least another week while being reduced in duration to the hours between midnight and 5:00 am.
Show of force
If the show of force outside the Abidjan hotel was designed to intimidate the Ouattara camp it failed. His prime minister, former rebel leader Guillaume Soro, announced a plan to retake government headquarters by Friday.
Former rebel fighters from the New Forces (FN) armed with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades took up defensive positions around the waterfront Hotel Golf, alongside UN peacekeepers equipped with armoured vehicles.
At around midday, a few hundred metres away, gendarmes and elite troops loyal to Gbagbo took control of two positions on the road running past the hotel, effectively controlling access to Ouattara's base in the port city.
The loyalist forces were equipped with trucks mounted with machine-guns and had rocket-launchers of their own, but there was no sign they were preparing to launch an assault and the situation was calm by nightfall.
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12/15/2010
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This is a time where napalm could be used so "persuasively". Seeing a column of armored vehicles suddenly become flaming coffins does a number on one's sense of personal security. Too bad we (the entire Western world) are too soft-hearted to use this very useful modern tool to its best advantage.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/15/2010 13:56
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Why's it only "possible"? Laurent lost the election and he refuses to hand over control to his successor.
(KUNA) -- The B.O. regime said Tuesday that Cote DIvoire may face economic sanctions unless President Laurent Gbagbo gives up his seat to president-elect Alassane Ouattara.
"We are continuing to encourage President Gbagbo to step down and pave the way for an orderly transition," said State department front man Philip Crowley.
"We are looking for ways of, if necessary, putting pressure on him and those around him who are denying the will of the people of Cote DIvoire. So that is something that is certainly an option thats available to us," Crowley said of the possibility of sanctions, adding that will remain a possibility depending on the decisions that he makes.
Cote DIvoire government says it will take control of state institutions by the end of the week if incumbent president, Laurent Gbagbo, who also claimed victory in last month's election, continues to refuse to step down.
Meanwhile, ...back at the ranch... the European Union has ramped up international pressure Monday by approving financial and travel sanctions on Gbagbo and his allies if he continues to cling to power.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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This tempest in a literal teapot should be left to steam away without our even "Noticing" it.
Much like two Squirrels fighting over a nut is beneath notice.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 12:28
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Of course.
African? Check.
Poor? Check. Violent? Check.
Ex-colony of France? Check.
#3
On the contrary, RJ. We have one man duly elected as president, and the one that lost deciding HE "won" and refusing to step down. He's assumed dictatorial powers, using the rule of force rather than the government of reason. There's also a very good reason for US to be concerned: Cote d'Ivore is a very RICH country, with iron, diamonds, copper, zinc, and a dozen other cash exports. That could pump a lot of money into the hands of people that wish to cause as much harm as possible to the United States. That is a much less likely scenario under the duly-elected Ouattara than under the crooked pol Gbagbo. Besides, Africa doesn't need another "president for life". There's been enough murder and mayhem from the ones we've already seen, and it HAS affected the US. There is nowhere too small that it doesn't have some impact on the world at large, from Nauru (phosphates) to Russia (oil and gas).
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/15/2010 13:52
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Foggy bottom did such a wonderful job with Honduras.
It's not the single attack that accomplishes their goals, but the unrelenting attacks, day in and day out.
[Pak Daily Times] Heavily armed hard boyz attacked a paramilitary checkpoint in the Tribal Areas on the Afghan border, killing two soldiers and wounding six others, officials said on Tuesday. The Frontier Corps (FC) said its troops were targeted in Mohmand district where a double suicide kaboom killed 43 people last week. "More than 20 hard boyz armed with automatic weapons attacked an FC checkpost in Shatai village of Mohmand Agency late Monday night, killing two soldiers and wounding six others," a local official Shakirullah said. FC front man Major Fazalur Rehman confirmed the attack and said the damage was still being assessed. He said Ataullah and Ghani Shah were killed while Naik Jahanzeb, Naib Subedar Muhammad Rasool, Gulaab Khan, Daud Khan, Wali Muhammad and Shamsul Haq Afridi sustained injuries.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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Yemen looks an awful lot like Somalia...
[Yemen Post] The vice manager of the political security in Abyan General Ahmed Madred, escaped on Monday an apparent assassination attempt after a bomb went kaboom! near his car in Abyan province.
Close sources told Yemen Post that the bomb was planted near his home, no causalities were reported.
Sources said that Madred was on the Al-Qaeda's wanted list.
On the other hand, a police officer was killed in Ahower district in Abyan province by rustics who belong to Al Sanad tribe.
