#1
the government has been responsible for only 20 percent of the money spent, and most of that has been well managed
By 'well-managed' they must meen 'stolen'. They need to increase the government participation rate to 50%, since they see the writing on the walls that the US will leave soon and they had better hurry up and fill those Swiss bank accounts.
#2
I think the Afghan government has actually been impressed by the level of corruption found in NGOs. That is, while the Afghans would steal the fixtures, they've never met those so greedy that they scrape the paint off the walls, to sell to young children as candy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting in Egypt with President Hosni Mubarak has been put back by a day and will take place on Wednesday, an Israeli official said on Monday.
Israel Radio said the meeting, which Netanyahu said would be held in Cairo, had been moved to the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh due to Mubarak's timetable. It was not clear why the meeting had been rescheduled.
South African police say they have arrested four men in the capital, Pretoria, for attempting to sell what they describe as an industrial nuclear device to undercover officers.
The men - all South Africans - were arrested Friday at a Pretoria gas station, where they attempted to sell the device for about $6 million.
Police say Interpol was also involved in the operation. They did not say where the device came from or for what industrial purpose it is used, but did say it contained radioactive material.
Posted by: American Delight ||
07/12/2010 06:02 ||
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#1
My bet: gamma source for industrial steel inspection.
#2
Most likely Iridium-192 or Cobalt-60 source of gamma radiation. However, unless these sources are protected these guys might be suffering radiation poisoning. They could be thinking of a dirty bomb.
Police recovered some Caesium-137 contained in a protective cover, but admitted they had yet to find a larger device, which was set to be sold on the black market for R45 million.
Parallel embassy presumably remains active in Venezuela
Argentina's Planning Minister Julio De Vido and his closer associates are still operating a "parallel embassy" in Venezuela, said the Argentine newspaper La Nación which obtained the information from "top level alert issued less than 10 days ago by the (Argentine) Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a confidential diplomatic cable." The Buenos Aires newspaper obtained a copy of the telegram.
These "parallel" efforts were reported to the brand new Argentine Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman, as published by La Nación. The minister was notified of the problem affecting some Argentine companies due to the misconduct of another De Vido's close associate, his former private secretary José María Olazagasti, also known as "the Basque."
The scandal erupted after allegations on the alleged charge of a 15 to 20 percent commission to Argentine businessmen to export their products to Venezuela. The Argentine opposition party Coalición Cívica (CC) reported an alleged illegal association led by former President Néstor Kirchner, husband of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who ruled Argentina between 2003 and 2007.
The diplomat alert mentioned by the Argentine newspaper was issued on Friday, June 25.
Meanwhile, the Argentine government denied that a close associate of De Vido conducted "parallel actions" at the embassy of Argentina in Venezuela. Argentine Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman said on July 5 that "there is nothing secret" in relations with Venezuela and denied again the existence of a "parallel embassy."
"There can be no parallel embassies because I do not allow them as they are not necessary; and there was no trip of any official of any ministry that had not been previously approved by the Executive branch of government," Timerman told reporters.
¡No, no, ciertamente no!
The Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs rebutted reports published this past weekend by the Argentine media, according to which a close associate of Planning Minister Julio de Vido took "parallel actions" at the embassy of Argentina in Venezuela to export goods to the Caribbean country.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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IRAN is close to having the potential to build a nuclear weapon, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in the clearest indication yet of Moscow's alarm over Tehran's atomic drive.
"Iran is nearing the possession of the potential which in principle could be used for the creation of a nuclear weapon," Mr Medvedev said at a meeting with Russian diplomats quoted by Russian news agencies.
Russia, traditionally a diplomatic and economic ally of the Islamic Republic, adopted a milder line against Tehran than Western powers in the past but has noticeably hardened its position in recent months.
Over the past months, Iran announced steady advances in its nuclear program, in defiance of international calls for Tehran to freeze its sensitive uranium enrichment operations.
Iranian atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi said on Sunday that Tehran had produced around 20 kilograms of 20 percent enriched uranium.
Mr Medvedev said that Iran "is far from behaving in the best way."
Russian last month joined other world powers in approving a new set of sanctions against Tehran. Mr Medvedev repeated his belief that sanctions often do not produce results but he said in this case they could stimulate talks.
