[Libya Herald] In a letter to General Secretary of the United Nations ...an idea whose time has gone... the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon ... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan... , representatives from nine municipalities loyal to Libya Dawn, mainly mayors, are reported to have called on the UN to indict Mahmoud Jibril, the leader of the National Forces Alliance and prime minister in the immediate aftermath of the revolution, as a "war criminal".
The mayors claim that Jibril has obstructed the UN-brokered dialogue process, alleging that he was deliberately trying to deepen the rift between the continuing General National Congress (GNC) and the House of Representatives (HoR) by his partiality to the latter and support of Khalifa Hafter. They also complained that his presence in Brussels during the municipal representatives' meeting organised by the UN was a deliberate attempt to sabotage the talks.
A copy of the letter signed by the mayors or representatives of Central 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... , Misrata, Sebha, Abu Sleem, Ghariyan, Ghat, Nalut, Sabratha and Suq Al-Juma, who were attending the dialogue talks, indicate that they were expecting others to sign it.
For his part, Jibril said yesterday during a phone call with Al-Dawlia satellite channel (which he co-owns) that his presence in Brussels had nothing to do with the mayors' meetings and that he had been invited to an annual conference in the city hosted by the German Marshall Fund.
Moreover, Jibril insisted that he had backed the national dialogue from the beginning. However, those who apply themselves too closely to little things often become incapable of great things... he maintained that certain "national principles" had to be upheld in the process -- such as the values set forth by the 17 February Revolution and the legitimacy of the elected House of Representatives (HoR) as the sole legislative body of the Libyan people.
Jibril also said that he had had a phone call from US Ambassador Deborah Jones and that during a lengthy conversation, she indicated that there had been suggestions among some European ambassadors of putting him and HoR President Ageela Saleh Gwaider on the UN sanctions list because of their obstruction of the peace talks. Shortly after the call, he said he received another from UN Special Envoy to Libya Bernadino Leon who, he said, confirmed that he was at risk of being added to the sanctions list.
The following is a list of the municipalities represented by the nine mayors: Central Tripoli, Misrata, Sabratha, Sebha, Ghariyan, Abu Sleem, Ghat, Nalut, Suq Al-Juma
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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[AnNahar] Uganda said Thursday it was boosting security over threats by Somalia's Shabaab Death Eaters, hours after the U.S. embassy in Kampala warned its citizens of a possible imminent terror attack.
In an emergency warning issued late Wednesday, the U.S. mission in Kampala said it had "received information of possible terrorist threats to locations where Westerners, including U.S. citizens, congregate in Kampala, and that an attack may take place soon".
"Out of an abundance of caution, the U.S. mission has cancelled some non-essential events scheduled at local hotels in the coming days," the embassy warning said, telling U.S. citizens they "should expect increased security sweeps and delays when entering or exiting hotel areas".
- 'Vulnerable points' -
Ugandan defense front man Paddy Ankunda said the warning was "absolutely" linked to the Al-Qaeda-linked Islamists, who have carried out major attacks in Kampala in the past.
"We've always known there's a threat and we've warned the public," he said, adding the murderous Moslems appeared to have "have identified vulnerable points" as possible targets and that security had been stepped up in response to the threat.
Uganda is a key contributor to the African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... 's AMISOM force battling the Shabaab inside Somalia.
Ankunda insisted the threat was "low level", while government front man Ofwono Opondo said "Uganda is safe" in spite of the alert.
"Effective measures are in place to deter any possible attacks. We ask every Ugandan to be vigilant," he said.
A Western diplomatic source described the threat as "serious" and "based on concrete information" -- although details on the precise nature of the threat have not been given.
The U.S. embassy in Kampala last issued an emergency warning in September 2014. Ugandan and Western security sources later revealed they had intercepted a transfer of explosive boom jackets by suspected Shabaab members.
U.S. officials said at the time that the murderous Moslems were determined to avenge the killing of their leader Ahmed Abdi Godane in a U.S. air strike carried out earlier that month.
In 2010, the Shabaab carried out twin bombings in Kampala targeting a restaurant and a club where football fans were watching the World Cup final between the Netherlands and Spain, killing 76 people in the region's worst attacks in more than a decade.
The Islamists were also behind the September 2013 attack on the Westgate shopping mall in neighboring Kenya's capital Nairobi which left at least 67 dead, and recently issued a call for fresh attacks against such locations.
The United States has continued to strike the murderous Moslems from the air, and last week announced it had also killed a senior Shabaab figure, Adan Garar, who was linked to the planning of the Westgate attack.
Saudi Arabia will not rule out building or acquiring nuclear weapons, the country's ambassador to the United States has indicated.
Asked whether Saudi Arabia would ever build nuclear weapons in an interview with US news channel CNN, Adel Al-Jubeir said the subject was "not something we would discuss publicly".
