[An Nahar] The International Criminal Court ... where Milosevich died of old age before being convicted ... on Tuesday gave Libya until January 23 to mull the possible handing over of ousted leader Muammar Qadaffy's ... who is now napping peacefully in the dirt... son Seif al-Islam.
A three-judge bench granted a Libyan request for an extension but said that the three weeks sought by Tripoli "would cause an undue delay in the proceedings and that only a shorter extension is appropriate".
The Hague-based tribunal ordered Libyan authorities to file its observations regarding Seif al-Islam, who is wanted by the court on charges of crimes against humanity, by 1500 GMT on January 23.
ICC judges last month called on Libya's new leaders to inform them as a matter of urgency if and when they intend to hand over Seif and set a January 10 deadline for a response.
But in a letter on Monday, Libya asked for a three-week extension.
"Due to the security situation on Libya, the Libyan authorities are not able to meet the deadline and respectfully request the chambers to grant an extension for an additional period of three weeks," it said.
The ICC issued a warrant in June for Seif on charges of crimes against humanity over the conflict in Libya, but after his capture the National Transitional Council said it wanted to try him on Libyan soil.
Seif, 39, who was tossed in the clink on November 19 -- almost a month to the day after his father was captured and killed -- is now in the custody of the military council of Zintan, 180 kilometers southwest of Tripoli.
Human rights organizations have called on the Libyan authorities to grant him access to a lawyer, but said he appeared to be held in good conditions.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
He needs to be shot while trying to escape, by an unidentified prison guard "who then deserted" and has yet to be found.
CAIRO: A lawyer for the victims in the trial of ousted leader Hosni Mubarak has accused the head of Egypt's ruling military council and the ex-vice president of lying to the court on behalf of Mubarak. The 83-year-old former president and some of his top former security officials are on trial on charges of complicity in killings of about 850 protesters during 18-day uprising that forced Mubarak from power on Feb. 11.
Amir Salem, who represents families of the victims, alleged in court on Monday that both Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of ruling military council, and former Vice President Omar Suleiman lied in their testimonies. Both Tantawi and Suleiman worked for decades as senior officials under Mubarak.
Lawyers for the victims' families also charged that Egyptian police were ordered to use lethal fire against protesters in the revolt which brought Mubarak down.
Sameh Ashour, lead counsel for victims' families in the Cairo trial, submitted official documents which he said showed that 160 police officers had been armed with automatic weapons and 4,800 live rounds. The lawyer also showed a report from the Central Security Forces that four units, each made up of 50 policemen, had been supplied with automatic weapons and ammunition.
A speech by Mubarak on Jan. 28, three days after the outbreak of the unrest, amounted to "implicit recognition of the use of force against demonstrators," according to Ashour.
"Oh what shall be done with these meddling protesters?"
Mubarak said he had given instructions for police "to protect the demonstrations ... before they turn into riots."
Lawyers for civil plaintiffs have until Tuesday to present their case before the defense takes its turn, after the prosecution last week urged the court to sentence the fallen strongman to hang.
Chief prosecutor Mustafa Suleiman told the court that Mubarak must have ordered police to open fire on protesters during the 18-day uprising that ended his three-decade rule on Feb. 11, leaving more than 850 dead.
Essam El-Batawy, a defense lawyer, said the prosecution's closing arguments were based, in part, on statements from witnesses they had questioned during their investigation who had not taken the stand. "They used partial quotes from their testimony," he said. "We will insist on listening to these witnesses in court," saying they will be called to testify.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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[Yemen Post] The inner circle of President-for-Life Saleh ... exemplifying the Arab's propensity to combine brutality with incompetence... are finally starting to realize that their time in rule is coming to an end.
Hundreds of mostly corrupt officials loyal to Saleh attempted to build bridges with VP Abdul Rabu Hadi over the last month in an effort to stay alive in the Yemeni political arena.
Hadi was aware that Saleh was hoping to rule the country from a distance by ensuring that his aides surround Hadi and the decisions he makes.
When Hadi stood firm, the crisis resulted in a major friction within the ruling General People Congress party with bigwigs rejecting to accept Hadi as their next ruler.
Senior ruling party officials have went as far as threatening Hadi and calling him a traitor.
Saleh was reported to have had harsh discussions with Hadi two weeks ago, after Hadi refused some orders that Saleh was seeking to pass.
Hadi is expected to rule the country in a little over a month for at least a two year presidential period after Saleh signed a power transfer deal in November granting him immunity from prosecution.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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[Yemen Post] Sources within President-for-Life Saleh's ... exemplifying the Arab's propensity to combine brutality with incompetence... office confirmed to Yemen Post that he will be leaving Yemen this week for medical treatment.
