KABUL - Afghan and International forces killed several Taleban militants in separate clashes, during which over a dozen civilians were also killed, officials said on Tuesday.
US-led coalition forces killed several insurgents and accidentally shot dead a child and injured four other children in the southern Afghan province of Zabul, the US military said in a statement. The forces had come under fire during an anti-terror operation in a nomad camp and had returned fire. The dead child and injured children were later found in a tent that had been in the path of the gunfire. A spokesman for the coalition expressed regret to the childrenÂ’s families.
Several militants were killed during an air raid in the central Afghan province of Wardak, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) force said. Ground forces had seen more than 50 insurgents preparing an ambush and then targeted them from the air. Afghan defence ministry said that at least 12 suspected Taleban militants were killed in same operation which occurred in Jalrez district of the province.
However, head of provincial council of Wardak province, Haji Janan said that 13 civilians were killed when NATO aircraft bombarded their village. ‘Ten members of the same family and three other villagers were killed in the operation,’ Janan told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. ISAF spokesman in Kabul said that they were not aware of any civilian death, but he said that their forces on the ground were looking into it.
"It's the usual nonsense but of course we'll check it out."
Wardak, a neighbouring province of the capital Kabul, has seen a series of clashes pitting Afghan and international forces against Taleban militants, who are most bombed entrenched in southern and eastern provinces of the country.
In a separate incident, US-led coalition forces arrested five suspected militants Monday night in the southern province of Kandahar, the US military said in a statement. Intelligence sources indicated several militants were preparing to leave for an unknown location and coalition forces were dispatched to intercept them before they left the area, the statement said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
I wonder if some of these "civilian" deaths aren't being caused by Taliban blowing up ammunition stored in someone's houses as a way to discredit the ISAF and the Afghan Army.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
10/24/2007 13:19 Comments ||
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#2
Ummm, they then lose the ammo for not a good reason. No 'Hated Mercans or jooos' dead.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
10/24/2007 13:36 Comments ||
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A Scottish college student who declared that he intended to become a suicide bomber after scouring extremist Islamic sites on the Internet was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison. Mohammed Atif Siddique, 21, was convicted in September of four terrorism offenses and also of causing a disturbance by telling fellow students he planned to become a suicide bomber. Prosecutors said during the four-week trial that security agents watched Siddique for several months before he was arrested in April 2006 as he tried to board a flight from Glasgow to Lahore.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
I take it that he was wanting to follow in the foot steps of Captain Skingraft at the Scottish airport but didn't have the stones.
#7
hummm WOW, 8 years for intent of becoming a Islamo-Splodydope.
That is a huge f'g breakthrough in sentencing and notice that Scotland anyway is not going to coddle these fucksticks..
Lets hope this is a new standard, love to see Scotland do capital punishment.
with Broadsword or better still a favorite in Shakespeare's time...
Ebb and Flo
Stake Down the Islamo-perps during low tide at the right spot. The ropes should allow him to rise his toroso & head just enough where he won't drown when the tide returns..
woid: On Shakespeare's Word the final act begins with sound of a single scuttle. A sharp cry rings asunder as it is drowned out by an entire legion of crabs that follow..
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
10/24/2007 19:41 Comments ||
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#8
like Islamists don't already have crabs...
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/24/2007 19:44 Comments ||
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A roadside bomb injured two people in Russia's troubled Dagestan region late on Tuesday, hours after one woman was killed and five passengers hurt in a blast in a minibus, local media reported.
Itar-Tass news agency said a taxi was caught in a powerful blast as it drove through Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan. The taxi driver was slightly hurt but his female passenger was in serious condition, the agency quoted police as saying. Police said they believed the blast was caused by a bomb concealed in a rubbish bin.
Earlier, an explosion tore through a minibus near the Dagestani town of Khasavyurt when it was about 100 metres (yards) from a police post. Police initially said the woman victim was a suicide bomber, but an official later said it appeared she was carrying explosives which went off accidentally.
"Honey! Have you seen my explosives?"
"Mom's not here, Dad! She's taking them to be cleaned!"
Three of the five wounded people were rushed to hospital with severe injuries, police said. "We are investigating the possibility that it was a suicide-belt but that is not the main line of inquiry," said a local law enforcement official, who did not want to be identified.
The official said initial forensic examination suggested the woman had been carrying components for an explosive device, but not a ready-made bomb. Itar-Tass quoted a local prosecutor as saying: "It seems most likely that the blast happened accidentally, so it would be extremely hard to say she was a suicide-bomber."
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Itar-Tass quoted a local prosecutor as saying: "It seems most likely that the blast happened accidentally, so it would be extremely hard to say she was a suicide-bomber."
ok, how about "an incompetent murderer-bomber"? A distinction without a difference? Sometimes the nuance escapes me
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/24/2007 7:38 Comments ||
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#2
Dawin seems to give Muslim bombers a particularly hard time. Tough noogies.
#3
Wonder if she was transporting "Mother of Satan" (TATP). It wouldn't take much of a bump to set that mess off.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
10/24/2007 13:22 Comments ||
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#4
Here Honey, take this explosive to Mohammed.
Who dear?
You know. Mohammed.
Yes, but I know about 300 "Mohammeds', can you be more clear
(Continues for about a half hour)
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
10/24/2007 13:42 Comments ||
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#5
BWAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA HA
I love it when they screw up like that.
I believe it reinforces the notion that these Moslem fundementalists are a bunch of xenophobic semi cretins. I mean when you have the IQ of a door stop you could believe just about any kind of semi illogical drivel........especially this sewage the uneducated nincompoop emirs and mullahs spout when they drool all over themselves between sexual trysts with under age girls and pretty boys.
What a primordial ooze of filth
Italian police have arrested five suspected militant anarchists they believe were part of a group that sent letter bombs to top European Union officials. In an overnight swoop, police near the central Italian town of Perugia seized the five they said were members of a group called “Coop/Fai”, an acronym that stands for “Against all political order/Informal anarchic federation”. “The investigation has led to the dismantling of an anarcho-insurrectionalist cell,” the police said on Tuesday in a statement. It described Coop/Fai as a group dedicated to “terrorism and the subversion of democratic order”. Active since 2003, the group claimed responsibility for letter bombs sent to Prime Minister Romano Prodi, then president of the European Commission, to the president of the European Central Bank and other European Union institutions.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Sounds like Basta! types with advanced degrees in precosciousness and spoiled egos. My bet is that they come from upper-income families, they are all college educated and have small penises.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
10/24/2007 14:43 Comments ||
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RAWALPINDI: The US formally handed over 26 Bell-412 helicopters and four completely refurbished Cobra helicopters to the Pakistan Army at a ceremony held here on Monday.
US Ambassador Anne Patterson handed the helicopters over to Defence Secretary Kamran Rasool.
Rasool thanked the US government and said that the induction of these helicopters into the army would significantly enhance their operational capabilities.
Speaking at the formalising ceremony of the final acceptance and transfer of 25 Bell-412 helicopters to the army at Qasim Airbase, Patterson praised Pakistan Army Aviation and said that the induction of these helicopters would strengthen their efforts to fight extremism and bring peace and stability to the region. She said the day marked a new chapter in Army AviationÂ’s history.
“This event demonstrates the continued commitment of the US to cooperation with Pakistan,” Patterson said. “Our military assistance programme are for the long term. They are the foundation for cooperation and engagement, and a way to strengthen our bonds as partners and allies.”
Army Aviation helped: In 2004, Pakistan and the US embarked on a long-term $235 million project to help build Army AviationÂ’s capability. During the first phase of the project, Pakistan leased the helicopters while the US provided the resources, funding, training and support to help Pakistan establish a strong and reliable helicopter fleet.
