Chancellor Angela Merkel's Cabinet voted Tuesday to extend Germany's military mission in Afghanistan for 14 months, a German official said.
The decision keeps the German military in Afghanistan until after next year's national elections in Germany. The official was present for the decision but spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it ahead of an official announcement.
With the new mandate, the ceiling for the number of German troops serving with the NATO-led international force is expected to increase this year by 1,000 to 4,500. There are currently about 3,300 German troops in Afghanistan, most in the relatively calm north.
Some 40 countries contribute troops to the 47,600-strong ISAF mission, led by the United States with some 18,000 troops and Britain with more than 8,000. Germany is the third largest contributor, but has been criticized for not sending its troops to the volatile south.
The extension needs approval by the lower house of parliament, where Merkel's coalition holds a commanding majority. The issue is to be debated later Tuesday.
The Afghanistan mission is generally unpopular in Germany, and some politicians have been talking of setting a date for an exit strategy. But Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned ahead of the debate it was "not very responsible to wave exit dates around."
Posted by: ed ||
10/07/2008 08:04 ||
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A confidential military report made public on Monday charges Iran of offering protection to an Afghan insurgent leader who claimed responsibility for an August ambush that killed 10 French soldiers. The report by Spain CIFAS military intelligence agency, which was obtained by Cadena Ser radio and posted on the station's website, said Gulbuddin Hekmatyar enjoyed 'total freedom' when he lived at a Tehran hotel in 2005 - with security being provided by the Iranian government. He met daily with many unidentified individuals in Tehran, added the report, which was dated August 9, 2005, according to Cadena Ser.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Why, suddenly, all these interesting leaked reports from Spanish Intelligence?
#2
Peace in the Middle East can only come about by regime change in Iran!
Posted by: Paul ||
10/07/2008 5:25 Comments ||
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#3
Why, suddenly, all these interesting leaked reports from Spanish Intelligence?
Perhaps they're getting nervous about reports that Iran is months away from having indigenous nukes along with missile delivery systems for them? And that the US has broadcast it does not support Israel doing the dirty work on Europe's behalf?
There is no ceasefire between the forces of the Islamic Courts Union and Ethiopians, says chairman of the Somali opposition groups. Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed told a group of reporters while safely ensconced in Saudi Arabia on Monday that opposition groups would not stop attacking Ethiopian soldiers. We will not give in to the Ethiopians...We are still attacking them and no ceasefire deal has been signed between the ICU and the Ethiopians," he noted.
I guess the Aethiops will just have to kill you ...
The head of the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia reiterated that the alliance would continue its fight against Ethiopian forces until they are kicked out of Somalia.
Sheikh Ahmed said the opposition groups in Djibouti are ready to enter peace talks with the Somali government after a government is established in the country, Press TV correspondent said. Meanwhile, the ICU leader called on the Islamic world to extend its support for the displaced and starving Somali people.
The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) comprised of seven countries in East Africa, has invited the entire Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to the Kenyan capital Nairobi for an extraordinary summit. It also sponsored the 2002-2004 peace talks that resulted in the establishment of the TFG.
This article starring:
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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(SomaliNet) Violence in Somali capital Mogadishu in recent weeks has displaced some 37,000 people, swelling an internal refugee population of 1.1 million in Somalia, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) said on Monday.
Experts say some 52 NGOs signed a statement expressing concern about the "devastating humanitarian crisis" and "horrendous" violence in Somalia, where Islamist insurgents are battling the government and its Ethiopian military backers.
Wow, 52 of them? That must be some statement of concern!
Meanwhile, aid-workers say the world is shrugging its shoulders at yet more suffering in Somalia, which has been mired in civil conflict since the 1991 fall of a dictator.
And wasn't in too great of shape prior to that. And is populated by a whole lot of ingrates, thieves, pirates and cutthroats.
"Nearly half of Somalia's population, or 3.25 million people, are now in need of emergency aid. This is a 77 percent increase since the beginning of 2008," the NGOs said in a statement issued in Nairobi. "This number has increased dramatically over the past year due to the destructive combination of extreme insecurity, drought and record-high food prices. The situation is expected to deteriorate further with ordinary Somalis bearing the brunt."
U.N.-led efforts to broker peace have not brought any lessening of violence "that continues to have a horrendous impact on civilians," they said. "In the last few weeks, renewed shelling in Mogadishu has displaced approximately 37,000 civilians from their homes. Over the past nine months, 870,000 have fled for their lives. A total of 1.1 million people are currently displaced in Somalia today."
