A string of kidnappings and targeted killings of aid workers in Somalia in recent weeks has prompted some international and local agencies to suspend operations in Mogadishu and in other parts of the south. As VOA Correspondent Alisha Ryu reports from our East Africa Bureau in Nairobi, there is confusion about who may be responsible for the violence.
The head of a Somali group affiliated with the German charity Bread for the World says the organization has suspended operations in Somalia, following Friday's fatal shooting death of its deputy director at his home in Mogadishu.
In a separate attack earlier that day, the head of a local aid organization, SORDA, was critically wounded by gunmen, as he distributed food to internally displaced people south of the capital. Also on Friday, an aid worker was reportedly shot to death in a town in central Somalia as he left his house to attend services at a nearby mosque.
Eight days ago, gunmen shot and killed the director of the U.N. Development Program in Mogadishu. Leaflets threatening local aid workers with death if they continue working have been found in Mogadishu and elsewhere.
On Sunday, UNDP staff withdrew from the town of Baidoa, which hosts Somalia's transitional parliament, amid rising security concerns for its employees in the country.
The director of Mogadishu's Medina Hospital, Dr. Mohamed Yusuf, says even veteran humanitarian workers who have survived 17 years of lawlessness and violence in Somalia, acknowledge the current security situation is the worst they have faced. "Yes, they are afraid," he said. "Some of our colleagues, they got some threats. But you know, the situation is not so easy to talk about."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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The ENOUGH Project is applauding the charges filed Monday by the International Criminal Court prosecutor against Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. The organization, part of the Center for American Progress, has been calling for tough international action to end the violence in Sudan's Darfur region.
Executive Director John Norris says the charges are a cause for celebration. "I think the chief prosecutor is to be congratulated for recognizing what has been long obvious. That what is taking place in Darfur, the crimes that have been committed there, the crimes against humanity can be traced in a very bright line directly back to Khartoum and directly back to President Bashir. I think in a lot of ways the prosecutor has done something quite basic. He's recognized the elephant in the room and let the world know what was clear to Sudanese, to people on the ground in Darfur, to the humanitarian community, to reporters, to activists and everyone else that President Bashir really is the person most directly culpable for the tragedy that has been Sudan in recent years," he says.
Norris also addresses those who say an indictment against the Sudanese leader will only make matters worse and possibly destabilize the country. He says, "I think it's really quite incredible that we've got people worried that the indictments might upset President Bashir's rather delicate sensibilities. I think if you look at the picture on the ground, the situation speaks for itself. We have over 300,000 dead. We have millions displaced. There's no credible peace process in sight."
ENOUGH co-founder John Prendergast expects resistance from the Sudanese government. "There is an major opportunity here to introduce a point of leverage that didn't exist before. Yes, it's going to be very messy and ugly over the next month or two while Bashir tries to use the ICC action to justify a number of things...I'm sure we'll see it all. You know, restricting humanitarian assistance, undermining the deployment of these peacekeeping forces further. Maybe even suspending the peacekeeping force in both the south and in Darfur."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Sudan
#1
The genocide has already happened, 300,000 people bit the dust while the UN and ICC contemplated the technical definition of genocide. Now we will dick around for another 3 years, debating whether or not to go in and get Bashir. I really don't see any reason to be celebrating.
#2
"is to be congratulated for recognizing what has been long obvious"
No, you see, recognition of the obvious is now a reason to congratulate someone! It used to be that we only congratulated people for having some keen insight and seeing what WASNT obvious. Things are much different now.
(SomaliNet) As anxiety rose over growing insecurity and the unexplained killings of humanitarian staff, local aid workers in Somalia held crisis meetings on Sunday. This year, unidentified gunmen have killed at least three aid workers in the anarchic Somalia and are holding four of their foreign colleagues hostage. In the past week, fears were raised further by leaflets threatening local NGO workers with death if they did not quit their jobs.
Sheikh Abdirahim Isse Adow, an Islamist spokesperson, condemned the killings of humanitarian workers. However, he accused some aid agencies of siding with the government and singled out the United Nations Development Programme for criticism, saying it had provided the police with vehicles and salaries.
Since development usually requires a competent police force ...
Aid sources said most agencies working in Somalia were discussing suspending operations in Mogadishu and the south. "It really is the end of the world if we now have to face death just because we are helping poor people," said a local doctor, who asked not to be identified.
In the latest violence, men armed with pistols shot dead the deputy head of a German charity south of the capital on Friday.
A week ago, gunmen killed Osman Ali Ahmed, the local head of the UNDP, in a similar attack. The governor of Baidoa, which hosts Somalia's parliament, said yesterday that UNDP staff had withdrawn from the town. "We expected them to stay and complete their projects, but now they have fled," Abdifatah Mohamed said.
And he can't understand why, either ...
UNDP officials could not immediately be contacted for comment.
As they were fleeing ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Who would blame them, I know I sure as hell wouldn't want to be the only asshole in Somalia without a gun.
#2
I thought we were taking the fight to wherever the terrorists were? If they have fled Iraq for greener pastures in Africa, we should be in hot pursuit. Also, the UNDP is noted for aiding the enemy and Somalia could just be their latest boondoggle. Nip this in the bud. Excerpt from a June 11 rport by Fox's George Russell: After more than two years of accusations and probes into the operations of the United Nations Development Program in North Korea, a weighty report finally reveals how routinely, and systematically, the agency disregarded U.N. regulations on how it conducted itself in Kim Jong-Ils brutal dictatorship, passing on millions of dollars to the regime in the process.
The 353-page report, by a three-member External Independent Investigative Review Panel appointed by UNDP to investigate itself, was published with much fanfare last week after nine months of political maneuvering and research.
Click here to read the full report (pdf).
The report depicts an organization that for years apparently considered itself immune from its own rules of procedure as well as the laws and regulations of countries that were trying to keep weapons of mass destruction out of Kims hands.
#3
I'm under the impression that we're working our way in that direction slowly, Danielle, consolidating goodwill and small infrastructure improvements as we go.
Two Algerians released from the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay have not been heard from since they were transferred two weeks ago to the custody of the North African country, a human rights group said Monday.
Human Rights Watch said several Algerian detainees at Guantanamo have expressed fear of torture and called on the US to help ensure the two men - the first Algerians transferred to their home country from Guantanamo - are treated humanely. "What happens to these men is significant in figuring out what to do with the others,"
The Pentagon announced July 2 that Abdul Raham Houari and Mustafa Ahmed Hamlily had been transferred to Algeria, but the rights group says that country apparently has not confirmed the men's whereabouts. Their families and attorneys have not heard from them, the group said.
Algeria's security forces have been accused of torturing terrorism suspects, the US State Department has noted in reports on human rights practices, citing international and local rights groups.
Attorney Zachary Katznelson, of the British human rights group Reprieve, said he represents four Algerians at Guantanamo who have been cleared for release but worry they will risk mistreatment if returned home.
This article starring:
Guantanamo
ABDUL RAHAM HUARI
al-Qaeda
Attorney Zachary Katznelson
Human Rights Watch
Jennifer Daskal, senior counterterrorism counsel
MUSTAFA AHMED HAMLILY
al-Qaeda
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: al-Qaeda
#1
food, water, a roof, a prayer rug, and shit free koran. but that's not good enough @ gitmo. set them free is the cry.
so uncle sam does.
they disappear.
now uncle sam needs to ensure they are treated humanely.