"Now what we need is patience and, as quickly as possible, to renew dialogue with Tehran," said Mr Medvedev.
"This is what we see as the main aim of the U.N. Security Council resolution. And if diplomacy loses this chance then this will be a collective failure of all the international community," he added.
Western powers accuse Iran of seeking to build a nuclear bomb under the cover of a civilian nuclear energy program, charges that are fiercely disputed by Tehran.
The US and its Middle East ally Israel never ruled out the use of military force to end Tehran's defiance, but Russia always insisted that the standoff should be solved diplomatically.
#1
Nuthin goes past him. Mindboggling, they did not see this coming? Maybe after they got a whiff of an IRG memo about a scenario that booms Moscow first to trigger WWIII, they started worrying. Diplomacy, yea, that's the ticket.
#2
IRAN is close to having the potential to build a nuclear weapon, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in the clearest indication yet of Moscow's alarm over Tehran's atomic drive.
I guess Mevedev/Putin said: "The muslims don't like us either. We are not immune from muslim terrorists crazies."
#5
RIAN NOVOSTI > MEDVEDEV in same admits that UN-led Sanctions agz Iran, however potent, will only succeed or accomplish so much agz Iran + similarly determined or dedicated World Govts ["Rogue" Govts-States], + infers that MIL FORCE = MIL OPTIONS ARE ULTIMATELY NECESSARY TO SHORE UP/SUPPOR SAID-SAME UN SANCTIONS + OTHER BINDING DECISIONS AGZ A MEMBER-STATE(S).
* PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > UAE Ambassador to US]UAE DIPLOMAT MULLS HIT ON IRAN NUKES, PREFERS [Military]STRIKE TO ARMED IRAN/FOE.
* DEBKA > NUCLEAR MIDDLE EAST ON THE MARCH.
* BHARAT RAKSHAK POSTERS = opine that EGYPT + SAUDI ARABIA already have NUCLEAR WEAPONS???
[Al Arabiya Latest] Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said he would press ahead with efforts to overhaul the constitution despite a court ruling vetoing some of his reforms.
Erdogan says the changes are needed to bring Turkey's constitution in line with those of European democracies and to enhance the Muslim nation's bid for European Union membership.
Opponents see it as an effort to tighten the ruling party's control of state institutions after almost eight years in power.
Reflecting these concerns, the Constitutional top court annulled two articles in the package last week while ruling it could still be put to a vote in a September referendum.
"Even if it's not the result we wanted from a technical standpoint, it is a package that includes our target for the referendum," Erdogan told reporters late on Saturday in his first comments since the ruling.
"I believe it can be said that this is all that can be done for a coup constitution," he said, adding that the ruling AK Party will begin a campaign for a "yes" vote this month or at the beginning of August.
The reform package is seen as a test of Erdogan's popular support ahead of an election due next year.
AK traces its roots to a banned Islamist movement but says it is dedicated to Turkey's secular principles. It wants to change the national charter, drafted by the military in 1982, to meet European Union standards.
Opponents say the reforms lack a national consensus as only AK Party lawmakers voted for the package in parliament.
"The constitutional changes take away our rights, our freedoms. Therefore we will say 'no' at the referendum," said Kemal Kilicdaroglu, chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party, according to Milliyet daily.
He said the reforms were aimed at taking control of the judiciary to evade corruption charges against AK members.
A poll by A & Research showed voters evenly split ahead of the referendum, with 40 percent backing the changes and 39 percent opposed to them.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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The US has better relations with almost every nation on the planet thanks to President Barack Obama's foreign policy "outreach," his spokesman said on Sunday.
The claim came in an interview in which White House spokesman Robert Gibbs fiercely defended Obama against accusations that he has failed to reform US foreign policy from the damaging era of his predecessor George W Bush.
"We have better relationships with virtually every country in the world as a result of the president's foreign policy outreach," Gibbs hit back. "There's no doubt that we have taken foreign policy in a different direction," he added.
NBC interviewer David Gregory listed the failure to close Guantanamo, the Afghan war escalation, an expected U-turn on plans to give chief 9/11 suspect Khalid Sheikh Mohammed a civilian trial, and the same old sanctions strategy on Iran and North Korea, as examples of Obama's stalled foreign policy reforms.