The official said that Saleh favored the Saudi capital of Riyadh as his destination instead of the United States.
Saleh is not expected to come back to Yemen anytime soon, especially after aides of VP Abdul Rabu Hadi claim that Saleh is putting obstacles in the way for change in Yemen.
Yemen Post was informed that he will be traveling to Riyadh with at least 40 of his close relatives and family members.
However, you can observe a lot just by watching... Saleh still insists that he will not travel until the immunity bill for him is passed by the Yemeni parliament. Saleh is worried that he leaves power on Feb 21 before he is granted the immunity locally.
Protests continued today in 13 Yemeni provinces rejecting the immunity bill and vowing to prosecute Saleh for the crimes he committed against unarmed protesters last year.
Hundreds of thousands marched on Monday raising banners of Saleh, his hands covered with blood, and holding a butcher knife with his right hand.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Colombia's Marxist FARC guerrillas said Monday they were willing to negotiate with President Juan Manuel Santos, in a statement signed by the group's new leader, named just two months ago.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC or FARC-EP, is either a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization or a narco mob based in Colombia. It claims to represent the rural poor in a struggle against Colombia's wealthier classes, and opposes United States influence in Colombia, neo-imperialism, monopolization of natural resources by multinational corporations, and the usual raft of complaints. It funds itself principally through ransom kidnappings, taxation of the drug trade, extortion, shakedowns, and donations. It has lately begun calling itself Bolivarian and is greatly admired by Venezuela's President-for-Life Chavez, who seemingly fantasizes about living in the woods and kidnapping people himself. He provides FARC with safe areas along the border. said there are "issues we are interested in dealing with at a hypothetical negotiating table," in a statement from FARC chief Timoleon 'Timochenko' Jimenez posted on a rebel website.
"Before the nation, (we hope) to address privatizations, deregulation, the absolute freedom of trade and investment, environmental degradation, democracy in a market economy, and military policy," Jimenez said.
The FARC is Colombia's oldest and largest guerrilla force, believed to have 8,000 members, and has been at war with the government since its launch in 1964.
The group's last leader, Alfonso Cano, was killed in an army raid in early November.
The FARC has suffered serious losses since 2008, when its number two Raul Reyes died during a Colombian army raid in Ecuadoran territory, and its historic leader, Manuel "Sure Shot" Marulanda Velez, died after a brief illness.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
"Before the nation, (we hope) to address privatizations, deregulation, the absolute freedom of trade and investment, environmental degradation, democracy in a market economy, and military policy," Jimenez said.
These are very real issues; but FARC can hardly claim the moral high ground here. They have devastated local economies. They have attacked and killed thousands, and terrorized many more. They kidnapped leaders that were trying to fight corruption in government. We know of two instances personally: they threatened to kidnap a friend of ours. They tried to force his uncle to give up his coffee plantation land for drugs.
The Colombian Govt does not need FARC's help to deal with these issues. Gangs of every political stripe are the heart of the problem, not part of the solution.
[An Nahar] Russia voiced its concern Tuesday at the announcement that Iran had begun uranium enrichment at a new nuclear plant, a move that has triggered alarm in the West.
"Moscow has with regret and worry received the news of the start of work on enriching uranium at the Iranian plant," the foreign ministry said in a statement published on its website.
Poor darlings. Perhaps someone will help them with that.
The ineffective International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Monday that Iran had begun enriching uranium at the Fordo underground bunker southwest of Tehran, a move Western powers have branded a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
"We have to note that Iran continues to ignore the demands of the international community on removing the anxiety over its nuclear program," the Russian foreign ministry said.
However it hailed Iran for notifying the IAEA and said that "all the nuclear material there is under the control of the agency".
Russia called for all sides in the long-running dispute to "refrain from premature, hasty steps," that could prevent the revival of talks between Iran and the group of six world powers, including Russia.
Russia also urged Tehran that it needed "close cooperation" with the IAEA and called for "the soonest possible start of talks on the Iranian nuclear program with the six without any preliminary conditions".
It reiterated Russia's call for the standoff to be resolved "only through talks".
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev spoke to his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Short Round Ahmadinejad by phone last week, with the Kremlin issuing a brief statement saying that Tehran backed Moscow's stance on resolving the dispute diplomatically.
The European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... has announced plans to join the United States in ramping up sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, which the West believes masks a drive to develop an atomic weapons capability.