Pressed later on the subject he said: "This is not something that I can comment on, nor would I comment on."
The ambassador's reticence to rule out a military nuclear programme may reignite concerns that the autocratic monarchy has its eye on a nuclear arsenal.
Western intelligence agencies believe that the Saudi monarchy paid for up to 60% of Pakistan's nuclear programme in return for the ability to buy warheads for itself at short notice, the Guardian newspaper reported in 2010.
The two countries maintain close relations and are sometimes said to have a special relationship; they currently have close military ties and conduct joint exercises.
The Saudi Arabian regime also already possesses medium-range ballistic missiles in the form of the Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force.
In addition it has significant nuclear expertise in the form of a civilian nuclear programme of the kind Iran says it wants to develop.
In 2012 the Saudi Arabian government threatened to acquire nuclear weapons were neighbouring regional power Iran ever to do so.
"Politically, it would be completely unacceptable to have Iran with a nuclear capability and not the kingdom," a senior Saudi source told The Times newspaper at the time.
The United States and other Western allies say a deal with Iran on its nuclear programme is possible. Iran denies it is building nuclear weapons.
The news comes days after Saudi Arabia launched a military operation in neighbouring Yemen aimed at suppression a rebel group that is attempting to form a central government.
Saudi's military operation against the advancing Shia Houthi group has been joined by Egyptian, Jordanian and Moroccan forces.
#2
I'm sure thats what they are hinting at alanc. Hey, they may have already have had one delivered.
Posted by: chris ||
03/27/2015 18:12 Comments ||
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#3
I read a report that if Iran was close to nukes, Saudi would nuke up along with a couple other rich gulf states. The report ended with a warning of a nuclear exchange between Islamic countries.
[CombatingTerrorismCenter, WestPoint] CTC: Can you briefly describe your role and experiences in Yemen in 2010-2012, and what your key takeaways were from a strategic U.S. counterterrorism perspective?
CAPT Newson: I was the commander of Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) Forward (SOC FWD) in Yemen. SOC FWD was an extension of SOCCENT, part and parcel with the command in Tampa. It was a task force with minimal staff and a joint force that primarily trained and advised Yemeni partners, but we also conducted civil affairs and military information support operations. And we were deeply embedded with the embassy and their activities.
I have three primary takeaways. First, our security assistance process is not tailored to the current fight. It is a Cold War model that values delivery as the key metric, and is un-tethered to the timing that would facilitate the advise and assist effort. So, for example, shipments of materials in Yemen would arrive based on equipment availability or supplier timelines, not when we actually needed them to be there, or not be there. Oftentimes a huge shipment of supplies or weapons would arrive at the same time we were trying to play a little hard ball with them and it undermined our efforts. So we argued to zero effect that U.S. assistance efforts should be conditional and adjusted to conditions on the ground; it should be a pull from guys forward rather than a push from contractors or the system. Having control of who gets what when is an extremely powerful tool for advisors. If they don't have that it is very difficult to sometimes motivate the folks we are working with. So that was lesson number one.
Lesson two has to do with getting out of the capital and really working with the frontier forces. The remit of the government does not go too far out of the capital and it is not very productive to develop counterterrorism (CT) forces primarily kept in Sana'a that rarely engaged in the fight and were controlled by very senior Yemeni leaders. So we wanted to work with the Southern Regional Command, which is division level and brigade commanders that engage in the fight in the south. This was especially the case after President Saleh left power and President Hadi took control. Al Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) was taking over large swaths of the south and we thought we needed to be down there in a much more significant way. I think concerns about force protection, over increasing demand of advisors and about slippery slopes prevented a broader advise and assist effort that both DoD and the Embassy were advocating.
And then my third lesson is about intelligence and logistics advise and assist efforts, and they are just as critical as training fighters and supplying weapons. This includes developing intelligence centers, which we did, and all-source intelligence capacity, which Yemen had but which was not well coordinated. It also included developing logistics supply plans and increasing the professionalism of support functions. All of this is critical to morale and fighting capacity, and what we saw in Yemen was that without a good supply system, without a good pay system, without the intelligence support, they were left facing the opponent without a lot of knowledge or motivation. In depth at the link
#1
So, for example, shipments of materials in Yemen would arrive based on equipment availability or supplier timelines, not when we actually needed them to be there, or not be there. Oftentimes a huge shipment of supplies or weapons would arrive at the same time we were trying to play a little hard ball with them and it undermined our efforts. So we argued to zero effect that U.S. assistance efforts should be conditional and adjusted to conditions on the ground; it should be a pull from guys forward rather than a push from contractors or the system.
This speaks volumes. Our whole approach toward military assistance in dysfunctional - because it is driven by factors other than what fighters on the ground need.