The NGOs criticised all parties in the Somali conflict for indiscriminate and disproportional use of force. They noted that attacks on aid workers were hurting humanitarian efforts. "This year alone 24 aid workers, of which 20 are Somali nationals, have been killed whilst carrying out their work. The whereabouts of another ten are unknown. There have been 111 reported security incidents directly targeting aid agencies."
The locals don't seem to appreciate you. Why don't you try working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo? Or Burma? Or Zimbabwe?
Dangers to aid-workers had left south and central Somalia almost entirely off limits to international staff of relief agencies, the NGOs said. "The international community has completely failed Somali civilians. We call on the international community to make the protection of Somali civilians a top priority now," they said.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
"The international community has completely failed Somali civilians. We call on the international community to make the protection of Somali civilians a top priority now," they said.
Sorry, that's the responsibility of the Somali government, not the "rest of the world". Just because it's the only way you can guarantee you'll have a job come next Monday morning doesn't mean it's really MY responsibility.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
10/07/2008 14:08 Comments ||
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(SomaliNet) Islamist insurgents had demanded to be given some of the weapons aboard a hijacked Ukrainian ship carrying 33 tanks - but the pirates holding it had refused, a local official said on Sunday. According to a resident, the Islamist gunmen from the Al Shabaab group had also received a five percent cut of the $1,5-million (R12,8-million) paid out for a Spanish ship released several months ago.
Two weeks ago, heavily armed pirates captured the MV Faina near Hobyo town in central Somalia, and are now demanding a $20-million (R170-million) ransom. Several United States navy ships are watching it to ensure that none of the weapons are unloaded.
"Al Shabaab wanted some weapons from the Ukrainian ship, but the pirates rejected their demands," a local official who asked not to be named said. "Al Shabaab went away after they were rejected by the residents and the pirates.
"I am sure the group is not far from the area," the official added.
A relative of the pirates said the insurgents had received a five percent share of the last ransom paid, but had been demanding more. "Al Shabaab demanded more money from pirates and they disagreed," said Hussein Ali.
They were also expecting a share of money paid out for the Ukrainian ship and two Greek ships held at Hobyo, he said. "They are waiting for some money from these three ships held in our area. Most of the Al Shabaab who asked for money are in the same sub-subclan with the pirates around Hobyo," Ali said.
The US has said that the Al Shabaab group is a terrorist organisation linked to Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda.
Meanwhile, pirates who hijacked two Malaysian tankers in the Gulf of Aden threatened to kill their captives, but let their Muslim hostages fast and pray to observe the month of Ramadan, the freed crew said on Saturday. The pirates had seized the two vessels, the Bunga Melati 2 and the Bunga Melati 5, and 80 crew members in August, and released them last month after the vessels' owner, MISC, paid an undisclosed amount as ransom.
Crew members who arrived in Malaysia on Saturday recounted an ordeal marked by language barriers, variable treatment by the pirates and the accidental death of a Filipino crew member who was killed when a bullet ricocheted off a ceiling.
Maheshwaran Muniandy, the captain on board the Bunga Melati 5, said the pirates had thrust guns at their hostages "many times". But he eventually concluded that the hijackers did not intend to kill them. "After 12 days being there, I came to the conclusion that intentionally, they were not going to kill any of my crew," Muniandy said.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
A relative of the pirates said the insurgents had received a five percent share of the last ransom paid, but had been demanding more. "Al Shabaab demanded more money from pirates and they disagreed," said Hussein Ali.
Good. Maybe they'll both get pissed off and start lighting each other up.
#4
NAIROBI (AFP) Pirates holding a Ukrainian ship carrying tanks and military hardware with 21-member crew off the coast of Somalia said Tuesday that a deal could be reached in a day for the vessel's release.
"A deal might be sealed by Wednesday and then we will issue a statement regarding the end of the matter," said Sugule Ali, a spokesman for the estimated 50 pirates holding the MV Faina since September 25.
The pirate would not comment on the amount of ransom being negotiated. "I am not talking about the fine the owners of the ship will pay but both sides are definitely ready to talk amicably," he said.
The pirates, who refer to ransom demands as "fines" imposed on Western powers for their "illegal" use of Somali waters, had previously said they wanted 20 million dollars.
And it appears the amount of the "fine" has gone down substancially...
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) A Somali pirate on a hijacked cargo ship transporting tanks reduced the ransom Tuesday to $8 million, but it was unclear if he was speaking officially for the bandits holding the Ukrainian vessel.
A man who identified himself as Jama Aden and spoke by satellite phone Tuesday is not the usual spokesman for the pirates. He answered the telephone of the spokesman, Sugule Ali, and said Ali was not immediately available.
