Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Happy Birthday/Daily Gam Shot
Ursula Andress aka Honey Ryder in "Dr. No" aka Vesper Lynd in "Casino Royale" aka Countess Kaeti von Klugermann in "The Blue Max" aka Aphrodite in "Clash of the Titans" aka Marguerita Dauphin in "Fun in Acapulco" aka Ayesha in "She" (age 75)
Giovanna Antonelli (Brazilian actress) aka Judy in "Corpo Dourado" aka Jade in "O Clone" aka Clarice Florentino in "Sete Pecados" aka Dora Regina Vitória Vilela Campos in "Viver a Vida" aka Sharon in "Bossa Nova" (age 35)
#4
EG8325, Sorry that is an MH-60 DAP not a Marine Cobra. It belongs to the 160th SOAR, an Army unit. The dual 50s are followed by rockets. It's gun sex in the air!
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
03/19/2011 22:35 Comments ||
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#5
The first set of shots are dual 50 cal, followed by rockets. The second set is the dual 7.62 mini guns, again followed by rockets.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
03/19/2011 22:37 Comments ||
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#6
49Pan, yeppers, In the target area is not a place any sane person would want to be. Its a shame the USMC doesnt operate better stuff, but then again they've always done it that way, and do pretty well with last generation airframes mixed with this generation weps and avionics.
[Ma'an] Two days of heavy fighting between rebels and south Sudan's army in the oil-producing states of Unity and Upper Nile, have left at least 70 dead, an army spokesman said on Friday.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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The U.S. Navy fires the first U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles against Libyan leader's Muammar al-Qaddafi's air defenses Saturday, Fox News has learned.
The U.S. military strikes clear the way for European and other planes to enforce a no-fly zone designed to ground Qaddafi's air force and cripple his ability to inflict further violence on rebels, U.S. officials said.
Hours after Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton attended an international conference in Paris that endorsed military action against Qaddafi, the U.S. was poised to kick off its attacks on Libyan air defense missile and radar sites along the Mediterranean coast to protect no-fly zone pilots from the threat of getting shot down.
"We have every reason to fear that left unchecked, Qaddafi will commit unspeakable atrocities," Clinton said.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive military operations, said the Obama administration intended to limit its involvement -- at least in the initial stages -- to helping protect French and other air missions.
#2
Another war for EUs and ungrateful Moslems. Waste of US treasure. Let's hope no loss of US blood.
Posted by: regular joe ||
03/19/2011 16:09 Comments ||
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#3
Tomahawks are cheap. All we need do right now is back up the Brits and the French.
We're their allies, fergawdsakes. The Brits helped us in Iraq when it was deeply unpopular back in Britain. Now the Brits want our help? Damned straight we help them.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/19/2011 16:21 Comments ||
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#7
Regarding the rebels; what evidence? Zero. An unknown. Not certain.
But what Qadaffi can be expected to do based on history? And how about his statements? That is a near absolute certainty.
And I can't get this line from a 2005 book out of my mind; "...a United Nations battle group, clustered around the U.S.S. Hillary Clinton (named after "the most uncompromising wartime president in the history of the United States"), is tasked in the year 2021 with stopping ethnic cleansing by an Islamist regime..."
From Weapons of Choice, by John Birmingham.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
03/19/2011 16:49 Comments ||
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#8
"We have every reason to fear that left unchecked, Qaddafi will commit unspeakable atrocities," Clinton said.
Is that anything like "weapons of mass destruction"?
Posted by: kelly ||
03/19/2011 16:54 Comments ||
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#9
I must have missed congress' declaration of war.
After the crap we went through about Iraq I don't want to hear one word from anyone left of Stalin. This is none of our business and unless there has been some valid reason why this is, we should not be involved.
#11
Regarding the rebels; what evidence?
They're Islamists, Whisky Mike.
I'm not aware of any instance in history where the god bothering, spittle spraying, homicidal thugs haven't committed atrocities.
No need to give the benefit of the doubt.
#15
And what do we do when the first pilot is downed?
I just don't like limited wars with Rules of Engagement. If we're going to kill people, let's fight to win. If not, stay out. The problem is, the definition of winning is not even ambiguous in this case, it's non-existant.
#19
We're their allies, fergawdsakes. The Brits helped us in Iraq when it was deeply unpopular back in Britain. Now the Brits want our help? Damned straight we help them.
We lost 500,000 men helping the Brits in WWI and WWII. When Brit casualties in their interventions in our behalf approach the 1% mark (of our losses), I'll consider us even.
#21
We're their allies, fergawdsakes. The Brits helped us in Iraq when it was deeply unpopular back in Britain. Now the Brits want our help? Damned straight we help them.
They were also tight w/the Locherbie bomber as I recall. How's he doing these days now that he's no longer subjected to the tender mercies of the NHS.
Posted by: regular joe ||
03/19/2011 18:31 Comments ||
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#22
Did I miss the Authorization to Use Force from Congress, or is that just a thing Trunk Prez's have to do? /rhet question
#26
"Maybe Obama should, with impunity, lay taxes and raise another army. And get rid of the Constitution as such?"
He's been trying to do that for the last 2 years.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
03/19/2011 19:28 Comments ||
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#27
"And what do we do when the first pilot is downed?"
I don't think Tomahawks have pilots, NS. IIUC, the Brits and the French are sending airplanes; we're "sending" missiles.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
03/19/2011 19:31 Comments ||
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#28
Maybe he tried to do some of these things in the last two years. Today, on the 8th anniversary of the start of the liberation of Iraq, Obama is waging war without Congress having said anything.
How many other wars will he be allowed to start without Constitutional authority? against whom? his chosen foreign and domestic enemies?
I'm all for the death and dismemberment of Qadaffy. But not at the cost of the Republic.
#29
So much of this has that old Groundhog Day feeling about it. It's not the end of the world or the Constitution, and goofus is not the anti-Christ. These times are merely the result of an collective MSM Obamagasm and its corrosponding trickle down its leg.
Chill. This is effing Libya, for chrissake --just another tempest in another tin horn nitwit's teapot. Yet another in a never-ending series of them. Remember La Pina?
For the Libyan raid, the United States was denied overflight rights by France, Spain and Italy as well as the use of European continental bases, forcing the Air Force portion of the operation to be flown around France, Spain and through the Straits of Gibraltar, adding 1,300 miles (2,100 km) each way and requiring multiple aerial refuelings.
#31
Did Reagan need congressional approval for the '86 strike? How about the Tanker War w/ Iran? No? Then shut the fuck up about special treatment for the asshole in the White House. War Powers '73 is still in goddamn effect, he can bomb whatever the fuck he feels like, and can invade Hell itself in support of a demonic rebellion against the Infernal Seat if he pulls the troops out after twenty-nine days. Don't like it? Well, neither do I, but it's still jake with the Constitution and established law.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
03/19/2011 20:16 Comments ||
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#32
No need to swear.
Is the country already under attack or serious threat? the War Powers Act is not a blank check.
#34
The obtuse point made is that the Left(tm) and the MSM sock puppets have spent the best part of the 00's criticizing Bush about legalities and the like but even though he crossed all the T's and dotted all the I's in the process, we'll now be entertain by the Classical Leftist Double Standard(tm) for their creation. It's not about law or process for the Left. It's about Power.
