Come with me to see Hamid Karzai, president of Afghanistan. As usual, he is dapper, elegant, and urbane and relaxed, engaging, and voluble. . . . Here in Sharm, he has just met with President Bush, and says they had a good talk. I ask, So, how goes the struggle? This is a familiar American expression, or at any rate a familiar English-language expression. My friend and colleague Mike Potemra uses it often: instead of How are you? How goes the struggle?
Karzai reflects for a moment and says, Struggle is exactly the word. It is very hard. But we are doing it every day.
In the course of his remarks, he says that outside aid is a danger sometimes a necessity, of course, but a danger. You can grow dependent on it. You can fail to do things yourself. I think, This is true both for a nation and for an individual.
And a funny moment occurs: An aide takes Karzais coffee away, I think to add milk to it or something. And Karzai says, See? Here is wastefulness in government. Whatever the man is doing, the president could be doing himself. Or the effort is being duplicated. Or something. In any case, this is a funny moment, as Ive said.
I say, There is a lot of contempt for President Bush expressed at conferences like this. What is your opinion of him? Karzai says that he, along with Afghanistan at large, has nothing but respect, admiration, and praise for him. Well, he would say that, wouldnt he? After all, Afghanistan has been reborn, in the time of George W. Bush. Still, Karzai makes a moving statement.
He says that, without American action, Afghanistan would be the most miserable nation on earth the poorest, the hungriest, the most suffering. But, thanks to that action, the country has a new life. Decency, health, and material supply have been restored. Afghan identity has been recovered and revived. And we are extremely grateful. The Afghans owe George Bush and the United States a lot.
He says that people dont know enough about Afghanistan pre-Autumn 2001. They forget, or never knew, how desperate it was how persecuted it was. Karzai gives a detailed reminding.
Later, I ask a different question: Is al Qaeda gaining strength or losing strength? Just a few days ago, Candidate Obama made a statement that shocked me. He said, Al Qaedas leadership is stronger than ever. Im not sure what he means by leadership.
In any event, Karzai says, They are losing, definitely losing. Definitely losing. You read about spectacular attacks, particularly from suiciders. But this is a sign of the terrorists very weakness: They lack conventional resources, and they lack manpower. Their popularity is ebbing away.
They themselves gripe about this, in their internal memoranda and lectures to the Muslim world.
Another journalist asks Karzai whether he has any fear for his life (which is threatened all the time). None! Karzai says. None! He has confidence in his security, and confidence in general, it seems. I dont know whether anything could shake his serenity and cheer.
Toward the end of the session, I ask yet another question. It goes something like this: Some say that the American occupation of Afghanistan is a good occupation, and that the American occupation of Iraq is a bad occupation. Others say, they are essentially the same: The Americans are helping Afghan society against its predators, and they are helping Iraqi society against its. What do you say?
Karzai ignores Iraq entirely (which, in my experience, is uncharacteristic of him, because he is very frank and direct). But he reiterates what America has done for Afghanistan. America has given that nation more than we could have dreamed of, he says. Repeating himself, he says, You cant imagine what Afghanistan was, and then he recites statistics: which placed Afghanistan at the bottom of the world.
There was only one TV station, he notes government-run and it was a bad one. Its still a bad one! Now there are 14 or 16 of them, privately owned, and there are hundreds of newspapers.
He says that Afghanistan must work diligently to take advantage of these waves of help, because we will not get this opportunity again, not in our wildest dreams.
On the subject of Bush, one of the journalists teases him a little. He says, Youre the only one who supports him. Karzai responds that he doesnt care hes not going to criticize someone just because others do; he will not jump on a bandwagon. Others can say what they have to say. I have my own opinion. And my judgment is one of praise and recognition.
He even allows that he has argued with U.S. senators over Bush, irritating them. I can just see it!
Posted by: Mike ||
05/21/2008 12:21 ||
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#1
without American action, Afghanistan would be the most miserable nation on earth
Even with American action they come close, but thanks to guys like Bob Mugabe, they can't close the gap.
#2
Actually, I immediately thought of Gaza, but you're right - right now Zimbabwe is probably worse. (Although Burma is aiming for that position too)
Posted by: Rambler in California ||
05/21/2008 14:02 Comments ||
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#3
So then, hamid, stop whinin' every time there is some American Action that results in the death of some talib or aq goat rectum aficionado...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/21/2008 14:14 Comments ||
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#4
Yeah, Afghanistan could turn into Pakistan, or worst case, turn into a part of Pakistan.
Posted by: ed ||
05/21/2008 14:18 Comments ||
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#5
right now Zimbabwe is probably worse.
Yea, but Zimbabweans may recover, but Paleos will always be Paleos---self-selected for an extreme form of all the qualities that we so admire in Muslims.
#7
Kids, this guy's on our side, and he's grateful for the help we've given his country. There's too many of our supposed allies who are minimally-helpful ingrates on their good days (*cough* NATO! *cough*)--it's kind of refreshing to see this.
Posted by: Mike ||
05/21/2008 15:35 Comments ||
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#8
Karzai's an educated and respectable fellow who was living a very comfortable life somewhere other than the list of 'miserable nations' in the comments. He could easily still be there, but he has accepted great personal risk and constant vilification to come back to A'stan to try to lead that country into the 21st (er, 20th) century. He is not the standard warlord power and money grabber typical for that part of the world. I'm sure a lot of his motivation is ego, but I think he really mainly wants to help his country and countrymen. I don't have a whole lot of confidence that he will succeed, but I absolutely respect his attempt. He is a rare creature in ANY country, not just a third world Muslim pit.
(KUNA) -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, leader of the ruling National Congress, and opposition Ummah Party leader al-Sadeq al-Mahdi reached a reconciliation agreement here Tuesday. The deal will pave the way for holding a mass conference involving all Sudanese political forces in a bid to create an all-out national reconciliation. Under the deal, both leaders vowed to work together to reach an agreement with all political forces and to create a national front involving all rivals.
Oboy. A Government of National Unity™.