Instead, it is based on "consuming" surplus equipment/supplies in order to make military contractors rich, and on delivering high $$$$ supplies, so as to allow some bureaucrat somewhere to "make his number" - even if it is delivering sand to the Sahara, or delivering ice to Eskimos.
Who are the Huthis, where did they come from, and where are they going? BuzzFeed News' Gregory Johnsen reports.
This is the story of how the Huthis came to be, why the group was able to prosper as the rest of the country collapsed, and what that now means for Yemen, the region, and the U.S. campaign against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the organization's most sophisticated and dangerous branch.
It all goes back to a budget cut.
In 2000, Yemen's then-President Ali Abdullah Salih made one of his periodic changes to a discretionary fund that was known within his office as al-i'timad, or support. Salih used the money as a governing tool -- when one rival got too strong, Salih would funnel money toward opponents as a way of keeping them in check without confronting them directly. It was part of what he called "dancing on the heads of snakes," staying ahead of his enemies by playing them off against one another. The process was crude and prone to fluctuation, but for years it worked. The strategy allowed Salih, who came to power on the heels of the brutal assassinations of his two immediate predecessors, to survive and, for awhile, even prosper.
In the mid-1990s, an Islamist political grouping called Islah, which included the local chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as tribal elements, had started to grow in power, taking control of a handful of key ministries. Salih, who had been funding the group off and on for years, withdrew his support and started funding their domestic enemies Long full background at link
[AnNahar] The United States may provide refueling and early-warning radar aircraft support a 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... n-led operation in Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of. Except for a tiny handfull of Jews everthing there is very Islamic... against Houthis, officials told AFP Thursday.
"It's definitely on the table and being discussed," a defense official said of the possible U.S. military assistance to the day-old intervention by an Arab coalition.
The White House said Wednesday that the United States will provide intelligence and logistics support to the Saudi-led coalition and officials said that would likely include information gathered from surveillance drones.
Although the Saudis and other Gulf and Arab states have substantial air forces, they do not have enough refueling tankers and airborne early warning and control (AWACs) aircraft for a major, open-ended operation, officials said.
About a dozen US military personnel are taking part in a "joint planning cell" at an undisclosed base in Saudi Arabia to coordinate American help to the Gulf states, officials said. And it was likely the team would expand in coming days.
The Pentagon said the US military would provide intelligence, logistical support and advice for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and their allies fighting the Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen.
"Their role is primarily to keep the lines of communication open between Washington DC and the GCC," Colonel Steven Warren told news hounds.
There are no plans for the United States to take direct military action in Yemen against the Huthis, he said.
But events are moving quickly and the precise scope of U.S. assistance and its strategic rationale for helping the Gulf countries in the Yemen conflict remains unclear.
The crisis in Yemen has turned into a new front in a regional sectarian conflict pitting Shiite-led Iran, which backs the Houthis, against its Sunni rivals in the Gulf.
Asked why Washington had opted to take sides in Yemen's proxy war, Warren said: "What's important here is our partnership with the Saudis."
General Lloyd Austin, head of U.S. Central Command, told a Senate hearing that he had little advance notice of the Saudi air strikes launched on Wednesday.
Austin said he was informed by Saudi Arabia about the operation "shortly before they took action" on "the day of the attack."
The general said he "didn't know specifically the goals and objectives" of the Saudis in Yemen.
Asked about Iran's support for the Houthis in Yemen, Austin said "Iran has been enabling the activity of the Huthi" and "we are talking about material support."
[AnNahar] Egypt's air force and Navy are participating in a Saudi-led intervention against Shiite Houthis in Yemen, the presidency said in a statement on Thursday.
The government had previously said it would be prepared to commit ground troops as well if required.
"It was necessary for Egypt to assume its responsibility... through the participation of elements of the Egyptian armed forces from the air force and Navy," the presidency said in a statement.
It said the action came in response to "demands by the Yemeni nation for the return of stability and to preserve its Arab identity," in an apparent reference to Iran's backing for the Huthis.
A military official told Agence La Belle France-Presse that "Egypt is participating in the ongoing operation."
#1
* See ALSO BIGNEWSNETWORK > EGYPT WILLING TO FIGHT AGZ HOUTHIS IN YEMEN [ground-air,etc. war] "IFF NECESSARY".
Iff the intent of the KSA-led airstrikes is to help restore Hadi to power + eliminate the Houthi, AQ, + ISIS threats from Yemen, ITS NOT CLEAR YET IFF THE SAUDI EFFORT IS WORKING OR EFFECTIVE.
The KSA says it will strike targets inside Yemen as long as necessary to achieve its objectives - CAN ANTI-SAUDI IRAN ANDOR MAJOR ISIS-AQ INTERVENTION IN YEMEN [other Gulf States] BE AVOIDED???
