Afghanistan's interim administration named Taj Mohammad Wardag as the new governor of eastern Paktia province, despite threats of violence from a local warlord who wants the job. Hamid Karzai personally appointed Wardag, a former governor of northeastern Badakhshan province. Tribal commander Padsha Khan earlier warned he would wage war if anyone else got the boodle was appointed governor, and repeated allegations that his rivals were working with al-Qaeda. "The people, tribes, nation and I do not accept the new governor if he is appointed. We will fight there till the end of al-Qaeda," he said.
Karzai had earlier appointed Khan, but withdrew his support for the Pashtun tough guy after he tried to take up his post by force two weeks ago, leading to street fighting with a rival warlord. Now Karzai's got to make the appointment stick. If Khan tries to keep him out, Karzai either has to come down on him with both feet (rent the feet from Dostum or Ismail Khan if necessary) or he's gonna roll over and be the warlords' puppy. If he's the warlords' puppy, the US would be well advised to take its money and its kind words and go home, because the Afghans are intent on screwing things up royal all over again.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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US forces detained seven gunnies after an attack on a US base at Kandahar airport, but three others were seen leaving the area in a vehicle. No casualties were reported on either side. Apache AH-64 helicopter gunships were sent out to search the perimeter of the base, which also includes a detention center for al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners. The assailants used small arms fire to probe the bases defenses and that US forces responded by firing mortar rounds to illuminate the area and machineguns. They'll want to question them pretty thoroughly to find out what objective, if any, there was to the attack.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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President Bush has decided to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and ordered the CIA, the Pentagon and other agencies to devise a combination of military, diplomatic and covert steps to achieve that goal. No military strike is imminent, but Bush has concluded that Hussein and his nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs are such a threat to U.S. security that the Iraqi dictator must be removed, even if U.S. allies do not help, said the officials, who all spoke on condition of anonymity. I hope that means that the al-Qaeda problem is well under control. Sammy's a different flavor irritant.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan said Wednesday there was no need for "spies" of the U.N. weapon inspection teams to return to the country. "There is no need for the spies of the (U.N.) inspection teams to return to Iraq since Iraq is free of weapons of mass destruction," the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) quoted Ramadan as saying. Ramadan made his comments at a meeting with a group of pro-Baghdad Kurdish figures. "Yeah. We're honest and true. Take our word for it."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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Bjoern posts a link to this beautiful piece by Iranian ex-diplomat Fereydoun Hoveyda:
The United States is far from being an ideal society. It has many shortcomings. In some domains, Europeans seem more advanced. Nevertheless, I submit that the original notion of "pursuit of happiness", puts the American Revolution ahead of all other progressive revolutions. In a way, this idea encompasses all other rights and freedoms. It tells that governments are established only to secure the basic needs and rights of citizens, that governments derive their powers from the people, and many other things too. It means that humans are born equal and free. It constitutes a bulwark against tyranny and exploitation. Rather than "exporting Democracy," the USA should spend a lot more time exporting the "pursuit of happiness" idea. The world-wide adoption of the idea as a norm would end societies that are dependent on keeping their citizens straight-jacketed, would end the brutality that has for so very many years been mankind's lot. But that'll never happen. We're lucky it's happened here. We'll be even luckier if it stays happened.
The Taliban would be aghast at the idea. ZANU/PF would find it incomprehensible. The ayatollahs would take the gas pipe and the Saudi princes would probably die on the spot of collective apoplexy. But they're only the obvious suspects. People like the Mullahs of Mumbai would also find it - how shall we say this? - Sinful. So would Chomsky, Fish, Ramsey Clark, Ted Rall and the rest of the Suzy Creamcheese set. And the communists, facists and other ists. So would various Malefactors of Great Wealth. So if it's an ideology to push - call it Libertarianism with Human Face - it's going to have an uphill climb.