“Today we celebrate the beginning of Phase-II. The Pakistan Army now takes ownership of these helicopters,” the senior American diplomat said. “The US will continue to provide support and training as Pakistan establishes a helicopter force capable of enhancing combat operations, providing security, and engaging in medical evacuations and humanitarian relief throughout the region.”
Earlier, Maj Gen Syed Taqi Naseer Rizvi, director general of Army Aviation, said he hoped the helicopters would “go a long way in fortifying the country’s capability to effectively combat the menace of terrorism,” AP reported.
Posted by: john frum ||
10/24/2007 06:28 ||
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Three militants were killed and two arrested from a temporary fugitive camp in Kordan, around 10 kilometres west of Dera Bugti town, during clashes with police on Tuesday, District Coordinating Officer Abdul Samad Lasi told APP by phone.
He said the operation was carried out on information elicited from suspects detained in connection with Saturday’s blast in Dera Bugti town, that a group of terrorists holed up in a mountain cave were planning to perpetrate more terrorist attacks in Dera Bugti. None of the men killed or arrested were “high-profile” militants, but it was confirmed that their ringleader was Nawab Bugti’s grandson Brahamdagh Bugti and the group had carried out bombings and sabotage operations on his directives, he said. The arrested men are being interrogated and the information extracted from them will help arrest the remainder of the terrorist group, he said. The militants killed during the operation were identified as Saeedi Bugti, Mitha Khan and Yar Khan. The DCO said the bomb was locally made and was battery-operated.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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Karak police are interrogating two activists of Shabab Milli, a youth organisation affiliated with the Jamat-e-Islami (JI), in connection with the bombing of a CD shop on October 11, police said. “They were arrested on October 20 and are being interrogated, but I cannot say how active they were in the organisation,” Karak District Police Officer (DPO) Nisar Ahmed Khan Tanoli told Daily Times.
During the last few years, several Al Qaeda militants have been arrested from houses of JI activists in various cities, including Karachi and Lahore. A JI supporter, who is a doctor by profession, was arrested with suicide jackets in Dir district last month.
Two suspects at hospital: Meanwhile, two men arrested late on Sunday in connection with the bombing of NGO Khowendo Kor (Sister’s Home), are being treated at a hospital in Peshawar. Karak resident Shakir Din was killed by the blast.DPO Tanoli said the culprits, Mohammad Nazir and Sabir Khan, were madrassa students and were arrested after sustaining injuries while detonating the bomb. “One was studying at a madrassa in the Attock area, the other at a Karak madrassa,” he said. Police are trying to determine if the suspects had links to militant organisations, he added.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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The Punjab government has banned carrying and brandishing weapons, following directions by the Interior Ministry, an official handout said on Tuesday. Instructions had been sent to the police inspector general and all senior police officials, district nazims and DCOs, the handout said. The ban, it said, would also apply to people who had been issued special permits for carrying weapons. “The Punjab government has cancelled all such permits with immediate effect.” All divisional and district heads of police have been directed to send daily reports of the number of violations, details of violators and cases registered, to the Crisis Management Cell, it said.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Sounds like Martial Law.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
10/24/2007 13:33 Comments ||
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The army on Tuesday took positions on hilltops in Swat Valley, while people have started moving to Mingora and its adjacent areas fearing a military operation in the valley. The troops deployed in Swat to control law and order after the Lal Masjid operation have also started moving from the Kabal Golf Ground to the Aligram and Hazara hilltops. Military officials would not comment on the army movement to the hilltops.
The government moved army contingents to Swat district on July 8 after unidentified men attacked a military convoy, killing four troops including a major and a lieutenant. However, a tribal jirga and the NWFP government managed to prevent an operation then. Sources told Daily Times that a military operation in Swat was on the cards as the government had moved thousands of additional troops to the area in the last 15 days. They added that the security forces established two new checkposts in the Ayub Break and Fiza Gutt areas. Meanwhile, a resident of Kanju Township, Jan Wali Khan, told Daily Times that the locals were heading towards safer areas as they feared a military operation was likely.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Taliban
#1
Army moves to Swat hilltops
I have this mental picture of a huge hand "Swatting" hilltops clear of all life, trees, and vetation down to bedrock.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
10/24/2007 13:57 Comments ||
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Law enforcement agencies arrested three men from a Larkana hotel on Tuesday, ahead of Pakistan PeopleÂ’s Party (PPP) chief Benazir BhuttoÂ’s expected arrival in her hometown today.
"Y'ain't from around here, air yew?"
One of the arrested men is from Afghanistan and the other two are from Waziristan, sources told Daily Times.
"Welcome to Larkana, boyz. Stick 'em up."
According to the sources, the Afghan named Atta Mohammad rode into arrived in the town last Monday and booked a room at a local saloon hotel, Paris Inn, near Al-Abbas Chowk. He was identified as a resident of Jand, in the Abdullah area of Afghanistan. On Tuesday, he brought two of his associates to the hotel.
"I'm holed up at the hotel, Lefty! You and Butch meet me at midnight! And make sure yer not followed!"
The management of the hotel found their activities to be suspicious
"Doc!"
"What is it, Miss Kitty?"
"It's prob'ly nothin'..."
and informed the local police.
"... but we should tell Matt there's some strangers in town!"
"Chester! Go get the marshal! But don't draw any attention..."
"[Hobble hobble] Mister Dillon! Mister Dillon!"
"... to yourself."
According to sources in the hotel management, all three men were later arrested by local police.
"Jest keep yer hands where I can see 'em, boyz!"
"Cheeze, Marshal! You sure got a big nose!"
The hotel falls in the limits of Darri police station. The police neither confirmed nor denied the incident.
"Why do you wanta know, stranger?"
"Just askin', is all!"
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
Dr. Galen 'Doc' Adams: I'll tell you why the Hagens live so long.
Festus Haggen: Why?
Dr. Galen 'Doc' Adams: 'Cause they're too dumb to know they're dead!
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
10/24/2007 14:50 Comments ||
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Turkey bombed units of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in northern Iraq and ordered troops across the border in pursuit of the militants, a lawmaker of Turkey's governing party said today.
Turkish F-16 jets and artillery pounded at least 63 suspected rebel positions inside the Kurdish-controlled region from Oct. 21 until yesterday, said the lawmaker, who attended a briefing by government spokesman Cemil Cicek to a group of government deputies late yesterday in Ankara.
The army sent 300 commandos into Iraq by helicopter on Oct. 21 to hunt down PKK fighters after 12 soldiers were killed by the group the same day, the official said. The attack on PKK bases up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) into Iraq lasted about 28 hours before troops returned to the Turkish side, he added.
If this is the limit of what they are doing, then there will be no fireworks betwen them and the US and Iraqi/Kurdish(Peshmerga) forces. Small incursions of limited duration are just fine. And they set a precedent that US forces can use in the future.
#4
We always give the Turks way to much credit where credit is not due. My wager is that this is just the beginning. Beginning of what exactly, I'm not sure. I would like to be wrong, but... Turkey is always nipping at our heels to feel relevant and this is an important front in the war for a global caliphate.
I suspect that the plan is that we give them an opportunity to be good to their word [snicker] and then if they aren't, let them see what it feels like to take on the US Military.
#5
One last thought - just because we sit back and think, wow, it's really not in their interests to allow us a green light to turn our guns on them, nothing they have ever done would give us any reason to think that fact would enter into their decision making process.
#6
One has to ask why all this is happening now?
The PKK doesn't make a move without the say so of the Kurdish government in N Iraq. And they don't make a move without the say so of the US.
