[TOLONEWS] Zalmai Zabuli, the head of the Senate Complaints Commission, launched scathing accusations against General Musa Wardak, the head of the Ministry of Defense's (MoD) Health Department, and called for his dismissal on Monday.
The Complaints Commission said it had reason to believe corruption was a porblem in the Health Department. Zabuli also noted that the Commission had received a number of complaints over the past month from provincial offices of the MoD's Health Department indicating that Gen. Wardak had abused the powers of his office and fired several doctors from their jobs without due cause.
"Our preliminary assessments show that corruption exists in the Health Department of the Ministry of Defense on a large scale, and we registered many complaints about the head of the Health Department," said Senator Zabuli.
Zabuli maintained that his Commission had already coordinated with the MoD and determined that Wardak should be let go, but that still no steps had been taken by the Ministry.
"We worked jointly with the Ministry of Defense and we decided to fire him from the post, but unfortunately he hasn't been fired," said Zabuli.
Meanwhile, ...back at the comedy club, Boogie was cracking himself up, but nobody else seemed to be getting the non-stop jokes... General Zahir Azimi, the MoD front man, said that the dismissal of officials from the Ministry was under the authority of the Minister of Defense alone.
But Zabuli was insistent, and even went so far as to put the Defense Minister in his sights.
"We demanded dismissal of the head of the Health Department of the Defense Ministry many times because he has been involved in corruption and has fired several doctors from their jobs without reason...if he isn't fired from the job, it suggests that the Defense Minister is also involved in corruption," he said.
Azimi urged the Senate Commission to take its case through the proper legal channels and present whatever evidence of wrongdoing it had against Wardak to the Attorney General.
"We ask that the Senate Complaints Commission submit its proof of corruption in the case against the head of the Health Department of the Defense Ministry to the Attorney General's office so that the Attorney General can make a decision on the issue," said Azimi. "But the recruitment and dismissal of Defense Ministry officials is not the authority of anybody except the Minister of Defense."
Zabuli and the other Senate members of the Complaints Commission did not say whether or not they planned to forward Wardak's case on to the Attorney General.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
"Our preliminary assessments show that corruption exists in the Health Department of the Ministry of Defense on a large scale, and we registered many complaints about the head of the Health Department,"
Wonder if they have a non-functioning registration website?
#1
"What difference does it make?" We've been told so by "the next president of the US..."
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
10/29/2013 6:18 Comments ||
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#2
I've racked my noggin over this disaster since the day it happened, attempting to find plausible answers as to why all the secrecy, denial, and obfuscation by the regime. Nothing seems to add up. Nothing seems to justify the deception and denial.
I've studied the numerous kidnapping conspiracy theories and have arrived at neither logical or illogical conclusion. I've examined the Turkish connection, the warehouse, and weapons cache ideas and cannot twist them in any shape which might justify the extent of the cover.
Reading these latest revelations, I stumbled upon something, a possibility so bizarre and out of the box, I almost hesitate to propose it. Let us suppose for a moment however, that this British chap's news and warning about the pending attack wasn't news at all. What if the regime had full knowledge of the pending seizure and had actually extended tacit approval of the take-down and handover? Given that scenario, what could possibly go wrong ?
Brit trainer was long gone and the facility was left to the security of corrupt guards. The so-called 'secret annex' was reinforced and stand-down orders were given to the staff of the consulate. So what went wrong? Why the cock-up? Did Stevens turn up unexpectedly, or fail to leave as ordered? Did anxious patriots [US Navy Seals] defy orders and rush to sound of the guns? With full knowledge the attack was pending, was the facility intended to simply be given away? Were these poor bastids simply caught in the crossfire ?
Even that, still doesn't justify the cover-up. What situation could so unacceptable, so hanus as to warrant such denial and spin? Hang on with me for one more short and very frightening bit.
For reasons unknown, could the attack and seizure of a hoped for, empty US facility been planned and trained up by some element of US personnel? At some phase of the operation, we're US advisors actually involved in the assault?
#3
What if the regime had full knowledge of the pending seizure and had actually extended tacit approval of the take-down and handover?
Seems strange, but also the least implausible explanation so far. Then the question is 'Why?'
Did anxious patriots [US Navy Seals] defy orders and rush to sound of the guns?
That part seems quite likely.
Whatever the plan was, it went tragicly wrong: Some breakdown in timing or communication in a complex plan? Some third party got involved by accident or leak? There seems to have been little in the way of a contingency plan though, because the whole follow-up/cover-up was pathetic. Still, it involved a lot of people, from multiple disciplines, all managing to/being forced to keep their mouths shut - not likely without, IMO, something substantive behind it all.
#4
#3 What if the regime had full knowledge of the pending seizure and had actually extended tacit approval of the take-down and handover?
Seems strange, but also the least implausible explanation so far. Then the question is 'Why?'
Good question. Securing and defending the facility would have entailed military action against potential AQ elements just prior to the election. Military action would have validated previously ignored security concerns. As I recall, the regime had declared "GM alive, Ben Laden and AQ dead". Military action at that junction would not have fit the pre-election narrative.