"There are high hopes we will release the ship within hours if they pay us $8 million," Aden told The Associated Press. "The negotiations with the ship owners are going on well."
Wait'll the Russsians show up. See what the price is then.
SPAIN'S Supreme Court today acquitted on appeal 14 of the 20 men who were sentenced jail in February for belonging to an Islamic terrorist group suspected of planning to blow up a courthouse.
The National Audience, Spain's top anti-terrorism court, had sentenced the 14 to prison terms from seven to 11 years for membership in an al-Qaeda-inspired cell.
The Supreme Court also reduced the sentence of another man from nine to two years. It acquited him of belonging to a terrorist cell but upheld a conviction for document forgery.
The court confirmed all the convictions against five others, including Abderrahman Tahiri, also known as Mohammed Achraf, who was found to have tried to obtain explosives in order to blow up a court with a massive truck bomb. Tahri, who is considered to be the cell leader, received the stiffest sentence of 14 years behind bars.
The men were arrested in 2004, several months after the Madrid train bombings of March 11 that killed 191 people and which were claimed in the name of al-Qaeda by an Islamic cell. Prosecutors charged the men during their trial with planning an attack either on the National Audience, the Supreme Court, a Madrid metro station or the headquarters of Spain's opposition Popular Party.
Every traveler in the post-9/11 era gets watched at airport checkpoints. But sometime soon, you may be checked for a bomb at the airport entrance. Fearing that terrorists with suicide vests may blow up crowded sections of airports, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for the first time is looking at ways to scan people as they walk through terminals. Machines recently tested at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Denver International Airport could pave the way for more airports to get the technology.
It works this way: A scanner is mounted on a tripod at a busy part of an airport terminal, pointing at people 30 feet away. The $210,000 machine, which looks like a spotlight, reads the energy emitted from a human body. It looks for "cold" spots where dense objects -- such as bombs -- block energy. When the scanner sounds an alarm, a screener can call police to handle anyone who seems dangerous.
The machine was tested in August and September, and could be added at more airports, train stations and ferry terminals, TSA spokesman Christopher White said.
The TSA effort comes amid concern about terrorists targeting airports. Two weeks ago, Pakistan placed airports on high alert after a bomb threat to the airport in its capital. In July 2007, terrorists drove an SUV into the Glasgow Airport in Scotland, igniting a blaze that killed no one.
"As you close up holes (on airplanes), terrorists have to find other ways to set something off," aviation-security consultant Rich Roth said. An airport attack "is what everybody's afraid of, and it's a valid fear."
The scanner, made by Virginia-based QinetiQ North America, does not produce still images of passengers and poses no health risk because it does not emit energy such as X-rays, White said.
In the test at Denver, the scanner led to two people being questioned by police, White said. Neither was arrested. Two people also were questioned in Minneapolis and weren't arrested. "We didn't catch any terrorists, but we don't know who we may have deterred because of the unit," said David Barrett, the TSA security chief in Denver.
In Minneapolis, airport deputy operations director Tim Anderson initially feared passengers would find the scanner intrusive. Most people, however, were curious and "pretty accepting," he said.
Barry Steinhardt of the American Civil Liberties Union said the machines will subject innocent people to extra scrutiny by generating false alarms for things such as back braces. Meanwhile, he said, terrorists will evade scrutiny by simply avoiding the scanners, which sit openly in terminals. "These only create the illusion of security," Steinhardt said.
"Therefore we should do nothing, and simply accept the terrorists as people with legitimate grievances against our patriarchal, racist, genderist and homophobic oligopoly," Steinhardt added.
A passenger wearing a body brace under a shirt might set off the alarm, said Wally Miller, QinetiQ's head of transportation security.
Roth said false alarms "are going to happen," but he said terrorists trying to evade the scanners could appear suspicious and come under scrutiny from screeners.
#1
This makes sense. When I worked for TSA (don't ask), our Bellingham WA airport was an open carry area, in the public areas. Only past the checkpoints were there weapon restrictions. This drove my boss nuts, especially when another supervisor brought a 9mm into the office to show a co-worker. A WSP Officer broke out his RCW manual and verified that no law was broken.
It would be interesting to see how this conflict would be resolved if this new scanner detected an object that later turned out to be a lawfully carried weapon.
Not a public warning but an analytic note to law enforcement officials. This goes along with earlier reports of information suggesting an early Oct attack.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security today issued an analytical "note" to U.S. law-enforcement officials cautioning that al-Qaida terrorists have in the past expressed interest in attacking public buildings using a dozen suicide bombers each carrying 20 kilograms of explosives.