Turkey is repor sending military delegations to Bahrain + Qatar, ostensib to help beef up local defenses in case of Iran andor ISIS, etal. intervention.
* WAFF > TURKEY'S ERDOGAN SAYS CAN'T TOLERATE IRAN'S BID TO DOMINATE THE MIDDLE EAST.
* BIGNEWSNETWORK > BAHRAIN'S KING SAYS MILITARY MOVE ONLY OPTION TO RESCUE YEMENIS [Yemeni People].
VERSUS
* DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > YEMEN HOUTHI FORCES GAIN FIRST FOOTHOLD IN ARABIAN SEA [City of Shaqra]: REUTERS.
* RELATED SAME > YEMEN HOUTHI FORCES ADVANCE DESPITE SAUDI-LED AIRSTRIKES: REUTERS.
* FARS NEWS > SAUDI ARABIA FAILS TO DESTROY YEMEN'S STRATEGIC MISSLES SYSTEMS.
SCUDS + SAMS.
* SAME > SENIOR [Iran] MP: YEMENI MISSLES [Scuds] CAN HIT TARGETS 500-KMS INSIDE SAUDI ARABIA.
We should be ok in the US, also the Canadians, but others may suffer a bit...
[TELEGRAPH.CO.UK] The long-simmering struggle between 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 Iran for Mid-East supremacy has escalated to a dangerous new level as the two sides fight for control of Yemen, reminding markets that the epicentre of global oil supply remains a powder keg.
Brent oil prices spiked 6pc to $58 a barrel after a Saudi-led coalition of ten Sunni Moslem states mobilized 150,000 troops and launched air strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthi ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of having ties to the Iranian government, which wouldn't suprise most of us. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews ... militias in Yemen, prompting a furious riposte from Tehran.
Analysts expect crude prices to command a new "geo-political premium" as it becomes clear that Saudi Arabia has lost control over the Yemen peninsular and faces a failed state on its 1,800 km southern border, where Al Qaeda can operate with near impunity.
Over 3.8m barrels a day (b/d) pass through the 18-mile Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen, one of the world's key choke points for crude oil supply. While there is little likelihood of disruption to tanker traffic, Saudi Arabia is increasingly threatened by Shiite or Jihadi enemies of different kinds.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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#1
While there are adequate supplies here, I look for the sympathetic price jump to begin early next week if not sooner. Because they can.
#4
Don't look now but while you are trying to figure out how to move Canadian oil senator patty Murray (d-gonzo) introduced federal legislTion this week to immediately ban all the dot-111 standard tank cars. Not next year but now! Too bad that thing , long and cylindrical capable of moving vast amounts of product ain't built. Damn what is thT thing called anyway??
What's long, hard, contains hydrocarbons,
And spews on whales, bunnies, and gardens?
Westbound trains of tankers
And ships dragging anchors?
Nope. Keystone's what Pharaoh's heart hardens.
[Iran Press TV] Press TV has conducted an interview with Ralph Schoenman, political commentator and author of "Hidden History of Zionism" from Berkeley, to discuss the aerial assault by 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 its allies against Yemen.
The Al-Arabiya News Channel reported on Thursday that Saudi Arabia has deployed "100 fighter jets, 150,000 soldiers and other navy units" for its war on Yemen.
According to Yemeni sources, the ongoing Saudi Arclight airstrikes on Yemen claimed the lives of at least 13 civilians, with more deaths feared.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry has announced that 6 Persian Gulf nations along with 4 unnamed countries have participated in the coordinated attacks on Yemen, Schoenman tells Press TV, adding that the United States has cooperated in the offensives by providing Saudi Arabia with "logistical and intelligence" support.
The analyst points out that the attack is an imperial onslaught for the Saudi dominance and control over Yemen as well as the region.
"They are coordinating in this very particular time when the [nuclear] negotiations between the United States and Iran are coming to a conclusion," he noted.
Referring to the Saudi-led invasion of Yemen, Schoenman says the Shia Houthis are the target of the attacks as they have been objecting to the Saudi interference in their country's affairs.
There is no evidence of any enthusiasm for the Saudi invasion of Yemen among the population on the lam, Schoenman concludes.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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[Iran Press TV] China's foreign ministry has expressed profound concerns about the ongoing chaotic conditions in Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of. Except for a tiny handfull of Jews everthing there is very Islamic... following 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... 's Arclight airstrikes on the capital Sana'a.
"The Chinese side has noticed that (Saudi Arabia has launched Arclight airstrikes against Yemen) and is deeply worried about the situation in Yemen that is getting worse," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, said at a weekly press briefing on Thursday. Looks as though we may have stumbled upon a method of curbing the Chinese poodle in the Pacific.