Following the signing at al-Mahdi's residence in Omdurman, al-Bashir affirmed his party commitment to the provisions of the deal, which he hailed as a springboard for unifying Sudanese ranks. For his part, al-Mahdi said, "With open hearts, we want to press for building national reconciliation with our brothers in the National Congress and other political forces." He hailed the deal as a tool to resolve disagreements by peaceful means. It is the ever-second agreement between both parties. The first was inked in Djibouti on November 25, 1999, which put an end to al-Mahdi-led party's armed opposition to al-Bashir-led government.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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A man accused of aiding suicide bombers who killed 52 commuters on the London transit system denied participating in the attacks, but acknowledged on Tuesday that he attended a training camp with the bombers ringleader. Waheed Ali, 25, took the witness stand during his trial at Kingston Crown Court. Asked if he took part in planning the July 7, 2005 attacks, he answered: I swear I did not.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
He didn't plan, he merely aided in the execution of the plan. Doesn't make him less guilty.
(AKI) - The European Court of Human Rights is to consider claims from eleven terrorism suspects that they suffered psychiatric damage when they were imprisoned by the British government.
On Wednesday the court will hold a public hearing in Strasbourg to investigate the claims in a case brought against the British government.
The applicants, none of whom have British nationality, were allegedly involved in extreme Islamist terrorist groups with links to al-Qaeda, the court said in a statement. Six of the applicants are Algerian, and the others are French, Jordanian, Moroccan and Tunisian. Another was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan, and is stateless.
All eleven were detained after al-Qaeda's 11 September, 2001 attacks in the US. They were imprisoned at various times between December 2001 and October 2003 and initially held at Belmarsh Prison in London under Britain's 2001 Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act.
All the men were allegedly involved in Islamist terrorist groups with links to al-Qaeda such as the Salafite Group for Prayer and Combat (GSPC) formed in Algeria in 1998, the Tunisia Fighting Group. The men are also said to be linked to a group of Algerian terrorists centred around al-Qaeda and GSPC member Abu Doha, known for his senior role in terror training camps in Afghanistan. He was also linked to a Frankfurt-based cell accused of plotting to bomb the Strasbourg Christmas market in December, 1995.
The eleven are suspected of supplying false documents, purchasing IT equipment and helping young British Muslims travel from the UK to train for Jihad (holy war) in Afghanistan. Three of the men were subsequently transferred to Broadmoor secure mental hospital following a deterioration in their mental health, including a suicide attempt. Another was released on bail in April 2004 under conditions equivalent to house arrest, owing to serious concerns over his mental health.
A visit by Europe's top human rights watchdog, The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture, criticised the applicants' conditions of detention in Belmarsh Prison and Broadmoor Hospital and reported allegations of ill-treatment by staff. In a report, The Council of Europe committee concluded the applicants' poor mental state was exacerbated by the indefinite nature of their detention.
The British Government categorically rejected the suggestion that the applicants were treated in an inhuman or degrading manner at any point during their detention.
As well as the mental harm they claim their detention in Britain caused them, the men also allege their detention was unlawful and they had only limited knowledge of the case against them and ability to challenge it.
Eight of the men still in prison or at Broadmoor were released after Part 4 of the 2001 Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act was repealed. This followed a March 2005 ruling against it on human rights grounds by the House of Lords, Britain's upper house of parliament, sitting as the country's highest court .
The eight men were then placed under control orders, a series of restrictions on the freedom of movement of terrorism suspects. The control orders were brought in by Britain's Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 to replace indefinite detention.
More recently, six of the men were place in immigration custody pending deportation to Algeria and Jordan, the European Court of Human Rights (photo) said. Two of the men have returned voluntarily to their home countries, a court official told Adnkronos International.
This article starring:
Abu Doha
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
one must posses the rudiments of a mind before any "mental" damage can occur otherwise you are excluded from the 'mentally damaged pool'.
#2
Such delicate flowers... ready to fight the kufrs by maiming and killing random innocents, and seeing themselves as Lions of Islam, spearheads of the Glorious Struggle... but who can't stand being held in 21st century western jail conditions, and whose whining claims are taken seriously enough to be used by the tranzis to wage lawfare.
Damn, I wonder how they would cope in any third world hellhole prison... do you think they would fare well say in a gang-managed latin american prison, where convicts routinely hack each others with machete (or battle over turf with firearms and grenades), or, God forbid!, in an earlier-era western jail (think of the reform-through-work literal slave camps of victorian GB, used to better the "dangerous classes" in hardships inconceivable today for a correctional facility, and yet, those were not for actual criminals,... or the post-WWII juvenile reform facilities in France, a mix of hardcore, ruthless violence between the kids, and less than spartiate living conditions with a militaristic management)?
#3
"While Obama has said he has been consistent throughout the past year, even some Democrats detect an evolving position."
Senator Obama appears to have finally lulled himself into a false sense of competence. His insatiable ego has been perpetually nourished knowing that his nuanced rationalizations, regardless of how tortured they may be, continually go unchallenged by the gullible and the apologists. Obviously, he has succumbed to his own arrogance in the naïve belief that independent observers wont recognize the pretentious nature to his policy clap-trap. His pompous calculation to challenge reality rather then clarify his rhetoric may prove to be his ultimate downfall.
#2
Google also sold out to India and coughed up the name and address of (google's Indian social networking space Orkut) a user who posted in an "I hate Soniya Gandhi" forum.
The White House on Tuesday flatly denied an Army Radio report that claimed US President George W. Bush intends to attack Iran before the end of his term. It said that while the military option had not been taken off the table, the administration preferred to resolve concerns about Iran's push for a nuclear weapon "through peaceful diplomatic means." Damn. I was so full of hope. :-)
Army Radio had quoted a top official in Jerusalem claiming that a senior member in the entourage of President Bush, who visited Israel last week, had said in a closed meeting here that Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were of the opinion that military action against Iran was called for.
The official reportedly went on to say that, for the time being, "the hesitancy of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice" was preventing the administration from deciding to launch such an attack on the Islamic Republic.
The Army Radio report, which was quoted by The Jerusalem Post and resonated widely, stated that according to assessments in Israel, the recent turmoil in Lebanon, where Hizbullah has established de facto control of the country, was advancing an American attack.