Is this a warning to Turkey, that in the event of a showdown with Iran, that they can't stand on the sidelines, as they will be drawn in too. In that event they will have stand with the Allies (unlike the invasion of Iraq)or end up on the other side and be dismembered as the Ottoman Empire was after WWI and will Iran.
#7
Tipper, i'm not sure the PKK listens to anyone now that the Soviets are gone. I think the Kurdish government gives them some cover because they have a soft spot for the group (Kurdish independence pulling on their hearstrings) but beyond that I don't think there are any formal connections. That cover is evaporating rapidly.
I think Turkey provoked this for three reasons. (1) The are pissed at the genocide stuff coming from the US Congress (2) The US has been talking about stopping terrorism but doing little about the PKK (3) The US is a bit stretched and looking to engage with Iran so we are more likely to comply.
The best result would be for the US/Iraqi forces to smash the PKK and to encourage migration of as many Kurds from Turkey into Iraq as possible (and Turkomen in the opposite direction).
#8
A lot of the Kurdish support has been of the "Enemy of my Enemy" sort. The Peshmerga have gone after the PKK in the past, with a vengance. Probably that is what is needed again.
ANyway I hope this removes any Turkish impulses to drive deep into Iraq. What would help more is a US Ranger battalion set to do hunt and kill missions in the area, for the next 6 to 8 weeks (untilthe weather sets in). It halts the Turks, it concentrates on the PKK, and if we get the Peshmerga involve din cordoning things, it gets them set up to take advantage of disarrya in the PKK areas so they can extand and consolidate political power there.
#9
Dunno if the Kurdish regional government has a soft spot for the PKK. It probably has a lot more to do with the hard currency cash raised by PKK fund-raising efforts. Heck, in 2004, the Dutch closed down a PKK training camp near Eindhoven. So, maybe a 20%-40% skim off the too buys a lot of blind eyes.
#10
I wouldn't be surprised if the PKK is being funded/riled up by the Russians or the Chinese at the moment. A row between the Turks and the US would play well into their plans and would somewhat distract the US from going after Iran if Iraq was invaded.
#11
I don't imagine we'll hear anything if the Rangers do get to play with the PKK idiots, just sudden quiet from that part of the world, and the occasional so-called work accident.
#13
Agree with RJS, the kurdish of N iraq can repopulate N iraq with Kurds from the region, this is good for all Kurds. The PKK is not interested in this outcome, they are just as bad as Alqueda. Cept their gun sights are trained on someone else. They have used tactics against civillians who have nothing to do with their cause. The US would be making a mistake to consider these guys useful. Sometimes you just cant make deals with bad guys, not even covert ones. The turks need to wipe these camps out, or their own government is saying go ahead and maim our population, we've got enough to withstand any onslaught. while this in fact may be true it is also the kind of thinking behind all despots, sacrifcing civillians is not an option. PKK has attacked turkish army regularly, the turks cant be expected to allow that, the PKK is not a bunch of good guys fighting for a noble cause, they themselves are despotic types that have proven they lack civility and respect for life.
its in the interest of all Kurds in the region to understand the bad apple, even if it comes from your own barrel.
#14
when the Bush government made it's case for war, one of the pieces of evidence was how Saddam used chemical weapons on his "own" people who were, of course, the Kurds. Saddam is gone and now the Kurds have an opprotunity to become not only a real country but if we play it right could be allied with us. Now we sell 'em out because Turkey is in tight with the EU? Turkey has shown the world that we have no real power in Iraq and that we are willing to sell out what natural friends we might have had in the region. Typical, typical, typical. One of the microcosmic examples why nobody likes us or trusts us around the globe.
#15
When you say; one of the pieces of evidence was how Saddam used chemical weapons on his "own" people"
Should have stopped right there, because Bush was right to oppose the despot saddam. Your intimating the Kurds are the PKK, they are not.
In my view any government run by a despot should be deposed by all moral people. There is no other reason for government than to protect innocent. Its why I oppose the UN and all government agency run to sustain hegemony over a population. Darfur should have been stopped long ago, as should all ethnic brutality carried out under any banner by any persons aligned to that purpose.
PKK lost its standing with me by undertaking oppoerations against innocent people. Governments run for political ends are corrupt, governments run for hegemonic control of resources are corrupt. Governments without standing in a liberty sense, are corrupt. Libertarians without moral conscious are temselves corrupt.
Bottom line for me, protect innocent people from movements and or governments alike.
#18
Ironically, Turkey could get the PKK wiped out and make money in the process if they would cozy up much more with the Kurdish government. Right now, they are already a major trading partner. Turkey could invite Iraq into a free trade federation that would make it worth everybody's while to take out the PKK.
#19
There is an old saying, the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. I would expand this to most Islamic nations.
If Turkey wanted to be a big power they should have been on the first flight to Washington Post 9/11 with a map of the renewed Ottoman Empire (yeah they could negotiate away Israel/Jordan and Kuwait to make the US happy). This could have easily been accomplished with US military followed by Turkish peacekeepers to hold the territory afterwards.
Instead they refused to play ball and now want to be spoilers because things aren't going their way. Unimaginative fools.
#21
Problem is Turkish nationlaistic pride - and the remnants of Kemalists policy, make the Turks want to keep the Kurds down, as inferiors, rahter than deal with them as equals.
#23
A question for Old Spook - I've seen the comments about Turkish armor and concerns about Kirkuk - but really - how far could they get if they tried that?
Before we even decided to get involved, what with air superiority and all, wouldn't we basically cordon off the playing field and let the locals/Iraqis/peshmerga/whomever defend themselves? Would this possibly be a unifying factor for Iraqi nationalism - we hear so much about Iranian nationalism over their bomb independent of the internal loathing of the mullahs.
Maybe we walk a fine line and make the non-kurd Iraqis decide whether they want to be a nation by exercising this basic right of internal defense.
Again - with no air support, extended and narrow supply lines, and stiff conventional defense - how far could the Turks go? Even if the rest of Iraq kisses the Kurds goodbye - is that such a bad thing in allowing us to then supply their independence fight? Heck - even the Greeks might thank us for making a point about how Nato would react to member's invasion of another state.
The Sunni militant group 'The Army of Furqan' has welcomed Osama bin Laden's latest call late on Monday to leaders of the insurgency in Iraq to bury their rivalries and drive out the US-led coalition. "Bin Laden's speech is a sincere one which descends to Iraqi soil like assistance from Allah," said the group in a message posted to Islamist websites on Tuesday. "A commission of Islamic law experts should be created to end the divisions that have emerged between the various jihadist groups and prevent more Muslim deaths," the message continued.
"A commitment is needed to destroy the American project to create Sunni militias," the message in a reference to the 'al-Sahwa' (Awakening) contingents of Sunni tribes formed by the US forces to fight al-Qaida aligned groups. We urge all groups to take up Bin Laden's call and inflict damage on our enemy," the message concluded.
"We will watch closely and inform the Umma of your glorious victory or martyrdom whichever comes first. The songs (or spoken word poetry slams) will echo endlessly through the gardens of Paradies, or until the kuffarim at Jawa Report get our hosting company to shut us down. Insh'allah, and get going, brothers."
Posted by: Seafarious ||
10/24/2007 02:33 ||
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#3
The Furqans were always associated with "Al-Qaeda in Iraq." They ran a website in English until last June. Most Iraqis view that Saudi/London based group as outside agitators, who put civilians in jeopardy. This means: yet another failure for bin Laden, the world's worst loser.
#4
You know twas must be OWG becuz/when even the Islamists want a COMMISSION. OSAMA's CALL > LIKELY MEANS INTENSIFICATION OF DIRECT ATTACKS ON US UNITS PER SE, to kill US soldiers AMAP, AND ONLY US SOLDIERS, vv experience of Israel's IDF in Lebanon 2006 + espec reports of USG budgetary and DOLLAR troubles. IOW, OSAMA WANTS BIG B-I-G BBBBIIIIIIIIGGGGGGG GOVT INCLUDING A DRAFT IN CASH-DEFICIENT? AMERIKA, BY "ANY MEANS NECESSARY".
