The EU pretty much thinks that about everything we do, don't they?
(SomaliNet) European Union experts say the United States is pushing to get a regional peacekeeping force deployed in Somalia and this could trigger a wider war in the Horn of Africa, European Commission sources said on Tuesday.
I'm continually amazed at how the side of civilization doing something in response to something done by the enemies of civilization's always guaranteed to make things worse.
The EU executive's department for African development has warned the bloc's governments that such a deployment could give cover for a larger military operation against the Islamists who control Mogadishu.
And this is bad ... how?
The stark warning given to envoys of the 25 EU states said a peacekeeping operation without the consent of all sides would be seen as an "invading force" and exacerbate the risk of conflict and of jihadist attacks, the sources said.
Since at least one side in the conflict isn't ever going to consent to a 'peacekeeping' mission, what you're left with is either a) accept the Islamicists as the new boss or b) find a way to take them down. The Y'urp-peons are happy with option (a), which means option (b) is more likely correct.
A U.N. Security Council committee is considering what action to take after receiving a report last week finding extensive illegal arms flows into Somalia, both to the Islamic Courts Union movement and to the shaky interim government.
They'll call for more extensive study. This will eventually work its way, after multiple tiny steps, to a sternly-worded declaration.
But only after a number of years have gone by, allowing the bad guyz to consolidate their position and subvert all of the nations around them.
Commission sources said U.S. officials had drafted a document calling for a partial lifting of the arms embargo and the deployment of a regional peacekeeping force.
An arms embargo that effectively embargoes only one side in a conflict seem a bit... ummm... unfair.
One EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some member states shared Brussels' misgivings but Security Council permanent members Britain and France were reluctant to oppose Washington openly because of the "terrorism issue".
Since at least a few eyeballs are opening in those countries on the issue.
The United States has correctly accused the Islamic Courts, in the ascendancy in the lawless East African country, of harbouring al Qaeda operatives and warned that neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia could be targets of "extremist elements" from Somalia.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/23/2006 00:00 ||
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The EU Ostrich community is alive and well, I see. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil against anyone, no matter how evil they may be. Europe consistently buries its head in the sand, hoping the problems will go away. I guess all the Europeans with spines failed to have children.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/23/2006 14:50 Comments ||
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COLONEL KLINK > SCHUUUUUUUUULLLLLLTTTTZZZZZZZZ [Sgt. Schultz]. HHHHMMMMM, the EU wants the problem solved as long they don't get shot at or spend anything, and while dealing wid warlords whom don't care whether they kill their enemies, their own people, andor outsiders.
The Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, has told African and European government ministers that they must accept high levels of cross-border migration. Mr Gaddafi told ministers gathered for a conference on migration from Africa to the EU that resisting migration "is like rowing against the stream". "The current populations of the world are originally migrants," he said.
Libya is hosting a two-day conference aiming to agree a common stance on both legal and illegal immigration. Ministers from more than 50 European and African countries are attending the conference. Libya is a key route for thousands of African migrants seeking to cross into Europe to begin a new life.
Click here to see the main routes taken by African migrants.
#1
Black africans are treated like sh*t by libyans, including real pogroms from time to time, and live in ghettoes. They complain being called "slaves" by natives, and having ttheir wimmen targeted for forced prostitution. Apparently, migration is not "inevitable" when libya is concerned.
What k-daffy is saying is : "we africans, and especially muslims, have a RIGHT to colonize Europe in particular, and the West in general... and if you're not happy with it, you must pay a ransom for us to do something about it".
This is the guy who spoke in front of a crowd at tombuctu, announcing the soon-to-be unavoidable islamization of Europe, and who asked for billions and billions of euros for compensation for colonization.
#2
Gaddafi is kind of correct. Something I vaguely recall from high school chemistry had to do with ions moving from high concentration to lower concentration areas of a solution? If the Muslims keep producing new Muslims in North Africa and Europeans keep not producing new Europeans in Europe, the natural result will be for Muslims to move to Europe to take advantage of the greater opportunity.
Ask the American Indians about that process. Of course, they did try to stem the tide but failed; Europe is not even trying.
Heck, for all I know, ask the Neanderthals about the Cro-Magnon moving in and taking over the neighborhood.
Myself, I would rather stop the flow - we have the means and it can still be done if we have the WILL to do it. But the longer we wait the harder it will be.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Vice President Dick Cheney will leave for Saudi Arabia the day after Thanksgiving for talks with King Abdullah. The vice president's office said Wednesday that Cheney would meet with Abdullah on Saturday to discuss developments in the Middle East, then return to Washington with no other stops planned.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/23/2006 00:00 ||
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I'm almost tempted to go see what the Kos Kids will have to say about this - might be kind of entertaining.