Bush, the official reportedly said, considered Hizbullah's show of strength evidence of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's growing influence. In Bush's view, the official said, "the disease must be treated - not its symptoms."
However, the White House on Tuesday afternoon dismissed the story. In a statement, it said that "[the US] remain[s] opposed to Iran's ambitions to obtain a nuclear weapon. To that end, we are working to bring tough diplomatic and economic pressure on the Iranians to get them to change their behavior and to halt their uranium enrichment program."
It went on: "As the president has said, no president of the United States should ever take options off the table, but our preference and our actions for dealing with this matter remain through peaceful diplomatic means. Nothing has changed in that regard."
In an interview last week in the Oval Office, Bush told the Post that "Iran is an incredibly negative influence" and "the biggest long-term threat to peace in the Middle East," but that the US was "pushing back hard and will continue to do so."
He noted that "Iran is involved in funding Hamas and Hizbullah, and it's that Iranian influence which I'm deeply concerned about. But there needs to be more than just the United States concerned about it."
Bush said: "We take [seriously] this issue of [Iran] getting the technology, the know-how on how to develop a nuclear weapon."
"All options are on the table," he said, but, "Of course you want to try to solve this problem diplomatically."
Asked whether the Iranians would be deterred from their nuclear drive by the time he left office, Bush told the Post: "What definitely will be done [before I leave office will be the establishment of] a structure on how to deal with this, to try to resolve this diplomatically. In other words sanctions, pressures, financial pressures. You know, a history of pressure that will serve as a framework to make sure other countries are involved."
Days later, in his address to the Knesset, Bush said that "the president of Iran dreams of returning the Middle East to the Middle Ages" and "America stands with you in firmly opposing Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions."
"Permitting the world's leading sponsor of terror to possess the world's deadliest weapon would be an unforgivable betrayal of future generations. For the sake of peace, the world must not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon," he said.
A lawyer for the alleged "20th hijacker" says the Saudi tried to kill himself at Guantanamo last month after learning he faced a possible death sentence.
The lawyer says Mohammed al-Qahtani cut himself repeatedly and had to be hospitalized.
Attorney Gitanjali Gutierrez said Tuesday that al-Qahtani was upset to learn he faced murder and war crimes charges in the Sept. 11 attacks. The Pentagon later dropped the charges without saying why.
The US has said he had tried to join the 9/11 hijackers, but couldn't get into the country.
Gutierrez was not able to reveal the information until now because of security rules. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
"By gum, nobody gets to kill me but me, by gum!"
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/21/2008 7:33 Comments ||
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#3
Next time let's hope the guards are kind enough to leave some poison or razor blades lying around.
Posted by: ed ||
05/21/2008 9:14 Comments ||
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#4
I hope someone in the Administration has enough common sense to understand that suicide attempts are another form off Jihadi warfare against the West. The effective suicide of any person retained in Guantanimo would not only be a propaganda victory for Al-Qaida, but also a personal victory for the one who died. Removing themselves from the control of the infidel is considered by these a$$holes as being a victory, albeit a minor one. These people do NOT THINK like we do, and we have to recognize that. The more publicity we give them, the greater is their propaganda triumph. They should all be hauled off at midnight, shot, and dumped in the ocean. Let the sharks feast.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
05/21/2008 13:41 Comments ||
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#5
Whole lotta "attempting", not a lotta "succeeding"...
Pakistan's government has agreed to pull troops out of a valley in the north-west under a peace agreement signed with pro-Taleban militants. The authorities say they will also allow the militants to impose Sharia law in Swat in return for promises to close training camps and end attacks. I'm so confused.
The deal is the first struck by the new civilian government as part of efforts to end violence in the area. Nato and the US say such deals have helped al-Qaeda and the Taleban.
The senior minister in the North West Frontier provincial government, Bashir Bilour, outlined the 15-point agreement signed in Peshawar. Mr Bilour said the militants had agreed to stop suicide and bomb attacks on security forces and close down their camps, as well as hand over any foreign militants in the area.
He said the government would make limited concessions on militant demands for the imposition of Islamic law in the region, the Associated Press reports. In return, Mr Bilour said the government would release prisoners as well as "gradually" withdraw troops from Swat. "We hope this agreement will help bring peace in Swat," said Mr Bilour, who headed the government's negotiating team.
He was speaking to reporters outside the government building in the city where talks had taken place.
Ali Bakhsh, one of the militants' representatives in negotiations, said he was fully satisfied with the agreement, Rooters news agency reports.
Pakistan has been heavily criticised for previous deals with militants near the Afghan border. On Tuesday, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said the US had advised Pakistan not to negotiate with militants. "We have real reservations about negotiated agreements with extremists," he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "There is a lot at stake here and we have made the point repeatedly."
Last week Nato criticised the deals, saying cross-border attacks in Afghanistan are on the rise.
The Swat valley, in North-West Frontier Province, was a prominent destination for tourists until a Taleban-style insurgency last year that tried to impose Sharia law. Thousands of troops arrived in November to drive the militants out, in what was hailed as a successful operation by the authorities. Hundreds of people have been killed in Swat, and thousands displaced. Hundreds more have died in militant attacks elsewhere in Pakistan over the past year.
The new civilian government has said it will deal with Islamic militancy through dialogue and development and is seeking deals with militants across the north-west and tribal areas.
The militants in Swat are led by a pro-Taleban cleric Maulana Fazlullah. The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Islamabad says the deal gives him considerable power in one of Pakistan's most scenic regions, although it remains silent on his own status. The militants had demanded an amnesty for the wanted cleric, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
#6
exactly spot. i say let India wipe them out and if it takes the measures too cause this then the US should do some under cover strike and frame the pakis for it
Pakistan's ungoverned tribal region has been both a Taliban haven and a constant headache for nato partners throughout the war here. But their frustration with the area is growing, as cross-border attacks coming from the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas of Pakistan, commonly known here as the fata, doubled from 20 in March 2007 to 41 in March 2008 in eastern Afghanistan alone.
U.S. forces drove home that displeasure last week with a Predator attackthe fourth since Januaryon what U.S. officials described as an al Qaeda and Taliban sanctuary.