#2
Two Algerians released from the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay have not been heard from since they were "transferred" two weeks ago to the custody of the North African country, a human rights group said Monday.
The Algerian Consul gave them "green" swim fins and goggles?
They musta taken the wrong turn..
hell it's easy to miss the turn at Martinique... oh well.. make'um good fair fish food..
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
07/15/2008 1:03 Comments ||
Top||
#3
It's possible that the US Gubmint turned them and they can't go back now...
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
07/15/2008 1:05 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Attorney Zachary Katznelson, of the British human rights group Reprieve, said he represents four Algerians at Guantanamo who have been cleared for release but worry they will risk mistreatment if returned home.
Not our problem shithead.
Here's an idea. Why don't you go home with them to make sure everything goes okay.
#5
What ethical duty do we supposedly have to ensure that illegal combatants that we release to their home countries are treated in accordance with U.S. laws?
This boggles my mind. They wanted to be released, they got released. Where did they think they were going, Disneyland?
Screw those guys anyway, they should have been executed on the spot according to their precious Geneva Convention.
#6
"What happens to these men is significant in figuring out what to do with the others," said Jennifer Daskal, senior counterterrorism counsel for the New York-based group,
I agree, if this is what happens to releasees in Algeria, I say all releasees should be first sent to Algeria, regardless of nationality. After that, I don't care if they are ever seen alive again
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2008 10:28 Comments ||
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#7
So suddenly, we get criticized for not keeping them in Gitmo?
What are we supposed to do, put them up in public housing and put them on welfare, like thre UK does?
#1
Mr. Khadr's mood varies from dejected to hopeless for much of the released footage. At one point he lifts his shirt over his head to show extensive wounds he suffered during the 2002 Afghan firefight where he was captured."You say this is healthy?" he tells his interrogator. "I can't move my arm."
You're a lot healthier then the guy you killed douchbag . I hope every day is pure pain for the little prick.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is calling for U.S. combat troops to be withdrawn from Iraq by mid-2010. In an opinion article in The New York Times Monday, Obama says he will not hold the U.S. military or its resources "hostage" to what he called a misguided desire to maintain permanent bases in Iraq. Obama says a residual force would remain in Iraq to perform limited service missions such as fighting remnants of al-Qaida and protecting U.S. military personnel.
Obama says he believes the war in Iraq was a mistake and should be brought to an end. Obama has faced criticism in recent weeks over charges that if elected, he may delay the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
The article Monday comes as Israeli and Palestinian officials announced that the Illinois senator will visit Israel and the West Bank next week.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Iraqi Insurgency
#1
Reportedly also desires as per TOPIX to send 10,000 US troops to Afghanistan.
ION REDDIT > seems MISS USA fell down while on-stage.
#3
With luck, LG5566, he'll enrage his base and not convince anyone else of his sincerity.
Well, the main stream media would have to disappear, of course...
Posted by: Bobby ||
07/15/2008 6:05 Comments ||
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#4
Let's see...
*The minute after he's inaugurated he'll order them home
*Within 30 days he'll order them home
*He'll order them home after a 'review'
*Now no permanent bases (like we have no airbases in the UK, all US aircraft are stationed at RAF bases) but troops will remain.
MAN, this guy is not ready or prime time.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/15/2008 6:45 Comments ||
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#5
The thing is, is is geopolitically speaking, an idiot.
One brigade sized base in Kurdish area, and a brigae and USAF base at Balad woudl provide ENORMOUS leverage throughout the region, and are out of the way enough as to not cause an issue with the Iraqi people. And as a bonus for hte Iraqis, those serve as our bases in the cold war did: a deterrent against agression - from Iran in this case. These two bases would also provide training cadre for Iraqi forces as well.
But they are especially important in providing Iraq with air defense, especially since Iraq lacks an air force that is adequate to defending it against Iranian attacks, and will be lacking that for 5-7 years it takes to put the infrastructure, aircraft, command contol, and pilots all together.
#6
Obama says a residual force would remain in Iraq to perform limited service missions such as fighting remnants of al-Qaida and protecting U.S. military personnel.
How they gonna do that without a base?
What a weasel.
#7
a residual force of unspecified size. Could be 100, could be 40,000.
Will fight AQ 'remnants' and will train Iraqi troops IF there is political accomodation. Obama admin will, of course, decide what is political accommodation. And will, presumably, decide what is "training" If a battalion of Iraqi troops finds itself in a cross fire with 'special groups" in Basra, and asks for a battalion of "trainers" to rejoin them for "refresher training" what then?
And what about air support?
As for bases, of course they will keep their current temporary bases. We will NOT say that those are permanent bases like Korea, we will not build facilities for dependents, etc. Yes, that means losing strat benefits, which OS points out - but the politics in Iraq make that virtually impossible. This isnt South Korea.
Im not an expert on air defense, but my impression is the Iranian air force also has its problems, and with US AF assets in Turkey, Kuwait and KSA, and USN carriers in the Gulf, Irans air position wont be dominant. It would of course be worthwhile to have Iraq possess its own bases of a size and quality that US AF assets could be deployed there quickly and easily, as we did in KSA in 1990.
#10
Iranian AF has problems, but they still have operations fighters and bombers.
Iraq has some Cessnas. And that's it.
Out AF need to be there for quite a while - its a complex task to build an effective modern airforce, and will likely take beyond 2012 to achive any fully independent operational air superiority and tac-air capability.
Thats why we will likely be in Balad for 10 years or so.
And the Kurdish north already wants to give us basing rights to deter the Turks and the Iranians, and the shia-sunni in the south.
#11
Obama says a residual force would remain in Iraq to perform limited service missions such as fighting remnants of al-Qaida and protecting U.S. military personnel.
#13
MILITRYA.com > STRATEGIST[S] MULLS EXPANDING US GROUND FORCES. "Regime Change" [US very good at] versus "National Stabilization-Engineering" roles [not so good]. STephen Metx argues that only reason for POTUS MCCAIN or OBAMA to suppor expansion of US ARMY-USMC Ground Forces is iff US intends to occupy and administer foreign nations for a protrcative periof of time.
Barack Obama yesterday pledged to increase US troops in Afghanistan by a third if he becomes president, sending 10,000 more to reinforce the 33,000 already there.
Obama has promised, soon after becoming president in January, to begin scaling back the 156,000 US troops in Iraq and Kuwait, and to shift the focus to Afghanistan. He is to fill out his plans in a foreign policy speech in Washington today ahead of his first visit to Iraq and Afghanistan since he launched his presidential bid early last year.
Details of his trip have been kept secret for security reasons but a senior Palestinian spokesman, Saeb Erekat, disclosed yesterday that Obama would be in the region next week, with a meeting in the West Bank on July 23 with the ineffectual Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.
Perfect, since Abbas doesn't stand for anything and can't do anything ...
Bill Burton, a spokesman for Obama, said today's speech "will focus on the global strategic interests of the United States, which includes ending our misguided effort in Iraq". He added that a gradual, phased withdrawal of US troops "will allow the US to properly address the growing threat from a resurgent al-Qaida in Afghanistan".