But it sure will be nice if, against all odds, it wins in the end.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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John Walker Lindh pleaded innocent to a 10-count federal indictment that charged him with conspiring to kill Americans while a Taliban soldier, and aiding Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis did not set a trial date, but said that as a target, he would like jury selection to begin in late August. Boy, ain't that a "rocket docket." If this goober had been caught goosestepping with the SS in April 1945, his neck would have been a yard long well before May 1945.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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Yasser Arafat and his West Bank security chief got into such an angry argument that the PLO chairman-for-life drew his pistol. In a scene out of a Wild West movie, bodyguards of both men also pulled out firearms before security chief Jibril Rajoub was dragged out of Arafatâs headquarters. The confrontation began when Rajoub - who has described himself as Arafatâs successor - urged Arafat to crack down on terrorism in order to win back some respect from the Bush administration. Arafat accused Rajoub of insubordination. At one point Arafat shouted at Rajoub: "Israeli spy! CIA agent!" Arafat also slapped Rajoubâs face before the security chief was pulled from the room by Arafatâs bodyguards. Those Israelis are really sadistic at heart. It would have been so much more merciful to just kill the old thug than to let him deteriorate into incoherence.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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The Palestinian leadership is losing control to gangs of Tanzim thugs who are ignoring orders to reduce the violence. He said Yasser Arafat is unwilling to order a crackdown on the gangs challenging his authority, and even if he did, it would be difficult for his security services to enforce such an order. "They don't even listen to [West Bank Tanzim leader] Marwan Barghouti, who is telling them to calm down the situation," an Israeli source said. "The Palestinian leadership is weaker than it used to be because the gangs are only accepting escalation," he said, adding they are also engaged in extortion and violence among the Palestinian communities. This is the logical - and predictable - outcome of this 4th Generation war. When all of life is reduced to "us-them" there's no room for compromise. Add in Yasser's spectacular talent for bad faith and there was never any chance at a working "Palestinian Authority." Welcome to rule by snuffy.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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Israel's security services believe the majority of the Palestinians won't accept Hamas leadership, and a post-Arafat leadership will most likely involve a "junta" set up between political and security leaders. "We won't have any worse chaos than we have today," an Israeli security source said. "Until Arafat loses consciousness, no one will dare take even the slightest step [to take over] because he won't let them." That means they'll have an "unfortunate accident" if they get too uppity.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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Fifteen Palestinians suspected of terrorist activities, among them a number of fugitives affiliated with Islamic Jihad and Fatah Tanzim, were arrested by Israeli soldiers. The arrests came as Israeli security officials estimated that only seven of the Palestinian terrorists wanted for their involvement in terror attacks who were incarcerated in Palestinian jails remain in custody. Officials said that of a list of 33 Palestinian fugitives Israel demanded the Palestinian Authority arrest, only 14 were actually arrested. In recent days seven were released from Palestinian jails. On December 5th (archives aren't fixed yet, darn it) I wrote "Prediction: Arafat has a list of 36 terror leaders; perhaps a dozen will be rounded up and he'll consider the job done. They'll be released shortly after things cool off again." Guess I was wrong. Things have gotten even worse, and they still released them.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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Arafat ordered local Fatah members to disarm the rival factions - Hamas and Islamic Jihad and even some elements within Fatah - that are overpowering the PA-based bodies in the Gaza Strip. Arafat convened Palestinian leaders for a meeting last week and asked them to order their activists not to commit any terrorist attacks during Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's official visit to the United States, in light of the US's recent staunch support of Israel's retaliatory moves in the territories. They told Arafat he would first have to prevent Fatah from carrying out such attacks.
Arafat responded by calling members of Fatah's supreme committee and PA Preventive Security Service heads - including Rajoub and West Bank General Intelligence chief Tawfik Tirawi - for a meeting on Saturday. At the meeting they discussed the future of the Aksa Martyrs' Brigades' role in the "armed struggle," as well as the possibility of converting Hamas and Islamic Jihad into exclusively non-military political bodies, internal power struggles within Fatah, corruption in the PA, and a state of lawlessness in PA areas that some described as "a lawless jungle." Figger the odds on getting them to disarm and drop the "armed struggle" nonsense. They're having too much fun waving their guns and watching each other explode.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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Three Palestinian policemen were killed when tanks blasted their barracks near Deir Al-Balah overnight. Seven thousand lemmings people turned out for their funeral later in the town. Among those marching in the military funeral ceremony were 500 Hamas supporters, who had gun sex fired into the air and chanted slogans calling for revenge. A fourth policeman and a Palestinian civilian were also killed by Israeli fire in Beit Hanoun. Four Israeli tanks and two bulldozers also entered the al-Maghazi refugee camp next to Deir Al-Balah and took over a position of the Palestinian National Security services. Guess it gives them something to do.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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Sheikh Omar has confessed to kidnapping US journalist Daniel Pearl during intense interrogation. "The interrogation is continuing. He is talking but he is a hard nut to crack. We hope he will come out with the truth," a senior police interrogator said. Omar told interrogators that several people were involved in the kidnapping, but he refused to identify them or give Pearl's whereabouts. They're not hitting him hard enough. You can tell.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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But after questioning Saeed today, investigators began to reconsider whether he originated the abduction or was merely one of several important figures. Pakistani officials said Saeed admitted being involved in the scheme to lure Pearl to a Karachi restaurant on Jan. 23, but they said the suspect insisted he did not know where Pearl was being held.
