[Asia Times] By Syed Saleem Shahazad
As peace overtures with the indigenous Afghan resistance move forward, the United States is stepping up efforts to eliminate al-Qaeda and other foreign bad turbans.
Local bad turbans, too, when connected to the foreign (pakistan and beyond) bad ones.
In what could be a severe blow to al-Qaeda, Sheikh Fateh al-Misri, its chief commander in Pakistain and Afghanistan, is reported to have been killed at the weekend in a drone strike in Pakistain. The Egyptian Misri, previously not a member of al-Qaeda, in May replaced Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, who was also killed in a dronezap in the North Wazoo tribal area.
The development coincides with Washington impressing on all key players in South and Central Asia to combine efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. The groundwork has already been laid for the US to negotiate with the Taliban, with the Pak military and Saudi Arabia acting as go-betweens.
That's guaranteed to be effective, then.
However, The infamous However... Taliban sources in the southern regions of Pakistain confirmed to Asia Times Online that while different Taliban groups had been approached, the Americans would prefer to talk to one of the major anti-US forces in Afghanistan, the Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) led by former Afghan premier Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. ... who used to be known as The Most Evil Man in the World but who now seems merely run-of-the-mill evil... The HIA is likely to strike a deal with the Americans before the Taliban, and notably HIA fighters showed no hostility during this month's parliamentary elections in the areas they control in Kunar, Nuristan, Baghlan, Qunduz and Kapisa provinces.
Talking to Asia Times Online from Los Angeles on phone, Hekmatyar's main negotiator with the Americans, Daoud Abedi, confirmed that in the ongoing backchannel negotiations, Washington is leaning towards the HIA, the reason being that the HIA's plans for Afghanistan are considered more practical than those of the Taliban. The Taliban are insistent on the revival of the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan, which crumbled following the US-led invasion of late 2001. The Taliban do, however, agree to give representation in government to "clean" people of other groups.
"At the moment, the HIA's peace plan, which we presented to the Afghan government early this year, is now the central focus at all relevant forums," Abedi said.
Abedi was invited by the White House-appointed Afghanistan Study Group and the Center for International Strategic Studies to give a detailed presentation of the HIA's plan on September 17 in Washington. The plan, "Mesaq Milli Nejat" (Afghanistan Rescue National Agreement) covers internal and external issues.
The plan calls for the withdrawal of all foreign troops and a subsequent commitment to expel foreign bad turbans. The draft does not aim to immediately dissolve the government or the presidential parliamentary system. However, Or maybe that should be a Whatever... its aim is that once foreign forces leave, fresh elections will be held at all levels and power should be transferred accordingly. But only after foreign forces are gone so there'd be no one to jog elbows in vote fixing or even in an outright Hekmatyar-style coup-de-main in Kabel.
"At the moment, the Americans don't want to make public their viewpoint on this proposed agreement as the [November] mid-term American elections are near. They want to form their opinion next year," Abedi said.
This article starring:
Daoud Abedi
Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan
Mustafa Abu al-Yazid
al-Qaeda
Sheikh Fateh al-Misri
al-Qaeda
Posted by: Fred ||
09/30/2010 00:00 ||
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[Asharq al-Aswat] The report issued by the Quilliam Foundation, the first think-tank to counter extremism and fundamentalism in Britain, which is led by Pak Islamist Maajid Nawaz, a former member of the Hizb ut-Tahrir group, confirms one important piece of information for us, which is that bully boyz and forces of Evil continue to act freely in Britain. The Quilliam Foundation report reveals the extent and importance of internet websites in Britain in supporting extremism in the Arab world, inciting the killing of innocents, and even British soldiers in Iraq and elsewhere. This report represents a warning to alert observers of the danger from "Londonistan", as Britain -- for quite some time -- has been a haven for forces of Evil and inciters of hatred and violence under the pretext of jihad who are taking advantage of the freedoms there. This is something that all Arab countries have suffered from without exception, although there are Arab countries that have benefited from these forces of Evil in different forms, due to short-sightedness, and the disputes that break out between Arab countries from time to time.