#37
The west is perhaps zealous in Libya, but underzealous in places like Iran and North Korea. It doesn't compute.
Posted by: Fi ||
03/19/2011 23:06 Comments ||
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#38
Wow, lots of excellent points made here. Overall. I'm with pollyandrew.
Question: is 110 Tomahawk missiles a lot? It sounds like a lot. Depends on where you point them, I suppose, but is that enough to smash the hive, or just piss off the bees?
#39
My main beef is that if we were going to lay Libya bare to airstrikes, doing it 10 to 15 days ago would have kept several cities on the "free" side, and likely KaDaffy would be looking for a retirement spot in Venezuela, getting the Swiss to let his funds go, and cutting a deal about now.
Militarily, SEAD is step one. K-man now knows his entire country is open to airstrikes, and the French armed forces are not as observant nor press-vulnerable as the US when it comes to collateral damage. The dont give a shit, and neither does Sarkozy, basically.
We likely completed step Zero a while back when the AWACS was observing and GMTI and FTI and ELINT/SIGINT assets were put in place catalogueing - if they followed the usual way of doing things.
From here on out, if the Italians French and Brits want to fly and hold the airspace they can, because they do inter-operate with out battle management assets in the area. And they can direct the Egyptians and Saudis who are likely to be joining the fray was "Arab League" squadrons. They'll want to get their pilots some stick time in a shooting war.
If we are content to fly INT missions, fling cruise missiles at harder targets, and put some drones up, than hell go for it - its not putting our people's lives directly on the line, and its about time our Allies pulled some trigger time after all the lopsided efforts we have seen for NATO in Afghanistan.
If we start flying manned combat missions, there are SOCOM SAR and USN Seals and Rescue, USMC Recon, US Army SOAR and Rangers, USAF PJ's and others trained specifically for rescue. This seems to be stuff you wannabe warriors seem to either not know bout or else are denigrating the courage and capability of these units.
Lets be VERY clear about things gentlemen - I will brook none of that bullshit about "what happens if our guys get shot down". Our forces will operate as they have been trained to do. That's what will happen. And if you are too stupid, or too ignorant, or too much of a pussy to deal with that, then just shut your pie hole or I'll ram the truth down your throat.
#40
The powers inherent in the office of Commander In Chief do contain sufficient room to where the president can take unilateral military actions, as long as he answers for them within reasonable time. The intent is to not place the nation at war without Congress consent, not to handcuff the executive to where he cannot act at all in the interests of the country as he sees best as the Commander In Chief. Whether this is or isnt in the interests will be decided later, as per the rule of law.
NS and others - stop this shit about it being unconstitutional. The War Powers Act is in force, hgas nto been held unconstitutional, and Obama is within his powers, as was Bush, and as was Reagan, and even Clinton. President Obama (/spit) has already consulted with Congressional Leaders (and that means GOP house leadership) twice in classified briefings. He has 29 days.
You may not respect the man, but I sure as shit am not going to silently put up with you armchair admirals disrespecting the office, and by extension the forces acting under that office.
Look guys, I hate Obama, but IM not going to turn into a little whinging bitch like you guys have. You are sounding just like the Left when we last went to war.
If our guys are in harms way, shut up and get behind them - sort the rest of this our after Obama's 29 days of freedom to act expire.
A French official says Mirage and Rafale fighter jets are flying over the Libyan city of Benghazi and could strike Libyan tanks. The official says the jets are flying over the opposition stronghold and its surroundings to ensure that Moammar Gadhafi's forces could not take any action there.
The official says the French operation could strike Libyan tanks later Saturday.
#2
The French Air Force units are no strangers to Libya. Remember Opération Epervier?
Posted by: Mike Ramsey ||
03/19/2011 13:41 Comments ||
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#3
According to Wikipedia, Operation Epervier started in 1986 - and is still going on today! Boy, the French really know how to get into a quagmire.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
03/19/2011 13:51 Comments ||
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#4
Italy,which had been the main buyer for Libyan oil, offered the use of seven air and navy bases already housing U.S., NATO and Italian forces to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya. Italy's defense minister, Ignazio La Russa, said Saturday that Italy wasn't just "renting out" its bases for others to use but was prepared to offer "moderate but determined" military support.
A French fighter jet fired Saturday on a Libyan military vehicle, the first reported offensive action in the international military operation against Gadhafi's forces, French Defense Ministry spokesman Thierry Burkhard said.
Warplanes from the United States, Canada, Denmark arrived at Italian air bases Saturday as part of an international military buildup. Germany backed the operation but isn't offering its own forces.
#5
Fox news is reporting we have three subs in the med and cruise missles have been launched. Remember seeing those babies flying thru downtown Bagdad back in 91 on CNN.
Posted by: Retired LEO ||
03/19/2011 15:34 Comments ||
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#3
Whiskey Mike
They are saying now that it might be one of the rebel jet. But that that's OK. It's not what you do as a crazy, but your good intentions and how you feel about it, that matters
The MIG-23 was in a dive and one of the engines flamed out. Either the engine couldn't handle the stress of the dive and came apart, or a AAA gun got a good hit on the engine.
The engine destruction looked a lot like bird strikes I've seen on commercial aircraft so the above is my theory.
(Reuters) - A warplane was shot down on Saturday over the Libyan city of Benghazi and an opposition activist said it was a rebel fighter jet hit by accident.
Azeldin al-Sharif, an opposition activist, said rebel forces had brought the plane down by mistake over the city of Benghazi.
The city came under attack from forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi on Saturday, including air strikes by planes loyal to the government.
"The fighter jet that was brought down this morning, was a revolutionary fighter jet and was hit by mistake. There is no communication on the ground," said Sharif, head of the British-Libyan Solidarity Campaign.
Earlier, Reuters correspondent Angus MacSwan described seeing the warplane come down.
"I saw the plane circle around, come out of the clouds, head toward an apparent target, and then it was hit and went straight down in flames and a huge billow of black smoke went up," he said.
Posted by: Water Modem ||
03/19/2011 04:57 ||
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#1
Now that they have reached their objective and closed with the enemy, the "no fly zone" means precisely jack shit to Daffy's forces.
Way to screw around and do NOTHING until its far too late. Fucking amateur hour, I am starting to actively *hate* that asshole in the whitehouse. The best thing to happen would be if he were to have a massive heart attack and die on the fucking spot, immediately. Fucking anti=-American puppet ganagster union tool.
#3
Emphasis on ACTIVE. Before I was contnet to just hate him when the opportunity arises. Now its there all the time. I don't like hate, its bad for the hater, and it can cloud judgment. But nbw I have to deal with it. And in a way, it makes me hate that asshole even more.
#5
The mercenaries are a Gaddafi military branch made up of non-Libyans. They are the branch Gaddafi is using against Libyan rebels. It is actually an astute move on Gaddafi's part that would keep rebels within Libya's population in order by the use of non-Libyan mercineries allied with Gaddafy.