The top US negotiator for long-stalled North Korean nuclear disarmament talks plans to return to Asia on Sunday to continue efforts to convene a new round of negotiations, US officials said Wednesday. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill met Monday in Beijing with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei to discuss restarting those negotiations. Hill, who has returned to Washington, plans to travel to China again Sunday for more talks, after the end of a long US holiday weekend, State Department spokesman Tom Casey said.
After North Korea's Oct. 9 nuclear test, its government agreed to return to the talks with China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States. But officials have yet to determine a date. Casey reiterated that the goal is to have the talks restarted in mid-December.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/23/2006 00:00 ||
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FREEREPUBLIC/LUCIANE.com > North Korea = claims will NEVER give up its nuclear weapons regardless of [outcome(s)] of six-party talks. MONGOLIA setting up possible refugee camsp for NorKor refugees.
Hat tip Instapundit; the link is to her own website page that hosts the video. There's also a link to a YouTube page. Ms. Cole, a popular Aussie country singer, lets the Diggers know they're appreciated. Especially appropriate on Thanksgiving.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/23/2006 10:33 ||
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Democrats who won control of the US House of Representatives largely because of voter discontent with Iraq said on Tuesday they will hold a forum next month to examine options in the unpopular war. The war in Iraq is one of the most critical issues confronting our nation, and the American people have clearly called for a new direction, said Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat set to lead the House as its first woman speaker when the new 110th Congress convenes in January.
Pelosi said House Democrats would hold a forum on the Iraq war on Dec. 5 with retired Major Gen. John Batiste, former US ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke and former US national security advisor Zbigniew Brezinski. We know that stay the course is not working, has not made our country safer, has not honored the commitment to our troops, and has not brought stability to the region, Pelosi said in a statement. In winning the Nov. 7 congressional elections, Democrats vowed to push for a withdrawal of US troops from Iraq beginning within months. President George W Bush and his fellow Republicans in Congress have opposed timetables.
The bipartisan Iraq Study Group formed in March to advise lawmakers and the president on strategy in conducting the war is expected to report next month. As the administration considers a change in course in Iraq Pentagon officials and US national security agencies are also reviewing war strategy.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/23/2006 00:00 ||
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With the DhimmiDonks in power that image needs to be updated... instead of "OVER THERE" it should say "ANYWHERE EVER". Or mebbe just cut to the chase and change it to say "WE SURRENDER".
#5
Democrats who won control of the US House of Representatives largely because of voter discontent with Iraq..
False premise. Voters were feed up with a number of things largely associated with the Trunks fumbling and acting like the Donks in 1994. But, sure make the error. It will only lead to another change in leadership in 2 years. Yes, there is some discontent with the war, but just as much with the interference of self promoted experts in obstructing the military from actually being permitted to win it. Theres a huge difference between running and winning. Go ahead, pull my finger.
Dozens of home made pies have been seized by agents of the Transportation Security Agency at Cleveland Hopkins airport as air travelers attempt to move this contraband through security. The seized pies have been donated to the USO lounge at the airport for consumption by servicemen and women passing through Cleveland. I picked this off the live broadcast of Channel 8 in Cleveland, so it hasn't been posted at the website. This does seem a bit overzealous on the part of the TSA. On the other hand, the USO says the pies are much appreciated and are not going to waste.
Armed and drunken Muslims struck two greeters at a Sunday evening service of a church outside Lahore last week, later returning to pelt the building with stones and bricks. Led by Zulifiqar Akbar Jutt and Asif Ramzan, 10 men broke fluorescent lights and a cross on the outer gate of the Talab Sarai village Nazarene church on November 12, a Lahore-based human rights organization reported. This is the eighth attack on a Pakistani church confirmed by Compass this year.
The attack on the vacant church occurred while the congregation was lodging a complaint against Jutt and Ramzan for harassing them earlier that day .... According to Nazarene Pastor Rafiq Masih, prior to the 6 p.m. service, Jutt and Ramzan had approached the church intoxicated, singing swear words to the tune of the churchs hymns. Two greeters stationed at the church compounds outer gate intervened when Jutt and Ramzan began harassing Christian women on their way to the evening meeting, the pastor said.
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Posted by: Jack Rubenstein ||
11/23/2006 16:22 Comments ||
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Armed and drunken Muslims
Now, the armed is a requirement, but I thought the drunken part was forbidden.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
11/23/2006 18:56 Comments ||
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Oh, come on, Rob. Being around Christians would drive any Muslim to drink. It's the perfect excuse. Hearing all that preaching about love, harmony and peaceful coexistence must really do a number on their cognitive dissonance receptors.