What is strange is that the British media in all its forms is eager to reveal the features of extremism in Arab and Islamic countries, despite what many Arab countries are doing today to stand firm against forces of Evil and those that fund them. However the British media fails to cover it's on backyard, i.e. Britain itself, and how extremism exists there, despite the danger that these bully boyz represent to British society and the Arab and Islamic world. If the security services have their own special agenda, what is the British media's agenda?
Fear of getting their heads cut off, perhaps.
Kuwait has withdrawn it's nationality from one of its citizens who almost sparked civil unrest when -- from London -- he insulted the beliefs of a major component of Kuwaiti society, while Britain did nothing.
And rightfully so. Muslims need to get over the idea that the universe needs to refrain from upsetting them.
Bahrain also protested against those that violated its national security by undertaking acts of sabotage and inciting sectarianism [also from London], whilst Britain did nothing.
A legitimate complaint, and clear abuse of British hospitality.
Meanwhile we see the British media and civil institutions monitoring the Arab and Islamic world, and the best example of this is how Pakistain continues to be portrayed -- politically and in the media -- as not combating extremism strongly enough, all the while the issue of British territory being used to spread poisonous extremism and terrorism in the Arab and Islamic world is overlooked and ignored.
Indeed. We have that problem in the U.S. as well.
Therefore the British -- whether this is the government, the media, or the civil institutes -- must look carefully at the danger represented by those who take advantage of British freedoms to spread poisonous extremism. The history of these beturbanned goon groups clearly shows that they always turn against those that shelter them, and the June 2005 bombings in London is clear proof of this.
Indeed.
Of course I do not mean that everybody who grows a beard should be monitored, but what is important is to monitor and track anybody who issues a fatwa inciting hatred or murder.
A very good idea. Perhaps the Muslim community could help with this effort.
This is because incitement is more dangerous than murder; the actions of somebody who fires a bullet ends when he pulls the trigger, however somebody inciting hatred and terrorism is capable of recruiting new bully boyz everyday which would see the situation further destabilize and innocents being targeted, including British citizens. If the British are not too concerned with regards to the threat that this represents to the Arab or Islamic world, is it reasonable that they are unconcerned about the safety of their own citizens?
Let's see if the Tories are any different than Labour on this issue.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/30/2010 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Global Jihad
#1
A very good idea. Perhaps the Muslim community could help with this effort.
Hahahahaha!!!
Man, that's the funniest thing I've read all day!
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
09/30/2010 12:09 Comments ||
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#2
British born Pakis and Somalians are the biggest threat to the UK and must be monitored.
They are more radical than their immigrant parents as they say they have no identity/role models in the UK and feel excluded from mainstream life.
I see the same thing with muslims in France with their high unemployment.
They like drug dealing/fraud though!
Posted by: Paul D ||
09/30/2010 17:31 Comments ||
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[Chosun Ilbo] With North Korean hereditary supremo Kim Jong-il's third son Jong-un being effectively confirmed as heir to his father's leadership, pundits are wondering what will happen to his two older brothers. Kim Fredo Jong-nam (39) and Kim Jong-chol (29) appear to be facing contrasting fates. I'm guessing Fredo gets it behind the ear while fishing. I dunno about Kimmie Jong Chol. He may decide to enter a monastery or something. But Fredo's definitely toast.
Jong-nam is only a half-brother to the other two, being the son of Kim Jong-il's ex-wife Song Hye-rim, who died in 2002, while Jong-chol and Jong-un are children of Kim Jong-il's third wife Ko Yong-hui, who died in 2004.
Jong-nam was originally considered the favorite to succeed his father, but he fell into disgrace, apparently after telling the children of high-ranking North Korean officials in the late 1990s that he would pursue reforms if he became the next leader. Other factors were the defection to the West in 1996 of his aunt Song Hye-rang and his attempt to enter Japan on a forged Dominican passport. He has been living in virtual exile in China and Macau since 2001.
Jong-nam was in Pyongyang between July and September 2008, when Kim Jong-il suffered a massive stroke, but has apparently been unable to return since January 2009, when Jong-un was tapped to succeed his father. "He could end up just like Kim Pyong-il, Kim Jong-il's half brother and North Korean ambassador to Poland, who has been in virtual exile for 20 years," said a South Korean government source.