Had the facility been overrun and no one killed or injured, the evacuation of the dilapidated facility could have been portrayed as a prudent, cost effective choice, an intelligence coup.
#5
I think we're ascribing too much intelligence to these people. Benghazi was nothing more than sheer incompetence and panic on the part of the Tyrant Obama's admin. The coverup was simply an attempt to hide this. These people cover up and lie about EVERYTHING. No matter how minor. I think Hillary's 3am call came and she flat out panicked and refused to let anything happen because she could not make a decision. If you understand that other people aren't really 'real' to her, just pieces and tools for her to play with, it makes more sense.
#6
The genesis of the Benghazi debacle is found in the US arming of rebel forces intended to bring down Muamar Qadafi. The Qadadfa clan hated the Benghazi people and Muamar was no different. During his four decades of rule he always kept them on a short lease. The forces that brought down Qadafi were led by Islamist elements, and Stevens was Hillary Clinton's liaison with them. Afterwards, Benghazi was a post-Qadafi collection point, with CIA funding used to re-purchase arms after the fall of Qadafi. Some bright guy at the CIA thought it wise to accept Gulf money to move arms to the rebels in Syria, and Benghazi was the point from which arms were shipped to receiving points in Turkey. Throughout, the CIA was aware of the dangerous conditions in Benghazi; it originally thought it could control the crazies, but by the time of the attack both the Agency and the Embassy, and Stevens were aware that effort had failed. The dangers to the operation were known in Washington, anc the key to events likely will be discerned some day by the publication of minutes of the meeting held by the President's security council on 10 September, the day before the attack.
#7
The pre-apology by the Cairo Embassy for the obscure utube video more than 24 hours prior to the Benghazi attack, told me the die was cast by State...because they knew what was coming.
The authors of that apology have not been identified, Benghazi's consulate was not warned, the military was not given a heads up.
When you look at that sequence, the kidnap of Stevens for exchange of the blind shiek...who the MB's had previously requested be released to them...the plot thickens.
#8
The question that has not been asked is why the Islamist elements decided to attack the US in Benghazi. Sure, they had warned the Brits and the Red Cross. And some on the ground say that the US was also warned it was a target. But what really puckered the AQ types was the fact that the arms collected in and shipped from Benghazi for the Syrian rebels particularly excluded Islamist units active in Syria. Thus the 9/11 attack served various purposes. Most importantly it told the White House that AQ was not dead and was at war with the US presence, first in Benghazi, and secondly in Libya.
#9
I agree Mugs, the vid was a convenient (or previously coordinated) cover for action. An 'everything goes to hell' default. Running the traps on where Susan Rice came up with this bit of theater would tell us much. Unfortunately, I'm not sure anyone in Washington really wants to know.
However, in my view, the Blind Shiek and kidnapping theory fails to meet the pre-election narrative.
#10
In the conduct of prisoner snatches, raids and ambushes, and the like. Time and accurate sequencing of events is of the essence. A rebel assault force remaining on or near the objective for an extended period of time (eight plus hours fits this category) places the assault force at risk to counterattack and the relief of the objective by reinforcements.
Of course if you already know no one is coming, and are simply pinned down by a few stragglers, the risk of loitering about is substantially reduced.
#11
I tend to agree with Spigum. What I suspect is being missed here is that the four at Benghazi were caught in a policy shift. An op was being run by State/CIA to send arms to Syria rebels. But there was dissension within the administration about it because some (Valerie?) didn't want to get involved in Syria on either side for fear we would be drawn in as we were in Libya or to placate Iran. Nor did Obama want to get involved in yet another mid-east war. So the decision was made to cut the losses at 4 dead Americans. And who really wanted Stevens around to tell the press what he knew?
#12
Boes, if you consider the Alinsky mindset regarding don't let a crisis go to waste, and note the Cairo apology would have been planned around early August, (the video came out in July) the olde "don't change horses in the middle of a crisis/stream" fits a pre-election timing.
#13
A "policy shift" is entirely likely. A surviving Stevens saying anything about anything in a post-Benghazi scenario.... highly unlikely. That's not how senior political appointees, career diplomats, and many senior military people reach and stay at the top. It's simply not in their make up.
#14
I believe that some guy in Cairo believed the youtube video was at fault and tweeted it and that confused matters and gave the State Department a fig leaf when they needed it.
I believe Obama knew better than experts on the ground (who tend to portray Islam as violent) and refused to listen until it was too late, and they didn't send help because the attack would be over by then, but the attack continued and continued exposing their inaction.
I believe there was an election going on and the Media wanted Obama to win so they played ball for a year.
I believe the political class delayed inquiry into this until the election was well over and the next one was over a year away to best allow them to recover and claim it was old news when the time comes.
#16
Bear in mind for a moment the proposed 'link analysis' (to be)performed in the Fast-n-Furious gun walking experiment. The end goal was to reverse engineer a C2 distribution network.
Some time after, from the same thinkers:
Imagine then tracking a warehouse of registered weapons, 'randomly distributed thru covert channels from a clustered point source'.
Pan doesn't like conspiracies. To me this smells of NGO modeling theatre behind a blind CIA OP. Bravely, SEALS did as SEALS do. The mortars were unexpected and Stevens was directed to be there to lend legitimacy.