The Security Cabinet on Wednesday decided to step-up targeted precision strikes against Gaza-based terrorists. Despite the move, the cabinet accepted the opinion of GSS (General Security Service/ Shin Bet) director Yuval Diskin, that political figures such as Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah should be granted immunity. They will not be targeted by the military in the ongoing war on terror, placing an emphasis on halting rocket attacks into the Sderot and western Negev areas.
Diskin told members of the National Security Cabinet that targeting PA (Palestinian Authority) elected officials would not advance Israels agenda, stating it did not do so in the past and the same holds true today.
The members of the security forum did agree to give a green light to the IDF and other agencies to strike out against terrorists known to be involved in the firing of rockets and other acts of terror.
Once again the ministers released a stern message to the PA, that if the rocket attacks continue, war will follow. Similar messages have been heard during recent weeks and months, but for now, the rocket continue to pound the Gaza seamline communities.
A 'stern message'? Who do they think they are, the U.N.?
For residents of areas being targeted in Kassam attacks, the decision by ministers has yet to produce any change in the situation. They are accusing the national government of abandoning them, angered by the lack of response to daily rocket attacks into pre-1967 Green Line Israel.
IDF commanders are calling for a major operation intended to clean out Beit Hanoun and other northern areas of Gaza of terrorists and weapons and to distance the rocket launchers from southern Israeli communities. Military officers and intelligence community officials warn terrorists are working in earnest to continue improving the rockets, which now have an extended range and seemingly more accuracy, striking out at Sderot with a modicum of consistency.
In Sderot, life has come to a halt and students remain home rather than attending classes. Thousands of children are in need of psychological care for the day-to-day trauma endured by the relentless firing of rockets into their communities. so, best move is not to have hamas big names pay for that. Makes sense. I'm sure the problem will go away all by itself, eventually.
Israel is speeding up plans to install a high-tech shield to protect its civilians from rockets, army officers and Defense Ministry officials said Wednesday. But two leading Israeli experts said no system currently available could stop the low-tech rockets, more than 2,000 of which have hit Israel since 2001.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/23/2006 00:00 ||
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hi-tec solution , flatten country that rockets enimate from with a Flatenator.
#3
I think that "faltenator" would translate into a handfull of MLRS units loaded with cluster munitions and and those what do the call them "shoe" mines (no self distruct time fram either).
Get hit with a rocket get the general area rocket came from return fire making a large square dead and uninhabitable (if square is part of city too bad). In the end the Paleo's will either be dead, driven into the sea, or wake up to the fact that if they don't get thier radicals under control their wont be a Palestine left.
Hamas leader-in-exile Khaled Mashaal arrived in Cairo overnight Wednesday to hold talks on a possible exchange of kidnapped Cpl. Gilad Shalit for Palestinian security prisoners currently held in Israel. Mashaal was slated to meet with Egypt's head of intelligence Omar Suleiman.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/23/2006 00:00 ||
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Boeing last week was awarded a $296 million U.S. Air Force contract for 12,889 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits. Boeing will deliver the Lot 11 JDAM kits in 2008 and 2009. Known as the world's most accurate bomb, JDAM is a GPS-aided, near-precision weapon that the U.S. Air Force and Navy have used extensively in global combat operations, including Afghanistan and Iraq.
JDAM guidance kits are capable of guiding 500- to 2,000-pound inventory warheads, and are widely acknowledged as the "warfighters' weapon of choice." Since 1998, Boeing has produced more than 160,000 tail kits.
Boeing last week was awarded a $296 million U.S. Air Force contract for 12,889 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits. Boeing will deliver the Lot 11 JDAM kits in 2008 and 2009. Known as the world's most accurate bomb, JDAM is a GPS-aided, near-precision weapon that the U.S. Air Force and Navy have used extensively in global combat operations, including Afghanistan and Iraq.
JDAM guidance kits are capable of guiding 500- to 2,000-pound inventory warheads, and are widely acknowledged as the "warfighters' weapon of choice." Since 1998, Boeing has produced more than 160,000 tail kits.
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/23/2006 9:09 Comments ||
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Go ahead and call me old school, but there is stil a place in warfare for mass quantities of dumb bombs indiscriminately delivered via BUFFS or other trucks of choice. Dissolve the citizens' appetite for supporting a loser and watch what happens to the warfighters' morale. And $296 million would buy a lot of dumb bombs.
Muslim extremists in West Java attempted to murder a Christian lecturer in mid-October for converting from Islam three years ago. The lecturer at various theological schools, whose name was withheld for security reasons, has taken shelter in another province to escape further threats to his life. ... in September a man claiming to be a Christian phoned the lecturer saying he wanted to study Islam in order to relate to his Muslim acquaintances. Several meetings followed in early October between the lecturer, the caller and several of the callers friends.