Russia has relatively close ties with Iran and has built its first nuclear power station in the southern city of Bushehr. Moscow has also delivered the nuclear fuel for the reactor.
Moscow has echoed Western concerns about the nature of Iran's nuclear drive but has stopped short of publicly accusing Tehran of seeking atomic weapons and has always said that the standoff should be solved by diplomacy.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
What? Did Iran's check bounce?
Posted by: Mike Ramsey ||
01/11/2012 12:54 Comments ||
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North Korean citizens, who did not take part in the mourning ceremonies for the country's late Leader Kim Jong-il, are facing up to six months in labor camps, Interfax reported January 11.
According to the South Korean media sources, "People's Courts" took place all over the country starting December 29 to condemn those who did not show enough emotion after the death of "the great leader" Kim Jong-il.
The People's Court hearings were reportedly over by January 8. The behavior of those people, who criticized the three-generation principle of ruling the country, was also a matter of discussion during the court meetings.
It was reported earlier that 2012 calendars were fully taken out of stores because the date of death of the late Leader Kim Jong-il was not marked in them.
Kim Jong-il died December 17 of a heart attack in his armored train. The North Korean government, now headed by his son, Suet Face Kim Jong-un, has promised to continue implementing "the great revolutionary leaders' ideas" with the aim of reuniting the Korean Peninsula.
#5
There were similar waves of arrests in Stalin's Russia. At some (political) assemblies, somebody would offer praise of Stalin, and people would clap. Then everyone would join in. They would continue for minutes, then hours, until people would faint. Finally, somebody would take the initiative to stop, breaking the spell. Guess who was arrested the next day.
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
01/11/2012 20:06 Comments ||
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#6
ION TOPIX > CHINA, SOUTH KOREA EDGE CLOSER TO FTA.
and
* CHINESE MILITARY FORUM > FTA WID CHINA [+ ROK] COULD HAVE [major = serious] GEOPOLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS, espec for NE Asia.
ARTIC > Beijing = Rising China may be more conducive to supporting the concept of formal DPRK-ROK integration, + ultimately reunification, iff it had potent econ influence in SOuth Korea vee FTAS.
versus
* DAILY TIMES.PK > SOUTH KOREA THINK-TANK WARNS OF NORTH'S ARMY "ADVENTURISM".
ARTIC > ROK Foreign Ministry Institute > DPRK = IRAN? = Kim Jong-Un may order a THIRD NUCLEAR TEST OR NEW MISSLE LAUNCH LATER IN 2012, OR ELSE EARLY 2013.
Aka as January 2013? when Israel's INSS Analysts believes Iran may formally conduct a NucWeaps test???
A collection of candid e-mails and interviews with late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's eldest son Jong-nam will be published in Japan on Jan. 20, the Kyodo news agency reported last Friday.
Kim exchanged the e-mails with Yoji Komi, an editor of the Tokyo Shimbun. They began writing to each other after Komi ran into Kim at Beijing International Airport in 2004. The Japanese journalist later interviewed Kim for a total of seven hours in Beijing and Macau last year.
In one e-mail sent after his father's funeral this month, Kim Jong-nam criticizes the third-generation hereditary power succession in the North. Commenting on the leadership under his younger brother Suet Face Jong-un who became new North Korean leader, he writes, "The existing power group will take over, putting the young successor up as a symbolic figurehead."
Kim Jong-nam describes Kim Jong-il as a "strict and affectionate" father. He claims Kim Jong-il once said, "I won't hand power to my child."
As in most everything else, he lied...
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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Fat bear? Wiki entry: In May 2001, Kim Jong-nam was arrested on arrival at New Tokyo International Airport (now Narita International Airport), accompanied by two women and a four-year old boy identified as his son. He was traveling on a forged Dominican Republic passport using a Chinese alias, Pang Xiong, which could mean "fat bear". Kim Jong-nam was reportedly wearing a white shirt and dark blazer along with sunglasses and a gold chain. After being detained for several days, he was deported, on the instructions of the Japanese government, to the People's Republic of China. Kim Jong-nam apparently told his questioners that he was in Japan to visit Tokyo Disneyland in Urayasu, also near Tokyo. The incident caused Kim Jong-il to cancel a planned visit to China because of the embarrassment to both countries.
Fallow up on yesterday's Spengler
Defense Minister Ehud Barak flew to Athens on Tuesday and said that Israel was looking to boost military and economic cooperation with Greece.