Expressing hope that the crisis could be resolved "through political dialogues", Hua said, "We hope that all parties will act in accordance with relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council... and restore national stability and order at an early date."
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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#1
If Iran closes the Straits of Hormuz, China is screwed, as they will lose a large slice of their oil imports.
Will get very interesting if India decides it needs any oil crossing the Indian Ocean and commandeers it.
[Iran Press TV] The leader of Yemen's Houthi ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of having ties to the Iranian government, which wouldn't suprise most of us. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews ... fighters has heaped scorn on 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... for conducing unjust and heinous attacks on Yemeni people, saying the Arab kingdom is serving as a puppet for the United States and the Israeli regime.
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi made the remarks in a televised address on Thursday in reaction to Saudi Arabia's "unjustified" deadly attacks targeting Yemeni people in the capital, Sana'a.
Saudi Arabia is a puppet at the disposal of superpowers, the Houthi leader said, adding that Riyadh is putting in action the US-Israeli conspiracy in Yemen.
He noted that the US-Israeli plot in Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of. Except for a tiny handfull of Jews everthing there is very Islamic... aims to break up the chaotic country and deprive people of security and freedom.
Al-Houthi said the Saudi invasion of Yemen came after their agents, including al-Qaeda bandidosforces of Evil and the ISIL Takfiri ...an adherent of takfir wal hijra, an offshoot of Salafism that regards everybody who doesn't agree with them as apostates who must be killed... terrorists, failed to execute their plots in Yemen.
He said the "criminal" attacks uncovered the "tyrannical" nature of the Saudi regime.
Al-Houthi warned that Saudi Arabia would face consequences should it push ahead with its aggression against Yemen, saying, "We will confront the criminal forces and their tools in the country."
"You think you can kill Yemeni people, but this is because of your stupidity," he said. "This unjustified aggression shows the hostility and arrogance of this regime. The attacks are reflecting the inhumanity of the aggressor."
Al-Houthi said the "aggressors" should keep in mind that the Yemeni people are "committed to defending their country and revolution" by relying on God.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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#3
Saudi Arabia is a puppet at the disposal of superpowers, the Houthi leader said, adding that Riyadh is putting in action the US-Israeli conspiracy in Yemen.
That's funny. I always thought it was the other way around. But now Champ has abandoned Yemen and the Soddies have to do their own fighting.
[ARABNEWS] The foreign ministers of Egypt and Kuwait said Thursday it was necessary to intervene in Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of. Except for a tiny handfull of Jews everthing there is very Islamic... after Houthi ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of having ties to the Iranian government, which wouldn't suprise most of us. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews ... rebels threatened the southern port of Aden, at a meeting ahead of an Arab summit.
Both countries had expressed support for Saudi-led air strikes overnight against the Iran-backed rebels.
The Houthi offensive "obliged all of us to quickly respond and take the required measures to restore peace and security," Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah said.
His Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry said "it was necessary for a coalition of Arab states to answer the call of the Yemeni president," referring to a demand from President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi for military intervention.
Sabah called for a resumption of negotiations in the troubled country that has been mired in a complex conflict involving pro-Hadi forces, the Shiite Houthi rebels, Sunni rustics, Al-Qaeda and forces loyal to ousted strongman President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh ... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, but he didn't invite Donna Summer to the inauguration and Blondie couldn't make it... .
The foreign ministers' meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh came head of a summit over the weekend in which 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... members will consider forming a joint military force.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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[ARABNEWS] Prince Mohammed bin Salman, minister of defense, chief of the Royal Court and special adviser to King of the Arabians, Sheikh of the Burning Sands, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman ...either the largest species of Pacific salmon or the current Sheikh of the Burnin' Sands, Cutodian of the Two Holy Mosquesand Lord of Most of the Arabians.... , arrived yesterday at the center of the Air Force Operations Command to command Al-Hazm (Firm) Storm operation, which started its operations upon the order issued by King Salman, at midnight.
The minister of defense supervises the first air strike on the Houthis' strongholds in Yemen, which resulted in the destruction of all Houthi ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of having ties to the Iranian government, which wouldn't suprise most of us. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews ... air defenses fully, Al-Dailami base, SAM missiles batteries and four warplanes, without any losses in the Saudi Air Force.
At the operations command center, he received Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, second deputy premier and minister of interior, who was briefed by the minister of defense on the details of the military plans and operations directly before the Saudi aircraft started their missions.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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No point, really, until the Egyptian levies arrive... and possibly the Pakistanis as well.
[ARABNEWS] 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... has no immediate plans to launch ground operations inside Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of. Except for a tiny handfull of Jews everthing there is very Islamic... but its forces and those of its allies are ready to do so if needed, the military front man of the operation said.