On October 17, members of this group whose names also were withheld asked the lecturer to bring a selection of Christian books and cassettes and travel with them to Lembang, a small community on the outskirts of Bandung, a large town in West Java. The group asked the lecturer to take the front passenger seat in a small red van. En route, the men in the back seat slipped a rope over the lecturers neck and attempted to strangle him. When he struggled, they hit him several times over the head with a hammer.
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Malaysia has rejected a claim by Thailand that Thai restaurants in Malaysia are funding a separatist movement to make violence in Thailand's three southern provinces while some new reports said an Al-Qaida-linked regional terror network has infiltrated in these predominantly Muslim areas.
"Lies! All lies!"
Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont revealed on Tuesday that some Thai restauranteurs in Malaysia are supporting the insurgent movements in Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani, three border provinces of Thailand plagued with violence related to an ongoing insurgency which has claimed more than 1,700 lives since it resumed in early 2004.
But according to Thai news group The Nation on Wednesday, Malaysia's Deputy Security Minister Fu Ah Kiow described the allegation by Surayud as "baseless". "It is very imaginative of him. It is absolutely baseless. These restaurants are owned by Malaysians and Thais," Kiow was quoted as saying.
"No, no, certainly not!"
On Tuesday, Surayud said that the persistent violence in the southern border provinces is promoted by some people who wrongfully believe in separatism based on differences in religion, race and historical assumptions. "As a matter of fact," the Thai prime minister said, "we must be based on a fact that Thailand is a place where people of different beliefs and races can live together peacefully."
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Iran on Thursday said it plans to press ahead with construction of a heavy-water nuclear reactor the U.S. and its allies fear could be used to produce plutonium to build atomic weapons hours after the U.N. nuclear watchdog denied Tehran help in building it. Gee, I don't quite remember, did we spec the right Zirconium pipes there?
The U.N. nuclear agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, decided to deny Iran technical help in building the heavy-water reactor in central Iran - at least for now - but left room for Tehran to renew its request, diplomats said.
But Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the IAEA was legally required to provide technical assistance to Iran, a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Iran has repeatedly said its contentious nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Remember, you are obligated to help us kill you. Given that you are western, you have to submit to your own insane logic.
"It is the duty of the IAEA to help. If they help, we will appreciate it. If not, we will do it on our own," Mottaki told reporters in Tehran. How will you appreciate it? Will you kill the IAEA last?
#1
HHHHHHHHMMMMMMM, well, 3000 centrifuges became 4-7000 which became 30,000 which became 60,000 which at last check is now 100,000. At this rate, Iran = North Korea could PC have a working, full-fledged missle wid bomb by EOM December 2007 -January 2007??? BLOG SPECULATORS > Iran wants LR Nuke missles + warheads circa 2009, which is weirdly + mysteriously, but only coincidentally/
randomly, the same rough timeline [2009-2010] for China to begin its takeover of Taiwan.
Iran has agreed to crack open the books on its uranium enrichment activities, the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Thursday - a move that could give experts a better grasp of a program the Security Council fears could be misused to produce atomic bombs.
The concession appeared timed in hopes of heading off a rejection by the International Atomic Energy Agency of Iran's request for technical help in building its Arak plutonium-producing reactor. Unmoved, the IAEA's 35-nation board denied the aid for at least two years.
Tehran's decision to provide access to the operating records of its pilot uranium enrichment plant at Natanz came with another carrot - a pledge to allow U.N. inspectors to take more samples from a facility that had yielded suspicious traces of enriched uranium.
Both moves were described as "important steps" by IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who announced Tehran's offer.
Uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing can both produce material for atomic warheads, and Iran's lack of complete candor about its programs has fed suspicions in Washington and other capitals that Tehran is trying to make nuclear weapons in violation of its treaty obligations.
Iran insists its only goal is to use enrichment to produce fuel for nuclear reactors that generate electricity and plutonium reprocessing to make nuclear isotopes for medical treatments.
Responding to Iran's defiance of demands that it curb its nuclear program until suspicions are allayed, the IAEA board decided to put off a ruling on the request for technical help on the Arak reactor. That denied IAEA help for at least two years, after which Tehran can submit a new request.
The board's voted to approve all requests for IAEA technical aid "with the exception of" Arak, wording that allowed both the United States and Iran to claim victory.
Gregory L. Schulte, the chief U.S. delegate to the IAEA, said Arak was "removed entirely from the program, not just deferred."
"The U.S. and the IAEA are not prepared to help countries build nuclear bombs," he told reporters.
Disputing Schulte's view, Ali Ashgar Soltanieh, the chief Iranian representative, said the ruling meant "that this project was not deleted ... and therefore we are expecting as soon as possible the decision be made" to provide the requested aid.