Among U.S. troops, too, frustration with cross-border movement of the Taliban is increasing, along with the movement itself. "Between this year and last, it was significantly worse this year," says former State Department official Daniel Markey, now senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Col. Bill Carranza, the staff judge advocate at the U.S. military's Combined Air Operations Center, says he is getting "a lot of questions" passed up through commanders from troops on the ground about rules of engagement along the borderhow to respond to attacks, whether to pursue for potshots. "But a border's a border," he says. "Commanders tend to be very cautious around them."
So, too, are U.S. officials "They have been deeply reluctant to go into tribal areas," says a U.S. military analyst, who adds that Special Operations forces "have been begging for sustained operations" in the fata, so far to no avail.
They are lobbying because every major insurgent group "has a command-and-control structure on the Pakistan side of the border," says Seth Jones, an Afghanistan analyst at the Rand Corporation. A highway that runs from Quetta, Pakistanthe epicenter of Taliban operationsto Kandahar, Afghanistan "has been a major route for weapons and fighters. You can basically jump on it and drive a truck all the way through. When I was there, there wasn't a lot stopping you. It's been a complete sieve," says Jones.
"It is a tremendous source of sanctuary," agrees Lt. Col. Bill Pinter, strategist for the Combined Air Operations Center. Though "lots of operations occur on the border, they are highly restricted," he says.
Predators fly just inside the Afghan border area "constantly," adds a U.S. military official. Even while flying within the constraints of the border, the official adds, "We can see pretty well into" Pakistan.
In the meantime, border incursions will be one of the major problems facing U.S. marines as they attempt to clear contested areas of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province in the weeks to come.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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#5
If you want to play the 'Great Game', then you need to be willing to 'allow' the Afghanies to cross the border the other direction to grace the tribal areas with the same hospitality it has visited upon the Afghan's towns, villages, clans, and family. The key is to have transit areas that are open for our side but still hostile to the other to insure its not exploited by them.
#6
procop has what may well be the right idea, but I think the problem is that Helmand prov simply doenst enough friendly tribesmen at this point, and afghans from elsewhere (even pashtuns) couldnt do the job (theyd stick out to much)
#7
Divide pakistan up between Afghanistan and India. It was stupidity in the first place to give these idiots their own "country". Time to prove that what's given can be taken away. It would also send a clear message to the "palestinians" and hezbullsh$$ that we're a bit tired of THEIR game, too.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
05/21/2008 14:02 Comments ||
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#8
Does India want to add to their muslim population, esp as theres probably a much larger share of folks who cant get along with Hindoos in Pakistan than among Indian muslims?
And to give the NWFP to Afghanistan would swing the pop bal in Afghan toward the Pashtuns, which is why it was pushed pre-1977 by the old Afghan monarchy - but today, all the non-Pashtun folks in Afghanistan are represented, and would oppose it.
The army will not be withdrawn from the Tribal Areas and the Swat district as long as the law-enforcement agencies are unable to take control of the situation, Adviser to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik said on Tuesday.
Talking to media with NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani after meeting Mehsud tribe elders at the Governors House, he said the army would stay in the region unless the writ of the state was enforced. He told the elders that the people affected by the military operation would be compensated for damages to their houses, APP reported. Malik also announced the re-opening of the Makin-Ladha-Tiarza Road.
Innocent people: He said the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government believed in bringing peace and progress through negotiations rather than force. He said that all the innocent people arrested during operations in the Tribal Areas would soon be released.
He also alleged that neighbouring countries that did not like Pakistans nuclear programme were behind most of the militancy in the region.
The Mehsud elders told the governor that some of their tribesmen had been apprehended on basis of suspicion and not actual criminal activity. Some families and tribesmen were targeted not because of any involvement in the situation, but because of family feuds or personal vendettas, they added.
Tribal elder Senator Saleh Shah said the Mehsud elders had presented seven demands for the governments consideration. We want the immediate re-opening of Speenkay Raghzai road, release of detained people, compensation to affected people and resumption of development schemes, he told Daily Times after the meeting.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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Jaishul Islami commander Wali Rehman warned on Tuesday that the Jaish mujahideen would avenge the United States barbaric behaviour against the people of Bajaur. Rehman said that the US had bombed and ruthlessly killed inhabitants of the area on three separate occasions, which was the height of barbarism. Rehman said the Jaish wanted the supremacy of Islam and would not hesitate to offer any sacrifice to achieve this objective. He said US airstrikes and attacks could never weaken their spirit of jihad. In fact, the commander added, it would further strengthen the jihad spirit. Rehman said that the Pakistan governments silence over the US bombing of a Bajaur madrassa, resulting in the deaths of innocents that included women and children was shameful.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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(AKI) - (by Syed Saleem Shahzad) - Twenty Taliban prisoners are expected to be freed from Pakistan's jails by Thursday in an exchange under which Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizuddin, was released at the weekend.
Taliban sources told Adnkronos International (AKI) that 60 prisoners had already been released, and 20 others would be freed later this week.
The Taliban also confirmed that they had received a 20 million Pakistani rupee (or 288,000 dollar) payment for the release of the Pakistani ambassador and two army captains.
This despite the fact that the Pakistani authorities claim that no deal was made. An adviser to the Pakistani prime minister for interior ministry affairs, Rehman Malik said on Saturday that Azizuddin's release came as a "result of a law enforcement action."
"No deal took place. No exchange of terrorists. No exchange of individuals," he said.
Sources told AKI that high profile prisoners including Mufti Muhammed Yousuf, an Afghan Taliban commander arrested in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, have already been released.
Maulana Abdul Aziz from Islamabad's Red Mosque is also expected to be released after being acquitted of 26 out of27 cases by the courts and released on bail.
The next batch of prisoners are likely to be released by Thursday and is expected to include Muslim Dost, a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner who has been in the custody of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence.
Earlier the Pakistan government and the Taliban categorised the prisoners and then negotiated a series of exchanges for the ambassador's release.
The first and second lot of prisoners were swapped last week and a third is expected to be completed by Thursday.