"There are no plans at this stage for ground forces operations, but if the need arises, the Saudi ground forces and those of the friends and sisterly forces are ready and will repel any aggression," Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asseri told a news conference.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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#1
KSA + Coalition waiting to see iff airstrikes and diplomacy prove effective, + arrival of allied Egyptian forces.
In German. Pamela Geller is linked, among others.
Beau provided a link to a translation of one of the linked articles in German on the personal website of the reporter here. Unfortunately, that server has crashed a number of times this morning, so may not be available when you try, dear Reader. From Beau's link:
According to Michael Mannheimer, a writer for German PI-News, Germany now has its own 9/11, thanks to the convert to Islam, Andreas Lubitz.
Translation from German:
All evidence indicates that the copilot of Airbus machine in his six-months break during his training as a pilot in Germanwings, converted to Islam and subsequently either by the order of "radical", ie. devout Muslims , or received the order from the book of terror, the Quran, on his own accord decided to carry out this mass murder. As a radical mosque in Bremen is in the center of the investigation, in which the convert was staying often, it can be assumed that he - as Mohammed Atta, in the attack against New York - received his instructions directly from the immediate vicinity of the mosque.
Converts are the most important weapon of Islam. Because their resume do not suggests that they often are particularly violent Muslims. Thus Germany now has its own 9/11, but in a reduced form. And so it is clear that Islam is a terrorist organization that are in accordance with §129a of the Criminal Code to prohibit it and to investigate its followers. But nothing will happen. One can bet that the apologists (media, politics, "Islamic Scholars") will agree to assign this an act of a "mentally unstable" man, and you can bet that now, once again the mantra of how supposedly peaceful Islam is will continue. And worse still, the attacks by the left against those who have always warned against Islam, will be angrier and merciless.
For now the German Islam supporters like never before have their backs against the wall.
The translator also links to a Daily Mail article which reports on Mr. Lubitz's longstanding depression. An An Nahar article this morning quotes the German daily Bild, which reported that Mr. Lubitz suffered from anxiety and depression -- hidden from the airline -- severe enough that a police raid netted numerous doctor's work excuse notes, including one for the day of the crash. So it's all still a bit uncertain, though depression and anxiety do not preclude a religious conversion and jihad layered on top.
[AA.TR] The issue of youngsters going to Syria is "Britannia's problem, not The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire.... 's," the chairman of the U.K. parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee said.
Kaith Vaz has been a Labour Party Member of Parliament for Leicester East since 1987. Since 2007, he has served as chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee.
He spoke to Asli Aral, head of Anadolu Agency London office, during his day-long visit to Turkey on Wednesday.
"Britannia must do more, communities must do more and families must do more to prevent young men and women from travelling to Turkey in order to go and fight in Syria," Vaz said.
"Prevention is always the best policy and therefore we need to send a very strong wake-up call to communities that they need to do more," he said.
The British MP made his comments a day before the committee he chairs published a report entitled "Counter-terrorism: Foreign fighters."
Vaz said he thinks that lessons have been learned from the incident of the three maidens of tender years who fled to Syria through Turkey.
Cooperation between Turkish and British police intensified after three British girls -- Shamima Begum, 15, Amira Abase, 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16 -- went missing from East London in early February and reportedly arrived in Turkey to cross into Syria.
"While travelling I noticed that there were British coppers at departure gates, Turkish coppers at arrival gates and there seems to be a much tighter and better arrangement," Vaz said.
He warned those who think it is going to be easy to get a flight for Turkey and then cross the border to Syria.
"It is going to be much tougher and much more difficult," he said, adding that, "I am very grateful to the Turkish authorities, officials and police for the work they are doing."
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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#1
I'd say they're Syria's problem once they leave the UK but that's just me.
[AA.TR] Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey supports Saudi-led military operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
In an interview with French network FRANCE 24, on Thursday, Erdogan said that Ankara may consider providing "logistical support" to the mission.
"We support Saudi Arabia's intervention," Erdogan told FRANCE 24. "Turkey may consider providing logistical support based on the evolution of the situation," he added.
The Turkish president called on Houthis and terrorist groups such al-Qaeda to withdraw from Yemen.
Erdogan also accused Iran of working "to increase its influence in Iraq."
"Iran is trying to chase Daesh from the region only to take its place," he said.
Commenting on the U.S.-led anti-Daesh coalition operations, Erdogan said: "I have already said that I find the coalition air strikes to be insufficient."
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03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Houthis
[AnNahar] U.S. involvement in a coordinated military attack on Iran-allied rebels in Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of. Except for a tiny handfull of Jews everthing there is very Islamic... will have "no impact" on nuclear talks with Tehran, a senior U.S. official told AFP on Thursday.