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the IAEA was legally required to provide technical assistance to Iran, a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
"It is the duty of the IAEA to help. If they help, we will appreciate it. If not, we will do it on our own," Mottaki said.
While Iran's pilot uranium enrichment plant at Natanz is under some IAEA monitoring, Iran's offer to open the operating records of the facility could potentially yield key information to U.N. inspectors that has up to now been off limits.
"It should tell them how well the centrifuges have operated" in enriching uranium, said former U.N. inspector David Albright, whose Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security tracks Iran's nuclear activities.
Such information could verify other evidence that the Iranian program has been hobbled by technical glitches.
Iran's records should also help strengthen IAEA findings on the level of the small amounts of uranium enriched since Tehran restarted the program early this year. The agency puts enrichment at 5 percent or below - far from the 90 percent-plus needed to make the core of nuclear bombs.
Tehran's other offer to allow IAEA inspectors to look for fresh samples of enriched uranium at a site where earlier finds revealed traces that could have come from an undeclared program linked to the military was described as "important" by a U.N. official. He agreed to discuss the matter only if not quoted by name because he was not authorized to comment publicly.
The U.N. Security Council demanded in July that Tehran suspend enrichment, but Iran instead has expanded that work, recently setting up a second experimental chain of 164 centrifuges to produce small amounts of low-enriched uranium.
Tehran has said it intends to activate 3,000 centrifuges by late 2006 and then increase the program to 54,000 centrifuges. Iranian officials say that would produce enough enriched uranium to fuel a 1,000-megawatt reactor, such as that being built by Russia and nearing completion at Bushehr.
Experts estimate Iran would need only 1,500 centrifuges to produce a nuclear weapon, if it wanted to.
U.N. nuclear agency may halt funding for Iranian reactor The board tentatively agrees to finance seven of Tehran's projects, but not one that could produce a bomb. Considerate of 'em.
PARIS The international community tentatively decided late Wednesday to halt financial support for a controversial nuclear reactor in Iran that could be used to help produce plutonium for atomic bombs, but to continue to fund seven other Iranian civilian nuclear projects.
Israel is not overly concerned US-Syrian talks will result in its being asked to give up the Golan Heights in return for Syrian aid to the US in Iraq, diplomatic sources in Jerusalem said Sunday.
Baker represents a school of thought that believes the US should engage both Syria and Iran, and that it may be possible to get the Syrians to play a more constructive role both in Iraq and in Lebanon.
"Of course it comes at a price, and I'm not sure the Americans are willing to pay the price," one Israeli official said. He said that the price was not the Golan, but rather to get the international tribunal investigating the assassination of former Lebanese prime Minister Rafiq Hariri called off, and to allow Syrian influence and involvement - although maybe not troops - in Lebanon.
"The Syrians are terrified by the prospect of the tribunal," the official said, "and they want it called off. That is their top priority, and as a by-product they want to keep a hold on Lebanon."
The Golan was "in no way" the top agenda item for Assad, he said, who was concerned that the tribunal could actually threaten his regime.
"Assad's regime is a small Alawite clique, with some Sunni allies," the official explained. "If some of the cornerstones of this very small and tight clique are taken out to be tried, judged and convicted, then the whole building may collapse and this is what Assad is worried about."
The official said Assad knew who would be implicated and tried, and that - if not Assad himself - it was people "very, very close to him, the top officials of the regime."
According to this school of thought, the Syrians would not put the Golan on the table with the US at this time, other than perhaps extracting a promise that if all went well in their discussion with Washington, there would be assurances that talks with Israel could begin next year.
"But this is not their No. 1 priority," the official said. "Their survival is their No. 1 priority."
Security expert tells forum: US president has no credibility, unable to initiate Iran attack
Yaakov Lappin - Published: 11.22.06, 22:56
US President George Bush does not have sufficient credit to initiate a military strike on Iran , Giora Romm, senior researcher for the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, told a forum attended by members of the Foreign Ministry and delegates from the American Jewish community in Jerusalem Tuesday.
Romm was a former Air Force pilot, Assistant Director of IDF operations, defense attache to Washington and a former head of the Jewish Agency. He recently returned from Washington, and described how senior American officials were completely preoccupied with the war in Iraq.
"Iraq is sitting very heavily on them," Romm said, adding that the problems of the Iraq war have robbed President Bush of any credibility. Quoting a senior American official, Romm told the forum, "If Bush does something physical to Iran, he will be impeached." "Bush has no military credit. Don't delude yourself by thinking that Bush has a military option (regarding Iran). I don't think the average American is convinced that his country is in danger (from Iran), and isn't moved by dangers in the Middle East. After 3.5 years in Iraq, he won't be convinced by wishy washy intelligence," Romm said.