Pakistan's ambassador has meanwhile returned home after being freed by the militants who abducted him in February.
Tariq Azizuddin said he had been released in the Pakistani tribal area of North Waziristan on Friday but declined to identify his kidnappers after his release.
Azizuddin disappeared on 11 February along with his driver and bodyguard while travelling by car from Pakistan to the Afghan capital, Kabul.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
- Twenty Taliban prisoners are expected to be freed from Pakistan's jails by Thursday in an exchange under which Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizuddin, was released at the weekend.
rinse repeat
The Taliban also confirmed that they had received a 20 million Pakistani rupee (or 288,000 dollar) payment for the release of the Pakistani ambassador and two army captains.
How much destruction can be bought with that
shakes head in disgust.
Posted by: Jan ||
05/21/2008 0:35 Comments ||
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#3
A little napalm in the right places will take care of this kind of problem. Unfortunately, we're trying to fight a "nice" war. There isn't any such thing, and American soldiers are dying because of it. The way to win a war is to kill enough of your enemies the rest aren't willing to fight any more. Bush is doing ok killing the Taliban and al-Qaida, but he's totally ignoring Congress - our biggest enemy.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
05/21/2008 14:09 Comments ||
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The hearing of three appeals, two by accused and one by the State, in the Daniel Pearl kidnapping and murder case was adjourned indefinitely Tuesday as the entire remaining board was discharged by an appellate bench of the Sindh High Court due to a shortage of time. One appeal was filed by Ahmed Omar Shaikh against his conviction and sentence, the second appeal was filed by four co-accused, who were sentenced to life terms on charges of abetment. The third appeal was filed by the State, seeking enhancement in the sentence awarded to co-accused Fahad Nasim Salman Saquib and another. According to the prosecution, the accused kidnapped Pearl and later beheaded him. The body of the deceased was later recovered from a deserted house in Gulshan-e-Maymar. The appeals have been pending for more than five years whereas the Anti-Terrorism Act provides for a decision of appeal by a high court in seven days.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Ummm, I read this as "They're NOT getting out" Right? Good.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
05/21/2008 13:44 Comments ||
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#2
The Americans are paying attention. Too much heat pull the escape or pardon stunts at this time.
Posted by: ed ||
05/21/2008 14:15 Comments ||
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The government has allowed more than 5,000 members of the former army which the U.S. had disbanded to return to service. The move comes as part of government efforts to deny rebels and the al-Qaeda group the means to use popular discontent as a means to raise recruits.
It is the largest single batch of former army members to be allowed to return to service and it signals the government is finally keen to appease Arab Sunnis. The batch which includes many officers will certainly make the city notables among them tribal leaders happy.
A Defence Ministry spokesman said the members volunteered to join the armed forces and that the government was pleased with the move. The return of this large group of members and officers will boost the strength of the armed forces, Lt. Gen. Mohammed al-Askari said.
The move also indicates that the government campaign to pacify Mosul, one of the most restive cities in the country, has been going well.
Analysts said the government in this campaign was not solely relying on military force but also trying to respond to popular demands for better services and new approach and policy.
Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC ||
05/21/2008 03:49 ||
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#1
This could not have been done until recently - the legal government of Iraq had to be strong enough to be able to enforce its authority over a force of such a size and strength and potentially different allegience. It may have the effect of 'appeasing' the Sunni, but unlike most examples of appeasement, it is done out of strength, not weakness.
#3
The NCO corps is different between the two also. There has been a cultural change in how the soldiers think and act now. Iraq enlisted are more likely to think for themselves and speak up when they see something that could be improved. This goes against the old culture.
(KUNA) -- The US has nothing to do with the "peace process", which began in al-Sadr City last night, an Iraqi officer said here Tuesday. The "peace process" was prepared before a relevant agreement was reached between al-Sadr trend and a delegation of the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), Major General Qassem Atta, spokesman for the Baghdad Operations Command, told a news briefing.
Iraqi security forces managed to remove 100 explosives in the first stage of the process without any casualty, he said. Iraqi troops have deployed in al-Sadr city in order to thwart violence in the outlying city in eastern Baghdad, he added. The process is being carried out in collaboration with al-Sadr trend in light of the agreement signed by the UIA in a bid to prevent bloodshed in the city, he said.
Speaking to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) earlier in the day, Atta said the "peace process" had already begun to search for illegal weapons. Under the process, citizens shall undertake that they have no illegal weapons, while gunmen shall give up their illegal weapons in return for money, he noted. He quoted Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as instructing an ad hoc committee led by the minister of refugees to cater for people in al-Sadr city and pay compensations to the affected people over Iraqi military operations in the city.
On March 25, Al-Sadr was the scene of a joint US-Iraqi military operation that claimed the lives of some 100 al-Mahdi Army militants and Iraqi and US soldiers against the backdrop of recent Basra operations. The United Iraqi Alliance and al-Sadr trend have recently reached a government-blessed deal that could reduce skirmishes in al-Sadr city.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
If they can pull this off and sustain it along with sustaining ops in Mosul and Basra, then the ISF may have just come of age.
#2
I think they are close Spook. The reports from soldiers around here that have just came back are good. Now if we can just have the older politicians and generals to keep up the new style instead of the old and very broken arab style, Iraq has a good chance of becoming a free, democratic and Islamic state.
(KUNA) -- Iraqi President Jalal Talabani predicted here Tuesday that Iraqi security forces would be able to fully control the security situation in the country by the end of this year. Talabani was speaking to reporters at Al-Sulaymaniyah airport in north Iraq. Iraqi security forces have managed to strengthen and boost their combat capabilities, he said. Asked about a planned visit to the US, the Iraqi leader said he would be unable to visit the US for the time being. On the coming Kurdistan government makeup, he said it would need enough time to reach a final makeup, but vowed that it would be ready shortly.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Better to take your fate by your own hands than leave it in the paws of the Donks.
Hundreds of so-called "elite" Palestinian police officers trained and equipped by the US have been failing miserably in their efforts to root out handfuls of terrorists in the Samarian towns of Jenin and Nablus.