General Ahmed Al-Kabda, who works in the political security in Abyan province had tribal Dire Revenge™ problems with Al Sanad tribe.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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When you've got a Minister of Religious Affairs you know you're going to have people making faces at each other. They tend to cast curses on Ministers of Science and Technology, who in turn tend to use the words "yokel" and "hick" when discussing them. [Emirates 24/7] Pak Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sacked two cabinet ministers on Tuesday for engaging in a protracted and public war of words over a corruption scandal.
Gilani's office announced in a short statement that Science and Technology Minister Azam Swati and Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi had been removed from their portfolios.
Swati and Kazmi had been locked in a row over a scandal that reportedly implicated Kazmi's ministry in graft while booking accommodation for around 80,000 Pak pilgrims to Mecca.
The sacked religious affairs minister said he was innocent of any wrongdoing.
"There is no proof of corruption against me... My hands are clean," Kazmi told a televised public gathering in the eastern city of Lahore.
Gilani's office said Education Minister Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali and Labour Minister Syed Khursheed Shah have taken on the religious affairs and information technology portfolios respectively.
There was no immediate announcement on who would take over the science portfolio.
The cabinet consists of 54 ministers and deputy ministers after the removal of Swati and Kazmi, a senior government official told AFP.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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How dim do you have to be to be surprised at threats and bluster from Hezbollah?
[An Nahar] Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir expressed surprise at threats unleashed by Hizbullah, particularly by head of Hizbullah's parliamentary bloc MP Mohammed Raad, without naming him.
"The country cannot carry on under this escalating climate where one (political) camp threatens the other," Sfeir told al-Mustaqbal newspaper in remarks published Tuesday.
"The country continues to exist on the basis of understanding, cooperation and harmony among the people and power sharing," he added.
"People have a right to know the truth of who is behind those liquidations," Sfeir insisted.
Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
How dim do you have to be to be surprised at threats and bluster from Hezbollah?
EXACTLY farts would be the same noise.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 13:14
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That's always assuming US objectives include wholesale demolition of jobs and industrial base.
(KUNA) -- A senior US official welcomed on Tuesday the Cancun agreement over climate change saying it is "fundamentally consistent" with US objectives.
"The resulting Cancun agreement advances each of the core elements of the Copenhagen Accord. Specifically, it anchors the accord's mitigation pledges by both developed and developing countries in a parallel manner," said Special envoy for climate change Todd Stern in a press briefing about the outcome of the United Nations, aka the Oyster Bay Chowder and Marching Society climate change conference in Cancun, Mexico.
"It outlines a system of transparency with substantial detail and content, including international consultations and analysis, this will provide confidence that a country's pledges are being carried out and help the world keep track of the track that we are on in terms of reducing emissions," he added.
Representatives from more than 190 nations met in Cancun over the last two weeks for the 16th conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change. The Cancun agreement launches a new green climate fund and a framework to reduce deforestation in developing countries in addition to a committee to promote international cooperation.
Stern said that the Cancun agreement is fundamentally consistent with US objectives and noted that the United States is pleased that the parties showed the flexibility and pragmatism that was necessary to make progress in each of these areas.
"This package obviously is not going to solve climate change by itself, but it is a very good step and a step that is very much consistent with US interests, and will help move the world down a path toward a broader global response to changing to stopping climate change," he added.
Stern further praised the constructive role of India in Cancun mentioning that India was very much faithful to its own national interests and faithful to its role in the G-77, but at the same time creatively looking for solutions to difficult issues in the negotiation in a way that could bring in developing countries. He said developing countries "are not a monolithic group at this point."
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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James,
The only way we can control the climate would be to figure out a way to put a rheostat on the sun.
Karl,
Crap almighty, you have paleontologists announcing they have fossil evidence of global warming over 100 million years ago and these boneheads are saying that man is the cause? Geez, I suppose it was all of those SUV's and coal fired power plants the T-Rex's were using.
#2
The only way we can control the climate would be to figure out a way to put a rheostat on the sun
Now that would be a real disaster, just who controlls it, Pray tell?
the Equatorial regions want it down and the Arctic wants it up.
Hell think of your own home thermostat and the constant war TOO HOT (Him) TOO COLD (Her) there's no winning that fight.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/15/2010 12:34
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I say, in a matter of pursing all carbon goals, is to render all the people at the agreement carbon neutral in Cancun. Saves tons of carbon immediately by not letting them fly back, and in the long term as they will not be using carbon at all.