#18
Too much top down, lack of local and regional commander's ability to act independently, coupled with command paralysis at the top (Sec Sstate, CinC) due to inexperience, incompetence, negligence, and extreme risk aversion due to political calculations. That all hit in Benghazi, and the big news outlets provided cover for this in order to insure it was buried for the election, and attempted to further the coverup to this day.
How do we hold the news organizations responsible for what would be a criminal aiding and abetting a crime, then also conspiring to assist in the coverup?
#19
For reasons unknown, could the attack and seizure of a hoped for, empty US facility been planned and trained up by some element of US personnel?
Possible, but not likely on all counts. I'm with Pan - I don't go for conspiracies.
There are several military assets that would have been able to do this, some of them US-trained. You're as capable of coming up with a list as I am.
There are also jihadi elements that received training either directly from, or through trainers that had been in, the Soviet/Russian military.
As for "hopefully empty," the facility was under surveillance since early morning of the day of the attack. Ambassador Stevens was at the gate bidding farewell to the Turkish ambassador in the few hours prior to the attack. The probability of that going unobserved is low.
And yes- I don't think the unofficial SEAL/SPECOP response was anticipated.
#20
Valid points Pappy. Beginning with the very obvious PR fiction of the lame video, I simply can't reconcile the extent the regime has gone to cover up this debacle. Gun running, poor facility security; ok, take your hits and move on....been there, done that with numerous administrations. Why the continuing cone-of-silence, secrecy, non-disclosure statements (NDS), senior officer retirements, obfuscation, and denial. Where there is smoke, there is fire.
[Libya Herald] Exports from the Mellitah oil terminal have remained at a standstill for a second day and production at the complex is running at half capacity, according to an industry source.
Some 80 Amazigh from Zuawara gained access to the terminal, apparently via the sea, on Saturday night and stopped exports from the complex. They are demanding more seats in the 60-member Constitutional Committee. Only two seats have been reserved for the Amizigh community.
The protestors are occupying part of the Mellitah complex, which is operated by Italian oil company ENI and the National Oil Company (NOC). They are preventing oil tankers from docking at the port. One ship, understood to be a Spanish vessel, is berthed at the terminal but remains only half loaded.
The Mellitah complex has the capacity to produce 160,000 barrels per day (bpd). It is not clear what production figures were before the protest but the source said that production had halved since the arrival of the Amazigh.
The gas export pipeline to Italia is still running as normal, the source confirmed to the Libya Herald. However, corruption finds a dozen alibis for its evil deeds... he said protestors were threatening to close the pipeline on Sunday if their demands were not met.
Local people, Mellitah staff, government representatives and tribal elders were all trying to negotiate with the protestors, the source added.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
White hats? It is after Labor Day gentleman if you have not noticed.
Posted by: Steven ||
10/29/2013 23:30 Comments ||
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[Al Ahram] General Magdi El-Din Barakat, the military representative to the 50-member constitutional committee, threatened to withdraw from Monday's session after a dispute broke out regarding article 50, which regulates freedom of information.
Article 50, part of the constitution's "Freedom and Rights" chapter, dictates that access to data, statistics, and documents is a right for all citizens, to be ensured by the state. The article states that information should be accessible and transparent so long as it does not violate the private rights of others or national security.
A majority of the committee voted on Monday to remove the special protection for information that concerns "national security," sparking debate, an informed source told Ahram Arabic news website.
Representatives from the ultra-conservative Salafist Nour Party and the military were among the few who voted to keep the phrase intact.
Another debate erupted on Monday regarding article 49, which establishes "freedom of scientific research."
The Nour party argued that freedom of scientific research should be granted, however research should be in accordance "to social standards," a reference to the issue of cloning.
Heart surgeon Magdi Yacoub asserted that freedom of scientific research should be unrestricted.
The 50-member constitutional committee is tasked with amending the 2012 constitution, which was suspended following the ouster of former president Mohammed Morsi ...the former president of Egypt. A proponent of the One Man, One Vote, One Time principle, Morsi won election after the deposal of Hosni Mubarak and jumped to the conclusion it was his turn to be dictator...
A final draft of the amended constitution is due for release by 3 December, when it will be referred to Interim President Adly Mansour and put to a national referendum.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2013 00:00 ||
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[Al Ahram] A majority of the committee tasked with amending the suspended 2012 constitution has voted to revise article 47, which guarantees the free exercise of religion for all citizens, committee media spokesperson Mohammed Salmawy said on Monday.
Article 47, which was first drafted by a ten-member technical committee in August, now reads "Freedom of belief is guaranteed. The state guarantees freedom of religious practice, and facilitates the building of places of worship for the Abrahamic traditions, as regulated by law."
According to Salmawy, the 50-member committee proposed on Sunday evening to amend the article's text to state "the state guarantees absolute freedom of religious practice."
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
I thought this was from the Onion. Maybe in some alternate universe this wouldn't be considered farce. Their actions speak so loudly I can't hear their words.