US military advisor to the Palestinian Authority, General Keith Dayton personally oversaw the training of the paramilitary police, and then pressured Israel to let them take over security control of Jenin and Nablus as a test case to determine the Palestinians' ability to fulfill their security obligations.
But Israeli military officials that have been monitoring the progress of the new Palestinian forces told WorldNetDaily this week that they are proving impotent against the terrorist infrastructures embedded in those towns.
According to the Israelis, hundreds of Palestinian police have been sent in several times over the past few weeks to flush out and arrest small groups of terrorists, but have tucked tail and retreated after coming under fire on each occasion.
In the most embarrassing incident, some 300 Palestinian police were repeatedly repelled by only 13 terrorist gunmen in Nablus. Incidentally, the 13 terrorists were all pardoned by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last June on condition that they disarm and renounce violence.
The Israeli officials speaking to WorldNetDaily said that in the end, the Nablus police force had no choice but to seek assistance from the Israeli army, which quickly stormed the terrorist stronghold and killed one of the terrorist leaders, while forcing the others to flee.
"I don't know how they can handle security without Israel backing them up," said one of the Israelis.
The land-for-peace process being pushed forward by Washington is based on the premise that the Palestinians can and will impose security control over territories surrendered to them by Israel and prevent anti-Israel terrorist violence emanating from a Palestinian state.
Many Israelis have already concluded that the Palestinian Authority is incapable of fulfilling its obligations after it lost control of the Gaza Strip last year, despite significantly outnumbering its Hamas rivals.
#1
"I don't know how they can handle security without Israel backing them up," said one of the Israelis.
They face the same thing as the Iraqi police did earlier. The terrorists will kill them and their families if the police start getting effective. Unless you kill the terrorists, the police will continue to not function.
#2
Incidentally, the 13 terrorists were all pardoned by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last June on condition that they disarm and renounce violence.
Well can ya beat that...ya'd almost think they had this planned all along.
#4
"But Israeli military officials that have been monitoring the progress of the new Palestinian forces told WorldNetDaily this week that they are proving impotent against the terrorist infrastructures embedded in those towns."
Anon sources, per a heavily biased news org. I wouldnt buy it from the left, and I dont buy it here. Everything Ive read everywhere else, INCLUDING the Jer Post, leads me to think the Jenin deployment has gone reasonably well.
The incident that is specifically mentioned is in Nablus. Well from everything Ive read elsewhere, the new police have mainly gone into Jenin, not Nablus, specifically at the request of Israel. Im not sure the source of the disconnect here, but I wouldnt assume WND has it right.
And even if ALL of this is true, it certainly shows that the PA is attempting to fight terrorists, and in Nablus called in the IDF when they failed, which is certainly progress over the PA trying to keep the IDF out.
And yes, it can take awhile for a new sec force to find its legs. Again, if this were MSM reporting on the Iraqi army, we'd all reiterate that.
#5
No amount of training can change somebody's basic nature. "Palestinian Police" are terrorists---US SF training just makes them much more dangerous terrorists.
Israel and Syria on Wednesday said they were holding indirect peace talks through Turkish mediators the first official confirmation of contacts between the longtime enemies.
In statements issued minutes apart, the two governments said they "have declared their intent to conduct these talks in good faith and with an open mind," with a goal of reaching "a comprehensive peace." Both nations thanked Turkey for its help, and Turkey issued its own confirmation. Muslim Turkey has good ties with both Israel and Syria.
There have been reports in recent months of new Israeli-Syrian contacts through Turkey, and Turkey's foreign minister said earlier this month that his country was trying to bring the sides together. But this was the first official confirmation that contacts have resumed.
An Israeli government official said Olmert's chief of staff and diplomatic adviser have been in Turkey since Monday. "In parallel their Syrian counterparts are in Turkey as well," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the talks. He declined to discuss the substance of the talks. Rest at link
Posted by: ed ||
05/21/2008 08:54 ||
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#1
An Israel - Syrian deal is bad news for the Pals, and also bad news for the March 14 grouping in Lebanon. Likely it would involve a return of the Golan (with some level of demilitarization), a compromise over the disputed area along the Sea of Gallilee (Syria wants a return to the line pre-1967 - conveniently ignoring that in 1948 Syria annexed areas on the Brit mandate side of the international border - Israel wants the international border, but might make some deal to split the difference) in return for recognition, end to the boycott, end to further claims, and an end to Syrian support for Hamas.
This would give Israel a freer hand wrt the Pals and Iran, but would enable the Syrians to focus on Lebanon. Which they will need, when the Iranians turn on them.
Are you of the opinion that the Iran-Syria alliance is winding down?
if so, is it because
a - of Saudi pressure/bribes
b - declining bribes by Iran
c - Syrian annoyance with Iran's use of Hezb and Hamas
d - Syrian discovery of some Iran agents amongst the Syrian intel service
#3
I wouldnt say winding down. Simply that its always a temptation to Assad to switch sides, in order to A. Get the Golan back - a HUGE prestige win for him domestically B. To get a freer hand in Lebanon C. To reduce the chance of getting overthrown with western support.
i'm a bit surprised this came out today, in the sense that Syria seems to be "winning" in Lebanon. Maybe they are growing scared of Hezb, which is looking more like an Iranian protege than a syrian one, and are thinking of switching sides in Leb once again.
More likely the talks have been going on for some time, and are a response to the desires I mentioned above, broader frustration with Leb (and with pressure from the west) and perhaps a realization of the changes in Iraq (and recall, "flypaper" has worked to Syria's benefit - if the AQniks stop going to Iraq, some of them are going to make trouble in Syria) It became public JUST NOW presumably at Olmerts initiative, for largely domestic reasons.
The exact nature of Syrian-Iran relations just now, Im not real sure of.
#4
to clarify - i said "when the iranians turn on them"
I meant AFTER a deal with Israel. Assuming Assad cuts a deal to finally get Golan back, the Iranians will THEN be outraged. and they can make trouble for Assad in Lebanon, where it looks like they run Hezb, not Syria. Syria will have to do some nimble dancing to put together a friendly coalition at that point, and will have to focus their resources on that.