Pan-African Legion In about 1980, Muammar Gaddafi introduced the Islamic Pan-African Legion, a body of mercenaries recruited primarily among dissidents from Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Mali, and Chad. West African states with Muslim populations have also been the source of some personnel. Believed to consist of about 7,000 individuals, the force has received training from experienced Palestinian and Syrian instructors. Some of those recruited to the legion were said to have been forcibly impressed from among nationals of neighboring countries who migrated to Libya in search of work.[citation needed]
According to the Military Balance published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the force was organized into one armored, one infantry, and one paratroop/commando brigade. It has been supplied with T-54 and T-55 tanks, armored personnel carriers, and EE-9 armored cars. The Islamic Pan-African Legion was reported to have been committed during the fighting in Chad in 1980 and was praised by Gaddafi for its success there. However, it was believed that many of the troops who fled the Chadian attacks of March 1987 were members of the Legion.Wikipedia Link
#6
French plnae attacked a qadddafi military vehicle. Damn look how far we have dropped when the french are taking up for the rebels. At least someone will do what needs too be done. And we will know who gets the oil riches if the rebels win this one.
Posted by: chris ||
03/19/2011 13:55 Comments ||
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#7
i'm with oldspook i hate the asshole in the whitehouse too. He's a 4 year waste of time in a time when we really need a real leader. Damn i tho8uhgt jimmy carter was bad but this dumbass makes him look like a menca member
Posted by: chris ||
03/19/2011 13:57 Comments ||
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#8
There was an article going around a couple of weeks ago saying that Gaddaffy was recruiting Tuaregs for merc work after the rebellion started. Interesting people - Berbers whose language is derived from Pharonic Egyptian. Also, seriously into war.
Posted by: Ebboth Protector of the Lutherans4263 ||
03/19/2011 14:01 Comments ||
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#9
I still want to know why it's any of our business. As I read in a book many years ago,
"You can't go around killing people cause they're assholes, how would you know when to stop?"
I do not want to be the world's policeman taking on every bit of domestic violence unless there is a threat to the US.
#11
I believe those of us who have been around awhile can compare before and after. The shock of our sides actions are glaringly apparent. The media shields him. His followers still support him. The House and Senate enable him. Should O run again he will get the same people voting for him. All shortcomings will be forgiven. This will be a long winter for our country. When the money is gone he will be gone. The greatest damage he has wrought; I believe, would be his judicial politically active appointments.
#12
Backing up a bit, Reagan should have ended him when he had the chance, Bush 1 had the chance as well a Clinton. Neither Bush or Clinton took it. We knew he was smuggling arms, helping our enemies, quietly being a problem to peace and society. So finally after 30 years of waiting for the US to lead against the Quack, France takes a shot. Hat tip to them.
From my perspective removing the Quack will come with great risk. This is not a structured Civil War with known leaders fighting. This is a bunch of small warlords banded together to remove the Quack. The reality we will have to face is if he is overthrown who will replace him? First will be the warlords. Then the strongest will bring in the relig leader to get the masses in line. Now we will be at another Iran. To further the issue once the Quack is gone they will torn against France and her allies and throw them out. Thanks for nothing. We are watching a radical state get overthrown and an even more radical leadership will prevail. This will not have a happy ending. But then this is only my opinion.
I tend to side with OS on the total war issue. If we are going to commit our troops and treasure, we must always fight to win. There is no win in this war. We should really have no part in it.
As for he with no name. Hate is a tough word. I am disappointed by the people that voted him in, disgusted by his actions, and concerned that he is a real time Nero and our republic is at risk.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
03/19/2011 23:07 Comments ||
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WASHINGTON - The United States will deploy additional amphibious ships to the Mediterranean, the military said on Friday, as part of the Obama administration's plans for responding to ongoing violence in Libya.
The USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group will deploy on March 23 "ahead of its original schedule in order to relieve units from the USS Kearsarge (Amphibious Ready Group) currently positioned in the Mediterranean Sea," it said in a statement.
The arriving group includes the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan, based in Virginia, and other ships.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
If we are NOT deploying "ground troops", then why the hell are we putting an ARG in harm's way? A Carriier and land based air form Sicily should be sufficient, with smaller SpecOps support onbaord another vessel for SAR for downed pilots.
#2
Having a carrier group and an Airborne Brigade is all I want sitting around over there. If our strategic masters wanted to stop some bloodshed, they are late - as were the "rebels" to ask for such assistance.
All kinds of ass-crappery may become before May - and having the Praetorian around is helpful if it spreads the wrong way.
#4
too late too help now. Just gave the rebels a reason too hate us later on if they end up winning. Should have armed them with some good anti tank missiles at least.
Posted by: chris ||
03/19/2011 9:10 Comments ||
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#5
OldSpook, I'm certainly not mil/ex-mil so my opinion is very likely both stupid and worthless.
But I think they have two ARGs there for a couple of reasons --
1) it's what is available for the moment
2) the Bataan and Kearsarge are flight platforms; they can fly Harriers and helos from them to support a NFZ, rescue downed pilots, etc.
3) Both are also really useful to insert special forces.
Yesterday at work I informally polled my physician colleagues in casual conversation. Most of them are in the moderate to fairly liberal range (I'm certain I'm the only conservative). ALL of them, ALL OF THEM are against this intervention.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/19/2011 10:03 Comments ||
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#6
If I was a cynic (/sarc), I'd suspect a plan. Let Gaddafi and the radical Islamists work their way through the cannon fodder pool, then let Gaddafi root out the wannabe AQs in the towns, then intervene against the spent resources of who's left standing. That way the intervention forces don't fiddle around dealing with the AQ types in the aftermath, starting with a pretty clean slate to carve up interests in the oil fields. Give me a hurrumph 'no blood for oil', boys.
I am a card carrying conservative of somewhat libertarian tendencies on social issues. I supported, whole heartedly, Iraq and Afghan.
But, I would not support an intervention here at all, no way, no how. This is not our fight. It is not our business to try and police the world so that the bad guys don't oppress their populations. Who next, Saudi, Bahrain, Yemen, Ivory Coast, etc.?
Cheer them on, help them get supplies IF and only if they are truly an improvement over the dictator du jour.
I don't want to find out that we're supporting something similar to Khomeini over the Shah.
#8
Alan, if the rebels turn out to be Khomeini-like, or al-Qaeda, then we'll have to flatten them. I hope the Euros understand that.
It would be hard, not impossible but hard, for them to be worse than Qadaffy.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/19/2011 16:34 Comments ||
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#9
It would be hard, not impossible but hard, for them to be worse than Qadaffy.
I'll take exception to that. Daffy gave us his nuke program. I doubt the newbies will do that. This will be a case of meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
#10
The amphips have flight decks that you can launch predator drones, with hellfire missiles from. Then the folks in Nevada can do some tank busting. Dont know about landing on a moving platform - but they can probably make it back to Eygpt or Italy. Land em in Bengazi load em up on a chopper and back to the ship.
Posted by: Retired LEO ||
03/19/2011 16:47 Comments ||
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[Ennahar] Two Algerians, including a Municipal member from the Workers' Party in a town some 70 km east of Algiers, were killed early Thursday evening, reported the daily El Watan Online.
The newspaper said the two men from the town of Zemmouri were driving to a farm about fifteen miles east of corpse-littered Boumerdes, in Kabylia, when gunnies opened fire on them. They were killed instantly.