"We have always been clear that the P5+1 negotiations are solely focused on the nuclear issue," the official said, requesting anonymity and referring to the group of six nations engaged in talks.
The United States has announced it would provide "logistical and intelligence support" to the Saudi-led military attack on Houthis that began Wednesday.
U.S. officials have been reluctant to give details about the depth of U.S. involvement, but said it includes the establishment of a "Joint Planning Cell" with 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... .
Iran has criticized the Saudi-led operation as "a dangerous step" that violated "international responsibilities and national illusory sovereignty."
Ties between the Huthis and Iran are opaque.
The White House had previously said there was no evidence that Iran had command and control over the Huthis, who have pushed the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi out of the capital.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
In response, the US' OWG Co-Superpower sibling Iran sezzes .... ....???
#2
You know, I am inclined to think that betting the farm on this FUBAR agreement with Iran is going to wind up right up there with the Munich Accord only the motives are different. Chamberlain was trying to buy time for the Brits to mobilize, whatshisname is trying to have some kind of foreign policy legacy, much as Clinton almost bet the farm on the Oslo Accord.
#4
The fact that the Saudis have attacked the Houthis in Yemen would indicate they think Iran has more involvement with the Houthis in Yemen than is being reported in the Western press. Maybe the Yemen offensive should have more impact on the Iran nuke talks. Do you ever get the feeling we are being led by a conspiracy of dunces all for the ONE's ego?
[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... asserted that any threat to 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... 's territorial integrity would evoke a strong response from Pakistain.
This was said by Nawaz while chairing a high-level meeting at the PM House to discuss recent developments in the Middle East and to examine Saudi Arabia's request to join the Gulf-led operation against Houthi ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of having ties to the Iranian government, which wouldn't suprise most of us. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews ... rebels in Yemen, said a statement issued by PM House on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz ...Adviser to Pak Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on National Security and Foreign Affairs, who believes in good jihadis and bad jihadis as a matter of national policy... , Army Chief General Raheel Sharif and Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman.
Nawaz said Pakistain enjoys close and brotherly relations with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and attaches great importance to their security.
The participants of the meeting decided that a high-level delegation will visit Saudi Arabia on Friday to assess the situation. Khawaja Asif, Sartaj Aziz along with senior representatives from the armed forces will be part of the delegation in this regard, the statement added.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
MEMRI.ORG Artics says such a day may be coming, Pakistan???
Pakistan just has to pick one Artic on Iran's reaction towards the Saudi intervention in Yemen - it'll be correct.
* MEMRI.ORG > IMMEDIATE IRANIAN REACTION TO SUNNI ARAB CAMPAIGN TO PUSH BACK SHIITE EXPANSION. CALL FOR HOUTHIS TO ATTACK SAUDI OIL WELLS + TANKERS, OPERATE IN SAUDI TERRITORY + STRAITS OF BAB AL-MANDEB + HORMUZ.
[DAWN] KARACHI: 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... approved on Wednesday expansion of the operation against hard boyz and snuffies to other areas of Sindh.
He vowed to take the operation 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... to its logical end and continue it till elimination of the last terrorist and restoration of peace in the city.
Presiding over a meeting held at the Faisal Airbase to review the law and order situation in Karachi, the prime minister expressed satisfaction over the falling crime rate in the wake of the operation. He said there should be a fast track policy to capture the snuffies who had fled the Karachi operation and taken refuge in other parts of Sindh.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2015 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] Lal Masjid ...literally the Red Mosque, located in Islamabad and frequented by all sorts of high govt officials. The proprietors, Ghazi Abdul Rasheed and Maulana Abdul Aziz Ghazi, unleashed their Islamic storm troopers on the city, shutting down whorehouses and beating people up who weren't devout enough. The Musharraf govt put an end to the nonsense by besieging the place. Abdul Aziz Ghazi was nabbed while he was trying to escape dressed up like a girl. BBC reported that the corpse count at 173, but other claims, usually hysterical, say there were up to 1000 titzup. Among their number was Abdul Rashid Ghazi. Everyone then said tut-tut and what a nice guy he had been... holy man Abdul Aziz may not have submitted a written apology to Islamabad police, as suggested by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan ...Currently the Interior Minister of Pakistain. He is the senior leader of the Pak Moslem League (N) and a close aide to Nawaz Uncle Fester Sharif. He is noted for his vocal anti-American railing in the National Assembly. However (comma) Khan told the U.S. ambassador that he was in fact pro-American but he and the PML-N would have to be critical of US actions in order to remain publicly credible. Khan cited his wife and children's US citizenship as proof, which means he's lying to one side or the other and probably both. He wears a wig, but you probably guessed that. since hair doesn't grow naturally in that shape or texture... , but he has submitted a 'surety letter' that he was bound to submit nearly 12 years ago, when his name was first included in a watch list under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
Continued on Page 49
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[DAWN] In contrast to the very nomenclature of the party, the emir of Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... (JI) says he does not believe in the politics of religion.