Previewing the speech in an article written for the comment page of the New York Times yesterday, Obama wrote: "As president, I would pursue a new strategy and begin by providing at least two additional combat brigades to support our effort in Afghanistan. We need more troops, more helicopters, better intelligence-gathering and more non-military assistance to accomplish our mission there." He said that ending the war in Iraq is "essential to meeting our broader strategic goals, starting in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the Taliban is resurgent and al-Qaida has a safe haven".
In a separate comment on the campaign trail, Obama said the killings on Sunday reinforced the need to switch resources from Iraq to Afghanistan. "I continue to believe that we're under-resourced in Afghanistan," he said. "That is the real centre for terrorist activity that we have to deal with and deal with aggressively."
This concern of yours seems a little .. sudden, Senator. You could have brought this up anytime the last two years and sponsored a bill in Congress to pay for more effort in Afghanistan.
His Republican rival, John McCain, is also to discuss Afghanistan this week. Randy Scheunemann, a senior McCain foreign policy adviser, noted yesterday that Obama had voted in the senate last year against increased resources for US troops in Afghanistan. "Senator Obama is not trying to have it both ways, he's trying to have it every way," Scheunemann said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under:
#1
He could order the entire US Army there, and they would at least prepare to go. However, it is unlikely that they would be able to get there, as the number of clerical errors would approach infinity.
He could order this and order that, and replace senior officers like musical chairs. And when all was said and done, there would be a lot of retirements, boot lickers would have been promoted, but not a damn soldier would have found his way to Afghanistan.
He can order until he is blue in the face, and none would dare call it mutiny. Lethargy, ennui, inefficiency, maybe, but not mutiny.
#2
I will never vote for the copperhead dems but if BO is constitutionally elected I expect the military to adhere to their oath and follow orders to their upmost ability. I took that oath and I find comments like those from Anonymoose despicable and the type of thing one would hear in a banana republic.
I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
Dogsbody, there is a reason the bold text comes before obeying the orders of the President. That reason is to allow the Military to carry out their primary allegiance, which is to The Constitution and The Nation first should someone be elected President and be proven an enemy of the United States.
Obama isn't even elected and I already consider him along with all the Dems and a good percentage of the Repubs to be internal enemies. There is nothing despicable about Anonymooses post.
Maybe you should reread the oath and ask yourself where your primary allegiance lies.
#4
dogsbody: "The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) 809.ART.90 (20), makes it clear that military personnel need to obey the "lawful command of his superior officer," 891.ART.91 (2), the "lawful order of a warrant officer", 892.ART.92 (1) the "lawful general order", 892.ART.92 (2) "lawful order". In each case, military personnel have an obligation and a duty to only obey Lawful orders and indeed have an obligation to disobey Unlawful orders, including orders by the president that do not comply with the UCMJ. The moral and legal obligation is to the U.S. Constitution and not to those who would issue unlawful orders, especially if those orders are in direct violation of the Constitution and the UCMJ.
During the Iran-Contra hearings of 1987, Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, a decorated World War II veteran and hero, told Lt. Col. Oliver North that North was breaking his oath when he blindly followed the commands of Ronald Reagan. As Inouye stated, "The uniform code makes it abundantly clear that it must be the Lawful orders of a superior officer. In fact it says, 'Members of the military have an obligation to disobey unlawful orders.' This principle was considered so important that we-we, the government of the United States, proposed that it be internationally applied in the Nuremberg trials."
The devil, however, is in the details.
Both Bush administrations spent months carefully arranging the *international* legal groundwork for invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, and extended military operations in both nations. While some of this is still debated, in the opinion of most legal scholars, it was more than enough to insure compliance with international law, the Geneva Conventions, US national law, and the UCMJ.
However, *neither* Jimmy Carter nor Bill Clinton could be bothered with such difficult and time consuming efforts as establishing a legal groundwork for offensive operations. Carter's order directing the Iranian hostage rescue was not only an unlawful act of aggressive war, but incorporated elements in contravention of numerous treaties, US law, and the UCMJ. Incorporated into the plan would have been significant collateral civilian casualties as an intentional part of the attack.
Bill Clinton was equally willing to ignore international law by ordering a cruise missile attack against a non-belligerent nation and an internationally protected target, a baby food factory. That it was based on flawed intelligence in no way changes the character of the act being unlawful.
Barack Obama has not so far demonstrated either an understanding of compliance with international treaties, US law, the UCMJ, or to incorporate individuals into his prospective administration different than that of his Democrat predecessors.
Unless he does so, almost any military action he contemplates has a staggeringly high chance to be unlawful. And following such orders does not have as a defense that you were only following orders. And while disobedience of lawful orders, or mutiny, is a punishable offense, the reasonable alternative is to be unable to carry out unlawful orders due to inefficiency.
This is defensible in court, and insulates military personnel from prosecution.
#5
Barack Obama yesterday pledged to increase US troops in Afghanistan by a third
With Iraq winding down we are already seeing a bit of relocation of troops to A'stan, and BO is probably right that at least a third more are needed. That said, it is tough to do, because of the logistical issues of supplying them through quasi-enemy territory.
Posted by: Menhaden S ||
07/15/2008 7:42 Comments ||
Top||
#6
A free and independant Arab Balochistan would solve that logistic problem. Bandar Abbas is a very nice port.
If youve followed the RB posts on the Baluchi insurgents, I dont think youd consider them terribly reliable potential allies.
OTOH, if promise the Russkie we wont admit Ukraine or Georgia into NATO anytime soon, we can probably get their indefinite cooperation on access via the central asian stans.
#9
Carter's order directing the Iranian hostage rescue was not only an unlawful act of aggressive war, but incorporated elements in contravention of numerous treaties, US law, and the UCMJ.
Huh? You lost me Moose. The violation of the embassy and holding American diplomatic personnel was a causa bellum. The Hague Convention of 1907 stipulates that if the host country isn't going to act, then we may pursue our own actions. If you want precedent, just look up the founding father Jefferson and the dealings with the Barbary pirates. He help write the book. Congress doesn't have to meet and issue paper every time the President needs to address a crisis be it on the, then, frontier or internationally. That is why the intent of the founders was to keep the military small, less of a tool to jam into somewhere.
#10
Procopius2k: A very unknown part of the Iranian hostage rescue plan I got right from the horses mouth at the US Army Chemical School at Ft. McClellan, AL.
Carter's rage was such that he directed the army to produce over a ton of agent BZ, which had been eliminated from stocks, and to initiate the hostage rescue with a chemical attack on Tehran. And if you examine the situation carefully, this appears to be about the only way this rescue mission could have worked.
Estimated civilian killed at over 10,000, even though BZ, a hallucinogen, is classified as "less than lethal".
Col. Charles Beckwith took the hit for the failure of the clusterfuck, which was guaranteed to not be reproducible because a list of the CIA informants in Tehran was left behind, and they were all arrested and executed.
I cannot suggest that the military intentionally fouled the mission, and with the loss of the lives of service members, to prevent the incredible international repercussions against the United States for clearly violating multiple treaties and US law.