Gibbs said this was "oversimplified" logic, particularly when you considered how Obama managed to win backing from Russia and China for tougher sanctions against Iran.
"He said to the world I'm happy to discuss Iran with Iran if it will come to the table and live up to its obligations, " he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
Versus
To wit,
TOPIX > WE HAVE TO BE THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE THERE - THE LIMITS OF US ENGAGEMENT.
ARTIC = among other, the US has backed itself into a corner where it hseemingly has to care + respond to EVERY CORNER AROUND THE GLOBE DESPITE NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD IT. As a consequence of 9-11 + WOT + Global Economy [troubles], THE US NO LONGER HAS THE LUXURY OF NOT HAVING TO CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE REST OF THE WORLD.
* SAME > A KURDISH-ISRAELI ALLIANCE VERSUS AN ARAB-TURKISH ALLIANCE?
* SAME > {US SecState HILLARY] CLINTON RENEWS US CLAIMS ON FORMER SOVIET SPACE.
ARTIC = By HILLARY = USA demanding that Russ withdrawal all of its troops from various troubled former Soviet territories, now sovereign Countries, HILLARY has effec given RUSSIA = VLADVEDEV AN ULTIMATUM?
ABOVE > POST 9-11, THE US HAS ACQUIRED NEW INTERNATIONAL MILPOL "SPHERES OF INFLUENCE", OF WHICH ITS GREATEST "SPHERE" IS THE EARTH = WORLD ITSELF.
D *** NG IT, MORIARITY, CLEARLY THERE IS NO "OWG-NWO" NOR "WAR FOR OWG-NWO" + RELATED HERE - THE GOVT, ABSOLUTELY UNDENIABLY CATEGORICALLY UNCONDITIONALLY.....@ETC. DEMANDS YOU NEVER, NEVER, EVER E-V-A-R FORGET WHAT THEY OFFICIALLY NEVER TOLD YOU!
#7
What concrete positions/issues have been advanced by this administration? Sanctions on Iran from Russia that they can cheat on or break at will?? That's all we have to show for our shoddy treatment of Poland and the Czechs?
#9
The US has better relations with almost every Third World nation on the planet
Even the Third World countries have noticed that Eastern Europe was pegged to the Russian fence, that the Palestinians aren't getting what they were promised, how President Obama tried to rig things for his pets in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A senior US senator urged Pakistan on Sunday to crack down on the al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, which operates on both sides of the country's border with Afghanistan. It's only controlled and manned from one side, though.
Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said he does not think the Haqqani network would ever make peace, and he vowed to push to include the group on the US terrorist blacklist. They're not on the list now? That sounds like a massive oversight.
The senator praised Pakistan for its help in fighting terrorism and for taking on other militants such as the Pakistani Taliban, but he said the country's reluctance to push into the North Waziristan area run by the Haqqanis is hurting the war effort in Afghanistan. Sometimes you just have to walk away from your sunk costs.
"They are not following through, and have not followed through, by going after one of the truly great threats that face us here in Afghanistan, which is the coming into Afghanistan from Pakistan of Haqqani fighters," the Democrat from Michigan told reporters in Kabul at the end of his two-day visit. How's that Strategic Depth thing working, anyway?
The Haqqani network, which mainly focuses on attacking targets in Afghanistan, is suspected of maintaining ties with Pakistan's powerful military intelligence agency. It's connected on the left side with ISI and the Afghan Talibs, on the right side with al-Qaeda and with the Pak Talibs.
The Pakistani government has denied news reports that it has reached out to the Haqqani network to secure its participation in talks with the Afghan government.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: al-Qaeda in Pakistan
#1
Brass bands and Maibaum dancing must also be taken on by the Germans. Both must end!
#3
BHRATA RAKSHAK > THE STRATEGIC RAMIFICATIONS OF A US WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN IS ALREADY BECOMING EVIDENT FROM NAGORNO-KARABAKH TO KYRGYZSTAN TO EUROPE.