He added that the same source, from the Democratic Party, said,
"If there isn't a change in Iraq within six months, I'm told, people will take to the streets like in Vietnam."
Speaking to Ynetnews, Romm said he "could see a situation where we would attack Iran and the United States won't, but I can't estimate that now." Romm added that the American-Israeli alliance has not been endangered following the Democratic upswing in the US elections.
'Aspects of Lebanon war disturbing'
Romm launched into a detailed analysis of the Lebanon war, and said that "several operational aspects of the war disturbed me," citing a lack of clear political and military directives. "If you're setting out objectives, go through with then," Romm said, adding that a change in the land fighting approach was also needed.
"If we know Hizbullah is planning to kidnap our soldiers, we should set out, publicly, on the front page, 20 targets in Lebanon, and say 10 of them will be destroyed, no matter who is there, if the kidnapping takes place. And we should transmit this directive to the Lebanese government, with no secrecy," Romm said.
#1
Professor Pipes says, withdraw US troops from the cities and let them guard oil infrastructure, while joining Iraqi troops in special operations as well as air missions. Most of the killing is Shiite-Sunni. No amount of US troops could prevent it.
As for Iran, US goals are against nuclear proliferation. It wouldn't be that costly to deliver the Ayatollahs a huge setback. I would like to see Qom carpet bombed, for operating as a terror center.
#3
He must be carefull with his statements. We Americans are a funny lot. Don't misunderstand all our infighting with a lack of will. We fight, spout at each other and now it looks as if we will increase our troop strength, not cut and run. Assmanjonnie better pray we never get hit in the US again. His country will pay in spades if it does happen. Dem leaders or not, Americans will demand retaliation and Teheran will pay.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
11/23/2006 11:22 Comments ||
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#4
What's an expert? I read somewhere, that the more a man knows, the more he knows, he doesn't know. So I suppose one definition of an expert would be someone who doesn't admit out loud that he knows enough about a subject to know he doesn't really know how much.
Malcolm S. Forbes
#7
...the same source, from the Democratic Party, said, "If there isn't a change in Iraq within six months, I'm told, people will take to the streets like in Vietnam."
Bats. We need baseball bats. Lots of 'em...
Posted by: Dave D. ||
11/23/2006 12:43 Comments ||
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#8
"I'm told" - izzat like one of those "sources said" thingys? An idjit's Get Out of Stupidity Free card.
#11
DICK MORRIS/KRAUTHAMMER > both in agreement yesterday that 2006 generally about CHANGE OF TACTICS, NOT PULL-OUT OR RETREAT. Morris strongly doubts the incoming Dems, as contrary to their own elex rhetoric, post-Jan 2007 will genuinely call for US milfors to leave IRAQ. * In any case, IMO Dubya has the cajones to take mil action despite any and all risks of "Amer Hiroshimas" taking place agz his life + Washington NPE. He knows Radical Iran must not be allowed to dominate the entire ME and then use it as a springboard for further global attacks/ambitions. EVEN ANTI-US, PRO-CHICOM/ASIA BLOGGERS DOUBT MOUD = IRAN WILL STOP AT ONLY THE ME. They defeated the Soviets in Afghanistan, they appear to had stopped America-Allies in IRAQ, they're NOT gonna stop dev nucweapons nor nuc-energy progs, Western/Global MSM > USA-West appears to be more concerned about appeasing Radical Islam than obeying their laws or protecting their own societies, etal SO WHY STOP AT THE DESTRUCTION OF TINY ISRAEL???. LUCIANE.com > US COMMUNISTS DECLARE [2006] ELECTION VICTORY = from Radical Islam's view, its becoming a race between them + Secular Communism as to whom will destroy the USA-West first. WORKERS WORLD > CAN SOCIALIST AMERICA BE ACCEPTED. WOT > its about Islam, d ***ng it.
London, Nov. 22 A United Nations General Assembly committee accused Iran on Tuesday of continuing the practice of torture and punishments such as flogging, stoning and amputation of limbs. The UN General Assemblys Third Committee approved the resolution by a vote of 70 in favour to 48 opposed, with 55 abstentions.
I'm a little surprised: not at the torture but at the fact that the UN actually took a vote about it.
The Third Committee expressed serious concern at the continuing harassment, intimidation and persecution of human rights defenders, non-governmental organizations, political opponents, religious dissenters, political reformists, journalists, parliamentarians, students, clerics, academics, webloggers, union members and labour organizers, including through undue restrictions on the freedoms of assembly, conscience, opinion and expression, the threat and use of arbitrary arrest and prolonged detention, targeted at both individuals and their family members, the ongoing unjustified closure of newspapers and blocking of Internet sites and restrictions on the activities of unions and other non-governmental organizations, as well as the absence of many conditions necessary for free and fair elections.