However, had they fudged the mission intentionally, it would have been worth it.
Damn Carter his insane rage and lust for murderous revenge. He didn't care what it did to the US, as long as he got even.
But the military is more than aware of the risk having a Democrat president now entails. I cannot blame them for right now circling the wagons and protect the funding of critical projects.
And especially for not wanting to be ordered to war against a prepared enemy, with no support, ill-equipped, and on the whimsical order of someone who has no grasp of the military, war, history, diplomacy or foreign policy.
Soldiers can be ordered to undertake suicide missions, but they have the right not to be cursed while doing so.
#13
they have to obey the constitution, which specifies that the president is the commander in chief of the armed forces.
This is all silly, the armed forces of the US have obeyed Presidential orders since 1865. In all kinds of controversial situations, attacks, withdrawls, firings of commanders, etc.
And even in 1861, the currently serving officers who chose to join the confederacy formally resigned their commisions in the US Army, IIUC. There has never been a mass mutiny in US history, that I am aware of.
#16
In my opinion, both McCain and Obama have made about the same pledge regarding Afghanistan.
The main difference is that Obama doesn't call it a surge.
Furthermore, assuming that, in Sept. we determine that we can reduce the Iraq deployment by 30k over the next 6 months, that Afghanistan surge (or augment) becomes a very real option.
What would have been better though is to be able to use some of the 20k non combat Eurotroops in combat.
What would be even better is to be able to surge the Afghan army.
What would be best of all is to partly surge the Afghan army and also have Iraq deploy some of their forces to Afghanistan to help out the coalition there.
As Airbus and the commercial arm of Boeing busy themselves totting up $25bn (£12.5bn) worth of new aircraft orders, the military hardware makers are going for the kill. Literally. During Monday's aerial display at the Farnborough airshow, Lockheed Martin's F-22 fighter jet was the only aircraft that had not before seen at an airshow.
And although its weapons were hidden inside the aircraft to aid its radar-evading capabilities, it soon became clear that this was a plane with a mission. "Carrying weapons is kind of the business side of this job," says Larry Lawson, executive vice president and general manager in charge of developing Lockheed Martin's F-22 fighter jet. "Being lethal is important."
The F-22's aerial acrobatics lasted for more than a quarter of an hour, as it spun and twisted, roared and hovered, the pilot in charge of the single-seat jet - Major Paul Moga of the US Air Force 27th Fighter Squadron - clearly enjoying the sensation of total control.
"If you know the principles of flight, it defies that," gasped General Tan Sri Azizan, chief of staff of the Malaysian air force.
The F-22 is arguably the world's most sophisticated fighter jet, a so-called fifth generation jet, hailed by US pilots in a promotional video showed by Lockheed Martin as excellent at "taking care of the air threat, paving the way for the bombers to get through". But, as Mr Lawson points out, when it comes to warfare, merely surviving is not enough. "An ability to turn fast and accelerate away means you survive more," he says, yet it is the ability to "chase down an adversary" that wins the battle.
Similar sentiments are apparent in the ongoing US election race, where the eventual winner will be asked to find the money to fund the cash to fund a further 198 aircraft in addition to the 183 F-22s already approved - 122 of which have already been delivered. And with each plane costing more than $140m apiece, plus development costs, it is a tall order, not least since there is no cash in the existing 2009 Congressional budget.
A decision may not come until January 2009, which means there will be a troublesome delay that will at best make the project more expensive. A worse outcome, at least from Lockheed Martin's point of view, could be the scrapping of the F-22 project - the most likely outcome if the next president chooses not to order any more F-22s.
It is a scenario that gives Lockheed Martin's executives itchy feet. "This type of technology is not only addressing the threats we are facing, but also the fiscal constraints," insisted Mr Weiss. "We need to recapitalise... a significantly reduced force structure compared with what we had 10-15 years ago."
An obvious alternative would be to sell the plane to governments other than the US, though that has been banned by Congress. There are two reasons for this: One, the Americans are concerned about such a superior machine falling into wrong hands. Two, selling the F-22 to others could upset the eight contributing members of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter family, which is already an unharmonious bunch.
It seems some nimble manoeuvering may be required for Lockheed Martin to secure the future of its flagship aircraft.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Hovered?
I don't think so.
Slow flight, just barely hanging on and thrust vectoring helps. But hovering? You want hovering, call 1-800-Sikorsky.
Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson (D-WA)
Samuel Augustus Nunn, Jr. (D-GA)
Richard Russell, Jr. (D-GA)
Russell B. Long (D-LA)
John C. Stennis (D-MS)
Sam Ervin (D-NC)
Stuart Symington (D-MO)
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
07/15/2008 1:53 Comments ||
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#3
At the ever increasing cost of these things, eventually, we'll be able to afford one. It can be shared on alternating dates between the Air Force and Navy. The Marines can get it on Leap Day every four years.
Maybe yes, maybe no....but close enough in operation for government work. I saw an F22 demonstration about a month ago and it was jaw dropping impressive.
I came away with the feeling that maybe, just maybe, we have finally come up with a design that can stay in the same sky with a Zero.
Posted by: Kelly ||
07/15/2008 9:48 Comments ||
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#5
How about just stating the incremental cost of each additional aircraft othout tryign to add in development costs?
R&D is already sunk cost. Its paid.
Biggest question is that do we *need* more of these?
I'd say yes - to completely replace the F-15 and F-16. Do we need 189 more? I dont know. Probably less.
#6
This plane has become some peoples' bete noir. They'd rather see almost anything rather than any more of these...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
07/15/2008 10:09 Comments ||
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#7
"Hovered? I don't think so."
I've seen one hoover at an air show, not in a horizontal position but a vertical position. It flew straight up then slowed to a stop and hoovered for several seconds then slowly dropped its nose and flew away in level flight.
(Xinhua) -- The U.S. terrorist watch list now has 1 million names on it, partly due to the loose criteria for adding names to the list, a rights group said Monday. "America's new million record watch list is a perfect symbol for what's wrong with this administration's approach to security," Barry Steinhardt, a spokesman for American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), said in a statement. "It's unfair, out-of-control, a waste of resources, treats the rights of the innocent as an afterthought, and is a very real impediment in the lives of million of travelers in this country," he added.
The Inspector General of the Justice Department reported last year that the Terrorist Screening Center had over 700,000 names as of April 2007 and that the list was growing by an average of 20,000 names per month. The watch list has become long and "bloated" naming several individuals who are probably not terrorists, Steinhardt said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Global Jihad
#1
Do we have a "Our One Millionth Customer" pic?
And is Barry Steinhardt on there somewhere? Just in case, you know...
Posted by: Grenter, Protector of the Geats ||
07/15/2008 9:26 Comments ||
Top||
#2
On a more sober note. Given that it's the ACLU, you can usually count on it to be as accurate as the AP, Al Reuters, Lancet, et al.
#5
If I don't use my middle initial, I get pulled out of line. It happened in Providence 2 years ago. The TSA guy said from now on use the middle initial and I should have no problems. And I'm not gonna win any Bin Laden lookalike contests...
Sindh Inspector General of Police Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak said on Monday that there were no Taliban in the seminaries of Karachi and the city faced no threat of Talibanisation. "Nope. Not a one. We asked around and everything."