ARTIC = Premature US-NATO milfors withdrawal, but in particular as per the US, may induce a DANGEROUS + DESTABILIZING RISE IN BLACK MARKETS ESPEC NARCOTICS/DRUG TRADE-FUELED LOCAL TERRORISM IN VARIOUS EURASIAN REGIONS. No longer backed by US = COALITION MIL POWER, LOCAL GOVTS will be hard-pressed to resist either BLACK MARKETS-FUELD PUBLIC CORRUPTION, nor agz RESURGENT MILTERR GROUPS ONCE AGAIN MADE POWERFUL BY ILLEGAL CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES E.G. NARCO-$$$.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that terrorists are infiltrating into Pakistan via Afghanistan, asking the Afghan government to take action against the insurgency, a private TV channel reported on Sunday. "I mean, we ain't got no terrorists in Pakistain. They gotta be comin' from someplace else!"
Talking to reporters in Islamabad, the minister asked the Afghan government to seal the Pak-Afghan border from Kunar (Afghan province) to Mohmand Agency. He said activists of the banned organisations Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) do not follow any religion. They're only pretending to be Islamists.
Malik said terrorists wanted to unleash a wave of sectarian clashes across the country and also hinted at the involvement of a "third power" behind the ongoing terrorist activities in the country. Sounds like the Heathen Hindoo again, up to his old tricks, stirring the innocent Pakistani pot.
The interior minister said one of the two suicide bombers who carried out the attacks at Data Darbar Lahore had been identified. Betcha he wasn't an Afghan nor was he a Hindoo.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
NEWS KERALA/TOPIX > AGHAN INTEL: TERROR STRIKES AGZ INDIAN DIPOMATIC ESTABLISHMENTS IN KABUL PLANNED IN PAKISTAN.
Intelligence reports have revealed that three banned organizations -- Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ), Harkatul Jihadul Islami (HJI) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- are involved in recent terrorist attacks across Punjab.
According to the reports, LJ, HJI and TTP are involved in a majority of attacks of the total 49 terrorist incidents that occurred across Punjab during the last 18 months. Reports say that HJI chief commander and the TTP and al Qaeda operations chief in Pakistan, Ilyas Kashmiri, masterminded these attacks. During various probes into terrorism incidents, it has been discovered that the three groups were involved in these attacks. But it's never occurred to anyone that all three are divisions of the same organization...
The first group consists of LJ activist released from Afghan and Pakistani prisons who got trained and fought in Afghanistan.
After identifying targets and completing the surveillance of these specific installations, the LJ activists forward these reports to the Ilyas Kashmiri, who then contacts the TTP so that they can carry out the attacks. The second group in the terror network provides suicide bombers and attackers, while the third provides ammunitions, explosives and suicide jackets. The third group consists of local TTP activist who take part in target-surveillance process.
According to the report, 49 incidents of terrorism occurred in Punjab during the last one-and-a-half years, killing 687 people, including 69 police officials. At least 1,834 people, including 268 cops were injured in these attacks. Twenty-one of the 49 incidents were traced by law enforcement agencies (LEAs), 37 terrorists were arrested, 24 of the attackers were killed in encounters with police and 27 suicide bombers blew themselves up during these attacks.
According to intelligence reports, in year 2007, 23 terrorism cases were registered, challans of 14 cases were presented before Anti-Terrorist Courts, 17 cases were decided in which eight accused were convicted, while the accused were acquitted in nine cases.
In 2008, 15 cases of terrorism were registered, challans of nine cases were presented in courts, which decided 10 cases and sentenced the accused in five cases, while the accused were acquitted in five cases.
In 2009, 30 cases of terrorism were registered, challans of 10 cases were presented in courts, 19 cases were decided, in which 13 accused were acquitted and six were sentenced. The report said the acquittal ratio in terrorism cases was alarming high and necessary amendments must be made in this regard in the Evidence Act 1984 to reduce the ratio.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
See also NEWS KERALA > LeT BEHIND KASHMIR VIOLENCE?
* SAME > BJP BLAMES KASHMIR VIOLENCE ON "COMPETING COMMUNALISM", between PDP + ruling National Conference Parties.
* SAME > US OFFICIAL: INDIA'S MUSLIMS ARE "NOT TERRORISTS". IOW, Indjuh's 160Milyuhn Muslims as a class shouldn't be maliciously labeled for the actions of a Local, Regional few.
* SAME > INDIA'S POPULATION TO SURPASS CHINA BY 2050.
versus
SAME > BANGLADESH BABY BOOM LARGER/BIGGER THAN EARLIER ESTIMATES [Good news for Bangla Moms + Families, but NOT for Bangla Govt + perennially troubled Bangla Economy].