But wait, there's more --
The resolution also denounced the continuing use of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment such as flogging and amputations in Iran and the continuing of public executions, including multiple public executions, and, on a large scale, of other executions, in the absence of respect for internationally recognized safeguards, and the issuing of sentences of stoning; and, in particular, deplores the execution of persons who were under the age of 18 at the time their offence was committed.
It censured the theocratic government for violence and discrimination against women and girls in law and in practice, and accused the hard-line Guardians Council of refusing to take steps to address systemic discrimination and arrests of and violent crackdowns on women exercising their right of assembly.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/23/2006 00:38 ||
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The Iranian president described US President George W Bush as evil on Wednesday, adding that justice requires that Iran face down US arrogance, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a group of clerics, the evil president of the US visited Indonesia and you saw how people of Indonesia opposed the thoughts of this person.
We will first have to break the horn of the big head so that justice can be done, said Ahmadinejad, referring to US-led Western pressure over his countrys disputed nuclear programme. To break the horn of the big head is a Fares expression for blunting arrogant behaviour.
Some bullying countries impose their illegal demands on independent and free countries while enjoying the support of some international organisations, which they founded for defending their own interests, said Ahmadinejad, lashing out at the US and the United Nations, where Security Council members have deliberated imposing punitive measures on Iran for its nuclear programme. The Iranian presidents launched his latest tirade against the United States as Irans request for assistance to build a heavy water reactor appeared that it would be rejected. Diplomats at a 35-nation meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog agency on Tuesday said that many of Tehrans allies favoured denying the request.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/23/2006 00:00 ||
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MOSCOW - Teheran considers a proposal to enrich uranium for Iranian use on Russian soil attractive, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Gholamreza Ansari said Wednesday, the news agency Interfax reported.
Irans rulers are ready to discuss the proposal, the ambassador said, provided Russia clarify certain details of its proposal. A few points have to be cleared up, Ansari said, adding they included Irans role in the financing and marketing of the project, as well as what sort of technological support Teheran would offer.
Russias Foreign Affairs Ministry did not immediately comment.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/23/2006 00:00 ||
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#3
Yup. I should add it was an enormous relief, too, since the Eunix were all for it and Putty can be trusted as far as you can throw him.
Negotiations are over. They won't stop - they believe they have the entire non-Shia world over a barrel. Only time will tell if they are right in their calculations.
#4
A number of the Iranians are getting concerned with the huge cost and minimal progress of the indigenous enrichment project. This faction would like to cut a deal with Russia.
Other factions (including the ruling one)want as little as possible in the way of foreign involvement in the nuclear enterprize.
#5
Only Khamenei's "faction" matters, as far as I can tell - as an outsider. If you have substantive proof that he is not in total command of every power lever, I'd love to see it.
Druze leader Walid Jumblat accused Syria Wednesday of ordering the killing of Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel and questioned whether pro-Syrian Speaker Nabih Berri will hold a parliament session to approve a U.N.-backed international tribunal into the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri in which senior officials in Damascus have been implicated. Syria has strenuously denied any involvement in the 2005 assassination of five-time prime minister Hariri. "I accuse bluntly the Syrian regime... I expect more assassinations," Jumblat, a leader of the anti-Syrian majority in the Lebanese parliament, told a press conference at his Mukhtara hometown in the Chouf mountains.
Down to just 17 ministers from its original complement of 24 after the killing and earlier resignations, it would take the departure, or killing, of just one more cabinet member for it to lose the statutory quorum required by the constitution.
He accused Syria of seeking to bring down Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government to prevent it from going ahead with plans for the international court, which has been approved by the 15 members of the U.N. Security Council late Tuesday. "They might kill another minister, it is very possible, very plausible," Jumblat said. "They might of course kill other members of parliament... to reduce the majority in parliament. Yesterday they assassinated Pierre Gemayel in order to reduce the number of cabinet ministers so as to diminish the (anti-Syrian ruling) majority."
"They can do anything, because his only fear, Bashar's, is not to be indicted somewhere by the tribunal," he said, referring to Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Down to just 17 ministers from its original complement of 24 after the killing and earlier resignations, it would take the departure, or killing, of just one more cabinet member for it to lose the statutory quorum required by the constitution. Jumblat said Assad could not afford to allow the court to be formed and press ahead with charges against Syrian officials "because he knows that if a single corporal, a single individual, in Syria is involved in the crimes ... the totalitarian system (in Syria) is all involved."
The Druze leader appealed to the six-pro-Syrian ministers who resigned from the cabinet some 10 days ago to return to their jobs for the sake of national unity. He also urged a swift resumption of roundtable talks between the country's rival political factions, which collapsed when Saniora called for a cabinet meeting to approve the draft text on the international tribunal.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/23/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
I always wondered what happened to the lazy bedridden old man from Willy Wonka. He became the political leader of a mysterious arab religious order. Outstanding.