Addressing a press conference here, the Sindh IGP said that seminaries in Karachi were under strict vigilance, adding that some families had migrated to Karachi due to unfavourable circumstances in Waziristan, but they were not involved in terrorist activities.
The IGP said that the recent bomb blasts in the city were carried out in a particular zone to create panic and lawlessness. He further said that a committee had been constituted to investigate into the matter.
Talking about the ongoing Lyari operation, the IGP said that similar but inconclusive action was taken against gang war in 2001, but peace was not restored in the area, although activists of different groups were apprehended. He said police would restore peace in Lyari through the currently underway operation.
Regarding the overall law and other situation in Sindh, Khattak said that it had improved during the last fifteen days. He said that positive results were achieved from the operation against anti-social elements in Shikarpur.
This article starring:
Karachi
Lyari
Shikarpur
Waziristan
Sindh Inspector General of Police Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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The Tehreek-e-Taliban Swat has established a Mohtasib Shura Committee in Manglor for the "provision of easy justice to locals", sources told Daily Times on Monday. Sources said the committee consists of nine people and decided cases and disputes in accordance with Shariah law. They said the Taliban's Shura had decided dozens of cases, adding that numerous people were submitting their cases with the Shura as neither security forces nor the police were present in the area to resolve their disputes.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Taliban
The JUI-F, which has been negotiating peace between two warring militant organisations in the Tirah Valley, said on Monday that a grand jirga would be held in Peshawar on July 17 to decide a truce. JUI-F NWFP General Secretary Shujaul Mulk, who led a delegation to the Tribal Areas to negotiate with the chiefs of the LI and the AI, told a press conference, "The JUI-F is optimistic about the outcome of the jirga from the way militant commanders received the JUI-F delegation." He said the jirga, which was previously scheduled to be held in the Hangu district, would be held in Peshawar due to the law and order situation in the valley. Separately, three more people were killed in clashes between the LI and the AI for the 19 consecutive day, bringing the toll to 115, Dawn News reported.
This article starring:
Peshawar
Tirah Valley
SHUJAUL MULK
JUI-F
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Jamaat-e-Ulema Islami
The takeover of the Ziarat marble quarry, a coveted national asset, is "one of the boldest examples" of how the Taliban have made Pakistan's Tribal Areas far more than a base for training camps or a launching pad for sending fighters into Afghanistan, according to a New York Times report published on Monday.
In April, the Taliban appeared and imposed a firm hand. They settled a feud between tribes over the possession of the marble reserves, and demanded a fat fee up front and a tax on every truck that ferried the treasure from the quarry. Since then, Mir Zaman, a contractor from the Masaud subtribe, which was picked by the Taliban to run the quarry, has watched contentedly as his trucks roll out of the quarry with colossal boulders bound for refining in nearby towns. "With the Taliban it is not a question of a request to us, but a question of force," said Zaman, a bearded, middle-aged tribal leader who seemed philosophical about the reality of Taliban authority here. At least the quarry was now operating, he said.
Today the Taliban not only settle disputes in their consolidated domain but they also levy taxes, smuggle drugs and other contraband, and impose their own brand of rough justice, complete with courts and prisons.
Today the Taliban not only settle disputes in their consolidated domain but they also levy taxes, smuggle drugs and other contraband, and impose their own brand of rough justice, complete with courts and prisons.
From the security of this border region, they deploy their fighters and suicide bombers in two directions: against NATO and American forces over the border in southern Afghanistan, and against Pakistani forces -- police, army and intelligence officials -- in major Pakistani cities.
Of all the minerals in the Tribal Areas, the marble from Ziarat is one of the most highly prized for use in expensive floors and walls in Pakistan, and in limited quantities abroad. The Taliban decided that one mountain in the Ziarat area belonged to the Masaud division of the main Safi tribe, and said that the Gurbaz subtribe would be rewarded with another mountain, Zaman, the contractor, said. The Taliban also demanded a tax of about $7 on each truckload of marble, he said. With a constant flow of trucks out of the quarry, the Taliban are now collecting up to $500 a day, Zaman said.
Today the quarry runs as a relatively rudimentary affair using dynamite, but the quarry's reopening has given something to everyone.
The Taliban are today a loose organisation of mostly ethnic Pashtuns divided in two wings, one on each side of the border. Their leader in Mohmand goes by the name Abdul Wali, a guerrilla fighter in his 30s who rose to prominence last year when his group occupied a famous shrine in the village of Ghazi Abad in Mohmand. He is affiliated with the overall leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud, a powerful ally of Al Qaeda who keeps his base in South Waziristan, another part of the Tribal Areas.
Working with Al Qaeda, the Taliban have steadily tightened their grip over much of the Tribal Areas. In Mohmand, the Taliban have speedily consolidated control in the last year. "In every agency the most powerful man is the Taliban," Orekzei said. "Because if someone says, 'I'm in favour of the government,' he will be killed."
The territory has become a magnet for other militants from farther fields as well. The government security force, a paramilitary group called the Frontier Corps, which serves under the command of the Pakistani Army, does little to challenge the Taliban in the Tribal Areas, despite occasional skirmishes. With the government so weak, the Taliban are accepted as the ruling power in many places in the Tribal Areas, local officials say.
This article starring:
Ghazi Abad
Mohmand
Pakistan's Tribal Areas
South Waziristan
Ziarat
ABDUL WALI
Taliban
BAITULLAH MEHSUD
Taliban
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Taliban militants have taken serious note of anti-Baitullah Mehsud pamphlets distributed near North Waziristan on Sunday, local residents said on Monday. Unidentified people distributed the pamphlets stating differences among the Taliban leaders, in the Frontier Region Bannu's Bakakhel area on Sunday. The leaflets were attributed to Maulvi Nazir and Gul Bahadar, Taliban leaders in South and North Waziristan respectively. The two militant leaders have formed a new militant bloc to defend interests of the Wazir tribes. "We deny [this] ... we are not involved in this distribution," said a statement from the office of Taliban commander Gul Bahadar. It said anyone who issued the pamphlets was "hypocrite" and would be taken to task once identified. Baitullah Mehsud issued a similar rejoinder last month, saying that he had no enmity with Gul Bahadar.
This article starring:
Bannu's Bakakhel area
North Waziristan
South Waziristan
BAITULLAH MEHSUD
Taliban
GUL BAHADAR
Taliban
MAULVI NAZIR
Taliban
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Taliban
#1
It said anyone who issued the pamphlets was "hypocrite" and would be taken to task once identified.
I'd be looking for more of those "beheaded for spying" stories in the coming days. It appears piehead's feelings are hurt and someone will have to pay.
The ruling coalition has not honoured its promise to root out terrorism from the country, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said on Monday.
Shujaat said law and order in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) had gone from bad to worse and had reached a stage where even Afghan President Hamid Karzai was threatening Pakistan with dire consequences.
"There has been no positive change in the country's circumstances though four months have passed since the ruling coalition came into power. The government has failed and the people are disappointed," said Shujaat, while addressing a news conference at Justice (r) Muhammad Azam's residence.