But Jong-chol may do better. The reason he was not chosen to succeed his father is believed to be his effeminate and passive personality. There are even rumors that he suffers from excessive amounts of the female hormone estrogen as a side effect of steroid abuse. Jong-chol was reportedly an avid fan of action star Jean Claude Van Damme and tried to emulate his muscular idol. He was captured on film by a Japanese broadcaster at an Eric Clapton concert in Germany in 2006, but unlike Jong-nam with his flamboyant lifestyle, has done nothing to catch the attention of the media.
He also apparently maintains a close relationship with Jong-un, and the two are said to enjoy playing basketball with their teams of body guards. Both attended school in Switzerland between 1993 and 1998. All this suggests Jong-chol will not be exiled when Jong-un comes to power but probably be given a post.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/30/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
Remember the fate of Nikolai Yezhov. Stalinist dictatorships make erasing a person possible and easy.
#2
Nah, Jong-nam is safe as a church mouse. He's a nobody. He's not important enough to assassinate. He's just another worthless Macao playboy gambler and drinker.
#4
Guessing the fate of half-brothers and other potential usurpers is a game that's been played for several millennia in the East ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
09/30/2010 7:59 Comments ||
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#5
>>Nah, Jong-nam is safe as a church mouse. He's a nobody. He's not important enough to assassinate. He's just another worthless Macao playboy gambler and drinker.<<
I disagree. He's already expressed a dangerous strain of independent thought. He is spare for the Chinese. If the new boy doesn't work out to Beijing's liking, they have another, more pliable, Kim to install. This makes Jong-nam's life important, even if it's a long-shot.
His lifestyle makes a tidy death easier to arrange. Overdose you say? Sudden, massive heart attack in bed with a prostitute? Drunk and fell to his death off a balcony? Liver failure? Well, what do you expect...
Kate Parker doing her best Peggy Noonan imitation...
Posted by: Phosing Big Foot3926 ||
09/30/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
Big cities are bastions of ignorance. Everybody must control everybody. They are stupid death traps and they always vote WRONG - hence they all flee the cities to make the rest of our lives the same as what they just left.
The 11th commandment is leave other people the %&#k alone. Those idiots in those idiot cities could learn a lesson from that.
#3
IIRC NEWS KERALA/TOPIX > ARTIC > the Perts were repor claiming that the BULK OF EARTH'S POPULATION WILL BE "URBAN" BY YEAR 2030, i.e. living in LARGE CITIES + [proto]SUPER/MEGA-CITIES.
2012/2013 SOLAR STORMS notwithstanding, just in time for the World to potentially be witness to MASSIVE LUNAR EXPLOSIONS iff our future OWG-NWO screws up its Math + Politix as per COMET APOPHIS + EFFECTIVE SPACE DEFENSE.
Put two rats in a cage, and they make love - put twenty rats in the same cage, and they start killing each other.
Posted by: no mo uro ||
09/30/2010 5:44 Comments ||
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#6
I read somewhere that 150 is the magic number for human group size - that the brain was evolved to synthesize the actions & emotions of no more than about that number of group members. May have something to do with the carrying capacity of natural land within a days walk?
#7
This is a perfect statement of the need for true federalism. If people in big cities need/want "four pages of restrictions" then fine, let them have them and live under the control of the local tyrant.
BUT, the country is not one big city that the DC tyrant should control! Heck, the states shouldn't have that level of control. Devolve all these issues back to the locality where they belong.
Posted by: Alan Cramer ||
09/30/2010 10:25 Comments ||
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#8
May have something to do with the carrying capacity of natural land within a days walk?
Size of an extended family/tribe: your immediate relatives (minus any married-out siblings), their children (minus married-out cousins), and cumulative ancestors.
And, yes, the totalitarian impulse does seem to be connected with city life. One clue is the seemingly universal impulse they have to "reform agriculture" and the universal result of their reform: famine.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
09/30/2010 12:08 Comments ||
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#9
It might also be the impetus for the Left's great desire to pack people onto trains and make them run on time.
Posted by: Grenter, Protector of the Geats ||
09/30/2010 12:48 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.
By Syed Saleem Shahazad