#2
This just means that the government isn't supposed to prohibit other religions. Nothing will prohibit private groups from torching the new churches.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
10/29/2013 14:43 Comments ||
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#3
Yes, it willl ultimately be up to the locals, but changing the official persecution light from green to red, for whatever reason, is the right direction opposite of the hand-chopper cover the pyramid party.
And the way Egypt has been going recently, I'll give the government the benefit of the doubt.
[An Nahar] Egypt's ousted president Mohammed Morsi ...the former president of Egypt. A proponent of the One Man, One Vote, One Time principle, Morsi won election after the deposal of Hosni Mubarak and jumped to the conclusion it was his turn to be dictator... has rejected the authority of the court that is due to try him next week for incitement to murder, his supporters said Monday.
Morsi, an Islamist hailing from the Moslem Brüderbund who was Egypt's first freely elected leader, was ousted by the military on July 3 amid massive protests against his year-long rule.
He is due to stand trial with 14 others on November 4 for "incitement to murder" in connection with deadly festivities between his supporters and opponents outside the presidential palace in December 2012.
"No lawyers will be defending president Mohammed Morsi, neither Egyptians nor foreigners, because the president does not recognize the trial or any action and processes that result from the coup," the Anti-Coup Alliance, led by the Moslem Brüderbund, said in a statement.
The group said a team of Egyptian lawyers would be attending the trial with Morsi, but only "to observe proceedings, not to defend him."
It said its statement was prompted by false reports in pro-military media outlets saying the Moslem Brüderbund had appointed lawyers from Turkey and Qatar to represent Morsi.
The group called on international human rights One man's rights are another man's existential threat. activists and lawyers to attend the trial to see firsthand "the trampling of justice."
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
At least Hosni had the grace not to try that approach.
[Jpost] UAE, Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... and Kuwait, which oppose the Moslem Brüderbund, have already pledged $12b. in aid to Egypt.
Egypt signed an agreement for $4.9 billion with the United Arab Emirates on Saturday in which it decided to support the country's development with an additional $3.9b. in aid after previously agreeing to around $1b. in July.
The signing of the agreement took place in the presence of General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and called for the construction of 25 wheat and grain silos, and other healthcare, housing, and development projects, according to the Emirates News Agency.
Egyptian interim Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi arrived in the UAE Friday for a three-day trip.
Beblawi, in a meeting with members of the Egyptian community in Abu Dhabi on Friday, said that the UAE was providing vital support for Egypt after its revolution.
"The UAE has been extending support to Egypt in political, economic and investment fronts. Moreover, the UAE diplomacy played a key role in rallying support for the revolution among several countries and, needless to say, its financial support has helped Egypt avert many crises," he said, according to the Dubai based Khaleej Times.
"I am very upbeat about the future of Egypt, but that does not mean things will be easy. Egypt is now like a recovering patient who needs to be attended to carefully," said Beblawi.
The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, which oppose the Moslem Brüderbund and supported the military coup by the Egyptian army, have already pledged $12b. in aid.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
10/29/2013 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Kuwait's court of appeals on Monday upheld a 10-year jail term against a Shiite tweeter for remarks deemed offensive to Islam's Prophet Mohammed, his wife and companions.
Hamad al-Naqi, 23, who has been in jail since March 2012, was found guilty of the religious insults and of criticizing the leaders of neighboring Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... and Bahrain, according to the court ruling.
He was handed the heavy sentence by a lower court in June last year. The ruling can still be challenged in the supreme court.
Naqi was tried on charges of insulting Islam's Prophet Mohammed, in addition to his wife Aisha and several companions, who are revered by Sunni Musselmens.
He posted the offensive messages on two Twitter accounts in February and March of 2012, according to the ruling.
Naqi claimed his Twitter accounts were hacked during that period.
In recent months, Kuwait has tossed in the clink I ain't sayin' nuttin' widdout me mout'piece! tweeters and activists amid sectarian tensions between the emirate's Sunni majority and Shiite minority.
Opposition activists have also been tossed in the clink I ain't sayin' nuttin' widdout me mout'piece! for using Twitter to insult the emir of the oil-rich Gulf state.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
Now, if somebody were to hack Twitter and alias tweets from certain leadership...
[Bangla Daily Star] Radical Islamist group Hefajat-e Islam has warned of a civil war if the government goes ahead with its plan to control Qawmi madrasas like state-funded Alia madrasas.
"We won't allow Qawmi madrasas to be controlled by the government. Lakhs of people will be killed if anyone tries to control Qwami Madrasa," secretary general of Hefajat, told a press conference in Chittagong yesterday.
The press conference, at AB Community Centre at Hathazari, was held to warn the government against passing Qawmi Madrasa Shikkha Kartripakkha Ain-2013.
"We won't abide by such a law," Hefajat Ameer Shah Ahmed Shafi told reporters at his madrasa in Hathazari after the press conference.
"Don't try to control Qawmi Madrasa. There will be a civil war if you do," he warned.
Allegations are that a section of Qawmi Madrasa students and teachers are involved in militancy. But Shafi said those allegations were false.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2013 00:00 ||
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[Ynet] Jack Straw says in parliament debate 'unlimited' funds available to Jewish groups in US used to control America's Mideast policy; adds Germany's 'obsession' with defending Israel another obstacle for peace
#2
Mr. Straw, kindly perform an anatomically impossible autoerotic act.