He condemned the US-led allied forces air strikes in Tribal Areas and foreign threats to integrity and solidarity of Pakistan, saying his party would shortly submit a resolution to the National Assembly to condemn violations of Pakistani borders.
The PML-Q leaders said the ruling parties had promised the people before the February general elections they would formulate policies that would rid the country of terrorism and extremism. "They have not fulfilled their promises," they said.
Peace dialogue: Shujaat supported peace dialogues between the local Taliban and the provincial government. "The PML-Q will continue supporting peace dialogues if they (local Taliban) stop attacking the security forces and the law and order situation improves," he said.
Shujaat said the country was in a deep crisis and was confronting serious problems, which could only be solved with a national consensus. He said inflation was growing unchecked and no progress had been made in reinstating the sacked judges.
Shujaat said the PML-Q leadership had neither met Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari nor did they have any plan to meet him. He said the PML-Q stood by its decision to sit on the opposition benches.
As for change in the Punjab government, the PML-Q chief said it would come within the House and there was no need for the PML-Q to contact anyone.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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(Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani Monday expressed his concerns about attacks similar to the 9.11 attack if foreign extremists continue to interfere in Pakistan's tribal regions.
Endorsing the concern of the United States on Pakistan's tribal areas, Gilani said, "it is a matter of concern that extremists from Chechnya, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan arrive in the tribal areas."
"These people are disturbing our peace," Gilani told reporters after awarding certificates to the motorway police here.
The News Network International news agency quoted Gilani as saying that the United States agreed with Pakistan's policy about tribal regions and he did not want another 9.11 attack in the future.
The United States supports Pakistani government's policy on combating terrorism and extremism in the country and it has its own concerns over the involvement of foreign elements in terrorist activities on Pakistani soil so that there are no major mishaps infuture, said Gilani.
Pakistan would never allow anyone to carry operations against the terrorists on its soil, he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
Pakistan would never allow anyone to carry operations against the terrorists on its soil, he said.
In early June, about 300 fighters of various jihadi groups gathered in Rawalpindi for a secret gathering and agreed to resolve their differences and commit more fighters to Afghanistan. "The message was that the jihad in Kashmir is still continuing but it is not the most important right now. Afghanistan is the fighting ground, against the Americans there," said Toor Gul, a leader of the militant group Hezbul Mujahideen. He said the groups in attendance had included the Al Qaeda-linked Jaish-e-Muhammad and the Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, Pakistani military and European intelligence officials confirmed the meeting, with a senior military official describing it as "an intelligence failure".
Meanwhile, NATO spokesman Mark Laity expressed concern that the Pakistan government's peace deals with militants were leading to "increased cross border activity". However, Gul said that Mohmand and Bajaur agencies, in the country's northwest, were emerging as the strongest insurgent centres. Pakistani and Western officials corroborated his information.
A former minister in the previous government, requesting anonymity, confirmed this, saying that insurgents were being paid between Rs 6,000 and 8,000 a month in Mohmand. He claimed that the Pakistani military and intelligence services were aware of this.
Understanding:
He said that under a tacit understanding with authorities, militants were free to cross to fight in Afghanistan so long as they did not stage attacks inside Pakistan.
Maulvi Abdul Rahman, a Taliban militant, said jihadi sympathisers in the Middle East were sending money to support the insurgents and more Central Asians were coming to fight. He said that under a tacit understanding with authorities, militants were free to cross to fight in Afghanistan so long as they did not stage attacks inside Pakistan.
Denial: However, Pakistan's army vehemently denies giving covert aid to militants. "If anyone says the army is providing sanctuary, nothing could be further from the truth," army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said. He criticised the US and NATO forces for failing to capture insurgents when they cross into Afghanistan or stop them from coming into Pakistan. "Is it the responsibility of only one side to stop the border crossings?" he asked. Another senior government official said Pakistan has become the scapegoat for US and NATO failures in Afghanistan. He also denied that the army was helping militants.
This article starring:
Hezbul Mujahideen
Jaish-e-Muhammad
Lashkar-e-Taiba
Major General Athar Abbas
Maulvi Abdul Rahman
Taliban
NATO spokesman Mark Laity
Toor Gul
Hezbul Mujahideen
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Taliban
#1
Wouldn't it be nice if our troops could pursue any who attack us into any refuge that they may take? We could declare war on the terrorists, even to the extent that we would not respect international boundaries in our relentless pursuit of them. The boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan would no longer be an obstacle in our fight for human freedoms. The boundary between Iraq and Iran would at most be a passing sight as our troops go after Shiite terrorists. One can dream.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
07/15/2008 11:13 Comments ||
Top||
LONDON - Britain will send 120 more troops to Iraq to help train the Iraqi army, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said Tuesday.
The spokesman could not immediately specify a timeframe for their arrival in the Middle Eastern country, where around 4,000 British soldiers are already based. These personnel bring specialist skills to the Military Transition Teams already working with the Iraqi Army in Basra and are vital to further developing the Iraqi Army's leadership ability, he said. British forces are doing an excellent job to train and develop them further so ultimately they can take full responsibility for their own security. Troop levels are kept under review, and decisions are made based on the advice of commanders and conditions on the ground.
He dismissed as pure speculation a report in The Sun tabloid Tuesday morning describing planned troop withdrawals from Iraq as highly unlikely for at least a year. Most of Britain's troops in Iraq are stationed outside the southern city of Basra, and the government has previously announced that their numbers would be cut to 2,500 this year, depending on conditions on the ground.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
I don't know that they really need that kind of training. Aren't the Ukrainians or Poles available?
Although, this is a major deployment for the Brits, credit were due.
BAGHDAD - Iraq's main southern city of Basra remains under threat from militias despite a March offensive against them that killed hundreds of people, the top British commander in Iraq said on Monday. "There is still danger from extremists in Basra," Major General Barney White-Spunner told reporters at a US military base near Baghdad airport. The British general said the militias' grip on Iraq's second city was "finished" but did not rule out the possibility of them returning. "There are still violent extremists intent on coming back... there is some danger from them. But we are putting in place a structure, so when they do try to come back they will get arrested," the general told reporters.
He said the British military and Iraqi forces were setting up a "counter-terrorist structure" in a bid to thwart any future attempt by militiamen to gain ground in the region. White-Spunner said the March military assault had established security in the city and surrounding region following the killing and detention of hundreds of militiamen. Iraqi forces have "reclaimed Basra. Normalcy is returning... People feel this security is here to stay. Iraqi forces are very popular. There is confidence in the Iraqi forces," he said.
The British military handed over security responsibility for Basra to Iraqi forces in December but within three months the situation in the oil-rich province deteriorated and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered an assault to retake control of the region. White-Spunner insisted nonetheless that the decision to transfer security responsibility in Basra to Iraqi forces was the right one. "It was the right decision. We always knew it (Basra) had to have an Iraqi solution. The approach was to have Iraqis in the lead," he said.
This article starring:
Basra
Major General Barney White-Spunner
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under:
#1
"Still violent extremists intent on coming back" > Agreement to Point.