Kabylia is an unstable region where Islamist fighters and criminals and where abductions continue to occur.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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Officials said one or more Arab countries would play a role in the Libya operation. Gulf state Qatar said it would take part but it was unclear whether that meant military help. Libya's neighbor Tunisia said it would not play any role.
"Britain will deploy Tornadoes and Typhoons as well as air-to-air refueling and surveillance aircraft," Prime Minister David Cameron ... British PM Cameron describes himself as a modern compassionate conservative and has spoken of a need for a new style of politics that doesn't involve calling people names. He has stated that he is certainly a big Thatcher fan, but I don't know whether that makes me a Thatcherite, which means he's probably not. He has also claimed to be a liberal Conservative, and a very tall short person. Since he is not deeply ideological he lacks core principles and is easily led. He has urged politicians to concentrate on improving people's happiness and general well-being, instead of focusing solely on financial wealth, which is easy for a stockbroker's kid to say. Ask him to lend you ten quid and see how that works out. He has been described as certainly not a Pitt, Elder or Younger, but he does wear a nice suit so maybe he's Beau Brummel ...
told parliament.
"Preparations to deploy these aircraft have already started and in the coming hours they will move to airbases from where they can start to take the necessary action."
Italy said it would make seven military bases available along with equipment and troops, and Naples could be the coordination center. Italy has a decent air force. Are they participating?
Denmark and Canada said they planned to contribute warplanes. La Belle France was to host talks on Saturday to discuss the action with British, Arab League and other leaders including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. ... sometimes described as the Smartest Woman in the World and at other times as Mrs. Bill, never as Another Gray Eminence ...
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said after a meeting of alliance ambassadors that NATO was "completing its planning in order to be ready to take appropriate action ... as part of the broad international effort."
Despite the cease-fire announcement, people in Misrata said the city was under heavy bombardment by Qadaffy's forces.
"They are bombing everything, houses, mosques and even ambulances," Gemal, a rebel front man, told Rooters by phone from the last big rebel stronghold in the west.
Another rebel named Saadoun said: "We believe they want to enter the city at any cost before the international community starts implementing the UN resolution.
"We call on the international community to do something before it's too late. They must act now."
A British-based doctor who said he had spoken to his contacts in Misrata after 1600 GMT described the situation there as "very, very dire."
"There is no cease-fire," he said. "Yesterday there was celebration after the UN vote, even by ordinary people, they don't want the regime any more. But those guys are basically fighting with sticks against anti-aircraft guns. .... There is no choice but to fight for them."
Al Arabiya also said the rebel-held western town of Zintan was attacked by rockets on Friday. The fighting reports could not be independently confirmed. Authorities were preventing Tripoli-based foreign journalists om reporting freely.
In rebel-controlled Tobruk in the east, there was scorn for the cease-fire call. On Thursday, Qadaffy had vowed "no mercy and no pity."
"See how things change from night to day," said Ashraf Afgair. "They are just trying to calm international opinion. It's a desperate attempt by Qadaffy to cling to power."
But Qadaffy's troops did not fulfil his threat to overrun the rebel base of Benghazi overnight after their rapid counter-offensive brought them to within 100 km (60 miles) of the eastern city.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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[Arab News] President Barack B.O. Obama said on Friday Muammar Qadaffy's government must end violence and pull back troops from towns under attack, or face military action. Qadaffy's government earlier declared a unilateral cease-fire as Western warplanes prepared to attack his forces, which had defeated rebels in the western city of Zawiyah and driven them back in a counter-offensive toward Benghazi in the east.
In the rebel-held western city of Misrata, surrounded by government forces, residents said there was no sign of a cease-fire. And in the rebel-controlled east, the government declaration was dismissed as a ruse.
"All attacks against civilians must stop," Obama said. "Qadaffy must stop his troops from advancing on Benghazi, pull them back from Ajdabiya, Misrata and Zawiyah, and establish water, electricity and gas supplies to all areas. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to reach the people of Libya."
"Let me be clear, these terms are not negotiable... If Qadaffy does not comply ... the resolution will be enforced through military action."
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said everything was ready to launch military strikes in Libya and that the cease-fire would need to cover the whole country.
Britain, like La Belle France a strong advocate of armed action, said it would judge Qadaffy by "actions, not his words."
After embarking on wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States had insisted it would participate in rather than lead any military action. Obama said the United States would not deploy ground troops in Libya.
Turkey, an opponent of military action, said the Libyan cease-fire should go into effect immediately.
"We decided on an immediate cease-fire and on an immediate stop to all military operations," Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa said in Tripoli earlier, after the UN Security Council passed a resolution authorizing military action.
He called for dialogue with all sides. On Thursday, Qadaffy had vowed to show "no mercy, no pity."
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Why does one get the impression that Obama is an overflowing cup of egg custard? Why dont we just openly and honestly say it out loud...."Listen you Libyan monkey son of a biych, you either take the bus or we are going to take your country away from you and feed you to the the dog".
Why IS it when you hear the phrase from a politician:"Let me be clear" that he's just waving his pencil?
And as for the French...they want the US to do the work and pay for it too so they, the French, can sit around on each other's faces. And the Brits can go , "here , here!"
#5
I find myself in the odd position of being in agreement with Dennis Kucinich on this one. Think about it. Team Obama said it was neccessary to wait until the Arab League gave the green light before committing to military action. You know, the Great Satan bombing yet another Mooselimb country and all that jazz. Next it was off to Gay Parree to consult with Euro-Dips and NATO brass to make sure they were cool with it. Now all Obama needed was the blessing from the High Priests of Global Governance - The UN. Then a funny thing happened on the way to Trippoli - the President neglected to ask Congress for the authorization of force. No worries you useless tools in the US congress. It's not like we're protecting an armed rebellion of Islamic cut-throats in order to facilitate a regime change in a soveriegn nation that poses no threat to our national security. And don't call it a War either. It's more like an International Peace operation to protect civilians. It's ahhh....a No Fly Zone...yeah that's the ticket.
#6
It amazes me that this 'president' denigrates the reputation of the US for his first two years in office and then attempts to use the influence he weakened to effect events. Where is the basic understanding of logic or cause and effect?
#11
On what basis does this A**brain in DC shoot at 'daffy? This should be an impeachable offense since there is no treaty, nor attack on an ally no less on the US to warrant any attack on a sovereign nation.
[Arab News] The Libyan government closed its airspace Friday to all traffic, reacting to a UN resolution authorizing the use of force and a no-fly zone to protect the Libyan people from attacks by forces loyal to strongman Muammar Qadaffy.
Europe's air traffic control agency, Eurocontrol, told airlines on Friday that "the latest information from Malta indicates that Tripoli (air control center) does not accept traffic." The Brussels-based agency's map of air traffic over Europe and the Mediterranean showed that Libyan airspace was off limits.
On Thursday, the UN Security Council authorized "all necessary measures" to stop attacks on civilians in Libya -- including strikes by sea and air -- hours after Qadaffy vowed to launch a final assault and crush the weeks-old rebellion against him.
Eurocontrol said Friday it had no information on how long Libya's airspace would be closed, but the agency said it had halted all air traffic to Libya for 24 hours.
"We applied a zero traffic rate for the whole day," said a Eurocontrol official who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak to the news media.