Israel’s ties with Greece have been on the rise since the fallout with Turkey in 2010 after the Navy raid on the Mavi Marmara which resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish nationals who had attacked the Israeli commandos. The Hellenic and Israeli air forces recently held a series of joint exercises – in Greece and Israel - amid bolstering economic ties.
#7
Maybe Ehud Barak is inquiring about the coming fire sale?
Posted by: Mike Ramsey ||
01/11/2012 17:29 Comments ||
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#8
I've read that most of the recent loans given to Greece have been spent on Defense. Surely if the European Union has to have any meaning, it should have a Central i.e Federal type Defense Dept. That DD should be centrally controlled and FUNDED and not rely on individual states like Greece to face off against that Muslim menace facing Europe.
Looks like it's time for Gilani to do a runner and take his 10% with him.
Pakistan's military has publicly rebuked Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani over an escalating row. The army warned of "serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences" after the PM criticised military leaders in a media interview. Paris is looking awfully good right now, Yousuf...
Meanwhile, Mr Gilani has sacked his defence secretary, who is seen as having close ties to the military.
Tensions have been rising in recent months between Pakistan's civilian government and military leaders. Remember to take the Krugerrands...
The latest row is a serious source of instability in Pakistan, where the military has ruled for more than half the country's history after seizing power in a series of coups.
The persistence of the memogate scandal demonstrates two things. First, that PakistanÂ’s current civilian leaders are worried about the militaryÂ’s power and intentions. Second, that the generals arenÂ’t angling for a traditional coup. At present, they prefer to operate through the Supreme Court and sympathetic parliamentary parties. PakistanÂ’s military leadership likes to pull the strings from the background and keep civilian government in the hot seat."
Posted by: Mike Ramsey ||
01/11/2012 18:30 Comments ||
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#5
PAK Military's Top Eggs + Senior Commanders are repor planning to meet in confab to discuss + "assess" Gilani's statements, espec as per "Memo-gate".
* MILBLOGGERS = opine that PAK ARMY is all thingys GOD + STATE in Pakistan, so Govt. Politicos in Islamabad are taking a serious risk to their position + very lives by po'ing them off.
[Dawn] President Asif Ali President Ten Percent Zardari ... sticky-fingered husband of the late Benazir Bhutto ... on Tuesday said that he was ready to give up his seat if his party (PPP) and coalition partners desire, dawnNews reported. The check cleared, I guess.
The president along with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani ... Pakistain's erstwhile current prime minister, whose occasional feats of mental gymnastics can be awe-inspiring ... was presiding over a meeting of parliamentary leaders of coalition partners at the Presidency in Islamabad.
The president has also called a session of the National Assembly on January 12.
Overall political situation of the country came under discussion during the meeting which was attended by ANP chief Asfandyar Wali, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Mir Israrullah Zahri, MQM leaders Farooq Sattar and Babar Ghauri and big shots of Pakistain Peoples Party.
There will be another meeting of same stature before the Jan. 12 NA session, said the president's front man Farhatullah Babar.
Babar said that the meeting also condoled the sad demise of Chief of PML (Functional) Pir Sahib Pagara, who passed away in a London hospital.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on political and religious leaders in Iraq on Tuesday to prevent sectarian tensions in the country.
"The last thing we want to see in Iraq is a fight between brothers," Erdogan said in televised remarks in a weekly address to his politicians in parliament.
"I call on all our brothers in Iraq, regardless of their persuasion and ethnic roots to listen to their conscience and hearts," Erdogan said.
"I also invite the Iraqi government, religious leaders, community leaders and countries trying to influence Iraq to behave with consciousness and responsibility," he said.
"Countries that are fanning sectarian divisions and conflicts will be responsible for each drop of blood that is shed," Erdogan added, without naming the countries.
He said a new conflict in Iraq would "disappoint" not only Iraq but the entire Islamic world.
Attacks across Iraq on Monday, many of which targeted Shiites, killed 17 people and maimed dozens, including 15 Afghans visiting the country for a religious commemoration.
The violence included multiple bombings in and around Storied Baghdad ...located along the Tigris River, founded in the 8th century, home of the Abbasid Caliphate... against Shiite worshippers walking to the shrine city of Karbala, 110 kilometers south of the capital, for Arbaeen rituals later this week.
A wave of attacks against Shiite Mohammedans killed at least 68 people on Thursday, the worst toll in nearly five months.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
A wave of attacks against Shiite Mohammedans killed at least 68 people on Thursday, the worst toll in nearly five months.
About damn time.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
01/11/2012 15:38 Comments ||
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#2
"A new conflict in Iraq" means that Iran has gained the upper hand. Strange, why would Al-Qaeda want Iran to intervene in Iraq? It makes me wonder if the recent bombing of Shiites in Iraq is being perpetuated by Sunnis ....