Authors with the U.S. Office of Intelligence and Analysis added that they have "no credible or specific information that terrorists are planning operations against public buildings in the United States." The FBI and DHS analysts said they were releasing the note because "it is important for local authorities and building owners and operators to be aware of potential attack tactics."
According to the note obtained by NBC News, a "recently discovered audio recording of al-Qa'ida training sessions conducted several years ago provides instruction to potential suicide terrorists on seizing a publicly accessible building and damaging or destroying it with explosive charges."
Among the materials on a CD--ROM seized earlier this year by Belgian authorities and provided to Interpol, the note said, "is a detailed audio explanation by now-deceased senior al-Qa'ida operative Yousef al-Ayeeri of a method taught in an al-Qa'ida training camp for attacking a publicly accessible building. Interpol believes the Arabic-language recording was made shortly before al-Ayeeri's death in 2003."
Saudi security forces killed al-Ayeeri in 2003.
The FBI and DHS said al-Ayeeri's audiotape walks potential suicide bombers through the following scenario: "Once a target is selected, al-Ayeeri recommends assembling a team of 12 individuals, each armed with an assault rife and grenade and carrying approximately 20 kilograms of explosives. The attackers are to storm the building, seal off escape and access points, and occupy it long enough to set and detonate their explosive packages. Al-Ayeeri stressed the importance of carrying out these steps before law enforcement can respond, even if notified early in the attack. He assumes the attackers will be killed during the operation," the FBI note said.
The instructional audiotape continued: "Al-Ayeeri believed attackers would be able to enter many publicly accessible buildings easily with little or no resistance from often poorly trained and lightly armed or unarmed security guards, and that an explosion from inside the building would be particularly effective."
In the unclassified report, the analysts added that, "if each of the 12 attackers' 20 kg charge is combined into a single large bomb, it would have more explosive power than the truck bomb used in the 1983 Beirut Embassy attack. Terrorists to date have not conducted attacks on public buildings using the full range of tactics covered in al-Ayeeri's training."
Since 9-11, the FBI and DHS have issued hundreds of similar warnings and bulletins to law-enforcement officials, cautioning them about potential terrorist attacks. Critics have said that some of the scenarios seem implausible, including warnings about teams of scuba-diving bombers and terrorists' use of prosthetic devices that would allow women to hide explosives in devices "that mimic the look of a pregnant woman." Law enforcement officials have responded that there's a need for aggressive intellience sharing--one of the lessons learned the hard way after the 9-11 terrorist attacks.
#3
On a separate note, here on GUAM > some local restaurant Patrons orally believe that a RACIAL + CULTURAL NEW "CIVIL WAR" MAY BREAK OUT IN AMERICA IFF BARACK OBAMA IS ELECTED POTUS???
Pakistan ordered the deportation of about 50,000 Afghan refugees in an insurgency-wracked tribal region amid a major military offensive against al-Qaida and Taliban fighters.
The government said it was expelling all Afghan refugees in the Bajur tribal region, alleging many of them have links to militant groups. Police in the town of Khar in Bajur arrested 25 Afghans and said they would soon be deported. "The orders have been issued to the tribal police to push all of them (refugees) out," said local government official Abdul Haseeb, adding that their homes would be bulldozed to keep them from returning.
A government offensive in Bajur that began in early August has claimed some 1,000 lives. It comes amid increased U.S. pressure on the government of President Asif Ali Zardari to crackdown on militants in the restive border region where al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding.
Washington has long complained Pakistan is unwilling or unable to take strong action against the extremists.
Zardari has pledged his cooperation in the fight against terrorism, but must tread carefully given strong domestic opposition to his country's alliance with Washington. This balancing act has become increasingly complicated by an upswing in U.S. missile strikes against suspected al-Qaida and Taliban hide-outs in the northwest and more recently by Zadari's comments to The Wall Street Journal suggesting he had consented to the strikes.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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The family of software engineer Mohammed Mansoor Asghar Peerbhoy (31), who was arrested by the Mumbai police on Monday, is vehement that he has been falsely implicated in the case and see his arrest as an attempt to "defame the Muslim community".
Speaking to TOI, one of the family members, who refused to be identified, said, "We don't how he has been targeted and implicated in the case. He was earning a handsome salary and we know that he will not do anything wrong. Now that we have come to know of his arrest, we will seek legal opinion to save him. We came to know of his arrest only after his name was made public by the Mumbai crime branch on Monday evening. Mohammed is a highly qualified person and we are a very respectable family."