ISLAMABAD -- President Asif Ali Zardari has ruled out handing over the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to India citing absence of any bilateral extradition treaty. He, however, hoped that they would be brought to justice in Pakistani courts.
"Non-state actors who derailed the Indo-Pak rapprochement would hopefully be brought to justice in Pakistan," official APP news agency quoted the president as saying in an interview at the conclusion of his five-day trip to China.
He said Pakistanis involved in the Mumbai attacks could not be handed over to India, because there was no extradition treaty between the two countries.
"I do not think it works like that between the two nations. There has to be bilateral treaties of that sort, which do not exist between us. But we are trying those people in Pakistan. Hopefully we will bring the offenders to justice," he said.
He underlined that the non-state actors who attacked Mumbai had succeeded in derailing the India-Pak peace process, but hoped India's "mature democracy" would show "foresight" in taking forward the resumed talks.
'Mature' means that India should give in ...
However, the "non-state actors managed to stall it for some time", he said.
"Now I think it is back on track and hopefully will go forward," the president said, insisting that Pakistan wanted to be friends with all its neighbours.
And dominant over most of them ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
Hopefully we will bring the offenders to justice," he said while he cleared his throat: "ahem, ahem"...and winked a knowing wink.
#1
It is a New York Times article. It must be true (sarc). What would be absolutely wonderful would be if a number of these widows were pro-western and could be recruited to "off" the AQ husband after marrying him. One can dream.
#3
According to the article, the widows (and their orphaned children) are a running expense left over from previous martyrs. By marrying them off, the salaries of current staff go to support them, no doubt a significant savings in pension costs. Not to mention the current staff don't need as much care and feeding.
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: U.S. ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill urged on Saturday all Iraqi political parties to speed up forming a government, stressing that his government does not back a certain figure in Iraq.
The United States are arranging things in the disputed areas prior to the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq and will not leave any unfinished tasks, Hill said during a press conference he held at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
Asked by Aswat al-Iraq news agency about a solution to end the government forming crisis, Hill replied that the Iraqi government must be formed from all groups. There are three sovereign posts that must be distributed in accordance with proportion.
He noted that the United States wants a long-term relationship with Iraq no matter the figure who would form a government is.
Our signing of a framework agreement with Iraq goes beyond the pullout of combat troops from the country, he said. By the time the last U.S. soldier would get out of Iraq, the Iraqi army would be one of the best in the region."
That's very likely true as long as our army is allowed to keep working with the Iraqis.
U.S. troops had withdrawn from Iraqi cities on June 30, 2009 as a prelude for the withdrawal of all combat forces from the country by August 2010 in accordance with the U.S. plans to pull out of Iraq and in line with the status of forces agreement (SOFA) Iraq and the United States had signed on December 13, 2008.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Kurdistan Alliance is waiting to learn the nominee who will occupy the position of Iraqs prime minister in order to start actual negotiations about the governments program and work mechanisms.
Negotiations will start only after we learn who will be the new prime minister of Iraq, Mahmoud Othman, a leading figure of the Kurdistan Alliance, told Aswat al-Iraq news agency on Sunday.
At that point, actual negotiations will start regarding governments program and work mechanisms, Othman explained.
He pointed out that negotiations are inconclusive unless blocs know the new president, prime minister, and parliament speaker. We have not joined any alliance, and we currently have no bias towards any side, Othman stressed.
He added that the Kurdistan Alliance may join alliances in future, depending on dialogues with other blocs.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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Hawaii-based Marines for the first time yesterday began using robotic support vehicles designed to trail behind squads in unfriendly terrain to carry supplies and wounded Marines with no one at the wheel.
Capt. Tim Bove sat in the passenger seat of one of four Ground Unmanned Support Surrogate vehicles yesterday and pointed to a computer screen designed to help each GUSS pick its way through the woods at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows.
[Al Arabiya Latest] Opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi has said Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards back sanctions against Tehran as they make "astronomical profits" from the punitive measures, a website said on Sunday.
"I believe that part of the Iranian rule as well as the Revolutionary Guards are in favor of sanctions as they make gigantic and astronomical profits from them," Karroubi was quoted as saying on opposition website Rahesabz.net.