Posted by: Mike Ramsey ||
01/11/2012 15:41 Comments ||
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ANKARA: TurkeyÂ’s prime minister is urging IraqÂ’s leaders to halt escalating sectarian tensions saying they would be held responsible for any bloodshed in the event of a civil war.
The leaders of IraqÂ’s rival sects have been locked in a standoff after authorities in the government called for Vice President Tariq Al-HashemiÂ’s arrest on terrorism charges, soon after US troops left the country. There are fears that the crisis will push Iraq toward a renewal of the large-scale sectarian warfare that pushed the country to the brink of civil war in 2006-7.
Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday Iraqi leaders who pave the way for a sectarian conflict would be “condemned to be remembered as the devil.”
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] The UAE's foreign minister accused the Syrian regime on Tuesday of not facilitating the job of Arab League ...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing... observers, lamenting the latest reported attacks on the envoys.
"The job of the observers is getting more difficult day after day ... We do not see a commitment from the Syrian side that would allow them" do their job, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan told news hounds in Abu Dhabi.
"Sadly, there were attacks on observers, clearly not from the opposition side. This is not a positive indicator," he added.
Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi on Tuesday denounced the attacks on observers, in which some monitors were maimed, and said he was holding the government in Damascus ...Capital of the last overtly fascist regime in the world... responsible for their mission.
"The Arab League denounces the irresponsible action and acts of violence against the League's observers," Arabi said in a statement issued by his office.
"It considers the Syrian government totally responsible for the protection of the members of the observer mission."
According to Arabi "some members of the mission were victim of violent attacks carried out by pro-regime elements in Latakia and Deir al-Zour, and from elements considered to be members of the opposition in other areas."
"Some of the members of the observers' mission were maimed," the statement said.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Israel is preparing to receive Syrian Alawite refugees on the occupied Golan Heights when the regime of Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Sonny, disguised as Fredo, trying to be Mike... collapses, Israel's army chief of staff Benny Gantz said on Tuesday.
"On the day the Assad regime falls, it is expected to harm the Alawite clan. We are preparing to receive Alawite refugees on the Golan Heights," he told MPs at the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and defense, in remarks communicated by a front man
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
ION LUCIANNE > ISRAEL PREPARES FOR IRAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS TEST, anticipated by Tel Aviv-based INSS to possibly occur widin another 12 months = January 2013.
and
* SAME > IRAN PUTS A WEAK AMERICA [+ weak Zionism] IN ITS SIGHTS, WID BIG PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
ARTIC > AHMADINEJAD = US "DECLINE/RETREAT" IS NOT ENOUGH, AS LONG AS THE US EMPIRE REMAINS PLANNED + CONTROLLED VEE THE WHITE HOUSE, + IS THE WHITE HOUSE IS NOT OVERTHROWN, IRANIANS WILL STILL HAVE LOTSA WORK TO DO.
Defending the Revolution, Iran + Islam from the wily dastardly imperialist Crusader-Zionist US.
* WORLD NEWS > [Siasat Daily = Senior Chinese Dplomat] IRAN WAR TO DETERIORATE WORLD ECONOMY, that is already in deep crisis or morass.
* SAME > [GlobalTimes.cn] US HAS MORE AT STAKE IN WAR [to lose] WID WAR ON IRAN.
ARTIC > US is indir targeting Rising China vee war on Iran for control of Iranian oil fields + Persian Gulf oil trade, ANY US WAR AGZ IRAN IS ILLEGAL WIDOUT UNSC APPROVAL.
#4
I have a feeling that this is Israeli humor. The amount of international hilarity they would get from taking in just a few hundred Shiite Alawites would have both Sunnis and Shiites gnashing their teeth and brawling throughout the ME.
The Alawites would only do so if the only alternative was extermination, because it would make them utter outcasts. And those evil Joos would make it worse by being ridiculously nice to them.
Really nice temporary homes, lots of free food, electricity and water, lots of international attention and people to listen to how bad their lives were under Assad, and how worse they would now be under the Syrian Sunnis, etc., etc.
There hasn't been potential Jewish comedy like this since the Borscht Belt dried up.
[An Nahar] Lebanese Forces A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb... leader Samir Geagea ... Geagea was imprisoned by the Syrians and their puppets for 11 years in a dungeon in the third basement level of the Lebanese Ministry of Defense. He was released after the Cedar Revolution in 2005 ... criticized on Tuesday Syrian Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Light of the Alawites... 's speech earlier in the day, saying that he addressed everything but the country's crisis.