The family, which lives in a posh flat in the Pune cantonment area, said Mohammed was working for a multinational company. They, however, but refused to name the firm. They said they last saw Mohammed when he had gone to work a few days back.
Mohammed's father said his son was picked up by the Mumbai crime branch for questioning on September 28. "It was the 27th roza. The police did not release him after that but we were allowed to meet him in Mumbai on a few occasions. He was not tortured," he added.
The senior Peerbhoy said the family members asked the Mumbai police what Mohammed had been charged with. "We were told that the police wanted to know something about cyber information for the ongoing investigations. The police said they would release him soon but today we have learnt that he has been arrested," he said.
The father said that Mohammed, who is married, was a computer engineer but refused to divulge any information about his schooling or the names of institutions where he had studied.
He said Mohammed has been living in Pune since his childhood. "My son is not related to SIMI. He is innocent, talkative and always shares information. We feel some people may have taken advantage of him although we don't know who," he said.
The father further said that Mohammed did not have many friends outside the company where he worked and never went out of Pune.
Mohammed's sister said that her brother was an honest and upright man. "We don't know what the police are looking for and we don't know what happened which prompted the police to arrest him. I hope he is released soon," she said.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
arrest as an attempt to "defame the Muslim community".
1) Claim victimhood - check.
we know that he will not do anything wrong.
2) Family claims 'he was a good boy' - check.
We feel some people may have taken advantage of him
3) It was somebody else's fault - check.
Yep, they'veabout covered it.
Mohammed did not have many friends
Hmmm, a loner, like so many serial killers. But he has four names, not just three - maybe it doesn't count if one of them is 'Mohammed.'
NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani has signed the Nizam-e-Adl (Shariah) Regulation, 2008, for implementation of Islamic law in Malakand division, Daily Times learnt on Monday.
It would now be sent to the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions, which would approve the draft bill in consultation with the Federal Law Division. It will then be sent to the president of Pakistan for his approval, following which it will be implemented in Malakand. NWFP Law Minister Barrister Arshad Abdullah confirmed the signing of the draft, saying he had sent it to the governor before Eidul Fitr.
"I have learnt from officials in the Governor's House that the governor has signed the draft," Abdullah told Daily Times. APP quoted a press release issued by the Chief Minister's Secretariat as saying that the governor signed the draft amendment bill on Monday.
A high-level meeting of the provincial government, chaired by Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti, had approved the proposed Nizam-e-Adl Regulation on September 24. Before announcing the proposed bill, the chief minister had convened a jirga of tribal elders from Malakand and discussed the draft with them. The proposed law would replace the Shariah Nizam-e-Adl Regulation, 1999, introduced during the government of Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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The Arab League dispatched an ambassador to Baghdad on Monday, the latest sign of progress for the Iraqi and U.S. effort to ease this country's diplomatic isolation.
Hani Khilaf arrived a day after the first visit by an Egyptian foreign minister in 18 years. The previous envoy of the 22-member Arab League quit in January 2007, blasting Arab countries for not doing more to ease Iraqis' suffering.
The U.S. government has urged the Sunni-dominated Arab governments in the region to reestablish ties with Iraq's Shiite-led government. Many have been hesitant because of violence here and concerns that they could appear to be endorsing the U.S.-led invasion of 2003. In addition, some nations are wary about the close ties the Iraqi government has developed with Iran.
Khilaf, an Egyptian diplomat, told reporters before leaving Cairo that he would try to promote reconciliation in Iraq. Violence has declined here sharply in the past year but is still at staggering levels. "We need a more active Arab role in Iraq," Khilaf said.
His arrival ended an embarrassing gap in representation by the Arab League, which groups 21 predominantly Arabic-speaking nations and the Palestinian Authority. The previous ambassador, Mokhtar Lamani, wrote a scathing article after he quit about "the contrast between the enormous suffering I saw daily in Baghdad and the persistent indifference evident in the Arab League meetings in Cairo."
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Iraqi Insurgency
#1
Hope either we or Blackwater are protecting him - he has to be a top target for both Al Qaeda and the Special Groups. This guy is proof that not all Arabs are cowardly.