The Islamic Jihad movement on Wednesday announced it discovered a spy cell comprising seven collaborators with Israel in the Gaza Strip. Abu Ahmed, a spokesman for the movement's military wing, said the spy cell was discovered ten days ago in southern Gaza Strip and its chief was seized while he guided the Jihad militants to the other members of the network.
"The intelligence service" of the Islamic Jihad interrogates the suspected spies who have admitted helping Israel in assassinating senior Palestinian commanders and bombing a Hamas police station a two weeks ago in Rafah city, said the spokesman. According to the spokesman, some of the collaborators have taken on their tasks more than ten years ago, and the Islamic Jihad will hand over the spies to the interior ministry of the deposed Hamas government.
A senior Egyptian official said on Tuesday night that Israel had accepted in principle a proposal for a truce in the Gaza Strip, according to the official MENA news agency. "Israeli leaders [have informed us] of their support for and understanding of the Egyptian proposals for a truce," the news agency quoted the unidentified official as saying.
It added that Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman had relayed the news to a Hamas delegation from Gaza earlier in the day.
Israeli officials declined to confirm the report. "As far as we are concerned, we can only indicate that contacts are continuing," said Mark Regev, spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Meanwhile, kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Schalit's father, Noam, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that Olmert had personally promised in a telephone conversation that his son would be included in any agreement or arrangement reached with Hamas.
But the call, he said, took place last week. "We are still waiting," he said.
In his talks with Suleiman and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak over a Gaza cease-fire proposal on Monday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel was prepared to accept a cease-fire that included expediting the negotiations for Schalit's release.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Time for another episode of "Peace in our Lunchtime"...
TWO WEEKS AGO, Admiral Eric T. Olson, former Navy SEAL and commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), complained in an interview that U.S. special operations forces are overcommitted and stretched too thin. "We are going to fewer countries, staying for shorter periods of time, and with smaller numbers of people than historically we have done."
...So what is the answer? The Marines may have hit on the solution: rather than lowering the quality of special operations troops in order to increase the size of the force, they are raising the quality of their line troops to take on some of the missions currently performed by special operations forces.
This has been done by training certain Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) to be "Special Operations Capable"; such units are now designated as "MEU(SOC)s." A typical MEU(SOC) is built around a Marine rifle battalion reinforced with an artillery battery, an amphibious assault vehicle company, a reconnaissance platoon, and other support elements, with a total of 1,200 men.
The MEU(SOC) also has an aviation element with transport and attack helicopters, and its own logistic support element. Members of the ground combat element--specifically the rifle battalion and the reconnaissance platoon--receive training in infiltration and assault tactics, urban warfare, and basic special operations tasks (hostage rescue, raiding, indigenous force training, etc.)
They obviously do not have the same level of training in each of these disciplines as dedicated special operations forces, but they may be "good enough" for lower-end tasks, which are thus off-loaded from the over-committed special operations troops.
If MEU(SOCs) can take up perhaps 15 percent of the burden, that would be the equivalent of some 7,500 men to SOCOM. The Army could and should follow the lead of the USMC by training some of its light infantry battalions in the 82nd Airborne and 10th Mountain Division to be "special operations capable" as well, further reducing the stress on high-end special operators...
#1
There's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip. I'm fairly good on my Weber, but that doesn't make me "Emeril Lagasse Capable." The term or monicur "special" has done it's share of harm to what was once a unique and very professional cadre. Just my thoughts on it.
#2
Here's a clue: Emeril Lagasse doesn't cook every meal at his restaurants.
Of course, by all means - let's keep the 'special' in Special Operations. It's a trademarked word. Surely that "unique and very professional cadre" can handle everything that gets thrown their way.
After all, they're just marines - they ain't like you know, capable or anything ( I've worked with MEU(SOC) when they passed through the wadi and they're to regular marines what my CSAR docs are to regular corpsmen).
Wanna get really spun up? I have Marines with jump wings! No, seriously. Imagine that.
#3
Please convey our thanks to your Special and G.I. Marines, Pappy. And please tell them we wish them all "Happy Hunting!"
As far as I can tell our Armed Forces are working hard to increase the fighting skills of all the troops. It seems right, then, to give them all the challenges they've been trained to handle, especially as the Long War keeps spreading from the big battlefields (is that the correct term?) like Afghanistan and Iraq to smaller ones in Africa, Asia and Far Eastern Europe. Clearly there will still be more projects for our Special Forces than they have to manpower to take on, even as they continue to increase their numbers.
Lebanon's feuding factions reached a breakthrough deal Wednesday that ends the country's 18-month political stalemate, but also gives the militant Hezbollah group and its allies veto over any government decision.
The deal, reached with the help of Arab mediators, was immediately praised by Iran and Syria, which back Hezbollah. But it appears certain to accelerate fears in the West over Hezbollah's new power.
A leader of the Western-backed government, Saad Hariri, seemed to acknowledge his side had largely caved in, spurred by a sharp outbreak of violence earlier this month after months of stalemate. "I know that the wounds are deep and my injury is deep, but we only have each other to build Lebanon," he said after the announcement of the deal, which was brokered after five days of talks in Qatar.
Hezbollah's chief negotiator, Mohammed Raad, downplayed the group's win. "Neither side got all it demanded, but (the agreement) is a good balance between all parties' demands," he said.
The election of a compromise president a general in Lebanon's mostly powerless but neutral army was expected Sunday, Lebanon's state news agency reported.
The Hezbollah-led opposition won both its demands with the deal: veto power in a new national unity government, and an electoral law that divides up Lebanon into smaller-sized districts, allowing for better representation of the country's various sects.
A few bursts of celebratory gunfire broke out in Beirut after the announcement. Lebanese television stations, which broadcast the Qatar ceremony live, showed Lebanese politicians and their Arab hosts congratulating and hugging one another.
The talks in Qatar and the deal were a dramatic cap to Lebanon's worst internal fighting since the 1975-90 civil war. At least 67 people were killed when clashes broke between pro-government groups and the opposition in the streets Beirut and elsewhere earlier this month.