He said before news hounds in Maarab: "Assad depicted a status quo that has nothing to do with the reality on the ground."
He stated that Assad spoke of a conspiracy against his country, "but I don't understand how a conspiracy can mobilize hundreds of thousands of protesters since the beginning of the revolt."
"How can over 10,000 Syrians be killed just because they are alleged foreign agents?" he wondered.
"If the developments in Syria truly are a conspiracy, then it could have been resolved simply by holding a poll, under the United Nations ...a lucrative dumping ground for the relatives of dictators and party hacks... ' supervision, to determine whether the people support Assad or not," Geagea remarked.
"Only then can Assad's claims of a conspiracy be verified," he stressed.
"Should the regime be tossed, then Hizbullah's position in Leb would change ... and I hope the party would act in a manner that best suits that current regional situation," he noted.
Addressing U.N. Secretary General the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon ... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan... 's upcoming visit to Leb on Friday and some sides' statements that he is not welcome in the country, he said: "Only the official authorities have the right to state who is welcome in the country or not."
"Such statements completely disregard and undermine the government, president, people, and official institutions," noted the LF leader.
"Can Leb only support Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem?" he asked.
"The sides behind the statements are presenting the ugliest image of Leb after their allies presented another bad image by claiming that the al-Qaeda terrorist group had infiltrated the country," Geagea said.
"Speaker Nabih Knobby Berri Speaker of the Lebanese parliament, a member of AMAL, a not very subtle Hizbullah sock puppet... statements that Ban can help Leb in several issues are comments by a true man of state because he is seeking to achieve the country's interests," he added.
Hizbullah had stated over the weekend that Ban is not welcome in Leb.
Senior party official Mohammed Yazbek slammed the visit, saying: "Ban, (U.N. Special Envoy) Terri Rod Larson, and the messenger of evil and conspiracy's (U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs) Jeffrey Feltman are unwelcomed in Leb."
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Germany on Tuesday led European calls for "serious negotiations" on a U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria as a top U.N. official gave a briefing on efforts to end the deadly crackdown on protests.
Germany's U.N. envoy Peter Wittig said Russia's reluctance to discuss a resolution condemning Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Oppressor of the Syrians and the Lebs... over the crackdown was "unsatisfactory".
U.N. assistant secretary general B. Lynn Pascoe gave the 15-member council the latest details of the deadly attacks in which the U.N. has said more than 5,000 civilians have been killed.
Russia and China vetoed a European-drafted resolution on Syria in October. Russia has since proposed its own resolution, which condemns the government and opposition violence, but a European diplomat said talks were in "deep freeze" with Moscow even refusing to negotiate proposed changes.
"We want serious negotiations to start on a resolution. We are ready to bridge the gap that exists, but serious negotiations have to start," Wittig told news hounds before Tuesday's meeting.
Western envoys have been pressing Russia to speed up talks since December.
"We just had two expert meetings of the 15 before the end of the year, nothing since then, not even a compilation of the amendments we suggested," Wittig said. "That is unsatisfactory."
"We repeat our call for a swift and unified message of the council to the Syrian authorities to lend weight to the decisions and the action plans of the Arab League ...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing... in its entirety."
Russia blocked the earlier resolution because it said the text was a first move toward "regime change" in Syria.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
So when Germany's demands are ignored... does a strongly worded pansy letter appear?
Posted by: Water Modem ||
01/11/2012 11:14 Comments ||
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Japan's foreign minister, on a Gulf tour to seek assurances over oil supplies, said Tuesday that Tokyo was "very concerned" by escalating tensions with Iran and called for a diplomatic solution.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), meanwhile, gave assurances it would make up for a shortfall in oil supplies to Japan.
"Japan is very concerned about the latest developments," Koichiro Gemba said of the West's standoff with Tehran, which has threatened to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz if oil sanctions are imposed over its nuclear program.
"We believe that we should solve the problem diplomatically and peacefully. That is why dialogue with Iran should continue," the Japanese foreign minister told news hounds in Abu Dhabi through an Arabic-language interpreter.
"Iran should not incite troubles, and nothing should affect security in the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
His UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, said closing the Strait of Hormuz was not in anyone's interest, including Iran, but pointed to later statements from Tehran denying plans to bloc the waterway.
"It is not in the interest of any side, be it member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran, the international community and energy prices, to talk about closing international passages, especially Hormuz," he said.
"We heard different statements from Iran. We heard threats and then we heard denials. I hope that this tone (the denials) will prevail in the region," he added.