In any case, iff AL-QAEDA = RADICAL ISLAM does indeed possess WMDS, they will prob use 'em via Terror proxies once a US-IRAN WAR occurs, ala "justified" anti-US "retaliation".
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
10/24/2007 10:46 Comments ||
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#9
Ah, yes, the mighty ArmyBrigadeRegimentBattalionCompanyPlatoonSquad of three guys named Furqan.
Posted by: Mike ||
10/24/2007 11:00 Comments ||
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#10
The neo-marxist left of center Sunni militant group Moveon.org 'The Army of Furqan' has welcomed Osama bin Laden's latest call late on Monday to leaders of the insurgency in Iraq to bury their pursuit of true representative government rivalries and drive out the US-led coalition.
#11
Osama's plea for reinforcements—falling, as it does, right on the heels of al Qaeda murdering Sunni Sheikh Abdul Sattar Abu Risha—is likely to fall upon some rather deaf ears. Playing the sympathy card so soon after such a tremendous gaffe displays truly monumental contempt for those that bin Laden is appealing to.
The last days on Earth of Abu Osama al-Tunisi apparently were filled with anxiety: "We are desperate for your help," he said in a letter to al Qaeda chieftains. A copy of the letter was found by U.S. troops sifting through the rubble of the building in Musayb, about 40 miles south of Baghdad, where on Sept. 25 al-Tunisi had been meeting with two local al Qaeda operatives when an F-16 cut their discussion short.
Al-Tunisi was a key member of the rapidly dwindling inner circle of Abu Ayoub al Masri, the al Qaeda chieftain in Iraq. Another key member, Abou Yaakoub al Masri, an intimate of Osama bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al Zawahiri, was killed Aug. 31 near the northern Baghdad suburb of Tarmiyah.
Al-Tunisi was responsible for bringing foreign al Qaeda recruits into Iraq and placing them in operational cells, U.S. military spokesmen said. That effort suffered a major blow when "Muthanna," the al Qaeda emir for the Iraq-Syrian border region, was killed in early September.
Al-Tunisi wasn't alone in calling for help. "Al Qaeda has lost half its leadership over the summer, and American intelligence collectors have amassed a huge number of desperate messages from al Qaeda leaders and operatives," said StrategyPage. The collapse of al Qaeda's networks in Iraq is the chief reason both U.S. casualties and Iraqi civilian deaths plunged in September, despite an increased operations tempo.
British Mideast expert Bartle Bull thinks it soon will be impossible to ignore the good news from Iraq. In an article this month in the British magazine Prospect titled "Mission accomplished," Mr. Bull wrote: "With most Sunni factions now seeking a deal, the big questions in Iraq have been resolved positively. The country remains one, it has embraced democracy and avoided all-out civil war."
The Sunnis, even the ex-Baathists, have turned on al Qaeda and are seeking a deal, and the predominantly Shia government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is willing to make one, Mr. Bull said. More than 14,000 Sunnis in Anbar Province, once al Qaeda's stronghold, have joined the Iraqi army and police since the troop surge began. "The Sunni insurgents have recognized that there is little point fighting a strong and increasingly skilled enemy — the United States — that is on the right side of Iraq's historical destiny and has a political leadership that ... responds to setbacks by trying harder," Mr. Bull said.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
British Mideast expert Bartle Bull thinks it soon will be impossible to ignore the good news from Iraq. In an article this month in the British magazine Prospect titled ¡°Mission accomplished,¡± Mr. Bull wrote: ¡°With most Sunni factions now seeking a deal, the big questions in Iraq have been resolved positively. The country remains one, it has embraced democracy and avoided all-out civil war.¡±
Way hard for the MSM tho... the loss on investment..
P is for pity.. and them needs all our PITY now more than evers, just think on the bushel baskets filled up wid the *Templates of Doom* that be all worthless now...
Waaaaaa i want my mommie..
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
10/24/2007 2:43 Comments ||
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#2
The popular uprising that started a year ago in Anbar, traditional leaders against international terrorist ideologues, will eventually spread through the entire Muslim world.
It will not just affect AQ either. Other sheiks will look at Iraq and see that they, too, can defy Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. Massive media support could not save the transnational terror gangs in Anbar and it will not save them elsewhere. Indeed, the detestable media beasts will be lucky to save themselves.
The revolt will eventually reach the Northwest Frontier Province and we will either get Osama we will confirm that he is dead.
Posted by: Lord Piltdown ||
10/24/2007 4:47 Comments ||
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#3
The Islamists also have to consider that RUSSIA-CHINA/SCO-CSTO, or at least Russia anyways, would like to be the BYZANTIUM to America's ROME, iff only PC economically??? *REALCLEARPOLITICS > RUSSIA IS DOING VERY WELL, OR IS IT? article.
#4
In early Nov when the Oct fatality numbers are complete and, hopefully no big helo crashes or other tragedies, even the WaPo and NYT will have to have stories on the favorable turn in the Iraq situation.
They will probably place it in the page 4-8 area and they will spin it as a recovery from mistakes, etc. but they will have to cover it.
And it may well be just that. But we will never really know. Looking backward we may now believe the path taken was wrong (too small force, disbanded Iarqi army etc.), but if we had taken THAT path we might be sitting here today looking backward and discussing the problems we caused by the mistakes of too large a US footprint and a destabilizing effect of a large independent Iraqi army. Leaders have to make a decision and go with it, then adapt as circumstances and knowledge dictate. Throughout American military history it is that adaptability (top to bottom), absent in most forces, which has made us successful.
#6
suppose, thanks to Petraeus, we really do eliminate AQ and all remaining Sunni factions want to negotiate, and are reasonable about it. And suppose Maliki et al still wont compromise.
#7
"In early Nov when the Oct fatality numbers are complete and, hopefully no big helo crashes or other tragedies, even the WaPo and NYT will have to have stories on the favorable turn in the Iraq situation.
They will probably place it in the page 4-8 area and they will spin it as a recovery from mistakes, etc. but they will have to cover it. "
That spin will play into the hands of the faction of left neo-cons and (the dwindling band of) liberal hawks who've said that there were abundant, even criminal mistakes made in the implementation of policy, but that Iraq was still winnable. It doesnt do much for the real doves. WaPo can spin it that way much easier than the NYT, forex. Or TNR (even under its new leadership) than Harpers.
#8
suppose, thanks to Petraeus, we really do eliminate AQ and all remaining Sunni factions want to negotiate, and are reasonable about it. And suppose Maliki et al still wont compromise.
What do we do then? Push Maliki out?
At that point, it becomes an issue of Iraq's internal governance, and the Iraqi people get to resolve it at the ballot box. Probably long before then, the Sunni will get the same deal Robert E. Lee got at Appomattox: cease fire, lay down your arms, go home and live in peace.
Posted by: Mike ||
10/24/2007 10:03 Comments ||
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#9
Someone needs to tell AQ they can find the sympathy they want in the dictionary between sh*t and syphillis.
BTW, first post but long time reader . . enjoy the posts from TW, Zenster, and all of you all
#10
Mike, if we leave Iraq to an uncompromising Maliki govt, and walk away, then its probably not long before another Sunni rebellion breaks out, and AQ comes back in trying to get in on it.
The US defeated the CSA with American forces. We didnt rely on outside forces that were going to leave after Appomattox. Had we done so, the war would have restarted after those forces left.
Maybe by 2009 the Maliki govt is strong enough to maintain order without us. Doesnt look that way now though.