Brainless jackass.
Posted by: Barbara ||
10/29/2013 15:19 Comments ||
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#3
It's really amazing to me what 12 million people (including cheeldrens) are allegedly able to accomplish, Miss Bossy Pants-wise-speaking, on a planet of mostly hostile billions.
#4
It's like they have super mind-control powers or sumthin'. I suspect if the Juices did not exist, it would be necessary to invent them. There has to be some reason our economies are in the dumpster. It can't be the socialism!
Paging Emmanuel Goldstein to the white courtesy phone...
He says it was prolly a buncha kids. I doubt that. Vanderboegh has been front and center the reason why no one can move anti 2nd Amendment laws. A buncha kids is but part of the crowd Obamettes would use.
F*ckers.
So, I took my life in my hands and called the cops to make a police report. Mostly I wanted to see if there had been any other incidents of the like elsewhere in the neighborhood. The disinterested sheriff's deputy has come and gone, taking the projectile with him. But he did say that there had been no other reports tonight or any time in the recent past.
Hmm. Not what I expected. Occam's razor would seem to dictate that it was a bunch of kids with a slingshot. For now I've got a shaken Rosey with me downstairs below ground level. All the windows down here are barricaded with so many shelves of thick books I doubt a .30-06 would penetrate.
[Ynet] A nonprofit political advocacy group which emanated from President Barack Obama I've now been in 57 states -- I think one left to go... 's re-election campaign says hackers altered the links contained in tweets sent under his name.
A group called the Syrian Electronic Armygrabbed credit for the action. The group aligns itself with Syrian Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Horror of Homs... and has taken credit for hacking into social media sites in the past. The group said, quote, "Obama doesn't have any ethical issues with spying on the world, so we took it upon ourselves to return the favor."
[Dawn] Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... on Monday said the issue of Dr Shakil Afridi -- a local doctor who helped US authorities to locate the late Osama bin Laden ... who used to be alive but now he's not... in Abbottabad ... A pleasant city located only 30 convenient miles from Islamabad. The city is noted for its nice weather and good schools. It is the site of Pakistain's military academy, which was within comfortable walking distance of the residence of the late Osama bin Laden.... -- was subjudice and the court would decide it according to the Pak law.
He said this after arriving in the United Kingdom on a three-day visit to participate in the 9th meeting of World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF).
The prime minister will address the opening session of the forum on October 29 and apprise the participants of his government's priorities particularly in the economic field.
Speaking to media representatives after landing in London, he said the government would not take any extra-judicial step over the issue of Dr Shakil Afridi.
The US authorities have been pressurising Pakistain to hand over Dr Afridi to America.
Afridi was convicted and sentenced to 33 years last year in May by a tribal court for his involvement in anti-state activities. A judicial official overturned the 33-year jail sentence in August this year but Afridi remains in detention.
He is accused of colluding with banned myrmidon outfit Lashkar-e-Islam and its chief Mangal Bagh ...a former bus driver, now head of the Deobandi bandido group Lashkar-e-Islam and the Terror of Khyber Agency... .
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was accompanied by his advisor on national security and foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2013 00:00 ||
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[Dawn] Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... met with Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...Assembly of Islamic Clergy, or JUI, is a Pak Deobandi (Hanafi) political party. There are two main branches, one led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and one led by Maulana Samiul Haq. Fazl is active in Pak politix and Sami spends more time running his madrassah. Both branches sponsor branches of the Taliban, though with plausible deniability... Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty ... on Monday and the two leaders held consultations over holding talks with myrmidon groups as well as over the possible inclusion of JUI-F in the federal cabinet, DawnNews reported.
According to sources, the JUI-F chief called upon Sharif at the Noor Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi before the premier's departure to Britannia today.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Information Minister Pervez Rashid were also present at the meeting.
During the meeting, consultations were held amongst the leaders over negotiations with myrmidon groups and Prime Minister Sharif and the interior minister briefed Rehman regarding progress on these talks.
Moreover, discussions were also held to include JUI-F in the federal cabinet.
Sources said the premier also took the JUI-F chief in confidence regarding his visit to the United States.
Earlier on October 24, Prime Minister Sharif and US President Barack Obama I inhaled. That was the point... held a 90-minute long one-on-one meeting at the White House's Oval Office.
Sharif had brought up the issue of US drone strikes in Pakistain and told the American president that the strikes need to end.
The two leaders had also discussed Pakistain's ties with India, including the Kashmire issue.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2013 00:00 ||
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[Dawn] Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... on Monday left for a three-day official visit to London where he will attend a trilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister David Cameron ... 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 not. Since he is not deeply ideological he lacks core principles and is easily led. 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 ... and Afghanistan president Hamid Maybe I'll join the Taliban Karzai ... A former Baltimore restaurateur, now 12th and current President of Afghanistan, displacing the legitimate president Rabbani in December 2004. He was installed as the dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001 in a vain attempt to put a Pashtun face on the successor state to the Taliban. After the 2004 presidential election, he was declared president regardless of what the actual vote count was. He won a second, even more dubious, five-year-term after the 2009 presidential election. His grip on reality has been slipping steadily since around 2007, probably from heavy drug use... on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, DawnNews reported.