She said the closure could also be affected by decisions made Friday by NATO, the North Atlantic military alliance.
Emboldened by the UN resolution, Libyan opposition supporters in Tripoli said they would gather later in the day to call for the end of Qadaffy's rule.
"Today there will be protests in Tripoli. Everyone is waiting for the UN forces to arrive. They feel stronger," said Mohamed, a Libyan living in exile abroad who spoke to his colleagues and friends in Tripoli on Friday.
"The mood is strong ... It will be after Friday prayers. They are preparing now. We think it will be a big one."
Libyan authorities prevented foreign journalists from reporting freely in the capital on Friday ahead of anticipated protests.
Journalists invited to Tripoli by the Libyan government last month were prevented from leaving their government-designated hotel in the center of the capital on Friday.
Several news hounds who tried to leave the hotel were stopped and told it was unsafe to go outside.
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03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
" Everyone is waiting for the UN forces to arrive".
Yeah?
Sittin' by the phone with a comic book to read, are they?
Expectant? Hopeful?
[Ma'an] The European Union will freeze the assets of ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak Octogenarian Egyptian politician, prior to that air force commander. He served as the fourth President-for-Life of Egypt from 1981 to 2011. He assumed the presidency in 1981, following the liquidation of Anwar Sadat. He was dumped after 18 days of demonstrations, which at one point featured a camel charge by his supporters, during the 2011 Egyptian revolution. On 11 February, Vice President Suleiman announced that Mubarak had resigned in favor of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Mubarak and his family left the presidential palace by a side door and moved to Sharm el-Sheikh, while the new regime started trying to follow the money trail. and 18 of his closest associates after EU envoys agreed on the sanctions, diplomats told AFP on Friday.
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03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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[Ma'an] US President Barack B.O. Obama said Friday no American troops would be deployed on the ground in Libya as Western and Arab nations prepared military action aimed at toppling strongman Moammar Qadaffy.
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#2
How would you like to be an American soldier or Marine being sent into Libya with a lot of French "guidelines"? And maybe John Kerry to help you with your gear?
And not a EUroweenie soldier or Arab soldier in sight? Do the French actually HAVE a military? And which Moslem country is capable (or even in existence) to provide so much as a camouflage jock strap for the cause?
Get real, the Libyans are going to have to do the fighting and the entire West (including Barack Hussein) are feckless. IF the Libyans cant clean their own house themselves let's just make some money off of them and sell them some guns in exchange for future Oil deals. Let Libya be divided up into competing fiefdoms of Moslem cannibals and set them on one another indefinitely.
Peace and brotherly love is a waste of time in Moslem countries. Take a look at the Prophet(PBUH) if you really want to see a Moslem being a Moslem. Sixteen wives and a political buggerall with a BS religion humping to stack on the Jihad.
And the entire Middle East is covered with garlic and grease.
NONE of them are your friends. We actually have the French for "allies" and the shortest list in the world is a EUropean roster of war heroes.
The US deserves Obama and when you look deep into Nancy Pelosi's eyes you see the promise of things to come. If you have any other questions Obam's mother was a real multi-cultural peach,so invite her over and have YOUR kids sit in her lap.
#5
"I kind of like both of Dribble's sinktrapped rants this morning."
There are probably pills to cure that, Glenmore. ;-p
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03/19/2011 14:01 Comments ||
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#6
Cure what? Vulgarity or run on sentences? But his logic hits the nail on the head. You cannot ultimately prevail in a military conflict without boots on the ground. NFZ alone is little more than high tech terrorism as far as I am concerned.
Respect for us on the Arab street was never higher than after we thrashed Saddam in a straight up fight. That's why Daffy dumped his nukes; he didn't want done to him what we did to Saddam. But he's no longer worried about that treatment after he saw what we did to Bush and the zero we replaced him with.
If we care enough to inflict collateral damage. we should care enough to win.
#7
we should care enough to win but only if we have a clear idea of what 'winning' amounts to. At this time, it appears all possible outcomes in Libya are losing ones for the West.
[Ma'an] Libyan authorities on Friday denied having kept up military attacks despite a ceasefire, after rebels reported "sustained shelling" in the towns of Zintan, Ajdabiya and Misrata.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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You KNOW, KaDaffy is as good as his word.
Besides, if you cant trust the word of a Moslem then who can you trust? Ask the French to explain it to you.
[The Nation (Nairobi)] The East African Court of Justice will determine the legality of the surrender of terror suspects from Kenya to face charges in Uganda.
The decision to refer the cases was reached when the families applied to have the case referred to the EACJ for it to interpret sections of the treaty that the state relied on while extraditing the suspects.
The application was made by Ms Saida Rosemary, wife to Idris Magondu, who is currently facing 89 counts of murder, terrorism and attempted murders.
The other applicant is a brother to Mr Hassan Hussein Agade, who is facing similar charges.
The two were tossed in the calaboose following the twin bombings that left 76 people dead in Kampala late last year.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Nicholas Ombija of the High Court gave the green light for the issues to be raised at EACJ.
Consequently, the case that was pending before him will remain on hold, awaiting the verdict of the EACJ.
This is one of the suits challenging the extradition of six Kenyans to face charges over the Kampala bombings.
In this application, the family wants the EACJ to interpret "the inherent fundamental rights of the criminal suspects to have a fair hearing and a fair extradition process".
They have challenged the manner in which the police handled the suspects, saying they were tossed in the calaboose and extradited to Uganda without the knowledge of their families.
But the Police Commissioner, commandant of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and the Attorney General have said they acted within the law in arresting the six to Ugandan authorities.
Previous attempts by the families to have their relatives brought home were futile.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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Hundreds of Saudi Shiites have protested today in a show of solidarity for their religious counterparts on Bahrain, who have been protesting for around a month against the country's Sunni Khalifa regime, who are allied with the house of Saud. This is according to local press sources quoted by the pan-Arab television station, Al Jazeera.
"Free Bahrain! Foreign troops out!" is the slogan chanted by protesters who took to the streets last night in Qatif, a town in Saudi Arabia's southern provinces, which are rich in oilfields and crude oil and where there are already a number of oil terminals on the Gulf, opposite the coasts of Bahrain and those of nearby Iran. Time to review energy policy? Do we have one? Of course we do. Increase the cost until the populace significantly cuts back on their total energy use. Should this lower America's impact on the world at the same time, that would be a bonus. Candidate Obama was quite clear on this when he was campaigning for the job he now holds. Okay, okay, you got us there...
#1
Why do I have the feeling I am living through the beginning of WWIII?
Where and how it will develop I don't know, but, the nexus of Islam and dictators in the ME and Africa, the likes of Chavez, Chinese, Iranian nukes, expansionism, the crumbling of NK with the catastrophe of Japan seem to be melding into a giant conflagration.
#4
WWIII started, IMHO, about 1918 when US troops started fighting the Red Army in Russia, this was even before WWI ended. The ending of WWI was precipitated by the collapse of the Second Reich. WWII was won when the Allies pounded the Axis into rubble and ashes. We won WWIII when the USSR collapsed about 1990.
WWIV started around 1979 when the Mullahs took over Iran. At this moment it appears the US is heading for collapse unless it mends its ways. Our energy policy is like our fiscal policy: keep kicking the can down the road until a miracle happens.