2008-2012 POTUS Period > NO US-IRAN WAR + PAN-ISLAMIST NUCLEARIZATION-STRATWEAPONZN = Islamist Priority during this phase is MORE DIPLOMACY + PUBLIC RELATIONS, ETC. THAN VIOLENCE. IRAN + even MANY MAJOR MILITANT-TERR GROUPS would prefer to keep a LOW-PROFILE AMAP ALAP, even though Local-Regional Mil-TerrOPs will likely contin to take place. ISLAMIST PROB DURING NUCLEARIZATION >
"INDEPENDENT" MIL-TERR ACTION(S) WHICH INDUCES/RESULTS IN A RETALIAT MAJOR ATTACK AGZ IRAN + NUCDEVFACS [includ Paki] BY THE US ANDOR ISRAEL.
Recall similarities as per POST-1972 XMAS BOMBING, US-NVN TREATY, + WATERGATE-FOCUSED NIXON ADMIN > NVN kept a low, Diplo-Correct international profile, whilst "IN-PLACE" NVA-VC Units [by Treaty] already inside South Vietnam conducted random limited attacks while also building up for future new offensives [1975 Fall of Saigon].
RADICAL ISLAM ISN'T DONE WID IRAQ JUST YET. HOPEFULLY THE IGA WILL USE THIS LULL WISELY TO PREPARE FOR FUTURE NEW ISLAMIST RESPONSES WHICH THEY KNOW WILL COME.
#2
REMINDER > Despite its HYPERPOWER GLOBAL POTENCY, US-led/specific CONTROL-DOMIN of desired future OWG-NWO is NOT YET ASSURED, while PRESENTLY LOSING, SIMIL OWG-MINDED, RADICAL ISLAM IS NOT YET ABSOL OR THOROUGHLY DEFEATED, EVEN WITHIN IRAQ.
DESPITE RHETORIC TO THE CONTRARY, IMB NO SIDE OR CAMP, ANY AND ALL, DESIRES "STALEMATE" + COLD WAR-STYLE "MUTUAL COEXISTENCE".
TONY Blair was today forced to scrap plans to visit Gaza in his new role as a Middle East peace envoy after an assassination plot warning.
The former Prime Minister was warned he faced an attempt on his life after the Israeli security services received 'pinpoint information' of a threat to him.
Blair's trip to Gaza was to have included meetings with local traders and UN officials - but not with leaders of Hamas - and comes after he called for a new police towards the region to aleviate the suffering of people there.
A spokesman for Blair said it would have been irresponsible to visit in light of the terrorist threat, but added: "He looks forward to being able to go to Gaza again in the future and will of course in the meantime continue to work to improve the conditions for the people there."
"We were virtually there and had to turn back. The Israeli government did not deliberately stop the visit; they had genuine information. A specific and credible threat was made and we had to assess that," Blair said, adding that the decision not to go was made by his own security team.
Israeli media had reported that the Israeli General Intelligence Services (Shabak) had received information concerning a "very serious" threat to assassinate Blair, which prompted him to cancel his visit to the sector.
But, of course...
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri also said that Blair's visit was cancelled because of pressure by the Israeli forces as "such visits prove the failure of the Israeli policy of blockade." He adding that Israeli official sources said that Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak contacted Blair shortly before the visit was due to start. "This proves the role of the Israelis in the cancellation of this visit," Abu Zuhri concluded.
Nope, nuthin to do with the psychopaths who happen to live here. Just them damn Jooos, as usual...
#3
The former Prime Minister was warned he faced an attempt on his life after the Israeli security services received 'pinpoint information' of a threat to him.
A Jewish malady---we like to hear ourself talk too much.
One of the most visible conflicts in public opinion prior to the Gaza Strip pullout in August 2005 dealt with the issue of public structures following the evacuation of Gush Katif and northern Samarian settlements. Many claimed that the buildings must be destroyed in order to insure that they will not be used by terrorist organizations in the future. The fate of many of the areas synagogues was also discussed at that time.
In July 2004 the government already reached the decision to pullout from Gaza and to demolish the public buildings there, without exceptions. Time and again, the government bombarded the High Court of Justice explaining why the judges must not be permitted to interfere in the decision to wreck the synagogues.
However, at some point, the tables were turned. Then-Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, Silvan Shalom, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Matan Vilnai suddenly opposed the decision. The ministers started raising creative ideas allowing the synagogues to remain intact. Limor Livnat suggested involving UNESCO with the hopes they would declare Gush Katif synagogues as official World Heritage Sites.
The final decision was received in September 2005, following the residents evacuation and a day before the IDFs definitive pullout from the Gaza Strip. Despite the objection, the government decided to leave public buildings, kindergartens, libraries, schools and other structures whole for the benefit of the Palestinian population. The synagogues were left untouched due to the problematic nature of demolishing holy places.
Recently, terrorist organizations and most notably, Hamas have begun using these buildings for training purposes. A few movie videos filmed and produced by various terror organizations presented gunmen training at the sites of public buildings once used in Gush Katif, including synagogues and schools. One of the structures identifiable in the short films in the Atzmona synagogue in which the terrorists train for different scenarios with live ammunition.
Aside from Hamas, the Islamic Jihad also trains in the Jewish holy site. The buildings serve as scenery for kidnapping scenarios and urban warfare including the invasion and purification of buildings. The organizations members also practice Krav Maga. The drills are conducted in and outside of the buildings and damage is visible to the structures. The gunmen practice various maneuvers using light weaponry and grenades, light and heavy machine guns and antitank missiles.
The mere existence of the buildings and their accessibility greatly contribute to the terrorist organizations. The structures are abandoned and isolated and far from the Palestinian civilian population. If not for these buildings, the terrorists would have to construct buildings and special training areas for these purposes, just like the IDF does in order to conduct counter-terrorism drills. They would have to evacuate an entire neighborhood from its Palestinians inhabitants in order to establish a similar area.
It should be noted that usage of the buildings Israel abandoned in the Gaza Strip for live ammunition training is not secure. Buildings designated for urban warfare training must be planned and built especially for that purpose. However, it is possible that the terror organizations have already made the proper modifications themselves.
#3
I always understood that synagogues are similar to community centers rather than holy places, that only the scrolls of the Torah and the souls of the congregants themselves are considered holy.
Ma'an - International Quartet envoy Tony Blair will visit the Gaza Strip on Tuesday to inaugurate a new sewage project in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, political advisor of the de facto foreign minister Ahmad Yousef said on Monday.
Yousef told Ma'an that Blair will also meet businessmen from the Gaza Strip, but that he was not planning any meetings with members of the de facto government.
He explained that the de facto government have security measures in place for Blair's visit, which he described as "a positive initiative for the Western World to consider the Palestinians' suffering." He added that he hoped the visit would initiate the end of the Israeli siege of the coastal sector.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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The Iranian and Syrian militaries have assisted Hizbullah in setting up advanced radar installations atop Mt. Sannine in Lebanon's Beka Valley which can be used to track Israeli planes from the Mediterranean Sea in the West to Damascus in the East, foreign news reports revealed on Monday.
According to a report in the Azerbaijan-based Trend News Agency, Iran and Syria recently completed installing radar stations on the mountain, which is in the center of Lebanon and reaches 2,600 meters above sea level.