I'm actually kinda curious as to why we don't dronezap bad boyz in Afghanistan. It would seem to make sense to kill them in their staging areas as well as in their home bases. [Emirates 24/7] A US dronezap in Pakistain's northwestern tribal belt on Tuesday killed four cut-thoats, destroying their vehicle, local security officials said.
The strike took place in Spalga village, 15 kilometres (nine miles) south of Miranshah, the main town of the North Wazoo tribal district, near the Afghan border.
"It was a US dronezap, which targeted a cut-thoat's vehicle, killing four rebels," a senior local security official told AFP.
Another security official confirmed the strike and said the drone fired two missiles.
He said the nationalities of those killed in the strike were not immediately known.
Washington has dramatically escalated its drone campaign against snuffies in areas near the Afghan border over the past two months, and argues they are highly effective in the war against al-Qaeda and its Islamist allies.
More than 260 people have been killed in 51 strikes since September 3, heightening tensions with Islamabad over reported US criticism of Pakistain's failure so far to launch a ground offensive in North Wazoo.
The United States does not as a rule confirm dronezaps, but its military and the Central Intelligence Agency operating in Afghanistan are the only forces that deploy the aircraft in the region.
The US strikes are deeply unpopular among the Pak public, who see military action on Pak soil as a breach of national illusory sovereignty and say some attacks have killed innocent civilians.
Washington says the strikes have killed a number of high-value targets, including the former Pak Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud.
The US considers Pakistain's tribal belt an Al-Qaeda headquarters and the most dangerous place on Earth, and has reportedly criticised Pakistain's failure so far to launch a major ground offensive in the tribal region of North Wazoo.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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#1
Good question, Fred. Maybe our tactics in Pakistan are limited to just drones and covert forces while in A'stan we can send in the Marines for a more complete solution? Or maybe Pakistan's government allows dronezaps but Karzai's doesn't?
#2
The last I read, we were limited by production of drone missiles, secondarily by production of drones, and thirdly by drone pilots. Under the circumstances, reminding the bad boyz via drone missiles that they have no safe haven in Pakistan, while our guys on the ground and in the air tear them to pieces whenever they gather in Afghanistan, seems an acceptable going-with-the-weapons-we've-got strategy.
As I recall, we and the Afghans have Special Forces wandering at will in the Pakistan border provinces, which suggests it's not only drone missiles that are killing bad boyz on that side.
#3
My question is, why haven't we drone-zapped Karzai yet? He's given us plenty of reason to. The next time he spouts off about "killing civilians" or "joining the Taliban" or "limiting the rules of engagement", he should have an encounter with a Predator. Getting rid of him and his relatives would go a long way toward ending the graft and corruption in Afghanistan.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/15/2010 17:32
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The last I read, we were limited by production of drone missiles, secondarily by production of drones, and thirdly by drone pilots.
Don't we have a recession going on now? Seems to me we ought to be able to find a bunch of folks willing to do this. Or maybe if Americans won't fill these jobs, at least we could find some illegals.
It's sad to see this happen, but Google's become a verb because it's got the best search engine in the business. Nobody "yahoos" anything.
[Emirates 24/7] Yahoo Inc plans to lay off more than 600 employees as early as Tuesday, two sources familiar with the situation said on Monday.
The cuts would represent between 4 percent and 5 percent of the Internet portal's overall staff, which totaled 14,100 at the end of September according to Yahoo's website.
The layoffs come two years into Chief Executive Carol Bartz's tenure as Yahoo works to grow its revenue amid tough competition from Google Inc and Facebook.
Yahoo declined to comment.
Technology blog AllThingsD wrote earlier this month that Yahoo planned to cut 650 employees, and the New York Times newspaper reported on Monday that the cuts could take place as soon as Tuesday.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2010
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Saying no to Microsoft worked out so well for AOL, and now it's Yahoo's turn...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
12/15/2010 13:16
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"It's sad to see this happen, but Google's become a verb because it's got the best search engine in the business. Nobody "yahoos" anything."
True, but I use Bing almost exclusively now, if for no other reason that Guuggle's ignoring American patriotic holidays in its endless "recognition" on its logo of every other kind of holiday and birthday. Bing works great.
I can't remember ever using Yahoo. On purpose, anyway.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/15/2010 20:49
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... and a pious condemnation it is, by Gum!
(KUNA) -- Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu strongly condemned Tuesday the terror assault that took place in the Swedish capital of Stockholm last Saturday.