#5
Cold War is WWIII and it was won by Reagan. Huntingdon recognized this and who am I to argue with him? We are living the clash of civilizations. WWIV is the West vs Islam and it is just getting warmed up. Question is whether the Chinese recognize Islam or the US as the more significant enemy and what reaction is merited at present. Perhaps the Chinese constantly undermine both sides and will just wait to kill whoever wins WWIV, bloodied and tired, an easy target.
[Ennahar] Bahraini authorities announced Friday they had destroyed the monument located on the Pearl Square in central Manama, which became a symbol of protest violently suppressed by government forces.
"In the context of improving infrastructure, development work was started today at the crossroad of the Gulf Cooperation Council to facilitate the movement," said the Bahraini official news agency BNA.
The monument was a concrete structure comprising six columns, representing the six GCC countries, supporting a sphere symbolizing a pearl, whose harvest underwater was long the mainstay of the kingdom.
Place of the Pearl became February 19 the center of protest against the Sunni Al Khalifa dynasty, and the majority Shiite protesters were camping there day and night.
Wednesday, Bahraini security forces launched an assault against the place and forced to flee the demonstrators, killing at least three and making dozens injured.
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03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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[Arab News] A day after Bahraini security forces cleared anti-government protesters from the landmark Pearl Roundabout, life seems to be slowly returning to normal in most parts of the Bahraini capital on a day when six prominent opposition figures were tossed in the clink by the security forces.
King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Bahrain Defense Force Commander-in-Chief Field Marshal Khalifa bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa toured the country's financial districts on Thursday and assured Bahrainis of the government's resolve to restore complete normality.
At the Pearl Roundabout and other worst affected areas, municipal employees were clearing the debris left behind after Wednesday's military operation. A number of blockades set up by the protesters at key street intersections to halt the advance of the military personnel have now been removed. Technicians were busy repairing lampposts vandalized during the festivities.
"I went around the city on Thursday evening, and I could see a number of people, especially Indians, out in the streets," said a prominent Manama-based journalist. "The Westerners, however, are nowhere to be seen. They are either keeping indoors or planning to move out of the country," he said.
Most Western nations have urged their citizens to leave Bahrain, and a front man said the British Embassy in Manama had organized charter flights to Dubai for its citizens.
The Pearl Roundabout was off-limits to the general public, but in other areas of the capital, shops have begun to do business. Taxis are off the streets, and one particular reason for that is that most of the taxi drivers come from the country's deprived sections.
While there are increasing signs of confidence among the government camp, the opposition parties are in a state of shock after six prominent leaders of the opposition were tossed in the clink in late-night raids on Wednesday.
Among the tossed in the clink were Hassan Mushaimaa of the hard-line Al-Haq group and Ibrahim Sharif of the liberal Al-Waad party. Mushaimaa was allowed into the country in a bid to pacify the situation just days before the anti-government protests intensified. Soon after his arrival from exile, he joined protesters at the Pearl Roundabout. His supporters were among the most defiant anti-government supporters.
The government said leaders of the civil strife were tossed in the clink for communicating with foreign countries and inciting murder and destruction of property.
Political observers told Arab News that Mushaimaa's arrest was expected because unlike other opposition leaders, he had crossed the "red line" by actually calling for a regime change and had always taken an extreme stand against the government. His party never took part in parliamentary elections and was actually an offshoot of the main opposition Al-Wefaq party. None of the Al-Wefaq leaders, including its head Sheikh Ali Salman, were tossed in the clink. Al-Wefaq is seen as moderate and throughout the current crisis its leaders had limited their demands to wide-ranging political and constitutional reform.
However, The well-oiled However... the arrest of Sharif has surprised many. He is a Sunni and a staunch votary of dialogue and political reform. "Our party has always favored dialogue," said Al-Waad's Muneera Fakhro. "We want reform through dialogue... Eventually all of us will have to sit across the table to resolve these political differences. Sharif's arrest is shocking and indicates that the government is bent upon making things worse."
In an e-mail to journalists, Sharif's daughter, Yara, expressed her helplessness. "May God have mercy on my father ... He is not an Islamic myrmidon. He is a secular man. He is not a violent person. He is a peaceful man. He asks for reform but has done so in a way where he has never laid a hand on someone and never resorted to violence," she wrote. "I'm thinking about you Baba, I love you so much."
Meanwhile, ...back at the secret hideout... the anti-government protesters have decided to keep the pressure on the government. Some leaders have asked their followers to chant "Allah-o-Akbar" from their rooftops between 8 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. The prime opposition demand now is the lifting of emergency laws. The government has announced earlier that emergency will remain in place for three months and curfew will be imposed in areas where there is fear of trouble.
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03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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[Asharq al-Aswat] The highest religious authority in the Persian Gulf kingdom of Oman has pushed back against the government's efforts to boost tourism by calling for a nationwide alcohol ban and strict monitoring of health clubs in this Mohammedan country.
Sheik Ahmed bin Hamad al-Khalili told state television Tuesday that "drunk people are unproductive people who sink into vice."
Oman, which is ruled by a family dynasty, has seen sporadic protests inspired by the uprisings across the Arab world, mostly by young job seekers and others calling for political reform.
Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the country's ruler, responded this week by granting lawmaking powers to officials outside the royal family -- the boldest effort yet to stop the unrest from spreading. He has also changed the Cabinet and promised thousands of civil service jobs.
Oman, which shares control of the Gulf waterway that carries 40 percent of the world's oil tanker traffic, has aggressively expanded its economic base in recent decades with tourism, oil and trade while quietly building military ties with Washington.
The mufti's call for a nationwide alcohol ban appeared to represent a pushback from religious leaders.
Al-Khalili said it's not in the interest of the country's leader to rule a "drunken people," but a "rational people." The holy man denounced gyms and health clubs as "dens of vice" that should be abolished or closely watched to prevent abuse.
Alcohol is only available in Oman in four and five star hotels. Omani gyms and health clubs employ foreign women, especially as masseuses, which has sparked rumors of practices considered inappropriate in this conservative society.
On Wednesday, about 300 security guards demonstrated in the capital Muscat, calling for better wages and weekends off. They blocked traffic on a downtown street before the inspector general for police and customs addressed them, saying he would study their demands. The protesters left and police did not intervene.
Oman's protests are limited compared with the unrest in Gulf ally Bahrain, where demonstrators have increasingly called for toppling the monarchy. But Oman and Bahrain have been promised $10 billion each in aid from the Gulf Cooperation Council in attempts to answer demands for more job opportunities and more state aid.
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03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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[Yemen Post] Ali Al-Amrani, a Yemeni parliament member attributed his resignation last week from the ruling General People Congress party, GPC, to the violence against peaceful protesters who are demanding the ouster of President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime.
He described the revolution in Yemen as a youth revolution and the revolution of parties, in which he meant the opposition coalition, ''Joint Meeting Parties JMP.
Al-Amrani called President-for-Life Saleh ... exemplifying the Arab's propensity to combine brutality with incompetence... to leave office but after he transfers the power peacefully and dismisses his relatives from military positions. He said that the opposition coalition are not parties suited to rule in the 21st century.
In his interview with local newspaper, he said that the opposition coalition cannot cause positive change alone without cooperation with the Yemeni people.