Gemba said he asked the UAE for assurances to increase oil supplies to meet Japan's needs, as fears rise of sanctions on Tehran.
"We have asked for an increase in oil supplies that Japan needs," he told news hounds when asked if he sought assurances from the UAE to help cover shortages resulting from a possible embargo on Iranian exports.
Thirty percent of Japan's oil supplies come from Soddy Arabia, with another 20 percent coming from the Emirates, 10 percent from Qatar and nine percent from Iran.
The minister has already made stops in Soddy Arabia and Qatar where he raised the same concerns.
Sheikh Abdullah said his country was willing to help meet Tokyo's needs in the event of energy shortfalls.
"As the UAE has the ability to provide more energy resources, it has taken the request positively. Japan will have the priority," he said.
Japan's needs for oil and gas have also increased after a massive earthquake and tsunami caused devastation and sparked a nuclear power crisis last March.
The vast bulk of Japan's 54 nuclear reactors are now shut down, amid public distrust of the technology and calls for increased safety.
Speaking at a Friday news conference, Japan's industry minister, Yukio Edano, said the world's third biggest economy was preparing for a potential Iranian oil embargo "by taking every possibility into consideration."
Soddy Arabia is seen as the only oil exporter capable of boosting production sufficiently to make up for a crunch in the global oil market.
The president of JX Nippon Oil & Energy, Japan's biggest petroleum refiner, expressed confidence in the ability of the world's largest oil exporter to raise output, in a recent interview.
"I think we can make do if we have months to spare," Yasushi Kimura told SankeiBiz digital news. "We have sounded out Soddy Arabia on what can be done" if the ban on Iran is implemented.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
Some Perts have argued that iff Japan can recover well from the 03/11 = Fukushima/Tohoku disaster, LT SINO-NIPPON ECON COOPERATION [iff not Econ Union = integration] COULD BE THE MOST POTENT THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN???
* IIRC LUCIANNE > US NAVY PREPARES FOR CHINESE POWER GRAB IN [South China Seas = SE Asian] SHIPPING.
* WORLD MIL FORUM > SINGAPORE'S "UNITED ZAOBAO" NEWS: NEW US ASIA-PACIFIC STRATEGY INDIRECTLY EMPHASIZES "STRONG" OR REARMED JAPAN + SOUTH KOREA TO COUNTER CHINA IN WAKE OF US ECONOMIC WOES.
More from WMF ...
* SAME > SCHIOLARS: NEW US DEFENSE STRATEGY IS EQUIVALENT TO "DECLARATION OF WAR" AGZ CHINA + IRAN.
* SAME > DPRK KCNA: "REUNIFICATION OF THE MOTHERLAND" [inter-Korean = Peninsula] IS MOST IMPORTANT TASK FOR NORTH KOREAN PEOPLE + NEW KIM JONG-UN REGIME.
* SAME > RUSSIAN ANALYSTS: IRRESPONSIBLE US MONETARY + SPENDING POLCIES HAVE LED TO DANGEROUSLY MASSIVE NATIONAL DEBT + ULTIMATELY US INTERNATIONAL AGGRESSIONISM/IMPERIALISM, US HAS ALREADY STARTED COVERT OR SHADOW WAR AGAINST RUSSIA + CHINA.
* SAME > BURMA, NOT CENTRAL ASIA OR SIBERIA OR HIMALAYAS, IS THE KEY TO ARRANGING [post-US]FUTURE CHINA?
How the future post-US Chinese Global Superpower may Stretch-n-flex, Depth-n-Breadth its empiric reach.
* SAME > US WILL NO LONGER ABLE TO WAGE [simultaneous] IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN-STYLE WARS + SIMILAR WITHIN TEN YEARS, as per new US Defense Strategy. US SELF-DECLINES IN MILITARY CAPABILITY + FOCII FROM BEING ABLE TO FIGHT A MAJOR TWO-OCEAN WAR TO ONLY ONE LIMITED REGIONAL WAR.
* SAME > COLD WAR-ERA USSR ONCE SECRETLY PLANNED + CONTRUCTED MASSIVE, MISSLE-ARMED "SOLDIER/
CARGO TRANSPORT" SUBMARINES TO ATTACK US TERRITORY.
Soviet "717" + related Projects, which was only stopped/cancelled after the US made the final decision to build + deploy the post-Poseidon TRIDENT FBM Subs - the Soviets decided to counter the new USN TRIDENTS wid the SMALLER-SCALE "TYPHOON" CLASS FBMS of "Hunt for Red October" fame.