It says its members brought about the conviction of radical Egyptian-born cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, uncovered insurgent tactics in Iraq and are now working to provide intelligence from North Korea.
The organisation is not the US Central Intelligence Agency or Britain's MI6 but Vigil, a shadowy network of retired spies, senior military personnel, anti-terrorism specialists and banking experts.
The group's director Dominic Whiteman said he set up Vigil with two other businessmen last year to act as an conduit between retired spies who were still party to good, raw intelligence, and the police and security services. "This evidence was just getting lost in the system," Mr Whiteman said.
Vigil numbers more than 30 members, from India to the United States. Sixty per cent of Vigil's work involves gaining information via the internet, by infiltrating chatrooms. The information gleaned is passed on to authorities such as the FBI, and British Counter Terrorism Command (CTC).
A CTC spokeswoman said: "The CTC is working closely with Vigil and in particular its director and spokesman who has made officers aware of chatroom material," she said.
One member of Vigil is credited with helping bring about the conviction of cleric Hamza, jailed in London in February for inciting racial hatred and soliciting murder, and wanted in the US on terrorism charges. Glen Jenvey said he tricked Hamza into handing over videos and audio tapes which were used by US authorities in their case against James Ujaama, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to trying to help al-Qaeda militants.
Mr Jenvey's latest work has involved another hardline Muslim cleric, Omar Bakri Mohammed, banned from Britain in August as part of a crackdown on so-called "preachers of hate". The revelation that Bakri had been delivering nightly sermons via an internet chatroom from his exile in Lebanon was reported by the BBC this week. "When you listen to a whole lecture ... he's inciting terrorism, and supporting terrorism," Mr Jenvey said. Anjem Choudary, a close friend of Bakri, denied there was anything sinister about the sermons and said the talks in "no way encourage or incite" British Muslims.
Mr Whiteman said a very trusted contact who had a "key security role in the UK" had revealed that 70 per cent of information given in a daily briefing to the US president, George Bush, by the intelligence chief John Negroponte centred on the British capital.
Vigil has now turned its sights on two groups prominent in Britain: Tablighi Jamaat, a missionary organisation that is planning to build Britain's largest mosque in east London, and Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT), an organisation Britain announced it would ban after the 7 July , 2005 London bomb attacks. Both groups say they do not have links to militants and that they promote peace.
"We wanted to find out more," Mr Whiteman said, adding that his group had infiltrated the organisations. "There's nothing to suggest they will be banned, but there are definitely a few rotten apples that need to be looked at."
#2
If they would only take it to the next level and start killing these terrorists.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
11/23/2006 11:53 Comments ||
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#3
Yessss, 49 Pan! The Hunter / Killer Teams. A necessary first step, though. A modification of the Letters of Marquee and Reprisal concept and the legal entanglements regards its definition and use... ;-)
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
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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
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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.
The Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, has told African and European government ministers that they must accept high levels of cross-border migration. Mr Gaddafi told ministers gathered for a conference on migration from Africa to the EU that resisting migration "is like rowing against the stream". "The current populations of the world are originally migrants," he said.
Democrats who won control of the US House of Representatives largely because of voter discontent with Iraq said on Tuesday they will hold a forum next month to examine options in the unpopular war. The war in Iraq is one of the most critical issues confronting our nation, and the American people have clearly called for a new direction, said Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat set to lead the House as its first woman speaker when the new 110th Congress convenes in January. 
London, Nov. 22 A United Nations General Assembly committee accused Iran on Tuesday of continuing the practice of torture and punishments such as flogging, stoning and amputation of limbs. The UN General Assemblys Third Committee approved the resolution by a vote of 70 in favour to 48 opposed, with 55 abstentions.
MOSCOW - Teheran considers a proposal to enrich uranium for Iranian use on Russian soil attractive, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Gholamreza Ansari said Wednesday, the news agency Interfax reported.
Druze leader Walid Jumblat accused Syria Wednesday of ordering the killing of Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel and questioned whether pro-Syrian Speaker Nabih Berri will hold a parliament session to approve a U.N.-backed international tribunal into the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri in which senior officials in Damascus have been implicated. Syria has strenuously denied any involvement in the 2005 assassination of five-time prime minister Hariri. "I accuse bluntly the Syrian regime... I expect more assassinations," Jumblat, a leader of the anti-Syrian majority in the Lebanese parliament, told a press conference at his Mukhtara hometown in the Chouf mountains. 
It says its members brought about the conviction of radical Egyptian-born cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, uncovered insurgent tactics in Iraq and are now working to provide intelligence from North Korea. 