Prime Minister Sharif will participate in tripartite negotiations to be held among Pakistain, Britannia and Afghanistan at the summit hosted by Cameron.
Afghanistan will demand an explanation from Pakistain on the whereabouts of former Taliban second-in-command Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar when the leaders of both countries meet at the summit to discuss how to end years of insurgency, Rooters had earlier quoted an Afghan official as saying.
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[Dawn] The opposition leader in Balochistan ...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it... Assembly has claimed that Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch is preparing to quit following his failure to recover missing persons and bring an end to recovery of mutilated dead bodies in the province.
Addressing a presser at his chamber on Monday, Maulana Wasey of Jamaat Ulemai-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) said Dr Baloch's presser in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... was disappointing and far from ground realities. He said the chief minister and his coalition partners have deceived the masses since they had made tall claims before the elections to stop recovery of mutilated dead bodies.
"Number of missing persons has increased and bullet- riddled dead bodies are being recovered every day," he asserted.
The opposition leader's reaction has come a day after Balochistan Chief Minister Baloch admitted at meet the press in Karachi that he was failing to recover the missing political workers. "I have been unsuccessful so far. I need time and space to work on the missing persons' case. Dialogue and institutional reforms are necessary at the moment," said the CM.
Maulana Wasey said under a pre-planned conspiracy, renowned politician Arbab Zahir Kasi was picked up in brazen day light from Quetta. "Where is writ of the government," he questioned.
The opposition leader, who remained a senior minister for ten years in Balochistan, lamented that the current coalition partners were fighting on attractive ministries rather than addressing the grievances of masses. "They could not even form government for five months," he said.
He said the present nationalist government was merely paying a lip service in terms of addressing the grievances of masses, adding that even Supreme Court had praised Nawab Aslam Raisani-led government regarding the recovery of missing persons.
"During our government we recovered missing persons and produced them before the court of law," he claimed.
In the meantime, Chairman Baloch Voice for Missing Persons Nasrullah Baloch claimed that law enforcers in plain clothes had picked up his brother on Sunday. "They tortured my brother and set him free after the crowd was gathered," he blamed.
Baloch also demanded of the government to provide protection to the participants of long march.
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[Dawn] Six months after undergoing a series of operations, Mian Syed Wahid, 65, is recovering and is now able to sit properly.
He was among the many people inside The Nation Secondary School that came under attack on March 30 this year.
Situated in Ittehad Town, a prize distribution ceremony was under way in the school when one after the other three hand grenades were lobbed at the school by gunnies, followed by shooting.
While principal of the school Rasheed Ahmed died on his way to hospital, chief guest Wahid, who got hit by a bullet near his kidney, underwent two operations and a surgery and survived.
Besides the principal, a grade four student, 10-year-old Tahira Noor, also succumbed to her injuries. "Twelve people were maimed in the attack," said Mohammad Ali, an eyewitness.
Six months later the school continues to run, with children from nearby neighbourhoods filling the classrooms. But the major difference this time around is that there are fewer girls in attendance.
Sitting in a hunched position, in an open veranda of an Awami National Party (ANP) office in the area, Wahid speaks slowly about what happened. "Rasheed [the dear departed principal] was receiving extortion chits from some criminals. I told him not to mess with them, but he didn't listen and sought help from the authorities. A couple of days later this incident occurred," he said.
A close friend of Rasheed's, Wahid was the only person who spoke against arranging a prize distribution ceremony. "I thought it was too risky considering the kind of threats Rasheed was receiving. But he insisted upon the ceremony arguing that schoolchildren looked forward to such events and he didn't want to disappoint them," he adds quietly.
A predominantly Pakhtun locality, a huge chunk of the population hails from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), with small pockets of Baloch and Urdu-speaking neighbourhoods, Ittehad Town is considered to be infested with krazed killers. Initial reports that came after the attack on the school also suggested the same. But the school administration completely refuted it.
Wahid, however, believes that, some "criminal elements" might be using the name of forces of Evil to extort money, adding that forces of Evil did have a presence in Ittehad Town. "From what we know, there are two factions active in our part of the town: Mehsuds and Kandaharis.
They operate openly in this area, with the police completely powerless to stop them. Also, small-time crooks use their name to instill fear among the people."
SSP-West Irfan Baloch repeated what Wahid said, claiming that the ongoing operation in the city had "somewhat weakened their presence".
He however refused to comment further on the attack or the arrests made afterwards, adding that he had recently joined service and was not updated on the matter.
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[An Nahar] A Jordanian MP was placed in durance vile You have the right to remain silent... on Monday for his alleged role in a September fight in parliament, where another politician fired a Kalashnikov assault rifle at a third colleague, an official said.
"Yahia al-Saud was jugged Maw! They're comin' to get me, Maw! today after prosecutors charged him with inciting murder, defamation and slander," the judicial official told Agence La Belle France Presse.
"He was remanded in jug for 14 days pending further investigation," he added.
On September 10, MP Talal al-Sharif shot a Kalashnikov at his colleague Qusay al-Dumaisi during an altercation in the lower house, without hitting him.