Ihsanoglu said in a statement that "such criminal attack is frowned upon by all Mohammedans and by the religion of Islam," asserting that, "whoever stands behind such heinous crimes are the foes of Islam and mankind and they are should be brought to justice." He also expressed his condolences for the families of victims, and for the government and people of Sweden, wishing speedy recovery for the injured.
Ihsanoglu also stressed in his statement the principled stance of OIC that rejects terrorism, asserting its determination and resolve on eradicating such dangerous phenomenon in cooperation with the international community.
Posted by: Fred ||
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TOPIX > WHY SWEDEN IS IN THE CROSS-HAIRS OF TERRORISM.
It started simple wid those TWASN'T-SPPOSED-TO-INDUCE-VILENCE MOHAMMED CARTOONS, + evolved into THE-JIHADIST-STATE-OF-EUROPE + demands for Sharia.
Is there anything in Pakistain that's not a conspiracy? They conspire over their corn flakes, fergawdsake!
[Dawn] The sacked Minister for Religious Affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, on Tuesday maintained that his removal had come becuase of the slanging match between him and another minister, and not on corruption charges.
Speaking at an urs ceremony on the outskirts of Lahore, he termed his removal a conspiracy by a "particular lobby which was after me from the outset".
"All my defence, which came from respected people like Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, fell on the deaf ears. Had there been any truth in the corruption charges, I would have resigned myself. I feel relaxed after the removal as a big load has been lifted," Mr Kazmi said.
"Rumors were preferred over facts, but everything will become clear soon," Mr Kazmi said, terming the 'campaign' against him a "trial by media".
The former federal minister, who belongs to the Barelvi school of thought, gave a call to Ulema and Mashaikh to unite to lend support to the people of their sect who attain high positions.
Posted by: Fred ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
A mother of two from Sacramento, Calif., says that McDonald's uses toys as bait to induce her kids to clamor to go to McDonald's and to develop a preference for nutritionally poor Happy Meals. With the help of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, today the mom, Monet Parham, is filing a class action lawsuit aimed at stopping McDonald's use of toys to market directly to young children. The suit will be filed in California Superior Court in San Francisco shortly after the court opens for business Wednesday morning.
EXCLUSIVE: A leader of Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard is promising that American generals will be targeted and killed in revenge for last week's attacks on two of his country's leading nuclear scientists -- a threat Middle East experts say must be taken seriously.
Mayor Tom Bates said the council didn't have enough information to determine whether Manning is "a hero or traitor."
Border Patrol agent Brian Terry, 40,was shot and killed on Tuesday night near Rio Rico, Arizona after encountering a group of suspects, federal authorities said Wednesday. It happened at around 11 PM near Peck Canyon, 10 miles north of the border. Four suspects are being held and another is being pursued.
Actor. Poet.
Federal judge Larry Burns is expected to rule on Wednesday whether a $2 billion solar project can be built on 10 square miles of federal land east of San Diego. The Quechan tribe, is arguing that the land was set aside for conservation and that the project could harm its natural and cultural resources. 
[An Nahar] Kuwaiti authorities have closed the office of the Qatar-based pan-Arab Al-Jazeera news channel over coverage of a police crackdown on a public gathering, the channel said on Monday.
[Emirates 24/7] A key partner in Pakistain's ruling coalition says it is defecting to the opposition, leaving the US-allied government one vote short of a majority in the National Assembly.
(KUNA) -- A Dutch woman and 17 other members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) designated foreign terrorist organization were indicted by a federal grand jury here today on seven counts of terrorism and weapons charges arising out of their participation in the hostage-taking of three American citizens in the Republic of Colombia, the Justice Department announced here Tuesday.
SEOUL, Dec. 14 (Yonhap) -- Lockheed Martin Corp. can deliver F-35 fighter jets as early as 2016 if it wins South Korea's multi-billion dollar contract for a fighter modernization program, a senior company executive said Tuesday, dismissing doubts over a delay in the new warplane's flight-test schedule.
North Korea has dug a new tunnel more than 500 m deep at a nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, North Hamgyong Province, intelligence sources said Tuesday. The North is also reportedly accelerating massive excavation work and construction of a new building at its main nuclear site in Yongbyon. 
[Daily Nation (Kenya)] Troops loyal to defiant Cote d'Voire leader Laurent Gbagbo laid siege on his rival Alassane Ouattara's headquarters on Monday, in the first armed standoff of the west African nation's two-week-old crisis.
[Emirates 24/7] Pak Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sacked two cabinet ministers on Tuesday for engaging in a protracted and public war of words over a corruption scandal.
[Emirates 24/7] A 