#2
Hope we are helping Al Quaeda gettong him. The Arab league is trying to keep Irak in the Arab folder. Since Arab motive of pride is islam's conquests, we should hinder such attempts and instead we strive hard to make Irakis, not merly Kurds, but also teh Arabic speaking ones, take their pride in being teh descendants of Summer, Babylon and the people who solved the second degree equation and feeling contempt to the desert barbarians and their faith not to mention that they are they are the people who bomb Irakli markets. We must unrabize Irak. This is the first step for unislamizing it.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit made a surprise visit to Iraq on Sunday, the first such trip since 1990, and promised to reopen an embassy in Baghdad soon, the latest sign that fellow Arab nations are slowly restoring ties.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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Rising Iraqi Shiite leader Ammar al-Hakim has extended an olive branch to rival Sunni leaders and tribes during a whistlestop tour of Sunni enclaves ahead of key provincial elections. Hakim, 37, the eldest son and heir of Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim, head of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC) party, has been widely tipped to take over the reins of the powerful Shiite party which has 30 seats in Parliament from his cancer-stricken father.
Under heavy guard on Saturday, Hakim and his convoy of two dozen Land Cruisers and an ambulance visited the Sunni strongholds of Samarra and Tikrit - home of executed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein - and Balad, a Shiite-majority town that saw heavy fighting against Sunni neighbor Dhuluiya.
In Samarra, a holy city that gained international notoriety after its Shiite Al-Askari shrine was bombed on February 22, 2006, in an attacked blamed by the US and Iraqi government on Al-Qaeda fighters, he stressed the need for unity among Iraq's divided religious communities. "We came here to visit the imams and also to be in contact with our people and tribes in this province, and also to be in touch with the people of Samarra," Hakim told reporters outside the heavily damaged shrine.
"We are here to renew the promise to continue the work of rebuilding a unified Iraq," said the soft-spoken leader in a gesture of allegiance with local Sunni government and tribal leaders who circled him.
The mausoleum at Samarra's 1,000-year-old Al-Askari Mosque, whose famous golden dome was destroyed in the bombings and further damaged in June 2007, houses the remains of imams Ali al-Hadi and Hassan al-Askari.
Although the mosque is also important to Sunnis, the site is especially sacred to Shiites.
Many of the Shiite faithful in Hakim's delegation on Saturday turned misty-eyed, with some weeping at the sight of the mosque that is now under reconstruction with the help of UNESCO funds.
Nobody was killed in the attack on the Al-Askari shrine but the incident sparked brutal nationwide sectarian violence that led to the deaths of thousands of people around Iraq.
The violence that pitched Sunni Arabs allied with foreign-led Al-Qaeda fighters against Shiite death squads and militias has subsided since its peak in 2006. Experts have linked the decline in violence to the ethnic cleansing of areas previously populated by a mix of religious sects.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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The exiled leader of the Palestinian movement Hamas said in an interview Monday that negotiations with Israel on freeing captured soldier Gilat Shalit were deadlocked. Khaled Meshaal, who is based in Syria, accused Israel in an interview with Le Figaro newspaper of being an unreliable partner.
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10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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A day after Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi exhorted the Centre to stop the "genocide" of Tamils in Sri Lanka, NSA M K Narayanan summoned the Sri Lankan deputy high commissioner and expressed unhappiness at the violence against Tamil civilians.
According to the foreign ministry, it was pointed out that the Lankan government needed to act with restraint and address the growing feeling of insecurity among Tamils. The demarche coincided with an LTTE suicide bomber killing over 20 people in Sri Lanka on Monday.
It's the first time in many years that India has asked the Lankan government to observe restraint in its actions.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Elections are due in India. Need to chase that Tamil vote.
Posted by: john frum ||
10/07/2008 6:56 Comments ||
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#2
And the Lankans are about to finally defeat the LTTE.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 10:39 Comments ||
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Rebel LTTE leader Vinayagamoorthi Muralidaran, alias "Colonel Karuna" has been "nominated" as an MP from the quota of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
'Col' Karuna will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of H.M. Wasantha Samarasinghe, who chose to contest the recently concluded North Central Provincial Council election on the JVP ticket.
The one time LTTE's commander for the Eastern Province, he broke ranks with the LTTE citing differences with Prabakaran in 2004 and floated Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikkal (TMVP). However, following a power struggle within the TMVP he fled to London in September last allegedly on a forged diplomatic passport. He was convicted on charges of violation of immigration laws of the U.K.
On completion of his jail term in London, 'Col' Karuna withdrew his petition for political asylum and returned to Sri Lanka in July. After he left in 2007, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan alias Kubeiran took charge of the TMVP and became the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province after aligning with the ruling alliance led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
There has been speculation in the media of yet another "power struggle" within the TMVP. Just two days ago, 'Col' Karuna had met Social Welfare Minister and Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Doughlas Devananda to secure a seat in Parliament.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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A US aeroplane has been forced to land in Iran after violating the country's territory, according to an Iranian news agency. The agency added that the incursion was unintentional, and those on board were questioned and released. It said five people were interrogated, but allowed to leave the following day after it became clear their trespass into Iranian airspace had been a mistake.