#11
Even under the best scenario we will still have 40k troops there in mid 2009.
With luck, the next election cycle in Iraq will feature a homegrown Iraqi hero (maybe one of their special forces commanders) or better yet, a consortium of Iraqi heros. With a bit more luck, Sistani will not issue the implied 'vote shia' message that he did last time.
#12
A heartfelt welcome to you and the other new posters, malibu_shrade! I do apologize that I've been remiss in not saying so sooner, since I've been selfishly enjoying reading what y'all have to say, and I look forward to more. :-D
#13
Get it through your head, Liberalhawk, US forces are NOT leaving Iraq. Even if Hildebeast wins in 2008 the US forces are there to stay if for no other reason than to prevent Iran from threatening Kuwait and Soddy Arabia. Hildebeast may be a commie but she is not all that stupid. She must know that if the oil stops flowing she will only get four years instead of eight. Maliki will compromise because it will be made clear to him that he has no choice. They will have corruption and they will have internal conflicts but who doesn't?
Posted by: Abu Uluque6305 ||
10/24/2007 11:59 Comments ||
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#14
I expect that there will be a whole lot of backroom deals between Sistani and Maliki in the next few months, bringing the largest Shia parties onboard with a series of deals being cut with the Sunni parties. With the level of oil field rehabilitation, exploration, and exploitation now starting up, there is enough oil money and/or futures to buy everyone off. Also, Sistani is the head of the nationalist Shia faction and does NOT like the Iranians - which means the Sunnis will be able to work with him. Watch Sistani become Iraq's Boss Tweed for the next several years, handing out the contracts and managing the graft to an acceptable level.
#15
even the WaPo and NYT will have to have stories
You're niave, all you'll hear is a deafening silence.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
10/24/2007 13:51 Comments ||
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#16
As things settle (assumption) and that becomes widely understood and accepted by the outside world ($$$), then money is going to flood into Iraq. This may be a couple of years down the road, but it sure looks like it could happen.
Iraq has way more than oil. It has huge economic potential. Count on the fact that there will be guidance aplenty to help realize this potential.
Should stability and rapid ecomonic growth come to pass the rabid left in this country and Europe are going to look like the fools they are. Even a modicum of stability will make them look like that. The regional repurcussions of Iraqi success will be felt for years.
#17
abu - I dont expect US troops to leave soon either. I was responding to Mike, who I thought implied they would, by saying the remainder of what happened was in internal Iraqi matter.
Perhaps he meant that it was such, despite US troops staying. If Maliki refuses compromise, and the Iraqi civil war restarts, maybe it will be possible for the US troops to stay to watch Iran, and ignore whats going on within Iraq. I personally doubt that that will be feasible for long, for a host of reasons.
MHW - remind, when ARE the next Iraqi elections scheduled? Unless we press for earlier elections than the Iraq constitution does (see "soft coup") We've got to put up with the current Iraqi leadership for awhile yet.
Im also dubious of the political utility of Sistani at this point. Been disappointed too many times.
Best bet of course, would be Shia local and tribal leaders, in place of SCIRI and Dawa and the Sadrists. I assume Petraeus is working that angle, but its not clear to me what success he is having.
by Hillel Fendel
Arab terrorists opened fire at Israeli hitch-hikers outside the Shomron city of Ariel shortly before 11:30 AM, wounding a 20-year-old soldier in his stomach. He was evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah, and is listed in moderate-to-serious but stable condition.
The attack occurred shortly before noon when a long round of shots rang out from a west-bound car that passed by the hitch-hiking post along the moderately busy Tapuach-Ariel-Raanana highway. The terrorists' vehicle then made a quick U-turn, and sped back towards the central Shomron. The terrorists also shot at Israeli cars on the highway, wounding a second man lightly in his leg. The car had Palestinian Authority license plates.
A little-known Fatah terrorist cell has claimed responsibility for the attack. Fatah is headed by PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Police and military forces erected checkpoints in the area, and are in pursuit of the terrorists. A car was reported to be ablaze in one of the Arab villages in the area, and is believed to be the vehicle used by the would-be murderers. The Tapuach-Ariel section of the highway is closed to traffic.
Yesha Council: Result of Government's Policies
The Yesha (Judea and Samaria) Council of Jewish Communities announced that the attack was "the inevitable result of the government's goodwill gestures to Abu Mazen (Abbas). We have warned that the release of terrorists from prison, and the removal of others from the list of wanted terrorists, would lead to attacks. Instead of trying to strengthen Abu Mazen, an effort that is doomed to fail, the government should be trying to strengthen the security of Israel's citizens."
Previous Attacks
The attack was the first of its kind in the Shomron in over a month. On September 14, two women were lightly wounded when they were ambushed by Fatah terrorists as they were driving between Karnei Shomron and Kedumim, just a few kilometers from the site of today's attack.
The Ariel junction, located 23 miles east of Tel Aviv, has been the site of several fatal shooting attacks in the past. In August 2003, an 18-year-old and a 22-year-old were murdered there; ten months earlier, three soldiers were killed and 21 were wounded in a suicide attack. In August 2001, Zohar Shurgi, 40, a father of three, was killed in shooting attack between Ariel and Tapuach.
Israel is considering cutting off electricity to parts of Gaza if rocket attacks by Palestinian militants into southern Israel continue, Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said Wednesday. "The recommendation is to begin gradually cutting the electricity supply without harming humanitarian sources like hospitals," he told Israel Army Radio. Any such move would have to be approved by Israeli Defense Minster Ehud Barak.
This recommendation is part of a plan put together by security officials in response to the ongoing rocket attacks into southern Israel and comes only a few weeks after the Israeli cabinet declared Gaza a "hostile territory."
On Tuesday, eight Qassam rockets launched from Gaza landed in southern Israel, hitting a house, but inflicting no casualties, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces said. Also on Tuesday, a Palestinian militant died in an Israeli airstrike on his vehicle in central Gaza.
An Israeli army spokesman said the target of the attack had been Mubarak Hassanat, a senior member of the Popular Resistance Committees -- an umbrella group for Palestinian militant groups. One bystander was injured in the attack, the spokesman said.
According to Israel, a total of 15 rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza on Monday and Tuesday.
#4
If I've been reading correctly the last few days, recent articles suggest the Gazans haven't waited for Israeli action, but are already cutting themselves off from Israeli medical supplies, food, water, and power.
I could swear I've seen nearly that exact same headline at least twice already in the last year. For cryin' out loud, stop "considering" it and just DO IT. And don't do it "gradually" or to just "parts" of Gaza, and quit the liberal hand-wringing about "not harming humanitarian sources like hospitals". Shut the damned savages down COMPLETELY. No electricity, no water, no passage in or out.
Announce a policy and act on it: EVERY time a rocket is fired from Gaza, ALL services to Gaza will be terminated for a week. Do it consistently. Lab rats can be taught through operant conditioning; I assume Gazans can, too.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
10/24/2007 9:20 Comments ||
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#7
Lab rats can be taught through operant conditioning; I assume Gazans can, too.
#8
Israel is weighing the actual damage from the Qassams, the symbolic damage to its deterrent image from not responding even to ineffective attacks, its relations, diplomatic and economic with the "liberal world" including Europe, and the fence sitters in the USA, their desire not to undermine Abbas by hitting so hard in Gaza that West Bank Pals see Abbas as collaborating in the humanitarian harm to Gaza Pals, their desire to strengthen Abbas by hitting hard enough in Gaza to weaken Hamas' own reputation for strength, and their desire not to undermine the US WOT.
That is why they have "considered" for so long, and that is why when they do it, they will do it in careful steps.