Israeli defense analysts said that while Syria did not need radar installations inside Lebanon to track IAF fighter jets, the systems could be used by Hizbullah in the event that Damascus supplied them with advanced radar-based air defense systems. The IDF's working assumption is that Syria has provided Hizbullah with such systems, for example, the SA-18.
Defense officials could not confirm the report but said that they were aware of Hizbullah efforts to track Israeli aircraft in the event of another war.
The reports of Iranian assistance in setting up the radar installations came as Israel grows increasingly concerned about possible Iranian involvement in Hizbullah's decision-making process. Members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards are suspected of having direct involvement in training Hizbullah fighters.
Meanwhile on Monday, another foreign media outlet reported that the IAF exercise over Greece last month was conducted so Israeli fighter jets could study the Russian-made S-300 air-defense missile system, which is deployed on the island of Crete, and believed to be on the way to Iran.
The S-300 is one of the best multi-target anti-aircraft-missile systems in the world today and has a reported ability to track up to 100 targets simultaneously while engaging up to 12 at the same time. Iran is believed to have already procured several S-300 systems to protect its nuclear facilities although reports have differed as to whether the systems have already been supplied by Russia.
According to a report on The Cutting Edge News Web site, written by award-winning journalist Edwin Black, in December 2007 Greece installed the S-300 system in Crete following several years when it was stationed in Cyprus.
In the beginning of June, Israel reportedly flew 100 F-15 and F-16 fighter jets 1,400 kilometers into Greek airspace in what has been described as a "dress rehearsal" for an airstrike against Iranian nuclear installations.
According to The Cutting Edge, by flying within range of the Greek S-300, Israel was able to record invaluable information which could assist the IAF in developing means of jamming and defeating the advanced air-defense system.
Black wrote that Iran had filed a bitter protest in Athens following the Israeli exercise, but was told by Greek officials that the S-300 had been "turned off" during the exercise.
While Israeli defense sources said that it was not yet certain that S-300 systems had been delivered to Iran, The Cutting Edge cited Russian sources which speculated that as many as five batteries had recently arrived in Iran at the price of $800 million.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hezbollah
#1
"as Israel grows increasingly concerned about possible Iranian involvement in Hizbullah's decision-making process."
Once you realize that 50% of the world's population is below the median intelligence level, everything begins to fall into place.
#2
ION TOPIX > US CLAIMS IRAN HAS MISSLE THAT CAN HIT EUROPE [Southern-Eastern Euro]; + IRANIAN AIR FORCE TO STAGE LARGE-SCALE WAR GAMES; + MEDVEDEV: RUSSIA WILL DEFEND ITS INTERESTS ABROAD. Will "Robustly" defend + Russ ia also dissatisfied wid the post-Cold War World "Strategic Contruct"???
TEHERAN, Iran - Iran's hardline president said Monday he would welcome direct talks with the US if both parties are on equal footing, adding such talks could happen in the near future.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did not say whether any definite plans for such bilateral talks were under way. We will hold talks with the United States if they come to us on equal footing, Ahmadinejad said in a live speech on state TV.
I think he wants us to grovel ...
Ahmadinejad also said he will attend the next UN General Assembly in New York in September in order to defend Iran's rights and propose changes to what he called the unjust Western system of administering international organizations. Ahmadinejad has attended every annual UN General Assembly meeting since he was elected in 2005.
Equal footing means that when two people want to talk, both have to be on equal terms. Dialogue doesn't make any sense if one side stands in a higher position and the other in a lower position, Ahmadinejad said.
And who would know more about standing in a lower position than Short Round ...
For years, Iran has vehemently opposed any direct talks with Washington, though it went to the limited, trilateral discussions with the US and Iraq recently.
The father of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, likened any relationship between Washington and Teheran as that of a wolf and sheep. But Iran's current top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - who repeatedly rejected such talks in the past - has softened his tone in recent months. In January, Khamenei said Iran's relationship with the United States might not be severed forever. He said he would be the first to support resuming diplomatic ties with Washington, but that doing so now would be harmful to Iran's interests.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under:
#1
As a Net website OP-Ed indicated, THE IRANIANS THINK THEY HAVE THE ADVANTAGE = HOLD THE CARDS vv THE USA RIGHT NOW, AND THEY ARE CORRECT.
Again, 2008-2012 Post-Dubya POTUS Period = THE MOST DECISIVE AND DANGEROUS TIME IN THE WOT, for both strong-but-not-yet-dominant US OWG-NWO, as well for losing-but not-yet-defeated NUCLEARIZING RADICAL ISLAM. DITTO FOR THE WORLD.
The rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which last week kidnapped three Germans in Turkey, said Sunday it was "strong enough" to hit German economic targets, an agency close to the group reported. The group also renewed a call on Berlin to end "hostile" policies towards the group in return for the release of three climbers, kidnapped in the east of the country.
A PKK statement, carried by the Firat news agency, singled out Chancellor Angela Merkel's government as the target of the hostage-taking, saying that the group had no ill feelings against Germany as a nation.
"Had we had (such feelings) we could have inflicted greater damage to German economic interests in Turkey... We are strong enough to inflict such damage," it said. "The Merkel government, together with the Turkish government, must give up sacrificing the Kurdish people's freedom struggle in the name of certain economic interests," it added.
On Tuesday the PKK seized three German climbers on Mt. Ararat in the eastern province of Agri. The rebels said they would keep the hostages unless Berlin ended a crackdown on PKK militants and their supporters in Germany, which is home to about 2.4 million immigrants from Turkey, including about 600,000 Kurds.
Last month, German authorities banned the Danish-based Roj TV from broadcasting in the country because it promoted the PKK. They also also ordered the closure of a production house that supplied the channel with programming.
In an interview with Germany's Bild newspaper on Sunday, Merkel issued a personal appeal for the immediate release of the hostages, saying that Berlin would not allow itself to be blackmailed. Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier rejected demands for a change of policy towards the PKK in exchange for the hostages' freedom.
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.
The ENOUGH Project is applauding the charges filed Monday by the International Criminal Court prosecutor against Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. The organization, part of the Center for American Progress, has been calling for tough international action to end the violence in Sudan's Darfur region.
Two Algerians released from the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay have not been heard from since they were transferred two weeks ago to the custody of the North African country, a human rights group said Monday. 
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is calling for U.S. combat troops to be withdrawn from Iraq by mid-2010. In an 
As Airbus and the commercial arm of Boeing busy themselves totting up $25bn (£12.5bn) worth of new aircraft orders, the military hardware makers are going for the kill. Literally. During Monday's aerial display at the Farnborough airshow, Lockheed Martin's F-22 fighter jet was the only aircraft that had not before seen at an airshow.
The 
Taliban militants have taken serious note of anti-
In early June, about 300 fighters of various jihadi groups gathered in Rawalpindi for a secret gathering and agreed to resolve their differences and commit more fighters to Afghanistan. "The message was that the jihad in Kashmir is still continuing but it is not the most important right now. Afghanistan is the fighting ground, against the Americans there," said 
LONDON - Britain will send 120 more troops to Iraq to help train the Iraqi army, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said Tuesday.
TEHERAN, Iran - Iran's hardline president said Monday he would welcome direct talks with the US if both parties are on equal footing, adding such talks could happen in the near future.