The interrogation revealed that they had strayed over the border unintentionally en route to Afghanistan. Reports said the plane was a fighter jet, sparking fears of a confrontation between the two countries.
However, the Pentagon denied that any of its aircraft were missing and it later emerged that the plane was a Falcon passenger jet. The plane is said to have entered Iranian airspace from Turkey despite repeated warnings by the Islamic Republic Air Force. Reports from Iran said the jet was flying low in an attempt to slip under Iranian radar before being made to touch down.
The US Falcon and all those aboard left Iran for Afghanistan after receiving takeoff permission from Iranian authorities.
#4
"Reports that the jet was a US warplane with military personnel on board were contradicted by other sources inside the country, which said its nationality was in fact Hungarian."
http://news.sky.com
Posted by: Eddie ||
10/07/2008 12:38 Comments ||
Top||
#8
Oil company execs either going to Iran to make a deal or going to Afghanistan to work on that pipeline deal everyone knows was why we went to war there.
Or the executive transport division of the old Air America (not the Al Franken version).
#11
TW, because when he was head of Electronic Data Systems, back in he organized a corporate 'rescue' attempt of some EDS employees who were held hostage in Iran. It was the subject of a Ken Follett book 'On Wings of Eagles.'
#12
The ministry said the airplane, carrying a four-member Hungarian military delegation, had strayed into Iran's airspace on Sept. 30 because of an "administrative error."
"After clearing up the problem, the airplane was able to continue its journey to Afghanistan," the ministry said in a statement released in Budapest.
The military personnel were part of a Hungarian team that took over direction of Kabul's international airport this month, it said, adding that they were flying in a civilian Hawker 800 plane rented from the private Hungarian firm JAS Cargoways.
#15
TW -- I remember the rescue when it was announced -- all of this story was leading up to the Iranian gettin' our guys -- the book came out after the 444 days our hostages were held... It's an eye opener.. I'm sure our "black ops" kind of folks have much more "equipment" available to them now.... it's a good refresher course on just what was happening during these days with Iran.
NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on Monday he was not certain the world can stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb.
Scheffer told a conference in southeast France that given Iran's nuclear activities, said he would never expect Israel to abandon its own, "supposed nuclear arsenal". Israel is widely believed to have the Middle East's only nuclear weapons, but has never formally said so. "As we all know, Israel never admits to what it has, but I do not see very many arguments for the Jewish state to abandon its potential," he said.
Scheffer said that NATO did not have a direct role to play in the issue, but said he was worried that the United Nations had failed to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. "It is a major challenge to prevent Iran from continuing to strive to get the bomb," Scheffer told a World Policy Conference organized by France's IFRI foreign affairs think tank. "I am not positive about the world being able to stop Iran from fulfilling its ambitions," he added.
"My concern is that the Security Council, as we speak, is rather incapable of coming to further conclusions on further sanctions," Scheffer said.
Scheffer added that he was equally concerned about Iran's drive to develop its missile capabilities. "What is as dangerous [as the nuclear program] is the missile technology which [Iran] is also developing at a fast pace," he said. "This becomes an element for the security of the United States and of course Europe.
Iran has a series of medium-range missiles, which experts say could target Israel. Tehran has also said it is working on long-range missiles.
Iran delivered a letter to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana later Monday which Tehran said stressed that pressure would not resolve the dispute over the Iranian nuclear program. The letter was handed to Solana, who has represented six major powers in talks with Iran over its controversial nuclear program, by Iran's ambassador to the European Union, Solana's spokeswoman Cristina Gallach said. "I do not know what is in the letter ... but the letter is now in the hands of Mr. Solana," she said.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[6 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
WORLD FORUM Thread [China] > US MUST BLOCK RUSSIA, CHINA SUPPORT TO STOP IRAN FROM DEVELOPING NUCLEAR BOMBS, LONG RANGE INTERCONTINENTAL MISSLES.
* SAME > US SECDEF GATES SAYS US ABILITY TO MEET FUTURE THREATS [to US-World Stability + Order]DEPENDS ON DECISIVE US VICTORY/SUCCCESS IN IRAQ, ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT
The United States voiced concern over Syria's military build-up at its northern border and said the recent massive bomb attack in Damascus must not be used as a pretext to get its forces back into Lebanon.
State Department spokesman Robert Wood said the United States and others had made very clear to Syria that any intervention by Damascus into Lebanon was unacceptable. "The recent terrorist attacks that took place in Tripoli (Lebanon) and Damascus should not serve as a pretext for, you know, further Syrian military engagement or, should not be used to interfere in Lebanese internal affairs," Wood told reporters.