"Sheik Omar may be an active player in the whole game, but he was not the captain of the team," a senior investigator said tonight. I'm not sure there is a top. The whole thing looks like it was carried out by underlings on the spur of the moment.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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A suspected al-Qaida member blew himself up after being cornered by security forces in a San'a suburb. Sameer Mohammed Ahmed al-Hada, 25, was trying to flee from Yemen authorities who had staked out his house. Officers approached al-Hada as he left his house, but the suspect ran and tried to throw a grenade that detonated in his hand and killed him instantly. No police were injured. Police arrested another man who was sitting in a car outside al-Hada's house at the time. Bet the fellow they picked up sitting in the car wishes he'd taken the bus.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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Amygdala links to this world-shaker:
The Shiv Sena, the radical Hindu political party that is a powerful force in Mumbai, sees in Cupid the very avatar of Western culture, a symbol of its corrupting influence over traditional Indian society. Last year, supporters of Shiv Sena stormed shops that carried Valentine's Day greeting cards, overturned display racks and made bonfires on the streets. This year, Sena leaders issued another death warrant of sorts against Valentine's Day, calling it a frivolous occasion that sullies Indian values and gives young people another excuse to spend their parents' money.
Pramod Navalkar, a Shiv Sena man and the former culture minister of the state of Maharashtra declared: "Drinking, dancing. Drinking, dancing. These two D's are destroying us." Taliban of the Hindu right, guardians of Indian values, or killjoys of the Bombay spirit? Public opinion on the Shiv Sena here is by no means uniform. What is certain is that their crusade against Cupid is merely the latest sign of a creeping puritanism that aims to make this India metropolis less freewheeling. Ummm... Yes. Valentine's Day is frivolous - it's supposed to be. If you don't like it, then make faces at your wife/girlfriend or call her names or something. Or change Cupid's name to something indigenous.
Contrary to the opinions of Hindu fundamentalists, India has a proud history of frivolty and mirth second to none, much of it involving boys and girls doing frivolous and mirthful things together. We're talkin' nekkid dancing girls, Kama Sutra country, and some temple statuary that John Ashcroft's staff would have draped in jig time. Here's hoping that the population of Bombay is stocking up on rotted fruit so they can have some serious discussions with these yokels.
If you want to be a real fundamentalist in India, don't you have to perform the horse sacrifice and guzzle soma?
If not the horse sacrifice, at least the Tijuana donkey show, it's modern cousin.
How did you know about that? Posted by Richard Bennett [www.bennett.com] 2/13/2002 6:02:22 AM
Always hated Valentines Day but they are being a tad extreme. Just ignore and give your wife/gf flowers the day before or after. Why should chocolates and flowers be a once a year thing? I send them whenever I feel like it, not when some pin-head Hallmark decrees I should. Posted by Andrew Ian Dodge (Dodgeblog.blogspot.com) 2/13/2002 12:46:53 PM
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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The United States is preparing to launch surveillance flights over Somalia and Yemen in the next phase of its war against terrorism. Britain, France and Germany are set to offer support to Washington as it turns its attention to the two countries, which it believes are harbouring Al-Qaeda terrorist training camps. 'It won't be on the scale of Afghanistan, but there is enough information about Somalia and Yemen to merit a coalition operation,' a military source said. Apparently there's nothing happening in either place, so we'll just keep an eye on them. Even our "allies" can't object to that.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) helped Pakistani police rescue a seven-year-old girl who had been kidnapped for ransom and taken to Afghanistan. Police rescued Ambreen Yousaf, who was abducted from Quetta on January 10, after a motorcycle chase across the border into Afghanistan's Spin Boldak area. Shoaib Suddle, inspector general of police in southwestern Baluchistan province, said the FBI "provided very useful technical help in tracing the whereabouts of the abductors."
The girl was kidnapped by four armed men, who allegedly shot dead a shopkeeper who had tried to raise the alarm, and taken to a hideout in Spin Boldak. Two days later the kidnappers delivered a ransom demand to her parents for 10 million rupees (166,000 dollars). Baluchistan police contacted the FBI and the authorities in Kandahar while the kidnappers reduced their ransom demand to three million rupees.
FBI agents monitored phone conversations with the kidnappers and were able to pinpoint their whereabouts. As the money was taken to the Chaman border point on Tuesday, it was snatched by an Afghan accomplice of the kidnappers who was armed with a handgrenade. The accomplice fled into Afghanistan on a motorbike, Suddle said.
"He was chased by the Pakistani police and arrested. Later with the help of locals the girl was recovered from a hideout in safe condition and is being brought back to Quetta," he said. The daylight kidnapping of Ambreen, whose father is a child specialist, had caused widespread anger among residents. Okay. I admit it. I'm a sucker for stories like this. Were Mahbub Ali and Hurree Chunder Mukkerjee a part of this operation?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/13/2002 ||
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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.