Al-Amrani finally said that he expected a good future for Yemen and its people after Saleh's regime falls, ''I don't expect chaos in Yemen as what happened in Tunisia, Egypt, or Libya, we are different from them but it also depends on the way President Saleh decides to leave office.''
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
You know, its suddenly occurred to me that these are ALL Moslem countries with Moslem values. You dont suppose that might have something to do with the fact that they are all killing one another and there isnt any real freedom for anybody? And why DO they put bags on their women's heads? Tell me again.
Is it just one of their colorful customs? Or is it somehow deeper than that?
As the French say" What is Islam's final existentialist position?"
The Interior Ministry said on Thursday that one of the two members of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula tossed in the calaboose earlier was Khalid Saeed BaTarfi, the AQAP communication officer.
BaTarfi was tossed in the calaboose in Taiz, and the second leader, Ahmed Abdul Jaleel Al-Khudhiabi, known as Amir Owail, was captured at a security checkpoint in Marib province, the ministry said, adding that the security forces seized with the two viscous materials, papers containing instructions for making explosives, a computer, a bomb, machine guns and a number of cell phone cards.
In addition to his job as the communication officer, BaTarfi also worked as the AQAP military commander in Abyan and Baidha'a provinces and was involved in all terrorist operations in the two provinces in the last period, the ministry said.
Today, three AQAP hard boyz were killed in an exchange of gunfire with the security forces in Marib. Two soldiers were killed and others maimed in the battle.
The arrests and casualties come as AQAP has recently stepped up attacks against security personnel and checkpoints, mainly in southeastern and eastern regions, amid the escalating protests demanding the ouster of President-for-Life Saleh ... exemplifying the Arab's propensity to combine brutality with incompetence... .
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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[Iran Press TV] With a state of emergency already in place, snipers deployed by the Yemeni government are still targeting civilians from rooftops.
At least 50 people were killed on Friday alone, when protesters erupted into the streets to call for an end to the three-decade rule of President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh ... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, after serving as a lieutenant colonel in the army. He had been part of the conspiracy that bumped off his predecessor, Ibrahim al-Hamdi, in the usual tiresome military coup, and he has maintained power by keeping Yemen's many tribes fighting with each other, rather than uniting to string him up. ..., a Press TV correspondent reported.
Following the peaceful protests, the Saleh regime launched a massive crackdown on Yemeni people before ordering a state of emergency.
However, The emphatic However... the state of emergency did not stop snipers from targeting the protesters.
"The Friday protests has attracted the biggest crowd yet in Change Square," Press TV's correspondent reported.
The European Union, meanwhile, has called on Yemen to stop the violence.
"I am dismayed by the reports coming from Yemen. I have repeatedly and unreservedly condemned the use of violence against protesters in Sana'a and other cities, and the loss of life," EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a Friday statement.
"Human rights and fundamental freedoms must be fully respected. President [Ali Abdullah] Saleh must stand by his commitments to uphold the right to peaceful protest, as he announced on 10 March. I ask him to stop violence now," she added.
The protests in Yemen were sparked after popular revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt sent a wave of Islamic Awakening throughout the region.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Take a look at that face. Now THAT is the sort of man you WANT if you ever need to have someone slaughter a goat in your driveway for Eid .
[Ennahar] Yemeni President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh ... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, after serving as a lieutenant colonel in the army. He had been part of the conspiracy that bumped off his predecessor, Ibrahim al-Hamdi, in the usual tiresome military coup, and he has maintained power by keeping Yemen's many tribes fighting with each other, rather than uniting to string him up. ... declared Friday a state of emergency in the country after the death of more than 41 people by shooting against an anti-government demonstration in Sanaa.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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For a map, click here. For a map of Sonora, click here
Six unidentified individuals were found in a grave near Caborca, Sonora Thursday morning, according to Mexican news reports.
Reports say the bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition and had died about three months ago. The decomposition was so bad investigators at the scene could not determine how the victims died.
The grave was found by a couple gathering firewood along the Sonoyta-Cabora highway about 30 kilometers west of Caborca. The bodies were only partially buried owing to vermin in the area digging the bodies up to consume them.
Press reports call the find a narcofosa or narcograve.
Caborca is in the rugged Altar desert and is about 20 kilometers west of Tubutama. The area between Tubutama and Caborca has in the recent past been known as a communications hub for drug gangs moving product into the US through Nogales due north and Tijuana well to the west, and has seen some of the worst intergang violence in Mexico. To read Rantburg reports on recent gang violence in the area, see the reports here, here and here.
For a map, click here. For a map of Nuevo Leon, click here. For a map of Monterrey, click here.
Nuevo Leon state police agents shot and killed six armed suspects who attempted an ambush of Nuevo Leon's attorney general early Friday morning in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, according to Mexican press accounts.
Adrian de la Garza Santos reportedly survived the attempt.
Reports say Garza Santos was travelling aboard a van at about 0130 hrs. along with his security detail near the intersection of calles Nogal and Abedul between the Valle Verde primer sector and Valle de Infonavit colonies. Armed suspects aboard a sedan and a truck fired on the vehicle carrying Garza Santos.
The security detail countered the attack, and then moved Garza Santos to safety as help was requested over wireless.
As more security forces arrived, a firefight commenced lasting more than 20 minutes. The relief forces included agents with the Nuevo Leon Agencia Estatal de Investigaciones (AEI). AEI agents are similar to a major case squad.
A total of six armed suspects were killed in the firefight, another was captured, while the rest fled the scene.
#1
Sounds like Mexico is in need of a good old fashioned "flying squad", counter-terrorism activities, that ambushes and kills individuals like these. It was so effective against the IRA, that they had to spend the resources to hunt down and assassinate every member of the flying squad.
[An Nahar] Thousands of protesters occupied a central square in the Armenian capital on Thursday, forcing riot police to withdraw in a show of strength aimed at forcing the government to resign.
After holding a rally attended by more than 12,000 people, demonstrators marched through the city to Freedom Square -- the scene of mass protests in 2008 which ended in violence and left 10 people dead.
Lines of police with shields and batons who had cordoned off the square agreed to pull back without resistance to prevent new festivities.
The opposition is predicting a bloodless "velvet revolution" in what they say is an attempt to emulate mass uprisings in the Arab world, although the ruling party has said it will not submit to ultimatums.
"It's time for radical changes in Armenia," opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian, a former president who now heads the Armenian National Congress, told the rally.
"There is no point in pinning one's hopes on this government because it does not intend to give up a policy that robs our nation, while on the other hand it is unable to push the economy forward," Ter-Petrosian said.
The demonstration was the largest in Armenia since the protests in 2008 against the disputed election of current president Serzh Sarkisian, who the opposition accused of rigging polls in the small, isolated former Soviet republic.
Protesters carried placards with slogans reading "Elections now!" and "Freedom for political prisoners".
"If Egyptians managed to get rid of their tyrant, we can do the same and get rid of Serzh (Sarkisian) and his regime," a pensioner named Khachatur Sagomonian told Agence La Belle France Presse.
Raffi Hovhannisian, the U.S.-born leader of the moderate Heritage party -- the main opposition force in parliament -- had been staging a hunger strike on the square since Tuesday despite it being closed for protests since 2008.