#9
"That is why they have "considered" for so long, and that is why when they do it, they will do it in careful steps."
...and that is why they will continue to get the same results they've been getting: Qassams.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
10/24/2007 10:51 Comments ||
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#10
If you have a child and don't discipline it in a timely manner then the discipline, when it takes place, is not correlated with the instigating act and becomes viewed as parental abuse.
Discipline should be swifted applied.
The swat on the bottom - NOW!
The grounding - NOW!
#11
If the Qassam rockets landed in my community, I would be outraged and would demand that my government do what it takes to eliminate the threat to my family and my neighbors. I and my fellow citizens would raise holy hell. Just because the rockets do not hit anything that day is no excuse to let them go. Living under the threat of these erratic rockets means that one of them may have YOUR or YOUR FAMILY'S name on it.
When you allow rocket attacks into Israel and do nothing about them, you are in effect legitimizing the actions of terrorists, which allows them more degrees of freedom.
Liberal Europe does not give a sh*t about whether Israel lives or dies. Isreal is in the position that they are in because they have let this thing go too long without serious consequences. If Israel watches the polls to see which way they will move their policies, then they are just dying on the installment plan.
Abbas is Hamas-lite. Just like the Arafish was. He is another weasel, talking out both sides of his mouth. Israel is in the position that they are in because they kept backing down on fundamental issues, worried about public opinion, instead of doing what is right and necessary for her survival. You do not negotiate with enemies that are sworn to destroy you. That is a game for fools.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
10/24/2007 13:51 Comments ||
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#12
When you allow rocket attacks into Israel and do nothing about them, you are in effect legitimizing the actions of terrorists, which allows them more degrees of freedom.
Too right, AP. Silence is consent and Israel has consented to playing the victim so many times that this sort of suicidal behavior is now expected of them. It's long past tea for them to respond quickly and lethally to even small incursions by Hamas or even Fatah, for that matter.
#13
Lining up 2000 artillery pieces and marching the shells north to south would do a lot more, quicker, and more effectively. Once Gaza is a desert, turn to the West Bank. The flood of "refugees" to Egypt and Jordan will put them where they belong. If Hezbollah attacks from the north, give UNIFIL 30 days to leave, then nuke the Litani River from Syria to the Med. Doing it once, right, will solve the problem for a long time to come.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
10/24/2007 16:05 Comments ||
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#14
AP:
1. Its not the govts job to only be concerned for one community, but to worry about the security of the state.
2. Its absolutely not true they have done nothing - they have done counter battery fire, air attacks (including one the other day that killed a Hamas honcho who was involved in the rocket attacks) and raids. What they have not YET done is cut the power.
3. What liberal europe cares about in its heart of hearts is irrelevant. What matters is trade and other real world interactions. Israel does not want to be isolated. Israel is a small country and cannot afford to be isolated, and that is a fact.
4. Far from dying, Israel is growing, in population, economics, society.
5. Im not going to addressthe Abbas=Arafat argument in this thread. Suffice it to say the current govt of Israel does not believe it, and they will make policy on that basis.
#15
I may not agree with your Litani nuke solution™ OP, but I agree with your Walking Artillery Solution™ for Gaza. There is absolutely no reason for the IDF to do ground ops there, subjecting troops to unnecessary risk.
I still say, turn their water off. That will get their attention more than anything. Give em some advance warning so they can get Egypt to save their sorry a$$es, then 32 turns clockwise on the Big Valve™.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
10/24/2007 16:43 Comments ||
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#16
I expect they will cut off power to the specific towns where the rocket attacks are coming from. Let each town decide how much its worth to cooperate with the hard boyz.
#17
Quite probably I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that the Palestinians are not connected to Israel's power grid, as I thought they were not connected to Israel's water. But rather, that they get fuel for their power generators, which also pump the water from their own wells (which they use so wastefully the groundwater is falling and seawater is seeping in). How far from correct am I?
#18
IIUC - they are directly sucking energy tied into the Joooo grid at the Ashkelon power plant - which they routinely (and as yet unsuccessfully) target. Perhaps one could "hit the line to gaza"
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/24/2007 21:32 Comments ||
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An undercover Israeli Defence Force (IDF) unit killed two Palestinian militants in a raid in the West Bank city of Jenin early on Tuesday, Israeli security forces said.
According to the Israeli daily, Haaretz, the two militants, identified as members of Saraya al-Quds, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad were killed after a brief gun battle, according to Israeli security forces. One of the two killed was Khaled Hussein, a senior leader in the military wing of Islamic Jihad in the northern West Bank. He was believed to have taken part in the planning of several terrorist attacks, including a failed shooting attack outside Tul Karm in July, Haaretz reported.
The second militant killed was named as Tareq Abu Ali, Hussein's assistant.
The IDF special unit members were dressed in civilian clothes and used a car with Palestinian plates to ambush the two Palestinians, Israeli security sources said. A back-up Israeli army unit entered the city and arrested at least six other people, according to the sources.
#1
A classic Israeli assassination plot. A "brief" gunbattle indeed.
BTW, this is gromky on a new PC, but I kinda like this new name Fred's software picked out for me.
Posted by: Shavitch Prince of the Antelope2092 ||
10/24/2007 5:21 Comments ||
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#2
"ices PIJ capo"
I love it when Fred goes all film noir on us. Khaled Hussein was in a dive, lookin' for a dame, when it happened. The last thing he heard in this life was the bark of the IDF hit man's roscoe, and then the lead pill sent him to the boneyard.
Posted by: Mike ||
10/24/2007 6:07 Comments ||
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#3
gromky, would you be a dear and add "formerly gromky" at the end? Otherwise, given how sadly porous my memory has become, I'll soon forget it's you.
An Israeli air strike on Tuesday killed an official in the Hamas-led government, Mubarak al-Hassanat, Israeli daily Haaretz reported. Al-Hassanat was also the leader of the Hamas-linked Nasser Salahuddin brigades. His car was travelling on the beach road, South of Gaza City near the al-Zahra junction when it was shelled by the Israeli airforce. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman's office said the vehicle's passengers were members of a group which had launched Qassam rockets into Israel.
One person was wounded in the attack, reportedly the passenger travelling with Hassanat, Palestinian medical officials were quoted as saying.
Ma'an – Several Palestinian protestors were injured in the southern West Bank city of Hebron on Monday when the Palestinian security services violently dispersed a demonstration against Israeli aggression at Ktziot prison. One Palestinian prisoner was killed and 250 were injured during an Israeli raid at Ktziot prison in the Israeli Negev on Monday.
The Palestinian security alleged that it dispersed the Hamas-affiliated demonstrators in Hebron as the protest was illegal and, because it was held at night, could endanger people. Clashes erupted between the Palestinian security and Hamas loyalists at the start of the demonstration, which began at Al-Hussain Ibin Ali Mosque.
PLC member from the Hamas bloc Hatim Qafisha said he saw a Palestinian civilian being shot with a firearm. He also reported contacting head of Hebron security Samih Al-Sayfi to request permission for the demonstration, but he did not give his consent for the event. After the permission was not given, Qafisha said he asked the protestors to disperse and they did. However, said Qafisha, the misconduct of the security services led to the eruption of clashes. Governor of Hebron Hussain Al-Araj said that the Palestinian security fired into the air after the demonstrators became violent.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#4
I wonder if Israel truly foresaw how their security fence would propagate a "crowded cage of rats" syndrome on the other side. Funny how the global community has largely STFU about the fence now that terrorist attacks have dropped off so precipitously.
Two children and a man were killed and three adults were wounded in a Narathiwat shooting Tuesday night.