The shooting came two days after an argument broke out in parliament between Dumaisi and Saud.
Video footage showed Dumaisi removing his shoes and Saud his belt during the dispute, which flared due to differences over parliamentary procedure, before they were separated.
"Prosecters found evidence that Saud incited Sharif to shoot at Dumaisi," another judicial official told AFP.
MP Khalil Atiyeh, deputy house speaker, confirmed the detention of Saud.
"Saud at the moment does not enjoy immunity because parliament is in recess," Atiyeh told AFP.
Saud, who faces up to three years in prison "could be expelled if convicted," Atiyeh said.
Sharif was expelled from parliament and Dumaisi suspended for one year.
Sharif, currently in jail, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearms and resisting the security forces.
In July 2012, a live television debate on domestic issues between two deputies also degenerated into fisticuffs before one of them pulled out a gun and was overpowered.
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[Ynet] Upcoming prisoner release won't affect security, will reinforce Abbas, says National Security Studies Institute researcher. 'Paleostinians no Zionists, but terror on decline,' says expert
As Israel prepares to release another group of 26 Paleostinian prisoners later this week, Israeli security experts say security cooperation with the Paleostinian Authority remains solid despite three separate incidents in which Paleostinians killed Israelis. The security experts say they do not see the killings as evidence of a new intifada, or Paleostinian uprising.
"This is the best security cooperation we've had in years," Shlomo Brom, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and a retired brigadier general in the Israeli army told The Media Line. "The Paleostinian security forces are much more professional than in the past and they are not political."
Brom said there has been a decision by Paleostinian President the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas ... a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial... to maintain security cooperation with Israel, despite growing anger in the Paleostinian street against Israel's continued construction in post-1967 areas.
Israeli press reported that last week, Paleostinian security forces placed in durance vile Yez got nuttin' on me, coppers! Nuttin'! three members of the Islamist Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, movement who planned to send drones carrying explosives into Israel. The reports quoted Paleostinian security officials that the men had already carried out test flights and were in advanced preparations to launch a miniature drone.
The planned attack came after three Israelis were killed recently in separate incidents. In the most recent one, a former army colonel was killed in his home in the Jordan Valley in an area that Israel acquired in 1967. Last month, an Israeli soldier was killed by a sniper in the West Bank city of Hebron. Also last month, an off-duty Israeli soldier was killed after he was lured to a Paleostinian village by a co-worker.
The three separate incidents, coming so close together, and after a long period of relative calm, shook up Israelis and raised fears that a new Paleostinian uprising could be on the way. However, we can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by... security officials say, in the cases of the off-duty soldier and the army colonel, there may have been disputes over money that contributed to the murders.
At the same time, say Israeli experts, Paleostinians are angry about many Israeli policies.
"The ethos of the Paleostinian people has not changed, nobody became a Zionist or has any love of Israel," Ronni Shaked, an Israeli journalist who covered the Paleostinians for 20 years and is now a researcher at the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told The Media Line. "But most of the terrorist activity since 2008 was sporadic operations, like someone just deciding to take a construction tool in hand and kill a Jew. It is not organized Paleostinian terrorism like it was ten years ago."
Israeli security officials, including Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon have recently praised the Paleostinian Authority for their close cooperation with Israel. Abbas has paid a political price, as the Islamist Hamas movement, which controls the Gazoo Strip, has accused Abbas of "doing Israel's dirty work."
Israel is set to release an additional 26 Paleostinian prisoners, almost all of whom have been convicted of murdering Israelis, as a good-will gesture as part of the resumption of Israeli-Paleostinian peace talks. Shaked says that some 17 percent of Paleostinian prisoners return to terrorism, as compared with 66 percent of criminals who are recidivists. At the same time, he says an estimated 500,000 Paleostinians have spent at least one night in an Israeli jail.
The prisoner issue is a hot --button issue that cuts across political lines.
"We need to encourage the Paleostinian Authority to continue security cooperation," Shaked said. "And releasing prisoners will give Abbas the feeling that he achieved something from Israel."
That, Shaked and Brom agree, will only strengthen Abbas and the more moderate forces among the Paleostinians. If the current round of negotiations achieves a deal, it will put Abbas in a better position to win a Paleostinian referendum for a deal with Israel.
[Al Ahram] The head of powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah and key Damascus ally Hassan Nasrallah on Monday accused Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... of blocking a political solution to the conflict in Syria.
Nasrallah said the Gulf kingdom was "furious because the situation in Syria has not worked out in its favour", in a speech broadcast on a large screen set up in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold.
Riyadh has been a key backer of rebel groups fighting to topple the government of Syrian Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Leveler of Latakia... since March 2011.
"Today, political dialogue and the search for a political solution are enjoying international, regional and interior support ... but there is a state in the region which is furious (about the proposed Geneva II peace conference), and its name is Saudi Arabia," Nasrallah charged.
Relations between Washington and Riyadh have been strained since the United States backed away from military action against Assad over alleged chemical weapons attacks in August.
Ties have worsened further between the two allies over Washington's recent engagement with Iran, Saudi Arabia's arch-foe in the region.