The Guards regularly shrug off international sanctions imposed on Iran for its defiant nuclear program, with some top commanders expressing willingness to take on projects abandoned by Western companies, including in the energy sector.
Karroubi, who steadfastly opposes the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, again blamed the hardliner for the latest sets of sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, the European Union and the United States.
"Imprudence in (Iran's) foreign policy and the lack of political sanity in the actions and political and diplomatic words of the man in charge of the government have imposed high costs on the country," the reformist cleric said in a direct attack on Ahmadinejad.
"We should not give an excuse through shallow words and bungling actions and allow others to easily impose sanctions against Iran," the website quoted Karroubi as saying on Saturday at a meeting with families of detained opposition members.
Iran is under four sets of UN sanctions for its sustained pursuance of the nuclear program, all of which have been imposed since Ahmadinejad first became president in 2005.
Western governments suspect Iran's nuclear program is a cover for a weapons drive, something Tehran has repeatedly denied, maintaining it is aimed solely at power generation and medical research.
Karroubi, along with Iran's other main opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, continue to level accusations that Ahmadinejad's re-election last year was the result of a massive vote rigging.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
[Al Arabiya Latest] Four years after a devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah, the UN forces keeping them apart in southern Lebanon are under mounting strain amid fears of a fresh conflict and hostility from villagers.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, is in a delicate position "between two armed parties preparing for a possible new conflict," Paul Salem, who heads the Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Centre, told AFP.
"It is feeling somewhat trapped," he said ahead of the July 12 anniversary of the start of the war.
The 2006 conflict was triggered by the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah in a cross-border raid. About 1,200 Lebanese were killed, the majority of them civilians, while 160 Israelis died, mostly soldiers.
UNIFIL, established in 1978 after the first Israeli invasion of Lebanon, was beefed up following the 34-day war. The 12,000-strong force is entrusted with overseeing a ceasefire between the Jewish state and the Shiite militant party.
For decades UNIFIL has maintained good relations with the people of southern Lebanon, offering them education and health services in addition to their peacekeeping duties.
But in a rare string of events this month, villagers attacked the multinational force after taking to the streets to protest a 36-hour maximum deployment exercise by UNIFIL.
In the most notable confrontation, residents of the southern town of Tulin disarmed a French patrol and attacked them with sticks, rocks and eggs before the Lebanese army intervened.
Michael Williams, the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, described some of the protests as "clearly organized," singling out one encounter he said involved about 100 villagers.
The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously approved a statement of support for its peacekeeping mission in Lebanon and called on all parties in the country to allow the forces to move freely.
The rising tensions also prompted UNIFIL commander Alberto Asarta Cuevas to urge villagers to continue to work with his troops for peace.
"Whereas we take all possible measures to mitigate inconveniences to the people, there may still be problems you may face," Asarta said in an open letter on Thursday.
"The way to deal with those problems is to discuss them directly with UNIFIL, as we have always done in order to find amicable solutions, not by obstructing the work of peacekeepers or by beating them."
But some southerners told AFP they were far from happy with the troops.
"For three months we feel that the behavior of French soldiers in particular has changed. They watch us all day," said Ali Ahmad Zahwa of the municipality of the town of Kabrikha.
Abu Imad, a butcher in the town of Sawana, said: "We are not against UNIFIL, but the soldiers began to inspect our houses, take pictures and use sniffer dogs."
A UNIFIL spokesman contacted by AFP denied the soldiers had entered any civilian homes.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
TOPIX > HEZBOLLAH/HIZBOLLAH is repor claiming it has a LIST OF TARGETS TO ATTACK inside ISRAEL iff a new conflict breaks out between them.
[Iran Press TV Latest] Hezbollah has the intelligence necessary to fight back against Israel in the case of any new Israeli offensive against Lebanon, a senior official says.
The remark by Hezbollah's commander in southern Lebanon, Sheikh Nabil Qaouq, came after Israel's military, in a rare move, released a number of maps and aerial photographs showing that Hezbollah has moved most of its facilities into southern Lebanon near the Israeli border, claiming that the resistance movement is preparing for war.