"The symbolic return of the people to the square shows the incumbent president and the opposition that Armenia's future is in the balance," Hovhannisian said after protesters breached the police lines and gathered around the bench where he has been holding his solitary protest.
"All of us must be guarantors for a peaceful transfer of power to the people," he said.
With speeches and Armenian songs blaring in the background, those attending the rally called the event historic for the small Caucasus nation of three million people.
"This is a victory for the people and a defeat for the authorities. The people have shown their strength," unemployed demonstrator Hrach Sarkisian told AFP.
The police said they decided to pull back from the square after urgent talks with protest leaders.
"As a result of negotiations with the protesters, the police authorized them to continue the rally on Freedom Square," a police statement said.
Impoverished ex-Soviet Armenia has gone through political and military turmoil since independence in 1991, with a series of disputed elections and a war with neighboring Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorny Karabakh.
Since the Karabakh war in the 1990s, the country has suffered economically because of closed borders with Azerbaijan and another neighbor Turkey, which strongly objects to Yerevan's campaign to have the World War One-era mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire recognized as genocide.
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03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
"It's time for radical changes in Armenia," opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian, a former president who now heads the Armenian National Congress, told the rally.
translation: "I should be in charge!"
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/19/2011 10:06 Comments ||
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[Pak Daily Times] A team of three Paks and three Afghans who were working on a road building project in northern Afghanistan have been kidnapped, a local official said on Friday.
The five construction engineers and their Afghan driver were kidnapped as they travelled by convoy in the relatively peaceful north of the country late on Thursday, the local director of public works told AFP.
"Six people have been kidnapped, three Pak engineers, two Afghan engineers and also their driver," said Enayatullah Zafar. "They were kidnapped as they were travelling from Jawzjan to Sari Pul province to start their work," said Zafar.
Sari Pul province governor, Sayed Anwar Rahmati, said that police had been dispatched to the area to try to track down the men, who had been hired by the Afghan government to work on the project.
No one has yet grabbed credit for the kidnapping, but Rahmati blamed the Taliban, saying "small groups" of the Orcs and similar vermin were operating in the mountainous area.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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[Pak Daily Times] Four security personnel were maimed when their convoy was targeted with a remote-controlled bomb in the Bara Tehsil on Friday. The official sources said that the security forces' convoy, which was moving from
Jansi area to Bara Hayatabad was targeted at the Qambar Khel area with a roadside kaboom. Four security officials were maimed in the blast. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital. After the incident, the security forces cordoned off the area and started a search operation to arrest the culprits involved in the blast.
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03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq: An army force arrested on Friday 12 wanted men for assassinating civilians and security elements in west of Mosul, an army source said.
The forces arrested the 12 wanted men in Tal Abta district, west of Mosul, in accordance with Article IV Terrorism Law for killing civilians and security elements, the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
The detainees are being interrogated, he added.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
hope it's painful
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/19/2011 10:07 Comments ||
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WASSIT / Aswat al-Iraq: A security force found on Friday five rockets in northern Kut, a police source said.
An anti-explosives force found this morning five modern rockets in Umm Haliel region, northern Kut, and managed to defuse them, the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
The forces had found yesterday a car bomb in the same region, he added.
Kut, the capital of Wassit, lies 180 km south of Baghdad.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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[Arab News] Iraqi authorities have announced that Saudi terrorist Battal Ameesh Al-Harbi was among 25 Al-Qaeda suspects incarcerated in Iraq over the past three months, Al-Watan newspaper reported on Thursday.
Director of the Iraqi Terrorism and Crimes Department Maj. Gen. Dhia Sahi told the newspaper Al-Harbi had served six years in an Iraqi prison for illegally entering the country and had only been released a year ago.
Al-Harbi's father, who lives in Hafr Al-Batin, said he had recently received information about his son's arrest.
The father said Al-Harbi left home in Shawwal 1425 AH when he was only 19. "He told us then that he was going out with his friends for a hunting trip near the Iraqi border, but we soon received news that he was incarcerated and incarcerated in Iraq," he said.
The father said Al-Harbi, who did not have any education beyond his intermediate schooling, did not reveal his true intentions to them.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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IDF responds with tank and helicopter strikes; Hamas claims responsibility for 10 of the mortars; barrage of projectiles explode in Eshkol, Sha'ar Hanegev and Sdot Hanegev regional councils, one building damaged. Paleos trying to provoke Israel into a response that will refocus "international" attention from Qadaffy to Zionist Entity.
#4
Once again, I think that these towns should each be issued a 105mm howitzer, for them to use to shoot down these incoming mortar rounds, since a more high tech system is too expensive.
Of course, so is advanced fire control, so they would have to use a "best guess" approach to shooting down incoming projectiles. Purely defensive, mind you.
[Ma'an] Gazoo fighters on Friday launched anti-tank missile at Israeli forces operating in the southern Gazoo Strip, a military statement said.
The army said its soldiers were "performing a routine activity" in the coastal enclave, and that it would "choose the method of response as per arising security assessments."
No injuries were reported.
On Thursday, Israel's air force dropped thousands of leaflets on northern Gazoo, warning residents to stay away from the border area.
Israeli authorities have declared around 20 percent of Gazoo's agricultural land off-limits to residents of the enclave due to its proximity to the border with Israel.
The army maintains that the area is used by forces of Evil to launch attacks on Israel.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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Link to UKs Daily Mail - try to ignore egregious "celebrity smut" on the page
* 'Gunfire locator' uses sonar to calculate the enemy's position in little more than one second
* Cross-hairs on target screen show sniper where to return fire
* Sensor has been developed using same technology as Nintendo Wii games And you thought Video Games were a waste of time
A supergun that targets enemy snipers by the sound of their gunfire is being trialled by British soldiers, it emerged today. Different approach than the US - we've got the unit attached to the uniform rather than the weapon - have to admit, if the crosshairs work, it may be a better system... assuming the gun + unit doesn't end up weighing 16 1b.
[Straits Times] MALAYSIAN police said on Friday that they had found equipment they suspect could be used to make nuclear weapons smuggled on board a ship headed to Iran.
National police chief Ismail Omar told The News Agency that Dare Not be Named that the cargo was seized from a Malaysian-registered ship traveling from China to Teheran while it was docked at a central Malaysia harbour.
Authorities are investigating whether the equipment could be used to make nuclear weapons.
Malaysian International Shipping Corp confirmed in a statement to the AP that police confiscated two containers from the MV Bunga Raya Satu on March 8. It said a freight forwarder had declared the contents as 'goods used for liquid mixing or storage for pharmaceutical or chemical or food industry.'
Police said they had received a tip that the items were being shipped illegally and did not have a special permit required under Malaysia's anti-trafficking law.
Malaysia passed that law last year to curb the trafficking of nuclear weapon components after being linked to the illegal supply of sensitive technology to countries including Iran and Libya.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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Boy, AL "WHAT A SHOCK - NOT!" BUNDY has been a roll this new year!
[Ennahar] Four protesters were killed Friday by Syrian security forces and hundreds of others injured during a demonstration in Deraa, in the south, told AFP a humain rights activist on the spot.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/19/2011 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
David Cameron
Hillary Clinton.
President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh
