I'd feel better about this if it was in something other than Newsweak.
The Taliban has lost its swagger. Eighteen months ago they were stronger than ever in eastern Afghanistan and their home provinces in the south, and they were growing fast in the formerly secure north and west.
But fighters on the front lines are far less cocky. The USMC can do that to you.
They freely admit that defections, desertions, and battlefield losses are undermining their military effectiveness. Worse, the defectors have given valuable intelligence to the Americans.
One of their biggest concerns is the lack of real leadership at the top. Opening for #3 - submit your application, hurry, hurry.
The movement's founder, Mullah Mohammed Omar, has been unseen and silent since he fled Afghanistan in late 2001, and his right-hand man, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, has been held for the past year by Pakistani security forces. The two senior commanders who nominally run the war in the south now--Abdul Qayum Zakir and Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor--inspire little confidence in the ranks.
Kidnappings, indiscriminate IED and suicide-bomb attacks, abuses of power, and outright banditry are alienating formerly sympathetic villagers. Cuz it worked so well for Zarqawi.
From Fox: Taliban leadership is scrambling to stem the public-relations fallout from recent suicide attacks that killed dozens of Afghan civilians, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.
The insurgent movement has launched an internal investigation, and some commanders now blame an autonomous faction for the "massacres" of civilians.
But they used to be able to blame all the killings on the infidels, and now they can't. They've poisoned their own well, just like Zarqawi did in Iraq. I suspect at least part of the reason for the Newsweek article is to prepare the ground for pulling out our troops as the president promised, but even so.
[Tolo News] Russian politicians have ratified an agreement to let the United States ship troops and supplies through Russian soil for counterinsurgency offensives in Afghanistan.
Calling the deal one-sided and in favour of the US, communists denounced the agreement.
Of course they did...
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said there have been 780 US flights over Russia since September 2009.
The United States has carried 115,000 US service members and more than 19,000 metric tonnes of cargo to and from Afghanistan so far as part of the deal.
Mr Ryabkov said the air route has accounted for 16 percent of all US military ferry to and from the country. The agreement has helped improve relations between the US, Nato and Russia, he said.
Russia has discussed similar deals with Germany, La Belle France and Spain.
Officials in Moscow described the agreement a key share of Russia in international efforts to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan.
Seeing as they themselves had a problem with bringing 'peace and stability' to Kabul...
And as a result, now they have so many citizens who are peaceful opium eaters.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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Russia & the USA have a common interest in suppressing Afghan terror and opium exports? Who'da thunk it?
#3
I seem to recall the Russians asking, and getting, permission to go after the opium crowd in Afghanistan... maybe last summer? I'm not sure if that's connected to supply shortages beyond what was caused by the drought.
You can count on these two old dogs to do the right thing when the chips are down.
Cairo -- The United States and its allies should recognize and arm a provisional government in Libya, and also impose a no-fly zone that would prevent Libyan aircraft from attacking anti-government protesters there, two leading U.S. senators said Sunday.
Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, [said] that the Obama administration needs to do more to help protesters oust Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
"I think the world has to do more," Lieberman said. "I'd begin with the imposition of a no-fly zone so that Gadhafi can't be attacking his own people from the air."
In addition, Lieberman said, "We've got to recognize the opposition provisional government as the legitimate government of Libya and that we ought to give that government certainly humanitarian assistance and military arms, not to go in on the ground ourselves, but give them the wherewithal to fight on behalf of the people of Libya against a really cruel dictator."
It's up to the Libyan people to free themselves. But we can help them. Nothing prevents us from doing that. Lieberman is exactly right.
Where will we get the manpower? Our guys are kind of busy right now, between Iraq, Afghanistan, and all sorts of places around the world that aren't much mentioned...
Both Lieberman and McCain stopped short of calling for U.S. forces to get involved. McCain added that the United States and allies should make clear that any foreign mercenaries backing Gadhafi in attacking the Libyan people would face a war crimes tribunal.
"Get tough," McCain said. "I understand that the security and safety of American citizens is our highest priority. It's not our only priority."
People throughout the Middle East and around the world were " looking to America for leadership, for assistance, for moral support and ratification of the sacrifices they've made in the defense of democracy," McCain said. "America should lead."
Word.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2011 14:34 ||
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Just great. I am sure you will make sure the weapons does not make it into the hands of the most organized resisters, the Muslim Brotherhood, right? Or does Hillary and Obama and these politicians ever think about where the fire power will end up? They are more and more becoming American Mawali, whether they realize it or not, with each new day.
Posted by: Large Sleamble4720 ||
02/27/2011 18:36 Comments ||
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#2
Should have provided a link to the definition of Mawali. So here it is for those new to the term. (link)
Posted by: Large Sleamble4720 ||
02/27/2011 18:42 Comments ||
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#3
Someone please explain to mcRino that the middle east does not look to the US for leadership - they see us as pastsies to be taken advantage of or imperialists to fear. They do not give a crap about moral support from the US because we are infidels. And while some of the protesters may be trying to achieve democracy they will likely achieve what the majority want - islamic republics under sharia or a caliphate under sharia.
So john, spare me the cold war rhetoric. If they want weapons send them IF THEY PAY FOR THEM up front - and not front line US gear.
* WND > OBAMA TO BE TRIED BY MUSLIMS WHEN THEY TAKE OVER THE US | [Anjem Choudary] OBAMA TO FACE SHARIA COURT? CLERIC SAYS PRESIDENT MUST EMBRACE ISLAM OR BE TRIED WHEN MUSLIMS TAKEOVER THE US.
And once again AL BUNDY is NOT shocked.
Uh, uh, FEAR NOT, BAMMER AMERICA = AMERIKA, THE COMMIES + SOCIALISTS, ETC. ARE COMING TO OUR RESCUE TO PREVENT THIS DASTARDLY DEED???
[1980's RED DAWN = 1990's BURNING CRESCENT = post-911 BAMBOO? DAWN here].
Oh wait, CHARLIE SHEEN keeps getting into truble in Hollywood.
1980's "W-O-L-V-E-R-I-N-E-S"! = must now 2011-2020/2025 become "HOORAY + UUHRA-A-A FOR AMERICA = AMERIKA, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING"!
[Ennahar] The president of the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), Said Saadi, didn't hesitate to mount on a vehicle of national security, parked in Place des Martyrs in Algiers, opposite the headquarters of the second urban security, and trample the logo of the police, after failing in previous events to pass the cordon of police who blocked the unauthorised marches, which demanded the departure of the regime.
Upon arrival at the Place des Martyrs, around nine thirty in the morning, the leader of the RCD, surrounded by his followers, whose number barely exceeded 60 people, and accompanied by the Honorary President of the Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights, Ali Yahia Abdenour, tried to pass the cordon of anti-riot police, near the arches of the Casbah Town hall headquarters, surrounded by his personal bodyguards, then headed to a car of National Security, parked in front of the headquarters of the second urban security. He climbs onto the roof of the vehicle, trampling the police logo drawn on it in an attempt to humiliate this body, especially since this is not the first time he does such things. During the march of February 12 at Place du Premier Mai, he tried to wrest the helmets of security officers who were blocking the road to protesters of the National Coordination for Change and Democracy (NCCD).
Saadi wanted the world to believe he has been dropped from the top of the vehicle by security officers who tried to stop this farce. He threw himself on the people around him, security officers and brownshirts of his party, before rising a second time on the roof of the vehicle to stay a few moments, lifting two fingers to form the "V" of victory, before being obliged to descend, he then took, with his supporters, the stairs leading to the Admiralty. Saadi was making his speech to his supporters while about 40 people from the neighborhoods adjacent to the Casbah were chanting pro-Bouteflika ... 10th president of Algeria. He was elected in 1999 and is currently on his third term, which is probably why Algerians are ready to dump him... slogans. Saâdi left the Place des Martyrs around half past eleven.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Finally ... Saadi fell!
Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra!
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
02/27/2011 8:36 Comments ||
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[Ennahar] three hostages kidnapped in Niger in September 2010 and released this week will be received Saturday by French President Nicolas Sarkozy after more than five months in the Sahel desert in the hands of Al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
The French Françoise Larribe, the Madagascan Jean-Claude Rakotorilalao and the Togolese Alex Awando were released on the night of Thursday to Friday in an area near the junction of the borders between Algeria, Mali and Niger, operation theater of AQIM.
"President of the Republic will receive at 2:30 pm (1:30 pm GMT), the three hostages and their families," said sources close to the Head of State.
La Belle France Info radio said at midday that a Falcon plane of the French Republic repatriating from Niamey the French hostage, Françoise Larribe, had landed at Villacoublay military airport near Gay Paree.
An ambulance then left the airport, the radio added. Aged about sixty, Mrs. Larribe suffers from cancer.
The three people released are part of a group of seven hostages kidnapped by AQIM in northern Niger. Released in NigerNiamey, said Friday the French presidency.
No official details were given on conditions of release or the fate of four other hostages, all men and French.
According to a source close to the Malian and Nigerian mediation involved in the negotiations, a ransom was paid in exchange for their release. We did not know the amount and who had paid.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
An audience with Nick for the official Presenting of the Receipt?
[Maghrebia] Built seven centuries ago, the historic city of Chinguetti is Mauritania's top tourist destination. For decades, the city lured visitors from around the world. But with the death of four Frenchies at the hands of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in December 2007, the number of visitors dropped off sharply.
About 7,000 people worked in tourism in the city, and they were impacted heavily by the decline following the al-Qaeda kidnappings, according to Mohamed Mahmoud, a tour operator and head of the Mauritanian Association for Sahara Guides.
"The majority of Chinguetti residents were harmed since they rely on tourism. They are either tourist guides, owners of hotels, camel renters, vendors of dates and artefacts, foreign currency exchange dealers, or makers of traditional Mauritanian meals," Mahmoud added.
Located 580km northeast of Nouakchott, Chinguetti is the oldest city in Mauritania. It proudly hosts the country's oldest libraries and heritage manuscripts. The city also prides itself on its time-honoured buildings, with their distinct stone architecture, not to mention its geographic location amidst boundless seas of sand.
The city relies on the tourist trade as the backbone of its economy. But only a few hundred tourists venture into a city that once drew thousands. Operating hotels dropped from seventy to a mere seven.
In the year after the four Frenchies were killed, nearly 150,000 tourists were expected to arrive, according to Mohamed Soumbara, the tourism ministry representative in the province. The terrorist attack, however, caused the number of visitors to drop to 9,600.
Soumbara said that the figures fell in the following year as well, with only 1,077 tourists arriving. The number continued to drop, reaching an all-time low of 173 tourists for the 2011 season. Some attributed the decline to a French foreign ministry travel warning for Chinguetti and neighbouring provinces. Nearly 90% of tourists were French citizens, while the rest were Belgian, Spanish and German.
Soumbara said the warning exaggerated fears about the presence of AQIM. "The Adrar Plateau is safe and is encircled by an unprecedented security ring fence," he commented.
Tourism seasons, which normally extend from October to April, are no longer booming since November 2009, when AQIM kidnapped two Spanish tourists, according to Abderrahman Houdy, manager of the Zarga hotel.
"Before that date, I used to expect teems of tourists whom I was in touch with. However, The infamous However... they told me that because of the warnings issued by the French foreign ministry, they decided to cancel their trip to Chinguetti. For hotel owners, that meant substantial financial damages," Houdy added.
Alika Nakachi, a French tourist, said she was on her fourth trip to Chinguetti and that she was not dissuaded by the warnings of the foreign ministry.
"It is true tourism dropped in this city," Nakachi added. "But as a tourist, I do not see Chinguetti as a danger zone, because all Al-Qaeda operations were not perpetrated within the area designated by the foreign ministry as danger zone. Personally speaking, I feel no danger at all in this city."
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
CHINGUETTI TOURISM
versus
* TOPIX/FREEREPUBLIC > IRAN HAS SEVERAL BASES IN LIBYA, along Libyan borders wid Chad + Niger as per IRGC-controlled foreign oil companies???
Iran Covert/BlackOps in Libyuh???
* TOPIX > SOMALIA: ALERT ON BORDERS AS TERROR CELL [Al-Qaeda Network] CLASHES WID ETHIOPIAN TROOPS. Fears that fighting will expand + spread into KENYA.
* TOPIX > [Zimbabweans] ZIMS URGED TO FOLLOW EGYPT, TUNISIA, + LIBYA LEADS [Call for "Jasmine" Revolution in MUGABE-LAND].
* SAME > FEAR OF CIVIL WAR IN NORTH SOMALIA.
* CHINESE MILITARY FORUM > OMAN CLASHES WIDEN PROTEST RUMBLINGS IN [Arabian-Persian] GULF.
[Jerusalem Post Front Page] An Egyptian panel tasked with amending the country's constitution recommended Saturday easing restrictions on who can run for president and imposing presidential term limits -- two key demands of the popular uprising that pushed longtime president Hosni Mubarak from power.
The eight-member panel also suggested limits on the use of emergency laws -- in place in Egypt for 30 years -- to a six-month period with the approval of an elected parliament, and beyond that period only if approved by a public referendum.
Protests continued throughout the region over the weekend, with hundreds of thousands of demonstrators hitting the streets in several countries to demand long-awaited political reform. The sweeping changes to the Egyptian constitution must still be put to a popular referendum to take effect, but they appear to address many of the demands of protesters who led the 18-day popular uprising that forced Mubarak to step down on February 11. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has been running Egypt's affairs since then.
The legal panel was appointed last week to suggest constitutional amendments that would pave the way for democratic elections later this year. The council has said the military wants to hand power over to a new government and elected president within six months.
But the protest movement has been growing impatient, and tens of thousands rallied in Cairo's Tahrir Square throughout Friday to keep up the pressure on the military. In particular, protest leaders are demanding the dismissal of Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, who was appointed by Mubarak. They are also calling for a more active civilian role in the decisions made by the council.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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Look how successful these term limits have been in South America.
[Pak Daily Times] Egypt's ruling military council apologised on Saturday after military police beat protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square, but activists called for fresh protests to denounce violence by the authorities.
A security official and witnesses said that military police surrounded protesters shortly after midnight, beating them with batons and using tasers to disperse a crowd of several hundred that had gathered to push for reforms.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces said that "what happened late Friday was the result of unintentional confrontations between the military police and the youth of the revolution." It stressed that it "did not and will not issue orders to attack the youth, and all measures will be taken to ensure this will not happen again."
In a second statement, the armed forces said they would "immediately release all the youth of the January 25 revolution that were jugged in Tahrir Square (on Friday)", but did not say how many there were. A security official said around 20 people were jugged.
Activists launched a Facebook call for fresh protests on Saturday to denounce the army's use of force. "Peaceful protesters in Tahrir are being chased away by the military police with tasers, sticks and whips. Masked men with machine guns trying to shut down the strike by force. Many beaten, assaulted and nabbed," the statement said. "We cannot stand for this; we must stand strong against violence towards peaceful protesters."
On Friday, thousands of Egyptians rallied in the square -- the focal point of anti-government protests that toppled president Hosni Mubarak -- to celebrate the success of their revolution and call for a new government purged of old guard remnants.
They demanded the replacement of the government of Prime Minister Ahmad Shafiq. Even after a reshuffle on Wednesday, a number of key portfolios, including foreign affairs and defence, are still in the hands of Mubarak regime veterans. "Shafiq's government is subservient to the corrupt regime," read one banner carried by demonstrators. Protesters also called for the abolition of the much feared state security services.
Mubarak, who resigned on February 11, handed power to the army. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces ordered Shafiq's government to run the country's affairs for six months "or until the end of parliamentary and presidential elections." It has vowed to uphold the principles of the uprising and fight the corruption that tainted Mubarak's regime.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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SANAA: Pressure on Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign intensified on Saturday when the leaders of two of Yemens most important tribes abandoned the president and joined the anti-regime movement. Powerful tribal leaders, including those of the Hashid and Baqil, pledged to join protests against Saleh at a gathering north of the capital, a tribal source told AFP.
I have announced my resignation from the General Peoples Congress in protest at the repression of peaceful demonstrators in Sanaa, Taez and Aden, Hashid tribal chief Sheikh Hussein bin Abdullah al-Ahmar was quoted as saying, in reference to the ruling party.
The Hashids are considered Yemens most powerful tribal confederation and include nine clans, among them the Sanhan, long a bulwark of Salehs regime.
The announcement was warmly received by a large crowd of tribesmen, including members of Yemens second largest tribe, the Baqil, who gathered for the meeting, according to the tribal source. The two tribes announced they would support the popular uprising against Saleh, who has refused to step down after three decades in power, to chants of the people want the fall of the regime!
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2011 14:25 ||
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A hard-line Shi'ite dissident has returned to Bahrain from exile to join an opposition movement demanding that the island kingdom's Sunni rulers accept a more democratic system.
Hassan Mushaimaa, London-based leader of the Shi'ite Haq movement, told media as he arrived that "dialogue...is not enough. Promising is not enough" and called for immediate political reforms.
Mushaimaa had originally planned to return last week to test a dialogue offer by the king. But Lebanese authorities temporarilly seized his passport during a stopover in Beirut on February 22, saying his name was on an international arrest warrant.
Tens of thousands thronged the streets of Manama on February 25 in one of the biggest demonstrations since unrest erupted in Bahrain 10 days earlier.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2011 14:22 ||
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[Al Jazeera] A raft of minor reforms have been floated "in the public's interest" by the sultan of Oman, as protesters stopped traffic and broke street lights in the country's largest industrial city.
A crowd of 500 protesters, demanding democracy and jobs, gathered on Saturday outside a shopping mall in the city of Sohar, barricading vehicles and shoppers.
"It has been going on for hours now,' said resident Mohammed Sumri. "They are at the Globe roundabout blocking traffic."
Though protests are rare in the country on the south-eastern tip of the Arabian peninsula, the police did not intervene, witnesses said.
Oman's ruler, Sultan 'Caboose' Qaboos bin Said, issued a decree announcing a raise in stipends for university students - which will reportedly be boosted by between US$65 and US$234 a month - in order to "achieve further development and provide a decent living", said the state-run Oman News Agency.
A cabinet reshuffle has also seen the replacement of six ministers - though long-serving ministers were not affected. In addition, Sultan Qaboos announced the creation of a consumer protection bureau and said he was looking into opening cooperatives in the 2.8 million-strong country - an absolute monarchy where poltical parties are banned.
"We want democracy," shouted crowds in Sohar. "We want the Shura council to have legislative powers. We want corrupt ministers to go - we want jobs," they chanted.
The 84-member Shura council is elected by voters across 61 districts, but works in a purely advisory capacity and has no legislative powers.
Earlier this month, the sultanate increased the minimum salaries of private sector workers by 43 per cent - to US$520 a month, as popular uprisings which toppled autocratic leaders in Tunisia and Egypt spread to Libya, Yemen and Bahrain - one of Oman's partners in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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[Iran Press TV] A group of Qatari activists has created a page on the social networking website Facebook demanding the ouster of Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
More than 18,000 people have already joined the page on Facebook, AFP reported on Saturday.
Under the title "Freedom Revolution, March 16, Qatar," the page calls on the "Qatari nation to hit the streets to demand change."
The activists are demanding that Qatar cut off relations with Israel, with which it maintains informal ties, and the United States, which has a military base in the Persian Gulf state.
The web page is part of the latest cyber campaign seeking to effect change in the Arab world.
Popular revolutions have already toppled US-backed Tunisian ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Egyptian geriatric President Hosni Mubarak, who was regarded as Tel Aviv's closest ally in the region.
Similar pro-democracy movements, fueled by poverty and unemployment, are underway in Bahrain, Libya, Soddy Arabia, and Yemen.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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The British Government was brokering a secret deal worth up to £10 billion with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime before Libya descended into chaos, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt.
For the past 18 months a dedicated Foreign Office unit has been supporting lawyers fighting to win compensation for UK victims of IRA bombs built with Libyan-supplied explosives.
Another of Labour's bright ideas.
The team was in the advanced stages of discussing a "Victims' Initiative" package with key members of Gaddafi's regime.
The possible agreement would have included payouts for the 150 families of those killed and injured bringing the claim, as well as a huge "cultural and social" investment focusing on reconciliation projects, much of it in Northern Ireland.
Sources said the agreement would have seen Libya committing between £2 billion and £10 billion to the UK, as part of an effort to detoxify "Brand Libya".
#1
The key part of this story is that the ordnance and killers Qadaffy is dumping on Libyans were mostly imported from abroad and paid for with the oil Libya sold the UK and the rest of Europe.
Oil money for Jihad, oil money for terror, oil money for insane dictators, the theme gets very little coverage.
It's one way to solve the Nork problem: China can annex it one piece at a time.
North Korea's Rajin-Sonbong special economic zone is seeing a rapid influx of Chinese businesspeople as the impoverished country becomes more desperate amid international sanctions and the aftermath of a botched currency reform. The zone was established in 1991 to attract hard currency but had been practically idle except for a few small traders, due to tight controls by state security.
But now sources say Beijing seems to think it is high time to persuade the North to reform and open up as the economy is on the verge of collapse. It is pressuring the regime to develop Rajin-Sonbong into a model of Chinese-style reform, and it needs to use Rason Port for its own Tumen River project. This is swiftly attracting Chinese investment to the area.
Beijing reportedly even plans to supply electricity to the Rajin-Songbong area. "The replacement of transformers aimed at getting electricity from China is underway, and Chinese electricity is expected to be supplied from April," said a North Korean defector.
Beijing has already established an economic mission there that is to handle any conflict with the North Korean authorities. China pressured Pyongyang to sort out traffic, communication and customs issues, and the North apparently agreed to all demands. "Customs clearance took less than 5 minutes," said a Chinese businessman who visited Rajin-Songbon recently. Previously it took more than three hours and customs officials would extort bribes with false charges. No mobile phone calls to China can be made yet, but landlines are working and mobile phone calls are to be possible soon.
Until last year, not even Chinese people were permitted to watch TV channels from abroad and there were tight limits on what they could say or do. But now Chinese are all but free to do as they please in Rajin-Songbon, and the security officials stationed there have been brought to heel and told not to interfere with Chinese business activities.
Rajin-Songbong used to have so many security officials that it was said the population was half traders and half police, and they frequently hauled people off for questioning on groundless charges.
The North is said to have started selling land in the city to Chinese business at US$50 per 3.3 sq. m downtown and $30 in the suburbs. The Chinese still don't trust the North Korean regime and are reluctant to purchase, but the fact that the land is for sale at all is a momentous change.
Pyongyang is in negotiations with Beijing to build a massive industrial park in the area like the joint Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex.
"With its isolation deepening due to its nuclear tests, North Korea is seeking a way out through the opening of Rajin-Sonbong," said a recent North Korean defector. It remains to be seen what a role China will play in reforming the North, which has been trying to earn dollars without making any fundamental change to the system, he added.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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This is symptomatic of the end of the Norks. The Chinese know that the game is over. They are now just putting markers down on the geography that they want to control after the Norks fall.
Expect a final partition of Norkland where the Chinese get the tasty port city and the Skors get the annoying surfs and nuclear wasteland between Rajin and Seoul, while the U.S. is politely asked to pack up and leave.
Not that it would be bad for us to remove our military presence from the Korean peninsula in such a scenario. It presupposes a working accommodation between China and (now one) Korea; the former takes care of the northern enclave it has carved out and the latter works to rebuild the rest. As long as Korea isn't overly cowed by the Chinese, and as long as China doesn't use the end of the North to push aggression on Japan, I'm good with it.
We could then deploy our military assets elsewhere. Korea is strong enough to take care of itself, and Japan continues to work with us.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2011 11:54 Comments ||
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#4
Steve, I don't think such a future is really all that bad either, but it is important to point out the underlying importance of what is happening. As a Christian and an American, the most important thing in Norkland is liberating the Nork people, who are enslaved. And frankly, control of Rajin is worthless to everyone except China. Of course, China probably views the people of Norkland as worthless as well.
So here we have a potential strategic accommodation, where all parties get something they value, while giving up something which is worthless to themselves.
#5
The Maha-Rushian questionne' is how far KIMMIE + REGIME are willing to escalate matters as per PRESERVATION OF KIM FAMILY RULING DYNASTIC POWER IN NORTH KOREA, WHILE SIMUL NOT BEING BLAMED BY ORDINARY NORH KOREANS + SOUTH KOREA, ETC. FOR THE LOSS OF NORTH KOREA TO OVERT CHINESE CONTROL??
As for ambitious Rising China, de facto Chin takeover of the DPRK does NOT resolve its basic geopol problem as per [Mahanist]lack of OVERSEAS SOLE BASE RIGHTS = WARM WATER PORTS BEYOND THE "FIRST ISLAND CHAIN", WHILE THE RADICAL ISLAMIST THREAT TO CENTRAL ASIA, + NUCLEARIZATION OF SAME [Ex-Soviet -Stans] DOES NOT BODE WELL FOR IT AS A FUTURE MACKINDRIAN GLOBAL-DOMINATING LAND POWER.
* TOPIX > POST-SOVIET NEO GLOBALISM. CIS COUNTRIES + GEORGIA STRAIN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WID THEIR WAR EXPENSES | POST-SOVIET COUNTRIES INCREASE THEIR MILITARY BUDGETS.
Helium balloons to be floated to North Korea will carry propaganda leaflets with news of the popular uprisings sweeping the Middle East, a lawmaker said Thursday. The military will also attach clothes and medicine to the balloons, a practice discontinued in April 2000.
The Defense Ministry submitted a report to Future Hope Alliance lawmaker Song Young-sun on Thursday saying the military has sent about 3 million propaganda leaflets since North Korea's shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in October last year, including 400,000 immediately following the attack and 2.4 million since early February.
"The military plans to update its propaganda leaflets by adding news of popular uprisings in Egypt and Libya and also criticizing the hereditary succession under the long-term dictatorship, and distribute them on a large scale," said Song quoting military sources.
Starting this month, it sent over 10,000 items including 14 daily necessities such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, and tissues, as well as underwear, hats and gloves, and medicine such as cold pills, ointment and antiseptic, plus microwaveable instant rice and radios.
Do the commoners have microwave ovens in North Korea? Or enough electricity to run them?
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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No, but the rice is precooked and edible straight out of the package.
Posted by: Pearl Gleaper1127 ||
02/27/2011 17:16 Comments ||
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The New York Times as well as some other US newspapers had 'withheld information' about double murder-accused Raymond Davis' ties to the Central Intelligence Agency "at the request of the Obama administration," misleading their readers and also damaging their credibility in the process. How Damaging what? You don't get outside your bubble much, do you?
"The New York Times had agreed to temporarily withhold information about Mr. Davis's ties to the agency at the request of the Obama administration, which argued that disclosure of his specific job would put his life at risk. Several foreign news organizations have disclosed some aspects of Mr. Davis's work with the CIA," admitted the paper in its story on Monday after "American officials lifted their request to withhold publication. Oh, temporarily. I get it.
In his bid to justify this, the paper's public editor Arthur Brisbane put forward his explanation by saying: "As profoundly unpalatable as it is, I think the Times did the only thing it could do." And exactly how does this square with the NY Slimes revealing the details of how W's administration tracked terrorists through their financial dealings? That story truly did not need to see the light of day, was far more deniable, hurt America far worse than this one ever will, and gave us nothing in return. Exactly what is it that Obean has done for you that makes you keep coming back for more?
Oh, I forgot you guys were trying to protect your "credibility" because you supported Obean during the presidential election. Carry on, wh0res. I enjoy watching you guys taking it in the backside while trying not to scream in the hope of nobody noticing.
#1
One thing did get buried in all this hoo-ha. I found it somewhere on the intertubes, can't be sure, but it sounds plausible. Right after the Davis shootout, 2 other CIA agents were called to the scene. They were close by in a car & were approaching through heavy traffic. They hit & killed a motorcyclist, and could go no further. They were not taken into custody, left the scene & shortly after were able to leave Pakistan. AFAIK, this part of the story has not been publicized in Pakistan.
#2
Anyone with a lick of sense knows that Pakistan is a wretched hive of scum and villainy, riddled with Islamists, jihadis, arms dealers, drug smugglers, ISI agents, CIA agents, double agents, triple agents, secret Asians, etc.
I don't need to have this all spelled out. I can only pity those who do.
#3
"How can a news outlet stay credible when readers learn later that it has concealed what it knows?"
"It was a brutally hard call that, for some, damaged The Times's standing.
Must not have been any confidential information at stake here or he'd be walking the streets of NY for sure.
A judge sentenced the first Guantanamo detainee to have a U.S. civilian trial to life in prison Tuesday, saying anything he suffered at the hands of the CIA and others "pales in comparison to the suffering and the horror" caused by the bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa in 1998.
U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan sentenced Ahmed Ghailani to life, calling the attacks "horrific" and saying the deaths and damage they caused far outweighs "any and all considerations that have been advanced on behalf of the defedndant." He also ordered Ghailani to pay a $33 million fine. Ooh, that's a lotta fully-crushed 3/4- gravel. Better get to swinging that sledge, Nancy.
Kaplan announced the sentenced in a packed Manhattan courtroom after calling it a day of justice for the defendant, as well as for the families of 224 people who died in the al-Qaida bombings, including a dozen Americans, and thousands more who were injured.
Kaplan denounced the attacks and said he was satisfied that Ghailani knew and intended that people would be killed as a result of his actions and the conspiracy he joined. I wonder how many will sieze on the fact that the judge was jewish and obviously biased against an innocent terrorist.
Looks like Pakistain is completely in bed with Iran, too. Amazing how quickly these things develop, isn't it?
A Pakistani analyst on Saturday said that once again International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has failed to find out any evidence against peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program.
Talking to IRNA, Dr. Syed Qandil Abbas, Professor of International Relations in International Islamic University said that conspiracies against Islamic Republic would fail.
The IAEA in its latest report reaffirmed that Iran's nuclear program has never been diverted to nuclear weapons production.
Dr. Syed Qandil Abbas was of the view that Iran's decision to open its nuclear sites to foreign envoys had helped in bringing more transparency over its peaceful nuclear program.
The intellectual noted that even after unprecedented inspection of Iran's nuclear sites the IAEA could not find any evidence against the peaceful nuclear program of Islamic Republic.
"Iran is fully cooperating with the nuclear watch dog", opined the researcher.
He strongly believed that U.S. and Israel are behind conspiracies against Iran. "They are using the IAEA as tool to destabilize Iran, but the way Iran is tackling the issue shows hat these countries would fail to accomplish their evil designs, said Dr. Abbas.
He said that Western powers are pressurizing the IAEA to stop Iran from developing a nuclear program because they cannot tolerant achievements of Iran.
The analyst expressing his opinion said that U.S. has no right to pressurize Iran over nuclear issue. "How can they say that Iran is making an atomic bomb without any evidence?" asked the analyst.
"First U.S. has to justify the destruction that it has caused in Iraq, where are those weapons of mass destruction", he stated.
"We can predict that U.S. could destroy the whole world because it has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons and had used them against Japan", said the researcher. Yeah, we like to whip them out every few years and annihilate some hapless country just to make sure we stay in practice.
Dr. Syed Qandil Abbas expressing his views said that it is strange that a declared nuclear power is afraid of the destruction caused by nuclear weapons. What are you talking about? Didn't you know that being a nuclear power made you automagically immune to the effects of a nuclear attack. Moron.
He added the problem with the U.S. is that Iran is not accepting their domination relying upon its indigenous resources. "They are not bowing before American pressure and pursuing an independent domestic policy", said the analyst.
Dr. Syed Qandil Abbas opined that the whole world is supporting Iran on the nuclear issue and the conspiracies of U.S. against Iran would be failed.
Responding to a question, he said that definitely the IAEA has crossed its mandate by commenting over the implementation of safeguards about Iran's nuclear program.
"Their job is to find out whether some nuclear program is peaceful or not and provide solid evidence", he said.
Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh has said all nuclear activities in Iran are under the full-scope safeguards of the IAEA and that Tehran has been cooperating with the agency far beyond its legal obligations.
"The report is on the implementation of safeguards in Iran and therefore those parts referring to other things, like the Security Council or the Additional Protocol, are beyond the mandate of such a report," the Iranian envoy said.
[Ma'an] The Fatah Youth Movement said Saturday that despite a US veto of an anti-settlement resolution at the UN, it remained committed to non-violent resistance.
Interesting. I didn't know the Palestinians had any of that species left.
Depends on your definition of "nonviolence," doesn't it?
On February 18, the US torpedoed Paleostinian efforts to pass a motion condemning illegal settlement construction at the UN Security Council.
In light of the veto, US President Barack B.O. Obama's statements on freedom and democracy "only sound hypocritical," Fatah Youth said in a statement.
The movement said it believed Obama when he said settlements were illegitimate and that the oldest military occupation in the world would end within one year. Further, it had hoped the UN resolution would signal that the international community would implement international law in Paleostine.
"Unfortunately President B.O. lied and we were wrong," the movement said.
The group questioned when the US would stop its veto of the human rights ... which are not the same thing as individual rights, mind you... for Paleostinians.
"How many more people must be killed and beaten at the hands of the Israeli military? How many more people must be thrown out of their homes at dawn to make room for settlers? How many more people must be shamed at checkpoints? How much more of our land and resources must be stolen?"
The youth movement said that despite the veto, it remained steadfast on the path to freedom and justice, and would continue its popular and non-violent struggle against the occupation.
"Most importantly, we are officially reiterating our endorsement to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against all Israel, not only settlements," the statement added.
Since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared there was no difference between the illegal Ma'ale Adumin settlement and Tel Aviv, or between occupied East Jerusalem and Haifa, "we no longer feel obliged to boycott only settlements," the group said.
The movement reiterated its support for a two-state solution, but said it saw no partner for peace in the Israeli government.
"We still believe in the same values under which the US was founded. Freedom, justice and democracy are the basis for any future Paleostinian state," the group said.
It invited supporters to protest the US veto and to join the campaign to boycott Israeli goods.
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02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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Original title: How to bankrupt terrorism Israeli lawyer Nitsana Darshan-Leitner tells Greg Callaghan how she and her colleagues are hitting terrorist organisations where it hurts.
NITSANA Darshan-Leitner has spent the past decade delivering a highly effective counterpunch to terrorist organisations across the globe by using her own brand of "lawfare".
First, she and her group of lawyers at the Israel Law Centre in Tel Aviv track down the terrorists' financial pipelines, then they set about suing the banks, institutions and charitable fronts used to facilitate the flow of funds. In doing so, the attorney has taken on some of the world's biggest banks -- the Arab Bank, the Bank of China, and American Express -- and to date has recovered a whopping $120 million for the victims of terrorist attacks.
Darshan-Leitner has also won judgments worth more than $1 billion against groups including Hamas and Hezbollah. While the terrorists themselves do not pay up, Darshan-Leitner and her team have been able to close the spigot on many of their supply lines and reduce the risk of attacks on Israel by as much as 60%, according to Israeli intelligence. There is real potential, she believes, for the victims of the two Bali bombings to launch civil actions against the terrorists and their backers. It is her mantra that "money is the oxygen of terrorism and if we can stop the flow of money, we can reduce terrorism". On a recent tour in Australia, where she met senior politicians, Darshan-Leitner explained how she does it.
Who are the main terrorist groups and states bankrolling terrorist attacks?
Hamas. PLO. Islamic Jihad. Hezbollah. And state regimes that support terror such as Iran, Syria, North Korea.
Of course, it's not the terrorists who you are forcing to pay up, but the banks handling their money.
Terrorist organisations don't come to court. No, we're going after bank accounts, shares, assets that are in the hands of third parties, and even grabbing houses. In cases against the banks, we've been very successful in sending a shockwave through the international financial systems. We have sent the message that if you provide financial services to terror groups or to the front charities that they hide behind, you could incur massive financial liability from the victims' cases.
You have taken two British banks, Lloyds and Barclays, to court, forcing them to shut down accounts of Islamic charities providing money to the families of suicide bombers. Some would argue that cutting off financial aid to these families is simple guilt by association, that you're punishing innocent people.
They are not being punished. But you must stop the flow of money going to any connection to a terrorist organisation. If you give money to the family of a suicide bomber you actually encourage the next suicide bomber to carry out an attack because he knows his family will be supported from now until the end.
But surely a terrorist organisation can simply bank its money through an Islamic financial institution and shift money around?
Yes, a terrorist group can still use an Islamic bank. The problem is where the money goes once it leaves the Islamic bank. You need an international bank to facilitate the money transaction. For instance, if a Palestinian bank wants to trade in euros or shekel you need a correspondent bank in Israel or Europe. No bank would be willing to do that. And the amount of money Hamas can smuggle through tunnels in suitcases is about a tenth of what can be wired through a bank.
You have just launched a $5 million class action against former president Jimmy Carter and publishing company Simon & Schuster, alleging that his 2006 book, Palestine, Peace Not Apartheid, has an anti-Israel agenda. What do you find most objectionable about the book?
The problem with the book is not that it was anti-Israel; Carter is perfectly entitled to express his opinion. The cause of action arose because Carter and his publisher have been marketing the book as accurate and truthful, when in fact the book is replete with inaccuracies, misrepresentations, mistakes and lies. We sued under the consumer protection laws as it's a fraud on the reading public.
Some would see this as a clear-cut case of you trying to quash free speech.
We have repeatedly said that Carter is entirely free to express his opinion. Our suit is based upon the misrepresentations that Carter and his publisher have made to the public. They continue to insist the book is truthful and we claim it's a fraudulent misrepresentation on the public. It has nothing to do with free speech. It has to do with false advertising and fraudulent commercial speech.
#2
Good for her. The Israelis are experienced at tracking down people such as Nazi, terrorists and money.
Hamas. PLO. Islamic Jihad. Hezbollah. And state regimes that support terror such as Iran, Syria, North Korea.
There is money funneled by sympathetic individuals from a number of Western countries also. I noticed the Saudis were not on this list. We also have many on the liberal left in the U.S. who are soft on and supportive of the islamists. The islamists are viewed as poor victims of the U.S. rather than the terrorists they are. Of course they also tend to ignore reality [and suffer from mental derangements]; somehow they think 911 was our fault and they choose to blame the victim. For example, Obama funder Jodie Evans took part in a Hamas-Aid Event Cairo. Obama pals Ayers and Dohrn were also in Cairo with Code Pink to support the Palestinians in 2009.
The Islamic Republic of Iran launched a project to design and build its most advanced national fighter jet, Iran's air force deputy commander, Mohammad Reza Karshaki, said.
"A new version of the aircraft is more technically equipped compared to the previous fighter, Saiga," Karshaki added.
He said that the details concerning this sphere of the Iranian military production will be announced in the nearest future.
The military aircraft "Saiga" [That's Farsi for "F-5"]
was produced in 2007. The Defense Ministry announced about its modernization in 2008.
Besides "Saiga" fighter, the Islamic Republic of Iran produces military aircrafts of Azarakhsh type.
Iran announced about launching of the new unmanned aircrafts with a range of 1,000 km in 2009. That last fighter jet of their seemed pretty advanced given how well it maneuvered on the runway. I can only imagine how well it would do if they were to take the engine inlet covers off.
Gee. I wonder what prompted this.
Iran is ready for resumption of talks with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, said Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, ISNA reported.
"We have always said that we are ready for dialogue with the P5-plus-1 to settle the issue," he said in a meeting with Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister in Tehran on Saturday.
As to Iran-US ties, Salehi highlighted the US contradictory approach and said, "they (the US officials) are not honest in their words and actions. They should fundamentally change their approach towards Iran, if they seek talks and relations with the country."
Outlining nuclear program, Iranian chief diplomat criticized the US position on the issue.
"Western states chose to behave badly in response to positive measures and constructive cooperation of the Islamic Republic of Iran with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). But they are pursuing a different approach towards Zionist regime which holds nuclear weapons, violates Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and is not answerable to any authority," Salehi added.
According to two reports on Pars Daily News, an Iranian news website, both opposition leaders, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi have been transferred to a secret prison in Tehran.
While Obama destroys our oil industry and farming (dust? DUST???), Putin's on a right capitalist tear, what with missiles to Syria and nuke plants to Bangladesh. That he's also stirring up mischief only makes it more satisfying to him, one supposes.
Russia vowed Saturday to fulfil its contract to supply Syria with cruise missiles despite the turmoil shaking the Arab world and Israel's furious condemnation of the deal.
Russia initially agreed to send a large shipment of anti-ship Yakhont cruise missiles to Syria in 2007 under the terms of a controversial deal that was only disclosed by Serdyukov in September 2010.
The revelation infuriated both Israel and the United States and there had been speculation that Russia would decide to tear up the contract amid the current turmoil plaguing north Africa and the Middle East.
The disputed sale is believed to be worth at least $300 million (218 million euros) and is meant to see Syria receive 72 cruise missiles in all.
Who's paying? Syria doesn't have a lot of foreign exchange.
Right now Putin's moving hard to extend Russian influence in the vacuum that Obama has left. He'll see whether he can recoup his investment later.
Makes sense. The alternative is that the Mad Mullahs are fronting the money.
But wasn't the reason Iran raised prices and reduced subsidies at home because they hadn't enough money to run the country as they had been? Granted, their trade with Europe (especially Germany) and Turkey has been booming, but apparently that hasn't been enough.
Russia has not officially confirmed making any Yakhont deliveries to date. But Interfax cited one unnamed military source as saying that Russia had already sent Syria two Bastion coastal defence systems that can include up to 36 Yakhont missiles each.
The feared complex can only operate when equipped with radar and target detection helicopters and it was not clear from Serdyukov's comments which supplies, if any, had already been received by Syria.
#1
These supersonic antiship missiles will end up in Iran.
Posted by: Pearl Gleaper1127 ||
02/27/2011 17:46 Comments ||
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#2
I gotta tell you, I'd be a little leery right now about buying any kind of Russian hardware, especially if I was a Syrian. They don't seem to have very good luck with it.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
02/27/2011 22:10 Comments ||
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#3
Israel repor fears the YAKHONTS ending up in the hands of Hezbollah + likely other MilTerr Groups - IMO Tel Aviv believes that SYRIA will follow IRAN's lead, + prefer to hang back + let the various Regional MilTerr Groups be in the forefront of any new war agz Israel.
Save their armed forces for later agz Irael once the latter is suffic weakened by the Militants.
E.g FREEREPUBLIC > MUJAHIDEEN IN LIBYA POSSESS GADDAFI'S CEHMICAL + BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS; + LIBYA LACKS MEANS TO USE [its] CHEMICAL ARMS - WATCHDOG [OPECW].
* TOPIX > EGYPT, SERBIA PROTESTERS TRAINED BY [Serbian] OTPOR!?
[An Nahar] Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri's sources refused to respond to the positions issued by Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Wally Jumblat ... Druze politician, head of the Progressive Socialist Party, who's been on every side in Leb at least four times... on Thursday when he described as "silly" Hariri's demands in return for abandoning the Special Tribunal for Leb.
They told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published on Saturday that Hariri "will not forget Jumblat and his supporters' stand after the liquidation of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005."
They added that this stand was fundamental in the establishment of the March 14 Those are the good guys, insofar as Leb has good guys... movement, stressing that Jumblat was never accused of betraying the Hariri family.
"We are in no way seeking to harm Jumblat's supporters with whom we share a relationship of mutual loyalty and therefore we will not comment on his statements," they added.
On Thursday, Jumblat stated that Hariri was referring to him and Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati "when he spoke of betrayal" in his speech on February 14, the sixth anniversary of the liquidation of Rafik Hariri.
"I'm convinced of what I've done since 2009," Jumblat said of his new alliances.
"We engaged in the May 7 adventure following U.S. incitement aimed at cornering Hizbullah after it defeated Israel in 2006, and today the same plot has surfaced again through the STL," Jumblat noted.
He voiced concerns that the U.S. might try to "financially blockade Leb in order to pressure the Lebanese," adding that the visit of U.S. senators Joseph Lieberman and John Maverick McCain ... the former presidential candidate and even more former foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution... to Leb this week was "part of that pressure."
Addressing the rapid developments in the Arab region, Jumblat said "the Americans will claim to support the popular uprisings sweeping the Arab world, while in Leb their scheme is to destroy Hizbullah at any price."
He noted that "U.S. and Egyptian pressures" torpedoed the failed Saudi-Syrian initiative that aimed to find a solution to Leb's political crisis.
Jumblat warned that "there's a trap set up for Leb by Israel."
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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[The Nation (Nairobi)] More than anything else, the ideological conflict involving Arab nationalism, Islamism and liberal democracy shapes Iran's foreign policy.
And in view of escalating political confrontation with the West, particularly the United States of America, that policy is largely skewed in favour of pan-Islamic solidarity.
Or possibly Iranian pan-Islamic hegemony. Who is to say?
The rocky relations between Tehran on the one hand and the US and Israel on the other
That is to say, the lack of relations since 1979 between Iran and the other two...
have pushed the Islamic regime in Iran to seek to solidify its prominent position in the Middle East and create spheres of influence beyond the region through trade.
It is in this context that Kenya has caught the eye of Iran's policy makers. Within the international community of states, the US wields more than a passing influence on Kenya's relations with other countries.
And with Iran's growing interest in Kenya, the question on the lips of many international relations observers is whether the new phase of the ideological battle between Washington and Tehran will be fought in Kenya.
Emerging ideological war
Political scientist Frank Matanga told the Sunday Nation that, "with the dwindling of communism that was the opponent of capitalism, focus has shifted to a politico-religious cold war between the fundamentalist Islamic world mainly fronted by Iran against the largely western world led by the US
What a novel definition of the term cold war, completely unlike previous usages.
It is possible that Kenya, which has a somehow radical Muslim population may just serve as one of the many centres in the world that may be used as proxy to fight the new emerging ideological war".
Not a proxy at all. But do go on.
But Egara Kabaji, a lecturer at Masinde Muliro University and former senior official in the ministry of Foreign Affairs, argues that Iran is an inconsequential ally of Kenya.
According to him, the Persian state's interests compare well with those of embattled Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi whose singular desire is to control Africa for personal gains.
"At the moment we shall continue to listen to Washington more than any capital in the world. We are talking about a rogue government in Tehran and a democracy in Washington. So there is nothing like a battle of ideologies between the two because Iran lacks an ideology to talk about," said Prof Kabaji.
Iran, which established diplomatic ties with Kenya in 1972, is one of the leading consumers of Kenyan tea. According to data from the Tea Board of Kenya, Iran imported 3,200 tonnes of tea valued at Sh785 million in 2010.
According to embassy sources 20 per cent of Iran's domestic consumption of tea is from Kenya.
Kenya imports petrochemicals, industrial lubricants, power generators, bitumen and tar from Iran.
The trade ties between the two countries received a major boost in February 2009 following a two-day visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
During the visit, the two countries concluded and signed protocol agreements largely in the agriculture sector.
In his visit, President Ahmadinejad was accompanied by a delegation of more than 100 business people.
But it is Tehran's new proactive approach to changing its international image that should get Kenya's traditional allies thinking.
When Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ramin Mehmanparast visited Kenya last week, he brought along senior editors from leading media houses in Iran.
At a joint media meeting with Kenyan journalists, the delegation sought direct links with Kenyan media houses and criticised what they termed, "overreliance on western news agencies" in the coverage of Iran.
Oooooh, they mean Iran PressTV!
The delegation emphasised the need for a new approach in the consumption of news from Iran, pointing out that time was ripe for structured exchange programmes between media houses in the two countries.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Iran charm offensive? They sure have their work cut out for them. I don't think there is enough time or charm to pull this off.
[An Nahar] Pope Benedict XVI accepted Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir's resignation, reported L'Obsservatore Romano newspaper on Saturday. Nasrallah, eh? For some reason that name seems... unsavory.
The Pope said in a letter to Sfeir: "I accept your free decision that reflects your humility."
"I trust that you will always stand by the Maronite church in prayer, wisdom, and sacrifices," it concluded.
In an interview with OTV in the Vatican on the sidelines of a ceremony to unveil the statue of Saint Maroun, Sfeir said: "They're free to say what they want, but the real reason is that I have reached the age of 90."
The patriarch noted that "the biggest threat facing the Lebanese is their split." He added, however, that the Lebanese situation "is still better than the situation in neighboring countries." Better than Israel? Better than Syria? Better than... hmm there are no other neighbors.
Sfeir submitted his resignation to the Vatican late last year, but it remains unknown whether the election of a new patriarch, if Sfeir's resignation is accepted, will take place before or after the election of a number of Maronite bishops to replace those who have reached the retirement age of 75.
The bishops who have reached retirement age could still vote to elect a new patriarch as long
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2011 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Bouteflika
[Maghrebia] Built seven centuries ago, the historic city of Chinguetti is Mauritania's top tourist destination. For decades, the city lured visitors from around the world. But with the death of four 
The British Government was brokering a secret deal worth up to £10 billion with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime before Libya descended into chaos, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt. 
Walid 
John 