"Let the Israeli leaders know that the Resistance also has a bank of targets," Lebanon's Ya Libnan newspaper quoted Qaouq as saying on Sunday.
Analysts believe that the publication of the intelligence by the Israeli military is aimed at preparing public opinion for a future war.
Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Friday that Tel Aviv would suffer huge losses if it wages another war on Lebanon.
Israel fought a 33-day war against Hezbollah in the summer of 2006 to destroy the military power of the Lebanese resistance.
Tel Aviv was eventually forced to leave the region without achieving any of its objectives and after suffering a humiliating defeat.
The carnage destroyed most of Lebanon's infrastructure and claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Lebanese, mainly civilians. ...which was a humiliating defeat for Israel. Yep. Nothing is more humiliating than utterly destroying your enemies, with virtually no losses. Yeah, all those dead Hezbies really showed Israel who is boss! (I swear, you can't make this shit up).
Posted by: Fred ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hezbollah
#1
Analysts believe that the publication of the intelligence by the Israeli military is aimed at preparing public opinion for a future war.
Analysts are morons then, because the reason to do this is to get the Hezbies to know that their shit is at risk if they start anything. Now they have to spend the next month moving their shit someplace else. With the Hezbies' shit all kombobulated for the next few weeks, the Israelis have full flexitude to kick Iranian butts without much concern about missiles from Lebanon.
Shame that the Syrian Army drills are being canceled because of bad hummus or something. Not much to worry about from that quarter.
You would think that Bibi would go and see the Pharaoh, just to warn him about some possible stuff about to go on. Oh, right he's doing that.
Next thing you know some Arab country making a ton of money on oil like Dubai, Iraq or Saudi would pop off about how Iran is doing wrong and needs a spanking. Oh, right. Got that last week.
All Israel needs to do now is some sort of quick-crazy to tie down Gaza and then they have a two week free pass to open a few cold cans of whup-ass on the Iranian leadership and oil infrastructure.
A senior Iranian lawmaker says the new round of anti-Iran UN Security Council sanctions is an open declaration of war against Iran by the six major powers.
Speaking to Fars news agency on Sunday, member of the Iranian Parliament's Foreign Policy and National Security Commission Mohammad Karami-Rad said the administration of US President Barack Obama was never truly after a nuclear fuel exchange with Iran.
Referring to Tehran's willingness for a nuclear fuel swap, the Iranian lawmaker said, "The US sees the issue of the exchange of uranium as a political one while it is a routine, commercial matter."
"President Obama did not expect Iran to accept to exchange its 3.5 percent enriched uranium with a 20 percent enriched batch outside Iranian soil," Karami-Rad said.
He further pointed out that a Western call on Turkey and Brazil for mediation in Iran's nuclear issue was only a political gesture, adding that Washington's estimation of a low chance of success for the nuclear fuel swap prompted the call.
Karami-Rad also slammed the double standard policies of the West in dealing with Iran, saying, "the adoption of the 1929 UN resolution after the issuance of Tehran's [nuclear] statement was an open declaration of war by the P5+1 against Iran and all the free nations of the world."
According to the Iranian national security official, the West made its utmost efforts to prevent Iran from achieving a complete nuclear fuel cycle and went on to warn against the adverse effects of confrontation with the Islamic Republic.
"If the US and Western countries go beyond sanctions and endanger the interests of the Islamic Republic, they should rest assured that they will pay a heavy price," he noted.
The lawmaker went on to say that countries which have trade and economic relations with Iran "will never sacrifice their interests for the US dual policies."
Karami-Rad reiterated that Iran would remain committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) while expressing willingness for the continuation of talks in line with the International Atomic Energy Agency regulations.
The remarks come as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently expressed Tehran's readiness to resume dialogue with Western powers opposing Iran's civilian nuclear program.
As a signatory to the NPT, Tehran argues that it has the right to peaceful nuclear technology, rejecting US and Israeli-led accusations that it is pursuing a military objective in its nuclear program.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/12/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
See also DAILY TIMES.PK > 20 KILOS OF 20% ENRICHED URANIUM READY, SAYS IRAN. Will next try to indigens dev nuclear fueling plates.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
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South African police say they have arrested four men in the capital, Pretoria, for attempting to sell what they describe as an industrial nuclear device to undercover officers. 
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