Syria tightly controlled politics and security in Lebanon until the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. The murder triggered international pressure that ultimately forced Syria to end its 29-year military presence in Lebanon and pull its forces back.
Damascus has warned of growing Islamist militancy in north Lebanon and the Syrian authorities have said a vehicle used in a suicide attack in Damascus last month crossed into the country from a neighboring Arab state. Along with Lebanon, Syria's Arab neighbors are Iraq and Jordan.
At the end of last month, Syria sent hundreds of troops to its northern border with Lebanon, in a move the authorities said was aimed to combat smuggling. Syria's opponents in Lebanon have speculated that Damascus could use insecurity in the north as a pretext for intervention.
"Obviously we're concerned about this type of activity along the border and that it not lead to any further interference on the part of Syria into Lebanon's internal affairs," Wood said. "The Syrian government is well aware of our views with regard to any kind of military activity along the border," he added.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[6 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Syria
#1
See also WND.com > IRAN'S NUKES [ + North Korea's NucProgs] TAKE THE DAMASCUS ROAD.
A senior Hezbollah-linked journalist reiterated Monday the Lebanese militia's threat that a "big surprise" awaits Israel should it decide to engage in another conflict with the group. Ibrahim al-Amin, the editor of the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, made the comments in a piece published under the headline of "Israel is threatening to destroy Lebanon. What will happen to it during wartime?"
Al-Amin, who usually uses reliable sources from within Hezbollah, warned that Israel needs to seriously consider the ramifications of a future attack on Lebanon. He was responding to recent comments by senior Israel Defense Forces officers that Israel will use "disproportionate power" in its next conflict with Hezbollah as it did in 2006 Second Lebanon War.
"What do they imagine Hezbollah's reaction will be? They actually say it has 40,000 missiles... Are they preparing for things that they have not considered and that others have not considered?" asked Al-Amin. "Who said that Hezbollah does not think about all of the options which the enemy will use, including those which have been mentioned recently."
On Sunday, Hezbollah officials dismissed the Israeli threats of massive destruction in a future conflict in Lebanon as "media war," speaking to the United Arab Emirates newspaper Al Ittihad.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/07/2008 00:00 ||
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[6 views]
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#2
i believe they are going too use some kind of chemical weapons in their bottle rockets the next go round. I ran has had plennty of time too get them that type of stuff
#8
One chemical attack and southern Lebanon becomes radioactive glass all the way to Damascus. I hope UNIFIL has a rapid-evacuation plan, because Israel won't wait.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
10/07/2008 18:33 Comments ||
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#9
old pat, i believe it would be worth them too shoot at least 1 then. hell let 1 come from Iran too
The US and Lebanon have set up a joint military commission to institutionalize their bilateral military relationship, the two countries announced Monday. The two sides said the commission would provide an annual opportunity for the two countries to discuss current and future military cooperation goals. An inaugural session was initiated Monday by Defense Minister Elias Murr and Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Mary Beth Long. A joint statement issued by the US Embassy and the Lebanese army said the two countries signed three military contracts worth $63 million in US grants to the Lebanese army for secure communications, ammunition and infantry weapons.
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A confidential military report made public on Monday charges Iran of offering protection to an Afghan insurgent leader who claimed responsibility for an August ambush that killed 10 French soldiers. The report by Spain CIFAS military intelligence agency, which was obtained by Cadena Ser radio and posted on the station's website, said Gulbuddin Hekmatyar enjoyed 'total freedom' when he lived at a Tehran hotel in 2005 - with security being provided by the Iranian government. He met daily with many unidentified individuals in Tehran, added the report, which was dated August 9, 2005, according to Cadena Ser.
There is no ceasefire between the forces of the Islamic Courts Union and Ethiopians, says chairman of the Somali opposition groups. 
(SomaliNet) Violence in Somali capital Mogadishu in recent weeks has displaced some 37,000 people, swelling an internal refugee population of 1.1 million in Somalia, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) said on Monday. 
(SomaliNet) Islamist insurgents had demanded to be given some of the weapons aboard a hijacked Ukrainian ship carrying 33 tanks - but the pirates holding it had refused, a local official said on Sunday. According to a resident, the Islamist gunmen from the Al Shabaab group had also received a five percent cut of the $1,5-million (R12,8-million) paid out for a Spanish ship released several months ago. 
Pakistan ordered the deportation of about 50,000 Afghan refugees in an insurgency-wracked tribal region amid a major military offensive against al-Qaida and Taliban fighters. 