In theory, these "717", etc. Soviet transport subs could carry up to 800 troops [Spetnatz] + few dozen Armored-Infantry Fighting Vehicles + other support equipment, or in alternate CAS combat Helos + TacAir, in addition to standard Soviet Navy torpedoes, mines + a number of Nuke-capable SLBMS.
#2
Japan's foreign minister, on a Gulf tour to seek assurances over oil supplies
Which is why, during the Iran-Iraq war, Japan provided some 'assistance' in the form of transporting Iranian oil in Japanese flagged vessels (much like the US did with Kuwait, except without military escort).
#3
JM, Your assessment sounds awfully grim; but "spot-on" as usual.
I'd like to suggest that the time is right to deploy our LBFMs in PI to the ME for population pacification and goat-herder eradication...Please provide MSM "thoughts".
Posted by: Slomp Oppressor of the Faeries1490 ||
01/11/2012 23:21 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Uh-Oh...I see that my previous (2) comments have been removed. Proly due to my being a pest (anti-nazi) and a freedom-loving Gadfly. I certainly can't blame you all for that.
All the Best in 2012!!
Posted by: Slomp Oppressor of the Faeries1490 ||
01/11/2012 23:32 Comments ||
Top||
They don't regret it enough to do anything about it, like stopping the supply of nuclear fuel or stopping the sale of anti-aircraft systems, but boy howdy the Rooskies sure are sorry and all...
Imagines Putin wearing cowboy regalia, sayin' Boy Howdy, Y'all. Mind boggles .....
MOSCOW: Moscow regrets Tehran's decision to enrich uranium near the city of Qom, Itar-Tass state-run news agency quoted a foreign ministry official as saying on Tuesday.
"Moscow has met reports on the start of uranium enrichment at an Iranian plant near Qom with regret and concern," the agency quoted a Foreign Ministry official as saying.
"We should recognize that Iran is continuing to ignore the demands of the international community that it respond to their concerns regarding its nuclear program," the offical was quoted as saying.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/11/2012 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Russian diplomatic statements are always efforts to be enigmatic, that fail. Such a statement could mean anything from "Aha, our secret plan is working", to "We will be invading Iran shortly."
#2
Russians have a penchant for planning stuff quite well before they proceed with anything. That's why they value chess above may other mental exercises. I believe this is also the case here and they knew quite well what the Iranians would subsequently do with the Russian equipment.
I can imagine that this Ministry official found it difficult to keep a straight face during his or her statements.
Hushed snickering was heard elsewhere.
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
01/11/2012 11:25 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Regret?
There's really a good chance that Russian leadership over the past century never took their cues from that particular emotion.
Today?
Russia is just as much of a "basket-case" as We are, because the entire Globe is spinning out of control for us all.
Posted by: Slomp Oppressor of the Faeries1490 ||
01/11/2012 21:22 Comments ||
Top||
#1
I suppose it all depends what you mean by Sharia.I'm sure the judges would have no objections to submitting to "Sharia" as in this case two days ago.
The wonderful thing about Sharia is that its got a marvelous stone age/medieval quality about it. Sharia law as mob gouges out robberÂ’s eye
#3
In this case the judge was right for the simple reason that the law was not "generic", but mentioned Sharia twice. That is a long standing no-no in writing law.
The paradox though is that many courts in the US have long supported input from ecclesiastical courts, especially Catholic and Jewish. So over time evolved a "hands off" approach to internal civil religious spats, deferring to whatever rules that religion has created for itself in *civil* law.
This created a conflict though. Both Catholic and Jewish law "behaves themselves" and are reasonable. Sharia law does not and is not.
#4
The logical implication of the ruling is that "all law systems are legal", since you can't ban a dysfunctional one. One would think that contradicting the "law of the land" would be sufficient basis for exclusion.
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.
International Criminal Court
The Hague-based tribunal ordered Libyan authorities to file its observations regarding Seif al-Islam, who is wanted by the court on charges of crimes against humanity, by 1500 GMT on January 23.
Sources within 
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
[An Nahar] Russia voiced its concern Tuesday at the announcement that Iran had begun uranium enrichment at a new nuclear plant, a move that has triggered alarm in the West.
Mahmoud 
North Korean citizens, who did not take part in the mourning ceremonies for the country's late Leader Kim Jong-il, are facing up to six months in labor camps, Interfax reported January 11. 
Asif Ali 
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on political and religious leaders in Iraq on Tuesday to prevent sectarian tensions in the country.
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
Samir Geagea
the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