"I don't believe in bifurcating politics between religious and non-religious, nor is such a division beneficial for the country and society," Sirajul Haq
Continued on Page 49
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[PJ Media] Israeli newspaper Yediot got their hands on the European Union's 40-point plan to "pressure Israel into negotiations" in the wake of Netanyahu's re-election.
An EU diplomatic source told Ynet that there was a definite chance that the recommendations in the report, which the member states have yet to approve, were more likely to be implemented following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement during his election campaign that a Palestinian state would not be created under his rule.
"We are on a collision course," said the European diplomat. "It's clear to everyone in Brussels that there must be a response to these statements."
..."If Israel continues its policy beyond the Green Line, it will affect the relationship between European nations and Israel," he warned.
Headings of the 40-point plan include, "Preserving the viability of Jerusalem as the future capital of two states" and "Strengthening the role, visibility and policy of the European Union." The full report has been scanned and is linked via the Ynet story.
#2
The EU pulled the old plan off the shelf, blew off the dust on the 40 point plan, changed a few dates and resurrected it. It's like the progressives in the U.S. with the Ted Kennedy health care plan or gun control. These agenda items keep coming back again and again when the progressive sense possibilities. Similar to a bad STD that keeps coming back despite all efforts. What's the EU going to do when Israel says not only no but hell no? Zip! And rightfully so.
#3
What's the EU going to do when Israel says not only no but hell no? Zip! And rightfully so.
They'll boycott Jaffa oranges and try more avidly to partner with or buy Israeli tech companies and natural gas... and vote for anti-Israel measures at the UN while pronouncing love and solidarity for their embedded Jewish populations.
#6
Besides or excluding the Paleos themselves, how much $$$ = Pan-Econ assistance will the EU - you know, the USoAmerika including OWG NAU - give to Israel for the tacit support of the Paleos + any Paleo Sovereign State???
ONCE AGAIN, 'TIS A SIMPLE/BASIC QUESTION BUT A BIGGIE, LIKE HOW FAR IS THE "SOLE"-SUPERPOWER SOON-TO-BE-CO-SUPERPOWER US-N-ONLY-THE-US SUPPOSED TO UNILATERALLY SELF-RETREAT IN SUPPORT OF US-LED ANTI-US OWG-NWO???
As the saying goes, "THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS".
[InvestigativeProject.org] "Palestinian armed groups, including the armed wing of Hamas, repeatedly launched unlawful attacks during the conflict killing and injuring civilians. In launching these attacks, they displayed a flagrant disregard for international humanitarian law and for the consequences of their violations on civilians in both Israel and the Gaza Strip," said Philip Luther, Amnesty International's director of the Middle East and North Africa Program.
#7
When are the donation letters and phone calls going out?
AI can't be helped by O's outright offensive against Israel in the 'community'. The 'what does Israel really have to fear' rationale is now out the window. Guilt got a lot harder to sell.
[Iran Press TV] Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says an "exceptional opportunity" has emerged for the resolution of Tehran's nuclear issue.
Rouhani made the remarks on Thursday in a phone conversation with British 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 ... as Iran, the United States and the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... ended a second round of nuclear talks on Tehran's nuclear program in the Swiss city of Lausanne.
"We should move in the direction of national and international interests and do not let this opportunity... be missed easily," the Iranian president said.
"Special conditions are prevailing over the negotiations because our common positions regarding the peacefulness of [Iran's] nuclear activities and the necessity of removal of all unjust sanctions can lead us to the final solution," he added.
Rouhani emphasized that Iran's nuclear energy program is peaceful as required under a fatwa by Fearless Leader of the Islamic Revolution ...Iran's doddering head theocrat... Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei ...the successor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and the actual dictator of Iran... .
Iran and P5+1 group of countries - the United States, La Belle France, Britannia, Russia, China and Germany - have been in talks to resolve outstanding issues surrounding the Islamic Theocratic Republic's peaceful nuclear program.
Rouhani has also written "to the leaders of the P5+1 group of countries" involved in nuclear talks, his office said Thursday.
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03/27/2015 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.
the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon
Saudi Arabia will not rule out building or acquiring nuclear weapons, the country's ambassador to the United States has indicated.
[Iran Press TV] Press TV has conducted an interview with 
[DAWN] Prime Minister 
Currently the Interior Minister of Pakistain. He is the senior leader of the Pak Moslem League (N) and a close aide to Nawaz 
[DAWN] In contrast to the very nomenclature of the party, the emir of 
David Cameron