Suspected terrorists insurgents in a pick-up truck opened fire at local villagers walking along a road in Lamai village in Rangae district. A 10-year-old girl was killed, while her father and her 11-month-old baby brother died later at hospital, while three other persons wounded in the attack were hospitalised. Narathiwat governor Karan Supakitwilekhakan ordered a manhunt to apprehend the gunmen.
Meanwhile, a 300-strong combined joint force of police officers and paramilitary rangers on Wednesday raided two villages in Sungai Padi district and detained seven suspected terrorists insurgents. The detainees include one woman and a religious leader of a mosque. During the raid, the police also detained an Army private found to be in possession of seven amphetamine pills.
(PTI) At least nine Tamil Tigers were killed and many others injured in three separate clashes between the LTTE militants and army troops in restive northern Sri Lanka today, taking the total number of rebels killed in last 24 hours to 39, the military said. Nine LTTE militants were killed and many others wounded in three separate clashes with troops in the Thampane and Vilaththikulam areas in Vavuniya, the Army said.
According to the army, three Tiger cadres were killed in a gunbattle with troops in the Thampane area this afternoon. Separately, a LTTE mortar attack killed one soldier and wounded two others in the Vilaththikulam area, the defence ministry said. Troops retaliated the attack and killed LTTE rebels. Another five rebels were injured in the attack, the Army said.
An hour later, a LTTE attempt to mount an attack on the troops in the same area was successfully thwarted by the Army. Counter attacks by troops killed another three LTTE rebels, the army said adding the troops didn't suffer any casualty in the clashes.
At least 30 Tamil Tigers were killed in a series of clashes with Sri Lankan security forces in the island nation's northern region, hours after the deadly LTTE attack on the Anuradhapura air base yesterday that left 13 soldiers and 20 guerrillas dead.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2007 00:00 ||
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Independent experts have pinpointed what they believe to be the Euphrates River site in Syria that was bombed by Israel last month, and satellite imagery of the area shows buildings under construction roughly similar in design to a North Korean reactor capable of producing nuclear material for one bomb a year, the experts say.
Photographs of the site taken before the secret Sept. 6 airstrike depict an isolated compound that includes a tall, boxy structure similar to the type of building used to house a gas-graphite reactor. They also show what could have been a pumping station used to supply cooling water for a reactor, say experts David Albright and Paul Brannan of the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS).
U.S. and international experts and officials familiar with the site, who were shown the photographs yesterday, said there was a strong and credible possibility that they depict the remote compound that was attacked. Israeli officials and the White House declined to comment. As if they hadn't seen them ever before. Nope. Had no idea whatsoever.
If the facility is confirmed as the site of the attack, the photos provide a potential explanation for Israel's middle-of-the-night bombing raid.
The facility is located seven miles north of the desert village of At Tibnah, in the Dayr az Zawr region, and about 90 miles from the Iraqi border, according to the ISIS report to be released today. Albright, a former U.N. weapons inspector, said the size of the structures suggested that Syria might have been building a gas-graphite reactor of about 20 to 25 megawatts of heat, similar to the reactor North Korea built at Yongbyon.
"I'm pretty convinced that Syria was trying to build a nuclear reactor," Albright said in an interview. He said the project would represent a significant departure from past policies. ISIS, a nonprofit research group, tracks nuclear weapons and stockpiles around the world.
Israel, which has nuclear weapons of its own, has not said publicly what its warplanes hit or provided justification for the raid. Syria has denied having a nuclear program. But beginning construction of a nuclear reactor in secret would violate Syria's obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which requires all signatories to declare their intent when such a decision is made, according to sources at the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
The new report leaves many questions unanswered, such as what Syria intended to use the unfinished structures for and the exact role, if any, of North Korea in their construction. Also unclear is why Israel chose to use military force rather than diplomatic pressure against a facility that could not have produced significant nuclear material for years. The new details could fuel debate over whether Israel's attack was warranted. After all, it was only an experimental grain silo/baby milk factory.
Albright acknowledged the difficulties of proving what the site is, in part because the roof was put on at an early stage, blocking views of the foundation and obscuring any potential reactor components. In construction of other types of nuclear reactors, the roof is left off until the end so cranes can move heavy equipment inside. Just trying to keep the workers dry!
Some nuclear experts urged caution in interpreting the photos, noting that the type of reactor favored by North Korea has few distinguishing characteristics visible from the air. Unlike commercial nuclear power reactors, for example, a North Korea-style reactor lacks the distinctive, dome-shaped containment vessel that prevents the release of radiation in the event of a nuclear accident. Gee, I wonder why.
"You can look at North Korea's [reactor] buildings, and they look like nothing," said John E. Pike, a nuclear expert and director of GlobalSecurity.org. "They're just metal-skinned industrial buildings." The proximity of the building to a water source also is not significant by itself, Pike said.
But Brannan, of ISIS, combed through a huge amount of satellite imagery to find a site along the Euphrates that matches a reactor's specifications as well as descriptions of the attack site. The compound's distance from populated areas was a key detail, since reactors are usually isolated from major urban populations. Well, it's nice to have independent confirmation that the nonexistant structure was there.
The site is also close to an irrigated area, which would explain statements by some officials privy to details of the attack that the facility was located near orchards. A small airstrip about two miles away could have been used to transport personnel to the site.
U.S. and foreign officials tracking the incident said that Syria is presently trying to remove remaining structures at the site. Like a gazillion tons of rebar?
The International Atomic Energy Agency has acquired its own aerial photographs but has not finished analyzing them, according to an IAEA source.
In an interview published yesterday, IAEA director and Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei expressed anger at the Syrians, Israelis and foreign intelligence agencies for not providing information about a suspected nuclear program. The Israelis? Just had to throw them in there, didn't you.
"We have said, 'If any of you has the slightest information showing that there was anything linked to nuclear, we would of course be happy to investigate it,' " he told the French newspaper Le Monde. Like you are fully investigating the Iranian civilian nuclear reactors?
"Frankly, I venture to hope that before people decide to bombard and use force, they will come and see us to convey their concerns."
ElBaradei also said an airstrike could endanger efforts to contain nuclear proliferation.
"When the Israelis destroyed Saddam Hussein's research nuclear reactor in 1981, the consequence was that Saddam Hussein pursued his program secretly. He began to establish a huge military nuclear program underground," he said. "The use of force can set things back, but it does not deal with the roots of the problem." As if the Syrians weren't pursuing their program in secret? I'd say this now proves ElBaradei is complicit.
Posted by: gorb ||
10/24/2007 06:28 ||
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#1
Hell, I knew the syrians were doing this. ElBaradei must not know very much.
#2
If any of you has the slightest information showing that there was anything linked to nuclear, we would of course be happy to investigate it hush the whole thing up.
Fixed.
#3
"ElBaradei also said an airstrike could endanger efforts to contain nuclear proliferation."
Like blending milk and ice cream could endanger efforts to make a milkshake?
#4
"...Saddam Hussein pursued his program secretly. He began to establish a huge military nuclear program underground..."
Wait a minute! I thought the anti-Bush position was that there were no WMD programs!
#5
When we do bomb iran's nuke efforts, I want to see ol' mo el baradei strapped to the first bunker buster....
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
10/24/2007 10:41 Comments ||
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#6
If the UN had their way, every despot would have paid bribes for their own nuke program and nukes, the US would grant full sovereign rights to the UN and completely disarm.
#7
No dome-shaped containment vessel that prevents the release of radiation in the event of a nuclear accident? That's good enough reason to bomb it all by itself. Assad was so sure there would never be an accident? With Syrian and Nork technicians? Moron. It would have become the Chernobyl of the ME. The Joooos did them a favor.
Posted by: Abu Uluque6305 ||
10/24/2007 12:12 Comments ||
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#8
The International Atomic Energy Agency has acquired its own aerial photographs but has not finished analyzing them, according to an IAEA source.