As Lebanon came close to a new all-out war, Arab League mediators intervened and got the sides to agree to hold last-ditch negotiations in the Qatari capital, Doha, to resolve the crisis. But the resulting deal was a major victory for Hezbollah. Rest at link
Posted by: ed ||
05/21/2008 08:58 ||
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#1
The long dance with the Devil goes on...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/21/2008 11:32 Comments ||
Top||
But, but, Hans Blix thinks everything is just fine! And what about the NIE? And besides, Obama says they aren't much of a threat in any case! Oh, whatever shall I believe?
Iran has stymied the latest U.N. attempt to investigate allegations that it tried to make nuclear weapons, diplomats said Tuesday. The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, will acknowledge it was unable to follow up on the allegations in a report to be presented as early as Friday to its 35-nation board, two diplomats told The Associated Press.
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei expressed optimism a month ago when he announced that Iran agreed to review intelligence collected by the U.N. agency, just a few weeks after Tehran had declared the books closed on any attempt to look into its alleged nuclear arms programs. "By the end of May we will be in a position to get the explanation and clarification from Iran" about the allegations, ElBaradei said then, describing Tehran's apparent change of heart as a "positive step."
But the diplomats said Iran had again rejected the evidence presented by agency officials as bogus and refused to hold further discussions or allow U.N. experts to check into the charges.
In February, IAEA Deputy Director General Olli Heinonen detailed the intelligence and the results of the agency's own investigations to the board at a closed door presentation. Those present at the meeting said the material included an Iranian video depicting mock-ups of a missile re-entry vehicle. They said Heinonen suggested the component was configured in a way that strongly suggested it was meant to carry a nuclear warhead.
A senior diplomat at the meeting also said other documentation showed the Iranians experimenting with warheads and missile trajectories where "the height of the burst ... didn't make sense for conventional warheads."
On Monday, ElBaradei said again that "we haven't seen indications or any concrete evidence that Iran is building a nuclear weapon." But a senior diplomat familiar with the IAEA's work recently told AP that leading agency experts considered much of the intelligence forwarded by the U.S and other nations compelling evidence that Iran engaged in secret nuclear arms work.
The two diplomats, who agreed to discuss the new report Tuesday only if granted anonymity because the information was confidential, said Iranian officials reiterated during the monthlong probe their longtime position that all of the nuclear activities including nearly two decades of clandestine work discovered only six years ago was peaceful. One of the diplomats, who provided extensive details of the pending report, said that stance left the situation stalled.
As expected, the report, which will serve as the platform for debate on Iran during the IAEA's June board meeting, will also confirm that Tehran continues to defy U.N. Security Council demands that it suspend uranium enrichment. That refusal has drawn three sets of U.N. sanctions.
Still, the diplomats said, the report will also note the enrichment program has not been greatly expanded despite pronouncements to the contrary by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
In announcing major progress in Iran's push for nuclear power, Ahmadinejad said last month that Iranian scientists were putting 6,000 new uranium enriching centrifuges into place, about twice the existing number, and testing a new type that works five times faster.
But the diplomat who provided details on the report said it will say the rate of expansion has been much below that touted by Ahmadinejad. He and other diplomats close to the IAEA previously said Iran has exaggerated its progress and is having problems operating the 3,000 centrifuges already in place.
Additionally, the diplomat speculated Tuesday that Iran might be holding back on a quick build-up of enrichment capabilities hoping it will be easier to come to terms with the U.S. administration that will succeed President Bush, known for his hard-line Iran policies.
Iran insists its enrichment program is meant only to generate electricity using nuclear reactors. But because of its past clandestine activities, including some that could have applications for weapons research, the international community is concerned that Tehran wants to enrich uranium to a purity suitable for use in atomic bombs.
Iran is known to have a little more than 3,000 centrifuges operating at its underground nuclear facility in Natanz. That is the commonly accepted figure for a nuclear enrichment program that is past the experimental stage and can be used as a platform for a full industrial-scale program that could churn out enough enriched material for dozens of nuclear warheads over time. Iran has said it plans to move toward large-scale uranium enrichment that ultimately will involve 54,000 centrifuges. If it doesn't have most them in operation already, that is.
Arab mediators gave Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition a Wednesday deadline to respond to proposals aimed at resolving a political crisis which brought the country to the brink of civil war.
Or what? Strong letter to follow?
Qatar's minister of state for foreign affairs Ahmad Abdullah al-Mahmood said the mediators had put forward two proposals to break the deadlock between the U.S.-supported ruling coalition and the opposition. "One of the sides asked for one extra day to respond to these proposals ... and the committee agreed to give a one day deadline till tomorrow," Mahmood told reporters on Tuesday.
The negotiations in Doha, which aim to prevent Lebanon sliding back into sectarian strife, follow the Arab League's intervention last week to end the country's worst domestic fighting since the 1975-1990 civil war.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2008 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
And a funny moment occurs: An aide takes Karzais coffee away, I think to add milk to it or something. And Karzai says, See? Here is wastefulness in government. Whatever the man is doing, the president could be doing himself. Or the effort is being duplicated. Or something. In any case, this is a funny moment, as Ive said.
(AKI) - The European Court of Human Rights is to consider claims from eleven terrorism suspects that they suffered psychiatric damage when they were imprisoned by the British government.
A lawyer for the alleged "20th hijacker" says the Saudi tried to kill himself at Guantanamo last month after learning he faced a possible death sentence. 
Pakistan's government has agreed to pull troops out of a valley in the north-west under a peace agreement signed with pro-Taleban militants. The authorities say they will also allow the militants to impose Sharia law in Swat in return for promises to close training camps and end attacks. 
(AKI) - (by Syed Saleem Shahzad) - Twenty Taliban prisoners are expected to be freed from Pakistan's jails by Thursday in an exchange under which Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizuddin, was released at the weekend.
The government has allowed more than 5,000 members of the former army which the U.S. had disbanded to return to service. The move comes as part of government efforts to deny rebels and the al-Qaeda group the means to use popular discontent as a means to raise recruits.
Hundreds of so-called "elite" Palestinian police officers trained and equipped by the US have been failing miserably in their efforts to root out handfuls of terrorists in the Samarian towns of Jenin and Nablus.