Nasrallah said that the oil-rich Gulf kingdom had sent imported muscle, weapons and money to back Syrian rebels fighting the government in Damascus to bring about Assad's fall.
"But it didn't work," said Nasrallah, who has admitted sending Hezbollah fighters to battle alongside government troops in Syria as they seek to crush rebel forces.
"The region cannot be torn apart by war because a state is furious and is trying to hinder any political dialogue and push back Geneva II," he said.
"Their obstinacy is pointless," he added.
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[Dawn] Iran's press watchdog has imposed a ban on reformist newspaper Bahar for publishing an article seen by critics as questioning the beliefs of Shia Islam, media reported Monday.
"Based on the verdict issued by the press supervisory board, Bahar newspaper has been banned and its case has been referred to the judiciary," Mehr news agency quoted press watchdog head Alaedin Zohourian as saying.
Bahar has issued an apology note, saying publishing an article last week was an "unintentional mistake", and it temporarily suspended activities on Saturday to "ease the tensions".
"The article which has sadly hurt the feelings of the believers was published due to a technical error ... Editorial has apologised several times and criticised the article to show it was contrary to Bahar (political) line,"read its statement.
Iran's new President Hassan Rouhani, who has the support of reformists and moderates, pledged to work for more social freedom during his election campaign.
Several reformist journalists and political activists have been released since he took office in August.
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[An Nahar] U.N.-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... envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who arrived in Damascus Monday, believes Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Lord of the Baath... could contribute to the transition to a "new" Syria, but not as the country's leader.
Brahimi, who was in Syria on the latest leg of a regional tour to rally support for peace talks, spoke about Assad in an interview in Gay Paree with the Jeune Afrique website published Monday.
"Many of those around (Assad) believe his candidacy (for a new presidential term in 2014) is a fact. He considers this an absolute right... He thinks above all of completing his mandate," the veteran Algerian diplomat said.
However, we can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by... "what history teaches us is that after a crisis like this there is no going back. President Assad could therefore usefully contribute to the transition from the Syria of before, that of his father (the late president Hafez Assad) and himself, to what I call the new Republic of Syria."
Brahimi said the U.S.-Russian accord to dismantle Syria's chemical arsenal had transformed Assad from a "pariah" into a "partner" and convinced his supporters even more of his ability to prevail.
Brahimi also faces an uphill battle in convincing the fractured opposition to attend the Geneva talks, after 19 Islamist rebel groups warned that anyone taking part in the talks would be considered a traitor.
"This conference is the beginning of a process. We hope that the opposition will manage to agree on a credible and representative delegation," Brahimi said.
"We should not delude ourselves: the entire world will not be present. But as the process continues, it should include as much of the world as possible."
Brahimi, a veteran international troubleshooter, said he feared that if a settlement could not be reached Syria may become a failed state like Somalia, which has not had a functioning government for two decades.
"The real threat in Syria is not the partition of the country. The real danger is a sort of "Somalization," but even more deep and lasting than what we have seen in Somalia."
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[An Nahar] Hizbullah chief His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah The satrap of the Medes and the Persians in Leb... criticized on Monday the state for failing to address the networks that are planting booby-trapped cars in Leb.
He said: "The state is aware of the activity of these networks, but is not lifting a finger to stop them."
He made his remarks during a speech marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Great Prophet Hospital.
"The state is aware of the various security threats in Leb and it cannot be selective in tackling them," he added.
Nasrallah therefore demanded that the caretaker government convene in order to address security threats, saying: "It should not convene only after an kaboom takes place. These issues cannot be postponed."
Addressing the festivities in the northern city of Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... , the Hizbullah chief urged the cabinet to take a "firm decision" to put an end to the instability in the city.
"The army and security forces should take over control in Tripoli and the people should provide them with the necessary support while they perform their duties," he continued.
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#1
You wanted your own little self-governing, self-policing dominion, Sayyed.
Deal with it.
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
10/29/2013 8:11 Comments ||
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#2
Sauce, Goose, Gander
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/29/2013 9:38 Comments ||
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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.
[TOLONEWS] Zalmai Zabuli, the head of the Senate Complaints Commission, launched scathing accusations against General Musa Wardak, the head of the Ministry of Defense's (MoD) Health Department, and called for his dismissal on Monday.
[Libya Herald] Exports from the Mellitah oil terminal have remained at a standstill for a second day and production at the complex is running at half capacity, according to an industry source.
[An Nahar] Egypt's ousted president 
[Jpost] UAE, 
[An Nahar] Kuwait's court of appeals on Monday upheld a 10-year jail term against a Shiite tweeter for remarks deemed offensive to Islam's Prophet Mohammed, his wife and companions.
[Ynet] Jack Straw says in parliament debate 'unlimited' funds available to Jewish groups in US used to control America's Mideast policy; adds Germany's 'obsession' with defending Israel another obstacle for peace
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
Nawaz Sharif
Maulana Fazlur Rehman
David Cameron
[Ynet] Upcoming prisoner release won't affect security, will reinforce Abbas, says National Security Studies Institute researcher. 'Paleostinians no Zionists, but terror on decline,' says expert
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
[An Nahar] Hizbullah chief 