And doncha know they'll do a fine job of analyzing and reporting the results...in a decade or two...or three.
#10
In an interview published yesterday, IAEA director and Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei expressed anger at the Syrians, Israelis and foreign intelligence agencies for not providing information about a suspected nuclear program.
"We have said, 'If any of you has the slightest information showing that there was anything linked to nuclear, we would of course be happy to investigate ittip off our Islamic brethern at the earliest opportunity,' "
#2
Like her or not, Lucille Ball deserves profound recognition when it comes to Hollywood's pantheon. In an age of Milton Berle, Dean Martin, Red Skelton, Jackie Gleason and a slough of other male comedic performers, Lucy had her own prime time network show. No small achievement for a woman in that era and even now for that matter. Much as I might not enjoy her particular blend of slapstick and melodrama, she still warrants a huge measure of applause for her singular achievments.
#3
More to the point, she owned the whole studio. I Love Lucy was the prototype for all situation comedies. Lucille Ball invented the technique of filming a stage play with multiple cameras in front of a live audience.
Posted by: Mike ||
10/24/2007 6:12 Comments ||
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#4
Looks like it was installed crosswise
Maybe it would help if you pulled on it a bit . . . . >:-}
#8
John: true, according to a Lucille Ball biography my wife has.
Live long and prosper, Lucy.
Posted by: Mike ||
10/24/2007 8:25 Comments ||
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#9
I remember seeing Lucille as a young actress in a Three Stooges episode "Three Little Pigkins". She was definately a knock out. But I found her at that age, a little too much on the thin side for my liking. She was quoted later in life to have said "The only thing I learned from The Three Stooges was how to duck!" Photo of a young Lucille at Three Stooges.com
#10
The whininess was the character, not Miss Ball's. In film she was marvelous -- approachably beautiful, incredibly funny. Offscreen as well, from what I've heard, and always a lady of strong character (the other kind).
#11
When you compare the Gleasons, Balls, Skeltons, Bennys and Berles to today's sit-com stars there is no comparison. Skelton must of had a dozen or so characters he could call on as did Gleason. What you get today are people who expect you to understand how hip and topical their humor is when in fact its pretty sophmoric and outdated.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
10/24/2007 12:27 Comments ||
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#12
Fred, et.al.
Something weird is happening. After I make comments then hold down the backspace arrow to return to "Rantburg" the first listing is for "Investor Minute Archived Broadcasts". Any idea what that is about?
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
10/24/2007 12:29 Comments ||
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#13
Skelton must of had a dozen or so characters he could call on as did Gleason.
Amen and Amen to that. My personal favorite was Gleason as Joe the bartender and Frank Fontain as Crazy Googenham. I cannot cross over the I-50 Skelton bridge near Vincennes, IN (Red's hometown) without thinking of Red and his closing... "and may God Bless."
My favorite part of the Skelton show was "Two Seagulls sitting on a wire, one named Gertrude and one named Heathcliff". When Red would stick his hands in his armpits and make like he had wings. And Gleason's "Poor Soul" will stand the test of time as one of the greatest mime characters ever created. The other thing about those great comedians - they were all American Patriots. Maybe that's why you can't understand Hollywood and TV anymore - they hate us.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
10/24/2007 14:25 Comments ||
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#16
Glad to see people note the shallowness of most modern sit-com players. Jerkwits like Seinfeld have all the depth of a comic book. Currently, Robin Williams is one of the few truly heavy-weight comedians in terms of wide-ranging material, dialect and facial expression. Much like his idol, Jonathan Winters, Williams has a true rubber face.
I would trace the multi-talented aspect of old school comedians back to the vaudevillian influences on early Hollywood. In the days of touring ensembles, the more different talents you had (i.e., singing, dancing, prestidigitation, acrobatics and so forth), the more opportunities you got to appear on stage. At the close of each act, especially good performances were rewarded by people pitching pennies up onto the stage. The player was allowed to harvest this bounty and it could make quite a difference in their overall income. Moreso when you consider the buying power of a penny in those days.
My favorite part of the Skelton show was "Two Seagulls sitting on a wire, one named Gertrude and one named Heathcliff".
"Oh, Heathcliff, laying these eggs is such a pain!"
"Come on downtown with me and you can watch the mayor lay a cornerstone."
Or:
"Gosh, Gertrude, the beach sure is crowded today."
"Yeah, Heathcliff, takes all the sport out of it."
Or:
"Did you see the mayor's limousine?"
"Yeah, I spotted it!"
As to "The Great One", he was a giant amongst performers, even of his own time. Gleason was an accomplished musical composer and arranger. "The Honeymooners" served as the template for "The Flintstones" which is now paid homage by "The Simpsons", one of the finest television shows in all history.
If you ever want to see something that goes beyond strange, rent yourself a copy of "Skidoo". Utterly bereft of plot, it remains the "Plan 9 From Outer Space" of Otto Preminger's career. The cast reads like a laundry list of Hollywood's acting elite: Jackie Gleason, Mickey Rooney, Carol Channing, Groucho Marx as "God", Frankie Avalon, Peter Lawford, Burgess Meredith and Slim Pickens. Truly one of the most off-the-wall films of all time.
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.
KABUL - Afghan and International forces killed several Taleban militants in separate clashes, during which over a dozen civilians were also killed, officials said on Tuesday.
Several militants were killed during an air raid in the central Afghan province of Wardak, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) force said. Ground forces had seen more than 50 insurgents preparing an ambush and then targeted them from the air. Afghan defence ministry said that at least 12 suspected Taleban militants were killed in same operation which occurred in Jalrez district of the province.
Three militants were killed and two arrested from a temporary fugitive camp in Kordan, around 10 kilometres west of Dera Bugti town, during clashes with police on Tuesday, District Coordinating Officer Abdul Samad Lasi told APP by phone.
The army on Tuesday took positions on hilltops in Swat Valley, while people have started moving to Mingora and its adjacent areas fearing a military operation in the valley. The troops deployed in Swat to control law and order after the Lal Masjid operation have also started moving from the Kabal Golf Ground to the Aligram and Hazara hilltops. Military officials would not comment on the army movement to the hilltops. 
Law enforcement agencies arrested three men from a Larkana hotel on Tuesday, ahead of Pakistan PeopleÂ’s Party (PPP) chief Benazir BhuttoÂ’s expected arrival in her hometown today. 
The last days on Earth of Abu Osama al-Tunisi apparently were filled with anxiety: "We are desperate for your help," he said in a letter to al Qaeda chieftains. A copy of the letter was found by U.S. troops sifting through the rubble of the building in Musayb, about 40 miles south of Baghdad, where on Sept. 25 al-Tunisi had been meeting with two local al Qaeda operatives when an F-16 cut their discussion short. 
Ma'an – Several Palestinian protestors were injured in the southern West Bank city of Hebron on Monday when the Palestinian security services violently dispersed a demonstration against Israeli aggression at Ktziot prison. One Palestinian prisoner was killed and 250 were injured during an Israeli raid at Ktziot prison in the Israeli Negev on Monday.
(PTI) At least nine Tamil Tigers were killed and many others injured in three separate clashes between the LTTE militants and army troops in restive northern Sri Lanka today, taking the total number of rebels killed in last 24 hours to 39, the military said. Nine LTTE militants were killed and many others wounded in three separate clashes with troops in the Thampane and Vilaththikulam areas in Vavuniya, the Army said.
Independent experts have pinpointed what they believe to be the Euphrates River site in Syria that was bombed by Israel last month, and satellite imagery of the area shows buildings under construction roughly similar in design to a North Korean reactor capable of producing nuclear material for one bomb a year, the experts say. 
